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Xi says China supports Cuba in safeguarding sovereignty, opposing foreign interference

Xinhua) 09:16, May 10, 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Friday that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty, and opposing foreign interference and blockade.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The Chinese side also supports Cuba's efforts to promote economic and social development, said Xi, adding that the two sides, both as important members of the Global South, should enhance coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the BRICS and the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, oppose power politics and unilateral bullying, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Xi recalled that he has met with Diaz-Canel on many occasions in recent years, saying that they have jointly led China-Cuba relations into a new stage featuring deeper political mutual trust, closer strategic coordination and more solid popular support.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cuba, Xi said, adding that China is willing to further consolidate the ironclad friendship with Cuba, build a closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, and set an example of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among developing countries.

Xi called on both sides to promote steady progress in exchanges at all levels and cooperation in various fields, and ensure that high-level political mutual trust always remains a distinct feature of relations between the two ruling parties and the two countries.

For his part, Diaz-Canel said Cuba and China are close friends and brothers, adding that his country appreciates China's long-term strong support for Cuba's economic and social development.

The Cuban side, he said, firmly abides by the one-China principle, and is ready to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance friendly people-to-people exchanges, promote coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and deepen the efforts of the building of a community with a shared future, so as to promote a greater development of bilateral relations.

He also said that Cuba supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, and is willing to work with China to jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and to safeguard the common interests of the international community.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
A Georgia mom who allegedly lied about a beloved father trying to abduct her child at Walmart has claimed she is the real victim in the situation.

Caroline Miller, 26, claimed 57-year-old Mahendra Patel attempted to kidnap her two-year-old son at a Walmart in Acworth, Georgia, as she was rolling around on a motorized scooter despite not being disabled.

But, after spending a terrifying two months in jail, Patel was released on bail this week after a judge watched bombshell footage that appears to expose Miller as a liar.

Miller, a mother of two, broke cover on Wednesday, appearing stressed as she went to a Publix grocery store in fitness gear.

She strutted around a parking lot pushing a shopping cart confidently and without the need for a mobility scooter like the type she was using when the Patel incident erupted.

Speaking exclusively toDailyMail.com, Miller said she 'tried to tell her story but it was "twisted" and [she] does not want to be part of the "narrative."

Miller's demeanor and unwillingness to elaborate was in marked contrast to the media tour she undertook while accusing Patel of the horrific crime.

She alleged that Patel attempted to take her son after he stopped to ask her where the Tylenol was, leading to what she described as a 'tug of war' over the child in the aisles.

Caroline Miller, 26, broke cover on Wednesday after a man she claimed tried to kidnap her son was released on bail. Security footage from Walmart appears to expose her as a liar

Miller appeared stressed as she went to the grocery store in fitness gear - and without the need for a mobility scooter to get around

Mahendra Patel, 57, was freed from custody on Tuesday after bombshell footage appear to dispute his accuser's claims that he tried to kidnap her child from Walmart

However, the release of surveillance footage has led many to cast doubt over Miller's claims, as Patel was seen merely conversing with the mother as she pointed him toward the medication.

Patel insisted that he grabbed the boy as he saw him falling off Miller's motorized shopping cart and attempted to save him, and in court this week, Patel's attorney Ashleigh Merchant said he 'acted like a father' when he reached out to stop the child from falling.

Cameras show Miller apparently unbothered by the interaction in the immediate aftermath. She was seen smiling and chatting with a man, while Patel went about his business. Her claims that Patel fled the store have also been disproven by footage showing him paying for his goods and leaving in a calm, unhurried manner.

The father of two remained in custody since he was arrested three days after his interaction with Miller, and Merchant said he spent his 57th birthday behind bars two weeks before his bond hearing.

Patel has received an outpouring of support from those who feel he was unjustly accused, and a cheer rang out from his family and supporters as he was given bail on Tuesday.

As a judge released Patel, he set a $10,000 bond and remarked on the 'significant' amount of media and social media attention the case has received.

In footage of their interaction in Walmart, Patel was seen walking up to Miller as she drove her motorized shopping cart with her son and four-year-old daughter.

It is unclear why Miller was using the cart, as she is able to walk.

Miller did a number of media spots about what she insists was an attempted kidnapping, with Patel's loved ones questioning: 'How many interviews can this person do?'

Patel insists he's been wrongfully accused as his loved ones say they instantly knew there was 'some kind of mistake' when he was arrested

Miller claims Patel tried to snatch her two-year-old son from her lap in the aisle of their local Walmart in Acton, Georgia in March

After pointing him toward the Tylenol, Miller then spoke with another shopper and was seen smiling and laughing with them, moments after she alleged that she fought to save her child from a kidnapping.

The other patron also helped Miller's children as they fell from her mobility scooter - which she mother was using despite not being disabled - just as Patel said he had done.

The footage showed no such struggle that Miller had described, and even showed Patel walking back past her and appearing to show her the Tylenol that he eventually found as he left the store.

Miller reported Patel to a Walmart employee five minutes after the alleged snatching attempt, but did not call the police until later.

In court on Tuesday, Marchant said a Walmart staffer found it strange that Miller did not scream or call for help during the alleged kidnapping attempt, and initially appeared reluctant to call police.

A prosecutor claimed that a Walmart employee told police Patel had tried to touch them and said 'something like he loved them.'

The prosecutor added that Patel had been arrested for a DUI in the past, to which Merchant stood up and countered that while Patel was never convicted of a DUI, she alleged that Miller had been.

After it was brought up that Patel served six months in federal prison for a 2006 arrest for a 'white collar crime' related to a contracts scam, Merchant said he cooperated with investigators to convict another perpetrator and paid back all ill-gotten gains.

Patel had remained behind bars for months following his arrest

Patel had gone to the Walmart to buy drugs for his elderly mother, and was seen calmly paying for his items and leaving after the alleged 'kidnapping' attempt

After encountering Patel, Miller spoke with another man in Walmart (above), where she drove into a display on a motorized scooter that she used despite not being disabled

Patel has remained in the county jail ever since he was arrested three days later, with a family friend previously telling DailyMail.com that the father has been struggling behind bars.

They said they 'automatically' knew there 'had to have been a mistake' when they saw the news of his arrest, and said he has been maligned through no fault of his own.

'There's just like absolutely no way like he would ever do something like that,' they said.

They blasted Miller, who has gone on a media tour to accuse him of child-snatching.

'How many interviews can this person do? She is just making so many assumptions on the person he is just based on her one interaction,' they said.

Patel was looking for a specific kind of Tylenol for his ailing 86-year-old mother.

She takes Tylenol twice a day, 'and that's probably why he was frantically looking for it.'

They added that Patel's wife is 'distraught' not speaking to anyone since her husband's humiliating arrest.

Patel, meanwhile, was struggling behind bars.

'He's not doing well. It's awful. He's being threatened. I mean, you can imagine, he's in here for child kidnapping. People in jail aren't treated well if they're accused of harming a child,' attorney Ashleigh Merchant tells Daily Mail.

Miller has been accused of fabricating the kidnapping attempt as Patel's lawyers alleged that footage vindicated the father

Patel's lawyer pointed out that Miller has previously been involved in litigation against companies. In 2021 she filed a lawsuit against Lyft saying she had been raped by a driver. The case is ongoing

Despite the video footage and his claims, the Acworth Police Department is standing by the arrest, saying the 'video released by the attorney does not show the entire incident.'

'It seems to have been edited... it's not the video we have,' the department said, but declined to share their footage with DailyMail.com.

'I have no idea if they showed the video or not [to the grand jury]. But if you see the entire video, it's very clear what's happening. I mean, there's really no mistaking it,' Patel's lawyer Merchant said.

When asked why Miller would make up such horrific claims against an innocent name, Patel's lawyer pointed out that Miller has previously been involved in litigation against companies.

In 2021 she filed a lawsuit against Lyft saying she had been raped by a driver. The lawsuit is ongoing.

Meanwhile, a change.org petition is shining a light on Patel's version of events, and people are leaving comments expressing support for the father.

One comment read: 'I have left my kids with him many times. He is exactly opposite of what he is accused of and video evidence clearly shows that he was helping the kid who almost fell down.'

Another added: 'This is a horrible case of discrimination. Video shows a humble man who is trying to help. Now people will hesitate to help someone who really needs help.'

A third said: 'The video clearly shows he was not trying to "kidnap" the kid and was not "fleeing" the scene.

'The woman and the police department need to be held accountable. This is disgusting behavior.'
As anyone who has had the misfortune of dealing with civil service bureaucracy will know, it can be a complicated endeavour. There is the jargon, the minutes that bleed into hours spent on hold on the phone and, of course, the endless form-filling. But mastering this red tape - particularly in relation to Britain's bloated benefits system - can apparently also present extraordinarily lucrative business opportunities. Just ask Charlie Anderson, a YouTube blogger who says her chronic arthritis and fatigue has rendered her unable to work. Thanks to her lengthy experience with the welfare system, she is extremely proficient at filling out forms used to claim the Personal Independence Payment [PIP] allowance disability benefit. So adept has she become in applying for this taxpayer-funded help that she has taken to explaining the 'tricks of the trade' to any prospective benefits claimant - for a hefty fee, of course.
Republicans are viciously fighting over how dramatically they should cut Medicaid in Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' as they are trying to provide the tax cuts the president promised.

The massive measure, which is expected to cost trillions of dollars, is expected to renew Trump's 2017 tax cuts, cut taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security.

'In the coming weeks and months, we will pass the largest tax cuts in American history - and that will include no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, and no tax on overtime. It's called the one big beautiful bill,' Trump promised at a rally in April.

Republicans in Congress are now deliberating over how to make good on that promise, and they must find $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to offset the income lost due to the tax cuts.

However, negotiations over just how much to cut and where are proving tricky as Medicaid is popular in many GOP-controlled districts, potentially exposing the lawmakers to challenges in the midterms next year.

Attacking the government health program that provides healthcare for close to 80 million Americans, about 25 percent of the U.S. population, including children, the elderly and the sick, has been an unpopular position for any lawmakers.

Understanding that slashing a program that provides practically free healthcare is politically perilous for his party heading into the midterms, the president has remained opaque about what may happen.

'We want to preserve Medicaid for the most vulnerable, for our kids, our pregnant women, the poor and disabled,' he told a rally in Michigan last week. He also said in February that the program 'isn't going to be touched.'

Donald Trump has waffled on Medicaid cuts as Congress wrangles with how much of the subsidized healthcare program they want to slash as they search for savings to make good on the president's promise of sweeping tax cuts

Speaker Mike Johnson (L) and Trump have been in near constant contact as the House leader works to craft the president's massive, multi-trillion dollar legislative agenda

Care advocates attend 24-hour vigil at U.S. Capitol to share stories and urge lawmakers to protect Medicaid on May 07, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

The program costs about $880 billion annually, as each enrollee spends a median $7,000 to $9,000, according to Medicaid data.

Republicans must find $880 billion in cuts over 10 years to finance the tax cuts this year. That $88 billion in savings annually will come, in part, from Medicaid reform, party leadership has said.

And though some in the GOP see the program as a piggy bank to pull from, others are warning the situation is much more treacherous.

Leaving Washington on Thursday after the last votes of the week, GOP lawmakers were perplexed on how to appropriately filet the program to every member's liking.

'There's a lot, there's 20 plus issues, I think, that are still major variables on whether any of this can come together,' Conservative House Freedom Caucus (HFC) member Chip Roy told reporters on Thursday.

He and other conservatives are pushing to reform the program and whittle down how many individuals can enroll in the subsidized healthcare.

Requiring Medicaid recipients to work to receive benefits and cutting the amount of federal dollars flowing to the program are on the table for the GOP.

'Work Requirements are important,' Roy told reporters. 'You shouldn't be having the people who should work, can work, getting benefits without working.'

GOP members differ on how much Medicaid shut be slashed. Roy, a conservative House Freedom Caucus member is advocating for deep cuts while Bacon, who was elected in a district Kamala Harris won, has expressed doubts over major reform to the program

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., speaks at a Medicaid rally in front of the Capitol. Democrats have been fighting back against GOP reforms

Doctors do an ultrasound on a pregnant woman during a pop-up health clinic in Alabama last year. The pop-up was sponsored by a state program, which receives federal funding

'You shouldn't have the ineligible getting benefits if they're, in fact, ineligible,' the Texas Republican continued, adding the reforms need to be 'transformative' to root out those 'gaming' the system.

Though cuts are also majorly unpopular for some in the party, too.

'I'll hopefully get to talk to leadership about it a little later,' House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., told reporters on Wednesday after a private meeting with Democrats on what portions of Medicaid to cut. 'So we'll see.'

Centrist Republican Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said after the meeting that if Republicans vote on a bill that reforms federal financing of state Medicaid programs, they might not succeed.

'I don't think these measures will pass the House, let alone the Senate,' he said about the current proposal.

Democrats see the GOP's Medicaid cuts as risky too.

Trump poses with Mehmet Oz after being sworn-in as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the Oval Office of the White House, April 18, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

'You see the fight playing out right there because people understand Medicaid is extremely popular,' progressive caucus leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., told reporters on Thursday.

She noted how the program 'covers nursing home care, covers births, including a significant portion of births in Mike Johnson's home state of Louisiana.'

Speaker Mike Johnson has said repeatedly that Medicaid reform is a critical component of the 'big, beautiful bill,' though the question of how much is seemingly dividing his narrow majority.

Whenever Johnson and Republicans finalize their work on the trillion dollar legislative package they will only be able to lose a handful of votes to advance the bill to the Senate.

Currently, the GOP majority is 220 - 213, which means they can only lose three votes and still have Trump's agenda pass.

'As far as Medicaid goes, when you have six out of 10 individuals on Medicaid, able bodied and not working, there's got to be some reforms,' HFAC member Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., told the Daily Mail.

'It's intended for, you know, at risk children, single moms, the at risk population. So get your butt to work and contribute to the process.'

When asked about the appetite for major cuts with narrow margins in the House, Ogles admitted he would personally want to make even deeper cuts to Medicaid.

'But obviously we've got a slim majority,' he added.
'Britain is broken. Reform will fix it. This slogan captured the feelings of millions of people in recent weeks and there is no doubt it helped Reform UK to become the first political party other than the Conservatives or Labour to win a nationally held election for more than 100 years.

Our victory was seismic. The two old political parties have been shaken to the core. They will have to get used to this new political era because Reform UK is only just getting started.

Yet that slogan did more than secure us scores of council seats across the land, the control of ten local authorities, two mayoralties and the new MP for Runcorn and Helsby following the parliamentary by-election in that constituency.

Beneath the surface, its seven words expressed a collective frustration, serving as a summary of 15 years of lived experience first under successive Tory governments until 2024 and, for the past ten months, under this Labour administration.

The fact is that Britain is broken not just in the sense that its infrastructure seems unable to cope any longer, but at a deeper level because of years of empty promises.

And when peoples trust is shattered, their spirit breaks as well.

The casual lies and careless attitudes of our political class in recent years have let people down. They are sick and tired of being taken for fools or, worse, ignored.

Wherever you go, you will hear the same complaint: nothing seems to work any more. Men and women whose only desire is to do the right thing look back a few years and know in their bones that standards have slipped steadily. This is not nostalgia on their part. This is hard reality.

'The two old political parties have been shaken to the core,' says Nigel Farage

Energy bills in Britain are the most expensive in the world. Our high streets are dying. Bins go uncollected. Millions of potholes have been left unfilled. Taxes are at record highs. Some 6.2 million people are still on NHS waiting lists, while A&E waiting times in many areas are utterly unacceptable.

Communities are terrorised by rampant levels of crime, not helped by the fact that hundreds of criminals are being released from prison early.

The legal immigration system has collapsed and, because our borders have been left wide open, illegal immigration has rocketed as well. Two-tier justice and policing have become a fact of life and, after Sir Keir Starmers disastrous trade deal with India this week, we now have a two-tier tax regime as well. I could go on. The political class that created this chaos is guilty of a betrayal that will never be forgotten and, most likely, will never be forgiven by the majority.

There is a commonly-held perception that those who have been in government during the past 15 years or so no longer believe in our people, our history or our culture.

They have undermined our country in pursuit of a globalist agenda that seems only to work against the interests of the British people. I am proud to be British and proud of our history, people and culture. And when I meet people and talk to them, I know that I am not alone.

That is why I believe the tide is beginning to turn, as reflected in the local elections.

Last year was very important for me personally. I became a grandfather for the first time. That made me think hard about our nation and what those of us who are alive today will pass on to future generations.

The change in my status partly explains why I returned to politics. I was driven on by three words that are at the centre of everything I do: family, community, country. I believe these things matter above everything else.

But they are under threat.

Thursday marked the 80th anniversary of VE day. That occasion showed what we can achieve when our country is united around a shared culture, identity and purpose. It also acted as a reminder of the Judeo-Christian foundations on which Britain was built. Our justice system, our freedom and our democracy are deeply rooted in these values. They must be at the heart of the renewal that is now so badly needed. So what would a Reform UK government do to improve peoples lives? Above all else, we will be the party of working people, rewarding those who pay their taxes and who play by the rules.

For too long, Conservative and Labour governments have regarded workers as a financial resource to be drained, with many of the revenues collected being handed to those who do not have a job.

This has resulted in a situation where decent people are taxed more and more heavily in order to fund the lifestyles of those who choose to work less and less. This cannot be right. My party will always put working people first.

We understand that governments do not create wealth, they spend it. That is why we would lift the starting threshold for tax to 20,000, liberating millions from the tax regime and genuinely making employment pay. It is also why we would cut taxes and regulations for small businesses. The current tax code runs to 17,000 pages and is one of the longest in the world. We will make it one of the shortest. Britain will be open for business again.

We will incentivise wealth creators to come to our country but, as the party of working people, we are ready to be a friend to the unions. We can already be judged by our deeds. Our visit to Scunthorpe last month forced the Government to step in and save over 2,000 jobs at Britains last functioning steel works. We will support pensioners. Sir Keir Starmers decision to scrap winter fuel payments was cruel and vindictive. I will never forget visiting my 99-year-old constituent Jim ODwyer, who flew 31 missions as part of a bomber crew during the Second World War, and hearing that he had been denied this vital piece of state assistance.

I still get angry when I think about the treachery he felt. A Reform UK government would end Labours war on pensioners.

We will also back farmers. Labours inheritance tax raid on these most hard working men and women will destroy family farms and decimate rural communities. Eliminating this tax is not all we will do. We will also increase the farming budget, ensure that supermarkets pay farmers a fair price for their produce and establish a system under which all taxpayer-funded organisations source 75 per cent of their food from British farmers.

Whether it is hard working families, pensioners or farmers, Reform UK sees inheritance tax as nothing more than a levy on assets and savings that have already been taxed. Death duties are wrong and we will abolish them for all estates worth up to 2 million.

We will improve the NHS. Reform UK would always keep the NHS free at the point of use, but with an annual investment of about 180 billion, lack of money is not the problem in our healthcare system. (Indeed, that sum is comparable with every other European countrys spending on healthcare.)

However, research shows that Britain has the lowest number of hospital beds per person in Europe and the smallest number of doctors and nurses per head. It is therefore clear that the funds directed to the NHS arent reaching the front line, so our reforms will focus on cutting waste, inefficiency and bureaucracy.

Our party will freeze immigration and stop the small boats crisis. Back in 2020, I was the first public figure to alert the British people to the tens of thousands of young men crossing the Channel illegally. I will be the first person to stop it. We are committed to leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, so illegal immigrants who cross the Channel will be barred from making asylum claims.

The racket of family reunions and student over-stayers must end. The universities will scream blue murder, but we are aiming for a 0 per cent population increase through immigration, and a new Minister for Deportations will oversee this.

Throughout history, this great country has been at the forefront of some of the worlds most crucial advancements in science and technology. I want us to lead the way again

The outrageous abuse of Britains long history as a country that has welcomed genuine refugees now hoovers up more than 4 billion of taxpayers money annually in accommodation costs alone, according to research based on figures from the Institute for Public Policy.

Just as concerning is that many illegal immigrants live in homes of multiple occupation in residential areas, causing fear among families and forcing up rents. It is barely believable that these uninvited guests are given free dental treatment while many Britons no longer even have access to an NHS dentist. Such unaffordable madness cannot continue.

We will abolish Net Zero. Last year Labour promised that, if in government, it would cut household energy bills by 300  the very sum that most peoples bills have in fact increased by on average since then. The continued pursuit of this unachievable target by the Labour government is as despised as it is disastrous. We will revive our North Sea oil and gas industry. And we will use Rolls-Royce small modular nuclear reactors to power towns around Britain.

Throughout history, this great country has been at the forefront of some of the worlds most crucial advancements in science and technology. I want us to lead the way again.

A Reform government would strive to make Britain an AI superpower fostering innovation through significant investment in research and talent. But to do this we need to lower the cost of energy. Sir Keir Starmer just doesnt understand this. Of course, there are other areas that must be addressed urgently as well. We will axe the 2010 Equalities Act, which has entrenched the politically correct wokery that has split the country.

We will ban two-tier justice. Diversity hires will be consigned to the dustbin as well. And there will be no more victim groups or divide and rule. I will continue to say it loud and clear: Reform UK doesnt care about peoples skin colour, religion or sexual preference. We want to create a meritocracy where people are judged by what they give, not by what they take. It is that simple.

Millions of Britons have lost hope. I dont blame them. For too long, both Labour and the Conservatives have ground them down by reneging on their promises, making the wrong decisions and disrupting lives at the stroke of an ill-informed ministers pen.

By disregarding the very people who put them into power, these parties have done immense damage. The repair job that must be done is huge, but I believe it is attainable.

I fought for Brexit and won. I never changed my beliefs and I repaid the trust that millions placed in me. Becoming your next prime minister is the biggest challenge of my life but the stakes could not be higher for all of us.

I will repay those who put their trust in me. I will not let the country down. If there is one lesson that was given by the historic election results on May 1, it is that change can happen via the ballot box. If you want Reform, you must vote for it.
A New Hampshire mother fatally shot her three-year-old son and then herself in a horror episode inside their picture-perfect cottage in the woods, cops said.

The tragedy unfolded shortly after midnight Friday as cops with the Pembroke Police Department were called to a $400,000 home by the survivor of a suspected murder-suicide.

Officers arrived to find Julia Byrne, 26, dead inside the home near to her infant son Blake, both of whom were suffering gunshot wounds, officials said.

The Pembroke Police Department said officers responded to the family's cottage near Pembroke Hill Road, in a secluded spot surrounded by a forest.

A witness, who has not been identified, told cops that they heard two gunshots in the home at around 1am, before finding Julia and Blake injured in her bedroom.

The toddler was rushed to Concord Hospital where he died from his injuries, and an autopsy obtained by DailyMail.com showed both sustained a single gunshot wound to the head.

Byrne's social media is filled with happy pictures of her and her young son on hikes and picnics, and investigators have not offered any details on what may have motivated the horror shooting.

She had also shared a number of troubling posts about struggling with her mental health and the challenges of being a mother.

Julia Byrne, 26, fatally shot her three-year-old son Blake and then herself in a horror murder-suicide inside their idyllic cottage in the New Hampshire woodland on Friday

Byrne, who had previously enlisted in the military, shot her young son in the head before turning the gun on herself in their home in Pembroke, authorities said

The Pembroke Police Department said officers responded to the family's cottage near Pembroke Hill Road, in a secluded spot surrounded by a forest, at around 1am Friday after a witness inside the home heard several gunshots

The New Hampshire Department of Justice said in a press release that an investigation has been opened, and while 'the investigation is just beginning, there does not appear to be any threat to the general public in connection with these two deaths.'

'At this time, authorities are investigating this as a possible murder and suicide of these two residents living at that location,' the release stated.

Neighbor Ryan Demers told the Concord Monitor that he has lived by the family's home for two years, but said: 'I dont know who lived there and I dont think I ever saw them come out of the house.

'As far I knew, they pretty much kept to themselves.'

The state's medical examiner conducted autopsies on the mother and son on Friday, and determined both causes of death were single gunshot wounds to the head.

While Julia's manner of death is still pending, Assistant Chief Medical Examiner Abigail Alexander determined that Blake's manner of death was a homicide.

According to her social media activity, Julia had enlisted in the US Army in 2018.

Police and forensics teams pictured at the scene of the horror murder-suicide on Friday

Byrne's social media is filled with happy pictures of her and her young son on hikes and picnics, and investigators have not offered any details on what may have motivated the horror shooting

The toddler was rushed to Concord Hospital after the horror shooting where he died from his injuries, and an autopsy obtained by DailyMail.com showed both sustained a single gunshot wound to the head

According to her social media activity, Julia had enlisted in the US Army in 2018 and trained to become an armament, electrical and avionics systems repairer

She was praised in a Facebook post from the military's recruitment station in Concord, New Hampshire, which said she was a graduate from Pembroke Academy.

The recruitment station noted that she would attend basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, and was awarded an enlistment bonus on her way to becoming an armament, electrical and avionics system repairer.

It is unclear if Byrne graduated basic training or if she was still an active member of the military at the time of her death this week.
The 27-year-old girlfriend of a married Republican congressman opened up to the Daily Mail about a domestic dispute 911 call that led cops to the lawmaker's home.

Headlines broke in February that Florida Republican Rep. Cory Mills was under investigation for a domestic assault after the police were called to his residence in Washington, D.C.

Sarah Raviani, a co-founder of Iranians for Trump, phoned the police after '(Her significant other for over a year) grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out of the door' of his apartment, a copy of the initial incident report obtained by NBC claims.

Raviani showed 'bruises on her arm which appeared fresh', the report stated, in addition to claiming that Mills instructed her to lie to authorities about what took place.

'Officers [heard] Subject 1 [now identified by MPD as Mills] instruct her to lie about the origin of her bruises,' it stated.

Police also allegedly told Mills he would be placed under arrest, but after Raviani changed her story, no arrest took place and no charges have been filed.

A new version of the police report was created within days, saying the incident was a family disturbance and there was no cause for arrest, according to the report. Both Mills and Raviani deny any wrongdoing.

Breaking her silence to set the record straight, Raviani told the Daily Mail in a statement: 'Regarding the police call, Ive confirmed multiple times and Ill confirm again, no assault took place.'

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' wife Rana Al Saadi, President Donald Trump and Mills

Raviani is the co-founder of Iranians for Trump

The 27-year-old confirmed that she and Mills, who is married, are together: 'Were in a relationship,' she said, adding 'it's been confirmed many times.'

The Daily Mail first contacted Raviani to speak about a report from The Blaze which sheds light on the congressman's 2014 marriage to Rana Al Saadi, an American citizen originally from Iraq.

According to the report, Mills and Al Saadi were wed in an Islamic ceremony by a member of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammad Al-Hanooti. The Islamic center they were married at was also briefly attended by some 9/11 hijackers.

Mills shares in the article that his relationship with Al Saad is in the process of ending. 'Weve been going through divorce proceedings for 2.5 years and have been separated for three years.'

The report also cast doubts on how genuine Mills' Christian faith is, but Raviani told the Daily Mail it should not be up for debate.

'I can confidently say that the claims made in the Blaze article are entirely untrue,' she wrote.

The couple regularly pray together in private, she shared.

Mills and Raviani attend Christian ceremonies and pray together

Al Saadi worked in the first Trump administration and as a translator while the U.S. was in Iraq

A picture of Raviani and Mills together in Turkey in April

'He has not only attended church with my family and me, but we also pray together privately just the two of us where there would be no reason to pretend or perform for others.'

'Additionally, we pray together publicly before meals. Any assertion that he is a Muslim is false, and I can personally attest to his Christian faith,' she told the Daily Mail.

In fact, the two even spent Easter together overseas while the congressman was visiting Turkey and Syria on an unofficial trip with Indiana Republican Rep. Marlin Stutzman.

The unofficial trip was organized by the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity, Mills has said.

Photos posted on social media show Raviani at a table next to Mills during conversations in Turkey.

When pressed on the meeting the pro-Iranian activist shared: 'I was with Cory, and they offered me to sit in the meeting before dinner.'

'Im an advocate for womens rights in Iran and a free Iran.'

'The purpose of the travel was because we wanted to spend Easter together,' she shared.
Chicago's police force is being rocked by a suicide epidemic as overworked and under appreciated cops struggle to cope with the pressures of the job.

The Windy City recorded 53 officer suicides over the last ten years, according to a records request obtained by The Free Press.

The rate is 60 percent higher than the national average, and three times more prevalent than among police in New York City, where the force is three times bigger.

Among the victims was Officer Malissa Torres, who took her own life in April leaving behind a ten-year-old son.

She followed in the tragic footsteps of father-of-three Jeffrey Troglia, who died by suicide in 2021.

Officers past and present warned the crisis is the result of underfunding and a cultural shift against policing which is being aided by Chicago's mayor Brandon Johnson.

Johnson has frequently spoken against law enforcement and pushed to defund the police through a 'Justice for Black Lives' resolution.

While he has since distanced himself from the defund the police movement, his budget last year sought to cut counselling services offered to police until a public backlash forced him to reconsider.

Chicago 's police force is being rocked by a suicide epidemic which critics say is being fueled by anti-police sentiment encouraged by the policies of Mayor Brandon Johnson

Officer Malissa Torres died by suicide in April this year, leaving behind her 10-year-old son

BLM Chicago also plays an integral role in police oversight and successfully introduced a 236 page federal consent decree which the CPD must adhere to.

The department is also subject to scrutiny from six additional agencies, as well as feedback from 22 civilian councils and a Noncitizen Advisory Council.

Meanwhile in the state' capitol, Governor JB Pritzker has enacted sweeping reforms under the SAFE-T Act which has eliminated cash bail and expanded bodycam usage among other factors.

The increased oversight is in part a response to the sea change which occurred following the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

The murder of a black man at the hands of a white police prompted renewed hostility which is still being felt.

Attacks against cops are up nationwide and in Chicago last year, 62 officers were shot or shot at in the line of duty, resulting in two fatalities.

'Chicago is one of the hardest major cities to be a police officer,' Hannah Meyers, director of policing and public safety at the Manhattan Institute, told the Free Press.

'You're up against so much in terms of crime and violence. There's rampant gang activity and youth disorderthese officers are seeing kids get shot.

'Parents finding out their kids were shot. And then there are people telling you they hate you. They see real human misery, and it's just too much to absorb.'

Officer Patsy Swank took her own life using her service weapon in 2022 following a traumatic call out

The crime rate in Chicago is substantially above the national average. Last year, the city was the murder capital of the US, with 573 homicides.

Officers say the attitude towards policing is exacerbating an already taxing job.

'They treat cops like tissues. They just throw us away,' Rick Nigro, a retired sergeant, told the Free Press.

'You ever hear about firemen killing themselves? No. They're heroes. They're idolized. We're the pariahs of the civil service.'

Kelly Myers the widow of a CPD cop who died by suicide pointed out that unlike a line of duty death, there is no ceremonial funeral for police officers who take their own lives.

In her husband's case, none of his superiors even showed up.

It is perhaps unsurprising that the department has around 2,000 vacancies.

With so many empty roles, the CPD relies heavily on overtime which is also contributing to burnout among staff.

Chicago Police Officer Jeffrey Troglia, pictured with wife Julia, died by suicide in 2021

One officer told the Free Press that his scant days off are often cancelled at the last minute.

'Every time one of these suicides happens, the department puts out a statement'We're here for you, we have counselors,' ' the officer said. 'But in the meantime, they don't give a fuck. Nothing's changing.'

'If they really cared, they wouldn't cancel our days off. This is why divorce rates go up.

'When I'm working every day, I don't even have time to do my laundry, to grocery shop. But that's the normcanceled days off and 12-hour shifts.'

Officer Ryan Clancy knows all too well the consequences of failing to take care of staff.

His sister, Officer Patsy Swank, took her own life with a service issued gun in 2022.

Swank died aged 29, not long after she rescued a baby who had been crawling around next to the dead body of its mother following a wellness check.

Clancy has since taken up her police badge in her honor and to set an example to her young son.

CPD officers are overworked and underappreciated according to past and present officers who warn conditions in the force are exacerbating an already stressful job

'She gave her life to this city, and the effects of this job took hers away,' he told the Free Press.

Mayor Johnson's rival for the mayoral election Paul Vallas warned that cops are being 'demonized'.

He ran on a law and order platform and came close to besting Johnson in 2023, but was unsuccessful.

Already this year, four CPD officers have taken their own lives.

DailyMail.com has contacted Mayor Johnson and the CPD for comment.
The Turkish student who was detained by ICE in March for allegedly supporting Hamas has been ordered released by a federal judge in Vermont.

For weeks, Rumeysa Ozturk, a graduate student at Tufts University in Massachusetts, has been locked up at a Louisiana detention center run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after her student visa was revoked with no warning.

Ozturk, 30, was released Friday on order of U.S. District Judge William Sessions in Burlington, allowing her to return to her studies.

Judge Sessions released Ozturk pending a final decision on her claim that shes been illegally detained following an op-ed she co-wrote last year that criticized the school's response to Israels war in Gaza.

Details of her release and travel plans were not immediately available, and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement database still listed her as detained Friday afternoon in Louisiana, where her immigration proceedings will continue.

But her supporters cheered the decision, punctuating a news conference held by her attorneys with chants of 'She is free!'

'What we heard from the court today is what we have been saying for weeks, and what courts have continued to repeat up and down through the litigation of this case thus far,' Jessie Rossman, legal director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, told reporters.

'Theres absolutely no evidence that justifies detaining Ozturk for a single day, let alone the six and a half weeks that she has been detained, because she wrote a single op-ed in her student newspaper exercising her First Amendment right to express an opinion.'

Rumeysa Ozturk, he Turkish student who was detained by ICE in March for allegedly supporting Hamas, has been ordered released by a federal judge in Vermont

For weeks, Rumeysa Ozturk, a graduate student at Tufts University in Massachusetts , has been locked up at a Louisiana detention center run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after her student visa was revoked with no warning, drawing several protests from leftists

Appearing by video for her bail hearing, Ozturk, 30, detailed her growing asthma attacks in detention and her desire to finish her doctorate degree focusing on children and social media while appearing remotely at her bail hearing from the Louisiana center.

She and her lawyer hugged after hearing the judge's decision.

'Completing my Ph.D. is very important to me,' she testified. She had been on track to finish her work in December when she was arrested.

Ozturk was to be released on her own recognizance with no travel restrictions, Sessions said.

He said she is not a danger to the community or a flight risk, but that he might amend his release order to consider any specific conditions by ICE in consultation with her lawyers.

Sessions said the government had offered no evidence about why Ozturk was arrested other than the op-ed.

'This is a woman who is just totally committed to her academic career,' Sessions said.

'This is someone who probably doesn't have a whole lot of other things going on other than reaching out to other members of the community in a caring and compassionate way.'

A message seeking comment was emailed Friday afternoon to the U.S. Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Details of her release and travel plans were not immediately available, and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement database still listed her as detained Friday afternoon in Louisiana, where her immigration proceedings will continue

But her supporters cheered the decision, punctuating a news conference held by her attorneys with chants of 'She is free!'

Sessions told Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher he wants to know immediately when she is released.

Sessions said Ozturk raised serious concerns about her First Amendment and due process rights, as well as her health.

She testified Friday that she has had 12 asthma attacks since her detention, starting with a severe one at the Atlanta airport.

'I was afraid, and I was crying,' she said.

Immigration officials surrounded Ozturk in Massachusetts on March 25 and drove her to New Hampshire and Vermont before putting her on a plane to the Basile, Louisiana detention center, which has been criticized for its allegedly poor conditions and possible abuse toward female inmates.

Her student visa had been revoked several days earlier, but she was not informed of that, her lawyers said.

Ozturks lawyers first filed a petition on her behalf in Massachusetts, but they did not know where she was and were unable to speak to her until more than 24 hours after she was detained.

A Massachusetts judge later transferred the case to Vermont.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ozturk and other student activists had their visas taken away because of their alleged support for Hamas, a US-designated terrorist group

Ozturk was one of four students who wrote an op-ed in the campus newspaper, The Tufts Daily, last year criticizing the universitys response to student activists demanding that Tufts 'acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,' disclose its investments and divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Ozturk said Friday that if she is released, Tufts would offer her housing and her lawyers and friends would drive her to future court hearings.

'I will follow all the rules,' she said.

A State Department memo said Ozturks visa was revoked following an assessment that her actions '`may undermine U.S. foreign policy by creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and indicating support for a designated terrorist organization including co-authoring an op-ed that found common cause with an organization that was later temporarily banned from campus.'

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in March, without providing evidence, that investigations found that Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group.

'When did speaking up against oppression become a crime? When did speaking up against genocide become something to be imprisoned for?' said Mahsa Khanbabai, one of Ozturks attorneys.

'I am thankful that the courts have been ruling in favor of detained political prisoners, like Rumeysa.'

When she was detained, Ozturk had been on her to meet her friends for iftar, a meal to break her Ramadan fast.

Ozturk was among those who were vehemently against Israel's war and has said she believes she was targeted by the State Department for her speech on the topic

Pictured: At an April 5 protest in Washington D.C., someone holds a sign demanding the release of Ozturk

'I felt very scared and concerned as the men surrounded me and grabbed my phone from me,' Ozurk said in a statement, according to CBS.

She was then accused of 'engaging in activities in support of Hamas,' the militant Palestinian group that runs the Gaza strip and attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

More than 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were killed in a disturbingly brutal surprise assault. Hamas, recognized by the US government as a terrorist group, has been at war with Israel ever since.

Many college students in the US have been critical of Israel's war in Gaza, which led to the widespread protests last year on campuses all throughout the country.

Over 50,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israel's bombing campaign throughout Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Ozturk was among those who were vehemently against Israel's war and has said she believes she was targeted by the State Department for her speech. Likewise, her lawyers argue her First Amendment rights were violated.

She co-authored an op-ed last March on the war in The Tufts Daily, the college's student newspaper.

The piece criticized the university's response to its community union Senate passing resolutions demanding that Tufts 'acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,' disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.

It said: 'These resolutions were the product of meaningful debate by the Senate and represent a sincere effort to hold Israel accountable for clear violations of international law.'

In a statement at the time of her arrest, ICE explained that its investigation 'found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.'

'A visa is a privilege not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is commonsense security.'

Shortly after her arrest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said her visa had been taken away.

Rubio has maintained that Ozturk and the other student activists that engaged in anti-Israel protests were detained because they lied on their visa applications and did not mention their alleged support for Hamas.

'If you lie to us and get a visa and then enter the United States, and with that visa participate in that sort of activity, were going to take away your visa,' he said.

However, it came out in mid-April that the State Department found no evidence of Ozturk being linked to Hamas or antisemitism.

That was according to a leaked internal memo described to The Washington Post. The memo reportedly asserted that Rubio did not have the authority to revoke Ozturk's visa.

Ozturk alleged once she was put in the Louisiana facility, she was locked up inside for her first week and had limited access to food and supplies for two weeks.

'When they do the inmate count we are threatened to not leave our beds or we will lose privileges, which means that we are often stuck waiting in our beds for hours,' she said.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the White House for comment.
The former headmistress of a prestigious Melbourne school who was jailed for raping two of her students has reportedly been receiving special treatment behind bars.

Malka Leifer, 58, ran the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, which caters to the city's ultra-orthodox Jewish community, but fled back to Israel in 2008 after the allegations against her first arose.

Following a lengthy process to extradite her to Australia to stand trial, she was jailed for 15 years in 2023 for the rape and indecent assault of Melbourne sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper.

A former inmate of the maximum security Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, in the outer Melbourne suburb of Deer Park, has now claimed Leifer is receiving perks other prisoners do not get while she is held in the protection unit.

'Malka has a microwave in her room, cooking equipment, gets special orders every Thursday,' she told news.com.au. 'She wanted an airfryer and had members of the Jewish community write authorities about it. She gets whatever she wants.'

The former inmate also said she is allowed to make challah, a special bread that is often baked for the Jewish Sabbath observed every Saturday.

One of her victims, Elly Sapper, was appalled to hear of the perks Leifer was getting.

'To hear that she's doing this brings back so much of the way she acted in court which was no remorse and arrogance. It kind of brings out this anger again. It's shocking,' she said.

Sisters Elly Sapper, Nicole Meyer and Dassi Erlich are seen reading statements about the impact of Malka Leifer's offending outside Victoria's County Court in June, 2023

Malka Leifer (pictured right) sexually abused two students at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne. She was sentenced to 15 years behind bars in 2023

According to the former inmate, Leifer is disliked by other prisoners because of her arrogance.

She previously claimed Leifer was in a relationship with conwoman Samantha Azzopardi, 36, who was jailed for fraudulently claiming compensation by posing as a sex trafficked 17-year-old from Belgium known as Hattie Leigh.

She alleged the pair would write each other notes and often spend time in a laundry area where there is no CCTV.

Leifer targeted the sisters between 2004 and 2007 when they were students and later in their first year as student teachers.

The offending occurred while the headmistress was aged between 37 and 41 while Ms Erlich was aged between 16 and 19 and Ms Sapper aged 17 and 18.

The sisters previously welcomed the sentence but said it would never be enough.

'The ruling of 15 years recognises the harm and pain that Malka Leifer caused each one of us to suffer over so many years,' Ms Sapper said.

'While no amount of years will ever be sufficient, we are relieved that Malka Leifer is now in prison for 15 years and cannot prey on anyone else.'

Samantha Azzopardi (pictured) is serving a two-year jail sentence for claiming compensation by posing as a sex-trafficked schoolgirl from Belgium named Hattie Leigh

The sisters campaigned for years to bring Leifer to justice and Ms Erlich said it was because they had not given up that they were successful.

'While we know the onus of fighting for justice should not be up to survivors, this fight was never just for us,' she said.
A London headteacher boasted about his schools improved exam results thanks to a strict phone ban, despite Labour branding pleas for a policy to bar devices from classrooms a 'headline grabbing gimmick'.

Excelsior Academy in Hackney, east London, saw their average A-level grades jump from a C to a B in the last year.

And the school's headteacher, Omar Deria, 45, has boiled down their recent success to barring phones at the academy.

Describing the impact as 'miraculous', he explained new rules mean a pupil's caught using such devices can have them taken away for as long as a week.

Recalling his first day at the school in 2022, Mr Deria said the students were 'glued to their phones scrolling.'

Although the headmaster confessed it was a 'struggle' to tear the children away from the tech at first, he claims they thank teachers when results day rolls around.

'The impact in the classroom has been nothing short of miraculous. You are dealing with completely different people, their personalities are different,' he said.

'They are more articulate, chattier, nicer, more engaged, not just with the learning but with other people in general.'

Omar Deria, 45, (pictured) has boiled down their recent success, which has seen average A-level grades jump frm a C to a B, to barring phones at the academy

Although the headmaster confessed it was a 'struggle' to tear the children away from the tech at first, he claims they thank teachers when results day rolls around

The Government previously rejected a blanket ban on mobile phones in classrooms, with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson branding the Tory call a 'headline grabbing gimmick' (stock image)

It comes after the Government rejected demands for a blanket ban on mobile phones in classrooms amid fears they are damaging educational standards.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson previously rejected a Tory call for tougher action to limit social media exposure, saying the plea was a 'headline grabbing gimmick'.

The Government argued headteachers and schools already have sufficient powers to remove mobile phones from teachers.

A study from the University of Birmingham also found phone bans in schools didn't have any positive effect on students.

The study monitored 1,227 students from 30 schools across England - 20 of which had restrictions on using phones during school time.

Their analysis found no connection between phone bans and higher grades, improved mental wellbeing, or better physical health.

However, this may be because banning phones fails to reduce the total amount of time children spend on smartphones and social media throughout the week.

The bans only succeeded in reducing smartphone and social media use by 40 minutes and 30 minutes per day respectively, as pupils made up the difference at home.

'The impact in the classroom has been nothing short of miraculous. You are dealing with completely different people, their personalities are different,' Mr Deria said.

Pictured: A sign detailing the schools 'corridor standards' which includes no mobile phones or earphones being used

However, Excelsior Academy headteacher, Mr Deria, alleged most of his school's behavioural problems stemmed from online, as students became 'unrecognisable' in their behaviour'.

'Around 90 percent of problems we deal with come from online. It gets brought into school and then that takes up a lot of our time,' he added.

'Kids have a completely different personality online. There are so many truly lovely students who go online and become unrecognisable.

'If we can ban phones then we can reduce peer on peer abuse and sexual harassment. If mobile phones are not banned in your school, then they are asking for trouble.'

Students have also sung the praises of the new ban, with one student saying it helps encourages them to learn by reducing distraction.

Cilen Garip, 17, explained they are able to get more done as they are less distracted by funny videos being shared around classrooms.

'Students were always on their phone in their free time, and it distracted not only them but the people around them,' he said.

'They would show a funny video around and it would distract the whole room.

'Now we can use that time to revise, and I think we get a lot more done. I don't even bother bringing my phone in anymore. I don't miss it.'

Students have also praised the new ban as they claim it has helped them focus better on their schoolwork

16-year-old Hamz Hussain, who hopes to go on to study engineering at university, revealed the ban has helped his ability to focus on the schoolwork at hand.

'Sometimes I miss it but that makes me realise how distracting they can be,' he added: 'Since it started in September, I have found myself revising way more.

'It means that all our work is finished in school and we can enjoy free time more at home. I appreciate having my phone in the evening more now that it is gone in the daytime.

Another peer, Falma Hashi, also divulged its improved their ability to socialise in person as they play card games and talk more often without their phones in hand.

'Yesterday we played some card games and just talked rather than all sitting alone on our phones, head down not talking,' they said.

'When you are on your phone you spend a lot of time comparing yourself to people who seem to have this amazing life.

'When you are with your peers you don't do that as much. You see, everyone is really the same as you, without the filters.'
A man accused of burning a Koran has had a charge of 'harassing' Islam dropped amid claims it was creating a blasphemy law by the back door.

Hamit Coskun, 50, allegedly set fire to the Muslim holy book outside the Turkish consulate, in west London, in February.

Two days later, he was charged by the Crown Prosecution Service with 'racially aggravated harassment' of the Islam, rather than any individuals.

But concern was raised by Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, along with the National Secular Society, that the move was creating a 'blasphemy law by the back door', 18 years after Parliament abolished Britain's historic law against offending religions.

On Thursday Mr Jenrick wrote to the CPS calling for it to review its decision - and yesterday it said it had. The CPS insisted it was 'not the case' this was 'in response to Mr Jenrick's letter'.

Mr Coskun, from Derby, is still charged with racially aggravated harassment over the bible burning.

But at his next court appearance, the wording is set to be changed to allege that when burning the Koran, and shouting abuse, he was 'motivated by hostility towards followers of Islam', rather than that he harassed the 'institution of Islam' itself.

He denies the charges against him.

Hamit Coskun, 50, (pictured), allegedly set fire to the Muslim holy book outside the Turkish consulate, in west London , in February

Mr Coskun appeared in court with bandaged hands

Mr Coskun denies all charges against him. Pictured: a file photo of the Turkish Consulate on Belgrave Square in London

Mr Jenrick broke the news of the change yesterday afternoon on X, formerly Twitter, by saying: 'The CPS have dropped the charge of causing alarm to the 'religious institution of Islam'.

'This was an invention that had no basis in law. But the updated charging decision is still concerning.

'We must resist attempts to introduce blasphemy laws by the back door.'

Mr Coskun is now being said to have 'caused harassment, alarm or distress' by holding the burning koran aloft while shouting 'f*** Islam... Islam is a religion of terrorism' and 'Koran is burning' while motivated by hostility to Muslims.

A CPS source said: 'Blasphemy laws do not exist in England and Wales. All our cases are kept under review, and we identified it was not correct to refer in the charges to the 'religious institution of Islam'.

'It is still our case Mr Coskun committed a criminal offence.'

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: 'We charged Hamit Coskun on the basis 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.'
Sir Keir Starmer is heading to Ukraine with Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz as they continue to pressure Vladimir Putin into agreeing a 30-day ceasefire.

The leaders of the UK, France, and Germany are heading to Kyiv in what will be the first time the world leaders have convened in the Ukrainian capital since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will also meet the group for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a faction of the 'coalition of the willing' ramps up its efforts to halt Russia.

In a joint statement issued before the visit, the leaders of Europe's four major military powers accused Putin of 'obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace'.

Their statement read: 'Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,' the leaders said in a statement ahead of the visit.

'We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.

'We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come'.

'We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia's war machine.'

The leaders of the UK, France, and Germany are heading to Kyiv in what will be the first time the world leaders have convened in the Ukrainian capital since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022

In a joint statement issued before the visit, the leaders of Europe's four major military powers accused Putin of 'obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace'

Their statement read: 'Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,' the leaders said in a statement ahead of the visit'

The warning from the group comes after US President Donald Trump proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire as a step to end the conflict on Thursday.

He wrote on Truth Social: 'The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.'

Since Trump took office in January, Putin has teased negotiators with suggestions he would accept a ceasefire - but his troops have continued to advance into the Ukrainian province of Dnipro.

Last month the Russian president announced a 30-hour truce to mark Easter, although sporadic fighting continued.

And most recently, he declared a three-day ceasefire to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, a proposal that was rejected by Zelensky.

Putin hosted China's President Xi in Moscow to watch a parade in Red Square to mark Victory Day on Friday.

They added: 'We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal'

The warning from the group comes after US President Donald Trump proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire as a step to end the conflict on Thursday

He wrote on Truth Social: 'The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions' (Truth Social post in full, above)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will also meet the group for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a faction of the 'coalition of the willing' ramps up its efforts to halt Russia

Putin hosted China's President Xi in Moscow to watch a parade in Red Square to mark Victory Day on Friday

In a speech at the event, Putin compared the Second World War to his 'special military operation' in Ukraine and said Russia 'was and will be an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia, antisemitism'.

For Merz, the visit to Ukraine will be his first since being elected as German chancellor this week, while Macron has not been to Kyiv since June 2022 when he visited with the former Italian and German leaders.

Merz previously suggested he could approve the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, a step considered too provocative by his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, given their range of more than 300 miles and potential use against targets inside Russia.

After meeting Zelensky in the morning, the group will host a virtual meeting to update other European leaders on moves to create a European force that could provide Ukraine with security after the war.

Such a force 'would help regenerate Ukraine's armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace', their statement said.

After meeting Zelensky in the morning, the group will host a virtual meeting to update other European leaders on moves to create a European force that could provide Ukraine with security after the war

In a speech at the event, Putin compared the Second World War to his 'special military operation' in Ukraine and said Russia 'was and will be an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia, antisemitism'

Russia has occupied around a fifth of Ukrainian territory and has yet to respond to the pressure for an enduring ceasefire

For Merz, the visit to Ukraine will be his first since being elected as German chancellor this week

Macron said Putin's 'belligerent comments' at the Red Square parade showed he remained 'on the side of war', but he also floated the idea that talks on territory could be held once a ceasefire starts.

Russia has occupied around a fifth of Ukrainian territory and has yet to respond to the pressure for an enduring ceasefire, and Trump is another who has said Ukraine may have to consider giving up territory.

The timing of the visit comes a day after Putin also hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico - whose country is an EU member - at the Moscow parade.

It has raised concerns over growing fractures in European relationships, as Ukraine and Hungary each expelled two diplomats from the other's embassy in a showdown over spying allegations.
The leader of the hard-left Workers Party of Britain made an appearance in Moscow as Russia's Vladimir Putin celebrated Victory Day with a huge military parade.

George Galloway - who previously served as MP for Glasgow Hillhead, Glasgow Kelvin and then Bethnal Green and Bow - travelled to Russia this week to attend Putin's pageant through the city's Red Square on Friday.

Taking to X to share snaps of himself in Moscow, Galloway called the Victory Day Celebrations 'moving, emotional, inspiring, humbling.'

Pictures posted by the politician show him and his fourth wife Putri Gayatri Pertiwi - who is 30 years his junior - posing for the camera on Red Square.

At the event, which was attended by more than 20 world leaders, the Russian dictator showed off his tanks, missiles and troops in an impressive display.

One of the Russian leader's most high-profile guests was China's President Xi Jingping, who sat next to Putin during the procession.

Galloway's visit to Russia on Friday comes after he travelled to Tehran this week to collect an award in honour of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last year in an Israeli strike in the Iranian capital.

He was given the Martyr Ismail Haniyeh award at a media festival held in Tehran in recognition of his 'outspoken defence of Palestine.'

George Galloway visited Putin's Victory Day celebrations on Friday alongside his wife

The former MP posted a series of snaps alongside his wife on Moscow's Red Square

It comes after Galloway travelled to Tehran this week to collect an award in honour of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last year in an Israeli strike in the Iranian capital

Having previously praised the assassinated Hamas leader as a 'martyr,' Galloway said in a speech said he was 'honoured' to receive the award, and also bragged about having Haniyeh's passport in his possession.

'I actually hold in my safe the passport of the because when we arrived with one of our convoys to break the siege on Gaza [in 2009], he had promised me a Palestinian passport but they had run out of Palestinian passports. So he gave me his own personal passport and it is one of my most treasured possessions,' the British politician boasted.

He went on to thank Iran for 'their steadfastness in support for the Palestinian people.'

'The truth is when Palestine is finally free, Iran will be able to take its place in the panoply of heroes who made it possible.'

The timing of Galloway's visit to Iran came as tensions between the UK and Tehran heightened last week following the arrest of four Iranian nationals over an alleged plot to attack Israel's London embassy.

Victory Day, which Russia marks on May 9, is the country's most important secular holiday.

The parade and other festivities underline Moscow's efforts to project its global power and cement the alliances it has forged while seeking a counterbalance to the West amid the conflict in Ukraine that is grinding through a fourth year.

World War II is a rare event in the nation's 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 Russia's position as a global power.

Galloway called the parade in Russia 'emotional' and 'inspiring'

Putin's Victory Day parade on Friday included an impressive show of tanks, missiles and troops, and was attended by over two dozen world leaders

Victory Day, which Russia marks on May 9, is the country's most important secular holiday

Military vehicles and soldiers parade through Red Square

World War II is a rare event in the nation's divisive history under Communist rule that is revered by all political groups

The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in what it calls the Great Patriotic War in 1941-45

The parade featured over 11,500 troops and more than 180 military vehicles, including tanks, armored infantry vehicles and artillery used on the battlefield in Ukraine

As a reminder of Russias nuclear might, huge Yars nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles launchers rolled across Red Square

Fighter jets release smoke in the colors of the Russian flag over Red Square

) Russian Sukhoi SU-25 jet fighters fly over the Kremlin during the military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi's Germany, May 9, 2025 in Moscow, Russia

The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in what it calls the Great Patriotic War in 1941-45, an enormous sacrifice that left a deep scar in the national psyche.

The timing of Galloway's visit to Russia comes as Sir Keir Starmer, along with the leaders of France, Germany and Poland, travelled to Kyiv on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of unity after Putin's Victory Day parade.

Britain has been highly critical of Russia since it sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Hundreds of convicted migrants could avoid deportation each year after the 'watering down' of Sentencing Council guidelines, Robert Jenrick has warned.

The quango is said to have approved the 'lax' rules despite fears they will result in those convicted of immigration offences avoiding deportation.

Under the new guidelines, judges will be advised to give sentences of less than 12 months in prison for several.

Twelve months is the point at which convicted foreign nationals can face deportation. Mr Jenrick, the Tories' justice spokesman, said 'watering down' the sentences meant hundreds of offenders would avoid the threshold for automatic deportation each year.

He added: 'The Justice Secretary's representative signed this off, and now our borders will be blown further open.

'The only people benefiting from this Labour Government are the trade unionists, criminals and illegal migrants.

'Sir Keir Starmer must accept my Bill to block these ludicrous guidelines and sack the members of the Sentencing Council responsible for yet more madness.'

It is the latest row over guidelines from the Sentencing Council after concerns special treatment was being given depending on age, sex and ethnicity of offenders.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick (pictured) says hundreds of convicted migrants could avoid deportation each year after the 'watering down' of Sentencing Council guidelines

Migrants sit onboard an inflatable boat before attempting to illegally cross the English Channel on July 18, 2024

Mr Jendick says Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) 'must accept my Bill to block these ludicrous guidelines and sack the members of the Sentencing Council responsible for yet more madness

The Conservatives said the council's proposals on four key immigration offences now advise judges to give sentences of less than 12 months, despite the maximum available being much higher.

The offence of knowingly entering the UK without permission carries a maximum custodial sentence of four years, but the council's guidelines say the starting point should be just six months.

The Sentencing Council said the guidelines reflected current sentencing practice for less serious offending while proposing higher sentences for the most serious cases. It added that they were only draft guidelines.

The Ministry of Justice said: 'This Government is committed to deporting eligible foreign national offenders as quickly as possible.'
A farming couple who used secret cameras to catch a perverted worker having sex with their calves have revealed they are still rocked by the trauma three years later.

Ian and Tracey Farwell still have CCTV cameras monitoring their livestock 24/7 and are trying to reclaim thousands of pounds they lost through Liam Brown's actions.

The couple hit the headlines in December 2023 when Brown was sentenced for sexual penetration of a live animal and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The Farwells knew something was wrong when the calves on their fourth-generation farm kept mysteriously dying.

But despite suspicious things like gates left open and rubber gloves strewn around, police said there was little they could do unless the family caught the culprit in the act.

The issues started in January 2022 and before Brown was arrested, they had between 20 to 30 calves die at the farm in Burton, Christchurch in Dorset.

Over a six month period the couple found surgical gloves, a discarded cow rope and a pair of trousers scattered around their fourth generation farm.

Determined to get to the bottom of the matter, they installed several CCTV cameras in the cowshed and devised a plan to catch the culprit.

They finally caught him when their son Ralph heard a calf in distress and saw a figure in the pen with the young cows on the CCTV. Several family members surrounded the cowshed, blocking all the exits.

Ian and Tracey Farwell, pictured, say they still check their calves every morning three years after the trauma expecting to find some of them dead

Liam Brown, pictured outside Poole Magistrate's Court in 2023, was caught on CCTV sexually molesting calves on Ian and Tracey Farwell's farm in Dorset

On one evening, the family spotted an intruder having sex with one of their calves. When they switched on the barn lights, they saw Liam Brown, 25, with his trousers around his ankles. He said he had 'f***** up', when discovered.

Brown tried to flee but jumped over a fence into another pen and was trampled by the cows. The Farwells surrounded him and realised it was Brown, the son of a former farm worker who they had known since he was five.

He avoided jail and was handed a community order with unpaid work and was ordered to pay the Farwells 600 compensation, which Mrs Farwell said he has paid.

She said they have not seen or heard from him since, but she still worries every morning that he will have made a midnight visit.

Tracey said: 'I always worry that he might come back. I still check the shed every morning and think I hope he hasn't been here and we still have the CCTV cameras up.

'But thankfully I've seen nothing of him since the court case and he did pay the compensation.

'It's a huge relief not walking around the farm and finding dead or dying calves any more.

'Deaths do happen, but I think we've had maybe nine since April last year and when he was doing what he was doing we had up to 30.

'I knew something wasn't right, we considered everything - germs, some sort of bacterial infection.

'We always got our calves from our neighbouring farm, they did all sorts of testing but couldn't find any explanation and said they must be picking up something at our farm.

'The vets came out and did all sorts of tests - urine, poo, blood - and could not find anything to explain the deaths.

'All the vet visits cost us thousands of pounds - it was about 100 a test and about 150 an hour for visits.

The family recovered discarded rubber gloves which had not been used on the farm

Bournemouth Crown Court heard Brown's father had worked at the farm as a farmhand, and had been a regular visitor when he was younger

The CCTV monitors were able to alert the family that there was an intruder on the premises

'And each calf cost 200 to buy, but then it's the lost value as well. They would have stayed here for about two years before we sold them and then they would go for about 1,300 each at the time, so tens of thousands lost.

'We've just started to go through an insurance claim. Originally they said we weren't covered for that sort of thing but it was picked up by them a few months ago so we are waiting to find out now.

'Everything has gone back to normal. People do try to ask us about it all the time, I usually just say I don't want to talk about it and change the subject.

'It sounds like a joke but it was very serious. My husband and I were under so much stress, blaming each other. He basically murdered those babies and I do worry what if he does something else, something even worse.'

Mr Farwell said 20 calves had died prematurely before Brown's arrest in June 2022 - compared to three in the 18 months since.

But he said at the time: 'We can't prove it 100 per cent it was because of him, they could have been ill. But since it stopped last year we have only had two or three die. It has cost us tens of thousands.'

The court heard that Brown had no qualifications but was working with an agency and had been doing night shifts stacking shelves.

In 2023, Judge Keith Cutler sentenced Brown to a three-year community order with rehabilitation requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.

The Farwell family have run their cattle farm for 144 years and have about 400 cows.

Tracey said at the time: 'You never think that somebody could be so depraved.

'It was my job to feed the calves. They would be fine when I left them at night and then I would find them ill in the morning and struggling to breathe.

'I thought they had pneumonia so I was trying to treat them for that but it was actually because he was strangling them with his belt.

'He took his belt off to tie the calf to the gate.

'He should have gone to prison.'
Sir Keir Starmer's plans for a 'surrender summit' with the EU this month could wreck hopes for a comprehensive free-trade deal with the US, the Tories have warned.

The agreement with Donald Trump was far from comprehensive  and left British exporters facing higher tariffs than they did at the start of this year, said shadow trade spokesman Andrew Griffith.

And he warned a closer arrangement with Brussels could 'prejudice' hopes of a bigger deal with the US and other major economies.

It came as Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey triggered a backlash by urging Government to do 'everything we can' to secure a closer trading deal with Brussels.

The Prime Minister  who attended a Joint Expeditionary Force meeting in Oslo yesterday  will discuss a deal at the first UK-EU summit, which will be held in London on May 19.

Mr Griffith said it was reasonable to try to reduce 'frictions' in trade with the EU. But he added: 'Critically, it must be done without impeding our ability to get a comprehensive free trade agreement with the United States.

'The Government must not go into this surrender summit on May 19 giving up our fishing, reopening free movement and tying us so tightly to European standards that we prejudice these really important agendas.'

This week Brexit minister Nick Thomas-Symonds confirmed the Government is ready to sign up to permanent alignment with EU rules in areas such as agriculture in return for a closer trading relationship  a move that could limit the scope for trade deals with other countries.

Sir Keir Starmer's plans for a 'surrender summit' with the EU this month could wreck hopes for a comprehensive free-trade deal with the US, the Tories have warned (Pictured: the Prime Minister at a Joint Expeditionary Force leaders summit on security in Oslo yesterday)

The agreement with Donald Trump (pictured) was far from comprehensive  and left British exporters facing higher tariffs than they did at the start of this year, said shadow trade spokesman Andrew Griffith

It came as Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey (pictured) triggered a backlash by urging Government to do 'everything we can' to secure a closer trading deal with Brussels

Other potential concessions on the table in the negotiations include a 'youth mobility deal', which would allow tens of thousands of young Europeans to live and work temporarily in the UK.

Ministers are also ready to bow to French demands to give EU trawlers long-term access to British fishing grounds.

Mr Bailey yesterday told the BBC that ministers were right to pursue closer trade ties with Brussels. But former Brexit minister Lord Frost suggested his analysis of post-Brexit trade with the EU was 'dubious'.

The Government finally published details of the deal struck with the US yesterday, revealing it is still very much a work in progress.

Sir Keir hailed the deal as 'historic' on Thursday, but the published document runs to just five pages and states that it 'does not constitute a legally binding agreement'. That leaves the steel industry and farmers, both sectors impacted by the deal, still with a lot of questions.

Downing Street said ministers are continuing to work on a deal which could become legally binding.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones defended the decision to agree a quick deal and insisted ministers could strike deeper deals with the US and the EU.

Mr Jones said: 'We are confident we can do both.'
Beloved brand is poised to close stores across Australia

Aussie fashion brand Colette by Colette Hayman has announced an 80 per cent off storewide sale amid speculation the label is finally crumbling after years of hardship.

Colette, which has sold handbags, clothes and accessories since 2012, has stores in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT, South Australia and Western Australia.

But this week, employees were told the company had entered voluntary admission and that stores will close once all stock had been sold, 7News reports.

Signs outside outlets, including a store at Westfield Tea Tree Plaza in South Australia, are advertising massive sales of up to 80 per cent off.

'Final day of trade. 6080% off. Everything must go!' the notice to customers read.

The fashion label, which trades as CBCH Group, is owned by the Marqee Retail Group. It first went into administration in January 2020 and closed 100 stores.

Bernie Brookes, the former boss of struggling department store chain Myer, acquired a 90 per cent stake in the group and proceeded to close 103 stores.

This left just 35 remaining in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Mr Brookes also announced a pivot to more online sales as the number of stores was reduced from 138 to 35.

Sydney northern beaches entrepreneur Colette Hayman (pictured with husband Mark) founded the fashion company in 2010 during the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis

Ms Hayman (pictured on holiday in Marbella) is known as the 'queen of handbags' in Australia

The brand is holding a sitewide flash sale with up to 80 per cent off handbags (pictured)

The company entered administration for a second time in May 2024, but was handed a lifeline by administrators from insolvency firm Mackay Goodwin (a Colette store is pictured)

The company entered administration for a second time in May 2024, but was handed a lifeline by administrators from insolvency firm Mackay Goodwin.

In June of the same year, a deal was struck where priority creditors received 100c for every $1 they were owed, while suppliers got 20c for every $1.

Landlords received 10c per $1 and unsecured creditors got 5c for every $1.

The restructure saved 40 stores and 400 stores.

Sydney northern beaches entrepreneur Colette Hayman founded the fashion company in 2010 during the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis.

The brand quickly became a budget handbag and accessories store, renowned for its affordable handbags, clutches, jewellery and accessories.

It was widely popular among teenagers and young women and quickly grew to 180 stores in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Ms Hayman, known as the 'queen of handbags' formerly owned jewellery chain Diva and shares two children with her husband Mark.
Britain is banning Russia's 'shadow fleet' from its waters to protect undersea cables, Sir Keir Starmer said yesterday.

It comes amid fears Vladimir Putin is using private mercantile ships, 'masterminded by his cronies', for reconnaissance and even sabotage missions.

The move, part of the largest ever sanctions package against the Kremlin, is also aimed at stopping tankers smuggling Russian oil in defiance of a ban.

Moscow was accused of sabotaging gas pipes in the North Sea in 2022 and the Baltic in 2023, and No 10 said its shadow fleet ships were 'known to be damaging infrastructure'.

A spokesman for the PM said action will be taken against 100 ships believed to have carried 18billion of cargo since the start of last year alone.

Sir Keir, speaking in Oslo at a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, vowed 'to destroy' Putin's shadow fleet and 'starve his war machine of oil revenues'.

It is likely to involve threatening suspect, often 'decrepit and dangerous' ships with being boarded by the Royal Navy, and banning them from our ports.

A parliamentary select committee published evidence that phone and internet cables are vulnerable to ships using mini- submarines to tap into them.

Britain is banning Russia's 'shadow fleet' from its waters to protect undersea cables, Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) said yesterday

It comes amid fears Vladimir Putin (pictured) is using private mercantile ships, 'masterminded by his cronies', for reconnaissance and even sabotage missions

A handout picture released by the Britain's Ministry of Defence (MOD) in London on January 22, 2025 shows Royal Navy Royal Navy of RFA Proteus (R) patrolling near the Russian vessel Yantar (L), in November 2024

Intelligence firm Windward AI identified 'a significant increase in high-risk vessel activity', with incidents up from 512 in 2020 to 1,000 last year.

It said much of it was 'Russian state-backed vessels, often operating under the guise of research ships, fishing trawlers and service vessels'.

Concerns the Russians are planning a sabotage operation have escalated since one of their spy ships, the Yantar, was detected mapping the UK's critical underwater infrastructure in the North Sea in recent months.

Fears have also been raised about Chinese sabotage after a number of incident around Taiwan.

In January, defence secretary John Healey described the outages as 'another example of growing Russian aggression'.

He said: 'I also want President Putin to hear this message: we see you, we know what you are doing, and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.'

Dubbed the 'backbone' of Britain, the UK depends on a vast network of gas pipelines, electrical cables and offshore energy hubs to function. But defence officials have become increasingly concerned they could be targeted.

An attack on any one of these energy pipelines or communications cables could plunge Britain into chaos, disrupting every service, including the NHS.

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MPs on the joint committee overseeing the national security strategy have now launched an inquiry into the UK's ability to protect its subsea infrastructure from attacks.

Russia, a world leader in submarine and undersea technology, routinely sends what it claims are 'research vessels' into waters around Britain and in the North Atlantic.

By the Russian parliament's own admission, these vessels carry a host of technologies, including equipment 'designed for deep-sea tracking, as well as equipment for connecting to top-secret communication cables'.

Some ships, including the notorious Yantar that was warded off by the Royal Navy after it was discovered loitering in the Irish Sea earlier this year, can also deploy unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and mini-submarines to access internet cables and energy pipelines up to six kilometres deep.

Military and government sources last month told the Sunday Times they suspected superyachts belonging to Russian oligarchs had also been involved in nefarious undersea operations.

They claimed some of these ships are fitted with 'moon pools' - protected openings in a vessel's hull that allow crews to deploy and retrieve deep-sea diving equipment. Others are able to deploy mini-submarines and submersible crafts.

This allows the stunning yachts to float innocuously on the surface of the water, all while underwater vessels dive deep to sabotage undersea cables or deploy reconnaissance equipment.

In January, Nato dispatched a fleet of 10 ships to the Baltic Sea to protect Europe's crucial undersea cables.

Russia's Yantar 'research vessel' is widely thought to be a spy vessel. It is fitted with a range of technologies to conduct covert operations deep underwater, including unmanned underwater vehicles and mini-submarines

The ships, which are set to end their deployment this month, conducted patrols in the vicinity of energy pipelines and undersea data cables in an effort to monitor suspicious activity and deter any attempt to sabotage these vital assets.

The move came off the back of a number of disruptions in the Baltic Sea that are widely believed to have been sabotage operations.

In February, Swedish and Finnish police said they were investigating a suspected case of sabotage of an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea, while Sweden's coast guard deployed a vessel to the location where the damage occurred.

Finnish operator Cinia said it had 'some time' earlier detected problems on its C-Lion1 link connecting Finland and Germany and that it had eventually received confirmation that the cable was damaged even as data traffic continued to flow.

The incident marked the third time in just a few months that the C-Lion1 cable was damaged after it was completely severed in November and December of 2024.

And on Christmas Day in 2024, the Estlink 2 undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia was damaged along with four telecoms lines.

Finland seized the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S tanker on suspicion it caused the damage by dragging its anchor, adding that the ship was part of a 'shadow fleet' circumventing sanctions on Russian oil.

Security experts have now argued that British households should follow the example of the EU, which has advised citizens to pack a three-day survival kit.
Girls as young as nine have been left with 'severe eczema and acne' after using skincare products marketed at their age group that contain 'harsh chemicals' only suitable for adults.

Dermatologists say they are increasingly concerned by the rise in so-called 'tweens'  those in between childhood and teenage years - being gifted expensive creams and serums by their parents who have no knowledge of the dangerous ingredients involved.

And education experts and heads have warned against the trend for every younger girls to crave the high-end creams, with one dubbing it the 'most worrying story' since the issues thrown up by 'Adolescence' with its themes of toxic masculinity.

They say school-aged girls have begun to demand their own skincare regime of up to 12 products in a bid to achieve the unattainable standards they have seen on social media and to avoid social exclusion from bullies.

Experts have described treating a rising number of children for contact sensitisation, redness and skin conditions after the pre-pubescent group opted for anti-ageing products that come in bright packaging seemingly targeted at their demographic.

Consultant dermatologist Dr Timothy Howel Clayton fears that girls could be left suffering from mental health issues, including anxiety and body dysmorphia, as they 'aim for a perfection that we know does not exist'.

He added: 'I see some children with severe eczema and acne and advised that they need to stop some of the creams that they have purchased, particularly the ones targeted at their age group.

'The branding of these products is specifically marketed towards children: often using brightly coloured containers with some even having devices that enable the cream to come out in the shape of a flower to particularly appeal to children.

Dermatologists say they are increasingly concerned by the rise in so-called 'tweens'  those in between childhood and teenage years - being gifted expensive creams and serums by their parents who have no knowledge of the dangerous ingredients involved (stock image)

Consultant dermatologist Dr Timothy Howel Clayton fears that girls could be left suffering from mental health issues, including anxiety and body dysmorphia, as they 'aim for a perfection that we know does not exist' (stock image)

'A number of the ingredients are often used in anti-aging with harsh chemicals that should be avoided in young children, they do not require acids and retinol.

'There are an increasing number of products and this seems to be an evolving market for manufacturers.'

Education expert Chloe Combi, who has worked with leading private schools including Radley and Prince William and Prince Harry's old school, Ludgrove, said: 'Essentially, after the Adolescence story, the absolute bombardment of girls via social media by brands that are convincing them that they need 'skin regimes' that are complex and full of ingredients that should be nowhere near young skin is by far the most worrying story I've discovered in my work.'

She dubbed the 'toxic positivity' used to target the tween market as 'cultish' and similar to the 'aesthetics' deployed by vape companies to create an 'addictive teen brand'.

The rise of skinfluencers has also concerned leading heads including Fionnuala Kennedy.

'Girls as young as 11 are now craving the types of high-end, expensive creams and cleansers my generation would only ever have associated with their mothers, and even then probably only as a Christmas gift,' the Head of Wimbledon High School said.

Earlier this year a study suggested that children could even face an increased risk of cancer, hormonal imbalances and long-term skin damage with heightened sensitivity due to their skin not being developed enough for adult brands.

In recent weeks a study by Pai Skincare of 1,500 girls aged between nine and 12 revealed that one in four already use Retinol and AHAs, a type of chemical exfoliant.

Earlier this year a study suggested that children could even face an increased risk of cancer, hormonal imbalances and long-term skin damage with heightened sensitivity due to their skin not being developed enough for adult brands (pictured: stock image)

Sarah Brown, the founder of the cosmetic company, blames parents who are 'clueless' when it comes to what products contain and their side effects.

Describing the young demographic as 'skincare obsessed', she predicts that tweens will end up in GP clinics in as little as five years for 'psychological and physical' reasons if the usage continues in this way.

Dr Wisam Alwan, an NHS consultant dermatologist, warned of the 'severe' reactions from allergens found in some of the products commonly used by tweens, including redness, flaking, irritation and swelling.

Whilst irritants can increase the risk of infection, retinoids offer a potential for burning, peeling, itching, skin discoloration and in some cases, conditions including perioral dermatitis.
One of three black bears killed by wildlife officers in southwest Florida have been officially connected to a fatal attack on a man and his dog, according to lab results released on Friday.

Necropsy results of the 263-pound male bear revealed that partial remains of 89-year-old Robert Markel were found inside the animal, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Testing showed that the same bear's DNA was present on Markel's body, inside his home and on the deceased dog's body.

Wildlife officials have not explicitly said that the bear is the one that killed Markel, but a preliminary autopsy by the Collier County Medical Examiner found that Markel's cause of death is consistent with a bear attack.

It was not clear whether Markel had already been dead when the bear found him.

Markel was attacked early on Monday morning near his home in a rural area east of Naples, just south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area.

Wildlife officers set several traps and cameras. They killed three black bears in the area and sent their remains to a Gainesville lab. None of the animals tested positive for rabies, officials said.

Wildlife officials are still investigating the events that led to the attack.

Markel's grandson made the heartbreaking 911 call after discovering the chaotic scene in his grandfather's camper, reported WBBH.

Members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission work to remove a dead bear near the home where a man and dog were found dead after a possible bear attack in Jerome in Collier County

Testing showed that same bear's DNA was present on Markel's body, inside his Jerome home and on the dog's body

Necropsy results revealed that a 263-pound male bear contained the partial remains of 89-year-old Robert Markel, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said (file photo)

'I'm putting my clothes on, getting my gun, and going to look for a bear,' the grandson said.

'The bear just got the dog, the dog's dead. We went in to check on him in the camper, he's gone, the camper's tore all apart.'

The dispatcher asked Markel's grandson if it was possible that the elderly man ran from the bear.

Markel's grandson replied, 'He's 89, he can't run. He can't even walk without falling over.'

His grandson told operators that the bear had entered his residence while he was sleeping.

Markel and his dog were found in separate locations, approximately 200 yards apart.

The FWC has captured and killed at least three bears who they believe have been involved in the attack.

Wildlife experts note that black bears - the only species found in Florida - typically avoid human contact.

FWC wildlife officials have not explicitly said that bear is the one that killed Markel, but a preliminary autopsy by the Collier County Medical Examiner found Markel's cause of death is consistent with a bear attack

The family of Robert Markel, 89, made the heartbreaking 911 call after discovering the chaotic

Authorities have killed three bears and sent them off for DNA testing to see if they were the attackers

Markel's family witnessed the bear kill his dog, then went into his camper and discovered him

The attack was particularly unusual and concerning.

Florida's black bears, which were once threatened, have increasingly wandered into neighborhoods and private property in recent years, especially in more rural areas of north and central Florida.

The state is home to approximately 4,050 black bears, according to the FWC.
Marjorie Taylor Greene said Friday she won't challenge Democrat Jon Ossoff of Georgia in next year's midterms and warning him to 'stop fundraising' off her as if she is.

In a lengthy post on the social media platform X, Greene disputed GOP donors and consultants who fear she would turn off the moderate Republicans and independents needed to beat Ossoff.

But Greene said she doesn't want to serve in a Senate that 'doesn't work' and that she said is dominated by lawmakers hostile to grassroots Trump supporters and unwilling to shake up the status quo.

'If Im going to fight for a team, it will only be a team willing to lay it all on the line to save this country,' she wrote.

Ossoff, a first-term senator, won the seat by a slim margin in a state that has historically been a Republican stronghold but has more recently become a battleground.

He is a top target for Republicans looking to expand their narrow Senate majority.

Popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who could be a formidable opponent for Ossoff, opted out of the 2026 race on Monday.

His decision leaves a wide-open race for the GOP nomination.

Marjorie Taylor Greene said Friday she won't challenge Democrat Jon Ossoff of Georgia in next year's midterms and warning him to 'stop fundraising' off her as if she is

In a lengthy post on the social media platform X, Greene disputed GOP donors and consultants who fear she would turn off the moderate Republicans and independents needed to beat Ossoff

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents a district on the Georgia coast, became the first major Republican candidate to declare Thursday.

Six other GOP officeholders besides Greene have acknowledged interest in running.

They include two other Republicans in the U.S. House, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick.

Also considering the race are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, state Insurance Commissioner John King and state Sen. Greg Dolezal.

'I expect a competitive primary - Senate seats dont come along that often,' said Eric Tanenblatt, a top national GOP fundraiser and Kemp ally who has backed Trumps rivals in presidential primaries.

Greene is nationally known and a prolific fundraiser, but she has embraced conspiracy theories and feuded with members of her own party.

On Thursday, she noted to reporters that she has more than 11 million social media followers, saying that's because people know where she stands.

Greene's appeal would be clear in a GOP primary with many voters fiercely loyal to the president.

Greene said she doesn't want to serve in a Senate that 'doesn't work' and that she said is dominated by lawmakers hostile to grassroots Trump supporters and unwilling to shake up the status quo

Ossoff, a first-term senator, won the seat by a slim margin in a state that has historically been a Republican stronghold but has more recently become a battleground

Her decision not to run came a day after she told reporters she was considering it.

'Im going to give it some thought, talk to my family. Im honored to have so much support from the great people of Georgia. And I have options,' she said Thursday.

It comes during a period of time where Greene has expressed ambivalence at best toward the party's establishment.

She told Steve Bannon on Monday that 'there is no wedge between the base and President Trump. The wedge is between Congress, and the establishment Republicans that are undermining the presidents agenda.'

Greene said that the country mandated President Trump's agenda and not either the Democrats or the 'old Republican Party ways' when they elected him in November.

'We are embracing Make America Great Again, MAGA, America First, MAHA, no more foreign wars. This whole populist movement supporting America, and American workers, and American companies, and American interests, and solving American problems,' she said.

Green describes a Washington that is 'as usual, tone deaf and has not heard the message' which she said was a huge problem with the GOP during Trump's first term.

'Networks, even like Fox News, that did not support the president, and didnt support him in 2021 and 2022, part of 2023, and didnt support him until they realized they had to support him,' she said.

It comes during a period of time where Greene has expressed ambivalence at best toward the party's establishment

She told Steve Bannon on Monday that 'there is no wedge between the base and President Trump. The wedge is between Congress , and the establishment Republicans that are undermining the presidents agenda

The firebrand conservative adds that she's credible to the Republican base because she won an election before Trump ever endorsed her.

'Never forget, I got here on my own with the people. I didnt get elected with the presidents endorsement. Im here because I genuinely believe and Im fighting for what I believe in,' she said.

Green explains that because of that, people in Washington 'better pay attention' as she's an early bellwether of where the base is going.

'And heres the issue, Steve, is they think they can manipulate the president, but you cant manipulate the base. You cant manipulate the base,' she told to Bannon.

Greene was first elected to the House in 2020. She initially planned to run in a competitive district in northern Atlantas suburbs, but relocated into the much more conservative 14th District in Georgias northwest corner.

She continued to embrace conspiracies even after 11 House Republicans joined Democrats to remove her committee assignments in February 2021.

She embraced people jailed on charges following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol as political prisoners, part of her campaign to reframe the narrative of the attack and cast Democrats, not Republicans, as a party of violence.

She was welcomed back into the mainstream of the Republican conference by Kevin McCarthy, who forged an alliance with her.

But Greene kept feuding with Republicans and Democrats alike. The House Freedom Caucus expelled Greene in 2023.
Police have charged a young man with murder after he allegedly stabbed his landlord at his rented granny flat.

Officers were called to a home on Courallie Avenue in Homebush West, in Sydney's west, following reports of a concern for welfare about 11.30pm on Friday.

On arrival, they discovered the body of a 65-year-old man inside his rental property.

Police established a crime scene and during their investigation discovered a knife at the site.

A 31-year-old man, who is believed to be the tenant, was arrested at the scene.

He was taken to Auburn Police Station where he was charged with murder on Saturday.

The young man was refused bail and is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.

'The death of anyone under these circumstances is absolutely tragic,' Superintendent Robert Toynton told reporters.

Police were called to a home on Courallie Avenue in Homebush West following reports of a concern for welfare about 11.30pm on Friday

Officers discovered the body of a 65-year-old man inside his rented property as well as a knife

'Anyone in the community who has got any information between 6pm and that 11.30pm timeframe, we'd like to hear from you,' he said.

'This is quite a contained incident, and we believe the man has died in the granny flat at the back of the property.'

Earlier on Saturday, police had said the two men were believed to be known to each other but ruled out that it was a domestic violence incident.

Resident Steven Chand described the feeling on the street to Nine News following the incident.

'It's quite intense actually, just knowing that it's just across the road. I did notice just some weirdness out there, but yeah, there's not a good feeling.'

The cause of death will be confirmed during an autopsy and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Indigenous leader Noel Pearson has slammed both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton over their handling of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

Pearson broke his silence this week following Mr Albanese's landslide election victory and said Mr Dutton had learned early on that the Voice was 'a dog worth kicking'.

He accused the outgoing Opposition leader of attacking the Voice to gain short-term popularity but that his 'hard-a** persona' had ultimately made him unelectable.

He said Mr Albanese, on the other hand, had pulled off a remarkable win thanks to the speed at which he had distanced himself from the Voice following the referendum.

'Albanese's great achievement in this election was the dexterity with which he extricated himself from its liability, and recovered his prime ministership and electoral supremacy,' Mr Pearson wrote for The Australian.

'Houdini would have been impressed.'

He said the period between the referendum in October 2023 and the election this month was 'the most forlorn in the history of Indigenous affairs' with a drought of any policy or progress on closing the gap.

He claimed the government had become 'paranoid' that anything to do with Indigenous policy - 'even subjects far removed from the Voice' - would sink it.

Yes vote campaigner Noel Pearson claims Anthony Albanese abandoned Indigenous Australians after the Voice

Mr Albanese made establishing the Indigenous body a priority in his first term

Peter Dutton was ousted from Parliament after losing not only the election but his own seat

'Albanese and Labor had to run away fast from their association with the Voice and black fellas ... without it ... last Saturday's result for Labor would not have been possible,' Mr Pearson wrote.

Along with the prime minister and former Opposition leader, Mr Pearson was scathing in his opinion of Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.

He said Dutton and the Liberals had been told by political advisory firm CT Group that taking the centre and supporting the Voice would be beneficial to their campaign.

Dutton had even early on given the Indigenous Affairs portfolio to Voice advocate Julian Lesser. But the Nationals opposed it and Senator Price came out swinging.

He said the initial success of her stance 'took the decision out of Mr Dutton's hands'.

But he called her a 'one-trick pony' that had 'served her purpose' of turning the Voice debate on its head by 'taking up the mantle against her own people'.

Senator Price has now defected to the Liberals as a leadership battle in Dutton's absence threatens to blow apart the Coalition.

She is expected to run as Angus Taylor's deputy.

Senator Price and Warren Mundine (pictured) were the faces of the No campaign

Senior Nationals have accused the Northern Territory senator of being disloyal and putting her ambitions above the party.

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie directed her anger at the Liberals, accusing them of actively recruiting Senator Price.

'That is not the behaviour of trusted partners,' she told Sky News.

While former prime minister Tony Abbott supported the move, some in the Liberals are concerned Senator Price could drag the party even further to the right.
President Donald Trump is looking at suspending habeas corpus, the right of a person to challenge their detention in court, as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown.

'The Constitution is clear, and that, of course, is the supreme law of the land, that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion,' White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters.

'So it's an option we're actively looking at,' Miller said. 'A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.'

Trump campaigned for the White House on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants and has repeatedly referred to their presence in the United States as an 'invasion.'

Since taking office in January, Trump has been seeking to step up deportations, but his efforts have met with pushback from multiple federal courts which have insisted that migrants targeted for removal receive due process.

Although Trump has not mentioned habeas corpus explicitly in public, last month he commented on steps he could take to combat nationwide injunctions against his actions on deportations.

'There are ways to mitigate it and there's some very strong ways,' Trump told reporters on April 30.

'There's one way that's been used by three very highly respected presidents, but we hope we don't have to go that route. But there is one way used successfully by three presidents  all highly respected  and hopefully we don't have to go that way but there are ways of mitigating it.'

President Donald Trump is looking at suspending habeas corpus, the right of a person to challenge their detention in court, as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said 'the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion'

One former federal prosecutor told CNN that Miller has the wrong idea about suspending habeas corpus.

'Essentially everything Miller says about suspending habeas corpus  which would eliminate the ability of the courts to rule on immigration matters  is wrong,' said Elie Honig, now a CNN senior legal analyst.

'The Constitution makes clear that suspension of habeas corpus is to be reserved for actual rebellion or invasion posing the most dire threats to public safety. And Congress has never passed a law authorizing deportations without any court involvement, as Miller suggests.'

Among other measures, Trump has invoked an obscure wartime law in March to summarily deport hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador.

Several federal courts have blocked further deportations using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act and the Supreme Court also weighed in, saying migrants subject to deportation under the AEA must be given an opportunity to legally challenge their removal in court.

The AEA was last used to round up Japanese-Americans during World War II and was previously invoked during the War of 1812 and World War I.

Many judges, including one appointed by Trump, have rejected the invocation of the AEA, stating in rulings how the administration had not shown the United States to be under invasion by a hostile foreign power, as laid out under the 18th century statute.

Suspending habeas corpus could potentially allow the administration to dispense with individual removal proceedings and speed up deportations, but the move would almost certainly be met with stiff legal challenges and end up in the Supreme Court.

Donald Trump has touted his immigration crackdown as he marked his 100th day in office

The Trump administration initially accepted it had made a mistake in deporting Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father-of-three who arrived in the US more than a decade ago

It has been suspended only rarely in US history, most notably by president Abraham Lincoln during the 1861-1865 Civil War and in Hawaii after the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

In March, the US government deported more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants alleged to have ties to the Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador, paying the Salvadoran government to imprison them.

Since then, they have had no access to lawyers or ability to communicate with their families. Neither the US nor Salvadoran governments have said how the men could eventually regain their freedom.

The Republican president has touted his immigration crackdown as he marked his 100th day in office last week.

Trump won the White House election last November in large part on promises to combat what he repeatedly claimed is an invasion of criminal migrants.

Trump has sent troops to the Mexican border, imposed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for allegedly not doing enough to stop illegal crossings, and designated gangs like TdA and MS-13 as terrorist groups.

In March Trump invoked the little-known Alien Enemies Act and flew two planeloads of alleged Tren de Aragua members to El Salvador's notorious maximum security CECOT prison.

In a proclamation, Trump said Tren de Aragua was engaged in 'hostile actions' and 'threatening an invasion or predatory incursion against the territory of the United States,' adding that Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro was pulling the strings.

In the most publicized case to date, Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to CECOT before the Trump administration admitted he was sent there due to an 'administrative error.'

He was among 238 suspected gang members sent to the hellish CECOT prison in El Salvador

Last week, Trump said he has not spoken to El Salvador's president about returning Abrego Garcia.

In an ABC News interview on Tuesday, Trump said he could help return the. man with a single phone call but would not, despite the US Supreme Court's April 10 order for his administration to 'facilitate' his release.

Trump's administration has argued that only El Salvador can act to return him.

Abrego Garcia, 29, a Salvadoran migrant who was living in Maryland with a work permit, was detained by U.S. immigration officers in March and questioned about alleged gang ties before being sent on one of three deportation flights to El Salvador with Venezuelan migrants despite a protective order allowing him to remain in the U.S.

The White House has repeated the unproven accusation that Abrego Garcia is part of criminal gang MS-13, which the administration has designated a foreign terrorist group.

His lawyers deny any gang affiliation, saying he left El Salvador at age 16 to escape such violence and received a protective order in 2019 to continue living in the US.

Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin made the administration's position known.

'The facts are clear: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a violent illegal alien who abuses women and children. He had no business being in our country and we are proud to have deported this violent thug.'

On Sunday, Trump said he was unsure whether people in the US are entitled to due process rights guaranteed in the US Constitution as his administration pushes aggressively to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally and other non-citizens.

Garcia is being held at the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador

The facility has been condemned by human rights groups and likened by critics to a modern-day gulag

Trump made his comments during an interview on NBC's Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.

Welker asked Trump whether he agreed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said last month that 'of course' all people in the US are entitled to due process, which generally requires the government to provide notice and a hearing before taking certain adverse legal actions.

'I don't know. I'm not, I'm not a lawyer. I don't know,' Trump said, adding that such a requirement would mean 'we'd have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials.'

Trump added that his lawyers 'are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.'

The Fifth Amendment provides 'due process of law,' meaning a person has certain rights when it comes to being prosecuted for a crime. Also, the 14th Amendment says no state can 'deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.'

On Sunday, Trump told NBC said he was unsure whether people in the US are entitled to due process rights guaranteed in the US Constitution as his administration pushes aggressively to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally and other non-citizens

Inmates look on inside a jail during a media tour at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, in Tecoluca, El Salvador last month

Trump said he has 'brilliant lawyers ... and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.'

He said he was pushing to deport 'some of the worst, most dangerous people on Earth,' but that courts are getting in his way.

'I was elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it,' Trump said.

On April 19 the Supreme Court justices temporarily barred the Trump administration from deporting a group of Venezuelan migrants it accused of being gang members.

Trump's administration, which invoked the AEA, a rarely used wartime law, has urged the justices to lift or narrow their order.
The wife of Jennifer Anistons alleged stalker has exclusively revealed to Daily Mail that he is desperate for the Friends legend to be his queen.

Jimmy Carwyle, who also believes he is Jesus Christ, was arrested after sensationally ramming the security gate at the stars Bel-Air home on May 5 at 12:20pm.

The 48-year-olds disheveled and unsettling appearance shocked the world when he shuffled into an arraignment hearing, wrapped in an anti-suicide blanket, at Los Angeles Superior Court on May 8.

Prosecutors said Carwyle, from Mississippi, had 'repeatedly' harassed Aniston between March 1, 2023 to May 5, 2025, sending her 'unwanted social media, voicemail, and email messages.'

Julia Carwyle, who believes her husband is struggling with mental health problems, told Daily Mail he is a great guy and that he has made three trips to meet with his celebrity infatuation.

She last saw her husband in September on the day he headed off on his latest California odyssey in an attempt to meet with Aniston, who was inside her $21 million home at the time he crashed into the property, although the two did not come face to face.

He went to California six months ago, said Julia, 48.

He left in September and went and I haven't seen him since he left. He was leaving that day to go.

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 a May 8 hearing

Julia Carwyle pictured with her husband

Aniston was home when Carwyle crashed his Chrysler PT Cruiser through the gate of her home in the wealthy Bel-Air neighborhood

He was going there because he was going to meet up with Jennifer. He was going to go see her.

He actually thought he was going to meet Jennifer. I guess he was speaking with her. He had the impression that Jennifer Aniston and he were going to talk and meet.

So naturally he's doing what anybody would do - he went across the country.

Julia said Carwyle believed he would indeed meet up with the actress.

He thought Maybe she's just going to meet a guy to take a chance, she added. That's the way he was thinking.

Social media posts allegedly from Carwyle were unearthed after the crash although it has not been confirmed that they belong to him.

Several 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' and referenced Adam and Eve.

Carwyle, 48, was charged with felony stalking and vandalism

Police are investigating social media posts and messages that potentially indicate stalking

The DAs office has accused Carwyle of 'repeatedly harassing the victim. 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 'held him at gunpoint' while they waited for the LAPD to arrive, the court was told.

Afterwards, Carwyle complained about back pain and was transported to 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 stalking and vandalism charges, Carwyle 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 Nathan Hochman said.

'My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.'

He added that Deputy District Attorney Sam Hulefeld of LADA's Stalking and Threat Assessment Team is prosecuting the case.

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 home

Carwyle was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Aniston's home and away from the star

Unearthed social media posts described a disturbing desire to marry Aniston from an account with the suspect's name

During the arraignment Judge Keith L Schwartz expressed doubt that Carwyle could understand him when a prosecutor requested that the defendant be ordered not to get near Aniston. A stay away order was granted.

The accused will go through mental-health court to determine whether he is competent to face charges.

His attorney, Deputy Public Defender Toral Malik, said: 'I dont believe him staying away from Ms Aniston will be an issue at this time.

'You are not to have any contact with Jennifer Aniston under any conditions' the judge said.

Carwyle, who remains in jail, was also ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Aniston's home.

Schwartz set bail at $150K and called for the next hearing to take place at the Mental Health Court in Hollywood on May 22.

Julia revealed to Daily Mail that her husband had also attempted to meet with Aniston on two previous occasions.

That's his third trip out there to try and meet her, she said.

Of the violent attempt to gain entry to the actresss hilltop home with his car, Julia added: I think he probably got a little aggravated because he could not (meet her).

Julia noted she and Carwyle, a car mechanic, have been separated for a few years after marrying in 2019.

We had been split up for a while and I was thinking, well, if you want to go meet, all power to you, but it's not going to work.

I just couldn't believe any of this.

Grandmother Julia has four daughters from a previous relationship. Carwyle also has a daughter, Kelly, 23.

Jimmy's a great guy, insisted Julia. He's just had some things happen.

Referring to the shocking pictures of him from his court appearance: This isnt him. It doesnt even look like him. Hes not there.

Carwyle was ordered to stay away from Aniston, seen posing at her Bel-Air home

She said at some point that he must have flipped and that something had manifested that were all not aware of.

Its something thats between him and his maker. Mental illness is real. It does not discriminate. He's going through a lot right now.

He believes he was Jesus Christ and that she was supposed to be his queen.

'His mentality is nothing like it used to be. Something has triggered him. I don't know if he's having a midlife crisis or what.

Julia said Carwyles family are pretty upset by recent events.

She described him as a family oriented man.'

I love him,' she said. 'I don't know what I could do for him to make things better. I just want him to get help. His kids want him to get help,' added Julia.

I guess he's been living out of his car. I've been helping him. I've been sending him money (via) Cash App when I could.

I've been working I've been taking care of my mom for the past couple of years, trying to help her.

It's just been a rough point. It's just been a dark time in our lives and things have happened.

I don't know how he ended up over there and how all that happened, but it just did.

We just want to get him back home. His daughter needs her daddy. Little girls need their daddies.

If convicted Carwyle faces up to three years in a state prison.
Columbia University has suspended dozens of students and barred alums and others who participated in anti-Israel protests inside the schools main library earlier this week.

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.

Now, the Ivy League institution in Manhattan placed more than 65 students on interim suspension and barred 33 others, including those from affiliated institutions such as Barnard College, from setting foot on campus, in what is seen as an attempt to gain favor with Donald Trump.

Interim suspension generally means that a student cannot come to campus, attend classes or participate in other university activities, according to Columbia's website.

The university declined to say how long the disciplinary measures would be in place, saying only that the decisions are pending further investigation.

An undisclosed number of alums who also participated in the protest are also now prevented from entering school grounds, according to Columbia.

Columbia University has suspended dozens of students and barred alums and others who participated in anti-Israel protests inside the schools main library earlier this week

Now, the Ivy League institution in Manhattan placed more than 65 students on interim suspension and barred 33 others, including those from affiliated institutions such as Barnard College, from setting foot on campus, in what is seen as an attempt to gain favor with Donald Trump

Roughly 80 people were arrested in connection with the Wednesday evening demonstration at the university's Butler Library.

Most face trespassing charges, though some may also face disorderly conduct, police have said.

The mask-clad protesters pushed their way past campus security officers, raced into the building and hung Palestinian flags and other banners on bookshelves.

Some protesters also scrawled phrases on library furniture and picture frames, including 'Columbia will burn.'

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.

Interim suspension generally means that a student cannot come to campus, attend classes or participate in other university activities, according to Columbia's website

New York City police in helmets and other protection broke up the demonstration at the request of university officials, who denounced the protests as an 'outrageous' disruption for students studying and preparing for final exams.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said his office will be reviewing the visa status of those who participated in the library takeover for possible deportation.

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.

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

People take part in a pro-Palestinian protest at Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University in New York

Meanwhile, guards told the demonstrators that they would not be allowed out if they did not produce their school ID.

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.

Scenes from inside the library showed people in masks and keffiyehs banging drums and hanging signs

'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.

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.

FA New York City police officer keeps watch on the campus of Columbia University

At least one protester appeared to have been injured as an angry mob tried to push its way out of the library

'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.'

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.'
A glamorous Miami hedge fund manager has been barred from the US after allegedly lying to immigration officials.

Jasmina Midzic, a managing director at Typhon Capital Management, was detained for 26 hours at Los Angeles Airport on Sunday, the New York Post reports.

The Croatian national had jetted in from London, but was put back on a plane to the UK after being denied entry to the US, per the outlet.

Officials claim she confessed to illegally working her $13,000-a-month job on a tourist visa.

Midzic strenuously denied any wrongdoing when contacted by the New York Post.

'My friends are judges and prosecutors in the US, I would not break the law,' she said. 'This is horribly violating my rights on so many levels.'

Midzic, 36, was on her way to attend the Milken Institute Global Conference, attended by the likes of Elon Musk and Jill Biden when her travel plans were derailed.

'They didn't listen because I am a white European and I work for a hedge fund,' she told the Post. 'They got very offended that I don't want American citizenship.'

Glamorous Miami hedge fund manager Jasmina Midzic has been barred from the US after allegedly lying to immigration officials

Midzic, a managing director at Typhon Capital Management, was detained for 26 hours at Los Angeles Airport on Sunday

Midzic strenuously denied any wrongdoing

The financier was travelling to the US to try and raise capital for Typhon, according to those with knowledge of the matter.

Midzic previously worked as a manager for New York City-based JurisTrade, according to her LinkedIn.

Her boss James Koutoulas, who founded both JurisTrade and Typhon, insisted that Midzic has not violated any immigration laws.

'The allegations are false. She is a UK-based contractor and was traveling from London to LA to attend a cocktail party around the Milkin conference on a valid B1 visa which permits traveling for business meetings,' he told DailyMail.com

'It appears that CBP did not follow their procedures for denying her entry and may have also violated privacy laws by disclosing personal information to the NY Post.

'We support her 100% and are evaluating the raft of potential violations and what legal action to take.

Midzic's corporate biography on the Typhon website states that she gained, 'significant international finance experience working in New York, London, Zug, Dubai, and Miami'.

While she has since switched to a private Instagram, evidence of her jet-set lifestyle is still evident on other social media pages.

Her Facebook is peppered with images of her hitting the slopes in the French Alps, lounging at the beach and popping bottles of champagne.

Typhon manages around $250 million worth of assets, according to Business Insider.

The financier was travelling to the US to try and raise capital for Typhon, according to those with knowledge of the matter

She allegedly told officials she has been working her $13,000-a-month job while on a tourist visa

Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, told The Post Midzic 'had violated the terms of her admission under her B1/B2 visa.'

'Immigration laws must be followed  those seeking to work in the United States must do so through legal and lawful means or face the consequences,' McLaughlin said.

Insiders told the outlet that officials became suspicious about the frequency of Midzic's trips to and from the country.

One source said that the financier had unsuccessfully applied for an L1 visa in 2023.

A L1 visa a non-immigrant visa for international companies to transfer employees to the US.

Typhon founder Koutoulas previously found himself in hot water after the SEC announced it was probing whether he violated federal securities law with the sale of his 'Lets Go Brandon' (LBG) Coin. The probe has since been closed with no finding of wrongdoing.

Meanwhile Midzic is not the only person to be caught in the crosshairs of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

A British woman was sent to a detention center after officials said she had incorrect documentation while entering through the US-Canada border.

The Croatian national had jetted in from London , but was put back on a plane to the UK after being denied entry to the US

The hedge funder posed wearing a bikini in a snap shared on Facebook

Midzic is not the only person to be caught in the crosshairs of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown

Welsh tourist Becky Burke, 28, was held for 19 days over the 'visa mix up'.

ICE officers have also rounded up thousands of alleged illegal migrants in a bid to deliver the president's mass deportation pledge.

On Friday Trump officials announced that he is looking at suspending the key constitutional right of habeas corpus, the right of a person to challenge their detention in court, as part of his plans.

'The Constitution is clear, and that, of course, is the supreme law of the land, that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion,' White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters.

'So it's an option we're actively looking at,' Miller said. 'A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.'
A Missouri man stands accused of a macabre, years-long deception that saw him hide his uncle's dead body in a trash can in order to keep stealing the disabled veteran's government benefits - to the tune of more than $650,000.

The alleged crime is so cold-hearted it has stunned even seasoned prosecutors.

Federal prosecutors say Brian K. Ditch, 44, of Salem, Missouri, systematically abused, imprisoned, and ultimately discarded his paralyzed uncle, Thomas Clubb, an Army veteran with quadriplegia.

Ditch then lived for years off the man's disability checks while telling relatives he had been moved to a nursing home.

But behind Ditch's home, in a shed near the edge of rural Dent County, police found what was left of the truth: Clubb's partially frozen body stuffed into a trash bag inside a garbage can simply left to decompose for nearly six years.

'This is an abhorrent, reprehensible crime,' said Assistant US Attorney Derek Wiseman, who has been prosecuting federal cases for a decade.

'A crime committed against a family member. A veteran. Somebody without the use of their arms and legs. It's a disturbing and flagrant lack of regard for human life.

'I've never seen anything like it,' Wiseman said. 'This case is something else entirely.'

Federal prosecutors say Brian K. Ditch, 44, of Salem, Missouri, stands accused of hiding his uncle's dead body in a trash can in order to keep stealing the disabled veteran's government benefits - to the tune of more than $650,000

The body of Thomas Clubb, an Army veteran with quadriplegia, was found stuffed into a trash bag inside a garbage can and left to decompose for nearly six years

Ditch was indicted on Wednesday in US District Court in St. Louis on 11 federal counts, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, theft of government property, and illegally possessing firearms as a felon.

He also faces six state charges, including abandonment of a corpse.

Court documents and investigators say Ditch received sole custody and care of Clubb in 2008.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs rated Clubb as 100% disabled, paying him more than $9,500 per month due to injuries and dementia stemming from a car accident in Germany during his military service.

The Social Security Administration also sent him over $235,000 in additional disability and retirement benefits since 2008.

But instead of caring for him, prosecutors say Ditch locked Clubb in a garage for more than a day at a time 24 hours at a time, depriving him of food and water and forcing him to sit in his own urine and feces.

The indictment claims Ditch would physically and emotionally abuse Clubb - and anyone else who got in his way.

'To execute his scheme to defraud the defendant not only assaulted his quadriplegic uncle, but he also physically and emotionally abused his kids and significant others,' the court filing states.

Clubb's remains wrapped in a trash bag inside a garbage can hidden behind the house

'This is an abhorrent, reprehensible crime,' said Assistant US Attorney Derek Wiseman. 'I've never seen anything like it. This case is something else entirely.'

Family members, including Angie Crowder, Clubb's niece and Ditch's cousin, said they last saw him in 2018.

'Things seemed normal. He looked healthy and fine,' Crowder recalled.

But when years went by without a word from Clubb, family members began calling nursing homes and the VA - searching for a man Ditch claimed had moved out with another caregiver.

Their suspicions eventually led them to tip off the Missouri health department and on March 5, the Salem Police Department received the hotline call.

By March 21, the horror was confirmed as police discovered Clubb's remains wrapped in a trash bag inside a garbage can hidden behind the house.

While Clubb's body lay rotting in the shed, Ditch lived large, investigators say.

He allegedly used the stolen money to buy exotic reptiles, take vacations, and enrich himself while lying to everyone who asked about Clubb's whereabouts.

The case is being heard at the US District Court in St. Louis, Missouri

Despite being a convicted felon with prior charges for burglary and domestic battery, he also illegally possessed three shotguns, found in his home by Salem police.

Court records say between January 2019 and March 2025, Ditch collected at least $650,000 in benefits he wasn't entitled to.

Prosecutors argue the only reason the payments continued was because Ditch never reported Clubb's death.

'The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits veterans or steals their VA benefits,' said Gregory Billingsley, Special Agent in Charge of the VA OIG's Central Field Office.

The Dent County coroner told KSDK that the cause of death will likely remain undetermined due to the advanced state of decomposition.

DNA tests are still pending, but prosecutors are confident the remains are those of Thomas Clubb.

Crowder, still in shock, is organizing a funeral and says the family plans to bury Clubb next to his parents.

T-shirts have also been made t-shirts reading 'Justice for Tom Clubb.'

'He liked to talk. He loved reading the newspaper,' Crowther said. 'He was family.'

Ditch is expected to plead not guilty in federal court. If convicted, Ditch could face decades in federal prison.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka told Alina Habba to 'get some better information' after the US Attorney for New Jersey claimed he ignored warnings to leave the premises of an ICE facility before he was arrested.

Dramatic footage on Friday showed frantic people scrambling outside the gates of the facility, before Baraka was arrested and escorted away by police.

After he was released, the mayor and candidate for governor of New Jersey spoke to CNN and responded to Habba saying he 'ignored multiple warnings' by Homeland Security Investigations to leave.

When host Kaitlan Collins asked if this was true, Baraka replied: 'Well, absolutely not. I mean, the reality is Alina Habba wasn't there.' He then told her to 'get some better information.

'She doesn't know what happened. Clearly, that is not the context of what happened,' Baraka explained.

He said he was at the facility for an hour and 'nobody told me to leave that place.'

'Somebody from Homeland Security came in the end and began to escalate the situation, and we wind up being where we are today. And that's, frankly, the extent of it.'

Baraka reiterated both that he did nothing illegal and Habba wasn't present for his arrest.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (pictured right) told Alina Habba to 'get some better information' after the US Attorney for New Jersey claimed he ignored warnings to leave the premises of an ICE facility before he was arrested

After he was released, the mayor and candidate for governor of New Jersey spoke to CNN and responded to Habba (pictured) saying he 'ignored multiple warnings' by Homeland Security Investigations to leave

DailyMail.com has reached out to Habba's office for comment.

Baraka was released around 8 p.m. after being accused of trespassing and ignoring warnings to leave the Delaney Hall facility.

Stepping out of an SUV with flashing emergency lights, he told waiting supporters: 'The reality is this: I didn't do anything wrong.'

The mayor said he could not speak about his case, citing a promise he made to lawyers and the judge. But he voiced full-throated support for everyone living in his community, immigrants included.

'All of us here, every last one of us, I dont care what background you come from, what nationality, what language you speak,' Baraka said, 'at some point we have to stop these people from causing division between us.'

Linda Baraka, the mayors wife, accused the federal government of targeting her husband.

'They didnt arrest anyone else. They didnt ask anyone else to leave. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor,' she said, adding that she had not been allowed to see him.

The mayor was dramatically arrested at an ICE detention facility in New Jersey on Friday.

Mayor Ras Baraka is seen being arrested and escorted away by federal agents on Friday

Rep. LaMonica McIver, center, demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention prison

Officers were seen shoving protesters out of the way amid the chaos. Rep LaMonica McIver who was at the facility claimed she and her colleagues were assaulted by ICE officers.

Following his detention, Habba said: 'He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.'

Governor Phil Murphy said he was 'outraged' by the arrest and called for his 'immediate release'. Baraka was released a few hours following his arrest.

The mayor claims the detention center has been illegally housing migrants amid Trump's mass deportation push.

The mayor claimed the jail has a contract with the city and cannot be housing migrants inside.

Last week he attempted to break in, vowing to turn up daily until he was let in.

A spokesperson for the company which operates the facility confirmed to DailyMail.com that migrants have been housed at the facility for a week.

'Delaney Hall houses illegal aliens. It is not a family detention facility, nor does it house minors,' a spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

Amina Baraka, mother of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, hugs Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman

But the building's owners, GEO Group, did not receive permits or a valid certificate of occupancy to house 1,000 migrants a day, The New York Times reported.

A GEO Group employee had chained the front gates shut on Monday and fire officials gave them three citations for code violations, the Times said.

'Theyre keeping us out through the gates and the fences and all this other kind of stuff, but were going to come down here every day and were going to get in one way or the other,' Baraka told the Times.

'We want them to follow our rules, follow our laws.'

GEO Group accepted a 15-year $1billion contract with ICE in February, agreeing to hold migrants while they wait for deportation.

Delaney Hall has previously been used as a jail, halfway house, and migrant detention center and is located near the Newark Airport, making it easy to ship migrants back to their native countries.

The building has not been used in over a year and with the renovations on top of it, the City of Newark claimed the occupancy certificate would be invalid, the Times reported.

GEO Group spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, told The Times that Baraka is 'more than welcome to enter the facility as long as he follows security protocols like everyone else.'

Protestors shout "Let him out" to demand the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka speaks to protesters outside of Delaney Hall

'He keeps refusing to do so, presumably in an effort to stage press opportunities to help him in his bid for governor,' the spokesperson said.

Another spokesperson, Christopher Ferreira, told the Times Baraka's action was a 'publicity stunt'.

He said it was an 'unfortunate example of a politicized campaign by sanctuary city and open-borders politicians in New Jersey to interfere with the federal governments efforts to arrest, detain and deport dangerous criminal illegal aliens in accordance with established federal law.'

DailyMail.com has contacted the mayor's office for comment.
Aussies are divided after a hospitality worker said she shouldn't receive a parking ticket because she works up to 60 hours a week.

A photo of a handwritten note the woman had left on her dashboard for rangers was shared to a community Facebook page on Saturday.

'Hi, I work in Manly and get fined daily. I work in hospo doing 12hr days 5x a week,' the note read.

'I'm not staying long to intentionally take up spaces.

'Please help a girl out.'

But the local who snapped the photo wasn't convinced.

'Is this a good enough reason to get out of a parking fine?' he asked the group.

'Just because she's a GAL.'

A photo a handwritten note the woman left on her dashboard for rangers was shared to a community Facebook page on Saturday (pictured)

The hospitality worker said they worked in Manly (pictured) on Sydney's northern beaches

Aussies were quick to share their thoughts on the woman's justification.

'Notes like that would cause me to write two fines,' one said.

'Sorry but as a former ranger this is an invite...' a second wrote.

A third shared: 'Got nothing to do with being a gal'.

'Should catch the bus,' a fourth commented.

But others were more sympathetic.

'It's a difficult one. First all the essential workers are advised to move out of the northern beaches to where they can afford to buy/rent, live to their means and then they get fined when commuting to work,' one said.
An out-of-control Soviet satellite is expected to smash into the Earth today - but scientists don't know where.

The spacecraft was meant to go to Venus, but it never made it to the planet and is now expected to fall back to Earth.

The half-ton Soviet craft, named Kosmos 482, is likely to come down over water or a desolate region.

Experts have said that the odds of it landing into a populated area are 'infinitesimally small'

Scientists estimated on Friday that it was likely to land on Saturday morning, US eastern time, give or take several hours.

While space debris trackers around the world converged in their forecasts, it was still too soon to know exactly when and where the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 would come down.

That uncertainty was due to potential solar activity and the spacecraft's old condition.

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)

The spacecraft was meant to go to Venus, but it never made it to the planet and is now expected to fall back to Earth

The half-ton Soviet craft Kosmos 482 is likely to come down over water or a desolate region

University of Colorado Boulder scientist Marcin Pilinski said: 'While we can anticipate that most of this object will not burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry, it may be severely damaged on impact.'

Mr Pilinski said it was very unlikely it would hit populated areas.

Its parachutes were expected to be useless by now, and its batteries long dead.

Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek estimated the craft will be heading into earth at around 150mph if it remains intact.

The satellite was launched in 1972, and it was intended to go to Venus to join other spacecraft in their Venera programme.

However, a rocket malfunction left this one stuck in orbit around Earth.

Gravity kept tugging on it and was expected to finally cause its doom.

Spherical in shape, the spacecraft - 3ft (one metre) across and packing more than 1,000lbs (495kg) - will be the last piece of Kosmos 482 to fall from the sky.

All the other parts plummeted within a decade.

Any surviving wreckage will belong to Russia under a United Nations treaty.

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

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

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

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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

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

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.

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.
Pakistan has fired high-speed missiles at 'multiple targets' across India after it accused its neighbour of attacking air bases.

India said it had responded by targeting military bases in Pakistan - in the latest escalation of the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan's military this morning dubbed the operation Bunyan ul Marsoos  meaning unbreakable wall - as it shared a video of a missile being fired on social media.

They claimed it shows a medium-range Fateh One weapon being launched at targets in the Indian states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.

At a press briefing, Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi also accused Pakistan of targeting health facilities and schools at three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Five people were killed in the disputed region's city of Jammu, Indian police have said - with photos showing extensive damage to buildings in the area.

In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, authorities said 13 civilians had been killed and more than 50 injured.

India's army responded to Pakistan's actions on X, describing its neighbour's actions as a 'blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions'.

The country's military said it had targeted Pakistani military bases and that retaliatory strikes were currently underway.

Pakistan says it has fired high-speed missiles at 'multiple targets' across India after it accused its neighbour of attacking air bases

Image appears to show Pakistan's military firing a missile at targets in India

Indian Civil Defense volunteers and security personnel stand outside a damaged house after cross-border shelling from Pakistan in Jammu on May 10

It is latest escalation in the conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan, which was triggered by a deadly attack in the disputed territory of Kashmir last month.

Twenty six civilians were killed and India has blamed Pakistan for backing the assault, an accusation that Islamabad rejects.

Last night it was reported that Indian warships had moved closer to the Pakistani port of Karachi, putting them within striking distance of the site.

A source within the Indian Armed Forces told The Telegraph: 'We are alert and ready to counter any threat from the adversary.

'The movement of the warplanes and other naval assets is for monitoring and deterrence.'

The move, which believed to have started eight days ago, means the ships are now in international waters where they are likely to remain.

Some of the vessels are believed to be holding an aircraft carrier, destroyers, frigates and anti-submarine ships.

However, both India and Pakistan hinted this morning they would consider de-escalation after trading strikes.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to 'non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.'

Pakistan's foreign minister responded saying his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped further attacks.

Explosives and debris of a drone are pictured after it was intercepted by India on the outskirts of Amritsar on May 10

Police officers inspect metal debris, amid hostilities between India and Pakistan, in a field on the outskirts of Jalandhar, India

A residence, damaged by a Pakistan shelling, is seen in Rajouri, along the Line of Control, India

Shopkeepers walk beside the debris of their shops after cross-border shelling in the Jura sector in Neelum Valley of Pakistan-administered Kashmir on May 10

David Lammy has joined G7 ministers in calling for an 'immediate de-escalation' between India and Pakistan.

A statement issued on Saturday morning said: 'We, the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the high representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan.

'Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability.

'We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides.

'We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.

'We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution.'

'Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,' she added.

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.

The Associated Press could not independently verify all the actions attributed to Pakistan or India.

Army spokesman, Ahmad Sharif, said Pakistan's air force assets were safe following the strikes, adding that some of the Indian missiles also hit India's eastern Punjab.

'This is a provocation of the highest order,' Sharif said.

It comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir on Friday.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio continued to urge both parties to 'find ways to deescalate and offered US assistance in starting constructive talks' in order to avoid future conflicts.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party supporters burn an effigy of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an anti-India protest in Multan on May 10

India's foreign ministry holds a press briefing following the strikes

A man walks amidst debris on the roof of a damaged house, following Pakistan's military operation against India on May 10

The call for calm came ahead of Saturday's Indian missile strikes, which targeted Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province, according to Pakistan's military spokesman.

There was no media access to the air base in Rawalpindi, a densely populated city, and no immediate reports of residents hearing or seeing the strike or its aftermath.

Following the announcement of Pakistani retaliation, residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, and the garrison town of Udhampur.

'Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard the last two nights during drone attacks,' said Shesh Paul Vaid, the region's former top police official and Jammu resident. 'It looks like a war here.'

Vaid said explosions were heard from areas with military bases, adding it appeared that army sites were being targeted.

Srinagar appeared calm early on Saturday, but some residents in neighborhoods close to the city's airport, which is also an air base, said they were rattled by the explosions and booming sound of fighter jets.

'I was already awake, but the explosions jolted my kids out of their sleep. They started crying,' said Srinagar resident Mohammed Yasin, adding he heard at least two explosions.

Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group for India, said the two countries were at war even if they had not yet labelled it as one.

'It's become a remorseless race for military one-upmanship with no apparent strategic end goals from either side,' said Donthi. 'With increasing civilian casualties on both sides, finding an exit or off-ramp is going to be challenging.'

India's army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military cantonment in northern Punjab state's Amritsar city early Saturday.

'Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable,' the statement said.

A resident walks over the debris of his damaged house after cross-border shelling

A damaged car is shown after cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Jammu town on May 10

Residents walk past explosives, carried by a drone, after it was intercepted by India

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the country's airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

'Thank God we have finally responded to Indian aggression,' said Muhammad Ashraf, who had headed out for breakfast in the eastern city of Lahore.

The Indian army said late Friday that drones were sighted in 26 locations across many areas in Indian states bordering Pakistan and Indian-controlled Kashmir, including Srinagar. It said the drones were tracked and engaged.

'The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary,' the statement added.

India and Pakistan have traded strikes and heavy cross-border fire for days, resulting in civilian casualties on both sides.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged 'maximum restraint' from India and Pakistan. It warned Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.
A serial sex predator manipulated, coerced and blackmailed more than a dozen young girls across the UK into sending him explicit images of themselves.

Max Hollingsbee, 21, used his computer to target at least 13 children and one young woman with his victims living in Surrey, Sunderland, Doncaster and Scotland.

Posing as a teenager called 'Matt', he coerced one schoolgirl into sending him explicit photos of herself.

The 15-year-old schoolgirl told police she had an online conversation with someone claiming to be 16 and from Scotland via a platform called Wizz before the conversation moved to the Snapchat app and texts.

She said 'Matt' persuaded her to send images of herself in her underwear and topless before 'pestering' her for more explicit images and the passcodes to her Snapchat and the 'My Eyes Only' section of her Snapchat account.

A short time after she agreed, the girl received a video from 'Matt' showing a computer screen containing downloads of explicit images from her Snapchats.

Hollingsbee then sent her a message declaring: 'You've seen what I can do. Want to talk business?'

Using her images, he then created multiple other Snapchat accounts.

A serial sex predator manipulated, coerced and blackmailed more than a dozen young girls across the UK into sending him explicit images of themselves. Max Hollingsbee (pictured), 21, used his computer to target at least 13 children and one young woman with his victims living in Surrey, Sunderland, Doncaster and Scotland

Detective Inspector Chris Fleming (pictured) said Hollingsbee was 'a child predator who was financially benefitting from his exploits and inflicted trauma'

Judge Donna McColgan KC told Craigavon Crown Court in Northern Ireland (pictured): 'Analysis of his devices revealed large quantities of indecent images of children and during the course of their investigation, police were able to identify some, but not all of the victims'

Police in Northern Ireland were able to identify the defendant and raided his home on November 11, 2022.

His mother told them that he had gone to the airport to fly to England to meet a girl and officers intercepted him at Belfast International Airport.

The following March police in Northern Ireland were informed of an investigation in Scotland where a 17-year-old girl claimed that Hollingsbee had threatened to send explicit photos of her around her school.

Hollingsbee was re-arrested and during that search police found another mobile phone which showed he was active on Instagram and TikTok portraying himself as a female making posts of a sexual nature.

Judge Donna McColgan KC told Craigavon Crown Court in Northern Ireland: 'Analysis of his devices revealed large quantities of indecent images of children and during the course of their investigation, police were able to identify some, but not all of the victims.'

The judge said one victim was initially 'catfished' by Hollingsbee but went on to have a relationship with him.

The judge explained: 'During the early stages of the relationship, he suggested that they would exchange passwords to their social media accounts as a sign of their mutual trust for each other.'

But instead, Hollingsbee used his access to obtain explicit images of the victim.

'It is particularly sinister that the defendant used this young lady, who apparently viewed herself as his girlfriend at the time, to get access to the victim's younger sister and her younger sister's friend,' added Judge McColgan.

Hollingsbee, from Lurgan, Co Armagh, entered guilty pleas to a total of 42 offences between June 2021 and April 2023 which included having indecent images of children including category A, B and C images of each victim and four charges of inciting or causing children to engage in sexual activity with children aged 13 to 16.

He was jailed for five years and will remain on the police sex offenders register for the rest of his life.

Detective Inspector Chris Fleming said Hollingsbee was 'a child predator who was financially benefitting from his exploits and inflicted trauma'.

'We have worked long hours, alongside the Public Prosecution Service, on this case to bring him to justice today and are still working behind the scenes to identify more of his victims,' he said.

'People have an image of a paedophile in their minds, a "creepy" old man hanging around play parks.

'The digital world has warped this and parents need to be aware that perpetrators are getting younger and more tech savvy.

'Not everyone your child speaks to online is who they say they are and they may have a sinister intent.'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has 'called Putin out' and demanded 'no ifs or buts' as he joined world leaders in cranking up pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland arrived in Kyiv on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky in a show of unity of the 'coalition of the willing', a day after Putin hosted his allies for a Red Square Victory Day parade.

Speaking in a press conference alongside his European counterparts, Sir Keir said Europe is 'stepping up' on the 80th anniversary of VE day to secure Ukraine's long-term future - after Putin called a three-day ceasefire for his Moscow event.

'Volodymyr, we stand with you to secure the just and lasting peace that Ukraine deserves,' the PM said.

'It's almost two months now since you agreed to an immediate 30 day ceasefire. In that time, Russia has launched some of the most deadly attacks on civilians of the entire war, including here in Kyiv. Normal lives, homes, families, destroyed.

'This is what Russia offers in place of peace along with delays, smoke screens, like the current 72 hour ceasefire. And so all of us here together with the US are calling Putin out.

'If he's serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now. By extending the VE day pause into a full unconditional 30 day ceasefire, with negotiations to follow immediately after a ceasefire is agreed.

'No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays. Putin didn't need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade. And he doesn't need them now. Ukraine has shown the willingness to engage again and again, but again and again Putin has refused.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also accused Putin of using a 'fake ceasefire' to enable the Russian parade to take place - as the Russians told the west to 'shove those peace plans up your pangender arses'.

Speaking in a press conference alongside his European counterparts, Sir Keir said Europe is 'stepping up' on the 80th anniversary of VE day to secure Ukraine's long-term future

The leaders of Britain, France , Germany and Poland arrived in Kyiv on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky in a show of unity of the 'coalition of the willing', a day after Putin's hosted his allies for a Red Square Victory Day parade

The leaders gave a joint press conference in Kyiv on Saturday afternoon following the latest meeting of the 'coalition of the willing'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Kyiv to meet with President Zelensky and other European leaders today

The visit by British Prime Minister Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine.

It is also the first time a meeting of global leaders is being held in the country since the outbreak of war after the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Posting after the summit, President Zelensky said on X the three-day ceasefire talked about by Putin is 'fake'.

'Why fake? The attacks on the front line continue. And Russian assaults are ongoing. They haven't stopped using aerial bombs against our front line positions and border communities.

'But there were no air raid alerts, which only proves again: when Moscow does not want to kill, they can stop.'

Starmer told reporters: '[There is a] lesson that any veteran of Normandy of Africa or any other campaign will tell you, but that Putin has not yet grasped.

'There is no glory in aggression or conquest. Glory comes from fighting for your country, defending your people and winning the peace. And that is the message of this moment.'

The summit discussed a US and European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine that, if refused by Moscow, would see them jointly impose new sanctions, a French diplomatic source said.

But Russia dismissed the summit - as Putin crony Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the Russian security council and ex-Russian president, said: 'Macron, Merz, Starmer and Tusk were supposed to discuss peace in Kyiv.

'Instead they are blurting out threats against Russia. Either a truce for the respite of Banderite horses or new sanctions.

'You think that's smart, eh? Shove these peace plans up you pangender arses!'

Sir Keir Starmer is seen speaking with President Zelensky alongside France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Frederich Merz

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Starmer, Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, Macron, and Merz pay their respects to the victims of war at the Memorial for the Fallen at the Independence Square

The leaders visited a war memorial in Independence Square before holding a meeting to discuss peace efforts, in which US President Donald Trump dialed in too.

The leaders updated Trump on the progress made on the so-called 'coalition of the willing' plans for Ukraine in the unplanned call, lasted around 20 minutes and was described as 'warm' by a UK source.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter on Saturday Sir Keir said: 'Russia must agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

'Every step we take towards that is another step towards security and prosperity in the UK.'

During talks on Saturday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, announced that Ukraine and its European allies are ready to implement a 'full, unconditional' ceasefire as early as Monday.

Mr Sybiha said in his X post that 'Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday'.

President Zelensky added on X, formerly Twitter: 'We held a five-party meeting in Kyiv with European leaders  Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland.

'It is especially meaningful that they are together in Kyiv, in Ukraine, on these very days  as this week, in Europe, we honor the victors over Nazism and celebrate Europe Day.

'All of this is about values and respect for human life, and therefore about security. It is security that we have been discussing today.

'We all agree that there must be a ceasefire  full, unconditional and lasting long enough to make real diplomacy possible. We all agree that the war must end with a dignified peace.

'We are working together to guarantee security  long-term and reliable. Thank you for your support.

The US this morning warned that Putin is feared to be plotting an attack on the Ukrainian capital while the leaders are in attendance.

American officials issued a public warning, which read: 'The US Embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days.

'The Embassy, as always, recommends US citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.'

The visit comes at an unpredictable diplomatic moment in the war against Ukraine

Starmer speaks with Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska in Kyiv this morning

The summit will see the leaders discuss a US and European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine

Starmer, Macron and Merz earlier all travelled to Ukraine together by train.

'Alongside the U.S., we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,' the four leaders said in a joint statement.

Their statement continued: 'We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.

'We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come'.

'We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia's war machine.'

The visit comes at an unpredictable diplomatic moment in the war against Ukraine as US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid peace after tearing up the policies of his predecessor since entering the White House in January.

After engaging directly with Russian officials, clashing publicly with Zelensky and briefly cutting vital military aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration has patched up ties with Kyiv and signed an arduously-negotiated mineral resources deal.

There has also been a palpable shift in tone from Trump, who has signalled growing frustration with Putin's foot-dragging over a ceasefire and Russia's restatement of its demands for a settlement.

Trump has threatened to step up sanctions against Russia but he has also said he could abandon the peace effort altogether if there is no breakthrough. He called on Thursday for a 30-day ceasefire and Zelensky said he would be ready to implement it immediately.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (centre right) with French President Emanuel Macron (centre left) in Kyviv as they join European leaders in Ukraine for further talks

Starmer greets Ukrainian President Zelensky and his wife Olena at Independence Square in Kyiv

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict, but only with due consideration of 'nuances'.

Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders at a Red Square military parade on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

In a speech at the event, Putin compared the Second World War to his 'special military operation' in Ukraine and said Russia 'was and will be an indestructible barrier against Nazism, Russophobia, antisemitism'.

On the same day, European ministers voiced support for a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian president and his officials for crimes of aggression, showing support for Zelensky who on Thursday poured scorn on Putin for planning a 'parade of bile and lies'.

On the eve of the summit, the US embassy in Kyiv warned of a 'potentially significant' air attack in the coming days and told its citizens to be ready to seek shelter in the event of air raid sirens.

'There is a lot of work to do, a lot of topics to discuss. We must end this war with a just peace. We must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire,' said Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, posting photographs welcoming the leaders off the train.

The four visitors will met Zelensky on Saturday morning and are also expected to pay their respects at a memorial in central Kyiv to honour Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war.

The visit falls on the final day of a May 8-10 ceasefire declared by Putin that Ukraine did not accept, denouncing it as a sham. Both sides have accused each other of violating it.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk attend a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv

The leaders of the UK, France, and Germany are heading to Kyiv in what will be the first time the world leaders have convened in the Ukrainian capital since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022

Their statement read: 'Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,' the leaders said in a statement ahead of the visit'

They added: 'We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal'

He wrote on Truth Social: 'The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions' (Truth Social post in full, above)

Zelensky said on Thursday he told Trump in a telephone call that a 30-day ceasefire would be a 'real indicator' of progress towards peace with Russia, and that Kyiv was ready to implement it immediately.

And Trump wrote on Truth Social overnight: 'The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.'

Since Trump took office in January, Putin has teased negotiators with suggestions he would accept a ceasefire - but his troops have continued to advance into the Ukrainian province of Dnipro.

Last month the Russian president announced a 30-hour truce to mark Easter, although sporadic fighting continued.

The French diplomatic source said work had not been completed on the proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, but that the US and European allies hoped they were 'at a moment of convergence'.

'What could happen in the coming hours and days, there could be an announcement of a ceasefire either of 30 days or compartmentalized, which is still being discussed,' the source said.

Merz, who became Germany's chancellor this week, said on Friday that the ball was now in Moscow's court.

'It is solely there that the decision will be made as to whether there is a chance, starting this coming weekend - that is, at the beginning of next week - to enable a longer ceasefire in Ukraine,' he said.

Meanwhile Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov alleged Kyiv was 'not ready for immediate negotiations'.

He continued: 'President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means. But having no peaceful and democratic means at hand, we have to continue [the] military operation.'
A Brisbane father has raised concerns about a lack of CCTV at his son's school after a stranger approached him inside the school gates, offering him a sweet.

Kev Patel took to social media on Friday to share how his nine-year-old son was allegedly grabbed by an unknown man at Algester State School, Brisbane, at about 3pm.

In a post, seen by The Courier Mail, Mr Patel claimed the man believed to be in his 20s showed his son a lollipop and asked: Do you like lollipops?'

'My son replied, "Yes, I do." The man then offered it to him, which he refused,' he said.

'The man said, "Come, lets go, I have a big lollipop shop".'

'When my son said no again, the man grabbed his hand and said "No argument" and began pulling him toward the gate.'

Mr Patel said his son bit the man's arm as he was being pulled towards the gate before running to his mother's car which was 100m away.

'We immediately contacted the school and spoke to (the Deputy Principal) at the spot it happened, where our son described everything.'

The boy's father has raised concerns about the lack of CCTV at the gates of Algester State School, Brisbane, which the strange man reportedly entered through

A nine-year-old boy was approached by a stranger during school pick-up hours (stock image)

'Our son has been left shaken, and so have we. To think someone could be preying on children in our own community is horrifying,' he said.

'We were shocked to learn there are no CCTV cameras in that area of the school.

'Our son also said hes seen this man a few times before around the gate area. He was wearing black track pants, a black jacket and black shoes.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Algester State School and Queensland Police Service for comment.

Mr Patel said his son now has a smart watch, including GPS and an emergency button, following the incident.

'Our son has been left shaken, and so have we. To think someone could be preying on children in our own community is horrifying,' he said.

He has also pleaded with anyone who might have witnessed the incident to contact him, including people who live on Ridgewood Road near the school and have CCTV.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education has issued a statement about the reported incident.

The stranger reportedly asked the boy whether he wanted a lollipop before attempting to grab him and take him away from the school (stock image)

'The safety and welfare of students and staff is the departments highest priority,' it said.

'The department is aware of a report made to staff of Algester State School regarding an unknown adult approaching a student.

'The school has engaged with the parents and student involved about the matter and continues to offer support.'

The department said support will be available for any other member of the school community.

A communication is due to be sent to all parents and carers encouraging them 'to remain vigilant and to reinforce safety and stranger awareness messages'.
A man has been charged with murdering an 87-year-old man and robbery after police were called to the scene in north London.

Peter Augustine, 58, of Hornsey, is accused of killing an 87-year-old man in Manor House.

Police were called to a robbery just before 6pm on Goodchild Road on Tuesday.

Paramedics from the London Ambulance service were also rushed to the scene and the man, who has not been named, was rushed to hospital where he died on Thursday.

His family are being supported by specialist officers, the Metropolitan police said.

The same day, Augustine was arrested and was remanded in custody to appear before Willesden Magistrates' Court today.

Anyone with information about this is asked to contact the police on 0208 345 3715 quoting Operation Cedarbirch or to call CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police were called to a robbery just before 6pm on Goodchild Road on Tuesday

Blood stains on Goodchild Road near Manor House underground station in north London

Left over of a police tape on Goodchild Road near Manor House underground station in north London

Officers have previously said that a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, from the Met's Specialist Crime North Unit and leading the investigation described the 'horrific' incident and that officers were not looking for anyone else in connection to this.

He added: 'However, this is a fast-paced investigation and I am appealing to anyone who may have been in the area or witnessed what happened to please contact the police.'

Assistant Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who leads local policing in the area, said: 'We know many people will be very concerned by what has happened and while we have a man in custody, local patrols have been stepped up.

'If you have any concerns please do speak to those officers.

'A man has lost his life in a tragic way and our thoughts remain with his family.'
A pole dancer has hit back at her elderly neighbours who strongly object to her home studio - amid claims that 'grunting' and 'loud music' from her workshops have left them 'feeling totally hopeless'.

Samilou Saunders converted the garage at her 700,000 bungalow in Christchurch, Dorset, to accommodate a range of pole dancing and aerial fitness classes.

The resulting business, Samilou Pole and Aerial Fitness Studio, provides sessions over 20 hours a week, with attendees calling the classes 'inspirational'.

But not all are fans of the concept, with several neighbours lodging formal objections to Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council about the noise and parking issues that have arisen since Samilou began her classes.

She submitted a retrospective planning application to change the use of the garage from residential to a mixed-use space, in a bid to keep running the classes out of her home studio.

However, scores of nearby residents who object to her business have written to the council to have their say on the matter.

One unapologetically wrote: 'The noise from activity and loud music emanating from this prohibited use of the building, can be heard, on a daily basis and is spoiling our daily living and enjoyment of our home, leaving us feeling totally hopeless, and constantly stressed.'

Samilou has now spoken out against her detractors and said her neighbours have 'completely the wrong idea'.

Pole dancer Samilou Saunders has hit back at her elderly neighbours who strongly object to her home studio at her 700,000 bungalow in Christchurch, Dorset

Several neighbours have lodged formal objections to Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council about the noise and parking issues that have arisen since her classes began

Samilous has submitted a retrospective planning application to change the use of the garage from residential to a mixed-use space

She claims an environmental officer who visited did not seem to have any concerns about noise, and pointed to the fact that people of all ages attend her classes - including a 72-year-old, who has been pole dancing for the last 16 years.

Samilou told The Sun: 'This is my absolute dream of 20 years, having my own studio, and I'm trying to do everything right.

'To be honest, I feel whatever I do will not be right, people around here are elderly, and I think they have just got completely the wrong idea about pole dancing classes.'

In an effort to appease local residents, Samilou said she had even removed her business logo - a silhouette of a pole dancer - from her car so as not to cause offence.

Samilou added: 'I think the grunting comment was a reference to my husband using a personal gym he has, but that has nothing to do with the studio and he is definitely not loud.'

There are those however who still 'vehemently oppose' the business.

One wrote to the council: 'This is a quiet residential area where residents quietly go about their every day. This is not an area to accommodate a business.'

Another described the studio as 'a big nuisance'. They said: 'The noise coming from the studio is loud and starts with morning classes going through to the evening including weekends.

Samilou has now spoken out against her detractors and said her neighbours have 'completely the wrong idea'

'As this is a quiet residential area I feel such a business should take place in an industrial unit or a commercial building with ample parking facilities which are plentiful in this area.'

A third called the application - which states that the proposed change of use is well-suited for the location - 'little more than wishful thinking and not the reality.'

They wrote: 'The assertion in the application that allowing the aerial fitness studio business to proceed 'is a practical and beneficial decision that aligns with the needs of the client, the community, and the surrounding environment' is incorrect.

'It may well align with the needs of the client, but is at odds with the community and surrounding environment.

'That the studio 'will provide a valuable service to the local community by promoting health and wellness in a controlled, safe environment' is also a bit of a stretch, given that the immediate local community is predominantly made up of people either at or approaching retirement age, which would be the exception and not the core demographic for aerial fitness sessions.'

Others say however they were 'surprised' to hear people had objected.

One resident, who regularly walks his dog in the area, wrote: 'Firstly there is plenty of parking in the area especially for the small number of cars that attend so this does not affect anyone.

'The people attending are quiet and respectful when going to and from their class. I can also say that there is no noise whatsoever coming from the building during the period when the classes are in progress as we walk multiple times around the block in the morning and evening throughout the year and have heard nothing.

One objector called the application - which states that the proposed change of use is well-suited for the location - 'little more than wishful thinking and not the reality'

'Pole Dancing is a respected and well known fitness and sport and I feel we should be supporting local small businesses like this who are benefiting locals with health and mental wellbeing.

'I do not see any difference between this and say a chiropractor or physiotherapist that really supports the local community and does this respectfully.'

Another said the classes had 'truly made a positive impact' on her daughter.

She wrote: When I pick her up, she's like a different person, happy, energized and excitedly sharing everything she's learned and achieved.

'These classes give her a much needed escape from the difficulties she faces in everyday life.'

A decision has yet to be made on the application.

BCP Council told MailOnline that it was unable to comment on a live application.
King Charles will not be attending Pope Leo XIV's inauguration next week, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The King will not attend the newly elected Pope's ceremony in Vatican City and instead send the Duke of Edinburgh to represent him.

Prince Edward will travel to the Vatican to attend Pope Leo XIV's formal installation as pope at a mass in St Peter's Square on May 18.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said: 'The Duke of Edinburgh will represent His Majesty at the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.'

Buckingham Palace previously said the King had sent a private message congratulating the Pope on his election and passing on his and the Queen's most sincere good wishes for his pontificate.

The decision comes after Prince William, the Prince of Wales, attended the funeral on behalf of his father.

This follows a royal precedent - when Pope John Paul II died, Charles who was then the Prince of Wales, represented the Queen at the funeral.

And in 2013, for Pope Francis' inauguration, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended, and in 200,5 for Pope Benedict XVI's inauguration, it was Prince Philip who represented the Queen.

Edward will travel to the Vatican to attend Pope Leo XIV's formal installation as pope at a mass in St Peter's Square on May 18

The King will not attend the newly elected Pope's ceremony in Vatican City and instead send the Duke of Edinburgh to represent him

Monarchs don't typically attend funerals of heads of state, and it normally falls on the heir to the throne to represent the Royal Family at these events.

Pope Leo XIV was elected as the new head of the Catholic Church on the second day of the conclave.

Some 133 cardinals gathered in Rome before being led into the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday.

But after white smoke billowed from the chimney on Thursday, the first American pontiff, born in Chicago, emerged from St Peter's Basilica in front of the faithful gathered at St Peter's Square.

A Vatican spokesman confirmed the choice was a reference to Leo XIII, who was the head of the Church from 1878 and 1903.

After walking out before thousands of Catholics and to the world, he told them 'Peace be with you' and offered a reminder of God's unconditional love.

Pope Leo went on to thank Francis for his work and his 'brother cardinals' who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter'.

He then added: 'Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogues.

After white smoke billowed from the chimney on Thursday, the first American pontiff, born in Chicago, emerged from St Peter's Basilica in front of the faithful gathered at St Peter's Square

The King represents his late mother Queen Elizabeth II at the funeral of former Pope John Paul II in 2008

Prince William was pictured arriving at St Peter's Square in the Vatican two weeks ago minutes before the funeral service

Prince William represented his father the King and was seated next to then-German Chancellor Olaf Sholz

Speaking in English, the pontiff, who was previously known as Father Bob, then referenced his time as a missionary in South America saying: 'I would particularly like to say hello to my compatriots from Peru.

'That's always open to receive, on this piazza with open arms, to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.'

Speaking in English, the pontiff, who was previously known as Father Bob, then referenced his time as a missionary in South America saying: 'I would particularly like to say hello to my compatriots from Peru.

'It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.'

Pope Leo then said: 'Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole church.

'And for peace throughout the world. And let's ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother.'

Following the announcement, the brother of the new head of the Catholic Church said he was stunned to find his sibling had been the chosen one.

Louis Prevost said that when he saw the news, he felt 'extreme joy, extreme pride... then worry as to how Robert is going to handle this because it's a heavy weight on his shoulders.'

He also revealed that during their childhoods in Illinois with their brother John, they would joke with him about becoming pope one day - a 'premonition' that has now come to pass.

'We used to tease him about being pope because he always had that holy way about him,' he said.

'The neighbours on the street a lot of them used to say, Youre going to grow up to be pope one day, Robert. Our brother? Pope? Nah. Not going to happen.'

The other brother, Louis, of Tampa in Florida, described the moment of seeing his brother become pope as 'shock and awe', and said, 'to see him, it all hit home and became real.

'It was like, 'Oh, that's Rob... oh my God... yay, Rob!'

Louis said his brother responded: I will accept it... Its Gods will. Its in his hands.'

Now his brother has shot to worldwide fame, Louis said he has been left wondering 'if we'll actually be able to see him again and be with him.'

He said he is sure his brother is ready and 'will do a really good job, just because he's a man of the people.'

Louis said he speaks to his brother several times a week, but now fears their conversations may come to an end as his brother is preoccupied in the Vatican, adding: 'Yeah, I'm the pope's brother, but it's hard to get in to see the pope.'
Melbourne woman Diane Denton has warned against 'wine mum' culture after her sister died following a battle with alcoholism.

'From what I understand, her drinking was quite risky in the end. She was drinking all day, every day,' she told 7News on Saturday.

Ms Denton's sister died at the age of 49 and the loss has prompted Diane to quit drinking alcohol herself after years of partying.

'My general anxiety, and you know, these bouts of depression have been alleviated.'

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Australia, according to the National Medical and Research Council (NHMRC).

But the phenomenon of 'mummy wine culture' is on the rise due to a growing reliance of women on alcohol to manage anxiety after having a child, the University of Sydney reported.

One of the common factors is that women have been made to feel as though drinking wine to 'cope' with stress is 'normal', with memes and slogans pushing the idea.

CEO of Hello Sunday Morning Dr Nicole Lee said her organisation, which encourages Australians to cut back on and quit drinking alcohol, has seen a rise in the behaviour.

Diane Denton (pictured, left) has quit drinking alcohol following the tragic loss of her sister (pictured, right) earlier this year after she drank 'all day, every day'

Alcohol prevention group Hello Sunday Morning said 'mummy wine culture' seeks to normalise drinking to 'cope' with daily life and markets feminine alcohol to women (stock image)

'We're seeing a concerning increase, particularly in women in middle age,' she said, specifically citing among women aged 45 to 65.

'There's a real kind of mummy wine culture that's promoted as you know, alcohol is a great release for all of the hard work that we do.'

Another issue she raised is that alcohol shops see women as an 'untapped market' and advertise drinks with slimmer bottles and colours viewed as more feminine.

It is a concern echoed by global alcohol prevention group Movendi International, which has warned that companies have invested in marketing campaigns targeting women.

'There are alcohol products strategically targeting women by incorporating specific design elements that appeal to their tastes and lifestyles,' its website said.

'These products often feature special packaging that is smaller, pink, and designed to serve as fashionable accessories.'
The very last thing Ian Wilkinson remembers is being given a 'charcoal substance' to drink shortly after being rushed by ambulance to Dandenong Hospital in Melbourne on the morning of Monday July 31, 2023.

After that, everything went dark. And when the 71-year-old Baptist pastor woke up, several weeks later, it was to terrible news: his beloved wife Heather, her sister Gail and brother-in-law Don were all dead.

By this point, Ian and his family were at the centre of an international media circus. To blame were the highly unusual circumstances in which they had all ended up in hospital.

Specifically: the group, who were best friends as well as close relatives, had fallen ill after eating a beef wellington made using highly toxic death cap mushrooms.

It had been served by Erin Patterson, estranged wife of Gail and Don's son Simon, during a lunch on Saturday, July 29, at her home on the outskirts of Leongatha, a dairy-farming town in Victoria.

This week, the events of that fateful day took both Ian Wilkinson and that international media circus to Court Four at Latrobe Valley Magistrates in Morwell, just over half an hour's drive away.

Erin's circumstances have now changed significantly. She is no longer the generous host who warmly welcomed guests to the expansive property she and Simon's two children called home.

Instead, she stood grimly in the dock, flanked by two burly police officers.

Erin Patterson, 50, (pictured) is accused of murdering her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson (pictured), alongside Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, who all died from suspected mushroom poisoning after eating a beef wellington dish cooked by Patterson at her home on July 29, 2023

It was the sixth day of the 50-year-old housewife's trial for the murders of Don, Gail and Heather, plus the attempted murder of Ian, whom she was seeing face-to-face for the very first time since that eventful lunch (Pictured: Erin Patterson)

Don and Gail Patterson (pictured),both died at the lunch

It was the sixth day of the 50-year-old housewife's trial for the murders of Don, Gail and Heather, plus the attempted murder of Ian, whom she was seeing face-to-face for the very first time since that eventful lunch.

Wearing a dark blue gilet, spectacles and a small crucifix on his lapel, the preacher walked to the stand and glanced briefly in Erin's direction. Asked whether he wanted to swear an oath or take an affirmation, he declared: 'I will swear an oath to the Almighty God.'

His ensuing evidence, at which I enjoyed a ringside seat, lasted the best part of a day. And it provided some of the most electrifying and potentially consequential moments of this already gripping trial.

A sweet-sounding, grey-haired man, who seems in remarkably fine shape given the awful nature of his ordeal, Wilkinson told the jury in forensic detail how the lunch and its aftermath had unfolded.

We saw him examine eerie photos of the dinner table where Heather, his beloved wife of more than 40 years, had eaten her last meal. And we watched him slowly and deliberately use a court-issued touchscreen to pinpoint the exact places where each guest had sat.

The small upstairs courtroom hung on his every word as he recalled exactly how the deadly dish, which was accompanied by 'mashed potatoes and green beans', was served. At times, the whole thing was vaguely surreal.

Even while recounting how Heather had fallen suddenly and terribly ill, rushing to the bathroom of their home at around 10.30 that night where she began 'vomiting into the laundry trough', Ian peppered his testimony with nervous laughter.

It wasn't until he was excused, after several hours on the stand, that the toll of proceedings became apparent. Ian's hands visibly shook as he was handed a glass of water by a relative, while other family members offered consoling hugs.

Gail's beloved wife Heather (pictured) also died after attending the lunch. Ian told the jury 'Heather was very interested in pantries at that time because we'd just built one at home,' he recalled. 'Heather was calling out to me, 'Come and look at the pantry'

Pictured: Ian Wilkinson who survived the suspected poisoning. He told the jury that Erin had seemed hugely reluctant to allow them to see parts of the house where lunch had been prepared

Erin, for her part, remained almost entirely poker-faced throughout. Despite pleading not guilty to all four charges, she has already admitted that death cap mushrooms were indeed used in the beef wellington that was fed to her guests.

The prosecution, led by a bespectacled veteran barrister named Nanette Rogers, insists the poisoning was deliberate.

Erin's defence argues, however, that this was all a big accident.

It claims the poisonous fungi were added to the dish  in which a fillet of beef is covered in blended mushroom puree, then encased in puff pastry  only because Erin had picked them by mistake during a foraging expedition.

Against this disputed backdrop, Ian offered a gripping account of the lunch in question, to which estranged husband Simon had been invited but withdrew at the last minute. Some of his most intriguing evidence involved Patterson's behaviour after welcoming her four remaining guests, who had rarely visited the property.

Ian told the jury that she had seemed hugely reluctant to allow them to see parts of the house where lunch had been prepared. 'Heather was very interested in pantries at that time because we'd just built one at home,' he recalled. 'Heather was calling out to me, 'Come and look at the pantry'.'

However, he said: 'I'd noticed Erin was very reluctant about the visit to the pantry and had not yet started following [Heather and Gail] there, so I thought maybe the pantry's a mess and I won't add to the embarrassment by joining.'

Another potentially crucial moment in Ian's testimony revolved around the serving of the main course, which he said involved 'discussion about plating up' between the female guests.

Erin Patterson had previously been accused of the attempted murder of her ex-husband Simon Patterson (pictured). Giving evidence prior, Simon had stated that the couple, who married in 2007, had initially remained on extremely friendly terms after separating in 2015

Pictured: Heather and Ian Wilkinson. Ian told the court that Heather had noted the colourful plates at the dinner party

'Both Heather and Gail were offering to help plate up the food,' he recalled. 'The offer was rejected and Erin plated all of the food.'

Then came the issue of the plates themselves. Having insisted on presiding over the serving of the main course, in which each guest was given an individual beef wellington which looked 'very much like a pasty', Ian said that Erin took an odd decision to serve them on colour-coded plates.

'There were four, large grey dinner plates and one smaller plate, a different colour,' he said. 'It was an orangey tan sort of colour.' Gail and Heather then each carried two grey plates to the table, Ian added, while Patterson carried the distinct colourful one to her place.

The coloured plates also seem to have been noted by Heather. After arriving at Leongatha Hospital, a local facility they were taken to the morning after the meal, Ian says they began to discuss what food might be the culprit.

'I recall... Heather reminding me that there were different coloured plates,' Ian told the jury. 'I think she just plainly said there were different-coloured plates in a conversation, wondering why we were ill. She just noticed the difference in the colours between the plate Erin was using and our plates.'

The question of whether Erin might have put different food on those different-coloured plates is now at the centre of the murder allegations.

Prosecutor Rogers has alleged that Erin's dish was subtly different from others served, because it did not contain any death cap mushrooms. The orange plate was therefore used to help her identify the 'safe' dish.

In the days after the meal, the Crown argues that Erin then faked symptoms of food poisoning in an effort to escape suspicion and convince the authorities that she, too, had eaten the deadly meal.

A court sketch of Erin Patterson in the Supreme Court of Victoria, sitting in Morwell, 155km east of Melbourne

Erin for her part argues that there was no such fakery involved, suggesting she used mismatched plates because that's what happened to be in her kitchen cupboard.

Or to quote her defence counsel Colin Mandy: 'She was not feigning illness, she wasn't pretending to be sick. The defence case is that she was sick too, just not as sick.'

Another crucial topic on which Ian testified involves events that happened over dessert, which consisted of an orange cake and a 'fruit platter' that had been prepared by Heather.

When issuing the invitation to the lunch, Erin had told guests she wanted to discuss a 'medical issue'. She duly informed her guests that she had been diagnosed with what Ian called a 'very serious' and 'life-threatening' cancer.

'I didn't quite catch what she said but I thought it was... ovarian or cervical cancer,' he said. 'She was anxious about telling the kids. She was asking our advice about that.'

The guests consoled her and advised that it was 'best' for her to be honest with the children, Ian recalled, saying he then led a prayer 'asking God's blessing on Erin, that she would get the treatment she needed'. It later emerged that Erin had never been diagnosed with cancer and was in fact perfectly healthy.

The prosecution claims that she faked the diagnosis in order to 'ensure and explain why her children would not be present at the lunch'.

In her defence, Erin's team have conceded that she has indeed 'never been diagnosed with cancer' but says this is an irrelevance.

Erin Patterson's legal team led by Bill Doogue

During cross-examination, Mr Mandy sought to suggest that she didn't lie. He put it to Ian that Erin might have instead said she 'suspected' she might have the disease, rather than stating that she'd received an official diagnosis.

The pastor stuck to his guns however, saying: 'It wasn't an impression. She plainly said she had some sort of cancer. She went on to speak about the scan and that this was a serious situation, a situation that made her afraid for the future of her kids.'

Discussion of the illness was cut short by the arrival of Erin's teenage son and a friend, the court was told. At this point, the lunch party ended, with Ian rushing off to attend a 3pm meeting about the following day's service in nearby Korumburra Baptist Church, where he'd served as minister for more than two decades.

It was a service Ian Wilkinson would never get to deliver. He and Heather fell ill the following night, with vomiting and severe diarrhoea, and were taken to hospital by Simon the next morning.

During the first 24 hours, their conditions appeared to improve. But a variety of medical witnesses have explained that this was in fact a false dawn: like many victims of mushroom poisoning, they began to suffer multiple organ failure in the ensuing days. By the following weekend, Heather, 66, had died, along with Gail and Don, who were both 70. Ian was in a coma.

Listening to the evidence was clearly deeply harrowing for Ian's relatives, several of whom have been attending court every day, breaking down in tears on several occasions. At times, this reporter has felt like an intruder at a family wake.

Erin, for her part, sat virtually motionless in the dock, betraying little emotion, even as the terrible fallout from her lunch was spelled out in graphic detail.

We have seen her upset just twice in this trial so far: when police interviews with the two children she has with Simon, who are now 17 and 11, were played to the court, she dabbed her eyes with a tissue and seemed close to tears.

The Latrobe Valley courthouse where Erin Patterson's fate will be decided. The jury must reach a decision in five weeks

It is, of course, for the jury to decide whether this was the natural reaction of a woman who is traumatised at being falsely accused, or the behaviour of a murderous narcissist who is incapable of feeling proper empathy or remorse.

Elsewhere this week, further insight into Erin's state-of-mind was provided by three witnesses she'd met online. The middle-aged women had become acquainted as members of a 'true crime' Facebook group concerning Keli Lane, an Australian woman convicted of murdering her newborn child in the 1990s. Erin appears to have been an enthusiastic contributor.

Smaller private chatgroups formed during lockdown, in which the members would discuss politics, the British royals, current affairs and their personal lives, sometimes via messages and on other occasions via group video calls.

It was here that Erin seemingly began to share intimate details about the state of her marriage, repeatedly portraying estranged husband Simon to her online chums as sinister and manipulative.

As Christine Hunt, who gave evidence via video link, put it: 'He was very controlling. She used the term 'coercive' at times. And also that his family were very demanding and that she was really challenged by their demands and particularly around the kids attending a faith-based education.'

Two other witnesses, Daniela Barklay and Jenny Hay, told the court that Erin had often described herself as an atheist, saying that this was causing serious tensions with Simon's extended family.

'I feel like sometimes she felt as though he put the church before her and her family,' said Barklay.

'She being an atheist and Simon being from a very strong Baptist background, she found that very challenging, is what she shared with us,' added Hunt. 'She found that challenging and in particular the decisions around things like divorce, separation, how the kids should be educated and brought up. She found all that very controlling.'

Daily Mail Australia is running a podcast covering all the details throughout the trial

Erin's comments to her online friends shed significant light on her attitude to her spouse in the years leading up to the lunch. And, intriguingly, they seem entirely at odds with what the court has heard about her behaviour with real-life acquaintances at the time.

During three days of evidence earlier in the case, Simon has stated that the couple, who married in 2007, remained on extremely friendly terms after separating in 2015. It wasn't until November 2022 that tensions arose after Erin found that Simon had changed his relationship status from 'married' to 'separated' on a tax return, depriving her of some financial benefits.

The months leading up to the July lunch had seen them squabble over money and school fees, though by the standards of estranged spouses, the ill-feeling seemed minor.

Erin had told friends during this period that she had become fascinated with a food dehydrator she had bought from a local hardware store in late April.

This device played a crucial role in the poisoning, since death cap mushrooms do not grow in Victoria during July. Instead, it was put to the court that Erin had picked the deadly fungi in April then preserved them with the machine.

After her lunch guests fell ill, she initially denied owning the dehydrator, saying she'd got dried mushrooms from an Asian supermarket.

But after police obtained footage of her disposing of the device at a rubbish tip (and found Erin's fingerprints and traces of death cap mushroom), she confessed that the appliance had belonged to her.

The defence now accepts Erin's initial claims were untrue and says she lied because she 'panicked'.

It blames this reaction on an alleged conversation in hospital, the Monday after the lunch, in which Erin says Simon mentioned the device and asked: 'Is that what you used to poison them?'

However, giving evidence earlier this week, Simon vigorously denied making such a remark.

Whatever the truth, her Facebook friends revealed that she'd posted endless messages about the machine in their chats, with screenshots of two of Erin's posts shown to the jury. Given what would ensue, they now make for grisly reading.

'So, fun fact, the dehydrator reduces mushroom mass by 90 per cent,' read one. 'Do you think Woolies [supermarket Woolworths] would mind if I brought the dehydrator into their vegetable section and dry things before I buy them?'

Another went: 'I've been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything. Mixed it into chocolate brownies yesterday, the kids had no idea.'

Then, in an utterly chilling moment, the court was shown three photos of the dehydrator that Erin had sent to her chums. In one, dozens of sliced mushrooms could be seen, neatly laid on the trays.

In about five weeks, the jury must, of course, decide whether those images depict a harmless scene captured by an enthusiastic amateur chef, or gruesome mementos of the run-up to a carefully planned murder. Until then, this utterly compelling case continues.
A furious anti-ICE protestor flung her baby out of the way to kick and shove agents in shocking scenes as deportation demonstrations gripped a small Massachusetts town.

The drama unfolded Thursday morning in Worcester, where a large crowd descended on an ICE operation detaining a separate woman with an infant.

Two people were arrested as the demonstration escalated, and footage showed dozens of people surrounding a car with the woman inside to try and stop it from leaving.

The Worcester Police Department said it was called to assist the ICE agents as they were set upon by the mob, and cops said 'several people were putting their hands on federal agents' when they arrived.

One of those arrested was a woman who was seen holding a baby in front of the car to block its path, and handed the infant to another protestor so she could kick the ICE vehicle.

The protestor, who has not been identified, is facing four charges including endangerment of a child. Another woman, named as Ashley Spring, 38, was also arrested for throwing an 'unknown liquid' at officers, authorities said.

Spring is facing several charges including assault and battery on a police officer after allegedly also shoving officers as the demonstration turned violent.

City leaders quickly took the side of the protestors after the episode, with City Manager Eric Batista saying his 'heart goes out to all those impacted by today's events and the growing tension we all feel due to the national political climate.'

Dramatic footage captured the moment residents in Worcester, Massachusetts surrounded ICE agents as they detained a woman clinging to her baby in chaotic scenes on Thursday

Two people were arrested as the demonstration escalated, and footage showed dozens of people surrounding a car with the woman inside to try and stop it from leaving

One of those arrested was a woman who was seen holding a baby in front of the car to block its path, and handed the infant to another protestor so she could kick the ICE vehicle

The city's mayor Joseph Petty also came out in support of the demonstrators and said he was 'devastated' by the ICE operation on Thursday, which he claimed he was not notified about beforehand.

'As someone who prides themselves on leading a welcoming city, I am devastated to hear about the separation of a family, especially with Mother's Day around the corner,' he said.

'The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city.'

In dramatic footage that swept social media, around 25 residents of Worcester were seen swarming the ICE vehicle as it arrived on Eureka Street.

The protestors demanded the agents identified themselves to the mob, with one agent heard saying back: 'We don't have to show you anything.'

In dramatic footage that swept social media, around 25 residents of Worcester were seen swarming the ICE vehicle as it arrived on Eureka Street

City leaders quickly took the side of the protestors after the episode, with City Manager Eric Batista (pictured) saying his 'heart goes out to all those impacted by today's events and the growing tension we all feel due to the national political climate'

In a statement after the arrests, the Worcester Police Department said it was called to the scene for a 'report of a federal agent who was surrounded by a large group.'

'The crowd was unruly, and several people were putting their hands on federal agents and Worcester officers in an attempt to keep the vehicle and the arrestee from leaving,' the statement read.

The identity of the woman who the group was attempting to prevent from being detained by ICE is not clear.

The protests came the day before the Mayor of Newark Ras Baraka was dramatically arrested at an ICE facility in New Jersey as Democrats fight the Trump administration's hardline immigration crackdown.

Mayor Ras Baraka was detained for 'trespassing' according to Alina Habba, the US attorney for the state, who said he 'ignored multiple warnings' by Homeland Security Investigations to leave.

Dramatic footage showed frantic people scrambling outside the gates of the facility, before Baraka was arrested and escorted away by police.

The protests came the day before the Mayor of Newark Ras Baraka was dramatically arrested at an ICE facility in New Jersey

Mayor Ras Baraka was detained for 'trespassing' according to authorities, who said he 'ignored multiple warnings' by Homeland Security Investigations to leave

Officers were seen shoving protesters out of the way amid the chaos. Rep LaMonica McIver who was at the facility claimed she and her colleagues were assaulted by ICE officers.

Following his detention, Habba said: 'He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.'

Governor Phil Murphy said he was 'outraged' by the arrest and called for his 'immediate release'. Baraka was released a few hours following his arrest.

The mayor claims the detention center has been illegally housing migrants amid Trump's mass deportation push, and insisted that the jail has a contract with the city and cannot be housing migrants inside.
A Turkish student who was seized screaming off the streets by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was nothing but smiles after being released from detention.

Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was whisked away by ICE agents on March 25 off the streets of Boston, Massachusetts, after her visa had been unknowingly revoked.

She was taken to New Hampshire and Vermont before ultimately being flown to a Basile, Louisiana, detention center, which has been criticized for its allegedly poor conditions and possible abuse toward female inmates.

She was released on Friday and was seen emerging from the lock-up facility wearing a soft pink shirt and a white hijab.

As she went to talk to reporters, the graduate student could be seen beaming ear-to-ear.

'Thank you for the support and love,' she told reporters and fans outside the jail, KATC reported. 'I am a little bit tired, so I will take some rest.'

Her supporters could be heard screaming: 'Rumeysa, Rumeysa, we love you!'

Ozturk had recently coauthored an article that was critical of her school's response to the Israel-Hamas War.

The Trump administration says she showed support for a 'designated terrorist organization', believed to be Hamas, but has not offered further specifics on this allegation.

Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was released from a detention center on Friday and was seen grinning ear-to-ear

Tufts University student was whisked away by ICE agents on March 25 off the streets of Boston, Massachusetts , after her visa had been unknowingly revoked.

Hamas' shock attack on Israel on October 7 2023 led to the murders of 1,195 people.

Israel's subsequent bombing campaign in Gaza, aimed at destroying Hamas, has killed around 50,000 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which is run by Hamas.

Ozturk was among those who were vehemently against Israel's war and has said she believes she was targeted by the State Department for her speech. Likewise, her lawyers argue her First Amendment rights were violated.

The piece criticized the university's response to its community union Senate passing resolutions demanding that Tufts 'acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,' disclose its investments, and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.

It said: 'These resolutions were the product of meaningful debate by the Senate and represent a sincere effort to hold Israel accountable for clear violations of international law.'

In March, footage of her being taken in shows a group of six people approaching her from angles, all of whom are masked and wearing gold identification badges.

As two men approach her, she can be heard screaming out in horror, and is visibly shaking in the clip.

'We're the police,' members of the group are heard saying in the video. A man is heard on camera saying, 'Why are you hiding your faces?'

'Thank you for the support and love,' she told reporters and fans outside the jail, KATC reported. 'I am a little bit tired, so I will take some rest'

Ozturk had recently coauthored an article that was critical of her school's response to the Israel-Hamas War. Shortly after her arrest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said her visa had been taken away

People protesting her arrests in Massachusetts. Rubio has maintained that Ozturk and the other student activists that engaged in anti-Israel protests were detained because they lied on their visa applications and did not mention their alleged support for Hamas

The group put her in handcuffs and grab her backpack from her before pulling her towards a black SUV parked across the street.

In a statement at the time of her arrest, ICE explained that its investigation 'found Ozturk engage in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.'

'A visa is a privilege not a right. Glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be terminated. This is common sense security.'

Shortly after her arrest, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said her visa had been taken away.

Rubio has maintained that Ozturk and the other student activists that engaged in anti-Israel protests were detained because they lied on their visa applications and did not mention their alleged support for Hamas.

'If you lie to us and get a visa and then enter the United States, and with that visa participate in that sort of activity, were going to take away your visa,' he said.

However, it came out in mid-April that the State Department found no evidence of Ozturk being linked to Hamas or antisemitism.

Ozturk was released Friday on order of US District Judge William Sessions in Burlington, allowing her to return to her studies.

Judge Sessions released Ozturk pending a final decision on her claim that she's been illegally detained following the op-ed.

The student had previously detailed her growing asthma attacks in detention and her desire to finish her doctorate degree focusing on children and social media while appearing remotely at her bail hearing from the Louisiana center.

'Completing my Ph.D. is very important to me,' she testified. She had been on track to finish her work in December when she was arrested.

Her travel home information has not been made available.
Donald Trump is privately irritated that he broke his promise to end the Ukraine-Russia war before even taking office.

The Wall Street Journal reported that in recent weeks Trump has 'privately griped' to his closest advisers that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want to end the conflict.

President Trump is also said to have been asking aides if they think Putin has changed since his first presidency, which ended in early 2021.

And Trump is reportedly surprised at some of Putin's latest war tactics, including bombing areas filled with children, the journal reported.

Publicly, Trump has admitted that negotiating a peace deal with Putin has been difficult because his Russian counterpart wants 'the whole thing' - all of Ukraine.

All that is in marked contrast to Trump's words at a rally in Wisconsin last October.

'I will settle the war in Ukraine before I even take office,' he said.

'I'll settle it as president elect. ...I will end the chaos in the Middle East, and I will prevent World War III, something nobody else can say.'

Meanwhile, Trump's vow to end the Israel-Gaza war on day one of his presidency in January has also not come to pass.

President Donald Trump (pictured at his inauguration on January 20) made concrete promises to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza on day one

With both conflicts raging on past the 100-day mark of his second term in office, Trump has grown frustrated behind the scenes, The Wall Street Journal reported. (Trump pictured in the Oval Office on May 9)

The president is said to be pushing hard for the two sides to negotiate an end to the war. A ceasefire established in January crumbled in March, with Trump effectively giving Israel 'the green light' to continue bombarding Gaza until Hamas is destroyed.

The war in Gaza was also challenging, Trump recently told a crowd gathered at his Mar-a-Lago country club in Palm Beach, because the two sides have 'been fighting for a thousand years.'

Trump spokeswoman Anna Kelly told The Journal Team Trump is 'laser-focused on delivering peace around the world and stopping bad actors from doing harm to Americans and our allies.'

She added: 'Their approach has been successfulHouthis agreed to a cease-fire, 47 Americans detained abroad have come home, NATO countries are increasing defense spending, China is deterred, and we are closer to peace in the Russia-Ukraine War than ever before.'

Kyle Haynes, a professor of US foreign policy at Purdue University, said Trump has essentially painted himself into a corner.

'If he hadnt promised such things repeatedly throughout the campaign itd be wildly unfair to criticize him for failing to achieve them. But he did,' Haynes told The Journal.

Putin's latest outrages have put pressure on Trump.

On April 13, Russian forces hit a trolley bus with a missile strike, killing at least 34 people, including two children, and wounding 117, including 15 children.

Trump's attitude toward Putin and Russia as a whole mirrors what he said in a Truth Social post on April 26, the same day he had a productive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Vatican City following Pope Francis' death.

'There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently,' Trump said.

Senior officials in the Trump administration have admitted that Russia is the main barrier to peace after it refused to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine has already supported.

This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on April 13, 2025, shows a Ukrainian rescuer working at the site of a missile attack that hit a trolley bus. At least 34 people were killed, including two children

Trump and Vice President JD Vance initially viewed Russian President Vladimir Putin as the easier man to work with on a peace deal. That appears to have changed in recent weeks

This represents a remarkable shift for Trump and Vance, both of whom initially focused their ire on Zelensky in an off-the-rails Oval Office showdown on February 28

Vice President JD Vance said this week that Russia was 'asking for too much' in its initial peace offer.

'I wouldnt say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution,' Vance said. 'What I would say is 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,' he said.

This represents a remarkable shift for Trump and Vance, both of whom initially focused their ire on Zelensky in an off-the-rails Oval Office showdown on February 28.

The two men repeatedly accused Zelensky of not being grateful for the well over $100 billion in aid that the United States has given to Ukraine in its war effort against Russia.

Zelensky denied this but angered Trump and Vance when he suggested that the US was divorced from the reality of war because it has 'a nice ocean' protecting it from invasions.

'You're gambling with World War III,' Trump bellowed at Zelensky at one point. ''You don't have the cards. With us, you have the cards. But without us, you don't have any cards.'

Trump has since restored aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine, but there's no denying he still wants the fighting to end.

When it comes to the war in Gaza, the Trump administration is actively working to negotiate an agreement between Israel and Hamas.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas crumbled in March, which has allowed the fighting to continue and has led to a full-blown humanitarian crisis within Gaza (Pictured: Hundreds of Palestinians rush to receive hot meals from charity organizations on May 9)

Meanwhile, Trump is still talking about rebuilding Gaza. This comes after he posted a bizarre AI-generated video of a reimagined Gaza Strip with beachfront resorts bearing his name

The conflict began on October 7 after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and killed murdered 1,200 people.

Israel began bombing Gaza afterwards, with Hamas figures suggesting 50,000 Palestinians have been killed.

Since the cease-fire between the two sides, brokered by departing Biden officials and incoming Trump aides, crumbled in March, Israel has fully resumed attacking Gaza and has also restricted aid into the area.

UNICEF recently warned that more than 9,000 children in Gaza have been treated for acute malnutrition since start of this year.

The Israelis are pressing on though, something that has frustrated certain Trump officials.

However, Trump himself is still talking about rebuilding the area. This comes after he posted a fantastical AI video that depicted a Gaza with a Trump hotel, a giant golden statue of Trump, and a child holding a Trump balloon among resplendent beach-front resort complexes.

Trump's position appears to be if Hamas doesn't change course and release all the hostages, he's content with Israel continuing its military operations.

'As far as I'm concerned, if all of the hostages aren't returned by Saturday 12 o'clock  I think it's an appropriate time  I would say cancel [the ceasefire] and all bets are off and let hell break out,' Trump told reporters in early February.
Donald Trump says India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire just hours after both sides boasted of fresh military strikes.

The two nuclear-armed neighbours had also traded drone attacks and artillery fire after a gun massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President wrote: 'After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

'Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!'

Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar said the two sides have agreed to the truce with immediate effect.

He added: 'Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!'

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed both India and Pakistan would 'stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea' with effect from 5pm local time.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has described the ceasefire as 'hugely welcome', in a post on social media adding: 'I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest.'

Earlier Pakistan fired high-speed missiles at 'multiple targets' across India after it accused its neighbour of attacking air bases.

Donald Trump says India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after both sides boasted of fresh military strikes

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has described the ceasefire as 'hugely welcome', in a post on social media adding: 'I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest'

Image appears to show Pakistan's military firing a missile at targets in India

Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar said the two sides have agreed to the truce with immediate effect. Pictured: Indian Army Colonel Sophia Qureshi speaks during a press briefing, at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on May 10, 2025

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed both India and Pakistan would 'stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea' with effect from 5pm local time. Pictured: Commodore R Raghu Nair, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh arrive to attend a press briefing

Indian Civil Defense volunteers and security personnel stand outside a damaged house after cross-border shelling from Pakistan in Jammu on May 10

India said it had responded by targeting military bases in Pakistan - in the latest escalation of the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan's military this morning dubbed the operation Bunyan ul Marsoos  meaning unbreakable wall - as it shared a video of a missile being fired on social media.

They claimed it shows a medium-range Fateh One weapon being launched at targets in the Indian states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.

At a press briefing, Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi also accused Pakistan of targeting health facilities and schools at three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Five people were killed in the disputed region's city of Jammu, Indian police have said - with photos showing extensive damage to buildings in the area.

In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, authorities said 13 civilians had been killed and more than 50 injured.

India's army responded to Pakistan's actions on X, describing its neighbour's actions as a 'blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions'.

The country's military said it had targeted Pakistani military bases and that retaliatory strikes were underway.

The ceasefire comes after foreign ministers of the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US, alongside the high representative of the European Union, said they 'strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan'.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he had spoken to counterparts in India and Pakistan as he urged leaders to work towards a 'sustainable ceasefire'.

Violent clashes between the two countries were sparked after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

India has accused Pakistan of being behind the murders, which Islamabad denies.

Residents remove debris from their damaged houses after cross-border shelling along the Line of Control

A residence, damaged by a Pakistan shelling, is seen in Rajouri, along the Line of Control, India

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party supporters burn an effigy of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an anti-India protest in Multan on May 10

Police officers inspect metal debris, amid hostilities between India and Pakistan

Last night it was reported that Indian warships had moved closer to the Pakistani port of Karachi, putting them within striking distance of the site.

A source within the Indian Armed Forces told The Telegraph: 'We are alert and ready to counter any threat from the adversary.

'The movement of the warplanes and other naval assets is for monitoring and deterrence.'

The move, which believed to have started eight days ago, means the ships are now in international waters where they are likely to remain.

Some of the vessels are believed to be holding an aircraft carrier, destroyers, frigates and anti-submarine ships.

Both India and Pakistan hinted this morning they would consider de-escalation after trading strikes.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to 'non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.'

Pakistan's foreign minister responded saying his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped further attacks.

David Lammy has joined G7 ministers in calling for an 'immediate de-escalation' between India and Pakistan.

A statement issued on Saturday morning said: 'We, the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the high representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan.

'Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability.

'We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides.

'We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.

'We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution.'

'Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,' she added.

India's foreign ministry holds a press briefing following the strikes

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.

The Associated Press could not independently verify all the actions attributed to Pakistan or India.

Army spokesman, Ahmad Sharif, said Pakistan's air force assets were safe following the strikes, adding that some of the Indian missiles also hit India's eastern Punjab.

'This is a provocation of the highest order,' Sharif said.

It comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir on Friday.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio continued to urge both parties to 'find ways to deescalate and offered US assistance in starting constructive talks' in order to avoid future conflicts.

The call for calm came ahead of Saturday's Indian missile strikes, which targeted Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province, according to Pakistan's military spokesman.

There was no media access to the air base in Rawalpindi, a densely populated city, and no immediate reports of residents hearing or seeing the strike or its aftermath.

Following the announcement of Pakistani retaliation, residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, and the garrison town of Udhampur.

'Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard the last two nights during drone attacks,' said Shesh Paul Vaid, the region's former top police official and Jammu resident. 'It looks like a war here.'

Vaid said explosions were heard from areas with military bases, adding it appeared that army sites were being targeted.

Srinagar appeared calm early on Saturday, but some residents in neighborhoods close to the city's airport, which is also an air base, said they were rattled by the explosions and booming sound of fighter jets.

'I was already awake, but the explosions jolted my kids out of their sleep. They started crying,' said Srinagar resident Mohammed Yasin, adding he heard at least two explosions.

A resident walks over the debris of his damaged house after cross-border shelling

A damaged car is shown after cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Jammu town on May 10

Residents walk past explosives, carried by a drone, after it was intercepted by India

Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group for India, said the two countries were at war even if they had not yet labelled it as one.

'It's become a remorseless race for military one-upmanship with no apparent strategic end goals from either side,' said Donthi. 'With increasing civilian casualties on both sides, finding an exit or off-ramp is going to be challenging.'

India's army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military cantonment in northern Punjab state's Amritsar city early Saturday.

'Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable,' the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the country's airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

'Thank God we have finally responded to Indian aggression,' said Muhammad Ashraf, who had headed out for breakfast in the eastern city of Lahore.

The Indian army said late Friday that drones were sighted in 26 locations across many areas in Indian states bordering Pakistan and Indian-controlled Kashmir, including Srinagar. It said the drones were tracked and engaged.

'The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary,' the statement added.

India and Pakistan have traded strikes and heavy cross-border fire for days, resulting in civilian casualties on both sides.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged 'maximum restraint' from India and Pakistan. It warned Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.
A 30 year-old school lunch lady had sex with a boy every day...and her colleagues missed a creepy photo of the victim in her work locker, it is claimed.

Jenna Woodworth, 30, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly having a relationship with a senior at East Central High School in San Antonio, Texas.

Woodworth is accused of having sexual intercourse with the student on multiple occasions in a school closet.

After her arrest, school staff found a photo of the teen in her work locker. Both Woodworth and the student were interviewed by police and admitted to the inappropriate relationship.

It's unclear how police were tipped off to the alleged crime, but an arrest affidavit said they began investigating the allegations on Wednesday morning.

An interview with the student revealed that Woodworth allegedly picked him up in a stadium parking lot using a district vehicle, local ABC affiliate KSAT first reported.

She then allegedly drove him back to campus, and the two entered the building through an employee-only entrance to have intercourse in the closet on Monday.

He told police that they entered the building through the back door of the cafeteria and allegedly had sex in a kitchen closet.

Jenna Woodworth, 30, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a student at the high school where she was employed

After Woodworth was fired, school staff cleaned out her locker and found a photo of the student

The student said that Woodworth allegedly picked him up at a stadium parking lot and led him through the back entrance of the school cafeteria

Woodworth then allegedly washed her hands and returned to work. The teen told police that the same thing happened again on Tuesday.

The two have reportedly known each other since the student was a freshman at the school.

'[Woodworth] would get upset with me if I did not speak to her or acknowledge her when I was around her,' the teen told police in an interview.

Woodworth has been employed with the high school's nutrition department since 2011. The school notified parents that she has been terminated after the arrest.

The district sent a letter to parents informing them of the arrest and writing that 'immediate and decisive action' was taken after administration learned of the incident.

The letter added that the student's family was notified about the relationship and are engaged in the investigation. Child Protective Services has also been notified.

'Any inappropriate relationship between a staff member and a student violates the trust placed in our employees and is wholly unacceptable,' the letter continued.

'We want our community to know that we are taking this matter very seriously and have acted swiftly at every step to protect our students and uphold the integrity of our schools.'

Woodworth allegedly had sexual intercourse twice with the student in the kitchen closet. She was arrested and charged with a second-degree felony of an improper relationship between an educator and a student

Woodworth was booked into the Bexar County Jail and released on bail early Saturday morning. Her bail was set at $50,000, according to jail records.

Woodworth faces a second-degree felony charge of having an improper relationship with a student.

That can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 in Texas.

Investigators haven't said how old the victim is. The age of consent in Texas is 17, but it is still illegal for educators to engage in sexual intercourse with students that age and above who have consented to sex.

DailyMail.com has reached out to East Central High School for comment.
A Soviet-era spacecraft has smashed into Earth, more than half a century after it was launched to go to Venus - but scientists don't know where it is.

The European Union Space Surveillance and Tracking confirmed Kosmos 482 landed back on Earth based on analysis.

The European Space Agency confirmed the spacecraft had plunged back into Earths atmosphere after it failed to appear over a German radar station.

Kosmos re-entered the earth's atmosphere at 2.24am eastern American time, 6.24am in London in the Indian Ocean near Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, according to Russia's space agency Roscosmos.

While space debris trackers around the world converged in their forecasts, it was still too soon to know exactly when and where the spacecraft known as Kosmos 482 would come down.

That uncertainty was due to potential solar activity and the spacecraft's old condition.

While the US Space Command regularly tracks dozens of re-entries each month, Kosmos 482 stood out and drew heightened attention from both government and private space observers.

Officials noted it had a higher chance of surviving re-entry than most objects.

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)

The spacecraft was meant to go to Venus, but it never made it to the planet and is now expected to fall back to Earth

The half-ton Soviet craft Kosmos 482 is likely to come down over water or a desolate region

Adding to the concern, the spacecraft was falling without any control from flight controllers, who typically direct ageing satellites and space debris toward remote areas like the Pacific Ocean.

Its parachutes were expected to be useless by now, and its batteries long dead.

Dutch scientist Marco Langbroek estimated the craft will be heading into earth at around 150mph if it remains intact.

The satellite was launched in 1972, and it was intended to go to Venus to join other spacecraft in their Venera programme.

However, a rocket malfunction left this one stuck in orbit around Earth.

Gravity kept tugging on it and was expected to finally cause its doom.

Spherical in shape, the spacecraft - 3ft (one metre) across and packing more than 1,000lbs (495kg) - will be the last piece of Kosmos 482 to fall from the sky.

All the other parts plummeted within a decade.

Any surviving wreckage will belong to Russia under a United Nations treaty.

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

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

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

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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

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

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.

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.
A royal expert has revealed why Prince Harry may have gone 'too far' and 'invaded his father's privacy' by discussing his health in a bombshell interview last week.

Speaking to the BBC after he lost a court appeal over his security arrangements on May 2, the Duke of Sussex launched a blistering attack on the King.

He complained that his father 'won't speak to him' and that he doesn't know 'how much longer he has left'.

Prince Harry also revealed he will not bring his wife or children back to the UK - and said he had had 'so many disagreements' with his family, some of whom 'may never forgive' him for writing a book.

The comments on King Charles's health are thought in particular to have raised eyebrows behind palace doors - given his treatment for cancer remains ongoing.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said: 'I suspect that Harry said more than he had perhaps intended because he was consumed with anger that the court decision had gone against him.

'When the court ruling didn't go his way, he was, in his own words 'gutted and devastated'.

'And he was clearly seething with fury. And that is rarely the best time to air your thoughts.'

Prince Harry landed in the UK last month to sensationally challenge the British government 's decision to downgrade his level of tax-payer funded armed security

In the astonishing interview, Prince Harry revealed he did not know how long his father Charles had left (pictured together in 2022)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were last night spotted enjoying the fifth night of Beyonces Cowboy Carter Tour in California

She added that she thinks Harry has now lost the support of the 'majority of the British public'.

The Duke had been pursuing a case through the British courts after his level of security changed when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals.

However last Friday, Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Master of the Rolls, told Prince Harry his 'grievance' over downgraded security had not 'translated into a legal argument'.

And he ruled the original security decision had been a 'predictable' and even 'sensible' reaction to Megxit  when Harry and Meghan stepped back from being senior royals and left Britain.

The Duke, who claimed to be the victim of an 'establishment stitch-up', has now been put on the hook to pay 1.5million in legal costs after losing the case.

The decision to downgrade Harry's security was made by the Home Office's Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).

Harry believes he has been 'singled out' and 'badly treated' for 'unjustified, inferior treatment' since Megxit five years ago.

His barrister argued that the removal of Met Police armed bodyguards when he is in the UK has left the royal's life 'at stake'.

'The conditions of my security were not based on threat, risk and impact, they were made based on my role - one that my wife and I wanted to maintain but was ultimately refused,' he said.

He added: 'This all comes from the same institutions that preyed upon my mother, that openly campaigned for the removal of our security, and continue to incite hatred towards me, my wife and even our children.'

The awkward moment a blundering Prince Harry knocked on the wrong door while looking for a friend's London home has been captured on camera

The Duke of Sussex complained he will not be able to bring his wife and children back to the UK after losing his court battle over taxpayer-funded bodyguards

The prince believes he has been 'singled out' and 'badly treated' for 'unjustified, inferior treatment' since Megxit five years ago

It comes as Harry was caught during his visit to London last month knocking on the wrong door while searching for a friend's home in London.

A snap captured by a Ring doorbell shows the prince talking on the phone as he stands at a door.

One resident said that their housekeeper had answered the door for Harry, but had not recognised him, The Sun reported.

'We were shocked to see it was him on the camera. We only really noticed once neighbours started talking,' they said.

Neighbours were left baffled at the royal sighting, with many finding it 'odd' that the prince did not know where he was going.

'I don't think many people would just walk down a road knocking on doors, let alone if you don't feel safe,' one neighbour said.

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were last night spotted enjoying the fifth night of Beyonces Cowboy Carter Tour in California.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were among thousands of fans who crowded into the SoFi Stadium yesterday as the artist performed her last show in Los Angeles before heading to Chicago.

Afterwards, Beyonce shared a photograph of the royals on her website, capturing the grinning couple as they cosied up inside the luxurious VIP lounge.

Fans also snuck clips of Prince Harry from nearby seats, with the Duke of Sussex seen somewhat awkwardly shuffling around as his wife danced in front of him.

Both the Duke and Duchess were dressed to theme for the Cowboy Carter Tour, with Harry donning a dark green, wide rimmed hat, dark jeans and casual grey jacket.

Meghan dressed up in a tight-fitting denim dress, which she wore off-the-shoulder.

She wore her hair up for the night, and was later spotted wearing her husband's hat as the concert amped up with a remixed rendition of Texas Hold 'Em.
Justin Trudeau's 17 year-old rapper son says it was 'unfulfilling' to live in a taxpayer-funded mansion, have bodyguards and meet countless A-List stars.

Xavier Trudeau has embarked on a journey to become an R&B artist and spoken about his famous father to promote his music - while insisting he's not a nepo baby.

Days after releasing his third single, titled Back Me Up, the teen hopped in a car with food review influencer G Hobs to discuss his childhood growing up as the prime minister's eldest son.

Although he admitted there were perks: security (which he still has), living in Rideau Cottage with his two siblings and his mother, and meeting 'any A-list celebrity you can think of,' it wasn't everything to the teen, he told Hobs in a video posted to both of their accounts.

'It's not [normal], but you know what it is, it's different,' he told the influencer.

'It was always a good feeling until I got a little older. This is part of why I'm actually starting to do this stuff, because it always felt super good to be in these places, security around me, private escort, it was always a sick feeling.

'But inside, I was like I don't feel fulfilled. Like this isn't me.'

Xavier explained that the lack of fulfillment came from knowing that all the gilded trappings of his amazing life were due to his father and that he had not earned them himself.

Xavier Trudeau has embarked on a journey to become an R&B artist and has used his famous father (pictured together) to promote his music. But days after releasing his third single, he hopped in the car with G Hobs to discuss his childhood growing up as the prime minister's son

'I was like I don't feel fulfilled. Like this isn't me,' he told Hobs (pictured together). Xavier explained that the lack of fulfillment came from knowing that all the gilded trappings of his amazing life were due to his father and that he had not earned them himself

But as the teen nears his 18th birthday, he said he wanted to 'create an identity for myself.'

'I want to be Xav, I don't want to be Justin Trudeau's son,' he told Hobs. 'I don't want to be doing all these cool things because of my dad, I want to do it because of me.'

In his debut song, titled Til The Nights Done, he even addressed this a little as he sings: 'What you know about me / I aint like him.'

In his most recent single, he appeared to discuss his strange lifestyle and the discretion used around high-profile people and families.

He sings: 'I'm not just anybody, where I'm from / Keep it discreet, I keep it (Shh) / They won't even let me go out alone.'

Xavier released the songs under his own label, Pathway Music Group, and the label's co-founder Joey Boyer said the teen has a new take on R&B music.

'His "vibe" is dark ambient R&B with a hint of ballads,' Boyer told The National Post. 'Everything you will hear from Xav is 100 percent original and made specifically to curate to Xavs ideas.'

His father, Justin, announced his resignation on January 6 after nearly a decade in power, bowing to rising discontent over his leadership and growing turmoil within his government.

Although he admitted there were perks: security (which he still has), living in Rideau Cottage with his two siblings and step-mother, and meeting 'any A-list celebrity you can think of,' it wasn't everything to the teen (pictured: Justin in from of Rideau Cottage)

The Trudeau family with Jill and Joe Biden in March 2023. 'I want to be Xav, I don't want to be Justin Trudeau's son,' he told Hobs. 'I don't want to be doing all these cool things because of my dad, I want to do it because of me'

Although the nepo baby did admit he realized the life he lived while his dad served in the top position from 2015 to 2025 wasn't built by him and it came from his father's success. So, he now wants to forge his own identity (pictured: Trudeau family in September 2021)

Justin came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule and was initially hailed for returning the country to its liberal past.

But the 53-year-old scion of one of Canadas most famous prime ministers became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing, and surging immigration.

Xavier is the son of Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Justin, who also share Ella-Grace Margaret and Hadrien Trudeau.

Sophie and Justin separated after 18 years of marriage in August 2023.

Xavier comes from a long line of politicians as his grandfather Pierre Trudeau was also a prime minister for the North American country from 1968 to 1979.
Counter-terrorism officers have been given more time to question four Iranian suspects over an alleged plot to attack the Israeli embassy in London.

Police officers arrested five men on May 3 on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act as part of a national pre-planned operation.

Four of the men were detained under the Terrorism Act over the apparent plot to target the embassy in Kensington, west London.

The fifth man was detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act and has since been released on conditional bail.

The men were due to be released today but police have now been granted an extra week to question them.

Officers arrested a 29-year-old man in Swindon, a 46-year-old man in west London, a 29-year-old man in Stockport and a 40-year-old man in Rochester.

The fifth man was a 24-year-old man detained in Manchester.

Police are continuing to carry out searches at a number of addresses in the Greater Manchester, London and Swindon areas.

Pictures of the raid in Rochdale show three officers dressed in black and two other men dressed in camo gear escorting one of the suspects out of a property.

Counter terrorism specialist firearms officers, thought to be dressed in black and grey tactical gear, are seen detaining a suspect in Rochdale last Saturday

Pictured are a group of Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers outside a home in Rochdale during another raid last Saturday

Police and MI5 foiled a suspected plot by Iranian terrorists to carry out a major attack - and detained a man in Swindon (pictured)

Undercover police officers were also pictured swooping on a suspected Iranian terrorist in Swindon on Saturday after posing as customers in a cafe. The officers were then seen dragging the suspect through the street towards a police van.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'Our officers and staff continue to progress what is a significant and highly complex investigation. We are working incredibly hard with public safety at the forefront of our ongoing efforts.

'I would like to ask people to not speculate or share information that has not been confirmed by Counter Terrorism Policing. We have clear and critical reasons for not providing further details at this time. As soon as we can, we will look to share further information with the public.

'As always, I would ask the public to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us.

'We are working closely with local officers in the areas where we made arrests on last Saturday and I'd like to thank police colleagues around the country for their ongoing support.'

Three other men, also Iranians, were arrested on the same day under counter-terror legislation in relation to a separate case.

Security reviews have been commissioned by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in the wake of the plot.

The alleged terror cell were said to be planning an 'imminent' attack that could have lost in significant loss of life.

Police in Rochdale following the counter terrorism raid last weekend

The Israeli embassy in London, which was believed to be the target of a group of suspected Iranian terrorists

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

Members of the SAS are suspected to have supported counter terrorism police during an operation to bust an alleged terror cell on Rochdale last weekend

Officers are seen detaining one suspect while another officer covers the window of a building

Asked about the possibility of Iranian state involvement in the planned attack, Home Secretary Ms Cooper said: 'These are major operations and the ongoing investigation is immensely important, and, of course, it involves Iranian nationals in both investigations.

'But this reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security we continue to face.'

Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs: 'The investigation relates to a suspected plot to target specific premises. Police officers have been in contact with the affected site to make them aware and provide relevant security advice and support.

'Investigators refused to provide further detail last night about the nature of the attack planned, which is likely to have been state-sponsored.'

Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks on Israeli embassies across Europe in the last year.

Sweden's security service Sapo suggested Iran was involved in two attacks in October when shots were fired at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, days before two explosions were reported near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen.

Fredrik Hallstrom, of Sapo, said the targets and methods pointed in the direction of Iran.

Months earlier, gunshots were fired around the Stockholm embassy, which Mossad blamed on a crime group directed by Iran.

The Israeli spy agency also said an organized crime ring in Sweden working on Iran's behest was behind an explosive device found inside the grounds of the same embassy in January.

Last year Mossad claimed Iranian-backed criminals were behind an attack on Israel's embassy in Belgium when two airsoft grenades were thrown at the building in May.
New York, US (PANA) - Funding shortfalls have forced the humanitarian community to re-prioritise its response plan to alleviate the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Friday
An animal abuser who sickeningly filmed herself torturing bunnies to death for perverts on YouTube has been boasting about her ankle monitor.

Anigar Monsee, 28, is facing seven years behind bars following her conviction for felony animal cruelty this week.

But in a Facebook post before her day in court, Monsee shared carefree pictures of herself relaxing by a swimming pool and posing in an orange swimsuit from March.

'No room for hate' she captioned the pictures.

Monsee's post was met with outrage from viewers of her cruel YouTube videos, with one commenter saying: 'But plenty of room for torturing live animals.'

Her videos sparked backlash as they showed her gleefully torturing live animals including plucking a chicken's feathers and disemboweling a frog.

She had 20,000 subscribers who would request the type of animal they'd like to see killed next and donate cash to fund Monsee's vile attempts at online clout.

After she was spotted by animal rights group PETA and ultimately prosecuted for the acts, Monsee launched a GoFundMe to try and stop Donald Trump deporting her back to her native Liberia.

Despite filming herself terrorizing cute pets, Monsee is now playing the victim as she claimed she is facing deportation or jail time for 'cooking traditional meals.'

Anigar Monsee, 28, a convicted animal abuser who sickeningly filmed herself torturing bunnies and burning small pets to death for YouTube, took to social media to flaunt her ankle monitor as a fashion accessory

Monsee is facing seven years in prison and is set to be sentenced in July, but ahead of her conviction she took to social media in March to share carefree pictures of herself relaxing by a swimming pool and posing in an orange swimsuit

Monsee's post was met with outrage from viewers of her cruel YouTube videos, which showed her gleefully torturing live animals including plucking a chicken's feathers and disemboweling a frog

At the time of writing, Monsee's fundraiser had gained just $458 of its $10,000 in the two-plus weeks it had been active.

DailyMail.com has contacted GoFundMe for comment on whether the cash grab breaches its rules.

'Hi, my name is Anigar Monsee, and Im a single mother doing my best to raise my daughter on my own,' wrote Monsee in the fundraiser.

'Right now, Im facing the most terrifying moment of my lifeI may be sent to jail or even deported over something I never imagined would put our lives in jeopardy: cooking traditional meals with animals like chicken and frog,' she continued.

Monsee's claim that she was just 'cooking traditional meals' flies in the face of her appalling videos which showed her gleefully torturing live animals.

In one clip, she inflicted horrendous pain on a pigeon for 10 minutes before killing it with a dull knife.

Another saw her break a chicken's neck and then pluck out all the poor bird's feathers while live.

The warped woman was also seen beaming with delight while scalding terrified animals with boiling water and skinning them alive, while answering sexually charged questions from thousands of viewers.

Monsee did not offer further detail about whether she's in the US on a visa and what, if any, deportation threats she has received.

According to public records, Monsee has also faced charges of disorderly conduct, speeding in a school zone and reckless driving in Pennsylvania dating back to last summer.

Monsee is seen with a rabbit that met a horrific fate in her kitchen. Viewers would make requests for what animals they wanted to see her torture next and send her cash to do so

Monsee launched a GoFundMe to try and stop Donald Trump deporting her after she was convicted of gleefully torturing animals to death on YouTube

Monsee claimed she is a 'single mother who was just cooking traditional meals.' But beamed while torturing and disemboweling animals while answering sexualized questions and has now been convicted of felony animal cruelty

Monsee amassed a following of over 20,000 YouTube subscribers for her sick videos, which managed to evade YouTube's censors by marketing the torture clips as 'cookery videos.'

While she insists that her videos were only for her culinary exploits, prosecutors say her videos showed appalling abuse that went far beyond simple cookery tutorials.

They said Monsee inflicted fear and pain on her animal victims for pleasure, with jurors in agreement.

Monsee's reign of evil came to an end after animal rights group PETA spotted the clips, tracked her down and reported her to police.

During a subsequent interview, she admitted she was the woman in the videos and is even said to have become 'visibly upset' when cops played back a video of her slaughtering a rabbit.

Monsee captioned her pictures 'no room for hate', to which an outraged viewer of her videos responded: 'But plenty of room for torturing live animals'

In one sickening 49-minute clip, she tortured a pigeon before cutting its head off as her viewers flooded her with more requests to abuse animals

Kristin Rickman, the emergency response team director for PETA, told the Philadelphia Inquirer of the police: 'They've done a great job, and they've understood fully how damaging this content is, not only for the animals who suffer indescribable agony and torture, but for the minds of the people who watch.

'Most people who might stumble across this would likely be traumatized by this content, but others actually seek it out.'

'This kind of activity is just so deplorable and so damaging that anyone engaging in it needs to be sought and held accountable.'

Monsee will be sentenced in July.
Billionaire Barry Diller might be surprised that people care about his secret gay lovers, but that hasn't stopped him from naming names.

Diller, 83, who has a net worth of $4.6billion, is spilling some of his secrets ahead of his May 20 book launch for Who Knew.

His sexuality was an open secret in Hollywood, but the wealthy entrepreneur is just now confirming it for the general masses.

And now he's giving a glimpse into who exactly he was messing around with, having revealed wife Diane Von Furstenburg was the only woman he could ever love.

Diller allegedly had liaisons with Michael Bennett, famous Broadway director and choreographer behind A Chorus Line, as well as Johnny Carson's stepson, according to The New York Times.

Columnist Maureen Dowd didn't name the stepson and the book isn't out for another 10 days. But Carson only had one stepson - Joe Holland - who died of AIDS in 1994.

Diller's other lover Michael Bennett was also killed by the disease in 1987 aged just 44.

Diller - a former Paramount boss - says he knew he was gay from the age of 11. But his older brother was a drug addict and he says he did not want to inflict the shame of two 'broken' children on his parents.

Billionaire Barry Diller might be surprised that people care about his secret gay lovers, but that hasn't stopped him from giving some insight into who exactly they might be

And now he's giving a glimpse into who exactly he was messing around with decades ago while separated from his wife Diane von Furstenberg in the 1970s

And, at the time, the lifestyle choice could have ended his career, telling the outlet that it was 'better to be called a failure than a fairy.'

However, that didn't stop Hollywood from nearly outing him over the years.

In 1974, he caught wind that People was planning on writing a 'mean and homophobic' piece on him. But when it came out, it mainly criticizing his business acumen, leaving the New Yorker relieved at the time.

Twenty years later, while he was working at QVC and was trying to acquire Paramount, a rumor about him having AIDS began circulating.

When a Times reporter contacted him to ask him about it, he said he was shocked and told the reporter he was fine.

His friend, Michael Eisner, outed him to Disney executives in 1995, writing in an internal board memo that 'the fact that he is homosexual should have no weight' when considering him for the role of CEO of the company, The Times reported.

It doomed his chances of getting the job, the publication said.

And throughout his marriage to von Furstenberg, they lived separately - him in the Carlyle hotel on the Upper East Side, her above her business in the Meatpacking District.

Diller allegedly had liaisons with A Chorus Line's Michael Bennett (pictured) and one of Johnny Carson's stepson

Although he doesn't reveal which stepson of Carson, The Times revealed both his lovers died of AIDS. Carson had one stepson, Joe Holland (pictured), who died from complications with the disease in 1994. It is unclear if Holland and Diller had sexual relations

The first time he met the 'deliriously glamorous' fashion queen von Furstenberg at a super-smart Manhattan dinner party in 1974, she'd rudely brushed the reserved movie man aside to talk to someone else.

As Diller describes it, he was an outsider in her snooty world: 'I was standing alone next to the fireplace feeling I did not belong in this group when "Prince" Egon von Furstenberg [Diane's first husband] walked up to me and said, "Your pants are too short."'

But when he and Diane met again a year later at another fabulous soiree, she was suddenly all over him.

'I was instantly bathed in such attention and cozy warmth I couldn't believe it was the same woman I'd been dismissed by a year earlier,' he recalled. Later 'We stood at the door, and I said, "I want to call you," and she said, "I want you to."'

But overall, Diller is ready to tell the truth after all these years in his upcoming book.

'I wanted to tell the story, and I knew if I told the story, I had to tell the truth,' he told The Times.

Diller says he knows most people had guesses his sexuality long before he came out and joked that he was in a brightly-lit, glass closet prior to coming out.

He said not doing so helped him achieve incredible career success - partly because he believes all his anxiety was centered around being outed, which meant he was a decisive and fearless leader.

But Diller says he's also ashamed he didn't come out sooner and wishes he could have served as a role model for gays of his generation who felt ashamed of their sexuality.
A female Audi driver torched a huge swathe city's neighborhood...then claimed she'd done so accidentally while trying to burn loose strings off her pants.

Jessie Green, 34, was arrested on Thursday for causing a fire that engulfed a suburban street in Spokane, Washington.

The Spokane Fire Department responded to the scene on Wednesday afternoon after a tree caught fire.

The fire quickly spread to a shed and a nearby fence, eventually destroying the property. Nearby grass fires then broke out from traveling embers.

When the fire department arrived, the fire was rapidly spreading and started moving toward a home, a garage, and multiple fences.

Authorities contained the fire, and there were no reported injuries or displacements. Law enforcement determined that the fire was deliberately set and launched an investigation to find the perpetrator.

Police interviewed witnesses who revealed a woman had left the alley where the fire started just before flames broke out.

Using surveillance camera footage, police matched the license plate in the video to Green's Audi A4.

Video footage revealed a fire ravaging a neighborhood after a woman allegedly set a fire before driving away in an Audi

Jessie Green, 34, was arrested and charged with arson, but claimed the fire was an accident

Green claimed that she was trying to burn off loose pant strings and accidentally caught a plastic tag that was discarded in the street

She was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the Spokane County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

During her first court appearance, her lawyer argued that Green didn't meet the requirements for arson because there was no substantial damage to anyone's home.

According to Washington law, a suspect can be charged with arson if they knowingly and maliciously damage a 'dwelling' using fire or explosives.

A crime can also be considered arson if the suspect burns a property valued at over $10,000 to collect insurance money.

Police arrested Green after matching her Audi to the car seen on surveillance footage

A building is considered a 'dwelling' if it's intended for someone to live in, and since only a shed was significantly damaged, Green's attorney argued that she didn't commit arson.

She added that Green didn't intentionally set the fire and accidentally left a piece of plastic from her pants' tag that sparked the flames.

The fire damaged a shed and multiple fences. The fire department controlled the flames before homes were burned down

During her first court appearance, a judge agreed to decrease Green's charge from arson to reckless burning

Green's lawyer also argued that the police report didn't specifically indicate damage to any resident's home, just noted that 'embers fell' in the neighborhood.

Spokane County Court Commissioner Jerry Scharosch agreed that there wasn't enough evidence to charge Green with arson and decreased her charge to first-degree reckless burning.

Scharosch said that the facts in the case are still 'sparse' and added that Green could still be charged with arson if more evidence comes to light.

Reckless burning is a Class C felony and is punishable by up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine.
The next head of MI6 will be a woman for the first time in the service's history, as fears arise that frontrunner 'Beijing Barbara' is too soft on China.

Final interviews were held with three candidates, all women, last week, as current head Sir Richard Moore is set to stand down in the autumn.

Two of the candidates are MI6 officers who cannot be named due to security reasons while the third, Dame Barbara Woodward, is the British Ambassador to the United Nations.

Sir Richard, who is also known by the codeword 'C', previously decided it was time to follow in the footsteps of sister agency MI5  which has already had two women chiefs.

In a tweet in 2023, Moore, who has been in the post since 2020, said: 'I will help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist.'

About 3,600 personnel are employed by MI6 in its London headquarters at Vauxhall Cross on the south bank of the River Thames and in covert locations around the world.

But despite nearly half of them being women, with a growing number working in senior roles, none has ever made the shortlist to become the head of the service.

Now that Dame Barbara, 63, is the leading contender, however, concerns have been raised that she could be seen as too close to China to take on the role.

Two of the candidates are MI6 officers who cannot be named due to security reasons while the third, Dame Barbara Woodward (pictured), is the British Ambassador to the United Nations

Final interviews were held with three candidates, all women, last week, as current head Sir Richard Moore is set to stand down in the autumn. The successful candidate will be known as 'C', unlike in the James Bond films, where Judi Dench was known as 'M'

She is also understood to have no intelligence experience, at a time when China has been accused of launching aggressive spying operations in the UK.

Dame Woodward is the most senior woman in the foreign service for the UK, and has also spent time in Beijing.

But she has been criticised for failing to voice any real opposition to the Chinese regime while serving as ambassador there between 2015 and 2020.

Among other issues, she is said to have clashed with other figures in Whitehall over the UK's approach to China's persecution of the Uighur minority Muslim population - who have been subjected to treatment considered by many too be genocide.

Tens of thousands have been forcibly sent to 're-education' camps - where there is evidence they are subjected to torture and abuse.

When five MPs were sanctioned by China over their outspoken criticism of the treatment of the Uighur people, the Dame is said to have done 'absolutely nothing to help'.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader who was also sanctioned by the Chinese, told the Times: This appointment is of the greatest importance to our security and any ambivalence towards the enormous threat that China poses will end in disaster for the UK.

'Those of us sanctioned and attacked by the Chinese state apparatus on a regular basis will have concerns that she was less than robust about Chinese actions and only raised Xinjiang and the Uighur when she left China.

Richard Moore (pictured), the head of MI6, who is also known by the codeword 'C', has signalled the time has come to follow in the footsteps of sister agency MI5  which has already had two women at its helm

And shortly before leaving the country, she gave an interview to an English-language paper in China in which she dismissed Taiwanese independence as an option.

The Dame has experience in international relations, having studied it as a master's degree at Yale.

She then taught English in Beijing before joining the Foreign Office in 1994. She has also previously headed up the UK Border Force Agency.

There have been 17 male chiefs and no female chiefs of MI6 since 1909.

The secretive agency focuses on intelligence gathering abroad.

The winner will be decided by Sir Keir Starmer based on the recommendation of an expert board - including David Lammy, the foreign secretary, and Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser.
Scotlands schools are vulnerable to cyber crime after the third attempt to break into the countrys education network this year saw pupils thrown into exam chaos.

Thousands of youngsters from schools in Edinburgh saw their revision disrupted after the local council was forced to lock them out of online learning materials

The drastic decision was taken after staff spotted unusual and suspicious activity on its schools and early years IT network.

Many pupils - some of whom are currently sitting exams - were forced to go to their schools to regain access.

The incident comes just days after schools in West Lothian were targeted in a suspected criminal ransomware attack and a few weeks after the countrys exams body suffered a security breach.

Cyber security expert David Arnold, director of Dumfries-based David Allen IT Solutions, said the education system is a prime target for hackers because of the vast amount of personal information they hold and cause chaos.

He said: Schools are vulnerable to attack because they are such an attractive target. Hackers can resell any personal data or cause massive disruption.

He said that many public bodies have invested huge sums in security measures for their systems but that the sheer number of people with access means hackers only need to trick one person to circumvent many of the defences in place.

Many pupils were forced to go to their schools to regain access to online support material

The attempted attack has come at the height of exam season in Scotland

The council said it appreciated the impact on students preparing for their exams

Edinburgh City Council said no data had been compromised as a result of the suspected attack.

Education, children and families convener Councillor James Dalgleish said: We have contacted all parents, carers and schools to update them and explain the situation.

I fully appreciate the impact this will have, particularly on those students preparing for their exams next week - but, unfortunately, we had no choice.

This was a difficult but necessary decision to ensure our networks remain secure and protected.

The council said it had made study support materials available elsewhere and that individual schools were uploading the resources to their websites as well.

Exams began on Friday 25 April and continue until the end of May.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: We know from previous cyberattacks on SEPA and NHS Dumfries & Galloway that these attacks can be complex, expensive and the full impact not truly understood for a considerable period of time.

He added: The Scottish Government must ensure that local authorities, health boards and public bodies have the support they need to toughen up their digital infrastructure and avoid disruption to peoples lives.

Earlier this week West Lothian Council had to resort to contingency measures to keep schools open after its education network was subjected to the ransomware attack.

As with Edinburgh, a spokesman for the council said there was no evidence that any personal or sensitive data had been accessed.

Last month, Scotlands embattled exams body was hit by a security breach amid claims that some coursework and assignments were leaked online.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) had said it was aware of login details for its website being used incorrectly, in an incident concerning the misuse of credentials.

Kevin OSullivan is the editor of Futurescot - a technology news website that has been at the forefront of covering cyber atttacks on public bodies and private firms in Scotland.

He said: Schools are inherently vulnerable to cyberattacks given that they operate large computer networks with many thousands of users.

Security teams are getting better at identifying suspicious activity on IT networks, but sadly it only takes one scam email to breach the dam, and the hackers flood in.

Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Miles Briggs MSP said: This shows that there are still huge vulnerabilities in the way our councils store education information.

After years of SNP teacher cuts and botched reforms to our qualifications system, pupils are already at a disadvantage. This latest incident just adds insult to injury.

An SQA spokesman said the Edinburgh schools incident would have no impact on its exams and that it will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The Scottish Government said Edinburgh Council was being supported by the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre.

It also said that while cyber security matters are reserved to the UK Government, it is 'determined' to 'build Scotlands cyber resilience and to reduce the impact of cyber incidents across our sectors'.
Pakistan has insisted there were 'no violations' of the new ceasefire brokered by US president Donald Trump today amid India's claim the pact has been 'repeatedly' broken.

Multiple explosions were heard in two cities in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Saturday - just hours after Donald Trump boasted a ceasefire with Pakistan had been reached.

Vikram Misri, the Indian foreign secretary said in a briefing this evening: 'For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding we arrived at earlier this evening.

'This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today.'

Pakistan's foreign ministry has now responded to the allegations saying it 'remains committed to the ceasefire'.

And speaking to Pakistani outlet Geo News, the country's information minister said that as of now, there had been no violations.

Referring to recent events as a 'victory', Pakistan's Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif also addressed the nation saying 'baseless accusations' were being levelled against his country.

He thanked President Trump for brokering the ceasefire, adding 'he is really very good to us' and praised China and Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Misri said the Indian military were 'giving an appropriate response' and called said he was 'calling upon Pakistan to address these violations'.

Residents in the cities of Srinagar and Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir reported hearing loud artillery fire followed by a blackout, with both cities plunged into total darkness.

Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire after both sides boasted of fresh military strikes

The image appears to show Pakistan's military firing a missile at targets in India

What appear to be red projectiles are seen streaking across the night sky in the city of Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir on Saturday evening

Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said in a post on social media: 'What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!'

Mr Abdullah also posted footage appearing to show missiles streaking through the night sky, followed by loud explosions, accompanied by the caption: 'This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.'

Cross-border shelling and gunfire was also reported from at least five places along the Line of Control, a de facto frontier that divides disputed Kashmir between the two nuclear-armed nations of India and Pakistan.

This is the most serious increase in hostilities so far in a conflict triggered by a gun massacre last month, which India blames Pakistan for.

Photojournalists in Srinagar showed red projectiles going up from the ground and colliding with objects flying over the sky and emitting red flares. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

An Indian government source said on Saturday Pakistan had violated a ceasefire agreed just hours ago following US led talks.

Elsewhere, a drone was spotted over the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Saturday night, prompting authorities to activate the air defense system, according to residents.

Anti-aircraft gunfire was heard by reporters, but it remained unclear who operated the drone.

There were also reports of cross-border exchanges of fire heard in the Kashmiri town of Bhimber, which lies on the Line of Control which divides the two sides of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, residents said.

While such cross-border skirmishes are common, the latest exchange occurred just hours after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire.

Srinagar and Jammu, the two cities where the explosions were heard, are both in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Residents in Pakistan-administered Kashmir reported that Indian artillery fire resumed after a pause of several hours in some areas.

Shahzad Iqbal, a local resident, said shells landed near villages, though he was not aware of any damage.

'As long as it is on the Line of Control, from my experience, it is generally manageable,' Pakistan's high commissioner to the UK, Mohammed Faisal, told Sky News.

'The Line of Control heats up, cools down. It is not an international border.

'Anything across the international border, which Indians have tried to do in the last three days to us - that has serious implications.'

Donald Trump took to Truth Social earlier in the day to break the news of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following weeks of heightened military tension.

The US President wrote: 'After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.

'Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!'

Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar previously said the two sides had agreed to the truce with immediate effect.

He added: 'Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!'

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also confirmed both India and Pakistan would 'stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea' with effect from 5pm local time.

Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard on the bank of Dal lake on May 10, 2025 in Srinagar, India

Explosives and debris of a drone are pictured after it was intercepted by India on the outskirts of Amritsar on May 10, 2025

Indian paramilitary soldiers stand alert in the city center on May 10, 2025 in Srinagar, India. Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following India's May 7 missile strikes on Pakistan-controlled territory

A Kashmiri man looks out from the window of his house during blackout after the residents of Srinagar reported hearing explosions in on Saturday May 10

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the ceasefire as 'hugely welcome', in a post on social media adding: 'I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest.'

However, the continued hostilities between the two nations, including the explosions in Srinagar and Jammu, threaten to derail the ceasefire.

Earlier Pakistan fired high-speed missiles at 'multiple targets' across India after it accused its neighbour of attacking air bases.

India said it had responded by targeting military bases in Pakistan - in the latest escalation of the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan's military this morning dubbed the operation Bunyan ul Marsoos  meaning unbreakable wall - as it shared a video of a missile being fired on social media.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party supporters burn an effigy of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an anti-India protest in Multan on May 10

Pictured: Indian Army Colonel Sophia Qureshi speaks during a press briefing, at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on May 10, 2025

They claimed it shows a medium-range Fateh One weapon being launched at targets in the Indian states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.

At a press briefing, Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi also accused Pakistan of targeting health facilities and schools at three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Five people were killed in the disputed region's city of Jammu, Indian police have said - with photos showing extensive damage to buildings in the area.

In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, authorities said 13 civilians had been killed and more than 50 injured.

India's army responded to Pakistan's actions on X, describing its neighbour's actions as a 'blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions'.

The country's military said it had targeted Pakistani military bases and that retaliatory strikes were underway.

Violent clashes between the two countries were sparked after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

India has accused Pakistan of being behind the murders, which Islamabad denies.

Residents remove debris from their damaged houses after cross-border shelling along the Line of Control

A residence, damaged by a Pakistan shelling, is seen in Rajouri, along the Line of Control, India

Police officers inspect metal debris, amid hostilities between India and Pakistan

Last night it was reported that Indian warships had moved closer to the Pakistani port of Karachi, putting them within striking distance of the site.

A source within the Indian Armed Forces told The Telegraph: 'We are alert and ready to counter any threat from the adversary.

'The movement of the warplanes and other naval assets is for monitoring and deterrence.'

The move, which believed to have started eight days ago, means the ships are now in international waters where they are likely to remain.

Some of the vessels are believed to be holding an aircraft carrier, destroyers, frigates and anti-submarine ships.

Both India and Pakistan hinted this morning they would consider de-escalation after trading strikes.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to 'non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.'

Pakistan's foreign minister responded saying his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped further attacks.

David Lammy has joined G7 ministers in calling for an 'immediate de-escalation' between India and Pakistan.

A statement issued on Saturday morning said: 'We, the G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the high representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan.

'Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability.

'We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides.

'We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.

'We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution.'

'Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,' she added.

India's foreign ministry holds a press briefing following the strikes

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.

The Associated Press could not independently verify all the actions attributed to Pakistan or India.

Army spokesman, Ahmad Sharif, said Pakistan's air force assets were safe following the strikes, adding that some of the Indian missiles also hit India's eastern Punjab.

'This is a provocation of the highest order,' Sharif said.

It comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir on Friday.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio continued to urge both parties to 'find ways to deescalate and offered US assistance in starting constructive talks' in order to avoid future conflicts.

The call for calm came ahead of Saturday's Indian missile strikes, which targeted Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province, according to Pakistan's military spokesman.

There was no media access to the air base in Rawalpindi, a densely populated city, and no immediate reports of residents hearing or seeing the strike or its aftermath.

Following the announcement of Pakistani retaliation, residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, and the garrison town of Udhampur.

'Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard the last two nights during drone attacks,' said Shesh Paul Vaid, the region's former top police official and Jammu resident. 'It looks like a war here.'

Vaid said explosions were heard from areas with military bases, adding it appeared that army sites were being targeted.

Srinagar appeared calm early on Saturday, but some residents in neighborhoods close to the city's airport, which is also an air base, said they were rattled by the explosions and booming sound of fighter jets.

'I was already awake, but the explosions jolted my kids out of their sleep. They started crying,' said Srinagar resident Mohammed Yasin, adding he heard at least two explosions.

A resident walks over the debris of his damaged house after cross-border shelling

A damaged car is shown after cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Jammu town on May 10

Residents walk past explosives, carried by a drone, after it was intercepted by India

Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group for India, said the two countries were at war even if they had not yet labelled it as one.

'It's become a remorseless race for military one-upmanship with no apparent strategic end goals from either side,' said Donthi. 'With increasing civilian casualties on both sides, finding an exit or off-ramp is going to be challenging.'

India's army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military cantonment in northern Punjab state's Amritsar city early Saturday.

'Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable,' the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the country's airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

'Thank God we have finally responded to Indian aggression,' said Muhammad Ashraf, who had headed out for breakfast in the eastern city of Lahore.

The Indian army said late Friday that drones were sighted in 26 locations across many areas in Indian states bordering Pakistan and Indian-controlled Kashmir, including Srinagar. It said the drones were tracked and engaged.

'The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary,' the statement added.

India and Pakistan have traded strikes and heavy cross-border fire for days, resulting in civilian casualties on both sides.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged 'maximum restraint' from India and Pakistan. It warned Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

Despite the continuing hostilities, Pakistan thanked Donald Trump for helping to facilitate the ceasefire.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Trump for helping to negotiate the ceasefire, which appears to be at risk of falling apart following exchanges this evening

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on X: 'We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region.

'Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability.

"We also thank Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their valuable contributions for peace in South Asia.

'Pakistan believes this marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region and prevented its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability.'
Three teenagers allegedly kidnapped a wealthy man at gunpoint and drove him to a remote Arizona desert to steal $4 million in cryptocurrency in a sinister plot.

Austin Fletcher and Belal Ashraf, both 16 and from Pasco County, Florida, allegedly teamed up with a third, as-yet-unidentified teenager to target the victim, who has remained anonymous.

Prosecutors said at Fletcher's probable cause hearing on Friday that the third teenager is no longer in the United States. It is not clear if authorities know where they are or if they plan to extradite them.

A juvenile court judge ruled that Ashraf and Fletcher will face charges as adults, including robbery, kidnapping, and extortion.

The horror robbery allegedly unfolded last November when the man told police that he had been forced into a car at gunpoint before being driven to the White Hills area, around an hour outside Las Vegas.

The victim said he had been hosting a cryptocurrency event in downtown Las Vegas that evening, and was ambushed by the three teens when he returned to his apartment complex.

Court records cited by 8NewsNow showed that the teenagers allegedly wrapped a towel around the man's head and 'told him not to look at them', and warned him that 'if he did not comply, they had his dad and would kill him.'

They told him that if he complied and handed over his digital assets, he 'would live to see another day.'

Austin Fletcher (pictured in court this week) and Belal Ashraf, both 16 and from Pasco County, Florida, allegedly teamed up with a third, as-yet-unidentified teenager to kidnap a wealthy man at gunpoint and steal $4 million in cryptocurrency

The three teenagers were reportedly high schoolers in Florida, and drove to Las Vegas to target the man after he hosted a cryptocurrency event and ambush him when he returned home

After driving the man out into the desert, the three teens allegedly demanded his banking passwords and threatened to murder him if he refused.

Prosecutors added in their filings that the teenagers appeared to be on the phone with another person during the ordeal, which the victim said he could hear through speakerphone.

When his cryptocurrency accounts were drained, the man was then left out in the Arizona desert as the teens drove off, prosecutors say.

The victim only found safety after walking over five miles through the barren desert until he found a gas station, where he called a friend to pick him up.

According to authorities, the teens were linked to the attack through a vehicle that traveled from Florida to Nevada beforehand, and visited key locations including the victim's apartment.

The vehicle was also reportedly tracked to a stop in Mississippi, where a gun owned by one of the suspect's family members was then seen in a social media post shared by one of the teens, police said.

Prosecutors said the teens drove the man across the Arizona state line, around an hour outside of Las Vegas

The teenagers allegedly abandoned the victim in the remote area in the White Hills, Arizona desert (pictured) and left him to walk over five miles to find safety

According to authorities, the teens were linked to the attack through a vehicle that traveled from Florida to Nevada beforehand, and visited key locations including the victim's apartment

In court this week, Fletcher (pictured) was handed a $4 million bail as the shocking allegations were heard by a judge

Court records cited by 8NewsNow showed that the third, unidentified teenage suspect may have gone to high school with Fletcher and Ashraf in Florida and they were involved in 'disturbances' at the school.

In one such instance, the three teens 'were reported as swearing in English and Arabic', and Ashraf was 'observed shoulder checking a school resource officer' and screaming in the face of an assistant principal, records said.

In court this week, a Las Vegas judge set Fletcher's bail at $4 million, rejecting his attorney's request for him to serve house arrest.

This decision came after a different judge allowed Ashraf to be released with electronic monitoring days before.

Fletcher and Ashraf are next due in court in June.
An adorable boy was found dead in a car seat after he was left in the care of a woman who operated an unlicensed day care in North Carolina.

Mercedes Rodriguez, 59, was arrested on April 30 after a one-year-old boy named Jacob Machado Carlos was found blue and unresponsive in her care.

Authorities found Jacob in a car seat with the straps around the upper half of his body.

Jacob's parents dropped him off with Rodriguez around 5:30 am. Another parent noticed the child needed medical attention around 9 am and called 911.

Rodriguez was arrested for operating a child care facility without a license and will face an additional homicide charge.

The child's heartbroken parents had to bury their adorable child before attending Rodriguez's court hearing.

'My son Jacob was very friendly. He loves to run outside and play with his sibling,' Jacob's mother tearfully recalled in an interview with local Fox affiliate, WGHP.

His father added that he was 'filled with love, and was a very happy kid.'

Jacob Machado Carlos died after his parents dropped him off at an unlicensed daycare at one year old

Mercedes Rodriguez, 59, was arrested and charged with operating an unlicensed daycare after the child's death. She will also face an additional homicide charge

Jacob's family said in an interview with local Fox affiliate, WGHP, that their son was a light and they wished Rodriguez has been given a higher bail

'He got that from our family. Always went up to everyone with open arms. He did that to the rest of the world,' his father said.

Jacob's parents told WGHP that their other children are struggling to cope with their little brother's death.

Another family member told the outlet, 'We took him to her [Rodriguez]. We thought she was taking care of him like the mother she is, but we never thought she'd leave him  in the car seat all morning.'

The Guilford County District Attorney's Office said that Rodriguez was caring for 13 children at the unlicensed day care center. Another child in her care was hospitalized on the same day as Jacob's death.

Jacob's parents dropped him off at around 5:30 am, and a 911 call was made around 9 am after another parent was concerned for the child

Police found Jacob unresponsive at the daycare, and another child was hospitalized

Jacob's parents said they were disappointed that the judge didn't raise Rodriguez's bail

WGHP also reported that Rodriguez was investigated in 2019 after an alleged assault of a child.

Jacob's parents wanted the judge to raise Rodriguez's bail, fearing she was a flight risk since she was under a deportation order.

However, the judge declined to increase Rodriguez's $10,000 bail until official homicide charges were filed.

Jacob's family attended the hearing and told WGHP they were disappointed with the results.

DailyMail.com reached out to Guilford County Police for an update on the case but didn't immediately hear back.
Silent Witness star Liz Carr is travelling to Scotland this week to urge MSPs to vote against dangerous plans to legalise assisted dying.

The actress will make the case against the controversial Bill which would allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their life.

An ardent disability rights campaigner and a member of the Not Dead Yet Group opposed to assisted dying, Ms Carr will speak at a rally outside the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday as MSPs prepare to vote on a Bill brought forward by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur.

Mr McArthur argues his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill provides a compassionate choice for those who could otherwise be faced with a painful death.

But Ms Carr, 53, said: Liam McArthurs Bill is dangerous for older, ill and disabled people across Scotland  even more so than Kim Leadbeaters Bill being considered in Westminster.

She added: To qualify for assisted suicide under the Bill a person must have 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.

As someone who as a teenager was told by doctors that I wouldnt live to be old because of my condition, this definition applies to me.

The McArthur Bill is not just about terminal illness; its about disabled people.

Ms Carr will speak outside the Scottish Parliament as MSPs prepare to vote on the Bill

The Bill has been put forward by Scottish Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur

Ms Carr is well known for her long-running role on crime drama Silent Witness

It is not a limited or modest Bill, and disabled people across Scotland are right to be deeply concerned.

Tuesdays first vote on the Bill will see MSPs decide on whether or not they support the general principles of the legislation.

If a majority of MSPs back it, more detailed scrutiny will be carried out, with the legislation also opened up to other MSPs to put forward amendments, ahead of a final vote at Holyrood before it could become law.

It will be the third time Holyrood has voted on the issue, with previous attempts to change the law defeated in both 2010 and 2015.

Disabled people who are fearful of the impact the legislation could have on them if it is passed are also due to hold a rally ahead of the vote.

Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said: Disabled people, their organisations and their allies will come together to demonstrate to MSPs that they are not simply voting on the principle of a Bill, they are voting on whether it should be easier to get help to die than help to live.

Ms Duncan-Glancy, who was the first permanent wheelchair user to be elected to Holyrood when she became an MSP in 2021, added: This is quite simply a matter of life and death.

MSPs must think very carefully about the real-life consequences of their decision on this, and disabled people will be there to encourage them to vote against the Bill.

Meanwhile, Marianne Scobie, depute chief executive of the Glasgow Disability Alliance, said the Bills definition of terminal illness is dangerously broad and would catch many disabled people in a societal context where we are at our most vulnerable.

She added: A key concern for many disabled people is the very real potential for Liam McArthurs legislation to be widened and safeguards to be weakened or removed over time, as has happened in many other jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal.

Dr Miro Griffiths, a spokesman for the Better Way campaign group, which opposes assisted dying, said: As a disabled person and academic who focuses on the inequalities my community face, I am fearful about the implications of an assisted suicide law.

Legislating for this practice would send a regressive message that disabled peoples lives are not worth living.

Disabled people and others would inevitably choose to end their lives because they dont have access to support. This outcome is unconscionable.

Yesterday, Mr McArthur said he believes that while the vote will be close, he is confident the support is there.
Fewer than half of revenge porn cases reported to the police have ended up in Scotlands courts.

And of those that are prosecuted, only a tiny proportion have resulted in a custodial sentence, figures obtained by The Scottish Mail on Sunday show.

In the last full year, just two people were imprisoned for the crime of intimate image abuse, despite there being nearly 800 reports to police.

In 2023-24, there were 781 reports made to Police Scotland regarding suspects threatening to or disclosing intimate images.

In the previous year, the figure was 805 and in the year before that it was 912. However, the number of charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for those same years was 215, 228 and 312, respectively.

Of the 215 charges reported in 2023-24 under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) 2016 Act, 51 people were convicted, 57 are ongoing, and 20 were marked no further action.

In the same period, four people were admonished  effectively let off with a warning  34 were given a community payback order, three had to pay compensation, five were fined, one was put under a non-harassment order and two were given a restriction of liberty order. Only one was imprisoned, to add to the single criminal jailed in 2022-23.

The revelation comes as the Revenge Porn Helpline provided support in more than 22,000 cases in 2024 compared with 18,000 in the previous year, following a 20 per cent rise in demand from victims across the UK.

Campaigners say the crime is one of the most significant and concerning digital harms affecting people at the moment. Image posed by model

Scottish Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey said revenge porn is 'a horrendous crime'

Helpline manager Sophie Mortimer said: Our data continuously highlights that intimate image abuse is still one of the most significant and concerning digital harms affecting adults right now.

The rise in cases, the low levels of conviction and the persistent difficulties and gaps within legislation demonstrate that existing measures are insufficient.

Scottish Conservative spokeswoman for victims Sharon Dowey said: Revenge porn is a horrendous crime.

It is deeply alarming that such a small number of cases are either being brought to court or ending up with offenders being convicted.

Victims will rightly feel abandoned and question whether it was worth reporting these crimes.

It is vital that SNP Ministers heed these damning figures.

Scotlands procurator fiscal for domestic abuse, Emma Forbes, said: Each year between 2021 and 2024, we took action in at least 86 per cent of charges received.

We take reports of alleged abuse seriously and will take the appropriate prosecutorial action where there is sufficient evidence, and it is in the public interest to do so. Detective Inspector Alasdair Penny said: Police are experiencing an increase in the number of revenge porn-related incidents being reported and are encouraged that people are more confident in coming forward.

Every report is investigated thoroughly, and we will do all we can to gather available evidence. Where criminality is established, we will find those responsible and bring them to justice.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: The investigation of crime is an independent operational matter for Police Scotland and prosecutions are an independent matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
Washington, DC, United States (PANA) - An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Felix Fischer, visited Nouakchott and Nouadhibou from April 28 May 9, 2025 for discussions on the Fourth Review of Mauritanias economic programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), and the Third Review of the RSF arrangement
A Las Vegas homeowner says her vacation was ruined after receiving a nightmarish phone call from the police telling her a raucous 200-person party was being held in her mansion.

The wild party erupted at Vegas resident Jamie Lewis' home on Saturday night, when cops say hundreds of unruly teens broke in and caused mayhem inside.

Footage showed a wave of young people emerging from Lewis' home after police showed up, after they were seen dancing on her countertops and destroying her home decor.

Lewis said she was unaware of the chaos at her home until receiving a call from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police at around 10:30pm Saturday night, asking her if she was hosting a huge party.

'I really thought it was a fake call,' she told Fox5Vegas.

Lewis said she only realized it was true when her neighbors also called her soon after to warn her that her mansion was being used as a party palace.

She said they sent her horrifying videos of the teenagers all around her home, and said that made her race home and 'cut our trip short.'

Police believe the wild party was part of a terrifying new trend known as 'mansion partying', where teens break into vacant properties while their owners aren't home and stage huge events inside, often charging for entry to make a profit.

Footage showed a wave of young people emerging from Lewis' home after police showed up, after they were seen dancing on her countertops and destroying her home decor

Investigators believe the teens entered Lewis' home by kicking in a garage door, and have launched an investigation to determine how they knew Lewis wouldn't be home.

The Las Vegas Metro police described the break-in at Lewis' home as a 'juvenile disturbance', and issued only two citations, one for a 'vehicle stop' and one for a 'person stop.'

Lewis said she has been left stunned that the unexpected party would take place at her home, and is facing having to pay thousands in repairs including her front door, smoke detectors, and countertops.

'The feeling of being, first of all, vandalized and then just 1000% being violated is something that you just dont ever want to have to deal with,' she said.

Lewis said she has shared her footage across social media and is working with the police to track down the perpetrators, adding: 'I have to do something about this. I cannot let this happen to somebody else.'

Footage from neighbors captured the moment cops showed up to end the party, which led a mass of the teenagers inside to flee the scene and evade the officers.

Police are seen arriving at Lewis' home as the party rages on inside the home, with Lewis saying she only realized the shocking party was in her mansion when she saw footage sent to her by neighbors

Hundreds of teens were seen dancing in Lewis' home, and she says she is facing having to pay thousands in repairs including her front door, smoke detectors, and countertops

Lewis' elderly neighbor Joe Neal said he was relaxing at home when he was startled by the commotion across his shared fence with Lewis.

'(I'm) 77-years-old, and to hear a bunch of noises, and look in your backyard, and it looks like theres a hell of a party going on and you werent invited,' he joked to Fox5Vegas.

He said he went outside at the same time the cops showed up to shut down the party, and was even pushed aside by one of the teens as they used his yard as a getaway route.

One of the partiers used a bolt-cutter to cut through the lock on his side fence, a tactic that raised his suspicions over how 'spontaneous' the party really was.

'Who comes to a party and brings bolt cutters?' he questioned.

'Theyre not somebody wanting to party, thats somebody wanting to steal.'

Investigators say the unauthorized party at Lewis' home is not the first-time a mob of teenagers have swarmed an empty home in the area and used it for a wild bash.

Lewis' elderly neighbor Joe Neal, 77, said he was relaxing at home when he was startled by the commotion across his shared fence with Lewis

Neal said one of the partygoers even pushed him out of the way as they evaded cops, and showed off the lock on his side fence that the revelers cut with bolt cutters

It is believed that the parties are an organized effort by local youths to occupy a home for a night, and often charge money for other teens to enter to make a profit off the events.

Lewis said since sharing her story, she has learned that the party at her home was just one of a spate of break-ins across the area in north-west Las Vegas.

'Its called a mansion party, and these kids go from house to house to house, sometimes multiple houses in the same night. They charge money at the door, they bring in a DJ,' she said.

'Be vigilant for your property, if you see a strange car, if theres too many kids in your neighborhood, something feels off, call the police right away,' she warned.
Around 100 anti-immigration protesters faced off with pro-migrant marchers today outside an asylum seekers hotel, which was previously attacked by rioters.

Last July, a peaceful demonstration outside Potters International Hotel plummeted into a 'mob type' protest as a 200-strong mob targeted the site housing asylum seekers.

Rioters attempted to force open the gates and windows to gain access to the venue as part of rioting which spread across England following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport.

It came after tripe-murderer Axel Rudakubana targeted a Taylor Swift themed dance class on July 29, where he murdered six-year-old Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancome, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.

Last year's violence was believed to have been fuelled by disinformation and misinformation spread online following the horrifying attack.

Today droves of demonstrators, waving English, British and Isreali flags, propped up a blow-up dinghy on the hotel's wall, coupled with the words 'no boats' on its side, as they held a march against immigration.

Anti-immigration marchers chanted 'send them back', whilst holding up placards which read: 'pensioners before migrants', 'our way of life is under threat' and 'illegals homed here' with an arrow pointing towards the hotel.

UKIP leader Nick Tenconi was also in attendance, alongside representatives of right-wing organisation Turning Point.

Anti-immigration protesters held up signs outside the hotel in Aldershot, which read: 'Pensioners before migrants', as well as other placards

A counter protest was also held outside the Potters International Hotel, with the pro-migrant group urging people to 'celebrate diversity' via their own signs

A man carrying a British flag over his shoulders as a group of around 100 people descended on the site

Today droves of protesters waved English, British and Isreali flags as they propped up a blow-up dinghy on the hotel's wall, coupled with the words 'no boats' on its side

Counter-protesters faced off against the anti-immigration mob, with Stand Up To Racism placards as they shouted opposing slogans such as, 'stop the hate' and 'refugees are welcome here'.

A protester, who wished to be identified only as Jez, wearing a 'Make Britain Great Again' hat, spoke of his concerns about the lack of money being pumped into the town.

The beauty salon business owner, who has lived in Aldershot for over four decades, said: 'There's just no money being put into the town at all - that's down to governments and councils and things, then you end up with too many people being squashed into the town.'

'The taxpayers are paying for people to live in there, and then they go to work,' he added: 'Nobody seems to do anything about it.'

People who claim asylum in the UK are usually not allowed to work whilst their claim is being considered.

They are instead provided with accommodation and support to meet their essential living needs if they would otherwise be destitute.

Blasting his views via a loudspeaker, Jez told the crowd: 'We will rid the streets of these people when we take power.'

Grandfather Conrad Jones, 66 said he was protesting for his children and grandchildren.

Grandfather Conrad Jones, 66, (pictured) said he was protesting for his children and grandchildren.

Many were seen waving British and English flags as droves of protesters descended on Aldershot today

Pro-migrant protesters held up signs which read: 'Refugees welcome' and 'Stop the far right'

Pictured: Pro-migrant protesters chanting on the side of the road near the hotel earlier today

A man from the anti-migration protest held up a sign which read: 'Our way of life is under threat'

Police stand on guard as both groups protest outside the site housing asylum seekers earlier today

He also disagreed with the idea of asylum seekers receiving aid from the government.

'We have these people coming over, straight into hotels, free electric, free WiFi, they get paid as well,' he said

Asylum seekers get 49.18 a week to pay for food, clothing and toiletries, however if they are catered accommodation they are given 8.86 every week.

Mr Jones also complained about the presence of counter-protesters, adding: 'We never do it to theirs'.

60-year-old John Fuller said that the protest was 'nothing to do with race or colour', as he also claimed to be 'fight[ing] for [the] futures' of his three children and five grandchildren.

One man from East London who wished to remain anonymous said that he travels the country filming migrant hotels, and thought 'why not' come to the protest.

'I would probably say 80 to 90 per cent of us probably agree on the same stuff, because when you think about it, refugees are welcome if they're genuine refugees.

He claimed: 'But you've got to understand that these people aren't genuine refugees.'

Towards the end of the protest, a Christian preacher seemingly unconnected with either the anti-immigration group or the counter-protesters began preaching with a microphone and a speaker.

He was confronted by the counter-protesters, and left once both groups departed.

Stand Up to Racism has not yet responded to a request for a comment.
The suspended head of the Royal Navy was toppled by a 'dirty tricks campaign' amid months of fierce in-fighting at the top of the Armed Forces, it was claimed last night.

Admiral Sir Ben Key, 59, was told to 'step back from all duties' over claims the married father of three had an affair with a female officer.

A disciplinary inquiry is under way and Admiral Sir Ben's staff at Navy Command in Portsmouth are due to be interviewed this week.

A hugely popular officer, news of his suspension has sent shockwaves through the Navy, with allies this weekend claiming he is the victim of a 'stitch-up'.

It is said he had been clashing with other senior officers, including Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, over the need to make further cuts to the Navy.

Multiple Navy sources did not deny that Admiral Sir Ben is alleged to have had an affair, but they questioned whether his enemies have ruthlessly exploited the controversy to sideline him.

The Mail on Sunday understands the allegation of a relationship was made by an unnamed 'third party', who is a fellow serving officer.

'I think he has been stitched up to get him out of the picture,' one Navy source said last night. 'He had constantly raised questions about the delays with new ships, funding for recruiting and the lack of frigates, and he was told to keep quiet. Now he can't say a thing.'

The suspended head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Sir Ben Key, 59, (pictured) was toppled by a 'dirty tricks campaign' amid months of fierce in-fighting at the top of the Armed Forces, it was claimed last night

Admiral Sir Ben was told to 'step back from all duties' over claims the married father of three had an affair with a female officer. He is pictured with King Charles III during a meeting with military chiefs of staff at Buckingham Palace on September 17, 2022

Admiral Sir Ben and his wife Elly pictured during the Service of Commemoration of the United Kingdom

Another source said Admiral Sir Ben believed the Navy had to 'cut its own cloth' as part of the ongoing defence review.

This, it is claimed, meant scaling back the 'pet projects' of his predecessor, Admiral Sir Tony, who became head of the military in 2021.

'It looks like a stitch-up  it is all too convenient,' the source said. 'There was a massive bust-up over the future direction, funding and policy of the Royal Navy. It's not a big secret the Navy is in deep trouble.

'Ben Key was proposing to take quite decisive action to turn the thing around, but that would have involved scrapping lots of the pet projects of Admiral Radakin. There have been continuous disagreements since the beginning of the defence review.'

Admiral Sir Ben stands accused of breaching regulations barring sexual relations between commanders and those below them in rank. There is no suggestion of anything criminal and the relationship is said to be consensual.

Endangering comrades' marriages is also forbidden, and it is the first time in the Navy's 500-year history that its First Sea Lord has faced a misconduct probe.

The MoS understands Admiral Sir Ben's mobile phone, Ministry of Defence computer and email account will be examined by investigators.

A senior Navy source said: 'Across the board he is very popular, very competent and the majority of the naval service are extremely shocked and really sad to see it potentially end like this.'

Multiple Navy sources did not deny that Admiral Sir Ben (pictured) is alleged to have had an affair, but they questioned whether his enemies have ruthlessly exploited the controversy to sideline him

Sir Ben Key arriving for a service of thanksgiving to mark the 200th anniversary of the RNLI, at Westminster Abbey in London

Vice Admiral Sir Ben Kay attends a Passing-out parade at the Britannia Royal Naval College

Another insider added: 'He is a stand-up bloke and treats everyone well. In my opinion, he over- compensated when thanking female staff... but that doesn't mean he was having an affair.

'Somebody may have got the wrong impression and presumed he was having a fling, but this whole situation doesn't seem right.'

His wife Elly has previously told of the 'burden' being in the Navy can place on family members.

The MoS understands that two of Admiral Sir Ben's closest allies, Vice Admirals Sir Martin Connell, the Second Sea Lord, and fleet commander Andrew Burns, have been passed over for promotion and may now retire.

Sir Martin will lead the Navy until a replacement is appointed, expected to be General Sir Gwyn Jenkins  the first Royal Marine to head the service.

An MoD spokesman said last night: 'An investigation is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.'
The Bidens are back from the political dead.

Or trying their hardest, at least, to rewrite history. To become relevant again.

Out shuffled Old Joe, age 82, on Thursday's episode of The View, this appearance touted in large gold letters as his FIRST LIVE INTERVIEW since leaving the White House.

Or, more correctly, his first live interview since being knifed in the back by Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and George Clooney; forced off the ticket and into a Kamala Harris endorsement, handing the Dems one of their most embarrassing losses since Reagan trounced Carter in 1980.

No matter. The ladies of The View  part of ABC News, which is run by Kamala's best friend  lauded Joe as a conquering hero.

Yes, this reanimated corpse, who seemed to recognize only two of his five gushing hosts, who needed direction to sit in the lone empty chair waiting for him, and was caked in about five layers of flesh-toned make-up  fielded this tough question, from co-host Sara Haines, right off the bat:

'Mr. President you had made the selfless and very difficult decision, I'm sure, to step aside.'

What?

Out shuffled Old Joe, age 82, on Thursday's episode of The View, this appearance touted in large gold letters as his FIRST LIVE INTERVIEW since leaving the White House. Or, more correctly, his first live interview since being knifed in the back.

Haines  and her producers, and ABC News execs  have clearly memory-holed George Stephanopoulos, of ABC News, interviewing Biden in the wake of that disastrous TV debate, asking the president repeatedly if he really thought he could, and should, continue running?

To which Biden retorted that only 'the Lord Almighty' could convince him to do the right thing  and guess what?

'The Lord Almighty's not coming down,' Joe said.

Okay. So the mainstream media, the Democratic Party and the Bidens themselves still refuse to take the memo.

They remain defiant in their beliefs that Joe Biden was an incredible president, that there were zero cover-ups about his declining faculties, and that he and Dr. Jill  the wife-slash-nursemaid who, of course, joined him for this interview  remain party leaders who should be heard and seen as much as possible.

The delusion is astounding.

Biden was essentially fired by his party and country. Top elected officials and operatives have been telling the media, for months now, that the Bidens need to slink off into oblivion.

Just week ago, former loyalists expressed anger and disgust that the Bidens still want to stump and fundraise.

One former senior Biden official put it best: 'Their irresponsibility, family ego and selfishness put the Democratic Party in this position the disconnected reality that they and their ineffective little circle live in is responsible for the Trump sequel and the wilderness the Democratic Party finds itself in today.'

Ineffective little circle. Brutal.

Yet here was Dr. Jill, bragging that she'd been busy flying to 'LA, New York and DC' as if she's still a vested power broker.

Perhaps her delusion is somewhat understandable  after all, these two are reportedly on the verge of signing a $30 million joint book deal for their White House memoirs.

Any publisher willing to sign such a deal is a moron.

If this interview is anything to go by  and, really, it's everything to go by  get ready for two tomes of epic self-regard, self-love and self-sacrifice, all bound up like some political fairytale that touts Biden as one of the greatest presidents of all time.

Throughout will doubtless be bitter jousts toward Barack and Michelle, and their joint post-presidential book deal for $65 million  six times what the Bidens are worth.

You just know that Dr. Jill is looking at Michelle not with pity  which is what she deserves  but envy.

Envy for the multiple book deals, the Netflix shows, the podcasts, the four lavish estates, and children who aren't reprobates, drug addicts in trouble with the law or $15 million in debt, as Hunter Biden is.

Yes, Lady MacBiden  a nickname she says has been hurtful, but hey, if the shoe fits  surely sees dollar signs and brand deals in her near future.

Back to this interview, which is truly outer limits: Biden says Kamala lost because America is 'sexist', even though her campaign was 'successful' and 'consistent'.

Sure.

The only thing Kamala consistently did successfully was spew garbage word salad, refuse to offer specifics, and go on The View, where she was asked by co-host Sunny Hostin if she would have done anything differently from President Biden.

Kamala: 'There is not a thing that comes to mind'.

Those two idiots, in the span of a few seconds, handed Trump one of his most effective campaign ads. And speaking of Trump, Biden was asked, in this interview, what he thinks of his successor's first 100 days.

Biden, ever on brand, said that like every former living president, the protocol is never to criticize a sitting president  and then proceeded to do just that.

'I think he's done a very poor job,' said Biden  who ordered, against all best military advice, the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan that cost 13 US service members their lives.

Said the president who worked just a few hours each day, who fell asleep in meetings and wandered off stages worldwide, whose cognitive decline and the resulting cover-up has been told in multiple news accounts and now a spate of books.

A president who was so unreachable, so shielded from the press and fellow politicians, that Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said his multiple requests to meet with Biden had been summarily denied.

'If the Speaker of the House can't meet with the president of the United States, that's a problem,' Johnson said in February 2024, four months before that debate. 'I don't know why they're uncomfortable having the president sit across the table from me.'

Now we know. We all know.

But the Bidens, still, maintain that these are all lies. Lies told by a sympathetic mainstream media that had spent years covering up for Biden's impairments, neglecting to report that a neurologist  a Parkinson's expert  had been called to the White House eight times in eight months.

'I did not create a cocoon around him,' Jill said on The View.

The gall. Multiple sources maintain the contrary.

Dr. Jill also had the temerity to insist that all was well in the Biden White House, that everyone saw Joe working around the clock, day and night, all four years.

'It was non-stop,' she said, her husband nodding off next to her. 'Being president is not, like, a job. It's a lifestyle. It's a life that you live it's constant. You never leave it'.

Well, Joe and Jill  really, Jill  the job has left you. And thank God for that.
Migrants could be kicked out of the country if they commit any crime under a planned government crackdown.

Currently, foreign criminals are only reported to the Home Office if they receive a jail sentence  and only those given a year behind bars are usually considered for deportation.

But Labour is set to rip up those rules as it tries to get a grip on immigration and see off the growing threat posed by Nigel Farage's rampant Reform UK party.

Under Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's plans, the Home Office will be told of all foreign nationals convicted of any offence, while officials will be given wider powers to remove them from the UK.

The move intends to close the loophole which means migrants can carry out knife crimes, thefts, criminal damage and violence against women without facing the risk of deportation.

It is set to be included in the long-awaited White Paper on immigration being published tomorrow, and comes after a battle within the Government over migration levels in the face of Mr Farage's electoral surge. One poll published yesterday put the anti-immigration party ten points ahead of Labour.

Ms Cooper has led calls for her party to adopt radical policies to address growing public disquiet about the level of immigration, which contributed to Labour's lacklustre performance in this month's local elections.

But Mr Farage was dismissive of her plan to get tougher on foreign criminals, telling The Mail on Sunday last night: 'This is a promise that we keep hearing from our governments. They never deliver.'

Under Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's plans, the Home Office will be told of all foreign nationals convicted of any offence, while officials will be given wider powers to remove them from the UK (Pictured: an inflatable craft carrying migrants across the Channel in 2022)

Ms Cooper has led calls for her party to adopt radical policies to address growing public disquiet about the level of immigration, which contributed to Labour's lacklustre performance in this month's local elections. (Pictured: a group of people thought to be migrants)

Pictured: Border Force Hurricane transporting 60 migrants into Dover Docks, Kent

Also under Ms Cooper's plans, any foreign national placed on the Sex Offenders Register, regardless of sentence length, will be classed as having committed a 'serious crime' with no right to asylum protections in the UK.

A Home Office source said new measures could be introduced to cancel visas for those who commit crimes, ensuring action was taken against offenders before they could put down roots in the UK.

The White Paper will pledge to reform a 'chaotic immigration system', with skills thresholds for work visas returned to degree level and employers encouraged to 'develop domestic training plans to boost British skills and recruitment levels'.

It was reported yesterday that Ms Cooper's officials fear that without deep-rooted reforms, annual net migration will settle above the 340,000 level projected by the Office for National Statistics, and end up closer to 525,000 by 2028 because migrants are staying for longer than previously thought. The rate stood at 728,000 in the year to June last year.

According to The Times, the White Paper will include plans to restrict the ability of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals to use human rights laws to block deportation.

The law will be changed to constrain judges' interpretation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to a family and private life, the section most commonly used to block removal.

Since July 2024, the Home Office has removed 3,594 foreign criminals from the UK, an increase of 16 per cent on the previous year.

Ms Cooper told The Mail on Sunday: 'It is a basic requirement  those who come to the UK should abide by our laws. The system for returning foreign criminals has been far too weak for too long.

According to The Times, the White Paper will include plans to restrict the ability of failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals to use human rights laws to block deportation

Pictured: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper ahead of chairing a summit aimed at destroying the criminal gangs involved in smuggling people over the English Channel in small boats

Ms Cooper (pictured) told The Mail on Sunday: 'It is a basic requirement  those who come to the UK should abide by our laws. The system for returning foreign criminals has been far too weak for too long'

'Already we have increased the number of foreign national offenders being removed since the election.

'But we need much higher standards. The rules need to be respected and enforced.

'The Tories lost control of the immigration system. We need to restore control so that net migration comes down and proper standards and order are returned.'

But Mr Farage said: 'We have seen the Home Office admit that they think that net immigration will still be running at over half a million by 2028.

'This new announcement merely tinkers around the edges. It's also not just about what numbers come in but who comes in and if they can assimilate. This plan is doomed to fail.'

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'This White Paper is a white flag. Fixing Britain's migration crisis requires a new radical approach.

'Labour had the opportunity to do this and have failed. They have got no grip, no guts, and no plan.

'Labour told us we were cruel. They said deporting foreign criminals was inhumane.

Nigel Farage (pictured) was dismissive of Ms Cooper's plan to get tougher on foreign criminals, telling The Mail on Sunday last night: 'This is a promise that we keep hearing from our governments. They never deliver'

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'This White Paper is a white flag. Fixing Britain's migration crisis requires a new radical approach. Labour had the opportunity to do this and have failed. They have got no grip, no guts, and no plan'

'Now, with the public breathing down their necks, they're pretending they've discovered toughness. Give me a break.

'We proposed automatic deportation for all foreign criminals, anyone who breaks our laws. Labour blocked it. We said the Human Rights Act should not be used to keep dangerous offenders in this country. Labour blocked it.

'On Monday, we will put to a vote disapplying the entire Human Rights Act from all immigration matters  including deporting foreign criminals. Labour say they will vote against it, but if they are serious, they would support this measure.'

Yesterday, around 60 migrants  including women and children  came ashore in Dover, Kent, after being picked up in the Channel by the Border Force's Hurricane vessel.

They were the first small boat migrants to arrive after more than a week.The number making that crossing this year stands at more than 11,500, over 2,000 more than the same point last year.
As the largest supplier of pork to UK supermarkets, the multi-billion pound operation Cranswick is keen to boast of its 'considerate farming' credentials.

Its website features charming images of piglets happily grazing in verdant fields, next to the reassuring headline 'Farming with conscience'.

Yet the reality  at one of its farms at least  is horrifically different, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Secret recordings obtained exclusively by this newspaper show a horrific catalogue of animal abuse carried out by sadistic workers.

In one sickening scene, a farm worker grabs a squealing piglet by its hind legs, swings the terrified animal high above his head and smashes it down brutally on to the hard floor.

Other harrowing footage shows helpless sows being kicked and beaten with metal bars, as well as distressing botched killings which left animals writhing in agony.

After one worker failed to kill a sow with several shots from a bolt gun, he told the undercover investigator: 'Don't let nobody see you doing like what we did [sic].'

Other damning footage covertly filmed over several weeks at Northmoor Farm in Lincolnshire, shows:

Pigs being scratched, kneed, jabbed and piglets being hoisted by their ears then dropped on to hard floors;

One decomposing sow carcass left for days while another was hit repeatedly with a metal slat by a worker shouting 'bitch';

Piglets had their teeth brutally ground down and had their tails savagely cut  a practice called 'docking' which Cranswick says it avoids;

Farm staff claiming one worker was 'drop-kicking' piglets and separately that 'everyone kicks piglets'.

After being alerted to the abuse, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons said they had suspended their supplies from the farm.

Secret recordings obtained exclusively by this newspaper show a horrific catalogue of animal abuse carried out by sadistic workers

In one sickening scene, a farm worker grabs a squealing piglet by its hind legs, swings the terrified animal high above his head and smashes it down brutally on to the hard floor

Other harrowing footage shows distressing botched killings which left animals writhing in agony

Around 6,000 pigs are permanently confined inside cramped conditions there, with no access to the outdoors  and certainly not to the green fields and spacious pig pens pictured on Cranswick's website. Here they are reared, sometimes without ever seeing daylight, until they are taken to an abattoir.

The farm's parent company, Cranswick, sends more than 34,000 pigs to slaughter each week and generated 146 million revenue from fresh pork last year.

It markets its meat as 'high welfare' and 'sustainable' and its website states: 'Animal welfare is at the heart of our business.' But the footage, recorded by an investigator wearing hidden cameras, shows repeated examples of farm workers killing piglets by smashing them against hard floors and walls.

This banned method of killing is called 'piglet thumping' and is a criminal offence. Piglets are killed if they are the runts of the litter  weak, sick or not growing fast enough to be profitable. It is thought they are then incinerated or used for pet food.

Eight thumpings were caught on camera during the course of the investigation. These were carried out by three members of staff as well as the farm manager, and one piglet was seen gasping for breath even after it had been violently thumped.

The use of blunt force trauma on piglets was outlawed in 2022 after repeated warnings from the UK's Animal Welfare Committee and the EU's Reference Centre for Animal Welfare. Both identified the method as unreliable, inhumane, and unnecessary given available alternatives, including shotguns and captive bolt guns.

Yet Northmoor's manager, Andrew Pentecost, 39, was recorded killing a piglet by thumping it against concrete.

Moments after he slammed the piglet, he told the undercover investigator: 'With small piglets we can do blunt force trauma to kill them... But the big ones we can't do that with 'cos they're too f***ing heavy.'

On its website, Cranswick Farming portrays an idyllic public image, but the reality  at one of its farms at least  is horrifically different

Pictured: Northmoor Farm, where Cranswick's workers have been beating piglets to death

The horrific abuse has been caught after being recorded by an investigator wearing hidden cameras

Piglets are killed if they are the runts of the litter  weak, sick or not growing fast enough to be profitable - it is thought they are then incinerated or used for pet food

Northmoor's manager Andrew Pentecost was filmed botching the killing of a sow by not restraining her properly, leaving the animal screaming and writhing in agony

He was also filmed botching the killing of a sow by not restraining her properly, leaving the animal screaming and writhing in agony after it had been shot until she was shot a second time, 22 seconds later.

When the MoS approached Mr Pentecost for comment at his home in Scunthorpe, he denied piglet thumping went on at the farm.

The married father-of-three said: 'I have nothing to say about it. I am not aware of anything like that going on at the farm. I would not condone any behaviour like that. We have procedures to follow.'

One staff member at the farm was also filmed shouting at a sow and repeatedly calling her a 'bitch' as he hit her in the face with a metal slat multiple times. Another admitted that a different staff member had been caught 'drop-kicking' the piglets.

The site overseer was recorded slamming a piglet against the ground and telling the undercover investigator: 'It's quicker, you know... when they're small like that you can do it.'

With grim irony, a sign on a staff notice board reads: 'Don't go home until you have resolved any issue you wouldn't want to see in the media tomorrow.'

Experts and MPs condemned the videos as 'sickening' and 'horrific' and called for Cranswick to be investigated.

Legal action has also been launched on behalf of Animal Justice Project, the animal rights group behind the investigation, citing multiple breaches of animal welfare and consumer law at the farm, which could lead to a criminal investigation.

When the MoS approached Mr Pentecost (above) for comment at his home in Scunthorpe, he denied piglet thumping went on at the farm

The married father-of-three (above) said: 'I have nothing to say about it. I am not aware of anything like that going on at the farm. I would not condone any behaviour like that. We have procedures to follow'

Experts and MPs condemned the videos as 'sickening' and 'horrific' and called for Cranswick to be investigated

Last night, the group's barrister Ayesha Smart filed a formal complaint to Trading Standards, writing that the footage of Northmoor shows 'what is clearly a failure to act in accordance with the law'.

She said: 'The use of blunt force trauma to kill piglets is banned yet it appears to be used routinely and without restraint. This isn't just shocking, it's unlawful.'

And the group's founder, Claire Palmer, added: 'This marks the start of a national, sustained campaign to expose the violent realities of pig farming in Britain. We will not be pulling any punches

'We are demanding immediate enforcement of the ban on blunt force trauma and the prosecution of Cranswick. There must be an independent public inquiry into pig farming practices and regulatory failures.

'Ultimately, we're calling for a legislative phase-out of pig farming in favour of a food system that no longer depends on animal suffering.'

Responding to the findings, Cranswick said it had ordered an urgent investigation and had suspended the farm staff.

A spokesman said: 'The welfare of the animals we rear is of the utmost importance and we are extremely disappointed to see the unacceptable lapse of welfare standards captured at Northmoor Farm.

'As soon as we saw the footage we suspended the team working at the farm and we are conducting an urgent and thorough investigation. We have also suspended the farm from supplying any pigs until the investigation is completed.'

Northmoor farm, Lincoln, have been mistreating and killing pigs and piglets

In the footage, the pigs are visibly terrified as workers at the farm are captured aggressively kicking the metal bars of their pen

Dr Alick Simmons, the government's former deputy chief veterinary officer, said the footage shows 'repeated and ineffective attempts to kill piglets using blunt force trauma'.

He added: 'That such practices are taking place on a large, commercial farm highlights a serious failure in training, management and oversight.

'This is unacceptable, particularly when a humane and legally acceptable alternative exists. It causes significant suffering and has no place in modern farming.'

The farm is approved by Red Tractor, a quality mark which is meant to ensure rigorous standards of animal welfare.

This means supermarket shoppers buying bacon, sausages and ham which came from Northmoor will see the Red Tractor Union Jack stamp and the words 'Certified Pork' on the packaging  trusting that their meat has been humanely reared.

Approached for comment by the MoS, Red Tractor said it would immediately suspend the farm's certificate pending investigation.

Cranswick is a 2.8 billion company that recently signed a ten-year deal to supply all of Sainsbury's British pork and is also a supplier to Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and others.The company recorded pre-tax profits of 176 million last year and its chief executive, Adam Couch, was paid 3.3 million.

Today's bombshell revelations are the second recent blow for the company after its plans for a controversial mega farm in Norfolk were rejected last month over environmental concerns.

Images from Cranswick Farming's website appear to show a perfect state of affairs for the animals

Piglets on the website are portayed to have a great life on Cranswick's farms, yet the shocking footage shows that on at least one of its farms, this is not the case

A statement on Cranswick's website reads that they are 'committed to mantaining high welfare standards'

The farm was due to house up to 870,000 chickens and 14,000 pigs over two sites but received nearly 15,000 complaints. It was eventually blocked by councillors following fears from residents it would give out foul odours including ammonia fumes, attract swarms of flies and result in thousands of lorries driving past homes.

But today's revelations are likely to prove even more problematic for the compamy, with MPs of all stripes lining up to condem the abuse caught on camera.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said he would be tabling a written question in Parliament this week to ask the Government what it intends to do to 'clamp down on this illegal and barbaric practice' of thumping.

He added: 'I am absolutely horrified by the video footage unearthed by The Mail on Sunday which shows piglet slamming. The fact that this inhumane practice is happening in this country, where we rightly pride ourselves as having the best animal welfare standards in the world, is sickening.'

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: 'The footage from Northmoor Farm is truly sickening. This blatant and disgusting abuse shows disregard for the welfare of these animals and the law.

'The revolting practice of piglet slamming was outlawed in 2022. Time and time again, government has failed to enforce humane standards through proper spot checks and adequately rigorous prosecution.'

Sir Roger Gale MP, patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, said: 'The scenes shown in this footage are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns about the standards being maintained on a farm certified by Red Tractor.

'The public deserves confidence that the food they buy is produced with care and in accordance with proper welfare standards.'

Cranswick, on a page titles 'Our Farming Expertise' says it is 'proud of our heritage and excited by our future'

They add that they are 'Empowering and supporting our farmers to do the right thing. For themselves. For the animals. For the planet.'

Labour's Irene Campbell said she was 'appalled to hear of this horrific abuse', while fellow Labour MP Terry Jermy, who opposed Cranswick's megafarm, said: 'I am deeply concerned to learn of these incidents which follow similar horrifying examples of animal cruelty at other locations.

'We have to do more to uphold animal welfare standards which consumers expect and also improve upon those standards.'

Supermarkets also condemned the horrific scenes caught by the undercover investigator.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: 'These allegations involve unacceptable treatment of animals, which has no place in our supply chain.'

A Tesco spokesman said: 'We take all reports of poor animal welfare extremely seriously and expect our suppliers to adhere to our high welfare standards.'

A Morrisons spokesman said: 'We care deeply about animal welfare and these are shocking and concerning allegations.'

And Asda said: 'We have clear animal welfare policies that all our suppliers must uphold and we welcome the swift response and action taken by Cranswick at this farm.'

The squalid, cramped conditions filmed there are a far cry from the bucolic photographs on Cranswick's website showing pigs and piglets roaming around in green, sunny fields dotted with traditional pig huts.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: 'These allegations involve unacceptable treatment of animals, which has no place in our supply chain' (Stock Image)

A Tesco spokesman said: 'We take all reports of poor animal welfare extremely seriously and expect our suppliers to adhere to our high welfare standards' (Stock Image)

A Morrisons spokesman said: 'We care deeply about animal welfare and these are shocking and concerning allegations' (Stock Image)

And Asda said: 'We have clear animal welfare policies that all our suppliers must uphold and we welcome the swift response and action taken by Cranswick at this farm' (Stock Image)

While Cranswick has a number of outdoor farms, its company policy states that it has a 'moral and ethical responsibility' to all animals in its supply chain.

It issues its 'Cranswick Pig Standard' to all suppliers which recognise the animals as 'sentient beings' and requires them to have 'freedom to undergo positive emotional experiences'.

The company also has key commitments of avoiding confinement for pigs and avoiding teeth grinding and tail docking  all of which were captured taking place at Northmoor Farm.

CEO Adam Couch has spoken extensively about the importance of animal welfare and in 2019, after Cranswick won a major animal welfare award, said: 'Farm animal welfare is a cause that is close to our and our customers' hearts and therefore we have made it a priority for our business with an unstinting focus on driving up standards.'
Boris Johnson expects Nigel Farages Reform UK to self-destruct before the next election  at which point he would swoop back in to rescue the Tories, allies of the former prime minister have said.

Speculation about Mr Johnsons ambitions has been revived by the Conservatives dire performance in the local elections, where they lost 676 seats amid a Reform surge, and by opinion polls putting them as low as 17 per cent.

While Mr Johnson continues to profess public confidence in Kemi Badenochs leadership, demoralised activists have started talking up his chances of a comeback after a poll last week found he was the only potential leader under whom the Conservatives would poll higher than Mr Farages party.

An ally said: Boris is convinced that the wheels will come off the Reform bandwagon within three years  that they will be found wanting in the areas where they have won power, and voters will tire of all the fruitcakes and loonies they have in their ranks.

'Then he would come back as leader, although the exact mechanism for that is unclear. It has to be said, however, that not all of his friends are convinced that Reform will be a flash in the pan.

Support for Mr Johnson is concentrated in the Red Wall areas of the Midlands and North, which backed Brexit and are now leaning towards Reform.

He is much less of an asset to the party in the South, where the Tories are predominantly engaged in local dogfights with the Liberal Democrats.

The More in Common poll concluded that under Mr Johnson, the Tories would beat Reform by three points, with Labour in third. Under Mrs Badenoch, the party was placed eight points behind Reform.

Some of Boris Johnson's allies have started talking up his chances of a comeback. Mr Johnson is pictured with his wife Carrie in 2022

While Mr Johnson continues to profess public confidence in Kemi Badenochs (pictured) leadership, demoralised activists have started talking up his chances of a comeback

Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader, speaks on stage during a Reform UK Conference at Lincolnshire Showground on March 25, 2025

Luke Tryl, the author of the poll, said: As the Conservatives grapple with their survival, it does seem Boris Johnson might be part of the answer. This polling and our focus groups show that Johnson is able to win over a chunk of the Reform voters that the party has lost since 2019 and potentially could stabilise the party on the Right.

But Mr Tryl added: He appears to be less able to make inroads with Labour and especially Lib-Dem voters, and his negatives here might make it hard for him to win an election.

Mr Johnson was ousted three years ago by MPs panicking about the Partygate saga and sinking ratings. Asked about his plans last week, he said: Ive got as much of a chance of returning to Parliament as I have of being decapitated by friends, locked in a disused fridge or being reincarnated as an olive, or whatever else it was I used to say.

Ive got a very productive life... I spent a lot of time trying to campaign for Ukraine and to make sure awareness and understanding of that is raised. I think Kemi has every chance of turning this thing around.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said yesterday: As Boris said this week, he is strongly supporting Kemi Badenoch and campaigning for Ukrainian victory.
A quiet evening at a rural South Carolina petting zoo turned tragic when a man was somehow attacked and killed by a kangaroo after entering its enclosure.

Eric Slate, 52, was found dead just after midnight early Saturday morning with 'multiple blunt force injuries' inside an enclosure containing wallabies and kangaroos at 5 Star Farm, according to the Horry County Police Department.

While the exact cause of death is still pending autopsy results, Horry County councilman Dennis DiSabato confirmed that a kangaroo was directly involved in the incident, Fox 8 News reported.

It was unclear on Saturday what exactly the man was doing inside the enclosure.

Authorities emphasized that all animals on the property have been accounted for and secured, assuring the public there is no ongoing threat.

Robert Slate, Eric's relative and the owner of 5 Star Farms, issued a brief statement asking for privacy and assuring the public that none of the animals escaped their enclosure, WPDE News reported.

The tragic and highly unusual case is still under active investigation, with police promising to release more details once the autopsy results are in.

Saturday's horrific incident isn't the first time wildlife enthusiasts around the world have found themselves in fatal encounters with their favorite animals, even in seemingly safe and controlled environments.

Feral instincts still remain present in a number of these caged beasts, where even the glass screening and metal fencing can not contain their primal urges.

A quiet evening at 5 Star Farm, located along Highway 746 near Loris, South Carolina, when a 52-year-old man was found dead just after midnight early Saturday morning

While the exact cause of death is still pending autopsy results, Horry County councilman Dennis DiSabato confirmed that a kangaroo was directly involved in the incident

Eric Slate, 52, was found dead with 'multiple blunt force injuries' inside an enclosure containing wallabies and kangaroos

While some incidents have taken place in the privacy of the animal's enclosure, several beasts have unleashed their fury in front of horrified children outside of their protective barriers as they bring their victims to the brink of death.

In one case, a man in Thailand was mauled by a tormented bear as it pulled him into its cage and began gnawing off chunks of his flesh.

Eight years ago, a Chinese woman was snatched by a ravenous tiger after stepping out of her car at a safari park near the Great Wall of China.

In 2017, a young Chinese man was killed by a tiger un front of his horrified wife and child after getting dragged into its zoo enclosure.

The incident occurred at the Youngor Wildlife Park in the city of Ningbo, about 125 miles south of Shanghai.

An onlooker took footage of the tiger dragging the man under some trees and sinking its teeth into his neck as two other big cats lurked behind.

Zoo visitors raised the alarm soon after he was attacked by the predator but it took zoo staff about an hour to grapple the man from the tiger's firm grip, according to reports from the time.

The tigers were eventually driven away by firecrackers and a water canon, said a report in the Beijing Youth Daily, which added that the man was rushed to the hospital but tragically died shortly after.

Authorities emphasized that all animals on the property have been accounted for and secured, assuring the public there is no ongoing threat

Robert Slate, Eric's relative and the owner of 5 Star Farms, issued a brief statement asking for privacy and assuring the public that none of the animals escaped their enclosure

One tiger in the enclosure was shot dead by local forestry bureau staff.

A horrified witness said the tiger wouldn't allow the man to escape: 'I saw the tiger mauling the person, whose face was covered with blood. Every time he sat up, the tiger pushed him down again.'

The reports said it was not clear how or why the man, whose wife and child had come to the park with him, had gotten into the tiger enclosure.

In June of 2023, a furious hippo started charging at its zookeeper after he tried to break up its tight with another territorial bull inside their enclosure.

Heart-stopping footage showed the man - who had entered the enclosure to feed the animal - scrambling out of the pen in a desperate bid to avoid a fatal attack at the Changsha Ecological Zoo in China's Hunan province.

Amid the rush to run for his life, the zoo keeper slipped over the wet concrete surface entrance with the hippo ready to launch what could have been a devastating assault.

With the furious hippo caring its huge teeth in a threatening display, the man used his arms and feet to prevent the hungry animal from closing in on him.

The hippo momentarily left its keeper alone as it continued to feed on greens but as the man stood back up, it charged at him again just as he was leaving the enclosure. This time, however, he was able to run to safety.

Saturday's horrific incident isn't the first time wildlife enthusiasts around the world have found themselves in fatal encounters with their favorite animals, including when a man in Thailand was mauled by a tormented bear as it pulled him into its cage and began gnawing off chunks of his flesh

In June of 2023, a furious hippo started charging at its zookeeper after he tried to break up its tight with another territorial bull inside their enclosure

It was understood the zoo keeper had entered the enclosure to feed the animal before two hippos began attacking each other.

Footage showed the territorial bulls going at each other before the zoo keeper flew out of the pen.

The zoo keeper had tried to break up the fight by distracting one of the hippos, but was sent running when they turned their fury on him.

Astonishingly, the zookeeper escaped unharmed following the horror clash on Sunday, September 24.
Two of the United States' leading Democrats hit out at Ilhan Omar for her 7-year-old statement that Americans need to be more fearful of white men.

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville and California Rep. Ro Khanna lashed out at the progressive arm of their party on Thursday's episode of Fox News' the Politics War Room podcast when Carville brought up Omar's remarks in 2018.

She had been asked how much of a threat 'jihadism' poses to the United States, when the Minnesota congresswoman suggested 'our country should be more fearful of white men across our country, because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country.

'And so if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe inside of our country, we should be profiling, monitoring and creating policies to fight the radicalization of white men,' Omar told Al Jazeera.

Carville on Thursday questioned whether her claims that white men cause most of the deaths in the United States is true as he questioned why she would make such a bold claim.

'When is somebody going to say, "Why don't you people just learn to shut up about this? You're not doing anybody any good,'" the strategist argued.

At that point, Khanna chimed in - saying he, too, disagrees with Omar's statement on a 'substantive level.

'I think that white Americans have done enormous things for our freedom,' he argued. 'I mean, who are the people who scaled the cliffs of Normandy? Many of them were white men,' the congressman said of the major Allied victory in World War II.

California Rep. Ro Khanna (left) and Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville hit out at Ilhan Omar (right) for controversial remarks she made in a 2018 interview

Omar remarked in an interview that Americans should be more afraid of white men

'It's not just [that] I disagree politically, I disagree substantively,' he continued. 'This is a great country. It is a kind country. It is a decent country.'

Khanna then shared his own family's experience immigrating from India, and praised the success his family has achieved in the United States, which he said 'would not be possible anywhere else.'

He went on to suggest that Democrats should start every speech praising the United States - rather than bashing it.

'What Democrats should start every speech with is "America is the greatest country country in the world and we want to make it better."'

Carville also seemed to agree, saying that even though he is a 'liberal Democrat... I don't like the - let's just say - progressive wing of the Democrat Party.

'My argument is maybe these people are not worth the trouble,' he argued. 'Maybe they should just go on their own way.'

Conservatives have also previously hit out at Omar for her remarks in the Al Jazeera interview, which were shared to X earlier this week amid backlash for telling a conservative journalist to 'f*** off.'

'This isn't just sick; it's actual genocidal language,' Vice President JD Vance wrote of her 2018 remarks.

'What a disgrace this person is.'

Republican Sen. Mike Lee, of Utah, also called her remarks 'blatant racism' as he asked the public to condemn it.
Prince William went 'ballistic' when he heard claims that Meghan Markle was being rude to staff in Kensington Palace.

The bombshell allegations, uncovered in Robert Lacey's bestselling novel 'Battle of Brothers', reportedly caused a major fall out between William and Prince Harry.

According to Lacey, concerns had been raised to Harry and Meghan about their alleged behaviour towards members of staff as early as 2017.

The Kensington Palace source claimed that Meghan would begin firing off emails as early as 5am, leaving staff with a 'barrage' of messages in their inboxes.

They added that the Sussexes reigned over a 'really toxic environment' which saw colleagues shaking before meetings with the Duchess of Sussex alongside allegations of bullying. There was even a claim that the encounters left one individual with PTSD.

While Meghan brushed off a complaint about her conduct from a senior aide, claiming 'it's not my job to coddle people', Prince William did not respond so flippantly to the issue.

According to Lacey, when Jason Knauf  a royal aide who worked with the Sussexes  presented William with a 'dossier of distress' about their behaviour he 'went ballistic' and was left 'astonished' and 'horrified' by what he heard.

William's anger stemmed from the fact that a tradition of treating the staff 'like family' within the Royal Family had been broken and that he personally knew many of those named, Lacey wrote.

Prince William and Prince Harry together in 2017. The brothers allegedly had a testy phone call following allegations that Meghan was rude to staff at Kensington Palace

The Duchess of Sussex in June 2018. The source at Kensington Palace claimed that Meghan would begin firing off emails as early as 5am leaving staff with a 'barrage' of messages in their inboxes

William's anger stemmed from the fact that a tradition within the Royal Family had been broken  treating the staff 'like family'.

Following the dossier, William and Harry allegedly had a testy phone call where the Duke of Sussex 'flared up in a fierce defence of his wife'.

Roberts wrote: 'The moment the Prince heard the bullying allegations he got straight on the phone to talk to Harry  and when Harry flared up in furious defence of his wife, the elder brother persisted.

'Harry shut off his phone angrily, so William went straight round to find his brother on the Kensington campus.'

As early as 2019, rumours of a falling out between the brothers started circulating.

It was first addressed by Harry in the documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, saying 'you have good days, you have bad days.'

But by 2020, tensions appeared to have deepened when Harry and Meghan announced their plans to step back as senior royals.

Harry later claimed in his Netflix series with Meghan that William screamed and shouted at him during the Sandringham summit.

The brothers were last reunited publicly together at their grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022, though they both attended the private funeral for their uncle Robert Fellowes last summer.

Speaking in an Australian documentary earlier this year, Knauf revealed that the estrangement between the two princes had been 'hard and sad.'

Prince William and Harry in July 2021. As early as 2019, rumours started circling that the brothers had fallen out

Harry and Meghan in 2019 during a royal tour of South Africa. A source claimed the Sussexes reigned over a 'really toxic environment' which saw colleagues shaking before meetings with the Duchess of Sussex

The Prince of Princess of Wales with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. This was the last time the brothers have been reunited publicly

Speaking in the documentary, he said: 'We have ups and downs in family even when you really love someone you can have times when you don't want to spend that much time with them.

'It's very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye but he's chosen to keep his thoughts on it private and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that.

'We should do the same, but I will say of course it's been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them.'

But it's not just the palace staff, for Meghan has developed a reputation of being difficult to work with.

In September 2024, an unnamed source told the Sunday Times that they witnessed 'people being chewed up in person and over the phone and made to feel like s***'.

Another source claimed that Meghan 'screamed' at a florist down the phone for half an hour after they failed to mention in a post online that the Duchess of Sussex was working with them on a bouquet.

Earlier this year, a bombshell profile in Vanity Fair claimed that Meghan would reportedly be 'warm and effusive' towards employees at the start before turning 'cold and withholding toward the person she perceived to be responsible' when something 'went poorly, often due to Meghan and Harry's own demands'.

A source who worked in media projects told the publication: 'She's constantly playing checkers  I'm not even going to say chess  but she's just very aware of where everybody is on her board.

When Jason Knauf (pictured) presented William with a 'dossier of distress' about Harry and Meghan's behaviour the prince reportedly 'went ballistic' and was left 'astonished' and 'horrified' by what he heard

Meghan at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in November 2019. Meghan reportedly brushed off a complaint about her conduct from a senior aide, claiming 'it's not my job to coddle people'

'And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves at any given moment,' which they say meant 'undermining' behaviour, adding: 'It's talking behind your back. It's gnawing at your sense of self. Really, like, Mean Girls teenager.'

The profile also details allegations from former employees of Meghan who reportedly felt mistreated during their time working with her.

These claims, which echoes accusations from her time at Kensington Palace, paint a troubling picture of a woman whose behaviour allegedly left staff 'having therapy' and led to allegations of 'bullying' behind the scenes. These allegations were vehemently denied by representatives of Meghan and Harry at the time.

However, reports are conflicting.

Producer Jane Marie, who worked with Harry and Meghan during the development of Archewell Audio projects, insisted to Vanity Fair that Meghan is 'just a lovely, genuine person'.

Other staff members have claimed that she would send her employees gifts ranging from dog leashes to skincare products.

These wildly varying accounts of the work culture Meghan presides over are supported by a source that worked with Meghan in the run-up to her wedding who said that she was 'lovely when it is all going her way but a demon when the worm turns'.

It is not only the Duchess of Sussex who has faced allegations of workplace bullying.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in 2022. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have faced allegations they bully members of staff and are difficult to work with

Meghan on the set of her Netflix show 'With Love, Meghan'. Former employees of the Duchess of Sussex reportedly felt mistreated during their time working with her

Prince Harry has been accused of 'harassment and bullying at scale' by the chair of a charity he helped set up.

In March, Prince Harry and his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho resigned from their roles as patrons of Sentebale due to a dispute between the charity's chair Dr Sophie Chandauka.

She reported Sentebale to the Charity Commission over issues including abuse of power, bullying, sexism and racism.

In a joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso said they were resigning from their roles with 'heavy hearts' and in 'solidarity with the board of trustees'.

The charitable foundation has been close to his heart since his gap year when he fell in love with Lesotho while volunteering in an orphanage.
Pretoria, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa is protesting the decision of the US to process alleged refugees from the country to resettle them in the the US, describing the basis as unfounded and entirely politically motivated
As they filed into St George's Chapel the wedding guests likely expected a similar format to William and Kate's wedding.

But imagine their surprise when they were met with a gospel choir and American bishop who delivered a passionate sermon.

As the couple mark their copper wedding anniversary, Harry and Meghan's big day couldn't have been more different than royal weddings of the past.

Guests even suggested it was the most diverse major event in the Queen's then 66-year reign.

Despite being an Anglican church service it had a distinctly American feel with a US bishop delivering a passionate address that appeared to make some royals snigger and a gospel choir filling the chapel with music from Ben E. King and Etta James.

But there was also much of the great British pageantry set in the fairy tale surroundings of Windsor Castle on a stunning May spring day.

At the time MailOnline reported that Meghan Markle had launched her own 'mini-revolution' as she married Harry in a multi-cultural and US-influenced wedding the likes of which Britain's royals and the millions watching had never seen before.

Robert Lacey, author of Battle Of Brothers, wrote that Reverend Bishop Michael Curry was one of two 'heroes' of the day  the other being Charles who stepped in to walk Meghan down to the altar.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's big day couldn't have been more different than royal weddings of the past and guests suggested it was the most diverse major event in the Queen's then 66-year reign

Robert Lacey, author of Battle Of Brothers, wrote that Reverend Bishop Michael Curry - pictured - was one of two 'heroes' of the day

Perhaps the most iconic reaction shot of them all came from Zara Tindall, who was seen wide-eyed with her mouth open as she watched the sermon

Bishop Curry, head of America's Episcopal Church was invited to the wedding to give a sermon on the 'healing power of love'.

However, more than a few eyebrows were raised when he went over his allotted six-minute time slot and preached for fourteen  and strayed from his prepared script.

His preaching was passionate and full of energy  which is not the kind of sermon the British royal family are used to hearing.

Lacey wrote: 'Bewilderment, giggling, mouths agape, stifled laughter  the full range of upper-class British embarrassment was laid bare.'

The wedding guests, which included Sir Elton John, David Beckham, George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey, are seen sitting in the familiar pews of St George's Chapel.

But as the camera focus changes between Bishop Curry and the wedding guests, there are some astute reaction shots.

Perhaps the most iconic reaction shot of them all came from Zara Tindall, who was seen wide-eyed with her mouth open as she watched the sermon.

It was an amusing moment which was shared across social media.

Lacey added: 'Most comment was reserved for the unconcealed jaw drop of Princess Anne 's daughter Zara Tindall , captured by all the cameras and looking as if she was in pain'

Zara - who was more than eight months pregnant with baby Lena - was quick to clarify the reason for her expression

At one point Mike Tindall could be seen caressing his wife's bump - suggesting their unborn baby was making their presence felt at the special occasion with a well-timed kick or two

Lacey added: 'Most comment was reserved for the unconcealed jaw drop of Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall, captured by all the cameras and looking as if she was in pain.'

But Zara  who was more than eight months pregnant with baby Lena  was quick to clarify the reason for her expression.

Zara told the Telegraph: 'My bum sort of slid over either side and Lena kicked the hell out of me for an hour.

At one point Mike Tindall could be seen caressing his wife's bump  suggesting their unborn baby was making their presence felt at the special occasion with a well-timed kick or two.

Five months later Zara made a cheeky remark by leaning across the pew and whispering to Harry at Eugenie's wedding.

Lip readers believe she said: 'It's very quiet compared to the screaming at your wedding.'

Of Harry and Meghan's wedding Lacey wrote: 'Camilla's shoulders were heaving  one understood why aristocratic ladies wore wide-brimmed hats to keep their facial expressions concealed.

'Sitting beside Camilla, Kate Middleton gave her stepmother-in-law a 'side eye' in reproof. The newspapers and website commentators all caught it.'

Good Housekeeping wrote at the time: 'We typically don't see such serious and stern behaviour from Kate'.

Lacey wrote: 'Sitting beside Camilla, Kate Middleton gave her stepmother-in-law a 'side eye' in reproof. The newspapers and website commentators all caught it'

Good Housekeeping wrote at the time: 'We typically don't see such serious and stern behaviour from Kate'

Charles, sat at the wedding with wife Camilla, was red faced and lowered his head

The sermon was a huge culture shock for the royals in attendance who are used to the Church of England's ecclesiastical style of preaching. Prince William and Charles are seen at the wedding

Kate's polite yet reproachful look was certainly a warning for Camilla  who wore a large hat hiding her face from the camera  to behave.

Meanwhile Charles was red faced and lowered his head.

Bishop Curry smiled, waved, theatrically gesticulated and asked direct questions to the congregation, speaking with so much passion that the candle next to him began to quake.

The sermon was a huge culture shock for the royals in attendance who are used to the Church of England's ecclesiastical style of preaching.

Princess Beatrice, often captured at events for her amusing facial expressions, widened her eyes and looked off-camera with a closed-mouth smile.

The reaction from the family was so pronounced that NBC's Saturday Night Live ran a skit that parodied the bishop  and called Bishop Curry the 'unexpected star' of the royal wedding.

This was a stark contrast to Bishop Richard Chartres who delivered a more self-reflective, reverent sermon at Will and Kate's wedding on love and spiritual life.

Chartres was Bishop of London at the time and also delivered a sermon at Margaret Thatcher's funeral.

Bishop Curry, head of America's Episcopal Church was invited to the wedding to give a sermon on the 'healing power of love'

On their special day Harry and Meghan held hands as they sat close to Bishop Curry and listened intently

At the time MailOnline reported that Meghan Markle had launched her own 'mini-revolution' as she married Harry in a multi-cultural and US-influenced wedding

The royal wedding was certainly a first for the royal family and changed the precedent for what can be expected from future occasions. Meghan waves as she arrives at the ceremony

The congregation were quiet and still, the way they were taught to behave in church as children.

On their special day Harry and Meghan held hands as they sat close to Bishop Curry and listened intently.

But the bishop appeared to realise he may have gone on speaking for too long, saying towards the end of the speech that he had better wrap up, as 'we gotta get you all married!'

The speech  described by some as the 'fire' speech for the large number of references made to it by the preacher  sparked social media attention.

Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband said the bishop could 'almost make me a believer'.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell wrote: 'Glued to the royal wedding has me in tears!! This is so beautiful.'

Bishop Curry's sermon was certainly a first for the royal family and changed the precedent for what can be expected from royal weddings.
Anyone who has used Tupperware to store their food will know just how easily the plastic containers can become stained.

And the oily orange tint from pasta sauces and stews seem to be a particularly stubborn blight.

But a viral hack circulating on social media claims there is a simple way to remove stains in just seconds.

Now, a scientist reveals why this trick works so well and explains how you can say goodbye to those pesky orange marks.

According to videos posted on TikTok, all you need to do to remove oily stains is to add water, dish soap, and a paper towel to the container and shake.

Once the sealed Tupperware has been sufficiently shaken, you should find yourself with an oily towel and sparkling clean plastic.

Jason Tetro, microbiologist and host of the Super Awesome Science Show and author of The Germ Code, told MailOnline: 'The hack works because its a two-pronged approach to getting rid of the stain.'

However, there are a few things you need to do to make sure this works every time.

Anyone who has ever used a Tupperware container will know how difficult it is to remove those pesky orange stains. Luckily, scientists have revealed an easy cleaning hack (stock image)

The viral hack circulating on TikTok claims that by adding soap, water, and a paper towel to your container before shaking, you can easily remove any greasy stains

Why do plastic containers get stained so easily?

Although the surface of a Tupperware container might look similar to other materials, it is very different at the microscopic level.

Mr Tetro says: 'Plastic containers, unlike steel and glass, are not completely smooth.

'If you take a look at them under an electron microscope, youll see pores that can allow oils to get trapped.'

This means that plastic containers are more likely to pick up oily stains from your food than glass or ceramic options.

Unlike discolouration caused by other substances, these stains are also particularly difficult to remove because of oil's chemical properties.

Mr Tetro says: 'The oils are stubborn because they repel water and as such, rinsing and washing wont extract them from those pores.'

Water is able to dissolve some substances because it is 'polar', meaning its molecules have areas of different electrical charges.

Plastic containers absorb oils because they are not perfectly smooth at the microscopic level, with the bumps and pores becoming more pronounced each time they are heated. This image shows a plastic takeaway container seen under a very powerful microscope

Oily foods leave more stubborn stains because oils cannot be dissolved in water. This is because their molecules don't have areas of different electrical charges for water molecules to stick to, meaning they cannot be broken down by water alone

Scientists explain that adding soap allows oils to break down because the detergent produces microscopic bubbles called micelles

How to clean a Tupperware according to science Add water and dish soap to the dirty container. Fold a piece of paper towel and drop it into the container. Seal the lid and shake vigorously. Open, remove the paper towel and rinse away excess soap. Advertisement

Other polar molecules, like salt, stick to these charged areas, allowing them to dissolve.

However, since oils aren't polar, water alone can't dissolve them - which makes oily stains harder to wash away.

How does this cleaning hack work?

This viral cleaning trick works to remove oily stains because it combines two effective techniques in one.

Since water alone can't dissolve oil, you need something that has the right chemical properties to pull the stains out of your Tupperware.

Mr Tetro says: 'Dish soap contains what we call a surfactant, and this chemical is excellent at trapping oils inside small, microscopic bubbles known as micelles.

'You can just add the detergent, and youll get micelles. But if you want to make as many as you can to improve stain removal, then you need to do one thing  shake it up like a Taylor Swift fan!

The more you shake, the more micelles you make and the better the stain removal process.'

As you shake the container, the micelles produced by the soap trap the oils and pull them away from the plastic

Tips to avoid Tupperware stains Don't leave containers filled with oily foods for too long.

Clean containers as soon as possible.

Allow food to cool completely before adding it to a container.

Never microwave food inside a Tupperware container. Advertisement

This is why putting water and soap in the container before vigorously shaking is key to helping get the plastic surface clean.

Natalie DApolito, a spokesperson for the American Cleaning Institute, told MailOnline: 'When combined with dish soap, shaking a paper towel and water inside a plastic storage container will cause agitation inside the container, helping to remove set-in stains by activating the soap and vigorously wiping the inside of the container.

'Another way to think about this is by considering how washing machines agitate, or move, the items inside during a wash cycle.'

However, it is important to use an absorbent paper towel rather than any other kind of scrubbing material.

Mr Tetro points out that the paper towel acts as 'another kind of trap, but this time for the micelles'.

'The micelles tend to float in the liquid freely and can end up pretty much anywhere, but if you provide a large matrix for them to get trapped, then you can prevent them from going back into the pores,' says Mr Tetro.

'First, the detergent makes all those micelles that trap the oil, and the paper towel traps those micelles so that they dont end up going back into the pores when you rinse the container.'

How to make this cleaning trick work

By adding an absorbent paper towel, these oil-laden micelles are then trapped in the mesh of fibres. This prevents the oil from escaping back onto the plastic, leaving the Tupperware clean

If you want to use this trick yourself, there are a few factors to bear in mind.

First, you need to clean the container as soon as possible to have the best chance of removing any stains.

While the micelles in the soap are effective at breaking down oils, there is a limit to how effective they can be.

The longer the oils are on the plastic, the longer they have to seep into the pores, and the harder the stain will be to remove.

'The sooner you can clean stains, the better the process will be,' says Mr Tetro.

Likewise, when a Tupperware container is heated, the plastic softens and the porous surface expands slightly, allowing oils to penetrate even further.

Ms D'Apolito says this can be caused by microwaving a container with food inside or by the residual heat from warm food.

So, if you want to ensure your containers are easy to clean, don't use them in the microwave and allow food to cool completely before storing it.
After more than 20 years, one of the most successful childrens books of all time is getting another installment.

A new book in 'The Gruffalo' series, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is set to hit the shelves in 2026.

As any parent will likely know, the original tells the tale of a plucky mouse encountering a series of predators  including the eponymous two-horned beast.

But if you thought there was nothing more to this best-selling picture book than a charming woodland narrative, you were wrong.

According to a scientific study, this 'vibrant and complex text' has hidden political meanings which until now have been overlooked.

The 700-word book 'offers an engagement with world politics' and an insight into 'sociopolitical worlds', the study claims.

The study was conducted by Lee Jarvis, professor of international politics at the University of East Anglia, and Nick Robinson, professor of politics and international studies at the University of Leeds.

As the experts point out, 'The Gruffalo' is a 'spectacularly successful' book with tens of millions of sales across dozens of languages since its publication in 1999.

First published in 1999 in the UK by Macmillan Childrens Books, 'The Gruffalo' written by Julia Donaldson (right) has been a phenomenal commercial and critical success

First published in 1999 in the UK by Macmillan Childrens Books, The Gruffalo has been a phenomenal commercial and critical success

'The Gruffalo' is the winner of the prestigious Nestle Smarties Prize, while a 2009 poll of BBC Radio 2 listeners identified it as the best bedtime story for children.

Inspired by a Chinese folk tale, it tells the story of a mouse strolling through the 'deep dark wood' when he encounters three animals  fox, owl and snake.

In turn, these three shady characters ask the quick-thinking mouse to accompany them home for a meal  whereupon they intend to eat it.

Although this may sound like a traditional fairy tale set-up, the duo's thorough 9,000-word analysis of the book reveals a complex depiction of international politics with multiple meanings.

Firstly, the wood is a metaphor for the world, while the fox, owl and snake are 'self-interested, survival-seekers' akin to global leaders.

'Theyre all sort of unitary actors that dont engage in any more meaningful way other than to attempt to satisfy their own self interests, said Jarvis.

In the book, the mouse manages to evade the fox, the owl and the snake by conjuring up the terrifying image of the fictional Gruffalo, which has 'sharp teeth', 'terrible claws', 'orange eyes' 'a poisonous wart on the end of his nose' and 'purple prickles all over his back'.

This, the team argue, reflects a politician's or a world leader's tendency to invent empty threats to influence other global powers and get what they want.

The first stories have taken the literary world by storm ever since they were published in 1999 and 2004 respectively. Pictured are illustrator Axel Scheffler and author Julia Donaldson celebrating 20 years of the original book, which was published in 1999

In the book, the wood is a metaphor for the world, while the fox, owl and snake are 'self-interested, survival-seekers' akin to global leaders. Pictured, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025

The Gruffalo: Basic plot The Gruffalo tells the story of a mouse strolling through the 'deep dark wood' when he encounters three characters - fox, owl and snake. In turn, these three characters ask the mouse to accompany them home for a meal - whereupon they intend to eat it. But the quick-thinking mouse evades them by inventing a fictional creature, the Gruffalo, with sharp teeth, terrible claws and a wart at the end of its nose. In a major twist about halfway through the book, the Gruffalo turns out to be real. The mouse then proceeds to show the other three creatures the Gruffalo, who all run away the terror. Believing that it's the mouse they find terrifying, the Gruffalo flees as well. Advertisement

Examples include Russian President Vladimir Putin's anti-British propaganda during its war on Ukraine, or Donald Trump's threats to build a wall between the US and Mexico.

'What the book does very nicely is to demonstrate successfully that security threats can be conjured up, can be created, said Jarvis.

What's more, 'The Gruffalo' presents a 'fundamental decolonial critique' of the world  where multiple incompatible characters are able to cross paths.

In this way, it hints at an increasingly unified world without borders or boundaries  potentially a metaphor for free-flowing movement of citizens.

The academics do not claim that author Julia Donaldson was inspired by the global political landscape when writing the book in the 1990s.

But they point out that she and illustrator Axel Scheffler have engaged directly in ongoing political conversations in the past.

For example, Donaldson suggested that her 2019 book 'The Smeds and The Smoos' could very much be seen as a Remain book following Brexit.

Meanwhile, their collaboration on a series of cartoons explaining the Covid crisis include one of the Gruffalo and his child 'stay[ing] in the Gruffalo cave.

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Review of International Studies, the paper demonstrates that childrens picture books are not 'just for kids'.

The authors argue that childrens picture books are 'far from trivial, disposable curios' but instead 'important sites of world politics'.

'The Gruffalos portrayal of mouses encounter with four predatory carnivores may be read, simply, as a readily identifiable allegory of a characteristically realist anarchical world in which life is nasty, brutish, and short,' they say.

'Building on this, children's picture books also offer potentially important insight into the politics of resistance and/or social values.

'There is rich potential for future research in this nascent field.'
An entrepreneur who appeared on the BBC's forgotten business show has revealed how it changed his life.

Kyle Frank, from London, was scouted for The Customer Is Always Right back in 2019 with his skincare business Frank's Remedies.

Hosted by Lucy Alexander, The Customer Is Always Right aired for two seasons and featured various business owners and their creations to be reviewed.

Kyle featured his three-step skin care routine product which includes a face wash, face gel and a cream, on the show.

He launched his business after struggling with skin issues himself and the instalment saw a range of people put his products to the test.

The businessman told MailOnline all about his experience on the show and how it impacted his company afterwards.

Kyle Frank, left, from London, was scouted for The Customer Is Always Right back in 2019 with his skincare business Frank's Remedies

Hosted by Lucy Alexander, The Customer Is Always Right aired for two seasons and featured various business owners and their creations to be reviewed

Kyle featured his three-step skin care routine product which includes a face wash, face gel and a cream, on the show

Kyle revealed he made a huge amount of sales after the episode went live in 2020.

'I didn't even know it was gonna help the way it did,' he said.

'So as soon as it aired, like we brought 75,000 in the space of about 12 hours.'

The skincare entrepreneur described how business boomed and said: 'After that, my phone had the Shopify app, it literally didn't stop. The bell didn't stop ringing. We got loads of inquiries.'

While 24 hours after the instalment Frank's Remedies made 100,000, Kyle disclosed.

Kyle shared how 'amazing' Lucy, who presents A Place In The Sun, was to work with for the show.

'She had really great compliments to say,' Kyle said. 'She wanted to try the products herself.'

He even shared a sweet moment with her during the show and recalled: 'She even complimented my skin on camera as well. Which is really nice, I guess. My first time, kind of working with a BBC presenter, and she was amazing.'

Aside from a huge surge in sales, Kyle explained how The Customer Is Always Right 'opened up the market' of his business.

He launched his business after struggling with skin issues himself and the instalment saw a range of people put his products to the test

The businessman told MailOnline all about his experience on the show and how it impacted his company afterwards

He revealed: 'When I actually initially launched the brand, I was thinking it was going to be more centred around acne, more my age group and stuff like that.

'So I think being on the show as well, it opened up to what I knew the solution for the products were.'

During the show, Kyle's products were used by a range of different people, ages and with different skin issues.

He added: 'I think it's a real testament to why we're still existing now. Because most of our customers, are much older than I initially thought they would be, but we still have that age range.

'Yeah, it was a great experience to have.'

The businessman admitted he found being filmed by a camera crew 'daunting'.

He explained how nerve-wracking it was having his brand analysed by so many people for the first time too.

Kyle revealed he made a huge amount of sales after the episode went live in 2020. 'I didn't even know it was gonna help the way it did,' he said. 'So as soon as it aired, like we brought 75,000 in the space of about 12 hours.'

'It was very, very daunting. And obviously, because my first time, like I said before, like launching a brand as well,' Kyle said.

'So it was the first time I'd had so many eyes on the product as well, and I created a product that's kind of like a problem solution for me.'

He added: 'So it was my first time actually getting so many people to try it.

'It could have really been a hit or miss when it actually went on to the show.

'Luckily, it did great, the product showed that they worked and had amazing results, like all ages, ethnicity and genders as well. Which was great, too.'
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A-listers have often been admired for their superhuman beauty.

But between airbrushed photoshoots and Photoshopped social pictures, it can be difficult to tell just how real or fake some picture perfect appearances are.

Now, close-up unfiltered images of beloved celebrities have emerged and show they are just as 'human' as the rest of us.

UK-based aesthetician and owner of House of Skincare Alexis Fraser took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal the real skin texture of some of the world's most beautiful stars.

She shared several close-up images of Madonna, Kylie Jenner, Pamela Anderson, Demi Moore, Lorde, Anna Hathaway and Sydney Sweeney at this year's Met Gala.

The pictures highlight their natural skin texture which often feature 'bumps, blemishes, and wrinkles'.

A-listers have often been admired for their almost superhuman beauty, and the annual Met Gala is the perfect platform for their glamorous looks to shine. Pictured: Kylie Jenne

'Yes, celebs have pores, lines, bumps, blemishes, and wrinkles too,' Alexis captioned the video.

'It's called being human! Nobody's skin is airbrushed in real life even though it looks like it online.'

One photo shows Madonna, who has long been known to airbrush her social media pictures, revealing her natural complexion under a porcelain shade of foundation, along with a brown eyeshadow and ruby red lip.

Meanwhile, Pamela Anderson and Lorde went for the no-makeup makeup look at the event, proudly showing off their tiny imperfections.

Elsewhere, Kylie Jenner, who complained of a tiny breakout this week during a trip to Europe, still looked flawless in photos from the red carpet, which had not been airbrushed.

It comes after fashion's night-of-night's was slammed as 'boring' and 'underwhelming' after failing to deliver the star power and glamour of years past.

The annual invite-only soiree kicked off Tuesday at New York City's famed Metropolitan Museum of Art with A-list fixtures like Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry noticeably missing.

While this year's theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' presented an opportunity for 'boundary-pushing' looks, the red carpet was besieged by celebrities in drab black and grey outfits.

Now, close-up, unfiltered images of beloved celebrities have emerged, revealing they are just as 'human' as the rest of us, said skin specialist Alexis Fraser. Pictured: Madonna at Met Gala

The pictures showed stars rocking their natural skin texture, which often featured 'bumps, blemishes, and wrinkles', just like the everyday person. Pictured: Pamela Anderson at Met Gala

'It's called being human! Nobody's skin is airbrushed in real life even though it looks like it online,' Alexis said. Pictured: Demi Moore at Met Gala

Even bombshells like Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Kim Kardashian failed to stand-out as they made the trek up the museum's iconic staircase in forgettable looks.

While 'not following the theme' is typically a major faux pas, Gigi Hadid's slinky gold Miu Miu gown was a welcome reprieve among a sea of dreary dresses and suits.

Fans compared the 2025 event to a 'funeral' as they flocked to social media to voice their disappointmentwith some even speculating the Met Gala is 'dead'.

'Maybe it's the theme, I don't know but so far the outfits at the Met Gala have been so dull, boring & just underwhelming #Met Gala,' one fan tweeted out on X.

Another declared the 2025 event was the 'most boring #MetGala ever'.

Fans were exhausted seeing the same 'boring suits' worn by the likes of Hollywood hunks Jeremy Allen White and Callum Turner on the red carpet.

Some wondered if celebrities were 'misunderstanding' the year's themefocused on black dandyismor if it accidentally encouraged 'boring' looks.

'You know the theme is boring when most people look basic and even Zendaya flopped,' one X user remarked.

While the night's 'boring' outfits dominated the conversation on social media, many Met Gala devotees couldn't help but remark on the lack of star power.

Many were left disappointed as they wasted time waiting for Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Blake Lively to 'show up'.

Also missing from the 2025 action were Met Gala favorites like Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish, Beyonce, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Bella Hadid.

Sydney Sweeney opted for a very glamorous but heavy makeup look
An iconic 80s TV star was spotted on a very rare public outing this week.

The acclaimed actor, now 74 - who is the son of two Hollywood greats - shot to fame in 1976 film Carrie, but he is best known for his role in an acclaimed 80s superhero series.

He starred alongside his Emmy-winning mom in a string of television films while his dad was a 50s heartthrob.

He famously just missed out on the legendary role of Luke Skywalker to Mark Hamill in the Star Wars trilogy.

The star also released a soft rock amid his success on TV.

So can you guess who he is?

An iconic 80s TV star was spotted on a very rare public outing this week - can you guess who it is?

The acclaimed actor, now 74 - who is the son of two Hollywood greats - shot to fame in 1976 film Carrie, but he is best known for his role in an acclaimed superhero series

It's The Greatest American Hero actor William Katt!

The actor starred as teacher Ralph Hinkley who is given superhuman abilities by a group of aliens in the ABC show, which ran from 1981-1983.

The lead character's name was memorably temporarily changed to Hanley for a few months after President Ronald Reagan's shooting by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981.

Katt is the son of Hollywood greats Barbara Hale and Bill Williams. The pair met in 1945 during the filming of West of the Pecos, wed the next year and had three children together.

Hale was best known for portraying legal secretary Della Street in television series Perry Mason between 19571966.

She won an Emmy for the role in 1959 in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category.

She would go onto reprise her role in 30 Perry Mason TV movies between 1985-1995 alongside her son and husband.

Hale died in January 2017 at age 94 of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Williams starred as the titular character in the western series The Adventures of Kit Carson from 1951-1955 - with Katt inspired by his parents to enter the world of acting.

It's The Greatest American Hero actor William Katt! Pictured 1981 in the ABC show as Ralph Hinkley

Katt was spotted on a casual outing in LA this week

The star wrapped up in a grey fleece and chinos on the outing

Katt is the son of Hollywood greats Barbara Hale and Bill Williams - pictured 1957

The pair met in 1945 during the filming of West of the Pecos, wed the next year and had three children together. Williams starred as the titular character in the western series The Adventures of Kit Carson from 1951-1955 - pictured 1955

He played jock Tommy Ross in 1976 film Carrie alongside Sissy Spacek

Katt played private detective Paul Drake Jr. in nine Perry Mason films between 1985 and 1988, alongside mom Hale as Della Street

He starred in surfing movie Big Wednesday (1978) alongside Jan-Michael Vincent and Gary Busey and his own mom Hale

In 1979 he starred with Tom Berenger in Butch and Sundance - The Early Days

Williams passed away in September 1992 aged 77 from a brain tumor.

After starting in summer theater, Katt played jock Tommy Ross in 1976 horror film Carrie, before his role in surfing movie Big Wednesday (1978) alongside Jan-Michael Vincent and Gary Busey and his own mom Hale.

He played Sundance Kid in the 1979 film Butch and Sundance: The Early Days.

He missed out on the history making Skywalker role in 1975 and instead starred in First Love in 1977 - the year the first Star Wars film was released.

Amid the success of The Greatest American Hero, he released album Secret Smiles in 1982, under the name Billy Katt.

Katt played private detective Paul Drake Jr. in nine Perry Mason films between 1985 and 1988, alongside Hale.

Katt is pictured in 1989 in Top of the Hill

He shares two sons with first wife Deborah - pictured in 1982

He also has a daughter and stepson with second wife Danielle Hirsch - pictured 1997

The star is seen in his iconic suit backstage at the 6th Annual TV Land Awards in 2008

His other TV appearances include House, Heroes and Diagnosis Murder while he has acted in films including Mirrors 2, The Man From Earth and Alien vs Hunter - pictured 2018

His other TV appearances include House, Heroes and Diagnosis Murder while he has acted in films including Mirrors 2, The Man From Earth and Alien vs Hunter.

Katt was married to Deborah Kahane from 1979-1992 and they have two sons, Clayton and Emerson.

He has been married to Danielle Hirsch since 1993 with whom he shares a daughter and stepson.
Tom Cruise has reportedly approached his new girlfriend Ana de Armas for the leading role in his upcoming film.

The Hollywood star, 62, who was first linked to the actress, 37, on Valentine's Day, is said to believe she is 'one of the best in the business'.

Tom is currently working on his new Mission: Impossible film, another movie named Judy and a third with the working title Pressure.

It is not known which of his blockbuster project he has allegedly lined up Ana for but he reportedly hopes to star alongside her in an upcoming movie.

A source told The Sun: 'He is developing a new film and he has approached Ana to be his leading lady.

'Ana is one of the best actresses in the business as far as Tom is concerned and he wants her by his side in the new movie.

Tom Cruise has reportedly approached his new girlfriend Ana de Armas for the leading role in his upcoming film

The Hollywood star, 62, who was first linked to the actress, 37, on Valentine's Day, is said to believe she is 'one of the best in the business'

'Tom has a lot on his plate at the moment, but this new project is really exciting for Tom and he wants Ana to be in it with him.'

MailOnline has contacted Tom's representatives for comment.

It comes after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Ben Affleck is 'annoyed' that his fellow A-lister pal Tom is dating his ex-girlfriend Ana.

'Ben is kind of [a] jealous [type], yup,' a source told DailyMail.com.

'He really liked Ana a lot and then she walked away and left him sad. So to see her happy with his friend is kind of weird for him.'

Ben's friends have joked that the star 'should get revenge on Tom by dating his ex-wife Katie Holmes,' who appears to be single.

However, logistically, Ben lives in Los Angeles while the Dawson's Creek star calls New York City home.

Ben - who used to date Tom's pal Gwyneth Paltrow - has always been 'a little bit' jealous of Tom's amazing action film career, it has been claimed.

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Ben Affleck is 'annoyed' that his fellow A-lister pal Tom is dating his ex-girlfriend Ana (the actors are pictured in 2013)

Tom and Ana have been in a romance since Valentine's Day. Most recently they were spotted enjoying a romantic stroll in a London park last week (pictured with their security)

'I think every working actor in Hollywood is jealous of Tom's success and Ben is not any different,' the source added, downplaying the tension.

They noted: 'But Ben is also happy for Tom. I mean, he admires that a colleague in his sixties is still going hard on the big screen. Ben hopes to be so lucky one day.'

Ben dated Ana from March 2020 to January 2021. They were first linked while filming thriller Deep Water but went their separate ways after nearly a year together.

Ana and Tom have been in romantically linked since Valentine's Day and were most recently spotted enjoying a romantic stroll in a London park.

A video captured by an eagle-eyed fan showed the couple enjoying the sunshine on Ana's 37th birthday last week.

Surrounded by security, Ana was dressed in a casual pale-pink T-shirt and skinny jeans, accessorising with a Louis Vuitton cross-body bag.

Tom was rumoured to be taking Ana to his friend David Beckham's 50th birthday party at Core in London, but he instead made a solo appearance at the bash.
An actress known for her roles in 1990s romantic comedies kept a low profile as she went shopping in New York City on Thursday.

The star, known for her roles in The Truth About Cats & Dogs, and The Matchmaker, this actress has worked in all genres of television and film.

The Romy And Michele's High School Reunion actress got her start in stand-up but has proven her ability to make people laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time.

Janeane Garofalo, 60, adopted a boho look as she wandered the stalls of Soho.

The Emmy nominee showcased her toned and tattooed arms wearing a sleeveless gray T-shirt with a pair of mustard colored pants.

The Now and Then star wore dark blue Hoka sneakers for her foray into the streets of New York.

An actress known for her role in 1990s romantic comedies kept a low profile as she went shopping in New York City on Thursday

The Boys Go To Jupiter actress's long, dark hair was styled in natural waves and she appeared to be wearing minimal makeup.

The Harley Quin voice actress wore sunglasses with pink lenses as she perused a jewelry stand looking for a small treasure to take home.

According to a 2022 article in The New York Times, the funny woman is still performing standup, but as she has not social media, her gigs are sometimes difficult to find.

Poking fun at her chosen unruly fashion choices the comic has been known to joke 'Im not ready for Eileen Fisher,' a clothing brand of loose fitting classic pieces, 'I cant cross that Rubicon.'

In an article with Elle magazine in 1996, when an interviewer noted she has lost weight for her role in The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Garofalo, admitted she had.

'Over 25 pounds, and I'm highly ashamed,' she said.

'I want to go on record: I've crossed over to the side of the sellouts.'

When answer why, she said, 'I was unhappy with the lack of employment, and I realized that as a woman in this business, there is one way to increase my chances of getting hired.'

Janeane Garofalo, 60, adopted a boho look for her outing in Soho, showcasing her toned and tattooed arms wearing a sleeveless gray T-shirt with a pair of mustard colored pants

The Harley Quin voice actress wore sunglasses with pink lenses as she perused a jewelry stand looking for a small treasure to take home

Garofalo starred in the 1996 romcom The Truth About Cats & Dogs, a role she admitted she was embarrassed to play because her character is insecure and lies about her appearance

Continuing, she explained, 'Because, miraculously, you become more talented as you become thinner. It's like this magical thing where the skinnier you get, the more casting directors seem to respond to your talent.'

Revisiting the film with the outlet in 2016, the versatile star admitted she wasn't happy about the role as a veterinarian who lies about her appearance.

'For me, personally, being cast as the Cyrano de Bergerac type, who is so unappealing to the eye that one must hide their identity, fed into all my worst fears about myself,' she explained.

'It didn't feel great to be that person. But it is what it is, and it was a huge opportunity for someone like me, who had previously been, for the most part, unknown to a great many people. So in that sense I was grateful; in the other sense, I was embarrassed.'
Kelly Bensimon enjoyed a PDA-filled date night with a Connecticut businessman in NYC this week on Wednesday.

The RHONY alum, 57 - who recently spent quality time with one of her daughters - seemingly indulged in a belated birthday dinner with a man revealed to be financier Robert Flood.

The reality star's outing comes nearly one year after she called off her wedding to Scott Litner just days before the official ceremony in June 2024.

She arrived to a restaurant called Beefbar in the Tribeca area of the bustling city, and just minutes later she was joined by Flood who sported a navy suit jacket as well as denim jeans.

The pair met outside of the eatery and exchanged a hug and a kiss before making their way inside.

Kelly and Robert dined for around three hours and at one point, a small cake with a candle on top was delivered to their table. Earlier this month on May 1, Bensimon notably rang in her 57th birthday.

Kelly Bensimon, 57, enjoyed a PDA-filled date night with a Connecticut businessman in NYC this week on Wednesday

The RHONY alum seemingly indulged in a belated birthday dinner with a man revealed to be financier Robert Flood

Afterwards, the two exited the restaurant and briefly stood outside while awaiting for an Uber to pick them up.

Flood was seen laying a gentle kiss on her cheek as she lightly placed her hand on his back.

The TV personality flashed a peace sign in a friendly gesture towards fans before hopping inside a vehicle to head to her next destination with Robert.

A source told Page Six that the Managing Director of Truist Securities has previously dated Tiger Woods' former mistress and also podcast host Rachel Uchitel.

However, whether Kelly has sparked up a romance with Flood or if the pair are simply pals is not known.

Bensimon turned heads in a stylish look that comprised of a shimmering, dark blue miniskirt and matching blazer.

She additionally opted for a black New York Yankees shirt and slipped into a pair of open-toed, silver strappy heels.

Kelly's long locks were parted in the middle, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in elegant waves.

She arrived to a restaurant called Beefbar in the Tribeca area of the bustling city, and just minutes later she was joined by Flood who sported a navy suit jacket as well as denim jeans

The pair met outside of the eatery and exchanged a hug and a kiss before making their way inside

Kelly and Robert dined for around three hours and at one point, a small cake with a candle on top was delivered to their table. Earlier this month on May 1, Bensimon notably rang in her 57th birthday

Afterwards, the two exited the restaurant and briefly stood outside while awaiting for an Uber to pick them up

Flood was seen laying a gentle kiss on her cheek as she lightly placed her hand on his back

The TV personality flashed a peace sign in a friendly gesture towards fans before hopping inside a vehicle to head to her next destination with Robert

The star's latest outing this week comes almost one year after she called off her wedding to Scott Litner only days before the ceremony was set to take place.

The former couple had gotten engaged in the summer of 2023 - but Kelly chose to not walk down the aisle when Litner refused to sign a prenup.

In a statement to Page Six at the time, she expressed: 'I have decided that my two daughters are my priority and I won't be moving forward with this wedding.'

Kelly is mom to children Sea, 27, and Teddy, 24 - whom she shares with ex-husband Gilles Bensimon. The pair were married from 1997 until their split in 2006.

Bensimon had also told People, 'Ultimately, my decision is nobody's business, but I understand that there is speculation and gossip, and I want to put an end to all of it.

'To be clear, he refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, and I refused to marry him. Full stop.'

An accompanying statement also read: 'She was looking forward to an exciting new chapter in her life together with Scott when everything became clear to her late on Tuesday afternoon.

'[He] refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, effectively stalling their engagement mere days before the wedding.'

However, whether Kelly has sparked up a romance with Flood or if the pair are simply pals is not known

She additionally opted for a black New York Yankees shirt and slipped into a pair of open-toed, silver strappy heels

'To be clear, he refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, and I refused to marry him. Full stop,' Kelly said of Litner; former couple seen in 2023 in NYC

Bensimon further explained, 'He thought that I would enter this union without legal protections in place, that I would leave everything to faith.

'But I've worked really, really, hard as a single mother and have always made smart decisions for myself and my family, and that will continue.'

The following month in July, Kelly also informed DailyMail.com, 'I'm obviously extremely disappointed, but it's not something that just happened. This is something that was building up over time and the prenup was a big deal for me.

'It's like when you're a single parent, whether you have thousands in your account or you have a 100 million in your account, women are going to need to protect themselves, and I'm just not going to take a risk.'

She also talked about how her circumstance has 'opened a lot of doors' when it comes to having conversations about prenuptial agreements.

'It's about having personal respect and value, which I have. I'm raising two girls, who are really important to me.

'But the prenup is really important because it talks about more than just your own personal value,' Bensimon added.

'I guess the biggest takeaway from this is just about protecting myself and my friends and being a solid female that people can come to.'

Kelly is mom to children Sea, 27, and Teddy, 24 - whom she shares with ex-husband Gilles Bensimon. The pair were married from 1997 until their split in 2006; seen with her daughters in 2024 in Jamaica

'I guess the biggest takeaway from this is just about protecting myself and my friends and being a solid female that people can come to,' she told DailyMail.com; seen trying on wedding dresses in NYC in May 2024

Kelly expressed, 'I've had so many people reach out to me and say, This happened to meI just have so much empathy for them, and I try to be a solid sounding board for them...'

Only two months after not going through with the wedding, the media personality had revealed to Page Six that she was stepping back into the dating scene.

'I'm not in a relationship. I amhappy to move forward with new possibilities... [I'm] having fun dating.'

The Real Housewives alum continued, 'I am enjoying myself. I am not hunting. I can't wait for my next chapter. I am not in a committed relationship.'
Justin Baldoni made a shocking decision over attending the upcoming Cannes Film Festival with Scarlett Johansson.

Amid his ongoing legal drama with her ex-husband Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, the 41-year-old actor will not be attending the Cannes premiere of Johansson's directorial debut film Eleanor the Great.

DailyMail.com has learned that 'Baldoni will not be attending the Eleanore the Great premiere at Cannes.

'Wayfarer Studios will continue to champion this film, and will have a presence at the festival to support the cast and filmmakers.'

This comes amid concerns that Johansson's feature directorial debut could be 'overshadowed' by the drama involving her ex-husband Reynolds and Lively  who has been on the press tour for her new movie Another Simple Favor.

Even though his film is in competition, Baldoni is choosing to step back to as he and his production company have been locked in a contentious legal battle with Reynolds and Lively over her and Baldoni's movie It Ends With Us.

Justin Baldoni made a shocking decision over attending the upcoming Cannes Film Festival with Scarlett Johansson; pictured December 2023 in New York City

Johannson will be making her feature film directorial debut with Eleanor the Great at Cannes on May 20. The film is financed by Wayfarer, who is also one of the production companies, and Baldoni is an executive producer; pictured April in New York City

Lively has accused Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath of sexual harassment, and additionally alleged she was subject to a targeted smear campaign in the run-up to the release of It Ends With Us.

Baldoni then launched a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and the New York Times, which reported her first claim.

Wayfarer and Baldoni were dropped by their agency amid the mounting drama, which sources close to him say cost him 'three jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars,' via the Hollywood Reporter.

Late last month, famed attorney Lisa Bloom has exclusively told DailyMail.com how the swirling publicity around the feud could potentially splash back on Johansson's movie.

'The success or failure of this Baldoni produced film will be highly relevant in court,' Bloom observed of Johansson's new project.

'If it flops, Baldoni will blame the Blake Lively lawsuit and point to the failure as an example of the millions of dollars in damages he is seeking,' she noted.

'If it succeeds, his theory that he just can't make it in Hollywood because of Blake Lively will be obliterated,' Bloom added.

'And expect ScarJo and other big names on the film to be subpoenaed to testify at the Lively-Baldoni trial as to the money he makes from the film, and whether the case really cost him as much as he says.'

Amid his ongoing legal drama with her ex-husband Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, the 41-year-old actor will not be attending the Cannes premiere of Eleanor the Great

Reynolds and Johansson married in 2008 and announced their split in 2010, two years before he tied the knot with Lively, with whom he now has four children; pictured June 2010 in New York City

This comes amid concerns that Johansson's feature directorial debut could be 'overshadowed' by the drama involving her ex-husband Reynolds and Lively  who has been on the press tour for her new movie Another Simple Favor; pictured August 2024 in New York City

Even though his film is in competition, Baldoni is choosing to step back to as he and his production company have been locked in a contentious legal battle with Reynolds and Lively over her and Baldoni's movie It Ends With Us; pictured January 2024 in Jersey City

Lively has accused Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath of sexual harassment, and additionally alleged she was subject to a targeted smear campaign in the run-up to the release of It Ends With Us; pictured August 2024 in New York City

Baldoni then launched a $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and the New York Times, which reported her first claim

The attorney, whose mother is the vaunted feminist lawyer Gloria Allred, said: 'I also suspect the film's release will be overshadowed by press questions about the Lively-Baldoni legal fight, which slogs on.'

Bloom is no stranger to cases involving sexual misconduct allegations, having served as an attorney for women who accused Bill O'Reilly of harassment.

She also controversially advised Harvey Weinstein as the claims against him first began to gather steam ahead of the outbreak of the Me Too movement.

Bloom has represented five alleged Jeffrey Epstein victims and two plaintiffs who say they were sexually assaulted by Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who has strenuously denied the cascade of accusations against him.

In 2018 she acted as counsel for Janice Dickinson, who sued Bill Cosby for defamation after his lawyer said she was lying when she accused the comic of having drugged and raped her in the 1980s.

The defamation case ended in what Bloom hailed as an 'epic' settlement, saying Dickinson would be 'fully compensated for being called a liar,' via CNN.

Late last month, famed attorney Lisa Bloom has exclusively told DailyMail.com how the swirling publicity around the feud could potentially splash back on Johansson's movie; Lively and Baldoni pictured in It Ends With Us movie still

'And expect ScarJo and other big names on the film to be subpoenaed to testify at the Lively-Baldoni trial,' the insider said about the ongoing legal drama surrounding the former co-stars' romantic drama; pictured in It Ends With Us movie still

Reynolds and Johansson married in 2008 and announced their split in 2010, two years before he tied the knot with Lively, with whom he now has four children.

Johansson, who is now married to Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost, has made her feature film directorial debut with Eleanor The Great.

The movie stars 95-year-old June Squibb as the title character, a nonagenarian woman who moves back to New York from Florida after her best friend dies.

With a cast that includes 12 Years A Slave lead Chiwetel Ejiofor, Eleanor The Great is slated to premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes in May.

Johansson has not publicly addressed the Lively-Baldoni drama, but her husband made a joke about it on Saturday Night Live last month.

During a comic riff on Donald Trump's explosive Oval Office argument with Volodymyr Zelensky, Jost quipped that the Ukrainian president 'said he thinks he can still salvage his relationship with President Trump, which is like Justin Baldoni saying: 'I'd love to work with Blake again.''
New York, US (PANA)  The United States should not forcibly transfer migrants to Libya, where inhumane detention conditions are well-documented, including torture, ill-treatment, sexual assault, and unlawful killings, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said
Melissa Leong has revealed a surprising career move as she steps out from the kitchen and onto the catwalk this week.

The former MasterChef Australia star, 43, will make her runway debut at Australian Fashion Week, reported The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

The famous foodie, who is known for turning heads with her eye-catching looks, will hit the catwalk for long-time collaborator Gary Bigeni's show Dance Bigeni, Dance.

The Sydney-based designer told the publication the collection would pay homage to movement.

'Its about showing up with confidence, in colour, in shape, in spirit  for you first,' he said.

'As someone who grew up with a disability, colour and form have always spoken loudly to me, theyve been tools of joy, identity, and expression.'

Melissa Leong, 43, has revealed a surprising career move as she steps out from the kitchen and onto the catwalk this week

Gary has a hearing disability and has worn hearing aids since birth.

It's not the first time the foodie and the fashionista have collaborated, with Gary behind many of the eye-catching ensembles she wore during MasterChef.

In fact, the designer has named two dresses after the celebrity chef.

Back in 2021, Gary renamed a hand painted tye-dyed maxi dress she wore on the show the 'Melissa' after it sold out following it's airing on the hit Channel Ten series.

Then, in 2024, Gary unveiled a new dress called the Leong, also in honour of his 'muse'.

'Melissa Leong muse wearing this bias cut silk dress hand painted by me,' Gary wrote at the time.

'All pieces are painted using dead stock to reduce wastage within the environment. Style Leong is named after Melissa Leong as a way of saying thank for your love and support over the years.'

Speaking to Refinery29 in 2022, Gary revealed he had known Melissa long before she wore his creations on the small screen.

The former MasterChef Australia star will make her runway debut at Australian Fashion Week, reported The Daily Telegraph on Saturday

The famous foodie, who is known for turning heads with her eye-catching looks, will hit the catwalk for long-time collaborator Gary Bigeni's show Dance Bigeni, Dance

'She's always been a big supporter and a she's a muse as well,' he said.

'She represents my [idea of] diversity - she represents real women to me and she's very authentic.'

He added: 'She's very realistic and how you see her on TV is her in real life. She's not pretending to be someone.'

Melissa left MasterChef Australia in 2023 under a cloud of suspicion about an alleged feud with her former co-host Andy Allen.

Following revelations of backstage tensions between Melissa and crew members employed by Ten's production partner Endemol Shine in 2022, came news she was no longer in the MasterChef Australia line-up.

She shocked fans when she shared news of her departure to Instagram one day before the network's 2024 Upfronts.

'The changing of the guard is one I always planned to embrace, and I'm so glad to do that on my terms, today,' Melissa wrote at the time.




Ant Middleton has reportedly sold his huge Essex family home for a huge sum, believed to be in the region of 1.35million.

The former SAS: Who Dares Wins star, 44, was allegedly forced to put his five-bed property on the market after his reported business debts left him facing bankruptcy, according to The Sun.

Ant and his wife Emilie, also 44, purchased their swanky rural home in 2019 for 1.16million and have now reportedly sold it with a nice profit, though it didn't met their initial asking price of 1.5million.

According to the publication, the TV fitness star's lavish property boasted a 50,000 orangery, a lavish designer kitchen and a gym, and was worth 1.5million.

MailOnline has contacted Ant's representatives for comment.

The sale of the couple's matrimonial home had been reported in a liquidation update for Ant's company Sway and Starting.

Ant Middleton has reportedly sold his huge Essex family home for a huge sum, believed to be in the region of 1.35million

Filed at Companies House, a Progress Report on the 'media representation' business, stated: 'During the period a settlement was entered into with the director whereby he would pay 300,000 in full and final settlement of his overdrawn Directors Loan Account.

'The director failed to adhere to the payment plan and only one instalment was received.

'A statutory demand was served on the Director with a view to petitioning for his bankruptcy. He subsequently agreed to sell his matrimonial home and provide the remainer of the amount owed under the settlement agreement.'

It was recently reported that Ant, a father-of-five, was banned from being a company director after he failed to pay his taxes.

Ant, previously the boss of Sway and Starting Limited along with his wife Emilie Middleton, allegedly left large amounts unpaid despite making more than four times the money over the same period.

In total, the company didn't hand over more than 1million in tax but continued to welcome 4.5million into its accounts, 'indicating it had enough money to pay the tax it owed in full', the Government's Insolvency Service said.

The statement added: 'Both the directors failed to ensure the company paid more than 300,000 in VAT and over 800,000 in corporation tax between 2019 and 2022.

'This was despite more than 4.5 million being paid into the company's accounts from 2020 to 2022.

The former SAS: Who Dares Wins star, 44, was allegedly forced to put his lavish five-bed property on the market after his reported business debts left him facing bankruptcy

The alleged 'forced sale' of the couple's matrimonial home had been reported in a liquidation update for Ant's company Sway and Starting

'The pair had also taken out almost 3 million from the company in the form of a director's loan account by the time the company went into liquidation in December 2022.

'Ant Middleton later agreed to repay 300,000 of the director's loan as a full and final settlement with the liquidator.'

The Middletons have been subsequently banned as company directors for four years.

Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, said: 'Companies not paying the tax they should deprives the government of the money it needs to pay for the country's defence services, our NHS, schools and universities, and transport systems.

'Ant and Emilie Middleton had legal and financial duties as directors to ensure their company paid the corporation tax and VAT it owed. Instead, they were taking millions of pounds out of the company at that time.

'This disqualification should serve as a deterrent to other directors that if you do not pay your taxes while directing money elsewhere, you are at risk of being banned.'

Ant formed the company in September 2019, with his wife becoming a director in May 2019.

Previously known as Middleton Global Limited, Sway and Starting was set up to manage income from Ant's television and media work and is described as offering media representation services.

Ant Middleton - centre left - is well known for giving SAS Who Dares Wins candidates a grilling on the Channel 4 programme

The company failed to pay any of the 869,351 in corporation tax it owed between September 2019 and March 2021.

In addition, Sway and Starting only paid 267,443 in VAT out of a total 651,961 between March 2020 and September 2022, leaving 384,518 unpaid.

Meanwhile, Insolvency Service analysis of the firm's bank accounts showed 4,592,200 was paid into the company between April 2020 and November 2022.

By the time of its liquidation, the pair also owed Sway and Starting at least 2,961,745 through their director's loan account.

Bans against Ant and Emilie by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade began earlier this year.

The pair are now reportedly prevented from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

A Companies House Progress Report said: 'During the period a settlement was entered into with the director whereby he would pay 300,000 in full and final settlement of his overdrawn Directors Loan Account.

'The director failed to adhere to the payment plan and only one instalment was received.

Sway and Starting went into liquidation in December 2022, with the progress report filed by liquidators begbies Traynor being the third insolvency document drawn up

'A statutory demand was served on the Director with a view to petitioning for his bankruptcy. He subsequently agreed to sell his matrimonial home and provide the remainder of the amount owed under the settlement agreement.'

Sway and Starting went into liquidation in December 2022, with the progress report filed by liquidators Begbies Traynor being the third insolvency document drawn up.

A Statement of Affairs signed off by Ant at liquidation reported monies owed by directors to the firm stood at 2.7million.

Also reported were 1.2million in tax debts - comprising 342,792 in VAT, 907,191 in corporation tax and 6,370 in employee taxes.

Sway and Starting was set up by the couple in 2014, trading as Middleton Global until September 2022.

Its original net worth was modest but an upturn in profits was soon underway, accompanied by an increase in the firm's tax debt.
Blake Lively shamelessly promoted her hair care line just hours after it was revealed BFF Taylor Swift was officially subpoenaed amid the actress's ongoing Justin Baldoni lawsuit.

The Gossip Girl alum, 37  who recently lost another A-list pal who is close to Swift  shared a clip to her Instagram stories as a hair stylist tested out $19 Glam Mousse from the brand.

The star launched the company last year around the time her movie It Ends With Us hit theaters, and consumers can purchase items at Target stores or online.

Lively chose to not address the Grammy winner's subpoena and instead reposted the promotional reel that had been uploaded to the brand's main account.

'I'm obsessed with this video,' Blake typed out as the hair stylist utilized the mousse on a model.

But also on Friday, Swift issued a blistering response as she was subpoenaed as a witness amid the publicized legal war between Lively and Justin. She had been sent a legal notice by Baldoni's lawyer Bryan Freedman as a witness.

Blake Lively, 37, shamelessly promoted her hair care line just hours after it was revealed BFF Taylor Swift was officially subpoenaed amid the actress's ongoing Justin Baldoni lawsuit; seen earlier this month in NYC

But also on Friday, Swift issued a blistering response as she was subpoenaed as a witness amid the publicized legal war between Lively and Justin; the two pals seen in 2024 in Las Vegas

Taylor's camp is slamming the subpoena as they argue that she was not very involved in the drama on set of 2024 film It Ends With Us.

A rep for Taylor gave a blistering response to DailyMail.com which read: 'Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film...

'She never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.'

The rep notes that the only involvement Taylor had in the film was the use of one of her tracks titled My Tears Ricochet which was off of her 2020 album Folklore.

The statement concluded: 'Given that her involvement was licensing a song for the film, which 19 other artists also did, this document subpoena is designed to use Taylor Swift's name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.'

Blake later shared her response to Swift being subpoenaed on Friday.

Her legal team slammed Baldoni's lawyers for issuing the subpoena to the Grammy winner and also clapped back at the suggestion that tickets be sold to Lively's deposition, per People.

In a statement, the actress's rep said: 'Mr. Baldoni, Mr. Sarowitz, and team continue to turn a case of sexual harassment and retaliation into entertainment for the tabloids...

Lively chose to not address the Grammy winner's subpoena and instead reposted the promotional reel that had been uploaded to the brand's main account

A rep for Taylor gave a blistering response to DailyMail.com which read: 'Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film'; seen in February in L.A.

In response to whether Lively will testify, Gottlieb confirmed she would, as expected, 'be a witness at her trial'; seen in 2024 in NYC

'Going as far as suggesting that they sell tickets to a concert venue - Madison Square Garden - to witness Ms. Lively's deposition, to subpoenaing Taylor Swift, a woman who has given a voice to millions all over the world.

'This is a very serious legal matter, not Barnum & Bailey's Circus.'

The rep also added that, 'The defendants continue to publicly intimidate, bully, shame and attack women's rights and reputations. Including in the past month seeking to strike down for all, a powerful California victims' rights law, calling it "unconstitutional."

'The disturbing actions by a billionaire, men who made their careers as "female allies" and their team continue to show their true colors.'

This comes one day after Blake's attorney, Mike Gottlieb, opened up about who is set to take the stand in his client's upcoming trial involving Baldoni.

On Thursday, the actress's attorney confirmed that his client is prepared to speak under oath in court.

In response to whether Lively will testify, Gottlieb confirmed she would, as expected, 'be a witness at her trial.'

'The ultimate moment for a plaintiff's story to be told is at trial. We expect that to be the case here [with Lively],' he told People. 'Of course she's going to testify.'

Amid speculation that some of Lively's closest friends, like Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman, may be subpoenaed, Gottlieb said 'it's completely unclear what claims or defenses in the case any of these celebrities have any relevance to at all.

'This is a case about what happened to Blake Lively when she raised claims of sexual harassment on the set. It's not a case about how songs were chosen for the movie. It's not a case about fictional Marvel characters in Deadpool movies,' he explained.

At this time, he explained it is uncertain if Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, will testify as he is currently named as a defendant in Baldoni's countersuit' seen in April in NYC

Gottlieb went on to point out: 'You have to ask the question, then, why are these people being subpoenaed? Do they have any actual relevance to the case at hand?

'You can't just go around subpoenaing people because they're famous and you think it will generate a bunch of headlines. And the federal courts don't tolerate that kind of behavior.'

At this time, he explained it is uncertain if Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, will testify as he is currently named as a defendant in Baldoni's countersuit.

Lively's team is working to get those claims dismissed.

Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman hit back at Gottlieb's remarks and accused him of trying to deflect from the case.

'Although obviously uncomfortable for the Lively parties, the truth is not a distraction,' Freedman told People in a statement. 'The truth has been clearly shown through unedited receipts, documents and real life footage. More to come.'

Freedman continued: 'Blake was the one who brought her high-profile friends into this situation without concern for their own personal or public backlash. As the truth shows, she used her dragons to manipulate Justin at every turn.'

Freedman's final remark was a nod to Lively's alleged text messages to Baldoni, in which she referred to Swift and Reynolds 'dragons.'

In the alleged texts, she compared herself to Khaleesi from Game of Thrones and explained 'for better or worse' her 'dragons' protect what she fights for.

In regards to Reynolds' alleged misconduct, he claimed: 'Ryan's involvement is very well documented and we continue to discover more intentional misconduct. Was Disney actually complicit in Ryan using shareholder revenues to further a personal grudge?

'I would be surprised to learn that this type of corporate waste would not lead to much more exposure for those that have been complicit in affecting shareholder revenue.'

Baldoni's attorney Bryan Freedman hit back at Gottlieb's remarks and accused him of trying to deflect from the case; seen in 2024

That same month, Lively sued Baldoni amid claims of sexual harassment during production of the motion picture

In December, Lively filed an 80-page civil rights complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against, before officially filing a federal lawsuit just weeks later.

That same month, Lively sued Baldoni amid claims of sexual harassment during production of the motion picture.

In her lawsuit, the Gossip Girl alumna accused Baldoni of sexually harassing her in multiple ways  including body shaming her  and orchestrating a smear campaign against her to damage her reputation.

Baldoni and his reps have said in response to the lawsuit that Lively twisted the meaning of text messages and mislead the public about their interactions while making the motion picture.

In her lawsuit, Lively named a number of Baldoni's collaborators, including his company Wayfarer Studios, the studio's CEO and financial backer, and PR personnel Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel.

'I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted,' Lively told The New York Times the day after she filed the complaint.

Baldoni subsequently sued the newspaper for $250 million in a defamation claim over a December 21 story titled ''We Can Bury Anyone': Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine.' The newspaper has denied the allegations.

Baldoni on January 16 filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds and her publicist Leslie Sloane, alleging defamation and extortion. Baldoni told the court the trio had concocted 'false accusations of sexual harassment' against him.

Lawyers for both parties were in accordance with a plan to compound both federal cases filed into one moving forward; seen in April in NYC

Since Lively's complaint was filed, Baldoni has faced a number of professional consequences, including a lawsuit from a former publicist; and being dropped by the agency WME, which also reps Lively and Reynolds.

WME has denied claims that Lively and Reynolds leaned on them to release Baldoni from their client roster, according to Variety.

Lawyers for both parties were in accordance with a plan to compound both federal cases filed into one moving forward.

This week, it was also revealed that Baldoni's Wayfarer Foundation is shutting down - but a reason was not disclosed.
Morgan Waterhouse has debuted a new relationship with glamorous girlfriend Bella Cicero, five months after he split from ex Olivia Molly Rogers.

The model, 30, began dating the former Miss Universe Australia, 33, in May last year following her divorce from Justin McKeone, but they parted ways seven months later.

Now, it seems Morgan has moved on from their messy breakup and found love with his new fling, 32, who he showed off at Amiss' runway show INTENTION on Friday evening.

The pair looked every inch the happy new couple as they arrived wearing matching all-black ensembles.

They were all smiles as they cuddled up for photos, with Bella putting on a leggy display in a wrap-around dress with stockings.

Morgan flaunted his sculpted chest with a loose suit jacket which gaped open over his naked torso.

Morgan Waterhouse, 30, has debuted a new relationship with glamorous girlfriend Bella Cicero, 32, five months after he split from ex Olivia Molly Rogers, 33

It's unclear when exactly Morgan and Bella first connected, but a short clip of her could be seen buried in a montage video he posted to Instagram in April.

It seems to be the only appearance either of them have made on each other's socials so far.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to know about Bella thanks to her stint on Made in Bondi and Made in Chelsea: Sydney before that.

The Perth-born model attended the affluent girls' school Iona Presentation College on a cello scholarship, but now splits her time between Bondi and Burleigh Heads, QLD.

The influencer previously dated Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney and was linked to both Tristan Phipps and Reza Amiri-Garrroussi from Made in Chelsea: Sydney.

Her appearance with Morgan comes after he appeared to take a dig at his ex Olivia with a brutal TikTok post in December.

He shared a video to the app which detailed what he was looking for in a woman.

Among the traits he was seeking were '5'5, honest, obsessed with me, loyal' and 'loves puppies'.

The model began dating the former Miss Universe Australia in May last year following her divorce from Justin McKeone, but they parted ways seven months later

Morgan added he wanted a woman who 'loves their family' - but he also appeared to take a shot at Olivia.

'Hasn't won a beauty pageant,' he wrote, seemingly referring to Olivia, who was Miss Universe Australia in 2017.

He went on to list negative traits he did not want in a future partner, including 'isn't a narcissist', 'doesn't cheat' and 'doesn't gaslight me'.

It's unclear who, if anyone, Morgan was referring to in the remainder of his list, or if he was just listing traits he found unattractive.

Olivia confirmed her split with former husband Justin McKeone in October 2022, after eight months of marriage.

She began dating Morgan in May last year, but the pair parted ways in December.

Olivia told photographers at the Melbourne Cup earlier this year the pair broke off their relationship and have already gone their separate ways.

'We're not together anymore, not many people know that,' she said when asked if he would be joining her at the Penfolds marquee in The Birdcage.

Now, it seems Morgan has moved on from their messy breakup and found love with his new fling, who he showed off at Amiss' runway show INTENTION on Friday

The Perth-born model attended the affluent girls' school Iona Presentation College on a cello scholarship, but now splits her time between Bondi and Burleigh Heads, QLD

Olivia has also since moved on from her relationship with Morgan, as she is now dating her new beau Hugo Breakey.

The brunette beauty went public with her new man last year when the pair attended the premiere of Beauty and the Beast in Melbourne.

Days later, some light was shed on the hunk's identity with the model having not yet named him online.

Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions posted to Instagram Stories, claiming at the time the handsome fella is called Hugo.

'He's a consultant in Melbourne at a prestigious firm that only recruits the smartest cookies,' they claimed.

Hugo is said to have been quietly dating Olivia for several months following her split from model Morgan Waterhouse after seven months.
General Hospital star Denise Alexander, who won the hearts of soap opera fans as Dr. Lesley Webber, has died at the age of 85.

She starred on General Hospital full-time from 1973 to 1984, then recurred from 1996 to 2009 and made sporadic guest appearances as recently as 2021.

Early in her career, when she was still attending college on UCLA, she got her big break on TV with another legendary soap - Days Of Our Lives.

Between stints on General Hospital, she also enjoyed a three-year run on Another World as the character Denise McKinnon from 1986 to 1989.

Although news only broke of her death this Friday, the New York City-born actress actually died on March 5 and no cause has surfaced publicly, via Variety.

General Hospital showrunner Frank Valenti made her death public this week, posting a glowing testimonial hailing the 'barriers' that she 'broke.'

General Hospital star Denise Alexander, who won the hearts of soap opera fans as Dr. Lesley Webber, has died at the age of 85; pictured in a 1977 publicity shot for the series

'I am so very sorry to hear of Denise Alexanders passing. She broke barriers on-screen and off, portraying Dr. Lesley Webber - one of the first female doctors on Daytime Television - for nearly five decades,' he wrote.

'It meant so much to have her reprise her role in recent years and I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with her,' he added.

'On behalf of the entire General Hospital family, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to her family, friends, and longtime fans. May she rest in peace.'

Born in New York in 1939, Denise Alexander grew up on Long Island with an agent for a father and began acting when she was just a child.

By 1949 she was playing Perry Como's daughter on Perry Comos Chesterfield Supper Club and by the age of 13 she was performing on Broadway in a revival of the seminal 1930s Lillian Hellman play The Children's Hour.

In 1956, as a teenager, she made her movie debut in the drama Crime In The Streets amid a cast that included John Cassavetes and Sal Mineo.

Throughout her juvenile acting career, she appeared frequently on the radio, to the tune of what her father estimated as a total of 2,500 jobs.

'You would get out of school and go from one show to the next,' she explained to We Love Soaps TV, according to TV Insider.

She starred on General Hospital full-time from 1973 to 1984, then recurred from 1996 to 2009 and made sporadic guest appearances as recently as 2021; pictured for the show in 1973

Born in New York in 1939, Denise Alexander grew up on Long Island with an agent for a father and began acting when she was just a child; pictured in a publicity portrait in 1982

Although it was not her first soap opera role, her breakthrough in the genre came with Days Of Our Lives, which she is pictured on with Doug Williams and acted on from 1966 to 1973

Denise, who won a Daytime Emmy for outstanding lead actress on a drama series in 1976, is picutred at that year's People's Choice Awards

'They were 15-minute or half-hour shows, and you would sit around the table, read the script, rehearse a couple of times, and do it. Then you were out of there and onto the next one. And sometimes it was in the next studio.'

Although it was not her first soap opera role, her breakthrough in the genre came with Days Of Our Lives, which she joined from 1966 to 1973.

She played the memorable role of Susan Hunter, who murders her husband David (Clive Clerk) by gunshot after he causes a tragic accident that kills their young son.

In 1973, tempted away by a juicy contract, Denise shifted over to General Hospital to play the role of Dr. Lesley Webber, initially Williams.

Lesley arrives at Port Charles to work at the hospital, still traumatized by the crib death of her baby and the resulting suicide of her husband.

As she copes with her grief, she becomes a respected member of the hospital team and strikes up a romance with fellow doctor Rick Webber (Michael Gregory, then Chris Robinson), whom she eventually marries.

Lesley's love triangle with Rick Webber (Chris Robinson) and Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleston) propelled the series to number one; Denise pictured for General Hospital in 1981

Lesley's scintillating love triangle with Rick and Monica Quartermaine (Leslie Charleston) propelled the previously flagging series to number one, and Denise won a Daytime Emmy for outstanding lead actress on a drama series in 1976.

After 11 years as a full time star, her time on the show came to what turned out to be a temporary end in 1984 as a result of a contract dispute.

Lesley was unceremoniously killed off in a car crash that occurs offscreen, prompting about 75 disgruntled fans to picket outside ABC studios, per the New York Times.

Denise was not away from the soaps for long, featuring on Another World from 1986 until 1989 - before she was eventually tempted back onto General Hospital in 1996.

Her character miraculously turned out to be alive after all, and Lesley appeared on the show in a recurring capacity regularly until 2009.

She came back sporadically after that for various anniversaries of the show, including the 50th in 2013, and took her last bow on General Hospital in 2021 - which turned out to be the final acting job of her more than half-century career.
Terri, Robert and Bindi Irwin all looked to be in great spirits as they arrived in Las Vegas ahead of The Steve Irwin Gala on Saturday night, to celebrate the legacy of the late conservationist.

The Irwin matriarch, 60, and her children Bindi, 26, and Robert, 21, were seen posing up a storm in their trademark khaki uniforms, in a social media post.

The celebrity conservationists beamed from ear-to-ear as they posed outside the world famous Las Vegas strip.

In another candid snap, the trio swapped khaki for style as they dressed up in smart casual wear ahead of the exclusive gala held at the lavish Bellagio Hotel & Casino.

Terri appeared radiant as ever, while Bindi and Robert looked equally thrilled to be continuing their father's legacy on such a grand stage.

Bindi captioned the photos with some exciting words: 'Khaki by day - Bellagio chic by night! Here in Las Vegas for the Steve Irwin Gala raising funds and awareness for Wildlife Warriors.

Terri, Robert and Bindi Irwin all looked to be in great spirits as they arrived in Las Vegas ahead of The Steve Irwin Gala on Saturday night, to celebrate the legacy of the late conservationist

'Supporting conservation and remembering Dad's extraordinary legacy. Enormous gratitude to everyone for your support as we continue to do all we can to protect wildlife and wild places for future generations.'

The Steve Irwin Gala Dinner is held annually in both Brisbane and Las Vegas, honouring the life and work of the famed Crocodile Hunter.

It features a three-course meal and is an annual celebration of the life and legacy of the famed wildlife warrior.

Steve tragically passed away in 2006 after being struck by a stingray while filming on the Great Barrier Reef.

Funds raised from the gala support Wildlife Warriors, the conservation charity Steve and Terri founded in 2002.

The event has become a cornerstone of the Irwin family's ongoing mission to champion animal welfare and environmental protection.

With infectious smiles and their unwavering passion for wildlife, the Irwin's once again proved that Steve's spirit lives on.

The gala dinner is one of the Irwin's most highly anticipated social events of the year.

In a candid snap, the trio swapped khaki for style as they dressed up in smart casual wear ahead of the exclusive gala held at the lavish Bellagio Hotel & Casino

The Steve Irwin Gala Dinner is held annually in both Brisbane and Las Vegas, honouring the life and work of the famed Crocodile Hunter. Pictured: Steve with his family in 2003

Last year, Robert gushed over his close bond with his mother Terri and sister Bindi, revealing the tragic loss of Steve brought them all closer together.

'I think loss brings a family together like nothing else... people forget [that],' Robert said during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

'I think when we lost dad, our little tight-knit family unit became incredibly tight.

'And we travel with the whole family everywhere most of the time. It's nice.'

Robert was just two years old when Steve died while his sister Bindi was six years of age.

Steve's legacy lives on through his family, who have continued his mission of wildlife conservation and advocacy.

It was Steve's father, Bob, who built the iconic Australia Zoo from the ground up in 1970 and passed it on to his late son and his wife Terri in 1992.
Celeste Barber has revealed the secret behind her glowing complexion as she celebrated her 43rd birthday this week.

The Aussie funnywoman, known for mocking celebrity culture with her wildly popular parody videos, took to social media on Friday to share a candid clip with her followers  and to plug the latest product from her skincare line, Booie Beauty.

In the footage, Celeste was seen having a hydrating cleanser gently applied to her face as she beamed at the camera.

Her skin looks radiant and refreshed, proving she practices what she preaches when it comes to ageing gracefully.

'I turned 43 on Tuesday and I spent a fair amount of time looking at my face in the mirror,' Celeste wrote in her caption.

'A) because I was testing new products and B) because I'm really grateful for my face and for the lines on my face and I wanted to make sure I kept reminding myself that Im excellent just as I am.'

Celeste Barber has revealed the secret behind her glowing complexion as she celebrated her 43rd birthday this week

Celeste, who launched Booie Beauty just 10 months ago, said she's proud of the community thats quickly formed around her brand, which champions ageing with confidence and humour.

'If you havent already, check out @booiebeauty,' she urged fans.

'It's all about bringing out the best version of you, and celebrating the excellent faces we have as they grow older and wiser and a little more pickled.'

She also revealed the brand had launched a 'super sexy hydrating cleanser' on her birthday, with more products in the pipeline over the coming months.

'I'm proud as punch of the community we have already created in 10 short months. You guys are the t**s,' she added cheekily.

She joked one of the benefits of her beauty product is that it would 'make it look like you actually slept.'

Celeste is known for mocking models and celebrities, and is currently touring her latest stand-up comedy show across Europe.

In July, Celeste moved into the beauty space by launching her own affordable makeup brand.

The Aussie funnywoman, known for mocking celebrity culture with her wildly popular parody videos , took to social media on Friday to share a candid clip with her followers  and to plug the latest product from her skincare line, Booie Beauty

Celeste said she's proud of the community thats quickly formed around her brand, which champions ageing with confidence and humour

Since launching, it has been a hit, with some items already sold out on the brand's website.

Among the offerings are the Where The Hell Is My? Nourished Lip Stick in three colours for $28 each.

Also on sale is the Bam! Bam! Bam! Lip, Cheek and Eye Tint in two shades for just $22.

In 2021, Celeste appeared on The Project and revealed that desperate influencers and celebrities often contact her begging to be parodied.

'Yep. Heaps,' she said when asked if anyone had asked to be featured on her profile.

'I also get people going, "Have you seen seen so and so? You need to parody her. She needs the followers." It's full on,' she added.

However, Celeste has also made friends with some big names after mocking them.

'I am friendly with some of them, which is nice,' she said.

Celeste then cheekily added: 'Anyway, I was talking to Cindy Crawford and she said...'
Kanye West appears to be ignoring his large real estate holdings in Los Angeles and one of them is now the subject of an arson probe.

A church building owned by the rapper in the Northridge area burned down in October 2024 and investigators have been suspicious since then.

The Los Angeles Fire Department is looking into the blaze which began around 12:45 am on October 14, 2024, according to The US Sun.

The flames, which took about 30 minutes to put out, were contained to just one building, causing officials to consider it might have been purposely set.

The outlet also reported the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has inspected the location twice, once in January and again in March.

West, 47, has not paid for the inspections, and as such, two liens have been put on the property he bought for $1.5 million in January 2023 from the adjacent Cornerstone Christian Church.

A building owned by Kanye West, 47, in the Northridge area of Los Angeles is being investigated for arson after a suspicious fire in October 2024; Pictured in Milan in February 2024

Investigators say the fire started around 12:45 on October 14, 2024 and was put out after about 30 minutes

The building was expected to be a possible location for his controversial Donda Academy, which has now been closed, or perhaps another Yeezy location.

The Can't Tell Me Nothing artist has also neglected other buildings he owns, including the $6.7 million building he bought on Melrose Avenue, which was intended to be his Yeezy headquarters.

Taxes on that building, along with several condos and a house he bought in Calabasas, CA following his divorce from Kim Kardashian, all have taxes due, totaling into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If those taxes and the fines being accrued are not paid, the rapper could lose those properties.

This information comes as the Gold Digger rapper said a cease and desist letter allegedly sent to ex-wife Kim Kardashian, 44, and reported on by TMZ, was a hoax.

In the disputed missive, the sender claimed the reality star was not allowing him access to their children, North, 11; Saint, 9; Chicago , 7; and Psalm, 5, while also accusing her of leaving North unattended in a car while she entered the Met Gala on Monday.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Kardashian's and West's reps for comment.

In the meantime, West is facing backlash after the release of his most recent single, Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version).

The US Sun reported both the LA Fire Dept and the Dept of Building and Safety have looked into the blaze and that liens have been put on the property

The song was released on Thursday, which also happened to be the 80th anniversary of VE day, marking the allied forces WWII victory over the Nazis.

In the lyrics, West rapped that he had 'so much anger' inside of him adding: 'these people took my kids from me and they froze my bank account.'

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.

This information comes as the Gold Digger rapper said a cease and desist letter allegedly sent to ex-wife Kim Kardashian, 44, and reported on by TMZ , was a hoax; Pictured in New York City in 2024

West has also received backlash after releasing his latest controversial single; Pictured in New York City in November 2019

Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version) was released on Thursday, the 80th anniversary of VE day. The words 'N****r, heil Hitler' are repeated 15 times in the song

Sources close to Kardashian 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.

The Skims founder has reportedly 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.'
When David Beckham gathered 40 of his oldest friends to celebrate his 50th birthday last week it was a celebrity-packed group that included Tom Cruise, Eva Longoria and Gordon Ramsay.

But while the star-wattage was high, insiders said the party at Notting Hill's Core restaurant was surprisingly intimate 'because everyone there was a genuine friend who had known David for decades'.

So it came as some surprise when, as cocktails flowed, Tom Cruise  who had arrived solo  was seen introducing ravishing Cuban-born actress Ana De Armas around the room.

In 2022 she gave an Oscar-nominated turn as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, yet Ms De Armas is better known as the stiletto-wearing CIA agent who bested scores of James Bond goons a year earlier in No Time To Die.

And her entrance to the Beckham do was no less covert, as it is believed she sneaked in through the restaurant's back door.

For weeks there has been speculation that Cruise, 62, who is promoting his latest blockbuster Mission: Impossible  The Final Reckoning, has been dating the stunning Ms De Armas, who, at 37, is just five years older than Cruise's daughter Isabella.

Ana de Armas, pictured at the Oscars in March, was previously nominated for playing Marilyn Monroe in the movie Blonde

But not everyone is convinced the relationship is genuine. A Hollywood source told The Mail on Sunday: 'Everyone has been talking about Tom and Ana but a lot of people in LA were dismissing it as a 'fauxmance' [a fake romance designed to garner headlines] because they both share the same talent agency [CAA] and there's nothing like a new 'love interest' to get people talking, particularly when you're on a global promotional tour, which Tom is.'

It seems, my source says, the affair was cooked up by their publicists.

But not so fast.

One well-informed Beckham insider said that while Ms De Armas's presence at his 50th was unexpected ('no one knew she was turning up'), it proved that her budding romance with the Top Gun star is 'the real deal'.

'Tom has known David for 25 years. There is no way he would bring someone to David's 50th unless it was serious. Tom's not that kind of guy,' the source says.

'People at the party were talking about how it must be serious if Tom invited Ana to join him at such an intimate event. Everyone else was there with their wives and husbands.'

The pair eventually left together in a black cab, although Ms De Armas ducked down in the back seat to avoid the paparazzi. Victoria Beckham seemingly endorsed the Bond star's presence by posting a black and white photo to social media of her husband roaring with laughter  with Ms De Armas in the background.

While three-times divorced Cruise and Ms De Armas, who has one brief marriage behind her, have been linked since Valentine's Day, the Beckham party elevated their relationship from Hollywood tittle-tattle to bona fide rumour.

Ms De Armas, standing right, at David Beckham's 50th birthday dinner in London last week

Lending it further credibility still were reports last night that Cruise has cast Ms Armas in the lead role of his new film, which has the working title Pressure  suggesting they are likely to be spending much more time together over the coming months.

They are now said to be preparing to make their red carpet debut together at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. A source who has worked with Cruise for years and saw the pair together recently, says: 'This is the real deal. Tom is very protective of Ana and, of course, he's a complete gentleman. People have been speculating about the nature of this relationship but I can assure you it's the real thing.

'Ana is lovely but can sometimes have insecurities and Tom is taking it slowly because he's serious about her. He's very relaxed around her. Neither of them are into the Hollywood scene which is part of the attraction.'

Indeed, Ms De Armas's dislike of the celebrity circus of LA is why she prefers to live with her two dogs in a sprawling farmhouse in Vermont, on the other side of the US. It was from her home that she posted a picture to celebrate the fifth birthday of her dog Salsa last week. In the background was a bouquet of pink flowers believed to have been sent by Cruise  one of which she plucked from the arrangement and placed behind her ear.

For his part, Cruise lives a 'low-key' life in the UK  attracted by, among other things, our country pubs.

But he still maintains a home in Clearwater, Florida, where the Church of Scientology has a large presence. A lawyer connected with the controversial church, which Cruise has been a member of since his early 20s, said last night: 'Tom has been talking about it [the romance]. We're all hoping he will bring [Ms De Armas] and introduce her soon.'

While the origin of their friendship is not clear, the MoS understands it began around Valentine's Day, shortly after Ms De Armas split from her boyfriend Manuel Cuesta, the stepson of the President of Cuba.

One source said they believed Ms De Armas may have been introduced to Cruise by her close friend and fellow Latin actress Penelope Cruz, who once dated the actor.

'Penelope is great friends with Tom and has been looking for the perfect girl for him for ages,' a source at Warner Bros, the film studio behind the Mission: Impossible films, said last night.

The actress with Cruise and her two dogs pictured in London last month

'Tom is the hardest-working man in showbusiness and the word around Warner Bros is that Penelope suggested he meet Ana because she'd just split with her boyfriend and was in the UK for meetings.'

The pair were spotted at dinner in London's Soho and, a few days later, shared a drink at A-lister honeypot Chiltern Firehouse. Since then, they have been seen walking through Hyde Park with a group of friends (and two burly bodyguards) and recently celebrated Ms De Armas's 37th birthday together in London.

The actress  and her two dogs  have been photographed getting on and off helicopters and private planes piloted by Cruise, a self-described 'aviation nut' who learned how to fly for the first Top Gun movie.

While he has been a global box-office banker for four decades, Ms De Armas is a star in her own right.

Born Ana Celia de Armas Caso in Cuba to Spanish parents, she started out in Cuban soap operas or 'telenovas' before moving to Spain at 18 to pursue her acting career.

She told one interviewer she only learned English 'properly' when she moved to Los Angeles in 2016 to appear in the crime film War Dogs.

Her career took off the following year in Blade Runner 2049 and then in 2019's Knives Out opposite Daniel Craig, who liked her so much he picked her to play enigmatic Bond girl Paloma in 2021's No Time To Die.

The following year she became the first Cuban actress nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in Blonde.

A source who worked with her said: 'Ana is hugely talented. She's someone who takes her work very seriously, which is something she and Tom have in common. She's always on set early, always prepared. She can be quite anxious, but in a good way. I think that stems from having English as a second language.'

While she had a brief marriage to Spanish actor and model Marc Clotet from 2011 to 2013, her most high-profile romance to date was with Ben Affleck, whom she met when the pair starred together in the 2022 film Deep Water.

A person who knew her around that time said: 'Ana hated the attention that came with being with Ben. She's not someone who craves the limelight. She sees herself as a serious artist and understands the work of promoting a movie and that she has to do a certain number of red carpet events.

'But she bought the farm in Vermont because she doesn't want to be in Hollywood. She's a country girl at heart. I think the reason there has been so much speculation about the nature of her relationship with Tom is because they have been so discreet.'

Cruise's love-life, of course, has long been the subject of Hollywood gossip. His first wife, actress Mimi Rogers, was six years his senior when the pair married in 1987 when Cruise was just 24. He credits her with introducing him to Scientology but, when the marriage failed after three years, she said witheringly: 'Tom needed to be celibate to maintain spiritual purity.' Then came Nicole Kidman. They met on the set of Days Of Thunder and married in 1990.

They adopted two children, Isabella and Connor, but cracks began to show when rumours circulated that Ms Kidman never fully embraced Scientology. In 2001, just months after their tenth wedding anniversary, Cruise filed for divorce, an action the actress said left her 'blindsided'.

Wife number three, Katie Holmes, spawned one of the most cringeworthy moments in Tinseltown romantic lore when Cruise jumped up on Oprah Winfrey's couch mid-interview to declare his love.

The couple's daughter Suri was born in April 2006, with the pair getting married that November in a castle in Italy. By 2012, though, that marriage was also over amid reports that Cruise became estranged from Suri, now 19, because his religion viewed her mother as a 'subversive'.

While the nature of Cruise's relationship with his youngest daughter is not known, the pair have not been photographed in public together for more than a decade.

After the split from Ms Holmes, Vanity Fair magazine published a bombshell report claiming his next girlfriend, Iranian-British actress Nazanin Boniadi, had allegedly been 'auditioned' by the Church of Scientology, something the couple denied.

Despite the long list of women in his life, rumours around Cruise's sexuality have persisted. In 1992, He told US interviewer Barbara Walters: 'I'm not gay. I really don't know where it comes from. I guess some people just want to make stuff up.'

And in 2001 he sued gay porn star Chad Slater, who falsely claimed he had an affair with the actor. Cruise won $10 million (7.5 million) in damages. His lawyer called the claims 'false, defamatory and a fabrication', adding: 'Tom Cruise is not gay.'

It is virtually impossible to find anyone in the film business who dislikes Cruise, a man who has a disciplined work ethic, turns up early and is known for buying gifts for those on set.

A colleague of his told The Mail on Sunday: 'Tom really is a great guy. To have been as successful as he has, for as long as he has, and still be this guy who will talk to everyone, arrive early, stay late and is always prepared  it's remarkable.

'People talk about the weirdness of Scientology, but he's a 62-year-old man who is free to worship and believe in what he wants. There have always been people who try to tear him down because that's the nature of Hollywood.

'People who really know him, love him.'

Last night, spokesmen for Cruise and Ms De Armas declined to comment on the relationship.

A legal source who knows the star said: 'Tom is youthful and vigorous and acts like a man in his 40s. When you see him with any woman he is always the consummate gentleman. I don't think age comes into it with him. Of course there is a 'trophy' element with any man in his 60s dating a much younger woman but he doesn't act like an old man. Far from it.'

And another source offered one reason why 5ft 7in Cruise is said to be particularly fond of Ms De Armas.

'A lot of Tom's lovers have been taller than him but Ana is an inch shorter,' the source laughed.

'And that's another great thing about her!'
Miley Cyrus is finally speaking out about where she stands with her parents Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus, after months of speculation surrounding a rumored family rift.

The pop superstar has found herself in the middle of ongoing dramajust a day earlier, she reunited with Billy Ray, who has stirred headlines with pointed social media posts and a whirlwind romance with actress Elizabeth Hurley.

Meanwhile, Miley's mom Tish came under fire after fans noticed she had seemingly unfollowed her daughter on Instagrama move she later denied.

The moment followed Tish's own reconciliation with daughter Noah Cyrus after their much-discussed falling out.

Now, Miley has taken to Instagram to shut down the rumors and set the record straight.

'I rarely comment on rumors, but my mama and I are too tight for anything to ever come between us,' Miley, 32, wrote in a statement on her Instagram Story.

Miley Cyrus is finally speaking out about where she stands with her parents Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus , after months of speculation surrounding a rumored family rift; (seen on Monday)

The pop superstar has found herself in the middle of ongoing dramajust a day earlier, she reportedly reconciled with Billy Ray, who has stirred headlines with pointed social media posts and a whirlwind romance with actress Elizabeth Hurley; (Billy Ray, Miley and Tish in 2019)

'I rarely comment on rumors, but my mama and I are too tight for anything to ever come between us,' Miley, 32, wrote in a statement on her Instagram Story

'Shes my best friend. Like a lot of moms, she doesnt know how to work her phone and somehow unfollowed me  simple, coincidental and uninteresting.'

Miley also addressed her relationship with Billy Ray, 62, acknowledging their rocky past but insisting theyre in a better place now.

'My dad and I have had our challenges over the years,' she continued. 'Now, in my 30s, family is my priority above all else. Im at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing.'

She ended her post on a hopeful note, writing: 'Grateful for the good health and love that flows through my family.'

On Friday, Miley shared a heartwarming Instagram photo with her dad Billy Ray, as they came together to celebrate her brother Braison's 31st birthday.

The father-daughter duo looked to be in great spirits during the family gathering.

Speculation of a possible rift between Miley and Billy arose this year - and a few months earlier in March, a source told DailyMail.com that she is worried her father could ruin her music comeback.

The songstress is preparing to release her upcoming ninth studio album titled Something Beautiful on May 30.

The timing raised eyebrows, as tensions within the Cyrus family have been making headlines for months; (Miley and Tish in February)

Speculation of a possible rift between Miley and Billy arose this year - and a few months earlier in March, a source told DailyMail.com that she is worried her father could ruin her music comeback; seen in 2017 in Las Vegas

The insider had stated, 'Miley doesn't want the family feud drama overshadowing her music career, especially right now as she gears up for a new era.

'It feels like Billy is making this all about him while Miley has made it quite clear she wants to focus on her music and not have their family drama be part of the conversation.'

Miley notably did not include her father in her speech last year when she accepted her first Grammy, which she won for Best Pop Solo Performance for her hit track Flowers.

Last month in April, Billy Ray also went public with his new budding romance with Elizabeth Hurley - and a separate insider alleged to New Idea that Miley had not been aware of the relationship when it came to light.

However, the father daughter duo seemingly proved that their is no tension between them while enjoying quality time together.

Earlier this week, a source told TMZ that Miley and Billy have a 'good relationship' and have also seen each other recently.

Last month in April, Billy Ray also went public with his new budding romance with Elizabeth Hurley - and a separate insider alleged to New Idea that Miley had not been aware of the relationship when it came to light

Earlier this week, a source told TMZ that Miley and Billy have a 'good relationship' and have also seen each other recently; seen earlier this month in NYC

Despite claims that the two have a frosty relationship, the outlet reported that the reality is entirely the opposite. The insider also emphasized that Miley is on good terms with both her dad and mom Tish.

But some of Miley's other siblings - including Trace, Brandi and Noah - did not appear to be present for Braison's birthday celebration.

Earlier this year in January, Trace made a dramatic plea to his father Billy to get help after his 'trainwreck' performance at the Trump inauguration.

The 35-year-old later claimed that his dad threatened him with legal action after his public post.

That same month, Braison broke his silence over the family drama and told People, 'I don't have any bad feelings toward anyone in my family.'

Billy is also rumored to be on rocky terms with daughter Noah, but he recently uploaded a gushing tribute on social media to both Miley as well as the 25-year-old.

Billy shares Miley, Noah, Trace, Braison and Brandi with ex-wife Tish Cyrus. He also has a 32-year-old son named Christopher, whom he welcomed with Kristin Luckey.

Earlier this week, fans were left stunned over claims that Tish had 'unfollowed' her daughter Miley on Instagram.

Earlier this year in January, Trace made a dramatic plea to his father Billy to get help after his 'trainwreck' performance at the Trump inauguration

Earlier this week, fans were left stunned over claims that Tish had 'unfollowed' her daughter Miley on Instagram; seen in February in L.A.

In the comment section of the Sorry We're Cyrus podcast's Instagram page, she offered an explanation to worried social media users.

She wrote in response to a fan: 'have no idea how the happened but it's fixed now!' followed by a pink heart emoji.

Another follower wrote, 'Why did you stop following Miley???' and Tish answered, 'I didn't! Idk what happened lol.'

The Grammy winner has been keeping busy as she prepares to drop her new album Something Beautiful later this month.

She has already released the tracks Prelude, Something Beautiful and End Of The World that are also from the LP along with accompanying music videos.

Something Beautiful will contain a total of 13 tracks and follows her 2023 album titled Endless Summer Vacation.

And on Friday, Cyrus released another single More To Lose which was accompanied by a black and white music video.

Some fans have speculated that the lyrics referenced to her ex Liam Hemsworth whom she was married to from 2018 through 2020; former couple seen in 2019 in Malibu

Some fans have speculated that the lyrics referenced to her ex Liam Hemsworth whom she was married to from 2018 through 2020.

In the chorus, she belted out: 'I stay / When the ecstasy is far away / And I pray / That it's comin' 'round again.

'And you say it / But I wish it wasn't true, oh / I knew someday that one would have to choose / I just thought we had more to lose.'

This week on Monday, the beauty also turned heads as she attended the 2025 MET Gala in a cropped, leather top as well as a fitted, high-waisted skirt that flowed down towards the ground.
Port Sudan, Sudan (PANA) - UN humanitarian teams have completed a mission to the Sudanese town of Tawila to provide life-saving assistance for civilians recently displaced by intensifying violence in North Darfur state
Tom Cruise's girlfriend Ana de Armas was the epitome of chic as she arrived in New York's John F Kennedy airport on Saturday.

The Cuban-Spanish actress, 37, cut a stylish figure in a trendy ankle-length beige trench coat, which she styled with dark blue bootcut jeans.

Opting for comfort, Ana slipped into a pair of sensible beige trainers to complete her sophisticated ensemble.

To accessorise, she toted around all her belongings in a stylish Louis Vuitton bag which she slung over her shoulder.

She appeared to be in jovial spirits as she flashed a huge smile after touching down at the international airport.

Before flying back to the US, Ana was spotted arriving at London's Heathrow Airport in her new boyfriend Tom's private helicopter.

Tom Cruise 's girlfriend, Ana de Armas was the epitome of chic in beige as she arrived in New York's John F Kennedy airport on Saturday

The Cuban-Spanish actress, 37, looked incredible in a trendy ankle-length trench coat which she layered over blue bootcut jeans

It is not the first time she has indulged in the luxury mode of transport as she has previously been spotted enjoying helicopter trips with Tom.

Her sighting comes after it was reported that Tom has approached Ana for the leading role in his upcoming film.

The Hollywood star, 62, who was first linked to the actress, on Valentine's Day, is said to believe she is 'one of the best in the business'.

Tom is currently working on his new Mission: Impossible film, another movie named Judy and a third with the working title Pressure.

It is not known which of his blockbuster project he has allegedly lined up Ana for but he reportedly hopes to star alongside her in an upcoming movie.

A source told The Sun: 'He is developing a new film and he has approached Ana to be his leading lady.

'Ana is one of the best actresses in the business as far as Tom is concerned and he wants her by his side in the new movie.

'Tom has a lot on his plate at the moment, but this new project is really exciting for Tom and he wants Ana to be in it with him.'

To accessorise, she toted around all her belongings in a stylish Louis Vuitton bag which she slung over her shoulder

Earlier in the day she was seen jumping into her Hollywood boyfriend's private helicopter at Heathrow on Saturday

When getting into the back of the helicopter, Ana can be seen elegant slicking her wavy locks back as she prepared to take off

The Hollywood star, 62, who was first linked to the actress, on Valentine's Day, is said to believe she is 'one of the best in the business'

MailOnline contacted Tom's representatives for comment at the time.

It comes after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Ben Affleck is 'annoyed' that his fellow A-lister pal Tom is dating his ex-girlfriend Ana.

'Ben is kind of [a] jealous [type], yup,' a source told DailyMail.com.

'He really liked Ana a lot and then she walked away and left him sad. So to see her happy with his friend is kind of weird for him.'

Ben's friends have joked that the star 'should get revenge on Tom by dating his ex-wife Katie Holmes,' who appears to be single.

However, logistically, Ben lives in Los Angeles while the Dawson's Creek star calls New York City home.

Ben - who used to date Tom's pal Gwyneth Paltrow - has always been 'a little bit' jealous of Tom's amazing action film career, it has been claimed.

'I think every working actor in Hollywood is jealous of Tom's success and Ben is not any different,' the source added, downplaying the tension.

Her sighting comes after it was reported that Tom has approached Ana for the leading role in his upcoming film

DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Ben Affleck is 'annoyed' that his fellow A-lister pal Tom is dating his ex-girlfriend Ana (the actors are pictured in 2013)

Tom and Ana have been in a romance since Valentine's Day. Most recently they were spotted enjoying a romantic stroll in a London park last week (pictured with their security)

They noted: 'But Ben is also happy for Tom. I mean, he admires that a colleague in his sixties is still going hard on the big screen. Ben hopes to be so lucky one day.'

Ben dated Ana from March 2020 to January 2021. They were first linked while filming thriller Deep Water but went their separate ways after nearly a year together.

Ana and Tom have been in romantically linked since Valentine's Day and were most recently spotted enjoying a romantic stroll in a London park.

A video captured by an eagle-eyed fan showed the couple enjoying the sunshine on Ana's 37th birthday last week.

Surrounded by security, Ana was dressed in a casual pale-pink T-shirt and skinny jeans, accessorising with a Louis Vuitton cross-body bag.

Tom was rumoured to be taking Ana to his friend David Beckham's 50th birthday party at Core in London, but he instead made a solo appearance at the bash.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have been divorced for more than two decades, but the actor still has respect for his ex-wife's talents.

Cruise, 62, who was seen strolling in London with girlfriend Ana de Armas before she returned solo to the U.S. on Saturday, is in the city to receive a distinguished fellowship from the British Film Institute.

In a leadup to the award, which will be celebrated on Monday, the Oscar nominee spoke to the organization's Sight and Sound magazine.

When looking back at his then controversial film Eyes Wide Shut, directed by the late Stanley Kubrick, Cruise admitted he suggested his then-wife for the role of his onscreen spouse.

'It was a great experience. I was very excited to do it. I knew Stanleys movies very well and I was introduced to him through Sydney Pollack. So Stanley called Sydney cause he wanted me to make a movie. He sent me a fax,' he explained.

'I flew out to his house and I landed in his backyard. I read the script the day before and we spent the day talking about it. I knew all of his films. I spoke to Scorsese about him and Sydney Pollack so I knew what he did and how he worked.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have been divorced for more than two decades, but the actor still has respect for his ex-wife's talents

His current flame, Ana De Armas, 37, was spotted arriving in the U.S. on Saturday, looking happy and healthy with a huge smile, despite coming without the movie star by her side

'Then it was basically he and I getting to know each other. And when we were doing that, I suggested Nicole play the role [of Alice]. Because obviously shes a great actress.'

Cruise said the story of a successful doctor who explores the world of clandestine sexual encounters after his wife reveals her fantasies to him was a joint effort with the director.

'It was a very unique experience  not a large crew. We arrived in the summer and basically we just started testing the script was just an idea,' he admitted. 'We [were] constantly rewriting the scenes and shooting the scenes and then reshooting the scenes to really find the tone of the film.'

The erotic thriller received a lukewarm reception from critics and audiences, but more than made up for its $60 million budget, which included Cruise's $20m fee and Kidman's reported $6.5 million salary.

Kidman, 57, revealed in a 2023 essay for The Hollywood Reporter that 'Stanley had to coax me into some of the sexuality in the film in the beginning, but we shot things that were a lot more extreme that didn't end up in the movie.'

'I did feel safe - I never felt it was exploitive (sic) or unintelligent. He was very different with women than he was with men. He has daughters, so he was very paternal with me.'

Kubrick died in March 1999 at age 70, just months before the film's release.

Cruise reportedly shocked Kidman, when he filed for divorce in February 2001, citing 'irreconcilable differences.'

In an interview with the British Film Institute's Sight and Sound, the actor, 52, revealed he suggested Kidman, 57, be cast as Alice in Eyes Wide Shut, 'Because obviously shes a great actress'

Cruise and Kidman, 57, split in 2001, after the actor filed reportedly surprised Kidman by filing in February of that year, citing 'irreconcilable differences'; pictured in Los Angeles in July 1999

Cruise will receive a distinguished fellowship from the British Film Institute on Monday; Pictured in Tokyo on May 7

Cruise's latest film Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning will screen at the Cannes film festival on Wednesday

Former Church of Scientology member Mike Rinder alleged in his book A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology, that Cruise's membership and Kidman's refusal to join the church was a factor in the split.

There have also been reports that the Top Gun: Maverick star is estranged from his daughter Suri, 19, who now goes by Suri Noelle, because she is not a Scientologist and the religion reportedly members stay away from loved ones who do not share in their beliefs.

His current flame, Ana De Armas, 37, is reportedly Catholic, like Kidman, so it is unclear how successful the relationship will be in the long term.

She was spotted arriving in the U.S. on Saturday, looking happy and healthy with a huge smile, despite coming without the movie star by her side.

After he receives his award on Monday, Cruise will dash off to Cannes where his latest film Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning will screen at the film festival on Wednesday.
Britain's Got Talent's Simon Cowell made a savage dig at fellow judge Amanda after she criticised an act during the live semi-final on Saturday.

The judges watched saw Liverpudlian dancers Harry and Lewis take to the stage to perform a snazzy breakdance mashup in the hopes to land themselves in the final.

But despite getting praise Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon, Amanda, 54, decided to take the 'unpopular' route and slam the act.

And this didn't go down well with head judge Simon, 65, who immediately called her out for her taste being influenced by age.

Amanda told the act: 'Well I'm not going to be very popular, I am going to say thank god for the production and everything else because I was quite disappointed with that.'

As the crowds broke out in boos, she added: 'I can see that you have worked hard and that the choreography and everything was very intricate and that worked hard on it but I don't think it was enough.

Britain's Got Talent's Simon Cowell took a savage dig at fellow judge Amanda after she criticised act during the live semi-final on Saturday

The talent mogul, 65, and Amanda, 54, saw Liverpudlian dance act Harry and Lewis take to the stage to perform a snazzy breakdance mashup in the hopes to land themselves in the final

'I just don't feel like that was a step up from your first audition. so I am really sorry.'

To which Simon came to their defense as he said: 'I think, personally, it was better than your first audition. I think you make what is actually hard look easy. I think you are skewered a younger audience.'

His brutal jibe at Amanda prompted a giggle from the audience, leading Simon to double down as he said: 'No I do. I mean it.'

Amanda looked stunned at her fellow's judge's comment and she turned towards him in shock.

Amanda is no stranger to making digs herself and took a cheeky swipe of her own at her BBC show this week as she complained about a 'urine soaked dressing room'.

The presenter criticised the series' name, their travel arrangements and suggested she and Alan Carr's next show should be shown on Netflix instead.

The duo recently announced the name of their latest BBC series will be Amanda and Alan's Greek Job following their similar renovation shows in Spain and Italy.

However, Amanda revealed she is not looking forward to having to change outfits on urine soaked floors like she did the last time she filmed abroad with Alan.

But despite getting praise Bruno Tonioli and Alesha Dixon, Amanda decided to take the 'unpopular' route and slam the act (pictured)

And this didn't go down well with head judge Simon as he called her out for her taste being influenced by her age and backed Harry and Lewis

As they discussed the show on Alan's travel podcast, Alan recalled: 'Do you remember we had to wee in behind bins and sh*** like that? I'm dreading it.'

Amanda recalled: 'I have a pile of clothes on me at the back. I've got all of Alan's shirts, like 15 dresses I'll change into, three hats lined up on the back.'

She continued: 'And then we get out and I get changed in loos where there's like wee on the floor, beach huts. That's behind the scenes.'

Alan added: 'But the thing is people don't understand there's no... The toilets aren't working when we get there. We have to go and use someone's toilet or a portaloo.'

Amanda agreed: 'We have to beg for... I mean, how many umbrellas have you put up over various countries when I've had to wee behind them?

'You'll notice that there's hundreds of costume changes for us as well. So we travel, for some reason, the company that we do it with, always hire the smallest cars.

'And I'm in the back with Christian, who does our hair and make up. You're in the front doing the music selection.'

After admitted they didn't like the name of their new series either, Alan suggested it should be called My Big Fat Greek Renovation.

Amanda is no stranger to making digs herself and took a cheeky swipe at her and Alan Carr's BBC show this week as she complained about a 'urine soaked dressing room'

While Amanda confessed: 'It's not good. Well, we should argue with the BBC about that.'

'But I've always wanted to visit Japan. It's like the place to go. I want to go in the spring,' she added.

'And I just think maybe Alan, we should just go to Netflix with our next show, Big in Japan with Amanda and Alan. Yeah. Love it. That idea is with them.'

The BBC declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.
We shall find out soon enough if the enormously-hyped return of Oasis actually lives up to its billing - and if those expensive tickets deliver anything more than just a blast of nostalgia.
Warren Buffett announced earlier this month that he will step down from Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year after six decades at the helm.

The 94-year-old broke the news at the company's annual shareholder meeting on May 3 in Omaha, Nebraska, and appointed Greg Abel as his successor.

Abel, who has been vice chairman of Berkshire's non-insurance companies since 2018, now faces the gargantuan task of following in the famed investor's footsteps.

And one of the Oracle of Omaha's final big bets may pose a particular challenge.

Beginning in 2022, Berkshire has made a substantial investment in Occidental Petroleum, which is one of the largest oil and gas producers in the US.

Buffetts company now owns 28 percent of Occidental  enough to make it the companys largest shareholder, The Wall Street Journal reported.

But oil prices have slumped, and Occidentals share price has followed. In April, the stock dropped to its lowest level in more than three years.

While the stock rallied on Thursday on news of a trade deal between the US and the UK, Berkshire's position in the company is down $6.4 billion from its peak last year, according to FactSet.

Warren Buffett announced he would step down as Chief Executive of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year at the company's annual shareholder meeting on May 3

Thats left investors wondering whether Abel might reduce Berkshires stakeor even attempt to buy the company outright.

Analysts say a sale is unlikely, though, since Berkshire is famed for its patience, and can afford to wait for stock dips to recover.

Buffett, famous for his steady and measured approach to investing, has been amassing a large cash reserve in recent months.

'He looks foolish now,' Cole Smead, CEO and portfolio manager at Smead Capital Management, told the WSJ of Buffett's Occidental purchases.

'But I dont think he's going to be wrong.'

Buffett has previously spoken out enthusiastically about the investment, saying at Berkshire's annual shareholder meeting in 2024 that the company was 'in it for keeps.'

He has also praised Occidental's CEO Vicki Hollub, and she has said how she regularly flies to Omaha to meet with Buffett.

The investor said he decided to initially buy shares in the company after he heard Hollub detail the company's future plans for analysts: 'What Vicki Hollub was saying made nothing but sense.'

Buffett said he will recommend to Berkshire Hathaway's board that Greg Abel, pictured, become CEO at the end of the year

Occidental Petroleum has seen its stock fall in the last year

Buffett has also praised Occidental's CEO Vicki Hollub, and she has said how she regularly flies to Omaha to meet with the investor

But there are signs that his enthusiasm may have dampened more recently.

Buffett had spoken about Occidental in the last three annual shareholder meetings, but did not mention the company at the latest event on May 3 where he announced his upcoming resignation.

But people close to Occidental told The Wall Street Journal that they do not expect a material change in Berkshire's position.

They added that Occidental employees have met with Berkshire executives responsible for long-term planning at the company.

Buffett has invested in oil stocks in the past, which he has later said he regretted.

He had a significant investment in ConocoPhillips in 2008, which crashed when oil prices sank during the financial crisis, the outlet reported.

Now, Occidental faces a new challenge in the form of President Trump's sweeping tariff proposals.

Many economists anticipate the tariffs will spark a global slowdown that will reduce demand for oil, piling pressure on the company and making it more difficult for it to reduce its debt levels.

But some investors are more positive about Occidental's future due to its beefed up inventory compared to rivals.

'They just have a lot of oil to go out and produce for a very long time,' Smead added.

Shares in the company also jumped more than 6 percent on Thursday after the Trump administration announced a trade deal had been made with the UK, bolstering optimism that a global recession may be avoided.
A Florida father-of-three was utterly disgusted at the $1,400 he had to pay to take his family of four on a 'bargain' day out to Walt Disney World.

Craig Stowell took his three kids and his wife to the self-proclaimed 'Happiest Place on Earth' in Orlando while family was in town visiting them, but he quickly found out just how deep the one-day trip was going to hit his pocket.

'It started with the ticket purchase, and then it ran right into the parking, and then it just was like a cash cow for the rest of the day,' the small business owner told Fox and Friends.

By the end of the day, the father spent $1,394.91 on the outing, with the excruciating outlay documented by Stowell on his Instagram.

He deliberately shunned pricey extras that can get people on the most popular rides more quickly, to try and get an accurate reflection of how much the cheapest day possible at Disney would cost.

Stowell broke down the cost in a social media video, saying it cost him $30 to park, $974 for tickets - including the Florida resident discount - $145.64 on snacks and drinks, and an expensive $245.27 dinner.

They opted out of the $35-per-person Lightning Pass, as it would have only allowed them to skip the line for three rides.

The father-of-three ultimately decided it wasn't worth the extra money.

'Trying to put a price tag versus value, whats it worth?' he asked Fox and Friends. 'The lines were so long, so were already a thousand [dollars] deep into the park. Now were going to drop another $400 to get Lightning Passes.

Craig Stowell took his three kids and his wife to Walt Disney World while family was in town visiting them, but he quickly found out just how deep the one-day trip was going to hit his pocket. By the end of the day, the father spent $1,394.91 on the fun outing

He broke down the cost in a social media video, saying it cost him $30 to park, $974 for tickets - including the Florida resident discount - $145.64 on snacks and drinks, and an expensive $245.27 dinner

'I don't want to say it this way, but if you do the average of cost per ride, it probably isn't really worth it.'

The passes used to be free five years ago, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Passes to get into the amusement park can cost over $200, depending on what day and season you visit.

Disney rose prices in 2024 for the 2025 season and again for the 2026 season, Fox reported.

Stowell believes the prices are not worth it for those coming for just a day.

'Unfortunately, I dont think those day-trippers are what Disney wants,' he told Fox and Friends.

'They want you to never leave the park. They want you there for five days, and they want you to drop 10 grand. So, I think that one-day trip Im actually being punished for it.'

Since late 2023, return visitors have dropped and the park's growth has also declined, according to WSJ.

'It started with the ticket purchase, and then it ran right into the parking, and then it just was like a cash cow for the rest of the day,' the small business owner said

Prices have nearly doubled, with a family of four trip for four days costing $3,230 five years ago to $4,266 in 2024, the outlet found.

Disney was envisioned to be an affordable family playground, but over the decades the theme park has grown to be an expensive vacation.

Now, the vacation that was once a part of nearly every kid's childhood has become unattainable, WSJ found.

Disney insists a visit to its parks are within the means of ordinary families.

But the firm's own executives are said to be concerned at rising complaints over prices and believe they're almost at the limit of what they can keep increasing prices by.
Costco fanatics have revealed the members-only terms that are key to scoring hidden deals at the hugely popular superstore.

Super fans David and Susan Schwartz learned about the terms while visiting over 200 stores to write their book, The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z, The Street reported.

One of the frequently heard utterances was 'showtime ready,' referring to the state employees arriving for 4am shifts must get the store in before opening the doors.

Stores that are 'showtime ready' include fully stocked products, clear aisles, and fresh food at sampling stations.

If workers set up properly, members will have a better chance of scoring the best deals on popular products before they sell out.

Customers can also score massive deals on products showing a small asterisk known as the 'death star,' representing items about to run out or be discontinued.

The label lets shoppers know they should snap up an item quickly or risk it disappearing.

Another term, 'fence,' refers to chain-link fences located near Costco store entrances where members might be able to find some sneaky deals.

Super fans David and Susan Schwartz learned about the terms while visiting over 200 stores to write their book, The Joy of Costco: A Treasure Hunt from A to Z

Costco members can occasionally get a head start on finding the best deals if they're outside before the store opens

The term dates back to the 1990s, right before Costco merged with the now-defunct Price Club store chain, whose location in San Diego had a chain-link fence that store leaders deemed to pricey to remove.

The 'fence' surrounds an area showcasing special promotional and seasonal items.

While the fenced-in products aren't necessarily less expensive, they do help customers spot unexpected promotions before making their way to the rest of the store.

Members can also occasionally get a head start on finding the best deals if they're outside before the store opens.

Costco employees who spot shoppers outside before opening have welcomed them inside at least 15 minutes early.

The Schwartzes' book was released in 2023 and became a best-seller.

All of the information gathered in the book came from visiting Costco stores in 14 countries, including China and France.

Another fact they jotted down was the never-changing price of its $1.50 hot dog and soda combo.

Customers can also score massive deals on products showing a small asterisk known as the 'death star,' representing items about to run out or be discontinued

The store has made several changes since their book was published.

A notable change was Costco's decision to swap Pepsi for Coca-Cola in its food courts.

They received backlash over the beverage swap, and slammed for its decision to enforce shoppers to provide proof of membership at food courts.

Despite these changes, along with food court price hike claims, the chain earned $62.53 billion in net sales during its recent quarter, a 9.1 percent increase compared to this time last year.
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Remember history to illuminate future -- Xi attends Victory Day commemorations in Moscow

09:23, May 10, 2025 By Shi Xiaomeng ( Xinhua

Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with other leaders, lays flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and observes a moment of silence, following the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. Leaders from more than 20 countries and international organizations are invited to the events. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Bouquet in hand before the Eternal Flame at the Red Square, Chinese President Xi Jinping joined Russian President Vladimir Putin and more than 20 other leaders to lay red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The solemn ceremony marked a moment of remembrance and tribute to those who perished in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, as Russia celebrated the 80th anniversary of victory in that war on Friday.

This year's commemorations culminated in a grand military parade at the Red Square earlier in the day. At the main viewing stand, Xi and Putin sat side by side and talked from time to time.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Over 11,500 military personnel, including contingents from more than 10 countries, took part in the parade. Among them was the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Xi rose from his seat when the PLA unit passed through the square.

In the parade's "historical" segment, Russian service members, clad in uniforms from the era of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, carried vintage military flags and weapons, evoking memories of the years of resistance against Fascism.

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attend a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

On the night of May 8, 1945, Germany signed the surrender document in Karlshorst, Berlin, marking the end of WWII in Europe. Meanwhile in Moscow, it was already May 9, which was designated by the Soviet Union and later Russia as "Victory Day." Since 1995, Russia has been holding military parades and other commemorative events every year on May 9.

"The Soviet Union took upon itself the most ferocious, merciless blows of the enemy," Putin said in an address ahead of the parade. "We shall always remember that the opening of the Second Front in Europe after the decisive battles on the territory of the Soviet Union brought victory closer."

"We highly value the contribution to our common struggle of Allied soldiers, members of the resistance, the courageous people of China, all those who fought for a peaceful future," Putin said.

The Soviet Union was the principal theater of World War II in Europe, losing 27 million lives, while China was the main theater in Asia, suffering 35 million casualties in its resistance against the bulk of Japanese militarist forces. Together, the two countries served as the mainstay of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

Eighty years ago, in the face of brutal aggression of militarism and Nazism, the Chinese and Russian peoples stood united, fighting side by side against a common enemy and writing a remarkable and heroic chapter in history, Xi said when he and Putin jointly met the press on Thursday after their talks at the Kremlin.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly meet the press after their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This is the second time for Xi to attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations after he traveled to Moscow upon the 70th anniversary 10 years ago. That same year, Putin also attended China's Victory Day parade on Sept. 3 in Beijing to commemorate the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The past decade has been one of profound turbulence and transformation in the international landscape, Xi noted when meeting the press with Putin on Thursday.

In the face of the changes of the world, of the times and of historical significance, China and Russia should keep a firm grasp on the development direction of bilateral ties and the general trend of the development of human society, Xi said, calling for greater joint efforts in safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Ahead of his state visit to Russia, Xi published a signed article in Russian media titled "Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future."

"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," he wrote.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
New York, US (PANA) - The United States decision to halt future funding to the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, will slash critical health services for women and girls worldwide, the agency warned on Friday
If you want to lose sales, go woke and go DEI. Wokism is not natural, it is forced. Wokism is an authoritarian Marxist form of propaganda that many people have finally woken up to. The proliferation of forced, hectoring woke advertising campaigns like the one created by Accenture Song may be over for now, but unfortunately many companies like Jaguar are still blinded by the programming.

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If Jaguar wants to go the way of Bud Light as a brand, carry on by hiring deranged far-left indoctrinated political activist ad creatives to shit on their brand.

Essentially, wokism is an elemental variable of Marxist ideological programming, and its role is to force its hyper-sensitive politically correct ideological stance onto the population through a form of propaganda. Political correctness is a soviet communist construct created in the first days of the Russian Revolution.
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With tensions between India and Pakistan rising, an advisory has gone viral, warning people to turn off location services on their phones. The message claims that drones are being used to detect areas with high population density through mobile phone locations. However, the government has confirmed that this advisory is fake.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check on X (formerly Twitter) cleared the air. In a post, PIB Fact Check stated: A viral image is claiming that an advisory has been issued, advising people to turn off location services on their phones immediately. #PIBFactCheck This claim is FAKE. No such advisory has been issued by the GoI.

The fake message being circulated reads: Hello everyone, We have received an official email from the faculty with an important advisory: please turn off the location services on your phone immediately. It has been brought to our attention that drones are being used to detect areas with high population.

Also read: Govt warns of rising Pakistan-sponsored propaganda on social media

A viral image is claiming that an advisory has been issued, advising people to turn off location services on their phones immediately.#PIBFactCheck



 This claim is FAKE



 No such advisory has been issued by the GoI pic.twitter.com/8GmYpKXTkJ  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 9, 2025

Many people believed the message to be true, especially given the current situation at the border. But the government is urging citizens not to fall for such rumours.

Earlier this week, the government had also warned people about a surge in misinformation linked to Pakistan. The government stated that misleading social media posts may flood platforms in the coming days as part of a Pakistan sponsored propaganda. In a post shared to raise awareness, it said: In the coming days your social media will be flooded with #Pakistan sponsored propaganda. Its 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.

If you come across any suspicious content, users are advised to report it directly via WhatsApp at +91 8799711259 or by emailing factcheck@pib.gov.in.

Citizens are urged to stay calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and follow only official government channels for updates.
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A girl who was seriously injured in the knife attack in Dublins Parnell Square is back in full-time education, her family has said.

Through a message on a GoFundMe page, the family said the girl is not in mainstream education and that the staff at the institution she is attending have gone above and beyond for her.

Two other children and a creche worker were also hurt in the attack in Parnell Square East on November 23 2023.

The girl, who is now aged six but was five at the time, was gravely injured and spent several weeks in paediatric intensive care.

She spent more than 370 days in hospital before moving home.

Earlier this year, she was said to be thriving and does not remember the incident in November 2023.

They said she had begun communicating on a a whole new level in March.

In an update on Thursday, her family said: She has been attending school full-time.

She is not attending mainstream school, just to clarify.

The staff at this very special institution have gone above and beyond (in our eyes) to make our little girl feel part of the group, even after joining mid-school year.

We are forever grateful to the love and dedication everyone has shown her.

She has been attempting different sounds (some nasal ones), and moving her arms with more intent.

Her happiness is infectious.

We have had some challenging days; we all go through them, even if we wouldnt like a six-year-old to have to.

As summer approaches, we are so happy to be able to spend it at home, hoping to spend days outdoors, smell the warm air, enjoy the sun and the sea.

A man has been charged in relation to the incident and his case is before a Dublin court.

Riad Bouchaker, 50, of no fixed address, is accused of trying to murder two girls and a boy.

He is also charged with assault causing serious harm to a creche worker.

He is further charged with three counts of assault causing harm and the possession and production of a knife.
A Louth cardiac tech company has announced it is to create 20 jobs over the next three years, while targeting an additional 3m in revenue, as it expands overseas. The Ardee based business will also be rebranding as Heart Rhythm International will initially target the UK, where they expect to add 30 additional hospitals and approximately 50,000 additional patients to their network before 2029.

They will also be looking to bring their innovative cardiac care solution to Australia/ New Zealand and the US health markets in the coming years.

Previously known as Heart Rhythm Ireland, the company operates a cloud-based cardiac rhythm management platform that supports patients as well as hospitals, clinicians and cardiac device manufacturers. Their system makes patient cardiac device information available in real time, delivering accurate, accessible and actionable data to patients and their medical teams. This improves patient outcomes by making device data more accessible, enabling timely clinical decisions and more coordinated care.

HRIs system also provides patients with secure access to their information anytime and anywhere, making it easier to share critical data with healthcare providers in emergencies. The company is currently developing AI and predictive analytics capabilities, which are expected to further enhance the platform by supporting earlier insights and more personalised cardiac care in the future.

Heart Rhythm International already supports over 65,000 patients across Ireland, with its platform in use at more than 50 cardiac hospitals nationwide. The company provides national coverage, working with leading institutions such as the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Bon Secours Health System, Beaumont Hospital, Mater Private Network, University Hospital Galway, Blackrock Health, and Cork University Hospital.

HRI expects to grow its team to 30 personnel in the coming years. For more than 15 years, HRI has served as Irelands national electronic health record for cardiac devices, maintaining a registry of over 100,000 implant procedures and nearly one million clinical follow-up records.

Alongside its commercial expansion, HRI is actively contributing to international research and innovation projects. It is a partner in Project CARAMEL, a 12 million initiative funded under the EU Horizon Europe programme, helping to develop AI-powered predictive models for cardiovascular risk in women aged 40 to 60. HRI is also an industry partner in the new Health Frontiers Technology Innovation Centre (HF-TIC), led by Ulster University and supported by 9.1 million in PEACEPLUS funding. Both initiatives reinforce HRIs leadership in AI-driven digital health innovation on an international scale.

Every 20 seconds someone receives a cardiac implant, but the systems supporting their care havent kept pace, said Robert Kelly, CEO of HRI. HRI was set up to change that, by operating at the centre of a unique eco-system, supporting patients, hospitals and clinicians and cardiac device manufacturers. Through our system, patients receive greater peace of mind and better health outcomes, while medical personnel can make better informed and more efficient decisions. Ultimately that improves patient care and helps save lives.

Read Next: Man (40s) arrested in connection with Louth hit-and-run that left garda seriously injured

Weve already demonstrated how we can enhance cardiac care in Ireland by supporting over 65,000 patients and working with more than 50 hospitals nationwide. Now, were bringing that capability overseas. A key strength of our system is that it was built on scalable, cloud-based infrastructure in partnership with IBM, allowing it to be rapidly deployed by healthcare providers anywhere in the world.

Were managing our expansion step by step, focusing initially on the UK market. However we are already discussing partnerships and opportunities with healthcare providers in the US and Australia/ New Zealand. We believe there is real opportunity for HRI to grow, to support more patients and doctors overseas, while helping advance cardiac care internationally in the years ahead, Mr. Kelly concluded.
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) launched the Innovative Healthcare Showcase on the 6th of May 2025, an event focused on digital health innovation, in the presence of healthcare leaders, researchers, and industry professionals from across the country.

Welcoming attendees, President of DkIT, Diarmuid OCallaghan, opened the event by acknowledging the strategic importance of partnerships in driving transformation in Irelands healthcare system. Special recognition was given to the HSE Technology and Transformation team, with whom DkIT has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

This MoU is more than a document. It represents a shared vision to connect education, research, and innovation with the real-world needs of Irelands healthcare system. said President OCallaghan.

Hosted at the DkIT campus, the event highlighted the long-standing legacy and leadership of the DkIT Regional Development Centre (RDC)  Irelands first innovation centre based on a higher education campus. Now in its 35th year, the RDC is a national leader in digital health innovation, driving major initiatives such as the Connected Health and Wellbeing Cluster, dConnect, and DigiBio.

Fran Thompson, Chief Information Officer, HSE added, This agreement reflects our belief that meaningful transformation comes through collaboration. Working with DkIT allows us to share real-world insights with students while also gaining fresh perspectives through research and innovation. Its a win-win for HSE Technology and Transformation and the wider system.

Speaking after the event, Aidan Browne, Head of Innovation and Business Development, Regional Development Centre, DkIT, said, These initiatives exemplify DkITs role in building a thriving digital health ecosystem, supporting enterprise growth, and leveraging pioneering campus-based research. The collaborations fostered by the RDC have positioned the Institute as a key player in both national and international healthcare innovation networks.

The showcase event focused on addressing opportunities and challenges in the innovation and commercialisation of Digital Health, encouraging dialogue and cooperation between academia, industry, and public sector stakeholders.

This MoU builds upon the relationship that the HSE Technology and Transformation team have developed with DkIT over the past two years, especially in relation to their support of the EIT Health I-Days Student Digital Health Challenge. Its great to have them as one of the seventy-five Cluster members working together to improve the Irish Healthcare system via innovation and technology, according to Breanndan Casey, the Education & Outreach Manager of the Connected Health & Wellbeing Cluster.

Read Next: Former Louth TD tells libel case he will not speculate on who was in the IRA

Finally, President OCallaghan concluded, This collaboration with the HSE is a significant step forward in how we prepare our graduates for careers that can truly make a difference. It ensures our students are not only technically skilled but also understand the vital role digital solutions play in delivering better health outcomes. We are proud to be working alongside the HSE to build a workforce thats ready for the challenges of modern healthcare.
Two international photographers from the specialist website Fire and Rescue Photography paid a visit to all five of Louth County Councils fire stations - Drogheda, Dunleer, Ardee, Carlingford and Dundalk - recently.

John Godwin, the UK-based managing editor, and Jean-Paul Heyens, a European correspondent based in Belgium, contribute to the global site, which documents the history, development, and operational use of fire and rescue vehicles in over 100 countries.

Each year, members of their team visit different fire services across the world in pursuit of their hobby, to showcase their respective fire fleets and the great work undertaken by firefighters.

Among the highlights of their trip was photographing two vintage Albion/Merryweather pump escapes, which are preserved at Drogheda and Dundalk Fire Stations.

Managing editor John Godwin said: We are grateful for the assistance of Joe Lumsden and for the warm welcome we received at each of Louth's fire stations.

It has been a fantastic opportunity to photograph Louth County Council Fire and Rescue Services various fire vehicles and rescue equipment, as well as the two vintage Albion/Merryweather pump escapes, both of which were deployed during the Belfast Blitz in April 1941.

We look forward to sharing these new photographs on our website over the coming weeks, which will help to promote Louth's fire and rescue capabilities to firefighters and enthusiasts around the world.

Read Next: Former Louth TD criticises grievous smear in BBC Spotlight programme

Joe Lumsden, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, said: We were delighted to welcome John and Jean-Paul to our fire stations recently. Their commitment to recording fire service fleets around the world will be invaluable to historians in the years to come

From our perspective, it was great that they were able to capture our two preserved Merryweather fire appliances, which we are particularly proud of. They represent an important piece of Louths fire service heritage.

For more information, visit www.fire-appliances.com
Dromiskin Tidy Towns says it is delighted have brought the Siul na Manach Greenway project to a successful conclusion with the official opening on Saturday 3 May. This community-led initiative has transformed a disused public space in the Louth village, into a vibrant, accessible and environmentally rich greenway for all to enjoy.

The official opening ceremony was a moment of celebration and gratitude, with special thanks extended to the local community, Louth County Council and all volunteers and supporters who contributed to the success of the project.

Chairman of Dromiskin Tidy Town Pat Mulligan highlighted the collaborative approach that brought this project to a successful conclusion including landowners, the Hand Family and through Fr. Gerry Campbell PP, the Diocese of Armagh.

The project was awarded a grant of 113,000 under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), and thanks was extended to Louth County Council who were represented by the Vice Chairman Cllr John Reilly, Cllr Sean Kelly, Chairperson of Dundalk Municipal District, and Chief Executive David Conway. Also among the large attendance were a number of local Councillors as well as Oireachtas members.

In his address to the large attendance Cllr John Reilly was fulsome in is praise for the work carried out by Dromiskin Tidy Towns to increase the amenity value of the village, while respecting its rich and varied heritage. He was delighted that Louth County Council was able to support the funding application that allowed the project be implemented.

Below: The Dromiskin Siul na Manach which was offically opened last Saturday

Local resident Kevin Halpenny who designed and project managed Siul na Manach, was able to highlight for guests the benefits of such an amenity including for recreational value, safe walking to school and pollinator value through the planting of native hedging and a variety of fruit trees along the route.

Kevin also referenced the fact that this new section of Greenway provides safe connectivity between two public parks, also developed and managed by Dromiskin Tidy Towns, that make Dromiskin the only village in Ireland to have two Global Community Green Flags for the development and maintenance of public spaces entirely by volunteers.

The committee were especially honoured to welcome Mairead McGuinness, former EU Commissioner and proud daughter of County Louth, as Guest of Honour. Maireads presence added great significance to the occasion, and she is thanked sincerely by Dromiskin Tidy Towns, for her time, her words of encouragement, and her continued support for rural and community development.

Read also: Dundalk goes back to the 90s and noughties with the launch of Freedom FM

Mairead is no stranger to Dromiskin and was able to note the significant improvements since her last visit including the development of Ginnetys Pond Nature Park, which she noted combined with its linked amenities, contributed to increased wellbeing for all in the area.

Mairead also emphasised that the sharing, supportive and collaborative approach to the delivery of the Tidy Towns programme in Dromiskin could serve as an example for all to follow in political and community life.

The Siul na Manach Greenway - named to reflect the rich spiritual and historical heritage of the area represents a coming together of people, nature, and history. It is a space for walking, reflection, and recreation so it was fitting that Fr. Gerry Campbell should confirm how pleased he was to work with the community to assist its development and to bless the new amenity as it opens for use by the public.

Partnership is key to delivery of the Tidy Towns programme in Dromiskin, which is delivered on an age friendly basis so the relatively new partnership between the Tidy Towns and Darver / Dromiskin Foroige Club is seen as extremely important to the success of both organisations.

A number of the young members of the Foroige group were in attendance and took the opportunity to recite a poem celebrating the completion of the project.

They were also delighted to be able to showcase a mosaic that they had worked on over the last number of months and which will be installed on permanent display in Ginnetys Pond Nature Park given its design incorporates ducks who reside in the Nature Park.

As Mairead cut the ribbon, in the presence of invited guests, the community looks ahead with pride and optimism, confident that the Siul na Manach Greenway will shine as a beacon of sustainability, wellness and community spirit.

See here for photos of the event.
Armed officers and air support were used to stop a car that was being driven in an extremely hazardous manner in Northern Ireland.

The PSNI said that An Garda Siochana informed them that a BMW reported stolen from Dublin last Sunday was travelling on the A1 outside Jonesborough on Saturday.

Despite efforts made to stop the car, the driver continued on deflated tyres along the M1 at over 80mph.

A 24-year-old man was arrested after the car was brought to a stop on the M1 near Lisburn.

Specially trained interceptor officers were able to track the vehicle with the overhead assistance of our Air Support Unit, Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts said.

Roads Policing Unit officers safely deployed a stinger device in the Hillsborough area, in order to prevent a pursuit through busy weekend traffic; however the vehicle continued on deflated tyres along the M1, at speeds in excess of 80mph.

The manner of driving was extremely hazardous, weaving in and out of traffic and even, at times, continuing along the hard shoulder.

Officers from Armed Response Unit eventually brought the vehicle to a controlled stop in a citybound lane of the M1, between Lisburn and Blacks Road.

The driver, a 24-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for police, dangerous driving, handling stolen goods, no licence and no insurance.

He remains in custody at this time.

Mr Roberts added: One police vehicle sustained minor damage, and one officer injured his hands while extracting the suspect from his damaged vehicle.

Thankfully, he did not require hospital treatment and was able to remain on duty.

We, alongside our cross-border partner organisations, remain committed to disrupting the activities of those involved in criminal activity.

This arrest was the result of the fantastic collective efforts of officers and staff from across our service, and demonstrates the lengths we go to each day, working together to make our communities safer.
Everyone knows that traveling can be expensive, but whats a trip without some souvenirs to bring home? If youre the type who likes to indulge in a little retail therapy while out and about, then youll definitely have a blast around Asia. Whether youre touring the exciting night bazaars, perusing the colorful local markets, or going around the regions sprawling malls, shopping is part of culture, too. Here are some of the top cities for shopping in this vast and exciting continent:

Singapore

Though CNN ranks Singapore as one of the most expensive cities in the world, its massive malls can satisfy any shopaholics wildest dreams. Of course, know that there are shopping areas that arent the high-end designer stores along Orchard Road. So when youre done exploring those, make your way to Little India and Arab Street for some unique local crafts and fascinating boutique stores.

Bangkok, Thailand

If youre looking for heritage, Expat Bets definitive guide to Thailand states that the country has one of the most well-preserved cultures in all of Asia. Moreover, many of its citizens can speak English, so haggling or getting a good deal shouldnt be too hard. The country is especially known for its floating markets, which have been used by its communities for centuries. And if youre looking for the best street bazaars, then head over to their Chatuchak market  recognized as the worlds biggest market with its staggering 14,000 stalls.

Hong Kong, China

For budget shoppers who love a good bargain, Hong Kong is the perfect destination. Its stores are pretty affordable and come with a wide variety of items  from electronics and fashion garments to food and cultural souvenirs. The Tsim Sha Tsui area is particularly popular, but bear in mind that it can get pretty crowded. On the other hand, Sham Sui Po is considered the mecca for electronics enthusiasts, while Hollywood Road and Upper Lascar Road are famous for their wooden handicraft items and jade products.

Bali, Indonesia

In Ubud, Bali, theres no shortage of local handicrafts and one-off decorations. In this part of the island, youll find paintings, carpets, bags, and more. The Culture Trip recommends the Ubud Art Traditional Market and Sukawati Art Market for art lovers and anyone who wants to take home a piece of authentic Bali with them.



Credit: Bali-Indonesia

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is probably one of the most fashion-forward and hippest cities in the world. But in Harajuku, the best of Japanese pop culture comes together. According to Those Who Wandr travel blog, there are infinite shopping opportunities available for everyone who comes to visit. Harajuku is home to themed cafes, specialty streetwear stores, vintage shops, and other intriguing boutiques that is unique to the city. For those who prefer more upscale shops, hit up Ginza or Akihabara for the latest electronics. And if you want to venture outside of Tokyo, Daydreaming in Paradise suggests taking advantage of the Japan Rail Pass, as it is available to tourists at a discounted price.



Credit: Live Japan

And there you have it! While youre at it, be sure to check out our travel budgeting guide here on Earthling Gorgeous.
Danielle OSullivan, from Limerick, and George Donegan, who is originally from Romania and lived in The Lough growing up, first met on Tinder eight years ago.

For their first date, George took Danielle on a whistlestop tour of his favourite spots in Cork.

The tour must have been a success as the couple tied the knot on April 19 in neutral ground at Vaughans Pub in Kilfenora in County Clare.

We had planned for our ceremony to be outdoors in the grass area under a floral arch, however, due to the bad weather that morning we changed to our back-up plan and hosted it indoors in the barn instead, the couple said.

The brides mother, Angela, walked her down the aisle, remembering Danielles dad, who passed away nine years ago.

George and his groomsmen. Georges suit was purchased in Tonys in Cork city and kept under wraps until the wedding day.

They were joined by their close family and friends from Cork and Limerick, including Richie and Patrick, who flew home from France for the occasion.

Danielles sister, Jenny, was maid of honour, and the bridesmaids were Karen Linehan and Lisa McCullough. Georges best man was Eoin OCallaghan while his groomsmen were Cian OBrien and his brother, Adam.

The couple were married by celebrant Lisa OBrien with their wedding featuring a hand- fasting and ring-warming ceremony.

Danielle with her mum (in pink) and her bridesmaids Karen, Lisa and Jenny.

The bride wore a Rue de Seine gown purchased from Jean Jackson Couture in Manchester.

I knew I didnt want a white dress, and flowers are my style and passion, so I was delighted to find a dress that showed my personality and style. Under the dress, I had floral embroidered converse with the wedding date and our initials, and it made for easier dancing than heels, Danielle said.

The couple said their day was filled with fun.

The brides hair was by Sharon McCarthy, with make-up by Body Treats in Ennistymon.

Georges suit was purchased in Tonys in Cork city and was kept under wraps until the ceremony.

I didnt know what suit colour or design George would have, and he didnt know I was going to have a colourful dress, so for the 18 months our outfits have been top secret from each other so much, to each others torment, Danielle said.

Danielle, a Home Economics teacher, and George, a social carer with Brothers of Charity, wrote their own vows - something which they said was the most memorable part of their day.

It was not done without tears, but it was a lovely moment to write our own vows for each other and say them in front of all those closest to us, they said.

Danielle and George said that while they didnt get a blue sky day for their pictures, the mist reminded them they can still have a laugh in the rain.

The couple live in Carrigaline with their two rescue dogs - Kodi and Joni - and their pets played a role on the day.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails named after their dogs - pina-Kodi-lada and Joni star martini.

Their wedding cake was by local baker Emma from Oh, For Goodness Cake.

The couples first dance was to The One by Kodaline, with the Bentley Boys keeping guests on the dance floor for the evening.

Reflecting on their day, the couple said it was one filled with fun.

The couple were married on neutral territory in Clare - the groom grew up at The Lough while the bride is from Limerick.

We just had a fun, party-filled day and wanted to dance and have good food and celebrate with those we love, they said.

Photography was by Olga from Mrs Red Head Photography with the couple heading to the Hags Head for pictures.

It was a misty and foggy atmosphere on the cliffs and we had some nice waves and smiles from tourists visiting that day.

We didnt get a clear blue sky day for our photos, but we loved the misty fog of the cliffs and it reminds us we can still have a laugh in the rain, the couple said.
More than 240,000 has been raised at the Annual Cork Simon Community Ball  a 26% increase on funds raised at previous events.

The gala event, which took place at Fota Island Resort last month, saw 243,000 raised for the service, marking a significant increase of more than 50,000 on funds raised in 2024.

Organisers of the event have said that this years donations stand as the most raised in one night in the history of the ball.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who was in attendance on the night, said the amount of funds raised highlights the generosity of people across Cork.

Proud

I was delighted to attend the 23rd Annual Cork Simon Ball and proud of the effort of our local business community in getting behind the organisations hugely important work, said Mr Martin.

Cork Simon is supporting men and women who are homeless with expert care through difficult and complex circumstances.

The funds raised represent the generosity and community spirit of the people of Cork.

All funds from the event will go towards the Cork Simon service, which has said it is currently experiencing a surge in requests and meeting more people than ever who are sleeping rough.

According to the Department of Housing, there are a record 688 men and women in emergency accommodation in Cork and Kerry, representing a 27% increase over 12 months.

Biggest difference

Outgoing co-chair of the Cork Simon Ball voluntary organising committee, John Burchill of the Hayfield Manor, said the funds raised will have the biggest difference on those who need it most.

Everybody we asked to support Cork Simon said yes, from sponsors, to attendees to event suppliers. The generosity from the community was heartening, said Mr Burchill.

Its a difficult time and we know these funds will support more people in ways that will make the biggest difference to their lives.

The annual ball has raised 1.8 million since its inception and is an opportunity for Cork companies to work together as a community to raise funds that will help support Cork Simons life-changing work within the homeless community across Cork.
Eleven students from Munster Technological University (MTU) have been awarded the first, second, and third prizes in the media/video category at the Smarter Travel Student Awards 2025 for their video campaigns promoting sustainable methods of transport.

First prize went to students from MTUs Bachelor of Business (marketing) programme, among them Daria Samoilenko, Kateryna Tudurian, Anastasiia Kravchenko and Simeon Monvoisin, for their entry Destress Express, which showcases the Local Link bus service as a low stress and sustainable mode of transport.

Second prize went to Luke Benson, Sean Browne, Daniel Moore, and Jack Lawlor for their MTU Health Cycle Club video, and third prize went to Liadh Beazley, Katie Murphy, and Aimee Coffey for their Carepool Karaoke video.

Sheila OMahony, MTU lecturer, was honoured with a special recognition award for her guidance and mentorship of participating students.

Mary Rose Stafford, executive head of the School of Business, Computing & Humanities, said the achievement reflected the hard work and dedication of MTU students and staff.

"At MTU, we are committed to nurturing creativity, critical thinking and sustainability awareness, all vital skills for future leaders in business and marketing, she said.

The awards are organised by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and invite third-level students across Ireland to create projects that encourage sustainable travel to, from, and around campuses.

This year's ceremony was held at the Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin, judged by an independent panel of experts.
Cybercrime sentencing needs to have a general deterrent effect on accused people and on others a Circuit Court Judge said today as she jailed a man for two years for setting up an internet site to sell malware and credit cards.

The accused man was investigated in Ireland by An Garda Siochana and also by the FBI in America and tracked down to his home address in Douglas and found to have 80,000 in cryptocurrencies as a result of online criminality.

Suleman Mazhar, aged in his 40s, who was previously of Moneygourney, Douglas, Cork, was sentenced by Judge Helen Boyle to two years' imprisonment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The judge recalled what was said earlier by the prosecution and defence and also took into consideration letters written to the court by the accused and his partner.

Assessing the gravity of the offence, you set up and controlled a website selling false credit cards and malware and you made 80,000 in cryptocurrency. That is now worth 200,000.

This was a deliberate criminal enterprise set up and run by you. You controlled and interacted on the website. There was no evidence it was to assist a criminal organisation - you yourself were the criminal organisation.

In mitigation, you entered a plea of guilty in early course and saved the state the time and expense of a trial.

This would have been a relatively long and complex case.

You have computer skills and found it difficult to get work in that area. You have spent 10 months in custody (which will be taken into consideration in terms of the two-year sentence to be served).

You found your time in prison to be difficult. You have not come to attention since. You are determined to rectify your mistakes and contribute positively to the community.

Unfortunately I do not think the time you have already spent in custody is sufficient. And I need to consider general deterrence of cybercrime, Judge Boyle said at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where Detective Garda Wes Kenny outlined what happened back in July 2021.

The accused man was identified and 80,000 in cryptocurrencies was seized.

Suleman Mazhar was questioned by gardai and replied, No comment, to all questions at interview. The case was listed for trial but in advance of trial the accused entered a guilty plea in respect of a charge arising out of the investigation.

There was an application for forfeiture of the bitcoin to the State.

While the value was put at 80,000 at the time of the offences, Det Sgt Kenny testified that it is now worth 200,000.

The state did not object to the return of the defendants car and his computer, provided that he consented to it being wiped clear. There was no state application for forfeiture of 9,000 in an account held by the defendant in Germany, which was not deemed to be connected to the case.

Jane Hyland senior counsel Ms Hyland said the accused had an interest in putting computer science to legitimate use but that he had fallen into this criminal behaviour for which he was very remorseful.

The defendant pleaded guilty to two charges  money-laundering and using a computer to commit theft.

The money-laundering referred to a period between the June 2020 and July 2021, both within the State, knowing or believing cryptocurrency held in the Coinbase account in your name, was the proceeds of crime.

The second count referred to September 2020 to March 2022 he did dishonestly operate a computer with the intention of making a gain for yourself or another, or of causing loss to another by obtaining payments made in respect of goods and services offered for sale on a website bearing the address "cashoutempire.com
It was still dark in UCC, just after 4am, the trees and gravel pathways around the quad marked out by tiny tea lights, as the Cork Penny Dinners High Hopes Choir sang nearly 4,000 runners and walkers out through the archway and down toward Gaol Cross.

Cork Penny Dinners High Hopes Choir singing at the Darkness Into Light charity walk at University College, Cork (UCC) on Saturday 10th May 2025. Picture: Larry Cummins

There were scenes like it all across the country this early morning, as tens of thousands of people joined in this years Darkness Into Light, the national fundraiser for suicide and self-harm prevention charity Pieta, an event marking its 16th year.

Walks took place at 230 locations across Ireland this year, while 180 sunrise walks occurred around the world.

Dozens of events happened across Cork city and county for this years Darkness Into Light, with emotional scenes in UCC as the High Hopes Choir sang on the pre-dawn campus.

Friends Amy Kay Donnellan, Zara Burns, Shannon O'Brien and Grace O'Neill from Ballyphehane, Cork taking part in the Darkness Into Light charity walk at University College, Cork (UCC) on Saturday 10th May 2025. Picture: Larry Cummins

Caitriona Twomey, Penny Dinners volunteer co-ordinator, said those gathered at the quad were moved by the generosity of those who set out to mark the event and remember those absent.

It was very powerful, I think we were all thinking of loved ones, and some of the people there, their hearts were breaking on the inside, but they went out to show solidarity and to remember, and to hope, she said.

The charity choir sang as the crowds departed, heading down the Mardyke and across the Shakey Bridge and down Sundays Well, and sang as they returned too.

We sang Lean On Me as they left, and we were singing Stand By Me as they came back, Ms Twomey said.

We were singing as the first people returned and the dawn broke then, and with each song we sang, the light got brighter.

Organising committee members Henry Cremin, Cllr Ciara O'Connor, Deputising for the Lord Mayor, Majella Cremin, Amanda Cremin, Catherine Glavin and Mick Finn at the Darkness Into Light charity walk at University College, Cork (UCC) on Saturday 10th May 2025. Picture: Larry Cummins

Former lord mayor of Cork Mick Finn, who worked as steward at the UCC event, said it was probably the best morning they had ever had, thanking Majella Cremin and her committee for organising the morning.

There was a great atmosphere, and it was a real Darkness Into Light moment when the sun came up, it was just spectacular, he said.

We had close to 4,000 people walking or running the event, and there was loads of people out with children and with dogs, and hopefully it will help to raise the funds that Pieta needs to keep its lifesaving work going free of charge.

In Ballyvollane, more than 300 people turned out for the second year in a row, and according to some volunteers next year is already being planned.

Labour Party councillor John Maher said it had been a great success, and that was all down to the sponsors and the volunteers who turned out to steward the route and to take part.

It was a beautiful morning and there was a lot of money fundraised, were still counting it, and all in all, were delighted, he said.

It was a really great morning, and it was such a privilege to talk to so many people who said they had come alone and left feeling part of something, I think that really reinforces the magic of Darkness Into Light.

In Ballincollig, known locally as The Village, there was also a musical accompaniment to Darkness Into Light, provided by Ballincollig Comhaltas, which this year celebrates its 50th birthday.

Brothers Donal O'Connor, Mahon and Paul O'Connor, Togher with dog Charlie and the extended O'Connor Clan who took part in the Darkness Into Light charity walk at University College, Cork (UCC) on Saturday 10th May 2025. Picture: Larry Cummins

Catriona Casey, one of the organisers of the Ballincollig event, said approximately 1,400 people had turned out, with many registering ion the morning.

It was so lovely, there were fabulous displays all along the route, it was a hopeful, positive event, and it was lovely afterwards as we gathered for refreshments and a chat, Ms Casey said.

I had said at the opening of the event that it takes a village, and my God what a village we have.

Nicola Fitzpatrick from Carrigaline doing some meditation next to a campfire during the Darkness into Light swim on Fountainstown Beach, Co. Cork. Picture: David Creedon

At Fountainstown beach, dozens of hardy souls braved the pre-dawn water for a Darkness Into Light swim, while over at Crosshaven crowds welcomed the first light, in scenes which were replicated all across Cork city and county.

Swimmers taking part in the Darkness into Light event at Fountainstown, Cork. Picture: David Creedon

In 2024, Pieta provided 6,383 free therapy hours to people in Cork, as well as helping hundreds more across the country.

Each year in Ireland, around 500 people die by suicide. One in five of us will experience suicidal thoughts at some point in our lives.

Since its establishment, Darkness into Light has helped Pieta raise over 36 million, allowing the charity to continue offering its lifesaving services.

To avail of Pieta services, visit www.pieta.ie or call 0818 111 126. Pieta provides 24/7 support via the freephone crisis helpline on 1800 247 247, or text HELP to 51444.
A bill tackling sex for rent has been approved by Cabinet, with a Cork senator calling it a long overdue step towards outlawing a deeply abusive practice.

Labours Laura Harmon made the comments as, under plans discussed earlier this week, offering accommodation in exchange for sex would become a criminal offence as would the advertising of accommodation in exchange for sex.

Outlawing this practice was a commitment in the programme for government, and Ms Harmon tabled a bill on the issue last month, with justice minister Jim OCallaghan telling The Echo he would not oppose it, though he said: I will make some suggestions in respect of it.

Under the General Scheme of Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 brought to the Cabinet by Mr OCallaghan on Tuesday, a fine of up to 5,000 will be the penalty for those convicted.

Ms Harmon said earlier this week that she was yet to see the detail of the Government bill, but that she was pleased the legislation was being progressed.

The Cork senator said she met with the justice minister on Tuesday and he confirmed that legislation had been approved by Cabinet to outlaw sex for rent.

He commended my bill on this and its so welcome to see him take action on this issue, and early in his term also.

The Governments support to act on this is welcome and is a result of the robust discussion we had on my bill last month and pressure from civil society organisations.

I will continue to work with the minister on this and I will work cross-party to get legislation passed.

Sex for rent is not just an issue of exploitation  it is abuse, pure and simple, she said, explaining that the bill sets out in clear terms that seeking sexual acts in exchange for rent is criminal behaviour and should be treated as such.
A woman was held up against a wall during a violent attack in Cork city and it was only because she held up her hand to protect herself that she avoided being struck in the face with a broken bottle, a court has heard.

Sentencing of a 39-year-old man for attacking the woman was adjourned until October 30 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Robert Nachtygal, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault with intent to cause bodily harm to a woman in her thirties in October, 2023, contrary to the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act.

Garda Kevin Roche charged Nachtygal with this offence.

Sergeant Dave Delea outlined the background to the case when it was first before Cork District Court.

He said it arose out of an alleged incident after 9.30pm on October 23, 2023, on Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork.

It is alleged that Robert Nachtygal pinned a 35-year-old woman up against a wall on the street and punched her a number of times into the face and head, only stopping when another man intervened, said Sgt Delea.

The woman then walked away but returned almost immediately, at which point he caught her by the hair and dragged her over to a nearby car and he pinned her up against this.

It is alleged that Robert Nachtygal then picked up a bottle neck of a broken Smirnoff vodka bottle and drew it up to her face in a very aggressive manner, trying to stab it at her face and neck, barely giving the woman enough time to get her right hand up to her face to protect herself, receiving cuts to her hand and wrist in doing so.

She received a gash that was bleeding heavily.

The entire incident was captured on CCTV.

Sentencing was adjourned until October by Judge Helen Boyle and the accused was remanded in continuing custody.
Cork is to become home to one of four national rapid reaction regional hubs, specifically designed to respond to major emergencies.

The four Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) regional hubs, which will be introduced under a new Government initiative, will be based in Cork, Galway, Dublin, and Laois.

The announcement has been described by Victor Shine, second officer with Cork City Fire Brigade, as fantastic news for Leeside.

In Cork city there was a technical line access team a number of years ago, but this is a more diverse team that will be capable of dealing with multi-disciplinary functions from building collapses to explosions, major weather alerts, floods, and so on, he said.

Its a national team that can be mobilised to anywhere in the country.

The announcement has received unanimous support from the Irish Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), which at its annual conference in Galway this week also endorsed the nationwide rollout of high-volume pumping (HVP) capabilities, technology which will allow fire services to move large quantities of water from flooded areas.

CFOA chairperson Dennis Keely said the introduction of USAR hubs and HVP technology would foster unprecedented cross-border collaboration with fire services in Northern Ireland for specialist emergency response.

Mr Keely said the need for a rapid deployment capability for major incidents had been underscored in government circles during the October 2022 Creeslough tragedy, in which 10 people were killed in an explosion at a service station in the Donegal village.

During that incident, Irish emergency services sought assistance from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.

Cross-border co-operation between the fire services of Ireland and Northern Ireland is a critical component of the broader emergency response, particularly in specialised areas such as USAR and HVP, Mr Keely said.
Detecting and defending against developing cyber threats is a constant challenge faced by businesses and individuals across Cork.

This is underscored by recent research from insurance broker and risk management company Gallagher, that revealed 40% of Irish businesses have been targeted by at least one cyber attack over the last five years  with 88% of these suffering some level of financial loss as a result.

Speaking to The Echo, Cork-based Will OBrien, director of cyber security with PwC Ireland, outlined the primary cyber threats posed to businesses, and how these threats are constantly evolving.

What we are seeing is that cyber criminals are using the likes of AI to enhance their sophistication against an attack. So for example, they can now use artificial intelligence for their phishing attacks, said Mr OBrien.

He said that previously a common way of identifying a phishing email would have been through its grammar, as many cybercriminals based overseas would not have English as their first language.

Often, a tell-tale sign is that you may see a spelling mistake within the actual body of the email. But what they are now doing is using the likes of AI to help them draft the email in a business language, with no grammar or spelling mistakes, he added.

Organisations can become the target of phishing campaigns or spear phishing, where the CEO and CFO are targeted.

Ransomware is still very prominent out there.

Mr OBrien said a cyber attack can all too often have severe consequences, including significant reputational damage.

He said there are a number of steps that can be taken by organisations to ensure adequate protection against cyber attacks is put in place.

It is about ensuring the use of the latest technologies that are patched and securely up to date.

I think also leveraging technologies to help defend against attacks. The likes of malware and anti-virus detection within their environment, end point detection and so on, to ensure that they are being effectively alerted if there is malware possibly being deployed on their systems.

It is about user awareness, and training is of crucial importance. Ensuring that organisations are taking time out of their day to make sure they understand the latest threats.

But also from training, people to understand what to look out for. And ultimately, who in the organistion employees are to contact if they identify something is suspicious.

That could be someone within the organisation that has a familiarity with IT or it could be a third party support provider, where they can validate if they are seeing something suspicious like an email or something malicious on their network, they can actually ask the questions early.

That is because prevention is always better than cure.

It is also about ensuring you have incident response plans for your business as well. But it is not about just having a plan on a page, you should also then rehearse it as well.

You are building that muscle memory within the organisation, preparing for a cyber attack where your critical applications and systems are taken offline.

PwC Ireland opened its Cyber Managed Services Centre in its Cork office at One Albert Quay, last year.

The centre helps clients design, build and operate various cybersecurity services such as third-party risk management and privacy services.

Speaking to The Echo, Cork Green Party councillor Oliver Moran, who has a background working in IT, said that the area of cybersecurity should be a concern for all business as well as individuals.

Unfortunately, as technology advances, so do the threats from people who want to exploit it, he said, adding that social engineering tactics can often trick people into revealing sensitive information.

Were all familiar with telephone scams wanting us to reveal credit card details. The same risks exist with passwords and other sensitive information.

Now, we have AI-powered threats to contend with too.

Everyday AI can now easily be used to create highly convincing phishing emails that are tailored to individual recipients.

These emails can mimic the writing style and preferences of the target, and even interact with people, making them harder to tell from the real thing, said Mr Moran.

Technology is present everywhere in our lives as well as so much of our data being stored in the cloud. That means its not just a virus on your PC you need to consider.

Its crucial to stay informed about the latest threats, use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication and be cautious online. Businesses should also invest in cybersecurity training, he added.
Heres a fascinating little debate you can have right now with a friend - sat on your barstool, on your sofa, or in a coffee shop.

Name me three living Irish people who can be classed as national treasures.

To help you out, Ill give you a definition: A public figure regarded as being emblematic of a nations cultural heritage or identity.

I would broaden that, and define a national treasure as someone who has achieved enduring greatness in a chosen field, who has been a figure of public interest for a long time without blemish, and whose appeal is multi-generational, indisputable, and widespread.

I imagine President Michael D. Higgins would be in many peoples top three, but probably the only political candidate. That field is just too tribal to claim a national treasure.

Who else?

Tricky enough, dont you think?

Christy Moore perhaps. And Mary Robinson. Both are in the right demographic, and the latters career has transcended politics

I can think of a good few who nearly make the cut.

From acting, I would suggest Liam Neeson, Fiona Shaw, and Brendan Gleeson are just a few years short of the national treasure title. Ditto for comedians and the likes of Tommy Tiernan.

Writers? Roddy Doyle has the making of national treasurehood for sure, but not just yet.

Sport? I can hear lots of your calls for Roy Keane, surely destined to be a national treasure in the future - but for now his appeal is just too parochially Cork, and too divisive. After all, his exit from Saipan was only 8,392 days ago!

I would contend we have lost a good few national treasures in recent years, such as Maeve Binchy, Micheal O Muircheartaigh, Gay Byrne, Sinead OConnor, Ronnie Drew, and Seamus Heaney.

Thats why I insisted on naming living national treasures!

How about music? Wee Daniel ODonnell? Hmm, not for me.

What if I was to suggest that Bono should be a shoe-in for national treasure?

I can hear the vitriol from here, but yes, this is a hill I am prepared to, if not die on, then at least endure a few slings and arrows on.

Bono totally deserves the monicker of national treasure, he has earned the respect and love of everyone in this country, but, bafflingly, he just doesnt reap it. Why?

What is it about Bono that rubs up so many Irish people the wrong way?

After all, his credentials for greatness are beyond dispute.

Just look at his track record with U2: One, Pride (In The Name Of Love), I Still Havent Found What Im Looking For, With Or Without You, All I Want Is You.

Thats just five songs, but the talent box of qualification for national treasure status is already ticked.

The bands lyricist and frontman, Bono was the face of Ireland and its people throughout the dark 1980s, when this nations economy and The Troubles make todays global woes look minor in comparison.

He was an icon in the 90s and into the noughties too - U2s longevity and status as the greatest band in the world for at least a decade are also beyond dispute.

Not only that, despite all the money, adulation, and success, Bono didnt go down the predictable drugs and sex and rocknroll route.

Instead, while he had the worlds ear, he embarked on a plethora of campaigns, from world hunger to Third World debt. There was barely a cause he didnt embrace, barely an issue he didnt try - and often succeed - in alleviating.

His marriage is a great, enduring love story too, and he is a family man to the core.

Sure, in his heyday Bono was earnest and hopelessly over-exposed at times. And, as the face of U2, he also took a lot of flak for their tax arrangements. Then there was that dodgy mullet.

But is all that a reason to deny him the status of national treasure - to decry his achievements, never mind hate on the man?

Bono ought to be basking in love, being cherished by all ages in Ireland - but older generations who grew up to his music seem to have abandoned him to his fate, and younger people can barely hide their contempt for him. Even musicians, old and young, cannot find a nice thing to say about him these days.

Last week, when the Belfast rap group Kneecap were taking flak for comments reportedly made on stage about Tory MPs and terrorist groups, the TV and music svengali Sharon Osbourne urged them to be more like Bono.

Kneecap retorted: Would rather be a Rangers fan tbh...

Ouch. Really?

Kneecap are as well-known now for their stance on Israel/Palestine as they are for their music, and Bono has indeed been much criticised of late in relation to that conflict.

Which is odd, because, as Sharon Osbourne pointed out: Bono is pro-Palestine. He goes on, he talks about Palestine. He does it in peace, god bless him.

The U2 star has been criticised by musicians of late for dedicating a song on stage to the Israeli victims of the Hamas October 7 attacks, and for his alleged business links to some Israeli companies, which seems pretty poor ammunition to me.

However, the main bone of contention among the small but very vociferous cohort of Irish people for whom the ongoing tragedy in Palestine has become an obsession, is that Bono is guilty of a sin of omission rather than commission.

He is perceived to have been too silent on the Israeli bombing of Palestine.

So, after decades of being told to stop banging on about world issues, Bono is now being attacked for not speaking out enough!

Heres a thought. Maybe Bono, who celebrates his 65th birthday today and is almost a pensioner now, has done his bit for global affairs, and is as tired of hearing his own voice as many of his compatriots. Maybe he has made a conscious decision to rein in the preaching.

Or maybe his kids, who are now adults and forging their own careers, have urged dad not to embarrass them any more with his public remarks.

Either which way, Bono deserves to enjoy the quiet life if he chooses, and he certainly doesnt deserve to be a figure of spiteful disrespect.

This must be an Irish thing. I cant imagine a Bono in any other country being treated with such contempt by his own people.

Its like Britain stripping Paul McCartney of national treasure status because he wrote some dodgy songs with Wings and raised the peace salute too many times.

Yeah, I know Macca was a Beatle who wrote Yesterday, but have you heard Band On The Run?

Shouldnt we be better than this? Bono is a good man and a stupendous talent who has been a standard-bearer for Ireland and who loves his country. Its time we returned the favour.
High Court reporters

There are "black holes after black holes" in the 250 million damages case against former head of Irish Nationwide Building Society boss Michael Fingleton, his lawyer has told the High Court.

The civil case against the former INBS chief is in its fourth day before the High Court, where it is alleged that he negligently mismanaged the building society and engaged in property "gambles" in the mid-2000s with high net-worth individuals in an informal and speculative manner.

Mr Fingleton (87), who is in ill health and incapacitated, preventing him from giving evidence, ran the building lender from 1971 to 2009, as managing director and chief executive. At its height in 2007, INBS had reported assets of 16 billion but was a high-profile casualty of the financial crisis of 2008.

Liquidators for Irish Banking Resolution Corporation (IBRC) have taken the case against Mr Fingleton, who denies the allegation of negligent mismanagement.

The losses, relating to five specific property loans between 2006 and 2008, had been estimated by the IBRC at 6 billion.

However, only 250 million in damages is now being pursued by IBRC, relating to the five loans, allegedly approved by Mr Fingleton, who the court has been told was also nodding through top ups and extensions to certain clients without the knowledge of the society's board.

At the High Court on Friday, solicitor Niall Clerkin, for Mr Fingleton, said there were "black holes" in the case in terms of documents and witness evidence against his client.

Mr Clerkin said there were "large substantial tracts of documents missing" in the case, according to a former senior staff member at INBS.

Mr Clerkin said that a former UK branch manager based in the Belfast office of INBS, Gary McCollum, had told a court in Northern Ireland that documents before the courts were incomplete. Mr Clerkin said that, in addition to the incomplete paperwork in the case, none of INBS' borrowers had been called by IBRC in the case currently before the High Court.

"It is an enormous black hole," said the solicitor, who said there was no other witness in the case who could give evidence to the level of Mr McCollum regarding the integrity of the five loan files subject to proceedings.

Mr Clerkin said that the court could search the Common Law world and "barely find a case like this".

The solicitor said that it is the plaintiff's case that this type of action could only be heard on "purely objective grounds".

However, said Mr Clerkin, Mr McCollum had previously evidenced he was unable to answer certain questions regarding diligence on loans because there is incomplete information available regarding the relevant time period at the society.

Mr Clerkin said that it is IBRC's case that there was a "critical triangle" at the top of INBS during the 2006 and 2009 period, namely: Mr Fingleton, Mr McCollum and Tom McMenamin, who the court heard was the head of commercial lending in INBS' Dublin office from 2002.

Mr Clerkin said that Mr Fingleton was "incapacitated" and could not give evidence, that Mr McCollum had given evidence that "there were substantial tracts of paperwork missing from our files" and that no reason had been put forward by the plaintiff regarding Mr McMenamin not being a witness in the case.

Mr Clerkin said there were "black holes after black holes" in the case against Mr Fingleton.

"This leaves us with one person [Mr McCollum] left in the critical triangle, and he is too confused by the absence of documents to give certain evidence," said Mr Clerkin.

The solicitor said the court was being asked to make a determination in the civil case without a "settled" set of "binary, factual documents" available.

He said the court could not now decide on what "alarm bells" did or did not go off for Mr Fingleton regarding caution and due diligence during the period of the issuing of the five loans, which was now a question that simply cannot be answered and that it was "too easy to portray him [Mr Fingleton] as a man out of control".
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.

Los Angeles County firefighters attempt to put out a fire at a Bank of America as the Eaton Fire, which destroyed many homes and businesses, moves through Altadena, California on Jan. 8, 2025. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)  which has been experiencing massive staff layoffs and funding cuts by the Trump administration  has announced it will stop tracking the cost of climate crisis-fueled weather disasters, including heat waves, floods and wildfires.

The agency said updates will no longer be made to its Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), and that this information  which stretches back 45 years  would be archived, reported The Associated Press.

This administration thinks that if they stop doing the work to identify climate change that climate change will go away, said Democratic Representative from Illinois Eric Sorensen, who was a broadcast meteorologist before being elected to Congress, as The Washington Post reported.

On its website, NOAA said there have been no billion-dollar disasters through April 8 of 2025. However, NCEI scientists, who maintain the database, suggest that six to eight have already occurred this year.

These include the deadly wildfires that decimated parts of Los Angeles at the start of the year. The wildfires destroyed approximately $150 billion in property and infrastructure and were the most costly disaster in United States history.

Powerful storms  including tornadoes  and floods have also caused significant damage in the U.S. this year. The most costly type of weather disaster are severe thunderstorms, which pack damaging strong winds and hail. They were responsible for roughly 75 percent of the record 28 billion-dollar disasters in the U.S. in 2023.

NOAA spokesperson Kim Doster said the decision to stop updating the billion-dollar disaster database was due to evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes, reported The Washington Post.

For decades, NOAA has tracked hundreds of weather events across the country that have added up to trillions in damage, The Associated Press reported.

In order to estimate the total losses from individual disasters, the database uses information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state agencies and insurance organizations, among other sources.

Jeremy Porter, co-founder of First Street, a financial modeling firm that assesses climate risk, told CNN that, without NOAAs billion-dollar disasters database, replicating or extending damage trend analyses, especially at regional scales or across hazard types, is nearly impossible without significant funding or institutional access to commercial catastrophe models.

What makes this resource uniquely valuable is not just its standardized methodology across decades, but the fact that it draws from proprietary and nonpublic data sources (such as reinsurance loss estimates, localized government reports, and private claims databases) that are otherwise inaccessible to most researchers, Porter explained.

Private databases would be comparatively limited in scope and not likely to be as widely shared for proprietary reasons, reported The Associated Press.

[T]he NOAA database is the gold standard we use to evaluate the costs of extreme weather, said Jeff Masters, a Yale Climate Connections meteorologist, who pointed to the international disaster database and substitutes from insurance brokers as alternative information sources.

Experts have attributed the increasing intensity of extreme weather events, including Hurricane Milton, the wildfires in southern California and scorching temperatures to the climate crisis.

Kristina Dahl, nonprofit Climate Centrals vice president of science, said the actions dont change the face that these disasters are escalating year over year.

Extreme weather events that cause a lot of damage are one of the primary ways that the public sees that climate change is happening and is affecting people, Dahl said. Its critical that we highlight those events when theyre happening. All of these changes will make Americans less safe in the face of climate change.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday embarked on a visit to Brazil to participate in the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum where he is scheduled to prese ...


The Federal Trade Commission has delayed the start of a rule that aims to make the process of canceling subscriptions less of a nightmare. Last year, the FTC voted to ratify amendments to a regulation known as the Negative Option Rule, adding a new "click-to-cancel" rule that requires companies to be upfront about the terms of subscription signups and prohibits them "from making it any more difficult for consumers to cancel than it was to sign up." Surprising no one, telecom companies were not happy, and sued the FTC. While the rule was nevertheless set to be implemented on May 14, the FTC now says enforcement has been pushed back 60 days to July 14.

Some parts of the updated Negative Option Rule went into effect on January 19, but the enforcement of certain provisions were deferred to May 14 by the previous administration to give companies more time to comply. Under the new administration, the FTC says it has "conducted a fresh assessment of the burdens that forcing compliance by this date would impose" and decided it "insufficiently accounted for the complexity of compliance."

Once the July 14 deadline hits, the FTC says "regulated entities must be in compliance with the whole of the Rule because the Commission will begin enforcing it." But, the statement adds, "if that enforcement experience exposes problems with the Rule, the Commission is open to amending" it.
Google has agreed to pay the state of Texas $1.375 billion to settle two lawsuits accusing the company of violating its residents' data privacy rights. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Google in 2022, alleging that it collected users' biometrics without their express consent and continued to track their location even after they've disabled the feature. In the Attorney General's website, his office said that it's the biggest amount Google has agreed to pay to resolve similar lawsuits for data privacy violations. "For years, Google secretly tracked peoples movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services. I fought back and won," Paxton said.

When the Attorney General filed the lawsuit, Google told Engadget that Paxton mischaracterized its products. One of Paxton's complaints, for instance, was that Google used features in Photos and Assistant to scan people's faces. The company's spokesperson told us that Photos only scanned faces so that users can group images of the same person for organization. Google representative Jose Castaneda told CNBC that the company is not admitting any wrongdoing or liability by agreeing to settle. He said Google doesn't have to make any changes to its products as part of the agreement. "This settles a raft of old claims, many of which have already been resolved elsewhere, concerning product policies we have long since changed," he said.

In July 2024, Meta also agreed to pay Texas $1.4 billion to settle a similar lawsuit that accused the company of collecting its residents' facial recognition data. Paxton said Meta violated the state's Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act "billions of times" by tagging photos and videos without users' consent.

If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Nintendos latest legal move to combat piracy may be super effective. According to a new change in the Nintendo User Agreement, the console maker can brick your Switch, or render it useless, if its found with pirated games or mods. While some people may have glazed over the changes since Nintendo didnt make this a major announcement, Game Files Stephen Totilo dug through the changes and spotted the major updates.

In Nintendos own words, you shouldnt "bypass, modify, decrypt, defeat, tamper with, or otherwise circumvent any of the functions or protections of the Nintendo Account Services." The companys previous agreement only prohibited if you "adapt, reverse-engineer, or modify a Nintendo user account," but this updated language gives exact definitions of what you cant do with your Switch. If you do break these rules, Nintendo could make your "applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part." In plain English, that means if youre found with an emulator or pirated copies of games, your Switch might just end up being a very expensive paperweight.

This latest legal leap isnt surprising considering Nintendos strict stance on emulation. In March 2024, the company filed a lawsuit against the popular Switch emulator called Yuzu claiming that the developers were facilitating piracy. Later that year, another emulator called Ryujinx shut down after Nintendo offered an agreement to the development team to discontinue the project in October. This latest user agreement update comes on the heels of the upcoming release of the Switch 2 thats planned for June 5.
Threads users have long joked about the sometimes bizarre posts served up by its recommendation algorithm since the early days of the app. Lately though, some users are starting to notice another type of strange post appear in their suggestions: posts from random people looking for "friends."

The posts often feature selfies of young people whose profiles claim to be 18. Engadget has observed numerous such posts appearing in Threads' "related threads" feature that surfaces recommended content to logged-out users. Its not clear why these posts are appearing as "related" to other popular recommended posts.

For example, this post about Spotify from popular Threads user Chris Messina was suggested on Threads home feed to logged out users. Clicking into the post surfaced a "related" post from Threads head Adam Mosseri. Underneath that post, however, was another "related" post from an account claiming to be an 18-year-old girl in 11th grade.

Screenshot via Threads

For whatever reason, Threads seems to be surfacing many other such posts in its "related threads" feature. For example, the following post was also recommended as a "related" post elsewhere in the app. A look at this user's profile shows that they have posted the same thing  a photo followed by a WhatsApp link  more than 30 times in the last five days.

Screenshot via Threads

And here's what Engadget's editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris was recently recommended as a "related" thread" underneath one of my own posts while logged out.

Screenshot via Threads

As Threads has grown to more than 350 million users, its not surprising that the platform would see an influx of spam. Meta exec Mosseri said the company had seen an increase in "spam attacks" in July of 2023, not long after the service launched. Last year, the company said it was working to get engagement bait under control.

But while the mere presence of spam on a platform the size of Threads isnt unexpected, it's bizarre that the app is recommending these posts so frequently. Meta didnt respond to specific questions about these posts or why they are being featured as "related" content, but confirmed that spammy posts shouldn't be featured as recommended content in the app.

Notably, spammy posts seem to be appearing as recommendations in other parts of Meta's apps too. One Reddit user recently noticed a strange post that appeared as a recommendation on Instagram. This post featured a selfie of a woman with the words "I need a bf  Age dont mind." A quick look at that user's profile shows they've posted dozens of times with that same caption over the last week. Literally every time the suggested Threads window shows up, I have to scroll through 2-4 posts like this before seeing something normal," the Redditor wrote . "I press not interested and report every one I see, but they still keep showing up."

Screenshot via Threads

The post seems to be related to some kind of ongoing spam campaign. The exact same selfie and text flagged by the Redditor was shared by at least one other Threads account. And searches on Threads show numerous other accounts are almost constantly sharing posts saying "age doesnt matter" or "dont mind age."

Have you seen posts like this in your recommendations on Threads? Get in touch at karissa.bell [at] engadget.com or on Signal at karissabe.51.
Ben Affleck is said to be feeling "weird" with his longtime pal Tom Cruise dating his ex-girlfriend Ana de Armas. The actors have been close friends for years, but Affleck's connection with de Armas, whom he dated from March 2020 to January 2021, has created some complicated feelings.

An insider told the Daily Mail, "Ben is kind of [a] jealous [type], yup. He really liked Ana a lot and then she walked away and left him sad. So to see her happy with his friend is kind of weird for him."

The "Daredevil" actor's friendshaves joked he should "get revenge" with Cruise by dating his ex-wife Katie Holmes, who is single.

ana de armas and ben affleck finished, i guess the joke stopped being funny ben pic.twitter.com/WHjBv7xdKN  luz m (@elementalyon) January 18, 2021

The insider also claimed that Affleck has always been a little envious of Cruise's mega-successful career, particularly his defining role in the "Mission: Impossible" series.

"I think every working actor in Hollywood is jealous of Tom's success, and Ben is not any different," the insider explained, downplaying any lingering tension between the two stars.

Despite the apparent discomfort, the source adds that Affleck is taking no offense.

"Ben admires that a colleague in his sixties is still going hard on the big screen," the source said. "Ben hopes to be so lucky one day."

Cruise's New Project and Relationship with de Armas Heat Up

The action movie superstar has reportedly cast his new girlfriend as the lead in his next major film project, further fueling rumors of a blossoming romance between the two. According to sources close to the 62-year-old actor, Cruise is working on a new movie titled "Pressure," and de Armas has been tapped to star alongside him.

"He's been working closely with Ana over the past few months, and there's a real connection between them," an insider told The Sun. "Tom has great respect for Ana's talent, and he feels she's one of the best actresses in the industry. He's very excited to have her as his leading lady for 'Pressure.'"

Tom cruise and Ana de armas  pic.twitter.com/tpXBDb7JhP  Ethan Faust (@avinashtweetsA) May 4, 2025

A Growing Relationship

De Armas and Cruise made headlines in February when they were photographed together eating out on Valentine's Day. Their romance has gone from strength to strength with the duo enjoying a weekend getaway over Easter and a helicopter trip to London for de Armas' 37th birthday. The pair made their public debut as a couple at David Beckham's 50th birthday party.

A few days later, they were pictured on a romantic walk through a London park, confirming the nature of their relationship. Cruise has fallen hard for the No Time to Die actress, according to sources.

"He thinks she's the full package  not only stunning but also incredibly intelligent. They have great chemistry," the source added.
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. 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.
Pakistan and India agreed Saturday to a full and immediate ceasefire after days of deadly jet fighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks -- news surprisingly announced by US President Donald Trump, who congratulated them on using "common sense".

Officials from Islamabad and New Delhi confirmed the development minutes after Trump posted the announcement on his Truth Social network, as the conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours appeared to be spiralling towards a full-blown war.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump posted.

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said both sides would "stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea" with effect from 5:00 pm (1130 GMT).

In a statement on X, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said: "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect."

"Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

Hours later, however, an Indian government source said Pakistan had broken the agreement, and AFP staff in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir reported hearing a series of loud explosions.

Separately, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah posted on X: "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!"

Further details were not immediately available.

- Attacks and counter-attacks -

The ceasefire comes after four days of attacks and counter-attacks by both sides that killed at least 60 people and saw thousands of civilians flee their homes along their border as well as in divided Kashmir.

The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which Delhi blamed on Islamabad.

India accused the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation -- of carrying out the attack, but Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.

Militants have stepped up operations in Kashmir since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked its limited autonomy and took the state under direct rule from New Delhi.

The countries have fought several wars over the territory, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

- Positive step -

"The ceasefire is a positive step," said Bilal Shabbir, an IT consultant in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

"In war, it's not just soldiers who die, it's mostly civilians -- and in this case, it would have been the people of Kashmir."

In Srinagar, resident Sukesh Khajuria was more cautious.

"The ceasefire is welcome, but it's difficult to trust Pakistan. We have to be vigilant," he said.

Both sides will pay a high price economically for the conflict.

Pakistani military sources claimed its forces had shot down at least 77 Israeli-made high-tech drones -- debris from some of them was seen by AFP reporters -- while Indian officials said they had destroyed hundreds of Pakistani drones, many Turkish-made.

Pakistan also says it downed five Indian warplanes -- including three French Rafale fighter jets -- although New Delhi has not confirmed any losses.

Independent verification of claims by either side has been difficult.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ceasefire came after he and Vice-President JD Vance engaged with senior officials on both sides.

"I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," he said on X.

Vance posted on the same platform: "My gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire."

News of the ceasefire was welcomed in Britain, the Indian subcontinent's former colonial master and home to a huge diaspora from both countries.

"Today's ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome," Foreign Secretary David Lammy wrote on X.

"I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the ceasefire, calling it a "positive step" that should lead to peace, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called on both countries "to use this opportunity to ensure a reduction in tensions and lasting peace in the region".

burs-ach/fox/sst
South Korea's former labor minister Kim Moon-soo was reinstated Saturday as his conservative party's presidential candidate -- the same day it revoked his nomination and attempted to replace him with a former prime minister.

The People Power Party (PPP) has been in turmoil since its former president Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted after he declared martial law in December.

Last week, Kim won the PPP's primary to run as its candidate in presidential elections on June 3.

But before dawn Saturday, his nomination was cancelled, and the party said it was instead nominating career bureaucrat Han Duck-soo, 75, an ex-acting president who resigned last week to launch a presidential bid, initially as an independent.

Han, also a former prime minister, and Kim had been in talks to merge their candidacies and unify the conservative base, to avoid an opposition landslide at the election, but those negotiations collapsed.

Kim, 73, called the party's decision to cancel his candidacy a "political coup" and illegal.

He then filed a court injunction to suspend the move which the Seoul Southern District Court held a roughly one-hour hearing to review.

Late Saturday, the party announced that its members voted to reject the candidate switch, automatically reinstating Kim as the nominee.

Kim's official registration is "set to take place tomorrow" with the National Election Commission, the party's interim leader Kwon Young-se said.

Kwon said he will resign over his failure to unite conservatives behind a single candidate.

Han, who officially joined the PPP on Saturday, said he humbly accepts the decision by "the people and party members".

Kim thanked the party members and citizens, vowing to "move forward to build a new and greater Republic of Korea", adding "everything will return to its rightful place".

- Shattered internal democracy -

The PPP's about-face came amid fears that not having a unified candidate could further weaken their chances in the election, as liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung widens his lead.

But the last-minute shakeup proved controversial even within the PPP, with primary contenders criticising the leadership -- one saying such a move would be unusual even in North Korea, and another calling on Han and ex-president Yoon to leave the party.

Lee's Democratic Party had also gloated over the PPP's reversal, saying that after being responsible for Yoon's martial law, the party has now "shattered internal democracy -- leaving no justification for its continued existence".

Han has held a range of roles under both liberal and conservative administrations, including finance minister and ambassador to the United States.

But as a former prime minister under Yoon, he has faced criticism for failing to prevent, and alleged complicity with, Yoon's martial law declaration.

Kim shot to public attention as the only cabinet member who refused to bow in apology for failing to prevent Yoon's attempted suspension of civilian rule and for opposing his impeachment.

Kim, also a former three-term lawmaker, spent around two decades as a labour and pro-democracy activist fighting military authoritarian regimes -- including serving a jail term -- but later said he shifted his views following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

A National Barometer Survey released this week showed Lee -- who currently faces multiple criminal trials -- leading Kim 43 percent to 29 percent.

In a separate match-up scenario, Lee held a 44 percent to 34 percent advantage over Han.

cdl/sst
US President Donald Trump hailed early Sunday a "total reset" in US-China trade relations following the first day of talks between top American and Chinese officials in Geneva aimed at de-escalating tensions sparked by his aggressive tariff rollout.

Trump praised the "very good" discussions and deemed them "a total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner."

"We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business," he said in a Truth Social post Saturday evening in Washington.

He added: "GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!"

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met Saturday with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for the first such negotiations between the world's two largest economies since Trump slapped steep new levies on China last month, sparking robust retaliation from Beijing.

The discussions are expected to continue Sunday in Geneva, according to an individual familiar with the talks, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

"The contact in Switzerland is an important step in promoting the resolution of the issue," a commentary published by China's state news agency Xinhua said.

- 'De-escalate' -

The closed-door negotiations took place at the residence of the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, a discrete villa with sky blue shutters near a large park on the left bank of Lake Geneva.

Tariffs imposed by Trump on China since the start of the year currently total 145 percent, with cumulative US duties on some Chinese goods reaching a staggering 245 percent.

In retaliation, China slapped 125 percent levies on US goods, cementing what appears to be a near trade embargo between the two countries.

Trump signalled Friday that he might lower the sky-high tariffs on Chinese imports, taking to social media to suggest that an "80% Tariff on China seems right!".

"The president would like to work it out with China," US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox News on Friday. "He would like to de-escalate the situation."

Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the United States would not lower tariffs unilaterally, and that China would need to make concessions.

In any case, a move to that level would be a symbolic gesture, since the tariffs would remain prohibitively steep.

- 'No winners' -

Bessent has said the meetings in Switzerland would focus on "de-escalation" and not a "big trade deal".

Beijing has insisted the United States must lift tariffs first and vowed to defend its interests.

"Trade wars and tariff battles yield no winners," said a commentary piece run by Xinhua early Sunday.

China's vice premier went into the discussions buoyed by news on Friday that China's exports rose last month despite the trade war.

The unexpected development was attributed by experts to a re-routing of trade to Southeast Asia to mitigate US tariffs.

Bessent and He were meeting two days after Trump unveiled a trade agreement with Britain, the first deal with any country since he unleashed his blitz of sweeping global tariffs.

The five-page, non-binding deal with London confirmed to nervous investors that the United States is willing to negotiate sector-specific relief from recent duties -- in this case, on British cars, steel and aluminium.

In return, Britain agreed to open up its markets to US beef and other farm products.

But a 10 percent baseline levy on most British goods remained intact and Trump remains "committed" to keeping it in place for other countries, Leavitt told reporters on Friday.

A few hours later, Trump appeared to contradict her, suggesting there could be some flexibility to the baseline -- but only if the right deals could be reached.

"There could be an exception at some point. We'll see," he said.

"If somebody did something exceptional for us, that's always possible."

burs-nl-da/acb
All legislators representing Belgrade were unanimous in their support for a bill that prohibits state and local government entities from penalizing people who decline to use names, pronouns, and titles in certain ways.

The bill, HB 400, was signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte on May 1. Effective that day, students at non-charter public schools, public charter schools, and public institutions of higher education may not face disciplinary actions for declining to identify someone's pronouns or for declining to address a person by using a name other than the person's legal name or a derivative of the person's legal name. The bill adds that students cant be penalized for declining to use a pronoun or a title that is inconsistent with a person's sex.

The new law also protects, in the same way, employees of government entities. Such entities include the state of Montana, counties, municipalities, boards, institutions, commissions, departments, special districts, and to subdivisions of any of these entities. The new law also prohibits, in the aforementioned manner, the state from penalizing people under contract with government entities.

The law also protects "persons"  not just students and employees/contractors  from government entities that might want to impose the aforementioned name/pronoun/title requirements. Under the new law, government entities "may not penalize or take an adverse action against a person" who 1) declines to identify another person's pronouns 2) declines to address another person by using a name other than the other person's legal name or a derivative of the other person's legal name, or 3) declines to use a pronoun or a title that is inconsistent with the other person's sex.

Caleb Hinkle (R-HD 68), Jedediah Hinkle (R-HD 67), and Jane Gillette (R-HD 77) were among the 56 representatives  all Republicans  who helped pass the bill in the House. They represent areas in or around Belgrade. House members voting in the minority included 41 Democrats and one Republican. The Republican was Rep. Melissa Nikolakakos (R-HD 20), who represents a portion of Great Falls.

Rep. Brian Close (D-HD 65) and Rep. Eric Matthews (D-HD 66) also voted in the minority. Close represents an area south and east of Belgrade and parts of Bozeman. Matthews represents an area north of Belgrade.

Sen. Shelley Vance (SD 34), who represents Belgrade, was among the 28 senators who voted for HB 400. Sen. John Esp (R-SD 29), who represents Park County, voted against the bill. Two other senators who ran as Republicans voted against the bill: Sen. Wendy McKamey (SD 12) and Sen. Russ Tempel (SD-14). However, Vance, McKamey, and Tempel are among nine senators who are no longer considered Republicans by the state party, per a resolution passed in early April by the MTGOP Executive Committee. The resolution explaining the partys decision can be found at https://tinyurl.com/y2xpj5xw.

Gillespie represents part of the counties of Toole, Pondera, Teton, and Lewis and Clark; McKamey represents part of Great Falls; and Tempel represents a sliver of territory on the northern U.S. border encompassing portions of the counties of Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Phillips, and Valley.

No Democrats voted against the bill in the House or the Senate. Various Democratic legislators who debated the matter on the House and Senate floors said the bill would encourage bullying in schools, make it more difficult for schools to educate students, and harm people who identify as transgender.

Under the new law, anyone may sue a government entity, including a school, for harm caused by the imposition of the aforementioned speech requirements. Such plaintiffs could seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, reasonable attorney fees and costs, and any other appropriate relief as long as they sue within two years after being penalized/harmed.

Lawmakers who rose to oppose the bill in the last legislative debate on the issue included Sen. Andrea Olsen (D-SD 48), who represents part of Missoula and unincorporated Missoula County.

This bill actually does prohibit teachers from managing their classrooms, it prohibits them from disciplining a student who is bullying another student or disrupting the classroom situation, Olsen said April 10 on the Senate floor. We had very compelling testimony from teachers stating that their only goal being in the classroom is to be able to teach our children to give them the best education possible so they can reach their potential as is actually required under the Constitution. We also had all of the people involved in the education system telling us that this is going to be very difficult, if not impossible for them to meet the requirements of safety and classroom decorum if this bill is passed.

Sen. Jeremy Trebas (SD 10), who represents a portion of Great Falls, rose to defend the bill. He said the bill wouldnt cause the schools to be less effective than they already are.

Reading in 2023 and 2024 proficiency rates for grades three through eighth [was at] 44.2% proficiency, Trebas said. That's minimum proficiency. Math in year 2023 through year 2024, 38.7% [proficiency] in grades three through eight. They're already failing, they're already abysmal. That's OPI data. For grade 11, English Language Arts, ELA, proficiency is about half, 52.5%, and math is 30.7%. This isn't going to be the bill that sinks the ship, guys. The ship is sinking.

Sen. Windy Boy (D-SD 16) said the bill is unnecessary because the Constitution already protects freedom of speech. He represents areas of the Indian reservations of Rocky Boy, Fort Belknap and Fort Peck, and portions of the counties of Valley, Blaine, and Phillips.

Sen. Cora Neumann (D-SD 30) also rose to oppose the bill on April 10.

"This is an anti-trans bill, and I can't believe that I had to wake up again this morning and come in here to discuss a bill that does nothing to protect Montanans, does nothing to provide property tax relief, does nothing to actually solve the problems that Montanans are facing, Neumann said. This is a mean, cruel bill.

Neumann, who represents part of Gallatin County, said every bill draft costs the state $3,000 and every day of the legislative session costs $40,000.

We have heard 25 anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ bills, Neumann said. What are we doing here? This is not our job. This is not what the people of Montana asked for. This is horrible.

The bill protects teachers and students from being bullied for refusing to say things they dont believe to be true, according to Sen. Barry Usher (R-SD 19).

I think the schools are bullying if they're forcing someone to do something that's against their core values and beliefs, said Usher, who represents portions of the counties of Fergus, Golden Valley, Petroleum, Mussleshell, and Yellowstone.

Rep. Ed. Stafman (D-HD 59), who represents part of Gallatin County, rose to oppose the bill during the House floor debate on Feb. 20. He said there are situations where people can be expected to use language that contradicts their deeply held beliefs, such as in the case of honorifics.

For example, I refer to a judge as Your Honor, which shows respect even if I deeply believe in my heart that that judge should not be a judge, Stafman said. Judicial rules requiring me to use this pronoun are not compelled speech, as this bill would label it.

Stafman said people in the school setting can avoid using pronouns with which they disagree.

One always has the option of using the person's name instead or avoiding using a pronoun altogether  including a gendered pronoun, Stafman said.

Under some circumstances, a person's legal name might be distressing to hear, according to Stafman.

Say it's my father's name and my father abused me, and I let everybody know that I've always been called, ever since birth, Bubba, Stafman said. But under this bill, the student has the right to deliberately call me by the name he knows to be hurtful  a form of bullying. Of course, under this bill, I can go to court and legally change my name to Bubba and avoid that result altogether. But if my legal name is Will and I want to be known as Willow, I shouldn't have to go to court for a name change to be called Willow.

Stafman said people also can choose not to refer to someone at all.

If using my chosen name makes you uncomfortable, nobody is forcing you to refer to me at all, Stafman said.

Stafman, a rabbi, said that Judeo-Christian tradition holds that every human is made in the image of God, so knowingly insulting the dignity of another insults the dignity of God.

"One can always find a way to refer to somebody [in a way] that doesn't offend their dignity, or not to refer to another at all, Stafman said. We shouldn't remove from schools the ability to teach kids through example that human dignity is inviolable or that bullying is wrong.

Sen. Theresa Manzella (R-SD 44), who introduced the bill on the Senate floor April 10, said the legislation was intended to protect freedom of speech and freedom of conscience for people who dont want to be compelled to say things that violate their sincerely held beliefs.

Words and language carry meaning when used properly, they tell the truth about reality, about feelings and beliefs, Manzella said during the debate. That's why this bill isn't just about a pronoun. It's about what the forced use of pronouns means for our rights.

Manzella said people should be allowed to speak truth in love to someone.

That is my sincerely God-given directive, Manzella said. He made us. He knew us before we were in the womb. We are...wonderfully made. We should be encouraging our students to celebrate who they were born to be. Our duty as lawmakers is to provide protections [to prevent] infringement and overreach that violates our constitutional and God-given rights, including our right to free speech. This is a civil rights issue, and it should be protected.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, frequently seen as the countrys leading socialist, faces criticism  but is not apologizing  for flying on private jets during his Fighting Oligarchy tour with U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-New York, earlier this year.

Sanders, a Vermont Independent, and Ocasio Cortez (known by her AOC initials) hosted big rallies across the country, including in Montana, Idaho, Arizona, California and Pennsylvania.

The two progressive railed against President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk contending the U.S. administration is doing the bidding of rich oligarchs.

But Federal Election Commission filings from Sanders campaign committee show he flew on private jets during the progressive tour.

Those expenditures to three different aviation firms, which have private Lear and Gulfstream jets in their fleets, totaled close to $221,000, according to FEC filings.

Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist who sought the Democratic nomination in 2016 and 2020, is unapologetic for flying on private jets.

"You run a campaign, and you do three or four or five rallies in a week. (It is) the only way you can get around to talk to 30,000 people. You think I'm gonna be sitting on a waiting line at Unitedwhile 30, 000 people are waiting?" Sanders told Fox News.

"That's the only way to get around. No apologies for that. That's what campaign travel is about. We've done it in the past. We're gonna do it in future."

Private jets are utilized mostly by the wealthy, including CEOs and celebrities. Two-thirds of the private jets in the world are owned by Americans, according to a number of reports.

Environmental groups have also faulted private jets and their wealthy flyers for the emissions and climate change impacts of their elite travel mode. Sanders has been a strong advocate for policies to help curtail climate change.

That was also not lost on Republican U.S. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas.

Maybe you dont see the irony in flying private jets all across the country, said Paul in a social media post to Sanders.

Sanders Democratic socialism is more about creating a wider safety net and welfare state akin to Scandinavian countries and increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations rather than a dismantling of or alternative to capitalism advocated by other socialists.
The government has released the 2025 edition of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), offering financial support for farmers and growers.

With a total budget of 46.7 million, the fund is divided into three grant themes: improving productivity; slurry management; and animal health and welfare.

Each applicant can apply for one grant agreement per theme, and all applications will be assessed competitively.

Funding is available at 40% or 50% of the cost of listed equipment, with grants ranging from 1,000 to 25,000 per theme.

The grant supports the purchase of new or ex-display items that meet minimum specifications detailed in the scheme.

The full list of eligible equipment includes over 160 items, covering 17 slurry management tools, 66 productivity-related machines, and more than 100 items to improve livestock health and welfare.

Changes from the 2024 scheme mean some previously eligible items may no longer qualify, so applicants are advised to consult the 2025 equipment lists carefully.

Funding will be allocated starting with the highest-scoring applications, and only those that meet the required scoring threshold will receive offers.

Farmers and growers must be registered with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and hold a valid Single Business Identifier (SBI) to apply.

Unveiling the fund, Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said: These grants will help provide our farmers with the equipment necessary to adapt, compete, and grow no matter what challenges lie ahead.

"Equipment and technology help drive farming forward, and we will work with investors to fund more resilient, sustainable farms, boosting profitability, productivity and food security."

This application window will open on 29 May and close at midday on 10 July 2025.

Full details, including deadlines and scoring protocols, are available on the GOV.UK website.
New Zealands apparel imports from China stood at $149.950 million in JanuaryFebruary this year, slightly higher than the $147.479 million recorded in the same period last year. China remained the largest supplier, accounting for 64.78 per cent of New Zealands total apparel imports.

During the first two months of this year, apparel imports from China contributed 64.78 per cent to New Zealands total apparel imports of $231.487 million. In comparison, the share was 63.30 per cent out of total apparel imports of $233.001 million in JanuaryFebruary 2024, according to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro.

New Zealand imported $149.950 million worth of apparel from China in JanuaryFebruary 2025, accounting for 64.78 per cent of total imports. Jerseys led with $29.378 million, followed by trousers and shorts, coats, shirts, and T-shirts. Man-made fibre apparel made up 42.62 per cent of imports. Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India were the other top suppliers.

Jerseys were the most dominant garment imported by New Zealand from China during this period, with imports valued at $29.378 million, representing 19.57 per cent of total apparel imports from China. Imports of trousers and shorts were valued at $24.683 million (16.45 per cent), coats at $15.293 million (10.19 per cent), shirts at $11.540 million (7.69 per cent), and T-shirts at $11.216 million (7.47 per cent).

Imports of man-made fibre apparel from China stood at $63.965 million, accounting for 42.62 per cent of total imports from China. Cotton apparel imports were valued at $52.786 million (35.17 per cent), wool/animal hair at $9.718 million (6.48 per cent), and silk at $0.079 million (0.05 per cent), as per TexPro.

Among the top five apparel suppliers, imports from Bangladesh, the second-largest supplier, were valued at $22.909 million (9.90 per cent) in the first two months of this year. New Zealands apparel imports from Vietnam totalled $15.874 million (6.86 per cent), from Indonesia $7.566 million (3.27 per cent), and from India $7.252 million (3.13 per cent) during the same period.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
US tariffs mean Asian ports, especially those in China, may face their biggest abrupt decline in throughput in their operating history, according to S&P Global Ratings, whose stress tests show rated Asian port operators have headroom to absorb demand risks this year.

If the tariffs persist beyond two years without mitigation or other growth drivers, it will squeeze Asian port operators' revenues and financial leverage.

Indias Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd can withstand up to 22 per cent of overall volume hit in fiscal 2025-26 (FY26). It mainly serves domestic needs and the rating agency believes it will be more resilient due to the origin and destination (O&D) nature of the volume.

US tariffs mean Asian ports, especially those in China, may face their biggest abrupt decline in throughput in their operating history, according to S&P Global Ratings, whose stress tests show rated Asian port operators have headroom to absorb demand risks this year. India's Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd can withstand up to 22 per cent of overall volume hit in FY26.

Adani Ports' total capital expenditure (capex) over FY26 and FY27 will likely remain high at 120-130 billion a year due to its growth aspirations. This capex includes discretionary spending, acquisitions, and investments in equity affiliates. However, most of its discretionary spending of 50-55 billion a year over the same period is modular. As such, Adani Ports has the flexibility to lower capex, if required, S&P Global Ratings noted.

Asian ports, particularly those in China, face unprecedented throughput challenges. The latest round of US tariffs has emerged as a significant hindrance alongside volume volatility, it noted.

If the current levels of tariffs remain for goods from China, it will cause a prolonged plunge in volume on China-US routes. This would affect port operations and force a rerouting of goods through other countries, such as those in Southeast Asia, assuming no other tariffs are imposed.

This may temporarily boost volumes of intra-Asia routes as manufacturers that have capacity in Southeast Asia are rushing production to sell to the United States during the 90-day pause in implementation. But it won't compensate for losses on China-US routes.

Despite these obstacles, analysis by S&P Global Ratings shows rated Asian port operators maintain sufficient financial resilience to handle throughput declines in 2025. Prolonged tariffs could lead to cuts in capital expenditure or lower dividend distributions.

The magnitude of the tariff impact and how the sector adjusts will take time to play out. The rating agency believes shipments will be severely held back between China and the United States as long as the high tariffs remain effective. Of China's total exports, about 15 per cent go to the United States. For some ports in China, the exposure to the United States is much larger.

China's Southeast Asian trading partners also face material impact. Manufacturers using a China-plus-one or China-plus-x supply-chain strategy can expedite shipments from alternative countries to the United States.

However, S&P Global Ratings believes China's manufacturing capacity will remain significant and irreplaceable for the next 12-18 months at least. During this time, the impact on individual port operator will vary according to their throughput mix. This will also depend on the outcome of the 90-day pause and other new tariffs placed or exempted.

Over the next five to ten years, a shift in the supply chain will be the key driver of growth in port throughput. If China remains exposed to much higher tariffs than other countries, the supply chain shift will likely accelerate.

Eventually, if manufacturers rebalance their supply chain to materially shift away from China, it could structurally erode a portion of port throughput.

Chinas Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd and Hutchison Port Holdings Trust can withstand an overall volume hit in 2025 of up to 27 per cent. HPHT, which has the highest exposure to China-US routes among the rated issuers, may face the largest downside risks under the current tariff policy.

China Merchants Port Holdings Co Ltd has smaller headroom of 14 per cent compared with other rated port operators.

China's intermediate trade has been a key driver of growth of Asia ports, at least until now. This may slow down if there are high tariffs on most Asian countries, it added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2025) - PowerStone Metals Corp. ("PowerStone" or the "Company") wishes to update certain disclosure in the Company's management information circular dated April 9, 2025 (the "Circular") in connection with the annual general and special shareholders meeting of the Company to be held on May 14, 2025, pursuant to which shareholders are being asked to approve, among other things, an ordinary resolution approving the acquisition (the "Transaction") of Libra Lithium Corp. ("Libra") by way of an amalgamation with the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, 1001099231 Ontario Corp. ("SubCo"), and the transactions contemplated in the Amalgamation Agreement dated December 31, 2024 (as amended January 19, 2025), among the Company, SubCo and Libra, as more fully described in the Circular.

In connection with the Transaction and the proposed reverse take over of PowerStone and the public listing of Libra on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"), the Company wishes to provide the following disclosure updates to the Circular, as set forth below. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this news release shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Circular.

Escrowed Securities

The disclosure with respect to escrowed securities on page 37 and beginning on 100 of the Circular is updated to clarify that options of the Resulting Issuer held by Principals of the Resulting Issuer will also be subject to escrow requirements and that Mark Goodman holds, directly or indirectly, 5,333,333 Common Shares of Libra as follows.

As required under the policies of the CSE, Principals of the Resulting Issuer will enter into an escrow agreement as if Libra was subject to the requirements of National Policy 46-201 - Escrow for Initial Public Offerings ("NP 46-201"). Escrow releases will be scheduled at periods specified in NP 46-201 for emerging issuers, that is, 10% will be released upon completion of the Transaction followed by six subsequent releases of 15% every six months thereafter. The form of the escrow agreement must be as provided in NP 46-201. Principals who qualify for an exemption pursuant to NP 46-201 may make such a request to the CSE.

The table below includes the details of escrowed securities that will be held by Principals of the Resulting Issuer upon the completion of the Transaction, including the Consolidation, subject to exemption pursuant to NP 46-201:

Name of Security

Holder Designation of Class

Held in Escrow Number of Securities

Held in Escrow Percentage

of Class(1) Zachary Goldenberg(2) Common Shares 2,531,499(3) 4.4% Carlo Rigillo(4) Common Shares 60,081(3) 0.1% Koby Kushner(5) Common Shares 6,861,134 11.9% David Goodman(6) Common Shares 9,450,000 16.5% Total Common Shares 18,902,714 32.9%

Note:

Based on the total issued and outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares expected to be 57,445,634 on an undiluted basis, however this may change upon the completion of the Transaction. Zachary Goldenberg will also hold 100,136 post-Consolidation options that will be subject to the NP 46-201 escrow. This amount may vary depending on the actual Consolidation ratio used in the Consolidation. Carlo Rigillo will also hold 40,054 post-Consolidation options that will be subject to the NP 46-201 escrow. Koby Kushner will also hold 425,000 post-Consolidation options that will be subject to the NP 46-201 escrow. David Goodman will also hold 300,000 post-Consolidation options that will be subject to the NP 46-201 escrow.

The PowerStone Fundamental Change Shares issued to Libra Shareholders will also be subject to a voluntary pooling arrangement pursuant to which such PowerStone Fundamental Change Shares will be subject to resale restrictions as follows: (A) 25% will be released on the date that the PowerStone Fundamental Change Shares are listed for trading on the CSE; and (B) 25% will be released on each of the 6, 12 and 18 month anniversaries of the date that the PowerStone Fundamental Change Shares are listed for trading on the CSE and shall bear legends to that effect.The table below includes the details of Resulting Issuer Shares that will be held by Principals of the Resulting Issuer upon the completion of the Transaction, including the Consolidation, and subject to the Pooling Arrangement:

Name of Security

Holder Designation of Class

Held in Escrow Number of Securities

Held in Escrow Percentage

of Class(1) Zachary Goldenberg Common Shares 2,531,499(2) 4.4% Marc Sontrop Common Shares 948,489(2) 1.7% Raymond D. Harari Common Shares 2,531,499(2) 4.4% Koby Kushner Common Shares 6,861,134 11.9% David Goodman Common Shares 9,450,000 16.5% Total Common Shares 22,322,621 38.9%

Note:

Based on the total issued and outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares expected to be 57,445,634 on an undiluted basis, however this may change upon the completion of the Transaction. This amount may vary depending on the actual Consolidation ratio used in the Consolidation.

The following founding shareholders of Libra and PowerStone have entered into a voluntary escrow agreement whereby the securities below, held by these founding shareholders, will be held in contractual escrow and are restricted from trading until the date upon which (i) there is a change of control of the Resulting Issuer; or (ii) each and every one of these founding shareholders has unanimously agreed in writing to any such release.

Founding Shareholder Class and Number of Securities Zachary Goldenberg or 2578218 Ontario Ltd., a company owned and controlled by Zachary Goldenberg 1,233,334 Common Shares of Libra

3,241,000 Common Shares of PowerStone (2.4966:1 Post Consolidation = 1,298,165 (1) )

250,000 stock options of PowerStone (2.4966:1 Post Consolidation = 100,136(1)) Night Owl SA, a company owned or controlled by Raymond Harari 1,233,334 Common Shares of Libra

3,241,000 Common Shares of PowerStone (2.4966:1 Post Consolidation = 1,298,166 (1) )

250,000 stock options of PowerStone (2.4966:1 Post Consolidation = 100,136(1)) Koby Kushner or Brie Inc., a company owned and controlled by Koby Kushner 6,861,134 Common Shares of Libra

425,000 stock options of Libra David Goodman or The D2 Financial Corporation., a company owned and controlled by David Goodman 9,450,000 Common Shares of Libra

300,000 stock options of Libra Mark Goodman or 2665839 Ontario Inc., a company owned and controlled by Mark Goodman 5,333,333 Common Shares of Libra

300,000 stock options of Libra

Notes:

The actual post-Consolidation amounts may vary depending on the final Consolidation ratio used in the Consolidation .

KoBold Exploration Earn-In Arrangement

The disclosure with respect to the KoBold exploration Earn-In Arrangement on page 70 of the Circular be updated to disclose further details regarding the Earn-In Arrangement as follows.

On November 13, 2024, Libra entered into the Earn-In Agreement with KoBold, to jointly explore Libra's Flanders South, Flanders North and Soules Bay-Caron lithium projects in Ontario, Canada (collectively, the "Earn-In Properties" in this section or the "Libra Core Projects"). Pursuant to the Earn-In Agreement, KoBold has the option to earn a 75% interest in the Earn-In Properties by incurring up to CAD$33,000,000 in cumulative exploration expenditures over six years.

There is no obligation for KoBold to complete and/or meet it's earn-in requirements pursuant to the Earn-In Agreement, and as such there is any no assurance that KoBold will, or may ever, obtain or realize an interest in the Libra Core Projects.

During the earn-in period, KoBold is responsible for expenses and maintenance of the claims subject to the terms of the Earn-In Agreement. Further, KoBold and Libra shall form a technical committee, with two members from each party, to regularly review progress and findings of exploration programs and determine next steps, with KoBold reserving final discretion over the exploration programs.

Payment and Expenditure Schedule

To meet the 75% earn-in thresholds for the Earn-In Properties, KoBold must complete the following:

Initial Cash Payment to Libra (received) - $445,000 within 14 days of the effective date of the Earn-In Agreement as reimbursement of exploration expenditures for work completed before the Earn-In Agreement was finalized;

Year 1 Anniversary - completion of cumulative exploration expenditures of $750,000, which is a firm commitment and may be allocated across any of the Earn-In Properties;

Year 3 Anniversary - completion of cumulative exploration expenditures of up to $11,000,000 to earn a 51% interest on a project-by-project basis (" Stage 1 "); and

Year 6 Anniversary - completion of cumulative exploration expenditures of up to $33,000,000 to earn a 75% interest on a project-by-project basis ("Stage 2").

The Stage 1 and Stage 2 earn-in thresholds vary by project, as shown in the table below:

Stage Anniversary

Date Cumulative Earn-In Threshold for

each Earn-In Property Cumulative Expenditures KoBold Interest in Property-Specific JV Flanders South Flanders North SBC Stage 1 1st Year $0.75M $0.75M 0% 3rd Year $4M $3M $4M $11M 51% Stage 2 6th Year $12M $9M $12M $33M 75%

Furthermore, KoBold has retained Libra as an exploration contractor for a period ending on the earlier of two years from the effective date of the Earn-In Agreement, or the date on which the Earn-In Agreement is terminated with respect to the project. In exchange for exploration services, KoBold will pay Libra a monthly cash fee of $35,000.

KoBold shall also pay to Libra the following milestone payments with respect to each of the Flanders South and Flanders North projects:

Milestone Milestone Payment ($) Inferred Resource of at least 100,000 tons of lithium oxide $250,000 Pre-Feasibility Study $500,000 Feasibility Study $750,000 First Ore Production $1,000,000

Formation of Joint Venture Company

Upon KoBold achieving a Stage 1 cumulative earn-in threshold, the parties shall form a joint venture for the applicable project pursuant to which KoBold shall initially own 51% and Libra 49% (the "Kobra JV"). Upon KoBold achieving the Stage 2 cumulative earn-in threshold, KoBold's ownership interest in the Kobra JV shall increase to 75%. After the earn-in period, each party will be responsible for funding its pro-rata share of project costs or will be diluted; a party that gets diluted below 10% shall have its interest converted to a 1% net smelter return (NSR) royalty. The Kobra JV shall be governed by a board of directors ("Board"), initially composed of two members appointed by KoBold and two members appointed by Libra. The Board shall appoint a manager of the daily affairs of Kobra JV, with KoBold as the initial manager.

On February 20, 2025, Libra announced it entered into an amending agreement with KoBold to include additional but minor claims recently staked by Libra at the Soules Bay Project and the Caron Project.

Flanders North & Flanders South (KoBold Earn-in, lead operator)

In 2025, KoBold is planning to conduct a ~4 weeks field program on the Flanders North & Flanders South project. The work will be focused primarily on the Homer spodumene pegmatite discovered by Libra in 2023 and the nearby area. The Homer pegmatite is poorly characterized and the true width, strike, and mineralogical properties of the pegmatite will be subject to investigation. Additionally, the immediate area around Homer has been poorly explored but has returned promising indications from the preliminary sampling conducted in 2023 (e.g., highly fractionated K/Rb ratios). LiDAR completed by Libra in 2023, along with government sourced LiDAR will guide exploration efforts in conjunction with handhelds LIBS and whole-rock grab samples previously collected by Libra.

SBC (KoBold Earn-in)

KoBold is planning a property-wide, 40 metre spaced high-resolution Heli-GT magnetic survey in Q2 2025. The survey will be used to refine the current geologic map, as well as to locate potentially favourable structures which may host spodumene-bearing pegmatites. A LiDAR survey will then be commissioned, which will cover the newly staked ground. Fieldwork is scheduled to begin in Q3 2025 which will include ~2 weeks of helicopter-supported prospecting/mapping and drill target evaluation.

Material Mineral Property (Qualifying Property) - Property Description, Location, and Access

The Technical Report has been amended to reflect the below noted changes and a revised Technical Report has been filed on PowerStone's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca as of May 9, 2024.

The disclosure with respect to Libra's material and qualifying mineral property ("Flanders South"), specifically Table 1: Property Claims (Ministry of Mines (MOM) November 2024) starting on page 72 of the Circular is revised to reflect the correct tenures of the claims set out therein as follows:

Tenure

ID Due

Date Tenure

Type Cells Holder Mining

Division Township / Area 895866 22-Oct-

2025 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 7 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 878863 19-Nov-

2025 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 24 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 895876 21-Jun-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 21 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895875 21-Jun-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 19 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895874 21-Jun-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 21 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895877 21-Jun-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 22 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895873 21-Jun-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 25 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895872 21-Jun-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 17 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA, LILAC LAKE AREA 895852 22-Oct-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 24 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 895863 22-Oct-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 19 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 895882 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 2 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895881 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 14 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895883 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 20 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895869 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 16 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 895868 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 18 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 895867 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 20 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA 895884 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 18 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA,

LILAC LAKE AREA 895870 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 16 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA,

LILAC LAKE AREA 895885 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 10 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA,

LILAC LAKE AREA 895871 23-Dec-

2026 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 17 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA,

LILAC LAKE AREA 895879 05-Jan-

2027 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 22 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895880 05-Jan-

2027 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 11 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay WOLSELEY LAKE AREA,

LILAC LAKE AREA 895878 21-Jun-

2027 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 15 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay LILAC LAKE AREA 895865 23-Dec-

2027 Multi-cell

Mining

Claim 11 Libra Lithium Corp. (10006639) Thunder

Bay REDHORSE LAKE AREA

Use of Proceeds - Total Funds Available and Principal Purpose

The following disclosure with respect to the Resulting Issuer's use of proceeds, total funds available and principal purpose beginning on page 98 of the Circular is updated to disclose the Libra's Soules Bay, Caron and Nemiscau Lake Projects required payments of $114,000 on or before June 2, 2025 and further payment of $114,000 on or before June 2, 2026 as follows:

As of January 31, 2025, PowerStone had a working capital of approximately $550,409 and as at December 31, 2024, Libra had a working capital of $665,838. As of April 30, 2025, PowerStone had a working capital of approximately $522,229 and Libra had a working capital of approximately $615,103 Libra estimates available cash as at the date of this news release to be approximately $597,312.69. The following table represents the available funds of the Resulting Issuer and the principal purpose of those funds over a 12-month period:

Source Funds Available PowerStone Working Capital as of April 30, 2025 $522,229 Libra Working Capital as of April 30, 2025 $615,103 Available Funds of the Resulting Issuer

$1,137,332

Principal Purpose Funds Expenses related to the completion of the Transaction $180,000 Expenses related to Exploration Activities(1) $514,000 General and administrative costs estimated for operating 12 months(2) $340,000 Total Expenses $1,034,000 Unallocated Capital $93,332

Notes:

Libra's Soules Bay, Caron and Nemiscau Lake Projects require payments of $114,000 on or before June 2, 2025 to maintain all claims. Under the terms of the Earn-in Agreement, KoBold is required to make these payments in order to maintain its option and the Resulting Issuer expects KoBold to make these in full. General and administrative costs includes: wages/fees for officers ($250,000), transfer agent, legal, accounting, audit ($80,000); and miscellaneous ($10,000).

There may be circumstances where, for sound business reasons, a reallocation of the net proceeds may be necessary. The actual amount that the Resulting Issuer spends in connection with each of the intended uses of proceeds may vary significantly from the amounts specified below, and will depend on a number of factors, including those referred to under Risk Factors below. However, it is anticipated that the available funds will be sufficient to satisfy the Resulting Issuer's objectives over the next 12 months.

Resulting Issuer Audit Committee Charter

The Audit Committee of the Resulting Issuer will implement and assume the current Audit Committee Charter of PowerStone. A copy of PowerStone's Audit Committee Charter can be obtained electronically under PowerStone's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Physical copies may be obtained on request without charge from Zachary Goldenberg, Chief Executive Officer, at 1900 - 1040 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6E 4H3, telephone: (647) 987-5083; fax (604) 689-5177.

Promoters

The disclosure with respect to promoters on page 107 of the Circular is amended to disclose that Zachary Goldenberg, a director of PowerStone and a proposed director of the Resulting Issuer, is a promoter of PowerStone and will be a promoter of the Resulting Issuer.

Proxy Cut-Off

The Company also announces that it has waived the proxy cut-off time as outlined in the Circular and will accept completed forms of proxy up to the start of the shareholders' meeting on May 14, 2025 at 10:00 am (Vancouver time) in order to allow all shareholders additional time to consider the updated disclosure provided in this news release.

About PowerStone

PowerStone is a mineral exploration company focused on the identification and exploration of high-quality critical and precious metals assets, in favorable mining jurisdictions. PowerStone is a reporting issuer in the Provinces of Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, Canada and its common shares are currently listed for trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Transaction, the escrow of securities, shareholder and exchange approvals, the PowerStone shareholders meeting, the filing of the Technical Report on SEDAR+, the Earn-In Arrangement, the use of proceeds, funds available and principal purpose of the working capital of the Resulting Issuer, future plans and business objectives of the Resulting Issuer and other matters. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. As a result, there can be no assurance that the proposed Transaction or related matters will be completed as proposed or at all. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct.

Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to continue operations if the Transaction is not completed, the Company's ability to raise further capital upon terms acceptable to the Company or at all, the Company's ability to obtain regulatory, shareholder and exchange approvals, and the Company's ability to complete the Transaction as currently proposed or at all. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given 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 forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251617

SOURCE: Powerstone Metals Corp.
Data presented at ADHD World Congress highlights how QbCheck supports diagnostic accuracy and individualized treatment monitoring, enabling efficient and robust care in virtual settings.

News Summary:

New findings show significant improvements in access, clinician confidence, symptom tracking, and individualized care using objective testing.

The study underscores the importance of scalable, evidence-based tools, as many countries, including both the UK and the US, face rising demand for ADHD diagnosis and treatment.

The study revealed significant improvements post-treatment, validating clinical practice and better clinician-patient alignment.

As demand for virtual ADHD care increases, findings from a new study conducted with ADHD 360, the UK's largest evidence-based digital service specializing in ADHD diagnosis and treatment, reveal how objective ADHD diagnostic and monitoring technology improves patient outcomes and clinical certainty.

Presented at the 2025 ADHD World Congress in Prague, Czech Republic, the findings highlight the role of QbCheck, Qbtech's remote testing solution, in enabling clinicians to make more confident, data-informed decisions, supporting a more personalized and collaborative care model. The tool allows for greater clarity when assessing symptoms and adjusting treatment plans over time, ensuring diagnostic accuracy and helping to improve alignment between clinicians and patients throughout the care journey.

The results from ADHD 360's implementation of this model showcase how a standardized approach to virtual ADHD care improves clinician confidence, reduces wait times, and enhances patient engagement. In addition to its use as a diagnostic tool, QbCheck, the remote objective assessment tool from Qbtech, was used to monitor treatment effects, helping clinicians adjust treatment as needed.

"Consistency and quality are at the heart of our virtual care model, and QbCheck plays a key role in upholding these standards," says Carl Ellis, Mental Health Nurse and Team Manager, ADHD 360. "The objective data it provides ensures that every patient is assessed using the same evidence-based criteria, regardless of where they are. Not only does this minimize the risk of subjective bias, but it also ensures that our clinical team can deliver reliable, high-quality care at scale."

The results showed significant improvement from the baseline to post-treatment assessments. Beyond QbCheck's value as an objective symptom measurement and diagnostic tool, the data highlights patient response to pharmacological treatment, which can support clinicians in developing individualized and adaptive treatment plans, providing quantifiable data on symptom presentation and response.

In this study, data was collected from routine QbCheck assessments completed as part of the ADHD 360 model in the United Kingdom. Baseline data was collected prior to diagnosis and treatment, with additional QbCheck assessments administered after patients were optimized with stimulant medication treatment. In addition to QbCheck, all patients were given the Adult ADHD Self Report Scale (ASRS) or the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP) and QbCheck Rating Scale (QbRS) to assess self-reported symptoms.

"QbCheck brings transparency and structure to the process, enabling clinicians to clearly visualize symptoms, track treatment response, and give patients the objective validation they deserve," says Dr. Mikkel Hansen, Chief Medical Officer, Qbtech. "This data shows how a standardized pathway to virtual ADHD care helps clinicians successfully facilitate remote monitoring of medication treatment effects, symptom regulation, and overall treatment outcomes, which are essential to virtual care models like ADHD 360."

With increased scrutiny around ADHD care and virtual care models expanding, QbCheck stands out for its clinical rigor, patient-centered design and scalability. First developed in 2016, QbCheck enriches the clinician and patient experience to ensure optimal care in virtual settings. QbCheck is used by more than 10,000 clinicians worldwide operating virtual clinics and those with brick-and-mortar locations who offer remote ADHD services. Its flexibility for these clinicians and their patients is key to providing equitable access to care regardless of location, especially those who live in a mental health provider shortage area.

Since its launch in Sweden in 2002, Qbtech has supported more than 1 million patients globally. More than 40 independent studies document the company's benefits across the patient care pathway, including improved access to care, elevated clinician confidence, a 50% better indication of treatment effects than standardized self-rating scales, and consistency of care across multiple disciplines.

Visit www.qbtech.com to learn more.

About Qbtech

Founded in 2002, Qbtech is a privately-owned Swedish company that has developed leading solutions and products for improving the identification, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients living with ADHD. Qbtech has operations in 14 countries and has offices in Stockholm, Houston, and London. Qbtech is an award-winning company recognized for its innovation, most recently winning the 2022 HSJ Partnership Award for the 'Best Mental Health Partnership with the NHS.' For more information about Qbtech, visit www.qbtech.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250510899654/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Hilari Barton, Trevelino/Keller

Hnbarton@trevelinokeller.com

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MANCHESTER, England, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Human Appeal strongly condemns recent attempts to undermine the credibility and humanitarian mission of the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO). We affirm our full support for the Organization's longstanding and commendable contributions to international humanitarian efforts, particularly its critical work in supporting the people of the Gaza Strip.

Human Appeal has successfully delivered humanitarian assistance to Gaza, a success made possible-first and foremost-by the grace of The Almighty, and through the unwavering support of the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization and its cooperation with Human Appeal and other international partners.

The Organization's record of achievement and the scale of its humanitarian impact speak for themselves and stand as a powerful testament against any attempt to question or diminish its vital role. At a time when global attention is fixed on Gaza, the Organization has emerged as a central and reliable source of humanitarian relief.

"Human Appeal reiterates its deep appreciation and respect for the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization and all its dedicated staff. In particular, we extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Hussein Al-Shibli, Secretary-General of JHCO, for his tireless and constructive leadership during this critical period, as the global humanitarian community continues to face escalating challenges in delivering essential aid to the people of Gaza," stated Dr. Mohamed Ashmawey, CEO of Human Appeal.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/international-ngo-human-appeal-issues-statement-regarding-jhco-302451644.html
BARCELONA, Spain, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Luohu, a central district of Shenzhen, one of China's most dynamic city economies, organized an economic and trade promotion meeting in Barcelona on May 8th.

This event brought together officials and business representatives from both regions, facilitating deeper exchanges on technological innovation, sustainable development, and cross-border investments, while jointly exploring new avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation.

Participants at the meeting commended the strong momentum in Sino-Spanish relations and the vast potential for bilateral collaboration, rooted in the economic complementarity between the two nations and their shared commitment to free trade and economic globalization.

Luohu is committed to promoting consumption, the growth of the service sector, and integrated development with neighboring Hong Kong. The district aims to strengthen cooperation with Barcelona, Spain's largest industrial and commercial city, in areas such as the digital economy, smart cities, jewelry exhibitions, and cultural tourism.

Officials from Luohu highlighted the advantages of the district, including its position as the earliest developed area and central urban area of Shenzhen with a strategic location advantage connecting the world, an internationally top-tier business environment, and highly promising development prospects, offering vast potential for cooperation between the two parties.

Statistics show that the trade volume between Shenzhen and Spain surpassed $28.71 billion last year, with direct air routes connecting the two cities since they established a sister city relationship in 2021.

"The supercomputing center in Barcelona and the innovative initiatives in Valencia's sustainable city are both valuable models for us to learn from," said Luohu's investment promotion officer. "Our collaboration in cutting-edge technology, urban development, and port logistics is thriving. There is immense potential for cooperation in the digital economy, high-end manufacturing, and fashion consumption."

Acknowledging Shenzhen's significance in the world's second-largest economy, the Spanish side not only echoed Luohu's invitation to Spanish companies but also welcomed investments from Shenzhen-based enterprises in Barcelona.

Officials from Barcelona encouraged investment from Shenzhen, particularly in technology parks, green projects, and cultural creativity, promoting mutual investment and industrial integration between the two cities.

The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises of Spain (PIMEC) suggests establishing an institutionalized platform, such as creating the "Luohu-Barcelona Small and Medium Enterprise Cooperation Platform," to facilitate mutual investment, technological cooperation, and joint research and development among small and medium enterprises.

They also propose encouraging transparent information exchange on policies, regulations, taxation, and registration procedures, as well as promoting collaboration between universities, research centers, and businesses.

The event witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding on cooperation between Luohu and Barcelona, as well as enthusiastic exchanges between entrepreneurs and officials from both sides. This has laid a solid foundation for deeper collaboration between the two parties in the future.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/luohu-barcelona-meet-each-other-halfway-in-pursuit-for-win-win-cooperation-302451654.html
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- An Abu Dhabi economic delegation, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), concluded a successful visit to Japan, signing agreements with government entities and the private sector to further enhance partnerships in various industries and high-growth clusters.

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation, comprising representatives from more than 80 public sector entities, private enterprises, SMEs, and startups, engaged in high-level meetings with top government officials, key businesses and investors in Japan, exploring collaboration opportunities in across key sectors including life sciences, carbon-neutral technologies, AI, digital infrastructure, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and financial services.

The delegation visited Expo 2025 Osaka and SusHi Tech - Tokyo, and organised the 11th Abu Dhabi Japan Economic Council (ADJEC) meeting, the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF) and Abu Dhabi-Japan Business Forum, highlighting cooperation opportunities and the role of Abu Dhabi's 'Falcon Economy' initiatives in accelerating transition towards a smart, diversified, and sustainable development.

12 homegrown startups, supported by Hub71 and Khalifa Fund, participated in SusHi Tech- Tokyo, Asia's premier startup and innovation conference, highlighting Abu Dhabi's tech talent, solutions, and investment opportunities in innovation-driven industries.

Organised in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Tokyo, the visit included meetings with H.E. Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka, H.E. Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, H.E. Nobuhiko Yamaguchi, Vice Governor of Osaka, H.E. Ogushi Masaki, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, H.E. Takeuchi Shinji, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and H.E. H.E. Kodaira Nobuyori, President of the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). The delegation also met senior officials and executives of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), Sumitomo Corporation, Cosmo Energy, ITOCHU, and Toshiba.

His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: "Guided by our leadership's ambitious vision, we are doubling down on our efforts to future-proof the economy and cement Abu Dhabi's stature as a rising economic powerhouse and a global hub for talent, business, investment, and trade".

"Our visit to Japan presented a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our longstanding partnership by exploring new avenues of collaboration in various sectors. The agreements signed during this visit reinforce our commitment to deepening partnerships across priority industries and clusters to address giga shifts in the global economy. We remain committed to enhancing cooperation with key economies and trading partners, making human development and sustainability our top priorities to shape a brighter tomorrow".

The agreements signed during the visit included a strategic partnership for smart mobility solutions between Emirates Driving Company and Zenmov, a leading company in smart mobility solutions, and Abu Dhabi Chamber and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) agreement to deepen business relations and create new opportunities for collaboration.

In addition, the Emirates Foundation's Nema initiative and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) inked an agreement to bolster cooperation to support achieving Nema's goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030, in line with the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

His Excellency Shihab Ahmed Alfaheem, Ambassador of the UAE to Japan, said: "The visit of the Abu Dhabi economic delegation to Japan underscores the strength and strategic depth of the UAE-Japan relationship - one that is rooted in decades of trust and collaboration, and now firmly focused on the future. Japan's global leadership in digital innovation, smart infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and advanced manufacturing aligns closely with Abu Dhabi's economic diversification goals and its ambition to build a resilient, knowledge-based, and climate-conscious economy."

H.E. Alfaheem added: "This mission represents a pivotal moment in our bilateral ties, as we prepare to activate transformative frameworks such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). CEPA will provide unprecedented access to markets, streamline cross-border investment, and facilitate greater technological exchange between our nations. It is through such frameworks that we will unlock the full potential of UAE-Japan collaboration across sectors - from clean energy and AI to startups and industrial R&D. The UAE Embassy in Tokyo is proud to support this high-level engagement. We remain committed to fostering meaningful partnerships between Emirati and Japanese institutions, and to advancing shared priorities that will shape the next era of sustainable, innovation-led growth."

Bilateral trade between the UAE and Japan rose 4.8 percent to AED 182.4 billion (USD 49.7 billion) in 2024, compared to AED 174 billion (USD 47.4 billion) in 2023, while non-oil trade grew 2.2 percent over the same period, reflecting growing ties between the two economies. UAE investment in Japan has increased 100% over the past five years, while the country accounts for 80 percent of Japanese investments in the Middle East.

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation included senior officials and executives from government entities, private sector's companies, and startups, including the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), ADGM, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Customs, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), ADNOC, KEZAD, Hub71, Abu Dhabi Airports, and major companies from different sectors.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684338/Ahmed_Jasim_Al_Zaabi.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/abu-dhabi-and-japan-sign-agreements-to-strengthen-partnerships-boost-bilateral-trade-and-investments-302451664.html
Road Town, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - May 10, 2025) - LBank Exchange, a leading global digital asset trading platform, has officially listed USDQ (USDQ) on May 1, 2025. The USDQ/USDT trading pair is now available for users worldwide at https://www.lbank.com/trade/USDQ_usdt, providing a new way for users to access a stablecoin, US dollar-backed token within the Web3 ecosystem.





USDQ Listing Banner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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USDQ is a fully-backed, ERC-20 stablecoin issued by Quantoz Payments, pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. Designed to offer a reliable and secure stablecoin solution, USDQ combines traditional finance stability with the transparency and efficiency of blockchain technology. By leveraging a reserve structure, USDQ provides a trusted alternative to traditional money while offering flexible access and redemption options to users globally.

USDQ: A Stablecoin for a Decentralized Economy

USDQ is an electronic money token (EMT) backed by US dollar reserves. The token aims to provide stability, transparency, and liquidity, enabling seamless participation in digital economies and decentralized finance (DeFi).

One of the core innovations of USDQ is its integration with Quantoz Payments, which utilizes a secure, bankruptcy-remote structure via the Quantoz Foundation. This setup ensures that customer funds are fully segregated and protected from any potential insolvency events. Additionally, USDQ is governed by a robust regulatory framework and is subject to oversight by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), making it a highly compliant and secure stablecoin option.

USDQ's functionality extends beyond simple transactions: it supports cross-border payments, DeFi liquidity, and broader financial applications, giving users a flexible and efficient way to interact with the blockchain. The token is built on the Ethereum network, offering broad compatibility with wallets, exchanges, and smart contracts.

Tokenomics

The USDQ token operates as a fully-backed stablecoin, with each token backed by equivalent reserves held in the Quantoz Foundation. The goal of USDQ is to provide a reliable and secure digital asset that facilitates everyday transactions and access to the growing DeFi ecosystem.

Key Details:

Token Name : USDQ

Token Symbol : USDQ

Blockchain : Ethereum (ERC-20)

Maximum Supply : Variable, based on market demand and fiat-backed reserves

Decimals: 18

USDQ is designed with the following utility and functions in mind:

Redemption : USDQ holders can redeem tokens at any time for USD, under specific conditions, aiming for liquidity and value stability.

Cross-Border Payments : USDQ provides a fast and efficient way to perform international transactions with the reliability of the US dollar.

DeFi & Trading Liquidity: Used in DeFi platforms and exchanges for liquidity and trading.

Reserve Management:

USDQ reserves are safeguarded by the Quantoz Foundation, with a minimum of 30% of funds held in bank accounts to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

The remaining funds are invested in secure, low-risk assets such as US dollar-denominated bonds, aiming for additional liquidity and backing for USDQ.

Redemption Rights:

Registered holders of USDQ have the right to redeem tokens at any time at par value, aiming to provide full transparency and security for users.

Redemption is available through Quantoz Payments for users within the EEA, Switzerland, and the UK, with a straightforward process with the goal of providing swift transactions.

Market Participation:

USDQ can be traded, redeemed, or used for payment applications, aiming for the token to be a flexible asset for individuals and institutions.

Third-party partners are authorized to distribute USDQ, with the goal of expanding market reach and accessibility.

Learn More about USDQ

Website: https://quantozpay.com

About LBank

Founded in 2015, LBank is a top crypto exchange offering financial derivatives, asset management, and secure trading. With over 15 million users across 210+ regions, LBank ranks in the top 20 for spot trading and top 15 for derivatives trading globally, ensuring fund integrity and supporting global crypto adoption.

Start Trading Now: lbank.com

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251326

SOURCE: LBank
May 10, 2025: Two years ago a Russian espionage effort in Britain ran afoul of local incompetence and mixed signals from the FSB. It all began after the Russian invasion of Ukraine when Russia ordered the revival of its espionage network in Britain. The effort was organized by Jan Marsalek, an Austrian business executive living in Russia to avoid prosecution for economic crimes. Marsalek still had a large number of contacts in Europe and was able to hire six Bulgarian men to carry out pro-Russian and anti-American operations in Europe. This was meant to reduce support for the war in Ukraine. Marsaleks plan failed and his six Bulgarians were arrested in Britain before they could start their campaign.

Some success was achieved via online efforts, but these were redundant because pro-Russian propaganda was already being spread on the internet by Russian citizens and their western fans. This was not the first Russian propaganda effort in Europe and was the latest one to fail. Since 2022 Russia has spent over half a million dollars trying to establish espionage and propaganda operations in Europe. Not much success, mainly because the European counterespionage organizations were able to detect and disable Russian operations.

One reason the American and European counterintelligence operations were so effective was because of a recent failure of U.S. intelligence. Four years ago the CIA realized that their foreign espionage efforts were crippled because several Chinese Cyber War operations obtained personnel records for most Americans. These data thefts seem to have started a decade earlier when the U.S. government Office of Personnel Management/OPM, had its entire database of detailed records on 22 million current and former government employees, including data on people who had applied for jobs and did not get one, copied by hackers in 2014. Intelligence agencies, especially the CIA, realized that could have a catastrophic effect on American espionage efforts overseas as well as catching spies in the United States. The damage was worse than anyone imagined. The OPM hack was traced back to China although earlier large-scale data hacks may have been the work of Russians or freelancers who knew China would pay a good price for such data.

The OPM hack got everyones attention but when it was considered in light of the many other hacking events before and after 2014 that made off with large quantities of personnel data that, taken together, gave Chinese intel analysts a comprehensive picture of the American population. Not just currently but in the future. The Chinese soon had a better database on the American population than any U.S. government agency or commercial firm.

The CIA was one of the first U.S. agencies to discover how damaging that was firsthand. After 2010 the CIA not only began losing a large network of informants and operatives inside China, but eventually in all foreign nations. This was most visible in how the Chinese counterespionage agents would, after 2014, no longer go to great lengths to conceal their efforts as new American agents, including those whose CIA employment was unknown to anyone, even most family members, back home, were identified and monitored by the Chinese secret police as soon as the CIA personnel arrived. But the Chinese always knew and eventually they were flaunting it. This was an intimidation tactic and it worked.

Meanwhile all the United States can do is increase the rate of uncovering Chinese spies posing as academic researchers in the United States, and this appears to be another aftereffect of the new Chinese databases on the American population. These Chinese operatives seek to steal trade secrets or patented material. There have been more of them in the last decade which can be attributed to the improved ability of Chinese agents to determine who will work for them and who cannot. This recruiting is often assisted by Chinese graduate students studying in the United States while also working for Chinese intelligence. One pattern that is becoming evident is the Chinese ability to detect which American academics, researchers and executives are most likely to work for the Chinese, either willingly or after experiencing a blackmail threat.

The United States has been prosecuting and convicting a growing number of Chinese born men and women conspiring to commit or actually carrying out economic espionage in the United States. Some of these suspects are naturalized American citizens but a growing number are Chinese citizens here on legitimate visas. As more suspects were identified, patterns began to appear which revealed the inner workings of known Chinese intellectual property espionage efforts.

These indictments are the result of the United States imposing more restrictions on Chinese officials who come to the U.S. and have contact, for whatever reason, with American academics, researchers and city, state and county government officials. These Chinese have to notify the U.S. government of such contacts. Based on recent FBI investigations and prosecutions, this makes it more difficult to operate their massive espionage program that seeks details of how American patents are implemented as well as trade secrets.

The FBI and CIA again noted several interesting patterns. While many of the returning Chinese students were operating legally, a large number of those new Chinese firms were operating illegally by depending on stolen intellectual property. There were other patterns as well. A lot of the stolen tech seemed to involve Chinese and Americans associated with various Chinese efforts that helped returning Chinese profit from what they had learned in the West. These programs involved establishing hundreds of Confucius Institutes associated with Western universities, including a hundred in the United States. That, plus the aggressive recruiting of Chinese and non-Chinese academics willing to help China mobilize the largest IP theft in history.

China tried to conceal its espionage efforts. Not just denying anything and everything connected to its hacking and conventional spying, but also taking precautions. But as their success continued year after year, some of the Chinese hackers became cocky and sloppy. At the same time, the victims became more adept at detecting Chinese efforts and tracing them back to specific Chinese government organizations or non-government hackers inside China.

China has been getting away with something the Soviet Union never accomplished, stealing Western technology and then using it to move ahead of the West. The Soviets lacked the many essential supporting industries found in the West. These firms were largely founded and run by entrepreneurs, which was illegal in the Soviet Union. Because of that, the Russians were never able to acquire all the many pieces needed to match Western technical accomplishments. Soviet copies of American computers, for example, were crude, less reliable, and less powerful. It was the same situation with their jet fighters, tanks, and warships.

China got around this by making it seemingly profitable for Western firms to set up factories in China, where Chinese managers and workers were taught how to make things right. At the same time, China allows thousands of their best students to go to the United States to study. While many of these students will stay in America, where there are better jobs and more opportunities, a growing number are coming back to China and bringing American business and technical skills with them. Finally, China energetically uses the thousand grains of sand approach to espionage. This involves China trying to get all Chinese going overseas, and those of Chinese ancestry living outside the motherland, to spy for China, if only a tiny bit.

Chinese firms are boldly using their stolen technology, daring foreign firms to try and use Chinese courts to get justice. Instead, the foreign firms tried to muster support from their governments for lawsuits outside China. Naturally, the Chinese government howled and insisted that its all a plot to oppress China. This worked for a long time, but many of the victims are now telling China that this conflict is being taken to a new, and more dangerous, level.
Though De Niro helps run his own film festival back in New York, the Tribeca Festival, he has remained a mainstay in Cannes read more

Robert De Niro will receive an honorary Palme dOr at the Cannes Film Festival, a culmination for the 81-year-old actor whose history with the French film festival stretches back half a century.

In 1976, De Niro starred in two films  Martin Scorseses Taxi Driver and Bernardo Bertoluccis 1900"  that premiered in competition at Cannes. Taxi Driver was an immediate sensation, and went home with the festivals top prize, the Palme dOr.

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Since then, De Niro has been a regular on the Croisette, returning with The King of Comedy in 1983, Sergio Leones Once Upon a Time in America in 1984 and Roland Joffes The Mission in 1986. Joffes film also won the Palme, making De Niro the rare actor to star in two Palme dOr winners.

Though De Niro helps run his own film festival back in New York, the Tribeca Festival, he has remained a mainstay in Cannes. He presided over the jury in 2011 that selected Terrence Malicks The Tree of Life for the Palme. Most recently, he and Scorsese returned to premiere Killers of the Flower Moon in 2023.

I have such close feelings for Festival de Cannes, De Niro said when his honorary Palme dOr was announced last month. Especially now when theres so much in the world pulling us apart, Cannes brings us together  storytellers, filmmakers, fans, and friends. Its like coming home.

De Niro is to receive the award in the festivals opening ceremony on May 13.
Accused Mohammad Shariful Islam (30), a Bangladeshi national currently lodged in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, on Friday withdrew his bail plea filed last month before the sessions court here. read more

The accused in the actor Saif Ali Khan stabbing case on Friday filed an application before a court here seeking to declare his arrest as illegal, claiming he had not been provided all the necessary information at the time of arrest.

Accused Mohammad Shariful Islam (30), a Bangladeshi national currently lodged in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, on Friday withdrew his bail plea filed last month before the sessions court here.

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Later, the accused, through his lawyer Ajay Gawli, moved an application before Judicial Magistrate First Class (Bandra), seeking to declare his arrest as illegal and sought his release from jail.

In the plea, he claimed that his arrest was illegal as the police did not adhere to the provisions of law while apprehending him.

The court asked the police to file its reply and adjourned the matter till May 13.

Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by the intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 this year. The 54-year-old actor underwent an emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital. He was discharged after five days.

The accused was arrested by the police two days after the alleged incident.
Heres looking at the top 5 actresses who have filmed in India, and are also filming, currently read more

From the scenic beauty of Kashmir to the deserted plains of Rajasthan, India is home to many shooting locations in Bollywood. Several actors are shooting in the Desi plains, celebrating the rich scenic beauty of India. Heres looking at the top 5 actresses who have filmed in India, and are also filming, currently.

Sonakshi Sinha

Sonakshi Sinha is gearing up to make her Telugu debut in Jatadhara. Recently, the actress was shooting in Mount Abu for one of the films schedules. The recently released poster of Sonakshi Sinha has gained significant buzz, and the audience is excited to see what she has to offer against the backdrop of the Indian landscape.

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Pragya Jaiswal:

Pragya Jaiswal is set to star in her next big-screen spectacle, Tyson Naidu. The actress, known for her authenticity and her ability to bring honesty to her roles, is filming in Nepal for Tyson Naidu. Now that Pragya has showcased her impeccable range with Daaku Maharaaj, Khel Khel Main, and others, Pragyas fans are excited to see her in a never-seen-before avatar in Tyson Naidu.

Rashmika Mandanna:

The Pushpa actress is entering the Maddock Films horror-comedy franchise with Thama, and is shooting for the much-awaited drama in Ooty. She will be seen sharing the screen space with Aayushmann Khurrana for the first time, and their fans are eager to see them collide in the horror comedy universe.

Bhumi Pednekar:

Bhumi Pednekar will be seen in her next film, Afwaah, by Sudhir Mishra. The actress, known for her memorable choices of films, is shooting for Afwaah in Rajasthan.

Alia Bhatt:

Alia Bhatt filmed certain parts of the light-hearted rom-com Rocky Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in Gulmarg, Kashmir. For the unversed, Tum Kya Mile song features an eccentric backdrop of the heaven of India, and while the song captures hearts with Alias intense chemistry with Ranveer Singh, the scenic visuals elevate the songs appeal.

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Indias Barak 8 missile defence system reportedly intercepted the Fatah-II missile fired by Pakistan to target Delhi early today (May 10). Jointly developed by India and Israel, the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) has an operational range of 70-100 km. Heres how it bolsters Indias air defence read more

India and Pakistan military tensions continue to be on the rise. New Delhi called Islamabads air intrusion bid last night (May 9) escalatory and provocative. However, the Indian Armed Forces were successful in neutralising the waves of drones launched by the Pakistani military at the Indian border districts.

On Saturday (May 10) morning, a drone was downed by Indias air defence system at the old airfield in Srinagar as two massive explosions shook the city, officials told PTI. The Indian military also foiled Pakistans attempt to target Delhi in the early hours today. Islamabad fired the Fatah-II ballistic missile , which was intercepted in Haryanas Sirsa by Indias Barak-8 missile defence system.

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Indias surface-to-air missile systems  Russian-origin S400 Triumf and Barak 8 MRSAM (Medium Range Surface to Air Missile)  and the indigenous Akash surface-to-air missiles (SAM) have played a key role in thwarting the attacks by Pakistan since it stepped up attacks after New Delhis Operation Sindoor.

We will explain what Barak 8 missiles are and how they are strengthening Indias defences during the ongoing tensions with Pakistan.

Barak 8 missiles

Barak 8 is jointly developed by India and Israel. The Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) has an operational range of 70 km, which can be expanded to 100 km.

This version of Barak, meaning lightning in Hebrew, is designed and developed by both the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). MRSAM has mobile launchers that can be deployed on land or on navy vessels, reported Times of Israel.

Weighing 275 kg, the missile can carry a 60-kg warhead which explodes near the target, as per a report by SPs Naval Forces magazine.

With a speed up to Mach 2, the missile boasts a dual pulse rocket motor and thrust vector control (TVC). The state-of-the-art weapon is equipped with digital radar, interceptors with modern RF sensors, two-way data link and system-wide connectivity.

The defence systems multi-functional surveillance and threat alert radar helps in detection, tracking and guidance of the missile.

Israel sold the missile system to India in 2017, and since then, it has undergone multiple trials. It has been inducted into the arsenal of the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF). As per the Times of Israel report, the Indian Army carried out successful tests with the Barak 8 missiles last month, intercepting four air targets at various speeds, with challenging interception altitudes and ranges.

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The missiles intercepted the aerial targets, scoring direct hits and destroying them, demonstrating the systems operational capability, the IAI said in a statement. The company said the trials paved the way for the missile defence system to be made operational by the Indian Army.

 on



IAI and @DRDO_India successfully test launch the MRSAM air defense system last week at a test range in India 



The MRSAM is an advanced path breaking air and missile defense system that provides ultimate protection against a variety of aerial platforms. pic.twitter.com/Wk4vWPWeQ9  Israel Aerospace Industries (@ILAerospaceIAI) January 5, 2021

The Barak-8s 360-degree coverage enables it to target several airborne threats. It can simultaneously engage with multiple targets around the clock in all weather conditions. The missile provides defence against Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones, anti-ship missiles, ballistic missiles, helicopters, aircraft, cruise missiles, and fighter jets, as per a Raksha-Anirveda magazine report.

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MRSAM, which is the second variant of the Barak-8 system, is a land-based missile system, armed with a tracking radar, a command and control system, and mobile launcher systems, the piece noted.

How India deployed Barak 8 missiles after Op Sindoor

India responded to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that took the lives of 26 people in Kashmir by launching Operation Sindoor, under which it targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Since these strikes on May 7, Islamabad has attempted to launch several attacks against Indias military installations. The surface-to-air missile systems are acting as a shield against Pakistans barrage of missile and drone strikes.

Besides the Barak-8 missiles, India deployed the S-400 Triumf missile system, Akash and homemade anti-drone equipment to foil Pakistans bid to target 15 Indian cities on Wednesday night, sources told PTI.

The Pakistan military had reportedly launched a swarm of drones and missiles towards the Indian border areas around 1 am on the intervening night of May 7-8.

The Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid, S-400 Triumph systems, Barak-8 missiles, Akash Surface-to-Air Missiles, and DRDOs anti-drone technologies came together seamlessly to create an aerial shield that held firm, the source said.

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The Barak-8 missiles also guarded Indias capital by intercepting Pakistans Fatah-II missile early today in Haryana, News18 reported, citing sources.

With inputs from agencies
Pakistan has escalated the attacks against India, launching the Fatah-II aimed at Delhi, which was intercepted by India. The ballistic missile is one of the latest entrants in Pakistans arsenal with a range of up to 400 km. But what are these weapons? And what ballistic missiles does India have? read more

Pakistan reportedly fired the Fatah-II ballistic missile at India, which was intercepted. Tensions between the two nations are escalating. Image courtesy: Defence.in

India is on high alert after Pakistan escalated attacks following Operation Sindoor. The Pakistan military announced that it has launched Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos, translating to firm foundation, against India. For a second night (on Friday), the neighbouring nation fired a series of drones and missiles at India, according to government sources. It fired a Fatah-II missile, but it was intercepted at Haryanas Sirsa. It was reportedly aimed at Delhi.

Pakistans Fatah-II is an indigenously developed long-range ballistic missile. What are these weapons, and what does India possess? We explain.

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What are ballistic missiles?

Ballistic missiles are powered by a rocket or a series of rockets in stages. After this, they follow an unpowered trajectory before descending to hit their intended targets. These missiles carry nuclear or conventional warheads.

They fly higher than artillery rockets and travel farther. They hit the ground with great speed because of gravitys pull.

Ballistic missiles are categorised by the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, a Washington-based nonprofit research organisation, by the distance they can travel  short-range, medium-range, intermediate-range and long-range.

Short-range ballistic missiles: They travel less than 1,000 kilometres and are also known as tactical ballistic missiles.

Medium-range ballistic missiles: They travel between 1,000 and 3,000 kilometres and are also known as theatre ballistic missiles.

Intermediate-range ballistic missiles: The range is between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometres (approximately 1,860-3,410 miles)

Long-range ballistic missiles: They travel more than 5,500 kilometres and are also known as intercontinental or strategic ballistic missiles. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) can fly much further than the minimum range.

A truck carrying a short-range surface-to-surface Agni ballistic missile during Indias Republic Day parade in New Delhi. File photo/AFP

What is the range of the Fatah-II ballistic missile?

The Fatah-II is a new entrant in Pakistans arsenal and is the successor to Fatah-I. It has a longer range and is more precise.

The rocket is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, sophisticated navigation system, and unique flight trajectory, according to Pakistan. It can hit targets within a 400 km range, and this range allows it to eliminate the enemys air defence systems.

The precision of the Fatah-II comes from a combination of inertial and satellite navigation systems.

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The test-firing of Fatah-11 in Pakistan on December 27, 2023. ISPR/Screenshot

Fatah-II can carry conventional warheads and is designed to strike military positions and radar installations. It has a terminal guidance system which helps it adjust its path in the final phase of the flight. It uses inertial navigation combined with satellite guidance for mid-course correction, reports The Economic Times.

While India intercepted the missile launched at Delhi, it can take out targets like Indias S-400 air defence systems, according to a report by The Diplomat.

How do ballistic missiles like Fatah-II work?

Ballistic missiles are launched from platforms like silos, mobile land-based launchers, aircraft, ships and submarines.

According to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, ballistic missiles have three stages of flight. The boost phase, which lasts three to five minutes, starts with the launch and stops when the rocket engine stops firing.

In the midcourse phase, the missile begins to ascend toward the highest point in its trajectory and then starts moving toward the ground. This is the longest phase and can last up to 20 minutes for ICBMs.

The terminal Phase begins when the detached warhead reenters the Earths atmosphere and ends upon impact or detonation. During this phase, which can last less than a minute, strategic warheads travel at speeds greater than 3,200 kilometres per hour, according to the research organisation.

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What ballistic missiles does India have?

India has several effective ballistic missiles in its arsenal, which it needs against its main rivals, Pakistan and China.

Indias short-range ballistic missiles include Prithvi I and Prithvi II, with a range of 150 km and 350 km, respectively. The Dhanush missile is another short-range, ship-launched ballistic missile and the third variant of the Prithvi missile family.

In this handout photograph from the Ministry of Defence, taken on May 23, 2008, the Prithvi surface-to-surface missile is launched during a test at Chandipur in Odisha. File photo/AFP

The Prahaar is a short-range, solid propellant, road-mobile ballistic missile designed for tactical strikes against close-range targets. Agni-I is also a short-range missile which can hit targets up to 700 km.

In the medium range, India boasts of Agni-II, which can travel up to 2,000 km, while the Agni-III is an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a range of 3,000 to 3,500 km. The Agni-IV is an upgrade with a range of 4,000 km.

India also has an ICBM, the Agni-V, with a range of over 5,000 km.

This handout photograph released by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) shows the launch of an Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile at Wheeler Island, in Odisha on September 15, 2013. File photo/AFP

How different are ballistic missiles from cruise missiles?

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines and can be launched from ground, air or sea platforms, according to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

Such missiles are self-guided and use multiple methods to accurately hit the target. These include terrain mapping, GPS and inertial guidance, using motion sensors and gyroscopes to keep the missile on a pre-programmed flight path.

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As advanced cruise missiles approach their target, remote operators can use a camera in the nose of the missile to see what the missile sees. This gives them the option to manually guide the missile to its target or to abort the strike.

Indias BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile and operates near the 3 Mach speed in the cruise phase. The cruising altitude is up to 15 km, and the terminal altitude is as low as 10 metres. The missile carries a conventional warhead weighing 200-300 kg.

With inputs from agencies
May 10, 1857, is an important day in Indian history as the First War of Independence against the British broke out on this day. The first uprising occurred in Meerut and quickly spread to nearby cities like Lucknow, Kanpur and Jhansi, with people from all walks of life joining the movement. On this day in 1994, anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela scripted history as the first man of colour to become the president of South Africa read more

The rebellion quickly spread to cities like Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, and Gwalior, uniting various rulers, soldiers and civilians against British control. Representational image

It was a long road for India to gain freedom from the British in 1947. But, that was the end of Indias freedom struggle. If it was the end you may wonder what was the beginning. The freedom struggle began with the 1857 Rebellion also known as the First War of Independence.

It was on May 10, 1857 that this outbreak of a massive uprising against British rule broke out in Meerut. It quickly spread across northern and central India. The uprising was fueled by deep resentment against the British East India Companys oppressive policies, economic exploitation and cultural insensitivity toward Indian traditions.

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If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.

On this day in 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first Black President of South Africa, marking the end of decades of apartheid.

Here is all that occurred on this day across the world.

The rebellion of 1857

It was on May 10, 1857 that a massive uprising broke out in the garrison town of Meerut against British rule, which began in the garrison town of Meerut and quickly spread across northern and central India. Widely recognised as Indias First War of Independence, this significant rebellion arose from profound discontent with the British East India Companys oppressive administrative practices, its economic exploitation of Indian resources, and its lack of respect for Indian cultural sensitivities.

One of the main reasons for the uprising was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle, which required soldiers to bite cartridges allegedly greased with cow and pig fat. This was an act offensive to both Hindus and Muslims. When 85 Indian sepoys at Meerut refused to use the cartridges, they were court-martialed and imprisoned. Their comrades rebelled, released them, and marched to Delhi, where they declared the ageing Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar as the symbolic leader of the revolt.

The rebellion quickly spread to cities like Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, and Gwalior, uniting various rulers, soldiers and civilians against British control. Notable figures such as Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, Tantia Tope, Nana Sahib, and Begum Hazrat Mahal emerged as key leaders. Their aim was not just to resist a military force but to reclaim lost autonomy and honour.

Despite widespread support and fierce resistance, the British eventually suppressed the revolt by mid-1858 through superior military power and brutal retaliation. The aftermath marked a turning point: the East India Company was dissolved and the governance of India was transferred directly to the British Crown under Queen Victoria.

Nelson Mandela inaugurated as president of South Africa

South Africa for centuries had been ruled by the British Empire. Although it gained independence in 1931, it was in 1961 that the country became a true republic and severed ties with the British monarchy. But, even after this the country held its first non-racial democratic elections in 1994.

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first Black President of South Africa. This marked the end of decades of apartheid and the beginning of a new democratic era. The historic event, held at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, was witnessed by thousands of South Africans and dignitaries from around the world.

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Nelson Mandela, left, takes the oath of office in Pretoria, South Africa, to become the countrys first black President. File image/AP

The inauguration followed South Africas first multiracial elections, held in April 1994, in which Mandelas party the African National Congress (ANC), won by a landslide. The peaceful transition of power, after years of violent struggle and systemic racial segregation, was a moment of profound significance.

In his inauguration speech, he declared, Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another. He emphasised unity, healing and building a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.

Mandelas inauguration marked a triumph of human dignity over institutionalized racism. It was not just the beginning of a new presidency, but the rebirth of a nation.

This Day, That Year

On this day in 1962, Marvel Comics released the first issue of The Incredible Hulk.

Germany invaded Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands during World War II in 1940.

Louis XVI acceded to the throne of France on this day in 1774.
A PIB fact check earlier debunked a viral claim doing the rounds on social media that an Indian Air Force pilot, Shivangi Singh, has been captured by Pakistani forces as her fighter jet was shot down. Singh is Indias first female Rafale fighter pilot. Heres what we know about her read more

Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh holds the historic distinction of being Indias first woman to fly the French-made Rafale fighter jet. AFP

As tensions between escalate, social media has been flooded with fake news and viral misinformation, fuelling confusion and fear among citizens.

One such false claim that gained traction on Saturday alleged that Indian Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, had been captured by Pakistani forces.

The rumour, which spread rapidly across multiple platforms, falsely stated that Singh was arrested near Sialkot after her fighter jet was shot down. Some users even circulated an unrelated video in an attempt to show her supposed capture.

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However, the governments fact-checking arm, PIB Fact Check , swiftly debunked the viral claim.

Indian Female Air Force pilot has NOT been captured



Pro-Pakistan social media handles claim that an Indian Female Air Force pilot, Squadron Leader Shivani Singh, has been captured in Pakistan.#PIBFactCheck



 This claim is FAKE!#IndiaFightsPropaganda@MIB_India pic.twitter.com/V8zovpSRYk  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 10, 2025

The agency also urged citizens to be vigilant, avoid forwarding such unverified content and rely only on official updates.

But who is IAF pilot Shivangi Singh? Why was her name caught in the fake news mess? Heres a closer look.

Becoming Indias first female Rafale fighter pilot

Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh holds the historic distinction of being Indias first woman to fly the French-made Rafale fighter jet. She is part of the prestigious Golden Arrows Squadron of the Indian Air Force, based in Ambala, Punjab.

Her dream of flying began in childhood. A visit to the Air Force Museum in New Delhi with her parents left a lasting impression. She once recalled how she gawked at the aircraft and immediately knew that [she] wanted to become a pilot.

Hailing from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Singh took her first steps towards that dream by joining the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Air Wing during her graduation at Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

With a strong academic record and unwavering passion, she then made it to the Indian Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, where she underwent rigorous training to become a fighter pilot.

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Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh is part of the prestigious Golden Arrows Squadron of the Indian Air Force, based in Ambala, Punjab. AFP

Singh was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2017, as part of the IAFs second-ever batch of women fighter pilots  a milestone in itself, given that it took the force over two decades to induct women into combat flying roles.

By 2023, official figures showed that over 1,600 women officers were serving in the Indian Air Force, including many pilots.

There have been many of us, Singh told AFP. This not only reflects modernisation (of our society) but also the fact that we can now realise our dreams.

Flying Rafale and guarding the borders

The first time Singh took the controls of a fighter jet, a MiG-21, was when she realised how much skill it takes to control to fly.

In 2020, after clearing a competitive evaluation, she was chosen for Rafale training, an advanced programme that involved simulator sessions with French instructors.

I learned something new every step of the way, be it flying the MiG-21 Bison aircraft or the Rafale fighter aircraft, she told India Today.

Her training focused on mastering the Rafales high-tech systems, including its Thales RBE2 AESA radar and precision weaponry. This prepared her for complex missions, including those under Operation Sindoor.

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Shivangi Singh has represented India at international military exercises, such as the prized Exercise Orion in France in 2023, when the Rafale saw its first-ever foreign deployment by the IAF. File image/ Reuters

Singh has since flown missions in sensitive regions like eastern Ladakh and the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where her skills and the Rafales capabilities were put to the test amid tensions with China.

She even represented India at international military exercises, such as the prized Exercise Orion in France in 2023, when the Rafale saw its first-ever foreign deployment by the IAF.

Aiming for space

Singh was among the first to try the new Rafale jets. But her dreams are even bigger.

I succeeded in a field that was long reserved for men, and if I succeeded, then women can now work in any sector, she said. I want to be an astronaut, she told AFP. So lets hope.

With input from agencies
It was US President Donald Trumps Truth Social post that told the world that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Shortly after, both sides confirmed that they had decided to de-escalate after tensions peaked on Saturday. But how did this happen? read more

Students of an art school and their teacher carry a hand-drawn portrait of the US President Donald Trump as they celebrate the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, in Mumbai, May 10, 2025. AP

India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after Islamabad reached out to New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed on Saturday evening. This came after United States President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that the nuclear-armed neighbours had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

He wrote, After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

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But how did India and Pakistan finally agree to de-escalate? We will take a look.

India-Pak announce ceasefire

India and Pakistan confirmed a ceasefire shortly after Trumps post. Both countries decided to stop firing and military action from 5 pm today.

DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called up DGMO (of India) at 3.35 pm. They agreed that both sides will stop all firing and military action from land, air and sea from 5 pm onwards, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

He further added that the DGMOs will talk again at noon on May 12.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to X and wrote, India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.

India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so, he added.

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.



India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said: Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!

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After the two sides made it official, Indian Navy Commodore Raghu Nair, in a press briefing, said that while the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force will adhere to the ceasefire deal, adding that the armed forces remain vigilant to retain the sovereignty of India.

We remain prepared to launch what is necessary for the defence of our nation, he asserted.

Following Trumps announcement on Truth Social at 5.25 pm, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X, Over the past 48 hours, Vice-President [JD] Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.

I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site, he said. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.

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British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also welcomed the de-escalation, saying it was in everybodys interest.

Todays ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome. I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybodys interest, he wrote on X.

How India-Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire

After four days of cross-border attacks, India and Pakistan have agreed to de-escalate. This comes after the Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks on six Pakistans airbases  Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian  early today.

The Indian DGMO got a call from his Pakistani counterpart around 3:30 pm today. During the calls, Islamabad assured not to carry out further strikes and formally requested a ceasefire, the government sources said.

They added that the US role was to keep both sides engaged.

A man reads news on his mobile phone after the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan, in Srinagar May 10, 2025. Reuters

Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar spoke to Rubio on the phone, pointing out that Indias approach has always been measured and responsible.

Rubio, who also spoke to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, said that he offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts. Besides Munir, the US Secretary of State also held talks with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and his deputy Ishaq Dar.

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Before the ceasefire was announced, India decided it would treat any future terror attack against it as an act of war and would respond accordingly.

Despite de-escalation, the Indus Waters Treaty will reportedly remain suspended. New Delhi put the decades-old water sharing agreement with Islamabad into abeyance after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Pakistan PM Sharif thanked Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region.

Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability, he wrote in a post on X.

We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region .



Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability.



We also thank Vice President JD Vance and  Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 10, 2025

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Speaking Geo News, Pakistans foreign minister said that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full-fledged and not partial ceasefire, claiming that over three dozen countries were involved in the diplomacy.

He added that Saudi Arabia and Turkey played a key role in brokering the deal, reported Associated Press (AP).

Dar said that both India and Pakistan were involved in direct communication and as a result a joint agreement was reached.

He pointed out that the UK was also involved in finding a resolution. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, played a key role in this process, BBC quoted him as saying to Geo TV.

Saudi Arabia engaged with both India and Pakistan to reduce tensions.

After Operation Sindoor on May 7, Saudi Arabias deputy foreign minister had made unannounced visits to both countries.

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Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan called his Indian and Pakistani counterparts today, offering the kingdoms services as a mediator.

During the telephone calls, discussions focused on efforts to put an end to the ongoing military clashes, he said in a statement.

Farhan underlined the kingdoms commitment to regional security and stability, and its close and balanced relations with the two friendly countries.

Soon after the ceasefire, Pakistan reopened its airspace to all aircraft. The Pakistan Airport Authority (APA) said in a notice, All airports across the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for updated flight schedules.

While India and Pakistan have agreed to de-escalate immediately, the negotiations will continue. Rubio said the two sides will discuss a broad set of issues at a neutral site. However, government officials told News18: There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place".

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With inputs from agencies
India maintains approximately 180 nuclear warheads, adhering to a No First Use doctrine, highlighting deterrence and restraint. In contrast, Pakistan possesses around 170 warheads and follows a policy allowing first use under certain conditions, particularly to counterbalance Indias superior conventional forces read more

A surface-to-surface Agni V missile is launched from the Wheeler Island off the eastern Indian state of Odisha, April 19, 2012. File Image/Reuters

Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif repotedly called a meeting of the National Command Authority , the apex body overseeing the nations nuclear arsenal on Saturday (May 10, 2025), a meeting which Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has now claimed never happened .

The standoff, now in its fourth consecutive day, intensified as Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks targeting 26 sites across India under the cover of darkness on May 9 .

In retaliation, India struck back, with Islamabad reporting attacks on three of its airbases: Nur Khan, Mureed and Shorkot.

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Pakistans use of its nuclear arsenal as a tool of deterrence has been a recurring theme, with Pakistani politicians invoking nuclear threats amid the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, we do a comparative analysis of India and Pakistans nuclear capabilities and doctrines:

The India-Pakistan rivalry dates back to the partition of British India in 1947, leading to multiple wars and ongoing disputes.

Both nations have since developed nuclear capabilities, with India conducting its first nuclear test in 1974 and Pakistan following in 1998.

What is Indias nuclear policy compared to Pakistans

India adheres to a No First Use (NFU) policy, asserting that it would not be the first to initiate a nuclear strike but would respond with punitive retaliation if attacked.

This doctrine puts an emphasis on credible minimum deterrence and aims to maintain a posture of restraint.

Indias nuclear command structure is under civilian control, with the Nuclear Command Authority overseeing strategic decisions.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has not adopted an NFU policy. Its doctrine is based on Full Spectrum Deterrence, which includes the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons to counter conventional military threats.

This approach is designed to deter Indias conventional military superiority and rapid mobilisation strategies, such as the Cold Start doctrine. Pakistans nuclear command is similarly under civilian oversight, with the National Command Authority responsible for strategic control.

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How many nuclear warheads do India and Pakistan have

According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), India has upwards of 180 nuclear warheads as of 2025.

India has developed a nuclear triad consisting of land-based ballistic missiles (for example - Agni series ), air-delivered weapons and sea-based platforms, including nuclear-powered submarines equipped with ballistic missiles (SSBNs).

Note: Arrows refer to general trends over a multi-year period, rather than individual year-to-year changes. Numbers may fluctuate year-over-year for several reasons, including actual changes in a countries stockpiles and/or reassessments by the authors based on new data. Image/FAS

Pakistan has upwards of 170 nuclear warheads as of 2025, according to FAS.

Pakistans delivery mechanisms include land-based ballistic missiles (for example - Shaheen and Ghauri series), air-delivered weapons and cruise missiles. While Pakistan is developing sea-based capabilities, its nuclear triad is not yet fully realised.

How India became nuclear-capable

Indias nuclear journey began in earnest after Chinas first nuclear test in 1964, which heightened New Delhis security concerns. India conducted its first nuclear test on May 18, 1974 at Pokhran in Rajasthan, code-named Smiling Buddha.

Though described as a peaceful nuclear explosion, it signalled Indias entry into the nuclear club.

A surface-to-surface Agni V missile is displayed during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, India, January 26, 2013. File Image/Reuters

Indias strategic posture remained ambiguous until 1998, when it conducted five underground nuclear tests as part of Operation Shakti. These tests demonstrated a range of nuclear capabilities, including thermonuclear devices.

In the aftermath, India formally declared itself a nuclear-armed state and adopted a policy of No First Use and credible minimum deterrence, maintaining civilian control over its nuclear arsenal under the Nuclear Command Authority.

How Pakistan became nuclear-capable

Pakistans pursuit of nuclear weapons was driven primarily by its security rivalry with India, especially after Indias first nuclear test in 1974.

Under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan accelerated its nuclear programme, initiating clandestine efforts to acquire the technology and expertise necessary for weapons development.

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Key figures like Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan played a pivotal role by bringing uranium enrichment technology to Pakistan. Despite global scrutiny and proliferation concerns, Pakistan maintained a covert nuclear programme for decades.

Pakistani military trucks carry the long range nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Ghauri ballistic missile during the National Day parade in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 23, 2005. File Image/Reuters

On 28 May 1998, in response to Indias Pokhran-II tests , Pakistan conducted its own nuclear tests in the Chagai Hills, Balochistan, officially becoming the worlds seventh nuclear power.

These tests demonstrated a range of nuclear devices and underscored Pakistans intent to maintain strategic parity with India through a doctrine of credible deterrence .

Diplomatic efforts by India & Pakistan in the past

Despite their adversarial relationship, India and Pakistan have engaged in various confidence-building measures to mitigate the risk of nuclear conflict:

Non-Nuclear Aggression Agreement (1988): Both countries agreed not to attack each others nuclear facilities and have since reportedly exchanged lists of such installations annually.

Lahore Declaration (1999): This agreement aimed to reduce the risk of accidental or unauthorized use of nuclear weapons and to promote mutual understanding of each others security concerns.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
After four days of escalation, India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire. This comes after India struck six Pakistani air bases  Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian  early Saturday. The precision attacks came after the Pakistani military launched strikes at over 20 locations along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC), as well as air bases in Punjab read more

India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed on Saturday (May 10) evening after United States President Donald Trumps announcement on social media. This comes after the Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks on several of Pakistans military targets early today. This was in response to Islamabad launching attacks at 26 locations along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) last night.

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Pakistan also fired missiles at several air bases in Punjab last night, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said in a press briefing today. In a swift and calibrated response, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas, she said.

The targeted Pakistani military sites included Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian. Singh said India ensured minimum collateral damage while retaliating against Pakistans offensive.

But why were these sites chosen? Whats their significance? We will answer.

Nur Khan air base, Chaklala

India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindis Chaklala. The air base houses Pakistans Saab Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) fleet. The C-130s and IL-78 aircraft are also stationed there, as per ThePrint report.

The Nur Khan air base is reportedly the headquarters of Pakistans Air Mobility Command. It is crucial for strategic operations and VIP transport.

The air base has played a key role in Pakistans cross-border drone and missile attacks in the last 72 hours, officials in the Indian Air Force (IAF) told NDTV.

Several of Pakistans prominent squadrons are based here. The hitting of the Nur Khan air base is a big jolt for the neighbouring country.

Commuters drive through a street in the cantonment area near Nur Khan air base after Indian strikes, in Rawalpindi, on May 10, 2025. AFP

Murid air base

India chose the PAF Murid base likely because it became the hub for Pakistans drone operations against India since May 7, when the Indian Armed Forces carried out the missile strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Located in Chakwal city of Pakistans Punjab, it reportedly hosts several PAF squadrons operating UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle).

Pakistan has sent hundreds of drones towards the Indian border areas in the past few days. India has intercepted these and found that nearly 400 were Turkey-made Songar drones that Pakistan dispatched at 36 locations in India across the western border  from Leh to Sir Creek.

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By targeting this air base, India has hit at the heart of Pakistans drone warfare against it.

Rafiqui air bases

Rafiqui air base, earlier known as PAF Base Shorkot, in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab in Pakistan, houses advanced fighter jets like Mirage and JF-17.

Pakistan could have launched its recent attacks against India from the Rafiqui air base, which acts as a training centre for missions in Punjab and Kashmir, reported NDTV.

Rahim Yar Khan

Rahim Yar Khan air base is at a strategically important location in southern Punjab of Pakistan. The forward operating base is close to the border with Rajasthan.

Its location helps in swift deployment and operations across southern and eastern Pakistan, noted India Today.

Sources told ThePrint that an Indian missile left a huge crater in the middle of the runway at the Rahim Yar Khan military base.

Sukkur air base

Located in Sindh, the Sukkur air base is close to the PAF Base Bholari. Its location is reportedly useful for operations in southern Pakistan and parts of the Sindh and Balochistan regions.

Chunian air base

Situated near the town of Chunian in Punjab, Chunian air base is one of the Pakistan Air Forces primary operational bases.

Sources told ThePrint that the aim of striking these specific locations was not just to disable Pakistans air defence locations but also to send a message.

With inputs from agencies
May 10, 2025: In addition to sending military and economic aid to Ukraine, NATO nations have also, since 2014, been imposing ever more effective economic sanctions on Russia. While economic sanctions sound good in theory, in practice the target of the sanctions is continuously finding ways to evade the sanctions.

The primary way to evade sanctions is to obtain needed weapons components from companies that operate in smuggler friendly countries like the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. China initially discouraged local smugglers from dealing with Russia. China is the largest exporter in the world and feared angering customers. Later, China found that its customers were more interested in getting their Chinese goods than in blocking Russian smuggling efforts.

While Russia was able to cope with the sanctions, Ukrainian attacks on Russian manufacturing facilities and energy infrastructure were doing significant damage. The oil export sanctions had limited success, but every little success made thing more difficult for Russia.

For example, sanctions made it more difficult to export petroleum. This is the main Russian export and the major source of income for the Russian government and war effort. To evade this sanction, Russia created a shadow fleet of over a hundred tankers purchased or leased abroad and obtained unrestricted access to a Chinese smuggler haven maintained in Hong Kong.

The nations enforcing the sanctions, particularly the United States, tracked the routes of the Russian shadow fleet and noted the key role Hong Kong plays in arranging the movement of sanctioned Russian oil to its primary customers in China and India. Hong Kong is also a major source for supplying sanctioned nations with weapons and munitions to Russia. Hong Kong does this by allowing Russian tankers and cargo ships, operating with fake credentials to disguise their Russian affiliation, to bring in Russian oil and other raw materials. The Russian ships then leave Hong Kong carrying weapons for their war in Ukraine.

Another major player in the Russian smuggling effort is North Korea. For years North Korea has been buying small, secondhand cargo and tanker ships and using them for smuggling. A favored evasion technique consists of taking on or transferring cargo at sea in its own territorial waters. The North Korean merchant fleet consists of about 134 ships, with most purchased from Chinese firms.

North Korea is a notorious and persistent maritime smuggler. Because of North Korean smuggling, the United States expanded its maritime smuggling and sanctions enforcement program in 2018 when a new multi-national enforcement organization was created. Initial members were the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Britain, France, South Korea, and Japan. The Enforcement Coordination Cell or ECC is enforcing the UN sanctions that curb North Korean smuggling related to items needed for their nuclear and ballistic missile programs. In addition, the ECC allowed member nations to also enforce whatever other sanctions or naval missions their government put a priority on. The U.S. later invited India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines to join and assist with monitoring growing Chinese violation of offshore water rights, especially in the South China Sea and other areas of the West Pacific.

The ECC concentrates on the 2,000-kilometer-long shipping lane from the Indian Ocean, through the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea to North Korea. Along this route there are not only North Korean flagged ships participating in smuggling, but even more Chinese, Taiwanese, Liberian, Sri Lankan, and ships that are independent and fly whatever flag they believe will keep them from getting seized for smuggling. Earlier U.S. efforts had already identified many North Korean and Iranian owned tankers and cargo ships that were often engaged in smuggling. This led Iran and North Korea to use their own ships less and willing foreign ships instead. These third-party ships are the ones the ECC sought to identify. These ships can be identified, along with their owners and the owners can have banking and other sanctions placed on them. Many nations, not part of the ECC, but economic partners with ECC members, will cooperate if a smuggler ship visits one of their ports. At that point the captain can be arrested and the ship impounded.

The ECC member warships do not depend on inspecting suspicious ships while at sea, but instead on confirming who is where and when. This is especially useful for spotting smugglers who often turn off their location beacons and continue in running dark mode. These location beacons transmit current ID and location to any nearby ships and often, via satellite, to their owner and international shipping organizations. The location data, past and current, can be found on several public websites. The beacons exist mainly as a safety measure for ships operating at night or in bad weather in heavily used shipping lanes. Smugglers have learned how to turn off their beacons near a port where, it is assumed, they have docked or anchored off the coast waiting for an available dock.

Some smugglers are using spoofing, a form of jamming that just modifies the beacon signal to present a false location. This is where warships and maritime aircraft come in as these can identify ships visually or using radar followed by visual inspection. This is more damaging to the smugglers because it provides more evidence that their ship was involved in smuggling and with enough evidence you can go after the ship owners and seize the ship whenever it enters coastal waters, within 22 kilometers of land belonging to a nation that will seize outlaw ships.

For any sanctions to work they must quickly adapt to enemy adaptations. Effective sanctions are not a one-time thing, but a constant battle with each side continually seeking to gain an edge.
Amid Indias ongoing military standoff with Pakistan, there are reports of Islamabad deploying F-16 fighters for its attacks. But is the neighbouring nation misusing the American-made aircraft? Washington has laid down strict provisions on the use of the jets  the agreement calls for it to be used only for counterterrorism read more

Has Pakistan used its F-16 fighter jets in the current standoff with India? Why this may be an issue with the US? File image/AFP

Its been four days of tensions running high between India and Pakistan. Islamabad continues to provoke and escalate the situation by using fighter jets, drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions to attack Indias military sites.

On Saturday in a press briefing, Col Sofiya Qureshi confirmed that the Pakistani Army is continuously attacking the western borders. It has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter jets to attack Indias military sites. She added that India neutralised many dangers, but Islamabad tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places, and they damaged equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda.

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This remark shines a light on Pakistans aerial power, namely its fighter jets that they have been using for the past few days, namely the US-supplied F-16. In fact, highly-placed government sources have been reported as saying that New Delhi struck down an F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force on Friday.

If this is confirmed, its a violation of the US rules laid down for the use of these fighter jets. Lets see how.

Paks use of F-16 against India in current standoff

On the intervening night of May 7-8, Pakistan deployed a F-16 towards India. However, the fighter jet was shot down by New Delhi, sources were reported as telling NDTV. According to the sources, the F-16 took off from the Sargodha air base in Pakistan, a key air force station of the Pakistani Air Force. However, an Indian SAM (Surface-to-air missile) shot it down near the Sargodha air base.

Following this incident, Prakash Ambedkar, a veteran Indian politician and grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, questioned the use of the F-16 by Pakistan, urging Indias prime minister and external affairs minister to take up the matter with Washington, as it violates the stipulations laid down. He wrote on X, Pakistan and its evil designs should be exposed to the whole world!

But are there any rules and stipulations to Pakistans use of the F-16?

Americas rules for Pakistans use of F-16s

The F-16 is the mainstay of Pakistans air force with one news portal, titled War on the Rocks, stating that the aircraft is an object of national pride and military strength  it appears on painted billboards across Pakistan and adorned on decorated commercial trucks that trudge along Pakistans highways.

The US first mooted the supply F-16s to Pakistan in the early 1980s in order incentivise Pakistans assistance to the United States in Afghanistan. However, with the Soviet Unions defeat in Afghanistan in 1989, US reliance on Pakistan quickly waned. In 1990, the US slapped sanctions on Pakistan on account of the countrys undeclared nuclear weapons programme and cancelled the supply of approximately 30 F-16s that Pakistan had already purchased.

The F-16 is the mainstay of Pakistans air force. The US first mooted the supply F-16s to Pakistan in the early 1980s. File image/AFP

However, as The Diplomat notes in one report, the 9/11 attacks refocused Washingtons interest in the region and established Pakistan as a central cog in the US war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The then George W Bush administration agreed to release the previously blocked F-16s to Pakistan, refurbish the countrys existing F-16 aircraft, and sell Pakistan new F-16 Block-50/52 aircraft worth approximately $3 billion.

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Then in 2016, the US State Department approved the sale of eight F-16s and other equipment to Pakistan worth $699 million. At the time, a US official said, We support the proposed sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan, which we view as the right platform in support of Pakistans counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations.

These operations reduce the ability of militants to use Pakistani territory as a safe haven for terrorism and a base of support for the insurgency in Afghanistan, which is in the national interests of both Pakistan and the United States, and in the interest of the region more broadly.

US has laid down strict rules for the use of F-16s by Pakistan. Its sole intention is to strengthen Pakistans capacity for counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations. File image/AP

However, documents reveal that the US placed a number of restrictions on the use of these fighter jets. Every F-16 sale comes with an End-Use Monitoring (EUM) agreement, which means Pakistan cannot freely use the jets.

The sole intention of selling these planes is to strengthen Pakistans capacity for counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations.

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Moreover, any use of the F-16s by Pakistan outside of the country needs prior approval from the US. Theres also a Technical Security Team ( TST), a contingent of contractors in Pakistan to monitor F-16. The TST includes US Air Force personnel stationed in Pakistan who conduct real-time monitoring of F-16 activities

Its important to note that between 2018 and 2022, the US had paused the sale of F-16s with the Trump administration accusing Pakistan of giving only lies and deceit for the billions of dollars that the US had foolishly given it. However, in September 2022, the US President Joe Biden reversed the decision with with a $450 million package for a lifetime upgrade of Pakistans F-16 fleet.

Paks prior use of F-16s and Indias concerns

Pakistans use of the F-16 in the current standoff is reminiscent of 2019. On February 29, 2019, India MiG-21 Bison got into a dogfight with a PAF F-16 during the Balakot airstrike. Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter, but in the process was captured by the enemy in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He was later repatriated on March 1, 2019.

Pakistanis look at a F-16 jet fighter at the Nur Khan military airbase in Islamabad. File image/AFP

Months after that incident, the US State Department had written to the Pakistan air force chief pointing out that the F-16s had been moved to unauthorised forward operating bases in defiance of its agreement with the US. The letter, quoted by a US media organisation, said that such actions by Pakistan risked allowing these weapons to fall in the hands of malign actors and could undermine our shared security platforms and infrastructures.

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In the past, India has expressed concern over US supply of the fighter jet to Pakistan. Following the Biden administrations decision in 2022, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar questioned the American rationale. Moreover, when asked about the US justification that the fighter planes were meant to assist Pakistan in its counter-terrorism efforts, Jaishankar retorted: Youre not fooling anybody by saying these things.

With inputs from agencies
The ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan continues to escalate. On Friday night, Islamabad deployed a Fatah-II missile aimed at New Delhi. However, it was intercepted in Haryanas Sirsa. As the two countries engage in missile strikes, we take a look at both countries rocket arsenal and how they compare read more

Indian Army's Brahmos missile system showcased at New Delhi. It is the cornerstone of Indias conventional missile arsenal. File image/AFP

India and Pakistan are right on the precipice of a full-blown war  the two neighbouring nations have been involved in a standoff for the past four days, since May 7, when New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precise strikes aimed at terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In the wee hours of Saturday, as part of the ongoing standoff, Islamabad launched a Fatah-II missile, which India intercepted over Haryanas Sirsa. The ballistic missile was fired by Pakistan while it continued unprovoked attacks on several Indian cities through the night on Friday-Saturday. Sources say the missile was aimed at Delhi.

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This action by Pakistan has put the spotlight back on the neighbouring nations missiles arsenal and how it compares to India. Notably, both have sophisticated missile systems developed in response to the perceived threat of the other.

Heres a head to (war)-head comparison between the two nations missile capabilities.

INDIA

India has a rich history of missile technology. Before Independence, several kingdoms in India were using rockets as part of their warfare. Mysore ruler Hyder Ali started inducting iron-cased rockets in his army in the mid-18th century. By the time Hyders son Tipu Sultan died, a company of rocketeers was attached to each brigade of his army, which has been estimated at around 5,000 rocket-carrying troops.

Following Independence, India began its pursuit of missiles and over the years developed a breadth of missile technology, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), making her one of just seven nations on Earth with this technology.

Today, it has a wide range of missiles  from anti-tank guided missiles, such as the Nag, to ballistic missiles, such as the Prithvi series, and the supersonic cruise missiles, such as the BrahMos.

Lets take a closer look at each one of these missiles and others that India has in its arsenal.

BrahMos: A supersonic cruise missile, the BrahMos is the cornerstone of Indias conventional missile arsenal. They have been built by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russias NPO Mashinostroyeniya. It has a range of between 300-500 km depending on which variant and launch platform is used. The missile carries a conventional warhead weighing 200-300 kg. The BrahMos missiles can be launched from land, air, sea, or sub-sea platforms.

The launch of an Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile at Wheeler Island, Indias Odisha state. File image/AFP

Agni V: In 2024, India successfully tested its Agni V missile , which is the countrys contender for an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). With the capability of a 1,100 kg nuclear payload, the missile is capable of travelling over 5,000 km. Former DRDO head Vijay K Saraswat has claimed that the Agni-V possesses a minimum range of 3,000 km and a maximum range in the order of 5,500  5,800 km.

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The Agni-V uses similar solid-propellant motors to the Agni-III with the addition of a conical, composite-cased third-stage motor. It uses a ring laser gyro-based inertial guidance system and is capable of loading nuclear and conventional payloads.

Prithvi: One of Indias most important missiles, the Prithvi missile is a short-range ballistic missile with a range of 350 km.

Nirbhay: A long-range cruise missile, the Nirbhay is Indias first indigenously-produced cruise missile. It is similar in appearance to the US Tomahawk and the Russian Club SS-N-27 with its cylindrical fuselage. It is reported to be capable of flying at an altitude that ranges from less than 50 to 4,000 metres with an operational range of about 1,000 km. Weighing about 1,500 kg, Nirbhay can be loaded with a 450 kg conventional or a 12 kilo-tonne nuclear warhead.

The Nirbhay sub-sonic cruise missile launched at Balasore. File image/AFP

Pralay: Pralay is Indias newest short-range ballistic missile. It can hit targets up to 500 km away and is designed for quick strikes on enemy bases. Pralay is fast, accurate, and hard to stop.

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Scalp: Used in Operation Sindoor to target terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the Scalp missiles are air-launched cruise missiles with stealth features, designed for long-range deep strikes. Known as Storm Shadow in Britain, these missiles can be operated at night and in all weather conditions.

The missile, manufactured by the European multinational MBDA, has a range of 450 km, and is difficult to detect due to its low-flying capability when fired from an aircraft. Its advanced and highly accurate navigation system, which uses Inertial Navigation System (INS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and terrain referencing, can penetrate bunkers and ammunition stores.

An Astra air-to-air missile being fired from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet. File image/AFP

Astra: Carried by the Su-30MKI, the Astra is Indias first homegrown beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (AAM). 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).

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Meteor: Also used in Operation Sindoor, the Meteor is a new-generation Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) system, which is effective in dense electronic-warfare environments. This missiles no-escape zone is much larger than other weapons. This means the enemys chance of evading the missile is considerably reduced.

PAKISTAN

Like India, Pakistan has a diverse missile arsenal with both conventional and nuclear options. Many of its missiles, however, have been provided by its friend and neighbour  China. In the past, experts have noted that Pakistans missiles, both offensive and defensive, lag well behind India giving New Delhi a distinct edge on paper.

PL-15: Among AAMs, this is Pakistans deadliest missile. Made in China, this new missile employs a dual-pulse rocket motor that enables it to have an operational range of 200-300 kilometres and can travel at speeds of Mach 5. In the current standoff, Pakistan has been using these missiles, which have been mounted on its J-10C aircraft.

Pakistans Fatah-II missile. Image courtesy: X

Fatah-II: A hypersonic ballistic missile, the Fatah-II has a range of 400 km. It can hit targets with pointpoint accuracy  including the Russian-made S-400 Triumf missile systems owned by India. The Fatah-II rocket can hold a 365-kilo warhead. It has a navigation system, unique trajectory, and is maneuverable  all of which allow it to hit targets with high precision and sidestep missile defence systems.

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Shaheen-III: This is the longest range missile in Pakistans strategic arsenal. It is a two-stage, solid-fuelled medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional payloads to a range of 2,750 km.

Pakistani military personnel stand beside a Shaheen III surface-to-surface ballistic missile. File image/Reuters

Ghauri: This is a Pakistani medium-range, road-mobile, liquid-fuelled ballistic missile. It can carry a 700 kg warhead up to 1,500 km. Notably, it is nearly identical in appearance to North Koreas Nodong 1 MRBM.

Babur: A ground-launched cruise missile, it is capable of carrying a 450 kg payload 350  700 km. The missile is vertically launched with a solid-propellant rocket booster and employs a turbofan engine for its subsonic cruising flight. The Babur missile comes in several disclosed variants.

Pakistans Ghaznavi (Hatf III) ballistic missile with a range of 300 km (185 miles) takes off during a test flight. File image/Reuters

Ghaznavi: A short-range missile, the Ghaznavi is directly derived from Chinas DF-11 short-range ballistic missile. It can carry a single warhead of up to 700 kg to a range of 290  300 km.

Nasr: The Nasr missile is a tactical ballistic missile with a range of approximately 70 km. It can carry low-yield nuclear warheads for battlefield use.

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With inputs from agencies
As India and Pakistan engage in their most intense military conflict in decades, the nuclear question looms large. With both nations possessing powerful arsenals and second-strike capabilities, a single miscalculation could spiral into catastrophe. This report breaks down the strategic doctrines, missile systems and the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction that continue to hold back the unthinkable read more

Aerial photo of the mushroom cloud rising over Nagasaki, Japan after the United States detonated an atomic bomb on August 9, 1945. Representational Image/US National Archives

Cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan have climbed to new heights. Amid escalating military operations, the world is once again confronted with a harrowing question: what happens if Pakistan launches a nuclear missile?

The issue transcends conventional warfare. It enters a domain where the margin for error is non-existent, where every strategic calculation hinges on the doctrine of deterrence and where the consequence of miscalculation is unthinkable devastation.

Pakistans nuclear programme, born from its perception of existential threat following Indias 1974 nuclear test , has matured into a formidable deterrent.

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Since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and retaliatory measures by India that followed, politicians in Pakistan have made explosive threats mentioning nuclear weapons. Pakistani minister Hanif Abbasi remarked last month , We have kept Ghori, Shaheen, Ghaznavi, and 130 nuclear weapons only for India.

Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with Reuters has also said that Pakistan would only use its arsenal of nuclear weapons if there is a direct threat to our existence.

On Saturday (May 10, 2025), Pakistan PM Shebaz Sharif reportedly called a meeting of the National Command Authority, the apex body overseeing the nations nuclear arsenal, a meeting which Asif has now claimed never happened .

No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled, Asif told Karachi-based ARY TV.

How Pakistan is nuclear-capable

Over the past two decades, Islamabad has developed a diverse array of nuclear-capable delivery systems spanning land, air and sea. The Shaheen-II missile, with a range of approximately 2,000 kilometres, is central to Pakistans land-based nuclear posture.

More recently, the Ababeel missile, equipped with Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs) signals a significant leap in Pakistans ability to overwhelm enemy defences.

Pakistani military trucks carry the long range nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Ghauri ballistic missile during the National Day parade in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 23, 2005. File Image/Reuters

On the air front, Pakistans fleet of F-16s and Mirage aircraft are believed to be capable of deploying nuclear gravity bombs and air-launched cruise missiles such as the Raad, with a range exceeding 350 kilometres.

Meanwhile, the Babur-3 submarine-launched cruise missile represents a developing but ambitious bid for a second-strike capability  vital for maintaining credible deterrence in the event of a first strike disabling land-based assets.

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According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Pakistan has upwards of 170 nuclear warheads compared to Indias 180, as of 2025.

How India may be able to defend itself

India, on the other hand, has adopted a declared No First Use policy since the early 2000s and has developed a strategic nuclear triad to enforce this doctrine.

Its arsenal includes land-based Agni series missiles, capable of reaching targets from neighbouring states to as far as China, nuclear-capable aircraft like the Mirage 2000 and Jaguar, and most crucially, submarine-based ballistic missile platforms like the INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.

These nuclear-powered submarines give New Delhi a stealthy, survivable second-strike option, reinforcing its deterrence posture.

A surface-to-surface Agni V missile is displayed during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, India, January 26, 2013. File Image/Reuters

Missile defence remains one of the most intensely debated aspects of modern military planning in the subcontinent.

While India has made major strides in developing a layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) shield, comprising systems like the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) and the Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptors, the task of successfully detecting and destroying an incoming nuclear missile is far from assured.

At speeds that can exceed 24,000 kilometres per hour and with decoy or MIRV capabilities, even a single missile can render defence systems ineffective.

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The Swordfish radar system, designed to track enemy projectiles up to 1,500 kilometres away, is part of Indias response to this challenge.

Yet, military experts consistently highlight the point that no missile shield guarantees complete protection against a nuclear salvo, particularly one involving multiple warheads.

What MAD entails

This brings the discourse back to the enduring concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)  a principle that has, paradoxically, helped preserve peace among nuclear powers. MAD rests on the assumption that no rational actor would initiate a nuclear strike knowing that it would inevitably trigger a retaliatory response resulting in total annihilation.

The doctrine works as a deterrent because the destruction would be so catastrophic for both the attacker and the defender that neither would benefit. In the IndiaPakistan context, this logic still holds.

A surface-to-surface Agni V missile is launched from the Wheeler Island off the eastern Indian state of Odisha, April 19, 2012. File Image/Reuters

Both nations possess second-strike capabilities and understand that a nuclear war, regardless of who launches first, would result in national collapse, mass civilian casualties and a geopolitical fallout that would reverberate globally.

Why MAD is not foolproof

Nevertheless, MAD is not a foolproof safety net. The threat lies not in official doctrines, which are usually shaped with extreme caution, but in the possibility of misinterpretation, rogue actors or unintended escalation during conventional conflicts.

Unlike the Cold War standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, where strategic communication channels were institutionalised and borders were not shared, India and Pakistan are separated by a tense and highly volatile Line of Control.

When fighter jets are engaged in combat, missiles are being fired at military installations and nationalist rhetoric escalates, the room for error narrows.

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Moreover, Pakistans development of tactical nuclear weapons  smaller-yield warheads designed for battlefield use  further complicates the deterrence equation.

These weapons lower the nuclear threshold and risk normalising their use in conventional scenarios. Indias military doctrine, in contrast, states that any nuclear strike  tactical or strategic  will invite massive retaliation.

The real cost

All of this unfolds in a region where the civilian population is most vulnerable. Both countries host massive populations in densely populated urban centres.

A single nuclear detonation in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Karachi or Lahore could result in hundreds of thousands of immediate casualties, with many more dying from radiation exposure and long-term fallout.

Hospitals, infrastructure, food supply chains and governance systems would collapse in the wake of such a catastrophe. International aid would struggle to respond, and the region would face ecological and economic consequences lasting decades.

Both India and Pakistan possess the means to destroy each other  and themselves.

As tensions flare and military manoeuvres dominate headlines, it is this restraint  this enduring understanding of the true cost of nuclear war  that remains South Asias most important line of defence.

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As Pakistani politicians continue to invoke nuclear threats and Pakistan continues to escalate this conflict, the underlying message from Islamabad is clear: the nuclear option, while not a first choice, is not off the table.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos as it fired a Fatah-II ballistic missile aimed at Delhi in a pre-dawn strike on Saturday. As tensions escalate, Pakistan chose a name for its mission from a phrase in the holy Quran. Heres why read more

Pakistan has launched 'Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos' against India. It launched Fatah-II missile aimed at Delhi but Indian Forces intercepted it in Haryana's Sirsa. Image for Representation/ Reuters

Pakistan has started Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos, Radio Pakistan announced as Islamabad fired a Fatah-II ballistic missile at India in a pre-dawn strike on Saturday.

The firing of the long-range missile came as Pakistan escalated the situation a day earlier, targeting 26 locations in India with drones and missiles after Indias Operation Sindoor.

According to a News18 report citing sources, the Indian forces not only intercepted the missile in Haryanas Sirsa but also struck airbases in Rawalpindi, Chakwal and Shorokot.

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Catch India-Pakistan LIVE Updates .

As tensions rise, major cities across India have been placed on high alert following Pakistans announcement of Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos.

But what exactly does this name mean? And why has Islamabad chosen this specific term for its operation? Heres a closer look.

What does Bunyan-ul-Marsoos mean?

As per Al Jazeera, Bunyan-ul-Marsoos is a phrase taken from the Quran, the holy book of Muslims. The Arabic expression translates to a wall constructed of molten lead, symbolising unity, strength, and an unbreakable front.

The complete Quranic verse reads: Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.

In essence, the phrase metaphorically describes devout believers standing shoulder to shoulder, like tightly placed bricks in a wall, unwavering against an external threat, united in purpose and action.

Also read: Fatah: The ballistic missile that Pakistan calls its pride blown into pieces in Indian skies

Why has Pakistan chosen this name?

Pakistan has a history of invoking religious and Quranic symbolism during its confrontations with India, and Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos is no exception.

By choosing this name, Islamabad likely wants to present itself as a force thats unshakable, unified, and fighting for a larger cause. But its actions on the ground tell a very different story.

Indias Operation Sindoor was a direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam , where four Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 innocent civilians.

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The Indian Air Force struck nine terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), including a key target in Pakistans Punjab province, nearly 100 km from the international border. This marked the first time since the 1971 war that India hit so far inside Pakistani territory.

The Indian Air Force struck nine terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). PTI

Secondly, the use of a Quranic verse appears to give the ongoing military escalation a religious and ideological tone.

Pakistani Army General Asim Munir was earlier heard saying, Our forefathers believed that we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religion is different. Our customs are different That was the foundation of the Two-Nation Theory.

Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir. File photo: YouTube/ISPR

Reports suggest this was seen as a message directed towards Pakistans terror proxies.

Since Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has also reportedly been using drones and missiles to target not just Indias military zones but also religious sites like gurdwaras, convents, and temples. India, on the other hand, has maintained its focus solely on terror camps.

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Pakistan is again trying desperately to impart a communal hue to the situation with an intention to create discord. We are not surprised, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on May 9. Indias steadfast unity in itself is a challenge to Pakistan, he added.

So Islamabad may have chosen a powerful Quranic phrase to name its mission against India, but by targeting civilians and shielding terrorists, it has only corrupted the very spirit of the verse it claims to stand by.

With input from agencies
Turkey has emerged as one of Pakistans most steadfast defence and diplomatic partners, from supplying armed drones used in recent cross-border escalations to voicing support on Kashmir at global forums. The growing Ankara-Islamabad axis raises critical questions about regional power in Asia read more

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharid and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold a bilateral meeting in Ankara, Turkey on April 22, 2025. Image/Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara

Turkeys growing alignment with Pakistan  politically, militarily and ideologically  has drawn increasing scrutiny in India.

This strategic partnership has not only matured into a deep defence alliance but has also come at the expense of India-Turkey relations, which continue to deteriorate under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Recent developments have brought the growing Islamabad-Ankara nexus into sharper focus, particularly as it begins to manifest not just in rhetoric but on Indias borders.

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Turkish drones used by Pakistan against India

On the night of May 8, Indian forces witnessed unprecedented drone intrusions across the northern and western frontiers , with over 300 to 400 unmanned aerial vehicles attempting to cross into Indian territory at 36 different locations, ranging from Leh in the north to Sir Creek in the west.

Indian authorities have now confirmed that the drones used were the Songar armed drone systems, manufactured by Turkish defence firm Asisguard .

Preliminary reports suggest they are Asisguards Songar drone from Turkey, stated Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a media briefing.

The Songar drones are designed for low-intensity conflicts and can carry firearms or grenades. Forensic analysis is ongoing, but officials say there is little doubt about the origin of the equipment.

Indias concerns deepened when a Turkish C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft landed at Karachi airport on April 27. Although Ankara claimed it was a routine stop, Indian officials are assessing whether this flight might have delivered the drones used in the attack.

Adding to suspicions, a high-ranking Turkish military delegation led by Lt. Gen. Yasar Kadioglu reportedly visited the Pakistan Air Force headquarters just three days later.

This discovery has raised alarm bells in New Delhi, not only for the threat posed by the intrusion itself but also for what it reveals about the evolving Turkey-Pakistan defence partnership.

Experts say say all these developments show that it is time for India to corner Turkey diplomatically, strategically and globally, given it is now clear which camp Turkey stands in.

How Turkey has armed Pakistan

The defence collaboration between Turkey and Pakistan is not new but has seen significant acceleration over the past decade.

In 2018, Pakistan signed a $1.5 billion agreement with Turkish state-owned defence firm ASFAT to acquire four MILGEM-class stealth corvettes as part of Turkeys flagship naval programme. This contract also included technology transfer, with two of the vessels being built at Karachi Shipyard.

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The Turkish defence industry has also supported Pakistans Air Force and Army modernisation efforts. The Pakistan Air Force has received F-16 Fighting Falcon jets from Turkish Aerospace Industries, and the two countries have been exploring further cooperation in attack helicopters and unmanned aerial systems.

In 2018, Islamabad placed an order for 30 Turkish T129 ATAK helicopters, also valued around $1.5 billion. Although this deal has stalled due to US export license restrictions, both sides continue to seek alternatives.

Recent additions to Pakistans military inventory include Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed UAVs and Kemankes cruise missiles. As per the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Pakistan received three TB2 drones in 2022.

The newly identified Songar drones represent yet another Turkish contribution to Pakistans growing aerial capabilities.

Ankara has also played a pivotal role in modernising Pakistans navy. STM Defence Technologies, a leading Turkish firm, is not only involved in building new ships but also handling critical upgrades for Pakistans Agosta 90B submarines.

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This follows a historical pattern: during the Cold War era, when US sanctions restricted Pakistans access to American defence hardware, Turkey stepped in to provide refits for PNS Ghazi, reported The Indian Express.

How Turkey supports Pakistan on Kashmir

Beyond defence, the Turkey-Pakistan partnership thrives on diplomatic and ideological synergy . Under Erdogan, Turkey has consistently echoed Pakistans narrative on Kashmir, particularly at global forums like the United Nations General Assembly.

In February, Erdogan asserted, Turkey, as in the past, stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers today. India called these remarks unacceptable and lodged an official protest.

Turkeys Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (L) shakes hands with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara, September 17, 2013. File Image/Reuters

Following Indias strikes on nine terror camps under Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and PoK after the Pahalgam attack , Erdogan reiterated support for Islamabad during a phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He praised Pakistans calm and restrained policies and endorsed its call for an investigation into the Pahalgam incident, a proposal that New Delhi dismissed outright.

I pray for Allahs mercy for our brothers who lost their lives in the attacks, and I once again extend my condolences to the brotherly people and state of Pakistan," Erdogan has also said on X (Twitter) .

The Turkey-Pakistan diplomatic embrace is further institutionalised through the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Erdogan has visited Pakistan at least 10 times since 2003. In his most recent visit earlier this year , he co-chaired the seventh session of this bilateral body.

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How India has responsed to growing Turkey-Pakistan ties

India has not remained a passive observer. Recognising Turkeys growing involvement in the region through Pakistan, New Delhi has recalibrated its foreign policy. One key element of this is strengthening ties with countries that are either rivals or sceptics of Turkey.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, India has developed robust ties with Greece and Cyprus. In 2021, India and Greece conducted their first joint naval exercises.

India has also voiced strong support for the Republic of Cyprus against Turkish claims in Northern Cyprus. Greece, in return, has backed Indias position on Kashmir.

In the South Caucasus, India has emerged as Armenias largest arms supplier by 2024 . Yerevan, which faces threats from Azerbaijan  Turkeys close ally  has turned to India for Pinaka rocket launchers, surveillance radars and anti-tank systems.

These arms deals signify more than military support; they represent a counterweight to the Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan axis.

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which bypasses Turkey entirely, has drawn criticism from Ankara. In contrast, Turkey has promoted its rival - the Iraq Development Road project.

Indias strategic partnerships with the UAE, Israel and France also serve to hedge against Turkish expansionism, particularly in defence and maritime security.

How India has time and again aided Turkey

The stark divergence in the India-Turkey relationship was highlighted during the 2023 earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey. India promptly launched Operation Dost, dispatching relief teams, drones and aid supplies .

Garuda Aerospaces drones were deployed to assist in rescue efforts, and Indian Air Force aircraft carried essential materials to affected regions.

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Despite these gestures, Turkeys pro-Pakistan stance has remained unchanged. That Indias humanitarian assistance to Turkey after the devastating earthquake of 2023 did not substantially affect Ankaras outlook towards New Delhi is testament to the strength of the Pakistan factor in India-Turkey relations, experts have said.

Indian tourists represent one of the fastest-growing visitor segments to Turkey. In 2023, about 2.75 lakh Indians travelled to Turkey, and that number surged to 3.25 lakh in 2024.

Direct flights operated by Indian carriers like Indigo have helped bolster this influx. Yet, economic interdependence has not translated into political rapprochement.

Pakistani leadership has visited Turkey numerous times with the latest being Sharif holding talks with the Turkish president on April 22 in Ankara, coincidentally the same day of the Pahalgam terror attack .

Turkeys support for Pakistan, once largely rhetorical, has taken a strategic and operational dimension that now directly impacts Indias national security. Ankara has positioned itself as Islamabads most reliable partner after Beijing.

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Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
Pakistan launched the Fateh missiles to target Indian Air Force bases. However, New Delhi, in response to Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos, hit Pakistans air force bases in Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal read more

Indian airbases are reportedly safe after Pakistan launched another offensive, after New Delhi hit three of the countrys major airbases on Saturday in retaliation for Islamabads escalation.

In the early hours of Saturday, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos" following its three-day-long provocation and ceasefire violations along the border. India intercepted the Fateh-II long-range missile at Haryanas Sirsa.

Pakistan launched the missiles to target Indian Air Force bases. However, New Delhi, in response to Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos, hit Pakistans air force bases in Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal.

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Meanwhile, civilian areas in Pakistan have reportedly suffered damage, a day after Islamabads air raids injured three people.

Also, the Fateh-2 missiles were deployed to target Delhi. As per CNN-News18, the national capital is completely safe.

At the same time, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases of Pakistan Air Force were targeted.

But all assets of the Air Force remain safe, he claimed.

India has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets, he claimed. He added that several missiles were intercepted by Pakistans air defence system.

He said this is a sinister act of India pushing the region into lethal war and Pakistan will respond to this aggression. India should wait for our response.

Pakistan launched a new round of drone attacks on Friday night, targeting 26 locations across a wide stretch from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat. It was the second consecutive night of strikes.

According to the defence ministry, all attempts to damage critical infrastructure, such as airports and air bases, were successfully blocked. In Ferozepur, Punjab, a family sustained injuries  the only reported casualties from the nighttime assaults. Meanwhile, all Indian states bordering Pakistan remained under a blackout.

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With inputs from agencies
In a late night media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations read more

A man stands amid the debris on the roof of a damaged house, following Pakistan's military operation against India, in Rehari, Jammu, on May 10, 2025. Reuters

Hours after India and Pakistan reached an understanding on stopping military actions, New Delhi on Saturday accused Islamabad of breaching it.

In a late night media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.

The armed forces have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

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For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan, he said.

This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today, Misri said.

The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very very serious note of these violations, he said.

The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation, the foreign secretary said.

We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility, he added.

The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control, he said.
Hours after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to end military action on Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir was shaken by a series of drone sightings followed by explosions read more

India's air defence system intercepts objects in the sky, after India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement, in the city of Jammu, on May 10, 2025. Reuters

Pakistan violated the cease agreement it had reached earlier in the evening. The two countries had agreed to a ceasefire that would result in stopping all military action as of 5 pm. India had confirmed the ceasefire shortly after US President Donald Trump announced it on his Truth Social platform.

What happened

Hours after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to end military action on Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir was shaken by a series of drone sightings followed by explosions, prompting security personnel to engage air defence systems to bring them down.

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In Srinagar, citizens reported several blasts after dusk, with air defence forces engaging a drone flying over the Batwara neighborhood, close to a strategic Army facility. Officials confirmed that the drone was downed.

The blasts, which came about every 15 minutes and were preceded by flares illuminating the dark sky, caused instantaneous alarm and confusion.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vented his scepticism about the ceasefire declaration on social media during the evolving events.

This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up, he posted on X, adding, What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!

Drone activity was reported across the Kashmir Valley and subsequently destroyed by an anti-drone system over Baramulla town in north Kashmir around 8.20 pm.

Another drone was reportedly brought down at Anantnag high ground, also in close proximity to an Army installation.

Sightings of drones were also reported from Anantnag districts Verinag and Bandipora, and Safapora too, with details yet to be received.

In Gujarat, a complete blackout was imposed in border district of Kutch late Saturday evening after several drones were spotted in the district, officials said. Several drones have been spotted in the Kutch district. A complete blackout will be implemented now. Please stay safe, dont panic, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi announced on X.

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What about the LoC?

Although officials explained there were no reports of shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kashmir region, the situation on the Jammu side also indicated a similar scene of shattered peace.

Whats Indias stand?

In a late night media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.

Misri said, An understanding was reached this evening between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan to stop the military action that was going on for the last few days. For the last few hours, this understanding is being violated by Pakistan. The Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with this border intrusion. This intrusion is extremely condemnable, and Pakistan is responsible for it. We believe that Pakistan should understand this situation properly and take appropriate action immediately to stop this intrusion.

The Armed Forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation and have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the borders along the international border as well as the line of control, he added.

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Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan also held a video conference with chief secretaries of states sharing border with Pakistan.

With PTI inputs
Earlier on Friday, the Deputy Commissioner of UT Chandigarh had asked the citys youth to appear for civil defence enrolment read more

Huge lines seen in Chandigarh when local announcements were made for volunteers to aid in the assistance. Source: ANI

A large number of people Saturday (May 10) showed up in Chandigarh after local authorities there invited the citys youth to become Civil Defence Volunteers and help foster a culture of readiness and resilience.

News agency ANI posted a video on X showing a large crowd gathered in the Tagore Theatre, offering to support emergency preparedness.

#WATCH | Huge lines seen in Chandigarh when local announcements were made for volunteers to aid in the assistance. pic.twitter.com/Q7YXWRg50J  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

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Earlier on Friday, the Deputy Commissioner of UT Chandigarh had asked the youth to appear for civil defence enrolment.

Taking to X, Chandigarh admin wrote, *APPEAL TO THE YOUTH* *Serve the Nation. Be Prepared.* Chandigarh Administration invites young citizens who are above 18 years age, to join as *Civil Defence Volunteers* and support emergency preparedness.

Amidst increasing military tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 Kashmir terrorist attack, Islamabad Thursday (May 8) targeted Chandigarh, among other Indian cities, using drones and missiles.

These missile attacks were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks was recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks.

On Saturday, while addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistans actions over the last few days are being seen as provocative and escalatory.

Col Sofiya Qureshi said that Pakistan tried to attack an air base in Punjab. She said in response, India also launched several strikes targeting airbases across Pakistan.

Pakistan targeted a total of 26 locations in India in Saturday attacks, the government said.

India accused Pakistani forces of targeting civilian areas and medical, educational facilities in Kashmir.

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Tensions between Pakistan and India are running high after New Delhi carried out precision strikes, under Operation Sindoor , against terror camps across the border on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir.
Pakistans Fatah-II missile, a symbol of Its military advancements, was shot down by the Indias air defence system. The missile was reportedly targeted at Delhi read more

The post-Pahalgam military engagement between India and Pakistan escalated further on Friday night and early hours of Saturday. The Indian Armed Forces intercepted and destroyed a long-range Fatah-II ballistic missile launched from Pakistani territory, reportedly aimed at the national capital, New Delhi. The missile was shot down over Sirsa, Haryana, marking one of the most serious and dangerous escalations in South Asia in recent years.

The attack was part of a broader offensive by Pakistan under its newly launched military campaign Operation Bunyanun Marsoos, translating to concrete structure, which included cross-border shelling, drone incursions and now the use of advanced missile systems. In a swift and powerful counterstrike, India responded with coordinated air and drone attacks on multiple Pakistani airbases and cities, causing heavy damage to key military infrastructure.

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The Fatah-II: An overview

The missile intercepted by Indian forces was confirmed to be the Fatah-II, Pakistans latest addition to its long-range precision strike arsenal. The missile, developed and tested by Pakistans strategic forces and inducted into its army in early 2025, is a guided surface-to-surface missile with a range of up to 400 kilometres. It represents a significant leap in Islamabads military technology, far surpassing its predecessor, the Fatah-I, which had a range of just 140 kilometres.

What makes the Fatah-II particularly dangerous is its advanced guidance system and flat ballistic trajectory, designed to evade radar detection and interception. Pakistani military sources had earlier claimed that the missile would strengthen the countrys conventional deterrence. However, its operational use against a Indias national capital with huge civilian population  New Delhi  marks a stunning shift in Pakistans strategic calculus.

According to senior Indian defence officials, the missile was tracked by Indias air defence system immediately after launch and neutralised in mid-air before it could reach a populated area.

Operation Bunyanun Marsoos: The opening salvo

The missile launch was just the most visible component of Pakistans new military operation, codenamed Bunyanun Marsoos, launched after days of drone attacks and cross-border aggression. The operation, according to Pakistani military statements, is aimed at targeting Indian military installations and strategic depth assets.

The campaign began earlier in the week with intensified ceasefire violations across the Line of Control, followed by coordinated drone attacks over two consecutive nights. On Friday night alone, Pakistani forces launched more than 300 drones targeting 26 Indian locations, stretching from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat.

While Indias air defence systems intercepted the vast majority of these drones, at least one attack in Ferozpur, Punjab, injured members of a civilian family  the first confirmed casualties on the Indian side. In response, Indian states along the border  Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh  were placed on high alert and blackouts were enforced to reduce visibility for aerial surveillance and attacks.

India retaliates

In a dramatic counteroffensive following the failed missile strike, India launched retaliatory strikes deep into Pakistani territory. According to top government sources, Indian forces used air-to-surface missiles and combat drones to strike three key airbases inside Pakistan: Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Shorkot, Punjab and Murid Airbase in Chakwal.

In a late-night press briefing, Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed that the Nur Khan and Rafiqi bases had been hit, but described the damage as limited. He accused India of escalating the conflict and vowed a measured but strong response.

Pakistan sees Delhi as target

The targeting of New Delhi with a long-range ballistic missile was an unprecedented move. Never before has Pakistan openly attempted to strike Indias capital with such a powerful weapon system.

The Indian government has so far refrained from making a formal statement but has reiterated that all air force installations are secure and that India will respond with full force to any threats against its sovereignty.

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Civilian life disrupted across the border zones

The escalation has already begun to affect civilians on the Indian side of border. Residents in Punjab and Rajasthan reported power cuts, blocked highways and intense shelling by Pakistan.

Border villages have seen mass evacuations and civil aviation in several northern regions has been temporarily suspended. Schools and government offices within 100 kilometres of the border have been ordered shut until further notice.
Xi calls for advancing building of China-Serbia community with shared future

Xinhua) 09:25, May 10, 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China and Serbia should carry forward the ironclad friendship, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the high-quality building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Noting his successful state visit to Serbia in May last year, Xi said that over the past year, the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in a new era has got off to a good start and the achievements are obvious to all.

As profound changes unseen in a century continue to unfold across the world amid multiple overlapping risks and challenges, China and Serbia should maintain strategic resolve and concentrate on managing their own affairs well, Xi said.

China is ready to deepen strategic communication with Serbia, enhance mutual support, strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, continue supporting the construction and operation of relevant projects, give full play to their demonstrative effect, and achieve more outcomes that deliver mutual benefit and win-win results, Xi said.

Xi stressed that 80 years ago, the peoples of China and Serbia made important contributions to the victory on the Asian and European battlefields in the World Anti-Fascist War, respectively.

China is ready to work with all countries in the world, including Serbia, to unite and cooperate to meet challenges, jointly safeguard world peace and international fairness and justice, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

For his part, Vucic said that China is Serbia's most precious friend, consistently offering selfless support and assistance to help Serbia develop its economy and improve the well-being of its people.

Serbia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and always believes that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, he said.

Serbia is ready to expand economic and trade exchanges with China, Vucic said, adding that his country welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Serbia, and will provide a favorable business environment for them.

It is hoped that China will actively participate in the 2027 Belgrade Specialized Expo, he said.

Vucic commends China's steadfast support for multilateralism, noting that China's visions and actions have bolstered the international community's courage and confidence in safeguarding common interests.

Serbia stands ready to unite with China in addressing the challenges posed by unilateralism and protectionism, Vucic added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Google Maps has gone live with a new Gemini-powered feature for iPhone users that automatically searches your screenshots for familiar places and bookmarks them. The feature, announced in March, is now available, and it's here to change how users save and revisit places they view on the web or social media.

Rather than switching between apps and typing in addresses, this smart update streamlines trip planning and location bookmarking through artificial intelligence.

How Google Maps' Screenshot Scanner Works

To get the new feature, make sure your Google Maps app is up to date with the latest version by clicking here. Launch the app and go to the "You" tab, where you will see a new "Screenshots" list awaiting you. A brief demo will guide you through how it works.

After it's turned on, Google Maps utilizes AI to find location data such as business names and street addresses in your screen captures. Your identified locations will appear in a "Review" carousel where you can choose if you want to "Save" or "Don't Save."

Turn on Auto-Scan for Smooth Location Findings

The magic behind this feature is in turning on the "Allow Access to All Photos" permission. Maps will then automatically scan for any new screenshots containing location-based content and bring them up for easy saving with this setting enabled.

According to 9to5Google, if you want to have manual control instead, you can also browse through your gallery and import individual screenshots into the "Review" section manually. A clean toggle for "Turn on/off auto-scan" lies under the carousel, allowing you complete control over the behavior of the feature.

All Locations Are Saved Privately First

When a screenshot is recognized and saved, it goes directly into the "Screenshots" list, a private space visible only to you. From there, you can choose to organize these places into custom lists, such as restaurants to try, future travel destinations, or must-see attractions.

This feature makes it simpler to pull up the locations later; what was once a scattered array of photos becomes a centralized travel planning center.

Now iOS-Only, Android Soon to Follow

This capability is presently limited to iOS users in the United States with English as their device language. Google has, however, assured that Android support is imminent, expanding access to this influential tool shortly.

Since we're in a digital age where looking for new places is possible on Instagram and TikTok, this new feature will be a blast. Interestingly, it provides customers with a frictionless means to save and revisit places without interrupting the fluidity of their scroll experience.

With Gemini AI, your location-related queries will now be answered. Google hears us and is pushing yet another initiative in turning Maps into something beyond a navigation platform: an intelligent and personalized trip companion.
As the tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, reports are emerging that Indian forces have intercepted Pakistans Fatah-II missile in Sirsa. The missile was reportedly heading towards Delhi read more

After the Pahalgam terror attack, tempers are high between India and Pakistan with the possibility of a military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Shutterstock

As the continue to escalate, reports are emerging that Pakistan launched the Fatah-II missile towards Delhi. Top government sources close to the matter told News18 that the missile was intercepted in Sirsa. If the report is confirmed, Pakistan will face a major loss in air assets.

According to the information obtained by News18, after the attack from the Pakistani end was initiated, the country faced technical issues with its air assets. Meanwhile, multiple Indian drones were reportedly hovering over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore and Peshawar.

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The ongoing conflict escalated on Friday night and early hours of Saturday, when India had to carry out retaliatory strikes , hitting Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, along with three Air Force bases, defence sources told News18. Multiple explosions were reported in different Pakistani cities - two in Rawalpindi and one each in Lahore and Islamabad.

According to the sources, the targeted airbases included Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi in Shorkot, and Murid in Chakwal. DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry confirmed the Indian strikes, saying that while India targeted Nur Khan and Rafiqi airbases, all Pakistani Air Force assets are safe.

Blackouts in India

On May 10, India imposed a complete blackout in Jammu and Kashmirs Akhnoor district. According to ANI, both explosions and sirens were heard in the area. Meanwhile, blackouts were also imported in Jalandhar, Punjab, after drones were reportedly spotted in the region.

We have imposed a blackout for some time, as a few drones have been reportedly sighted in Jalandhar. Forces are checking. Please be calm and follow the blackout protocol, DC Jalandar said in a statement.

Pakistani drones were also spotted at 26 different locations across India, ranging from Baramullah, in the north, to Bhuj in the south, along with both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday night.

The sources said that the drones are suspected to be armed and pose potential threats to both civilian and military targets. In one of the instances, a drone targeted Punjabs Ferozpur, severely injuring members of a local family. The wounded received immediate medical assistance, and the area has been sanitised by security forces.

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India has reportedly shot down two Pakistani jets as tensions between the two nations escalate. Heavy engagements were also reported over Srinagar, sources told CNN News18 read more

Pakistan Air Force J-10C fighter jets perform at a rehearsal ahead of Pakistan's national day parade in Islamabad. Used for representational purposes | File image/AFP

With the raging , reports are emerging that India has shot down two Pakistani fighter jets. Government sources told CNN News18 that the jets were shot down on Saturday. As per the source, one of the Pakistani jets was shot down near Lasjan, Srinagar, and the second one was shot down in North Kashmir.

While there is no official confirmation of the incident , some reports indicated that these jets could be F-16s. However, Firstpost cannot verify what jets were shot down by the Indian forces. Government sources have also confirmed that there was a dog fight between the air assets of both the nations.

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Meanwhile, surface-to-air missile systems were activated in Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar area, ANI reported. Heavy engagements are still going on with Pakistan over Srinagar and adjoining areas. Sources close to the matter told News18 that the search for the Pakistani pilots is underway after the jets crashed.

Smoke was also seen rising after a loud explosion was heard in the Dibber area of Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district. Civilians houses and properties were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions. Loud explosions were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor in J&K.

A day after Pakistans effort to target civilian infrastructure was foiled by Indian forces, Pakistani drones were again sighted in Jammu, Samba and Pathankot sectors on Friday.

Earlier this week, India conducted a precision strike against nine Pakistani terrorist camps under Operation Sindoor. The operation came as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which Pakistan-linked terrorists infiltrated a tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 people and sending shockwaves across India.
Pakistan military is moving troops forward with an offensive intent, says India, as the hostilities between the two nuclear-powered countries reached a boiling point read more

Pakistan military is moving troops forward with an offensive intent, says India, as the between the two nuclear-powered countries reached a boiling point. In the press briefing held on Saturday, the Indian government warned that while India does not seek escalation, it will retaliate to any form of provocation.

Addressing a joint special briefing of the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Col Sofiya Qureshi noted that all hostile actions by the Pakistani military have been responded to appropriately so far. They maintained that the Indian armed forces are in a high state of operational readiness".

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Pakistan military has been observed to be moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistani military," the military representatives said at the briefing.

It is pertinent to note that the government has the armed forces holding these media briefings frequently, since the start of Operation Sindoor on May 7. During the Saturday press, the representatives also slammed Pakistans tendency to spread misinformation.

India hits 6 Pakistani air bases in retaliation

Wing Commander Singh detailed Indias swift military response to Pakistans offensive. She stated that the Indian forces carried out strikes at identified military targets in Pakistan.

In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centre, radar sites and weapon storage areas. Pakistan military targets at Murid, Chaklala (Rawalpindi), Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Sunia were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from our fighter aircraft. Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions," she said.

Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added.
After the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, Pakistan initiated a propaganda campaign against India. The aim was to spread false information, mislead people worldwide read more

Operation Sindoor is India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, targeting jihadi infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. Image: Indian Army

In todays digital world, warfare is not just about physical battles. There is also a fierce information war happening online. After the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, Pakistan initiated a propaganda campaign against India. The aim was to spread false information, mislead people worldwide, and regain control of the narrative. However, India is actively fighting back with facts, transparency, and strong digital monitoring.

Following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan spread a lot of misinformation, such as:

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Recycled media: Old photos and videos were falsely presented as recent, combat-related content. Fabricated victories: False claims about Indian losses, like downed jets and captured soldiers, were widely circulated, and Pakistani media amplified these falsehoods. Government involvement: High-ranking Pakistani officials, including ministers, promoted unverified and doctored content on social media.

Indias Response

India has countered this information attack with a strategy based on transparency and accountability.

Indias dedicated team quickly debunks viral claims with visual evidence and source tracing. Their timely efforts have helped clarify the origins of misleading videos, confirm real dates and contexts of recycled images and counter false narratives publicly with verifiable data.

For example, a video claiming that the Pakistan Air Force targeted the Srinagar airbase was traced back to sectarian clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, in early 2024.

In a video shared by several pro-Pakistan handles, it is being falsely claimed that the Pakistan Airforce has targeted Srinagar airbase#PIBFactCheck



 The video shared is old and NOT from India.



The video is from sectarian clashes that took place in the year 2024, in pic.twitter.com/vPmMq4IWdE  PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 7, 2025

Another rumour about Pakistan destroying an Indian Brigade Headquarters was completely made up.

An old image of a Mig-29 crash in Barmer, Rajasthan, from September 2024 was misused to suggest recent Indian Air Force losses.

These tactics are part of a broader psychological operation aimed at creating confusion, demoralising the public, and shaping global opinion in Pakistans favour.

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The Indian defence front, through coordinated press briefings and verified digital channels, has consistently provided accurate updates to prevent narrative vacuums. So far, three press briefings have informed the public about Operation Sindoor and relevant updates.

The Indian public has become more aware and sceptical of viral content. Prominent Indian digital influencers and defence analysts have helped amplify fact-checks and expose coordinated disinformation attempts.

Indias counter-propaganda campaign has revealed systemic flaws in Pakistans military infrastructure that the disinformation aimed to hide. The campaign showed how Pakistans military, often seen as formidable, operated more like a corporate buyer of foreign weapons than an effective warfighting machine.

During Operation Sindoor, the Chinese-built HQ-9 batteries failed to detect or intercept Indias stealthy SCALP missiles, which struck targets in Bahawalpur and Muridke. Command-and-control centres showed no real-time battlefield response during the 25-minute operation. Also, PL-15 air-to-air missiles misfired against Indian Su-30MKIs, revealing poor integration of imported systems with Pakistans existing defence infrastructure. Moreover, Pakistani Army generals reacted to alerts like office managers checking spreadsheets rather than commanders directing engagements.

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This exposure of strategic inertia and technological vulnerability contrasts sharply with the narratives Pakistan tried to promote online. The campaign not only counters disinformation but also reframes the story around Pakistans reliance on untested imports and outdated tactics in modern warfare.

India has taken a calm and methodical approach to information warfare. Operation Sindoors effectiveness was communicated with precision, focusing on strategic outcomes rather than sensationalism. Indian authorities have exposed manipulation tactics used by Pakistan-based accounts, many of which are now under scrutiny by international social media platforms. Campaigns to educate citizens on identifying fake news have helped create a more resilient digital environment.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistans actions over the last few days are being seen as provocative and escalatory read more

Trails from an Indian air defence system are seen above Jammu during a Pakistani strike on May 9, 2025 (Source: AFP) and the shell recovered from the Dal Lake

A missile-like object landed deep inside the Dal Lake  a major tourist attraction in Srinagar  after loud explosions rocked the city on Saturday (May 10) morning, officials said.

Smoke bellowed from the surface of the lake when the object landed, the officials said.

The debris of the object, which the security forces have fished out, is being analysed, they added, according to news agency PTI.

Here is the image of the shell recovered from the lake:

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Another suspected object was recovered from Lasjan on the outskirts of the city on Saturday morning, which is being examined, the officials said.

Earlier, while addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistans actions over the last few days are being seen as provocative and escalatory.

Col Sofiya Qureshi on Saturday said that Pakistan tried to attack an air base in Punjab. She said in response, India also launched several strikes targeting airbases across Pakistan.

Pakistan targeted a total of 26 locations in India in Saturday attacks, the government said.

India accused Pakistani forces of targeting civilian areas and medical, educational facilities in Kashmir.

It was also informed that Pakistan was increasing its deployment of troops on the border, signalling an intention to escalate the conflict.

Tensions between Pakistan and India are running high after New Delhi carried out precision strikes, under Operation Sindoor, against terror camps across the border in response to the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir.

(With inputs from PTI)
Tensions remain high along the border as India retaliated after Pakistans failed drone attacks on western cities. A red alert has been issued again in Amritsar, with residents urged to stay indoors. read more

As India retaliated against Pakistan following Islamabads multiple failed drone attacks in the western and northern border cities, a red alert has been issued once again in Amritsar. Sirens may sound at any moment, and residents have been advised to stay indoors, DC Amritsar said.

You may hear the siren now, we are under red alert. You are all requested to remain indoors and stay away from windows. We will inform you as soon as it is safe to resume normal activities. Please stay calm and do not panic, said the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar.

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The red alert comes shortly after a green alert was issued at 6 am.

Army shot down multiple drones in Amritsar

Earlier, the Indian Army successfully shot down multiple drones flying over Khasa Cantt in Amritsar, Punjab, at around 5 am on Saturday. This marks yet another blatant act of aggression by Pakistan, which was effectively thwarted by Indian forces.

Pakistans blatant escalation through drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, at approximately 5 am today, multiple enemy armed drones were spotted over Khasa Cantt in Amritsar. The hostile drones were immediately engaged and neutralised by our air defence units, the Indian Army said.

OPERATION SINDOOR



Pakistans blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were pic.twitter.com/BrfEzrZBuC  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 10, 2025

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. The Indian Army will continue to thwart enemy designs, it added.

This development follows Indian strikes on at least four airbases in Pakistan early Saturday, ANI reported, citing sources, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.

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According to government sources quoted by News18, Pakistan launched a Fatah-2 missile towards Delhi, which was successfully intercepted in Sirsa. If confirmed, the failed strike would mark a significant setback for Pakistans air capabilities.

Meanwhile, several Indian drones were reportedly seen hovering over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore, and Peshawar.

The conflict intensified on Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday, when India launched retaliatory strikes targeting Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, along with three major Pakistani Air Force bases, defence sources told News18. Multiple explosions were reported  two in Rawalpindi and one each in Lahore and Islamabad.
At a time when Pakistan has escalated the conflict with India with missiles, drones, and ground attacks, the Border Security Force (BSF) has said that it destroyed a terrorist launcpad in Sialkot opposite to Jammu regions Akhnoor area read more

Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrol near the India Pakistan border fencing at Garkhal in Akhnoor, about 35 kilometers west of Jammu, August 13, 2019. File Photo/AP

The Border Security Force (BSF) has said it destroyed a terrorist launchpad in Pakistans Sialkot.

The development comes at a time when India and Pakistan are locked in an exchange of fire since last evening. While Pakistan launched drones on Friday evening, it escalated with attacks across northern and western India with missiles and warplanes. One ballistic missile, which was intercepted, is understood to have been launched at Delhi. India in response struck at least three Pakistani airbases.

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In a statement on Saturday morning, the BSF said that after Pakistan began unprovoked cross-border fire at BSF posts in the Jammu region around 9 pm on Friday, the BSF responded and destroyed a terrorist launchpad across the border.

BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary. The terrorist lanch pad at Looni, district Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area was completely destroyed by the BSF, the statement read.

Since last night, Pakistan has targeted Indian military bases at Udhampur, Pathankot, Jammu, and Adampur. Pakistan has also claimed to have struck storage sites of Brahmos missiles. In yet another escalation, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday morning called a meeting of National Command Authority (NCA), the top decision-making body on the countrys nuclear weapons.

Kabir Taneja, a counterterrorism expert at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), said on X that it appears to be a sign of desperation.

When Pakistan starts sabre rattling the nuclear file, as it has now, its being forced on the backfoot and is looking for the international community's urgency to intervene in ongoing confrontations.



Textbook. Negotiate with the world with a gun to their own head.  Kabir Taneja (@KabirTaneja) May 10, 2025
The ball is still in Pakistans court  to either mend its ways and repent, or repeat the past with greater vigour and be answered in the only language its leadership seems to understand read more

The only bad thing about Operation Sindoor is that it had to happen  that our Pakistani neighbour would not shut up unless spoken to in the only language they understand. Indias calculated yet calibrated response to the Pahalgam terror attack that took 26 innocent lives hides more than it says and says more than it hides.

The long and short of it is that for one more time India has demonstrated to the world, starting with an adversarial Pakistan, that its response would be calculated yet calibrated and non-escalatory in nature. Yes, there are already those in the country, especially from the strategic community, who feel that India should escalate opportunities to go in for an all-out war when Pakistan created them through Zias zero-sum terror attacks that have not died down long after his exit. But that is a different story altogether.

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In the comity of nations, thus, India has proved that it is more responsible in protecting its self-interest, not only when compared to Pakistan now or China in the aftermath of the Galwan episode. The truth is India has proved to be more responsible than those that preach responsibility to us  particularly our Western friends.

Recall how the US converted the post-9/11 security opportunity into one for war and targeted both Afghanistan, where Osama was hiding, and Iraq, whose dictatorial ruler, Saddam Hussein, was not a threat to America. Or how Western Europe, which made Ukraines war with Russia their own war, are still paying for it in every which way. When the chips are down and the India-Pakistan situation escalates into a full-fledged war, they would preach to us from their pulpits that are built in the air.

Delayed response

In every which way, it was a delayed response. First, India gave the world two full weeks to hold Pakistan accountable. From the UN Security Council, Pakistan did not get a favourable statement from the 15-member body, but no one wanted to put out another, criticising Pakistan for the ghastly massacre at Pahalgam.

It is anybodys guess what kind of evidence would satisfy the West in this case when the US in particular was only happy to back Israel when Tel Aviv claimed that distant Iran was behind all those Hamas and Hezbollah attacks against the country.

Truth be told, whenever India says that it was the victim of Pakistan-based terrorism, encouraged by the ISI and thus the Pakistani state, the West had hemmed and hawed and had always demanded solid evidence, whatever they meant. But when it came to 9/11, most of the early strike-backs were presumptive and presumptuous. That Osama and Al-Qaeda fell in place was a separate factor.

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For those who care to recall, even at the time, India offered landing facilities when first approached by the US for its fighters to refuel and prepare for a strike at Osamas base and Taliban-controlled territories in Afghanistan. Remember, India too was the victim of the Taliban-induced Kathmandu hijack episode, and New Delhi under the very same Vajpayee government was only too happy to accommodate, as different from obliging.

Yet, the US preferred Pakistan, not because of logistic reasons but because they had come to consider each other as natural allies. Even today, many in Lutyens Delhi consider the US Indias best friend; Washington is at best circumspect in the matter of making their long-time ward behave.

Best decision

It may be in the Indian psyche, but self-restraint has been a national creed in this country of ours. That has extended to our strategic thinking, too, it can be now said. It began with the Bangladesh War (1971) and extended to the Kargil War (1999) and all the way up to the three surgical strikes of 2016, 2019 and now 2025. More importantly, it has also taken over the nations policy of no first use of nuclear weapons.

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In 1971, the then-Army chief, Gen Sam Manekshaw, later recalled how, as early as March that year, the Cabinet discussed the matter and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi briefed him on how war with Pakistan was becoming inevitable and had also decided on military objectives and goals. The civilian governments diktat for the armed forces was to liberate Bangladesh and sustain a holding operation viz West Pakistan, with a clear aim to withdraw when a cease-fire came into force  all of it, if and only if the Islamabad-Pindi combo forced a war on us.

The government gave the armed forces six months time to prepare for a war, as sought, that too for a war which Indira Gandhi was clear could not be extended beyond three weeks. Pakistan fired the first shot on the night of December 1, and Bangladesh was formally liberated on December 16, with Lt Gen A A K Niazi, commanding the West Pakistan forces in Bangladesh, signing the Instrument of Surrender at the Dhaka stadium.

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There are those who now keep taunting Indira Gandhis memory by saying that her leadership had failed to let the armed forces capture the whole of West Pakistan or at least retain whatever territory that they had already captured. By hindsight, it should be conceded that it was the best decision that New Delhi could have taken, then and now.

Even when slicing Bangladesh out of Pakistan was on Indias card, New Delhi projected a self-restraint strategy and readily agreed to pull out from West Pakistan territories that our armed forces had captured. Critics need to understand that winning is one thing, holding is another. They need to remember the way the mighty US forces got caught in Afghanistan for 20 long years, only to end up with a pyrrhic victory.

No first use

The Indian self-restraint has stood it in good stead since then. Despite their tendency to besmirch India wherever and whenever possible, the West especially conceded Indias trait of a commitment to peace, flowing from the Gandhian national creed. So when the Vajpayee government declared Indias no-first-use of nuclear weapons policy after the Pokhran-II nuclear weapons test in 1998, the world did not insist on verification mechanisms.

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This was not the case with Pakistan, though both nations came under the America-led Western sanctions regime of denial. When it happened, it was the West which unilaterally withdrew the sanctions against India. Pakistan then got it free  and it keeps showing its ugly head against India, every now and again.

Since 1998, every time there has been tension along the India-Pakistan border, self-styled strategist analysts from the West would tell their governments and also the world at large how a nuclear war was imminent. They never say such things when their governments and armed forces are involved. Or, even their friendly allies (including Pakistan) are involved.

India has remained their political target, yet, a year after Pokhran-II, Indian armed forces showed how they could get back territory from an overambitious Pakistan without any talk of using nuclear weapons or even crossing the international border. That was the war in which Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf declared that he would consider ordering the use of tactical nuclear weapons if the Indian armed forces crossed the international border.

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India won the Kargil War without crossing the international border. India did not think of escalating the war by crossing the international border, if only to teach Pakistan a befitting lesson for all time to come.

Even today, in the heart of their hearts, the international community are wary of the Pakistani nuclear arsenal or a part thereof falling into the hands of rogue elements, both within their armed forces and outside (meaning multiple terror groups). No one is even dreaming of India doing it, now or ever. That is the kind of credibility India has built over the years, starting with the Bangladesh War, then Pokhran I & II, and down to the post-Pahalgam targeted attacks well into Pakistan but without in any way escalating it into a full-fledged war.

The ball is still in Pakistans court  to either mend its ways and repent, or repeat the past with greater vigour and be answered in the only language its leadership seems to understand  a lesson that they seek periodically and which India has been forced to give them, but in measured doses!

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The writer is a Chennai-based Policy Analyst & Political Commentator. Email: sathiyam54@nsathiyamoorthy.com. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Even a cursory look at the history of certain Western countries attitudes toward Indias position on Kashmir reveals a significant danger for India today read more

Indian security personnel patrol the site of the terrorist attack in Baisaran, near Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, on April 24, 2025. The terror attack happened on April 22, 2025. Image: Reuters

On May 4, during an interactive session at the Arctic Circle India Forum 2025, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke of broader geopolitical upheavals affecting the world, in particular Europe, which must display some sensitivity and mutuality of interest for deeper ties with India.

Answering a question on Indias expectations from Europe, Jaishankar said, When we look out at the world, we look for partners; we do not look for preachers, particularly preachers who do not practice at home and preach abroad.

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This sharp answer came after the EUs top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint.

Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, formerly a Prime Minister of Estonia, was obviously ill-informed about the situation in Kashmir (and along the India-Pakistan border).

The attitude of certain Western countries (as well as the UN General Secretary) represents a great danger for India today; it has been so in the past.

The Kashmir Issue

A few years ago, while researching in the Nehru papers, I came across a Top Secret note written in the early 1950s by Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai, then secretary-general of the Ministry of External Affairs and Commonwealth Affairs; it was entitled Background to the Kashmir Issue: Facts of the Case; it made fascinating reading.

It started with a historical dateline: Invasion of the state by tribesmen and Pakistan nationals through or from Pakistan territory on October 20, 1947; the rulers offer of accession of the state to India supported by the National Conference, a predominantly Muslim though non-communal political organisation, on October 26, 1947; acceptance of the accession by the British Governor-General of India on October 27, 1947; under this accession, the state became an integral part of India.

Unfortunately, in a separate note, Lord Mountbatten, the Governor General of India, mentioned a plebiscite which would take place at a future date when law and order had been restored and the soil of the state cleared of the invader, then the people of the state were given the right to decide whether they should remain in India or not.

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It was an unnecessary addition, but Mountbatten wanted to show British (so-called) legendary fairness.

Anyway, the conditions were clear and in two parts: first, the Pakistani troops or irregulars should withdraw from the Indian territory that they occupied, and later a plebiscite could be envisaged.

Bajpais note also observed: Pakistan, not content with assisting the invader, has itself become an invader, and its army is still occupying a large part of the soil of Kashmir, thus committing a continuing breach of international law.

The Gift of Gilgit

Worse was to come; Maj Brown, a British officer, illegally offered Gilgit to Pakistan. The British paramountcy had lapsed on August 1, 1947, and Gilgit had reverted to the Maharajas control. Lt Col Roger Bacon, the British political agent, handed his charge to Brig Ghansara Singh, the new governor appointed by Maharaja Hari Singh, while Maj Brown remained in charge of the Gilgit Scouts.

Despite Hari Singh having signed the Instrument of Accession and joined India, Maj Brown refused to acknowledge the orders of the Maharaja under the pretext that some leaders of the Frontier Districts Province (Gilgit-Baltistan) wanted to join Pakistan.

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On November 1, 1947, he handed over the entire area to Pakistan, in all probability ordered by the British generals.

An interesting announcement appeared in the 1948 London Gazette mentioning that the King has been graciously pleased to give orders for appointments to the Most Exalted Order of the British Empire The list included Brown, Major (acting) William Alexander, Special List (ex-Indian Army). Brown was knighted for having served the Empire.

At the time, the entire hierarchy of the Indian and Pakistan Army were still British. In Pakistan, Sir Frank Messervy was commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army in 1947-48, and Sir Douglas Gracey served in 1948-51; while in India, the commander-in-chief was Sir Robert Lockhart (1947-48) and later Sir Roy Bucher (1948), and let us not forget that Sir Claude Auchinleck (later elevated to Field Marshal) served as the supreme commander (India and Pakistan) from August to November 1947.

Who can believe that all these senior generals were kept in the dark by a junior officer like Maj Brown?

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The Western influence or manipulation continued in the following years and decades; the Americans soon entered the scene too.

India and the Western Powers

After China invaded northern India in 1962, Delhi decided to ask for the help of the Western nations, particularly the United States. The latter was only too happy to offer it and thus gain leverage over India, which until that time had been neutral and non-aligned.

Seeing northern India invaded by Chinese troops, it seemed logical that the United States would come to Indias aid, but it turned out differently.

Soon after the ceasefire declared by the Chinese on November 22, 1962, and instead of helping India, Great Britain and the United States decided that the time had come to resolve the Kashmir dispute between their Pakistani ally and India, now begging for help.

Two days after the ceasefire, Averell Harriman, the US Under Secretary of State, and Duncan Sandys, the British Commonwealth Secretary, visited the two capitals of the subcontinent to persuade the warring brothers that it was time to bury the hatchet and find a solution to the fifteen-year-old Kashmir question. Harriman and Sandys signed a joint communique and asked the two countries to resume negotiations.

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Indias invasion by China was forgotten.

Delhi, in a position of extreme weakness, had doubts about the possibility of obtaining positive results from negotiations conducted under such circumstances, but Nehru did not refuse the offer.

On December 22, 1962, he wrote to the provincial chief ministers: I have to speak to you briefly on the Indo-Pakistan question, and particularly on Kashmir. In four days, Sardar Swaran Singh [the Minister of External Affairs] will lead a delegation to Pakistan to discuss these problems. We realise that this is not the right time to have a conference like this, as the Pakistani press has vitiated the atmosphere with insults and attacks directed against India. Nevertheless, we have agreed to go and will do our best to arrive at a reasonable solution.

The two delegations ultimately held a series of six meetings; nothing came of them. The first negotiations took place in Rawalpindi; Swaran Singh and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistans foreign minister, limited themselves to a historical presentation of the problem and the reiteration of their respective points of view. During the talks, India reaffirmed that it wanted to explore all possibilities to resolve the issue, as it wanted to live in peace with Pakistan, which insisted that the UN resolutions of August 1948 and January 1949 must be implemented as soon as possible (without them vacating the occupied part of Hari Singhs kingdom).

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The negotiations got off on a bad start: just before they began, the Pakistani government announced that it had reached an agreement in principle with China on its border issue. Just a month after the end of the Sino-Indian War, Pakistan was prepared to give China a piece of territory that India considered its own. What a slap in the face for India! Were the Western powers aware of the secret negotiations between Pakistan and China? Probably.

It is indeed surprising that Pakistan, an ally of the United States and the Western world, chose this moment to make this announcement. It was proof that Pakistan expected nothing from the talks with Delhi.

Negotiations on Kashmir continued between January 16 and 19, 1963, in Delhi and February 8 and 11 in Karachi, of course without any tangible results. Pakistan wanted a plebiscite, but India insisted on the prior demilitarisation of the regions occupied by Pakistan.

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Talks took place in Calcutta between March 12 and 14. India proposed some readjustments of the Line of Control, but these were rejected by Pakistan.

During the fifth round of talks held in Karachi between April 22 and 25, India protested that Pakistan had ceded part of Kashmiri territory to China; there was no longer any chance of finding a negotiated solution to the Kashmir issue.

During the sixth and final round of talks, India clarified that it had no intention of replacing a democratically elected government with an international organisation that it believed had no knowledge of local issues. India therefore rejected the proposals.

Retrospectively, 63 years later, it is not surprising that in an interview with Sky News, when the interviewer Yalda Hakim questioned him about Pakistans long history of backing, supporting and training terrorist organisations, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted, Well, we have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, you know, and the West, including Britain.

India should indeed beware of some Western powers.

The writer is Distinguished Fellow, Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (Delhi). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The trouble with Pakistan that it cannot de-escalate unless it is able to show to its qaum that it has landed the final punch, a favour that India is in no mood to extend read more

India has struck three Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases in Murid, Rafiqui Shorkot and the Nur Khan base at Rawalpindi. Representational image of a plane docked at Nur Khan base: Wikimedia Commons

In an extraordinary counterattack on the intervening night of May 9 and 10, India struck three Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases in Murid, Rafiqui Shorkot and the Nur Khan base at Rawalpindi a logistic hub for the PAF and also the headquarters of Pakistan army. The attacks were carried out with clinical accuracy.

Footage indicates that these bases, deep inside Pakistan, were struck with air-to-surface missiles, sending shockwaves throughout Pakistan.

Before the carnage, earlier around 2050 GMT (2.20 AM IST) Pakistans army spokesperson confirmed that India has fired six ballistic missiles but levelled a bizarre accusation that all the missiles bar one fell in Amritsar itself, a clear attempt at stirring up communal discord within India while keeping the domestic audience confused and in the dark. Gripped by panic at Indias offensive, the Rawalpindi generals seemed to have lost the plot.

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Alongside, there were reports and several unconfirmed video clips of Islamabad city and Islamabad airport taking visible damage, drone attack on Lahore Jalalpur Jattan, Sheikhupura, Narwal and Sialkot.

Drones visible in the night sky at Sialkot of Pakistans Punjab earlier tonight. pic.twitter.com/Y8pZB4kkn9  Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 9, 2025

It is important to underline that Indias move to strike military targets deep inside Pakistan was an act of retaliation. New Delhi showed considerable patience and was forced to match Pakistans provocations after withstanding a barrage of drones and UAVs for two consecutive nights that targeted Indias civilian areas as well as military installations.

India, that had been controlled and calibrated in its aggression all through Operation Sindoor, was forced to escalate due to two distinct developments.

One, consecutive nights of drone and UAV rain from Pakistan. On Friday night alone, Pakistans drone swarm rained over 26 locations ranging from the Baramulla in the North to Bhuj in the South, along both the International Border and the LoC, according to a statement by Indias ministry of defence. While the swarms were intercepted through kinetic and non-kinetic means, several locations including Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala came under attack.

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One armed drone, according to reports, targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur resulting in severe injuries to members of a family.

Second, Pakistan, in a fit of hubris, made an audacious attempt to strike Indias Sirsa Air Base under Western Air Command with a Fatah-II long range surface-to-surface missile that was successfully intercepted and destroyed by Indias missile defence system, possibly through Barak-8. The Pakistani long-range missile was headed towards New Delhi.

Amid the fog of war it is impossible to clarify whether Pakistan attempted one ballistic missile attack or several (as some have claimed) but it is clear that Pakistani attacks, whether drones on missiles, were all successfully neutralized by Indias integrated air defence system as I type this piece.

However, the extensive damage that Pakistan suffered in Indias massive counter-offensive  unconfirmed reports say multiple blasts were heard across Pakistani air bases leading to several casualties with flagship Nur Khan base suffering extensive damage  make it imperative for the Rawalpindi generals to attempt escalation dominance.

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In this day and age, millions of mobile phones make controlling of information nearly impossible. We are perhaps looking at a full-scale war between two nuclear-armed adversaries.

At the time of writing, Pakistan has already launched Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos against India possibly compelled by strong domestic pressure to attain a face-saver. In the meth-fuelled dream that Pakistans all-powerful military sells to Pakistani polity, Rawalpindi khakis are an impregnable force of macho men who habitually dominate weak Indians.

Obviously, that supernatural force cannot be seen to be taking a beating from the Mudi regime in Hindustan. It is a measure of the bubble of delusion that Pakistani generals reside in that they declined several off-ramps offered by India and chose to climb the escalation ladder.

On Friday evening, the MEA press conference carried an unmistakable signal that India was willing to let things slide if Pakistan did not provoke India any further. The night before, Pakistan attempted to strike 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, according to Indias ministry of defence.

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These attacks were neutralised by Indias Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. In reply, India took out Pakistans air defence radars at different locations while making it clear at the presser that 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.

When asked about Indias response to Pakistans provocations, foreign secretary Misri said at the presser on Friday evening that India has already given an appropriate response. It was as honorable an exit as Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir was likely to get. It suggested that unless Pakistan escalates further, India wont.

The trouble with Pakistan that it cannot de-escalate unless it is able to show to its qaum that it has landed the final punch, a favour that India is in no mood to extend. As Pakistanis launch their operation to wrest the upper hand, they have already lost two fighter jets in a dogfight and the war is under way.

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This is a war that India didnt want but was imposed on it. This is a war that India didnt begin, but will finish. Down to the bloody end.

The writer is Deputy Executive Editor, Firstpost. He tweets as @sreemoytalukdar. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
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.
As Indians gauge diplomacy and the international scramble for a ceasefire, the metric by which they gauge US sincerity should be simple: the designation of Pakistan as a state sponsor of terror read more

Pakistan now follows the terrorist playbook crafted by Hamas and Hezbollah across decades: stage an attack, threaten escalation and then seek to sidestep accountability by hiding behind the skirts of diplomats in the name of deconfliction, especially as casualties mount.

In April 1996, Hezbollah fired several dozen missiles into Israel, including 30 in a single day. Israel responded with Operation Grapes of Wrath, an attempt to degrade Hezbollah and drive it north of the Litani River. For days, Hezbollah suffered repeated defeats, but then, on April 18, 1996, Israeli fire struck a UN compound in Qana, southern Lebanon, around which Hezbollah had set up firing positions. More than 100 Lebanese sheltering in the compound died, sparking outrage that forced Israel to curtail Operation Grapes of Wrath and allow Hezbollah to live another day.

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In July 2006, Hezbollah crossed Israels UN-certified border to kidnap and kill Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with another offensive to uproot Hezbollah. Again, Hezbollah shielded itself from accountability for its terrorism by manufacturing sympathy for alleged victims. After an Israeli airstrike killed 28 in a Qana apartment building, Hezbollah activated anti-Israeli partisans in the media and in European capitals to pressure Israel to stop its campaign against Hezbollah short of achieving its goals, selling photographs of alleged childrens bodies being excavated from the building only to have video and analysis subsequently emerge showing the corpses get up and walk away or be featured elsewhere.

Ultimately, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice succumbed to international criticism and pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to curtail the Israeli efforts. Rice oversaw negotiations to make the UN peacekeeping mission more robust, in theory to prevent Hezbollahs re-armament. In reality, it was a fig leaf to make diplomats feign serious counterterrorism while allowing the United Nations to continue to evade responsibility. Hezbollah not only regrouped and re-armed but also terrorised southern Lebanon for another two decades. Meanwhile, its sponsors in the Islamic Republic of Iran understood that they could, quite literally, get away with murder in their efforts to cripple, if not defeat, Israel by attrition.

As international diplomats scramble to win a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the wake of the attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists last month at Pahalgam, New Delhi must ensure it does not repeat the mistakes of Israel. The United Nations Secretary-General and European foreign ministers will gladly take a cucumber, paint it yellow, and sell it as a cucumber. They will dress up any agreement both by praising its protection of civilians and by presenting it as a deal to end terrorism. They will simply seek quiet to last long enough so that they cannot be blamed when the violence inevitably re-erupts.

Ideology and not grievance motivates terrorists such as those that Pakistan trains. For all they talk about the occupation of Kashmir, they ignore that by law, Pakistan, and not India, occupies Kashmir. Their problem is the idea that Muslims live under the authority of non-Muslims. Indeed, this was at the heart of Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munirs original speech in which he belittled the idea of Hindus and Muslims living together. What Prime Minister Narendra Modi understands but must convey to Washington, New York, London, and Brussels is that any return to the status quo ante will inevitably mean terrorism throughout the entirety of India and not only in Jammu and Kashmir.

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In 2006, Condoleezza Rice and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan ignored a simple fact: Hezbollah was a proxy of Iran operating on the orders and authority of Iran. While the United States had already designated Iran a state sponsor of terrorism, Rice resisted further sanctions as she and her policy planning staff continued President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albrights efforts to try to negotiate with Iran and reach out to its supposed reformists. Had Rice, Annan, and others forced Tehran to be accountable for its terrorism, the region might not have descended into further war and terror.

Today, many Western diplomats seek a similar deal based on sleight of hand or smoke and mirrors. They want quiet and will treat Islamabads promises as fact, never mind that Asim Munir is no more sincere about peace than late Al Qaeda leader Usama Bin Laden.

As Indians gauge diplomacy and the international scramble for a ceasefire, the metric by which they gauge US sincerity should be simple: the designation of Pakistan as a state sponsor of terror. Indians should interpret any State Department effort to throw a lifeline to Pakistan as signs of American insincerity and outright disdain for India. Just as it is not possible to protect Israel and allow Hamas and Hezbollah to thrive, it is not possible to take Indias complaints about Pakistani terror seriously if Washington refuses to hold Islamabad accountable.

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Pakistan will complain about its listing, but the answer to that is not moral equivalency but rather to speak with one voice about the unacceptability of terror. The path to ending a state sponsor designation should not be empty promises but real reform.

Indians should demand more. The family of every victim of Pahalgam deserves compensation. That money should come not from Pakistans treasury but rather from the personal accounts of Munir, be they in Rawalpindi, London, Zurich, or Panama. There could be no other way for Pakistan to show that it has internalised that all terrorism is unacceptable than to make its individual cheerleaders and sponsors pay. Munir, of course, should no longer need such money, as any just agreement would see him spend the rest of his life in prison as an accessory to murder.

Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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With Operation Sindoor, India sent a firm message globally: it will not seek permission to defend its citizens, and those who perpetrate or support terrorism will face consequences, anytime, anywhere. read more

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, bottom right, addresses a press conference after India struck multiple sites in Pakistan with missiles under Operation Sindoor, in New Delhi, May 7, 2025. AP

In a decisive military operation named Operation Sindoor, India launched a coordinated retaliatory strike deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) to avenge the recent killing of 26 tourists in the Pahagam attack.

Government sources described the mission as an absolute success, achieving multiple strategic objectives without escalating into a broader conflict.

According to official details, Indian forces destroyed nine high-value terror launchpads belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. These sites were identified as operational hubs for planning cross-border attacks against India.

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The strikes extended beyond PoJK into Pakistans mainland, including Punjab province, home to several key terror hubs. Among the targets was Bahawalpur, a sensitive location previously untouched even by American drone operations.

The mission also exposed critical weaknesses in Pakistans air defence systems. Indian jets reportedly bypassed or jammed the air defence grid and executed the operation within a 23-minute window. Rafale aircraft equipped with SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs carried out the strikes with no reported losses.

Officials noted that the strikes were precise, with no civilian or military infrastructure targeted. India maintained its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism while deliberately avoiding a broader escalation.

Several high-profile terrorists were killed in the operation, including individuals on Indias most wanted list. The leadership of multiple terror outfits was reportedly eliminated in one coordinated action.

The operation was marked by seamless coordination between the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, underscoring the countrys growing tri-service warfare capability.

With Operation Sindoor, India sent a firm message globally: it will not seek permission to defend its citizens, and those who perpetrate or support terrorism will face consequences, anytime, anywhere.

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Ahmed Shareef Chaudhry, the media face of Pakistans military during tensions with India after Pahalgam terror attack, is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a UN-designated terrorist and has been a close aide of Osama Bin Laden. read more

Ahmed Shareef Chaudhry, the Pakistani media face echoing the voice of the Pindi-based Pakistani force, is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a man Pakistan hails as a nuclear scientist, but whose affiliations reveal a darker legacy, with being designated as a terrorist by the United Nations and the US.

Chaudhry is a three-star General in the Pakistan Army and currently serves as the 22nd Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

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Of late, he has become the principal spokesperson of the Rawalpindi-based military, frequently justifying its actions and its deep-rooted policy of sponsoring terrorism, and later, blatant aggression rather than merely explaining the acts.

Father builds extremist organisation

His father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, founded Ummah Tameer-e-Nau (UTN) in 1999an extremist Islamic organisation that was banned and sanctioned by the United States in 2001. Although Pakistan celebrates Mahmoods contributions to its nuclear programme, international agencies have long viewed him with grave concern.

DGISPR Ahmed Shareef Chaudhry is the son of a UN and US designated global terrorist Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood. His father provided Osama Bin Laden information about chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. pic.twitter.com/RzGYFyytKj  Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) May 10, 2025

UN sanctioned terrorist

Mahmood was listed and sanctioned by the United Nations Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee in December 2001. Additionally, he was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which even listed his address as the Al-Qaeda safe house in Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul.

Though Chaudhry continues to legitimise Pakistans radical actions through official narratives, his familial ties to global terror networks cannot be overlooked.

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Mahmood shares nuclear knowledge with Al Qaeda

Two retired scientists from Pakistans Atomic Energy Commission, Mahmood and Chaudhri Abdul Majeed, both known for their Islamic fundamentalist views, shared basic nuclear knowledge with the terror group Al Qaeda, according to report.

According to a January 2016 report by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) titled Pakistans Nuclear Weapons, the two men, under the banner of a so-called humanitarian group called Umma Tameer-e-Nau (UTN), provided assistance to Al Qaeda. This help was linked to weapons of mass destruction, though the exact nature and extent of the information they shared remain unclear.

Pakistan reportedly selling nuclear technology

Pakistan has a well-known history of nuclear proliferation, largely due to the secret activities of Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is often called their father of nuclear program.

In the early 2000s, Khan admitted to running an underground network that sold nuclear technology and equipment to countries like Iran, Libya, and North Korea.

This included sharing designs for centrifuges, uranium enrichment tools, and even nuclear warhead plans.

Reports also suggest that Pakistani scientists trained Iranian counterparts as early as the late 1980s. There were also claims of nuclear cooperation with Iran and exchanges of missile technology with North Korea.

His father, now reportedly living in anonymity in Islamabad, has authored several books on the supposed connection between Islam and science. Among his more bizarre and widely ridiculed claims is the idea that electricity can be generated by capturing djinns.

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Father is close aide of Osama bin Laden

His father was close to Osama bin Laden and came under US scrutiny.

Pakistan remains an economic failure, producing little of significance, and its constant nuclear threats only strengthen its image as an irresponsible state. Recently, the world has been reminded of Pakistans involvement in numerous major terrorist attacks, from 9/11 to the London bombings and the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, further embarrassing Islamabad.

Pakistan has a well-known history of nuclear proliferation, largely due to the secret activities of Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is often called their father of nuclear program.

In the early 2000s, Khan admitted to running an underground network that sold nuclear technology and equipment to countries like Iran, Libya, and North Korea.

This included sharing designs for centrifuges, uranium enrichment tools, and even nuclear warhead plans.

Reports also suggest that Pakistani scientists trained Iranian counterparts as early as the late 1980s. There were also claims of nuclear cooperation with Iran and exchanges of missile technology with North Korea.

India has accused Pakistan of having direct links to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were brutally killed by Pakistan-based militants.

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Pakistans long-standing policy of harbouring and weaponising terrorists as instruments of statecraft has once again come under international scrutiny.

In response, India launched a highly successful anti-terror operation, Operation Sindoor , on 7 May, targeting terror camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Indian armys precise attack on terror

The Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes on nine identified terror camps, including key locations and headquarters in Bahawalpur and Muridke, long-time strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), respectively.

The operation employed advanced military assets including Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs, BrahMos cruise missiles, and loitering munitions.

At a press briefing on Saturday, the Indian government said it does not seek escalation but will respond to any provocation.

At a joint briefing with the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said India has responded to all Pakistani military actions and that the armed forces are in a high state of operational readiness.
On Saturday, the Group of Seven nations, also known as the G7, condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and urged both nations to maintain maximum restraint read more

Global reactions are pouring in as the India-Pakistan conflict is reaching the boiling point. On Saturday, the Group of Seven nations, also known as the G7, urged both nations to maintain maximum restraint. Tensions between two nuclear-powered countries have been intensifying following the Pahalgam terror attack.

In the statement, the body of nations urged both India and Pakistan to engage in direct dialogue amid rising hostilities. Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides, according to the statement, which was posted on the official website of the government of Canada, a member of the G7.

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We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution," the statement further reads. One of the key aspects of the G7 foreign ministers system was that it started with the outright condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack that led to the death of 26 innocent tourists in Kashmir and sent shockwaves to India.

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan, the statement stated.

Singapore expresses concerns

Meanwhile, Singapore on Friday said that it was gravely concerned about the ongoing military confrontation between India and Pakistan, urging both parties to calm tensions. The Asian nation also condemned the Pahalgam terror attack.

Singapore is gravely concerned about the ongoing military confrontation between India and Pakistan following the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Apr 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

We call on both parties to de-escalate tensions through diplomatic means and ensure the safety of all civilians, the statement further reads. The country has also advised its citizen to defer all non-essential travel to Jammu and Kashmir in India, and to Pakistan, and urged travellers to exercise caution, particularly in border regions between Pakistan and India.

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Now that Pakistan has reached a ceasefire with India, the government should also reach a ceasefire with us, said jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khans party chief Gohar Ali Khan read more

After Pakistans ceasefire with India, a senior Pakistani politician has called for a ceasefire within Pakistan.

Gohar Ali Khan, the Chairman of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khans party Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), has called upon the government of PM Shehbaz Sharif to enter into a ceasefire with PTI as well.

Since his ouster from premiership in a trust vote, Imran has been engaged in a fight with Pakistans all-powerful military and the countrys other mainstream political parties. He has maintained that the military joined hands with other parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that is currently in power, at the behest of the United States to oust him. He has since had more than 100 cases slapped on him and has spent more than 20 months in jail since his arrest in May 2023.

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There has also been a crackdown on PTI after partys cadre waged a nationwide movemenet against the military on May 9, 2023, when they stormed army offices and even the army headquarters. They also stormed and ransacked houses of powerful military commanders.

Despite such differences, PTI extended supported to the government and the military in the conflict with India. In an appearance on Geo News, Gohar said that the political unity should now extend into a reconciliation with PTI and Imran.

Gohar said, Peoples can fight well as a nation with others when they stand together. If there has been a ceasefire India, those who dont get along with PTI should also reach a ceasefire with PTI. We will celebrate this with Pakistan Zindabad but we also believe that Imran Khan sahab, who is the leader of the biggest party in the country, should be released. He and his wife are in jail. His workers cannot meet him. His party leadership cannot meet him. If he is not released, how long can we say that we are together?

Despite being forced to reach a ceasefire by the hammering of its military facilities and capabilities, Pakistan is portraying the ceasefire as a victory. Under Operation Sindoor, India struck nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) in the early hours of Wednesday. After Pakistan attempted to strike India with missiles and drones later that day, India began striking Pakistans military facilities. India has struck Pakistans airbases at Rawalpindi, Shorkot, Murid

Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Jacobabad, Sargodha, and Bhulari. India also struck radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base. India also destroyed several air defence systems of Pakistan, including the one at Lahore.

With such a hammering and strikes at Lahore, the seat of political power, and Rawalpindi next door to the Army headquarters, Pakistan was forced to reach out to India and seek a ceasefire. As Firstpost has reported about the Indian approach, India maintained escalation dominance throughout and forced Pakistan to seek peace.

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As the hostilities between India and Pakistan escalate, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir read more

As the , US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir. According to the Department statement cited by Reuters, the conversation took place on Saturday, with attacks from both India and Pakistan intensifying.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir earlier today, the US Department of State said. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Rubio reiterated his calls for de-escalation between the two nations.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in the statement. The post was also shared by the US Embassy in Islamabad.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts. Read text here:  U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) May 10, 2025

Rubios stance on the matter

On Thursday, when the military confrontation between the two nations escalated, Rubio called Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The American Secretary of State urged both nations to de-escalate the conflict and expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.

It is pertinent to note that Rubio is a crucial member of the Trump cabinet since he holds three offices. He is the US foreign secretary, in charge of US foreign aid and is currently the acting National Security Advisor. However, hours after the phone call and the State Departments press briefing, Vance came out with a different message.

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Following Rubios call to both the administration, the State Department made it clear that it is against all forms of terrorism.

When a reporter asked Bruce about the State Departments stance on Indias assertion that Pakistan supports and funds terrorism, she noted that the sentiments are shared by the American side as well.

Well, obviously thats the call weve been making for decades, and clearly what happened in Kashmir was awful, Bruce said in response to the question during the Thursday press briefing.

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.

In his post, Jaishankar said that he told Rubio that Indias response has been targeted and measured and thanked the US for its commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. The post itself reflected that the issue of terrorism was discussed by the two leaders.

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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

Meanwhile, Vance took a similar stance to Trump on the India-Pakistan tensions and maintained a distance. Many believe that this can be good news for India, given how the US has been inclined towards Pakistan in past conflicts.
After getting its airbases and other military bases hammered, Pakistan has reached out to India for de-escalation, CNN News18 TV reported citing sources read more

The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. (Photo: BEL)

After getting its airbases and other military bases hammered, Pakistan has reached out to India for direct talks for de-escalation, CNN News18 TV reported quoting government sources. However, there has been no official confirmation of this yet from either side.

Since last night, India has struck at least three Pakistani airbases that are the mainstay of the countrys air forces. India has also hammered Pakistans air defence systems and neutralised key system at major centres like Lahore.

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Sources told CNN-News 18s Manoj Gupta that contact has been established between the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.

Sources said that Pakistan wants to de-escalate owing to the bad situation in the country.

This is the first time that such talks have been arranged since India launched Operation Sindoor, the TV report said. Previously, Pakistan Foreign Minsiter Ishaq Dar had said that the national security advisors (NSAs) of India and Pakistan had been touch, but the military the true rulers of Pakistan later rejected the assertion.

The development comes at a time when the United States and Saudi Arabia are engaged in mediation between the two countries.

Since last evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held at least three rounds of talks with Pakistan and two rounds of talks with India. While he has talked to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Munir in Pakistan, he has been engaging with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the Indian side. Before that, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir was in Pakistan to hold talks. He went to Paksitan after holding talks in India. Earlier today, Saudi Foreign Minsiter Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud held talks with his Pakistani counterpart.

Even though the report for talks has appeared, Pakistan has continued to carry out attacks inside India and take aggressive steps. Sometime back, fresh explosions were heard in Pathankot and cross-border attacks elsewhere have also not stopped.

In yet another sign of escalation, and the most notable one so far, Pakistan has been mobilising ground forces and deploying them to forward areas along the border with India, according to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army, who has been leading Operation Sindoors press briefings.

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Since Friday evening, Pakistan has attacked India with drones, missile, and fighter planes across northern and western regions. Pakistan has spiked shelling in Jammu region and attacked military bases at Jammu, Udhampur, Pathankot, and Adampur. Pakistan has also launched long range missile that sources say was intercepted over Haryana. It is understood to have been launched at Delhi.

After such major episodes of escalation, the outreach for talks appear to have been a result of Indias response that has battered critical military installations and international mediation.
While the US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, it was worked out mutually between the two countries read more

People holding national flags rally in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of 'Operation Sindoor'. AP/File Photo

India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire and military action has been paused from both sides. The development caps four days of strikes and counter-strikes by both neighbours. While the US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, it was worked out mutually between the two countries. Heres what the key players from the three countries said:

India

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, The directors general of military operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 pm on Saturday. The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 3.35 pm earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, and in the air and sea, with effect from 1700 hours IST Saturday. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The DGMOs will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours."

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action, Jaishankar said in a social media post.

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India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so, he said.

Pakistan

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, in an X post, said, Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"

We have agreed on a ceasefire from 4:30 pm (Pakistan Time) today, he told Geo News.

USA

President Donald Trump said, After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, Over the past 48 hours (Vice President JD) Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.

US Vice President JD Vance wrote on X,Great work from the Presidents team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire.

(With PTI Inputs)
Despite the ceasefire, the Indus Water Treaty, which manages the sharing of water resources between the two nations, will remain in abeyance. read more

The pact sought to divide the water of the Indus river and its tributaries equitably among the two countries. Representational pic/PTI

India has accepted Pakistans request for a ceasefire , which Pakistan proposed after the Indian military inflicted significant damage on Pakistani airbases on Friday and Saturday (May 9-10). According to Indian official sources, the agreement was made without any conditions, and the Indus Water Treaty will remain in abeyance.

This ceasefire offers a much-needed break from the increasing tensions, which have caused civilian casualties and infrastructure damage due to recent cross-border firing.

The ceasefire between India and Pakistan is firmly in place under strict Indian terms. Sources state that there are no attached conditions and that the Indus Waters Treaty remains suspended. Pakistans Director General of Military Operations initiated the ceasefire after mutual understanding, without the involvement of any third country.

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Despite the ceasefire, the Indus Water Treaty, which manages the sharing of water resources between the two nations, will stay suspended. It means Pakistan will continue to pay a huge price for supporting terrorists who carried out the brutal massacre of Hindu tourists in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed Indias decision to suspend the treaty immediately due to ongoing cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, which they consider a major breach of the treaty.

The Indus Water Treaty, facilitated by the World Bank in 1960, has been crucial in India-Pakistan relations. However, India accuses Pakistan of violating its terms by not engaging in negotiations to amend the treaty.

India-Pakistan relations have seen periods of severe hostility, including wars and several terrorist attacks.

The recent ceasefire is a significant step towards reducing tensions, but challenges remain.

Importantly, India has agreed that any future acts of terrorism will be treated as an Act of War.

Visa restrictions between the two countries will remain despite the ceasefire.

These restrictions have been in place for years due to security concerns, and India is cautious about lifting them. The decision to maintain these restrictions reflects Indias firm stance on the matter.

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The situation along the India-Pakistan border remains tense, with differing views on the ceasefire agreement and the Indus Water Treaty. While the ceasefire is a positive step, the future of the treaty remains uncertain.
Pakistan has launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos to attack India, which means firm foundation, but the foundation appears to have shattered already as India has struck three main airbases of Pakistan. read more

In response to Indias Operation Sindoor launched against terrorists, Pakistan has lanched Bunyan-un-Marsoos.

The term, Bunyan-un-Marsoos, means an firm foundation, but the irony is that the foundation appears to have shattered already.

In response to Pakistani drone and missile attacks on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, India struck at least three airbases in Pakistan. These airbases include Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindis Chaklala, Murid airbase in Chakwal district of Punjab, and Shorkot airbase in Punjab Jhang district. The Nur Khan airbase is next door to the Pakistani Army headquarters, the true seat of power in the country.

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The name, Bunyan-un-Marsoos, has been taken from the holy book of Quran.

The phrase has roots in a verse in Quran that roughly translates to a firm and compact structure or a solidly constructed building.

The complete verse in the Quran says: Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in ranks as if they were a firm and compact structure (bunyanun marsus).

As an Islamic nation, Pakistan has often invoked religion and Quranic references in its aggression on India.

The phrase metaphorically describes believers of Islam who are united in purpose and action and stand together in harmony and mutual support-like bricks in a wall against an external threat. However, Pakistan has corrupted the meaning of the holy phrase as Pakistan is not engaged in any defensive action. Pakistan is using the phrase for attacks on India in support of terrorists.

Since Friday evening, Pakistan has launched hundreds of drones at India and has also attacked with missiles and fighter planes. Pakistan also launched a ballistic missile at Delhi that was intercepted over Sirsa, Haryana. Most of the projectiles have been intercepted and there are also reports of up to Pakistani fighter plane being shot down in the skies above India. Fierce dogfights have been reported in the skies above Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar.
Pakistan Army earlier said that PM Shehbaz Sharif has called on the nuclear body to meet, a claim now rejected by Asif read more

Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday (May 10) contradicted a statement made by the Pakistan Army, which was reported by Reuters, that claimed a meeting of the countrys National Command Authority (NCA) has been called.

The NCA is the top military and civil body overseeing the countrys nuclear arsenal.

Reuters on Saturday quoted the Pakistan Army as saying that PM Shehbaz Sharif has called on the body to meet, a claim now rejected by Asif.

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No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled, Asif told ARY TV.

Asif also appeared to downplay the threat of a nuclear war between the two neighbours.

This thing that you have spoken about (nuclear option) is present, but lets not talk about it - we should treat it as a very distant possibility, we shouldnt even discuss it in the immediate context, he added.

Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down, he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan escalated the ongoing conflict by attacking India with drones, missiles, and fighter planes. Pakistan launched at least one ballistic missile that is understood to have been launched at Delhi. It was intercepted over Sirsa in Haryana.

India responded to Pakistans aggression and struck at least three airbases . India struck the Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindis Chaklala, Murid airbase in Chakwal district of Punjab, and Shorkot airbase in Punjabs Jhang.

Since the beginning of the India-Pakistan conflict on May 7, Khawaja Asif has increasingly made global headlines for his controversial remarks.

Asif was criticised by Pakistanis earlier this month after he embarrassed himself and Pakistan for admitting on camera that his nation has been doing dirty work of supporting and funding terrorism in South Asia for decades.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed that an officer of the J&K administration services was killed amid In a separate post, he slammed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for approving a $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

Im not sure how the International Community thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places, Abdullah wrote on X, formerly knowns as Twitter.

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Im not sure how the International Community thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places.  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 10, 2025

On Friday, the IMF held a review meeting and India, as a member of the IMF, abstained from voting. During the meeting, the international financial body also decided to consider an additional $1.3 billion loan for Pakistan under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). India has argued that the IMF funds could be misused for financing state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

Abdullah mourns the loss of an officer

The post from the chief minister came right after he expressed shock at the death of the officer of the J&K Administration Services. The officer was killed in Pakistans shelling in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri yesterday.

Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday, he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired, he wrote in the post.

Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 10, 2025

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Today, the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town, killing our Additional District Development Commissioner, Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. Ive no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace, he concluded.
Indias response to the Pahalgam attack was swift, strategic and unyielding. Operation Sindoor combined surgical military strikes with bold diplomatic and economic measures, sending an unmistakable message: terrorism will not be tolerated. read more

Operation Sindoor stands as a testament to Indias resolve, blending military might with non-military pressure to deliver a clear message to Pakistan and the world. In the wake of the devastating Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, including honeymooners and a young naval officer-India acted not just with force, but with purpose and restraint.

The massacre in the meadows of Jammu and Kashmir evoked a strong burst of anger among Indians and drew global condemnation in uncertain terms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the very next day at an event in Bihars Madhubani, said India would identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack.

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This statement was significant given PM Modi turned to English during his speech to give a message to the world  We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. Indias spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished.

What India did next

Indias armed forces executed a series of precise, coordinated strikes on nine terrorist strongholds-four deep inside Pakistan, including Bahawalpur and Muridke, and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, such as Muzaffarabad and Kotli. These sites, operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, were responsible for atrocities like Pulwama and Mumbai.

The strikes came under Operation Sindoor, codenamed to honour women who were forced by terrorists to witness the point-blank killings of the men of their respective families. Terrorists, with links to a Pakistan-based outfit, chose their victims on the basis of the religious affiliations of the tourists who were enjoying their holidays in Pahalgams Baisaran Valley.

When Pakistan retaliated with drone and missile attacks on Indian cities and military sites, Indias response was swift and calculated. Kamikaze drones neutralised Pakistani air defences, including those safeguarding Lahore, exposing vulnerabilities in Pakistans much-touted HQ-9 system. Thanks to robust Indian air defences, incoming threats were intercepted, resulting in minimal casualties or losses.

On the night of 9th and 10th May, India made history by disabling more than five air force camps of a nuclear state, targeting key Pakistani Air Force bases at Nur Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Rafiqui, Murid and Sialkot. Along the Line of Control, Indian troops responded to Pakistani shelling in the Poonch-Rajouri sector with measured counterfire, destroying terrorist bunkers and Pakistani army positions used to target civilians.

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India went beyond military moves

Indias strategy extended well beyond the battlefield. The government suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a move with seismic implications for Pakistan, which relies on the Indus system for the vast majority of its water and agriculture. With only 10 per cent live storage in its dams, Pakistan now faces the spectre of crop failure, food shortages, water rationing and industrial blackouts-threatening its already fragile economy.

For India, this suspension unlocks long-awaited opportunities to develop water infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Haryana, transforming a diplomatic constraint into a developmental advantage. The message was unambiguous: water and blood cannot flow together.

Further tightening the screws, India closed the Attari-Wagah border and halted all bilateral trade, cutting off vital imports and exports and deepening Pakistans economic woes. Visas for Pakistani nationals in India were cancelled, with immediate repatriation following the Pahalgam attack. A blanket ban on Pakistani artists and cultural exchanges severed another link, extending even to streaming platforms.

Each measure imposed real costs- economic, diplomatic and psychological-isolating Pakistan and reinforcing Indias zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. Throughout, India maintained strategic restraint and worked tirelessly to keep international opinion onside, ensuring the world understood these were targeted actions against terror, not acts of aggression.

Operation Sindoor is likely to go down in modern Indias history not just as a chapter of military punishment inflicted upon its adversary but as a story of a nations grief transformed into resolve, and of a governments determination to defend its people by every means at its disposal.

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In a single, decisive action, India sought justice for some of the darkest moments in its recent history, honouring victims and exposing the frailty of a terror network long shielded by the Pakistani state read more

Local residents walk through rubble of a building damaged during India's Operation Sindoor in Muridke, a town in Pakistan's Punjab province. AP

Operation Sindoor has come as more than a military manoeuvre. With Pakistan initiating truce talks, it now becomes a heartfelt response to decades of pain and loss suffered by countless Indian families at the hands of terror groups based in Pakistan.

Operation Sindoor achieved something that gives a sense of justice to the people of India, who have long suffered due to terrorism exported by Pakistan. It has ended as far more than a military strike. It is likely to go down in times to come as a resounding response to years of terrorism fuelled from across the border.

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In a single, decisive action, India sought justice for some of the darkest moments in its recent history, honouring victims and exposing the frailty of a terror network long shielded by the Pakistani state.

Pahalgam: A promise kept

After the Pahalgam terror attack, India vowed to identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. Operation Sindoor was Indias way of telling every victims family that their pain is not forgotten, and justice, though delayed, would always find its way.

India agreed to the ceasefire following a series of decisive final strikes on Pakistans airbases. Operation Sindoor brought Pakistan practically to seek truce with India. Its director general of military operations made the call to his Indian counterpart requesting a ceasefire. Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the decision at a press conference on Saturday.

This development came after the Pakistani DGMO explicitly stated it would not carry out any further strikes and formally requested a ceasefire. The truce was announced by US President Donald Trump.

However, Indian officials later said the US had no role thus far except that they had kept both sides engaged. The US, however, played a role in de-escalation by placing direct pressure on Pakistan, linking the provisional release of a $1 billion IMF loan to immediate acceptance of the ceasefire, with the remainder contingent on full compliance.

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Notably, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty remains intact  India will not share any hydrological information with Pakistan and will proceed with water infrastructure projects on the three northern rivers. This is a major diplomatic win for India.

Additionally, the US has formally acknowledged Indias revised war doctrine, under which any future terrorist attack will be treated as an act of war.

A reckoning long overdue

Indian forces neutralised several key Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives, men who had orchestrated attacks that left deep scars in Jammu & Kashmir. Among those targeted were:

Mudassar Khadian Khas (aka Abu Jundal): Lashkar strategist, running operations from Muridke.

Hafiz Muhammed Jameel: Jaish leader, closely related to Masood Azhar, known for radicalising youth and managing terror finances.

Mohammad Yusuf Azhar (Ustad Ji): Masood Azhars brother-in-law, infamous for weapons training and his role in the IC-814 hijacking.

Khalid (Abu Akasha): Lashkar commander, involved in both J&K attacks and Afghan arms trafficking.

Mohammad Hassan Khan: Son of a Jaish commander, instrumental in planning Kashmir attacks.

These men, once protected in Pakistan, had orchestrated violence that left countless Indian families grieving.

Pathankot and Parliament: Settling old scores

Abdul Rauf Asghar, brother of Jaish chief Masood Azhar and mastermind behind both the Pathankot and Parliament attacks, was eliminated-offering closure to families who lost loved ones in these assaults on the nations heart.

26/11 Mumbai attack: No more Kasabs

Operation Sindoor targeted and destroyed camps used to train the likes of Ajmal Kasab and David Headley. The very sites that once bred terror now lie in ruins, ensuring no more Kasabs emerge from Pakistani soil.

IC-814 Hijacking (1999): A balm for national wound

Abdul Rauf Asghar, also the architect of the 1999 Indian Airlines hijacking, was finally brought to justice, bringing relief to a nation that still remembers those harrowing days. He was reportedly killed in the May 7 military strikes by India on one of Pakistans terror hubs.

Murder of Daniel Pearl (2002): Partial closure to a grieving father

The terror networks responsible for the abduction and murder of journalist Daniel Pearl, with links to both Jaish-e-Mohammed and Al-Qaeda, were dismantled in targeted strikes.

As the news spread across seas, Daniel Pearls father Judea Pearl posted a thank you and a clarification on social media. He said, I want to thank all of you who reached out to me today in response to the news that Indias military forces have eliminated Abdul Rauf Azhara man described as responsible for the kidnapping and murder of my son, Daniel.

He said, I want to clarify: Azhar was a Pakistani extremist and leader of the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed. While his group was not directly involved in the plot to abduct Danny, it was indirectly responsible.

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Azhar orchestrated the hijacking that led to the release of Omar Sheikhthe man who lured Danny into captivity. Sheikh was later sentenced to death but ultimately released from prison and kept in a Government Safe House.

A message: A resolve to fight terror

Operation Sindoor has now seemingly ended, restoring a sense of justice, dignity and security for millions. For every family scarred by terror, this was a message that their pain had not been forgotten.

Operation Sindoor came as Indias powerful answer to years of cross-border terrorism, delivering long-awaited justice for victims of some of the nations darkest tragedies. In one bold move, India honoured its lost souls and sent a clear message that those who orchestrate terror will not escape accountability.

India, in words, conveyed to Pakistan that any future act of terror will be considered an Act of War and be responded accordingly. The ceasefire followed this warning.
India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an act of war against India and will be responded to accordingly read more

Top Indian government sources on Saturday warned that any future terror strike on Indian soil will be considered an act of war, as tensions with Pakistan continue to escalate.

It came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level security meeting at his residence in New Delhi with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff, and service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces.

The meeting took place following Indias strikes at four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday in reply to Pakistans attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft.

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Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

Vikram Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as escalatory and provocative in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistans escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan.

While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, Pakistans actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion.

Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistans use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 AM to target Punjabs airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Saturday said it will consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks, as the militaries of the two countries targeted each others installations, further escalating tensions.

Pakistan will consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks. However, if India launches any further strikes, our response will follow, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told Geo News after he spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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Dars statement, echoed by Information Minister Atta Tarar, came as the Indian and Pakistani militaries targeted each others installations using missiles in the last more than 12 hours, further escalating the already tense conflict situation.

With inputs from agencies
Panic has spread in Islamabad after Indias retaliatory strikes on Pakistani air bases. All petrol pumps in the capital have been ordered to shut down for 48 hours amid a fuel shortage. read more

Following Indias retaliatory strikes on multiple air bases in Pakistan, panic has gripped Islamabad, with all petrol pumps in the capital territory ordered to shut down for 48 hours, sources said. The move comes amid an ongoing fuel shortage in Pakistan.

According to ANI, Indian strikes hit at least four airbases in Pakistan early Saturday, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.

Meanwhile, News18 quoted government sources saying that Pakistan launched a Fatah-2 missile towards Delhi, which was intercepted in Sirsa. If confirmed, the failed missile strike could deal a serious blow to Pakistans air power.

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At the same time, multiple Indian drones were reportedly seen flying over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore, and Peshawar.

The current escalation began late Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday, when India launched retaliatory strikes targeting Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, along with three Pakistani Air Force bases, defence sources told News18. Multiple explosions were reported across Pakistani citiestwo in Rawalpindi, and one each in Lahore and Islamabad.

This is a developing story.
Pakistan has said it is open to de-escalation if India halts further retaliatory strikes. The statement came after India targeted multiple air bases across Pakistan in response to failed drone and missile attacks on more than a dozen cities along the border. read more

Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the country would consider de-escalation if India refrains from carrying out further on Pakistan. This statement comes after India conducted strikes on multiple air bases in Pakistan.

At a press briefing on Saturday, the Indian government said it does not seek escalation but will respond to any provocation.

At a joint briefing with the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said India has responded to all Pakistani military actions and that the armed forces are in a high state of operational readiness.

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Pakistan military has been observed to be moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistani military," the military representatives said at the briefing.

Pakistan targeted 26 locations in India with drones and missiles following Indias Operation Sindoor. Sources told News18 that Indian forces intercepted a missile in Haryanas Sirsa and also struck airbases in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, and Shorkot.

India attacks Pak bases

Indias foreign and defence ministries have denied Pakistans claims of destroying Indian air bases and military sites. Earlier on Saturday, India carried out retaliatory strikes on Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and four Pakistani Air Force bases.

Pahalgam terror attack

India has accused Pakistan of being directly linked to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by Pakistan-based militants.

Indias Operation Sindoor

In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Indian Armed Forces conducted precision strikes on nine terror camps, including key locations in Bahawalpur and Muridke, strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The operation used advanced military assets such as Rafale jets, BrahMos missiles, and loitering munitions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a highlevel meeting Saturday evening with top government functionaries, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, following the announcement that India and Pakistan have reached an understanding to stop military actions. read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting on Saturday evening with key government officials following the announcement that India and Pakistan had reached an understanding to cease military operations.

Those present at the meeting included Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The directors general of military operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 pm on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

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The brief announcement by the foreign secretary came shortly after US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.

The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 3.35 pm earlier this afternoon, Misri said.

Indian military said on Saturday that a very misadventure and future escalation by Pakistan will be responded to with strength and decisive action.

The remarks came shortly after the two neighbours reached an understanding to stop military actions.

While we will be adhering to the understanding reached today, we remain fully prepared to defend Indias sovereignty, Commodore Raghu Nair said.

We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation, he said at a media briefing.

Every misadventure by Pakistan will be met with strength and every future escalation will invite a decisive response, he said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said Pakistans claim of destroying Indias S-400 missile base is completely false.

Several attempts were made by Pakistan to spreading mis-information, she added.

Pakistan has suffered heavy losses in both land and air domains, Singh said.

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The military officer also said that Pakistans claim of destroying a BrahMos installation was false.

With inputs from agencies
In yet another escalation after attacking India with drones, fighter planes, and missiles, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting of National Command Authority (NCA), the countrys decision-making authority on nuclear weapons read more

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan Asim Munir, reviews the parade at the passing out ceremony of 151st Long Course at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul, Abbottabad, Pakistan, April 26, 2025. Press Information Department of Pakistan via Reuters

In yet another escalation amid across-the-spectrum attacks on India, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting of National Command Authority (NCA) on Saturday, according to Reuters.

The NCA is Pakistans top decision-making body on the countrys nuclear weapons.

The NCA meeting comes after Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos on Friday night in response to Indias military action against terrorists.

Hours after Reuters reported about the meeting, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that no such meeting was scheduled.

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In an interview with ARY TV, Asif said that no meeting has happened of the National Command Authority nor is any such meeting scheduled.

Asif further said, This thing that you have spoken about (nuclear option) is present, but lets not talk about it - we should treat it as a very distant possibility, we shouldnt even discuss it in the immediate context. Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down.

Pakistan has often threatened India with nuclear weapons and have used its nucelear arsenal as a tool to blackmail the world. In the ongoing conflict as well, Pakistani politicians have invoked nuclear weapons.

Pakistan escalated the ongoing conflict on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday by attacking India with drones, missiles, and fighter planes. Pakistan launched at least one ballistic missile that is understood to have been launched at Delhi. It was intercepted over Sirsa in Haryana.

India responded to Pakistans aggression and struck at least three airbases . India struck the Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindis Chaklala, Murid airbase in Chakwal district of Punjab, and Shorkot airbase in Punjabs Jhang. The Indian action targeted fighter planes, transporters, and drone launchpads at these bases.

The latest attack came after Pakistan launched 300-400 drones at targets across northern and Western India  all the way from Ladakh to Gujarat. Most of these drones have been intercepted, but artillery shelling and drones have caused damage at various places, such as in Jammu region.

(The story has been updated with Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asifs remarks about the meeting.)

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Under Operation Sindoor in response to Pakistans attacks on India, including on Delhi via a ballistic missile, India struck Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindis Chaklala and Murid in Chakwal district and Shorkot in Jhang district read more

The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. (Photo: BEL)

Under Operation Sindoor in response to Pakistans attacks, India on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday struck three airbases in Pakistans Punjab province.

India struck the Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindis Chaklala and Murid in Chakwal district and Shorkot in Jhang district.

The Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi is located next door to the Pakistan Army headquarters and carries great symbolic values. Visuals shared by Pakistani witnesses on X show the airbase engulfed in a ball of a fire.

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     !! pic.twitter.com/c0OPytLyDg  Khurram Iqbal (@khurram143) May 9, 2025

At the time of writing of the story, Indian and Pakistani operations were ongoing. Pakistan is attacking the entire northern and western India and India is responding forcefully. Even as Pakistan is targeting civilian areas and religious sites, India is limiting strikes on military and terrorist facilities.

With strikes on the Nur Khan base, India has signalled to Pakistan that nothing is off the table  not even the creme de la creme facility next door to the Army headquarters, which is the real seat of power. For context, the US equivalent of it would be a strike on a facility next door to White House.

1. Nur Khan airbase, Rawalpindi

The Nur Khan airbase is located at Rawalpindis Chaklala area.

Five to six squadrons of the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) are stationed at the airport and they include some of the premier transporters of the air force. The base also houses VIP transport planes used by the political and military leaders of the country.

A top source in the Indian government have said that Pakistan should understand that we are committed for proportionate response they should stop now otherwise next time it will be more serious and severe.

This is in line with with our reporting yesterday that the ball of de-escalation lies in Pakistans court and India has decided to maintain escalation dominance and keep the heat on.

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2. Murid, Chakwal

The Pakistani Murid airbase is located in Chakwal district of Punjab province.

The Murid airbase is a hub of drone operations that have hit India for at least past two days.

The Murid airbase houses multiple Pakistani Air Force squadrons specialising in drones. It is understood that these squadrons were engaged in carrying out and facilitating drone attacks on India. These attacks are ongoing.

As the Murid airbase has been at the core of attacks on India with several hundreds of drones, the Indian strike at the base is a direct response to Pakistans aggression.

ALSO READ: Operation Sindoor: India to maintain escalation dominance, de-escalation rests on Pakistan

At a press briefing on Friday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that Pakistan attacked India on Thursday night with 300-400 drones that targeted the entire northern and western India from Leh to Gujarat. The attack that began on Friday night, and is still ongoing at the time of writing of the story, is understood to have involved an equal if not more number of drones. However, most of the drones in the current barrage are understood to be armed.

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3. Rafiqui airbase at Shorkot

The third Indian base to be struck was the Rafiqui airbase at Shorkot in Jhang district of Punjab.

The airbase houses multiple squadrons of China-made JF-17 and Mirage fighter planes and some utility helicopters.

In attacks on India this week, Pakistan is understood to have used JF-17 warplanes and other China-made weapons as its mainstay assets.
US, China and Saudi Arabia call for de-escalation as hostilities between India and Pakistan intensify read more

In a bid to maintain balance, the US, China, and Saudi Arabia are calling for de-escalation in the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. Tensions between the two nuclear-powered nations witnessed an upward swing after the Pahalgam terror attack, in which Pakistani terror groups had their hands.

In light of this, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dialled External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, calling for de-escalation of the ongoing conflict. Both sides need to speak to each other and find ways to de-escalate to avoid miscommunication, Rubio reportedly told Jaishankar. The US is ready to help it make happen, Rubio reportedly said.

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Earlier today, the American diplomat held a phone call with Pakistan army chief Asif Munir. The call came after another fiery night, with missiles and drones being fired from both sides, targeting air bases. In his post on X, the EAM said that he told his American counterpart that Indias approach has always been measured and responsible, assuring that it will continue to remain the same.

Had a conversation with US @SecRubio this morning.



Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so.



   Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

China, Saudi call for de-escalation

As the tensions escalate, China also issued a statement in which it urged both India and Pakistan to avoid the escalation of the conflict. We strongly call on both India and Pakistan to give priority to peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means and avoid taking actions that further escalate tensions, a statement by a foreign ministry spokesperson said.

A day after Saudi Arabias deputy foreign minister visited Pakistan following an unannounced visit to India, Saudi foreign minister Faisal Bin Farhan spoke on the telephone to Dar to discuss ways to reduce tensions. During his call, the Saudi foreign minister expressed condolences over the loss of lives and appreciated Pakistans measured and restrained response, stated a readout from Pakistans foreign ministry. Meanwhile, Dar apprised Faisal bin Farhan of the situation in the region.

Saudi deputy foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir made unscheduled visits to India and Pakistan during May 8-9 as part of the kingdoms efforts towards de-escalation, ending ongoing military confrontations, and resolving all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels.

There were calls for de-escalation from G7 nations as well. As the world looks closely, the developments in the Indian subcontinent, it will be interesting to see which way the conflict will be heading.

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In Operation Sindoor, Indian forces targeted 9 terrorist camps in Pakistan. This was in response to the devastating Pahalgam terror attack that led to the death of 26 tourists on April 22, sending shockwaves across India.

The 9 terror camps were run by Pakistans three prime terror groups: Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. All of these groups have often been responsible for causing turbulence in the Indian territories.

Soon after the precision strikes, Pakistan started to spread false propaganda about the attack, claiming that civilians were killed in the incident. While India has rejected the claims, it also called out how some of the terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor were given a state funeral, with the army personnel paying respect to the notorious terrorists.

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Heres a look at some of the prime terrorists who were killed in Operation Sindoor, defence sources told Firstpost.

Terrorists confirmed dead in Operation Sindoor: Source

Mudassar Khadian Khas

Also known by the alias Mudassar and Abu Jundal, Khas is affiliated with the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. He was in charge of Markaz Taiba, Muridke and was given a guard of honour at his funeral by the Pakistani army, defence sources told Firstpost.

Not only this, wreaths on his body were laid on behalf of the Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir and the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. His funeral was held in a government school and was led by Hafiz Abdul Rauf of JuD. Rauf has also been designated as a global terrorist. Additionally, a serving Lt. General of the Pakistan Army and the IG of Punjab Police attended the prayer ceremony of the terrorist.

Hafiz Muhammed Jameel

Jameel is affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed. Defence sources told Firstpost that Jameel was the eldest brother-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar. He was in charge of Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur and was actively involved in the radical indoctrination of youth and fundraising for JeM.

Mohammad Yusuf Azhar

The defence source told Firstpost that Azhar went by the name Ustad Ji, Mohd. Salim and Ghosi Sahab. He was affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and was the brother-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar. He handled weapons training for JeM and was involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir. Azhar was wanted in the IC-814 hijacking case.

Khalid

He went by the name Abu Akasha and was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. Khalid was involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir. He was engaged in weapons smuggling from Afghanistan. According to the defence sources, his funeral was held in Faisalabad and was attended by senior Pakistani Army officials and the Deputy Commissioner of Faisalabad.

Mohammad Hassan Khan

He was affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed. He was the son of Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri, operational commander of JeM in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Khan played a key role in coordinating terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been mounting after Operation Sindoor. For the past two days, the Pakistani army has been targeting civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Indian Army has been conducting retaliatory strikes on Pakistani airbases.
US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. read more

US President Donald Trump announced that have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Trump announced the news in a post on TruthSocial. Interestingly, the post came shortly after India gave an ultimatum that any future terror attack on Indian soil would be considered as an act of war.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, the American President wrote on TruthSocial. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter! he furthered.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio re-shared the post on his X profile. Earlier today, the American diplomat dialled Indias External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Pakistans Army Chief Ishaq Dar. During both calls, Rubio urged for de-escalation. The news was confirmed by both India and Pakistan.

During the evening press briefing, Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the agreed ceasefire will come into effect today at 5 PM.

Rubio lauds PM Modi and Pak PM Sharif

In a separate post, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave insight into how the US was involved in the negotiations. Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik, Rubio wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the key players in the negotiations.

Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit  Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 10, 2025

I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace, he added.

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Rubio has been in constant touch with both the Indian government and the Pakistani establishment. He was one of the first world leaders to call both sides when Pakistan launched a coordinated attack, which was successfully intercepted by India.

India gave insights into what happened

During a brief evening press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistans Director General of Military Operations ( DGMO ) called the Indian DGMO at 3:35 PM.

Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time, Mistri said in the briefing.

Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours, he added.

The USs involvement in the mission was not mentioned during the presser. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar also mentioned that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire. India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action, EAM wrote on X.

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India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.



India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so, he added. Jaishankar also did not mention the US anywhere in his post.

Pakistan confirms the news

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also took to X, formerly known as Twitter to gave a formal announcement on the matter.

Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity! Dar wrote on X.

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Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!  Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) May 10, 2025

Just like India, Pakistans announcement did not mention the role the US played in the negotiations.
In a telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Y, NSA Ajit Doval conveyed Saturday that India needed to take counter-terrorism actions but added that war was not Indias choice. read more

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He also spoke to Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar amid tensions between India and Pakistan.

He made the right pitches in both the conversations  telling Doval that China condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack and was opposed to all forms of terrorism and at the same time telling Pakistan that China will continue to stand by Islamabad in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence". What stood out was what Doval told Wang Yi. Here are the official statements of the two conversations:

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Chinas statement about Doval-Wang Yi talks :

On May 10, 2025, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, held a phone conversation with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Doval stated that the Pahalgam terrorist attack had caused significant casualties among Indian personnel and that India needed to take counter-terrorism actions. He emphasized that war is not Indias choice and does not serve the interests of any party. Both India and Pakistan are committed to maintaining the ceasefire and hope for the early restoration of regional peace and stability.

Wang Yi expressed Chinas condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and its opposition to all forms of terrorism. He noted that, given the current complex and volatile international situation, peace and stability in Asia are hard-won and should be cherished. India and Pakistan are neighboring countries that cannot be relocated, and both are also neighbors of China.

China appreciates Dovals statement that war is not Indias choice and sincerely hopes that both sides will remain calm and exercise restraint, resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, and avoid further escalation. China supports and looks forward to India and Pakistan achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire through negotiations, which is in the fundamental interests of both countries and the shared aspirations of the international community.

Pakistans statement about Wang Yi-Ishaq Dar talks

Foreign Minister Wang Yi  reaffirmed that China, as Pakistans All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partner and ironclad friend, will continue to stand firmly by Pakistan in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence. Both leaders emphasized the importance of close communication and agreed to maintain ongoing coordination in the days ahead.
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INTERVIEW/Measures being prepared to counter Chinese espionage: Cho

ROC Central News Agency

05/09/2025 10:07 PM

Taipei, May 9 (CNA) Preparations for measures to tackle espionage, infiltration, propaganda and other national security threats from China are under way, Premier Cho Jung-tai () said Friday.

In an interview with CNA, Cho said the Cabinet has identified more than 100 measures and law revisions to better address Chinese threats after President Lai Ching-te () convened a national security meeting in mid-March.

Following that meeting, Lai pledged to reinstate military courts, restrict private-sector exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, expand the screening of cross-strait flows of talent, goods, and capital, as well as work with partner countries to reject Beijing's claims over Taiwan.

The president specifically raised the alarm over the growing number of former and active-duty military personnel in Taiwan who have been accused or indicted for spying for China in recent years.

Since then, however, a series of espionage investigations into aides employed by senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government officials have also sparked concerns in Taiwanese society.

One of them was Ho Jen-chieh (), who worked for Joseph Wu () when the latter was National Security Council secretary-general from May 2016 to May 2017, Presidential Office secretary-general from May 2017 to February 2018, and foreign minister from 2018 to 2024.

Other suspects in the case include Wu Shang-yu (), who worked as an adviser in Lai's office; Chiu Shih-yuan (), former deputy head of the DPP's Taiwan Institute of Democracy, and Huang Chu-jung (), an aide to DPP New Taipei Councilor Lee Yu-tien ().

Calling Chinese espionage within the DPP government unacceptable, Cho said among the measures identified by the Cabinet, priority will be given to reforming rules for special background checks on individuals who may have access to classified government information.

However, he did not provide details on what those reforms could involve.

The premier said such reforms will first be implemented in the Executive Yuan, adding that he hoped the Legislature would later follow suit.

It is common for legislators to ask for sensitive information from the executive body and oftentimes their assistants have access to it, too, he argued.

Cho stressed the government has always welcomed healthy and sustainable cross-strait exchanges but actions are needed to combat Chinese united-front work and infiltration, as well as other threats.

During the interview, Cho also criticized Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu () for comparing Lai to Adolf Hitler, noting that such remarks undermine Taiwan's image in the international community.

It is deeply inappropriate of Taiwan's main opposition party to make such comments and even push back on criticism made by foreign representative offices, he added, referring to protests lodged by German and Israeli offices against Chu.

Meanwhile, regarding the ongoing negotiations between Taiwan and the United States in response to the Trump administration's "reciprocal tariffs" policy, Cho said that labeling regulations for "Made in Taiwan" (MIT) products are a major topic of discussion.

Given the close economic exchanges between Taiwan and China, one of the key issues in the negotiations is how to prevent Chinese exports from evading U.S. tariffs by being rerouted through Taiwan and falsely labeled as MIT products, which could harm Taiwan's industrial interests, Cho said.

(By Lai Yu-chen, Kao Hua-chien and Teng Pei-ju)

Enditem/AW

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Cooperation in Balticconnector case to continue

Police of Finland

Publication date 9.5.2025 15.49

The National Bureau of Investigation continues cooperation with Chinese authorities in the investigation into the damaged Balticconnector gas pipeline. Information about any investigative measures taken by the authorities of China and Hong Kong is, however, provided by the competent authorities themselves.

The criminal investigation into the damaged Balticconnector gas pipeline is ongoing at the National Bureau of Investigation. The Finnish and Estonian authorities established a joint investigation team to investigate the case. The investigation has been carried out since the beginning within the joint investigation team together with Estonian law enforcement authorities. As the flag State of the ship concerned is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, cooperation has also been carried out with the authorities of China.

- Our cooperation based on mutual legal assistance has included several meetings and exchange of information between the parties involved. However, information on any investigative measures taken by the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities is provided by the competent authorities themselves, says Detective Superintendent Risto Lohi of the National Bureau of Investigation.

The Balticconnector gas pipeline was damaged in the Gulf of Finland on 8 October 2023. On the basis of the criminal investigation, the damage was caused by the anchor of the vessel Newnew Polar Bear flying the flag of Hong Kong.

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Budapest, Kyiv Expel Diplomats After Ukraine Says It Uncovered Hungarian Spy Network

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, RFE/RL's Hungarian Service and Iryna Breza May 09, 2025

KYIV -- Ukraine's main security agency said it uncovered a Hungarian-run spy network that was seeking sensitive information about military defenses and public opinion in the western Zakarpattya region, which borders Hungary and has a substantial ethnic-Hungarian population.

Hungary responded by expelling two Ukrainian diplomats it said were considered spies, prompting Ukraine to expel two Hungarian diplomats in return and increasing tensions between the neighboring countries whose governments are at odds over Russia's war against Ukraine.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on May 9 that it had arrested two suspected agents in Zakarpattya -- often known in English as Transcarpathia -- and claimed it had identified their handler as an employee of Hungarian military intelligence. This is the first time Ukraine has found a Hungarian spy network working to undermine the country's security, the SBU said.

The SBU posted video footage showing camouflage-clad officers muscling a man out of a building and into a vehicle, his hands cuffed behind his back.

The announcement comes amid tension between Ukraine and Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban has maintained warm relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and opposed sanctions against the Kremlin imposed by the European Union in response to Moscow's war on Ukraine. Hungary has been far less supportive of Kyiv's defensive efforts than most other European Union and NATO nations, and Orban opposes EU membership for Ukraine.

The development also plays into a complex situation in Zakarpattya, where Kremlin critics say Russia has sought to spark tension between ethnic Hungarians and the Ukrainian authorities.

Hours after the SBU announcement, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Hungary expelled two diplomats from the Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest who were considered to be undercover spies. In a video posted on Facebook, he said a notification about the expulsions was handed to the Ukrainian ambassador at the Foreign Ministry.

Asked earlier in the day about the Ukrainian statement, Szijjarto told ATV television that Hungary had received no official notice about the case from Ukraine and that for now, "this should be classified as propaganda that should be treated with caution."

"[In] addition to the physical war [in Ukraine], there is also a propaganda war taking place," Szijjarto said. "It is clear that anti-Hungarian propaganda is often used in Ukraine, anti-Hungarian propaganda that in many cases has turned out to have no basis whatsoever."

The Hungarian prime minister's office and Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to RFE/RL's requests for comment.

Later in the day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Ukraine is also expelling two Hungarian diplomats, who now have 48 hours to leave the country.

"We are acting in response to Hungary's actions, based on the principle of reciprocity and our national interests," Sybiha added on his X.

The alleged network's goals were "the collection of information about the military defenses of the Zakarpattya Oblast, a search for vulnerable spots in the ground and air defenses of the region, and also the study of the sociopolitical views of local residents," including how they might react "if Hungarian forces enter the region," the SBU said in a statement.

The SBU said one of the suspects was a 40-year-old former soldier from Zakarpattya's Berehove district -- the population hub for Ukraine's ethnic Hungarian minority of roughly 100,000 people -- whom it said was recruited and placed in a "sleeper" mode in 2021, then "activated" by the alleged handler in September 2024.

The SBU claimed it has documentary evidence that the suspect was gathering information about the location of Ukrainian air-defense systems and other military capabilities.

The other detained suspect, a woman, is a former member of Ukraine's Security and Defense Forces who resigned from her unit earlier this year, it said.

The suspects have not been named.

Viktor Yahun, a former SBU deputy head who left the agency in 2015, said the accusations were a grave matter in wartime.

"The presence of agents had been recorded before, they were simply left alone because there was no directive to expose them," Yahun told RFE/RL. "But now the situation has critically changed. We're dealing with military intelligence. This is a serious matter, and the information this structure gathers can be of strategic importance to us. It can be used to make certain strategic decisions."

Vitaliy Dyachuk, an analyst at the Institute for Central European Strategy in Uzhhorod, Zakarpattya's capital, suggested the situation should be handled with care and that heightened tension could play into Russia's hands.

"The tense relationship between Ukraine and Hungary is an ideal [touchstone]for the activation of forces seeking to further destabilize the situation. This is especially true when it comes to sensitive topics like alleged preconditions for another military incursion, the presence of armed forces, and ethnic communities in a region like Zakarpattya," Dyachuk told RFE/RL.

"Before taking any concrete steps, I believe it is worth waiting for a full analysis of the situation. There have already been incidents in Zakarpattya involving arson attacks on Hungarian institutions and other provocations. However, in the end, the trail led to the aggressor state -- Russia. Russia is, in fact, the only major beneficiary of instability in Europe."

After centuries under the control of Hungary and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Zakarpattya became part of Czechoslovakia after World War I before Hungary, allied with Nazi Germany, attempted to reclaim it in 1939. Following Germany's defeat in World War II, Czechoslovakia ceded the territory to the Soviet Union, which made it part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

Between 2011 and 2020, the Hungarian government provided at least 115 million euros to Zakarpattya, a 2021 investigationby RFE/RL's Ukrainian investigative unit, Schemes, and a group of Central European journalists established. That amount was roughly 1 1/2 times the size of Zakarpattya's annual budget.

(RFE/RL Ukrainian Service correspondent Iryna Breza reported from Uzhhorod, Ukraine)

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zakarpattya- transcarpathia-hungary-spy-network/33409201.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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The 1st Infantry Brigade of the Estonian Defence Forces achieved combat readiness at the Hedgehog 2025 Exercise

Republic of Estonia - Defence Forces

9. May 2025, 14:08

The 1st Infantry Brigade of the Estonian Defence Forces, participating in the Hedgehog 2025 exercise, today confirmed achieving combat readiness in the exercise framework, having formed its reservists and provided military skills refreshment training to its sub-units in the previous days, and is now ready to carry out combat tasks.

"In parallel with the training of the reservists, the commanders of the command posts have been able to practice all the battle plans and now it is the right time to put these two things together and start executing the combat missions," said Lieutenant Colonel Eero Aija, Deputy Commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade, describing the course of the exercise. He added that now the plans drawn up earlier will be put to the test in realistic conditions and the units will begin to carry out their tasks in the field.

Lieutenant Colonel Aija has two main expectations for the Hedgehog 2025 exercise. "We are looking forward to a difficult exercise so that we can put the plans we have made under pressure. Naturally, I expect the same commitment from the reservists as they have shown so far," said Aija.

The Deputy Brigade Commander also emphasized the important role of the allies and the high level of interoperability of all units in the Exercise Hedgehog 2025. "Our allies are extremely important. Our allies are part of the 1st Infantry Brigade as part of the NATO Battlegroup in Estonia, which includes soldiers from the United Kingdom and France - they are involved in our battle plans, and in the same way, they are executing those plans here during the exercises," Lieutenant Colonel Aija said, adding that there was also very close coordination between the brigade headquarters, the allies battlegroup and the battalions during the preparatory phase of the exercise.

The achievement of combat readiness was also confirmed by Lieutenant Colonel Priit Heinloo, commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade Engineer Battalion. "We've conducted first controlled detonations to recall the basic engineer skills for reservists. We've also practiced interdiction and reminded them infantry skills," Heinloo said. The commander of the Engineer Battalion is very pleased with the contribution of the reservists. As well as being reminded of forgotten skills, they have also been taught new ones.

"For example, we've got a new mine drill that allows us to quickly drill holes in solid surface. We have reorganised our command posts to make them even harder to hit. We have also covered the principles of drone warfare," said the commander of the Engineer Battalion, describing the innovations in his units.

The commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade's air defence battalion, reservist Johannes Noges, who arrived at Hedgehog 25, also confirmed that his unit has reached combat readiness by today. "There have been quite a few reminders, I myself served in 2014-2015 as a conscript. There is a lot of joy in rediscovering, the mood is good, the weather is normal and we can manage," said Ensign Noges.

"Our 'Sergeis' - the ZU-23 anti-aircraft weapon - have a new sight and a so-called joystick on top, whereas before it was all done manually. In addition, we now have a thermal camera, we can see the movement of a warm body from a distance. It's completely new to me, during my conscript training it was purely on iron sights. It's good to see that things are improving," said reservist Noges.

During wartime, the role of an air defence battalion is to repel and destroy the enemy's air attack vehicles - aircrafts, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles. This task is carried out with the help of ground weapon systems: missiles and cannons. In addition to the ZU-23 anti-aircraft cannon, the main armament includes the Mistral missile system, which is capable of shooting down air vehicles if necessary.

Exercise Hedgehog 2025 is the largest exercise of the Estonian Defence Forces this year, during which the planning and execution of military operations is practiced as well as cooperation between Estonian and allied units is enhanced. Participants in the exercise will include active duty, conscripts, reservists, members of the Defence League and soldiers from allied countries.

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Statement by President von der Leyen with Friedrich Merz, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

European Commission

Statement

May 9, 2025

Brussels

A warm welcome, Federal Chancellor, dear Friedrich.

I am delighted that you have wasted no time and travelled straight to the institutions in Brussels, and on Europe Day. That speaks for itself.

We had an excellent exchange. We both agreed that whatever we are addressing right now needs to have an urgency mindset. Topics that we raised were, for example, competitiveness, a key priority of this Commission. To increase and improve the competitiveness of the European Union, we discussed four different points.

The first is that it is crucial to close the innovation gap. This requires adequate funding, but it also requires a conducive environment with a guarantee of freedom of research and freedom of science, which we are able to deliver.

Second topic: We looked at the difficult topic of energy prices. We have structurally too high energy prices. We need to lower them. And for that, we need to invest massively in interconnectors, in grids and in storage. We do not lack energy. We have a lot of energy production, specifically low-carbon energy. But we lack the capacity to store it and the grid.

We also looked at our capital market. We need a deep and liquid functioning capital market for the whole European Union. In other words, our companies, wherever they enter the Single Market and the single capital market, they need to have the same entry point conditions. And we agree that this is now the time to really push this topic forward and to make progress. So, before the summer, we are expecting a big push forward on that topic.

And finally, a topic that we also agree on: We must simplify and speed up both at European and at national level, because simplification is key for our competitiveness. This is the aim of the now well-known Omnibus initiatives that we are launching. We need to make sure that we can move forward swiftly now with the Omnibuses in the Council, and in parallel that gold-plating at national level also disappears.

So, this was looking at the internal market, but of course the external conditions are also crucial. Germany proves the point, a global powerhouse with close ties to European and especially foreign markets. Europe today is more attractive than ever. Currently, from all over the world, countries are eager to work, trade, and partner with us. You know the topics - from Mexico to Mercosur, from Switzerland to South Africa, from India to Indonesia, just to name a few. We have 76 trade agreements today, and the number is growing.

We would welcome to count the US among them, and that is why we have put forward a zero-for-zero offer, zero tariffs on both sides of the Atlantic. We are ready to eliminate tariffs on industrial goods. And as you know, we are working intensively on a negotiated solution in the tariff question, a solution that is balanced, that is fair, that is mutually beneficial and that strengthens both sides of the Atlantic. But if and where negotiations fail, we also will act, and that is the reason why we are currently consulting a possible rebalancing list. In other words, all instruments, all options stay on the table.

We discussed Ukraine. First and foremost, I think it is important that the 30-day ceasefire that has been proposed now by President Trump and President Zelenskyy is accepted and subsequently implemented. At the same time, we also agree that we have to bring Ukraine into a position of strength. This includes further support economically, militarily and politically, and we underline both that we want to reach a just and lasting peace. This also turns the look towards the topic of additional defence spending in the European Union, and I welcome the Chancellor's initiative to substantially increase German defence spending. As part of our Readiness 2030, we agreed on the need to conclude the instruments SAFE and the National Escape Clause. With SAFE, we will ensure EUR 150 billion in EU-backed loans. This is very important because it enables for us joint procurement. That is a program for joint procurement, but also for investment in the Ukrainian defence industry.

Finally, we also discussed migration. I cannot say it often enough: Migration is a common European challenge, and it needs a common European solution. It is with that spirit that we agreed the Pact on Migration and Asylum. Now it is important to implement it, to make it a reality. And this comes along with investment and a lot of hard work. I am pleased to announce today that we will provide an additional EUR 3 billion for that topic. It is the result of the midterm review. And with the Pact, we will have stronger external borders, better ways to prevent secondary movement, very important here too, and faster asylum procedures. That is the internal work we are doing.

On the external dimension, the second pillar is partnership with our neighbouring countries, neighbouring to the European Union, and these partnerships deliver. This year, the illegal arrivals are down by 30% already. That is good. And finally, there is a point where Member States need to increase the returns. We know the fact that only 20% of those migrants that have a negative asylum decision are being returned to their home countries. Therefore, the Commission presented a proposal on return in March. For us, it is very important that now the Member States and the European Parliament play their role.

All in all, we have proven that together we can overcome the challenge of irregular migration, and I believe that we can continue to do so if we work hand in hand with full respect of our commonly agreed legislation.

To conclude, Robert Schuman would have been happy if he would have seen the Eurobarometer that shows today that support for the European Union among citizens is at the highest level ever. And I think this question is being asked for more than 40 years. This is a privilege, but it is also a big responsibility. People place their trust in us when we tackle and solve the big problems. They do not care which level is responsible, whether it is the regional, the national, or the European level. They want us to deliver, and to deliver on the big challenges.

Dear Friedrich,

The fact that you have chosen Europe Day speaks volumes. That is a hugely important signal because, by doing so, you make it very clear that for you European policy is a top priority. With all my heart, I wish you a good start and look forward to our excellent cooperation.

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Minister of Defence Antti Hakkanen: The revised NORDEFCO Memorandum of Understanding will strengthen Nordic defence

Finnish Ministry of Defence

09.05.2025 08:52

Nordic defence ministers signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDECO) on 6 May 2025.

This is the first revision of the NORDEFCO MoU since Finland and Sweden joined NATO. The revised MoU was signed in connection with a meeting of Nordic defence ministers hosted by Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Hakkanen in Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland.

"We are strengthening Nordic defence with a renewed NORDEFCO founding document. The agreement lays the foundation for a rapid strengthening of common defence and military security of supply. Nordic defence cooperation is entering a new era, where we respond to the changed security situation as part of NATO's deterrence and defence. We will also deepen our cooperation to strengthen the EU and continue our unwavering support for Ukraine", Minister Hakkanen said.

The revised Memorandum of Understanding specifies the purpose, objectives, structures and main principles of the cooperation. The NATO membership of Finland and Sweden, in particular, have changed the nature of Nordic defence cooperation and its political premises.

The revised Memorandum of Understanding

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200 sirens sound in Israel following Yemen missile attack

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 9, 2025

Israeli media outlets reported that intense blasts were heard deep in the occupied territories of Palestine, prompting the activation of sirens and air defense systems in Tel Aviv and other areas following Yemen's missile attack.

Israeli sources confirmed that the regime's military is investigating the source and extent of this incident. Following this missile strike, millions of Israeli settlers sought refuge in shelters.

Sirens also sounded at Ben Gurion International Airport and in surrounding areas, leading to the suspension of all flights to and from the airport.

Yemeni sources said that these explosions resulted from a long-range missile fired from Yemen targeting the Palestinian occupied territories.

On Tuesday, Oman declared that Yemen and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire. However, Yemeni officials said that this agreement pertains only to the American naval fleet and does not apply to the Israeli regime's occupied lands or its vessels in the Red Sea.

On Friday, hundreds of thousands of Yemenis gathered in Al-Sabeen Square in Sana'a, declaring the ceasefire a clear defeat for Washington and issuing a warning to Tel Aviv about its future failures.

Protesters said that the U.S. halted its airstrikes against Yemen without achieving any of its objectives, and failed to support Israeli vessels.

They also emphasized the need for ongoing support for Gaza and the Palestinian resistance, threatening Israel with an all-out confrontation.

4208**2050

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Gaza: UN anti-racism committee decries halt to food aid, urges immediate humanitarian access

Press releases

Treaty bodies

09 May 2025

GENEVA -- With food aid supplies now completely exhausted in Gaza and border crossings still sealed, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) today issued an urgent call for immediate humanitarian access and a lasting ceasefire, warning of catastrophic consequences for the civilian population.

The Committee, currently convening in Geneva for its latest session, which ends today, issued its statement hours after the World Central Kitchen announced it was forced to shut down its remaining soup kitchens across Gaza due to a lack of food.

The World Food Programme previously raised the alarm of the total collapse of food aid operations in the besieged enclave. In late April, the UN food agency announced that all of its food reserves in Gaza had been depleted, and ongoing restrictions at key border crossings had halted the entry of additional supplies.

The food exhaustion in Gaza, combined with the widespread destruction or serious damage to water and electricity infrastructure, are "placing the civilian populationespecially vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilitiesat imminent risk of famine, disease, and death," the Committee said.

The Committee also raised grave alarm at the intensification of Israeli military operations across the Gaza Strip since early March, citing indiscriminate bombardments and expanded ground incursions, "which have dramatically worsened the humanitarian crisis and severely endangered the civilian population."

Invoking its early warning and urgent action procedures, the Committee recalled its 2024 decision, which raised serious concerns regarding Israel's obligations under international law to prevent war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

It also drew attention to the broader deterioration of conditions across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and the West Bank, where patterns of mass displacement and settler violence are increasingly mirroring those in Gaza.

The Committee urged the State of Israel to "lift all barriers to humanitarian access, allow the immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, and cease all actions obstructing the provision of essential services to the civilian population in Gaza."

Furthermore, it called on all States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to fulfil their international obligations by taking immediate and appropriate measures to prevent further escalation of hostility and to ensure the protection of civilians.

All States have to "cooperate to bring an end to the violations that are taking place and to prevent war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, including by ceasing any military assistance," the Committee further urged.

The full statement is available online.

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Indian PM reviews preparedness concerning national security

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 11:06, May 09, 2025

NEW DELHI, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in New Delhi, according to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office.

Modi described the ongoing situation as a "sensitive period" and called for continued alertness, institutional synergy and clear communication.

Modi also reviewed planning and preparations by ministries to deal with the current situation.

"A range of issues were discussed during the meeting, which included strengthening of civil defense mechanisms, efforts to counter misinformation and fake news, and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure," the statement said.

On Wednesday, India launched airstrikes on Pakistani targets to avenge last month's killing of 26 people by gunmen in Pahalgam town, about 89 km east of Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The situation along the Line of Control, dividing Kashmir, has been tense as troops of India and Pakistan deployed on both sides of the ceasefire line were engaged in an exchange of fire and artillery.

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AFP chief says 'Balikatan' 2025 exemplary

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

May 9, 2025, 3:26 pm

MANILA -- This year's "Balikatan" drills showcased "exemplary demonstrations" of joint capabilities between participating Filipino and American military forces, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Friday.

"Over the recent weeks, we have witnessed exemplary demonstrations of joint capabilities ranging from live-fire operations and cyber defense to maritime security activities and humanitarian assistance efforts," he said during his speech at the "Balikatan" closing rites held at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

About 14,000 Filipino, American, and other allied troops took part in the three-week exercises that began on April 21.

While noting the sterling performances of the participants, Brawner said the most valuable outcome of the exercise has "been the enhanced mutual trust, deeper understanding, and renewed commitment to shared security goals" between the participating nations.

"As we conclude the 40th iteration of Exercise 'Balikatan,' I extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved. Your professionalism, discipline, and esprit de corps, from the planners to the front-line personnel, have been instrumental in ensuring the success and significance of this exercise," Brawner said.

He added that "Balikatan" is not merely a series of military exercises but also a demonstration of enduring partnerships and collaborative resolve.

"It embodies our collective readiness to act in unison, underscoring that our greatest strength lies in unity," he said.

"Moreover, this exercise reaffirms our dedication to peace, stability, and resilience across the Indo-Pacific Region."

Aside from boosting the capabilities of the participating nations, "Balikatan" has provided positive effects for humanitarian initiatives, supporting education, delivering medical care, and fostering local development, Brawner said.

"Although these contributions may not make headlines, they are indeed vital to building a stable and inclusive community," he said.

Brawner noted that allies, observers, and partners in this year's "Balikatan" have deepened their collective commitment to regional peace and security.

"Today, we are forging not only stronger armed forces, but a more secure world. As we look ahead, may the success of 'Balikatan' 40-2025 serve as a foundation for enhanced collaboration, sustained engagement, and greater inclusivity in future exercises, promoting peace, prosperity, and stability in our region and beyond," he added. (PNA)

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DND chief sees more aggression from Chinese naval forces in WPS

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

May 9, 2025, 1:21 pm Updated on May 9, 2025, 1:47 pm

MANILA -- Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he expects an increased aggression from Chinese maritime forces toward Filipino naval vessels patrolling Scarborough Shoal (also known as Bajo de Masinloc) and other parts of the West Philippine Sea.

"We have to expect more of the same," he said in an ambush interview shortly after the closing ceremonies of this year's "Balikatan" drills held at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Friday.

The DND chief's remarks came following the May 5 incident where Chinese frigates and coast guard vessels conducted "aggressive and unsafe" actions against the offshore patrol vessel BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35), which was then conducting a routine maritime patrol some 11.8 nautical miles southeast of Bajo de Masinloc.

Teodoro, however, said Manila remains undeterred by these acts of Beijing, stressing that Filipino naval forces will continue patrolling the area as it is part of the country's jurisdiction.

"We have to expect those things to happen. Sinasabi ko kanina, there is a price to pay for freedom. Ngayon, ano ang price? Kung magdesisyon tayo na madali, appease, capitulate. Ngayon, kung tinatawag natin ang sarili natin na republika at makasarinlan , stand up, nasa stand up tayo, ang cost nun mangyayari to (Like what I said earlier, there is a price to pay (for) freedom. Now, what is the price, if we decide to do the easy part, we can appease and capitulate. Now, if we call ourselves a Republic and a sovereign one, we stand up, we are standing up right now)," the DND chief said.

"Sila (China) ba (ang) nagdidikta ng batas ng mundo? (Are they the ones dictating the laws for the whole world?)," he quipped.

Teodoro, however, refused to comment on whether the Philippine military will make adjustment amid China's actions, saying it is an operational matter.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Ano earlier said "security challenges" in the South China Sea are unlikely to be reduced anytime soon.

Ano attributed the tensions to China's baseless, excessive, and expansive territorial claims, militarization, and confrontations with its neighbors, which he said cannot be disregarded. (PNA)

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Pakistan warns of 'major conflict' as India accuses Islamabad of 'massive drone attack'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 6:56 PM

Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan on Friday as the nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged gunfire along the border and traded accusations, raising concerns of a broader military confrontation.

Deadly tensions between the two countries increased further on Friday as New Delhi said it had overnight repelled fresh drone and artillery attacks from Islamabad.

Pakistan denied it had launched the attacks but said it would not "de-escalate" and blamed India for moving the two countries "closer to a major conflict".

In tit-for-tat exchanges, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said that India's "reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict".

He slammed New Delhi's suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, after the recent clashes, as illegal and unilateral.

The spokesman urged the international community to step in, warning that India's actions are pushing South Asia toward crisis.

Separately, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry blamed India for the rise of tensions.

"We will not de-escalate, with the damages they did on our side they should take a hit," Chaudhry was quoted as saying

"So far we have been protecting ourselves but they will get an answer in our own timing."

Meanwhile, the Indian military provided an update on recent hostilities, accusing Pakistan of using hundreds of Turkish-made drones in an overnight attack on May 8.

The Indian army also said it had "repulsed" waves of Pakistani attacks overnight, and gave a "befitting reply".

The Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has slammed Pakistan for denying the strikes as "farcical", condemning what he called a campaign of disinformation by Islamabad.

In the latest round of tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, more than four dozen people have lost their lives from three days of missile, artillery and drone attacks since Wednesday.

Residents across Pakistan and India rushed to stockpile food and other essential supplies.

In the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, which lies near the border, residents were shaken on Thursday by drones that Pakistan said were launched by India and were shot down in the city.

Across the border, India's Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution minister warned against panic buying of food grains.

"We currently have stocks many times higher than the normal requirementwhether it is rice, wheat, or pulses...There is absolutely no shortage," he said.

Pankaj Seth, a resident of Amritsar in India's Punjab state, said people felt they had no choice: "We do not know if the markets will open tomorrow or not...I have children and grandchildren at home so I have to stock up."

Some residents of border regions were also requesting relatives to bring them supplies as prices rose.

Residents of Kashmir near the line of control that divides the region faced a more stark and immediate threat.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir's Uri district, residents said many fled overnight after several houses were struck by shelling, some taking shelter behind rocks or in bunkers.

Schools were closed on both sides of the Pakistan and Indian border in Kashmir and Punjab, affecting tens of millions of children.

India has also closed 24 airports, but according to local media, the suspension on civilian flights may be lifted on Saturday morning.

The conflict has caused major disruption to international aviation, with airlines having to cancel flights or use longer routes that don't overfly the Indian-Pakistan frontier.

The conflict erupted after India struck multiple locations in Pakistan on Wednesday that it said were "terrorist camps", in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

It is the most serious confrontation in decades between the two countries, which have fought several wars over Muslim-majority Kashmir -- which is divided between the two neighbors.

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Israeli aggression on Tulkarm continues as regime intensifies West Bank siege, killings

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 6:45 PM

Israel has intensified its attacks on the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm and its two refugee camps, as the aggression has entered its 103rd consecutive day.

The attacks included raids on homes and destruction of residential buildings.

Israeli forces also maintained a tight siege on the camps of Tulkarm and Nour Shams, opening fire at homes and vehicles on Thursday night. Stun grenades and reconnaissance drones were also used, and explosions were heard throughout the night.

Israeli bulldozers also continued to destroy structures in Nour Shams, as part of a broader plan announced last week to demolish 106 buildings, including 48 in Nour Shams and 58 in Tulkarm Camp.

Since the beginning of the aggression on Tulkarm and its camps, 13 Palestinians have been killed, including two women and a child, and dozens others have been wounded or detained.

The onslaught has also caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, homes, and shops, forcing more than 25,000 people to be displaced from their homes in both camps.

In Nablus, Israeli forces besieged a home and shelled it on Friday, and prevented ambulances from reaching the area.

Later, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that its teams retrieved body parts of a young man from inside the shelled house in Nablus.

According to WAFA, the Israeli forces have withheld the remaining parts of the body.

Since a ceasefire in Gaza was announced in January, Israel has intensified its attacks in Tulkarm, Jenin and other parts of the occupied West Bank.

In March, the regime broke the ceasefire, while it proceeded with its large-scale military raids in the occupied West Bank.

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'Strategic shift': Hamas switches to tactical attack mode as more Israeli forces killed

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 4:22 PM

The latest resistance operations against invading Israeli forces in the besieged Gaza Strip show Hamas is "switching from a defensive phase to tactical attack mode," analysts say.

"This strategic shift is evident in the escalating pattern of resistance operations, which include detonating planted explosive devices against Israeli armored vehicles, targeting elite units such as the Golani Brigade inside buildings, and staging multiple ambushes," Rami Abu Zubaydah, a Palestinian military analyst, said on Friday.

The analyst noted that "these operations were carried out deep within Rafah, not on its outskirts, which refutes the Israeli narrative about control of the southern Gaza Strip."

Abu Zubaydah pointed out that the timing and place of the operations were also too crucial, as Rafah, which sits between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, had been increasingly becoming the focal point of Israeli aggression in recent weeks.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Abu Zubaydah stressed that the resistance remains "fully capable of maneuvering and striking Israeli forces" anywhere across the blockaded region.

The remarks come hours after Hamas said its 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-armor rockets, killing and wounding several soldiers.

Reacting to the incident, Israeli war minister Israel Katz says the killing of soldiers in Gaza was a "painful event."

Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, released new footage revealing a deadly ambush on Israeli forces in Rafah, showcasing close-range combat and the use of tunnel warfare tactics.

The ambush began with the emergence of a number of fighters from the opening of a booby-trapped tunnel to engage with the occupation soldiers present at the location.

A field commander in Al-Qassam said that the Brigades' leadership had authorized the start of "Gates of Hell" operations and ambushes in all alleys and streets of Rafah

He noted that the resistance fighters had "studied the occupation's behavior in the Mouraq axis area and accordingly identified the killing zone."

The Israeli military confirmed in a Friday statement that two more its soldiers were killed in battles with the Hamas fighters. Four more soldiers were injured in battles in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

The two deaths brought to 856 the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the outbreak of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023, according to figures released by the army.

Observers say operations show the resistance group remains strong and steadfast, more than 19 months after the start of Israel's air and ground campaign in Gaza.

Israel said earlier this month it would further extend its onslaught across the besieged Palestinian territory.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the scheme would involve the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza.

Israel has already expanded its ground aggression in Gaza, seeking to seize a large portion of the Palestinian territory.

In the meantime, the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza continues unabated, with two airstrikes targeting a populated market in Gaza City killing at least 30 people.

Scores of people who were injured in the attack were sent to the nearby al-Shifa Hospital.

Meanwhile, the civil defense teams have recovered the body of a 3-month-old infant from under the rubble of an earlier bombardment.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the death toll since October 2023 is nearing 52,800, most of them women and children.

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Israel's US-made THAAD fails again as Yemen targets key airport with hypersonic missile

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 2:50 PM

Yemen's Armed Forces have again targeted the Israeli regime's Ben Gurion airport near the city of Tel Aviv with a hypersonic ballistic missile as US THAAD system fails for the second time this week.

The operation took place on Friday, spreading chaos across the occupied Palestinian territories and forcing millions of the regime's illegal settlers to run towards shelters, the forces said in a statement conveyed by spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree.

According to the official, the "qualitative military operation successfully achieved its goal."

The projectile triggered sirens across Tel Aviv and "more than 200 other locations," the Israeli regime's media outlets reported.

The attack had the Israeli military scramble to activate its missile systems, including the American-made THAAD air defense system, the regime's Channel 14 reported.

According to the channel, the missile system, however, failed to intercept the projectile, marking the "second" time that the expensive apparatus was falling short in the face of incoming Yemeni fire.

Various Israeli outlets, meanwhile, reported explosions in eastern Tel Aviv and the holy occupied city of al-Quds, where the THAAD had been activated.

'Ben Gurion's flights suspended for nearly an hour'

Saree said the Friday strike came "within the implementation of the no-fly zone imposed on the criminal Israeli enemy entity."

"The interception systems failed to intercept it (the missile), halting airport operations for nearly an hour."

Separately, "The UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) force of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation targeting a vital Israeli enemy target in the occupied area of Yaffa," the official said, referring to an area lying near Tel Aviv.

'Repeated warning to airlines'

The spokesman asserted that the Yemeni servicemen would not stop short of enforcing the aerial blockade.

"The Armed Forces reiterate their warning to airlines that have not yet complied with the ban, that they must immediately halt their flights to occupied Palestine, as others have done."

Saree reasserted Sana'a's stance that such operations targeting sensitive and strategic Israeli targets would last until the regime ceased its war on Gaza and ended the siege.

Yemen's Armed Force have carried out pro-Gaza operations and enforced a naval blockade on Israeli ships and vessels sailing towards the territories since October 2023.

The blockade came in response to the regime's launching an overwhelmingly deadly war of genocide on the Gaza Strip, and simultaneously escalating its already stringent siege of the Palestinian territory.

Earlier in May, the Yemeni servicemen began imposing a comprehensive aerial blockade on the regime too, warning international airlines to suspend flights to airports in the occupied territories to ensure passenger safety.

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All Gaza bakeries close as flour, fuel run out amid Israel's all-out blockade

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 2:08 PM

Flour reserves have been entirely depleted in the Gaza Strip, leading to the complete shutdown of all bakeries, says a local official as the Israeli regime continues the intense siege against the Palestinian territory.

Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, made the remarks to the Palestinian Safa News Agency, which published them on Friday.

According to the official, the closures are due to severe shortages of flour and fuel, which have been triggered by the Israeli regime's escalating its siege on the territory.

The regime launched a genocidal war in response to a historic resistance operation, killing more than 52,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children. It simultaneously ramped up its 2007-present siege on Gaza.

In early March, however, the blockade began to prevent even essential aid from entering.

"The flour stock in the Gaza Strip is zero, and all bakeries have stopped operating," Ajrami said. He further noted that approximately 50% of households had exhausted their personal flour supplies.

Before the blockade, 25 bakeries contracted with the World Food Program were operational across Gaza, he noted. However, the closure of the territory's crossings and depletion of essential supplies have forced these facilities to cease operations entirely, the official said.

Additionally, 25 of the 70 automated bakeries in Gaza have been destroyed during the genocide, particularly in the northern regions and the southern city of Rafah, Ajrami said.

The majority of citizens had previously relied on community kitchens, known locally as takayas, for sustenance, Ajrami said. However, these too have shut down due to a lack of supplies, further deepening the crisis.

He said "there is no alternative" to reopening the crossings to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, flour, and fuel.

The World Central Kitchen, an aid organization, announced on Wednesday that it could no longer prepare meals for Palestinians in Gaza due to the depletion of food supplies and fuel necessary for cooking and baking.

Since the closure of the crossings in early March, the organization has been unable to replenish its food stocks, leading to the shutdown of over 80% of its community kitchens. This development has left hundreds of thousands of Gazans without access to daily meals.

The intensified blockade has also been preventing entry of medical aid and other essential goods, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation.

The majority of Gaza's citizens now depend entirely on aid, with the ongoing war rendering many impoverished.

According to the World Bank, the prolonged military onslaught has devastated the territory's economy and infrastructure.

On May 7, 2025, a group of United Nations experts issued a joint statement calling for immediate global action to halt the genocide.

The experts warned that continued inaction could lead to the "annihilation of the Palestinian population" there. They urged the international community to intervene and prevent further atrocities, emphasizing the moral imperative to act decisively in the face of escalating violence and humanitarian suffering.

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US pressuring Israel to reach ceasefire deal on Gaza: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 11:23 AM

A report says the United States is pressuring Israel to strike a deal with Palestinian resistance movement Hamas to end the genocidal war in Gaza, as Washington seeks to move forward with an agreement with Saudi Arabia.

According to Israel's Haaretz newspaper, Washington is exerting intense pressure on Tel Aviv to strike a deal with Hamas, warning the regime it will be left to face the consequences alone if it refuses.

This comes as US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next week.

A senior US official has criticized Israel's stance in talks aimed to renew a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal, warning that the Israeli cabinet would pay a very heavy price if it continues to oppose an agreement in Gaza.

On Wednesday, The Jerusalem Post reported that the senior US official, whose name was not disclosed, told the families of Israeli captives held in Gaza that the captives have already paid the price for the failure to end the war.

"If until now they paid the price of not ending the war, today the price will be much heavier for Israel  and not just for the hostages."

The official noted that the US would reach a regional agreement with Saudi Arabia even without Israel's involvement.

The unnamed official described the ceasefire agreement with Yemen as "just a prelude". "If Israel doesn't come to its senses, even the 'Deal of the Millennium' will happen without it."

Trump announced on Tuesday the US will stop bombing Yemen. The Ansarullah resistance movement clarified that the ceasefire with Washington was solely to halt mutual attacks in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, but does not affect Yemen's operations against Israel, which will continue in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

On Thursday, Israel Hayom confirmed that Trump has lost patience with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and will not wait any longer for Israel before advancing initiatives in West Asia.

Under the former administration of Joe Biden, the US and Israel were involved in talks with Riyadh that would see Washington enter a defense accord with the kingdom, provide it with civilian nuclear technology, and sell it advanced weapons - all in exchange for normalization with Israel.

As part of any agreement to normalize ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia expects an end to the war in Gaza and an Israeli declaration of a "horizon for a Palestinian state."

Trump believes Netanyahu is delaying making the necessary decisions for a potential US-Israeli agreement with Saudi Arabia.

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India, Pakistan trade accusations amid escalating tensions

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 10:58 AM

India and Pakistan exchanged accusations of launching fresh attacks amid escalating tensions, as international voices urge both sides to show restraint.

The two neighboring nuclear-armed rivals traded accusations on Friday of "numerous ceasefire violations" over the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed territory.

Scores of people have been killed in the Indian airstrikes and ensuing border shelling in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Military sources in Pakistan said 77 Indian drones were shot down over two days.

"On May 8, Pakistan shot down 29 Indian drones, while 48 drones were destroyed overnight," Pakistani state television PTV News reported.

It said it shot down five Indian aircraft on Wednesday, a report the Indian embassy in Beijing dismissed as "misinformation".

The Indian army, on the opposite side, said that its forces "repulsed" Pakistani attacks using drones and other munitions overnight and gave a "befitting reply". It claimed Pakistani forces on Thursday targeted three military stations, two in Kashmir and one in the neighboring state of Punjab.

Indian military officials said Pakistani troops barraged their posts overnight with artillery, mortars and gunfire at multiple locations. They said Indian soldiers responded, triggering fierce exchanges until early dawn. Also, New Delhi named two Pakistani nationals as suspects in the April 22 attack and accused Islamabad of being involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, the rising hostilities have prompted global calls for the de-escalation of tensions as the risk of an all-out war between the two nuclear powers grows.

An international fact-checking probe has been launched to find the perpetrators of the deadly April 22 attack that triggered the rising tensions.

The attack left 26 civilians, predominantly Hindu tourists visiting Kashmir, dead. Pakistan strongly rejects India's accusation of being involved in the attack.

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Houthi: Both religious and secular Zionists united to realize 'Greater Israel' project

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 2:57 AM

The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement says both religious and secular Zionists are united in their hostile agenda to dominate the region and realize the project of "Greater Israel."

Speaking in a televised speech on Thursday, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said Israel has continued its barbaric aggression on Gaza for 19 consecutive months, "committing what has become known as the crime of the centurya genocide unfolding in the heart of Islamic lands, before the eyes of the entire world."

"The genocide in Gaza is broadcast live, unlike past atrocities that were only known after the fact. This places immense responsibility on the Islamic Ummah, especially the Arabs, who bear sacred duties in jihad and standing against oppression," he stated.

"The Ummah's continued neglect of Gaza will not absolve it from divine consequences. The more the oppression increases, the heavier the responsibility and the greater the punishment," Houthi said.

He went on to say that abandoning God's commands out of fear, greed, or corrupted education has stripped the Ummah of its conscience, values, and dignity.

Houthi said Israel hates even those Arabs who normalize with it.

He said both religious and secular Zionism are united in their efforts to "destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and build the so-called temple."

"Some Arab rulers are enraged by public criticism but not by the Zionist belief that views them as lower than animalsa disgraceful level of subjugation and moral decay," he stated.

'Palestinian spiritual strength remains intact'

The Ansarullah leader said that the Palestinian people continue to fight with courage and resolve, and their fighters' operations prove their effectiveness and unbreakable stance.

"Despite facing a genocidal war, their spiritual strength remains intactbut they need the full support of the Ummah," he stated.

"In contrast to overwhelming US and Western support for Israel, the Islamic world has largely failed to uphold its responsibilities. Yemen has remained committedmilitarily, officially, and popularlyto supporting the Palestinian people," he declared.

The Ansarullah leader said that from March 15 to May 7, "131 operations were carried out in support of Palestine, involving 253 ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles and drones, despite continuous American aggression on Yemen."

"This week alone, 10 missiles and drones were launched toward Yafa, Asqalan, the Naqab, Umm al-Rashrash, and occupied Haifa. The strike on Lod Airport (Ben Gurion) drew major global attention and exposed the enemy's vulnerability," he stated.

He said that the Ben Gurion airport "was struck despite four layers of air defense, including the American THAAD system."

The missile strike forced over 3 million Zionists into shelters, halted airport operations, and caused major commercial losses, he said.

The Ansarullah leader said at least 27 international airlines suspended flights to the occupation entity, showing the impact of Yemen's operations.

'US launched over 1,712 air and naval strikes on Yemen'

He said that the US launched over 1,712 air and naval strikes on Yemen between March 15 to May 7, most of them targeting civilian sites, yet failed to stop Yemeni operations or break the will of the people.

"The enemy turned to bombing civilian infrastructure after failing to target Yemen's military capabilitiesseeking to pressure and demoralize the people," Houthi said.

"Yemen's missile and drone operationsincluding targeting US aircraft carriers and downing F-18 jets have proven their effectiveness, forcing evasive actions and exposing American vulnerability," he stated.

'Naval blockade on Israeli shipping fully successful'

The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement reiterated that Yemen's support for Palestine is rooted in faith, not political calculations.

The slogan "Death to America, death to Israel" reflects deep conviction, echoed not just in words but in missiles, drones, and unwavering action, he said.

Houthi said that the naval blockade on Israeli shipping has been fully successful, paralyzing movement through strategic waters and adding pressure to the enemy.

"More than 1.9 million activities have been held across Yemen during the 19 months of wardemonstrations, mobilizations, and public actions that reflect the strength and depth of popular engagement," he said.

'Massive million-strong weekly rallies'

Referring to massive million-strong weekly rallies, Houthi said that they "are a central expression of resistance, dignity, and thanks to God for America's failure and a direct challenge to the Israeli enemy.

"I call on our people to take to the streets tomorrow (Friday) in a great, million-strong demonstrationin gratitude to God, in defiance of the enemy, in loyalty to Palestine, and in steadfast commitment to our position," he said.

'US seeks to incite war between India and Pakistan'

"We also advise Islamic governments to take seriously their responsibility to contain the dangerous US-provoked tension between India and Pakistan. Iran has begun commendable effortsothers must follow," said the leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement.

Houthi said that the US seeks to incite a devastating war between India and Pakistan, as part of its broader agenda to destabilize the region for its own benefit.

He said that Israel's criminal attack on the Freedom Flotilla further proves its hostility to all human and moral values, even against neutral humanitarian missions.

"We affirm once again: our position has not weakened, retreated, or faltered. It remains steadfast, complete, and rooted in faith, no matter the escalation or pressure," he said.

"Should the US engage in a third round of aggression, we are fully prepared to confront it, with reliance on God Almighty," Houthi said.

"Our priority remains clear and unwavering: support for the Palestinian people and their fightersthrough strikes into occupied Palestine and the continued blockade on Israeli ships," he noted.

"Our message to the world is clear: We will not abandon our dignity, our faith, or our cause. We are readyalwaysand we will remain on this path, until victory, justice, and liberation are achieved," Houthi concluded.

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Houthis Claim Ballistic Missile Attack on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport

Sputnik News

20250509

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, said on Friday that it attacked Israel's Ben Gurion Airport using a hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time since Israeli strikes on the international airport in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

"The missile force of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a qualitative military operation targeting Lod Airport, Israeli called Ben Gurion Airport, in the occupied area of Yaffa, using a hypersonic ballistic missile, that successfully achieved its goal, thanks to Allah. The interception systems failed to intercept it, pushing millions of occupying Zionists to run into shelters and halting airport operations for nearly an hour," the statement said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday that it had intercepted another missile, launched form the territory of Yemen.

Earlier in the day, sirens sounded in a series of areas of central Israel after Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, launched a missile.

"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted. Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol," the IDF said.

On May 6, the IDF said that its air force had fully disabled the international airport in the Yemeni capital city of Sanaa and mounted strikes on several plants in Sanaa's outskirts. This was in response to an attack against Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

 Sputnik

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India-Pakistan War 'None of Our Business' - VP Vance

Sputnik News

20250509

The US vice president JD Vance said the US hopes the recent escalation doesn't spiral into nuclear war, but the White House can't control either India or Pakistan.

"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," he told Fox News.

JD Vance

US vice president

Indian Armed Forces previously announced 'Operation Sindoor', targeting 9 sites containing terrorist infrastructure within Pakistani territory with air strike in the recent round of escalation between the countries.

 Sputnik

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Haiti: Displaced families grapple with death 'from the inside' and out

9 May 2025 - Shattered by her husband's death during the rising tide of gang violence in Haiti last year, Christiana and her six children fled 223 kilometres from their hometown to the city of Mirebalais, where her six-year-old daughter, Leineda, began treatment for malnutrition.

In March, the family fled the gangs again - this time to Boucan-Carre where Leineda's treatments were put on hold:

"Sometimes, we suffer from silent illnesses that destroy us from the inside," Christiana said.

Gangs on the march

In the past few months, armed gangs in Haiti have been expanding their reach beyond Port-au-Prince towards the Centre and Artibonite Departments, displacing around 64,000 from those areas, according to UN estimates.

Humanitarian efforts to reach displaced communities have been disrupted by regional insecurity and funding shortages.

"What we're seeing on the ground is unimaginable. Communities are being displaced daily, and the images of women and children fleeing for their lives with nothing are heartbreaking," said Wanja Kaaria, the UN World Food Programme's (WFP) Haiti director.

Attacks beyond the capital

The assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise in 2021 triggered widespread gang violence in the capital Port-au-Prince. Around 85 per cent of the city is now controlled by gangs. Over one million Haitians have been displaced because of this violence.

In recent months, organised crime groups have expanded their attacks into the Centre Department in western Haiti and neighboring Artibonite in northern Haiti.

In late March, one of the gangs attacked Mirebalais, killing at least 15 civilians and leading to a jailbreak of 515 inmates. In late April, gang members attacked the commune of Petite-Riviere in Artibonite, killing dozens and damaging scores of homes.

Other gang attacks have occurred in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince and throughout Centre, including in Hinche, Boucan-Carre and Saut d'Eau.

Navigating humanitarian aid blockages

After these attacks in the Centre and Artibonite Departments, over 64,000 people have been displaced according to estimates from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).

"Across Haiti and as we have seen this week in the Centre region especially, children are trapped in a cycle of fear and suffering, reliving the same nightmare day after day. What they need most urgently is an end to the violence," Geeta Narayan, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative in Haiti, said.

As a result of ongoing gang activity and security conditions in the region, local authorities have had to scale back humanitarian aid deliveries. UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, has cancelled planned field missions.

This is particularly difficult for displaced families who are fully reliant on this aid. Danise, a mother of two, has been displaced many times - first leaving her home in Jeremie, then being deported from the Dominican Republic, next, fleeing violence in Mirebalais before finally settling in Boucan Carre.

"I barely have anything to give [my children]," Danise said. "I always have to wait for food distributions to feed them...I just want to go home."

Providing relief to displaced communities

In spite of deteriorating security, UN aid teams are working with local partners and departmental authorities to continue providing resources to displaced civilians.

"[Displaced people have had their] lives upended - entire families struggling to access water, healthcare or adequate shelter."

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) "remains engaged alongside local authorities and partners to strengthen humanitarian action, despite limited resources, and continues to advocate for increased support," Modibo Traore, OCHA's Head of Office in Haiti, said.

Across the Centre Department, UNICEF has reached 8,500 people with resources, including six mobile clinics.

"We are scaling up our response in the Centre department, providing critical health care, reaching thousands of children with psychosocial support, safe water and access to education where it's needed most," Ms. Narayan said.

WFP is also working in the Centre Department to provide hot meals and food kits to displaced communities and has provided assistance to over 13,100 displaced individuals in this region as of early May.

"WFP food assistance offers dignity for families now living with little hope. However, funding constraints are impeding us from responding at scale." Ms Kaaria said.

WFP estimates that it will need $72.4 million over the next 12 months and UNICEF estimates that it will need $1.2 million over the next six months to deal with the ongoing displacements in Haiti's Centre Department.

"This is the moment to step up. The future of Haiti depends on the actions we take today," Ms Kaaria said.

Finding dignity through care

In recent days, young Leineda has begun to receive the treatment she needs for malnutrition at the Boucan Carre site.

"I feel happy today because before, we didn't have any doctors to examine us or understand our pain," Christiana said. The presence of the doctors brings back a sense of dignity. It helps us."





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World News in Brief: 'Massive' needs in Sudan, DR Congo aid shortfall, support for Congolese refugees and Angola cholera relief

9 May 2025 - UN humanitarian teams have completed a mission to the Sudanese town of Tawila to provide life-saving assistance for civilians recently displaced by intensifying violence in North Darfur state.

The UN estimates that in the past few weeks, over 330,000 people have fled into Tawila after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched violent attacks in the Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps and in El Fasher, the regional capital.

Over 100,000 people also remain trapped in El Fasher.

'Massive' humanitarian needs

Since the beginning of the civil war in Sudan in April 2023, over 18,000 civilians have been killed and over 13 million have been forced from their homes.

According to UN estimates, over 30.4 million Sudanese are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has provided food assistance to over 300,000 people from the Zamzam displacement camp. Yet, UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Tom Fletcher noted on Thursday that needs remain "massive" in the region.

"Our humanitarian colleagues also underscore the urgent need for stepped-up, flexible funding to sustain and expand life-saving support for people in need in North Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan," said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, briefing reporters on Friday.

However, with ongoing drone strikes in Port Sudan, the main entry point for humanitarian supplies, and increasing violence in North Darfur, providing life-saving assistance has become increasingly difficult.

"We call once again on all parties to facilitate safe, unhindered and sustained access to the area, via all necessary routes," Mr. Haq said.

DR Congo: Dire impact of funding cuts amidst cholera outbreak

Funding shortfalls have forced the humanitarian community to re-prioritise its response plan to alleviate the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN aid coordination office OCHA said on Friday.

Nearly seven million people have already been forcibly displaced by violence since advances by M23 rebels earlier this year.

While the 2025 UN humanitarian plan aims to provide life-saving interventions to 11 million people across the DRC at a cost of $2.5 billion, only $233 million has been received so far.

Despite escalating needs in the wake of the crisis in the east of the country, "that's only half the amount we had secured by this time last year," Farhan Haq told journalists in New York.

Congolese health authorities are facing shortages of medical supplies as the DRC is now facing a cholera outbreak in six provinces.

OCHA is calling for greater protection of civilians in conflict-affected areas, and more support to prevent the collapse of essential services and address the root causes of the crisis.

UN fund allocates over $4 million to support Congolese refugees, Angola cholera outbreak

Two new allocations from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will support Congolese refugees in Uganda and efforts to combat a deadly cholera outbreak in Angola.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher released the funding on Friday.

More than 60,000 people have fled violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for neighbouring Uganda since January.

The first allocation, for $2.5 million, will allow the UN and partners to provide life-saving assistance to over 40,000 refugees, including clean drinking water, food, healthcare and nutrition support.

The $1.8 million CERF contribution in Angola will support the urgent response to the country's worst cholera outbreak in two decades.

Since the beginning of the year, the outbreak has spread to 17 out of 21 provinces, with more than 18,000 cases and 586 deaths reported as of 7 May.

The funding will go towards scaling up the response and helping to prevent further spread of the disease.





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U.S. Navy Participates in IMDEX Asia 2025 in Singapore

US Navy

09 May 2025

From Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron 15

CHANGI, Singapore -- Personnel and assets from the U.S. Navy participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) Asia 2025 in Singapore, May 6-8.

From the U.S. Navy, the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, and one embarked MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51, are participating in static displays at Singapore's Changi Naval Base and multilateral engagements hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The U.S. ship and aircraft are among the approximately 22 warships and crews from 15 international navies that also joined in the week-long engagements.

Admiral Steve "Web" Koehler, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, is the senior U.S. military representative at IMDEX. He was joined by around 22 Chiefs of Navies, Coast Guard Directors, and Head of Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies from nations around the globe, along with other senior leaders and defence industry personnel.

"IMDEX provides the U.S. an opportunity to engage with many allies and partners, deepen relationships, and discuss global security challenges," said Koehler. "Our multilateral and bilateral exercises strengthen our interoperability, maintain peace and security, uphold freedom of the seas in the Indo-Pacific, and deter those that don't share these common goals."

IMDEX Asia was first organized in 1997 and provides an international venue to showcase the latest developments in maritime defence technology and to foster dialogue on contemporary maritime security challenges and opportunities.

The U.S. Navy routinely participates in IMDEX to promote dialogue, stability, and security cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Dewey is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy's largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet's principal surface force.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

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Chinese PLA Guard of Honor attends Russia's Victory Day parade

Xinhua) 09:28, May 10, 2025

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attended a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow on Friday.

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Chinese embassies in India and Pakistan issue travel warnings as tensions escalate

Global Times

Tensions continue as flare-ups between two countries enter third day

By Shen Sheng Published: May 10, 2025 12:03 AM

The Chinese embassies in both India and Pakistan issued statements on their official WeChat accounts on Friday, warning Chinese citizens to closely monitor the situation, exercise caution when traveling to either country, and reminding those in India or Pakistan to strengthen security precautions and enhance safety measures.

Tensions have remained as flare-ups between Pakistan and India have entered the third day.

Pakistan local media Pakistan Today reported that the Pakistan Army has successfully intercepted and destroyed 77 Israeli-made Heron drones sent by India to target civilian and military sites, according to security sources. The drones, part of India's aerial aggression, were downed between Tuesday and Thursday, with 48 additional drones neutralized overnight into Friday, said the report.

As of press time, India has not responded to the report.

Several areas in the Indian-controlled Kashmir, including Jammu and Uri, situated along the international border with Pakistan, came under heavy attack by artillery fire from Pakistan, said TV media reports late on Thursday, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday morning.

Quoting sources, the TV reports by "India Today" stated that the Indian armed forces retaliated and shot down two fighter jets belonging to the Pakistan Air Force, Xinhua said.

However, according to a later report by Xinhua, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry rejected Indian media reports alleging cross-border attacks originating from Pakistani territory, calling them "baseless, fabricated, and aimed at creating a false pretext for escalation".

Separately, Pakistani security sources dismissed claims carried by Indian media alleging drone or missile attacks in the Indian-controlled Kashmir and the downing of a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet, Xinhua said.

In India, the Indian army on Friday released a short video showing a strike hitting a target in Pakistan. In the short, low-resolution video, a projectile (apparently a missile) can be seen moving and hitting a structure, Xinhua reported.

The army described it as a "befitting reply" to Pakistan's shelling, but the exact location of the destroyed structure has not been disclosed. Meanwhile, authorities in the Indian capital region Delhi on Friday installed and tested air raid sirens, according to Xinhua.

Although both countries have displayed a tough stance in their public statements, their actual actions seem to reflect caution and restraint, suggesting that neither side is willing to allow the situation to escalate further, Wang Se, associate research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

The internal and external environments of India and Pakistan show that the conflict is unlikely to escalate into a full-scale war, Wang said.

Both sides feel the need to adopt a tough stance in response to surging domestic public opinion, criticism from opposition parties, and mounting media pressure, in order to uphold national dignity and maintain their grip on power, the expert explained.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday directed 20-odd secretaries dealing with critical sectors to remain alert, "fool-proof functioning of essential systems, with special focus on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocol," according to the Times of India.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, during which he strongly condemned India's missile and drone strikes that killed 31 Pakistani civilians and wounded 57 others, Pakistan local media Business Recorder reported.

The Prime Minister made clear that "Pakistan reserved the right to act in self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter."

"Both sides clearly understand that further escalation of the conflict, or the outbreak of a larger-scale war, would have grave consequences -- something neither the two countries want to see. Returning to diplomatic channels to resolve disputes is the ideal choice," Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.

Wang also noted that it is in the best interest of all parties for India and Pakistan to hold back at this point as India and Pakistan had engaged in contacts at the level of their respective National Security Councils.

Regarding the current situation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Thursday that China is concerned about the current developments. India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors, and 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, observe international law, including the UN Charter, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation. We stand ready to work with the rest of the international community to continue playing a constructive role in easing the current tensions, said Lin.

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Pakistan meets India's 'Operation Sindoor' with major counteroffensive hitting 'Indian missile sites'

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 10 May 2025 3:35 AM

Pakistan's military has launched a substantial counteroffensive against India, targeting, what Islamabad calls, multiple Indian military sites in retaliation for a major Indian military attack earlier this week and its follow-up strikes.

The Pakistani operation, code-named Bunyan Marsoos (Solid Structure) after a Quranic verse, went underway on Saturday.

So far, it has specifically targeted missile stations and airfields, Islamabad reported, while saying the targets were involved in prior attacks on "Pakistani civilian" and military sites.

Tensions between the neighbors have been spiraling radically since April 22, when a terror attack hit the town of Pahalgam in the Indian-administered Kashmir, claiming the lives of at least 26 tourists.

It was followed by Indian authorities finding Pakistan responsible for the incident and taking a number of punitive measures against Islamabad, including by suspending a major water treaty. Pakistan began responding by denying any involvement and taking countermeasures of its own such as suspending issuance of visas to Indian nationals, closing its airspace to Indian airlines, and test-firing several long-range missiles.

New Delhi followed those measures by staging Operation Sindoor against Pakistan and the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting "terrorist infrastructures" there.

Pakistan says the operation has seen India fire air-to-surface missiles from warplanes, striking three Pakistani airbases.

Also on Saturday, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority announced closure of the country's airspace from 03:15 AM local time (22:15 GMT) to 12:00 PM (07:00 GMT) in response to the alleged missile strike.

'India's BrahMos missiles in crosshairs'

Commenting further on Bunyan Marsoos, Pakistan's military said the operation was aimed at halting India's ongoing strikes and defending Pakistan's sovereignty.

It identified the targets as a number of Indian military sites, including a BrahMos missile storage facility in Beas, located in Punjab Province, and multiple airfields across the Line of Control (LoC), which separates the Pakistan-administered Kashmir from the Indian-administered Kashmir.

The BrahMos missile, a supersonic weapon with a range of up to 800 kilometers (497 miles), is one of India's key strategic assets. Pakistan's operation has specifically targeted these installations, citing alleged concerns over their involvement in strikes against "Pakistani civilians, religious sites, and military infrastructure."

Sources within Pakistan's military, meanwhile, said that since the onset of the Indian operation, Pakistan had downed more than 80 Indian drones across the Pakistani airspace. India is yet to comment on these remarks.

The military further stated that it reserved the right to take defensive measures under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, asserting that India's actions were "unprovoked and without evidence" linking Pakistan to any terrorism activities within India.

The overall situation has additionally featured intense cross-border shelling intensifying in regions like Sialkot in Punjab, Pakistan, and multiple sectors along the LoC.

In major Pakistani cities, including Lahore and Karachi, residents have also been cited as saying they had heard multiple explosions.

Pakistani PM discusses 'nuclear assets' with civilian, military leaders

Amid the flareup, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency meeting with the country's top civilian and military leaders to assess the situation. The meeting included discussions on national security and Pakistan's nuclear assets.

The United Nations and other international bodies have repeatedly called for de-escalation between the countries, urging both sides to engage in dialog to address the root causes of the situation at hand.



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Pakistan Launches Military Operation With Attacks On Two Air Bases

By Daud Khattak May 10, 2025

Pakistan has launched a military operation against India after accusing it of firing missiles at three Pakistani air bases late on May 9 in another major escalation of tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Pakistani security sources told Radio Mashaal that the operation is codenamed Bunyanun Marsoos, an Arabic word taken from a verse in the Koran meaning a strong pillar.

In an indication of the gravity of the situation, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called an urgent meeting of the National Command Authority for May 10. The authority, among other functions, deals with the nuclear arms policy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir and urged both sides to find ways to de-escalate, a State Department statement said.

Rubio also offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.

Pakistan's Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said that a depot used to store India's Brahmos missiles had been destroyed. The military said attacks on several other locations, including the Pathankot Airfield and Udhampur Airforce Station, had also taken place. Pakistan also said it fired Fatah 1 missiles on the two Indian air bases.

The Indian Army called Pakistan's actions unacceptable.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar," the army said on X. "The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units."

The fresh attacks started hours after Saudi Arabia's foreign minister left Pakistan. Adel Al-Jubeir was in Islamabad to meet with Sharif, according to a statement. He visited India before landing in Islamabad on May 9 for talks with Pakistani leaders.

Pakistani security sources also claimed that a simultaneous cyberattack was also launched and electrical power in several cities has been cut.

The security sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, added that the Pakistani side has decided that if India launched more attacks, they would hit the highways in India.

Pakistan said earlier that missiles, apparently fired by India, had fallen at different locations in Pakistan.

One of the missiles hit the Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi city. The air base is where the military has its headquarters and is less than 30 kilometers from key buildings, including the Presidential House, the House of Parliament, and the prime minister's house, in the Pakistani central capital city of Islamabad.

Fahim Ahmad, a resident of Rawalpindi city, who lives near the Noor Khan Air base, told Radio Mashaal, he saw an object blasted out of the air and drop near the air base.

Ahmad said alarm sirens went off, heightening fears of a large escalation just days after Indian air strikes claimed multiple lives in Pakistan, prompting Sharif to vow retaliation.

Speaking at a hastily arranged news conference soon after the missiles were fired on Pakistan late on May 9, the director-general of the ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif, said an attack by India to target the Noor Khan Airbase had been foiled.

Two other missiles were fired at two other air bases -- Murid Airbase and Shorkot Airbase -- he said. Sharif claimed that India also fired some missiles in Afghanistan.

An explosion was reported in the city of Peshawar in the early hours of May 10, according to Radio Mashaal correspondent Wasim Sajjad.

"We were awakened by the sound of an explosion around 3:00 a.m. (local time), which was followed by firing from the ground," Sajjad said. "We saw lights going from the ground toward the sky with sounds of firing that continued for nearly an hour."

The explosion drew people out of their houses and apartments into the dark night, said Sajjad.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals have soared since an attack at a popular tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22. New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the assault, an accusation Islamabad rejects.

Azaz Seyed, author and journalist, told Radio Mashaal that the world is not taking interest in stopping a looming full-fledged conflict between India and Pakistan.

Seyed said only two countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran, were pro-actively engaged, while the United States has only issued some statements and no pro-active diplomacy was visible.

The Group of Seven countries on May 9 urged maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan and called on them to engage in direct dialogue.

The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the European Union said they "strongly condemn" a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir on April 22 and "urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan."

"We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome," the G7 statement said.

Indian and Pakistani forces on May 7 exchanged artillery fire after Indian air strikes claimed multiple lives. Both sides reported several fatalities in the shelling. Pakistan also claimed to have shot down several Indian jets.

Indian forces on May 6 hit targets across Pakistani-administered Kashmir and Pakistan's Punjab Province.

India said it carried out "precision strikes" against "terrorists" following the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago that killed 26 Hindu tourists.

India had earlier said that two of three suspects in that attack were Pakistani nationals but had not detailed any evidence. Pakistan denied that it had anything to do with the killings.

India and Pakistan, who got their independence from Britain in 1947, fought three full-scale wars in 1948, 1965, and 1971, and a limited conflict in 1999. The central issue remains the Kashmir valley, which India regards as its Atoot Ang (integral part), while Pakistan sees it as the "unfinished agenda of partition" of the Indian sub-continent.

Kashmir is divided between three nuclear-armed neighbors, with India controlling about 45 percent, Pakistan about 35 percent, and China -- following a brief war with India in 1962 -- occupying the remaining 20 percent.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/india-pakistan-conflict- sharif-missiles-air-base/33409927.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US Space Force, Italian Air Force sign statement to expand space security cooperation

United States Space Force

Published May 9, 2025

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman and Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Luca Goretti signed a statement of understanding aimed at expanding mutual collaboration in the crucial sector of space security on May 8.

The signing took place during the 2025 Aerospace Power Conference in Rome, and reinforces the joint commitment to protect and defend the space domain in shared recognition of its importance to deterrence and defense.

The statement of understanding aims to strengthen interoperability between the U.S. Space Force and the Italian Air Force in light of space security changes and the need to strengthen services, missions and activities.

In a context of increasing strategic importance of space, the statement of understanding between the U.S. Space Force and Italian Air Force represents a valuable opportunity to improve skills and contribute to collective security.

The document also consolidates bilateral cooperation within the framework of the pre-existing Military Personnel Exchange Program between the two nations, providing for the potential opportunity to send a team of USSF experts to Italy and, reciprocally, of highly qualified personnel of the Italian Air Force to the U.S. Space Force.

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CSO highlights growing U.S.-Italian cooperation in space operations

United States Space Force

Published May 9, 2025

By Staff Sgt. Emmeline James

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman emphasized the critical role of partnerships and the growing strategic importance of space during his remarks at the 2nd International AeroSpace Power Conference in Rome, May 8.

Speaking to an audience of military officials, academics, industry leaders and media  Saltzman discussed the evolving nature of space as a warfighting domain and its integration into civilian life and modern military operations.

"It is no longer a mystery or a curiosity. Now the space domain is a vital national interest. It is a region with geography and terrain to contest and control," Saltzman said. "It is a warfighting domain as critical to the fight as the land, sea or air. This is a significant change from the world many of grew up in, but it is a change that we'd better adapt to and quickly, because let me assure you, as a student of history - wherever national interests are found, they are inevitably followed by competition, crisis and conflict."

Saltzman used historical examples to illustrate the evolving understanding of the space domain, starting from early astronomical debates in the 1920s to today's interconnected global infrastructure that heavily relies on space.

He also highlighted the increased vulnerability that accompanies this dependency, referencing a 2022 satellite ground station cyberattack, which occurred during the initial stages of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as a contemporary example of conflict involving space assets.

"Without satellites to support and integrate our combat power, we fight blindly and with one hand tied behind our back," he said.

Saltzman pointed to the establishment of the U.S. Space Force as a strategic necessity to ensure space superiority  the ability to secure freedom of action for U.S. and allied forces while denying adversaries the same.

He said achieving that superiority requires recognizing the inherently global nature of the space domain. From orbital debris to destructive anti-satellite tests, space presents shared challenges that no single nation can manage alone, underscoring the need for multinational cooperation.

"Spacepower is a team sport," Saltzman said. "You need a team, working in concert, holding their shape and executing tactics with unity of effort."

Saltzman announced plans to develop a bilateral Country Action Plan between the U.S. Space Force and the Italian Air Force to strengthen that cooperation. The non-binding agreement will outline a framework for advancing integration through initiatives such as personnel exchanges, joint training and exercises, and expanded information sharing on space domain awareness, missile warning and tracking.

Saltzman cited the forthcoming Space Force International Partnership Strategy as the foundation for this work and emphasized that the success of any partnership hinges on mutual trust and benefit.

"My hope is that the plan we develop between the U.S. Space Force and the Italian Air Force will provide an excellent foundation for so much more," he said. "We must build our future success on the partnerships we forge today."

The International AeroSpace Power Conference is a biennial event hosted by the Italian Air Force and Ministry of Defence. This year's gathering included remarks from Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto and Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Luca Goretti among other senior U.S. and allied military officers.

Saltzman reinforced the need for deliberate, coordinated action among spacefaring allies. As the domain grows more contested, he said partnerships like the one between the United States and Italy will be critical to maintaining security, stability and access in space.

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ASCA launches next Defence mission focused on counter small uncrewed aerial systems

Issued by Defence Media

9 May 2025

The Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) is seeking industry support to enhance Defence's counter drone capabilities with the launch of Mission Syracuse.

Mission Syracuse will focus on rapidly developing advanced technology options to intercept uncrewed aerial systems that can be integrated into the ADF's existing counter small uncrewed aerial systems (CsUAS).

The mission seeks sovereign solutions from Australian industry and research organisations through a two-stage procurement process.

Syracuse will address the problem statement:

How might we provide viable sovereign effector options for the ADF integrated force capability optimised to mitigate the threats posed by small UAS?

ASCA missions are at the heart of a new approach to innovation that, in partnership with industry, focus on rapidly pulling through disruptive technologies into capabilities that will meet Defence's most pressing needs, as outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy.

These advanced technologies can protect deployed forces by securing infrastructure, expeditionary bases, dismounted personnel and their equipment, and all classes of ADF vehicles.

Mission Syracuse will complement LAND 156, which will deliver a comprehensive CsUAS capability system for the ADF that is able to detect, track, identify, and neutralise adversaries through a comprehensive, layered and distributed defensive approach.

Syracuse is the next mission for ASCA following the successful contract awarding to two Australian companies in January 2025 under Mission Black Thorn, which is focused on rapid technology development to degrade integrated air and missile defence systems of potential adversaries.

Proposals for Mission Syracuse need to be submitted via AusTender by 6 June 2025.

Quotes attributable to Major General Hugh Meggitt, Head Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator:

"ASCA's mission is to accelerate the development and transition of asymmetric capabilities to the Australian Defence Force by working with Australian industry through innovation to meet priority needs.

"In response to evolving threats of small drones, Government directed Defence to accelerate acquisition of counter drone capabilities through the 2024 National Defence Strategy; Mission Syracuse will help enable investment in cutting-edge systems that can operate both domestically and internationally.

"By partnering with Australian industry and research organisations, ASCA seeks to deliver the best available sovereign capability options to the war fighter."

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State Secretary Andzejs Vilumsons pledges Latvia's support for Belarusian democratic forces to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Published: 09.05.2025

On 9 May 2025, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andzejs Vilumsons, met with the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has arrived in Riga for a visit on Europe Day.

During the meeting, the State Secretary reaffirmed Latvia's support for the Belarusian democratic forces by condemning repressions against the Belarusian people perpetrated by the country's authoritarian regime, and its involvement in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the financial contribution provided by Latvia to the International Humanitarian Fund for the rehabilitation of political prisoners, as well as to the International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB), which methodically documents and preserves evidence of human rights violations in Belarus.

Symbolically, on Europe Day, the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia co-hosted a discussion, The Role of Belarus in the Political and Security Architecture of Europe: Perspective from the Baltic Region.

In his opening address for the event, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Artjoms Ursulskis, highlighted the threats posed by the authoritarian regime of Belarus to Europe's security, and the role of the Belarusian democratic forces in the fight for a free and democratic Belarus in the family of European nations. Sviatlana Tskihanouskaya, in her speech to participants and political experts from Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia, thanked Latvia for supporting the democratic forces of Belarus and expressed the need for a continued unwavering support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's war of aggression. She underlined that the defence of Ukraine's sovereign territories is a vital aspect of security of the region as a whole - also in Belarus' struggle for a democratic future.

As part of her visit to Riga, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya participated in a conference on parliamentary democracy held by the Baltic Assembly, met with the Speaker of the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament), Daiga Mierina, and unveiled an exhibition about political prisoners in Belarus.

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Meeting with President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Vladimir Putin met with President of the Federative Republic of BrazilLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva who is taking part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

May 9, 2025

16:15

The Kremlin, Moscow

The Russian side was represented at the meeting 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, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, Special Presidential Representative for Interaction with Organisations of Compatriots Abroad Alexander Babakov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev, Chairman of the Russian Fertiliser Producers Association, Chairman of the Russia-Brazil Business Council Andrei Guryev, and Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President,

Friends,

I am genuinely happy to have our meeting, Mr President. We have not met for a long time, indeed. You were about to visit Moscow but were unable to come due to the pressure of work, and I sincerely greet you in Russia. Welcome!

I have warm memories of our previous conversations both in Russia and in Brazil. They were held in a very friendly atmosphere and in a business-like manner. We managed to significantly improve relations between our nations largely thanks to our personal contacts.

As I have already mentioned, it has been long since you last came to Russia which was 15 years ago. Back then, in 2010, your visit was also in May, and a joint Statement was adopted on the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II. Victory Day will always carry a special significance for our peoples who were fighting against Nazism. We are well aware that Brazil was among those who joined the anti-Hitler coalition. Your military units took part in combat activities in Italy and defended communication routes in the southern Atlantic thus contributing to our joint victory over the enemy. I know that Brazil, as much as Russia, honours the memory of those events and pays tribute to the feat of the victors.

I would like to point out that our relations are progressing steadfastly, and high-level contact is being maintained. You always see the way to personally receive Russian representatives whenever they arrive in Brazil on working visits.

Our bilateral trade is moving ahead. I want to stress that Brazil accounts for the largest share of our trade with Latin America and the Caribbean.

Russia is still the biggest exporter of petroleum products and mineral fertilisers to Brazil while your country maintains leading positions in the Russian food imports.

We are closely cooperating on the international arena, and we will revisit this topic later. This cooperation includes such venues as the UN, BRICS and G20.

I am happy to have this opportunity to discuss with you, Mr President, these and other issues which are definitely of interest to both parties.

Thank you.

President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (retranslated): Mr President,

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the warm welcome extended to me and my delegation, especially at such a significant moment for you.

Some members of our delegation are visiting Russia for the first time, and I would like to introduce my delegation to you. I would also like to note that this is my first visit in 15 years.

In many ways, this visit marks the realisation of the vision we have been nurturing over the past 15 years. I will always remember the thoughtful way President Putin approached our discussions, as well as the valuable dialogue between our foreign ministers - Mr Mauro and Mr Lavrov. We are addressing issues of great significance to both our nations.

We are living in very challenging times. Much of what we hoped would follow the Second World War, such as the strengthening of multilateralism, an enhanced role for the United Nations, and the expansion of free trade, was seen as essential to safeguarding lasting peace. Sadly, that vision has not yet fully materialised, and today, true peace remains elusive.

The recent decisions announced by the President of the United States, particularly in the area of tariff policy affecting all countries, undermine the principles of free trade, weaken multilateralism, and also disregard the sovereignty and dignity of independent nations. These are values we must not forget.

The purpose of my visit today is to advance the development of our strategic partnership. Brazil sees Russia as an important partner - politically, culturally, economically, and in the fields of science and technology. Likewise, Russia has many shared interests in Brazil. We are two great nations, located on opposite sides of the globe.

As part of the Global South, we now have an opportunity to strengthen our economic cooperation. Currently, our trade turnover stands at approximately US$12.5 billion, though the balance is notably in deficit for Brazil. Nevertheless, we recognise significant potential for growth in this relationship, which is precisely why we are here today.

We are keen to engage in dialogue across a broad range of areas, including military cooperation, space exploration, science, economic development, education, and - above all - energy. Accompanying me today is our Minister of Energy, as well as the Minister of Science and Technology, both ministries have signed memorandums of understanding [with their Russian counterparts]. Our delegation also includes the President of the Federal Senate, Senator Davi Alcolumbre; the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies; and my advisor on foreign affairs, Celso Amorim, well known to you as a long-time friend. We are also joined by the Director-General of the Federal Police, and our Ambassador to Russia.

We also have among the delegation a prominent businessman who approached me in Brazil and said, "Are you going to Russia? I would like to accompany you, as I am the leading meat exporter to Russia." I was pleased to invite Mr Fernando Queiroz to join our delegation, and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce him to you, Mr President.

To further advance our dialogue, I would now like to invite some of my ministers to speak, beginning with our Minister of Energy, who has already engaged in discussions with you. For example, we have a strong interest in exploring cooperation with Russia in the supply of small nuclear power units.

<...>

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HMCS Margaret Brooke returns from historic Operation PROJECTION

National Defence

News release

May 9, 2025 - Ottawa, ON - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke has successfully completed Operation (Op) PROJECTION, marking the end of a historic deployment to the South American, Antarctic, and Caribbean regions. This mission, which began on January 10, 2025, was the first visit to Antarctica by a Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) vessel, supporting the first all-Canadian scientific research expedition to the region.

During the deployment, HMCS Margaret Brooke built and enhanced international relationships, in cooperation with Global Affairs Canada, through multiple port visits and engagements with regional partners throughout South America and the Caribbean. In Antarctica, the ship supported Canadian scientists in conducting vital research, showcasing Canada's commitment to understanding this unique polar environment.

The crew of HMCS Margaret Brooke demonstrated exceptional professionalism and dedication throughout Op PROJECTION. Their efforts have strengthened Canada's forward presence and diplomacy in the Central and South Americas, contributing to international peace and security. The climate change research conducted in the Antarctic region will benefit Canadians and the world by improving understanding of climate change impacts

Quotes

"Today, I acknowledge a historic moment as His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke returns from the Antarctic region. The crew of HMCS Margaret Brooke has demonstrated exceptional professionalism and dedication throughout Operation PROJECTION, and their efforts have strengthened Canada's forward presence and diplomacy in the Central and South Americas while enhancing Canada's understanding of the Antarctic region. I am immensely proud of their achievements and the significant contributions they have made to international peace and security." Rear-Admiral Josee Kurtz, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic

"The crew of His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Margaret Brooke has completed a 'once in a career' mission, advancing Antarctic research and enhancing Canada's commitment to international peace and security. Their hard work and dedication have established and fostered relationships with countries in the Central and South American regions. I couldn't be prouder of HMCS Margaret Brooke's crew and all the training and preparation they have done to be here. We couldn't be where we are today without every member of the team and the unwavering support of their family and friends." Commander Teri Share, Commanding Officer HMCS Margaret Brooke

Quick facts

MCS Margaret Brooke's mission included support to foreign diplomacy and Antarctic marine and coastal geoscience research, with an embarked science team assisted by the crew.

HMCS Margaret Brooke is a Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel, designed for operations in polar regions and extreme climates.

The climate change research conducted in the Antarctic region will benefit Canadians, especially those living in Arctic environments, by improving understanding of climate change impacts.

The science team was composed of academics and scientists from National Resources Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.

HMCS Margaret Brooke was away from home port for 119 days conducting training and in support of Op PROJECTION, sailed over 20,500 nautical miles, covered the geographical areas of South America, Antarctica, and the Caribbean, visited nine ports, and visited three Antarctic Research Stations.

Op PROJECTION is Canada's ongoing naval forward presence mission to promote peace and stability in support of the rules-based international order. During this operation, the RCN regularly conducts exercises, engagements and port visits with allies and partners.

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Yuyuantantian explains three considerations for why China decided to engage with the US

Global Times

By Global Times Published: May 09, 2025 11:39 PM

China's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that from May 9 to 12, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council He Lifeng will visit Switzerland, and during his visit to Switzerland, Vice Premier 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. The announcement has drawn widespread attention with many people wondering why the Chinese side has decided to engage with the US at this time.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce said that 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.

How to understand the three major considerations? Citing the Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson's comments on the issue, Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with China Media Group, explained the three considerations on Friday.

In terms of the first consideration -- global expectations, Yuyuantantian said that the economic and trade relationship between China and the US is of great significance to both countries and also has an important impact on global economic stability and development. By defending the stability of the global multilateral trading system, we are also defending our own development interests.

As for the second consideration -- national interests, Yuyuantantian noted that the inviolability of national interests is the basis for China's decision to hold talks with the US. The initiative to talk or fight remains in China's hands.

The third consideration -- calls from US industry and consumers. This reflects China's consistent position. The hope and foundation of China-US relations lies in the people. Maintaining the stable development of China-US economic and trade relations is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and is also conducive to the development of the global economy. Whether it is a fight or a negotiation, China's position and goal of defending international fairness and justice and maintaining the international economic and trade order will not change, Yuyuantantian said.

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Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin Jointly Meet the Press

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: May 08, 2025 22:05

At noon on May 8, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly met the press after their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow.

Xi Jinping noted that he just held in-depth, friendly and fruitful talks with President Vladimir Putin, during which many new important common understandings were reached. The two sides jointly signed the Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Further Deepening the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era on the Occasion of 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 Founding of the United Nations, and witnessed the exchange of multiple cooperation documents between relevant departments of the two countries, injecting new impetus into the development of China-Russia relations.

Xi Jinping emphasized that Russia is the country he has visited most frequently as President of the People's Republic of China, and this marks his 11th visit to Russia. Tomorrow, he will attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union, which will also be his second time attending this grand commemoration event after a decade. The past decade has witnessed major turbulence and transformation in the international situation, as well as great growth and great leapfrog in China-Russia relations. The two countries have jointly witnessed the continuous consolidation and deepening of political mutual trust, and the continuous improvement of cooperation in various fields. in the face of global, epoch-making and historical changes, China and Russia should firmly grasp the direction of bilateral relations and the prevailing trend in human development, step up with courage and conviction, engage in comprehensive coordination, and make new and greater contribution to each other's development and revitalization and upholding global fairness and justice.

China and Russia should carry on the long-standing friendship and be true friends tempered through trials and tribulations. Eighty years ago, in the face of brutal aggression of militarism and Nazism, the Chinese and Russian peoples stood united, fought side by side against a common enemy and wrote a remarkable and heroic chapter in history. The great friendship forged between the two peoples through the trials of war and bloodshed has laid a solid foundation for the high-level development of bilateral relations. The two countries should deepen political mutual trust, enhance strategic coordination and advance bilateral relations toward a more mature and resilient future.

The two countries should pursue mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and be good partners who help each other succeed. From overcoming hardships to deliver a large amount of urgently needed supplies to each other during World War II, to the current record-breaking bilateral trade volumes, the "high-speed train" of China-Russia mutually beneficial cooperation has taken an extraordinary journey through mountains and valleys, overcoming challenges and obstacles. China and Russia should continue to deepen practical cooperation in various fields and solidify the material foundation for their comprehensive strategic coordination, so as to bring more benefits to the people of both countries and inject stronger momentum into global development.

The two countries should uphold fairness and justice and be champions of the international order. China and Russia, as main theaters of Asia and Europe in World War II, have made decisive contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and laid a foundation for the establishment of the post-war international order. As forces for stability, progress and development in the international community, China and Russia should continue to firmly stand together, resolutely safeguard the U.N.-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and continuously promote an equal and orderly multipolar world.

China and Russia work side by side and be forerunners in improving global governance. The future of the world should be decided by all countries working together, and the fruits of global development should be shared by all. As major countries and key emerging markets, China and Russia both shoulder the lofty mission of making global governance fairer and more equitable, and the two sides should enhance coordination on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, remain committed to true multilateralism, guide global governance in the right direction, and promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Xi Jinping stressed that in the face of a turbulent and complex international situation, China and Russia should firmly uphold the spirit of lasting good-neighborliness and friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination, and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. The two countries should stand together to overcome challenges, comprehensively elevate the level, scope and resilience of China-Russia relations, inject more stability into world peace and security, and provide stronger impetus for global development and prosperity.

Cai Qi, Wang Yi and others were present.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on May 9, 2025

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: May 09, 2025 18:36

Beijing Daily: President Xi Jinping is paying a state visit to Russia and will attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. We noted that this is President Xi's 11th visit to Russiathe country he visited the most as president. The heads of state of China and Russia have maintained close communication and met over 40 times, and guided the growth of China-Russia relations in the new era amid a complex external environment. Can you share with us more details of this visit?

Lin Jian: President Xi Jinping is on a state visit to Russia upon invitation starting from May 7 and will attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. During the visit, President Xi and President Putin had in-depth, friendly and fruitful talks. They had in-depth exchanges of views on China-Russia relations and major international and regional issues and reached many new and important common understandings. The two heads of state signed the Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Further Deepening the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era on the Occasion of 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 Founding of the United Nations. They witnessed the exchange of over 20 bilateral cooperation documents, injecting new imputes into the development of China-Russia relations.

President Xi noted that the two sides, as good neighbors that cannot be moved away, true friends who share weal and woe, and good partners for mutual success. The relationship between China and Russia is characterized by a distinct historical logic, strong endogenous driving force and rich civilizations. It does not target any third party and it is not subject to restrictions from any third party. The two sides have successfully found the right way for the two neighboring major countries to get along with each other and forged a spirit of strategic coordination for a new era with permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation at its core. The two countries need to nourish everlasting friendship and deepen political mutual trust, and increase strategic coordination. The two countries need to pursue mutual benefit, and continue to deepen practical cooperation in various fields. The two countries need to uphold fairness and justice, and firmly defend the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law. The two countries need to enhance solidarity, safeguard true multilateralism and steer global governance towards the right direction.

President Xi stressed that 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. Facing unilateralism, power politics and bullying acts in the world, China and Russia, as two major countries and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, will shoulder responsibilities to uphold the correct historical perspective on WWII, safeguard the authority and standing of the U.N., firmly defend the victorious outcome of WWII, resolutely defend the rights and interests of China, Russia and all other developing countries, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

During the visit, China and Russia issued a joint statement on global strategic stability, reiterating that the two sides will endeavor to practice true multilateralism and support the central role of the UN and relevant multilateral mechanism. The two sides stressed that nuclear-weapon states, which bear special responsibility for international security and global strategic stability, should reject Cold War mentality and zero-sum games, address concerns via dialogue and consultations on an equal footing, and build confidence to avoid dangerous miscalculations. This demonstrates China and Russia's sense of responsibility as major countries for upholding and enhancing global strategic stability.

The two sides also issued a joint declaration on further strengthening cooperation to uphold the authority of international law, reiterating the two countries' full commitment to the principles of international law including the United Nations Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and opposition to the abuse of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction. The declaration emphasized that states have the right to conduct normal economic and trade cooperation, elaborated on the two sides' shared stance on important matters concerning international law and sent a strong message of resolutely upholding the the international order based on international law to the international community.

AFP: There was a new Pope declared yesterday in the Vatican, an American named Robert Francis Prevost, who is now known as Pope Leo XIV. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on this? And what are China's hopes for engagement with the Vatican during the new papacy?

Lin Jian: We congratulate Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as the new pope. We hope that under the leadership of the new pope, the Vatican will continue to have dialogue with China in a constructive spirit, have in-depth communication on international issues of mutual interest, jointly advance the continuous improvement of the China-Vatican relations and make contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

Bloomberg: I just have a question about President Xi Jinping's comments in Russia where he spoke about the Ukraine crisis. And he said that he hoped that a fair, lasting and binding peace deal that is accepted by all parties involved could be reached through dialogue. This is the first time that President Xi has personally spoken about the contours of a peace plan. Is this a new kind of constructional idea about what China wants to end the conflict or is this a continuation of China's previous statements?

Lin Jian: On the Ukraine crisis, China's position is consistent and clear and remains unchanged. China will continue to work with the international community to play a constructive role for resolving the crisis and realizing lasting peace.

Kyodo News: The competent authorities of China and Japan held their third round of talks yesterday regarding the export of Japanese aquatic products to China. Has any positive progress been made in the talks? What are the prospects for resuming imports of Japanese aquatic products?

Lin Jian: On May 8, China's General Administration of Customs held a technical exchange with the Japanese side at the latter's request on the safety of Japanese aquatic products. The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on how to strengthen the inspection and monitoring of aquatic products, and to ensure their quality and safety. The Chinese side stressed that the resumption of the import of Japanese aquatic products depends on data from China's continuous independent sampling and monitoring, and whether Japan will take concrete measures to effectively guarantee the quality and safety of the aquatic products. It should be in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations. The Japanese side attached great importance to the concerns of the Chinese side and Chinese people. They once again made sure that international monitoring of the discharge will continue being implemented, stakeholders can continuously carry out independent sampling and monitoring, and their exported aquatic products to China will meet China's regulation requirements and standards.

China's opposition to Japan's unilateral discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea remains unchanged. We will continue to work with the international community to urge Japan to honor its commitments and ensure that the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water always remains under strict international oversight, which is an effective measure to control the risks that come with the discharge.

Ukrinform News Agency: Russian leader Vladimir Putin yesterday at a meeting with Chinese President Xi stated that Russia and China are jointly countering modern manifestations of neo-Nazism. I'd like to ask whether it means that the Chinese side shares Moscow's vision, and whether this means that from now China will help Russia struggle against so-called Nazism, and support Russia's military operation?

Lin Jian: The UN General Assembly adopted multiple resolutions on fighting neo-Nazism with overwhelming majority, which represents the unequivocal position of the international community on this issue. You may refer to those resolutions. As I just said, on the Ukraine crisis, China's position is consistent and clear and remains unchanged. China stands ready to, in light of the will of parties concerned, work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role for resolving the crisis and realizing lasting peace.

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China, Russia deepen strategic partnership, slam US destabilizing policies

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 3:17 PM

Beijing and Moscow have pledged to deepen their strategic partnership while slamming the United States' destabilizing foreign policies.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin made a joint statement during Xi's official visit to Moscow, which coincided with Russia's Victory Day celebrations commemorating the end of World War II.

The two sides expressed concern over global instability and the expansionist policies of the United States and its allies.

"The United States and its allies are trying to promote NATO's eastward expansion into the Asia-Pacific region, build 'small circles' in the Asia-Pacific region, and win over countries in the region to promote their 'Indo-Pacific strategy,' undermining regional peace, stability and prosperity," the statement read.

Xi and Putin said they would deepen military and other ties and "strengthen coordination and jointly respond firmly to the United States' policy of 'dual containment' against both countries."

The two leaders called for a "correct view" of World War II history and condemned attempts to revise the outcomes of the war.

They also pledged to resist neo-Nazism, militarism, racism, and xenophobia, committing to prevent the resurgence of ideologies that threaten global peace.

Xi and Putin underscored their shared view on countering "unilateral coercive measures," such as sanctions imposed without United Nations approval. Such actions "violate the UN Charter" and undermine "international security," the statement said.

The call comes amid ongoing Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war and heightened trade tensions between China and the United States.

The Chinese president's four-day visit included a four-hour summit with Putin, during which several cooperation agreements were signed. Both countries reaffirmed mutual support for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Russia reiterated its adherence to the One-China policy, while both nations committed to enhancing coordination in global organizations, particularly the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The two sides also pledged to boost two-way trade, especially in high-tech sectors, and enhance collaboration in energy, e-commerce, and cultural exchanges. Plans were announced to strengthen legal frameworks for bilateral cooperation and continue educational and cultural initiatives under the "China-Russia Years of Culture."

On global issues, China and Russia advocated for multipolarity and non-interference in sovereign affairs, calling for adherence to international law and the UN Charter.

They reiterated that resolving the Ukraine crisis requires addressing its root causes and considering all countries' security interests under the principle of indivisible security.

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Xi calls for advancing building of China-Serbia community with shared future

Global Times

By Xinhua Published: May 10, 2025 07:51 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China and Serbia should carry forward the ironclad friendship, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the high-quality building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Noting his successful state visit to Serbia in May last year, Xi said that over the past year, the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in a new era has got off to a good start and the achievements are obvious to all.

As profound changes unseen in a century continue to unfold across the world amid multiple overlapping risks and challenges, China and Serbia should maintain strategic resolve and concentrate on managing their own affairs well, Xi said.

China is ready to deepen strategic communication with Serbia, enhance mutual support, strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, continue supporting the construction and operation of relevant projects, give full play to their demonstrative effect, and achieve more outcomes that deliver mutual benefit and win-win results, Xi said.

Xi stressed that 80 years ago, the peoples of China and Serbia made important contributions to the victory on the Asian and European battlefields in the World Anti-Fascist War, respectively.

China is ready to work with all countries in the world, including Serbia, to unite and cooperate to meet challenges, jointly safeguard world peace and international fairness and justice, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

For his part, Vucic said that China is Serbia's most precious friend, consistently offering selfless support and assistance to help Serbia develop its economy and improve the well-being of its people.

Serbia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and always believes that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, he said.

Serbia is ready to expand economic and trade exchanges with China, Vucic said, adding that his country welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Serbia, and will provide a favorable business environment for them.

It is hoped that China will actively participate in the 2027 Belgrade Specialized Expo, he said.

Vucic commends China's steadfast support for multilateralism, noting that China's visions and actions have bolstered the international community's courage and confidence in safeguarding common interests.

Serbia stands ready to unite with China in addressing the challenges posed by unilateralism and protectionism, Vucic added.

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Xi says China supports Cuba in safeguarding sovereignty, opposing foreign interference

Global Times

By Xinhua Published: May 10, 2025 07:49 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Friday that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty, and opposing foreign interference and blockade.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The Chinese side also supports Cuba's efforts to promote economic and social development, said Xi, adding that the two sides, both as important members of the Global South, should enhance coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the BRICS and the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, oppose power politics and unilateral bullying, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Xi recalled that he has met with Diaz-Canel on many occasions in recent years, saying that they have jointly led China-Cuba relations into a new stage featuring deeper political mutual trust, closer strategic coordination and more solid popular support.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cuba, Xi said, adding that China is willing to further consolidate the ironclad friendship with Cuba, build a closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, and set an example of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among developing countries.

Xi called on both sides to promote steady progress in exchanges at all levels and cooperation in various fields, and ensure that high-level political mutual trust always remains a distinct feature of relations between the two ruling parties and the two countries.

For his part, Diaz-Canel said Cuba and China are close friends and brothers, adding that his country appreciates China's long-term strong support for Cuba's economic and social development.

The Cuban side, he said, firmly abides by the one-China principle, and is ready to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance friendly people-to-people exchanges, promote coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and deepen the efforts of the building of a community with a shared future, so as to promote a greater development of bilateral relations.

He also said that Cuba supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, and is willing to work with China to jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and to safeguard the common interests of the international community.

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Xi says China to firmly support Venezuela in safeguarding sovereignty, social stability

Global Times

By Xinhua Published: May 10, 2025 07:46 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that China and Venezuela are good partners of mutual trust and common development, and China will, as always, firmly support Venezuela in safeguarding sovereignty, national dignity and social stability.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Noting that China and Venezuela have forged an ironclad friendship amid the changing international situation, Xi said that since the two countries elevated the bilateral relations to an all-weather strategic partnership in 2023, exchanges across various sectors and at all levels have been vigorous, bilateral trade has grown continuously, new progress has been made in investment cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and friendship between the two sides has become increasingly popular among the two peoples.

Xi said China has always viewed and developed relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to enhance the exchange of governance experiences with Venezuela, continue to deepen practical cooperation in various areas and take bilateral ties to new heights, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

China is ready to work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries to firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and promote the steady and sustained progress in building a community with a shared future between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, Xi said.

For his part, Maduro said China is a great friend of Venezuela, expressing his gratitude for China's longstanding and selfless support in helping his country safeguard national sovereignty and advance economic and social development.

Venezuela is looking forward to strengthening its all-weather strategic partnership with China, and deepening cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, science and technology, education and other fields for more tangible results, so as to better benefit the two peoples, he said.

Noting that Xi's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind has opened up bright prospects for world peace and development, Maduro said Venezuela is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to uphold multilateralism, defend international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the international community.

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DPRK Supreme Leadership Congratulates Russia's Day of Victory: DPRK Foreign Minister

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, May 9 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang is significantly commemorating the day of Russia's victory.

Choe Son Hui, minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, said as follows:

Kim Jong Un , president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, visited the Russian embassy in the DPRK on the morning of May 9 on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War and conveyed the best wishes to the state leadership of the Russian Federation and the Russian people on behalf of all the Korean people.

Comrade Kim Jong Un , together with his dearest daughter and leading cadres of the Party and the state, visited the Russian embassy in Pyongyang to warmly congratulate the day of the great victory of the fraternal Russian people with excellent sincerity.

He met with Russian friends residing in Pyongyang with pleasure and conveyed a beautiful flower basket for all the Russian people marking the day of victory.

He made a congratulatory speech.

In his speech, he referred to the unprecedented and important influence on the destiny and future of mankind and the eternal significance of the day of victory when the great Soviet army and people defeated Fascism, and clarified the steadfast stand of our Party, government and people to steadily consolidate and develop the long tradition of the DPRK-Russia relations, the noble ideological foundation and the invincible alliance.

The above-said activities of the supreme leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are a clear demonstration of the strong will to positively promote the sovereignty and dignity of the two countries, the people's peace and happiness, and the regional peace and security by dint of the DPRK-Russia friendship which has been developed into the relations of genuine comrade-in-arms and a long-standing strategic relations in the new era.

I regard it as an eventful moment to be specially recorded in the history of the development of the relations between the two countries and the two peoples.

Pyongyang and Moscow will always be together. -0-

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DPRK Premier Pak Thae Song Meets Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, May 9 (KCNA) -- Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Thae Song met with Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, the head of the government delegation of the Republic of Belarus, who paid a courtesy call on him, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Thursday

Present there were Jong Myong Su, vice-premier of the Cabinet, Yun Jong Ho, minister of External Economic Relations, Kim Jong Gyu, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, officials concerned, and leading members of the Belarusian government delegation.

The talk was held in a friendly atmosphere. -0-

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C.C. of WPK, SAC of DPRK, Standing Committee of SPA of DPRK and Cabinet of DPRK Send Joint Congratulatory Message to Leadership of Russian Federation and All Russian People

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, May 10 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and the Cabinet of the DPRK on May 9 sent a joint congratulatory message to the leadership of the Russian Federation and all the Russian people.

The joint congratulatory message said:

To the Leadership of the Russian Federation and All Russian People on the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War

The leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and all the Korean people extend the most heartfelt congratulations to the leadership and all people of your country on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of the fraternal Russian Federation.

We pay a great tribute to the generation of victors who devoted without hesitation all their precious things to winning the sacred war for the destiny of the motherland and the future of mankind. We give a sincere militant salute to the officers and soldiers of the Russian armed forces who are writing a new page of defending the sovereign rights, security interests and justice of the state at the cost of their blood even at this very moment.

The victory in the Great Patriotic War holds the most prominent position in the history of the Russian people and the history of human liberation.

The holiday of the sacred liberators and honorable victors who defeated the aggressive forces that emerged as the most reactionary and barbarous entities on the earth and brought freedom and peace to hundreds of millions of people in the world is a political and military event of weighty significance not only for the present and future of Russia but also for the destiny and future of the whole mankind.

With their unyielding and self-sacrificing struggle amid unimaginable ordeals and difficulties, the brave Soviet army and people smashed the fascist cliques' ambition for world domination, which had driven the mankind to death and ruin, thus setting the trend of history right.

Such exploits and glory shining in the history are sacred and absolute ones that no one can deny.

The despicable distortion of history attempting to weaken the decisive role of the Red Army in the great victory and to diminish the Soviet people's world-historic contribution can never be tolerated.

Our people and progressive humankind are well aware that tens of millions of sons and daughters of Russia dedicated their youth and lives to this grim war and that the Russian people paid dearly to win the precious victory.

History vividly remembers who really put the flag of victory on the citadel of Nazism and who saved the mankind from the miserable war, bloodshed and the destiny of slavery.

This truth of the history will remain eternal and unchanged not only in the past and the present, but also in the future.

Ultra-nationalism, obsessed with the hatred for other nations and the greed for conquest, can never prevail over patriotism full of fervent love for one's own country and the will to defend it. This immutable truth is proved once again in today's special military operations, the Russian army and people are conducting to contain the revival of fascism.

On the battlefields where different ideologies, ideals, aspirations and aims conflict violently, the Russian army and people are achieving a strategic victory with ardent patriotism and matchless heroism. Their victory has steadily carried on the fame and glory of 80 years ago to today, and clearly demonstrated the mightiness of Russia and the validity of its cause.

Our Party, government and people are convinced that the powerful Russia, the warmest fraternal country and staunch ally, will fulfill its important mission and role in the struggle for permanently maintaining the dignity and honor of a victor nation and defending international justice and peace.

The Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, once again, extend warm congratulations to the leadership of the Russian Federation and its people who are most proudly and significantly celebrating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War with boundless pride of victors.

May 9 is a shared holiday of the two peoples of the DPRK and Russia.

With the completion of the great historic cause of national liberation, our country emerged in the international arena as a full-fledged independent and sovereign state and built a thriving and prosperous socialist state. The valuable successes gained in this course are linked with the militant comradeship and the tradition of friendship and cooperation between the two countries of the DPRK and Russia.

The two countries of the DPRK and Russia successfully concluded the joint operations to liberate Kursk of Russia which was temporarily occupied by the neo-Nazi forces of Ukraine, in accordance with the international laws and provisions and spirit of the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership, thus defending the territorial sovereignty of the Russian Federation and boosting the invincible relations of comrade-in-arms and alliance to a higher level.

The DPRK-Russia alliance was pioneered in accomplishing the common cause of people's freedom and liberation and is demonstrating its invincible might in the sacred war to repel the invasion by neo-Nazism. This is a valuable asset and strength for the two governments, armies and peoples.

We remain unchanged in our stand to steadily carry forward the comprehensive heyday of DPRK-Russia relations by dint of the unity of the noble ideal and indomitable will.

The Workers' Party of Korea, the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Korean people are fully committed to the spirit and obligations of the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership between the DPRK and Russia. We will strongly support and encourage the Russian government and people in their cause of defending the sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity of the state.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea will always stand by the fighting Russia, the victorious Russia.

May eternal glory be with our brothers and friends!

Long live the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War!

Long live the invincible DPRK-Russia friendship! -0-

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Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Pays Congratulatory Visit to Russian Embassy in Pyongyang to Mark Russia's Great V-Day

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, May 10 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, paid a congratulatory visit to the Russian embassy here on May 9, the 80th anniversary of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War.

He was accompanied by his respected daughter.

He was also accompanied by Choe Son Hui, foreign minister of the DPRK, Jo Yong Won, Pak Jong Chon and Ri Hi Yong, secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK, No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, and other leading officials of the Party, government and military.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was courteously greeted by Alexandr Matsegora, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and major members of the embassy.

The fragrant bouquets were presented by dear Russian children to Kim Jong Un who visited the embassy with the warm feelings and comradeship of the Korean people to the fraternal Russian people.

Saying that he visited the embassy to convey the best wish of our Party, government and people to the leadership of the Russian Federation and fraternal Russian people through the ambassador on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war, he warmly congratulated the embassy members on greeting the most sacred and auspicious holiday of their country.

Saying that May 9 is the day of the precious victory won by the Russian people at the cost of their blood for the destiny of the motherland and mankind and for the justice, and the day of victory which brought immortal dignity and glory to the history of Russia and the day of war victory that recorded great epochal significance in the history of the world's anti-fascist and anti-aggressive struggle, he said that our state and people are regarding this day as the common holiday of the two countries of the DPRK and Russia and sharing joy with the friends of the ally.

The ambassador and his embassy staff extended their heartfelt thanks to Kim Jong Un who visits the embassy on the great V-day and expresses his sincere congratulations and full support and encouragement to the state and people of Russia.

A flower basket of best wishes sent by Kim Jong Un to the Russian people on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War was handed over.

Written in the ribbon of the flower basket were the letters reading "I pay the highest tribute and best wishes to the Russian people on the occasion of the great V-day. On behalf of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un ."

Kim Jong Un made a meaningful congratulatory speech.

He expressed his impression of having an occasion to personally convey the feelings and intention of the Korean people towards the Russian people on the occasion of Russia's great V-day. He extended warm congratulations to the president of the Russian Federation, the state leadership, the brave Russian army, all the Russian citizens, war veterans and persons of wartime merits on behalf of our Party and government, armed forces of the Republic and all the Korean people.

He referred to the historical traditions between the two countries which have recorded many pages of the unforgetable fraternity and solidarity for over 80 long years, the immortal feats of the Soviet army and people who saved peace of the planet and destiny and civilization of mankind, the immutable historic meaning of May 9 along with their feats and the firmness of the DPRK-Russia alliance proved by blood. He expressed the belief that Russia would surely achieve the great cause of building a power and wholeheartedly wished the Russian people eternal prosperity and happiness.

Amid the enthusiastic applause, Kim Jong Un personally conveyed to the Russian ambassador a joint congratulatory message sent by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and the Cabinet of the DPRK to the leadership of the Russian Federation and all the Russian people.

The ambassador paid the highest tribute to the head of the state of the DPRK who is adding shine to the historic significance of Russia's victory in the Great Patriotic War with his speech of enthusiastic and meaningful congratulations and encouragement for further consolidating the DPRK-Russia alliance on behalf of the leadership of the Russian Federation and all the Russian people.

A floral basket in the name of Kim Jong Un was laid before the "eternal flames" symbolic of the heroic life and feats of the unnamed soldiers.

Kim Jong Un paid high tribute to the martyrs, respectfully recollecting them who defended the dignity and sovereignty of their country and global peace and security at the risk of their lives in the grimmest years.

All the members of the Russian embassy with boundless reverence warmly saw off Kim Jong Un who left a sacred footprint to be specially recorded in the history of the DPRK-Russia friendship and solidarity associated with a long history and good tradition.

The victory of the sacred common cause of the peoples of the two countries for building powerful states and realizing international justice is sure to win and the great DPRK-Russia friendship which has been put on the basis of the most wonderful alliance will be immortal. -0-

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German Chancellor Merz Rejects EU Borrowing Plan to Increase Defense Spending

Sputnik News

20250509

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday opposed the idea of raising a common European loan to increase defense spending, saying that this financial instrument should only be used to refinance national budgets.

Merz was asked whether he agrees with the position of former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who, according to a media representative, strongly rejected the idea of borrowing.

"I share the views of the previous German government. We must not allow it to become normal when the EU takes on loans ... We are now facing a new big challenge - creating, or rather restoring, the EU's defense potential. We are seeking ways to finance this ... The EU should only borrow in exceptional cases. I believe that this should be requested solely to refinance national budgets, to guarantee the sustainability of the debt situation," Merz said at a press conference in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

At the same time, Merz expressed concern about the growth of government debt throughout the world, including in the United States.

On March 19, the European Commission presented a new defense strategy, initially dubbed ReArm Europe and later relabeled Readiness 2030, to raise EU defense spending to 1.5% of GDP. Its cost is estimated at 800 billion euros over the next four years, including 650 billion euros to be sourced from national budgets of member states and another 150 billion euros in loans. The European Commission will provide budget concessions for EU countries, as well as will redirect funds intended for regional development to military spending.

 Sputnik

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Secretary Rubio's Call with German Foreign Minister Wadephul

US Department of State

Readout

May 9, 2025

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio had an introductory call today with newly appointed German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. They discussed shared priorities including ending the war in Ukraine, and the need for European nations to increase defense spending.

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Foreign Minister Araqchi talks with IAEA Chief Grossi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 9, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi engaged in a phone conversation with Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi about cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

During the conversation, which took place on Friday morning, the two sides discussed the latest developments concerning the indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions.

Iran has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to cooperation with the IAEA to monitor the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.

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IRGC chief warns: Any attack's origin will be our attack's destination

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 9, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that the origin of any aggression against Iran will be turned into the destination of the country's response.

Speaking at the unveiling of a subterranean drone base operated by the IRGC Navy, Major General Hossein Salami said Iran's show of force aims to correct miscalculations by adversaries and prevent reckless decisions based on ignorance of Iran's true capabilities.

"Any point, in any land, that becomes the origin of aggression against us will become the destination of our response - that origin will be turned into a destination," Salami asserted.

"Our doctrine dictates that we strike at any point from which our interests are targeted, as well as any other point where our enemy's interests lie," he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, General Salami said the IRGC Navy is structured for confrontation with extra-regional powers and is capable of conducting a self-sustained war over extended periods.

He said that the force possesses precision-guided ballistic and cruise missiles capable of striking both fixed and mobile targets.

Salami said the drone fleet on display represents only a fraction of the IRGC Navy's capabilities and features some of the world's most advanced UAV technologies, giving commanders flexibility and precision in combat operations.

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'Utter desperation': Tehran blasts Netanyahu-led nuclear smear to sabotage U.S. talks

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 9, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran has strongly rebuked a recent Fox News report alleging the existence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons facility, dismissing it as a recycled disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the indirect nuclear talks with the United States.

In an X post at dawn on Friday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed the new allegations, saying it was part of a pattern of fabricated intelligence timed to coincide with diplomatic efforts.

"Like clockwork, more Very Scary Satellite Images are being circulated as Iran-U.S. indirect nuclear talks are set to resume," he wrote.

He said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was manipulating U.S. President Donald Trump under his "Determining What @realdonaldtrump Can & Cannot Do" policy.

"This time, he is using Saddam's Iranian henchmen," he said, referring to the anti-Iran terror group Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO). "They may come cheap, but hiring a literal cult only conveys utter desperation."

The Iranian U.N. mission echoed this sentiment, pointing out that the MKO has a long history of fabricating intelligence to gain recognition and influence Western policy.

"The modus operandi of the terrorist cult known as the MKO demonstrates that itin a desperate pursuit of recognitionfurnishes fabricated reports, disguised as so-called intelligence findings, to Western intelligence services, including those of the United States," the mission said in a statement shared on X.

"However, once such agencies come to discern the utter unreliability of the absurd reports churned out by the MKO terrorist cult, it then seeks out its next clientele among Western media outlets, aiming to exploit those platforms in order to ride the tide of media momentum."

The statements came after Fox News published satellite imagery purportedly showing a clandestine Iranian nuclear weapons facility. The report, citing the MKO as its source, claimed that the facility is part of Iran's efforts to develop nuclear weapons capabilities.

The report comes as Iran and the United States have held three rounds of indirect talks on the former's nuclear program.

The Islamic Republic maintains that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes and has consistently called out disinformation campaigns aimed at derailing diplomatic progress.

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FM Araghchi, IAEA chief Grossi discuss nuclear cooperation, Iran-US talks

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 2:16 PM

The Iranian foreign minister and director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have discussed bilateral cooperation on Tehran's peaceful nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi held a phone conversation on Friday.

They also discussed the latest developments regarding indirect talks between Iran and the United States amid reports that Tehran and Washington may hold a new round of indirect talks in the Omani capital Muscat on Sunday.

The meeting had initially been scheduled for May 3, but it was postponed due to "logistical and technical reasons".

The two sides have already held three rounds of indirect talks, mediated by Oman, on Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of US sanctions.

In a meeting with Grossi in Tehran on April 16, Araghchi once again urged the IAEA to adopt a clear and transparent position regarding the threats that have been made by various parties against the country's peaceful nuclear facilities.

The Iranian foreign minister urged the United Nations nuclear watchdog to ensure it remained impartial and did not succumb to external political pressures.

Araghchi later wrote on his X account that the IAEA can play a crucial role in peaceful settlement of Iran's nuclear file.

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Iran's nuclear spox rebukes Rubio's lack of info on enrichment, calls for 'calculated comments'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 2:00 PM

Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman and deputy head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), has pushed back against recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, rejecting his claim that only nuclear-armed states are enriching uranium.

In a televised interview last week, Rubio claimed, "The only countries in the world that enrich uranium are the ones that have nuclear weapons."

He said that Iran has to "walk away from enrichment," while also demanding restrictions on the country's legitimate missile program and allowing American inspectors access to its nuclear sites.

Responding to the comments, Kamalvandi said on Friday that, "Iran is not the only country enriching uranium without possessing nuclear weapons. It must be troubling for their State Department staff that their Secretary made such a statement without proper research."

He went on to list countries that, like Iran, enrich uranium while rejecting the development of nuclear arms.

"Countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, Argentina, and Germany enrich uranium and yet do not possess nuclear weapons," he said, calling on the US officials to make "calculated comments" on such issues.

Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), stresses that its nuclear program is strictly peaceful and within its rights under the treaty. Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized that uranium enrichment for civilian purposessuch as fuel for nuclear power plantsis permitted under international law.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also weighed in on the controversy via social media last week, stating, "Repeating falsehoods will not change basic facts. As a founding signatory to the NPT, Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle."

He emphasized that "there are several NPT members which enrich uranium while wholly rejecting nuclear weapons," and called Rubio's rhetoric "incendiary."

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's has prohibited pursuance, attainment, and storage of such non-conventional arms through an official decree as per religious and moral grounds.

Rubio made the remarks amid indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States, with three rounds held so far.

The fourth round, originally scheduled for last Saturday, was postponed, with some reports suggesting it may take place on Sunday, although no official confirmation has been issued.

Tehran has consistently maintained that a deal is within reach if Washington genuinely seeks assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. Iranian officials have also warned that "unrealistic" demands could jeopardize the talks.

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Iran: Secret nuclear site report desperate Netanyahu fabrication to wreck US talks

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 6:38 AM

Iran has rejected reports about an alleged secret nuclear site, saying they are supplied by the terrorist cult Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's order in a bid to sabotage indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the remarks in an X post on Friday after Fox News released what it claimed to be satellite imagery of a previously undisclosed nuclear facility in Iran's Semnan Province.

Araghchi said Netanyahu is using "Saddam's Iranian henchmen" under his policy of dictating what President Donald Trump must do with regard to the Islamic Republic in a desperate attempt to sabotage Iran's talks with the US.

"Like clockwork, more Very Scary Satellite Images are being circulated as Iran-US indirect nuclear talks are set to resume," he said.

"With his credibility in tatters and exposed as a saboteur, Netanyahuunder his 'Determining What @realdonaldtrump Can & Cannot Do' policyis turning to both old and new sock puppets. This time, he is using Saddam's Iranian henchmen. They may come cheap, but hiring a literal cult only conveys utter desperation."

Iran and the US have already held three rounds of indirect talks, mediated by Oman, on Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of US sanctions.

Earlier on Friday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations rejected the report as "absurd".

"The modus operandi of the terrorist cult known as the MKO demonstrates that itin a desperate pursuit of recognitionfurnishes fabricated reports, disguised as so-called intelligence findings, to Western intelligence services, including those of the United States," it said in a statement published on X.

"However, once such agencies come to discern the utter unreliability of the absurd reports churned out by the MKO terrorist cult, it then seeks out its next clientele among Western media outlets, aiming to exploit those platforms in order to ride the tide of media momentum."

The notorious MKO group has a dismal history of perpetrating terrorist attacks against Iranian civilians and officials and killing around 12,000 people since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Back on April 23, Araghchi had warned against "clear" attempts by the Israeli regime and certain groups to spoil diplomacy amid indirect negotiations with the US over Tehran's civilian nuclear program.

"Those seeking to manipulate public opinion can also be expected to come up with fantastical claims and props like scary-looking satellite images," he noted, adding, "Reality check: Every single milligram of enriched uranium in Iran is under full and constant IAEA supervision and monitoring."

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Trump decides to cut ties with Netanyahu over manipulation concerns: Report

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

May 9, 2025

United States President Donald Trump has reportedly decided to break off direct contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over manipulation concerns.

Yanir Cozin, a correspondent for Israeli Army Radio, said in a post on his X account on Thursday that the U.S. president made the decision after close associates told Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer that he believes Netanyahu is manipulating him.

Cozin cited the Netanyahu administration's failure to present a concrete plan regarding Iran, Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement, and Gaza as the reason behind the worsening Trump-Netanyahu relationship.

Anadolu news agency quoted an Israeli official as saying that Dermer's tone during recent talks with top Republican figures about what Trump should do was seen as "arrogant" and "unhelpful."

The official said that people around Trump told him that "Netanyahu was manipulating him."

"There is nothing Trump hates more than being portrayed as a fool or someone being played. That's why he decided to cut contact with Netanyahu," the official added.

The report comes as Iran and the United States have held three rounds of indirect talks on the former's nuclear program. Iran has condemned attempts by others, particularly Netanyahu, to sabotage the negotiations.

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Junta bombs northern Myanmar after rebels reject peace negotiations

Despite a ceasefire extension valid until May 31, junta bombs killed 4 civilians, including a child.

By RFA Burmese 2025.05.09 -- Myanmar's military launched attacks on four villages in northern Myanmar controlled by an insurgent group, according to a statement published by rebels on Friday, despite both armies agreeing to a ceasefire extension only days earlier.

A junta plane attacked villages in Shan state's Nawnghkio township, bombing Ya Pyin and Tha Yet Cho from Monday to Thursday, according to a statement from the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, which controls the area.

International rights groups and insurgents have criticized junta forces for repeatedly violating their own ceasefire declared on April 2 and extended until May 31 to aid in earthquake recovery. The junta troops have reportedly killed more than 200 civilians and destroyed homes and a hospital since the March 28 quake.

While the Three Brotherhood Alliance, comprising the TNLA, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, and Arakan Army, also declared a ceasefire until May 31, each has individual tensions with junta forces over contested territories.

The MNDAA agreed to transfer the city of Lashio in Shan state back to the military, but the TNLA has staunchly refused pressure from both the military regime and China during peace talks on April 28 and 29 to return territories acquired after the 2021 coup, including Nawnghkio and several parts of Mandalay region.

The move will severely cost TNLA, as junta attacks seem to be increasing, said a military analyst, who declined to be named for security reasons.

"They will be under less pressure if they accept the junta's demands. If they don't accept them now, they will suffer more. The [junta] military has a high chance of success," the analyst said.

Heavy artillery targeted a wedding ceremony in Tha Yet Cho village on Thursday, killing 4 civilians including a five-year-old child, and injuring seven more. During a battle between TNLA forces and junta soldiers in nearby Nawng Len village, the junta used drones to drop eight bombs and five gas bombs, and fired 31 explosives into residential areas.

Junta soldiers also targeted Ong Ma Ti and Taung Hla villages, where TNLA troops were stationed.

The TNLA did not release any information on the gas bomb attacks, and Radio Free Asia could not confirm their effects on residents.

Junta forces also targeted Mandaaly region's Thabeikkyin township, bombing TNLA-controlled Hpawt Taw village with a fighter jet.

The TNLA has urged the public to be vigilant and protect themselves against airstrikes.

RFA tried to contact junta spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for more information on the release, but he did not respond.

The next round of peace talks between China, Myanmar's military junta and the TNLA will be in August.

"They [the junta] want to pressure the TNLA before the August discussions," Thailand-based political analyst Sai Kyi Zin Soe told RFA.

"The military wants to reclaim the territories they lost in 2023."

Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.

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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Xi urges China, Myanmar to keep advancing key projects of economic corridor

Global Times

By Xinhua Published: May 10, 2025 07:48 AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged China and Myanmar to deepen strategic cooperation and keep advancing the construction of key projects of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

China and Myanmar belong to a community with a shared future that shares weal and woe and supports each other, Xi said, adding that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit, jointly advocated by China and Myanmar, have grown even stronger over time, with their contemporary value becoming increasingly prominent.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Xi said China will seek an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, follow the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and share weal and woe with its neighbors.

China will work with Myanmar to deepen the building of a community with a shared future, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, bringing greater benefits to the people of the two countries, Xi said.

Xi recalled that not long ago, a strong earthquake hit Mandalay, Myanmar, causing significant casualties and property damage, saying that China was the first to dispatch rescue teams and provide emergency humanitarian supplies, and stands ready to continue offering assistance to support Myanmar in rebuilding.

The Chinese side supports Myanmar in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national stability, and steadily advancing its domestic political agenda, Xi said.

Xi said it is hoped that Myanmar will take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Myanmar, and intensify efforts to combat cross-border crimes such as online gambling and telecom fraud.

He urged the two sides to jointly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

For his part, Min Aung Hlaing said that after Myanmar was struck by the earthquake, China immediately extended sincere condolences, and was the first to provide disaster relief assistance to his country, demonstrating the "Paukphaw" (fraternal) friendship and solidarity in times of hardship towards Myanmar, which the people of Myanmar will forever remember.

Under the strong leadership of President Xi, China has achieved remarkable progress in advancing Chinese modernization, Min Aung Hlaing said, adding that Myanmar highly values its relations with China and will always be a friendly neighbor that China can trust.

Min Aung Hlaing said that Myanmar is committed to advancing cooperation with China in areas such as economy and trade, as well as energy, and will make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese projects and personnel in Myanmar.

Myanmar highly appreciates the three global initiatives proposed by China and the vision of building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries, and stands ready to work with China to address common challenges, he added.

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Transcript of the Press Briefing by the Spokesperson on Friday, 09 May 2025

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Assalam-o-Alaikum,

Welcome to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I welcome you all at the weekly press briefing.

We all are aware of the recent tensions in Pakistan-India relations. India has been violating Pakistan's sovereignty since 7 May 2025. Condemnably, the Indian strikes against Pakistan haven dangered the regional peace and stability.

Pakistan unequivocally condemns these illegal acts. The Indian actions are a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and established norms governing the inter-state relations.

It is most unfortunate that India's reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict. India's jingoism and war hysteria should be a source of serious concern for the world.

South Asia is home to over one-fifth of the world population. It can ill-afford the irresponsible actions like the ones being carried out by India.

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. We once again reject any attempt to link the Pahalgam Attack with Pakistan.

A number of countries had called for exercise of restraint during the last two weeks. The international organizations like the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Cooperation had also counseled the same. It is highly deplorable that India did not pay heed to these calls. The international community should hold India accountable for its irresponsible, unlawful and belligerent conduct.

Yesterday, the Foreign Secretary of India made a number of accusations against Pakistan in a special press briefing. I wish to set the record straight in regard to the points raised by him.

First, the assertion that Pakistan escalated the situation through the Pahalgam Attack of 22 April 2025 is totally absurd. Till date, India has not been able to produce any credible and verifiable evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the attack. To the contrary, the acts of aggression committed by India's armed forces had the approval and support of its entire government. Thus, it is India that has escalated the situation by violating Pakistan's sovereignty and killing civilians. The Pakistani forces did not attack Pahalgam but the Indian forces did attack multiple locations in Pakistan. Accordingly, Pakistan reserves the right to take all appropriate measures in its self-defence, as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Second, on 26 April 2025, the Prime Minister of Pakistan proposed a transparent and independent probe into Pahalgam Attack through neutral investigators. However, India chose the path of belligerence and aggression. We are amazed to see the importance that the Indian Government attaches to the anonymous and dubious social media posts, upon which it has built the case for The Resistance Front's involvement in the Pahalgam Attack. Can any country in the world be allowed to attack another country on the basis of a few social media posts? India is attempting to act as a judge, jury and executioner.

Third, the investigations in the Mumbai and Pathankot could not make progress due to India's non-cooperative attitude. For past several years, we have been asking the Indian side for physical appearance of the 27 key witnesses of the Mumbai Attacks case before the trial court in Islamabad. However, India remains reluctant to send them to Pakistan, even today. As a result, the judicial proceedings remain stalled.

Fourth, while India portrays itself as a victim of terror, it conveniently ignores its own role in planning, sponsoring and abetting terrorism in Pakistan. It is no secret that India's network of targeted assassination and other subversive activities has gone global. Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving officer of Indian Navy, is a living proof of the Indian state's involvement in terror, subversion and espionage in Pakistan.

At this occasion, I should also remember the victims of Samjhota Express tragedy in which over 40 Pakistani citizens were killed by Hindu extremists. Most regrettably, the culprits behind this tragedy, who had links with India's ruling dispensation, were acquitted. We are fully justified to ask whether the victims of Samjhota Express tragedy children of a lesser god?

Fifth, the Indian claims of targeting the terrorists or terrorist infrastructure only, are patently false. It is a matter of record that the Indian strikes resulted in martyrdom of civilians, including women and children. It also a matter of public knowledge that some mosques were destroyed or damaged during the Indian aggression. Similarly, parts of the Neelum Jhelum Hydroelectric Project were damaged due to the Indian shelling, which is inter alia, a violation of international conventions. We are well within our right to demand that India should be held accountable for these crimes.

Sixth, the Indus Waters Treaty has been a successful water-sharing arrangement between the two neighboring states. The Treaty withstood tests of wars and stand-offs. However, the current Indian dispensation is bent upon weaponizing water. Holding in abeyance of IWT is unilateral and illegal. There are no such provisions in the treaty. This action shows India's blatant disregard for the sanctity of international treaties. It sets a dangerous precedent. It strikes at the fundamental pillar of the regional cooperation with profound implications for regional and global stability. Pakistan is an agrarian economy. Millions of people are dependent on the waters being regulated by this Treaty. The Indian decision is equivalent to an attack on the people of Pakistan, and its economy.

For Pakistan, the Indian announcement is of no legal consequence. The Treaty remains in force and fully binding on parties.

The Indian allegations of Pakistan's refusal to enter into government to government negotiations are also incorrect. Pakistan has been continuously engaged with India on the subject.

Last but not the least, we particularly regret the Indian Foreign Secretary's indecent and undiplomatic remarks that Pakistan has been in the habit of lying since its creation in 1947. We expected better from a diplomat of his status. It is most unfortunate that, nowadays, India's ruling dispensation is trying to re-write history, making a number of absurd claims. India's founding fathers must be turning in their graves. We wish to remind them that it was India that took the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to the United Nations. Today, how can it renege from its own commitments made to the United Nations, to Pakistan and above all, to the Kashmiri people.

In fact, India remains a permanent factor of instability in the region owing to its hegemonic ambitions. It has constantly been working to destabilise its smaller neighbours and has stonewalled all efforts to promote regional cooperation.

I thank you.

***

(Shaukat Piracha, AAJ News): Sir, how do you assess the war hysteria created by Indian media, especially last night?

Spokesperson:Piracha Saab, the conduct of Indian media last night was extremely irresponsible and jingoistic. And frankly, disinformation is one thing, but the conduct of Indian media yesterday was indeed farcical. Encouraged by the Indian state, its media tried to create an alarming situation. 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 destabilise the region. Such actions not only further endanger regional peace but also reveal a disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation for political and military ends.

(Anas Mallick, Capital TV): Since you mentioned about the Indus Waters treaty still being enforced, India has said that it has written a letter with regards to the suspension of the treaty. How does Pakistan have to respond on that?

Spokesperson: We have responded to the Indian letters by conveying that the treaty remains fully in force and is binding on the parties. There is no provision in the treaty to hold it in abeyance. And I may also repeat what I said in my opening remarks; the Indus Waters Treaty has been successful water sharing arrangement between the two neighbouring countries. The treaty has withstood tests of wars and standoffs. However, the current Indian dispensation is bent upon weaponizing water. Holding in abeyance of Indus water treaty is unilateral and illegal. There are no such provisions in the treaty. This section shows India's blatant disregard for the sanctity of international treaties. It sets a dangerous precedent. It strikes a fundamental pillar of regional cooperation with profound implications for regional and global stability. Pakistan is an agrarian economy. Millions of people are dependent on the water being regulated by this treaty. The Indian decision is equivalent to an attack on the people of Pakistan and its economy.

Islamabad

9 May 2025

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Dinner on behalf of the President of Russia for the heads of delegations attending the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory

Vladimir Putin spoke at a dinner hosted on behalf of the President of Russia for the heads of foreign delegations and honorary guests who have come to Moscow for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

May 8, 2025

20:30

The Kremlin, Moscow

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

First of all, I would like to cordially welcome and express gratitude to all of you, our reliable friends and partners. You have come to Moscow to share the joy of the celebrations of Victory over Nazism and commemorate the heroes who saved humanity.

May 9 is a sacred day for our multinational people. The Soviet Union played a decisive role in defeating Nazism. It is a historical truth which nobody can hush, distort or take away from us.

The greatness of the heroism of our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers will never fade. They engaged in a deadly combat for their country and homes, for the right to independently decide their fate, to speak and think in their national languages, and to bring up their children in accordance with their culture and traditions.

Neither will we forget our allies and comrades in that sacred battle, and the fact that Victory was brought about by the concerted efforts of the people of Europe, the United States, Africa, Latin America and the Asia Pacific region, the fortitude and courage of the armed forces of the anti-Hitler coalition, members of the Resistance and national liberation movements, partisans and members of the underground.

May 1945 opened the door to a new architecture of global security, to creating a fundamental international institution - the United Nations Organisation. It is our duty to the generation of the victors to make full use of its vast potential.

I would like to reiterate that the demand for the UN and its importance are growing today, when a more just world order is being developed. It is essential to continue to strengthen its central coordinating role in global affairs, and to ensure strict compliance with the fundamental norms and principles of international law, sealed in the UN Charter, in their entirety, interconnection and interrelation. That issue was raised, in particular, at last year's BRICS summit in Kazan, which many of the heads of delegations present here attended.

The celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Moscow have brought together the leaders of a wide variety of sovereign states with different models of political, economic and social development, different religions, world outlooks, civilisations and cultures.

However, this diversity is not a dividing but an enriching factor, which makes us stronger because our relations and cooperation are based on shared values and aspirations. We stand for justice and equality, for the triumph of the noble ideals of friendship and neighbourly relations, for mutual accord and respect, for taking all opinions and interests into account, and for equal and indivisible security for all. We call on the international community to show solidarity in addressing the current acute problems, and to assume joint responsibility to our future generations.

I am confident that only this approach will help ensure a lasting peace, well-being and equal opportunities for all nations. Russia is ready for this joint creative work.

Friends, I would like to propose a toast to the generation of the victors, to the Great Victory, to peace and prosperity, and to you, our friends.

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Parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory

President of Russia, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin attended a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

May 9, 2025

11:10

Red Square, Moscow

The parade began with a march of the banner group bringing the national flag of Russia and the Victory Banner into Red Square. The parade was led by Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces General of the Army Oleg Salyukov and reviewed by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov.

The marching column on Red Square included 55 ceremonial units of over 11,500 service personnel, including over 1,500 personnel involved in the special military operation. Military contingents from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Egypt, China, Laos, Mongolia, and Myanmar also took part in the Victory Parade.

The mechanised column was led by the legendary T-34 Victory Tank and SU-100 self-propelled artillery units. The Tigr-M and VPK-Ural armoured vehicles, Linza armoured medical vehicles, BRM-1K reconnaissance vehicles, BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, BMP-2M, BMP-3 and Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicles, BMD-4 and BTR-MDM Rakushka airborne infantry fighting vehicles, as well as main battle tanks T-72B3M, T-80BVM and T-90M Proryv were part of the mechanised column as well. Missile and artillery units showcased self-propelled artillery systems, Iskander-M precision missile systems, the S-400 Triumf air defence complex, and Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers.

For the first time, the parade presented unmanned aerial vehicles and loitering munitions, including the Orlan, Lancet, Garpiya and Geran drones.

The parade concluded with the renowned Kubinka Diamond formation of Su-30 and MiG-29 fighter jets from the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) and Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatic teams. Closing the flyover, Su-25 attack aircraft painted the sky in the colours of the Russian national flag.

The music accompaniment for the parade was provided by the combined military orchestra of the Moscow Garrison.

* * *

Speech by the President of Russia at the military parade

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Citizens of Russia,

Veterans, guests,

Comrade soldiers and sailors, sergeants and sergeant majors, midshipmen and warrant officers,

Comrade officers, generals and admirals,

I congratulate you on the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War!

Today, we are all united by the feelings of joy and grief, pride and gratitude, and admiration for the generation that crushed Nazism and won freedom and peace for all humanity at the cost of millions of lives.

We faithfully preserve the memory of those historic, glorious events. As the heirs of the victors, today we celebrate Victory Day as the most important holiday for the country, which the entire nation, each family, each of us holds dear.

Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers saved the Fatherland. And they bequeathed us to defend the Motherland, to stay united and firmly defend our national interests, our thousand-year history, culture and traditional values - everything that is dear to us, that is sacred to us.

We remember the lessons of World War II and will never agree with the distortion of those events or attempts to justify the murderers and slander the true victors.

Our duty is to defend the honour of the Red Army soldiers and commanders, and the heroism of fighters of different ethnic backgrounds who will forever remain Russian soldiers in world history.

Russia has been and will continue to be an indestructible obstacle to Nazism, Russophobia and anti-Semitism, and will stand in the way of the violence perpetrated by the champions of these aggressive and destructive ideas.

Truth and justice are on our side. The whole of Russia, our society and all people support the participants in the special military operation. We are proud of their courage and spirit, and their steely determination that has always brought us victory.

Friends,

The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the enemy's most savage and relentless assaults. Millions of people, once devoted solely to peaceful labour, took up arms and stood firm to the death on every hill, bridgehead, and defensive line. The outcome of the Second World War was determined by decisive victories in major battles of Moscow and Stalingrad, on the Kursk Bulge and the Dnieper River, by the courage of the defenders of Belarus, who were the first to face the invader, by staunch resistance at the Brest Fortress and in Mogilev, Odessa, Sevastopol, Murmansk, Tula and Smolensk, by the heroism of the residents of besieged Leningrad, by the bravery of all those who fought on the front lines, in partisan units, and in the underground resistance, as well as by the selfless efforts of those who evacuated plants and factories under enemy fire, and who worked on the home front, giving everything they had, working to the limits of their ability.

The Nazis' plans to conquer the Soviet Union were shattered by the unshakable unity of the nation. The heroism of the Soviet people was common, and every republic shouldered the shared, immense burden of war.

The contribution of the peoples of Central Asia and the South Caucasus was immense. From these regions came a steady flow of trains delivering everything the front needed. Hospitals were established, and hundreds of thousands of evacuees found a second home there. They were offered shelter, food, and heartfelt compassion.

We honour every veteran of the Great Patriotic War and bow our heads in remembrance of all who gave their lives for Victory, the sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, loved ones, and friends.

We bow our heads before our fallen comrades-in-arms who laid down their lives as heroes in a righteous battle for Russia.

Let us now observe a moment of silence.

(A moment of silence.)

Friends,

Nearly 80 percent of the world's population were drawn into the fiery orbit of World War II.

The complete defeat of Nazi Germany, militarist Japan and their satellites around the world was achieved through the combined efforts of the Allied Nations.

We will never forget that the opening of the Second Front in Europe, which took place after the decisive battles in the territory of the Soviet Union, hastened Victory. We highly appreciate the contribution made to our common struggle by the Allied armies, members of the Resistance, the courageous people of China, and all those who fought for a peaceful future.

Friends,

We will continue to look up to our veterans, taking example from their wholehearted love of the Motherland and commitment to defending our homeland and the values of humanism and justice. We will give these traditions and this great heritage the biggest place in our hearts and will pass them on to future generations.

We will always rely on our unity in battle and in peaceful endeavours, in striving for strategic goals and tackling problems for the benefit of Russia and its greatness and prosperity.

Glory to the victorious nation!

Happy holiday!

Happy Victory Day!

Hurrah!

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Meeting with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

The President of Russia had a meeting with President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who is taking part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

May 9, 2025

18:35

The Kremlin, Moscow

Attending the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, 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 Industry and Trade, Russian Co-chair of the Joint Russian-Egyptian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Anton Alikhanov, Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev, Head of the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare Anna Popova, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces - Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev, and Director General of Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheyev.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President,

Friends,

We are genuinely happy to see you all in Moscow at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

As is well known, Egypt was a scene of some major battles during the war. The country became a foothold for our allies in the anti-Hitler Coalition in North Africa. In February 1945, Egypt officially declared war on the Axis, and so it is among the victorious states.

Our common fight against Nazism contributed to the establishment of ties between our countries. It is symbolic that the Soviet Union and Egypt established diplomatic relations precisely during the war, in August 1943, after Hitler troops were defeated at the Kursk Bulge.

Today, Russian-Egyptian relations are on the upswing. Our cooperation is multifaceted and based on the provisions of the Treaty on comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.

We maintain regular and substantive political dialogue. We held our previous meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024 where your country participated for the first time as a full-fledged member.

Egypt is among Russia's key partners in Africa. Last year, trade rose by over 30 percent to reach a record-breaking US$9 billion whereas in the first two months of this year it grew by over 80 percent more.

An intergovernmental Russian-Egyptian commission is active. Major joint projects are being continued and we firmly believe that we will move on in all those areas. Our nations coordinate their approaches to current international issues including the Middle East.

Mr President, friends, we are glad to have this opportunity to discuss with you these and many other current issues and areas or Russia-Egypt interaction.

Once again, welcome.

President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (retranslated): Thank you very much, Mr President.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!

Mr President, allow me first of all to express my joy from meeting you again. I appreciate the warm reception and hospitality. Let me congratulate you and friendly Russian people on the anniversary of the Great Victory in the Great Patriotic War. It is a great honour for me to attend these ceremonies.

I would like to say that it all lies within the context of our strategic partnership. We are stepping up our interaction and our political consultations. I am very hopeful that the intergovernmental commission will have a successful meeting on May 12-14.

Mr President, thank you very much once again for the hospitality. Let me congratulate you once again, on my own behalf and on behalf of our delegation and the Egyptian people, on the Victory anniversary.

<...>

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The EU's Latest Sanctions Package Against Russia Might Be Its Weakest Yet

By Rikard Jozwiak May 09, 2025

The European Union's latest proposal for the next round of sanctions on Russia -- the 17th package since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine over three years ago -- might just be its weakest yet.

Presented by the European Commission earlier this week to the 27 EU member and seen by RFE/RL, contains no hard-hitting economic measures against the Kremlin.

Instead, it features more asset freezes and visa bans on various individuals and entities, mostly Russian citizens and companies involved in the arms industry. It also includes banning 98 more ships from Moscow's so-called shadow fleet from being serviced at EU ports, bringing the total of ships on the list to 250. And lastly, it imposes export restrictions on 35 companies, most of which are Russian but others are Kazakh, Serbian, Turkish, and Uzbek.

The goal, according to EU officials RFE/RL has spoken to, is to adopt the proposal when the bloc's foreign ministers meet on May 20. The club wants to show that Russia's numerous attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure in recent weeks shouldn't go unpunished, and approval is also likely to be swift -- the new measures are so uncontroversial that even a sanctions skeptic like Hungary would be ready to give a ready thumbs-up.

According to diplomats familiar with the sanctions negotiations, Budapest will, however, request a certain proposed entity be scrubbed off the list. It's the Dubai-based Litasco, a subsidiary of the Russian energy giant Lukoil. Hungary is one of the very few EU countries still importing Russian oil. Brussels wants to target the company as it has "enabled the procurement of numerous vessels forming part of the so-called shadow fleet," according to the proposal. "These vessels have transported oil from Russia while turning off or manipulating their AIS transponders, not maintaining adequate liability insurance or other financial security, as well as carrying out unsafe maritime operations."

Sanctions On Chinese Companies

There are also questions about whether blacklisting six proposed Chinese companies will fly given that some European capitals are wary of upsetting Beijing too much given the extensive trade links between Brussels and China. The most interesting of these are Poly Technologies, which has provided components for Russian military helicopters, and Skywalker Technology, a producer of the Gerbera drone that Brussels says "has been used by the Russian military in Ukraine, in particular as a decoy drone to overwhelm Ukrainian defense systems."

While this package seems insignificant, the EU has been working on separate sanctions measures targeting Russia in parallel to the 17th package. These are more thematic sanctions consisting of asset freezes and visa bans, and are set to be adopted later in May. These include blacklistings for human rights abuses, the use of chemical weapons, and "destabilizing activities" carried out around the world.

The human rights violation package targets 28 people, all Russian judges and prosecutors, who are responsible for either targeting the deceased Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny and his associates or for sentencing Russians for spreading anti-war messages online.

The chemical weapons proliferation listings target three entities, including the Radiological Chemical and Biological Defense Troops of the Russian Defense Ministry. In its reasoning, the EU is for the first time formally accusing the Kremlin of using chemical weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The Individuals Targets

The proposal also targets 21 individuals and companies for destabilizing activities around the world. These include two people accused of being behind attacks on vehicles of the Estonian interior minister and the editor of a Russian-language newspaper in Tallinn.

Others include Elena Kolbasnikova, a Russian national accused of creating "political structures with the German anti-democratic extreme political right in support of Russia's destabilization of Ukraine," Alina Lipp, a war correspondent with the Russian armed forces in eastern Ukraine, and German blogger Thomas Roper, who "disseminates misinformation about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and delegitimizes the Ukrainian government."

Two targeted Moldovan nationals, Ivan and Iurie Neculiti, run a Web hosting service registered in the United Kingdom called Stark, which reportedly enables "various Russian state-sponsored and affiliated actors to conduct destabilizing activities including coordinated information manipulation and interference and cyber-attacks against EU and third countries."

There are also a handful of people who allegedly spread Russian propaganda in various African countries and a Russian fishing company, Murman SeaFood. This company is the owner of a vessel that according to the EU "has repeatedly shown untypical behavior and navigation practices inconsistent with their normal fishing activities, including presence in close vicinity to an ongoing NATO military exercise and regular presence close to Norwegian critical infrastructure and military sites."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-russia-sanctions- package-ukraine-hungary-/33409397.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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Don't Mention The (Ukraine) War: How Putin Celebrated WWII Victory Day

By Mike Eckel May 09, 2025

Eighty years after the surrender of Nazi Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin had plenty to say about it and the unparalleled destruction that the Soviet Union suffered during World War II.

Not so much about that other war, the largest in Europe since World War II: Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In fact, except for a passing mention of what Putin calls the "special military operation," there was none at all.

It might be a coping mechanism. Or it might be a split-screen visual. Or simply a reflection of the Gordian Knot that the Kremlin has tied for itself in a conflict that has devastated Ukraine but also inflicted more casualties on Russia than all the wars it has fought since 1945.

The war on Ukraine is tangled up in what the Kremlin calls "root causes." That's largely a euphemism for Moscow's version of 20th-century history, in which the Soviet Union helped lead the Allies to liberate Europe and then impose four decades of authoritarian, Communist rule over much of it.

The variables of the Kremlin's twisted calculus include the false claim that Ukraine is now controlled by neo-Nazis who helped engineer a coup 11 years ago, driving out a president with Russian sympathies and persecuting Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine.

No less important a variable: the assertion that United States and NATO betrayed Moscow when the alliance embraced former members of the Warsaw Pact -- the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and others -- in the subsequent years.

"We remember the lessons of World War II, and we will never agree with distortion of its events, with attempts to justify the executioners and slander the real winner," Putin said during the May 9 speech. "Truth and justice on our side. The entire country, all of society, the people support the participants of the special military operation."

In the speech, which at 10 minutes was one of the shortest Victory Day speeches in the 26 years he has been Russia's dominant political leader, Putin offered a corrective, or a retort, to US President Donald Trump.

Two days earlier, Trump assertedthat "victory was mostly accomplished because of [the United States], like it or not. We came into that war. We won that war."

That's heresy in Moscow, where the memories of the 20-plus million Soviet war dead remain in sharp focus, as does the Battle of Stalingrad, the cataclysmic clash that most historians consider to be a major turning point in the war.

"We will always remember that the opening of the second front in Europe -- after the decisive battles on the territory of the Soviet Union -- brought victory closer," Putin said, a reference to the Allied invasion of Normandy, 16 months after Stalingrad.

In contrast to past speeches, Putin was restrained in his bashing of the West. For example, in 2007, he likened the United States to the Third Reich. In 2022, months after launching the Ukraine invasion, he accused the United States of "humiliating... the whole world."

So What About Ukraine?

The Ukraine invasion has been trending favorably for Russia as its forces grind down outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian troops on the battlefield.

Diplomatically, Trump's efforts to prioritize a resolution of the conflict broke the isolation of Putin, imposed by Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, with support of Western allies.

The Trump administration has signed onto several core demands for the Kremlin, some of which Putin used to justify going to war in the first place. That includes recognizing Russia's claim to Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and blocking Ukraine from future membership in NATO.

More recently, there's been a shift in the Trump administration tone. Trump's vice president, JD Vance, this week said Russia was "asking too much" in the peace talks.

Putin announced a three-day cease-fire to coincide with Victory Day celebrations. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected that, calling it a theatrical show, and countered with a proposal for a 30-day halt in fighting. Kyiv has also accused Russia of massive violations of its own truce, and Russia has leveled similar accusations.

For weeks, Kyiv and Moscow have cudgeled each other using drones and missiles with increasing intensity. On May 7, Ukraine reportedly launched more than 500 drones and 11 missiles and glide bombs on Russian targets,the Defense Ministry claimed.

On May 8, the eve of Russia's celebrations, Trump endorsed the 30-day proposal and threatened sanctions "if a cease-fire is not respected" by either country.

The endorsement followed a phone call with Zelenskyy, who has a fraught history with Trump. Ukrainian lawmakers also blessed a major deal giving US companies privileged access to Ukraine's valuable minerals, something on which Trump had conditioned US support.

Cudgeling Ukraine with accusations of "Nazism" draws from the Kremlin's selective reading of the 20th century, too, in particular Stepan Bandera, the Ukrainian nationalist who is revered as a hero by many Ukrainians for leadership in the anti-Soviet independence movement. Others regard him as a traitor whose forces collaborated with Nazi Germany and conducted murderous campaigns against Poles and Jews.

In Putin's 2022 speech, he mentioned both "Western-backed neo-Nazis" in Ukraine as well as "Banderites"-- a Kremlin-favorite epithet used against Ukrainian nationalists.

That rhetoric was absent this year.

But also absent was any indication that he was contemplating ending the Russian invasion.

"Putin does not intend to end the war. He is not changing the goals he started with," Igor Yakovenko, a former Russian journalist and lawmaker who is now an exiled sociologist, told Current Time ahead of the speech.

"The aim of the war is obvious. It has been couched in two euphemisms: 'de-Nazification' and 'de-militarization.' Translated into plain language, this means stripping Ukraine of its military and destroying the Ukrainian state," he said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-red-square-victory- day-wwii-war-nazi-ukraine/33409449.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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Hungary Prepares for Battle Over EU's Plan to Phase Out Russian Energy

Sputnik News

20250509

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The EU executive is considering bypassing Hungary in the vote on its plan to phase out Russian energy imports by relying on a "qualified majority," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.

"We need to gather allies, to prepare legally. There really is a plan to bypass a unanimous decision and pass it by a qualified majority," Orban told Kossuth Radio.

Hungary is gearing up for an uphill battle in the coming weeks and months to ensure that Hungarian households are not forced to pay twice as much for power and utilities, Orban said.

Orban estimated that Hungary would have to pay about 2 billion euros ($2.23 billion) more for energy than it does now if the European Commission gets its plan to abandon Russian energy imports adopted by the Council of the European Union.

A qualified majority requires at least 15 out of 27 EU member states representing at least 65% of the total EU population to support the proposal.

On Tuesday, the Commission presented a project on ending Russian energy imports to the EU by the end of 2027. The Commission intends to submit a legislative proposal in June to ban all imports under new Russian gas contracts and existing spot contracts. This ban could come into effect by the end of 2025. Remaining imports of pipeline gas and LNG from Russia under long-term contracts could stop by the end of 2027.

 Sputnik

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Syria's HTS officials visited Israel for normalization: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 09 May 2025 8:09 AM

A delegation from the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led administration in Syria has reportedly made a secret visit to the occupied territories to hold direct talks with Israeli officials after HTS head Abu Mohammed al-Jolani signaled readiness to normalize ties with Israel.

Citing Syrian sources, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported on Wednesday that officials from Syria's Quneitra province and one senior defense official secretly visited the occupied territories for several days at the end of April to meet with Israeli military officials.

That came as Reuters reported that the UAE had facilitated a backchannel between Syrian and Israeli officials.

Al-Jolani also confirmed what he termed as "indirect" negotiations with the Israeli regime.

According to Reuters, the talks were focused on security and intelligence issues and confidence-building between the two sides.

A person with direct knowledge of the matter, cited by Reuters, described the effort as currently focused on technical matters and that there was no limit to what issues may eventually be discussed.

Al-Jolani has recently expressed readiness to normalize ties between Syria and Israel amid Washington's plans to revoke anti-Damascus sanctions and Israel's occupation of more Syrian land.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group, a former branch of al-Qaeda, along with other militants, seized control of Damascus on December 8, 2024, forcing Assad, a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, to leave the country.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently described how the Israeli military helped the HTS takeover of Syria in December.

Since Assad was toppled, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes against Syria and occupied large swathes of territory in the country, in addition to the Golan Heights, which it occupied during the Six-Day War in 1967.

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2025/05/09

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1.Date

6 a.m. May 8 (Thu.) to 6 a.m. May 9 (Fri.) (UTC+8)

2.PLA activities

14 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN ships, and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 12 out of 14 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

1140509_PLA activities [Open a new window]

1140509_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan [Open a new window]

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Rangers have warned illegal activity in state and national parks will be penalised with large fines.

Campers should enjoy state forests, but ensure they are following the rules. Source: Queensland Government

Camping is one of Australia's favourite pastimes and while the mercury might be dropping across the country as winter kicks in, plenty of Aussies are still jumping into their 4WDs to enjoy the great outdoors while they still can.

But those who head out into nature are being urged to "take responsibility" for their actions while camping in some of our most stunning state and national parks after rangers witnessed a host of bad behaviour attracting hefty fines in recent weeks.

Rangers issued fines for campers riding unregistered motorbikes with children, not holding valid licences, failing to wear helmets and camping without a permit. Fines as high as $1209 were issued for offences deemed life-threatening.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has now issued a "strong reminder" to campers and visitors of the serious consequences of their actions.

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"Take some personal responsibility," Queensland ranger Luke told Yahoo News. "You dont roll into a Gold Coast motel and demand to stay and maybe pay the bill on the way out. Our camping areas are the same, book ahead, secure ahead, pay your fees and have a great time.

"The same goes with riding motorbikes or 4WDing," he added. "Do your research and understand the rules and expectations, and you wont have an unpleasant conversation with people like me."

Benarkin State Forest can only handle so many visitors. Source: National Park Odyssey

What happened in Queensland state forests?

Ranger Luke told Yahoo News he witnessed several offences at Benarkin State Forest over Easter and Anzac weekends and has seen body cam footage from fellow rangers of bad behaviour from Wondai State Forest.

At Wondai, adults were seen riding quad bikes without helmets with children who also weren't wearing helmets. Others were spotted riding unregistered motorbikes. In Benarkin, camping without permits was a major issue.

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"In Queensland, to stay overnight in a national park or state forest in dedicated gaming areas, a person is required to jump online and obtain a camping permit for their party," Luke said.

The permit is $7.25 per person per night. "It's not a big fee," he said. "The reason we have a fee system is so that we can design our camping areas and amenities."

It also helps manage overcrowding, so visitors have a "good experience" and notifies campers of risks such as wildfire season.

"People who camp without a permit or turn up essentially undermine the camping system," Luke said. "It's not hard to plan your trip or book online"

What fines were issued by rangers?

Enforcement by rangers for illegal activities from campers resulted in several fines being issued as high as $1209. They included:

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$1209 issued for operating a vehicle with an unrestrained child

$322 for failure to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike

$322 for camping without a permit

$322 for driving/riding an unregistered vehicle

QPWS have warned they will continue to conduct regular patrols, and those caught breaking the law will face heavy penalties.

"We're regularly doing enforcement work," Luke said, adding that the number of people caught out made it timely to issue a warning.

Rangers are also keeping an eye on for visitors illegally cutting down trees as firewood season begins, Luke said. "Cutting down trees is essentially stealing," he said. Not only does the act hurt the natural environment, but it is also a major safety hazard.

"People might say 'it's just one tree, it doesn't matter' but the cumulative impact of 200 people doing the same activity starts to have cascading environmental impacts," he explained. Those caught chopping firewood can face fines of up to $2,400 for a multitude of offences.

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Any illegal activity in national parks and State forests can be reported anonymously by calling 1300 130 372.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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"The Development Road Project will significantly contribute to the stability and prosperity of both Iraq and our entire region"

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey

08.05.2025

Holding a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Al Sudani, President Erdogan said: "The Development Road Project will significantly contribute to the stability and prosperity of both Iraq and our entire region. We invite countries that are interested in the Development Road to become part of this strategic project."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani of Iraq held a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Complex.

President Erdogan said: "With my treasured brother, we reviewed the Turkiye-Iraq relations thoroughly. We exchanged views on regional developments, including Syria. We, in your presence, signed documents that will elevate our relations."

"WE HAVE NEVER VIEWED IRAQ'S PEACE AND STABILITY AS SEPARATE FROM OUR OWN"

President Erdogan stated: "We don't see our relations with Iraq, with which we enjoy long-standing historical, social and cultural ties, solely as a relationship between two states. We consider expanding our cooperation in every area a necessity of our brotherly bonds. We have never viewed Iraq's peace and stability as separate from our own. During our meeting, we focused particularly on cooperation in security and war on terror. We reaffirmed our determination to maintain the fight against the PKK, FETO, and DAESH, which pose a threat to the national security of both Turkiye and Iraq. We underlined that there is no place for terror in the future of the region."

"WE ARE PLEASED TO WITNESS THAT IRAQ MAKES CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO REGIONAL STABILITY"

Noting that the bilateral trade volume between Turkiye and Iraq neared $18 billion las year, President Erdogan went on: "Yet, we continue our efforts with the awareness that our potential is way bigger. The Development Road Project will significantly contribute to the stability and prosperity of both Iraq and our entire region. During our meeting, we discussed steps to implement the project rapidly. We invite countries that are interested in the Development Road to become part of this strategic project. We are focused on developing joint projects with Iraq through the cooperation mechanisms we established and the water framework agreement we signed last year. We want to make swift progress on topics such as oil shipment via the Iraq-Turkiye oil pipeline. We particularly hope to expand our deepening cooperation on electricity into other fields of energy, including natural gas. With Mr. Prime Minister, we also discussed the additional steps we can potentially take concerning our cooperation in other areas like banking, industry, education and higher education."

President Erdogan further stressed: "We are pleased to witness that Iraq makes critical contributions to regional stability through Mr. Al Sudani's foresighted approach. I believe that Iraq cultivating good-neighborly relations with Syria is very important to our region's stability and peace. We will continue our collaboration with Iraq to this end."

"THE RISK OF FAMINE IN GAZA HAS REACHED SUCH GRAVE PROPORTIONS AS TO RESULT IN MASS CASUALTIES"

"The consequences of the aggressive policy Israel started in Gaza and later extended to Lebanon and Syria are evident. Israel assumes it can ensure its own security by engulfing the region into bloodshed, suffering, and instability. We will see it more clearly over time that this is just a pipe dream. Since Israel completely blocks the entry of humanitarian aid, the risk of famine in Gaza has reached such grave proportions as to result in mass casualties. We agreed with my dear brother to do our utmost, including stepping up pressure on Israel," President Erdogan said.

"PAKISTAN'S PROPOSAL FOR AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE DESPICABLE TERROR ATTACK IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR IS IMPORTANT"

President Erdogan noted: "We are concerned that the tension between Pakistan and India would escalate into a hot conflict, with missile attacks resulting in many civilian casualties. I offer my condolences to the brotherly people and state of Pakistan for our brothers and sisters killed in the attacks. I had an important phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan yesterday. Pakistan's proposal for an international investigation into the despicable terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir is important. We are making efforts to open dialogue channels and alleviate tensions before the situation reaches a point of no return, despite the fact that some are adding fuel to the fire."

"I APPRECIATE MY BROTHER AL SUDANI'S SENSITIVITY ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF IRAQI TURKMEN'S RIGHTS AND INTERESTS"

"Turkmens, the defenders of Iraq's unity and integrity, continue to contribute to the strengthening of both Iraq and the Iraq-Turkiye relations. I appreciate my brother Al Sudani's sensitivity about the preservation of Iraqi Turkmen's rights and interests. I find it particularly meaningful that he included my brother, the Head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, in his delegation. May Allah render the Turkiye-Iraq brotherhood eternal and stronger," President Erdogan added.

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PM meeting with Prime Minister Stre of Norway: 9 May 2025

The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre of Norway this afternoon onboard a Norwegian coastguard vessel.

From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP

9 May 2025

The Prime Minister met Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre of Norway this afternoon onboard a Norwegian coastguard vessel.

The Prime Minister began by thanking Prime Minister Stre for hosting the Joint Expeditionary Force summit today. It was a vital forum to address evolving defence and security issues, the leaders agreed.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to providing steadfast support to Ukraine and welcomed President Trump's ongoing efforts to deliver a secure and lasting peace.

The leaders also discussed joint efforts between the UK and Norway to protect critical subsea infrastructure to safeguard economic security and working people at home. The Prime Minister updated on his visit to the Carrier Strike Group last month and thanked Prime Minister Stre for Norway's vital contribution to the deployment.

Turning to the situation in Gaza, both agreed the situation on the ground was intolerable and more needed to be done to secure a lasting peace that delivered long-term security and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis.

The Prime Ministers also welcomed the signing of the Green Industrial Partnership by UK and Norwegian energy ministers earlier this week.

The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

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Secretary General highlights next steps on Special Tribunal for Ukraine in moment of unity in Lviv

Council of Europe

Secretary General

Lviv

9 May 2025

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, has made the following statement concerning the political backing expressed today for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine:

"Today's event in Lviv demonstrates our unity and resolve to ensure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.

"Ukraine is part of our European family and remains the Council of Europe's top priority. We have already developed an Action Plan on Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction. We have established a fully functioning Register of Damage for Ukraine. The European Court of Human Rights is examining thousands of cases of alleged human rights violations resulting from Russia's aggression. And we have made the plight of Ukrainian children our own.

"We are providing the framework for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. This is the moment for states to follow up on the political will they have shown today. Justice also needs resources. Funding must be secured, and the necessary support provided for the functioning of the future tribunal.

"This Special Tribunal can help shape Ukraine's future for generations to come."

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Denmark to allocate more than 800 million EUR to Ukraine on behalf of the EU in 2025

Danish Ministry of Defence

The Danish Ministry of Defence and the European Commission have signed an agreement giving Denmark the role as implementing actor for the disbursement of a large portion of the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets in 2025. Denmark will disburse approximately 830 million euro for military donations through the Ukrainian defence industry on behalf of the EU in 2025.

May 9, 2025 - 11:59

In 2025, Denmark will be responsible for disbursing approximately 830 million euros for donations procured in the Ukrainian defence industry on behalf of the EU through the European Peace Facility.

"In light of the geopolitical situation, it is important to show that we stand with Ukraine. With the 'Danish Model' Denmark has taken the lead in the international efforts to strengthen defence production in Ukraine. It is truly exceptional that we now have the opportunity to enhance this effort even further with additional funding from the EU. It is a recognition of Denmark's efforts on this matter that the EU has decided to channel even more funds through us this year," says Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen.

In May 21st 2024, the EU's foreign ministers decided to use the windfall profits from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Specifically, the funds will be used to finance selected member states' military support to Ukraine in 2025. This will include donations of ammunition, air defense and military equipment produced in the Ukrainian defense industry.

Donations through procurement in the Ukrainian defence industry strengthen Ukraine's own production capacity, ensure competitive prices, and enable faster adaptation to the Ukrainian needs. Furthermore, the armed forces of Ukraine will receive equipment they are already familiar with and can maintain themselves.

"Last year, when I visited Ukraine to meet with several defence industry companies, I was convinced of the prospects for supporting Ukraine directly through procurements in the country's own defence industry. This way, we ensure that the Ukrainians urgent military needs can be produced and delivered locally. This provides obvious logistical advantages while also contributing to building Ukraine's defence industry for the future. We are now able to do this on an even larger scale," says Troels Lund Poulsen.

With the Danish model, Denmark was the first country to finance procurement in the Ukrainian defence industry through the Ukrainian state. In 2024, Denmark used the model to act as implementing actor on behalf of the EU for approximately 400 million euros of windfall profits from frozen Russian assets. This effort received significant international recognition. With contributions from both the EU, the Danish Ukraine Fund, and allies, Denmark successfully implemented a total of approximately 4.4 billion DKK in 2024 to finance defence procurement in the Ukrainian defence industry.

In 2025, Denmark expects to implement more than double that amount through the model.

Denmark has allocated a total of 3 billion DKK from the Danish Ukraine Fund for donations procured in the Ukrainian defence industry from 2025 to 2027, and will also act as the implementing actor for several other countries, including Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Canada.

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Ukraine: Press remarks by High Representative Kallas following the informal meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers

European External Action Service (EEAS)

09.05.2025

EEAS Press Team

Good day to everybody. Today is a special day, a day of celebration for every European and that is why I am very happy that we are here together with the European foreign ministers celebrating this European day with you.

It marks the day of peace and, of course, this is what we want also for Ukraine. Our presence today marks the unity of an unwavering solidarity with Ukraine. If you stand for peace, you should stand here in Ukraine, not in Moscow today.

Russia is still waging the most devastating war since 1945 here in Ukraine. Eighty years ago, Hitler bombed Ukraine. Today, Putin is doing the same. Russia shows no interest in peace, whereas Ukraine has already over two months ago said and agreed to [an] unconditional ceasefire. There can be, therefore, only one answer: to really force Russia also to want peace, and that means we need to increase the pressure on Russia and also strengthen Ukraine so that Ukraine can defend itself.

This week we proposed the 17th package of sanctions and we hope to adopt this in the Foreign Affairs Council this month. We have just made available 1 billion for the Ukrainian defence industry so that Ukraine could better defend itself. This funding will directly support Ukrainian defence companies and secure additional military aid over the coming months, which are critical. We have made clear that the EU stands ready to contribute to security guarantees and building military and civilian missions and defence industrial support. On Monday, we have a major defence forum in Brussels, which is meant to link up the Ukraine defence industry with ours.

I want to pay tribute to Ukraine's efforts in the accession process. I think you have made good steps, and I also think that, especially during the war, it is definitely very hard. So, I really commend you on this part.

We are here in Lviv today, and this also holds a very symbolic meaning. So, it is where the lawyers Raphael Lemkin and Hersch Lauterpacht studied. Lemkin is the father of the Genocide Convention, and Lauterpacht is the architect behind the concept of crime against humanity. Both faced great resistance in having their warnings heard, especially before the Second World War. In addition to their contributions to the international law, I want to also acknowledge Professor Philippe Sands. His early proposal for a tribunal for crime of aggression laid the groundwork for the current efforts on accountability.

Today, we take very decisive steps towards justice for Ukraine. After this meeting, we will provide our final political endorsements to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression. This tribunal will ensure that those most responsible for the aggression against Ukraine are held accountable. Every inch of Russia's war has been documented. We are living in an era of information. It has been documented and there is no space for impunity.

Russia's aggression cannot go unpunished, and therefore establishing this tribunal is extremely important. I thank all those countries who have contributed, and also invite all additional countries of the world who are standing for peace and justice to join these efforts.

Q&A

Q. Obviously, this is a European initiative, which is great, but is the Court really feasible without U.S. involvement as well?

The United States has been contributing two and a half years to put this tribunal together, so they have been part of this initiative and core group to develop this further, and we are very grateful for that. Right now, they are not part, but I am assuming that sooner rather than later, they will join again.

Q. [Question in Ukrainian]

First, I know it's confusing, but I will, because in the English translation, it was EU Council, but it's actually Council of Europe, so that is, you know, but it's confusing. I agree. We have European Council, we have the Council of Europe, but [it] is Council of Europe that is taking this forward, because that is broader than only the European Union countries. It is much, much broader, and I think this is extremely important.

Now, to the question that was directed to me on the EU accession process, there are two sides. One is Ukraine that has to do its homework, and the other is the European Union, who also has to do its homework. And, of course, we are working with our Hungarian and other colleagues to have these decisions made. And I am also very happy that Ukraine is meeting with the Hungarians to solve the issues that they are presenting [to see] what are the problems there. So hopefully, we get some room of development, because if the candidate country like Ukraine or the other candidate countries have done their homework, it shouldn't be bilateral issues that keep on taking the next steps. It's not only important for Ukraine, it is also important for Europe that this enlargement process or, as we have been saying, unification process will continue.

So, there are obstacles on the way, but we are working with them.

Q. I would ask you all to share your expectations. When do you expect that justice can be served under this tribunal? Because it is up to tribunal itself, but can we expect that in 2026, we can have some first decisions or first investigations? And if you can elaborate on the fact that, in fact, we don't expect Russian officials including Putin to sit on a bench like behind bars. They were not allowed. How would you prove to Ukrainian people that it's still important? And small detail about Hungary and our accession. It is part of us winning peace, and it is also part of a peace plan. Trump's peace plan, which Orban is currently breaking. Do you have a plan B if he is still there?

So, question about when. Of course, now the Council of Europe is setting this all up and how much time it takes. But I would not give any concrete date, although I have read in the materials that this should be already by 2026, so hopefully the processes will start then, because the investigation is already ongoing. Like I said, this is the most documented war because everything has been documented by pictures [and] videos. We have done this work from the start when this war started. We provided European technical help to document these crimes. So, that is not the problem. The investigation is already going on.

But what I want to stress is that it has two sides. One is the war crimes that have been documented. But we are talking about the special tribunal for the crime of aggression. Crime of aggression is a leadership crime. That means those people who have decided to start the war without the leadership crime, there wouldn't be any war crimes either. Therefore, it is extremely important that this tribunal is for the crimes of aggression.

Now, your question, of course, the leadership. The lawyers have been working on this. First, can they be tried in absentia? Yes, they can. But, of course, the limitation is that as long as they are in office, it has limitations. But I think the important signal is that everything can be ready, and nobody is behind the law because this is important. Without justice, you can't really have peace. I think this is an extremely important signal also to the Ukrainian people.

We are also contemplating Plan B and Plan C. But right now, the focus is on Plan A, which is to get everybody on board. Because when that doesn't work, then we are also working for Plan B. But I will not reveal them because we are still in the process of Plan A.

Link to the video:https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-271844

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Tsahkna in Lviv: We need to prepare for peace in Ukraine today

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

09.05.2025

On Europe Day today 9 May, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna was on a visit to Lviv, Ukraine, with his colleagues from the EU, the United Kingdom, Norway, Moldova and North Macedonia, to express comprehensive support for Ukraine, discuss Ukraine's journey to the EU and talk about ways of raising the cost of the war for Russia.

The meetings held in Lviv today, on Europe Day, focused on diplomatic efforts to contribute to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, for which preparations need to be made already today. "President Zelenskyy has repeatedly expressed his willingness to agree on a one-month ceasefire but Putin is rejecting this. Putin only understands the force of pressure and this pressure must come from a united and energised Europe," Foreign Minister Tsahkna said.

In Lviv Tsahkna said that it was important and urgent to increase defence assistance so that Ukraine could negotiate from a strong position and ensure its security even after the end of the war. Yesterday, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced the European Union's billion-euro investment in Ukraine's defence industry from the proceeds of the frozen assets of Russia's central bank. Estonia has decided to participate in the coalition of the willing planned by the United Kingdom and France in order to offer security guarantees to Ukraine. "We expect everyone to contribute," Tsahkna added.

The foreign minister emphasised that Europe's strength lies in its unity and ability to support those who wish to join the EU family. "Ukraine belongs in Europe and the European Union, and Estonia stands by Ukraine every step of the way," Tsahkna said.

"The pressure on Russia must increase by raising the cost of the war," the foreign minister said, adding that, among other things, the frozen assets of Russia's central bank must be used. "We must ensure that the aggressor is held accountable for the crime of aggression, international crimes, and other atrocities committed in Ukraine."

Tsahkna stressed that peace in Ukraine must be just. "We must not repeat the mistakes that were made after the Second World War. Ukraine needs action - military, humanitarian and political," he said. "We know what to do. Let's do it."

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Foreign Minister Tsahkna: Today we took a historic step in establishing a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

09.05.2025

Today 9 May, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna participated in the meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Lviv, Ukraine, where the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would appeal to the Council of Europe to help create a special tribunal dealing with the crime of aggression against Ukraine. "This is an important event for international justice and it sends a clear message: those who commit the crime of aggression in the 21st century will be held accountable," Foreign Minister Tsahkna said.

The special tribunal's mandate will include investigating the crime of aggression against Ukraine and prosecuting perpetrators. A crime of aggression is the unlawful use of force by one state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state. The special tribunal can prosecute those most responsible for the crime of aggression. Due to the immunity enjoyed by Russia's top leadership, they will be held accountable when they are no longer in office. "Our common obligation is to ensure that the crime of aggression - the most serious international crime - does not go unpunished," the foreign minister said.

The foreign minister commended the activities of the international core group that discussed the establishment of the special tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, which included 40 countries and representatives of the European Union and the Council of Europe, as well as legal experts who have prepared the founding documents of the special tribunal. "Their commitment is the best reflection of the principles of international cooperation and the rule of law," he noted.

Tsahkna affirmed Estonia's full support for the establishment of the special tribunal. "The international community must show that justice is stronger than violence and justice wins," Tsahkna stressed, adding that a register of the damage caused to Ukraine had already been established at the Council of Europe.

Ukraine will submit a request for the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression at the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Council of Europe on 14 May. A bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe is needed to establish the special tribunal. Estonia will be represented at the ministerial meeting by Undersecretary for Global Affairs Minna-Liina Lind. Underlining the importance of the current historical moment, Tsahkna called on the member states of the Council of Europe and international partners to swiftly approve the founding documents of the special tribunal and to support the swift launch of the operations of the tribunal.

The creation of a special tribunal within the Council of Europe would complement the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating war crimes committed in Ukraine, as the ICC has no general jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.

The Council of Europe was founded on 5 May 1949 and has 46 member states. Based in Strasbourg, France, the Council of Europe aims to promote democracy and protect human rights and the rule of law in Europe. Estonia became a member of the Council of Europe on 14 May 1993.

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Commission provides additional 3 billion for the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and to host refugees from Ukraine

European Commission

Press release

May 9, 2025

Brussels

The Commission has adopted a decision to provide an additional 3 billion to support Member States with the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and to host refugees from Ukraine.

President von der Leyen announced this extra support in today's press conference with Chancellor Merz. You will find her statement here.

The additional funding comes from the revision of the current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 1.8 billion) and from a top-up to the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI 1.2 billion). It comes in addition to almost 11 billion already allocated for migration and border management under AMIF and BMVI for the period of 2025-2027, and of the 450 million allocated to Member States hosting beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine since 2022. Member States will be able to use this additional financial support until the end of 2027 for the implementation of the Pact (AMIF and BMVI) and for hosting people fleeing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine (AMIF).

Each Member State will be allocated a specific amount in line with a set of eligibility criteria. Member States will need to amend their existing national programmes by the end of 2025 to accommodate this additional funding. The Commission is already in close contact with the Member States to provide necessary support

Quote(s)

When it comes to migration management, we are supporting Member States along the way. These 3 billion come at a crucial time when preparations to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum advance at full speed, and EU solidarity with Ukraine prevails steadfast.

Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy We need to be ready for the application of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, in June next year, a key milestone for the EU. I am happy that today the EU is providing an additional substantial support to help Member States getting ready for the Pact, and hosting and providing protection to refugees from Ukraine.

Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration

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International coalition agrees on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine

European Commission

Press release

May 9, 2025

Lviv

On Europe Day, the Commission, represented by Commissioner Michael McGrath, High Representative Kaja Kallas, the Council of Europe, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, and the representatives of an international coalition of states gathered in Lviv today to formally endorse the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

All participants, as per the Lviv Statement adopted today, welcomed the finalisation of the preparatory work required to establish a Special Tribunal within the Council of Europe. They committed to establishing the Special Tribunal, to the swift commencement of its operations, and to supporting it in its work.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: "As we celebrate Europe Day, we move closer to justice for the people of Ukraine. We stand fully behind the Special Tribunal, to hold to account those responsible for the heinous crime of aggression against Ukraine. The people of Ukraine deserve justice, and we will do everything in our power to make sure they get it."

The Tribunal will have the power to investigate, prosecute and try Russian political and military leaders, who bear the greatest responsibility for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Next steps

The establishment of the Tribunal will be based on an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe.

It is now for the Council of Europe to set up the necessary framework to establish the Special Tribunal, which will derive its jurisdiction from Ukraine.

Once the Special Tribunal is established, Ukrainian national authorities will be able to refer ongoing domestic investigations and prosecutions related to the crime of aggression to the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal. The evidence gathered in the context of the work carried out within the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA), which is hosted within Eurojust will also be transmitted to the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal as appropriate.

Background

The European Union is strongly committed to ensuring full accountability for the crime of aggression committed by the Russian leadership, as well as for all international crimes and atrocities committed in Ukraine.

A lot has been done to ensure full accountability for Ukraine: Three weeks after Russia's unprovoked and illegal full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, Eurojust supported the setting up of a joint investigation team which is currently composed of Ukraine, six EU Member States, the International Criminal Court and Europol.

Already in November 2022, the Commission presented different options to the Member States in 2022 to ensure accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Over the past two years, the EU has been actively participating with our international partners within the context of the Core Group, which held its first meeting in January 2023 in Prague and its 14th and last meeting at technical level in Strasbourg on 21 March.

On 4 February, during its 13th meeting, senior legal experts of the Core Group laid down the legal foundations for the establishment of a Special Tribunal. The participants also set out the key elements of the core legal text that will govern the functioning of the Special Tribunal.

The establishment of the Tribunal will be based on an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe. The Statute will govern the functioning of the Tribunal and an Enlarged Partial Agreement will govern the modalities of support to the Tribunal, its financing and other administrative aspects. The draft agreement establishing the Special Tribunal, its draft Statute and the draft Enlarged Partial Agreement on the management of the Special Tribunal have now been transmitted to the Council of Europe.

The establishment of the Tribunal within the Council of Europe's framework - together with the presence of international judges and the application of international law, - will ensure that criminal proceedings are conducted in respect of the highest procedural safeguards and international human rights law.

In February 2023, Eurojust launched the Core International Crimes Evidence Database, based on an urgent amendment of Eurojust's mandate. Thousands of files from various countries have been submitted to the Database for preservation and analysis.

Additionally, the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine, hosted by Eurojust and launched in July 2023, supports the work of the Joint Investigation Centre, together with the Database. The Centre has been working on a case-building package that will be transmitted to the future office of the prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

Quote(s)

As we celebrate Europe Day, we move closer to justice for the people of Ukraine. We stand fully behind the Special Tribunal, to hold to account those responsible for the heinous crime of aggression against Ukraine. The people of Ukraine deserve justice, and we will do everything in our power to make sure they get it. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Today we take a decisive step towards justice for Ukraine. The Special Tribunal will ensure that those most responsible for the aggression against Ukraine are held accountable. Every inch of Russia's war has been documented. It leaves no room for doubt in Russia's manifest violation of the UN Charter. It leaves no room for impunity. Russia's aggression will not go unpunished. Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission

Today marks a defining moment for justice, international law, and the future of Ukraine. We are moving forward  not just with words, but with concrete tools: we endorse the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. We are leading the charge for justice, to bring perpetrators of this illegal war of aggression to account and to assert our unwavering commitment to let the rules-based order triumph over aggression, arbitrary rule, and impunity. Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection

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Norway to extend agreement on medical evacuation from Ukraine

Government of Norway

News story | Date: 09/05/2025

The Norwegian Government has decided to extend its agreement with the EU on the evacuation of Ukrainian patients until 31 March 2026. In addition to transport for medical evacuation, Norway is providing expertise and deliveries of medical equipment, medications and other material assistance.

'The medical evacuation operation is a good example of how we can work together in our efforts to support Ukraine. The Norwegian health services have done a tremendous job in helping the more than 450 Ukrainian patients who have received medical treatment in Norway. I am pleased that we will now be able to continue to provide this life-saving assistance,' said Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre.

Norway began transporting Ukrainian patients in the spring of 2022. Since August 2022 Norway has been providing regular weekly flights to evacuate Ukrainian patients to countries across Europe through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The medical evacuation operation from Ukraine is a coordinated effort involving several Norwegian ministries, the regional health authorities and the Norwegian Directorate of Health, as well as the Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Medical Services, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), and the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection.

The European Commission has described Norway's efforts as a cornerstone of the European medical evacuation support for Ukraine. Many countries have available hospital capacity but do not have the means to transport patients. Norway's cooperation with the EU helps to ensure better coordinated and more streamlined use of hospital capacity in Europe, which in turn reduces the burden on health care services in Ukraine.

The agreement between the Norwegian Armed Forces and SAS was recently extended until March 2026. The agreement makes it possible to provide safe, effective transport of patients and medical personnel.

'We are proud to be able to continue this important work. The medical evacuation operation will be continued in line with the evolving needs of the Ukrainian health authorities,' said Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik.

Some 2 400 patients have been transported to Norway and other European countries in connection with the Norwegian airlift operation. Over 450 patients have received medical treatment in Norway. The agreement with the EU on the Medevac airlift operation was due to conclude in April 2025 but has now been extended until 31 March 2026. Costs relating to extending the operation are estimated to be approximately NOK 150 million and will be funded under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine.

'The medical evacuation operation is a good example of a well-functioning civil-military cooperative effort where agencies and ministries from different sectors are working together to enable Norway to deliver this important contribution to European civilian support for Ukraine,' said Minister of Justice and Public Security Astri Aas-Hansen.

The Ukrainian health system is under enormous pressure and Norway's airlift assistance helps to alleviate the burden. Norwegian insight and know-how play an important role in the European medical evacuation efforts.

'I recently visited a hospital in Kharkiv and was able to see first-hand the extremely challenging situation that the Ukrainian health services are contending with. It was humbling to meet health personnel who are working so tirelessly under such difficult conditions to provide life-saving assistance, and there is a great need to help the hospitals. I am therefore very pleased that this agreement has been extended and that the evacuation of patients to Norway can continue,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

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Bec lives five hours from the nearest town, but for the outback ecologist and mum, isolation is a gift  not a burden. This Mothers Day, mums in remote bush locations are carving out their own unique celebrations.

Ecologist Bec West lives on 86,000 acres in the far northwest corner of NSW, with her two children, Isla and Eddie. Source: Supplied

Millions around the country will be clinking glasses over brunch, handing over fresh blooms or scented candles, and treating Mum to a well-deserved massage this Mothers Day. But for Dr Rebecca West, a mum of two, the occasion looks a little different  and far more extraordinary.

Living on a sprawling 86,000-acre property in Fort Gre  one of the most remote corners of New South Wales  Bec, her husband Reece, and their two young kids are hundreds of kilometres from the nearest cafe or day spa. Instead, about five hours north of Broken Hill, their Mothers Day tradition unfolds on a far grander scale. The family unfurls an aerial map of their outback station, chooses a patch of land they've never visited before, and sets off to explore.

Its not just a celebration  its an adventure, carved out in red earth and endless sky, and stitched deeply into the fabric of their family life.

"We often name the locations, whether it's Mother's Day swamp, or Mother's Day sand dune or something, just to experience a new place as a family and make it a special occasion," Bec told Yahoo News Australia. "It's really cool, actually. It's very special."

Bec is a five-hour drive from a major town, and if she forgets something at the grocery store, it's a 900km round trip to go and pick it up. Source: Supplied

Ecologist's incredible life as NSW's most remote mother

Bec and her partner Reece, both ecologists, moved to Fort Grey, a region in Tibooburra, to carry out important conservation work eight years ago. There, she focuses on ecosystem restoration and reintroduction ecology through her work on the Wild Deserts project.

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She has, so far, reintroduced seven vulnerable native mammal species back into their natural habitat, the Sturt National Park, after they were driven out  and almost to extinction  thanks to notorious invasive species like cats and foxes.

After almost a decade living as one of NSW's most remote families, Bec's well accustomed to life in absolute isolation, but she said it's not without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles Bec faces is the mental load that comes with having to plan ahead for everything. Everyday tasks, even simple ones like feeding the family, require much more logistical effort.

"If I run out of something critical, like baby nappies, I've got a 900 kilometre round trip to get those," she said. "So there's a lot more planning, which for us is a challenge across everything we do, as well as parenting, our work as well."

That means constantly thinking ahead, having back-up supplies, and being prepared for things like plumbing failures or sudden shortages. While her family has modern comforts like power, internet and running water, it's the isolation  and the pressure to always be ready  that makes remote life uniquely demanding.

On the upside, Bec said life in the outback has created a special kind of closeness within her family. "A lot of people would think that this is a really hard way to bring up kids," she said.

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"But I think there are often a lot of opportunities that aren't noticed, being a mum out in the bush, particularly the ability to have that really strong, deep connection with your family. That's one of the reasons I love doing it the way that we've done it."

Things 'aren't as easy' for mums in the regions

Fellow regional mother Phoebe White, who lives just outside the tiny NSW town of Scone  about two hours northwest of Newcastle  echoes Bec's sentiment about the unique realities of bush life. A proud seventh-generation farmer, Phoebe inherited Mount Woolooma in 2017, and while she says regional living has "absolutely" enriched her familys life, she also knows it comes with added demands.

"Theres an innate understanding when youre in a rural community that things arent as easy," she told Yahoo. "You cant just pick up the phone and call someone to fix something, youve got to learn to do it yourself, or plan ahead."

Phoebe White lives near Scone in the Upper Hunter in NSW. She inherited a mountain in 2017, and is a seventh-generation farmer. Source: Supplied

While Phoebe describes Scone  dubbed the "horse capital of Australia"  as having a "fantastic" sense of community, she also acknowledges how vital that network becomes when formal supports are lacking. That local connection, particularly with other mothers, has helped her not only navigate parenting but find joy in it.

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Having previously called Sydney, London and Miami home, Phoebe says theres nothing quite like the bond shared between bush mums. "Whether or not theyre your blood family, they become family by nature, because youre all so supportive of one another," she said.

Her experience highlights a common thread among many regional mothers. While the landscape can offer beauty, freedom and deep community ties, the need for strong, accessible support  both emotional and practical  is just as important.

Bush mums unite through Motherland support group

It's something former TV journalist turned farmer Stephanie Trethewey is fiercely passionate about. In 2019, she left behind her Melbourne media career and moved to a remote Tasmanian farm for love  a move that came with life-changing challenges.

"I didn't realise that when I married a farmer, that ultimately what I married was the land," she said.

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Swapping a bustling city life with endless resources and a strong support network for an isolated property, Stephanie soon found herself alone with a newborn while her husband worked seven days a week. The nature of farming, much like parenting, is relentless, she said.

Without access to a mother's group or any friends or family nearby, her mental health began to spiral. "You hear people say it takes a village to raise a child, and I just thought, where the hell is mine?" Stephanie recalled.

Stephanie Trethewey was a successful TV journalist who relocated to a remote farm in Tasmania for love. There, she encountered firsthand the challenges of regional living, developing Motherland in response. Source: Supplied

That moment of raw frustration sparked something bigger  the birth of Motherland, a grassroots charity now helping women across the country. Through a suite of support services aimed at building resilience and improving mental health outcomes for rural mums, Motherland launched Australias first online mothers group specifically for the bush, creating a virtual village for those who have none nearby.

According to a national survey, 90 per cent of rural mothers believe the postnatal support available to them is inadequate. More than 70 per cent gave birth in a hospital over an hour away from home, and 80 per cent have experienced postnatal depression or anxiety. Yet fewer than half have sought professional help, citing stigma, shame or simply no access to services.

Motherland is working to close that gap. What started as a simple podcast in December, 2019 now boasts over 1.1 million downloads. "We're now a national charity where the podcast is just one small piece of what we do," Stephanie said.

Her mission has since helped Motherland expand out of Tasmania and into other states, including Queensland, where it's now backed by a $1 million government grant to extend support to rural mums doing it tough. "Rural mums are the linchpin," Stephanie said. "They are the glue holding these households together, as mums usually are in general.

"That's why I'm so passionate about supporting them, advocating for them, and raising awareness. That's why I do what I do."

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Increased support for Ukrainians fleeing Russia's war of aggression

Government of Norway

Press release | Date: 09/05/2025

Norway is providing NOK 580 million to the efforts of the UN Refugee Agency (UNCHR) to assist refugees, internally displaced people and other people in Ukraine and Moldova who are affected by the war.

Of this, NOK 530 million will be used for efforts in Ukraine and NOK 50 million for efforts in Moldova.

'UNHCR is one of our most important humanitarian partners in Ukraine. At a time when international humanitarian support is declining even as humanitarian needs are rising as a result of Russia's war, I am pleased that Norway can provide a vital contribution to UNHCR's work to help internally displaced people and other vulnerable individuals who have been affected by the war,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.

Close to 7 million Ukrainians have fled the country. A further 3.8 million are internally displaced. A full 76 % of the refugees are women and children.

'Russia's war of aggression continues unabated. In the past few months there have been reports of a growing number of dead and injured among the civilian population, including children. Ukrainians living on the front line are fleeing their homes in search of safety. At the same time, recent attacks on the capital Kyiv are having an impact on people far from the front line as well,' said Mr Eide.

According to the United Nations' humanitarian appeal for Ukraine, 36 % of the Ukrainian population needs humanitarian assistance and protection in 2025. The civilian population in all regions is affected, with the regions close to the front in the east, south and parts of the north contending with the most severe impacts. UNHCR works closely with the Ukrainian authorities and local partners and is seeking to operate as close to the front line as possible. UNHCR provides life-saving humanitarian support, legal assistance, cash transfers and temporary shelters as well as support to repair damaged homes.

'In March, together with Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, I had the opportunity to meet several families in the city of Kharkiv, near the front line, who have received help from UNHCR. It was very moving to hear the stories of these people, trying to live their lives in the midst of a brutal war. At the same time, it is good to see that aid is reaching those in need. These families had received support for, among other things, repairs to their homes, emergency supplies and access to shelters for people affected by the war,' said Mr Eide.

Norway has contributed more than NOK 900 million to UNHCR initiatives in Ukraine and neighbouring countries since 2022 and is one of the largest donors to the agency's efforts. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Norway was the third largest humanitarian donor to Ukraine in 2024 after the US and Germany. Overall humanitarian funding under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine amounts to NOK 3 billion.

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Ukraine: Norway Supports the Establishment of a Special Tribunal

Government of Norway

Press release | Date: 09/05/2025

Norway supports the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russians responsible for the attack on Ukraine.

"This is an important milestone in the work to hold Russia accountable for its war of aggression against Ukraine," says Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

"Russia's war has led to enormous destruction, millions displaced, and thousands killed and injured, including many civilians. Accountability is crucial to deter future crimes and can help bring justice to the victims of Russia's illegal aggression," he adds.

On Friday, several countries marked the agreement to establish a special tribunal. Present were foreign ministers and representatives from the so-called core group of 37, including Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Sjmyhal, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. State Secretary Maria Varteressian attended on behalf of Norway. The event took place in Lviv, and the special tribunal will be established through an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe.

Because the International Criminal Court (ICC) does not have jurisdiction to prosecute the crime of aggression itself (the attack on Ukraine), it has been necessary to establish a special court.

The ICC is investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine and has issued arrest warrants for, among others, Russian President Putin. However, the ICC can only investigate crimes of aggression, such as Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, if both the aggressor and the victim state are states parties to the ICC. Russia is not.

Therefore, Norway has been part of a core group of countries discussing possibilities for prosecuting those responsible for Russia's aggression against Ukraine. For Norway, it has been important that the tribunal is established in accordance with international law, has broad legitimacy, and complements the work of other courts, such as the ICC.

Following the ministerial meeting in Lviv, the tribunal is expected to be established through a series of formal processes within the Council of Europe.

"While Ukraine has expressed willingness for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia has yet to demonstrate genuine commitment to peace and negotiations. In recent weeks, we have witnessed several horrific attacks on civilians. In Lviv today, we reiterated the message that Ukraine needs all possible military, civilian, and political support to resist Russia's war of aggression and reconstruct the country," says State Secretary Varteressian.

Fighting impunity for international crimes is a foreign policy priority for Norway. The Nansen Program - Norway's military, civilian, and humanitarian support program for Ukraine - supports organizations working to identify, document, investigate, and prosecute possible war crimes. Norway also participates in efforts to establish a compensation mechanism to ensure restitution for victims of Russia's acts of war.

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Lviv Statement of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine

Ukraine Government

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, posted 09 May 2025 16:20

We, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and other representatives of the States participating in the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (the Core Group), convened today, 9 May 2025, in Lviv, a city that has played a significant role in the formation of international legal scholars who laid the foundations of modern international criminal law,

Recalling United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-11/1 of 2 March 2022, entitled "Aggression against Ukraine", which deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2(4) of the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-11/6 of 23 February 2023, entitled "Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine",

Expressing their appreciation for the work done by the legal experts within the Core Group on the draft legal instruments necessary for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine since January 2023,

Taking into account the Vienna-Riga Statement of the Core Group of 22 November 2024,

Guided by the shared objective of ensuring accountability for the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine,

We hereby declare the following:

1. We welcome the completion of the technical work on the draft legal instruments necessary to establish within the framework of the Council of Europe a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

2. We reaffirm the critical importance of the Special Tribunal in delivering justice by holding accountable those who bear the greatest responsibility for this most serious international crime committed against Ukraine.

3. We underline that once established, in accordance with its Statute, the Special Tribunal will conduct its proceedings in full respect of international law and human rights, with the aim of securing accountability for the crime of aggression and strengthening the international legal order.

4. We express gratitude to all those who have actively contributed to the preparatory work on the draft legal instruments necessary for the establishment of the Special Tribunal, in particular the legal advisers participating in the Core Group.

5. We underline the central role of the Council of Europe in establishing the Special Tribunal and acknowledge the significant contribution of the European Commission and the European External Action Service, including their work on the draft Agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe on the establishment of the Special Tribunal, the draft Statute of the Special Tribunal, and the draft Enlarged Partial Agreement outlining the modalities of support for the Special Tribunal, including its funding and other administrative aspects.

6. We reaffirm our continued commitment to the process of establishing the Special Tribunal within the framework of the Council of Europe, to the swift commencement of its operations, and to supporting its effective functioning.

7. With a view to broadening international support for the Special Tribunal, we call upon other states and international organizations to join our efforts and actively support the Special Tribunal's activities.

8. Those of us who represent member States of the Council of Europe look forward to the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Luxembourg on 13-14 May 2025, which will constitute the next step toward formalizing the establishment of the Special Tribunal within the framework of the Council of Europe.

* This statement was agreed in the presence of Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection.

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Prime Minister and newly appointed German Foreign Minister discuss enhanced economic and defense cooperation

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 18:34

On May 9, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with newly appointed German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Lviv to discuss economic and defense cooperation.

The parties paid attention to the current situation at the frontline. Denys Shmyhal emphasized the importance of increasing sanctions pressure on russia to force it to cease fire and expressed hope for the adoption of the 17th EU sanctions package as soon as possible.

The meeting also focused on the prospects for investment in Ukraine, which offers significant business opportunities. Denys Shmyhal expressed hope that German companies would actively participate in the process of restoring and developing our country after the war. He also thanked German businesses that continue to operate in Ukraine, supporting our economy.

The two sides also touched upon Ukraine's European integration aspirations and reforms on the path to full EU membership.

"We expect to open negotiations on all six clusters this year," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Separately, Denys Shmyhal thanked the German people for their solidarity with Ukraine and for their military, financial and humanitarian assistance.

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Prime Minister: Political decision on the establishment of international Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine has been agreed

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 16:19

The European Union Foreign Ministers have supported the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal following a meeting of the Coalition of States to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, which took place in Lviv on May 9.

"Today, a political decision has been made to approve the work of the legal teams of the Coalition member states. The next step is to launch the legal procedure for establishing the Tribunal. It will be done in the near future," noted Denys Shmyhal.

He emphasized that the main objective of the Special Tribunal is to investigate, prosecute and try cases against those who bear the main responsibility for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

According to the Prime Minister, since the beginning of the full-scale war, russians have either destroyed or damaged more than 218,000 civilian infrastructure objects: residential buildings, schools, hospitals, churches. Some 616 children have been killed, more than 1,800 injured, and more than 19,000 deported to russia. Crimes committed against civilians and inhuman treatment of prisoners of war and violations of their rights are systemic.

Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine had recorded more than 167,000 crimes of aggression and war crimes committed by russia.

"Behind each of those is a name. And it is important that these people are held accountable for criminal orders and for their execution. Ukraine is already doing this work. 735 people have been notified of war crimes committed. 471 proceedings have been brought to court, and 241 verdicts have been delivered. 40 russian officials have been notified of charges. But we have to bring to justice the top political and military leadership of russia," the Prime Minister emphasized and added that 40 countries had joined the Coalition to create a Special Tribunal within the Council of Europe.

The Head of the Ukrainian Government thanked the Government of the Netherlands for its readiness to host the tribunal in The Hague, as well as all those who have been working hard to create it for three years. He also expressed his gratitude to the Council of Europe and the European Union for their key role in finalizing the work of the Coalition and shaping the legal framework for the tribunal.

Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers Meeting on the conclusion of the work of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine ("Lviv Statement")

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Ukraine and EU demonstrate unwavering solidarity on Europe Day, says Denys Shmyhal

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 15:48

Ukraine and its European allies remain united in the face of today's complex challenges, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal emphasised during a joint press briefing with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The Prime Minister underscored that, on Europe Day, partners showcased steadfast solidarity with Ukraine, noting that significant events took place, reinforcing the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the European Union. These included: a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, the signing of an agreement to channel funds from russian assets to support Ukraine's defence, and a meeting of the Coalition of States to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

"Today, Ukraine and Europe have taken a step closer to one another. We feel the alignment of our interests, we understand the shared nature of our ambitions, and the inseparability of our future," Denys Shmyhal stressed.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that EU assistance bolstered Ukraine's economic stability and strengthened its defence capabilities.

"Ukraine greatly values the EU's military support, totalling approximately EUR 50 billion, and welcomes new European defence initiatives: the intention to supply 2 million artillery shells to Ukraine, the ReArm Europe plan, and the SAFE instrument," Denys Shmyhal said.

He noted that, in addition to military aid, Ukraine had received EUR 50 billion in budgetary support, and the European Union had already implemented 16 sanctions packages against russia.

Denys Shmyhal stressed the importance of opening EU accession negotiations across all six core clusters this year. He emphasised that Ukraine was making every effort to join the EU immediately after the war ends.

"Ukraine seeks a lasting, just peace. And this is only possible with Ukraine's membership in the European Union," the Prime Minister concluded.

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EU allocates EUR 1 billion for purchase of Ukrainian weapons under "Danish model": Prime Minister

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 14:48

The European Union has officially announced its intention to allocate nearly EUR 1.9 billion for military support to Ukraine. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. In particular, a ceremony took place in Lviv to sign an Agreement on the disbursement of the second tranche of profits from frozen russian assets, involving the European Union, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the French Republic, and the Italian Republic.

"This is a historic decision, as weapons for Ukraine will be purchased using profits from frozen russian assets through the European Peace Facility," Denys Shmyhal emphasised. He noted that EUR 1 billion of the allocated funds will be directed towards purchasing weapons under the so-called "Danish model" - directly from Ukrainian manufacturers, which not only strengthens defence capabilities but also stimulates the economy and innovation in the defence industry. Additionally, according to the Prime Minister, over EUR 600 million will be allocated for artillery and ammunition, and more than EUR 200 million for enhancing Ukrainian air defence.

"We sincerely thank the European Union for this forward-thinking decision, leadership, and support. Special gratitude goes to Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, which will facilitate the purchase of Ukrainian weapons worth EUR 1 billion. Together, we are strong. Together, we will ensure a just peace for Ukraine and security for all of Europe," Denys Shmyhal stressed.

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Ukraine and the EU must work together to ensure a just peace and long-term security: Denys Shmyhal

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 14:44

The shared primary objective of Ukraine and the EU remains achieving a just peace and long-term security on the continent. This was emphasised by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal during a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, held in Lviv on 9 May.

"russian aggression has definitively shattered the old notion that Europe and Ukraine follow two separate political paths. Today, we are one, and together we can create a better future for our continent," the Head of Government stated.

He underscored that Ukraine's strategic goal was to attain EU membership immediately following the establishment of a just peace. The Prime Minister added that Ukraine's integration into the EU would ensure security and prosperity for both Ukraine and the EU community.

"We have proven that we are capable not only of defending ourselves but also of constantly evolving. We have not paused reforms. We are a few steps away from fully meeting all our obligations under the Association Agreement and are ready to complete our homework swiftly and responsibly," Denys Shmyhal stressed.

He also highlighted that Europe was increasingly demonstrating resolve and efficiency, including through the introduction of new sanctions, the implementation of defence initiatives, and the strengthening of unity.

"Our resilience, our ability to adapt, our natural resources, intellectual potential, and battle-hardened army - all of this can and must become a new source of strength for the EU," the Prime Minister asserted.

He further emphasised that Ukraine valued its partnership with the EU and the support provided.

"We are grateful for the EUR 75 billion in financial, economic, and humanitarian aid. For nearly EUR 50 billion in military support. For every sanctions package against the aggressor, for the freezing of russian sovereign assets, and for using the profits from them to benefit Ukraine," Denys Shmyhal noted.

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Denys Shmyhal and David Lammy discuss strengthening strategic partnership outlined in Ukraine-UK agreement

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 13:26

On 9 May in Lviv, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

A key topic of discussion was the development of bilateral strategic partnership, formalised by a historic agreement signed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The parties also addressed the situation at the frontline.

"Despite loud claims, russia observes no ceasefire. The enemy conducts assaults and shells peaceful cities," Denys Shmyhal stressed.

He noted that Ukraine urges international partners to intensify efforts to increase pressure on russia to enforce a 30-day ceasefire, with sanctions being a key tool, according to the Prime Minister.

During the meeting, Denys Shmyhal thanked the UK for announcing its largest sanctions package targeting russia's shadow fleet.

The Head of Ukrainian Government highlighted the importance of the ERA initiative, which channels funds from russian asset revenues to support Ukraine and its Armed Forces, and expressed gratitude for the UK's participation.

"The United Kingdom remains our steadfast ally. We thank the British Government and people for their unwavering support," the Prime Minister emphasised.

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Military support and tougher sanctions against russia - key topics of Denys Shmyhal's meeting with Kaja Kallas

Ukraine Government

Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 09 May 2025 11:24

On 9 May in Lviv, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

The parties discussed a range of pressing issues, including the situation at the frontline and defence needs. The Head of Ukrainian Government stressed the importance of initiatives to allocate EUR 1 billion for Ukraine's defence industry and to increase military support for Ukraine in 2025.

"We expect that provisions for the new SAFE instrument will be approved soon. This will enable Ukraine to participate in joint procurement of necessary defence products alongside EU member states, both on the European market and directly from Ukrainian manufacturers," the Prime Minister noted.

The discussion between Denys Shmyhal and Kaja Kallas also covered sanctions policy towards the russian federation.

"We hope the 17th sanctions package will be agreed and approved by European countries as soon as possible. We must intensify pressure on the aggressor to force it towards peace," the Head of Government emphasised, adding that Ukraine also anticipated further progress on the confiscation of frozen russian assets and their allocation to Ukraine's needs.

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Maddie Richens took a picture of where her bins are left by an unknown neighbour when she leaves them on the street. Source: Facebook/Maddie Richens

Putting the rubbish bins out for collection is something Aussies across the country do every week, but once emptied there's no real urgency to wheel them back off the street. Or is there?

Canberra mum-of-three Maddie Richens told Yahoo News she occasionally leaves her bins out on the street after collection day when life gets hectic. However, whenever she does, an unknown neighbour chooses to pull her bins halfway up her driveway, blocking her access when she returns.

"Someone blocks my driveway with my bins instead of bringing them up all the way to where my other bins are, or just off the side on my driveway," she told Yahoo News. "It feels pretty petty and intentional which is pretty disappointing. They have done this a few times and it always makes getting home harder."

She explained she is an "overwhelmed mum with a newborn and two more kids" and she "doesn't get a lot of sleep, constantly in a state of stress and anxiety of making sure I do everything I need to do".

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"This is the last thing I need to arrive home to," she said. "Please just stop, I'll try and remember to bring them in."

Aussies divided over bin act  what do you think?

After sharing her frustration online, many Aussies chimed in with their opinion. Some were totally on board with her, saying it was unnecessary behaviour and something that would "annoy" them, with one person suggesting she should simply "put them back on the street" to make a point.

However, others claimed the annoying act is her leaving the bins out on the street after collection day, saying it was poor bin etiquette.

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"In the time you took to go on social media and write the post, you could have taken in the bins," one woman said.

Councils across the country encourage residents to take their bins off the street on the same day as collection as it prevents potential hazards on the footpath, reduces litter and minimises damage to the bins themselves. It isn't a hard and fast rule  simply a guideline, but an Adelaide council last year was threatening to introduce a $312 fine if bins were not removed the day after collection.

Reminder letters were sent to some offending residents in the Port Adelaide Enfield council area who had not collected their bins by midnight on the following day.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Meeting held between Herman Smetanin and EU Commissioner for Defence and Space

Ukraine Government

Ministry for Strategic Industries of Ukraine, posted 09 May 2025 09:17

Ukraine's Minister for Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin, held another meeting with the EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, alongside the head of his cabinet, Simonas Satunas, and cabinet member Ramunas Stanionis.

"We continued discussions on integrating Ukraine's defence industry into the European defence-industrial base. This time, the focus was on the importance of independent satellite communications and the challenges surrounding this issue in the context of waging war. We also explored opportunities for Ukrainian enterprises within the European defence industry," said Herman Smetanin.

The EU Commissioner for Defence and Space highlighted Ukraine's unique expertise in the defence sector. He noted that Europe could learn significantly from the Ukrainian experience, particularly in rapidly scaling up defence industry production and its innovations. Andrius Kubilius emphasised that this was the reason for advancing closer mutual integration between the EU and Ukrainian defence sectors and for deepening cooperation in various areas of defence and space.

The parties also discussed the upcoming Ukraine-EU Defence Industries Forum, set to take place in Brussels next week.

Herman Smetanin thanked Andrius Kubilius for his steadfast support for Ukraine's defence industry and for facilitating the establishment of partnership ties.

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Baiba Braze together with EU ministers in Lviv: Ukraine is Europe, and will become part of the European Union

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Published: 09.05.2025

Military support to Ukraine, establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, increased pressure on Russia and the process of Ukraine's eurointegration - those were the main topics addressed during a Europe Day visit to Lviv, Ukraine, by the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and senior officials from the EU and beyond. In total, delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv on 9 May.

"We all stand with Ukraine, both in its fight against the Russian aggression and on its path to full membership of the EU family of states. Today in Lviv, we celebrate Europe Day together with our Ukrainian friends. Ukraine is Europe, and Ukraine will become a member state of the European Union. This is what we promised Ukrainian soldiers, war veterans, children who have lost their parents, those buried in the Lviv Cemetery, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and all the Ukrainian people. It is Ukraine's choice, and it is also the EU's choice," Foreign Minister Baiba Braze underlined.

EU ministers expressed their political support for the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. It will be an important mechanism of international law to ensure accountability for Russia's crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers Meeting on the conclusion of the work of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine ("Lviv Statement"), 9 May 2025, Lviv, Ukraine

"Latvia knows from its historical experience why achieving Russia's accountability for the crime of aggression is crucial for peace and security - not only in Ukraine, but across all of Europe. Neither the Soviet nor the Russian authorities have ever faced international accountability for any crimes committed before, during and after the Second World War, including in the occupied Baltic states. Today, we see the consequences of this impunity. Impunity breeds future generations of war criminals, rapists, and murderers. Many of those can be seen marching on the Red Square today, leaving a bloody trail from their atrocities in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, and many other Ukrainian cities.

Upon the establishment of an international tribunal, we will be able, for the first time since the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials, to bring to justice Russia's senior officials for the crime of aggression. Work on the creation of the tribunal must be completed at the earliest possible date," says Baiba Braze.

She also underlined that Latvia is an active member of the Core Group and, among other things, organised its 12th meeting in November 2024, which saw the adoption of the Vienna-Riga Statement.

At the Foreign Ministers' meeting in Luxembourg on 14 May, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiha, is expected to forward a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe requesting that the process be initiated of setting up a Special Tribunal under the auspices of the Council of Europe.

The High Representative Kaja Kallas announced the delivery of one billion euros (USD 1.1 billion) in EU assistance to the strengthening of Ukraine's defence industry.

The officials, including during their visit to the Superhumans Center rehabilitation facility, met with surviving soldiers, and children who had lost their parents. The participants also paid tribute to the fallen Ukrainian soldiers who lie buried in Lviv's Lychakiv Cemetery.

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Budrys in Ukraine: 1 billion for Ukraine's defence industry - an investment in the security of the entire Europe

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated 2025-05-09

On 9 May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, participated in the informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers in Lviv, Ukraine. In the plenary session with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, diplomatic and military support for Ukraine, strengthening sanctions against Russia, ensuring the aggressor's accountability, and the use of frozen Russian assets was discussed.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy emphasized that, on the occasion of Europe Day in Ukraine, the EU must confirm its commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and future in the EU with concrete decisions.

"There is no better place to be on Europe Day than Ukraine. The heart of Europe beats here, and every day there is a struggle to defend our secure future, based on shared values. Europe's role in strengthening Ukraine in this fight is essential: our financial, military, and political support must be continued, increased, and sustained. I welcome the EU's decision to invest 1 billion euros in Ukraine's defence industry. This is an investment in European security, which we must continue to increase together - Ukraine's defence industry is capable of receiving an additional 20 billion euros this year," said the Minister.

Budrys announced that Lithuania's military support for Ukraine supplied from 2022 will surpass the value of 1 billion euros this year. New provision of support worth almost 5 million euros will be transferred to the Demining Capability Coalition in the near future.

Ahead of the plenary session, the EU foreign ministers visited the Superhumans Center, a rehabilitation center in Ukraine for adults and children affected by Russian attacks. Ukrainian and EU ministers also paid tribute to fallen defenders of Ukraine at the Field of Mars of the Lychakiv Cemetery.

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Budrys: Europe's role in strengthening Ukraine's position is crucial

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated 2025-05-09

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, continues to participate in the informal meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Warsaw.

Budrys said that Europe must keep strengthening Ukraine's position. This, according to the Minister, is crucial when seeking an unconditional ceasefire, followed by a just and lasting peace. According to Budrys, it is necessary to strengthen military, political, and financial support, as well as to actively seek Russia's accountability for the crime of aggression.

"Europe's role in strengthening Ukraine's position is crucial. We must provide all the necessary support, as well as use the strong cards that the EU has - sanctions and frozen Russian assets. Only a strong Ukraine with a strong European backing can force Putin to negotiate a just and lasting peace," said the Minister.

When addressing his EU counterparts, the Minister also stressed the need to continue European efforts to strengthen security and defence. Budrys expressed Lithuania's support for the proposals set out in the White Paper for European defence, but stressed the need for rapid decision-making and immediate implementation. The head of Lithuania's diplomacy also said that the EUR 150 billion loan facility, SAFE, was an excellent instrument and noted the special need to boost defence funding to secure the EU countries bordering Russia, Belarus, as well as the need for flexible cooperation on defence acquisitions with transatlantic and reliable third partners.

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The President at the JEF Summit: The fate of Ukraine is the fate of Europe's security as a whole

President of the Republic of Lithuania

May 09, 2025

President Gitanas Nauseda, alongside the leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, took part today in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Leaders' Summit in Oslo. The meeting focused on further strengthening cooperation and support for Ukraine, as well as enhancing security and defense in the Baltic Sea, the High North, and the North Atlantic region. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also joined the summit remotely.

According to the Lithuanian President, this JEF Summit is taking place at a critical moment for our region and for Euro-Atlantic security. It is therefore essential to demonstrate our unity and resolve and to define the direction of the JEF's future activities. The Lithuanian leader identified three key conditions for a credible Euro-Atlantic deterrence and defense posture: strong and consistent support for Ukraine, increased defense investment, and the permanent presence of the United States in Europe.

"The fate of Ukraine is the fate of Europe's security as a whole. We welcome the decision to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the JEF. Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration and its robust armed forces are of strategic interest to our region," the President pointed out.

Gitanas Nauseda emphasized that Ukraine's participation in JEF military exercises would support practical cooperation in order to enhance interoperability between Ukrainian and our forces, and facilitate the sharing of experience, particularly in protecting critical infrastructure and applying battlefield lessons, such as drone warfare, military medicine, and countering disinformation.

President Gitanas Nauseda underlined the urgent need for Europe to take its security even more seriously by increasing defense spending to address gaps in military capabilities.

"Lithuania is setting an ambitious examplewe are allocating 4% of our GDP to defense and plan to raise this to 5-6% by 2026. We must invest more in our own securitysignificant defense spending must result in tangible military strength. This is the message we are delivering here in Oslo, and we will continue to raise it at the NATO Summit in The Hague," President Gitanas Nauseda emphasized.

Lithuania supports the JEF as a flexible and effective cooperation platform that enables like-minded nations to act together. It is seen as one of the primary frameworks capable of responding to potential crises. In 2025, the largest-ever JEF exercise, Tarassis25, will take placecoinciding with Russia's Zapad military exercise. This exercise will provide a significant example of how allies can counter Russian military actions in the region.

The Heads of State signed a joint declaration reaffirming their commitment to bolstering support for Ukraine and its defense industry, strengthening the JEF's deterrence and peacetime capabilities, and promoting better awareness of strategic relations across the JEF region.

The JEF is a UK-led, high-readiness, and rapidly deployable force established in 2014 to respond to a wide range of threats, deter adversaries, and contribute to security. The JEF is made up of 10 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.



The President's Communication Group

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Ukraine's EU Allies Endorse Creating Special Tribunal To Try Russian Leaders

By RFE/RL May 09, 2025

Ukraine's EU allies on May 9 endorsed the creation of a new international court to prosecute Russia's top leaders over Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The special tribunal would target senior Russian leaders for the crime of aggression to cover the countless war crimes Ukraine accuses Russian forces of committing since the start of the war in 2022.

EU foreign ministers gathered in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv announced their support for the international court on the same day Russia commemorated the end of World War II with a military parade in Moscow.

European efforts to create the tribunal appear to have sped up since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House and began pushing for a rapid end to the war, raising fears that Russian leaders could escape justice.

"There is no space for impunity. Russia's aggression cannot go unpunished and therefore establishing this tribunal is extremely important," EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and another Russian official for the forced deportation of children and strikes on Ukraine's energy targets.

But Russia is not a member of the ICC, so it cannot prosecute Putin and other senior leaders for the decision to launch the invasion. Ukrainian and European leaders came up with the special tribunal as an alternative way to hold Russian leaders to account.

"This tribunal is being set up to pass appropriate sentences in the future," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said in Lviv on May 9.

He added Kyiv wanted the "inevitable punishment for all," including the "president of Russia, the prime minister of Russia, and the foreign minister of Russia."

Similar special tribunals were established after World War II, the Balkan wars, and the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Since early in the conflict, Kyiv has been pushing for the creation of a special tribunal that goes beyond prosecuting war crimes that Ukraine alleged Russian forces committed, including bombing civilian infrastructure, killing civilians, rape, taking hostages, and torture.

"If we want true justice, we should not look for excuses and should not refer to the shortcomings of the current international law but make bold decisions that will correct those shortcomings that unfortunately exist in international law," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a visit to the Netherlands in 2023.

The legal framework for the tribunal was agreed on by leaders in February. It will be funded by the countries who back it, known as the Core Group, including the Netherlands, Japan and Canada.

The United States backed the projected under former President Joe Biden, but the Trump administration does not support the initiative. Kallas said she hoped Washington would "sooner rather than later join."

Putin earlier on May 9 evoked Soviet victory over Nazi Germany to rally the country round his three-year offensive at a military parade in Moscow in front of key allies, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We are not reacting to this," the state TASS news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Russia has denied Ukraine's accusations of war crimes.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-tribunal- court-war-crimes-european-union/33409612.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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Trump Calls for Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire, Threatens Sanctions

Sputnik News

20250509

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington is still engaged in discussions with Moscow and Kiev, and called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, warning that new sanctions would be imposed if the ceasefire is not upheld.

"Talks with Russia/Ukraine continue. The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

In his post, Trump emphasized his commitment to achieving peace between Russia and Ukraine in collaboration with European partners, expressing hope for a lasting resolution of the conflict.

"This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a Peace Agreement. It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment's notice if my services are needed," Trump added.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared in a post on X that he had a "good" phone conversation with Trump, during which he informed the US leader that Kiev is prepared for an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

 Sputnik

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UK and international partners confirm support for Special Tribunal on Crime of Aggression as Foreign Secretary visits Lviv

Foreign Secretary David Lammy will visit Lviv today in joint show of support for Ukraine, as the UK announces sanctions on 100 ships in the Russian shadow fleet.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon David Lammy MP

9 May 2025

Foreign Secretary David Lammy will visit Lviv today [Friday 9 May] in joint show of support for Ukraine's future in Europe

visiting Lviv, European partners will reaffirm their commitment to securing a just and lasting peace

for the first time, ministers will also confirm their support for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine

Visiting Lviv to stand in solidarity with Ukraine in their defence against Russia's illegal invasion, Foreign Secretary David Lammy will join European ministers in the city to hold further talks on securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

He will also, alongside representatives of the Core Group of at least 37 countries, announce united and ardent support for the establishment of a Special Tribunal, to hold those responsible for the crime of aggression against Ukraine to account.

Today's events come as the Prime Minister announced a major package of sanctions to target the decrepit and dangerous shadow fleet carrying Russian oil. Our world-leading sanctions have plunged Putin's ships into crisis. According to some estimates, sanctions have crippled 200 ships - almost half of Putin's entire fleet.

The UK has been clear that the security of the UK, which underpins this government's Plan for Change, starts in Ukraine. Securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and combating Russia's malign influence around the world mean a safer Britain at home. We are boosting our defence spending , with an increase of 13.4 billion year on year, to respond to these challenges.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

Today - and every day - we stand with Ukraine. We stand for a just and lasting peace, for a secure Europe, and for accountability and justice. I have been supportive of a Special Tribunal to prosecute Russia's leaders for their war of aggression since March 2022, just weeks after Putin's full-scale invasion. This was a key manifesto commitment and as soon as we came into government, we made it a top priority. We stand against Putin, against his stalling and backtracking on peace, and against his dodgy shadow fleet of oil tankers. We are determined to sink his failing ambition to fund his illegal war through them - that is why we have today unleashed the largest package of sanctions against them, with 110 targets. We call on Russia to drop the gimmicks and agree to an unconditional ceasefire as Ukraine has done. Those standing with Putin today in Moscow should reflect on the lessons of history: peace will always prevail and aggressors will never be allowed to succeed. Through our 100 Year Partnership, this government's Plan for Change and our ongoing military and diplomatic support, the UK's commitment to Ukraine is stronger than ever.

The Foreign Secretary will join 17 other foreign ministers and Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha to discuss the next steps for an enduring peace in Europe. European ministers will make clear that they are united in support of Ukraine and its clear commitment to peace, and condemn Putin's stalling, backtracking and ongoing bombardment of Ukrainian civilians.

The Special Tribunal meeting is a milestone moment, as we now have the legal foundations for a Tribunal, following the culmination of more than two years of careful and complex negotiations among at least 37 states to deliver a united position on justice and accountability. The government is delivering on its manifesto, and the UK is building on its commitments as part of the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership.

The UK will also provide nearly 25 million in new funding to support local Ukrainian organisations protect the most vulnerable who continue to suffer from Russia's ongoing aggression.

This includes 10 million to HAVEN to protect and evacuate civilians in frontline areas where Russian attacks continue and 5 million to Mercy Corps so they can support local organisations to meet people's basic needs as quickly as possible in an emergency. 9.4 million will go to the Ukrainian Red Cross who continue to build up Ukraine's country-wide emergency response to urgent humanitarian needs. Some of this funding will improve access to and the quality of recovery and rehabilitation services, including for veterans.

The Foreign Secretary's visit comes as Ukrainian grain and other food produce, supported by 3 million provided by the UK for the World Food Programme to send produce to Syria, arrives in Turkiye to be distributed worldwide. This Ukrainian produce provides a lifeline to the most vulnerable around the world including in Syria with Ukrainian grain crucial for global food security. In stark contrast, Russia repeatedly attacked Ukrainian port infrastructure and ships and has imposed conditions on a Black Sea ceasefire.

Today's meeting in Lviv highlights the strength of European unity. Today, and its historical importance, should service as a reminder that peace, respect of sovereignty, and justice will always prevail.

The British people have never once wavered in their support for Ukraine. Supporting them means defending our shared democratic values and Ukraine's right to determine its own future in a free and peaceful Europe.

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Andriy Yermak Holds a Conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Representatives of the U.S. Presidential Administration

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 21:11

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, held a conversation with representatives of the U.S. Presidential Administration, following up on yesterday's phone call between the Presidents of Ukraine and the United States and the issues they discussed during it.

The American side was represented by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as Acting National Security Adviser to the President of the United States, along with Special Presidential Envoys Steve Witkoff and General Keith Kellogg.

On the Ukrainian side, Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov also participated in the conversation.

This was Marco Rubio's first call since his appointment as Acting National Security Adviser to the President of the United States.

The main topic of the discussion was the ceasefire and the prospects for a peaceful resolution.

The parties also commended the ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the two states, agreeing that this historic document opens up new opportunities for Ukrainian-American cooperation.

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Moscow Should Accept the Ceasefire, Because That's the Only Way Real Peace Can Start - President

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 15:46

Ukraine is ready for a reliable and lasting ceasefire for at least 30 days. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this during an online address at the JEF Member States Summit held in Oslo.

The Head of State congratulated the summit participants on Europe Day and emphasized that the future of Europe largely depends on the choices and actions taken now.

"It's really important that we stay strong and keep working together - just like we're doing now. That's the whole point of formats like JEF - and of our cooperation - Ukraine with Northern Europe, with the UK, with the Netherlands, with the Baltic states, and with all our other partners," the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is currently engaged in active, positive, and productive communication with the United States. In particular, he had a phone conversation yesterday with U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the Head of State, the joint efforts are focused on achieving a reliable and lasting ceasefire for at least 30 days - a goal Ukraine is ready for.

"If Russia keeps dragging out the war, we'll need stronger sanctions - especially if they break the ceasefire when it finally happens. The U.S. and all of you in Europe know what hurts Russia the most - what really puts pressure on Moscow to think about peace and stopping this war. Moscow should accept the ceasefire, because that's the only way real peace can start. Diplomacy needs silence," the President emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked partners for their support and called for close coordination with the United States. He also mentioned that Ukraine is preparing for a meeting with the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing.

"We need this Coalition - and we need it to be strong enough to guarantee security the way we all agree on. I'm sure Europe will only benefit from this kind of teamwork - it'll help strengthen the whole security setup we already have. Tomorrow - the meetings," he said.

The summit also focused on further cooperation, steps toward a ceasefire, and pressure on Russia.

Participants included President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Prime Ministers Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Kristen Michal of Estonia, Kristrun Frostadottir of Iceland, Evika Silina of Latvia, Jonas Gahr Stre of Norway, Ulf Kristersson of Sweden, and Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans.

The President thanked for Ukraine's participation in the JEF format and the opportunity to join efforts in the field of security.

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Tree-kangaroos are so rare that many Australians don't even know they exist.

Late-night road workers patching up a cyclone-hit region were treated to an incredible encounter, signalling an exciting shift in the population of one of Australia's most elusive creatures.

A Bennett's tree-kangaroo has been "making appearances" along the Cape Tribulation Road in Far North Queensland since March, with council workers "lucky" enough to capture a few seconds of incredible footage of the rare marsupial on the side of the road.

Works along the road have been ongoing since Cyclone Jasper flooding caused landslips along the roads in December, 2023. "He seems to have adjusted to our midnight closure of Alexandra Range and is often at the first corner north of the lookout at approximately 12.15 am lately," A FNQ Traffic Management spokesperson told Yahoo.

The elusive marsupial was described to Yahoo as "cryptic and difficult to see in the wild" by Wildlife Habitat General Manager Clare Hunt. It is found only in Papua New Guinea and in northern Queensland, with some subspecies critically endangered to the point there were previously estimated to be fewer than 50 individuals left.

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The Bennett's tree-kangaroo, found in the Queensland's Daintree region, is listed as near-threatened. The Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, also shares this classification. However the increase in sightings signals that population may be on the mend.

"They are quite rarely seen," Peter Valentine, president of the Tree-Kangaroo and Mammal Group told Yahoo News, of the Bennett's tree-kangaroo sighting, describing it as a "really good sign".

"I am interpreting these more recent sightings as a signal that [their populations] are becoming more secure. "I'd like to make that optimistic interpretation for the Bennett's kangaroos which were very rarely seen in the past."

Watch the footage

Have you had an incredible wildlife encounter? Share it with Yahoo by contacting News Editor Courtney Greatrex at courtney.greatrex@yahooinc.com.

Major threats to tree-kangaroo populations

There are several important factors affecting the populations of tree-kangaroos in Australia. "The biggest threats come from humans," explained Valentine. The key threats come from habitat clearing, and also road collisions and attacks from animals like domestic dogs.

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"Many tree-kangaroos, especially young males, are killed by us driving too fast on roads," he said.

While tree-kangaroos, as the name suggests, spend the majority of their time up in the tree canopies, they are known to come to the ground. Predatory birds and snakes may force them to come to ground level, or if they are looking to reach new food sources.

Tree-kangaroos live in family groups with one male and multiple females in the same area. When young males get to a certain age, Valentine said they are "hunted out" by older males, putting them on the move in the environment looking for new territory.

Yahoo reported there were at least four tree-kangaroos killed by cars at Malanda Falls late last year, locals said. Source: Facebook/Themi Graham

"Every road we build in the rainforest is a threat to any animal that has to continue living in that habitat,' he said, with young male tree-kangaroos being particularly susceptible to collisions.

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"Most of the dead tree-kangaroos are young males, looking for new territory and in doing that, crossing roads more frequently than others," he said. "These young males are performing an important population task in spreading genes."

"One thing we can do to improve the situation would be to help people better understand the need to slow down on these roads," he said. "Most of the deaths will be from cars, and those cars are travelling too fast. Those accidents are easier to avoid if you're not travelling as fast," he said.

Hunt told Yahoo that the video gives locals and visitors "a clear view" of what they should be looking for on and around the roads.

"Tree-kangaroos are more active very early and late in the day, and overnight," she explained.

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It's believed seasonal variations in temperature and rain, which affect food quality, are likely to impact the frequency of tree-kangaroos accessing the forest floor.

"This may well be why this individual has been seen on a number of occasions in the same area," she said.

"Drivers should be conscious of the species to look out for in the local region, and Australia is certainly well known for high frequency of kangaroo and wallaby activity during early morning, late in the day and overnight. These tree kangaroos are no different."

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Diplomacy Needs Silence - President's Address at the JEF Member States Summit

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 15:31

Dear colleagues, dear friends!

First of all, I want to greet you - these days we're marking Europe Day and saying thanks to all the generations that defeated Nazism. Our Europe is the result of the choices and actions made by the generations before us - and the Europe we'll pass on to our kids depends a lot on the choices and actions we make now. It's really important that we stay strong and keep working together - just like we're doing now. That's the whole point of formats like JEF - and of our cooperation - Ukraine with Northern Europe, with the UK, with the Netherlands, with the Baltic states, and with all our other partners. Thank you all.

Recently we have had so much communication with the United States - and not just a lot, but really positive and productive. We're working together to get to a ceasefire, one that's solid and lasting, at least 30 days. Ukraine is ready. I spoke with President Trump - as you said, Jonas - yesterday. You also had a talk with him. We're all in touch, and our teams are working together - and that's how it should be. We're all on the same page - there has to be a full ceasefire. And if Russia keeps dragging out the war, we'll need stronger sanctions - especially if they break the ceasefire when it finally happens. The U.S. and all of you in Europe know what hurts Russia the most - what really puts pressure on Moscow to think about peace and stopping this war. Moscow should accept the ceasefire, because that's the only way real peace can start. Diplomacy needs silence. Thanks for backing us in this - and let's keep coordinating closely with the United States.

We're also getting ready in Ukraine for a meeting with the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing - serious work ahead. We need this Coalition - and we need it to be strong enough to guarantee security the way we all agree on. I'm sure Europe will only benefit from this kind of teamwork - it'll help strengthen the whole security setup we already have. Tomorrow - the meetings.

And one more thing.

Ukraine truly values its involvement in JEF - thank you so much to all of you for giving us the opportunity to connect the security efforts of our parts of Europe. These days, no region can stay isolated, living by its own rules - everything's connected. Especially when it comes to war or other threats. And especially now, after Russia's war against us, against Ukraine, changed the whole level of threats. Drones - we're seeing a whole new scale of drone warfare. Infrastructure - we need to team up like never before to protect key infrastructure - energy, communication, transport. Cyber - every day we've got to keep up with those trying to break into systems and wreck security.

We're already doing a lot together. But there's still more we need to do. Thanks for investing in Ukrainian weapons production, in different models - that's helping us scale up and keep our tech sharp. It's also great that you're boosting production in your own countries. We've got training programs, intelligence cooperation, political coordination. And when we finally get that ceasefire - we'll need proper monitoring. All of this is the foundation for long-term cooperation. The Baltic and North Seas' security depends so much on the security of the Black and Azov Seas to my mind. Our countries rely on each other - and that's not a weakness, it's our strength. I'm grateful that today we are receiving - I hope we will have it - the status of Enhanced Partnership within the JEF. And let that be part of our deeper integration - a symbol that once we've secured lasting peace for Ukraine, there will be no more new wars.

Thank you so much, Jonas. I'm ready for discussion. Thank you to all of you, friends.

 !

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Core Group Officially Endorses the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Russian Aggression Against Ukraine

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 14:46

On Europe Day, an international coalition of countries - the Core Group - officially endorsed the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The Core Group meeting took place in Lviv with the participation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, representatives of the Council of Europe, and the foreign ministers of the Core Group member states.

The event was moderated by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Iryna Mudra, who has been coordinating the legal work related to the establishment of the special tribunal.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset addressed the participants via video message.

"We all understand there is a lot of work ahead, both political and legal. We all understand how hard it is to actually bring war criminals to the courtroom. But we've already chosen the path. Russia will be held accountable for this war. This is a moral duty for Europe - and for everyone in the world who values human life," the Head of State emphasized.

For more than two years, legal teams from Core Group member states have been working to close a gap in international law regarding accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. As a result of this coordinated effort, draft constituent documents necessary for the establishment of the special tribunal have been prepared.

The next step will be a session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, scheduled for May 13-14 in Luxembourg, where the formal process of establishing the special tribunal will begin.

Following today's meeting, a joint concluding statement - the Lviv Statement - was adopted.

Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers Meeting on the conclusion of the work of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine - pdf - 93.31 kb

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Russia Will Be Held Accountable for This War - Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 14:05

Russia must be held accountable for its aggression, just as the Nazis were. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this during his online address to the meeting of EU foreign ministers taking place in Lviv.

The Head of State thanked for supporting Ukraine and noted that the ministers arrived with strong decisions and a readiness to increase pressure on Russia for the sake of true peace. In particular, a decision is being prepared to allocate 1 billion for weapons production in Ukraine, with a total of approximately 4 billion in new aid announced to date.

"Russia must feel our shared - and most importantly, growing - strength. That's what's needed for peace. The desire to end this war has to grow inside Russia, and that begins with a feeling - the feeling that they are losing, losing from this war as any aggressor should," the President emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted the symbolism of the meeting taking place on the days when we honor the memory of those who defeated Nazism 80 years ago and when we celebrate Europe Day.

"Today, right in front of you, is a decision - a decision to create a mechanism that can help prevent future wars - through accountability. A decision to create a tribunal. And I urge you to give this decision your political support. Russia must be held accountable for its aggression just as the Nazis were. A strong tribunal for the crime of aggression can - and must - make any potential aggressor think twice," the President noted.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked all those working to build a justice infrastructure and noted the efforts of the Council of Europe and the Netherlands, particularly The Hague, for the readiness to become the home of justice.

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Russia Must Be Held Accountable for Its Aggression Just as the Nazis Were - President's Address at the Meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 13:38

Dear friends!

Thank you to all of you who represent countries that believe in international law!

I'm glad to see you all here in Ukraine - not just supporting us from afar, but actually standing with us. It shows that we're all Europe, all democracies - united not just by borders or institutions, but by shared values and hopes. You've come with strong decisions, real support for our people, and a readiness to increase pressure on Russia for the sake of true peace.

I know that today a decision is prepared for new support for our defense - for producing weapons in Ukraine - worth one billion euros. In total, it's about four billion euros in new support decisions from Europe as of today. Thank you very much for this.

Russia must feel our shared - and most importantly, growing - strength. That's what's needed for peace. The desire to end this war has to grow inside Russia, and that begins with a feeling - the feeling that they are losing, losing from this war as any aggressor should - that is what is needed. I ask you to keep working for exactly that. And it's very symbolic that our meeting is taking place during these days when we honor the memory of those who defeated Nazism 80 years ago, and when we celebrate Europe Day - the day of a new Europe, a day directly linked to the victory of the Allies in World War II. Our continent has a long and rich history, but today we are most proud of our new Europe - a Europe that knows how to live and stands up for the right to life. We must save this Europe. We're proud of a Europe that does not kill. That is united. That stands for international law. A Europe that respects the individual - and if we ask who that individual is, it's definitely not some ruler or a tsar. At the heart of today's Europe is respect for every human being, for each person's individuality and identity - the character of each nation, each individual, and each family. A united Europe together with our democratic friends around the world stands for exactly that. And it must be protected. Europe has been shaken and even broken more than once by reckless, misguided changes throughout the centuries. And now, at this turning point in history, it is vital for all of us - for every nation - that Europe does not break again. Not this time.

Our Europe - the one that has achieved so much in the years since World War II - must now simply become stronger, able to stand up for all people across Europe. We must protect this Europe - the Europe of human dignity, and therefore of law, human rights, and accountability for crimes against people and nations. Without accountability, declared rights are not truly real, and respect for human dignity begins to fade. This is the greatest moral legacy of the 20th century - there must be accountability, especially accountability for war. Because if even one war goes unpunished, more wars will follow. That's exactly why Putin started a full-scale war against Ukraine - he got away with his earlier wars like a thug who never had to answer for anything. That must never happen again. And today, right in front of you, is a decision - a decision to create a mechanism that can help prevent future wars - through accountability. A decision to create a tribunal. And I urge you to give this decision your political support. Russia must be held accountable for its aggression just as the Nazis were. A strong tribunal for the crime of aggression can - and must - make any potential aggressor think twice. And we can make it happen if everyone who values human life stands up for life - not just here in Europe, but also in the United States and other nations just as we already see here with representatives from Japan and Australia.

I thank you and your countries for working together to build the justice infrastructure we need - to ensure accountability for this war, Russia's war against Ukraine. I especially want to highlight the efforts of the Council of Europe - true leadership. Thank you to everyone working to make this tribunal an effective tool and to help strengthen the work of the International Criminal Court. My thanks also go to the Netherlands and the city of The Hague for being ready to become the home of justice - justice that Ukraine deserves in the face of this war. We all understand there is a lot of work ahead, both political and legal. We all understand how hard it is to actually bring war criminals to the courtroom. But we've already chosen the path. Russia will be held accountable for this war. This is a moral duty for Europe - and for everyone in the world who values human life.

Thank you for your support. Thank you so much. Let justice prevail.

 !

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Security Situation and Strengthening Ukraine's Defense Capabilities: Pavlo Palisa Met with EU Commissioner for Defense and Space

President of Ukraine

9 May 2025 - 12:50

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Pavlo Palisa held a meeting with a delegation of the European Union led by EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius.

Pavlo Palisa expressed gratitude for the EU's clear and principled position in supporting Ukraine and for the security assistance, which includes troop training, weaponry, and military equipment.

He briefed the delegation on the overall situation in Ukraine, with a specific focus on the frontline.

During the meeting, the sides discussed in detail the strengthening of Ukraine's defense capabilities as a foundation for the security of the entire European continent, as well as the impact of modern technological developments on the conduct of warfare.

Andrius Kubilius noted that the European Union is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine and reaffirmed continued support for Ukraine in its pursuit of a dignified and lasting peace.

He also emphasized the importance and uniqueness of Ukraine's combat experience. According to the Commissioner, partner countries are studying this experience carefully, as it is essential for the development of the EU's military capabilities.

The parties agreed to continue active dialogue and cooperation on security matters.

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Vancouver, May 9, 2025 - Silicon Metals Corp. (CSE: SI) (FSE: X6U) (OTC Pink: SLCNF) ("Silicon Metals" or the "Company") announces that it has terminated the property option agreement with Eastfield Resources Ltd. dated December 21, 2020, as amended (the "Option Agreement"). The Option Agreement granted the Company the right to earn a 60% interest in the Hedge Hog property, located approximately 15 kilometres north of the town of Wells in the Cariboo Mining Division of British Columbia.

"As we continue to refine our strategic priorities, the decision to step back from the Hedge Hog project allows us to concentrate our efforts and capital on our other core projects with strong potential for near-term value creation," said Morgan Good, CEO of Silicon Metals. "We remain committed to advancing our portfolio and identifying high-impact opportunities aligned with our exploration and development objectives."

The Company extends its appreciation to Eastfield Resources Ltd. for its collaboration during the term of the Option Agreement.

About Silicon Metals Corp.

Silicon Metals Corp. is currently focused on exploration in western Canada, namely British Columbia. The Company holds an undivided 100% right, title and interest in the Ptarmigan Silica Project located approximately 130km from Prince George, British Columbia. The Company has also acquired an undivided 100% right, title, and interest in both the Silica Ridge Silica Project located approximately 70kms southeast from the town of MacKenzie, British Columbia, as well as the Longworth Silica Project located approximately 85km East from Prince George, British Columbia.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

SILICON METALS CORP.

"Morgan Good"

Morgan Good

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release).

Cautionary Note Regarding 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 that the Company's existing projects have strong potential for near-term valuation creation; and that the Company remains committed to advancing its portfolio and identifying high-impact opportunities aligned with its exploration and development objectives.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied certain material assumptions, including without limitation, that management's expectations regarding the Company's existing projects will prove to be accurate; and the Company will carry out its business plans as disclosed and will advance its portfolio as disclosed.

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 management's expectations regarding the Company's existing projects will prove to be inaccurate and the exploration thereof will not result in near-term value creation; that the Company's business plans will change and the Company will fail to remain committed to advancing its portfolio and identifying high-impact opportunities aligned with its exploration and development objectives; and unanticipated costs. 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/251489
Vancouver, May 9, 2025 - Blue Star Gold Corp. (TSXV: BAU) (FSE: 5WP0) ("Blue Star" or the "Company"), a leading explorer in Canada's North, announces that, further to its news release of March 25, 2025 and subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), it has issued 35,000,000 common shares (each a "Share") at $0.10 per Share raising gross proceeds of $3,500,000 (the "Private Placement").

Dr. Georg Pollert, a director and controlling shareholder of the Company, purchased an aggregate of 29,500,000 Shares pursuant to the Private Placement. As a result, the issuance of these Shares pursuant to the Private Placement is considered a related party transaction (as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101")). The Company relied upon the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements set out in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(e) of MI 61-101, respectively.

All securities issued are subject to a four-month and one day hold period pursuant to securities laws in Canada and the Exchange Hold Period, expiring on September 10, 2025. The Company paid an arm's length finder a fee in the amount of $30,000 cash and 300,000 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") to a qualified party in accordance with Exchange Policies. The Finder's Warrants are non-transferable and exercisable at $0.10 per Share until May 9, 2026.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement for general working capital purposes.

About Blue Star Gold Corp.

Blue Star is a mineral exploration and development company focused in Nunavut, Canada. Blue Star's landholdings total 290 square kilometres of highly prospective and underexplored mineral properties in the High Lake Greenstone Belt. The Company owns the Ulu Gold Project, comprised of the Ulu Mining Lease and Hood River Property, and the Roma Project. A significant high-grade gold resource exists at the Flood Zone deposit (Ulu Mining Lease), and numerous high-potential exploration targets (gold and critical minerals) occur throughout the Company's extensive landholdings, providing Blue Star with excellent resource growth potential. The site of the future deep-water port at Grays Bay is 40 - 100 km to the north of the properties, and the proposed route corridor for the all-weather Grays Bay Road passes close by the Roma and Ulu Gold Projects.

Blue Star is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol: BAU, the U.S. OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol: BAUFF, and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol: 5WP0. For information on the Company and its projects, please visit our website: www.bluestargold.ca.

For further information, please contact:

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the Policies of the TSX-Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding prospective income and revenues, anticipated levels of capital expenditures for the fiscal year, expectations of the effect on our financial condition of claims, litigation, environmental costs, contingent liabilities, and governmental and regulatory investigations and proceedings, and estimates of mineral resources and reserves on our properties.

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: economic and financial conditions, including volatility in interest and exchange rates, commodity and equity prices and the value of financial assets, strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions and our success in integrating acquired businesses into our operations, developments and changes in laws and regulations, including increased regulation of the mining industry through legislative action and revised rules and standards applied by the regulatory bodies in Nunavut, changes in the price of fuel and other key materials and disruptions in supply chains for these materials, closures or slowdowns and changes in labour costs and labour difficulties, including stoppages affecting either our operations or our suppliers' abilities to deliver goods and services to us, as well as natural events such as severe weather, fires, floods and earthquakes or man-made or other disruptions of our equipment, and inaccuracies in estimates of mineral resources and/or reserves on our mineral properties.

The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements.

This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251590
Vancouver, May 9, 2025 - Sage Potash Corp. (TSXV: SAGE) (OTCQB: SGPTF) ("Sage Potash" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 16,000,000 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.25 each for gross proceeds of up to $4 million (the "Offering").

Proceeds of the Offering will be used for exploration and general working capital purposes. The Company may pay finders' fees in cash and/or securities of the Company in connection with the Offering. All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance under applicable securities laws.

Certain directors and officers of the Company may acquire securities under the Offering. Any such participation will be considered to be a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The Company expects that the Offering will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as the Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and neither the expected fair market value of securities being issued to related parties nor the consideration being paid by related parties would exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

Closing of the Offering is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance.

About Sage Potash Corp.

Sage Potash is a Canadian company vested solely in the Sage Plain Property and intends through sustainable solution mining techniques to become a prominent domestic potash producer within the Paradox Basin situated in Utah. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or contact the Company by email at info@sagepotash.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 Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this news release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance of Sage Potash and with respect to the Offering, including the use of proceeds thereof and the proposed issuance of securities. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict, that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including, but not limited to, the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis available for review under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgement based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

For media inquiries, please contact: Marcus van der Made, Investor Relations of Sage Potash Corp. - marcus@sagepotash.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251628
Sam described the $500,000 property as 'horrible' when he purchased it. Just five weeks later, it's completely unrecognisable.

When Sam Harper walked through the front door of his newest property flip project, he admitted feeling a little "scared". With broken windows, blackened ceilings and asbestos-infested walls, the home in one of Perth's up-and-coming eastern suburbs needed a complete gut.

While most young Aussies around the country are grappling with how they'll get onto the property ladder, 27-year-old Sam is busy finishing off his fourth property renovation project in just two years.

After five weeks and nearly $60,000 injected into the Koondoola home, the self-professed property flipper couldn't be more proud of what he and his team had done with the place.

Sam, a former tradie from Victoria, told Yahoo, "like most young blokes", he wasn't sure what to do after finishing high school, so jumped straight into an electrician apprenticeship. But after nearly 10 years in the industry, he knew it was never something he was passionate about.

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"That quickly becomes a bit of a burden," he said. "I had the realisation if I don't go for something I actually want, I might get myself stuck doing something I don't want to be doing."

After travelling the country with his partner, the pair settled down in Perth and bought their first home two years ago. He jumped into a course to become a buyer's agent with the hopes of learning the ropes of property investing, but in doing so quickly discovered "I'd trap myself with more debt in a job I didn't want to be in," he explained.

That's when he started delving into the world of property flipping. "I knew it was a big thing in other countries, but not done as much in Australia," he said.

Last January, Sam and his partner used their full-time salaries to buy a home to live in and renovate on the side. After nearly five months, Sam said the equity wasn't quite enough to start flipping more properties, so he used "private investor funds" to help get the first few property flips off the ground.

The Koondoola property has been 'completely gutted' in the inside and is now unrecognisable. Source: Professionals

'Scary' Perth house with $195,000 upside

Sam's most recent project in Koondoola, an eastern suburb of Perth, is his proudest achievement to date. He said he was "genuinely scared" to enter the property after purchasing it. He described the condition as "horrible".

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"It was a nice family home for years," he explained. But after several years of neglect, it was left looking a little worse for wear.

The house required a complete gutting. "Kitchens ripped out and put back together, bathroom ripped out and put back together, there was asbestos in the kitchen and the bathroom so when we were demolishing we had to get it all done properly," he said.

Wallpaper had to be removed, holes in the walls patched up, along with repainting, reflooring and "full landscaping". Sam and his team placed new grass and reticulation in the backyard, painted the outdoor "bunker"  a former wine cellar, and painted the patio. He estimates the entire cost of the project was about $60,000.

The property, purchased in February of this year for $500,000 is now listed for $695,000  with Sam estimating that his profit before tax will be around $80,000. Remarkably, it took just five weeks. "It's a pretty quick turnaround," he concedes.

Sam's strategy to property flipping success

So what is Sam's secret to success? Buying properties no one else will touch.

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"The ones I've done have been in horrible condition," he said. "Otherwise it can be a challenge to pick them up. Though in saying that, there are opportunities everywhere."

So far, he's done projects within a 30-minute radius of his home in areas that have a cheaper price point.

"I'm mainly looking at fundamentals where there is heaps of opportunity to find deals," he said.

While a background in the trades has definitely helped Sam, he thinks you learn more "when you get your hands dirty".

"I've worked alongside many other trades which has given me an idea of how things happen, but there are plenty of people still doing this that don't have a trade background and are successful," he said.

Sam's message to young Aussies trying to get on property ladder

Incredibly, Sam was able to make property flipping his full-time gig through his business Harpers House Flipping after less than two years.

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"Only six months ago I was still wearing high vis doing something that I didn't love," he said. "It wasn't going to get me and my family where we wanted to go. I had no idea if it was going to work out but I didn't let fear get in the way. I trusted I was going to figure it out."

His plan eventually is to build enough capital to buy properties to hold for the long term.

While many young Aussies will tell you the property market is simply too hard to get into, Sam argues that a "mindset shift" needs to take place. "If you focus on the problem, that's all you'll see.

"My mindset is always looking for opportunity," he said. "Anyone who achieves anything great in their life will have the mindset of 'I'll find a way', and they usually do."

"At the start it was quite scary, but I want people to know that you dont have to be anything special to go out there and chase what you want to chase, and create a better life."

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Against all Odds: Autobiography of Emeritus Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa

Rev. Dr Michael Ayertey Nanor Opinion May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read

In an age where autobiographies often veer toward self-congratulation, Against All Odds by Emeritus Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa rises like a beaconunfiltered, unpretentious and utterly unforgettable.

From the muddy paths of Mame Dede to the hallowed halls of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and from near-death experiences on a moving train to decision-making in the Vice-Chancellors office, Professor Adarkwas story is both intensely personal and profoundly public.

His voice throughout is marked by humility, precision and an unwavering belief in the grace of God.

Childhood forged

"I was born at home on Sunday, December 16, 1951 My parents were not sure if I could survive beyond two years. But I survivedagainst all odds." Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa

It all started in Mame Dede, an Eastern Ghanaian village. Professor Adarkwa learned about the ethnocultural basis of society.

Thus, shared meals, seasonal flooding, blistering hands from pounding fufu and lengthy walks to gather water or trek to the farm were not just daily challenges, but crucibles that created character, resilience and purpose.

However, these basic beginnings reveal a theological truth: God resides in compound houses, as well as cathedrals.

Education as exodus

Professor Adarkwas story is also the story of education as liberation, in the Police Depot Primary School and the Presbyterian Boys Middle Boarding School, Amanfo.

The level of discipline at the Police Depot Primary and the Presbyterian Boys Middle Boarding School, Amanfo, needs emphasis.

Here, he was equipped with the needed skills and temperament for the advancement ahead.

At Mfantsipim, he discovers his academic inadequacies and begins the hard climb toward transformation.

It was heart-warming to see each stakeholder contributing whatever they had: some brought pieces of ladies or womens kente cloth; some contributed science textbooks to enable him to enrol at the School." Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa.

His wake-up call came when a reclassification placed him in 4B1, outside the elite science tracka sobering moment that ignited his determination to take his academics seriously.

Guided by mentors and grace, that hunger became the fire fuelling his journey.

His admission to KNUST initiates a career in academia and national advancement.

His study of planning was intentional. He established his life trajectory prior to understanding his vocation.

Professor Adarkwa does not exhibit behaviour characteristic of a child prodigy.

He acquires knowledge via effort, not deceit.

As a foreign student at UBC and MSU, Professor Adarkwa describes his experiences.

Scholar as servant

"There is nothing like a trivial electionone careless word can alter the outcome" Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa.

What truly elevates this autobiography is Professor Adarkwas consistent portrayal of leadership as stewardship.

His time as a Teaching Assistant, Lecturer, and eventually Vice-Chancellor is not written as a ladder climbed, but as a cross carried.

Each administrative challenge is filtered through a moral lens: How do we lead without losing our soul?

Faith without apology

"Without this [faith], one is incomplete, and this is what is portrayed in the closing sections of this autobiography." Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa.

Equally compelling is the way faith is woven through every chapter, not as a decorative thread, but as the backbone.

His involvement with the Presbyterian Church at KNUST is not a side story; it is the soul of the narrative.

From his early years of Scripture Union to his presidency of the Asante Presbytery Mens Fellowship, Professor Adarkwa portrays Christianity not as a weekend identity but as a daily discipline.

In fact, what Against All Odds does best is what few autobiographies dare: it makes the case for faith in the public square. He declares: Without God, I am incomplete.

Vulnerable moments

"Between Nsawam and Asuoyaa the only space available was for me to stand towards one of the entrance/exit points of the train that was also travelling at top speed." Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa.

Amidst the triumphs are tragedies and trials.

The death of his son at age twelve, financial struggles abroad, the loneliness of doctoral studies and that unforgettable near-death experience on a speeding train, all of these moments reveal a man not immune to lifes cruelties, but resilient in its wake.

Mirror to the nation

What makes this book so timely is that it reads as a mirror to Ghanas development journey. Professor Adarkwa not only studies developmental issues, but he also lives them.

His involvement in the Commission on the Creation of New Regions reveals a man deeply in touch with the aspirations of a nation.

His policy advocacy, research contributions and curriculum reforms show how academia can serve societal needs.

His leadership philosophy, based on less talk and more work, makes the book a must-read for every public servant.

Final reflections

Against All Odds is more than an autobiographyit is a theology of purpose, a pedagogy of hope and a politics of character.

In a country yearning for honest voices and humble visionaries, Emeritus Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa stands as a rare gem.

His story is not the exception, it is the evidence that Ghana still works when people of faith, focus and fortitude lead with conscience.

So, if you ever wondered whether your small beginnings disqualify you from national relevance, read this book.

If you doubted whether morality still has a place in modern leadership, read this book.

And if you have ever asked whether one life can truly make a difference, read this book.

Then read it again.

The reviewer is a lecturer, Department of Planning, KNUST/Associate Minister, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Mt. Moriah Congregation, Adiebeba-Kumasi.

E-mail: [email protected]
Mothers Day: Unspoken mental health realities of motherhood

Sena Owusu-Gibson Opinion May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read

Others Day is widely celebrated as a joyous occasion, yet for some women, it carries a mix of gratitude, longing, pain and reflection; those facing infertility, parenting children with disabilities, raising children who are not biologically theirs, yet remain unappreciated, or those who have had to give their children away.

As I reflect on my own journey, my heart fills with gratitude.

For nearly nine years, I lived with uncertainty, wondering if I would ever hold a child of my own.

Yet, instead of despair, I turned to prayer, asking God to bless me with a child.

My yearning was shaped by personal desire and the stories I witnessed.

Women in my family and community raised pikin na borrows children from their husbands escapades, family members, friends and even strangers, offering love, care and protection. Many sacrificed their comfort, career aspirations and well-being, only to face abandonment or wrongful accusations of malice or witchcraft.

Remembering this deepened my prayer: Lord, bless me with a child of my own.

Through my experience with infertility and caring for children who were not biologically mine, I recognise the profound psychological toll these journeys impose.

The unseen battle

Infertility is more than a medical condition; it is a deeply emotional and psychological battle shaped by societal pressure, medical treatments, and quiet heartbreak, especially for the woman.

It affects not only her mental, emotional and spiritual well-being but also her physical body.

The invisible weight of unfulfilled longing, hope, disappointment and relentless societal scrutiny can erode mental and spiritual resilience.

unacknowledged, unappreciated

Motherhood extends beyond biology.

Grandmothers, foster parents, guardians and stepmothers have sacrificed careers, ambitions and personal comfort to raise children who were not biologically theirs, often without acknowledgement.

I was raised by my grandmother from infancy into adulthood.

As I grew older and became a parent, I gained a deeper appreciation for her struggles and sacrifices.

I often wonder:

"What if I had abandoned her?

What if I had falsely branded her a witch?" Tragically, many caregivers endure this fate, cast aside by the very children they nurtured.

Their wounds, anger, anxiety, grief and feelings of unworthiness run deep.

The sting of ingratitude serves as a painful reminder that motherhood does not always receive love in return.

Losing a child

By chance, choice, or circumstance, some women have entrusted their children to others or lost them through death.

The bond formed during pregnancy and labour may be their only connection.

Many struggles with grief, guilt, social stigma and attachment wounds often never receiving recognition as mothers.

Mothers of differently abled children

Parenting a child with disabilities comes with unique emotional challenges, social isolation, chronic stress, prolonged grief and exhaustion. For some of these mothers, special occasions may pass unnoticed by their children, who may have little or no awareness of the occasion of their tireless sacrifices.

Many of these mothers may not experience the traditional expressions of gratitude, yet their sacrifices remain immeasurable.

Coping strategies

For women facing infertility

Seek emotional support: Confide in trusted friends, Counsellors or support groups.

Practice self-compassion: Allow yourself to process grief without guilt.

 Explore alternative paths to motherhood: Adoption, foster care and mentorship offer fulfilment.

 Redefine motherhood: Love extends beyond biological ties.

 Engage in meaningful rituals: Prayer, journalling, and meditation foster resilience.

 Hold onto hope: If motherhood is your desire, keep faith while seeking medical care.

For unacknowledged mothers

 Trust that love is never wasted: Kindness returns, often in unexpected ways.

 Find alternative sources of joy: Cultivate friendships, hobbies and passions beyond caregiving.

 Reframe your perspective: Focus on love given rather than love lost.

 Practice self-compassion: Release self-judgement and embrace forgiveness.

 Let go of bitterness: Resentment closes doors; releasing it opens new paths.

 Channel emotions into creative expression: Writing, painting, or music offer therapeutic outlets.

 Self-care rituals: Nature walks, meditation, or creative hobbies restore emotional balance.

For mothers who had to give their children away

 Heal personal regrets: Seek counselling or spiritual guidance for peace.

 Extend compassion to yourself: Lifes circumstances often necessitate difficult choices.

 Strengthen your role: If possible, reconnect with your child while honouring their upbringing.

 Rebuild bonds patiently: Allow love to grow at its own pace.

 Foster gratitude, not resentment: Guide children to honour those who raised them.

For mothers of differently abled children

 Seek professional help: Counselling and support services can ease emotional stress.

 Celebrate small wins: Every achievement is meaningful. Celebrate it.

 Practice gratitude and self-care: Let your child see you happy and thriving; it fosters hope for both of you.

 Connect with support networks: Other parents, groups and communities offer validation and practical advice.

Honouring motherhood Mothers Day is a call to reflect on unseen sacrifices.

If you have abandoned a guardian, a biological mother, stepmother or guardian, ask yourself: "Did she choose love when she could have harmed me?"

Neglecting a caregiver, out of misunderstanding or misplaced perceptions, is inhumane.

Honour the women who carried you, guided you and nurtured you.

Reflections

Motherhood is not limited to those who have given birth. It encompasses unseen sacrifices:

Those who have been unacknowledged, unappreciated or abandoned.

 Those who have raised children not biologically theirs without recognition.

 Those still waiting for a child, trusting that their journey holds purpose.

 Those who, by choice or circumstance, had to give their children away.

Let us not take for granted any role of motherhood.

A simple call, a heartfelt message or a prayer offered in faith rather than pity can make a profound difference.

This Mothers Day, let us celebrate all who embody motherhood, including the men who have stepped into maternal roles with love and excellence.

May we extend gratitude, healing and honour, especially to the mothers whose love remains unseen, unacknowledged and unappreciated.

The writer is a Counselling Psychologist
Next article: A good leader expects attacks at his weak points

Previous article: Against all Odds: Autobiography of Emeritus Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa

Travel & Tourism: Reviving Ghanas national airline: Lessons, pitfall, tourism promise

Francis Doku Opinion May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read

This past week, Ghana took a bold step toward reclaiming its skies.

A new 10-member task force has been inaugurated to explore the possibility of launching a national airline for the country.

Chaired by Charles Asare, a former Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), the committee has been mandated to assess existing proposals and chart a course forward for what could be Ghanas third attempt at running a successful national carrier.

The terms of reference for the task force, among other things, include the provision of periodic reports and recommendations to the office of the President through the Ministry of Transport.

The announcement rekindles both hope and caution. Hope, because the return of a national airline could be a game changer for tourism and national pride. Caution, because Ghana has been here before - and failed.

As Ghana embarks on this aviation journey once again, it's important to remember where we have been, why we failed and what we must do differently this time.

Cautionary tale of Ghana Airways and GIA

Ghana Airways was once a celebrated national symbol. Launched in 1958 with assistance from the now-defunct BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation), the airline had its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, operating flights across Africa, Europe and North America.

However, by the early 2000s, the airline was plagued by mismanagement, political interference, ageing aircraft and crippling debt.

In 2004, the US Department of Transportation banned it from flying into the United States due to safety concerns and non-compliance.

Later that year, the government shut it down.

In 2005, Ghana International Airlines (GIA) was launched as a public-private partnership meant to learn from the mistakes of its predecessor.

Unfortunately, the lessons werent fully absorbed.

The GIA, too, suffered from unclear ownership structures, managerial turbulence and poor financial oversight.

By 2010, just five years after its launch, the GIA ceased operations.

Key pitfalls to avoid

As the new task force begins its work, here are three critical lessons to keep in mind:

Political interference must be minimised: One of the most damaging aspects of both previous airlines was undue political interference.

Decisions on aircraft acquisition, route planning, staffing and operations often prioritised political expediency over commercial viability.

This time, the airline, if launched, must be managed with a clear corporate governance structure that protects it from political whims.

Partnership models must be clear and transparent: With both Ghana Airways and the GIA, partnerships were formed but often shrouded in secrecy or confusion.

Ghanas next national airline must have transparent ownership and partnership structures, especially if it is to involve foreign technical partners or private equity.

Stakeholders - including citizens - must know who owns what, who is responsible for what and who is accountable when things go wrong.

Sustainable business strategy is non-negotiable: National pride alone cannot sustain an airline.

Ghana must avoid the trap of launching ambitious long-haul routes without ensuring profitability.

The airline must begin with a sustainable route network, ideally linking key regional and domestic hubs and grow organically based on demand and performance.

Why it matters for tourism

The conversation around a national airline is not just about planes in the sky - its also about travellers and tourists on the ground. Here are some major advantages a national airline could bring to Ghanas tourism ambitions:

Direct access increases visitor numbers

One of the biggest barriers to tourism in Ghana is connectivity. Unlike countries such as Ethiopia or Kenya, where national airlines offer multiple direct routes from key source markets, Ghana relies heavily on foreign carriers, often with long layovers and high ticket prices.

A national airline with direct routes from Europe, North America and key African cities would significantly reduce the friction for inbound tourists.

National branding and soft power

A national airline is a flying billboard. Ethiopian Airlines, for example, is often the first and last impression many visitors have of Ethiopia, and it tells a story of ambition and pride. Ghana can do the same.

From cabin crew attire inspired by Kente to in-flight cuisine showcasing Ghanaian dishes, the airline can serve as an extension of the countrys cultural narrative, promoting Ghanas identity and hospitality to the world.

Integrated tourism packages and events support

A national airline can be a strategic partner in destination marketing.

It can offer discounted flights during major events such as December in GH, Black Star Experience, PANAFEST or Chale Wote.

It can collaborate with the Ghana Tourism Authority to offer bundled packages that include flights, hotel stays and cultural tours - something foreign carriers are less likely to prioritise.

Such integration can boost arrivals and ensure more tourists explore the country beyond Accra.

Balanced view

Of course, we must be honest: launching a national airline is a high-stakes venture, especially in todays volatile global aviation industry.

Many national carriers worldwide operate at a loss and are kept afloat by government subsidies.

Others, such as Air Namibia and South African Airways (until its recent restructuring), have collapsed under their own weight.

But there are also success stories: Ethiopian Airlines has grown into Africas most profitable carrier, Kenyan Airways has led the charge for the countrys tourism resurgence and RwandAir continues to punch above its weight, playing a strategic role in Rwandas broader development plan.

If Ghana is to join that club, it must act with foresight, transparency and a laser focus on long-term sustainability.

The new task force, with experienced hands like Charles Asare at the helm, has a real opportunity to do things differently.

The stakes are high but so are the potential rewards for aviation, tourism, national branding and economic growth.

Its time to dream again - but with our eyes wide open.
The day my mother sent me - Ocassional Kwatriot Kwesi Yankah writes

Kwesi Yankah Opinion May - 10 - 2025 , 14:51 4 minutes read

On the occasion of Mothers Day, I present the following excerpt from my book: Proudly Ghanaian. Mothers, you are truly special.

Among us boys, the way to avoid being sent on errands was to feign sickness early in the morning, or come home late from school by which time God, by sheer Mercy, would have commanded all errands to cease, thus granting amnesty to all his juvenile tricksters.

But there were times coming home late brought untold misery unto God's children.

The latecomer attempting to avoid the drudgery of pounding fufu could not outwit his mother. Her answer was to leave for the innocent latecomer a lumpy couple of half-pounded cassava and half-pounded plantain: twin balls of enigma that could neither be instantly consumed nor easily pounded. Thus as God's child sat behind the mortar struggling to pound the lumpy paste with one hand and turn it with the other, he would be literally enacting the experience of being a mother, and a housewife.

Yet the eye of childhood remained puzzled by the speed with which food appeared and disappeared at mealtime. Mother would dash to the market and conjure up something. So strange how the little knot at the corner of Mother's cloth could transform her empty head pan into a bountiful harvest each day. By the way, that little knot at the corner of Mothers cloth, where did she get it? Who gave it to her? What would happen if the knot disappeared? I later learned the knot was Mothers Bank of Ghana--- hard earned cash securely tied to free her hand. That was years ago. Come 1986, another Mother appeared in my life whose errands I could not escape.

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going, they say; and that is why as a young lecturer in 1986, I devised a scheme to cut down marketing costs. I decided to allow the woman to send me to the market. I would go to the market, haggle, buy, and see things for myself.

That way I could verify her weekly claims that, the money didn't last again...it's getting worse and worse... last week was even better let's try Salaga Market they say Malata is better... Oh, we should have remained with Madina.

I slipped my legs into my long shorts (nika boka), and charlie wote, then grabbed the nearest shirt and headed towards Madina market, the nearest to my abode. In my breast pocket was a sheet of paper - a list of items I had been sent to buy. It was something like a secondary school prospectus. I tossed and turned in my head the series of unwritten instructions I had been given.

"The tomatoes, don't buy the very soft... the pekyee type. Avoid the crowded path where the villagers arrive with their produce... things there are expensive... go to the market proper. To the right of the main entrance, there is a fifteen-year old girl. She smiles a lot. Her tomatoes are fresh."

"As for yam, avoid the women whose produce overlook the car park... go a little deeper... near the corn mills. The okro, can you notice fresh okro when you see one? Don't buy the wilted type. Let them snap off the tail and check the slimy terminal. Everybody knows good cassava.

Avoid cut pieces, or those with parts peeled off... I know you like your fufu several times a week... those with parts peeled off don't last. And don't forget the palm oil... did you take the bottle? Not the ordinary palm oil, and not dzomi. Between the two there is a compromise grade, go to that dark lady behind the snail girls. She was kind to me the other day. As for the fish, use your own discretion, but don't forget to add a few Keta school boys..." etc., etc.

Just before leaving, I decided that good looks in a woman's market wouldn't hurt. I quickly grabbed a comb and hand mirror and put my ruffled hair in order. I dabbed a thin film of powder on my cheeks, then stole a little of her perfume. I made sure the nika boka I wore had firm and long pockets - no room for pick-pockets. I counted the cash over and over again. They were in tens and twenties and that shows how delicate my budget was.

I took along her big bag. In it was an empty plastic bottle for palm oil. Then also were two smaller plastic bags for tomatoes, corn, eggs and fish. These, I was told, needed separate packaging or else there might be casualties. Cassava, for instance, could intimidate the tomatoes with its sheer might; plantains could accidentally behead the fish; and okro could innocently sink beneath the corn grains and suffocate or suffer premature death.

Thus, dreading a possible charge of vegetable abuse, I took all safety precautions as I headed prayerfully towards Madina market.

(An Excerpt from my recently launched book: Proudly Ghanaian)

[email protected]
Next article: Pope Leo XIV calls Church 'a beacon to illuminate dark nights' in first mass

Leo XIV makes history as first American Pope

Mary Mensah International News May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 6 minutes read

The wait is over, the announcement was made last Thursday and the billions of Catholic faithfuls all the world over, are celebrating the ascension of Robert Prevost as the new Pope.

Pope Leo XIV, has become the first American Pontiff and the first member of the Augustinian Order to ascend to the papacy.

Last Thursday, as the white smoke emerged from the chinney excitement built up, and once the new Pope was confirmed, the news was received with joyous outbursts in his US homeland and in Peru, South America where he served as a missionary for 20 years.

It is a thing for the Americas, as his predecessor, Pope Francis, was the first Pope to come from the Americas and was celebrated as the first Latin American Pope and Prevost is also the first from the United States of America.

St Peters Basilica

In his first address as Pope from the balcony of the St Peters Basilica, Leo XIV called for peace and paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, urging the crowd to remember his predecessors legacy.

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, he said in Italian, while addressing the crowd gathered at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV outlined his vision for the Catholic Church as one that builds bridges and engages in conversation.

We have to seek together to be a missionary church.

A church that builds bridges and dialogue, he said in his remarks on the balcony of the St Peters Basilica last Thursday.

The new Pope

The new Pope also called on people to show our charity to others and be in dialogue with love, according to an English translation.

Having spoken in Italian, Leo XIV switched to Spanish, one of several European languages he speaks to address his beloved diocese in Peru.

Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago becomes Pope Leo XIV and will become the 14th Papal Leo. John has historically been the most commonly chosen name.

Leo is now tied for the fourth most common name chosen by Popes, along with Clement.

Only John, Gregory and Benedict have proven more popular.

A century

But we havent had a Pope Leo in more than a century.

The last Pope Leo was Leo XIII, who was born in French-occupied Rome in 1810. He served as Pope from 1878 until his death in 1903, making his 25-year papacy the fourth longest in the churchs history.

Leo XIII is remembered as a Pope of Catholic social teaching. He wrote a famous open letter in 1891, reflecting on the technological changes brought by the Industrial Revolution and its impact on workers.

In choosing to revive the name, Leo XIV may be signalling the priorities for his papacy.

The first Pope Leo, who served in the fifth century, is known as Leo the Great, and is remembered for persuading Attila the Hun to halt his invasion and spare the Roman Empire from destruction.

The name Leo derives from the Latin for lion, suggesting strength and courage.

New Pope

Pope Leo XIV was elected as the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

The 69-year-old from Chicago is a leader with global experience.

He spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and served as a Bishop in Peru.

He most recently led a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments.

He is expected to build on Pope Francis reforms.

Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955 to Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martinez, of Spanish heritage.

He pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, graduating in 1977 and went on to receive his diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.

That same year, he joined the Order of St Augustine, taking his first vows in 1978 and solemn vows in 1981.

He was later sent to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University in Rome and was ordained as a priest in June 1982.

Later in his career, he taught canon law in the seminary in Trujillo, Peru.

Missionary work in Peru

In 1985, Prevost began his missionary work in Peru, serving in various capacities including parish pastor, seminary teacher and diocesan official.

He became a Peruvian citizen in 2015. His leadership in Peru was marked by efforts to bridge divides between progressive and conservative factions within the church.

Leadership roles

Prevost was elected Prior General of the Augustinian Order in 2001 and re-elected in 2007.

In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him as the Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

He was later brought to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the selection of bishops worldwide.

The new Pope is known for his humility, multilingual abilities and commitment to social justice. He has emphasised inclusivity and outreach to marginalised communities, continuing the reformist path of Pope Francis.

While it is often said that cardinal electors would always shy away from choosing a Pope from the US due to Americas outsized global political influence, Prevosts long experience in Peru may have mitigated those fears among the electors.

According to analysts, Pope Leo XIV is somebody that, even though hes from the West, would be very attentive to the needs of a global church You are talking about somebody who spent over half of his ecclesial career abroad as a missionary in Peru.

To get elected

A papal conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope. Catholics consider the Pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church.

It has the longest dynasty of historical methods of electing a particular head of state that remains in use to the present day.

The conclave was held from May 7 to 8, 2025, to elect a new Pope to succeed Pope Francis, who died on April 21 2025 and of the 135 eligible cardinal electors, 133 attended.

A two-thirds majority of 89 votes was needed to elect a Pope and on Thursday, May 8, on the fourth ballot, the conclave elected Robert Francis Prevost, who took the name Pope Leo XIV.
Previous article: Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Turkey to end war

Mexico sues Google over 'Gulf of America' name change

BBC International News May - 10 - 2025 , 11:00 2 minutes read

Mexico is suing Google for ignoring repeated requests not to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America for US users on its maps service, Claudia Sheinbaum has said.

The Mexican president did not say where the lawsuit had been filed. Google did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

On Thursday, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted to officially rename the Gulf for federal agencies.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office in January calling for the body of water to be renamed, arguing the change was justified because the US "do most of the work there, and it's ours".

However, Sheinbaum's government contends that Trump's order applies only to the US portion of the continental shelf.

"All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with," she said, asserting that the US lacks the authority to rename the entire gulf.

Sheinbaum wrote a letter to Google in January asking the firm to reconsider its decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico for US users. The following month, she threatened legal action.

At the time, Google said it made the change as part of "a longstanding practice" of following name changes when updated by official government sources.

It said the gulf - which is bordered by the US, Cuba and Mexico - would not be changed for people using the app in Mexico, and users elsewhere in the world will see the label: "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)".

The Associated Press (AP) news agency's refusal to use the Gulf of America name led to a months-long conflict with the White House, which restricted AP's access to certain events.

A federal judge ordered the White House in April to stop sidelining the outlet.

Trump hinted on Wednesday that he may recommend changing the way the US refers to another body of water.

During an upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia, he plans to announce that the US will henceforth refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf or the Gulf of Arabia, AP reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has responded by saying he hopes the "absurd rumours" are "no more than a disinformation campaign" and that such a move would "bring the wrath of all Iranians".
Prince Harry with a special message wishing World War II Veteran Private Joseph Hammond a happy 100th birthday.

Mr Hammond of Ghana 

@pte_hammond : Thank you, #PrinceHarry, The Duke of Sussex, for your heartfelt birthday message. At 100, Im reminded that service and respect cross all borders. The Invictus Games in Ghana has my full supportland is available.

In 2020, the then 95-year-old Ghanaian Private Joseph Hammond, who had walked 14 miles to raise money for frontline workers in Africa brought a huge smile to Prince Harrys face, and he wrote a letter to the war veteran.

Prince Harry applauded the veteran for taking up the strenuous task for a good cause. Even at 95 years young I imagine it was not an easy task, he wrote in the letter to Hammond.

However, given the service and selflessness you have demonstrated throughout your life, it does not surprise me that you would take on a challenge such as this  and that you wanted to walk even more miles. As you said yourself, it is amazing!

Inspired by the UKs Colonel Tom Moore, a fellow veteran whose walk raised more than $40 million (32.7 million) for the countrys National Health Service (NHS), Private Hammond set out to do the same for healthcare workers across the African continent.

Both Hammond and Moore fought in Myanmar, then known as Burma in World War II.

Hammond said he served as a mechanic in the army where he was attached to the 3rd Gold Coast regiment as an infantryman, fighting alongside the British army.

Prince Harry praised both veterans whose achievements, he said had set a fine example to the world on the importance of service to ones community.

In 2019, during a celebration for Commonwealth soldiers in the UK, Hammond met with the Queen and members of the Royal Family, including Prince Harry whom he took a liking to. This man especially, Prince Harry, I glued myself to him because he is also a soldier, hes been to Afghanistan, and we spoke about the military, my battalion. We exchanged ideas. It was wonderful, he told CNN.

Recalling the meeting, Prince Harry said in his letter that it was an honor and a pleasure to meet with the veteran. It was an honour and a pleasure to meet you at the Field of Remembrance in London last year, and Meghan and I send you our warmest wishes, he added.
Akatsi: Police arrest man with 92 slabs of suspected indian hemp

Jemima Okang Addae May - 10 - 2025 , 16:33 1 minute read

The Ghana Police Service has arrested a man identified as Bukari Yakubu for possession of 92 slabs of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp. The arrest followed an intelligence-led operation conducted in the early hours of Saturday, May 10, 2025.

According to a police statement, the suspect was apprehended at his residence in Akatsi at around 1am after police had placed him under surveillance.

The operation formed part of efforts by the Police Service to clamp down on the illegal drug trade in the Volta Region and beyond.

A search of the premises led to the discovery of 92 compressed slabs of a substance wrapped in yellowish material, believed to be Indian hemp. In addition to the suspected narcotics, officers also retrieved two Royal motorbikes, which are suspected to be stolen property.

"Investigation conducted so far indicates that Bukari Yakubu has been dealing in narcotics within Akatsi and its surrounding areas," the police confirmed in their report.

Upon preliminary interrogation, the suspect admitted ownership of the seized items. He is currently in police custody and is assisting with ongoing investigations. Authorities say he will be put before court in due course.

The arrest is part of a broader crackdown on drug trafficking and organised crime, as security agencies continue to intensify surveillance and intelligence operations across the country.

Read the full statement below;
Expose the rot, not just Adu-Boahene  Bright Simons tells authorities

Gertrude Ankah May - 10 - 2025 , 14:44 3 minutes read

Ghana must go beyond prosecuting individuals and confront the deep-seated corruption embedded in its national security architecture, says Bright Simons, Vice President of IMANI Africa.

Mr. Simons is urging full and transparent prosecution of former National Signals Bureau (NSB) boss, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, not as a symbolic gesture, but as a bold step toward exposing what he describes as "rogue networks" operating under the guise of national security.

Adu-Boahene is currently on trial for allegedly misappropriating GH49 million. In a startling memo addressed to the National Security Coordinator, the former intelligence chief claimed the funds were used for covert operationsincluding GH8.3 million to procure communications equipment for an opposition party, and nearly GH1 million allegedly paid to legislators to pass key security-related laws.

The former spy chief has since accused the Attorney General of launching a politically motivated prosecution against him.

But Mr. Simons insists the allegations are too serious to be brushed aside.

We must not allow the prosecution of Mr. Adu-Boahene to be a symbolic process, Simons said on JoyNews Newsfile on Saturday, May 10. This is a pivotal opportunity to reveal how power and wealth may have been used to shield misconduct in a system that, by design, is meant to prevent it.

Security under scrutiny

Ghanas security institutions, including the Research Department, the NSB, and the National Communications Authority, are constitutionally placed under the National Security Council, which is chaired by the President.

According to Simons, this structure was specifically created to block unilateral abuse of power.

But oversight mechanisms are only as strong as the political will behind them, he noted.

Simons also challenged the prevailing perception that national security activities are beyond scrutiny.This isnt the Wild West, he stated. Even classified operations are bound by lawthe National Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, the Public Financial Management Act, and procurement laws all apply. Every cedi must be traceable.

He stressed that even regional security funds are controlled directly by the Ministry of National Security. No agency head is a law unto themselves, he added.

Simons also pointed out a worrying trend: auditors often lack the technical expertise to investigate complex national security expenditures, allowing loopholes for misappropriation.

Rogue networks operating within legal frameworks

According to Simons, Adu-Boahens case represents a disturbing paradoxa senior official allegedly operating outside the very legal boundaries he was meant to uphold.

He had reach across virtually every sectormilitary, police, civil service, disaster response. It would be a grave error to ignore the potential scale of rogue activity embedded within such a network.

He warned that shielding officials behind the curtain of "national security" creates an environment ripe for abuse and elite impunity.

National security must not become a smokescreen for corruption or political manipulation, Simons emphasized.

The cost of complacency

Simons further cautioned that public confidence in democratic institutions is at stake. If citizens believe national security is being used to launder funds or to suppress opposition voices, we lose the very essence of democratic oversight, he warned.

He accused some state agencies, including the Ghana National Fire Service, of hiding behind the national security label to evade procurement regulations. Weve reached a point where national security is being weaponized to shut down transparency. This must stop.

Call to action

Simons also called on the Auditor General and Parliaments Public Accounts Committee to step up. The myth that national security operates in total secrecy is part of the problem. The truth is, oversight is possiblewhats missing is the resolve to enforce it, especially when politically connected networks are involved.
Be agents of legal reforms - Acting Chief Justice urges new lawyers

Justice Agbenorsi May - 10 - 2025 , 10:27 2 minutes read

The acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Kwadwo Baffoe-Bonnie, has charged 123 newly qualified lawyers to be agents of change in the face of ongoing challenges such as unequal access to justice and case delays that need to be reformed to ensure public confidence in the justice system.

In these endeavours, we need you -- fresh minds with strong convictions  to be agents of change and help build a legal system which is just, transparent and worthy of the public's trust.

Strive to improve the legal profession by participating in discussions about reform and innovation.

The legal landscape is changing, and you could shape its future, he said.

He challenged the new lawyers to do this by engaging with their communities to understand their legal needs, volunteering their time for pro bono work and ensuring that those who cannot afford legal representation still have a voice.

He further called on them to mentor those who will follow them by sharing their knowledge and experiences with them and building a legacy of support and guidance within the legal community.

Call

The call is pursuant to Section 7 of the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32) which states that, The General Legal Council shall from time to time hold formal meetings at which duly qualified applicants shall be enrolled and called to the Bar, but the Council may at their discretion dispense with the formalities under this section in any particular case.

The Accra International Conference Centre, where the call took place, was packed by friends and family of the newly qualified lawyers.

The acting Chief Justice administered the oath of the legal profession and also declared an undertaking that enjoined them to practise the profession in accordance with the prescribed code of conduct and rules.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, and the President of the Ghana Bar Association, Efua Ghartey, took turns to present the certificates to the lawyers.

Advice

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie described the call to the Bar as a significant covenant between the lawyers, the law, and society.

He urged them to advocate justice and uphold individual rights, reminding them that their roles extended beyond mere representation to being champions of fairness.

He also admonished them to uphold trust, saying it was their most valuable asset.

Each lawyer's conduct shapes public confidence in the legal system, he said, reminding them of their duty to uphold justice without fear or favour.

He further encouraged them to approach their practice with passion and integrity, emphasising that their legacy should be defined by their service to others.
While tempting to feed your local magpie, it can be a "death sentence" for the birds, wildlife rescuers warn.

Australia has some of the most fascinating wildlife in the world, from rarely-seen and elusive marsupials, to everyday birds that frequent our backyards.

However, interacting with native animals can have devastating consequences, and Aussies are being urged to leave wildlife alone after grim photos emerged of a magpie covered in a skin condition considered a "death sentence" if left untreated.

The lone magpie was spotted walking along a road with its legs covered in scaly leg mite, a condition caused by the burrowing mite Knemidocoptes mutans. It leaves the bird with hardened, crusted legs, which can prevent them from walking and perching in severe cases.

"It's a death sentence unless treated," Wild Animals Australia's Cat Coake told Yahoo News.

What is scaly leg mite?

Scaly leg mites are microscopic insects that live underneath the scales on a bird's lower legs and feet, and is easily transmissible between birds that come into close contact with one another. Often, those who are either younger or older with lower immune defences are more susceptible to developing the condition.

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In domestic birds like chickens and budgies, it's considered a result of poor care and hygiene, but in wild populations of magpies, crows and currawongs, Coake said it often comes from the bird's parents or transmission in unnaturally large groups.

"It can be really horrific," she told Yahoo News. "The majority of birds that get scaly mite get it from their families and being infested by other birds," she explained.

Sadly, humans can play a role in the spread of the condition.

"Any time you bring an unnatural amount of animals together, and they come in contact with each other, you can spread diseases,' she explained. "That happens if you feed large groups of magpies and they become dependent on humans. Unreasonably sized groups can carry it and spread it."

When a magpie is suffering from a broken beak, it is often the result of metabolic bone disease (MBD) from a lack of nutrition. Source: Keith Porteous/The Wildlife Rescuer

Big mistake Aussies make with native birds

Yahoo previously reported on several magpies with broken beaks, which triggered a warning to Aussies who regularly feed birds that land in their backyards. Foods like mince and bread, while not toxic, can still be incredibly deadly.

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When magpies suffer from a broken beak, it is often the result of metabolic bone disease (MBD) and oral infections from a lack of nutrition. Bread and mince, which can also get stuck in the beak, do not contain the level of nutrients the birds require.

"The myriad of issues do not stop there, as feeding magpies can also cause the birds to gather in unnaturally large numbers, creating competition and spreading disease between flocks, Keith Porteous, a Sunshine Coast local otherwise known online as The Wildlife Rescuer, previously told Yahoo. Scaly leg mite is the type of illness that can spread in these unnaturally large groups.

"When feeding animals, especially the wrong foods, they can develop poor general health and become more susceptible to any skin condition," Coake said.

"We much prefer that people dont feed them," she said. But for those who can't help themselves, she suggested foods that they would naturally encounter in the wild.

"Make a worm farm and a compost heap and do it naturally," she said.

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"Everybody wants to interact with these gorgeous, incredible animals and there is nothing wrong with that but do it right, or youll cause their death by metabolic bone disease and poor health management."

Coake's advice to Aussies who spot a wild bird looking worse for wear is to "get in contact with the nearest wildlife organisation", which can help capture and treat the bird before it's too late.

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Complementary infrastructure challenges slowing housing delivery  SHCL MD

Daily Graphic May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 2 minutes read

The State Housing Company Limited (SHCL) last Monday received a monitoring team from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing, which toured key ongoing housing projects in Pokuase, Amrahia and Adentan.

Led by Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Dormaa West and Chairperson of the committee, the team expressed satisfaction with the progress and quality of work at the sites and reaffirmed the committees support to help SHCL complete the projects and maintain affordability.

During the engagement, the SHCL Managing Director, John S. Bawah, highlighted delays in complementary infrastructure, such as roads, drainage, and water systems, as major obstacles affecting the timely completion of some projects.

These are critical elements that must be addressed before we can finish and hand over these homes, Mr Bawah stated. We are counting on the government to fast-track these works.

He further suggested that if SHCL were given clearance to construct those amenities themselves, the company could include the costs in the price of the homes.

However, he expressed caution that such a move might lead to higher home prices, which could undermine the company's mandate of affordability.

While were ready to step in, we are also mindful that this could increase the cost of the homes, which goes against our core objective of affordable housing, he added.

The committee acknowledged the concerns and pledged to escalate the matter to ensure inter-agency coordination for faster infrastructure deployment around state housing projects.

SHCL remains committed to its mission of providing affordable, quality housing across Ghana and continues to call for stronger partnerships to meet the countrys growing housing needs.
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First Lady salutes mothers

Mary Mensah May - 10 - 2025 , 02:04 3 minutes read

The First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has extended her congratulations to all women for their incredible strength, unwavering love and countless sacrifices to humanity.

In a statement to mark Mothers Day which falls on Sunday, May 11, she said, On this beautiful occasion of Mother's Day, my heart is filled with profound gratitude and admiration for each of you.

Today is an opportunity to pause and honour the incredible strength, unwavering love, and countless sacrifices that mothers make daily. We are the pillars of our homes and the heartbeat of our nation. Mothers nurture the future, she said.

She added, Whether you are a biological mother, an adoptive mother, a stepmother, a grandmother, an aunt, a sister, a mentor, or anyone who provides selfless love, care, and guidance, we salute and honour you.

Motherhood is a calling that extends beyond biological ties, and today, we celebrate all those who embody this selfless spirit.

According to her, women are Wonderful and exceptional mothers, the unsung heroes in our lives, providing comfort, strength, and unwavering support.

Your nurturing hands, wise counsel, and unconditional assistance foster strong families and communities, laying the groundwork for a compassionate society.

My dear mothers, I know your daily efforts and challenges as you strive to build better lives for yourselves and your families.

The well-being of our homes and children is intrinsically linked to the progress and stability of our dear nation, she added.

Inclusive growth

The statement further mentioned, My deepest conviction, a belief shared wholeheartedly by my husband, President John Dramani Mahama, is that creating an environment where every Ghanaian family can prosper is paramount.

He remains steadfast in his commitment to resetting our economy to achieve robust and inclusive growth, creating more job opportunities for our youth and all citizens.

The President is also dedicated to positioning Ghana as a preferred destination for local and international investment and business, ultimately aimed at improving the living conditions for all Ghanaians and ensuring a brighter future for our children.

For my part, my commitment to supporting the women and vulnerable groups in Ghana remains as strong as ever, the statement said.

The First Lady added that through the work of the Lordina Foundation, We will continue our efforts to empower women through skills training and economic support, advocate for their rights, and provide essential assistance to those who need it most, including children and persons living with HIV/AIDS.

A critical area of our focus is health care, particularly for mothers and children.

We are dedicated to improving healthcare facilities in the country, specifically by providing modern, fully equipped maternity and children's wards in hospitals.

Ensuring that mothers receive the best possible care during pregnancy and childbirth and that our children have access to quality health services is a cause very close to my heart, and I will continue to champion it, she said.

In conclusion, she said: Today, as we celebrate mothers, know that your sacrifices, strength, and love are seen, valued, and deeply appreciated by your families, communities, and the nation.

Thank you for pouring your love into the lives of others and for being a guiding light to many.

May God bless you abundantly for all that you do.

May your day be filled with joy, peace, and the profound love you so richly deserve.

Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible mothers and women of Ghana!
Ghana loses 44 forest reserves, over 5,252 hectares destroyed by galamsey  Lands Minister

Biiya Mukusah Ali May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has said 44 forest reserves out of 288 in the country have been degraded, while over 5,252 hectares have been lost to illegal mining (galamsey).

He explained that river turbidity levels exceeded 5,000 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU), far beyond the permissible 500 NTU, while toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide further endangered ecosystems and communities.

Mr Buah revealed this in a speech delivered on his behalf at the closing ceremony of the 4th Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-scale Mining, organised by the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Fiapre, Bono Region, last Thursday.

The two-day dialogue was held on the theme: "Eliminating Illegal Mining in Ghana. The Will and the Bill."

Data alarming, arrests

The minister said the government alone could not eradicate galamsey. "It requires the collective will of communities, industries, stakeholders, traditional leaders and environmental advocates," he said.

Mr Buah said the data was alarming. Updating the gathering on the fight against galamsey, he revealed 150 excavators, five bulldozers and weapons had been confiscated, while 71 persons had been arrested.

Mr Buah said that due to enforcement, seven of nine previously inaccessible forest reserves had been cleared.

He said despite past interventions, illegal mining persisted, fuelled by weak political will, inconsistent enforcement and complicity at various levels of governance.

Mr Buah said other factors were security gaps, inadequate geological data, delay in prosecutions, foreign infiltration, greed and complicity among some politicians, traditional leaders and citizens.

Other issues, he mentioned, were the use of armed gangs by illegal miners to intimidate and resist enforcement and the unregulated equipment importation, such as excavators and other machinery.

Systemic change

Mr Buah said eradicating illegal mining demanded more than just laws, explaining that it required political will, collective action and systemic change.

He said the current government was resolute in its mission to eradicate the destructive practice and called for collective action to eliminate the menace.

Mr Buah called for the strengthening of legal frameworks to ensure robust enforcement within the community, economic alternatives, and transparent governance to uphold ethical standards across the sector.

He said the government had adopted some strategies to facilitate a robust mining sector.

Mr Buah mentioned a licensing regime reform, where new licences would be issued at the district level with the involvement of traditional authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Revoke licences

He said the government had revoked all post-December 2024 licences due to irregularities and replaced the Community Mining Scheme with a Cooperative Mining Scheme.

Mr Buah said excavators were now geo-tagged and monitored 24/7; and non-compliance triggers remote immobilisation.

He said all excavators imported into the country would be registered and tracked while those already in existence would be registered.

Mr Buah said the government had enhanced a more robust joint task force, made up of the military, police, and the Forestry Commission, to flush out illegal miners.

He urged the public to report illegal activities to eliminate illegal mining and build a sector that thrives on sustainability, equity and national pride.

Dialogue

The dialogue, he said, had not only highlighted the socio-economic contributions of ASM but had also confronted pressing issues such as environmental degradation and regulatory enforcement.

He explained that the ASM sector contributed significantly to the economy, accounting for a third of Ghana's gold production, employing about three million people, and bolstering rural economies while supporting millions of livelihoods.

"Yet, its potential is undermined by the scourge of galamsey, which ravages our environment, pollutes water bodies and threatens public health," Mr Buah said.

He said the scourge of galamsey threatened to eclipse the benefits, posing severe environmental, public health, and economic risks.

Writer's email: [email protected]
High population growth rate worsening poverty  Policy analyst

Shirley Asiedu-Addo May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 4 minutes read

Population Policy Analyst, Dr Godfred Bonnah Nkansah, has called for workable strategies to reduce population and improve poverty levels in the country.

He stated that about 25 per cent of Ghanaians lived in dire poverty, which calls for a serious retrospection on efforts towards reducing poverty by reducing birth rates.

Speaking at a workshop for selected persons in population and related sectors in Cape Coast last Thursday, he cautioned that if workable strategies were not put in place, Ghana's current population would double in 33 years, with its current 2.1 per cent growth per annum further worsening the plight of many more Ghanaians, especially with the slow rate of development.

Promote SRHR

Dr Nkansah said it was, therefore, critical for all population and development actors to ensure a reduction in the growth rate by increasing access to reproductive health information and services.

He said not even the best efforts at development of a competent government could match such population growth.

The workshop was attended by traditional leaders, the clergy, representatives from civil society groups and the media.

It was organised by Parliamentary Network Africa and Marie Stopes International (MSI) Ghana to create awareness of the country's sexual and reproductive health policies and to help recommend to Parliament actions for legislation.

The legislation will be geared towards closing gaps in policies and implementation to position Ghana well to harness its demographic dividends, reduce poverty and foster sustainable development.

The event was on the theme; Empowering Champions for Productive Health: Influencing Policy Through Education and a Supportive Environment (ECHOES).

Family planning

Dr Nkansah said the fact that 56 per cent of all pregnancies in the country were unintended told the vivid story of the 23 per cent unmet need for family planning services, adding that 36 per cent of all pregnancies ended up in abortions.

He stated that although not much had changed in the infrastructure development of many communities across the country, populations of such communities continued to increase.

He said poverty, the lack of access to relevant reproductive health education, information and services and child marriages, as well as teenage pregnancies, were some of the major causes of the surge in population, saying data available indicated that one in five girls were married by age 18.

He stressed that with 1.2 million born every year, it was necessary to reduce the birth rate and improve socio-economic wellbeing and that there was a correlation between poverty and high birth rates.

He called for increased access to education and information and services of sexual and reproductive health, especially for the youth, to enable them to make more responsible decisions.

The Chief Director at the Central Regional Coordinating Council, Bless Darkey, in an address said stakeholders must support the government to implement policies targeted at promoting the wellbeing of the ordinary people.

He urged participants to demand services that were needed to improve their health and well-being by holding leaders accountable.

He further commended the Parliamentary Network Africa (PNAfrica) for the effort in promoting sexual and reproductive health rights outcomes.

The Programmes Manager of PNAfrica, Gilbert Boyefio, said that the widespread ignorance surrounding SRHR was contributing to Ghanas broader socio-economic challenges and called on the public to prioritise education on these issues to create lasting solutions.

Committed

The Director of Programmes and Operations at MSI Ghana, Clara Nyarkoah Anim, said MSI Ghana was committed to working with all stakeholders to advance long-term solutions and the measurable impact of sexual and reproductive health rights activities for better communities.

Ms Anim indicated that the Central Regions adolescent pregnancy rate currently stood at 13 per cent.

She further stated that 25 per cent of youth who should be in senior high school were out of school, while 19 per cent of primary school-aged children were also not enrolled.

"Let us collectively envision a future where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person remains in school and every Ghanaian, regardless of age, gender or ability, can realise their full potential," she added.

The participants pledged efforts to reduce teenage pregnancy and child marriages in the communities through advocacy and awareness creation.
Major General Gyane bows out of KAIPTC, GAF

Pacome Emmanuel Damalie May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

The Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Major General Richard Addo Gyane, has bowed out from the centre following his retirement from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

Maj Gen. Gyane bows out after spending two and a half years at the KAIPTC as its head, and overall, four decades in the GAF, having joined the Ghana Military Academy as a Flight Cadet in 1985.

The Army General handed over the authority to his successor, the Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Air Commodore David Anetey Akrong, at his pulling out ceremony held at the centre in Teshie-Accra last Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Ceremony

The colourful ceremony, characterised by a well-dressed military parade and drills, was also attended by a host of dignitaries, including Deputy Minister of Defence, Brogya Gyenfi, traditional authorities, foreign ambassadors, high-ranking members of the GAF and KAIPTC.

Notable among the dignitaries were the French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules-Armand Aniambossou; the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Simone Giger; the Australian Ambassador to Ghana, Berenice Owen-Jones; the Austrian Ambassador to Ghana, Jurgen Heissel; the German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, and the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Ingrid Mollestad.

Achievement

Maj Gen. Gyane highlighted the centres achievements under his leadership after taking over at a time when a lot of agencies were battling with COVID-19.

Among some mentions, he said the centre had renovated several facilities, including the iconic Main Gate, the WYPSI Block, and the Multi-Purpose Court. Additionally, the centre's IT infrastructure was also upgraded with the support of the German Development Agency (GIZ) and UNITAR.

That, he said, had enabled KAIPTC to embark on an ambitious E-learning regime, which aims at boosting finances and expanding the scope and reach of its operations.

The Commandant indicated that KAIPTC had embarked on an expansion programme in logistics and programme outline to increase dwindling resources, as well as commercialised some of its courses and expanded its academic programmes to raise funds.

He said that there were several plans in the pipeline, including the establishment of an undergraduate school to offer courses in peace support and peace building.

This initiative aims to condition the youth to choose peace in all situations, no matter the provocation.

Additionally, KAIPTC is working on setting up a hotel to augment its accommodation facilities and a Digital Learning and Innovation Unit to modernise training and academic programmes, he said.

Gratitude

He expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and former President Nana Akufo-Addo for the opportunities given him to serve his country as a serviceman.

He also acknowledged his predecessors and senior officials of the GAF, under whose tutelage he rose as a non-infantry army officer to a Major General before retiring from the GAF.

He also reserved special mentions for the Norwegian, Swiss, Australian, Austrian, German, French, among others, for their unwavering support to the centre, especially their finances, which are the backbone for the centres survival.

The Commandant also eulogised the dedicated staff of the KAIPTC for their cooperation and contribution to his success story at the centre and urged them to continue to support the new leadership to attain more successes.

Message to successor

The Commandant urged his successor, Air Commodore Akrong, to be resolute and work harder to ensure that the structures established during his tenure were built upon to perform optimally.

Although the going would not be easy, I am confident that with the support of our partners, more would be done; also bear in mind that in every endeavour, the temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed, Maj. Gen. Addo stated.
Perseus Mining pays $5m dividend to govt

Joshua Bediako Koomson May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 2 minutes read

Perseus Mining Ghana Limited has paid $5 million in dividends to the Government of Ghana.

The amount, approximately GH73.5 million, represents the governments 10 per cent carried interest in the company.

A dummy cheque for the amount was presented at a ceremony at the secretariat of the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) in Accra.

Perseus Mining Ghana Limited operates in some parts of the Western and Central regions in Ghana.

This is the first time the company has paid dividends to the government since it began operations in Ghana.

The Managing Director of Perseus Mining, Jeff Quartermine, said the company had made excess profit due to factors such as the appreciation of the world market price of gold.

Mr Quartermine expressed gratitude to the government for its patience and gave the assurance that the company would not renege on its responsibilities.

Response

Receiving the dummy cheque on behalf of the acting Director-General of SIGA, Prof. Kpessa Whyte, the acting General Manager in charge of Operations at the SIGA, Millicent Atuguba, described the gesture as commendable and a sign of sound governance, operational efficiency and an alignment with national expectations for accountability and returns on public investment.

She said the Reset Agenda, as being championed by the government, called for a recalibration of systems, with a focus on results and public accountability.

Ms Atuguba assured the company that its challenges, which the management had forwarded to the authority, were being worked on.

The event was attended by the Board Chairman of Perseus Mining Ghana Limited, Ehunabobrim Prah Agyensaim, who is also the Paramount Chief of the Owirekyiman Traditional Area in the Central Region, other board members of the company and SIGA officials.
Dr Nortey K. Omaboe installed new Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ghana

GraphicOnline May - 10 - 2025 , 17:16 3 minutes read

The Grand Lodge of Ghana has officially ushered in a new era of Masonic leadership with the installation of Right Worshipful (RW) Dr Nortey K. Omaboe as the new Grandmaster. The ceremony was held today at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

According to the Grand Lodge of Ghanas official website, Dr Omaboe brings to his new role decades of dedicated Masonic service, coupled with a professional background and cultural roots. His installation today signals the beginning of what many in the fraternity believe will be a transformative period defined by growth, unity, and service.

Dr Omaboe's Masonic journey has been characterised by strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to the fraternitys core valuesBrotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

Since 2019, he has served as Chairman of the Grand Lodge Finance Committee, where he was instrumental in negotiating the Grand Lodge Funeral Insurance Policy with Vanguard Assurance and spearheading the fundraising campaign for the Heal Okomfo Anokye Charity Project.

According to the Grand Lodge of Ghana, he mobilised record-breaking funds for the Grand Lodges COVID-19 Appeal and played a key role in the relocation of the Grand Lodge Secretariat. He also represented Ghana in major global Masonic conversations, including a high-level video conference hosted by the Grand Lodge National of France on the impact of COVID-19 on the craft.

Dr Omaboe's benevolence within the fraternity has also been deeply felt. As President of the Samaritan Foundation since 2018, he has reformed its administration, introduced a new IT platform for member contributions, and reinforced support systems for the widows of deceased members. His earlier leadership as Grand President of the Board of Benevolence (20132017) saw the successful creation of the Lewis Fund, the Grand Lodges first autonomous charity.

He has been a Grand Lodge delegate to fraternal events in Cote dIvoire, the United Kingdom, France, and South Africa. He is affiliated with prominent lodges including Masonry Universal Lodge No. 40 in Geneva, Herschel Lodge No. 1894 in the UK, and Lodge Etoile du Ghana No. 107.

Outside of Freemasonry, Dr Omaboe is an economist and business leader. He holds a BA in Economics from Leeds University, an MBA in Finance from Columbia University, and a Doctor of Business Administration in Corporate Strategy from the International School of Management in Paris. In traditional leadership, he is known as Nana Awuku Sakyi, having served as Akyempemhene of Amanokrom for 25 years and as Mpuntuhene of Akuapem since 2020.

As Grandmaster, Dr Omaboe is expected to steer the Grand Lodge into a new chapter with a focus on strategic expansion, charitable impact, and reinforcing fraternal unity. His installation is not just the assumption of officeit is, in the words of the Grand Lodge, the dawn of a legacy in the making.
Presbyterian Church of Ghana outdoors 200th anniversary cloth

Rosalind K. Amoh May - 10 - 2025 , 10:33 2 minutes read

In a break away from the traditional all-white attire to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, this year, members of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) marked the occasion with the bi-centenary cloth.

The cloth, printed in blue and white background colours, revealed the logo of the anniversary which blends symbolism and modern design, reflecting the churchs rich history and vision for the future.

At the heart of the design is the iconic Presbyterian logo, encircled by elements that represent unity, continuity, and resilience. The 200 prominently featured in the design represents the Bi-Centenary of the Church (1828-2028).

From congregations in every corner in Ghana to congregations in Europe and North America, children, adult worshippers, leaders of the church groups and the clergy alike, turned up in amazing outfits made from the fabric, setting the tone for the four-year celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Church, launched which will be climaxed in 2028.

Theme

The theme for the anniversary, PCG@200: Celebrating Gods Faithfulness and Impacting Generations through the Gospel sums up the essence of the churchs mission over the past two centuries.

The Moderator of the General Assembly, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, described the logo as a testament to Gods grace and the unwavering commitment of generations of Presbyterians who have dedicated themselves to building both the church and the nation.

While encouraging Presbyterians to hold on to the heritage and core values, the Moderator also urged them to embrace innovation, emphasising the church's resilience and unwavering commitment to serving humanity.

He also highlighted the church's contributions to various sectors, including education, healthcare, and social justice, and called for continued faithfulness in the face of challenges.

Embrace love, unity

Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare Kwakye, encouraged Ghanaians to embrace the power of love, unity, and hope in the face of adversity, drawing strength from the resurrection of Christ. He urges them to rise into newness of life with courage and conviction, declaring that "Because He lives, we can face tomorrow". The message emphasizes the Christian heritage built on love, perseverance, and hope, reminding individuals of the solace found in the promise of new life and renewal.

The message also encourages Bawku to embrace peace, suggesting that the resurrection of Jesus Christ offers a foundation for peace and reconciliation
Next article: Dr Nortey K. Omaboe installed new Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ghana

Three young armed robbers jailed 19 years over iPhone 6s theft in Ho

GraphicOnline May - 10 - 2025 , 18:43 2 minutes read

The Ho Circuit Court has sentenced three young individuals, aged between 19 and 25, to a total of 19 years in prison for conspiring to rob a 21-year-old man of his iPhone 6s, valued at GH700.

Presided over by His Honour Osman Abdul-Hakeem, the court on Friday, 9 May 2025, convicted Mercy Sokpe, 22, Atsu Kamasa, 25, and Godfred Dzidonu, 19, on two counts  conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

According to a statement issued by the Volta Regional Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service, the incident occurred on May 4, 2025, at about 4:30pm near the Ho Central Market.

The complainant, Elijah Torbedzi, was approached by Mercy Sokpe, who requested to use his iPhone to take a selfie. Torbedzi, unaware of her intentions, handed over the phone.

While pretending to take the selfie, she signalled her two accomplices, who then attacked the complainant with scissors, the police report said. The three suspects fled the scene with the iPhone.

The complainant raised an alarm, leading to the swift arrest of 19-year-old Godfred Dzidonu, who was found with the stolen phone. He was handed over to the police. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the other two suspects, Sokpe and Kamasa, from their hideouts in Ho.

At trial, all three pleaded guilty. The court sentenced each of them to three years in prison for conspiracy to commit robbery. In addition, Kamasa and Dzidonu were given an extra five years each for the actual robbery, reflecting their more active roles in the assault and theft.

In total, Mercy Sokpe will serve three years, while Atsu Kamasa and Godfred Dzidonu will each serve eight years behind bars.

The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when approached by strangers, especially those seeking to borrow mobile phones or other valuables under false pretences.

This case serves as a reminder for the public to be alert and cautious of persons who may approach them for help, said DSP Felix Danku, Head of the Public Affairs Unit in the Volta Region.
Sustainable development and the Prosperity gospel

Professor Jeffrey Haynes Politics May - 10 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read

As Ghana nears the end of seven decades of independence from British colonial rule, it is timely to assess the countrys democratic and developmental progress. Regarding democracy, Ghana was long regarded as a rare African success story: an established liberal democracy.

While Ghana is one of only a few of Africas 54 countries that can be characterised as a liberal democracy, the country has seen democratic erosion in recent years.

While Ghanas democracy is somewhat shaky but still intact, the same cannot be said for the countrys progress towards sustainable development. Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 would involve a colossal national effort to end poverty, protect the environment and climate and ensure that all Ghanaians enjoy peace and prosperity.

The United Nations first SDG is to end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030. Ghanas government has set a more modest target: to reduce poverty and inequality by 50 per cent by 2027. This is part of the countrys long-term development plan, which aims to transform Ghana into a middle-income country by 2030.

The government has identified several strategies to achieve this goal, including increasing access to education and healthcare, promoting economic growth and improving infrastructure.

Ghanas strong economic growth in the 1990s and the 2000s helped reduce national poverty from 52.6 per cent to 21.4 per cent between 1991 and 2012. Since then, progress has stalled. Today, an estimated 24.2 per cent of Ghanaians live below the poverty line.

Ghana ranks 140 out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme.

In addition, inequalities between women and men continue to be very high.

Prosperity gospel

How is Ghana doing in protecting the environment?

The scourge of galamsey significantly undermines the governments attempts to record environmental progress: despite repeated promises from successive governments, little concrete progress seems to be made. How about peace?

Peace in Ghana is by no means assured, as the deadly events in Bawku underline; to date, at least 300 men, women and children have died in the continuing conflict.

Finally, how is Ghana doing in prosperity? During the Fourth Republic, Ghanas religious landscape was transformed by the growth of Pentecostal-Charismatic churches.

Approximately 71.2 per cent of Ghanaians practise the Christian faith, and of those, around three in ten belong to Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations.

Put another way, around 25 million Ghanaians of the countrys overall population of approximately 35 million people are Christians; of these, about 7.5 million belong to Pentecostal-Charismatic churches.

The prosperity gospel is a central aspect of Pentecostal-Charismatic theology.

According to the Lausanne Movement, an organisation which connects influencers and ideas for global mission, the prosperity gospel is the teaching that believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth and that they can obtain these blessings through positive confessions of faith and the sowing of seeds, through the faithful payments of tithes and offerings.

According to an American academic, Mark Hellstern of Oral Roberts University, the prosperity gospel is the notion that a Christian should and can live in perpetual divine health and material abundance and that one should learn to exercise his or her faith to appropriate those blessings.

Economic growth

What has the prosperity gospel got to do with sustainable development goals in Ghana and the countrys progress towards achieving them?

The prosperity gospel is a great attraction for many Ghanaians  and Africans more widely  in the context of economic disappointment, development pessimism and widespread failure to achieve a desired level of personal prosperity.

Conditions of economic pessimism and stalled development provide an environment where Pentecostal-Charismatic pastors incorporate prosperity messages into their sermons.

The emphasis is on the importance of personal empowerment: it is said to be Gods will that Christians obtain wealth, health and worldly success.

Church expansion in Ghana is a growth industry: in January 2025, there were an estimated 3509 churches, a five per cent increase from 2023.

Nearly two-thirds (2204; 63 per cent) are located in the Greater Accra Region, while the Ashanti Region is home to 780 (22 per cent).

While many churches in Ghana promote prosperity teaching, it is not clear what impact such teaching has on the countrys progress towards sustainable development.

We can, however, note that while the number of churches in Ghana expands, the percentage of those living in poverty remains stubbornly high.

As of 2024, some 6.9 million people in Ghana lived in extreme poverty, with the poverty threshold at 2.15 dollars a day.

This was an increase from 2023 when approximately 6.8 million people lived in poverty. In 2026, around 6.7 million Ghanaians are expected to live on a maximum of 2.15 dollars daily.

Critics claim that the prosperity gospel does little to help Ghana achieve sustainable development goals, including poverty reduction.

Prosperity preaching is said to be hurting Ghana, as its capitalist propensities overwhelm the desire for spiritual growth and moral sanctity towards eternal life.

The economic situation in Ghana today makes everyone yearn for sustained economic progress and developmental improvements.

Like elsewhere in Africa, in Ghana, religion is responsible for the spiritual needs of its adherents.

The mainly Christian population of Ghana encourages many to believe that Christian teachings, including the prosperity gospel, will ensure not only their spiritual but also their economic well-being.

While very persuasive for millions of Ghanaians, prosperity teaching prompts much debate about its influence on Ghanas religious and socio-economic life, including sustainable development.

The writer is an Emeritus Professor of Politics, London Metropolitan University, UK

[email protected]
China to resolutely safeguard development interests: commerce minister

Xinhua) 10:20, May 10, 2025

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao has said that China firmly opposes the abuse of the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" by the United States, and will resolutely safeguard its legitimate development interests.

He made the remarks here on Thursday when meeting with Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues concerning implementing the upgraded China-Russia agreement on promotion and mutual protection of investments, strengthening bilateral economic and investment cooperation, and addressing the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" by the U.S. side.

Wang said that after a thorough and comprehensive assessment, China has agreed to hold high-level economic and trade talks with the United States.

Noting that China has already taken countermeasures, Wang said that China's stance has been consistent.

He also said that China's resolve to safeguard its development interests remains unchanged, and its stance and objectives to safeguard international fairness and justice and maintain the international economic and trade order will not change.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Joe Ghartey urges ceasefire in NPP amid internal tensions

GraphicOnline Politics May - 09 - 2025 , 19:49 2 minutes read

A senior member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Joe Ghartey, has called for calm and unity within the party, urging feuding factions to end public spats and shift focus to strategic rebuilding efforts ahead of the next general elections.

In an interview addressing growing tensions within the opposition party, the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice said what the NPP needs now is cool heads, sober reflection and strategic thinking.

There is no point in pointing fingers at each other, Ghartey stressed. Citing a well-known Ghanaian proverb, he added, When you point a finger at one person, the other four point at you.

While acknowledging that a large share of the blame is being directed at the party's leadership, Ghartey suggested the challenges are not limited to the top. A fish rots from the head, they say, so its not surprising a lot of the blame is going to the top. But at all levels, things fell apart, he noted.

Sharing his personal experience as a former Cabinet Minister, he revealed that he sometimes struggled to reach certain Chief Executive Officers during his tenure, but said he would not name them as it would serve no constructive purpose.

Commenting specifically on the public feud between Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP, Kwame Baffoe (popularly known as Abronye), and former presidential hopeful Kennedy Agyapong, Ghartey appealed for calm. They and their supporters should please ceasefire, he pleaded.

He warned that the days when party members remained silent while the NPP was torn apart by internal selfish interests must end. The time that some of us were quiet for the Party to be torn apart and destroyed by selfish interest is over, he said.

Despite recent setbacks, Ghartey expressed optimism about the partys future. We have been taught a lesson, but it is just bent, not broken, he concluded.

Gharteys comments come at a critical moment for the NPP as it grapples with internal discontent following its defeat in the 2024 general elections. His call for reconciliation adds to growing voices within the party urging reflection, healing, and unity.
Low voter turnout a warning sign for political class  Afenyo-Markin

Daniel Kenu Politics May - 10 - 2025 , 11:54 2 minutes read

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has raised alarm over declining voter turnout in Ghanas recent elections, warning that it reflects growing disillusionment among citizensparticularly the youthtowards the countrys political leadership.

Speaking on Wednesday in Winneba during the inauguration of a new court complex built under his initiative, Afenyo-Markin said the political class must treat the issue with urgency before it escalates into a more serious public backlash.

For the capital, Accra, which is the seat of democracy in the country, to record a little over 50 per cent voter turnout, and the Ashanti and Volta regions recording 64 and 63 per cent respectively, should trigger an action by the political class before it's too late, he stated.

He cautioned that if politicians fail to act decisively, votersespecially young peoplewho appear increasingly disenchanted, could stage a revolt. If we don't take action now, the voters, mostly the youth, who may appear to have lost faith in us, could surprise us with an uprising at our blind side, he warned.

Afenyo-Markin, who also serves as Member of Parliament for the Effutu Constituency, was speaking at the sidelines of the official handover of a newly constructed court complex to the Judicial Service.

Located on a two-acre parcel of land, the court complex is part of a broader infrastructure project being championed by the Minority Leader. The enclave will also house a Ghana Revenue Authority office, a Fire Service station, an Immigration office, a National Health Insurance Authority office, the Divisional Police Headquarters, and a recreational centre.

The facility features 11 offices with washrooms, two stores, and a police post equipped with a holding room for suspects and an armoury.

Reflecting on Ghanas electoral history, Afenyo-Markin, who was recently enstooled as "Osahene" of the Effutu Traditional Area, said voter apathy has been a persistent issue since the return to democratic rule in 1992. However, he noted that the problem appears to be worsening at a time when the country should be maturing politically.

Even under former President John Agyekum Kufuor, the country recorded about 60 per cent voter turnout at a time we all thought we had come of age democratically, he recalled. This should be of much concern to the political class because if the electorate loses faith in our democracy, it could be scary.
Sony is making the Xperia 1 VII official on May 13, and ahead of that today we have a bunch of leaked renders showing it in all three colorways - and yes, purple is back (alongside black and green).



Sony Xperia 1 VII in purple

As you can see, the Xperia 1 VII looks just like its predecessor, Sony isn't giving up on its trademark look. Unsurprisingly, Sony uses the Zeiss T* coating on the camera lenses. Speaking of cameras, one of them is a periscope telephoto of course. The ultrawide is new and advertised to use a 2.1x larger sensor than the one in the Xperia 1 VI.



Sony Xperia 1 VII in black

The Xperia 1 VII retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and stereo speakers (which have improved low-to-mid range), and it has a 5,000 mAh battery for advertised two-day battery life. The display will be Bravia branded once again, and there will be two auto-brightness sensors, one on the front, one on the back (pretty standard stuff for flagships nowadays).



Sony Xperia 1 VII in green

Sony will promise four major Android updates and six years of security patches for the phone, which is launching with Android 15. A recent Geekbench listing also revealed that the Xperia 1 VII is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM.

Sony Xperia 1 VI

Source
The owner of a white Chevy Tahoe told police that she and her boyfriend drove the SUV with flashing blue police lights, as a joke to slow down vehicles and couldnt believe that she was arrested for telling the truth and having fun, according to magistrates complaints filed in Superior Court.

Her vehicle was shown in a May 1 Facebook post using blue lights to try to pull over other motorists. Social media users questioned whether the SUV was an unmarked police car, and police determined that it wasnt. On Thursday afternoon, police found the car along with drugs and a stolen gun, according to court documents.

Cathy Nakamura Cruz, 33, was charged Friday with impersonating a public official as a misdemeanor and violations for permitting and displaying blue lights.

Her boyfriend, Chris Junior Anderson Tedtaotao, 33, has no drivers license, an extensive criminal record and is on five years probation on a drug and gun conviction.

He was charged Friday with possession of a concealed firearm as a third-degree felony, possession of a firearm without a firearm ID as a third-degree felony, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance as a third-degree felony, theft by receiving a stolen firearm as a third-degree felony, impersonation a police officer as a misdemeanor, eluding a police officer as a misdemeanor and display of blue lights as a misdemeanor.

At 3:10 p.m. Thursday, police located the Tahoe and tried to pull it over, using real police lights and sirens. The Tahoe unsafely weaved in and out of the lanes as motorists occupied the lanes, according to the complaint. When it eventually stopped, Tedtaotao was removed from the vehicle, and police saw a methamphetamine pipe in plain view.

Later, when the car was impounded, officers found 1.19 grams of meth, drug paraphernalia, a firearm and a green ballistic body armor with a Guam Port Authority Police patch.

The gun, a 9 mm Smith & Wesson, was reported stolen in April.

Tedtaotao told police he was the only person who drove the Tahoe, and he admitted to knowing about the illegal items in the car, according to the complaint.

Police said the car had six blue lights  two on the dash, two behind the grill and two under the hood. Cruz told police she purchased the lights, and she said she was aware that Tedtaotao did not have a drivers license.

If found guilty of the charges, Tedtaotao faces 22 years in prison. He was held on $7,000 cash bail.

Cruz, who faces a year in jail, was released on $1,000 personal recognizance bond.
In response to the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority's financial situation, Sen. Sabrina Salas Matanane participated in a virtual meeting with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Washington, D.C., to discuss avenues for increasing federal reimbursements under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Salas Matanane, who chairs the 38th Guam Legislatures Committee on Health and Veterans Affairs, released a statement saying she set up the meeting to "directly engage CMS leadership on the stagnant TEFRA reimbursement levels."

Although costs of care have increased, TEFRA funding has remained flat, she said.

"That must change, and my committee is working on a legislative pathway to get us there, she added.

Participants discussed the potential for GMHA to shift its federal designation to improve reimbursement rates. GMHA Hospital Administrator/CEO Lillian Perez-Posadas raised the possibility of transitioning from TEFRA to Critical Access Hospital designation. CAH-designated hospitals are reimbursed at 101% of reasonable costs for inpatient and outpatient services  a significant increase compared to current TEFRA levels.

Former Del. Michael San Nicolas, an adviser to Salas Matananes office, suggested that GMHA consider the Prospective Payment System designation, which would shift GMHA to a fixed-rate reimbursement model used by more than 3,000 hospitals nationwide. Only about 100 hospitals remain under TEFRA.

Both options present real opportunities for improved funding, Salas Matanane said. However, the current law restricts GMHA to TEFRA. We need to seriously explore how to modernize that framework to reflect the real needs of our only public hospital.

CMS officials acknowledged the challenges but clarified that GMHA does not qualify for Critical Access Hospital designation under current federal law. The facility exceeds the CAH requirement of a 25-bed inpatient cap, among other criteria. Any reclassification would require congressional action or federal rule changes.




Haiti - Politic : PM discusses security and defense with Brazil





On Friday, May 9, 2025, as part of the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Haiti and Brazil, particularly in the areas of security, defense, and institutional support, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, accompanied by Lieutenant General Derby Guerrier, Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd'H), received in audience Luis Fernando De Carvalho, Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil accredited to Haiti.



The discussions focused on the country's security situation, prospects for military cooperation, and the mechanisms for a lasting strategic partnership.



The Prime Minister praised Brazil's continued commitment to stability in Haiti, while reaffirming the Government's commitment to strengthening this collaboration in a spirit of mutual respect, national sovereignty, and regional solidarity. This meeting was also an opportunity to discuss the holding of the upcoming elections in Haiti. Fils-Aime emphasized that the restoration of security is an essential condition for the smooth running of the electoral process. In this regard, he expressed the importance of the support of international partners, including Brazil, in efforts to create a climate conducive to free, inclusive, and credible elections.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Economy : Meeting between the CPT and the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce of the Far North





On May 8, 2025, as a prelude to a roundtable with the private sector, Laurent Saint-Cyr, Presidential Transition Advisor, held a strategic meeting with the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Far North region. This meeting was attended by Ms. Martine Laroche Cuvilly, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the West (CCIO), and Jean Nathan Letang, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Haiti (CCIH).



During this meeting, entrepreneurs from the North region had the opportunity to express their expectations and concerns. They also identified promising projects and explored concrete solutions to improve connectivity, competitiveness, resilience, and attractiveness in the Far North region.



The day before, during a bilateral meeting with the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn, Advisor Saint-Cyr had advocated for a structured partnership between the government, the private sector, and donors. He emphasized the urgency of strong support for the private sector and the need to recapitalize businesses weakened by successive crises. This support would help generate jobs, particularly through development projects with a strong social impact, and foster sustainable growth at both the local and national levels.



Saint-Cyr emphasized the importance for the IDB of investing in strategic infrastructure, vocational training, and skills transfer. He underscored the need to avoid the mistakes of the past and prioritize the creation of dignified, sustainable, and large-scale jobs to combat poverty and insecurity, while restoring hope to young people. He called for serious and lasting collaboration to build a better future.



The presidents of the Chambers of Commerce present welcomed the holding of this meeting, considering it a strong signal of the government's evolving stance toward the regional private sector. They saw in this the beginnings of more inclusive governance, based on active listening, strategic consultation, and Councilor Saint-Cyr's concrete commitment to equitable development, adapted to local realities, and supported by strategic partnerships.



The departmental Chambers of Commerce reaffirmed their firm commitment to fully contributing to the success of the Transition projects.



Participating in this meeting were : Steve Astrel Mathieu, President of the North Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Diony Pierre, President of the Northeast Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Jordan Herard Verdule, President of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ms. Martine Laroche Cuvilly, President of the West Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Jean Nathan Letang, President of the South and Haiti Chambers of Commerce and Industry.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Constitutional Reform Project

Alix Didier Fils-Aime praised the work of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). He announced that the steering committee will submit the constitutional reform project to the Government next week. The decree on the constitutional referendum will then be debated at the next Council of Ministers.



Former Citizens' Protector Accused

The Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) recommends legal proceedings against former Citizens' Protector, Renan Hedouville, and several of his close associates, including his daughter, Regine Hedouville, Mimose Moyard, and Juliana Thomas Supplice. The ULCC accuses Renan Hedouville of misappropriation of public funds, as revealed in the investigation report published on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Of the seventeen missions planned between 2022 and 2024 for the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC), ten never took place, despite a disbursement of 16,591,900 Gourdes for these fictitious trips. According to the report, Hedouville personally received more than 2 million Gourdes.



OAS : Donation of tactical equipment to the Haitian National Police (PNH)

The Organization of American States (OAS) is stepping up its support to the Haitian National Police (PNH) with the provision of tactical equipment (boots, bulletproof vests, etc...) and medical equipment, a crucial support to optimize response capabilities, strengthen the management of sensitive situations, and consolidate efforts on the ground.



Significant damage to the Ouanaminthe irrigation canal

The heavy rains that fell on the town of Ouanaminthe at the beginning of week 2025 caused significant damage to the Maribaroux Plain irrigation canal, which draws its water from the Massacre River. Part of the gabion netting was destroyed by the violent waters, according to initial on-site observations. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42288-haiti-torrential-rain-the-haitian-canal-overflows-flooded-infrastructure.html



59 municipalities commit to Combating Insecurity

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime held municipal meetings in the Grand Sud region on Wednesday. This meeting, held at the Public University of the South, brought together 59 municipalities committed to combating insecurity in their regions to attract investment and development projects. Mario Andresol, Secretary of State for Public Security, participated in the meeting.



A Baby Abandoned at the Border

On Friday, May 9, 2025, the office of the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBESR) in Ouanaminthe reported discovering a baby without its parents on the northern border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The child was found among other Haitian nationals in a Dominican immigration truck, which was transporting irregular migrants arrested on Dominican territory.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Broadcom has sent VMware customers with unlimited usage licenses a cease and desist letter after their support contracts expired. In the letter, the US company asked its customers to immediately uninstall all software releases, updates and patches that have been released since the end of the contract. This was reported by the technology magazine Ars Technica. Broadcom points out that the right to updates ends with the end of the support period. Broadcom has not yet responded to an inquiry from the iX editorial team.

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Broadcom threatens with claims for damages

Following the changes to VMware's licensing model as a result of the takeover by Broadcom, customers can continue to use their unlimited software licenses. However, support contracts can only be extended if this has been agreed in advance. According to the report, Broadcom points out in the letter signed by Managing Director Mike Brown that the continued use of new versions and updates constitutes an infringement of the company's intellectual property rights. Broadcom reserves the right to claim damages.

Broadcom also points out that, according to the license agreement, customers must report on VMware usage even after the end of the contract. If customers do not comply with this, this is a breach of the agreement, which gives Broadcom the right to audit the customer and could result in further legal action. However, Dean Colpitts, CTO of the Canadian IT service provider Members IT Group, explains to Ars Technica that because customers prepare this report themselves, it is not possible for Broadcom to trace untrue information.

VMware changers also receive mail from Broadcom

VMware customers also report that they have received a cease and desist letter, even though they have not received any updates from Broadcom since their support contract expired. Other customers have also received a letter after switching to a VMware alternative such as Proxmox. Following Broadcom's recent inconsistent decisions regarding the VMware licensing model, the company once again caused uncertainty among its customers by apparently contacting numerous users after their support contracts had expired without any concrete evidence.

Since the acquisition of VMware and the changes to the licensing model, Broadcom has lost numerous customers, including the Austrian cloud provider Anexia. The US company also cut around 20,000 jobs at VMware and closed several sites. VMware also took the US division and several Siemens subsidiaries to court. In a complaint filed with the District Court in Delaware, VMware accused the industrial group of using software without valid licenses.

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(sfe)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
The Swiss government in the form of the Federal Council and the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) want to massively expand internet surveillance. In the future, online services with at least 5,000 users will have to store metadata such as IP addresses and port numbers for six months and help the police and intelligence services to decrypt content. According to the plan, there will also be a new requirement for such operators to identify users. They would have to present a copy of their ID or driving license or at least provide a telephone number. Identification is already required to register a SIM card in Switzerland  as in Germany.

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The new surveillance regulations are not to be introduced by law, with parliament having a say, but by way of amendments to the Ordinance on the Surveillance of Postal and Telecommunications Traffic (VUPF) and the associated implementing provisions. The VUPF is comparable to the Swiss Telecommunications Surveillance Ordinance (TKUV), which has also been the subject of fierce controversy for years.

The two Swiss ordinances generally regulate which providers of communication services are subject to which obligations to cooperate and when, particularly in terms of criminal prosecution. Those affected must, for example, eavesdrop on users, provide authorized authorities with information and collect and pass on data about their customers. Until now, the most extensive and comprehensive requirements applied to traditional telecommunications companies such as Swisscom, Salt and Sunrise as well as e-mail providers. With new thresholds, the executive now wants to significantly expand the circle of obligated parties and declare war on anonymity on the Internet.

Protests from many sides

Resistance is forming as part of a consultation on the two drafts from the end of January, which ended on Tuesday. Critics complain that anyone using a Swiss app, software or platform risks becoming transparent and identifiable. Even small and medium-sized companies would have to go to enormous lengths to secure the extensive databases required against cyberattackers. The Digitale Gesellschaft association points out: "In the future, it would hardly be possible to use a chat app, for example, without directly or indirectly providing an official ID."

Cloud services and the sharing and joint editing of documents would also be covered, the Swiss civil rights organization complains. In addition to private individuals, those subject to professional secrecy, such as doctors, lawyers or journalists, as well as other particularly vulnerable groups such as whistleblowers, people with unresolved residence status and activists would also be affected. Pilot projects, non-profit organizations or open-source services could hardly be operated in a meaningful way, as they would fall into the circle of obligated parties too quickly. In addition to contradictions with the actual surveillance law, there would also be violations of the Data Protection Act, which primarily contains the principle of data minimization.

"The revision represents a frontal attack on our fundamental rights, the rule of law and the possibility of secure and protected communication," summarizes Digitale Gesellschaft. Its implementation would cause lasting damage to trust in online services in the Alpine republic and Switzerland would maneuver itself politically and socially onto the sidelines. "Existing monopolies" of international companies such as WhatsApp, on the other hand, would be left out and thus further strengthened.

Threema and Proton in the sights

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Jonathan Messmer from the IT law firm Ronzani/Schlauri is also concerned. "In extreme cases, law enforcement authorities could send an automated request to companies with full monitoring obligations every five seconds and thus extract all accesses that have just been registered 'in real time'," he told Republik magazine. In this way, "an entire history can be built up". Online privacy would be "systematically abolished".

With this plan, the Federal Council is primarily targeting the encrypted communication services Threema and Proton. The government had previously wanted to classify both companies as quasi network operators and telecommunications providers, meaning that they would also have been subject to real-time surveillance and data retention. However, both companies successfully defended themselves against this in court. They are now to be included in the scope of the ordinance after all: As they both have more than one million users and an annual turnover of CHF 100 million, they would have to cooperate fully with the authorities.

Encryption to be removed

Threema CEO Robin Simon wants to keep all options open against the initiative. "We are prepared to launch a popular initiative to prevent the expansion of the surveillance state," he announced to the Tagesanzeiger newspaper. Explosive: the Federal Council and the Swiss Armed Forces are among the messenger service's numerous customers, including international authorities. Proton boss Andy Yen stated that he would not be able to comply with the planned regulations under any circumstances. He is threatening to leave Switzerland if necessary.

Article 50a of the VUPF reform stipulates that providers with reduced and full obligations must remove "the encryption provided by them or on their behalf". To achieve this, they are to "capture and decrypt the telecommunications traffic of the monitored person at suitable points" so that the desired data can be delivered in plain text. End-to-end encryption would not be affected by this. However, only if this takes place "between end customers". The exception for end-to-end encryption would probably not apply at the provider level.

(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.
"More cyber security, data protection and digital sovereignty for Europe  and all free of charge": Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, promised nothing less than this last week. And they are all valid, correct and important points that he mentions in his company's promises.

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An opinion by Dennis-Kenji Kipker Dennis-Kenji Kipker is the Scientific Director of the cyberintelligence.institute in Frankfurt am Main and a Professor of IT Security Law.

In times of geopolitical volatility, Europe needs more digital resilience than ever before, and data protection must also be taken seriously in the transatlantic relationship. It also makes sense for one of the largest cloud hyperscalers to actively support us in the European Union (EU) in storing and processing our data securely.

At this point at the latest, however, you might think you have misheard the Redmond-based company's monopoly position: Why should the EU listen to a company that to this day uses anti-competitive licensing and bundling practices to bind European users to it when making decisions about its digital sovereignty? Against this backdrop, the latest announcements by the US company seem not only strange, but even presumptuous.

Gag contracts instead of open competition

And that's not all: in the last point of his latest assurances, Smith argues that Microsoft wants to strengthen Europe's economic competitiveness. When a US company pursues European economic policy in this way, alarm bells should ring. After all, Microsoft as a company stands neither for open competition nor for original European technological sovereignty, but rather for dependency and the eradication of fair competition  and has been doing so systematically for decades.

And if Microsoft is now announcing billions in investments to implement an alleged sovereignty program here in the EU, it is ultimately no more a gift than the Trojan horse. This was initially offered as a splendid thank-offering, but in the end only brought about the downfall of the besieged city of Troy.

No concrete and reliable assurances

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Reason enough, therefore, to be more than just critical of the very idea of a European charm offensive. But the form of the concrete presentation also makes you sit up and take notice: How could a blog post by a Microsoft company representative be able to provide the necessary legal protection against a US president who is acting more and more erratically and to his own advantage? Concrete and legally reliable assurances over a precisely defined period of time are not associated with this.

If Smith also refers to the "EU data border" as an essential protection mechanism of Microsoft's data policy, it should be clear that the fine-sounding assurances are built on sand. After detailed analysis, this very data limit is little more than window dressing. One might actually assume that the cloud customer decides when his own border is opened and when it is not  but the exact opposite is the case.

Swiss cheese

The other promises also sound more like a marketing coup, despite the announced billion-euro investment: only the US company itself knows what the specific benefits are of storing the source code of Microsoft applications as an emergency copy in Switzerland. Without the developers and capacities behind it, a static source code copy is of little use if it is not actively and regularly adapted to current threats and identified security vulnerabilities. The same problem arose last year for the partially sovereign Delos Cloud and was therefore heavily criticized by IT security experts.

But that's not all: what Microsoft cleverly leaves out of its alleged European sovereignty promise is the continuing threat to EU data sovereignty posed by US surveillance legislation such as the Patriot Act and the CLOUD Act. These allow US intelligence services and security authorities extensive powers of access to sensitive data  regardless of where it is stored. In the face of this acute threat to cyber security and the protection of European data, wisely concealing this fact is not only negligent, but also deliberately misleading customers.

Too good to be true

In conclusion, Microsoft's new "digital commitments" are nothing more than a forced diversionary maneuver by the PR department of a major international corporation. Even in times of increasingly uncertain transatlantic relations, Microsoft is keen to further expand its market dominance with largely empty promises regardless of losses. Apart from the company itself, no one will really benefit from this.

The already precarious situation on the EU cloud market is only likely to get worse if the gift is accepted, with European start-ups and competitors being deliberately forced out of the market and customers being gagged with increasingly restrictive license conditions and a lack of cost control. If an offer sounds too good to be true, then it usually is.

(wpl)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
The March survey, which gathered responses from 1,128 SME representatives, found that 57% had experienced invoice payment terms being extended beyond the legal 30-day limit without the required mutual agreement.

A majority of Finnish small and medium-sized enterprises report that large corporations and state-owned firms are violating payment term laws by unilaterally extending invoice deadlines, according to a new Yrittajagallup survey released by the Federation of Finnish Enterprises.

The issue was most severe in the industrial and construction sectors.

Tiina Toivonen, Head of Legal Affairs at the Federation, said long delays in payment are pushing smaller businesses into financial distress. Large companies are effectively using smaller firms as banks, breaking the law by doing so, she said.

Under Finnish law, the standard payment term for invoices between businesses is 30 days unless both parties agree to a longer period. Yet the survey shows that in over half of extended payment cases, no such agreement was made.

The practice is also present in public-sector companies, Toivonen noted. State and municipal firms are extending payment terms without agreement. We demand that this be investigated and that public companies lead by example in following the law.

The financial impact is significant. When payment terms exceed 30 days, 60% of SMEs report harm to their operations. That figure rises to 82% when delays extend to 60 days or more. One in four business bankruptcies is estimated to result from cash flow issues linked to delayed payments.

The Federation is urging the Finnish government to revise the Payment Terms Act and introduce a regulatory body to enforce it. According to the survey, over half of SMEs support the creation of an authority to monitor compliance.

Toivonen pointed out that a detailed enforcement proposal was already developed by a Ministry of Justice working group during the last government term. That proposal should now be brought forward to Parliament without delay, she said.

Support for enforcement was especially high among SMEs in industry (62%) and construction (57%). Larger SMEs, with ten or more employees, also backed regulatory oversight (61%).

The European Commission has also proposed a regulation that would require member states to appoint authorities to oversee business-to-business payment terms. While the Finnish Federation supports the proposal, Toivonen warned that progress is stalled in the EU Council due to disagreements among member states.

Payment delays and violations of the law are problems that won't fix themselves. Finland must take national action to secure the financial stability and operating conditions of smaller businesses, she said.

The survey found that 135,000 SMEs in Finland are affected by extended payment terms. Among the sectors most impacted were expert services (73%), other services (57%), construction (56%), and solo entrepreneurs (65%).

HT
The images, obtained by Swedish broadcaster SVT from Planet Labs, show activity at four locations: Kamenka on the Karelian Isthmus, Petrozavodsk, Severomorsk-2, and Olenya.

Satellite images have revealed significant new Russian military activity near Finlands eastern border , with analysts citing increased troop accommodation, aircraft deployment, and infrastructure construction at key military bases.

The findings suggest Russia is reinforcing its military footprint in the region following Finland and Swedens accession to NATO.

At Kamenka, just 60 kilometres from the Finnish border, over 130 military tents have been erected since February 2025. The area, previously undeveloped in 2022, now appears capable of housing up to 2,000 soldiers, according to SVT.

Military analyst Emil Kastehelmi described the changes as signs of increasing activity and a delayed implementation of measures promised by Russia following NATO expansion.

In Petrozavodsk, roughly 175 kilometres from the border, three large storage halls have been constructed, each potentially able to hold around 50 armoured vehicles. A fourth facility is under construction as of April 2025. Analysts believe the new structures may be intended to conceal the number of vehicles stationed there.

North of the Arctic Circle, Severomorsk-2, a previously disused airbase, is being renovated. Satellite imagery shows multiple helicopters now parked at the base. Analysts suggest the goal is to restore the runways for fixed-wing military aircraft.

Further activity was noted at Olenya airbase, from where Russian strategic bombers are reportedly operating. According to Ukrainian sources, bombers flying from Olenya have been used in attacks on targets in Ukraine.

Swedens Chief of Defence Michael Claesson said the developments appear to confirm earlier Russian statements about military-technical measures in response to NATOs enlargement.

When we applied for NATO membership, Russia said it would take such steps. We are now seeing that happen, Claesson said.

Finlands membership in NATO, formalised in 2023, shifted the alliances border directly onto Russias northwest flank. Since then, Finland has moved to strengthen its own defence posture, including hosting a new NATO forward command centre in Lapland, expected to be operational later this year.

Though Moscow initially gave no visible military response to NATO expansion, the satellite imagery now points to gradual preparations on the Russian side of the border.

The changes come amid ongoing Russian operations in Ukraine and sustained international scrutiny of Russias military posture in the Baltic and Arctic regions. Finnish and Swedish defence officials said they continue to monitor developments closely.

HT

Helsinki Times has introduced a new section to our news portal, covering Gambling topics. Check out the new Gambling Section for the latest news on the gambling industry in Finland.
Do Tell Storytelling features renowned tale spinner

Ray Christian will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at A Place to Go Community Center, 505 Fifth Ave. E.

STEAP (Storytelling, Education and Arts Programs), a local non-profit arts organization, will host its fourth Do Tell Storytelling event when Dr. Ray Christian performs at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at A Place to Go Community Center, 505 Fifth Ave. E.

A retired U.S. Army paratrooper, Christian grew up on the poverty-ridden streets of Richmond, Virginia, the son of illiterate parents. He overcame that difficult beginning and achieved remarkable success in a variety of fields. He is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar in Education, with expertise in oral history and personal narrative.

He is the producer and host of the Whats Ray Saying podcast, a world of Southern-baked personal narratives interwoven with Black American history, and also hosts the monthly Moth Story Slam in Asheville.

In competitive storytelling, Ray is a 12-time Moth Story Slam Champion, and winner of the 2016 National Storytelling Festival Story Slam. His stories have been featured multiple times on the Moth Radio Hour, Snap Judgment, Back Story Radio and the Spooked podcasts, among many others.

A Place to Go is the vision of Roxanna and Ronnie Pepper as a venue to foster a sense of belonging, connect with others who share similar interests, gain and offer support and encouragement, learn from others, collaborate on projects and advocate for change on shared causes.

* * * * *

The free event will be held outside weather permitting. Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blanket to sit on the lawn. For more information visit www.dotellpodcast.com/dotellfestival






Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On May 9, SAIC Mobility, the strategic mobility service brand under SAIC Motor, announced the completion of its Series C financing round, raising over 1.3 billion yuan. Marking the largest single fundraising in China's mobility service sector in the past three years, this capital injection reflects strong endorsement from both the capital market and local governments for the company's "one-stop smart mobility ecosystem" strategy.

The company stated that the Series C round brings broader strategic support from SAIC Motor, industrial funds, and local government entities. Going forward, SAIC Mobility will focus on four core technological pillarsbig data, artificial intelligence, smart transportation, and intelligent safetyleveraging its early investments in fields such as Robotaxi operations and proprietary large language models. These capabilities will be applied to enhance operational efficiency, improve service quality, and elevate safety standards through AI-driven innovation in the mobility sector.

Following the new funding, SAIC Mobility has also refined its strategic blueprint, which now rests on three parallel business pillarsindividual mobility, corporate mobility, and future mobilitydriven by both technology and services.

In the individual mobility segment, SAIC Mobility's ride-hailing network currently operates in nearly 100 cities across China. Post-financing, the company plans to expand into overseas markets while consolidating its presence in core domestic cities. An upgraded precision operations strategy will use AI to boost dispatch efficiency and optimize the full business chain, enhancing both user experience and operational performance.

Photo credit: SAIC Mobility

In corporate mobility, SAIC Mobility has evolved from offering basic vehicle services to building a comprehensive business travel ecosystem. Its corporate mobility service brand (named "Xiangdao Zuche" in Chinese Pinyin) now covers over 150 cities with a fleet exceeding 25,000 vehicles, serving more than 5,000 enterprise clients. It has also provided end-to-end transportation services for over 600 large-scale domestic and international events. With the Series C funding, the company will deepen its focus on long-term corporate leasing and premium chauffeur services, expanding into public transport, hotel, and dining integration to create a full-fledged business travel ecosystem centered on enterprise mobility.

In the future mobility domain, SAIC Mobility's Robotaxi business is gaining traction with high-quality commercial deployment. As China's first L4 autonomous car service platform backed by a major automaker, SAIC Mobility's Robotaxi has been in operation since 2021, completing over 330,000 rides across 48,000 service points and covering more than 2.5 million kilometers. With the new funding, the company will further leverage resources from SAIC Motor and industry partners to build a closed-loop ecosystem integrating vehicles, technology, and platform. It will collaborate with shareholder Momenta to launch an L4 Robotaxi fleet in Shanghai, aiming to scale to 200 vehicles by 2026, driving forward the sustainable and high-quality commercialization of autonomous mobility.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On May 9, Geely's Galaxy Xingyao 8 model officially hit the market, offering two powertrain options: the NordThor EM-P Super Hybrid and the NordThor EM-i Super Hybrid. During the AUTO SHANGHAI 2025, two additional variants with basic assisted driving features were introduced, bringing the total to seven trims. Official prices range from 125,800 yuan to 165,800 yuan. With a limited-time discount of 10,000 yuan, the starting price drops to 115,800 yuan.

Photo credit: Geely Galaxy

The Galaxy Xingyao 8 adopts Geely's "Ripple Aesthetics" design philosophy, merging traditional Chinese cultural motifs with cutting-edge technology. Signature elements include the "Flying Eaves Tiger Gaze" LED headlights, a fluid "Glazed Streamlight" side profile, and "Rising Sun" taillights. Combined with modern details like frameless windows, hidden door handles, and 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, the design conveys a uniquely Chinese-tech aesthetic.

Photo credit: Geely Galaxy

Six body colors are availableJihai Blue, Shanhe Green, Tianji White, Guomo Grey, Dianluo Silver, and Jianzhan Blackeach inspired by traditional Chinese artifacts or cultural themes, highlighting a refined sense of indigenous luxury.

Photo credit: Geely Galaxy

Inside, the cabin features soft-touch materials covering 85% of surfaces, including Alcantara-like trim on the headliner, pillars, and sun visors for a premium tactile experience. Electrically adjustable executive seats come with heating, ventilation, 8-point massage, and control via both physical buttons and voice commands.

The Geely Galaxy Xingyao 8 is the first model in the Galaxy lineup to feature the Flyme Sound audio system. Equipped with 23 speakers, a 2,000W independent amplifier, and a 7.1.4 surround configuration, it supports four virtual concert hall sound effects, four seat-based sound zones, six preset EQ modes, and seven customizable frequency bands.

Photo credit: Geely Galaxy

The model measures 5,018 mm in length, 1,918 mm in width, and 1,480 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,928 mm.

The variant equipped with the NordThor EM-i Super Hybrid system features a 1.5L hybrid-dedicated engine with a 46.5% thermal efficiency, paired with an 11-in-1 E-DHT electric drive unit. This enables the model to achieve a fuel consumption of just 3.36 liters per 100 km (CLTC) when the battery is depleted. The EM-P version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.49 seconds and delivers a charge-sustaining fuel consumption of 3.67 liters per 100 km (CLTC).

The Xingyao 8 model carries Geely's self-developed G-Pilot advanced driver-assistance system and supports optional LiDAR device. Backed by dual smart driving chips with up to 116 TOPS of processing power, the system enables NOA (navigate on autopilot) for highways and elevated roads, emergency maneuvering at speeds up to 120 km/h, three-second lane-change assist, and APA (automated parking assist) in over 300 complex scenarios, including tight, dead-end, and dim-light spaces.




This panoramic aerial photo taken on Jan 10, 2023 shows a view of Lujiazui area in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in East China's Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

Global Times-The upcoming meeting in Switzerland, involving senior officials from China and the US, represents the first high-level trade talks between the two nations since the US administration imposes steep "reciprocal tariffs" in April. There are several key questions that the public is focused on regarding China: Why China agrees to enter into talks with the US at the time, does China have room to maneuver for the talks, and the potential impact of the outcomes on the future economic landscape.

Prior to the convening of the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the meeting is requested by the US side.

The frequent use of tariffs by the US has disrupted global supply chains and rattled financial markets, igniting concerns over a potential slump in global economic growth. That fact that China agrees to hold talks with the US at the latter's request demonstrates a responsible approach. In the face of global economic uncertainties provoked by US tariffs, it is crucial for China and the US, the world's two largest economies, to engage in talks. Enhancing communication between these two nations is beneficial for understanding each other's core concerns and avoiding misjudgments. Maintaining stable China-US economic and trade relations is in the interests of the both peoples of the two nations, and also conducive to the world economy.

However, as Lin Jian said, China firmly opposes the US tariff hikes. This position remains unchanged. Trying to pressure or coerce China, in any form, simply does not work.

Fight or talk, China's position to safeguard international equality and justice, maintain global economic and trade order remains unchanged.

What is the source of China's confidence? It lies in multiple factors, including the remarkable resilience and resistance to risk the Chinese economy has shown in the face of external challenges. Despite some fluctuations caused by US tariffs, the inherent stability of China's economy has continued to strengthen. In the first quarter of this year, there has been a consistent improvement in China's consumer market. The launch of a series of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and quantum technology, has propelled the development of high-tech industries. Furthermore, the employment situation has remained stable, with the growth in residents' income largely keeping pace with economic growth. This has led to continuous improvements in people's livelihoods, among other positive developments.

In particular, China's trade continued to expand at a solid pace, despite hefty US tariffs on Chinese goods. Although China-US trade declined in the first four months, China's total import and export value in April reached 3.84 trillion yuan ($531.46 billion), marking a 5.6 percent increase year-on-year.

In the complex world of international diplomacy, economic resilience often translates into negotiating strength. This axiom is vividly illustrated in the recent interactions between China and the US. The robustness and inherent stability of the Chinese economy have fortified its stance, supporting a strategy that is as much about principle as it is about pragmatism. Chinese officials have repeatedly underscored their openness to dialogue, but with a caveat that any dialogue must be based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit.

This stance is not merely rhetorical; it is rooted in China's firm ability and determination to safeguard its legitimate interests. The Chinese understand that compromise under pressure does not bring peace or respect. In this context, China will not rush to talks, given that its economic resilience, particularly in the face of US tariffs, affords it a flexible strategic space. China will not, and indeed does not need to, make concessions on matters of principle.

Given the profound impact of US tariff policies on the global economy, some international observers might hope that China and the US can reach a consensus in their upcoming talks to de-escalate tensions. China, of course, hopes that the trade tension can be eased, but it's important to recognize that, to a large extent, it hinges on whether Washington can demonstrate the necessary sincerity in talks. The tariff war was initiated by the US. There's an old Chinese saying: " To untie the bell, you need the person who tied the bell."

The US economy is currently showing signs of distress. GDP contracted at an annual rate of 0.3 percent in the first quarter, highlighting its vulnerability under Washington's tariff policies. China is an important economic partner for the US, and the prosperity of the US economy cannot be separated from that of China. In terms of trade talks, the US has greater urgency for engagement.

China has consistently maintained a firm stance against the US' abuse of tariff measures. China's Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said on Thursday that "The US should make preparations and take actions on issues such as correcting its wrong practices and lifting the unilateral tariffs." He noted that China will never agree, nor will it seek to reach any agreement by sacrificing its principle and position as well as international fairness and justice.

The Chinese economy has more room to maneuver compared to the US economy. In the face of the US tariff policies, what China needs is not to compromise, but to focus on managing its own affairs and steadfastly pursue development. Amid the headwinds of deglobalization, China has shown a strong commitment to opening up wider to the outside world. Regardless of the outcomes of the US-China talks, China's commitment to economic development and further opening up to the world remains unchanged. The stable growth of China's economy and its consistent contribution to global economic expansion will continue unabated.

Confronted with a complex and challenging external environment, China's steadfast focus on domestic development and its efforts to further open up to the world are not only advantageous for its own economic trajectory but also have a positive impact on the global economic landscape.
 1949-1982
 2025-05-10 10:59:21 ,   





The idiom is used when you want to emphasize

1. that both parties involved in a difficult situation must accept the blame, or

2. that an activity needs two people who are willing to take part for it to happen.



- From online, with editing

---------------------------------



Our newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney stepped into "the lion's den" 4 days ago for his first face-to-face with US President Donald Trump. I have no idea what was discussed "behind the closed door", but found this YouTube clip (see below) very interesting. In it, Trump said "It takes two to tango", adding "as a real estate developer at heart" he would love to see the U.S. span from the Gulf Coast to the Arctic Circle. "I do feel it's much better for Canada,"



Carney diplomatically shot down Trump's talk, saying that as a property developer he should know "there are some places that are never for sale."



Still, the president held out hope it might happen one day. He said "never say never" about uniting the two countries.



In response, Carney said: "Never, never, never, never, never," as reporters shouted questions (it's not in the video, but reported by CBC). Haha, what a perfect example to illustrate "It takes two to tango" Have a fun weekend everyone!
European solar report hails China's role in green energy expansion

Xinhua) 10:20, May 10, 2025

MUNICH, Germany, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China accounted for around half of both newly added and total global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2024, a milestone hailed by European analysts as a major contribution to the world's carbon reduction goals.

China installed 329 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity within 2024, representing 55 percent of global new additions, according to a report released by the industry group SolarPower Europe during the 2025 Intersolar Europe exhibition, which just concluded here on Friday.

That brought global cumulative solar capacity to more than 2 terawatts (TW) by the end of last year, with China leading at 985 GW, followed by the United States, India, and Germany, said the report, titled Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2025-2029.

"China's growth is a major achievement from a global decarbonisation perspective," the report noted. "Its comprehensive solar commitment has enabled the technology's rapid global development."

Christophe Lits, senior market analyst at SolarPower Europe and co-author of the report, told Xinhua that China's influence extends beyond its domestic market. "Most of the PV products in the European market are coming from China, which has enabled the strong growth of the bloc," he said.

European Union (EU) countries added about 65 GW of new solar capacity in 2024, the report showed, with Germany remaining the largest individual market. Four EU countries ranked among the world's top 10 for new installations.

Lits noted that some Chinese manufacturers are investing in local production across Europe, building factories for PV models, inverters, and storage systems. "This represents a deeper level of commitment from China to increase its participation in Europe's energy transition," he said.

The report underscored a significant role of solar power in the whole renewable energy landscape, forecasting global PV capacity to reach 7.1 TW as of 2030. This is expected to account for roughly 65 percent of total renewable electricity generation capacity by then.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Joseph Fiennes/Risen 2016/Actor Yahweh 

Go to Rome to fish for those who believe in Yahweh, the eternal destiny.

@1:05:17/1:47:36: You're the chosen one; not rather, you choose. Neither can you work toward gaining mercy and grace nor to choose, rather to be blessed as the chosen, non-believer Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a powerful Roman Military Tribune became a Jesus follower. https://youtu.be/NaLcUgU9IK8?t=3917

"One does not choose to be chosenit is a calling bestowed, not earned. Grace is not seized by merit, nor is mercy summoned by will. So it was with Clavius, the Roman Tribune: a hardened unbeliever, yet by divine design, he beheld the Risen Oneand believed."

"You don't choose to be the chosen oneyou're chosen. Mercy and grace aren't earned or selected; they're given. Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a powerful Roman Military Tribune and non-believer, didnt seek Jesusbut was transformed into a follower when he encountered the risen Christ."

***

"The world is is your hand. No one dies today. Walk on. Say nothing. Remember this." @1:19:01 https://youtu.be/NaLcUgU9IK8?t=4741 Go to Galilee to see Him again!

"Let us fish. He will find us!" Simon said. Their Faith in Jesus fish them fish out of water.

Sleep until the sun wakes us.

You must feed my lambs.

My God, the facial angle of the actor Yahweh looks like  (actor). https://youtu.be/NaLcUgU9IK8?t=5540

Thomas delivered water to Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), who cut his leg!

Clavius (Joseph Fiennes)'s shoulder was touched by the re-lived Jesus: I believe I'll never be the same.

***

The name Yahweh, the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, is often understood to mean "He is" or "I will be". This interpretation is linked to the Hebrew verb "to be" (hayah). In the story of Moses and the burning bush, God reveals his name to Moses as I am (ehyeh), which is then translated into Yahweh.

If you believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised to life on the third day, you will be saved. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

8**8

Could you please explain why this film is associated with a famous actor and director? < >

The film "Risen" (2016) stars Joseph Fiennes, a well-known British actor acclaimed for his role in Shakespeare in Love and later in The Handmaid's Tale. His involvement in Risen lends credibility and gravitas to the film, aligning with its serious and spiritual themes.

The film stands out because:

Perspective Shift: It uniquely tells the Resurrection story through the eyes of a Roman skeptic, Clavius, rather than from the apostles' or believers' viewpoints. This narrative approach helps modern secular or questioning audiences relate more directly, inviting them to investigate the story rather than be preached to. Star Power: Casting Fiennes as the lead  a commanding Roman officer unraveling what he believes is a political mystery  brings depth to the role, reflecting internal conflict, doubt, and eventual transformation. His performance is subtle and credible, which makes the spiritual journey more human. Directed by Kevin Reynolds, known for The Count of Monte Cristo and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, the film combines drama, suspense, and historical storytelling, creating a cinematic experience that appeals beyond just religious audiences.

Ultimately, Risen was made to explore faith, doubt, and truth in a way that respects both the believer and the skeptic  and casting a serious actor like Fiennes signals that intent clearly.

Would you like a comparison to other Biblical epics like The Passion of the Christ or Ben-Hur?

https://youtu.be/NaLcUgU9IK8?si=0gqMXyaNe8E3r1WN

***

Free with ads

PG-13

YouTube Movies & TV

188M subscribers

"Risen" is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton), are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

Transcript

Follow along using the transcript.

Show transcript

YouTube Movies & TV

188M subscribers

Videos

About

Release date

2016

Running time

1:47:37

Audio

English

Subtitle

English

Actors

Joseph Fiennes

Tom Felton

Peter Firth

Cliff Curtis

Leonor Watling

Director

Kevin Reynolds

Producers

Mickey Liddell

Patrick Aiello

Pete Shilaimon

Genres

Drama

Mystery & suspense

Action & adventure

Provider

Sony Pictures

Rating

PG-13

Revelation 2.9 ,3.9 John 8.44 14.6 like it or not who are anti Crist ? Mathew 27.25 Isaiah 5.20 Rev. 14.11 John 8.32 like it or not .

If you believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised to life on the third day, you will be saved. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 GOOD Movie!! Told from an unbeliever's point of view!

But for us these days? FAITH is the substance of things hoped for!

The "evidence" of that which is unseen! @jorgeG8188

16 hours ago

I remember seeing the trailer as a nonbeliever (Catholic living my life as I please) and not wanting to watch it when I found out it was about Jesus. Life went on and it was until I had no reason to live that I asked any God to reveal itself, and lo and behold, Jesus came to my bedroom and removed the burden off my shoulders. After that, I saw many signs, miracles, and wonders, many of which are in the Bible too many for my logical mind to understand. The Bible came alive, and I understood it for the first time. This movie hits different when you know it is based on a true story, not something hypothetical.

Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice," and my life is a testament to how real Jesus is and how he fulfilled every prophecy, including bringing the dead to life, which was me before I knew him.

If you ask Jesus to reveal himself with an honest heart, I truly believe he will do it for you like he has for me and millions of others who dared to ask and really seek Him.
Current and proposed budget cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration put Western New Yorkers at risk, according to various current and former employees at the agency, as well as those familiar with the agency.

Western New York relies on NOAA science, research and data gathering for information about harmful algal bloom forecasts  which the agency no longer has the capacity to deliver  as well as improved weather modeling for lake-effect snowstorms.

Without NOAAs weekly harmful algal bloom forecasts, water purveyors are left without vital information that would otherwise give them a heads up if toxic waters were shifting their way. And if the NOAA programs that fine tune weather models for forecasting storms are cut, Buffalonians may not be able to know when or where heavy snowfall off an unfrozen Lake Erie could hit.

The Trump administration has already slashed the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, whose staff does much of this critical work, by about 35%. Future cuts are impending this summer and fall as the lab runs out of funding for key staffing.

Trumps latest budget proposal would cut NOAAs overall budget by more than $1.5 billion, a 24% reduction from current levels. The cuts would decimate the agencys Oceanic and Atmospheric Research office, which studies Earth sciences both locally and around the world.

In total, the president is proposing $163 billion, or about 23%, in spending cuts that would also hit health, housing and education programs around the nation. Meanwhile, the budget proposes increasing defense spending by about 13% to $1 trillion and funding for immigration enforcement by $175 billion.

Great Lakes research and safety programs threatened by Trump's cuts Federal employees whose jobs include monitoring the safety of the Great Lakes have been fired as part of broad cuts to the federal workforce.

Im concerned, said Sabrina Figler, director of water quality of the Erie County Water Authority. We may be taken by surprise, whereas if we were continuing to get the reports from NOAA, wed have a heads up.

Figler said the water authority typically begins getting weekly reports from NOAA regarding whether there are any harmful algal blooms on the lake in April. This year, however, those reports appear to have been delayed, she said.

The water authority relies on these reports to inform whether they would need to add additional treatment to the water it delivers to more than 550,000 people, Figler said.

While the eastern end of Lake Erie has not historically been impacted by harmful algal blooms, the western end has.

In August 2014, more than 500,000 Toledo, Ohio, residents were ordered to not drink or touch their water, including showering, for a few days due to a toxic algal bloom that had been pushed by wind and waves into the citys drinking water intakes.

As Lake Erie warms due to climate change, and farming practices involving the use of fertilizers are slow to change, harmful algal blooms continue to be a concern.

Its just a matter of time before the eastern end gets impacted, Figler said.

The Erie County Water Authority samples for harmful algal blooms locally, but the NOAA reports complement that work. Without the reports, the authority is given less warning about toxins headed its way, she said.

About 19 of the 40 NOAA employees who work on Great Lakes research have been cut or are at risk of imminent layoffs as of early May, according to Gregory Dick, director of the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, which is sponsored by NOAA and is also impacted by funding or staffing cuts to the federal agency. Many of those Great Lakes employees worked on the harmful algal bloom reporting and research.

This is science thats really informing people and businesses and coastal communities, Dick said. Its really impactful to the people that live and work and play in the Great Lakes.

Drinking water providers arent the only ones impacted by the cuts, he added. Beach managers, the sport fishing industry, shipping industry and coastal homeowners will also be left without information about the toxins blooming in the lake, Dick said.

Well be flying blind, he said. Theres a real risk that well be blindsided again like we were in 2014. One of the reasons that (the Toledo water crisis) hasnt happened since 2014 is because of the monitoring programs and the forecasting and data that NOAA has provided.

Come next winter, there is also a risk that weather modeling on the Great Lakes could be impacted, should the Trump administrations cuts to NOAA be realized.

NOAA employees, or those funded at least partially by the agency, work to hone weather models to more accurately predict and analyze storms off the Great Lakes. These storms are difficult to analyze for many reasons, a large one being the atmospheres interaction with the large freshwater bodies.

Better predicting and modeling lake-effect snowstorms has been a focus of NOAA the past several years.

Were getting better at making those forecasts, Dick said. Another impact (of the funding cuts) would be the loss, or at least less accurate predictions of such events. When you cant predict whats coming, you can be blindsided by such extreme weather events.

Lake-effect storms have devastated Western New York, and NOAA data show the storms are getting worse as the climate changes, as evidenced by the 2006 October Surprise storm, the 2014 November storm and deadly 2022 Christmas blizzard.

Key to keeping people safe is accurate weather forecasting and adequate warnings for such storms.

Buffalo is seeing more intense snowstorms more often, data show The troubling trend of severe snowstorms happening more often in Western New York may be due to the planet heating up as humans continue to burn excess fossil fuels. A warmer atmosphere means Lake Erie freezes over less and there is more moisture for big storms to draw from, according to experts.

Lake-effect snow is notoriously difficult to predict, said Abby Hutson, research faculty at the University of Michigan and assistant research scientist at CIGLR. With the slightest error in observations, the modeling will take the snow and put it 10 miles to the north.

NOAA staff have focused on research that could lead to longer term lake-effect snowstorm forecasts, and therefore give cities and towns more time to prepare for whats coming, Hutson said.

Lake-effect snow season used to be October, November, December, but with the trends that were seeing showing that lake ice coverage is becoming more variable and the lake is becoming more open during the late season, Hutson said. That means these crippling events for Buffalo may become more frequent. And we need to make sure our models are catching up and getting the correct information so we can make these lake-effect snow forecasts as accurate as we can make them.

Sen. Chuck Schumer said in a statement to The Buffalo News that the current and proposed cuts to NOAA are not just dumb, its dangerous.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand agreed.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, which oversees NOAA, I will be doing everything in my power to fight these cuts, she said in a statement to The News. I urge my Republican colleagues to do the same.
A Town of Tonawanda Highway Department worker accused of passing narcotics to another Tonawanda employee after asking to meet in a town park during work hours has been arrested on a drug charge, according to a police report.

But his attorney denies his client did anything wrong and questions how town police conducted their investigation into the unusual set of circumstances presented by the case.

Police say Jason W. Orlando, 49, asked the head of another town department to meet him one day in January at Sheridan Park, where Orlando pressed Michael Kessler, the towns director of water resources, to hire a friend of his. Kessler told Orlando how the application process works and then went to shake Orlandos hand, a police report states.

That is when, according to the report, Orlando placed a bag holding a white powder into Kesslers hand and said, We will have to go out and party some time.

Kessler reported the encounter and, following a lengthy police investigation, Orlando was charged last month with misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Obviously, the allegations were very concerning to the Town Board and me, Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph Emminger said.

Orlandos criminal lawyer, John Schoemick, said police were too quick to accept Kesslers version of events over his clients.

Kessler, who wasnt charged and was identified as the reporting person in the police report, did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

If you read the police report, a person by the name of (Michael) Kessler came to Tonawanda police and said that my client gave him drugs. And the police basically took that and ran with it, Schoemick said in an interview Friday. Ive never seen a prosecution like this.

Police say the incident happened around 11 a.m. Jan. 30. Kessler later told officers that Orlando had called to ask him to get together, and they agreed to meet at Sheridan Park in the town.

Orlando said he had a friend who wanted to get a job in the town Water Department, according to Kesslers account. Kessler said he told Orlando what his friend would need to do to apply for a job, and the meeting soon wrapped up.

When Kessler went to shake Orlandos hand, however, that is when Orlando placed a bag that contained white powder in Kesslers hand and made the comment about going out and partying together, according to the account Kessler later provided to police.

Kessler said he didnt know what to do, so he went to the towns personnel office on Ensminger Road to report what had happened.

Officer Nicholas Lund said Kessler appeared to be very nervous, and visibly shaking, when Lund showed up to the office.

Lund said he took the bag of suspected narcotics from Kessler and, later, found it weighed 1.2 grams. Lund said he took the white powder to the Erie County Central Police Services lab for testing.

The police report, obtained through a public records request, doesnt identify the drug, but states it had a value of $50.

Kessler turned over his town cellphone to police.

Nothing was observed to be criminal, or regarding this case other than the messages from 1/30/25, the police report states.

Investigators interviewed Kessler at length that afternoon before Detective Capt. William Krier went to the Highway Department to question Orlando in Highway Superintendent Ted Rymarczyks office, according to the report.

Orlando said he met with Kessler earlier that day at the park and did shake his hand at the end of their meeting, but he denied handing anything to Kessler, Krier reported.

When asked about any drug conversations between the two of them in the past, Orlando said, Something else came up in our conversation ... party type of stuff ... drinkin and stuff. 

The next section of Kriers report is redacted before it goes on to state that Orlando admitted texting Kessler and confirmed which texts he had sent to Kessler.

Krier took Orlandos phone as evidence and ended the interview after Orlando said he wanted to consult with an attorney before saying anything more, according to the report.

Police sought, and received, permission from a town judge to search Orlandos phone.

Detectives also questioned two friends of Orlandos about whether they had asked Orlando to help them get jobs in the town Water Department. Both said no.

Police on Feb. 6 took Orlandos phone to a location  its name is redacted in the report  for help in extracting data from the device.

On April 2, police returned to that place, which had not been able to help police gain access to the phones information, to pick up the device and take it to a second site for a possible cellular extraction. That locations name also is redacted from the report.

By April 15, police had charged Orlando with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and issued him an appearance ticket through Schoemick, his attorney.

The report doesnt indicate whether police ever gained access to the data on Orlandos phone, which he was allowed to retrieve May 1.

Orlando earned $73,605 last year from the town, according to public payroll records on the SeeThroughNY site.

Rymarczyk said Orlando, who works in the Highway Departments forestry division, is on desk duty pending the outcome of the criminal case.

He said hes met with Orlando, and his union representation, and is following the advice of the towns labor lawyer.

It is unfortunate that these allegations have been made against one of my employees, Rymarczyk said, adding the department is respecting Orlandos contractual rights as a town employee.

Emminger said any decision on job-related discipline for Orlando is up to Rymarczyk, an independently elected official.

It was in a town park, on town time  dont forget that. So, yeah, it was very concerning, very concerning, Emminger said. He added that Kessler swiftly notified the Town Board of what had happened at the park.

Schoemick said Orlando admits meeting Kessler at the park for the purpose of exchanging information regarding an individual for possible employment.

But he said his client denies possessing or passing on any illegal drugs that day, and he described as unusual the police and town response to the incident.

He feels hes being singled out, Schoemick said.

Kait Munro, a spokesperson for the Erie County District Attorneys Office, said the offices investigation into the incident continues. Orlando is set to return to Town Court on May 19.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Two British nationals accused of drug trafficking in Zimbabwe will remain behind bars after a Harare court deferred its ruling on their bail application, leaving them to endure more nights in remand prison.Tihaise Darlin Elisha (18) and Taylor Tamara Simone (20), both hailing from Birmingham in the United Kingdom, were arrested at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on May 1, 2025, after authorities uncovered a large quantity of cannabis hidden in their luggage.The pair appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on May 3 and were further remanded to May 15 for the determination of their bail. They are facing charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs in contravention of Zimbabwe's criminal statutes.According to state prosecutors, Elisha and Simone arrived in the country aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight. Upon collecting their luggage from the carousel, they were summoned to the customs searching bay. A routine inspection of their four suitcases revealed 124 packets of dagga concealed inside.The drugs, weighing a total of 66.9 kilograms, are estimated to have a street value of US$669,000. The contraband was seized by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Narcotics Unit, who arrested the suspects on the spot.The court heard that investigations are still ongoing, and the prosecution has opposed bail, arguing that the accused are foreign nationals with no fixed address in Zimbabwe, posing a significant flight risk.Meanwhile, the pair remains detained at a local remand facility pending their next court appearance. The case has attracted public attention due to the high street value of the seized drugs and the involvement of foreign nationals.Zimbabwean authorities have in recent years tightened security and surveillance at all ports of entry in a bid to curb transnational drug trafficking.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Police in Rusape have launched a manhunt for a cashier at N Richards Wholesalers, Tawanda Manzvinde (34), who is accused of stealing US$35,250 in cash collected over the Easter holiday - in a heist that has exposed glaring lapses in both internal controls and external security procedures.Manzvinde, whose last known address is 3542 Magamba Extension, Rusape, is now a fugitive from justice and is believed to have fled the country. The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has intensified its search for him and is appealing to the public for information. A reward of US$2,500 has been offered for any tip-off that leads to his arrest.Manicaland police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed investigations are underway but declined to provide further details, citing protocol related to the high value of the theft."You will need to speak with Commissioner Paul Nyathi on this matter, as I am not authorised to comment, given the amount involved," Chinyoka said.Sources close to the investigation revealed that Manzvinde was entrusted with collecting cash from till operators at the end of each business day and coordinating with Fawcett Security Company to secure the funds overnight before banking.On April 16, 2025, Manzvinde allegedly began executing a fraudulent scheme. After collecting US$13,217, he is accused of placing neatly cut bond paper - disguised to resemble cash - inside a sealed cash box which he then handed to Fawcett Security for safekeeping. The security team reportedly failed to verify the contents of the box.He is said to have repeated the deception from April 17 to 21, collecting an additional US$22,033 from the till operators and using the same tactic - bond paper sealed in boxes - which were accepted without inspection.According to sources, Manzvinde was last seen on April 21. He did not report for duty on April 22, raising suspicions. His supervisor, Mr Brian Mukwenha, contacted Manzvinde's wife, Mrs Rumbidzai Madondo (31), who claimed she had not seen him since the previous day.Concerned, Mukwenha requested Fawcett Security to return the sealed cash boxes. Upon opening them in his presence, they discovered the bond paper decoys - confirming their worst fears.The matter was immediately reported to Rusape Central Police Station, prompting a full-scale CID investigation, registered under CRB 6292029. As of now, no arrests have been made and no money has been recovered.Authorities are urging anyone with information about Manzvinde's whereabouts to contact the nearest police station. N Richards Wholesalers reiterated its commitment to justice, stating:"We are offering a US$2,500 reward for credible information leading to the arrest of the suspect and recovery of company funds."The case has raised serious questions about procedural oversight and due diligence on the part of the involved security service provider.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has collected more than US$2,000 in environmental offence fines for April alone, as it intensifies efforts to combat the surge in illegal gold panning, sand poaching, and other environmentally destructive activities in the city's water catchment areas.The developments are contained in the council's latest Parks Section report, presented by the Director of Housing and Community Services, Dictor Khumalo, which outlines the extent of illegal activity and enforcement operations conducted last month.According to the report, 83 surveillance patrols were carried out in April - bringing the cumulative total to 281 patrols since January. These operations, jointly conducted by BCC rangers and Esigodini police, led to the arrest of 12 illegal gold panners, who were handed over to the Esigodini Magistrates' Court for prosecution. The total number of gold panners arrested since January now stands at 16."During these operations, 45 tools, including three metal detector machines, were confiscated and handed over to Esigodini police as exhibits," the council minutes state.Beyond catchment areas, the council said it conducted both routine and extended patrols throughout Greater Bulawayo to address illegal mining, sand poaching, and wood harvesting. These operations resulted in the confiscation of 110 tools, including five sand poaching trucks.In total, 37 tickets were issued for environmental violations, of which 28 have been paid, netting US$2,175.56. The remaining nine unpaid tickets are valued at US$1,698.28.Due to ongoing load-shedding, wood poaching has become increasingly problematic. Council rangers impounded five scotch carts and two wheelbarrows used for illegal wood harvesting.The report also highlighted positive trends, noting a significant reduction in illegal gold panning activities, thanks to continued patrols - 51 of which were conducted in April.Meanwhile, from legal sand extraction sites, the city collected US$420 from 37 trucks that purchased pit sand.However, the report flagged persistent challenges, including the influx of stray donkeys, especially in peri-urban suburbs. Council officials cited a lack of resources to manage the issue effectively, as their rangers' utility truck remains under repair.The BCC says it remains committed to protecting Bulawayo's environment and has appealed for continued community cooperation in reporting environmental crimes.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Institute of Global Leadership and Administration (IGLA), in collaboration with the Artificial Institute Africa, will hold an important conference on artificial intelligence (AI) later this month in Harare. The event, titled "The Future of Jobs: Is Labour Ready for AI?", is set to take place on May 22, 2025, at Golden Conifer, Mabelreign.The conference aims to bring together professionals, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and employment in Zimbabwe and beyond. According to IGLA Executive Director, Taka Svosve, the event is designed to provide critical insights into how AI will reshape industries, workforces, and economies."The conference will provide a platform for policymakers, labour leaders, and corporate executives to engage in meaningful conversations about how the workforce is adapting to technological change," said Svosve. "We aim to equip stakeholders with the knowledge needed to navigate the evolving AI landscape and to debunk myths about its potential to displace jobs."Key discussion topics will focus on the role of AI in shaping the future of employment, wages, skills development, and collective bargaining. The event will also explore how AI is influencing productivity, human resources practices, and changes in workplace dynamics.As Zimbabwe continues to promote Education 5.0 and technological innovation, concerns about automation displacing workers are being met with proactive efforts to address skills gaps. The government's push for AI integration aligns with broader efforts to future-proof the workforce.Keynote speakers at the event include Dennis Magaya and Ephias Ruhode, both prominent AI experts, as well as Rodgers Matsikidze, an authority on labour law. Other speakers include Florence Taruvinga, President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, and renowned labour consultants Memory Nguwi and Request Machimbira.In addition, Rudo Chitiga, the Permanent Secretary for Skills Audit, will serve as the guest speaker. Chitiga is expected to discuss skills development and the role of education in facilitating the adoption of AI technologies. She will also shed light on Zimbabwe's national skills development strategy and the government's AI policy direction."Chitiga's insights will provide a comprehensive view of Zimbabwe's strategic approach to integrating AI in various sectors and ensuring that the labour force is equipped for the future," said Svosve.The conference comes at a crucial time for Zimbabwe, as the country strives to strike a balance between innovation and employment. As AI continues to revolutionize industries, the discussions at this conference will be pivotal in shaping the future of work in Zimbabwe.For more information on registration and the full conference agenda, interested parties are encouraged to visit the IGLA website.
News / National

by Staff reporter

An unfilled grave tucked just metres from a homestead in Hwedza has become a symbol of grief, broken promises, and fading hope for the Chadoka family. For years, they have waited for the remains of their late relative, Elias Chadoka - a liberation war hero - to be repatriated from Harare, but the grave remains deserted, a ghostly reminder of unresolved sorrow.The story dates back to 1973 when Chadoka and his comrade Chitiyo, both political activists who had escaped from Mt St Mary's High School to undergo military training in Zambia, were captured and hanged by colonial authorities. Their bodies were buried in a shared grave at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.In 2018, President Emmerson Mnangagwa posthumously conferred national hero status on the two fallen fighters. The Chadoka family, relieved by the long-awaited recognition, promptly requested that Chadoka's remains be exhumed and returned home for reburial. A grave was constructed in his rural home near his father's final resting place in anticipation of a swift process.However, seven years on, the grave remains empty. Weeds have now claimed the site, and with them, the family's hope has withered."We do not know what lies ahead," said Newland Chadoka, a nephew of the deceased. "We've been calling on the authorities to seal this issue once and for all, but our pleas continue to fall on deaf ears."Despite assurances and official documents confirming the hero status - including a letter signed by Zanu-PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu dated April 16, 2018 - the family says there has been no action from the government regarding the reburial."We have knocked on so many doors," said another family member. "At one point, we were informed that traditional rites needed to be conducted at Chikurubi before any reburials can take place, but the process is painfully slow. We don't know when - or if - this will ever happen."Robert Zhanda, Chadoka's maternal uncle and a tireless advocate for the reburial, has grown weary of the wait. "I am tired now. It's been story after story. I even went to the Zanu-PF headquarters for the first time in my life, but nothing came out of it. My sister's son's grave is still empty, and now even his own brother who was helping us push for this has passed away."Efforts to obtain a comment from the War Veterans ministry and Zanu-PF offices in Mashonaland East were unsuccessful.The family now fears that the symbolic grave could become permanent, not for its intended purpose, but as a stark testament to bureaucracy and neglect. Though the slab covering the grave is in place, closure remains elusive."We just want to bring Elias home. He was declared a hero - and heroes deserve a dignified resting place," said one relative.As each day passes, the family clings to the hope that a call will come - a call from the authorities telling them to prepare to finally bury their hero. But for now, that call remains unanswered, and the pain lingers.
Macao port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge welcomes 10 mln passengers since January

Xinhua) 10:23, May 10, 2025

MACAO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Macao Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has welcomed 10 million inbound and outbound passengers since January, official data showed on Friday.

As of 3 a.m. on Friday, the number surpassed 10 million, according to the data from the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR)'s Public Security Police Force (CPSP).

The average daily cross-border passenger volume at the port in the period this year reached 78,000, an increase of 11.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

This year's 10-million mark was reached 13 days earlier than in 2024. According to the CPSP, the growing passenger flow reflects increasingly frequent cross-border movement and highlights the bridge's role in promoting integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Regarding distribution, 50.5 percent of travelers passed through the Hong Kong-Macao hall, 15 percent through the Zhuhai-Macao hall, and 34.5 percent used vehicle channels.

As the greater bay area develops, the bridge has solidified its position as a vital transportation hub. 

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
News / National

by Staff reporter

All licensed drivers in Zimbabwe will soon be required to undergo retesting as part of a new initiative to account for changes in their facial features and health conditions, a government official revealed yesterday.The announcement was made by Onesimo Bumhira, an official from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID), during a stakeholders' meeting between police and transport operators. Bumhira stated that while no specific timeline had been set for when the retesting would begin, the retesting of all driver's licence holders would be a future requirement."The Government is introducing a process where drivers will need to go for retesting," Bumhira said. "The process will take into account changes in drivers' physical appearances over time, such as aging or the need for corrective lenses, which may not have been required when they first obtained their licences."This initiative comes after the 2023 launch of the new plastic driver's licence designed to replace the old metal licences. The new licences are scannable, meet international standards for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and are valid for five years, unlike the old metal licences which had open-ended validity.Bumhira also mentioned that driver's licence discs will soon expire, and motorists will be encouraged to undergo retesting before their discs expire. He advised drivers to prepare for the changes ahead, as failure to undergo retesting could result in complications once the disc expires."The physical appearance of drivers may change with age, and some may now require spectacles, which they did not need when they first obtained their licences. So, once the retesting process begins, drivers must be proactive and go for retesting before their discs expire," he said.In addition, Bumhira highlighted that for international drivers, the retesting process would align with SADC and continental standards.On a related note, the meeting also discussed the increasing number of motorists in the country, with officials from the City of Harare Planning Development being quizzed for failing to provide enough vehicle ranks to match the growing demand for parking spaces.Assistant Commissioner Blessmore Chishaka, Deputy National Police Spokesperson, commended the Zimbabwe Passengers Transport Organisation (ZPTO) for donating a traffic tracking and monitoring system to help curb road accidents and speed violations. The system is said to be assisting traffic officers in monitoring drivers' speed and behaviour more effectively."The ZPTO donation is helping in addressing issues of drivers caught speeding, and this technology is making it easier for our officers to track offenders," said Chishaka. He also encouraged bus drivers to avoid being caught more than three times for traffic violations to prevent being blacklisted.The meeting also saw passenger transport operators from various regions, including Mashonaland West, come together to discuss solutions for reducing road traffic accidents. Chishaka emphasized that most accidents are caused by human error and that preventing them is possible with the right interventions.Representatives from the Passengers Association took the opportunity to criticize traffic police for their perceived failure to address illegal transport operations, also known as Mishikashika, which continue to plague the country's roads.As Zimbabwe moves forward with its efforts to improve road safety and driver accountability, these new measures promise to play a critical role in ensuring safer roads for all motorists and pedestrians.
US food delivery app DoorDash has agreed to buy UK-based rival Deliveroo for GBP2.9 billion ($3.9 billion) in a deal that will expand its global reach.

The deal, announced by the two companies Tuesday, will create a delivery service present in more than 40 countries, serving around 50 million monthly-active users.

The combined group "will bring together DoorDash's strong operating playbook with Deliveroo's local expertise to invest in innovation and execution at an even higher level", DoorDash chief executive Tony Xu said in a statement.

London-listed Deliveroo posted its first annual profit in March following sizeable full-year losses owing to high investment costs since American Will Shu founded the company in 2013.

The company's initial public offering in 2021 had been London's biggest stock market launch for a decade, valuing the group at GBP7.6 billion.

The offer from DoorDash is worth GBP1.80, less than half Deliveroo's IPO price of GBP3.90.

Shares in Deliveroo rose two percent to GBP1.75 Tuesday on London's second-tier FTSE 250 index, after already jumping in response to news of the takeover proposal last week.

Deliveroo experienced a surge in demand during the Covid-19 pandemic from lockdown-hit customers but increased competition led it to scale back global operations.

Most recently, it exited Hong Kong amid growing competition in the Chinese city, following its exit from Australia and the Netherlands.

The deal announced Tuesday is expected to be completed in the last three months of 2025, subject to regulatory approval and the approval of Deliveroo shareholders.

DoorDash, the largest food delivery app in the United States, entered the European market in 2021 with the purchase of Finland-based Wolt for $8.1 billion.

It is now looking to further expand its reach, with Deliveroo operating in the UK, Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

For Deliveroo, it marks "the beginning of a transformative new chapter", said Shu, also the company's chief executive.

It is the latest deal in the food delivery market, after Dutch investment group Prosus announced plans in February to buy Just Eat Takeaway.com for 4.1 billion euros.

San Francisco-based DoorDash said it has no plans to relocate Deliveroo's London headquarters.

It added that it does not anticipate making any changes that would impact the contracts of delivery drivers, or "riders".

As big players in the gig economy, food delivery apps have faced controversy over the status of their self-employed riders.

In late 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled that Deliveroo riders were not entitled to trade union rights such as collective bargaining.

Deliveroo exited Spain after it became the first European Union nation to give food delivery riders labour rights, requiring that they be recognised as employees instead of being considered self-employed freelancers.

DoorDash in February agreed to pay out nearly $17 million to drivers in New York state, who accused the company of swindling them out of tip money.
A Florida man who died after being taken to a hospital following an "incident" in the Duval County jail had not fentanyl in his system, despite police reports that alluded to it.

Charles Faggart, 31, was arrested April 1 on simple domestic assault and criminal mischief in lieu of $8,500 bail, The Florida Times-Union reported. The incident happened on April 7, six days into Faggart's jail stay on misdemeanor charges.

Sheriff T.K. Waters conducted a press conference in the aftermath of the incident in which he announced the suspension of nine. corrections employees. On April 9 Waters asked for the FBI's help in conducting an investigation into what happened and on April 10 Faggart, who had been unresponsive when taken to the hospital three days earlier, was declared dead, the newspaper reported.

The Tributary has now published details of what doctors found when Faggart was brought to the hospital. Doctors did not find fentanyl in his system or any sign of a seizure, but they did remove a stun gun barb from his back. Doctors also found fractures to his face and ribs, numerous bruises all over his body, and damage to his kidneys and liver.

The Tributary notes that heavily redacted police reports state that officers claimed that Faggart said he did "fentanyl." The reports also indicated that police had handcuffed Faggart, determined he was a "threat," and had placed him in a restraint safety chair. The report also claimed that Faggat had a "seizure."

A GoFundMe for Faggart and his family has raised more than $12,000. Faggart, known as "Chop it Charlie" worked as a chef and had a 6-year-old son.

"As the family seeks accountability and answers, we are also trying to ease the immediate burdens they face," the page states. "Charles has always been known for his big heart, his flavorful food, and the joy he brought to others. Now, we are asking the community he gave so much to  to give back."

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump to enforce his controversial ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.

The high court granted an emergency request from the Trump administration, lifting a nationwide injunction that had previously blocked the policy while lower courts continue to hear challenges.

The Supreme Court's brief order did not provide an explanation but noted that the three liberal justices dissented, indicating a split among the justices on the issue.

This decision marks a setback for seven transgender service members, including Navy Commander Emily Shilling, who is leading the legal fight against the policy. They had argued that the ban is discriminatory and unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law.

"An unprecedented degree of animus towards transgender people animates and permeates the ban: it is based on the shocking proposition that transgender people do not exist," their lawyers stated in court documents.

The ban, originally announced in February, targets individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria or those who have undergone medical treatment for the condition. According to Solicitor General D. John Sauer, the policy "generally disqualifies from military service individuals who have gender dysphoria or have undergone medical interventions for gender dysphoria."

Sauer also argued that courts must show "substantial deference" to the Department of Defense in matters of military policy, citing a Pentagon report that claimed transgender individuals could harm "military effectiveness and lethality."

A similar nationwide block on the policy had also been issued by a federal judge in Washington, D.C., but was temporarily lifted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is still considering whether to reinstate the injunction.

Meanwhile, another judge in Washington state struck down the policy on March 27, saying "it is not an especially close question."

When the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay that ruling, the Trump administration appealed directly to the Supreme Court.

Joe Biden had previously reversed Trump's original transgender military ban upon taking office, but the new case concerns a broader policy adopted during Trump's second term.
An 18-year-old high school athlete was fatally shot by a Virginia homeowner during what friends say was a TikTok prank known as "Ding Dong Ditch," not a break-in attempt.

The incident occurred around 3 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 27, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, where deputies responded to a reported burglary in progress near Mackenzie Lane, according to the Independent.

Upon arrival, they found Michael Bosworth Jr. with a gunshot wound to the torso. He later died from his injuries.

Bosworth, a lacrosse player and senior at Massaponax High School, was with two other teenagers who told police they had been pulling a doorbell-ringing prank meant for TikTok.

According to an affidavit by Detective Earle Swift, the group said they had played the prank at other homes earlier that night and had no intent to break in or steal. While one juvenile suffered a grazing gunshot wound, the third teen was unharmed.

As of Tuesday, no charges had been filed against the homeowner who fired the fatal shot. The Spotsylvania County Commonwealth's Attorney is reviewing the case to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

Bosworth's death occurred the same day as his school's prom, which went on as scheduled. The principal offered counseling and support to grieving students.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised a sharp rise in artillery shell production, calling it a key driver of the country's growing military strength. His comments came during a recent inspection of munitions factories, state media reported Wednesday.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim visited major munitions enterprises under the Second Economy Commission, where he assessed both shell manufacturing processes and the broader state of the machine-building industry.

KCNA reported that Kim expressed "great satisfaction" with the modernization of the facilities and noted a substantial increase in output. The agency said shell production capacity had grown fourfold compared to the average annual level, and nearly doubled the volume seen during the industry's previous peak year.

Kim was quoted as saying he hoped the factories "would produce more shells to contribute to the expansion of the combat power of our armed forces," stressing that the enhanced artillery force boosts the army's combat efficiency and perfects its combat preparations.

"This remarkable growth of productivity ... takes on a very important meaning in realizing the (governing) party's strategy for the development of national defense," Kim added.

Kim also inspected a machine factory, where he laid out goals for long-term industrial modernization. He emphasized the facility should become a model hub for advancing the country's machine-building sector.

He described this transformation as "a decisive guarantee" for raising North Korea's defense capabilities to a "world-class level."

Kim called on the factory to prioritize the development and production of "more intelligent, high-speed, precision and multifunctional machine-building equipment," citing the importance of boosting both the munitions industry and the broader national economy.

Kim's renewed focus on artillery shell output comes amid reports that North Korea has transferred large quantities of military equipment, including millions of shells, to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.
The Trump government has shut down an advisory committee under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that provided guidance to healthcare facilities to prevent the spread of infections.

The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) issued national standards for hand-washing, mask-wearing and isolating sick patients that most U.S. hospitals follow.

Four committee members said the CDC delivered the news about Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee's termination to members on Friday. NBC News reported Tuesday, citing four committee members and the CDC's letter notifying the committee about the news.

The HICPAC issued national standards for handwashing, mask-wearing and isolating sick patients that most U.S. hospitals follow.

Trump Axes Critical Health Care Committee

According to the letter reviewed by the outlet, the termination aligns with President Donald Trump's government downsizing strategy. He signed an executive order that directed federal agencies to trim down their workforces.

Committee members said they received the termination letter after a virtual meeting Friday, but in reality, the termination already took effect on March 31.

Dr. Anurag Malani, who joined HICPAC in January, said the committee was nearing the completion of new guidelines for airborne pathogens before the team was terminated.

The official page of the Committee has since been archived as of late Sunday. "This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being updated," a pop-up states upon clicking the HICPAC link.

Experts Blast 'Death' of HICPAC

As news of the committee's termination spread, field experts weighed in on the Trump administration's decision to axe a crucial advisory panel.

Epidemiology expert and health economist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, called the move "ghastly." He pointed out how important the HICPAC has been for American public health. "The committee is now dead; long live hospital infections," he wrote Sunday.

GHASTLYTrump administration has shut down CDC's infection control committee HICPAC, which issued guidance about preventing the spread of infections in health care facilities. The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) crafted national standards for pic.twitter.com/Mk6QoPq4w4  Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) May 7, 2025

Days before news broke of the termination notice, MedPage Today reported that "several members" of the committee already received termination letters.

At the time, industry experts expressed concern over the move, including Carol McLay, president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. She said dismantling HICPAC would result in "more patients having healthcare-associated infections."

Former HICPAC chair Hilary Babcock said the committee's role "is just really crucial" and losing it would have a significant impact on American healthcare.

Trump has yet to address concerns around his administration's cuts on healthcare panels and workforces. The Trump administration is faced with a lawsuit from Democratic attorneys general across 19 states and Washington, D.C. over culling of federal health-related divisions.

Trump's administration also facing several lawsuits over federal funding cuts, including one from elite Harvard University.

Originally published on IBTimes
In a bizarre turn of events, a routine traffic stop in Springfield Township, Ohio, led to the arrest of a 55-year-old woman after police discovered her pet raccoon holding a methamphetamine pipe in the driver's seat of her vehicle.

On Monday evening, Officer Austin Branham of the Springfield Township Police Department initiated a traffic stop on South Arlington Road. The vehicle's registered owner, Victoria Vidal, from the nearby town of Akron, had an active warrant and a suspended driver's license. Vidal was reportedly detained without incident.

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However, the situation took an unexpected twist when Officer Branham returned to the vehicle and observed a raccoon, later identified as "Chewy," sitting in the driver's seat with a glass meth pipe in its mouth. This unusual sight prompted a thorough search of the vehicle, leading to the discovery of a "bulk amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used glass pipes."

Authorities confirmed that Vidal possessed the necessary documentation to legally own the raccoon, as Ohio law permits raccoon ownership with proper permits. Chewy was unharmed during the incident, and officials have not disclosed whether the raccoon will be returned to Vidal's care. In the comments section of their original post, the Springfield Township Police Department included the bodycam video of the incident.

Vidal faces multiple charges, including third-degree felony drug possession, three counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, and a citation for driving under suspension. She was also taken into custody by Cuyahoga Falls Police on her active warrant. Additional charges related to crack cocaine possession are pending lab results.

The Springfield Township Police Department remarked on the unusual nature of the incident, stating, "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. As always, we remain committed to keeping our community safe  no matter what surprises may come our way."

Originally published on Latin Times
Sixty years before he became Pope Leo XIV and the global leader of 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, Robert Francis Prevost was a quiet schoolboy and dutiful parishioner who always held his hands in the proper position to pray.

I can still recall him doing this, said Noelle Neis, 69, who attended grade school and church with him at the old St. Mary of the Assumption in Dolton, Illinois. He didnt clasp his hands the wrong way like so many other kids. Even then, he just knew.

Nies, a former Portage, Indiana, resident who lives in Monee, Illinois, vividly recalls the earliest days of Prevosts path of faith that would lead him to the Vatican.

He was a pious boy, she said, carefully choosing her words. Its not like he was one of the goofballs in class. He was reserved. And his whole family was more on the serious side. They were just an ordinary family. A very good and nice family. But  ordinary.

Prevosts mother, Mildred, had a sparkling personality and a wonderful singing voice, Nies said.

She was in the plays at St Mary's with my mom. I remember her singing on stage, she said.

In one play, Prevosts mother sang Lydia, the Tattooed Lady, a 1939 song that first appeared in the Marx Brothers film At the Circus.

Its funny to look back at that now, knowing that Robert would someday become Pope, Nies said. We never would have suspected that he was going to be a priest, let alone a bishop or cardinal or the Pope. Not in a million years would you think somebody you knew could become the Pope. It's like somebody you knew becoming a saint.

This week, her phone has been blowing up with texts, calls and messages from media outlets across the country and around the world. When then-Cardinal Robert Prevost was part of the conclave to choose the next Pope, Nies shared a story about him on a Facebook page for her former school and church, St. Mary, which closed permanently years ago.

When I heard that Robert could be in the running to become Pope, I posted an article on the St. Mary's page, Nies said. I thought it was a private page, but somehow a Chicago newspaper reporter found my name and messaged me.

That opened the floodgates for media requests from the New York Times, the BBC, Fox News and other international outlets, including ones from China and New Zealand. Nies, a close friend of my wife, spoke with me late Thursday night after a very busy and strange day.

All of these numbers kept popping up on my phone. I had to stop answering them, Nies said.

During our phone conversation, she received a text from her daughter.

Somebody from the show Inside Edition wants to talk to me, Nies said. Its been like this all day.

Prevost, 69, was elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, catching the attention of his former friends, classmates and church members at St. Marys.

We still keep in touch with each other on that Facebook page, Nies said. We also have been keeping up with Robert and his life as leader of the Augustinian Order.

Pope Leo XIV is not only the first American-born pope. Hes the first pope to be a member of the Order of St. Augustine, a Catholic religious order with a global presence in about 50 countries.

Most recently, he served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican, a position where he assisted Pope Francis in assigning bishops to dioceses around the world.

When he became cardinal, we knew he had a chance to be pope, but no one actually thought it would happen, said Nies, a practicing Catholic who has renewed hope for the Catholic Church.

American Catholics have been falling away through the decades. But maybe they will feel closer to the church again, she said. Im curious to see how our new American pope affects Catholics in this country.

Many of Prevosts former schoolmates have renewed hope that their former church in Dolton, located on the southern edge of Chicago, will now be resurrected as a shrine to the new pope.

Its really in disrepair, but if anything could bring it back, this would be it, Nies said. I remember attending Mass there as a girl. Roberts family always sat behind us at 9:15 a.m. Mass.

Back then, as a young altar boy, Pope Leo XIV went by the name Robert, not Bob or Bobby, Nies said.

I remember him always sort of walking a straight line, with his faith and in his life, she said. Its remarkable that the line eventually led to the Vatican.
An Australian woman accused of triple murder sent her children to the movies before serving up a toxic mushroom lunch that killed her guests, a court heard on Thursday.

Erin Patterson, 50, is accused of murdering the parents and aunt of her estranged husband with a poisonous beef Wellington in July 2023.

She is also charged with the attempted murder of her husband's uncle, who survived the dish after a long stay in hospital.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

At the headline-grabbing trial was on Thursday, a recording was played of a police interview with Patterson's daughter, then nine, following the meal.

"My mum told me that she wanted to have a lunch with my grandparents," said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

"She said she wanted to talk them about adult stuff, and we were going to go to the movies."

The girl said she and a sibling were dropped off at a McDonald's restaurant for lunch, before going to the movies.

She said her mother started to feel ill after the lunch, some of which the children would later eat as leftovers.

"I can't remember when she started to feel sick. But I think she started to feel sick the next day," the daughter told police.

"We had some of the leftovers. Some of the steak that they had. Some of the mashed potatoes and some of the beans."

Patterson scraped the mushrooms off the food served to her children because they were picky eaters, the court heard previously.

Patterson was estranged from her husband Simon Patterson, who turned down the invitation to lunch.

His parents, Don and Gail Patterson, died as a result of ingesting the beef-and-pastry dish.

His aunt Heather Wilkinson also died, while her husband Ian fell seriously ill but later recovered.

Police officer Adrian Martinez-Villalobis earlier told the court how he retrieved beef Wellington scraps from a bin at Erin Patterson's house, so doctors could identify whether it contained poisonous mushrooms.

Martinez-Villalobis said he found the leftovers "seeping" through a brown paper bag in a bin outside, and that Patterson was "cooperative" as he asked her for help finding the food.

The court also heard from Conor McDermott -- then a toxicology registrar at a Melbourne hospital -- who asked Patterson where she had bought the mushrooms.

Patterson said she had purchased some mushrooms from a major supermarket, McDermott said, and others from a Chinese grocer, but she could not remember where.

The prosecution alleges Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests and took care that neither she, nor her children, consumed the deadly mushrooms.

Her defence says it was "a terrible accident" and that Patterson ate the same meal as the others but did not fall as sick.

The trial is expected to last another five weeks.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a "full and immediate" ceasefire between India and Pakistan in a post on his Truth Social platform early Saturday, following an intense period of military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote.

Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar said both countries have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect.

In a post on X, Dar, who is also Pakistan deputy prime minister, said: "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"

The announcement comes after a surge in cross-border violence that began early Saturday.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said the country launched retaliatory strikes against India targeting military infrastructure used by New Delhi in earlier attacks, calling it "a powerful and well-coordinated response."

According to Pakistan's military, the operation was launched in retaliation for Indian missile strikes on key bases, including one near Islamabad. Hours later, explosions were reported in Srinagar and Jammu, both in Indian-administered Kashmir. The cause of the blasts remains unclear.

Sharif said Pakistan's military response, dubbed "Operation Banyan al-Marsous," was initiated to avenge what he described as Indian "missile and drone attacks on Pakistan, targeting Noor Khan Airbase and other locations early this morning, killing innocent civilians."

The confrontation marked one of the most intense military escalations between India and Pakistan in recent decades, with tensions continuing to rise in recent weeks.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had offered Washington's support in mediating the conflict, having spoken separately with foreign ministers from both countries.
A 19-year-old Georgia resident is facing deportation after she was taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody earlier this week following a traffic stop in Dalton for turning right on a red light.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a student at Dalton State College, has lived in Georgia since moving from Mexico City at age 4. She was arrested for driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic control devices, according to online court records.

As first reported by WTVC NewsChannel 9, Arias-Cristobal was pulled over on May 5 and was referred to ICE custody after her immigration status was flagged during booking. Whitfield County, where Dalton is located, participates in ICE's Jail Enforcement Model, which enables county jails to identify and report individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully.

According to a police report, Arias-Cristobal told officers she had an international driver's license but did not have it with her at the time of the stop. Under Georgia law, non-U.S. citizens who establish residency in the state must obtain a Georgia driver's license within 30 days, according to the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

Friends told WTVC that Arias-Cristobal was taken to the Stewart Detention Center in chains and is expected to remain there for several weeks before appearing before an immigration judge next month.

She is being held in the same facility as her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, who was detained two weeks earlier after being stopped for driving 19 miles per hour over the speed limit.

Immigration attorney Terry Olsen, based in Chattanooga, said the case reflects a broader pattern of ICE using minor infractions to initiate deportation proceedings.

"We do see that ICE is really trying to find any and all methods to say that an international has somehow violated the process and their status," Olsen told the station. "What's concerning is that when they are being checked at these checkpoints or stops, ICE does not have their entire immigration file in front of them. They're just relying on one item. This is a civil rights issue."

Arias-Cristobal's mother told the WTVC the family entered the U.S. without legal documentation, but said her daughter has no criminal record. She added that her daughter was not eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, because it is no longer accepting new applicants.

DACA protects certain undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as childrenoften referred to as "Dreamers"from deportation. However, the protections can be revoked at the discretion of federal immigration authorities.

Georgia state Rep. Kasey Carpenter, a Republican, has written a letter on Arias-Cristobal's behalf, expressing concern about the use of minor violations to justify detention.

In a statement to WTVC, Carpenter said mass deportation efforts have traditionally focused on removing individuals who pose threats to public safetynot students and nonviolent offenders.

"It seems like we are much better at catching people that are committing misdemeanors than people that are actually a danger to society," Carpenter said.

Originally published on Latin Times
China's Travel & Tourism Sector Predicted to Reach Record Highs by 2025 - Image Credit Unsplash

China's Travel & Tourism Sector on the Rise

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) recently released its latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), which shows that China is emerging as one of the world's most dynamic Travel & Tourism markets. This progress indicates a significant bounce-back and a promising long-term growth trajectory.

Record-Breaking Forecasts for 2025

By 2025, China's Travel & Tourism sector is expected to contribute a record 13.7TN to the national economy, which is 10.3% higher than pre-pandemic levels. This sector is also predicted to support more than 83 million jobs, with an additional 1.3 million jobs created this year alone. Despite being nearly 1 million jobs below pre-pandemic highs, the sector is rapidly closing this gap.

Furthermore, international visitor spending is projected to increase by nearly 33BN, 13% above 2019. Domestic spending is also expected to grow by over 1.1TN, reaching 7TN, further reinforcing China's position as a global Travel & Tourism leader.

Reflecting on 2024's Achievements

In 2024, the sector contributed almost 12TN to China's economy, a 23% increase from the previous year, and supported over 82 million jobs. After one of the world's longest border closures, international visitor spending in China surged to a record 1TN, a 66% year-on-year increase and almost 10% above 2019 levels.

Domestic travel, which accounted for over 85% of all tourism spending, reached 5.9TN. With the growing demand from a population of 1.4 billion, China's domestic market is leading the global tourism recovery, even amidst broader economic uncertainty.

2035 Vision

By 2035, the WTTC forecasts that China's Travel & Tourism sector will contribute over 27TN to the economy and grow at twice the rate of the overall economy at 7%. This sector is expected to support more than 100 million jobs, adding nearly 20 million new roles over the next decade.

Domestic visitor spending is projected to reach just under 14TN, while international visitor spending is expected to rise to 1.5TN. These projections reflect the country's strengthened global connectivity and appeal.
You Can Enroll in BCC  for FREE!

Erin Laundry and James Burden

It's no secret that the rising cost of college tuition, together with unprecedented increases in the cost of living, creates a barrier for many people seeking to better themselves through higher education. It's also no secret that this barrier can be even harder to overcome for historically marginalized people. At Berkshire Community College (BCC), we strive every day to break barriers and make quality education accessible to all.

Now, college is even more accessible, because the majority of BCC students qualify for free tuition. Two programs launched by the Commonwealth  MassReconnect and MassEducate  make getting an associate degree or certificate at BCC easier than ever.

MassReconnect, designed for Massachusetts residents 25 years of age or older who have not previously received an associate or bachelor's degree, can provide free tuition and fees to eligible students. Similarly, MassEducate can provide free tuition and fees for students of any age who have not earned a bachelor's degree, but it is also available for those who have previously earned an associate degree.

The programs are quickly gaining in popularity, and the student population at BCC is growing as a result.

Since the launch of free community college, BCC's enrollment has surgedup 34 percent from fall 2022 to fall 2024, and 45% from spring 2023 to spring 2025. For many students who dreamed of going to college but never thought they'd be able to afford it, their dreams are becoming reality.

Pittsfield native Erin Laundry, a business major at BCC, is one of those students.

"Free community college is a wonderful opportunity to return to college and finish my degree without placing a financial burden on my family. My son will be graduating high school next year and heading off to college himself. Without free access to community college, I would have had to put my education on hold to prioritize his education," says Laundry, who plans finish her associate degree at BCC and transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor's degree.

"I am excited to take what I learn in my classes and apply it to my small business," Laundry says. She is the owner of Bottomless Bricks, a LEGO-themed retail store and creative space in Pittsfield specializing in parties, STEM workshops and community events.

James Burden, who lives in Berkshire County with his wife Meghan, is currently enrolled in the Business Administration Program at BCC. A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, he served after finishing high school, happy to work and learn on the job  but something was missing.

"I have traveled to many interesting places and met many amazing people. While I have learned a lot from my work experience, I never made time to finish getting a degree, and I felt as though I was missing that," Burden says.

Several months ago, he started thinking about continuing his education. The timing was right, because he also became aware of the MassReconnect program.

"It seemed like the perfect time to rekindle my academic journey and keep learning, reinforcing and sharpening my business education," says Burden, who is passionate about the opportunity to go to college.

"I believe that one of the most important things we can do in life is to be curious and to continue learning, to better ourselves, and to be able to help others," he says. "The ongoing work at Berkshire Community College is helping me to bring more value to the fabric of my life. I am excited to be part of this community, and I am inspired by the people, both faculty and students, who bring amazing energy every day."

One area of study seeing a surge with the advent of free tuition is BCC's nursing program. Now that so many nursing students can attend the College for free, BCC is ready to accept more students every year and anticipates a larger, more diverse student nursing population. Nursing students can choose from a wide variety of degrees and career paths, with jobs in high demand in Berkshire County and beyond. Those interested in a shorter path to the healthcare industry can earn a certificate in health information management or medical coding.

Meanwhile, BCC offers scholarships and grants for students interested in short-term job training opportunities through its Workforce and Community Education department. These courses fill needs in the local workforce and, in turn, significantly boosting the economy of the Berkshires. With a new focus on teaching trades, BCC offers training in HVAC, an Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) certificate and a Class B commercial driver's license (CDL) training course. And, because the local workforce is always changing, BCC recently added paraprofessional training, beginner computer training and a four-part social work series called Foundations of Substance Use. Most students enrolled in these courses are eligible for financial assistance, with some receiving full coverage.

Those are just a few examples of the wide variety of academic programs at BCC  all of which can be explored for free. BCC is eager and ready to help people of all backgrounds and experiences improve their work readiness, sharpen their job skills, find a new career, earn a promotion, connect with employers or enroll in an associate degree or certificate program.

"Free college opens doors that might have never been opened before. It makes the college experience possible for almost everyone. Whether you're thinking about enrolling in college full-time or taking just one evening class, whether you're looking to reenter the workforce or change careers and learn a new trade, now is the time to do it," says BCC President Ellen Kennedy. "Come see us, and we'll talk to you one-on-one about your interests and goals. We encourage you to explore all that BCC has to offer."

To explore the possibilities, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/academics, where you can browse programs of study or view a detailed course catalog. Or, attend a free information session and learn how easy it is to get started. Ready to begin? Applying to BCC is free and easy. Visit www.berkshirecc.edu/apply, or drop in the One Stop Enrollment Center, located on BCC's main campus at 1350 West Street, Pittsfield. Our staff and faculty are ready to help you on your journey. Applications are accepted year-round, so don't wait  apply today!




iciHaiti - Colombia : Scholarship notice, registration open





The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that the Colombian Government, in conjunction with the Colombian Institute of Educational Credit and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX), is offering scholarships to foreign nationals at the master's level, as part of the "Colombia Scholarship for Foreigners" program for the 2025-2026 academic year. Application deadline: Monday, June 13, 2025.



Covered expenses and conditions of application : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/beca-colombia-infografia-frances-2025-2.pdf



For further information, eligibility criteria, and required documents, visit : https://web.icetex.gov.co/becas/beca-colombia-extranjeros



ICETEX website : https://web.icetex.gov.co/becas/programa-de-reciprocidad-para-extranjeros-en-colombia



IH/ iciHaiti


















Federal cuts to already-approved funding have left a Carlisle nonprofit and Dickinson College center scrambling to fill the gaps or risk losing new programming.

Supportive Partnerships for Youth, or SPY, partnered with Dickinsons Center for Civic Learning and Action to participate in the AmeriCorps VISTA program this year. Established in 1993, AmeriCorps functions like a domestic version of the Peace Corps and is designed to strengthen and engage communities through service and volunteering, according to its website.

The organizations VISTA program, or Volunteers in Service to America, funds participants to complete a full year of service with an organization, helping to create or expand programming.

With years of previous partnerships between SPY and Dickinson College, the two organizations submitted a joint application last fall for a VISTA program to serve both. In late December or early January, that funding was approved. That changed in late April when it was announced all VISTA funding was cut.

VISTA goals

SPY offers six weeks of free summer camps and other opportunities throughout the year for elementary-aged students in the Carlisle, Big Spring and South Middleton school districts. According to its website, campers are referred through school counselors and participate in educational and recreational activities to help them grow academically, socially and emotionally.

Last year, the organization debuted a pilot Counselor in Training program for middle school students that saw six participants, Executive Director Jeanna Som said.

Theres a gap in middle school-age programming, she said. I think everyone in our community would acknowledge that, and weve had many conversations about it, and so this was to fill that gap.

Som said the VISTA program would be tasked with mentoring Counselor in Training students and building the policies and procedures necessary to formalize the program, which was slated to include about 16 students this summer.

Samantha Ha-Dimuzio, the college centers director of regional and local partnerships and programs, planned to use VISTA to help connect the colleges student organizations, centers and departments with community needs.

At Dickinson, I also field so many different requests from student groups, from different centers and departments on campus, staff and faculty who want to get involved in the community, she said. Like over and over again, Ill field requests that say, I really want to be more involved. I want to be giving back to Carlisle, and I just dont know how to do it, like whats a need?

VISTA could help connect those dots and build on a pilot program current staff members dont have the capacity to develop, Ha-Dimuzio said.

She and Som received about six applicants for the role and selected two finalists.

Jeanna and I ... we both wanted to invest in Carlisle and utilize a different channel to build capacity for new programs that we know are important, that we piloted, we know work to some extent, but just need that additional attention to actually make it sustainable and something that we can continue with in the future, she said. And thats exactly what the VISTA program is designed to do.

Funding cut

Now, however, those programs are uncertain.

On April 25, Som received an email from AmeriCorps that effective immediately, funding had been cut and all VISTA program actions would cease.

Last month, the Department of Government Efficiency ordered AmeriCorps to terminate almost $400 million in grants, according to the Washington Post. That accounts for about 41% of the organizations total grant funding.

Pennsylvania has since joined about two dozen other states in suing the Trump administration over the fund cancellations, the Associated Press reported April 29.

Ha-Dimuzio described her initial reaction to the cuts as a righteous anger saying its frustrating and disheartening that the funding designed to benefit the community was determined to be unnecessary, inefficient or unimportant.

It just feels really dire in some ways, that this program that is an investment in local capacity building, organizations and projects was cut so abruptly, she said, adding that its a tangible local impact of federal changes.

Som said when the Trump administration took over, all VISTA applications, including theirs, were vetted for diversity, equity and inclusion language to ensure it complied with federal orders.

While she and Ha-Dimuzio were aware of other federal funding cuts and job losses at AmeriCorps, they were still receiving the go-ahead to continue with the program until last months email.

It really did come out of the blue, Som said.

Finding the funds

Even without the AmeriCorps funding, Som and Ha-Dimuzio are determined to move forward with the program.

We actually really care about the purpose and the mission and want it to continue despite the circumstances, Ha-Dimuzio said.

That means raising the $30,000 equivalent of the canceled grant, and quickly. SPYs summer programming is set to kick off June 23.

At this point, we have not given up hope, Som said. I havent told any of the children that this program is not happening, because in my brain, we will find a way to make it happen.

She said the total amount would cover the cost of living for the program participant.

VISTA members also traditionally receive an educational credit for their work.

I think the important part for people to understand is that the people who participate in this program truly are just trying to contribute to a community in a meaningful way, Som said.

SPY and Dickinson were initially slated to invest $7,500 to the program, which would have been coupled with federal funds to reach the $30,000 total.

Som hopes community members and organizations will recommend other funding sources or pitch in toward making the programs possible even without the AmeriCorps funds.

Ha-Dimuzio encourages those who cant donate to reach out to their elected officials, advocating for service programs and funding restoration.

If the donations dont come in to support the programSom hasnt gotten that far.

Im not at a place where Im willing to even think that way, she said, adding that the future is on the line by helping children to unleash their potential to someday give back to their communities.

Contributions can be made to Supportive Partnerships for Youth and mailed to PO Box 192, Carlisle, PA, 17013 with VISTA on the memo line.

Questions can be directed to Som at Jeanna@ourSPYcommunity.org or 717-713-7296 and Dickinsons Center for Civic Learning and Action at engage@dickinson.edu.
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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 and Pakistan reached a ceasefire on Saturday afternoon, seeking to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades, but reports of explosions in Indian-administered Kashmir after the deal revealed the situations fragility.

Hours after the ceasefire was announced by Donald Trump, blasts were heard in Srinagar city in Kashmir. Projectiles and flashes were also seen in the night sky over Jammu to the south, authorities and residents said.

Indias foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, accused Islamabad of breaching the deal while Pakistans foreign ministry insisted they "remain committed to the ceasefire" and blamed Indian forces for initiating a violation.

The ceasefire came after India and Pakistan accused each other of conducting missile strikes on major military targets on Saturday, with many fearful it would escalate into all-out war.

The fighting this week was first inflamed on Wednesday after Indian missiles reportedly struck nine sites in Pakistan, killing 31 people. India said the strikes were in response to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 25 Hindu tourists and a guide were killed. India blamed the attack on gunmen backed by Pakistan, an accusation Islamabad denied.

Just as the situation seemed to be spiralling out of control, the US president announced that a ceasefire had been agreed.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.

open image in gallery Damaged vehicles seen near the site of a Pakistani aerial attack in Jammu, India, before the ceasefire was announced ( Getty )

This was soon confirmed by Indian and Pakistani ministers. Pakistans foreign minister Ishaq Dar told Geo News that three dozen countries had been involved in the diplomacy that secured the full-fledged and not partial ceasefire.

The Indian foreign secretary said senior military officials of the two countries had spoken to each other and agreed that all fighting would stop at 5pm local time, without using the word ceasefire.

Mr Misri said the officials would speak to each other again on Monday.

Before the ceasefire announcement, military jets and missiles lit up the skies through the night across Indian-administered Kashmir and the state of Punjab, with residents reporting deafening blasts in cities including Amritsar, Jammu and Srinagar.

open image in gallery Supporters of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League party shout slogans during an anti-India protest in Lahore on Saturday ( AFP via Getty )

Shelling by Pakistani forces killed at least five people in Jammu and emptied out many villages along the border as people fled to safer areas, officials said.

Jammu city has never been hit before, Rajeev Gupta, 60, a resident whose brother was wounded in shelling, told Reuters. Never thought we would be hit like this.

In Srinagar, residents said explosions overnight felt unlike previous drone attacks and were concentrated around military installations.

Mohammed Yasin, a resident, told the Associated Press his children were shaken awake by the blasts. They started crying, he said.

In Pakistan, officials said Indian missiles had targeted three air bases  Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Murid in Chakwal and Rafiqui in Jhang district  early on Saturday. A military spokesperson said air defence systems intercepted most of the missiles and no air force assets were damaged.

open image in gallery A rescue worker helps remove debris of a residential building that was damaged in an aerial attack from Pakistan in Jammu, India, before the ceasefire was announced ( Getty )

US secretary of state Marco Rubio said he and vice president JD Vance had engaged with prime ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, and the respective national security advisers over the course of 48 hours.

In a post on X, Mr Rubio commended Mr Modi and Mr Sharif on the deal, which he revealed included not only an immediate ceasefire but also the start of talks on "a broad set of issues at a neutral site.

India and Pakistan have been locked in a dispute over Kashmir since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both rule Kashmir in part but claim it in full.

They have gone to war three times, including twice over Kashmir, alongside numerous smaller outbreaks of fighting. India blames Pakistan for an insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989 and has killed tens of thousands. It also blames Pakistani Islamist militant groups for attacks elsewhere in India.

Pakistan rejects the charges. It says it only provides moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.
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Donald Trump pledged to increase trade substantially with India and Pakistan and find a solution to the long-running Kashmir dispute after the South Asian nuclear powers reached a ceasefire on Saturday afternoon.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president also took credit for the ceasefire that was agreed with support from his administration.

India and Pakistan exchanged heavy fire for four straight days in their worst conflict in more than a quarter century, launching missiles and drones at each others military bases and leaving dozens of people dead.

But just as the situation appeared to be spiralling, Mr Trump announced that a ceasefire had been agreed following diplomatic intervention and pressure from the US.

New Delhi and Islamabad soon confirmed that a truce was in place.

Barely hours later, shelling resumed in Kashmir, the restive Himalayan territory at the heart of the hostilities, and the two sides accused each other of breaching the truce.

By Sunday morning, however, calm had largely returned to both sides of the border, according to local reports. Power was restored in most Indian towns near the frontier following a nightlong blackout.

President Donald Trump with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in February ( AFP via Getty )

While not even discussed, Im going to increase trade, substantially, with both of these great nations. Additionally, I will work with you both to see if, after a thousand years, a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir, Mr Trump said on Truth Social.

God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!

India and Pakistan have been locked in a dispute over Kashmir since independence from British colonial rule in 1947. They both claim the territory in full but control it only in part.

The neighbours have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir.

India has long accused Pakistan of fuelling an armed separatist movement in its part of Kashmir which started in 1980 and has killed tens of thousands so far. It also blames Pakistani Islamist groups for attacks elsewhere in the country.

Pakistan rejects the accusations. It claims to only provide moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.

Mr Trump praised the leaders of the two nations for displaying strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership. Millions of good and innocent people could have died! Your legacy is greatly enhanced by your brave actions, he said. I am proud that the USA was able to help you arrive at this historic and heroic decision.

Mr Trump earlier announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after the US mediated the talks.

While Pakistan expressed gratitude for the US involvement, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the two countries worked directly to reach the deal.

Just a few hours later, New Delhi and Islamabad accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement after explosions were heard over two cities in India-administered Kashmir.
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Police are investigating an alleged attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh by Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana.

Rudakubana, who is serving life in jail for murdering three young girls, allegedly used a kettle in his cell to heat water up and then poured boiling water over the prison officer, on Thursday, according to the PA news agency.

The prison officer was taken to hospital as a precaution and only suffered minor injuries. He was discharged from hospital the same day. They are expected to return to work next week.

Police are now investigating the alleged attack.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh yesterday.

"Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hardworking staff."

open image in gallery The attack took place at HMP Belmarsh, London, (Anthony Devlin/PA) ( PA Archive )

Rudakubana was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January for the murders of three girls and attempted murders of eight other children, class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.

The 18-year-old murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and injured 10 others during the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed workshop on July 29 last year.

The Home Secretary said in April that an inquiry into the Southport murders had formally begun its work looking at how to learn lessons from the attack.

The number of assaults on staff in adult prisons in England and Wales per year has reached its highest level in a decade, according to data from the Ministry of Justice.

Some 10,605 assaults on staff in male and female jails were recorded in 2024, up from 9,204 in 2023 and nearly three times the 3,640 in 2014.

Four guards were attacked with hot oil and homemade weapons by Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi at HMP Frankland in County Durham in April, with the inmate transferred to Belmarsh after the incident.

In response to the rise in attacks, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously announced that the use of tasers will be trialled in prisons and confirmed the Prison Service will conduct a snap review of the use of protective body armour for prison officers.
Less than two weeks after the deal was struck, the U.S. Department of Education has reneged on its promise to bequeath the Trump-shuttered Federal Executive Institute to the Charlottesville school division. Instead, the agency has recommended the property be given to the University of Virginia.

Both Charlottesville City Schools and UVa expressed shock Friday over the completely unexpected development.

The rescinding of this opportunity is an enormous setback to our City and to our students, Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders and Schools Superintendent Royal Gurley said in a statement announcing the news of the reversal at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

The 14-acre site at 1301 Emmet St. N in Charlottesvilles Meadows neighborhood served as the countrys leading training center for federal employees for 57 years before it was shuttered by President Donald Trump in February.

On April 30, the city of Charlottesville announced the federal government had awarded the school division the property  last assessed at $19.6 million  completely free of charge via a public benefit allowance available to educational institutions through the Federal Real Property Assistance Program.

The school division said it intended to use the property, home to five buildings totaling 90,980 square feet of space, to consolidate its preschool program and administrative offices. The move would free up space elsewhere to expand alternative education programs and services for students with learning disabilities.

I think its just amazing to think that one transaction can make all the difference across the system, and thats really what Im excited about, said Sanders at a press conference on April 30 when the Department of Education originally approved the school divisions application.

But that difference is now null.

UVa is primed to add the property to its extensive real estate portfolio, totaling 1,708 acres in the Charlottesville area alone  making it the largest landlord in the metropolitan area. The university has said that it will use the property to expand its School of Continuing and Professional Studies and Reserve Officers Training Corps, or ROTC, programs.

Before the reversal, Charlottesville city officials regularly referred to the acquisition as a once in a generation opportunity. Now the citys 4,500 students have lost out on that opportunity, and local officials are blaming the capricious nature of the federal government.

We have a Calvinball Federal Government; cute in a comic, chaotic in real life, Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville, said in a statement sent to The Daily Progress, referring to a game played in the popular comic strip Calvin & Hobbes, a game with no fixed rules except that the rules can be changed or invented on the spot.

I know Charlottesville Schools will handle this with grace and resiliency but its incredibly unfortunate to have to deal with all this turmoil from the Trump Administration, said Callsen.

In its own statement on Friday, the school division attached a letter from Barbara Shawyer, a management analyst with the Education Department, which cites significant staff reductions and work reassignments as having affected the review and decision-making processes of the Federal Real Property Assistance Program.

That process began in mid-March when the property was made available for purchase by any educational institution within Charlottesville city limits through the program. By late April, both UVa and the city school division had submitted applications, with the school division coming out on top on April 30.

When the Education Department notified UVa that the school division had been chosen for the site, it claimed the decision was based on the Citys demonstrated need, according to a university statement sent to The Daily Progress.

Nine days later, further review of the applications prompted the federal government to change its mind.

This decision was not reached arbitrarily, reads the Education Departments Friday letter. The Department believes that UVA will meet Presidential Executive Orders and that the University best meets the Secretarys priorities for property reuse.

Neither the department nor Secretary of Education Linda McMahon have expanded on those priorities.

This lack of clarity has left many to draw their own conclusions about the dramatic reversal.

My guess is that it is about cutting funding and support for public education, said Callsen. Regardless of the reason, this type of chaotic decision-making from the Trump administration hurts our community.

Others surmised that Trump might have used the Federal Executive Institute property as a chance to spite the traditionally progressive city of Charlottesville.

This administration has worked hard to go after what it sees as enemies, Josh Throneburg, parent to two Charlottesville students and an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Virginias 5th Congressional District in 2022, told The Daily Progress.

I think the most generous explanation is that the Department of Education realized that they had different priorities, added Throneburg. I think the most skeptical explanation is the Department of Education was never going to give this to Charlottesville Schools, and this was just a real kick in the gut.

In a statement delivered to The Daily Progress through university spokesman Brian Coy, UVa said it is currently reviewing the Education Departments decision and seeking additional information.

Throneburg already has a mind for what the university should do with the Federal Executive Institute property.

The potential big win here is if UVa ultimately donates the land to the city, he said. The city receiving the land from the federal government would have been a great thing, but I think the city receiving it from UVa would be almost better, because it would really unify the city and the university in a way that would be new and exciting.

So Im hoping that UVa will consider donating the land to the city, Throneburg added.
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A man has been charged with murder and robbery after the death of an 87-year-old pensioner in north London.

Peter Augustine, 58, of Green Lanes, Hornsey, was charged on Friday with the murder in Manor House, the Metropolitan Police said.

He has also been charged with robbery and it is alleged he stole a black duffle bag, court staff said.

Officers attended Goodchild Road in the Manor House area with the London Ambulance Service following reports of a robbery at about 5.53pm on Tuesday.

An 87-year-old man was taken to hospital, where he died on Thursday.

open image in gallery A man has been charged with the murder and robbery of the 87-year-old ( PA )

He has not been named by police but his next of kin are being supported by specialist officers, Metropolitan Police said.

The victim has been named locally as John.

Augustine has been remanded in custody after appearing at Willesden Magistrates Court on Saturday and will next appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday 13 May.

If you witnessed this incident or have any information, please contact the investigation team on 0208 345 3715 quoting Operation Cedarbirch. If you wish to remain anonymous please contact CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.
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A home-owner who failed to demolish a 'jarring' illegal roof extension for 15 years has been ordered to pay 16,000 in fines and court costs - and will still have to knock it down.

Warren Benton, 72, was handed an enforcement notice in 2010 after he illegally built a third storey extension on his property which is in a conservation area, a court was told.

Bradford Council said the white extension didn't follow the planning permission he was successful granted in 2009.

It was revealed Benton - who currently lives in the extension - had built it 60cm too high and it was not designed to fit in with the surrounding terraced houses.

He appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday (May 8) where he was fined 12,000 and ordered to pay 4,000 in costs for failing to comply with the notice.

Judge Colin Burn said: Images of the property show the extension appears to be somewhat jarring in a row of terraced housing.

This is a building in a Conservation Area  from a laymans point of view this extension is out of odds with the surrounding buildings.

It clearly undermines scheme of planning control not just in this area but generally.

open image in gallery 12 High Street in Idle ( Newsquest / SWNS )

In 2009 Benton was granted planning permission to convert the property into flats which is located in The Green Conservation Area.

The court heard that 12 High Street in Idle was a former office building dating back to the 19th century.

The work included the creation of a third storey on the top of the building.

However when it was being built the council discovered it was different to the planning permission that was approved.

Benton later submitted a new planning application but it was refused by Bradford council.

In August 2010 the council issued an enforcement notice asking Benton to remove it by that November with officers saying it created an obtrusive feature.

Clare Walsh, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, said since then there had been multiple visits by Council officers and letters urging Benton to comply with the order.

She said there were periods where Benton seemed to be cooperating, either submitting further applications or saying he was looking to get the work done.

open image in gallery Warren Benton departs from Bradford Crown Court ( Newsquest / SWNS )

Because of this, the Council granted him some leeway.

Council officers had estimated that it would cost between 15,000 and 25,000 to demolish the extension.

This was the amount of money the council believed Benton had saved by refusing to comply with the order.

The case had also cost the council around 4,337 to investigate and prosecute.

Benton will still be required to demolish the extension.

Mr Milligan, defending Benton, acknowledged the length of the enforcement breach, saying: The more time that has elapsed, the higher the costs of remediating this will be.

He said Benton had no previous convictions, and has a number of health issues.

For a period of time during the 15 year enforcement breach he acted as a carer for his wife, who has since died.

Mr Milligan said: He didnt tell his family about this issue, as he didnt want to burden them. He didnt ask for help when he perhaps should have.

Sentencing Benton Judge Burn said: The extension you built was objectionable in terms of planning permission.

The notice was issued in August 2010 and in May 2025 it has still not been complied with.

It clearly undermines scheme of planning control, not just in this area but generally.

Judge Burn told Benton that he would have been fined 18,000 had he not pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Awarding Bradford Council 4,000 costs he said: It is the Councils obligation to uphold planning control.
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Keir Starmer was on a secret mission when he flew off to Norway for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) meeting with heads of government of European Nato allies.

Yes, he was there to press the case for the coalition of the willing to protect Ukraine in a post-peace settlement reality before heading to Kyiv.

But he had other important business linked to his governments economic growth and defence cooperation agendas  selling frigates.

The Norwegian government is about to make a decision on buying new frigates for their navy, but who to buy from? The choice (as often seems to be the case) is Britain or France.

It certainly helped that when Sir Keir had his bilateral meeting about a Norwegian ship with Norways PM, Jonas Gahr Stre warmly described him as our best friend.

As the sun shone down on the two men standing on the ships deck in the idyllic setting of Oslos harbour, it seemed like a match made in heaven.

open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer (left) meets Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on the Norwegian coastguard vessel Jan Mayen in Oslo (Alistair Grant/PA) ( PA Wire )

Sir Keir battled with his inner robot to give an equally effusive response: The relationship between our two countries has been historically close, particularly on defence, and is in the strongest position it has been probably ever.

Code for: Buy our frigates please, we are your best friends.

But after a week where he did what none of his predecessors had achieved and unveiled trade deals with both India and the US in the space of three days, this was a prime minister who was brimming with confidence over his ability to pull off a deal.

For all the bad results in the local elections last week, the rise of Farage, the complaining about welfare and winter fuel cuts from his backbenchers, the lack of economic growth and the bile on social media, Sir Keir looked remarkably relaxed, confident and comfortable in his own skin.

It is noticeable that while he has not been in Downing Street for a year yet, other international leaders gravitate towards him at events, respecting his competence and advice.

That was with the possible exception of Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, who gave Starmer a disgruntled look at the JEF summit  probably because she is still fighting Trump over Greenland and the British prime minister is instead signing trade deals with him.

open image in gallery Starmer and Macron meet in Kyiv as allies over Ukraine but rivals in selling frigates ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images )

It may help the UKs case for selling frigates to Norway that HMS St Albans, the youngest of the type 23 frigates, was sitting in Oslo harbour, where it has helped patrol the northern passes tracking Russian submarines.

Commissioned in 2001, it has recently had a 100m upgrade and is likely to be in service for at least another decade, maybe more. However, the UK also has the new type 26 and type 31 frigates coming through, which have also been bought by Australia and Canada.

Given that French President Emmanuel Macron has, at least for now, locked the UK out of EU defence procurement, this Norway deal is very important.

Starmer strode up the gangway with a spring in his step, looking like a leader as he was piped on with a side, the long whistle usually reserved for royalty or very senior officers.

As he was given the tour of the ship, you could see how some of the stereotypes of an awkward man who cannot emote with people are not true.

Whether it was small talk in the mess with some slightly nervous sailors or taking selfies with crew on deck by the Merlin helicopter, Starmer seemed at ease and actually enjoying himself.

It may have helped that the officer who initiated the round of selfies told him his father was a former Labour councillor  we never got the opportunity to find out if he had lost his seat last week.

open image in gallery Independent political editor David Maddox spoke to Keir Starmer in Oslo ( UK Gov )

But it was on board where Sir Keir sat down to talk with The Independent and it was noticeable how much his confidence as a leader had grown since previous encounters. But when you have eyeballed Trump and Modi, plotting a course to undo much of the harm of Brexit, and led the international efforts to get a better solution for Ukraine, it breeds confidence.

The PM summed up his approach: Were calm, pragmatic, seriously getting on with negotiations, not getting out the megaphones, but just doing the serious diplomacy.

Its central to what we want to do, which is to grow the economy, create wealth, make people feel better off, and when youre protecting jobs, creating more opportunities, that is a really good way of creating wealth.

In a time of turmoil, there is a need for serious, calm and pragmatic leaders  and that is maybe why Starmer is finding so much success on the international stage. From the body language of those interacting with him at the conference, those qualities certainly seem to be appreciated by his fellow government leaders.

So maybe Norway will buy British frigates.
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Keir Starmer and other European leaders have warned Vladimir Putin he faces "massive" new sanctions and increased military aid to Ukraine if he does not agree to an almost immediate 30-day ceasefire.

The prime minister said they were calling out the Russian leader with the backing of Donald Trump. If [Putin] is serious about peace, he has a chance to show it now, Sir Keir said.

And he warned there were no more ifs and buts after he flew to Kyiv to stand side by side with President Zelensky, saying Putin had not required extra conditions to be met when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade  and he does not need them now.

In an extraordinary turnaround just weeks after President Trumps showdown with Zelensky in the Oval Office, Sir Keir also said Europe and the US were speaking with one voice on the issue.

open image in gallery (Left to right) Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Wire )

Trump has also threatened extra sanctions if a 30-day truce, which has already been agreed by Ukraine, fails to start on Monday.

Sir Keir also said Putin would face countries increasing our military aid for Ukraines defence to pressure Russia back to the table if he did not act.

Before a joint press conference, Sir Keir, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke with Trump about their plans.

Unplanned, the call is understood to have lasted around 20 minutes and was described as warm by a UK source.

The European leaders said the terms of a peace deal would be negotiated during the 30-day pause in fighting.

However, Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who is often Putins attack dog when it comes to criticising the West, derided the ultimatum.

Shove these peace plans up your pangender a***s! he wrote on X.

open image in gallery The European leaders joined Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska to place candles at a makeshift memorial to killed Ukrainian soldiers in the citys Independence Square ( Getty Images )

Sir Keir said the sanctions threat was the result of the greatest unity we have ever had among other countries. Europe and the US were all speaking with one voice, he added.

UK and European experts were working to boost Ukraine's economy, including the resumption of flights into the country, when peace is achieved, he added.

It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine, and marks Mr Merzs first visit since he was elected chancellor on Tuesday. Before their trip, Sir Keir and the other leaders called on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure a peace deal.

The show of strength comes after the US president called for ideally a 30-day ceasefire, and warned that if any pause in the fighting was not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.

In the Ukrainian capital, the European leaders joined Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska to place candles at a makeshift memorial to killed Ukrainian soldiers in the citys Independence Square during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

On Friday, Lord Peter Mandelson, the UKs ambassador to Washington, said that the UK had influenced Mr Trumps views on Ukraine.

He told the BBCs Newsnight: We have influenced his outlook on Ukraine in our attitude to Putin.

Youve seen how his stance and his language has changed just in recent weeks and indeed recent days.
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Thousands of people gathered in Romania's capital on Friday for a pro-European Union march. It came a week before the final vote of a closely watched presidential election that pits a hard-right nationalist front-runner against the capitals pro-EU mayor.

Marchers converged in Bucharest in front of the government building, where many waved the blue and yellow flags of Europe. Many chanted slogans such as We are in Europe and Bucharest is not Budapest, referring to Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a member but also a longtime critic of the EU.

A communist country until 1989, Romania joined the EU in 2007. But last year it was plunged into its worst political crisis in decades when a top court voided the previous election. The far-right outsider Calin Georgescu topped the first round following allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference, which Moscow has denied.

The rally was held nearly a week after the first round of a presidential election redo that saw hard-right nationalist George Simion, 38, emerge as the front-runner. In second place was 55-year-old incumbent Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan.

We need to develop  we want to be like the best countries, and we dont have the possibilities on our own, said Stefan Gheorghe, a 23-year-old lawyer. You need the European Union to help us out. It is very important to us to stay together  and to benefit from each other.

A median of polls ahead of the runoff suggests Simion holds a lead in the vote, which will be held between the two staunchly antiestablishment candidates on May 18. Observers have warned that the outcome could reshape the EU and NATO member countrys geopolitical direction.

After reaching second place on Sunday night, Dan called the final vote a choice between a pro-Western direction for Romania and an anti-Western one.

Simions critics have long accused him of being Russia-friendly and warn that his presidency would undermine both the EU and NATO as Moscows war drags on in Ukraine. But in an interview with The Associated Press this week, Simion rejected the accusations and said, Its not for the good of the Romanian people to be close to Russia."

We want to be a member of the European Union. Some fake news were saying that we want to exit the European project, said Simion, who leads Romania's second-largest party, the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians. We dont want to leave. We are here to stay. We invested a lot.

Simion, who came fourth in last years race and later backed Georgescu, said in an earlier interview with the AP that he wants to see "more power" go to the blocs 27 individual members, not toward the European institutions.

Similar rallies were held in several cities across Romania on Friday to mark Europe Day, a date that proclaims to celebrate peace and unity in Europe.

Although Simion and Dan are ideological opposites, they both made their political careers railing against Romanias old political class, which has fallen out of favor as strong antiestablishment sentiment among voters grips the country.

For Diana Draghici, 38, the upcoming runoff will be a pivotal moment for Romanias future and a choice between forging stronger EU ties or potentially shifting East.

I think its important that the young people who were undecided and didnt vote so far ... to have a wake-up call and choose who they want to have represented, she said. It could decide two extremely different scenarios for Romanias future.
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Peter Mandelson has described Donald Trump as a people person who could cut levies on British goods again after extraordinary scenes which saw the two men hold hands in the Oval Office this week.

The UKs ambassador in Washington said he was looking forward to negotiating with the US to bring down further tariffs.

He also revealed that when he first walked into the White House, President Trump said to him: God, youre a good-looking fellow, arent you?.

And he described Mr Trump as a people person who takes people at face value, saying that the president had judged him on his merits.

open image in gallery Lord Mandelson and Donald Trump in the White House ( AFP via Getty )

The Independent revealed earlier this year that President Trump has been considering rejecting Lord Mandelson as ambassador.

In an interview with BBCs Newsnight, the Labour grandee said that Thursdays historic UK-US trade deal represented a platform for going further and opening up more trade opportunities.

Sir Keir Starmer has declined to rule out the possibility of reforms to taxes that mainly hit US tech firms in a future trade deal.

The deal agreed on Thursday cut taxes on car imports of 100,000 a year from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent and scrapped tariffs on steel and aluminium.

However, a baseline 10 per cent rate for other goods remains in force.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer hailed the trade deal ( PA )

Lord Mandelson said: Im very pleased with what weve achieved. Its taken many months of very tough negotiation, and its also a platform going further and opening up more trade opportunities.

He added: Were going to negotiate further and bring down further tariffs and remove further barriers to trade between us, thats what were committed to, and Im looking forward to doing that.

The White House said that the president is committed to the 10 per cent baseline tariff imposed in April not just for the United Kingdom, but for his trade negotiations with all other countries as well.

But business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on Thursday that conversations about those wider tariff lines and the 10 per cent rate were continuing.

Lord Mandelson said that digital services tax was brought up during the negotiations for this weeks agreement, but what they suggested wasnt acceptable to us, so its not in the deal.

On Friday, Sir Keir told The Independent that he has struck up a good relationship with the president.

I am the sort of person that tries to have constructive and positive relations with people, he said.

Kemi Badenoch has said she is concerned about the prospects of the UK going on to strike a full free trade agreement in the wake of Thursdays agreement.

She said Thursdays deal was not a huge success at all  Its not even a trade deal, its a tariff deal, and we are in a worse position now than we were six weeks ago.

Its better than where we were last week, so its better than nothing, but its not much.

One of the things that concerns me is that we will probably now not get a comprehensive free trade agreement.
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Whitehall departments are at risk of failing to get part of their funding in Rachel Reeves spending unless they decant hundreds of civil servants to other parts of the UK.

A major government shake-up will require more civil service jobs to be based in 12 locations outside London, delivering and developing government policy closer to the communities it affects.

The move is expected to provide a 729m boost for local economies across the UK in an attempt to bring government closer to communities.

The 12 growth areas are: Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York.

open image in gallery Pat McFadden will write to departments (Lucy North/PA) ( PA Archive )

As part of the spending review, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden will write to all departments requiring them to relocate key roles and strengthen the governments presence in 12 locations by 2030.

A government source has confirmed that success in the project by departments will be factored into their spending review settlement.

The source added: We expect all London-based departments to set out ambitious commitments to relocate roles out of London as part of their spending review plans.

To avoid nameplate-only efforts, there will be an expectation of 60 per cent working from offices as a minimum.

The plan is reflected in the movement of part of the Treasury to a new campus in Teesside in the North East of England.

The prime minister is understood to be keen to go further to enhance the impact of government in places across the country, so that the civil service has an active presence in communities across the UK and contributes to local growth and job creation.

The plans will see more roles working closer to frontline services, facilitating greater understanding of the real issues facing local services and people, and how central government policy can support them.

Central government cant solve the issues facing local communities from Whitehall alone. In pursuit of building real, sustainable links to the communities they serve, these changes are designed to ensure civil servants will work with the local community, service providers and local government to develop policy.
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Measles, a highly contagious and viral infection, has skyrocketed in the U.S. due to tumbling vaccination rates as large outbreaks spread across West Texas, eastern New Mexico, and Michigan.

Declared eliminated in 2000 after a year-long national absence of infections, measles cases have now hit a record new high in 2025, with 1,001 confirmed cases across 31 states since late January.

Of those cases, 96 percent were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC.

open image in gallery ( Getty/iStock )

Three people, including two young children, have died. All were unvaccinated.

The Independent spoke to the former New York City chief medical officer, Dr. Tyler Evans, who oversaw the citys response to the COVID pandemic in 2020, to discuss what to do when a deadly virus starts spreading.

Firstly: people should be double-checking that they and their children have been vaccinated, he urged.

What is measles, and what are the symptoms?

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection spread by coughing or sneezing that can develop into a serious illness, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and can be fatal for unvaccinated people.

open image in gallery Instructions for a Measles vaccination is seen outside of the Lubbock Public Health facility ( Getty Images )

Groups most vulnerable to the disease include children under five, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, from leukaemia or HIV.

Symptoms, which appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus, include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, white spots around the mouth and flat red spots on the face and body.

Im vaccinated against measles. Am I protected against catching it?

One dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, which most people receive as children, is sufficient for most adults.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles, whereas one is roughly 93 percent effective, according to the CDC.

Children are usually given the first dose of MMR vaccine around age one and the second between ages four and six.

When people are not engaged in primary care or population prevention efforts, that's when infectious disease outbreaks  which could easily be prevented or mitigated or controlled  scale up to epidemics or pandemics, said Evans, author of Pandemics, Poverty, and Politics: Decoding the Social and Political Drivers of Pandemics from Plague to COVID-19.

Equally, if one person has it, up to nine out of ten people around them will become infected if unvaccinated.

Those born before 1957 are considered exempt because of exposure to the infection in childhood, when it was highly prevalent and ahead of the measles vaccine rollout in 1963; however, experts say this immunity can wane.

Why is it spreading?

Vaccine confidence has plateaued ever since COVID-19, with vaccine conspiracies emerging online that have even been peddled by prominent government officials, like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

One study that led to a decline in vaccine confidence, and has since been discredited, was the 1998 medical journal study, where now-disgraced doctor Andrew Wakefield falsely linked the MMR vaccine to children developing autism.

Equally, with the onslaught of Covid-19, where some were distrustful of the medical sector, or had doubts over its origin and efficacy, according to a public health study at the time, resulting in parents declining other standard vaccines as well.

What groups are more likely to catch measles?

Most people will have come into contact with measles in their lives, but unvaccinated people are most likely to catch it. Theres an added risk for people working in settings where there are sick people.

Nurses and teachers, who are on the frontlines in these settings, are especially at risk, the Ohio Nurses Association said in March.

It tends to spread in areas of vulnerability, says Evans, who explained that areas with low vaccine confidence, high poverty, and limited access to clinical providers  like rural west Texas  were most at risk.

open image in gallery Measles Outbreak-North America ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

One community taking the brunt of cases are the Mennonites in Gaines County  a group within the Anabaptist family of churches, who are known for having a strained and distant relationship with the government and public health bodies. Kayley Fehr, a 6-year-old from the Mennonite community, died in February after contracting measles.

In Gaines County, nearly 14 percent of school-aged children had their parents opt out of giving them at least one required vaccine, reported the Associated Press.

Are RFK Jrs comments about the MMR vaccine concerning public health experts?

RFK Jr., who is known for peddling pseudoscience, has flip-flopped on his support of the measles vaccine, stating it is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles but also that the MMR vaccine contains aborted fetus debris .

Evans said his claims were scientifically inaccurate and dangerously misleading.

The rubella component of the MMR vaccine was developed decades ago using a well-established human cell line, replicated countless times. There is no actual fetal tissue in the vaccine, Evans continued.

open image in gallery Measles-Outbreak-Death ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

RJK Jr. attended the funeral of Daisy Hildebrand, an 8-year-old from Seminole, Gaines County who died from measles.

But her father, Pete Hildebrand, revealed that RFK Jr. did not mention the vaccine at all during his visit. He did not say that the vaccine was effective, Hildebrand told The Guardian . I had supper with the guy...and he never said anything about that.

Evans believes that the road to rebuilding trust around vaccine confidence was going to take a long time, particularly in the age of Trump.

We never thought vaccinations would become a divisive factor in modern politics, he said.
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The Trump administration is set to relocate a small number of white South Africans to the US next week, marking the beginning of a controversial program designed to resettle a minority group claiming persecution at the hands of their Black-led government.

The move comes as part of a fast-tracked application process initiated following President Trump's announcement of the relocation effort in February.

This initiative stands in stark contrast to the administration's broader anti-migrant stance, which has seen the suspension of various refugee programs and a halt to arrivals from regions including Iraq, Afghanistan, and much of sub-Saharan Africa.

The prioritization of these South African cases has drawn criticism from refugee advocacy groups, raising questions about the criteria being used to determine eligibility and the apparent disparity in treatment compared to other displaced populations.

The South African government said the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners in question are being persecuted are completely false, the result of misinformation and an inaccurate view of its country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country, and said they are amongst the most economically privileged.

open image in gallery White South Africans demonstrate in support of U.S. President Donald Trump in front of the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Afrikaners are the descendants of mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers who first came to South Africa in the 17th century. There are around 2.7 million Afrikaners among South Africa's population of 62 million, which is more than 80% Black. Many in South Africa are puzzled by claims that Afrikaners are persecuted and meet the requirements to be refugees.

Afrikaners are part of South Africas everyday multi-racial life: many are successful business leaders and some serve in government as Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. Their language is widely spoken  including by non-Afrikaners  and is recognized as an official language, and churches and other institutions reflecting Afrikaner culture hold prominence in almost every city and town.

So what persecution is the U.S. alleging?

Farm attacks

Trump and his South African-born adviser Elon Musk have accused the South African government of having racist anti-white laws and policies, but the claims of persecution center on a relatively small number of violent farm attacks and robberies on white people in rural communities.

The U.S. alleges those attacks are racially motivated and the South African government is fueling them by allowing anti-white rhetoric from some political parties not in government and not doing enough to protect rural Afrikaner communities. The government strongly denies that and has condemned the farm attacks, but says their cause is being deliberately mischaracterized.

Violent attacks on farm owners in South Africa have been a problem for years but represent a small percentage of the country's extremely high violent crime rates, which affect all races. The government says there is no targeting of white people in South Africa and no persecution, and farm attacks are part of its struggles with violent crime.

An Afrikaner group called AfriForum records farm attacks and said there were 49 farm homicides in South Africa in 2023. Those are set against a total of more than 20,000 homicides in South Africa a year. Experts say rural communities are susceptible to crime because of their remoteness and less police presence, but Black farm owners and workers are also killed in violent robberies.

Still, many rural white communities have long expressed fear at the threat of violence and feel authorities are not doing enough to protect them. Those claims appear to be part of the requirements to claim refugee status in the U.S., although no details of the application process have been announced.

Affirmative action and reverse racism

The Trump administration has also criticized South Africa's affirmative action policies as racist against whites and has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes racially discriminatory property confiscation. No land has been expropriated, but Afrikaners who make up many rural communities have raised fears that their land might be targeted.

South Africa does have laws designed to advance employment opportunities for Blacks, and many white South Africans and white-led political parties have also criticized them and called them racist and counter-productive.

Some Afrikaner groups say the employment, land and other laws are designed to limit their opportunities in South Africa.

Afrikaners were at the heart of South Africa's previous apartheid system of white minority rule and there is a sentiment among some that they and their culture are being targeted in a kind of reverse racism by the Black-led government as punishment for that. The government denies that.

Not the only whites in South Africa

Afrikaners make up just some of South Africa's approximately 4.5 million white people, which also include those who have British and other heritage.

But the Trump administration's refugee program only offers relocation to Afrikaners, who are largely seen as holding conservative and Christian values that might align with the politics of the Trump administration.

It's not clear how many Afrikaners have applied for or been granted refugee status, but a U.S.-based South African business group has said it had a list of tens of thousands who had expressed interest.

U.S. officials and a document obtained by The Associated Press said a first group of more than two dozen Afrikaners from around four families will arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington.
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Atlantas distinct Southern drawl, a dialect instantly recognizable across the United States for its elongated vowels and softened "r" sounds, has faded across generations, even within the same family.

Susan Levine, raised in Atlanta during the 1940s and 50s, recalls her New York relatives turning her accent into a novelty act, charging friends a quarter to hear her speak.

Yet, her two sons, born over 25 years later and also raised in Atlanta, grew up without a trace of the same Southern cadence. "My accent is nonexistent," said Ira Levine, her eldest son. "People I work with, and even in school, people didnt believe I was from Atlanta."

This generational shift highlights the evolving nature of regional dialects in an increasingly interconnected world.

The Southern accent, which has many variations, is fading in some areas of the South as people migrate to the region from other parts of the U.S. and around the world. A series of research papers published in December documented the diminishment of the regional accent among Black residents of the Atlanta area, white working-class people in the New Orleans area and people who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina.

open image in gallery Bourbon Street is seen from a balcony at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Mardi Gras Day, Tuesday, March 4, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

More than 5.8 million people have moved into the U.S. South so far in the 2020s, more than four times the combined total of the nation's three other regions. Linguists dont believe mass media has played a significant role in the language change, which tends to start in urban areas and radiate out to more rural places.

The classical white Southern accent in the Atlanta area and other parts of the urban South peaked with baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 and then dropped off with Gen Xers born between 1965 and 1980 and subsequent generations, in large part because of the tremendous in-migration of people in the second half of the 20th century.

It has been replaced among the youngest speakers in the 21st century with a dialect that was first noticed in California in the late 1980s, according to recent research from linguists at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Brigham Young University. That dialect, which also was detected in Canada, has become a pan-regional accent as it has spread to other parts of the U.S., including Boston, New York and Michigan, contributing to the diminishment of their regional accents.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, the trigger point in the decline of the Southern accent was the opening in 1959 of the Research Triangle Park, a sprawling complex of research and technology firms that attracted tens of thousands of highly educated workers from outside the South. White residents born after 1979, a generation after the Research Triangle's establishment, typically don't talk with a Southern accent, linguist Sean Lundergan wrote in a paper published in December.

Often, outsiders wrongly associate a Southern accent with a lack of education, and some younger people may be trying to distance themselves from that stereotype.

Young people today, especially the educated young people, they dont want to sound too much like they are from a specific hometown," said Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass, who co-wrote the Atlanta study. They want to sound more kind of, nonlocal and geographically mobile.

open image in gallery Georgia Tech linguist Lelia Glass points to a diagram showing how the pronunciation of certain words by metro-Atlanta residents has changed over several generations at her home in Atlanta, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sharon Johnson) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The Southern dialect among Black people in Atlanta has dropped off in recent decades mainly because of an influx of African Americans from northern U.S. cities in what has been described as the "Reverse Great Migration.

During the Great Migration, from roughly 1910 to 1970, African Americans from the South moved to cities in the North like New York, Detroit and Chicago. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren have moved back South in large numbers to places like Atlanta during the late 20th and early 21st centuries and are more likely to be college-educated.

Researchers found Southern accents among African Americans dropped off with Gen Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, according to a study published in December. The same researchers previously studied Southern accents among white people in Atlanta.

Michelle and Richard Beck, Gen Xers living in the Atlanta area, have Southern accents, but it's missing in their two sons born in 1998 and 2001.

I think they speak clearer than I do, Richard Beck, a law enforcement officer, said of his sons. They don't sound as country as I do when it comes to the Southern drawl.

Unlike other accents that have changed because of an influx of new residents, the distinctive, white working-class yat accent of New Orleans has declined as many locals left following the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The accent is distinct from other regional accents in the South and often described as sounding as much like Brooklynese as Southern.

The hurricane was a catastrophic language change event for New Orleans since it displaced around a quarter million residents in the first year after the storm and brought in tens of thousands of outsiders in the following decade.

The diminishment of the yat accent is most noticeable in millennials, who were adolescents when Katrina hit, since they were exposed to other ways of speaking during a key time for linguistic development, Virginia Tech sociolinguist Katie Carmichael said in a paper published in December.

Cheryl Wilson Lanier, a 64-year-old who grew up in Chalmette, Louisiana, one of the New Orleans suburbs where the accent was most prevalent, worries that part of the region's uniqueness will be lost if the accent disappears.

It's kind of like we're losing our distinct personality, she said.

While it is diminishing in many urban areas, the Southern accent is unlikely to disappear completely because accents are an incredibly straightforward way of showing other people something about ourselves," said University of Georgia linguist Margaret Renwick, one of the authors of the Atlanta studies.

It may instead reflect a change in how younger speakers view Southern identity, with a regional accent not as closely associated with what is considered Southern as in previous generations, and linguistic boundaries less important than other factors, she said.

So young people in the Atlanta area or Raleigh area have a different vision of what life is in the South," Renwick said. "And it's not the same as the one that their parents or grandparents grew up with.
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More than $220 million worth of contracts cancelled by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been brought back.

Forty-four of the government contracts ended by DOGE and Musk have been revived by federal agencies, according to a federal spending data review by The New York Times.

However, DOGE still lists 43 of those contracts on its website as having been terminated, and some were added after they had been restored. This led to several data errors on the site.

The White House told the outlet that the paperwork lag would be fixed. The contracts that have been rekindled include everything from software license agreements to partnerships with vendors in charge of data and records for the government. Most of the contracts came to an end in February and March amid demands that agencies make massive cutbacks.

Agencies subsequently restored the contracts, at times only days after they had been cancelled. For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency restored a contract after two and a half hours, but DOGE still listed the contract as canceled for weeks. The contract was subsequently extended, now costing more than previously.

Musk and DOGE set out to cut $1 trillion out of the $7 trillion federal budget, but the backtracking on cancelled contracts revealed the difficulties of making such expansive cuts. Contractors told the paper that as DOGE rushed to urge agencies to cancel contracts that were likely to be revived, as some were required by law, and some required skills that the government doesnt have.

open image in gallery Federal agencies revived at least 44 government contracts cancelled by Elon Musks DOGE ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The DOGE Wall of Receipts provides the latest and most accurate information following a thorough assessment, which takes time, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields told The New York Times. Updates to the DOGE savings page will continue to be made promptly, and departments and agencies will keep highlighting the massive savings DOGE is achieving.

DOGE has listed over 9,400 contracts it claims to have cancelled, totalling $32 billion in savings. The group claims to have saved $165 billion in taxpayer funds in total.

The White House spokesperson told The New York Times that the reversals it had found were small potatoes in comparison.

Musk has said from the beginning that the government would most likely have to backtrack on some of its spending cuts. Appearing on the Joe Rogan podcast in February, Musk said, We need to act fast to stop wasting billions of dollars of taxpayer money. But if we make a mistake, well reverse it quickly.

However, Musk also said that DOGE would share the details of its work publicly, saying that they can name the specifics, line by line. But The New York Times found several errors on the so-called Wall of Receipts, often inflating the supposed savings. DOGE has taken credit for ending programs that finished years or at times decades ago. It has also counted the same cancellations more than once and, at one point, shared a claim that jumbled billion and million.

This month, DOGE removed a contract that had been cancelled for less than a day, but also added five revived contracts to its terminations list, claiming $57 million in savings, which had already been restored, according to the paper.

Contractor Larry Aldrich was told in February that his contract doing web design and making videos for the Department of Veterans Affairs site for veterans with PTSD had been cancelled. The agreement was reinstated two weeks later.

The V.A. cannot do this work on its own, Aldrich told the paper. They dont have the manpower or the skill set.

The reversal started in the middle of February, less than a month into President Donald Trumps second stint in the White House. On February 14, Raquel Romero and her husband lost their contract offering leadership training to Agriculture Department attorneys. They regained $45,000 in revenue when all their other federal business had dried up.

We had lost all of the income that we were planning for calendar year 2025. Weve had to sell our house. Were in the process of moving into a condo, she told The New York Times.

The department told the paper that it revived the contracts after finding that it was required by law. Romero added that she believed the reversal was due to a personal intervention by one attorney in the department, who Romero said retired two weeks later.

open image in gallery Musks Department of Government Efficiency initially set out to cut $1 trillion from the federal 7 $trillion budget ( Getty Images )

Regarding contract reversals, the Department of Veterans Affairs comes on top with 16 cancelled and revived contracts. According to veterans groups speaking to the paper, some of the contracts were required by law, noting that one contract was for a contractor who helped veterans search for military records as evidence when applying for benefits, which was restored after just eight days.

Even with the revived contracts, experts say DOGEs cuts have damaged the quality of government services.

There doesnt seem to be an approach to dig in on places where government services could really be improved, the executive director of the Yale Budget Lab, Martha Gimbel, recently told The Guardian. Any improvement in government services takes time. You have to invest. You have to build it out. You have to figure out how to fix it.

There has clearly been a degeneration of government services, she added.

DOGE claimed to have saved $38 million over several years at the Department of Education after ending a contract to manage a data repository about schools across the country. However, lawmakers and advocates pushed back, arguing that the law required the information to be gathered for the government to know which schools were eligible for some grants. The contract was resurrected after 18 days; however, $17 million in funding had been removed.

The E.P.A. signed a contract with a company in Maryland in 2023 to help raise awareness about asthma. Contracting data revealed it was cancelled just after 4.30 p.m. on March 7 of this year. That same night, shortly before 7 p.m., it was reinstated. The E.P.A. told the paper that the reinstatement of a contract shows that the agency found that funding action supported Administration priorities.

The agency extended the contract for another year last month, agreeing to pay $171,000 more than before the contract was cancelled.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
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JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has called President Donald Trumps tariffs too aggressive, but still applauded him for trying.

Dimon, whose estimated net worth is $2.5 billion, told Fox 11 Los Angeles that Trumps tariffs, which launched a global trade war, were too large, too big and too aggressive when he first implemented them. But the CEO says hes still very happy Trump put the tariffs in place.

The tariff stuff  was very big and very large and everybody all at once, Dimon said. I think its very important that they start to show progress in the deal.

These are deals in principle  a real trade deal would be 10 or 20,000 pages long, he added. But any progress is good.

open image in gallery JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Donald Trump's tariff plan was 'too aggressive' but that he's still 'very happy' the president implemented the taxes ( AFP via Getty Images )

Trumps Liberation Day tariffs sent the global economy into turmoil last month, with the president announcing 10 percent blanket taxes on imports from nearly every country. The president is also waging an intense trade war with China, placing a 145 percent tariff on its goods. Beijing then retaliated with its own 125 percent tariffs on U.S. products.

This week, Trump also threatened 100 percent tariffs on the toy-maker Mattel after the company said it would diversify its production to other countries, but not the U.S. He also announced a 100 percent tariff on movies made outside the U.S.

Trump has conceded hes open to lowering the tax on Chinese goods to just 80 percent, but said the decision is ultimately up to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The president also struck a trade deal with the U.K., slashing his tariffs on cars from 27.5 to 10 percent, up to 100,000 vehicles. Levies on steel and aluminum will also be reduced to zero, but a general 10 percent tariff on most other goods will remain. In return, the U.K. ended its tariff on ethanol from the US.

While Dimon is happy with Trumps tariffs, many economists and American consumers are not.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump pictured with Vice President JD Vance and British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson shortly after the U.S. struck a trade deal with the U.K. ( AFP via Getty Images )

A survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reveals 58.9 percent of Texas executives say tariffs will negatively impact their businesses. Meanwhile, a new Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll discovered just 34 percent of Americans approve of Trumps tariffs. Economists worldwide agree that consumers will pay the price for Trumps tariffs as the taxes cause costs to skyrocket.

Dimon also praised Trumps immigration policies, which have also proven unpopular.

When you look at it, the border has been successful  after you eliminate the criminal element, I would try to work on real immigration reform, he said. We need seasonal workers, we need a path to citizenship for some of the undocumented but law-abiding immigrants, we need DACA.

Fifty-two percent of Americans dont back Trumps immigration policies, an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found last month. Similarly, Trumps immigration approval rating fell from a net score of plus 18 points to a net score of just plus 10 points since mid-March, according to an Echelon Insights poll released mid-April.

This disapproval follows legal and public backlash against a series of high-profile immigration enforcement actions, including the Trumps administrations refusal to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father and Salvadoran immigrant who was living in Maryland and wrongfully deported to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the government must facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia, while a federal appeals court said the removal of U.S. residents without due process should be shocking to Americans intuitive sense of liberty.

Late last month, ABC News correspondent Terry Moran told the president he could get him back if he picked up the phone and called President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador. Trump conceded that he could, but that he still wont.

I could, Trump said. And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that. But he is not.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
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New York City is expecting 2 million fewer international tourists this year amid concerns over President Donald Trumps anti-immigration and trade tariff policies, according to a new report.

City officials revised their December forecast, which estimated 14.6 million foreign tourists would visit in 2025, down to 12.1 million, according to a report released by New York City Tourism and Conventions, the citys tourism agency.

Including both domestic and foreign visitors, the city expects to see 3.5 million fewer in total compared to the 67.7 million it previously predicted.

We are in uncertain times and there are more questions than answers, Julie Coker, the agencys CEO said, emphasizing that New York City is still the most welcoming, inclusive and diverse city in the world.

open image in gallery New York City is expected to see a significant drop in the number of international visitors this year, according to city officials. ( Getty Images )

The drop in estimated foreign visitors is partly down to the Trump administrations high-profile detainments of immigrants, according to Adam Sacks, president of consulting firm Tourism Economics.

Stories of nightmare encounters at the U.S. border, some of which resulted in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, have spooked travelers.

Sacks also said that Trump's tariffs were deterring tourists from the U.S., according to Bloomberg.

Foreign tourists are vital for the city as they typically spend more money than domestic visitors. In 2024, international tourists spent $23 billion, according to the citys Comptroller Brad Lander.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump downplayed the decline in international tourists visiting the U.S. and said it was not a big deal ( AP )

Canadians have the highest number of tourists coming to the U.S., with 24 million visiting last year, followed by Mexico at 17 million and the United Kingdom at 4 million.

In a recent report by research firm Tourism Economics, inbound travel to the U.S. is now projected to decline by 5.5 percent this year, instead of growing by nearly 9 percent as had previously been forecast.

A further escalation in tariffs and trade wars could result in further reductions in international tourism, which could amount to an $18 billion annual reduction in tourist spending in 2025.

Trump was quizzed about how his policies were impacting international tourism figures at the end of last month, when he downplayed the situation.

There is a little nationalism there, I guess, perhaps, he said in the Oval Office. Its not a big deal.
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Key figures from Donald Trumps MAGA movement have decried the appointment of the first American Pope.

Not much is known about Pope Leos political alliances, though he has been openly critical of the Trump governments anti-immigration stance.

In the run-up to his election on Thursday as the 267th pope, the then-cardinal Robert Prevost criticised US vice president JD Vance on his social media platform on X, formerly Twitter.

Leo shared an article from a Catholic publication with the headline, JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesnt ask us to rank our love for others.

Mr Trump has so far only said that Leo's election was a "great honour" for the US. However, some of the presidents most vocal supporters have been critical towards the new pontiff and quick to attack him.

open image in gallery Pope Leo replaced the late Pope Francis after a Conclave vote on Thursday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Speaking to the BBC on Friday, Mr Trumps former chief strategist Steve Bannon said Leos election was jaw-dropping.

"It is shocking to me that a guy could be selected to be the Pope that had had the Twitter feed and the statements he's had against American senior politicians," Mr Bannon said.

The practising Catholic predicted there's "definitely going to be friction" between the new pontiff and the US president.

Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who reportedly has the US presidents ear, described the new Pope as "anti-Trump, anti-Maga, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis".

However, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said on Friday he thought Leo would seek to build bridges with all world leaders, including Mr Trump.

open image in gallery Steve Bannon predicted there's definitely going to be friction between Leo and Trump ( Getty )

The new pope shares some policy similarities with the Mr Trump team. He opposes abortion, as does Trump and Vance.

But he supports work to combat climate change, according to a post urging followers to sign a Catholic climate petition. Mr Trump removed the US from the Paris climate accord that fights global warming.
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Six people, including multiple public officials, have been arrested and charged as part of a long-running investigation into an alleged vote harvesting scheme in a rural Texas county against vulnerable seniors during 2022 and 2023 elections.

The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system, Texas Attorney General Paxton said in a statement Wednesday announcing the arrests. Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.

The accused include Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho; former Frio County elections administrator Carlos Segura; Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza; Pearsall school district trustee Adriann Ramirez; and campaign worker Rosa Rodriguez.

Candidates for local office allegedly paid a campaign worker named Cheryl Denise Castillo to collect ballots from voters at senior citizens complexes, according to court documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Castillo, who died last year, allegedly prepared ballots for individuals, influenced their voting choices, and assisted individuals who were ineligible for such support under state voting law.

In one December 2023 instance, the campaign worker allegedly told a candidate for sheriff she wouldnt help voters who supported her clients rivals.

open image in gallery Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho is among the six charged in the election voting scheme ( Frio County )

In another instance a few months later, Castillo allegedly told a fellow campaign worker that honest to God if you do not go after the elderly disabled, then you will lose your election, according to the documents.

Investigators reportedly recovered a text message to Castillo during the time of the alleged scheme that read, So that means you have stolen ballots from the elderly in elections LMFAO HARD.

Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballots, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot, police wrote in a search warrant, adding that Castillo had been paid for her work.

Segura, the former county elections administrator, called the allegations ridiculous in an interview with the Post.

The Independent has contacted Camacho and Ramirez for comment, and was unable to reach Rodriguez.

In August 2024, investigators carried out search warrants related to the case in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar counties, with a grand jury arriving at charges on May 1 of this year.

The investigation dates back to 2022, when a county judge candidate running against Camacho filed a complaint.

Mary Moore told investigators she got a tip that Camacho hired Castillo to collect mail ballots for her, and that upon inspecting the ballots, the campaign worker filled out several without notifying officials she assisted anyone.

Moore later went to Pine Hill Estates II, a nursing home, and allegedly captured video of Camacho, Rodriguez, Ramirez, Castillo walking out of the home with what appeared to be carrier envelopes, according to an affidavit obtained by KSAT.

open image in gallery Charges follow multi-year investigation from Texas officials including Attorney General Ken Paxton ( Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballot by mail, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot, per court records obtained by the outlet.

Records obtained by Texas Scorecard reportedly show a convoluted web of payments for the alleged scheme, in which Rodriguez allegedly paid Camacho in May 2022 and May 2023 for vote-harvesting services.

The funds then allegedly went to Ramirez, who made three Cash App payments in April 2023 to Castillo, according to the outlet.

The six individuals, who face charges ranging from vote harvesting to tampering with evidence, could face up to 10 years in prison with fines up to $10,000.

All suspects turned themselves in, and at least five have been released on bond. An arraignment is scheduled for May 23.

The case comes as both state and national Republicans seek to crack down on alleged vulnerabilities in election security, a cause many Democrats dismiss as tackling a largely non-existent issue in an effort to disenfranchise certain voters.

The indictment in the vote harvesting case in Texas comes just months after a September 2024 ruling from U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who found that the states SB1 voter security law was vague, overly broad, and violates freedom of speech and the 14th Amendment, Texas Public Radio reports. The decision also found theres little evidence of illegal vote harvesting.

The decision temporarily paused Paxtons investigation, but he appealed, allowing the probe to move forward.
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President Donald Trumps administration has halted funding for a team researching how to help infants with heart defects.

Dr. James Antaki, a professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell University, tells NBC News that the Department of Defense has cancelled a $6.7 million grant that would allow him to continue researching PediaFlow, a device that could boost blood flow in infants with heart defects.

Antakis device, which he began developing in 2003, is the size of an AA battery and helps increase blood flow to babies born with a hole between the chambers of their heart. The device helps babies survive until they have surgery or receive a donated heart.

The agency sent him a stop-work order on April 8 and withdrew the grant, which would have been distributed over four years. The notice, which came one month after the grant was first approved, said the withdrawal was at the direction of the Administration.

open image in gallery Secretary Pete Hegseth's Department of Defense cancelled a grant to fund research on a life-saving device for babies with heart defects ( AFP via Getty Images )

Antakis three decades of research on the subject are now in jeopardy, he told NBC News. If funding isnt restored within three months, his lab will need to lay off staff, and the PhD students involved will have to find a new area of research.

I feel that its my calling in life to complete this project, he said. Once a week, I go through this mental process of, Is it time to give up? But it is not my prerogative to give up.

Compared to the federal governments budget, Antaki says this grant is a small amount of money that could do so much good for so many people.

Its just the right thing to do, he told NBC News. It just it kind of speaks for itself.

Dr. Evan Zahn, a pediatric interventional cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center who isnt involved in Antakis research, said the loss of funding is a major blow to pediatric research.

Technology specifically designed for our children, particularly babies across the board, is desperately needed, so losing funding for something like that is a real loss, he told NBC News.

open image in gallery Dr. James Antaki's lab at Cornell University will have to lay off staff and PhD students will have to find new areas of research if funding isn't sorted within 90 days ( Getty Images )

This comes after the Trump administration shut down the office responsible for leading the Safe to Sleep campaign, which provided education on safe sleep practices for infants, NPR reports.

When the campaign was first launched in 1994, the number of infant deaths decreased by 50 percent and it has subsequently saved thousands of infants lives, pediatrician Dr. Rachel Moon told NPR.

These cuts, which are part of Trumps directive to downsize the federal government, come as the administration claims to support new parents and says it even wants to financially incentivize Americans to have more children.

The president recently floated the idea of a $5,000 baby bonus for new parents, while the White House has reportedly fielded proposals to bestow a National Medal of Motherhood to mothers with six or more children.
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The Department of Homeland Security is considering arresting members of Congress who were involved in a scuffle between New Jersey officials and guards outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on Friday.

The threatened arrests would mark a dramatic escalation of an already controversial incident that saw the arrest of Newark mayor Ras Baraka.

Whether you are a civilian, a mayor, or a member of Congress, if you are storming an an ICE detention facility and putting law enforcement and detainees at risk, you can bet that we will arrest you and you will face the law, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told CNN on Saturday. You will face justice.

Federal authorities allege Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver, all New Jersey Democrats, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility during an oversight visit at the Newark-area Delaney Hall Detention Center on Friday, an allegation the legislators have all denied.

"Threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this administration abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone who stands up to them," a spokesperson for Watson Coleman told Axios.

DHS says body camera footage of the scuffle, which took place in a parking lot area outside the detention center, shows McIver elbowing past a DHS agent, while McLaughlin has alleged one of the lawmakers body slammed an ICE officer.

We were just simply there to do our jobs, McIver told CNN in a separate interview. We are congressional members. Our job is oversight. We were there to do that. Thats simply it. We did not come there to try to break people. We did not come there to cause chaos or cause any trouble.

"We're honestly surprised they released this footage given that it so wholly contradicts their claims, Watson Colemans spokesperson added to Axios. Nobody was 'body slammed,' nobody 'assaulted' any agents, and this footage confirms that."

Congress members say DHS is lying about order of events that led to scuffle outside New Jersey detention facility ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Baraka was initially allowed into a fenced parking lot area outside the detention facility before officers told him to leave and threatened him with arrest.

A chaotic scene later ensued as ICE agents, members of Congress, staff members, and gathered protesters pushed and shoved and shouted at each other.

Video of the incident from NJ Spotlight News appears to show McIver attempt to make her way through the scrum as Baraka is pulled from outside the facility into a fenced area.

A voice can eventually be heard saying, Clear the way, member of Congress coming in.

The lawmakers have insisted that DHS is making false claims about what happened.

Since DHS has been lying about this, allow me to correct the record, Rep Watson Coleman wrote in a statement on X on Friday. This scuffle, during which an ICE agent physically shoved me, occurred AFTER we had entered the Delaney Hall premises. We entered the facility, came BACK OUT to speak to the Mayor, and then ICE agents began shoving us.

Democratic lawmakers demand tour of NJ ICE facility before Newark mayor is arrested

After Mayor Baraka was arrested yesterday, DHS officials let us conduct our tour as is required by law, Rep. Menendez said in a statement on X on Saturday. So despite the Admins attempts to spin this, they know we had every right to be there and enter the facility. If you ignore the spin, youll see there is only one accurate narrative - ours

The Independent has contacted McIver and Menendezs offices for further comment on the arrest threat.

Baraka, who has been charged in federal court with trespassing and released without bond, said after the incident he did nothing wrong and that his arrest was part of what democracy is about.

Last month, federal agents arrested Hannah Dugan, a Wisconsin judge accused of attempting to prevent federal agents from arresting an undocumented man outside her courtroom.

A group of more than 150 retired state and federal judges signed a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi condemning the arrest, calling it another attempt to intimidate and threaten the judiciary after a series of rulings by judges appointed by presidents of both parties holding the Trump Administration accountable for its countless violations of the Constitution and laws of the United States.
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Donald Trumps administration has decimated the crown jewel of the Department of Justice.

Dozens of career officials working in the departments storied civil rights division have left in a mass exodus of prosecutors and staff.

Trumps new chief of the storied division, Harmeet Dhillon, has recast the agencys mission into one that leans into the presidents grievances and shifts its focus away from critical missions like police oversight, voting rights protections and combating racial discrimination.

The president has also signed an executive order that directs federal agencies to abandon a critical tool used to enforce the landmark Civil Rights Act, the bedrock civil rights law that forms the basis of the nations antidiscrimination laws  from ending segregation to federal protections for housing and employment.

In an expansive executive order signed last month, Trump directed the federal government to deprioritize enforcement of federal law that includes disparate impact liability  the idea that a policy or behavior that hurts a protected group more than others can be considered discriminatory even if they were not intended to discriminate.

Trumps executive order on April 23 claims that doing so is unlawful, and ordered agencies to end or revisit pending investigations, lawsuits or judgements that relied on disparate impact liability.

Civil rights groups argue that the disparate impact test is one of the most important tools for uncovering discrimination where seemingly neutral policies or laws have potentially severely different outcomes for protected people.

If not for disparate impact liability, employers could lawfully deny jobs to applicants of color based on any prior arrests, pay women less without regard to their job duties, and fire older workers based on age limitations, without having to show any business justification for these discriminatory policies, according to Katy Youker, director of the Economic Justice Project at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

The presidents executive orders do not change the law upholding disparate impact as a form of discrimination, but they do expose a vision for America that predates the Civil Rights movement, she said in a statement.

open image in gallery Trump picked right-wing activist attorney Harmeet Dhillon to lead the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division ( AP )

Dhillon, meanwhile, has redirected the Civil Rights Division staff to investigate allegations of antisemitism as defined under the Trump administration, the participation of transgender athletes in girls and womens sports, anti-Christian bias, and institutions with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In an interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck last month, Dhillon said dozens and now over 100 attorneys decided that theyd rather not do what their job requires them to do and have left her division.

I think thats fine, because we dont want people in the federal government who feel like its their pet project to go persecute, you know, police departments based on statistical evidence or persecute people praying outside abortion facilities instead of doing violence, she said. Thats not the job here. The job here is to enforce the federal civil rights laws, not woke ideology.

The dramatic departure of dozens of career attorneys inside the division is just further evidence that this is not an administration that cares about civil rights, said Jin Hee Lee, director of strategic initiatives at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

The rapid transformation of the department is really unprecedented and and really threatens the foundations of our multiracial democracy, and its something that all Americans should be very, very alarmed about, she told The Independent.

This is a real moment in history in terms of trying to thwart efforts to undermine our democracy, she said.

open image in gallery Trump signed an executive order on April 23 gutting a critical tool for combatting discrimination under the Civil Rights Act ( REUTERS )

The Trump administrations crusade against so-called woke ideology is a direct assault on civil rights progress, according to civil rights groups and advocates. Dhillon has even suggested that the depth of discrimination in the United States that inspired the civil rights movement and creation of the Civil Rights Act in the first place no longer exists.

Its 2025, today, she said. The idea that some police department or some big employer can be sued because of statistics, which can be manipulated, is ludicrous and it is unfair.

The Trump administration is not merely shifting priorities for enforcement of civil rights abuses, Vanita Gupta, who ran the Civil Rights Division during the Obama and Biden administrations, told The New York Times.

The division has been turned on its head and is now being used as a weapon against the very communities it was established to protect, she said.

Jon Greenbaum, a former senior trial attorney for the voting rights section at the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, called Trumps gutting of the agency and the departure of career officials the end of the division itself.

This is what we are faced with for the next three and three-quarter years in the Civil Rights Division and the executive branch as a whole, he wrote last month. Federal agencies that follow the dictates of one person and his friends while largely ignoring their Congressionally mandated responsibilities.
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A new AP-NORC poll finds that the majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trumps stance on colleges and universities as he intensifies threats to cut federal funding unless schools comply with his political agenda.

More than half of Americans, 56 percent, disapprove of the Trump administrations approach to higher education, while about four in 10 approve, reflecting his overall job approval ratings.

Since taking office in January, Trump has sought to enforce change at universities he claims have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.

Harvard University is the most recent target. The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal grants, threatened to strip the school's tax-exempt status, and demanded broad policy changes. The university has characterized the governments demands as a threat to the autonomy that the Supreme Court has long granted to American universities.

The Trump administration has also cut off funding to other elite colleges, including Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell University, citing their handling of pro-Palestinian activism and transgender athletes participation in womens sports.

This targeting of universities appears out of step with the wider American public, which sees such institutions as key to scientific research, new ideas, and innovation.

About six in 10 U.S. adults say colleges and universities make more of a positive contribution to medical and scientific research than a negative one, and a similar share favors maintaining federal funding for scientific research.

Freddy Ortega, 66, a Democrat and a retired military veteran in Columbus, Georgia, told the AP: The way [Trump] took away all that money in funding, impacting things that Harvard has been working on for the betterment of the world.

One man should not have that much power, Ortega continued. This is something for Congress to deal with.

open image in gallery Harvard students and faculty demonstrate on campus against Trumps attacks on the university ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. )

Ortega, who is Hispanic, also expressed concern regarding Trumps attempts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs throughout U.S. society. I came up in the military. I know the good that those programs do, he said. It changes the direction that peoples lives are going to take.

For Republicans, the issue is more complex. The presidents approach generally resonates strongly with them, even more so than his handling of the economy, with eight in 10 Republicans approving of his approach to colleges, many of whom see universities as places where conservative ideas are silenced and liberalism runs unchecked. Six in 10 say they are extremely or very concerned about liberal bias on campus.

However, on withholding federal funding from schools unless they bow to Trumps demands, the numbers are significantly different. About half are in favor, while about one-quarter are opposed, and a similar share is neutral.

Im all for it, said Republican voter Hengameh Abraham, 38, a mother of two in Roseville, California. She supports cutting federal funds and opposes DEI programs, saying she emigrated to America from Iran as a teenager and worked hard to succeed in school without the help of affirmative action programs.

Your racial identity, nationality, and background should not be a factor in getting accepted to college or getting a job, said Abraham. She endorses Trumps focus on campus antisemitism. When pro-Palestinian protests swept through U.S. colleges last year, she noted that some of the demonstrators messaging was anti-U.S.

I do not think if you have any kind of anti-American agenda or slogan that you should be allowed on a university campus in the United States, she said.

In Harvards case, Trump has threatened to remove its tax-exempt status, and his administration has implemented funding cuts. Those measures are divisive among the general public: nearly half oppose withholding federal funding as a punitive action, while about one-quarter favor it. About one-quarter remain neutral.

Charles Jolivette, 43, a Democrat and college career counselor from New Orleans, views Trumps education policies as an assault on free speech and people of color.

Not only is the president going after anyone he feels is an opponent and anyone who is not compliant, but hes attacking some of the most important elements of our society, said Jolivette. Its rampant bullying from the president of the United States, who is supposed to be crossing the aisle.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a top concern of most Americans is the cost of a college degree, with about six in 10 U.S. adults extremely or very concerned about the cost of tuition. The majority of Democrats and Republicans share that concern, which far outweighs concerns about antisemitism and liberal bias on campuses among the general public.

College costs a lot more than it needs to. To get an education, you should not have to break your pocketbook, said Eunice Cortez, 68, a Republican near Houston.

open image in gallery A sculler rows down the Charles River near Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Cortez, who is originally from Mexico, did not attend college, but she ensured that her U.S.-born children did and is proud that her grandchildren are earning college degrees. She supports Trump but is concerned that some of his policies, including funding cuts, will make it harder for people who need tuition aid to obtain an education. She sees it as the government getting in the way of an educated society.

The poll shows a divide between college-educated Americans and those without college degrees, highlighting a possible cultural rift that Trump has seized on in the past.

Most Americans with a college degree62 percentoppose withholding funding from universities that dont comply with the presidents requirements. In contrast, those without a college degree are divided: about three in 10 in favor, a similar proportion oppose, while around four in 10 express no opinion.

Kara Hansen, 40, a registered independent in Seminole, Oklahoma, is a few credits shy of a college degree. She supports the idea of dismantling the Education Department to shake things up. But she said shes concerned by what she calls Trumps authoritarian tendencies and a growing fear on college campuses to speak up and voice opinions.

It feels like everybody has a muzzle on, Hansen said. They cant fully express themselves because theyre afraid of getting in trouble, and afraid of Trump.

About three in 10 U.S. adults say students or professors can freely speak their minds a lot on college and university campuses. About four in 10 say they can do this to some extent. However, Republicans feel their views are stifled, with about eight in 10 saying liberals can speak their minds a lot or some on campus, but fewer than half express the same sentiment about conservatives.

With reporting from the Associated Press
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Seven days after his inauguration, Donald Trump issued the Iron Dome for America executive order to create a cutting-edge defense system that protects the U.S. from long-range missile attacks.

Trump revealed Tuesday that his administration has settled on a design for the massive system, adding that it will be operational within three years. The president appointed Michael Guetlein, the current vice chief of space operations, to lead the project.

Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built, Trump said from the Oval Office.

The idea evokes the concept of Israels missile defense system, but there would be several key differences between the U.S. allys Iron Dome and Trumps so-called Golden Dome.

The Golden Dome would have to cover a much larger area, for starters. The Golden Dome will also have to be a lot more comprehensive, with several different systems that can locate, track and stop any kind of aerial attack the U.S. might face, according to Wes Rumbaugh, a fellow in the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. By comparison, Israels Iron Dome is a system designed to specifically protect against just short-range rockets and artillery shells.

Congressional Republicans recently proposed allocating $25 billion from this years budget for the project, further signaling that construction could begin soon.

Heres what you need to know about Trumps plan  and why some experts warn it has some big issues:

open image in gallery President Donald Trump wants to build a Golden Dome to protect the U.S. from missile threats. Experts say its technically feasible, but poses several logistical problems ( AP )

Space-based missile defense would be key

Trumps executive order outlines some straightforward aspects to his Golden Dome plan, like an updated missile threat risk assessment or a list of strategic locations where itd be best to defend against missile threats proactively.

But the most significant component is also the most complicated: a network of space-based interceptors, such as lasers, that would be able to stop or destroy warheads shortly after theyre launched. This harkens back to President Ronald Reagans infamous space-based missile defense system, nicknamed Star Wars by critics.

Officials building any space-based interceptor system would need to ensure every possible attacker and target are covered  you cant have Florida covered but not California. But this means building a massive web of interceptors to ensure theyre always in the correct position, which Michael OHanlon, director of research in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, argues would be costly and hugely inefficient.

Youve got to be pretty confident you're going to get everything, or at least knock everything off course, OHanlon tells The Independent.

OHanlon also says lasers themselves also pose a cost issue, because those would have to be sent into orbit with large amounts of fuel and giant mirrors that can focus the lasers energy enough to destroy a warhead.

This translates into each one of your defensive space-based lasers being the equivalent of the Hubble telescope, he says.

open image in gallery An Israeli soldier is seen taking position in front of a battery of an Iron Dome air defense system in Jerusalem. Trump's 'Golden Dome' harkens back to the idea of Israel's Iron Dome, but it has key differences ( AFP via Getty Images )

Can the Golden Dome ever come to fruition?

Rumbaugh believes the Golden Dome is feasible on a purely technical level, but other factors will determine whether it ever gets built.

By building up such strong defensive systems, the U.S. could provoke an adversary into further strengthening their offense, sparking a global arms race. This could trigger a feedback loop where officials make the country less secure and certainly more impoverished, OHanlon said.

If you really try to make this comprehensive against even a Russian nuclear attack, then you're reigniting all the age-old debates about the likelihood of just triggering an arms race where defense continues to be more difficult and expensive than offense, OHanlon added.

Other challenges will include budget and scale. Rumbaugh said some have compared the Golden Dome to the Manhattan Project, Americas top-secret effort to construct an atomic bomb during World War II. OHanlon similarly estimates the project would cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

Even if you just sized [the system] to today's Russian nuclear arsenal, and you wanted to build a multi-layer capability that Trump has talked about, that is already enormously expensive, OHanlon said. I think I calculated something in the range of $500 billion, and that was just for a limited part of it.

open image in gallery Israel's Iron Dome intercepts rockets fired from Lebanon. Trump's so-called Golden Dome would aim to similarly intercept rockets using space-based interceptors ( AFP via Getty Images )

Collaboration and resource-sharing may also prove difficult and the details are still unclear, Rumbaugh added. How will the Missile Defense Agency, the Space Force, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and various other agencies work together to manage the Golden Dome? That remains unclear.

Do we need a Golden Dome?

Even if the idea seems farfetched, OHanlon says the U.S. does need to expand its missile defense capabilities.

I think that there could be some benefits to even a limited, partially effective missile defense system, whether it's defending against the North Korean threat that's continued to grow, or a future Iranian threat, or a threat of a limited strike by Russia or China, he said.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

OHanlon offers that a scaled-back version of Trumps plan could be beneficial overall to U.S. national security.

I think there is value in doing more than we've done already, he added.
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The Trump administration is looking at ways to suspend habeas corpus, a Constitutional right that allows a person to challenge government detention, as a way to assist President Donald Trumps mass deportation agenda.

Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff who is largely credited with helping shape Trumps immigration agenda, told reporters on Friday that the administration could circumvent habeas corpus under claims of an invasion.

The right of habeas corpus is directly given in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, allowing those detained by the government to challenge their detention by filing a petition with a court that has jurisdiction.

However, habeas corpus can be suspended in cases of rebellion or invasion when public safety may require it.

open image in gallery Stephen Miller said the Trump administration was looking at suspending habeas corpus in carrying out Trumps mass deportation agenda ( Getty Images )

The Constitution is clear, and that, of course, is the supreme law of the land, that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of an invasion, so that is an option we are actively looking at, Miller said.

To invoke such, the administration would need to prove that the country was under threat of rebellion or invasion by a specific country or group of people  which it is not currently.

There have only been a handful of occasions in history when habeas corpus has been suspended, and not without intense debate. Former president Abraham Lincoln suspended it nationwide during the Civil War, though Congress later passed a statute permitting it.

But Miller believes the Trump administration could do just that.

A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not, he told reporters.

Since taking office, the Trump administration has sought ways to expedite the removal of undocumented immigrants and bypass traditional due process. But judges have consistently intervened in challenges.

One way Trump has sought this is by invoking the Alien Enemies Act, declaring an invasion by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, in order to remove alleged gang members without traditional due process.

open image in gallery Trump has ordered for the removal of hundreds of undocumented immigrants using little-known or rarely-used statutes ( US Government )

Multiple judges have blocked removals under the act, and while the Supreme Court allowed the administration to continue, they contended that immigrants are entitled to submit habeas corpus petitions.

Trump and members of his administration have expressed deep frustration over judges intervention, claiming theyve gone rogue and defied the administration.

Miller continued, saying Congress stripped federal courts of their jurisdiction over immigration cases under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The habeas corpus clause does not explicitly specify which branch of government has the authority to suspend it, but it has largely been interpreted to be Congress because it falls under Article I.

Courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have repeatedly affirmed that habeas corpus extends beyond U.S. citizens to immigrants or foreigners detained by the U.S. government.

On the surface, Miller's comments appeared to be an escalation of the administration's position compared to one week ago, when right-wing influencer Rogan O'Handley used his turn in the White House's "new media" briefing room seat to explicitly ask White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt if Trump would consider suspending the writ to "circumvent ... radical judges."

At the time, Leavitt said she had "not heard such discussions take place" while hedging by suggesting that Trump was "certainly open to all legal and constitutional remedies" to continue expelling people from the United States."

But privately, some administration officials concede that suspending the writ would be a "heavy lift" because it has only been done previously at time of war or in overseas territory controlled by the United States.

Andrew Feinberg contributed to this report
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Americas automakers have strafed President Donald Trumps big beautiful tentative trade deal with the U.K.

Ford, GM and Stellantis complained the deal, which hasnt yet been officially agreed to, will actually hurt U.S. automakers by putting them at a competitive disadvantage with British companies.

Under the deal, Britain can send a quota of 100,000 cars annually to the U.S. with a 10 percent tariffs (amounts over that level will face 27.5 percent tariffs). Steel exports will be tariff free.

The U.S. carmakers said their vehicles produced in Canada and Mexico, or produced with parts or steel from those countries, continue to face devastating 25 percent tariffs.

Under this deal, it will now be cheaper to import a U.K. vehicle with very little U.S. content than a ... vehicle from Mexico or Canada that is half American parts, said the American Automotive Policy Council , which represents the Detroit Three automakers. This hurts American automakers, suppliers, and auto workers.

The statement further complained: "We are disappointed that the administration prioritized the U.K. ahead of our North American partners. We hope this preferential access for U.K. vehicles over North American ones does not set a precedent for future negotiations with Asian and European competitors.

Ford, GM and Toyota have already predicted billions of dollars in extra costs due to Trump's trade war. Much of the costs will be paid by the car companies to cover tariffs on imported parts or steel will be passed onto the American consumer.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the U.K. agreement is a good deal for U.S. carmakers, but did not explain how thats possible.

Donald Trump loves his big, beautiful tentative trade deal with Britain. American automakers dont ( AP )

She insisted that Trump listens to the concerns of the auto industry and wants to see them succeed.

The president wants to put them on the best pedestal to compete, Leavitt said. This is a good deal for them, too.

Other critics have bashed the plan, pointing out that beyond Trumps exemption for British steel, his across-the-board 10 percent tariff remains on all other products around the world (and still including Britain).

That means American importers will have to continue to pay those levies, and pass on some if not all of the extra costs to U.S. consumers, leaving them in a worse situation than before Trump took office.
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A recovery operation for a superyacht sunk off the Sicilian coast has been paused after a diver died during the salvage effort.

The yacht, named Bayesian, sank a year ago following a powerful storm that claimed the lives of seven people, including UK tech magnate Mike Lynch and his daughter.

The vessel currently rests 49 meters (160 feet) below the surface. The diver, a specialist working on the recovery, died Saturday, according to a spokesman for the company overseeing the operation. Further details surrounding the diver's death were not immediately available.

We are saddened to confirm the tragic death of a specialist diver while doing underwater work earlier today (Friday), said David Wilson, spokesman for the British-based TMC Marine, in an emailed statement.

He also said authorities started an investigation and all parties are offering their full cooperation.

The Palermo Port Authority, in charge of the investigation, declined to comment on the cause of the diver's death.

The local prosecutor's office has also sealed off the area where the 39-year-old Dutch diver died, local media reported.

open image in gallery Deacon of the Church of England, Carrie Pemberton Ford, center, speaks, Sunday, May 4, 2025, after attending a Mass celebrated by Catholic priest, father Lorenzo Buscemi, second from right, in the Sicilian village of Porticello, southern Italy, for the victims of the British superyacht Bayesian which sank off Porticello, on Aug. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli) ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Marine salvage experts began work in early May to refloat the ship from the seabed off the Sicilian port of Porticello, importing one of the most powerful maritime cranes in Europe from Rotterdam.

The plan was to cut the yachts 75-meter (246-foot) aluminum mast  the second tallest in the world  to allow the hull to be brought to the surface more easily. It was thought initially the operation would take from 20 to 25 days to salvage the yacht, but now it is unclear when the Bayesians complex recovery could be resumed.

Dutch-based companies HEBO, a maritime services company from Rotterdam, and SMIT Salvage lead the salvage operation on site with support from Italian specialists.

open image in gallery Hannah and Mike Lynch died in the sinking last summer (family handout/PA) ( PA Media )

The 56-meter (183-foot)-long, 473-ton yacht sank during what appears to have been a sudden downburst, or localized powerful wind from a thunderstorm that spreads rapidly after hitting the surface. Prosecutors are investigating the captain and two crew members for possible responsibility in the sinking.

In addition to Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy, attorney Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, and the ships cook, Recaldo Thomas, died in the shipwreck.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a three-day pause in fighting against Ukraine, but for bloodied Ukrainian soldiers limping into a field hospital, their wounds testified that the ceasefire was not being respected.

One soldier, who gave his name as Stanislav, sat in the field hospital on Friday night cradling his left arm. It was wrapped in gauze bandage, and blood was soaking through.

There hasnt been any ceasefire," said Stanislav, who did not give his full name in line with Ukrainian military protocol.

"Shelling has continued just as before, drones are flying just like before, the same with explosives being dropped. Nothing has changed at all."

"Look, we were driving today, there were mortars all the way. Advance parties moved forward, they tried to attack."

open image in gallery Medics help Stanislav, wounded Ukrainian serviceman of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, at a medical stabilisation point, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Alina Smutko ( REUTERS )

Putin announced the three-day ceasefire to coincide with a May 9 military parade on Moscow's Red Square where he hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders in commemoration of the end of World War Two.

The ceasefire is due to end at midnight (2100 GMT) on Saturday.

Ukraine did not sign up for the ceasefire, calling it a ruse by Putin. Each side has accused the other of carrying on fighting regardless, though there has been a pause in long-range attacks on each other's capitals.

Reuters was given access to the field hospital, in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine that is partially controlled by Russian forces, on condition the news agency did not disclose the exact location.

open image in gallery Oleh, 51-years-old, medic of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Transcarpathian Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, helps a wounded Ukrainian serviceman at the unitas medical stabilisation point, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Alina Smutko ( REUTERS )

Medics examined soldiers as they came in and replaced the dressings that had been hurriedly put on their wounds out in the field. The more serious cases were placed on a gurney while medics bandaged them, checked their vital signs, and cleaned dried blood and mud off their skin.

One of the medics, who gave his name as Oleh, said it was a regular night's work, even with the Russian-declared ceasefire.

The same as usual, we got used to it. They will never change," he said of the Russian forces.

"Just the opposite, we know that if they declare some sort of ceasefire it will be exactly the opposite. No question about that. They keep shooting."
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Attempts to refloat tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht from the seabed have been paused after the death of a highly respected salvage diver off the coast of northern Sicily.

Billionaire entrepreneur Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, were among seven people who died when the 56-metre (184ft) Bayesian sank off the coast of Palermo on August 19.

The vessel currently rests 49 meters (160 feet) below the surface.

The diver, a 39-year-old Dutch national, died on Saturday, according to a spokesman for the company overseeing the operation.

open image in gallery Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah Lynch, who both died after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank. ( PA Media )

The diver, who had been working for maritime salvage agency Hebo Maritiemservice, was pulled to the surface, where medics on board the Hebo 2 and Hebo 10 support ships tried to resuscitate him.

Italian-based AGI news agency said the man was hit by a piece of metal as divers were cutting the boom - the horizontal pole attached to the vertical mast of the ship - from the wreck of the Bayesian, but police insist that the precise cause of death is still unknown.

A spokesperson for TMC Marine, the UK-based marine consultancy leading the salvage effort, confirmed the death in a statement.

"This pause in activity is necessary for the investigations to be completed and to allow all salvage and associated teams to mourn the tragic loss of a highly respected salvage diver during yesterday's underwater work.

The Independent has approached Hebo Maritiemservice for comment.

The attempt to lift the yacht off the seabed is expected later this month and should help shed light on how a supposedly unsinkable vessel disappeared into the sea.

Hebo Lift 2, a multi-purpose floating barge equipped with diving and remotely-operated underwater vehicle systems and a support tug, arrived at the site, near the port of the fishing village Porticello, on Saturday.

A detailed analysis of the Bayesian and the surrounding seabed has since confirmed there has been no change to the superyachts condition since the previous inspection, meaning plans to raise the vessel can now go ahead.

open image in gallery The haunting final moments of Bayesian ship were shown ahead of Mike Lynch inquest ( The Sinking of a Superyacht: How Safe is Your Voyage/ ITV )

An inquest has been opened into the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals.

US lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, and Canadian-Antiguan national Recaldo Thomas, who was working as a chef on the vessel, also died in the sinking.

Fifteen people, including Mr Lynchs wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued.

Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London, and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks in Kent.

The tycoon founded software giant Autonomy in 1996 and was cleared in June last year of fraud charges relating to the sale of the firm to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

The boat trip was a celebration of his acquittal in the case in the US.
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Pope Leo XIV has only been the head of the Catholic Church for two days, but the world is already wondering what the direction of his leadership will be.

In the immediate future, the new pontiff faces a packed schedule of religious services, diplomatic meetings and Holy Year events, many of which were organised for his predecessor Francis.

The formal inauguration Mass  for the first US pontiff in the 2,000-year history of the Roman Catholic Church  will be held in St. Peter's Square on 18 May.

He will also preside over the continuation of the 2025 Holy Year, also known as a Jubilee, which traditionally occurs every 25 years, drawing millions of pilgrims to Rome for a continuous stream of events. Leo inherits celebrations for that from Francis, who died on 21 April, aged 88.

Beyond the religious pageantry and events, cardinals and other clerics gave glimpses into Leos background and his views on social issues, hinting at the direction his papacy would take.

open image in gallery The new pontiff faces a packed schedule of religious services, diplomatic meetings and Holy Year events ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx said Pope Leo had a breadth of experience, cultural knowledge and language skills from his time in the US and Peru that made him a good fit for the role.

Born in Chicago, Leo worked for decades in Peru and is a dual US-Peruvian citizen. Besides English and Spanish, he also speaks French, Italian and German and understands Latin.

"He spoke his first word on peace. I think that was an important word, which he made clear once again," Mr Marx said on Friday.

The German cardinal said Leo would continue to speak out against conflict and violence, following the example of Pope Francis.

"There has to be another voice, and I think that's what is expected," he added.

open image in gallery German Cardinal Reinhard Marx said Leo would continue to speak out against conflict and violence ( AP )

US president Donald Trump hailed the appointment of the first US pope, but social media posts show that Leo challenged US policies on issues such as migration when he was a cardinal.

"As the pope, he certainly won't want to provoke there, in that direction," Mr Marx said, referring to relations with president Trump, but added that Leo would be prepared to take a stand when necessary.

A senior member of Leos Augustinian religious order said he thought the new pope would be less impulsive than his predecessor Francis, who had a reputation for forthright, off-the-cuff comments.

"Pope Francis would speak what was on his mind immediately. I think what we'll see with Pope Leo is a man who wants to think first and process what is the message he wants to deliver. And then deliver it," Rev. Joseph Farrell, Vicar General of the Order of St. Augustine, told news agency Reuters.

"I think that's an attractive aspect of somebody who's going to be in leadership and servant leadership in the church," said Farrell, who is not a cardinal and was not in the conclave.

The most important decision a new pope has to make is what they should be called, and formerly Cardinal Prevost gave an important indication of his priorities when he opted for Leo.

"His name is his programme," said Serbian Cardinal Ladislav Nemet, archbishop of Belgrade, who dined with the new pope on Thursday night.

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 better pay, fair working conditions, and the right to join unions.
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Pope Leo XIV has identified artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity today.

In his first meeting with all the cardinals since his election as pontiff, Leo said AI poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labour.

He referred to his namesake Pope Leo XIII (1878 to 1903), remembered for laying the foundation for modern Catholic social thought.

Pope Leo XIII wrote a famous open letter to all Catholics in 1891, called Rerum Novarum (Of Revolutionary Change), which reflected on the destruction wrought by the Industrial Revolution on the lives of workers.

open image in gallery Pope Leo XIV meets the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican ( AP )

On Saturday Leo pointed out the similarity with AI, telling cardinals: In our own day, the church offers everyone the treasury of its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.

Toward the end of his pontificate, Pope Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it.

It has been clearly seen in the example of so many of my predecessors, and most recently by Pope Francis himself, with his example of complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life, his abandonment to God throughout his ministry and his serene trust at the moment of his return to the Fathers house, Pope Leo told the gathering.

Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith.

Leos speech on the perils of AI came after US President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as the pope on his Truth Social platform less than a week after attending the funeral of Pope Francis, who died aged 88 on Easter Monday.

open image in gallery Donald Trump appears as a pope in an AI generated image of himself he posted on his Truth Social account ( Donald J. Trump/Truth Social )

The White House then reposted it on its official X account with JD Vance dismissing the photo as a joke.

Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi wrote on X: This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the global right enjoys being a clown.

Last year, an AI-generated image of Pope Francis wearing a luxury white puffer jacket went viral, showing just how quickly realistic deepfake imagery can spread online.

open image in gallery Prevost is expected to carry on the work of his predecessor, Pope Francis, according to theologians and historians ( Getty Images )

Pope Francis had emphasised the grave, existential concerns that have been raised by ethicists and human rights advocates about the technology that promises to transform everyday life in ways that can disrupt everything from democratic elections to art.

His greatest alarm was devoted to the use of AI in the armaments sector, which he said has seen remote weapons systems leading to a distancing from the immense tragedy of war and a lessened perception of the devastation caused by those weapons systems and the burden of responsibility for their use.
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Drowning in baby clothes intended for newborns, Siham stares with hollow eyes at the hospital wall, struggling to make a faint cry.

Just one year old, she is emaciated and sick from consuming contaminated water and food since being born in a displacement camp in southern Gaza.

Her mother, Ikhlas, 28, who fled Israels ferocious bombardment of northern Gaza four times, says she was herself so malnourished she struggled to breastfeed.

With no baby formula available since Israel cut off all supplies to the besieged strip, Ikhlas was forced to feed Siham regular milk, which only made her daughter sicker.

We used to eat bread, sometimes with thyme. Now we are dependent on rice and pasta because we ran out of flour, she tells The Independent from the Patients Friends Benevolent Society Hospital in Gaza City, where medics are fighting to keep Siham alive.

All the people of Gaza are living in a state of famine. If the crossings remain closed, I fear I will lose my baby, as some children have already died in recent weeks.

open image in gallery One-year-old Siham is being treated in hospital for malnutrition ( Jehad Shammla )

Across the devastated strip, families are trying to survive on rice, salt and water  including Wedad Abdelaal, whose three children, including 9-month-old son Khaled, are all suffering from malnutrition in a tent in al-Mawasi, along Gazas coast.

In the wake of the collapse of a truce in Gaza in March, Israel imposed a total ban on aid to the enclave, which is just 25 miles long and home to more than 2 million people. Israel justified its actions by accusing the Hamas militant group of stealing aid to feed its war machine.

But it has forced families into famine-like conditions, and medics on the ground tell The Independent that people are starving to death, children are losing their eyesight, and babies like Siham may not survive.

And so the United Nations, along with aid agencies and human rights groups, have sounded the alarm about the crisis and called on the international community to take immediate action.

Donald Trump is due to visit the Middle East next week  his first major international trip since resuming office in January. He is also expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, mostly to discuss arms and trade deals, although reports suggest he may also attempt to broker a Gaza peace deal.

Ahead of the trip, US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said a US-backed plan for distributing aid into Gaza would take effect soon, claiming several partners have already committed to the aid arrangement, but declined to name them, leaving rights groups sceptical.

open image in gallery Palestinians at a community food kitchen in Khan Younis on Friday ( AP )

But pressure is growing for an end to the blockade. This week UN experts went as far as to warn Israels allies  including the UK  that continued political and material support, especially arms transfers to Israel, risks complicity in genocide and other serious international crimes.

Amnesty International said this month that the ongoing two-month aid ban amounts to genocide in action, urging the international community to take immediate steps, including concrete measures to pressure Israel to lift the total siege and allow unrestricted humanitarian access across Gaza.

Israel launched an unprecedented bombardment of Gaza in October 2023, following Hamass bloody 7 October attacks on southern Israel, during which more than 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. Since then, Israeli bombing has killed more than 52,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. It has displaced over 90 per cent of Gazas population, and nearly 60 per cent of all buildings across the strip have been destroyed.

open image in gallery Two-year-old Hala weighs just 3kg ( Jehad Shammla/The Independent )

There are growing fears the crisis will escalate despite the outcry. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to dramatically expand military operations and indefinitely occupy swathes of Gaza.

This week, Israels far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said Gaza should be completely destroyed and Palestinians forcibly transferred to another country.

Israeli officials say a final decision on the plan may hinge on the outcome of negotiations for a hostage deal, expected to conclude by the end of Mr Trumps visit.

Meanwhile, European leaders and humanitarian groups have criticised a plan proposed by Israel to allow private companies to take over humanitarian distribution in Gaza.

A separate proposal is circulating among the aid community for a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that would distribute food from four "secure distribution sites" but drew criticism that it would effectively worsen displacement among the Gaza population.

open image in gallery Wedad Abdelaal, right, holds her malnourished nine-month-old son Khaled with her other children Ahmed, 7, and Maria, 4, (front) also showing signs of malnutrition ( AP )

Back in the hospital wards, the families are desperate for supplies to save their childrens lives as the blockade remains in place.

Two-year-old Hala, born just two months before the start of the war and treated in the same unit as Siham, weighs just over 3kg  about the weight of a newborn.

Her mother, Alaa, 24, says she was born with a condition that causes a deficiency in potassium and sodium, but her treatment was cut off in the bombardment. Now both mother and baby are suffering from malnutrition, and Alaa is also worried her baby might die.

There was no opportunity to treat malnourished children due to the closure of most of the hospitals, she tells The Independent in desperation.

Now the crossings have been closed for more than two months and there is not enough food.
Lord Mandelson, now serving as US Ambassador to the UK, revealed on BBCs Newsnight that Donald Trump greeted him with an unexpected compliment during their first meeting.

When I first walked into the Oval Office, he said, God, youre a good-looking fellow, arent you? Mandelson recalled.

The Labour politician also described the president as a peoples person and that he takes people as they are.

The anecdote comes as Sir Keir Starmer announced a landmark agreement with the US.

The deal, reportedly secured after a late-night call from Trump on Wednesday, follows weeks of negotiations between both governments.
Data centers evoke strong and conflicting opinions. Advocates point to the truly significant revenue they can generate for local governments. Opponents point to data centers enormous energy needs, climate impacts, water use and their capacity to diminish the quality of life for residents living nearby.

To weigh the costs and benefits of data centers and to set the ground rules for any potential data-center development, local governments should empower members of the public with all relevant information to foster a meaningful debate. We fear, however, that the widespread use of nondisclosure agreements and a larger ethic of secrecy regarding data center development curtails this discussion and, in so doing, impairs local democracy.

In order to understand how common NDAs are between local governments and data center companies, we submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to every Virginia locality we could identify with an existing, approved or proposed data center. We found that the vast majority  25 out of a total of 31 localities  have NDAs. We think that this could be an underestimate because some local governments may use definitions or maneuvers to avoid disclosing this information. For instance, one county reported that officials signed an NDA with a major tech firm, but they did not retain a copy for public record.

When we began our research, we naively assumed that NDAs were narrowly drawn guarantees that local governments would not share a companys proprietary technology or cutting-edge trade secrets. But upon reading the documents, we found that they were written much more broadly, to prohibit sharing all business plans and/or non-public information. Such broad categories could cover almost anything, including information that relates directly to community impacts.

While these agreements acknowledge that a local government may be required to disclose information if requested by the public, they also often call on officials to share as little as legally possible, while giving the data center company advanced notice to intervene with its legal team if it so wishes before any information is shared. In this way, NDAs are written to privilege secrecy over transparency in data center development.

There is, of course, another perspective on this topic. Local officials might argue that the use of nondisclosure agreements is both lawful and routine in many types of economic development, not just for data centers. Our response is that just because a practice is currently legal, it doesnt mean that it should remain that way. And even if local governments frequently join confidentiality agreements, it doesnt mean that they are in the interest of local democracy.

For example, when one local government released two NDAs to us, it asked that we keep the information as confidential as possible out of fear that it could jeopardize its data center projects that were in the works but not yet publicly announced. Why would sharing this information put the deals in jeopardy? If they are in the public interest, the projects should be able to withstand scrutiny even as they develop.

In Fredericksburg, the city council recently passed zoning changes to create a technology overlay district for a new data center campus. But it did not give the public enough information to effectively participate in the conversation beforehand. The city did not announce the name of the data center company until the night of the city councils vote. The city did not share the total number of data centers that would be included in the project until the day after the vote. Members of the public knew that the project would include several data centers, but many people  including us  were surprised to learn that the project will include eight to 12 new data center buildings.

Depending upon the kind of cooling system that a data center uses, its operation may require huge amounts of water, as much as several million gallons a day. But confidentiality agreements may prevent the public from fully understanding potential impacts to our rivers and water systems. This is clearly evident in a water service agreement between Spotsylvania County and Amazon for a new data center campus, which includes a confidentiality clause that states, for the avoidance of doubt ADS [Amazon Data Service] water usage, sewage usage, and basis of design is considered Confidential Information.

Data center water and wastewater use should not be confidential. The well-being of our rivers, streams and aquifers impacts us all. But this is not just about protecting the health of our environment; its also about protecting our democracy.

Local democracy means more than elections. It also requires properly informing the public, nurturing meaningful discussions and giving community members an opportunity to influence decisions that will directly impact them. By withholding important and timely information, local governments and data center companies short-circuit debate in order to arrive at predetermined outcomes.

Democracy  some say  dies in the dark. But that is exactly where many data center deals are born and live.

This column was originally published in the Virginia Mercury.
European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, laying candles and flowers at a war memorial draped in Ukrainian flags. (10 May)

Among those present were First Lady Olena Zelenska, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merzon his first visit since taking officeand Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The symbolic gathering underscored a shared call for peace as the war grinds on. Their visit coincided with US president Donald Trump urging Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to enable meaningful peace talks.
Sir Keir Starmer has called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine starting on May 12.

The announcement was made on Saturday alongside leaders of France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine after a meeting in Kyiv, following a phone call with Donald Trump.

"All of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it," Mr Starmer told reporters at a news conference.

He added: If Putin turns his back on peace, we will respond. We will ramp up sanctions and increase military support for Ukraine to pressure Russia back to the table.
Watch the moment the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv alongside the leaders of France, Germany, and Polandthe first time leaders from all four nations have travelled to Ukraine together. Their historic visit marks a unified call for peace as the war continues.

It also marks Chancellor Merzs first trip to Ukraine since taking office.

The delegation comes as President Donald Trump called for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to allow for unfettered peace talks to enable meaningful peace talks and humanitarian access, amid growing international pressure to end the conflict.
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The world was stunned by the horrific Hamas atrocity of 7 October 2023, in southern Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages seized  the youngest just nine months old. Despite its fierce retaliation raising immediate alarm, Israel found international backing for the right to defend itself.

But now any initial moral justification for continuing to prosecute the war 18 months on has been lost  and the disgust we once reserved for Hamas militants transferred to the brutal and relentless assaults by the Israel Defense Forces and the humanitarian disaster caused by its blockade.

Since the start of the war, civilians in Gaza have paid a devastating toll  the number of dead now stands at more than 52,000, according to Palestinian health authorities. With aid and water supplies into the strip severed on day two of the conflict, only to be partially reinstated and then cut again as the fighting continued, the Palestinians living in Gaza have always been little more than collateral damage.

The ceasefire wrestled into being in January this year brought brief hope that the temporary truce could pave the way to negotiations for a long-term peace plan. With some of the hostages released in emotional scenes, there appeared to be a chink of light. But as those hopes died, any interest in the humanitarian catastrophe similarly seeped away.

Donald Trump attracted much attention for his bizarre  and deeply immoral  idea that the US take ownership of Gaza and to turn it into a second Mediterranean Riviera. The forcible deportation of more than 2 million Palestinians from their land and whats left of their homes would represent the greatest act of ethnic cleansing since the Second World War.

When the first phase of the ceasefire expired in March  and Israel and Hamas accused each other of scuppering the deal  Israel imposed a total ban on all humanitarian aid going to Gaza. Nothing would be allowed through. No medication, no food, no supplies.

Emboldened by the US president, Benjamin Netanyahu  the Israeli prime minister  announced the resumption of its bombardment of the enclave. Shockingly, the response from the international community was muted. Israels allies, including the UK, should have spoken out against this counterproductive and literally aimless move, as well as the devastating humanitarian catastrophe that it caused.

The silence from the UK and others has been deafening.

Sir Keir Starmer should be ashamed that he said nothing, especially since Mr Netanyahu has now announced new plans to expand the already devastating bombardment of Gaza  and impose an indefinite occupation of the strip. His finance minister Bezalel Smotrich put it in even more stark terms: the aim is, he said, to completely destroy Gaza.

It is time for the world to wake up to what is happening and to demand an end to the suffering of the Palestinians trapped in the enclave. Some people may want to turn away, unable to comprehend the levels of starvation, misery and hopelessness.

But we urge those people to read Bel Trew and Nedal Hamdounas harrowing account of the malnutrition now afflicting Palestinian children. Now is not the time to avert our eyes.

The British government initially wanted to support our ally. In the immediate aftermath of the horror of 7 October 2023  a date that will live in infamy  Israel was offered support from across the world. A desire to return the hostages and seek justice was expected.

But Mr Netanyahus vow to destroy Hamas was never a realistic war aim  and it morphed into the destruction of Gaza. The 25-mile-long territory has become almost entirely uninhabitable, forcing its population into smaller and smaller refugee areas. Famine is stalking its population.

The families of the hostages still trapped inside, meanwhile, have repeatedly begged their government to agree to a ceasefire, fearing they too are under the same aid blockade and bombardment.

Mr Netanyahu has echoed the odious views expressed by Mr Smotrich, who said: The Gazan citizens will be concentrated in the south. 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.

For the last two months, the complete aid blockade has shown that the Israeli governments shameful aim is to starve and deprive the entire population of Gaza, combatant and civilian alike.

President Trump is expected to visit Israel in the next few days, which means that there is a short period in which world opinion can make itself felt. It is time for Britain to end its silence. Mr Netanyahu must be brought to realise that he is fighting a war that is not just unwinnable, but unconscionable.

Sir Keir, find your voice  and urge Mr Trump and all world leaders to call on Mr Netanyahu to end the blockade.
Bristow received 2.5m for Irish rescue service as handover delays persist

US firm was awarded 800m search-and-rescue contract in 2023

Philip Bartlett of Bristow Ireland. Photo: Frank McGrath

John Mulligan Fri 9 May 2025 at 03:30

US firm Bristow, which is taking over the operation of Irelands airborne coastguard search-and-rescue service, received $2.8m (2.5m) from the Government in the first quarter of this year under its contract.
Niall Harbison: Throughout my adult life, drinking remained my crutch for decades, destroying my mental health and every relationship I ever had with a woman

In an exclusive extract from his new book, Niall Harbison shares details of his troubled adolescence, the depths of his alcoholism and how caring for street dogs pulled him out of a downward spiral

Niall Harbison. Photo: Ryan Dunbar

Niall Harbison Sat 10 May 2025 at 03:30

I was an alcoholic when I first arrived in Thailand. I was in a real mess, but alcoholism doesnt appear overnight  and theres rarely any one cause, something Ive learned from reading many, many books about other addicts over the years.
Lieutenant set appalling bad example, hearing told

An army officer who was involved in staging a mock trial that subjected a number of trainee soldiers to degrading treatment at a military camp in Cork has appeared before a real-life military court over the incident.

The officer, who holds the rank of lieutenant, was fined a total of 34 days pay  equivalent to a sum of just under 5,000  after pleading guilty at a general court martial to six breaches of military law while acting as a training officer for a 1st Brigade NCO course at a number of military locations in Cork two years ago.
A serial offender with 134 previous convictions has been jailed for six months for a string of burglaries, including two break-ins at a community centre on consecutive nights.

Patrick Lynch (50), of Rosemount Glade, Dundrum, Dublin 14, appeared before Judge Anne Watkin at Dun Laoghaire District Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to several counts of burglary, theft, and trespassing.

The court heard that on January 9, 2024, Lynch unlawfully entered the Rosemount Resource Centre at Waldermere Terrace, Main Street, Dundrum, Dublin 14, as a trespasser and committed the theft, namely the stealing of five Samsung tablets worth 5,500.

The offence was prosecuted under Section 4 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001, contrary to Section 12(1)(b) and (3) of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

On the following night, Lynch returned and stole more Samsung devices and 450 in cash. Gardai later obtained a search warrant for his address, and five of the stolen tablets were recovered. Lynch made full admissions during interview.

While on bail however, he committed further offences on April 29 and 30, including entering a property through an open window and stealing a phone and a laptop worth approximately 1,000. In a separate incident around 1am, Lynch was seen trying several doors and placing rocks into a plastic bag. He also attempted to break into another area of the resource centre and a nearby beauty salon.

Lynch has 134 previous convictions, including 11 for theft under Section 4 of the 2001 Act, as well as public order, criminal damage, drug-related offences, firearms offences, and 21 for driving without insurance.

His solicitor, Caroline Egan, said Lynch had a long history of drug addiction and mental health difficulties, which had escalated following the death of his wife three years ago. He had served previous custodial sentences, including in Mountjoy Prison, and was currently on remand for other matters.

Ms Egan said Lynch was struggling with grief, depression, and street drug use, and had not been engaging with medical services, missing several appointments. She asked the court to consider his personal circumstances and medical needs.

Judge Watkin said that while she accepted Lynchs background was difficult, the repeat nature of his offending - especially returning the following night after the first burglary - and the extent of his criminal history required a custodial sentence.

Lynch was sentenced to six months in prison. Legal aid was granted, and recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Fishy Fitzgerald was charged with facilitating the attempted killing of Gary Canary Carey in 2021

Patrick Fishy Fitzgerald is believed to be the mentor of the young gangster. Fitzpatrick is from the Glenties Park area of Finglas in Dublin

An associate of the teenager who was the intended target of a drone pipe-bomb attack last weekend has pleaded guilty to his role in an attempted murder that was part of a separate west-Dublin feud.
Hollywood strikes back: what Donald Trumps crazy tariff threat means for Irelands 1bn film and TV industry

The American presidents announcement of a 100pc tariff on non-US films has caused consternation but could also serve as a wake-up call

Darth Vader and Chewbacca on a boat trip to the Skelligs. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Kim Bielenberg and John Meagher Sat 10 May 2025 at 03:30

Three decades ago on the Curragh in Co Kildare, Mel Gibson filmed one of the most memorable battle scenes in movie history.
Donal Walsh, the Irish teenager whose grace in the face of terminal cancer was recognised by the entire country, was made an honorary member of the Augustinian religious order by the man who was this week elected Pope Leo XIV.

Fr Robert Prevost, who was then prior general of the religious order, swore Donal in as an honorary lay Augustinian on this day, May 10, 12 years ago.

Donal died on May 12, 2013, just one month shy of his 17th birthday. He had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, also known as bone cancer, when he was just 12 years old.

When he was 16, the eloquent young man, who had a profound Catholic faith, became angry at the issue of teenage suicide in Co Kerry. Donal, who had already endured cancer twice, had been diagnosed a third time and told that his condition was terminal.

He struggled to understand how other young people could choose to end their lives.

He wrote a piece with the intention of it being read to his classmates at the CBS he attended in Tralee after he passed away.

I realised that I was fighting for my life for the third time in four years and this time I have no hope, the letter read.

He closed the letter by explaining, growing up in Kerry, he lived in a part of the world that is surrounded by mountains. I cant turn my head without finding a bloody hill or mountain and I suppose those were Gods plans for me. To have me grow up around mountains and grow [up] climbing a few too. And thats exactly what Ive done, I may have grown up in body around them but Ive fully grown and matured in mind climbing His mountains.

After he won a local award, the Kerrys Eye newspaper had asked if Donal had any other writing that he would like to share.

The letter was published in the newspaper, and Donal rose to national prominence.

He appeared on Brendan OConnor s The Saturday Night Show on RTE, and spoke about how his faith had guided him through his terminal diagnosis.

I wouldnt be where I am without it. I see God has given me this challenge, but I may be used as a symbol for other people to appreciate life more, Donal said.

If Im meant to be a symbol for people to appreciate life, it mightnt just be suicide in particular, but just to appreciate life more, then Ill be happy to die if thats what Im dying for.

Donal also used his profile to raise awareness of the conditions sick children and their families were experiencing in Crumlin Childrens Hospital. He managed to raise 50,000 for the hospital.

He also wrote an article for the Sunday Independent detailing his life and his experiences.

He wrote: Some days I would wake up and I could easily appreciate the beauty of the world that I was leaving behind, although it does make me upset that I will never get to experience the feeling of living that I had on the bike or in the gym, or that I will never get to see my sister walk up the aisle next to the love of her life, or that I will never get to travel the world and see places like New Zealand, Asia or America, or that I wont get the chance to see my four best friends do as good in life as I know they will.

But I have to remember that God is using me; whether He is using me as a symbol for people to appreciate life more or whether His first two mountains werent high enough for me, all I know is that I am walking with Him even though it is along His path.

Donals uncle, Fr Michael Walsh, happened to be an Augustinian priest. Fr Walsh showed a copy of the Sunday Independent to his then prior general, Fr Robert Prevost. Fr Prevost, the would-be Pope, was so impressed with Donals article that he agreed to make him an honorary Augustinian. He wrote to Donal to offer him the honorary recognition. Donal accepted and was sworn in two days before he died.

Each May, Donals proud family hold an event in his honour at Knock Shrine.

Donal Walsh Day, one of the largest annual youth faith events in Europe, is always held the Thursday closest to Donals anniversary on May 12. So by chance, his parents, Fionnbar and Elma Walsh, were in Knock celebrating their sons memory the day that the Pope was elected.

My brother was home for Donals Day and he said to me you know, Fr Prevost could actually be in contention, Mr Walsh told the Irish Independent. I said hardly, hes American.

It was just so surprising that the same person who wrote that letter to Donal is now the Pope. Its just so nice, its another connection to Donal. I think Donal would be very proud.

Faith has been very important to the Walsh family throughout their lives and since Donals passing. For Christmas 2013, the family felt overwhelmed by the number of well wishers who were visiting and calling in. They travelled to Rome for that first Christmas, and were in the Vatican for Pope Franciss first Christmas celebration.

We would have had a strong faith throughout [Donals illness] I would have [been] bartering with God at the beginning. You know, if you give it to me, Ill take it, why pick on a child? Mr Walsh said.

But Donals grace would often take them aback.

When he started out the journey, he started out saying why me? And you couldnt answer it, Mr Walsh said. 

But at the end of it, we were asking the question, why us? Why was he being taken from us? He would just turn around and hed say, why not me?

If you have been affected by issues raised in an article on Independent.ie, see here for helplines and support services.
Two men have been arrested following a serious assault in which a man was hospitalised for injuries in Clondalkin yesterday.

The assault took place at a residence in Kilcronan View, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, yesterday afternoon.

A man, aged in his 20s, remains in hospital being treated for non-life threatening injuries following the incident.

A man, aged in his 20s, and a youth, aged in his late teens, were arrested earlier today in connection with the assault.

Stock image

Today's News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Both males are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Dublin.

Gardai continue to appeal to anyone with any information relating to this incident to please come forward.

Anyone who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were in the area between 12.30pm and 1.30pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Clondalkin Garda Station on (01) 666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Investigations are ongoing.
Gabija Gataveckaite: My Roscommon accent doesnt match my name, but its a product of where I was raised  moving to Ireland gave my family a new lease of life

How her fathers emigration, teachers and a local library changed life trajectory for Irish Independent journalist

Gabija Gataveckaite: Ireland gave my family a new lease of life

Gabija Gataveckaite Sat 10 May 2025 at 03:30

Ive spent the vast majority of my life in Ireland, and a decision by my parents to move here changed how my entire life played out. Ultimately, they would have never made this decision without Lithuania joining the EU in 2004.
John Daly: Dont be surprised to see the maple leaf usurp stars and stripes for young Irish in search of new land of opportunity

New Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has made much of his Irish roots  and may even be a greater friend to Ireland than Joe Biden was

US president Donald Trump meets with Canadian prime minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office last week. Photo: Getty

John Daly Sat 10 May 2025 at 03:30

Canada was back in the headlines this week as prime minister Mark Carney became the latest victim of Trumpian hospitality in the White House. The consensus was the new premier acquitted himself well, insisting his country was not for sale now or ever.
Vladimir Putins commemorations for fallen troops presented more as a show of military strength than solemn memorial

Ireland may have evaded the very worst of Donald Trumps tariffs so far, but anyone with a sense of history will feel a tinge of sadness that 80 years after World War II and the transatlantic alliances, barriers are going up instead of coming down.

In Moscow, Russias president Vladimir Putin marked the deaths of some 27 million Russians killed in that terrible conflagration. By his side stood Chinas Xi Jinping and several dozen other leaders, who reviewed a military parade as Russia showcased its arsenal. The enormous Russian sacrifice should not be forgotten.

The writer Maya Angelou put it: History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. But Putins conjuring up of imperial ambitions has revisited a hell continental Europe hoped it had left behind.

More than three years into the Ukraine war, in which once again hundreds of thousands of lives are being lost, the proceedings had more a sense of menace, than solemnity, as the lines of tanks and lorries loaded with missiles rolled by.

In Brussels, leaders have agreed to back a special tribunal to prosecute Putin for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. It was the same charge that was brought against Germany and Japan when World War II ended.

Russian military parade in Moscow's Red Square yesterday, to mark Victory Day after World War II. Photo: RIA Novosti via AP

Today's News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Back then, Russia supported the charges.

In an address, Putin said: The Soviet Union took upon itself the most ferocious, merciless blows of the enemy.

We highly appreciate the contribution of the soldiers of the Allied armies, the members of the resistance, the courageous people of China, and all those who fought for a peaceful future to our common struggle.

Foreign leaders including Chinas Xi Jinping joined Vladimir Putin for the celebrations in Moscow. Photo: Photo: RIA Novosti via AP

But there were nothing peaceful about this highly staged show of militarism.

The sight of Mr Xi, as well as North Korean generals, in Moscow aligning themselves with Putin will be interpreted as an endorsement of his aggression to the wider world. Their alignment represents a worrying harbinger of a new order, where brute force takes precedence over law and sovereignty.

Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Red Square procession as a parade of cynicism. There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies

The Kremlin wasted no time in highlighting how Russia is not isolated, even if Moscows former World War II Western allies stay away.

US president Donald Trump brought the Russian leader in from the cold. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Red Square procession as a parade of cynicism. There is just no other way to describe it. A parade of bile and lies, he said.

Mr Trump has sought to end the war, but his efforts have been weighed heavily towards Moscow.

This week, he was even accused by former president Joe Biden of modern-day appeasement for pressurising Kyiv to surrender territory illegally taken.

Europes leaders are asking: Can I rely on the United States? Are they going to be there?, he said.

With so many threats on so many fronts, the case for acting in concert is so much stronger than acting alone. For as Dwight D Eisenhower cautioned: The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.
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.
A teenage motorcyclist is in serious condition in hospital after he was airlifted from the scene of a two vehicle collision in Co Longford yesterday evening.

The 19-year-old sustained serious injuries when his motorcycle collided with an SUV just outside Kenagh, Co Longford at around 7pm.

Gardai and emergency services attended the scene and before a decision was taken to call in the services of air ambulance personnel.

Follow Independent Longford on Facebook

He was later flown to Dublins Mater Hospital for treatment to what have been described as serious injuries.

Gardai closed off the road entering the south Longford village for a number of hours last night to allow for a forensic collision investigation to be carried out.

Those examinations have since concluded and the road has reopened as gardai now attempt to piece together the circumstances behind last nights incident.

Gardai are asking to speak to any witnesses and motorists who may dash-cam footage of the incident.

Gardai and emergency services responded to a collision involving an SUV and a motorcycle on the R397 at Mosstown, Kenagh, Co Longford, shortly after 7pm on Friday, 9th May 2025, said a garda spokesperson.

The motorcyclist, a 19-year-old male, was airlifted from the scene to the Mater Hospital, where his injuries are reported to be serious.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Road users who may have camera footage, including dash-cam recordings and were in the area at the time are asked to provide it to the investigating gardai.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Longford Garda Station on 043 3350570, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Last October Rosetta Cucchi, artistic director of Wexford Festival Opera (WFO), unveiled the programme for WFO 2025 which will run from October 17 to November 1.

As general booking opens this week, Rosetta gives us an insight into her thoughts behind this years programme which is around the theme of Myths and Legends, and some highlights audiences can look forward to.

This year for Wexford Festival Opera 2025, we journey into a world where music and myth merge, where the legends of old are brought to life by the soaring power of the human voice. Lyric opera, a timeless art form, has long drawn inspiration from the myths and legends that shape our collective imagination. It is a vessel through which ancient stories are renewed, reinterpreted, and reborn.

Myths and legends are the beating heart of human storytelling. They explain the unexplainable, personify our dreams, and confront our fears. They speak of gods and mortals, of love and betrayal, of triumph and tragedy. From the timeless epics of Greece and Rome to the heroic sagas of Northern Europe, these stories remind us who we are and who we aspire to be.

Rosetta Cucchi, Artistic Director, Wexford Festival Opera.

And lyric opera, with its unique combination of music, drama, and visual spectacle, has always been the perfect stage for such tales. When words fall short of expressing the ineffable, music takes over. A sweeping aria becomes the voice of a heros longing, a haunting motif captures the villains sinister intentions, and the chorus becomes the pulse of a communitys collective soul.

Consider the Greek myths, immortalized in works like Glucks Orfeo ed Euridice or Strausss Ariadne auf Naxos. Here, we find tales of undying love and the human quest to defy fate itself. In the Northern sagas, such as Wagners monumental Der Ring des Nibelungen, the gods walk among mortals, forging a world as fragile as it is magnificenta mirror of our own struggles and desires.

But lyric opera does more than retell old stories. It transforms them. Monteverdis LOrfeo gave us the birth of opera itself, and with it, a new way to feel the heartbreak of Orpheuss journey. Berliozs Les Troyens immersed us in the grandeur and devastation of the Trojan War, not as distant myth, but as an immediate, human tragedy. Each note, each phrase, reinvents the myth, casting it anew for each generation.

Why do we keep returning to these ancient stories? Because they remain relevant. They address universal themes: the power of love, the inevitability of loss, the clash between destiny and free will. They speak to us now as they did centuries ago. And in lyric opera, these themes become visceral, unforgettable.

For this, the 74th Wexford Festival Opera, we are delighted to feature three main stage operas, all of which will be Irish premieres.

Conducted by Marcus Bosch and directed by someone very well known to Wexford audiences Ben Barnes, Le Trouvere by Giuseppe Verdi is a rare chance to hear Verdi's French version of Il trovatore. The opera's intricate plot revolves around the rivalry for the love of the young Leonora between the troubadour Manrique and the Comte de Lune.

George Petrou will conduct and direct Deidamia, George Frideric Handel's last Italian opera before he turned to oratorio, which is we feel, an unjustly neglected tragi-comic masterpiece.

Francesco Cilluffo will return to Wexford again this time to conduct The Magic Fountain by Frederick Delius

Francesco Cilluffo will return to Wexford again this time to conduct The Magic Fountain by Frederick Delius, which will be directed by Christopher Luscombe. A lyric drama in three acts, with a libretto by the composer, The Magic Fountain is set in a mythical, exotic location, it centres around the legend of a magical fountain that grants eternal youth. This production is supported by The Delius Trust.

Alongside these we have so much more for audiences to explore including a performance by the Wexford Factory artists of Il Viaggio a Reims by Gioachino Rossini marking the 200th anniversary of the opera which Manuel Hartinger will conduct and which I will direct myself, and this years Community Opera The Little Midsummer Nights Dream, a re-adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream by Benjamin Britten, conducted by Luca Capoferri and directed by Heather Hadrill with the collaboration of Elizabeth Drwal. All the community cast and the team are already working on this production with their usual enthusiasm and great commitment.

This years Pocket Operas will be La Tragedie de Carmen by George Bizet sung in French with English dialogue and The Dwarf (Der Zwerg) by Alexander Zemlinsky in a Wexford commissioned English translation and we are delighted to present a new WFO commission by Colm Toibin and Andrew Synnott composer the Late night event Urban Legends. We are also delighted to welcome Artist-in-Residence for 2025 and 2026, composer and writer Ailis Ni Riain.

There is so much to experience, explore and enjoy in this years Festival. As we immerse ourselves in the myths and legends brought to life through the magic of opera, let us remember: these are not just stories of the past. They are stories of the present, told in music that transcends time. They call on us to reflect, to dream, and to feel deeply. And above all, they remind us that we, too, are part of a greater story  one that spans generations, cultures, and the ages.

So, let the curtain rise. Let the myths sing. And let the legends live on.
Wexford faces and voices featured in the third episode of the RTE series Na Feilte Tine over the May bank holiday weekend. The four-part series Na Feilte Tine (The Fire Festivals) and it explores the four indigenous Irish festivals of Samhain, Imbolg, Bealtaine and Lunasa in Ireland.

One of Irelands leading folklorists, Wexfords Michael Fortune, features in the series and he brought the RTE cameras to his native county in a bid to get our particular traditions and customs recognised. Michael was recorded in the TG4 studios in Connemara in early 2023 and a few months later, on May Eve (April 30), he brought the film crew to Wexford to record Marie Coleman from Curragraigue, Ballindaggin and Willie Phayers of Ballyigeen, Boolavogue and also record the decoration of the village May Bush in Ballindaggin.

Marie Coleman, a neighbour of Michael's, kept the tradition of the May Bush going in her family farm over her lifetime and the crew spent hours recording herself and her grandchildren and neighbours dressing up the May Bush in her yard. Sadly Marie passed in August, just a few months after this was filmed and the programme producer, Ciaran O'Cofaigh, dedicated this episode to her in the credits.

Also featured in the episode was a man called Willie Phayers from Ballyigeen from outside Ferns. Michael introduced the producers to Willie where he spoke about the practice of blessing cattle on May Eve with Easter water. The highlight of the piece was seeing the village May Bush in Ballindaggin being decorated and dressed by the local community.

Michael and his wife, Aileen Lambert, re-established the May Bush tradition back into the village in 2017 and every year it has grown in popularity with the community. The film crew did the event justice as it captured gorgeous footage of the May procession featuring St Colman's Pipe Band and St Kevin's Marching Band, the May Queens and King from Ballindaggin National School, and people coming together, decorating the May Bush and marking the coming of Summer. The programme also featured a May song written by Aileen called Good Morrow Fair Yarrow which was the perfect backdrop to the faces and voices of Wexford in the episode.

The complete Na Feilte Tine is available to view on the RTE player.
RNLI volunteers have recovered a body from the water following a multi-agency response off the Wexford coast this (Saturday) afternoon.

The lifeboat was visible heading out into Wexford Harbour shortly after 2pm as locals enjoyed the sunshine on Wexford quay. They were quickly joined by the Coast Guard Rescue 117 helicopter, which hovered off the coast, however, it is reported that the chopper was in the area on a training exercise and played no major part in the recovery effort.

Early reports suggest that the RNLI crew recovered a body from the water shortly before 3pm just outside Wexford Harbour. They quickly returned to base.

Stock image of the Wexford RNLI lifeboat in Wexford Harbour. Pic: Jim Campbell

Today's News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

The body is believed to be that of a male and its been suggested that it may have been in the water for some time.

A garda spokesperson said:

"Gardai were alerted to the discovery of a body at sea off the coast of Wexford shortly before 2:00pm this afternoon, Saturday 10th May 2025.

The deceased male was recovered by the Coast Guard and RNLI in the Irish Sea, east of Raven Point and brought to shore.

His body has been transferred to the morgue at University Hospital Waterford, where a post-mortem examination will take place in due course. The results of the examination will determine the course of the Garda investigation.

Enquiries are ongoing.

More to follow.
A Wicklow native has been announced as the overall winner of the 2025 All Ireland Scholarships Creative Writing Competition.

EmerRose Kealy from Tinahely impressed in the prose category for her short story The Crown.

Sponsored by JP McManus, the competition, now in its fifth year, is open to all members of the All-Ireland Scholarships Alumni Association, whose aim is to help recipients of the prestigious award to stay in touch with one another and form bonds, long after they have gone their separate ways in life.

This year's competition focused on the short form written word (max 1,000 words) with fiction, non-fiction, op-ed and poetry categories. A poetry category was also added to the competition for the first time this year.

EmerRose was presented with the Roger Downer Award by competition judge and renowned author Donal Ryan at a special awards ceremony in Adare Manor on Tuesday, April 29.

She was awarded the All Ireland Scholarship in 2017 and went on to study medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RSCI). She graduated from RCSI in May 2022 and is currently training to specialise as a GP with the Irish College of General Practitioners.

Speaking about the competition she said: I wanted to enter the All Ireland Scholarships Creative Writing Competition because I think it is a wonderful opportunity for All Ireland Scholarships Alumni to share ideas and showcase our varied talents and interests. I have admired the shortlisted entries in previous years and am honoured to have my piece featured as a winner in 2025.

This years stellar judging panel included Donal Ryan, Professor Eoin Devereux, Dr Emily Cullen and winner of the 2024 competition, Surnai Molloy. The judging process was chaired by Professor Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, head of creative writing at the University of Limerick.

The judges were impressed by EmerRoses winning piece, The Crown describing it as: Wonderfully written and instantly engaging with an ability to conjure both poignantly and accurately the atmosphere of a hospice. An outstanding piece.
Liz Carr will travel to Holyrood to speak out against a Bill to legalise assisted dying as MSPs prepare to vote on the issue on Tuesday (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Actor Liz Carr is to travel to Holyrood to urge MSPs to vote against dangerous plans to legalise assisted dying.

Carr, who is best known for her role in the BBC crime drama Silent Witness, is also a disability rights campaigner and a member of the Not Dead Yet group, which is opposed to assisted dying.

She will speak at a rally outside the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, as MSPs prepare to vote on a Bill brought forward by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur which would allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their life.

Mr McArthur argues his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill provides a compassionate choice for those who could otherwise be faced with a painful death.

But Carr said: Liam McArthurs Bill is dangerous for older, ill and disabled people across Scotland  even more so than the Kim Leadbeaters Bill being considered in Westminster.

The Scottish Parliament will vote on Liam McArthurs Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday (Jane Barlow/PA)

Carr added: To qualify for assisted suicide under the Bill a person must have 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.

As someone who as a teenager was told by doctors that I wouldnt live to be old because of my condition, this definition applies to me.

She continued: The McArthur Bill is not just about terminal illness, its about disabled people.

It is not a limited or modest Bill, and disabled people across Scotland are right to be deeply concerned.

Her comments came ahead of a rally by disabled people who are fearful of the impact the legislation could have on them, if it is passed.

Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said the Bill was quite simply a matter of life and death (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said: Disabled people, their organisations and their allies will come together to demonstrate to MSPs that they are not simply voting on the principle of a Bill, they are voting on whether it should be easier to get help to die than help to live.

Ms Duncan-Glancy, who was the first permanent wheelchair user to be elected to Holyrood when she became an MSP in 2021, added: This is quite simply a matter of life and death.

MSPs must think very carefully about the real-life consequences of their decision on this, and disabled people will be there to encourage them to vote against the Bill.

Meanwhile, Marianne Scobie, depute chief executive of the Glasgow Disability Alliance, said they were urging MSPs to hear our voices and vote against the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.

Ms Scobie said: The Bills definition of terminal illness is dangerously broad and would catch many disabled people in a societal context where we are at our most vulnerable.

Disabled people already face multiple barriers and discrimination on a daily basis and our lives are endangered by the lack of equitable access to healthcare, pain management support and cancer screening programmes.

A key concern for many disabled people is the very real potential for Liam McArthurs legislation to be widened and safeguards to be weakened or removed over time, as has happened in many other jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal.

Dr Miro Griffiths, a spokesman for the Better Way campaign group, which opposes assisted dying, said: As a disabled person and academic who focuses on the inequalities my community face, I am fearful about the implications of an assisted suicide law.

Legislating for this practice would send a regressive message that disabled peoples lives are not worth living.

Disabled people and others would inevitably choose to end their lives because they dont have access to support. This outcome is unconscionable.
Authorities warn against panic buying and price gouging

Mother of Vihaan Barghava (13) who was killed in cross-border shelling near the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. Photo: Reuters

Residents across Pakistan and India rushed to stockpile foods and other essential supplies, while families living near the border fled to safer areas, as armed clashes between the nuclear-armed nations escalated yesterday.

India and Pakistan accused each other of launching new military attacks, using drones and artillery for the third day, in the worst fighting between the two countries in nearly three decades.
Vladimir Putin stages belligerent show of force in Moscow Victory Day parade

Chinas Xi Jinping was among 27 foreign leaders joining the Russian president to commemorate the end of World War II and the 27 million Soviet casualties

Chinese service members during a Victory Day military parade in Moscow's Red Square. Photo: Reuters

Alexander Butler Sat 10 May 2025 at 03:30







Vladimir Putin presided over a massive show of tanks, missiles and troops in Moscow yesterday in a belligerent show of force alongside Chinese president Xi Jinping, to bolster Russias global image as the Ukraine war grinds on.
The Korean Business Research Institute revealed its monthly brand reputation rankings for male idol groups for May. A multitude of data collected between April 10 and May 10 to track shifts in public sentiment and popularity form the basis of this research. Remarkably, BTS has maintained a firm grip on the charts even after taking a hiatus since 2022.

Numerous important indicators, such as customer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community indexes, were thoroughly examined in order to determine the rankings. The Top 5 and the subsequent groups are examined in more detail below.

BTS

The 7-member boy group topped the list once again with a brand reputation index of 7,811,108, marking a 2.54% increase from April. Their positivity-negativity analysis revealed a remarkable 92.02% positive response rate. The members  Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook  will make a comeback as a group in June 2025 after being on hiatus due to mandatory military service.

SEVENTEEN

The 13 members of SEVENTEEN  S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino  maintained their strong hold on second place with a brand reputation index of 5,729,258, reflecting their continued popularity. The group is set to make their highly anticipated comeback with the HAPPY BURSTDAY album on May 26, 2025, celebrating their 10th anniversary.

BIGBANG

The three members of BIGBANG  G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung  climbed to third place this month with a score of 3,381,072, marking a strong return to the top ranks. This month, they also earned an official platinum certification for their iconic hit FANTASTIC BABY after it surpassed 100 million streams in Japan.

TWS

The 6 members Shinyu, Dohoon, Youngjae, Hanjin, Jihoon, and Kyungmin  helped TWS rise to fourth place with an 85.77% increase in their brand reputation index, reaching 3,135,194. They will launch their first local tour and debut in Japan this July with the 24/7:With:Us in Japan tour, set to run for about a month.

THE BOYZ

THE BOYZ, composed of members Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, Ju Haknyeon, Sunwoo, and Eric, secured fifth place with a brand reputation index of 2,819,185, maintaining a solid presence among the top boy groups. However, this marks a 7.53% decrease compared to April's index of 3,048,818.

Check out the Top 30

6. EXO

7. SHINee

8. Super Junior

9. ENHYPEN

10. NCT

11. Stray Kids

12. BTOB

13. ZEROBASEONE

14. ATEEZ

15. ASTRO

16. INFINITE

17. HIGHLIGHT

18. BOYNEXTDOOR

19. MONSTA X

20. Wanna One

21. 2PM

22. TVXQ

23. RIIZE

24. TREASURE

25. B1A4

26. TXT

27. ONF

28. FTISLAND

29. VIXX

30. PENTAGON
The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is officially here, and were already hyped about the iconic glitz and glamour about to unfold on the French Riviera. Mark your calendars, because from 13th May to 24th May 2025, the worlds top filmmakers, A-list celebrities, and fashion icons will gather in Cannes, France to celebrate the magic of cinema and fashion.

Whats going down at Cannes 2025?

Its not just any film festival; its a cinematic extravaganza! Expect grand film screenings, unforgettable red carpet moments, and tons of industry buzz with exciting panel discussions and deep dives into film and media trends.

Indian cinema shines bright!

Hold on to your seats because Indian cinema is taking a bold step into the spotlight. Payal Kapadia, the director behind last years Grand Prix-winning film All We Imagine as Light, has joined the prestigious Cannes Jury. Shell be joined by global icons like Juliette Binoche, Halle Berry, and Jeremy Strong, making the jury a powerhouse of talent and experience.

But thats not allIndian films will also make their mark at Cannes 2025. The iconic Satyajit Ray classic Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest) will be screened in a restored 4K version, with legendary actress Sharmila Tagore making an appearance. Additionally, Neeraj Ghaywans Homebound will also grace the festival, bringing a fresh narrative to the global stage.

Star-studded red carpet moments

You cant talk about Cannes without mentioning the red carpet, and this year promises some seriously star-studded arrivals. Alia Bhatt, making her debut as Global Ambassador for LOreal Paris, will join the likes of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a Cannes regular. Alongside Bollywoods finest, well also see Scarlett Johansson, Richard Linklater, and Ari Aster, all expected to grace the red carpet.

Global film highlights to watch

This years festival isnt just about glitz, it's also about global cinema. Some major international films to keep an eye on include Mission Impossible  The Final Reckoning, starring Tom Cruise, Splitsville with Dakota Johnson, and The History of Sound featuring Paul Mescal. And if that wasnt enough, were all waiting for Spike Lees collaboration with Denzel Washington in Highest to Lowest.

What to expect

Cannes 2025 will undoubtedly bring a mix of red carpet glamour, thought-provoking films, and unforgettable moments that fans from all over the world will rave about. And with Indian cinema stepping into the limelight this year, its time to buckle up for an unforgettable ride.

Where to watch Cannes in India?

The Cannes Film Festival will begin at 11 AM in France, so according to the Indian Standard Time, Indian users can start to stream it at 2:30 PM on FilmyDoo.
Following several days of repeated drone attacks from Pakistan, which India countered using its air defense systems, both countries have now agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, effective from 5 PM on May 10. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the agreement on Saturday. Both nations are set to resume talks on May 12.

"Pakistan's DGMO contacted the Indian DGMO at 3:35 PM today, and it was agreed that both sides would cease all firing and military actionon land, air, and seafrom 5 PM IST," Misri stated.

"Instructions to implement this understanding have been issued, and both sides will talk again on May 12 at 12 PM."

Donald Trump tweets about India-Pakistan ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and announced: "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter."

Indian's not happy

However, under Trump's tweet, many Indians posted that they were unhappy with this decision. Some even stated that India should not take this seriously as Pakistan could violate the ceasefire anytime.

One said, "India should not listen to Trump & finish what we started with Pakistan because they'll again show their true colours by sponsoring terrrism in India in few days time".

India should not listen to Trump & finish what we started with Pakistan because they'll again show their true colours by sponsoring terrrism in India in few days time   Kriti Singh (@kritiitweets) May 10, 2025

Another said, "Pakistan will not hold the ceasefire. They will violate it again and again".

Pakistan will not hold the ceasefire. They will violate it again and again.  Arun Pudur (@arunpudur) May 10, 2025

One wrote, "So, Pakistan is going to stop engaging in terrorism now?"

So, Pakistan is going to stop engaging in terrorism now?  Utsav S.  (@UtsavSanduja) May 10, 2025

Another wrote, "If Pakistan attacks again, India will retaliate is silent in this".

If Pakistan attacks again, India will retaliate is silent in this.  Div (@div_yumm) May 10, 2025

More about the ceasefire

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed that the ceasefire agreement was the result of direct coordination between India and Pakistan.

"India and Pakistan have reached an understanding today to halt all firing and military operations. India has always maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and will continue to uphold that position," he stated.
In the wake of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has temporarily closed 32 airports across northern and western India to civil flight operations as part of Operation Sindoor. The closure, which began on 9 May, will continue until 05:29 hours IST on 15 May 2025, as per the latest Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) issued by the Airports Authority of India.

Which airports are closed?

The impacted airports include major hubs such as Chandigarh, Srinagar, Amritsar, Jammu, Leh, and Jodhpur, as well as several smaller but strategically significant locations like Pathankot, Bhuj, and Bikaner. This large-scale closure is aimed at ensuring operational readiness and safety amidst ongoing national security concerns.

Airlines respond to extensive flight cancellations

Airlines have responded with extensive flight cancellations. Air India announced that its flights to and from affected cities including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, and Bhuj would remain suspended through the morning of 15 May. A spokesperson confirmed that passengers holding valid bookings during this period would be eligible for a full refund or a one-time waiver on rescheduling.

IndiGo

Similarly, IndiGo shared a list of suspended services covering Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, and more, while SpiceJet has halted flights to Leh, Dharamshala, and other destinations. Passengers have been advised to check flight status prior to travelling and contact airline helplines for rebooking or refund options.

Air India Express

Air India Express, although operating a limited set of routes, has also suspended operations to airports like Amritsar and Jammu until 10 May, with full refunds available and special waivers in place for defence personnel.

Tight security checks

In addition to flight disruptions, passengers across all Indian airports are facing tighter security checks. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has implemented new measures, including mandatory Secondary Ladder Point Checks (SLPC) and a temporary ban on visitor access to terminal buildings. Airlines such as Akasa Air, Air India, and SpiceJet have issued advisories requesting travellers to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departures.

Delhi and Mumbai airports continue to operate

Despite the closures, airports such as Delhi and Mumbai continue to operate, although delays and cancellations are occurring due to enhanced protocols. Delhi alone reported over 130 flight cancellations on Friday. Travellers are encouraged to stay updated through airline websites and helplines as the situation develops.

List of the following airports that are shut because of the India Vs Pakistan war tension:

Adhampur

Ambala

Amritsar

Awantipur

Bathinda

Bhuj

Bikaner

Chandigarh

Halwara

Hindon

Jaisalmer

Jammu

Jamnagar

Jodhpur

Kandla

Kangra (Gaggal)

Keshod

Kishangarh

Kullu Manali (Bhuntar)

Leh

Ludhiana

Mundra

Naliya

Pathankot

Patiala

Porbandar

Rajkot (Hirasar)

Sarsawa

Shimla

Srinagar

Thoise

Uttarlai
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh's recent press briefing has become a focal point of national pride and online acclaim. During the briefing, she addressed the Pakistan Army's troop movements towards forward areas and refuted claims about the destruction of India's S-400 air defence system and airfields in Suratgarh and Sirsa. Her clear and composed delivery, coupled with her in-depth knowledge, resonated with many across the nation.

During a special briefing on #OperationSindoor on May 10, 2025, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that Pakistan attacked the civilian infrastructure in India, including medicare centre & school premises at the airbases of Srinagar, Awantipora & Udhampur, to which Indian Armed pic.twitter.com/XxZeviiuKR  Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) May 10, 2025

X users react to Vyomika Singh leadership as she debunks Pakistani Army claims

On social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), users expressed their admiration for Singh's professionalism and leadership. One user remarked, "Vyomika Singh's clarity and confidence are unmatched. Truly a beacon of strength and intellect." Another added, "Witnessing such articulate leadership is inspiring. She's a true representation of India's military prowess."

Daily periodic briefings by India is a sign of confidence and transparency that the Indian government follows. The uniformity in every briefing. Amb. Misri, Col. Qureshi & Wng. Cdr. Vyomika Singh are doing a great job. Commendable!



#IndiaPakistanConflict  Simranjeet (@i_simranjeet) May 10, 2025

Omg am really speechless seeing Indias Geopolitics. were the strongest !! Mad Respect to the all the women Colonels . Vyomika singh & Sofiya Qureshi being in the front lines of this war  Munna  /BTS forever   (@Munnamunal_) May 10, 2025

Vyomika singh is so clear and articulate things so well . All praises to her @AdityaRajKaul https://t.co/O5iX15wcot  Kishore Lodha (@kishorelodha) May 10, 2025

I salute you and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh Sabharwal, but have you seen any Punctur Walla loyal to country?  Shubha J (@khatakhat_pappu) May 10, 2025

The support extended beyond just her communication skills. Many highlighted the significance of having women in pivotak military roles. A user commented, "It's empowering to see women like Vyomika Singh leading from the front. Her presence challenges stereotypes and sets new benchmarks."

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi & Wing Commander Vyomika Singh is everything that Pakistan cant stand against, a women in army uniform leading from the front  varun  (@varungudhka) May 10, 2025

Sofiya Qureshi addresses cyber and communication aspects of India's response

The briefing also featured Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who addressed the cyber and communication aspects of India's response. Together, Singh and Qureshi exemplified the strength and capability of India's armed forces, garnering respect and admiration both domestically and internationally.

As tensions along the India-Pakistan border continue to evolve, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh's poised leadership and transparent communication have reinforced public confidence in India's military and diplomatic strategies.

After the India Press briefing on Delhi:



-Col Sofiya Qureshi

-Wg Cmde Vyomika Singh#IndiaPakistanWar #IndianArmy

# pic.twitter.com/B7EnYB47x3  andyjassy.bnb  , Anomage (@web3forWorld) May 10, 2025

Why it all started?

All this began with the brutal Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, where militants targeted and killed 26 civilians  mostly Hindu tourists  in a chilling act of religiously-motivated violence. The assault, carried out with militaru-grade weapons, sparked nationwide outrage and drew sharp focus on cross-border terrorism. The Resistance Front, initially claiming responsibility before retracting it, was believed to be linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, further escalating suspicions of external involvement.

India suspended the key water treaty

In swift retaliation, India suspended its treaty with Pakistan on April 23, citing national security concerns and a breakdown of trust. This diplomatic move marked a significant departure from past protocol, signalling the gravity of the situation. On April 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded with a green light to the armed forces, granting them full operational freedom to act at their discretion  a rare but resolute shift in policy.

Operation Sindoor on May 7

This series of developments culminated in Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, as a calibrated military strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation, which continues to define the current phase of India-Pakistan tensions, underscores Indias hardened stance against terrorisn and reaffirms its resolve to protect civilian lives and national sovereignty at all costs.
Xi, Putin reach many new, important common understandings: FM spokesperson

Xinhua) 10:30, May 10, 2025

BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had in-depth exchanges of views on China-Russia relations and major international and regional issues and reached many new and important common understandings during Xi's visit to Russia, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Friday.

Lin Jian told a daily news briefing that the two heads of state signed the Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Further Deepening the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era on the Occasion of 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 Founding of the United Nations. They witnessed the exchange of over 20 bilateral cooperation documents, injecting new impetus into the development of China-Russia relations.

Noting that the two sides are good neighbors that cannot be moved away, true friends who share weal and woe, and good partners for mutual success, Xi said that the relationship between China and Russia is characterized by a distinct historical logic, strong endogenous driving force and rich civilizations, and does not target any third party and it is not subject to restrictions from any third party, according to Lin.

Xi also noted that the two sides have successfully found the right way for the two neighboring major countries to get along with each other and forged a spirit of strategic coordination for a new era with permanent good-neighborly friendship, comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation at its core.

The two countries need to nourish everlasting friendship and deepen political mutual trust, and increase strategic coordination, as well as pursue mutual benefit, and continue to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, Xi said.

The two countries need to uphold fairness and justice, and firmly defend the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, Xi said, adding that the two countries need to enhance solidarity, safeguard true multilateralism and steer global governance towards the right direction.

President Xi stressed that 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. Facing unilateralism, power politics and bullying acts in the world, China and Russia, as two major countries and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will shoulder responsibilities to uphold the correct historical perspective on WWII, safeguard the authority and standing of the UN, firmly defend the victorious outcome of WWII, resolutely defend the rights and interests of China, Russia and the vast number of developing countries, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

During the visit, China and Russia issued a joint statement on global strategic stability, reiterating that the two sides will endeavor to practice true multilateralism and support the central role of the UN and relevant multilateral mechanism, Lin said.

The spokesperson said that the two sides stressed that nuclear-weapon states, which bear special responsibility for international security and global strategic stability, should reject Cold War mentality and zero-sum games, address concerns via dialogue and consultations on an equal footing, and build confidence to avoid dangerous miscalculations. This demonstrates China and Russia's sense of responsibility as major countries for upholding and enhancing global strategic stability.

The two sides also issued a joint declaration on further strengthening cooperation to uphold the authority of international law, reiterating the two countries' full commitment to the principles of international law including the United Nations Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and opposition to the abuse of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, Lin said.

He said the declaration emphasized that states have the right to conduct normal economic and trade cooperation, elaborated on the two sides' shared stance on important matters concerning international law and sent a strong message of resolutely upholding the international order based on international law to the international community.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Alexa Bliss returned to WWE programming on the latest episode of SmackDown and teamed up with Zelina Vega to beat the team of Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. Post this, she had an interaction with Charlotte Flair. While her return created a buzz, most fans were not too impressed by the way she was used.

Netizens are not happy about Alexa Bliss being paired with Zelina Vega

Alexa Bliss made a successful return to WWE programming and pinned Chelsea Green to secure a win in a tag team match. She was last seen at the Elimination Chamber event in March. Needless to say, her return created a buzz and netizens took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express their views on her comeback.

A user said that WWE had no idea how to utilise the former World Champions talents.

They very clearly have no idea what to do with Alexa  Connor Pena (@AJenkinsBrother) May 10, 2025

Another one felt that the creative team would (predictably) turn her heel and then feud with Zelina Vega.

Literally theyre gonna just heel turn Alexa to help get Zelina a reaction when nobody gaf  TASKMASTER DEAD AN GONE  (@Missyripley11) May 10, 2025

Netizens were also surprised by the decision to pair the more established Bliss with the relatively inexperienced Zelina Vega.

Exactly my thoughts. Happy she's back and hope it leads to wyatt sicks. But made zero sense to pair with Vega.  Charlie (@1RepCap) May 10, 2025

Another one hoped that her return would lead to a feud with Charlotte Flair.

Alexa is from Ohio.. the show is in Ohio they needed a way to reintroduce her to tv.

Makes sense to me.

Plus it lead to a face off between her and Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/V628Ggko04  Turbulence (@ExoticPleasuree) May 10, 2025

Whats next for Alexa Bliss?

Alexa Bliss was a participant in the Elimination Chamber match in March but failed to make much of an impact. The contest was eventually won by Bianca Belair. Tonight Alexa had a chat with Charlotte after her match. This came after the veteran was humiliated by the veteran was humiliated by the audience and Jade Cargill. These developments suggest that a feud between Alexa and The Queen may be on the cards.

For all the latest coverage on WWE, track updates here
On Sunday, May 18th, museums all over Greece are throwing open their doors for free in celebration of International Museum Day 2025.
Despite the seriousness of the threat, the issue received little public attention and was initially mishandled diplomatically.

A potentially destabilizing crisis between Greece and Egypt was quietly averted this week, as the leaders of the two countries addressed a sensitive religious and cultural issue that had threatened to strain their longstanding

relationship. During a joint press conference in Athens Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi signaled the successful resolution of a dispute over the ownership of the historic Monastery of Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsulaan issue with deep religious and diplomatic implications.

The crisis had been building for nearly a decade. In 2015, during a period of influence by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the Egyptian government attempted to assert control over 71 properties belonging to the monastery, including its buildings in Sinai and assets in the Greek city of Kavala. Because the monastery lacked formal legal status within Egypts legal system, the state could have, under legal pretexts, reclassified the monastery as a tenant on its own land through a long-term usufruct agreement or sought full ownership through the courts. Had this gone forward, it would have drastically undermined the historical presence of the Greek Orthodox Church in Sinai and could have triggered a broader diplomatic and religious backlash.

Despite the seriousness of the threat, the issue received little public attention and was initially mishandled diplomatically. In a controversial move, the Greek embassy in Cairo reportedly endorsed the proposed agreement and encouraged the 94-year-old abbot of the monastery to sign it, raising questions about the consistency of Greeces foreign policy stance on matters of religious heritage and sovereignty.

The turning point came when Father Porphyrios, head of the monastery's representative office in Athens, along with Greeces Secretary General for Religious Affairs, Giorgos Kalantzis, brought the matter to the attention of senior government officials. Their intervention, coupled with the involvement of Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulouwho firmly rejected the proposed agreementhelped steer the situation in a new direction. Crucially, Prime Minister Mitsotakis, personally familiar with the significance of the monastery since his youth, engaged directly with President el-Sisi, urging a political solution.

In response, the Greek government passed legislation formally recognizing the monasterys office in Athens as a public legal entitya move designed to bolster its legal status and serve as a model for reciprocal recognition in Egypt. The measure helped secure the monasterys rights and symbolized a mutual commitment to preserving cultural and religious institutions that transcend national borders.

President el-Sisi, for his part, distanced himself from the actions of his governments administrative services, publicly expressing his dismay upon learning of their intentions. He reaffirmed Egypts respect for the Greek Orthodox community and highlighted his governments broader efforts to restore Christian sites damaged by extremism in previous years.

The warm tone of the meeting between Mitsotakis and el-Sisi suggested that the threat of a diplomatic rift has not only been neutralized but has instead laid the groundwork for a deeper understanding between the two nations. By addressing a religious dispute with such potentially far-reaching consequences, Greece and Egypt managed not only to avert a crisis but to affirm their shared commitment to cultural and religious coexistence in a region often defined by its tensions.

#GREECE
The challenge stems from a set of 258 milestonesranging from digital upgrades to infrastructure reformsthat Greece must fulfill to unlock future tranches.

Greece is in a critical phase of overhauling its national recovery plan, Greece 2.0, as it seeks to secure the remaining 14.7 billion from the European Unions Recovery and Resilience Facility. The full

36 billion package, already partially disbursed, is essential to supporting the countrys post-pandemic economic transformation. However, meeting the strict conditions tied to this funding has proven increasingly complex, with time running short and a number of projects now facing cancellation.

The challenge stems from a set of 258 milestonesranging from digital upgrades to infrastructure reformsthat Greece must fulfill to unlock future tranches. While 3.1 billion was released earlier this month, corresponding to the fifth tranche, efforts are intensifying to revise and resubmit a realistic and credible plan that will be approved by Brussels. At stake is the sixth tranche, worth 3.9 billion, which cannot be requested until the revised version of the plan gains at least preliminary approval from the European Commission. Final approval will come from the EUs finance ministers. Originally expected by the end of May, Greeces request for the next tranche is now likely to be delayed until late June or Julypushing back the timeline for subsequent disbursements as well.

Several projects, particularly those with legal complications, delays in implementation, or no clear launch date, are being removed from the plan altogether. These include initiatives like subsidies for green taxis and the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. Digital projects unlikely to be completed by 2026 are also being cut. In their place, Greece is expected to channel funds into more viable effortssuch as expanding fiber optic infrastructure or using satellite technology to monitor unauthorized constructionthat still align with the plans core goals: allocating at least 38.1% of funds to green initiatives and 22.1% to digital transformation.

At the same time, there is increasing pressure to accelerate the absorption of funds already received. Of the 21.3 billion disbursed to date, only a portion has reached the real economy. The government is being urged to move faster, especially as disbursements under the revised 20252028 medium-term fiscal plan are expected to reach 2.8% of GDP next year, or about 8.6 billion. In 2026, disbursements could total around 10.5 billion, split between grants and loans.

The strategy of reallocating funds from underperforming projects to more promising onessometimes by oversubscribing budgets by up to 30%offers a path forward but comes with risks.

#GREECE
Operatives of Anambra State Police Command have arrested four suspected kidnappers, following a raid on their hideout, located at Uke, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that police officers attached to Rapid Response Squad/Anti-Kidnapping Unit of Awkuzu, acting on credible information, carried out the operation on Friday night.

In a statement on Saturday by Spokesman for the state police command, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that three vehicles, one laptop, one car spraying machine, motor wires and pieces of methamphetamine popularly known as Mkpurummiri, were also recovered at the scene.

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He said: Police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, acting on credible information on the 9th of May, 2025, by 7.30pm stormed a criminal hideout in Uke, Idemili North LGA.

READ MORE: Anambra Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Kidnapping, Recover Firearms, Ammunition

During the raid, four suspects were arrested, including a lady. Three vehicles were recovered,d namely: one black Lexus GS 350 with Reg. No: ENU 561 LY, one ash colour Toyota Camry with Reg. No: UWN 614 HK and one navy blue colour Toyota Corolla with Reg. No: UMZ 135 AD. One HP Laptop, one car spraying machine, motor wires, and pieces of methamphetamine popularly known as Mkpurummiri, were also recovered at the scene.

The suspects include one Chigozie Udolisa alias T. Dollars, Anaolu Joseph alias Blue, Chukwuka Udolisa alias Udokamiri and the female among them Chinaza Udemezue all within the age bracket of 19 to 28 years.

All the suspects have confessed to being members of kidnapping, armed robbery and car-snatching syndicates. Also, Chinaza Udemezue revealed that his boyfriend escaped the scene with their arms upon sighting the Police.
Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has urged intending pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj to be of good conduct, and protect good image of the country in Saudi Arabia.

VP Shettima on Friday, gave the the advice during the inauguration of the first batch of pilgrims at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Owerri, Imo.

He assured them that President Bola Tinubu had made available of all the necessary resources to ensure the success of the 2025 Hajj.

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The former governor of Borno State urged National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and all stakeholders in hajj operation to work together and deliver the burden of expectations upon the government.

Shettima said: And to our dear intending pilgrims, know that you are more than spiritual travellers; you are ambassadors of Nigeria. You carry with you not only your faith, but also the pride and dignity of this nation.

READ MORE: Tinubu Administration Committed To End Economic, Security Challenges  VP Shettima

Your conduct, your devotion, and your unity must reflect the values we hold dear. This responsibility is not light. It is noble. Distinguished guests, the success of this Hajj operation rests on all our shoulders.

If any of us falters, whether a logistical officer who overlooks a detail or a pilgrim who forgets the dignity of the flag he carries, the consequences could turn what should be a joyful experience into yet another avoidable catastrophe. We must not let that happen.

The President, in his characteristic foresight, has once again made available all the necessary resources to ensure the success of the 2025 Hajj.

This commitment reflects our administrations covenant with the people to protect, to support, and to elevate every Nigerian, in every sphere of life.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, have arrested two Chinese nationals and six Nigerians for allegedly involving in illegal mining activities in Ogere area, Ogun State.

In a statement on Friday by the commissions Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, identified the suspects as Zhang Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa, and Saidu Shuaibu .

He added that they were apprehended on Friday, during an operation, following credible intelligence received by EFCC and detailed surveillance carried out on their activities.

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Dele noted that some items recovered from the suspects include three trucks loaded with sacks of substances suspected to be ground lithium powder, solid minerals, a Toyota 4Runner SUV, mobile phones, samples of suspected low-grade lithium, ATM cards, international passports, four LED flashlights.

READ MORE: Angry APC Youths Storm EFCC HQ, Demand Matawalles Probe

The statement partly reads: At the point of arrest, operatives recovered three trucks loaded with sacks of substances suspected to be ground lithium powder and other yet-to-be-identified solid minerals.

Other items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota 4Runner SUV, mobile phones, samples of low grade lithium, Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards, the suspects international passports, four pieces of LED Flashlight and other documents. The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Nigerian social media critic, VeryDarkMan, has accused Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) of unlawfully detaining him at one of its branches in Abuja during a visit to address suspicious deductions from his mothers account.

In a video posted on Instagram on Saturday, VeryDarkMan narrated the events leading to his arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while also raising concerns about his treatment at the bank.

He said, GTBank, you will explain why you held me hostage in your bank why you kidnapped me in your bank because I dont operate your bank. That was thats number one. Number two of this whole thing  I am not wanted in Nigeria where you say a wanted man came into your bank Number three, you are not an executive arm in the government.

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READ MORE: If You Release My Picture With Money Laundering, Youll Prove It In Court  VeryDarkMan To EFCC

According to him, he had accompanied his mother to the bank to investigate unexplained deductions from her account, only to be invited upstairs by bank staff for further clarification.

After going through account statements, he said they discovered suspicious loans and transfers, which his mother denied authorizing.

While attempting to exit the building, VeryDarkMan claimed that police officers suddenly appeared and blocked their way without providing any reason. The policeman could not answer I was angry. I brought out my camera and asked why they were holding me. I dont operate GTBank. What is the problem? he recounted.

He further alleged that the bank staff and officers refused to give clear explanations and that the situation appeared premeditated. I didnt know there was a plan, he said, demanding accountability from GTBank for the incident.

The video also included shoutouts to journalists, fellow celebrities, and supporters who backed his recent protest, which he said demonstrated unity among Nigerians regardless of tribe.

GTBank has yet to publicly respond to the allegations at the time of this report.
Professor Pat Utomi has announced that he will no longer contest for public office or accept any government appointment in Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview with news men, Utomi said his focus is now on the well-being of future generations, not political ambitions or contracts.

Let me state clearly, I will not run for public office, I will not accept an appointment, contract by any government in Nigeria. My only concern is the well-being of the next generation, he said.

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He added that his decision is rooted in his desire to remain free from the corruption and political compromises often linked to public service in Nigeria.

I have lived my life decently without government money or stealing anybodys thing. I want to take that away from people who talk nonsense like, Oh, he is looking for contract, Utomi explained.

During the interview, he also highlighted the importance of having a shadow government as a means of ensuring accountability.

READ MORE:https://www.informationng.com/2025/05/jamb-confirms-friday-release-date-for-2025-utme-results.html

He argued that such structures are essential in a democracy, as they allow citizens to demand transparency and better governance from those in power.

Utomi further urged Nigerians to study Afrobarometer, a long-running survey that tracks democratic sentiments across African countries.

Referring to the data, he said the report reveals a growing frustration among citizens who continue to support democracy but are disappointed by its failures.

It states that Africans still love democracy, cling to it but they are tired because their democracies are not working, he noted.
Nigerian social media critic VeryDarkMan has issued a stern warning to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the release of a mugshot taken during his recent detention.

After spending almost five days in EFCC custody, VeryDarkMan addressed his followers in a video on his Instagram page on Friday where he claimed the EFCC had captured a photo of him while he was detained.

He expressed that releasing the image alongside any accusations of money laundering would lead to serious consequences.

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READ MORE: Court Approves Mohbads Fathers Request To Challenge Naira Marleys Clearance In Death Case

You people took a picture of me, where wahala go dey na if you release that photo of me with money laundering on it. If una release my picture for una page and I con go see money laundering, you people will prove it, he said. Im not a fraudster and if you put money laundering, it only means everyone you once arrested with the same mugshot means its a lie.

Additionally, VeryDarkMan accused Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) of being involved in his detention. He mentioned that once he regains access to his confiscated phone, he intends to reveal video evidence implicating the bank in his arrest.

The videos caption concluded with, Dear EFCC, as we are about to become friends in the quest for a better Nigeria, we have to start with integrity and clean hands. We cannot start with lies and as for @gtbank, I will be needing some explanations o.
Nigerian actor-turned-politician Desmond Elliot has disclosed how he narrowly escaped an attack by unknown assailants during the 2020 EndSARS protests.

During an appearance on Nollywood On Radio, the Lagos lawmaker shared his experience of being stuck in his Surulere constituency office due to the curfew, only to later face a deadly ambush.

Elliot mentioned that, after being unable to get back to his Lekki home due to the curfew, he chose to spend the night at his office.

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The 51-year-old politician recounted that while he was relaxing and watching TV, panic set in when he heard his landladys daughter screaming and trying to protect him by shouting, he doesnt stay here!

READ MORE: Salawa Abeni Has No Kids With Current Man, Despite Divorce Shes Still Mine  Kollington Ayinla

Elliot revealed that the situation took a dangerous turn when a bottle filled with fuel and fire was thrown into his office, igniting a blaze.

He added that I have never been so scared in my life.

When there was curfew during the EndSARS period, a lot of bad boys came into Surulere and because of the curfew I could not go home, he said.

I was stucked in Lekki so I could not go home and has to go back to my office in Surulere.

I was inside my office and never knew there was going to be anything so I was watching the TV in my office because I had intention the intention to spend the night at the office.

Next thing, I heard my landladys daughter screaming, saying I dont stay there.

When I knew there was a problem was when a bottle with fuel and fire was thrown into my office and it caught fire.

I had to call the chief of staff for help. I have never been so scared in my life, it was horrible.

Amid the EndSARS protests, Elliot faced intense criticism for his statements and actions, earning the title of Nigeria Twitters number one scapegoat, with users bombarding him with memes and playful jabs for several days.

Watch him speak below
Former Big Brother Naija stars Liquorose and Prince Enwerem turned heads on Friday as they clinched the titles of Best Dressed Female and Male during the 2025 AMVCA Cultural Day celebration at the esteemed Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.

The reality stars captivated both the audience and viewers at home with their stunning traditional outfits that beautifully highlighted the richness of Nigerian culture.

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Liquorose wowed in an opulent, bead-embellished outfit adorned with coral accessories and a regal headpiece that exuded elegance and cultural flair.

READ MORE: AMVCA 2025 Begins With Glitz, Glamour As Cultural Day Steals Spotlight

Prince, a former Mr. Nigeria celebrated for his fashion sense, made a striking appearance in a richly embroidered ensemble, enhanced by vintage-style accessories that honored his royal heritage.

They edged out strong contenders like Neo and Venita Akpofure, who also impressed with their bold and culturally inspired ensembles.

For emerging as winners, Liquorose and Prince each received a cash prize of N1 million, courtesy of Goldberg.

The AMVCA ceremony is set to take place in Lagos, Nigeria, and will be broadcast live across all Africa Magic channels.

The list of nominees for the 11th edition of the AMVCA was revealed on Sunday, 23rd March, highlighting categories such as Best Writing in a TV Series, Best Documentary, Best MultiChoice Talent Factory, Best Scripted Series, Best Digital Content Creator, Best Unscripted M-Net Original, and more.

The nominations, spanning film, television, and digital content, honor works released between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

Among the leading contenders, Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, House of Gaa, and Freedom Way received several nominations in various categories, including Best Movie and Best Director.

In the acting categories, Gideon Okeke (Tokunbo), Stan Nze (Suspicion), Femi Adebayo (Seven Doors), and Adedimeji Lateef (Lisabi: The Uprising) were nominated for Best Lead Actor. Meanwhile, Chioma Chukwuka (Seven Doors), Bimbo Ademoye (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre), and Uche Montana (Thinline) are among the nominees for Best Lead Actress.

SEE PHOTOS:
President Bola Tinubu welcomed new investments from Qatar, particularly in agriculture and food security, during a meeting with Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Qatars Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, on Thursday

Al-Khulaifi announced that a Qatari business delegation will visit Nigeria soon to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and petrochemicals.

Tinubu emphasised Nigerias commitment to strengthening ties with Qatar and implementing bilateral agreements.

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We are making efforts to reform our tax system you cant find a better partner than Nigeria, Tinubu said. He also highlighted that Nigeria is undergoing reforms to create a more investor-friendly environment.

I made tough decisions so that we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, he added.

Al-Khulaifi affirmed Qatars interest in deeper ties with Nigeria, particularly in agriculture, and expressed confidence in the countrys potential as a strategic partner in Africa.

We are proud of the level of relations we have reached with Nigeria We have much to do together in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals, he remarked.

The visit signals growing cooperation between the two nations, particularly in sectors critical to Nigerias economic development, as both leaders expressed optimism about future partnerships.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Sowunmi, has insisted that the major opposition party is well positioned to face current defection crisis currently affecting the party.

Mr. Sowunmis statement is coming, following some political big names, leaving PDP for ruling All Progressives Congress.

The Ogun States based politician questioned the panic surrounding the defectors movements, saying that PDP will survive.

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Speaking with Vanguard on Friday, the PDPs chieftain explained that, there are a limited number of coveted positions in any party, such as presidency or state governorships.

He said: Why will the PDP not survive? Every position they want to contest has a few offices.

The presidency of Nigeria is only one ticket in a party. So all the people that want to be president, can they contest for president under APC?

READ MORE: APC Demarketing Nigeria With Nonsense Activities  PDPs Chieftain, Sowunmi

The answer is no. In the 36 states, theres only one gubernatorial ticket. All the people that want to be governor in all the 36 states in the country, can they get a ticket under APC? The answer is no.

So, I think those who are decamping to the APC are decamping and those who are also decamping to the PDP are decamping and to other parties.

Its too early in the day for anybody to be saying this person cannot go, this person will go.
Ward Fitzgerald (left) with Cardinal Robert Prevost, who is now Pope Leo XIV, and Fitzgerald's wife, Kathy, at the Papal Foundation dinner in Rome in 2024. Read more

Since December, Ward Fitzgerald of Haverford has been president of the board of the $250 million-asset, Philadelphia-based Papal Foundation, which backs pope-approved education, hospital, and church projects for war refugees and people living in poverty, and other projects backed by nuncios, the popes national ambassadors.

Fitzgerald, a top officer of former real estate giant Liberty Property Trust, later founded Exeter Property Trust, whose investors include Pennsylvania pensions. He sold Exeter in 2020 for $1.9 billion and started a new investment firm, ExCorde Capital; ExCorde means from the heart.

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He offered observations on American Catholics and the challenges facing newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the former Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, a Peruvian American Augustinian priest and Villanova University graduate. Fitzgeralds comments were edited for clarity and brevity.

Of all the charities you could head, why the Papal Foundation?

I am humbled to serve. Were called Stewards of St. Peter [the first pope]. The foundation does not contribute directly to the Vatican but to schools and homes  for girls who are trafficked and boys who had been targeted to smuggle drugs, for migrants and refugees and humanitarian needs in war-torn areas, for priests and sisters to advance their education in Rome.

The [donors] are good and generous people who want to serve the poor, the marginalized, the vulnerable, which we heard a lot about from Pope Francis and will under Pope Leo.

The fund was set up a little less than 40 years ago by the late John Cardinal Krol of Philadelphia and Pope John Paul II to do this good and holy work. Most of the [contributors] also give funds to Catholic charities  to our alma maters like Villanova [Fitzgerald went to Notre Dame] and to local parishes. Supporting the church in emerging nations, we can touch the world through eyes and ears and hearts in so many places, in thousands of parishes responding to hundreds of bishops.

What are Pope Leo XIVs inspirations?

My wife, Kathy, and I met him in Rome last April at a Papal Foundation dinner. I do not know him well. Our encounters were brief in a crowded room.

We dont get to define him; he defines himself. Hes named himself Leo  theres a lot in that. The last Leo was the pope who sent Mother Cabrinis mission to the United States, as you saw in Eustace Wolfingtons movie last year. Leo signed the charter to start Catholic University of America, which is run by the laity.

Philadelphia is the historic home of American labor; Leo was the first pope who suggested it was right and just to form labor unions. But he also believed in individual property rights, not socialist ownership of everything. Workers deserve representation and protection; capitalism was appropriate for commerce.

As a leader of the Augustinian order, he was influenced by the writings and witness of St. Augustine and by St. Thomas Aquinas.

Aquinas looked at faith and reason. He wrote about how Aristotle and Socrates and Plato explain so much but cant explain everything. Augustine in one of his most famous quotes told of how we are all restless until we rest in the Lord. We are all created by God, but people are looking for truth. They are nervous and anxious and cant find it until they find the Lord. That faith is the foundation of Pope Leo.

Where does the new pope stand politically?

I would not refer to him as a conservative or a liberal. Hes rooted in tradition and in the foundation of the faith and the great minds in the history of the world. The persons who promulgate themselves as conservatives or progressives need to find their way to the church. Theres one truth; theres one church.

The Philadelphia church has been in long-term decline, marked by scandal and shutdowns. What can the new pope do to bring people back?

The pope has an opportunity to reach out to the laity, the 80% who are not in the pews. Maybe theyre not ready to come back in the door, but they need to participate. To abdicate your responsibility to be Christlike and perform works of mercy is irresponsible.

The church is universal. Pope Benedict said salvation will be had in as many ways as there are people. People come from many places. The yearning exists in everyones heart.

What the pope will do  because he was given grace, which is why he was selected  will be to make the church attractive to the world. He has a unique way to do it with a little bit of American style. America has been attractive to the world.

Last winter, then-Cardinal Prevost challenged Vice President JD Vances claim that Aquinas justified helping friends and family above foreigners. As pope, will he challenge world leaders?

When someone whos a world leader like Vance quotes a church doctor, the pope is going to have something to say about it. I dont think [Prevost] did it out of bitterness or politics. When a church doctor is quoted, the pope is obligated to respond. Its about theology, not policy.

Sisters protested when the Trump administration cut aid to Catholic charities and other social programs. Should church leaders also protest cuts to medical and food aid backed by USAID and other agencies?

I dont believe the pope should get involved in that or insist that nations use their budgetary fiscal resources for any specific charity or work of the country that might influence the church.

Clearly, USAID has saved lives. But so have missiles.

This is a very difficult position. If the politicians want to talk theology, the church will respond. But if the politicians are making policy that affects the church, the church should have to adapt and figure out a way to deal with it, like everyone else.

Does wealth give you and your friends influence at the Vatican?

The laity, while they have a role to play, I dont know that we all understand the issues enough to really do that. Most laity think they do. But very few laity are theologians.

The Papal Foundation should not, nor should other charitable organizations, enter the dialogue about [who should be bishops]. Its not our role to lead.
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These Philly schools are the citys best and most-improved, according to the district

Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. presented the Accelerate Philly awards, named for his strategic plan, at Martin Luther King High.
As Philadelphians and Catholics rejoiced at the announcement of the new pope, with his ties to Villanova University, among local Filipinos, there was some disappointment.

The election of Pope Leo XIV meant Filipino cardinals who had been front-runners in the papal process would not ascend to the Catholic Churchs highest post. Many had been rooting for Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who would have been the first Asian pope in the churchs modern era.

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Chance Anies, 33, the chef and owner of Filipino BYOB Tabachoy, whom I was interviewing when news of the new pope broke Thursday, shifted from discussing his new menu items to expressing his own disappointment.

I am not Catholic. I dont have a lot of stake in this other than being Filipino, Anies said. I had heard that Tagle was a pretty great guy. His perspective on life was similar to Pope Francis, who led a great life in the Catholic Church. I thought Tagle would follow in his footsteps, and him also being Filipino is a really, really cool thing. If he came to Philly, I thought Id have the chance to feed him.

Anies said despite being one of the largest Asian populations in the U.S., Filipinos remain one of the least known.

Theres an export system of Filipino labor globally. Filipinos are recognized around the world as cooks, nurses, and members of the military, he said. This feels like a missed opportunity to be recognized around the world as also the country that produced a pope.

There are an estimated 31,000 to 35,000 Filipinos in the Greater Philadelphia area, spread evenly throughout the city. Filipinos are the third-largest Asian immigrant group in the U.S., following Chinese and Indian immigrants.

Some Filipinos have internal conflicts with the Catholic Church that led them away from practicing Catholicism, whether it had to do with the churchs stance on LGBTQ issues or widespread child sex abuse.

But each of the Filipinos I spoke with for this article, religious and nonreligious, Catholic and not, had been hoping for Tagle to be the next pope.

I wish Tito Tagle would have won so immensely bad, said Ranzen Borja Ocampo, 27, in an Instagram DM. Tito is the Tagalog word for uncle. I am neither Catholic nor did I grow up Catholic, but both my parents did. My hope is that one day a Filipino pope would advocate for the Philippines historical struggles with government corruption and national sovereignty.

The popes influence on world matters, they added, would have brought a lot of legitimacy to the struggles that Filipinos at home and abroad face.

PJ Agbay, 33, who had grown up deeply rooted in Catholicism, even spending eight years as an altar boy, said he felt swept up in the excitement over the prospect of a Filipino pope.

Our culture has always rallied behind any Filipino who makes it into the mainstream, so when that rumor started gaining traction  from meme pages to international news  I really believed it, said Agbay.

On a video chat from Manila on Friday, Brad Baldia, 53, the former president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, said, I was hoping for a Filipino pope, which will happen at some point. The fact that Pope Leo is American but Spanish-speaking gave Baldia hope that the pope would relate to Hispanic populations with whom Filipinos, long under Spanish rule, feel closely associated.

Although Baldia is Presbyterian, when Pope Francis came to visit Philadelphia in 2015, he volunteered, along with other Filipino business and church leaders, on planning teams overseen by the Philadelphia Police Asian American Advisory Committee.

Catholicism and faith are part of our values and DNA. Its part of why Filipinos make such good nurses, doctors, teachers, and caregivers. We love to help and care for others, Baldia said.

Randy Duque, 49, the acting executive director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, who also happens to be Filipino and a practicing Catholic, bumped into Cardinal Tagle during the World Meeting of Families in 2015, which had brought Pope Francis to Philadelphia.

He was very open and friendly. We talked about being Filipino and I gave him Chinatown restaurant recommendations. I felt like he was pope material. If the pope had been Filipino, I would have felt even more pride. It would have been nice, said Duque. He also felt like one of my uncles.

Tagle has faced controversy for not taking a more aggressive approach to tackling sexual abuse in the church and being slow to criticize former Philippine president Rodrigo Dutertes crackdown on drugs that executed nearly 30,000 people.

And there was, of course, no guarantee that Tagle becoming pope would mitigate either issue.

Nevertheless, he is popular among Filipino expats in Philadelphia and beyond, celebrated for being approachable, and coming from humble beginnings in Imus, outside Metro Manila.

Beyond the interviews for this article, and from Filipino friends across North America, I fielded dozens of sad texts.

Im not Filipino, but I was hoping for a Filipino pope, several friends said.

This is worse than the ban on bagoong, said another, referring to when Filipino pantry staples disappeared from Asian market shelves due to an import alert.

How cool would it have been to have a pope who could bust out some karaoke after mass? said Jessie Cayabo. It wouldve been a historic moment for the Filipino community, finally seeing our deep devotion to Catholicism reflected on the world stage.
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D., Ariz.), a freshman senator who has already gained attention as a potential 2028 presidential contender, urged Bucks County voters to stay angry as he took questions from residents in one of Pennsylvanias most critical swing districts Saturday.

Speaking to a crowd that filled about half the theater in a Levittown middle school, Gallego, alongside Democratic leaders in Bucks County and Pennsylvania, highlighted the consequences of President Donald Trumps first 100 days in office while arguing the areas Republican congressman, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, was too scared to listen to the voices of his constituents.

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Often, Gallego said, he is asked what to do about the Trump administration, its cuts to the federal workforce, immigration enforcement, and tariffs.

Heres my recommendations, he said. Be mad. Stay mad. And we fight.

The town hall, which was hosted by the Democratic National Committee and the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, is one of many the party has held in swing counties across the country in an effort to build momentum as the party looks for its next leaders.

Last year Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win Bucks County since 1988, taking the county, which also voted for former Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, by just a few hundred votes. Fitzpatrick, Southeastern Pennsylvanias lone Republican representative, retained his seat by a 12-point margin.

Gallego said he came to Bucks County on Saturday to hear how Trumps policies and proposed cuts to social services would affect Fitzpatricks constituents. He came, he said, because Fitzpatrick had not held his own in-person town hall.

Hed rather just run away altogether and hope that this problem goes away or that you forget that he was the key to this, Gallego said, noting that Republicans have a four-vote majority in the House, meaning Fitzpatricks votes could prove decisive.

He could make that difference to save lives, to actually take care of their constituents, to actually do his job.

Fitzpatrick has not recently held an in-person town hall in his district. However, he often posts photos on social media of himself at events in the community. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.

Before becoming a senator, Gallego, who is Latino, represented a Phoenix-area district in the House. He is a Marine Corps veteran who succeeded in reaching out to working-class voters with a focus on the economy and a direct style.

He has broken with his party in the past on immigration, often pushing for stricter border enforcement.

In an hour of Q&A, the largely supportive Lower Bucks crowd grilled Gallego on how Democrats could more effectively fight back against Trump, reach out to swing voters, and chart a path forward in communities that have swung to the right.

Gallego, who outperformed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in his victory last year against Republican Kari Lake, repeatedly returned to strategies he used in his own campaign. He argued that politicians are often too scared and need to talk to everyone.

Lets talk to them as Americans, not as Republicans, and tell them that were here, were here as Americans to do better, Gallego said. And there is room for you.

Gallegos 2024 win has garnered the freshman senator attention in the 2028 presidential conversation, especially as Democrats struggle to reclaim Latino voters, who drifted away from the party in last years presidential election.

While his visit to a battleground county in one of the most important swing states further fuels 2028 speculation, Gallego threw cold water on the idea talking to reporters ahead of the event.

Thats not what Im thinking about right now, Gallego said, citing the forthcoming birth of his third child and his new role in the Senate.

Pressure on Fitzpatrick

Saturdays event often returned to Fitzpatrick, who was first elected in 2016 and has kept his seat by building a reputation as a moderate Republican who seldom talks about Trump and is occasionally willing to break with his party.

A former FBI agent who was stationed in Ukraine in 2015, Fitzpatrick has subtly rebuked Trump in the first few months of his administration, pushing back against the administrations treatment of Ukraine without directly invoking the president.

Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, who is running for the Democratic nomination to take on Fitzpatrick next year, spoke at the town hall, criticizing Fitzpatrick for not standing up against Trump or holding town halls in his district.

Ten years is a long time, especially when you dont have much to show for it, Harvie said of Fitzpatricks time in office.

In a statement Saturday morning, the National Republican Campaign Committee slammed Harvie for appearing alongside Gallego, whom the NRCC described as radical.

Harvie is a danger to Pennsylvanians, said NRCC spokesperson Maureen OToole.

Democrats have had an uphill battle ousting Fitzpatrick. The fifth-term congressman has prevailed even in difficult years for Republicans and has consistently outperformed his own party.

But Pennsylvania Democrats used Saturdays event to place new pressure on him. U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Montgomery County, described him as a good person who has remained silent. Sharif Street, the chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, argued Fitzpatricks winning streak might be in danger as a slim majority forces him to take tougher votes.

The circumstances are calling for him to meet the moment, and either hes going to stand with the people of Bucks County and the 1st District or hes going to stand with Donald Trump and Elon Musk, he said.
All of Newark Mayor Ras Barakas primary opponents came to his defense Friday after the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor was arrested at Delaney Hall, a newly opened ICE detention center in Newark.

Republicans in the race took his arrest as an opportunity to go on offense.

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Baraka has been protesting the 1,000-bed detention centers opening with advocates this week. Witnesses said he was arrested after trying to join three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation who attempted to enter the facility, and a heated argument broke out when federal officials denied his entry, according to the Associated Press. The argument continued after he exited to the public side of the facilitys gates.

Republicans said Baraka was violating the law. Democrats said it was President Donald Trumps administration disregarding the law.

Alina Habba, Trumps former defense attorney and White House counselor who he appointed as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, said in a post on X that Baraka trespassed and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the center.

Sen. Andy Kim (D., N.J.), said video footage showed the mayor outside the facilitys gates at the time of his arrest. Kim called his arrest shocking and called for Barakas release, which occurred around 8 p.m.

U.S. Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, who are both running against Baraka in the gubernatorial Democratic primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, also called for their competitors release.

The governor did the same.

Murphy said he is outraged by the unjust arrest and that Baraka is an exemplary public servant who has always stood up for our most vulnerable neighbors.

A New Jersey law signed by Murphy in 2021 prohibited private and non-federal public entities from entering into contracts with ICE to detain immigrants. But in 2023 a federal judge ruled that the state could only bar public bodies, not private companies, from contracting with ICE to detain immigrants. An appeals court is considering whether to fully restore the law.

The GEO Group, a private prison company, announced in February that it received a $1 billion, 15-year ICE contract to run Delaney Hall. Barakas administration has been trying to prevent the center from operating and accused the facility of not having proper permitting, which DHS refutes.

Baraka, whose political spoken word poetry is currently featured on Beyonces tour, has unapologetically opposed Trumps immigration policies.

 READ MORE: New Jersey's sanctuary status is at risk in the governor race

Response to Barakas arrest falls along party lines in the gubernatorial race

Sean Spiller, the president of the NJEA public school union running in the Democratic primary, called on all the gubernatorial candidates to show up to Delaney Hall tomorrow to join me in standing together in justice.

To see Mayor Baraka taken out in cuffs because he wants to see with his own eyes as the Mayor of Newark the conditions in Delaney Hall, that was wrong, Spiller said.

As an immigrant myself I see myself in those people being detained, added Spiller, who was born in Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Republican candidate Bill Spadea called on all the candidates to condemn Baraka and stand in solidarity with ICE, [Trump border czar] Tom Homan, Alina Habba and everyone working to enforce the law and end illegal immigration in New Jersey.

He said the Newark mayor should be embarrassed.

Former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, another Republican running for governor, criticized the schools, public safety, and airport in Newark and said the citys mayor is busy shilling for undocumented immigrants. He called it shameful and a cheap publicity stunt.

State Sen. Jon Bramnick, another candidate in the Republican primary, said in a text message he is not surprised by Barakas arrest.

The tension was building up everyday, he added.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who is competing against Baraka in the Democratic primary, said Baraka had every reason to be there, and every right to demand accountability.

Sherrill called Barakas arrest an absolute outrage in a statement from her government office (not her campaign).

The Trump administrations decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison to detain immigrants wont make New Jerseyans safer, and it wont fix our broken immigration system, she added.

Gottheimer, also in a statement from his official side, said its absurd that Baraka was detained. Gottheimer is more conservative on immigration than other Democrats in the field and also opposes Delaney Hall.

Former State Senate president Steve Sweeney, another candidate who sits to the right of other Democrats in the race on immigration, similarly called for Barakas release.

Sweeney said Trumps disregard for the rule of law was on full display this afternoon and that he has always known Baraka to stand up and fight for what he believes in.
Donors who gave to a super PAC working to unseat District Attorney Larry Krasner include developer Mohamed Mo Rushdy (left) and the electricians union, which is led by Mark Lynch Jr. (right). Read more

The super PAC spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat District Attorney Larry Krasners reelection campaign is funded primarily by donors from the real estate industry and the construction trades unions, according to a campaign finance report the group filed Friday.

The Concerned Citizens of Philadelphia, a newly formed group organized primarily by prominent developer Mohamed Mo Rushdy, raised $385,000 between its formation earlier this year and May 5, the end of the reporting period.

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It spent $364,212.57 during that period, according to the report filed Friday, the first public disclosure of the groups contributions and expenditures.

 READ MORE: Anti-Krasner ads funded by a super PAC hit the airwaves with just weeks left in Philly DA race

Krasner is being challenged by former Municipal Court Judge Patrick Dugan in the May 20 Democratic primary, and no Republican has filed to run.

The Concerned Citizens group is running a TV ad attempting to tie Krasner to spikes in crime in Philadelphia. It so far has not spent money to promote Dugan.

If Larry Krasner cant do his job, well find someone who will, the groups ad says.

The super PACs top donor was Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a deep-pocketed and politically powerful union that gave $150,000. The PAC also received $50,000 from the Laborers District Council and $20,000 from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 21.

 READ MORE: DA candidate Pat Dugan has committed to declining the GOP nomination if he loses the Democratic primary

Jason Nusbaum, owner of City Living Philly; Mark Nicoletti, president and co-CEO of Philadelphia Suburban Development Corp.; and Richard Vague, a venture capitalist and former state official, each gave $25,000  the largest contributions from individuals.

Corporate donations included $25,000 from Meridian Bank, $5,000 from Turn Key Realty LLC, and $2,500 from Wawas political action committee.

As a super PAC, the group can accept donations larger than the citys limits for contributions to candidates campaigns. But it is prohibited from coordinating with candidates.

Rushdy, managing partner at the Riverwards Group, and Richard Green, CEO of Firstrust Bank, both contributed $10,000.

Rushdy said it is no coincidence people in the real estate industry and construction unions want to be involved in the district attorney race: When perceptions of public safety in the city improve, builders benefit.

Everyone has an interest in seeing the city of Philadelphia as a safe city where people can move into neighborhoods and feel safe walking around, going into stores at night without feeling threatened, Rushdy said in an interview Friday. I have no doubt that [Krasner] means good, I have no doubt that he is a good man, but I also have no doubt that his policies have failed miserably.

Krasner spokesperson Anthony Campisi said the PACs report shows that Dugan is relying on millionaire developers perpetuating a message of fear.

Instead of cozying up to special interests, Larry has a proven track record of standing up to bullies of all sorts  from shooting groups to Donald Trump and his wealthy friends," Campisi said in a statement.

Mark Lynch Jr., Local 98 business manager, said the union, which has also donated directly to Dugans campaign, is backing him because we believe a safer Philadelphia is essential to the citys future.

Judge Dugan has the experience, integrity, and leadership our city needs to restore accountability and rebuild public trust in the criminal justice system, Lynch said in a statement.

Frank Keel, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, said most of the unions in the council endorsed Dugan because public safety is an overriding concern for members.

Pat is also one of us, born into a proud union family, Keel said in a statement. He understands the importance of fair wages and benefits for fair work that is the bedrock of the labor movement.
WINNEMUCCA  Federal cuts to AmeriCorps has eliminated the agencys grants to Nevada Outdoor School along with seven other organizations in the state and over 1,000 programs nationwide.

The NOS AmeriCorps Nevada grants supported about half of the schools budget, records show, with Executive Director Melanie Erquiaga and the school saying in a prepared statement the organization remains fully operational and committed to delivering its mission to inspire exploration of the natural world, responsible stewardship of habitat and dedication to community.

Over the past 23 years, the school said, it has hosted 348 AmeriCorps members who contributed hundreds of thousands of service hours to rural Northern Nevada Communities.

AmeriCorps is the government agency launched in the 1960s as an offshoot of the Peace Corps designed to help support and launch national service projects and volunteerism.

Up to 200 AmeriCorps members in Nevada abruptly lost their jobs Monday after the Trump administration ordered an immediate stop to federally funded work, affecting eight organizations across the state, according to The Nevada Independent. Nationally, 41% of the agencys budget was eliminated Friday and close to 33,000 AmeriCorps members were pulled from their service.

On Monday, Nevada Volunteers, the state service commission that administers AmeriCorps funding, notified eight of the states 13 programs that their grants had been terminated. The partner organizations, in turn, notified their AmeriCorps members that their service positions were no longer funded, leaving them to return home from their sites.

The eight organizations in Nevada that lost grants are city of Las Vegas; Nevada Outdoor School; United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra; United Way of Southern Nevada; The Good Deed Project; Improve Your Tomorrow; city of Henderson; and Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties.

Nevada Outdoor Schools said no AmeriCorp members have lost their jobs because other funding is being used to keep them.

According to Nevada Outdoor Schools 2023 tax Form 990 for the 2022 calendar year, the schools total revenue was $982,448 and AmeriCorps provided $443,552 via two grant and service programs, one for $255,098 and one for $188,454. It described itself as a subgrantee for the AmeriCorps State Formula Program in Nevada.

The AmeriCorps program at NOS offers opportunities for partner nonprofit and government agencies to host a national service member to help advance their mission, the school noted in the form. Some of the national service members from this grant also serve with Nevada Outdoor School to assist with the planning, implementation and delivery of our outdoor education programs.

Other agencies that provide revenue or grants to NOS include the Department of the Interiors Bureau of Land Management, which itself faces federal cuts ($100,021); and the Nevada Division of State Parks, Recreational Trails Program Grants ($166,559). Total program services came to $710,132, according to the tax form.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., was critical of the Trump administration and Elon Musks DOGE operation. Trumps devastating cuts to the AmeriCorps program are going to have long-lasting effects on communities across the United States, including right here in rural Nevada, Cortez Masto said. These cuts to everything from schools to firefighters are not about government efficiency  theyre hurting real people across my state. In a Facebook post this week, she said, AmeriCorps volunteers helped to mitigate wildfires in Nevada. Theyve helped teach our kids to read. And theyve volunteered all across our state for our communities. Instead of a thank you, Elon Musk and Donald Trump are showing them the door.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., also was critical of the decision.

AmeriCorps does critical work to serve communities all across Nevada, from educating children to helping seniors to supporting local food banks, Rosen said. Im outraged by the Trump Administrations mass firings and funding cuts that threaten the vital services that benefit Nevada families. Ill continue fighting to protect these critically needed services and programs in every way I can.

Rosen joined a letter signed by dozens of lawmakers asking the president to reconsider.

Our AmeriCorps members are the heart of Nevada Outdoor School, Erquiaga said. Their service has helped us connect thousands of children and families to the outdoors, foster stewardship of Nevadas unique landscapes, and invest in the health and strength of our communities. While this sudden grant termination is a setback, it does not define us.

Nevada Outdoor School said it is actively working with its partner, the Great Basin Institute, to transition its AmeriCorps members to the Institutes National Conservation Corps Program. It said the collaboration ensures current members will continue receiving their living stipends, health insurance and education awards with minimal interruption.

We want our community to know: Nevada Outdoor School is not closing its doors, Erquiaga said. We are still here, still serving, and we are still hiring summer AmeriCorps members to support our outdoor camps and youth programming. The application and onboarding process remains open, and our commitment to service is stronger than ever.

Spokesperson Toril Tapia said the school has no plans at the time to scale back programming. Were actively exploring creative solutions to ensure we continue serving as a strong resource for outdoor education in Nevada at the same level weve maintained so far.

Since the AmeriCorp programs inception at NOS, members have collectively earned over $1.8 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, the school said it its statement, helping members pursue higher education, repay student loans and access professional development opportunities. Beyond numbers, their service has changed lives, it said.

The school encourages its supporters to reach out to federal and state representatives to voice support for AmeriCorps and the organizations it supports.

We are resilient, Erquiaga said. And with the support of our partners, funders, and community, we will continue to provide opportunities for young leaders to serve, grow, and make a difference.

To donate, learn more about our programs, or apply to serve with Nevada Outdoor School, go to nevadaoutdoorschool.org.
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Maeve Dennehy and Tara Lyng open up the calculators on their phones, adding up the final tally.

41,608. The two business women behind a charity fundraiser that will see 20,804 go to Marymount University Hospital and Hospice, and the same amount be presented to the Childrens Grief Centre in Limerick, are giddy at their success.

But behind their smiles are stories of raw grief and deep loss.

Maeve Dennehy, owner of Love Cherish in Charleville, lost her sister and mum to cancer. Marymount, she says, was a shining light to them all in those dark days. She was determined to raise funds for the hospice.

Three years ago, Tara Lyng  sister of Kilkenny senior hurling manager Derek Lyng  saw her charity appeals on social media. The co-owner of Dwyers bar in Cork City reached out to offer help  and to be a venue for Dennehys Love Cherish fundraising fashion shows.

This year, as they joined forces for their third fundraiser, a new charity was added to the bill: The Childrens Grief Centre.

This year, Tara Lyng and Maeve Dennehy joined forces for their third fundraiser. Picture: Brian Arthur

Lyng had endured her own deep loss. Last summer, as she holidayed in Rhodes, Greece, with her family, her husband Johnny OConnor passed away suddenly.

Without warning, she lost her life partner of 22 years, her two daughters lost their father.

The Childrens Grief Centre in Limerick would be Lyngs shining light in her dark days.

Most mums, especially those with girls of a certain age, have watched their kids play with slime, endlessly pulling and stretching the goo through their little fingers.

For Lyng, this has been so much more than just a passing phase for her daughters.

It would help them to begin to understand the grieving process. She says of her daughter:

She was telling me that the bubbles in the slime, theyre like, the waves of grief, and sometimes they burst, and thats when all the emotions play out.

A free service, almost entirely dependent on charity funds, Dennehy and Lyngs fundraising will ensure the employment of a new counsellor at the centre.

Its going to be a 20-hour week job with the money that weve given, and its going to clear 15 appointments in the week. So thatll be 15 kids, 15 families each week, says Lyng.

Dennehy and Lyngs fundraising will ensure the employment of a new counsellor at the Children's Grief Centre. Picture: Brian Arthur

With her dynamic social media presence, and vibrant personality, Dennehys fundraisers have always been a huge success.

However, the two women are visibly blown away by the reaction to this most recent sell out event, Sip, Style & Sparkle, in January in Lyngs second bar, Seventy Seven.

The format  an afternoon welcome drink, followed by a Love Cherish fashion show and live music  sounds deceptively simple.

Inside the bar, the atmosphere was electric. Dennehys social media and Love Cherish fans were there to party. Beginning at 4pm, by 9pm  when the doors to Seventy Seven reopened to the public  it was like the afters of a wedding.

This year, Dennehy also launched her new collaboration with Hope and Ivy at the event, which saw paintings of iconic Irish landscapes  Gougane Barra among them  printed onto flowing full- length summer dresses.

Women turned up for fashion and fun  and they made money for two crucial charities in the process.

Mairead OKeeffe, CEO of The Childrens Grief Centre in Limerick, knows the difference this one fundraiser will make to childrens lives, and the additional support it will provide.

We currently have 12 part-time staff: Five part time support workers that work directly with children. In 2024, we offered 3,019 appointments and 374 children were seen in the centre, says OKeeffe.

Maeve and Tara presenting the cheque to Mairead OKeefe, CEO, and Carol Fitzgough, fundraising, both from the Childrens Grief Centre in Limerick. Picture: Brian Arthur

The centre, which moved into a state of the art building two years ago, is desperately needed.

In 2024, the reason for referral was 54% bereavement, 38% separation, and 8% both bereavement and separation, she says, adding that the Growing up in Ireland survey revealed that 2.2% of nine year olds had lost a parent, 1% a sibling, and 28% had experienced the death of a grandparent.

The waiting list at the Grief Centre is currently five to six months, a figure OKeeffe is desperately trying to reduce. The centre is the only one of its kind in the country. People travel nationwide for the supports, from art and play therapy to one to one counselling.

Often they return during life transitions  starting secondary school for example can be a trigger according to OKeeffe.

We are normalising grief  people are born, people die, said OKeeffe.

Maeve with her sister Karen and mother Maeve, who have both sadly passed away.

The other half of the 46,000 raised was donated to Marymount last month. It was a haven for Dennehy when she lost her sister and her mum to cancer just five years apart. Her sister Karen was at her side every step of the way when she decided to open a boutique in Charleville in 2012 (she would go on to win Xpose boutique of the year).

I just moved to Ballyhay, where my husbands from, and realised there was nowhere to buy clothes there. I just decided, go for it. Theres a gorgeous community down there as well, she said.

Dennehy would go on to build her own online community too. During lockdown, as many businesses faltered, Dennehy and her team would try on outfits  sales soared, so much so she had to expand, signing a lease on a warehouse to handle demand. The mother of two went on to launch her own label Oh Molly, named after her daughter (the latest collection launches tomorrow).

Oh Molly SS25 launches online on lovecherish.com and in store in sizes 8-20 tomorrow.

In those early years, when success wasnt guaranteed, her sister Karen was her support. Dennehy was heartbroken when she was diagnosed with breast cancer just months later. She would spend a peaceful five weeks in Marymount before she passed away. She was just 39.

Her mum was diagnosed just a few weeks later with a tumour on her sinuses and passed away in Marymount in 2018. Dennehy has gone on to raise more than 178,000 for the charity to ensure other families receive the same love and care.

Already the two women are planning their next fundraising events. This is just the beginning.
They had just returned to Ireland after hiking through some of Vietnams steepest terrains. So youd imagine West Cork duo Therese Hurley and David Harrington would have a little downtime in their sights.

Youd think. He made me climb up Torc Mountain in Killarney, says Therese.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

Summit reached, David sank to one knee to pop the question. And no sooner were they running down that Kerry hill than they were rising to their next adrenaline-pumped challenge  organising the big day of their dreams.

Once we got engaged, I couldnt wait to plan the wedding, so we decided, lets do it! says Therese, from Glengarriff. We had a very short engagement  only seven months from that day, July 11, 2024.

Therese, who works in finance, and David, a secondary school teacher, started dating almost a decade ago.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

I was working behind a bar in Glengarriff when we first set eyes on each other, but our first meet-up was in Havana Browns nightclub in Cork City, says Therese.

The couple have lived in Glengarriff for the past five years, but the Kingdom beckoned once again for their I dos as Therese and David, from Adrigole, were wed in St Marys Church in Dingle, by Fr Michael Moynihan and held their reception in the Dingle Skellig Hotel.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

We wanted somewhere far enough away from home that it could be treated like a mini-holiday for ourselves and everyone. The minute we landed into the outstanding Dingle Skellig [during the search for a reception venue], we knew it was the venue for us.

Celebrating with them on their big day were the brides father, Gerard Hurley, and the grooms parents, Margaret and William Harrington, and his grandmother, Mary Harrington. Very much in their thoughts on the occasion was the brides mother, the late Theresa Hurley.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

The bride and groom chauffeured themselves. It was lovely to be able to have time for ourselves, says Therese.

We had the amazing Sirona Strings in the church and drinks reception followed by the super Bentley Boys for our band and DJ.

Dawn [OConnor], Dingle Blooms, created the floral decor. We had the best day, it was relaxed and fun and chilled out, adds Therese.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

Little details spark big memories. People are still talking about the delicious ham rolls at the drinks reception! says the bride.

Thereses sisters, Mary Hilda Hurley, Brid Hurley and Kathleen Hurley, were her bridesmaids, Davids brother Liam Harrington was his best man, and his friends Connie OShea and Eoin Green OSullivan were the groomsmen.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

We had our nieces and nephews as flowergirls and pageboys, Tess Creedon, Hailey Harrington, Colm and Gerard Whooley and Fiadh Whooley, adds Therese.

The bride sourced her dress from Say I Do in Midleton. In other places, I was considered a rush bride, but not in Say I Do. Once we settled on the design I wanted, it was then sent off to Barcelona and designed by the amazing Jesus Peiro, so it was a very personal dress for me, says Therese.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

I loved my dress. I wanted to be me and it was me. The lads suits were all from Simply Suits, Co Cork, where the staff were also amazing.

Thereses makeup artist was Annette OBrien, and the bridal hairstylist was Tricia. OSullivan.

Husband-and-wife team Dave Olsthoorn and Laurie Brosnan of Awake & Dreaming ( awakeanddreamingweddings.com) captured the wedding on camera, and Seaforest Films provided the videography.

Therese Hurley and David Harrington. Pictures: Awake and Dreaming

We enjoyed our day two in Paul Geaneys bar in Dingle, where we kept the party going, says the bride.

The newlyweds holidayed in Lanzarote after the wedding and look forward to their honeymoon in the coming months.
Mesmerising Malta

Fly from Shannon to Malta this autumn and enjoy a week-long break at the 4-star Pebbles Resort Hotel, St Pauls Bay, from 549 per person.

The sunny little Mediterranean archipelago offers up a brilliant mix of culture and sights, from prehistoric temples to secret coves, fossil-studded cliffs to scuba diving and fascinating history to wonderful food.

Price is per person based on 2 adults sharing for travel in October 2025, including return flights from Shannon.

flyshannon.ie

Deal of the week

Brittany Ferries has teamed up with Rioja DOCa Control Board, offering Irish holidaymakers the chance to discover Spains celebrated Rioja wine region. Take a four-day immersive journey, staying in Bodegas FyA, a boutique winery hotel, sampling excellent local wines and experiencing Riojas scenery, culture, and gastronomy.

The flexible self-guided Rioja Wine Experience package combines ferry travel and accommodation, sailing direct from Rosslare Europort to Bilbao.

From 429 per person.

brittany-ferries.ie/offers

London with a view

Looking for a London hotel in a great location? The stylish Trafalgar St James London, Curio Collection by Hilton, sits on the corner of Trafalgar Square in St James SW1, overlooking Nelsons Column. A skip across the road to the wonderful (and free) National Gallery, its also walking distance from Londons West End and Buckingham Palace. The Rooftop bar serves up cocktails with superb city views and the smart 5-star is a 5-minute stroll to Charing Cross station. Doubles from 306 (approx 361.)

Trafalgarstjames.com

Self-guided hiking tours

Hillwalk Tours, a leading provider of self-guided walking holidays, have launched a clever new partnership with Hiiker, a fellow Irish-based company, and experts in hiking and navigation technology.

The cool collaboration offers holidaymakers world-class hiking tours and state-of-the-art navigation support, with Hillwalk Tours customers able to easily navigate their self-guided walking tour.

Promising an enhanced hiking experience, clients will have access to Hillwalk Tours own custom-built tracks on the Hiiker app, ensuring they can easily follow their hiking route, with offline capability for areas with no phone or cell coverage.

hillwalktours.com

Killarney cool

Upping the ante in lakeside luxury, Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa, the 5-star Killarney hotel has recently refurbished 12 elegant lakeview suites. Add in new culinary experiences designed to make the most of brighter evenings overlooking the Lakes of Killarney, and we reckon its a trip worth booking.

To celebrate, the new Summer by the Lakes package includes an overnight stay in a refurbished Lakeview Suite, welcome refreshments on arrival, dinner in the Lake Room and a leisurely breakfast, from 336 per person sharing for June-August.

aghadoeheights.com
Finally, please tuck your pants inside your socks, our rifle-clad guide advises, as we descend into the Kyambura Gorge in western Uganda. Its a deep, 11km-long cutting, a sunken streak of tropical rainforest etched through tree-dotted grasslands to either side. Exactly how this will deter the smattering of hippo, elephant and buffalo on the valley floor ignoring the fresh lion tracks we gauge hiking down the winding path  I am not quite sure.

Because, if not, she continues, the ants will invade your legs, I tell you, up until they attack central government.

Not 40 minutes later, we may have done just that to a community of 18 mesmerising chimpanzees  from infants to the old  as they follow their power-strutting Alpha Male past us. What spellbinding, glorious creatures these are.

In time, they ascend the trees about us in choreography fit for a Planet of the Apes trailer, before vocalising overhead, louder than a platoon of irate Healy-Raes in the Dail. The multitude of mutinous hippos return acoustic fire from the river pool not 15 metres beside us: Welcome to the jungle, Sapiens. Naturally, I get a fit of the giggles. Its great to be back in Africa.

In the 50s and 60s, Uganda was Safari Central

Its little known now but in the 50s and 60s, Uganda was Safari Central. Then from the late 60s until the mid-80s, the Milton Obote-Idi Amin Tag Team Killing Machine ravaged the nation.

But it wasnt until the 90s before safari operators returned, with one of the first being Wildplaces Africa.

Theyve worked hand-in-glove with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority ever since, helping to crack down on poaching, and can now boast of seven luxury safari lodges and camps about the country.

Uganda offers, arguably, the most diverse safari experience on the planet, but why? Well, it packs in over 330 mammal species (including the tick-the-box Big 5, as well as 20 fascinating primate species), and over 1000 bird species. In fact, it would bring out the birder in anyone: the sheer variety and vivacity, grace and eccentricities of these avians are like nothing Ive ever encountered in numerous other safaris across several nations.

As for geography, Uganda sports one of the most powerful waterfalls in Africa (Murchison Falls), with the continents largest river (the Nile) cutting straight through the country. Its centred within the Great Lakes Region, even shoring Africas largest lake (Lake Victoria), while along its western flank are the 5,000m-high Rwenzori Mountains; some of the highest peaks in Africa. Thus, safari offerings cover habitats from savannah grassland to acacia woodlands, and from tropical lowland rainforest to Afromontane forest.

Yet as massively diverse as the safari experience proves to be, its nowhere near as diverse as the emblazoned names of Ugandan matatus (minibus taxis), with bold affirmations on windscreens reading Death Zone, Team No Sleep, Crash Magnet, and even I love you Mummy.

Within the wider Murchison Falls National Park, Wildplaces Papas Bush Camp is located within a 400 sq. km protected Low Impact Zone, meaning we have the wilds to ourselves. The Camp is named after that Genghis Khan of 20th century literature, Ernest Papa Hemmingway. Just down river in 1954, he and his wife had the distinction of being in two plane crashes in two days. Youve really got to love Africa: the True Continent of Firsts.

A tent at Papa's Camp

This luxurious six bedroomed tented bush camp is set on the banks of the 200m-wide thrumming Nile. We go on a walking safari upriver, where poachers formerly snared, then speared to death, everything, from giraffe and elephant to lion and buffalo, caught in their snare. Wonderfully, the last poaching gang here was only caught because they were doing their laundry in the river.

Late afternoon has us fishing for Nile perch, as I sip a Nile beer, while a raft of big-headed hippos stare at us from the depths, just out of casting distance. As our armed ranger keeps watch for Nile crocodiles, I land a lump of a catfish instead.

But its the ten-strong-and-growing pride of lion near the camp, with a further 30-something lion in the wider zone, that wins the day. We get close enough to observe their every whim and fancy, revisiting each morning and evening until we are all on first-name terms. A

n hour or so further south, Murchison Falls spews out. Here the Nile, in all her full-bodied vigour, tries squeezing through a 7 metre-wide gap, insisting the dress still fits her. The resulting power, and pure raging menace is like a Liquid Lucifer, torrenting towards Egypt beneath a spectral rainbow. The most remarkable, the most Ugandan thing of it all? I am the only tourist in sight.

A pool with a view at The River Station

Some 300km south of Murchison Falls is Wildplaces River Station Lodge. Its within Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, home of our Kyambura Gorge chimp-haven. The lodge is on the banks of the choc-a-croc Kazinga Channel, a wide, 32-km-long natural water channel with the towering Rwenzori Mountains shimmering out west.

This lodge, positioned where mammals can easily access the channel, also overlooks a small inland lake, meaning we effectively have 270 degree views of a litany of spectacular wildlife. So commanding are the sights from the lodge, it makes you question the value of going out on safari, when you can just sit back and order another Kakira gin and tonic and peruse legions of elephant and buffalo and hippo and mighty Nile crocodiles.

Then theres wandering warthogs (projecting like theyre late for a hair appointment, only cant remember where) and their loner uncles  the Giant Forest Hog. Theres also the waterbuck, the Ugandan kob, the baboon and colobus monkey but its the petulant hippos I will never forgive, squabbling all night, like overgrown adolescents fighting over the remote control.

Buffalo at River Station

We journey further south, towards Rwanda, through the fertile, maroon soils of the Volcanic Highlands. Here a riot of banana, maize, tea, coffee, onions, cotton and cassava cloak the steeply rolling hillsides; hillsides famed for their Irish potatoes (as opposed to sweet potatoes).

Im here for the delectable, 2000m-high Clouds Lodge and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. When the mists clear, they reveal an identity parade of stunning volcanoes. Nightfall sees the red lava smoke of Nyamuragira volcano visible through my chalet window, more than 60km off in the Congo, smouldering worse than Colonel Kurtz.

Views from Clouds Lodge

Gorilla Day finally arrives; one Ive wished for since I was fresh out of nappies. Time to find my tribe. There are just over one thousand Mountain Gorilla left in the wild, a welcome increase in recent decades. Theyre only located near where the Ugandan, Rwandan and Congolese borders meet, with more than 400 living here in Ugandas Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which sounds, as marketing slogans go, about as inviting as Trespassers will be shot.

We descend  yes, downhill  into the forest (impenetrable my ass) along with porters and armed rangers, with a further two trackers having been out since daybreak. Within an hour, I am standing  masked mouth agape  among a family of 15 glorious gorillas from the incongruously named Posho family. Rather than clad in velvet smoking jackets and silk cravats, they wander around us within touching distance, completely naked.

I feel overawed at the sheer majesty, the proximity, the higher human essence of their company. Not only do I forget I am among animals, so does my phone camera as it autofocuses upon their facial features. After a half-hour of them amicably perusing and grazing the forest floor, all hell lets loose.

A gorilla at Bwindi Impeetrable Forest

The neighbouring Christmas family have encroached on the Poshos territory and all troops  even mothers and infants  charge to the battlefront, with us in tow. While theres plenty of screaming and chest-thumping, teeth-bared charges and flaying arms, there is mercifully little bloodshed. After 15 or so minutes  enough for my knees to stop shaking  the fracas settles into a very tense, eyeballing stand-off, until the Poshos eventually win out.

We are preposterously, insanely lucky and it marks one of the most exhilarating, touching experiences of my life. Such conflict happens maybe once or twice a year at most, were told, and never ever in the one hour a day that visitors to Bwindi are permitted to be there.

Well, either that or the trackers had bribed them to put on the whole show for us. Regardless, just like Uganda itself, its a show I will be forever the richer for.

Is Uganda for you?

For the uninitiated African traveller, factor in that multiple vaccinations (e.g. from tmb.ie) will be required, and consult your GP about malaria tablets. Be aware that outbreaks of Ebola are not unknown to Uganda, including earlier this year when I visited, but they tend to be rapidly and tightly contained, and outside of tourist areas.

Most controversially, homosexual activity is now illegal in Uganda, with severe punishments if convicted.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community are advised to act with extreme discretion at all times, as there is also a low social tolerance of homosexuality.

Currently, Irish citizens are visa-exempt for Uganda and will receive a (no charge) entry stamp on arrival. Lastly, routinely check the Department of Foreign Affairs advice on Uganda before and during your stay. Factoring all of the above in, however, is Uganda still worth it? Absolutely.

Escape Notes

A gorilla near Clouds Lodge at Bwindi Impeetrable Forest

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Jamie was a guest of Wildplaces Africa and Qatar Airways.
Habib Al Ostazs family has not eaten in two days.

Small portions of lentils and rice are all they can intermittently access since Israel stopped all food, humanitarian aid, and other supplies entering Gaza on March 2. Even the flour has now run out.

They are in their bomb-damaged home in the north of the beleaguered strip, trying to repair it amid rubble from the surrounding flattened homes where neighbours once lived.

However, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus fresh threat this week of a forceful entry into Gaza, sending thousands of soldiers to seize territory and push Palestinians down to the south, may force Habib's family to leave again.

Habibs family already subsisted as refugees in the south since Israels bombardment of Gaza began in October 2023.

They lived with thousands of others in a UN school before that area was attacked. They then fled to a relatives house, but that was full so his parents, four brothers, and one sister lived in tents with bombs detonating close to their flimsy canvas walls.

More than 52,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since the conflict began, the Gazan authorities estimate.

However, the dizzying levels of damage to homes and infrastructure may make it difficult to fully account for all the bodies trapped and decaying beneath the endless piles of deadly rubble.

North Gaza house destroyed, owned by the family of Habib Al Ostaz.

Habib speaks to his family every two days now, once they can charge their phones on car batteries. There is no electricity.

Two days is also the frequency at which the family can now get one small meal.

I can't express my feelings at the moment, Habib told the Irish Examiner.

I'm trying to avoid thinking too much about it because I couldn't change anything

Habib spoke to this newspaper hours before giving a presentation in University College Cork, where he is studying for a qualification in youth and community work.

Every time he speaks to his family, they sound very hungry and theres very little he can do for them.

He previously told the Irish Examiner that he has listened to his severely weakened father plead for help for the family over the phone as bombs detonate nearby.

Your family are about to die, to be killed, and youre not able to help them, Habib said.

On Wednesday, airstrikes hit Gaza and killed at least 59 people, according to Gazan authorities.

One attack killed 33 people when bombs hit a popular cafe where young people were using the internet in Gaza City. The bombs are hitting already starving people.

Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, earlier this month. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

A total blockade by Israel on humanitarian aid and other supplies into Gaza is now in its third month.

Some 10,000 acutely malnourished children have been identified by the UN in Gaza this year. Food prices have spiked by up to 1,400%.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said the blockading by Israel of food and humanitarian aid to Gaza "clearly constitutes a war crime".

Despite such horror in his homeland, Habib was recently refused an application to remain in Ireland.

Although he is a refugee, he was granted refugee status in Greece  the first EU country he reached after fleeing Gaza.

He subsisted in destitution there, living in woodland and encountering racism. Habib speaks fluent English, but he does not speak Greek

His brother lives in Cork with a visa and, after years in the country, Habib has built up a support network here.

His solicitor, Susan Doyle, said that maintaining a support network is important, particularly when he has suffered such trauma from the Israeli onslaught on his country and is in constant fear about the survival of his family there.

A move to Greece would be a move into penury, without the language or any support network, Ms Doyle said.

But the States position is that Greece is a safe country and he must return there, she said.

In Greece, he was destitute and he faced discrimination," she said.

"He was living in a really impoverished camp where it was filthy. He had medical issues, but he wasn't seen by doctors.

He'd be landing in Greece, where he previously ended up in abject poverty, with nowhere to go. He doesn't know anyone. He doesn't speak the language

The law would say that if you are likely to end up in serious poverty, then you shouldn't be sent back there.

"But the Government's viewpoint would be that Greece is a safe country and that, regardless of whatever experiences he's had, he should be returned to a European country because they are members of the European Convention on Human Rights," she added.

Habib Al Ostaz's solicitor Susan Doyle said a move to Greece would be 'a move into penury, without the language or any support network'. File Picture: Gareth Chaney

The recent refusal of his application is also a waste of taxpayer money, Ms Doyle said, because Habib won a High Court action regarding the State's refusal to let him stay last year, so the new decision will again be challenged in the courts.

Legal costs will likely come in at more than 20,000 against the State.

We took a judicial review last year as to why he couldn't return to Greece, and we were successful in that case," Ms Doyle said.

But when they refused it again, they refused it on the basis of the exact same reasons as last time.

So, we're going back to the High Court again on the exact same case that we previously won

The State will pay our costs when we win this again, which is a complete waste of taxpayers money.

Justice minister Jim OCallaghan sent a letter to HABIB saying he can either leave Ireland voluntarily, consent to a deportation, or make representations as to why he should be given leave to remain in Ireland.

We're in the process of making that submission now, Ms Doyle said.

Applications by refugees are being increasingly refused since immigration protests swept the country in recent years, she said.

Two to three years ago, he [Habib] would have been given permission to remain immediately. But I think the Government is really trying to show that they're being hard on immigration at the moment.

They want to take a tough line with it. People that would have been given permission to remain in the past are no longer being given it," she added.
RTE has been called on to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest over Israels inclusion in the competition.

Irish actor Stephen Rea read the poem If I Must Die by Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, as he joined scores of protesters gathered at the main entrance to RTEs campus in the Donnybrook area of Dublin on Friday evening.

The demonstrators, some wearing keffiyehs, waved Palestinian flags and held up banners with slogans including you cant culturewash genocide and you need to boycott Israel now.

Organisers staged a mini-concert featuring short speeches as well as musical performances of anti-war and pro-Palestinian songs.

Actor Stephen Rea attended the protest (Brian Lawless/PA)

Those taking part were calling for Ireland to boycott Eurovision 2025, saying more than 70 former contestants have backed the campaign to see Israels national broadcaster KAN banned.

They note that the organisation behind the event, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), indefinitely suspended Russia and Belarus in 2022.

The event featured artists, musicians and LGBT and human rights activists as well as the chairman of an RTE sub-branch of the NUJ Trevor Keegan.

RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst said it would not pull its entry  Laika Party performed by singer Emmy  out of the competition.

However, he said he had written to the EBU, chaired by Irishman and former RTE director general Noel Curran, to ask for a discussion on Israels inclusion in the contest in May.

People attend a pro-Palestine protest outside RTE in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign chairwoman Zoe Lawlor accused Israels national broadcaster of attempting to culturewash an apartheid ideology at Eurovision.

She said: Its vital to exclude the genocidal apartheid state of Israel from this global cultural platform now.

Ireland showed the way in the 1980s, standing resolutely against the racist and murderous crimes of apartheid South Africa.

RTE can help do the same now, by withdrawing its participation and standing on the side of humanity, equality and human rights.

A pro-Palestine demonstration outside BBC Blackstaff Studios in Belfast (David Young/PA)

Earlier on Friday, several pro-Palestine demonstrators picketed outside a BBC studio in Belfast city centre.

The activists banged dustbin lids on walls and shouted chants criticising the corporations coverage of the conflict in Gaza.

They also called for a boycott of Eurovision, to which the BBC is sending Remember Monday with the song What the Hell Just Happened?

Eurovision, which is hosted by the EBU, will begin on May 13 in Switzerland with the final on May 17.

Israel is set to be represented at the contest by Yuval Raphael, 24, a survivor of the October 7 2023 Hamas attack.
Gardai have arrested a man in his 20s as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of suspected accommodation fraud incidents in South Dublin.

The arrest was carried out on Friday, May 9, by members of the Serious Crime Unit based in Irishtown.
It is still unclear how many pharmacies will sign up to the free HRT scheme, with the health minister on Saturday only saying numbers so far are greatly above 20.

The HSE will publish a map of participating pharmacies in less than two weeks, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill told reporters during the Irish Pharmacy Union conference.

There are over 5,000 pharmacists working in Ireland. Many attended the conference in Kilkenny, and emotions were high in the room after the Ministers speech.

Pharmacists say the proposed fee per HRT item is financially unsustainable.

I would ask you just to reflect on it, she said in her speech.

She added: Id like to thank those pharmacies who have already signed up. I am very keen to work in a collaborative way always.

However when asked by reporters how many have committed with just three weeks to go, she declined to say.

When 20 was suggested, she said: greatly above that, but the reason I want to be careful is I am really respectful of the process of the IPU.

She added: I dont want to be in any sort of dispute with any group and I am really am trying to be respectful.

Pharmacists talking to the Irish Examiner said the low fee is disappointing.

One Dublin pharmacist said he only knows one person who has signed, and the sector feels coerced by how the plan was announced.

A Galway pharmacist said the proposed fee is disrespectful and it makes a mockery of thank yous for covid-19 work. Another said it is a loss-maker and he cannot afford to accept it.

A number of people said it was shocking to hear the Minister advising women last week to change pharmacy if free HRT is not on offer.

The issue is tied up in IPU efforts to remove a 17-year freeze on fees. They say the proposed 5 is not sustainable, and called for the same fee of 6.50 as for the contraceptive scheme.

In his speech IPU president Tom Murray said: I want to restate our commitment to improving access to HRT for women across Ireland, but weve got to make sure the initiative works in practice not just in principle.

Speaking to the Minister, he added: but as we have told you, the proposed fee does not cover the actual cost of the service delivered. It risks making the service unviable in many areas.

The conference also heard pharmacists spend about six hours weekly chasing alternatives to out-of-stock medicines. These include HRT, medicines for ADHD and weight-loss among others.

A survey found 57% of pharmacists dealt with 40 or more shortages in the last four months.

Some 71% saw negative patient outcomes, up from 66% last year. Some 82% called for pharmacists to have more clinical powers to find generic alternatives.

Some 83% said they had to borrow items from other pharmacists.

IPU Secretary General Clare Fitzell warned: When a medicine is in short supply, this can interrupt treatment  something which can be a cause of distress for patients and their families.

She called for immediate action on changes linked to the new Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024.

Medicine substitution protocols will have benefits for patients, prescribers and pharmacists, she said.
"Do you realise that there is less news and footage coming out of Gaza?

Thats because the journalists have either been killed or wounded. The ones that are alive are either severely ill or too starved to manage any energy beyond the attempt to secure food and water.

This is what Israel wanted when they declared a war of attrition back in November 2023.

The whole world should be reporting what they have learned up to this point. The whole world owes the journalists and people that documented and appealed to stop a warmongering regime.

These are not my words, but those of American-born Palestinian writer and commentator Mariam Barghouti  which I read while trying to find the right words for this column.

After more than 18 months, there are no descriptions graphic enough; no warnings from humanitarian organisations on the ground that can encompass the sustained brutalities; no new angles for the international media who have been blocked from accessing the strip to witness the full scale of destruction.

Genocide has become normalised.

Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis on the Gaza Strip on Monday. Today, the world is now standing by as Israel announces its intention to seize the enclave, take control over aid and force more than two million Palestinian civilians into a small area in the ruins of the south. Photo: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana

The horror statistics of bombings, amputations, forced displacement, and death pile up one on top of another  bodies upon bodies  losing meaning and impact.

When reporters become bereft of words, the most powerful tools at our disposal, it is easy to despair. But at this point  when Israel has put the world on notice that it intends to expand on the list of war crimes it has already committed  politicians, the media, and the public must not tune out.

In the early months of Benjamin Netanyahus bombardment of the Gaza Strip, the daily death toll was widely reported and easily available through a simple Google search. However, as the lives lost have climbed into the thousands and the tens of thousands, reporting has become more sporadic.

Mothers, daughters, sons, friends, and parents are dehumanised in death as they are added to an overall number. The stories of these lives lost are not being told because journalists are not being given permission to enter Gaza, while our Palestinian colleagues are being killed as they heroically go about their work.

Journalist killings

Shortly after lunch on Wednesday of this week, freelance reporter Yahya Sobeih headed to the Rimal neighbourhood in Gaza City  where the Israeli army had just bombed a popular restaurant in a crowded market area.

Before leaving, he shared a photo on social media cradling his newborn daughter after becoming a father.

When he arrived at the restaurant to record the attack, a second Israeli airstrike hit and killed him.

Journalist Yahya Sobeih was killed in the Israeli strike on the Thai restaurant and the market west of central Gaza City.

The incident bore all the hallmarks of what is known as a double-tap strike, when a second attack on the same location is delayed long enough for responders to flood into the area.

Enough! Words fail to convey the endless nightmare faced by journalists in Gaza. Yahya Sobeih was torn from his profession and his family by a bomb from the Israeli armed forces, Reporters Without Borders director general Thibaut Bruttin said afterwards.

The impunity for crimes committed against these reporters cannot be tolerated, yet the international community continues to fail each day to force Israel to protect Palestinian journalists.

Sobeihs name has been added to the list of reporters killed. He is a statistic, but he was also a father to a daughter who now will never know him.

Yesterday, the Committee to Protect Journalists preliminary investigations showed at least 178 journalists and media workers were among the tens of thousands killed in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon since the war began, making it the deadliest period for journalists since the committee began gathering data in 1992.

The committee is also investigating more than 130 additional cases of potential killings, arrests, and injuries, but many are difficult to document given the restrictions imposed on external observers.

Programme director, Carlos Martinez de la Serna, said in New York this week:

Every time a journalist is killed, injured, arrested, or forced to go to exile, we lose fragments of the truth.

Those responsible for these casualties face dual trials: One under international law, and another before historys unforgiving gaze.

'Genocidal'

It is now 15 months since Taoiseach Micheal Martin raised the alarm around the lack of information getting out of Gaza, stating that he feared the world does not yet know the extent of the horrors being carried out by Israel.

His words came at a time when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had raided Nasser Hospital, the largest functioning health facility in the Palestinian enclave. Footage showed chaos, shouting, and gunfire in dark corridors filled with dust and smoke.

By last month, an Israeli air raid had left the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza non-operational  forcing critically ill patients onto the streets.

It is six months since the Taoiseach told my colleague, Paul Hosford, that Israels actions were genocidal.

Today, the world is now standing by as Israel announces its intention to seize the enclave, take control over aid  which has been blocked from entering since March  and force more than two million Palestinian civilians into a small area in the ruins of the south.

In the Dail, Tanaiste Simon Harris admitted: Israel is not listening. Nothing that has happened to date has changed the situation here in terms of Israel actually showing restraint, or issuing statements calling for restraint, when there is a government in Israel that plans doing the exact opposite.

International reaction

But words and actions do have impact, even if the situation can feel hopeless.

This week, in the British House of Commons, Conservative MP Mark Pritchard  a strong supporter of Israel for decades  broke ranks with his party.

Ive been in this House 20 years. I have supported Israel pretty much at all costs quite frankly. But today, I want to say that I got it wrong and I condemn Israel for what it is doing to the Palestinian people in Gaza  and indeed in the West Bank  and Id like to withdraw my support right now for the actions of Israel.

A small but growing number of Tory members have also come out against official party policy to call for an immediate recognition of the Palestinian state.

The international reaction to Israels war crimes has been too slow. It has allowed for the continued denial of basic medical and humanitarian aid, the forced starvation of a people who were already living in an open air prison for many years, and the targeted murder of civilians and aid workers.

We cannot give up

Despite being restricted in our ability to fully report on what is going on, we in the media cannot give up. As futile as our reporting may feel, we must not give up.

The Irish Examiner has sent reporters to Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. It has repeatedly spoken to doctors and aid workers on the ground  including UNRWAs senior deputy director John Whyte, who is a guest on The Mick Clifford Podcast this week.

This paper has used its front page and social media to platform powerful images from Gaza. Its not enough, but its something the Irish Examiner will continue to do.

In her social media post, Barghouti reminded her hundreds of thousands of followers that Palestinians have said again and again: Do it not for us, but for you.

Do it because what you see happening to us will be exported to you. I am telling you, actually, do it for us, she wrote. Even if this violence is not exported to you, just do it because its the right thing to do.
In the skies above London in the early hours of September 3, 1916, a young English pilot shot down a 'Baby Killer'  the name Britons gave to German airships that bombed civilians in their homes.

The airships killed hundreds of people including, most famously, a three-year-old girl named Elsie Lefferts asleep in her bed.

The pilot, William Leefe Robinson, was an instant hero, later writing to his parents: "When I reached the ground once more I was greeted with 'was it you Robin?' 'Yes I've strafed the beggar this time', I said, whereupon the whole flight set up a yell and carried me out of my machine to the office.

The children of London were safe in their beds once more.

Todays baby killers roam the skies over Gaza, and they are far more deadly; Israeli quadcopters, jets and suicide drones bring death from above.

There are baby killers on the ground too, in the form of tanks shelling tents and Israeli snipers shooting children in the head.

At least 17,954 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, including 274 newborn babies and 876 infants below the age of one year. Thousands of babies and children have been orphaned, thousands more have been injured, many with one or more limbs amputated, often without anesthesia.

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip last Sunday. Todays Baby Killers roam the skies over Gaza, and they are far more deadly. Photo: AP/Ariel Schalit

Now, after more than 60 days of an Israeli blockade on food and medicine, hundreds of thousands of children are starving.

Its vital to understand that when it comes to the Israeli state killing Palestinian children, this is an escalation and not an aberration. it has been happening long before October 2023, and not just in Gaza, but the occupied West Bank too.

In this newspaper in 2022, I wrote about a 16-year-old named Jana Zakaran who had stepped out to get her cat as IDF soldiers raided her hometown of Jenin.

I quoted her uncle Majed Zakaran then and his words bear repeating here: "She was killed in cold blood by the Israelis  she was alone on the roof," he told The Guardian newspaper.

She was just a child, and they shot her four times in the head and chest.

Who will stop the baby killers of today?

The US-backed Israeli war machine will not stop itself, thats for sure. This week the Israeli cabinet approved plans for an expanded offensive to force the displacement of most Palestinian people in Gaza and cement the occupation of the territory indefinitely.

Time and again, Israeli politicians and generals reveal genocidal intent, along with systematic policies causing exceptionally high numbers of civilian casualties. Without any military justification, Israeli forces deliberately target plastic tents with obscenely heavy bombs.

This also serves to inflict terror and psychological damage on trapped, besieged Palestinians  including children.

"We are breaking the bodies and the minds of the children of Gaza, Michael Ryan of the World Health Organization said on Sunday.

We are starving the children of Gaza, because if we dont do something about it, we are complicit in what is happening before our very eyes.

We are complicit. We are causing this, you, us and everyone who does nothing about it, its horrific.

Returning now to that other early morning aerial bombardment of civilians in the London skies of 1916 and the young English pilot who shot down the airship. Thousands of people on the ground witnessed that particular baby killer go up in flames and plummet to the ground, with their cheering reportedly heard for miles outside the city.

Relief is too small a word for how they must have felt  their children were safe in their beds once more, their familys future was possible. We owe the same safety and the same possibility of a future to the people of Gaza now.

On Tuesday, Micheal Martin and Simon Harris finally recognized that Israel is committing war crimes. So, what now? Ireland must sanction Israel, boycott Israeli goods and services and immediately stop the facilitation of Israeli war bonds.

We cannot allow any more weapons or munitions through Shannon Airport and across our air space. We must seek justice for the victims of this genocide and in time, we must beg forgiveness from the surviving children of Gaza.
If Hollywood has taught the world anything, its to dream big. Down in West Cork, theyve taken the build it and they will come mantra to the next level.

While Tinseltown has been trying to get to grips with US president Donald Trumps tariffs announcement  in a now familiar style, a light-on-detail plan to put 100% tariffs on films made outside the US  down on the Baltimore Rd, outside Skibbereen, it is business as usual at West Cork Film Studios.

Filming wrapped a few short weeks ago on Hokum, a supernatural thriller directed by Damian McCarthy and starring the A-list actor of Apple TV hit Severance, Adam Scott. Its the biggest production to date to be made at West Cork Film Studios, quietly making its mark in the industry.

Setting up a film studio in West Cork had plenty of doubters. I think people thought we were daft, said Edain ODonnell, co-founder of West Cork Film Studios with Steve Park.

A lot of people in the industry and outside thought it would never work here

Edain has worked in film production in Ireland for decades in various roles, primarily in the art and set paint production, as has Steve  Australian-born but long settled in West Cork. The idea of creating a dedicated film studio locally developed after the region was used for the production of Michael Kinironss thriller The Sparrowin Baltimore, along with Holding  which was adapted from Graham Nortons novel of the same name.

Steve worked on film construction for Holding and Edain was the head of painting.

It was so spread out. We had a unit base in Drimoleague. We were in Dunmanway, Skibbereen, Castletownshend. We had workshops in Ballydehob and then we were trying to paint a kitchen set in a marquee, Edain said.

So, at the end of Holding, we had the idea of adapting part of my familys furniture warehouse into a film studio.

Edains father Jim has been designing and manufacturing furniture for 60 years.

My father says he invents and reinvents himself every 20 years. So hes embracing this as a new diversification into film at the age of 83, Edain said.

Edains brother Aodh  an RNLI assessor, trainer, and helm in Union Hall  is also a studio director, adding a different skillset for films with sea or water-based elements.

Part of the furniture warehouse was redesigned into a 20,000sq ft film studio. In 2023, the new studio was officially opened by mentor David Puttnam in the presence of stars such as Jeremy Irons.

Edain O' Donnell with, from left, film producer David Puttnam, actor Jeremy Irons, and TD Christopher O' Sullivan at West Cork Film Studios open day. File Picture: Johannes Eisele.

Now an independent company, West Cork Film Studios has to fly solo.

It is not just building a studio, it is building an industry from scratch, Steve said.

We have a different approach to what a film studio should be. Its more holistic. Its our job to make sure that people that come here to make movies have a really enjoyable experience. Thats part of being in West Cork. Were not just selling the studios, were selling a lifestyle.

This week, film director and screenwriter Vicky Waldron Wight has been enjoying that lifestyle as production gets underway on her international feature film The Body Is Water. Vickys previous feature film Happiness for Beginners, released in 2023, was a Netflix top 10 hit worldwide. Her other features include The Volunteer and The Lost Husband.

She is based in Houston, Texas, but is originally from Monkstown in Cork.

My parents emigrated when I was 12 in 1985. My mother Helen is from Mitchelstown and was a nurse. She had lived in New York, so had become a naturalized citizen. In 1985 Ireland, times were hard and my dads business went under. There were four children, so my parents were adventurous and said we might as well just go.

Before she left, her teacher Mrs Murphy showed the young Vicky some things about America.

One of those things was Steven Spielberg and his films Jaws and ET. Film became her passion and her career.

Making film, Im compelled. Its like religion for me

Ireland remained close to heart. I come back every summer now with my kids and have for many, many years. The greatest goal I had was to come back to Ireland and make a film. Now, this is a dream coming true to come back and make a film here because Ive never felt anything but Irish. It feels like being home.

The Body Is Water is filming at locations around West Cork until July. The film is not autobiographical, but aspects are threaded through Vickys own life.

I had cancer and theres a cancer storyline in the movie, as well as themes of grief and loss. My dad, Michael Waldron, passed away in 2002, and losing him was a seminal moment for our family because he was only 62.

We all thought wed be introducing him to our grandkids. Not being able to do that was just heartbreaking, because this fear of missing out that, to me, is what death is really about. When I was sick, it was very hard for me to imagine everyone elses future without me.

That has influenced all my writing  but this particularly.

Director and screenwriter Vicky Waldron Wight is making her film The Body Is Water in West Cork. Picture: Sara Deane

Some of the film is set in Houston, Texas, but most will be a spectacular showcase of Irelands South-West. Vicky said that West Cork Film Studios offered a priceless opportunity.

I grew up going to Schull and Barleycove, and have all these places in my mind since I was a little girl. Having production facilities here makes it so much easier to actually execute a vision in West Cork.

Because of the infrastructure, it makes it very easy and the landscape is maybe the most beautiful in Ireland  places like Mizen Head. Thats part of our dream.

While Ireland radiates, Hollywood is in turmoil. Adam Scott, speaking on Rob Lowes podcast Literally! before arriving in Ireland to shoot Hokum, said it was so weird that nothing shoots in Los Angeles these days. But its not weird.

Irelands generous Section 481 tax credit is worth up to 32% of expenditure to film productions up to 125m. Octobers budget introduced Sceal Uplift, adding 8% to the 32% credit for feature films up to 20m.

Lowe, who films his US game show The Floor in Ardmore Studios, hit the nail on the head.

Its cheaper to bring 100 American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox, past the soundstages, and do it there, he said.

'Green Wave'

Ireland is feeling the benefits. The production spend generated by the Irish screen industry in 2024 was valued at over 430m, representing a 33% increase on 2023, according to Screen Ireland.

Analysis by Alma Economics for Screen Ireland found the audiovisual sector supports 15,899 full-time equivalent jobs, with a value to the Irish economy of over 1bn.

Average small to medium film productions cost around 4m, and a third of that is estimated to go into the community  from accommodation to materials, food to transport.

Ireland is booming. The second season of Wednesday  season one was the most popular Netflix show of all time with 250m views  will be released in August, with filming completed in Dublin in 2024.

In 2025, Screen Ireland says more than 80 film, TV, and animation productions are planned here. Hollywood has been looking enviously at the success of Ireland, whose success has been dubbed the Green Wave.

Like all good movies, there has to be a plot twist. Mr Trump has seen the success of foreign film industries such as Ireland and wants a piece of the action.

The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death, he wrote on Truth Social, bemoaning countries offering all sorts of incentives to draw filmmakers and studios away from the US.

His plan, like most of his other plans to wrest back jobs to the US, is tariffs. A proposed 100% tariff on foreign film production has sent a shiver through the Irish film production landscape.

Panic is always the worst thing, but you have to plan around the potential risks, West Cork Film Studios financial director Katherine OSullivan said.

Its a constant reassessment of where one is at

In Skibbereen, filming continues on two productions through to summer with further productions lined up. This year, the studio is paying its own way and eyeing a sustainable future.

A deal to buy a former plastics factory from IDA Ireland is close to being finalised, which will transform into a studio back lot.

A link up with Kerry Colleges immersive screenwriting course is in the pipeline. The studio already employs people with neurodiverse abilities to realise their talents, and Edain says that will be developed further.

Collaboration is important, and community is even more so. More than 100 people were employed at the studio during production of Hokum.

We get huge support locally, and people are seeing the benefit to the whole community. We see the community as co-producers, said Edain.

The studio continues to be mentored by David Puttnam, while Robert Sheehan of Love/Hate fame has discussed writing an independent film for the studio based in West Cork.

Ultimately, filmmakers just want to make movies. Its frightening to think that you couldnt make a film in another country because of tariffs, Vicky said.

I have two movies that Im trying to sell in America, to shoot in America, but its more expensive

I love making films in America and in Texas particularly. I would like to make more films in and around Houston and South Texas.

The tariff conversation is complicated on a lot of levels, but  along with all the US filmmakers I know  Im hopeful there can be measures taken to bring more work to America via federal and state tax incentives and subsidies.

Rather than trying to load up and tariff others, actually make yourself more attractive  that is what Ireland has done.
Margot Friedlander, a German Jew who survived the Theresienstadt concentration camp and became a high-profile witness to Nazi persecution in her final years, has died aged 103.

Her death was announced by the Margot Friedlander Foundation in Berlin on its website.

Details about where she died, as well as the cause of death, were not immediately made public.

Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander, centre, stands as members of the European Parliament applaud after an address in the plenary chamber at the European Parliament in Brussels in 2022 (Virginia Mayo/AP)

She died in the week of the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germanys unconditional surrender in the Second World War.

After spending much of her life in the United States, Ms Friedlander returned to live in the German capital in her 80s.

She was honoured with Germanys highest decoration and with a statue at Berlins City Hall.

What I do gives me my strength and probably also my energy, because I speak for those who can no longer speak, Ms Friedlander said at an event at Berlins Jewish Museum in 2018.

I would like to say that I dont just speak for the six million Jews who were killed, but for all the people who were killed  innocent people, she said.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences in a statement, saying she gave Germany reconciliation despite the horrors she went through there in her life.

Mr Steinmeier said the country cannot be grateful enough for her gift.

A report released last month said more than 200,000 Jewish survivors are still alive but 70% of them will be gone within the next 10 years.

Margot Friedlander shows the Mevlude Genc Medal after it was awarded to her at the Bode Museum in Berlin in June 2024 (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

Ms Friedlander was born Margot Bendheim on November 5 1921.

Her father, Artur Bendheim, owned a shop in Berlin.

He had fought for Germany and had been decorated in the First World War.

Ms Friedlander recalled that, after the Nazis took power, her father initially said that they dont mean us; Were Germans.

She added that we didnt see it until it was too late.

Ms Friedlander wanted to design clothes and started an apprenticeship as a tailor.

After her parents divorced in 1937, Ms Friedlander, her mother and younger brother went to live with her grandparents.

In 1941, they had to move to a so-called Jewish apartment, and Ms Friedlander was forced to work nights at a metal factory.

Margot Friedlander accepts the applause after being awarded the Mevlude Genc Medal at the Bode Museum in Berlin in June 2024 (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

In January 1943, just as the family was planning to flee Berlin, Ms Friedlander returned home to discover that her brother, Ralph, had been taken away by the Gestapo.

A neighbour told her that her mother had decided to go to the police and go with Ralph, wherever that may be.

She passed on her mothers final message  Try to make your life, which would later become the title of Ms Friedlanders autobiography  along with her handbag.

Ms Friedlander went into hiding, taking off the yellow star that Jews were obliged to wear.

She recalled getting her hair dyed red, reasoning that people think Jews dont have red hair.

She said that 16 people helped keep her under the radar over the next 15 months.

That ended in April 1944 when she was taken in by police after being stopped for an identity check after leaving a bunker following an air raid.

She said she quickly decided to tell the truth and say that she was Jewish.

I had felt guilty every day; had I gone with my mother and my brother, I would at least have known what had happened to them

The running and hiding was over, she said.

I felt separated from the fate of my people. I had felt guilty every day; had I gone with my mother and my brother, I would at least have known what had happened to them.

Ms Friedlander arrived in June 1944 at the packed Theresienstadt camp.

In the spring of 1945, she recalled later, she saw the arrival of skeletal prisoners who had been forced on to death marches from Auschwitz ahead of that camps liberation.

At that moment, we heard of the death camps, and at that moment I understood that I would not see my mother and my brother again, she said.

Both were killed at the Auschwitz death camp.

Her father had fled in 1939 to Belgium.

He later went to France, where he was interned, before being deported in 1942 to Auschwitz, where he was also killed.

Shortly after the camps liberation, she married Adolf Friedlander, an acquaintance from Berlin whom she met again at Theresienstadt.

Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander appears for an event with US secretary of state Antony Blinken at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin in June 2021 (Andrew Harnik, Pool/AP)

He had a sister in America, and  after months in a camp for displaced persons  they arrived in New York in 1946.

Ms Friedlander stayed away from Germany for 57 years.

She and her husband became US citizens; she worked as a tailor and later ran a travel agency.

Adolf Friedlander died in 1997, aged 87.

Margot returned to Germany for the first time in 2003, when she was received at Berlins City Hall along with others who had been pushed out by the Nazis.

In 2010, she moved back to the German capital, where she told her story to students and was decorated with, among other things, the countrys highest honour, the Order of Merit.

She was made a citizen of honour of Berlin in 2018.

Noting that there were few Holocaust survivors still alive, she told an audience that year: I would like you to be the witnesses we cant be for much longer.
Pakistans army spokesman said India has fired missiles at three air bases inside the country, but most of the missiles have been intercepted.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab.

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realizes that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.

A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
Police say a California serial killer is the sole person of interest after a man found dead in Oregon was identified after nearly 45 years.

The 30-year-old, whose body was found alongside an interstate, was identified on Friday as Larry Eugene Parks.

Oregon State Police spokesman Kyle Kennedy said Randy Kraft, who has been dubbed the Scorecard Killer, is the only person under investigation for the 1980 killing.

Theres some evidence that were processing to determine that link, Mr Kennedy said. We are very confident that we have the correct person of interest.

Booking photo provided by the California Department of Corrections showing San Quentin inmate Randy Kraft (California Department of Corrections/AP)

Kraft, now 80, was convicted in 1989 of brutalising and killing 16 men over a decade in California and sentenced to death. He remains in San Quentin State Prison and has denied killing anyone.

On July 18 1980, police responded to a report of the body identified as Mr Parks along I-5, south of Portland. A homicide investigation unsuccessfully tried to identify the victim.

A Vietnam veteran whose family had lost contact with him in 1979, Mr Parks had last been seen in Pensacola, Florida, police said.

Kraft was pulled over in his vehicle on a California freeway in 1983 after being spotted driving erratically. In the passenger seat of the vehicle was a strangled US Marine.

In the trunk of Krafts vehicle was a coded list believed to tally 67 victims in California, Oregon and Michigan, according to police.

Prosecutors described Kraft, a former computer programmer, as a fetishist who kept some of the dismembered parts of his victims in his freezer.

In 2024, an Orange County Sheriffs Department investigator reached out to the Oregon State Police Cold Case Unit and offered to help identify the remains using forensic investigative genetic genealogy.

A genetic profile was developed from a blood sample and Parks identity was confirmed after possible family members submitted DNA profiles for comparison, according to police.

Until his identification last month, the circumstances of his disappearance were unknown to his family, police said.

In 2023, the remains of a teenager believed to have been killed by Kraft in California were also identified using investigative genetic genealogy.
India has targeted Pakistani military bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at multiple Indian air bases in the countrys Punjab state  but said it is committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocates.

The attack on Saturday marks the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

Pakistan earlier said it had intercepted most missiles targeting three air bases, and that retaliatory strikes on India were under way.

Loud explosions were heard earlier in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir (AP)

Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi told a press conference in New Delhi that Pakistan also targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions, she said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who was also present at the news conference, said India was committed to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

However, Pakistani ground forces have been observed mobilising towards forward areas, she said, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation.

Police officers inspect parts of a projectile attached to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle intercepted by the Indian Army in Wadala Bhattewad village near Amritsar (Prabhjot Gill/AP)

Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, Wing Commander Singh added.

She said Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions.

All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately, she added.

The Pakistani armys actions were a provocation and Indias response was measured, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.

Shelling from Pakistan struck Rajouri, along the Line of Control (AP)

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur.

People living in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the disputed regions two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, as well as the garrison town of Udhampur.

Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard last two nights during drone attacks, said Sheesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and a resident of Jammu. It looks like a war here.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe following the Indian strikes and most of the missiles have been intercepted.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab, saying this is a provocation of the highest order.

Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realises that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

Indias army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military base in northern Punjab states Amritsar city early on Saturday.

Pakistani police officers remove vehicles and people from the main entry of Nur Khan airbase following an Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi (Anjum Naveed/AP)

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the countrys airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from India and Pakistan warning on Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.

A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
Pakistans foreign minister has said his country would consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks.

The comments by Ishaq Dar came after India said it was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocates.

Both countries have traded strikes on Saturday  the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

Mr Dar also warned that if India launched any strikes, our response will follow.

A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

The foreign minister told Pakistans Geo News that he also conveyed this message to US secretary of state Marco Rubio when he contacted him after speaking to New Delhi two hours previously.

We responded because our patience had reached its limit. If they stop here, we will also consider stopping, he said.

India said it targeted Pakistani military bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at multiple Indian air bases in the countrys Punjab state.

Pakistan earlier said it had intercepted most missiles targeting three air bases, and that retaliatory strikes on India were under way.

Loud explosions were heard earlier in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir (AP)

Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi told a press conference in New Delhi that Pakistan also targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions, she said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who was also present at the news conference, said India was committed to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

However, Pakistani ground forces have been observed mobilising towards forward areas, she said, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation.

Police officers inspect parts of a projectile attached to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle intercepted by the Indian Army in Wadala Bhattewad village near Amritsar (Prabhjot Gill/AP)

Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, Wing Commander Singh added.

She said Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions.

All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately, she added.

The Pakistani armys actions were a provocation and Indias response was measured, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.

Shelling from Pakistan struck Rajouri, along the Line of Control (AP)

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur.

People living in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the disputed regions two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, as well as the garrison town of Udhampur.

Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard last two nights during drone attacks, said Sheesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and a resident of Jammu. It looks like a war here.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe following the Indian strikes and most of the missiles have been intercepted.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab, saying this is a provocation of the highest order.

Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realises that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

Indias army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military base in northern Punjab states Amritsar city early on Saturday.

Hostilities between the two countries have increased (AP)

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable, the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the countrys airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from India and Pakistan, warning on Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military stand-off that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.
India and Pakistan have accused each other of cross-border missile strikes against major military targets, the most significant escalation so far in the brewing conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

On Saturday, India accused Pakistan of launching strikes on dozens of airbases and military headquarters across north India, using long-range weapons, drones and fighter aircraft. The accusations came a few hours after Pakistan said India had fired six surface-to-air missiles targeting three of Pakistans most important military bases early on Saturday morning.

Shortly afterwards, Pakistan officials confirmed they had begun their counter-attack against India, under the name Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, a phrase from the Quran roughly translating to wall of lead.

The claims of missile attacks on military targets deep inside India and Pakistan were seen as a worrying escalation in hostilities, bringing the two countries the closest they have been to war in decades.

Security personnel secure the area after a Pakistan's drone attack on a residential building in Jammu, India, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

According to the Indian army spokesperson Col Sofiya Qureshi, Pakistan struck first on Saturday. At a press conference, the Indian army accused Pakistan of attacking 26 sites in India, including the Pathankot military airfield in Punjab, Srinagar airport and Udhampur air force base in Indian-administered Kashmir, as well as deplorable and cowardly attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Qureshi said the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised these threats but added that some damage was done to equipment and personnel at four airbases. The foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said claims by Pakistani media that airbases and advanced weapons systems had been destroyed in the strikes were heavy on lies, misinformation and propaganda.

The Indian army alleged its attack on Pakistans military bases on Saturday was in retaliation for high-speed missiles fired at several air bases in Punjab at around 2am. In a swift and calibrated response, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets, said Qureshi.

Indian paramilitary soldiers stands guard at a temporary check point on a road leading to the airport after loud explosions were heard in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, May 10, 2025.(AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

In the hours after the strikes, Pakistans deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, told local media that if India stopped here we will consider to stop here and that the ball for de-escalation was in Indias court. India also said it was committed to non-escalation provided the Pakistan side reciprocated.

However, the Indian army claimed Pakistan was still mobilising its troops, in what they regarded as further aggression. Pakistan military has been observed to be moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation, said Qureshi.

Pakistans version of events was different to that of India. In an address broadcast on state TV at around 3.30am, the military spokesperson Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed India had struck first, using fighter jets to fire surface-to-air missiles at Nur Khan, Murid and Shorkot military bases. He said the majority of Indias missiles were intercepted by air defence systems.

Nur Khan airbase is in Rawalpindi, where the military has its headquarters, and is around 6 miles from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. In the aftermath of the strikes, Pakistan shut down its air space.

Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of 'Operation Sindoor', strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati, India, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

The strike on Nur Khan caused mass panic in the densely populated area. Video from the scene shared on social media showed flames and smoke billowing into the night sky, with residents running into the streets. There was a loud explosion which woke everyone up. It was so scary, everyone is still in a panic, said one resident living nearby.

Chaudhry called the strikes blatant acts of aggression by India and said they were part of a larger sinister plan to push the region and beyond into havoc. Just over an hour later, Pakistan declared it had begun its counter-attack on military sites in India.

Speaking after the attacks, Pakistans defence minister, Khawaja Asif, said it was premature to give any statements on de-escalation but confirmed international mediation efforts were under way.

Things are in the pipeline and contacts have been established. he told the Guardian. There is no conclusive statement to be given yet. But I can confirm that the US and Saudi Arabia are playing a crucial role as interlocutors. The secretary of state made a call today to Pakistans military chief, and the Saudi state minister for foreign affairs is in town. He added: We cant trust the Indians for talks and de-escalation. If interlocutors and our common friends and credible countries such as Saudi Arabia and the US step in and play a crucial role, we have no issue to de-escalate. We did not start it. We just responded to the Indian military aggression.

Read More India and Pakistan: A look at what might lie ahead for the nuclear rivals

The fighting this week was first inflamed on Wednesday after Indian missiles struck nine sites in Pakistan, killing 31 people. India has said those strikes were in response to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir late last month, in which militants killed 25 Hindu tourists and a guide, which they blamed on Pakistani-backed extremists.

The situation escalated further after India accused Pakistan of two consecutive nights of drone attacks. India claimed to have intercepted more than 400 drones targeting cities, military bases and places of worship across the north of the country on Thursday.

A resident shows the damage by a Pakistan's drone attack in Jammu, India, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

In retaliation, India said it had launched four drone strikes at Pakistan, directly targeting military defence infrastructure.

In the aftermath of Pakistans strikes, tensions remained high across India. Heavy shelling and gunfire were reported overnight across the Line of Control, the heavily militarised, de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, with several civilians killed.

In India, cities and districts in Punjab, Haryana and across Indian-administered Kashmir were put on red alert, with residents told to remain indoors and blackout orders enforced.

The Indian military said it had actively begun large-scale mobilisation of additional forces to the border and had activated its reserve Territorial Army to ensure full operational strength.

The US state department confirmed that the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, had spoken to Pakistans army chief, Gen Asim Munir, and Indias foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, early on Saturday morning. Rubio called for a de-escalation and offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, a state department spokesperson said.

- The Guardian
The chief of Myanmars military government, Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, has met with President Xi Jinping of China for the first time since seizing power four years ago, state media said.

The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that Mr Xi pledged to provide assistance for recovery after Myanmars devastating earthquake in March and to help efforts to end the countrys civil war.

The two leaders met onFriday in Moscow on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

The report said they also discussed bilateral relations, enhancing cooperation in all sectors, and cooperating in regional stability and peace.

China has been using its influence with ethnic rebel organisations to ease their pressure on the military government in an apparent effort to stabilise it.

The meeting took place in Moscow (Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP)

The Chinese government, along with Russia, is a major arms supplier to Myanmars military in its war against pro-democracy and ethnic minority resistance forces.

Beijing is also Myanmars biggest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in mines, oil and gas pipelines, and other infrastructure. Its interests in security in Myanmar are especially strong because the two nations share an 890-mile border.

Chinas government has maintained good working relations with Myanmars ruling military, which is shunned and sanctioned by many Western nations for the armys February 2021 takeover from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and for major human rights violations.

It is also one of the countries providing major relief and reconstruction assistance after the 7.7-magnitude March 28 earthquake that killed more than 3,700 people in Myanmar and injured more than 5,100.

The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than three million people displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million in need due to the war, according to the United Nations.

Beijing has been concerned about instability that threatens its interests in Myanmar since Myanmars army suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past few years, especially in areas near the Chinese border.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China and Serbia should carry forward the ironclad friendship, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the high-quality building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Noting his successful state visit to Serbia in May last year, Xi said that over the past year, the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in a new era has got off to a good start and the achievements are obvious to all.

As profound changes unseen in a century continue to unfold across the world amid multiple overlapping risks and challenges, China and Serbia should maintain strategic resolve and concentrate on managing their own affairs well, Xi said.

China is ready to deepen strategic communication with Serbia, enhance mutual support, strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, continue supporting the construction and operation of relevant projects, give full play to their demonstrative effect, and achieve more outcomes that deliver mutual benefit and win-win results, Xi said.

Xi stressed that 80 years ago, the peoples of China and Serbia made important contributions to the victory on the Asian and European battlefields in the World Anti-Fascist War, respectively.

China is ready to work with all countries in the world, including Serbia, to unite and cooperate to meet challenges, jointly safeguard world peace and international fairness and justice, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

For his part, Vucic said that China is Serbia's most precious friend, consistently offering selfless support and assistance to help Serbia develop its economy and improve the well-being of its people.

Serbia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and always believes that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, he said.

Serbia is ready to expand economic and trade exchanges with China, Vucic said, adding that his country welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Serbia, and will provide a favorable business environment for them.

It is hoped that China will actively participate in the 2027 Belgrade Specialized Expo, he said.

Vucic commends China's steadfast support for multilateralism, noting that China's visions and actions have bolstered the international community's courage and confidence in safeguarding common interests.

Serbia stands ready to unite with China in addressing the challenges posed by unilateralism and protectionism, Vucic added. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, following intensifying conflict between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Pakistan and India had traded missile strikes, drone attacks and artillery fire after a gun massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

On Saturday morning the US president posted on his Truth Social platform, saying: After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.

Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Both India and Pakistan have since confirmed the news.

Ishaq Dar, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan, said in a post on X: Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity! The ceasefire comes after foreign ministers of the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US, alongside the high representative of the European Union, said they strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan.

Violent clashes between the two countries were sparked after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

India has accused Pakistan of being behind the murders, which Islamabad denies.

Kashmir has been a contested territory between Pakistan and India since 1947 and the two nuclear-armed neighbours each run part of the region but claim ownership of it all.

Demonstrators were expected to gather in London on Saturday afternoon to protest against the conflict, with the South Asia Solidarity Group planning an emergency peace demonstration in Parliament Square.
A fire at a chemical factory in north-eastern Spain forced emergency services to issue health warnings to 150,000 local residents and stay-indoors orders for five nearby towns, authorities said on Saturday.

Health services said that medics attended to four people who had reported breathing problems.
MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attended a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow on Friday.

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with other leaders, lays flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and observes a moment of silence, following the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. Leaders from more than 20 countries and international organizations are invited to the events. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

by Xinhua writer Shi Xiaomeng

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Bouquet in hand before the Eternal Flame at the Red Square, Chinese President Xi Jinping joined Russian President Vladimir Putin and more than 20 other leaders to lay red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The solemn ceremony marked a moment of remembrance and tribute to those who perished in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, as Russia celebrated the 80th anniversary of victory in that war on Friday.

This year's commemorations culminated in a grand military parade at the Red Square earlier in the day. At the main viewing stand, Xi and Putin sat side by side and talked from time to time.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Over 11,500 military personnel, including contingents from more than 10 countries, took part in the parade. Among them was the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Xi rose from his seat when the PLA unit passed through the square.

In the parade's "historical" segment, Russian service members, clad in uniforms from the era of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, carried vintage military flags and weapons, evoking memories of the years of resistance against Fascism.

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attend a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

On the night of May 8, 1945, Germany signed the surrender document in Karlshorst, Berlin, marking the end of WWII in Europe. Meanwhile in Moscow, it was already May 9, which was designated by the Soviet Union and later Russia as "Victory Day." Since 1995, Russia has been holding military parades and other commemorative events every year on May 9.

"The Soviet Union took upon itself the most ferocious, merciless blows of the enemy," Putin said in an address ahead of the parade. "We shall always remember that the opening of the Second Front in Europe after the decisive battles on the territory of the Soviet Union brought victory closer."

"We highly value the contribution to our common struggle of Allied soldiers, members of the resistance, the courageous people of China, all those who fought for a peaceful future," Putin said.

The Soviet Union was the principal theater of World War II in Europe, losing 27 million lives, while China was the main theater in Asia, suffering 35 million casualties in its resistance against the bulk of Japanese militarist forces. Together, the two countries served as the mainstay of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

Eighty years ago, in the face of brutal aggression of militarism and Nazism, the Chinese and Russian peoples stood united, fighting side by side against a common enemy and writing a remarkable and heroic chapter in history, Xi said when he and Putin jointly met the press on Thursday after their talks at the Kremlin.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly meet the press after their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

This is the second time for Xi to attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations after he traveled to Moscow upon the 70th anniversary 10 years ago. That same year, Putin also attended China's Victory Day parade on Sept. 3 in Beijing to commemorate the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The past decade has been one of profound turbulence and transformation in the international landscape, Xi noted when meeting the press with Putin on Thursday.

In the face of the changes of the world, of the times and of historical significance, China and Russia should keep a firm grasp on the development direction of bilateral ties and the general trend of the development of human society, Xi said, calling for greater joint efforts in safeguarding international fairness and justice.

Ahead of his state visit to Russia, Xi published a signed article in Russian media titled "Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future."

"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," he wrote. 

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Macron, Starmer, Merz, Tusk arrived in Kyiv for meeting of '"coalition of the willing'

Photo: https://t.me/suspilnenews

French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv for a meeting of the "coalition of the willing."

The leaders were met at the capital's train station by head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.

Sybiha expects "important decisions and further cementing of European solidarity in support of Ukraine."

In particular, at the meeting of the "coalition of the willing," the leaders will discuss a permanent ceasefire in Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also arrived in Kyiv.

"We are glad to welcome the coalition of the willing in Kyiv. There is a lot of work, many topics for discussion. We must end this war with a just peace. We must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire," Yermak wrote on Telegram.
The European Commission has signed an agreement with the governments of a number of EU countries to direct EUR1 billion from excess profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine's defense industry, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

"The EU has directed EUR1 billion from excess profits from frozen Russian assets to the Ukrainian defense industry. The European Commission signed a corresponding agreement with the governments of a number of European countries," he wrote on Facebook.

According to him, this strategic decision will allow the production of a wide range of weapons for the Defense Forces, including drones, ammunition and other critically important equipment.

"This is not only strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, but also an investment in the development of our industry. We are becoming more self-sufficient and stronger," the minister emphasized.

He noted that the use of Russian assets to strengthen Ukraine is an important step towards restoring justice. It lays the foundation for paying reparations that should be the result of the war unleashed by Russia.

The minister also recalled that last year the EU announced the allocation of a total of EUR3.3 billion of excess profits from frozen Russian assets for military assistance to Ukraine in 20242025, in particular, part of these funds will go to strengthening the air defense system.

"I sincerely thank the European Union and its member states for their trust, leadership and support in the joint struggle for peace and security in Europe," Umerov concluded.
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By Heather Laird, University College Cork

(The Conversation)  Palestinian literature is unique. It stands apart for its ability to capture a nations identity in exile  shaped not by borders, but by memory, resistance and longing.

The settings of modern Palestinian literature include Israel, the occupied territories, countries more broadly in the Middle East, and locations further afield. Four notable writers are particularly worth exploring: Emile Habibi, Ghassan Kanafani (now both dead) and more recent authors, Isabella Hammad and Anwar Hamed.

Emile Habibi (1922-96) was one of about 150,000 Palestinian Arabs who remained in the territory that became Israel in 1948. He started writing in his mid-40s in response to a claim by an Israeli politician that Palestinians no longer existed in Israel, because if they did, they would have their own literature.

In his novel, The Secret Life of Saeed: The Pessoptimist (1974), the central character flees to Lebanon in 1948, but soon afterwards is allowed to return home on the understanding that he will become an informant for Israeli intelligence. Despite his cooperation with the state of Israel, Saeed is beaten and imprisoned, finally learning from a fellow prisoner that his Palestinian identity is worthy of respect.

Ghassan Kanafani (1936-72) was one of approximately 750,000 Palestinians who were expelled from or fled Mandatory Palestine in 1948. A political thinker, journalist and revolutionary, his writings documented the horrors of war and occupation, and include Men in the Sun (1962), a short novel that features three Palestinian men who have been living for ten years in refugee camps in Iraq and are now attempting a dangerous desert journey to Kuwait.

Isabella Hammad (1992-) was born in London and raised by a British-Irish mother and a Palestinian father. Unlike Habibi and Kanafini, whose literary works were published initially in Arabic, Hammad writes in English. Her 2024 novel, Enter Ghost, imagines a production of Shakespeares Hamlet in the West Bank. Its central character is a London-based actress who grew up in Israel as a Palestinian Arab and becomes involved in the Hamlet production while visiting her sister in Israel.

Though featuring disparate settings, Palestinian literature is linked by recurring motifs. Olive trees and keys, in particular, hold resonance in Palestinian culture. Many Palestinians kept the keys to their houses when they fled or were forced from Mandatory Palestine in 1948. These keys became symbols of loss of home and hope of return.

Palestinian identification with olive trees is grounded in the economic importance of olives for generations of Palestinian farmers. In the context of exile, the olive tree is emblematic of a long-standing connection to the land, adding specificity to a more generalised yearning for home.

In Kanafanis Men in the Sun, the oldest Palestinian refugee reminisces about the olive trees he once owned, with his current lack of income leaving him no option but to set out on the hazardous journey to Kuwait where Palestinians are finding work as labourers in the oil fields.

The haunting of the present by the past is another common concern of Palestinian literature. In Habibis The Pessoptimist, the protagonist is confronted by ghost-like figures who ask if he has met anyone from their razed villages while journeying to Israel. This prompts him to reflect on his encounter with a woman attempting to return home and on the military governor who subsequently re-banished her and then watched in surprise as she grew bigger rather than smaller while walking away.

Another of Habibis literary works, a short story titled The Odds-and-Ends Woman (1968), mentions the roving spirits who, after an absence of 20 years, are making the journey from the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Amman, even as far as Kuwait to Israel in the hope of briefly seeing their former homes. In Hammads Enter Ghost, Palestinian characters discuss at length the relevance of Hamlets dead father to Shakespeares play.

Many works of Palestinian literature employ a serious tone when providing insight into the harsh realities of life for post-1948 Palestinians. Kanafanis Men in the Sun, for example, is notable for its gritty naturalistic descriptions.

But Palestinian literature is more varied in tone and genre than might be expected. It also includes writings, such as Habibis The Pessoptimist, that employ humour to explore the circumstances of post-1948 Palestinians. And, more recently, Anwar Hamed (1957-) has applied a science-fiction sensibility to established motifs in Palestinian literature.

Hameds short story, The Key (2019), is set in 2048 in an Israel protected by a high-tech gravity wall  an invisible barrier that is programmed to allow only those who have the key embedded in their microchips to enter and exit.

The central character is an Israeli whose grandfather collected pictures of exiled Palestinians clutching rusty keys to houses that no longer existed. These photographs scared him more than any arms deal being signed by neighbouring countries, given the persistent stubbornness they revealed. The gravity wall has been designed for security purposes, but also to consign those rusty keys to the past.

But while this wall seems impenetrable, the boundary between past and present is porous. The storys central character lives a comfortable existence cushioned from the chaos beyond the wall. But then the ghostly sound of a key turning in the lock of his apartment door starts to wake him up at night.

The first indication in the story that all Israelis are similarly affected is when the central character is informed that his doctor is inundated with requests for sleep medication. Unable to get an appointment, he decides to pay the doctor a visit outside of work hours.

The story ends with the doctor blowing a hole in his own apartment door with his old service rifle, and possibly killing the central character in the process. The doctors irrational reasoning is that with no lock left for an intruder to insert a key, he can finally sleep.

There are many reasons to read Palestinian literature. But chiefly, in innovative fictional ways, it gives voice to the challenging experience of belonging to a nation in exile.

These writings are also a reminder that injustices, if left unaddressed, refuse to be consigned to the past.

Heather Laird, Senior Lecturer in the School of English and Digital Humanities, University College Cork

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 9, 2025) - Spark Energy Minerals Inc. (CSE: SPRK) (OTC Pink: SPARF) (FSE: 8PC) ("Spark" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce highly encouraging rare earth element (REE) surface sampling results from reconnaissance exploration over its Caladao Target within Spark's flagship 64,352-hectare Arapaima Project in Brazil's Lithium Valley. The Caladao Target is strategically located over the highly prospective Caladao Granite and is contiguous with Axel REE Limited's (ASX: AXL) project.

Exploration Highlights:

Spark's Caladao Target comprises a package of contiguous exploration tenements covering an area of ~4,000-hectares, equivalent in area and underlying geology to adjacent tenements held by Axel REE Limited who recently reported they are advancing their REE - Gallium Discovery towards a maiden resource (see Axel REE press releases dated 19/03/2025 and 24/03/ 2025).

Results from 30 stream sediment samples collected by Spark's expert geological team from sub-basins draining the Caladao Granite reported anomalous REE values, including a highly anomalous peak value of 6,417ppm Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) with 11 samples reporting values >1,000ppm TREO.

Additional results from 36 soil samples from preliminary regional soil sampling lines across the Caladao Granite also reported highly anomalous REE results, including a peak value of 3,041 ppm TREO, with a total of 4 samples reporting > 2,000 ppm TREO and 14 samples reporting >1,000 ppm TREO. These soil samples also reported anomalous Gallium values with a peak of 94.07 ppm Ga 2 O 3 .

Spark's REE and Gallium results from early-stage surface exploration to date clearly confirms the potential of the Caladao Granite and the laterites overlaying clay-rich saprolite zones as an emerging hub for critical mineral resource exploration. Spark's exploration has demonstrated REE and Gallium values comparable to those historically reported by neighbouring Axel REE during their early exploration phases.

The exploration results from both Spark and Axel REE firmly establish the Caladao Granite region  located immediately contiguous with Brazil's renowned "Lithium Valley"  as a rapidly emerging district for rare earth mineralization.

Figure 1: Caladao REE - Gallium Target relative to its extensive 64 kHa Tenement package and the company's priority lithium targets Agua Branca, Groto do Maquem and Cruzeta.

Figure 2: Location of Spark's Caladao REE - Gallium Target Tenement package (blue) relative to Axel REE adjacent Tenement package (green) in the Lithium Valley, Brazil. The extent of the highly prospective Caladao Granite itself is coloured in orange.

Figure 3: Recent stream sediment and soil sampling results reported over Spark's Caladao REE - Gallium Target and Tenement package relative to Axel REE reported results from their adjacent Caladao (same name) and Tenement package. The extent of the highly prospective Caladao Granite itself is coloured in orange.

Jon Hill, Director of Spark Energy Minerals, commented: "Our team began with the mission of identifying high-quality lithium targets in our area. Encouraged by the successes of Axel REE, our neighbour to the southeast, exploring for rare earth elements, we also focused on rare earth elements in the interpretation of stream sediment and soil samples in this section, which we call "Caladao." Our surface sample results from equivalent geology compare very favourably with those reported by Axel REE. With Spark's concessions covering more than 4,000 hectares of the Caladao granite (based on mapped outcrop, laterite cover, and geophysical results), we are very encouraged by the material potential in these areas."

Caladao Target - Soil Samples

Results for 36 soil samples collected from four regional soil sampling profiles across the Caladao Granite within Sparks tenements are presented below in Table 1.

In the area, sampling the Caladao Granite is capped by a pronounced regolith profile up to 50m in thickness comprising an upper ferruginous lateritic horizon rich in Aluminum and Gallium up to 20m in thickness and a lower saprolite-clay horizon, which is highly enriched in REE as reported by Axel REE.

The preliminary regional soil sampling lines across the Caladao Granite also reported highly anomalous REE results, including a peak value of 3,041ppm TREO, with a total of 4 samples reporting >2,000ppm TREO and 14 samples reporting >1,000ppm TREO (range 101.06 - 3,041.56ppm TREO).

Additionally, the soil samples also reported anomalous Gallium values with a peak of 94.07ppm Ga 2 O 3 (range 29.55 - 94.07ppm Ga 2 O 3 ). These results confirm that the above geological context is prospective for both REE and Gallium over an extensive area underlain by the Caladao Granite.

Table 1: Results from 36 soil samples collected by spark along 3 regional traverses across the Caladao Granite within Spark's Tenements.

Caladao Target  Stream Sediment Samples

Results for 30 soil samples collected from sub-drainage basins draining the northern margin Caladao Granite within Spark's tenements are presented below in Table 2.

These results reported anomalous REE values including a highly anomalous peak value of 6,417 ppm TREO with 11 samples reporting values >1,000ppm TREO (range 92.10 - 6,417.48ppm TREO).

The regional scale soil traverses executed by Spark's geological team, the results of which are reported above, clearly define the source areas for the anomalous REE and Gallium reported from the stream sediment samples tabulated below.

Table 2: Results from 30 stream sediment samples collected by Spark along 3 regional traverses across the Caladao Granite within Spark's Tenements.

Forward Exploration Plan

Following these promising results, Spark is evaluating plans to accelerate its REE exploration activities alongside advancing its three primary lithium targets towards drill testing later in 2025, as outlined in previous announcements.

The company is evaluating follow-up exploration of this emerging REE - Gallium Target, which is sure to include regular but broad-spaced Lithogeochemistry via Auger / Air Core Drilling through the regolith profile across the tenement package.

The recent closing of a funding arrangement with Sorbie Capital strengthens Spark's financial position and supports the Company's dual focus on advancing lithium and REE exploration programs in this world-class address within Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Exploration of Spark's extensive 64,359-hectare tenement package will continue on three main fronts:

Continued first pass reconnaissance phase, geological mapping and stream sediment samples (61 sub-drainage basins remain to be sampled).

Follow up initiatives in the highly prospective Agua Branca, Groto do Maquem (lithium) and Caladao (rare earth elements) Priority Targets. With ongoing interpretation of the results to develop initial drill testing targets.

Plan more extensive programs in the Caladao region, including auger drilling to further delineate the potential of the prospective REE & gallium zone contiguous to Axel REE.

To date, the company has completed the following exploration work:

Geological Observations: 401

Pegmatite occurrences: 123

Artisanal workings: 66

Samples collected: 399

Pegmatite trends: 13

Sub-drainage basins sampled: 27

Sub-drainage basins remaining to be sampled 61

Eugene Hodgson, CEO & Director of Spark Energy Minerals, commented: "We are extremely encouraged by these early rare earth results, which confirm the exceptional prospectivity of our Caladao project. The fact that our early-stage results are comparable to those reported by Axel REE at a similar stage is very promising, especially given the recent success Axel has achieved. Combined with the widespread Gallium anomalies and our proximity to Brazil's Lithium Valley, Spark is uniquely positioned to advance multiple high-value critical mineral opportunities. With a strengthened balance sheet, we are excited to accelerate exploration and unlock the full potential of our projects."

QA/QC Protocols

Spark maintained full chain-of-custody control from sampling through to laboratory delivery, ensuring the reliability of the assay results. SGS Laboratory used QAQC protocols for blanks, standards and duplicates, the results of which are reported alongside the completed analysis.

Qualified Person:

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this document has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill BSc Hons, FAUSIMM, a Qualified Person consistent with NI 43-101 and a director of Spark Energy Minerals Inc.

About Spark Energy Minerals Inc.

Spark Energy Minerals, Inc. is a Canadian company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of battery metals and mineral assets, with a particular emphasis on its substantial interests in Brazil. The Company's flagship project is the Arapaima Lithium project spanning 64,359 hectares in Brazil's renowned Lithium Valley, one of the most prolific mining regions in the world. This region is rapidly gaining global recognition for its vast deposits of lithium and rare earth minerals, positioning Brazil as a critical player in the global energy transition.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. In addition, it should be noted that rock, soil and stream sediment samples are inherently selective samples and may not represent the true underlying mineralization. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.
Myanmar's junta chief met China's president for the first time since seizing power, state media reported Saturday, the highest-level meeting with a key ally for the internationally sanctioned military leader.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in 2021 overthrowing Myanmar's brief experiment with democracy and plunging the nation into civil war.

In the four years since, his armed forces have battled dozens of ethnic armed groups and rebel militias -- some with close links to China -- opposed to its rule.

The conflict has seen Min Aung Hlaing draw condemnation from rights groups and pursued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but he has maintained close ties to allies China and Russia.

He met Beijing's leader Xi Jinping in Moscow on the sidelines of Russia's Victory Day celebrations on Friday and thanked China for its humanitarian assistance following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in March, reported junta media The Global New Light of Myanmar

He also thanked China "for its support of Myanmar's stance on regional and international fronts", it said.

Chinese state media Xinhua news reported that Xi expressed his country's support for Myanmar pursuing development "suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national stability, and steadily advancing its domestic political agenda".

Xi said he hoped Myanmar would take "concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Myanmar, and intensify efforts to combat cross-border crimes".

More than 6,600 people have been killed since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, and millions displaced.

Concerned about the violence on its doorstep destabilising regional peace and its economic ambitions, China has reportedly mediated talks between Myanmar's junta and key rebel groups.

China is a major ally and arms supplier to the junta, but analysts say it also maintains ties with armed ethnic groups in Myanmar that hold territory near its border.

Beijing has long been eyeing Myanmar's resource-rich northern Shan state -- now under rebel control -- for infrastructure investment under its trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

While Min Aung Hlaing's Friday meeting with Xi was his first time in his role as junta chief, the general had previously met the Chinese leader in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw in January 2020, a year before seizing power.

burs-sjc/dhc
Bangladesh's interim government on Saturday banned the Awami League, the political party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, pending the outcome of a trial over its crackdown on mass protests that prompted her ouster last year.

According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 protesters died in July 2024 when Hasina's government launched a brutal campaign to silence the opposition.

Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India and has defied an arrest warrant from Dhaka over charges of crimes against humanity.

"It has been decided to ban the activities -- including in cyberspace -- of the Awami League under the Anti-Terrorism Act until the trial of the Awami League and its leaders ends," Asif Nazrul, a government advisor on law and justice, told reporters.

Bangladesh's interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has led an interim government since Hasina was overthrown.

Nazrul said the decision was taken to ensure the country's "sovereignty and security" and "the security of the protesters" along with safeguarding "the plaintiffs and the witnesses of the tribunal."

Yunus's administration also simultaneously approved an amendment to the country's International Crimes Tribunal Act, allowing authorities to prosecute political parties and their affiliated bodies.

The Awami League rejected the administration's move, calling it "illegitimate."

The ban comes a day after thousands of people rallied outside Yunus's residence, demanding a ban on Hasina's party.

On Thursday, former Awami League leader Abdul Hamid -- also under investigation -- successfully left the country.

At least three police officers responsible for overseeing airport arrivals and departures have been dismissed for negligence in the wake of Hamid's departure, officials said.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov held a meeting with a delegation from the German Defense Ministry led by the Director of the Joint Planning and Command Staff and Head of the Special Staff "Ukraine", Major General Christian Freuding, during which, in particular, they discussed further strengthening the air defense system and prospects for the production of Ukrainian defense products in Germany.

"The focus of the negotiations is on strategic projects of the European level in the field of security. We discussed further strengthening of the air defense system, including the possibility of localizing the production of German weapons in Ukraine. We also considered the prospects for the production of Ukrainian defense products in Germany. I suggested that the partners intensify joint work in the field of UAVs. Ukraine has great potential in the development of modern unmanned systems - and we are open to technological partnership," Umerov wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, Ukraine is determined to deepen security cooperation with the new German government.

"I am looking forward to a personal meeting with my friend, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, in the near future. Ukraine sincerely appreciates Germany's leadership in supporting our struggle for freedom, security and a just peace," Umerov concluded.






Saturday, May 10, 2025 - U.S President Donald Trump has announced strict measures targeting undocumented immigrants who fail to voluntarily leave the country.

While signing a new Executive Order establishing the first-ever self-deportation program, Trump stated that illegal immigrants who refuse to register and exit the U.S will face five severe penalties in addition to automatic deportation.

The directive outlines consequences including total wage garnishment, indefinite detention, hefty fines, asset seizure, and deportation under undisclosed conditions determined by federal authorities.

If illegal aliens choose to remain in America, they are remaining illegallyand they will face severe consequences, Trump warned.

Undocumented individuals who ignore the order may have their entire income withheld, face lengthy prison terms, and lose personal property including homes, cars, and businesses.

Additionally, their deportation could occur at any time, under circumstances chosen solely by the Government.

Trump emphasized that the U.S. wont guarantee return to a specific home country, only that individuals will be removed from U.S soil.

However, Trump also offered an incentive for those who self-deport through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home application, will receive a free flight, a financial bonus, and possible future support for legal re-entry.

He claimed this policy would eventually save the U.S trillions of dollars in immigration-related expenses.

The move has drawn mixed reactions, with supporters praising the administrations tough stance on illegal immigration, while critics argue the measures are excessive and inhumane.

Estimates suggest that approximately 30,000 Kenyans are living in the United States without proper documentation.

Additionally, data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicates that as of November 2024, there are 1,282 Kenyan nationals with final orders of removal, meaning they are legally required to leave the country.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Huawei introduces cloud-boosted AI to deliver seamless education in Zambia

Xinhua) 10:31, May 10, 2025

LUSAKA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese telecoms firm Huawei announced on Thursday the introduction of a cloud-enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to Zambia to provide seamless access to education in unserved areas.

Lei Yang, Huawei's vice president for the sub-Saharan African region, said that the technology will enable learners in rural Zambia to access smart education.

"In the context of Zambia's education system, the cloud-enhanced AI offers transformative solutions and makes learning more personalized," he said during a summit on narrowing the digital divide to promote a balanced development of basic education.

He further noted that apart from creating a more supportive learning environment, the cloud-supported AI could also support language translation and optimization of the school curriculum.

According to Lei, the technology also provides flexibility to adapt to different learning styles and environments, adding that it will help students access real-time education content.

Noriana Muneku, permanent secretary in charge of administration in the Ministry of Education, thanked Huawei for being a shining example of a solid digital partner in Zambia for over 20 years.

She said that the government hopes to continue revolutionizing the education sector with Huawei's partnership.

Muneku added that technology has given the education sector an opportunity to eliminate digital barriers through smart classrooms, especially for people in rural areas.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a conversation with US Secretary of State and Advisor to the US President on National Security Marco Rubio and discussed with him the issue of a ceasefire and prospects for a peaceful settlement.

"I held an important conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and representatives of the administration of the President of the United States of America in continuation of yesterday's [May 8] contact between our leaders, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. This was Marco Rubio's first call after his appointment as Acting National Security Advisor to the US President. In addition to him, the discussion was attended by special representatives of the US President Stephen Witkoff and General Keith Kellogg. The Ukrainian side was also represented by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov," the post on Telegram says.

As the head of the President's Office noted, the main attention was paid to the issue of the ceasefire and the prospects for a peaceful settlement.

"The main attention was paid to the issue of the ceasefire and the prospects for a peaceful settlement. We specifically focused on the importance of implementing the points agreed upon by our presidents. We highly appreciated the ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the United States. This is a historic document that opens a new stage in our relations and creates additional opportunities for strengthening Ukrainian-American cooperation," Yermak emphasized.

He thanked the partners for their constant support and constructive dialogue in the most difficult times.
THE Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) has honoured the Maynooth academic, and bestselling author of Poor Dr Katriona OSullivan with the 2025 Public Inspiration Award.

Dr OSullivans remarkable journey from adversity to academic and professional success, coupled with her advocacy for social inclusion, education, and mental well-being, aligns with the core mission of the counselling and psychotherapy professions - empowering others to overcome difficulties and reach their full potential.

By sharing her uplifting story and championing the importance of access to counselling and mental health support services, Katriona OSullivan provides hope and motivation to many, said IACP Chief Executive Officer Lisa Molloy.

Her leadership and impactful contributions are an inspiration, and she truly embodies the spirit of the IACP Public Inspiration Award.

During her speaking engagements, Dr OSullivan often discusses resilience and overcoming adversity, drawing from her personal experiences and therapeutic journey while highlighting the need to remove barriers so that therapy and its benefits are available to everyone.

Dr OSullivan said: As a failing adult, who found it hard to make 'good choices' I never understood what was wrong with me.

I never knew that trauma, hurt, and poverty from my childhood could affect my ability to be good, and happy - until I started therapy at the age of 21."

She added: This is when I began to heal, and to understand, that I did the very best I could with the tools I was given. To receive the IACP Public Inspiration Award is an honour for me; not only because it recognises the work, I am doing to try to change mindsets, but because it comes from an organisation that advocates for therapy, for support, which knows the importance of supporting the mental health of people. Thank you for the award and the work you do - I am truly honoured.

Dr. OSullivan holds a PhD in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin and is an award-winning lecturer.

She is currently the senior lecturer in the Assisting Living and Learning Institute in Maynooth University and her memoir Poor debuted at No.1 on the Irish Non-Fiction bestseller list.

The IACP Public Inspiration Award honours a member of the public for their contributions to mental health awareness, to the development of the counselling and psychotherapy profession by creating and influencing projects, or by promoting counselling and psychotherapy development work at the local and national level. The IACP committees put forward the nominations and Dr OSullivan was nominated by the Northeast Regional Committee.

The annual awards ceremony was held at the IACPs 10th Annual Conference at the Maryborough Hotel, Cork last month.

The IACP was established in 1981 to identify, develop and maintain professional standards of excellence in counselling and psychotherapy, and represents more than 6,400 members based in communities all over the country.
Sarah Slater

The mother of an American woman who was allegedly murdered by an Irish man in Hungary has paid tribute to her on the six-month anniversary of her death, admitting that her family misses her unbearably.

Mackenzie Michalski (31), from Fredonia, New York, was on holiday in the Hungarian capital of Budapest and was last seen at a nightclub in the city in the early hours of Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, and was listed as missing by Budapest Police Headquarters later that day.

A 37-year-old Irish man, who works in marketing, has allegedly admitted to killing Ms Michalski, a nurse practitioner from Fredonia, New York, accidentally after claiming they became intimate at a rented apartment while on holiday. He claims her death was accidental.

The arrested man, allegedly, informed police after his arrest that he attempted to conceal her body in a suitcase along with her handbag and credit card, which he transported her in the boot of his rental car to a marshy area in Szigliget in western Hungary.

The Metropolitan Court of Budapest extended his arrest until March 10th this year and have since had his detention increased by several more months while investigations continue.

Detectives have also said they found numerous alleged incriminating online searches on a computer and allege that the detained Irish suspect cleaned his apartment.

In a social media post, Ms Michalskis mother, Jill, said the family is grateful for all the fantastic memories weve shared (and) no one can take those away.

Ms Burek Michalski added: Half a year, six months, 26 weeks (and) 181 days without you. Oh Kenzie, we miss you unbearably, we celebrate your short, amazing life that affected so many, we love all the signs that let us sense you're close.

We know you are thrilled with all the ways you're being honored and remembered (and) we love you to infinity and beyond.

A memorial service for the nurse was held last January on what would have been her 32nd birthday.

Gyorgy Magyar, the lawyer of the man suspected of murder, previously told 24.hu news in Hungary that what happened on the night in question was an accident during consensual intimacy.

Ms Michalski, had travelled from Portland, Oregon in the US, and was last seen near Szimpla Kert, known as the party district in the city at around 10pm.

The young woman had been travelling throughout Europe with a female friend, and Hungary was their last stop. The two separated for the last night of their trip.

Ms Michalskis body was brought back to the US by her family in late November last year. The Fredonia natives family issued a new statement on social media saying that they believe the man suspected of killing her did it deliberately.

The Michalski family said the death was in no way accidental, despite claims to the contrary.

The Michalskis have pointed out that they have been completely supported and cared for by the US Embassy, the FBI, Antea International Funeral Home, many translators, as well as countless people who reached out to offer services and love.
Ellen O'Donoghue

More than half of pharmacists have claimed that shortages in medicines have "significantly increased", while 78 per cent still expect the situation to worsen over the next 12 months.

A survey, conducted between March and April by the Irish Pharmacy Union revealed 83 per cent borrow stock from other pharmacies to ensure continuity of care.

Pharmacists and their teams now spend over six hours per week managing shortages, the survey reported.

President of the Irish Pharmacy Union Tom Murray told Newstalk that the situation is serious.

"Its quite serious for pharmacists, but its more serious for patients, because at the end of the day, the patients are the people that count, and in key areas like HRT, the GLP-1 agonists for weight loss and diabetes, and adhd significantly, there are serious shortages," he said.

"Theres approximately 400 medicines commonly used medicines in Ireland that are short at the moment."

Mr Murray also told Newstalk that pharmacists should be given the authority to prescribe an alternative treatment.

"If you go along the lines of HRT, where the patches have been routinely out of stock, a pharmacist could well easily substitute that to some of the gels, but were not allowed to without referring back to the practitioner, the general practitioner.

"If we have one penicillin thats written on a prescription and that penicillin is out of stock, we have to refer the patient back," he said.
"It's a comedy, and you can laugh," Nessa Dunlea told the audience for the recent Kilcullen Drama Group presentation of The Lieutenant of Inishmore. "But it's a dark comedy. Very dark." She wasn't kidding. The audience on the traditional opening night for seniors did laugh. But sometimes it was a very nervous kind. There were a few gasps too, especially in some of the more gory scenes of this story about a psychopathic INLA killer seeking revenge for the killing of his beloved cat.

Adam Tracy's 'Davey' is hair-raisingly scared while Alan Clarke's 'Lieutenant' demands answers about the health of his beloved cat.

Actually there are several psychopaths in this Martin McDonagh play, each so well acted that if people cross Kilcullen main street in coming weeks to avoid meeting actors Alan Clarke, Fergus Ryan, Gerry O'Donoghue, Davy Byrne and even Sinead McKenna, you'll know they've seen the play. Those who encounter Enda O'Neill, better known as manager of Kilcullen Community Centre, may well enquire about how his foot is recovering from his first time actor experience on Kilcullen's stage. As for Maurice O'Mahoney and Adam Tracey, bottles of poteen might be offered to help them deal with their PTSD. And the cats? Nessa Dunlea was at pains to point out that none were harmed in producing the play, but several played key, if unfortunate, parts.

As Nessa had warned, The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a darkly humorous take on what was a very black time in the fairly recent history of Ireland, the kind of thing that McDonagh does so well. The audiences over six nights  the play was performed an extra three nights at the beginning of this week due to demand  went home having been entertained but probably also reminded of how we're only a veneer from barbarity.

Another excellent Kilcullen Drama Group presentation, directed with her trademark attention to detail by Eilis Phillips. And some brilliantly synchronised scene changing by the backstage crew should be shouted out.
Photo: https://mfa.gov.ua/

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and the newly appointed head of the German Foreign Ministry Johann Wadephul at a meeting in Kyiv discussed peace efforts and the need to increase pressure on Russia, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister reported.

"I was pleased to meet with Johann Wadephul in Ukraine during European foreign ministers visit, which is also one of his first foreign visits as Germany's new Federal Foreign Minister. Germany support is saving Ukrainian lives and strengthening Europe. We are grateful to Germany for being one of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing," Sybiha wrote on the social network X on Friday.

Sybiha briefed his colleague on the situation on the battlefield and Russia's violation of its own "parade ceasefire".

"I informed about the battlefield situation and Russias violations of its own parade ceasefire. We discussed peace efforts and the need to put more pressure on Russia to accept a full ceasefire for at least 30 days. We also discussed the bilateral agenda, as well as our next joint steps and contacts at all levels. Ukraine and all of Europe are looking forward to the new German government's decisive leadership," the minister added.
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Kilkenny farmers are being uged to be SunSmart, this summer, in a new campaign.

Bord Bia, in partnership with the HSEs National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and Healthy Ireland, has launched a collaborative campaign to raise awareness among Irish farmers of the importance of being SunSmart.

The initiative will run throughout the summer to encourage Bord Bias farmer members to protect their skin while working outdoors.

From May 1 to August 31, Bord Bia auditors will distribute SunSmart for Farmers leaflets to all beef, dairy, and sheep farmers during their Bord Bia audit. With approximately 780 farms visited weekly by Bord Bia auditors, the campaign will reach over 12,000 farmers during the peak UV exposure season.

Read next: 'A Bully' - Public slam 'aggressive' 'so called' Kilkenny hurling supporter

Over the summer months, Bord Bia auditors will encourage farmers to take and read the SunSmart for Farmers leaflet, Eoghan Geraghty, Agricultural Sustainability Co-ordinator with Bord Bia commented.

Through this simple step, we hope to prompt farmers to better protect their skin from the sun every day, whether out in the field, inside the tractor cab, or on a cloudy day.

Ann-Marie Lawlor, Senior Health Promotion and Improvement Officer with the HSE added: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, with those working outdoors particularly at risk. Farmers and other outdoor workers receive two to three times more UV radiation than those working indoors, making them more vulnerable to skin cancer.

Through this joint initiative with Bord Bia, were placing life-saving advice directly in farmers hands. Small protective habits today can make a big difference for long-term health.



ABCDE Checks

The SunSmart for Farmers leaflet outlines clear, actionable steps that farmers can take to protect themselves from sun damage, including checking their skin and moles regularly for changes. The leaflet features the ABCDE checklist to help farmers know when a mole or patch of skin might be melanoma skin cancer:

A = Asymmetry  when one half of the mole is not the same as the other.

B = Border. The edges of the mole are irregular, blurry or jagged.

C = Colour. The mole is uneven in colour. It might have different shades of black, brown and pink in it.

D = Diameter. This refers to the size of the mole. Melanomas may grow more than 6mm, which is the width of a pencil.

E = Evolution. This means that the mole is changing. The mole may change in size, shape, or colour. It may also start to itch or bleed. Normal moles usually stay the same size, shape and colour.

This campaign forms part of the HSE and Healthy Irelands wider SunSmart awareness efforts, encouraging people across Ireland to enjoy the sun safely and reduce their risk of skin cancer.
Witches, wells, piseogs, pike, curses, Fionn Mac Cumhaill and ghost hurlers all form part of the rich heritage surrounding Kilkennys only lake, Lough Cullen.

Having read the various accounts of what was supposed to have gone on there in prehistoric times, you would be almost afraid to go anywhere near it.

It is also known by its English name, Holly Lake and amazingly there has never been a major feature written on what I found to be a little piece of heaven situated in the heart of South Kilkenny.

READ NEXT: Television star stops by Kilkenny shop to sample their award-winning 99s!

My favourite myth surrounding the lake is the tale that when there is a full moon, ghost hurlers come out and play on top of the shimmering surface of the lake.

According to the Journal of The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, the hurlers, after a protracted and violent struggle, unleash unearthly shouts, which float in wild reverberations around the distant hills with the lake becoming unusually agitated.

The hurlers are then engulfed and a witch, disguised as an old woman lets out venomous wails of destruction and cries out in a loud voice, An luachair, an luachair (the rushes, the rushes.)

This ties in with the local superstition of how Lough Cullen was formed and the following story was written down by John ODonovan from Slieverue who did so much work on Irish place names proves this.

A wicked witch wished to destroy a number of young men who were hurling on the plain over which the waters of Lough Cullen spreads itself, he wrote.

One of the hurlers turned off the hurling green (faithche) to quench his thirst but not finding any water, he wandered about in search of a well.

He was met by the witch in disguise, who told him that there was no well near at hand but that if he went over to a tuft of rushes which she pointed out, and pulled one rush, a well would issue from the earth.

He did what she suggested and forthwith a deluge of water issued from the earth, which overflowed the plain, drowned the thirsty youth and all his companions on the green.

Getting to Lough Cullen is simple. Just go to Mullinavat and take the R448 which will bring you out on to the Fahee road out of Kilmacow

It is located on the tip of Kilmacow parish and is closely associated with Big Wood, Mullinavat and with Gracedieu, Kells, Kilmacow.



John Fitzgerald has lived his whole life close to Lough Cullen.

His childhood was spent exploring the lake, its shore and the bog and natural habitat surrounding it.

While other people went to Tramore, John and his friends made do with swimming at Dans Hole where they spent endless afternoons and evenings.

Alas, that has all stopped and all the fish that were in the lake have vanished.

The lake is fed by The Cats Rock stream and was home to trout and pike none of which remain.

John, a keen environmentalist, has noted that the wild iris flower, once common around Lough Cullen and especially along the waters edge, is completely gone.

He feels that in terms of size and quality, the lake he has always loved, has deteriorated. He blames Irelands entry into the EEC (now EU) in 1973 for leading to more intensive farming practices as a reason for its current state.



The Burkes or Gauls of Gaulstown in the parish of Lower Kilmacow were descended from William de Burgh, grandson of Edmond na feasoige de Burgh of Clanwilliam and ancestor of Walter de Burgh of (Ardmayle on the Suir), Co Tipperary, and who came to Kilmacow after 1370,

They built a castle, which became a ruin over looking Holly Lake, but is now gone.

READ ALSO: Kilkenny parish in mourning after recently losing 'two great men'

Locals maintain that the remains of this castle still can be seen in a field between the road which leads from Gaulstown to Charlestown, and at the stream from Holly Lake, which flows between both places, nearer to the road than the stream.

Ringville National School was part of a project operated by Duchas and now retained for posterity in the National Folklore Collection. It centred on a man, called Laurence Roche who was handed down this story by his father.

About five miles north east of my house two miles from the village of Ballinerea, and three fields from ONeills of Fahee, is a lake which is called Holly Lake.

It is said that a man was going along the fields and he saw a woman with a pail of water in her hand. He asked her for a drink and she said pull up that rush and put it back the same way.

The man pulled up the rush, got the drink, but he could not put it back so the water gushed up and formed into a lake, and the lake is there still.

It is said that the woman was a witch and that there is no bottom to the lake, Mr Roche told a volunteer in the project overseen by teacher, Sile de Paor.

One time it was frozen and people came and skated and burled on it with holly burls. This is the reason they called it Holly Lake, he said.



The final story about Lough Cullen involves Fionn Mac Cumhaill, leader of the Fianna.

We are indebted to the late John ODonovan, the Irish scholar and topographer for this tale: Fionn was staying close to the lake and to make a long story short, saw a hare with a golden coat on one side and a shiny, silver coat on the other pass by.

He and his dog, Bran gave chase. After days and days, they found the hare, which had turned into a beautiful woman, crying by the waters edge because she had lost her golden ring in the lake.

Being chivalrous, Fionn eventually found the ring at the bottom of the lake and when he presented it to her, she took his hand and he immediately found himself metamorphosised into a wizened old man, near death.

Eventually, the Fianna found the witch who was living on Tory Hill. They started to dig up the hill and throw it into the lake.

Suddenly she appeared as they were demolishing the hill and asked them to stop, restoring Fionn to full health for doing so.

She disclosed her name as Grinn and said that the hill was her; habitation and the lake my power.

Fionn replied to her: We shall always know you by Cuillinn Grinn and this hill will be known as Sliabh Cuillinn to the end of time.

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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
A Kilkenny Heritage Museum was among the topics discussed at the latest meeting of Castlecomer Municipal District, where Kilkenny Heritage Officer Regina Fitzpatrick outlined a new county heritage strategy for County Kilkenny.

The strategy is set to be implemented over the course of five years, from 2026 to 2030.

Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick called for the establishment of a dedicated Heritage Museum in Kilkenny, saying the countys rich cultural history deserves a home of its own.

READ ALSO: Tourist pens love letter to the 'magical' city and people of Kilkenny

Our heritage is a vital part of who we are, said Cllr Fitzpatrick. Kilkenny has a deep and proud history that deserves to be celebrated here at home. A local museum would not only preserve our unique past but would also boost tourism, education, and community pride.

The restoration efforts of Clomantagh Church and Grangefertagh Round Tower received high praise at the meeting, with Cllr Mary Hilda Kavanagh emphasising that any work carried out on the restoration of old graveyards be done on the judgment of the Heritage Office.

Cllr Kavanagh made mention of some instances where headstones unfortunately misplaced during restoration efforts. Its been more destructive than constructive, she said.

Cllr John Brennan thanked Ms Fitzpatrick and the council for their work in providing the funding to maintain the thatched houses in his local parish of Clogh.

Cllr Brennan also remarked upon the special history of Clogh graveyard, which is the burial site of Michael Fenlon, who constructed the first Boulton and Watt steam engine in Ireland.

Cllr Mick McCarthy complimented the work of Freshford heritage group, Ionad Lachtain, in their efforts to promote different heritage events in the area.

We are very lucky to have them, said Cllr McCarthy, who went on to commend the efforts and publications of the Heritage Office, thanking Ms Fitzpatrick for her presentation, and wishing her success.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
lder people from Kilkenny will attend a two-day conference in Tallaght, for the 2025 Age Friendly Ireland National Older Peoples Councils (OPCs) Convention.

This years event places a national spotlight on preventive over reactive healthcare, brain health, and intergenerational solidarity as keys to ageing well.

Over 200 people are attending the two-day event to add their voice in building an inclusive, Age Friendly society where prevention, participation, and intergenerational support are central to how we plan for the future.

A key highlight will be a personal fireside conversation between Brendan Courtney, the Conventions MC and broadcaster; and Professor Ronan Collins, Age Friendly South Dublin Ambassador, Consultant in Geriatric & Stroke medicine and current RCPI National Clinical Lead for Stroke.

Professor Collins reflected with Brendan on their shared experiences and discussed the urgent need for earlier intervention, community awareness, and open conversations between generations on healthy ageing. This years Convention theme  The Wisdom of Years: A Lifetime of Perspective  was shaped through consultations with older people across Ireland on the issues that matter most to them.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE KILKENNY COMMUNITY NEWS

Speaking on the theme of this years event, Professor Ronan Collins said: Intergenerational solidarity is whats required for us to age well as a nation. This means equipping younger generations with the knowledge and tools to age well and to play a supportive role in enabling healthy ageing across society. This national convention of OPCs is an opportunity for older people to ensure their voices are being heard, so that they can add life to years over just years to life!

Mary O'Hanlon, member of the local Kilkenny Older Peoples Council, added: We have heard at the convention this year that ageing well is not about adding years to life, its about adding life to years and through our local OPC, we share the wisdom of our years with the next generation. With this in mind, I would urge everyone in Kilkenny to join their local OPC to ensure they have a say in the policy decisions being made for their future of ageing well. This is where your voice can be heard and where your experiences shape the services and policies that affect your daily life. Join us by visiting www.agefriendlyireland.ie or contacting your local authority.

Brendan Courtney said: This event is incredibly meaningful to me. Professor Collins cared for family members of mine after they suffered strokes, and that experience changed how I see ageing and health forever. We need to have more real, honest conversations  across all generations  about what it means to age well. Prevention isnt just medical; its also about awareness, planning, and support. We cant be afraid to have what some might call the tough conversations. This is why Im proud to MC at this Convention, which is putting these issues front and centre.

The Convention features keynote addresses from national and local leaders, including Minister of State for Older People and Housing, Kieran O'Donnell TD, alongside policy updates, expert panels, and interactive workshops. Highlights include a national update from Age Friendly Ireland, a panel discussion featuring leaders in health, insurance, and the arts, and a series of field-based activities such as a local housing site visit to The Weir, which is centred on high-quality living environment for older residents; a walkability audit at Tallaght Stadium; and active ageing classes.

The programme also includes a panel discussion moderated by Catherine McGuigan, with participants including Colm Ward (Chief Executive, South Dublin County Council); Dr Graham Hughes (National Clinical Programme for Older People); Moyagh Murdoch (CEO, Insurance Ireland), and Mike Hanrahan, musician and member of band Stocktans Wing and Clare Age Friendly Ambassador.

Hosted by South Dublin County Council in partnership with Age Friendly Ireland, the Convention plays a key role in shaping Age Friendly planning across the country, which is coordinated nationally by Age Friendly Ireland, the national body for Irelands 31 Local Authorities, delivering the Government's vision of an Age Friendly Ireland.

For more information or to find out how to join your local Older Peoples Council, visit www.agefriendlyireland.ie or contact your local authority.
The father of a little boy with a rare illness has made a heartfelt appeal for the HSE to fund treatment in America  before his son ends up confined to a wheelchair for life.



Will Moore is just four years old and he suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)  a condition so rare just 110 people in Ireland are thought to be living with the condition.



DMD was, until very recently, a fatal illness. Life expectancy was about 20 years. However, a new treatment in America has been proven to halt the progress of the disease in its tracks and Wills family are begging the HSE to fund their sons treatment.



He has been accepted on to the treatment programme - but at a cost of $3.5 to $4 million.

The HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme only covers treatment in the EU, UK and Switzerland so Philip and Veronica, Wills parents, are appealing to An Taoiseach Micheal Martin to get the HSE to help their boy. Scroll down to read on...

ABOVE: Veronica, Will and Philip. Picture: Harry Reid

Local TD, Natasha Newsome Drennan, brought the familys plea directly to An Taoiseach, when she raised the case in the Dail, and asked that the Minister for Health liaise with the HSE on the matter.



In the Dail, An Taoiseach said that he thinks the child should get treatment and if its only available in the US we should be doing something about that.



But at this stage there is no word from the HSE on funding the treatment and with DMD time is of the essence to prevent Wills further deterioration. Click the NEXT arrows to read on, and find out how you can help.
People from across Kilkenny gathered to take part in this year's Darkness Into Light.

The annual event, which is held in aid of Pieta, the charity that prevents suicide and self-harm, saw communities come together to support mental health and prevent suicide.

In Leinster, Pieta provided 12,890 hours of therapy and helped 1,777 people in 2024, showing the need for public support is more urgent than ever.

Kilkenny City and Inistioge were just two venues of the more than 200 official walks organised across the globe. These walks provide an opportunity for people to connect with their local community and to bring hope to people who have been impacted by suicide.

People get ready for the start of the 2025 Darkness Into Light walk at the James Stephens army barracks

In the city a large crowd gathered at the James Stephens army barracks, the traditional meeting point for the event. Just after 4.15am, following a gentle warm-up, a sea of people - many dressed in the traditional bright Darkness Into Light yellow T-shirts - set off for a 5km walk which travelled down John Street and around the Castle Walls before travelling back to the barracks via High Street and Irishtown. Once back at base, people were treated to refreshments and a stirring performance from the Lady Desart Choir.

In Inistioge the route took walkers on a tranquil journey from village, over the bridge and along the River Nore.

Across the county there were other events, with Callan, Freshford and Mullinavat among the venues for walks which helped to raise funds for mental health charities.

Since its inception in 2009, Darkness Into Light has grown from 400 walkers in Dublins Phoenix Park to a global event spanning 14 countries. Participants walk from darkness into dawn, symbolising hope, and the journey from despair to healing.

"Each year, around 500 lives are lost to suicide in Ireland-and thats just the tip of the iceberg," said Stephanie Manahan, Chief Executive of Pieta. "Behind every number is a grieving family, friends, a community in pain. Darkness Into Light is more than a fundraiser; it is a movement that saves lives."

People can contact the Pieta Crisis Helpline 24/7 at 1800-247247 or text HELP to 51444 .
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/kallaskaja/

The European Union joins the call for a complete and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine for at least 30 days, said EC High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

"This pause in hostilities could serve as a vital step toward reducing civilian suffering and allow space for meaningful talks for genuine peace aimed at ending Russias war of aggression and restoring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace," said Kallas in a statement on behalf of the European Union.

"The EU remains steadfast in its commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law and welcomes all efforts towards achieving such peace. As in the past, it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," the report says.

This statement was supported by other non-EU participants at the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Lviv on May 9: Moldova, North Macedonia, Norway, Ukraine and United Kingdom.
Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz announced the strengthening of sanctions against Russia if the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire is rejected, and did not rule out a direct conversation with Vladimir Putin.

"We are calling for a 30-day ceasefire so that peace talks can be prepared during this time. Now the ball is in Putin's court. Putin must respond to this proposal," he said in an interview with Bild during a visit to Kyiv.

The EU, Great Britain and the United States have agreed to increase pressure on Russia if a 30-day ceasefire is not reached after the weekend due to Putin's continued rejection of peace talks.

"Then there will be a massive tightening of sanctions, and Ukraine will continue to receive massive aid. Politically, of course, financial aid, but also military aid," Merz said.

He is confident that the Americans will support such an increase.

"We agreed to propose and demand a 30-day ceasefire during a period during which peace talks can also take place. And also a clear signal: if this fails, the United States will tighten sanctions against Russia," the Chancellor said.

Merz does not rule out a direct conversation with Putin.

"If necessary, if this helps to end this war, I am ready to do a lot. But first we must see whether we can achieve the goal of a ceasefire after this weekend," Merz said.

As reported, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on May 10 for a meeting of the "coalition of the willing."
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COLUMBIA  The Columbia Public Schools Foundation donated $50,000 on Friday to the Lunch for Learners fund, which helps pay off student lunch debt in Columbia Public Schools.

The foundation also challenged the community Friday to donate an additional $50,000 toward the student lunch debt.

"Hopefully working together as a community, we can join together and pay off that student lunch debt," said Katie Harris, the foundation's executive director.

According to a news release, the student meal debt before the donation was $124,613.

Columbia School Board President John Lyman said the board is hoping to eventually achieve free nutritious breakfast and lunch for students in need.

"We made that one of our legislative priorities last year," Lyman said. "We took that to the Missouri School Boards' Association conference last summer and were able to get that added on as a legislative priority for MSBA as well."

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Harris said it's important for the foundation to direct this donation to the Lunch for Learners fund.

"We know that hungry learners can't be good learners in the classroom, and we want to make sure that everyone has an equal chance, not only to learn, but to have something as basic as a school lunch," Harris said.

Director of Nutrition Services Laina Fullum said the donation will make a big difference in the lives of struggling families.

"I am humbled that our community is putting children first," Fullum said. "It's just a wonderful feeling, and it's amazing."
India and Pakistan agree to a ceasefire, but will it hold? Heres what to know
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/mettefrederiksen.dk

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has taken part in a virtual meeting with the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing, the Office of the Danish Prime Minister reported.

"Together they discussed ways to strengthen Ukraine. Now and in the future. In this regard, the Prime Minister stated, "For more than three years, we have supported Ukraine's defense. Ukraine is ready for a 30-day ceasefire. Putin shows no signs that he wants peace." It is important that pressure is now exerted on Russia to establish a lasting and just peace," the Danish Prime Minister's Office said in a post on the X social network on Saturday.

As reported, French President Emmanuel Macron, British and Polish Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on May 10 for a Coalition of the Willing meeting.
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Rubio and Wadephul discuss ending war in Ukraine  US Department of State

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held an introductory conversation with the recently appointed German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio had an introductory call today with newly appointed German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. They discussed shared priorities including ending the war in Ukraine, and the need for European nations to increase defense spending," said the US Secretary of State.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

The sister of a Cavan teacher who was killed by her husband wants improved training for murder-suicide investigations rolled out across all Garda stations.

Jacqueline Connolly also said a review of the Clodagh Hawe case should be published to provide a greater awareness of the behaviours of family annihilators.

Alan Hawe, a vice-principal, killed himself, his 39-year-old wife Clodagh and their sons Liam (13), Niall (11) and Ryan (6) in August 2016 at their home near Ballyjamesduff.

Alan and Clodagh Hawe and their three children: Liam (13), Niall (11) and Ryan (6). Photo: Family handout

Ms Connolly, who has written a memoir called Deadly Silence, said the deaths were not investigated thoroughly by gardai and she wants this approach changed.

He was dead, what did it matter? The why wasnt accounted for in that investigation, but it mattered to us, she told RTE radios Brendan OConnor Show.

She said a second investigation carried out by the serious crime review team, authorised by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris in 2019, highlighted what was missed in the first investigation.

This included CCTV that had not been examined, digital evidence that was overlooked, and 20 key witnesses who needed to be reinterviewed using different techniques.

The hearse carrying the coffin of Clodagh Hawe at her funeral in Castlerahan, Co Cavan (PA)

Ms Connolly said she has been told gardai in training will be advised to gather evidence in murder-suicides as though it is a case that will be prosecuted, but she said she wants that rolled out to all rural garda stations because officers were not prepared to find Clodagh and the boys like that.

She called on Mr Harris to release the findings of the serious crime review, for which Ms Connolly has seen a summary, because she said it was important that the recommendations are seen by domestic violence institutions.

I really feel that it would warn people and show people the signs, behaviours, patterns of what family annihilators look like.

Ms Connolly said the review heard from an expert that analysed a letter left by Hawe differently to those involved in the initial investigation, and that the teachers pornography addiction was also revealed.

Clodagh Hawes mother Mary Coll (left) and her sister Jacqueline Connolly leaving the Department of Justice in Dublin (PA)

His murder letter was used to diagnose depression in an inquest, whereas in the serious crime review this showed  through (Scottish forensic criminologist) Professor David Wilson  actually there was pseudo-altruistic comments in that letter.

He came across as caring, he wanted the perception of what he was when he was dead to be he was still a good man  that had nothing to do with depression.

He could show that the behaviours and patterns leading up to their deaths, the research that was done digitally  that wasnt shown in the first investigation  where Alan Hawe was researching up to a year before he killed them.

She said Hawe had put a distance between her and her sister, and she would never be able to have a conversation in the kitchen with Clodagh on my own.

Ms Connolly said all texts she sent to her older sister were forwarded on to Hawe.

Recalling a tribute she wrote on her brother-in-laws Facebook profile in the immediate aftermath of the deaths, Ms Connolly said she was operating on autopilot in her grief and her initial reaction was one of pure shock and trauma.

She said there was chaos following the deaths and that no one said stop to burying Hawe alongside the wife and children he had killed.

The day after the funeral, myself and mam went to the grave, and I will never forget how mam looked that day.

We stood there in silence, and I thought what have we done? And as I thought it, she turned around and said what have we done? Weve buried him with them.

She added: You cant align the two events, this man who you trusted for so long did such a terrible thing.

You know something must have happened, but never in a million years would you think  especially considering the findings of the serious crime review  that so much planning went into what he did that night.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. Alternatively, the contact information for a range of mental health supports is available at mentalhealthireland.ie/get-support.
A DRIVER transporting 40 passengers failed to notice Gardai pursuing him with blue lights and sirens for over 5km because he was distracted by a phone call.

The incident occurred recently when Naas Gardai attempted to stop the vehicle for mobile phone use while driving, only to realise the driver was seemingly unaware of their presence behind.

Gardai said in a statement on social media that the fact there were tens of passengers was even more concerning. Professional drivers have a duty to uphold the highest standards of road safety, they said.

While no accident occurred, Gardai highlighted the significant risk posed by distractions at the wheel.

Distractionsespecially mobile phone usecan have devastating consequences, the statement added.

The driver was issued a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice (FCPN) and 3 penalty points.

Gardai are urging all drivers to stay alert and focused behind the wheel, particularly those in charge of public or commercial vehicles.

Let this be a reminder: stay focused, stay alert, and never use your phone while driving, the statement concluded.
Fionnuala Walsh

The one-time head of security for pop star Rihanna, who drew "ancient symbols" on the ground outside a Garda station to "remove evil spirits", has had his conviction for criminal damage overturned on appeal.

Geoffrey Keating (47), with an address at Woodbank Drive, Finglas, Dublin 11 originally pleaded not guilty to criminal damage under the Criminal Damage Act, 1991 in the District Court.

The District Court Appeals Court on Friday heard that Mr Keating had drawn three large XE symbols in blue chalk on the ground outside Finglas Garda Station on Mellows Road, Dublin 11, on the evening of May 9th, 2022.

Garda Joseph Rogers said Mr Keating told him that if Garda members passed over the symbols, it would remove evil spirits to protect the children of Finglas and that he would go to any lengths to protect children.

Garda Rogers arrested Mr Keating for criminal damage and he was later convicted in Blanchardstown District Court on May 27th, 2022 where he was given a fine of 200.

Giving evidence today, Mr Keating told the court that he is a spiritualist, adding that the old symbols hold a lot of meaning to him and they are similar to his Nordic tattoos.

He said that he had no intention of doing criminal damage and that his aim was to draw the symbols and explain their meaning to gardai.

Mr Keating, who was pop star Rihannas head of security in 2012 and 2013, explained that he believes the symbols stop bad things from happening.

Mr Keating said that his intention was to make a protest statement to stop the abuse of disadvantaged minors and that he engages in a lot of advocacy for children in his local community.

I didnt know it was illegal. To me it was akin to doing hopscotch on the ground, he told the appeals court.

Defence counsel for Mr Keating, Patrick Flynn BL, said that the conviction for criminal damage was a disproportionate reaction to a peaceful act of protest.

Judge Catherine White said she agreed with the defence in this case that the conviction was disproportionate and allowed Mr Keating's appeal against his conviction.
Ukraine and Coalition of the Willing demand ceasefire from Russia for 30 days from Monday, otherwise sanctions  Zelenskyy

Ukraine and the countries of the Coalition of the Willing have agreed on positions on a complete and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days from May 12 and demand that the Russian Federation agree to this, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following a meeting of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing countries in Kyiv on Saturday.

"We agreed that a complete and unconditional ceasefire should begin from Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We together demand this from Russia. We know that the United States supports us in this," Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv on Saturday.

He stressed that the ceasefire must be comprehensive - in the air, at sea and on land. The president also noted that a 30-day ceasefire is necessary to give diplomacy a real chance.

"Ensuring monitoring of the ceasefire is quite possible in coordination with the United States of America. This is realistic," Zelenskyy said.

The participants in the meeting reported on its results to US President Donald Trump by phone.

"As soon as we all spoke together with President Trump, we agreed on a common view of our further actions. A complete, unconditional ceasefire is very necessary. Responsibility for refusal is very necessary in the conditions of such a ceasefire. We can agree together on the foundation for the establishment of peace," the president of Ukraine said.

According to Zelenskyy, any conditions from the Russian Federation are evidence of intentions to drag out the war and disrupt diplomacy.

"If Russia refuses a full and unconditional ceasefire, sanctions should be applied. Sanctions against its energy sector and banking system have been strengthened," he said.

The president of Ukraine noted that the preparation of the 17th package of sanctions by the European Union is underway, and it will be coordinated with sanctions from the United Kingdom, Norway, and the United States of America. He also welcomed Canada's signal to strengthen sanctions on their part.

"We also agreed to continue working on the effective use of Russia's frozen assets," Zelenskyy said.
Stroudsburg Middle School winner Paula Nagle cheers for her runner and coworker Amber Cohen as she fills her bin during a 64-second shopping spree to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week at the Crayola Experience in Centre Square Easton on May 7, 2025. Max Blease | lehighvalleylive.com contributor Max Blease | lehighvalleylive.co

As part of Teachers Appreciation Week, two lucky local teachers on Wednesday rushed down the halls of Eastons Crayola Experience, grasping at art supplies and stuffing them into large red bins.

The teachers from Easton Area School District and Stoudsburg Area School District each had 64 seconds for their shopping spree, a nod to Crayolas original box of 64 crayons. Students and Crayola Experience team members supported them from the sidelines.

After scrambling for art and color, March Elementary Schools Kara Kresge said: I never win, but I thought Id put my name in.

One of over 1,800 raffle entries, Kresge couldnt believe the email informing her that she was one of the randomly drawn winners.

Stroudsburg Middle Schools Paula Nagle excitedly told her close coworker Amber Cohen that she won. Excited, Cohen became her runner, frantically charging forward while Nagle and one of their students cheered her on.

The teachers get to use the supplies they gathered to stock their classrooms, and their classes also get a prize pack from Crayola valued at over $5,000. The prize pack includes crayons, colored pencils, markers, and other creative supplies.

Every student in each class will also get a free ticket to the Crayola Experience in Eastons Centre Square, with 200 more tickets going toward use for fundraising or prizes.

See more photos below.

March Elementary School's Kara Kresge races at "the worlds most colorful shopping spree" for Teacher Appreciation Week at the Crayola Experience in Centre Square Easton on May 7, 2025. Max Blease | lehighvalleylive.com contributor Max Blease | lehighvalleylive.co
An undercover probe led to the seizure of over 6,000 packages of vapes and edibles from four convenience stores in Northampton County, plus more than $375,000 in cash, District Attorney Stephen Baratta said Friday.

All of the items are classified as marijuana, Baratta said in a news release, after Pennsylvania State Police Laboratory testing returned positive results for the federally listed illegal drug.

The Northampton County Drug Task force opened the investigation in March after receiving information regarding the suspected illegal sale of marijuana and THC-related products, according to the release. THC is the component of marijuana that makes users feel high.

The drug task force executed search warrants Thursday, with assistance from the Bangor, Colonial Regional, Nazareth, Northampton, Slate Belt Regional and Washington Township police departments, in addition to Pennsylvania State Police.

Barattas office identified the stores where the warrants were executed as Penn Jersey locations at 7857 Beth-Bath Pike in East Allen Township, 232 Blue Valley Drive in Washington Township and 975 Mount Bethel Highway in Upper Mount Bethel Township, in addition to Pen Argyl Food Mart, 506 E. Main St. in Pen Argyl.

Efforts to reach the stores for comment Friday were unsuccessful.

Baratta said the 1,103 alleged THC edibles; 1,923 alleged THC vape cartridges; and 3,432 packages of alleged THC flower and pre-rolled cigarettes are worth an estimated $400,000.

Baratta says illegal and unregulated THC products being distributed in Northampton County pose public health risks.

His office continues to prioritize the vigorous prosecution of any local store owners or individuals involved in the possession or sale of these dangerous and illegal products, Fridays release states.

The investigation is continuing, and additional seizures and arrests are expected, according to the release.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Editors Note: Lehighvalleylive.com is offering a benefit to subscribers: Click the photo gallery to see if we photographed your favorite prom-goer, and get free, print-quality downloads - as well as the option to purchase keepsakes at half the price.

Bethlehem Catholic High School students celebrated their prom at the Event Center at blue on Friday.

Freelancer Donna Fisher was there to capture a few of the students as they arrived for the prom.

Lehighvalleylive.com will be sending photographers to proms throughout the Lehigh Valley and Warren County this season. Our full coverage of proms across the region can be found at lehighvalleylive.com/prom.

Check out the gallery above to see everyone dressed up for a night to celebrate.

SHARE YOUR PROM PHOTOS

Dont forget to tag @lehighvalleylive in your Instagram photos and @lehighvalley on Twitter - we just might highlight the best pics!

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.
Editors Note: Lehighvalleylive.com is offering a benefit to subscribers: Click the photo gallery to see if we photographed your favorite prom-goer, and get free, print-quality downloads - as well as the option to purchase keepsakes at half the price.

Salisbury High School students celebrated their prom at the SteelStacks complex on Friday.

Check out the gallery above to see everyone dressed up for a night to celebrate.

Lehighvalleylive.com will be sending photographers to proms throughout the Lehigh Valley and Warren County this season. Our full coverage of proms across the region can be found at lehighvalleylive.com/prom.

SHARE YOUR PROM PHOTOS

Dont forget to tag @lehighvalleylive in your Instagram photos and @lehighvalley on Twitter - we just might highlight the best pics!

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.
Editors Note: Lehighvalleylive.com is offering a benefit to subscribers: Click the photo gallery to see if we photographed your favorite prom-goer, and get free, print-quality downloads - as well as the option to purchase keepsakes at half the price.

Southern Lehigh High School students celebrated their prom at DeSales University Billera Hall on Friday.

Freelancer Chris Shipley was there to capture a few of the students as they arrived for the prom.

Lehighvalleylive.com will be sending photographers to proms throughout the Lehigh Valley and Warren County this season. Our full coverage of proms across the region can be found at lehighvalleylive.com/prom.

Check out the gallery above to see everyone dressed up for a night to celebrate.

SHARE YOUR PROM PHOTOS

Dont forget to tag @lehighvalleylive in your Instagram photos and @lehighvalley on Twitter - we just might highlight the best pics!

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.
Joe Duffy appeared on the Late Late Show on Friday night following his shock announcement on Thursday that he was retiring after 37 years with RTE and over 27 years presenting Liveline.

The iconic broadcaster joined Patrick Kielty in studio on Friday on the Late Late Show finale to reflect on his career and the moments that defined his time behind the helm on Liveline.

There was plenty of laughs and also some tears on the show on Friday as Joe spoke about his decades-long career and some past Liveline guests even appeared in the audience.

Joe told Patrick: "I don't regret a single day and I love getting the calls." He praised the power of radio and the nature of live radio in particular, saying: "I've no idea where it's going to end."

However, he also made a point of saying how important the show is for creating a "national conversation" and allowing a space for people to talk who may not have anyone to talk to. Joe spoke a lot about loneliness and told a sad story of how one woman told him that she used to post a letter every week to herself so that a post man would call to her door. For Joe, this was a major aspect of the role.

One powerful part of the interview was when Patrick introduced the daughter of a woman who had been abused at a Magdalene Laundry that Joe had helped in 2003. Margaret Boland had died at the age of 51 from Goodpasture's Syndrome - her daughters found this out on Liveline. Samantha, Margaret's daughter, told Joe that he "affected change in Ireland" and thanked him for what he did for her and her twin sister.

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When Joe started to talk about his mother Mable, that's when the tears started to flow. He said it was her who always kept him humble. He also acknowledged that although people can say Liveline is negative, when looking at what she grew up in, the country has "come so far."

Many people have taken to social media to praise the broadcasting legend following the interview. One person shared: "Joe Duffy your radio voice played a big part in the daily Irish way of life, wishing you every success in retirement."

Another said: "Joe Duffy is and always will be a national treasure and a relentless advocate for ordinary people." Someone else simply said: "A great man will be missed by many people."

However, there has been more mixed reactions since the announcement of his retirement. For many people, the amount of money the radio host has earned through the years is a cause of serious frustration. According to figures from RTE, he earned around 380,000 a year.

Among the comments on social media after the interview were: "A national treasure? More of a national cost to the tax payers!"

Another comment read: "3.8 million in ten years....was he worth that?"
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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Kilcock 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 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.

READ MORE: Success for Kildare students in mini scientist competition

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.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked US President Donald Trump for not stopping aid and intelligence sharing and expressed hope that he will strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation.

"I thank President Trump for not stopping and American aid is coming today, for not stopping the exchange of intelligence. This is important for us during the work of protecting the sky. And the fact that he did not stop the sanctions currently in force - I very much hope for their strengthening," Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv on Saturday.
Severe speed ramps across Leitrim are set to be reviewed, including those on Castlecara Road in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Cllr Brendan Barry proposed introducing a maximum gradient of one in 10 for all ramps and called for existing ramps to be modified to meet this standard, to ensure consistency throughout the county.

There isnt uniformity across the ramps and some are more severe than others. Cars are hitting some of the ramps and getting damaged, Cllr Barry said.

He pointed out that in the UK, speed ramps are not permitted to exceed 100mm in height, while in Leitrim some reach up to 160mm. The ramps on Castlecara Road, which have been the subject of ongoing complaints, are 180mm high.

Cllr Barrys motion was seconded by Cllr Maeve Reynolds and Cllr Cormac Flynn.

Cllr Flynn, who has repeatedly raised the issue of the Castlecara ramps, told the meeting about a person recovering from surgery who cannot drive over the ramps due to their severity.

He also described a recent incident where a trailer hitch came loose on one of the ramps, causing the trailer to strike another vehicle.

Justin Fannon, Director of Services for Economic Development, Regeneration, Sustainable Transport and Emergency Services, confirmed that any problematic ramps in the county, including those on Castlecara Road, will be reviewed.

A Council response stated that Leitrim County Council designs speed ramps using a range of guidance documents.

As national standards do not detail exact ramp gradients, adopting a fixed standard locally isnt feasible.

The examination of specific identified ramps which fail to slow traffic without undue discomfort can be carried out which may result in amendments to the construction of these ramps, the response concluded.

READ MORE: Leitrim gardai investigating theft of car parts from local garage
GARDAI have searched two graveyards, the Leader can reveal, as part of an extensive and wide-ranging investigation into two aggravated burglaries in County Limerick that shocked local communities.

An incident room has been set up in Bruff garda station following the attacks - which have been linked to the drugs trade -in the early hours of Easter Sunday.

Armed and masked assailants smashed their way into houses in Kilteely and Kilfinane, assaulted two men who had to be hospitalised, and left scenes which have been described as a bloodbath.

A video has emerged on social media of the aftermath in one of the houses which shows a blood-spattered wall and more blood on a window sill, which dripped down a radiator and pooled on the carpet.

READ MORE: Calls for a resolution to feud in Rathkeale after houses torched in the town

The two victims, aged in their 30s and 50s, who both suffered laceration wounds from sharp-edged implements, received treatment in the same ward in University Hospital Limerick for their injuries.

An extensive and ongoing investigation was launched with witness statements being taken and the areas in question being trawled for CCTV.

Around 30 gardai made up of the Regional Armed Support Unit, detectives and uniformed officers carried out dawn raids in Kilteely on Thursday, April 24.

A garda spokesperson said: A quantity of suspect controlled drugs was seized as a result of the searches. No further information is available at this time.

The Leader understands that gardai searched the graveyard in Kilteely to see if any items may have been hidden within its confines.

Gardai then headed in convoy to Kilmallock where they carried out further searches in the town and open areas.

Again, officers carried out an extensive search of the graveyard in the hunt for evidence.

A garda source said: Every effort is being made to bring these perpetrators to justice.

Gardai continue to appeal to anybody who may have been in the Kilteely or Kilfinane areas between 2am and 7am on Easter Sunday morning and witnessed any suspicious behaviour to contact Bruff garda station on 061 382940.

They say all information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

It is understood four men broke into the house in Kilteely at around 3am on Sunday April 20 and attacked a man, aged in his 30s, who received a laceration to his leg.

A number of items were stolen including jewellery and keys to a car which was driven off by one of the perpetrators.

Some three hours later, four assailants smashed their way into a house in a housing estate in Kilfinane at around 6am.

According to local sources, they hit the wrong house and the victim, aged in his 50s, who was subsequently injured was not their intended target.

A video of the aftermath of the Kilfinane aggravated burglary shows the blood-spatter from slash wounds on a wall.

One local said it is like a horror movie.

The Leader has also learned a car was later discovered burned out on Easter Sunday morning on the outskirts of Hospital village which also forms part of the garda probe.
Irish tourists near Barcelona are on high alert as Spanish authorities ordered over 160,000 people near the city to remain indoors early on Saturday morning following a fire at an industrial property which released a toxic cloud of chlorine over a vast area.

The building which went up in flames was storing pool cleaning products and that is why the cloud of chlorine was released after the fire, according to the regional fire service.

The property was located south of Barcelona in the coastal city of Vilanova i la Geltru. Roads and train stations in the surrounding areas have been closed in order to prevent people approaching the affected area.

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The Civil Protection Service have asked people in the affected area to not leave their home or place of work.

Continuem treballant amb 20 dotacions #bomberscat i el Grup de Riscos Tecnologics (GRIT) en l'extincio de l'incendi d'industria a Vilanova i la Geltru. El foc afecta totalment una nau amb clor i ha generat un important nuvol a la zona. #PLASEQCAT @emergenciescat pic.twitter.com/qA7VciVqPf  Bombers (@bomberscat) May 10, 2025

They have also advised people to keep their windows and doors closed in the at-risk areas. The at-risk areas include Vilanova i la Geltru, Calafell, and areas near Tarragona.

No casualties have been reported from the incident so far. Units are still being deployed to handle the situation.
(Bloomberg) -- Airline chief executives are poised to work with US aviation officials to throttle back more Newark airport flights, a fix that may ease short-term safety concerns but wont solve long-term challenges.

The move comes as a key facility that routes planes into Newark suffered a second radar failure in as many weeks, making it the face of a beleaguered air-traffic system, with hundreds of flights delayed or canceled and operations snarled for days.

The Federal Aviation Administration said talks will be held with airline officials on May 14 in Washington. The FAA said it plans to propose limiting the airport to no more than 56 total operations per hour. The airport clearly is unable to handle the current level of scheduled operations, the FAA said in a notice on Friday.

Aviation officials and legislators are racing to address a crisis thats been years in the making, thanks to outdated technology and staffing shortages. Rattled travelers meanwhile are avoiding Newark altogether. And the airline CEOs? Theyve had it.

No airline executive has more at stake at Newark than Scott Kirby.

Kirby, whose United Airlines Holdings Inc. operates 68% of the airports flights, is fed up with what he calls an untenable situation at a crucial transportation hub, with too much traffic and not enough support from the FAA.

The CEO has called out the shortage of air traffic controllers and aging technology repeatedly over the years, saying in 2023 that the FAA frankly failed us. He faulted the agencys ancient facilities at an investor conference in March of this year and separately said that the network fails frequently. In a memo this week, Kirby said its long past time for the FAA to fix the situation in Newark.

The situation came to a head after an alarming incident on April 28 in which the Philadelphia air-traffic control facility that guides flights into Newarks airspace lost radar and radio contact for 90 seconds. A second 90-second outage hit controllers there early Friday morning. No one was injured, but the fallout for United customers has been severe.

From April 26 through May 6, more than 226,500 of the carriers passengers had their trips disrupted by flight cancellations, delays or diversions at Newark due to air-traffic control staffing and airspace restrictions, the airline said. Travelers on 1,155 delayed flights collectively spent more than 296,000 hours waiting, equal to nearly 34 years.

Newark is just a mess, said George Ferguson, a Bloomberg Intelligence airline analyst. Kirby would like to get Newark operating better because its an important hub for them.

The airline said it would voluntarily cull 35 daily flights due to the latest upheaval, after prior cuts related to controller shortages and construction work at the airport. With 293 daily departures from Newark, the current operations are down 33% from historical levels.

The latest planned cuts over a 60-day period could result in a reduction of about 0.5% of Uniteds expected second-quarter capacity, lowering revenue by $90 million and profit by about $9 million, according to Fergusons estimates.

United pays a price for the weakness in air traffic control more than any other airline, said Samuel Engel, a senior vice president at ICF and former head of the consultants aviation group. Its partly because of Newark and partly because of the way Newark is so critical to their system and critical to their revenue.

Few airlines are more closely associated with a single major airport than United is with Newark. Its the carriers largest international hub and a key feeder to flights across the nation, as well as its primary connection to New York City.

United ended its small operation at John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2022 after failing to reach an agreement with the FAA to expand operations there. Ongoing problems at Newark could raise questions about whether the carrier would seek a return to JFK.

Some travelers in New Jersey have been rebooking flights to avoid the delays and cancellations. Kirbys critical comments could resonate with customers by shifting blame away from the airline.

At the end of the day it is about trust building even if it means short-term cancellations, said Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants Inc.

The air-traffic control issues are exacerbating an already-difficult situation for airlines this year. Domestic demand has slowed considerably amid economic worries and high-profile mishaps have made some people worry if its even still safe to fly.

Uniteds latest round of flight cuts are being decided on a rolling basis, depending on factors such as when customers can most easily be moved to other flights. In other cases, two flights are being combined into one or a larger aircraft is being substituted for a smaller one. The airline says its trying to disrupt the least number of people with the changes.

Around the middle of this month, United will decide on specific routes to be suspended at least through May 25.

Kirby, who declined to comment for this article, said in the memo this week that the FAA should take steps including limiting flights at Newark and increasing air traffic control staffing. He has expressed support for changes sought by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to the nations air traffic system.

On Thursday, Kirby joined his counterparts from Delta Air Lines Inc., American Airlines Group Inc. and several other carriers to back the administrations announcement of upgrades.

Duffys proposal, which would revamp the nations air traffic system with fiber, wireless and satellite systems over three years, didnt come with a specific funding request, though he has said it would require tens of billions of dollars.

The FAA is currently about 3,000 air-traffic controllers short of desired levels and some existing employees say they are at a breaking point. Anecdotes of copper wire, floppy disks and other fossil technology still in everyday use at control towers are commonplace.

Kirby is walking a fine line between calling out the FAA over Newark and not ruffling feathers with President Donald Trumps administration, according to Schiffer.

He has to balance both, and also show the public hes being a steward of their safety, Schiffer said. Its not an easy thing.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York was much more direct in his assessment of the Trump administrations approach so far.

The back up system that is not working must be fixed. Now, Schumer said in a statement Friday. This is an air travel safety emergency that requires immediate and decisive action, not a promise of a big, beautiful unfunded overhaul that will take years to begin to implement. The skies over New York City are some of the busiest in the world. This cannot happen again.

--With assistance from Allyson Versprille.

(Adds context on outdated technology in 24th paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Online travel bookings platform, Ixigo's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Aloke Bajpai, in a post on the social media platform X on Saturday, May 10, announced that the company is suspending all hotel and flight bookings to Turkey, China & Azerbaijan amid the ongoing India and Pakistan conflict.

Bajpai called that blood and bookings will now flow together when he announced the suspension of the foreign hotel and flight bookings.

Enough is Enough! Blood and Bookings won't flow together. We are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, China and Azerbaijan on ixigo, said Aloke Bajpai, in his recent post on the social media platform X.

Travel Bookings Suspension As the India-Pakistan tensions escalated into a conflict, many online travel booking platforms like Cox & Kings and Travomint have also announced the suspension of the sale of all travel packages to nations like Turkey and Azerbaijan in a move to boycott the nations.

Cox & Kings director, Karan Agarwal, on May 9, announced that the company has decided to suspend all travel booking offerings for Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey as a move to show support for the India amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict.

In light of recent developments, we have decided to pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country, said Agarwal.

Other travel booking site firms, like Travomint, also said that they have suspended all travel packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan to support the nation's call for boycotting these foreign countries.

We have decided to support the Indians' call for boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan. With immediate effect, Travomint has suspended the sale of all travel packages to these countries, said Alok K Singh, the Chairman and CEO of Travomint.

The move from the travel booking platforms comes after Turkey condemned India's Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and said that it increases the risks of an all-out war between India and Pakistan. Apart from Turkey, Azerbaijan also denounced the airstrike.

India-Pakistan Conflict Pakistan's escalation attack on India through shelling on the night of May 8 to May 9, left behind a trail of destruction on the border regions of Jammu and Kashmir. This came after India launched its Operation Sindoor against terror groups hiding in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, 2025.

The airstrike resulted in the elimination of at least five deadly terrorists who were affiliated with either Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed. One of them was Masood Azhar's brother-in-law Jameel.

Pakistan fired at least eight missiles towards Kashmir, according to an Indian defence personnel cited in an earlier Mint report. The attacks were directed at the towns of Satwari, Samba, Ranbir Singh Pura and Arnia.

On Saturday, May 10, top Indian government sources said that any future act of terror will be considered an Act of War against India and will be responded accordingly.
New Delhi: India and the UK have added a dedicated first-of-its-kind chapter on anti-corruption and anti-bribery measures to their proposed free trade agreement (FTA), according to a policy paper released by the UK government.

India has no such dedicated measures in its FTAs signed with Australia, the UAE, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a four-nation bloc comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

The inclusion in the India-UK FTA is a crucial step towards leveling the playing field for exporters and investors who often face inflated costs and operational uncertainty in markets affected by such malpractices.

Although details of the trade pact with the UK are not yet public, Indias decision to cut import tariffs on automobiles from 100% to 10% and on Scotch whisky from 150% to 75% reflects a strong commitment by both sides to boosting trade.

The UK has eliminated tariffs on 99% of its exports to India, covering nearly the entire trade value, as the two nations aim to double bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. Negotiations for the free trade agreement began in January 2022.

The anti-corruption, anti-bribery chapter, which commits both countries to uphold their international obligations under United Nations conventions, is aimed at tackling the damaging impact of corruption on global commerce, a commerce ministry official said, requesting anonymity.

India ranked 96th out of 180 countries in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index 2024, down from 93rd in 2023 and 85th in 2022. The UK ranked 20th.

Bribery and corruption are significant barriers to international trade, as they increase the cost of doing business and create an unfair trading environment," the UK government said in its document, released on 6 May.

Indias commerce ministry did not immediately reply to queries emailed on Thursday.

Also read | India-UK FTA a shot in the arm for India's green energy manufacturing space

Key Takeaways The trade deal introduces a dedicated section on combating bribery and corruptionunprecedented in Indias previous FTAsaiming to foster fairer trade and investment practices.

India has agreed to cut import duties on key UK exports like automobiles and Scotch whisky, while the UK has eliminated tariffs on 99% of its exports to India, as both countries target $100 billion in trade by 2030.

The India-UK FTA also emphasizes cooperation on competition policy and consumer protection, reinforcing the need for institutional reforms to enhance India's ease of doing business and global trade image.

Indias reputation hit

With New Delhi and London agreeing to slash tariffs on a wide range of goods under the India-UK free trade agreement that was concluded on 6 May after three years of tough negotiations, British chocolates, salmon, and Scotch whisky are set to become more affordable in India.

The deal also eases the movement of skilled professionals, resolves the contentious issue of carbon taxes, and opens up a vast market for Indian exporters.

Indian industries expected to benefit most from zero-duty access to the UK include textiles, footwear, carpets, automobiles, and marine productssectors that currently face tariffs ranging from 4% to 16%.

But Indias reputation as a business destination has taken several hits due to high-profile instances of foreign companies allegedly bribing government officials to get their work done faster or for favourable contracts.

In 2019, two former senior executives of New Jersey-headquartered Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. were charged with routing illicit payments to Indian government officials through Indian engineering and construction giant Larsen & Toubro Ltd. The Cognizant have officials denied the charges.

That same year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission fined Texas-based technology Oracle Corp. $23 million for paying bribes to an official of a Indian transportation company majority owned by Indias railway ministry.

Last year, US prosecutors alleged that Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and some of his associates had orchestrated a scheme involving the payment of $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure favourable terms for solar power contracts. Adani has denied the charges.

To fully make use of the FTA with the UK, we have to ensure that we carry out reforms that make India an easier place to do business," said Rahul Ahluwalia, co-founder and director of the Foundation for Economic Development.

Only EODB (ease-of-doing-business) reforms will help us be competitive with other manufacturing hubs across the world," Ahluwalia said. Bribery is in any case against the law in India, so the treaty will not add any substantial reform obligations on this front, only better execution."

Also read | Why the India-UK FTA has spooked medical device manufacturers. Hint: China

India-UK FTAs tough clauses

The provisions in the UK governments policy paper on the India-UK free trade agreement require both countries to maintain legal and institutional measures to prevent and combat bribery, including criminalisation of bribery in both public and private sectors, and a prohibition on falsifying books and records, the policy paper states.

Importantly, the chapter includes a ban on facilitation paymentssmall payments made to speed up routine government processesthat are often difficult to track but have a cumulative distorting effect on trade and investment, as per the policy document.

The chapter on anti-corruption further mandates cooperation in combating money laundering and embezzlement, two issues that Indian authorities have increasingly cracked down on in recent years through regulatory tightening and digital surveillance tools.

Another chapter added to the India-UK FTA focuses on competition and consumer protection, aimed at reinforcing a transparent and rules-based regulatory environment.

Under the terms of this chapter, both countries have agreed to uphold their existing regimes on competition and consumer rights, recognising the role of fair market practices in driving innovation, productivity, investment, and economic growth.

As per the document, both sides will promote dialogue and coordination on the enforcement of competition and consumer protection rules.

The chapter commits India and the UK to ensure that their competition laws are enforced in a non-discriminatory manner by independent authorities. It also guarantees key procedural rights for individuals and businesses under investigation, including the right to fair treatment and a proper defence.

This draws significance in the Indian context, with the Competition Commission of India recently issuing a spate of decisions against firms engaged in anti-competitive practices, underlining the need for clear procedural safeguards and robust regulatory cooperation.

Also read | India-UK FTA: Can exporters seize the opportunity amid tough competition?

Bribes and corporate fraud

As per the latest available data released by the National Crime Records Bureau in 2022, India witnessed a 10.5% rise in overall corruption cases. State Anti-Corruption Bureaus registered 4,139 cases in 2022, up from 3,745 in 2021. Of these, 69.7%, or 2,883 cases, were trap cases, typically involving officials caught accepting bribes. Criminal misconduct accounted for 13.2% of the cases, or 547 instances.

According to PwCs Global Economic Crime Survey 2024India Outlook report, released in December, 59% of Indian organizations surveyed reported experiencing financial or economic fraud in the previous 24 months. The global average was 41%.

The PwC report highlighted procurement fraud as a predominant issue for Indian businesses, with 50% of its survey respondents citing this as a major concern. In its 2022 survey, PwC had found customer fraud to be the leading issue, with 47% of businesses flagging it as their top challenge. On a global scale, 44% of business leaders identified cybercrime as their primary concern, as per the report.
Ranveer Allahbadia, aka Beer Biceps, is receiving backlash from the internet for his recent remark amid the growing conflict between India and Pakistan. In his now-deleted post, Ranveer had addressed Pakistani brothers and sisters whom he said he doesn't hate.

Ranveer Allahbadia's post for 'Pakistani brothers and sisters' Ranveer wrote, Dear Pakistani Brothers & Sisters, I will get hate from many Indians for this, but it is important to be said. Just like many Indians, I don't have hate in my heart for you. Many of us want peace as well. Whenever we meet Pakistanis, you invariably welcome us with love. But...

Your country is not run by a government. It is run by your military and your secret service (The ISI). The average Pakistani is VERY different than these 2 bodies. The average Pakistani has dreams of peace & prosperity in their hearts. These 2 villains have hurt your economy since independence. They have also constantly been responsible for terrorist attacks in India. Proofs in the next slide

"Proof 1: All terrorist that have been caught over the years are originally from Pakistan. Proof 2: Your military leaders attended the state funeral held by Hafiz Abdur Rauf, brother of the Jaish-E-Mohammed chief. Proof 3 : Your defense minister Khawaja Asif recently admitted to the state sponsored terrorism on Sky News. But I care about YOU, not them. That's why...

Dil se sorry agar lagra hai ki hum nafrat faila rahe hai. The Indian who have met Pakistanis, UNDERSTAND you But both Indian & Pakistani media (news channels) are currently spreading lies. Most of our populations want peace for the innocents near the border. But India also wants to end Pak Military & ISI's state sponsored terrorism, he also added.

He concluded saying: "Ek final cheez This is not : Indian People vs Pakistani People. This is : India vs Pakistani Military & ISI. Hope peace prevails in the long term, Inshallah."

Ranveer Allahbadia's now deleted Instagram post.

Internet reacts to Ranveer Allahbadia's post for Pakistani Reacting to it, someone wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Ranveer Allahbadia @BeerBicepsGuy making money on Indian soil, using Indian viewers and crying for living in Pak. Indian government must help by sending him to Pak. People who can't stand with India, for our people is a traitor (sic).

Ek baar gaali kha ke nahi sudhra hai (he did not learn his lesson), added another.

One more user wrote, Just read the latest content posted by beerbiceps on insta.. Ranveer Allahbadia should be banned completely in India first! (sic)
Bank holiday today: Banks will remain closed on May 10, 2025, since it is the second Saturday of the month, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) calendar.

Bank holiday on May 10 Banks are typically closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, while they are open on the first and third Saturdays. As May 10 is the second Saturday of the month, the banks will be closed on this day.

Bank holiday for the next three days It must be noted that banks will be closed for the next three days from May 10 to May 12 in some parts of the country. Banks will remain shut on Sunday, May 11 and on account of Buddha Purnima, banks will be closed in some states on Monday, May 12. Hence, banks will remain closed for the next three days in cities including Agartala, Aizawl, Belapur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Itanagar, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla and Srinagar.

Also Read | Sitharaman asks banks to stay vigilant, ensure services as border tensions soar

Where to check bank holidays? To check whether banks are open or closed on a given day, customers must thoroughly visit RBIs official channels, which are the website and notifications to banks.

Types of bank holidays The RBI has categorised bank holidays into three types: Negotiable Instruments Act, Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) holidays and banks closing of accounts.

Saturday, May 10, 2025, is designated as a bank holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, which regulates the issuing of cheques and promissory notes. Therefore, transactions including these instruments will not be available during bank holidays.

What services can you access on a bank holiday? Customers can access online banking services across the country during bank holidays for seamless access to banking services, even on bank holidays. Customers can use these services for convenient financial transactions.

Fund transfer requests can be made using NEFT/RTGS transfer forms, demand draft request forms, and chequebook forms. Credit cards, debit cards, and ATM cards can be availed through card services. Services such as account maintenance forms, setting up standing instructions, and applying for a locker are also available.

Also Read | Fin Min asks banks to ensure cash at all branches, ATMs amid tension

Next bank holidays for May 2025 The upcoming bank holidays for May 2025 are listed below 

May 12 (Monday) - Buddha Purnima

Banks in Agartala, Aizawl, Belapur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Itanagar, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Ranchi, Shimla and Srinagar.

May 16 (Friday) - State Day

Banks across Sikkim will remain closed on Friday, May 16 to observe State Day.

May 26 (Monday) - Birthday of Kazi Nazrul Islam

Banks in Tripura will be closed to observe the birthday of Kazi Nazrul Islam.

May 29 (Thursday) - Maharana Pratap Jayanti
New Delhi: The consumer regulator has issued notices to major e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, OLX, Facebook and IndiaMart for allowing the illegal sale of walkie-talkies operating in licensed frequency bands without mandatory regulatory disclosures.

The action by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) comes as authorities grow increasingly alert to the potential misuse of unregulated wireless communication devices amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions.

The CCPA issued 13 notices, the consumer affairs ministry said on Friday. It pointed out that these platforms hosted hundreds of listings of walkie-talkies that had failed to disclose their operating frequency range, licensing obligations under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, or certification details such as Equipment Type Approval (ETA) from the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing.

Also read: Ola Electric: A brief history of issues plaguing Bhavish Aggarwal's EV company

Such omissions not only violate the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and E-Commerce Rules, 2020, but also mislead consumers into believing that these devices can be freely operated by the general public, said Nidhi Khare, secretary, department of consumer affairs.

The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 mandate that online marketplaces must ensure all necessary information is made available to consumers upfront. By allowing the sale of wireless devices without disclosing key regulatory details, these platforms have not only misled buyers but also violated their statutory responsibilities, as per the statement.

In times of heightened tension, the unregulated sale of wireless communication devices can pose serious risks. These devices, if operating on licensed frequencies, can interfere with critical communication systems or even be misused. The law must be strictly enforced," said Khare.

According to CCPAs preliminary findings, the scale of such listings was widespreadwith 467 listings on Amazon, 314 on Flipkart, 489 on Meesho, and 423 on TradeIndia. The CCPA has now sought complete details from the platforms, including seller identities, product URLs, certification documents, frequency specifications, and the number of units sold from January 2023 till date.

Also read: Escalating India-Pakistan tensions trigger stockpiling in border regions

The Department of Consumer Affairs is preparing a set of draft guidelines titled Prevention and Regulation of Illegal Sale and Use of Licensed Frequency Range Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus, 2025.

These are expected to be uploaded soon for public comments. The proposed rules will mandate seller verification, ETA certification, and require platforms to establish automated monitoring and takedown systems for unauthorized wireless device listings. The draft has also been shared with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Telecommunications for their inputs, as per the statement.

To underscore the seriousness of the matter, the Department held a stakeholder meeting on 3 May, chaired by Khare, where platforms were directed to carry out due diligence and proactively delist non-compliant sellers.

As per the statement, continued negligence could invite penalties and potential platform liability.

This isn't the first instance of regulatory pushback against online sales of potentially dangerous products. Last year, following an alert from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, CCPA forced the removal of over 13,000 listings of car seat belt alarm stopper clips from e-commerce platforms. But the current action, set against the backdrop of regional tensions, carries more serious implications," said Ashim Sanyal, CEO, Consumer Voice.

Also read: Godrej Consumer's recovery hinges on premium shift, international play

Walkie-talkies operating in unauthorized bands could be used for covert communication, evade surveillance, or disrupt emergency services," said a former official of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The CCPAs intervention is both timely and necessary."

With cross-ministry coordination increasing and fresh compliance rules in the pipeline, the government is making it clear that the digital marketplace cannot remain a regulatory blind spotespecially when national security is at stake," said Manish K. Shubhay, partner at The Precept-Law Offices.

An Amazon spokesperson said: Amazon operates a marketplace in India. We require sellers who list and sell products on Amazon to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and Amazon policies. Upon being notified of any non-compliance, we take appropriate action. We are engaged closely with various stakeholders, including regulators, to provide customers with a great shopping experience."
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that no official proposals to create a buffer zone along the contact line have been received from anyone and noted that he has no illusions that the ceasefire will not be violated.

"About the demilitarized zone, buffer zone - I have heard these questions in the media and not only in the media, from many different people. Officially, no one has offered Ukraine anything like that," Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv on Saturday.

He noted that he considers this idea "not very important" at the moment and noted that it depends on the monitoring format.
International crude oil prices settled two per cent higher in the previous session and notched their first weekly gains since mid-April after the US trade deal with the United Kingdom turned commodity market investors optimistic ahead of talks between top officials from Washington and Beijing.

Brent crude futures rose $1.07, or 1.7 per cent, to settle at $63.91 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures advanced $1.11, or about 1.9 per cent, to settle at $61.02. Week-over-week, both benchmarks gained over four per cent. Back home, crude oil futures last settled 0.85 per cent higher at 5,207 per barrel on the multi commodity exchange (MCX).

What's driving crude oil prices? -US President Donald Trump on Friday said China should open its market to the US, and that an 80 per cent tariff on Chinese goods "seems right," a day after he announced a deal lowering tariffs on British car and steel exports, among other agreements with the United Kingdom.

-The UK agreement and Trump's comments on China have raised hopes for similar deals between Washington and Beijing. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was to meet with China's top economic official, Vice Premier He Lifeng, in Switzerland. Current US tariffs on Chinese imports stand at 145 per cent.

Customs data showed on Friday that Chinese exports rose faster than expected in April while imports narrowed their decline, giving Beijing some relief ahead of the talks. Rising hostilities in the Middle East also boosted oil prices this week.

Also Read | Donald Trump warns sanctions against Iranian oil buyers amid nuclear talks delay

-Israel's military said it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen towards its territory, days after Oman mediated a ceasefire between the US and Yemen's Houthis, who claimed responsibility for Friday's attack. The US imposed sanctions on a third Chinese oil refinery for purchasing Iranian crude, ahead of a fourth round of nuclear talks in Oman this weekend.

-The planned increase in oil output by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) kept gains at bay. However, a Reuters survey found that OPEC output edged lower in April after production declines in Libya, Venezuela, and Iraq outweighed a scheduled increase in output.



Crude oil price outlook The outlook for oil prices remains uncertain and will largely depend on the trajectory of the US economy, its trading policies and the enforcement of sanctions on Iran and Russia. Analysts noted a larger-than-expected drop in US crude inventories and signs of potential supply correction provided support.

Also Read | Trump has opened the door to a new Saudi oil-price war

"However, concerns remain over rising US economic uncertainty, OPEC+ plans to increase production, and the impact of a potential US-Iran nuclear deal on global oil supply, capping further gains," according to Mehta Equities.

"We expect crude oil prices to remain volatile, with support seen at $59.00-58.30 and resistance at $60.45-61.10. In INR terms, crude oil has support at 5,070-4,980 while resistance is at 5,240-5,320," said Rahul Kalantri, VP Commodities, Mehta Equities Ltd.
Stock market today: Despite showcasing resilience against the India-Pakistan war buzz, the Indian stock market witnessed sell-off pressure on the last two sessions last week. After going off on Thursday, key benchmark indices of Dalal Street came under sharp selling pressure on Friday.

On Friday, the BSE Sensex tumbled 880 points, or 1.10%, marking its steepest intraday fall since April 7, to settle at 79,454. Meanwhile, the Nifty 50 crashed 265 points, or 1.1%, to close slightly above the 24,000 mark at 24,008. For the week, both indices lost over 1.30%, snapping their four-week winning streak.

The mid-cap index however, stood resilient. Although it started the session with deeper cut, it swiftly recovered in the following hours of trading.

The Nifty Midcap 100 index rebounded 1,130 points to settle with just a 0.01% drop at 53,223, while its peer, the Nifty Smallcap 100 index, recovered 320 points from the day's low but concluded the session with a 0.61% drop at 16,085 points, still outperforming the benchmark indices.

In terms of individual stocks, 39 constituents of the Nifty 50 ended the session in the red, while the remaining 11led by Tata Group stocks including Titan Company and Tata Motorsfinished the session in the green despite weak market conditions.

According to stock market experts, this fall in the Indian stock market for the last two straight sessions can be attributed to five major reasons: the Indian-Pakistan conflict rising beyond an expected limit, weak global cues, rise in the US dollar rates, value buying in the crude oil prices and no concrete outcome from India-US trade deal talks.

Why Indian stock market crashed today Speaking on the reasons for the Indian stock market fall on Friday, Avinash Gorakshkar, Head of Research at Profitmart Securities, said, It's true that the Indian stock market is falling, but we can't call it a crash as the Nifty 50 index is still above 24,000 levels. However, it's for sure that the market has become highly volatile after India's drone strikes in Pakistan. The India-Pakistan conflict has gone beyond the market estimates, and hence, investors are not in the mood to take any risk when the US Dollar Index has regained the crucial 100 levels. Crude oil prices have also surged, and major Asian indices like Shanghai and Hang Seng are under pressure.

Stock market crash: Top 5 reasons Asked about the top five reasons that are dragging Indian stock market today, Gorakshkar said, There are the top 5 reasons that are dragging Dalal Street indices: Escalation in India-Pakistan conflict after drone strikes in Pakistan, weak global cues, rebound in US dollar rates, bottom fishing in crude oil, and not any concrete outcome from the India-US trade deal talks.

1] India-Pakistan war buzz: The escalation in the India-Pakistan conflict after India's drone strikes in Pakistan has raised fears of an India-Pakistan war. Earlier, the market was expecting a surgical strike-like retaliation from the Indian government, but the tension seems more prolonged than expected earlier, said Avinash Gorakshkar.

On how much correction in the Indian stock market can be expected in the backdrop of India-Pakistan war buzz, Seema Srivastava, Senior Research Analyst at SMC Global Securities, said, The escalating tensions between India and Pakistan in 2025, marked by events such as the Pahalgam terror attack and Indias Operation Sindoor, have introduced fresh volatility into the Indian stock market. However, historical trends suggest that Indian equities, particularly the Nifty 50, have demonstrated resilience during past geopolitical conflicts, with corrections typically limited to 510% and recoveries often swift.

2] No concrete outcome from the India-US trade talks: Despite soon coming breakthrough claims from both sides, there is no such concrete evidence of a fruitful outcome from the India-US trade deal talks. So, the tariff uncertainty is still persisting, and hence, investors are not in the mood to keep their money in risky assets like equity, said Gorakshkar.

3] Value buying in crude oil price: After the fall in the crude oil prices from around $75 per barrel to around $60 per barrel in the international market, some value buying is taking place in the black gold. This is also a reason for investors squaring off their positions in the Indian equity market, said Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investment and Securities.

4] Rise in US dollar rates: After the 90-day pause in Trump's tariffs, the US dollar index witnessed a sharp decline and came around 98 levels. However, the American currency has once again become bulls' favourite and the US dollar index has regained the crucial 100 levels, which is also a major trigger for selling pressure on Dalal Street, said Anshul Jain.

5] Weak global market cues: Avinash Gorakshkar of Profitmart Securities said that Asian markets are also mixed as Shanghai and Heng Seng indices are trading red since morning. This could also be a reason for Dalal Street investors squaring off their positions.

Stock market outlook amid India-Pakistan war buzz

Asked about the outlook of the Indian stock market amid rising geopolitical tension, Rajesh Bhosale, Equity Technical Analyst, Angel One, said, Going ahead, market direction will remain highly sensitive to developments on this geopolitical front. The sharp rally from the April lows of 21700 has now lost momentum, with the index slipping towards the key moving averages like the 20DEMA and the 200DSMA. Despite this, the market has shown some resilience, as the correction has been relatively contained given the magnitude of the geopolitical risks. The previous breakout level around 23800 now becomes a key support. A breach of this level could trigger further downside, with the next major support zone seen between 23600 and 23500, a confluence of the 50DEMA, 89DEMA, and the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement of the recent upmove. On the upside, immediate resistance lies between 24250 and 24300. A broader recovery may only unfold once Nifty decisively surpasses the stiff hurdle at 24600, which marks the 61.8% retracement of the fall from all-time highs. Given the ongoing uncertainty, volatility is expected to remain elevated. Hence, traders are advised to focus on intraday opportunities and avoid aggressive overnight positions.

India-Pakistan news Loud explosions were heard in parts of Jammu and Kashmir early Saturday, 32 airports have been shut for civilian flight operations, and a complete blackout has been imposed in Punjab's Jalandhar and in several districts of Jammu & Kashmir as tension between India and Pakistan continue to escalate.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately US $1 billion. India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism.
(Bloomberg) -- A KKR & Co. debt sale shows how far Wall Street is willing to go to keep leveraged underwriting business from slipping away to private credit after periods of turmoil.

After losing a 1.1 billion ($1.24 billion) buyout financing assignment to direct lending rivals, banks including Jefferies Financial Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc. kept themselves on the private equity giants payroll by agreeing to extend low-fee revolving credit for KKRs acquisition of Karo Healthcare.

In exchange, KKR will allot them a part of the fee on the deal they lost to private lenders led by Apollo Global Management Inc., according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Banks are set to pocket around 40% of the 1.75% underwriting fee, the people said.

The unusual arrangement hints at efforts to maintain relationships during bouts of market volatility that can win them business later. Banks often steer clear of undrawn credit facilities with negligible fees, agreements that tie up capital that could be used to make more profitable loans. If they offer them at all on a leveraged deal, its usually in conjunction with more lucrative term loans or high yield bonds.

Now, however, Wall Streets leveraged finance desks, which chased fee-rich deals to reel in a third of investment-banking revenue in recent years, are in no mood to fritter away some of their edge like they did in 2022. After taking losses on hung deals back then, they came to regret their reluctance to back acquisitions and provide undrawn credit while direct lenders made inroads into their business.

Banks are continuing to evolve, said Jeremy Duffy, a partner at law firm White & Case LLP who advises on leveraged finance. They are acutely aware of the onward march of private credit and are reacting accordingly.

Yet 2025s wild market gyrations have already pushed borrowers toward private credit funds that can ride out volatility better than banks.

Karos bank lenders, which include HSBC Holdings Plc, alongside KKR Capital Markets, extended about 175 million in undrawn facilities. What went unused is the 1.1 billion of drawn debt theyd committed for the buyout of the Swedish consumer-health company.

KKR hadnt yet countersigned the agreement, the people said, and eventually opted for a private unitranche, a blend of junior and senior debt, of the same size. More than 10 lenders including Apollo, Jefferies and CVC took part in what became possibly the tightest-ever pricing for a European direct lending deal despite the market turmoil.

KKR decided to pay some of the traditional lenders a fee anyway because for about 10 days in early April, before private lenders stepped in, the banks were carrying that risk amid the tumult. Spokespeople for KKR, HSBC and Citi declined to comment. A representative for Jefferies didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

With undrawn loans now a possible bargaining chip for banks, speculation is rising over how soon theyll come across a situation similar to Karos.

One thats being closely watched is the acquisition of Spanish waste management services business Urbaser. Private credit funds and banks are competing to underwrite a package that includes over 2 billion of drawn debt. At the same time, any buyout could require 1.5 billion or so of guarantee and revolving credit facilities, people with knowledge of the matter said earlier this month.

It is not surprising that banks are taking a longer-term view on maintaining and nurturing relationships in this market, said Sabrina Fox of Fox Legal Training, a leveraged finance expert. Even if that means short-term loss, there is a much higher potential for long-term gain.

Week In Review

On the Move

--With assistance from Rheaa Rao.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Top News India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections saw a significant rise in April, reaching 2.37 lakh crorea 12.6% increase compared to the same month last year. This marks a new milestone in the countrys economic recovery and reflects growing business activity across sectors. The surge in collections isnt just a numberit represents higher consumption, improved compliance, and a broader tax base.

For small businesses and large enterprises alike, it signals a more robust and organized economy. The government attributes this uptick to better technology-driven tracking and stronger anti-evasion measures, helping curb tax leakages. Aprils figures, often the highest due to year-end transactions, set a strong tone for the fiscal year ahead. For everyday citizens, this can translate into better public services and infrastructure, as higher revenues give the government more fiscal room.

Also Read | Is Indian stock market closed on Monday for Buddha Purnima 2025?





Ather Energy made its stock market debut with a modest yet positive start, listing at a 2% premium over its issue price of 321. Opening at around 327, the EV startups listing signals a cautiously optimistic response from investors. The Bengaluru-based company, known for its smart electric scooters, has steadily built a strong brand, and its public listing marks a new chapter in its journey. For early backers and employees, the listing is both a milestone and a moment of validation. For retail investors, its a sign that sustainable mobility is gaining traction in the mainstream market.

Two prominent asset management companiesBaroda BNP Paribas AMC and Canara Robeco AMChave launched new fund offerings (NFOs) aimed at tapping into evolving investor preferences. Baroda BNP Paribas has introduced the Income Plus Arbitrage Active Fund of Funds (FoF), designed to provide relatively stable returns by leveraging arbitrage opportunities along with active debt allocation.

Meanwhile, Canara Robecos new offering, the Multi Asset Allocation Fund, seeks to diversify investments across equities, debt, and gold, appealing to investors looking for a balanced and risk-mitigated approach. These launches come at a time when market participants are increasingly looking for smart, diversified investment strategies amid global uncertainty and domestic market volatility. The NFO for Baroda BNP Paribass fund will close on 21st May 2025, while Canara Robecos will conclude on 23rd May 2025.

Index Returns

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Yes Bank share: Following the State Bank of India (SBI) move to offload its 13.19% stake in Yes Bank in favour of Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), bulls bet high on Yes Bank shares on Friday. The share price witnessed a sharp upside on Friday and finished 10% higher at 20.05 apiece on the NSE.

According to stock market experts, SBI, HDFC Bank, LIC, ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank, etc., offloading their stake in Yes Bank to favour Japan's SMBC will become a game-changer for Yes Bank. They said the move is expected to change Yes Bank from a local bank to an international bank, making it easier for the private lender to raise funds for business. Today, Yes Bank depends upon local options for raising funds, while SMBC buying a stake would also mean raising funds from overseas.

Yes Bank share price outlook Speaking on the impact of SMBC's stake on Yes Bank, Prashanth Tapse, AVP  Research at Mehta Equities, said, "The proposed SMBC and SBI transaction has the potential to be a game-changing move for Yes Bank, bringing global governance standards, improved risk frameworks, and access to international growth capital. If executed successfully, this deal may begin a long-awaited turnaround for YES Bank shares. This partnership of SMBC and Indian banks may enhance investor confidence and catalyse a rally in YES Bank shares in the upcoming sessions."

The Mehta Equities expert said that SBI and other investors from the 2020 bailout realise gains on their investment, while the private lender gains access to world-class banking expertise, risk management practices, and potentially significant capital infusion.

Yes Bank share price target 2025 Expecting sharp upside in Yes Bank shares, Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investments, said, "Yes Bank share price has broken above the swing structure resistance of 18.45 with volumes soaring over 417% of the 50-day average, signalling a structural shift in trend. The breakout confirms fresh momentum and indicates strong participation from market participants. With this volume-backed move, Yes Bank shares are heading towards the next resistance zone of 21 to 21.50 per share. Sustaining above 18.45 will be key for bulls to maintain momentum and push further gains in the coming sessions."

Suggesting fresh investors to buy and hold Yes Bank shares, Prashanth Tapse of Mehta Equities said, The next resistance zone lies around 21.50, and a breakout above that could lead to 23 to 24 levels. Support has now shifted higher to 19.20. RSI is witnessing an upsurge, now near 6265, reflecting strengthening momentum. If Yes Bank share price sustains above 20, it could continue trending upward soon.

Yes Bank news India's largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), and seven other top lenders, including HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank, are cumulatively offloading a 20% stake in Yes Bank in favour of Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), the private lender informed exchanges on Friday, May 9, 2025.

SBI announced that it will sell a 13.19% stake in Yes Bank to SMBC for 8,889 crore. SBI will offload 4,13,44,04,897 Yes Bank shares, amounting to a 13.19% stake, to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation at 21.50 per equity share.

SBI held a 23.97% stake in Yes Bank as of the March 2024 quarter. Following the deal, its stake in the company would drop to 10.78%. The stake sale is subject to the receipt of all regulatory and statutory approvals by the acquirer. The said stake sale is expected to be completed within 12 months from the date of execution, SBI added.

HDFC Bank, LIC and others to sell over 6% stake Additionally, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC First Bank, Federal Bank and Bandhan Bank will collectively sell 2,136,830,297 equity shares, representing a 6.81% stake, of YES Bank to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank and Life Insurance Corporation of India hold an 11.34% stake in Yes Bank.

In 2020, these banks acquired stakes in Yes Bank as part of the RBI's bailout plan to stabilise the troubled private lender. These investments were part of a 10,000 crore infusion to recapitalize Yes Bank and facilitate its restructuring under the RBI's guidance.
In February 1906, the 10-year-old rani of Travancore was taken to the upstairs window of an old palace. Standing below in the courtyard were two boys, one a college-goer, the other his teenaged younger brother. As she studied them, the rani was asked to select the one she liked. Her mother was keen on the older candidatea good-looking, very strong" fellowas were others at court. Indeed, the boy was so handsome and well-proportioned that the artist Raja Ravi Varma had had him model as Lord Rama for his painting, Sri Rama Vanquishing the Sea. But the rani selected the younger boy, elevating him from life as a country aristocrat into the seat of royal consort, and in the 1920s he would wield much power when his wife succeeded as Travancores ruler. As for the older sibling, Rajaraja Varma, life had other plans: he finished college, joined the Travancore police, and spent his career in khaki shorts.

Few today who admire the paintings of Raja Ravi Varmawhose birth anniversary occurred last weekthink of the men and women who feature in some of his most famous paintings. His models were often just family members. In the 1890s, for example, Ravi Varma had his 20-year-old daughter pose in different ways with her baby son for the camera, using these images to produce his celebrated There Comes Papa.

In 1893, this portrait of a Malayali mother, who lived in the most orthodox settings in Kerala, was viewed by audiences in faraway Chicago, as one of 10 works her father sent for an exhibition. Mahaprabha, the daughter, was deemed a great beauty in her day, and according to the artists descendants, Ravi Varma modelled the faces of several of his goddesses on her. She looked a bit too regal, though, so he did soften her demeanour for canvas; Ravi Varmas devis are more delicate than formidable.

Another well-known composition by Ravi Varma depicts the Ramayan scene where Ravana is in the process of abducting Sita, when Jatayu the vulture attacks him. As the villain of the tale cuts off Jatayus wing, a distraught Sita is shown looking away, her palms covering her face. Finding a model for Ravana was not complicateda rather forbidding-looking cousin of Ravi Varmas fit the bill, and he came to be known in family circles as Ravanan ammavan" (Uncle Ravana). Sita too, according to lore, was played by a niece.

Ravi Varma asked Kunjukutty to pose with his Ravana; the latter put an arm around her waist and raised the other dramatically, triggering giggles from children nearby. An embarrassed Kunjukutty is said to have covered her face shyly at this moment. This pose struck Ravi Varma, and he chose to depict Sita the same way. Except in the painting, it is horror not bashfulness that the gesture communicates.

Students and disciples also posed for the artist when needed. K.N. Parameswaran Pillai, whose own oil paintings reportedly hang in the government museum in Chennai, was one such model. Pillai had a tremendous moustache and rather strong features, which made him an appropriate candidate to pose as Lord Siva for Ravi Varmas Descent of Ganga.

Prints of this work were among the most popular produced by the artists press in the 1890s and early 1900s, and exist in various collections across India. Again, most people who bow their heads before this rendition of the god are unaware that the human being in the picture was a colonial-era artist in his own right, described in 1909 as a favourite portraitist of south Indian businessmen. As one grandee wrote after Ravi Varmas death, Pillai was the best artist now available in South India for figure subjects".

Models were also acquired for a fee, though this was often challenging. In a picture titled At the Bath, we see a woman who has accidentally strayed to the wrong bathing ghat, and quickly covers herself up when confronted by the male gaze. The composition is believed to be based on an actual incident at Ravi Varmas ancestral home. Yet the model who helped bring the image to life was not a temple attendant, as in the original story.

Instead, it was a sex-worker from Hyderabad who modelled for this painting in 1902. As the artists brother wrote, Myself and some friends picked up prostitutes to select a model from." They liked a Muslim woman with a very charming face", though it was with great difficulty" that she was persuaded to come to our studio". These prostitutes," the man finished, readily come if called for immoral purposes, but when required for posing they raise great objections."

There was also some degree of stereotyping. For The Miser, Ravi Varma obtained the services of a Jewish man. We secured a Jew to sit" for the picture, diarised the artists sibling, adding that he had a nose that was a bit too crooked at the tip". But that aside, he is a fine specimen". He was paid a rupee and a half for each day of work, and unlike the Hyderabadi prostitute", was apparently a pleasure to deal with; a good and steady model".

In Udaipur, Ravi Varma had to improvise. Asked to do a portrait of the long-dead Maharana Pratap, he obtained a tall Rajput" as model, had him decked out in armour like a true knight of old", and then used existing miniatures to give the figure the historical figures face. In the end it worked out well, and his patron was pleased.

But perhaps what is most interesting is that Ravi Varmaaided by the camerahimself posed on certain occasions. An early 20th century photograph shows the artist bare-chested and with a mundu around his waist. He grasps a sword in front of him, and an attendant stands behind, holding a parasol. At a glance the image seems to depict Ravi Varma as the feudal lord he wasmaster of thousands of acres of land, and head of a prominent clan.

Yet a comparison with his 1905 painting Victory of Meghanada reveals Ravana depicted in a strikingly similar pose. There are minor differences: the parasol-bearer is female in the painting, while the photograph shows a man.

In its own way, it is amusing to think that when viewers over the last century have gazed at this picture and seen the wicked king of Lanka, they have really been looking at a version of Raja Ravi Varma.

Manu S. Pillai is a historian and author, most recently, of Gods, Guns and Missionaries.

Also read: When the makers of history die
India-Pakistan Conflict: Several drones have been spotted in the Kutch district. A complete blackout will be implemented now. confirmed Surat MLA and Minister of State- Home, Industries, Transport, Youth & Sports, Harsh Sanghavi.

India and Pakistan have agreed an immediate and full ceasefire to the conflict that has escalated for weeks in Kashmir, following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 on 22 April.

Also Read | Blackout: Full list of cities impacted after Pakistan violates ceasefire

'Several drones have been spotted in the Kutch district. A complete blackout will be implemented now.' confirmed Surat MLA and Minister of State- Home, Industries, Transport, Youth & Sports, Harsh Sanghavi.

US president, Donald Trump, announced the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan after deadly attacks between the nuclear-armed rivals. The ceasefire came after a a long night of talks mediated by the United States, Donald Trump said.

The announcement, confirmed by both India and Pakistan, came after India and Pakistan fired volleys of missiles across their borders on Saturday as the escalated their worst fighting in nearly three decades.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that security is to be upgraded at technical and scientific installations located in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh and Northwest locations of Rajasthan and Gujarat. In addition, the vital IMD installations in Srinagar and Leh will receive bolstered security.

Singh said while attending a high-level joint meeting today with senior officials and heads of scientific and technical departments to review security preparedness of technical and scientific installations across the country, as per a Ministry of Science & Technology release.

Also Read | Blackout: Full list of cities impacted after Pakistan violates ceasefire

The Chief Minister of Gujarat reviewed the security measures implemented by the administration in the border districts from the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar. This assessment aimed to ensure that all precautionary steps are being effectively enforced to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Hours after shaking hands with India for immediate ceasefire following four days of deadly strikes between the two countries, Pakistan has yet again violated ceasefire, resorting to drone strikes in multiple areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Blasts echoed and several cities across Punjab, Rajasthan and J&K plunged into darkness as administrations imposed emergency blackouts and air raid sirens blared, with Pakistan striking India once again.

While earlier only reports of a ceasefire violation emerged as the world was still reacting to the India-Pakistan pact, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed that Islamabad had broken the agreement.

In a post on X, Omar Abdullah said, What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!! Omar Abdullah also shared a video from Srinagar in which blasts could be heard in the background. Emphasising that there was no ceasefire, he J&K chief minister said, This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.

PAKISTAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE: BLASTS ECHO, BLACKOUTS SPREAD A senior government official has confirmed that there have been ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and drones are seen over Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.

Red streaks were seen in Udhampur city and explosions were heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid blackout. Pakistani drones have also been spotted in Nagrota in J&K. Explosions were also heard as India's air defence intercept Pakistani drones amid blackout in the town.

Loud explosions are being heard in Srinagar city of Jammu and Kashmir, according to ANI. Srinagar city, too, is witnessing a blackout in the wake of Pakistan's ceasefire violation. In J&K, blackout has been enforced in Kathua.

The Barmer administration in Rajasthan has enforced a complete blackout as Pakistan violated ceasefire merely hours after making a deal with India on immediate ceasefire. Blackout has been imposed in Jaisalmer too.

Punjabs Ferozepur has also gone dark under blackout. A complete blackout has been enforced in Moga and Pathankot of Punjab.

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, too, has said that drones have been spotted in Kutch, indicating that Pakistan has shattered the ceasefire.
The Indian government has flagged two fake X accounts impersonating senior Indian armed forces officers  Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army. The Press Information Bureau (PIB)'s fact-checking unit has issued a warning urging citizens not to engage with or share posts from these handles.

The impersonating account of Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, operating under the handle @WingVyomikStan, falsely claims to represent her and has attracted over 28,000 followers. The profile bio reads: Proudly serving in the skies, defending the nation with Air Force. Duty, Honor. However, authorities have confirmed that this is not an official account.

Another fake X profile targets Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, wrongly portraying her as active on the platform and describing her as the first woman to lead the multi-national military Exercise Force 18. Like the former, this account has surfaced in the wake of heightened public interest in military operations, particularly after Indias launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7.

Responding to the spread of misinformation, the PIB Fact Check team posted on X:

There is NO official X handle of Wg. Cdr. Vyomika Singh & Col. Sofiya Qureshi. Both of these handles are fake. Stay vigilant. Rely only on official sources for authentic information.

Both women officers have recently become familiar faces during press briefings related to Operation Sindoor. Their growing visibility has made them targets for impersonation, especially on social media platforms experiencing surges in engagement during national security events.

Also Read | India inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan Army, says Colonel Sofiya Qureshi

Military Career Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, hailing from Gujarat, made history as the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent in a multinational military exercise, Force 18. A postgraduate in biochemistry, she was commissioned via the Officers Training Academy and comes from a military family  her grandfather served in the Indian Army.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, an IAF pilot, is known for her expertise in flying Cheetah and Chetak helicopters in high-risk zones, including Indias most challenging terrains. Her operational profile and public-facing role during recent defence briefings underscore the rising presence of women in combat and command roles across Indias military services.

Also Read | Chandigarh admin withdraws order to close shops by 7 pm
The United States should continue to help Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to pave the way for a just peace, said the US President's National Security Advisor for 2021-2025 Jake Sullivan.

He said he'd heard criticism that they hadn't done enough, not fast enough, because they had been too worried about Russia. According to him, in fact, they used every dollar allocated by Congress, provided a huge amount of weapons, ammunition, and in the last months of the administration, they significantly increased supplies. And it's these increased supplies that are now giving Ukrainians a chance to stand, he said during the 17th annual Kyiv Security Forum titled "UA: Unite Again to Defeat the Global Aggressor," organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

Sullivan noted that he had many discussions with specialists on the issue of long-range ATACMS missiles for Ukraine, but, in his opinion, there is no "silver bullet" in the war, recalling the increased nuclear risk.

He said from their perspective, there was no system, or even two or three, that would be a panacea in this war on the battlefield. The quality and scale of American assistance over three years has been enormous, he explained.

Sullivan expressed hope that US President Donald Trump will increase pressure on Russia and continue to support Ukraine, because it will make America stronger.

According to him, the question is what next? It is always difficult to end an aggressive war. The path to a just peace is leverage and strength. And the key to strength means that the United States and partners provide more assistance and support to Ukraine, as well as pressure on Russia so that Putin can understand that he will not be able to outlast or overwhelm, he noted.

Sullivan emphasized that now in his country some want to shape US policy towards Ukraine as a choice between supporting peace or war.

That is, you are either for peace or for eternal war, he said. But there is no such choice. We cannot allow anyone to fall into this trap, he added. The real choice is the choice between real peace, supporting Ukraine in effective negotiations with influence, and a false peace by effectively surrendering to Putin, he stressed. He said they had built a lot of leverage to ensure a good deal, and needed to continue to help Ukraine build more.
The Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan will remain in abeyance despite the two sides reaching an agreement to declare de-escalation after four days of deadly fighting, according to MEA sources. According to sources, India's diplomatic measures against Pakistan, taken after the Pahalgam terror attack, will remain unchanged.

According to the MEA sources, there is no pre or post-condition of the ceasefire. There is no pre or post-condition of the ceasefire. The call was initiated from Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty to remain in abeyance, ANI quoted MEA sources as saying.

India's measures announced against Pakistan on April 23 remains in place, Sources have said.

India pulled out of the Indus Water Treaty in April and also announced a number of measures after a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam. Twenty six people, mostly tourists, were killed when terrorists opened fire at point-blank range in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). For past four days, India and Pakistan have exchanged fire. India carried out military strikes against Pakistan on May 7, hitting nine terror infrastructure. Later, Pakistan resorted to cross-border firing and drone attacks on India territory.

India and Pakistan have mutually agreed to a ceasefire to stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea from 5 pm on Saturday. Both countries confirmed the ceasefire agreement following US President Donald Trumps announcement that the United States had mediated talks between the two sides.

In a brief statement, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, The DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST.

INDIA'S CRACKDOWN AGAINST PAKISTAN AFTER PAHALGAM ATTACK In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India announced a slew of diplomatic measures against Pakistan over its support to cross-border terrorism.

India suspended the Indus Water Treaty, closed the integrated Check Post at Attari, suspended the visa services to Pakistani nationals and revoked existing visas. Apart from that, India also imposed a complete ban on all imports from Pakistan and halted the mail services between the two countries.

India also banned the YouTube and Instagram channels of Pakistani artists. Access to Pakistani news outlets such as Dawn News, ARY News, Geo News, and others was also blocked. India also barred Pakistani ships from docking at any Indian port and vice versa.

Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi were declared persona non grata and ordered to leave. India also reciprocally withdrew its own military advisors from Islamabad.
India Pakistan Ceasefire Highlights: Drone activity has been spotted in Barmer, after which a complete blackout has been enforced.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Defence minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and chiefs of all three services at his residence on Sunday, May 11.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump lauded the "strong and unwaveringly powerful" leadership shown by India and Pakistan in achieving a "ceasefire". On the Jammu and Kashmir issue, Trump said, "I will work with you both [India and Pakistan] to see if, after a thousand years, a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir."

India and Pakistan had reached a bilateral understanding along the Line of Control and International Border on Saturday. However, India said Pakistan violated the understanding as drones were sighted in parts of India hours after India announced the ceasefire.

A ceasefire or bilateral understanding?

India didn't use the word ceasefire while announcing de-escalation of conflict between India and Pakistan. Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said on Saturday that India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action."

Congress MP Manish Tewari explained that that the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan is not a "ceasefire" as it was not a war. A ceasefire is a situation in which each side agrees with the other to suspend military actions, and halt firing often due to mediation by a third party.

Also Read: S Jaishankar's FIRST remarks after India and Pakistan reach ceasefire agreement

Stay tuned to LiveMint for India Pakistan Ceasefire LIVE updates
India- Pakistan conflict: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, held a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Aur Force, after Pakistan launched a fresh wave of attacks on India.

PM Modi met the officials at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, to review the security scenario and chalk out strategies for the future course of action, officials said, reported ANI.

India's ongoing conflict with Pakistan saw further escalation after Pakistan launched another attack on Friday (May 9) night, prompting blackouts in Jammu, Samba and other areas for a second consecutive day.

India's retaliatory attack In response to "Pakistan's blatant escalation"  as termed by the Indian army  India on Saturday, launched missiles and drones at four airbases in Pakistan's Islamabad, reported ANI, citing sources.

The Indian Army said it also spotted multiple Pakistani armed drones flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar at 5 am today, which the India's Air Defence System destroyed after engaging with.

In Firozpur, three people sustained injuries after a Pakistani drone struck a residential locality on Friday night. They were rushed to a hospital, where doctors said one of the victims is in critical condition.

'India retaliated in a responsible way' During a press briefing on Saturday morning, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said:

I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

According to sources cited by news agency ANI, India retaliated to Pakistan's attack on Saturday, striking four airbases in Islamabad using missiles and drones.

Pakistan military confirms explosions Pakistan's military confirmed explosions at three of its air force installations, including the strategically important Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, located less than 10 kilometres from Islamabad and adjacent to the country's military headquarters.
India-Pakistan conflict: Amid India-Pakistan's escalating tensions, US President Donald Trump said that India and Pakistan have agreed to full and immediate ceasefire.

The US President had stated on X that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.

Donald Trump's post comes after the India-Pakistan conflict escalated on Friday night, after Pakistan launched a fresh attack on India. Air sirens were sounded, and blackouts were enforced in multiple regions including Jammu, Samba, Hoshiarpur, among others.

In response to "Pakistan's blatant escalation"  as termed by the Indian army  India on Saturday, launched missiles and drones at four airbases in Pakistan's Islamabad, reported ANI, citing sources. The Indian Army said it also spotted multiple Pakistani armed drones flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar at 5 am today, which the India's Air Defence System destroyed after engaging with.

India Pakistan ceasefire deal details Roughly two days after series of attacks from both the Indian and Pakistani side, the two nations have decided to stop firing and military action on land and in the air from 5 pm today, India's Foreign Secretary Vikrim Misri said on Saturday. There is, however, no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place, according to sources on the ceasefire decision.

"The DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST," said foreign secretary Vikram Misri.

US Secretary Marco Rubio posts about ceasefire Sometime after Donald Trump posted about the ceasefire deal, US Secretary Marco Rubio also posted that the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, and will start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.

Marco Rubio also stated that over the past 48 hours, he and US Vice President JD Vance had engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.
Pakistan Ceasefire Violations: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday took to X to post a couplet hinting at betrayal of Pakistan for violating the agreement of ceasefire as drones tore through the northern and western sky of India.

"      (It is his nature to turn away).      ? (How can I trust his promise?)", posted Shashi Tharoor.

Blasts were heard in Srinagar and Jammu, with projectiles and flashes lighting up the night sky over Jammu, mirroring the events of the previous evening, while shots were also reported in Baramulla and a blast was heard in Sopore.

Meanwhile, a full blackout has been imposed in Jaisalmer and other parts of Rajasthan, as well as across Punjab, including a complete blackout in Moga. Eyewitnesses in Amritsar additionally reported sightings of drones in the area.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday took to X to post a couplet hinting at betrayal off Pakistan for violating the agreement of ceasefire as drones tore through the northern and western sky of India.

Hours after India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding on stopping military actions, the arrangement came under severe pressure with New Delhi blaming Islamabad of breaching it.

In a media briefing close to midnight, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take "appropriate steps" to address these violations and deal with the situation with "seriousness and responsibility".

This came around five hours after the foreign secretary announced that India and Pakistan had reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect.

In a short announcement, Vikram Misri told the media at 6 pm that the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries agreed on the understanding during a call this afternoon.
Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the Pakistani Army for misuing a verse in the Quran Sharif while naming a new attack on the neighbour.

What Owaisi said about Pakistan Army misusing Quran Sharif? AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says, ... Pakistan has named their new attack 'Bunyan-al-Marsoos.' This is from a verse in the Quran Sharif in which Allah says that if you love Allah, then stand like a solid wall. But the Pakistan Army and establishment are such liars. In the same verse before, Allah says Why do you say such things which you don't do.

He also questioned their intent taking a reference of the 1971 Bangladesh War.

They are such liars that they don't want to grasp the whole purpose of the Quran... Did they forget to stand like a wall when they were firing at Bengali Muslims in East Pakistan?

What Owaisi said about India rejecting two-nation theory? Noting that Pakistan wants to divide India on the lines of religion, Owaisi notes that the neighbours have conviniently forgot that we rejected the two-nation theory even at the time when Jinnah proposed it.

Owaisi says, " Pakistan conveniently forgets that there are more than 230 million Muslims living in India and our forefathers rejected the two-country theory. We despise, we rejected the two-nation theory proposed by Jinnah, and we accepted India as our country and will continue to stay here. Pakistan wants to divide India on the lines of religion, it wants to create more friction between Indian Muslims, Hindus and other communities over here."

When Pakistan talks about the two-nation theory, why are they bombing Afghanistan border posts?...why are they bombing Iranian border posts?...Afghanis and Iranians are Muslims...it is the deep state of Pakistan, which only uses Islam as a facade to cover up all illegal activities and their promotion of terrorism. This is what they have been doing for the last 75 years against India, he adds.

Tensions between the two neighbours increased after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.

Also Read | India Pakistan LIVE: India warns Pakistan of action
IND PAK News: Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, various online booking platforms on Friday announced the suspension of new travel offerings to countries, including Turkey and Azerbaijan, for their "support" to Pakistan. The online platforms advised customers to avoid "non-essential" travel to these destinations, while urging Indians to exercise "utmost caution" before planning trips to any politically sensitive regions.

Ticket booking platforms such as Cox & Kings and EaseMyTrip have suspended travel offerings. Cox and Kings said it has decided to temporarily pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. Also, Travomint suspended the sale of all travel packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan to support the Indians' call for boycotting these two countries.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor Updates: Drones sighted at 26 locations from Baramulla to Bhuj

India-Pak tensions: Travel booking platforms suspend offerings In light of recent developments, we have decided to pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country, said Karan Agarwal, Director, Cox & Kings.

"We also advise Indian travellers to exercise discretion and avoid any non-essential travel to these destinations until there is greater clarity and alignment in the broader geopolitical environment," said Agarwal.

EaseMyTrip Founder and Chairman Nishant Pitti also took to microblogging platform X, saying he was "deeply concerned" by the recent developments and advising all its customers to exercise utmost caution and stay updated on official travel advisories before planning trips to sensitive regions.

"Travel Advisory - Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India & Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware. As Turkey & Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary," EaseMyTrip said on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.

Travomint Chairman and CEO Alok K Singh said, Due to the escalating tensions with Pakistan and countries like Turkey, Azerbaijan supporting it, we have taken a firm and responsible stand. We have decided to support the Indians' call for boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan. With immediate effect, Travomint suspends the sale of all travel packages to these countries.

Singh said that in addition, no cancellation fees will be charged on existing bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan. Emergency flight bookings on the website will also be available in case of any emergency or urgent need.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor: India repulses drone attacks as conflict continues

Vice President of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) and Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India)HRAWI spokesperson Pradeep Shetty shared that hotels have been cancelled in states including Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu, and Kashmir, among others. "There are cancellations... We are observing the situation closely," he told PTI.

Operation Sindoor India on Wednesday carried out strikes on nine sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, marking its deepest strikes inside Pakistan in decades, in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack two weeks before. Pakistan then attempted to unleash drones and missiles at Indian military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, many of them home to air force bases. The Indian Army said the attacks were "effectively repulsed".
Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a join statement from G7 foreign ministers on Friday condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives on April 22, and urged both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.

Foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union called for immediate de-escalation.

Also Read | India Pakistan LIVE: MEA postpones official media briefing amid attacks

G7 full statement A statement released by G7 Foreign Ministers on Saturday read, We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan. Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability.

We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides. We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution, it added.

Also Read | India hits back after Pakistan targets 26 locations, loud explosions heard

India-Pakistan tensions Intermittent firing continues along the Line of Control at many places as India continues to thwart Pakistan's attempt to target several locations with drones in India.

Meanwhile, houses and property were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions. Loud explosions were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir.

A civilian was reportedly injured in a Pakistani attack in Rajouri, J&K, on Saturday. "...One injured person has been brought here. Doctors and the entire team are ready. His treatment began immediately...," said Farukh Ahmed Wani, the security incharge at the hospital.

Three people were also injured in Ferozpur as an armed drone targeted a civilian area there.

Defence sources said late Friday that drones were sighted at 26 locations  ranging from Baramulla in the North to Bhuj in the South, along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan.

US calls for de-escalatation Earlier, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate.

"This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," she was quoted by ANI as saying.

Leavitt said that the conflict between the nations is an old one, and talks are on to prevent further escalations.
The cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was achieved after a call from the Pakistan DGMO Major General Kashif Abdullah to his Indian counterpart, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai early in the afternoon of Saturday. The former's offer to stop the firing and the air attacks was met with the response that India too would do the same, people directly familiar with the matter said.

They added that while representatives from the US and various other countries had indeed spoken to top Indian officials including foreign minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval, there was no interaction between the foreign ministers of the two countries, nor between the NSAs. This was only fitting, the people said, pointing out that it all started with the terror attack at Pahalgam, which India responded to on the morning of May 7, with targeted strikes at nine terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK, and that since then, India has only been responding, and proportionately and responsibly, to Pakistans escalation.

HT learns that the US pushed Pakistan to cease hostilities and that its support for the IMF bailout package for Islamabad may have been conditional to this.

The people said that there were no other aspects to the cessation of hostilities, and that there was no talk of a political dialogue or a meeting. Measures announced by India, including the country walking out of the Indus Water Treaty would remain, they added.

The people said that the sole objective of Operation Sindoor was to strike at terror, and to send Pakistan a message that its sponsorship of terror would not go unpunished, adding that any future terror attack would be seen as an act of war.
India and Pakistan have decided to stop firing and military action on land and in the air from today, Foreign Secretary Vikrim Misri said on Saturday. There is, however, no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place, according to sources on the ceasefire decision.

"The DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST," says foreign secretary Vikram Misri.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also announced that India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.

India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so, Jaishankar said in a post on X.

The government said in a post on X handle of Ministry of Information and Broadcasing that the stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries

The government said in a post on X handle of Ministry of Information and Broadcasing that the stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries. "Pak DGMO initiated the call this afternoon after which discussions took place and understanding reached," it said.

What Donald Trump Said? Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after tensions between the countries escalated following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Also Read | India and Pak have agreed to full and immediate ceasefire, says Trump

In a post on TruthSocial Trump said, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Trump's statement crediting his long night of talks mediated by United States was however different from Misri's statement about DGMO level talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday (IST) spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Rubio and to Pakistan Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharifto discuss the ongoing situation.

"He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications, US State Department said in a statement.

India has said on Saturday morning hit eight military sites in Pakistan with air-launched precision weapons. The action, the government said, was in response to the Pakistan military's brazen attacks on Indias military infrastructure and civilian areas using fighter jets, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), and missiles, the Ministry of Defence said.

Saturdays development came a day after India foiled Pakistani drone strikes on 26 locations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. In an armed drone strike, three civilians were injured in Punjabs Ferozepur town last night.

Fridays attack by Pakistan and counter-offensive by India comes a day after India destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK).
Two newspapers, one memory: Victory Days in print

13:32, May 10, 2025 By Zhang Wenjie, Kou Jie, Yuan Meng, Song Jingsi, Kuang Xixi ( People's Daily Online

As celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in the Great Patriotic War approach, a 1951 edition of China's People's Daily and a 1945 edition of Russia's Izvestia are brought together in the hands of journalists.

Each newspaper records the historic moment when China and Russia officially designated their respective Victory Days.

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Wu Chengliang)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. The MAMA Mother Nature international art exhibition was presented at the renowned MAXXI  National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, Italy, Trend reports.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) Public Union, Leyla Aliyeva, along with Arzu Aliyeva.

The MAMA Mother Nature art project debuted at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku in November 2024 as part of the COP29 event. With the aim of spreading messages about climate change globally, the exhibition began its journey in Bahrain before arriving in Rome, showcasing the stunning creativity of a group of contemporary artists.

Bringing together 55 artists from 28 countries  including the USA, Germany, the UK, Brazil, South Korea, Georgia, India, Spain, Israel, Latvia, Pakistan, Russia, Turkiye, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan  the exhibition uses art to call for the protection of the planet for future generations. Through installations, paintings, and multimedia works, it presents narratives that resonate with current ecological and social challenges. The project highlights the deep and complex relationship between humanity and nature. Each piece in the exhibition sends a powerful message about this bond, portraying Earth not only as a source of inspiration but also as a vital life-sustaining force.

The traveling exhibition emphasizes the inseparable connection between humans and nature, placing the maternal figure at the forefront as the spiritual and physical source of life. Visitors are invited to reflect on the importance of responsibility, care, and ecological renewal.

The MAMA Mother Nature international art exhibition will be on display at Romes MAXXI  National Museum of 21st Century Arts until May 14.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh shared an update on the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions on Saturday and said, all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately.

At a press briefing along with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the officers said, Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

Also Read | Pakistan targeting civilians in Jammu and Kashmir: Vikram Misri

They said Pakistan had launched a high speed missile in Punjab and attacked medical facilities in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur. "A befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions," Qureshi said.

"Pakistan military used high-speed missiles at 1.40 am to target air base in Punjab," Qureshi disclosed, adding that Pakistan used Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, jets to attack India's military sites along the Western front.

In response to Pakistani actions, India has responded in a measured way, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. "It is the Pakistani act that constituted provocation and escalation," he said.

He dismissed as ludicrous claims by Pakistan of missiles being fired at religious sites. India also said that Pakistan's claims of critical infrastructure damage were "completely false".

The Indian military showed time stamped pictures to deny Pakistan's claims about air force stations and base destruction in India. "Pakistan had attempted a malicious misinformation campaign. Its claims of destroying our S-400 system and airfields at Surat were false," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.

"Indian armed forces remain in high state of operational readiness... all hostile actions have been effectively countered," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, adding that India had targeted Pakistan military assets in Rahim Yar Khan.

Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistan's actions, she said. Singh said Indian armed forces are committed to non-escalation, provided Pakistan side reciprocates.

Foreign Secy Misri said that there has been a particular focus on targeting of civilian infra and population of India and said that earlier on Saturday, Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir which resulted in the death of ADDM Raj Kumar Thapa.

He informed that overnight, there was damage to property and civilians in Firozpur and Jalandhar amongst other places.
Russia has assured full support to India in its fight to against all manifestations of terrorism and promised to promptly fulfil military orders in the pipeline, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth said.

The MoS represented India at the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War. While in Moscow, he called on Russian Deputy Defence Minister Col Gen Alexander Fomin to discuss deepening military and technical cooperation, news agency PTI reported.

Russia promises to fulfil military orders "Russia assured that it will support us in our battle against all manifestations of terrorism and said the cooperation between the two nations will continue to advance based on existing agreements," Seth told PTI.

He said that Russia has promised to promptly fulfil military orders in the pipeline. While thanking Russia for its support against cross-border terrorism, he said that both nations have agreed to enhance ties through existing framework and regular consultations.

MoS for Defence Sanjay Seth's Russia visit Seth laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during his Russia visit. He also addressed the members of the Indian community in Moscow on Friday.

The colder the weather in Russia, the warmer the friendship with India, he said, observing that the month of May is supposed to be pleasantly warm, but this year it was unusually cold.

Seth said he was highly impressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin's humble nature.

Also Read | Putin parades China, North Korea ties in victory day show of force

I had an opportunity to meet President Putin thrice. He very warmly greeted me and impressed me with his humble nature, he said.

What is Victory Day? In January 1945, the Soviet Army launched an offensive against Germany. On May 9, the commanders-in-chief then signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany which ended the war.

The national holiday honours the sacrifices of Soviet troops and civilians during the war. The Soviet Union reportedly suffered 24 million casualties during the war, including soldiers and civilians.

Russia's state-run news agency quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying on April 29, On the banks of the Volga, our troops halted and crushed the enemy. A decisive blow was delivered to the Nazi war machine, marking a turning point in the war and opening the road westward  to Berlin and to the Great Victory, whose 80th anniversary we will solemnly celebrate very soon, on May 9.
India-Pakistan ceasefire: India and Pakistan decided to stop firing and military action on land and in the air from 5 pm today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday. There is, however, no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place, according to sources on the de-escalation decision.

"The DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST," Misri said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on X, also announced that India and Pakistan had worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.
India-Pak Tensions: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday slammed International Monetary Fund (IMF) for approving the immediate disbursement of about USD 1 billion to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility amid escalated tensions with India.

The Hyderabad Member of Parliament (IMF) labelled IMF as International Militant Fund for helping a country that has been accused of backing and funding terrorism activities in India.

Also Read | India Pakistan LIVE: India warns Pakistan of action

They are official beggers. They took a loan from the IMF of $1 billion. IMF is not the International Monetary Fund; they are giving the International Militant Fund to Pakistan, Owaisi said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday approved the immediate disbursement of about USD 1 billion to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility.

"How did the USA, Germany, and Japan agree to this?... Forget leadership, they (Pakistan) don't even know how to run an economy. You people are sitting there and telling us what Islam is, but all you have are wrong policies to spoil the peace here and create conflict between Hindus and Muslims..." Owaisi said.

What is the IMF? The IMF is an organisation of 189 member countries that works to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world

In a statement, the Washington-based global lender said its Executive Board concluded the initial review of Pakistan's economic reform programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.

"This decision allows for an immediate disbursement of around USD 1 billion (SDR 760 million), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to about USD 2.1 billion (SDR 1.52 billion)," the agency said.

Owaisi slammed Pakistan for its supprt to terrorism in India and elsewhere.

At the IMF, India pointed out that Pakistan has been a frequent borrower from the IMF, with disbursements in 28 of the past 35 years.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta convened a meeting on Friday with senior health officials from Delhi government hospitals to assess emergency preparedness in response to the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan, ANI reported citing official sources.

During the meeting, Gupta instructed hospital authorities to ensure all medical facilities are fully equipped to handle any crisis. Later, Gupta said, Our government hospitals are all prepared for any situation. We have invited all the MDs and taken updates. A probe into updating on any shortage of staff or medicines is being done. The patients coming in will be treated through the Ayushman Bharat Scheme and Ayushman Vyay Vandana Scheme. The administration, doctors and hospitals must be ready.

Delhi Medical Association says, duty to rise to the occasion The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) on Friday called upon all members of the medical fraternity to act with resolve, responsibility, and readiness. The advisory from the Delhi Medical Association read, "As guardians of public health, it is our duty to rise to the occasion and support the nation in every possible manner."

The advisory included several instructions, including cancelling non-essential activities, enhancing hospital safety and preparedness and conducting mock drills, ANI reported.

"All socio-cultural, academic, or celebratory events must be suspended until the situation de-escalates. This is the time to prioritise national service over routine engagements. Hospitals and clinics must ensure enhanced safety protocols on premises. Emergency response systems should be reviewed. Stockpile essential medicines, surgical supplies, and blood units. Staff must be prepared for trauma care and surge capacity," read the advisory.

In accordance with Public Health Communication, the advisory said, Doctors must actively counter misinformation, reassure the public, and support mental well-being through accurate, calm communication. It also called upon coordination with the authorities and said, Collaborate with local health departments, disaster management bodies, and defence medical teams as required.

Meanwhile, AIIMS Bhubaneswar announced the cancellation of all kinds of leave, including vacation and station leave in view of emerging circumstances.

Mumbai According to a report by Hindustan Times, Mumbai hospitals are ramping up preparedness by increasing bed capacity, conducting staff training, and stockpiling essential medicines, critical supplies, and blood reserves.

As guardians of public health, it is our duty to rise to the occasion and support the nation in every possible manner.

Mumbais state-run JJ Hospital has established two dedicated emergency wards spanning two floors, with a total of 52 beds, to manage potential medical crises. These wards are equipped with critical care infrastructure, including oxygen support, rapid triage systems, and emergency stockpiles of essential medicines, Hindustan Times reported.
In a bid to strengthen airport security, the BCAS has temporarily assigned the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as the Aviation Security Group, focusing on cargo operation and the in-line hold baggage screening system, ANI reported.

In a significant decision to boost security across Indian civil airports, the Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has issued an Official Memorandum (OM) dated May 9, 2025, temporarily extending the role of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as the Aviation Security Group (ASG) to provide additional security cover to Cargo operations and the In-line Hold Baggage Screening System (ILHBSS), CISF.

Earlier on Friday, CRPF 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 told ANI.

The CRPF has also postponed till June a number of scheduled training programmes to be held for the troops and the officers have issued directions that the manpower be "retained" at their place of deployment for any possible exigency and avoid unnecessary travel, they said, as reported by ANI.

CRPF currently has 65 battalions, amounting to around 65,000 to 66,000 personnel, deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for counter-terrorism operations and to support local law enforcement, ANI reported.

Following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attackwhich claimed the lives of 25 tourists and one local guidethe heads of other security agencies like the BSF (Border Security Force) and CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) have also visited the region. With a strength of approximately 325,000 personnel, the CRPF is recognized as Indias primary internal security force.

Tensions have escalated between India and Pakistan after India conducted precision strikes on targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday. Pakistan responded with attempted strikes on Indian military sites on Thursday, which were successfully repelled by Indian forces."
IND PAK News, Operation Sindoor LIVE: Blasts were heard across Srinagar and projectiles were seen in the sky in Jammu city, hours after both countries agreed to de-escalate tensions. Blackouts were also enforced in several cities.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a statement on Saturday night, said that the de-escalation arrangement between the two countries was being violated by Pakistan.

Check latest updates on India Pakistan de-escalation here

Condemning the violation, Misri said, The Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with this border intrusion. This intrusion is extremely condemnable and Pakistan is responsible for it. We believe that Pakistan should understand this situation properly and take appropriate action immediately to stop this intrusion.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a post on X, wrote, What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced a de-escalation, saying that both sides have agreed to stop firing and military action on land in the air from 5 pm today.

Earlier in the day, details of the terrorists killed during Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025 has been revealed, according to ANI. The list includes family members of Masood Azhar.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Marco Rubio urges India, Pakistan to avoid miscalculation in conflict

Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to restore direct lines of communication to "avoid miscalculation" in their growing conflict, the State Department said early Saturday. Following the conversation with Rubio, Jaishankar informed that India has acted responsibly.

After the fresh attack on Friday night, the Centre conducted a press briefing today.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed that India has retaliated in a responsible way.

I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern, Misri said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday, following a fresh wave of attacks launched by Pakistan.

For the second day in a row, enforced blackouts plunged Jammu, Jaisalmer, and Firozpur into darkness as tensions between India and Pakistan continued to escalate.

Residents in Jammu, Srinagar, and several other areas reported hearing loud explosions.

In Ferozepur, three people sustained injuries after a Pakistani drone struck a residential locality on Friday night. They were rushed to a hospital, where doctors said one of the victims is in critical condition.

G7 countries condemn Pahlagam terror attack

Meanwhile, the G7 countries have issued a statement amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

The statement read, We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan.

It added, Further military escalation seriously threatens regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides. We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.

Stay tuned to LiveMint for all the latest updates

Pakistan's latest strikes come after India launched what has been described as the nation's biggest and deepest strike  Operation Sindoor  in which India targeted nine terror bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Explosions heard in over six areas

During the blackout, explosions were heard in over six areas including Samba, Poonch, Jammu, among others.
India-Pakistan Conflict: More explosion-like sounds were heard in Srinagar on Saturday afternoon. There were at least 3-5 blasts in Srinagar and nearby Awantipura, locals in Srinagar said.

These blasts were heard hours after the city was rocked by multiple blasts early morning on 10 May. The blasts, some of them loud, were heard hours after the Indian military thwarted drone attacks by Pakistan at several places in the city.

In between the two series of blasts, India accused Pakistan of targetted civilians and civilian infrastructure, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and Paunjab. There has been a particular focus in its targetting of civilian infrastructure and the population in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during the special briefing on Saturday.

The blasts on Saturday morning were heard near vital installations, including the airport, news agency PTI, quoted unmamed officials. Sirens also went off across the city as soon as explosions were heard.

Electricity was also cut across the city, locals told LiveMint on phone from Srinagar.

There were three back-to-back blasts at around 6 am. Then there was another explosion after some time. This one was the loudest and felt like a tremor with a loud boom.

There were three back-to-back blasts at around 6 am. Then there was another explosion after some time. This one was the loudest and felt like a tremor with a loud boom. Since then there have been blasts but not as loud. , a Srinagar resident said amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Also Read | Marco Rubio dials Jaishankar as India, Pakistan conflict escalates

Saturday's explosions came a day after India foiled Pakistani drone strikes on 26 locations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Srinagar saw drone attack on Friday too.

For most of the Srinagar residents the explosions like these are unheard off. We have seen conflicts, encounters in last three decades. But we never before seen drone attacks and such explosions in Srinagar, said another resident who lives in downtown area of Srinagar.

Operation Sindoor The Pakistan's drone attack and counter-offensive by India was a day after India destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 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.

Similar reports of drone attacks came from Jammu too where, visuals shared by news agency ANI, showed damaged houses. There was no damage reported from anywhere in Srinagar, until this report was filed.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan claimed that India has fired missiles at three air bases in the country. But most of the missiles were intercepted and that retaliatory strikes on India were underway, it said as reported by news agency AP. News agency ANI said India has hit four air bases in Pakistan, quoting sources.

There was no official comment from India on this claim yet.

Meanwhile, the Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan amid flaring hostilities.

Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides, a statement by Canada on behalf of G7 foreign ministers said Friday. We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome, the G7 said in a statement.

In a related news, an officer of the J&K Administration Services died as Pakistani shelling hit his residence in the Rajouri town of Jammu and Kashmir early Saturday. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah shared the devastating news on X social media platform.

Omar Abdullah said, We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. The officer Raj Kumar Thapa was posted as Rajouri additional DC.
Loud explosions were heard in parts of Jammu and Kashmir early Saturday, 32 airports have been shut for civilian flight operations, and a complete blackout has been imposed in Punjab's Jalandhar and in several districts of Jammu & Kashmir as tension between India and Pakistan continue to escalate.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion. India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism.

Also Read | India Pakistan LIVE: MEA postpones official media briefing amid attacks

Here are Top 10 developments you must know about India-Pakistan tensions:

1. Pakistan attacks: Sources told news agency ANI that Pakistan launched an attack on 26 locations last night. "After that, India has carried out a retaliatory action. Intermittent firing is going on along the LoC at many places," sources said.

A civilian was reportedly injured in a Pakistani attack in Rajouri, J&K, on Saturday. "...One injured person has been brought here. Doctors and the entire team are ready. His treatment began immediately...," said Farukh Ahmed Wani, the security incharge at the hospital.

2. Missile systems: Heavy engagement going on with Pakistan over Srinagar and adjoining areas. Surface to air missile systems activated in the area by forces, sources told news agency ANI.

3. Drones have been sighted at 26 locations: Defence sources said late Friday that drones were sighted at 26 locations  ranging from Baramulla in the North to Bhuj in the South, along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan.

These included suspected armed drones posing potential threats to civilian and military targets. "The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala," defence sources told news agency ANI.

4. Series of explosions: A series of explosions were heard in parts of Jammu and Kashmir late Friday night and early Saturday. Loud explosions heard in Rajouri, Akhnoor, Udhampur.

According to visuals shared by news agency ANI, houses and property have been damaged in the Rajouri region after a continuous series of explosions were heard there.

5. Drone hits civilian area in Ferozpur: Defence sources told news agency ANI that an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in severe injuries to members of a local family.

SSP Ferozepur Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said, We received information about three people being injured...Out of these, the condition of a woman is critical, she has suffered severe burns. The other two have lesser burns. We have immediately started their treatment. They are from the same family.

"The injured have been provided medical assistance, and the area has been sanitised by security forces. The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary," sources said.

6. Blackouts in THESE areas: A blackout was imposed in Punjab's Jalandhar "for some time as some drones have been reportedly sighted in Jalandhar," official said. They added, "forces are checking. Please be calm and follow the blackout protocol."

A complete blackout has been enforced in Barmer in Rajasthan, Firozpur in Punjab, in Rajouri and Jammu districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, CMO Gujarat said that a blackout has been imposed in the villages of bordering Santalpur taluka in Patan district as a precautionary measure. "All the citizens are advised to stay away from rumours and follow the instructions issued by administration from time to time," the CMO posted on X.

7. G7 Foreign Ministers: A statement read, "We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan."

"Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides. We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution," read the G7 Foreign Ministers' statement on India and Pakistan.

8. IMF approves $1B loan to Pakistan: The International Monetary Fund approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion.

India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism, warning that such support carries reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms.

9. Airport shutdowns: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities issued a series of notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across Northern and Western India for all civil flight operations.

The NOTAM is effective from May 9, 2025, to May 14, 2025(which corresponds to 0529 IST on 15th May 2025), due to operational reasons.

The list of 32 airports include Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise and Uttarlai.
India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an Act of War against India and will be responded accordingly, top government sources told ANI on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces at his residence in New Delhi.

India-Pakistan conflict: Developments so far The meeting took place following India's strikes at four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday in reply to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations, which the government confirmed during a media briefing on Saturday morning.

Precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter jets, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said during the briefing.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that Pakistan's actions against India are being seen as escalatory and provocative in nature. Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion," he said.

Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistan's use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab's airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned, media was told during the briefing.

Incidents of heavy shelling and cross-border firing were reported from various places aligning with Pakistan border on Saturday.

India intercepted Pakistani drones on Friday night Pakistan fired drones, possibly armed, at multiple locations for the second consecutive night on Friday. Heavy shelling was also reported from across the Line of Control (LoC) at multiple locations like Jammu and Kashmir's Uri sector. Gunshots and explosions were also heard in Samba as India's air defence system intercepted these drones.

A day before the Friday attack, Pakistan had launched a series of coordinated drone and missile attacks along India's western border, targeting several regions on Thursday. Defence officials said the the attacks were intercepted by India's air defence systems, including the S-400 missile defence system, preventing significant damage.

Tensions soared after the Indian Armed Forces on May 7 conducted precision strikes, under Operation Sindoor, targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. A tree-planting campaign was held on May 10 on a vacant land plot along the Zigh highway in Bakus Surakhani district, with the participation of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, and Arzu Aliyeva, Head of the Baku Media Center, Trend reports.

Dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyevs birth, the campaign saw the active involvement of IDEA volunteers and support from the Baku Landscaping Service. A total of 1,000 olive trees were planted, alongside landscaping works to enhance the area. To ensure sustainable irrigation and avoid water wastage, a drip irrigation system is planned for the site.

This initiative marked the final stage of the greening efforts along the ZighAirport highway, as part of a broader series of ongoing tree-planting campaigns.

As part of the event, information was also shared about the website and social media platforms of the Our Kitchen social project, initiated by Leyla Aliyeva. The project aims to deliver hot meals to low-income families and individuals in need, creating a supportive and compassionate environment while fostering solidarity in society. Since its launch, Our Kitchen volunteers have provided hot meals to hundreds of thousands of people in Baku and surrounding areas, offering not only nourishment but also warmth and hope.
Marco Rubio dials Jaishankar, says India, Pakistan need to identify methods to de-escalate conflict; MEA say, out approach has always been responsible

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to restore direct lines of communication to "avoid miscalculation" in their growing conflict, the State Department said early Saturday. The statement came as tensions soared significantly, with Pakistan claiming that its three airbases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones early Saturday.

Rubio on Saturday spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and emphasised that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation. He further proposed US support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes.

Following the meeting, Jaishankar posted, Had a conversation with Marco Rubio this morning. Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so.

As per the US department of state, Rubio also spoke to Pakistani army chief Asim Muniroffering assistance in de-escalating rising tensions between the neighbours.

Saudi says making efforts to de-escalate tensions through dialogue and diplomatic channels Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia early Saturday said it was making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels.

In a brief statement, the Foreign Ministry said that upon the directives of the Saudi leadership, Al-Jubeir visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9 as part of the Kingdom's "ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".

Tensions between the two neighbours increased after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.

Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday, with the defence ministry saying the enemy's attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases, were successfully thwarted.
With India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday confirmed about the de-escalation between India and Pakistan days after tensions, Commodore Raghu R Nair in a special briefing by Defence Ministry on Operation Sindoor said that Army rejects claim of damaging mosques as India is a secular nation.

Commodore Raghu R Nair made it clear that India is fully prepared and vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland. He added every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength and every future escalation will invite a decisive response.

Catch all the India-Pakistan de-escalation related LIVE reports HERE.

While we will be adhering to the understanding that is the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, we remain fully prepared and vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland. Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength. Every future escalation will invite a decisive response. We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation

India quashes Pakistan's claims of attacking religious sites: Briefing the media just after the de-escalation announcement, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh quashed Pakistan's claims that Indian Armed Forces have targeted mosques.

Also Read | India inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan Army, says Colonel Sofiya Qureshi

She said, Pakistan has been spreading fabricated allegations that Indian Armed Forces have targeted mosques. Let us make this very clear that India is secular nation, and the Indian Armed Forces are a reflection of our constitutional values. We hold every place of worship of all faiths in the highest regard. Our operations have been aimed exclusively at terrorists camps and facilities being used for anti-India activities. No religious sites have been targeted by Indian Armed Forces.

Apart from this, she also added that Pakistani air bases in Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari suffered extensive damage. She said, There has been an extensive damage to the crucial Pakistani air bases- Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari. In addition, a loss of AD weapon system and radar made the defence of Pakistani airspace untenable...

No S400 and Brahmos missile base damaged: Among others, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi also debunked Pakistan's claims of damaging S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17. Calling it fake, she said, Pakistan claimed that it damaged our S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong. Secondly, it also ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia and Bhuj were damaged, and its misinformation is also completely wrong. Thirdly, according to Pakistan's misinformation campaign, our ammunition depot in Chandigarh and Vyas was damaged, which is also completely wrong. Pakistan made false allegations that Indian Army damaged mosques. I want to make it very clear that India is a secular nation and our army is a very beautiful reflection of the constitutional value of India.

Earlier Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, while briefing the press, said that India and Pakistan to stop firing and military action from 5 pm IST on land and in the air and sea. He added that the Indian DGMO and Pakistan's DGMO to talk again on 12 May at 12 pm.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) approval of roughly $1 billion in loan disbursements to Pakistan. He decried the IMF's loan while questioning the international community's call for de-escalation of border tensions between India and Pakistan.

The IMFs executive board on Friday approved approximately $1 billion in loan disbursements to Pakistan amid its worsening conflict with India.

In a post on X on Saturday, Omar Abdullah questioned how de-escalation of India-Pakistan tension is possible when the IMF "essentially reimburses Pakistan" for the attacks it unleashed in several regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Im not sure how the International Community thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places," Omar Abdullah said.

India-Pakistan must de-escalate The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister's statement came after the Group of Seven (G7) nations urged India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint and called for immediate de-escalation of their military conflict through dialogue.

"We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome," the G7 said in a statement on Friday.

Early Saturday, Saudi Arabia said it was making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels.

Tensions between India and Pakistan increased after the Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.
Pakistan is moving troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to escalate tensions, said Indian officials on Saturday, adding Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness.



The Pakistan army used missiles and fighter aircraft against civilian and military targets along India's north and northwestern frontier during the intervening night of 9-10 May, killing some civilians, the officials said at a joint press briefing by the ministries of external affairs and defence.

They didn't disclose the number of civilians killed.

Meanwhile, India continued to target Pakistan's military and technical infrastructure, like command centres, weapon depots, and radar systems in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, using precision air-launched weapons from fighter aircraft, they added.

Also Read: Pakistan Army's offensive intent to further escalation  10 points revealed in MEA press briefing on May 10



Pakistan's Sialkot and Pasrur air bases were also targeted, Indian armed forces' representatives colonel Sofiya Qureshi and wing commander Vyomika Singh informed the press.



Pakistan's actions were provocative and escalatory, said foreign secretary Vikram Misri during the briefing.



According to the officials, over 26 aerial intrusions using drones were detected overnight from Srinagar to Naliya.



Pakistan continued its onslaught against India on 9 May night, using unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructure, said Singh.



Indian armed forces neutralised these threats and a majority of the vectors, added Singh.

However, limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force stations at Pathankot, Adampur, Udhampur, and Bhuj, the officials said.

Also Read: IND PAK News, Operation Sindoor LIVE: India has defended in responsible and measured fashion, says Foreign Secretary



They said there were several high-speed missile attacks noticed after 0140 hours on Saturday at several air bases in Punjab.



Pakistan also attacked civilian infrastructure overnight in a deplorable act, targeting a school and a medicare centre at the air bases of Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur, killing some civilians.



In a swift response, India carried out attacks against military targets in Pakistan, ensuring minimum collateral damage, they added.



Small arms firing between the two nations also took place in the districts of Kupwara, Baramulla, Rajouri, Poonch, and Akhnoor.



Pakistan also carried out several disinformation campaigns about the destruction of Indian airfields, Misri said. India unequivocally rejects these narratives being spread by Pakistan, said wing commander Singh.



Misri reiterated that Indians should not be misled by Pakistan's disinformation campaigns. Pakistan's claims on activity they have undertaken, continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation, and propaganda. And on top of that, this is peddled by Pakistani state agencies, he said.



"The claims they have made about attacking and destroying various military installations and facilities are completely false, Misri said, after displaying photos and videos of undisturbed Indian air bases that Pakistan had claimed to have been destroyed.
"Pakistan attempted multiple air intrusions targeting civilian infrastructures and killing some civilians," Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said in a press briefing organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday, May 10.

They said that the Pakistan military is moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation. The officers also debunked Pakistan's claims about air force stations and base destruction in India. Here are the Top 10 points revealed in the MEA press briefing on May 10.

Also Read | India Pakistan News LIVE: Indian Army destroys Pakistan terrorist launchpads

Pakistan attacks civilian infrastructures | Key areas targeted 1. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said in the press briefing that Pakistan used Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructure along the Western front.

2. She said Pakistan military also resorted to air intrusion using drones and firing of heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force Stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj, Singh.

From Srinagar to Naliya, in more than 26 locations, airspace infiltration was attempted," Colonel Qureshi said. She also informed that there were also high-speed missile attacks, which were noticed subsequently at 1:40 am at several air bases in Punjab.

Also Read | Pakistan targeting civilians in Jammu and Kashmir: Vikram Misri

3. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said Pakistan also attacked the medicare center and school premises at the airbases of Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur, yet again displaying irresponsible targeting of our civilian infrastructure. She termed it deplorable cowardly act.

4. She mentioned that along the LoC, Pakistan has attempted multiple air intrusions using drones and conducted shelling using heavy caliber guns, targeting civilian infrastructure and killing some civilians.

5. Heavy exchange of artillery, mortars and small arms fire in Kupwara, Baramullah, Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors continued. The Indian Army has responded effectively and proportionately, causing extensive damage to the Pakistan Army.

India's targets in Pakistan | Key areas

6. In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out precision attacks only at identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas.

7. Pakistan military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from our fighter aircraft, said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

She added that radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases were also targeted using precision ammunition. India ensured minimum collateral damage while carrying out these responses.

Pakistan 'offensive intent' 8. Pakistan military has been observed to be moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an "offensive intent to further escalate the situation."

9. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded appropriately by the Indian armed forces. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

Debunking fake news: 10. The two women officers said, Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa...India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan.
Pakistan still treasures American F-16 fighter jets even though China has replaced the US as Islamabads main arms merchant. As the tension between arch rivals  India and Pakistan  escalated this week, media reports suggested that India had shot down Pakistan's F-16 jets amid the conflict at the borders.

These unsubstantiated claims have again brought into focus this question: What are these F-16s? And can Pakistan use F-16 jets against India?

What are these F-16 jets? According to the US Air Force, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. "It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations," it says.

The F-16 jets can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low-flying aircraft in radar ground clutter.

"In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point," the air force says.

When can Pakistan use American F-16? Pakistan doesn't have a free-hand to use F-16s. The US has reportedly imposed strict restrictions on Pakistan's use of F-16 fighter jets, to ensure they are utilised only for counterterrorism, and not deployed against India.

This is because the US military sale agreement with Pakistan limits how the country can use these warplanes, Eurasian Times reported.

According to reports, every F-16 sold to Pakistan comes with the End-Use Monitoring (EUM) program which is "designed to verify that defense articles or services transferred by the United States Government (USG) to foreign recipients are used in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the transfer agreement or other applicable agreement."

Pakistan's F-16 under US' watch For teh unversed, there's a Technical Security Team (TST), a contingent of contractors in Pakistan to monitor F-16. The TST includes US Air Force personnel stationed in Pakistan who conduct real-time monitoring of F-16 activities, the Times of India reported.

In February 2025, a Reuters report said the Trump adminstration released "$397 million for a US-backed program in nuclear-armed Pakistan that a congressional aide said monitored Islamabad's use of US-made F-16 fighter jets to ensure they are employed for counterterrorism operations and not against rival India.

According to analysis group Quwa, the funds were intended support the TST to oversee the use of F-16s under strict end-use monitoring rules, which seem to require the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to only use the F-16s, especially the newer F-16C/D Block-52 fighters, for counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

The group said that this monitoring was not new. It said the TST was present in Pakistan since 2019 when the US approved its current deployment with a $125m support package for the PAF F-16 fleet.

Has Pakistan used F-16 before? The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had extensively used its aging F-16 fleet to support Pakistan Army operations in the Swat Valley and the Bajaur Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

According to information furnished to the US by the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, the PAF flew 93 sorties in August 2008 in operations against the Taliban.

Meanwhile, in 2019, India had claimed that the Indian Air Force had shot down one Pakistan's F-16 jet during Balakot airstrikes. During the aerial engagement that followed, one MiG 21 Bison of the IAF shot down one F-16, Air Vice Marshal RGV Kapoor was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying.
Saudi Arabia early on Saturday announced that it is working to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations and encourage the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.

In a brief statement, the Foreign Ministry said that upon the directives of the Saudi leadership, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9 as part of the Kingdom's "ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".

The Saudi statement came as tensions soared significantly, with Pakistan claiming that its three airbases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones early Saturday.

Saudi minister visits India amid the conflict with Pakistan Amid the escalating tensions between the neibhours, Saudi minister Al-Jubeir travelled to New Delhi on Thursday on an unannounced visit and discussed the current situationn with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Later, Jaishankar posted about the meeting with the Saudi leader saying, A good meeting with @AdelAljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning

He added, Shared Indias perspectives on firmly countering terrorism, refering to the Indias military strikes on Wednesday that targeted terrorist infrastructure at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

On Friday, the Saudi minister visited Islamabad, where he held talks with Pakistan's top leadership.

Tensions between the two neighbours increased after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.
India-Pakistan Ceasefire: India and Pakistan on Saturday decided to stop firing and military action on land and in the air from today, Foreign Secretary Vikrim Misri said on 10 May.

"The DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST," says foreign secretary Vikram Misri.

The decision comes after contact had been established between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan to arrive at a ceasefire arrangement. Pakistan, however, violated the ceasefire arrangement hours after announcing it on Saturday.

Who are the DGMOs? The DGMOs are senior officials of Indian Army, usually of the rank of Lieutenant General, responsible for overseeing all military operations in India and along its borders.

The DGMO typically operates at the strategic and operational levels within the military hierarchy and report to the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)

The current DGMO of the Indian Army is Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai who assumed the position on October 25, 2024. Air Marshal AK Bharti is the Director General Air Operations while Vice Admiral AN Pramod serves as the Director General Naval Operations.

Pakistan DGMO is Major General Kashif Abdullah.

What is the role of DGMO? The DGMO position is integral to India's defense strategy, especially during periods of escalated tension. The officer is in direct communication with counterparts in other nations to manage and de-escalate potential conflicts, like in the case of India-Pakistan tensions since 22 April Pahalgam attack.

The DGMO also formulates strategies and plans for military operations, including combat, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping missions.

The DGMO alos acts as a liaison between different branches of the armed forces (army, navy, air force) and other agencies for joint operations. He coordinates with intelligence agencies to integrate actionable intelligence into operational plans.

In India, the DGMO manages sensitive border issues, including ceasefire agreements and cross-border tensions.

Here is a break-up of DGMO roles? -Plan and oversee military operations, including counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism measures.

-Maintain operational readiness of the Indian armed forces.

-Coordinate with other defense wings and ministries.

-Conduct weekly hotline talks with the Pakistani DGMO to maintain communication, especially during times of escalated tension.

-Provide operational updates to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Ministry of Defence.

Why are DGMOs the go-to officers? The DGMO is supposed to be a military-to-military contact point. The idea is to build a degree of professional trust, during escalated situations.

DGMO-level talks during peacetime serve asfirst step for communication.

The DGMO position is integral to India's defense strategy, especially during periods of escalated tension.

In situations of escalated tensions, it is the DGMOs who initiate communication to prevent escalation, clarify intentions, or address immediate concerns of both the countries.

The DGMOs are aware of military activities of their respective countries and hence in a good position to address operational understandings, ceasefires and violations.

In case of India-Pakistan tensions, DGMOs often have pre-existing mechanisms like hotlines or regular talks to manage tensions on the borders. DGMOs usually address technical issues including troop movements, artillery fire.
India Pakistan Conflict: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has confirmed that explosions were heard across Srinagar, mere hours after India and Pakistan agreed to immediate ceasefire. Blackout was imposed in Srinagar after huge explosions were reported in the capital city.

What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!! J&K CM Omar Abdullah posted on X, (formerly Twitter).

In a following post, Abdullah posted a video of blasts being heard in the night sky, writing: This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.

WATCH THE VIDEO SHARED BY OMAR ABDULLAH HERE

Only a few hours after the declaration of immediate ceasefire between India and Pakistan, projectiles were seen in the sky in Jammu city. Shelling was also heard in Akhnoor, Udhampur. Air raid sirens were heard in Rajasthan's Balmer, blackout imposed.

Shots were also heard in Baramulla.

Further, a blast was also heard at Sopore.

Full blackout in Jaisalmer, other parts of Rajasthan, and Punjab. A complete blackout has also been enforced in Moga, Punjab.

Drones were spotted in Amritsar, say eyewitnesses.

Ceasefire violations along the LoC and drones over Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan, said a senior government official.

You can trust a snake before you trust Pakistan. Ceasefire violation in some areas of J&K including RS Pura and Samba and reportedly drone activity in Kashmir valley, Udhampur and Sundarbani, posted Former DGP J&K SP Vaid.

Mint was informed by locals that houses were damaged in Sonawar area of Srinagar. Blasts continue in the Badami Bagh Cantonment near Sonawar.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

Pakistan and India agreed on Saturday, May 10, to a full and immediate ceasefire after days of deadly jet fighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks, the news surprisingly announced by US President Donald Trump, who congratulated them on using "common sense".

The US president, Donald Trump, announced the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan after deadly attacks between the nuclear-armed rivals. The ceasefire came after a a long night of talks mediated by the United States, Trump said.

The announcement, confirmed by both countries, came after India and Pakistan fired volleys of missiles across their borders on Saturday as the escalated their worst fighting in nearly three decades.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan military officials told state-run media it had launched a retaliatory operation, targeting several bases including a missile storage site in northern India. Officials said the attack was called Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, an Arabic phrase meaning wall of lead.
India-Pakistan Conflict: As blasts rocked multiple cities in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and blackouts spread across Rajasthan and Punjab, Indian government that Pakistan has violated the bilateral understanding reached earlier in the afternoon to immediately halt all firing and military action on land, at sea, and in the air.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday said, An understanding was reached this evening between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan to stop the military action that was going on for the last few days. For the last few hours, this understanding is being violated by Pakistan."

"The Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with this border intrusion. This intrusion is extremely condemnable and Pakistan is responsible for it. We believe that Pakistan should understand this situation properly and take appropriate action immediately to stop this intrusion." Misri added.

This came hours after India announced the understanding following four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes that brought the two countries teetering on the edge of full scale war.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor Updates: Drones sighted at 26 locations from Baramulla to Bhuj

The firing from the Pakistani side was reported in Srinagar, Jammu City, Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Drones were also seen in the Pir Panjal area.

Defence said drones came in and firing occurred earlier, but "no firing is happening along the Line of Control now".

The decision to stop military action by India and Pakistan was first made public by US President Donald Trump in a surprise announcement in a social media post while claiming that the talks between the two sides were "mediated" by the United States after which India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.

Also Read | Donald Trump's full statement as India and Pakistan agree for ceasefire

Top government sources, however, clearly said that the outcome was the result of a direct engagement between the Indian and Pakistani sides and that Islamabad agreed to it with "no pre conditions, no post conditions and no links to other issues."

In a short announcement after Trump's remarks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the directors general of military operations of India and Pakistan agreed on the understanding during a call this afternoon.

"The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hours IST earlier today," Misri told the media at around 6 pm.
Chandigarh administration on Saturday withdraws its order to close shops by 7 pm, after India-Pakistan agreed on ceasefire amid ongoing tensions between the two nations.

On Friday, May 9, the district administration had directed all shops and eateries in the city to shut by 7:00 PM as a precautionary measure. However, the order has now been withdrawn.

In light of the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, the earlier request for the voluntary closure of shops and other establishments is hereby withdrawn. All shops and establishments are now permitted to operate as usual, said Chandigarh district administration in a post on X.

India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire, halting all military operations across land, air, and sea.

The directors general of military operations of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 pm, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced.

The brief announcement came shortly after US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the ceasefire, saying it was better late than never.

"I welcome from the depths of my heart the announcement made by the Government of India spokesperson about restoration of ceasefire between India and Pakistan," Abdullah told reporters at his residence.

"Better late than never but had this ceasefire come two or three days earlier, perhaps the bloodshed we saw and the precious lives we lost, would have been safe," he added.

Also Read | Chandigarh bans hoarding of essential commodities amid India-Pak tensions

Meanwhile, with India and Pakistan agreeing to an immediate ceasefire, the Congress has sought a Prime Minister Narendra Modi-chaired all-party meeting to take political parties into confidence.

The opposition party also demanded that the government call a special session of Parliament to discuss the events of the past 18 days.
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said that President Donald Trump is exploring ways to expand legal powers to deport illegal immigrants, including the extraordinary option of suspending habeas corpusthe constitutional right allowing people to challenge their detention.

The Constitution is clear, and that of course is the supreme law of the land, that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion, Miller told reporters outside the White House on Friday. So, I would say thats an option were actively looking at.

Aimed at illegal aliens The move, if pursued, would target illegal immigrants as part of Trumps wider crackdown at the US-Mexico border. Miller added, Look, a lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.

Trump has repeatedly labeled surges of migrants as an invasion. In March, the president described an influx of Venezuelan gang members as an invasion and invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to fast-track deportationsa move that sparked significant legal challenges.

What is habeas corpus? Habeas corpus is a legal principle that protects individuals from unlawful detention. The term is Latin for "you shall have the body," referring to the requirement that authorities must bring a detained person before a court to justify their imprisonment.

In the United States, habeas corpus is guaranteed by the Constitution but can be suspended only in cases of rebellion or invasion when public safety requires it. It serves as a safeguard against arbitrary imprisonment, ensuring that people cannot be detained indefinitely without legal justification.

Legal hurdles ahead Any attempt to suspend habeas corpus would face immediate court challenges, particularly over whether migrant flows meet the constitutional standard of an invasion.
Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that both countries have agreed to a full-fledged, not partial ceasefire, ending the heightened tensions between the two countries after four days of deadly strikes. In a statement on X, Ishaq Dar said also asserted that Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region.

Ishaq Dar said, Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!

Speaking with Geo News, Ishaq Dar said United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Saudi Arabia and Turkey worked on the ceasefire talks. He also said that at least three dozen countries were actively involved in diplomatic efforts, Reuters reported, quoting the Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister in an interview with Geo News.

India and Pakistan on Saturday mutually agreed to immediately stop all military action at each other, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced. The foreign secretary said Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan spoke in the afternoon to halt all military action.

DGMO of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours this afternoon: Foreign Secretary Misri. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, and in the air and sea, with effect from 1700 hours IST Saturday, he said.

Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The DGMOs will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours, Vikram Misria added. Also Read | Indus Water Treaty suspension to import ban - What happens to Indias crackdowns against Pakistan

Surprisingly, before the confirmation came from the Indian government, US President Donald Trump had congratulated India and Pakistan on using common sense.

Shortly after the "ceasefire, Pakistan announced that it was opening its airspace for all kinds of traffic. All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said.
Pakistan on Saturday, May 10, 2025, announced that the nation was opening up its airspace for all kinds of traffic moments after the nation agreed with India on a ceasefire amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, reported the news agency PTI.

Also Read | Why is Dassault Aviation share price under radar for European market investors?

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced the development on Saturday as the nation eyes normalcy amid the raging tensions with India.

All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights, they said, according to the agency report.

According to the agency report, Pakistan's airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights, and the airports are available for normal flight operations.

Earlier reports showed that Pakistan's airspace remained closed for a certain duration and routes due to the rising tensions with India. This reportedly hampered regular air traffic, creating an inconvenience for the passengers.

Also Read | India Pakistan ceasefire LIVE: Indus Waters Treaty remains suspended

India-Pakistan Ceasefire Pakistan opened up its airspace moments after India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday, May 10 announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to stop firing action on land and air from 5 p.m.

The DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) of Pakistan called DGMO of India at 15.35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST, said Vikram Misri.

According to people aware of the development, there are no further plans for talks between the two nations on any other issue at the moment. The agreement comes nearly two days after Pakistan escalated the conflict by attacking India through shelling on the border region.

This was a response to India's retaliatory action against terrorism, which claimed the lives of 26 people in the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025.

Earlier on Saturday, India also reportedly warned Pakistan that any future act of terror will be considered an Act of War against India and will be responded accordingly.

Before the Indian government announced its agreement with Pakistan, US President Donald Trump said that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countires on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence, said Trump in his Truth Social post.
Prince Harry was caught on a doorbell camera. He was knocking on random houses in London while trying to find a friends home.

This came as a surprise to many as he earlier said in court that he felt unsafe without armed security. He visited at least three houses before finding the correct one. The residents found it strange, especially for someone concerned about safety.

Also Read | More trouble for Prince Harry? African charity admits human rights abuse

One housekeeper opened the door but didnt recognise him until neighbours started talking. People in the area were surprised when they realised it was the Duke of Sussex.

A local told The Sun that Prince Harry had even knocked on homes far apart on the same street. It hinted that he didnt know the address.

The doorbell image showed Harry wearing a blue suit without a tie. He was speaking on his phone.

It was also reported that he stayed at a friends luxury home. He reportedly broke normal security rules by ordering food through Deliveroo. The food was delivered straight to the front door without much precaution.

Prince Harry recently lost a court case in the UK over police protection. He said his life was at risk after losing 24-hour security. Harry and Meghan Markle lost the privilege after stepping back as working royals.

After the ruling, he gave a BBC interview from California. The Duke said he had forgiven the Royal family. At the same time, he admitted his father no longer spoke to him due to the security issue.

Harry said hed like to reconcile but did not know how much time they had left. Harry said it was impossible to bring his family to the UK now.

King Charles frustrated and upset Before Prince Harrys BBC interview, a friend of King Charles said it would be wrong for the King to interfere in legal matters. The King was upset that Harry didnt respect it.

What has frustrated and upset him on a more personal level is the Dukes failure to respect this principle. And, for his supporters to suggest that somehow his father doesnt care about his family, or should step in, the source told The Sun.
TAIPEI : Taiwans leaders have embarked on an urgent overhaul of the islands defenses to prepare for what they see as the possibility of a Chinese invasion by 2027. The purpose: be able to hold on long enough for the U.S. to come to the rescue.

But many doubt the self-governing island, which Beijing claims as its own, can be ready in just two years, given the radical changes it is pursuing.

Taiwan wants to scrap a longtime focus on equipping the island for a conventional war. Instead, it is racing to build up new, asymmetric defenses aimed at making Chinas much more powerful military think twice before attacking. Failing that, it aims to inflict enough pain to slow China while it seeks help from Washington.

How quickly Taiwan upgrades its military could determine whether Beijing decides to invade, and whether it would succeed in seizing the island.

They are improving their military readiness in all three areas: policy, procurement and personnel," said Mark Montgomery, a retired rear admiral who is now a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank. But this is a five- or six-year-to-go process, and they need to get to work on each one of those as fast as they can."

Here are some of Taiwans tools to detect, deter and repel a Chinese invasion.

Many military experts say that China isnt yet ready to overcome the geographical and military obstacles to an invasion. However, recent Chinese exercises simulating a blockade of the island have jolted Taiwan, which worries that the drills could be a precursor to an attack.

Meanwhile, Taiwans leaders want to show President Trump that they are doing enough to deserve U.S. military intervention in case of a Chinese attack, after he said Taiwan needs to do more in its own defense.

Taiwans defense ministry said foreign military assistance is one of several ways it is accelerating the buildup of its defense capabilities and not the only option. Its our country and we will defend it ourselves," it said.

A different type of war

Taiwans goal now is to build layers of coastal defenses to hold off an amphibious invasion. That involves stockpiling new weapons and expanding and training an army that can use them. Taiwans navy is establishing a coastal command, a shift from a focus on control of the sea to a focus on fending off attacks.

The overarching approach is known as the porcupine strategy," in which points of resistance are established throughout the island to deter and inflict pain on a larger adversary.

With this solid military buildup employed through asymmetric approaches[China] will learn that any attempt to invade Taiwan would not only entail significant costs but also prove futile," Defense Minister Wellington Koo wrote in a defense blueprint published in March.

Using weapons that are cheaper to acquire and faster to deploy will be key to fending off China, said Alessio Patalano, professor of war and strategy in East Asia at Kings College London.

Taiwans approach has been influenced in part by Ukraines successes fighting Russias invasion. It plans to buy more than 3,200 drones from domestic companies in a five-year period to boost local productionmirroring Kyivs homegrown drone makersin an industry currently dominated by China. The army opened an academy last year to teach soldiers how to operate them.

Another lesson from Ukraine has been that weapons and ammunition can quickly be depleted. Taiwans geography would make resupply a challenge if China has it surrounded.

We definitely need to further increase our stockpile of antiship and air-defense missiles," Chen Ming-chi, deputy foreign minister, said in December before he took his current role.

The obstacles to the new strategy are considerable. Koo, a rare civilian to serve as defense minister, has to contend with an army establishment that has been committed to preparing for a conventional war for a generation.

Trumps return to the White House has also raised the pressure on Taiwan. He and members of his administration have suggested Taiwan should spend as much as 10% of gross domestic product on its militarya tall order for Taiwan when the figure has long hovered around 2%.

Buying the smaller and cheaper weapons that would be used in an asymmetric conflict could also make it harder for Taiwan to satisfy that demand.

President Lai Ching-te said in March he would raise military spending to 3% of GDP by the end of the year, but he has encountered resistance to his budget in parliament from opposition politicians who advocate a friendlier approach toward Beijing.

Taiwans military will only be as ready and as proficient as the Taiwanese people and the Taiwanese political elites want them to be," said Patalano, of Kings College London.

Building an army

One of the biggest obstacles facing Taiwans military is staffing. It has set a goal of having a military numbering around 215,000, which would still be dwarfed by Chinas two million-strong force.

At the end of last year, only 78% of Taiwans military positions were filled, according to the defense ministry. It has been difficult to draw recruits from an educated young population raised in an era of economic growth and demilitarization.

Meanwhile, the conscription pool is shrinking in Taiwan, which has one of the worlds lowest birthrates.

There is already an understaffing of volunteers in combat units," said Chieh Chung, a defense analyst who teaches at Taiwans Tamkang University. Increasing demands for combat readiness and force-building exacerbate the problem, he said.

Mandatory military service was tripled last year to 12 months. To make enlistment more appealing, the military has raised salaries by 3%or as much as $400 a monthand upgraded dormitories.

A recruitment campaign is under way, with ads on buses that run through the heart of Taipei showing three uniformed cadets with the tagline: Safeguard the homeland, create an extraordinary life."

The military is looking to upgrade its reserve forces, in particular by improving its ability to quickly mobilize reservists.

Training has been reoriented in line with strategic changes. In the past, conscripts rarely left their bases to train or handled sophisticated weapons. Taiwan is increasingly training soldiers to use drones and more advanced weapons, such as Stinger surface-to-air missiles, in locations where they would be expected to defend the island.

Coordination with the U.S.

For Taiwans military to be prepared to fend off China, it will also need to know how to work together with the U.S. in a time of crisis. The U.S. and Taiwan are still learning to coordinate their combat plans and are far from being able to conduct a joint operation, said Chung, the defense analyst.

Taiwan really needs to cooperate more closely with the U.S.," said Chen, the deputy foreign minister. Taiwan has almost no experience with war, so we need to learn from those with the most experience."

The Pentagon didnt respond to a request for comment about U.S. military cooperation with Taiwan.

Taiwan will also need to know if U.S. forces will show up. Officials in Taipeiwho watched with alarm as Trump dropped U.S. support for Ukraineare increasingly confident they have the U.S. presidents backing as the White House confronts Beijing.

Write to Joyu Wang at joyu.wang@wsj.com
When President Trump spoke to a room of top donors at his Florida club last week, he described ending Russias war in Ukraine as a growing frustration that keeps him up at night, people in the room said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was particularly tough to negotiate with, and wanted the whole thing," Trump said, referring to Ukraine, according to an attendee. His comments came in response to a donors question about his biggest foreign-policy concerns.

The war in Gaza was also notably challenging, Trump told the crowd. Finding any solution was hard because theyd been fighting for a thousand years," he said.

When Trump campaigned to return to power, he vowed to end both of those wars diplomatically and argued that neither conflict would have begun if he was in the White House at the time. He would even end the war in Ukraine on on day one," he said.

Instead, as he passes the 100-day mark of his second term with neither conflict closer to a resolution, negotiations to end Irans nuclear program stalled, and a trade war straining relationships with allies, Trump is finding solving the worlds problems more difficult than he had thought.

Bluster and theatrics have their role in diplomatic high wire acts, but so do details and hard work," said Dan Baer, a former ambassador in the Obama administration who is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a Friday ceremony in Moscow, has refused to agree to a cease-fire with Ukraine.

Trump has since said he was joking about ending the Russia-Ukraine war in record time, and that supporters know he was being hyperbolic.

Kyle Haynes, a professor of U.S. foreign policy at Purdue University, said: If he hadnt promised such things repeatedly throughout the campaign itd be wildly unfair to criticize him for failing to achieve them. But he did."

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump and his team had been laser-focused on delivering peace around the world and stopping bad actors from doing harm to Americans and our allies."

Their approach has been successfulHouthis agreed to a cease-fire, 47 Americans detained abroad have come home, NATO countries are increasing defense spending, China is deterred, and we are closer to peace in the Russia-Ukraine War than ever before," she said.

Too many asks

In recent weeks, Trump has privately griped to advisers that Putin doesnt want to end the war, and that both sides refuse to compromise. Trump has also asked advisers if they believe Putin has changed since Trumps last time in office, and expressed surprise at some of Putins military moves, including bombing areas with children, according to people familiar with the remarks.

Earlier this year, Trump said he believed Kyiv would be harder to convince than Russia unless the deal terms were Ukraines terms, resulting in a combative Oval Office encounter with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky live on television.

More recently, senior Trump administration officials have acknowledged that Russia remains the biggest holdout, refusing to agree to an unconditional 30-day cease-fire that Kyiv has already supported and instead seeking more concessions from Ukraine.

I wouldnt say that the Russians are uninterested" in ending the conflict, Vice President JD Vance told a Munich Security Forum event in Washington on Wednesday. We think theyre asking for too much."

Trumps early plans for the conflict were also upended within weeks. Russia complained about Trumps first Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, over the retired generals daughters support for Kyiv.

Trump then told Kellogg only to talk with the Ukrainians, and tapped Steve Witkoff, his longtime friend serving as the Middle East envoy, to step in. Kellogg and his team have argued that the diplomat has been effective in getting Kyiv to buy into Trumps peace process.

Steve Witkoff is tasked with helping to resolve multiple foreign conflicts.

Witkoff has repeatedly pressed both sides to accept some terms they dont like. Now, Witkoff has told others he just wants to get the two sides to the table, which he hasnt yet been able to do.

Other U.S. officials have also suggested Trump may consider his job done if he gets the Russians and Ukrainians to engage in serious direct negotiations. What happens after that would be up to them, allowing the U.S. to focus on other priorities, the officials said.

Trying their best

On Gaza, too, the Trump administration is pushing for a negotiated end to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Witkoff helped the departing Biden administration execute its cease-fire plan in January, just moments before Trump took office. But that agreement crumbled in March, and now the war has resumed. Israel has stopped all aid from reaching vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza, sparking a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Israels cabinet this week approved a measure to capture all of Gaza should Hamas keep on fighting and hold the remaining hostages. The Israeli government said Hamas has until the end of Trumps Middle East visit next week to release the hostages.

Some administration officials have been frustrated by Israels renewed attacks. But Trump has continued to talk about rebuilding the area, and effectively given Israel the green light to continue its military operations until Hamas changes course.

Meanwhile, Witkoff has widened his net of advisers to prepare for a postwar Gaza, including meeting with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and lawyer Alan Dershowitz, according to people familiar with the matter.

Whether theyll succeed remains to be seen, but theyre trying their best," Dershowitz, a former Harvard professor said, adding: I sense its more challenging than they hoped."

Total dismantlement

The Trump administrations position on Irans nuclear program has also been mixed and sparked significant internal debate, administration officials say.

Trump says the nuclear talks with Iran are going well. Witkoff has met indirectly three times with Iranian counterparts about curbing Tehrans nuclear development, and is expected to hold a fourth meeting in Oman this weekend.

Witkoff has proposed that the U.S. would lift sanctions and take military action off the table if Iran agreed to dismantle its nuclear program and purchase enriched uranium from the U.S. So far, Iran has sought to keep its centrifuges, and shown no sign of dismantling any of its nuclear work. There is also no firm U.S. position on what dismantlement looks like.

We havent made that decision yet," Trump told reporters Wednesday, after telling NBC News days earlier that total dismantlement" was all he would accept. Trump administration officials have been surprised at the amount of criticism from Republicans on the topic.

Trump has threatened military action against Iran if it refuses strict limits on its nuclear work, but has yet to convince most other allies.

Frances foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said in an interview that France and others need tougher measures against Tehran than the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump exited, but ruled out a military option.

We believe there is no other path towards a resolution of the Iranian problem than a diplomatic path," he said.

Write to Josh Dawsey at Joshua.Dawsey@WSJ.com and Alexander Ward at alex.ward@wsj.com
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which allows for the disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion.

However, India has strongly opposed the funding, arguing against providing support to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism. India warned that such assistance poses reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms.

In a post on X, the IMF said, IMF Board approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the EFF, enabling a disbursement of ~ $1 billion, reflecting strong program implementation which has contributed to continuing economic recovery.

This stand was taken during the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) review of a USD 1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and consideration of a fresh USD 1.3 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) for Pakistan, sources within the Government of India said.

Why did India abstain? India firmly opposed funding a country that sponsors cross-border terrorism, warning that such support poses reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms.

This stand was taken during the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) review of a USD 1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and consideration of a fresh USD 1.3 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) for Pakistan, sources within the Government of India told ANI.

India abstained from the recent IMF vote on approving a loan to Pakistan, not due to a lack of opposition, but because IMF rules do not permit a formal no vote, sources added, as reported by ANI.

Additionally, New Delhi expressed its strong objections to the limitations of the IMF's voting system, taking the opportunity to formally document its concerns. India's main objections included questioning the effectiveness of the ongoing IMF assistance, noting that Pakistan has received support in 28 of the past 35 years, including four programs in the last five years, yet without achieving meaningful or lasting reforms.

India also highlighted the continued dominance of the Pakistani military in economic matters, which undermines transparency, civilian oversight, and sustainable reform.

On Wednesday, IMF reviewed the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) lending program of USD 1 billion and also considered a new Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) lending program of USD 1.3 billion for Pakistan.

India raises concerns regarding Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism In its official statement, India raised significant concerns regarding Pakistan's track record with previous IMF loans and the potential misuse of funds for "state-sponsored cross-border terrorism."

India's concerns extended beyond economic considerations to governance issues, particularly the role of Pakistan's military in economic affairs. The statement pointed out that Pakistan military's deeply entrenched interference in economic affairs poses significant risks of policy slippages and reversal of reforms.

It referenced a 2021 UN report that described military-linked businesses as the "largest conglomerate in Pakistan" and noted the army's current leading role in Pakistan's Special Investment Facilitation Council.

The Ministry also noted that while several other member countries shared India's concerns about the potential misuse of international financial assistance, the IMF response is circumscribed by procedural and technical formalities. India characterised this as a serious gap highlighting the urgent need to ensure that moral values are given appropriate consideration in the procedures followed by global financial institutions.

How does IMF voting take place? The IMF Executive Board is composed of 25 Directors who represent individual member countries or groups of countries. It is responsible for daily operational matters, including the approval of loans, ANI reported.

Unlike in the United Nations, where each country has one vote, the IMF voting power reflects the economic size of each member. For instance, countries like the United States hold a disproportionately high voting share.

Thus, to simplify things, the IMF typically makes decisions by consensus. In cases where a vote is required, the system does not allow a formal "no" vote. Directors can either vote in favour or abstain.

India firmly opposed funding a country that sponsors cross-border terrorism, warning that such support poses reputational risks for global institutions.

There is no provision to vote against a loan or proposal.
A screenshot of Dhruv Rathees YouTube video, allegedly shown on a Pakistan channel, is doing rounds on social media. Its a part of a montage curated and used by various pro-Pakistan social media channels.

The edited video clips intend to create anti-India propaganda and to purportedly show that many Indians are critical of the Indian government.

Even Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) is using the video on its social media channels.

It was not an intelligence failure. The attack happened despite intelligence inputs, Rathee says in the video clip.

PMLN uses Dhruv Rathee's YouTube video clip

Various Indian users on social media are now critical of Dhruv Rathee, whos now based in Germany. They are accusing Rathee of being the face of anti-India propaganda. They are also demanding the Indian government to ban his YouTube channel.

As the screenshot goes viral, the influencer has reacted to it. According to Rathee, Pakistani channels have misused his video out of context.

They misused my video by cutting out of context clips, Dhruv Rathee said.

Instead of telling people the truth, youre just re-sharing Pakistani lies! Only cuz of ur hate for me, you became Anti-India, Rathee replied to another popular social media influencer, who goes by the handle Gabbar Singh.

However, Gabbar insisted that it was not the first time Dhruv Rathees video was used by Pakistan. He shared another clip where a Pakistani cleric was expressing his fondness for the Rathee.

Bro, if Pakistan keeps using your videos, maybe its not just about them misusing it, maybe theres something in your narrative that makes it easy for them to twist. Time to introspect, wrote another user.

One user pointed out while the Indian influencers fight on social media, Apas mei nahi, pak se ladna hai!! (Were supposed to fight against Pakistan, not against one another).

The edited clips also use a statement by Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. In the clip, he says, When something wrong happens at home, we question the chowkidar first.

The video also includes a press statement by Pakistan Army General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. He says India attacked Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack simply because it could not find any evidence of who was responsible for it.

On April 22, the terrorist attack killed 26 civilians. India launched Operation Sindoor, took military action on May 7 and eliminated terror camps in PoK and Pakistan.

Who's right? Groks reply One user has asked Grok AI to clarify who is right in this argument.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. On May 10, starting from 09:55 (GMT+4), the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the directions of Chambarak district, using small arms, periodically subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

In addition, the Armenian Ministry of Defense is trying to form a false opinion in the international community and prepare the ground for further provocations by disseminating completely false and disinformation information about the alleged shelling and damage of a residential house by the Azerbaijani Army units in the direction of Khanazakh settlement.

We declare that the units of the Azerbaijani Army never open fire on the civilian population or objects.

Our units have taken adequate response measures only in the specified direction, the statement of the Ministry reads.
The United States Geological Survey says over 23,000 calls were made within the hour the quake struck.
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Family and friends gathered at Tennessee River Park over the weekend to honor the life of 18-year-old MaRico Johnson, one of two teens who tragically lost their lives after jumping from a bridge over the Tennessee River in Loudon County last Wednesday.
Pope Leo XIV met with cardinals in the Vatican's synod hall  a deviation from the typical location for the first meeting with cardinals, which is usually held in the apostolic palace.
Longford Senator Joe Flaherty has welcomed the announcement by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency of the opening of the application process, for five new Family Resource Centres (FRCs) nationwide.

He said: The success of FRCs in Granard and Ballymahon have long highlighted the absence of a similar facility for Longford town and we have waited almost a decade for this call for applications.

A network of FRCs have been active in Ireland for over 20 years and have a significant impact locally, regionally and nationally.

Also read: A family resource centre in Longford town 'is key to the needs of the community'

FRCs impact on the lives of children, families, individual adults including older people and whole communities because of their human rights-based approach to community development across the life-course.

Their progressive approach means they provide empowering, non-stigmatising supports for all the community but also more targeted supports to those who need it most.

Also read: Longford man honoured for donating 100 pints of blood

Senator Flaherty added, I championed additional funding to expand the FRC network in Budget 2025 and this will allow an additional five FRCs nationally and it is critical we ensure Longford towns inclusion.

The Senator also commended Longford County Council and the Community Partnership team who have done a considerable body of work in anticipation of this announcement.

Also read: Landmark moment for north Longford town as incredible Lus na Greine FRC is opened

He concluded: Applications will be managed by Tulsa and Longford County Council now has four weeks to complete what I am certain will be a very strong application.

Also read: Longford GAA sees another successful year at Punchestown Festival
A father of two who was detected drug driving has been disqualified from driving for one year and fined.

Arkadiusz Adler, 45, of Cnoc na Greine, Granard, Longford pleaded guilty at the local district court to the offence last week.

Garda Edward Flanagan said he observed the defendant driving without wearing a seatbelt on January 29, 2023 and he stopped the driver and he spoke to him.

Also read: Evil man jailed for vicious Longford park attack and threat to rape woman

The officer decided during his interaction with Mr Adler to request him to take a roadside oral fluid test for drugs and that test came back positive.

Garda Flanagan said the defendant was subsequently arrested and he provided a blood specimen to a doctor at the garda station and the result was also positive and it exceeded the drug-driving limit.

The court heard Mr Adler had no previous convictions.

Also read: Longford arson accused unable to understand parts of book of evidence

Solicitor Frank Gearty, defending, stated his client, a father of two children, has been living in Ireland for quite a number of years.

Mr Gearty said Mr Adler was compliant and cooperated with Gardai.

"He works in a bakery where he is held in high regard by the community," he said. "He is very sorry to be here, he is a man of good standing otherwise."

Mr Gearty said his client is ordinarily a law-abiding person and he regretted the incident.

Judge Bernadette Owens noted Mr Gearty's comments, Mr Adler's previous good record and his guilty plea but she said unfortunately her hands were tied and she would have to impose a disqualification.

She handed down the mandatory one year driving ban and a 500 fine with six months to pay.

Also read: Gardai seize shotgun, motorbikes and drugs in raids following drone pipe bomb attack
A motorist, who was detected drug-driving four days after he took the substance at a party, has received a one year driving disqualification.

Conor O'Shaughnessy, 29, of Granada View, Granard pleaded guilty at Longford District Court to drug driving at Granard View on April 15, 2024.

Garda Inspector David Jordan, court presenter, said Garda Edward Flanagan was on patrol at 9.55pm when he observed the defendant driving a vehicle and the back left lights were not working.

The prosecuting officer said the registration plate lighting was also not operating and the officer stopped Mr O'Shaughnessy and he got a smell of drugs coming from the vehicle.

Also read: Evil man jailed for vicious Longford park attack and threat to rape woman

The court heard Garda Flanagan then conducted a roadside oral fluid test and the defendant tested positive for drugs and he was arrested and conveyed to Granard Garda Station.

Insp Jordan said a blood specimen was obtained by a doctor and drugs were found to be in his system.

Mr O'Shaughnessy had no previous road traffic related convictions.

Solicitor Diarmuid Quinn said his client took the drugs four days prior to his detection at a party.

"He accepts he was wrong and he is entering a plea on that basis," he added.

Also read: Longford arson accused unable to understand parts of book of evidence

Mr Quinn said his client, a father of two children, had to regularly bring family members to medical appointments and a disqualification would have a significant impact and he applied for a postponement.

Judge Bernadette Owens agreed to defer the 12-month ban until October 1 and fined him 500 with 10 months to pay.

Also read: Gardai seize shotgun, motorbikes and drugs in raids following drone pipe bomb attack
Longford apprentice Dan OShea, aged 20, has been announced as the winner of this years Screwfix Trade Apprentice competition.

Dan, from Newtowncashel, who is currently completing an electrical apprenticeship at GRETB, fended off the challenge of nine other trade apprentices from across the UK and Ireland to be crowned Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2025 winner at the final which was held in Googles offices in London on Wednesday (May 7) & Thursday (May 8) of this week.

Dan wins an incredible prize bundle of tools, training and technology worth 10,000  while also scooping 2,000 worth of Screwfix vouchers for his college.

PICTURES | Glorious sunshine and a day of top class entertainment at Longford's Daytime Barn Dance



Dan is an electrical apprentice who the judges said ticked all the boxes with his drive to diversify the industry.



A spokesperson for Screwfix said, "The trade is lucky to have Dan, and were looking forward to where this accolade will take them.



"Well done to Dan, and a big shout out to our nine other finalists who were whittled down from more than 2000 applicants to get to the final!"

Also read: It's electrifying: Aspiring Longford electrician battling it out for 10,000 prize in London final
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. Contacts related to the demarcation process will continue, Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister, told reporters during his visit to the Alley of Honor to mark the 102nd anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, Trend reports.

"Negotiations on the peace agreement text were finalized in March. However, Armenia now has specific expectations from Azerbaijan.

These include the removal of territorial claims against Azerbaijan from Armenia's Constitution and the dissolution of the Minsk Group.

Several discussions on the delimitation process have already taken place, and this process will continue moving forward," he said.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Gardai in Mayo are investigating the death of a man in Newport after a vehicle entered the sea in the west Mayo town on Saturday afternoon.

The tragedy occurred at approximately 5.30pm when emergency services received a report of a vehicle entering the water at the Point area of Newport Quay.

According to the Mayo News, A number of people were in the area at the time and witnessed the car entering the water and some jumped into the water to try to assist the male driver but were unable to do so.

Members of the Westport Coast Guard unit as well as An Garda Siochana, fire service and the Irish Coast Guard emergency helicopter attended the location and local divers later retrieved the body of a male from the vehicle. Emergency services confirmed there were no other people in the car when it entered the water.

It is understood that the deceased male aged in his 60s lived in the Newport area. His body was transferred to Mayo University Hospital where a post mortem is due to take place to determine the cause of death.

READ ALSO: Fears of unfolding tragedy, amid major search and rescue operation in Donegal

The car was taken from the water shortly after 8pm and the area has been sealed off pending a garda forensic examination of the area.

A garda investigation is underway to determine exactly what happened and any witnesses are asked to contact Westport garda station.
Crime

By Long Island Published: May 10 2025

Police arrested the owner and four patrons of Las Lajas Deli in Huntington Station during a late-night raid uncovering drug possession and code violations.

Suffolk County Police last night arrested the owner and four patrons of a Huntington Station restaurant during an inspection.

In response to community complaints, Second Precinct Crime Section officers, in conjunction with New York State Liquor Authority, Town of Huntington Code Enforcement and Town of Huntington Fire Marshal, conducted a SLA Inspection at Las Lajas Deli, located at 156 Depot Road, at 10:05 p.m.

During the inspection, the owner of the restaurant, Yony Zelaya, 40, of Huntington Station, was charged with Disorderly Premise, a misdemeanor. He is scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on May 10.

The following patrons of the restaurant were arrested for possession of cocaine:

 Wilfredo Perez, 48, of Huntington Station, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 5th Degree (a felony) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree (a misdemeanor.)



 Danery Ulioaulioa, 42, of Huntington Station, was charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree (a misdemeanor.)



 Edis Doblado, 41, of Huntington Station, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree (a misdemeanor.)



 Wilson Orellana-Mejia, 41, of Huntington Station, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree (a misdemeanor.)

They are scheduled to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on May 29.

The State Liquor Authority observed numerous violations and is conducting a further investigation into the establishment, as well as the Town of Huntington Code Enforcement and Fire Marshal, who issued four combined violations.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Luxembourg City, alongside Brussels, Strasbourg and Frankfurt, is one of four cities officially recognised as a seat of European institutions. But the Grand Duchy could have been the location of a European mega-capital centred around the tri-border region near Schengen on the Moselle, if American architect James Marshall Miller had had his way.

His plan for a European capital was ambitious to say the least. According to his 1963 book, Lake Europa: A New Capital for a United Europe, his metropolis would house administrative buildings as well as residential neighbourhoods for some 500,000 inhabitants, which he projected would grow to a city of two million by the year 2000.

Luxembourg as seat of the ESCC

The capital of the Grand Duchy had hosted the very first seat of the forerunner of what would become the European Union, the European Steel and Coal Community (ESCC), which was born of an idea from Luxembourg-born French statesman Robert Schuman.

Even back in 1952, the members of the ESCC  which included Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy as well as Luxembourg and France  could not agree on where the institution would have its seat. Luxembourg turned out to be a good compromise and the ESCCs nine-member High Authority was established in Luxembourg, while the 78-seat assembly was located in Strasbourg.

The Spuerkeess building on Place de Metz was the original seat of the High Authority of the ESCC  Photo credit: Gerry Huberty

The High Authority was eventually housed in a grand building on the Place de Metz that had formerly been occupied by offices of the national railway company. Today, the building  one of the capital citys most familiar landmarks  is home to the national savings bank Spuerkeess.

But the member states of what by then had become the European Economic Community (ECC) after the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957 sought a more permanent seat for its main institutions. Following a competition, in which Paris and Nice, Milan and Turin also vied to host an institution, Brussels was selected by the European Parliamentary Assembly as the third seat.

Surmounting political, geographical and cultural factors

It was in this context that Miller, a professor in the division of planning housing of the School of Architecture at Columbia University in New York, had devised his plan. According to Carola Hein, chair at Delft University of Technology, Miller intended his proposal to surmount the political, geographical and cultural factors that thus far had hindered the construction of a European capital district.

Politico has described the resulting plans as being like a Brasilia-style Europolis straddling the borders of Luxembourg, France and Germany. The metropolis would eventually cover an area of 200 square kilometres by assimilating existing villages in the region as multifunctional urban satellites.

James Marshall Millers plans for a Brasilia-style Europolis straddling the borders of Luxembourg, France and Germany  Photo credit: James Marshall Miller: Lake Europa: A New Capital for a United Europe

The project was certainly ambitious, incorporating what Hein calls mixed-use urban islands that would allow for additive, cell-like growth. He designed their main buildings in the spirit of modernist icons: the plenary hall of the UNESCO building in Paris, the Metropolitan Opera House and the UN Secretariat in New York, among others, she wrote in a 2006 paper entitled In search of the icons of Europe.

Multilevel transport system

A story on the My House of European History site claims that Miller had envisaged a complex, multilevel urban transport system that would have automobile traffic at the upper level, monorail links and cycle paths below and pedestrians at ground level.

Miller, who was a pacifist and idealist, had an artificial lake at the heart of the new European metropolis. He was, wrote Hein, one of the few visionaries who focused on the symbolism of the European capital city.

Furthermore, to overcome the reticence of member states, Miller had some innovative ideas for the projects funding. They included the creation of a semi-public or private development corporation that would transfer control to the appropriate ECC authority once European unity was achieved.

But the Eurocrats had other ideas. In 1965 the member states agreed that the existing capitals of Luxembourg, Brussels and Strasbourg shall remain the provisional places of work of the institutions of the Communities.

Hein wrote that Miller continued to promote the Lake Europa project into the late 1970s but said that it met the same fate as many earlier world city plans. The necessary political, economic, spatial and cultural prerequisites for a new capital city were clearly missing.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev inspected the multifunctional administrative building constructed for local executive bodies in Kangarli village, Trend reports.

The facility is designed to provide public services to residents from a single location.

It features a conference hall for hosting various events, along with offices equipped to ensure the efficient operation of staff.
Dear Eric: My wifes brother and his wife recently left on a six-week overseas trip, leaving their 14-year-old son at home with his grandfather, who speaks very little English. They didnt leave any instructions with anyone in case of an emergency.

My wife and I are close to their son, Bobby. Last week, Bobby had a mental breakdown. He called us, and we took him to see his doctor, who after asking a number of questions, promptly instructed us to take him to the psych ward at the adjacent hospital. He was subsequently moved to a behavioral health clinic where he is currently a patient.

Both my wife and I pleaded with her brother Sid to come home, that their son needed them. The social workers, Bobbys doctor and his counselors have tried to persuade Sid and his wife to come home to no avail. Hes ignored my messages and has talked to his sister twice to check in.

To see Bobby like this is killing us, and I can hardly control my anger at Sid and his wife. What, if anything, should I say when they return from their trip?

Furious Uncle

Dear Uncle: I should think the social workers and doctors will have a lot to say to Sid and his wife, probably before you have a chance to speak with them. Bobby is clearly in crisis and their disregard not only comes across as callous but strongly suggests a troubling home life.

Because youre close with Bobby and you stepped up when the parents didnt, I think you should say whatevers on your mind  that youre angry, that youre concerned, that you dont understand their actions. What feels more important than venting, however, is making sure they know, and Bobby knows, that he has an advocate. Please keep in contact with the social workers, as well. If Bobby is being neglected at home, hes going to continue to need someone like you to stand up for him.

(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)

2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A Brockton man was arrested and charged on Thursday in connection with a stabbing incident, according to the West Bridgewater Police Department.

Mario Babbs, 38, was charged with attempted murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery, according to a statement from the department.

The stabbing happened on May 8 at around 11 p.m.

West Bridgewater Police responded to a Spring Street home after receiving two 911 calls reporting that a man was severely bleeding from the neck.

Once they arrived, officers found a 36-year-old East Bridgewater man with a towel around his neck attempting to control the bleeding. The man was driven by ambulance to Boston Medical Center. His condition is unknown.

Through an investigation, police determined that an altercation occurred inside the home, where several people known to one another gathered. Babbs is accused of forcibly entering a bedroom and stabbing the 36-year-old several times in the head and neck, police said.

Babbs is accused of running from the home, but was found nearby in a wooded area by West Bridgewater Police Officer Richard Flaherty and K-9 Fedor.

He was taken into custody without incident and brought to Boston Medical Center, while in custody. Babbs was then brought to the West Bridgewater Police Department for booking.

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The death of a man in Lynnfield on Friday night is under investigation as a homicide, Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker and Lynnfield Police Chief Nick Secatore said in a statement Saturday afternoon.

Police went to an address at Lookout Terrace after receiving a 911 call and found a 55-year-old man with apparent trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

Police are withholding the mans identity pending notification of his family.

Lynnfield Police and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to Tuckers office, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are investigating the mans death.

Investigators do not think there is a threat to the public at this time, the statement said.
White South Africans demonstrate in support of U.S. President Donald Trump in front of the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)

More than two dozen white South Africans will be welcomed as refugees to the United States next week by the Trump administration, an unusual move because it has suspended most refugee resettlement operations, officials and documents said Friday.

The first Afrikaner refugees are expected to arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., according to a document obtained by The Associated Press. They are expected to be greeted by a government delegation, including the deputy secretary of state and officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, whose refugee office has organized their resettlement.

The flight will be the first of several in a much larger-scale relocation effort, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller told reporters, according to AP.

The Trump administration has taken a number of steps against South Africa, accusing the Black-led government of pursuing anti-white policies at home and an anti-American foreign policy. The South African government denies the allegations and says the U.S. criticism is full of misinformation, according to AP.

While State Department refugee programs have been suspended  halting arrivals from Afghanistan, Iraq, most of sub-Saharan Africa and other countries in a move being challenged in court  President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February prioritizing the processing of white South Africans claiming racial discrimination.

Whats happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created, Miller said. This is persecution based on a protected characteristic  in this case, race. This is race-based persecution.

Efforts to get white South Africans to the US

Since Trumps executive order, the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria has been conducting interviews, prioritizing consideration for U.S. refugee resettlement of Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination, the State Department said.

The department said nothing about the imminent arrival of what officials said are believed to be more than two dozen white South Africans from roughly four families who applied for resettlement in the U.S. Their arrival had originally been scheduled for early last week but was delayed for reasons that were not immediately clear. the AP reported.

The HHS Office for Refugee Resettlement was ready to offer them support, including with housing, furniture and other household items, and expenses like groceries, clothing, diapers and more, the document says. This effort is a stated priority of the Administration.

HHS didnt respond to messages from the AP seeking comment.

Supporters of the refugee program questioned why the Trump administration was moving so quickly to resettle white South Africans while halting the wider refugee program, which brings people to the U.S. who are displaced by war, natural disaster or persecution and involves significant vetting in a process that often takes years.

We are concerned that the U.S. Government has chosen to fast-track the admission of Afrikaners, while actively fighting court orders to provide life-saving resettlement to other refugee populations who are in desperate need, Church World Services president Rick Santos said in a statement, AP reported. His group has been assisting refugees for more than 70 years.

Letting in white South Africans while keeping out Afghans is hypocrisy, said Shawn VanDiver, who heads #AfghanEvac, which helps resettle Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the two-decade war.

Afghans who served alongside U.S. forces, who taught girls, who fought for democracy, and who now face Taliban reprisals, meet every definition of a refugee, he told AP. Afghans risked their lives for us. That should matter, he said.

Trump administration has accused South Africa of anti-white policies

The Trump administration alleges the South African government has allowed minority white Afrikaner farmers to be persecuted and attacked, while introducing an expropriation law designed to take away their land.

The South African government has said it was surprised by claims of discrimination against Afrikaners because white people still generally have a much higher standard of living than Black people more than 30 years after the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule.

South Africa is the homeland of close Trump adviser Elon Musk, who has been outspoken in his criticism, and it also holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 developed and developing nations.

What South Africa says about the refugees

South African President Cyril Ramaphosas office said in a statement Friday that he had spoken with Trump late last month on issues including U.S. criticism of the country and allegations that Afrikaners are being persecuted, the AP reported. Ramaphosa told Trump that the information the U.S. president had received was completely false.

Therefore, our position is that there are no South African citizens that can be classified as refugees to any part of the world, including the U.S., the statement said.

The South African foreign ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Alvin Botes spoke with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Friday about the refugees. Landau is expected to lead the delegation to welcome the group Monday, according to AP..

South Africa expressed concerns and denied allegations of discrimination against Afrikaners, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

It is most regrettable that it appears that the resettlement of South Africans to the United States under the guise of being refugees is entirely politically motivated and designed to question South Africas constitutional democracy, the statement said, according to AP. It noted that the country has worked to prevent any repeat of the type of persecution and discrimination that happened under apartheid rule.

The foreign ministry said it would not block anyone who wanted to leave as it respected their freedom of movement and choice.

But it said it was seeking information about the status of the people leaving South Africa, wanting assurances that they had been properly vetted and did not have outstanding criminal cases.

The foreign ministry added that South Africa was dedicated to constructive dialogue with the U.S.
Nurses consistently rank as the most trusted professionals in the country. Nursing is said to be an art and science practiced with the heart and the mind. It integrates a respect for human dignity with intuition for a patients needs.

It also requires rigorous education. Nursing is a holistic approach to wellness which cares for the whole person  biological, physical, emotional, behavioral, social and spiritual. The art includes compassion, caring, understanding and communicating. The science requires an understanding of pathophysiology, disease process, technical skills and evidence based practice.

National Nurses Week 2025 is May 6-12. This years theme is The Power of Nurses and will celebrate the unparalleled contributions of nurses and call on the public to honor their essential role in shaping a healthier future for all of us.

The American Nurses Enterprise (ANE) which encompasses the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) together shines a national spotlight on nurses as the driving force behind compassionate care, innovation and transformative changes in health care.

May 6 was National Nurses Day. May 8th was National Student Nurses Day. And May 12 is International Nurses Day. It is not a coincidence that May 12 is also Florence Nightingales birthday. Florence Nightingale (May 12, 1820 to Aug. 13, 1910) is renowned as the founder of modern nursing. Thus, nurses week is also in honor of her contribution to nursing.

There are over four million nurses in the US. Nursing is more than a profession. It is a calling grounded in purpose, compassion and service, according to Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president, ANA. Nursing roles vary tremendously. Nurses deliver direct patient care, case management, psychiatric nursing, establishing nursing practice standards, teaching, developing quality assurance and directing complex nursing care systems. My cousin who is a nurse practitioner is a chief of medical staff. Nursing includes licensed practical nurses (LPN), registered nurses (RN) and advanced practice nurses (APRN, NP, CNS, CRNA, CNM).

Angela Beddoe, CEO of the ANE states, Our mission is to champion nurses by prioritizing their well-being and ensuring they have support, recognition and resources needed to thrive. Nurses week will do this with national press conferences, educational webinars, direct engagement with policy makers and lighting up over 100 buildings, landmarks, monuments, hospitals and bridges across America to honor nurses.

Our well being is a topic in itself. I sat down with my laptop this week intending to write a column on the prevalence of verbal and physical violence inflected upon nurses and other health care staff. Policy makers are finally acknowledging and doing something about it. I was reminded it is Nurses Week and chose instead to applaud those hard working, empathetic souls who return to the battlefield day after day despite the negativity. We enter this profession for the sole purpose of helping people.

We expect to deal with patients who are stressed dealing with the unknown, illnesses and injuries. No one is at their best during those times. But health care providers do not deserve physical or verbal aggression for doing their job and trying their best to care for people.

Knowing first hand what my amazing coworkers and colleagues deal with, Im sending a huge and heartfelt thank you to all the nurses out there.

Another thank you to the many corporate sponsors who have donated money and products to nursing associations and nurses during this week. Sending gratitude to patients, their families and the community who acknowledge and appreciate the care they receive.

Lastly, a shout out to children walking around with their toy medical kits giving check-ups to their parents, pets and stuffed animals, those who want to become a nurse and student nurses  I will trust you in years to come to make health care a better place. Please take time to extend your gratitude to each nurse in your life and those you encounter today and everyday, they need care too.

Take care of yourself and someone else.

Juanita Carnes is a nurse practitioner with 39 years of experience in a hospital emergency department and urgent care facilities. She served 30 years on the Board of Health in Westfield, Massachusetts.
President Michael D. Higgins hosted officers and volunteers from Civil Defence units across the country at Aras an Uachtarain to mark 75 years of Civil Defence in Ireland.

Francis Power, Civil Defence Officer for Mayo remarked 'in our 75th year it is important that our members are recognised for the commitment they have given to their communities in the good times and during the more difficult and challenging situations they respond to, we were delighted to attend this reception.

READ: Extra dates added as Mayo film premiere attracts huge crowds

The President paid tribute to decades of service by Civil Defence Volunteers stating: Sabina and I are delighted to mark 75 years since the establishment of the Civil Defence. Whether it be through its service in medical rescue, search and rescue, emergency response, radiation monitoring, or community assistance, the Civil Defence volunteers have shown, time and again, their dedication and response capability in support of the primary emergency services and their local communities.

I take this opportunity to commend all members, past and present, for this work and for their spirit of volunteerism, giving back to their local community and indeed to wider society.

The Civil Defence is organised on a local authority basis across the State. The organisation was first established by the Government in December 1950, in preparation for a potential nuclear war which was then seen as distinctly possible.

At that time, the emphasis was on war response, including search and rescue, medical first aid, and welfare through rest centres. The modern Civil Defence has evolved into a professionalised volunteer service, specialising in the use of drones and thermal cameras for search and rescue, and operating a modern fleet of response vehicles and boats.

A voluntary organisation comprising of approximately 50 volunteers from the whole county, Mayo Civil Defence provides support to Primary Response Agencies and local communities with highly trained members whose activities are valued by front line emergency services and local communities, attending approximately 100 events annually at a local level..

Many of the non-emergency response duties are in support of local communities. To ensure it can continue to serve local communities, Civil Defence needs volunteers from all communities, and is actively recruiting across the country for a range of skillsets.

READ: Road closure in busy Mayo town planned for next five days
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has toured Kangarli villages club-community center, where he reviewed the conditions created, Trend reports.

The two-story facility includes designated rooms for dance and other hobby groups. Its hall is fully equipped to host events celebrating special occasions, as well as gatherings and meetings for young people.
by Colin Kirkland , May 9, 2025

Pinterest reported its first quarter revenue this week, following similar results trends compared to some of its social media competitors and ultimately boosting both revenue and its user base.

In Q1 2025, Pinterest added 17 million monthly active users, raising its total base to about 570 million MAUs. The increase highlights the companys ability to continue appealing to more people in all markets, with its Rest of the World sector growing slightly more this past quarter than Europe or North America.

Still, this quarter marks its greatest growth numbers in the past five quarters, adding 1 million more users in the U.S. and Canada, 3 million more users in Europe and 13 million more users in other regions, marking a 10% increase globally year-over-year and a 4% rise in North America.

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Compared to last quarter -- Pinterests first-ever $1 billion quarter -- Q1 saw lower increases in revenue per user, with $6.54 per user in North America, compared to $9 in Q4 2024. However, the companys average revenue per user is still up year-over-year in every market and 5% globally.

Overall, the company brought in $855 million in Q1, marking a 16% rise year-over-year globally and a 12% rise in North America. The platform is more than doubling that revenue growth in other regions as well, reporting 24% revenue growth in Europe and 49% in other markets  India and Japan being among the most promising new markets for the platform.

The day after Pinterest released its revenue report, the company announced a new partnership with Magnite, an online advertising firm that will become Pinterests sole supply-side platform. According to Pinterest CEO Bill Ready, Magnite will help the company aggregate smaller sources in regard to advertising opportunities, ultimately connecting the company with more brands.

Pinterest attributes its positive quarterly results to its addition of more AI-powered ad tools, including its Performance+ suite and in-stream discovery features, which Ready says are helping users make more intentional shopping decisions.

Notably, Pinterest also reported seeing enhanced interest from financial services marketers.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, May 9, 2025

Texas on Friday became the second state to pass a bill that would require app distributors like Google and Apple to verify all users' ages and then block minors under 18 from downloading apps without parental permission.

The App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) now heads to Governor Greg Abbott for signature.

Utah passed a similar bill in March, and Louisiana advanced a comparable measure this week. Earlier this month Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Representative John James (R-Michigan) introduced a national version of the bill.

The tech-funded policy group Chamber of Progress criticized the Texas measure, arguing that age-verification mandates and parental consent requirements for apps are unconstitutional.

The bill violates our First Amendment rights, Kouri Marshall, the Chamber of Progress's director of state and location government relations for the central region, tells MediaPost.

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It restricts access to constitutionally protected speech, even for adults, he adds.

A number of states throughout the country have recently passed laws that either restrict teens' use of social media, or regulate the ability of social platforms -- but not app stores -- to serve content to teens.

Many of those laws are currently facing court challenges, and so far judges have blocked all or parts of those laws in Ohio, Arkansas, Utah, Texas and California.

In 2011, the Supreme Court struck down a California law that would have prohibited the sale of violent video games to minors, without parental consent.
A few days ago, we had reported that producers are rushing to secure the title of Operation Sindoor, and now we have a big development on that news. The latest announcement According to the latest developments, Vicky Nicky Bhagnani Films and The Content Engineer have secured the rights to the title Operation Sindoor and they also released a tentative poster for the movie.

 Instagram/Indian Army In the poster, you can see a female soldier applying sindoor on her head, holding a gun in her other hand, while tanks rain fire in the background. Though none of the production houses have released the poster officially, many Bollywood websites and social media handles like Viral Bhayani and more have shared the first look.

The reactions Social media users are furious after the release of the poster and a majority of them are trolling the makers for milking an ongoing war-like situation between both countries. One user commented, Actors and celebrities dont have the guts to say anything publicly and they just want to mint money by making a movie on this . Wow brilliant. Another user commented, Milking an ongoing war, with an AI generated poster. This is as dystopian as it gets.

 Instagram/Viral Bhayani One user reacted, Are u guys really insane.. we r suffering this every night.. pleading to god to see the morning light.. sleeping with kids beside us pls dnt make fun of us or our emotions. Another user reacted, Have some morals and ethics, People are dying and u are entertaining atm. Our families and soldiers are dying#if u wont sop uploading such silly stuff uwill get all hatred from us.

 Instagram/Viral Bhayani Director Uttam Maheshwari has posted a note on his Instagram story, apologising for his premature announcement. He said, "My sincere apologies for recently announcing a film based on Operation Sindoor, inspired by the recent heroic efforts of our Indian Armed Forces. The intent was never to hurt or provoke anyones sentiments."
It's no secret that Sunny Deols films are banned in Pakistan, largely due to their portrayal of hyper-patriotism and often aggressive nationalist themes.

This long-standing ban gains renewed relevance in light of recent developments surrounding his upcoming projects  Lahore 1947 andBorder 2 both of which are expected to stir strong reactions given their politically charged narratives.

The developments

As per latest updates, Sunny Deol had nearly completed filming Lahore 1947, with only patchwork scenes remaining. However, in the wake of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attacks and Operation Sindoor, the Ghatak actor has chosen to shift his focus to Border 2. As a result, the patchwork on Lahore 1947 has been put on hold for the time being.
Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has inspected the newly built individual houses in Kangarli village, Trend reports.

The first phase of resettlement will see 1,279 people move to Kangarli. 292 houses, ranging from two to five rooms, have already been completed.

A total of 72.5 hectares of land has been allocated for the first phase of the village's development, accounting for future population growth.
Shah Rukh Khans Met Gala appearance sparked a frenzy across social media, with many creators mocking his outfit as dull and overly pretentious. While opinions online remain sharply divided and criticism continues to pour in, Khloe Kardashian offered a contrasting take. Taking to Snapchat, she shared multiple stories applauding Shah Rukh Khan and expressing her admiration for his Met Gala look.

 Instagram/Pooja Dadlani Khloe wrote, King Khan. And of course Im a fan of the K necklace (wink face emoji). He looked amazing, and its so great to see how the talented designers incorporate elements of their own culture and fashion from around the world with the theme of the event. She added, His look by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee incorporated design elements of Indian menswear. I loved seeing King Khan at The Met. Hes the first male Bollywood actor to ever attend. I first learned about him when I visited India with Kim last year.

The reactions People are now praising Khloe and her sense of style. One user commented, Its funny how foreign celebrities appreciating, but Indians judging unnecessarily.

Another user commented, OMG your Tweet was a feel good Moment after all the hate towards Shah Rukh I saw today on Twitter. Oh sorry it is X now. Thank you for the post.
**Is the Internet Turning Our Brains into Jelly?**







(Is Google Making Us Stupid)

Lets be honest. You opened this article, read the first two sentences, and then glanced at your phone. Maybe you switched tabs to check a notification. Maybe you wondered whats trending on Twitter. Dont worryyoure not alone. The way we think, read, and even *live* is changing, and the internet is right at the center of it. But heres the real question: is this constant digital snack fest making us smarter, or is it quietly melting our ability to focus?

Think about the last time you tried to read a book. Did your mind wander after a few pages? Did you feel antsy, like you needed to do something else while reading? Studies show our attention spans are shrinking. Back in 2000, the average human attention span was 12 seconds. Now? Its 8 secondsshorter than a goldfishs. Researchers like Nicholas Carr, who wrote the famous essay *Is Google Making Us Stupid?*, argue that the internet isnt just changing *what* we know. Its changing *how* we know it.

The internet gives us answers fast. Type a question, get a Wikipedia summary, a YouTube tutorial, or a Reddit thread in seconds. This is amazing. You can learn to fix a leaky faucet or speak basic Japanese without leaving your couch. But theres a catch. Our brains love efficiency. Over time, they start to rely on the internet as a crutch. Why remember facts when you can Google them? Why read a whole article when a TikTok summary does the job? The problem isnt the information. Its what happens to our minds when we stop exercising them.

Imagine your brain is a muscle. If you only lift light weights, youll never get stronger. The internet is like a gym where every machine does the work for you. You learn without effort. You read without diving deep. Over time, critical thinking and focus weaken. People who skim articles online often struggle to digest complex books. Students who rely on quick searches find it harder to write essays without distractions. Even conversations suffer. How many times have you talked to someone who kept checking their phone mid-sentence?

Memory is changing too. Before smartphones, people remembered phone numbers, directions, and facts. Now, we outsource memory to devices. One Harvard study found that when people know they can find information later, theyre less likely to remember it. This isnt just about laziness. Its about rewiring. The brain adapts. If it doesnt need to store facts, it wont. The downside? We lose the mental scaffolding that helps us think creatively. Without a foundation of knowledge, connecting ideas gets harder.

Social media makes things worse. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok feed us endless content in bite-sized chunks. Scrolling becomes a reflex. Every video or post is designed to hook us fast, then move us to the next thing. This trains our brains to crave constant novelty. Boredom feels unbearable. Deep work feels like a chore. Even hobbies change. Why spend hours painting or playing guitar when you can binge-watch 10-second cooking hacks?

Not everyone agrees this is a disaster. Some argue the internet boosts collaboration and creativity. Writers crowdsource ideas. Scientists share data globally. Artists find audiences overnight. True. But these benefits rely on one thing: our ability to *think deeply*. If we lose that, the tools meant to empower us could end up infantilizing us.







(Is Google Making Us Stupid)

The internet isnt evil. Its a tool. But tools shape their users. A hammer sees every problem as a nail. The internet sees every problem as a search query. The real issue isnt whether were getting stupid. Its whether were trading depth for speed, wisdom for convenience. Every click, scroll, and notification trains us to live in the shallows. The big question isnt about the internet. Its about us. Are we okay with that?

Inquiry us

if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected])
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. On the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the birth of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Turkmenistan organized a conference in Ashgabat titled 'Heydar Aliyev  Energy Diplomacy: in Solidarity for a Green World', the Azerbaijani Embassy in Turkmenistan told Trend.

It was highlighted that the ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan, Gismat Gozalov, provided a comprehensive overview of the life and legacy of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev. He emphasized Heydar Aliyevs exemplary statesmanship, his dedicated service to the prosperity of Azerbaijan, and his significant role in elevating the country's standing on the international stage. Ambassador Gozalov underscored that as the founder of modern Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's energy strategy and laid the groundwork for Azerbaijans emergence as a key actor in the global energy market. He recalled the visionary leadership demonstrated by Heydar Aliyev in the energy sector, particularly highlighting the landmark "Contract of the Century," which, during the early years of independence, greatly contributed to strengthening Azerbaijans economic and political influence. The Ambassador further noted that major energy infrastructure projectssuch as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, and Baku-Supsa pipelineswere initiated under Heydar Aliyevs leadership, solidifying Azerbaijans position as a reliable partner in ensuring global energy security. Addressing the topic of renewable energy, Ambassador Gozalov emphasized that Heydar Aliyevs forward-looking approach to environmental protection and energy diversification laid a robust foundation for Azerbaijans ongoing transition toward green energy. He concluded by affirming that the strategic energy policy envisioned by the National Leader continues to be successfully implemented under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

The Ambassador also underscored the significant outcomes of COP29, highlighting Azerbaijans active engagement in international cooperation on climate change. He noted that Azerbaijans hosting of COP29 stands as one of the most important global events of 2024 and represents a natural extension of the country's strategic commitment to transitioning toward a green economy. In his remarks, the Ambassador also drew attention to the 14 key initiatives proposed by Azerbaijan within the framework of COP29, alongside the numerous events conducted, decisions adopted, and agreements signed during the conference.It was further noted that the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, held as part of COP29, featured high-level discussions on a wide range of critical global issues, including environmental protection, climate finance, sustainable investment, energy, peace, science and technology, food security, urban development, and gender equality. The Ambassador emphasised the broad international participation in these sessions and the introduction of impactful new initiatives across multiple sectors. Among the major outcomes of the conference, he highlighted the establishment of a new climate finance target as a landmark achievement of COP29.In his speech, G. Gozalov also touched upon Azerbaijan's role in global and regional cooperation in the fight against climate change. He drew attention to the cooperation with the countries of Central Asia and the Organisation of Turkic States within the framework of COP29.

He emphasized that, at the initiative of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a strategic partnership agreement on renewable energy was signed between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. As part of this partnership, a landmark project will be implemented to transmit clean energy to Europe via an undersea cable across the Caspian Sea. He further noted that new regional cooperation initiatives in the fields of climate and innovation have been advanced within the frameworks of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programmes, alongside discussions on environmental and transport-related challenges in the Caspian Sea region. Additionally, the Ambassador highlighted the key achievements and statistical data resulting from COP29. He provided participants with an in-depth overview of Azerbaijans green energy strategy, underscoring the countrys significant progress and future prospects in the development of alternative energy sources. Concluding his remarks, the Ambassador once again underlined Azerbaijans active and growing role in the global response to climate change and its contribution to ensuring environmental sustainability and ecological balance at the international level.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Ahmed Gurbanov, stated that Heydar Aliyev is recognized as the founder of Azerbaijans modern energy strategy, known for his foresight and wisdom. The policy he initiated has not only strengthened the countrys economic independence but has also made a significant contribution to the development of international cooperation in the energy sector.

The conference featured remarks by several distinguished participants, including the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye to Turkmenistan, Ahmet Demirok, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom, Stephen Conlon, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nurlan Nogayev. Contributions were also made by Dmitry Shlapachenko, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan,Kakha Imnadze, the UN Secretary-General Special Representative and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, and Ahmet Anil Alishbah, representative of the "Chalik Energy" company.

In addition, the conference included a video address by Fariz Ismayilzade, Member of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Vice-Rector of ADA University. In his remarks, Ismayilzade emphasized the strategic significance of the political legacy of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in todays geopolitical landscape, particularly underscoring the need to continue his visionary approach to modern energy diplomacy. All speakers paid tribute to the memory of Heydar Aliyev, reflecting on his enduring contributions to the region. They discussed key strategic initiatives in the energy sector, the importance of environmental security and the green economy, and the critical role of regional and international energy cooperation in fostering sustainable development. In his speech, Kaha Imnadze particularly highlighted the transformative impact of Azerbaijans energy projects, while also sharing personal reflections on Heydar Aliyev, drawn from his time as an aide to former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze.

As part of the conference program, a video presentation was held featuring archival footage of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, along with video materials highlighting Azerbaijans accomplishments in the field of alternative energy, key achievements from COP29, and relevant chronological statistical data.

The event continued with an official dinner reception, during which guests were treated to performances of classical compositions by renowned Azerbaijani and worldwide composers, creating a refined and culturally rich atmosphere. The conference was attended by ambassadors accredited to Turkmenistan, representatives of international organizations, officials from various institutions, as well as delegates from leading energy companies and members of the media.
The Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed pitcher Buck Farmer, FanSideds Robert Murray reports. Farmer had been a free agent since mid-April, when the Braves released him from a minor league deal.

Farmer, 34, spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Tigers. After moving into a full-time bullpen role in 2018, he was a solid middle reliever for Detroit for three seasons, pitching 158 1/3 innings with 29 holds and a 3.92 ERA from 2018-20. He was never an overpowering presence on the mound, and indeed, many of his underlying metrics suggested his ERA in that span was unsustainable. Still, he was a reliable inning eater out of the bullpen for some mediocre Tigers teams that desperately needed those innings. Unfortunately, he struggled so badly in 2021 that he was designated for assignment and passed through waivers twice. The first time, the Tigers sent him outright to Triple-A. The second time, he was granted his release.

After a brief stint in the Rangers minor league system, Farmer resuscitated his career with the Reds. Across three seasons in Cincinnati from 2022-24, he pitched to a 3.68 ERA and a 3.99 SIERA over 193 innings. Rarely did he enter in high-leverage spots, but even so, he was a key player in the Reds bullpen all three years. In that time, only 15 relievers threw more innings than Farmer. Thats all the more impressive considering it took him some time to establish himself in 2022, and he only threw 47 innings in the majors that year.

Despite his solid, dependable performance over the previous three seasons, Farmer was only able to land a minor league deal this winter, which he signed just days before spring training began. He struggled in five spring appearances with the Braves, giving up four runs on eight hits and four walks. His struggles continued at Triple-A, where he gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Nonetheless, Farmers big league track record, and particularly his time with the Reds, speaks louder than his poor performance in a handful of spring training and Triple-A appearances. Thus, its hardly surprising that he landed a new minor league deal, and one would have to think his chances of returning to the majors are much better with the Angels than they were with the Braves. Indeed, just a few days ago, the Angels selected the contracts of two veteran relievers whom they had signed to minor league deals: Hector Neris and Connor Brogdon. Angels relievers have an ugly 7.15 ERA this season, and their bullpen ranks second-to-last in the majors in FanGraphs WAR. So, if Farmer pitches well at Triple-A, L.A. wont have trouble making room for him in the big league bullpen.
The Blue Jays announced that they have placed second baseman Andres Gimenez on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain. Infielder Michael Stefanic had his contract selected from Triple-A to replace Gimenez on the active roster. In a corresponding move to open a space on the 40-man, right-handed reliever Dillon Tate was designated for assignment.

Gimenez exited Wednesdays game against the Angels early after hurting himself while running to first base on a bunt hit. He sat out the series finale on Thursday, so his IL placement is retroactive to May 8. The second baseman has struggled at the plate so far in his first season with the Blue Jays. Still, he has offered value with his Gold Glove-caliber defense and strong baserunning. Needless to say, his glove and his legs will be missed for however long he is out. As of right now, its hard to say how long that will be; the severity of his strain has not yet been made clear. In Gimenezs place, Ernie Clement will most likely get the bulk of the starts at second base.

Stefanic signed with the Angels as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and made his big league debut for L.A. in 2022. He appeared in 90 games for the Angels from 2022-24, seeing time at both second and third base. The infielder slashed .232/.317/.275 with a 72 wRC+ in 264 trips to the plate. Stefanic elected free agency last fall after he was outrighted off of L.A.s 40-man roster, and he quickly latched on with the Blue Jays, signing a minor league pact in November. He has continued to mash at Triple-A Buffalo, much like he did as a minor leaguer in the Angels system. So far this year, he hit .319 with an .826 OPS and a 142 wRC+ prior to his call-up.

The Blue Jays claimed Tate off waivers from the Orioles in September 2024. He was a dependable middle reliever for Baltimore from 2020-22, pitching 158 innings with a 3.65 ERA and a 3.62 SIERA. However, he missed the 2023 season with a right elbow flexor strain and has not looked nearly as effective since his return. He pitched particularly poorly in his five appearances for Toronto this season, giving up three runs on seven hits and six walks in 5 1/3 innings of work.
The Brewers have signed Bobby Dalbec to a minor league deal and assigned the infielder to Triple-A, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

After signing a minor league deal with the White Sox during the offseason, Dalbecs contract was selected to Chicagos active roster a little over three weeks ago, and he hit .222/.333/.278 over 21 plate appearances in his brief time in a Pale Hose uniform. The Sox designated him for assignment earlier this week, and once Dalbec cleared waivers, he opted for free agency instead of an outright assignment to Triple-A, as was his right since Dalbec has previously been outrighted in his career.

It wasnt long ago that Dalbec was a top-100 prospect, and viewed as a potential first baseman of the future in Boston. A big .959 OPS over 92 PA in 2020 hinted at this potential, and a .240/.298/.494 slash line and 25 homers over a large sample size of 453 PA in 2021 seemed to be a step forward, even if his 34.44% strikeout rate that season underlined his major flaw at the plate. Since Opening Day 2022, Dalbec has hit only .199/.272/.328 in 520 PA at the big league level, with 195 whiffs in those 520 trips to the dish.

Now 29 years old, Dalbec may be a depth option in Milwaukee, though the Brew Crews relative weakness at third base may provide an opening for more MLB playing time. Rookie Caleb Durbin has been getting most of the time at the hot corner, and with Vinny Capra just designated for assignment, Dalbec now gives the Brewers a bit of experienced depth. Dalbec has primarily been a first baseman for most of his career, but he has amassed a good chunk of playing time at third base, plus a handful of appearances as a right fielder at both middle infield slots.
Dear Eric: My wifes brother and his wife recently left on a six-week overseas trip, leaving their 14-year-old son at home with his grandfather, who speaks very little English. They didnt leave any instructions with anyone in case of an emergency.

My wife and I are close to their son, Bobby. Last week, Bobby had a mental breakdown. He called us, and we took him to see his doctor, who after asking a number of questions, promptly instructed us to take him to the psych ward at the adjacent hospital. He was subsequently moved to a behavioral health clinic where he is currently a patient.

Both my wife and I pleaded with her brother Sid to come home, that their son needed them. The social workers, Bobbys doctor and his counselors have tried to persuade Sid and his wife to come home to no avail. Hes ignored my messages and has talked to his sister twice to check in.

To see Bobby like this is killing us, and I can hardly control my anger at Sid and his wife. What, if anything, should I say when they return from their trip?

 Furious Uncle

Dear Uncle: I should think the social workers and doctors will have a lot to say to Sid and his wife, probably before you have a chance to speak with them. Bobby is clearly in crisis and their disregard not only comes across as callous but strongly suggests a troubling home life.

Because youre close with Bobby and you stepped up when the parents didnt, I think you should say whatevers on your mind  that youre angry, that youre concerned, that you dont understand their actions. What feels more important than venting, however, is making sure they know, and Bobby knows, that he has an advocate. Please keep in contact with the social workers, as well. If Bobby is being neglected at home, hes going to continue to need someone like you to stand up for him.

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.

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GRAYLING, MI  Its snake week at Camp Grayling.

Each spring, dozens of conservation researchers and volunteers descend on the Michigan Army National Guard base in northern Lower Michigan for four days of scientific rattlesnake wrangling. Venomous eastern massasauga rattlesnakes are captured in whats called a blitz style field survey, then are carefully inspected by scientists and returned to the exact spot they were found in nature.

Camp Graylings resident rattlesnake population is part of multi-year research expected to help conservation scientists ultimately bolster the federally threatened species and recover its dwindling population in Michigan and elsewhere. This was the 7th year of data collection in the unique, long-term study of the species.

This year, survey teams captured 38 of the rattlesnakes, officials said.

Sometimes the searchers even find the same snakes again and again. They keep track with microchips injected beneath the skin, just like with pet dogs or cats.

Yesterday, we had an adult female that was originally captured in 2018 as an adult, said Matt Kleitch, Camp Graylings natural resource and environmental manager.

And she was pregnant this year, too, he said. We could feel the embryos in there.

That means the gravid, or pregnant, female was at least 10 years old and still reproducing as part of what Kleitch called a robust population of eastern massasaugas at the military base.

Despite the constant drizzle on the morning of Tuesday, May 6, field searchers captured three rattlesnakes at Camp Grayling before calling off the rest of the afternoon for poor weather. Officials said finding even that many on a cold, rainy spring day was impressive given the species renowned elusiveness.

They dont mess with people. Theyre not interested in infringing on anybody. They just want to bask in the sun and eat rodents, said Morgan Boyer, a zoological technician with Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) who assisted on a field team.

This is a federally threatened eastern massasauga rattlesnake photographed at Michigan Army National Guard's Camp Grayling in northern Michigan. Matt Kleitch

Although temperaments of individual snakes vary, the eastern massasauga rattlesnake is generally considered timid. Wildlife experts say it typically wont strike or bite unless stepped on or otherwise touched, which only rarely happens.

Theyre a really cool snake, just the fact that theyre adapted to these northern climates, unlike most other rattlesnakes, Boyer said.

And as a keystone species, the eastern massasauga is an indicator of high-quality wetland ecosystems. A decline in the venomous snakes means theres something wrong happening with the habitat.

The finger on the pulse is the eastern massasauga, Boyer said.

Michigan is considered the last stronghold of this rattlesnake species, with a greater population than any other U.S. state or Canadian province in its natural habitat range. Eastern massasaugas can be found in scattered locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ontario.

The primary reasons attributed to the snakes decline is habitat loss or fragmentation, as well as indiscriminate killing by humans and illegal collection. Scientists are also studying the impact of climate change and wintertime snow depth loss on reproduction rates and overall survivability of the rattlesnake species.

Each time an eastern massasauga is spotted during snake week at Camp Grayling, a federally licensed field expert uses tools like a snake hook or grabber tongs to safely capture the creature and place it within a pillowcase inside a 5-gallon plastic bucket.

Back at a small field laboratory, other scientists receive each rattlesnake and carefully remove them from the bucket and pillowcase with the same types of tools. Then they collect a variety of data points for the ongoing herpetological research project.

On May 6, they processed an adult male rattlesnake that had never been captured before.

Theyre hard to find. Theres a good chance survey crews have walked by the snake multiple times before and just didnt see it because they just kind of hunker down and theyre camouflaged, Kleitch said.

The researchers weighed and measured the length of the male rattlesnake before they injected a tiny microchip beneath its skin.

First, MNFI conservation scientist Yu Man Lee worked with wildlife biologist Mike Ravesi to manipulate the business end of the rattlesnake into a plastic tube. That allowed them to safely handle the venomous snake without being bitten.

An adult male eastern massasauga rattlesnake is held with its head inside a plastic tube so scientists can check its health condition and insert a microchip on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan. (Sheri McWhirter | MLive.com) Sheri McWhirter

They recorded detailed descriptions of the snakes saddle  the term for the pattern or markings that run the length of a snakes body. They also counted tail rattle segments and inspected for any signs of snake fungal disease.

Each one of the separate segments is called a button, Ravesi said. This one  the very end of the last button is intact, but every time they shed, theyll add another button segment.

However, its not true that you can tell the age of an eastern massasauga rattlesnake by the number of buttons in the rattle. Thats because they break off naturally over time, Ravesi said.

Kleitch said knowledge learned from the Camp Grayling population of the venomous snakes is expected to provide critical information for the species recovery plan. Eastern massasaugas were listed as federally threatened in 2016 and the long-term study will help answer questions about the greater health and viability of the species, he said.

We try to time the survey within a couple weeks of emergence. So, when these snakes are coming out of hibernation, out of their overwintering areas, were trying to capture that window, Kleitch said.

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While Apple admitted no wrongdoing, the company agreed to a settlement after it was accused of eavesdropping on users. (Matt Durr | MLive.com)

Consumers who used Apple products for most of the last decade can now file claims in a $95 million settlement. Earlier this year, Apple agreed to the settlement after it was accused of eavesdropping on users through the virtual assistant Siri.

Apple admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, but nonetheless agreed to the payout.

The settlement is available to "individual current or former owners or purchasers of a Siri Device, who reside in the United States or its territories, and whose confidential communications were obtained by Apple and/or were shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation," according to the settlement website.

Siri-enabled devices included as part of the settlement are: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, or Apple TV. Users must have been using the product between September 17, 2014 to December 31, 2024 in order to qualify for a payment.

Class members may submit claims for up to five Siri Devices for which they experienced an unintended Siri activation. The payment for each device is capped at $20, meaning the most you will receive is $100.

However, the amount of money received by each claimant will be determined by how many people file claims. Lawyers in the case estimate that only 3% to 5% of eligible consumers are expected to file claims.

The total amount available to users will also be impacted by lawyers on the case who may seek up to $29.6 million from the settlement fund to cover their fees and other expenses.

There are two ways to file a claim through the settlement website. For consumers who received an email or a notice in the mail containing a Claimant ID Code and Confirmation Code, you can enter that information to begin the process.

If you did not receive a notice, you can still file a claim. You will need to provide personal information like your name and address, the email associated with an Apple ID connected to the devices and proof of purchase for each device you claim.

The deadline to submit a claim is July 2, 2025 and the final approving hearing is scheduled for August 1, 2025. For more information, visit the settlement website.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with the new residents of Kangarli village in Aghdam district and presented them with the keys to their homes, Trend reports.
The advisory warns of possible terrorist attacks being planned targeting the European nation. (MLive file photo)

WASHINGTON -- A Level 2 travel advisory has been issued for those planning on traveling to the United Kingdom. The State Department issued the warning Thursday after periodic review and is now advising Americans to use extra caution during any visits to the U.K.

The advisory cites ongoing concerns over potential terrorism as reason for the updated warning. The same warning was issued by the Department of State in September. A Level 2 advisory is the second lowest on the scale used by the State Department, with a Level 4 being the most serious.

There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in the United Kingdom. Visit the U.S. Department of States country reports on terrorism to learn more," reads part of the advisory.

The notice states that terrorist activity can take place at tourist locations, transportation hubs, malls, restaurants, concerts, hotels and other venues. The advisory also warned of isolated violence by dissident groups in Northern Ireland that tend to target police and military forces.

When visiting the U.K., the State Department recommends that visitors:

Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.

Follow the instructions of local authorities.

Check local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

Review the Country Security Report for the United Kingdom.

According to the British Tourist Authority, a record 5.1 million Americans visited the U.K. in 2023. More people visit the U.K. from the U.S. than any other nation, according to a March report provided to the House of Commons.

For more information on the travel warning, visit the State Department website.
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Friday, May 9, directing his administration to prioritize the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which is meant to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. Garret Ellison | MLive

A presidential memorandum protecting the Great Lakes from invasive carp has garnered praise from Michigans governor.

President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Friday, May 9, directing his administration to prioritize the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which is meant to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.

After years of advocacy, state funding and good old-fashioned teamwork, the president took a huge step today and announced that his administration is going to continue to help us build this project, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a video published to social media.

RELATED: $1.15B project to block invasive carp from wreaking havoc on Great Lakes moves to construction

The project, approved in 2020, is a cooperative effort between Michigan, Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It will be located near Joliet, Illinois, and act as a pinch point to deter invasive species of carp from entering the Great Lakes, according to a press release.

The invasive carp, also called Asian carp, threaten other fish for food and habitat, reducing numbers of whitefish, perch and walleye, while also menacing inland lakes and rivers if they were to colonize the Great Lakes basin. Elected officials and advocates have long worried the invaders could devastate the Great Lakes fishery, valued at $7 billion annually.

Silver carp, a type of Asian carp, can consume up to 40% of their weight per day and reach up to 60 pounds. They would be likely to populate near shore areas and large rivers, which could reduce sport and commercial fishing opportunities, according the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Trumps memorandum sets a deadline for July 1 for Illinois to acquire land to begin construction, as well as instructs involved federal agencies to streamline their permitting and environmental review processes. It also instructs the Environmental Protection Agency to prioritize removal of carp currently in Illinois waterways.

Its a huge, huge deal for Michiganders and millions of people in our country who rely on the Great Lakes for their water and their work, Whitmer said. Were proving once again that Michigan wins because we show up. We talk to anyone, and we work together to get things done.
Dr. Bobby Mukkamala speaks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick of the Back to the Bricks Rolling Cruises at Factory One in Flint. (Jake May | MLive.com) Jake May
AYA Youth Collective, a local nonprofit that helps youth facing housing instability, said 100% of its recipients in Grand Rapids reported stable housing after 30 days with the help of one-time cash payments through the new initiative. (MLive file photo) Allison Farrand | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A pilot housing assistance program for young people is reporting success after its first month in action, having helped 45 teens and young adults avoid homelessness in Grand Rapids.

AYA Youth Collective, a local nonprofit that helps youth facing housing instability, said 100% of its recipients in Grand Rapids reported stable housing after 30 days with the help of one-time cash payments through the new initiative, according to a May 6 news release.

The Targeted Housing Assistance program is a national pilot initiative run by Point Source Youth in partnership with local service providers like AYA Youth Collective in seven states: Arizona, California, Georgia, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Texas.

The program provides a one-time cash payment and support to young people who are experiencing an imminent housing crisis, offering immediate financial relief to prevent homelessness, AYA said in the release.

Each program recipient worked with program officials to create a housing plan where they budgeted and outlined action plans for permanent housing. An average of $2,744 was disbursed to each recipient to support their housing action plan, according to the release.

Youth housing advocates say the Targeted Housing Assistance program filled a needed gap in Grand Rapids. Most housing programs are targeted toward individuals who are category 1 homeless, or sleeping outside, said Mads Ladow, a specialist with AYA.

This program helped fill that gap, and prevent homelessness from happening in the first place, Ladow said in a statement. Something as simple as avoiding a utility shut off, which would become a lease violation, and in turn then be deemed grounds for an eviction, can be so easily prevented with trusting youth with a direct cash payment.

Theres also a positive spillover effect with recipients who are supporting other family members.

In Grand Rapids, the program supported 45 young people, but many of those participants were supporting their entire households  including children, siblings, parents and partners  so advocates say a total of 98 people were supported by the program.

Nationwide, Point Source Youths Targeted Housing Assistance Program served 345 young adults at risk of homelessness and 623 total individuals across seven states. The group said it will continue working with Johns Hopkins University to research the program, with additional data documenting three- and six-month housing outcomes to be released in summer 2025.

More information about the housing program can be found here.

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The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting that occurred during a social gathering in Tallmadge Township on Friday, May 9. (MLive file photo)

OTTAWA COUNTY, MI  A shooting in Tallmadge Township Friday night left a man severely injured, the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office said.

Deputies were called to the scene of the shooting at a home in the 10700 block of Second Avenue at approximately 11:11 p.m. on Friday, May 9, following reports of someone shooting a gun and another person possibly being shot.

Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered that a 19-year-old Grand Rapids man had a gunshot wound to his head. The man was then transported to an area hospital with critical injuries, police said.

Deputies were assisted by Life Ambulance while responding to the scene.

An on-scene investigation revealed that a 20-year-old Grandville man shot the victim inside the home during a social gathering attended by several acquaintances. The suspect is now in custody.

An investigation into the incident is still ongoing as detectives work with the suspect to determine a motive. However, there is currently no threat to the public, police said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office or Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT (616-774-2345) or mosotips.com.

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JACKSON, MI  Tom Tolles grew up in the food industry at his parents restaurant, the Wooden Spoon in Spring Arbor Township.

His career took a different direction when he got into racing cars, which landed him a job in management at Phelps Towing in Leoni Township. Eventually, he owned his own shop, Mechanix Automotive Service Center at 3101 E. Michigan Ave.  immediately recognizable because of the blue car on its roof.

With a strong staff in place, the shop ran itself, giving Tolles the opportunity to revisit his roots by building a food truck. The Great American Food Truck has been operating since the end of 2024, with friends and staff Stacey and Hayden Foster running the kitchen, Tolles said.

Tolles takes pride in offering a large menu, compared to most food trucks that keep things simple, he said. People can craft up to 50 different combination options, starting with a base, adding a protein and topping it with cheese or sauces.

If youre going to a food truck with a family, and junior wants this, mom wants that and dad doesnt like that, youre hitting three or four different food trucks, Tolles said. If I can give you an option on one food truck, I feel like its a better deal.

Base options range from mashed potatoes, nacho chips, French fries and macaroni and cheese. Protein include shaved steak, pulled pork, ground beef and chicken tenders.

Cheeses range from American, sharp cheddar, pepper jack and parmesan. Customers can also add sides of sauces, such as ranch, honey mustard, barbecue and garlic aioli.

For those that are indecisive, Tolles lists the top sellers on the side of the menu. The most popular is No. 232, macaroni and cheese topped with pulled pork and sharp cheddar.

People love it because of the macaroni and cheese, which is made with cheddar, white cheddar and mozzarella.

Its super good, and our pulled pork is made fresh, Tolles said.

Another favorite is No. 467  Shrimp PoBoy with fries. The toasted bun is topped with shrimp and parmesan cheese. Customers often pair it with a horseradish sauce.

People enjoy the trucks patriotic theme. It is designed and wrapped with the American Flag, he said.

Its an awesome looking truck, Tolles said.

The Great American Food Truck can often be found parked outside Mechanix Automotive Service Center, 3101 E. Michigan Ave.

Locations, schedules and updates on where to find The Great American Food Truck are posted on its Facebook page.

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A number of films, including the Jeff Daniels comedy "Super Sucker" and Robert Redford's final performance in "The Old Man and the Gun" have been shot in Jackson, Michigan. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com

JACKSON, MI  Jackson might not appear on the silver screen as often as cities like New York or Los Angeles, but Prison City has produced an interesting variety of cinematic offerings.

They include everything from risque comedies about vacuum salesmen, historical dramas about escape artists and a prison flick that some critics  including the director of Pulp Fiction  consider to be one of the best ever.

Here are five films with ties to the Jackson area, meaning they were filmed in Jackson, take place in Jackson or are based on the citys history.

Cell Block 7 is located at 3455 Cooper St., in Jackson, Michigan, Tuesday, October 24, 2017. The Ella Sharp Museum has announced plans to close the museum. MLive Media Group

Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954)

Riot in Cell Block 11 is an early work from director Don Siegel, who would go on to find greater popularity and critical acclaim with films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Dirty Harry and other late-era westerns featuring Clint Eastwood and John Wayne.

Though it takes place at the Folsom State Prison in California, producer Walter Wanger and screenwriter Richard Collins based the films plot heavily on the real-life riots at Jacksons Southern Michigan Prison, which made national headlines two years earlier in April 1952.

Shot in a pseudo-documentary style, the film tells the story of a large-scale prison riot spurred by brutal guards, overcrowding and poor living conditions. Siegel used actual inmates and guards as actors and extras when shooting on location at Folsom.

Riot has been praised by critics and film buffs for its intensity and realism. Director Quentin Tarantino called the 1954 film the best prison film ever made in a 2019 essay on Siegels later inmate flick, Escape From Alcatraz.

Riot in Cell Block 11 is available for rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Jacktown (1962)

One of the rare films set in Jackson, Jacktown follows Frankie Stossel, a young wannabe hoodlum whom the opening narration refers to as a child of God... born to be bad.

Stossel played by Richard Meade, in his only credited film role  is introduced performing petty crimes on the streets of Oak Park. The plot kicks off after hes caught with a 15-year-old girl in the backseat of his convertible and arrested for statutory rape, earning him a cell in the worlds largest penal institution (at the time) in Jackson.

Related: Jackson at the Movies: Jacktown

Low-budget and clocking in at just over an hour, this pulpy prison feature is a bit less crime-noir and a bit more afterschool special.

The movie was filmed largely in the Metro Detroit area, and features several playing-as-themselves cameos from leading law officials of the time like Michigan Municipal Judge Keith Leenhouts, Oakland County Prosecutor George Taylor and several officers from the Detroit Police Department and Oakland County Sheriffs Office.

The film is available to watch on YouTube.

Scenes from the 2002 film "Super Sucker" were filmed at The Vacuum Cleaner Hospital, 721 Wildwood Avenue, in Jackson. (File Photo | MLive.com) File Photo | MLive.com

Super Sucker (2002)

Former Jackson Citizen Patriot reporter Bill Chapin once called this film the Citizen Kane of Jackson movies, and the raunchy Jeff Daniels vehicle still stands tall as the most comprehensive portrayal of the city yet put to the silver screen.

Daniels plays Fred Barlow, a door-to-door vacuum cleaner who gets an edge over his competition after discovering an... alternative ...use of a vacuum attachment that makes the product an easy pitch to repressed housewives.

For a film about vacuums as sex toys, the Super Sucker has become something of a point of pride for Jacksonians. Filmed entirely in Jackson during May and June 2001, hundreds of local residents volunteered as extras during the shoot.

Nearly every outdoor shot features an easily recognizable landmark, including Jackson Coffee Co., Schupbachs Sporting Goods and the downtown clock tower.

Super Sucker is available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, and can be streamed on Fubo TV and Fandango.

Conviction (2010)

Based on a true story occurring in Massachusetts, Hilary Swank plays a working mother who puts herself through law school to represent her wrongfully-convicted brother (Sam Rockwell).

Director Tony Goldwyn found Southern Michigan to be an ideal location to shoot a variety of settings and backdrops for scenes taking place in the 1960s, 1980s and 1990s.

Related: When it comes to filming in Michigan, director Tony Goldwyn has real Conviction

We shot in Jackson, Ann Arbor, downtown Detroit, Chelsea and several other places, Goldwyn said in a 2010 interview at the Toronto International Film Festival. There was absolutely great diversity  plus a beautiful lake, which you see on our poster.

Conviction is available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango and Apple TV.

Several scenes from the 2018 film "The Old Man and the Gun" were shot in the now-closed Cell Block 7 Museum in Jackson. MLive Media Group

The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

Robert Redfords acting swan song follows Forrest Tucker, one of the most notorious escape artists of the 20th century. He broke out of prison 18 times successfully and 12 times unsuccessfully, by his account.

Several scenes with Redford and Sissy Spacek were shot in the now-closed Cell Block 7 Museum.

Museum Manager Brad Collins served as a consultant for the film crew, and offered guidance on what kinds of props would have been in a late 1970s, early 80s prison like the ones Tucker broke out of.

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Remainders of homes scatter across Oak Brook Estates during joint preliminary damage assessment began in Kalamazoo County on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, one week after tornadoes hit (left). Damage remains from the Portage tornado in Oak Brook Estates on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, nearly six months later (right). Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com

PORTAGE, MI -- Its been one year since one Kalamazoo Countys strongest tornadoes in decades wreaked havoc on the community.

The 135 mph EF2 tornado touched down shortly after 5 p.m. on May 7, 2024, and traveled through Texas Township, Portage and Pavilion Township. The tornado was just 5 mph slower than an EF3 tornado that hit downtown Kalamazoo in 1980.

At least 60 buildings were destroyed and hundreds were damaged. The tornado also knocked down roughly 48,000 trees in Portage.

There were zero deaths, 12 injuries and an estimated $50 million in damages, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

How has the community recovered in 12 months? Heres the latest dispatch from the tornado path.

1. Trailer park residents still grapple with damage  both physical and emotional

Pavilion Estates, 6830 East N Avenue, a trailer park in Pavilion Township, sustained a direct hit from the tornado. A year later, residents are still grappling with the trauma.

MORE: I still have nightmares: Trailer park tornado survivors cant stop reliving the trauma

2. Coyotes, insurance and toppled trees: Residents say full recovery could take generations

Even with insurance, cleaning up after a tornado can be a challenge.

Residents in Portage and Colony Woods are navigating insurance disputes and high costs for tree removal one year after the tornado came through.

MORE: War zone: 1 year after Portage tornado, full cleanup could take generations

RELATED: Coyotes move into neighborhood hit by tornado, residents fear for pets

A coyote spotted in a Colony Woods yard in summer 2024. Jeri Kaseks

3. Repair updates: FedEx building, Centre Avenue strip mall

The tornado-ravaged Portage FedEx facility is still under repair one year later and a Portage strip mall is nearly rebuilt after being destroyed in the May 2024 tornado.

These were among two of the most visible reminders of the tornado in town.

FedEx experienced severe damage in the May 7, 2024 tornado (left photo taken by Brad Devereaux). As of May 7, 2025, the FedEx is nearing complete repair but is operating (right). (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)

The strip mall in the 2000 block of West Centre Avenue and a FedEx shipping center at 6701 Portage Road both sustained significant damage from the tornado including walls ripped off and roofs caved in.

FedEx workers have moved back in, while the strip mall is almost fully rebuilt from scratch.

A strip mall in the 2000 block of West Centre Avenue is being rebuilt after being ripped apart by a tornado last May. Aya Miller

4. Photos show before-and-after of hardest hit areas

See visuals of how far the recovery has come one year after the tornado.

Some areas have been completely fixed or rebuilt, while others remain in ruins.

MORE: Before and after: Photos show Portages recovery one year after EF2 tornado hit

5. What did emergency managers learn from the tornado?

Brandi Janes, Kalamazoo Countys new emergency manager, honed some of her severe weather response skills in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history.

She brought that experience to Portage to assist with disaster response.

The department has seen a few tweaks since the storm.

MORE: With emergency managers away, a Katrina vet stepped in to steer Portage tornado response

6. $100K donated to help replace some of the 48,000 trees lost

Consumers Energy and the Portage Parks Foundation have donated a combined $100,000 to help fund tree canopy restorations in Portage.

The move was announced on the one-year anniversary of the tornado.

MORE: $100K in donations will help restore tree canopy in Portage after tornado

7. How artifacts were spared at the Air Zoo museum after a direct hit

Officials thought they might lose thousands of historic artifacts at the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Experience after it was hit by the tornado.

But a group of people responded to help immediately, helping save countless pieces of history.

MORE: History preserved: Hundreds of Air Zoo artifacts lost in tornado, but thousands more saved

The immediate aftermath: Stories from 2024

WATCH: Journey through the Portage tornados 11-mile path, 3 days later

Hell broke loose: Residents in shock after reported tornadoes rip through Portage

No, Michigan isnt getting more tornadoes, but they are changing

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow unveil signage for the Deborah A. Stabenow Building, formerly Constitution Hall. (Photo provided by Whitmer's office) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office

A State of Michigan building has been renamed after former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow to honor her decades of service in Lansing and Washington, D.C.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday, May 7, signed an executive order renaming Constitution Hall in Lansing to the Deborah A. Stabenow Building.

That same day, Whitmer and Stabenow unveiled the buildings new signage reflecting the name change.

When I think of someone who embodies the principles that define Constitution Hall, I can think of no better person than Debbie Stabenow, said Whitmer. Throughout her career, she has been a force for positive change. Im grateful for her half-century of service to the great state of Michigan.

Located at 525 West Allegan St. in Lansing, the Deborah A. Stabenow Building houses offices for the states departments of Natural Resources; Environment, Great Lakes and Energy; Agriculture and Rural Development; Labor and Economic Opportunity; Licensing and Regulatory Affairs; and Technology, Management and Budget.

Stabenows political career spanned 50 years, from county board and the Michigan Legislature to the U.S. Senate.

The 75-year-old Democrat finished her final term in office last year. She declined to seek reelection after having represented Michigan since 2001 in the U.S. Senate.

Related: We can heal the divide: See Sen. Debbie Stabenows farewell message

She expressed gratitude for the honor in a statement to MLive.

As a kid growing up in Clare, I never dreamt I would have the public service career Ive had, or be honored in such a lasting way by having my name on a State of Michigan Building, Stabenow said. It has been the privilege of my life to represent the citizens of Michigan and Im deeply humbled by this recognition.

Whitmer announced her plans to rename Constitution Hall in Stabenows honor during her 2025 State of the State address in February.

In her executive order, Whitmer said Stabenow paved the way for future generations of women in leadership.

Stabenow was the first and youngest woman to chair the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, the first woman to preside over the Michigan House of Representatives and the first woman elected to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate.

As a U.S. senator, Whitmer said Stabenow helped protect Michigans farmers, safeguard its natural resources, expand mental health care, shape the Affordable Care Act, rescue the states auto industry and more.

Throughout her career, Senator Stabenow demonstrated a rare ability to build bipartisan coalitions and enact lasting, transformative change, Whitmers order states. Her legacy is one of love for the people of Michigan, a fierce commitment to public service, and an unparalleled work ethic. Sen. Stabenow leaves behind a state and a nation that are stronger, more resilient, and better positioned for the future.

Stabenow now joins the ranks of other Michigan leaders who have had buildings renamed in their honor, including former Michigan State University President John A. Hannah, former Michigan Gov. George W. Romney, former Michigan Attorney General Frank J. Kelly and more.
We all start out with good intentions, but even the best of us get to the weekend of Mothers Day and realize the one detail we forgot was the flowers.

Its not too late to square it away and shower your mom with a bouquet though. Several online florists offer next-day delivery and even same-day delivery in the most last-minute scenarios.

Weve noted them below so all you have to do is find one you like and hit order.

Proflowers offers same-day delivery on select orders, and they are currently offering 10% off all items sitewide for a limited time.

Thanks to partnerships with local florists nationwide, you are guaranteed to get same-day delivery on select bouquets from FTD. Plus, they offer cost-friendly options so you dont have to break the bank for shopping last minute. Get 10% off sitewide for a limited time.

Get same-day delivery in Dallas, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County (California), San Diego and Miami when you order by noon local time. Next-day delivery is also available.

Save 20% off everything for a limited time. As long as you order before 3 p.m. local time, youll receive same-day delivery across the United States from local florist partners. This business also has other options for the moms who prefer chocolates or other gifts over flowers.

Other florists with on-time delivery:
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. Those painful years are now in the past. You are now returning to your native land, where wonderful conditions have been created for you. The village of Kangarli is beautiful, said President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during his meeting with the residents who moved to the Kangarli village, Aghdam district, Trend reports.

This is the first stage of the restoration and reconstruction of the village. A total of 292 houses are ready and will be made available to you. More houses will be built in the second stage, noted the head of state.
Go ahead, unfollow me, I will be an Indian first, writes Hina Khan as she bashes Pakistani fans amid India Pak tensions

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Kangana Ranaut on cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan: "Pakistan should be wiped out from the map"

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Om Puri was right: Lakshya dialogue goes viral as Pakistan violates ceasefire hours after truce

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Pallavi Joshi to join Anupam Kher's directorial Tanvi The Great, latter welcomes her saying, "She certainly is the original DIVA of TV"

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Saif Ali Khan salutes the bravery of Indian Armed forces amid India-Pakistan tensions, says "thank them for keeping us safe"

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Sanam Teri Kasam actress Mawra Hocane receives backlash over 'Pakistan has and will always stand for peace' post, netizens say "Country of International beggar"

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Sooraj Pancholi explains why Pakistani actors should be banned to work in India: "The same tax money is used for..."

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Vijay Deverakonda to donate 'all RWDY proceeds' to the India Armed Forces, writes, "it's our responsibility to give back"

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. The whole life and all the activities of the Great Leader were dedicated to the Azerbaijani people and state, and today's Azerbaijan is a product of his life, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the inauguration of the Aghdam Mugham Center, Trend reports.

The head of state noted that it was after the Great Leader came to the leadership of Azerbaijan in 1993 that the country embarked on the path of development.
Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 14 years.

Arindam Roy

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Shubhi Mishra

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Aishwarya Dabhade

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Manjiri Patil

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Chartist Talks: ICICI Securities' Dharmesh Shah advises not to panic amid Indo-Pak tension-led correction, steam still left in defence pack

Sunil Matkar

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Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day

Aryaman Gupta

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Yeeshu Yadav

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. We are working on a cable road project connecting Shusha with Khankendi, said President Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration of the Aghdam Mugham Center, Trend reports.

The head of state added, I must also inform you that the construction of a cable road will probably begin in the city of Lachin this year. There is such a project in Kalbajar. So, it will be a very good means of transportation for both tourists and local residents.
All major cities in India put on high alert after attack on Pakistan air bases: Report

Ria Kapoor

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Bangladesh to seek explanation from YouTube on blocking channels in India

101Reporters

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Priyanjali Ghose

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Ceasefire or not, India must pursue terrorists responsible for Pahalgam attack: Owaisi

Armaan Bhatnagar

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Ria Kapoor

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Sweta Goswami

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. We welcome the declaration of a ceasefire between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Trend reports.

"We express our hope that this ceasefire will contribute to the reduction of tensions in the region, as well as to the establishment of lasting peace and stability.

We call on the parties to engage in productive dialogue aimed at resolving outstanding issues and building mutual trust", the statement said.
From IWT to visa restrictions, measures taken by India against Pak to remain despite ceasefire agreement

Arishaa Izaj

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Full and immediate ceasefire reached between India and Pakistan, announces Donald Trump

Abhinav Gupta

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Armaan Bhatnagar

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'Govt hospitals ready for any situation...': CM Rekha Gupta chairs meeting to prepare for emergencies as India thwarts Pak's attack on Delhi

Ria Kapoor

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Abhinav Gupta

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India, Pakistan agree to halt military action after DGMO-level discussion, next round of talks on May 12

Abhinav Gupta

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India, Pakistan to hold talks on broad set of issues at neutral site: US Secretary of State Rubio

Aishwarya Dabhade

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Arishaa Izaj

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. On May 10, Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and other high-ranking officials of the Ministry visited the Alley of Honor on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the birth of National Leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Defense.

The leadership of the Ministry of Defense laid flowers at the grave of the Great Leader and honored his blessed memory.

Then the grave of the prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva was visited, flowers were laid and tribute was paid to her bright memory.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
India, Pakistan mutually agreed to stop firing, no plans for talks in neutral country: Govt sources

Armaan Bhatnagar

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Deblina Halder

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Indo-Pak tension: Pitch-black night, wail of sirens keep locals on western front awake in fear

101Reporters

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Arindam Roy

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. Azerbaijan exported non-oil products worth $19 million to UAE from January through March 2025.

The data obtained by Trend from the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee shows that this figure grew by $5.5 million (40.2 percent) year on year.

Over the reporting period, exports of non-oil products to the UAE amounted to 2.47 percent of Azerbaijan's total exports.

Thus, UAE ranked seventh among the top importers of Azerbaijani oil. At the same time, the volume of trade transactions between Azerbaijan and UAE from January through March of this year amounted to $33.2 million, which is $10.4 million (45.6 percent) more than in the same months of 2024. During the reporting period, trade turnover with UAE amounted to 0.28 percent of Azerbaijan's total trade turnover.

From January through March of this year, exports of products from Azerbaijan to the UAE amounted to $20.8 million, which is $6.8 million (48.8 percent) more than in the same period of 2024. Also, from January through March of 2025, import transactions worth $12.4 million were carried out from the UAE to Azerbaijan, which is an increase of $3.6 million (40.6 percent) year-on-year.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover grew by 24.3 percent and amounted to $12 billion from January through March 2025.

Over the past year, the country's exports grew by 6.7 percent, or $401.75 million, to $6.4 billion, while imports increased by 52.6 percent, or $1.9 billion, to $5.7 billion.

The foreign trade surplus for the reporting period amounted to $722.9 million, which is $1.5 billion, or 3.1 times less than the same period of last year.
Attack on Indian air bases foiled, blasts in J&K's Udhampur as Indo-Pak tensions flare up | Top updates

Chhabi Kala

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Nawaz Sharif after ceasefire: 'Pakistan prefers peace, but knows how to defend itself'

101Reporters

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Pakistan air bases hit, attack on Delhi thwarted: India retaliates as battle escalates | What we know so far

Chhabi Kala

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Pakistan launches Fatah-2 missile at Delhi, intercepted by India in Sirsa, says report

Deblina Halder

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 10. A working group from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade has successfully concluded a productive visit to Hungary, aimed at strengthening bilateral economic ties and exploring new opportunities for collaboration, Trend reports.

In the course of the visit, the Uzbek delegation engaged in a series of fruitful and constructive discussions with key representatives of the Hungarian government and business community. The talks focused on expanding trade, investment, and economic cooperation, while identifying emerging sectors for future partnerships.

The discussions centered on the development of joint projects in critical areas such as energy, agriculture, logistics, pharmaceuticals, and other strategic industries. Both sides emphasized the need for practical steps to ensure the successful implementation of previously agreed-upon initiatives.

One of the major outcomes of the visit was the creation of a comprehensive list of collaborative projects, which will serve as the foundation for forthcoming bilateral agreements. These agreements are expected to further deepen the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Hungary, unlocking new avenues for cooperation in business, trade, and innovation.

This visit marks a significant milestone in advancing cooperation, with a strong focus on translating discussions into tangible results that will benefit the economies and societies of both nations.

Earlier, in February 2025, during a phone conversation between Peter Szijjarto, Hungarys Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Bakhtiyor Saidov, Uzbekistans Minister of Foreign Affairs, the two sides emphasized the importance of ensuring the timely and comprehensive implementation of agreements reached by the leaders of both countries.
Pakistan launches attacks under Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos. What does the name mean?

Arindam Roy

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Pak military says PM Shehbaz Sharif has called meeting of body that oversees nuclear arsenal amid tensions with India; Defence Minister denies

Ria Kapoor

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Pakistan will face consequences: India says neighbour waited for IMF bailout before big escalation

Arishaa Izaj

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President Trump wants India, Pakistan issue to de-escalate as early as possible, says White House

Priyanjali Ghose

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Strived for peace without compromising sovereignty: Pakistan Deputy PM Ishaq Dar on ceasefire with India

Arishaa Izaj

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Weekly review of key events in Azerbaijan's financial market

Last week, Azerbaijans financial sector saw major developments. Talks were held with a Swiss company on social investments, and with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on infrastructure projects. Azerbaijan pledged $2 million to the 14th Asian Development Fund.

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Sonalee Borgohain

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US secretary of state Marco Rubio speaks with Pak army chief Asim Munir, asks for de-escalation

Arindam Roy

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'We thought no one would survive...': Rajouri residents recount horror as intense Pak shelling kills 5

Abhinav Gupta

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'What the hell, this is no ceasefire': Omar Abdullah as air defence systems thwart Pak drone attack

Sonalee Borgohain

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Why India hit Pakistans most critical airbases: Nur Khan, Murid, Rafiqui, Sukkur and others

Deblina Halder

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Indias aerial shield has held up well, but will need upgrades to combat Chinas stealth aircraft

Aditya Ramanathan is a research fellow at The Takshashila Institution. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Namrata Agarwal

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'0 out of 10 for grammar: US founder shares abusive message from Indian developer after GSoC rejection

Shubhi Mishra

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 9. Starting from May 28, 2025, the Kazakh low-cost carrier FlyArystan will launch direct flights from Astana to Gazipasa, a city in the Antalya province of Turkiye, Trend reports via FlyArystan.



Flights from the capital of Kazakhstan to Gazipasa will operate twice a week  on Wednesdays and Fridays  from May 28 to August 29, 2025.



In partnership with tour operators, FlyArystan is also offering charter flights to Antalya from May to September 2025 on the following routes:

Atyrau  from May 24 to August 30, on Thursdays and Saturdays;

Aktau  from May 23 to July 31 on Fridays, from August 2 to 31 on Saturdays;

Shymkent  from May 28 to August 31, on Wednesdays and Sundays;

Aktobe  from May 23 to August 29, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays;

Uralsk  from May 23 to September 5, on Wednesdays and Fridays;

Karaganda  from May 31 to August 30, on Saturdays;

Kostanay  from May 22 to September 13, on Saturdays;

Kyzylorda  from May 29 to August 28, on Thursdays.



Tickets for charter flights to Gazipasa and Antalya are already available through tour operators. The price includes 20 kg of luggage, 5 kg of hand luggage, and hot meals on board. Current information on ticket availability and tours can be checked with travel agencies in your city.

Gazipasa Airport is a convenient alternative to Antalya International Airport for tourists traveling to Turkeys eastern coast. It's reduces transfer times to popular resorts such as Alanya, Mahmutlar, Kestel, Oba, Avsallar, and Konakli. Additionally, thanks to the new route, it is also possible to reach the famous resorts of Side and Belek.
Google arms Search, Chrome, and Android with new AI tools to fight online scams

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Aabhas Sharma

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MC Tech Desk Read the latest and trending tech newsstay updated on AI, gadgets, cybersecurity, software updates, smartphones, blockchain, space tech, and the future of innovation.

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Ankita Chakravarti

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Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com

Meghna Mittal

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Pakistans ISPR DG is son of nuclear scientist linked to Osama, who believed djinns could solve energy crisis

Armaan Bhatnagar

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US call to army chief Asim Munir shows who calls the shots in Pakistan

Arishaa Izaj

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Kazakhstan asserts strategic influence in rare and rare-earth metals markets

Photo: Artificial Intelligence

Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a major global supplier of rare and rare earth metals by expanding its mineral resource base, developing over 100 deposits, and promoting investment in high-tech processing industries. With significant reserves of elements like tungsten, lithium, and tantalum, the country extracts 19 of the 34 rare earth elements critical to the EU economy. Its strategy focuses on deep processing, international partnerships, and boosting exports, aligning with rising global demand for critical materials.

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US-China open trade talks in bid to wind down their tariff war

Arindam Roy

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Iran unveils investment for petrochemical plants in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province

Iran plans to invest millions of euros in the construction of the Chahar-Bisheh petrochemical plant in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. The investment is expected to create around 600 jobs during construction and 300 jobs once the plant becomes operational.

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Photo: Official website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. On May 9, as part of the program of events in Moscow, a meeting was held between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Trend reports.

At the beginning of the conversation, the heads of the two states exchanged warm congratulations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Second World War.

The issues of further expansion and strengthening of Uzbek-Russian relations of comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance were discussed in the context of the practical implementation of the agreements reached during the visit of the President of Russia to Uzbekistan in May last year.

The importance of taking coordinated measures aimed at maintaining the dynamics of trade, economic and investment cooperation was emphasized.

Particular attention was paid to accelerating the preparation and implementation of projects in priority sectors of the economy, as well as stimulating cooperation ties between regions.

Fruitful humanitarian exchanges, primarily in the fields of culture, art, science and education, were noted with deep satisfaction.

The leaders of Uzbekistan and Russia also exchanged views on issues on the international agenda.
Yves here. I confess to not having been in a car enough to hear much radio. But I was an addict in college and grad school, waking up to WGBHs Robert J. Lurtsema, who Wikipedia depicts as having had a non-mainstream delivery style. But I have from time to time encountered college radio stations, which despite often having a preference for worrisomely NPR-intonation-imitating hosts, often also had quirky programming. The need to project more personality in a world of more and more policy and AI flattening of edges, is at least for now giving a tailwind to independent programming, particularly stations that did not get Federal funding.

By Damon Orion, a writer, journalist, musician, artist, and teacher in Santa Cruz, California. His work has appeared in Revolver, Guitar World, Spirituality + Health, Classic Rock, and other publications. Read more of his work at DamonOrion.com. Produced by Local Peace Economy

Before 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) restricted U.S. corporations from owning more than 40 radio stations. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 eliminated these curbs, enabling single corporate entities to own unlimited stations.

At that point, listeners said goodbye to regionality and creativity and hello to bland, homogenized programming, filmmaker Brendan Toller noted in his 2008 documentary I Need That Record!

Corporate networks continue to dominate the airwaves. BIA Advisory Services reports that iHeartMedia owned 870 stations in 2023, making it the nations top radio owner, followed by Audacy, Cumulus Media, Hubbard Radio, and Beasley Media Group.

Its monopoly after monopoly, notes Toller, now the director of operations and new initiatives at the volunteer-run WPKN, one of about 100independent radio stations in the U.S., according to Wikipedia. I think the call to independence and a free-form format is important as things become more homogenized, influenced by AI, and automated.

Founded in 1963, WPKN is a 10,000-watt station in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Its terrestrial signal reaches a potential 1.5 million listeners in most of Connecticut and parts of Long Island, New York State, and southwestern Massachusetts. Millions of listeners worldwide have access to its broadcasts at WPKN.org.

Toller says WPKN hosts about 170 programs. The content of these broadcasts includes music, news, public affairs, arts and culture, environment and science, and lifestyle.

Besides talented local DJs, the station looks for organizers and activists who want to highlight people making their communities better in the public affairs realm, Toller states.

WPKNs DJs, programmers, and hosts have full autonomy. Our schedule is the you never know what youre going to get chocolate box of radio, Toller says. We dont have the playlist requirements that an obnoxious corporate station has. We are where freedom and human-driven, anti-algorithm expression lives. That, to me, is more exciting than a curated playlist because you get the personality [of the DJ] drifting and guiding you toward all this music or information if its a public affairs program or podcast.

He adds that independent stations like WPKN enable local musicians, artists, nonprofits, and organizers to reach a wider audience [and] to get contextualized properly within their region, the times, and history.

In April 2025, NPR stated that the Trump administrations proposed cuts to federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would have a devastating impact on American communities across the nation that rely on public radio for trusted local and national news, culture, lifesaving emergency alerts, and public safety information.

While Toller notes that such cuts will be major and grave, they do not pose a threat to WPKN, which does not receive any federal funding. The station has remained largely listener-supported [since 1989], with a hint of underwriting from local nonprofits, organizations, and businesses, Toller explains.

Unlike WPKN, which is unaffiliated, some local stations disburse their content through independent networks like the Pacifica Foundation, which owns and operates non-commercial stations KPFA, KPFK, KPFT, WBAI, and WPFW. It also oversees the Pacifica Network, which provides content to more than 200 stations, according to the networks website. Britannica states that Pacifica funds and promotes news and public affairs programs, most notably Democracy Now! and Free Speech Radio News.

Meanwhile, the nonprofit, volunteer-run indie radio network A-Infos Radio Project presents an alternative to the corporate and government media, which do not serve struggles for liberty, justice and peace, nor enable the free expression of creativity, according to its website.

The freedom of expression that terrestrial radio offers may help explain this mediums enduring popularity despite competition from online outlets.

Sparked by the advent of social media in the early 2000s, the landscape of communication underwent a monumental transformation, the International News Media Association observed in 2024. This was further accelerated by the global lockdowns of 2020, where the demand for instant, online news reached unprecedented heights, highlighting the growing preference for short-form content among audiences.

Sound of Life, a platform designed to foster a community of curious connoisseurs and share stories through the lens of sound, states that indie radio stations have grown in popularity despite challenges like overhead costs and rising rents. During the pandemic, the [number] of radio and podcast listeners boomed, and habits stick. In the U.S., 92 percent of the population listen to [the] radio every week, stated a 2024 article on its website.

This boom may have helped several independent radio stations in the U.S. survive challenges that wiped out many British stations, including soaring living expenses and energy bills.

Indie stations like WBHF, Aggie Radio, WFMU, KUCR, KEXP, the SoCal Sound, and Rinse FM have adapted to industry shifts by offering multiple streaming options. WPKN has also embraced the digital format. Besides posting content to its website, it maintains a podcast channel on all major platforms, an archiving system, and a video sessions format.

Toller says he has witnessed a surprising amount of interest in traditional radio among young people. Whats amazing to me is that the youth are being raised with these digital devices that are so attention-commanding all the time, and I see people coming in here from other stations who are much younger than me and are interested in this as a tried-and-true platform that has existed far longer than social media. If youth is still interested, that tells me this is going to be around for another 60 years.

He adds that a highlight of his work is hearing a great demo tape that has something we dont have on the air yet [such as] underground electronic music or a food justice podcast. These are all being submitted by my peers and people younger than me. That, to me, is inspiring and a salve to independent media. Im still excited.
Dear patient readers,

We have a lot of links today due to including Victory Day coverage. Enjoy!

* * *

Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter dies at 85 NPR

NYC has pigeon people, and people who poo-poo pigeons: Understanding rats with wings Gothamist. I was developing a theory of mind with respect to the pigeons that would perch on the railing of my tiny terrace (the ones here look just like NYC pigeons but a teeny bit smallermaybe an effect of the heat?). Some did seem to be enjoying the view. But they pooped too much so I took to chasing them off.

Scorpions taking over Brazilian cities with reported stings rising 250% Guardian (resilc)

BOOM Chinese tech giant Baidu has unleashed a game-changing patent that could redefine our bond with animalsusing revolutionary AI to translate their sounds into human language!

The South China Morning Post reveals this groundbreaking system captures voice, body pic.twitter.com/PLkQEmJe22  Angelo Giuliano  (@angeloinchina) May 7, 2025

#COVID-19/Pandemics

Actual Covid deaths in India were 6 times more than the reported. The worst is Gujarat whose actuals are 33 times more. That Kerala is the lowest among the states (1.5 times) gives me no consolation. Its health minister KK Shailaja concealed 1 in every 3 deaths! pic.twitter.com/6bSmEGNlcX  N.S. Madhavan (@NSMlive) May 9, 2025 On the Novavax earnings call today, the head of R&D made an interesting claim. She said that the Novavax COVID vaccine is capable of inducing mucosal antibodies that could protect against infection. This lines up with previous data that has been published on the vaccine.  pic.twitter.com/zL1EgtRfKO  Friesein (@Friesein) May 8, 2025 Adding to Dr. Hirschson's points: 1: It is not possible to get H5N1 out of the North American ecosystem now. It is there to stay. 2: There are multiple modes that H5N1 could mutate to efficient human transmission. H5N1 concerns me more than Covid, which is saying something. https://t.co/XgwpRHDWJB  Conor Browne (@brownecfm) May 9, 2025

Climate/Environment

Global warming reaches 1.58C over 12 months to end-April Financial Times Severe Hailstorm Strikes Asenovgrad Villages, Crops and Cars Damaged Novinite. One of many stories about monster hailstones and/or heavy hail storms, such as in Spain and China. Yet many spots in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa sweltering under record heat.

China?

China reports bumper April exports ahead of crucial trade talks with US Financial Times. Running this headline because pretty much all US headlines on the same data flogged the big decline of exports to the US. But this seems off: Heron Lim, an economist at Moodys Analytics, said that, while Chinas trade with the US dropped 21 per cent year-on-year in April, it rose by an equal percentage with south-east Asian nations and 8 per cent with the EU. The largest increases in outbound shipments went to Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, Lim said. My best guess is channel stuffing, which is not sustainable. Thailand has been making earnest official statements about not transshipping, and they have incentives not to do so given that their negotiations with the US have yet to start. Thailand has also been making noises about the risk of China dumping product and what they can do about that. Trump Administration Live Updates: President Signals Hes Open to Slashing China Tariffs New York Times (resilc). Erm, the Chinese position has been tariff cuts first, only then something more than tea and cookies chats. So is he trying to act as if a concession China requires was his gracious idea? Trump proposes 80% China tariff ahead of trade talks BBC. 80% tariffs are functionally no different than 145%. So high as to kill all purchases (save perhaps for something absolutely essential like medswhich if so, you would also buy at 145% if you could scrape up the funds). First Chinese freight ship goods hit with Trumps 145%-plus tariffs arriving at U.S. ports CNBC (Kevin W)

To counter reader beliefs that China is faring well economicallyfrom a reader in a very high end resort area:

Wife has been hired as a Mandarin translator on a tour bus company here So, wife wanted me to go with her on the tour yesterday  all kinds of animals and scenery. It was a luxury bus ( I have never seen anything even remotely like it) full of Chinese actors and billionaires. She knew some of the people on board from watching their films, etc. She went up and down the bus talking to them. The tour apparently started in [West Coast city] with two of them being robbed at gunpoint. All of them made sure to tell my wife that the big reason tourism is down is because that type of thing is happening constantly to tourists in Americas big cities and that is the main reason no one wants to go there  they take their chances to pass through  and then places like here get slammed. The summary of the news from China from this cohorts perspective  China has been severely struggling economically for some time. There was already LOTS of anger toward Xi and the CCP even before the tariffs. Now, with them, people are getting laid off and fired  and there is literally ENORMOUS pressure for Xi to get this taken care of and get the jobs back ASAP. More than one of these people were saying that Trump has a much much better bargaining position  and they are horrified by how poor the reporting is on this that they have seen here.

India-Pakistan Row

European Disunion

Pope Watch

Israel v. the Resistance

Victory Day

This was probably one of the most emotional scenes of the first Victory Day parades. Veterans of the Red Army, having just survived four years of war, dumped their war trophies; Nazi flags and swastikas; at the foot of Lenins Mausoleum, as if to say to each other, 'We did it, pic.twitter.com/oEDE5o57Yd  WW2 The Eastern Front (@ShoahUkraine) May 8, 2025

Happy Victory Day! The legacy of our fathers and grandfathers lives on in our hearts. We remember that if the enemy refuses to surrender, it must be destroyed. pic.twitter.com/KfPQEx1MsO  Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) May 9, 2025

Best moments from the Victory Day parade in Moscow. I was honored to witness the parade in person today, but for those watching from abroad, hope this footage makes you feel a fraction of the emotions that pass through the heart of every Russian on May 9. Happy Victory Day! pic.twitter.com/0jWFov7FhM  Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) May 9, 2025

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO of the Victory Day Parade in Moscow in honor of the 80th anniversary of WWII victory pic.twitter.com/vvPdg1r51A  Sputnik (@SputnikInt) May 9, 2025

There are many different traditional Victory Day songs, but this one is by far my personal favorite  "Smuglyanka" from the iconic WWII movie "Only Old Men are Going into Battle". It's beautiful and bright. It's about love. It's about peace. pic.twitter.com/0pZysgp2sW  Olga Bazova (@OlgaBazova) May 9, 2025

VICTORY DAY 80 Patrick Armstrong (Kevin W)

New Not-So-Cold War

U.S., Russia In Quiet Talks to Bring Russian Gas Back to Europe OilPrice. Huh? Even more so than with respect to Ukraine, the Europeans have agency. And they keep swearing no way, no how will they take Russian energy (wellie maybe save some exceptions that they try to minimize). Not sayin that Europe might not eventually relent, but it will probably take a lot of nation-level regime-changing for that to happen. On top of that, Putin pointed out in one of his many appearance how it is just about impossible to roll back sanctions, and no one in Russia should expect that. So this looks like a US gambit to try to gain leverage with Russia that Russia will politely pretend to indulge but knows full well is empty. Kallas confirms EU foreign ministers visit to Ukraine on May 9 Ukrinform (Robin K)

Syraqistan

Syrias New President Has an Offer For Trump Drop Site

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

Imperial Collapse Watch

Pay Attention to What Happened in Newark James Fallows (Chuck L)

Trump 2.0

DOGE

Tariffs

Nonpartisan poll finds remarkably low trust in federal health agencies Iowa Capital Dispatch (Robin K)

Immigration

Democrat Death Wish

The Limitations of Partisan Politics Musa Al-Gharbi (albrt). Todays must read. The Resistance Is Gonna Be Woke Yascha Mounk. WTF is wrong with our supposed elites? All around the world, all they seem able to do is double down on failure. Democrats fume over Bidens return to spotlight The Hill. There are people who watch The View? Although the clips get around

Our No Longer Free Press

AI

Videos of Humanoid Robots Going Dangerously Berserk Core77 (resilc)

The Bezzle

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. From Robert, then in Miami:

And a bonus:

he tired his best  pic.twitter.com/pBP2pr7pkj  why you should have an animal (@ShouldHaveAnima) May 9, 2025

A second bonus:

The seagull made fun of him. pic.twitter.com/OpX1zcfH7l  The Figen (@TheFigen_) May 9, 2025

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Amazons pyramid peak sparks debate over lost civilizations monumental legacy

Cerro El Cono, a 1,310-foot-tall pyramid-like peak in Perus Amazon, sparks debate over whether it is a natural formation or a man-made structure. Indigenous communities revere it as a sacred mountain spirit, while fringe researchers suggest it could be a remnant of a lost civilization, potentially the tallest ancient structure ever built.

Some scientists argue it is a volcanic plug (like Devils Tower), shaped by erosion, while others point to its terraced features as possible evidence of ancient engineering. Comparisons are drawn to other debated sites, such as Indonesias Gunung Padang and Japans Yonaguni Monument.

Indigenous traditions view Cerro El Cono as an ancestral guardian ("Andean Apu"), linking it to pre-Incan knowledge. Archaeologists demand concrete proof (tools, carvings, or remains) before accepting human construction, but research is hindered by its remote location and protected status.

If man-made, it could redefine pre-Columbian history, suggesting advanced engineering and possible cultural links to other ancient civilizations (e.g., Egypts Edfu Texts). This highlights the overlooked sophistication of Amazonian societies, like the Beni culture, whose earthworks rival Egyptian pyramids.

Indigenous leaders advocate for collaborative research blending traditional knowledge with modern technology. Satellite and drone surveys reveal possible terracing, but definitive proof remains elusive. The site underscores the urgency of preserving hidden archaeological treasures before deforestation and development erase them.

In a remote corner of Perus lush Amazon rainforest, a colossal pyramid-shaped peak known as Cerro El Cono has emerged as a focal point for a heated scientific and cultural debate. Standing at 1,310 feet tall, the enigmatic structure  whose flat, stepped surfaces mirror the Great Pyramid of Giza  has long been shrouded in myth among Indigenous communities, who view it as a sacred mountain spirit. Now, fringe researchers propose it could be a remnant of a forgotten civilization, potentially the tallest ancient structure ever built. As scientists clash over its origins  natures handiwork or a monumental human feat  the discovery reignites global curiosity about the technological prowess of ancient societies and the existence of a lost "Homeland of the Primeval Ones," as described in ancient Egyptian texts.

Unraveling the mysteries of a prehistoric engineer or volcano?

Cerro El Conos existence defies the Amazons flat terrain, rising sharply from Sierra del Divisor National Park near the Ucayali River. Its steep slopes and flat terraces, now concealed by vegetation, have fueled theories of ancient engineering. Local legends, detailed by Peruvian outlet La Republica, suggest the peak is the crumbling remains of a pyramid built by a pre-Incan civilization. If proven, its 1,310-foot height would dwarf the 481-foot-tall Great Pyramid of Giza, making it three times taller than any confirmed ancient structure.

Historical parallels complicate the narrative. Structures like Indonesias 16,000-year-old Gunung Padang and Japans Yonaguni Monument  both debated as either natural formations or megalithic monuments  show the world is littered with such enigmas. Yet skeptics argue Cerro El Cono is a volcanic remnant, such as a hardened magma plug or intrusion, shaped by millions of years of erosion. Volcanic plugs like Devils Tower [in the U.S.] create abrupt, columnar features, notes geologist Dr. Elena Marquez. Its layered rock and vertical joints align with natural processes.

Cultural reverence versus scientific skepticism

For the Indigenous tribes of the Amazon, Cerro El Cono is no geological curiosity but a spiritual symbol. Revered as the Andean Apu, a protective mountain spirit, it anchors ancestral traditions predating the Inca Empire. This land remembers its architects, says Mariana Quispe, a Quechua elder, Their knowledge of the earth still guides wind and water.

Scientists, however, caution against conflating culture with concrete evidence. While myths are invaluable to communities, claims of engineering demand scrutiny, says archaeologist James Harrow at Cambridge University. No tools, carvings, or remains have been found, he notes, arguing for further excavation. Yet logistical hurdles  its remote location and national park protections  provide scant access for intensive study.

Why this matters now? A shift in understanding ancient societies

Cerro El Conos implications stretch far beyond Perus borders. If confirmed as man-made, it would reshape narratives about pre-Columbian societies, suggesting advanced urban planning and cultural continuity across continents. Its alignment with other global sites, like Egypts Edfu Texts referencing a 12,800-year-old cataclysmic homeland, hints at potential shared wisdom among ancient civilizations.

Moreover, the discovery underscores the vast unknowns of Amazonian history. The Amazon housed sophisticated civilizations like the Beni culture, whose earthworks rival Egyptian pyramids in scale. When European explorers dismissed the Americas potential, they erased millennia of achievement, writes anthropologist Anna Williams in Nature. Cerro El Cono could be the first chapter of that rediscovery.

The search continues  between spirit and science

As debates over Cerro El Cono intensify, the structures role as a bridge between myth and science grows. Indigenous leaders advocate for collaborative expeditions merging sacred knowledge with modern tools. We must listen to the mountains stories without erasing its spirits, emphasizes Adrian Vila, a conservationist.

Meanwhile, satellite surveys and drone analyses are slowly peeling back the forest canopy, revealing clues such as linear erosion patternsa hint of ancient terracingthough none yet confirm human design. The Amazon holds answers weve only just begun to hear, says explorer Chris Sloan.

The mountain holds its secrets  for now

Cerro El Cono stands as a testament to humanitys capacity for wonder and inquiry. Whether a monument to forgotten engineers or a volcanic marvel, its mystery compels us to reimagine the capabilities of ancient cultures and the interconnectedness of our shared past. As deforestation and development threaten hidden sites worldwide, this Amazonian peak serves as both a challenge and a promise: What is revealed might rewrite history, and what remains undiscovered could hold the silence of civilizations long gone.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.com

MSN.com

NewsBreak.com
DOJ seeks to unravel Googles ad empire in landmark antitrust bid

The U.S. government is pushing to force Google to divest key ad tech platforms like AdX and DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP), alleging 15 years of anticompetitive practices that inflated ad costs, hurt publishers, and stifled rivals.

Google is accused of controlling both sides of the ad market (buyers and sellers), using acquisitions, exclusive contracts (e.g., paying Apple to keep Google Search as default), and bundling services to eliminate competition. A 2023 court ruling found these practices violated antitrust laws.

The company argues its ad tech is too integrated to split easily, proposing behavioral fixes (e.g., opening bidding systems to rivals) instead. It dismissed the DOJs breakup demand as "unnecessary" and warned of disruption for publishers.

The case mirrors past battles like the Microsoft and AT&T breakups. If successful, it could lead to the first major tech divestiture in decades, with potential spillover effects on Googles other services (e.g., Android, Chrome).

The outcome could reshape digital advertising  lowering costs, aiding publishers, or destabilizing businesses reliant on Google. It also tests how regulators can rein in tech giants without hindering innovation.

In a bid to dismantle what they call a "digital advertising monopoly," federal authorities are pushing to force Google to divest key parts of its advertising technology (ad tech) empire. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion last month seeking a court order requiring Google to spin off its Ad Exchange (AdX) and DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) platforms, accusing the tech giant of stifling competition and inflating ad costs over 15 years. The legal showdown, part of a broader antitrust campaign targeting Big Tech, centers on whether breaking up Googles ad tech infrastructure is necessary to restore fair competition.

The DOJs case: A 15-year monopoly in digital advertising

The lawsuit, initially filed in 2020 and reignited after a court ruling in April, alleges that Google used anticompetitive tactics to control both the buy and sell sides of the digital ad market. AdX, a essential marketplace for advertisers and publishers, and DFP, a platform enabling websites to manage ad inventory, are at the heart of the governments claims.

Googles conduct had the effect of diminishing competition, inflating advertising costs and reducing revenues for news publishers, said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter in April, referencing the courts findings that Google illegally entangled its ad tools to cement market control. The DOJs complaint highlights how Google leveraged its dominance in search and Android to expand into ad tech  a strategy that eliminated rivals and harmed creators, advertisers and the flow of public information.

The April ruling by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with many of these claims, finding Googles practices violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. The court also noted Googles use of exclusive contracts to block competitors, such as paying Apple $20 billion annually to maintain Google Search as the default browser engine.

Googles defense: Breaking us up isnt simple

Google has countered the DOJs demands, arguing that its ad tech systems are too deeply embedded in its infrastructure to be easily divested. In a May filing, the company stated: Divesting AdX or DFP isnt as simple as selling source codethese tools operate within a proprietary environment that cant be easily replicated.

Instead of structural remedies, Google proposed behavioral changes, such as letting competitors access AdXs real-time bidding systems to compete fairly. Lee-Anne Mulholland, Googles vice president for regulatory affairs, called the DOJs breakup request unnecessary and without legal foundation, claiming it would disrupt publishers reliant on Googles tools.

The company also offered to accept an external trustee to monitor adherence to proposed fixes for up to three years. However, the DOJ dismissed these measures as insufficient, arguing that only a structural fix could address the root of Googles dominance.

A rare move recalling the Microsoft era

The DOJs push to break up Google echoes the Microsoft antitrust case of the 2000s, when the government sought to force the software giant to share technology with rivals. Like Microsofts dominance in operating systems, Googles control over ad tech and search today is seen as a threat to innovation and competition.

The potential breakup would mark the first major dismantling of a tech company since phone giant AT&T was split in 1984. Current deliberations, led by Judge Amit Mehta (who recently ruled against Google in a separate search monopolization case), include exploring the divestiture of Android, Chrome, or AdWords, alongside ad tech.

The case has drawn comparisons to Europes digital regulations, which now require Google to share search data with rivals  a measure the U.S. might also adopt. Critics, however, warn that Googles sprawling services and dominance in AI further complicate any breakup.

The high stakes of a tech giants unraveling

The outcome of this case could reshape the digital economy. For publishers, a breakup might reignite publisher-dependent ad platforms, but critics warn it could disrupt businesses reliant on Googles tools. For consumers, lower ad costs and more innovation are the DOJs promises; for Google, the fight is about survival and the unchecked growth of its $290 billion-a-year ad business.

As tech policymakers navigate unprecedented legal territory, the case underscores a broader tension: how to regulate colossal tech companies without stifling the innovation they drive. Whatever the court decides, Googles ad empire faces its most dire threat yet  one that could redefine the rules of competition in the digital age.

Sources for this article include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

Bloomberg.com

MSN.com
FDA label GRAS means UNTESTED CHEMICALS flood American food because CIGARETTE MAKERS run the corporate BIG FOOD supply chain

Generally regarded as safe really means chemical-laden food because the FDA is told to look the other way during inspections, thanks to cigarette manufacturers who are running the food supply chain in America. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is blowing the lid on one of the biggest conspiracies that leads to chronic illnesses in this country. If you thought the FDA was looking out for your best interests when it comes to food safety, think again.

Got obesity? Got autoimmune disease? Got cancer? Ask the FDA if chemicals in the food supply labeled GRAS are the cause. Did you know the tobacco industry took over the food industry in the late 1980s and early 90s? The two biggest food companies during that period were wait for it R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris. Yes, were not talking about cancer sticks here, were talking about cancer food.

The very same companies that engineer cigarettes to contain bleach, pesticide, ammonia, insecticide, heavy metal toxins and embalming fluid (formaldehyde) began running the American food system, using the SAME chemicals as additives, preservatives and chemical addiction tools.

RFK Jr. explains, By the early 1990s, the two biggest food companies in the world were R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris. They began moving scientists from the endeavor of making tobacco more addictive to developing new lab ingredients that would make food addictive.

For 40 years now, food has been designed by cigarette makers to contain chemicals that make them addictive, just like cigarettes

For decades, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed thousands of untested chemicals into the food supply under a regulatory loopholeone that critics say prioritizes industry profits over public health. Now, amid rising obesity rates and malnutrition linked to processed foods, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pushing to dismantle the controversial "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) rule, which permits companies to self-certify additives without independent safety reviews. The move could mark a turning point in how America regulates its food.

Thats right. GRAS is just a loophole for cigarette makers to use chemicals to wreck the food supply and fuel the chronic sick care industrial complex of America.

The GRAS exemption originated in the 1940s when the FDA began regulating food. At the time, common ingredients like wheat and eggs were exempt from testing due to their long history of safe use. But over time, the food industry exploited this exception, applying it to thousands of new chemicals  many derived from petroleum or designed to mimic natural flavors.

The food industry later captured that label and applied it to every new chemical they wanted to add, Kennedy said. Today, the U.S. has over 10,000 approved food additives  compared to just 400 in Europe  with many never undergoing safety testing.

The consequences are stark. Kennedy noted that the U.S. is now the fourth most obese nation globally, yet many Americans suffer from malnutrition despite excessive calorie intake. The people who are most obese are also malnourished. Thats never been seen before in human history, he said. Critics argue that engineered additives disrupt metabolism, tricking the brain into craving more food while delivering little nutrition.

In March, Kennedy directed the FDA to revise the GRAS rule, ending the industrys ability to self-certify additives. HHS also plans to collaborate with Congress on legislation to close the loophole permanently. Additional measures include banning petroleum-based food dyes and reviewing existing chemicals in the food supply.

Were moving fast, Kennedy said, signaling a shift toward stricter oversight. While the timeline remains unclear, the push reflects growing public demand for transparency and real food over processed alternatives.

The FDAs regulatory framework, long criticized as industry-friendly, may finally face meaningful reform. As Kennedys team works to dismantle the GRAS system, the message is clear: the era of unchecked food additives could be ending. For consumers, the advice remains simple  yet urgent. As Kennedy put it: Eat real food.

Tune your food news frequency to FoodSupply.news and get updates on more toxic food scams that Big Food employs to make Americans sick for profits aligned with Big Pharma.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

VigilantFox.com
Iran inks deal to boost production at Paranj oil field

Iran has signed an agreement to boost production at the Paranj oil field in southwestern Iran. The deal, involving the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), Mapna Oil & Gas Development Company, and Ghadir Electricity & Energy Investment Company, was signed on May 9 during the 29th Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining, and Petrochemical Exhibition.

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Trump demands 30-day Ukraine ceasefire, threatens sanctions if fighting continues

Trump demands a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, threatening sanctions on violators from either side.

Russias struggling economy may push Putin toward negotiations, but past ceasefires have failed.

Zelensky cautiously supports the proposal but insists Russia must prove its commitment to peace.

U.S. war fatigue grows as financial and political pressures shift focus to other global conflicts.

The Kremlins response will determine if Trumps strategy succeeds or further isolates Russia.

President Donald Trump has called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, warning that the U.S. and its allies will impose crippling sanctions on whichever side violates the agreement. The demand, issued via Truth Social yesterday, comes as Russias economy shows signs of strain under existing sanctions, raising hopes that Moscow may finally be pressured into negotiations. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled openness to the proposal, but skepticism remains over whether either side will comply.

A shift in strategy

Trumps latest ceasefire push marks a departure from previous efforts by explicitly threatening sanctions against both Russia and Ukraine if hostilities continue. "If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions," Trump declared, adding that the pause should "ultimately build toward a Peace Agreement." This hardline stance reflects growing frustration in Washington as the war drags on, with Vice President J.D. Vance recently accusing Russia of "asking for too much" in negotiations.

Unlike past proposals, this one arrives at a moment when Russia appears increasingly vulnerable to economic pressure. Reports suggest President Vladimir Putin is eager to regain access to Western markets, raising the possibility that sanctions could finally force concessions. However, Russia has so far only agreed to a symbolic three-day ceasefire tied to World War II commemorations in a move Ukraine dismissed as a "farce" after alleged violations.

Zelenskys cautious response

Zelensky, who spoke with Trump before the announcement, publicly endorsed the 30-day ceasefire but insisted Russia must "prove their willingness to end the war." In a social media post, he stated, "Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire starting right now, from this very moment." Yet his invitation for Trump to visit Ukraine earlier this year, seen by some as a sarcastic jab at Trumps claim he could resolve the war in 24 hours, hints at lingering tensions.

The Ukrainian leader is walking a tightrope. While reliant on U.S. support, he faces pressure to avoid appearing weak amid reports that American patience is wearing thin. With Washington increasingly distracted by conflicts in the Middle East, Zelensky risks losing his strongest backer if he rejects diplomacy outright.

Americas war fatigue

The U.S. has poured billions into Ukraines defense, but Trumps ultimatum signals a turning point. His administration has hinted it may abandon mediation efforts if no progress is made, a threat underscored by Secretary of State Marco Rubios warnings that America could move on to other issues. The financial toll is also drawing scrutiny. As Trump noted, "Thousands of young soldiers are dying every week and everyone should want it to STOP," a reality that fuels domestic calls to wind down involvement.

Russias recent missile strikes on Kyiv, which Trump called "very bad timing," have only heightened urgency. Yet critics argue that cutting aid or pressuring Ukraine into concessions could embolden Putin. The stakes for them are high: A failed ceasefire might push the U.S. to disengage entirely, leaving Ukraine vulnerable.

Will Putin budge?

The Kremlins response will determine whether Trumps gamble pays off. While Putin has expressed interest in re-engaging with the West, he has resisted long-term ceasefires, fearing they would allow Ukraine to regroup. Still, with Russias economy faltering, the threat of additional sanctions may prove harder to ignore.

Trump, meanwhile, is positioning himself as a dealmaker, vowing to be "available on a moments notice" to broker peace. His approach of combining sanctions with direct negotiation contrasts sharply with Bidens strategy, but its success hinges on whether Moscow and Kyiv see more to gain from talking than fighting.

The coming weeks will test whether Trumps hardball tactics can break the deadlock. For Ukraine, accepting a ceasefire risks ceding momentum; for Russia, rejecting it invites deeper isolation. And for the U.S., the dilemma is whether to keep bankrolling a war with no end in sight or force a resolution, even if it leaves Ukraine at a disadvantage.

As Trump warned, the alternative is grim: a prolonged conflict that could spiral into a broader war. With global attention shifting and resources stretched thin, Americas message to Zelensky seems clear: find a way to end this, or face the consequences alone.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

Reuters.com

France24.com
Amazons tactile robot Vulcan sparks debate over automations future in warehouses

Amazon unveiled its first touch-sensitive warehouse robot, Vulcan, which uses AI-driven tactile sensors to autonomously handle 75% of warehouse items. It dynamically adjusts grip strength and employs a suction-cup arm for precise "zhoop" movements, reducing physical strain on workers.

Amazon frames Vulcan as a collaborator, taking over ergonomically taxing tasks (e.g., high/low shelving) while creating new roles in robotics maintenance. However, economists warn of broader job displacement, with Goldman Sachs predicting 300 million global roles could be automated by 2030.

Vulcan reduces workplace injuries (e.g., ladder strains) by up to 50% in pilot sites. Amazon offers programs like Career Choice to transition workers into tech roles, but critics highlight risks of underemployment in lower-paid support positions.

Vulcans rollout coincides with policy pressures  EU regulations demand AI transparency, while U.S. unions challenge Amazon over wages. Amazon insists automation enhances efficiency but denies aiming for 100% human replacement.

The robot reflects Amazons bet on human-AI coexistence, but its deployment raises societal concerns, including income inequality and job market disruption. CEO Andy Jassy emphasizes ethical AI choices will define the future of work.

At its annual "Delivering the Future" event in Dortmund, Germany, on May 7, Amazon unveiled Vulcan, its first warehouse robot with a sense of touch  a groundbreaking technology designed to transform global e-commerce logistics. The robot, capable of handling 75% of items in Amazons warehouses autonomously, uses AI-driven tactile sensors to pick and stow goods, reducing physical strain on human workers but sparking fresh concerns over job displacement. Amazon argues Vulcan augments its human workforce, enabling safer and more efficient operations, yet economists warn the advance underscores broader automation trends threatening millions of roles worldwide.

The science of touch: How Vulcan redefines warehouse robotics

Vulcan combines force-sensing tools with AI to navigate the physical chaos of fabric-covered storage pods, which house up to 10 items each. Its mechanical "hand," resembling a ruler fused to a hair-straightener, adjusts grip force dynamically to avoid damaging goods. A suction-cup arm, guided by a camera and stereo vision, locates and retrieves objects while ensuring single-item precision. This "zhoop" motionAmazons term for the controlled movement of items into binsreduces the need for employees to use ladders for high shelves or stoop to access floor-level compartments.

Vulcan is not just seeing the world; its feeling it, said Aaron Parness, Amazons director of robotics, stressing the robots fundamental leap in automation. Trained on real-world physical data, the system learns iteratively, refining its approach to diverse itemsfrom fragile electronics to irregularly shaped packages.

Jobs and safety: A delicate balance

Amazon emphasizes collaboration between robots and humans. Over 750,000 existing warehouse robots already assist in 75% of customer orders, handling arduous tasks like moving heavy pallets. Vulcan focuses on repetitive, ergonomically challenging jobs, such as reaching high or low shelving units. Front-line worker Kari Freitas Hardy testified to its benefits: Vulcan works alongside us, making room for new roles in robotics maintenance and oversight.

Yet experts highlight risks. Goldman Sachs predicts 300 million global jobs could be automated by 2030, including up to 275,000 annually in the United Kingdom. However, Amazon argues automation creates opportunities. The company offers training programs like Career Choice, enabling warehouse staff to shift into technical roles managing robots. Tye Brady, Amazons robotics chief technologist, likened the collaboration to R2D2amazingly capable yet inherently human-centric.

Safety remains a cornerstone. Brady noted humans remain critical for detecting hacking attempts or anomalies, saying, Machines alone cant replicate human judgment entirely. Vulcans tactile skills also reduce workplace injuries, such as strains from handling ladders, by up to half in pilot sites like Spokane, Washington and Hamburg, Germany.

Automations ripple effect

The rollout mirrors growing automation debates globally. In the U.S., Amazon has faced union challenges over low wages, while in the EU, member states draft regulations requiring corporate transparency over AI adoption. Parness pledged to scale Vulcan to enhance prices and selection but admitted 100% automation isnt our vision.

The robots deployment coincides with Amazons Amazon Haul initiative, a low-cost retail platform counterpunching rivals like Shein and Temu. While the company champions efficiency gains, critics worry about widening income gaps. Analysts highlight underemployment risks, where jobs shift to lower-paid tech support roles instead of vanishing entirely.

A fork in the road for human-machine coexistence

Vulcan embodies Amazons gamble that automation can coexist with human labornot replace it. Its tactile innovation reflects decades of progress, from early picking robots like Sparrow to todays force-sensitive AI. Yet the path forward is unclear. As CEO Andy Jassy hinted in a 2024 speech, This is a human-led era of AI. Our ethical choices define our future.

With Vulcan, Amazon wields a double-edged sword: advanced tech boosting profits today while reshaping tomorrows job market  and with it, societal trust. Whether Vulcan becomes a safety net or disruptor hinges on how companies, governments and societies balance innovation with humanitys needs. As the robots grow smarter, the real question remains: Who gets to steer their progress?

Sources for this article include:

TheGuardian.com

AboutAmazon.com

TheVerge.com
Earth-like soil patterns on Mars reveal clues to the planets climate history

NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) discovered wave-like sediment features resembling Earths solifluction lobes, suggesting Mars experienced freeze-thaw cycles in its past.

The Martian formations, imaged by HiRISE, mirror patterns in Arctic and mountainous areas on Earth, hinting at historical interactions between liquid water and regolith.

Martian lobes are 2.6 times taller than Earths, likely due to weaker gravity, but their exact age (recent or ancient) and formation process remain uncertain.

These features may indicate past climate cycles that created habitable conditions, aligning with earlier findings of organic molecules and fueling future astrobiology missions.

The study underscores the importance of analyzing such terrain for biosignatures, guiding missions like Mars Sample Return and NASAs Artemis program.

NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has detected unusual soil formations on the Red Planet that mirror terrestrial patterns, offering new insights into Mars climatic past. The discovery, published in the journal Icarus on March 26, identifies wave-like sediment features  comparable to those in Earths cold mountain regions  suggesting Mars may have undergone freeze-thaw cycles in its history. These findings not only bridge gaps in understanding Martian geology but also heighten curiosity about the planets potential habitability. The studys authors emphasize that such patterns could guide future missions searching for signs of ancient microbial life.

Earths colder regions offer clues to Mars geological mysteries

The Martian formations, captured by MROs High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, resemble solifluction lobes found in Earths Arctic and mountainous areas. These lobes form when frozen ground partially thaws, causing soil to slowly creep downhill. On Earth, such features signal past environmental conditions conducive to liquid water interactions with regoliththe layer of loose material covering bedrock.

Weve never had such detailed images to analyze Martian lobes before, said study lead author JohnPaul Sleiman, a doctoral student at the University of Rochester. These patterns could reflect similar processes to Earths, where freezing and thawing cycles sculpt landscapes over millennia. The study highlights that Mars lobes are 2.6 times taller than Earths on average, a discrepancy researchers attribute to Mars weaker gravity, which allows sediment waves to grow taller before collapsing.

Analyzing HiRISE data reveals larger than expected Martian formations

The team compared Mars slopes to those in Colorados Rocky Mountains, using computational models to simulate how gravity and temperature variations influence lobe shapes. Co-author Rachel Glade, an assistant professor at the University of Rochester, likened the process to liquid instabilities: These are giant, slow-motion patterns akin to paint dripping down a wall  but on a planetary scale, she noted.

While the study identifies similarities in geometry, questions remain about whether Mars lobes formed recently or millions of years ago. The lobes size and distribution at high latitudes suggest they may owe their origin to ground ice, a critical factor in sustaining lifes building blocks. However, researchers caution that without on-site analysis, confirming the role of liquid water  or its absence  is challenging.

Implications for Mars climate history and search for life

The findings revive discussions about Mars climatic shifts over billions of years. Earlier missions, such as the Curiosity rovers detection of ancient organic molecules, hinted at habitable conditions. These lobes could mark intervals when Mars climate cycled between frozen and wet states, creating environments hospitable to microbial life, Sleiman explained.

The study also underscores why NASAs Artemis program, aiming for human exploration of the Moon and Mars by the 2030s, prioritizes studying surface features. Understanding how terrain forms aids in identifying sites with preserved organic materiala priority for the planned Mars Sample Return mission. Meanwhile, recent discoveries of recurring slope lineae (RSL), dark streaks suspected of involving seasonal water flows on slopes, remain contentious, highlighting Mars complex hydrological history.

A glimpse into Mars geological history and beyond

The revelation of Earth-like soil patterns on Mars deepens the connection between our planet and its neighbor, offering a roadmap for unraveling Mars hidden past. While the study confirms a shared geological language between Earth and Mars, unanswered questions about the timing and extent of these processes persist. Future missions equipped to probe Martian regolith directly could unlock whether these lobes harbor biosignatures or clues to ancient water reserves. As Sleiman noted, Every pattern we decode brings us closer to knowing if Mars ever had or still holds the secrets to life beyond Earth.

As scientific exploration pushes forward, such discoveries remind us that Mars remains a planetary enigma  a silent record keeper of early solar system evolution and a potential crucible for life far from home.

Sources for this article include:

LiveScience.com

OpenTools.ai
Indonesia suspends OpenAI CEOs Worldcoin over alleged registration violations

Indonesia's Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) temporarily halted Worldcoin's operations, citing registration violations and suspicious activity.

Local subsidiaries PT Terang Bulan Abadi (operating without proper registration) and PT Sandina Abad Nusantara (accused of misusing another company's identity) face scrutiny.

Komdigi emphasized that digital service providers must comply with local laws, calling Worldcoin's actions a "serious violation."

Similar suspensions occurred in Brazil (over invalid consent for biometric data) and Germany (GDPR compliance issues), while Kenya banned it in 2023 over privacy risks.

Indonesia has not set a timeline for lifting the suspension, pending further findings. Authorities urge public vigilance against unauthorized digital services.

Indonesia has temporarily suspended the digital identity project World Network, formerly known as Worldcoin and co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, after regulators uncovered alleged registration violations.

The Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) announced Sunday, May 4, that it had halted the Electronic System Operator Certificate Registration (TDPSE) for World and World ID due to suspicious activity and potential legal breaches.

According to Komdigi, it would summon PT Terang Bulan Abadi and PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara, the local subsidiaries linked to Worldcoin, to clarify the allegations. Preliminary findings suggest that PT Terang Bulan Abadi was operating without a valid TDPSE. Meanwhile, PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara  the entity Worldcoin used to provide services  was allegedly involved in legal misrepresentation by using a registration of another company.

"Worldcoin services are recorded using TDPSE in the name of another legal entity, namely PT Sandina Abadi Nusantara," said Alexander Sabar, Komdigi's director general for digital supervision. He stressed that all digital service providers in Indonesia must comply with local registration laws, warning that "noncompliance with registration obligations and the use of the identity of another legal entity to carry out digital services is a serious violation."

Sabar also clarified that the ministry is committed to strict oversight of Indonesia's digital ecosystem to ensure security and trust. Thus, it urges citizens to report suspicious digital services through official channels to reinforce the need for public vigilance against unauthorized operations and prevent potential risks to the public.

Komdigi has not specified how long the suspension will last but stated that further action will depend on the findings of the investigation.

Worldcoin faces worldwide regulatory pushback

This is not the first time Worldcoin has faced regulatory pushback. For instance, the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) of Brazil ordered World Network to immediately halt its practice of offering cryptocurrency rewards to Brazilians in exchange for their biometric data on Jan. 24. The ANPD ruled that Tools for Humanity (TFH), the company behind the project, must cease operations in the country by Jan. 25, citing concerns over invalid consent and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Under Brazilian data protection laws, consent for processing sensitive biometric data must be freely given (without coercion or undue influence), informed and specific (users must fully understand what they're agreeing to) and unambiguous (clear and explicit).

The ANPD found that offering financial incentives, such as Worldcoin's WLD tokens, could manipulate consent, particularly for low-income or financially desperate individuals. The agency also raised alarms over the irreversible nature of biometric data collection (once an iris scan is taken, it cannot be undone), the lack of a clear deletion mechanism for users who later withdraw consent and the high risk of misuse, given the sensitive nature of iris data.

Germany made a similar move in December 2024 when its data protection authority forced the company to adjust its practices to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union. Critics argued that the project, which claims to create a universal digital identity system that could support Universal Basic Income (UBI) and a new global currency, poses serious privacy risks and could enable mass surveillance.

Similarly, Kenya suspended the project over public safety concerns in 2023, citing its iris-scanning technology and data privacy risks. (Related: Kenyan government SUSPENDS rollout of Worldcoin over potential risks to public safety.)

Check out Glitch.news for more similar stories.

Watch this video about how Worldcoin pushes new digital IDs that will probably be adopted worldwide.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Worldcoin accused of unethical practices shortly after its official launch.

OpenAI CEO launches global "Worldcoin" cryptocurrency to facilitate Universal Basic Income (UBI) and globalist authoritarian control.

Worldcoin CEO: Global digital currency tied to global digital ID will soon be required 'whether you like it or not.'

"Worldcoin" is here: Just get your eyes scanned by "The Orb" and your new "World ID" will be issued to you.

New crypto linked to digital ID forces all users to scan their EYEBALLS using iris-scanning technology.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

CoinTelegraph.com 1

CoinTelegraph.com 2

Brighteon.com
Monkey orange: The secret superfruit that supports good health

The monkey orange (Strychnos cocculoides) is a fascinating mix of nutrition, tradition and danger. It is valuable when used wisely but can be hazardous if mishandled.

It comes from a spiny shrub native to Southern Africa that produces vibrant orange-yellow fruit. Monkey fruit's sweet pulp attracts monkeys, but the seeds are highly toxic.

It has been used for centuries by indigenous communities as medicine and food. First documented in 1797, monkey fruit later gained scientific interest for its resilience in arid climates.

Monkey fruit contains beneficial compounds like antioxidants (flavonoids), immune-supporting polysaccharides and potential antiviral agents.

Monkey fruit pulp is used in chutneys, smoothies, glazes and fermented drinks.

Renowned in Southern Africa for its striking appearance and paradoxical blend of utility and toxicity, monkey orange (Strychnos cocculoides) is a botanical marvel steeped in cultural and historical significance.

This spiny shrub, native to arid and semi-arid regions of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Lesotho, produces vibrant orange fruit that has fascinated both botanists and traditional healers alike.

Named for its resemblance to a citrus orange and the peculiar tendency of monkeys to consume its pulp, monkey orange transcends its humble origins, offering both promise and peril in its chemical composition and historical uses.

Monkey orange fruit: A closer look

In addition to its scientific binomial Strychnos cocculoides, the fruit is also known as:

Bitterbine  A nod to the bitter alkaloids present in its seeds and leaves.

 A nod to the bitter alkaloids present in its seeds and leaves. Monkey orange  Derived from its visual similarity to oranges and observations of monkeys eating its sweet, sticky pulp.

 Derived from its visual similarity to oranges and observations of monkeys eating its sweet, sticky pulp. Umkhuzwane (Zulu)  Reflecting its cultural importance to indigenous communities.

 Reflecting its cultural importance to indigenous communities. Velgoy/suurklapper (Afrikaans)  A transliteration of its robust, hardy nature in arid landscapes.

Monkey orange is a roundish or ovoid drupe and is typically four to six centimeters in diameter. Its outer skin matures to a vivid orange-yellow hue, often with a rough, pitted texture.

Inside, the sticky, fibrous pulp surrounds hard, black seeds. Ripe monkey orange pulp is sweet, though unripe or green fruits are acrid and intensely bitter.

However, the seeds are extremely toxic due to alkaloid compounds.

Historical and cultural significance

First documented in 1797 by South African botanist Francis Masson, monkey orange has been an integral part of local ecosystems and cultures. Indigenous communities across Southern Africa have long utilized different parts of the plant for medicinal and practical purposes.

The plant thrives in nutrient-poor soils, a trait that has allowed it to anchor itself in harsh environments, from South Africas Karoo Desert to the Kalahari sands.

Botanically, its survival in arid conditions underscores its resilience, a quality paralleled in its historical uses. European settlers initially dismissed it, but by the Victorian era, it gained attention for its pharmacological potential.

Today, botanists recognize its ecological role in sustaining wildlife while cautioning against its inherent dangers.

Phytonutrients and health benefits

Monkey fruit pulp and leaves contain a mixture of phytochemicals, some beneficial, others heavily regulated due to toxicity:

Flavonoids  Quercetin and kaempferol in the fruit have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

 Quercetin and kaempferol in the fruit have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Fatty acids  Linoleic and palmitic acids in the fruit can support skin health.

 Linoleic and palmitic acids in the fruit can support skin health. Polysaccharides  Found in the mucilaginous pulp of the fruit, polysaccharides can support immune health and act as demulcents.

 Found in the mucilaginous pulp of the fruit, polysaccharides can support immune health and act as demulcents. Sterols  Beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol have been linked to antifungal and cholesterol-lowering effects.

Monkey fruit also contains unique compounds that are under research for their potential antiviral and antiparasitic activity, but they are not yet fully classified.

Monkey fruit seeds and roots contain toxic alkaloids, notably strychnosine, analogous to strychnine in other Strychnos species. These substances are potent nervous system stimulants and require professional handling.

While monkey fruit seeds are lethally toxic if ingested unprocessed, when prepared correctly, the pulp and leaves are traditionally used to:

Alleviate gastrointestinal ailments  Mucilaginous pulp acts as a natural emollient to soothe ulcers and diarrhea.

 Mucilaginous pulp acts as a natural emollient to soothe ulcers and diarrhea. Heal wounds and burns  Fresh leaf poultices applied topically may reduce inflammation and promote scar-free healing.

 Fresh leaf poultices applied topically may reduce inflammation and promote scar-free healing. Moderate diabetes  Compounds in the fruit demonstrate its potential to regulate blood sugar levels, according to preclinical studies.

 Compounds in the fruit demonstrate its potential to regulate blood sugar levels, according to preclinical studies. Treat respiratory issues  Historically, steamed monkey orange fruit pulp was used to relieve congestion and bronchitis.

 Historically, steamed monkey orange fruit pulp was used to relieve congestion and bronchitis. Detoxify skin infections  The fruit's antimicrobial properties may help combat fungal infections and minor dermatitis.

Always seek expert guidance before using monkey fruit, especially the seeds. Improper preparation can lead to severe poisoning.

Culinary applications and recipe ideas

Monkey orange can be incorporated into both sweet and savory dishes. (Related: Quinoa, mushrooms and more: Superfoods for energy and vitality that you need in your survival stockpile.)

Here are some creative ways to use it:

Monkey orange chutney  A tangy condiment for meats and cheeses.

 A tangy condiment for meats and cheeses. Monkey orange smoothie bowl  Blended with yogurt and tropical fruits.

 Blended with yogurt and tropical fruits. Monkey orange glaze  A citrusy reduction for roasted vegetables or poultry.

 A citrusy reduction for roasted vegetables or poultry. Fermented monkey orange drink  A traditional African probiotic beverage.

 A traditional African probiotic beverage. Dried monkey orange snacks  Dehydrated slices for a chewy, nutrient-dense treat.

Monkey orange is more than just an exotic fruit, its a nutritional powerhouse with deep cultural roots. Its impressive phytonutrient profile and versatility in both traditional and modern cuisine make it a superfood worth exploring.

As global interest in indigenous and underutilized fruits grows, monkey orange may soon gain the recognition it deserves.

This story is not medical advice and is not intended to treat or cure any disease. Always consult with a qualified naturopathic physician for personalized advice about your specific health situation or concern.

Visit NaturalNews.com, an excellent resource for articles where you can explore the world of superfoods and discover their numerous health benefits.

You can also try Brighteon.ai, an AI model created by Mike Adams, also known as the Health Ranger. This model is available as a free download to be run locally and is designed to help share and decentralize knowledge. By doing so, it aims to bypass censorship and empower people with knowledge.

If you're searching for a platform that champions uncensored video content and free speech, particularly for discussions on nutrition, natural medicine, ingredients and related topics, visit Brighteon.com, a website that offers a space for open dialogue and exploration of these subjects without restrictions.

Brighteon.IO and Brighteon.social are two free speech social media sites that enable users to openly discuss health, nutrition, ingredients, toxicity and related topics without censorship.

Watch this clip about Organic Freeze-Dried Fruits, an excellent source of nutrition during emergencies.

This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Superfruits for good health: Boost your daily protein intake with delicious apple cinnamon muffins.

Here are 10 kiwifruit benefits you shouldnt miss out on.

Heres how fermented foods can support brain health.

Sources include:

Brighteon.AI

NaturalNews.com

Brighteon.com
Nicole Shanahan exposes RFK Jr.s Broken Promise  Claims Surgeon General Pick Casey Means is a Manchurian Asset in shocking allegation

The health freedom movement is in turmoil as Shanahan accuses Kennedy of deception and shadowy control  while Dr. Robert Malone defends Kennedy's Surgeon General nominee - Casey Means - amid vaccine silence controversy.

In fact, Nicole Shanahan had some tough words for Secretary Kennedy and his recent appointment of Casey Means to Surgeon General of the United States.

Nicole Shanahan:

Yes, it's very strange. Doesn't make any sense. 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). 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). With regards to the siblings, there is something very artificial and aggressive about them, almost like they were bred and raised Manchurian assets.

Allegations of deception and control:

Nicole Shanahan, an attorney and tech entrepreneur, is criticizing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she once stood side-by-side with, as vice presidential candidate during his independent bid for the White House.

She claims she was promised that the "siblings" (Casey and Calley Means) would not be appointed to roles under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) if she supported RFK Jr. in a hypothetical "Senate confirmation" (possibly a reference to a future appointment or political deal).

Shanahan suggests RFK Jr. may have lied to her, as the siblings now appear to be involved despite assurances otherwise.

She insinuates that RFK Jr. is being controlled by an unnamed third party ("reporting to someone regularly"), explicitly ruling out Donald Trump. This implies she believes shadowy forces are influencing Kennedy's decisions  a theme common in conspiracy circles.

However, RFK Jr. may simply be choosing someone who talks good in front of a camera and brings up issues in a way that doesnt alienate people.

"Manchurian asset" reference:

The term "Manchurian assets" refers to the conspiracy trope of individuals brainwashed or trained to act as covert operatives.

By describing the siblings as "artificial and aggressive" and comparing them to such assets, Shanahan is implying they may be part of a coordinated, possibly nefarious, effort to infiltrate or manipulate government health agencies. Many people in the health freedom movement see this as a likely scenario, considering that the siblings appeared suddenly at the forefront of the Make America Healthy Again Movement, capsizing a truly courageous medical freedom and vaccine truth movement that preceded MAHA during the years of COVID-19 lockdowns and during the coercive mRNA vaccine rollout.

Shanahans tweet reflects deep distrust in RFK Jr.'s leadership as Secretary of HHS and hints at broader conspiracy theories about hidden control networks. Her language aligns with QAnon rhetoric, where perceived "puppet masters" are blamed for political betrayals. However, Shanahan does make an important point, because RFK Jr. has conceded to other authorities within government just to become Secretary of HHS. For example, Kennedy agreed to answer to Senator Bill Cassidy, who requires that Secretary Kennedy not appoint "anti-vaxxers" to advise the Centers for Disease Control. This concession to not change ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices), halted the radical change that was needed at the CDC in 2025.

Why This Matters:

 Shanahans words point to internal strife within RFK Jr.'s orbit, as high-profile supporters like Shanahan air grievances publicly. People are frustrated that no action has been taken on the vaccine front.

 Shanahans rhetoric also fuels (necessary) polarization and distrust in institutions. While health agencies like HHS are under fire from many sides, grassroots debate is necessary to propel MAHA in the right direction. While Shanahan is being disruptive, distrust in government should remain, no matter who is occupying the leadership roles, no matter what they have promised.

The core issue: A MAHA Surgeon General candidate who ignores vaccine carnage

Another noteworthy person close to Secretary Kennedy is Dr. Robert Malone. Malone wrote in his substack in support of Casey Means, while condemning anyone who would dare oppose Casey Means as the next Surgeon General of United States. In his post, he referred to dissenters as extreme.

This begs the question: Why are supposed leaders in the health freedom movement dismissing legitimate concerns about Casey Means fitness for Surgeon General, while ignoring the elephant in the room: her silence on COVID-19 vaccine injuries and mandates?

Malone frames opposition to Means as "extremism" and "cyber-bullying," but the real issue is simple:

She has never spoken out against COVID-19 vaccine injuries, despite overwhelming evidence of myocarditis, neurological damage, and excess deaths.

She has not addressed the suppression of vaccine-injured voices, nor has she advocated for medical freedom in the context of mandates.

Her focus on metabolic health looks like a smokescreen to many. While this issue is important, it does not absolve her of ignoring the largest medical scandal in modern history.

Malones argument that she couldnt speak out against the jab and still be "effective" or be confirmed by the Senate is nonsense.

If she lacks the courage to address the biggest public health disaster of our time, she has no business leading MAHA or serving as Surgeon General.

Instead of engaging with substantive critiques, Malone:

Dismisses critics as "bots" or "extremists"  a classic tactic to avoid debate.

Compares vaccine safety advocates to anti-Semites, implying that questioning Means is akin to racism.

Praises her "courage" while ignoring her cowardice on vaccines  a glaring contradiction.

His claim that "anyone who spoke against mRNA vaccines wont get Senate confirmation" is a cop-out. If MAHA is truly about health freedom, it must demand leaders who confront all threatsnot just the politically convenient ones.

Malone admits MAHA is a "diverse" coalition, but this diversity is being weaponized to dilute its core mission. By elevating a figure like Means  who avoids the vaccine issue  the movement is being steered toward safe, non-controversial topics (food, metabolism) while ignoring the ongoing medical tyranny.

This is controlled opposition 101:

Shift focus from vaccines to "ultra-processed foods."

Promote a "moderate" face who wont challenge Big Pharma.

Smear dissenters as "conspiracy theorists" or "bots."

Malone, once a vocal critic of COVID vaccines, now defends a nominee who wont touch the subject. His claim that "purity spirals" are bad is ironicsince MAHA was founded to oppose medical corruption, not accommodate it.

If Malone truly cared about health freedom, he would:

Propose that Means publicly address vaccine injuries, and discuss all the issues he has personally raised with mRNA COVID jabs.

Reject the false dichotomy between metabolic health and vaccine safety.

Stop minimizing the core issue that is the backbone of MAHA in the first place.

Not excuse Mean's silence on important health issues as some sort of wise political pragmatism.

Remember that being Surgeon General shouldn't be a publicity contest.

Malones quick endorsement of Means and his swift criticism of "extreme" health freedom warriors signals that MAHA is being absorbed into the system it was meant to fight. By accepting a Surgeon General who wont challenge the vaccine status quo, the movement is ceding ground to the very forces it claims to oppose.

Perhaps there needs to be a healthy debate on Casey Mean's qualifications by health freedom warriors who understand what's at stake.

A debate between Nicole Shanahan and Robert Malone would be great to watch.

The MAHA movement needs more division and more polarization - not some weak form of unity - because debate will improve the direction that the movement is heading in. Focusing on celebrity status and political parity will only lead to regret and disappointment in the end.

Leadership roles that are filled with celebrities, status seekers, and smooth talkers will ultimately fail. Seize this moment in the war, and promote individuals who have been through trials and fires, who speak from conviction, and will deliver the truth courageously.

Sources include:

X.com

NaturalNews.com

Substack.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai
U.S. faces threat of Spain-style blackouts amid polarized energy debate, warns Interior secretary

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum warns that America could face catastrophic blackouts like Spains due to overreliance on intermittent renewables and policies sidelining stable energy sources (coal, nuclear).

Spains April 2024 grid failure, triggered by rapid renewable adoption and coal/nuclear plant closures, caused widespread chaos (stranded commuters, halted flights) and 1.5 billion in losses  highlighting the instability of solar/wind dependence.

Burgum criticizes federal subsidies for renewables and restrictions on traditional energy, arguing they mirror Spains mistakes by prioritizing "green" symbolism over grid reliability and baseload power needs.

A 2023 NERC report warns of "unprecedented" blackout risks in Texas, the Southeast and New England due to infrastructure underinvestment and overreliance on intermittent energy, worsened by extreme weather.

While the U.S. pushes renewables, China invests in coal and nuclear, raising national security concerns. Burgum urges pragmatic reforms to avoid Spains fate, stressing the need for stability over ideological climate targets.

In the wake of Spains recent catastrophic blackout, U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has warned the country could face similar chaos due to overreliance on intermittent renewable energy and misguided government policies. Speaking on the All-In podcast, Burgum cited Spains grid collapse, which left millions stranded in darkness following a rapid shift to renewables, as a cautionary tale for America. You cannot run a grid on solar or wind alone, Burgum emphasized, criticizing Biden administration policies that favor renewables while sidelining stable power sources like coal and nuclear. With states like Texas and the Southeast facing heightened winter reliability risks, the warnings underscore a growing divide over energy security and climate priorities.

Spains blackout crisis: A harbinger for the U.S.?

Spains April 28 grid failure, which trapped commuters in subways, halted flights and disrupted hospitals, began with celebrations just weeks prior. On April 12, the country shut down its final coal planta milestone in transitioning to renewable energy. By April 19, officials hailed hitting 100% renewable energy production for a weekday. But within days, solar energys inherent instability  coupled with reduced inertia from nuclear and natural gas plants facing closurescaused the grid to falter. Michael Shellenberger, an energy policy analyst, noted that Spain prioritized deploying renewables over maintaining grid stability, leading to a perfect storm of physics-defying energy policies.

Solar and wind are intermittent by definition, Burgum said, likening the Spanish debacle to a potential U.S. crisis. Grid operators cant control when the sun shines or the wind blows, so baseload power is essential to prevent failure during lulls. The outage caused 1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in economic losses, leaving European leaders scrambling to reassess energy strategies.

Renewable subsidies over stability?

Burgums critique targets Bidens federal subsidies and regulatory restrictions on traditional energy, arguing they mirror Spains missteps. He accused the administration of gambling energy security on green goals without addressing grid vulnerabilities. Every time a coal plant shuts and a wind farm opens, were moving closer to the edge, he said, while defending the Trump administrations emphasis on pragmatic energy sourcing.

The interview underscores a broader debate over the tension between climate ambition and reliability. States like California and New York have adopted aggressive renewables targets, often paired with closures of nuclear plantsa stable energy source. Burgum called for a return to pragmatic policymaking: Grid operators need predictability, not idealism. Right now, were prioritizing symbolism over safety.

Risks on the horizon

A 2023 report by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) flagged unprecedented risks of power shortages in Texas, New England and the Southeast, citing underinvestment in infrastructure and over reliance on intermittent energy. These regions, including Texas  the nations energy hub  face winter cold spells and summer heatwaves exacerbating grid stress.

Its not hyperbolic to say blackouts could threaten hospital equipment or force life-saving devices offline, said a NERC official. Burgum echoed these concerns, linking them to broader geopolitical stakes. While were subsidizing unreliable tech, China is doubling down on nuclear and coal. Thats not just bad for energy  its a national security issue.

Security or sustainability?

Secretary Burgums warnings reflect a deepening ideological rift over the future of U.S. energy policy. Spains blackout underscores the high stakes of real-world grid physics, forcing a reckoning between climate goals and the reality of maintaining power on demand. As winters grow fiercer and solar-dependent grids wobble, the debate will center on who bears responsibility for keeping the lights on: bureaucrats chasing green targets or engineers prioritizing stability. With summer 2025 looming, Burgums message is clear: Without practical reforms, America may soon repeat Spains mistake.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

Public.news

Gulf-Insider.com

TasnimNews.com
Virologist who endorsed HCQ for COVID-19 appointed to top pandemic post at HHS

Steven J. Hatfill, a former White House COVID-19 advisor under Trump and advocate for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as an early COVID-19 treatment, has been appointed as a special adviser to the HHS' Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

Hatfill defended HCQs safety and efficacy, citing thousands of studies and Trump's use of the drug, despite federal agencies revoking its emergency authorization in 2020 over safety concerns and disputed evidence.

In his new role, Hatfill aims to improve readiness for future pandemics by analyzing global disease threats including influenza, bird flu and emerging pathogens.

While some medical professionals (e.g., Dr. Joseph Varon) support his appointment as a step toward rebuilding trust, critics (e.g., Public Citizen's Robert Steinbrook) argue HCQ's ineffectiveness is settled science and warn against ideology influencing policy.

Hatfill's past includes involvement in Trump's crusade to expose election fraud and a wrongful link to the 2001 anthrax attacks, raising questions about how his tenure may impact public health credibility.

A scientist who endorsed hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a treatment for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) during the early days of the pandemic has been appointed to a key position at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Steven J. Hatfill, who previously served as a White House COVID-19 advisor during President Donald Trump's first term, was recruited again for the real estate mogul's second term  albeit in a new role this time. According to the Washington Post (WaPo), Hatfill began his second week as a special adviser in the director's office of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) on Monday, May 5.

The ASPR is an agency tasked with pandemic readiness and biodefense, two fields Hatfill is no stranger to. Nevertheless, his appointment underscores lingering divisions over COVID-19 treatments that go against conventional medical advice.

Hatfill, a former Army biodefense researcher, gained attention in 2020 for championing HCQ as an early intervention for COVID-19 despite pushback from federal health agencies and mainstream medical experts. He defended his stance in an interview with WaPo Saturday, May 3.

"They gave the drug to the president. It is a safe drug," said Hatfill, referencing Trump's use of HCQ when he contracted COVID-19. The virologist also cited "5,000 controlled, randomized [and] peer-reviewed studies" that attested to HCQ's safety and efficacy when administered promptly.

Hatfill also reiterated his commitment to "get us ready for the next pandemic." He expressed plans to work with other scientists at the ASPR to build "complete awareness of the scientific literature, not just for influenza, bird flu or COVID-19  but other global diseases that could represent a threat to the United States."

Medical experts attest to HCQ's effectiveness

The Food and Drug Administration initially granted HCQ emergency use authorization in March 2020. But the agency revoked it three months later, citing cardiac risks and a lack of proven benefit. Critics, including Hatfill, argue that flawed studies  such as those administering the drug too late or at toxic doses  skewed the evidence.

Other medical experts also attested to HCQ's effectiveness. Texas physician Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, who treated thousands of COVID-19 patients, said HCQ caused no serious side effects in her practice. Biological warfare expert Dr. Meryl Nass meanwhile noted the paradox of HCQ being deemed safe for lupus and malaria, but suddenly "dangerous" for COVID-19. (Related: Doctor who developed HCQ protocol has now successfully treated thousands of COVID-19 patients.)

Dr. Joseph Varon, president and chief medical officer of the Independent Medical Alliance (IMA), praised HHS for "recognizing the value of voices like Hatfill." According to Varon, Hatfill's appointment is a step toward "rebuilding public trust" in healthcare. Formerly known as the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, the IMA was among the proponents of HCQ t0 address SARS-CoV-2 infection.

But not everyone welcomed the virologist's appointment, including Robert Steinbrook, health research group director for the progressive nonprofit Public Citizen. He argued that HCQ's purported ineffectiveness against COVID-19 is settled science, noting that officials like Hatfill "should evaluate medicines based on evidence, not personal views."

Hatfill's name is also embroiled in controversies outside HCQ. Emails released by a Democrat-led House subcommittee revealed Hatfill's involvement in Trump's crusade to expose election fraud after the 2020 elections. His past also includes a wrongful link to the 2001 anthrax attacks, which cost him his job before a $4.6 million settlement with the Department of Justice.

As Hatfill assumes his new role, his tenure may test the balance between scientific rigor and ideological persistence in public health. With ASPR's future uncertain  with the agency potentially being folded into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  his focus on global disease threats could either bridge divides or deepen them.

Visit Pandemic.news for more similar stories.

Watch this February 2023 episode of "The Zelenko Report" on Brighteon.TV, where Dr. Steven Hatfill talks about HCQ with Ann Vandersteel.

This video is from the BrighteonTV channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Dr. Robert Malone: FDA, BARDA blocked the use of HCQ as a Covid treatment.

Nurse Erin Olszewski: HCQ and zinc better treatments for Covid  Brighteon.TV.

Dr. Steven Hatfill tells Ann Vandersteel: There's no valid medical reason for mass vaccination of kids and young adults  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

TheGuardian.com

Newsmax.com

Brighteon.com
Iran ramps up funding to expand Gachsaran oil and gas operations

Iran's Gachsaran Oil and Gas Production Company (GOGPC) has signed ten contracts with local firms, allocating approximately $1.97 million to support domestic manufacturing of vital oil and gas equipment. The deals, announced during a major energy exhibition in Tehran, aim to enhance local capacity by producing items such as security systems, pumps, and pipeline components for use in GOGPCs fields.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. Iran and Russia are mutually interested in developing the route of the International NorthSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC) along the Caspian Sea, said Saeed Rasouli, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Acting Head of the Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), Trend reports.

In a phone conversation with the State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Zverev, Rasouli emphasized that all routes of the INSTC remain a key focus for both nations, especially efforts to boost cargo transit and freight through the Caspian Sea.

He noted that an upcoming meeting involving both state and non-state representatives will be held in Makhachkala, Russia, within two months, aiming to establish a maritime transport consortium between Iran and Russia.

The Deputy Minister added that the development of trade cooperation and the expansion of logistics and transit opportunities across the Caspian Sea are areas of shared interest for both countries. He added that Iran has proposed several measures, including aligning port tariffs, simplifying customs procedures, boosting container traffic at ports, and increasing cargo movement via the Caspian Sea.

During the call, Russian Deputy Minister Dmitry Zverev confirmed that Russias Ministry of Transport welcomes Irans proposals and is pursuing a full agreement to enhance cooperation in the maritime and port sectors.

The foundation of the International North-South Transport Corridor was laid on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000. In total, 13 countries have ratified the agreement, including Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Russia, Turkiye, etc.

The aim of setting up a corridor is to cut down the delivery time of cargo from India to Russia, along with Northern and Western Europe. The delivery time on the current route is dragging its feet at over 6 weeks; however, it's anticipated to be trimmed down to 3 weeks through the International North-South Transport Corridor.

To facilitate the integration of Azerbaijan Railways with the Iranian rail infrastructure within the designated corridor, the Qazvin-Rasht rail link, spanning 175 kilometers, was officially commissioned on March 6, 2019. The Rasht-Astara rail corridor is slated for development within the geopolitical confines of the Iranian territory.

The north-south corridor has 3 directions in the territory of Iran. Eastern direction: Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; Middle direction: other countries across the Caspian Sea; Western direction: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries.

On May 17, 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement to build the Rasht-Astara railroad line in Gilan province, northern Iran. The 163-kilometer-long Rasht-Astara railway line will house nine stations. The completion of this railroad will enhance the North-South international corridor and connect Iran's railroad network to the Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. Under the agreement, the Russian side is to spend 1.6 billion euros on the construction of this railroad. This railroad is planned to be built and completed within 48 months.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
While Gov. J.B. Pritzker remains mum on his future political plans, the billionaire has those on both sides of the aisle buzzing. Editor Jeff D'Alessio asked 17 national political watchers: How viable a presidential candidate could Illinois' governor be?
State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson anticipates that California's sprawling Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, may need to be dialed back after Gov. Gavin Newsom releases his latest budget, which could reflect a multibillion-dollar deficit.

Even so, the physician-turned-lawmaker, who was elected to the state Senate in November, says her priorities as chair of a budget health subcommittee include preserving coverage for the state's most vulnerable, particularly children and people with chronic health conditions.

"We will be spending many, many hours and long nights figuring this out," Weber Pierson said of the lead-up to the state's June 15 deadline for lawmakers to pass a balanced budget.

With Medicaid cuts on the table in Washington and Medi-Cal running billions of dollars over budget due to rising drug prices and higher-than-anticipated costs to cover immigrants without legal status, Weber Pierson's dual responsibilities  maintaining a balanced budget and delivering compassionate care to the state's poorest residents  could make her instrumental in leading Democrats through this period of uncertainty.

President Donald Trump has said GOP efforts to cut federal spending will not touch Medicaid beyond "waste, fraud, and abuse." Congressional Republicans are considering going after states such as California that extend coverage to immigrants without legal status and imposing restrictions on provider taxes. California voters in November made permanent the state's tax on managed-care health plans to continue funding Medi-Cal.

The federal budget megabill is winding its way through Congress, where Republicans have set a target of $880 billion in spending cuts over 10 years from the House committee that oversees the Medicaid program.

Health care policy researchers say that would inevitably force the program to restrict eligibility, narrow the scope of benefits, or both. Medi-Cal covers 1 in 3 Californians, and more than half of its nearly $175 billion budget comes from the federal government.

One of a handful of practicing physicians in the state legislature, Weber Pierson is leaning heavily on her experience as a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist who treats children with reproductive birth defects  one of only two in Southern California.

Weber Pierson spoke to KFF Health News correspondent Christine Mai-Duc in Sacramento this spring. She has introduced bills to improve timely access to care for pregnant Medi-Cal patients, require developers to mitigate bias in artificial intelligence algorithms used in health care, and compel health plans to cover screenings for housing, food insecurity, and other social determinants of health.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: You're a state senator, you practice medicine in your district, and you're also a mom. What does that look like day to day?

A: When you grow up around someone who juggles a lot, that just kind of becomes the norm. I saw this with my mom [former state Assembly member Shirley Weber, who is now secretary of state].

I'm really happy that Im able to continue with my clinical duties. Those in the health care profession understand how much time, energy, effort, and money we put into becoming a health care provider, and Im still fairly early in my career. With my particular specialty, it would also be a huge void in the San Diego region for me to step back.

Q: What are the biggest threats or challenges in health care right now?

A: The immediate threats are the financial issues and our budget. A lot of people do not understand the overwhelming amount of dollars that go into our health care system from the federal government.

Another issue is access. Almost everybody in California is covered by insurance. The problem is that we have not expanded access to providers. If you have insurance but your nearest labor and delivery unit is still two hours away, what exactly have we really done for those patients?

The third thing is the social determinants of health. The fact that your life expectancy is based on the ZIP code in which you were born is absolutely criminal. Why are certain areas devoid of having supermarkets where you can go and get fresh fruits and vegetables? And then we wonder why certain people have high blood pressure and diabetes and obesity.

Q: On the federal level, there's a lot of conversation happening around Medicaid cuts, reining in the MCO tax, and potentially dropping Affordable Care Act premium subsidies. Which is the biggest threat to California?

A: To be quite honest with you, all of those. The MCO tax was a recognition that we needed more providers, and in order to get more providers, we need to increase the Medi-Cal reimbursement rates. The fact that now it is at risk is very, very concerning. That is how we are able to care for those who are our most vulnerable in our state.

Q: If those cuts do come, what do we cut? How do we cut it?

A: We are in a position where we have to talk about it at this point. Our Medi-Cal budget, outside of what the federal government may do, is exploding. We definitely have to ensure that those who are our most vulnerable  our kids, those with chronic conditions  continue to have some sort of coverage. What will that look like?

To be quite honest with you, at this point, I dont know.

Q: How can the state make it the least painful for Californians?

A: Sometimes the last one to the table is the first one to have to leave the table. And so I think thats probably an approach that we will look at. What were some of the more recent things that weve added, and we've added a lot of stuff lately. How can we trim down  maybe not completely eliminate, but trim down on  some of these services to try to make them more affordable?

Q: When you say the last at the table, are you talking about the expansion of Medi-Cal coverage to Californians without legal status? Certain age groups?

A: I dont want to get ahead of this conversation, because it is a very large conversation between not only me but also the [Senate president] pro tem, the Assembly speaker, and the governors office. But those conversations are being had, keeping in mind that we want to provide the best care for as many people as possible.

Q: You're carrying a bill related to AI in health care this year. Tell me what you're trying to address.

A: It has just exploded at a speed that I dont know any of us were anticipating. We are trying to play catch-up, because we werent really at the table when all of this stuff was being rolled out.

As we advance in technology, it's been great; we've extended lives. But we need to make sure that the biases that led to various discrepancies and health care outcomes are not the same biases that are inputted into that system.

Q: How does Sacramento policy impact your patients and what experience as a physician do you bring to policymaking?

A: I speak with my colleagues with actual knowledge of whats happening with our patients, whats happening in the clinics. My patients and my fellow providers will often come to me and say, "You guys are getting ready to do this, and this is why it's going to be a problem." And Im like, "OK, thats really good to know."

I work at a childrens facility, and right after the election, specialty hospitals were very concerned around funding and their ability to continue to practice.

In the MCO discussion, I was hearing from providers, hospitals on the ground on a regular basis. With the executive order [on gender-affirming care for transgender youth], I have seen people that I work with concerned, because these are patients that they take care of. Im very grateful for the opportunity to be in both worlds.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.
Collaborative research, led from the University of Oxford and published today in Nature Medicine, has developed a new tool called QR4 that more accurately predicts an individual's 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases, like heart disease and stroke, particularly identifying high-risk patients that current prediction tools miss.

Key findings at a glance:

QR4, a new cardiovascular risk prediction tool, was developed using health data from more than 16 million UK adults.

QR4 includes seven new risk factors applicable to all adults: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), learning disabilities, Down syndrome and four cancer types (blood, lung, oral and brain), highlighting how other significant diseases impact on heart health.

QR4 also identified factors specific to women's health that were predictive of future heart disease risk, such as complication from high blood pressure during pregnancy, and postnatal depression.

QR4 outperformed the most widely used heart disease risk calculators, including QRISK3 recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK, accurately identifying more high-risk patients.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally. Improved cardiovascular risk prediction will mean preventive treatments can be targeted to those most likely to benefit, getting the right treatments to the right people and reducing the overall burden of cardiovascular diseases to people and healthcare systems.

QR4 can be thought of as a type of calculator that lets doctors use an individual's health data, such as blood pressure, age and medical history, to estimate their likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years, allowing them to intervene early to prevent illness.

We believe that these findings are important to both patients and policy makers. They indicate that more groups of people are at increased risk for heart and circulatory diseases than previously recognised. These people could and should now benefit from treatments and other preventive measures to reduce their risk." Dr. Julia Hippisley-Cox, lead author, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice, University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences

Better risk prediction for more people

The researchers identified several unique risk factors common to all genders that were not part of current cardiovascular risk calculators, as well as new factors specific to women's health such as pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure, and postnatal depression, that were predictive of future heart disease risk.

"While traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking and high cholesterol are well-recognised, our latest research identifies less obvious, yet crucial risk indicators," said Professor Hippisley-Cox. "For instance, conditions like postnatal depression and Down's syndrome significantly contribute to cardiovascular risk, underscoring the complex interplay between mental health, genetic factors, and heart health. QR4 also helps to address inequalities in health, particularly around learning disabilities, which often coincide with barriers to effective health management and access, leading to an increased risk."

"Our findings also reveal that women with COPD are at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases than previously understood," said Professor Mona Bafadhel, co-author, Chair of Respiratory Medicine, King's College, London and Asthma + Lung UK Professor. "This underscores the critical need for targeted cardiovascular monitoring and interventions in these patients, which begins with an early diagnosis."

Potential to reshape public health policies

By integrating these new predictors into the QR4 model, the researchers have developed a more nuanced and comprehensive tool for predicting cardiovascular disease, ensuring preventative strategies are more personalised, inclusive, and cater to the needs of a broader and more diverse population.

"Cardiovascular risk has been under-recognised in some populations, which through QR4 we can now better address," said Professor Keith Channon, BHF Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Oxford. "The new findings will help identify more diverse groups of people who have high cardiovascular risk, enabling them to access interventions and treatments to reduce their risk."

QR4 gives the most accurate 10-year predications to date

As part of a comprehensive evaluation, the QR4 algorithm was rigorously tested against some of the most well-established cardiovascular risk assessment tools currently used in both the United States and Europe, improving on their predictive accuracy.

"The QR4 model potentially sets a new standard in cardiovascular risk assessment," said Dr Carol Coupland, senior researcher at the University of Oxford and Professor of Medical Statistics in Primary Care at the University of Nottingham and co-author of the study. "Our head-to-head comparisons with established models show that QR4 provides a more detailed risk profile for each individual, allowing for earlier and more precise intervention strategies. This is crucial in a field where early detection can save lives and could significantly impact how we approach prevention on a global scale."

This new algorithm builds on almost two decades of work and global leadership in the field of risk algorithms, and cardiovascular risk algorithms in particular. QR4's predecessor, QRISK is widely used in the NHS to assess over 5 million patients a year, often as part of NHS Health Checks.

The researchers hope that clinicians, advisory bodies, regulators, and health and care policymakers consider the implications of QR4's advanced predictive capabilities on national health guidelines and support its adoption in clinical settings to improve cardiovascular health outcomes.
The Trump administration must soon make a decision that will affect millions of Americans' ability to access and afford mental health and addiction care.

The administration is facing a May 12 deadline to declare if it will defend Biden-era regulations that aim to enforce mental health parity  the idea that insurers must cover mental illness and addiction treatment comparably to physical treatments for ailments such as cancer or high blood pressure.

Although a federal parity law has been on the books since 2008, the regulations in question were issued last September. They represent the latest development in a nearly two-decade push by advocates, regulators, and lawmakers to ensure insurance plans cover mental health care equitably to physical health care.

Within the dense 166-page final rule, two provisions have garnered particular attention: first, that insurers provide "meaningful benefits"  as defined by independent medical standards  for covered mental health conditions if they do so for physical conditions. For example, if insurers cover screening and insulin treatment for diabetes, then they can't cover screening alone for opioid addiction; they must also cover medications to treat opioid use disorder.

Second, insurers must go beyond the written words of their policies to measure how they work in practice. For example, are patients having to seek out-of-network care more often for mental than physical care? If so, and it relates to an insurer's policies, then those policies must be adjusted.

In January, a trade association representing about 100 large employers sued the federal government, claiming the regulations overstepped the administration's authority, would increase costs, and risked reducing the quality of care. The ERISA Industry Committee represents several Fortune 500 companies, such as PepsiCo and Comcast, which sponsor health insurance plans for their employees and would be directly affected by the new regulations.

ERIC's lawsuit, filed days before President Donald Trump's inauguration, puts the onus on the new administration to decide whether to defend the regulations. If it chooses not to, the rules could be scrapped.

Mental health clinicians, patients, and advocates are urging the administration to fight back.

"What we're trying to do is make the spirit of parity a practical reality," said Patrick Kennedy, a Democratic former U.S. representative who sponsored the 2008 parity law in the House and co-founded the Kennedy Forum, which advocates on mental health issues. This is "an existential issue for the country, public health, for every aspect of our society."

A 2023 national survey found that more than 6 million adults with mental illness who wanted treatment in the past year were unable to receive it. Cost was one of the most common barriers.

This lack of treatment harms people's physical health too, with research suggesting that undertreating depression can complicate chronic conditions, such as diabetes.

Kennedy hopes that connection will prompt support from the Trump administration, which has made chronic disease a central focus of its "Make America Healthy Again" agenda.

"You're never going to get MAHA if you don't integrate mental health," Kennedy said, mentioning the broad health movement embraced by his cousin HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

But James Gelfand, president and CEO of ERIC, said the regulations are a misguided attempt to solve the nation's mental health care crisis.

People's difficulty accessing therapy or medication has less to do with insurance policy and more to do with a severe shortage of mental health care providers, he said, adding, "No amount of penalties on employers" or new parity regulations "is going to change that dynamic until we get more of these providers."

This point is at the heart of debate about parity issues. Is mental health care difficult to access because there are few providers, or are providers not accepting insurance because of low reimbursement rates? A recent study by the research institute RTI International suggests it has more to do with payment.

The departments of Justice, Labor, and Health and Human Services declined to comment for this article. The Treasury Department, which is also involved in the lawsuit, did not respond to requests for comment.

'They bank on you just giving up'

Psychiatric nurse practitioner Gabrielle Abelard employs about 40 clinicians in her therapy practice, which serves about 2,500 clients across Massachusetts each year.

One of the programs she's most proud to offer is intensive in-home therapy for children with serious behavioral challenges, such as intergenerational trauma, aggressive outbursts, and self-harm. Two clinicians visit the child's home over months and work with the family, the child's doctors, and school staff.

"A big part of the work being done is helping to keep children in school, helping to keep them out of the hospital and even out of jail," Abelard said.

But insurance barriers sometimes hinder the services.

Abelard's staff has to obtain prior authorization from insurers before they can provide care. Then they have to reapply for authorization every two, three, or six months, depending on the insurer. When that reauthorization is delayed, Abelard faces a dilemma: continue seeing clients knowing insurers may not pay for those services or leave clients without care until the reauthorization comes through.

Continuing services has cost her tens of thousands of dollars, she said, and months of bureaucratic hurdles to obtain back payments from insurers.

"They bank on you just giving up," she said.

A goal of the landmark 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act was to decrease dilemmas such as Abelard's.

But the bipartisan law primarily emphasized easy-to-measure treatment limits, saying insurers could not impose higher deductibles or copays for mental health care than they did for physical health care. What received less attention was how insurers should handle other limitations, such as prior authorization or fail-first requirements for patients to try certain therapies before they would be eligible for others.

As a result, true parity remained elusive, said Deborah Steinberg, a senior health policy attorney at the nonprofit Legal Action Center.

In 2020, Congress tried to address this through a new law, signed by Trump in his first term. The law required insurance plans to systematically analyze differences in certain treatment limitations for mental and physical health care and submit those analyses upon request to states and the federal governments.

As the federal government reviewed some of those analyses, it discovered numerous parity violations. In a 2022 report, it detailed how some insurance plans covered nutritional counseling for diabetes, but not for anorexia or bulimia. Another plan required precertification for all outpatient mental health and addiction services but only for a select few outpatient medical and surgical services.

The regulations issued in September aimed to provide insurers more guidance on the 2020 law and close loopholes that allowed such disparities, Steinberg said.

'Supply is the biggest problem'

One of the biggest changes in the new regulations was the focus on outcomes, such as how often patients go out of network for mental versus physical care.

Steinberg called the provision "a really important change." But Gelfand, president of the employer association suing to stop the regulations, said it ignores the complexity of mental health care.

Many factors outside employers' and insurers' control affect how often a patient goes out of network, he said, including the availability of providers in the area, regional variations in clinical practices, and the patient's personal preference.

Mental health clinicians know there's high demand for their services, so they have a lot of market power. That "is creating the bad behavior from these providers," Gelfand said, such as refusing to accept insurance and not submitting out-of-network bills on clients' behalf.

"Supply is the biggest problem," Gelfand said.

However, the RTI International study challenged that premise, with the authors noting that primary care physicians are in shorter supply than behavioral health providers yet have much lower out-of-network use.

The authors point to insurance reimbursements as the culprit instead. The study found that insurance reimbursements for behavioral health visits are, on average, 22% lower than for medical or surgical office visits. The low pay creates a disincentive for psychologists and psychiatrists to join insurance networks.

But the fix may not be as easy as raising reimbursement rates. Companies are already paying increasingly high premiums for employees' health insurance and many are concerned about sustaining these benefits.

ERIC has championed other strategies, such as reforming medical education and residency programs to produce more mental health care providers, increasing telehealth services, and training primary care doctors to address basic mental health concerns. The organization often lobbies state and federal lawmakers, writes letters to regulatory agencies, and testifies before Congress on these issues.

Narrowly focusing on insurance regulations could have unintended consequences, Gelfand said. Increased costs for health plans may get passed on to consumers. Or, in an attempt to keep costs down, insurers may narrow the size of their physical health care networks to match the mental health ones. In a worst-case scenario, employers could stop providing mental health benefits altogether.

Advocates say that's unlikely, since many employees have come to expect this type of coverage, and employers recognize that providing mental health benefits can increase worker productivity and retention.

Patrick Kennedy also pointed to the bigger picture around these issues: If people do not have insurance coverage for mental health care, they're more likely to end up in crisis at the hospital or in the criminal justice system, he said. Their children may be sent to foster care. Taxpayers finance those systems.

"We all end up picking up the tab for not enforcing parity," he said.

But what calculation the Trump administration makes  and whether it defends or drops the new regulations  remains to be seen.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) have today announced a sublicensing agreement between MPP and a Nigerian health technology company  Codix Bio  to start development and manufacturing of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) using technology transferred from global in-vitro diagnostics company  SD Biosensor (SDB). This agreement will contribute to advancing equitable access to vital diagnostic tools through local production, expanding manufacturing capacity in the African Region.

The new RDT technology is especially useful for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as it is easy to use in health facilities without requiring additional equipment. Tests are highly sensitive and can generate results within 20 minutes. Codix Bio will initially focus on producing RDTs for HIV, but the technology can also be used for manufacturing tests for malaria and syphilis, among others. It can also be quickly adapted to other diseases, which will prove valuable during health emergencies and pandemics, contributing to improvements in health security and equity.

Sublicensing SDB's RDT technology marks a major milestone in strengthening manufacturing capabilities in regions where they are needed most. It can help advance global commitments made at the 2023 World Health Assembly to promote equitable access to diagnostics as a cornerstone of universal health coverage and pandemic preparedness." Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General, Access to Medicines and Health Products

"We are delighted to have signed this first sublicense agreement for RDTs with Codix Bio. Today marks a major step forward in diversifying diagnostic production and ensuring access where it is needed most," said Charles Gore, Executive Director of the Medicines Patent Pool. "It shows how voluntary licensing and coordinated technology transfer can empower manufacturers in LMICs, ultimately helping reshape global supply chains to become more equitable and resilient."

A new beginning for HTAP

This agreement is the first to come out of a non-exclusive, transparent license between SDB and MPP, which was agreed in December 2023 under the auspices of the WHO COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) initiative. C-TAP has since evolved as HTAP  the Health Technology Access Programme, with the goal of reducing the access gap in underserved regions and countries by empowering capable local producers of health products (tests, vaccines, treatments and medical devices) through sublicensing, technology and know-how transfer.

"The announcement of this sublicensing agreement with Codix Bio marks an important milestone in our partnership with WHO and MPP. By coupling the technology transfer with coordinated support, this initiative not only helps Codix Bio respond to health priorities in Nigeria and the region  it also demonstrates a collaborative model for building sustainable and self-reliant local manufacturing capacity," said Hyo-Keun Lee, Vice Chairman of SD Biosensor, Inc. "We are proud that our highly adaptable and reliable rapid diagnostic testing technology will contribute to strengthening regional manufacturing ecosystems and expanding equitable access to diagnostics."

After the WHO and MPP open call was announced for applications for LMIC-based manufacturers, Codix Bio was selected as the first sublicensee. "This landmark agreement is a defining moment in our journey of health-tech innovation and a breakthrough for local healthcare manufacturing in Africa. Being selected as the first sublicensee under this global initiative underscores our commitment to contribute meaningfully to pandemic preparedness and regional health security," said Sammy Ogunjimi, Group Managing Director/CEO, Codix Group. "With support from WHO and MPP, we are committed to producing high-quality, rapid diagnostic tests that can transform access to timely diagnosis, not just in Nigeria, but across the continent."

HTAP will coordinate support from across WHO and its partners, covering areas such as workforce development, regulatory compliance and product uptake. It is also continuing with evaluations for a potential second sublicensee for this technology transfer.

Most LMICs rely on importing health diagnostics. Following fragility and heavy dependence on imported health product supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic and important lessons learnt for regional health security, there is growing momentum for improving local production and supply resilience, including by institutions such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Global Fund and Unitaid.

"Africa CDC welcomes this partnership as a concrete example of what regional health security can look like. Building diagnostic manufacturing capacity within the continent improves pandemic response and helps build African health sovereignty. We are pleased to see Africa CDC's strategic direction reflected in this initiative, and we stand ready to support its implementation through coordination and technical assistance," said Dr Abebe Bayih, lead of the Platform for Harmonized African Health Manufacturing (PHAH).
A research paper by scientists from Tianjin University proposed a noninvasive method for locating and decoding intracranial endogenous signals with high spatiotemporal resolution.

The research paper, published on Apr. 9, 2025 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems.

High spatiotemporal resolution of noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) signals is an important prerequisite for fine braincomputer manipulation. However, conventional scalp EEG has a low spatial resolution due to the volume conductor effect, making it difficult to accurately identify the intent of braincomputer manipulation. In recent years, transcranial focused ultrasound modulated EEG technology has increasingly become a research hotspot, which is expected to acquire noninvasive acoustoelectric coupling signals with a high spatial and temporal resolution.

"In view of this, we established a transcranial focused ultrasound numerical simulation model and experimental platform based on a real brain model and a 128-array phased array, further constructed a 3-dimensional transcranial multisource dipole localization and decoding numerical simulation model and experimental platform based on the acoustic field platform, and developed a high-precision localization and decoding algorithm." said the author Hao Zhang, a researcher at Tianjin University.

In this paper, a numerical simulation and experimental study of USMEEG was carried out based on an ultrasonic phased array using tFUS modulated conventional EEG. Previous studies ignored the complex structure of a real skull, and the experimental scenarios mainly focused on 2-dimensional simulations and experiments, using traditional envelope algorithms in data processing with unstable localization and decoding effects. In contrast, this study innovatively explored the effects of a skull and simulated brain tissues on acoustoelectric signals based on a real skull structure, realized precise transcranial ultrasound focusing using phased-array ultrasound, and extended the simulation and experiments to 3 dimensions in order to be close to the actual scene. The pulse repetition frequency (PRF) features of acoustoelectric signals were further introduced, and a PRF sideband algorithm was developed to realize high-temporaland-spatial-resolution noninvasive transcranial source signal localization and decoding.

Research results show that the simulation-guided phased-array acoustic field experimental platform can achieve accurate focusing in both pure water and transcranial conditions within a safe threshold, with a modulation range of 10 mm, and the focal acoustic pressure can be enhanced by more than 200% compared with that of transducer self-focusing. In terms of dipole localization decoding results, the proposed algorithm in this study has a localization signal-to-noise ratio of 24.18 dB, which is 50.59% higher than that of the traditional algorithm, and the source signal decoding accuracy is greater than 0.85.

"Our study provides a reliable experimental basis and technical support for high-spatiotemporal-resolution noninvasive EEG signal acquisition and precise braincomputer manipulation." said Hao Zhang.

Authors of the paper include Hao Zhang, Xue Wang, Guowei Chen, Yanqiu Zhang, Xiqi Jian, Feng He, Minpeng Xu, and Dong Ming.

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2023YFF1204305 and 2023YFE0207800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81925020, 62122059, and 82402430), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2023M742605), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (Grant No. GZB 20240528), the Autonomous Project of Haihe Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interaction and Human-Machine Integration (Grant No. 24HHNJSS00014), and the Tianjin University Science and Technology Leaders and Innovative Talents Cultivation Program (Grant No. 2024XQM-0022).

The paper, "Noninvasive Intracranial Source Signal Localization and Decoding with High Spatiotemporal Resolution" was published in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems on Apr. 9, 2025, at DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0206.
Among newly arrived immigrants studying Swedish, 17 percent reported problems hearing conversations. More than half had some form of established hearing problem, according to a study at the University of Gothenburg.

Language acquisition is one of the many challenges in the process of settling in a new country, and hearing is a key factor in language acquisition. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of hearing problems among newly arrived immigrants in comparison to the general population.

The study encompassed 506 adults attending Swedish language classes. The majority were from Asia. The three most common countries of origin were Syria, Somalia, and Iraq. The average age was 38 years and three out of four were female.

Extensive problems  few technical aids

Problems hearing conversations were reported by 17 percent of participants. Among those aged 4564, this rose to 26 percent. As a whole, more than half of the group had some form of hearing loss, as determined by audiometric screening, a method for seeing which sound frequencies a person can and cannot hear.

These hearing problems could also be linked to generally poorer health, including asthma, allergies, and high blood pressure. Among those with normal hearing, 80 percent reported good or very good general health, as opposed to 46 percent in the group with hearing problems.

Perceived hearing problems were 60 percent more common among immigrants  and twice as common among immigrants aged 45 and over  when compared to the general population in Sweden. Some 2 percent of the immigrant study group said that they used hearing aids.

Crucial for language and integration

The researchers note that the prevalence of hearing loss varies widely around the world and is up to four times more common in low- and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries.

The lead author of the study, Nina Pauli, is an associate professor at the University of Gothenburg and a senior physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital specialized in ear, nose, and throat medicine.

"Even with normal hearing, learning a new language is a major challenge. Speech perception may be reduced, with greater sensitivity to background noise when listening to the new language. As a result, immigrants should be offered audiometric screening to detect hearing problems and better facilitate language acquisition and social integration," she says.

The study is published in the journal Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology.
In neighborhoods across America, women face a daunting threat from a federal practice that, although it was outlawed decades ago, continues to negatively impact their health today.

That's according to the findings of new University at Buffalo research that examines how historical redlining - the federal policy from the 1930s where neighborhoods were given mortgage security grades based on race, ethnicity, class status and land use - impacts both present-day breast cancer factors and survival after diagnosis.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) began redlining in 1934, denying prospective homeowners access to credit based solely on where they lived, oftentimes in urban neighborhoods that had large populations of Black residents. Neighborhoods were assigned grades from A to D. Marked on a map in green, 'A' neighborhoods were deemed the best, while 'D' areas were marked in red and considered hazardous. The practice was made illegal in 1968.

"While it is a near-century-old residential segregation policy, redlining still has influences on a neighborhood's breast cancer environment, and a woman's survival," says Sarah M. Lima, the lead author on both studies, who will graduate this May with her PhD in epidemiology from UB's School of Public Health and Health Professions. Lima's study on redlining and breast cancer survival was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; the paper on redlining and clustering of breast cancer factors was published in January in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.

"Historical redlining is a really interesting factor to study with breast cancer because it ties neighborhood environmental profiles to socioeconomic factors," explains Lima, who focused on the increasing rates of breast cancer among younger women while working toward her master's at Columbia University, where she also worked on a breast cancer study prior to coming to UB.

Lima credits her UB advisors, Heather Ochs-Balcom, PhD, associate professor, and Tia Palermo, PhD, research associate professor, both in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health and co-authors on the two papers, with helping to identify the connection between redlining and breast cancer.

Homeownership and wealth continue to be much lower in redlined neighborhoods, which also were used as sites to build highways and industrial facilities, Lima says. As a result, those neighborhoods continue to have higher exposure to pollution and toxic waste, and fewer parks and trees.

Redlining affected the design of U.S. cities and determined much of today's environmental profiles and socioeconomic resources in neighborhoods - that makes it a type of perfect storm for breast cancer." Sarah M. Lima, lead author

Progressively lower survival by redlining grade

The study on redlining and survival after breast cancer diagnosis showed that regardless of a woman's health insurance status, the treatments she received and the socioeconomic status of her neighborhood, she is more likely to die within five years of her diagnosis simply based on whether her neighborhood was redlined or not.

In fact, it showed that redlining was associated with progressively lower survival for each grade among breast cancer cases. The study was based on nearly 61,000 breast cancer cases in New York State from 2008-2018.

Among the 60,773 cases, only 5.6% were in A-graded neighborhoods, compared to 21.7% for B, 42.5% in C, and 30.1% in D neighborhoods. Breast cancer cases in B, C and D areas had a 1.29, 1.37 and 1.64-fold higher risk of death compared to cases in A areas.

In addition, the study found that worse redlining grades had a higher prevalence of worse prognostic factors, including distant stage or metastatic cancer and more aggressive forms of breast cancer like hormone receptor-negative tumors and triple-negative breast cancer.

"These results tell us that the differences in survival by historical redlining are not just due to differences in the resources of the people who live there, but that there's something about the neighborhoods themselves that have an effect," says Lima, who encourages women who live in historically redlined areas to make sure they are up to date on breast cancer screenings.

The study was conducted in collaboration with New York State Department of Health cancer epidemiologists Tabassum Insaf, PhD, and Furrina Lee, PhD, who provided guidance with the state cancer registry data.

"This project demonstrates the power of population-based cancer surveillance data and how it can be used to understand how factors related to places in which we live and work can influence cancer survival," says Insaf, who serves as director of the state Department of Health's Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology and scientific director for the New York State Cancer Registry. "Through our New York State Cancer Registry, the New York State Department of Health is proud to partner with University at Buffalo to contribute to our understanding of cancer disparities."

Additional UB co-authors are Lili Tian, professor of biostatistics; Henry-Louis Taylor Jr., professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning; and Deborah O. Erwin, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health and professor of oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Differences among regions

The paper looking at clustering of breast cancer risk and survival factors complements the survival research by explaining how the neighborhoods may influence breast cancer survival.

This study examined 12,894 neighborhoods around the U.S., 74% of which were historically redlined. Researchers found that high-risk breast cancer factors were more common in redlined neighborhoods than non-redlined, with the exception of binge drinking, which was more prominent among non-redlined communities.

While historically redlined areas had an average of 5.41 breast cancer factors at high-risk levels, non-redlined neighborhoods averaged 3.55. High school education, lack of health insurance and physical inactivity were most strongly correlated to historical redlining status. Efforts to improve education, income, healthy lifestyles and mammography in redlined areas could help boost survival, Lima says.

Interestingly, this study revealed differences across U.S. regions (Northeast, South, Midwest and West) and is believed to be the first to evaluate historical redlining with geographic distribution of established breast cancer factors.

The identification of geographic differences could be used to help health departments in those areas think about useful interventions to reverse factors that contribute to higher risk for breast cancer, Lima says. For example, the disparities discovered in the South region would suggest that health practitioners there should focus on reducing obesity and smoking and improving physical activity, particularly for residents of redlined communities.

In the West, however, increasing mammography and routine medical care access would be more beneficial.

In addition to Taylor and Tian, Jared Aldstadt, associate professor in the Department of Geography, is also a UB co-author on this paper.

Taken together, Lima says, "Our results suggest that redlining determines a person's environment and access to health resources, which, in turn, affects their health. While redlining was outlawed long ago, that doesn't mean the pathways it helped establish are gone."
Air India Suspends Tel Aviv Flights Till May 25, Check Latest Statement

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 08:27 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. (File photo)

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.

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.

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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.

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First Published: May 10, 2025, 08:26 IST
'No Shortage Of Food, Fuel In India': Govt Asks People To Avoid Panic Buying, Hoarding

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 15:37 IST

'Avoid panic buying and hoarding; buy only what you need; supply of essential commodities is smooth and stable,' says the Department of Consumer Affairs in a post on X.

The Department of Consumer Affairs cautioned citizens against fake propaganda messages circulating about food shortages.

The consumer affairs ministry on Saturday said India has no shortage of food, oil, or fuel in the country and asked people to avoid panic buying and hoarding.

Consumers, we have no shortage of food, oil, or fuel in the country. Avoid panic buying and hoarding. Buy only what you need. Supply of essential commodities is smooth and stable. Do not worry, We have sufficient stock," the Department of Consumer Affairs said in a post on X on May 10, 2025.

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Consumers, we have no shortage of food, oil, or fuel in the country. Avoid panic buying and hoarding Buy only what you need Supply of essential commodities is smooth and stable.Do not worry, We have sufficient stock pic.twitter.com/xO4kct7fRS Consumer Affairs (@jagograhakjago) May 10, 2025

The department cautioned citizens against fake propaganda messages circulating about food shortages.

India has carried out precision strikes on eight Pakistani military sites early Saturday in response to a series of coordinated attacks by Pakistan on Indian Air Force installations, including Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, as well as civilian infrastructure at the IAF bases in Srinagar and Awantipora, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The retaliatory strikes came after Pakistani forces launched drones, loitering munitions, high-speed missiles, and fighter aircraft to target both military and civilian assets across the western border and the Line of Control.

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Addressing the press, Colonel Sophia Qureshi confirmed that IAF stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj sustained limited damage to equipment and personnel. In a particularly reckless move, Pakistan also targeted medical centres and school premises at the bases in Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur. A high-speed missile launch was also attempted towards Punjab at 1:40 am.

The India-Pakistan tensions started following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 innocent civilians were killed.

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First Published: May 10, 2025, 15:37 IST
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 10. India delivered several missile strikes against three air force bases in Pakistan, Pakistan's Director General of Inter Services Public Relations, Lieutenant General Ahmed Shareef Chaudhry said, Trend reports.

"Missile strikes targeted Nur Khan, Murid and Rafiqui airbases. The attack is a very dangerous event destabilizing the region," Chaudhry said.

"Wait for our answer," Chaudhry added.
SEBI's Final Norms To Not Limit Traders' Intraday Derivatives Positions, Sources Say

Published By :

Reuters

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 11:22 IST

India's markets regulator has decided against setting hard limits on traders' intraday options positions

SEBI

Indias markets regulator has decided against setting hard limits on traders intraday options positions when it issues new norms for derivatives, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) plans to soon issue these new norms, which will also change how open interest is calculated on single stock and index derivatives for a more accurate picture of exposure, the sources said.

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SEBI did not respond to Reuters request for an official comment.

The regulator has taken several measures in the last one year to curb excessive speculation in Indias derivatives trading market, with its last set of changes in October raising the entry barrier to trade in futures and options.

In February, SEBI proposed new regulations such as limits on positions traders could take in options contracts, including for intraday trading, as it sought to prevent manipulation and better reflect market risk.

But the regulator decided not to impose limits on intraday trading after receiving market participants feedback that such measures could stifle legitimate market-making, the sources said.

Blunt regulations should not serve as a substitute for surveillance and enforcement by the regulators," one of the two people cited above said.

In its upcoming norms, the regulator has decided to raise the limit on gross options positions traders can hold to 100 billion rupees ($1.17 billion) from the 15 billion rupees it had proposed, the sources said.

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It also plans to limit net options positions at 15 billion rupees, compared to the 5 billion rupees it proposed, they added.

SEBI will re-examine the trading activity of individuals in index options from an investor protection and systemic stability perspective," one of the sources said.

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

First Published: May 10, 2025, 11:22 IST
JAC 10th, 12th Result 2025: When Will Jharkhand Board Results Be Declared?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:24 IST

JAC 10th, 12th Result 2025: Jharkhand Board exams for classes 10th and 12th were held between February 11 to March 9.

JAC Results 2025: Class 10th, 12th board results will be available on the official website  jacresults.com.

JAC 10th, 12th Result 2025: The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) is gearing up to declare the Class 10 and Class 12 board exam results for 2025, with the official announcement expected shortly. While no confirmed date has been issued yet, trends from previous years suggest that the results could be out by mid-May.

This year, Class 12 exams were conducted from February 11 to March 4, and Class 10 exams took place from February 11 to March 9. Notably, in the past two years, JAC declared results by April end. Since its already May 10, the Jharkhand Board could likely release the 2025 results this week.

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Once announced, students can check their results online at the official JAC portals  jac.nic.in, jacresults.com, and jac.jharkhand.gov.in.

How to Check JAC Results 2025?

Step 1: Visit jacresults.com.

Step 2: Click on:

Results of Annual Secondary Examination  2025" for Class 10, or

Results of Class XII Annual Examination  2025" for Class 12.

Step 3: Enter your roll code and roll number.

Step 4: Click Submit and your JAC Result 2025 will appear on the screen

Step 5: Download the scorecard and print it for future reference.

JAC 10th And 12th Result 2025: Previous Year Performance:

In 2024, Class 10 results were released on April 19 and Class 12 results on April 30. The pass percentages were impressive:

Class 12: Arts  93.7%, Commerce  90.60%, Science  72.7%

Class 10: Overall pass rate  90.39% (Girls  91%, Boys  89.7%)

JAC Result 2025: Passing Criteria

Students must secure 23/70 in each subject and 33/100 overall. JAC also provides grace marks if students narrowly miss the passing or higher division cut-offs.

JAC also provides grace marks under the following conditions:

If a student is short by less than 5% in any one subject, grace marks may be awarded.

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If a student fails in two subjects by less than 3% in each, grace marks can be given in both.

If a student misses a higher division by 5% or less, they may receive grace marks to move to the next division.

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First Published: May 10, 2025, 13:24 IST
As India And Pakistan Agreed To Ceasefire, Whats The Role Of DGMO In Such Scenarios?

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 02:25 IST

First contacts between DGMOs of two nations are established as they are senior military officers positioned to manage operational & strategic issues related to military activities

India and Pakistan agreed to ceasefire. However, Islamabad violated it just a few hours after the announcement. (Image: Representative)

Amid escalating tensions, India and Pakistan on Saturday reached a ceasefire agreement, pausing all military actions across land, water and air. However, the ceasefire was broken a few hours after it was announced by the Pakistani side. The development, which came at around 3.30 pm, was taken after the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian side and requested de-escalation

Earlier on Saturday, CNN-News18, citing its sources, reported that the Pakistani side is requesting de-escalation.

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A high-ranking source stated, Indias response to Pakistans attack has been 2-3 times stronger. Indian missiles have neutralised critical targets along the International Border and the Line of Control for strategic reasons. Indias losses, meanwhile, have been minimal. But we did lose an administrative services officer in Rajouri."

What Is The Role Of DGMOs?

The Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing and coordinating military operations. The DGMO typically operates at the strategic and operational levels within the military hierarchy, reporting to the Chief of the Army Staff or equivalent.

He formulates strategies and plans for military operations, including combat, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping missions. He operational readiness and effective deployment of forces.

The DGMO acts as a liaison between different branches of the armed forces (army, navy, air force) and other agencies for joint operations. He coordinates with intelligence agencies to integrate actionable intelligence into operational plans.

In India, the DGMO manages sensitive border issues, including ceasefire agreements and cross-border tensions.

Why Are DGMOs Usually First Contact?

First contacts between the DGMOs of two nations, particularly in conflict-prone regions, are often established because DGMOs are senior military officers uniquely positioned to manage operational and strategic issues directly related to military activities.

Their role makes them ideal for initiating communication to prevent escalation, clarify intentions, or address immediate concerns.

 They have real-time knowledge of their militarys activities, making them well-placed to address operational misunderstandings or violations, such as ceasefire breaches or cross-border incidents.

 As senior officers (often Lieutenant Generals or equivalent), DGMOs are empowered to issue operational directives to field commanders, enabling rapid de-escalation if needed.

 In India-Pakistan conflict, DGMOs often have pre-existing mechanisms like hotlines or regular talks to manage border tensions.

 DGMOs focus on military and operational matters, which allows them to address technical issues (e.g., troop movements, artillery fire) without being pressed by political or diplomatic sensitivities.

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 DGMOs traditionally serve as the primary military-to-military contact point. This builds a degree of professional trust, even amidst adversarial relations. Regular DGMO-level talks, even during peacetime, reinforce this channel as a reliable first step for communication.

 DGMOs report directly to their respective Chiefs of Army Staff and have access to top government leadership. This helps them relay critical information or make decisions swiftly, ensuring alignment between operational and strategic responses.

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 10, 2025, 14:49 IST
Operation Sindoor: What India Achieved | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 20:48 IST

Shortly before Saturday's ceasefire, India warned that 'any act of terror will be considered an act of war'

Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force executed coordinated strikes  proof of Indias growing joint warfare capability. (Representational image)

India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire, stopping all military action as of 5 pm on May 10. India confirmed the ceasefire shortly after US President Donald Trump announced it on his Truth Social platform.

India said the Pakistan DGMO initiated the call this afternoon, after which discussions took place and an understanding was reached. The ceasefire with Pakistan is a conditional one, and there is no change in Indias position on the diplomatic measures against the neighbouring country, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, sources have said. Shortly before the breakthrough, India had warned that any act of terror will be considered an act of war".

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The development came days after India launched a massive strike deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied J&K to avenge the brutal killing of its civilians in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The operation was an absolute success. According to government sources, here is what India achieved:

1. Nine Terror Camps Destroyed

 India neutralised 9 high-value terror launchpads across Pakistan and PoK.

 Targets belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The locations were identified as key training and operational centres for planning attacks against India.

2. Deep Strikes into Pakistans Mainland

 Strikes extended hundreds of kilometres inside Pakistan, not just PoJK.

 India struck targets even in Punjab province, considered a strategic stronghold of Pakistans military.

 India struck at sensitive terror hubs such as Bahawalpur, places where even the USA had not dared to send its drones.

3. Exposed Pakistans Fragile Air Defence

 Indian forces successfully bypassed or jammed Pakistans air defence grid.

 The swift and precise nature of the strikes, conducted within a 23-minute window, highlighted gaps in Pakistans air defence systems.

 Indian Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs executed the mission without any reported losses, demonstrating technological and strategic superiority.

4. Precision Without Escalation

 No military or civilian infrastructure targeted  only terror assets.

 India followed its Zero Tolerance doctrine while avoiding broader escalation.

5. Elimination of Key Terror Operatives

 Several dreaded terrorists eliminated, including those on Indias most wanted list.

 Leadership of multiple terror modules wiped out in a single night.

6. Tri-Service Synergy

 Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force executed coordinated strikes  proof of Indias growing joint warfare capability.

7. Global Message Sent

 Showed the world that India will not wait for permission to defend its people.

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 Terror will be punished  anytime, anywhere.

 It also showed that terrorists and their masterminds have no place to hide.

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 10, 2025, 20:48 IST
Billions In The Bank, Missiles In The Sky: How IMF Bailout Changed Pakistans War Posturing

Written By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 10:33 IST

A senior IAS officer said whenever Pakistan secures international funding, particularly from Western-backed institutions like IMF, it translates aid into geopolitical defiance

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, immediately after the package was announced, claimed that hostile efforts to derail the IMF program have failed. (Reuters)

This timing is no coincidence. It has always been a part of a well-worn playbook. When Pakistan secures international funding, particularly from Western-backed institutions like the IMF, any regime in Pakistan often translates that financial relief into geopolitical defiance. Economic crisis may bring Islamabad to the negotiating table for some time, but cash in hand quickly revives the militarys confidenceand its appetite for further and escalated confrontation," said a senior IAS officer serving in a related ministry.

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Our senior diplomats, including ambassadors and high commissioners in the US and UK, in their public statements and through interviews to international media channels, showed proof of Pakistans complicity and support to terrorist organisations. They have also shown glaring evidence, including photos of Pakistan Army officials, in uniform, standing behind a globally recognised terrorist," added the official.

As Pakistan shot drones and missiles towards India, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a sharp reaction, said: I am not sure how the International Community thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar and so many other places."

Proxy Power Or Fiscal Footing?

The IMFs goal was economic stabilisation and sustainability. In a report, published in October 2024 by the executive director for Pakistan, the IMF stated: While the 202324 Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) supported the restoration of economic stability, Pakistans vulnerabilities and structural challenges remain substantial. The new government formed after the February elections has continued efforts to strengthen economic conditions and is embarking on a multi-year home-grown reform program to achieve resilient and inclusive economic growth."

The current fund insisted on tax reforms, slashing subsidies, and raising energy prices. Pakistan compliedon paper," a source in the Union government said.

But while civilian institutions struggle to meet IMF targets, the military remains untouched. Defence spending is likely to go up by almost 18 per cent, as reported by the Pakistan governments budget approval documents, while health, education, and social welfare lag behind. The signal has been clear. Geo-political and strategic dominance took priority over structural reform.

Indias Concern: Non-State Levellers

Meanwhile, India has already raised concerns at several global forums and even during the board meeting that IMF funds may inadvertently bankroll destabilising activities. This is, however, not unfounded anxiety.

From cross-border ceasefire violations to supporting proxy actors, Pakistans behaviour has often sharpened in periods following financial bailouts," said the source who has served on the Pakistan desk for years and analysed the countrys trajectory of receiving 25 bailout packages from the global forums.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, immediately after the package was announced, claimed that hostile efforts to derail the IMF program have failed".

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But what has actually succeeded is a familiar cycle: economic collapse, global sympathy, funding, and then regional provocation. This raises uncomfortable questions even for the IMF and its backers. Can financial aid be given without enabling geopolitical brinkmanship or at least certain riders? Should there be stricter oversight on how bailout money affects defence and foreign policy?

Until such conditions are enforced, the world may continue to watch this dangerous paradox unfoldwhere missiles follow money, and bailouts buy not reform, but renewed defiance.

About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa... Read More Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 10:33 IST
Boycott Turkey, Azerbaijan: Operation Sindoor Triggers Travel Backlash On Social Media

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 00:50 IST

While most countries refrained from commenting, Azerbaijans Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement of support for Pakistan

Over the past few days of India-Pakistan conflict, Tukey supported Pakistan (AI Image)

Turkey and Azerbaijan emerged as top international getaways for Indian tourists in recent years, thanks to their vibrant culture, striking Islamic and Ottoman-era architecture, friendly locals, and easy visa processes.

However, the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmirwhere 26 civilians were killedand Indias subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor, a precise military strike targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), have cast a shadow over their popularity in India.

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While most countries refrained from commenting, Azerbaijans Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement of support for Pakistan, stating: We stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan." Turkey echoed the sentiment soon after.

This prompted a significant backlash across Indian social media platforms. Hashtags like #BoycottAzerbaijan, #BoycottTurkey, and #OperationSindoor began trending, as users expressed outrage and urged fellow citizens to reconsider travelling to nations that publicly side with Indias adversaries.

Here Are Some Social Media Reactions

Turkey & Azerbaijan support Pakistan. Why did 5.7L Indians visit them in 2024? Choose Armenia & Greece! #BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan pic.twitter.com/HJLk9ax0Tj Stringg (@StringReveals) May 8, 2025

#BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan India helped Turkey when it was badly hit by earthquake. While this thankless nation is helping #Pakistan whose terrorists killed our innocent nationalsmercilesslyopenly stand with Pakistan.#IndiaPakistanWar #OperationSindhoor2#Airdefence pic.twitter.com/Ea1t79qTdE ????????????   (@Girijesh888) May 8, 2025

Why Indians worldwide need to boycott International travel to Turkey and Ajerbaijan#BoycottTurkeyAzerbaijan pic.twitter.com/rGQJBLKwrN Jahid Hussain  (@JahidHussain2) May 10, 2025

The ripple effect is now being felt across the tourism industry. EaseMyTrip, a popular Indian travel booking platform, released an official advisory discouraging travel to both Turkey and Azerbaijan.

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In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the company stated: Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India & Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware. As Turkey & Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary."

The episode underscores how swiftly international politics can influence consumer behaviour, with Indian travellers now rethinking their holiday plans in light of national sentiment.

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 11, 2025, 00:50 IST
Facing Indian Retaliation, Pakistan Seeks De-Escalation In First Call Since Operation Sindoor

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Mallika Soni



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 12:22 IST

The situation within Pakistan is described as "bad," prompting a push from Islamabad to engage with New Delhi, the sources said.

India carried out precision airstrikes on Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala and Rahim Yar Khan.

Pakistan is seeking to de-escalate the current heightened tensions with India and is expressing a desire for a meeting between the two sides, sources told CNN-News18. The situation within Pakistan is described as bad," prompting a push from Islamabad to engage with New Delhi, the sources said. Communication channels have been established with New Delhi to arrange a meeting between representatives of both nations, the sources further said.

Although there has been no official confirmation from either the Indian or Pakistani governments but sources indicated a potential shift in Pakistans stance, possibly acknowledging the severity of the ongoing crisis and seeking a diplomatic pathway to de-escalation.

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Earlier, top intelligence sources informed CNN-News18 that India has inflicted substantial damage on Pakistans military infrastructure along the International Border and the Line of Control. This action was reportedly in response to Pakistans alleged unprovoked attack that commenced on Thursday night. According to sources, critical targets were neutralized by Indian forces while the damage incurred on the Indian side is described as minimal.

A high-ranking source stated, Indias response to Pakistans attack has been 2-3 times stronger. Indian missiles have neutralized critical targets along the International Border and the Line of Control for strategic reasons. Indias losses, meanwhile, have been minimal. But we did lose an administrative services officer in Rajouri."

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The development comes as India said that it has carried out precision airstrikes on Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala and Rahim Yar Khan. Pakistans military installations at Sukkur and Chunia, a radar site at Pasrur and the Sialkot aviation base were also targeted.

In a swift and calibrated response, Indian Air Force carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas. Pakistan military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunia were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from our fighter aircraft. Radar site at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions. While carrying out these responses, India ensured minimum collateral damage," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: May 10, 2025, 12:03 IST
'Firm And Uncompromising Stance Against Terrorism': Jaishankar After India, Pakistan Agree To Ceasefire

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 20:09 IST

The announcement came days after India carried out Operation Sindoor striking nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir to avenge the Pahalgam attack.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar (File image/Reuters)

After India and Pakistan announced an immediate ceasefire after days of cross-border attacks, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar issued a stern warning to the neighbour, India will continue to maintain a firm and uncompromising stance" against terrorism.

Jaishankar said India and Pakistan had worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he added.

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India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

The ministers warning resembled that of the Indian military, which said that every misadventure" by Pakistan will invite a decisive response, and India remains fully operational to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation.

While we will be adhering to the understanding that is the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, we remain fully prepared and vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland. Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength. Every future escalation will invite a decisive response," said Commodore Raghu R Nair during a defence ministry briefing.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said Pakistan had suffered heavy and unsustainable losses after days of military confrontations with India. It has suffered losses in both land and air. There has been extensive damage to the crucial Pakistani air bases- Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari," she said.

India, Pakistan Announce Ceasefire

India and Pakistan formally announced a full and immediate ceasefire on Saturday after days of missile, artillery and drone attacks from both sides, after the Indian government launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Foreign Ministry Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) had reached out to his Indian counterpart at 3:30 pm today, where an understanding was reached that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours.

Foreign Secretary ShriVikram Misri has confirmed the implementation of a ceasefire under #OperationSindoor. At 15:35 hrs today, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan contacted his Indian counterpart, and both sides agreed to halt all military actionon pic.twitter.com/a1PfmiBZpg Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 10, 2025

Misris announcement followed an unexpected announcement from US President Donald Trump, who said the countries agreed to a ceasefire in a long night of talks mediated by the United States". However, the government said an understanding was reached between the two countries in direct talks.

However, the ceasefire agreement did not come with pre-conditions and post-conditions, which means that the diplomatic actions taken by India will not be changed. The Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance and the Kartarpur Corridor will remain suspended.

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Indias massive retaliatory strike  codenamed Operation Sindoor  targeted deep positions inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to avenge the brutal killing of 26 civilians in the Pahalgam attack.

Pakistan has since attempted to target several military installations and the civilian population along Indias northern and western borders, to which India gave a measured and effective response. India launched airstrikes in the wee hours of Saturday in response to repeated ceasefire violations, damaging eight Pakistan Air Force bases.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 19:00 IST
Flags Of Banned Terror Outfit Fly In Dhaka As India Deals With Pakistan On Western Front

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 14:26 IST

Jasimuddin Rahmani, a radical Islamist cleric and spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team, a banned terrorist organisation in Bangladesh, was also present in the protest

Jasimuddin Rahmani, a Bangladeshi radical Islamist cleric and spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team, was present in the protest. (News18)

At a time when India is engaged with its western neighbour Pakistan, the down sliding of its eastern neighbour Bangladesh to radical Islam could prove to be another concern for India. On Friday night, when India was engaged with Pakistan, flags of terror organisation Hizb ut-Tahrirwhich is banned in Indiawere flaunted openly on the streets on Bangladeshs capital Dhaka.

In a protest in Shahbagh area of Dhaka, a video of which was seen by News18, multiple Hizb ut-Tahrir flags can be seen waving without any objections during a protest to ban former prime minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League. In what may raise eyebrows in South Block, there were religious slogans in Urdu peppered in between.

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Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) seeks to create a global Islamic caliphate governed by Sharia, viewing it as a divine obligation for Muslims, much like the Islamic State. They see systems like democracy, capitalism or secularism as assaults on Islamic governance. Hizb ut-Tahrir is a pan-Islamist organisation that came to the limelight since Hasinas exit. Despite being banned in Bangladesh, the outfit behaves politically, often seen waving ISIS flags along with its own. The terror outfit is banned in 13 countries for having close links with al Qaeda and ISIS.

On Friday, many political parties and social organisations like National Citizen Party, Islami Andolan, Hefajat-e-Islam, Jamat-e-Islam, AB Party among others were present at Dhakas Shahbag protest.

Also, Jasimuddin Rahmani, a Bangladeshi radical Islamist cleric and spiritual leader of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a banned terrorist organisation in Bangladesh, was also present in the protest.

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Bangladeshi journalist Shahidul Hasan Khokon says the protests are more than just anti-Hasina political movements. Dissent, protest and anti-government movements are nothing new in Bangladeshs political culture. But when those protests are covered with the symbols of a foreign terrorist organisation, the question ariseswho is this protest for? Who are behind it? Whose language is being borrowed? These are organisations that oppose democracy, womens rights, religious tolerance, and cultural diversityeverything. Do they want to establish a Caliphate-based regime, where dissent, different beliefs and different thoughts are forbidden?"

At a time when India is dealing with a radical Pakistan joined by Turkey, it certainly cant afford to take its eyes off its eastern borders.

About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ... Read More

Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh

First Published: May 10, 2025, 14:26 IST
Pahalgam Attack, Retaliation And Then De-Escalation: India-Pakistan Conflict Timeline

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 12:12 IST

A massacre of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April 2025 forced India to take matters into its own hand and carry out strikes deep inside Pakistan to demolish terror hideouts.

Pakistani residents watch as India strikes a terrorist stronghold in Bahawalpur under Operation Sindoor. (IMAGE: SOURCED)

After terrorists trained in and based out of Pakistan massacred 26 tourists in Baisaran in Pahalgam, India was forced to launch an attack on terror hideouts in the neighbouring country as Islamabad  a known sponsor of terrorism  failed to take action against terrorism emanating from its soil.

The massacre of April 22 pushed India and Pakistan a step closer to war, marking the biggest breakdown in relations since 2019, when terrorists trained in its soil killed soldiers in Pulwama.

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Heres a timeline of how the latest conflict unfolded:

April 22: Pakistan-based and trained terrorists gun down at least 26 tourists at Pahalgam resort in southern Kashmir. An offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Resistance Front, claimed responsibility for the attack. Survivors said that the terrorists asked people if they were Hindu and then opened fire.

April 23: India responds by downgrading diplomatic ties and holds in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty  a crucial water-sharing treaty that has survived two wars and a major border skirmish between the two countries. India also closed the Attari-Wagah border. A manhunt for the Pahalgam terrorists launched. Pakistan denies involvement with the attack. Pakistan calls move act of war".

April 24: India and Pakistan cancel visas in a tit-for-tat move. Both nations set a deadline for people to leave. Pakistan also shuts its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines, and suspends all trade with India, including to and from any third country. Pakistani ministers start engaging in harsh war rhetoric and threaten to use nuclear missiles.

April 25: Pakistan begins ceasefire violation across the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan puts Shimla Agreement  the agreement that established the LoC  in abeyance. The UN, US and other Western Partners urge restraint.

April 26: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vows his government will respond with full force and might" to Indian attempts to stop or divert the flow of water. Iran and US President Donald Trump offer mediation.

April 30: Pakistan violates ceasefire for a fifth consecutive night. Pakistans Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, making a false claim, says that his government has credible intelligence" that India intends to carry out military action against Pakistan in the next 24 to 36 hours.

May 1: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he called senior officials in India and Pakistan in an effort to defuse the crisis. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce says Rubio in his call with India expressed sorrow over the killings in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the USs commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism".

May 3: Pakistan test-fires a ballistic missile with a range of 450 kilometers (about 280 miles). India suspends the exchange of all mail from Pakistan through air and surface routes and bans the direct and indirect import of goods from its neighbor. It also bars Pakistani-flagged ships from entering its ports and prohibits Indian-flagged vessels from visiting Pakistani ports.

May 7: India carries out Operation Sindoor and takes out nine terror hideouts belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). The missile strikes, calculated and precise, take out terror hideouts with no harm caused to civilian and military properties. The Defence Ministry says forces targeted sites where terrorist attacks against India have been planned". Pakistan makes false claims of downing jets and deaths of women and children.

May 8: India demolishes HQ-9 air defence systems in Lahore and its drones reach Sharif household, the family that has sent two Prime Ministers to Islamabad. Indian drones reach Sialkot, Islamabad and major airbases are also targeted. India also evacuates thousands of people from villages near the LoC as the Pakistan Army targets civilian areas. Flights remain suspended at over two dozen airports across northern and western regions of India.

May 9: India suspends Indian Premier League T20 tournament for a week following the escalating military tensions with Pakistan. Pakistan initially says it will move its own domestic T20 tournament to the United Arab Emirates because of the crisis, but then says it will only postpone matches. Several northern and western Indian states shut schools and other educational institutions. US Vice President JD Vance says a potential war between India and Pakistan would be none of our business." India says missiles and drones have been sighted in 26 locations across many areas in Indian states bordering Pakistan, including Srinagar, Jaisalmer, Chandigarh among other cities and districts. The projectiles were tracked and engaged, the government said. The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urges maximum restraint" from both India and Pakistan, warning that further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability.

May 10: Pakistan claims India has fired missiles at air bases inside the country. It, however, declines to acknowledge that extensive damages were caused to the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province. Additionally, Sargodha air base was also targeted. Pakistan fires missiles that are thwarted, and attacks civilians along LoC, in the cities of Srinagar, Jammu and Udhampur.

May 10: At 5PM, Indian Standard Time (IST), Pakistan DGMO calls Indian counterpart and urges de-escalation. Firing across LoC stops. Both DGMOs meet on May 12. US President Donald Trump claims that he mediated the ceasefire. India says ceasefire was agreed following bilateral talks.

May 10: Just hours after the announcement of understanding" with Pakistan by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, heavy shelling was reported in Jammu and Kashmir, besides drones and sounds of them being taken down in the region, triggering blackout in several parts and raising tensions.

May 10: In a late evening briefing, Misri said, For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding (that was) arrived at earlier this evening. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations, and we take very, very serious notice of them. We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility."

May 11: No drones or missiles were fired in attack and counter-attack from both sides as the night remained peaceful along the western borders of India.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 20:18 IST
Many consider Ernesto Samper, 74, to be the first leftist president that Colombia has had in its recent history a recognition typically attributed only to the current president, Gustavo Petro.

Sampers presidency  between 1994 and 1998  was marked by accusations that the Cali Cartel supported his campaign. However, this didnt prevent him from eventually becoming one of the political leaders who has worked the hardest to achieve Latin American integration. He has done this through the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), where he was secretary general from 2014 to 2017, and by embracing much more progressive positions than when he was in power.

The Bogota-born Samper was visiting Mexico at the end of April to participate in an event for Morena, the ruling party. He also met with President Claudia Sheinbaum. The former Colombian president feels comfortable speaking about the challenges facing the left across the region, the rise of the far-right, as well as Trumps second term. However, during his interview with EL PAIS, he avoided any compromising statements about Petro, or about the situation in Venezuela.

What Samper never misses is an opportunity to add a dose of humor to his conversations: I had to be a president [who faced] many difficulties but I have greatly enjoyed being a former president. I consider myself a better former president. If one could be a former president without being president, that would be the ideal situation.

Ernesto Samper, during the interview in Mexico City. Aggi Garduno

Question. Two years ago, during your last interview with EL PAIS, you said that President Lula da Silva would consolidate the advance of progressivism. You also noted that the proposals of the progressive sector in Latin America were clearer, that Petro had changed the political spectrum and that Nicolas Maduro was an excellent negotiator. Do you still feel the same way?

Answer. I think that there are new factors that were not foreseeable and threats that I didnt see [in the region] two years ago, which began with a right-wing drift and could end in a kind of new fascism in Latin America.

Q. What lessons have these first 100 days of Trump taught Latin America?

A. Contrary to what many people think, Trump has [given us] an opportunity. And Im worried that we wont know how to take advantage of it. Regarding free trade, there are countries that could rethink their relationship with the United States. Furthermore, the expulsion of migrants in the manner being done  ignoring the law  will cause a rethinking of the [pro-American] sentiment that existed in the region. The fact that a person is sent back  kicked and handcuffed, without being given the right to defend themselves, with a broken family  will generate a nationalism that could be used to reshape the treatment of migrants within Latin America. There are countries  I dont want to name which ones  where the treatment of migrants doesnt differ much from [the policy] in the United States.

Q. Do you think that the anti-imperialist discourse is still relevant, or is it an outdated rhetorical device in the face of the real challenges facing the region?

A. Anti-American sentiment had remained numb in recent years. The gringos and yanquis go home sentiment was no longer seen [graffitied] on the walls. But the treatment of migrants is going to be the breeding ground of a new anti-American sentiment that could give rise to  and I mean this in a positive sense  a nationalism we had lost.

Q. Trump has three clear battering rams in Latin America: Javier Milei (Argentina), Daniel Noboa (Ecuador) and Nayib Bukele (El Salvador). What role should the left play against these leaders?

A. Milei, Bolsonaro, and Bukele are digital zombies: theyre not Latin American-style leaders, with charisma and authority, or the ability to draw crowds. Theyre simply digital products. Neither Bolsonaro, who attempted a coup  nor Bukele, who has turned his country into a prison  will leave a historical mark to be proud of.

Q. What do you think will be the cornerstones of Trumps policy toward Latin America?

A. It will be a controversial policy, as was the [policy in his first term]. Whats new is that hes beginning to air claims of territorial hegemony that we havent seen for many years, neither in the region, nor in the world. Despite all that, I dont think well be the ones to block Trump. Trump is going to be blocked in the United States. The Trump phenomenon is going to implode inside the United States. Hes touching a series of nerves that  under any other circumstances  would make the hair on the back of a normal gringo stand on end.

Q. Do you think theres any political project on the Latin American left thats inclusive, sustainable, and modern?

A. The left has certain ideological axes that have gravitas: theres social inclusion, which we sometimes confuse with anti-discrimination. Wokeism does us a lot of harm: trying to compartmentalize the defense of minorities when, deep down, we all know that what unites them is a class difference.

We cannot continue speaking out against the neoliberal model without proposing an alternative. We need a regional financial architecture thats distinct from the IDB, the World Bank, or the International Monetary Fund. I think theres an ideological basis for the demands that we still share but were failing in the way in which we conduct politics. Weve allowed ourselves to be overwhelmed by social media, which the right is using much more efficiently, because it has more money and because it uses raw materials that are much more effective: fear, anguish, hatred, and resentment. Its proven that these negative emotions are more motivating than selling [the public] dreams or utopias.

Q. But is there any government that stands out in particular?

A. I place great importance on the ability to organize social resistance, popular resistance. There are de-facto powers that have been occupying the spaces previously occupied by progressive parties: media outlets, economic monopolies that have bought [certain] media outlets and put them at the service of their interests. [There are] judges and prosecutors who are at the service of [waging] lawfare against progressive leaders. While all of this is happening, only [progressive political] parties or government projects  [the ones which] have managed to create a base of social and popular support to counteract this rightward shift by the elites  will be able to resist. I see it in Mexico, without a doubt, where Morena has achieved a strong base of popular support. I think Lula still has it [in Brazil] And, even though I see difficulties in Colombia, it cannot be ignored that Petro  although he may not be able to appoint a successor  can provide 25% or 30% support for a potential [progressive] candidate [in an election].

Q. Whats the main ideological challenge facing these leftist movements?

A. Wokeism has reduced us to a kind of minority tribalism. Inequality is a structural phenomenon with historical, cultural and  above all  socio-economic roots. Its a problem of gaps: the rural-urban divide, the gender divide and the digital divide. What we need to do is close these gaps and thats the task the left cannot lose sight of. We must close these gaps, but not only through legal measures or cultural recognition [of minority groups]. And much less by compartmentalizing everyone. If anything unites an Indigenous woman or an Afro-Pacific person, its the conditions of inequality that they all face.

Q. To what extent is a renewal of leftist leadership in Latin America needed?

A. We  myself included  have unfortunately fallen into the pattern of Latin American progressive caudillismo (uniting around a strongman). If you ask me what important political change should be made in Latin America, I would say moving away from the old presidential system to a semi-parliamentary form of government. This caudillo-like leadership [empowered] heads of state, but left behind bad heads of government. My colleagues and I find it difficult to leave the political scene: [we] end up fighting with the people who helped us.

Q. Is there real room for self-criticism within left-wing projects in Latin America?

A. No, ideological polarization has postponed all processes of self-criticism [and] self-reflection. But I think if the left has anything to reclaim, its that theres still the possibility of [offering] alternatives. The right wants to force us into a pragmatism that excludes the creation of new paths toward social inclusion. I believe people are still receptive to those messages.

Q. How do you assess Gustavo Petros government in Colombia?

A. I supported Petros [political] project more than his administration, because I have differences with the government, [even though Im in agreement] with the project. I do believe [that his] progressive project has supported social reforms, Latin American integration and peace. I dont regret having supported it for those three reasons.

Q. How are those three components going?

A. All are going badly. Regarding Latin American integration, Colombia will have  in Petros last year in office  the pro tempore presidency of CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) and the Andean Community. [Colombia] has the opportunity to leave a mark on integration. It wont be easy, but lets say were leaving a question mark there. Regarding social reforms: [Petro] let the healthcare reform overwhelm all the others. Regarding peace: the initial reasoning  that one cant have 10 fires in a house and only put out one  was valid. He will leave some important things behind, such as the fact that peace has to be territorial, no longer national. And we must highlight the positive aspects. [Firstly], people came to power who would never have done so if not for a leftist project. Secondly, the countrys institutionality was reaffirmed, because in Colombia, theres a government, a parliament, courts, oversight bodies and the Armed Forces dont get involved in coup adventures. And thirdly: previously, [in the region], the international political benchmarks were Brazil and Mexico. Now, Colombia is a point of reference.

Q. You say that new people came to power through Petros government but so have people who represent everything that, according to you, a leftist project shouldnt have, such as Armando Benedetti, who serves as minister of the interior. How do you explain why he continues to have so much power in the government?

A. For me, the explanation is that the only person capable of articulating the Historic Pact (Colombias governing coalition) electorally and asserting Petros political capital is Armando Benedetti. I think [that Petro] thinks hes the person who will allow him to maintain the political project. And he considers that to be valid.

Q. Will Petros government be a precedent or an exception in the lefts governance of Colombia?

A. Many of us would have liked the government to have fared better. But somehow, a social consciousness that had been dormant in recent administrations was reborn. I think thats the imprint we must have, in order to continue believing that there are options for a progressive project to have continuity in Colombia.

Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani.

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Border Shelling, Drones Mark Brazen Ceasefire Violation By Pakistan; India Responds Firmly

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 01:13 IST

The Pakistani army violated the Saturday ceasefire agreement only hours after it was agreed upon between India and Pakistan.

Indian air defences neutralise Pakistani drones over Srinagars Lal Chowk which were sent hours after both countries agreed to a ceasefire. (IMAGE: SOURCED)

The Pakistan Army on Saturday evening engaged in a brazen violation of the ceasefire agreement agreed upon by both countries on the same day, after India and Pakistan came to the brink of a full-blown war.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and PoK in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages. Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed in the attack.

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Both nations engaged in four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes that brought the two countries teetering on the edge of full scale war before agreeing to the truce.

Hours after the truce was agreed upon, led by Director Generals of Both Nations (DGMOs), Pakistani forces engaged in gunfire and shelling along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) and tried to strike civilian and army areas using drones.

The DGMOs of both nations spoke once again late on Saturday night after ceasefire violations occurred, government sources told News18. They also said that the Border Security Forces (BSF) were asked to retaliate to the violations strongly and that India gave a proportionate response using similar drones equipped with loitering munitions".

Indian Army sources said that all Pakistani drones were neutralised. Pakistan violated the bilateral understanding agreed earlier today, sources in the government further added.

#WATCH | J&K: Red streaks seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepts Pakistani drones amid blackout in Srinagar(Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/XObqcbiQCe  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

The skylines of Srinagar, Udhampur, Jammu, Samba, Reasi, Ganderbal and several other areas along the LoC lit up with Indian air defences shooting down the Pakistani drones.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also said that sounds of explosions were heard in Srinagar. This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up," Omar Abdullah said in a tweet, while sharing a video of Indian air defence neutralising Pakistani projectiles. Officials later said that there were no blasts in Srinagar.

This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up. pic.twitter.com/HjRh2V3iNW Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 10, 2025

Blackouts were declared in Kathua, Kargil, Reasi, Baramulla, Srinagar, Firozpur and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. Electricity was later restored in most of these places.

Punjab and Rajasthan also declared blackouts after drones were spotted in cities and districts along the border. Blackouts have been reported in Rajasthans Jaisalmer while drone activity has been reported in Gujarats Kutch district. Six drones were spotted near Harami Nala and Jakhau, and three more near Khavda. A complete blackout was declared across Kutch. Sirens were sounded in Bhuj.

Blackouts were reported from multiple border districts of Rajasthan, including Bikaner, Hanumangarh and Jodhpur.

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Surat MLA Harsh Sanghavi confirmed several drone sightings in Kutch and urged people to stay safe and not panic. A complete blackout was also enforced in Punjabs Moga.

Twelve Pakistani drones were neutralised in Gujarat, in Kandla, Bhuj and Lakhinala areas.

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 : Jammu, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 20:49 IST
Pakistani Drone-Missile Debris Lay Scattered In Indian Fields After Failed Attack | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: News Desk



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 10:23 IST

Pakistan drone, missile debris were found in Amritsar, Jaisalmer, Jalandhar among other cities. Fatah-2 missile was reportedly launched towards Delhi and was intercepted at Sirsa

Fatah 2 missile that Pakistan has reportedly launched at New Delhi was intercepted over Sirsa in Haryana. The missile debris has been found in Haryana.

Pakistan has fired 300-400 Turkish drones towards 26 Indian cities, which were all intercepted and destroyed by Indias air defence systems that includes S-400 Sudarshan Chakra and Akash missile.

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In a late-night development, Pakistan reportedly launched Fatah-2 missile towards national capital Delhi, which was intercepted at Sirsa, as per government sources.

Pakistans continued escalation along the western front through drone incursions and munitions is a matter of grave concern.Today at approximately 0500 hrs, multiple armed enemy drones were detected over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. Our air defence units responded swiftly, pic.twitter.com/wTtJM12xIC  Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 10, 2025

Meanwhile, multiple Indian drones were reportedly hovering over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore and Peshawar.

Let us look at the places where Pakistans drone and missile debris were found.

Sirsa: Fatah 2 missile that Pakistan has reportedly slung at New Delhi was intercepted over Sirsa in Haryana. The missile debris has been found in Haryana.

Jalandhar: Debris from Pakistani drone was recovered following a blast in Kanganiwal village in rural Jalandhar on Saturday. A local resident, Surjeet Kaur, told news agency ANI, that a red coloured flash came about their house and there was a huge explosion.

Jaisalmer: Missile debris was also found in Mangliyo Ki Dhani in Rajasthans Jaisalmer around 4.10 am on Saturday. Sources say it could possibly be a missile or a drone. The object fell to the ground with a loud explosion and caught fire. After the fire, the ground turned white. Villagers have informed the local administration about the incident.

Bathinda: Missile debris was found near Beed Talab in Bathinda. An announcement was made at the Gurdwara Sahib asking everyone to stay indoors.

Amritsar: Missile debris was found in Amritsar on Thursday, creating panic in the area. Locals heard blasts as Indias air defence system shot down Pakistani missiles and drones. Reports suggest that the debris may be linked to an attempt to intercept a Chinese-designed rocket artillery system launched by Pakistan, following reports of explosions heard in Amritsar around 2 am on Thursday.

Hoshiarpur: A missile was found in the hilly area of Kamahi Devi in Hoshiarpur and local police rushed to the spot after receiving the information.

Pakistani drones were sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Jammu, Nagrota, Lakhi Nala. An armed drone also targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in multiple injuries to a local family.

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A day earlier, after Indian air defence thwarted Pakistans attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the LoC and International Border, Pakistani drones were again spotted over the Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot sectors on Friday.

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.

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 10, 2025, 09:55 IST
India, Pakistan Agree To Stop All Military Action On Land, Sea And Air, Announces MEA

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 19:56 IST

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a very brief press conference in New Delhi where he made the announcement regarding the India-Pakistan ceasefire.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri makes the announcement that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire agreement. (IMAGE: X/MEA)

The External Affairs Ministry on Saturday said that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire and that military action has been paused as of 5pm (IST). Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a very brief press conference in New Delhi where he made the announcement.

The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hours IST earlier today.It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to the understanding. The Director Generals of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," Misri said in a very brief statement to the media.

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Instructions have been given to both sides to implement this understanding to stop military action between India, Pakistan," Secretary Misri added.

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, also confirmed the development in a social media post on X.

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages under Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan has since then attempted to attack a number of military installations and civilian population along Indias northern and western borders. India has said it has responded befittingly.

India on Saturday said it has effectively blunted Pakistans provocative action of employing multiple threats along the western border using drones, long-range weapons and fighter jets, targeting civilian areas and military infrastructure.

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Meanwhile, the US government led by Donald Trump appeared to take credit for the ceasefire agreement as the US President said that he mediated a ceasefire between New Delhi and Islamabad. His Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a tweet also claimed that officials from both countries will start discussions at a neutral site".

Government officials speaking to News18 have said: There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place".

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 10, 2025, 18:04 IST
Pakistani Fatah-II Missile Aimed At Delhi Intercepted In Sirsa: Indian Govt Sources

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 08:48 IST

Earlier tonight, India targeted Pakistan's air forces bases in Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal.

Pakistan's Fatah-II surface-to-surface missile has a range of around 400 kilometres, according to reports.

Indian cities have been put on high alert after Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos" against India on Saturday following three days of drone attacks and ceasefire violations. Pakistan fired a Fatah-II long-range missile, but it was intercepted in Haryanas Sirsa.

Pakistans Fatah-II surface-to-surface missile has a range of around 400 kilometres, according to reports.

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Earlier tonight, India targeted Pakistans air force bases in Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal.

Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations  from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat  for the second night on Friday, with the defence ministry saying the enemys attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases, were successfully thwarted. Some members of a family were injured in the attack in Ferozpur, Punjab, the only known injuries in the attacks carried out after darkness fell. All the states that border Pakistan were under a blackout.

All Indian air force bases were safe along with other military installations.

India retaliated with strikes in the key Pakistani cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. India also hit three air force bases in Pakistan, sources said.

A number of blasts took place in various cities in Pakistan, including two in Rawalpindi, one each in Lahore and Islamabad.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry admitted that India attacked the Nur Khan Airbase and the Rafiqi Airbase.

India struck Pakistani targets using air-to-surface missiles and drones.

According to sources, India used air-to-surface missiles and drones in the strikes. Pakistan lost major air assets in the attack and they could not start their machines, they added.

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Indias retaliation came after Pakistan attempted to strike India Army bases and civilian areas, government sources said.

Earlier on Thursday night, India took down around 300-400 Pakistani drones at 36 locations in northern and western parts of the country.

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 10, 2025, 05:36 IST
'Swift Response': India Hits 8 Military Sites Across Border After Pakistan Targets 4 Airbases

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:40 IST

The MEA on Saturday confirmed that India hit seven Pakistani airbases and a radar site in a calibrated response to cross-border drone and missile attacks

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri condemned Pakistans tactics, including its use of civilian airliners during military operations. (Image: MEA/PTI)

India carried out precision strikes on eight Pakistani military sites early Saturday in response to a series of coordinated attacks by Pakistan on Indian Air Force installations, including Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, as well as civilian infrastructure at the IAF bases in Srinagar and Awantipora, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The retaliatory strikes came after Pakistani forces launched drones, loitering munitions, high-speed missiles, and fighter aircraft to target both military and civilian assets across the western border and the Line of Control.

Addressing the press, Colonel Sophia Qureshi confirmed that IAF stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj sustained limited damage to equipment and personnel. In a particularly reckless move, Pakistan also targeted medical centres and school premises at the bases in Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur. A high-speed missile launch was also attempted towards Punjab at 1:40 am.

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In a swift and calibrated response," said Colonel Qureshi, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets." These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites, and weapon storage areas across the border.

According to the MEA, the eight Pakistani military sites struck were:

Rafiqui

Murid

Chaklala

Rahim Yar Khan

Sukkur

Chunian

Radar site at Pasroor

Sialkot Aviation Base

All were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from Indian fighter jets. India ensured minimum collateral damage," the MEA stated.

Pakistan also intensified shelling along the Line of Control and International Border, targeting sectors such as Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor. The shelling killed Rajouris Additional District Development Commissioner and injured civilians in Ferozepur and Jalandhar.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri condemned Pakistans tactics, including its use of civilian airliners during military operations. While India had declared airspace closures during its defence alerts, commercial flights continued out of Lahore, which Misri said risked triggering broader international consequences. The Indian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint to ensure the safety of international civil aviation," he noted.

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India also rebutted Pakistans tissue of lies" regarding the alleged destruction of Indian military facilities. Misri presented timestamped images from airbases at Adampur, Suratgarh, Sirsa, Nagrota, and Chandigarh, confirming that runways and depots remained intact.

Indias strikes, the MEA reiterated, were calibrated, limited, and intended to degrade Pakistans offensive air and drone capabilities  not to escalate conflict, but to send a clear message."

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 10, 2025, 11:58 IST
'India Making Only Custom Match Attacks': Govt Sources On Retaliatory Strikes Against Pakistan

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 05:01 IST

India launched retaliatory strikes on Pakistan overnight, striking three key military air bases in Rawalpindi, Shorkot and Chakwal areas in an effective response.

India attacked three military airbases in Pakistan. (Photo: X)

India launched retaliatory strikes on several Pakistani cities in the wee hours of Saturday, striking three military airbases, after Pakistan made several attempts to attack Indian Army bases and civilian areas, top government sources told CNN-News18.

Multiple blasts were heard in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi, as the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, the Rafiqi Air Base in Shorkot, and the Murid Air Base in Chakwal came under attack. Indian drones also struck Pakistani posts in Sialkot and Narowal and the Serena Hotel near the Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad, according to defence sources.

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According to government sources, India is making only custom match attacks, designed to match the threat posed by Pakistani attacks. Terror dens were attacked for the crime done by terror groups by killing innocent Indians. We didnt attack Pakistan military installations or civilian areas," sources told CNN-News18.

Pakistans attempts since yesterday were criminal acts. They tried multiple attacks on Indian army bases. They also attacked Indian civilian areas. Their crime list is very big. India is making only custom match attacks," they added.

Follow Operation Sindoor LIVE Updates here

They also said that Pakistan was in denial mode despite their crimes against humanity and hosting the terrorists responsible for the 26/11 blasts in Mumbai, IC-814 hijacking and terror attacks in Uri, Pulwama and Pahalgam. (Pakistan Army Chief Asim) Munir lost his credibility and today he lost to Pakistani people also," they added.

India launched retaliatory strikes just hours after Pakistan carried out a new wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations across the country on Friday, amid growing tensions between the two neighbours. According to sources, Indian forces also intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Pakistan.

Three people from a family were injured in Punjabs Ferozpur after debris from a Pakistani drone fell on a house in a residential area. The victims were rushed to a private hospital.

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This came a day after India shot down around 300-400 drones launched by Pakistan at 36 locations in the northern and western parts of the country. In response, Indian drones had swarmed Islamabad and Lahore, while its forces shot down an F-16 fighter jet in Rajasthan.

Tensions between the two neighbours soared after the Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, in response to the April 22 attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 10, 2025, 04:35 IST
India's Stand On Indus Treaty, Kartarpur Unchanged; Nod To Ceasefire After Decisive Strikes: Sources

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 19:40 IST

The US has formally acknowledged Indias revised war doctrine, under which any future terrorist attack will be treated as an act of war, said the sources

Notably, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty remains intactIndia will not share any hydrological information with Pakistan and will proceed with water infrastructure projects on the three northern rivers, the government sources said. Representational image

India has agreed to a ceasefire following a series of decisive final strikes on Pakistani airbases, government sources told CNN-News18.

This development, they added, came after a call at 3.30 pm on Saturday from the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to his Indian counterpart, in which Pakistan explicitly stated it would not carry out any further strikes and formally requested a ceasefire (the US had no role thus far except that they had kept both sides engaged).

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The United States, however, played a role in de-escalation by placing direct pressure on Pakistan, linking the provisional release of a $1 billion IMF loan to immediate acceptance of the ceasefire, with the remainder contingent on full compliance, said the sources. There is no pre- or post-condition of the ceasefire", they added.

Notably, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty remains intactIndia will not share any hydrological information with Pakistan and will proceed with water infrastructure projects on the three northern rivers, the government sources said.

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Additionally, the US has formally acknowledged Indias revised war doctrine, under which any future terrorist attack will be treated as an act of war, they added.

Amid the escalation of tensions with Pakistan and indiscriminate firing from the neighbouring country across the Line of Control (LoC), foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Friday said that the services of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor have been suspended until further notice. Sources said that this position too remains unchanged.

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 10, 2025, 19:36 IST
Ceasefire Announced, But India's Message To Pakistan Is Clear: We'll Act When Needed

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 19:37 IST

Hours before the ceasefire was announced, India had warned that any future terrorist attack would be treated as an Act of War and responded to accordingly

Operation Sindoor: India warns Pakistan against any future terror attacks (PTI FIle)

India and Pakistan may have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, but not before New Delhi made it clear to the world: it will not seek anyones permission to defend its people, top government sources said.

The Indian response served as a global signal  terrorists and their masterminds will find no safe haven. Hours before the ceasefire was announced, India had warned that any future terrorist attack would be treated as an Act of War and responded to accordingly  a direct message to Pakistan to rein in its actions going forward.

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Indias massive retaliatory strike  codenamed Operation Sindoor  targeted deep positions inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to avenge the brutal killing of 26 civilians in the Pahalgam attack. The operation was an absolute success," government sources confirmed, with Indian forces neutralising nine high-value terror launchpads.

These were not limited to border regions. India struck targets hundreds of kilometres inside Pakistani territory, including in Bahawalpur and across Punjab province, both considered key military strongholds. During the operation, Indian forces successfully jammed or bypassed Pakistans air defence systems, leaving them exposed for up to 23 minutes  a significant tactical advantage.

Several top terrorists were killed in the strikes, including individuals on Indias most wanted list. Entire leadership structures of multiple terror modules were eliminated in a single night.

Operation Sindoor was not just about the Pahalgam massacre  it also avenged past terror attacks. The targets included camps used to train Ajmal Kasab, David Headley, and others involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the IC-814 hijacking. For long, these terrorists operated with impunity under Pakistani protection. That era, sources said, has ended.

India also deployed non-military measures to reinforce its strategy and consolidate international support. Among them was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty  a move with serious consequences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had famously said in 2016, blood and water cannot flow together," when India first signalled its intent to reassess the treaty after a major terror attack.

As the lower riparian, Pakistan depends on the Indus River system for 80 per cent of its 16 million hectares of farmland and 93 per cent of its total water use  supporting 237 million people and fuelling nearly a quarter of its GDP through key crops like wheat, rice, and cotton.

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In parallel, India imposed a total ban on Pakistani artists, halting performances, film screenings, music launches, and streaming content. This cultural blockade added further economic and symbolic pressure on Pakistan.

These coordinated kinetic and non-kinetic actions, officials said, imposed tangible diplomatic and economic costs, deepened Pakistans isolation, and reaffirmed Indias zero-tolerance policy on terrorism.

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 10, 2025, 19:29 IST
Pakistan Dialled India, Backed Off Strikes; US Put IMF Loan Condition: What Led To The Ceasefire

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 20:48 IST

The ceasefire between India and Pakistan was widely welcomed by global leaders, as tensions escalated due to Pakistan's unprovoked attacks on military and civilian assets.

India and Pakistan finalised a ceasefire after days of cross-border attacks. (PTI)

After several days of artillery, drone and missile strikes, India and Pakistan have formally agreed to a ceasefire, capping a tumultuous week during which India targeted terror camps in Pakistan through Operation Sindoor and Pakistan launched brazen attacks on civilians.

India and Pakistan agreed on a ceasefire after the former unleashed decisive final strikes on Pakistani airbases that dealt a heavy blow to Pakistans Air Force assets. Both sides came to an agreement after Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart, sources told News18.

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During the talks, Pakistan explicitly stated it would not carry out any further strikes and formally requested a ceasefire, sources added. The DGMOs of both countries are expected to hold further talks on May 12.

Americas Role In India-Pakistan Ceasefire

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that India had reached a ceasefire agreement with Pakistan following talks and all military action was halted. This came after an unexpected announcement from US President Donald Trump, who said the ceasefire was reached in a long night of talks mediated by the United States".

However, the government said an understanding was reached between the two countries in direct talks. Sources said the US had no direct role in the negotiations except for engaging with the top leadership of both countries.

However, the Trump administration did play a role in the de-escalation of hostilities by placing direct pressure on Pakistan, linking the provisional release of a $1 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan to immediate acceptance of the ceasefire, with the remainder contingent on full compliance, according to sources.

The IMF decided in favour of a $1 billion bailout for Pakistan, despite India showing strong resistance and abstaining from the vote. India highlighted how Pakistan has been a defaulter and that these funds have never been used for the development and upliftment of the people of Pakistan and, instead, have been diverted to terror funding.

Indus Waters Treaty Will Remain In Abeyance

Meanwhile, the ceasefire agreement did not come with pre-conditions or post-conditions, which means that the Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance. India will not share any hydrological information with Pakistan and will proceed with water infrastructure projects on the three northern rivers, as planned after the suspension.

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Additionally, the US has formally acknowledged Indias revised war doctrine, under which any future terrorist attack will be treated as an Act of War. This would mean that an armed attack or use of force that threatens the sovereignty or territorial integrity of a state or the safety of its people would be allowed.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages. India launched airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor and bombed key military air bases in major Pakistani cities.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 20:20 IST
India, Pakistan Reach Ceasefire In Direct Talks, No Decision To Hold Talks In Any Other Place: Sources

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 20:10 IST

The Ministry of External Affairs said an understanding was reached after Pakistan's DGMO reached out to India this afternoon, while Trump claimed the talks were mediated by the US.

PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif. (PTI Image)

Moments after US President Donald Trump said the United States mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) said an understanding was reached with Pakistan in direct talks.

According to an MEA statement, the Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 15:35 hours on Saturday. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time today," it said.

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Foreign Secretary ShriVikram Misri has confirmed the implementation of a ceasefire under #OperationSindoor. At 15:35 hrs today, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan contacted his Indian counterpart, and both sides agreed to halt all military actionon pic.twitter.com/a1PfmiBZpg Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 10, 2025

Instructions have been given to both sides to give effect to the ceasefire understanding amid heightened tensions since the Pulwama terror attack on April 22. The DGMOs of India and Pakistan will hold talks again on May 12, said the MEA.

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In a briefing this evening, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said Pakistan had suffered unsustainable losses over the last few days, after it launched unprovoked attacks on Indian military and civilian infrastructure. She said India had destroyed Pakistans offensive and defensive capabilities.

The Indian military said no ones assistance was sought, and the call for a ceasefire agreement was initiated by Pakistan. The Indus Waters Treaty, which was suspended by India in light of the Pahalgam terror attack, will remain in abeyance.

US Says Mediated Ceasefire, Further Talks At Neutral Site

Earlier, Trump said that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks mediated by the United States".

Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," he added. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who held talks with the top leadership of both countries, also confirmed the development.

I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," Rubio said on X.

Government officials speaking to News18 have said: There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place".

Pakistan Reopens Airspace After Ceasefire

Meanwhile, Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed that both countries have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said on X.

Shortly after the ceasefire was confirmed, Pakistan reopened its airspace for all flights. The airspace was closed after India launched airstrikes in response to repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan over the Line of Control (LoC).

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Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.

India carried out precision strikes on eight Pakistani military sites early Saturday, saying it has effectively blunted Pakistans provocative action of employing multiple threats along the western border using drones, long-range weapons and fighter jets.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 18:55 IST
This past Thursday, the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV broke several unwritten rules of the Catholic Church. Hes the first Supreme Pontiff born in the United States, a country where the news of his appointment was greeted with enormous surprise by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He may have risen through the ranks in recent days, but, in the U.S., few were previously aware of the existence of a clergyman who has spent most of his career between Peru and Rome.

It was also unexpected to see a cardinal from Chicago sit in the Chair of St. Peter, especially because common sense dictates (or used to dictate) that, in order to avoid upsetting the balance of power, its best not to appoint a citizen of the worlds strongest country as head of state of the Vatican, even if, as is the case, he also happens to hold Peruvian citizenship.

Of course, when it comes to breaking unwritten rules, theres Donald Trump, who, on a daily basis, breaks a few of the rules that have long governed the White House and international relations. And perhaps thats why among the reasons that led 133 cardinals to choose Prevost in the fourth round of voting was the idea that, to counter the unpredictable U.S. president, it was important to choose someone who not only speaks his language, but who is capable of  as Peggy Noonan wrote in The Wall Street Journal  introducing general principles of American management to a Vatican in a grave financial crisis.

We shouldnt forget that he  as a priest or bishop  hasnt left much of an impression in the United States either, warns Catholic writer Michael Heinlein, author of a biography of the influential Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George OMI. He spoke with EL PAIS via telephone from the Vatican. For 12 years, Prevost lived in Rome, where he studied. So, he has plenty of experience in the Eternal City. It seems that this influenced his selection. His two decades in Latin America also bring something desirable: a certain missionary creativity at a time when the Church is facing  at least in Europe and parts of North America  a real decline. Leo XIV offers a rather unique mix in that context, Heinlein affirms.

In the United States, that decline is related to the still-open wounds caused by decades of sexual abuse committed or covered up by cardinals, bishops, priests, missionaries, and nuns. These scandals are deeply rooted in the clergy and began long before the revelations about the Archdiocese of Boston  the countrys largest Catholic city  by the Boston Globe investigative team (a piece of journalism that would later become the 2015 Oscar-winning film Spotlight). But that case did mark the beginning of the end of decades of impunity.

Since then, from Connecticut to New Jersey, and from Oregon to California, dioceses across the country have been embroiled in collective atonement proceedings and lawsuits. These have resulted in prison sentences and millions of dollars in compensation for victims. More than 7,000 religious figures have been accused of abuse in the United States, according to estimates by the independent organization BishopAccountability.org.

The new Pope has faced criticism in Chicago because his order, according to a Chicago Sun-Times investigation, allowed a pedophile priest to live near a Catholic school in 2000, without notifying the public. At the time, Prevost was the provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians. Recently, accusations have also resurfaced from his time as bishop of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo (a position he held from 2015 to 2023), because he allegedly didnt do enough to listen to three female victims of abuse. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith thoroughly studied the allegations and categorically dismissed them.

Official photo of the current Supreme Court. Standing, from left: Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Seated: Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, John G. Roberts, Jr., Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and Elena Kagan. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN (REUTERS)

The scandals within the American Catholic Church have damaged its reputation in a society undergoing an inevitable process of secularization. According to various indicators, around 20% of the population identifies as Catholic, making that faith the second most widespread (after Protestantism) and making the United States the country with the fourth-highest number of Catholics in the world, after Mexico, Brazil, and the Philippines (none of which can boast of having enthroned a pope). According to the Pew Research Center, this percentage has remained more or less stable in the last decade, despite the advance of evangelicals.

Famous converts

That stability is due in part to the growing Hispanic population and also, although its exact impact is difficult to quantify, to the fact that prominent public figures have converted in recent years. Among them are Silicon Valley magnate Peter Thiel and U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance, for example.

If the writer Thomas Merton  a Trappist monk and perhaps the most famous American-based convert of the 20th century  paved the way for a progressive faith, Thiel and Vance represent an ultraconservative movement, which enjoys great strength in the American Catholic Church, an organization that long clashed with Pope Francis.

Vance was one of the last people to see Bergoglio alive in Rome before he died. Meanwhile, Prevost  who is listed in public records as a Republican voter  clashed with the vice president, when Vance asserted on X that the Catholic faith is compatible with the deportation of immigrants. The new Pope responded by reposting an article that contradicted this theory, warning that such an interpretation of Christian love  specifically the concept of ordo amoris  is wrong.

J.D. Vance, on his visit to Pope Francis on the same day he died. Vatican Media/IPA/ZUMA Press/Dpa/Europa Press

Trump is a Protestant. And, in that respect, he follows the norm: Joe Biden, his predecessor, was the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy. However, a third of Trumps cabinet members are Catholic, as are 27% of the members of the House of Representatives and six of the nine Supreme Court justices. And still, these percentages are far from a faithful reflection of the overall religious affiliation of a country that theyre now shaping, especially via Supreme Court decisions. The conservative supermajority of the high court has brought great joy to the more traditional, local variant of Catholicism in recent years, on issues such as abortion and the rise of secularism.

He has yet to speak for himself. And I think we would be mistaken if we thought he was going to be a mere photocopy of Francis, Heinlein opines. The expert, however, considers it obvious that the greatest points of friction with the Trump administration will have to do with the issue of immigration.

For now, the most extreme wing of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement has already sharpened its knives. 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, wrote far-right influencer Laura Loomer on her X account. Once their initial shock had passed, some of the official bulletins of that reactionary universe began to confirm the suspicion that the first American pope would not necessarily be good for the America First belief.

Steve Bannon, the ideologue of Trumpism, called the election of Leo XIV the worst choice for MAGA Catholics, adding that he considers him to be the result of an anti-Trump vote. Curiously, back in April  when very few people were thinking about the Chicagoan  Bannon said that he feared Prevost would emerge victorious from the conclave.

Beyond the tribe of agitators  who are driven more by political positions, rather than religious reasoning  Catholics in the United States are celebrating the election of the new pope. Theyre packing churches across the country. Their hope is that Prevost will unite their Church and help it overcome the ongoing crises. How Leo XIV will handle relations both with those leaders  whose views are more conservative than his own  and with the rising Catholic right in Washington is another of the major unknowns that emerged on Thursday with the colossal surprise of his appointment, when all those unwritten rules were broken.
In India's Takedown Of Pakistan's Lies, A Sharp Jab At Its Democracy: May Be A Surprise To You

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 12:43 IST

Vikram MIsri said, "The Pakistani army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that Indian public should criticize government of India with regards to various issues."

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri. (File pic/PTI)

In a pointed critique, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri directly addressed remarks by the Pakistani army spokesman, highlighting the stark differences in democratic practices between the two nations. Vikram Misris comments came amidst escalating tensions and a war of words following recent military incidents.

He stated in a press briefing, The Pakistani army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that the Indian public should criticize the government of India with regards to various issues."

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Accusing the Pakistani military establishment of being out of touch with the norms of democratic governance, the foreign secretary said that civilian oversight and freedom of expression are considered fundamental to democracy in India and at large. He said, It may be a surprise to Pakistan to see citizens criticizing their own government  that is the hallmark of an open and functioning democracy. Pakistans unfamiliarity with that again should not be a surprise."

At the press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh delivered a firm statement outlining Indias response to recent escalations by Pakistan. She asserted that the Indian armed forces executed a swift and calibrated" precision strike, emphasizing that the operation was solely directed at identified military targets."

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Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed what she termed Pakistans continued malicious misinformation campaign" and refuted claims originating from Pakistan regarding the alleged destruction of Indias S-400 air defense system and airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa. She said, India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan."

Furthermore Colonel Sofiya Qureshi strongly condemned Pakistans actions, describing them as condemnable and unprofessional." She said that Pakistani forces had targeted hospitals and school premises located at air bases in Srinagar, Awantipur, and Udhampur. She asserted that these actions once again revealed their irresponsible tendency of attacking civil infrastructure," portraying this as a recurring pattern of behavior by Pakistan.

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 10, 2025, 11:23 IST
J&K Civilians Killed In Pakistani Shelling, CM Omar Says Rajouri Govt Official Among Casualties

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 10:23 IST

Pakistan resorted to overnight shelling along the LoC and targeted the civilian areas on Saturday morning.

Operation Sindoor: Pakistan targets civilian areas in J&K (Photo: X)

Pakistan intensified the shelling along the Line of Control on Friday night, targeting civilian areas in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the killing of locals, including a J&K administration services officer in Rajouri.

A shell landed on his residence this morning, after which he was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed anguish over his killing.

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Abdullah said that Raj Kumar Thappa, the slain officer, had taken part in an online meeting with him yesterday and accompanied the Deputy CM in the district.

Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. Ive no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace," the Chief Minister posted on X.

He visited the residence of the officer and offered condolences to his family.

J&K CM @OmarAbdullah visited the residence of Raj Kumar Thapa (Addl. DDC, Rajouri), who lost his life in heavy shelling.His death is a shock. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. pic.twitter.com/mImAiULZ2m  Tanvir Sadiq (@tanvirsadiq) May 10, 2025

According to sources, three civilians were killed in Pakistans shelling in Rajouri, including one from Mendhar and another from RS Pura. There were also reports of injuries in the attack.

People were advised to take shelter wherever they were by the local administration. Local people said that Pakistan deliberately targeted residential areas in Rajouri and tried to damage religious places along with shops and houses.

They asked the government to give a befitting reply to Pakistan. Some Muslims from Kashmir who were struck by Pakistans shelling said that they were saved and given shelter by a Hindu family in Rajouri.

40-year-old Zakir Hussain died, and 3 others, including two daughters, were injured in the Kheri area of Bantalab in Jammu. The family members said that Zakir was a labourer who lost his life in the Pakistani bombing.

Smoke was seen rising from an area near the bus stand in Rajouri.

Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violations overnight and also stepped up the escalation ladder on the third straight night.

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India retaliated against Pakistan on Saturday morning and launched strikes in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Strikes were also carried out using projectiles against three Pakistani Air Force bases, sources said.

Several explosions took place in different parts of Pakistan  two in Rawalpindi and one each in Lahore and Islamabad. The airstrikes also hit three Air Force bases: Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Shorkot (Punjab), and Murid Airbase in Chakwal (Punjab).

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 : Rajouri, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 07:19 IST
Two Pakistan Air Force Fighter Jets Shot Down After India Fires Missiles From Srinagar Base

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 09:28 IST

Pakistan's two Air Force fighter jets were shot down after India launched missile strikes from the Srinagar airbase, sources said.

Operation Sindoor: India shoots down two Pakistan Air Force jets

In a major early morning development, the Indian missiles launched from the Srinagar military base shot down two Pakistani Air Force fighter jets on Saturday, sources said.

One Pakistan fighter jet was taken down near Lasjan, Srinagar, while the other was shot down in North Kashmir.

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India fired five missiles from Srinagar this morning after Pakistan stepped up the escalation ladder last night.

India carried out counter-attacks on Pakistan early Saturday morning, targeting the cities of Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, along with three Air Force bases, according to defence sources who spoke to CNN-News18.

Several explosions were heard in different parts of Pakistan  two in Rawalpindi and one each in Lahore and Islamabad. The airstrikes also hit three Air Force bases: Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Shorkot (Punjab), and Murid Airbase in Chakwal (Punjab).

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Pakistan escalated the situation for the third straight night and launched a barrage of drones and six ballistic missiles into the Indian territory. One of the Fatah-II ballistic missiles was aimed at New Delhi but was shot down in Haryanas Sirsa.

Heavy shelling took place overnight along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, in which a government administration official was killed as a shell fell on his residence. Some locals were also injured in the shelling. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply to Pakistan and destroyed Pakistani posts and terror launchpads near the LoC.

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 : Srinagar, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 06:49 IST
India Issues Stern Warning As Pakistan Military Moves Troops In Forward Areas With Offensive Intent

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 12:24 IST

The government, in a special briefing, said that Pakistan is increasing its troops on the border to escalate the situation.

Operation Sindoor: Govt says Pak increasing military presence on border (Photo: YouTube/ MEA)

Operation Sindoor: Pakistan is mobilising its troops to the forward areas on the border with an intent to escalate the situation, the Indian government said on Saturday, warning that India does not seek escalation of the situation.

Addressing a joint special briefing of the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Col Sofiya Qureshi said that all hostile actions by the Pakistan military have been responded to appropriately so far and the Indian armed forces are in a high state of operational readiness".

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Armed Forces Expose Pakistans Nefarious Design

Pakistan military has been observed to be moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistani military," the military representatives at the briefing said.

#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor | Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, pic.twitter.com/hmbqPVEGBF ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

Since the start of Operation Sindoor on May 7, the government and the armed forces have held special briefings, giving out details on the developments and exposing Pakistans nefarious plans and disinformation campaign.

Col Qureshi said that Pakistan was continuously attacking over 26 places along the western borders of India using drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter jets, aiming to attack Indian military sites.

She informed that Indian forces neutralised several incoming projectiles, however, they damaged some equipment at air force bases.

India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via Air at more than 26 places, and they damaged our equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, Bathinda. They used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjabs air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools" Col Qureshi said.

#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor | Col Sofiya Qureshi says, Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack Indias military sites India neutralised many dangers, but pic.twitter.com/khpGpg3u9v ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

Indias Response To Pakistans Aggression

Wing Commander Singh detailed Indias swift military response to Pakistans offensive and said that the forces carried out strikes at identified military targets in Pakistan.

In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centre, radar sites and weapon storage areas. Pakistan military targets at Murid, Chaklala (Rawalpindi), Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Sunia were engaged using air launch precision weapons from our fighter aircraft. Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions," she said.

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#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor | Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation pic.twitter.com/8rnxPfK1IR ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added.

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 10, 2025, 11:03 IST
'Act Responsibly': India Calls Out Pakistan's Ceasefire Breach, Says Forces Asked To Respond Strongly

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 08:55 IST

Misri said that Indian armed forces have been told to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of ceasefire.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that armed forces gave an adequate response to the ceasefire violations. (IMAGE: YouTube/MEA)

India on Saturday night said Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement that both sides committed to earlier in the day.

In a late-night press briefing, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan broke the pact hours after Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries spoke.

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#WATCH | Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, An understanding was reached this evening between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan to stop the military action that was going on for the last few days. For the last few hours, this understanding is being violated by Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/BNGnyvTnUH ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding (which was) arrived at earlier this evening," Misri said.

The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations, and we take very, very serious notice of them."

Misri said the armed forces have been given a free hand to deal with any further provocations along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility," he said, adding that forces remain alert and are closely monitoring the situation.

The Pakistani foreign ministry in a late night statement falsely accused India of violating the ceasefire agreement. The statement said that its forces have been told to act with restraint", which according to some observers, showed that the Pakistani Army undermines the Pakistani civilian government.

The remarks from Misri came after Pakistani shelling, firing and drone intrusions across several border districts in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Gujarat, prompting security personnel to engage air defence systems to bring them down.

Air defence forces engaged dozens of drones sent by Pakistani forces and took them down. In Srinagar, citizens said air defence systems engaged a drone flying over the Batwara neighborhood, close to a strategic Army facility. Officials confirmed that the drone was downed.

The blasts, which came about every 15 minutes and were preceded by flares illuminating the dark sky, caused instantaneous alarm and confusion.

Drone activity was reported across the Kashmir Valley and subsequently destroyed by an anti-drone system over Baramulla town in north Kashmir around 8.20 pm.

A drone was reportedly brought down at high ground in Anantnag, near an Army installation. More drone sightings were reported from Verinag and Bandipora in Anantnag district, and from Safapora.

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Officials said there was no shelling along the LoC in Kashmir. Late Saturday night, explosions were heard across Jammu and Udhampur after suspected Pakistani drones were seen in the area.

Air sirens were sounded in parts of Jammu city, followed by blasts and temporary power cuts. There were also reports of mortar shelling and small arms fire from the International Border and LoC in RS Pura, Akhnoor and Nowshera in Rajouri district.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 23:05 IST
Pakistan Using Turkish Drones To Target Indian Civilians. Did Supply Begin After Pahalgam Attack?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 16:51 IST

In a shocking development, Indian government sources say Turkey might have supplied the drones to Pakistan four days after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22

Pakistan's shelling has targeted civilians in LoC villages, while its missiles and drones have targeted civilian areas in J&K and Punjab. (PTI)

The contrast in India and Pakistans approach to the ongoing conflict is stark  while India has targeted terrorist camps across the border and retaliated to Pakistans escalation by targeting their military bases, Islamabad has not been following the main code of warfare  keep the civilians out of it.

Its ceasefire violations and shelling have targeted civilians in villages along the Line of Control, and its missiles and drones have targeted civilian areas in Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab and Rajasthan.

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And now, it has been found using Turkish kamikaze (suicide) drones to strike civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. The debris of one such drone shot down by the Indian defence systems was recovered from a village in Naushera area of J&K. A day earlier, Pakistan had used the Turkish drones in failed attempts to strike Indian military installations.

In a shocking development, Indian government sources say Turkey might have supplied the drones to Pakistan four days after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

Turkish Drones In Pakistans Arsenal

Pakistan has so far launched between 300 and 400 Turkish drones across 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek in failed attempts to target Indian military installations. Most drones were downed using kinetic and non-kinetic means, said Army Colonel Sofia Qureshi and IAF Wing Commander Vyomika Singh at a press briefing on Friday.

Forensic examination of the drone debris is being undertaken. Preliminary reports suggest them to be Asisguard Songar drone of Turkey," Singh said.

Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh added that Pakistan used its civilian airliners as a shield" as it did not close its civil airspace during its attempts to attack Indian installations with drones and missiles on May 7, knowing fully well that the strikes would elicit a swift response from India.

What Can The Asisguard Songar Drone Do?

The Songar is a weaponised unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Turkish defense firm Asisguard. First unveiled at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul in 2019, it became operational with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2020. It was reportedly the first national armed drone that was used by the Turkish armed forces.

The drone is designed for tactical missions and is capable of carrying a range of weapons including a 5.5645mm NATO-standard machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, TUBITAK SAGEs Togan 81mm mortar, and lightweight missile systems.

The Songar has a reported operational range of up to 5 kilometres and can function at altitudes of up to 3,000 metres above sea level. It features both autonomous and manual flight capabilities, and includes a return-to-home function triggered by signal loss or low battery. It also allows real-time video transmission and telemetry.

When Was It Sold To Pakistan?

Asisguard has confirmed exports of the Songar drone to countries in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, including publicly acknowledged sales to Nigeria. The company has also stated that other contracts are in progress, but has not named all buyer countries.

Pakistan has been a frequent buyer of Turkish military hardware, including naval vessels, armored vehicles, and surveillance systems.

According to Indian government sources, it is suspected that these drones were supplied by Turkey to Pakistan when their C-130 E Hercules plane landed in Karachi on April 28, four days after the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

On April 30, a high-ranking Turkish military and intelligence delegation, headed by Lt. Gen. Yasar Kadioglu, reportedly visited the Pakistan Air Force headquarters in Islamabad and met the Pakistani Air Chief.

Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also spoke to each before and after Pakistan attacked India.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, today spoke with the Foreign Minister of Turkiye, Hakan Fidan @HakanFidan.The DPM/FM apprised him of the current situation in the region following last nights Indian aggression and Pakistans pic.twitter.com/uRNyOqRFiB  Ministry of Foreign Affairs  Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 10, 2025

Where Does That Leave India-Turkey Ties?

India and Turkey have enjoyed cordial and cooperative association in the recent past, with India launching Operation Dost during the Turkey earthquake in 2023, becoming the first country to come to Ankaras help. Along with NDRF and aid, India sent Garuda aerospace drones to help those trapped in the rubble, and the modified Kisan drones to carry medications and food.

But India will now move to corner Turkey diplomatically, strategically, and globally, sources told News18.

Even before the involvement of Turkish drones came to light, the Turkey government, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took a pro-Pakistan line on the Pahalgam terror attack, in which terrorists trained by Pakistan gunned down 26 Indian tourists and locals.

Incidentally, Turkeys tourism industry depends in a big way on Indian tourists as the Indian market has emerged as a big growth one for Turkey. In 2023, nearly 2.75 lakh Indian tourists visited Turkey and the number rose by over 20% to 3.25 lakh in 2024.

But that might change now with various online booking platforms announcing suspension of new travel offerings to Turkey.

Civilians On Pakistans Radar

The trigger for the latest India-Pakistan war was the brutal attack on tourists in J&Ks Pahalgam on April 22. Two weeks later, India launched Operation Sindoor, and destroyed terrorist camps across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Indian armed forces as well as the government categorically said that its missiles and drones targeted only terrorist camps across the border. But less than 24 hours later, Pakistan responded by targeting Indian military installations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur with drones and missiles, that were swiftly intercepted by Indian defence systems. It escalated to targeting civilians along the Loc as well as in J&K and Punjab.

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On the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, a Pakistani missile was reportedly intercepted in Haryanas Sirsa, 261 kilometres from the Delhi border. As per reports, the Fatah-II surface-to-surface missile, which has a range of around 400 kilometres, was intercepted in time.

So while India targeted terror camps and military bases, but Pakistan is violating the key rule India upholds  keeping civilians out of the conflict.

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First Published: May 10, 2025, 15:54 IST
Pakistan Wants De-Escalation: How Did 1965, 1971 And 1999 Kargil Wars End In India's Favour?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 14:36 IST

India and Pakistan have been involved in four wars  in 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999. Heres a look at how all of these ended in Indias favour

Indian troops on the move in Kashmir against militant forces during the second war over Kashmir, on September 6, 1965. (AP/File)

Pakistan has reached out to India seeking a meeting in first signs of de-escalation to the ongoing conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Though official confirmation is pending from either sides, top intelligence sources told News18 that communication channels have been established with New Delhi to arrange a meeting between representatives of both nations.

The attempt at de-escalation comes hours after Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India  from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat  for the second night. India said the attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases, were successfully thwarted.

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On Wednesday, India had conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.

India and Pakistan have to date been involved in four wars  in 1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999  all of which ended in Indias favour. Heres a look at how India responded to Pakistani aggression in each of these wars and what transpired on the final days.

First Kashmir War Of 1947-48

The first war between India and Pakistan broke out shortly after Partition, when Pakistan-backed tribal militias invaded the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in October 1947. In response, the Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, signed the Instrument of Accession, officially joining India and prompting immediate military intervention from the Indian side.

The Indian Army was swiftly airlifted to Srinagar and launched a successful counteroffensive to push back the invaders. Fierce battles erupted in Baramulla, Uri, and other parts of Kashmir. As the situation escalated, India approached the United Nations in January 1948.

The UN-brokered ceasefire came into effect on January 1, 1949. By then, India had successfully defended and retained control over approximately two-thirds of the region, including the strategically important Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. Pakistan held the remaining one-third, which came to be known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

While the ceasefire line became the Line of Control (LoC), the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India was legally recognised, marking a significant strategic and territorial gain for India.

India-Pakistan War Of 1965

The second India-Pakistan war broke out in August 1965 when Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar, sending troops disguised as civilians into Jammu and Kashmir to incite insurgency and unrest. India responded forcefully, launching full-scale military operations not only in Kashmir but also across the international border in Punjab.

Indian forces achieved several battlefield successes, including recapturing key positions and advancing towards Lahore. Major battles at Asal Uttar, Khem Karan, and the Lahore front demonstrated Indias military preparedness and resilience.

A ceasefire was declared in September 1965 under the mediation of the Soviet Union and the United States. The Tashkent Agreement, signed in January 1966, required both nations to return to pre-war positions.

Although the war ended in a military stalemate, India gained a strategic edge by demonstrating its military strength and political unity. The conflict also exposed the miscalculations of Pakistans leadership, which had expected local support in Kashmir and underestimated Indias resolve.

Bangladesh Liberation War Of 1971

The 1971 India-Pakistan war was a turning point in South Asian history. It began as a humanitarian and political crisis when Pakistans military launched a brutal crackdown in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) following the 1970 general elections, which the Awami League had won decisively. This led to a massive refugee influx into India, with over 10 million people fleeing persecution.

India extended moral, diplomatic, and eventually military support to the Bengali nationalist movement, the Mukti Bahini. On December 3, 1971, Pakistan launched pre-emptive airstrikes on Indian airbases, prompting India to declare war.

India quickly mobilised on both eastern and western fronts. Within 13 days, Indian forces, in coordination with the Mukti Bahini, advanced into Dhaka. On December 16, 1971, Pakistans Eastern Command surrendered to India in Dhaka, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh. Over 93,000 Pakistani troops were taken as prisoners of warone of the largest military surrenders since World War II.

Indias victory was not just military but also moral and diplomatic. It significantly altered the regional balance of power and established India as the dominant force in South Asia. The Simla Agreement signed in 1972 further committed both countries to resolve issues bilaterally, reinforcing Indias diplomatic position.

Kargil War Of 1999

This war erupted in 1999 in the Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir when Pakistani soldiers and militants crossed the Line of Control and occupied strategic high-altitude positions on the Indian side, under the guise of Operation Badr. Their aim was to cut off the highway connecting Srinagar to Leh and thereby isolate Ladakh.

India launched Operation Vijay to evict the intruders. Despite the difficult mountainous terrain and harsh weather, the Indian Army, with support from the Air Force, conducted precise and courageous assaults. Fierce battles were fought to recapture key peaks.

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By July 26, 1999, India had successfully regained all occupied territory. The conflict ended with Pakistan withdrawing its forces under immense international pressure, especially from the United States.

Indias decision to not cross the Line of Control and maintain restraint earned it global diplomatic support. The war reaffirmed Indias military capabilities and its commitment to respecting international norms.

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 10, 2025, 14:36 IST
Solider Injured After Engaging Suspect At Nagrota Military Station, Search Ops On To Track Intruder

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 00:33 IST

The exchange of fire at the Nagrota camp came while Indian armed forces were engaging with Pakistani drones over Srinagar on Saturday night.

Firing incident was reported at an Army unit in Nagrota. (Image: ANI)

An army trooper sustained minor injuries in a brief exchange of fire with a suspected terrorist at an army camp in Jammu region on Saturday night. The incident was reported from Nagrota Military Station.

The army in a statement said the sentry challenged the suspect on noticing suspicious movement near the perimeter.

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Taking to X, the Indian Armys 16 Corps (White Knight Corps) wrote, On noticing suspicious movement near the perimeter, alert sentry at Nagrota Military Station issued a challenge, leading to a brief exchange of fire with the suspect. Sentry sustained a minor injury. Search operations are underway to track the intruder(s)."

On noticing suspicious movement near the perimeter, alert sentry at #Nagrota Military Station issued a challenge, leading to a brief exchange of fire with the suspect.Sentry sustained a minor injury.Search operations are underway to track the intruder(s)@adgpi White Knight Corps (@Whiteknight_IA) May 10, 2025

The exchange of fire at the Nagrota camp came while Indian armed forces were engaging with Pakistani drones over Srinagar on Saturday night.

The government later in a statement, confirmed that Pakistan violated an understanding agreement reached earlier on Saturday.

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This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very, very serious notice of these violations. We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a statement.

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 : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India

First Published: May 11, 2025, 00:33 IST
US Call To Army Chief Asim Munir Shows Who Calls The Shots In Pakistan

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:08 IST

Top Indian government officials say irrespective of what US says, if Pakistan hits India, India will hit back

Indian government sources say the call to Asim Munir shows that United States also realises that it is Munir who is calling the shots. (AFP)

Find a way to deescalate, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an unprecedented call to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir on Saturday after the latters big escalation in the ongoing conflict with India.

Indian government sources say the call by Rubio to Munir shows that the United States also realises that it is Munir who is calling the shots when it comes to the ongoing conflict and not Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Rubio also called up the foreign minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, with a similar message, but it was his call to Munir that has raised eyebrows in India.

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The escalation by Pakistan on Saturday came within a couple of hours of it securing a bailout from the IMF, where the US is a major player. In fact, some in India are now raising questions about why the US did not make a bigger effort to stop the bailout of Pakistan at the IMF. The US role and stand in the current conflict has been confusing, with US Vice-President JD Vance saying it is essentially India and Pakistans business, and the US would stay away.

But on Saturday, Rubio also called Indias Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, proposing US support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes". His message to Dar and Munir in Pakistan was on the same lines. It shows the US now wants to play mediator between India and Pakistan to facilitate a dialogue.

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Top Indian government officials say irrespective of what US says, Pakistan will be given a response by India if it continues to escalate matters. The US can say what it wants to say, but India will respond in the same manner or more. If Pakistan attacks us, it will get a bloody nose," a top government official told CNN-News18.

India says that its offensive against Pakistan achieved its objective with Operation Sindoor on May 7, but Pakistan since has up the ante by firing hundreds of drones at Indian military targets as well as major cities and using missiles and fighter jets on Saturday morning to attempt to target Indias military installations.

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 10, 2025, 13:08 IST
US, Saudi Push For De-Escalation As India-Pak Tensions Soar; G7, China Join Calls For Restraint

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 16:11 IST

As India responds to Pakistans cross-border attacks, the US and Saudi Arabia are leading diplomatic efforts to de-escalate; G7, China, and others join calls for restraint

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated late on May 9, following a series of coordinated Pakistani attacks on Indian military and civilian targets, Saudi Arabia and the United States launched urgent diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis. The outreach by key global players came amid fears that continued hostilities could spiral into wider conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Indias strikes were not an initiation of aggression, but a calibrated military response to what it described as an unprovoked and reckless escalation by Pakistan.

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Saudi Arabia Urges De-Escalation In Calls With India, Pakistan

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone conversations with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, calling for restraint from both sides. As per Arab News, the Kingdom reiterated its commitment to regional stability" and urged India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Farhan, according to the Saudi readout, affirmed Saudi Arabias stance to consolidate the security and stability of the region," and emphasised Riyadhs balanced diplomatic ties with both New Delhi and Islamabad.

US Acknowledges Indias Measured Conduct, Offers Mediation Support

The United States also stepped in. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to both S Jaishankar and Pakistans Army Chief General Asim Munir shortly after Pakistan launched ballistic missiles towards New Delhi  a move India has described as a grave provocation," especially given that it came hours after Islamabad secured a $1 billion disbursement from the IMF.

Confirming the call, Jaishankar posted on X: Had a conversation with US @SecRubio this morning. Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so."

Had a conversation with US @SecRubio this morning.Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so.    Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Rubio encouraged both parties to avoid further conflict. Secretary Rubio continued to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts," she said.

Global Community Reacts: China, G7 Call For Calm

China, on May 10, expressed deep concern" about the escalation and called for restraint on both sides. A spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:

We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means China is willing to play a constructive role to this end."

The G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, along with the EUs High Representative, issued a coordinated statement on May 10, condemning the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, in which 26 Hindu pilgrims were killed, and warning against further military escalation.

We strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan. Further escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome."

France, Russia, UAE, Norway Had Urged Restraint Earlier

Earlier, on May 7, countries including France, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates had also called for calm following Indias initial retaliatory strikes under Operation Sindoor.

France, in a statement by Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, urged both sides to avoid confrontation and de-escalate: Prolonged escalation between two nuclear powers would be destabilising for the region. We urge calm and dialogue."

Russias Foreign Ministry said it was monitoring the situation closely" and called on both India and Pakistan to show restraint: We are concerned about the escalation and hope that both parties will resolve issues through dialogue."

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called for restraint on May 7, stating: The UAE urges both countries to pursue peaceful means to resolve tensions and protect regional stability."

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide echoed global concerns, saying, I am deeply concerned about the escalation of conflict between India and Pakistan." He added, Norway calls on both parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate the situation and find a diplomatic solution." Eide also reiterated Norways strong condemnation of the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Indias Strikes Were Retaliatory, Precise, And Measured: MEA

In a detailed briefing on May 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that India carried out precision strikes on eight Pakistani military sites in direct response to a series of attacks by Pakistan on Indian Air Force installations and civilian zones.

Pakistans coordinated offensive included drones, loitering munitions, high-speed missiles, and fighter aircraft targeting IAF bases at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, as well as civilian infrastructure at Srinagar and Awantipora.

Colonel Sophia Qureshi, addressing the press, said Indias response was swift, calibrated, and limited to military targets. Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets," she said. These included technical infrastructure, radar installations, command centres, and weapons depots.

The eight Pakistani military sites struck were:

Rafiqui

Murid

Chaklala

Rahim Yar Khan

Sukkur

Chunian

Radar site at Pasroor

Sialkot Aviation Base

All were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from Indian fighter jets. India ensured minimum collateral damage," the MEA stated.

Pakistan also intensified shelling along the Line of Control and International Border, targeting Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor. The shelling killed Rajouris Additional District Development Commissioner and injured civilians in Ferozepur and Jalandhar.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri condemned Pakistans use of civilian airliners during military operations. While India declared airspace closures during its defence alerts, Lahores commercial air traffic remained active, posing a serious international risk.

The Indian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint to ensure the safety of international civil aviation," FS Misri noted.

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India also debunked Pakistans tissue of lies" about damage to Indian bases. Timestamped images from Adampur, Suratgarh, Sirsa, Nagrota, and Chandigarh airbases were presented to confirm that all runways and depots remained intact.

Indias strikes," the MEA concluded, were calibrated, limited, and intended to degrade Pakistans offensive air and drone capabilities  not to escalate conflict, but to send a clear message."

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First Published: May 10, 2025, 16:08 IST
A hotel housing migrants from Asia and the Middle East after being deported to Panama from the United States, on February 18, 2025.

An old pencil factory repurposed as a migrant care center in southern Costa Rica  just near the border with Panama  became the unexpected destination for around 200 people deported from the United States in mid-February. Among them were dozens of minors. These migrants had originally come from countries as varied as China, Iran, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Uzbekistan. All planned to apply for asylum in the United States. However, the Donald Trump administration detained them at the U.S.Mexico border and quietly deported them to the Central American country  a move that received little attention in the media.

In Panama, around that same time, the number of deportees from the United States and other countries had reached 300. The deportees were initially housed in a hotel in the capital, Panama City, where they pleaded for help by hanging signs from their windows. Shortly after, those who refused to be repatriated to their countries of origin were sent to a detention center at the edge of the Darien jungle, near the border with Colombia.

In both Costa Rica and Panama, the migrants have since been released  thanks largely to legal action by humanitarian organizations against the governments of both countries. But the deportees remain in limbo: they are in undisclosed locations, have limited resources, and refuse to return to their home countries out of fear of persecution.

These are not isolated incidents. The most high-profile case in the wave of deportations ordered by Trump was that of approximately 250 Venezuelans sent to a Salvadoran prison in March, where they reportedly remain. But there are more. Mexico has quietly received 5,466 foreign nationals deported since the Republican magnate returned to the White House on January 20, according to data from the Mexican government.

Nor is this a new practice. However, the current U.S. administration has entered into agreements with Latin American governments that, according to human rights experts, offer little in the way of legal guarantees. From the White Houses perspective, the arrangement has a threefold advantage: it allows for the expulsion of people from countries with which the U.S. lacks deportation agreements; it frees up space in detention centers; and it sends yet another clear deterrent message to migrants.

Migrants deported from the United States arrive in Costa Rica in February 2025. Miguel Andres

From the very beginning, many questions were raised about the legality of these deportations, says Ariel Ruiz Soto, senior analyst at the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) think tank.

Deporting people from the United States to a country that is not their country of origin is not technically illegal, but the process must comply with both national and international legal standards, he explains. What weve seen is that President Trump wants to expand and push the limits of what immigration law allows. By declaring a state of emergency [Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office declaring a migration emergency], the president assumed a set of powers that give him greater control over how to manage and reduce certain rights of foreign nationals, whether documented or undocumented, Ruiz says, elaborating on the legal situation inside the country.

Despite court orders to the contrary, the state of emergency has also effectively closed the door to new asylum applications and sped up deportation proceedings by limiting immigrants ability to appeal their cases in court.

On the other hand, under international law, a country is under no obligation to accept foreign deportees unless it does so voluntarily or through a specific agreement with the government ordering the deportation. In past cases  such as the agreement signed by the European Union with Turkey during the Syrian refugee crisis, or the Remain in Mexico program under Trumps first presidency  these agreements included the guarantee of being able to request asylum, either in the final destination or in the third country providing temporary refuge. For this reason, such treaties typically emphasized that the third country was safe. Thats no longer the case.

This is what human rights advocacy groups are calling illegal: the fact that people are being sent without protections and that the rights of migrants to seek asylum are being bypassed, Ruiz warns.

Now, however, the message is that deportees would only remain in these third countries for a short time; in other words, while they find a way to return to their countries of origin. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed this issue last week.

When President Trump came into office, we decided  for humanitarian reasons, without signing anything at all  to accept people of other nationalities, particularly those coming through the northern border, and most of them voluntarily decided to return to their countries, said Sheinbaum.

Mexico has received more than 5,000 foreigners, mostly from Central America and the Caribbean, deported from the United States. It is by far the country that has received the most deportees, though the figure is still well below the 30,000 per month that former Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador agreed to take in during the height of the post-pandemic migration crisis, in coordination with former U.S. president Joe Biden.

In Mexico, these deportations havent attracted much attention, but in Costa Rica and Panama, they have sparked controversy. These governments backed down in response to several lawsuits accusing them of violating deportees rights and public pressure at home. The public has been alarmed by the conditions in which people who have committed no crime  and are, in fact, fleeing persecution  were being held.

In Panama, the migrants were transferred from the jungle back to the city and released in early March. They were given 30 days to leave the country however they could. Several of those interviewed by the Associated Press  including an Afghan who had worked for the government overthrown by the Taliban, and had unsuccessfully tried to resettle in Iran and Pakistan, and a Russian member of the LGBTQ+ community who fears persecution under Vladimir Putins regime  said they planned to try to seek asylum in the U.S. again, as they saw no other option.

Migrants, mostly from Asian countries, after being deported from the United States to Panama City in March. Matias Delacroix (AP)

The response was different in Costa Rica. In the last week of April, Costa Rican authorities announced they would allow deported individuals to remain in the country or leave if they preferred. In statements to The New York Times, Omer Badilla, head of the countrys immigration authority, said they would ensure the protection of foreign deportees. If the person has a well-founded fear of returning to their country, we will never send them back, he said.

For now, these types of flights from the United States have been suspended  those bound for El Salvador due to an intense legal battle playing out in the U.S.  as the involved governments evaluate their next moves.

Guatemala and Ecuador are watching the reaction in Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico to decide how or who they will receive in the future, says analyst Ariel Ruiz. I would be very surprised if Guatemala decides to receive people from Asian countries, for example, but I would not be surprised if it were open to receiving people from other Central American countries. In Ecuador, the president [Daniel Noboa] said shortly before his electoral victory that he would not do so, or only in certain specific cases. But he could change his mind.

In addition to considering legal consequences and public opinion, these countries must also weigh the pressures and incentives coming from the United States. El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele, for instance, will reportedly receive millions in compensation (at least $6 million, according to Bukele himself) in exchange for imprisoning Venezuelan migrants in his maximum-security prison, as well as extraditing several gang leaders previously in U.S. custody. Panama, meanwhile, faces threats from Trump about taking control of the canal. Hanging over all these negotiations is the ever-present threat of tariffs  or the opportunity to curry favor with the most powerful man in the world.

Beyond the Americas, negotiations for similar agreements have also been taking place behind closed doors. According to several U.S. media reports last week, Libya and Rwanda  which had already negotiated a controversial, albeit never implemented, deal with the United Kingdom years ago  are now in advanced talks.

Marco Rubio and Rodrigo Chaves, at the presidential palace in San Jose, Costa Rica, on February 4, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein (via REUTERS)

Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state who recently also assumed the role of national security adviser  making him the most powerful figure in Trumps cabinet  made it clear during a cabinet meeting, seated beside the president, that this approach to deportation is only just beginning.

We are working with other countries to say, We want to send some of the most despicable human beings to your countries, Rubio said during the White House meeting on April 30. Will you do that as a favor to us? And the further away the better, so they cant come back across the border.

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Battle Escalates, India Retaliates: 3 Pakistani Airbases Hit Overnight, Missile Fired At Delhi Shot Down

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 12:42 IST

Islamabad launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos (impenetrable wall) and made a futile attempt to attack Delhi with a Fatah-II long-range missile, which was intercepted in Haryana

Security personnel keep vigil near Vayu Bhawan, in light of the military conflict between India and Pakistan. (PTI)

India pounded Pakistan on Friday night after thwarting Pakistani drone strikes targeting 26 locations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, even as Islamabad launched its Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos (meaning impenetrable wall) and made a futile attempt to attack Delhi with a Fatah-II long-range missile, which was intercepted in Haryanas Sirsa.

Hostilities were high for the second straight day after Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locationsfrom Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat. Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones," a defence ministry spokesperson said earlier. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Awantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala," he added.

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Pakistan also continued to shell civilian areas across the border, in a sharp contrast from India, which has repeatedly emphasised that its strikesincluding in Operation Sindoorwere aimed at terrorists and the country is only retaliating to unprovoked attacks by Pakistan. Three civilians were killed in Rajouriincluding a senior J&K government officialone in Mendhar, and one in RS Pura as Pakistan Army continued to target civilian population on Friday night.

Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 10, 2025

The strikes came a day after Pakistan used 300-400 Turkish-origin armed drones to target 36 locations inside India and used civilian airliners as a shield to attack military sites, prompting New Delhi to hit at Islamabads air defence systems at four places and destroy one of them.

On Friday night, Indian forces launched an appropriate and proportionate" counter-strike, inflicting heavy damages to Pakistani military installations and assets. The airbases of Noor Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot) were breached in a further escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan as the former employed air-to-surface missiles. Two Pakistani fighter jets were shot down near Lasjan, Srinagar and the other in North Kashmir.

Pakistan was finally forced to close its airspace till 12 noon on Saturday, with Peshawar-bound Pakistan International Airlines flight PIA218, the last airborne flight in their airspace, forced to hover over Quetta.

Explosions were heard in Pakistans capital Islamabad and other big cities, including Lahore and Islamabad, as Pakistan Army claimed that India fired ballistic missiles. Following multiple drone attacks from Pakistan across the border, India, in its retaliatory measure, struck back with force in PoKs Neelam Valley and Sialkot.

Multiple videos on social media suggested India successfully intercepted Pakistans long-range missile over Indian airspace at Sirsa, which was aimed at Delhi, but Indias superior air defence system, consisting of S-400, Akashteer, L-70, Zu-23 and Schilka, continued its dominance over the border skies, helping India thwart Pakistans nefarious designs. India also put its major cities on alert.

In a government press briefing on Saturday, Colonel Sofia Qureshi said: The Pakistan Army kept up attacks on the Western front in which drones, loitering munitions, long-range weapons and fighter jets were used to attack Indias military installations. Drones and high-calibre weapons were also used on the LoC. Along the LoC, from Srinagar to Nallia, attempts were made to attack 26 places via drones. The Indian forces were able to counter most of these aggressions successfully. However, in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj and Bathinda stations, some equipment was damaged and personnel harmed."

She added: Pakistan also used a high-speed missile at around 1.40am to attack Punjabs air base station. In a despicable act, Pakistan attacked medical facilities and schools in Srinagar, Awantipore and Udhampur, exposing its irresponsible behaviour in attacking civil infrastructure. In response to this, India zeroed in on Pakistans command and control centres, military installations, radar sites, and weapon stores and attacked them."

Top Indian government sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan should understand we are committed for proportionate response; they should stop now otherwise, next time, it will be more serious and severe".

Pakistan launching the Fatah Series ballistic missiles at Indian Air Force forward bases and cities under Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos is a major escalation. India has hit major air bases of Pakistan, including Rawalpindi, in response and our air assets are safe. It seems a clear ploy by Pakistan to launch its big strike after the IMF bailout. The drones sent before this seem to be more of intel missions to assess our air defences," they said.

PAHALGAM ATTACK & OP SINDOOR

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 peoplemostly touristswere shot dead in Baisaran Valley by cross-border terrorists. The terrorists separated the men from their families, asked them to recite the Kalma and even stripped them to ascertain their religious identity, and then shot them dead at point-blank range.

India vowed to avenge the 26 lives, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public address two days after the Pahalgam attack, saying: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth."

He added: Indias spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank people and leaders of countries who have stood with us."

Two weeks after Pahalgam, India launched Operation Sindoor and struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in precision strikes for 25 minutes, using missilesniche technology weapons with careful selection of warheads". Of the nine sites targeted, five were in PoK (two sites each in Muzaffarabad and Kotli and one in Bhimber), and four in Pakistan (two in Sialkot, one each in Muridke and Bahawalpur.

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The nine sites targeted were Markaz Taiba at Muridke near Lahore, the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba where 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab and Lashkar scout David Coleman Headley were trained; Markaz Subhanallah, the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur; Sarjal in Sialkot; Mehmona Joya in Sialkot; Sawai Nala in Muzaffarabad; Syedna Bilal in Muzaffarabad; Gulpur in Kotli; Abbas in Kotli; and Bhimber.

The Pakistan Army said at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the strikes. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has every right to respond to this act of war".

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 10, 2025, 08:27 IST
'We Know Where Pakistan Ends & Afghanistan Begins': Ex-Indian Envoy Slams Islamabad's Missile Claim | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 15:38 IST

Amar Sinha, ex-Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, said Pakistan's Afghanistan policy is in shambles and nothing makes them squirm more than friendly relations between Kabul & Delhi

Indias engagement with Kabul has been quiet but strategicand more importantly, devoid of the overt interference that has long defined Islamabads policy. (PIB)

The latest claim by Pakistans military spokesperson, DG ISPR, about an Indian missile targeting Afghanistanwithout specifying a location, region or any evidencehas stirred diplomatic dust.

While Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri issued a sharp rebuttal, pointing to Pakistans long record of making a series of efforts to destabilise Kabul, the question arisesWhat is Islamabad really aiming for with this sudden, unrelated and certainly vague yet loaded assertion? News18 spoke exclusively with Amar Sinha, a former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, to understand the dynamics.

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Calling the military spokespersons statement related to Afghanistan as an attempt to create further geo-political confusion, Sinha, who served as Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan between 2013 and 2016, said: It is just a shabby attempt at sowing confusion and has been roundly refuted by our Foreign Secretary. Clearly, Pakistans Afghanistan policy lies in shambles today, and nothing makes them squirm more than friendly and cordial relations between Kabul and Delhi."

He added: Unfortunately, at least two generations of Afghans have grown up amid death and destruction caused by Pakistan. Afghans are not as naive and foolish as DG ISPR assumes. Indian action is limited to terror infrastructure and its ecosystem in Pakistan, and unlike Pakistan, we know where Pakistan ends and Afghanistan begins," said Sinha, who retired as secretary economic relations in the ministry of external affairs.

Kabuls Denial

Meanwhile, the Afghan Defence Ministry spokesperson dismissed Pakistans claim of Indian missile strike. In an interview with Radio Azadi, Enayatullah Khwarazmi, spokesperson for Afghanistans Ministry of Defence, strongly denied Pakistans claim. When asked about Pakistans specific allegation, Khwarazmi said that there is no truth to such claims".

No Longer Pakistans Proxy Playground

At face value, the statement by the Pakistani military spokesperson appears to be a calculated move. It does not seem about the missile itself but more about messaging.

Pakistan knows and understands well that Afghanistan is a volatile theatre, and invoking an Indian aggression on Afghan soil serves dual purposes. It will discredit New Delhis regional standing, and test Kabuls diplomatic alignment post-US withdrawal," said a source in the government, who does not want to be named.

Significantly, the timing is telling. With the Taliban government still navigating global legitimacy and India maintaining a careful yet consistent engagement with the new regime in Kabul through humanitarian aid and technical assistance, Pakistans claim appears to be an attempt to wedge itself into the narrative as Afghanistans defender, the source further added.

Pakistans diplomatic bandwidth has been stretched thin over the past few years with its economy in turmoil and its credibility on issues like terror financing constantly under scrutiny.

In that light, such statements are most likely to be attempts to divert global attention, shift the heat onto India, and potentially revive the old victim posture in international forums. However, such a shabby attempt, as Sinha called it, may not work as intended.

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Afghanistan is no longer a pliable proxy space for Pakistan that may want to manipulate it with ease like earlier. The Taliban regime now has their own geopolitical aspirations and, crucially, are wary of being seen as pawns.

Meanwhile, Indias engagement with Kabul has been quiet but strategicand more importantly, devoid of the overt interference that has long defined Islamabads policy.

About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa... Read More Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 15:20 IST
'What Happened To Ceasefire': Omar Abdullah As Explosions Heard Across Srinagar

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 21:30 IST

Multiple ceasefire violations were reported along the Line of Control (LoC) after India and Pakistan formally agreed on a ceasefire this afternoon.

J&K CM Omar Abdullah (PTI/File)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said explosions were heard in Srinagar, along with other locations in the Union Territory mere hours after a ceasefire was announced between India and Pakistan.

What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!" said Abdullah on X.

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What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!! Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 10, 2025

In another tweet, Abdullah said air defence systems in Srinagar were activated, saying, This is no ceasefire."

Red streaks were seen across the sky and explosions were heard as Pakistan resorted to firing at various parts of J&K and Punjab, including Srinagar, Pathankot, Udhampur, Rajouri, and Baramulla, just a few hours after India and Pakistan agreed on a ceasefire.

At around 9 pm, blackouts were reported from Kathua, Baramulla, Srinagar, Firozpur and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Pathankot in neighbouring Punjab. Sirens were also sounded in several of these cities.

Government sources told CNN-News18 that the Border Security Forces (BSF) has been told to retaliate to the violations strongly. The Indian Armed Forces are responding to the treacherous attack by Pakistan by using the same drones with loitering ammunition.

India-Pakistan Ceasefire

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that India had reached a ceasefire agreement with Pakistan after Pakistans DGMO reached out to New Delhi and all military action was halted. This came after an unexpected announcement from US President Donald Trump, who said the ceasefire was reached in a long night of talks mediated by the United States".

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi tagged Trump in a post on X, saying, Pakistan is nonsense not a country with common sense. Just FYI."

Dear @realDonaldTrump , Pakistan is nonsense not a country with common sense. Just FYI. Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 10, 2025

Tensions between India and Pakistan increased after terrorists linked to Lashkar-affiliated terror outfit The Resistance Front (TRF) gunned down 26 tourists in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22, triggering widespread outrage and global condemnation.

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India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, comprising airstrikes that targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The mission was a success, with several terror camps demolished and high-profile terrorists eliminated.

Pakistan chose to escalate the matter by launching brazen attacks on Indian military sites and civilians, but they were given an effective response by the Indian Armed Forces, who breached Pakistani air defences and struck eight military bases.

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 : Srinagar, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 21:06 IST
Who Is Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, Father Of Pakistan ISPR Chief With al-Qaeda & Taliban Links?

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: News Desk



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 11:13 IST

Bashiruddin Mahmood, father of Pakistans ISPR chief Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary, is a nuclear scientist who was sanctioned by UN for providing chemical information to al-Qaeda

Bashiruddin Mahmood is known for his eccentric views on science, as he had once claimed that djinns could be used to generate electricity. (AP File Photo)

The father of Pakistans Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary is a nuclear scientist, who has been sanctioned by the United Nations for providing the Taliban and al-Qaeda with information about chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

Operation Sindoor Live Updates

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Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood is known for his eccentric views on science, as he had once claimed that djinns could be used to generate electricity.

As per the UN, Bashiruddin had met with slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and provided information about the infrastructure needed for a nuclear weapons programme and the effects of nuclear weapons".

Bashiruddin also founded the Ummah Tameer-e-Nau (UTN) in 1999  a right-wing organisation that was banned and sanctioned by the United States in 2001. He was among those who were listed and sanctioned by the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee in December 2001.

He was also sanctioned as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control, with an address listing of the Al-Qaeda Wazir Akbar Khan safe house, Kabul.

His Projects

Bashiruddin is believed to have studied engineering in the United Kingdom and Germany. He was honoured with Pakistans third-highest civilian honour, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Later, however, Bashiruddin became a critic of the politician, and supportive of jihadists in Afghanistan.

A New York Times report said Bashiruddin pioneered construction of plants to produce enriched uranium and plutonium for Pakistans small but growing arsenal of atomic weapons.

He subscribes to a brand called Islamic science", which holds that the Quran is a fount of scientific knowledge. Bashiruddin has also published papers concerning djinni, which are described in the Quran as beings made of fire. He has proposed that these entities could be tapped to solve the energy crisis, and he has written on how to understand the mechanics of life after death.

I think that if we develop our souls, we can develop communication with them," Bashiruddin Mahmood said about djinni in The Wall Street Journal in an interview in 1998. Every new idea has its opponents," he added. But there is no reason for this controversy over Islam and science because there is no conflict between Islam and science."

Bashiruddin came to prominence as an engineer in the 1970s when he worked out a technique for detecting leaks in steam pipes at a Canadian-built reactor, the Karachi nuclear power plant, in Pakistan.

Bashiruddin also spearheaded the development of the Kahuta plant near Islamabad, which, according to a 1992 issue of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, has the capacity to produce about 100 kg of enriched uranium a year, enough for half a dozen bombs.

In an interview with The Financial Times, Bashiruddin said he opposed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on the ground that Pakistan needed to carry out test explosions to develop peaceful uses of atomic energy.

After his arrest in 2001, Bashiruddin had admitted to meeting with Osama bin Laden. But he stressed that he only discussed raising funds for a technical college in Afghanistan. The ISI released him after it concluded that Bashiruddin did not possess the technical knowledge to pass on nuclear weapons secrets to al-Qaeda.

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His Prophecies

Following his retirement from the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Bashiruddin wrote books on doomsday, seeking to merge religious scripture with science. In Mechanics of the Doomsday and Life after Death, he warned that the Last Hour is not very far off. A few hundred years, this way or that, is of little significance. The end is imminent," he wrote, as quoted by ThePrint.

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 10, 2025, 11:10 IST
Buddha Purnima 2025: Date, History, Significance, Quotes And Wishes To Share

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 09:40 IST

Buddha Purnima marks the birth and enlightenment of Lord Buddha. Explore its date, rituals, history, and quotes to celebrate this sacred day with peace and mindfulness.

Buddha Purnima is celebrated annually to mark the birth of Siddharth Gautam.

Buddha Purnima 2025: The auspicious festival of Buddha Purnima is celebrated annually to mark the birth anniversary of Prince Siddharth Gautam, who later became Gautam Buddha and founded Buddhism. The sacred festival, also called Buddha Jayanti, is celebrated in most of South, Southeast and East Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia and Indonesia.

It needs to be noted that the day is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha, which falls in April or May.

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In 2025, Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on May 12. This years celebration will mark the 2,587th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha.

Buddha Purnima 2025: History And Significance

Gautam Buddha, originally named Siddharth Gautam, was a spiritual leader and philosopher. While the exact dates of his life remain debated, scholars have estimated he lived between 563 BCE and 483 BCE. Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, present-day Nepal. He attained Mahaparinirvana (death) at the age of 80 in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.

The festival coincides with Vesak  a celebration of Buddhas enlightenment, which offers a chance to spread the message of peace. The full moon holds significance in Buddhism because three significant events in Gautam Buddhas life took place on this day. Prince Siddharth was born at Lumbini Grove on this day.

He also attained enlightenment under the shade of the Bodhi tree and became Gautam Buddha after six years of hardship on a full moon day. Thirdly, he passed away and attained Nibbana (Nirvana)  release from the cycle of rebirth, after 45 years of teaching.

Buddha Purnima 2025: Quotes

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."  Buddha

The mind is everything. What you think, you become."  Buddha

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."  Buddha

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."  Buddha

You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger."  Buddha

Buddha Purnima 2025: Celebrations

On Buddha Purnima, devotees from across the countries visit monasteries, light lamps and offer prayers. Additionally, they also engage in acts of kindness and charity, reflecting on the core teachings of Buddhacompassion, peace, and mindfulness.

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Buddha Purnima Wishes

May the teaching of the Buddha illuminate the way to the light of wisdom and peace. Happy Buddha Purnima 2025!"

Kind-heartedness fills your heart, and may clarity be in your thoughtwalk on the path of truth as Buddha had done."

The road to peace starts with the single breath of one. Breathe deeply and live mindfully. Happy Vesak!"

Buddha Jayanti is a time to shine with compassion, for even a tiny candle could brighten the darkest night."

Let your actions be as calm as the Bodhi Tree. You will be free in choosing between anger and peace on this holy day."

Silence has power. Hear the silence and awaken the Buddha nature that lies inside you."

Let your spirit bloom as the lotus in the mud; love, and truth shall lead you. Happy Buddha Jayanti 2025!"

This Buddha Purnima may your gloom be dispelled by the calmness of your mind, kindness of your heart, and the enlightenment of your soul."

About the Author Nibandh Vinod Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with 26 years of experience, specializing in covering events, festivals, and driving SEO content for News18.com. A tech-savvy person, Nibandh works closely with a young te... Read More Nibandh Vinod is a seasoned journalist with 26 years of experience, specializing in covering events, festivals, and driving SEO content for News18.com. A tech-savvy person, Nibandh works closely with a young te... Read More

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: May 10, 2025, 09:40 IST
Redefining Motherhood: How Egg Freezing Is Giving Women Control Over Their Future

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 17:00 IST

Egg freezing gives women something invaluable: time. Thanks to technological advancements, the process is now more effective, accessible, and affordable than ever before.

Egg freezing offers women autonomy over their reproductive choices.

Motherhood is evolving. In a world where women are increasingly prioritising their careers, personal growth, and mental well-being, the traditional timeline for starting a family is being reimagined. Age is no longer the sole determinant in the decision to have children. At the heart of this transformation is egg freezing  a ground breaking advancement that offers women the freedom to preserve their fertility and take control of their reproductive choices. With egg freezing, motherhood becomes a decision guided by personal readiness, not biological pressure.

Why More Women Are Switching to Egg Freezing

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Egg freezing has emerged as a transformative option in reproductive health, offering women the freedom to delay motherhood without compromising their future fertility. As more women focus on building careers, pursuing higher education, or navigating health challenges, traditional family planning timelines are shifting. Egg freezing preserves fertility and grants women greater autonomy, allowing them to choose when to start a family based on readiness, not rigid biological clocks or societal expectations. Its a bold step toward reclaiming control over ones reproductive journey.

Your Biological Clock Is Ticking"  Not Anymore

For decades, women have been trailed by the phrase, Your biological clock is ticking"  a reminder that time waits for no one, especially when it comes to fertility. This pressure often lands hardest when women are focused on building careers, completing their education, or simply not ready to start a family. For many, balancing personal aspirations with societal expectations becomes an impossible juggling act.

Talking about egg freezing, Dr. Swetha P, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, notes, It allows women to preserve their fertility today and return to the idea of motherhood later  on their terms, without racing against the clock. This isnt just a scientific advancement; its a redefinition of choice, timing, and freedom."

Understanding the Egg Freezing Process

Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a multi-step procedure that gives women the opportunity to preserve their fertility for future use, on their terms. Dr. Swetha P shares how it works:

Hormonal Stimulation: Throughout 10 to 12 days, women are administered hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, instead of the single egg typically released each month. Throughout this period, doctors closely monitor progress with routine blood tests and ultrasounds to track egg development.

Throughout 10 to 12 days, women are administered hormones to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs, instead of the single egg typically released each month. Throughout this period, doctors closely monitor progress with routine blood tests and ultrasounds to track egg development. Egg Retrieval: Once the eggs are mature, they are collected during a short outpatient procedure under anaesthesia, usually lasting 20 to 30 minutes.

Once the eggs are mature, they are collected during a short outpatient procedure under anaesthesia, usually lasting 20 to 30 minutes. Freezing and Storage: After retrieval, the mature eggs are immediately frozen using a rapid-freezing technique called vitrification and stored in liquid nitrogen for future use.

Dr. Swetha P adds, Unlike IVF, where fertilisation typically occurs soon after egg retrieval, egg freezing allows women to store unfertilized eggs, giving them the flexibility to decide when (and with whom) they want to start a family. Its a process that places reproductive autonomy directly in womens hands."

Reversing the Cultural Tradition: A New Family Planning Perspective

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Despite growing progress, many women still face pressure from family and society to have children by their 30s, often at the cost of setting aside professional goals or personal dreams. Egg freezing challenges that outdated narrative. It empowers women with autonomy over their reproductive choices, allowing them to pursue careers, education, and ambitions without guilt or fear of missing the right" window for motherhood.

Perhaps most importantly, egg freezing gives women something invaluable: time. Time to plan, to grow, to chooseon their terms.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 17:00 IST
Why Every New Mom Must Prioritise Her Health: 5 Warning Signs And Crucial Check-Ups

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:04 IST

Discover the top 5 health warning signs new and expectant moms shouldn't ignore, plus essential check-ups to ensure a safe, healthy postpartum journey - for both mother and baby.

Regular health screenings and check-ups are crucial for new and expectant moms.

Motherhood is one of lifes most rewarding journeys, but it can also be physically and emotionally overwhelming. In the constant cycle of feeding, soothing, and sleepless nights, many new and expectant mothers tend to put their well-being on the back burner. A healthy mom lays the foundation for a thriving environment. It becomes important for new moms and expecting mothers to stay alert to key warning signs and commit to regular check-ups.

Dr Lynsel, Consultant OBG at KMC Hospital, Dr B R Ambedkar Circle in Mangalore, shares five crucial health red flags every mother should watch out for and why timely medical care matters.

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Persistent Fatigue or Shortness of Breath

If exhaustion goes beyond typical new-mom tiredness or you feel breathless with minimal effort, dont brush it off. It may signal anaemia, thyroid issues, or even cardiac concernsconditions that need medical attention.

Severe Headaches or Vision Changes

These could indicate postpartum preeclampsia, especially if you had high blood pressure during pregnancy. Seek immediate care, as untreated preeclampsia can become life-threatening.

Heavy Bleeding Beyond 6 Weeks Post-delivery

Light spotting is normal, but soaking through pads or passing large clots after the initial post-delivery period warrants urgent evaluation for infection or retained placental tissue.

Breast Redness or Pain

Mastitis, a common but serious breast infection, can develop quickly during breastfeeding. Early treatment with antibiotics prevents complications and supports continued nursing.

Mood Swings, Anxiety, or Depression

Baby blues are common, but if sadness, irritability, or disconnection persist, it may be postpartum depression. Early mental health support makes a significant difference.

Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Senior Consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecologist, Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneshwar, adds, To maintain good health, mothers should prioritise regular health screening, which includes monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and thyroid function tests. Cancer screenings, including mammograms, Pap smears, and colonoscopies, are also necessary for early detection of breast cancer and gynaecological cancers like cervical and uterine cancer. Bone density tests are also recommended for women, especially after menopause, to prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures."

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Must-Do Check-Ups For Expectant Mothers

Regular Antenatal Check-ups: Every 4 weeks for first 28 weeks of pregnancy, then 2 weekly up to 36 weeks of pregnancy and beyond 36 weeks, every weekly till delivery for a low risk pregnancy. For High risk pregnancies, the check-ups would be more frequent.

Every 4 weeks for first 28 weeks of pregnancy, then 2 weekly up to 36 weeks of pregnancy and beyond 36 weeks, every weekly till delivery for a low risk pregnancy. For High risk pregnancies, the check-ups would be more frequent. First Trimester Screenings (1013 weeks): Blood work and ultrasound for chromosomal risk assessment.

Blood work and ultrasound for chromosomal risk assessment. Anomaly Scan (1822 weeks): Detailed ultrasound to evaluate fetal structure and placental position.

Detailed ultrasound to evaluate fetal structure and placental position. Glucose Challenge Test (2428 weeks): Checks for gestational diabetes.

Checks for gestational diabetes. Postnatal Visit (6 weeks postpartum): Ensures your physical and emotional recovery is on track.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 13:04 IST
Kylie Jenner's Quirky Hand-Shaped Ear Cuff Is The Real Star Of Her Roman Holiday

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 10:00 IST

For her appearance in Rome, Kylie Jenner stunned in a black bodycon dress. She elevated her look with a quirky ear accessory from Schiaparelli.

Kylie Jenner shared her glamorous look on Instagram.

Right after her head-turning appearance on the blue carpet at the Met Gala 2025 in New York, Kylie Jenner flew to Rome. She took to her Instagram to share pictures from her Rome getaway. Channelling high-fashion glamour, Kylie donned a black bodycon dress. But it wasnt the dress that caught everyones eye, it was the statement accessory that she added to her look  a golden hand-shaped ear cuff.

Taking to her Instagram, Kylie Jenner shared a series of pictures from her holiday in Rome. Sharing the pictures, she wrote, Rome in @schiaparelli @danielroseberry makeup by meee." The pictures showed the beauty mogul posing against the backdrop of Roman imperial architecture. Other pictures showed her sipping her cocktail as she flaunted her OOTD.

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Take a closer look at Kylies OOTD here.

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For her Roman holiday, Kylie opted for a stunning black maxi dress. The sleeveless dress featured a textured pattern that ran across the fabric. The sleeveless black maxi dress was adorned with corded embroidery and raised floral applique details. With a bodycon silhouette, the dress came with a scooped neckline and criss-crossed straps at the back. While the dress was truly an ode to old Hollywood glamour, her choice of accessories elevated the look.

The social media personality opted for a quirky earring from Schiaparelli. She went with a golden hand-shaped cuff adorning her ear. The earcuff came with a large black and white drop charm, and the golden hand flaunted a diamond ring. For the glam, she went with her signature minimal glam look. She went with a flawlessly matte base. She defined her eyes with soft winged eyeliner and mascara. She added a swipe of blush to her cheeks for that rosy glow and an ample amount of highlighter on the high points of her face for some sheen. She added a brown shade to her lips and completed her look by tying her hair in a low bun.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: May 10, 2025, 10:00 IST
Aarti Ravi's BOLD Note After Ravi Mohan's Pics With Kenishaa Emerge: 'We Face Home Eviction'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 10:18 IST

Aarti Ravi, wife of actor Ravi Mohan, spoke out after photos of the actor with Kenishaa Francis surfaced. She mentioned financial struggles and ongoing divorce issues.

Aarti Ravi says husband Ravi Mohan has 'walked away' from responsibilities.

Actor Ravi Mohans wife, Aarti Ravi, has broken her long silence, hours after photos of the former with his rumoured girlfriend Kenishaa Francis emerged from a wedding. Aarti wrote a strong note expressing financial difficulties as they now face home eviction from the bank." Several celebs and fans stood in solidarity with her. For the uninitiated, Ravi had announced his separation from Aarti after 18 years of marriage last year.

Aarti Ravis note began with: For a year, I have carried silence like armour. Not because I was weak, but because my sons needed peace more than I needed to be heard. I absorbed every accusation, every allegation, every cruel whisper thrown my way. I said nothingnot because I didnt have the truth, but because I didnt want my children to carry the burden of choosing between parents."

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Sharing an update on her divorce, Aarti mentioned, Today, while the world sees carefully curated appearances and photo captions, our reality is very different. My divorce is still ongoing. But the man I once stood beside for 18 yearsin love, loyalty, and beliefhas not just walked away from me, but from the very responsibilities he once promised to honour."

Aarti openly wrote about the financial difficulties she and both her sons (10 and 14 years of age) have been facing after Ravi withdrew from the responsibilities he once promised to honour". She wrote, And now, we face home evictionfrom the bank, on the instructions of the man who once built that very home with me. I am accused of being a gold digger. If that were ever true, I wouldve protected my personal interests long ago."

My children are 10 and 14. They deserve security, not shock. Stability, not silence. They are too young to understand legal clauses, but old enough to feel abandonment. Every unanswered call, every cancelled meeting, every cold message meant for me but read by themthese are not just oversights. They are wounds," read her strong words.

She further added, You can move on in gold silk. You can replace roles in your public life. But you cannot rewrite the truth. A father is not just a title. It is a responsibility."

She then updated fans on why she continues to refer herself as Aarti Ravi. To the curious minds and self-appointed well-wishers preoccupied with my Instagram nameI remain Aarti Ravi until both I and the law decide otherwise," she penned.

She also urged the media not to refer her as Ravis ex-wife until the legal proceedings are done with. And to the respected media: kindly refrain from calling me an ex-wife until the legal process concludes. Until then, patiencelike silenceis a virtue. This is not vengeance. This is not spectacle. This is a mother stepping into the firenot to fight, but to protect. I do not cry. I do not scream. I stand tall, because I must. For the two boys who still call you Appa. And for them, I will never back down," she concluded.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aarti Ravi (@aarti.ravi)

Actir-politician Kushboo Sundar expressed her love and support for Aarti. She commented, My girl is a strong woman". A fan wrote, I started following you because youre Ravis wife and now Im a fan of yours."

Ravi Mohan and Aartis controversial divorce in 2024

Ravi and Aarti were married for 18 years and share two sons. In September 2024, the Iraivan actor announced his divorce. Soon after, Aarti issued a statement, claiming that the announcement came out of the blue, and that neither she nor her sons were aware of it. The divorce was filed at a family court in Chennai in November 2024.

First Published: May 10, 2025, 10:09 IST
Anupamaa: Manish Goel Quits Show After Fight With Rupali Ganguly? Know Here

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 08:05 IST

Manish Goel also revealed that his character Raghav had always been planned as a cameo in Anupamaa.

Manish Goel breaks silence on rumours of his fallout with Rupali Ganguly. (Photos: Instagram)

Rupali Ganguly starrer Anupamaa is one of the top television shows. While it has been ruling the TRP charts, it often makes headlines for some controversial reasons too. Now, a report of Manish Goel allegedly planning to leave the show has grabbed everyones attention.

Recently, a report by India Forums claimed that Manish Goel, who plays Raghav in Anupamaa, is planning to quit the show due to differences with the co-star Rupali Ganguly. Manish and Rupali had differences, which is why he will be quitting the show and the show will take another leap then," a source cited by the news portal claimed.

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However, Manish has denied rumours of his fallout with Rupali Ganguly. The actor laughed at the speculation and said, It is completely false. Rupali aur meri pehchaan aaj ki nahi hai. I have known her since I have landed in Mumbai. This is the fourth time I am working with her. Usually, there is no fire without spark but in this case, there is neither spark nor fire, I do not know why do people spread such things. This is false."

Talking about his alleged exit from Anupamaa, Manish added, As for quitting, I have 6 scenes today and I have already done 4 scenes."

However, Manish also revealed that his character Raghav had always been planned as a cameo in the show, which was planned for around four months. Out of which, I have completed 3 months. When a cameo of an actor is extended, it works excellently for them and if it is not, then also fine, you were already informed about the same in advance. So yeah, thats about it. Not quitting as of now, no information on the leap too," he concluded.

Previously, there were rumours that Rupali Ganguly was also not on talking terms with her Anupamaa co-star Sudhanshu Pandey. The latter quit the show in 2024.

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 10, 2025, 08:05 IST
The United States top biomedical research agency has halted payments to research groups abroad, jeopardizing multi-million-dollar research projects on cancer, viral infections, and human genetics around the world.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest public biomedical research organization, has frozen payments to research groups abroad until further notice. The agencys leadership has cited a lack of transparency in how these funds are spent and even claims that this poses a threat to the countrys national security. There is currently no data on how many projects will be halted or how much money will be cut off to countries, although the figure could be around $500 million annually.

At the center of the controversy are past collaborations between NIH-funded universities in the United States and several Chinese institutions, including the Wuhan Virology Laboratory. According to an unconfirmed theory, favored by President Donald Trump, the coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic may have originated from this laboratory.

Jay Bhattacharya, the new NIH director appointed by Trump, has defended the new measure as part of the U.S. governments planned cuts to science. The agency has said that from now on, foreign groups must sign a contract directly with the NIH, not as they did until now, with the research leader, who in many cases was a U.S. scientist. The measures affect dozens of multi-million-dollar projects in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The agency hopes to clarify the new regulations before September. Until then, many research projects remain on hold.

No one fully understands whats happening, confesses Javier Martinez-Picado, a virologist at the IrsiCaixa research center in Spain, who is one of those affected by the new measures. In our case, we havent received confirmation that our project has been renewed, even though we passed the technical evaluation. Were paralyzed, explains Martinez-Picado, who collaborates with U.S. organizations on a project to study innate immunity to HIV infection, and another that examines HIV cures in patients who received stem cell transplants.

The scientist maintains that there is no lack of transparency in the spending of these funds. For years we have fought for scientific research to be an international enterprise, one that isnt isolated in one country. These regulations are backward and a setback. In reality, its a disregard for scientific research, he warns.

There is total uncertainty. The impact may end up being just a change in bureaucratic rules, or it may mean the end of many research projects that are no longer of interest to the United States. The measure is also a blow to U.S. scientists, because if active projects cannot continue without having to send funds abroad, a way will be found to terminate them.

It may be true that the NIH has little final control over these funds, acknowledges Roderic Guigo, a researcher at the Center for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona. But if the projects are ultimately not allowed to continue, it will be a disaster.

Guigo has been receiving NIH funding since 2003, when he began as principal investigator of the Encode project, now called Gencode, the largest encyclopedia of elements present in the human genome. Since its inception, groups outside the United States have received tens of millions of euros to carry out part of the work. Currently, Guigos group receives approximately 1.3 million ($1.5 million) for its participation in phase four of the project. The big uncertainty now is whether the new rules will allow the launch of phase five, which is expected to last another four years.

The research cuts imposed by Donald Trump are opening Europes eyes. Its a situation similar to the one with defense funding: Should Europe continue to stay out of major projects like Encode and rely on the United States to access and use those data? That is the question Guigo is asking, and he believes Europe as a bloc, and Spain in particular, should increase their participation in large consortia of this kind.

Computational biologist Marta Mele, a researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, has been receiving funding for the last year under the dGTEX program, with total funding of more than 35 million ($39 million). Her goal is to create the largest genetic and medical database for young children, a population for which there is much less data compared to adults.

My group basically studies why each person is unique, and we also analyze whether health problems in adulthood can originate during the first years of life, explains Mele. The researcher has secured funding for this year, but does not know what will happen in 2026. The greatest impact of the new regulations is that several jobs directly depend on U.S. funding. These are very good people who will have to leave if funding is cut, its a huge loss of talent, she explains. The scientist believes that governments should not only make plans to recruit scientists fleeing the United States, but also create rescue measures for researchers already in Spain.

The freezing of international collaborations is just a small part of the enormous cuts in scientific research, public health, and cooperation announced by the White House. The draft 2026 budget proposes cutting the National Institutes of Health budget by around 40%. The National Science Foundation, where Spaniard Dario Gil was appointed undersecretary for science and innovation in January, is in an even worse position, facing a proposed cut of 56%. The Centers for Disease Control, the agency responsible for monitoring epidemics and pandemics, is also set to lose nearly 50% of its funding. At the space agency NASA, the budget for manned space exploration will increase slightly, but a significant portion of the budget for science, climate change studies, science education, and other programs will be cut. NOAA, the main climate research agency, will see a 25% cut, and the Environmental Protection Agency, a 55% budget reduction.

Much of the money cut from science will go toward military spending  which Trump wants to increase by 13% to over $1 trillion  and border protection programs, for which he plans to spend some $175 billion.

The new budget will now have to pass through Congress for final approval. Although Republicans hold the majority in both chambers, senators from each state may be very reluctant to cut certain programs that are essential to their states economy.

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Charlize Theron On Why Uma Thurman Deserved An Oscar For Kill Bill

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 18:43 IST

Uma Thurman and Charlize Theron will share scene space in The Old Guard 2.

Charlize Theron's The Old Guard 2 will premiere on July 2. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Charlize Theron, one of the worlds highest-paid actresses, opened up about her fangirl moment with 55-year-old star Uma Thurman. The South African and American actress-turned-producer, who is set to share screen space with Thurman in their upcoming action flick The Old Guard 2, talked highly about the latters very intimidating" stature and presence in a recent candid conversation.

As Charlize Theron appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, she recalled her fandom moment upon finally getting the chance to star alongside Uma Thurman, best known for her portrayal of Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantinos Pulp Fiction. We knew each other kind of offhand, but I knew her from being a massive fan, just watching her work, and always wanted to do something with her," the 49-year-old mentioned.

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She continued, Because when I came into the action world, she (Uma Thurman) was really, to me, like, the sensei. She was the OG." Further, complimenting Thurmans portrayal as The Bride in the Kill Bill films, the Atomic Blonde star shared that she should have won the Academy Award. It was when the host asked Theoron about the same that she replied in complete agreement, A hundred percent," adding how she believes men get a lot of credit for these (types of) movies."

What she did in that film was just so unbelievable," she elaborated, pointing towards Thurans stint in Kill Bill: Vol. 1, released in 2003, followed by a sequel titled Kill Bill: Vol. 2 in 2004.

As the trailer video of Theron and Thurmans The Old Guard 2 was revealed recently, a face-off between the two in a battle of immortals was also spotted in one scene. Contrary to their expressions alongside the entire atmosphere glorifying the two stars incredible acting skills, the Snow White and the Huntsman star was initially scared" to star opposite Thurman. Recalling the moment, Theoren said, Shes (Uma Thurman) just such a badass," adding, So since Ive been in action movies, Ive been like, Who do I want to work with and do an action sequence with? Its always been Uma Thurman. Always."

Further, she told the host that despite Thurman being really tall" and very intimidating" in stature and presence, Shes really sweet and kind and thoughtful, and so hardworking." She stated, But I was definitely intimidated by her, especially when she showed up, and she was given one sword, and we had worked out this whole sequence, and she went, I think I want two swords." The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, the Mad Max: Fury Road stars fan moment with the 55-year-old Thurman is praiseworthy.

Watch the entire interview here: https://youtu.be/77xFuMjWHls

The makers recently released the trailer of The Old Guard 2, with Charlize Theron reprising her role of Andy, the immortal warrior leader, alongside an ensemble cast. Meanwhile, Thurman will portray a yet-to-be-announced role of a villain.

Check out the trailer of The Old Guard here: https://youtu.be/lyivgZ074PY

Directed by Victoria Mahoney, The Old Guard 2 will premiere on Netflix on July 2.

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 10, 2025, 18:40 IST
Did Kanye West Sue Kim Kardashian For Violation Of Custody Agreement?

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:39 IST

The custody letter, supposedly sent by an attorney working at JB Law Firm based in Palma, Spain, accused Kim of neglecting their four minor children.

Kim and Kanye have 4 kids together. (Photo Credit: X)

The ongoing drama between Kanye West and Kim Kardashian has taken a fresh twist, though this time, it might be more smoke than fire. On Friday, May 9, reports claimed that Kanye had sent a cease and desist notice to his ex-wife over alleged violations of their custody agreement. But evidence suggests the letter could be a hoax.

The supposed notice, allegedly sent by an attorney from JB Law Firm based in Palma, Spain, accused the Skims founder of neglecting their four minor children  North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm  whom she co-parents with Kanye. According to the claims, Kim had shared photos of their children without Kanyes consent. It also accused her of endangering their daughter, North, by allegedly leaving her unsupervised in a car during the recent MET Gala.

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But theres a twist. The same media outlet has now published a follow-up story casting serious doubt on the authenticity of the letter. TMZ flagged several red flags in the document, suggesting it could be a hoax. For one, the law firm cited in the notice does not appear to exist in Palma, Spain. While a similarly named firm was found in the Canary Islands, its website is inactive, and attempts to contact it by phone have been unsuccessful.

There is no verified connection of the letter to the rapper. Moreover, his team has outrightly denied sending such a letter to Kim, calling it a hoax." Meanwhile, the reality stars side called it a stunt".

Kim and Kanye filed for divorce in 2021 after seven years of marriage and four kids. Their divorce was finalised in 2022, and as part of their settlement, they have joint custody of their four kids. Kanye pays $200,000 in child support every month. According to the hoax" cease and desist document, the rapper asked his ex-wife to stop any behaviour he believes violates his parental rights, takes advantage of their kids, or goes against the terms of their joint custody arrangement finalised in November 2022.

Just days ago, Kanye once again made it to the headlines for a bizarre livestream in which he voiced his frustration over not being able to see his children. Fk all these fk n-s Imma go get these kids, bro. Im talking to the lawyers  it gets to the point where I dont lose my fing mind, where I got to get used to not seeing my kids," he said in the video reposted by Hollywood Unlocked.

About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-... Read More Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in long-... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 13:39 IST
Gul Panag Mocks Pakistan For Celebrating IMF Loan: We Dont Need It, You Do

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:57 IST

Gul Panag took a sharp dig at a Pakistani journalist celebrating Pakistans IMF loan approval, reminding him that India hasnt needed IMF assistance since 1993.

Gul Panag mocks Pakistans celebration of a $1B IMF loan, reminding them India paid off its dues in 2000.

Actor, entrepreneur, and political activist Gul Panag took to social media on Friday to deliver a sharp, sarcastic takedown in response to a Pakistani journalist who celebrated the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan granted to Pakistan. With her trademark wit, Gul reminded the journalistand the internetexactly where India stands when it comes to IMF bailouts.

The comment came after Pakistani journalist Shahbaz Rana posted on X (formerly Twitter), In a humiliating defeat for India, the IMF executive board has approved $1 billion second loan tranche. India unsuccessfully tried to block the approval by the IMF board."

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Gul quote-tweeted him with biting clarity, Sir, congratulations on another loan. With respect, we dont need that money. You do. FYI, we have not taken any financial assistance from the IMF since 1993. Repayments of all the loans taken from the International Monetary Fund were completed on 31 May, 2000."

Sir, congratulations on another loan. With respect, we dont need that money. You do.FYI, We have not taken any financial assistance from the IMF since 1993. Repayments of all the loans taken from International Monetary Fund have been completed on 31 May, 2000 https://t.co/jKS7v26bWQ  Gul Panag (@GulPanag) May 10, 2025

Her tweet quickly went viral, striking a chord with many who criticized the celebration of yet another loan disbursement. According to the IMF, the disbursementpart of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF)was approved after a successful review of Pakistans economic reform program, unlocking approximately $1 billion in aid.

India, however, strongly opposed the move, citing Pakistans continued involvement in cross-border terrorism. New Delhi warned global institutions of the reputational risks involved in supporting regimes that destabilize the region.

The IMFs official statement read, IMF Board approved the first review of Pakistans economic reform program under the EFF, enabling a disbursement of ~$1 billion, reflecting strong program implementation which has contributed to continuing economic recovery."

The exchange comes at a time of heightened tension between the two nations. India recently launched Operation Sindoor, a precision strike mission targeting nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was a direct response to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives in April.

In retaliation, the Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple drone and ceasefire violation attacks across the Western border and the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 8 and 9. The Indian Army successfully intercepted the drone strikes and responded firmly to the CFVs.

The Indian Army remains committed to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation," said an official statement.

Gul Panag, who first rose to fame as Miss India and later as a breakout star in films like Dor and Manorama Six Feet Under, is known for her candid social media presence and strong political views. A licensed pilot, fitness icon, and a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, shes never shied away from calling it like it is.

She was last seen in the most recent season of Prime Videos acclaimed series Paatal Lok, and once again, shes proving that her voice carries weight both on and off screen.

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 10, 2025, 13:57 IST
Saif Ali Khan Backs Indian Armed Forces Amid India-Pakistan Conflict: Jai Jawan, Jai Hind

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 19:11 IST

Saif Ali Khan has voiced strong support for the Indian government and armed forces in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.

Saif Ali Khan backs Indian government and armed forces post Pahalgam attack. Says Jai Jawan, Jai Hind amid rising India-Pakistan tensions and Operation Sindoor.

As tensions between India and Pakistan reach a boiling point following the horrific Pahalgam terror attack and Indias strong military response through Operation Sindoor, actor Saif Ali Khan has issued a powerful and emotional statement voicing his support for the nation, its government, and the armed forces.

In a rare public comment on matters of national security, Saif said, I stand in complete solidarity with, and support of, my government and their response to the slaughter of innocents in Pahalgam. My thoughts and prayers are with the families shattered by the violence of this most recent terror attack on our soil. I salute the bravery and courage of our armed forces and thank them for keeping us safe."

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His message came in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 livescivilians and soldiers alikewere tragically lost. The incident prompted the Indian government to launch Operation Sindoor, a coordinated series of precision airstrikes targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes, carried out on May 7, were followed by retaliatory drone and missile attacks from Pakistan on Indian soil, including regions like Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur.

In his statement, Saif further emphasized the importance of national unity and resilience in the face of terror, I pray we all stand united against terrorism. Jai Jawan, Jai Hind."

The Indian Army, in an official statement, confirmed that it successfully intercepted Pakistans drone incursions and ceasefire violations on May 8 and 9, while remaining fully committed to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation."

Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan is officially set to star in the Hindi remake of the 2016 Malayalam hit Oppam. The actor and filmmaker Priyadarshan, who have been talking about adapting this Mohanlal-starrer for a while now, are finally making it official. In an exciting twist, Bobby Deol will join Saif Ali Khan as the antagonist in the Oppam remake. Interestingly, Samuthirakani, who played the villain in the original Malayalam film, is also expected to play a significant role in the Hindi version.

Produced by Antony Perumbavoor, Oppam revolves around Mohanlals character, Jayaraman, a visually impaired man with extraordinary senses of smell, hearing, and touch. When a retired judge is murdered by a man he wrongfully sentenced, Jayaraman steps up to protect the judges daughter. Sources reveal that Saif Ali Khan has been in talks with Priyadarshan and the producers of Oppam since 2023.

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 10, 2025, 19:11 IST
Feast, Fun And Family, Ishita Duttas Bengali Baby Shower Ceremony Was A Hit

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 15:59 IST

Second-time mom-to-be Ishita Dutta posted an array of photos from her shaadh ceremony hosted by her family.

Ishita Duttas son, Vaayu, played a cute role in her shaadh ceremony. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Ishita Dutta, known for her stint in Drishyam, is expecting her second child with her actor husband, Vatsal Sheth. The couple, who tied the knot in November 2017, keeps dishing out some family goals with lovely glimpses from their lives. From playful moments with their baby boy, Vaayu, to celebrating each others achievements, the madly in love duo has been together through thick and thin. Recently, the pregnant actress family organised a shaadh" ceremony for her, and the glimpses from the same are too cute to miss.

On Instagram, Ishita Dutta posted a series of glimpses from the shaadh ceremony hosted by her family during the third trimester of pregnancy. FYI: The Shaadh" ceremony is a Bengali baby shower tradition for celebrating the mother-to-be during her 7th or 9th month of pregnancy. Following the same Bengali rituals, the second-time expectant actress was served an array of dishes to honour and fulfil her cravings and desires. We can spot a plate full of rice served alongside two slices of fried fish and five different vegetables, and a few pieces of fresh green salad. Besides the plate, an assortment of lovely items was also present on the same table. It included dal, fish curry, as well as sweet items to relish at the end of her meal, like kheer and two types of rasgullas.

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For the intimate ceremony, Ishita donned a comfortable pink-hued attire and looked super enthusiastic while posing for some love-filled pictures with her family. However, it was her baby boy who stole the show with his sheer joy and excitement. Dropping the glimpses, the doting mommy revealed that the true highlight of her event was Vaayu, who was extremely eager to savour the wholesome meal.

Shaadh, Celebrating the little life within, a bit early this time, because some moments cant wait. Showered with love, blessings, and all things sweet for a safe journey ahead. P.S. Vaayu couldnt wait to dig into all the yummy food  the true highlight for him! #MotherhoodMoments #BengaliRituals #FamilyLove," read Ishitas caption.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Instant Bollywood (@instantbollywood)

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Earlier, in a conversation with HT, Vatsal confirmed their good news and revealed his reaction after learning about the same. Ishita walked into our room and told me the news. I remember it was one of those days when Vayu was super cranky. We did take time to let the news sink in before we decided to let the world know that the newest member of our family is due in July," the actor said.

Further, opening up about their future plans, he said, As parents, we have discussed how to go about it, as the second pregnancy will surely be quite different from the first. As a father, I will take care of my son and my wife, who needs special attention. Both of us have decided that once the baby arrives, I will take care of Vayu, and Ishita will be with our new angel."

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 10, 2025, 15:59 IST
'Pakistan Is Master Of...': After Owaisi, Shashi Tharoor Is Internet's New Favourite | Here's Why

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Sumedha Kirti



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 17:30 IST

Shashi Tharoor almost schooled an international news channel anchor when he asked the Congress MP what is Pakistan's motive to attack India and what evidence New Delhi has.

Shashi Tharoor's terrific response on India-Pakistan tensions on a Saudi Arabian news channel.

Amid ratcheting up tensions between India and Pakistan, the government has been constantly updating the world on the misadventures of Pakistan. The Opposition leaders, who usually jump in to criticise the ruling regimes actions, have strongly backed the Centres move against Pakistan  the proven sponsors of terrorism. But among these leaders, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor have emerged to be favourites of the social media. Heres why.

At a time when sentiments are high, the desi netizens have been closely monitoring the statements and actions of the celebrities and politicians. When tensions began rising after Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, it was Owaisi who stood up to abuse Pakistan when other Opposition leaders were yet to react.

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This instantly made the AIMIM chief a hit on social media. So much so that netizens who otherwise do not support his political ideology, came forward to indulge in a verbal duel with Pakistani internet users. An X user even dared one of his Pakistani counterparts to not say a word against Owaisi, adding, Jaisa hai, humara hai (however he is, he is ours)".

Now, the latest favourite is Shashi Tharoor, who almost schooled a Saudi Arabian news channel anchor when he asked Tharoor what is Pakistans motive to attack India and what proof does New Delhi have for its claims on terror attack. Heres what the Congress MP said:

As far as evidence is considered, dont forget that Pakistan is a master of denial. They denied having anything to do with the Mumbai attacks that killed a 170 people on 26/11/2008, until one of the terrorists was caught alive and the Pakistanis had to admit that he and everything he said came from them. They denied even where Osama Bin Laden was until he was found in a military encampment, not far from a Pakistani Army base inside their own territory."

This is the Pakistani route. They constantly show us the evidence. I mean the fact is there is enough circumstantial evidence and there are intelligence intercepts on basis of which India is acting. And India has absolutely no other reason to do this."

Shashi Tharoor should be made Indias international spokesperson ASAP! pic.twitter.com/0B3IBl4HpZ Meru (@MeruBhaiya) May 9, 2025

Tharoors terrific response won him applause on social media, with people petitioning to make him Indias international spokesperson". Here are other reactions:

ALSO WATCH: Pakistans Khawaja Asif Fumbles When Questioned On Indias Strikes: Cant Hear

Tharoors explanation on codename Operation Sindoor on Al Arabiya was also praised by many.

Sindoor, the Congress MP said, is the vermilion mark married women put in the parting of their hair. The image that was seared into the nations consciousness after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam was of a newly wedded  now newly widowed  bride on her honeymoon kneeling disconsolately by the body of her slain husband, in other words, the terrorist attack had wiped the sindoor of her forehead as only married women wear it," Tharoor said, referring to the heartbreaking image of Himanshi Narwal, wife of Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the terror attack days after his wedding. Twenty four other tourists and a Kashmiri man were killed in the attack.

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Indian Member of Parliament for Lok Sabha @ShashiTharoor says #Indias Operation Sindoor" is a powerful name that evokes the grief of a newly widowed brideturning a symbol of marriage into a reminder of bloodshed and loss. #Pakistan #GNT pic.twitter.com/sWroFJFjMc Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) May 9, 2025

Previously, Tharoor had praised the name of the operation, calling it brilliant" and saying, Well done to whoever came up with it." The Congress MP has been explaining Indias stance in his interviews with international news outlets.

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

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First Published: May 10, 2025, 17:29 IST
'Pakistani Haare To...': Lakshya Movie Scene Goes Viral As Islamabad Violates Ceasefire

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 03:49 IST

The viral clip is from a scene from Hritik Roshan's 'Lakshya' movie. It shows Om Puri saying if Pakistan loses, it comes back again.

Scene from Lakshya movie (Credits: Screengrab of viral video)

Hours after India and Pakistan reached a bilateral understanding, the latter breached the ceasefire and fired drones across the border areas, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat.

As the tensions between the two countries escalated, a clip from Hritik Roshans movie Lakshya went viral. In the video, veteran actor Om Puri was seen giving war lesson to Hritik, in which can be heard saying if Pakistan loses, it again tries to hit back.

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Mujhe un logo ka tajurba hai, Pakistani haare to palat ke ek baar phir aata haiagar jeet jao to fauran laparwah nahi ho jaana. Meri baat yaad rakhna (I have experience with these people; if Pakistan loses, it turns around and comes back again if you win, dont become careless immediately. Remember my words)," Om Puri, who played the role of Major Pritam Singh said to Karan Shergill, played by Hrithik Roshan.

Karan Shergill replies with, Yaad Rakhunga" (I will remember).

Referring to the current situation, the video is being shared widely by several netizens.

An X user, Koushik Biswas, wrote, Never ever trust the snakes Pakistan! Dialogue from movie Lakshya."

Ceasefire is fine, but never forget Om Puris words," said a second user.

Reel dialogue, but real message," another said.

Ceasefire is fine but never forget Om Puris words  pic.twitter.com/3mcb22TA94 Shekhar Dutt (@DuttShekhar) May 10, 2025

Pakistan Violates Ceasefire

As Pakistan breached the bilateral understanding, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.

For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very very serious note of these violations," he said.

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The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control," added Misri.

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First Published: May 11, 2025, 01:15 IST
This Breathtaking Shadow Dance On AR Rahmans Poovukkul Is Creativity At Its Best

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:38 IST

Composed by AR Rahman, the song originally featured Aishwarya Rai and Prasanth in the lead.

The track was a part of the Tamil film James. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Shadow dance, a visually enchanting art form popular in East India, uses silhouettes behind a curtain or screen to narrate stories or evoke emotions. A recent performance in this genre has gone viral, featuring a couple dancing to AR Rahmans iconic Tamil track Poovukkul.

The clip, shared by choreographer Shobi on Instagram, showcases him and a female dancer performing an intricately synchronised routine behind a curtain. With the help of a skilled backstage crew managing props and lighting, the duo creates striking shadow visuals that add depth, drama, and illusion to every movement.

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What makes the video stand out is its unique dual format, showcasing behind-the-scenes footage of the entire teams effort on one side, while the other side reveals the synchronised shadow performance. This one-minute visual masterpiece is a blend of seamless transitions, precise movements, and clever prop usage.

The video caption reads, Athisiyam Mey Shadow Dance 10 million views reached. Making + Original."

The comment section quickly filled with praise for the stunning performance. One Instagram user applauded the teams creativity and effort, writing, Creativity + effort = awesome performance." Another commented, Omg, creativity, dance, everything was perfect." A viewer shared, So neat and beautiful." While another added, Super efforts, excellent!"

Bro, you nailed it, made it effortlessly," one comment read. Another user simply wrote, Fabulous." Great effort, whole team," praised one viewer. A fan shared, Effort: 100 percent, result: 100 percent." The majority of users flooded the comments with fire, heart, and love emoticons, expressing their admiration for the videos creativity and effort.

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The video has gathered more than 4 crore views on Instagram ever since it was shared online.

The song Poovukkul" is from the Tamil film James, composed by the legendary AR Rahman and written by Vairamuthu. Originally featuring Aishwarya Rai and Prasanth in the lead roles, the track was released in 1998 and remains a timeless classic in Tamil cinema.

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 10, 2025, 13:38 IST
When Pope Leo XIV Visited Tamil Nadus Pollachi In 2006

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 18:21 IST

Pope Leo XIV paid a visit to the Shenbagam Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore in 2006.

In October 2006, Father Robert Francis Prevost visited the Shenbagam Matriculation Higher Secondary School. (Photo Credit: Instagram)

Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, posed for a photograph outside the gate of a Pollachi-based school in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore nearly 19 years ago.

At the time of his October 2006 visit to the Shenbagam Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Father Robert Francis Prevost was serving as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine.

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His image at the school in southern India has gone viral on social media and has also been shared by TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek OBrien on Instagram.

The new Pope. 19 years ago in 2006, a 50-year-old priest, Fr Robert Prevost visited India. He was then the global head of the Order of St. Augustine," the TMC leader wrote.

He highlighted that the school was run by the Augustinian Fathers under the Diocese of Coimbatore".

OBrien stated that there are a total of 2,800 Augustinian priests" working in 47 countries around the world. This mission started in India 450 years ago. This was the time when the first Portuguese missionaries landed in Goa, he added.

In todays times, it runs two schools and three parishes in the country.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Derek OBrien (@derekobrienmp)

As per reports, Father Prevost served as the Prior General of the Order between 2001 and 2013. He came to India twice in 2004 and 2006 during this period.

At the time, he met Augustinian communities in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. He went back to his Augustinian Province in Chicago in October 2013, serving across various roles, until getting appointed as Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo in November 2014 by Pope Francis, according to Vatican News.

Interestingly, Pope Leo XIV travelled from Kochi to Pollachi in a car, PTI quoted Father Wilson Injerappu, Order of Saint Augustine (OSA), regional Vicar of the Augustinian Order in India, as saying.

Calling him a humble person, Father Injerappu said that Father Prevost encouraged the students in the school" during his visit.

Father Binu Yesudasan shared that it was a proud moment for them to have Father Prevost visit the school.

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As per the news agency, Father Prevost came to India at that time to participate in the Asia-Pacific meeting of the Order of St. Augustine in the neighbouring state of Kerala. During his visit, he decided to go to the school to have a look at the functioning of the newly taken-over institution.

The institution was established by a local businessman in 1995.

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 10, 2025, 17:36 IST
Pakistan's Khawaja Asif Fumbles When Questioned On India's Strikes: 'Can't Hear...' | WATCH

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Sumedha Kirti



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 14:31 IST

Asif's interaction on international platform hasn't gone down well with his political colleagues as well, with a woman MP advising that he shouldn't go live on air.

An X user said that he used a trick similar to Khawaja Asif's during his project presentation.

A new morning and a fresh fodder by Khawaja Asif to the social media trolls. This time Pakistans defence minister was seen fumbling on a news channel when asked for proof on Indias strike. I cant hear you properly," Asif said clumsily.

May be there was a technical issue or a network issue, and Pakistans defence minister couldnt really make out what the anchor was asking him. But then, Asifs image and his recent statements amid India-Pakistan tension leave less scope for doubt.

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ALSO READ: Pakistans Khawaja Asif Trips Over His Words: USs Dirty JobStudents Are Second Line of Defence

Asifs interaction on international platform hasnt gone down well with his political colleagues either. While one criticised his got to know from social media" comment, a woman MP said, Dont go live on international platforms if you cant defend you country. At least dont mock your state."

An X user, @rakeshmosa17314, said that he used a trick similar to Asifs during his major project presentation". Another user said that the minister needs hearing aid.

A retired Pakistan army officer a day ago warned his country to rethink against attacking India as they have mere six lakh soldiers. But beyond the physical strength, a look at how India and Pakistan have recently projected themselves on international forums says a lot more than meets the eye.

While social media users are having a field day with Khawaja Asifs statements, Indias envoy to US, Vinay Kwatra, received applause. When a CNN anchor asked Kwatra if it is a religious war between Pakistani Muslims and Indian Hindus, the envoy answered, Its Indias attack on terrorists who killed our civilians."

Meanwhile, Asif was responded with a sharp reaction by CNN anchor Becky Anderson. When he said that he got to know about Indian missiles being shot down in Pakistan through social media, Anderson quickly interjected, saying, Im sorry, we didnt ask you here to talk about social media content. 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?"

Days before this Pakistans defence minister sent shockwaves when he admitted on Sky News that their country has a history of supporting, training and funding terrorist organisations as dirty work" for the West.

You do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations," the anchor reconfirmed.

Well, we have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, you know, and the West, including Britain," replied Asif.

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Not just the defence minister, Pakistans high commissioner was also grilled on air. When Pakistans UK high commissioner, Mohammad Faisal, said their first choice was peace", Sky News anchor Yalda Hakim responded: I just want to point out the investigations because in 2001 the Indian parliament was attacked. Pakistan was invited to be part of the investigation. In 2008 the Mumbai attacks took place. The finger of blame was pointed at terrorist groups that had arrived in Mumbai from Pakistan. Pakistan was called on for an investigation."

She added, In 2016, the Uri attack. Pakistan was invited to be part of the investigation. In 2019, the Pulwama attack took place. Pakistan was invited to be part of the investigation. At all of these different junctures, Pakistan may have cooperated on the surface, but it didnt do anything to prevent these terror groups from flourishing within 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 10, 2025, 14:11 IST
A Sanctuary For Terror: A List Of Terrorist Groups That Call Pakistan Their Home

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 20:30 IST

LeT, Jaish, Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are only some of the few terror groups that Pakistan has helped spread terror in the region.

Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of Masood Azhar, the terrorist who leads Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) attends the funeral of terrorists slain during Operation Sindoor, with Pakistani Army officials in attendance. (IMAGE: SOURCED)

Earlier this week, the State Department of the United States reiterated that they have been highlighting for decades Pakistans links to terrorist groups. That terrorists find a safe haven in Pakistan is a fact that India has drawn attention of global and multilateral forums for decades. But due to lack of UNSC reforms, where China has multiple times blocked proscribing of known terrorists as designated terrorists", Indias war on terror (ongoing since the two nations were partitioned) has faced roadblocks.

Terrorists in Pakistan have survived on state support and have so for decades. Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told UK broadcaster Sky News earlier this month that Pakistan sheltered these groups because it was doing the UK and the US dirty work", referring to the help US took from Pakistan in the wake of Soviet-Afghan war of the 90s and post 9/11.

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Bilawal Bhutto, the nations former foreign minister and leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also recently accepted that Pakistan has a history" with terror groups.

As far as what the defence minister said, I dont think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past. As a result, we have suffered, Pakistan has suffered. We have gone through wave after wave of extremism," Bhutto had said.

Pakistans state support for terrorists is Indias number one security concern. The Pahalgam carnage of April 22 shows that Pakistani soil is used for destabilising Kashmir and the broader South Asian region. India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror infra deep inside Pakistan.

Heres a look at the long and disturbing list of terrorist organisations that have thrived under Pakistans patronage, groups that not only threaten Indias national security but have also unleashed violence across the globe.

Many of these outfits continue to operate openly, recruit freely and plot cross-border attacks with little resistance, enjoying logistical and financial support while being shielded from global scrutiny. Here is a (not exhaustive) list of terror groups that call Pakistan home:

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)

Established in 1987 by Hafiz Saeed and Zafar Iqbal, LeT is one of the most prominent Pakistan-based terrorist organizations. It aims to merge Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan and establish Islamic rule across South Asia. LeT was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in more than 170 deaths, including foreign nationals. Despite being officially banned, LeT operates under various fronts like Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation and continues its activities with support from Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)

Founded in 2000 by Masood Azhar, JeM focuses on uniting Kashmir with Pakistan through violent means. The group has been linked to several high-profile attacks, including the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 Indian soldiers. JeM has been designated as a terrorist organization by multiple countries, yet it continues to operate within Pakistan, with its leadership reportedly enjoying safe havens.

The Resistance Front (TRF)

Emerging in 2019, TRF is considered a proxy of LeT, created to give a local face to terrorism in Kashmir and evade international scrutiny. TRF has claimed responsibility for various attacks targeting security forces, civilians and political figures in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been associated with the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists.

Jaish al-Adl

Formed in 2012, Jaish al-Adl is a Sunni extremist group operating primarily in Irans Sistan and Baluchestan province. While its main focus is against Iranian targets, the group has been reported to have safe havens in Pakistans Balochistan region. Jaish al-Adl has carried out several cross-border attacks, including the 2019 suicide bombing that killed 27 members of Irans Revolutionary Guard. Iran has accused Pakistan of harboring this group, leading to diplomatic tensions between the two countries. In January 2024, Iran carried out airstrikes against

Haqqani Network

An Afghan insurgent group with deep ties to Pakistans tribal areas, the Haqqani Network has been responsible for numerous high-profile attacks in Afghanistan, including the 2008 Kabul Serena Hotel attack and the 2011 US Embassy attack in Kabul. The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and is believed to have received support from Pakistans ISI, complicating US-Pakistan relations. Trump in 2025 removed the bounty on three of its key members, including Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM)

Established in the 1980s, HuM has been involved in various terrorist activities in Kashmir and has links to al-Qaeda. The group was responsible for the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814, which led to the release of Masood Azhar. Despite being banned, HuM continues to operate under different aliases, with its members reportedly receiving training in Pakistan.

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP)

Formed in the 1980s, SSP is a Sunni Deobandi organization that has been involved in sectarian violence, primarily targeting Shia Muslims in Pakistan. Although banned, SSP operates under various names and has been linked to numerous assassinations and bombings. The groups continued existence points to the challenges Pakistan faces in curbing sectarian militancy.

Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI)

Founded in 1985 by Fazlur Rehman Khalil and Qari Saifullah Akhtar, HuJI emerged as a radical Islamist militant organization during the Soviet-Afghan war. Initially focusing on Afghanistan, the group later expanded its operations to Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. In 2002, it orchestrated the attack near the American Center in Kolkata, India, resulting in multiple casualties. It was responsible for the 2005 bombing of the Delhi-Patna Shramjeevi Express at Jaunpur. In 2006, it conducted the bombing of the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi. In 2007, it orchestrated twin bombings in Hyderabad, killing 42 people and injuring 50. HuJI has also been linked to the 2010 Pune bombing, which targeted a popular German bakery frequented by foreigners. The group has maintained close ties with other extremist organizations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and has been designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States and India.

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Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)

Announced on September 3, 2014, by Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, AQIS was established to consolidate various jihadist factions operating in South Asia. The group aims to carry out jihadist activities in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. In 2014, it attempted hijacking of a Pakistani naval frigate, with plans to attack US and Indian naval vessels. In 2015, it coordinated the assassination of atheist and secular bloggers and activists in Bangladesh. AQIS has expressed intentions to target American interests in the region and has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, United States and India.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 20:30 IST
Afghanistan Calls Out Pakistans Bluff On Missile Strike After India Slams Ludicrous Claim

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 16:11 IST

Indias Ministry of External Affairs had said people of Afghanistan know their friends and enemies well and are aware of which country has repeatedly violated their territory

India and Afghanistan ties have historically been friendly and strategic, rooted in culture, history, and economics. (PIB)

Kabul on Saturday rubbished Pakistans claims that India has launched a missile attack on Afghanistans territory, hours after Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called out the ludicrous claim".

Inayatullah Khawarizmi, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, spoke to Hurriyat Radio and strongly rejected Pakistans claim, saying there was no truth to them.

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Indias Ministry of External Affairs also rejected the claim, saying the people of Afghanistan know their friends and enemies well and are aware of which country has repeatedly violated Afghanistans territory.

Earlier in the day, Misri, while addressing a press briefing, said: There is this completely ludicrous claim that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan. Totally frivolous allegation. And I only want to point out that Afghan people dont need to be reminded about which country it is that has, on multiple occasions, in just the last 1.5 years, targeted the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan."

India and Afghanistan ties have historically been friendly and strategic, rooted in culture, history, and economics.

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After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, India became one of Afghanistans largest regional donors, contributing over $3 billion for infrastructure, education, health, and development. After the Taliban regained control in 2021, Indias diplomatic presence was reduced but humanitarian aid continues, and India re-established a technical team in Kabul in mid-2022.

Geopolitical experts feel that Pakistans claims are an attempt to showcase itself as Afghanistans defender" and use it as a pawn to play the victim card.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Location : Kabul, Afghanistan

First Published: May 10, 2025, 16:11 IST
Bangladesh's Interim Govt Bans Ousted Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina's Awami League

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 23:16 IST

The government also cited the need to ensure the safety of witnesses, complainants, and supporters of the July 2024 uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League regime.

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (Image: Reuters)

Bangladeshs interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, on Saturday evening officially banned the Awami Leagueformer Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas partyunder the countrys anti-terrorism law.

According to a statement from Yunuss office, the formal gazette notification on the ban will be issued on the next working day. The announcement, described as a statement of the council of advisers" (the Cabinet), confirmed that the ban would remain in force until the completion of the Awami Leagues trial in Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The move, it said, was aimed at protecting the nations security and sovereignty."

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The government also cited the need to ensure the safety of witnesses, complainants, and supporters of the July 2024 uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League regime. At the same meeting, chaired by Yunus, amendments were made to the ICT law, authorising the tribunal to prosecute political parties, their front organisations, and affiliated bodies.

Founded in 1949, the Awami League played a pivotal role in the autonomy movement of East Pakistan and led the 1971 Liberation War that gave birth to Bangladesh.

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 10, 2025, 23:10 IST
'War Not India's Choice': NSA Doval To China As Beijing Backs Pakistan's 'Territorial Integrity'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 23:55 IST

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made these comments during a telephonic conversation with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, amid the latter's ongoing tensions with India.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Agencies)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar amid tensions between the latter two countries. China came out in support of its all-weather friend Pakistan, saying it will continue to stand by Islamabad in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence".

While speaking to NSA Doval, Wang expressed Chinas condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and its opposition to all forms of terrorism, according to a statement by the Chinese government

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Doval emphasised that war is not Indias choice and does not serve the interests of any party, according to a statement by the Chinese government. China appreciated Dovals statement that war is not Indias choice and sincerely hopes that both sides will remain calm and exercise restraint, resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, and avoid further escalation.

The Indian NSA also said during the conversation that the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22 had caused significant casualties in India and that the government needed to take counter-terrorism actions. In response, Wang said India and Pakistan will always be neighbours and extended support to a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire" through negotiations.

China Extends Support To Pakistan

While speaking to Dar, Wang acknowledged Pakistans restraint and appreciated its responsible approach under challenging circumstances". He said that China, Pakistans iron-clad friend, will continue to stand firmly by Pakistan in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence.

The Chinese Minister further said Beijing remained concerned about any escalation in the conflict, given that it shares borders with both countries.

Pakistan Breaches Ceasefire

Earlier, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire after days after artillery, missile and drone strikes as tensions escalated after the Indian government launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Pakistani DGMO reached out to India, after which a stoppage of military action was agreed upon.

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However, mere hours after the ceasefire agreement was signed, the Pakistani Army violated the agreement and opened fire in several locations across Srinagar, Udhampur, Rajouri, Akhnoor and Poonch. Drones were sighted in several locations across Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, and blackouts were imposed by authorities. Explosions occurred every 15 minutes and were preceded by flares illuminating the dark sky, caused instantaneous alarm and confusion.

The Indian government said it was a breach of the understanding between the two countries, and that the armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations. We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in a late-night press conference.

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 : Beijing, China

First Published: May 10, 2025, 22:40 IST
'India, Pakistan Agree To Full & Immediate Ceasefire': Donald Trump Makes Big Announcement

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 19:55 IST

Trump claimed the US mediated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, who exchanged hostilities for days after Islamabad's unprovoked attacks across the LoC.

US President Donald Trump. (AP file photo)

In a significant announcement, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate" ceasefire after days of heightened tensions and cross-border attacks from both sides.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

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His message was shared by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been holding talks with the top leadership of both countries and encouraging both to de-escalate tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down.

Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," said Rubio on X.

We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he added.

India Says Understanding Reached With Pakistan In Direct Talks

During a brief press conference, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, Pakistans Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST (5 pm)."

Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours (12 noon)," he added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so."

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

Government sources informed that the stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries. Pakistans Director General Of Military Operations (DGMO) had initiated the call on Saturday afternoon after which discussions took place and an understanding was reached.

Meanwhile, Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed that both countries have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said on X.

Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity! Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) May 10, 2025

India-Pakistan Hostilities Since April 22

Tensions between India and Pakistan increased after terrorists linked to Lashkar-affiliated terror outfit The Resistance Front (TRF) gunned down 26 tourists in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22, triggering widespread outrage and global condemnation.

After a wave of diplomatic actions, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, India launched Operation Sindoor, comprising airstrikes that targeted terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The mission was a success, with several terror camps demolished and high-profile terrorists eliminated.

In an unprecedented escalation, Pakistan launched brazen and unprovoked attacks in various locations targeting military and civilian assets, which were thwarted by the Indian armed forces. Pakistan launched a drone strike at 26 locations at various locations  from J&K to Gujarat  on Friday night, prompting a fierce response from India.

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India carried out precision strikes on eight Pakistani military sites early Saturday in response to a series of coordinated attacks by Pakistan on Indian Air Force installations, including Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, as well as civilian infrastructure at the IAF bases in Srinagar and Awantipora, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

In response, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos in response to Indias strikes on Saturday morning, which was crushed within hours by the Indian military with its attacks in major cities and multiple airbases in Pakistan. Pakistans foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, on Saturday said that his country would consider stopping here" if India halted its military action. He also expressed hopes that both nations would hold talks after several nations called for de-escalation.

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 10, 2025, 17:35 IST
Pakistan Shuts Airspace After India's Retaliatory Strikes As Tensions Escalate Overnight

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 05:55 IST

The airspace will remain shut till noon today. Islamabad has been using its airspace as a shield to protect itself against India's counter-strikes

Pakistan has intensified monitoring of its airspace amid heightened security concerns over tensions with India. (Representative image / AP)

Pakistan has closed its airspace for all kinds of traffic after India launched retaliatory strikes in the wake of Islamabads unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and drone attacks in the last three days.

The airspace will remain shut till noon today, said the spokesperson of Pakistan Airport. The decision came shortly after India struck three Pakistan Air Force bases and its key cities using drones in its latest counter-attack.

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Islamabad has been using its airspace as a shield to protect itself against Indian counter-strikes following attacks on Indian cities with Turkish drones. On May 8, Pakistan launched around 300-400 drones, targeting cities in northern and western parts of India. However, India successfully thwarted Pakistans attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases.

Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan. The screenshot we just showed, shows the data of the application Flight Radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector. As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, civil airlines are flying the air route between Karachi and LahoreIndian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring the safety of international civil carriers," Indian Air Forces Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said at the press conference on Operation Sindoor on Friday.

#WATCH | Delhi: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its pic.twitter.com/U73YyFYj6h ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2025

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Tension between the two neighbours soared after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

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 : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 10, 2025, 04:31 IST
Pakistans Firm Bunyan-un-Marsoos Crumbles As Missile-Drone Barrage Blown To Bits

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 10:07 IST

By giving its military offensive the moniker, Pakistan seems to be making an attempt to invoke religion and Quranic references in its attacks on India

In a pre-dawn strike on Saturday, Pakistan escalated its military offensive against India, firing drones and missiles, including a Fatah-II long range missile. (AFP)

From a Quran verse to a military offensivePakistan has redefined the concept of Bunyan-un-Marsoos, a phrase that literally translates to solid and unshakable foundation.

In a pre-dawn strike on Saturday, Pakistan escalated its military offensive against India, firing drones and missiles, including a Fatah-II long range missile. Though Pakistans intention was to hit Indias capital Delhi, the missile was intercepted in Haryanas Hisar, exposing the hollowness of the neighbours sabre-rattling.

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According to Al Jazeera, Bunyan Marsoos is an Arabic phrase which roughly translates to a structure made of lead. The verse from the Quran reads: Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure."

By giving its military offensive the moniker, Pakistan seems to be making an attempt to invoke religion and Quranic references in its attacks on India.

Firstpost reports that metaphorically, the phrase describes Islams believers who stand together in harmony and mutual supportlike bricks in a wallagainst an external threat. The neighbour, however, has corrupted the holy phrases meaning as it is not engaged in any defensive action but instead mounting an unprovoked attack on India in support of terrorists and shedding the blood of innocent Indian civilians.

This is in stark contrast to India which ensured that no civilian areas or military installations were targeted in Operation Sindoor, maintaining the line that the war was against terrorism that was being sponsored by a rogue State.

Since Friday evening, Pakistan has launched drone strikes, missiles, and cross-border shelling against India, though most of the attempts were thwarted by Indias alert forces and an impregnable air defence system. India also shot down two Pakistani fighter jets apart from breaching the air bases of Noor Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot).

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Explosions were heard in Pakistans capital Islamabad and other big cities, including Lahore and Islamabad, as Pakistan Army claimed that India fired ballistic missiles. Following multiple drone attacks from Pakistan across the border, India, in its retaliatory measure, struck back with force in PoKs Neelam Valley and Sialkot.

Top Indian government sources, speaking to CNN-News18, said: Pakistan launching the Fatah Series ballistic missiles at Indian Air Force forward bases and cities under Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos is a major escalation. India has hit major air bases of Pakistan, including Rawalpindi, in response and our air assets are safe. It seems a clear ploy by Pakistan to launch its big strike after the IMF bailout. The drones sent before this seem to be more of intel missions to assess our air defences," they 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 10, 2025, 10:07 IST
Panic In Pakistan, Petrol Pumps Shut In Islamabad For 48 Hours Amid Shortage Of Fuel: Sources

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 07:50 IST

The official notification did not cite any reason for the drastic measure and no further details were immediately provided by the authorities.

The directive was announced early Saturday morning. (Image: Representational)

The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration has issued an immediate order for the complete shutdown of all petrol and diesel filling stations within the capital city for the next 48 hours. The directive was announced early Saturday morning.

The official notification did not cite any reason for the drastic measure and no further details were immediately provided by the authorities. One potential explanation for the sudden closure of all petrol pumps in Islamabad could be a concern over fuel supply, sources told CNN-News18.

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This blanket closure, effective immediately, means that no fuel will be available for private vehicles, public transport, or commercial operations within Islamabad for the duration of the order.

The sudden unavailability of fuel is expected to impact transportation, businesses relying on generators, and overall mobility within Islamabad. The shutdown of petrol pumps could be ordered to manage existing reserves and prevent panic buying or hoarding, ensuring a more controlled distribution once supplies are restored.

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The timing of the shutdown, following reports of explosions at multiple air bases across the country and the subsequent closure of Pakistans airspace. However, no such connection has been officially made by the authorities.

Multiple Pakistani air force bases were hit early Saturday morning, including Nur Khan Air Base- a critical installation situated near the nations capital, Islamabad. Following this, the Pakistani government swiftly ordered the immediate closure of its entire airspace to all civilian and commercial air traffic. The Pakistani military confirmed the explosions, stating that three of its air force installations were targeted.

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 : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 10, 2025, 07:45 IST
Ready For Ceasefire: Pakistan Foreign Minister Confirms India-Pakistan Truce, Claims Islamabad Strives For Peace'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 23:03 IST

Ishaq Dar, however, falsely asserted that Pakistan strives for peace as it has failed to act against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack.

Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, in his ceasefire confirmation statement, appeared to blame India for escalation even though Pakistani forces indiscriminately targeted civilians along the Indian side of the LoC and the IB. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that India and Pakistan on Friday agreed to a ceasefire shortly after India announced that the Pakistan Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) called his Indian counterpart to announce that all military actions had been halted since 5pm Saturday evening (Indian Standard Time).

Ishaq Dar, however, falsely asserted that Pakistan strives for peace" as it has failed to act against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack where innocent tourists were slaughtered in the hands of terrorists his state has trained and backed.

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We are ready for a ceasefire, but if India engages in any aggression, we will respond," said Dar, who also holds the Deputy Prime Minister portfolio, appearing to cast blame on India for the recent tensions.

Dar also expressed gratitude" to the countries involved in the ceasefire process". It should be noted that the US appeared to take credit for the ceasefire agreement with US President Donald Trump claiming that he and his ministers helped mediate" the ceasefire. Dars statement did not specify which party" he was referring to.

He then went on to claim that Pakistan has always strived for peace in the region without compromising on sovereignty and territorial integrity" and said that the ceasefire went into effect at 4:30pm (Pakistan Standard Time).

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages under Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan has since then attempted to attack a number of military installations and civilian population along Indias northern and western borders. India has said it has responded befittingly.

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India on Saturday said it has effectively blunted Pakistans provocative action of employing multiple threats along the western border using drones, long-range weapons and fighter jets, targeting civilian areas and military infrastructure.

The defence ministry of India on Saturday said that Indian forces destroyed Pakistans air defence systems and terror bunkers across the Line of Control and also caused extensive damage to over five of their air force bases.

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 : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: May 10, 2025, 18:40 IST
'Pakistan Believes...': Shehbaz Sharif Thanks Trump After Ceasefire, Talks Of 'New Beginnings'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 00:06 IST

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday announced India and Pakistan have announced a "full and immediate ceasefire"

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif addressed his nation after Indian strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 7. (Image: PTI/File)

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday thanked US President Donald Trump for facilitating the ceasefire with India.

In a post on social media site X, Sharif wrote: We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region. Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability."

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Later on Saturday, in an address to the nation, Sharif lauded the countrys resilience.

We also thank Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their valuable contributions for peace in South Asia. Pakistan believes this marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region and prevented its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability," he added.

Today, I extend my congratulations to the people of Pakistan," he said, commending the public and armed forces.

We have stood like a wall of steel to defend our homeland," he declared, accusing India of open aggression" and imposing an unjust war" on Pakistan.

Sharif asserted that the global community now recognizes Pakistan as a self-respecting and honourable" nation.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday announced India and Pakistan have announced a full and immediate ceasefire" and that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5pm (IST), on Saturday.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced the same ceasefire information without sharing any details of the negotiations or the ceasefire.

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US Secretary of State Rubio also said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted the ceasefire negotiations.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire," President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

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 10, 2025, 20:45 IST
Turkey, Azerbaijan Welcome India-Pakistan Ceasefire, Urge Dialogue And Lasting Peace

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Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 01:47 IST

Turkey acknowledged the role played by international actors in facilitating ceasefire and extended appreciation to all countries, in particular the US for their contributions.

Both Turkey and Azerbaijan stood by Pakistan when the India-Pakistan tensions escalated.

As India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire agreement following days of escalating hostilities, key international players Azerbaijan and Turkey issued statements welcoming the development and calling for a renewed focus on dialogue and stability in the region.

In a formal statement, Azerbaijan expressed its support for the ceasefire between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, describing it as a positive step toward easing regional tensions.

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We express our hope that this ceasefire will contribute to the reduction of tensions in the region, as well as to the establishment of lasting peace and stability," the Azerbaijani government said. It also urged both nations to engage in productive dialogue aimed at resolving outstanding issues and building mutual trust."

Turkey echoed similar sentiments, welcoming the declaration of the ceasefire and emphasizing the importance of seizing this moment to foster direct and constructive communication.

We call on the parties to make maximum use of the opportunity provided by the ceasefire to establish a direct and healthy dialogue," Turkeys statement read. It also stressed the need to establish dialogue mechanisms, particularly in counter-terrorism, to prevent future escalations and ensure long-term peace in South Asia.

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Additionally, Turkey acknowledged the role played by international actors in facilitating the ceasefire and extended appreciation to all countries, in particular the USA," for their contributions.

The statements come as global attention remains fixed on South Asia, where tensions between India and Pakistan had spiked after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and Indias subsequent military response under Operation Sindoor. With the ceasefire now in effect, the international community appears to be rallying behind efforts to sustain calm and promote meaningful dialogue between the two nations.

About the Author Abhro Banerjee Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ... Read More Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ... Read More

First Published: May 11, 2025, 01:47 IST
US State Secy Rubio Dials Jaishankar, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir After Ballistic Missiles Fired At India

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Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:01 IST

Pakistan fired a number of ballistic missiles at India, one of them was aimed at New Delhi. All of them were taken down by the Indian military.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dials Pak army chief Asim Munir (AFP, Reuters Image)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dialled External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Pakistani army chief Asim Munir separately after Islamabad resorted to launching Ballistic missiles aimed at New Delhi, shortly after an IMF bailout of $1 billion was approved for Pakistan, Reuters reported.

Rubio said in both calls to de-escalate the situation and offered to facilitate talks between the two countries as tensions skyrocket.

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Rubio Dials Jaishankar; EAM Reacts

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Secretary Rubio emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation. He further proposed U.S. support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes," a US readout said.

Jaishankar confirmed receiving the call from Rubio and said that Indias approach has always been measured and responsible".

Had a conversation with US @SecRubio this morning. Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so," Jaishankar tweeted.

Had a conversation with US @SecRubio this morning.Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so.    Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

Rubio Dials Pak Army Chief After Ballistic Missile Fired At India

Pakistan went on an unprecedented offensive soon after the global moneylender nodded the immediate disbursement of about $1 billion to Islamabad under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility, despite Indias strong opposition to these funds that were being used to spread cross-border terrorism.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that Rubio urged both India and Pakistan to de-escalate and offered US assistance in talks.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts," Bruce said in a statement.

Pakistan, which initially fired small drones into the Indian territory before the IMF executive board meeting, stepped up the attack and fired six ballistic missiles at India, one of them aimed at New Delhi but was shot down in Haryanas Sirsa. All of the missiles were successfully shot down, sources said.

Escalating the situation, Pakistan launched Fatah-II ballistic missiles at Indian Air Force forward bases and cities in India as they launched Operation Bunyanun Marsoos on Saturday.

The Indian government sources said that Pakistan dared to set on the misadventure after the IMF bailout, as they did not want to jeopardise the deal.

Pakistan did not want its IMF bailout to be jeopardised in any way. Hence, their big escalation has come post that. Pakistan also cleared its airspace on Saturday morning, unlike Friday, indicating it waited for the IMF bailout before launching its big operation, which has been foiled by India," sources said.

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Responding efficiently to Pakistans unprovoked attack, India struck back at multiple key cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, among others.

India, under Operation Sindoor, hit Pakistans air force bases in Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal, inflicting major losses to Pakistans military arsenal.

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 10, 2025, 08:45 IST
Viral Social Media Posts Spark Rumours About Imran Khan's Wellbeing, Whereabouts. Here's The Truth

Curated By :

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Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 23:55 IST

Close aides from his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claim that Imran Khan is being kept in near-isolation and denied regular access to legal counsel

A fake government release claimed that former Pakistan PM is dead.

Social media platforms were abuzz this week with alarming and misleading claims that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had died in judicial custody or had been attacked at home. A video showing Khan bloodied and being carried away by guards went viral across WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter), sparking confusion and concern. However, these claims are entirely false.

Adding to the misinformation, a fake press release also began circulating, claiming that Khan had died in judicial custody  another claim that has been thoroughly debunked. As of now, there is no official confirmation of any such incident.

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This Fake letter of Imran Khans death is crazily viral on WhatsApp in India. pic.twitter.com/qQMrGsoU7S Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 10, 2025

The viral video is not recentit dates back to May 2013, when Imran Khan was injured after falling from a forklift while being lifted onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore. As reported by The Times of India at the time, Khan fell from a height of approximately 15 feet and suffered head injuries.

Despite the video being over a decade old, it resurfaced this week and was widely circulated on social media, misleading many into believing the incident had just occurred. Some posts went a step further, falsely accusing Pakistans Army Chief, General Asim Munir, of orchestrating Khans alleged death.

Where Is Imran Khan Now?

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Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is currently lodged in Rawalpindis Adiala Jail, serving time after being convicted in multiple cases, including corruption and unlawful marriage. His imprisonment has remained a high-profile matter within Pakistans turbulent political landscape. As regional tensions with India have escalated in recent weeks, concerns over Khans safety inside prison have grown louder.

Close aides from his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claim that Khan is being kept in near-isolation and denied regular access to legal counsel and medical care. The PTI has alleged that his life is in danger and that his imprisonment is politically motivated, especially as war-like tensions mount between India and Pakistan.

About the Author Abhro Banerjee Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ... Read More Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ... Read More

First Published: May 10, 2025, 23:52 IST
'Will Consider Stopping If...': In New U-Turn, Pakistan Minister Softens Tone As India Strikes Back

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: May 10, 2025, 13:53 IST

The statement came as top government sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan wants to de-escalate and has established communication with New Delhi to meet the Indian side

Pakistans foreign minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said his country would consider stopping here if India stops its military offensive.

Hours after India crushed Pakistans Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, carrying out precision airstrikes on Pakistan Air Force bases as well as its military installations, Pakistans foreign minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said his country would consider stopping here" if India stopped its military offensive.

Dar expressed hopes that talks would take place with India following a global diplomatic push to ease tensions between the two nations.

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The statement came as top government sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan wants to de-escalate due to the bad situation in the country and has established communication with New Delhi to meet the Indian side.

In the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, Pakistan engaged drones, loitering munitions, fighter jets as well as missilesincluding one targeted at Indias capital, Delhi, which was intercepted in Haryanas Hisarto target not just Indian military installations but also civilian areas in the border states.

Retaliating in self-defence, India launched precision airstrikes on Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala and Rahim Yar Khan as well as military installations at Sukkur and Chunia, a radar site at Pasrur and the Sialkot aviation base. As a rattled Pakistan attacked a medical centre and schools, the Indian Air Force, in a swift and calibrated response, carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. While carrying out these responses, India ensured minimum collateral damage".

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This is not the first time a Pakistan minister has back-tracked after being cut to size by India. Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif, who had earlier said either we [Pakistan] survive or no one does", took a U-turn to say they were ready to refrain from further action if India halted its operations on the border.

This has been initiated by India. If India is ready to back down, they have taken the initiative, we have just responded. We have been saying this that we will never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if we are attacked, we will respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up these things. But as long as we are under fire, we have to respond," Asif told a news channel as Pakistan, stunned by Operation Sindoor, scrambled for answers.

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 10, 2025, 11:54 IST
The Drug Enforcement Administration has discontinued its body camera program, just four years after its launch, per an internal email seen by ProPublica . The move came quietly on April 1, without a public announcement. The agency cited a Trump administration executive order one that Engadget notes rescinded nearly 80 Biden executive ordersthat rolled back a 2022 requirement for federal law enforcement to use body cameras. Other Justice Department agencies such as the US Marshals Service and the ATF continue to require cameras, according to their respective reps.

Body camera policies for federal agents began in 2021 as part of efforts to increase transparency after the George Floyd protests. In 2022, President Biden expanded those requirements with an executive order, which was rescinded by President Trump in January. The DEA, which hasn't provided public comment on the decision, previously required agents to use body cameras during planned arrests or searches that required a warrant, and only within the United States. Less than a sixth of a $30 million camera contract has been paid out since 2021.

Law enforcement oversight groups criticized the decision, arguing that body cameras bolster both accountability and training. Former US Attorney David DeVillers said most body camera footage he reviewed helped clear officers of misconduct, saying their absence may pose a challenge for DEA agents. Research has shown a decrease in complaints in police departments using the technology, though it's unclear if that results from improved behavior or fewer unfounded reports.

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With the DEA's program shelved and similar moves elsewhere, experts warn that removing body cameras could hinder transparency and collaboration with local agencies. The FBI referred questions on the matter to the Department of Justice, which didn't offer comment.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Friday she won't challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia's 2026 Senate race. The decision, made public in a post on X , comes amid concerns from some Republicans that Greene's divisive brand would hurt the party's chances to reclaim the seat, per the AP . Greene pushed back on those worries, saying she isn't interested in joining a Senate that "doesn't work" and is unwelcoming to Trump supporters.

With Ossoff's seat considered a top target for Republicans, Greene's decision leaves the GOP field wide open. Gov. Brian Kemp, seen as a strong potential contender, also recently ruled himself out. Rep. Buddy Carter has already declared his candidacy, while six other GOP officeholders in Georgiaincluding Reps. Mike Collins and Rich McCormick, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Insurance Commissioner John King, and state Sen. Greg Dolezalhave indicated interest. CBS News notes that ousting Ossoff would expand Republicans' 53-47 hold in the Senate.

Greene, known nationally for her fundraising prowess and large social media following, would likely have drawn strong support in a GOP primary. However, her embrace of conspiracy theories and frequent clashes with both parties have made her controversial. Since entering Congress in 2020, she's weathered removal from panel assignments, been expelled from the House Freedom Caucus, and continued to generate headlines for her confrontational style.

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With the field for Ossoff's seat now taking shape, GOP strategist Eric Tanenblatt summed up the growing interest: "I expect a competitive primarySenate seats don't come along that often." Although MTG noted in her X post that beating Ossoff "would be easy," surveys indicate otherwise: CBS cites an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll from last month that showed she was trailing Ossoff in a hypothetical contest 54-37.
UPDATE

May 10, 2025 7:13 AM CDT

After a barrage of airstrikes in Kashmir, and hours after both India and Pakistan said they wouldn't escalate the conflict between them (as long as the other also cooperated), US President Trump said the detente is now official. "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence." Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed as much from the US side with his own tweet announcing a ceasefire, and Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, also made the same acknowledgment. The AP reports that India also confirmed the ceasefire.

May 10, 2025 6:30 AM CDT

India and Pakistan said they won't escalate hostilities if the other reciprocates, after they both fired volleys of missiles across their borders. It was the most serious increase in hostilities so far in a conflict triggered by a gun massacre last month that India blames Pakistan for. Pakistan's foreign minister said on Saturday that his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped any further attacks. However, Ishaq Dar warned that if India launched any further strikes, "our response will follow." Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told a news conference in New Delhi that her country was committed to "non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates." However, Pakistani ground forces were observed mobilizing toward forward areas, she said, "indicating an offensive intent to further escalation."
Habeas corpus in the United States is used to tap into the federal court system to determine if the state's detention of a prisoner is legal. On Friday, a top White House adviser announced that the Trump administration is looking into suspending that writ for migrants, after a reporter asked if that was a possibility to deal with illegal immigration. "The Constitution is clear, and that, of course, is the supreme law of the land, that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in time of invasion," said Stephen Miller , the White House's deputy chief of staff for policy. "So, I would say that's an option we're actively looking at."

Miller added that whether or not the administration goes forward with this plan "depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not." Article I, Section 9 of the US Constitution notes that habeas can't be suspended "unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." Miller using the word "invasion" in his remarks tracks with the Trump administration's push to label the arrival of undocumented migrants into the US as just that.

Citing the National Constitution Center, ABC News reports that habeas corpus has been suspended just four times in the nation's history: during the Civil War, in South Carolina during Reconstruction, in the Philippines during unrest in 1905, and in Hawaii in 1941 after Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japan during World War II. Per Cornell, "only Congress has the power to suspend the writ of habeas corpus, either by its own affirmative actions or through an express delegation to the Executive. The Executive does not have the independent authority to suspend the writ."

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CNBC notes that multiple pending civil cases against the Trump administration's deportation efforts are based on habeas claims, including that of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national who was detained for more than six weeks after being seized on the streets near Boston in March and released this week on bail. In her challenge, Ozturk argued that she "has not been charged with any crime," and that her "arrest and detention are designed to punish her speech and chill the speech of others."
In a show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday, leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. The leaders, from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland, said the proposal to start the ceasefire on Monday was supported by US President Trump, whom they'd briefed over the phone earlier in the day, per the AP . Their statement came amid mounting efforts to persuade Moscow to agree to a truce that would allow for peace talks on ending over three years of full-scale war.

The demand was announced in a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and countries leading the so-called "coalition of the willing": a group of more than 30 countries who've pledged to strengthen Ukraine to deter Russian aggression. They included French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who on Saturday traveled to Ukraine together for the first time.

The ceasefire would include a halt to fighting on land, at sea, and in the air. The leaders threatened to ratchet up sanctions, including on Russia's energy and banking sectors, if Putin didn't comply. Earlier that day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv and its allies are ready for a "full, unconditional ceasefire" with Russia for "at least 30 days" starting Monday. He added the four visiting leaders and Zelensky had had a "constructive" phone call with Trump.

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Saturday marked the last day of a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia that Ukraine says the Kremlin's forces have repeatedly violated. In March, the US proposed an immediate, limited 30-day truce, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking. Building up Ukraine's military capabilities will be a key deterrent against Russia, the European leaders said Saturday. This will require supplying Ukraine with robust quantities of arms to deter future attacks, as well as investing in its defense sector. A force comprised of foreign troops could also be deployed as an added "reassurance" measure, Macron said. The French president added that the US will take the lead in monitoring a proposed ceasefire, with support from European countries. More here.
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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.
GENEVA - The United States and China began high-level talks on Saturday in Switzerland to de-escalate trade tensions, according to Chinese media, in the first known in-person contact between the world's two largest economies since President Donald Trump placed steep tariffs on imports earlier this year.

The negotiations in Geneva were joined by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who oversees economic matters.

Since Trump returned to the White House in January for a nonconsecutive second term, he has imposed extra tariffs on Chinese imports, leading Beijing to take countermeasures in a tit-for-tat tariff war.

China now faces at least 145 percent tariffs on all of its exports to the United States, while Beijing has raised its retaliatory duties on all American goods to 125 percent.

Trump signaled Friday that the United States could lower the tariff rate against China, saying on social media, "80% tariff on China seems right!"

A day earlier, he said of the rate, "It's at 145, so we know it's coming down."

The Chinese Commerce Ministry has urged the United States to show sincerity in the upcoming talks and lift the unilateral tariffs, saying Beijing will not sacrifice its principles or its commitment to international fairness and justice.

Reflecting the hefty tariffs, Chinese exports to the United States in April plunged 21 percent from a year earlier, while Beijing saw imports from the country drop 13.8 percent in the same month, Chinese customs data showed Friday.

Related coverage:

Japan PM rules out consumption tax cut amid inflation, tariff relief

U.S strikes trade deal with Britain that may give hints for others

Toyota expects 34.9% drop in FY 2025 net profit amid U.S. tariff woes
FIXING THE SUPPORTS OF A TRAMPOLINE

Dear Heloise: Ive had a trampoline in my backyard for many years and realized the very thin pipe insulation around the supports that hold the net up were disintegrating. I bought some large pool noodles and cut a slit up the side, and they fit perfectly around the supports. They provide more insulation and safety; plus they are quite colorful! -- Karen, in Oregon

REMAKING PLASTIC JAR LABELS

Dear Heloise: You had a recent great suggestion from Gloria, in Mission Viejo, California, regarding using large plastic jars from big-box stores that peanuts and pretzels come in, and I would like to add to this.

Product labels take a lot of time and/or are near impossible to remove, so I suggest cutting a piece of copy paper that is the size of the labels. Then create your own label, or have your child or grandchild draw a label. Glue it over the product label with a glue stick or rubber cement.

You can relabel it whenever convenient, and it will create conversation when seen by company. Its so much nicer to look at than the old product label. Ive done this for years! -- Allen, in Ballwin, Missouri

RED WASHCLOTH TRICK

Dear Heloise: I heard this tip several years ago and have been passing it on since then in baby gifts: I put a red washcloth in my gift with a note that says to use it when little ones have cuts or scrapes as it hides the blood. It sure calms them down. -- Carole Fox, in Jenks, Oklahoma

SCENIC PHOTO IDEA

Dear Heloise: My mother was an amateur photographer, and I found boxes of scenic photos when she moved from my house into assisted living. Not wanting to toss the pics, I started buying blank notecards when they were on sale. I adhered a pretty photo, attached an address label on the back (photographed by Moms name), and tied five cards together with raffia string.

At her memorial service, my daughters handed out the cards as people were leaving the church. Even the kitchen volunteers were glad to receive this final gift from my mom. -- Marianne K., in Oregon City, Oregon

PET PAL

Dear Heloise: This is our Maine coon, Twinkie. We found him lying in the middle of the street three years ago and thought he was roadkill until he lifted his head to look at us as my wife and I drove by. We did a U-turn and went back to get him. Our vet said he was in bad shape, but with medication, we were able to nurse him back to health.

Hes a monster of a cat now as most Maine coons get big. One of his favorite hangouts in our house is to assume the Sphinx position on the top of our couch in the living room, and our grandson came up with the name of Twinkie because he thought thats what he looked like sitting there. -- David Kelly, via email

Twinkie Heloise

Readers, to see Twinkie and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on Pet of the Week.

Do you have a furry friend to share with our readers? Send a photo and a brief description to Heloise@Heloise.com. -- Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise@Heloise.com

(c) 2025 by King Features Syndicate Inc.
A woman who threatened and beat two women, who were coerced to come to the United States and then forced to work non-stop, is headed to prison.

Bolaji Bolarinwa, 50, of Moorestown, was sentenced on Friday to three years and nine months in federal prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey said in a statement. A jury convicted her last year of two counts of forced labor, two counts of document servitude and one count of alien harboring for financial gain.

Her husband, 68-year-old Isiaka Bolarinwa, was convicted of two counts of forced labor and one count of alien harboring for financial gain at the same trial. Prosecutors did not provide a date for his sentencing.

Between December 2015 and October 2016, the Bolarinwas, originally from Nigeria but living in Burlington County as U.S. citizens, recruited two women to come to United States and coerced them to perform domestic labor and childcare services, federal authorities said.

They did so through through violence, threats of physical harm, isolation, constant surveillance and psychological abuse. The couple did so while knowing that one of the women was out of lawful status while working in their home, federal prosecutors said.

When the first woman arrived in December 2015, Bolaji confiscated her passport and coerced her through threats of physical harm to her and her daughter, verbal abuse, isolation and constant surveillance to compel her to work every day, around-the-clock, for nearly a year, investigators said.

Isiaka was aware of his wifes threats and abusive behavior toward the victim and directly benefited from the victims cooking, cleaning and childcare services, officials said.

The pair then recruited a second woman to come to the United States on a student visa, authorities said. When she arrived in the United States in April 2016, Bolaji similarly took her passport and made her do household work and childcare, but relied more heavily on physical abuse, the office said.

This sentence vindicates the rights of two vulnerable women who the defendant subjected to grueling hours and coercive abuse in her home, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said. Forced labor and human trafficking are atrocious crimes that have no place in our society.

On at least one occasion, Isiaka physically abused the second woman, authorities said.

The women lived and worked in the Bolarinwa home until October 2016, when the second woman notified a professor at her college, who reported the information to the FBI, investigators said.

As part of her sentence, Bolaji Bolarinwa has been ordered to pay $87,518.72 in restitution and a $35,000 fine. She will also be subject to three years of supervised release.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI - India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, they said Saturday, following a sharp escalation of the conflict between two nuclear-armed countries after last month's deadly shooting of tourists in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

U.S. President Donald Trump also said in a post that the two sides agreed to "a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE" after the United States brokered their ceasefire talks.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a press conference that both sides would halt all firing and military operations -- on land, at sea and in the air.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed in a social media post that the ceasefire agreement had been reached.

"Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!," Dar wrote in the post after a meeting of the National Command Authority that controls the country's nuclear weapons.

Senior officials of the rival militaries will hold talks on Monday, Misri said, while U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said the two sides would meet at a neutral site.

Pakistan's military said it targeted several Indian military sites and destroyed a supersonic cruise missile storage facility earlier in the day in retaliation for India's strikes on three of its air bases, including one in Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad.

Earlier Saturday, both India and Pakistan suggested they would not escalate hostilities if the other reciprocates.

India has been carrying out missile and airstrikes against Pakistan since Wednesday, blaming a Pakistan-based militant group for the April 22 shooting that left 26 people dead -- most of them Hindu tourists from India -- in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir.

The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries issued a joint statement urging India and Pakistan to exercise "maximum restraint" and calling for a diplomatic solution. The G7 comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union.

Related coverage:

India strikes inside Pakistan after April terrorist attack in Kashmir
You may be seeing Scarlett Johansson, Miles Teller and Adam Driver around town in the coming weeks.

The actors are starring in the upcoming film Paper Tiger, which is set to film in New Jersey in June, per Deadline.

James Gray, known for films like Armageddon Time, Ad Astra, The Lost City of Z," The Immigrant" and Little Odessa, is directing the movie.

Paper Tiger deals with themes and subjects familiar to Grays films  the pursuit of the American Dream, a relationship between brothers, and the Russian mafia.

Gray, 56, who also wrote the movie, most recently filmed the 1980-set Armageddon Time (2022) in New Jersey.

That movie, a semi-autobiographical story, stars Oscar winners Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins, Succession star Jeremy Strong, Banks Repeta and Jaylin Webb.

READ MORE: Armageddon Time takes on antisemitism, racism and the Trumps with plenty of N.J. scenery

Before two-time Oscar nominee Johansson (Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit) and Teller signed on for Paper Tiger, Hathaway, who hails from Millburn, and Strong, an Oscar nominee (The Apprentice), were attached to the movie. They had to leave the film due to other commitments.

Grays The Immigrant (2013), starring Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner, was the first movie to film at Ellis Island, which is part of both New Jersey and New York.

Director James Gray is helming the movie. It's not his first time filming in New Jersey. Lou Benoist | AFP via Getty Images

Johansson, 40, previously starred opposite Driver in Noah Baumbachs Marriage Story.

She received an Academy Award nomination for best actress for her performance in the film, which was nominated for best picture, and Driver received a nomination for best actor.

Teller, 38, is known for roles in films like Whiplash (2014), directed by Princetons Damien Chazelle (who in 2017 became the youngest director to win the best director Oscar, for La La Land), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022).

Driver, 41, received his first Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for Spike Lees BlacKkKlansman (2018).

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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.
U.S. Rep Bonnie Coleman (tan jacket), U.S. Rep LaMonica McIver (red jacket)and Senator Rob Menendez (arms crossed) talk to the media outside 620 Frelinghuysen Ave. in Newark on Friday, May 9, 2025. Michael Dempsey | For NJ Advance

Three members of Congress denied an accusation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that they stormed a gate and broke into an immigrant detention center just before Newarks mayor was arrested on Friday.

Thats a lie, U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-10th Dist., said upon reading a statement released by DHS late Friday afternoon. None of this happened.

DHS issued the statement following the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka on Friday afternoon by ICE officers outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention facility in Newark. The mayor was physically dragged through the gate and placed in handcuffs.

The three members of Congress were at Delaney Hall to conduct an oversight inspection, they said. Baraka was trying to gain access to the building, as he had two other days this week, to see whether ICE had addressed fire code violations.

The Congress members did get a tour of the facility but never forced their way in, they said, in direct contrast to the statement by DHS.

Today, as a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility, said the statement, which did not mention McIver. Representatives Robert Menendez, Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman and multiple protestors are holed up in a guard shack, the first security checkpoint.

Warning: The following video contains explicit language.

Coleman and Menendez were adamant in their refutation of the statement.

The description is false in every imaginable way, Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist., said.

The statement added that Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk.

But the House members said they went through the gate only after it was opened for them. They said they entered with the consent of ICE officers and representatives of the GEO Group, the Florida-based private owner of the 1,000-bed detention facility that operates the facility.

Menendez, D-8th Dist., denied breaking in and insisted that Congress members have the oversight authority to inspect federal facilities.

We have the right to conduct oversight on an unannounced basis, Menendez said. Its a right that members of Congress have.

They did not know that we were going to be there, but we announced ourselves. They asked us to wait. We obliged. We waited an hour and a half. This description is false in every possible way, he added.

The real thing that they should be responding to is the fact that an ICE agent put his hands on two female members of Congress, Menendez added. If theyre looking to have law and order and accountability, they should have answers to that. Trying to spin this and gaslight the American people will not stand.

On Friday evening, U.S. Judge Andre Espinosa, a federal magistrate judge, ordered Baraka immediately released, city officials said.

A spokesperson for ICE, which is part of Homeland Security, said that ICE also stands by the DHS statement.
Tears stream from the eyes of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka as he addresses the crowd outside the ICE detention center where he was arrested on Friday, May 9, 2025. Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was released Friday night after being held following his arrest outside the gates of an immigrant detention facility.

Baraka walked out of U.S. Custom Services in Newark shortly before 8 p.m.

This thing thats happening right now in America is wrong, the mayor told a large crowd of supporters waiting for his release. Its just an example of the work we have to do.

My family and a lot of our families came here to Newark from the South, fleeing Jim Crow and deep segregation, Barsaka noted in a brief but emotional speech.

We were from the first undocumented people here. Our relationship to immigrants is clear, he added, before he asked the crowd to clear the protest area and head home.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is running for governor of New Jersey, was released Friday night after being arrested at a detention facility in the city. Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Baraka was arrested earlier Friday afternoon by ICE officers outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention facility in Newark after he was physically dragged through the gate and placed in handcuffs.

On Friday evening, U.S. Judge Andre Espinosa, a federal magistrate judge, ordered Baraka immediately released, city officials said.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is running for governor of New Jersey, was released Friday night after being arrested at a detention facility in the city. Jelani Gibson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Earlier, acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Baraka was trespassing and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to leave the property.

He has willingly chosen to disregard the law, Habba, whom President Donald Trump appointed as the states interim top federal prosecutor, said on X. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

Baraka, who is a Democratic candidate for governor in the June primary election, was outside the gates of Delaney Hall, a facility he has opposed, on Friday afternoon.

18 1 / 18 ICE officers arrest N.J. mayor outside immigrant detention center

He had been with three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation  U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman  who had come to inspect the facility.

Baraka was allowed to enter the gates to the facility but wasnt allowed into the building with the other elected representatives. He was told he had to go outside the gate and an aide to one of the congresspeople informed Baraka that ICE were discussing arresting him.

Video taken at the scene showed the moments leading up this arrest.

Warning: The following video contains explicit language.

In an interview shortly after 9 p.m. on CNN, Baraka said he was treated well while in custody.

They (Homeland Security) treated me with dignity. And I appreciate that, the mayor said.

It was a humiliating experience and uncomfortable for me overall, he continued.

Baraka said he was charged with federal trespassing. But he added: I didnt break any laws. I did not enter that place unlawfully.

Baraka disputed the contention that was a publicity stunt as he runs for governor.

I think the publicity stunt is this idea that we should violate the court orders, violate the Constitution of the United States, that we should run roughshod over state and local laws, he said.

When asked if had any regrets about what happened, Baraka said, I went down there to support my congresspeopleI went down there to support them in a press conference, and I would do it again."

In later interview on MSNBC, Baraka said he was considering his next steps.

I will confer with my lawyers to figure out whats the best pathway forward on this, he said. I think they completely violated my rights ... I have the right to go anywhere in this city, particularly in places where I think our laws are being violated.

Baraka and other city officials went to Delaney Hall to serve summonses on its private owner-operator, the GEO Group of Boca Raton, Florida.

The summonses assert that GEO has refused to grant fire and code officials access to Delaney Hall and has placed a padlock on the gate, violating state law.

City officials had tried to serve the summonses on the GEO Group on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when a company representative refused to accept them each time, forcing city officials to leave them on the gate, a retractable chain link fence topped with razor wire.

Opposition to Delaney Halls reopening intensified in February when ICE and the GEO Group announced they had reached a deal for the company to operate the facility under a 15-year contract worth $1 billion to the GEO Group.

Baraka is running in a tightly packed six-way primary race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The mayor has a base in Newark, is making a big appeal to Black voters, and has gained support from progressive groups, most notably opponents of Trumps immigration policies.

Politicians, including almost all of the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor, took to social media Friday to comment on Barakas arrest. His Democratic colleagues voiced support and called for his release, while Republicans condemned Barakas actions.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com

Jelani Gibson may be reached at jgibson@njadvancemedia.com.
The Trenton police Shooting Response Team in the city, in March 2025. Team Detective Carlos Estevez is on the left. (Photo by Kevin Shea | NJ.com)

At 7:13 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2023, a single gunshot rang out on Lyndale Avenue in Trenton.

The police department didnt receive any calls, but its gunfire-detection system sensed it in the 800 block of the residential street in the East Ward.
Mayor Ras Baraka gives an interview at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark May 10, 2025, a day after his arrest by ICE officers. Jelani Gibson

UPDATE: Body cams show N.J. mayors arrest at immigration facility. Homeland Security claims its proof.

Newark mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ras Baraka said Saturday he would continue to fight against the operation of an immigration detention facility in the wake of his arrest.
A once-shimmering New Jersey landmark is officially no more.

The former Sheraton Mahwah Hotel  an iconic hotel that stood out for decades along the otherwise tree-lined highways near the New York border  was demolished by implosion Saturday morning.

The 22-story building in Bergen County, with its dark glass exterior and double-L-shaped structure, stood at the intersection of routes 17 and 287 for nearly 40 years.

But the hotel, also referred to as the Crossroads Sheraton, closed two years ago. Some joked that ended up looking like an abandoned spaceship.

Its demolition was originally set for last month before being rescheduled twice.

Its unclear what will rise next at the site. The developer has not submitted a site plan application yet, a township official said last night.

The demolition shut down parts of routes 17 and 287. Officials said they would try to reduce the amount of debris in the air with water cannons, though the dust was not expected to be dangerous.

Video of the implosion showed a quick boom and burst of grey ash as the building tumbled to the ground. You could see and hear it from miles away.

The property used to be home to a large assembly plant owned by Ford Motor Company, from 1961 to 1980. The Sheraton was built in 1986, set on 142 acres. The hotel closed in December 2023 and was the largest structure in Mahwah until its implosion.

Crossroads Developers Associates owns the property, located at 1 International Boulevard. The developer previously proposed two large warehouses for the site after the hotel was demolished, which Mahwah officials approved.

Last August, local officials approved an amended redevelopment plan.

The latest plan allows for a maximum of 1.7 million square feet of ground floor non-residential development and a maximum of 4 million total square feet on the property.

Watch the demolition here:

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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
ICE agents surround U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (red jacket), U.S. Rep. Bonnie Coleman (tan jacket) , and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka outside Delaney Hall in Newark on Friday. U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez is at left (blue jacket). Michael Dempsey | For NJ Advance

UPDATE: Body cams show N.J. mayors arrest at immigration facility. Homeland Security claims its proof.

A day after the mayor of New Jerseys largest city was arrested by ICE agents outside an immigrant detention center, President Donald Trumps administration signaled Saturday it may also arrest Democratic members of Congress in the wake of the chaotic incident.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in an interview Saturday morning on CNN there will likely be more arrests coming related to Fridays events at Delaney Hall in Newark, where Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on trespassing charges.

We actually have body camera footage of these members of Congress assaulting these ICE enforcement officers, including body-slamming a female ICE officer, McLaughlin said.

Were not playing, she added.

Three members of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey  Reps. Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, all Democrats  were at the facility for an oversight visit when they were involved in a physical confrontation with ICE officers as Baraka was taken into custody.

The Homeland Security department said the elected officials stormed a gate and broke into the detention center and assaulted officers. But Baraka and the congressional lawmakers have strongly denied those allegations. McIver said it was the officers who assaulted her.

In a phone interview Saturday, NJ Advance Media asked Watson Coleman, D-12th Dist., about the possibility of being arrested.

What for? the 80-year-old legislator asked, saying she couldnt think of what charges she might face.

That would just be a further abuse of the power they think they have, Watson Coleman said. Theres no legal reason to arrest any of us.

Asked if shes concerned, she said: I guess I may be concerned as to do something as foolish or un-American as that. Well see.

Spokespeople for Menendez, D-8th Dist., and McIver, D-10th Dist., did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Delaney Hall, a privately owned facility, was recently reopened as a detention center that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has been using as Trump, a Republican, has pushed for mass deportations of immigrants lacking permanent legal status.

Baraka, also running for governor in the Democratic primary, has said the facility doesnt have proper permits from the city. He visited multiple times this week to serve summonses to the operator for code violations but has been denied entry. The Trump administration insists the center is authorized.

The members of Congress visited Friday to inspect the facility.

According to published accounts, the House members were allowed inside a building at the facility. Baraka was allowed inside the gate but told he couldnt enter the building. When the lawmakers left and walked toward the gate, Baraka was told he had to go outside the gate.

A scuffle broke out involving protestors, the lawmakers, and ICE officers as Baraka was being taken into custody. The protestors tried to surround and protect the mayor, while the lawmakers were in the middle of the fracas. Multiple videos of the incident have circulated.

Warning: The following video contains explicit language.

During her CNN appearance, McLaughlin said the elected officials put law enforcement at risk, this actually put the detainees, as well, at risk. She said there is an ongoing investigation and arresting the lawmakers is definitely on the table.

McLaughlin also said the DHS plans to release video corroborating the allegations shortly.

The DHS confirmed to Axios that the House members may ultimately be arrested.

In an email from NJ Advance Media, the department deferred further comment to the U.S. Attorney Office in New Jersey. That office did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

ICE officers arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, shown handcuffed at center, Friday afternoon in a violent struggle just outside the gates of a privately operated immigrant detention facility that he had opposed in the city. Baraka is also a running for governor of New Jersey in the Democratic primary. Photo provided by U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman

A spokesperson for Watson Coleman said threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this administration abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone to stands up to them.

The spokesperson added that Watson Colemans office has reviewed the body cam footage, which proves ICE agents put their hands on Members of Congress and DHS has been lying about this incident.

DHS said in a statement after Barakas arrest Friday: As a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.

The statement added that members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk.

McIver said thats a lie and none of this happened. She also said she was assaulted by multiple ICE officers while regional directors of ICE watched it happen.

Menendez, too, denied breaking in and insisted members of Congress have the oversight authority to inspect federal facilities on an unannounced basis.

After the confrontation, the lawmakers were ultimately given a tour of the facility Friday.

Baraka was released hours after his arrest.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stood by the legislators Saturday, saying in a statement the masked agents who physically accosted two Congresswomen must be identified immediately.

Speaking to reporters in Newark on Saturday, Baraka defended the lawmakers, saying he knows for a fact they did not do what they are accused of because I was standing next to them.

This is all fabrication, Baraka added. They get on the media, and they lie and lie and lie and lie.

The mayor also said: This is authoritarianism. Theres no other way to describe whats happening in this country right now but authoritarianism.

Neither spokespeople for ICE nor the White House immediately returned messages from NJ Advance Media seeking comment Saturday.

Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Friday that Baraka was trespassing and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to leave the property.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW, Habba, whom Trump appointed as New Jerseys interim top federal prosecutor, added in a post on X.

Two of Barakas opponents in the Democratic gubernatorial race  U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller  appeared at Delaney Hall on Saturday morning to speak out against the mayors arrest.

We all need to speak up, Spiller said.

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic frontrunner, posted on X that she also visited the site, saying she is strongly opposed to private, for-profit prisons and detention centers.

Meanwhile, Gen. Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, appeared at a rally Saturday in Seaside Heights for a Republican candidate for governor, former radio host Bill Spadea. During his remarks, Flynn said the Trump administration will keep arresting these nut jobs.

I hope they keep him in jail up in Newark, he added to applause.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Jelani Gibson may be reached at jgibson@njadvancemedia.com.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia says she won't run for Senate, although winning would be easy. (AP Photo | Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP

Donald Trumps biggest MAGA sycophant and cheerleader in the House of Representatives says she wont run for Senate because the chamber is, frankly, too corrupt  even for a conspiracy theorist like her who lies about the 2020 presidential election, conjures up Jewish space lasers that start wildfires, and more.

In a nearly endless social media post, Marjorie Taylor Greene said on Friday night that she wont take on Democrat incumbent John Ossoff in a battle for a Georgia Senate seat, even though winning would be a breeze.

And in deciding not to run, MTG torched her party. Then again, Greene isnt known for making friends, Democrats or Republicans.

Heres the hard truth: the Senate doesnt work, Greene posted. Its designed to obstruct the will of the people and protect the Unipartys grip on power. Nearly everything requires 60 votes to pass, and even when we have a majority, a pack of Republican Senators always votes no on the bills that matter most.

You know who they are. Youve watched them sabotage Trumps agenda for years. They dont fear you, and they dont serve you. Theyre protected by the same corrupt system of donors and consultants who manipulate you with fear.

Greene was seen as a possible candidate when Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced earlier this week that he wouldnt run, likely sparking an eventual GOP free-for-all.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter became the first prominent Republican to jump into the race against U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, launching his campaign Thursday with a TV ad that casts him as a pro-Trump MAGA warrior.

Greene apparently wasnt worried about winning a primary, or a general election.

Beating Jon Ossoff? That would be easy, Greene posted. Hes a silver-spoon progressive whos never held a real job or worried about putting a roof over his familys head. He was raised in elite private schools in Decatur, where I went to public school. He voted for every single one of Bidens destructive policies.

She also attacked Osoffs stance on protecting trans people.

What has Greene accomplished in the House?

... Ive built one of the largest email lists and digital donor files in Congress, with supporters from all 50 states and over 11 million followers across social media, she wrote, not listing a single piece of legislation.

If Im going to fight for a team, it will only be a team willing to lay it all on the line to save this country, she added.

And right now, I just dont see that, even after they tried to kill my favorite President. To be clear, I love President Trump and everything he has done and is trying to do for this country. I hate the system that stops it.

Ironically, one of the MAGA worlds biggest fund-raising opportunists criticized those who would, well, fundraise.

So, Jon Ossoff, you can stop with the fundraising emails and campaign ads claiming Im your opponent. Im not running, she announced.

Then she warned her MAGA supporters.

Soon enough, the booze will flow again at the country clubs and Mar-a-Lago, and the consultants will chase another cycles cash. But after Republicans raise taxes and close your loopholes, you might realize  too late  you joined the wrong team," she wrote.

As for me, Ill be on the porch, at the tailgate, with the people I love.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
A judge has dismissed nearly all misconduct charges against former Roselle Police Chief Stacey Williams, ruling that his use of a homophobic slur did not justify his termination from the $210,000-a-year post.

In a decision Thursday, state Administrative Law Judge Thomas R. Betancourt ordered Williams reinstated with a 30-day suspension, finding that while the chiefs use of the word was inappropriate, it did not amount to discrimination or neglect of duty.

The context in the present matter is important, Betancourt wrote. Appellant (Williams) used the offending word while referring to a personal friend who is gay. It was not used as a pejorative term and was not directed at any individual.

Roselle officials did not immediately respond on Friday to a request for comment on the ruling.

In an investigative report released to NJ Advance Media last year by the Union County Prosecutors Office, cops in Williams department claimed that hed dropped a slur against gay men.

Williams, a nearly 30-year veteran of the Roselle Police Department, was removed from his position in June 2024 after internal affairs sustained two sets of charges against him  one for performance-related issues and one for conduct unbecoming.

The conduct charges stemmed from an October 2022 incident in which Williams, while telling a story to fellow officers, allegedly used the slur.

An openly gay lieutenant overheard the remark and reported it. Though Williams said he could not recall saying the word, he acknowledged it was certainly possible and did not deny the account during testimony.

I found appellant quite credible, Betancourt wrote. He was professional and direct. Most telling was he did not deny using the term.

Still, the judge found the comment inappropriate given Williams rank and setting. It was inappropriate for the chief of police to use any offensive language, particularly while on duty and in police headquarters, the ruling said.

However, the judge rejected the most serious performance-related allegations, which accused Williams of abusing his authority by assigning officers to mandatory overtime and suspending off-duty job privileges.

Betancourt said those actions were within the chiefs lawful discretion and should have been addressed through union grievancesnot disciplinary removal.

The ruling also criticized Roselle officials for failing to bring some charges in a timely manner, violating the 45-day rule for internal police discipline.

The performance complaints, based on events from July 2023, werent filed until March 2024well past the deadline.

Williams disciplinary history was also a factor. He had received only two minor write-ups in nearly three decades, both more than 15 years old. The judge concluded that Williams would not have been promoted to chief had he been unfit for leadership.

Former Mayor Christine Dansereau, who testified on Williams behalf, described him as respectful and fair. The judge noted Dansereau identified as a gay woman and said she did not believe Williams harbored any discriminatory intent.

Williams 30-day suspension stems solely from the use of the slur, which was ruled to be conduct unbecoming a public employee and a violation of department policy against derogatory language.

The decision is not final until adopted by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, which has 45 days to affirm, modify, or reject the ruling.

If reinstated, Williams would be entitled to back pay minus 30 days, pension credits, and attorneys fees totaling nearly $150,000, according to his lawyer, Patrick Toscano, of Essex County.

Toscano said Williams plans to file a federal lawsuit that will outline claims local elected officials violated his civil rights.

They told him to retire and when he didnt they brought him up on charges and terminated him. They knew the charges were bogus, Toscano said.

Toscano said he is awaiting the decision by the civil service commission before filing the complaint in U.S. District Court.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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KUNMING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The terraces in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, integrate rice cultivation, fish farming, and duck raising. The Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013. The terraces cascade down the slopes of the towering Ailao Mountains to the banks of the Honghe River.

Over the past 1,300 years, the Hani people have developed a complex system of channels to bring water from the forested mountaintops to the terraces. This forms a symbiotic agricultural ecosystem of forests, villages, terraces, and rivers.

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 26, 2025 shows a view of the terraced fields in Azheke Village of Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 26, 2025 shows a villager plowing the terraced fields in Azheke Village of Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Villagers perform during an event marking the beginning of rice planting in the terraced fields in Jiayin Village of Honghe County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, May 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Tourists visit the terraced fields in Azheke Village of Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 2, 2025 shows performances during an event marking the beginning of rice planting in the terraced fields in Jiayin Village of Honghe County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
A delegation of Malaysian travel agents and media representatives has recently visited Tongling, east China's Anhui Province. With the mutual visa exemption agreement, they are optimistic about growing exchanges between Malaysia and China.
Junebugs Shadow Man must be appeased.

In a city full of ghost and haunting stories, its no surprise there is some strange account at a building from 1840. Thats the case at Junebug, a new bar and restaurant at 744 Camp St. in the Warehouse District.

We definitely have felt a presence that we call Shadow Man, says Sophie Burton, the restaurants bar manager and assistant general manager. This building has so many quirks, so many seams and different bricks. Its a Frankensteins monster of a space. It wouldnt be a surprise if there were multiple entities here.

Junebug Where 744 Camp St., (504) 326-1599; junebugnola.com When dinner and late night Tue.-Sun. How dine in Check it out small plates and a creative drinks list in the Warehouse District

They placed a cigarette and a glass of overproof gin by the restaurants host stand just in case. We thought wed try to appease our ghost, she says.

Junebug is the 19th concept from the Virginia-based Neighborhood Restaurant Group and its third restaurant in New Orleans, joining nearby Brewery Saint X and Devil Moon Barbecue.

The team opened the spectacular space on March 20, with 3,700 square feet of event space. Theres the high style bar and restaurant on one side and the pretty Secret Spot flower shop on the other.

Even without the ghost tales, the space has a notable history of its own  a bridge to New Orleans R&B and funk. Between 1967 and 1978, the building housed the upstairs headquarters of legendary producer Cosimo Matassas Jazz City recording studio. Allen Toussaint produced and recorded hits there, and its also where The Meters recorded their funk classic Cissy Strut and other tunes.

A music theme is woven through the restaurant, including etched musical note tributes to local artists, the bars two turntables and 600-album collection and the horns of vintage Victrola record players used in light fixtures. Cypress and exposed brick add to the bar and dining rooms appeal.

Its a stunning setting for executive chef Shannon Binghams Southern-meets-French menu. Composed of mostly small plates, the menu starts with dishes beyond the typical bar snacks, like warm, house-made potato chips and cashews tossed with rosemary, miso and brown butter. There are croquettes monsieur, a crispy ham and oozing cheese take on the popular bistro sandwich, as well as candied pecan pimiento cheese and crackers, a ruby red yellowfin crudo with sweet potato vinaigrette, and spicy fried oysters atop an Escoffier-worthy celeriac remoulade.

The duck and bacon crepinettes feature a creative, coarsely ground meatball with pomme puree and bordelaise on the side. Theres a pick three option in each menu section, perfect for sharing.

The chef also is aware not everybody likes the lazy Susan approach to dining.

When Sophie and I go to a restaurant, we like to try as many things as we can and sample a bunch of cocktails, Bingham says. But I didnt want to lose sight of the fact that some people want a steak for dinner, regardless of the restaurant.

So, there is also a hanger steak served with beer battered onion rings.

A pate melt is a high-brow grilled cheese with a griddled slab of rustic pate de campagne, Gruyere, confit onions and Pommery mustard between slices of rye bread. Pescatarians will find a pan-roasted drum with crawfish. Theres also a brilliant twist on traditional gnocchi, swapping cornbread for potatoes, and the dumplings are topped with a lamb neck ragu.

A late-night menu is available until midnight Tuesday through Sunday. Besides many of the same snacks offered at dinner, it also has a fried chicken sandwich, a brisket cheeseburger and a duck Reuben, all $16 and under.

We want locals to come in and feel like they dont have to break their food budget for the week, Bingham says.

Burtons bar includes classic and house cocktails, with a section of the menu that offers drinks either full-strength or lighter on the alcohol content. Burton focuses on eau de vie and fruit brandies mixed into cocktails or served on the rocks. There also are a dozen beers on draft and a bottle list that goes beyond the usual suspects.

Add in a spacious outdoor patio for al fresco dining and a soundtrack of R&B and funk, and Junebug adds up to an intriguing new haunt. Surely, the Shadow Man agrees.
WASHINGTON  The monthslong effort to reduce Medicaid spending enough to help offset costs of the single bill that includes President Donald Trumps legislative agenda comes to a head Tuesday when the House committee charged with finding most of those spending reductions starts marking up its portion of the one, big, beautiful bill.

Both the president and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, say they dont want to slash Medicaid enrollments or services for the 83 million low-income Americans on the state-federal program. But they do want to root out waste, fraud and abuse.

The problem is some moderate Republicans want to protect Medicaid benefits, while some conservatives want deeper cuts. Both sides have enough adherents to sink Trumps bill.
Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana. He publishes LunchtimePolitics.com, a nationwide newsletter on polls and public opinion.
JERUSALEM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday said in a statement that its Air Force attacked about 60 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day.

The statement added that under the intelligence guidance of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the IDF killed militants and dismantled terrorist infrastructure sites above and below ground.

Two of the militants were killed in the northern Gaza Strip after they approached Israeli armored troops and posed a threat to them, according to the IDF.

Simultaneously, IDF armored troops operating in Rafah and the Morag Corridor route in the southern Gaza Strip struck a booby-trapped compound from which several militants were operating and posed a threat to the troops, the statement said. 
People visit Wuxi's digital museum in Yongzhou City, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Wangmin)

by Xinhua writers Zhang Yunlong, Zhang Ge

CHANGSHA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- On a cliffside in southern China, ancient inscriptions weathered by more than 1,000 years are being rediscovered -- not with chisels, but with code.

The Wuxi Stele Forest in Yongzhou, Hunan Province, is one of China's most remarkable open-air repositories of carved texts. Over 500 inscriptions, etched into cliff faces and stone tablets from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) through the early 20th century, bear witness to centuries of poetry, politics, and devotion to the art of the written word.

At the heart of the site stands the inscription of the "Da Tang Zhong Xing Song" (literally "Ode to the Restoration of the Great Tang Dynasty"), originally composed in 761 by poet Yuan Jie. At Yuan's invitation, master calligrapher Yan Zhenqing transcribed the text in 771 for engraving on the cliff face. The result -- celebrated for its brilliant prose, masterful calligraphy, and the exceptional quality of the cliff stone -- has been revered for centuries as an example of the "Three Perfections" among cliff inscriptions.

That inscription proved catalytic. For more than a millennium, inspired by Wuxi's dramatic scenery and the cultural gravity of the Ode, scholars, poets and officials continued to leave behind verse and commentary carved into the surrounding rock. Together, they created a layered archive of Chinese intellectual and aesthetic history.

But Wuxi's stone heritage is under threat. After centuries of exposure to wind, rain and biological erosion, many of the inscriptions have faded into near invisibility. For conservators, the task to preserve what remains and recover what has already slipped from sight has become urgent.

Now, a team of digital preservationists in Changsha is leading the effort. Under the title "Revitalizing China's Stone Inscriptions through Digitization," the project is giving new life to Wuxi's weatherworn texts.

"When an inscription that once looked like a faint shadow suddenly becomes legible again, it feels as if we've traveled back hundreds of years," said Kong Hao, who leads the Wuxi stele digitization project and was born in the 1990s. "You can almost see ancient scholars and poets brushing their words onto the cliff face."

Her team uses specialized imaging equipment to capture each stele from dozens of angles, then layers the data using computer vision and processing power to reconstruct even the most fragile traces. "As long as the carved strokes are deeper than 0.01 millimeters," she said, "we believe we can recover them."

Details that had long vanished to the naked eye -- fragments of characters, fading stroke lines, the rhythm of a master's hand -- are now reappearing on-screen, frame by frame. They are entering a growing digital archive designed for both research and creative reuse.

The project is not only reviving what was fading, but also reimagining how people engage with it.

A WeChat mini program, "Digital Wuxi," allows users to trace calligraphy strokes, explore historical annotations, and take virtual tours of the site.

At the on-site digital museum, visitors can browse digitally enhanced replicas of the site's steles, try simulated stone carving, interact with a digital Yuan Jie, and visit a gift shop featuring 3D-printed mementos. The museum has become a popular destination for families and students.

"Through digital preservation, the 'Ode to the Restoration of the Great Tang Dynasty' becomes more relatable," said Zeng Yucheng, a professor at Jingdezhen Ceramic University. "This ensures that the story of the Wuxi Stele Forest continues, allowing more people to discover its history and cultural significance."

Zhou Ping, president of Hunan Epigraphy Culture Research Association, agrees. "Cliff inscriptions hold immense historical, artistic, and scholarly value," he said. "Modern technology enables us to recover their voices, and share them widely."

The Wuxi project is now a key part of Hunan Province's cultural digitization strategy. "We want more people to connect with history," said Zhou Zhiyong, deputy director of the provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. "Digital tools are opening new pathways to do that."

This momentum is spreading well beyond Wuxi. The "SumHi" app, developed by a Hunan-based digital technology firm, functions like a 24-hour virtual museum. Users can explore digital replicas of national treasures -- from the Gansu Galloping Horse and the jade seal of Liu He, the Han-era Marquis of Haihun, to the sheer gauze robe from Mawangdui -- in hyper-detailed 3D, with textures and hues rendered more vividly than what the naked eye could perceive in person.

Beyond simply displaying artifacts, the platform is also piloting a new cultural access model, merging museum and creative industry resources into an open ecosystem where content creators can co-develop and share digital assets via smart contracts.

Such platforms are transforming how the public interacts with history.

"It felt like stepping into a scroll painting," said visitor Luo Wenjing, reflecting on her visit to Wuxi's digital museum during the Qingming holiday this spring.

"I'm bringing this home," she added, holding up a 3D-printed bookmark engraved with the phrase "Last for Thousands of Years," an excerpt taken from the final line of the "Ode to the Restoration of the Great Tang Dynasty."

"It's like carrying the spirit of Yuan Jie with me when I read." 

This photo taken on Jan. 5, 2021 shows a view of the Wuxi Stele Forest in Yongzhou City, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Liu Wangmin)
In 1960, George Korellis started a roofing company out of his home in Hammond.

Now in its second generation of family leadership, Korellis Roofing handles major commercial projects all over the country. It's helped build many landmark buildings in Indiana, like the Hard Rock Casino in Gary and the Subaru plant in Lafayette, where the 2 million-square-foot roof was so big that roofers had to ride around on ATVs to get the job done.

Korellis Roofing is marking its 65th year in business this year. It recently became one of the few contractors around the country to be inducted into a national hall of fame by Firestone, the Akron, Ohio-based rubber and tire giant.

"Korellis has been inducted into the Elevate Master Contractor Hall of Fame, a once-in-a-lifetime recognition awarded to only about two dozen contractors in the industrys history," Marketing Specialist Kat Gellert said. "We are incredibly honored to be the sole inductee for 2025."

Korellis Roofing was enshrined among the largest and most established roofing companies in the United States, but it started out just doing homes around Hammond and greater Northwest Indiana. But when longtime and recently retired CEO Pete Korellis came on to the company in 1983, he and his father expanded it to include commercial projects with an eye toward long-term growth and sustainability.

The company landed a contract re-roofing the Chicago Assembly Plant on the far South Side when it was being retooled to make the Ford Taurus. With such a large project under its belt, Korellis Roofing quickly lined up more commercial gigs.

"Credit goes to the field workers and their safety, quality and productivity," Korellis said.

Korellis said that the company has attained such longevity by valuing and taking care of its employees.

"When you come here, we don't want you to leave. We want you to retire from here. It's the field guys that generate the revenue that pays the wages. We make sure our employees feel that way," Korellis said. "We have the best tradesmen out there. We pay them well with benefits and a pension plan. We get good tradesmen and build a team so they're loyal and stay with you in good times and bad times. We want to be the employer of choice. We want you to want to work after Korellis year after year."

His father taught him those values. His high school friend Jeff Tharp, who went on to help run the business, went to work there for a summer job and never left.

"He joked it was the longest part-time job he ever worked," he said. "We want workers to feel valued and feel important. Sometimes you have to give them a pat on the back and tell them what a great job they did."

Korellis Roofing has taken on many high-profile projects, including at nuclear facilities in New Mexico, Hawaii and South Carolina. It's put the roofs on casinos, data centers and refinery buildings around Northwest Indiana.

"We've done all those high-profile jobs," Korellis said. "We can drive by and say that we helped build that."

Korellis Roofing helped put roofs on the Mansard Apartments in Griffith and the Westville Correctional Facility.

"We walked down the cell blocks with guards, who didn't have weapons because they could get jumped and disarmed," he said. "That place is no country club. It was eye-opening."

Korellis Roofing employed around 10 roofers when he joined the company out of college. The plan was always to transition to such massive jobs.

"My dad built the foundation. He did the hard work," Korellis said. "I just got to take the next step."

Korellis got the chance to work with his dad, seeing him every day for decades. He feels grateful for that opportunity.

"He taught me to always give the customer a fair product and always be 100% honest with them," he said. "He taught me to run your business so you could fire your accountant or bookkeeper, and they would have nothing on you, and nothing could come back to haunt you. He said he could have slept on a softer pillow, but it was soft enough. He made sure the bills were always paid when they came due, regardless of whether the customers had paid him or not. He never got into an argument. He was a pleasure to work with. He was a fair, God-fearing man who did things right."

Korellis has since made the company employee-owned, turning it over to the workers. He said he has passed on lessons he learned from his father.

"When he would get a call from a commercial customer like LaSalle Steel, he would get excited by the job opportunity," he said. "We should get that excited even if we've worked there many times since. You have to have the hunger and drive and be grateful for every opportunity. The roofing business gave my family a lifestyle we never expected. Our workers make better money and benefits than they expected when they got into the roofing industry. We make money off their hands, so we need to take care of the workers."

The Legacy Building series highlights multi-generational family-owned businesses in Northwest Indiana. If you would like to see a multi-generational business featured in the series, contact reporter Joseph S. Pete at joseph.pete@nwi.com or 219-933-3316.
CROWN POINT  A Lake Criminal Court judge sentenced a 46-year-old man to 20 years for his conduct in two separate shootings, each less than four months apart, that injured his ex-wife and her brother.

Perez pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated battery, a level three felony, in connection with the shootings. Level three felonies have a minimum sentence of three years in prison and a maximum of 16 years. Perez' plea agreement showed there would be a maximum cap of 20 years on the sentence.

According to court records, Perez shot his former brother-in-law July 3, 2022, after he caught the man slashing his tires outside a home in the 3500 block of Hemlock Street in East Chicago.

While out on bond in the first case, Perez followed his ex-wife and her friends in a vehicle Oct. 23, 2022, on Interstate 94 near Burr Street and fired a gun toward the passenger door where his ex-wife was sitting, a probable cause affidavit said. The bullet traveled through the floorboard of the car and struck the woman in the foot.

Deputy Prosecutor Infinity Westberg said both victims have suffered differently as a result of the shootings: The victim in the first shooting underwent two surgeries for his gunshot wound and deals with anxiety caused by Perez's behavior. His ex-wife has suffered extreme stress due to pressure from Perez's family and has a scar on her foot from the bullet. Both testified to the impact of the shootings on their lives at a previous hearing.

At the time of both shootings, Perez had an open domestic battery case filed in March 2022 in Porter County where his ex-wife was the alleged victim, Westberg said. A judge issued a no contact order, which Perez violated. He was not allowed to possess a firearm while a no contact order was in place or while out on bond in the first case. Perez had no criminal history up until 2022.

"The defendant is lucky he didn't kill two people," Westberg said.

Defense attorney Russell Brown said while he was not going to justify Perez's actions and did not want to "victim-blame," he would argue that there were elements of provocation in both cases. The first victim slashed his tires, Brown said, and in the case of his ex-wife, she was the one who invited him to go out with her and her friends the night of the shooting. When Perez arrived and saw her with another man, there was an altercation and they all left. Later in the evening, the woman asked if he could pick her up from a White Castle where she and her friends had gone to get food. Brown alleged that Perez was assaulted there by a friend of his ex-wife.

Perez apologized to both victims and the harm caused by his actions. He said the time he has spent incarcerated in the Lake County Jail showed him how he has taken things for granted.

"I have missed out on a lot of moments with my family," Perez said. "I cannot get that back ... if I could go back and do things differently, I would."

In weighing a potential sentence, Judge Samuel Cappas said Perez's actions demonstrate his anger is "unmanageable" and portrayed him as a "dangerous" person with an "uncontrollable temper."

"The pattern of behavior from March 2022 to October 2022 shows a man whose character is obsessed with inflicting harm on his victims," Cappas said.

Last year, Cappas rejected a different plea agreement in the case because he believed it was too lenient. The plea called for a maximum sentence cap of 16 years.

Even during Perez's hearing Friday, Cappas didn't seem too pleased with the 20 year cap.

"I would have given you a higher sentence if I could," he said.
CROWN POINT  Jurors found a Merrillville man guilty Friday evening for the 2021 murder of a Highland man outside a motel, Lake County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Myrna Maldonado said.

Jurors deliberated for one hour Friday after they heard two contrasting characterizations of evidence from attorneys during closing arguments in the case of Barry Billingsley, 45, who killed Anthony Gibbs, 36, in what prosecutors said was an unprovoked incident. Billingsley shot Gibbs Oct. 2, 2021, while Gibbs stood in the parking lot of the Economy Inn at 8275 Louisiana St. in Merrillville.

Deputy prosecutors Maureen Koonce and Judith Massa recapitulated their argument that Billingsley "had it out" for Gibbs that evening after he first encountered Gibbs, his girlfriend and their dog at the Fairbridge Inn hotel across the street 25 minutes before Gibbs was killed.

Surveillance footage from the Fairbridge Inn played in court showed Billingsley, clad in a distinguishable denim jacket and a hat with a character from the Muppets, had instigated an argument with them while they were at the hotel in an attempt to rent a room.

The couple was unsuccessful, so they moved across the street to the Economy Inn. Footage from the hotel showed Gibbs' girlfriend approach a gray vehicle and speak to the driver, whom she later told police was a friend. Another woman approached and began arguing with the driver.

A man approached and tried to place himself in between the women in what appeared to be an attempt to deescalate the situation, surveillance footage showed.

Gibbs appeared to try and remove his girlfriend from the situation when Billingsley, who had happened to relocate himself to a room nearby, walked up to the group with what looked to be a firearm in his pocket. Witnesses told police Billingsley supposedly started yelling at Gibbs and his girlfriend, who backed away toward a maintenance door where they had set down their belongings.

Gibbs leaned down to grab the items and Billingsley pointed the gun from inside his pocket and fired multiple shots. Gibbs fell to the ground. His girlfriend and her dog also sustained gunshot wounds.

Billingsley then ran from the scene.

Body camera footage from a responding officer showed Gibbs' injured and distressed girlfriend seated on a flight of stairs outside the hotel with her dog after the shooting. She told police Billingsley shouted and told them not to come around the area, then fired his gun. Ten bullet casings were found at the scene.

Gibbs was shot four times, prosecutors said. Forensic pathologist Dr. Zhou Wang testified one of the wounds to his face was shot in an upward trajectory and he had a gunshot wound to the hand. The angle of the facial wound showed he may have been turning away from the shooter and then placed his hands up to protect himself.

Billingsley was arrested two days after the incident when police pulled him over while he was riding in a white SUV driven by another woman. The same jacket and hat he was wearing at the time of the killing were in the back of the vehicle, along with a Glock that had purportedly been hidden behind a seat. His DNA was found on the grip of the gun.

The inside of the coat pocket had a small hole and tested positive for gunshot residue, prosecutors said.

While the multiple eyewitnesses led police to suspect Billingsley, they didn't appear to testify at trial  a fact that prosecutors attributed to Billingsley's influence. They played a phone call he made to a friend from the Lake County Jail in which he asks the friend to make sure the witnesses don't cooperate with prosecutors.

"This case has more than eyewitnesses," Koonce said. "Surveillance footage cannot be influenced. DNA evidence cannot be influenced."

Public defender Casey McCloskey, joined by co-counsel Sonya Scott-Dix, argued there was no actual audio in the video of the altercation before the shooting so it's not clear what Gibbs nor Billingsley might have said.

McCloskey said prosecutors made a "conscious choice" when they crafted their case so that the jury would see what the state wanted them to see. They chose not to call any eyewitnesses to testify, but they called the woman who was with Billingsley at the time of his arrest to testify. The woman told the jury that Billingsley told her he was prepared to get into a shootout with police when they were pulled over.

He asked why the hole in the coat pocket wasn't larger if Billingsley shot ten times and questioned why prosecutors weren't able to get more digital evidence from any cell phones from Billingsley or eyewitnesses. He said prosecutors supposedly said they tried, but weren't able to find anything, which he said is another example of their effort to craft a certain narrative about what happened at the motel.

"The state was doing just enough to fit their theory," McCloskey said. "And nothing more."

Billingsley is scheduled to be sentenced June 4 by Lake Criminal Court Judge Gina Jones.
Security personnel patrol on a road leading to Nur Khan Air Base following Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, May 10, 2025. India launched missile and drone strikes in multiple areas of Pakistan, including three airbases of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and also resorted to unprovoked firing along the international border in eastern Punjab province, Pakistani officials and sources confirmed in the wee hours of Saturday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- India launched missile and drone strikes in multiple areas of Pakistan, including three airbases of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and also resorted to unprovoked firing along the international border in eastern Punjab province, Pakistani officials and sources confirmed in the wee hours of Saturday.

Missiles were launched from Indian aircraft targeting Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi city of Punjab province, where the headquarters of the Pakistani army is located, said Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistani army.

Chaudhry said that the Pakistani military successfully intercepted the missiles and confirmed that two other PAF airbases in Punjab were also targeted, but all strategic assets remain safe and operational.

Speaking to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, well-placed sources said that five security personnel, including an officer, were injured in the attacks and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The sources added that the Indian army also initiated unprovoked firing at the international border near Narowal district in Punjab province, injuring one Pakistani soldier.

A few short-range missiles also landed in the Punjab's provincial capital city of Lahore, though no casualties or property damage were reported.

Several drones were reported in various parts of the country, including the capital city of Peshawar in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

One man was injured when a drone fell in the Gulberg Greens area at the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad police sources told Xinhua, adding that multiple drones had been spotted in the capital, and police, along with security agencies, were dispatched to investigate the situation.

Saifullah Khan, a spokesperson of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, told Xinhua that all airfields of Pakistan have been closed till 12:00 a.m. local time (GMT 0700) Saturday. 

Security personnel stop people on a road leading to Nur Khan Air Base following Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, May 10, 2025. India launched missile and drone strikes in multiple areas of Pakistan, including three airbases of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and also resorted to unprovoked firing along the international border in eastern Punjab province, Pakistani officials and sources confirmed in the wee hours of Saturday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

Security personnel patrol on a road leading to Nur Khan Air Base following Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, May 10, 2025. India launched missile and drone strikes in multiple areas of Pakistan, including three airbases of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and also resorted to unprovoked firing along the international border in eastern Punjab province, Pakistani officials and sources confirmed in the wee hours of Saturday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

Security personnel patrol on a road leading to Nur Khan Air Base following Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, May 10, 2025.India launched missile and drone strikes in multiple areas of Pakistan, including three airbases of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and also resorted to unprovoked firing along the international border in eastern Punjab province, Pakistani officials and sources confirmed in the wee hours of Saturday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
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Met Eireann is forecasting the end of the long dry spell in Ireland with heavy thunderstorms in forecast in coming days. Met Eireann says there will be mixed conditions in the coming days with showers or longer spells of rain before settled conditions return later in the week.

However it is not all bad news as temperatures are set to stay around 20 degrees and Met Eireann's forecasting that high pressure will continue to dominate the weather with drier and sunnier weather set to return later next week.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, it will be mostly dry with a mix of cloud and hazy sunny spells to begin on Sunday, although cloudy conditions with patchy rain and drizzle will affect parts of west Connacht and west Ulster. It'll become mostly cloudy as the day goes on, with outbreaks of rain spreading from the southeast. Highest temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees in light to moderate northerly or variable breezes, but a little cooler near Atlantic coasts with northerly winds freshening there.

Showers or longer spells of rain on Sunday night, some heavy, but some drier and clearer spells also. Milder than recent nights with temperatures no lower than 7 to 11 degrees. Breezier than of late with moderate northerly winds, fresh near western and southern coasts.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, there will be a mix of cloud and sunny spells with showers merging to longer spells of rain at times on Monday. Some heavy or thundery falls are possible. Highest temperatures of 14 to 18 degrees in a mostly moderate northerly wind, fresh near Atlantic coasts. The rain and showers will gradually ease on Monday night and most places will become dry with variable cloud and clear intervals. Temperatures will not fall below 8 to 11 degrees. Light northerly winds veering easterly.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, Tuesday will bring a mix of sunny spells and showers, some heavy with isolated thunderstorms. Highest temperatures of 16 to 21 degrees generally, warmest in the west, in a light to moderate easterly breeze.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, Wednesday will be another day of sunshine and showers. The showers will be largely focussed in the west and southwest, where some may be heavy and potentially thundery. Largely dry conditions look set to prevail further north and east though. Highest temperatures of 16 to 21 degrees, coolest near the east coast in a light to moderate easterly or variable breeze.

According to Met Eiereann, high pressure is likely to become increasingly dominant through the latter part of the week, mitigating the chance of further showers and re-establishing mainly fine and settled conditions. Daytime highs in high teens or low 20s.
The body of an adult teenager has been recovered following a multi-agency response to three males in difficulty off the Donegal coast.

Two male juveniles were transferred to hospital, one of whom is in a serious condition.

A member of the public raised the alarm shortly before 4pm on Saturday that there were three males in difficulty in the water near Buncrana.

A multi-agency search led by the Irish Coast Guard was launched, supported by the RNLI and a Coast Guard helicopter from Sligo.

Gardai from Donegal North and the ambulance service also attended the scene.

A statement from Gardai on Saturday evening said: Two male juveniles were transferred to Letterkenny University Hospital, one of whom remains in a serious condition.

Following the subsequent recovery of a body of an adult male in his teens, the search for the third male has since been stood down.

The local coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport said: Just after 9pm this evening a second person was recovered from the water by Greencastle Coast Guard Unit and transferred to Buncrana Pier.

The Coast Guard would like to thank all the search and rescue units and members of the public who were on scene for their assistance in the search.
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Questions are answered by experts at the Oregon Health Authority, other state agencies or community partners. Questions and answers are republished by permission.

Q: I got my COVID-19 shot in October, as I have for the past three years. With all the uncertainty regarding the next (2025-2026) COVID vaccine, should I get a booster of the current 2024-2025 vaccine? I am not immune compromised, but I am cautious because I am around immune compromised individuals and we seem to have a COVID surge every summer.  Chelsea, Portland

A: Chelsea, if youre 65 or older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends you receive one additional dose (booster) of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine as long as its been at least two months since receiving your first dose. The same recommendation applies to those with compromised immune systems.

If you are neither age 65+ nor immune compromised but you work or spend a lot of time with people who are, your instinct to protect them (by fortifying your own immune system) is a good one. You may be able to get another dose from your doctor  or a prescription for a pharmacist to give you another dose; but be aware that it may not be covered by your insurance since its not specifically recommended by CDC. We would also caution that the COVID-19 vaccine is not so good at preventing transmission to others as it is protecting vaccinated people from severe disease and hospitalization.

Regarding the next (2025-2026) COVID-19 vaccine, we expect an updated formula to be released in the fall as we head into respiratory virus season, but we will have to wait until that happens to get details on specific CDC recommendations.

Q: Are there grants available for radon mitigation?  Clare, The Dalles

A: Yes, there are public grant funds available to perform radon mitigation, but they are granted to organizations, not individual homeowners or renters. People would need to contact one of the organizations and ask if they could use the funds to mitigate radon in their home. See a list of organizations currently receiving this funding here.

This funding is made possible by OHAs Healthy Homes Grant Program, which was established in 2021 by the Oregon Legislature to improve housing conditions for low-income and environmental justice communities by providing grants to organizations that in turn provide services (such as radon mitigation) to these communities. Organizations can use the grant dollars for a variety of purposes, including energy efficiency, extending a homes life, structural or safety improvements, as well as improving the health and safety of a homes occupants via mitigation of radon, lead and mold/mildew, removal of asthma triggers, etc. OHA cannot dictate to organizations that receive grant funds which services they will provide or to whom.

Watch this 3-minute video to learn more about OHAs Healthy Homes Grant Program.

If you have questions about health topics for the Oregon Health Authority, submit your question here. Although the agency is unable to answer every question, it will try to address those of interest to a broad audience. Please understand that OHA is unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
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) AP

SUQUAMISH, Wash.  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.

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) AP

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.

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.

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 USD) 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.

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.
Officers Seth Anderson (right) and Kyle Flores (out of frame) tried to arrest Adam Gunderson before the December 4 shooting. Courtesy of the Washington Office of Independent Investigations

An investigative report released Thursday sheds light on an attempted arrest last December that ended with a Vancouver police officer fatally shooting a man in the head in a grocery-store parking lot.

The Washington state Office of Independent Investigations authored the 99-page report, which describes the interaction between Adam Grant Gunderson and officers outside the Safeway store at 13719 SE Mill Plain Blvd around 10:50 p.m. on Dec. 4.
Pablo A. Figueroa, 62, was sentenced to nearly six years in prison during a hearing Fri., May 9, 2025. Quinton Prudhomme/The Oregonian

A man who followed a gambler home and then stabbed him 15 times when he refused to give up a $2,000 winning lottery ticket was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison Friday.

Pablo Figueroa covered his face with his hand as Multnomah County Circuit Judge Benjamin Souede handed down the punishment. Figueroa, now 62, earlier pleaded no contest to charges of second-degree assault and first-degree burglary as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Figueroa was at Montanas Bar on Southeast Stark Street on Aug. 18, 2024 when he noticed Jeff Williams strike it big on a video lottery machine around 11:30 p.m., according to a probable cause affidavit.

He introduced himself, then stalked Williams back to his home at the WyEast Plaza apartments, where he demanded the lucky ticket inside his unit.

Williams refused, and in the ensuing struggle Figueroa pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed him 15 times in the face, arms and chest, only stopping when Williams played dead, the affidavit says.

Mr. Figueroa had the money and could have left my apartment, Williams said in court, but instead decided to sit at my kitchen table and watch me die.

Figueroa remained in the unit after the altercation and apparently fell asleep.

Williams said he cracked an eye and escaped only once he heard his assailant start to snore.

Police located Figuroa hiding in the trash room early the next morning and pepper sprayed him during the arrest, the affidavit says.

A registered sex offender in Arizona, Figeuroa had six felony and 13 prior misdemeanor convictions on his record, according to a booking sheet.

The plea deal also resolved an open 2022 case involving two stolen cars that Figueroa had been caught driving with a shaved key, an affidavit in the case says. Identity theft charges out of Washington County remain pending.

Figueroa declined to speak at the sentencing, but defense attorney Michelle Ganow-Jones said hed been grappling with addiction since the 1980s.

That is something he has to address if he is going to be able to enjoy the years that he has remaining once he is out, she said.

Zane Sparling covers breaking news and courts for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-319-7083, zsparling@oregonian.com or @pdxzane.

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe.
SYDNEY, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A woman has been charged with murder over the deaths of two boys whose bodies were found in a home northwest of Sydney in the state of New South Wales (NSW), a NSW Police statement said on Saturday morning.

Police officers responding to reports of a concern for welfare found the bodies of the two boys, aged six and seven, inside a home in the small town of Coonabarabran, over 300 km northwest of Sydney, on May 5.

A 66-year-old woman who was also found inside the home was taken to the hospital under police guard until being released on May 9, when she was taken to a local police station and charged with two counts of murder.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the woman is the grandmother of the boys. She faced a Sydney court via video link on Saturday where she did not apply for bail.

ABC quoted police as saying that the two boys moved to Coonabarabran with their grandmother in mid-2024. The boys have been publicly identified by their parents as brothers Max and Sam Johnson.

A vigil for the boys was held in the town on Friday night and two trees were planted in their memory. 
A bus driver for the Lincoln County School District was arrested on Friday for allegedly luring a minor, police said. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

A bus driver for the Lincoln County School District was arrested on Friday for allegedly luring a minor, police said.

Josiah Lafrenz, 21, was arrested on charges of luring a minor and second-degree online sex corruption of a child after the Lincoln City Police Department investigated a report of inappropriate communications between Lafrenz and a student from the Taft 7-12 middle and high school in Lincoln City, the police department said. Police said they notified the school district.

Lafrenz was booked into Lincoln County Jail where he awaits arraignment on the charges. His court date is Monday.

Because Lincoln City police believe there could be other victims, they asked that anyone with information related to the investigation call 541-994-3636 about case 25-5594.

In a news release, police added that they encourage parents to monitor childrens cellular communications and internet usage, as well as educate them about the dangers posed by the strangers with whom they interact.

-- Jonathan Bach; jbach@oregonian.com
Portland police arrested a 21-year-old man last week in connection with an April 23 shooting that seriously injured a man in the Hazelwood neighborhood. David Nunez

Portland police arrested a 21-year-old man last week in connection with an April shooting that seriously injured a man in the Hazelwood neighborhood.

The arrest is the second in connection with the April 23 shooting after police initially said incorrectly that a 30-year-old man was a suspect.
A federal judge on Friday extended a temporary order, barring the U.S. government from arbitrarily terminating the legal status of two international students studying at universities in Oregon.

U.S. District Michael J. McShane said he considered the Oregon case in the broader context of the Trump administrations unceasing attempts to remove noncitizens from the country.

While the government did reinstate the visa status of hundreds of foreign students after legal challenges, the government has not repudiated the prior decision, McShane wrote in a 13-page opinion.

Deafening silence has been the only response by the Defendants in explaining, let alone justifying, the actions taken here, the judge wrote.

McShane said he finds it impossible to trust that the government wont tamper with the students legal status again, absent a court order, while the students lawsuits are pending in court.

Aaron Ortega Gonzalez, a 32-year-old Mexican citizen, is seeking his doctorate at Oregon State University in Corvallis. He is a wildlife scientist who also was working as a graduate assistant at the school.

A 29-year-old graduate student from Britain, identified as Jane Doe in court papers, attends the University of Oregon in Eugene, where she is pursuing masters degrees in conflict resolution and journalism and had expected to graduate this June.

Ortega Gonzalez and Doe learned from their respective universities that their student status had been terminated in early April in the federal database called the Student Exchange Visitor Information System.

Homeland Security Investigations later said in court papers that Ortega Gonzalez had an unspecified encounter with U.S. Customs and Border Control in 2014, seven years before he was granted a student visa to study at Oregon State University. A government attorney, under questioning from McShane, said he didnt have any information about the encounter.

Doe had a prior arrest, according to the judges ruling.

She first attended Brigham Young University for undergraduate classes but transferred to the University of Nevada Las Vegas to escape an abusive relationship, McShane wrote in his decision. Her ex-partner followed her to Las Vegas and called police to have her arrested at one point, but charges against her were dropped, the ruling said.

After the government terminated the students status, Ortega Gonzalez had to pause his research on restoring Oregon rangelands affected by wildfires while Doe was unable to attend a class trip to Washington, D.C., related to her conflict resolution thesis.

Ortega Gonzalez believed he was at serious risk of arrest and deportation, according to the judges opinion.

Both lost work and income, McShane wrote.

Once the government restored their status on April 23, Ortega Gonzalez was able to complete planned repairs on a damaged weather station to continue his research and Doe resumed her studies and work as a teaching assistant but may not be able to graduate in June because of the interruption, according to the opinion.

The judge noted that that public interest weighs in favor of allowing Mr. Ortega Gonzalez to continue his research on restoration of Oregon rangelands affected by wildfires and Ms. Doe to continue her studies to promote civic engagement, community dialogue, and social cohesion.

McShane ordered the government to give the students and the court a 15-day notice of any future intent to terminate their status.

McShane said his preliminary injunction blocking an arbitrary termination wont interfere with the governments ability to pursue lawful immigration enforcement.

The ruling is an important step for fairness and due process, said Stephen Manning, executive director of Innovation Law Lab, which represents the students. Innovation Law Lab, along with lawyers from the ACLU and an immigration law firm filed the suits on behalf of the two students.

Immigrant students belong in our classrooms and in our communities, not in ICE custody, Manning said in a statement. We will continue fighting to make sure that Oregons students, the university communities, and all Oregonians can pursue their goals and education free from fear.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Conti had argued in court against an injunction, saying it was moot and unnecessary since the terminations were set aside, and the government had adopted new guidelines.

-- Maxine Bernstein covers federal court and criminal justice. Reach her at 503-221-8212, mbernstein@oregonian.com, follow her on X @maxoregonian, or on LinkedIn.

Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Three high voltage transmission towers, located just south of Sauvie Island, span the Willamette river. The tower at left is owned by PGE, the other two by Bonneville Power Administration. LC- The Oregonian

The Bonneville Power Administration, the regions largest transmission grid operator, has made the final call to join a new energy market based in Arkansas over one based in California  a controversial decision that critics say could have major implications on electricity costs in Oregon and across the region.

For months, Pacific Northwest governors, lawmakers, utility regulators and renewable energy proponents have pressed BPA to reconsider its plans, which the agency initially announced in March. They argued that BPA joining the Southwest Power Pool day-ahead market could result in much higher power costs and larger monthly bills for millions of customers, less grid reliability and more difficulty integrating clean energy.
A replica of a Soviet spacecraft, from the era of the Kosmos 482. The marooned Kosmos 482 is expected to fall back down to Earth on either Friday night or Saturday morning. Image via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

A small, unmanned Soviet-era spacecraft is expected to fall back to Earth sometime Friday night or Saturday morning.

When it launched in March 1972, the spacecraft Kosmos 482 was slated for a 41 million-mile mission to Venus. But instead it experienced a rocket malfunction soon after leaving the Earths atmosphere. It broke up into pieces and whats left of Kosmos 482  a hull about 3 feet in diameter that weighs about 1,000 pounds  has been stuck in a low-Earth orbit ever since.

After 53 years in space, Kosmos 482 soon will drop out of orbit and back down to Earth. The latest projections have the craft reentering the atmosphere late Friday or early Saturday. As of Friday afternoon, the Aerospace Corporation predicted reentry at 11:07 p.m. PT Friday, plus or minus three hours. Scientist and satellite tracker Marco Langbroek estimated reentry at 11:35 p.m. PT Friday, plus or minus 3.7 hours.

It is not clear where exactly Kosmos 482 will fall, and whether it will burn up during its descent or stay intact as it falls.

Based on its orbit, scientists say the craft could fall anywhere between 52 degrees north latitude and 52 degrees south latitude. Roughly 90% of the world population lives between those parallels. But given the narrower time window of its expected descent, Langbroek posted a risk map to social media on Friday afternoon that showed the expected path of Kosmos 482. If the craft reentered at Langbroeks predicted time, it would be above western Australia.

A complicating factor is that Kosmos 482 was designed to withstand the extreme heat and pressure of Venus, and so the module might not burn up upon reentry but instead hold together.

The risk of the craft crashing into people remains low, however, according to Darren McKnight, senior technical fellow at LeoLabs.

Im not worried  Im not telling all my friends to go to the basement for this, McKnight told The New York Times. Usually about once a week we have a large object reenter Earths atmosphere where some remnants of it will survive to the ground.

-- Joel Odom writes about trending topics in news, life and culture, and sports. Reach him at 503-221-8594, jodom@oregonian.com or @jkodom on Blue Sky.
In Wasco County, the sheriff's office oversees county community corrections and parole and probation officers. Wasco County Sheriff's Office

Wasco Countys lead probation officer would frequently greet or bid farewell to a colleague of German descent with a Nazi salute and a Mein Fuhrer address at work.

His fellow probation officer responded at least once by placing fingers over his lip to mimic Adolf Hitlers mustache and was heard by staff referring to his newly groomed dog as looking like a Jew, a sheriffs office internal investigation found.
North Bend Fire Department rescuers help Bodie the dog after he fell down an embankment. North Bend Fire Department

A 14-year-old dog that slipped down an embankment in North Bend has a crew of understanding firefighters to thank for his rescue Thursday.

The 70-pound dog named Bodie couldnt regain his footing after his fall due to poor mobility in his back legs. And his owner, who was with the dog, couldnt free him either.

North Bend Fire & Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Brian Waddington said firefighters put the dog in a sling and carried him up the embankment.

He was pretty excited to get back up and you could tell he wanted to get inside pretty quick, said Waddington.

Bodie was uninjured and the firefighters were happy to help, Waddington said.

North Bend Fire and Rescue employees pose with Bodie after his rescue. North Bend Fire Department

We are willing to help anybody in our area, he said, a dog or person or whoever.

 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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In just eight days, Portland Public School district voters will decide the fate of a $1.83 billion general bond obligation, to pay for construction, maintenance and materials.

Theres been a lot of talk about the bond over the past few months, especially about what it is  and isnt  paying for. At its centerpiece is nearly a billion dollars for remaking three neighborhood high schools, leaving relatively little funding for the districts aging elementary and middle schools.

Proponents of the bond warn that waiting to make needed improvements to the districts schools will only escalate costs; opponents have urged the school board to try to present a smaller bond that takes declining enrollment projections into account.

For this weeks episode of Beat Check, education reporter Julia Silverman tackles a series of burning questions from readers and listeners who are weighing how to vote on the bond. Have a listen, and dont forget to turn in your ballot.

Related coverage:

Subscribe to Beat Check anywhere you listen to podcasts to get new episodes each week.

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In a dramatic moment caught on camera Friday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at a federal immigration detention center where he has been protesting its opening this week, a federal prosecutor said.

Baraka can be heard in the video saying that he wasnt on Immigration and Customs Enforcement property, after someone standing behind the facilitys fence says that agents are talking about coming back to arrest the mayor.

Im not on their property, Baraka replies in the footage. They cant come out on the street and arrest me.

I agree, the person behind the fence says, before walking away.

Baraka has aggressively pushed back against the construction and opening of the 1,000-bed detention center, arguing that it should not be allowed to open because of building permit issues.

Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join a scheduled tour of the facility with three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

According to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, a heated argument broke out when federal officials blocked his entry.

There was yelling and pushing, Martinez said. Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said that the lawmakers had not asked for a tour of the facility, contrary to witnesses accounts. The department said further that as a bus carrying detainees was entering the facility, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin was quoted in the statement as calling it beyond a bizarre political stunt and saying it put agents and detainees safety at risk.

Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility, McLaughlin said.

In video of the altercation shared with The Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of the Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he could not join a tour of the facility because you are not a Congress member.

Several ICE agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded Baraka and others on the public side of the gate. As protesters cried out, Shame, Baraka was dragged back through the security gate in handcuffs.
With a backdrop of Mount Tamalpais and Seal Rock, kite surfers harness the stiff winds blowing over Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group/TNS) TNS

A man died after rushing into the perilous waters of San Franciscos Ocean Beach fully clothed in an attempt to rescue his dog, authorities said. While the dog made it out of the ocean alive, the man was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The Northern California beach is notorious for its strong rip currents, powerful waves and icy water temperatures that have earned it a reputation as Californias deadliest beach.

Thursdays incident unfolded shortly after 2 p.m. when the San Francisco Fire Department received a call that a man had collapsed in the water at Ocean Beach after jumping in to try to save a dog. Two women on the beach saw the man struggling and pulled him out of the ocean, fire officials said.

Crews from the National Park Service Ocean Rescue team arrived within two minutes and began performing CPR. Fire personnel took the man to a hospital in critical condition, and he died, authorities said.

The dog made it to the beach independently without serious injury, fire officials said. The mans identity has not been released, and his official cause of death is pending investigation from the San Francisco medical examiners office.

The San Francisco Fire Department thanked the two bystanders for their heroic efforts but reminded the public that the best thing to do when a human or animal is in need of rescue is to call 911 and allow trained professionals to respond due to the dangerous conditions at the beach.

This is largest beach here in San Francisco, and we have had multiple deaths and multiple saves by our members and National Park Service lifeguards because of the fact that there are such strong rip currents, Fire Department spokesperson Lt. Mariano Elias said.

Between 2014 and 2020, eight people died at the beach, according to surf zone fatality data collected by the National Weather Service.

Kirby Lee, an experienced San Francisco surfer and father of two, was found floating unconscious in the water in November 2023 and put on life support in a hospital where he died four days later.

In July, the San Francisco Fire Department rescued two surfers near Mile Rocks Lighthouse after powerful rip currents pulled them almost a mile out to sea.

Swimming is strongly discouraged at Ocean Beach, as people have been swept out to sea in as little as 3 feet of water, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. People are even cautioned to stay away from the shoreline due to the possibility of sneaker waves, which appear seemingly out of nowhere and extend farther up the sand than previous waves.

Sneaker waves are insidious in nature. They do not present themselves easily like high surf days, the Fire Department said in a coastal safety warning. This is what makes them so deadly.

Despite the dangerous conditions, there are no traditional lifeguards stationed along the 3-mile beach. Instead, Ocean Rescue personnel regularly patrol Ocean Beach to inform visitors about ocean risks and perform rescues when needed.

While the high number of deaths have to prompted calls to add lifeguard posts, National Park Service officials have maintained that doing so would provide a false and dangerous impression that Ocean Beach is a swimming beach.

_____

2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Visitors pose for photos at the entrance of El Eden Mine in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico, May 7, 2025. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

A worker repairs a sightseeing train at El Eden Mine in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico, May 7, 2025. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 7, 2025 shows a view of Bufa Hill in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

This photo taken on May 7, 2025 shows a statue of miners at El Eden Mine in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

A tour guide introduces the tourists (not in the photo) at El Eden Mine in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico, May 7, 2025. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

Tourists visit the underground museum at El Eden Mine in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico, May 7, 2025. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

This photo taken on May 6, 2025 shows a statue of a miner in Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 6, 2025 shows a view of the historic center of Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 6, 2025 shows Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 6, 2025 shows the city view of Zacatecas, state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Once a major silver mining region in Latin America, Zacatecas had promoted the city's historical prosperity with its mineral wealth. As resources exhausted, the city shifted its focus on culture and tourism by preserving its rich colonial architecture and mining heritage, including the historic city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and the iconic El Eden Mine, and drawing numerous tourists from around the world. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)
If you ask lawmakers to describe Rep. Tom Cole and his more than 20 years of service in the House, Republicans and Democrats will both give him praise. Knowledgeable. A bipartisan negotiator. A friend.

But for the last year as Appropriations chair, the Oklahoma Republican has overseen one of the most bitter and partisan processes lawmakers have ever gone through while exercising Congress power of the purse. And Democrats are concerned this upcoming appropriations cycle will somehow be more bitter and partisan than the last.

Along with so many other norms, President Donald Trump has upended the practice of reaching across the aisle  particularly when it comes to appropriations bills. Lawmakers used to come together at the end of the year and approve a sweeping spending bill, after they were mostly unable to pass individual appropriations measures.

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But during the last spending cycle, Republicans and Democrats werent able to agree on anything. Instead, Republicans rammed through a glorified continuing resolution that mostly extended the previous spending deal, with some notable exceptions that Democrats disagreed with.

Now, as Congress starts the appropriations process again, Cole is tasked with appeasing his GOP colleagues and somehow getting buy-in from Democrats to negotiate after they were largely shut out of talks last time.

Ive never seen it quite as challenging as it is now to come to deals, Cole told NOTUS.

Were better off when we work together and find common ground, he said. I think the (appropriations committee) has a tradition of doing that. I dont think that tradition is gone. Weve just got to get back to our roots.

Getting back to those roots wont be easy. But somehow, even after the appropriations process devolved into a cascade of CRs, a spending deal that was reneged, and, finally, a partisan spending bill, Democrats told NOTUS they have hope.

The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, suggested she blamed Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump and Elon Musk a lot more for the December spending deal falling apart than Cole. She said that legislation  which dissolved when Musk and some Republicans began railing against the special projects in the deal  was the product of intense negotiations between the two parties.

Oh my gosh, heavy negotiations, DeLauro said.

She said shes worked very closely and very, very well with her counterpart. Ultimately, however, Trumps grip on the conference made Coles work not matter all that much.

It was hard, you know, when we were that close, DeLauro said. I continue to negotiate with him, but he is a good friend, and somebody who gets it.

She said Cole doesnt have the leeway she has to push back against the president.

Cole, for his part, said Trump is not an insignificant player in any negotiations on Capitol Hill  he has to sign the bill after all. But what the administration wants is not the end-all-be-all, as far as Cole is concerned.

Outside of his office last week, where the smell of cigar smoke filled the hallway, Cole held court with reporters. He talked about the tension between the president and Congress as Republicans now attempt to hammer out a reconciliation bill.

Presidents and administrations dont get to dictate whats going to happen here, Cole said. Congress is not the Army, and the president is the president, but not the commander-in-chief of Congress.

Were supporting this administration, what its trying to do, but with all due respect to anybody, I think the members have a better understanding of what can pass and what cant than the executive branch does, he added.

Cole told NOTUS he doesnt think this administration has tried to dictate anything in particular, but he insisted spending bills must be a negotiated product.

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Leadership on both sides have to agree, and I dont think leadership on either side was prepared to agree in December. I think thats too bad because that was a time to make the deal, Cole said. Come March, clearly, we had a deal on the table, we thought, and we couldnt quite get there. And again, I think that was pressure from leadership.

Its true that spending negotiations were largely taken from Cole. Republican leaders, under pressure from Trump and conservatives, seemed to think mostly extending current spending levels was the way to go. And once, somewhat miraculously, Republicans were able to advance their bill out of the House, a number of Democrats in the Senate swallowed the legislation, reasoning that it was better than a shutdown.

It wasnt how Democrats wanted the process to play out. But Democrats also suggested they didnt think it was how Cole wanted it to play out either.

Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern told NOTUS he respects and admires Cole, whom he worked with closely when they served as the top members of the Rules Committee for their respective parties. McGovern said Cole, if left to his own devices, could come up with a decent appropriations package. But, McGovern said, Cole isnt steering that spending ship.

The Trump administration and the Freedom Caucus have put Cole in a tough spot, McGovern said.

My fear is that he is not going to be allowed to work his will, he added. What weve seen to this point is that reasonable people like Tom Cole seem to have been kind of pushed to the sidelines.

Yes, Democrats were unhappy with the last appropriations process. Yes, Cole oversaw the process. But Democrats dont seem to blame him for the outcome.

While that sort of goodwill among Democrats could be a liability in the red-meat Republican conference, GOP lawmakers also suggested it was an advantage. Rep. Steve Womack, who chairs a key subcommittee on Appropriations, said Coles favorability in both parties is exactly whats needed.

Hes a very well-respected member, kind of more of an institution guy, which is what I think we need right now, in terms of being  I mean, lets just face it, were in divided government. The countrys divided, Womack told NOTUS. Political reality is youre going to have to have things that can attract members on both sides of the aisle for the most important work that our Congress needs to be doing, and I think Tom Cole is the ideal person to lead the effort in that regard.

Other Republicans on the Appropriations Committee agreed.

Rep. David Valadao emphasized the tough political environment members are in right now. He said Cole was better positioned than anyone to be chair at the moment.

Were trying to reach an agreement on top-line numbers that we could actually get something to the presidents desk and be signed by the president. And [Democrats] werent willing to negotiate, Valadao said. Hopefully, moving forward, theyre willing to talk to Tom, get to top-line numbers, agree to them and start appropriations bills, but it really is going to fall on both sides to come to an agreement that can get across the desk.

Another longtime appropriator, Rep. Mike Simpson, echoed Valadao, saying Republicans couldnt find a better chair than Cole, especially in these times, with razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate.

Leadership decided to go a different direction to do the year-long CR, Simpson said. It is not something that anybody on the Appropriations Committee wanted, but we had to do something, and Toms very good at doing that.

Theres not a bigger supporter of leadership in getting the job done than Tom is, Simpson said.

This story was produced as part of a partnership between NOTUS, a publication of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute, and Oklahoma Watch.

Oklahoma Watch, at oklahomawatch.org, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers public-policy issues facing the state.
A 25-year-old Middleborough man was found guilty of murdering his parents in 2020 after a supposed argument with his father forced him to commit an act of self-defense.

The defendant, identified as Ryan True, was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in Brockton Superior Court after a seven-day trial. In Massachusetts, a first-degree murder charge is punishable with up to life in prison without possibility of parole.

Man Found Guilty of Murdering Parents

True reportedly surrendered himself to law enforcement authorities on Dec. 10, 2020, a few hours after he fatally stabbed his parents. The victims were later identified as 52-year-old David True and 55-year-old Renee True.

Middleborough Police responded to the family's home earlier that morning to conduct a well-being check after the parents' employers reported they did not show up for work. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victims' bodies with multiple stab wounds and covered in blankets.

The suspect later returned to their home, where they murdered their parents and surrendered themselves to police. True told officials that he got into an argument with his father the night before the incident, according to The Enterprise.

While the suspect himself said that the tragic killings were an act of self-defense, police said there was no evidence showing his injuries were caused by defending himself. Additionally, the suspect's half-brother told authorities the convict had been having a "tough time" with his parents and did not want to take medication.

Following True's arraignment, he was held without bail and later brought to Bridgewater State Hospital for a mental health evaluation. There, medical professionals deemed him incompetent to stand trial.

Prosecutors said that the son, who has autism, used a pocket knife to stab his parents multiple times. The suspect's mother was also found to be a member of the Middleborough Public Schools' Transportation Department since 2007, WCVB reported.

An Act of Self-Defense

Brian E. Lynch, the superintendent of schools for Middleborough, said that Renee was a hard-working and dedicated employee. He noted that the mother was known for caring about every single child that she transported every day.

On the other hand, David worked for a paving and excavation company in Easton, which posted on Facebook that they called the employee "truly one of the best men we have had the privilege of knowing."

After True surrendered to police, he said his father was drunk, noting that the suspect only "did what he had to do," as per NBC Boston.
These four new items were posted today on the moribund website of the comatose Interpreter Foundation:

Anachronisms: Accidental Evidence in Book of Mormon Criticisms: Chapter 2 Warfare in the Book of Mormon, written by Matthew Roper

[Editors Note: We are pleased to present chapter 2 from a book entitled Anachronisms: Accidental Evidence in Book of Mormon Criticisms. It is presented in serialized form in this volume of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship.]

Interpreting Interpreter: (Non-)Anachronisms  Warfare, written by Kyler Rasmussen

This post is a summary of the article Anachronisms: Accidental Evidence in Book of Mormon Criticisms  Chapter 2: Warfare in the Book of Mormon by Matthew Roper in Volume 65 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreter articles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is available at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought/. A video introduction to this Interpreter article is now available on all of our social media channels, including on YouTube at https://youtube.com/shorts/cqkzDWVsLaE. The Takeaway: Roper continues his examination of claimed Book of Mormon anachronisms, looking at 39 different aspects of warfare and weapons presented in the text. He concludes that 82% of these supposed anachronisms have received subsequent confirmation in the archaeological record, with only 2 items that are yet to trend toward confirmation (steel swords in the New World and Book of Mormon battle remains).

Chiasmus in the Book of Jarom, written by Stephen Kent Ehat

Abstract: Jarom strongly evidences the use of chiasmus to structure his short book. This paper seeks to uncover, display, and discuss the chiastic patterning of the book and hopefully suggests an enhanced understanding of the hidden beauty and deep meaning of this brief but important text. The book of Jarom indeed offers more than what may otherwise be revealed by only a cursory reading of its fifteen verses. Awareness of the chiastic pattern of the text reinforces an understanding of Jaroms important message.

Interpreting Interpreter: Jaroms Chiasmus, written by Kyler Rasmussen

This post is a summary of the article Chiasmus in the Book of Jarom by Stephen Kent Ehat in Volume 64 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreterarticles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is available at https://interpreterfoundation.org/interpreting-interpreter-on-abstracting-thought/. A video introduction to this Interpreter article is now available on all of our social media channels, including on YouTube at https://youtube.com/shorts/mN9_FT-ieeg. The Takeaway: Ehat proposes a detailed verbal and thematic structure for the book of Jarom, with a chiasm centered on the theme of prosperity stemming from obedience to Gods commandments.

Ive written here before about my months of individual study with the late Father Georges Anawati OP (1905-1994) of Egypts Institut Dominicain des Etudes Orientales.:

In the second of the above installments, I wrote about a specific experience that I had with him:

One day, while I was reading through a text with him at the Institut Dominicain des Etudes Orientales in Cairo, it suddenly hit me how wildly unlikely it was that the claims of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were uniquely true. Here I was, studying the sophisticated intellectual products of one of the worlds great religions, Islam, with a Dominican priest and monk, an internationally prominent scholar, theologian, and philosopher, who, as such, was a sophisticated representative of another of the worlds great religions, Catholic Christianity. Greater Cairo alone was 15-20 times the size of the metropolitan Salt Lake City area. Islam, as we know it, is nearly a millennium and a half old. Catholicism claims a heritage of two thousand years. By contrast, at the time that I was studying with Father Anawati, the Restoration was about a century and a half old. For most of that time, our people had been isolated in the Great Basin West, preoccupied with digging irrigation canals and building small towns in a demanding, remote, semi-arid landscape. Provincial and few in number, we had made few if any notable contributions to world culture. Thomas Aquinas, Ibn Sina, Albertus Magnus, al-Farabi . . . No Latter-day Saint has yet managed to enter that pantheon, even today. Nor even close. The audacity of Latter-day Saint claims seemed breathtaking. And yet . . . And yet . . . It occurred to me almost immediately that my feelings at that moment must not be altogether different from those that an early Christian might have held at roughly the dawn of the third century. In 200 AD, Michelangelo, Dante, Augustine, Milton, Handel, Kierkegaard, and the host of other great Christian thinkers, composers, writers, and artists yet to come were still far, and sometimes very far, in the future  and, in a sense, essentially inconceivable. The mood passed quickly. But Ive never forgotten it. However, I dont worry about the issue much. Have we climbed to the summit of world culture and science yet? Probably not. But good things will come, in their time. We will yet have Miltons and Shakespeares of our own, predicted the future apostle Orson F. Whitney in June 1888. Gods ammunition is not exhausted. His brightest spirits are held in reserve for the latter times. In Gods name and by his help we will build up a literature whose top shall touch heaven, though its foundations may now be low in earth. Let the smile of derision wreathe the face of scorn; let the frown of hatred darken the brow of bigotry. Small things are the seeds of great things, and, like the acorn that brings forth the oak, or the snowflake that forms the avalanche, Gods kingdom will grow, and on wings of light and power soar to the summit of its destiny.

I was reminded of that experience with Father Anawati again yesterday, as I watched the dramatic spectacle of the announcement of a new pope. More than 100,000 people were gathered in Gian Lorenzo Berninis grand Piazza San Pietro, along with cameramen and commentators from CNN and the BBC and a host of other worldwide media, as the new pontiff appeared, flanked by scarlet-clad cardinals, on the central loggia of St. Peters Basilica. I have no idea how many scores of millions of people watched the events unfold live or have watched them repeated since then during the hours of commentary that have followed.

Nobody does drama like the one holy Catholic and apostolic church, said Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan of New York, reflecting on the electricity in St. Peters Square when Pope Leo was announced as the new leader. (CNN)

Nothing remotely like this occurs with the apostolic succession of a new president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That act occurs with little drama or suspense and away from the gaze of the world  which pays very little attention, anyway. And yet . . . And yet . . .

Im guessing that Peter and Paul received relatively little notice from the general public in Rome, especially compared to the Emperor Nero, their contemporary  to whom, let it be clear, except in terms of prominence, I am not comparing Leo XIV or any of the other popes of my lifetime. And yet, regarded both historically and sub specie aeternitatis, Peter and Paul were the most consequential men in Rome in the year AD 64.

Incidentally, I note this: Church of Jesus Christ leaders offer heartfelt prayers and greetings to Pope Leo XIV: The First Presidency responds to this significant moment in time for the Catholic Church

A quick concluding bit of toxicity from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial How Religion Poisons Everything File: 7 recent examples of the Church donating to medical needs around the world: From Cambodia to El Salvador  read how medical donations from the Church and members are blessing lives
Stephen Chboskys Nonnas is one of those rare films that wears its heart proudly on its sleeve  and its all the better for it. Anchored by a warm, deeply human performance from Vince Vaughn, this charming dramedy serves up a heaping plate of nostalgia, comfort food, and emotional resonance. Its a feel-good film that goes beyond cliches, offering a touching meditation on grief, legacy, and the power of community.

The story centers on Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn), a single MTA worker in South Brooklyn who is grappling with the recent loss of his mother. Joes life has come unmoored, but rather than spiraling into despair, he finds inspiration in the Sunday dinners of his childhood  gatherings filled with laughter, food, and love. In an ambitious, borderline reckless leap of faith, he invests his entire inheritance into opening an Italian restaurant on Staten Island. The twist? Every cook in the kitchen will be a real-life Italian grandmother  a nonna.

From the outset, Nonnas sets a heartfelt tone. Joe isnt just chasing a dream; hes honoring a memory, trying to preserve the warmth of his mothers legacy by replicating it in his restaurant. As he searches for the right grandmothers to bring his vision to life, he stumbles upon a cast of spirited, strong-willed, and deeply human women  each with her own story, scars, and signature dish.

What follows is a delightful journey full of unexpected turns. There are comical culture clashes, moving confessions, and moments of friction, especially as Joe tries to win over a tight-knit neighborhood hes not from. The film doesnt shy away from the challenges of building a business from scratch, nor from the societal dismissiveness toward older women. But Nonnas flips that narrative on its head, reminding viewers that wisdom, warmth, and vitality dont have an expiration date.

Vaughn is wonderfully understated in the lead role. Gone are the swaggering characters of his earlier career; instead, he brings humility, heart, and a quiet resilience to Joe. His chemistry with the ensemble of nonnas  many of whom feel refreshingly un-Hollywood  is sincere and often hilarious.

Chbosky, best known for The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Wonder, directs with his usual empathy and attentiveness. He balances lighthearted moments with emotional heft, crafting a tone thats accessible for families but rich enough for adult viewers. Though hes said the film is a love letter to his wife, who penned the screenplay, it also reads as a love letter to the Italian-American community. Much like My Big Fat Greek Wedding did for Greek culture, Nonnas celebrates the quirks, traditions, and enduring bonds that define a people  Catholic faith, boisterous dinners, and all.

On a backdrop of community and spirituality, the faith elements are subtle but significant. A few scenes  including a moment of answered prayer  offer quiet testimony to the strength that belief can offer in times of upheaval. Its one more layer in a film that never forgets the importance of heart. One character experiences has a crisis of faith stemming from a relationship that put her at odds with the church, but ultimately comes back to the church.

Nonnas isnt a high-stakes drama or a sweeping romance. Its something better: a simple, soulful film that reminds us of the beauty in ordinary lives, the healing power of food, and the families  biological or chosen  that carry us through. It may be light in tone, with a few PG-rated moments of conflict, but its emotional authenticity is unmistakable. Youll smile, maybe tear up, and almost certainly leave the theater craving a plate of homemade pasta and the comfort of familiar company.

Nonnas, directed by Stephen Chbosky and written by Liz Maccie and starring Vince Vaughn, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, Joe Manganiello, Drea de Matteo, Campbell Scott, Michael Rispoli, with Linda Cardellini and Susan Sarandon is now streaming on Netflix.
A Lancaster County man will spend two to 10 years in prison after he seriously injured two people in a 2023 crash while under the influence of alcohol and driving with a suspended license, the county DAs office said.

Gary Testerman, 37, of Providence Township, was driving south on Lancaster Pike in a Ford Escape on Sept. 23, 2023 when he swerved into oncoming traffic and struck a GMC Terrain head-on just south of Mount Airy Road, according to police.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that China stands ready to work with Slovakia and other countries to jointly address challenges through solidarity and cooperation, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

It is hoped that Slovakia will actively contribute to the steady development and progress of China-European Union (EU) relations, Xi said.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Xi pointed out that promoting all-round, in-depth and high-level development of China-Slovakia relations serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and aligns with the historical trend of open cooperation and mutual benefit.

Noting that the important consensus reached by the two leaders during Fico's visit to China last November is being actively implemented, Xi said that the China-Slovakia strategic partnership is entering the "fast lane."

Xi said the two sides should continue to deepen traditional friendship, maintain close high-level exchanges, firmly support each other, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promote the steady and sustained growth of China-Slovakia and China-EU relations.

China welcomes Slovakia's participation as the guest country of honor at the fourth China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair, which will help boost exports of high-quality Slovak products to China, Xi said, adding that China is glad to see more Chinese enterprises invest and do business in Slovakia.

For his part, Fico said that deepening the Slovakia-China strategic partnership is among the top priorities of Slovakia's foreign policy.

Slovakia will firmly adhere to the one-China policy, actively advance friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance trade and investment collaboration, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, he said.

Noting that a healthy and stable EU-China relationship serves the common interests of both sides, Fico said Slovakia is committed to promoting the development of EU-China relations.

Slovakia supports major initiatives proposed by China, such as building a community with a shared future for mankind, and appreciates China's positions on and constructive role in issues related to Ukraine and the Middle East, he added.

The Slovak side stands ready to join efforts with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade rules, and maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, Fico said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)
A 46-year-old man had a woman by the hair and was holding a gun before he fired a shot that buzzed over the heads of responding police officers in Derry Township, according to charging documents released Friday.

Frazier Matthews, of Steelton, was charged with firearms violations and disorderly conduct in connection with the early Thursday incident that shut down a major thoroughfare in Dauphin County for several hours.

An affidavit of probable cause written by police gave this account:

Police were dispatched at 3:56 a.m. to the 200 block of West Governor Road for a domestic disturbance.

As officers drove to the scene, they received numerous calls reporting shots were fired in the area of West Governor Road, between Hockersville Road and Cocoa Avenue.

Within minutes, officers arrived and said a shot was fired towards them, with the bullet traveling above them, according to the affidavit.

Officers followed the direction of gunfire, and found Matthews in the first block of East Governor Road. He tried to avoid the officers by approaching a westbound vehicle.

The driver stopped, believing they may have hit Matthews, then Matthews started grabbing at the door handles. The doors were locked so Matthews walked away.

Police ordered Matthews to drop his weapon, which he did, then ran off, police say. Officers chased and arrested him. Police said a handgun was found in the road where he was arrested.

Police said Matthews had a plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine in his left front pants pocket.

Police found several spent shell casings in the 100 block of Governor Road.

Court documents say Matthews prior firearm conviction in New York made it illegal for him to possess a gun, and he didnt have a concealed carry permit, police said.

He was charged with possession of firearm while prohibited, firearms not to be carried without license, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct- engage in fighting and possession of a controlled substance.

Online court documents say Matthews preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 20.

The incident led to the closure of Route 322 (East Governor Road) from Route 743 (Cocoa Avenue.)
(L-R) Singer William DuVall, drummer Sean Kinney and guitarist-vocalist Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains perform at Hard Rock Live held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on August 11, 2015 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Larry Marano/Getty Images) Getty Images

Fans, friends and followers of the legendary rock band Alice in Chains are sending prayers its way, and specifically to founding member Sean Kinney, this weekend.

The outpouring of love comes after the band announced on Friday that it was cancelling the rest of its United States tour so that Kinney could concentrate on his health. The tour was slated to begin on Thursday at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, but the show was cancelled after Kinney suffered a medical emergency following soundcheck.

After careful consideration and following the advice of medical professionals, we have made the decision to cancel our upcoming festival performances and The Alice in Chains headline shows, the band said in a statement on Instagram. While we were all eager to return to the stage, Seans health is our top priority at this moment. Although the issue requires immediate attention, his long-term prognosis is positive.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and support during this time.

Oh my goodness, Sammy Hagar responded. So sorry to hear this from my dear friends prayers and much love coming your way Sean.

Wishing Sean the best, the Welcome To Rockville account responded.

We were at Mohegan Sun last night to see the show, another fan wrote. We sure were dissapointed when they told us the show was cancelled, but clad to hear the prognosis long-term is positive for Sean. Not sure what happened, there was no details.

Wishing you, Sean, a speedy recovery  take good care of yourself and feel better soon!" another person wrote.

There were plenty of prayers and love from other fans and artists, too, and you can see them on the post below.

Thursdays concert was reportedly cancelled just moments before doors were slated to open.

After our soundcheck this evening at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Sean (Kinney) experienced a non-life-threatening medical emergency, a post on the bands Instagram stories read following the cancellation. We unfortunately have to cancel tonights show. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

A fan at the show reportedly said that an announcement was made over the intercom at the Mohegan Sun at 7:45 p.m. letting fans know the show was cancelled. The event was slated to begin at 8 p.m.

No further details about Kinneys status were made available.

Ultimate Classic Rock said that Kinney, the bands drummer, co-founded Alice in Chains in 1987. The site said he has been one of two continuous members of the band, along with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, since.
Keep your wits about you in this expansive digital landscape. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images

Scams seem to be everywhere in this highly technological  and interconnected  age.

And the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently warning people about a recent scam thats started to emerge in Pennsylvania and beyond.

According to a public service announcement, the FBI would like the public to be wary of discount medical insurance scams.

Discount medical insurance scams involve misleading or fraudulent offers for medical insurance plans that promise reduced rates on legitimate medical insurance but do not provide any actual medical insurance coverage, resulting in millions of dollars of losses annually, the announcement explains.

These scams often target people who are looking for more affordable healthcare options and use misleading tactics such as stating to be a legitimate medical insurance provider, pressuring people to sign up quickly due to time limited special rates, or promising free services with hidden fees to lure people to sign up.

ConsumerAffairs reports that this is a multi-state scheme. One case in Pennsylvania involved a couple who was pressured to purchase such a plan; they then only found out they werent covered after something seemed amiss following medical visits.

A separate incident in Pennsylvania involved an individual getting contacted by a supposed healthcare representative: The representative urged the individual to hurriedly purchase a plan that would issue him a refund; this ended up not being so.

The FBI urges people to take certain precautions, including verifying the source of the medical plan offer via the Better Business Bureau or other sources. One could also check with their current providers to see if an offer is legitimate.

If you think you might have been the victim of any type of fraudulent activity, it is advised that you file a report with the FBIs Internet Crimes Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. And please include as much information as you possibly can, such as identifying information about the potential scammer.
Air traffic controllers directing planes into the Newark, New Jersey, airport briefly lost their radar Friday morning for the second time in two weeks, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

The air traffic controllers directing planes into the Newark, New Jersey, airport briefly lost their radar Friday morning for the second time in two weeks, renewing concerns about the nations aging air traffic control system that President Donald Trump wants to overhaul.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the radar at the facility in Philadelphia that directs planes in and out of Newark airport went black for 90 seconds at 3:55 a.m. Friday. Thats similar to what happened on April 28.

That first radar outage led to hundreds of flights being canceled or delayed at the Newark airport in the past two weeks after the FAA slowed down traffic at the airport to ensure safety. Five controllers also went on trauma leave after that outage, worsening the existing shortage. Its not clear if any additional controllers will go on leave now.

The number of cancellations of Newark departures jumped from the low 40s to 68 Friday after this latest outage to lead the nation, according to FlightAware.com. Newark ranks second in the number of canceled arrivals with 72, but that number also increased Friday morning. Nearly 400 delays were reported at the airport. Officials said there have been more than 1,700 cancellations and delays at the airport this week.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a briefing Friday morning that the glitch this morning at Newark was caused by the same issues as last week, but it didnt disrupt flights.

Everything went back online after the brief outage, and there was no operational impact, Leavitt said.

The latest Newark problems reinforce the need for the multi-billion-dollar plan Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday to replace the nations aging air traffic control system, Leavitt said. The plan is designed to prevent such problems from happening and give controllers modern technology. More than 4,600 new high-speed connections would be installed and 618 radars would be replaced across the country.

Officials developed the plan to upgrade the system after a deadly midair collision in January between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter killed 67 people in the skies over Washington, D.C. Several other crashes this year also put pressure on officials to act.

But the shortcomings of the air traffic control system have been known for decades. The National Transportation Safety Board has not determined that a problem with the air traffic control system caused that crash near Reagan National Airport.

These radar outages in such a crowded airspace are alarming because seconds matter, but Allied Pilots Association spokesman Capt. Dennis Tajer said its not an impending disaster that some are suggesting.

The system is wired to run really well when everythings functioning. But the most important part is that its prepared to function when things go wrong, Tajer said. Even when it sounds frightening, know that the air traffic controllers and the pilots have training and we go to that.

When pilots lose contact with controllers their first action is to continue on their last-directed path, but if the outage continues, pilots will start broadcasting their position to every other plane in the area  much like pilots do at small airports that dont have a control tower.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer blamed the problems that have plagued Newark on the lack of proper air traffic controller staffing and modern technology. He said at a news conference Friday that there are currently about 20 controllers working, and that number should be in the 60s. And many of the lines connecting controllers to the radar are outdated copper wires. He said the April 28 outage was caused by one of those copper wires getting fried.

Our region is a key economic artery for our country. Yet this region... one of the busiest air spaces in the world, as I mentioned, is running off a tower thats full of copper wire dating back to the 1980s with outdated and inefficient technology. And the region is short  and this is a big deal. The region is short about 40 air traffic controllers, Gottheimer said. He said the tower was built back in the Brady Bunch era in 1973.

The FAA said earlier this week that it is installing new fiber optic data lines to carry the radar signal between its facilities in Philadelphia and New York. Officials said some of the lines connecting those two facilities are outdated copper wire that will be replaced. But its not clear how quickly those repairs can be completed.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said its important that the FAA get the problems affecting the Newark airport fixed quickly.

Enough is enough. The connection between New York air space and the Philadelphia air traffic control center must be fixed now. The backup system that is not working must be fixed. Now, Schumer said. This is an air travel safety emergency that requires immediate and decisive action, not a promise of a big, beautiful unfunded overhaul that will take years to begin to implement.
FILE - Hundreds of people gather in Somerville, Mass., on March 26, 2025, to demand the release of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish student at Tufts University, who was arrested by federal agents Tuesday night. (AP Photo/Michael Casey, File) AP

A Tufts University student from Turkey was released from a Louisiana immigration detention center Friday, more than six weeks after she was arrested walking on the street of a Boston suburb.

U.S. District Judge William Sessions in Burlington ordered the release of Rumeysa Ozturk pending a final decision on her claim that shes been illegally detained following an op-ed she co-wrote last year that criticized the schools response to Israels war in Gaza. A photo provided by her legal team showed her outside, smiling with her attorneys in Louisiana, where the immigration proceedings will continue.

Despite an 11th hour attempt to delay her freedom by trying to force her to wear an ankle monitor, Rumeysa is now free and is excited to return home, free of monitoring or restriction, attorney Mahsa Khanbabai said.

Even before her release, Ozturks supporters cheered the decision, punctuating an earlier news conference held by her attorneys with chants of She is free!

What we heard from the court today is what we have been saying for weeks, and what courts have continued to repeat up and down through the litigation of this case thus far, Jessie Rossman, legal director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, told reporters. Theres absolutely no evidence that justifies detaining Ozturk for a single day, let alone the six and a half weeks that she has been detained, because she wrote a single op-ed in her student newspaper exercising her First Amendment right to express an opinion.

Appearing by video for her bail hearing, Ozturk, 30, detailed her growing asthma attacks in detention and her desire to finish her doctorate degree focusing on children and social media while appearing remotely at her bail hearing from the Louisiana center. She and her lawyer hugged after hearing the judges decision.

Completing my Ph.D. is very important to me, she testified. She had been on track to finish her work in December when she was arrested.

Ozturk was to be released on her own recognizance with no travel restrictions, Sessions said. He said she is not a danger to the community or a flight risk, but that he might amend his release order to consider any specific conditions by ICE in consultation with her lawyers.

Sessions said the government had offered no evidence about why Ozturk was arrested other than the op-ed.

This is a woman who is just totally committed to her academic career, Sessions said. This is someone who probably doesnt have a whole lot of other things going on other than reaching out to other members of the community in a caring and compassionate way.

A message seeking comment was emailed Friday afternoon to the U.S. Justice Departments Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Sessions told Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher he wants to know immediately when she is released.

Sessions said Ozturk raised serious concerns about her First Amendment and due process rights, as well as her health. She testified Friday that she has had 12 asthma attacks since her detention, starting with a severe one at the Atlanta airport.

I was afraid, and I was crying, she said.

Immigration officials surrounded Ozturk in Massachusetts on March 25 and drove her to New Hampshire and Vermont before putting her on a plane to a detention center in Basile, Louisiana. Her student visa had been revoked several days earlier, but she was not informed of that, her lawyers said.

Ozturks lawyers first filed a petition on her behalf in Massachusetts, but they did not know where she was and were unable to speak to her until more than 24 hours after she was detained. A Massachusetts judge later transferred the case to Vermont.

Ozturk was one of four students who wrote an op-ed in the campus newspaper, The Tufts Daily, last year criticizing the universitys response to student activists demanding that Tufts acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, disclose its investments and divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Ozturk said Friday that if she is released, Tufts would offer her housing and her lawyers and friends would drive her to future court hearings. She is expected to return to New England on Saturday at the earliest.

I will follow all the rules, she said.

A State Department memo said Ozturks visa was revoked following an assessment that her actions may undermine U.S. foreign policy by creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and indicating support for a designated terrorist organization including co-authoring an op-ed that found common cause with an organization that was later temporarily banned from campus.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in March, without providing evidence, that investigations found that Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group.

When did speaking up against oppression become a crime? When did speaking up against genocide become something to be imprisoned for? Khanbabai asked. I am thankful that the courts have been ruling in favor of detained political prisoners, like Rumeysa.
Davere McClain is charged with killing Kevin Cagle in Williamsport in 2023 and with a co-defendant dumping his body along Interstate 80. John Beauge

WILLIAMSPORT  Incriminating testimony by a co-defendant provided most of the evidence that resulted in a Williamsport man being held for court in a 2023 homicide, body dumping case.
The scene of a fatal shooting on State Street in Harrisburg on June 23, 2024. Zack Hoopes

A newly-released tape of the 911 call that preceded last summers shooting death near Harrisburgs St. Patrick Cathedral doesnt answer all questions.

But it certainly documents the frantic and final escalation of a road-rage incident that left Paul Kattouf, 52, laying dead in the 200 block of State Street.
Ice agents surround U.S. Rep LaMonica McIver (red jacket), U.S. Rep Bonnie Coleman (tan jacket), and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka outside Delaney Hall in Newark on Friday, May 9, 2025. Michael Dempsey | For NJ Advance

ICE officers arrested the mayor of Newark Friday afternoon in a violent struggle just outside the gates of a privately operated immigrant detention facility that he had opposed.

About 2:40 p.m., ICE officers in combat fatigues forcibly arrested Mayor Ras Baraka outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention facility in Newark as a crowd of city officials and immigrant rights advocates tried to encircle him to prevent his arrest.

After a struggle, ICE agents physically dragged Baraka through the gate and placed him in handcuffs before leading him toward the entrance to a building at the facility.

As agents tried to handcuff Baraka, he could be heard, calmly, saying, My hands are right there. My hands are right there.

It was unclear why he was arrested.

U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Baraka was trespassing and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to leave the property.

He has willingly chosen to disregard the law, she said on X. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

Gov. Phil Murphy called the arrest unjust and demanded Barakas immediate release by federal law enforcement.

READ MORE: Its absurd. Politicians protest arrest of N.J. mayor outside immigrant detention center

Baraka, whos running as a Democrat in the states June gubernatorial primary, was outside the gates of Delaney Hall with three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation - U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman - who had come to inspect the facility.

The representatives had been allowed into a building at the facility. However, Baraka was allowed to enter the gates to the facility but wasnt allowed into the building with the other elected representatives.

When the representatives left the building and walked toward the gate opening, where Baraka was standing, Baraka was told he had to go outside the gate. Then, an aide to one of the congresspeople informed Baraka that ICE had talked of arresting him.

Moments later, that is what happened. The congressional aide yelled to a crowd of about 40 protesters to surround the mayor to try and prevent his arrest. And they did.

Pushing and pulling ensued with congresspeople in the middle. Watson, a short, elderly woman, found herself in the middle of a frightful scene.

The citys top lawyer, Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart, was by the mayors side during much of the incident. But Stewart, who was not arrested, said he did not know why the mayor was taken into custody.

Advocates had already been pressed against the front gate, yelling, ICE out of Jersey!

Before the mayors arrest, protesters and elected officials told an unidentified ICE supervisor he should treat the mayor with respect.

Amiri Baraka Jr., the mayors brother and chief of staff, shook his head in disbelief at the arrest, stating, It doesnt make any sense. It doesnt make any sense.

Baraka and other city officials went to Delaney Hall to serve summonses on its private owner-operator, the GEO Group of Boca Raton, Florida.

The summonses assert that GEO has refused to grant fire and code officials access to Delaney Hall and has placed a padlock on the gate, violating state law.

City officials had tried to serve the summonses on the GEO Group on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when a company representative refused to accept them each time, forcing city officials to leave them on the gate, a retractable chain link fence topped with razor wire.

Baraka was at the gate on Tuesday and Wednesday seeking access to the facility, but was also turned away.

The GEO Groups unarmed civilian security guards were joined at the gate by the armed ICE officers on Wednesday and Thursday.

Immigrant rights groups have staged daily protests outside the facility.

In a lawsuit against the GEO Group, the city has asserted that the company must obtain a new certificate of occupancy, or CO, for Delaney Halls reopening as an immigrant detention center.

The GEO Group has insisted that a CO previously issued by the city remains valid, an assertion backed by McLaughlin on Thursday, when she also dismissed the citys arguments that the contractor had endangered Delaney Hall workers and detainees.
Jo-Ann Snyder reacts when she sees a check from Publishers Clearing House at her home in Wilkes-Barre Township, Penn., on Feb. 23, 2018. Aimee Dilger/The Times Leader via AP

Publishers Clearing House was a dream for folks of a certain age.

Through the 1980s and into the 1990s it was not uncommon to see the commercials on television of folks being surprised at their door with an oversized $1 million dollar check. Your mom or grandmother, maybe even you, probably dreamed of getting that knock and cashing that big old check.

And, believe it or not, plenty of folks did get the knock from Publishers Clearing House as it reportedly paid out more than $618 million in prizes while also reportedly donating millions to veterans causes and childrens hospitals.

Some folks really did live the dream, and apparently the payouts kept coming right on into recent years.

But, alas, Publishers Clearing House was fueled by the magazine industry, and that has fallen off substantially across the past 20 years or so. According to The Street, print publication advertising revenue dropped from $20 billion in 2007 to $2.3 billion in 2023. The site said that Publishers Clearing House tried to expand to e-commerce, but it just couldnt make up for the lost money.

And, in 2023, The Street said Publishers Clearing House was also ordered to pay out $18.5 million to customers who believed they were victims of misleading claims.

And with all of those factors coming together, Publishers Clearing House LLC is struggling to stay afloat.

According to The Street, the company filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on May 1. That motion seeks approval to sell all or substantially all of its assets as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, per the site.

Publishers Clearing House proposed the auction in an attempt to preserve its intellectual property and perhaps save the brand, the site reported. The business also reportedly got a loan from Prestige Capital Finance LLC., so that it can continue, at least for now.

Per The Street, the companys assets included intellectual property, an extensive customer database, and brand recognition.

The company first field for Chapter 11 protection on April 9.

While it is attempting to stay afloat, things dont appear to be looking good for the company that many folks dreamed might knock on their door and deliver a big old check, back in the day.
Weeks after a 33-year-old womans body was found in the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, mystery continues to surround her death.

April Wefler was found near the shoreline on April 18 in West Hempfield Township, between the Wrights Ferry Bridge and Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Wefler, a Lancaster resident, was discovered at about 3:17 p.m. but wasnt immediately identified. Her family reported her missing the next day when they couldnt get in touch with her.
Tourists visit the Huangshan Scenic Area in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 20, 2024 shows tourists visiting the Tiandu Peak as it resumed opening in Huangshan Scenic Area in east China's Anhui Province. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Photo by Shi Yalei/Xinhua)

Wu Yijun, a senior engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, checks the condition of an ancient pine through telescope at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

This combo photo shows the Guest-Greeting Pine, an iconic landmark of Huangshan Mountain, in east China's Anhui Province, taken on Jan. 5, 2018, Oct. 13, 2020, Feb. 18, 2022 and July 20, 2021 (from top L, clockwise). Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Photo by Hu Xiaochun/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on May 20, 2024 shows tourists visiting the Tiandu Peak as it resumed opening in Huangshan Scenic Area in east China's Anhui Province. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Photo by Shi Yalei/Xinhua)

Tang Mingxia, an engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, collects sample of forestry disease at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 22, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

This photo taken on Oct. 20, 2022 shows the Lianhua Peak of Huangshan Scenic Area in east China's Anhui Province. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Photo by Fan Chengzhu/Xinhua)

Staff members of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee conduct inspection at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 22, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Wu Yijun, a senior engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, checks the condition of a pine through telescope at Huangshan Scenic Area, in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Photo by Zhang Duan/Xinhua)

Tourists enjoy the view of Huangshan Scenic Area in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Foreign tourists take selfies in front of the Guest-Greeting Pine, an iconic landmark of Huangshan Mountain, in east China's Anhui Province, on Sept. 12, 2024. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Photo by Shi Yalei/Xinhua)

Staff workers of Huangshan Scenic Area Yu Yangyang and Sheng Zeyang (L) conduct inspection on historical stone carvings at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Wu Yijun, a senior engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, identifies the forestry pests through microscope in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Tourists watch the sunrise at the Guest-Greeting Pine, an iconic landmark of Huangshan Mountain, in east China's Anhui Province, on Jan. 1, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan)

Staff workers of Huangshan Scenic Area Yu Yangyang and Sheng Zeyang (L) conduct inspection on historical stone carvings at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Wu Yijun, a senior engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, checks the forestry pests at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 22, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Wu Yijun, a senior engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, keeps record of plant location at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 22, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

A staff worker conducts inspection at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 23, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Wu Yijun, a senior engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, collects samples of infected leaves at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 22, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

This photo taken on April 23, 2025 shows a scene of the Huangshan Scenic Area in east China's Anhui Province. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Tang Mingxia, an engineer of the parks and woods bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area management committee, checks the condition of a plant at Lianhua Peak of Huangshan in east China's Anhui Province, on April 22, 2025. Huangshan Mountain is a listed UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, which has attracted a large number of tourists.

To minimize the impact of visitors on its vegetation growth, the Huangshan Scenic Area rotates days off for its major scenic spots, as a special arrangement for ecological protection.

The Tiandu Peak, one of the most popular sites in the Huangshan scenic area, ended its more than five-year "vacation" and resumed opening to the public on May 20, 2024. While the Lianhua Peak, the highest peak of Huangshan Mountain, has been so far closed for more than a year. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)
By Mark S. Singel

As Leo XIV settles into his duties as the first American Pope the world has already taken note of his willingness to speak out on social issues. He appears to have the same passion for the poor and oppressed that Pope Francis displayed. He has called out leaders who treat immigrants as subhumans. His compass is pointed toward morality at a time when certain world leaders wallow in their immorality.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that China and Venezuela are good partners of mutual trust and common development, and China will, as always, firmly support Venezuela in safeguarding sovereignty, national dignity and social stability.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Noting that China and Venezuela have forged an ironclad friendship amid the changing international situation, Xi said that since the two countries elevated the bilateral relations to an all-weather strategic partnership in 2023, exchanges across various sectors and at all levels have been vigorous, bilateral trade has grown continuously, new progress has been made in investment cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and friendship between the two sides has become increasingly popular among the two peoples.

Xi said China has always viewed and developed relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to enhance the exchange of governance experiences with Venezuela, continue to deepen practical cooperation in various areas and take bilateral ties to new heights, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

China is ready to work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries to firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and promote the steady and sustained progress in building a community with a shared future between China and Latin America and the Caribbean, Xi said.

For his part, Maduro said China is a great friend of Venezuela, expressing his gratitude for China's longstanding and selfless support in helping his country safeguard national sovereignty and advance economic and social development.

Venezuela is looking forward to strengthening its all-weather strategic partnership with China, and deepening cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, science and technology, education and other fields for more tangible results, so as to better benefit the two peoples, he said.

Noting that Xi's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind has opened up bright prospects for world peace and development, Maduro said Venezuela is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to uphold multilateralism, defend international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the international community. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)
Did Poker Player Angle Shoot in Crucial Hand During Major Tournament Final Table?

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

Saturday's 5,300 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte-Carlo Main Event final table had a bit of controversy when allegations of angle shooting arose.

Jamil Wakil, a Canadian player, busted in sixth place out of 1,195 entrants for 199,750. His run could have been even deeper had he not found himself in an unfortunate situation against Aleksandr Shevliakov, whose actions were even questioned by the livestream commentators.

Follow PokerNews EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event Live Coverage

Did Poker Player Angle Shoot?

Aleksandr Shevliakov

Shevliakov, a Russian, entered the final session second in chips behind Boris Angelov, who finished fifth for $2.5 million in the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Angelov busted in third place for 439,200 on Saturday. But he witnessed an interesting hand prior to his elimination.

That hand involved Wakil, the under-the-gun player with QJ, raising it up to 270,000 from the 120,000 big blind. Action folded to Shevliakov, seated in the small blind with AK. He paused for a moment before nonchalantly tossing in 360,000, more chips than Wakil's raise but fewer than a legal three-bet size.

The floor manager was called over to rule on the situation, and she determined Shevliakov was obligated to make his raise to 420,000, the minimum raise size required.

The big blind folded, leaving Wakil with a tough decision being unaware if his opponent was angle shooting with a monster hand or if Shevliakov didn't catch the initial raise and thought he was in a blind-versus-blind situation. Wakil, the shorter stack with 3.6 million chips behind, had to choose between moving all in, calling, or less likely, folding.

"Personally, I don't know exactly what I'd do here, because if you think you're up against 50-60 percent, maybe as much as 80 percent of the hands, this becomes a really easy shove." PokerStars ambassador Fintan Hand said of Wakil's situation. "But, oh man, this would mess with my head. I don't know what I would do."

Parker Talbot, a co-commentator, said "I would just call."

Wakil, however, decided to move all in, perhaps assuming Shevliakov had a wider range given he potentially raised on the assumption he only had the big blind behind him. Shevliakov snap-called and the board ran out 10736K, sending Wakil, who had just queen-high, home in sixth place.

Wakil congratulated the final five players on his way out, but before leaving the feature table, he asked Angelov, "he did it against someone else?" That was in reference to Shevliakov possibly angle shooting.

"Yeah, like 20th people," suggesting Shevliakov had a similar prior incident.

Shevliakov denied angle shooting to Wakil.

"If he didn't tell me you just did it to someone else, I mean," Wakil responded, suspicious that an angle shot occured.

At the time of publishing, Shevliakov was heads-up for the title and 1,000,000 first place prize against Khossein Kokhestani. PokerNews is live reporting the action, and PokerStars is handling the livestreaming duties.

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A total of 355 entries were recorded on Day 1b of the $5,300 Main Event of the 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party, all looking for a spot in Day 2 at the Merit Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. After twelve levels of poker, 86 players survived the days grind, securing their place in the next stage of the tournament.

Ending as one of the chip leaders for the flight and the only player to bag a stack over the three-million mark was Russias Viktor Mukhin, with 3,060,000. Following behind is Artsiom Lasouski of Belarus, who finished with 2,780,000. A significant portion of Lasouskis stack was gained in the final level of the day, where his pocket jacks held up against Naji Tannourys top pair top kicker.

Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Dmitry Kataev Russian Federation 3,400,000 113 2 Viktor Mukhin Russian Federation 3,060,000 102 3 Iurii Okolovich Russian Federation 2,945,000 98 4 Aleksandr Blokhin Russian Federation 2,825,000 94 5 Anatoly Zlotnikov Russian Federation 2,785,000 93 6 Artsiom Lasouski Belarus 2,780,000 93 7 Roman Timergazin Russian Federation 2,360,000 79 8 Amir Hassan Tunisia 2,240,000 75 9 Cristian Ciurea Romania 2,200,000 73 10 Viacheslav Larin Russian Federation 2,135,000 71

Anatoliy Zlotnikov

Also near the top is Anatoliy Zlotnikov with a stack of approximately 2,700,000. Irans Hadi Khordbin also made it into the top ten. Khordbin found himself at risk in the first level of the day, holding a set of sevens against Anton Vinkurovs pocket kings. However, clean turn and river cards allowed Khordbin to double up almost immediately after sitting down to play the Main Event.

Some of the other notables to have survived today include Chris Da Silva with around 1,800,000 chips, Tommy G, and the Merit Poker Carmen Series Main Event champion Nenad Dukic. A few others also returning to the baize on Sunday are Dmitrii Kopyl, Roman Stoika, Mihai Niste, and bracelet winner Daniel Smiljkovic.

Mihai Niste

Tomorrow at noon, Day 1c, the third of the five opening flights, will see arrivals look to make their mark in the Main Event. Day 1c will follow the same structure as the previous two flights, while Days 1d and 1e will feature a turbo format with 20-minute blind levels. Survivors from all opening flights will return on Sunday, May 11, for Day 2.

Remaining Main Event Schedule

Day Date Time Blind Levels Day 1c May 10 12:00 p.m. 40 minutes (10 levels) + 50 minutes (2 levels) Day 1d May 10 9:00 p.m. 20 minutes Day 1e May 11 12:00 p.m. 20 minutes Day 2 May 11 6:00 p.m. 50 minutes Day 3 May 12 12:00 p.m. 60 minutes Final Day May 13 12:00 p.m. 60 minutes

Stay tuned to PokerNews tomorrow, as we bring you all the action, drama, excitement, and huge hands from the third day of the $5,300 Main Event here inside the Merit Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Friday that China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty, and opposing foreign interference and blockade.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The Chinese side also supports Cuba's efforts to promote economic and social development, said Xi, adding that the two sides, both as important members of the Global South, should enhance coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the BRICS and the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, oppose power politics and unilateral bullying, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Xi recalled that he has met with Diaz-Canel on many occasions in recent years, saying that they have jointly led China-Cuba relations into a new stage featuring deeper political mutual trust, closer strategic coordination and more solid popular support.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cuba, Xi said, adding that China is willing to further consolidate the ironclad friendship with Cuba, build a closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, and set an example of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among developing countries.

Xi called on both sides to promote steady progress in exchanges at all levels and cooperation in various fields, and ensure that high-level political mutual trust always remains a distinct feature of relations between the two ruling parties and the two countries.

For his part, Diaz-Canel said Cuba and China are close friends and brothers, adding that his country appreciates China's long-term strong support for Cuba's economic and social development.

The Cuban side, he said, firmly abides by the one-China principle, and is ready to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance friendly people-to-people exchanges, promote coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and deepen the efforts of the building of a community with a shared future, so as to promote a greater development of bilateral relations.

He also said that Cuba supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, and is willing to work with China to jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and to safeguard the common interests of the international community. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)
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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.
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Education Lab Reporter

Ian Grenier covers K-12 and higher education in South Carolina from Columbia. Originally from Charleston, he studied history and political science at USC and reported for the Victoria Advocate in South Texas before joining The Post and Courier.
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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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Periods of rain. Rain may be heavy late. High near 85F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

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Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 73F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche has announced plans to invest 2.04 billion yuan in building a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Shanghai, strengthening its localization strategy in the Chinese market.
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 9, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Ibotta, Inc. (NYSE:IBTA) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or call (212) 363-7500 to speak to our team of experienced shareholder advocates.THE LAWSUIT: This lawsuit is on behalf of persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded Ibotta securities pursuant and/or traceable to documents issued in connection with Ibotta's April 18, 2024 initial public offering.CASE DETAILS: According to the filed complaint, defendants made false statements and/or concealed that they did not properly warn investors of the risks concerning Ibotta's contract with The Kroger Co. ("Kroger"). Kroger's contract was at-will, and Ibotta failed to warn investors that a large client could cancel their contract with Ibotta without warning. Despite providing a detailed explanation of the terms of Ibotta's contract with Walmart, there was not a single warning of the at-will nature of Kroger's contract. Rather than disclosing the very real risk of a major client walking away at any time, Ibotta provided boilerplate warnings concerning the importance of maintaining ongoing relationships with their clients.WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Ibotta stock during the relevant time frame - even if you still hold your shares - go to https://zlk.com/pslra-1/ibotta-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=147832&wire=1 to learn about your rights to seek a recovery. There is no cost or obligation to participate.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 10, 2025 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Compass Diversified ("CODI" or the "Company") (NYSE:CODI). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.The investigation concerns whether CODI and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.[Click here for information about joining the class action]On May 7, 2025, CODI issued a press release "disclosing non-reliance on its financial statements for fiscal 2024 amid an ongoing internal investigation into its subsidiary, Lugano Holding, Inc." and "announcing that it intends to delay the filing of its first quarter 2025 Form 10-Q." The press release disclosed that "[t]he Audit Committee of CODI's Board of Directors promptly launched an investigation after CODI's senior leadership was made aware of concerns about how Lugano was potentially financing inventory" and that "[t]he investigation . . . is ongoing but has preliminarily identified irregularities in Lugano's non-CODI financing, accounting, and inventory practices." Accordingly, "after discussing with senior leadership and investigators, the Audit Committee of CODI's Board has concluded that the previously issued financial statements for 2024 require restatement and should no longer be relied upon." On this news, CODI's stock price fell $10.70 per share, or 62.03%, to close at $6.55 per share on May 8, 2025.The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
SACRAMENTO, the United States, May 9 (Xinhua) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched an aggressive digital campaign to counter what he calls a flood of misinformation.

The initiative, anchored by the website CaliforniaFacts.com, aims to provide fact-based responses to false claims about the state's economy, immigration policies, crime rates and wildfire prevention.

"We're going to push back in real time, with facts and with data," Newsom told The Sacramento Bee.

The campaign comes as California continues to be a frequent target of national political attacks, especially since the start of the 2024 presidential election cycle, according to the report.

Newsom has engaged directly on socia media platforms, including U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social network, where he posts rebuttals to misleading claims. "They use these platforms to misinform. We'll use them to inform," he said.

Newsom has also expanded his communication strategy with a podcast series where he discusses state policy, addresses public concerns, and debunks what he called false narratives.

According to Politico, Newsom has framed the campaign as a national service, emphasizing that California -- now the world's fourth-largest economy -- is often misrepresented.

CaliforniaFacts.com features verified data to counter common right-wing talking points, highlighting, for example, that the state's GDP has surpassed 4 trillion U.S. dollars, outpacing Germany and Japan. The site also addresses claims about border security and immigration, noting that enforcement is primarily a federal responsibility.

In response to conspiracy theories following January wildfires near Los Angeles, Newsom's office launched the California Fire Facts website to explain the roles of forest management, firefighting infrastructure and climate change.

Analysts view the campaign as part of Newsom's growing national profile. While he has denied any plans to run for president in 2028, his high-profile defense of California aligns with broader Democratic efforts to combat alleged disinformation and promote fact-based discourse.

Whether the campaign will change public opinion remains uncertain, but Newsom is undeterred. "We can't cede the conversation," he said. "We owe it to the public to set the record straight." 
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MUNICH, DE / ACCESS Newswire / May 9, 2025 / Mynaric AG (OTC PINK:MYNAY)(MOYFF) (ISIN: US62857X1019) (FRA:M0YN) (ISIN: DE000A31C305) (the "Company") announces the early disbursement of up to USD 10.5 million from the already agreed USD 25 million restructuring facility by its existing lenders due to delays in StaRUG proceedings.On February 7, 2025, the Company had announced, among other things, that it resolved on commencing restructuring proceedings in accordance with the German Corporate Stabilization and Restructuring Act (Gesetz uber den Stabilisierungs- und Restrukturierungsrahmen fur Unternehmen) ("StaRUG") and on a loan agreement with its U.S.-based lenders CO FINANCE II LVS I LLC and OC III LVS LIII LP (the "U.S. Lenders") pursuant to which the U.S. Lenders agreed to provide restructuring loans in the amount of USD 25 million (the "Restructuring Facility") to cover expected capital needs to support the Company's production plan and to fund its ongoing operations in accordance with its restructuring plan. The Company submitted the final restructuring plan to the competent restructuring court in Munich in March 2025. The court today set the discussion and voting meeting (Erorterungs- und Abstimmungstermin) for May 28, 2025. The Company expects the StaRUG proceedings to close in late Q2/2025 or the first of half of Q3/2025.To secure its current operational and working capital needs, the Company today entered into an amendment to the Restructuring Facility, pursuant to which the U.S. Lenders agreed to disburse loans under the Restructuring Facility in a total amount of up to USD 10.5 million earlier than initially contemplated (the "Early Payout Loans"). The Early Payout Loans are in addition to the USD 95 million loans and the USD 49.5 million bridge loans that the U.S. Lenders provided in the past.The Restructuring Facility (including the Early Payout Loans) will be provided to the Company and guaranteed by each of its subsidiaries and bears interest at a rate of 8% p.a. The disbursement of the Early Payout Loans is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the execution of a guarantee agreement by the Company and each of its subsidiaries. The Company expects to satisfy such conditions and have the Early Payout Loans fully available by May 12, 2025. The Restructuring Facility (including the Early Payout Loans) will mature on December 31, 2028 and may be terminated early upon, among other things, certain customary events of default.The disbursement of the Early Payout Loans will accordingly reduce the remaining available commitments under the Restructuring Facility. The availability of the remainder is subject to the satisfaction of certain further conditions, including the approval of the restructuring plan and the grant of security. The Company expects to satisfy such conditions and all other applicable conditions.In connection with the amendments to the Restructuring Facility to allow for the disbursement of the Early Payout Loans, the Company agreed to certain additional restrictive covenants vis-a-vis the U.S. Lenders, including the operation of its and its subsidiaries' businesses in the ordinary course of business and the retention of the status quo of their operations until the closing of the sale of the U.S. Lenders' future interest in the Company. The Company learned from a press release published by Rocket Lab USA, Inc. on March 11, 2025 that Rocket Lab and the U.S. Lenders had entered into a non-binding term sheet regarding the U.S. Lenders' future interest in the Company subject to the execution of definitive agreements, the completion of the StaRUG restructuring and the receipt of regulatory approvals. The Company is not party to the term sheet or the definitive agreements.About MynaricMynaric (OTC: MYNAY, MYOYFF) (FRA: M0YN) is leading the industrial revolution of laser communications by producing optical communications terminals for air, space and mobile applications. Laser communication networks provide connectivity from the sky, allowing for ultra-high data rates and secure, long-distance data transmission between moving objects for wireless terrestrial, mobility, airborne- and space-based applications. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with additional locations in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit mynaric.com Forward-Looking StatementThis release includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical or current facts contained in this release, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, industry dynamics, business strategy and plans and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements represent our opinions, expectations, assumptions, beliefs, intentions, estimates or strategies regarding the future, which may not be realized. Forward looking statements are often indicated by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "look forward to," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target" "will," "would" and/or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements.The forward-looking statements included in this release are based largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict or are beyond our control, and actual results may differ materially from those expected or implied as forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to (i) the impact of any geopolitical tensions on the global economy, our industry and markets as well as our business, (ii) risks related to our limited operating history, our history of significant losses and the execution of our business strategy, (iii) risks related to our ability to successfully manufacture and deploy our products and risks related to serial production of our products, (iv) risks related to our sales cycle which can be long and complicated, (v) risks related to our limited experience with order processing, our dependency on third-party suppliers and external procurement risks, (vi) risks related to defects or performance problems in our products, (vii) effects of competition an
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 10, 2025 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. ("BigBear" or the "Company") (NYSE:BBAI) and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia , and docketed under 25-cv-00623, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired BigBear securities between March 31, 2022 and March 25, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.If you are an investor who purchased or otherwise acquired BigBear securities during the Class Period, you have until June 10, 2025 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.[Click here for information about joining the class action]BigBear is an artificial intelligence - driven technology solutions company. The Company purportedly offers national security, supply chain management, and digital identity and biometrics solutions.In June 2021, BigBear.ai Holdings entered into a merger agreement (the "Merger Agreement") with GigCapital4, Inc. ("GigCapital4"), a special purpose acquisition company, GigCapital4 Merger Sub Corporation ("Merger Sub"), and BBAI Ultimate Holdings. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub first merged with and into BigBear.ai Holdings, with BigBear.ai Holdings being the surviving entity in the merger (the "First Merger"). Then, immediately following the First Merger, BigBear.ai Holdings merged with and into GigCapital4, with GigCapital4 being the surviving entity in the merger (the "Second Merger," and together with the First Merger, the "Mergers," and together with the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, the "Business Combination"). On December 7, 2021, the Mergers were consummated and GigCapital4, Inc. was renamed as BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc.Upon completion of the Business Combination, BigBear issued $200 million of unsecured convertible notes-debt instruments that can be converted into equity at a future date-due to mature on December 15, 2026 (the "2026 Convertible Notes" or "2026 Notes"). The 2026 Convertible Notes bear interest at a rate of 6.0% per annum, payable semi-annually, and not including any interest payments that are settled with the issuance of shares, and were convertible into 17,391,304 shares of the Company's common stock at an initial Conversion Price of $11.50. Convertible notes are often classified as long-term debt and as such, consistent with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), they must be accounted for in a company's quarterly and annual reports as liabilities until they reach maturity, at which point they either convert to equity or are repaid as principal and interest.BigBear uses the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC")-the single source of United States ("U.S") GAAP-to account "for all transactions and events in which it obtains control over one or more other businesses (even if less than 100% ownership is acquired), to recognize the fair value of all assets and liabilities assumed and to establish the acquisition date fair value as of the measurement date." Accordingly, because the Business Combination qualified as such a transaction, BigBear was required to account for it, and its issuance of the 2026 Convertible Notes therewith, in accordance with the ASC.Under ASC 815-15, an entity is required to bifurcate and separately account for a feature or derivative embedded within a host contract (such as the conversion option within the 2026 Convertible Notes) if: (1) the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics of the host contract; (2) the hybrid instrument is not remeasured at fair value under otherwise applicable GAAP with changes in fair value reported in earnings as they occur; and (3) a separate freestanding instrument with the same terms as the embedded derivative would meet the definition of a derivative and would not qualify for a "derivative scope exception." An embedded derivative may qualify for a scope exception if, for example, it meets the requirements of ASC 815-40, which covers contracts issued or held by an entity that are both indexed to its own stockand classified in stockholders' equity in its statement of financial position. If an embedded feature qualifies for a derivative scope exception, the entity does not separate it from the host contract and the entity accounts for the entire instrument (assuming no other embedded features require bifurcation) in accordance with other U.S. GAAP. Therefore, whether BigBear was required to bifurcate the conversion option within the 2026 Convertible Notes as a derivative was dependent, in part, upon the conversion option's qualification for a derivative scope exception.The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) BigBear maintained deficient accounting review policies related to the reporting and disclosure of certain non-routine, unusual, or complex transactions; (ii) as a result, the Company incorrectly determined that the conversion option within the 2026 Convertible Notes qualified for the derivative scope exception under ASC 815-40 and failed to bifurcate the conversion option as required by ASC 815-15; (iii) accordingly, BigBear had improperly accounted for the 2026 Convertible Notes; (iv) the foregoing error caused BigBear to misstate various items in several of the Company's previously issued financial statements; (v) as a result, these financial statements were inaccurate and would likely need to be restated; (vi) BigBear would require extra time and expense to correct the inaccurate financial statements, thereby increasing the risk that the Company wou
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 9, 2025 /WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Eldorado Gold Corporation (NYSE:EGO) resulting from allegations that Eldorado Gold may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.SO WHAT: If you purchased Eldorado Gold securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=37849 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On February 5, 2025, Eldorado Gold issued a press release in which it provided an update on the construction progress on its Skouries Project. In pertinent part, this announcement stated that "[a]s previously disclosed, labour market tightness in Greece, particularly pronounced in construction, has continued to limit the availability of key construction personnel at Skouries, resulting in a slower ramp-up of the workforce and delayed progress in certain areas of the Project." Further, Eldorado announced that "[f]irst production at Skouries is now expected in the first quarter of 2026, followed by commercial production expected in mid-2026." On this news, Eldorado Gold's stock fell 11.2% on February 6, 2025.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
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Orsted Achieves Strong Results Despite Market VolatilitySINGAPORE / ACCESS Newswire / May 9, 2025 / Sycamine Capital Management highlights Orsted's robust first-quarter performance for 2025, emphasizing the company's resilience amid ongoing market challenges. The Danish renewable energy leader achieved an adjusted EBITDA of approximately USD 1.26 billion (DKK 8.6 billion), marking a significant 14% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing analyst expectations despite ongoing supply chain and regulatory pressures.Operational efficiency notably improved, with margins rising to 42.8 from 39.1% year-on-year, demonstrating effective operational management and strategic adaptability in a volatile economic environment.A key driver behind these strong results was the successful commissioning of Germany's 900 MW Gode Wind 3 offshore wind farm, which recorded an impressive asset availability rate of 97% over the preceding 12-month period. This operational excellence significantly enhanced profitability within Orsted's core offshore wind segment, contributing substantially to its quarterly success.Richard Kelly, Director of Private Clients at Sycamine Capital Management, recognizes Orsted's strategic approach, noting the company's capability to maintain "robust financial discipline and operational excellence despite ongoing sector headwinds." In a strategic effort to preserve capital efficiency, Orsted recently cancelled the UK-based 2,400 MW Hornsea 4 offshore wind project. Anticipated breakaway costs are projected between USD 500 million and USD 650 million, reflecting prudent management amid rising costs and increased financing pressures. Kelly observes that Orsted clearly appreciates "the importance of balancing immediate financial realities with sustainable long-term value." Despite this significant decision, Orsted confidently reaffirms its full-year EBITDA guidance of between USD 3.66 billion and USD 4.10 billion, indicating sustained confidence in its diversified and flexible portfolio. The company's proactive stance effectively prepares it to manage future market and regulatory challenges, particularly in the US, where recent tariff changes have notably impacted project costs.Sycamine Capital Management emphasizes Orsted's disciplined financial approach and robust operational execution, positioning the company advantageously within the renewable energy sector's evolving landscape.About Sycamine CapitalEstablished in 2008, Sycamine Capital Management Pte. Ltd. (UEN: 200804809G) provides investors with strategic advantages through rigorous analytical insights, consistently anticipating market trends. For additional insights, please visit https://scmgt.com/sycamine-investment-focus-articles/ . Media enquiries can be directed to Simon Lau at simon.lau@scmgt.com , or visit https://scmgt.com SOURCE: Sycamine Capital Management
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 9, 2025 /WHY: New York, N.Y., May 9, 2025. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of TFI International Inc. (NYSE:TFII) between April 26, 2024 and February 19, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important May 13, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline.SO WHAT: If you purchased TFI International securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the TFI International class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=36984 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 13, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) TFI International was losing small and medium business customers; (2) as a result, TFI's TForce Freight revenue was declining; (3) TFI International was experiencing difficulties managing its costs; (4) as a result of the foregoing, the profitability of its largest business segment was declining; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about TFI International's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.To join the TFI International class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=36984 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.---Contact Information:Laurence Rosen, Esq.Phillip Kim, Esq.The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.275 Madison Avenue, 40th FloorNew York, NY 10016Tel: (212) 686-1060Toll Free: (866) 767-3653Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@ rosenlegal.comwww.rosenlegal.com SOURCE: The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
This is the tenth in the series of articles being written to advise the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on what must be done in order to grow the non-export volume to match and even surpass that of crude oil and gas exports. In this edition, the focus will be on the policies relating increasing volume of production of exportable solid minerals resources in order to boost the volume of Nigerian raw and processed minerals that are exported to different markets around the world

This policy is therefore aimed at growing the non-oil export volume by increasing the production volume of solid minerals in order to make the Nigerian mineral sector become a major contributor to the Nigerian export basket. This entails putting together different initiatives that will support and help the miners increase the output from their mining activities and consequently the export volume. This government policy will therefore involve the provision of different incentives and support to reduce the cost of exploration and mining exportable solid minerals .

To determine the vital components of the policies that the Nigerian government can use to boost the production volume in the Nigeria solid minerals sector, I would like to recommend what the top mining countries in the world have done to grow the sector. The countries that will be used as case studies include China, Australia and Russia.

The policies implemented by China which has led to a significant increase in its solid minerals production and export include investments in infrastructure, government incentives, research and development, regulatory frameworks, highly skilled workforce and sustainable mining practices.

Therefore the Nigerian policy on increasing solid mineral production and export should prioritise upgrading existing transportation infrastructure and building new roads and rail lines to mining regions. The government can seek partnerships with private investors and international development agencies to fund these improvements. In addition to this, the policy should also include the establishment of a dedicated mining development fund to provide grants, low-interest loans, and incentives for companies that invest in exploration and operational activities.

The policy should also Include the enforcement of regulations that require environmentally sustainable practices in mining operations, including regular environmental impact assessments and adherence to restoration protocols.

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Furthermore, this policy should encourage collaboration between research institutions and the mining industry by offering grants for R&D projects focused on mining technologies and sustainable practices. Establishing innovation hubs can stimulate more exploration and technology development.

This policy must also streamline the mining regulations to reduce bureaucracy. Establishing clear guidelines for permits and licenses, as well as ensuring transparency in the process, will enhance investor confidence. Also the policy should include the establishment of vocational education programmes focused on mining-related skills. Collaboration with mining companies to develop tailored training programmes will improve the skill level of the workforce.

Australia is a major miner in the world because of its policies which are designed to grow and strengthen the production and export of solid minerals and these include the establishment of strong local mining companies, technological innovation, export oriented programmes, products diversification, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and access to finance.

Nigeria can copy the following from the Australian policies on solid minerals production and export and this includes a policy that encourages local firms to strengthen their capacity through incentives, such as export expansion grants, tax breaks for investments that lead to expansions or mergers with established companies.

This should also include tax incentives for companies that adopt new technologies and support partnerships with global firms to facilitate technology transfers for mining processes. This should be an export-friendly policy by reducing tariffs on imported equipment for mining and providing incentives for firms focused on international sales to boost competitiveness.

In addition to this, the policy should also promote the exploration of a diverse range of minerals (like lead ore, zinc ore, lithium ore, tin ore, iron ore etc) through research grants and tax incentives to encourage exploration activities. This reduces reliance on a single commodity and enhances market stability. In addition to this, the policy should also establish a framework to facilitate PPPs in mining, providing a legal and financial structure that encourages both government and private sector investment. The policy should also create specialized financing funds for the mining sector, facilitating access to capital through low-interest loans or guarantees for mining startups and projects.

Russia policies that boosted the growth of the mining sector include comprehensive geological surveys of different parts of the country, ongoing geological research and long term exploration commitments. Therefore Nigeria policy on mineral export growth should involve conducting comprehensive geological surveys to identify and quantify untapped mineral resources, ensuring effective resource management and exploration initiatives. Therefore policy should also cover investment in geological mapping programs in collaboration with international geological organizations to enhance knowledge of its mineral wealth and draw interest for exploration. Therefore policy should also focus on policies that promote long-term exploration licenses, providing stability and encouraging sustained investments in mineral resources.

Finally, it is important to state that a lot has been heard from the minister of solid minerals development about the increase in revenue being generated from this sector by the ministry but not much has been seen on the volume of production and export. I strongly believe that if the policies outlined in this article are given the right attention it deserves and implemented with necessary modifications, Nigeria will see a significant increase in the volume of solid minerals production and export. This will, in turn, support the governments objective of boosting non-oil exports in the country, ultimately establishing this sector as a significant contributor to the nations foreign exchange revenues.

Bamidele Ayemibo, Ph.D

International Trade Consultant/Member, BoT Network of Practicing Non-oil Exporters of Nigeria (NPNEN). He can be reached on [email protected]

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The Nigeria African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Coordination Office has announced the successful conclusion of the inaugural AfCFTA Hackathon, held during the Science of Trade Conference 2025.

Over the course of three days, 60 innovative teams came together to pitch transformative ideas aimed at enhancing intra-African trade and digital commerce.

The grand finale culminated in the announcement of ExportPlug as the overall winner, securing the 20 million grand prize, generously supported by esteemed partners, which include the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Ascend Studios Foundation, GFA Technologies, Amazon Web Services, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. ExportPlug was recognised for its groundbreaking export-enabling platform designed to revolutionise cross-border trade by seamlessly connecting African producers with new markets through smart algorithms and competitive pricing strategies.

The Grand Prize Winner was ExportPlug, which was awarded N20 Million (sponsored by partners) and celebrated for its innovative approach to enhancing cross-border trade in Africa.

The second runner-up was team GET AI, awarded the N10 Million E-Commerce Regulatory Sandbox Innovation Prize (courtesy of NITDA) and recognised for its regulatory sandbox solution that drives intelligent transaction automation across African marketplaces.

The most innovative team was SyncAll, provided Mentorship and special recognition and honoured for its practical and scalable product that enhances digital solutions while preserving African cultural identity.

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The AfCFTA Hackathon has created remarkable opportunities for young, innovative Africans to accelerate intra-African trade and support the early implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol. With over 60 teamseach comprising a minimum of four members15 finalists emerged, and three winners were crowned.

Olusegun Awolowo, National Coordinator of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, added, The Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office celebrates the groundbreaking success of the AfCFTA Hackathonan inspiring digital leap igniting youth innovation for continental trade and where innovation met integration. This digital leap drives African solutions for African trade, proving that youth-powered technology is the heartbeat of a united, competitive, and prosperous African market.

Olusegun Olutayo, Senior Trade Expert and Lead of the AfCFTA Hackathon, remarked, The first-ever AfCFTA Hackathon in Nigeria marks a bold leap into the futurewhere digital innovation meets trade policy, empowering Africas youth to architect seamless, tech-driven solutions that will power intra-African trade and transform the continents economic destiny.

Inya Lawal, Convener of the Science of Trade Conference, expressed, We are proud of the over 300 innovative minds from across Africa who participated in the AfCFTA Hackathon. Your energy, intelligence, and commitment to building solutions that strengthen intra-African trade are exactly what the continent needs right now. Were grateful to the AfCFTA National Coordination Office for leading this visionary initiative, and to our partnersNITDA, Amazon Web Services, GFA Tech, and Ascend Studios Foundationfor championing innovation at scale.

Salisu Kaka, Director of e-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, stated, United by code, driven by ambition, from code to continent, this hackathon ignited the digital engine of the AfCFTA, forging innovative solutions that will power the future of African trade. As Africans, we have demonstrated the power of collective ingenuity in realising the transformative potential of the AfCFTAs digital trade protocol. We are confident that Africa is the next frontier of digital trade.

Seun Adeboyejo, Chief Product Officer at GFA Technologies, the Technical Partner to the Nigerian Coordinating Office of AfCFTA, stated, Congratulations to everyone who participated; you are the true heroes of this movement. GFA Technologies is proud to have played a pivotal role in enabling this transformative initiative. Special thanks to the judges and partners whose dedication made this milestone possible.

Head of Technical Operations at Cherith-Code Concept, praised the initiative, saying, Cherith-Code Concept applauds the first-ever AfCFTA Hackathonunleashing digital ingenuity, empowering youth-led innovation, and igniting Africas tech-driven trade revolution. This marks a bold leap towards a smarter, connected, and industrialised continental trading future.

Nnenna Irebisi  AWS Public Sector Lead, West Africa, said Amazon Web Services is proud to be the technology partner for the inaugural hackathon and hopes to continue to support all the participants in transforming their ideas to actionable change for the continent.

Personally, I was impressed by the passion for problem solving and dedication shown by all teams that participated in the Hackathon, and left with the fondest memory of the youngest hackathon attendee  the baby of one of the participants, which sparks joy and hope that technology really is a unifier and frontier for change.

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Oando Trading, a subsidiary of Oando Plc, on Friday announced the purchase and lifting of Nigerias newest crude oil blend, Obodo.

This historic event marks a major breakthrough into the countrys efforts to expand its oil portfolio and increase production capacity, a short video posted on the X handle of the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu, revealed.

It said the Atlantic Spirit tanker from Oandos fleet successfully carried out the first international export of the Obodo blend under the supervision of Century Ports and Terminals.

Oando Trading Limited is an oil trading company that supplies petroleum products to customers in the West African market, as well as coastal markets across Africa and internationally.

In April 2025, Nigeria launched its newest crude oil blend expanding the countrys oil portfolio.

The blend obodo is a medium sweet grade extracted from onshore OML 150 block managed by Continental Oil and Gas under production sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

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In an historic milestone, Oando Trading, a subsidiary of Oando Group under the leadership wale Tinubu, the group executive of Oando Plc became the first to purchase and lift Obodo crude. The Atlantic spirit tanker from Oandos fleet carried out offtake under supervision of Century Ports and Terminals making the 1st international export of the Obodo blend.

A crucial enabler of this export was Century Ports and Terminals. The Obodo crude was stored unloaded through the FPSO Tamaratokani, a floating storage and offloading vessel operated by Century Ports and Terminals, according to the video.

It said centuries of operation of this facility provided the link between Conoils onshore production on the export tanker ensuring a seamless transfer of oil to the Oando vessel.

It explained that this collaboration among local producers, infrastructure providers and traders exemplifies local capacity and Nigerian companies ability to deliver crude to international markets.

In a country resilient in its pursuit of raising oil output by an additional 1 million barrels per day. Homegrown players like Oando Trading, NNPC Ltd, Conoil and Century Group are at the forefront. This moment reflects more than market movement. It reflects momentum. This isnt just a trade, its a message. The message Nigerias energy industry is ready, capable and rising one historic barrel at a time, it said.

In a statement posted along with the video, Wale Tinubu, said indigenous energy companies are rewriting Nigerias energy story doing it with power, purpose, and pride.

This isnt just progress  its a breakthrough. Congratulations to Dr Mike Adenuga and the entire Conoil team for successfully producing Obodo Crude, Nigerias newest medium sweet crude grade blend. Hats off to Century Group as well, for making history as the countrys leading indigenous FPSO operator.

Were honored to have played a part in this chapter of your story by lifting the first cargo for international export on board the Atlantic Spirit, a bold leap for indigenous excellence on the global energy stage. Heres to many more milestones. The future is now, he said.

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Grace Onozasi Shaibu, also known as the Clear Queen, is a global personal and brand clarity expert.

Shes an English graduate from the University of Ibadan. She also has a certificate in presentation from the National Broadcast Academy.

In this episode of Women in STEAM, the writer who runs Onozasis Place, a blog where real-life experiences and fictional stories are shared, discussed how women can cultivate online presence and showcase their expertise using social media and other digital platforms.

She also opened up about pivoting into the tech industry as a researcher.

PT: What inspired you to embark on this path?

Ms Shaibu: I chose to pursue a career in this field because it goes beyond a mere profession; its a true calling. I have the gift of redefining things and helping people elevate their lifestyles. So I decided to be skilled and knowledgeable in what I have been called to do. I feel a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment in the work that I do and I am glad to be living it.

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PT: You started as a research assistant, then a content writer and editor before venturing into branding and clarity. How were you able to pivot?

Ms Shaibu: I became uneasy and things around me became redundant. There is an aspect to research and content work that is ephemeral and I needed more than that. The feeling of impact, training, and building started to cause me to see more than I was at the time. This experience ignited a passion within me to do more, and I began seeking guidance through prayer. After a period of introspection and reflection, my prayers were answered, and I embarked on a new and transformative journey.

PT: When did you start as a research assistant and how long did it take to pivot?

Ms Shaibu: I started as far back as 2016. This was the first career path that I embarked on and I did this for four years. However, other things werent technically labelled as my job description.

PT: As a female brand strategist, have you encountered any unique challenges or opportunities in your career?

I havent encountered any peculiar challenge other than the fact that men hardly take branding seriously because a woman is championing it. The opportunities I have experienced have been much more than the challenges. For instance, I have been able to speak at events on branding and clarity; helping entrepreneurs understand the process of scaling and structures. My career has also involved extensive travel for teaching and educational purposes.

PT: In your experience, what are the most common roadblocks entrepreneurs face when trying to achieve brand clarity and build viable content strategy?

Ms Shaibu: The first roadblock is confusion. Most entrepreneurs do business in confusion. They just do it because they think they should. The second one is social pressure; everyone is doing it, and I can do it too. The third roadblock is the lack of confidence; they do not believe in the brand that they have. I see this exude in the decisions they take concerning their brand.

PT: How do you help them overcome these obstacles?

Ms Shaibu: During clarity sessions, I guide them through the process of self-discovery. They will learn to discover their primary responsibility as a person before embarking on the entrepreneurial journey. Personal clarity precedes an entrepreneurial journey because a confused owner is a confused business. I also help them embark on the boldness journey. Boldness is not shouting; boldness is the process of knowing what to do, how to do it, and when to carry it out. I also call this the power of precision.

PT: How can women in tech leverage social media and digital platforms to amplify their voices and expertise?

Ms Shaibu: It is simple; they should make sure that they understand why they need to be there. The why would elevate the brands voice. When they understand the need for those platforms, they will not be scared, they will not be cajoled into being like anyone else in that space and they will not be carried away by what they see. Focus on your why and use the platforms to feed, negotiate, and utilise your why.

PT: What advice would you give to companies looking to create a more inclusive brand image?

Ms Shaibu: Creating structures that address the needs of women as a brand is essential for success, not merely wishful thinking. I am tired of seeing companies see womens needs as public relations tactics. We need genuine commitment and action, not camera show-offs towards creating proper inclusive structures. These would help women to be productive and debilitate those execrable rules they have created to govern women. It starts with structure.

PT: The landscape of brand building is constantly evolving, especially with the rise of digital platforms and others. How do you stay ahead of these trends?

Ms Shaibu: Adaptability is key to a brands longevity. I do not jump on every trend as people do nowadays. What I do is search through what is primarily being implemented and do my due diligence on how I can utilise it as a brand expert.

PT: Did you have any female mentors or sponsors that have helped you shaped or advanced your career?

Ms Shaibu: I do have a few of them who have helped me and sponsored my journey into this career.

PT: What emerging trends in the tech industry should women pay attention to?

Brand Storytelling through AI, personal branding through data and video content creation.

PT: What specific skills or qualities should women develop to stand out in the competitive tech industry?

Ms Shaibu: Engrave your personality in your learned skills. You may acquire the much required knowledge but without authentic presentation, you will never stand out.

PT: Its womens month. If you could give one piece of advice to young women aspiring to work in the tech space, what would it be?

Ms Shaibu: Do not learn the hard way. Be smart enough to watch the mistakes of those ahead of you.

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Modupe Elebute-Odunsi is the Founder and CEO of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre & Specialist Hospital.

In this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Elebute-Odunsi, a doctor, discusses the vital role of women in healthcare leadership.

She highlights how empowering women in the sector can drive meaningful change, from mentoring the next generation of female clinicians to advocating for more women in top positions.

PT: Can you tell us about your professional journey and how you became a CEO?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: My journey began at the University of Lagos, where I earned my MBBS. I then pursued postgraduate training in the UK, specialising in haemato-oncology at institutions like St. Bartholomews Hospital and the Royal Marsden.

My research on paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) earned me a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) from the University of London.

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For over 20 years, I held senior clinical and academic roles in the NHS, was Principal Investigator for clinical trials, led national services for the UK Blood Transfusion Service and the Department of Health, taught undergraduate and postgraduate students and mentored future specialists, many of whom are now consultants in UK hospitals.

Returning to Nigeria in 2020, with my husband, I founded Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre to bridge the cancer care gap. This vision, rooted in my mother-in-laws legacy, culminated in a world-class facility offering radiotherapy, advanced diagnostics, specialist and compassionate care.

Becoming a CEO was not just a career milestone but a calling to democratise access to oncology expertise and inspire systemic change in African healthcare.

PT: In your opinion, how do women leaders inspire and empower others around them, especially other women?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: Women leaders inspire by visibility and vulnerability. When we share our storiesof triumphs and setbackswe normalise resilience.

At Marcelle Ruth, I prioritise mentoring young female clinicians and researchers, ensuring they see leadership as attainable.

Through the Women in Healthcare Network (WIHCN), we create platforms for collaboration, skill-sharing, and advocacy across both public and private sectors.

Empowerment thrives when women lift each other: through our diverse backgrounds in WIHCN, we hope to advocate for a significant increase in women in senior leadership roles across all healthcare disciplines.

PT: What do you think is unique about women in leadership roles compared to men?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: Women often lead with empathetic pragmatism. We balance strategic vision with an intuitive understanding of human needscritical in healthcare.

For instance, designing Marcelle Ruths one-stop cancer centre required not just clinical expertise but creating a space filled with light and colour to promote hope during the cancer journey and sensitivity to patient dignity during vulnerable moments.

Women also excel at collaborative problem-solving, bridging gaps between stakeholdersa skill I honed while negotiating partnerships throughout my career.

PT: What challenges did you face as a woman in your industry, and how did you overcome them?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: Early in my career, I navigated male-dominated spaces where my expertise was sometimes questioned.

Later, fundraising for Marcelle Ruth faced skepticismdoubts that a woman could helm a multimillion-dollar healthcare project.

I overcame this by leaning into my credentials, building coalitions with trusted allies, and letting results speak: our hospital has treated over 5,000 patients since 2020. Persistence and refusing to internalise bias were key.

PT: Can you share one of the most rewarding moments in your career that solidified your passion for leadership?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: The day we admitted our first patient at Marcelle Ruth. After years of planning, seeing a Nigerian receive cutting-edge cancer care at home, without flying abroad, affirmed our mission.

Equally rewarding was receiving accreditation from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to run an Oncology Residency Programme in collaboration with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital as well as receiving accreditation from the National Research Ethics Board to run Phase II, III & IV clinical trials at Marcelle Ruth.

The opportunity to deliver much-needed research programmes in a world where data from our continent to drive the development of drugs for our population is one that gives me immense pride.

To help to train the next generation of professionals who can expand this impact is truly fulfilling. Leadership, for me, is about creating ecosystems where others thrive.

PT: What advice would you give to young Nigerian women aspiring to become leaders in their fields?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: First, invest in excellenceeducation is non-negotiable. Second, seek mentors but also be a mentor early; leadership is a muscle. Third, embrace resilience: I have encountered several bends in my personal and professional life. none has put a stop to me pursuing my goals. Lastly, anchor your ambition in service. Whether in tech, medicine, or business, ask: How does this uplift my community?

PT: How do you balance the demands of being a CEO with other aspects of your personal life?

Mrs Elebute-Odunsi: Balance is a mythI aim for harmony. I prioritise ruthlessly: delegating operational tasks to focus on strategic growth and patient care.

My family is my sanctuary; I guard my time with them. Self-care is non-negotiable: exercise and relaxation clear my mind. Most importantly, Ive learned to say no to distractions that do not align with my mission.

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 Elebute-Odunsi: Accelerate Action demands urgency in closing gapswhether in cancer care access or gender equity.

For women leaders, accelerating action means refusing complacency: mentoring boldly, investing in R&D, and advocating for policies that prioritise health equity. Progress isnt incremental; its transformative.

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 Elebute-Odunsi is also a member of WIMBIZ.

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BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At the stroke of midnight 15 days ago, Qiao Lei and Tang Xin logged on to secure a marriage registration slot for Saturday, the day China's new marriage registration rules took effect nationwide.

Just over 12 minutes after arriving at a registry office in Beijing, the couple emerged as newlyweds.

"The policy change made the process more convenient," said 33-year-old Tang. "It gives us more freedom to choose where to marry."

The updated regulations eliminate the need for household registration books, which have long been necessary for marriage applications. Couples from the mainland now need only present their identification cards and sign a declaration affirming they are unmarried and not close blood-relations within three generations.

Additionally, the new rules allow couples to register their marriage at any eligible registry office nationwide, regardless of their household registration location.

On Saturday morning, a woman who identified herself only as Zhu and her husband became the first couple in southwest China's Yunnan Province to register under the new rules. Originally from the southern province of Guangdong, the pair completed their marriage registration in Kunming City in just 15 minutes.

"We both live and work in Kunming. The convenience boosts our sense of belonging in this city," said Zhu.

The change also applies to couples with one partner who is a mainland resident and the other a foreign national or resident of Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

These couples can now marry, divorce or apply for marriage certificate reissuance at any authorized registration office, regardless of the mainland partner's household registration location.

This regulation overhaul is part of China's broader push to streamline public services and ease the burdens of its citizens -- particularly for the increasing numbers of people living and working away from the place of their household registration.

National census data released in 2021 showed that nearly 500 million people in China were living away from their registered hometowns, with over 70 percent of this migrant population aged between 15 and 35.

"Education, employment, and other factors have led to large-scale migration," said Jiang Yue, a law professor at Xiamen University. "The revised marriage registration rules reflect that reality and aim to make basic public services more accessible."

The new rules -- the first major revision to China's marriage registration ordinance in more than two decades -- are seen as a significant step toward improving the country's civil affairs services.

The nationwide rollout of the regulations was preceded by local pilot programs aimed at streamlining marriage registration.

As early as 2021, Yunnan began testing the removal of registration location limits within city-level jurisdictions. By August 2023, the trial had expanded to include all counties and districts, according to provincial civil affairs authorities.

Technological advances have helped make such reforms possible. In 2016, China's Ministry of Public Security launched a system designed to verify identity consistency, detect expired IDs, and prevent issues like identity theft or misuse.

Jiang noted that with advancements in information technology, marriage agencies can now access real-time data on marital status and household registration.

The reform comes at a time of continued decline in marriage registrations in the country. Official data show that 1.81 million couples registered their marriages in the first quarter of 2025, down 8 percent year on year. After a brief rebound in 2023, registrations fell again last year to their lowest level since 1980.

"In recent years, young people's views on marriage and childbirth have been shifting," said demographics scholar He Yafu, adding that while long-term change will depend on addressing broader social factors, the new rules could help reverse the decline partially. 
Three senators from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met with President Bola Tinubu behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.

The senators are Adamu Aliero, representing Kebbi Central Senatorial District, Yahaya Abdullahi, representing Kebbi North Senatorial District and Garba Maidoki, representing Kebbi South Senatorial District.

The lawmakers were led to the meeting by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje.

The Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris; Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu, and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, were also at the meeting. All three are members of the APC.

Although the purpose of the meeting was not made public, there are speculations that the opposition senators may be planning to join the ruling APC.

In the past few weeks, several lawmakers both at the federal and state levels have left their parties for the APC. Some anchored their reasons on internal party conflicts, while others claimed they took the decision to align with the federal government for access to political opportunities for their constituents.

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Notable among the defectors is the Kano South senator, Kawu Sumaila, who defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Wednesday. Six PDP House of Representatives members from Delta State announced their defection on Tuesday. Another Rep from Osun State, Oluwole Oke, defected from the PDP on 16 April.

At the state level, Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, along with all members of the Delta State House of Assembly, have also joined the APC.

Who are the PDP senators?

The three opposition senators that met with the president are among those known to criticise President Tinubus policies at the Senate, especially on insecurity and federal appointments. The senators are also influential figures within the PDP.

Mr Aliero served as governor of Kebbi State from 1999 to 2007. He was elected to the Senate in 2007 but was appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by late former President Umaru YarAdua in 2008, serving until 2010. Mr Aliero returned to the Senate in 2015 and has remained a central figure since.

Mr Abdullahi was a former Senate Minority Leader during Ahmad Lawans tenure as Senate President. He has been a legislator since 2015.

Mr Maidoki, the most recent entrant, was elected in 2023. Despite being a first-time senator, he has gained attention for his public criticism of federal policies and his advocacy for northern interests.

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President Bola Tinubu has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the suit filed by some states controlled by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors challenging his suspension of all the elected officials of Rivers State under an emergency rule.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Tinubu, on 18 March, declared the state of emergency and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all the state lawmakers.

The president immediately appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the oil-rich state.

Irked by the suspension of Governor Fubara and other elected officials in the state, the 11 states filed the suit to challenge the presidents action.

They include Adamawa State led by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Akwa Ibom led by Governor Umo Eno, Bauchi led by Governor Bala Muhammed, Bayelsa led by Governor Douye Diri, and Delta led Sheriff Oborevwori.

The rest are Enugu State led by Peter Mbah, Osun led by Ademola Adeleke, Oyo led by Seyi Makinde, Plateau led by Caleb Mutfwang, Taraba led by Agbu Kefas, and Zamfara led by Dauda Lawal.

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Like Mr Fubara, the governors were all members of the PDP as of the time of the filing of the suit.

However, Governor Oborevwori of Delta State has since defected to the All Progressives a Congress (APC)  President Tinubus party. Mr Umo of Akwa Ibom has also declared support for Mr Tinubu for second term, and is rumoured to be planning a switch to the ruling party.

It is unclear yet if the political re-alignment in the two states would culminate in their withdrawal from the suit, which touches on a fraught and divisive issue considered as one of Mr Tinubus most far-reaching political steps so far in the two years of his administration.

The suing states, represented by their respective attorneys-general, were initially seven when they first filed the suit in March, but later grew to 11.

The president was not sued directly as a defendant in the suit.

The plaintiffs sued him through the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, the first defendant.

The National Assembly, given its role of swiftly approving the state of emergency, including the suspension of Governor Fubara and others, was sued as the second defendant.

Tinubus seeks dismissal of the governors suit

A notice of preliminary objection filed on 9 May by the AGF to defend the presidents action challenged the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to entertain the suit.

Obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, the filing asked the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the suit did not fit into the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court which under Section 232 (1) of the Nigerian constitution is exercisable only in a dispute between the Federation of Nigeria and a State or between states.

The attorney-general claimed the plaintiffs (the states) have not disclosed any dispute between them and the Federation and did not also disclose any cause of action, citing previous court judgements.

Mr Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued that the suit is abuse of court process and maintaining that the plaintiffs have no locus standi to institute the suit which he described as hypothetical, academic speculative.

In the premises, we urge the Supreme Court to uphold this contention and dismiss the plaintiffs suit, Mr Fagbemi said in the notice.

Taiye Hussain Oloyede, the Special Assistant to the President on Arbitration, Drafting and Regulations, defended Mr Tinubus action in an affidavit he swore to and filed in support of the preliminary objection.

He stated that the feud between the now suspended governor and the state lawmakers and as well as the attacks on oil facilities in the state were justifiable reasons for the declaration.

He argued that the political crises and attacks on oil facilities amounted to break down of order and public safety which necessitated the presidents declaration and suspension of Mr Fubara and others.

The presidential aide also defended the National Assemblys approval of the emergency rule, stressing that they have reserved the constitutional power to only approve or reject the declaration.

He rejected the governors argument on the lawmakers use of voice votes, arguing that the constitution did not stipulate that the resolution of two-thirds majority shall be by physical counting of votes by each House of the National Assembly.

Mr Oloyede claimed the governors instituted the suit because they were driven into panic mode by their own imaginary fears that Mr Tinubu could declare a state of emergency in their states in the future.

It is in the interest of justice to dismiss this (plaintiffs) suit with punitive cost as the same has been brought not to redress any alleged wrong, but to harass and scandalise the president for political advantage of the plaintiffs, he told the court.

The Supreme Court has yet to fix a date for the hearing of the suit.

Inside the suit

In their suit, which drew the presidents event preliminary objection, plaintiffs raised eight fundamental legal questions before the Supreme Court.

They primarily challenged the powers of the president under the constitution to suspend an elected governor and appoint a sole administrator under the pretext of declaring a state of emergency.

They prayed the court to declare that the president has no power to suspend a democratically elected House of Assembly of a state pursuant to Sections 192 (4) (6) and 305 of the Nigerian constitution.

The plaintiffs also adked the court to declare the suspension of Mr Fubara, his deputy and the state assembly unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal and utterly in gross violation of the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

The governors also urged the court to nullify the appointment of Mr Ibas as the sole administrator of Rivers on the basis that the president lacks the constitutional power to make such an appointment.

The plaintiffs argued that Mr Tinubus declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State did not comply with the constitutional requirements set by Section 305.

The governors further argued that the National Assemblys approval of the state of emergency via a voice vote was invalid, noting that the constitution mandates a two-thirds majority vote from all members of each legislative chamber.

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Northern Nigerian political and traditional rulers met in Kaduna on Saturday to discuss the security situation in the region and how they could address their issues without partisan political biases.

The joint meeting, which was held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, was chaired by Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, who is also the chairman of the Northern Nigeria Governors Forum and the Chairman of the Northern States Traditional Rulers Council.

Some states in the region have faced security challenges for over a decade, especially with Boko Haram resurging in the North-east, banditry in the North-west and farmersherders and inter-religious crises in the North-central.

The subregion also has a high rate of poverty and a large number of out-of-school children. To address these problems, the forum at the meeting committed itself to nonpartisan cooperation, collaboration, and peer review in effectively addressing the numerous developmental challenges confronting the region and the nation at large.

Below is the communique released after the meeting.

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE NORTHERN STATES GOVERNORS FORUM WITH THE CHAIRMEN OF THE NORTHERN STATES TRADITIONAL RULERS COUNCIL, HELD ON SATURDAY, 10TH MAY, 2025 AT THE SIR KASHIM IBRAHIM HOUSE, KADUNA

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The Northern States Governors Forum convened a joint meeting with the Chairmen of the Northern States Traditional Rulers Council on Saturday, 10th May, 2025 at the Council Chamber of the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

The meeting was attended by Their Excellencies, the Governors of all 19 Northern States and Their Royal Highnesses, the Chairmen of the 19 Northern States Traditional Rulers Councils.

Forum acknowledges the critical role of nonpartisan cooperation, collaboration, and peer review in effectively addressing the numerous developmental challenges confronting the northern region and the nation at large.

After exhaustive deliberations on matters of regional interest, particularly security, the Forum released the following communique:

1. The Forum commends Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his sustained commitment to addressing the security challenges and infrastructural deficits in Northern Nigeria.

2. The Forum resolved to liaise with the Nigerian Governors Forum to work out modalities of how to increase support to the Federal Security Agencies.

READ ALSO: Governor threatens to dethrone traditional rulers if violence recurs in three communities

3. The Forum also resolved to strengthen peculiar local initiatives in combating all forms of security challenges.

4. The Forum also resolved to urgently set up inter-state platforms to coordinate surveillance on our joint borders.

5. The Forum reiterated its support for the creation of State Police and called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the enactment of the legal framework for its take off.

6. Forums next meeting will hold on the 30th of August 2025.

Signed:

Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON

Governor of Gombe State/ Chairman, Northern States Governors Forum

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The Nigerian Armys counter-insurgency operation aimed at flushing out bandits from the Kainji Lake National Park and border communities in Kwara and Niger states has begun.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Obinna Onubogu, disclosed this in an interview with the newsmen on Saturday in Kaiama, Kwara.

Mr Onubogu said the troops acting on the instruction of the Chief of Army Staff have stormed the forest to dislodge the bandits and other criminal elements.

The GOC said that the men and officers deployed for the operation are not resting on their oars to restore sanity and public confidence.

He assured that the troops would sustain the tempo in collaboration with other security agencies and the locals to strengthen the safety of the park.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Army, through the operation code named Park Strike Four is expected to comb a distance of at least 90 km from kemanji into the Kanji forest.

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee in Bayelsa State has approved a new harmonised salary structure, leading to an increase by over 700 per cent in wages for elected party officials in the state.

The cumulative wage bill for elected officials of the party in the state will come to N306,496,000.00 monthly, the party said in a communique dated 8 May and signed by its chairperson, George Turnah, and secretary, Derri Wright.

The party in the communique directed Mr Wright to communicate the new salary structure to Governor Douye Diri for necessary action, adding that it hopes that upon implementation, the new wage will signify the partys commitment to the welfare of its officials.

Gov Diri, Turnah and PDP in Bayelsa

Mr Turnah, a former aide to Governor Diri, is the South-South zonal secretary of the PDP and caretaker committee chairperson of the party in Bayelsa.

He had since fallen out with Mr Diri and is now the convener of New Associates  a pro-Nyesom Wike political platform canvassing support for President Bola Tinubus second term.

Mr Turnah is loyal to the PDP faction backed by Mr Wike, the FCT minister.

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Governor Diri, the leader of the party in the state, does not recognise Mr Turnahs faction of the PDP.

Mr Diri has repeatedly said that Mr Turnah cannot parade himself as a PDP member that he (Mr Turnah) was suspended by the party in the state.

The state chapter of the party has also secured a court order restraining Mr Turnah from functioning as a member of the party in the state, Vanguard newspaper reported.

Mr Diris spokesperson, Daniel Alabrah, who confirmed the court order to PREMIUM TIMES, said Mr Turnah lacks the power to function as a PDP member until the order is vacated.

New salary

In the communique, Mr Turnahs PDP faction raised the salary of the partys chairperson at the local government level from N500, 000 to N621,000 monthly, equivalent to a special adviser in the appointment of the state government, while the vice chairperson and secretary of the party at this level that earned N45,000 and N40,000 respectively will now earn N336,000 monthly. This indicates a monthly wage increase of 740 per cent for the party secretary at this level. The rest of the 15 executive members earn N196,000.

For the chairperson of the party at the ward level, Mr Turnah hiked the salary from N5,000 to N336,000, with the vice chairperson and secretary earning N196,000 while the remaining 14 Ward Excos will earn N120,000 monthly.

Similarly, elected party officials at the Senatorial District levels and Non-working Committee members of the party at the state level are classified as special advisers equivalent in the Bayelsa State Government and will now earn N621,000 as monthly stipend, while members of the State Working Committee, placed at par with cabinet commissioners of the Bayelsa State Government, will now earn N1,048,500 as monthly allowances going forward.

These adjustments, as contained in the now-approved harmonised salary structure for elected officials of the PDP in Bayelsa State, take immediate effect with the implementation date from 31 May 2025, Mr party said.

PDP salary structure

Mr Turnahs PDP faction directed that the new salary structure be communicated to Governor Diri for his action, and added that when implemented, it will showcase the partys commitment to the welfare of its officials.

When contacted, Mr Diris spokesperson, Mr Alabrah, dismissed it as trash, adding that there was no faction in the PDP in the state.

Mr Alabrah reiterated that Mr Turnah is suspended on the order of the court. The court directed him (Mr Turnah) to stop parading himself as a member of the party until the matter is determined, but the man is neglecting the order, said Mr Alabrah.

Mr Turnah did not respond to calls and text messages for comments on whether the new salary structure would be paid to the officials by the state government.

The National Spokesperson of the party, Debo Ologunagba, also did not respond to a request for comment on whether a state chapter of the party can unilaterally review the salaries of officials within its domain.

READ ALSO: More defection looms as three PDP senators meet with Tinubu

But a source familiar with how the party operates told PREMIUM TIMES the state or the government does not pay executive members, but what they get as stipends are from the dues that members pay.

If he (Mr Turnah) does so, it means he has so much dues that members pay that he can use to fund the new salary structure.

The source said the state chapter can make different arrangements for stipends for elected officials depending on the membership strength at that level, citing some parties that may have a presence at the state but not the national level.

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For many new mothers, childbirth is expected to usher in a season of joy, love and bonding. But for some, the period after delivery is overshadowed by persistent sadness, emotional distress, and a sense of isolation.

This condition, known as postpartum depression (PPD), is more common and more misunderstood than many realise, especially in Nigeria.

Speaking to PT Health Watch, Margaret Ojeahere, a consultant psychiatrist, explained that postpartum depression is a mental health condition that affects a considerable number of women after childbirth.

Ms Ojeahere said it typically occurs within two to eight weeks after giving birth, but can last up to a year if left unaddressed.

Postpartum Depression

Ms Ojeahere stated that PPD may be characterised by symptoms such as sadness or low mood, loss of interest in activities, appetite changes, fatigue, poor concentration, low self-esteem and sleep disturbances, even when the baby is asleep.

They may feel detached from the baby, or the PPD may make the affected individual feel detached from their spouse/partner and may have problems caring for their newborn child or even have thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby, she said.

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She noted that suicidal thoughts may occur in severe cases.

Ms Ojeahere added that PPD is often confused with the more common and temporary baby blues, which affects about 80 per cent of new mothers.

She said unlike baby blues, which usually resolve within 10 to 14 days postpartum, PPD is more intense and long-lasting.

Baby blues is more common, less intense and short-lived than PPD. The symptoms can start within two to three days after the baby is born and often subside on their own within 10 to 14 days postpartum, she said.

A widespread but hidden issue

Ms Ojeahere revealed that studies have shown that postpartum depression is prevalent in Nigeria, with some research indicating rates as high as 52.3 per cent among postnatal mothers.

While it primarily affects women, she noted that new fathers can also suffer from postpartum depression- an often-overlooked reality.

She added that there have been documented cases of postpartum depression in men, too.

According to the psychiatrist, the condition has a complex set of risk factors. They include hormonal changes after childbirth, personal or family history of depression, unplanned pregnancies, financial strain, having a baby with special needs, lack of social support, complications during childbirth, and societal pressures such as disappointment over the babys gender.

The barrier of stigma

Ms Ojeahere explained that one of the biggest barriers to addressing PPD in Nigeria is stigma, which prevents affected individuals and their families from seeking help or receiving adequate support.

She said that many affected women are reluctant to speak up due to fear of judgment or societal expectations that motherhood should only bring joy.

Many women are unaware of the cause of the symptoms and do not know where to seek mental health care. In other instances, some women are reluctant to acknowledge their symptoms publicly, she noted.

The expert recommended a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and social interventions tailored to the individuals condition. In severe cases, referral to a psychiatrist is advised for holistic care.

Treatment and support

A clinical psychologist, Phillip Dimka, emphasised the need for early intervention and prevention, especially during antenatal care.

Mr Dimka noted that antenatal clinics should go beyond physical health and start conversations around mental health.

When pregnant women are educated about postpartum depression, they are better prepared for the emotional changes that may come after childbirth, he said.

Mr Dimka also recommended routine mental health screening during pregnancy, especially for women who may be at higher risk, adding that early assessments can help identify red flags and equip women with coping skills ahead of time.

Beyond clinical interventions, he also stressed the importance of positive lifestyle changes, including regular exercise, healthy eating, good sleep habits, and strong social support networks.

Mr Dimka noted that partners and caregivers have a vital role to play in helping affected mothers navigate postpartum depression. Rather than trying to fix the problem, he advises partners to offer presence and empathy.

Being available and non-judgmental creates a safe space for healing. Caregivers can also assist by helping mothers access professional care, attend therapy sessions, and adhere to prescribed treatments, he said

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Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says the 15-kilometre Apo to Wassa road project is ready for inauguration to celebrate President Bola Tinubus second anniversary.

Mr Wike stated this in Abuja on Saturday, after he inspected the project and others in preparation for Tinubus second anniversary at the end of May.

The 15-kilometre left wing service lane of the Outer Southern Expressway, from Ring Road I to Wassa Junction, was awarded to ease traffic congestion and open up Wassa District for development.

The minister said that the road, which had been completed, was among several projects being concluded for inauguration to celebrate Tinubus second year in office.

He commended the contractor, China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC), for fulfilling its promise of making the road ready for inauguration in May.

Mr Wike equally inspected the ongoing construction of the N16 Interchange at NICON Junction and the road project that passes through Gishiri village to link Maitama and Katampe Districts to Wole Soyinka Way.

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He lauded the pace of the projects and expressed optimism that they would be completed and be part of several others that would be inaugurated by the end of May.

By next week, we will be able to provide all the projects that will be inaugurated to celebrate Tinubus second anniversary.

This is one of them, OSEX to Wassa is also one of them; the Abuja International Conference Centre is another one. So many roads.

The Phase I of Obafemi Awolowo Way (N5) from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III is another one  so many road projects both in satellite towns and the city.

Even the Greater Abuja Water Supply project will also be inaugurated.

It will take us about two weeks to inaugurate most of our projects, he said.

The minister said that more people-oriented projects were underway in the FCT and its satellite towns, stressing that more roads would be constructed and many schools renovated.

READ ALSO: Wike blames Area Council Chairpersons over ongoing teachers strike

He added that the FCT Administration would particularly do more to improve security in the territory.

Mr Wike commended residents for the support so far and urged them to continue by taking ownership of the infrastructure being provided and protecting them from vandals.

On our part, we will do everything we can to ensure that all facilities and infrastructure provided are protected, Wike said.

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The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has tasked troops of the Nigerian Army to sustain intensive action against bandits and terrorists in the North West to rid the country of insecurity.

Mr Badaru gave the charge while addressing troops at Dukku Barracks in Birnin Kebbi, during his ongoing operational visit to the state.

This is contained in a statement by the Personal Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Mati Ali, on Saturday in Abuja.

The minister conveyed the deep appreciation of President Bola Tinubu, to the troops for their relentless efforts and achievements in promoting peace across the nation.

He commended the soldiers for their professional competence, courage, and sacrifices made in the fight against banditry and other forms of crime.

The president and the nation are profoundly grateful for your unwavering commitment.

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I urge you to intensify your efforts in eradicating all forms of insecurity in the country. It is time to finish all aspects of insecurity, he said.

Mr Badaru expressed happiness that the troops had reassured him of their readiness to execute the task.

He said that their unified response had reinforced his confidence in the troops ability to restore peace and security, allowing citizens to conduct their daily lives without fear.

The minister reiterated the governments commitment to supporting the armed forces, prioritising their welfare and resources to ensure they are well-equipped to carry out their duties.

He said the visit was to assess the progress of ongoing operations in the region and to boost the morale of the dedicated soldiers actively working to combat insecurity, particularly in the zone.

(NAN)

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A Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Nasiru Danu, commissioned a N150 million project on Saturday at the Jamaatu Izalatil Bidah Waiqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) Islamic Centre in Abuja.

The multi-million naira project is a furnished 11-room building that will serve as the Imams residence at JIBWIS Islamic Centre in the Guzape area of Abuja.

Mr Danu, the Sardaunan Duste, said the project was built in memory of his father, Haladu Danu.

At the public launch on Saturday, Mr Danu said one of the greatest acts of worship in Islam is giving and spending for the sake of Allah. He thanked Allah for giving him the means and privilege of doing good deeds for his sake.

Dignitaries present at the event include the Emir of Dutse in Jigawa State, Muhammad Hamim-Sanusi; JIBWIS National Chairman, Sheikh Muhammad Jingir; his deputy, Sheikh Yusuf Rigachikum; former Minister of FCT, Aliyu Modibbo; former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Farouk; former Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Abubakar; and the Editor-in-Chief of PREMIUM TIMES, Musikilu Mojeed.

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In his opening remark, Mr Modibbo commended Mr Danu for donating his wealth as waqf. The concept of waqf in Islam involves the endowment of assets for the benefit of the community.

Mr Modibbo, who is the Director General of the JIBWIS Islamic Centre, said initial estimates suggest that the project will cost N85 million, but the philanthropist spent more than N150 million to complete the imams residence.

In a brief lecture on the importance of waqf at the event, Mr Rigachikum highlighted that waqf was first encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as evidenced by the example of one of his companions, Othman ibn Affan, who bought the Romah Well.

Citing reference in the Islamic book, Sahih Al Bukhari, Mr Rigachikum quoted that the Prophet Muhammad asked who would buy the well and make it available to everyone, then Othman responded by purchasing the well and ensuring its public availability. This highlights the importance of public services being available to all in Islam, the cleric said.

He added that one of the greatest acts of worship is for one to continue to honour and respect his or her parents after their death. He said such honour includes prayers and giving alms to the poor.

Other deeds that may also benefit the deceased are Hajj and Umrah on their behalf, provided the living person has first performed Hajj and Umrah on his or her behalf already, the imam said.

In his submission, the 2nd Vice Chairman of JIBWIS Ulamau Council, Dalhat Abdullahi, said the idea of waqf is to ensure that the benefits of ones wealth continue to serve the community even after ones lifetime.

This concept continues to play a crucial role in many societies today and has proven to be an effective way of promoting social and economic development, Mr Abdullahi said. He encouraged the Muslim community to emulate Mr Danu in spending their wealth in the course of Allah.

Mr Danu said its a rare privilege for him to commission such a project, and he is immensely grateful to the JIBWIS Centre for giving the opportunity. He said he did the project for the sake of Allah and in memory of his late father.

Mr Danu is the Chairman of Casiva Limited and founder of NHD Foundation, an organisation involved in philanthropic activities and the promotion of polo, a game popular among the elites and aristocrats of Northern Nigeria.

A member of the royal family of the Dutse Emirate of Jigawa State, he was in 2024 turbanned as the Sardauna of Dutse by the emir, Muhammad Sanusi.

In his remark, the National Chairman of JIBWIS, Mr Jingir, said in Islam, charity is more than a transactionit is an act of worship, a means of purifying our wealth and soul. Every kobo spent for the sake of Allah carries unimaginable rewards, he said.

Charity does not decrease wealth. No one forgives another except that Allah increases his honour. And no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises his status, he said, citing a saying of Prophet Muhammad.

He also encouraged the Muslim community to engage in waqf, noting, whomever wants his wealth to develop and progress, or wants to nurture his wealth, should spend from it for the sake of Allah Almighty.

In his remarks, the Emir of Duste, Mr Sanusi, urged Nigerian Muslims to increase in good deeds such as waqf, charity and Zakah. He noted that charity holds such a great place that it is an obligation on Muslims in the form of Zakah.

In Islam, Zakah is one of the major pillars of Islam, and those who are wealthy enough, for them, it is mandatory to give Zakah. Zakah refers to purification in general and purification of wealth in particular; therefore, those Muslims who have wealth over a certain ratio are liable to pay Zakah on it and give it to those who are less fortunate and dont have sufficient means to live their life in a standard way.

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The Anambra Government has imposed a one-month sanction on Blossom Fount School, Awka, for allegedly selling the position of head prefect during a student election.

This was disclosed in a statement on Saturday by the Commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.

According to the commissioner, the school reportedly demanded N5,000 from each pupil aspiring to become head prefect in the primary section.

Ms Chuma-Udeh condemned the act, describing it as an attempt to sell the psyche of the children to the highest bidder from the cradle.

According to her, such practices are unacceptable under the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

She said that an investigation was ongoing to examine the schools broader management practices, with the possibility of further actions based on the findings.

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(NAN)

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A coalition of 15 U.S. states is filing a new lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order declaring a "national energy emergency," which aims to accelerate fossil fuel development.

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown announced the legal action Friday during a press briefing. The 61-page complaint was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

According to the lawsuit, Trump's order violates the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which was designed to ensure that presidents use their emergency powers "only when actual emergencies exist" and not for "frivolous or partisan matters."

"Prodded onto the shakiest of limbs by the President's unsupported and unlawful Executive Order, multiple federal agencies now seek to broadly employ these emergency procedures in non-emergency situations," the lawsuit said.

Brown criticized Trump's emergency declaration as "fake," as U.S. energy production is at an all-time high level.

"This is not a serious or lawful effort by the president. It is all about eliminating competition and shackling America to dirty fossil fuels forever," Brown said at a news conference held in Seattle.

Trump issued the executive order on his first day back in office earlier this year. It promotes the expansion of oil, gas, coal, and other fossil fuel sources, while explicitly excluding wind, solar, and battery-based energy initiatives.

"Our Nation's current inadequate development of domestic energy resources leaves us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to the United States' prosperity and national security," Trump declared in the executive order.

Federal agencies have since begun to bypass or reduce environmental review requirements under laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, the lawsuit alleges.

The legal filing seeks a court ruling to invalidate the executive order and to prohibit federal agencies from issuing fast-tracked permits based on the order.

States joining the suit include California, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. 
Officials who served under former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, have said allegations of grabbing school lands against them are entirely false and distorted.

The ex-officials made their stance known in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

As the rift between Mr El-Rufai and his successor, Uba Sani, rages, the ex-officials declared their support for Mr El-Rufai and praised his stewardship in office.

Last month, some newspapers reported that the current administration was rectifying the wrongful conversion of school lands into residential plots by the El-Rufai administration.

Although the official statement on the subject, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, did not place blame on the El-Rufai administration, the ex-officials said the media reports on the matter were false and unfortunate.

They said the El-Rufai administration considered the recovery of school lands as imperative in better positioning the schools to properly discharge their primary mandate.

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They added that compensation was given to the allottees who had valid titles, unlike the illegal occupants. The private individuals who were assigned plots were served notices of revocation. In addition, the properties of those individuals who had valid titles and development approvals were valued for the purpose of compensation and compensation was paid to them, the statement said, further denying allegations of land grabbing.

The statement issued by the ex-officials is reproduced below:

1. In 2015, under the leadership of Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the Kaduna State Government commenced a programme to restore the lands encroached, reestablish and preserve the boundaries of the affected schools. We explained that our administration considered the recovery of school lands as imperative in better positioning the schools to properly discharge their primary mandate.

2. Part of the actions taken included the removal of the illegal residential structures that had been erected within the premises of Alhudahuda College, Zaria. The recovery exercise was also implemented in Rimi College, Kaduna, where over three hectares of school land had been excised and distributed to individuals by previous governments for residential purposes. In some cases, the plots had been fully developed by the time we took office. Rimi College had also lost its students hostels which had been converted to offices for some state government and federal agencies.

3. However, our administration discovered that the allottees of Rimi College plots had valid titles, unlike the illegal squatters at Alhudahuda College. The private individuals who were assigned plots were served notices of revocation. In addition, the properties of those individuals who had valid titles and development approvals were valued for the purpose of compensation. Appropriate relocation notices were also sent to the state and federal agencies occupying the the premises of Rimi College.

4. Therefore, at its meeting of 16th November 2015, the Kaduna State Executive Council approved the payment of N378,357,752.00 as compensation for the first 19 properties within Rimi College whose valuation processes have been concluded. The allottees were also given application forms for allocation of alternative plots in the Millennium City layout. The current governor was a member of the State Executive Council when these decisions were debated, agreed, and implemented, as with every decision of our administration.

5. Furthermore, in the interest of transparency, our administration published the names of the individuals that were allocated plots of land within Rimi College by previous administrations. The official government statement noted that some of the 38 beneficiaries of the allocations took no steps to develop their plots because they had reservations about building on school property.

6. Can the current State Government transparently publish the names of the persons to whom it had allocated these Rimi College properties for which our administration had paid so much in compensation, and the names of the persons to whom those persons further resold the properties?

7. The El-Rufai administration that we proudly served consistently applied this policy of recovering school lands to take back lands set aside for several primary schools across the state that had been converted to build corner shops and other shanties. Encroached land belonging to higher institutions like the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria was recovered while squatters with wrongly acquired titles to land were compensated with alternatives.

8. Our administration took steps to fence up the land belonging to Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic (NUBPT), Zaria, to secure the land and protect the residents of the institution. Similar actions were taken in respect of the Annex along Gaskiya Road, Queen Amina College, Capital School, and Government Technical College, all in Kaduna. The boundaries of both Sardauna Memorial College and Government College, Kaduna were clearly defined and fenced, to prevent any encroachment, while all government quarters outside the school perimeters were included in the Sale of Non-Essential Houses programme. No staff quarters within school boundaries were included in the programme.

9. In connection with this careful delineation of land for education, healthcare, and other social services, our administration implemented sound policies to ensure the safe and efficient utilization of surplus lands that were being encroached upon in some public institutions. In accordance with this policy, we took actions over the Federal Training Centre land that the school management had either illegally carved out or converted to farmland. They had no powers to alter the approved land use. Our administration, therefore, replanned the affected area and allocated the plots which have since become some of the best prized real estate in Kaduna metropolis.

10. Similar action was taken to manage the security risks arising from the huge undeveloped spaces within the Federal Government College, Kaduna, and the old Nigerian Defence Academy site in Kawo where a major expressways planned route traversed the undeveloped part of the institution. Our administration also reclaimed, replanned and allocated some surplus land in Sardauna Memorial College that was being used as a waste dump by the neighboring community.

11. The current government of Kaduna State has jettisoned any thought of policy consistency or protection of public interest related to land for schools. In addition to the scandalous case of Rimi College explained above, plots of land in several educational institutions are alleged to have been carved out, replanned, and allocated to appointees and cronies of the government, including but not limited to the following:

i. Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic Annex, Zaria

ii. Capital School, Kaduna

iii. Business Apprenticeship Training Centre (BATC), Sabon Gari

iv. Government Commercial College, Zaria

v. Ganuwa land around Alhudahuda College.

12. The steps taken by those allocated (or sold) these carve-outs and encroachments of school land led to aggressive resistance by the institutions, their old students associations and other concerned stakeholders. Some have gone public and complained on social media and traditional media platforms. This Senator Uba Sani government has responded to the pushback by announcing the reversal of its irresponsible land grab. Yet, it has refused to own up to its misdeeds but has sought to blame the fiasco on a predecessor administration. It is our duty to expose yet another falsehood in the interest of setting the records straight once again.

13. For the proclaimed reversal of its school land grab to have any credibility, we hereby challenge the current administration in Kaduna State to publish the list of the beneficiaries to whom it gave the plots of land in each of the affected schools, the date of allocation and the date of the revocation notices it has issued. This will enable the people of Kaduna State to establish the facts and show that the State Government has implemented the reversal of the land grab.

Signed

Members of the Kaduna State Executive Council (2015-2023)

09 May 2025

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My primary focus was on migrant labour. For this, I took refuge in the UN special agency, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which states that: A migrant worker is a person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national... I explained that the primary challenges faced by Nigerian migrants is not the lack of protective local and international procedures, laws, conventions and regulations. It is their violation.

A frightening total of 9,757 migrants died in 2024 while trying to reach Spain by sea. The Spanish migration group, Camindo Fronteras  Walking Borders, reported that 1,538 of the victims were children and 421 women. These were migrants heading for Spain alone. There are the larger numbers trying to reach other European countries. There are the hordes dying in the Sahara Desert.

Yet, such dangers are merely the beginning of uncertain migration for 304 million persons worldwide.

So, why these phenomena? What local and international laws protect migrants? What local protections are available for Nigerians abroad? These, under the broad theme of The Rights of Nigerian Migrants Abroad were some of the issues I was invited to address on 30 April.

The organisers, including the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and German foundations like GIZ, German Cooperation, and the Nigeria-German Centre, were particular about youths.

I told the audience that all humans have localities where they usually live. But once they move from that to another distinctively different geographical locality, they might be engaging in one form of migration or another.

To me, migration is a natural phenomenon. I also recalled that some major Nigerian cities like Jos, which has tin mines, Enugu that sits on coal mines, Kano with its commerce, and the twin cities of Lagos and Badagry, with fine ports and commerce, were largely built by migrants.

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So, generally, a migrant is a person who changes his usual country of residence, irrespective of legal status or reasons for the relocation. Therefore, the fact that a person is regarded or classified as a legal or an illegal migrant, does not change the fact that he is a migrant.

My primary focus was on migrant labour. For this, I took refuge in the UN special agency, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which states that: A migrant worker is a person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which he or she is not a national.

There is also the ceaseless brain drain of professionals. For instance, there are over 20,000 Nigerian doctors and 10,000 Nigerian academics in the United States alone. Today, given the unpredictable flip flops of the Trump administration, the stay and well-being of some of them cannot be guaranteed, even under international law.

I explained that the primary challenges faced by Nigerian migrants is not the lack of protective local and international procedures, laws, conventions and regulations. It is their violation.

For instance, many Nigerian women employed as domestic servants, especially in countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq, are not recruited in accordance with established processes. Rather, illegal rings of local agents carry out the recruitment, in collaboration with similar rings in the receiving countries. So, many of these women end up as modern slaves with no rights whatsoever, including the right to resign or return to Nigeria. The irony is that many of these victims actually pay to be recruited into such slavery, while authorities in both the sending and receiving states look the other way.

There is also the ceaseless brain drain of professionals. For instance, there are over 20,000 Nigerian doctors and 10,000 Nigerian academics in the United States alone. Today, given the unpredictable flip flops of the Trump administration, the stay and well-being of some of them cannot be guaranteed, even under international law.

I explained that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees Nigerians and migrants within its borders, all the major fundamental human rights guaranteed by the UN Fundamental Human Rights Charter.

Also, that the Labour Act provides for employment under virtually all conditions, including the recruitment of Nigerians to work abroad.

The Act requires that to recruit for employment outside Nigeria, international agreements are required, so are the duration of contract and return passages, and procedure, prior to leaving Nigeria. Also required are special terms and conditions of contract, embarkation check, exemption from customs on repatriation, and the right to be accompanied by family at the employers expense.

Equally, the Act states that the Nigerian migrant worker has the right to enforce his rights in respect of any breach of any lawful contract made outside Nigeria.

It also provides that: Whenever a contract made outside Nigeria has been executed in conformity with this Act, it shall be enforced in the same manner as a contract entered into under this Act.

Comrade Ismail Bello, deputy general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said there is the need for workers wherever they find themselves in the world to join and build unions as they are a powerful defence for the worker. He recalled that when Nigerians were attacked in South Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) rose to their defence.

I also spoke on the Nigerian National Policy on Labour Migration 2014, which seeks to ensure decent treatment of migrants and their families, and the Nigeria Immigration Act, which impacts on the employment of migrant workers.

The international laws, conventions and regulations, I explained, included the UN Human Rights Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Others include the ILO core conventions on Forced Labour, 1930; Freedom of Association, 1948; Right to Organise, 1949; Right to Collective Bargaining; Convention on Equal Remuneration, 1951; Minimum Wage, 1973 Convention, 1973; Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, 1990; and the Convention Against the Worst Forms of Child Labour, 1999.

I explained that the Nigerian president cannot be everywhere in the world, which is why an ambassador is appointed to represent him. So, just as the Nigerian Constitution makes it incumbent for the President to advance the welfare and security of every Nigerian, so also has the ambassador the duty to do the same for all Nigerians in any given country he is posted to. As such, the Nigerian, anywhere in the world, has the right to report or call out any ambassador who neglects to do this. This, I said in reply to a question, has become far easier with the advent of the social media.

Mrs Remi Ihejirika, programme manager, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), pointed out policy gaps and incoherence between local needs and the international agenda. She called for the restructuring of migration policies, and emphasised the need for a multi-stakeholder collaboration on migrant labour. She equally called for the establishment of networks to build coalitions which can protect groups like migrant workers and women.

Mrs Ihejirika lamented the phenomenon of casual work which destroyed basic employment relations, and fueled poverty and labour migration. She warned of the global rising tide of anti-immigration sentiments and the need for collective action.

Comrade Ismail Bello, deputy general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said there is the need for workers wherever they find themselves in the world to join and build unions as they are a powerful defence for the worker. He recalled that when Nigerians were attacked in South Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) rose to their defence.

The discussions were further enriched by Mrs Sandra Vermuijten-Alonge, GIZ-ZMEs head of programme; Wole Olubanji, also of GIZ; and Maureen Ovie, head, Migrant Resource Centre.

The gathering showed that there is in Nigeria, an incredible knowledge on external migration which needs to be further coordinated in the interests of migrants, the country and humanity.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.

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Neoliberalismdestroyed the material bases of the masses of people, making it difficult for them to organise and resist undemocratic, non-democratic and anti-democratic forces and practices. All these, in turn, fertilised the ground for the nourishing, flowering and flourishing of lumpen politics and victory. So, Nigeria today, is a lumpen democracy.

There is some assumption that when a ballot box is present, there is democracy. But a democracy is not a democracy because it is assumed to be a democracy. In Nigeria, we have a lumpen democracy.

Lumpen is the German word for a ragamuffin. In Hausa, lumpen means dan-iska; in Yoruba, agbero; Igbo, agaracha; Bini, omoibe; and in Afemai, uzza. Lumpens are hooligans; unprincipled, directionless, heartless, terrible, vicious, and destructive people.

Therefore, lumpen democracy is an unprincipled, deceptive, retrogressive, valueless, directionless, people-less, mendacious, anachronistic, abracadabra, and witchcraft democracy. A democracy of the gutters.

But how come we have such a democracy in Nigeria?

Some will argue that the lumpen democracy was planted during colonialism. Most colonial officials, as Arnold Temu and Bonaventure Swai correctly observe in their book, Historians and Africanist History: A Critique, were sweepings from the metropolitan gutter; people who were prepared to commit murder at the slightest provocation, but were restrained from doing so in the metropolis because of the prevailing civilised ethics.

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But colonial officials had accountability in their dictionaries, even if not to the colonised people. They reported to their superior officers in Nigeria, who, in turn, were accountable to the British Secretary of State for Colonies, who, in turn, was answerable to the Parliament, which, in turn, was responsible to the British people.

So, while they wanted the entire Nigerian human and natural resources for Britain, they were equally afraid not to spark mass uprisings! This was largely why the British bequeathed Nigeria with a solid public service, projects delivery system, public accounts system, and the independence constitution, which, despite its limitations, allowed for the flowering of liberal democracy.

Others will maintain that the nationalist politicians of the First Republic watered the current lumpen democracy. But these politicians recognised and operated a constitution, which compelled them to build alliances with others, to give-and-take, and to take development seriously. It allowed ethnic majorities and minorities, traditional and modern elites, the professionals and working peoples, to fully and actively participate in politics.

the regimes greatest injustice to Nigeria and democracy was the imposition of a constitution, borrowed and framed after the United States (US) constitution. In so doing, it ignored the fact that Nigeria belongs to its indigenous peoples, who have a rich history, tradition, culture, and value of politics and governance. That leaders were accountable to the people and the ancestors, as well as answerable to the land, the gods, and ALMIGHTY GOD HIMSELF!

Mokwugo Okoyo, a militant youth leader of the era, wrote in his Storms on the Niger, that the political forces, not only spread political consciousness into their areas but also helped preserve democracy by hammering on local discontent and checking the tyrannical abuses of power by the majority parties.

Also, that trade unions equally confronted the exploitation of workers, while peasant associations rebelled against excessive taxation, and oppression by feudal forces. Academics and students, despite their political vacillations, repeatedly opposed and challenged politicians. In such a situation, lumpen democracy could not flower or flourish, even if it was on the ground.

Yet, others will argue that military politicians (or militicians), through coups and counter coups, lay the foundation for the entrenchment of lumpen democracy. In fact, this is indisputable. Military regimes combined the worst of colonial and civilian politicians. One of Nigerias outstanding political scientists, Okwudiba Nnoli, made this point in his paper on The 1983 Elections: Voting for Austerity.

As Nnoli put it, military rule represents a harkening of the undemocratic rule of the early colonial period when the people were objects rather than subject of rule. It contradicts the democratic struggles of Nigerians for political independence and the rights of individuals to equality before the law, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of speech Military rule not only diverts attention from further progress in the struggle for full democracy; it abolishes democracy itself and, with it the historical gains of the people in the field of political relations.

But General Yakubu Gowon governed Nigeria for nine years during which he implemented Development Plans, and allowed the public service to develop according to its General Order, without gross interference. To a large extent, he related to Nigerians on their own rights.

Not so the Murtala-Obasanjo regime. It destroyed the public service by, amongst others, senselessly sacking grounded public servants with immediate effect, under the guise of combating corruption. The regime crudely prohibited some union leaders from participating in trade unionism. It forcefully centralised and bureaucratised the trade union movement. Under the regime, government invaded universities, shot, injured, maimed, and killed students and other citizens, as well as dismissed and sacked academics and university administrators.

But the regimes greatest injustice to Nigeria and democracy was the imposition of a constitution, borrowed and framed after the United States (US) constitution. In so doing, it ignored the fact that Nigeria belongs to its indigenous peoples, who have a rich history, tradition, culture, and value of politics and governance. That leaders were accountable to the people and the ancestors, as well as answerable to the land, the gods, and ALMIGHTY GOD HIMSELF!

In contrast, the US needed a powerful president to protect and consolidate the settlers hold over the country, which was stolen from the indigenous peoples by virtually exterminating them. The settlers also needed a powerful presidency to protect them from the rightful demands of African-Americans that they are more entitled to benefit from US because they built, modernised, developed, enriched, and made the US what it is.

Three factors helped enthrone and empower lumpen elements in Nigeria. First, the militicians, in their endless transition to civil rule programmes, discouraged many principled and ideologically-minded forces from participating in the process. The gross violation of human rights, the killing of critics, the repeated dissolutions and imposition of political parties, the constant shifting of the goal posts of the transition programme, the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, amongst others, irritated and kept principled forces out of mainstream politics.

Also, the Murtala-Obasanjo junta forcefully imposed a unitary system of government on the country, and deceptively labeled it a federal system. Worst still, when it handed over power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979, the military regime deliberately refused to retire coup plotters and the beneficiaries of military rule.

This group of people, including Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, and Sani Abacha, not only terminated the Second Republic, but further developed, consolidated and solidified the powerful presidency into an imperial presidency. They concentrated political, economic, military, security and social powers at the centre, at the expense of state governments.

Whereas during the Second Republic, principled, ideologically-minded, and politically visionary Nigerians founded and led the political parties, in the Third Republic, lumpen politicians, largely drawn from the idlest, desperate, opportunistic, corrupt, and anachronistic elements of the different professions in the country, dominated the political scene.

Three factors helped enthrone and empower lumpen elements in Nigeria. First, the militicians, in their endless transition to civil rule programmes, discouraged many principled and ideologically-minded forces from participating in the process. The gross violation of human rights, the killing of critics, the repeated dissolutions and imposition of political parties, the constant shifting of the goal posts of the transition programme, the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, amongst others, irritated and kept principled forces out of mainstream politics.

Secondly, many principled forces kept out of the transition programme, not out of fear, but to concentrate their efforts in the struggle to terminate military rule. They, for instance, tirelessly organised and led popular struggles for the democratisation of the political arena throughout the 1990s. But, while they struggled, lumpen politicians collaborated, organised, prepared, and succeeded in taking over power from the military.

Thirdly, the IMF and World Bank neoliberalism led to the legalised looting of the nations resources and wealth through commercialisation and privatisation. It extremely weakened state capacity to deliver services, instill discipline, and enforce orderliness.

Neoliberalism equally destroyed the material bases of the masses of people, making it difficult for them to organise and resist undemocratic, non-democratic and anti-democratic forces and practices. All these, in turn, fertilised the ground for the nourishing, flowering and flourishing of lumpen politics and victory. So, Nigeria today, is a lumpen democracy.

Ahmed Aminu-Ramatu Yusuf worked as deputy director, Cabinet Affairs Office, The Presidency, and retired as General Manager (Administration), Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NiMet). Email: [email protected]

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The 2027 elections offer not just a political opportunity but a generational turning point. And for Nigerian youth, it must be a moment of radical reckoning, for being confident and brave, for not treating governance as a privilege but a serious responsiblity. We must stop ass-licking politicians on social media. We must start holding political leaders feet to the fire. And we must do it with sincerity.

In Nigeria, the question of who qualifies as a youth has become an almost comical national riddle. Is it 35 and below? Or 40? Or perhaps 50  if we go by the age of some self-proclaimed youth leaders gracing conference stages and chairing youth-focused summits with receding hairlines and grown-up children. The truth is, this debate misses the point. In a country where age is often manipulated for political or economic advantage, chronological age has become a poor indicator of generational identity. What matters more is a shared experience  a collective feeling of being tethered to a system that has failed to evolve with us, has failed to dignify us, and has in many, many ways, failed us.

Those who are truly young  in body, mind, or spirit  know that it is not by numbers on a birth certificate but by the actual weight of navigating adulthood in a country that offers so little, yet demands so much. Im in my early thirties, and already I feel prematurely aged by the grind of survival. Many of my peers joke that adulthood is a scam, but behind the shameful laughter is a deeply unsettling truth; the truth that we are coming of age in an environment in which hope feels like a luxury, and progress an illusion.

We are the children of interrupted dreams  a generation raised on erratic electricity, defunct water taps, and roads that punish you for having the audacity to travel on them. We grew up calling sachet water pure because the alternative was either contaminated or entirely absent. Today, we navigate an adulthood defined by economic precarity, growing insecurity, and a rising cost of living that is not only unsustainable but profoundly dehumanising.

This is not normal. It is not the natural trajectory of life. And we must stop internalising it as such.

We must begin to see our situation as a political consequence, not a personal failure. We must stop blaming ourselves for the failures of leadership that predate us and continue to define us. The 2027 elections offer not just a political opportunity but a generational turning point. And for Nigerian youth, it must be a moment of radical reckoning, for being confident and brave, for not treating governance as a privilege but a serious responsiblity. We must stop ass-licking politicians on social media. We must start holding political leaders feet to the fire. And we must do it with sincerity.

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

But here is where the conversation needs to evolve. Our political commentary usually tends to revolve almost entirely around the centre  the Presidency. We ask: Who will be the next president? Which party will take Aso Rock? Yet, we say so little  almost nothing  about the 36 emperors in government houses across the federation, unless we are talking about how the popularity of a governorship candidate will affect the presidential elections.

This is a dangerous oversight. The future of this country will not be decided in Abuja alone. In fact, more than ever, Nigerias transformation or continued decline will be shaped in the 36 states.

Guys, state governors are not peripheral players in Nigerias political and economic architecture. They control between 6570 per cent of national revenues when you add state allocations and the local government funds they directly influence. They exercise constitutional authority over land, education, health, and internal security matters and much more. They are, in essence, sub-national presidents with immense resources, but why do they get so very little scrutiny?

Youths must not only be voters in 2027; they must be political stakeholders with agenda-setting power. That means moving beyond the superficial politics of personality and party to substantive questions of policy, performance, and accountability. Who is running for governor in your state? What is their track record? What has the current governor been doing if he wants to run again? Do the governors have coherent development plans?

How many of us know the economic blueprint of our state governments? How many can confidently articulate the vision or performance indicators of our governors? We roast the president daily  and rightly so  but remain largely indifferent to the governors who are arguably more responsible for the bread-and-butter issues that define our daily lives.

This must change.

Most states remain shockingly dependent on monthly federal allocations. Despite being endowed with rich agricultural land, abundant mineral resources, and a young, energetic population, many states have failed to develop robust internal revenue bases. This culture of dependency has created a toxic political economy in which governors make ritualistic pilgrimages to Abuja, not to advocate for their people, but to collect cheques, to wine and dine, to network with colleagues and friends and come back to their states to issue empty press releases, while roads crumble, hospitals lack basic equipment, the ceilings of classrooms fall on pupils, and criminals continue to kill and abduct residents.

Some states can barely even pay salaries, let alone fund critical infrastructure or social programmes. And yet, year after year, we re-elect the same political actors or sleepwalk into elections without interrogating their track records.

The time has come to end this cycle of passive citizenship.

Youths must not only be voters in 2027; they must be political stakeholders with agenda-setting power. That means moving beyond the superficial politics of personality and party to substantive questions of policy, performance, and accountability. Who is running for governor in your state? What is their track record? What has the current governor been doing if he wants to run again? Do the governors have coherent development plans? Are they willing to open up government spending to public scrutiny? Do they even think youth unemployment is a serious crisis?

Believe it or not, no federal policy can succeed if state governments remain dysfunctional. Nigerias macroeconomic framework may be set in Abuja, but the real transformation must be driven from the bottom up.

States must begin to function, not as glorified extension offices of the Federal Government, but as laboratories of innovation, engines of growth, and protectors of human dignity.

This demands a new kind of governor  not just one who wins elections, not one who wears babban riga and unintelligently says he will be eternally loyal to his godfather, but one who understands governance. One who can harness local strengths, reform state institutions, and design policies tailored to specific needs. It demands state executives who are not afraid to measure outcomes and be held accountable to their citizens. Not the ones who see criticism as attack. Not the ones who are more interested in what the opposition is scheming than the statistics of residents attacked by bandits.

The 2027 elections are not just about who becomes the next president (even though this matters very much), they are also about whether Nigeria will finally begin to work  and that work must start in the states. We cannot afford to vote blindly. We cannot afford to be sentimental. We cannot afford to allow party colours to blind us to empty manifestos and recycled mediocrity.

And it demands, more than anything, a youth population that pays attention.

Because we are not just students or youth corp members and interns or online vendors or employees or future leaders. We are the present. We are the ones planning to get married, raise children, pay rents, start businesses, and try to build lives in the midst of national dysfunction. If we do not assert our interests now  loudly, intelligently, and consistently  no one else will.

The 2027 elections are not just about who becomes the next president (even though this matters very much), they are also about whether Nigeria will finally begin to work  and that work must start in the states. We cannot afford to vote blindly. We cannot afford to be sentimental. We cannot afford to allow party colours to blind us to empty manifestos and recycled mediocrity.

We must demand development plans, town hall debates, transparency mechanisms, and youth inclusion that goes beyond credit alerts. We must amplify voices, build movements, and use technology to track performance. We must organise ourselves, educate our peers, and create platforms to interrogate power.

The youths of Nigeria are not powerless. But we have been too distracted, too disillusioned, too disengaged, too shallow, and more worrying, too politicised.

It is time to change that.

The countdown to 2027 has begun  and the future will not be determined by those who shout the loudest on social media, but by those who act with clarity, with strategy, with purpose.

Aliyu Jalal is the media advisor at Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, and writes from Abuja. Email: [email protected]

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Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has expressed deep appreciation to the management of Blueprint Newspaper following the announcement of his selection as Governor of the Year on Security and Good Governance by the media organisation.

Speaking after receiving the official letter of nomination at Katsina House, Abuja, Governor Radda described the award as a humbling recognition of his administrations unwavering commitment to improving lives across Katsina State. On behalf of myself and the good people of Katsina State, I thank you for deeming me worthy of this recognition. Its not something I take lightly. I will cherish it deeply, the Governor said.

He continued, When your team started this award process, I deliberately stayed out of it. I didnt want to influence anything. So, this recognition is clearly based on your own independent judgment and the committees findingsand I value that even more. This kind of transparency gives weight and credibility to the award.

Governor Radda emphasized that the progress recorded in Katsina State was the result of long-term planning and strategic execution. People often say that failure to plan is planning to fail. Thats why we prepared a blueprint two years before we assumed office. Since then, weve been following it closely. That is what helped us hit the ground running and achieve the kind of impact weve seen so far.

He expressed confidence that the award would further energize his team to remain focused and results-driven, assuring that the state government is always open to working with responsible media organizations like Blueprint Newspaper to deepen accountability and drive development.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Blueprint Newspaper, Salisu Umar, who led a delegation of ace journalists formally presented the letter of nomination to Governor Radda, ahead of the grand award ceremony scheduled to hold on 22 July, 2025 in Abuja.

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In his remarks, Mr Salisu Umar expressed his condolences to the Governor over the recent loss of his mother, Hajiya Safarau, stating that although the organization had sent a written condolence message, it was important to extend their sympathy again in person. He then described the award as a well-deserved honour.

We are preparing for our upcoming award ceremony, and your Excellency has been selected to receive the award on Good Governance and Security. Since assuming office, youve made notable strides in restoring peace, empowering citizens through agriculture and education, and strengthening infrastructure, Mr Salisu said.

He added that the award committee conducted a detailed review and unanimously agreed that Governor Radda leadership stood out in both performance and impact. Even in the face of enormous challenges, your results speak clearly. This award is our way of celebrating your dedication and excellence, he concluded.

The Blueprint Newspaper delegation included : Zainab Suleiman Okino, Vice Chairman, Editorial Board, Clement Oluwole, Editorial Director, Abdulrahman A Abdulrauf, Editor (Daily) and Abdullahi M Gulloma, Deputy Editor/State House Correspondent. Also present during the ceremony were the Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed; and other senior government officials.

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Governor Uba Sani has pledged that Kaduna State is committed to introducing the Measles-Rubella (MMR) vaccines into the next statewide immunisation campaign.

He made the promise at the Stakeholders engagement on the introduction of Measles-Rubella (MMR) Vaccines into routine immunisation in Kaduna State on Thursday.

The Governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, praised the decision of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to introduce the MR vaccine into routine immunisation. She described the decision as a bold step in the right direction, aimed at giving every child in Nigeria a fighting chance at life.

As a medical doctor and public servant, I understand the crucial role immunisation plays in shaping the future of our society. A healthy child today means a more productive adult tomorrow, she said.

According to her, health workers, community and religious leaders, policymakers, donor agencies, parents, and government officials are to do everything possible to protect the lives of our children.

The Deputy Governor said the Government cannot win this battle alone because all stakeholders need each other in order to rise to this collective responsibility of fighting the disease.

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From traditional and religious leaders to frontline health workers, from policymakers to the wives of our local government chairmeneveryone is expected to play a vital role in sensitising their respective communities and constituencies, she added.

Dr Balarabe disclosed that as at January 31, 2025, 627 suspected Measles cases were recorded in 213 LGAs across 30 States of our dear country.

Whilst this represents a significant drop from the 2,157 cases in January 2024, the fact that over 80% of confirmed cases involved unvaccinated children speaks volumes.

The Deputy Governor lamented that the cases and deaths that have been recorded in the state in 2025 are unfortunate, stressing that These are not just statistics. They were children with names, with dreams, with futures that have now been cut short.

To our health workersyou are the hands and feet of this effort. Yours is a sacred duty. You are the hope of mothers who bring their children to the facilities. Your commitment must rise to match the urgency of this moment, she noted.

Dr Balarabe called on the chairmen of Kaduna North and South LGAs who were present at the event, to provide information to their colleagues because we want this stakeholder engagement to be cascaded down to wards.

To the spouses of our LGA Chairmen, you hold the key to the future of the children within your LGC. This is because you are the mobilisation and sensitisation champions of your LGC, please let your voices be heard in every nook and cranny of your LGC.

Inform women and get their buy-in and understanding of values and benefits of immunisation. No child in your LGC should be denied access to the vaccines. Your voices matter. Kaduna counts on your support for this cause, she implored.

Speaking at the event, the First Lady of Kaduna State, Mrs Hafsat Uba Sani, advised women to take routine vaccination very seriously in order to keep their children healthy.

The first lady further called on traditional and religious leaders, local government chairmen and their wives to further sensitise the people about the importance of vaccination.

In her welcome address, the Commissioner of Health, Umma Ahmad, noted that measles and rubella remain serious public health concerns, particularly for our most vulnerable populationschildren under five and pregnant women.

According to her, the good news is that both diseases are vaccine-preventable. This marks a critical step toward safeguarding our children and achieving disease elimination targets. Kaduna State is ready to embrace this change and incorporate it fully into our routine services. By adding the MR vaccine to our routine schedule, Kaduna will ensure that every eligible child  those at nine months and those returning at 15 months  receives this life-saving immunisation, Mrs Ahmad promised.

The Commissioner also commended the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, National Programme on Immunization and international partners like UNICEF, WHO, Gavi and others for providing critical technical and financial assistance for immunisation programmes.

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A group styled All Progressives Congress Stakeholders, Niger State, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to resolve an alleged imbalance in the composition of the Board and Management of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC). In a statement issued by the Secretary-General of the group, Mohammed K Santuraki (Santuraki of Nupe), the stakeholders argued that the Presidents intervention was needed to resolve the lopsidedness and ensure fair and equitable representation of Niger State in the Board and Management of the Commission.

The group regretted that only one non-executive director and a single executive director were allocated to Niger State in the Board and Management of NCDC stressing that the representation falls short of what the state justly deserves. The stakeholders premised their concerns on two key realities. The two factors are the electoral support that Niger State gave to President Tinubu during the last general election and the fact that the State agitated for the hosting of the headquarters of the NCDC but later conceded that to Nasarawa State.

The stakeholders emphasised: Let us revisit the facts: during the 2023 presidential election, Niger State delivered over 375,000 votesthe highest in the North Central Zone, the fourth highest in Northern Nigeria, and sixth nationally. In addition, we secured two out of three senatorial seats, 70% of House of Representatives seats, and delivered an APC governor. This strong show of support cannot and should not be overlooked.

Furthermore, Niger State initially contested for the location of the NCDC headquarters alongside Nasarawa State. We graciously stepped down and conceded the headquarters location to Nasarawa. Our expectation was clear: that this concession would be recognised through the allocation of at least one of the Commissions two principal positionseither the Managing Director/CEO or Chairman. Disappointingly, we received neither. This decision is not only unfair, but also undermines the delicate ethno-cultural and political balance of the North Central region.

According to the stakeholders, the North Central zone is broadly divided into two ethno-cultural blocs: The Benue-Plateau-Nasarawa axis and the Niger-Kogi-Kwara-FCT axis. They therefore contended that it is politically and morally imperative that the principal offices of Chairman and Managing Director be shared across the two blocs. As things stand, both top positions, along with the Commissions headquarters, are concentrated in one blocthe Benue-Plateau-Nasarawa axis, they lamented.

We respectfully urge His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to intervene and redress this glaring imbalance. Niger State has earned its place through loyalty, sacrifice, and contribution. We seek not favour, but fairness, the stakeholders concluded.

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Suspected bandits have killed at least 21 people and displaced several families in a repeated attack at the Gwana district of Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

A resident of the Mansur community  one of the affected towns- Isah Suleiman, told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that hundreds of families had fled their homes after the bandits killed many people and rustled livestock.

Mr Suleiman said the attacks had been occurring almost daily, a development never witnessed before in the community.

He said an attack last week claimed the lives of a police officer and a vigilante responding to distress calls from villagers.

As I speak with you, I am in my house (the palace) among the displaced persons taking refuge.18 people reported how their loved ones were killed in the recurring attacks

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The authorities need to do more in addressing the escalating violence by raiding the bandits hideouts in the rocky terrain, Mr Suleiman said.

The traditional leader said the bandits forced residents to abandon their homes after centuries of living in the area.

We dont have anyplace to go because even our great-grandparents were born in this area, and the bandits are bragging that no amount of force can stop them when they plan an attack in Bauchi or neighbouring Gombe State, Mr Suleiman added

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the bandits killed several members of a vigilante group protecting the community.

The resident said the attackers ambushed vigilantes patrolling Mansur, Digare, and Yalo farming communities near an oil field in Alkaleri L.G.A.

Residents said the attacks are causing panic in the farming communities where the people were preparing for the planting season.

The lawmaker representing the area in the House of Representatives, Kabir Yusuf, said 19 villagers, including nine members of a vigilante group, were massacred on 3 May by armed persons at Sabon Sara village.

Mr Yusuf, while moving a motion for urgent intervention in the farming communities in Bauchi, said the attackers also destroyed properties worth millions of Naira and rustled about 200 cows.

The lawmaker said the criminals are believed to be hiding in Madam Forest and called for the urgent attention of security agencies to dislodge them.

READ ALSO: Bandits kill 11 vigilante members in Bauchi oil community

The police had earlier, in a statement, said they had deployed personnel to check the marauding terrorists in the Gwana District. The police spokesperson in the state, Ahmed Wakil, said the police were patrolling Duguri, Mansur, and the Dajin Madam forest bordering Bauchi and Plateau states.

Alkaleri LGA shares a boundary with Gombe, Taraba, and Plateau states. The boundary areas are rugged terrains with rocky hills that the criminals use as hideouts to carry out attacks.

In 2022, former President Muhammadu Buhari flagged off the first crude oil drilling project in northern Nigeria in Alkaleri.

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Three Kebbi State senators elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday met with President Bola Tinubu ahead of their speculated defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central and former governor of the state); Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) met the president at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Friday.

They were led to the meeting by the National Chairperson of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Mr Ganduje hinted that the lawmakers would formally join the APC next week at the Senate plenary.

The Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris; Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu; and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, attended the meeting.

Meers Aleiru and Yahaya left the APC in the build-up to the 2023 election after falling out with the then-Governor Badugu over an alleged plan by the governor to impose the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, as the partys governorship candidate in Kebbi.

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

READ ALSO: Gov Radda bags 2024 Blueprint Newspaper Governor of the Year Award on security and good governance

The two men fought for control of party structures at the different levels in the state, as part of the battle for the 2023 elections.

Former Governor Bagudu was believed to support Mr Malami as his successor. But Mr Aliero preferred the then-Senate Majority Leader, Mr Abdullahi.

Messrs Aleiru and Yahaya left the APC and were reelected under the PDP. Mr Aliero defeated Mr Bagudu in the senatorial electionPresident Tinubu later appointed Mr Bagudu a minister.

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The Abia State Government has said it will convert the newly constructed Government House into a five-star hotel in Abia State.

The Commissioner of Information in Abia State, Okey Kanu, announced this when he conducted reporters around the facility, Vanguard reported on Friday.

The administration of the former governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, had commissioned the new Government House on 28 May 2023, a day before the end of his tenure.

Mr Ikpeazus administration inherited the project  which is at Ogurute Layout in Umuahia, a few metres from the State Secretariat  from his predecessor, Theodore Orji, who initiated and built it up to the roofing stage.

PREMIUM TIMES, in November 2023, published how the state governor, Alex Otti, was running the government from his country home outside of Umuahia, after abandoning both the New Government House and Old Government House Complexes.

Lawyers had told this newspaper that Mr Ottis action was not illegal but raised questions about the use or abandonment of public properties.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

The governors decision to operate from his private residence in his village has placed a financial burden on the Abia State Government with about N2 million, as of the time, spent monthly for fueling of vehicles of state officials who travel to the village for meetings, findings by PREMIUM TIMES showed.

At the time of the report, a litre of petrol was sold at N630. But now, the price has since jumped to N950 per litre.

The exact amount spent on the new Government House project by Mr Ikpeazus administration is unclear, although officials say it must have gulped several billions of naira before it was commissioned.

The administration, for instance, spent a whopping N175 million just for the fencing, according to an information issued by the then government on 29 October 2012.

Uninhabitable and security risk

Mr Kanu, while conducting the reporters around the facility, described the structure as uninhabitable and a security risk.

Despite video evidence published by PREMIUM TIMES, the commissioner claimed the structure was not completed but was hastily inaugurated 24 hours before Mr Ikpeazu left office.

He argued that the complex was never intended for residential use, claiming the facility lacks essential facilities.

This place appears uninhabitable. There are no wardrobes anywhere. Most of what we saw were just halls  empty halls, he stated during the tour with reporters.

Mr Kanu questioned the logic behind the design, expressing disbelief that the structure was expected to serve as a Government House.

One begins to wonder what the designers had in mind when they put up this so-called Government House and expected a governor to live in it, he said.

The commissioner claimed that only the first floor of the building appeared to be completed, with the remaining floors unfinished and the elevator not installed.

He accused the Ikpeazu administration of rushing the project to create a facade of accomplishment, despite its incomplete and unsafe state.

But the video evidence published by this newspaper contradicted the commissioners claims.

You can see a lot of the places that were not plastered. The whole place looks dangerous, Mr Kanu claimed.

Plans for new Government House and conversion to hotel

Mr Kanu then revealed that Governor Otti had directed that a new Government House be constructed at the old Government House site.

The structure (the new Government House) at Ogurube Layout will be converted into a five-star hotel, he said.

The commissioner explained the governor, as a responsible leader, would convert the complex because he will not allow state resources to be wasted.

He claimed that the conversion would benefit the state economically.

Mr Kanu also dismissed claims by the past administration that the old Government House was a rented property, insisting that the facility was duly acquired by the state government.

Those who were in office before now were busy paying themselves rent from government coffers, deceiving the public that they were paying rent for a Government House, he stated.

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JERUSALEM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) affirmed Israel's sovereign credit rating at A on Friday night, with the outlook remaining "negative" amid the country's ongoing multi-front conflict in the Middle East.

"Israel's resumed military operations in Gaza and the ongoing military activities in neighbouring Lebanon and Syria keep security risks for Israel high," read S&P's rating action, adding that "a protracted or more intense military conflict" could dent Israel's "economic, fiscal, and balance-of-payments performance" despite the country's "healthy macroeconomic fundamentals."

S&P noted that the resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict appears unlikely in the near term, potentially burdening Israel's long-term growth and public finances.

The rating agency also warned of the U.S. impact on Israel's economy, noting that Washington's "evolving position" on the Gaza war and relations with Iran, among others, "adds uncertainty to the regional security outlook," which could in turn affect Israel.

Besides, "U.S. trade tariffs will impinge on Israel's economy both directly and indirectly," it noted.

In 2024, S&P downgraded Israel's credit rating twice amid its multi-front conflict in the region, first from AA- to A+, and then from A+ to A. 
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- An Abu Dhabi economic delegation, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), concluded a successful visit to Japan, signing agreements with government entities and the private sector to further enhance partnerships in various industries and high-growth clusters.

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, at Abu Dhabi Investment Forum, Tokyo, Japan

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation, comprising representatives from more than 80 public sector entities, private enterprises, SMEs, and startups, engaged in high-level meetings with top government officials, key businesses and investors in Japan, exploring collaboration opportunities in across key sectors including life sciences, carbon-neutral technologies, AI, digital infrastructure, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and financial services.

The delegation visited Expo 2025 Osaka and SusHi Tech  Tokyo, and organised the 11th Abu Dhabi Japan Economic Council (ADJEC) meeting, the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF) and Abu Dhabi-Japan Business Forum, highlighting cooperation opportunities and the role of Abu Dhabi's 'Falcon Economy' initiatives in accelerating transition towards a smart, diversified, and sustainable development.

12 homegrown startups, supported by Hub71 and Khalifa Fund, participated in SusHi Tech- Tokyo, Asia's premier startup and innovation conference, highlighting Abu Dhabi's tech talent, solutions, and investment opportunities in innovation-driven industries.

Organised in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Tokyo, the visit included meetings with H.E. Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka, H.E. Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, H.E. Nobuhiko Yamaguchi, Vice Governor of Osaka, H.E. Ogushi Masaki, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, H.E. Takeuchi Shinji, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and H.E. H.E. Kodaira Nobuyori, President of the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). The delegation also met senior officials and executives of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), Sumitomo Corporation, Cosmo Energy, ITOCHU, and Toshiba.

His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: "Guided by our leadership's ambitious vision, we are doubling down on our efforts to future-proof the economy and cement Abu Dhabi's stature as a rising economic powerhouse and a global hub for talent, business, investment, and trade".

"Our visit to Japan presented a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our longstanding partnership by exploring new avenues of collaboration in various sectors. The agreements signed during this visit reinforce our commitment to deepening partnerships across priority industries and clusters to address giga shifts in the global economy. We remain committed to enhancing cooperation with key economies and trading partners, making human development and sustainability our top priorities to shape a brighter tomorrow".

The agreements signed during the visit included a strategic partnership for smart mobility solutions between Emirates Driving Company and Zenmov, a leading company in smart mobility solutions, and Abu Dhabi Chamber and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) agreement to deepen business relations and create new opportunities for collaboration.

In addition, the Emirates Foundation's Nema initiative and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) inked an agreement to bolster cooperation to support achieving Nema's goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030, in line with the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

His Excellency Shihab Ahmed Alfaheem, Ambassador of the UAE to Japan, said: "The visit of the Abu Dhabi economic delegation to Japan underscores the strength and strategic depth of the UAEJapan relationship  one that is rooted in decades of trust and collaboration, and now firmly focused on the future. Japan's global leadership in digital innovation, smart infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and advanced manufacturing aligns closely with Abu Dhabi's economic diversification goals and its ambition to build a resilient, knowledge-based, and climate-conscious economy."

H.E. Alfaheem added: "This mission represents a pivotal moment in our bilateral ties, as we prepare to activate transformative frameworks such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). CEPA will provide unprecedented access to markets, streamline cross-border investment, and facilitate greater technological exchange between our nations. It is through such frameworks that we will unlock the full potential of UAEJapan collaboration across sectors  from clean energy and AI to startups and industrial R&D. The UAE Embassy in Tokyo is proud to support this high-level engagement. We remain committed to fostering meaningful partnerships between Emirati and Japanese institutions, and to advancing shared priorities that will shape the next era of sustainable, innovation-led growth."

Bilateral trade between the UAE and Japan rose 4.8 percent to AED 182.4 billion (USD 49.7 billion) in 2024, compared to AED 174 billion (USD 47.4 billion) in 2023, while non-oil trade grew 2.2 percent over the same period, reflecting growing ties between the two economies. UAE investment in Japan has increased 100% over the past five years, while the country accounts for 80 percent of Japanese investments in the Middle East.

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation included senior officials and executives from government entities, private sector's companies, and startups, including the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), ADGM, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Customs, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), ADNOC, KEZAD, Hub71, Abu Dhabi Airports, and major companies from different sectors.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684338/Ahmed_Jasim_Al_Zaabi.jpg

SOURCE Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development
ABU DHABI, UAE, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- An Abu Dhabi economic delegation, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), concluded a successful visit to Japan, signing agreements with government entities and the private sector to further enhance partnerships in various industries and high-growth clusters.

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, at Abu Dhabi Investment Forum, Tokyo, Japan

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation, comprising representatives from more than 80 public sector entities, private enterprises, SMEs, and startups, engaged in high-level meetings with top government officials, key businesses and investors in Japan, exploring collaboration opportunities in across key sectors including life sciences, carbon-neutral technologies, AI, digital infrastructure, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and financial services.

The delegation visited Expo 2025 Osaka and SusHi Tech  Tokyo, and organised the 11th Abu Dhabi Japan Economic Council (ADJEC) meeting, the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum (ADIF) and Abu Dhabi-Japan Business Forum, highlighting cooperation opportunities and the role of Abu Dhabi's 'Falcon Economy' initiatives in accelerating transition towards a smart, diversified, and sustainable development.

12 homegrown startups, supported by Hub71 and Khalifa Fund, participated in SusHi Tech- Tokyo, Asia's premier startup and innovation conference, highlighting Abu Dhabi's tech talent, solutions, and investment opportunities in innovation-driven industries.

Organised in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Tokyo, the visit included meetings with H.E. Hirofumi Yoshimura, Governor of Osaka, H.E. Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, H.E. Nobuhiko Yamaguchi, Vice Governor of Osaka, H.E. Ogushi Masaki, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, H.E. Takeuchi Shinji, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and H.E. H.E. Kodaira Nobuyori, President of the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). The delegation also met senior officials and executives of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), Sumitomo Corporation, Cosmo Energy, ITOCHU, and Toshiba.

His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, said: "Guided by our leadership's ambitious vision, we are doubling down on our efforts to future-proof the economy and cement Abu Dhabi's stature as a rising economic powerhouse and a global hub for talent, business, investment, and trade".

"Our visit to Japan presented a valuable opportunity to further strengthen our longstanding partnership by exploring new avenues of collaboration in various sectors. The agreements signed during this visit reinforce our commitment to deepening partnerships across priority industries and clusters to address giga shifts in the global economy. We remain committed to enhancing cooperation with key economies and trading partners, making human development and sustainability our top priorities to shape a brighter tomorrow".

The agreements signed during the visit included a strategic partnership for smart mobility solutions between Emirates Driving Company and Zenmov, a leading company in smart mobility solutions, and Abu Dhabi Chamber and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) agreement to deepen business relations and create new opportunities for collaboration.

In addition, the Emirates Foundation's Nema initiative and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) inked an agreement to bolster cooperation to support achieving Nema's goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030, in line with the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

His Excellency Shihab Ahmed Alfaheem, Ambassador of the UAE to Japan, said: "The visit of the Abu Dhabi economic delegation to Japan underscores the strength and strategic depth of the UAEJapan relationship  one that is rooted in decades of trust and collaboration, and now firmly focused on the future. Japan's global leadership in digital innovation, smart infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and advanced manufacturing aligns closely with Abu Dhabi's economic diversification goals and its ambition to build a resilient, knowledge-based, and climate-conscious economy."

H.E. Alfaheem added: "This mission represents a pivotal moment in our bilateral ties, as we prepare to activate transformative frameworks such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). CEPA will provide unprecedented access to markets, streamline cross-border investment, and facilitate greater technological exchange between our nations. It is through such frameworks that we will unlock the full potential of UAEJapan collaboration across sectors  from clean energy and AI to startups and industrial R&D. The UAE Embassy in Tokyo is proud to support this high-level engagement. We remain committed to fostering meaningful partnerships between Emirati and Japanese institutions, and to advancing shared priorities that will shape the next era of sustainable, innovation-led growth."

Bilateral trade between the UAE and Japan rose 4.8 percent to AED 182.4 billion (USD 49.7 billion) in 2024, compared to AED 174 billion (USD 47.4 billion) in 2023, while non-oil trade grew 2.2 percent over the same period, reflecting growing ties between the two economies. UAE investment in Japan has increased 100% over the past five years, while the country accounts for 80 percent of Japanese investments in the Middle East.

The Abu Dhabi economic delegation included senior officials and executives from government entities, private sector's companies, and startups, including the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), ADGM, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabi Customs, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), ADNOC, KEZAD, Hub71, Abu Dhabi Airports, and major companies from different sectors.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684338/Ahmed_Jasim_Al_Zaabi.jpg
MUNICH, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dyness, a global pioneering provider of energy storage solutions, has successfully concluded its participation at Intersolar Europe 2025, Over the event, Dyness captivated the global audience at Booth B2-131 with its cutting-edge energy storage innovations, drawing strong attention from partners and industry professionals.

At the exhibition, Dyness proudly presented its flagship solutions, each tailored to meet the evolving needs of diverse energy storage applications.

Dyness, a global pioneering provider of energy storage solutions

Residential Solutions: Compact, Scalable, and Intelligent

For the residential ESS, Dyness introduced innovative solutions designed to combine flexibility, performance, and user-centric design.

PowerHI, the newly launched balcony ESS, offers compact plug-and-play installation and expandable capacity up to 14.4kWh. With its self-heating function and reliable operation in temperatures from -20C to 55C, PowerHI provides a flexible and efficient energy storage option for modern households seeking greener living.

PowerDepot G2 stood out for its exceptional scalability, supporting up to 50 units in parallel for a capacity range from 5.12kWh to 256kWh. Featuring a high IP66 protection rating and an integrated aerosol fire suppression system, PowerDepot G2 delivers robust outdoor performance, high safety standards and strong adaptability to evolving residential energy needs.

C&I Solution: Flexible and Future-Ready

In the C&I sector, Dyness showcased STACK100, a modular indoor solution ideal for small and medium-sized enterprises. Supporting parallel connection of up to 12 clusters with a maximum capacity of 921kWh, STACK100 enables flexible deployment, scalability and optimized energy management for a variety of commercial applications. The high-performance design and versatile configuration of STACK100 attracted wide interest from visitors seeking reliable solutions for business energy transformation.

Engaging the Community: Vibrant On-Site Activities

Adding to the excitement, Dyness hosted a Photo Check-in activity, inviting visitors to capture memorable moments at the booth. Participants received complimentary coffee or beer upon sharing their photos, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere. This initiative not only fostered deeper interactions but also highlighted Dyness's open and dynamic brand spirit.

Recognized with the "Top Brand PV" award by EUPD Research, Dyness continues to lead with innovation and trusted performance. With a growing global footprint spanning 13 branches and partnerships with over 90 distributors worldwide, Dyness remains committed to providing localized services and continuous innovation. Serving more than 500,000 users across 100+ countries, Dyness is driving the process of making green energy available around the world.

For more information, please visit www.dyness.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2684291/Dyness_a_global_pioneering_provider_energy_storage_solutions.jpg
VIENNA, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The winners of coffee roaster Julius Meinl's Barista Cup recently embarked on a journey to Honduras, experiencing firsthand the origins of the coffee they serve each day.

The trip, hosted with FAIRTRADE Austria and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fairtrade (CLAC), took baristas through key coffee-growing regions in Honduras supplying Julius Meinl's double-certified The Originals Bio Fairtrade line.

Coffee Producer at COCAMOL Cooperative in Honduras enjoys a Julius Meinl coffee.

The group included fifth-generation family member Christina Meinl and Barista Cup winners Raffy Vajio (UAE, overall winner), Vladimir Chzou (Moldova, Espresso winner), Luca Riccardi (Italy, Cappuccino winner), and Mario Benetseder (Austria, Signature Drink winner).

Arriving at peak harvest in January, coffee trees were laden with bright red cherries. The visit provided insights into the social and environmental challenges shaping the industry amid record-high prices. In honor of World Fairtrade Day 2025, Julius Meinl shares key insights on Fairtrade coffee:

"Picking the product that I work with every day straight from the tree, seeing each processing stage, and meeting the people behind itthis completely changed my view of coffee."  Mario Benetseder

Connecting the Supply Chain: The Fairtrade Impact

Hartwig Kirner, CEO of FAIRTRADE Austria, highlighted the significance of such visits:

"This trip connects two ends of the coffee supply chainproducers and baristas. It fosters direct knowledge-sharing, deepens understanding of the challenges farmers face, and underscores the importance of Fairtrade's mission in securing a sustainable coffee future."

Fairtrade ensures farmers receive a stable minimum price and an additional Fairtrade Premium, which cooperatives reinvest to improve their communities, infrastructure, and sustainability projects.

Challenging Times, Bold Solutions

The baristas visited COPRACNIL and COCAMOL, cooperatives dedicated to supporting producers to improve coffee quality, yields, and community well-being. Focus areas include rust-resistant coffee varieties, agroforestry, and diversified incomescritical for keeping coffee farming viable and a stable career for the next generation.

The group visited Instituto Copan Galel in Copan, a school offering a three-year Agroforestry Baccalaureate focused on Technical Development and Innovation, funded by COPRACNIL's Fairtrade Premium. The daughter of COPRACNIL's president is enrolled, eager to combine higher education with ambitions to run her family's farm.

Investing in Coffee's Future

Launched in 2023, The Originals Bio Fairtrade range has become a cornerstone for B2B customers, meeting the rising demand for double-certified coffeemaking it Julius Meinl's most successful B2B launch. The trip underscored the importance of strong partnerships between producers, roasters, and customers for Fairtrade's success.

Speaking on Fairtrade's impact, Jimmin Soriano, former COCAMOL president, shared:

"If it weren't for Fairtrade and organic certification, I wouldn't still be producing coffee. We are always looking for better markets and better opportunities for our families because being a coffee producer is very hard. But in the end, when we find buyers like you, it motivates us to continue producing and selling our coffee."

As the coffee industry faces an uncertain future, investments at the farm levellike those enabled by Fairtradeare more crucial than ever. By strengthening connections between baristas and farmers, initiatives like this help build a more sustainable, equitable, and thriving coffee sector.

NOTE TO EDITORS

About Julius Meinl: Founded in 1862, Julius Meinl is one of the oldest coffee roasters in the world and an iconic Vienna coffee house brand. Dedication to quality has been a family trademark for five generations. With more than 160 years of experience in sourcing, blending and roasting, Julius Meinl coffees and teas are sold in over 50,000 hotels, coffee houses and restaurants in 70 countries, plus a growing number of retail outlets.

Julius Meinl | Premium coffee and tea | Julius Meinl

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2681747/Julius_Meinl_Coffee_Producer.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2388574/5264235/Julius_Meinl_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Julius Meinl
SHENZHEN, China, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lecomely, a pioneering beauty brand, revolutionizes personal care with its science-driven innovations, proudly introducing the Lecomely AirEdge A3 Multi-styler to the U.S. market. The Lecomely AirEdge A3 Multi-styler delivers precision-engineered styling with Smart Temperature Regulation, rapid heat-up technology, and 360 airflow versatilitypreserving hair health while achieving salon-perfect waves and curls effortlessly.

Lecomely AirEdge A3 Multi-styler

Brand Story: Where Science Empowers Hairstyling Freedom

Founded on a mission to remediate the shortcomings of traditional styling tools, Lecomely bridges the gap between high-performance styling and hair preservation. By leveraging cutting-edge thermal engineering and ergonomic design, the Lecomely AirEdge A3 Multi-styler embodies Lecomely's ethos: "Uniquify Your Style" without compromise.

Why Lecomely AirEdge A3 Multi-styler Redefines Hair Care

5-in-1 Versatility: Curl, Straighten, Dry & Smooth for All Hair Types

Whether you have fine, curly, thick, or chemically treated hair, the A3 adapts seamlessly,maintain styling for up to 18 hours:

3 Interchangeable Attachments: Achieve polished blowouts, voluminous curls, or defined waves with one tool.

Smart Temperature Regulation: Auto-adjusts heat (100 times/s) based on hair texture to minimize hair damage.

Rapid Heat-up Technology

110,000 RPM High-Speed Motor: Achieve high crown hairstyle in 5 minutesideal for rushed mornings (for long hair full head styling in Just 17 Minutes).

Ergonomic Design: Lightweight (1.09 lbs) with a 360 swivel cord for tangle-free use.

Hair Health First

Damage-Free Shine with Smart Heat & Negative Ions: Ceramic--Infused plates that evenly distribute heat, while release negative ions to reduce frizz and enhance shine of your hair.

Cool Touch Technology: Safe for touching during mid-styling.

Travel-Ready & User-Centric Design

The A3's compact design and heat-resistant travel bag redefines globetrotter beauty standards(Customized bag can be found on another link, with coupons available from Lecomelylife.com). From chaotic business trip mornings to destination weddings, salon-perfect hairstyles stay effortlessly accessible.

Real User Scenarios

Time-Crunched Professionals: Transform damp hair to a polished blowout before your coffee brewed.

Curly Hair Champions: Define curls without sacrificing volume or moisture.

Gift Seekers: The perfect Mother's Day or holiday gift for loved ones who value efficiency and self-care.

A Message from Lecomely Brand

"Traditional tools force users to sacrifice speed for hair health. " says Hank Luo " The A3 eradicates that speed-hair health trade-off,We've engineered every componentfrom the motor to the platesto deliver salon-level results with zero guilt."

Availability & Sustainability

The Lecomely AirEdge A3 Multi-styler (MSRP: $199.99) debuts on [10th of May] exclusively at [Amazon and Lecomelylife.com], and alongside high-end beauty retailers. Crafted in recyclable materials, this sleek Multi-Styler embodies Lecomely's commitment in sustainable and eco-conscious innovation.

About Lecomely

Lecomely is a global pioneer in smart beauty technology. By merging laboratory-proven thermal engineering with consumer insights, we empower individuals to enjoy cutting-edge hairstyle performance with hair health preservation.

Born from the ultimate vision to transcend traditional boundaries as an avant-garde personal care innovator, powered by relentless technological breakthroughs, we evolved from an industry challenger into the global vanguard of science-driven care solutions.

Media Contact:

Hank.luo

Director of Lecomely Brand

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.lecomelylife.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F28W63GD

SOURCE Lecomely
BARCELONA, Spain, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Luohu, a central district of Shenzhen, one of China's most dynamic city economies, organized an economic and trade promotion meeting in Barcelona on May 8th.

This event brought together officials and business representatives from both regions, facilitating deeper exchanges on technological innovation, sustainable development, and cross-border investments, while jointly exploring new avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation.

Participants at the meeting commended the strong momentum in Sino-Spanish relations and the vast potential for bilateral collaboration, rooted in the economic complementarity between the two nations and their shared commitment to free trade and economic globalization.

Luohu is committed to promoting consumption, the growth of the service sector, and integrated development with neighboring Hong Kong. The district aims to strengthen cooperation with Barcelona, Spain's largest industrial and commercial city, in areas such as the digital economy, smart cities, jewelry exhibitions, and cultural tourism.

Officials from Luohu highlighted the advantages of the district, including its position as the earliest developed area and central urban area of Shenzhen with a strategic location advantage connecting the world, an internationally top-tier business environment, and highly promising development prospects, offering vast potential for cooperation between the two parties.

Statistics show that the trade volume between Shenzhen and Spain surpassed $28.71 billion last year, with direct air routes connecting the two cities since they established a sister city relationship in 2021.

"The supercomputing center in Barcelona and the innovative initiatives in Valencia's sustainable city are both valuable models for us to learn from," said Luohu's investment promotion officer. "Our collaboration in cutting-edge technology, urban development, and port logistics is thriving. There is immense potential for cooperation in the digital economy, high-end manufacturing, and fashion consumption."

Acknowledging Shenzhen's significance in the world's second-largest economy, the Spanish side not only echoed Luohu's invitation to Spanish companies but also welcomed investments from Shenzhen-based enterprises in Barcelona.

Officials from Barcelona encouraged investment from Shenzhen, particularly in technology parks, green projects, and cultural creativity, promoting mutual investment and industrial integration between the two cities.

The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises of Spain (PIMEC) suggests establishing an institutionalized platform, such as creating the "Luohu-Barcelona Small and Medium Enterprise Cooperation Platform," to facilitate mutual investment, technological cooperation, and joint research and development among small and medium enterprises.

They also propose encouraging transparent information exchange on policies, regulations, taxation, and registration procedures, as well as promoting collaboration between universities, research centers, and businesses.

The event witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding on cooperation between Luohu and Barcelona, as well as enthusiastic exchanges between entrepreneurs and officials from both sides. This has laid a solid foundation for deeper collaboration between the two parties in the future.
FORT LUPTON, Colo., May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With nearly 75 years of manufacturing experience in the heavy-duty truck market, the Merritt family of companies, which is comprised of Merritt Aluminum Products and Merritt Trailers, is proud to announce its acquisition of Magnum Trailer & Equipment, a respected British Columbia, Canada-based company with three divisions: Truck Accessories, Trailer Manufacturing, and Service.

Merritt Companies, parent company to Merritt Aluminum Products and Merritt Trailers, acquires Magnum Trailer & Equipment out of Abbotsford, BC, Canada in May 2025.

Magnum Trailer & Equipment's Truck Accessories division is known for its rugged, aluminum moose guards and modular front-end protection systems designed for Class 8 trucks. This division will integrate closely with Merritt Aluminum Products to create a complete front-to-back aluminum solution for customers in the heavy-duty trucking industry.

"This acquisition reinforces our strategic vision to deliver the best aluminum products in the market by combining the strengths of both organizations," said Taylor Merritt, CEO of Merritt Companies. "It's about creating more value for our customers, expanding innovation, and honoring the shared values that make both companies successful."

Key Benefits of the Acquisition Include:

A Broader, Stronger Product Portfolio

From rugged front-end guards to smartly engineered storage solutions, the combined product line delivers unmatched coverage and versatility for heavy and light-duty truck customers.





From rugged front-end guards to smartly engineered storage solutions, the combined product line delivers unmatched coverage and versatility for heavy and light-duty truck customers. Expanded Customer Support & Distribution Network

Customers will benefit from improved access to products and faster, more responsive service across a wider geographic footprint.





Customers will benefit from improved access to products and faster, more responsive service across a wider geographic footprint. Accelerated Innovation & Engineering Power

By uniting engineering teams and resources, the acquisition fuels cutting-edge product development and faster go-to-market timelines.





By uniting engineering teams and resources, the acquisition fuels cutting-edge product development and faster go-to-market timelines. One Unified Commitment to Excellence

Our shared focus on quality, performance, and customer satisfaction continues to drive every decision we maketogether, we're even stronger.





Our shared focus on quality, performance, and customer satisfaction continues to drive every decision we maketogether, we're even stronger. Technology Synergy & Operational Efficiencies

The integration opens new doors for shared technologies, optimized supply chains, and breakthrough design innovation across all business divisions.

All divisions of Magnum Trailer & Equipment will retain their unique strengths while gaining access to additional resources and support. The Truck Accessories division will see the closest collaboration with Merritt Aluminum Products due to the highly complementary nature of their product offerings.

"The acquisition of Magnum by Merritt brings an exciting new chapter for Magnum. Our values align well, and our product lines complement each other. We look forward to driving growth strategically together," said Andrew Taylor, CEO of Magnum Trailer & Equipment.

"This acquisition is not only strategic, but also personal," said Taylor Merritt. "Our family's roots are in the Pacific Northwest, where our company was founded nearly 75 years ago. We've long served both the PNW and Western Canada, and it feels like a homecoming to now welcome Magnum Trailer & Equipment, located in beautiful British Columbia, into our family."

He added, "In fact, our family has had a cabin in British Columbia since the 1960s, and we've spent countless vacations there. So, this connection goes far beyond business, it's deeply personal. It also helps that I've developed a strong personal and professional relationship with Magnum's CEO, Andrew, dating back to 2019. We share similar values, a commitment to craftsmanship, and a vision for what this industry can be. Together, we are stronger, and our customers will be the ultimate beneficiaries."

For more information, contact John Slavik, President  303-287-3275

[email protected]

SOURCE Merritt Companies
MUNICH, May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- StarCharge, a global leader in EV charging infrastructure, energy, and digital solutions, has unveiled its latest BESS solution at Intersolar 2025. The launch attracted considerable attention, with a high volume of customers visiting the booth to explore the latest 5MWh BESS solution. Numerous clients showed strong interest and engaged in in-depth consultations, highlighting the market's enthusiasm for innovative and scalable energy storage solutions.

StarCharge 5MWh Container Energy Storage System

The 5MWh Container Energy Storage System is optimized for utility-scale application, ensuring peak shaving and enhancing grid stability. It features high-performance 314Ah LFP battery cells, BMS, Aerosol Fire Suppression System (FSS) and Environmental Control System, all housed within a 20 feet standardized container. The container is highly corrosion-resistant and complies with global environmental standards, ensuring its resilience in a variety of operating conditions.

Tailored for the European market, the system is well-suited for use as standalone BESS projects, distributed energy storage power stations, industrial and commercial microgrids, EV charging hubs, and renewable energy storage facilities. Its flexible and scalable design addresses the growing demand for reliable energy infrastructure amid Europe's accelerating transition to renewables and electric mobility.

Future Prospects

Intersolar 2025 marks the international debut for StarCharge 5MWh BESS solution, representing a significant milestone in the company's global expansion strategy. By leveraging its integrated manufacturing capabilities in ESS containers, battery packs and PCS systems, StarCharge is well-poised to contribute significantly to global energy sustainability efforts.

"As the global energy sector rapidly evolves, StarCharge remains resolutely focused on integrating advanced technologies that support global energy independence," said a spokesperson for StarCharge. "Our participation at Intersolar 2025 represents a pivotal moment in advancing our strategic initiatives, as we empower businesses, utilities, and communities worldwide with innovative energy solutions."

About StarCharge

StarCharge, a global leader in EV charging infrastructure and comprehensive energy solutions. It offers a diverse range of intelligent and reliable charging and BESS solutions powered by cutting-edge technology, designed to cater to various scenarios and contribute to building a more efficient and resilient energy future.

For more information, please visit www.starcharge.com or contact [email protected].
VANCOUVER, BC, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - TELUS Corporation (TELUS) (TSX: T) (NYSE: TU) announced today that the nominees listed in TELUS' 2025 information circular were elected as directors of TELUS. The detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at TELUS' annual meeting on May 9, 2025 (the Meeting) are set out below.

Each of the following 14 nominees proposed by management was elected as a director of TELUS:

Nominee Votes For % Votes For Votes Withheld % Votes Withheld Raymond T. Chan 685,826,716 98.37 11,371,525 1.63 Hazel Claxton 688,785,155 98.79 8,416,534 1.21 Lisa De Wilde 684,043,093 98.11 13,158,596 1.89 Victor Dodig 691,498,695 99.18 5,700,271 0.82 Darren Entwistle 682,366,011 97.87 14,838,755 2.13 Thomas Flynn 693,297,141 99.44 3,901,641 0.56 Mary Jo Haddad 629,411,988 90.28 67,795,553 9.72 Martha Hall Findlay 693,905,510 99.53 3,293,499 0.47 Christine Magee 688,777,242 98.79 8,421,767 1.21 John Manley 684,643,528 98.20 12,557,151 1.80 David Mowat 687,569,365 98.62 9,629,644 1.38 Marc Parent 660,847,804 94.79 36,350,978 5.21 Denise Pickett 689,927,911 98.96 7,270,661 1.04 W. Sean Willy 691,051,394 99.12 6,147,405 0.88

Final voting results on all matters voted on at the Meeting will be published shortly on telus.com/agm, and filed with the Canadian and U.S. securities regulators.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company, generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 20 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. Our TELUS Health business is enhancing more than 76 million lives worldwide through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. Our TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods business utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. Guided by our enduring 'give where we live' philosophy, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.8 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs including 2.4 million days of service since 2000, earning us the distinction of the world's most giving company.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us at @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For more information, please contact:

Jacinthe Beaulieu

TELUS Media Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.
The evening brought together over 500 civic leaders, changemakers, philanthropists, and supporters to uplift the work of BroSis, which has become a national model for guiding Black and Latinx youth from elementary school through college and into careers.

"This anniversary is about more than reflection - it's about celebrating the brilliance of our young people and the power of collective action," said Khary Lazarre-White, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Brotherhood Sister Sol. "Mark Breitbard has stood with BroSis as a partner and advocate for years and we were thrilled to recognize and honor him."

Under Breitbard's leadership, Gap has partnered with BroSis to support crucial programs like academic support, arts education, college prep, and mental health resources, that empower hundreds of youth every year.

"When I look at the impact BroSis has made over the last 30 years - building leaders, demanding justice, reimagining community - we are truly grateful to be in BroSis' orbit," said Mark Breitbard. "What you do is inspiring and necessary. This partnership is not just the right thing to do - it's good for business."

Since its founding in 1995, BroSis has provided youth with year-round holistic programming. The organization's results are exceptional: over the past seven years, 100% of its high school seniors have graduated, and 94% have gone on to higher education - two-thirds of them as first-generation college students.

"At BroSis, when a young person joins our village, they become part of a family," said BroSis Co-Founder and Associate Executive Director Jason Warwin. "That means providing year-round support, including financial, health, academic, and legal assistance."

As it enters its fourth decade, BroSis remains committed to deepening its impact and expanding its reach - ensuring that even more young people can lead, innovate, and create positive change in their communities.

About The Brotherhood Sister Sol

Founded in 1995, The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) is a social justice and youth development organization based in Harlem with national influence. BroSis empowers Black and Latinx youth through long-term, holistic programming focused on education, leadership development, and community organizing. To learn more, visit www.brotherhood-sistersol.org.

Media Contact:

Vanessa Marquez

[email protected]

SOURCE The Brotherhood Sister Sol
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan successfully targeted and destroyed an Indian S-400 air defense system in Adampur, located in Jalandhar district of India's Punjab state, in an airstrike on Saturday, the Pakistani military said in a statement.

The strike was carried out using hypersonic missiles deployed from the JF-17 platform, with precision-guided munitions neutralizing the advanced air defense asset, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military wing of the Pakistani army, said in the statement.

The S-400 system, estimated to be worth around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, was considered one of India's most sophisticated surface-to-air missile systems, the statement added.

Military analysts told Xinhua that the successful targeting of the S-400 could have significant implications for India's aerial defense posture in the region.

The strike is a part of Pakistan's major military operation "Bunyanun Marsoos," meaning concrete structure, launched in response to sustained Indian provocations, and aimed at targeting multiple high-value military installations across India, according to the ISPR. 
SACRAMENTO, Calif. , May 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wayfinder Family Services hosted its annual fundraising event, Derby Day, at Mulvaney's B&L restaurant in Sacramento on Saturday, May 3rd. All proceeds from the event benefit Wayfinder's foster care and adoption programs in Northern California.

Over 150 guests enjoyed a live auction, hat contest, Southern-inspired food and live feed of the Kentucky Derby race. Wayfinder's Community Council, a group of local volunteers who raise awareness and funds for Wayfinder's mission, hosted the event.

Guests enjoyed Wayfinder Family Services' annual Derby Day fundraiser in downtown Sacramento, benefitting foster care and adoption programs. Photo by Tia Gemmell Media

Jay Allen, Wayfinder's president and CEO said, "while Wayfinder's main campus is in Los Angeles, we have equally deep roots in this area. I want to thank Wayfinder's board, Community Council, today's sponsors and donors, as well as Wayfinder's phenomenal staff. They are the definition of 'above and beyond' and are who makes Wayfinder the best in class at what we do."

Annie Hallsten Narayan, member of Wayfinder's Community Council, emceed the event and kicked it off with John Nicolaus, co-chair of Wayfinder's Community Council and a member of its board of directors. Jade Pillsbury, Wayfinder Community Council member and adoptive mother, gave the audience a firsthand account of Wayfinder's services. "The work that they do herethe trainings, the courses, the support groups, the support offered, the mentorship, the friendship that comes from thisis beyond my expectation, and I am very grateful."

Since 1980, nearly 18,000 children have found stability and permanency in loving homes through Wayfinder's adoption programs and last year it served over 10,000 foster, adoptive and kinship families. The organization serves a total of over 22,000 individuals statewide each year through child welfare and disabilities programs.

About Wayfinder Family Services

Wayfinder Family Services provides expert, individualized support and services to children, youth, adults and familiesfrom people with vision loss and developmental disabilities to children in need of temporary shelter, foster care and adoption.

SOURCE Wayfinder Family Services
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Guwahati, May 10 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the state police have arrested three more persons over alleged charges of propagating 'Pro-Pakistan' statements on social media platforms.

The accused persons have been identified as Nasim Uddin Laskar, Arif Rehman and Abubin Miraz Uddin S.K.

Laskar was arrested from Cachar district while Rehman and Uddin S.K. were taken into custody from the Dhubri district.

With the latest arrest, the tally of people arrested for supporting Pakistan has increased to 48.

CM Sarma said, "So far 48 Anti Nationals have been arrested for their treachery."

Among the 48 arrested people, the most prominent is the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA Aminul Islam.

He was the first person to be arrested in the state for the "pro-Pakistan" stand.

Aminul Islam, an AIUDF MLA from Assam's Dhing Assembly constituency, was arrested on May 1 on sedition charges following his provocative statement regarding the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed more than 20 lives.

In a video clip circulated on social media, the AIUDF leader is heard claiming that the Pahalgam and Pulwama attacks were part of a "government conspiracy".

Aminul Islam has said: "Six years ago in Pulwama, when the RDX blast happened and 42 soldiers died, I said on that day that the Pulwama blast happened at the behest of a conspiracy of the Central government, and it was a conspiracy to win the 2019 Lok Sabha polls."

He added that what happened in Pahalgam is that the BJP has been peddling that the terrorists asked about religion and opened fire only on Hindus, and they let go of Muslims.

"But the victims said that the terrorists opened fire without asking about anybody's name, and I doubt that the nexus which was involved in the Pulwama attack in which RDX was used," he said.

He added that the same nexus is behind the Pahalgam incident.

"If the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government does not conduct a fair investigation into the incident and tries to bring a division between Hindus and Muslims, I would believe that this incident happened because of a conspiracy," Aminul Islam said, while 'blaming' Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

However, AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal distanced himself from his party legislator's comments.

Ajmal said, "AIUDF stands with the government. The terrorists have no religion, and those who spread terrorism are against Islam."
SHANGHAI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- A seminar on cross-Strait relations opened in Shanghai on Saturday, with more than 160 personages and experts from both sides of the Taiwan Strait in attendance.

The two-day event features a series of discussions focusing on the advancement of Chinese modernization and the shared well-being of people from both sides of the Strait.

Qiu Kaiming, vice director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, affirmed that China is fully capable of addressing various risks and challenges. He emphasized that China has the ability to ensure the shared well-being of people on both sides of the Strait, and to thwart "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference.

Qiu called on all Taiwan compatriots to recognize where Taiwan's future and their interests lie, and to advance national reunification and rejuvenation alongside their mainland compatriots.

Experts at the seminar highlighted that the mainland's economy is built on a solid foundation, marked by resilience and vast potential. They expressed confidence in the mainland's ability to handle challenges and continue advancing toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Since Lai Ching-te assumed office as Taiwan's leader, he has made increasingly provocative moves, undermining the well-being of people in Taiwan, seminar participants said.

They called for efforts to oppose separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence," and to deepen cross-Strait exchange and cooperation. 
Patna, May 10 : In a major heist, Rs 70 lakh was stolen from an ATM cash van in Bihar's Chhapra district on Friday, raising serious questions about the conduct of the van's crew.

The incident occurred near Hathua Market under the jurisdiction of the Town police station, according to Raj Kishore Singh, State Divisional Police Officer of the Sadar range of Saran police.

The stolen amount was collected from a branch of Punjab National Bank (PNB) and kept inside the cash van before the staff went to collect an additional Rs 28 lakh from an ICICI Bank branch.

On returning, the staff claimed that the lock of the van had been broken and Rs 70 lakh was missing.

The police have detained four cash van employees -- two custodians, a security guard, and the driver -- for questioning.

Though they have not been formally arrested yet, Singh noted their behaviour was "suspicious".

"According to security protocol, the driver must remain with the van at all times," SDPO Singh said.

"However, in this case, the driver also went inside the bank, which raises doubts."

The CCTV footage from the area revealed a suspicious car parked behind the cash van at the time of the theft.

Authorities are working to trace the vehicle and identify any potential suspects involved in the heist.

A Special Investigation Team has been formed to probe the matter, and a case has been registered against unknown persons at the Town police station of Chhapra.

"The incident appears suspicious at first glance. We are investigating it from every angle. How and under what circumstances such a large amount disappeared is under thorough examination," Singh added.

"The cash van belongs to Hitachi Company which provides ATM cash refilling and collection service in the region. We have asked their officials to join the probe too," he said.

Police officials have expressed confidence that the case will be solved soon, with multiple leads being pursued.
Chandigarh, May 10 : Three people, including a woman, were injured on the outskirts of Punjab's Ferozepur town following an attack by drones of Pakistan on Friday night.

Senior Superintendent of Police Bhupinder Singh Sidhu told the media that three family members have received burn injuries.

He said that most of the drone attacks have been neutralised by the Indian Army.

He clarified that this was the lone drone attack in the district.

Police officials told the media that the blast took place owing to drone that was later intercepted and which got destroyed by the Army's air defence system, but it landed at a house in Khai Pheme Ke village.

A car parked outside the house was on CNG that triggered the fire, an official said.

The three injured were identified as Lakhwinder Singh, Monu Singh, both sons of Bagicha Singh; and Sukhwinder Kaur, wife of Lakhwinder Singh.

They were hospitalised with Lakhwinder's condition is critical.

Unconfirmed reports said there were drone blasts in Jalandhar and Pathankot cities early Saturday morning.

Media reports also said a Pakistani missile was intercepted and neutralised by Indian armed forces in Haryana's Sirsa town.

The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Friday gave his approval to include war and terrorist-affected victims under the Farishtey scheme.

A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said that in order to provide immediate hassle-free medical treatment to victims of war and terrorist activities in government-empanelled private hospitals and to encourage the public to bring the victims to the nearest hospitals, coverage under the Farishtey Scheme of 2024 has been expanded.

This will provide coverage for victims of war and terrorist activities, ensuring comprehensive support and relief to affected individuals.

This expansion reinforces the state government's commitment to help those facing extraordinary hardships due to such events.

The primary objective of this decision is to lower the mortality and morbidity rates resulting from injuries sustained in war and terrorist activities.

In view of the current tensions between India and Pakistan, the state government has issued directives, cancelling all leaves of Fire Brigade staff and ordering round-the-clock deployment at sensitive locations.

An official statement quoting Local Government Minister Ravjot Singh instructed officials to conduct mock drills, ensure all equipment is fully functional and maintain constant communication with the Army authorities for swift response in case of any emergency.

Officials have been directed to remain on high alert with their mobile phones active at all times.

Punjab shares a long International Border with Pakistan and lies in the proximity of Afghanistan, which is a major heroin producer.

Pakistan continues to make concerted efforts to destabilise India's internal security by smuggling drugs and weapons from across the border.

The fencing along the International Border has been breached with the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and drones.

--IANS

vg/khz
Srinagar/Jammu, May 10 : Panic gripped Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar city and Akhnoor area in Jammu division on Saturday as massive blast-like sounds were heard forcing morning walkers to rush back home while overnight pounding of civilian areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts by Pakistan Army caused major damage.

A Defence Ministry statement said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones."

"The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala."

"Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces."

"The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary."

"Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential."

Meanwhile, overnight mortar shelling by Pakistan Army along the Line Of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts, as well as other parts of the bordering Jammu region has resulted in significant damage to civilian infrastructure.

Reports indicate that Pakistani forces resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling, targeting civilian areas in Poonch and Rajouri, with explosions heard near the LoC.

On Friday, the Police Lines in Poonch came under direct attack, though no casualties were reported on the Indian side in that specific incident.

Civilian homes, schools, and religious sites, including a gurdwara, a mosque, and a Geeta Bhawan, have sustained severe damage.

Over the past few days, at least 16 innocent lives have been lost, including women and children, with 59 others injured across the affected regions, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Mendhar.

The shelling has caused widespread panic, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate to safer areas.

Markets in Poonch have shut down, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch remain closed.

Authorities have ordered closure of schools, colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir till May 12.

All civilian flights from Srinagar airport have been suspended as the Air Force has taken over the airfield.

Haj flights from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia have also remained suspended during the last four days.
Chandigarh, May 10 : The highly revered Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev, in Pakistan's Punjab province is safe, the Indian government said.

A video shared on social media is claiming that India has carried out a drone attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara.

However, the Press Information Bureau's (PIB's) Fact Check on Saturday said the claim is completely fake.

"Such content is created to spread communal hatred. Please be cautious. Do not forward such videos," it added.

Earlier on Friday, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during a special briefing on Operation Sindoor in the national capital, said India did not target Nankana Sahib Gurdwara through drone attack, dismissing false claims made by Pakistan.

From the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar to Nankana Sahib, the distance is 104 km.

There are many gurdwaras, including Kartarpur Sahib, Panja Sahib and Nankana Sahib, in Pakistan.

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev and holds great importance for Sikhs and Hindus around the world.

It is there that Guru Nanak used to play with his childhood friends in an open field.

Meanwhile, on the direction of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami, SGPC officials on Friday visited Sikhs who were injured in a Pakistani attack in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir and met them in the hospital.

They assured all possible assistance on behalf of the Sikh body.

SGPC Secretary Partap Singh and Sri Darbar Sahib Manager Rajinder Singh Ruby expressed their sympathy after meeting Gurmeet Singh and his son Rajvansh Singh, who are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Amritsar.

SGPC Secretary Partap Singh said amid the tense situation in the country, the victims were travelling from Poonch to Jammu when their vehicle convoy was attacked.

As a result, one Sikh lost his life while Gurmeet Singh, his son Rajvansh Singh, and other family members sustained serious injuries.

Gurmeet Singh and Rajvansh Singh were admitted to a private hospital in Amritsar, where they are currently receiving medical care.

Secretary Partap Singh said the SGPC considers it a duty to stand with humanity in times of distress and is completely fulfilling its responsibility even under the current circumstances.

He added that under the instructions of SGPC President Dhami, special arrangements for shelter and meals have been made at nearby gurdwaras for people displaced from border areas.

Additionally, sacred saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are also being safely relocated from evacuated village gurdwaras.

He appealed to residents of border areas to contact their nearest historic gurdwaras under the SGPC management, if they require assistance.
New Delhi, May 10 : The G7 nations on Saturday urged immediate de-escalation amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following alleged missile strikes.

"We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan," it said in a statement.

"Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides."

"We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution," it added.

Canada is taking up the 2025 G7 Presidency with the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit, which will be held in Kananaskis in Alberta from June 15 to 17.

Meanwhile, India's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday in a press statement that drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, which also includes suspected armed drones.

The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

A Ministry Spokesperson said: "Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces."

"The Indian armed forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary."

The Ministry of Defence also urged citizens, especially in the border areas, to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities, adding that while there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval and Chiefs of all Armed Forces.
Jammu, May 10 : A senior civil servant was killed on Saturday in Pakistan shelling on civilian facilities in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

The confirmation about the killing of Rajouri Additional District Development Commissioner came from the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who on X said, "Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district and attended the online meeting I chaired."

"Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace."

Pakistan has launched a massive missile or drone attack on Srinagar airfield and in the retaliatory response two Pakistani jets have been shot down in Srinagar, official sources said.

"The hunt is now on to trace the pilots of these downed Pakistani jets," sources said, although an official confirmation is still awaited.

Pakistan has also hit the Rehari residential area in Jammu city in which a residential house and a number of parked vehicles have been damaged.

Heavy artillery shelling continued on Saturday morning along the Line Of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts.

Indian positions are effectively responding to Pakistan shelling on civilian facilities.

For the last three days, Pakistan had been carrying out drone strikes in Jammu and Kashmir.

Most of those drones were neutralised by the air defence system.

Two loud blasts occurred in Srinagar on Saturday morning while three massive blasts were heard in Akhnoor town of Jammu division.

The Police Lines in Poonch came under direct attack, though no casualties were reported on the Indian side in that specific incident.

Civilian homes, schools, and religious sites, including a gurdwara, a mosque, and a Geeta Bhawan, have sustained severe damage.

Over the past few days, at least 16 innocent lives have been lost, including women and children, with 59 others injured across the affected regions, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Mendhar.

The shelling has caused widespread panic, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate to safer areas.

Markets in Poonch have shut down, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch remain closed.

A complete blackout was enforced in Jammu on Friday evening.

Authorities have closed all schools, colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the situation would be reviewed on May 12.

All civil flights have been suspended from Srinagar airport after the Air Force took over the airport.

All Haj flights from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia have also remained suspended during the last three days.
New Delhi, May 10 : Pakistan on Saturday shut down its airspace temporarily, hours after India accused the former of using commercial flights as shields amid drone attacks.

The decision, notified through a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), came amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The move follows a night of intense drone activity along India's northern and western borders after Pakistani drones were sighted at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the North to Bhuj in the South, along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

These include suspected armed drones posing potential threats to civilian and military targets, the Ministry added.

The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

Several of the targeted sites included key airfields, forward military bases, and civil aviation facilities. India successfully repelled each attack.

India accused Pakistan of endangering international air traffic by keeping its airspace open while executing drone and missile operations.

"Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners, including the international flights which were flying near the International Border between India and Pakistan," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Army said at a press briefing on Friday, alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Pakistan deployed between 300 and 400 drones, identified preliminarily as Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models, on the night of May 8 and May 9. Many were intercepted using a combination of kinetic and electronic warfare systems, including the Barak-8 and S-400 Triumph missile defence platforms, Akash SAMs, and indigenous anti-drone technologies.

"The sheer scale suggests it was a deliberate military attempt to test our readiness. We responded proportionately," Wing Commander Singh said at the briefing.

Among the locations targeted were Srinagar airport, the Awantipora airbase, Nagrota, Jammu, Pathankot, Fazilka, and Jaisalmer.

In Ferozpur, a drone attack on a civilian area injured three members of a local family. No Indian military installations were damaged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level security review meeting late Friday night with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and the service chiefs.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi also met former Chiefs of the armed forces to take their views on the evolving crisis.

Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the civil preparedness in states along the Pakistan border, particularly around airports and high-value targets.

--IANS

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Tehran, May 10 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that the next round of indirect talks with the United States will be held in Oman on Sunday, adding the Omani side is expected to announce the time to start the negotiations.

He made the remarks in an interview with Shahrara newspaper on the sidelines of his visit to the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad on Friday, while commenting on the Omani-mediated talks with the United States on Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of Washington's sanctions.

Araghchi said, "Our Omani friends asked our opinion about setting the next meeting date on Sunday, and we announced our consent. Apparently, they have spoken to the other side, and up to this moment, the negotiations are scheduled to be held on Sunday."

The minister added that although Iran's positions in the negotiations were principled and fixed, the US side was sending contradictory messages, emphasising that Iran would insist upon its "clear" positions, reports Xinhua news agency.

During the interview, Araghchi noted that he would visit Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday, adding that he would hold consultations on regional issues and Iran-US indirect talks in Riyadh and take part in the Iran-Arab World Dialogue summit in Doha.

The delegations of Iran and the United States have held three rounds of indirect talks so far -- the first and third in Muscat on April 12 and April 26, and the second in Rome on April 19.

A fourth round had been scheduled for May 3 in Rome but was postponed due to what Oman described as "logistical reasons."
Los Angeles, May 10 : The United States has recorded more than 1,000 measles cases so far in 2025, marking the highest annual count in six years, according to the latest data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This is the first time the country has surpassed 1,000 measles cases in a single year since 2019, when 1,274 infections were reported nationwide, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting the CDC data.

As of Thursday, 1,001 cases were confirmed across 31 US jurisdictions, including 126 hospitalisations and three deaths, according to the CDC.

A total of 14 measles outbreaks have been recorded nationwide this year. The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more connected cases.

Approximately 13 per cent of infected individuals this year have required hospitalisation, with children under age 5 making up the majority of severe cases.

Alarmingly, about 96 per cent of confirmed measles cases occurred in individuals who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, according to CDC data.

Texas has reported the highest number of cases, with 709 confirmed infections as of Friday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The outbreak has heavily affected the western part of the state, leading to 92 hospitalisations and the deaths of two unvaccinated school-aged children who had no known underlying health conditions.

A third measles-related death occurred in New Mexico, involving an unvaccinated adult who tested positive posthumously, according to the state's Department of Health. New Mexico has reported 71 cases this year, most of which are concentrated in Lea County, which borders western Texas.

This year's case count reflects a sharp increase compared to 2024, when 285 measles cases were reported across the United States.

Health authorities have urged the public and healthcare providers to remain vigilant, especially when evaluating patients with fever and rash symptoms who have recently travelled or been exposed to known cases.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can cause fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that spreads over the body. Serious complications can occur, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.

The CDC continues to emphasise that vaccination remains the most effective method of preventing measles. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine provide strong protection against the virus.
Los Angeles, May 10 : California Governor Gavin Newsom will release a national ad to show his message against the US President Donald Trump's tariffs policy, which Newsom said risks "ending America's run as the world greatest economy."

According to a report from the Politico on Friday, the 30-second ad is scheduled to run on "Fox and Friends" this weekend, noting this move will "simultaneously cast Newsom as cheerleader for the Golden State's economy and top critic of the president's signature policy."

It "marks a return to Newsom's well-worn playbook of goading Republicans on their home turf. It is also a notable escalation of the governor's antagonism toward Trump after months of striving to defuse tensions with the White House," the report said.

The ad, which was posted on YouTube on Thursday, showed Newsom was speaking direct-to-camera against a backdrop of the Port of Oakland, reports Xinhua news agency.

Newsom boasted about California's recent ascent to the world's fourth-largest economy, crediting that achievement to "reducing trade barriers and delivering for American consumers," and warned that "the Trump administration is putting all of that at risk, halting delivery of essential goods through our ports today."

He then warned that Trump's tariff policy would lead to a slowdown of goods coming into the country, raising the spectre of empty store shelves during the back-to-school or Christmas shopping season.

"It's school backpacks in a few months, it'll be Christmas toys, these tariffs punish families," the governor said.

The ad was paid for out of Newsom's 2022 governor campaign account, the report said, adding that a spokesperson declined to share how much the ad buy cost.
This photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows a scene of the main forum of the 2025 World Brand Moganshan Conference, held in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province.

The conference emphasized innovation as a major driving force in expanding the global reach of Chinese brands. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

HANGZHOU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing 2025 World Brand Moganshan Conference in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, is emphasizing innovation as a major driving force in expanding the global reach of Chinese brands.

Themed "Brands Bring Better Future for the World," the event offers Chinese brands a global stage to share their brand stories and fosters shared opportunities, common development and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Conference attendees have emphasized the importance of brand building in nurturing new quality productive forces. They further noted that recent initiatives have shown positive outcomes -- with innovation being a key driver.

Take Wensli Group, a well-known Chinese silk producer established in 1975, as an example. Admired for its industry-leading silk double-sided printing process, Wensli has not only maintained long-term partnerships with many luxury brands but also created new growth opportunities.

Notably, Wensli's mini-program enables customers to instantly create a unique, self-designed scarf pattern. Leveraging AI-generated content, the scarf can be produced in just two hours, with minimal release of carbon emissions or wastewater.

"With the help of technology, we can customize 100,000 unique silk scarves for each of the 8 billion people in the world," said Tu Hongyan, chairperson of Wensli. She added that innovation has transformed Wensli from importing technologies and services to exporting its own independent, new technologies.

Wensli's journey mirrors the development trajectory of many Chinese brands.

"Chinese brands have transitioned from followers to creators and leaders in new models and standards. Consequently, the image of Chinese brands has acquired new significance on the global stage," said Shan Fan, president of the Brand University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany.

The Chinese fashion industry has also seen Bosideng Group, a leading down jacket manufacturer, take its brand global.

Its first overseas store opened in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Since then, its products have graced the runways of New York, Milan and London, shining a spotlight on Chinese down jackets in the global arena.

"The robust growth of the Chinese economy, its rising cultural confidence, swift progress in technological innovation, and growing international influence have all paved the way for Chinese brands to thrive," said Gao Dekang, chairman and chief executive officer of Bosideng Group.

Despite mounting obstacles in international trade, Chinese brands have remained resolute in their pursuit of global presence.

"To venture overseas, we have to tackle numerous challenges, such as obtaining the necessary certifications, arranging logistics and building our brand reputation. The overseas markets are highly diverse, and we stick to one unbreakable rule -- we must adapt to local conditions and respect the differences," said Wang Pu, co-founder of Chinese beverage company Chi Forest.

In 2020, Chi Forest officially entered mainstream distribution channels in Singapore. Now, the company's products have entered more than 40 countries and regions, including the United States and Australia, Wang added.

Held for three consecutive years, the World Brand Moganshan Conference has developed into a vital platform for Chinese brands to enhance their visibility and explore new cooperation opportunities.

Over 50 parallel activities also form part of the 2025 conference, including a main forum, a launch event for brand value evaluation, and several themed high-end dialogues.

The conference is jointly organized by Xinhua News Agency and China National Brand website. 

This photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows a scene of the main forum of the 2025 World Brand Moganshan Conference, held in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province.

The conference emphasized innovation as a major driving force in expanding the global reach of Chinese brands. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
San Francisco, May 10 : A coalition of 15 US states is filing a new lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order declaring a "national energy emergency," which aims to accelerate fossil fuel development.

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown announced the legal action on Friday during a press briefing. The 61-page complaint was submitted to the US District Court for the Western District of Washington.

According to the lawsuit, Trump's order violates the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which was designed to ensure that presidents use their emergency powers "only when actual emergencies exist" and not for "frivolous or partisan matters."

"Prodded onto the shakiest of limbs by the President's unsupported and unlawful Executive Order, multiple federal agencies now seek to broadly employ these emergency procedures in non-emergency situations," the lawsuit said.

Brown criticised Trump's emergency declaration as "fake," as US energy production is at an all-time high level, reports Xinhua news agency.

"This is not a serious or lawful effort by the president. It is all about eliminating competition and shackling America to dirty fossil fuels forever," Brown said at a news conference held in Seattle.

Trump issued the executive order on his first day back in office earlier this year. It promotes the expansion of oil, gas, coal, and other fossil fuel sources, while explicitly excluding wind, solar, and battery-based energy initiatives.

"Our Nation's current inadequate development of domestic energy resources leaves us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to the United States' prosperity and national security," Trump declared in the executive order.

Federal agencies have since begun to bypass or reduce environmental review requirements under laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, the lawsuit alleges.

The legal filing seeks a court ruling to invalidate the executive order and to prohibit federal agencies from issuing fast-tracked permits based on the order.

States joining the suit include California, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Jammu, May 10 : Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed serious concern over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reimbursement to Pakistan, which the CM said would not help de-escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan.

"I'm not sure how the "International Community" thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places", Omar said on X.

In heavy artillery shelling on Poonch civilian area on Saturday, the Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) was killed.

Pakistan has launched a massive missile or drone attack on Srinagar airfield and in the retaliatory response two Pakistani jets have been shot down in Srinagar, official sources said.

"The hunt is now on to trace the pilots of these downed Pakistani jets," sources said, although an official confirmation is still awaited.

Pakistan has also hit the Rehari residential area in Jammu city in which a residential house and a number of parked vehicles have been damaged.

Heavy artillery shelling continued on Saturday morning along the Line Of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Indian positions are effectively responding to Pakistan shelling on civilian facilities.

For the last three days, Pakistan had been carrying out drone strikes in J&K. Most of those drones were neutralised by the Air Defence System. Two loud blasts occurred in Srinagar on Saturday morning while three massive blasts were heard in Akhnoor town of Jammu division.

The Police Lines in Poonch came under direct attack, though no casualties were reported on the Indian side in that specific incident. Civilian homes, schools, and religious sites, including a gurdwara, a mosque, and a Geeta Bhawan, have sustained severe damage.

Over the past few days, at least 16 innocent lives have been lost, including women and children, with 59 others injured across the affected regions, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Mendhar.

The shelling has caused widespread panic, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate to safer areas. Markets in Poonch have shut down, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch remain closed.

A complete blackout was enforced in Jammu on Friday evening. Authorities have closed all schools, colleges and universities in J&K, adding that the situation would be reviewed on May 12.

All civil flights have been suspended from Srinagar airport after the Air Force took over the airport. All Haj flights from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia have also remained suspended during the last three days.
Mumbai, May 10 : Actor Pratik Gandhi has expressed his support for the brave Indian soldiers, their families, and those affected by conflict near the borders. He is praying for their safety and hoping that peace and humanity triumph over terrorism.

Pratik took to Instagram, where he wrote: "My heart goes to our breave soldiers. their families and all affected people near the border areas. Praying for their wellbeing and safety. May the peace and humanity win over terrorism. (sic)."

"Proud of Indian armed forces," he added.

Escalation followed India's launch of Operation Sindoor -- a series of focused and precise strikes on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK)  in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.

Pakistan deployed between 300 and 400 drones, identified preliminarily as Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models, on the night of May 8 and May 9. Many were intercepted using a combination of kinetic and electronic warfare systems, including the Barak-8 and S-400 Triumph missile defence platforms, Akash SAMs, and indigenous anti-drone technologies.

On the acting front, Pratik was last seen in "Phule," a biographical film directed by Mahadevan.

The film is based on the lives of Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule. The film aims to depict the couple's contributions to social reform and education in India. The film's release was postponed following objections from a section of the Brahmin community in Maharashtra regarding the film's depiction of their community.

He will next be seen in the upcoming satire helmed by Sumit Purohit titled "Baaghi Bechare". It also stars Abhishek Banerjee and Faisal Malik.

Pratik gained widespread acclaim after he played a stockbroker Harshad Mehta in the 2020 biographical drama web series Scam 1992 directed by Hansal Mehta.

Gandhi appeared in the 2021 Hindi film Bhavai where he played a lead. His next Hindi film Atithi Bhooto Bhava was released in 2022. He appeared in Hindi film Dedh Bigha Zameen, written and directed by Pulkit.

In July 2022, director Hansal Mehta announced a multi-season biographical web series on Mahatma Gandhi starring Pratik Gandhi in lead role.
Washington, May 10 : US President Donald Trump has called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, stating that he is committed to securing peace between both nations. He warned that any kind of violations of the ceasefire would lead to sanctions.

"Talks with Russia/Ukraine continue. The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions," he wrote in Truth Social on Friday.

"Thousands of young soldiers are dying on a weekly basis, and everybody should want it to STOP. I do, and the United States of America does, also. As President, I will stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans, and a Lasting Peace it will be! This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a Peace Agreement. It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment's notice if my services are needed. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he further added.

Meanwhile, addressing reporters at the Oval Office, Trump asked Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to put an end to the conflict.

"I have a message for both parties: Get this war ended. Get this stupid war finished. That's my message for both of them," he said.

Speaking to reporters at a briefing on Friday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt mentioned that the much-anticipated Trump-Putin meeting next week in the Middle East is not going to happen.

The White House said that Trump had a "very good and productive" call with Zelenskyy, and he expects that both Ukraine and Russia will come to an agreement next week on the proposed 30-day ceasefire.

Meanwhile the Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov speaking to reporters said that that Russia is thankful to the US leadership for efforts on the Ukrainian settlement and it will welcome any country's participation in it, in a response to a question regarding publications that US President Trump might ask Turkey or China to facilitate peace talks on Ukraine.

"We are ready to welcome any country's efforts. We are obviously thankful to the US President Trump for all efforts for bringing the process of settlement to the political and diplomatic field. And we will welcome the efforts of all other countries that can contribute (to the settlement)," Peskov added.

He further said that a detailed discussion of a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine is impossible without nuances taken into account.
Washington, May 10 : US President Donald Trump's administration is conducting a probe to determine whether imported commercial aircraft, jet engines and related parts pose a national security threat to the United States, a Commerce Department notice showed, a move that could lead to new tariffs on the aerospace industry.

In the notice posted on the Federal Register, the department's Bureau of Industry and Security said that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initiated the investigation on May 1 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, reports Yonhap news agency.

Under Section 232, the president is provided with authority to adjust imports into the U.S. when he determines they threaten national security. Trump has been using tariffs to generate federal government revenue, reduce America's trade deficit, draw in foreign investments and strengthen domestic manufacturing.

The department plans to collect public comments for 21 days from the official publication of the notice.

Using Section 232, Trump has already imposed 25 percent tariffs on automobiles and steel. His administration has also been conducting probes to determine national security effects of imports of copper, lumber, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, among other items.

Meanwhile, a coalition of 15 US states is filing a new lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order declaring a "national energy emergency," which aims to accelerate fossil fuel development.

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown announced the legal action on Friday during a press briefing. The 61-page complaint was submitted to the US District Court for the Western District of Washington.

According to the lawsuit, Trump's order violates the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which was designed to ensure that presidents use their emergency powers "only when actual emergencies exist" and not for "frivolous or partisan matters.

"Prodded onto the shakiest of limbs by the President's unsupported and unlawful Executive Order, multiple federal agencies now seek to broadly employ these emergency procedures in non-emergency situations," the lawsuit said.

a"IANS

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Chandigarh, May 10 : Multiple enemy-armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantonment in Amritsar in Punjab and they were instantly engaged and destroyed by air defence units, the Indian Army said on Saturday.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 a.m., multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar," the Additional Directorate General of Public Information said on X.

"The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units," it said.

"Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. The Indian Army will thwart enemy designs," it added.

Civil administration officials said Jalandhar city also saw several explosions on the night of May 10. Residents of Kangniwal village near the Adampur Air Force station were woken up with a loud explosion. Missile debris was also found at Mand Maur village near Kartarpur. The debris was also found at Rampur Khalian village near Phagwara, where an eight-foot-deep crater was created in the fields.

Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Himanshu Aggarwal, in a message, said, "Jalandhar was on red alert all night. Many objects were seen and were neutralised by the armed forces. Stay calm and stay inside as much as you can."

Explosions were also heard in Pathankot district early Saturday morning. There is no official confirmation in this regard. Authorities enforced a total blackout in Pathankot and urged residents to stay indoors.

A loud explosion was heard in Haryana's Sirsa area, close to the airport, on Friday night as a missile-like object fell from the sky. Villagers reached the spot and discovered a heavy metallic object resembling a missile.

Local authorities informed the Army. Police officials told IANS that metallic remains resemble a missile and said they were investigating this matter.

The Punjab Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Friday decided to deploy nine anti-drone systems along the Pakistan border.

"We are ready to foil Pakistan's conspiracy as monitoring will be done through a high-tech system," a statement by the government said. It said the government's action "is a big step to break the back of terrorism".

It said the government is in an action mode as the drug trade that funds terrorism will be ended. The government will be deploying the anti-drone system for the first time to stop drug smuggling through drones, the statement read.

"Also, the border security will now be more robust," it said, adding that the AAP government "shows political will". Meanwhile, amid heightened tension, the AAP government in Punjab, which shares a 532-km border with Pakistan, deputed Cabinet ministers in all six sensitive border districts -- Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran -- that have already been placed on high alert.
New Delhi, May 10 : As his upcoming film Bhool Chuk Maaf, which revolves around marriage and a time loop, gears up for a digital release, actor Rajkummar Rao reflected on his own wedding with actress Patralekhaa, sharing that they skipped ceremonies and instead celebrated with a series of parties on repeat.

Asked what part of wedding ceremonies he would still be wanting to be on repeat, Rajkummar told IANS: "At my wedding, we didn't have ceremonies like sangeet or haldi. We just had partiesone during the day on the first day, then another at night. Then came the wedding, followed by another party that night. It was already on a loop!"

"We had theme parties like a pool party and a white party like that," added Rajkummar, who married Patralekhaa in 2021 in Chandigarh after over a decade of dating.

"Bhool Chuk Maaf follows a small-town romantic boy named Ranjan from Banaras, who lands a government job to marry Titli but forgets his vow to Lord Shiva-only to be trapped in a time-loop until he fulfills his promise.

Talking about if it was like a party on set giving the film revolving around a wedding, he said: "It was a party but only during the night because the days were pretty home. We were shooting during May-June. Night shoots were better because during the day shoots the AC tried its best to give cold air but it was very hot."

He added: "Otherwise we had a lot of fun, offscreen and on screen because we are all very chilled out. No one takes themselves so seriously. Everyone loves their work and made the film full passion

On May 8, the makers of "Bhool Chuk Maaf", which was initially slated to hit the screens on May 9, announced 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."
New York, May 10 : US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has finally reached out to the real centre of Pakistan's power, Army Chief Asim Munir, after talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to de-escalate tensions with India failed.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Friday, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today".

The call came as Pakistan and India ratcheted up their confrontation, targeting places beyond Kashmir and further inside their territories.

"The US President wants to see the confrontation de-escalate as quickly as possible," Donald Trump's spokesperson Karoline Levitt said on Friday.

"This is something that the secretary of state and, of course, now, as our national security advisor as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in," she said.

Bruce said that Rubio offered Munir "US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts".

She added, "He continued to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate".

Rubio spoke to Sharif on Thursday, and "emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation", Bruce said in a readout of that call.

The same day, he also called India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with a similar message urging de-escalation, while emphasising the US "commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism", according to the spokesperson.

After India launched 'Operation Sindoor', India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval made the first international call to Rubio.

Rubio is also the national security advisor after Mike Waltz stepped down from the job.

India launched the operation in retaliation for an attack by a front organisation of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba in which 26 people were killed in a religiously targeted massacre in Pahalgam last month.

Earlier, Bruce laid out the US priorities in dealing with the situation, saying that there should be no escalation and the two countries should talk to each other.

"America, obviously, was at the centre of this, in speaking with a variety of leaders of both countries over the last two days," she said.

But there have been mixed messages on the US role.

Vice President JD Vance said the conflict between the neighbours was "fundamentally none of our business", acknowledging Washington's inability to control the situation.

In an interview to Fox News on Thursday, he said, "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."

Before India launched its operation, Trump took a hands-off position, saying, "I am sure they'll figure it out one way or the other". But has since been urging the two countries to de-escalate.

Trump is more focused on the Gaza war, where a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that Washington helped broker has broken down. Next week, he will be close to the latest conflict in South Asia. He is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, where the Gaza conflict will be high on the agenda.
New Delhi, May 11 : The Centre, in a special briefing on 'Operation Sindoor' on Saturday, called out Pakistan's brazen attempt to escalate the matter by repeatedly targeting India's military as well as civilian centres and also slammed the state-sponsored propaganda machinery for spewing canards. The briefing also assured the nation that all of Pakistan's nefarious attempts had been thwarted by the alert Indian military.

New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) The Centre, in a special briefing on 'Operation Sindoor' on Saturday, called out Pakistanas brazen attempt to escalate the matter by repeatedly targeting Indiaas military as well as civilian centres and also slammed the state-sponsored propaganda machinery for spewing canards. The briefing also assured the nation that all of Pakistan's nefarious attempts had been thwarted by the alert Indian military.

In the Press briefing, helmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that Pakistan has been continuously attacking Indiaas western borders with drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and also fighter jets to target Indian military sites.

Pointing to a particular escalation, she informed that a high-speed missile was launched by Pakistan at 1.40 am, last night to target an air base in Punjab, in clear violation of the international norms.

The 'Operation Sindoor' briefing team collectively held Pakistan responsible for the escalation, while stating that India acted in a measured and calibrated manner to destroy terror hubs but Pakistan was deliberately targeting civilian and military infrastructure on the Indian side.

They also informed that certain health facilities and school premises were targeted in last night's escalation by Pakistani forces.

Vikram Misri further called out Pakistanas lies and propaganda factory and stated that the state machinery was involved in peddling a fake narrative and also urged everyone to not pay heed to it.

As part of its malicious misinformation campaign, Pakistan claimed to have destroyed an Indian S-400 system and airfields in Sirsa and Surat.

aAll these are brazen lies and part of its propaganda war. India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," they said.

Colonel Qureshi also said India's air defence systems intercepted several projectiles sent by Pakistan and informed that Pakistan tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places, trying to hit military bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, Bathinda but most of them were neutralised.

Pakistan launched multiple armed drones from its soil over Khasa Cantt in Amritsar; however, the UAVS were successfully intercepted by the Indian Army's air defence systems.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our Western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 a.m., multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units," the Indian Army stated.

Condemning the provocation, the Army said, "Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart enemy designs."

In yet another befitting reply to Pakistan's nefarious activities, the Border Security Force (BSF) has completely destroyed a Pakistani post and a terrorist launch pad in Looni, District Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, from where the tube drones were being launched to attack India.

"On 9 May 2025, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu Sector. BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary.

"The terrorist launch pad at Looni, District Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, was completely destroyed by the BSF. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," the BSF said in a statement.
New Delhi, May 10 : India on Saturday said that Pakistan was escalating tensions along the Western border by moving troops into forward areas, suggesting an offensive intent to intensify hostilities.

The Indian armed forces, while reaffirming their commitment to non-escalation, asserted that any further provocation would be met with proportionate and decisive action.

At a Press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, joined by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, said, "The Pakistan military has been observed moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately."

"Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military," she added.

Highlighting Pakistan's sustained aggression, Wing Commander Singh said, "Along the Line of Control, Pakistan has attempted multiple air intrusions using drones and conducted shelling using heavy calibre RT guns targeting civilian infrastructure and killing some civilians. Heavy exchange of artillery mortars and small arms fire in Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor sectors continued."

India also condemned Pakistan's strikes on civilian infrastructure, particularly at the Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur air bases.

"Pakistan has continued its provocations, targeting the civilian and military infrastructures at medicare centres and school premises located at air bases," said Singh.

According to the Indian Air Force, Pakistan attempted harassment attacks and air intrusions across more than 26 locations stretching from Srinagar to Nalia.

"Indian armed forces successfully neutralised these threats and the majority of the vectors. However, limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj," she said.

"There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed subsequently after 01:40 hours in the night at several air bases in Punjab," she added.

Terming the targeting of civil infrastructure as a "deplorable cowardly act," Wing Commander Singh emphasised, "Pakistan attacked the Medicare centre and school premises at the air bases of Srinagar, Avantipur and Udhampur, once again displaying irresponsible targeting of our civil infrastructure."

India responded with precision strikes aimed solely at Pakistan's military infrastructure.

"In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas," she stated.
CAIRO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met here on Saturday with visiting Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh on efforts to restore the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction plans for the enclave.

Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt's full support for the Palestinian Authority and its ongoing reforms, and reaffirmed the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as "the only solution" to resolving the conflict, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

He reiterated Egypt's ongoing mediation efforts for the Gaza ceasefire, and its commitment to facilitating humanitarian aid access to Gaza "in light of the rapid deterioration in the humanitarian situation," read the statement.

Abdelatty expressed Egypt's rejection of "Israel's use of starvation as a policy of collective punishment," read the statement.

He also reviewed with al-Sheikh an upcoming international conference for Gaza reconstruction to be hosted by Egypt.

Al-Sheikh, also deputy chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, appreciated Egypt for its role "in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause," Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

He reiterated Palestine's call for "an immediate and urgent ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid" in Gaza, the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Palestinian territories, and the commencement of a political process based on international legitimacy, WAFA reported.

Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, following the expiration of the first phase of a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas. It resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18, which, according to data released by health authorities in Gaza on Saturday, have so far killed 2,701 Palestinians and injured 7,432. 
New Delhi, May 10 : India responded strongly to Pakistan's repeated drone and missile attacks and hit at least eight military targets inside Pakistan on Friday night with precision, thereby causing significant damage, the Centre told the Press, as part of a special briefing on 'Operation Sindoor'.

Six Pakistani military bases were targeted with precision while one radar site and one aviation base was targeted in Indian strikes, informed the special team led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, flanked by two women officers Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

"Pakistan military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were targeted through air launch, precision ammunition and fighter jets. A radar site in Pasrur and an aviation base in Sialkot were also targeted with precision ammunition. During these actions, India ensured minimum collateral damage and losses," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told the Press.

She said that Indian armed forces resorted to retaliatory action and targeted technical installations, command and control centres, radar sites and arms store inside Pakistan after it deliberately targeted air bases last night.

"Pakistan attacked Indian bases in Udhampur, Pathankot and Bathinda among other stations last night," the team admitted but dismissed reports that there were severe damages.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh also displayed the time-stamp images of the military facilities to negate Pakistan's false claims of having targeted these IAF bases.

The special team, helmed by the Foreign Secretary also spotlighted how Pakistan, a safe haven for terrorists was brazenly trying to escalate the situation. They said that they have ample information of Pakistan moving its troops to border areas.

"The Pakistani military has been observed as moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately," the Wing Commander said.
Mumbai, May 10 : Veteran actor Anupam Kher has heaped praise on Pallavi Joshi, who will be seen playing the role of Vidya Raina in his upcoming directorial "Tanvi The Great", and said that he has been an admirer of the actress since her television days.

Mumbai, May 10 (IANS) Veteran actor Anupam Kher has heaped praise on Pallavi Joshi, who will be seen playing the role of Vidya Raina in his upcoming directorial "Tanvi The Great", and said that he has been an admirer of the actress since her television days.

Anupam took to Instagram, where he introduced Pallavi's character Vidya Raina and described it as the epitome of love, grace, sacrifice and strength.

Anupam captioned it: "ACTORS of TANVI THE GREAT: I have been a great admirer of #PallaviJoshi since her television days. She certainly is the original 'DIVA' of TV. Natural and beautifully effective! And her shift to the world of cinema is a gift to our industry!"

The actor said that Pallavi "acts very selectively".

"But every time she is on screen, we are 100% sure of one thing- A NATIONAL AWARD. Her range of emotions is limitless. Her character in #TanviTheGreat is epitome of Love, Grace. Sacrifice and Strength!"

Tagging her as one of the most effortless actresses he has ever worked with, Anupam added: "Thank you, dearest Pallavi, for your support, warmth, and BRILLIANCE! Working with you has been a great learning experience for me. Your understanding of our Indian Army is heartwarming and infectious! Jai Hind!"

Details related to the film are still underwraps. "Tanvi The Great" is all set to have its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, within the Marche du Film.

This film is Anupam's second directorial venture after "Om Jai Jagdish" starring Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, which was released in 2002.

Anupam previously announced that Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swami, Boman Irani and "Game Of Thrones" star Iain Glen have joined the cast of the upcoming film.

Directed by Anupam Kher, with music by Oscar-winner M.M. Keeravani, the film is produced by Anupam Kher Studios and NFDC, in association with Lower Middle Class Corporation. The release date will be announced soon.
Chennai, May 10 : The makers of director B Manivarman's upcoming horror thriller 'Jenma Natchathiram', featuring Taman Akshan and Malvi Malhotra in the lead, have now released the first look of the eagerly-awaited film much to the delight of fans and film buffs.

Chennai, May 10 (IANS) The makers of director B Manivarman's upcoming horror thriller 'Jenma Natchathiram', featuring Taman Akshan and Malvi Malhotra in the lead, have now released the first look of the eagerly-awaited film much to the delight of fans and film buffs.

The film has triggered great curiousity as it borrows its title from a well known horror thriller that had left audiences trembling in theatres.

Sources say that this film bearing the same title is all set to send fresh shivers down the spines of audiences.

The dreaded '666' was a striking feature of the original horror classic. Looking to carry that eerie legacy forward , the makers of the new 'Jenma Natchathiram' unveiled the title and first look of their film precisely at six hours, six minutes, and six seconds.

Manivarman, who has directed the film, says, "Just like the classic horror thriller, our film 'Jenma Natchathiram' too will be the talk of town. While the title is inspired by the all-time classic horror hit, this is a completely new story with a different premise and screenplay. There is a subtle link between the two films, and the audience will feel it when they watch this in theatres."

Produced by Subhashini K under the banner of Amoham Studios in association with White Lamp Pictures, the film will have cinematography by K G. Music for the film has been composed by Sanjay Manickam. Editing is by S. Guru Suriya and art direction by SJ Ram.

The costumes have been designed by Subika A, with Ramesh as the costumer. Stunt choreography is by Miracle Michael and the project is headed by Vijayan Rengarajan.

The film features an ensemble cast including Taman Akshan, Malvi Malhotra, Maithreya, Raksha Cherin, Sivam, Arun Karthi, Kali Venkat, Munishkanth, Velaramamoorthy, Thalaivasal Vijay, Santhana Bharathi, Boys Rajan, Nakalites Niveditha, and Yasar in powerful roles.

Sources say that the post-production work of the film too has already been completed and that it is all set for a worldwide theatrical release shortly.

Following the grand success of GOAT and Good Bad Ugly, Romeo Pictures Raahul has acquired the worldwide theatrical rights of this film.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 10 : India's longest-serving former Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Saturday called upon the country to stand united in support of the Indian armed forces, which he said were steadfastly doing their duty to protect the nation.

"In Kerala, we are aware that many of our people serve in the armed forces. It is the responsibility of the state government and all of us to offer moral support to the families of these defence personnel. We must stand by them," Antony said.

However, Antony declined to comment on the specifics of the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan.

"The Central government has extended full support to the defence forces. There's no need for us to deliberate further on this," he told reporters at his residence here.

Now 84, Antony served as Defence Minister from 2006 to 2014 after resigning as Kerala Chief Minister in 2004. Though retired from active politics for the past two years, he continues to spend time regularly at the Congress party headquarters in the state capital.

Sharing similar sentiments, senior Kerala BJP leader and former state president K. Surendran said full credit must go to the armed forces for defending the nation.

"Despite provocations and attempts by Pakistani forces to inflict damage in border areas, our forces have stood firm and thwarted them," Surendran said.

"It is our collective duty to extend full moral support to them. In many states -- including those ruled by non-BJP parties -- rallies are being held to express solidarity with the men in uniform," he added.

Surendran also welcomed the Kerala government's decision to postpone celebrations marking the fourth anniversary of the Pinarayi Vijayan administration because of the prevailing situation.

"It would send a strong message if Chief Minister Vijayan also organised a solidarity rally to demonstrate Kerala's support for our armed forces," he said.
New Delhi, May 10 : The Centre on Saturday strongly rejected Pakistan's claims about the destruction of key Indian military installations, terming them as part of a "malicious misinformation campaign."

Backing its rebuttal with visual evidence, India showcased current images -- with clear date and time stamps -- of the runways at the Suratgarh and Sirsa Air Force Stations, which Pakistan had falsely claimed were destroyed.

At a Press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor', Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, said, "Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims being propagated on social media regarding the destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, the destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, the BrahMos base at Nagrota, RT gun positions at Dehrangari, and the forward ammunition depot at Chandigarh, along with allegations of heavy damage to other military stations."

"India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan," she asserted.

"As you've seen, Pakistani claims about activities that they have undertaken continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation, and propaganda. And on top of that, this is peddled by the Pakistani state agencies.

"The claims that they have made about attacking and destroying various places, various military installations and facilities, as has been pointed out by my colleagues here this morning, are completely false.

The claim about the air force station in Sirsa being destroyed is completely false. The claim about the air force station in Suratgarh being destroyed is completely false again, as you have seen," Misri added.

"There's a claim that has been made that the S-400 base at Adampur was destroyed, which is completely false, once again. Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems, etc., being attacked and destroyed, that are completely false. I would urge all of you, and all those who watch this, not to be misled by this tissue of lies that is being peddled by the Pakistani state for obvious purposes," he added.

India also condemned Pakistan's strikes on civilian infrastructure, particularly at the Srinagar, Avantipur, and Udhampur air bases.

"Pakistan has continued its provocations, targeting the civilian and military infrastructures at medicare centres and school premises located at air bases," said Wing Commander Singh.

According to the Indian Air Force, Pakistan attempted harassment attacks and air intrusions across more than 26 locations stretching from Srinagar to Nalia.

"Indian armed forces successfully neutralised these threats and the majority of the vectors. However, limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj," she said.

"There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed subsequently after 01:40 hours in the night at several air bases in Punjab," she added.

Terming the targeting of civil infrastructure as a "deplorable cowardly act," Wing Commander Singh emphasised, "Pakistan attacked the Medicare centre and school premises at the air bases of Srinagar, Avantipur and Udhampur, once again displaying irresponsible targeting of our civil infrastructure."

India responded with precision strikes aimed solely at Pakistan's military infrastructure.

"In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets. These included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas," she stated.
New Delhi, May 10 : Government-owned India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) has achieved its highest-ever profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 2,165 crore in the financial year 2024-25 (FY25), marking a strong 39 per cent increase from Rs 1,552 crore in the previous fiscal (FY24).

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Government-owned India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) has achieved its highest-ever profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 2,165 crore in the financial year 2024a"25 (FY25), marking a strong 39 per cent increase from Rs 1,552 crore in the previous fiscal (FY24).

This growth continues the companyas impressive financial momentum, with PAT rising nearly 42 times compared to its performance in FY 2019a"20 (FY20).

Announcing the results, Dr P.R. Jaishankar, Managing Director of IIFCL, said the company has delivered its best-ever annual performance for the fifth year in a row.

IIFCLas profit before tax (PBT) also hit a new high of Rs 2,776 crore, up by about 37 per cent from Rs 2,029 crore last financial year.

The company has shown strong growth in both sanctions and disbursements during the year.

In FY25, IIFCL sanctioned a record Rs 51,124 crore and disbursed Rs 28,501 crore, marking year-on-year (YoY) growth of around 21 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

These figures surpassed the previous yearas performance of Rs 42,309 crore in sanctions and Rs 22,356 crore in disbursements.

By the end of March 2025, the cumulative sanctions and disbursements of IIFCL stood at Rs 3.06 lakh crore and Rs 1.56 lakh crore respectively.

Notably, around 55 per cent of these totals were achieved in just the past five years.

On a consolidated basis, the cumulative sanctions and disbursements reached approximately Rs 3.53 lakh crore and Rs 1.79 lakh crore.

IIFCL also strengthened its financial base, with its net worth growing 15 per cent to Rs 16,395 crore in FY25, compared to Rs 14,266 crore a year ago and nearly 59 per cent higher than Rs 10,306 crore in FY20.

This growth has enhanced IIFCLas ability to fund large infrastructure projects by increasing its lending capacity and exposure limits.

Importantly, IIFCL has also made significant strides in improving asset quality. As of March 31, the company reduced its Gross NPA ratio to 1.11 per cent, down from 1.61 per cent last year and a steep fall from 19.70 per cent in March 2020.

Net NPAs dropped to just 0.35 per cent, compared to 0.46 per cent last year and 9.75 per cent five years ago.

The share of assets rated aAa and above rose to around 93 per cent -- reflecting the companyas focus on maintaining high-quality lending.

IIFCL is a government-owned financial institution dedicated to meeting the long-term financing needs of Indiaas infrastructure sector.
New Delhi, May 10 : The government on Saturday dismissed claims circulating on Pakistani social media that Bathinda airfield had been destroyed.

A fact check conducted by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) stated that these posts were being artificially spread and confirmed that Bathinda airfield is fully operational, with no damage whatsoever.

In a post on X, the PIB stated, "Viral claim about Bathinda on social media! Posts are being artificially spread, claiming that Bathinda Airfield has been destroyed! #PIBFactCheck Fake alert! The Bathinda Airfield is fully operational and there is no damage whatsoever. Don't fall for misinformation. Stay informed, stay alert."

Additionally, the PIB fact-checked an old video that was being incorrectly shared as footage of a missile strike on New Delhi Airport. The video, which was widely circulated, claimed that a heavy missile had struck New Delhi Airport.

The fact-check revealed that the clip actually depicted a gas station explosion in Aden, Yemen, from August 2024.

The PIBas post on X clarified, "Missile attack on Delhi Airport? An old video is being falsely shared as footage of a missile strike on New Delhi Airport. #PIBFactCheck This video shows a gas station explosion in Aden, Yemen, from August 2024. It has no connection to the current India-Pakistan situation."

The PIB also shared a YouTube link to the original video.

The PIB fact check has urged people to stay alert and verify everything before sharing.

Earlier in the day, the PIB fact-checked a few other viral posts and found them to be fake and fraudulently used.

Posts on social media claim that an Indian pilot ejected from a fighter jet over Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

"Indian Pilot Ejected Over PoK? Hereas the Truth! Posts on social media claim that an Indian pilot ejected from a fighter jet over Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). #PIBFactCheck This claim is FAKE. Donat fall for misinformation. Always verify before sharing," PIB wrote in a post on X.

The PIB also attached the report from where the image was taken.

PIB fact-checkers confirmed that several videos and images being circulated are not related to the ongoing military situation.
New Delhi, May 10 : Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday firmly rejected Pakistan's "ludicrous claims" that Indian missiles had hit Afghanistan, calling them "totally frivolous allegations."

Speaking at a Press conference alongside Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri urged the Afghan people to remember which nation had repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure in their country.

"I only want to point out that Afghan people don't need to be reminded about which country it is that has, on multiple occasions, in just the last one-and-a-half years, targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan," Misri said, indirectly referring to Pakistan's role in destabilising Afghanistan.

He also criticised Pakistan's attempts to manipulate global perception by falsely portraying India as an aggressor and stated that Islamabad was engaged in a "desperate misinformation campaign to malign the Indian government."

Responding to statements made by the Pakistan Army's spokesperson about some public dissatisfaction in India, Misri said, "The Pakistan Army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that the Indian public should criticise the government of India with regard to various issues. It may be a surprise to Pakistan to see citizens criticising their own government. That is the hallmark of any open and functioning democracy. Pakistan's unfamiliarity with that should not be surprising."

Misri went on to denounce Pakistan's baseless claims that Indian missiles had been fired at a religious site. "Pakistani officials are continuing to make ludicrous claims about India firing missiles towards a gurdwara. These lame attempts to divide India are doomed to fail," he said.

His sharp remarks came a day after he had already accused Pakistan of deliberately attacking places of worship and schools belonging to minorities, attempting to pin the blame on Indian forces.

"We have seen the Pakistani side targeting and shelling places of worship with a particular design. This includes gurdwaras, convents, and temples. This is a new low, even for Pakistan," Misri had said, adding that Pakistan's efforts to deceive the world with such accusations reflected its "evil design."
New Delhi, May 10 : In an exclusive interview with IANS, Lieutenant-General (Retired) Satish Dua, who was the Corps Commander during the surgical strikes after the Uri attack, shared his insights on 'Operation Sindoor', a retaliatory military campaign launched after the horrific Pahalgam attack in which 26 people were massacred by terrorists. He pointed out that 'Operation Sindoor' has raised the cost of supporting terrorism for Pakistan.

In a wide-ranging conversation with IANS, he delved into the strategic depth, symbolism, and message sent through the operation, while also discussing Pakistan's continued provocations and India's calibrated military posture.

Here is the full interview:

IANS: What is your opinion about the achievement of Operation Sindoor?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the ghastly carnage at Pahalgam. Pakistan has conducted several such attacks by sending terrorists. The first major strike was at Uri, where they killed our soldiers. At that time, I was the Corps Commander when we launched the surgical strikes. For the first time, we went across and hit terrorist camps. That was a shallow strike, around 4-5 kilometres in depth.

Then came Pulwama, and we conducted a strike deep inside at Balakot. But this time, in Pahalgam, they targeted tourists, and that too, selectively based on religion and gender. It was a heinous act. In response, major measures were taken, like invoking the Indus Water Treaty, which had never happened before. Visas were cancelled, border gates closed, High Commission staff reduced, and strong diplomatic steps were taken. The Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting and announced that a military response would follow.

Two weeks later, 'Operation Sindoor' was launched. Unlike earlier strikes, this time we hit the terrorists' headquarters, their hubs, and training centres, at nine locations. That was the objective of 'Operation Sindoor'.

They killed the men and spared women, so the symbolism of 'Sindoor' was understood by all of India. Operation Sindoor was non-escalatory. We only targeted terrorist hideouts. No civilian or military installations were attacked. So the onus of escalation is on Pakistan.

IANS: Those terrorists and their masters who told the wives of Pahalgam martyrs, "Go tell Modi" did they get the answer?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: Absolutely. They said, "Modi ko bata dena", and that sentence became famous. Prime Minister Modi was in Saudi Arabia at that time, and he cut his visit short and returned immediately. He held a high-level meeting, and the steps I mentioned were taken. He announced those steps. PM Modi heard them, and 14 days later, this happened, something that had never happened before.

Jaish-e-Mohammed's headquarters in Bahawalpur were destroyed. Lashkar-e-Taiba's headquarters in Muridke, which is just 30 kilometres from Lahore, was also targeted. Both these cities house the Pakistan Army Corps Headquarters. So, if we can hit these terror HQs, it means we can hit their military HQs too. We have that capability. That's a hidden message. And I'm sure Pakistan and its military understand it well.

IANS: Has Pakistan learned its lesson this time?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: Pakistan never stops its misadventures. Despite defeats in 1947-48, 1965, and the massive 1971 loss, where their country was split and 93,000 soldiers surrendered in a formal ceremony, something unseen since World War-II, they still spin it internally as a victory.

After that, they started a proxy war. So, have they learned their lesson? The short answer is, 'No'. But yes, for the first time, we have spoken about using water as leverage. Three wars and the Kargil conflict passed, and we never did that, because it hurts the common man and farmers in Pakistan. Now, we are doing it. The impact of this will be more significant than kinetic or non-kinetic strikes.

Still, I don't think they'll learn. Why? Because Pakistan's military thrives on anti-India rhetoric. The army has built an empire beyond military duties. They won't give it up. Kashmir remains the glue binding Pakistan.

Right now, Pakistan faces the Baloch issue, Pashtun problem, TTP rebellion, financial collapse, public discontent, and their most popular leader is in jail. The uneasy coalition is run by the Army Chief, who now controls the leadership. Their only escape is India-bashing. That's what unites the people against their own army.

IANS: Pakistan is targeting civilians on the border. What should be our approach?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: Our approach is clear. Both Defence spokespersons and the foreign secretary have repeatedly stated, our response is always measured, restrained, and non-escalatory.

When they carried out the Pahalgam carnage, we said we would hit their headquarters and terror network. Then they sent 400500 drones. We neutralised all without casualties. Yes, we suffered some losses along the Line of Control. In frustration, they started targeting civilians. We've always said, the onus of escalation is on them. When they escalated, we targeted their air defence systems and destroyed Lahore's air defence.

IANS: Has attacking so effectively against a nuclear-armed state improved India's image and India's defence power, capabilities?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: At this moment, India is doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time. We are not trying to earn a status symbol or reputation. We're doing what is right for our national interest.

IANS: Has Operation Sindoor destroyed Pakistan's nuclear deterrence image?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: That's a tough question. Has it destroyed the nuclear deterrence image? No. Pakistan's nuclear power remains intact, just as ours does. But can the nuclear card be used? That's the real question.

The world recognises Pakistan as the epicentre of global terrorism. There is no existential threat to Pakistan, they are the one who is attacking, we are defending. There is no reason for them to use the nuclear card.

IANS: Has India proven its superiority in air defence?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: That is for all to see. Not a single drone strike succeeded. All of the drones were neutralised, no damage was done. They may have been probing our air defence system, looking for gaps, but what they saw is a robust, integrated air defence grid.

IANS: What impact will Operation Sindoor have on terrorism in the Valley?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: Terrorism in the Valley won't end overnight. But we must raise the cost for Pakistan so high that it can't continue supporting terrorism. It can't be said that terrorism will be finished 100 per cent. But we have to bring it below a certain threshold, in control. Some small radicalised elements will always remain. Some radicalised support from Pakistan will always remain. So, I do not see that going away anytime in a hurry. But we have to make sure that it is controlled.

For example, we hit terrorist headquarters in densely populated areas. This also sends a message to Pakistani civilians, don't tolerate terror hubs near your homes. We are increasing the cost for Pakistan.

IANS: How many days will it take for India to overpower Pakistan?

Lt. Gen. Satish Dua: That's an oversimplified question. It doesn't work like that. It depends on escalation metrics, what we call escalation dominance. We aim to control the escalation metrics. That's why we respond the way we do. So, there's no straight answer to "how many days" it would take.
Mumbai, May 10 : Amid the growing tensions between India and Pakistan, Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt has expressed his unwavering support for the nation's fight against terrorism and praised the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces. He also asserted that the battle is not against any nation but against those who spread fear and violence

Sanjay took to his Instagram Stories, where he wrote: "The relentless attacks on our people will no longer be tolerated. We will respond, not with hesitation, but with full force and unshakable resolve."

Sanjay said that the fight is against terrorism and this time, Indians are determined to stand their ground.

"The world must understand, our battle is not against a people or a nation, but against the terrorists who thrive on fear, chaos, and destruction. Let there be no doubt, we are not backing down this time," he added.

He asserted that despite terrorist attacks, India's resilience, unity, and strength will always overcome hatred and violence.

"These terrorists are nothing but cowards hiding behind the veil of violence. They strike from the shadows, but they will learn that we are a nation that does not bow. We rise stronger every time they try to break us. Our unity, our spirit, and our will to fight back are far greater than their hate.

Sanjay said that he is extremely "proud of our armed forces."

"They stand tall at the frontlines, fearless and focused, answering every act of terror with courage and fire. They are not just defending borders; they are defending every child's dream, every family's peace, and the soul of this nation. They are the true heroes and I salute each one of them."

He added: "This is not just their fight. It is our fight. As citizens, we must stand together. We will not be intimidated. This battle may not end today. But our strength, our determination, and our unity are eternal.

"We stand ready and if the need arises, will serve in any way possible. We are one. We are strong. And we will not stop until peace is restored and justice is served."
A staff member of Liaoning Zhongzhi Yisheng Aviation Flight Academy maintains a light sport aircraft in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

A helicopter for sightseeing flies in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua)

An engineer assembles an unmanned helicopter at a workshop of FaKu Zhong Jun Yi UAV Technology Co., Ltd. in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

A trainee takes a practical drone training session at an enterprise in Shenbei New District, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Chu Jiayin)

A helicopter takes off from the Shenyang general aviation industry base for forest protection operations in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

An engineer maintains an aircraft at a production line of Liaoning United-air Shen Yan aircraft company in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

Staff members work at the low-altitude flight service center of the Shenyang general aviation industry base in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

An engineer of Optimal Aerospace Science and Industry Group Co., Ltd. checks a drone for emergency and firefighting operations in Shenbei New District of Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

Staff members work on the assembly of an aircraft at Rhyxeon General Aircraft Co., Ltd. in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, May 13, 2024.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

A staff member (R) of Liaoning Yilong General Aviation Co., Ltd. helps tourists try a shared drone at a scenic area in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, May 9, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

The general manager of Liaoning Tongfei General Aviation Co., Ltd. checks a helicopter for emergency rescue operations, aerial photography and aerial surveying at a hangar in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

A lighting drone conducts illumination operations at a forest farm in Haicheng City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, May 6, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua)

Engineers of Optimal Aerospace Science and Industry Group Co., Ltd. check a drone for emergency and firefighting operations in Shenbei New District of Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Chu Jiayin)

This photo taken on Oct. 7, 2024 shows a drone performance in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

A trainee (L) attends a light sport aircraft flight training session at Liaoning Zhongzhi Yisheng Aviation Flight Academy in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

An engineer checks inventory of drone components at a workshop of Faku Zhong Jun Yi UAV Technology Co., Ltd. in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 25, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

A trainee (R) attends a light sport aircraft flight training session at Liaoning Zhongzhi Yisheng Aviation Flight Academy in Faku County, in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 26, 2025.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

In recent years, Liaoning Province has seized opportunities to actively develop its low-altitude economy. Taking full advantage of its location and its strengths in the fields of aviation and aerospace, the province has focused its development of the low-altitude economy on the general aviation and drone sectors, and enriched application scenarios such as emergency rescue, sightseeing tourism, and agricultural and forestry protection.

A development pattern featuring Shenyang and Dalian as key forces supporting Liaoning's low-altitude economy is taking shape, ranging from China's home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, independently developed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, securing the first type certificate, to a drone powered by an ultra-low-temperature high-energy-density lithium battery, developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing a flight test under extreme cold conditions.

The Shenyang general aviation industry base has attracted a cluster of enterprises, and multiple low-altitude passenger routes have been launched in Dalian. The low-altitude economy has injected impetus into the high-quality development of Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Chu Jiayin)
New Delhi, May 10 : Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and women's team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana have expressed their solidarity with the Indian armed forces as they continue to respond strongly to recent aerial attacks from Pakistan.

Pakistan continued its aerial attacks, comprising drones and missiles, on Indian border cities as well as across other military stations in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat on Friday. But all of them were successfully foiled by India's defence systems.

The attacks are in response to the Operation Sindoor initiated by Indian armed forces on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, after 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam last month.

"Thoughts with our armed forces. #OperationSindoor," wrote Ashwin on his X account on Saturday.

Smriti, currently involved in the women's ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka, too wrote on Instagram, "Saluting the courage, commitment and sacrifice of our Indian Armed Forces. Your strength protects our freedom. We stand with you, always, Vande Mataram."

Sneh Rana, the veteran off-spinner who is also playing in the tri-series in Sri Lanka, also urged people to refrain from spreading fake news around the cross-border attacks. "In these testing times it's an earnest request from all citizens of India to refrain from spreading fake news and propaganda."

"Please be mindful and calm. My heart goes out for Indian armed forces for fighting so valiantly for the safety of its motherland. Jai Hind,' she wrote on her 'X' account on Saturday.

Due to the cross-border tension, the IPL 2025 season has been suspended for a week by the BCCI, which made the announcement on Friday. Till now, IPL 2025 has hosted 58 games, with 12 matches left to be played in the league stage, followed by the playoffs. It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds in the next few days, so that the tournament gets a window for resumption.
Mangaluru : , May 10 (IANS) Karnataka Police registered an FIR against a postgraduate student for allegedly posting a message opposing 'Operation Sindoor' launched by the Indian armed forces in retaliation to a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.

The Konaje police in Mangaluru city filed the FIR based on a complaint in this regard, police said on Saturday.

According to police, the student, hailing from the communally-sensitive Mangaluru district, posted an Instagram message criticising 'Operation Sindoor'. The post opposed the strikes carried out by the Indian armed forces in Pakistan.

Reshma N. Bariga, a resident of Belalu near Belthangady town in Mangaluru district and a student of Mangaluru University, made the objectionable post.

"She used the hashtag '#dikkaraoperationSindoora' (Down with Operation Sindoor) after writing poetic lines about the futility of war. In her poem, written in Kannada, she stated that the outcome of war is 'total darkness,'" police said.

The post stirred controversy, prompting Reshma to delete it. However, she later made another post defending her earlier stance opposing 'Operation Sindoor'.

Many people and some Hindu organisations demanded that police take legal action against Reshma. A complaint was filed by Chandrashekar Putta Marati, a resident of Savale, Kallahalli, at the Konaje police station.

Based on the complaint, the police have registered an FIR under Sections 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds such as religion, race, place of birth, residence, or language, and acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony), 353(1)(b) and 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief).

Following the backlash, Reshma issued a new statement expressing her respect and love for her country.

"My concern is that every citizen should live peacefully and prosperously in this country. I am proud to have been born in India. I do not want anyone to lose their life to terrorism. War affects many. The shadow of terrorism should not fall on India. Let peace and harmony prevail. My intention was only to call for the eradication of terrorism," she stated.

The police have taken up further investigation in the case.
Mumbai, May 10 : Rumour mills have been rife with reports of a possible link-up between actress Shivangi Verma and actor Govind Namdev, after a picture of them went viral. However, refuting the rumours as totally baseless, the actress said that the latter is like a father figure for her.

Clearing the air, she shared, "That's such baseless gossip. Govind ji is a very senior and respected actor, and I've always looked up to him. We shot 'Gaurishankar Gauharganj Wale' together, and those pictures are simply from our shoot days. People are just connecting the dots without knowing the truth. There's absolutely no truth to these link-up rumours."

Shivangi hopes that people will confirm things before jumping to conclusions. "Honestly, it's funny and upsetting both at the same time. I wish people would confirm facts before spreading anything. I'm here to do my work and focus on my craft. These kinds of stories just distract from the hard work we all put into our films. I hope people stop making assumptions."

She added, "When you're in the public eye, even normal things can be blown out of proportion. But I've learned to stay calm and not let it affect me. I know who I am, and the people close to me know the truth. At the end of the day, I just want to grow as an actor and let my work speak for itself."

For the unversed, Shivangi uploaded a photo on her Instagram with Govind with the caption, "Love knows no age, no boundaries," giving rise to the speculations of the two being romantically involved.

Back in December 2024, the 70-year-old actor revealed that he is co-starring on a project with Shivangi. He added that while their characters are romantically involved, things are not the same in real life.

Govind penned a note on social media that read, "Ye Real Life Love nahi hai, Reel Life hai janaab! Ek film hai 'Gaurishankar Goharganj Wale' Jiski shooting hum Indore me kar rahe hain. Ye usi film ka story plot hai. Isme ek old man ko ek young actress se pyaar ho jata hai. Jahaan tak vyaktigat rup se mujhe kisi young-old se pyaar ho jaaye, ye iss janam me to sambhav hai nahi."
Chennai, May 10 : Stating that he was very confident that the country's armed forces would bring the enemy to their knees, one of the country's finest music directors and a Member of Parliament Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja on Saturday announced that he would be contributing his concert fee and a month's salary to the National Defence Fund.

Taking to his X timeline on Saturday, Ilaiyaraaja said, " 'VALIANT' - Earlier this year, I composed and recorded my first symphony and named it 'Valiant', unaware that in May our real heroes, our soldiers, would need to act with bravery, boldness, courage, precision and determination at the borders to counter the cold blooded killing of innocent tourists in Pahalgam. Am very confident that our selfless bravehearts will bring the enemies to their knees."

Quoting verses from a famous poem by revolutionary poet Bharathiyar, the music director said, "Jaya Bherigai Kottada, Kottada, Jaya Bherigai Kottada - Bharathi. As a proud Indian and a Member of Parliament, I have decided to make a modest contribution of my concert fees and one month's salary to the "National Defence Fund" for the "Valiant" efforts of our country's brave heroes to wipe out terrorism, and safeguard our borders & people. Jai Hind @OneMercuri"

Ilaiyaraaja's announcement comes in the wake of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after India launched Operation Sindoor, hitting at terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India had been planned and directed.

The Indian army launched Operation Sindoor in response to the terrible and dastardly attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir which left 25 Indians and one Nepali national dead.

Ilaiyaraaja to contribute concert fee and one month's salary to National Defence Fund

Chennai, May 10 (IANS) Stating that he was very confident that the country's armed forces would bring the enemy to their knees, one of the country's finest music directors and a Member of Parliament Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja on Saturday announced that he would be contributing his concert fee and a month's salary to the National Defence Fund.

Taking to his X timeline on Saturday, Ilaiyaraaja said, " 'VALIANT' - Earlier this year, I composed and recorded my first symphony and named it 'Valiant', unaware that in May our real heroes, our soldiers, would need to act with bravery, boldness, courage, precision and determination at the borders to counter the cold blooded killing of innocent tourists in Pahalgam. Am very confident that our selfless bravehearts will bring the enemies to their knees."

Quoting verses from a famous poem by revolutionary poet Bharathiyar, the music director said, "Jaya Bherigai Kottada, Kottada, Jaya Bherigai Kottada - Bharathi. As a proud Indian and a Member of Parliament, I have decided to make a modest contribution of my concert fees and one month's salary to the "National Defence Fund" for the "Valiant" efforts of our country's brave heroes to wipe out terrorism, and safeguard our borders & people. Jai Hind @OneMercuri"

Ilaiyaraaja's announcement comes in the wake of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after India launched Operation Sindoor, hitting at terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India had been planned and directed.

The Indian army launched Operation Sindoor in response to the terrible and dastardly attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir which left 25 Indians and one Nepali national dead.

For the unaware, Ilaiyaraaja became the first Indian in March this year to present a western classical symphony at the Eventim Apollo theatre in London. What made the event even more special was the fact that the world-renowned Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra joined Ilaiyaraaja in this historic performance.
New Delhi, May 10 : Besides blunting Pakistan's drone attacks overnight, India has carried out precision attacks on six Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Sukkur, Murid, Chunia, Chaklala, and Rahim Yar Khan, said an official on Saturday.

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Besides blunting Pakistanas drone attacks overnight, India has carried out precision attacks on six Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Sukkur, Murid, Chunia, Chaklala, and Rahim Yar Khan, said an official on Saturday.

Pakistan's military installations, like a radar site at Pasrur and the Sialkot aviation base, were also targeted, the official said.

Defence experts said Chaklala air base in Rawalpindi is considered one of Pakistanas most sensitive as it is located just 10 km from Islamabad. The base handles both VIP and PAF operations.

The strike on Chaklala, in a way, is a warning served by India that even the most fortified of PAF assets are within its range. The strike is also a warning against launching transport missions and aerial refuelling from the base that was used extensively in the 1965 and 1971 wars.

To incapacitate Pakistanas drone launch facilities at Murid airbase in Chakwal, the Indian Air Force used missiles on Friday night to hit assets that were used by the PAF for launching hundreds of combat drones over the past two days.

The PAF squadrons trained to use drones like Shahpar-2 and Bayraktar TB2 are based here. The targeting of this facility is likely to impact the future capability of the PAF to launch drone attacks against India.

Sukkur airbase in Jamshoro district of Sindh is considered the most modern among the PAFas assets. It serves as a station for F-16, JF-17 jets, and SAAB 2000 Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS).

Rafiqui airbase in Shorkot of Jhang district is home to fighter aircraft like JF-17, Mirage, and combat choppers. Chunian airbase, about 70 km from Lahore, also houses JF-17 and Mirage jets.

Rahim Yar Khan air base in southern Punjab is vital for PAFas operations targeted at the Indian province of Rajasthan.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said in a media briefing on Operation Sindoor that awhile carrying out these responses, India ensured minimum collateral damage".

The precision strikes on Pakistani military targets last night were part of Operation Sindoor, launched on Wednesday, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

The operation aimed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, with a focus on avoiding military escalation.
New Delhi, May 10 : In a strong response to Turkey and Azerbaijan for supporting Pakistan in the ongoing conflict, major travel companies have suspended all packages to these two countries.

The move follows both the countries' extending public support for Pakistan during the ongoing conflict with India, especially after 'Operation Sindoor' which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

EaseMyTrip, Cox & Kings and Travomint have announced a complete halt on bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan, aligning with national sentiment and reflecting growing concern over safety and diplomatic implications.

The decision marks a broader industry shift, where businesses are increasingly mindful of their international engagements and their impact on national interests.

Karan Agarwal, Director of Cox & Kings, stated, "In light of recent developments, we have decided to pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country".

He also advised Indian travellers to avoid these destinations until the situation becomes clearer.

EaseMyTrip's founder and chairman, Nishant Pitti, emphasised the importance of traveller safety in these uncertain times.

"Deeply concerned by the recent developments. At EaseMyTrip, the safety of travellers is our top priority. We advise all our customers to exercise utmost caution and stay updated on official travel advisories before planning trips to sensitive regions," he said.

Travomint joined the movement shortly after. CEO Alok K Singh confirmed the company's stance, stating, "Due to the escalating tensions with Pakistan and countries like Turkey and Azerbaijan supporting it, we at Travomint have taken a firm and responsible stand.

"We have decided to support the Indians' call for boycotting Turkey and Azerbaijan," Singh mentioned.

This wave of action came as both Turkey and Azerbaijan expressed solidarity with Pakistan, following India's retaliatory strikes at terror locations.

The government of Azerbaijan issued a statement condemning India's military action, expressing concern over civilian casualties and urging diplomatic resolution.

Similarly, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs described India's airstrike as a "provocative" step and warned of the risk of full-scale war. India has found Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones being used by Pakistan.
New Delhi, May 10 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday continued his discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs on the anti-terror 'Operation Sindoor' amid little signs of Pakistan trying to de-escalate tensions.

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday continued his discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs on the anti-terror aOperation Sindoora amid little signs of Pakistan trying to de-escalate tensions.

The discussions revolved around assessing the success achieved in the anti-terror operation and preparations to foil an attempted offensive by Pakistan which is reported to have moved troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation.

Apart from discussing the future course, PM Modi is believed to have discussed the continuous violation of the ceasefire by Pakistan in the sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) and the border.

Chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) also shared details about the terrorists a" including those wanted in the IC-814 flightas hijack to Kandahar in 1999 a" killed in 'Operation Sindoor' so far.

PM Modias fresh discussions on the ongoing operation came on a day when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, calling for de-escalation of tensions at the India-Pakistan border, and offered US support in holding constructive talks to prevent further escalation.

Rubio also spoke to Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, conveying the same message.

On Friday, PM Modi was involved in detailed discussions with military commanders, strategists and veterans. Those who took part in the discussions included former Air Force chiefs, Army chiefs, and Navy chiefs, sources said.

Earlier, the Indian Armed Forces briefed media persons about the violation of airspace by Pakistan on Friday night and the forceful response given by the Indian side.

India responded strongly to Pakistanas repeated drone and missile attacks and hit at least eight military targets inside Pakistan on Friday night with precision, thereby causing significant damage, the Centre told the Press, as part of a special briefing on 'Operation Sindoor'.

Six Pakistani military bases were targeted with precision while one radar site and one aviation base was targeted in Indian strikes, informed the special team led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, flanked by two women officers Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

India launched 'Operation Sindoor', targeting at least nine terrorist base camps across the LoC and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), to avenge the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.
Chandigarh, May 10 : Punjab Cabinet Ministers Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Baljit Kaur on Saturday visited Fazilka to assess the civil administration preparedness and to interact with locals in forward areas along the International Border, but the Indian forces are in a "high state" of operational readiness.

During the visit, the ministers held a meeting with the district administration and reviewed arrangements at the local Civil Hospital.

They also visited city markets to meet residents and provide reassurance of the government's continued support.

Minister Sond said the government stood firmly with the people of border areas during these testing times.

He said all necessary support is being extended to the armed forces as well.

Civil authorities enforced blackouts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Bathinda, Muktsar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, and Moga districts and issued a series of advisories asking people to exercise caution against the backdrop of the heightened hostilities.

Reviewing the administration's preparedness, the minister assured residents of Fazilka need not panic, as all arrangements have been made to ensure their safety and convenience. The ministers also inspected the Civil Hospital and confirmed that adequate beds and essential medicines are available as per requirements.

Accompanying minister Baljit Kaur reiterated the government's commitment to the people and urged residents not to fall prey to fear or anxiety.

She reviewed the functioning of the blood bank, civil services, and healthcare facilities during the visit.

While reviewing the civil preparedness, Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu said essential commodities are stocked as per requirement, and there are no reports of black marketing or hoarding. Multiple enemy-armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantonment in Amritsar, and they were instantly engaged and destroyed by air defence units, according to the Indian Army.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 am, multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar," the Additional Directorate General of Public Information wrote on X.

"The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units," it said.

"Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. The Indian Army will thwart enemy designs," it added.

Civil administration officials said Jalandhar, Ferozepur, and Pathankot cities also saw explosions on the night of May 10. Missile debris was also found at Mand Maur village near Kartarpur. The debris was also found at Rampur Khalian village near Phagwara, where an eight-foot-deep crater was created in the fields.

Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Himanshu Aggarwal, in a message, said, "Jalandhar was on red alert all night. Many objects were seen and neutralised by the armed forces. Stay calm and stay inside as much as you can."

The state government has deputed 10 Cabinet ministers to review the preparedness of hospitals, fire stations, and essential services in border districts.
New Delhi, May 10 : In a bold and charged statement, AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Saturday delivered a strong message to Pakistan while praising 'Operation Sindoor' following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Referring to India's long-standing doctrine of restraint followed by resolute retaliation, Chadha declared, "We don't start fights, but we never leave them unfinished." New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) In a bold and charged statement, AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Saturday delivered a strong message to Pakistan while praising 'Operation Sindoor' following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Referring to Indiaas long-standing doctrine of restraint followed by resolute retaliation, Chadha declared, "We donat start fights, but we never leave them unfinished."

"The truth is that you can change your friends, but not your neighbour. And if the neighbour is like Pakistan, then it's our foremost duty to punish it strictly," Chadha asserted.

He condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, calling it "a blot on the history of humanity," and emphasised that India has already begun avenging it through the "first installment of Operation Sindoor."

Saluting the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces, he said, "The way our military is fighting with extraordinary courage and valour makes it clear that this time, terrorism will be eradicated."

Chadha urged all citizens to stand in solidarity with the families of soldiers and boost their morale.

"We must all pray to our respective gods for the safety of our troops and support their families like a rock," he added, praising the contributions of women like Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

"Families who send daughters to guard the nationas honour and sons to defend the borders, deserve our unwavering support."

He reminded Pakistan of its past humiliations, saying, "India defeated Pakistan in 1971, forcing over 90,000 soldiers to surrender and created Bangladesh. In Siachen in 1984 and Kargil in 1999, our military crushed their cowardly intentions."

"India toh Pakistan ka baap hai, aur baap toh hamesha baap hota hai (India is Pakistan's father and a father always remains the father)," said Chadha.

Lashing out at Pakistanas history of harbouring terrorists, Chadha reminded the world of past attacks, from Mumbai in 2008 to the Parliament attack in 2001 and the Pulwama tragedy in 2019.

"The country that begs before the world 24/7 and feeds milk to terrorists instead of its own children will now face the united wrath of every Indian," he warned.

"India is the land of Buddha, but also of Arjun and Bhim. If we are heirs to Gandhi, we are also the legacy of Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad," he said, drawing from history to underline Indiaas resolve.

He concluded with a stern message: "India is reminding Pakistan of its defeats, from 1971 to Kargil. If you donat correct your path, the day is not far when the Ganga will flow from Kashi to Islamabad, and the Indian Tricolour will fly over Rawalpindi. Jai Hind."
Riyadh, May 10 : Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah on Saturday held separate telephonic conversations with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, discussing efforts aimed at reducing the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

"Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, held two phone calls today with Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India and Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan," the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Saturday.

"During the calls, discussions focused on efforts to de-escalate tensions and end ongoing military confrontations. His Highness affirmed the Kingdom's commitment to the security and stability of the region and its close and balanced relations with both friendly countries," read a statement issued by the ministry.

The call came as Pakistan showed no signs of de-escalating tensions and continued to attack the civilian and military infrastructure, including places of religious worship, in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.

It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir visited New Delhi on Thursday and called on EAM Jaishankar.

The Saudi Minister's India visit, labelled as "unscheduled" by analysts, came at a time Pakistan escalated tensions at the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border 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.

In a separate statement released on Saturday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry mentioned that Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir's visit to India and Pakistan on May 8-9 took place upon the directives of the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"The visit comes as part of the Kingdom's efforts towards de-escalation, ending ongoing military confrontations, and resolving all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels," the statement mentioned.

In his meeting with the visiting Saudi minister, EAM Jaishankar had conveyed India's steadfast stance in combating terrorism and shared New Delhi's perspectives on firmly countering terrorism.

Saudi Arabia had 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 Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
BAGHDAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani ordered the immediate repatriation of 500 military trainees from Pakistan, citing concerns for their safety amid the escalating tension between India and Pakistan, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said Saturday.

In a statement, the ministry said that al-Sudani, also commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, made the decision regarding the trainees, who are currently in Pakistan under a training agreement.

The ministry said it has already implemented all necessary measures to facilitate their return to Iraq.

A military standoff between New Delhi and Islamabad erupted following India's deadly airstrikes on targets in Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday.

Since then, the militaries of India and Pakistan have been targeting each other with missiles, drones, and shelling in the frontier areas close to their border and Line of Control in Kashmir.

New Delhi said its Wednesday airstrikes were in response to last month's killing of 26 people by gunmen in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. It blamed Islamabad for supporting the gunmen, a charge denied by Islamabad. 
New Delhi, May 10 : In the wake of escalation in cross-border skirmishes, senior Indian Defence experts have shed light on Pakistan's increasingly aggressive drone warfare tactics, revealing the full scale of recent attacks and India's decisive response.

Defence expert and retired Navy officer, Commodore G.J. Singh stated, "If we talk about one aspect, after the escalation, we slowly started climbing up, going higher. Initially, Pakistan deployed many low-cost drones, but they mixed them with some sophisticated ones. It is also believed that Pakistan tried to test our air defense system to see how capable we are in intercepting their drones."

"They tested this along various borders, including the Punjab border and Rajouri, and we proved ourselves to be highly effective. We successfully shot down all of them. However, we realised that the low-cost drones they are sending can be dealt with not through our missile systems, but through lower-cost alternatives," he added.

Echoing these concerns, retired Group Captain D.K. Pandey revealed the extent of the most recent assault.

"Reports are coming in that Pakistan carried out a drone attack on 26 locations in India. The main targets were military bases, air bases, and some residential areas, with reports of some damage and casualties. However, every drone was neutralised. One drone fell and caught fire, causing some damage. Afterwards, India analysed the situation and found that Pakistan is conducting drone operations under the cover of civilian airliners. This means that Pakistan is using international air traffic routes for drone attacks, so if India retaliates and targets these flights, it could become an international issue," he said.

During a high-level briefing led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, accompanied by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, it was revealed that Indian forces struck at least eight strategic military targets inside Pakistan on Friday night.

The targeted strikes reportedly hit six Pakistani military bases, one radar installation, and one aviation base, causing significant damage. The operation was carried out with minimal collateral impact, underscoring India's growing strategic and technological edge in aerial and unmanned combat systems.

The government emphasised that the strikes were measured, precise, and limited to military targets, reinforcing India's commitment to regional stability even as it defends its sovereign territory.
Chennai, May 10 : Amid rising tensions along the India-Pakistan border, five students from Tamil Nadu, who were stranded in Punjab, safely returned to Chennai on Saturday morning, thanks to the swift intervention of the Tamil Nadu government.

The students were part of a group of 12 from Tamil Nadu pursuing higher education at a private university in Jalandhar district, Punjab.

As cross-border hostilities escalated, the situation in Punjab grew tense, leaving the students anxious and uncertain about their safety.

Responding promptly, the Tamil Nadu government coordinated with central agencies to facilitate their safe evacuation. Officials arranged for the students to be transported from Punjab to Delhi on Thursday night.

Of the 12 stranded students, five were flown from Delhi to Chennai early Saturday morning aboard an Air India flight. They were received at the Chennai airport by senior officials, including the Deputy Director of the Department of Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils.

The state government also arranged special transportation to help the students return to their hometowns, covering districts such as Namakkal and Coimbatore.

The remaining seven students are scheduled to arrive in Chennai around noon on Saturday, flying in via an IndiGo flight. Minister for the Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, S M Nassar, along with senior officials, was present at the airport to receive them. These students hail from districts including Kallakurichi, Namakkal, and Coimbatore.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, the returning students expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Tamil Nadu government for its timely help.

"We were just 60 kilometres from the Pakistan border. The situation was very tense, and we were under immense stress," said Ajay Vasanth from Namakkal.

"But as soon as Tamil Nadu government officials reached us, our anxiety eased. They took good care of us and are now ensuring we return home safely," Vasanth said.

Naveen, a student from Coimbatore, shared, "We didnat know what to do or where to go. But Tamil Nadu officials treated us with care, guided us at every step, and ensured our well-being."

Another student, Remi from Coimbatore, recounted their journey: "We travelled from Punjab to Delhi by bus, unsure of what lay ahead and with no place to stay. But after we contacted the Tamil Nadu government helpline, officials quickly reached out, provided support, and arranged everything for our safe return."

The Tamil Nadu government has assured continuous monitoring of the situation and pledged assistance to any more residents stranded in conflict zones.
New Delhi, May 10 : Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday assessed the preparedness of hospitals, the fire department and other government agencies to deal with an emergency in the backdrop of the ongoing 'Operation Sindoor'.

Addressing the high-level review meeting, CM Gupta instructed officials to ensure availability of ambulances and adequate storage of medicines and materials.

She also issued instructions to ensure power backup in Intensive Care Units and to cancel the leave of medical and paramedical staff and prepare duty rosters.

Officials of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) were directed to identify shelters and sensitise Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) for emergency deployment and coordination with the armed forces, Indian Railways and airport authorities.

In a post on social media platform X, CM Gupta said, "The Power Department was directed to be prepared in case of power outage and ensure backup power supply for essential services. The Home and Police departments were ordered to maintain operational readiness and security for uninterrupted supply of water and electricity."

She said civic agencies like PWD, MCD and NDMC were instructed to prepare a list of contractors and machinery ready for infrastructure construction in case of emergency.

The DTC and DMRC were also asked to prepare route maps and fleet management for emergency planning and evacuation, she said.

On Saturday, the Chief Minister held a meeting with the Medical Superintendents (MS) of various government hospitals to review the current condition, needs, and challenges of hospitals to ensure better healthcare services.

Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh was also present in the meeting.

CM Gupta stated that the Delhi Government's foremost commitment was to provide accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare to every citizen of the national Capital.

She emphasised that the government was not only strengthening hospital infrastructure but also working to bring healthcare services closer to homes.

During the meeting, discussions were held on medicine shortages and supply status in hospitals, implementation preparedness for Central Government health schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Vay Vandana for senior citizens, and Arogya Mandir for comprehensive care, general hospital maintenance, and online systems for OPD/IPD registrations.
Chennai, May 10 : Fishermen in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district are gearing up to intensify their opposition to the central government's proposed hydrocarbon exploration project in the Kanyakumari sea.

The fishermen fear that the project will severely impact their livelihoods and the marine ecosystem.

Leaders of the fishing community have been holding discussions with various fishermen's associations across Tamil Nadu and Kerala to build a collective resistance.

A Dunston, Director of Coastal Peace and Development (CPD), announced that a crucial meeting will be held on Sunday. "We will convene representatives from fishermen federations, associations, and coastal villages in Kanyakumari to decide on the next steps to oppose this project," he said.

Environmental activist and Pachai Tamizhagam coordinator, S.P. Udayakumar, explained the scale of the proposed initiative.

"In 2023, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas invited bids under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) for oil and natural gas exploration in three blocks south of Cape Comorin, covering nearly 27,155 square kilometers," he noted.

Udayakumar warned that the project threatens the ecologically sensitive Wadge Bank, a rich fishing ground located off Cape Comorin.

"Wadge Bank is a lifeline for fishermen from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. If hydrocarbon extraction proceeds here, it would devastate marine biodiversity and cripple the livelihoods of thousands of fishing families," he cautioned.

Echoing similar concerns, Kurumpanai C. Berlin, district secretary of Neithal Makkal Iyakkam and a prominent writer, said: "The extraction of hydrocarbons from Wadge Bank will turn the sea into a barren zone. This project risks destroying an ecosystem that sustains fishing communities across the region."

C. Johnson, Secretary of the Colachel-based Mechanised Fishers Welfare Association and a ship captain, pointed out the direct economic impact. "Once the hydrocarbon project is implemented, fishermen will be barred from accessing large parts of the sea. It would effectively shut down fishing operations in a vital area, putting our livelihoods in jeopardy," he said.

With growing discontent, Sunday's meeting is expected to set the course for a coordinated movement against the hydrocarbon project, uniting coastal communities from Kanyakumari and neighboring Kerala.
New Delhi, May 10 : As tensions continue to rise between India and Pakistan following a series of drone and missile attacks by the Pakistan Army targeting Indian civilian infrastructure, military bases, and even religious sites, AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, on Saturday, delivered a scathing condemnation of Islamabad's actions and declared that Pakistan is officially a "beggar."

Speaking at a public event, Owaisi strongly criticised Pakistan's economic collapse and aggression, saying, "They are beggars. Pakistan is an official beggar. They asked for a loan of $1 billion from IMF.

"What did you do for the last 75 years, that you are at this level today? Unfortunately, IMF is giving them a loan. This is not the International Monetary Fund, this is the International Militant Fund. How can the US, Germany, and Japan agree to this, even after our land, our soldiers, our people are getting attacked?"

He further slammed Pakistan's internal failures, adding, "Leave ruling, you don't know how to run an economy. What do you have? Just speaking on Islam. Truth is, they have nothing and are using this rhetoric to escalate tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India."

Expressing solidarity with the armed forces, Owaisi acknowledged the courage of Indian soldiers who are continuously neutralising hostile threats, saying, "Last night, drones reached Srinagar. We cannot imagine with how much bravery our soldiers are giving them a befitting response. And people in the border region, they are facing this with strength and courage."

Calling for national unity across party lines, he urged political leaders to rise above partisan disputes: "This is not about Hindu or Muslim, or about BJP or Congress. These parties should end their disputes and come together to raise a voice against the nation that is a threat to the world."

Owaisi further appealed to global powers to act against Pakistan's nuclear capabilities: "The world leaders must decide; they should not allow Pakistan to have nuclear power. It should be disarmed."

"They are so low that they are targeting health centres and schools. We must rise above small disputes and respond with bravery and unity. They will fall; the day is not far off," he said.

In a final call to action, he urged Indian political parties to show solidarity with the military: "I appeal to national parties to end their internal disputes and come forward to stand with our armed forces."
Chennai, May 10 : The makers of director Sekhar Kammula's highly anticipated pan-Indian movie, 'Kubera', featuring actors Dhanush and Nagarjuna in the lead, on Saturday disclosed that actor Dhanush plays a character called Deva in the film much to the delight of fans and film buffs.

Chennai, May 10 (IANS) The makers of director Sekhar Kammula's highly anticipated pan-Indian movie, aKuberaa, featuring actors Dhanush and Nagarjuna in the lead, on Saturday disclosed that actor Dhanush plays a character called Deva in the film much to the delight of fans and film buffs.

The update came on a day Dhanush completed 23 years as an actor in the film industry.

Sree Venkateswara Cinemas, one of the production houses producing the film, took to its X timeline to congratulate the actor on a fine acting career.

It said, "Twenty three years of a remarkable actor whose journey of hard work, passion, and dedication continues to inspire. @dhanushkraja is all set to win hearts as #DEVA in #SekharKammulasKuberaa. More updates loading soona Stay tuned! Releasing worldwide on June 20, 2025."

The film triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs right from the day it was announced. By the time, the unit released the first single from the film called aPoyivaa Nanbaa in Tamil, aPoyiraa Mamaa in Telugu, aPoyivaa Nanbaa in Malayalam, aHogiBaa Geleyaa in Kannada and aJaake Aana Yaaraa in Hindi, fans were eagerly awaiting updates.

Apart from Nagarjuna and Dhanush, the film also features Jim Sarbh and Rashmika Mandanna in pivotal roles. The film, which is to hit screens on June 20 this year, is keenly awaited as this is the first time that National-award winning actor Dhanush is joining hands with ace filmmaker Sekhar Kammula.

Rumours doing the rounds in the industry suggest that Dhanush plays the role of a beggar who later rises to become a mafia king in the film. However, there has been no official confirmation with regard to either of these speculations.

On the technical front, aKuberaa has cinematography by Niketh Bommi. Ramakrishna Sabbani and Monika Nigotre are the production designers of the film. The film has been co-written by Chaithanya Pingali. Costumes for the film have been designed by Kavya Sriram and Poorvaa Jain. Kubera is being bankrolled by Suniel Naran and Puskur Ram Mohan Rao under the banner of Sree Venkateswara Cinemas.
Guwahati, May 10 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, in a veiled attack against Congress, alleged that Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera peddling "reckless propaganda" regarding the IMF, Pakistan and India's stand.

The Chief Minister, "Exposing the Misinformation: IMF, Pakistan, and India's Principled Stand Once again, Congress leaders like Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera are indulging in reckless propaganda  twisting facts and misleading the nation over India's stand on the recent IMF bailout to Pakistan."

"Let the truth be known: 1.There Is No "No" Vote at IMF: Contrary to what Congress wants the public to believe, the IMF does not have a system for casting a "no" vote. The only legitimate way to register disagreement is by abstaining  which India rightly did. 2. IMF Voting is Weighted, Not Equal: The IMF functions on a proportional quota system, where voting power is based on each nation's financial contribution. It is not a one-country-one-vote format like the UN General Assembly. India's abstention was a calibrated and strategic move within this framework," said Sarma.

He added: "3. India's Message Was Loud and Clear: By abstaining, India refused to endorse financial assistance to a nation that continues to export terrorism across our borders. This was a firm yet mature diplomatic signal, showing India will not support Pakistan's duplicity  but also will not disrupt global economic order rashly. 4. Congress Is Playing Dangerous Politics: It is deeply unfortunate that leaders like Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera are politicising India's international diplomacy. Whether out of ignorance or intent, their narrative undermines national interest and falsely portrays India as weak, when in truth, India acted with both resolve and responsibility."

The Chief Minister further wrote, "5. India's Record Speaks for Itself: Under Prime Minister Modi, India has shown the world that it will respond to terror with strength  be it Uri, Balakot, or Operation Sindoor. Our abstention at the IMF a reflection of strategic statecraft, backed by clear-eyed national interest."

However, Pawan Khera took a dig at Sarma along with a screenshot of the IMF executive board's decisions.

He posted, "Mr Chief Minister, kindly read this and ask your researchers to find out how many times there's been 'against' vote. Russia voted against the IMF aid tranche to Ukraine on September 12, 2016, and India voted against Zimbabwe's expulsion on 11 September 2005."
Kutch, May 10 : District administration in Gujarat's Kutch has issued an advisory urging residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement.

The advisory follows recent incidents of drone attacks intercepted by the Indian Armed Forces in the region.

Lok Sabha MP Vinod Chavda also issued a public appeal, urging residents to cooperate fully with the advisory.

"We all know the situation the country is facing. Kutch, being on the international border, is a sensitive district. I request everyone to support the government and administration during the blackout. Participate in the blackout, do not step out of your homes without reason, stay indoors, and do not panic," Chavda said.

"The country is being led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is protected by a capable armed forces. To boost the morale of our forces, let us all cooperate with the administration and government. If you see any suspicious item or person, immediately inform the administration or police," he said.

Kutch Collector and District Magistrate in a post on social media platform X said: "All the citizens of Kutch district are asked to stay safe at home throughout the day. Citizens should not go out unnecessarily. Even during the night, we should all strictly follow the blackout. There is no need to panic. Let's follow the instructions given by the administration."

This comes after a series of drone incursions from Pakistan that were intercepted by the Indian Armed Forces in Kutch, with some sightings occurring late Friday night and early this morning.

In response to the threat, the town of Bhuj, where one of the drones was spotted, has been placed on high alert. The local market has been closed, and most shops remain shut as police patrol the area.

Despite this, some residents were seen rushing to the few shops that stayed open to purchase essential goods.

The district administration continues to monitor the situation closely, urging residents to stay calm and adhere to the safety protocols.
Patna, May 10 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Saturday expressed concern that Pakistan may misuse the $1 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan.

Talking to IANS, Jha said, "The countries or institutions that have made this decision should seriously consider whether this amount is meant for the people of Pakistan or terror laboratories. Once the truth comes out, even they will be shocked."

The RJD MP's remarks assume significance as tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating following 'Operation Sindoor'.

The RJD leader also called for media restraint and supported the Indian governmentas measured stance during the current crisis.

"Even on Friday, I urged that our Army and our government are fully capable. I just listened to the press briefing, and I would also request that people and news channels pause for a while. It's very clear from the MEA's press briefing that we have never tried to escalate the situation. On the first night when Operation Sindoor was launched, there was no attack on the army installations in Pakistan," he added.

Rajesh Kumar Ram, Bihar State President of the Congress Party, strongly criticised Pakistan's recent actions and its use of civilian resources for military purposes.

"The Pakistan government is using civilian aircraft in defence by not suspending its airspace. Our forces are patiently making decisions and giving befitting replies to them. We are proud of our defence forces," he said in Patna.

Ram further asserted, "Pakistan provoked India through the Pahalgam attack, and our army is fully capable of giving a befitting reply. The central government has taken the right decision by targeting only terrorist infrastructure. We have not harmed civilian installations, but Pakistan continues to target innocent civilians in India. This is highly condemnable."

India launched 'Operation Sindoor' earlier this week, targeting nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Bhopal, May 10 : In another initiative towards an inter-state river project, the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra inked a pact for the 'Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project', which stands as the world's largest groundwater recharge initiative.

Bhopal, May 10 (IANS) In another initiative towards an inter-state river project, the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra inked a pact for the aTapti Basin Mega Recharge Projecta, which stands as the worldas largest groundwater recharge initiative.

It aimed at ensuring sustainable water management for both the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav signed a pact in Bhopal on Saturday.

Calling the collaboration historic, Chief Minister Fadnavis praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts in bringing the project out of the drawing board. He highlighted the immense benefits it would provide, with Madhya Pradesh gaining irrigation for 1.31 lakh hectares and Maharashtra ensuring irrigation access for 2.34 lakh hectares, particularly in saline regions.

Expressing their commitment to elevating the initiative further, both leaders plan to petition the Central Government to designate it a national scheme, akin to the Ken-Betwa river-linking project. CM Yadav, emphasising Madhya Pradeshas abundant water resources despite the absence of glaciers, stressed the importance of managing its 247 rivers effectively. He outlined plans to develop three Tapti River streams to maximise agricultural irrigation, ensuring optimal utilisation of water reserves. The initiative will harness 31.13 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet) of water, with Madhya Pradesh receiving 11.76 TMC and Maharashtra securing 19.36 TMC.

Notably, the project requires 3,362 hectares of land but will not disrupt any villages, eliminating the need for rehabilitation. Ensuring equitable water distribution remains a priority, as Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra continue efforts to resolve longstanding water-sharing challenges. Both governments are dedicated to advancing the Tapti and Kanhan river projects in a way that balances environmental conservation, agricultural needs, and industrial expansion.

The newly established irrigation infrastructure will significantly impact the Burhanpur and Khandwa districts, reinforcing agricultural productivity. Complementing this initiative, the Chhindwara Complex Multipurpose Project aims to optimise water use within the Kanhan sub-basin. This venture will benefit Chhindwaraas farmlands while addressing water requirements in Nagpur, marking another step in interstate cooperation.

Madhya Pradesh's commitment to efficient water management extends beyond this project, as it continues collaborative efforts with Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on similar river-linking programmes, Chief Minister Yadav said. He further said the initiative will establish a permanent irrigation facility, benefiting thousands of hectares across both states, including key tehsils in Burhanpur and Khandwa districts.

Madhya Pradesh has recently initiated work on the Parvati-Kali Sindh-Chambal project in collaboration with Rajasthan and is progressing on the Ken-Betwa river-linking project with Uttar Pradesh; similar efforts are now being undertaken with Maharashtra through the third National River Water Project.
Students from University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) learn to make tea at Vocational and Technical College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, May 9, 2025.

A total of 21 UNIMAS students on Friday attended here hands-on studio workshops featuring traditional Chinese culture and technical training. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

Students from University of Malaysia Sarawak learn to put on horseshoes at Vocational and Technical College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University (UNIMAS) in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, May 9, 2025.

A total of 21 UNIMAS students on Friday attended here hands-on studio workshops featuring traditional Chinese culture and technical training. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

Students from University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) practice Chinese calligraphy at Vocational and Technical College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, May 9, 2025.

A total of 21 UNIMAS students on Friday attended here hands-on studio workshops featuring traditional Chinese culture and technical training. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

Students from University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) learn to make tea at Vocational and Technical College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, May 9, 2025.

A total of 21 UNIMAS students on Friday attended here hands-on studio workshops featuring traditional Chinese culture and technical training. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

A teacher instructs Chinese calligraphy to students from University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) at Vocational and Technical College of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, May 9, 2025.

A total of 21 UNIMAS students on Friday attended here hands-on studio workshops featuring traditional Chinese culture and technical training. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)
New Delhi, May 10 : Turkey should stay out of the conflict between India and Pakistan and should not supply arms to the country, said global investor Jim Rogers on Saturday.

His comments came as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported Pakistan of using Turkish-made drones in India's ongoing 'Operation Sindoor' which started in the aftermath of the barbaric Pahalgam tragedy that claimed 26 lives.

"I would not want anyone to supply arms to Pakistan or India. I hope Turkey will stay out of it," Rogers said in an interaction with IANS.

"If I were advising Turkey, I would say stay out of it. Stay home. Let's leave it alone," he added.

In a press briefing on Friday, the MEA said that Pakistan used 300-400 Turkish drones to attempt infiltration at 36 locations in India and tried to target the country's military installations on May 8-9.

While the Indian armed forces are analysing the drones, "initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones", said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, during the press conference.

The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means.

Designed and manufactured by Turkey-based defence company Asisguard, Songar drones were first launched in April 2019 and delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) after successful completion of their testing in February 2020. They are Turkey's first indigenous armed drones.

Meanwhile, major Indian travel companies like EaseMyTrip, Cox & Kings and Travomint have suspended all packages to Turkey for supporting Pakistan.

Besides Turkey, there is also a complete halt on bookings to Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, aligning with national sentiment and reflecting growing concern over safety and diplomatic implications.

The decision marks a broader industry shift, where businesses are increasingly mindful of their international engagements and their impact on national interests.

The government of Azerbaijan issued a statement condemning India's military action, expressing concern over civilian casualties and urging diplomatic resolution.
Kabul, May 10 : Labelling them as "baseless" and "unfounded", Afghanistan on Saturday categorically dismissed Pakistani allegations of India launching missile strikes on the Afghan territory.

In an interview with Afghan media outlet Hurriyat Radio, Afghanistan's Defence Ministry spokesperson Enaitullah Khawarzmi outrightly rejected Pakistan's allegations that India had carried out a missile strike on Afghan soil, labeling such claims as false and unfounded.

Earlier in the day, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had also rejected Pakistan's "totally frivolous allegations", terming them as nothing but "ludicrous claims".

Speaking at a special media briefing on Operation Sindoor alongside Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri urged the Afghan people to remember which nation had repeatedly targetted civilian infrastructure in their country.

"There is this yet again completely ludicrous claim that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan. Totally frivolous allegation. And, I only want to point out that Afghan people don't need to be reminded about which country it is, that has on multiple occasions, in just the last one and a half years, targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan," said Misri while highlighting Pakistan's role in destabilising and destroying Afghanistan.

Kabul on Thursday had expressed deep concerns about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, following the heinous Pahalgam terrorist attack which had resulted in the death of 26 innocent civilians.

The Indian armed forces have launched Operation Sindoor, targetting high-value terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the dastardly April 22 terror attack.

aThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan expresses concern over the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, viewing further escalation as not being in the interest of the region. Afghanistan reaffirms its belief that security and stability serve the collective interests of all countries in the region. Meanwhile, it urges both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their issues through dialogue and diplomacy," the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Pakistan has so far shown no signs of de-escalating tensions and continues to attack the civilian and military infrastructure, including places of religious worship, in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.
Chandigarh, May 10 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday urged the people to refrain from rushing to the spot of any missile or drone attack and touching the unidentified debris or remains until it has been defused by the Army authorities.

In an appeal to the netizens, the Chief Minister said the people should not rush to the spot where any part of drone or missile is found, as it can be harmful before it is defused. Soliciting support and cooperation from the public, he urged them to immediately inform the police if they see any missile or ballistic material.

Mann cautioned them against approaching or touching such hazardous objects, as they can be fatal. The Chief Minister said the government is extending all help to the Indian armed forces in this war against Pakistan.

Mann said the double face of Pakistan has been exposed as it was targeting the common man on one hand by intensifying weapons, and on the other, it is talking of peace. He said Punjab will lead from the front and, as always, "we will make every sacrifice for the country". The Chief Minister said Punjabis are brave hearts who have always acted as the sword arm of the country, and this hour is not an exception.

Mann said the Indian forces have targeted the terror camps operational in Pakistan, whereas "our neighbouring country is doing the opposite by attacking residential areas". Condemning Pakistan for targeting civil and military areas of the state, he said this was a cowardly act as the neighbouring country was aiming at innocent people.

The Chief Minister said the armed forces are fully capable of giving a befitting reply to such actions by Pakistan, and no stone will be left unturned for it. Mann also exhorted the people to exercise restraint in these circumstances by displaying the ethos of religious tolerance, unity and brotherhood.

Reaffirming Punjab's legacy of bravery, he said the state stands firmly with the Indian Army and no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause. The Chief Minister said the state is already extending all possible help to the armed forces for safeguarding the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country.

He said the state government has already given the nod for purchasing an anti-drone system to check the smuggling of weapons and drugs through drones on the borders. Mann said nine anti-drone systems will be installed along 532 kilometres of the border with Pakistan.
Los Angeles, May 10 : Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar will be seen in 'Pedro x Javis', a three-part documentary series paying tribute to his life and work.

The series is created and hosted by celebrated filmmakers Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known locally as Los Javis, the series blends documentary storytelling with musical performances and reimagined scenes from Almodovar's films in a bold new format, reports 'Variety'.

At the heart of 'Pedro x Javis' is an intimate, in-depth conversation between the three directors. Filmed over several days, their exchanges are rich with unexpected confessions, emotional memories, and previously unrevealed insights into the two-time Academy Award winner's creative journey. "I think I've talked too much", Almodovar wryly commented on the process.

As per 'Variety', the series features contributions from many of Almodovar's most iconic collaborators, including actresses Penelope Cruz, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, Bibiana Fernandez, Loles Leon, Carmen Machi, Lola Duenas and Leonor Watling.

It also includes appearances by Antonio Banderas and long-time creative partners such as his brother and El Deseo boss Agustin Almodovar, Esther Garcia, cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine and composer Alberto Iglesias.

In addition to interviews, 'Pedro x Javis' celebrates Almodovar's legacy with vivid musical numbers and reenactments of his most iconic film moments.

These segments feature performances by Amaia, Nathy Peluso, Guitarricadelafuente, Luz Casal, Albert Pla, Raul Refree and Antonio Banderas, who reinterpret songs from Almodovar's films in visually striking new settings. Spanning three episodes titled 'Amigas y madres', 'Ley y deseo' and 'Muerte y cine', the documentary explores themes central to Almodovar's work while tracing his journey from a young man in La Mancha to one of cinema's most influential voices.

The visual identity of the series is crafted by Ignasi Monreal, who designed the poster, credits and sets, incorporating original props and furniture from Almodovar's films.
New Delhi, May 10 : A few minutes after US President Donald Trump announced a "full and immediate ceasefire" between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 PM Indian Standard Time, on Saturday.

"The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hrs earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hrs Indian Standard Time today," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a short media briefing.

"Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," the Foreign Secretary added.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a "full and immediate ceasefire" between India and Pakistan without sharing any details of the negotiations or the ceasefire.

US Secretary of State Rubio also said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted the ceasefire negotiations.

aAfter a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire," President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

aCongratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.

Secretary of State Rubio said in a separate statement: aOver the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.

aI am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he stated.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 10 : In a crucial association, India has committed its support to the Maldives by ensuring the supply of essential medicines through HLL Lifecare Limited - a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, solidifying the growing healthcare collaboration between the two nations.

In line with this initiative, the State Trading Organization Plc (STO) - a Government of Maldives enterprise responsible for the import and distribution of essential goods - has signed a strategic agreement with HLL under India's Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), a government initiative aimed at providing affordable, high-quality medicines to the public.

This partnership ensures a continuous and affordable supply of essential medicines to every corner of the Maldives. Over the past year, the Maldives' health system has faced challenges with frequent stock-outs of vital pharmaceuticals, disrupting patient care and placing significant strain on Aasandha, the national health insurance scheme.

Emergency imports restored 99 per cent of the availability of essential medicines by April, but short-term solutions alone cannot ensure sustainable access.

This agreement with HLL turns emergency relief into a permanent supply solution. HLL has proven to be a dependable partner during past crises.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HLL supplied critical medical supplies to the Maldives, demonstrating its capacity to quickly and efficiently manage large-scale exports.

This history of collaboration gives STO confidence that HLL can meet both current and future needs.

By linking with HLL's extensive Janaushadhi network, which provides over 2,000 quality-assured generics and 300 surgical items, the Maldives taps into one of the world's most efficient pharmaceutical supply chains.

Established in 1966 and with its headquarters in the state capital city, HLL has come a long way as part of the implementation of the Family Planning Programme under the Ministry of Health & Family welfare and a contraceptive making company, it is now a total healthcare company and in its growth trajectory, it has won numerous accolades not only from the government but at international level too.

Currently, there are close to 10,000 employees in various categories at HLL, which include 3,900 direct employees and the rest comprises contract third-party and laboratory staff.

The HLL have, by now, supplied medical devices to various medical institutions in 29 states and seven Union Territories. It ended the previous fiscal with a turnover of Rs 5,081 crore and had a profit of Rs 112 crore.
New Delhi, May 10 : Global investor Jim Rogers on Saturday said that India and Pakistan will do their best to avoid the war, as both the countries agreed on a full and immediate ceasefire.

India on May 7 launched 'Operation Sindoor' targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to avenge the lives of 26 people barbarically killed in Pahalgam on April 22. This was followed by days of heightened tensions.

"I hope you (India) will stay out of war. You're going to be such a fantastic country in the future. Please avoid war," Rogers told IANS.

"I hope that the US will stop it or do their best to stop it. I hope everybody will do their best to stop it," he added.

He further stated that "small war started here and there can lead to big ones", affecting the global economic order.

The American investor and financial commentator, based in Singapore, also informed of his plans to invest in India, "if there is no war".

"I am very keen on India. I hope you can pull it off. I hope this war goes away soon," Rogers told IANS.

US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire," Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

"Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.

Secretary of State Rubio said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President, J.D. Vance, conducted these talks.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar posted on X.
Mumbai, May 10 : As the stand-off between India and Pakistan enters the diplomatic zone with the US President Donald Trump mediating de-escalatory talks, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has rendered his support to the Indian forces, and said that he is proud of our heroes who protect the lives of countless Indians.

The actor said, "I stand in complete solidarity with, and support of, my government and their response to the slaughter of innocents in Pahalgam. My thoughts and prayers are with the families shattered by the violence of this most recent terror attack on our soil".

He further mentioned, "I salute the bravery and courage of our armed forces and thank them for keeping us safe. I pray we all stand united against terrorism. Jai Jawan, Jai Hind".

After almost a week of gradually intensifying escalations between the two nuclear armed nations, POTUS Donald Trump, stepped into the mediate the peace talks between the two neighbours calling for an immediate ceasefire. Earlier, JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States had said that the stand-off between India and Pakistan is none of their business.

The escalations came into effect after Pakistan sponsored terrorists killed 26 tourists including a person from Nepal in Pahalgam, last month.

This was followed by India's precision strike on terror camps in Pakistan in the form of Operation Sindoor, which led to the killing of many terrorists on Pak's soil. Pakistan responded to Operation Sindoor with drone attacks, and engaged the entire western front, and also resorted to heavy shelling causing huge casualties.

In the fresh escalations, Pakistan had explicitly targeted civilian areas in India. India, on its part, had been very measured in its response, as the country destroyed 3 air bases of Pakistan recently. India reiterated its stance for de-escalation provided Islamabad respects de-escalations, and conveyed the same to Islamabad and the international community in its press-briefing earlier in the day.
Patna, May 10 : In the wake of increasing tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a high-level security review meeting on Saturday at the Mahananda Auditorium in the Purnea Collectorate.

The meeting focused on strengthening security and vigilance across Bihar's sensitive border districts.

Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Arvind Kumar Chaudhary, presented a detailed security briefing to the Chief Minister.

The presentation covered preparations in Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, and Supauldistricts bordering Nepal and close to Bangladesh. Choudhary pointed out that security of vital installations and religious sites has been strengthened, vigilance along the India-Nepal international border has been increased, and patrolling, monitoring movement, and prevention of illegal activities, including narcotics, arms trafficking, and human trafficking, are taking place regularly.

He further said that medical preparedness and essential commodity supply in border areas, fire safety protocols and coordination with central forces have been increased. Senior officials from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, BSF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Indian Railways attended the meeting, sharing their preparedness plans and coordination mechanisms with the Bihar government.

Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, where 26 civilians were brutally killed, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, "Although Bihar does not share a border with Pakistan, our proximity to Nepal and Bangladesh requires extraordinary vigilance."

He praised the Indian Army and Central government for their strong response and called for joint efforts at the state level to bolster security.

"We must monitor roads, bridges, railway lines, religious places, and fuel depots rigorously," Kumar said.

Nitish Kumar instructed all state departments to intensify border patrolling in coordination with SSB and Army units.

He also urged the authorities to closely monitor movement on the Indo-Nepal border roads, keep a watch on suspicious activities and individuals, deploy police forces at all sensitive sites and utilise intelligence networks to prevent misinformation and unrest.

He added, "Anti-social or terrorist elements may attempt to exploit vulnerable individuals. Every officer must be alert and responsive. Coordination with central paramilitary forces and the Indian Army is crucial."

While the immediate focus remains on the five Seemanchal districts, the Chief Minister stressed that other border districts in Bihar must also maintain high alert.

"Senior officials must ensure regular inspections and maintain readiness across the state," he concluded.
Imphal, May 10 : Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday assured the agitating medical students of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal about their safety, academic interests and welfare.

The medical students of the RIMS since May 7 have been agitating, including holding demonstrations and boycott of classes, demanding removal of the Director, Dean, and the Sub-Dean of the institute for alleged "abusive behaviour by the Director".

A group of students from the RIMS on Saturday met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum.

"The memorandum outlined various grievances currently faced by the students," a Raj Bhavan official said.

He said that Governor Bhalla gave the delegation a patient hearing and acknowledged the issues raised. The Governor assured the students that their safety, academic interests, and welfare remain a priority and that their concerns would be reviewed thoroughly in consultation with the relevant authorities.

"The Governor appealed to the students to remain focused on their studies and maintain peace on campus. The Governor also stated that appropriate steps would be taken following due process," the Raj Bhavan official said.

Several local media reported that the protesting students alleged that the Director of the RIMS used deeply offensive and threatening language during a recent interaction with students, reportedly telling them to "dance naked", "commit suicide", or that he would "hang them".

These alleged remarks, which students say amounted to verbal abuse and psychological intimidation, have triggered widespread condemnation and an outpouring of anger across the institution.

Meanwhile, the RIMS administration has responded with a clarification.

"The institute defended the actions taken against certain students, claiming disciplinary measures were initiated after they defied warnings and skipped classes to go on a picnic on April 30, a working day," a RIMS statement said.

It said that the administration received verbal complaints from faculty on April 29 about the students' plans. Despite warnings, some students, including members of the RIMS Students' Union, proceeded with the outing.

As a consequence, several students were suspended from attending classes for up to 15 days, fined, and asked to stay home until classes resumed for them.

The RIMS, which is situated at Lamphelpat, Imphal, is an autonomous institute under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Students from all northeastern states and other parts of the country studied in the premier medical college and hospital.
TEHRAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held a phone conversation with his Swedish counterpart Maria Malmer Stenergard on Saturday, urging Sweden to act "seriously" against whoever was behind a fire attack in April on the Iranian embassy near Stockholm.

Araghchi called on the Swedish government to take necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such actions, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

He also stressed the need for deeper bilateral consultations to resolve misunderstandings and enhance bilateral cooperation, read the statement.

For her part, Stenergard stressed Sweden's commitment to protecting Iran's diplomatic facilities and assured that the Swedish government will take necessary measures to ensure the security of the Iranian embassy, read the statement.

The fire attack took place on April 30, as the entrance to the diplomatic building of the Iranian embassy in Lidingo outside Stockholm was reportedly set ablaze.

The Swedish police said it had initiated a preliminary investigation into the arson and arrested a 55-year-old man. 
New Delhi, May 10 : In an effort to enhance investor outreach and streamline the process of reclaiming unclaimed dividends and shares, the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) organised a preparatory meeting in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in Mumbai.

This strategic meeting marks a crucial milestone in the rollout of "Niveshak Shivir"  a nationwide investor assistance initiative aimed at enabling investors to reclaim unclaimed dividends and shares with greater ease, improving financial literacy and reducing reliance on intermediaries, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

The "Niveshak Shivir" initiative will commence later this month in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with plans to expand to other cities with high volumes of unclaimed investor asset.

The initiative will feature dedicated helpdesks, allowing investors to interact directly with company representatives and Registrars and Transfer Agents (RTAs) for end-to-end assistance.

To facilitate better communication with shareholders whose shares are liable for transfer to the IEPFA, several action points were deliberated at the meeting.

As part of the action points, shareholders holding shares in dematerialised form, due for transfer to IEPFA, are encouraged to contact the respective company directly for clarification and support and shareholders holding shares in physical form should verify the status of their shares on the IEPFA website.

If the shares have already been transferred, they can initiate a claim by filing Form IEPF-5. Alternatively, they may contact the company's Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTA) for assistance.

The IEPFA provides a search facility that enables shareholders to check whether their shares have been transferred to the IEPFA or are still with the company. This allows claimants to determine the current status of their shares, facilitating timely action and minimizing delays in the recovery process.

The meeting was attended by Anita Shah Akella, CEO of IEPFA and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, along with IEPFA officials.
Ahmedabad, May 10 : Adani Power Ltd on Saturday said it has won a tightly-contested bid to supply 1500 MW (net) of thermal power to Uttar Pradesh.

As part of the contract, India's largest private sector thermal power generator will supply power at a highly competitive tariff of Rs 5.383 per unit from a greenfield 2x800 MW (1500 MW net) ultra-supercritical power plant, to be set up under the Design, Build, Finance, Own, and Operate (DBFOO) model in the state.

This is further to the Uttar Pradesh cabinet approving the project earlier this month. The company will now sign a long-term Power Supply Agreement (PSA) with Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. (UPPCL) under the Letter of Award (LoA).

"We are happy to have won the competitive bid to supply 1,500 MW power to UP and feel privileged to play a leading role in meeting the state's rapidly growing power demand. We plan to set up a modern and low emission ultra-supercritical plant in UP and aim to begin supplying reliable and high-quality power by FY30," said S.B. Khyalia, Chief Executive Officer, Adani Power.

Khyalia said Adani Power would invest $2 billion in setting up the plant and related infrastructure.

The project is expected to generate direct and indirect employment of 8,000-9,000 during the construction phase and 2,000 once in operation.

Thermal power demand in UP is set to rise by 11,000 MW by 2033-34, owing to factors like industrialisation, urbanisation and modernisation. This 1,500 MW order is part of the government's initiative to meet that future demand.

This is second major PSA bid the company has won in the last one year, after receiving the composite 6,600 MW (1600 MW thermal and 5000 MW solar) LoI from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) in September 2024, which subsequently has been converted into a PSA.
New Delhi, May 10 : Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, met a delegation from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led by its General Secretary, M.A. Baby, at Nirvachan Sadan on Saturday.

The meeting is part of the Election Commission of Indiaas (ECI) ongoing initiative to engage in structured dialogues with Presidents and senior representatives of various national and state-level political parties.

These interactions are aimed at fostering a collaborative environment where parties can directly communicate their suggestions, concerns, and feedback to the Commission.

This consultative process is in line with the Commission's broader vision of enhancing the integrity and transparency of the electoral process by incorporating inputs from all key stakeholders, while remaining firmly rooted in the existing legal and constitutional framework.

The CPI(M) interaction follows earlier meetings with other major political parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Party President Mayawati on May 6 and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by its president J.P. Nadda on May 8.

Mayawati is said to have discussed issues of electoral rolls and training of booth-level agents during the interaction with the Election Commission of India. This was crucial as Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are expected to be held in February-March 2027.

In addition to these high-level engagements, the Commission has conducted a total of 4,719 all-party meetings at various levels across the country.

These include 40 meetings convened by Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), 800 by District Electoral Officers (DEOs), and 3,879 by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), cumulatively involving over 28,000 representatives from different political parties.

The ECI's outreach underlines its commitment to inclusive electoral governance and to continuously evolving the electoral ecosystem through dialogue, transparency, and cooperation.
New Delhi, May 10 : The decisive retaliatory strikes undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces under Operation Sindoor over the last few days, which underscored the country's growing military prowess, played a significant role in both India and Pakistan announcing a ceasefire late Saturday afternoon, that sources said has been reached firmly on New Delhi's terms.

The cessation of hostilities was implemented at 5 PM on Saturday, hours after India demolished eight Pakistani air bases, eliminated over 100 high-value terrorists, and inflicted significant damage on Pakistanas terror infrastructure and military support assets.

Crucially, the ceasefire came not through a negotiated settlement or involvement of any third party, but after Pakistan found itself incapable of sustaining further escalation, say sources.

"Over the last few days, as we have all seen, Pakistan has suffered very heavy and unsustainable losses, after it has given us an unprovoked attack on our installations. It has suffered losses both on land and in air. There has been extensive damage to the crucial Pakistani air bases like Skardu, Sargodha, Jacobabad and Bholari. In addition, a loss of AD weapon system and radars made the defence of Pakistani airspace untenable," said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

The outreach from Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to his Indian counterpart was a direct consequence of India's show of force and resolve. New Delhi's doctrinal shift a" declaring that any future act of terror will be treated as an "act of war" a" redefined the framework of engagement as it was formally acknowledged by Washington and left Pakistan with virtually no options.

It has also been made clear that the current announcement, reached without any preconditions, only relates to stoppage of all firing and military action, thus not affecting at all New Delhi's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the closure of Attari Integrated Check Post in Punjab or the cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals.

India agreed to cease hostilities only after securing a position of dominance. The understanding, reached through a direct DGMO-level conversation, applies strictly to halting military action across land, air, and sea. No broader dialogue or issue was tabled or agreed to in the initial engagement, and no political-level talks were part of this specific ceasefire mechanism, sources detailed.

However, diplomatic engagement on the global stage was not absent. In a notable development, US Secretary of State and Vice President Vance revealed that Washington had held intensive discussions with senior officials on both sides, including External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, and Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir. The US confirmed that it had encouraged restraint and, significantly, applied pressure on Pakistan to de-escalate.

With Operation Sindoor, India has shifted the strategic equation and displayed that it no longer absorbs terrorism as a cost of geography. It retaliates with precision, sets the rules of engagement, and forces de-escalation only after asserting deterrence. This 'ceasefire' is not a truce a" it is a statement of control.

As EAM Jaishankar said after both countries reached an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action, "India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so".
New Delhi, May 10 : India's devastating and decisive counter-terror campaign Operation Sindoor not only dismantled the core of Pakistan's terror infrastructure but also forced Islamabad into an unconditional ceasefire - sought by the Pakistani Army not from a position of parity, but desperation. India made no concessions and accepted no preconditions - its strategic position remained uncompromised.

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) India's devastating and decisive counter-terror campaign Operation Sindoor not only dismantled the core of Pakistan's terror infrastructure but also forced Islamabad into an unconditional ceasefire a" sought by the Pakistani Army not from a position of parity, but desperation. India made no concessions and accepted no preconditions a" its strategic position remained uncompromised.

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains in abeyance, visa restrictions continue, trade relations are frozen, and diplomatic engagement stays absent. It was Pakistanas Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who initiated the call for ceasefire, after India struck eight major military-terror hubs deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The ceasefire understanding is entirely bilateral in nature and contrary to speculative international narratives, no third-party mediation was involved in brokering the agreement.

While kinetic military activity has paused, India's broader pressure campaign on Pakistan remains fully active across economic, diplomatic, and strategic dimensions. The guns may be silent for now, but the grip on Pakistan is as tight as ever. The events leading to this moment began with a brutal terror strike in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed the lives of innocent Indian civilians. The attack, traced to Pakistan-based terror groups, triggered a response not seen before with Operation Sindoor.

In a precision campaign that lasted less than 30 minutes, Indian forces eliminated nine high-value terror launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These facilities, operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen, were responsible for the recruitment, training, and cross-border infiltration of terrorists.

In a significant departure from past engagements, Indian fighter jets struck deep into Pakistan's Punjab province, including Bahawalpur, a symbolic stronghold of anti-India operations. These were not mere symbolic strikes but deep-penetration, high-value, coordinated operations carried out with surgical precision by Rafale fighter jets armed with Scalp and Hammer missiles. India's ability to bypass or jam Pakistan's air defence systems exposed critical vulnerabilities in their radar and interception networks.

Throughout the operation, India adhered to a doctrine of zero collateral damage. Civilian infrastructure was untouched. Terror assets were the only targets. Several most-wanted terrorists were neutralised, decapitating leadership across multiple networks. Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force acted in complete coordination, demonstrating growing joint warfare capability and strategic alignment. The message was clear: India will not tolerate terrorism, and future acts will be treated not as isolated events, but as "acts of war".

The post-strike scenario unfolded exactly as India anticipated. Panic spread through the terror ecosystem. The Pakistani Army was visibly unsettled. State actors were seen attending funerals of terrorists, drawing international condemnation. Within hours, Pakistan reached out for a ceasefire. The initiative did not come from dialogue tables or diplomatic backchannels, but from military desperation. India, in full control of the battlefield and the strategic narrative, agreed on its terms.

Though both sides have agreed to pause firing across land, air, and sea, this is not a reset. It is a timeout, demanded by Pakistan, granted by India, and defined solely by Indian conditions. The DGMOs of both nations will speak again on May 12, but there are no talks planned on any other subject. There will be no discussion on Kashmir, no negotiations on border status, and no appeasement.

The United States acknowledged the development with statements of appreciation, but the ceasefire is rooted firmly in bilateral mechanisms. This is not peace achieved through pressure from Washington or influence from global powers a" it is the outcome of Indian firepower and political will. Operation Sindoor has drawn a new red line. Terror will be punished at the source. There will be no sanctuary, no plausible deniability, and no restraint when Indian lives are taken.

India has redefined its response matrix: future terror strikes will be met with total retaliation. This is the new doctrine a" proportionate in targeting, overwhelming in intent. Dialogue, if any, will only follow dominance. And in this equation, India will decide both the timing and the terms.
Chennai, May 10 : In a powerful show of solidarity, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin led a massive unity rally in Chennai on Saturday, extending unwavering support to the armed forces amid the ongoing Operation Sindoor.

Accompanied by state ministers, MLAs, senior government officials, religious leaders, and prominent political figures, Stalin walked alongside thousands of citizens to honour the bravery and sacrifices of the armed forces.

The rally commenced from the office of the Director General of Police (DGP) and made its way through key roads in the city before culminating at the iconic War Memorial.

The event witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with students, nurses, police personnel, ex-servicemen, NCC cadets, and volunteers marching in unison, waving the national flag and raising slogans celebrating national unity and military valour.

To ensure the safety and well-being of participants, the government had made elaborate arrangements, including the deployment of security personnel along the route and the setting up of medical camps equipped with essential medicines on both sides of the road.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Kanimozhi, and MDMK leader Vaiko were among the prominent leaders who took part in the rally, further strengthening the message of collective support cutting across political lines.

Speaking at the War Memorial, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin emphasised the importance of standing united during critical times.

"This rally reflects the sentiments of every Tamil  our deep respect, gratitude, and solidarity with the Indian Army, which continues to protect the nation's sovereignty with unmatched courage," he said.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi expressed his appreciation for the Chief Minister's initiative.

In a statement, he thanked M.K. Stalin for organising the march, noting that it symbolised "the support of eight crore Tamils for our armed forces."

The rally concluded with floral tributes at the War Memorial and a moment of silence in honour of soldiers who had laid down their lives for the nation.

The gathering dispersed peacefully, leaving behind a strong message of unity, patriotism, and collective resolve in support of the country's defence forces.
Chandigarh, May 10 : As India and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to a ceasefire, ending a four-day-long conflict that escalated tension, the district administration in Punjab withdrew restrictive orders in their respective areas.

"All restrictive orders are immediately withdrawn within the district. Things may resume as normal. Thanks for all your support," read an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar.

Likewise, the administration of other districts also withdrew the restrictive and blackout orders.

Meanwhile, state Health Minister Balbir Singh announced that three people injured in a drone attack in Ferozepur on Friday night are being provided free treatment under the 'Farishtey Scheme' that includes victims of war and terrorism.

The decision to include victims of war and terrorism under the scheme was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday to ensure that any person injured should receive immediate and free medical treatment at government and empanelled private hospitals across the state.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, along with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, visited Dayanand Medical College (DMC) in Ludhiana to meet civilians injured in an attack by Pakistan in Ferozepur.

They assured them of the government's support during this challenging time.

Before the ceasefire announcement, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urged the people to refrain from rushing to the spot of any missile or drone attack and touching the unidentified debris or remains until it has been defused by the Army authorities.

In an appeal to the citizens, the Chief Minister said the people should not rush to the spot where any part of a drone or a missile is found, as it can be harmful before it is defused.

Soliciting support and cooperation from the public, he urged them to immediately inform the police if they see any missile or ballistic material.

Mann cautioned them against approaching or touching such hazardous objects, as they can be fatal.

The Chief Minister said the government is extending all help to the Indian armed forces in this war against Pakistan.

Mann said the double face of Pakistan has been exposed as it was targeting the common man on one hand by intensifying weapons, and on the other, it is talking of peace.

He said Punjab will lead from the front and, as always, "we will make every sacrifice for the country."

The Chief Minister said Punjabis are brave hearts who have always acted as the sword arm of the country, and this hour is not an exception.

He said the state government has already given the nod for purchasing an anti-drone system to check the smuggling of weapons and drugs through drones on the borders.

Mann said nine anti-drone systems will be installed along 532 kilometres of the border with Pakistan.

--IANS

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Chennai, May 10 : The makers of director Prabadish Samz's mythological thriller 'Gajaana', which released on May 9, have now announced that they had decided to discontinue the theatrical screenings of the film in the wake of the ongoing national situation and to release the film in theatres later on.

In a statement, the producers of the film, Four Square Studious, said, "We are truly grateful for the incredible love and support 'Gajaana has received since its release on May 9 in Tamil Nadu. Your response has been heartwarming and unforgettable.

"In view of the ongoing national situation and rising security concerns, we at Four Square Studious and Lyon Globus have made the responsible decision to discontinue the theatrical screening of Gajaana at this time.

"The safety and well-being of our audience are far more important than any celebration. At this moment, our hearts and thoughts are with our brave soldiers and fellow citizens. We stand in full support of the incredible josh and sacrifice of our armed forces. We will soon bring Gajaana back to you in the theatres.

"Thank you for your understanding, and we hope the film finds its place in your hearts when the time is right. With respect and gratitude,aTeam Gajaana."

The film, which features actors Inigo Prabhakar, Vedhika and Chandni in the lead, also features a host of stars Hareesh Peradi, Pratap Pothan, Yogi Babu, Karate Karthi, Ilango, Sendrayan, Vijayalakshmi Veeramani, Knife Naren, Velu Prabhakaran, Pooja Shankar Rajesh and Sahanavenkataraman in pivotal roles.

On the technical front, the film has cinematography by Gopi Duraisamy and Vinod JP and editing by K M Riyas. Music for the film has been scored by Achu Rajamani. Vihas Nagaraj has co-directed this film, which has dialogues by Sengovi and art direction by Seeniwasan Sankar. The film VFX's portions have been handled by Jai Prakash of Greenscar VFX.
Srinagar, May 10 : The decision by India and Pakistan to announce a ceasefire on Saturday has been welcomed by all the political leaders cutting across party lines as well as the common citizens in Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was the first to welcome the announcement made by Vikram Misri, Indiaas foreign secretary, that the DGMOs of the two countries had decided to observe a ceasefire on land, air and at sea from 5 p.m.

The foreign secretary said that the two DGMOs will speak to each other on May 12 after the cessation of hostilities between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters, Omar Abdullah said that the announcement to observe a ceasefire is a welcome development and everybody in J&K and other parts of the country is relieved by the announcement, but Omar added that tremendous damage by way of loss of innocent lives and damage to infrastructure has taken place in Poonch and Uri towns.

aOur priority is now focussed on relief to the victims and to rebuild the infrastructure we lost to heavy shelling from across the LoC," Omar Abdullah said.

Former chief minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti said: "US Presidentas intervention resulting in an immediate ceasefire between India & Pakistan is a welcome step. I hope both countries will work towards an everlasting peace for this region."

Sajad Lone, president of the Peoples Conference (PC), said: "The announcement of the ceasefire by the Union Government is a welcome step. There is a sense of relief all around. The inhabitants of the border areas in J and K have had a harrowing time. Hope they are able to resume their lives and hope we as a society come to their aid and help them rebuild their homes."

M.Y. Tarigami, CPI-M leader, said: "India and Pakistan have reached an agreement today to cease firing and halt military operations, bringing a big relief to people on both sides."

There was palpable relief in Jammu city and other districts close to the LoC and the international border in Jammu division.

In Srinagar city, people heaved a sigh of relief after the ceasefire announcement was made.

There is a renewed hope among scores of locals who were scheduled to depart for the Hajj pilgrimage from J&K and Ladakh.

Hajj flights will now be restored soon while all commercial flights from Srinagar and Jammu airports are likely to operate from Sunday.

Even though dusk hadnat fully set in, glaring lights returned to markets and homes in Jammu and Srinagar cities on Saturday evening.
Imphal, May 10 : Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday chaired an all party meeting and expressed collective support for the Indian armed forces amid the conflict with Pakistan, officials said.

A Raj Bhavan official said that in a significant show of unity and national spirit, the Manipur Governor chaired a solidarity meeting with all political parties.

He said that leaders of all political parties unanimously appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his tactful and visionary leadership in navigating the current situation.

"The meeting was convened to express collective support for the Indian armed forces amid ongoing conflict with Pakistan and to reaffirm the state's unwavering solidarity with the brave soldiers serving on the frontlines," the official said.

The Governor emphasised the importance of unity across party lines during times of national challenge and appreciated the presence and cooperation of all political representatives in demonstrating a common voice in support of the Indian armed forces.

The official said that leaders from major political parties in Manipur attended the meeting. The leaders of those parties attend the meeting include, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Janata Dal (United), National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF) and Republican Party of India - Athawale (RPI - A).

Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, Secretary to the Governor Sumant Singh, Maj. Gen. S.S. Kartikeya, GOC 57 Mountain Division and other officers also attended the meeting. Maj. Gen. S.S. Kartikeya gave a brief presentation in which he gave insights into the overall view of the conflict, border scenario and the nature of India's response, the Raj Bhavan official said.

Meanwhile, a 7-member delegation from Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), led by its President, Qr. Sword Vashum met the Governor and submitted three separate memoranda outlining critical issues faced by the tribals of Manipur, particularly those in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts.

The TNL President elaborated on the grievances listed in the memorandum, emphasising the need for concrete action to address the longstanding challenges of the tribal communities.

Governor Bhalla, after attentively listening to the concerns, assured the delegation that he would look into all the matters raised and explore possible solutions.

--IANS

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SOFIA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Friday that he is submitting to parliament a proposal to hold a national referendum on whether Bulgarians agree that their country should adopt the single European currency euro in 2026.

"As a full member of the European Union, Bulgaria is facing a strategic decision: the adoption of the single European currency," Radev said in an address to the public and the National Assembly.

According to the Bulgarian constitution, Radev has the authority to set the date for a national referendum, but only after the National Assembly adopts a resolution to hold one.

"Other EU member states have also held national referendums on adopting the euro," Radev noted.

Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.

In mid-April this year, the country's Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova said that Bulgaria had met all the criteria for euro area membership and was awaiting the drafting of reports by the European Commission and the European Central Bank.

"We hope the conclusions will be positive ... we have come a long way," Petkova said. 
Chennai, May 10 : The Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has cleared director Anuraj Manohar's eagerly-awaited Malayalam action drama 'Narivetta', featuring actor Tovino Thomas in the lead, for release with a clean U/A certificate.

The makers of the film, Indian Cinema Company, took to their Instagram page to announce that the Censor Board had cleared the film's release. The post read, "Narivetta certified U/A!"

The film, which is based on true events, has triggered huge expecatations as it will mark the acting debut of ace Tamil film director Cheran in Malayalam.

A trailer of the film released recently gave away the fact that Tovino Thomas, director Cheran and actor Suraj Venjaramoodu all play cops in the film.

While Cheran plays the role of a Tamilian, Tovino plays a cop character that is ranked much lower to him.

The trailer makes it clear, right at the start, that the film is about a revolution and the fight for justice.

It begins with the police moving in to demolish huts, which the police claim has been built illegally on forest land.

Cheran, who plays a senior police officer, is seen seeking the cooperation of the locals. However, even as they look to convince the locals to leave the area, the police use third degree methods.

A tribal is asked if he was hurt by the cops. The brutal beatings that the poor tribals have been subjected to makes them fear the police so much that the man is scared to even acknowledge what has happened to him.

At one point, the trailer shows Cheran chiding Tovino, saying, "Don't try to play the hero." It does not take long for you to realise from the trailer that the battle is for land.

The trailer shows that there is a stand-off between the police force and the tribals, who refuse to leave their lands. Visuals show Cheran convincing his seniors that tribal leaders by themselves are incapable of putting together such well organised protests. Soon, there emerges the belief that the resistance shown by the locals is supported by Maoist groups. The tribals are warned to demolish their huts and move out. They refuse saying they will not move out, even if it means dying there.

Meanwhile, there is another twist in the tale with Tovino himself being interrogated by the cops in connection with a bullet fired from his rifle....

Two phrases used by the makers in the trailer sum up the crux of the film's plot -- 'When the system betrays, the revolution begins.'

Produced by Tippushan and Shiyas Hassan and written by Abin Joseph, the film has cinematography by Vijay and music by Jakes Bejoy. Editing for the film is by Shameer Muhammed while Art direction is by Bawa and costume design is by Arun Manohar.

Penning his thoughts on the film, Tovino, in an earlier post, had said that 'Narivetta' was a political drama. He had then said, "I believe it is a topic that needs to be spoken about boldly and discussed. I hope it will be a film that will make you enjoy it with all your heart in the theatre  and make you think  after leaving the theatre."

Stating that he had an emotional journey with the character he plays in 'Narivetta', Tovino said he experienced the joy, happiness, crisis and pain of life along with the character. "This is a film that I have been waiting for  with great anticipation in my acting career."
New Delhi, May 10 : India's anti-terror 'Operation Sindoor' concluded on Saturday after the announcement of ceasefire with Pakistan, even as the Defence Ministry confirmed extensive damage to the enemy's land and air assets along the Line of Control and Central Pakistan and dismissed rumours about reverses on the Indian side.

The ceasefire sparked spontaneous celebrations across the country, especially border areas in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan, with people shouting slogans of "Bharat Mata ki Jai".

The silencing of guns on both sides after four days marks a big military victory for India, which is sure that it will continue to dictate terms on the Indus Waters Treaty, which has been put in abeyance.

India has also emerged stronger as a military force and a deserving 'Super Power'  which subdued a nuclear-armed Pakistan  for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, according to a defence analyst.

The end of 'Operation Sindoor', said Defence officials, was subject to the condition that future acts of terror would be treated as an act of war and countered with full force.

The Ministry of Defence highlighted that during Operation Sindoor, the forces fended off three big waves of missile and drone attacks by Pakistan and responded by causing extensive damage to its air defence systems.

In a joint media briefing by officials of the three forces after the ceasefire, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi highlighted the armed forces' respect for all places of worship and dismissed rumours about Indian forces targeting mosques.

She also trashed as misinformation claims made by Pakistani military officers claiming that they destroyed Indian BrahMos installations using their JF-17 jets, and airfields at Surat and Sirsa.

She also dismissed misinformation about harm caused to Indian forward ammunition depots at Chandigarh and Beas, while accusing Pakistan of attacking medical facilities in Srinagar, Avantipura and Udhampur.

Colonel Qureshi also said that India inflicted heavy damage on the Pakistan Army, air bases of Skardu, Sargodha, Jacobabad, and Bholari were also damaged and Pakistani airspace was rendered untenable with precision strikes on air defence weapon systems and radar.

Earlier, besides blunting Pakistan's drone attacks overnight, India carried out precision attacks on six Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Sukkur, Murid, Chunia, Chaklala and Rahim Yar Khan, said an official.
Khartoum, May 10 : At least 19 inmates were killed and more than 45 others injured in a drone strike targetting a central prison in El Obeid in western Sudan's North Kordofan State on Saturday, according to a medical source and eyewitnesses.

Khartoum, May 10 (IANS) At least 19 inmates were killed and more than 45 others injured in a drone strike targetting a central prison in El Obeid in western Sudan's North Kordofan State on Saturday, according to a medical source and eyewitnesses.

A medical source at El-Obeid Hospital, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua news agency that the 19 dead bodies and the 45 injured have arrived at the hospital, and that "the number of casualties is expected to rise."

An eyewitness near the central prison building told Xinhua that "three drones launched around five missiles at the prison, with about three of them directly striking the building and the inmates' living quarters."

Another eyewitness said, "Rescue operations inside the prison are still ongoing, and the number of the dead and injured is higher than what has been announced."

So far, no official statement has been issued regarding the incident.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified its drone attacks recently on military sites and key facilities in areas controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), including El Obeid.

Local media reported that the RSF continued its drone attacks for the seventh consecutive day on Port Sudan on Saturday, which has become the de facto administrative center of the country since May 2023. The RSF has not commented on the report.

Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with the exact toll unable to be verified. The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 15 million people have been displaced, both within Sudan and abroad.
Mumbai, May 10 : Actress Palak Tiwari will next be seen in the forthcoming high-octane action thriller, "Romeo S3". Speaking exclusively to IANS, the diva opened up about her experience of working on the project.

When asked about the challenges faced by her while filming her debut project, Palak told IANS, "I think itas quite evidenta"it was a big moment for me. This was my very first film, my first time acting in front of the camera. I was completely new to everything."

"The opportunity that Guddu sir gave me to be a part of this film meant a lot. It felt like I had to give it my all. Heas worked with such big stars and is so well-respected as a director. Just being associated with him was an honour. And action films are always funa"people love them. It was an exciting launch for me," 'The Bhootni' actress added.

Palak will be seen essaying the role of a journalist in her next.

Shedding light on this, she said, "Guddu Swarni sir presented the character of Tanushreea"my charactera"in a very layered way. Despite all the chaos and violence in the film, she stands firmly on her own ground. Sheas not there just to support the male leada"she has her own purpose, her own ambition. Sheas driven by her goals, not just her emotions, which is rare to see in many female characters."

Palak went on to say, "She represents the modern womana"independent, determined, and self-assured. Over the course of the film, even she goes through a realization that perhaps sheas not as flawless as she believes. That arc made the role especially compelling."

Palak will be seen sharing the screen with Thakur Anoop Singh in her next.

Made under the direction of Guddu Dhanoa, "Romeo S3" is likely to be released nationwide on 16th May.
Bhopal, May 10 : Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have agreed to preserve the "Modi scripts", once a vital medium for writing Marathi and other languages.

Bhopal, May 10 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have agreed to preserve the "Modi scripts", once a vital medium for writing Marathi and other languages.

The Chief Ministers of both states came together to discuss the matter on Saturday in Bhopal.

"We have already preserved as many as 21 lakh (2.1 million) manuscripts in Modi lipi (script) and we both can jointly work together to preserve and publish these manuscripts," said Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

As the script faces the risk of fading into obscurity, scholars and linguists are working in both states to safeguard its heritage.

One of the most crucial initiatives involves the digitisation of historical manuscripts is already going on in Maharashtra to prevent their deterioration and make them more accessible to future generations.

Modi is a script used to write the Marathi language, which is the primary language spoken in the state of Maharashtra.

The oldest document in the Modi script dates back to 1389 and is preserved at the Bharat Itihas Sansodhan Mandal in Pune. Modi is believed to be derived from broken Devanagari characters and is a modification of the Balbodh style of the Devanagari script intended for continuous writing, a scholar told IANS.

On the digitisation of the script for its promotion, web applications, Facebook, and YouTube pages for the online learning area are available, besides competitions are organised in Maharashtra.

A dedicated web application known as Modi Puratan Dastavej Jatan Pranali provides a platform for annotating and typing Modi text while also offering a transliteration system that allows seamless conversion to Devanagari.

This approach bridges the gap between the ancient and contemporary, allowing the Modi script to retain its identity while adapting to modern needs.

Researchers have access to a dataset called MODI-HHDoc, which consists of thousands of handwritten Modi documents, aiding in the development of recognition and transcription systems that facilitate digitisation.

To further support the learning and use of the script, digital resources have been created. For example, 'The Modilipi Shika' app serves as an invaluable tool for those interested in understanding the fundamental characters and the intricate conjunct writing of the Modi script.

Additionally, the specially designed font MODI-SHAHU ensures that the text is displayed correctly across digital platforms, preserving the script's distinct characteristics.

Virtual keyboards and transliteration tools have also been introduced, making it easier for users to interact with and study the script in a modern digital environment.

Jagtik Mod Lipi Prasar Samiti, Mumbai, work in promoting the script by organising state-level competitions. The Modi Script Online and various Modi Script Facebook groups are such initiatives that encourage discussions about the script's history and cultural relevance while providing a space for enthusiasts to share knowledge and findings.

Educational materials are being developed to teach the nuances of the script, ensuring that it is not only preserved but actively used in writing and calligraphy on various platforms. A key aspect of this preservation process is the connection between Modi and Devanagari script, a widely used writing system in India.
Bhopal, May 10 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given a befitting reply to enemies responsible for the killing of 26 innocent people in Pahalgam on April 22.

Saying that India has changed now, CM Yadav said that gone are the days when the Indian Army used to seek permission to give response to cowardly terror attacks by Pakistan.

"During the Congress-led UPA governments, enemies used to cut the heads of our soldiers... and Indian forces used to keep waiting for the government's permission to take revenge. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's era, and Indian forces are given the free hand to give beffiting reply to Pakistan," the Madhya Pradesh CM said.

Chief Minister Yadav made these remarks during a mass marriage programme organised in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district. He was accompanied by former CM and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

On this occasion, marriages of around 600 couples belonging to the Gond tribal community were solemnised under the state government-run programme -- Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana.

Notably, amid a war-like situation after India's successful 'Operation Sindoor', Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the stateas security arrangements in light of the prevailing India-Pakistan tensions.

Emphasising the need to curb anti-national narratives, the Chief Minister directed strict action against the spread of rumours and misinformation, urging officials to keep citizens informed and calm.

Further, the Chief Minister reviewed the status of disaster management, including emergency health services and fire safety, and asked officials to enhance preparedness across departments.

Security agencies have identified Gwalior, Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal, and Katni as sensitive locations.

Gwalior has been placed on high alert due to the presence of a strategic Indian Air Force base that houses Mirage fighter jets.

Notably, India and Pakistan have agreed to observe a ceasefire on land, air and at sea from 5 p.m. (Saturday).

The announcement was made by Vikram Misri, Indiaas Foreign Secretary, who added that the DGMOs of the two countries had decided to observe a ceasefire on land, air and at sea from 5 p.m.
Patna, May 10 : Following the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after weeks of heightened tension post-Operation Sindoor, Bihar Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene a special session of Parliament and brief the nation with date and point-wise details from the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22 to the eventual ceasefire announced on Saturday.

"The Parliament must reflect a united voice of India and express gratitude to our armed forces. Let this forum send a strong, collective message to 'Antakistan'  the nation that breeds terrorism," said Yadav.

He emphasised the importance of transparency and democratic discourse, saying the people of India deserve to know every major development during this critical period.

Meanwhile, Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav sharply criticised the involvement of the US in the ceasefire negotiations.

"Why is the American President making such announcements on India's behalf? This is an infringement of our sovereignty. A ceasefire is acceptable, but only on India's terms," said the independent MP.

Shyam Sundar Sharan, Chief National Spokesperson of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), lauded the Indian response, claiming that Pakistan was "forced" into submission.

"India has agreed to this ceasefire with a clear and final warning. Any future terrorist conspiracy will now be treated as an act of war. We've shown restraint, but if provoked again, Pakistan will face consequences it cannot withstand," he declared.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the ceasefire, stating that a conversation between the DGMOs (Director Generals of Military Operations) of both countries took place at 3:35 PM Saturday.

"Both sides agreed to cease all hostilities  across land, air, and sea  starting from 5:00 PM IST. Orders have been issued for immediate implementation," Misri said.

He reiterated that India remains committed to peace and regional stability while maintaining zero tolerance for terrorism.

"Further talks between Indian and Pakistani officials are scheduled for May 12 to discuss post-ceasefire protocols," he added.

Earlier, US President Donald J Trump on his official X handle, wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention in this matter."
Bhopal, May 10 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the courage of the Indian armed forces have ensured yet another victory against neighbouring Pakistan.

He claimed that India has once again forced Pakistan to "surrender."

The Chief Minister said the entire country salutes PM Modi and the Indian armed forces for this historic day.

"Today is a historic day for India as Pakistan was forced to surrender once again. It could happen because of the great leadership of PM Modi and the courage of India's armed forces. Pakistan got the befitting reply for the Pahalgam attack," Yadav said.

Chief Minister Yadav said that India has seen all-around growth under the leadership of PM Modi in the past decade, including advancement in the armed forces.

He said that those who were questioning the purchase of Rafael now understand why it was necessary.

"During Congress-led UPA governments, enemies used to cut heads of our soldiers, and the Indian army used to keep waiting for the government's permission to take revenge. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's era, and Indian forces are given free hand to give a befitting reply to Pakistan," claimed Yadav.

The decisive retaliatory strikes undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces under 'Operation Sindoor' over the last few days, which underscored the country's growing military prowess, played a significant role in both India and Pakistan announcing a ceasefire late Saturday afternoon.

The cessation of hostilities was implemented at 5 PM on Saturday, hours after India demolished eight Pakistani air bases, eliminated over 100 high-value terrorists, and inflicted significant damage on Pakistan's terror infrastructure and military support assets.

India agreed to cease hostilities only after securing a position of dominance.

The understanding, reached through a direct DGMO-level conversation, applies strictly to halting military action across land, air, and sea.
Chandigarh, May 10 : Lauding the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a series of military exchanges between the two countries, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday said at an all-party meeting called by him here that the need for not letting the guard down and such challenges need to be faced boldly.

Expressing gratitude to the people of Punjab for supporting the armed forces, the Governor said the armed forces of India "gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani forces".

Stressing the significance of civil defence training, Kataria said a tight vigilance must be still maintained as that is the need of the hour.

During the meeting, the Governor concurred with the views expressed by all the political parties thata financial package should be given to Punjab, being a border state, in order to give fillip to the industrial sector.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on the occasion pointed out that Punjabis, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations, stand united and fight for the cause of the state "whether it is the issue of river waters or seeking industrial package".

Earlier, in an interfaith meeting with representatives from all religions, the Governor emphasised upon the need to unite all sections of society and stand united behind "our brave armed forces while facing the external challenges boldly".

He also sounded a note of caution to those indulging in rumour-mongering on the social media platforms and advocated strict action against such elements.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mann announced that from Sunday he will be visiting border areas of the state to assess the ground-level situation.

He said Punjab, especially the border regions, has suffered a lot due to the mounting tension between both countries.

CM Mann said those brave hearts who had suffered huge losses during the bombardment and others will be duly compensated by the state government.
Srinagar/Jammu, May 10 : Despite the announcement of ceasefire by India and Pakistan, there was a violation by the Pakistan army on Saturday evening in Akhnoor, Mendhar, R.S. Pura, Chamb, Bhimber and Gurez sectors while loud blasts were also heard in Srinagar.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, posted on X: "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar !!!"

Omar Abdullah also said, "This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up".

Reports mentioned that drones were sighted and brought down in Srinagar's Badami Bagh Cantonment area.

The headquarters of Army's 15th Corps is in the Badami Bagh Cantonment area of the city. Blackout was observed in Srinagar after loud explosions were heard.

Blackout was also observed in Kathua and Baramulla districts immediately after ceasefire violation and sightings of drones at some places across the LoC in the Indian territory.

Reports said a drone was brought down in Baramulla town as well. There are reports of ceasefire violation in Arnia sector of the international border in Samba district.

Sirens echoed in Akhnoor and Baramulla town.

Five persons died in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning in Pakistan artillery fire in the Poonch and Akhnoor area.

The deceased included Raj Kumar Thapa, additional district development commissioner (Rajouri), a woman named Rashida Bi, two residents of Bihar in Poonch and one person in Akhnoor sector.

Towns of Poonch and Uri have suffered intensive damage and the damage to civilian property and public infrastructure is huge.

In Akhnoor sector Pakistan army has used artillery fire to violate the ceasefire. Reports said the ceasefire violations started at 6.30 p.m.

Reports of drone attack at Udhampur town have also come in. The town is the headquarters of the Army's Northern Command.

There is, however, no official confirmation of the ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the two countries announced ceasefire from 5 p.m. onward on Saturday.
MACAO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The China International Medical Emergency Team (Macao) returned to Macao on Friday after a 14-day emergency medical mission in quake-striken Myanmar.

During their stay in Myanmar, the medical team members held multiple working meetings with Myanmar's Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Myanmar office, and other relevant institutions.

According to the Macao Health Bureau, the discussions focused on medical relief efforts in disaster-stricken areas, public health responses, and cooperation in epidemic prevention.

At the invitation of the WHO, the medical team departed for Myanmar on April 24 to carry out a mission focused on post-earthquake emergency medical coordination and technical support.

On March 28, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar, which has caused mass destruction and killed 3,835 people as of May 1. 
Jaipur, May 10 : Former R&AW chief A.S. Dulat praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being a man of action who acts on what he says, and asserted that the country's premier external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor.

In an interview with IANS, Dulat reflected on PM Modi's firm handling of national security issues and commented on global diplomacy.

Interview excerpts:

IANS: You've worked closely with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. How would you compare his style with Prime Minister Narendra Modi?

Dulat: There's a stark contrast in their personalities and working styles. Vajpayee had a different style of working, whereas PM Modi is decisive and assertive. After the Pahalgam attack, PM Modi vowed not to remain silent, and he followed just like in the aftermath of Pulwama. He takes a tough stand and backs his words with action.

IANS: What's your take on the recent ceasefire?

Dulat: I expected a ceasefire, but not this soon. India demonstrated its resolve by targeting terror hubs in Pakistan. In response, Pakistan acted to make its own statement. Enter Donald Trump, who acted like a "big daddy," pushing both nations toward a ceasefire. Whether they would listen to him was the question. They eventually did, and now that the ceasefire is in place. The upcoming DGMOs meeting on May 12 at noon is a positive step. Dialogue always helps.

IANS: What do you think triggered the Pahalgam incident?

Dulat: It was clearly an intelligence failure and a serious security lapse. Attacks of this scale - be it 9/11 or recent incidents in Israel - are almost always rooted in intelligence breakdowns. The Pahalgam attack was particularly tragic because it targeted innocent tourists. Something like this hadn't happened in Kashmir before. Years ago, Sikhs were killed during President Bill Clinton's visit, but those victims were locals. This was the first mass attack on tourists.

IANS: Many believed normalcy had returned to Kashmir. Has the Pahalgam incident changed that perception?

Dulat: From our side, Kashmir is stable and secure. Our Line of Control (LoC) is clearly defined. The real challenge lies in getting Pakistan to accept this reality. Both Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh tried to resolve this through dialogue. The dynamics have changed now, but the fundamental issue of the LoC remains.

IANS: What is the way forward?

Dulat: Dialogue with local leaders is crucial. In tough times like these, building communication channels is the only sustainable solution.

IANS: R&AW played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor. How do you view the agency today?

Dulat: I commend R&AW for its execution of Operation Sindoor. The agency now works by engaging with locals, building ground-level intelligence, and acting effectively. It was a job well done.

IANS: Your new book 'The Chief Minister And The Spy' has stirred controversy. What's your response?

Dulat: This is my fifth book on Kashmir, and all four other books were also focused on Kashmir. My inspiration was Farooq Abdullah, with whom I share a 35-year relationship. The controversy is unfounded. I urge everyone to read the book before jumping to conclusions. It's a tribute to a remarkable man and the region I've spent my life studying.
New Delhi, May 10 : After four days of intense military exchanges that sent tremors across global capitals, India and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to a ceasefire, with a decisive difference -- this time, it is a ceasefire dictated entirely by New Delhi's terms. Far from being a product of diplomatic pressure or third-party mediation, as seen in previous decades, the 2025 ceasefire represents a historic doctrinal and strategic shift under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, say security analysts.

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) After four days of intense military exchanges that sent tremors across global capitals, India and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to a ceasefire, with a decisive difference -- this time, it is a ceasefire dictated entirely by New Delhias terms. Far from being a product of diplomatic pressure or third-party mediation, as seen in previous decades, the 2025 ceasefire represents a historic doctrinal and strategic shift under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, say security analysts.

To appreciate the gravity of this moment, one must understand the historical arc of India-Pakistan ceasefires. In July 1949, the Karachi Agreement laid the groundwork for a ceasefire monitored by the United Nations, with negotiations largely shaped by US influence and global Cold War politics.

India aaccepted UN monitoring and international oversight in the name of peace, setting a precedent of externally imposed frameworks".

In 1965, following a costly war in which India gained significant ground, UN Security Council Resolution 211 enforced a ceasefire. What followed was the Tashkent Declaration -- brokered primarily by the USSR and the USAa"under which India handed back all commanding gains in a show of diplomatic restraint that, in retrospect, cost India dearly, say strategic experts.

The 1971 war saw India at its zenith militarily, leading to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani troops.

Yet, under aintense geopolitical pressurea, India signed the Simla Agreement without extracting strategic concessions. Pakistan retained PoJK, no effort was made to formalise the Line of Control (LoC) as an international boundary, and the humanitarian and security burdens of the refugee influx were left unaddressed. Worse, India unilaterally released all prisoners of war, gaining little in return, say observers.

Subsequent episodes -- from the IPKF withdrawal in Sri Lanka in 1990 to the Kargil ceasefire in 1999 brokered by the Clinton administration -- have shown a recurring pattern: military resolve diluted under external pressure or political caution.

But 2025 is different. The post-Pahalgam response -- Operation Sindoor -- marked a calibrated, precise, and overwhelming kinetic retaliation, taking out nine major terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK.

India not only demonstrated tri-services coordination and air superiority but also signalled the emergence of a new national doctrine: from now on, any act of terror will be treated as an act of war. This places India among a select group of nationsa"like the U.S. and Israela"that have explicitly codified retaliatory doctrines in response to asymmetric warfare.

In addition, Indiaas suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains intact despite the ceasefire -- another signal of India's refusal to normalise relations while Pakistan sponsors cross-border terrorism. Crucially, the World Bank has now withdrawn from its traditional role as guarantor of the IWT, further weakening Pakistan's position.

Unlike previous decades, there was no role played by a third party in brokering the ceasefire. The initiative came directly from Pakistanas DGMO, and India agreed only after ensuring its strategic and operational objectives were met. This bilateral ceasefire stands in stark contrast to those of the past -- it is not an end to Indian pressure but a pause in kinetic activity. Trade sanctions, visa restrictions, diplomatic downgrades, and water leverage remain firmly in place.

Today, India is the fifth-largest economy in the world, a key technological power, and a global voice. Pakistan, meanwhile, is economically bankrupt, diplomatically isolated, and strategically cornered. The contrast could not be sharper.

The ceasefire of 2025 is not a return to status quo -- it is a message. A new India has arrived, and it is no longer willing to indulge a rogue neighbour whose state machinery thrives on jihad and instability. The guns may have quieted, but Indiaas grip -- military, economic, and diplomatic -- remains firm and unyielding.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 10 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, saying that the truce is a welcome relief for the people who wish for peace.

In a statement, the Kerala CM said: "Everyone wants peace and the tension that escalated in the borders through the ceasefire has ended and this is a welcome relief for the people who always wish peace.

"There should be no respite in the fight against terrorism and keeping that in mind for the overall peace and progress of the nation, we should move forward."

The CPI-M Politburo also issued a statement welcoming the announcement of the ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbouring nations.

Vijayan, further said: "Now that the tension has eased, the fourth anniversary celebrations of the Left government that was postponed, will now go forward as planned earlier. All the programmes that has been planned will recommence from Tuesday."

On Saturday, the office of Vijayan was engaged in constant touch with worried Kerala students in the border states of Punjab, Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat on their repatriation.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan apprised Vijayan of the seriousness about how students in these states and their family members back in Kerala were worried.

His office was in touch with the authorities at the Kerala House in Delhi and on Friday night about 50 students from Punjab and Kashmir had arrived in Delhi and was put up there.

The Kerala House authorities had on Saturday managed to speak to railway authorities and was able to secure tickets for many students to commence their journey to Kerala .

Vijayan on Thursday opened two control rooms in the state capital city for all the needy to contact for their needs.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, AICC general secretary and Alappuzha Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal, spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who assured him that his government will make all efforts to see the safe transfer of Kerala students in his state to Delhi.

Now, with the tension gradually easing off, these students are expected to return to their respective colleges in the four states, sources said.
Mumbai, May 10 : As India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire after days of tension across the LoC, Bollywood actor Salman Khan used social media to share his relief.

The 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor wrote on his X handle, "Thank God for the ceasefire." However, Salman later deleted the post. Netizens are now bashing the "Tiger Zinda Hai" actor for reacting to the ceasefire, but staying silent when our Armed Forces carried out Operation Sindoor. X is flooded with comments criticizing Salman in strong words.

One Twitter user wrote, "Ceasefire lasted as long as @BeingSalmanKhan movie lasts in theatre."

Another comment read, "All these bollywood workers @iamsrk, @BeingSalmanKhan, Aamir, Ranbir, etc. have huge fan base from Pakistan / middle east with huge investments in Gulf countries. They know no harm will be done to them or their business interests by Indian nationalists. They don't care."

A cybercitizen shared, "#salmankhan ka fan tha 15 saal se but Aaj nafrat ho gayi hai es insaan se had se jadda. Jab war chal rahi thi ek b tweet nhi aaya Jaise pata chala war khthm tweet aa geya or jab dubara start hoi tweet delete kr diya fattu insaan hai yeh. Desh se pehle kuch nahi jai hind. (I was a fan of Salman for the last 15 years, but from today I have started hating him. When the war was going on, he did not tweet once, but when he came to know that the war was over, he tweeted. Then, when Pakistan violated the ceasefire, he deleted the post, what a coward. Nothing is more important than the country."

Another netizen penned, "This Mf wants peace with Pakistan because he's a slave to Paxtan girls he's trying to be a hero in their eyes. Instead of caring about Indians, Look at his true nature. He's betraying his country by teaming up with enemies."

One of the comments said, "#Salman khan posted"thank god for ceasefire" and deleted that. Silence in pain, and a whisper after ceasefire? Don't show empathy @BeingSalmanKhan...Snake in the grass."

Just a few hours after India and Pakistan agreed upon a ceasefire amidst the ongoing military clashes between the two neighbours, Pakistan violated the ceasefire as loud explosions were heard in Jammu and Kashmir's capital Srinagar.
Kolkata, May 10 : The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have welcomed the announcement of ceasefire between India and Pakistan after days of tensions.

In a statement, he CPI-M Politburo has stated that it is time for Pakistan to ensure an end to terrorist activity from within its borders.

"The Communist Party of India (Marxist) positively notes the announcement of the ceasefire that would come into effect immediately, between India and Pakistan. The people of both countries deserve peace for their progress and prosperity. We earnestly hope that the two countries build on this. Pakistan has to ensure an end to terrorist activity from within its borders. Steps should be taken to ensure that there is no further confrontation," a statement issued by the party's Politburo on Saturday evening read.

Giving his reactions to the mediapersons on the interim ceasefire, BJP 's West Bengal unit chief and Union minister of State, Sukanta Majumdar, said that Pakistan had no other option but to plead for an interim ceasefire.

"They pleaded for it, and India, being always for peace, accepted it. Pakistan realized that in land or air, or water, their forces will never be able to match that of ours. All their missiles and drones were successfully neutralised by the Indian defence forces. On the other hand, their forces were unable to stand in front of our retaliatory actions. Secondly, Pakistan also realised that if the ceasefire is not done, their economy, which is already in a bankrupt state, will collapse soon," Majumdar said.

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is yet to react to the ceasefire announcement.

Notably, India and Pakistan have agreed to observe a ceasefire on land, air and at sea from 5 p.m. (Saturday).

The announcement was made by Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, who added that the DGMOs of the two countries had decided to observe a ceasefire on land, air and at sea from 5 p.m.
Patna, May 10 : Mukesh Sahani, national president of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), on Saturday, welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, and asserted that Pakistan must eliminate terrorism within its own territory.

Taking to social media, Sahani, while expressing solidarity with the Indian armed forces, said: "We are proud of the valour, sacrifice and dedication of our army. Jai Hind. Jai Hind Ki Sena. Whenever Pakistan has challenged our sovereignty, it has had to face defeat  be it in 1971, Kargil, or now. Our army has shown unmatched bravery and restraint."

Sahani pointed out that while Pakistan continued provocations, India refrained from targeting civilian areas and conducted strategic, precision strikes.

He emphasised that the Indian Army's professionalism and discipline have always been evident even under extreme provocation.

"Now that a ceasefire has been declared, Pakistan must introspect. It should channel its resources not into mischief but toward eliminating the terrorist infrastructure on its soil," he said.

Sahani said the outcome reaffirmed India's resolve and defence capabilities. He added that "restraint has a limit", and the army's actions served as a message to both state and non-state actors sponsoring terrorism.

"Let this be a turning point. If Pakistan truly wants peace, it must act against terror, not just speak of it," he concluded.

Earlier in the day, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the ceasefire, stating that a conversation between the DGMOs (Director Generals of Military Operations) of both countries took place at 3:35 PM Saturday.

"Both sides agreed to cease all hostilities  across land, air, and sea  starting from 5:00 PM IST. Orders have been issued for immediate implementation," Misri said.

He reiterated that India remains committed to peace and regional stability while maintaining zero tolerance for terrorism.

"Further talks between Indian and Pakistani officials are scheduled for May 12 to discuss post-ceasefire protocols," he added.
New Delhi, May 10 : A public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved before the Supreme Court challenging the applications filed to register a trademark under the name of "Operation Sindoor".

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) A public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved before the Supreme Court challenging the applications filed to register a trademark under the name of "Operation Sindoor".

The plea said that the "Operation Sindoor" should not be allowed to be misused for commercial exploitation by private respondents who only want to take advantage of the public emotions for their own commercial gain.

In the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Indian forces jointly carried out an operation named "Operation Sindoor'" on Wednesday and neutralised several terrorist camps in neighbouring Pakistan.

As per the petition, the name "Operation Sindoor" symbolises the sacrifice of the many widows of the soldiers who have achieved martyrdom in fight against terrorism and therefore, involves the emotions of not only of the country people but also of those who have sacrificed their life for the country and innocent civilians who have lost life in April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

"Even otherwise, the registration of the said name under the name and style Operation Sindoor cannot be allowed under Section 9 of the Trademark Act, 1999," contended the petition.

Further, it said that when Operation Sindoor is being jointly carried out by Indian forces with warriors at the front without any fear for the service of the motherland, it is the need of the time that private entities are prevented from taking advantage of the public emotion for their own commercial gain.

Notably, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 to target the terror launchpads in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as well as in Pakistan.

Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 innocent civilians, including one Nepali national, were killed.

On Saturday, India and Pakistan, days after heightened tensions, announced observation of a ceasefire.

However, Pakistani forces violated the ceasefire hours after the agreement on a truce, following which the Indian army took adequate steps to respond to the aggression.
Mumbai, May 10 : Former Union Minister and NCP-SP president Sharad Pawar in his reaction after the announcement of ceasefire said that India has never supported terrorism, adding that through 'Operation Sindoor', India has only taken strong and precise action against terrorist camps.

"There was no intention to attack any Pakistani military bases or civilians. The military action was imperative for the security of the country," he said.

"It is India's responsibility to respond to the constant provocations from Pakistan with restraint and decisiveness. India has done so with the spirit of global peace. India has always been a supporter of peace and dialogue. If there are any developments in that direction, it is welcome," said Pawar.

He added: "However, it is also the collective duty of the international community to take strict steps against terrorism. Every step taken towards peace increases the strength of the collective fight against terrorism."

Meanwhile, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi founder Prakash Ambedkar said on Saturday that India and Pakistan have agreed to stop firing and military action, adding "but we should not forget the innocent people killed in the Pahalgam terror attacks, the martyrdom of our soldiers in Pakistani shelling and the bravery of our armed forces in giving a befitting reply to Pakistan".

In a post on X, Ambedkar said: "Tomorrow, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi will take out a Tiranga Rally across Maharashtra to remember and honour the loss of lives of innocent Indian tourists and the sacrifice and valour of the Indian Armed Forces. Participate in the Tiranga Rally tomorrow and raise slogans of Bharat Zindabad. I request @PMOIndia that all four terrorists of Pahalgam terror attack be traced and brought to justice as soon as possible. Long live the Indian Army. Long live Indian."

BJP legislator Praveen Darekar said: "Although there has been a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that India will never bow down. PM Modi presented India's strength and capability to the whole world. Air strikes and strong air defense systems proved that India is ready. Terrorists were targeted while keeping the countrymen safe. There was no harm to the general public. I thank Prime Minister Modi and the government of India for giving a tough response to the terrorists and maintaining the dignity of the country."

Further, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule said: "The Indian Army has shown its strength in a short time. It has destroyed the terrorist camps. All the countrymen are satisfied that it has taken revenge for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. We are rightfully proud of the Indian Army. Some soldiers of the army were martyred in this action. Some innocent civilians also died. Emotional tribute to all of them. We Indians will always remember their supreme sacrifice. Jai Hind."
Patna, May 10 : In a tragic road accident in Bihar's Sitamarhi district, three persons died and one sustained serious injuries after a speeding dumper truck rammed into an e-rickshaw on Saturday.

The accident occurred in the Bhutahi police station area when the victims were en route to Nepal from Maibi village under Sahiyara police station limits to attend a wedding function.

The deceased have been identified as Chandan Kumar, an engineer, his mother Bina Devi and Rajendra Mahato, the E-rickshaw driver, while Urmila Devi, Chandan's aunt, who suffered major injuries, has been referred to Muzaffarpur for further treatment.

According to locals, the dumper was carrying ballast for road construction on the Kanhauli road and hit the e-rickshaw while returning.

Prompt response from nearby residents helped rescue the victims, but three of them died on the spot. Locals caught the dumper's driver and co-driver, who were later handed over to the police.

Bhutahi Police Station in-charge Devendra Chaudhary confirmed that an FIR has been registered on charges of rash and negligent driving.

"The dumper has been seized, and the driver and helper of the vehicle arrested. The case is under investigation," Chaudhary said.

"The injured woman was immediately sent to Sitamarhi Sadar Hospital. We are closely monitoring her condition. She was later referred to the Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital for better treatment," said Chaudhary.

This incident follows a similar mishap in Jehanabad district, where a HIWA dumper collided head-on with a bus, killing three persons, including a teenage boy.

They were part of the wedding party and were returning home. Over one dozen members also sustained injuries in this mishap, raising concerns about reckless driving involving heavy construction vehicles on Bihar's roads.

The bus was carrying guests from Datmai village under the jurisdiction of Qadirganj Police Station, Patna, to Lal Bhasara village under Dulhin Bazar police station limits in Patna district.
Kolkata, May 10 : Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police on Saturday arrested one more activist of Bangladesh-based Islamic fundamentalist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Diamond Harbour, Kolkata.

An official identified the accused as Abasuddin Molla. He is a resident of Patra village under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency in South 24 Parganas.

On Friday, the STF arrested two more JMB activists, namely Aazmal Hossain and Saheb Ali Khan, from Nalhati in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Sources said that the investigating officials came to know of the association of Abasuddin Molla after interrogating Aazmal and Saheb. Abasuddin has been taken to Rampurhat in Birbhum district to be presented at a district court.

They added that the two JMB activists - who were arrested on Friday - were mainly operating from Nalhati with the intention and brainwashing Muslim youths and asking them to join the different sleeper cells.

An official said that different digital and paper documents have been seized from their possession, which have proved their involvement in anti-national activities as well as their association with JMB.

Islamic literature published in Bangladesh has also been recovered from their possession.

The Union Home Ministry has also received intelligence reports about the alleged role of illegal Bangladeshi intruders behind the violence and vandalism at the minority-dominated Murshidabad district.
MANAMA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and visiting Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa met here Saturday on bilateral ties and regional issues, the Bahrain News Agency reported.

The two sides "discussed relations and opportunities to strengthen cooperation across various domains," and "addressed regional developments and the efforts undertaken in that regard," it reported.

The discussions included the latest developments in Syria and ways to support its security and stability, it reported.

Syria's new leadership has ramped up diplomatic efforts recently with visits to world capitals, seeking international recognition and aid. The diplomatic outreach is accompanied by resurgent sectarian tensions in Syria, particularly involving the Druze minority in the southern region. 
Kolkata, May 10 : Six Bangladeshi nationals were arrested near the international border in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Saturday while they were trying to escape through the porous bordering areas back to their native country, an official said.

Among the six Bangladeshi infiltrators who have been arrested, five are women and one a minor. Three local agents who first assisted them to enter India illegally earlier and then were again assisting them now to escape back to Bangladesh have also been arrested by the West Bengal Police.

They were arrested in Bagda in North 24 Parganas, which is extremely close to the international border with Bangladesh. The police personnel on patrolling duty there became suspicious of their movements and, apprehending that they were trying to go to the other side of the border, questioned them.

In the face of questioning, they admitted that they entered India illegally through the same international border, then got shifted to Gujarat and started earning through odd jobs.

However, because of the recent drive in Gujarat by the state administration there to identify illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators settled there, they decided to go back to their native country.

Henceforth, they contacted the same local agents who helped them to enter India illegally a year back, and this time to help them in going back to Bangladesh.

Accordingly, they reached Bagda from Gujarat, and finally they were arrested on Saturday while trying to escape.

At the same time, on Saturday, the cops of Nadia District Police have arrested seven other illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators from Duttapulia village panchayat under Dhantala police station in the district, which is again close to the international borders.

Of the seven arrested, four were men and the other three were women. They had crossed the borders illegally and were looking for a safe house for shelter during the initial period.

Nadia had been frequently in the news for almost the last one year over the arrests of illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators from there, considering that the international borders with Bangladesh in that district are extremely porous at certain points.

Nadia had also been in the news recently over busting rackets engaged in arranging fake Indian identity documents, including Indian passports for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.
Rome, May 10 : Matteo Berrettini quelled a strong fightback in the second set, as he channelled the energy from a boisterous crowd to overcome Jacob Fearnley at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia on Saturday, earning an impressive victory upon return to Rome.

Rome, May 10 (IANS) Matteo Berrettini quelled a strong fightback in the second set, as he channelled the energy from a boisterous crowd to overcome Jacob Fearnley at the Internazionali BNL daItalia on Saturday, earning an impressive victory upon return to Rome.

The home favourite, who is making his first appearance at the Italian ATP Masters 1000 since 2021, conjured some inspired shot-making to move past Fearnley 6-4, 7-6(0) and reach the third round. Berrettini rallied from 3-5 in the second set and saved two set points on return a" both with volley winners a" before completing a hard-fought one-hour and 55-minute win.

In other early action on Saturday, Marcos Giron stunned countryman and fourth seed Taylor Fritz 7-6(4), 7-6(3) to reach the third round at a clay-court Masters 1000 for the second time in his career (Rome 2022). The 31-year-old trailed 0-4 in the second set, but displayed expertly measured court craft to work his way back in and frustrate his higher-ranked opponent, sealing his victory after one hour, 45 minutes.

In other matches, Fabian Marozsan defeated 16th seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 for his second win over a Top-20 opponent on clay. The Hungarian, who memorably defeated Carlos Alcaraz in Rome in 2023, fired 33 winners to Rublevas 32 in a big-hitting clash en route to levelling the pairas Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2.

Eleventh seed Tommy Paul eased past Roberto Autista Agut 6-1, 6-4 to set a third-round meeting with Tomas Machac. The Czech player overcame #NextGenATP Learner Tien 6-4, 6-4.

Berrettini, who was forced to retire against Jack Draper in the third round in Madrid due to an abdominal injury, returned to action in Rome with steely resolve. Though Fearnley found his groove and tested Berrettinias limits in the second set, the 29th seed dug deep to retrieve the break and storm through a watertight tie-break.

The former No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings and Rome native, Berrettini, produced his best run in the capital by reaching the quarter-finals in 2020, but injuries and illness had sidelined the Italian from the clay-court Masters since 2021. The 29-year-oldas return this year was an emotional one: He raised his arms aloft and unleashed a triumphant roar to the passionate fans inside Campo Centrale.

After improving to 8-5 in the Italian capital, Berrettini will next face Madrid champion Casper Ruud, who maintained his rhythm with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Alexander Bublik. The sixth seed stood firm in the face of some electric shotmaking from Bublik, who hit a series of stunning drop volleys to spark hopes of a comeback.

Yet Ruud kept his cool in a clinical deciding set, during which he did not face a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats. After extending his winning streak to seven matches, the 26-year-old will aim to maintain his momentum in Rome, where has reached the semi-finals on three occasions (2020, 2022-23).
Gurugram, May 10 : The Gurugram Police have arrested four bail jumpers for allegedly failing to appear before the concerned court, police said.

According to the police, in the first case, the accused was identified as Vikram, a resident of Vasant Kunj, Delhi. A case was registered against the accused at the Sadar police station, Gurugram.

In the second, the accused was identified as Amandeep Chaudhary, a resident of New Rajendra Park, Jalaun (Uttar Pradesh). A case was registered against him at the Udyog Vihar police station.

In the third instance, a case was registered against Kuldeep of Rohtak and Ravinder, a resident of New Subhash Nagar. The duo was involved in a check-bounce case, police said.

"The accused were involved in different cases and secured bail from the concerned court but failed to appear on the prescribed date and disobeyed the orders of the court; hence, the above accused were declared as post-bail offenders (bail jumpers)," a spokesperson for the Gurugram Police said.

The post-bail jumpers declared by the court were arrested by different teams of Gurugram Police on Thursday and Friday and presented before the court.

Apart from this, the police have also nabbed an accused with an illegal weapon. The police recovered a pistol from his possession. According to the police, a crime branch team from Sohna nabbed the accused, identified as Sahun alias Salim of Nuh, on Friday.

"An illegal weapon was recovered from the accused. A case was registered against him under the relevant sections of the Arms Act at Police Station City Sohna, Gurugram. Further action is being taken by the police team in the case as per the law," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the crime branch team of the Gurugram Police also nabbed a Nigerian national with 12 grams of illegal Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). The accused, identified as Abu Sunny, a resident of Nigeria, currently residing in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, was nabbed from near Paras Buildtech Sector-70.
New Delhi, May 11 : In a high-level diplomatic exchange, Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and reaffirmed that "war was not India's choice" and emphasised India's commitment to ceasefire and restoring peace with Pakistan.

New Delhi, May 11 (IANS) In a high-level diplomatic exchange, Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and reaffirmed that "war was not India's choice" and emphasised India's commitment to ceasefire and restoring peace with Pakistan.

The talks between India and China were held following the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed the lives of several Indian personnel.

During the call, Doval reportedly conveyed that the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam resulted in serious casualties and necessitated counter-terrorism actions by India.

The conversation, disclosed by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focused on regional stability and the imperative of maintaining peace amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions.

According to Beijing's readout, NSA Doval described the Pahalgam attack as a grave incident necessitating counter-terrorism responses, but reaffirmed that "war was not India's choice" and emphasised India's commitment to ceasefire and restoration of peace with Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the attack and reiterated China's firm opposition to terrorism in all forms.

"The Pahalgam terrorist attack caused serious casualties among Indian personnel and that India needed to take counter-terrorism actions. War was not India's choice and was not in the interests of any party. India and Pakistan would be committed to a ceasefire and look forward to restoring regional peace and stability as soon as possible," Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted NSA Doval.

"Peace and stability in the Asian region is hard-won and deserves to be cherished," Wang said, adding that both India and Pakistan, as immediate neighbours of China and each other, should resolve disputes through dialogue and avoid further escalation.

"China appreciates your statement that war is not India's choice," Wang told NSA Doval, expressing hope that both India and Pakistan would remain calm, exercise restraint, and reach a "comprehensive and lasting ceasefire" through mutual consultations -- an outcome China believes aligns with the fundamental interests of both countries and the expectations of the global community.

However, events on the ground soon painted a grim contrast to the diplomatic tone.

Just hours after India and Pakistan announced a mutual understanding to halt military actions, the truce appeared to collapse under renewed hostilities.

In a late evening press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire terms agreed upon by the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs).

"For the last few hours, this understanding has been violated by Pakistan. The Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with this border intrusion," he said.

Calling the Pakistani actions as "extremely condemnable," Foreign Secretary Misri urged Pakistan to act swiftly to halt these violations.

He confirmed that Indian armed forces remain on high alert and have received orders to deal firmly with any further breaches along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

India had launched a major counterterrorism operation, 'Operation Sindoor', on May 7 targeting 9 terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, with precision strikes.

In response, Pakistan has repeatedly used drones against Indian border states, which have so far been intercepted and neutralised by Indian air defence systems.

With tensions simmering despite diplomatic efforts, the international community is likely to closely monitor the next steps from both New Delhi and Islamabad.
United Nations, May 11 : United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sees the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a "positive step" towards easing tensions and hopes it will contribute to "lasting peace," according to his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Guterres "welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions," Dujarric said on Saturday.

"He hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, long-standing issues between the two countries," he added.

Dujarric said, "The United Nations stands ready to support efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region."

India and Pakistan announced on Saturday a ceasefire in the four-day conflict that pushed limits by launching attacks beyond Kashmir into other areas in both countries.

It began on Wednesday when India struck "terrorist infrastructures" in retaliation against the massacre of 26 people in the Kashmir tourist spot Pahalgam last month by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

While the tension was mounting last week, Guterres had expressed deep concern over the conflict, saying, "The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan."

He repeatedly asked for de-escalating the conflict, including by holding a meeting with reporters exclusively on the subject.

Guterres spoke to India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month to convey his deep concern over the rising tensions.

While many international leaders, including the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were calling both Indian and Pakistani leaders to de-escalate the conflict, Guterres' Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Thursday, "We encourage all efforts to de-escalate the situation."

Guterres has condemned the terrorist massacre in the strongest terms several times.

He said, "Targeting civilians is unacceptable -- and those responsible must be brought to justice through transparent, credible, and lawful means."

Guterres offered his good wishes to find a solution to the crisis, but ultimately it was the US that played the crucial diplomatic role.

At the request of Pakistan, the UN Security Council held a closed-door consultation on Monday on the situation with a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari.

But it did not meet formally in an open session about the conflict.

Soon after the Pahalgam massacre, the Council issued a press statement expressing its unanimous view condemning the attack with Pakistan, an elected member, acceding to it.

It "condemned in the strongest terms" the Pahalgam terrorist attack and urged all countries to cooperate in bringing all those involved in the massacre to justice.

--IANS

al/khz
New Delhi, May 11 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday addressed his nation, hours after it reached a ceasefire agreement with neighbouring India brokered by the US.

However, hours after the agreement on the ceasefire, Pakistani armed forces violated the agreement by resuming provocative firings and drone attacks across the LoC and the International Border (IB), exhibiting non-seriousness about the ceasefire.

Ironically, when Sharif was celebrating the ceasefire, the Pakistan Army was engaging in violation of the agreement on the border.

The Pakistani Prime Minister said that as a responsible state, Pakistan has given a positive response to a ceasefire in the interest of regional peace and for the sake of the lives of the tens of millions of its citizens. However, this statement by Sharif seems far distant from truth and reality.

Pakistan violated the bilateral understanding on ceasefire with India just hours after the two countries reached an agreement to stop all military aggression.

Indian and Pakistan, which have been engaged in a cross-border conflict, decided to immediately stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea on Saturday afternoon.

However, the Pakistani side quickly violated the agreement, sending drones across the border on Saturday night.

Pakistani drones were sighted from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir to Bhuj in Gujarat, and the cities in the border states again plunged into darkness with the imposition of complete blackout.

In a crucial step toward de-escalation earlier on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier in the afternoon and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 5 p.m. IST.

Foreign Secretary Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon.

"Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," Vikram Misri said, adding, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours."

Despite violating the ceasefire agreement hours after its implementation, the Pakistan PM thanked US President Donald Trump, China, Saudi Arabia, others for their roles in brokering the ceasefire with India.

Meanwhile, as India and Pakistan worked out an understanding on stopping firing and military action, the UK and Saudi Arabia welcomed the development while the European Union termed it a "vital step towards de-escalation" and said all efforts must be made to ensure it is respected.

Germany said the ceasefire agreed between the two countries is the "first, important step out of the escalation spiral".

The Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 p.m. on Saturday, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday evening.

The brief announcement by India's Foreign Secretary came shortly after US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan have agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after US-mediated talks.

The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 3.35 pm IST earlier on Saturday afternoon, Foreign Secretary Misri said.
New Delhi, May 11 : Indian Army's White Knight Corps have said that an Army personnel was injured in a gunfire exchange with an intruder at the Nagrota Military Station in Jammu following which a search operation has also been launched for the suspect.

"On noticing suspicious movement near the perimeter, the alert sentry at Nagrota Military Station issued a challenge, leading to a brief exchange of fire with the suspect. Sentry sustained a minor injury. Search operations are underway to track the intruder(s)," the White Knight Corps said on X late Saturday night.

The incident occurred simultaneously with Pakistan's drone attacks and artillery shelling in several areas along the Line of Control and International Border, including Nagrota.

The escalation came just hours after India and Pakistan had agreed to cessation of hostilities.

Meanwhile, a complete blackout has been enforced in several areas of Punjab, including Pathankot, Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, and Jalandhar on Saturday evening.

India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier on Saturday night on the stoppage of firing and military action, and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions.

At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier on Saturday afternoon and India takes "very serious note of these violations".

India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.

Foreign Secretary Misri said India's Armed Forces have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control.

"For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations, and we take very, very serious note of these violations," he added.

"We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control," he said.

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

The terror attack had killed 26 people.

India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones.
Pushing the Limits of Speed, Style, and Performance

HONG KONG, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Essencore, a leading manufacturer in memory and storage solutions, with its consumer memory and storage brand KLEVV, is excited to announce its participation at COMPUTEX Taipei 2025, held from May 20th to May 23rd at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.

POWER UP WITH NEXT-GEN GAMING AND PERFORMANCE MEMORY

KLEVV's premier memory solutions will be at the center of its COMPUTEX 2025 showcase, featuring a live demonstration of next-gen DDR5 modules built to run at blazing-fast speeds exceeding 10,000MT/s, displayed across top-tier motherboards from leading vendors. This exclusive demo offers visitors a firsthand look at the performance headroom KLEVV is unlocking with its latest technology. Alongside the showcase, KLEVV's full gaming memory lineup is receiving a significant upgrade, featuring faster speeds and lower latencies to meet the demands of modern gaming and high-performance systems.

SLEEK NEW LOOKS: BLACK-COPPER GENUINE V RGB & URBANE V IN NEW COLORS

KLEVV is set to unveil its latest GENUINE V RGB DDR5 memory for the first time in a striking black-copper finish, crafted to complement premium PC builds with both performance and style. The URBANE V series is also expanding with new color options, now available in a sleek Black RGB version and a Charcoal Gray non-RGB version, to suit a variety of setups. These new additions give users more freedom to customize their systems while maintaining the high-speed performance KLEVV is known for.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE SSDs WITH GRAPHENE-COPPER COOLING

Making their first physical public appearance, KLEVV's latest SSDs feature newly designed graphene-copper heatsinks that combine efficient cooling with a refined, high-end look. Leading the lineup is the flagship GENUINE G530 PCIe Gen5 SSD, joined by two high-performance Gen4 models: the CRAS 925G and CRAS C910G. Engineered for high-speed, consistent performance, these drives are built to handle everything from gaming and content creation to multitasking-heavy workflows.

DDR5 OC CU-DIMM & LPCAMM2 DEMO SETUP ON DISPLAY

KLEVV will also spotlight its DDR5 OC CU-DIMM featured with CKD IC, designed for overclockers and built for high-performance computing. In the mobile category, the LPDDR5X-based LPCAMM2 memory will be on display with a compact heatsink design, demonstrated live on both a laptop and a dedicated testing platform to showcase its real-world speed and thermal efficiency.

ESSENCORE SHOWS WHAT'S NEXT FOR DRAM AND STORAGE COMPONENTS

Essencore, the parent company of KLEVV, is also set to feature a lineup of cutting-edge component solutions at this year's COMPUTEX. A key highlight of the lineup will be the 321-layer V9 TLC NAND Flash IC, alongside UFS 2.2 and eMMC 5.1 storage solutions tailored for embedded and mobile devices. The showcase will also include the latest high-speed DRAM ICs, such as the 1b nm 32Gb DDR5-7200 and 1c nm 16Gb DDR5-7200. Rounding out the presentation is the one-stop OEM/ODM service, offering trouble-free customized memory/strage solutions.

JOIN KLEVV AND ESSENCORE AT COMPUTEX 2025

KLEVV and Essencore warmly invite media friends, business partners, and fans to visit their booth at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1, 4F, booth# N0405, during COMPUTEX Taipei 2025 to experience these exciting new products firsthand.

ABOUT ESSENCORE

Established in 2014, Essencore Limited aims to become the world's top vendor of DRAM modules and NAND flash application products. The company started with one goal: to "Change the world and be a leader in semiconductor distribution". The business strategies of Essencore is to adopt the newest technologies to differentiate themselves from competitors, deliver dedicated Memory products, and offer various product portfolios for customer's competition readiness. For more information, please visit www.essencore.com.

ABOUT KLEVV

KLEVV, is a premium brand of Essencore, the major Module and NAND Flash application product vendor. The KLEVV range focused on superior gaming memory modules and solid state drives. KLEVV is committed to delivering world-class products with first-rate quality, and all products are engineered for enthusiasts who are pursuing the best things in life. KLEVV memory/SSD have been recognized by Germany's Red Dot Design Award and iF Design Award for its innovative product designs. For more information, please visit www.klevv.com.

Media Contact

Yunly, Yunly, 886 277565288, [email protected], https://www.yunly.com/

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Two attorneys from global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP were recognized as 2025 Lawdragon Leading Global Cyber Lawyers.

NEW YORK, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Two attorneys from global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP were recognized as 2025 Lawdragon Leading Global Cyber Lawyers. According to the publication, the guide "recognizes world leaders in privacy, data, security, incident response, and the deals and lawsuits that revolve around all things Cyber."

The following attorneys were recognized:

Samuel Jo, a shareholder in the firm's Technology Transactions Group in San Diego, focuses his practice on complex commercial and licensing agreements, as well as technology product and platform development, integration, launch, and counseling, with a particular emphasis on emerging technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, Web3, custom Silicon applications, and Internet of Things.

David A. Zetoony, co-chair of the firm's U.S. Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice, sits in the Denver office and focuses on helping businesses navigate data privacy and cybersecurity laws from a practical standpoint. Zetoony has helped hundreds of companies establish and maintain ongoing privacy and security programs and has defended corporate privacy and security practices in investigations initiated by the Federal Trade Commission, and other data privacy and security regulatory agencies around the world, as well as in class action litigation.

About Greenberg Traurig's Technology Transactions Group: Greenberg Traurig's Technology Transactions attorneys are strategically positioned in major technology hubs and key markets worldwide, assisting clients across diverse sectors in managing legal complexities related to intellectual property, licensing, data privacy and security, and sophisticated commercial transactions. The firm's Technology Transactions Group represents a spectrum of technology stakeholders, including startups, emerging enterprises, and established industry leaders.

About Greenberg Traurig's Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice: Greenberg Traurig's Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice is composed of a multidisciplinary group of attorneys and professionals located throughout the world. GT's team of dedicated data protection attorneys has experience working hand in hand with organizations of all sizes to develop practical strategies and provide strategic advice on virtually all aspects of data protection including GDPR, CCPA, VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA, UCPA and other compliance issues; data use, transfer and licensing issues; data breaches and regulatory investigations; and defending against privacy-related class actions. GT's Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers & Partners for USA  Nationwide Privacy & Data Security: Highly Regarded Legal Rankings. In addition, Greenberg Traurig was named a "Law Firm of the Year" for Information Technology Law by U.S. News and Best Lawyers, 2024 "Best Law Firms."

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2,850 attorneys across 49 locations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm's broad geographic and practice range enables the delivery of innovative and strategic legal services across borders and industries. Recognized as a 2024 BTI "Leading Edge Law Firm" for anticipating and meeting client needs, Greenberg Traurig is consistently ranked among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is also known for its philanthropic giving, culture, innovation, and pro bono work. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.

Media Contact

Nicole Glinski, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, +1 212.801.6747, [email protected], https://www.gtlaw.com/

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SOURCE Greenberg Traurig, LLP
A staff member loads generators at Senci Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Photo by Qin Tingfu/Xinhua)

A drone photo shows an automated workshop at the casting base of Chongqing Shunduoli Motor-vehicle Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

Staff members work at a generator production workshop of Senci Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

Staff members work at a generator production workshop of Senci Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

A staff member works at a generator production workshop of Senci Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

Staff members work at the precision engineering base of Chongqing Shunduoli Motor-vehicle Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Photo by Qin Tingfu/Xinhua)

A drone photo shows an automated workshop at the precision engineering base of Chongqing Shunduoli Motor-vehicle Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

A drone photo shows an automated workshop at the precision engineering base of Chongqing Shunduoli Motor-vehicle Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

Staff members work at a generator production workshop of Senci Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

This photo shows an automated workshop at the precision engineering base of Chongqing Shunduoli Motor-vehicle Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

Staff members work at a generator production workshop of Senci Mechanical & Electrical Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

A staff member works at the precision engineering base of Chongqing Shunduoli Motor-vehicle Co., Ltd. in Beibei District of Chongqing, southwest China, May 9, 2025.

In recent years, Beibei District of Chongqing has boosted policy support covering such aspects as technological innovation, market expansion, and financial assistance, continuously optimizing the business environment. At the same time, targeted policies have been introduced to stabilize and benefit enterprises, with ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and efficiency of services.

By the end of 2024, private business entities in Beibei District accounted for over 97 percent of the total, contributing to more than 80 percent of urban employment and over 90 percent of technological innovation platforms. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)
The literary scholars The Roma blends a history of Romani persecution and civil rights struggles with her own experiences of discrimination as a Roma woman in Britain.

Your book is partly a memoir and spans many countries histories. How did you settle on the scope?

It was a process. I knew that Britain had to be in it, because of my experience being a woman from Romania, now living in Britain. My mum lives in France, so that was a country that was obviously important for me. Other countries entered the picture as it became clear how much of a Romani population they had.

Are there dedicated archives of Romani history that you were able to draw on?



There are some, but they tend to only preserve traces, records of prisoners being shipped to Australia or to the U.S.to Louisiana, as was common. Records that werent written by the Roma. So I tried to supplement them with oral historypoems and myths.

Your area of focus as an academic is on the gothic. What drew you to that? Are there connections between it and the subject of this book?

Ive always been drawn to the gothic. I joke about it, but growing up not too far from Transylvania was its own influence. I think the gothic is actually a really interesting way for people who are marginalized or who have suffered trauma to make sense of their experiences and to reclaim their identities. I think thats what it was doing for me from quite a young age. Ive been thinking a lot about how 19th-century literature has shaped misconceptions that exist today about Romani people. In my book I talk about Carmen, for instance, but there are so many examples of this gothic image of the Romani witch who throws a curse. In the 19th century, these novels were tremendously popular and these tropes started building upthe sense of bohemianism, of tragedy and the uncanny moment, of not being able to be pinned down. I was quite surprised to find how much these depictions still have a hold on how people think of the Romani today.

In Europe and the U.S., there is a lot of heated debate over immigration right now, and a rise of nationalism. Did writing the book change your perspective on those developments?

The way I see it, its a kind of slide down the continuum that I have experienced as a Romani person growing up in EuropeI can see how this is us sliding further down that scale. I dont think it was a flip of a switch; I think these things were bubbling in the background. We think of history as something that happened in the past. Initially I thought maybe thats what the book should be; it should stop in the past. But then I realized that history is not the past. Its happening today.
Emma Rosenblum is quite clear: her new novel is not autobiographical. Yes, shes a successful New Yorker. Yes, she lives on the Upper East Side. And, yes, her two sons attend private school. But that is where any similarity ends.

This book is definitely not based on women at the private school that we go to, or people I know specifically, she says via Zoom from New York. But there are certainly types of people in Manhattan and Brooklyn that this book was loosely inspired by. I live here, so I see them, and I see their Instagrams, and I see how they live. And I thought it would be a funny social set to skewer.

Rosenblums bitingly funny third novel, Mean Moms, out from Flatiron in July, does just that. It follows a clique of wealthy Manhattan mothersFrost, Morgan, and Bellewhose kids attend the elite Atherton Academy. The books mean moms more than earn their title, as they look down on anyone who doesnt share their socioeconomic privilege, backstab each other in deliciously catty fashion, and respond to the presence of a homeless man at school drop-off by forming a committee called Atherton Parents Against Persons Experiencing Homelessness.

I love when people say things and they dont really hear themselves speak, says Rosenblum, whose other novels are Bad Summer People (2023) and Very Bad Company (2024). She adds that one of the inspirations for her rich-people-gone-wild fiction was the hit TV series The White Lotus. I thought, I know I could do that. I know those people, too.

Born in 1981, Rosenblum grew up in Larchmont in Westchester County, N.Y.; her father is a lawyer and her mother a retired real estate agent. She was the middle child and describes her childhood as well-rounded. I was always competitive in everything I did, and I hate losing, she says. Ive always loved writing. If you read essays and stories I wrote when I was a kid, I sound exactly the same as I do now.

After high school, she attended Tufts in Medford, Mass., where she studied English and comparative religion and was drawn to writers who shared her fascination with the rich, including Edith Wharton and Jane Austen. Austen was a very good observer of wealthy people, and she was very funny about it, Rosenblum says. She also made her characters into real people in a way that I hope I do. I hope my characters dont come off as wooden caricatures of rich people in New York City. They are people with motivations and emotions, and you believe them, even if theyre a little bit ridiculous.

After graduating in 2003, it was back to New York, where she landed a job as an assistant at New York magazine. From there, she worked as an editor at New York, Glamour, and Elle, and as the chief content officer at Bustle Digital Group. It was the kind of career that unfortunately doesnt really exist anymore in media, Rosenblum says, adding that in 2019, shortly after joining Bustle,

she felt her own inner Wharton and Austen tugging her in a different direction.

At BDG, I oversaw our editorial, operations, and creative teams, and I wasnt doing any day-to-day writing or editing, she says. I really missed it, but that wasnt my role. So, I decided to try writing as a side project, to scratch that creative itch. I figured that non-

fiction would be too much work on top of my job, so I gave fiction a go. I wrote one chapter of Bad Summer People on a whim and felt like I could keep going. So, I did.

After about four months of writing, Rosenblum says, she had a draft and sent it to an agent with whom shed previously discussed a nonfiction project. It wasnt for him, she says, and so I kind of put it to the side for a month or so, thinking Id rework it when I had the chance. But then, a few weeks later, I reread the draft and thought, there are way worse books that get published than this oneI think maybe that agent is wrong.

Because Bad Summer People was about the misadventures of the rich and powerful, Rosenblum decided to send the book to Kevin Kwans agent. When she googled the author, it turned out shed already met his agent, Alexandra Machinist, years ago. I cold-emailed her again asking if shed read my draft, she says. She loved it, believed in it, and sold it like a week later to Megan Lynch at Flatiron. It goes to show that having the right agent is the best thing for a writer. The book went on to become a bestseller, and Rosenblums side project became her main gig. She left Bustle last year to become a full-time novelist.

In Mean Moms, Frost, Morgan, and Belle throw lavish theme parties, cheat on their husbands, gossip, and pass judgment on their peers. But things go from catty to catastrophic, and it all seems to stem from the arrival of a newcomer: a glamorous Miami transplant named Sofia. And while Sofia seems nice enough, her arrival does coincide with a series of unfortunate events. Theres the scooter incident, in which Frost is knocked to the ground by a malicious motorist. Theres a sudden lice outbreak. And thats just the beginning, with the mean moms wondering where it will end, whos responsible, and if Sofia is out to sabotage the Atherton community.

Rosenblum says the seed for Mean Moms was planted by an encounter with a member of Manhattan parentings swell set. I met a mom, and she was so nice, so dripping with kindness, and she was trying to help me with something and was

volunteering for something else, she says. It was almost like she was too nice. And I remember thinking to myself, What if she was actually psychotic? What if shes a serial killer?

Spoiler alert: she wasnt. But the thought stuck with Rosenblum, whose fiction often conjures darkly comedic crime among the rich and fabulous. Bad Summer People follows a group of queen bees lording over their peers on Fire Island until a body washes up on the beach, while Very Bad Company pokes fun at the tech industry and tracks a team of high-level executives at a corporate retreat in Miami. With fiction that explores the complicated relationship between money morals, one can imagine Rosenblums peer group chasing her down Fifth Avenue with pitchforks or casting her out like the Swans did Truman Capote.

Not likely, Rosenblum says. The reactions are generally more like, Well, why wasnt I in it?  she says. First of all, nobody would ever take credit for being a character that was not an altruistic, perfect person. I also think people kind of like seeing their own community parodied. My mom friends are super excited about the new book and cant wait to read it. It helps that Rosenblums prose is sharp and often hilarious, as in this description of one of her new novels mean moms: Morgan always knew everything first; gossip found her, nourishing her body in place of the food she barely ate.

Megan Lynch, executive vice president and publisher of Flatiron Books and Rosenblums editor, says the authors sense of humor

helps her get away with any potential class betrayal. She has such a lacerating wit. It is directed at the world around her, but it is directed just as strongly at herself. She knows the worlds that she is writing about, and thats why when she picks a target to skewer, it always hits really close to home and rings true. We are in a moment when everybody likes to enjoy rich people getting their comeuppance, and that is what her books deliver in an absolutely delicious way.

Rosenblums fiction works so well because, while its not really about her life, it is about a milieu she knows well and is guided by curiosity and a sense of wonder at the world of the 1%. Even as a privileged person living in New York City, theres so many levels beyond where you would be comfortable, she says. You walk into these homes, and you meet people and youre like, Oh my God, you have more money than God. And you sort of wonder what that must be like.

Chris Vognar is a freelance culture writer and was the 2009 Nieman arts and culture fellow at Harvard University.
Billionaire Books Club

Ana Huang tops our trade paperback list and has the #1 book in the country with King of Envy, book five in her spicy Kings of Sin billionaire romance series.

Under the Sea

Shelby Van Pelt debuted in 2022 with Remarkably Bright Creatures, a novel that centers on the friendship between a widow and an octopus. It seemed poised for modest success, even with a Read with Jenna nod, but it turned out to have legs. Its sold 834K copies in hardcover to date68K of them this yearand the Netflix film adaptation just wrapped. This week, the handsell and word-of-mouth favorite debuts at #2 on our trade paperback list.

Virtual Reality

The latest title in Natasha Wings Night Before picture book series, The Night Before the Virtual Dentist, is the brainchild of Kenny Brechner, owner of DDG Booksellers in Farmington, Maine, and Head Start coordinator Danielle Hamlin, who suggested virtual dentistry as a picture book subject: in Maine and other areas where theres a dentist shortage, community-based care in schools and other settings fills the gap for kids. Brechner brought Hamlins idea to PRH, and the book, illustrated by Nathalie Beauvois, debuts at #4 on our picture book list. Most copies were distributed to kids in Maines Virtual Dental Home program, and various retailers are selling the books as well, making it the #1 book in New England.

In the Details

In the wake of Pope Franciss funeral and the conclave that ultimately elected Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pope, Data over Dogma podcaster Dan McLellans The Bible Says So lands at #10 on our hardcover nonfiction list. Its a smart and historically grounded look at what scripture says about some of Christianitys most provocative questions, according to our review. He perceptively examines how biblical tenets have been skewed or exploited by some believers to cloak their innate prejudices, which then become identity markers used to justify authoritarianism and social dominance.  McLellan, a biblical scholar with a PhD from the University of Exeter, is Mormon, a fact he addresses in the books introduction: My scholarly positions are not influenced by my membership in the LDS Church. In fact, my positions overwhelmingly and directly conflict with Latter-day Saint ideologies.
Natasha Cunningham

Im privileged to live and work in one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, says Cunningham, who hails from Jamaica. I pull references from natures palettes and textures; you can always find plants and flora intertwined in my work. That includes the cover for Kennedy Ryans Cant Get Enough (Forever, May), third in her Skyland contemporary series. Kennedy Ryan has a precise vision for her cover art, and the art director, Daniela Medina, plays a vital part in the process being flawless.

Medina, who worked with Cunningham on all three covers, found her portfolio when she was looking for collage artists to work with. Her style was a departure from what wed seen for Forever, Median says, and while there was some initial concern that it might be a little too avant-garde to translate to a commercial book, I had a gut feeling she was the artist we were looking for.

Jenifer Prince

Prince has an affinity for romance comics and pulp novel covers from the 1940s to the 1960s, she says. I love the bold colors, the intense gazes, the moody lighting. Shes also a fan of author Alexandria Bellefleur, so when Berkley/Ace art director Katie Anderson contacted her about The Devil She Knows (Berkley, Oct.), a paranormal sapphic romance, she was eager to get to work. Katie shared what they envisioned, and it was exactly the kind of thing I love to illustrate. The pulpy vibe of the devil shadow and the sexual tension in an elevator clinch pose? Flawless. Since the concept already leaned into that vintage pulpy look, I focused on bringing out the romance.

Prince says depicting intense feelings is what excites her most about romance cover illustration: The chance to visually capture the spark between characters, the tension, the tenderness, the longingespecially when I get to do that through a sapphic lens. Their pose, eye contact, or even just the color palette can reveal so much about whats going on between them.

Liza Rusalskaya

A good romance cover evokes an immediate emotional response, Rusalskaya says. It should feel like a doorway into the story. For Katie Chandlers debut, Backhanded Compliments (Atria, June), I started with character exploration and emotional tone. The title suggested subtle friction and chemistry, so I worked with contrastbetween warmth and wit, closeness and complexity.

Like other illustrators PW spoke with, Rusalskaya says her cover artwork is primarily digital. It always starts with inspirations, sketches, mood boards, and the client brief. But even in digital form, I want my illustrations to retain handmade arts warmth and subtle imperfections. Her cover for Left of Forever (Griffin), a spicy, second-chance romance by Tarah DeWitt, shows a couple in a passionate embrace. Romance is such a rich emotional terrainit gives the illustrator room to play with desire, vulnerability, connection, and joy. I love the challenge of capturing those sparks in a single image, and of balancing visual beauty with genuine feeling.
Phoenix, AZ  From April 1012, the Ben Avery Shooting Facility roared to life (quietly, of course) for CANCON Arizona 2025, the worlds largest fully suppressed range day. This years event was the biggest and most immersive yet, combining top-tier shooting opportunities, expert training, and direct-to-consumer gear access for a weekend that lived up to the hype and then some.

80+ Demo Lanes, 70+ Vendors, and Endless Trigger Time

With over 80 active demo lanes and 70+ vendors, attendees got a hands-on showcase of hundreds of suppressed firearms that span the full spectrumfrom small silent .22 pistols to big belt-fed monsters and everything between. Whether the goal was to test tactical carbines, experience the quietest suppressors in the industry, or just enjoy a day at the range, CANCON delivered.

After testing out gear on the firing line, many attendees headed straight to Vendor Village, to score event-exclusive deals on their favorite suppressors, knives, optics, and even firearms. Try it. Love it. Buy it. Thats the CANCON difference.

New Additions for 2025: OFFGRID Basecamp & Women-Focused Shooting Lane

New for 2025, OFFGRID Basecamp was a standout attraction, offering hands-on instructions from some of the best names in the industry. Attendees dove into practical, scenario-driven training covering both tactical and survival-based skills:

Greenside Tactical (Freddy Osuna)  Weaponize the Senses: A sensory awareness and combat mindset course that helped shooters see and hear more in high-stress environments.

American Reconstruction Concepts (ARC)  Tactical Carbine: Practical instruction on movement, transitions, and engagement with your rifle under pressure.

Gorilla Medical  F*** I Got Shot, Now What: A gritty trauma response course covering tourniquet application, wound packing, and bleeding control.

Avon Protection  Tactical Gas Masks 101: Gear-focused instruction on gas mask selection, use, and integration into your loadout.

The classes werent just informative they were immediately actionable, and many attendees walked away saying Basecamp was a highlight of their CANCON experience.

Also new for 2025, Ronin Arms introduced a groundbreaking feature: the Ronin Women Demo Lane, a woman-only shooting experience staffed entirely by female instructors. Designed as a no-pressure, welcoming environment, the lane offered women of all experience levels the chance to shoot suppressed firearms in a supportive, informative setting. The result? A massive hit. The Ronin Women lane was one of the most visited and talked-about experiences of the weekend, proving that when you create space for everyone, the entire community grows stronger.

VIP Access Comes Fully Loaded

The 2025 VIP Experience went above and beyond expectations. In addition to Thursday preview access and a catered industry dinner, VIP ticket holders received a swag bag valued at over $3,000, easily one of the best in the industry.

Inside this years VIP bag:

Anechoic .223 suppressor

Girsan Disruptor 9mm pistol (with threaded barrel)

Silencer Central Banish 9K suppressor

Osight S red dot optic

5.11 LVC18 2.0 backpack

Kershaw Flyby knife

Mission First Tactical custom CANCON 5.56 magazine

B5 Systems Grips

Battlbox  Mission #121 Box

Infinite Defense Squirrel Plinker target

TiON Suppressors 30% discount card

Aimpoint 25% discount card

VIPs didnt just get early access; they walked away with an arsenal of premium gear.

Pros vs. Joes, Vendor Village & Industry Access

The ever-popular Pros vs. Joes competition returned with fierce energy, giving everyday shooters the chance to go head-to-head with professionals in timed, high-pressure shooting challenges. Winners earned bragging rights and a few even walked away with gear from sponsors like:

Auxiliary Mfg.  Karambit knife

2  Osight S Red Dots

2  Osight X Red Dots

2  Ridgeline ARM Suppressors

8  Otis Tactical Gun Cleaning Kits

True Blue Gun Lube  Gun Oil, Gun Cleaner, Suppressor Syrup

Velocity Triggers  Bolt Carrier Group

Stroup MK2 Knife

SureFire  SOCOM556  RC3

Wilson Combat  Case of 9mm & Case of 300 blk out

R&D Tactical Supplies  Riffle Bags and Backpacks

IWI  Zion 16 Urban BDU with an IW6 Suppressor

Meanwhile, Vendor Village gave attendees the chance to connect directly with manufacturers, test new products, and pick up suppressors, optics, and firearms, all on-site. The event wasnt just about experiencing gear, it was about getting it and taking it home toocompanies like East Valley Tactical, Silencer Central, and Tactical Studio were there to help with the paperwork and make it happen.

A Platform for the Firearms Community

CANCON isnt just about silencers or shooting. Its about community, access, and advocacy. The event attracted industry leaders, content creators, and even politicians. U.S. Congressman Abe Hamadeh stopped by to show his support for the Second Amendment and the firearms community at large.

Behind the scenes, the event also served as a content-generation engine for the RECOIL network of brands including RECOIL, Concealment, OFFGRID, Gun Digest, and Blade Magazine; with editors, videographers, and social teams on-site gathering media for web, print, and video coverage.

Whats Next? CANCON Carolinas

If you missed Arizona, your next chance to experience the world's largest suppressed range day is November 78, 2025 at Clinton House Plantation in South Carolina. Expect bigger crowds, more gear, and more live-fire fun. VIP Tickets will go on sale July 4, 2025 and General Admission tickets are on sale now.

Follow along at @canconevent and visit www.canconevent.com to get VIP alerts, updates, ticket release info and photo gallery.
As the semester draws to a close, The Red & Black's newsroom leaders  Editor in Chief Allison Mawn, Managing Editor Jesse Wood and Deputy Editor of Standards and Practices Ellis Goud  reflect on the defining moments, personal growth and enduring impact of their time in student journalism. Their heartfelt goodbyes offer gratitude, encouragement and a glimpse into the legacy they leave behind.
It is important for India to pay close attention to both the tone and substance of authoritative remarks coming out of Pakistan, explains former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.

IMAGE: Policemen search for a Pakistani drone that was neutralised in Amritsar, May 9, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

In the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist incident in Pahalgam, India announced a series of measures, which in their totality would bring the already meagre relations between India and Pakistan to a virtual cipher.

The stoppage of trade, transit, and cross-border travel were to be expected.

A new element is putting into abeyance the operation of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 on the division of the waters of the Indus river and its tributaries.

The implications of this are unclear.

Would this affect the volume of river flows downstream into Pakistan, or stop short of this threshold?

Pakistan has already declared that any diversion of the river waters it is entitled to under the treaty would be considered 'an act of war'.

At this stage, this is more of a warning from India rather than a declaration of intent to alter the flows.

The careful language used implies the possibility of the abeyance being reversed if circumstances change.

Pakistan has announced a series of tit-for-tat measures mirroring those adopted by India. In the past, it has tried to go one up on India.

If India conducted five nuclear tests in 1998, Pakistan did one more.

On this occasion, Pakistan explicitly mentioned that it was doing 'one more tat' for the 'Indian tit' by stopping flights over its territory by India-owned or India-operated flights.

In order to occupy the moral high ground, Pakistan announced that travel restrictions would not apply to Sikh pilgrims.

It has also said that it could hold the Simla Agreement of 1972 in abeyance.

This may not cause any sleepless nights on the Indian side, given that Pakistan has violated virtually every provision of the treaty since its adoption.

The press conference by a group of Pakistani ministers on April 24 has not attracted much attention in India. It should.

Among those present were Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.

Here are some important takeaways from the conference:

One, while any culpability for the Pahalgam terrorist attack was vehemently denied, there was an explicit accusation levelled against India for using the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army as its proxies against Pakistan. There is a veiled symmetry being implied.

Two, the allegations against India in Canada and the US for alleged involvement in assassination plots against citizens of those countries were cited to project India as a State sponsor of terrorism.

It was pointed out that no such charges were ever brought against Pakistan (which is not quite true).

Three, Defence Minister Asif suggested that Indian retaliation against Pakistan could take the form of a 'wave of terrorist attacks' in its cities.

He warned that even if one Pakistani civilian was hurt or killed in the process, no Indian city and no Indian citizen would be safe from Pakistan's retaliatory actions.

This is an open threat to engage in terrorist incidents -- the very kind that Pakistan has been responsible for, including in Pahalgam.

One is not aware of such open threats to civilian populations being articulated in this brazen manner before.

Linked to this was a curious reference to an intelligence report that some 'foreigners' had landed in Srinagar with a lot of heavy equipment, possibly for carrying out suspected operations in Pakistan.

Four, the defence minister attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the most virulent and abusive fashion. One has not heard such language being used by a Pakistani leader for any duly elected prime minister of India before.

This suggests that the current leadership of Pakistan does not expect any improvement of relations with India as long as the present political dispensation in India remains unchanged.

In a later and separate interview with a British television channel, Asif repeated the offensive language against PM Modi, so this is deliberate and provocative.

There were no references to the geopolitical dimension, except to emphasise that Pakistan had 'leverage' as an elected member of the UN Security Council.

No mention was made of China and of the US. Asif insisted that Pakistan was quite capable of dealing with the Indian threat itself and that no intervention of great powers was required.

In the interview to a British channel, Asif said that an all-out war was possible and that Pakistan was fully prepared for this eventuality.

He said that a confrontation between two nuclear powers should be a cause of concern to the rest of the world.

It is important for India to pay close attention to both the tone and substance of such authoritative remarks coming out of Pakistan.

They reflect the strategic calculus driving Pakistani actions against India.

There is a deliberate upping of the ante in response to what Pakistan sees as India using its own playbook to undermine its security.

There also appears to be a realisation in Islamabad that expectations of international intervention in its favour -- to prevent Indian retaliation -- are no longer assured.

In working out India's counter-strategy, these inputs will be particularly useful.

Included in this must be a review of our own security protocols to ensure that our people do not remain vulnerable to such dastardly attacks.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'One man's ego brought two countries on the brink of war.'

IMAGE: General Asim Munir meets with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the prime minister's house in Islamabad, November 24, 2022 after he was appointed chief of army staff. Photograph: Press Information Department via Reuters

"As long as Asim Munir is in power, India should not take its foot off the accelerator," asserts military historian Shiv Kunal Verma.

The author of several books on the Indian armed forces -- 1962: The War that Wasn't, 1965: A Western Sunrise: India's War with Pakistan, Yodha: Illustrated Military History of India among other books -- Mr Verma is an authority on India's defence history.

"We have to destroy the mischief making capacity of the Pakistan army," Mr Verma tells Rediff's Archana Masih.

Pakistan army chief Asim Munir has taken his country down a dangerous path because of personal ambition and to ensure his longevity as ruler of Pakistan.

Asim Munir should be declared a war criminal.

Deniability has been the hallmark of Pakistan. The lashkars they sent into Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 were terrorists. The modus operandi has been the same since then. Only thing was that it was not called terrorism at that time.

Asim Munir is desperate to stay in power. He called Kashmir Pakistan's jugular vein which was followed up by the Pahalgam attack. One man's ego brought two countries on the brink of war.

How long will the people of Pakistan keep turning a blind eye to its army? They must understand that the Pakistan army is playing on their patriotism.

This is not propaganda. It is the truth.

The Pakistan army is so self-centered and self-seeking that the Pakistani people are suffering. Therefore, the people must rise up and fix it. The Pakistan army should be overthrown.

A nation can't be subservient to a bunch of handpicked generals who have demonstrated the worst kind of abuse of power.

As long as Asim Munir is in power, India should not take our foot off the accelerator.

With the level of escalation spiralling upwards in the last couple of days are we in for a long drawn conflict or a limited one?

A bit of both.

[This interview was conducted before the ceasefire was announced on Saturday, May 10, 2025, evening.]

The international community will push for de-escalation because of the threat of a nuclear flare up.

While we continue with measures like mobilisation of forces, keeping the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, appropriate retaliatory strikes etc, did not articulate our end plan.

It is not easy to articulate an end plan as long as Pakistan has the backing of countries like China, Turkey and to some extent Saudi Arabia though they (the Saudis) are playing a fairly neutral stance at the moment.

We must not underestimate the enemy. Various television channels are saying that the Pakistan economy is in ruins and a conflict will destroy the country. The Pakistan army has destroyed the economy no doubt, but Pakistan has enough military hardware from China and American to stick it out. It's no pushover.

Is an all-out war possible?

The Pakistan army and terrorists are the enemy. We have to take them out and that has been the message of the Modi government.

The government has been balanced, nuanced and clear about India attacking terrorist camps, not civilians. We must divorce the Pakistan army from the country.

Pakistan launched missiles, drone attacks across the border accompanied by heavy shelling that has resulted in loss of lives and left several injured. What do you think of India's response?

By doing this Pakistan gave India the opportunity to attack military targets.

There is a window of about 72 hours before other countries start dialling up to de-escalate.

We should continue tightening the screws on Pakistan until the end game comes into play.

Frankly speaking, the situation is hopeless like it was in East Pakistan in 1971 when the Pakistan army massacred 3 million people.

Imran Khan, the elected leader of Pakistan, has been put in jail. This is exactly what happened to Mujibur Rehman after he won the election in 1971.

Imran Khan today is what Mujibur Rehman was in 1971.

It is for the people of Pakistan to rally around Imran Khan. He is equally rabid about India, yet he is the elected representative.

We would much rather talk to a rabid elected leader than a mad military dictator with a finger on the nuclear trigger.

We should keep the pressure on.

How can we use this 72 hour window to India's advantage?

Let's look at how Pakistan has gone about the escalatory spiral. A few hours after the missiles were fired they launched a planned misinformation campaign that Indian aircraft had been shot down.

We need to be smart enough to know the mindset which is controlling this narrative.

Pakistan is playing this deadly game by thinking that that they can hit a few cities and create panic.

So whether you have a 72, 96 hour or a one week window, we have to find ways and means of making our strikes lethal, avoiding civil targets and severely damaging the Pakistan military.

We have to destroy the mischief making capacity of the Pakistan army.

You tweeted shortly after the Pahalgam attack about deploying the Indian Navy immediately.

The navy has a long term role.

The next day after the Pahalgam attack, I had tweeted that we should use the navy immediately.

The navy is known as the silent service.

In the Kargil War, we did not officially declare a blockade, but we created a blockade. We let Pakistan know that we had submarines outside Karachi, and because of that Nawaz Sharif was on his way to Washington to plead with Bill Clinton to stop the war.

I had used the word 'blockade' in my tweet after the Pahalgam attack, but in hindsight, I feel a blockade will give an excuse to the Chinese.

After all, Gwadar for all practical purposes is with China.

But there are other ways and the sheer threat of the Indian Navy sitting outside Karachi is enough.

We have to kill terrorism. Not score points. Therefore, we shouldn't let optics over overtake strategy.

We have to stop terror from across the border. We've been left with no choice. In fact we've taken too long to actually clamp down on it.

There's so much of misinformation, rumours and fake videos. How do you separate fact from fiction?

This is the reality of our times. It's as much a war of narratives.

War is won by strategy.

We are not the bad guys here. We are being forced to do this by the enemy. We are dealing with an immoral enemy since 1947.

We have shown the world our intent and capability.

In this whole geopolitical game, we are standing alone. Ultimately what is permanent is yourself. We have to walk alone and carry a big stick.
The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attend a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attend a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attend a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

A contingent of the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) participate in a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Minsk, Belarus, May 9, 2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

A contingent of the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) participate in a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Minsk, Belarus, May 9, 2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)

A contingent of the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) participate in a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Minsk, Belarus, May 9, 2025. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua)
'Even known names and social media handles went berserk by stating that Karachi has been attacked and an F-16 was shot down.'

IMAGE: Blackout in Jammu, May 8, 2025, following the Pakistan attack. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

'Karachi in shambles, Islamabad and Lahore bombed.'

'Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, arrested. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shifted from home.'

'Indian Navy completely blocks Karachi port. Balochistan is nearly free.'

If you have been fed any of the above information, then you surely must have got it off one of the Indian news television channels or following the social media handles of well-known Indian journalists on the night of Thursday, May 8.

Truth is, nothing of this kind happened.

And yet many Indians started believing such fake news in their excitement to see Pakistan being defeated in Operation Sindoor.

So what do you believe in times of war when 'truth' is the first casualty?

Moreover, how must a journalist report to ensure that he is putting out the truth and nothing else?

Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff asked Nitin Gokhale -- journalist and national security expert -- for his insights.

Nitin has covered conflict zones in the North East and the Kargil War of 1999. His news reports were always accurate and shorn of speculation. He adhered to factual reporting when he wrote for print, the web or later in the broadcast medium.

The first casualty in war is truth. Does 'fake news' on some Indian news television channels in anyway help demoralise and defeat the enemy?

Not really, it demoralises or gives a false sense of superiority that does not last too long.

The news channels are going overboard, especially with what happened on May 8. It lowers the prestige and credibility overall.

Even known names and social media handles went berserk by stating that Karachi has been attacked and an F-16 was shot down. It was madness, which is regrettable.

This is unacceptable to old-fashioned fellows like me. People do not take India seriously with what happens in our news channels and studios.

As a journalist, how does one sift the chaff from the grain, separate truth from fiction? In other words, how does one counter the fog of war?

There are basic principles of journalism that were taught to us. Check, cross-check, double-check and check. This is extremely important.

The second point is, 'when in doubt, cut it out'.

These two journalism principles have been ingrained in my mind since I started working as a journalist in 1983. It has never gone out of my consciousness.

I don't understand why this journalism principle is not being applied by journalists. I am not saying these principles are to be followed by the common man who depends on WhatsApp and other social media accounts for daily information. I am not calling this information as news.

Journalists need to wait for confirmation even if it is exciting news.

IMAGE: Army personnel examine the remains of a projectile discovered in Makhanwindi village near Amritsar, May 8, 2025. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/ANI Photo

On Thursday even veteran Indian journalists goofed up and did not confirm any news. They just started ranting on social media or went ahead and telecast incorrect news about India's attack on Pakistan.

It is the pressure of rival news channels.

I was on a news channel, Lallantop, and the anchor kept on pressing me what happened in Karachi. What about Pakistani jets JF-17s being shot down?

I said on his channel that I have no information and I cannot confirm.

I was then asked what about the Pakistani pilot being arrested? What happens to him if he is caught? What is the convention?

I said that answer I can give you. Suppose a Pakistani air force pilot has been caught, there is the Geneva Convention which needs to be applied. I explained that.

And let me clarify, I am not sitting in judgement.

I want to suggest and not advise the media, that if you want to retain your credibility with the government or the public, then please be credible, be responsible.

The responsibility is on journalists, no matter what the pressure is (to deliver quick news).

Who does the fog of war help, really?

I don't know.

What is the purpose of doing all this? Is it the enmity and hatred for Pakistan as a nation? It is understandable because the Pakistan army lets terrorists flourish under their very nose.

I would also like to see the Pakistani army being punished. But is that the reality happening? Was it the truth? The answer is, no. That was not happening (on May 8 night). It was just attack by drones which India countered. India later counter-attacked.

If news channels had stated this fact people would have believed them.

Now, if genuine war breaks out, then it is like crying wolf. People will not believe the media straightaway.

This question the owners, the news anchors and investors in news channels must ask themselves.

Poor reporters on the field are always under pressure because some rival channel has already put out the news. So, now they have to go one up. They have to constantly feed the insatiable hunger for excitement, for over the top information.

IMAGE: People carry the body of Vihaan Barghava, 13, who was killed in cross-border shelling by Pakistan, to a cremation ground in Poonch, May 8, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

How then do you get confirmation of news even if it is from sources? Should we need to telecast or report news even when things are not confirmed?

You can't, and you wait.

The problem here is the responsibility begins at the top with editors. They must be willing to give time to their reporters to confirm the news from their sources.

Earlier we journalists used to say if one source is telling you it is probably due to some vested interest. So confirm it, only then we will put it out OR unless you know the source very well and have trusted that source in the past.

But the luxury of waiting to confirm before putting out the news is no longer given to the field reporters. This is the reason we saw the (news) mayhem on Thursday night.

During the Kargil war we found the government was proactive in giving out information. Unfortunately, this time verified information is hard to come by, with even the government saying that it's too early to confirm/deny news.

What does a journalist do?

There is a difference between Kargil and now. There are too many people to satisfy for information.

Actually, if you ask me the Government of India is playing on the front foot.

In the Western media, earlier our ambassadors never had chance to go to big media outlets like CNN, Fox News in the USA and Sky News in the United Kingdom.

This time both our diplomats in the US and UK have appeared on big prime time programmes. They have been very upfront and strong in India's defence in the India-Pakistan conflict by stating that Pakistan is the perpetrator of terror.

When Operation Sindoor started the government has been giving out the information on how the nine targets in Pakistan were selected and what they did. This is how things pan out.

Even in the Kargil War, they had daily briefing in Delhi, if you recall. Moreover, the Kargil War was a long drawn, 45-day, conflict. I reported from there and you had something or the other to report every day. So there was no question of false news or unverified news. That was a different context.
'I am worried that Pakistan will still feel compelled to take substantive military action beyond this apparent drone activity.'

'If so, the crisis could persist for a while more and dangerous days are still ahead.'

IMAGE: A view of a damaged portion of a mosque, after it was hit by an Indian strike, in Muridke near Lahore, May 07, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

"A full-scale war is very dangerous and costly. The question is how much farther we go with airstrikes and drones and missiles," Christopher Clary tells Rediff.

Mr Clary, a long-term observer of the India-Pakistan relaionship, is assistant professor of political science at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He is also a nonresident fellow with the South Asia programme at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC.

What are the 5 things that have most startled you about the current India-Pakistan hostilities?

I've been watching and researching India-Pakistan crises for more than twenty years, but I have been surprised by how much misinformation has taken over discussion of the crisis on social and traditional media.

Neither government has provided information quickly enough to dispel rumours.

While I do not believe this has seriously complicated crisis diplomacy yet, it has made it challenging for those watching the crisis in India, Pakistan, and abroad to understand what is truly happening.

I was surprised that India opted to strike Muridke and Bahawalpur. Both in the Punjabi heartland of Pakistan, these targets have been often discussed in recent decades.

Yet striking them, hitting Punjab from the air for the first time since 1971, was a surprise for me.

The post-May 7 drone activity has also been a surprise. The activity has been amplified by social media and misinformation, but images of air defenses going off at night make for good visuals and have dominated the airwaves accordingly.

This is expensive business since air defence missiles are not cheap and drones frequently are.

Relatedly, India and Pakistan have not had a meaningful air component of their conflicts since 1971. The 1999 war had an associated Indian air campaign on the Kargil heights but those were very far removed from population centres.

Western India though is full of towns and cities and people who are understandably worried about drones and air defences above their heads, as is similarly true for their Pakistani counterparts across the line.

I have been surprised that almost all the outside powers have encouraged restraint but they have done so mostly rhetorically.

The United States especially has played a more distant, more neutral role than I might have anticipated given its behaviour in past crises and its growing ties with India.

After Pakistani drones targeting Indian cities, you posted on X that the old rules have been thrown out, that the new rules have not been written and so we are in for a dangerous period.

Could you please explain for our readers what you mean?

It is simply the case that drones have not been used against the population centres of either rival by the other in the history of the rivalry.

Some of this is technological, but drones have operated for surveillance purposes along the border and the Line of Control for many years now.

To use them in this offensive role is new. Both sides will have to figure out what to do with these standoff capabilities that make it possible to strike and which are expensive, but not impossible, to defend against.

IMAGE: A city view during the blackout amid a Pakistani attack in Jammu, May 8, 2025. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Unlike the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot air strike which ended rather quickly, this time it appears India is unwilling to get off the ramp so soon.

In your opinion, what is India trying to achieve by being resolute in its retaliatory responses?

While India came out of 2016 and 2019 feeling confident, Pakistan also felt positively after those crises believing that either India was exaggerating what had taken place or, in 2019, that Pakistan had given as good as it got on the military side of the ledger.

Modi would like to come out of this crisis with his brand intact as a defender of India but I think he also would like Pakistan to admit this was a costly crisis with a goal of changing troublesome Pakistani behaviour for many years rather than just a short period.

IMAGE: Army personnel examine the remains of a projectile discovered in Makhanwindi village near Amritsar, May 8, 2025. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/ANI Photo

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked both Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday evening to de-escalate immediately.

With President Trump and Vice President Vance shrugging their unwillingness to get involved in conflict resolution do you think India and Pakistan will even listen?

Is Saudi Arabia, which has some influence in both capitals, trying to get both sides to back off, like it did in 2019?

Is that why Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir was in Delhi on Thursday?

Lots of outside powers, including the Saudis and the Iranians, have offered to help. I don't think either side lacks conduits for communication.

What remains to be seen is if any outside power is willing to pull on economic or other levers to make de-escalation more attractive for one or both sides.

Both sides want to restore deterrence and that's a tricky thing to accomplish simultaneously.

IMAGE: A Mother's Tragedy: Her son Vihaan Barghava, 13, who was killed in cross-border shelling, weeps at a cremation ground in Poonch near the Line of Control, May 8, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

Is the Trump administration's unwillingness to direct some kind of resolution part of its no war charter, or with all the wounds DOGE has inflicted at the State Department, it lacks the expertise and personnel to intervene effectively?

The Trump administration is tired of having to do crisis diplomacy with Israel and its neighbors, with Ukraine and Russia, and with Iran.

I think it's occupied elsewhere. The fact that the transition was only a few months ago has also contributed since there are fewer senior officials than there might be if the administration was later in its term.

Is a conventional war still possible? Do you think the Pakistan army will back down from a military confrontation for fear that the war will decimate the country economically?

I think a full-scale war is very dangerous and costly and neither side desires it. The question is how much farther we go with airstrikes and drones and missiles.

Additionally the fighting along the Line of Control is intense and limited landgrabs in Kashmir are not impossible to imagine if this crisis worsens.

IMAGE: A house damaged by Pakistan shelling in Gingal village near the LoC in Baramulla district, May 9, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

As an astute observer of the Pakistan army, how would you explain the military's desire to provoke India with that horrific terrorist action in Pahalgam by its proxies?

What would Asim Munir and his military hope to achieve?

Proxy wars are tricky things. People lie about supporting proxies and so it's hard to infer motives. One possibility is Pakistani military officials didn't know about the planned attack.

Or perhaps Pakistan knew vaguely but didn't realise the attack would be so deadly. Still another possibility is Pakistan knew, of course.

If Pakistan knew, what might have been their motives? Pakistan alleges that India is engaged in a proxy war in Pakistan -- supporting the Baloch Liberation Army and Tehrek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

India says that is ludicrous. If Pakistan is sincere in its belief of Indian involvement in anti-Pakistan insurgencies, then perhaps more attacks in Kashmir could be a response to the worsening situation in Balochistan.

But as I said these are very tricky things to discuss with any confidence.

IMAGE: Married women apply sindoor to each other as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor during the Bangla Sanskriti Fair in Ranchi, May 9, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Is de-escalation of the situation some distance away? What will it take for both sides to de-escalate?

It is not impossible the situation will de-escalate quickly. I am worried that Pakistan will still feel compelled to take substantive military action beyond this apparent drone activity.

If so, the crisis could persist for a while more and dangerous days are still ahead.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'He decides who will be Pakistan's prime minister, president, even provincial chief ministers.'

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff

Author S Hussain Zaidi has just published his latest book From Dubai To Karachi: The Dawood Saga Continues.

Zaidi, a former crime reporter in Mumbai, began his career as an author with Black Friday: The True Story of Bombay Bomb Blasts (2002) in which he wrote how Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence, ISI, carried out the March 12, 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai with the underworld's help.

Dawood was living in Dubai when the blasts occurred.

Zaidi's second book Dongri to Dubai (2012) traced Dawood's rise from the lanes of Dongri in the Muslim quarter of south Mumbai and was a fascinating read.

From Dubai to Karachi: The Dawood Saga Continues tracks Dawood's crime career after he shifted to Karachi post the Mumbai blasts.

"I don't think Dawood can play any crucial role in an India-Pakistan war. He is only a businessman. He will not send his men to fight against India," Zaidi tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff. The first of a two-part interview.

Dawood Ibrahim will be 70 this year. Do you think he still commits terror acts in India?

Dawood per se on his own does not have any anti-India agenda.

People have not been able to decode Dawood Ibrahim. He never wanted to work against India.

If you see the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case you will find that the Indian government has only three statements against Dawood Ibrahim.

Only three out of 200 accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts made statements against Dawood.

And in those statements, they said Dawood was only helping Tiger (Memon), the main accused who orchestrated the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai.

He gave Tiger landing spots (to land RDX used in the blasts).

After the 1993 blasts Dawood has not played a dominant role in terror activities against India.

During the David Headley interrogation into 26/11, where he was interrogated for 30 hours by the NIA (National Investigation Agency), they asked him what was his opinion about Dawood Ibrahim to which Headley said, 'Dawood is a businessman. He is not into terrorism and has no reason to be dedicated to the cause of Islam or jihad.'

SEE: Hussain S Zaidi speaks about Dawood Ibrahim. Video: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff

But all his criminal activities are directed against India. Are you saying he is not active against India now?

Right now he is having fun in Pakistan. He is ruling (Pakistan). He has power.

He decides who will be the prime minister or president of Pakistan or for that matter even provincial chief ministers or members of the senate.

Dawood decides all these things, so why would he be bothered to work against India?

Do you mean Dawood is running Pakistan's deep state?

Dawood is the de facto ruler of Pakistan.

We have not read what you are claiming in the mainstream Pakistan media.

Javed Miandad in an interview asked who made Imran Khan prime minister of Pakistan and who ensured Imran should be ousted from power.

Now, if you read between the lines, you understand whose name Miandad is trying to mention. In his words, 'kuch log jo Allah ke pyare log hain, woh yeh sab kar sakte hain.'

Javed Miandad has openly stated that he is proud to be related to Dawood.

Dawood has been staying in Pakistan from 1994. Pakistan lost Osama bin Laden so they are very possessive about Dawood. They have guarded him very well.

In my book I have written about Pakistani actress Mehwish Hayat who has no real background in the film industry and yet she was awarded Pakistan's fourth highest civilian award (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz). How did she get this award?

Who will answer these questions? As a journalist I can only raise these questions.

I have visited Islamabad and Karachi and the people of those cities know Dawood very well.

What role can Dawood play against India in case of war with Pakistan?

He might be having his henchmen here, but I don't think Dawood can play any crucial role in an India-Pakistan war.

He is only a businessman. He will not send his men to fight against India.
The government decided on Saturday that India will treat any future act of terror on its soil as an "act of war" and respond accordingly, top official sources said, in a clear warning to Pakistan amid an intensifying conflict with the country following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

IMAGE: A man walks past security personnel standing guard on a street in Srinagar. Photograph: Sharafat Ali/Reuters

With this decision, the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to draw a red line against terror incidents and makes clear that it will follow a similar military response as it has after the Pahalgam incident if terrorists linked to Pakistan target India again.

The government's decision formalises India's firm response to any future act of terror.

A top government source said, "Any future act of terror in India will be considered an act of war against the country and will be responded to accordingly."

Modi has chaired a number of high-level meetings, including with the security establishment, since the hostilities broke out between the two countries, and the decision was an outcome of extensive consultations.

India has blamed Pakistan-based terror groups for a series of violent incidents targeting soldiers and civilians inside its territory for a long period of time, with the April 22 killing of 26 civilians at Kashmir's famous tourist site only the latest in such acts.

The Modi government, since coming to power in 2014, has drastically amped up its response to terror incidents linked to Pakistan, with the armed forces, in their most expansive strike against terrorist organisations, targeting nine terror sites in the neighbouring country and Pak-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan has since then attempted to attack a number of military installations and civilian population along India's northern and western borders. India has said it has responded befittingly.

India on Saturday said it has effectively blunted Pakistan's provocative action of employing multiple threats along the western border using drones, long-range weapons and fighter jets, targeting civilian areas and military infrastructure, as the conflict between the two neighbours widened further.

Pakistan has been observed to be moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an "offensive intent", to further escalate the situation, the Indian military said, adding that it remains in a high state of operational readiness.

As fears of a larger military conflict loom, military spokeswoman Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said the Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistani military.

India has asserted that it was Pakistan that escalated the situation with the Pahalgam terror attack.
Five persons, including a senior J-K government official and a two-year-old girl, were killed as intense mortar shelling and drone strikes by Pakistan hit Jammu region early Saturday, officials said.

IMAGE: Security personnel keep vigil at historic Ghar Lal Chowk after hearing loud explosions amid Pakistani attack in Srinagar, May 10, 2025. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff

Residents of Jammu city and other major towns of the division woke up to air raid sirens and deafening sounds of explosions around 5 am, while the border residents spent a sleepless night in the wake of intense shelling from across the border.

According to defence officials, Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continued along the western borders on Saturday.

Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart all enemy designs, they said.

Raj Kumar Thapa, additional district development commissioner, Rajouri, and his two staff members were seriously injured when an artillery shell hit his official residence in Rajouri town, the officials said.

They were rushed to the Government Medical College where Thapa succumbed to his injuries, they said.

Condoling Thapa's death,Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a post on X, "Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J-K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district and attended the online meeting I chaired.

"Today (Saturday) the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace."

Two more persons -- two-year-old Aisha Noor and Mohd Shohib (35) -- were killed and three others were injured in Pakistani shelling near an industrial area in Rajouri town, the officials said.

According to the officials, a 55-year-old woman named Rashida Bi lost her life when a mortar shell hit her house at Kanghra-Galhutta village in Mendhar sector of Poonch district.

In another incident, Ashok Kumar alias Shoki, a resident of Bidipur Jatta village, was killed in cross-border firing along the International Border in the R S Pura sector of Jammu district, they said.

Three more persons were also injured in intense shelling in Poonch and were evacuated to a hospital, they said, adding that a local journalist was injured in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri.

Several persons were injured when artillery shells and suspected drones hit some residential areas in Jammu, including Rehari and Roop Nagar in Jammu city.

"On May 9, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan opened fire on BSF posts in Jammu sector without any provocation. BSF is responding in commensurate manner causing widespread damage to posts and assets of Pakistan Rangers along the International Border. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken, BSF Jammu said in a post on X.

The fresh strikes followed after Pakistan launched a wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday.

The locations included Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota and Jammu in J-K, Ferozpur, Pathankot and Fazilka in Punjab, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan, and Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala in Gujarat.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.
From swarm drones, including the kamikaze variant, to armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Pakistan deployed these aerial assets to breach India's airspace in a bid to cause destruction during the ongoing conflict but the Indian military has effectively repulsed the attacks, according to people in the know.

IMAGE: Police personnel inspects the remains of a projectile debris found in an open field at Nahal village, in Jalandhar. Photograph: ANI Photo

A kamikaze drone or suicide drone drops with or without a payload on a target and then engages in self-destruction, or it destroys itself after dropping ammunition, people familiar with the technology said.

A source in the military establishment said that while drones, as a means of non-contact warfare, have played a key role in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and Russia-Ukraine war, it is seemingly the first time that drones have been used on such a large scale when seen in the context of India and Pakistan.

Pakistan has used swarm drones to intrude into Indian airspace, but have met with a proportionate and effective response from the Indian military thanks to its robust air defence system, they said.

On the intervening night of May 8-9, the Pakistan military carried out multiple violations of Indian airspace along the entire western border with an intent to target military infrastructure, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said at a press briefing in New Delhi, along with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC), drone intrusions were attempted from Leh to Sir Creek at 36 locations with approximately 300 to 400 drones.

"Indian Armed Forces brought down a number of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of these large-scale aerial intrusions were to test the AD (air defence) systems and gather intelligence, she said during the briefing on May 9.

Forensic examination of the drone debris is being undertaken, military officials have said.

Preliminary reports suggest them to be of the ASISGUARD Songar drone of Turkey. Later in the night, an armed UAV of Pakistan attempted to target Bathinda military station, which was detected and neutralised, Wing Commander Singh had said.

Songar armed drone system, developed by ASISGUARD, can be used in any kind of day or night military and security operations. The system can broadcast real-time video and operate within a mission radius of up to 5 km, according to the website of the Ankara-based company.

The military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalated in the past few days, with both military and civil authorities in India remaining on high alert.

On Saturday morning, the Indian Army said that Pakistan's "blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders".

From the border areas of Rajasthan in the west to Jammu in the north, sighting of many drones in parts of these locations in the last couple of days, have caused anxiety among local residents, many of whom are spending sleepless nights amid blackouts and sounds of sirens after dark.

In the early hours of today, at approximately 5 AM, Pakistani forces launched multiple Byker YIHA III kamikaze drones across the International Border towards Amritsar in Punjab, in a blatant attempt to strike densely populated residential areas, a defence source said.

As a result of the vigilance and rapid response of the Indian Army's Air Defence (AAD) network, the hostile drones were detected, tracked and engaged within seconds of breaching Indian airspace, the source said.

Using quick-reaction air-defence guns positioned in depth along the border belt, AAD gunners brought down the drones in mid-air, ensuring that no debris fell on civilian property and that no casualties were sustained, they said.

Initial analysis indicates that the drones carried high-explosive payloads intended to inflict maximum damage on innocent civilians, the source added.

A kamikaze drone is essentially an unmanned air vehicle that carries its own warhead, loiters over an area to locate a target, and then crashes into it, destroying both itself and the intended target, the source in the military establishment said.

The prompt neutralisation of this threat underscores the effectiveness of India's layered air-defence grid, which integrates ground-based radars, electro-optical sensors and automated command-and-control systems, they said.

Wing Commander Singh, along with Col Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Misri, also briefed the media on Saturday morning on the current situation.

Pakistani military continued with its provocations, carrying out aggressive actions employing multiple threat vectors all along the western border. Pakistan employed UCAV, drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructure, the IAF officer said.

Pakistan military also resorted to air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy calibre weapons along the Line of Control, she said.

The Ministry of Defence on Saturday said, Multiple armed drones have been sent through the night, endangering civilians and religious sites. The Indian armed forces remain vigilant and are committed to defending the sovereignty of the nation.
President Donald Trump on Saturday stated that India and Pakistan have agreed to a 'full and immediate' ceasefire after talks mediated by the United States.

IMAGE: The Rajasthan police retrives a large missile fragment in Barmer after attacks by Pakistan. Photograph: ANI Photo

'After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE,' Trump announced in a post on Truth Social.

The announcement by Trump came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir.

'VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik,' Rubio stated on X.

'I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,' Rubio added.

'We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.'

In New Delhi, government sources said stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries.

Pakistan's director general of military operations initiated the call on Saturday, May 10, 2025, afternoon after which discussions took place and understanding reached, they said.

India and Pakistan directly worked out the stopping of military actions, government sources said on Saturday.

"The stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries," said a source.

There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place, they said, countering Rubio's assertion that both governments have agreed to 'start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.'

In Islamabad, Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the ceasefire with immediate effect.

'Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!' Dar said in a post on X.

'We have agreed on a ceasefire from 4:30 pm (Pakistan Time) today,' Dar told Geo News, a Pakistan news television channel. Due to hectic diplomacy which had been going throughout the day, Dar said, the military channel of the hotline between the two countries was activated and officials got in contact and 'this thing happened'.

US Vice President J D Vance expressed gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their 'hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire'.

'Great work from the President's team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire,' Vance said in a post on X.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed 'all efforts to de-escalate the conflict'. 'We are monitoring but we welcome all efforts to de-escalate the conflict,' Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the secretary-general, told PTI in New York.

Soon after the announcement of the ceasefire, Pakistan said it was opening its airspace for all kinds of traffic.

'All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights,' the Pakistan airports authority said.
India's punitive measures against Pakistan including putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack will remain in place, government sources said on Saturday.

IMAGE: The Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam built on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban. Photograph: ANI Photo

The clarification came after India and Pakistan worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military actions, ending days of hostilities between their militaries.

India's measures announced against Pakistan on April 23 will remain effective, the sources said.

Terrorism will not go unpunished and India's resolve on terrorism remains firm, the sources added.

On the understanding between the two sides to end the hostilities, the sources said Pakistan called it a bilateral arrangement.

United States President Donald Trump was the first to announce the understanding between India and Pakistan and claimed credit for it.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," the US president announced in a post on Truth Social.

"Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump added.
India responded on Saturday to the Pakistani military's "provocative" and "escalatory" actions in a measured way and Islamabad is resorting to a wanton campaign of targeting innocent people and civilian infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

IMAGE: S-400 is playing a crucial role in destroying Pakistani projectiles. Photograph: ANI Photo

As the military conflict between the two neighbours escalated, Misri said at a media briefing in New Delhi that Pakistan's claims of destroying various places and military installations in India are "completely false".

The Indian and Pakistani militaries targeted each other's installations using missiles in the last over 12 hours, further escalating the already tense conflict situation.

The foreign secretary said the Pakistani claims about destroying the Sirsa and Surat air force stations are "completely false".

"There is a claim that has been made that the S-400 base at Adampur was destroyed, completely false, once again," he said.

"Claims made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems etc. being attacked and destroyed are completely false," he said.

The foreign secretary said Pakistan is peddling these lies for "obvious purposes".

"Pakistan continues with its execrable and wanton campaign of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, especially in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab," he said.

"There is also, on its part, a consistent attempt to sow discord between communities in India," Misri said.

The foreign secretary noted that there has been a particular focus in Pakistan's targeting of civilian infrastructure and the population in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

"Earlier this morning, Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri, killing Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thapa, adding to the civilian casualties and damage there," he said.

"We have also observed overnight damage to property and injuries to civilians in Ferozepur and Jalandhar, among other places," he added.

Misri strongly rejected Pakistan's "ludicrous claims" about India firing missiles towards Amritsar Sahib, saying these "lame attempts" to divide India are doomed to fail.

The foreign secretary also described as "false" Pakistan's allegations that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan.

"This is yet again a completely ludicrous claim that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan. Totally frivolous allegation. And I only want to point out that Afghan people do not need to be reminded about which country it is, that has on multiple occasions, in just the last one-and-a-half years, targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan," he said.

The foreign secretary slammed attempts by Pakistan to show that Indian people are criticising their own government on various issues.

"We have also seen in some of the remarks that have been shown on television that the Pakistan Army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that the Indian public should criticise the government of India with regard to various issues," he said.

"It may be a surprise to Pakistan to see citizens criticising their own government. That is the hallmark of an open and functioning democracy. Pakistan's unfamiliarity with that, again, should not be surprising," the foreign secretary added.
Scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation are working on a humanoid robot that can be part of frontline military mission, an official said on Saturday.

Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: File image of Indian soldiers conduct training to validate operational concepts in the deserts of Rajasthan.

The Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), a key lab under the DRDO, is developing a machine that can carry out complex tasks under direct human command, aiming to reduce troop exposure in high-risk environments, the official said.

Talking to PTI, S E Talole, group director at the Centre for Systems and Technologies for Advanced Robotics within the R&DE (Engineers), said the team has been engaged in the project for four years.

"We've developed separate prototypes for the upper and lower body and have successfully achieved certain functions during internal trials," he said, adding that the humanoid will be able to function on tough terrains like jungles.

The robot was recently showcased at the National Workshop on Advanced Legged Robotics held in Pune.

Currently in its advanced development phase, the team is focusing on refining the robot's ability to understand and execute operator commands.

The system relies on three key components: actuators that generate movement like human muscles, sensors that collect real-time data from the surroundings, and control systems that interpret this information to guide actions.

Talole said, "One of the biggest challenges is ensuring the robot can carry out desired tasks smoothly, which requires mastering balance, rapid data processing, and ground-level execution."

Researchers are concentrating on these aspects as they move towards completing the project by 2027, said Kiran Akella, a scientist leading the design team.

DRDO officials said legged robots, both bipedal and quadrupedal, offer immense potential in defence and security and sectors like healthcare, domestic assistance, space exploration, and manufacturing.

However, creating autonomous, efficient-legged robots comes with significant technological hurdles, they said.

Scientists explained that the humanoid's upper body would feature lightweight arms with a spherical revolute joint configuration, offering 24 degrees of freedom  7 in each arm, 4 in the gripper, and 2 in the head.

The robot will be able to perform complex autonomous tasks with closed-loop gripping and manipulate objects by turning, pushing, pulling, sliding doors, opening valves, and overcoming obstacles, especially in high-risk environments, they said.

Both arms will work collaboratively to safely handle hazardous materials such as mines, explosives, and liquids.

The system will operate seamlessly day or night, indoors or outdoors, and incorporate proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors, data fusion capabilities, tactical sensing, and audio-visual perception.

The humanoid biped will include features such as fall and push recovery, real-time map generation, autonomous navigation, and path planning through simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), enabling it to carry out complex autonomous operations in challenging, high-risk environments.
Local youths attend a Chinese-language night class organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

by Xinhua writers Hua Hongli, Lucas Liganga

DAR ES SALAAM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- As the sun sets over Dar es Salaam, casting a warm orange glow over the bustling city, a different kind of light begins to shine in a classroom at the University of Dar es Salaam's Confucius Institute.

Beneath the soft hum of ceiling fans, a diverse group of young Tanzanians gathers, including young professionals, eager entrepreneurs, fresh graduates and curious teenagers. Their eyes are fixed on the Chinese teacher, whose voice is gentle yet confident.

Among the students is 29-year-old entrepreneur Rajabu Seleman Malugu, a regular in the front row. Dressed neatly in a striped shirt, he leans forward with a poised pen and an open notebook. For Rajabu, learning Chinese is more than a cultural curiosity -- it is a business strategy.

"I realize that to expand my business, I need to understand the language and culture of my biggest market, which is China," he said. "Chinese people are masters of marketing. Even their advertisements inspire me. I want to learn from them, to speak their language, and perhaps one day, trade with them directly."

A few seats away sits Bhoke Juma Chacha, a 25-year-old aquatic science graduate. For her, Mandarin offers a gateway to new horizons.

"Learning Chinese is not just about language," she said. "It is about access -- access to jobs, access to travel, access to a world that values this language."

Bhoke has her sights set on a career in international trade or diplomacy. But she is also drawn by the beauty of the language itself. "Writing Chinese characters is like drawing pictures. It is an art. But it is also a challenge. One stroke can change the entire meaning," she said, showing her notebook filled with carefully drawn characters.

At the back of the classroom sits Wahad Haji Othman, a 19-year-old high school graduate awaiting the start of his tertiary education. "Learning Chinese is like learning the language of the future," he said.

At the front of the room, teacher Gao Yan moves between the rows. In her class, learning is not a burden but a journey, one filled with stories, games, cultural tales and laughter.

"For me, teaching Chinese is about connection," she said. "It is about helping my students see the world differently, to explore a new culture, to build bridges."

That bridge is already taking shape. Emmanuel Richard Legonga, a Tanzanian teacher who has worked at the Confucius Institute for eight years, has witnessed firsthand how students evolve through the program. Some have found jobs with Chinese companies in Tanzania; others have gone on to teach Chinese themselves.

"Every year, the number of learners grows. And each learner has a story," he said. "Chinese is not just a language here. It is a door to jobs, to education, to a wider world."

As the clock strikes 6:30 p.m., the class draws to a close. Students gather their notebooks, exchanging smiles and a few Chinese phrases: zai jian (goodbye) and xie xie (thank you).

Zhang Xiaozhen, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, said evening classes started in 2013 and currently serve 150 students. There are five classes for levels one to four, with five sessions each year.

The vision of the Confucius Institute is to become one of the leading Chinese language training and testing centers, as well as one of the best Chinese cultural and academic exchange centers in Africa, Zhang said.

For Rajabu, Bhoke, Wahad and many others, the Confucius Institute is more than a language school. It is a bridge between dreams and opportunities, between cultures, and perhaps, someday, between continents. Enditem.

Zhang Xiaozhen, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Bhoke Juma Chacha, a 25-year-old aquatic science graduate and one of the students attending the Chinese-language night class organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Emmanuel Richard Legonga (1st R), a Tanzanian teacher who has worked at the Confucius Institute for eight years, teaches local youths to learn Chinese in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Gao Yan, a Chinese teacher at the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, teaches local youths to learn Chinese in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Wahad Haji Othman, a 19-year-old high school graduate and one of the students attending the Chinese-language night class organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Rajabu Seleman Malugu, a 29-year-old entrepreneur and one of the students attending the Chinese-language night class organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Gao Yan, a Chinese teacher at the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, teaches local youths to learn Chinese in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

Emmanuel Richard Legonga (1st R, front), a Tanzanian teacher who has worked at the Confucius Institute for eight years, teaches local youths to learn Chinese in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)
The main focus of the all weather RISAT-1B satellite will be to observe the Indian land with its C-band synthetic aperture radar.

Kindly note the image has been published only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo

Beefing up its surveillance network in space, India will orbit one more spy in the sky -- the RISAT-1B or EOS-09, a radar imaging satellite -- on May 18 morning.

The RISAT-1B will be orbited by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C61) XL variant.

While the 1,710 kg RISAT-1B will be the main payload, smaller satellites will piggyback on it.

The main focus of the all weather RISAT-1B satellite will be to observe the Indian land with its C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR).

The satellite will be injected into the sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 529 km.

This will be the seventh RISAT series satellite launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation. The first RISAT satellite RISAT-2 was launched in 2009.

The other RISAT series satellites orbiting now are the RISAT-2, RISAT-1, RISAT-1A, RISAT-2B, RISAT-2BR1, RISAT-2BR2.

A former ISRO chairman said any satellite with a camera can be of dual use -- civilian and military.

Meanwhile, ISRO is also gearing up for another satellite launch with SAR in June.

ISRO will launch the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite, a joint India-US initiative.

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) -- code-named GSLV-F16 -- will orbit NISAR sometime this June.

ISRO began the launch campaign activities at Sriharikota in the first week of April.

After the completion of work related to NISAR at ISRO's Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment in Bengaluru, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had said the two countries are reviewing the launch date.

NISAR is a first-of-a-kind dual-band radar satellite that will measure land deformation from earthquakes, landslides, and volcanoes, producing data for science and disaster response.

Under this collaborative project, NASA is responsible for providing the L-Band SAR payload system and the Indian agency will supply S-Band SAR payload.

It will track how much glaciers and ice sheets are advancing or retreating and it will monitor growth and loss of forests and wetlands for insights on the global carbon cycle.

Twice every 12 days, the NISAR satellite will scan nearly all of earth's land and ice surfaces to measure changes in the planet's ecosystems, growth and retreat of its land and sea ice, and deformation of its crust.

The data gathered will assist in tasks as infrastructure monitoring, disaster response, biomass assessment, and agricultural management.

ISRO identified science and applications that were complementary to the primary mission objectives: Agricultural monitoring and characterisation, landslide studies, Himalayan glacier studies, soil moisture, coastal processes, coastal winds, and monitoring hazards.

Though NISAR has the SAR (synthetic aperture radar), a former ISRO chairman had earlier said NISAR will not be used for surveillance and will be used for earth observation.

Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
Residents living in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district close to the Line of Control flee to safer locations to escape shelling from Pakistan.

All photographs: Umar Ganie for Rediff

IMAGE: Houses in Uri damaged by Pakistan shelling.

IMAGE: Ambulances parked on hospital premises in Uri.

IMAGE: A house damaged in Pakistan shelling in Uri.

Photographs curated and presented by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Pakistan early Saturday claimed that its three airbases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones.

IMAGE: A viral video shows an explosion at Pakistan Nur Khan air force base. Photograph: Video grab/X

Pakistan military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that the Pakistan air force's Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases were targeted.

"But all assets of the air force remain safe," he claimed.

India fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets, he claimed, adding that several missiles were intercepted by Pakistan's air defence system.

He said this is a "sinister act of India pushing the region into lethal war and Pakistan will respond to this aggression. India should wait for our response".

Chaudhry did not take any questions and ended the presser abruptly.

Minutes later, state-run PTV said citing security officials that Pakistan has launched a counter attack. The Pakistan airport authority issued a notification stating that Pakistan's airspace has been closed from 3.15 am to 12 noon for all kinds of air traffic.

A senior government official was killed and two staff members were critically injured in Pakistani shelling in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir early on Saturday, officials said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri Raj Kumar Thapa and two staff members were seriously injured when an artillery shell hit his residence in Rajouri town, the officials said. They were rushed to the Government Medical College.

Thapa succumbed to his injuries while the condition of his staff members is stated to be critical, according to the officials.

'Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired,' J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on X.

'Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thapa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace,' Omar stated.

Multiple blasts were heard in Srinagar city early on Saturday morning, hours after the Indian military thwarted drone attacks by Pakistan on several installations, including the airport, late last night.

According to officials, the blasts were heard near vital installations, including the airport.

As soon as the blasts were heard, sirens went off in the city.

Power has also been snapped in the city and most other parts of the Kashmir Valley, the officials said.

Explosion-like sounds were heard in Pathankot district in Punjab early Saturday morning, amid the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan.

The blast sounds were heard around 5 am. There was no official word in this regard.

Authorities enforced a blackout in Pathankot on Friday night and urged residents to stay indoors.

Security forces thwarted multiple attacks by Pakistani drones in Punjab's Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, and Amritsar districts on Friday evening, according to officials.

In Ferozepur, three members of a family were injured on Friday night after a crashing projectile from a Pakistani drone destroyed by the air defence system landed at their house in Khai Pheme Ke village, setting the structure and a car on fire.

In an immediate response to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations on Saturday, India launched retaliatory strikes, sources told ANI.

Intermittent firing is still underway at multiple places along the Line of Control.

Meanwhile, smoke was seen rising after a loud explosion in the Dibber area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur.

Houses and property were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions.

Loud explosions were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, a day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and the International Border was foiled by Indian air defence, Pakistan's drones were again sighted in the Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot sectors on Friday.

India had earlier responded with precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, following the initial escalation triggered by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack.

IMAGE: The rubble of damaged properties in Uri in Baramulla after Thursday night's shelling by Pakistan, May 9, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC).

In its statement the ministry of defence said, 'Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

'Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces.

'The Indian armed forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary.

'Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential.'

In Punjab, a drone-related explosion damaged a house in Kanganiwal village in rural Jalandhar.

Surjeet Kaur, a local resident, described the moment of the attack: "A red coloured flash came above our house and there was a huge explosion. We got scared. Everything was dark. We came out of our houses after a short while and saw that the water tank above our houses and our neighbours' houses had exploded. There was a blackout at that time, and all the lights were off."

The G7 counties on Saturday in a joint statement condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In the statement, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, US and the European Union called for restraint on both sides of the border.

'We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan,' the statement read.

'Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides,' it said.

The statement said that both parties should engage in dialogue for a peaceful outcome.

'We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution,' the statement read.

Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt while speaking on US efforts to mediate on the conflict between India and Pakistan said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate, Leavitt said.

'This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The president wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible,' Leavitt said.

'He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office. However, he has good relationships with the leaders of both countries,' Leavitt added.

'Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I spoke to him just yesterday. He has been in constant communication with the leaders of both countries, trying to bring this conflict to an end.'

Ports, vessels ordered to beef up security

Dhruvaksh Saha & Ishita Ayan Dutt/Business Standard

Indian ports and vessels have been ordered to enforce heightened maritime security measures and blackout protocols amid rising tensions and a maritime threat looming large in the Arabian Sea.

'In light of recent developments and growing concerns regarding potential threat to Indian ports, coast, terminals and vessels, to emphasise the necessity of implementing additional protective measures during period of heightened security risks, it is hereby directed that all ports, terminals and shipyards, shall ensure heightened maritime measures, including elevation to ISPS security Level 2 with immediate effect,' a notice to all maritime stakeholders by India's shipping regulator Directorate General of Shipping said.

'All Indian-flagged vessels operating in and near to the Indian subcontinent, and neighbouring countries, are required to elevate security to Level 2 and implement the applicable security measures according to the ship security planThe International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Level-2, among other measures, includes enhanced monitoring of access points, stricter access controls, increased frequency of security patrols, and potentially searches of people, baggage, and vehicles' the Directorate General of Shipping added.

Ports and terminals have also been asked to conduct blackout tests and unannounced security drills to test and reinforce preparedness.

Chief information security officers of all port facilities will review their IT security systems to prevent any threats of cyberattacks.

The shipping regulator earlier banned all vessels from Pakistan from docking at Indian ports.

Transporters are also bracing for disruption.

"It is very early to quantifiably assess the impact on shipments. Blackout protocols in border states have brought disruptions to logistics. Additionally, several port facilities on the western coast have also been involved for military use, potentially impacting movement of cargo from these ports," said Dushyant Mulani, chairman of Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India.

To ensure commercial operations are not impacted, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal conducted a high-level review meeting on Friday with officials from ports and other stakeholder departments.

'Considering the prevailing situation, the union minister took stock of key maritime projects and directed the officials to ensure that the business remains as usual. Sonowal also reviewed measures to be taken to ensure smooth and normal movement of cargo operations,' a statement by the ministers office said.
Opposition parties on Saturday questioned the "US-brokered" ceasefire between India and Pakistan and demanded that the government brief political parties about it and call a special session of Parliament to discuss the events of the past 18 days, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the "enemy on its knees".

IMAGE: People seen at Lal Chowk after the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan , in Srinagar on May 10, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Hours after, however, firing from the Pakistani side was reported in Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Drones were also seen in the Pir Panjal area.

Defence sources said drones came in and firing occurred earlier, but "no firing is happening along the Line of Control now".

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister should chair an all-party meeting to take political parties into confidence in view of the "unprecedented announcements from Washington DC".

"A US-brokered ceasefire once again! Like it or not, it reaffirms the US position once again as being the single biggest outside balancer of power in multiple regions of the World," Congress leader Manish Tewari said in a post on X.

The BJP hailed the prime minister's leadership and the bravery of the armed forces following the announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya underscored that the ceasefire was announced after the Pakistan Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart, requesting a ceasefire.

"India accepted the offer but only after announcing a revised war doctrine: henceforth, any future terrorist attack on Indian soil will be treated as an act of war," Malviya said.

Ramesh said there was a need, more than ever before, for -- the prime minister to chair an all-party meeting and take political parties into confidence.

There is also now a need, more than ever before, for a special session of Parliament to discuss the events of the last 18 days, beginning with the brutal Pahalgam terror attack and the way forward, and to demonstrate a collective resolve, he said.

Congress leaders, meanwhile, shared on X photographs of former prime minister Indira Gandhi with armed forces personnel during various points in time and said, "India misses Indira."

The Congress quoted Indira Gandhi's letter to then-US president Richard Nixon, telling him that the time had passed when any nation sitting thousands of miles away could give orders to Indians on the basis of colour superiority to do as they wished.

"That was courage, that was standing up for India, that was not compromising with the nation's pride," it said in a post on X.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also demanded that Modi convene a special session of Parliament and share in greater detail the incidents that unfolded -- from the terror strike in Pahalgam to the ceasefire announcement -- so that "all Indians, in one voice, can express gratitude to the courage and the valour displayed by the armed forces".

"US President Donald Trump announcing a ceasefire unsettles me. That's why I feel the prime minister should call a special session of Parliament over this," said RJD MP Manoj Jha.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah welcomed the ceasefire, saying it was better late than never.

Abdullah said the Pakistan DGMO called his Indian counterpart and they agreed to establish a ceasefire again in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav praised Modi for his resolute response to the Pahalgam attack and for bringing enemies "to their knees".

Left parties the CPI and the CPI-M welcomed the ceasefire but said the US's role in the process "raised certain questions".

"We believe India and Pakistan have the maturity to address their issues bilaterally, without interference by Donald Trump and the US," CPI general secretary D Raja said.

"It is disquieting that there is an impression that the US mediated the ceasefire. Hope we don't entertain any internationalisation of the Kashmir issue," CPI(M) leader John Brittas said.

NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar said every step taken in the direction of peace strengthened the collective fight against terrorism.

"Proud of India's armed forces, our air defence was spectacular. Big salute. To our people in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chandigarh, Haryana a hat tip to your courage! The guns may have turned silent but Indians have spoken loudly and clearly -- to Pakistan and the world -- United India, stronger India," Shiv Sena-UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said on X that he wished Modi had announced the ceasefire rather than the president of a foreign country.

"We have always been opposed to third party intervention since Simla (1972). Why have we now accepted it? I hope the Kashmir issue will not be internationalised, as it is our internal matter," he said.

The JD-U, a part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, welcomed the ceasefire announcement.

JD-U spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said India had taught Pakistan a lesson that it would never be able to forget.

TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also welcomed the ceasefire.

"A ceasefire has been considered at the request of Pakistan," said Naidu, whose party is a key constituent of the ruling NDA.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect after four days of cross-border strikes that triggered fears of a wider conflict.

The brief announcement came shortly after Trump said India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.

Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said, "I am glad that there is now a ceasefire and we should move forward and Pakistan should ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, has a dark past with a shadow of terrorism looming large.

IMAGE: Spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. Photograph: X

He is the son of a nuclear scientist who was sanctioned by the United Nations and the US for providing crucial information and technical expertise to the terror group al-Qaeda, Indian officials have disclosed.

Lt Gen Chaudhry, a three-star general, has been briefing the press in his capacity as the chief of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) since India conducted intelligence-based strikes at nine terror camps, including the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, to avenge the fatal attack on 26 people, mainly tourists, in Pahalgam on April 22.

As per the United Nations documents, Chaudhry's father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, was known to have met the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Born in Amritsar, Mahmood allegedly provided insights into the infrastructure necessary for a nuclear weapons programme as well as the effects associated with nuclear weapons.

He was also accused of raising funds for a fundamentalist organisation, Ummah Tameer-e-Nau, founded in 1999 to support humanitarian causes in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan before the US invasion in 2001.

Mahmood, who retired from the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, has authored several books on the intersection of religion and science, including "Mechanics of the Doomsday and Life after Death", in which he reflects on the ultimate fate of the universe from an Islamic perspective.

Currently 85, Mahmood lives in Islamabad.

He was arrested in 2001 after reportedly admitting to meeting Osama bin Laden, but was later released when authorities concluded that he lacked the technical knowledge to transfer nuclear secrets.

His name also figures in the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons list of the US Treasury department.

Lt Gen Chaudhry was appointed as the Director General of ISPR by Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir in December 2022.

He was the first officer from the Pakistan Army's Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering to rise to this position.

He previously held significant roles, including the director general of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), a clandestine military research entity, besides working in military operations.

The Ummah Tameer-e-Nau, which was banned and sanctioned by the US in 2001, had ties to several notable figures in Pakistan, including the controversial former director general of ISI, Lt Gen Hamid Gul.
After targeting several locations and civilians in different areas in India, the Pakistan Army is now moving its troops towards forward areas, signalling possible offensive intentions.

IMAGE: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a special press briefing on Operation Sindoor in New Delhi on May 10, 2025. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo

Addressing a press briefing on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas.

Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan.

"Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates," Singh said.

"In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets. Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa. India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added.

Earlier today, Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones were recovered in Punjab's Amritsar which were launched by Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, as per defence officials.

The attacks were launched in several civilian areas of the region leaving their lives endangered. The attempt was thwarted by the Indian Army Air Defence guns at 5 am as the drones were destroyed in the air itself, as per the defence officials.

"Pakistan launched Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones in Amritsar, Punjab endangering the residential areas of Punjab. The attempt was thwarted by Army Air Defence guns at 5 AM today, destroying the same in the air. The drone was aimed to target civilian areas and innocent civilians," defence officials said in their statement.

Fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were also recovered by the locals in Rajasthan's Barmer on Saturday.
The International Monetary Fund has approved the immediate disbursement of about USD 1 billion to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility.

IMAGE: A Pakistan Ranger stands guard before the start of a parade at the Pakistan-India joint check post at Wagah border, near Lahore, Pakistan. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters

Pointing out that rewarding continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism sends a dangerous message to the global community, India abstained from voting at the crucial International Monetary Fund held on Friday in Washington, DC.

An IMF statement soon after said its Executive Board concluded the initial review of Pakistan's economic reform programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.

This decision allows for an immediate disbursement of around USD 1 billion (SDR 760 million), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to about USD 2.1 billion (SDR 1.52 billion), the Washington-based global lender said.

According to the IMF, Special Drawing Rights (SDR) is an international reserve asset created to supplement the official reserves of its member countries.

In addition, the IMF Executive Board approved the authorities' request for an arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), with access of about USD 1.4 billion (SDR 1 billion).

The IMF said in a statement that Pakistan's 37-month EFF was approved on September 25, 2024 and aims to build resilience and enable sustainable growth, with priorities including entrenching macroeconomic sustainability.

It said the RSF will support Pakistan's efforts to reduce vulnerabilities to natural disasters and to build economic and climate resilience.

Following the Executive Board discussion, Deputy Managing Director and Chair Nigel Clarke said risks to the outlook remain elevated, particularly from global economic policy uncertainty, rising geopolitical tensions, and persistent domestic vulnerabilities.

India earlier raised concerns over the efficacy of IMF programmes in the case of Pakistan, given its poor track record, and also on the possibility of misuse of debt financing funds for state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

New Delhi also opposed the IMF's proposal to extend fresh loans of USD 2.3 billion to Pakistan, saying they could also be misused for financing state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

India registered its protest at the board of IMF and abstained from voting at the crucial meeting. The IMF took note of India's statements and its abstention from the vote.

New Delhi's opposition at the IMF comes at a time when the Indian and Pakistani militaries are targetting each other's installations using missiles over the last two days, further escalating the already tense conflict situation triggered by the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

India abstained from the vote because IMF rules do not permit a formal no vote, official sources noted and added that the rules allow either any of the 25 directors, who represent member countries or groups of countries, to vote in favour of a proposal or abstain to show their disapproval.

Unlike in the United Nations, where each country has one vote, they noted that the IMF voting power reflects the economic size of each member. So a country like the United States holds a disproportionately high voting share, the sources said.

An official said, By abstaining, India conveyed its strong dissent within the constraints of the IMF's voting system and used the opportunity to formally record its objections.

India's key objections included the questioning of the effectiveness of the ongoing IMF assistance, noting that Pakistan has received support in 28 of the past 35 years, including four programmes in just the last five years, without any meaningful or lasting reform, the official added.

India strongly highlighted the Pakistani military's continued dominance in economic affairs, which undermines transparency, civilian oversight, and sustainable reform.

After the IMF meeting, the Indian finance ministry said in a statement in New Delhi that India pointed out that rewarding continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism sends a dangerous message to the global community, exposes funding agencies and donors to reputational risks and makes a mockery of global values.

While the concern that fungible inflows from international financial institutions, like the IMF, could be misused for military and state-sponsored cross-border terrorist purposes resonated with several member countries.

The IMF's response is circumscribed by procedural and technical formalities. This is a serious gap highlighting the urgent need to ensure that moral values are given appropriate consideration in the procedures followed by global financial institutions, the ministry said.

It further said that the Pakistan military's deeply entrenched interference in economic affairs poses significant risks of policy slippages and reversal of reforms.

Even when a civilian government is in power now, the army continues to play an outsized role in domestic politics and extends its tentacles deep into the economy. A 2021 UN report described military-linked businesses as the largest conglomerate in Pakistan, the statement said.

The situation has not changed for the better; rather the Pakistan army now plays a leading role in the Special Investment Facilitation Council of Pakistan, it noted.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office in Pakistan said, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the approval of a USD 1bn dollar instalment for Pakistan by the IMF and the failure of India's high-handed tactics against it.

Pakistan's economic situation has improved, and the country is moving towards development. India is plotting a conspiracy to divert attention from our country's development through unilateral aggression, it said.

Indian attempts to sabotage the IMF programme have failed, the statement claimed, adding that the IMF programme would help stabilise Pakistan's economy and put it on the path towards long-term recovery.

We are working on priority areas such as tax reform, improved energy sector performance and private sector development. The improved economic indicators in the last 14 months are a reflection of the government's positive policies, it added.

The approval of the IMF's executive board has led to an immediate disbursement of USD 1 billion, bringing total disbursements under the loan programme to about USD 2 billion.

On the successful completion of seven half-yearly reviews, Pakistan is entitled to seven equal instalments of about USD 1 billion under the loan programme.

Pakistan and the IMF had reached a three-year USD 7 billion aid package deal in July last with the new programme set to allow the country to cement macroeconomic stability and create conditions for stronger, more inclusive and resilient growth.

The IMF and Pakistan had reached a staff-level agreement on March 25 this year on the first biannual review of the 39-month USD 7 billion loan programme, agreeing on a series of reforms including the introduction of a carbon levy, timely revisions to electricity tariffs, increased water pricing and liberalisation of the automobile sector.
We woke up to sound of sirens blaring... moments later, a massive blast rocked our house, recalled a resident of Rehari Colony in Jammu city that was among the worst-hit in the region by intense mortar shelling and drone strikes by Pakistan early Saturday.

IMAGE: Damaged vehicles are seen in the neighbourhood, following Pakistan's military operation against India, in Rehari, Jammu, May 10, 2025. Photograph: Reuters

The morning assault came hours after multiple drones were intercepted overnight by Indian armed forces.

The attacks struck six locations in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, waking residents from their sleep with deafening explosions.

Among the worst-hit was the densely populated Rehari Colony, where a bomb tore through the home of Gulshan Dutta, leaving the structure and several nearby vehicles in ruins.

One person was injured, but the family narrowly escaped.

We stepped out onto the balcony after waking up to the sound of sirens and rushed to the ground floor. Moments later, a massive blast rocked our house, Dutta's wife recalled.

The sirens saved our lives, she said. If we hadn't moved, we would have been dead. Mata Rani protected us.

Scenes of devastation in Rehari Colony resembled a war zone -- splintered concrete, twisted metal, shattered windows and fragments embedded in walls and vehicles.

Around 5:15 am today, Dutta heard the blast that shook his home to its foundation.

Our entire house trembled. We thought it was the end, he said.

Another bomb reportedly targeted the revered Aap Shambhu temple but landed near an isolated house instead, averting what could have been mass casualties.

We had come for our morning prayers when a loud explosion shattered the silence. Debris flew everywhere, said Sudesh Kumar, a devotee.

Had it happened later, dozens could have been killed, he said.

In Janipur, a shell tore through the roof of a home, causing widespread damage in the vicinity. However, the family had locked the house and moved to another place due to fear.

Several neighbourhoods reported panic and sleepless nights following the explosions and overnight drone activity.

We were up all night due to the drone alerts. Then came the blasts. There is fear now people feel unsafe even in their homes, said Omkar Singh, a resident of Jainpur.

Shakuntala Devi from Hazuribagh echoed the concern. They are targeting civilians now. When they can't fight our army, they try to break us by hitting innocents, she said.

Despite the fear, some residents voiced defiance. Kartar Chand, who works in a warehouse near a business hub, witnessed a shell explode nearby early today.

We are not afraid, but Pakistan must be made to pay for this. They must not be allowed to continue sponsoring terror in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Talab Tillo resident Devi Sharan Gupta said the attacks brought back memories of the 1971 war.

I haven't seen anything like this in Jammu since then. This kind of deliberate targeting of civilian areas is unprecedented, he said.

On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attacks, calling them the worst targeting of civilians in Jammu city since 1971.
Indian Army's Air Defence units early Saturday morning shot down multiple Kamikaze drones launched by Pakistan after they crossed the International Border in Punjab's Amritsar, defence sources said.

IMAGE: Wrecked remains of Pakistan's Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drone found in Amritsar on May 10, 2025. Photographs: ANI Photo

The drones, identified as Byker YIHA III models, were launched around 5 am and were headed toward densely populated civilian areas, they said.

The Indian Army's Air Defence (AAD) system responded swiftly, detecting and destroying the drones within seconds of their entry into the Indian airspace, the sourdes added.

The drones were brought down using quick-reaction air defence guns deployed along the border. No casualties or damage to civilian property was reported, the sources said.

Initial findings suggest the drones were carrying high-explosive payloads designed to cause mass civilian harm. They described the attempted strike as a "fresh low" in Pakistan's continuing provocation.

The incident highlights the efficiency of India's multi-layered air-defence system, which combines ground-based radars, electro-optical sensors, and automated control systems for real-time threat response.
The United States has said both India and Pakistan need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation, proposing support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes.

IMAGE: Projectile debris found in an open field at Makhanwindi village, in Amritsar on May 8, 2025. Photograph: Raminder Pal Singh/ANI Photo

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement early Saturday.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly following India's Operation Sindoor on early Wednesday and Pakistan's subsequent unsuccessful attempt to attack 15 Indian cities.

In his call with Jaishankar, Rubio emphasised that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation.

Rubio further proposed US support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes.

In the conversation with Dar, Rubio reiterated that both parties must find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation.

Rubio also offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.

Earlier, Rubio had spoken with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir and he offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.

Rubio had previously spoken with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

On Friday, the White House said US President Donald Trump wants to see the conflict between India and Pakistan de-escalate as quickly as possible.

The President has expressed he wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible. He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

This is something that the Secretary of State and, of course, now our national security advisor as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in, Leavitt added.

She was responding to a question about the US efforts to mediate or have an impact on the conflict between India and Pakistan.
KHARTOUM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 19 inmates were killed and more than 45 others injured in a drone strike targeting a central prison in El Obeid in western Sudan's North Kordofan State on Saturday, according to a medical source and eyewitnesses.

A medical source at El-Obeid Hospital, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua that the 19 dead bodies and the 45 injured have arrived at the hospital, and that "the number of casualties is expected to rise."

An eyewitness near the central prison building told Xinhua that "three drones launched around five missiles at the prison, with about three of them directly striking the building and the inmates' living quarters."

Another eyewitness said, "Rescue operations inside the prison are still ongoing, and the number of the dead and injured is higher than what has been announced."

So far, no official statement has been issued regarding the incident.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified its drone attacks recently on military sites and key facilities in areas controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), including El Obeid.

Local media reported that the RSF continued its drone attacks for the seventh consecutive day on Port Sudan on Saturday, which has become the de facto administrative center of the country since May 2023. The RSF has not commented on the report.

Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with the exact toll unable to be verified. The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 15 million people have been displaced, both within Sudan and abroad. 
Saudi Arabia early Saturday said it was making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels.

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets Saudi Arabia Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Aljubeir, in New Delhi, May 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

In a brief statement, the foreign ministry said that upon the directives of the Saudi leadership, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9 as part of the Kingdom's "ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".

The Saudi statement came as tensions soared significantly, with Pakistan claiming that its three airbases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones early Saturday.

Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases of Pakistan Air Force were targeted.

Minutes later, citing security officials, state-run PTV said that Pakistan has launched a retaliatory operation "Bunyan al-Marsous", meaning "Iron Wall".

Al-Jubeir travelled to New Delhi on Thursday on an unannounced visit and discussed with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar the situation that has developed since India's military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir early Wednesday.

On Friday, the Saudi minister visited Islamabad, where he held talks with Pakistan's top leadership.

Tensions between the two neighbours increased after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages.

Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday, with the defence ministry saying the enemy's attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases, were successfully thwarted.
An unidentified projectile landed in a residential area at Kanganiwal village in Punjab's Jalandhar district early Saturday amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan, officials said.

IMAGE: Remains of Pakistans Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones shot down by Indias air defence system in Amritsar, Punjab, May 10, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Local residents said a migrant labourer was injured in the incident, while a few houses in the area also sustained damage. Parts of the unidentified object were lying in the area, they said.

"I was standing near a window when some object hit a water tank (of a house) around 1.30 am, shattering glasses of 4-5 houses before landing," a woman from the area said.

A migrant labourer who suffered injuries to his arm was taken to the hospital, she said.

Satinder Kumar, a local, said, "The water tank of our house was damaged, while many window panes were shattered. There was smoke all around."

Another local resident, Muskan, too said a big explosion took place at night that forced several people to come out of their homes.

"One car was damaged...We were all scared," she said.

Sharing her experience, Surjit Kaur said a red-coloured light flashed in the sky which was followed by a big explosion.

"Water tanks of some other houses in the area were also damaged," she said.

Explosion-like sounds were also heard in Pathankot district around 5 am on Saturday. However, there was no official word in this regard.

In Amritsar and Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran districts, there were reports of explosion-like sounds being heard in the wee hours on Saturday.

In Haryana's Sirsa too, some locals claimed they heard blast-like sounds after midnight.

The attacks followed after Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday.

According to officials, the security forces thwarted multiple drone attacks launched by Pakistan in Punjab's Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka and Amritsar districts.

In Ferozepur, three members of a family were injured on Friday night after a crashing projectile from a Pakistani drone destroyed by Indian air defence system landed at their house at Khai Pheme Ke village, setting the structure and a car on fire.

Tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in

response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border linkages
Every misadventure and future escalation by Pakistan will be responded to with strength and decisive action, Indian military said on Saturday.

IMAGE: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Commodore Raghu R Nair and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi hold a press conference after the India, Pakistan agreed to ceasefire, in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The remarks came shortly after the two neighbours reached an understanding to stop military actions.

"While we will be adhering to the understanding reached today, we remain fully prepared to defend India's sovereignty," Commodore Raghu Nair said.

We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation, he said at a media briefing.

Every misadventure by Pakistan will be met with strength and every future escalation will invite a decisive response, he said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said Pakistan's claim of destroying India's S-400 missile base is completely false.

Several attempts were made by Pakistan to spreading mis-information, she added.

Pakistan has suffered heavy losses in both land and air domains, Singh said.

The military officer also said that Pakistan's claim of destroying a BrahMos installation was false.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 83F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.
India and Pakistan agreed to an immediate cease-fire, US President Donald Trump and officials from both South Asian countries said, after the biggest flare-up of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in years sparked fears of a full-scale war.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform on May 10. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence."

The announcement was subsequently confirmed by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who wrote on X that the South Asian archrivals "have agreed to a cease-fire with immediate effect."

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a news conference that a senior Pakistani military official called his Indian counterpart in the afternoon and they agreed "that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air, and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST (13:30 CET)."

Despite talk of the cease-fire, both sides accused the other of violations in the following hours.

Misri accused Islamabad of repeatedly violating the agreement, and explosions were heard in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to the BBC.

"For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding we arrived at earlier this evening," Misri said, adding that Indian forces have been "given instructions to deal strongly with violations.

Pakistans Foreign Ministry accused India of its own violations and said Pakistani forces "are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint."

Still, Pakistan and India both said they remained committed to the cease-fire agreement.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the governments of India and Pakistan had also agreed "to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site." In a post on X, Rubio said he and Vice President JD Vance had been in contact with senior Indian and Pakistani officials over the previous 48 hours.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the cease-fire agreement a "positive step" and "hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Earlier, Islamabad and New Delhi both suggested they would halt their fiercest fighting in years if the other side did the same, but they continued to trade attacks on May 10 and tension persisted.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told the BBC that if India steps back, Islamabad will reciprocate. He spoke after India said it was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan responded in kind.

Dar made similar remarks to the country's Geo News outlet, but he warned that our response will follow if India launches any strikes.

The comments came after Pakistan said it launched a military operation against India after accusing it of firing missiles at three Pakistani air bases late on May 9, another escalation.

Pakistani security sources told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that the operation is codenamed Bunyanun Marsoos, an Arabic word taken from a verse in the Koran meaning a strong pillar.

Reports said Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called an urgent meeting of the National Command Authority, which deals with the country's nuclear arms policy, among other functions. But Defense Minister Khwaja Asif said later on May 10 that no meeting had taken place.

Pakistan's Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said a depot used to store Indias Brahmos missiles had been destroyed. The military said attacks on several other locations, including the Pathankot Airfield and Udhampur Air Force Station, had also taken place. Pakistan also said it fired Fatah 1 missiles on the two Indian air bases.

The Indian Army called Pakistan's actions unacceptable.

"Pakistans blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 a.m., Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar," the army said on X. "The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defense units."

The fresh attacks started hours after Saudi Arabia's foreign minister left Pakistan. Adel Al-Jubeir was in Islamabad to meet with Sharif, according to a statement. He visited India before landing in Islamabad on May 9 for talks with Pakistani leaders.

Pakistani security sources also claimed that a simultaneous cyberattack had been launched and electrical power in several cities had been cut.

The security sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, added that the Pakistani side has decided that if India launched more attacks, they would hit the highways in India.

Pakistan said earlier that missiles, apparently fired by India, had fallen at different locations in Pakistan.

One of the missiles hit the Noor Khan Air Noor Khan Airbase Base in Rawalpindi city. The air base is where the military has its headquarters and is less than 30 kilometers from key buildings, including the Presidential House, the House of Parliament, and the prime ministers house, in the Pakistani capital city of Islamabad.

Fahim Ahmad, a resident of Rawalpindi city, who lives near the Noor Khan Air Base, told Radio Mashaal, he saw an object blasted out of the air and drop near the air base.

Ahmad said alarm sirens went off, heightening fears of a large escalation just days after Indian air strikes claimed multiple lives in Pakistan, prompting Sharif to vow retaliation.

Speaking at a hastily arranged news conference soon after the missiles were fired on Pakistan late on May 9, the director-general of the ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif, said an attack by India to target the Noor Khan Air Base had been foiled.

Two other missiles were fired at two other air bases -- Murid Air Base and Shorkot Air |Base -- he said. Sharif claimed that India also fired some missiles in Afghanistan.

An explosion was reported in the city of Peshawar in the early hours of May 10, according to Radio Mashaal correspondent Wasim Sajjad.

We were awakened by the sound of an explosion around 3 a.m. (local time), which was followed by firing from the ground, Sajjad said. We saw lights going from the ground toward the sky with sounds of firing that continued for nearly an hour.

The explosion drew people out of their houses and apartments into the dark night, said Sajjad.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals have soared since an attack at a popular tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22. New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the assault, an accusation Islamabad rejects.

Azaz Seyed, author and journalist, told Radio Mashaal that the world is not taking interest in stopping a looming full-fledged conflict between India and Pakistan.

The Group of Seven leading industrialized countries on May 9 urged both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and called on them to engage in direct dialogue.

The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, and the European Union said they "strongly condemn" a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir on April 22 and "urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan."

Indian and Pakistani forces on May 7 exchanged artillery fire after Indian air strikes claimed multiple lives. Both sides reported several fatalities in the shelling. Pakistan also claimed to have shot down several Indian jets.

Indian forces on May 6 hit targets across Pakistani-administered Kashmir and Pakistans Punjab Province.

India said it carried out precision strikes against terrorists following the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago that killed 26 Hindu tourists.

India had earlier said that two of three suspects in that attack were Pakistani nationals but had not detailed any evidence. Pakistan denied that it had anything to do with the killings.

India and Pakistan, which gained independence from Britain in 1947, fought full-scale wars in 1948, 1965, and 1971, and a limited conflict in 1999. The central issue remains the Kashmir Valley, which India regards as its Atoot Ang -- integral part -- while Pakistan sees it as the unfinished agenda of partition of the subcontinent.

Kashmir is divided between three nuclear-armed neighbors, with India controlling about 45 percent, Pakistan about 35 percent, and China -- following a brief war with India in 1962 -- the remaining 20 percent.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
KYIV -- The leaders of Germany, France, Poland, and Britain joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in pressing for an unconditional 30-day cease-fire in Russia's war against Ukraine, warning Moscow it would face "massive" new sanctions if President Vladimir Putin balks at the proposed truce.

Zelenskyy and his foreign minister said the leaders agreed the cease-fire should start on May 12.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy, and British and Polish prime ministers Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk announced the proposal after a meeting in Kyiv on May 10. They spoke to US President Donald Trump by phone following the talks.

"So all of us here together with the US are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a news conference. "No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays."

"If he turns his back on peace, we will respond. Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine's defense," said Starmer, who also stated that the plan calls for the cease-fire to begin on May 12.

The New York Times quoted an unidentified senior U.S. official as saying Trump supported the Europeans' proposal for new sanctions if a cease-fire were not in place by May 12.

Macron said: "We have just now...decided to support a cease-fire which will begin [May 12], without any preconditions."

Before the visit, the four European leaders promised they would "stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russias barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," now well into its fourth year.

In a statement published on the British government website, they reiterated their support for Trumps call for an agreement to end the war and urged Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure a lasting peace.

As the meeting progressed, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that Kyiv "and all allies are ready for a full unconditional cease-fire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday," May 12.



"If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations," Sybiha wrote in a post on X.

"A comprehensive (air, land, sea, infrastructure) cease fire for 30 days will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II," Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, wrote on X.



Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk also declared their readiness to support peace talks, discuss the technical implementation of a cease-fire, and help prepare for a comprehensive peace agreement.



"We are clear the bloodshed must end," they said. "Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognized borders for generations to come."

The visiting European leaders were in Kyiv to participate in a "coalition of the willing" summit, announced earlier by Zelenskyy, bringing together countries committed to sustaining military and political support for Ukraine.

The coalition includes Great Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Ukraine.

On May 8, following a call with Zelenskyy, Trump renewed his call for an unconditional 30-day cease-fire and warned that failure to reach such an agreement would result in further sanctions from Washington and its allies.

Russia had earlier declared a separate, three-day cease-fire from May 8 to 10 to coincide with its Victory Day commemorations. Zelenskyy dismissed it as a "theatrical production," and Kyiv accused Moscow of violating it hundreds of times. Russia also accused Ukraine of launching attacks during the three-day period.

That three-day cease-fire officially ended at midnight on May 10 heading into May 11.

In March, Ukraine agreed to a US proposal for an extendable 30-day cease-fire. Russia effectively rejected it, saying it agreed in principle but attaching numerous conditions that Putin called "nuances."

Speaking to ABC News on May 10, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would reject a longer cease-fire if Ukraines Western allies continue supplying it with weapons during that time.

He hinted that Russia would continue to seek to place conditions on a cease-fire agreement before accepting it, saying that when Trump proposed a 30-day truce n March "it was supported by Putin with the reservation that it is very difficult to discuss this in detail if no answers are found to a large number of nuances."

Peskov also claimed Kyiv is not ready for negotiations, but suggested Trump could play a key role in persuading the Ukrainian leadership to enter talks.

He told CNN that Russia will "consider" the idea of a cease-fire. "Generally speaking, Putin supports the idea, but there are many questions about it," Peskov added.

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels on May 10 that any cease-fire must be implemented without preconditions and warned that Moscow would face tougher sanctions if it breached an agreement.

Peskov said on a state TV program aired earlier in the day that it was "pointless to frighten" Moscow with new sanctions, saying Russians "are already used to sanctions, and we can even imagine what we will do after these sanctions are announced and how we will minimize their consequences."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Reuters, and dpa
Ukraine's EU allies on May 9 endorsed the creation of a new international court to prosecute Russia's top leaders over Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The special tribunal would target senior Russian leaders for the crime of aggression to cover the countless war crimes Ukraine accuses Russian forces of committing since the start of the war in 2022.

EU foreign ministers gathered in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv announced their support for the international court on the same day Russia commemorated the end of World War II with a military parade in Moscow.

European efforts to create the tribunal appear to have sped up since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House and began pushing for a rapid end to the war, raising fears that Russian leaders could escape justice.

"There is no space for impunity. Russia's aggression cannot go unpunished and therefore establishing this tribunal is extremely important," EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and another Russian official for the forced deportation of children and strikes on Ukraine's energy targets.

But Russia is not a member of the ICC, so it cannot prosecute Putin and other senior leaders for the decision to launch the invasion. Ukrainian and European leaders came up with the special tribunal as an alternative way to hold Russian leaders to account.

"This tribunal is being set up to pass appropriate sentences in the future," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said in Lviv on May 9.

He added Kyiv wanted the "inevitable punishment for all," including the "president of Russia, the prime minister of Russia, and the foreign minister of Russia."

Similar special tribunals were established after World War II, the Balkan wars, and the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Since early in the conflict, Kyiv has been pushing for the creation of a special tribunal that goes beyond prosecuting war crimes that Ukraine alleged Russian forces committed, including bombing civilian infrastructure, killing civilians, rape, taking hostages, and torture.

If we want true justice, we should not look for excuses and should not refer to the shortcomings of the current international law but make bold decisions that will correct those shortcomings that unfortunately exist in international law, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a visit to the Netherlands in 2023.

The legal framework for the tribunal was agreed on by leaders in February. It will be funded by the countries who back it, known as the Core Group, including the Netherlands, Japan and Canada.

The United States backed the projected under former President Joe Biden, but the Trump administration does not support the initiative. Kallas said she hoped Washington would "sooner rather than later join."

Putin earlier on May 9 evoked Soviet victory over Nazi Germany to rally the country round his three-year offensive at a military parade in Moscow in front of key allies, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We are not reacting to this," the state TASS news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Russia has denied Ukraines accusations of war crimes.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP
WINDHOEK, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Namibia and Angola have agreed to work more closely on energy and infrastructure projects to support economic growth and create jobs, the Namibian presidency said Saturday.

The agreement was made during Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's first official trip to Angola on Friday since becoming president in March this year, the presidency said in a statement.

"President Nandi-Ndaitwah and President Joao Lourenco agreed that the priority areas of agriculture, energy, tourism, oil and gas, logistics, infrastructure, including water cooperation are crucial to fight unemployment in both countries," the presidency said.

The two heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to the joint development of the Baynes hydropower plant, a cross-border energy project on the Kunene River, the presidency said, adding that they also discussed plans to extend electricity transmission lines and water canals to northern Namibia, aimed at improving access to services and supporting economic activities.

According to the presidency, both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation between their national oil companies in logistics, training and exploration.

"Angola has built capacity in the oil and gas sector, providing training to Namibians in Angola and has demonstrably shown readiness to assist Namibia's nascent oil and gas sector," the presidency said.

In addition, the two sides highlighted the importance of developing a rail link to boost trade and movement of goods between the two countries. 
High Court reporters

Five children with autism have brought separate High Court actions over the Minister for Educations alleged failure to provide them access to education.

One of the children, an eight-year-old boy with autism, has never attended school.

The childrens counsel Joe Jeffers SC, appearing with Brendan Hennessy BL and instructed by Healy Law, told Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty the cases were urgent. The judge granted permission to the childrens lawyers to bring the judicial review proceedings.

None of the children can be identified, by order of the court.

A 12-year-old boy who is profoundly disabled is seeking an order compelling the Minister, the National Council for Special Education, Ireland and the Attorney General to provide him with appropriate schooling.

On account of his severe intellectual disability, the boys current school placement  where he has attended since the beginning of his schooling  is wholly unsuitable. His father says that in hindsight this school was inappropriate for his needs from the outset.

Sworn statement

In a sworn statement, the boys father says that his son was diagnosed with autism aged four.

In 2018, he was reassessed, and was diagnosed with autism and a moderate intellectual disability. In 2020, the boy was reassessed again, and deemed to have a severe intellectual disability.

The diagnosis of a severe intellectual disability came as no surprise to the boys parents, his father says.

The failure of the HSE to listen to our concerns and conduct a timely re-assessment led to significant and avoidable delays, the father says. This has led to us having to fight non-stop to have [the boy] placed in the appropriate school.

An eight-year-old boy with autism  who has never attended school  is seeking an order compelling the Minister, the National Council for Special Education, Ireland and the Attorney General to provide him with appropriate schooling.

The boys mother has applied to every special school in her county, but has been unable to secure a school place.

The sad truth is that if I never sent [the boy] to school, nobody would know and nobody would care, the mother says in a sworn statement.

A five-year-old girl with autism is seeking an order compelling the Minister, the National Council for Special Education, Ireland and the Attorney General to provide her with appropriate schooling.

The girls mother had sought to have her daughter begin primary schooling last September, but was unable to find a school placement, she says in a sworn statement. The girl, who is non-verbal and has complex needs, is now in her third year of attending a preschool.

The inability to find a school placement for her daughter has caused the woman extreme stress and anxiety, she said.

In August of 2024, I felt I was at breaking point and was prescribed antidepressants due to overwhelming pressure and stress, she says.

35 schools

The mother says that she has contacted 35 schools seeking a school placement, initially to begin last September, and then this coming September. The girl remains without a primary school place, her mother says.

A five-year-old boy with autism is seeking an order compelling the Minister, the National Council for Special Education, Ireland and the Attorney General to provide her with appropriate schooling.

The boy, who is non-verbal, is currently in his second year of preschool, but this placement will come to an end in the summer.

In a sworn statement, the boys mother says an inability to secure a special school placement has been devastating.

I have not slept in 15 weeks as I am sick with worry about his future, she says.

A six-year-old boy with autism is seeking an order compelling the Minister to provide him with school transport.

The delay in providing the boy with transport  he was approved for school transport by the Department of Education in January  is egregious, the boys mother says.

The cases will return to court later in the month.
Ellen O'Donoghue

A man (20s) has been arrested and since released by gardai from the Serious Crime Unit in Irishtown, Dublin, investigating multiple reports of accommodation fraud.

The man was arrested on Friday, May 9th.

The alleged incidents of fraud reported to gardai by injured parties are understood to have occurred in the South Dublin Area over September and October 2024.

The man was detained for questioning at a garda station in the Eastern Region.

He has since been released from custody, and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The investigation is ongoing, a garda statement said.
The Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon is hosting a showcase of local talent taking to the stage and performance space this May.

Coming on May 16th is Gerry Farrells I had to go for counselling.

Gerry Farrell is no stranger to the theatre - as a playwright, he has earned both critical and audience success with three plays, The First Protestant, The last Prime minister of Ireland and in 2023 the highly successful, The Sceptical Suffragette.

After 53 years working in theatre, and a twin career working in mental health over 48 years, Gerry is bringing a brand-new one-man show with both comedy and existential wisdom in equal measure to The Dock on May 16th at 8 p.m..

In I had to go for counselling, Colin ORourke discovers that retirement is not what he thought it would be. Disillusioned and depressed, he reluctantly accepts the advice of his GP and goes for counselling. What unfolds is, at times, hilarious, and at times a challenging reflection on his life.

Working through his many regrets and few achievements, he recalls events filled with drama and humour as well as sadness and regret.

He is tasked by the counsellor to find meaning in his life by putting together seven pieces of wisdom to leave for future generations.

I had to go for counselling is a fusion of his experience of working with people with mental health issues and his accumulated theatrical skills - an entertaining and uplifting experience throughout.

Book now for 17, or a 15 concessionary price for students, unwaged persons, and over 65s. Tickets available now at www.thedock.ie or call 071 965 0828 to book over the phone.
Chandigarh Youth Come Forward as Civil Defence Volunteers in Face of Growing India-Pakistan Tensions

The huge response arrives as India and Pakistan are facing growing military tensions.

Chandigarh Youth Come Forward as Civil Defence Volunteers in Face of Growing India-Pakistan Tensions latest news: In a remarkable show of civic duty and patriotism, hundreds of youth turned up at Chandigarh's Tagore Theatre on Saturday, May 10, an appeal by local authorities to join as Civil Defence Volunteers. The move which was intended to enhance emergency preparedness and build resilience, resonated with the youth of the city.

The appeal was issued by the Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav DC of UT Chandigarh, who on Friday requested young citizens above the age of 18 years to register for civil defense. The Chandigarh administration rode social media to drive home the point, posting on X: "APPEAL TO THE YOUTH, Serve the Nation. Be Prepared."

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The huge response arrives as India and Pakistan are facing growing military tensions. Just a few days after a terrorist attack on April 22 in Kashmir, Islamabad ordered drone and missile attacks on several cities, including Chandigarh, on May 8. But India's sophisticated air defence systems repelled the attacks, with debris found at several points as proof.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described Pakistan's action as "provocative and escalatory" while speaking at a press conference in New Delhi. In turn, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi disclosed that Pakistan had made an attempt to target an airbase in Punjab, and in response, India had carried out precision strikes on Pakistani airbases.

On Saturday, the Indian government said Pakistan had attacked 26 targets throughout the country. New Delhi blamed Pakistani troops for targeting civilian zones, such as medical and educational institutions in Kashmir.

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The latest escalation comes after India's Operation Sindoor, a series of precision air strikes carried out on May 7, against terrorist camps across the border in retaliation for the Kashmir attack.

With emotions running high, the young Chandigarh volunteers are an example of the preparedness spirit and solidarity. In the era of doubt, they are opting to make a contribution towards national securityexhibiting that courage is not only constructed on weapons, but also by the unshakeable commitment of common people.

(For More News Apart Chandigarh Youth Come Forward as Civil Defence Volunteers in Face of Growing India-Pakistan Tensions Stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Breaking: India Targets 3 Air Bases in Pakistan

There has been no loss to our operational capability. All assets are safe, he affirmed.

Amid escalating hostilities in the region, Pakistan on Saturday alleged that India launched coordinated missile and drone strikes on three Pakistani Air Force bases.

Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, the official spokesperson for the Pakistan military, addressed the media in a late-night press conference, revealing that air bases in Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal), and Rafiqui (Shorkot, Jhang district) were targeted. Despite the reported attacks, Chaudhry emphasized that all military assets remained unharmed.

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There has been no loss to our operational capability. All assets are safe, he affirmed.

Issuing a stark warning to India, Chaudhry declared, Now just wait for our response, hinting at potential military retaliation.

This development follows a series of cross-border exchanges and growing military operations, including Indias ongoing Operation Sindoor. Official Indian confirmation or denial is awaited.
India and Pakistan accept ceasefire, U.S. President Trump confirms latest news

Pakistan's Foreign Minister also testified to agreement, as he said that halt in hostilities was negotiated directly by the two countries.

India and Pakistan accept ceasefire, U.S. President Trump confirms latest news: In a notable development against the backdrop of mounting tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan have signed an agreement on a ceasefire. The news was posted via a tweet from the U.S. President, which was an important diplomatic development.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister also testified to the agreement, as he said that the halt in hostilities was negotiated directly by the two countries.

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Sources reported that the ceasefire was called by Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) earlier in the afternoon. After both sides held discussions, an agreement was reached to stop firing and military operations. Sources, however, made it clear that no decision has been taken on resuming talks on other matters at any place.

Ceasefire will be from 5 pm, MEA gave information in a press conference that next talk will be held on 12 May.

(For More News Apart India and Pakistan accept ceasefire, U.S. President Trump confirms stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
India-Pakistan Ceasefire Announced, Indian Defence Ministry Dispels Misinformation

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi explained that Pakistan's assertion of shooting down an Indian F-400 fighter aircraft with its JF-17

India-Pakistan Ceasefire Announced, Dispels of Misinformation latest news: In a pivotal press conference after the India-Pakistan ceasefire deal, Commodore Raghu R Nair discussed major breakthroughs and dispelled false information making the rounds in the region.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi explained that Pakistan's assertion of shooting down an Indian F-400 fighter aircraft with its JF-17 aircraft was totally untrue. She also refuted reports of damage to India's BrahMos missile system and destruction in religious sites as misleading and baseless propaganda.

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The ceasefire deal was struck after direct talks between the two nations, and Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations had opened the talks in the early afternoon. Although the hostilities have been agreed to be stopped, India is keeping a close eye on the situation.

Colonel Qureshi reiterated that in the recent military action, Indian forces caused severe damage to the Pakistani airbases and radar. She assured that the Indian Army is well-equipped to ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation.

The Defence Ministry reaffirmed its position on national security, emphasizing that India will not tolerate any acts of aggression in the future. Officials reminded citizens to remain well-informed and to seek information from credible sources to avoid spreading misinformation via the internet.

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(For More News Apart India-Pakistan Ceasefire Announced, Dispels of Misinformation stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Pakistan violates Ceasefire

Pakistan violates Ceasefire, Shellfire in Rajouri.

Pakistan violates Ceasefire Latest News: In yet another cowardly attack by Islamabad, Pakistan has once again violated the ceasefire, hours after both countries agreed upon the ceasefire. Jammu and Pathankot witnessed blackouts with several areas of Jammu witnessing blast-like sounds.

Likewise, Pakistan has also resorted to drone attacks in several areas. Meanwhile, red streaks were seen and explosions were heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid blackout in Udhampur, Akhnoor and other areas of Jammu.

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In the meantime, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar."

Similarly, a complete blackout was observed in Punjab's Pathankot, Ferozepur and Rajasthan's Barmer City.

Updating
ADDIS ABABA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia earned more than 128 million U.S. dollars from livestock exports during the first nine months of the 2024/2025 fiscal year, which began on July 8, the country's Ministry of Agriculture has announced.

The East African country's recent efforts to boost livestock exports are yielding "notable improvements," Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente was quoted by state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate as saying.

Highlighting the livestock sector's "strong potential" as a major source of foreign exchange, the report released Thursday said various efforts are currently underway to enhance the productivity and quality of Ethiopia's rich livestock resources.

Ethiopia boasts the largest livestock population in Africa, with an estimated 70.3 million cattle, 95.4 million sheep and goats, and 8.1 million camels, according to recent data from the World Bank.

In recent years, Ethiopia has been working to address major constraints in the livestock sector and enhance its contribution to the national economy. Last year, the Chinese-built Ethiopia-Djibouti railway began transporting export-bound livestock from central Ethiopia to ports in Djibouti, aiming to minimize transport-related stress on the animals.

The Ethiopian government has projected 8.4 percent economic growth for the current fiscal year, amid positive prospects in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and other major economic sectors.

Earlier this week, the country's Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration reported a record 5.3 billion U.S. dollars in export revenue during the first nine months of the current fiscal year, driven by strong performance in major export commodities. 
Senior Government Official Among Five Killed in Pakistani Shelling in Jammu and Kashmir

Raj Kumar Thapa, Additional District Development Commissioner of Rajouri, was among the victims.

A senior government official and four others were killed in intense Pakistani shelling across Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu districts of Jammu and Kashmir early Saturday, officials confirmed, marking a deadly escalation in cross-border hostilities. The shelling, part of ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, has left several others injured and caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure.

Raj Kumar Thapa, Additional District Development Commissioner of Rajouri, was among the victims. An artillery shell struck his official residence in Rajouri town, severely injuring him and two of his staff members. All three were rushed to the Government Medical College, where Thapa succumbed to his injuries. The condition of his staff members remains critical, according to hospital sources.

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The other fatalities included two-year-old Aisha Noor and 35-year-old Mohd Shohib, killed in shelling near an industrial area in Rajouri, and 55-year-old Rashida Bi, who lost her life when a mortar shell hit her home in Kanghra-Galhutta village in Poonchs Mendhar sector. In Jammu district, Ashok Kumar, a resident of Bidipur Jatta village, was killed in cross-border firing along the International Border in the R S Pura sector.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief over Thapas death, calling it a devastating loss. In a post on X, he wrote, Just yesterday, he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district and attended the online meeting I chaired. Today, his residence was hit by Pak shelling, killing our dedicated officer.

The shelling, which began in the early hours, targeted civilian areas, damaging homes, schools, and religious sites, including a gurdwara and a mosque. Authorities reported that several residents in Jammu citys Rehari and Rupnagar areas were injured when artillery shells and suspected drones struck residential zones. The Indian Army responded with proportionate retaliation, targeting Pakistani posts along the Line of Control (LoC).

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The attacks follow Indias Operation Sindoor, a series of strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Pakistans intensified shelling has claimed at least 16 lives in recent days, including women and children, prompting evacuations in five border districts.
Pakistans Attacks Trigger Red Alert in Punjabs Bathinda, Amritsar, and Jalandhar, Khanna

Pakistan has drawn sharp criticism from Indian officials for the disinformation it is spreading.

Punjabs key districts of Bathinda, Amritsar, and Jalandhar, Khanna were placed under a red alert on Saturday as Pakistan escalated its attacks, targeting civilian areas with drones and munitions amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict. The relentless aggression, which intensified since Friday night, has prompted authorities to urge residents to stay indoors and adhere to strict safety measures.

The Indian Army reported that multiple Pakistani drones were spotted over Amritsars Khasa Cantt at around 5 a.m., all of which were instantly engaged and destroyed by air defense units. Similar sightings in Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur triggered explosion-like sounds, with debris from a downed drone found in Jalandhars Kanganiwal village. In Bathinda, a Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attempted to target a military station but was neutralized, though the use of civilian airlines as shields by Pakistan has drawn sharp criticism from Indian officials.

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Pakistan has once again proven that its a terrorist state, firing drones into civilian areas, said Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on X, referencing injuries caused by a drone strike in Ferozepur. The District Public Relations Officer in Bathinda issued an advisory stating, All residents are requested to stay inside their residences and take self-protection measures. Electricity wont be cut off, but all other measures remain in force.

Amritsar, home to the Golden Temple, has been particularly hard-hit, with sirens blaring and tourists fleeing the city. This is a war-like situation, but we have made all arrangements, said Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, emphasizing government preparedness. Jalandhars administration enforced a blackout and turned off highway and street lights as a precaution, though lights in the cantonment area were later restored.

The attacks are part of Pakistans response to Indias Operation Sindoor, launched after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Pakistans military has targeted 36 Indian locations with drones, prompting India to strike four Pakistani air defense sites and destroy terrorist launch pads. The closure of schools in six Punjab border districts, including Amritsar and Ferozepur, and 32 airports, including Bathinda and Amritsar, reflects the gravity of the situation.

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Residents are rattled, with reports of damaged homes and widespread anxiety. We have full faith in our army, but the sounds of shelling are terrifying, a Jalandhar resident told ANI. The Punjab government is fast-tracking an anti-drone system, while the Indian Army remains on high alert, neutralizing over 50 drones in recent operations.

As diplomatic efforts for de-escalation falter, Punjabs border communities face an uncertain future, with authorities urging calm and vigilance.
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has launched a major military campaign code-named Operation Bunyanun Marsoos, which means concrete structure, in response to continued Indian provocations, official sources said early Saturday.

Multiple targets across India are being engaged under the operation, with the BrahMos missile storage facility in the Indian city of Beas reportedly destroyed in the initial strike, the sources said. 
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 disorder -- and 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. These physician-scientists 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 FANCX -- then known as FAAP100 -- had occurred. But the link between these genetic changes and the disease was only established through a collaboration between Smogorzewska's lab -- with experiments performed by Biomedical Fellow Benjamin Harrison -- the 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 lack of normal function. Meanwhile, a group led by Detlev Schindler of 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."
Wouldn't it be great if music creators had someone to brainstorm with, help them when they're stuck, and explore different musical directions together? Researchers of KAIST and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have developed AI technology similar to a fellow songwriter who helps create music.

KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) has developed an AI-based music creation support system, Amuse, by a research team led by Professor Sung-Ju Lee of the School of Electrical Engineering in collaboration with CMU. The research was presented at the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), one of the world's top conferences in human-computer interaction, held in Yokohama, Japan from April 26 to May 1. It received the Best Paper Award, given to only the top 1% of all submissions.

The system developed by Professor Sung-Ju Lee's research team, Amuse, is an AI-based system that converts various forms of inspiration such as text, images, and audio into harmonic structures (chord progressions) to support composition.

For example, if a user inputs a phrase, image, or sound clip such as "memories of a warm summer beach," Amuse automatically generates and suggests chord progressions that match the inspiration.

Unlike existing generative AI, Amuse is differentiated in that it respects the user's creative flow and naturally induces creative exploration through an interactive method that allows flexible integration and modification of AI suggestions.

The core technology of the Amuse system is a generation method that blends two approaches: a large language model creates music code based on the user's prompt and inspiration, while another AI model, trained on real music data, filters out awkward or unnatural results using rejection sampling.

The research team conducted a user study targeting actual musicians and evaluated that Amuse has high potential as a creative companion, or a Co-Creative AI, a concept in which people and AI collaborate, rather than having a generative AI simply put together a song.

Professor Sung-Ju Lee said, "Recent generative AI technology has raised concerns in that it directly imitates copyrighted content, thereby violating the copyright of the creator, or generating results one-way regardless of the creator's intention. Accordingly, the research team was aware of this trend, paid attention to what the creator actually needs, and focused on designing an AI system centered on the creator."

He continued, "Amuse is an attempt to explore the possibility of collaboration with AI while maintaining the initiative of the creator, and is expected to be a starting point for suggesting a more creator-friendly direction in the development of music creation tools and generative AI systems in the future."

This research was conducted with the support of the National Research Foundation of Korea with funding from the government (Ministry of Science and ICT). (RS-2024-00337007)
SYDNEY, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Four 15-year-old males were arrested following a string of alleged aggravated carjackings in Melbourne's northwest, in Australia's state of Victoria, Victoria Police said in a statement on Saturday.

Police said that three male offenders, wielding edged weapons, made demands for a man's car in Aintree, a suburb in Melbourne, at about 11 p.m. local time on Friday.

The man refused to hand over the vehicle and was allegedly assaulted by the offenders. The three offenders allegedly fled the scene, and the victim was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Investigators alleged that the same group of offenders approached another man, making demands for his silver Toyota Camry, in Sunshine, another suburb in Melbourne, less than an hour later.

The offenders took off in the Camry, after they assaulted the victim, resulting in minor injuries. Police caught sight of the Camry travelling in convoy with a Toyota Kluger, in the Deer Park area.

The vehicles split up into two different suburbs and were dumped. Police arrested three male youths who were occupants of the Camry and seized multiple edged weapons, and arrested the alleged driver who dumped the Kluger and seized edged weapons as well. No one was injured.

Investigators alleged that the Kluger was stolen as the result of a carjacking in Sunshine on Wednesday. 
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) early Saturday to discuss possible responses involving the country's missile and nuclear capabilities, amid escalating tensions with India, state television reported.

The NCA, which is chaired by the prime minister, is the country's highest decision-making body responsible for the command, control, and oversight of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. It also serves as the principal policymaking institution on matters related to weapons of mass destruction and national strategic security.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the media that Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint in the face of Indian aggression in order to preserve regional peace. However, he said the Indian missile strikes on Pakistan's strategic airbases early Saturday morning had crossed a red line.

"Pakistan's patience has reached its limit," Dar said, adding that the country had no option but to fight back.

He warned that if India proceeds with further military escalation, it could trigger a nuclear conflict, adding that Pakistan is taking precautionary decisions in advance through the NCA to prepare for all possible scenarios. 
-The market spotlight over the coming week will be on a raft of economic indicators due out on either side of the Pond in the wake of the latest rate decisions taken by the Federal Reserve and Bank of England.

In the US, investors' focus will be on the consumer price report for the month of April, on Tuesday.

Two days later meanwhile, investors will be treated to a host of economic activity indicators, including for US retail sales, mid-Atlantic manufacturing, and weekly jobless claims, followed by a reading on consumer confidence on Friday.

In the UK on the other hand, the focus will be on employment figures for March.

Growth in average earnings, including bonuses, is expected to have slowed from a quarterly annual pace of 5.6% to 5.2%.

The rate of unemployment is forecast to have ticked higher by a tenth of a percentage point to 4.5%.

Worth noting as well, multiple members of the Monetary Policy Committee are due to take to the podium on Monday.

Last, but certainly not least, investors will be reacting to the result of the trade talks between the US and China in Switzerland at the weekend.

Monday 12 May

INTERIMS

Victrex plc

FINALS

Likewise Group

AGMS

International Paper Comapny (DI), SpaceandPeople, Sunda Energy

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Diversified Energy Company

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Antofagasta, International Personal Finance, Nokia OYJ, Thungela Resources Limited NPV (DI)

Q1

Caledonia Mining Corporation (DI)

Tuesday 13 May

INTERIMS

On The Beach Group , Renew Holdings, Treatt

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity Fund Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Current Account (GER) (13:30)

ZEW Survey (EU) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Current Situation (10:00)

ZEW Survey (GER) - Economic Sentiment (10:00)

FINALS

Angling Direct , Bytes Technology Group , Diaceutics , IQE

AGMS

Baronsmead Venture Trust, Fisher (James) & Sons, Henderson High Income Trust, HUTCHMED (China) Limited, ITV, Macfarlane Group, Midwich Group, Phoenix Group Holdings , Serinus Energy NPV, St James's Place

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Sales Monitor (00:01)

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Abrdn , Fidelity European Trust, Morgan Advanced Materials , OSB Group , Rathbones Group

Q1

Telecom Egypt SAE GDS (Regs)

Wednesday 14 May

INTERIMS

Britvic, Compass Group, Victorian Plumbing Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Gattaca, Smiths Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (GER) (07:00)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (13:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

FINALS

Burberry Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

International Distribution Services

AGMS

Burford Capital NPV (DI), Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Direct Line Insurance Group, Direct Line Insurance Group, Gamma Communications, HGCapital Trust, Ithaca Energy, JPMorgan American Inv Trust, Keller Group, LMS Capital, Marshalls, Niox Group, Savills, Seplat Energy (DI), Spirax Group, Spire Healthcare Group, TP Icap Group , Travis Perkins

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Conduit Holdings Limited Com Shs (DI), Keller Group, Spirax Group, TP Icap Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Bermuda Regd), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Jersey Reg), DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited (Sing.Reg), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore Reg), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (Jersey), Just Group, Mandarin Oriental International (Bermuda), Mandarin Oriental International (Jersey), Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Personal Group Holdings, Rentokil Initial, SEGRO

Q1

Amaroq Minerals Ltd. Npv (DI), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. GDR (Reg S)

Thursday 15 May

INTERIMS

Auction Technology Group , Grainger, Nexus Infrastructure

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Miton UK Microcap Trust

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Carr's Group, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (DI)

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, M Winkworth

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BP, GCP Asset Backed Income Fund Limited, Greencoat Renewables (CDI), GSK, Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust , Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD), Picton Property Income Ltd, The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, Unilever

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Inventories (US) (15:00)

Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)

Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)

Industrial Production (US) (14:15)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales Less Autos (US) (13:30)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

GMS

Smithson Investment Trust

FINALS

3i Group, National Grid, Ondine Biomedical Inc. NPV (CDI), Premier Foods, United Utilities Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Ondine Biomedical Inc. NPV (CDI)

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Admiral Group

AGMS

Alpha Group International, Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) , Capricorn Energy, Central Asia Metals, Ceres Power Holdings, Computacenter, Eurocell , Funding Circle Holdings , Global Opportunities Trust, Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Hammerson, Hammerson, Helios Towers , Helios Towers , Hiscox Limited (DI), Inchcape, Kromek Group, Literacy Capital , Lloyds Banking Group, M&C Saatchi, Michelmersh Brick Holdings, Next, Regional REIT Limited NPV, Resolute Mining Limited NPV (DI), Secure Trust Bank, Spirent Communications, Unite Group

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Aviva

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of trade (07:00)

GDP (Preliminary) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (07:00)

Index of Services (07:00)

Industrial Production (07:00)

Manufacturing Production (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Athelney Trust, Capital Limited (DI), Grafton Group Ut (CDI), InterContinental Hotels Group, Investec Investment Trust 5% Cumulative Preference Stock 1, Morgan Sindall Group

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Admiral Group, Balfour Beatty, BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust, Epwin Group, Essentra, Fevertree Drinks, Hvivo, Irish Continental Group Units (Comp) (CDI), Lancashire Holdings Limited, Macfarlane Group, Niox Group, Pagegroup, Spectris, Tesco, The Pebble Group

Q1

Lion Finance Group

Friday 16 May

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AB Dynamics, Barratt Redrow

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Mercantile Investment Trust (The), Thor Explorations Ltd (DI), Tufton Assets Limited Npv

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

Building Permits (US) (13:30)

Housing Starts (US) (13:30)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)

GMS

Cerillion , Nativo Resources

FINALS

Land Securities Group

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Foresight Enterprise VCT

AGMS

CLS Holdings, CLS Holdings, Derwent London, H&T Group, Ossiam Lux Ossiam ETF Shiller Barclays Cape US-USD, Proteome Sciences, Proteome Sciences

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Vesuvius

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Breedon Group , Cairn Homes (CDI), Drax Group, Foxtons Group , IMI, Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, Mondi, Mony Group, Synectics, Uniphar (CDI)
NEW DELHI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Militaries of India and Pakistan Saturday targeted each other with drones and missiles as the situation escalated between the two neighbors.

The Indian government, in its media briefing, blamed Pakistan for "continued provocations" along India's western border and on Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, by using unmanned combat aerial vehicles, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to target civilian areas and military infrastructure.

"Pakistan military also resorted to air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy calibre weapons along the LoC. Along the international border and the LoC, air intrusions and several harassment attacks were also attempted from Srinagar till Naliya at more than 26 locations," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told media during the briefing.

"There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed subsequently after 0140 hours (local time) in the night at several air bases in Punjab," said the commander.

Singh, admitted that Indian forces carried out precision airstrikes on Pakistan Air Force bases.

Reports said debris of missiles, drones and other munitions was recovered from several areas of Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and the Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Residents in Srinagar and Jammu in the Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions during the night and early Saturday morning. Similar reports are pouring in from Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Authorities enforced a blackout Friday night across multiple cities near border areas due to anticipated aerial attacks. There was a power outage all night.

A local newspaper, The Tribune, on Saturday said a senior local government official and a toddler were among the five killed in overnight shelling.

The fresh deaths have taken the civilian death toll to 22, besides over 50 other wounded in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. Many houses have also been damaged.

A military standoff between New Delhi and Islamabad erupted following India's deadly airstrikes on targets in Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday.

India said the strikes were in response to last month's killing of 26 people by gunmen in the Indian-controlled Kashmir.

New Delhi blames Islamabad for supporting the gunmen behind the attack, a charge denied by Islamabad. 
European equities were up on Friday, with Germany's DAX hitting record highs, thus recovering all the ground lost during the Donald Trump-inspired tariff turmoil.

"European and US stock indices finished the week in positive territory as investors eyed this weekend's US-China trade talks in Geneva with cautious optimism," said Axel Rudolph, senior technical analyst at IG.

The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was up 0.34% at 537.47. The DAX rose 0.43% and hit its fresh high of 23,543.27 in late afternoon trading.

Meanwhile investors assessed the relatively few details revealed in the much-hailed UK and US trade agreement and looked ahead to talks between Washington and China on tariffs on Saturday.

Not only do we have a new pope this week, but we also have the first deal in Trumps global trade war - between the UK and the US. Trumps enthusiastic announcement, complete with a lot of CAPITAL LETTERS, helped inflate sentiment, making this US-UK deal feel bigger than it actually is, said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

The fact that the two countries could agree on a few points is a good start, but the UK entered the negotiations with a tariff rate of 10% and left the table with... a tariff rate of 10%.

Meanwhile China exports jumped by 8.1% year on year in April, beating forecasts for a 1.9% rise, while imports dipped by 0.2%. The increase came despite a slump in trade with the US amid the ongoing tariff war.

Shipments to the US fell 21% as tariffs imposed on China by US President Donald Trump rose to 145% during April. Imports from America fell almost 14% after Beijings retaliated with levies of 125%.

In equity news, vaccine developer Bavarian Nordic surged 6% on first-quarter results.

BP shares were 5% higher after a Financial Times report said Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, TotalEnergies and ADNOC had run the numbers for a possible takeover of the energy giant.

Airbus shares were up slightly as British Airways owner IAG placed a large order for its jets, while the airline group was higher after surging first-quarter earnings.

Commerzbank shares added 4% after the German lender posted an unexpected increase in first-quarter profit growth.

Sonova climbed 3% after the Swiss hearing aids maker forecast higher sales and profitability for its 2025/26 fiscal year.
When the dust settles and the headlines shift, what remains is often the untold story the ripple effects of action, the silent consequences of courage. Every mission leaves footprints not just on the soil of conflict zones, but also across the pages of economic history. Operation Sindoor, Indias swift, strategic, and humanitarian military response in West Asia, has not only stirred national pride but also sparked a quiet economic revolution.

What began as an urgent evacuation became a masterclass in modern crisis diplomacy, showcasing Indias capability to combine military precision with economic foresight. Images of uniformed officers guiding citizens to safety, aircraft roaring through tense skies, and naval ships braving uncertain waters have become symbols of more than just bravery they are emblematic of a nation stepping into a new global role with confidence, competence, and clarity.

But, beyond the uniforms and headlines beyond the tactical brilliance and logistical heroics lies something deeper, an undercurrent of economic transformation. Operation Sindoor is not just a story of boots on the ground it is a story of balance sheets in the making.

From the subtle projection of soft power to the rising credibility of Indias defense exports, from the rising trust translating into increased remittances to the reimagining of strategic trade corridors, the operation has become a case study in economic assertion through national action. It is diplomacy in camouflage, growth draped in the tricolor.

In a world where geopolitical strength is increasingly tied to economic stability, Operation Sindoor marks a turning point. It is a declaration that India can safeguard its people, protect its interests, and project power not just through might, but through monetary resilience and strategic clarity.

This is not just a moment in defense history. This is a milestone in Indias economic evolution.

A Mission with Muscle and Money

Launched in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East, Operation Sindoor swiftly turned into a masterclass in crisis management. But while military analysts dissected the operations strategic choreography, economists and policy watchers began noticing something more profound, India was showcasing the economic might behind its military maneuvering.

In just weeks, the Indian government evacuated thousands of citizens, deployed naval and air assets, and coordinated with international agencies all without compromising its economic stability. Thats the story few are telling.

Why does this matter?

Because in the new world order, a countrys ability to safeguard its rise while maintaining economic composure signals financial resilience and geopolitical maturity.

The New Face of Indias Soft Power

Indias real-time response during Operation Sindoor elevated its soft power quotient significantly. From African nations to Gulf allies, many watched closely as India extended support not just to its own, but to foreign nationals stranded in conflict zones.

This translated into strategic goodwill an emotional currency that pays rich economic dividends. The next time India bids for a trade pact, a diplomatic alliance, or a global leadership role, the memory of Operation Sindoor will strengthen its case.

The Economical Lead

India has one of the largest overseas populations in the world, especially in West Asia. During Operation Sindoor, the swift and safe evacuation of Indian workers sent a loud message: Weve got your back. This psychological safety net leads to a surge in rise investments, NRI deposits, and remittances. When migrants feel their homeland values them, they send more than just love they send capital.

In FY2024 alone, India received over $125 billion in remittances, and experts believe Operation Sindoor could boost this further.

Military Modernization Meets Make in India

Every successful military operation is a demo reel for a nations defense capability. Operation Sindoor showcased not just personnel but also platforms Indias indigenous military hardware, strategic logistics, and coordination capacity.

As a result, defense exports a cornerstone of the Make in India initiative are poised to benefit. HALs Tejas jets, DRDOs missiles, and Bharat Electronics radars are now not just engineering feats, but global sales pitches.

India has already hit a record Rs 21,000 crore in defense exports in 2024. Operation Sindoor might be the tipping point that transforms India from a defense importer to a defense exporter of repute.

Crisis Corridors and Economic Diplomacy

Operation Sindoor reinforced the need for secure and flexible supply chains. In a volatile geopolitical environment, India is rethinking trade routes and maritime dependencies.

Enter the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) a transcontinental trade route championed by India and its allies. The operations urgency gave IMEC fresh impetus, signaling the importance of alternative logistics in wartime and peacetime alike.

Also Read-Top 5 Industries Going To Get Affected If Indo-Pak Had A War

The Emotional Economy

Lets pause for a moment and consider the emotional impact. Images of soldiers helping children board aircraft, naval officers comforting evacuees, and Indian flags waving proudly amid chaos all of these have done something priceless. Theyve ignited a wave of national pride and consumer confidence.

In an era where sentiment drives markets, this matters. People are more likely to invest, spend, and support government policy when they feel proud, protected, and heard. Thats emotional GDP a rarely measured but powerfully felt economic force.

Sectoral Shifts: Aviation, Logistics, and Fintech

Operation Sindoor is catalyzing innovation in unexpected sectors.

Aviation : India's civil and defense aviation worked in tandem, highlighting the need for more dual-use aircraft and better air corridors.

: India's civil and defense aviation worked in tandem, highlighting the need for more dual-use aircraft and better air corridors. Logistics: Efficient troop and civilian movement has pushed logistics companies to rethink multi-modal transport solutions.

Efficient troop and civilian movement has pushed logistics companies to rethink multi-modal transport solutions. Fintech: Real-time financial assistance and cross-border payments during emergencies show that digital public infrastructure is now critical in war and peace.

Startups and enterprises are now building tools for crisis readiness because resilience is the new market opportunity.

Strategic Employment Generation

Military operations usually imply defense spending but Operation Sindoor has flipped the narrative. By creating demand across aviation, IT, cybersecurity, logistics, and defense R&D, it is poised to generate high-skilled employment across sectors. This isnt just about uniforms and arms its about data analysts, AI engineers, satellite mappers, translators, and humanitarian officers.

Financial Balance Sheets and Strategic Planning

In parallel with the military and geopolitical success, the financial balance sheet also reflects the operational ingenuity behind Operation Sindoor. From a financial standpoint, the mission was carried out without upsetting India's economy, balancing short-term spending and long-term economic development. The economic effect involves the growth of India's financial coffers, foreign investment growth, and lowering risk perceptions among foreign markets.

Smooth handling of India's finances amid such a high-risk mission was a reflection of the nation's fiscal maturity and discipline. The operation proved that military power can be effectively intertwined with economic foresight, creating a balance sheet that not only reflects current expenditure but also anticipates future dividends, such as increased foreign trade, defense exports, and remittance inflows.

Also Read-Is Education Losing the Battle to Screens?

The Road Ahead: Sindoor as a Symbol

Operation Sindoor is more than an event. Its a blueprint for how India navigates global crises with heart and head, firepower and finance.

It represents a turning point where military valor met economic vision. Where boots on the ground synced with brains in boardrooms. Where a nation didnt just protect its people but projected its potential.

A Pulse That Wont Fade

From the red dust of conflict zones to the gleaming towers of financial districts, Operation Sindoor has created an echo a heartbeat that says India is not just a spectator in global affairs. It is a shaper.

It has shown the world that Indias battles are not just about bullets theyre about balance. And in this balance lies a new kind of power: calm, confident, and economically compelling.

As the tri-color flew across foreign skies, it didnt just carry citizens home, it carried a message:

India is here. And it means business.
India has successfully responded to an early morning attack by Pakistan Air Force aircraft on Srinagar. This comes after several drone attacks carried out by Pakistan in Indian border districts on Friday night and Saturday morning were intercepted by India's air defense system.

There were explosions in different places, including the airport area of Srinagar, Samba, Jammu city, Baramulla, Pathankot, Ferozepur, and Barmer, causing blackouts in border areas.

In a tragic turn of events, Additional District Commissioner of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thappa, and two other civilians were killed when Pakistan heaved heavy shells into the DC colony. Thappa was critically injured when one shell hit his residence and he later died due to his injuries. Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah extended condolences, as seen in videos showing the property being destroyed on Thappa's house.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will address the press today at 10:30 am during Operation Sindoor, in the wake of the recent spike in tensions. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had earlier condemned Pakistan's "farcical denials" of hitting Indian military targets, claiming that India has reacted "proportionately" to the challenges.
The New York City civil service exam schedule is open for May, and some jobs pay more than others.

The application period for exams opened May 1.
Shown is an undated aerial view of the Staten Island Courthouse at 26 Central Avenue in St. George. On Monday, a 29-year-old man appeared in state Supreme Court, St. George, charged with attempted murder in connection with a shooting incident outside a West Brighton deli. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Bronx man currently held on bail in connection with a shooting incident at a crowded deli was back in court this week.

Osvaldo Dejesus, 29, is facing a top count of attempted murder in connection with the Feb. 13 incident at 171 Broadway in West Brighton.
The NYPD is asking for the publics help to locate a 19-year-old woman who has been reported missing from Port Richmond. (Courtesy of the NYPD)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The NYPD is asking for the publics help to locate a 19-year-old woman who has been reported missing from Port Richmond.

Isabelina Figueroa was last seen at her residence on Treadwell Avenue on Wednesday, May 7, around 8 a.m., according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Police described the missing woman as standing about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds, with a medium complexion, heavy build, brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a purple t-shirt, black hooded sweatshirt, black leopard leggings and unknown shoes, according to the NYPD.

The NYPD provided a photo of the missing woman to the media.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.
COLOMBO, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police arrested 356 individuals in a 24-hour anti-narcotics operation that concluded Saturday morning, a spokesperson said.

Police spokesperson Buddhika Manatunga told media that the arrests included 133 suspects in possession of crystal methamphetamine, 129 with heroin and 94 with cannabis.

The crackdown was part of a broader nationwide campaign launched on April 13 to combat drug trafficking and related criminal activities, Manatunga said.

These operations underscored the Sri Lankan government's commitment to eradicate drug trafficking and organized crimes, aiming to enhance public safety and uphold the rule of law across the nation, he said. 
C-Town is new to West Brighton and will have a community tasting event on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Adam Abuzahrieh and his team built C-Town at 1234 Castleton Ave. from a vacant storefront space, once home to a sign manufacturer. After two years of construction and a few months of business under their belts, the C-Town people want to say thank you to the neighborhood with a tasting event on Saturday, May 10.

The outdoor celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the stores rear parking lot.

Abuzahrieh said his team wants to give back to the community. He appreciates the warm welcome the West Brighton grocery store has received from the immediate area, plus Randall Manor, Port Richmond and even Sunnyside.

From coffee to canned fish, C-Town in West Brighton offers a full line of items for the home pantry. The store owner wants to say "thank you" to the community. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

Vendors will be outside in our parking lot,' the shopkeeper said. We will have samples from Boars Head, Bimbo Bakery, Porkys, Primo sausage, Tropical-brand cheese, Goya, plus beverage companies Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Big Geyser and more.

C-town staff and brand ambassadors will offer cooking demos. There will be a barbecue, raffles and a giveaway.

We will have a two-week sale flyer and in-store specials on major grocery items, the store owner said.

This C-Town offers a produce aisle, vast frozen inventory, chilled beverages, plus sundries that appeal to a broad variety of households. The bakery department features Mexican sweet breads, cookies and tortillas, Italian loaves, including a line of N.Y. Brooklyn Bread, and more. A sparkling deli corner offers freshly made sandwiches and the full Boars Head line of cold cuts.

The deli department offers a broad range of Boars Head items for freshly made sandwiches and cold cuts by the pound. A free sample event is planned by the store management to thank the store's customers. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

C-Town is open 365 days a year from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and can be reached at 347-934-3420. Abuzahrieh plans an official ribbon cutting in June to mark the stores presence in the midst of what could be considered a food desert along Castleton Avenue.

Pamela Silvestri is Advance/Silive.com Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com.
Jonathan DAgostino, left, and Michael August Walton composed 15 original songs (music and lyrics) for Every Wednesday Night. (Courtesy of Jonathan DAgostino) (Courtesy/Jonathan D'Agostino)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Jonathan DAgostino, an Eltingville attorney who established himself in the world of music, has written a new musical.

A concert of the songs from his original Every Wednesday Night will be presented one-night-only at Chelsea Table and Stage in Manhattan Thursday, May 15 at 7 p.m.

There are still seats available in the lounge

A semi-autobiographical production deals with a young man whos dealing with the loss of his father when hes preparing to become a father himself.

The show serves as a tribute to DAgostinos late dad.

With a book written by DAgostino, Every Wednesday Night is an account about how one man copes with the loss of his father through the magic of music and his chance encounter with a group of karaoke regulars.

The musical is composed of 15 original songs (music and lyrics) written by DAgostino and Michael August Walton.

Its pretty autobiographical, said DAgostino. Im a songwriter and as they say in Nashville, It all begins with a song.

DAgostino met with his co-writer one day and said, I wanted to write my Piano Man, about those karaoke regulars I met while learning to cope after my dads passing. And the song was called Every Wednesday Night.

After completing the song, he realized the characters all had unique backstories that needed to be told. So they dug in and spent almost a year putting it together.

Writing and developing this musical has been a passion project of mine for many years and its very exciting to know Im getting closer to the dream of people seeing it in a theater.

Im so proud of the show, he adds. Its feel good with heart, real pain with tears of joy. The songs are not typical musical theater. The karaoke bar backdrop allowed us to write classic rock, pop, jazz, rhythm and blues and add a jukebox of standards.

Every Wednesday Night has music and lyrics by Jon DAgostino and Michael August and a book by DAgostino with music direction by Robbie Cowan and directed by Chad Austin..
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Restaurateur Jody Scaravella, owner of Enoteca Maria, the award-winning Italian treasure in St George, is always busy.

After all, his restaurant possesses the brilliant concept of having grandmothers from around the world prepare authentic home-cooked meals for guests.

But now that a Netflix movie tells the restaurants story, he literally cant keep up with the calls, he told The New York Post.

Its a bit much, Scaravella told the Post. I mean, I cant answer my phone. Theres 350 messages on there that Im trying to get through one at a time. Every time I do one, three more come in.

But, he added, there are bad problems and there are good problems. This is a good problem.

Known at the time of its 2007 opening for Italian nonnas in the kitchen, today the restaurant features a wide variety of nationalities and culinary specialties, like Jewish, Polish, Ukrainian, Syrian, Mexican, Indian and more.

Scaravella also told the Post that he has fielded interest in documentaries and movies for years.

Now that the Netflixs Nonnas has made its New York City debut, fans can delight in watching the fiery Italian personalities of Roberta (Lorraine Bracco), Gia (Susan Sarandon), Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro), and Teresa (Talia Shire).

Ultimately, Nonnas is a film that celebrates older women who pursue joy for themselves and bring joy to others while doing it.

SPECIAL FREE SCREENING AT ST. GEORGE THEATRE

There is a special, free screening of Netflixs heartwarming film Nonnas, presented by 1Community and hosted by producer Jack Turner and Nonnas of the World on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at the St. George Theatre.

Show starts at 6:30 p.m. and doors open 6 p.m. General admission is free tickets must be reserved. Reserve tickets here.

The event will feature a Q&A session following the film, providing attendees with an opportunity to engage with the filmmakers and cast. RSVP is required to secure a spot for this exciting evening.

Enoteca Maria Joe Scaravella hams it up for the camera at the Nonnas New York premier. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

ABOUT NONNAS ON NETFLIX

Nonnas tells the story of Scaravellas journey, from launching Enoteca Maria with the unique concept of rotating grandmothers as chefs, to seeing it grow into a beloved hotspot.

Jack Turner, a longtime fan and regular at the restaurant, produced the film. Over the years, Turner and his family formed a close bond with Scaravella, which ultimately inspired the project.

The films script, written by Liz Maccie, captures the warmth and charm of the iconic local eatery.

At the New York premiere of Nonnas on Wednesday, Vince Vaughn stood out among the crowd of media figures and fellow cast members.

Amid the flashes of cameras and the buzz of the event, Vaughn took a moment to embrace the role he playedowner Scaravella.
The entrance to the Community Board 3 office in Woodrow is shown on Oct. 4, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Plans for construction of a new elementary school in Great Kills will be discussed, as well as landmark preservation and other projects affecting Staten Island during public Community Board meetings this week.

Below is a description of the meetings scheduled, according to representatives from each of the Islands three Community Boards.

Community Board 1

On Monday, May 12, there will be a virtual Land Use Public Hearing at 6:30 p.m., at which several construction projects will be discussed.

Diana Switaj, of the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, will share quarterly construction plan updates for Tompkinsville and Stapleton.

Also on the agenda is an application by the Stapleton Historic District for Landmarks Preservation Commission permits for 172 St. Pauls Ave., Stapleton, and by the St. George Historic District for 106 Carroll Place, St. George.

To join the meeting, visit Zoom. The meeting ID is 275 566 6837. The passcode is E3sv3p.

On Tuesday, May 13, there will be a full board meeting at 6:30 p.m. in St. Marys Episcopal Church, 347 Davis Ave., West Brighton.

During the meeting, Victoria Carstensen, of the city Department of Transportation, will discuss the construction of a bike lane on Richmond Terrace.

Also, Stephen Caruso, of the city Department of Sanitation, will address composting issues and rules.

And Vanessa Liamani, of the office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, will discuss the mayors Neighborhood Support Team Project to help address quality-of-life concerns across the community.

Community Board 2

Community Board 2 has no meetings planned this week.

Community Board 3

On Tuesday, May 13, there will be a meeting of the Parks and Recreation and Environmental Committee at 6:30 p.m. There is no set agenda.

On Wednesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. there will be a Land Use Public Hearing, at which several applications will be considered.

One is for the construction of a vehicle storage facility at 44 Winant Place, Charleston.

Also on the agenda is a notice filing by the New York City School Construction Authority for a 754-seat school facility at Block 5474, Abingdon Avenue to Armstrong Avenue, East Reading Avenue to East Perkiomen Avenue in Great Kills.

And on the agenda is an application from the Department of Environmental Protection seeking a modification to previously approved applications for the Mayflower Avenue Pumping Station. The construction includes a new service building, installation of a new force main and a series of other upgrades to the pump station at 1951 Arthur Kill Rd, Arden Heights.

All meetings will be held in the Community Board 3 Office, 1243 Woodrow Rd., Woodrow.

Open to the public

All Community Board meetings and meetings of their committees are open to the public. They provide an excellent opportunity for residents to learn about happenings in their neighborhood and surrounding areas. Below is more information about the Islands three Community Boards:

Community Board 1

Arlington  Castleton Corners  Clifton  Concord  Elm Park  Fort Wadsworth  Graniteville  Grymes Hill  Livingston  Mariners Harbor  New Brighton  Port Richmond  Randall Manor  Rosebank  St. George  Shore Acres  Silver Lake  Stapleton  Sunnyside  Tompkinsville  West Brighton  Westerleigh

The board chairman is Nicholas Siclari. The district manager is Joan Cusack. The telephone number is 718-981-6900.

Community Board 2

Arrochar  Bloomfield  Bulls Head  Chelsea  Dongan Hills  Egbertville  Emerson Hill  Grant City  Grasmere  High Rock  Lighthouse Hill  Midland Beach  New Dorp  New Springville  Oakwood  Ocean Breeze  Old Town  Richmond  South Beach  Todt Hill  Travis

The phone number is 718-568-3581. The fax number is 718-568-3595. The chairman is Fred Guinta. The district manager is Debra A. Derrico.

Community Board 3

Annadale  Arden Heights  Bay Terrace  Charleston  Eltingville  Great Kills  Greenridge  Huguenot  New Dorp  Oakwood  Pleasant Plains  Princes Bay  Richmond Valley  Richmond  Rossville  Tottenville  Woodrow

The office phone number is 718-356-7900. The district manager is Charlene Wagner.
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Pakistani people celebrate after the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, in Multan, Pakistan on May 10, 2025. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that Pakistan and India have agreed on a ceasefire with immediate effect. (Photo by Mansoor/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and India announced on Saturday that they agreed on a ceasefire.

The announcement came following four days of military strikes on each other.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that Pakistan and India have agreed on a ceasefire with immediate effect.

"Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Dar said.

He said that after the recent escalation and military activities on both sides, several countries, including the U.S., Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, were in contact with Pakistan.

Diplomatic efforts were underway throughout the day, following which a ceasefire agreement was reached, he added.

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday that the two countries agreed to observe a ceasefire and end military actions on their borders and Line of Control (LoC).

"Pakistan (Director General of Military Operations, or DGMO) called the DGMO of India at 15:35 local time earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea with effect from 17:00 local time today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding," Misri said at a press briefing in New Delhi.

According to Misri, the DGMOs will talk again on May 12 at 12:00 local time.

On Wednesday, India launched airstrikes on Pakistani targets to avenge last month's killing of 26 people by gunmen in Pahalgam town, about 89 km east of Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The situation along the LoC dividing Kashmir had been tense as troops of India and Pakistan deployed on both sides of the ceasefire line were engaged in an exchange of fire and artillery. 

Pakistani people celebrate after the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, in Multan, Pakistan on May 10, 2025. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that Pakistan and India have agreed on a ceasefire with immediate effect. (Photo by Mansoor/Xinhua)
University of Sydney business professor Rico Merkert. Credit: USBS In this way, the healing hand of the market may have an effect, he said. Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson, speaking during the companys half-year results in February, said: We always said that we welcome competition  Our focus is about looking after our customers. We feel really confident in being able to compete. Six months before Qatars entry into the market was given final approval, the government released its long-awaited Aviation White Paper to address broader industry concerns. The White Paper calls for legislation to create an Aviation Industry Ombuds Scheme, with the power to direct airlines and airports to provide remedies to consumers. It also includes a proposal for a new Aviation Customer Rights Charter.

A spokeswoman for Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said: The Albanese Labor government has introduced the most comprehensive reforms to the aviation sector in 25 years. Yet even before the White Papers release, the prospect for domestic competition dimmed, with significant changes for two smaller players in 2024: Rex, for regional express, went into administration in July and stopped flying to capital cities, while Bonza went out of business in April. The Albanese government, which had acquired $50 million in debt from Rex in January, said it would step in to ensure regional flights continue to fly while it seeks a new buyer. With Rex out of the picture, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found real average fare revenue per passenger had increased by about 3 percentage points to 13.6 per cent in the second half of 2024 following the loss of competition from Rexs exit on these routes. By the end of the year, Virgin Australia, Qantas and the Qantas-owned Jetstar controlled a combined 98.6 per cent of the domestic market.

On-time arrivals for all airlines averaged 80.2 per cent in March, a fall from the long-term average of 80.7 per cent, according to Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics numbers. On-time departures averaged 80.7 per cent, down from an average of 81.8 per cent, although airlines blamed the impact of Cyclone Alfred in Queensland. Consumer advocate Adam Glezer of Consumer Champion says that, in this climate, the pace of reform is too slow. There is no momentum in terms of anything meaningful, he said. By preparing the Aviation White Paper, it appears that the government is trying to appease the public by saying, we are putting you first, while theyre effectively doing nothing.

Capacity constraints at Sydney Airport are partly to blame for the lack of domestic competition. Credit: Peter Rae While the government and regulators can set the conditions for the industry, the market would be needed to produce competitive dynamics. That likely means a third or even fourth domestic airline would be necessary. University of Sydneys Merkert says that if a new, viable domestic carrier did emerge, it would need to profitable, so it would need access to the domestic premium market of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, which is a golden triangle of profitability. The real margins are made domestically, and especially on that sector, he said. For now, Merkert says Qantas and Virgin are showing capacity discipline on the capital city routes, ensuring that they dont compete to the point of undercutting their own profits.

They have almost an informal agreement to be quite happy as what we would call a duopoly because that allows both of them to generate very healthy revenues and profit margins. Ahead of an expected ASX relisting, Virgin has swung to profit. The companys earnings before interest and tax rose to $519.4 million in 2024, up 18 per cent from $439.4 million in 2023, on growing demand from premium leisure and corporate travellers as well as budget-passengers. Qantas posted an 11 per cent increase in pre-tax profit of $1.4 billion in the half-year to December and flagged a domestic fleet refresh of plane interiors. Its also adding new Airbus A321XLRs. The Coalition, for its part, has been less impressed by the state of the air travel industry. Before the May 3 federal election, in which voters resoundingly backed the Labor government of Anthony Albanese, Shadow Infrastructure and Transport Minister Senator Bridget McKenzie said that under Labor, aviation competition has nosedived.

In April, McKenzie proposed the creation of a two-year trial that would allow international airlines flying into Darwin to carry domestic passengers between that city and other Australian capitals, a process known as cabotage. Slot machinations There are other obstacles for more robust domestic competition. Capacity constraints at Sydney Airport are also to blame, Merkert says. With its limited number of slots  the time allotments for the use of the airport infrastructure necessary to arrive or depart  as well as the airports curfew, Sydney airport constraints can hold back capacity across the golden triangle. Sydneys airport, restricted to 80 aircraft movements an hour, has not had flexibility to respond to delays caused by disruptions like bad weather. Merkert says a potential competitor to Qantas or Virgin would need a set of two slots in Sydney, one for the morning and one for the evening, for business and premium customers wanting commuter service. Nearly one-third of Sydneys total slot pool is reportedly available to new entrants, but with only one in 10 slots available in peak periods.

You need to have two slots each day and that is getting increasingly difficult, if not impossible, Merkert says. Sydney Airport chief Scott Charlton said: Theres been good progress in the last six months on reforms at Sydney Airport, including a new slot co-ordinator and an audit of slot use. Slots at Sydney Airport are in high demand. Credit: Getty Images The airport is also implementing a recovery period, which will allow airlines access to more slots following weather disruptions, he said. In April, Airport Coordination  a UK-based outfit with a vast international client base  took over Sydneys slot management from the government-formed Airport Coordination Australia, pledging more transparency on slot usage, on which it says it will publish regular data.

Theres no momentum for real airline reform, says Adam Glezer. Credit: Simon Schluter A spokeswoman for minister King said: Weve passed legislation to reform the slot system at Sydney Airport, boosting competition and levelling the playing field for new entrants. With the market power effectively held by two airline groups (Qantas owns Jetstar), domestic airlines face few financial or regulatory consequences for shifting or cancelling scheduled flights. Customer advocates say a customer rights charter upheld by an ombuds scheme would need the power to force airlines to pay compensation. To that end, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie last year sponsored a pay on delay bill, which would put explicit penalties on airlines for delaying or cancelling flights for commercial reasons. The bill remains before the Senate. University of Maryland researcher Jingyi Xing says compensation schemes can hurt discount airlines. Credit:

Enshrining customers rights to get a refund for delayed and cancelled flights is a path already blazed by the European Union, which has had such legislation since 2005, and more recently the US, which under the Joe Biden administration instituted a rule change that entitled passengers to a refund if their flight is cancelled or significantly changed. Peter Forsyth, aviation consultant and former professor of economics at Monash University, says if such a compensation scheme were imposed in Australia, theres a question about who pays for it. My guess is that much of the cost would go to the passenger ultimately. But how much would that cost be? In Europe, the additional cost per passenger resulting from its compensation scheme was estimated in 2022 to be between US60 and $US1.20 (94 to $1.87), according to passenger advocacy business AirHelp. Would the threat of a compensation scheme force airlines to lift their game? Its not clear. University of Maryland researcher Jingyi Xing found that the EU customer compensation scheme legislation called EC261, introduced in 2005, reduced the proportion of flights delayed for more than three hours. But it also led to a fall in the share of flights with delays up to 15 minutes, or those arriving early.

The EC261 does not improve the overall on-time performance of flights, Xing said. Loading A compensation policy like this affects not only consumer welfare but also competition among firms, she said. Because all carriers are subject to the same compensation scheme, low-cost carriers may be placed at a disadvantage relative to legacy carriers as they charge cheaper prices and have lower revenues, she said. That means one fallout of such a scheme could be a further shake-out of low-cost carriers on certain routes. This could ultimately lead to higher prices and harm to consumers, she says.
Here are some that are worth the cost, from offering a whole new look to luxuriating in unadulterated bliss.

May 8, 2025

by Stephanie Darling
Top of his class at university and able to speak three languages, the future looked bright for Joel Cauchi.

But a series of fateful decisions would lead to him being overlooked by authorities and detached from the mental health system before he became one of Australias worst mass killers.

The 40-year-old armed himself with a pigging knife when he killed six people and injured 10 others at Sydneys Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre while experiencing a psychotic episode in April 2024.

An inquest has heard of Joel Cauchis troubled mental health history. Credit: Facebook

Details about his history and mental health decline were revealed during an inquest into the tragedy, which ended when the knife-wielding Cauchi was shot dead by a senior police officer.
Every other day, a skirmish erupts in Sydneys never-ending fight between housing and heritage. It is often cast in binary terms, as if it is simply a clash between the old and the new, or the ageing against the young.

The truth is not as simple as NIMBY Baby Boomers clinging on to their vast gardens as entire generations are doomed to confinement in sky-high dystopian boxes and as housing becomes less affordable.

Sydney does have a missing middle the state government has been trying to address by adding hundreds of thousands of new dwellings in the coming years under the National Housing Accord.

International House on City Road. Credit: Steven Siewert

With all this in mind, it is tempting to dismiss space for 200 students as a drop in the ocean, but the sad state of disrepair at Sydney Universitys International House is both instructive and symbolic.
The tenant of a property in Sydneys inner west has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing his landlord to death.

Police found the body of 65-year-old Hai Lin in the granny flat of the home on Courallie Avenue in Homebush West after responding to a concern for welfare report about 11.30pm on Friday.

The Homebush West property on Saturday. Credit: Nine News

A 31-year-old tenant was arrested at the scene and taken to Auburn police station, where he was charged with murder on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters before the man was charged, Superintendent Robert Toynton said a knife was found at the scene.
The only way to find out was to break in, they wrote. The accompanying photographs showed how belongings were just left behind: keys, surfboards and computers. Sydney University student representative council president Angus Fisher said the situation was part of a broader picture of the university selling off other student accommodation sites since the pandemic while trumpeting ambitious targets to attract students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. You shouldnt have a site of 200 beds sitting empty. Thats just crazy to me, he said. There simply isnt enough housing. I think the university should prioritise student housing for low SES students in their strategy because it is so important.

A university spokeswoman said it had spent $220 million on building affordable student accommodation since 2015, and was developing a new pipeline of such projects on campus. Weve only closed accommodation that is no longer suitable for student use or requires urgent refurbishment  and have, in fact, increased the number of beds we can offer by working with purpose-built student accommodation providers to secure additional spots for our students, she said. Inside a terrace that has been refurbished for student accommodation next year. Credit: Steven Siewert She described International House as an important and complicated development, involving several stakeholders, and once plans are agreed and finalised well submit them for approval as is standard. She said one fundamental issue needed to be resolved  that university accommodation, which was 25 per cent cheaper than the market, was not officially considered affordable housing under state planning laws.

Weve appealed for a change to this categorisation, to make it easier for all NSW universities to fast-track student accommodation developments, providing planning control relief, density bonuses and exemptions from development contributions that would allow us to increase affordable local accommodation by at least 20 per cent, she said. Next year, there will be a boost to housing supply when a string of terraces bordering the university in Darlington, which have been shuttered since the end of 2022, are made available to students again. Terraces along Darlington Road adjoining the university will be refurbished and open for next year. Credit: Steven Siewert Other universities have also sold off inner-city student housing. The University of Technology Sydney sold property to Scape, a purpose-built student accommodation developer, on the condition it remained student accommodation. That decision was made solely to liberate funds to protect staff and avoid any forced redundancies during the pandemic. Despite the sale, last month the university announced 400 jobs would be axed. Professor Alan Morris from UTS said university-owned accommodation helped vulnerable groups such as international students to survive on their own in Australia.

Loading UTS sold the housing in response to the financial crisis brought on by COVID. Theyre lost forever, they will never get them back, he said. Meanwhile, International House at Sydney University is protected by a 1962 trust deed that restricts what it can be used for. Chair of the International House alumni council, Dennis Schatz, said that in retrospect, the alumni would have preferred minor renovations be carried out on the site, which would have allowed students to live there while redevelopment plans were made. Anybody whos been involved with International House is not happy with it, he said of the delay.

Loading He has attended meetings about the site with university management who acknowledged the need to redevelop it. What was really being said was: Theres a whole redevelopment thats occurring from the Wentworth building down through to the Seymour Centre. And, were going to do this with the Wentworth Building first, and work our way down, and well get to International House. There were reports the Wentworth Building may be demolished in 2025, but the university says that is not the case and that it is working with the Sydney University Union to review options for redevelopment or refurbishment. Tenants Union of NSW chief executive Leo Patterson Ross said there was a bigger problem beyond student accommodation.

Loading We dont have a system which incentivises the use of buildings, he said. It is financially viable to let a building sit empty. It is an indictment on our housing system. You can be sitting on the land and it can appreciate in value. He said if there was a real holding cost and property owners let sites sit empty, they would be hit in the pocket. International House is said to have reached its end of life. Credit: Steven Siewert
Also from the 2022 review: A significant number of submissions to the review cited the Liberal Partys declining vote among women as a decisive factor in the 2022 election loss. It is clear from the partys research and post-election analysis that the partys standing with women was an important factor in the partys defeat. Scott Morrisons defeat in 2022 prompted an internal review that found the Liberal Party performed particularly poorly with female voters. Credit: James Brickwood Add the statement: Liberal defectors in Teal seats were highly likely to agree with the statement that the treatment or attitude toward women within the Liberal Party had a strong influence on my vote. Or: Immediately following the election, a clear majority of Australians (across different electorates) agreed with the statement that the Liberal Party has fallen behind the views of middle Australia. There are sections on the swing against the Liberals among Chinese-Australian voters, and a warning that the Liberals policy agenda appeared to be limited and unclear to the electorate. There is a call for the proper vetting of candidates, and the preselection of candidates in good time to prepare for the election campaign. And then the most damning conclusion of all.

Many of the matters raised in this review were also discussed in the reviews of the 2016 and 2019 federal elections, the authors write. Many of the problems identified have been constants for a decade or more. What now? At the time of writing, Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley had declared her candidacy for the leadership. On Friday, she told the Sunrise program, We did let the women of Australia down. She continued: 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. Even in this brief statement, you can read the internal conflict of the Liberals: We know we have done a bad job with women, and we know we need to promote them to positions of leadership. But we cant allow the impression to settle that they are promoted to positions of leadership because they are women. The conservative side of politics, in Australia and abroad, has always had difficulty embracing the values of feminism. In its furthermost right quarters, women are valued chiefly for their roles as homemakers and mothers, with a reluctant concession that some women have something to offer the public sphere.

Julie Bishop listens as then prime minister Tony Abbott speaks during question time at Parliament House in 2015. Credit: Andrew Meares Former prime minister Tony Abbott eventually put out a replacement-wage maternity leave policy with the explanation that women should not be educated to a high level, only to be denied a career. If we want women of that calibre to have families, and we should, well we have to give them a fair dinkum chance to do so. That is what this scheme of paid parental leave is all about, he said in 2013. In 2014, then-minister for foreign affairs Julie Bishop rejected the label feminist for herself. I dont find the need to self-describe in that way, she told the National Press Club.

Feminist, she said, is not a term that I find particularly useful these days. She said she would never blame the fact that Im a woman if something didnt work out in her career. Loading And yet, it is difficult to conjure any reason other than her gender to explain why Bishop was never treated seriously as a leadership contender by her own (majority male) colleagues. The Labor Party has achieved gender parity in parliament (if not in high leadership positions) through the effective implementation of quotas.
Tom and Emma Lane, of the Oroton fashion family empire, have sold their luxury equine estate in Bangalow for about $30 million, say local sources, smashing the suburb record.

The developer couple spared no expense on their latest lavish retreat, Copperstone, which was built from scratch and three years in the making after the purchase of farmland for $3 million in 2021.

The stunning luxury equine estate Copperstone. Credit:

Set on 19 hectares, nestled in a picturesque country landscape, the property is a sight to behold and the latest addition to the Lanes portfolio of luxury accommodation known as The Range Estates.

Their meticulous attention to detail, impeccable taste and love of horses combined to create an estate with a suite of amenities, including a wellness centre with sauna, steam room and ice bath, a tennis court and a pool house for the 25-metre mineral pool. It also features an impressive dressage arena with a cross-country course and stables for horse enthusiasts.
Unit prices in a string of Sydneys eastern suburbs have soared over the past year, led by a jump of more than $500,000 in Bellevue Hill, as first home buyers and downsizers compete for the limited supply of homes available.

Bellevue Hills median unit price rocketed to $2 million, a 37.7 per cent annual change or an increase of $547,500, based on Domains House Price Report for the March 2025 quarter.

Little Bay followed at $1.44 million (a 23.1 per cent increase, or $270,000). Woollahra, Rose Bay, Coogee and Paddington also saw price growth of at least 10.2 per cent, or six-figure surges.

Unit prices jumped in suburbs across Sydney including Parramatta, Botany, Canterbury, Strathfield, North Sydney and Penrith too, up by double digits in the past year, but the east accounted for six of the top 25 performers.
Footage of the trees last stand showed a solitary figure silhouetted beneath the towering canopy in a struggle with the trunk as the unmistakable sound of the chainsaw whined above the wind. With a single crack, the buzz of the saw died down, the person stepped back and the tree that had stood at Hadrians Wall for about 150 years crashed to earth. Metadata pinpointed the location of the video at the trees location in Northumberland National Park. Other data showed Grahams Range Rover had travelled there. Police examine the felled Sycamore Gap tree, on Hadrians Wall, on September 29, 2023. Credit: AP The Sycamore Gap tree was not Britains biggest or oldest sycamore, but it was prized for its picturesque setting, planted in a gap along the famous wall built by Emperor Hadrian in AD122 to protect the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire. For over a century, Sycamore Gap has been an iconic natural landmark in the north-east of England, bringing immeasurable joy to those visiting the area, prosecutor Gale Gilchrist told the court.

In just under three minutes, Graham and Carruthers ended its historic legacy in a deliberate and mindless act of destruction. Convicts could face lengthy sentences Neither Graham, who had a small construction business, nor Carruthers, a mechanic who sometimes worked with him, showed any visible reaction as the verdicts were read. Justice Christina Lambert ordered both men be held in custody until sentencing on July 15 and said they could face a lengthy period in custody. The maximum sentence for criminal damage is 10 years in prison.

The defendants, once close friends, both testified that they were at their respective homes that night and had nothing to do with the crime. Graham pointed the finger at Carruthers, saying he was obsessed with the tree. Graham said his friend and another man had taken his Range Rover and phone to the site to frame him. Daniel Graham, left, and Adam Carruthers were convicted of cutting down the beloved Sycamore Gap tree. Credit: AP Carruthers said he didnt understand why people were so upset about just a tree, saying it was almost as if someone had been murdered. His lawyer suggested Graham told a desperate lie after being caught. Prosecutor Richard Wright said the two men were in on it together from the start, with evidence showing Carruthers had gone far out of his way earlier in the day to go near the tree on a reconnaissance mission.

Wright said he couldnt say who cut the tree and who held the phone, but the two men were the only people in the world with the video on their devices. As Grahams vehicle was tracked on its way back towards his home in Carlisle  about 40 minutes away  Carruthers received a video from his partner of their infant and replied, Ive got a better video than that, Wright said. At the time of that text conversation, the only people in the world who knew the tree had been felled were the men who had cut it down, Wright said. And the only people in the world who had access to the video were the men who had filmed themselves in the act of cutting down the tree: the defendants Graham and Carruthers.

Missing: one chainsaw and a trophy wedge of wood The next day, the two men feverishly exchanged messages after the tree was discovered. Its gone viral. It is worldwide, Graham said. Carruthers forwarded a Facebook comment by a man who criticised the disgusting behaviour of the weak vandals. Carruthers said hed like to see the man launch an operation like we did last night. The tree after it was cut down. Credit: Getty Images Wright said police never located the chainsaw used to fell the tree, but each man had access to plenty of saws  a fact they both tried to downplay.

Investigators also couldnt find a wedge of wood cut from the trunk to drop the tree in the right direction. But images on Grahams phone showed a slice of wood and a chainsaw in the back of his vehicle at his home. A forensic botanist said there was very strong evidence it was the missing wedge that Wright suggested had been taken as a trophy. Loading Prosecutors offered no evidence of a motive for the crime other than calling it senseless vandalism. But Wright suggested to jurors in his closing argument that the men cut the tree down for a bit of a laugh but had failed to realise the anger they would spark in the arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery. The tree was originally valued at more than 620,000 (about $1.3 million) and damage to the wall was estimated at 1100. But prosecutor Rebecca Brown said those figures were in dispute and were likely lower, but would still easily fit in the top category of harm for sentencing purposes. AP
ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has fully reopened its airspace for all types of flight operations, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Saturday.

"Pakistan's airspace has been completely reopened for all types of flight operations," a spokesperson for the PAA told Xinhua, assuring travelers that the aviation network is now functioning normally.

The reopening of airspace followed a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India, which has eased concerns after missile strikes and heightened security measures led to airspace restrictions and temporary flight suspensions earlier in the week.

The spokesperson advised passengers to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates regarding flight schedules and operational changes.

The resumption of full airport services is expected to help stabilize air travel both domestically and internationally, offering relief to airlines, airport staff, and passengers who were affected by cancellations and delays during the period of heightened tensions. 
Chicago: The Trump administration is actively considering suspending the writ of habeas corpus, which allows people to challenge the legality of their detention or imprisonment, in what would be a stunning abrogation of a fundamental legal principle.

Since taking office in January, US President Donald Trump has engaged in an increasingly hostile battle with the courts over his use of executive power to detain and deport alleged illegal immigrants, and regularly targeting activist judges for blocking his agenda.

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller speaks to reporters outside the White House. Credit: AP

On Friday (Saturday AEST), White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller said Trumps team was considering whether it should suspend peoples right to contest their detention before a court of law.

The Constitution is clear  and that is of course the supreme law of the land  that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion, he told reporters at the White House. So, its an option we are actively looking at. A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Committee for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Animal Husbandry recently convened to review progress on agriculture-related initiatives for St. Maarten. Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications (TEATT), Ms. Grisha Heyliger-Marten, presented updates on ongoing projects, funding sources, and future plans aimed at strengthening the agriculture sector.

Progress on Agriculture Projects

Several initiatives aimed at improving food security, modernizing farming practices, and enhancing sustainability are moving forward. Some of the notable updates include:

Food Data Quantification Project is on track for completion by June 2025.

is on track for completion by June 2025. Poultry and Fishery Sector Assessments are currently underway.

are currently underway. Hydroponics Education Program completed installations and initial training in April 2025, with community-level training slated for 2026.

completed installations and initial training in April 2025, with community-level training slated for 2026. Agri-Loan Program is set to launch in June 2025, offering low-interest loans at 2% to ten farmers and ten fishermen.

is set to launch in June 2025, offering low-interest loans at 2% to ten farmers and ten fishermen. Agriculture Research Project remains in its selection phase.

These projects are expected to pave the way for stronger agricultural productivity and food independence on the island.

Funding Challenges and Opportunities

The Minister underscored the importance of international funding in driving current initiatives, while local funds remain limited. Organizations like the EU Green Overseas Project and the ALF agency have been key contributors, supporting projects such as the hydroponics program (90,000) and the Agri-loan fund (300,000 guilders).

Looking ahead, the ALF agency, geared to oversee agricultural development, is actively seeking $600,000 in startup funding through international partnerships like TWAO (Temporary Work Agreements Overseas).

Challenges Facing the Agriculture Sector

Despite measurable progress, several roadblocks remain. Key challenges include:

Limited Funding - No dedicated budget for 2026 agriculture initiatives further compounds financial pressures. Personnel Shortages - The ministry lacks the workforce and resources necessary to fully support agriculture-focused policies, making staff recruitment and relocation a priority. Disaster Management Deficiencies - The absence of contingency plans for agricultural resilience in disasters poses significant risks.

Future Plans and Goals

Minister Heyliger-Marten laid out an ambitious vision for the agriculture sector, centered around the ALF policy. By stabilizing and expanding the sector, the Ministry aims to establish an independent ALF agency by Q4 2026. The agency will focus on the execution of agriculture initiatives, while the Ministry remains responsible for policy development.

Upcoming plans include creating seedling centers, expanding hydroponics programs, reviving agricultural schools, and launching poultry farming training programs. Additionally, cross-island collaboration through the DC Alpha platform will strengthen regional trade and shipping partnerships.

Discussions Among MPs

Members of Parliament (MPs) played an active role in providing insights and raising critical questions about the pathway forward. MP Lacroes called for stronger regional licensing agreements for fishermen, while MP Veronica Janssen Webster commended the progress in the hydroponics program and stressed the importance of local farmers engaging in international exposure.

MP Sarah Westcott-Williams voiced concerns about the feasibility of using a ZBO (Independent Administrative Body) to execute ALF policies, emphasizing the need for interim measures. Meanwhile, MP Darrly York sought clarity on budget timelines and land allocation for farmers in collaboration with the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Infrastructure.

The issue of invasive species, particularly monkeys, was also discussed. Proposed strategies included electronic fencing and licensed culling to address the growing problem.

Ministers Closing Remarks

Minister Heyliger-Marten concluded the meeting with a call for unity and cooperation across all stakeholders. She promised transparency and regular updates on agricultural progress, emphasizing the pivotal role of collaboration between government, Parliament, and international partners in driving success.

Next Steps

Several immediate action points emerged from the meeting, including providing MPs with a detailed breakdown of international funding and its allocations. The setup of the ALF agency remains a central focus, with Parliament closely monitoring developments and providing legislative support as needed.

The ambitious roadmap presented by the Ministry signals a promising future for St. Maartens agriculture sector, positioning it as a pillar of sustainability and self-reliance for the island.
GRAND CASE:--- A deadly shooting that unfolded around midnight Friday has left a young man dead, and another critically injured in the quiet streets of Grand Case, Saint-Martin. The incident occurred near the intersection of Rue des Ecoles and Passage des Ecoles, shocking the local community.

The public prosecutor of Basse-Terre, Xavier Sicot, confirmed the tragic loss of life, also revealing that the second victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The injured man was quickly transported to the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital for emergency treatment. However, the authorities have yet to release further information about his current condition.

The gendarmerie has launched two investigations in response to the attack. One inquiry focuses on the fatal shooting, classified as an assassination, while the other addresses the attempted assassination of the surviving victim. Responsibility for the case has been handed over to Saint-Martins investigative unit, signaling the gravity of the situation. These investigations aim to uncover the motive and identify those responsible for the violence.

This incident has reignited serious concerns about public safety on the French side of the island, particularly in Grand Case. Known for its vibrant gastronomy scene and rich culture, the district is now grappling with an increasing reputation for violence.

As law enforcement continues their inquiries, those living in and visiting the area remain on high alert. Authorities are expected to provide more updates as their investigations progress.

This latest act of violence serves as a stark reminder of the challenges the community faces in maintaining peace and safety in a region admired for its charm and beauty.
Pentagon orders search for 'divisive' materials in military libraries



Washington, May 9 (AFP) May 09, 2025



The Pentagon on Friday ordered the identification and sequestration of materials in the libraries of US military academies and war colleges that contain information on subjects including diversity, anti-racism and transgender people.

The move is the latest step by the Defense Department to target pro-diversity content and programs -- an effort that led to the removal of troves of documents and images from its website and swept up articles on African American pioneers such as the Tuskegee Airmen.

"Educational materials... promoting divisive concepts and gender ideology are incompatible with the department's core mission," said a memo to senior Pentagon leaders, military commanders and other officials.

The memo directs officials to "promptly identify any department... library materials potentially incompatible with this core mission," sequester it for review and "determine an appropriate ultimate disposition for those materials."

It said a committee of "knowledgeable leaders, educators, and library professionals" had compiled a list of search terms to identify materials for review.

The list, which appeared in an attachment to the memo, includes: Affirmative action, allyship, anti-racism -- United States, Critical Race Theory, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, gender nonconformity, gender transition, and transgender people -- United States, among others.

"The subsequent deliberate review by experts in the fields of education and the department's mission will determine the ultimate disposition of the material, based on the totality of the circumstances and findings of relevant facts," the memo said.

In a separate memo on Friday, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth gave the secretaries of US military departments 30 days to certify that the country's military academies will not consider race, ethnicity or sex for purposes of admissions.

The academies must "offer admission based exclusively on merit," Hegseth wrote in the memo.
India, Pakistan launch multiple attacks as US warns against 'miscalculation'



Srinagar, India, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



Pakistan launched counterattacks against India Saturday after three of its air bases were struck overnight, and as the conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours spiralled towards a full-blown war that sparked calls against "miscalculation".

Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told a briefing Saturday there were "several high-speed missile attacks" on air bases, but "limited damage" to equipment.

Pakistan earlier accused India of targeting three of its bases with missiles -- including one in Rawalpindi, some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the capital, Islamabad.

Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir said 11 civilians were killed by Indian shelling overnight.

In a live broadcast aired by state television in the middle of the night, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif warned: "Now you just wait for our response."

Later Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told senior officials "we have given India a befitting response and avenged the blood of our innocent citizens", his office said in a statement.

The clashes, involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery, are the worst in decades and have killed more than 60 civilians.

The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which Delhi blamed on Islamabad.

India accused the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation -- of carrying out the attack, but Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.

The countries have fought several wars over the Muslim-majority Kashmir, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.



- 'Avoid miscalculation' -



In a series of calls to senior officials in both countries, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged them to restore direct communication to "avoid miscalculation".

Rubio "emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation", State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.

For the first known time since the conflict erupted, Rubio also spoke with Pakistan's army chief, considered the country's key powerbroker.

China also made a similar appeal as did the G7 group of industrialised nations.

The overnight Indian attack on the Rawalpindi air base could be heard from Islamabad.

The air base is used to receive foreign dignitaries, and Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs Adel Al-Jubeir had departed just hours earlier.

Separately, AFP journalists reported loud explosions in Srinagar, the capital of India-administered Kashmir.

A police officer speaking on condition of anonymity said the Awantipora military airbase outside the city had been struck.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western border," the army said on X.

The army said "multiple enemy drones were spotted flying over" a military cantonment in Amritsar in Punjab, a state adjoining Kashmir, and were "instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units."



- Rush to leave -



In Jammu, Indian-run Kashmir's second biggest city, people scrambled to board a special train dispatched to ferry people out.

"There are loud explosions the entire night," said Karan Varma, a 41-year-old mason.

"There is no choice but to leave".

The overwhelming majority were poor labourers from other parts of India seeking to return to their homes.

On Friday, the Indian army said it had "repulsed" waves of Pakistani attacks using drones and other munitions overnight, and gave a "befitting reply".

Pakistan's military spokesman denied that Islamabad was carrying out such attacks, and vowed revenge for India's initial strikes, on Wednesday.

Pakistani military sources said its forces had shot down 77 drones, with debris of many incursions seen by AFP in cities across the country.

Pakistan's military early Saturday claimed New Delhi's forces had bombed their own territory in Amritsar, without providing evidence.

Armed groups have stepped up operations in Kashmir since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked its limited autonomy and took the state under direct rule by New Delhi.

The countries have fought several wars over the Muslim-majority Kashmir, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

The conflict has caused major disruptions to international aviation, with airlines having to cancel flights or use longer routes that do not overfly the India-Pakistan frontier.

India has closed 32 airports, while schools in areas close to the border on both sides were shuttered, affecting millions of children.

Pakistan' aviation authority said its airspace would be closed until noon Sunday (0700 GMT). burs-ach-fox
Strike on Sudan's Darfur kills 14 members of one family: rescuers



Port Sudan, Sudan, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



At least 14 members of the same family were killed in an air strike on a displacement camp in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, a rescue group said Saturday, blaming paramilitaries.

The Abu Shouk camp "was the target of intense bombardment by the Rapid Support Forces on Friday evening", said the group of volunteer aid workers, which also reported wounded.

"Fourteen Sudanese, members of the same family, were killed" and several people wounded, it said in a statement.

The camp near El-Fasher, the last state capital in Darfur still out of the RSF's control, is plagued by famine, according to the United Nations.

It is home to tens of thousands of people who fled the violence of successive conflicts in Darfur and the conflict that has been tearing Africa's third largest country apart since 2023.

The RSF, which is at war with the regular army, has shelled the camp several times in recent weeks.

Abu Shouk is located near the Zamzam camp, which the RSF seized in April after a devastating offensive that virtually emptied it.

The United Nations says nearly one million people had been sheltering at the site.

The war, which began as a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has spiralled into what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

It has effectively divided the country in two with the army controlling the north, east and centre while the RSF dominates nearly all of Darfur in the west and parts of the south.
This photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows the 13th batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government in Yangon, Myanmar. The emergency humanitarian assistance was handed over to Myanmar here on Saturday. (Photo by Haymhan Aung/Xinhua)

YANGON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The 13th batch of emergency humanitarian assistance dispatched by the Chinese government was handed over to Myanmar on Saturday in Yangon.

The aid supplies included 1,576 prefabricated houses, which were accepted by Yangon Region Minister for Natural Resources U Zaw Win.

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28. As of May 9, 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. 

This photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows the 13th batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government in Yangon, Myanmar. The emergency humanitarian assistance was handed over to Myanmar here on Saturday. (Photo by Haymhan Aung/Xinhua)

This photo taken on May 10, 2025 shows the 13th batch of emergency humanitarian aid supplies dispatched by the Chinese government in Yangon, Myanmar. The emergency humanitarian assistance was handed over to Myanmar here on Saturday. (Photo by Haymhan Aung/Xinhua)
Outside mediation now crucial for Pakistan and India



Karachi, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



With the risk of dangerous escalation between India and Pakistan the highest in decades, only international mediation can stop a spiral into all-out conflict between the nuclear-armed foes, analysts say.

Pakistan said it launched counterattacks on Saturday after India struck three of its air bases overnight following days of missile, artillery and drone strikes across the border.

It is the first time since the India-Pakistan war of 1971 -- before both got nuclear weapons -- that they have struck deep inside each other's territory, reaching as far as Karachi on the Arabian Sea coast.

These have also killed civilians far from Kashmir -- the death toll on both sides is now over 60 -- which further increases expectations on New Delhi and Islamabad to respond in a robust manner.

"Civilian casualties changes the entire situation and puts both governments under tremendous public pressure," said Praveen Donthi, senior India analyst for the International Crisis Group.

"Both powers on their own are not going to de-escalate."

Conflicts in more recent times have been confined mostly to in or near Kashmir, the Himalayan territory split between the two countries -- and claimed by both in full -- following independence in 1947.

Most recently in 2019, these have followed a pattern of brief, intense strikes and counter strikes, followed by a willingness on both sides to de-escalate.

"In this case, emotions and mistrust are so high that international mediation will be of the essence," said Michael Kugelman, a Washington DC-based South Asia analyst.

"There's still no clear path to an off ramp."

There have been global calls for restraint but analysts agreed that actual mediation from the United States, Britain or Arab Gulf states was urgent.

"The efforts haven't been as serious as they could have been, given that these are two are nuclear countries and they have a history of fighting each other," said Abdul Basit, a senior associate fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

The latest events, including claims of targeting each other's air bases, should now "send the international efforts into overdrive," Basit said.

"They need to knock some sense into their heads that this war is happening over populated areas -- that one incident could suddenly turn into a nuclear flash point," he added.



- New playbook -



US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the conflict was "fundamentally none of our business", in comments that suggested President Donald Trump's White House was not about to get involved.

But this now looks to have changed, with Washington saying early Saturday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to India and Pakistan's foreign ministers for the first time since the crisis erupted.

In addition Rubio talked with Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir, considered the country's key powerbroker.

Rubio "emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation," the State Department said.

Senior ministers from Iran and Saudi Arabia have also visited both countries in recent few days.

The last conflict in 2019 -- in and around Kashmir and away from populated areas -- ended with both sides claiming victory after mediation from the United States.

"But what we're seeing now is unprecedented. We have not seen these types of attacks before -- missiles, drones, planes sent over populated cities," said Basit.

"It's a new playbook," said Basit, with mediators needed to "help with the victory narrative for both sides" in order to de-escalate.



- 'Terrorist' targets -



The flare-up stems from an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 26 people were shot dead and that New Delhi has accused Islamabad of backing.

Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for a neutral probe.

On Wednesday India launched missile attacks, striking mosques and seminaries in several cities that it called "terrorist" targets, killing more than 20 people including children.

"It was an unusually brutal attack on civilians who were singled out for their religion and that set the tone for India's response," Kugelman said, adding that India wants to show that it has "zero tolerance for terrorism".

Pakistan says it is being punished for something it didn't do.

"People in Pakistan are fed up of being blamed so often for things they say they have nothing to do with," Kugelman said.

"If Pakistan were to hold back, that could be politically damaging because there is such a strong (public) view that more needs to be done."



- Kashmir key -



Both countries have given their military operations religious names, appealing to strongly devout sentiments in their nations.

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.

Relations have worsened under Modi's more than 10-year Hindu nationalist government, which in 2019 brought Muslim-majority Indian Kashmir under direct rule.

"In the long term (Kashmir is) going to destabilise relations for at least another decade," said Donthi.

"The Kashmir conflict is at the heart of this but that is almost forgotten when hostilities start."
'Pragmatic' approach could reap 'ambitious' UK-EU deal: Starmer



London, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



A "pragmatic" approach to talks on food standards, youth mobility and European courts could yield an "ambitious" post-Brexit deal between the EU and UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview published Saturday by The Guardian newspaper.

London and Brussels are hopeful of signing a deal at the first UK-EU summit since Brexit, which will take place in the British capital on May 19.

However, Labour's drubbing by the anti-EU Reform UK party in recent local elections and critical reaction to a trade deal agreed this week with India could lead London to take a more cautious approach, The Guardian reported.

Despite the potential for domestic criticism, Starmer suggested to the paper that the UK was prepared to align with the EU on food standards as part of the deal, saying: "We do not want to lower our standards on food.

"I think that British people are proud of the high standards that we have, and we want to maintain those standards," he said, adding the government would take a "serious, pragmatic" approach to talks.

Significantly, he accepted that the European Court of Justice would be involved in resolving disputes, pointing out that it already has a role as part of the existing agreement that deals with Northern Ireland.



- Youth mobility scheme -



Defence Secretary John Healey also told the BBC on Friday that London was willing to pay for UK companies to gain access to lucrative EU defence spending programmes.

"We are prepared to pay our fair share but we want to have a say in the programmes, while retaining UK intellectual property and export opportunities," he said.

One of the most controversial elements of a new deal is a potential youth mobility scheme, which would remove restrictions on young people moving between the UK and EU.

Minister for EU relations Nick Thomas-Symonds said this week the government was exploring the scheme, and Starmer, when asked about the subject, told The Guardian that "we're pragmatists, and that's the approach that we bring to these negotiations".

Immigration was a key reason behind the 2016 vote to leave the European Union and the government has vowed there will be no return to free of movement of people.

While authorising young people in the EU and in Britain to spend a certain period working or studying in the other territory is removed from the free-movement principle that exists within the EU, it is likely to be seized upon by Reform UK.

That party, and its anti-immigration leader Nigel Farage, are currently riding high in the polls.

The newspaper said EU diplomats were concerned that domestic concerns were curbing London's desire for a quick deal, with one saying that "everyone is very sensitive to how a closer relationship lands in the UK".

But Starmer insisted he was "ambitious about what we can achieve" and that "I want a closer relationship on security, on defence, on trade and on the economy.

"Let's look forward, not back. Let's recognise we're living in a different world. We're in a new era on security and defence. Equally, we're in a new era on trade and the economy now," he added.
Saudi Arabia offers to mediate in India-Pakistan conflict



Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan called his Indian and Pakistani counterparts on Sunday to offer the kingdom's services as a mediator between the two nuclear-armed states.

"During the telephone calls, discussions focused on efforts to put an end to the ongoing military clashes," the Saudi minister said in a statement.

He underlined the "kingdom's commitment to regional security and stability, and its close and balanced relations with the two friendly countries".

Riyadh had already sought to defuse rising tensions in the run-up to this week's clashes, announcing on April 25 that it had "taken steps to avoid an escalation".

This week's clashes, involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery, are the worst in decades and have killed more than 60 civilians.

Pakistan launched counterattacks against India Saturday after three of its air bases were struck overnight.

The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, and which Delhi blamed on Islamabad.

India accused the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation -- of carrying out the attack, but Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.

The countries have fought several wars over Muslim-majority Kashmir, which both claim in full but have administered separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

Saudi Arabia has adopted an increasingly high profile on the world diplomatic stage, hosting talks between Moscow and Washington in February on repairing relations shattered by Russia's war on Ukraine as well as talks between the warring parties in Sudan.
Ecuador declares national mourning for 11 troops killed by guerrillas



Quito, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



Ecuador's president declared three days of national mourning starting Saturday over the deaths of 11 soldiers who the army said were killed by dissident FARC guerrillas in an ambush near the Colombian border.

The attack on Friday comes amid a spike in violence in both nations linked to the trafficking of cocaine produced in Colombia and exported through Ecuadoran ports to the United States and Europe.

Around 80 soldiers were carrying out an operation to combat illegal mining in the Ecuadoran Amazon when they were attacked by the guerrillas, leaving 11 soldiers and a militant dead, and one soldier wounded, Ecuadoran officials said.

The Ecuadoran military said in a statement Friday that the "ambush" had been carried out with explosives, grenades and firearms.

"We will find those responsible and we will finish them off," Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa said on social media platform X.

The national mourning period in honor of the slain soldiers will run through Monday, according to the presidency.

The office of the prosecutor said a criminal offshoot of FARC called the Comandos de la Frontera, or Border Commandos, was responsible for the attack in the eastern province of Orellana.

Some armed factions within FARC, once the largest guerrilla group in Latin America, have rejected its historic peace agreement made with the Colombian government in 2016.

Those splinter groups refuse to lay down their arms and pursue criminal activities like illegal mining and drug trafficking.

Comandos de la Frontera is involved in drug trafficking in the border region of Colombia and Ecuador.

The prosecutor's office said that work had begun to "recover the bodies and secure evidence" at the site of the attack.

According to Mario Pazmino, a retired colonel and former head of army intelligence, the area is a "sanctuary for organized crime" where Colombian, Ecuadoran and Brazilian groups operate.

After the demobilization of FARC in 2017, the Comandos de la Frontera were able to rearm in about a year and a half and their expansion has accelerated, Laura Bonilla, a researcher at the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, told AFP.

"Neither the Colombian nor the Ecuadoran state has been able to guarantee a state presence that provides security, justice or protects the territory from the presence of armed groups," she added.

Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said the deadly attack on Friday demonstrated the threat posed by organized armed groups.

"Their criminal violence is unacceptable and must be confronted with the full force of the state," he wrote on X.

The Ecuadoran military said it would "not rest until those responsible are judged before the law and are held accountable."



- A killing every hour -



Once-peaceful Ecuador averaged a killing every hour at the start of the year, as cartels battled for control over cocaine routes that pass through the nation's ports.

Despite President Noboa's tough-on-crime policies, the country has the highest murder rate in Latin America.

There are 40,000 gang members in Ecuador, the president has said -- almost double the 22,000 narco traffickers and rebels in Colombia, according to official figures.

The bloodshed in Ecuador has spooked investors and tourists alike, fuelling economic malaise and swelling the ranks of the nation's poor to 28 percent of the population.

In Colombia, the Comandos de la Frontera are engaged in peace negotiations with authorities, with a further round of talks set for later this month.

The United States is seeking the extradition of the group's detained leader on drug trafficking charges, Colombian officials have said.
Trump announces 'full and immediate' India-Pakistan ceasefire



Washington, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan after days of deadly jet fighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks between the nuclear-armed rivals.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump said on Truth Social, praising the two countries for "using Common Sense and Great Intelligence."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement follows extensive negotiations by him and Vice President J.D. Vance with Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif and other top officials.

"I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," Rubio said on X.

"We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he added.

The announcement comes after Pakistan launched counterattacks against India Saturday after three of its air bases were struck overnight and the conflict between the arch-foes escalated to dangerous levels.

Pakistan's foreign minister also confirmed the ceasefire. There was no immediate comment from India.
Burkina leader seeks stronger military ties with Russia



Moscow, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



Burkina Faso's President Ibrahim Traore on Saturday called for deeper military and scientific links with Russia while on a visit to Moscow.

The head of the African nation's military-dominated government and President Vladimir Putin held a meeting at the Kremlin, a day after they attended a Red Square parade with other international leaders.

"Despite all the sanctions, Russia manages... to remain at the forefront of the international stage. It's a lesson for all of us," Traore said, also praising the Russian army's "modernised" equipment.

Traore said his country had "many projects with the Russian defence ministry", but did not give details.

Under Traore, who seized power in a coup in September 2022, Burkina Faso has turned away from former colonial master France and moved closer to Russia.

Russia has faced severe sanctions since launching its offensive in Ukraine in 2022 and has undertaken a significant foreign policy shift, including by strengthening ties with Africa.

Traore said he would not ask for military aid from Moscow at a time when Russian forces are engaged in Ukraine.

But he said Russia could share its "knowledge", help Burkina Faso "educate its young population" and end conflict in the country where security forces are battling a jihadist uprising.

Putin said Russia would "continue to assist" Burkina Faso, suppressing "radical groups" and training officials.

"We are united by the common goal of combating terrorism," Putin said, also advocating stronger economic cooperation.
India, Pakistan reach ceasefire -- but trade claims of violations



Islamabad, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



India and Pakistan traded accusations of ceasefire violations early Sunday, hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the nuclear-armed neighbours had stepped back from the brink of full-blown war.

India's foreign secretary said it retaliated after Pakistan's "repeated violations" of the truce, while Pakistan said it "remains committed" to the ceasefire and that its forces were handling violations by India with "responsibility and restraint."

AFP staff in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir reported hearing loud explosions. A senior official in Pakistani-run Kashmir told AFP that "intermittent exchange of fire is ongoing" across the de facto border in the contested region, the Line of Control (LoC).

More details were not immediately available, and it was not possible to independently verify the claims.

On Saturday, Pakistan and India had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire after days of deadly jet fighter, missile, drone and artillery attacks which killed at least 60 people and saw thousands flee their homes along the border as well as in divided Kashmir.

The news had been surprisingly announced by Trump.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump posted.

India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri had said that both sides would "stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea" with effect from 5:00 pm (1130 GMT).

He later accused Pakistan of "repeated violations" and said the Indian armed forces "are giving an adequate and appropriate response."

Meanwhile, the foreign ministry in Islamabad said Pakistan "remains committed to faithful implementation" of the truce.

"Notwithstanding the violations being committed by India in some areas, our forces are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint," it said.



- 'Vigilant' -



The conflict was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which Delhi blamed on Islamabad.

India accused the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation -- of carrying out the attack, but Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.

Militants have stepped up operations in Kashmir since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked its limited autonomy and took the state under direct rule from New Delhi.

The countries have fought several wars over the territory, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

"The ceasefire is a positive step," said Bilal Shabbir, an IT consultant in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

"In war, it's not just soldiers who die, it's mostly civilians -- and in this case, it would have been the people of Kashmir."

In Srinagar, resident Sukesh Khajuria was more cautious.

"The ceasefire is welcome, but it's difficult to trust Pakistan. We have to be vigilant," he said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ceasefire came after he and Vice President JD Vance engaged with senior officials on both sides.

Rubio also said on X that they had agreed to "start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site."

On X, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country -- which has long sought international mediation in Kashmir -- "appreciates" the US intervention.

India has consistently opposed mediation, however, and observers were sceptical of the truce.

"The ceasefire was cobbled together hastily, and at a moment when tensions were at their highest," US-based South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman wrote on X after the claims of violations.

"India appears to have interpreted the deal differently than did the US and Pakistan, and it's likely not keen on the broader talks it calls for. Upholding it will pose challenges," he warned.

News of the ceasefire was met with relief from countries including Britain and Iran, as well as the United Nations.

China, which borders India and Pakistan, said Beijing was "willing to continue playing a constructive role" and remained concerned with any escalation, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.

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The letter said: Creative copyright is the lifeblood of the creative industries. It recognises the moral authority we have over our work and provides an income stream for 2.4 million people across the four nations of the United Kingdom. The fight to defend our creative industries has been joined by scores of UK businesses, including those who use and develop AI.
He was knighted in 1997 for his services to the automotive industry and made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2009 for his charitable work, including as chairman of the board of trustees for the Duke of Edinburghs Award.
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ISLAMABAD, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Saturday launched an offensive operation against India amid continuous provocation, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan army, said in a statement.

The ISPR said the operation "Bunyanun Marsoos," meaning concrete structure, has been initiated and that multiple targets are being engaged all across India, the ISPR statement said.

The ISPR said that an air base in Udhampur in Indian-controlled Kashmir has been destroyed, adding that an airfield in Pathankot district of India's Punjab province has also been targeted and destroyed.

Meanwhile, attacks on various other places are in progress.

Official sources told Xinhua that the BrahMos missile storage facility in the Indian city of Beas had been reportedly destroyed in the initial strike.

The development came after India launched air-to-surface missiles at three air bases in Pakistan, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army said in the wee hours of Saturday.

Earlier this week, the director general of the ISPR said that at least 31 people were killed and 57 others injured in an Indian attack on Pakistani territory and subsequent exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Indian troops along the Line of Control, the de facto border between the two neighbors. 
The average age of the group was nine, with youngsters recruited from cities across 17 US states and followed for four years, from 2016 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2022.
You get noise complaints and they are anonymous and they (residents) hide behind the council and the council is not willing to work with you and it feels like they are working against you a lot of the time.
The Associated Press reported on Saturday afternoon that multiple explosions had been heard in two cities in India-controlled Kashmir just hours after the deal was announced. It also reported gunfire being heard from locations along the Line of Control.
"So we are clear, all five leaders here - all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the coalition of the willing - an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putin's conditions, and clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.
MINSK, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) honor guard participated in a military parade held Friday in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The parade featured soldiers from the Belarusian Army, Air Force, and Special Forces, as well as personnel from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Investigative Committee, military academies and foreign military contingents.

The Chinese PLA honor guard detachment comprised 54 members, including one flag bearer, two flag escorts, three squad leaders, and 48 soldiers. As they marched past the grandstand in a powerful and precise goose step, the crowd spontaneously stood and responded with enthusiastic applause.

China and Belarus enjoy an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership. The PLA honor guard has taken part in Belarusian military parades in 2018, 2019 and 2024 at the invitation of the Belarusian side. 
Romania's interim Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu attends a media briefing at Victoria Palace in Bucharest, Romania, May 9, 2025.

Predoiu was named interim prime minister on Tuesday, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, who stepped down on Monday after the ruling Social Democratic Party withdrew from the governing coalition. Under Romania's Constitution, an acting prime minister may remain in office for up to 45 days. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Romania's interim Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu attends a media briefing at Victoria Palace in Bucharest, Romania, May 9, 2025.

Predoiu was named interim prime minister on Tuesday, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, who stepped down on Monday after the ruling Social Democratic Party withdrew from the governing coalition. Under Romania's Constitution, an acting prime minister may remain in office for up to 45 days. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

Romania's interim Prime Minister Catalin Predoiu attends a media briefing at Victoria Palace in Bucharest, Romania, May 9, 2025.

Predoiu was named interim prime minister on Tuesday, following the resignation of Marcel Ciolacu, who stepped down on Monday after the ruling Social Democratic Party withdrew from the governing coalition. Under Romania's Constitution, an acting prime minister may remain in office for up to 45 days. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)
The most impressive inventions in medicine, automotive sector, advanced technology were awarded on Saturday, on the last day of the 17th edition of EUROINVENT - European Exhibition of Creativity and Innovation, an event that took place at the Palace of Culture in Iasi.

More than 640 research projects, inventions and innovations from 37 countries from several continents were presented at this year's edition, in the halls of the Palace of Culture in Iasi, making the international jury's job of determining the prizes a difficult one.

Thus, the EUROINVENT 2025 Scientific Grand Prize went to the University of Life Sciences "King Mihai I" in Timisoara and the EUROINVENT 2025 Grand Prize was awarded to the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Nicolae Testemitanu" in the Republic of Moldova.

"There were many medical inventions presented this year. As such, many prizes went to those who work in this field. The Grand Prize was awarded to the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova, which for many years has presented a remarkable number of creations and inventions. Next year's edition will take place from May 28 - 30, 2026. This will be the occasion to celebrate, shall we say, EUROINVENT's "coming of age". There are 18 years in which a family that supports the promotion of innovation, creation and research at international level has been taking shape," associate professor Andrei Victor Sandu, the organizer of EUROINVENT, told AGERPRES.

The Youngest Inventor Award was granted to Olga Botnari (Fiodorov) from the Republic of Moldova; the Woman Inventor Award, the national edition, was granted to Dr. Eng. Alina Dragomir from the National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics - INOE 2000; the Woman Inventor Award, international edition, went to Galina Lupascu from the State University of Moldova.

Also, the Golden Innovator Award went to the inventor Vasile Lupu, the eldest at over 80 years of age, while the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Tudor Lupascu, both having multiple and consistent participation in previous editions of EUROINVENT.

At the same time, the Medicine Award went to the research students Florin-Bogdan Popa, Florian-Cosmin Manea, Florian-Cosmin Manea, Andrei Vasile Nastuta and Liliana Verestiuc from the Faculty of Medical Bioengineering at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Gr. T.Popa" Iasi.

The Europe Direct Iasi Award went to the team made up of Delia Turcov, Madalina Postaru, Anca Zbranca -Toporas, Bianca-Iulia Ciubotaru, Anca Irina Galaction from the Faculty of Medical Bioengineering at UMF "Gr.T.Popa" Iasi.
The members of the Romanian Academy and the Romanian elite strive to improve the lives of future generations, Prince Radu said on Friday during an event at the Elisabeta Palace, part of the program of the May 10 national celebrations, the Romanian Monarchy Day and National Independence Day.

"Queen Margareta and I welcome you today at the Elisabeta Palace for an event (...) which is extremely important for our country's present time. (...) It is not by chance that this important meeting takes place on May 9 (...) given that the contribution of the Romanian Academy for more than 150 years to European culture and the extraordinary efforts that Romanian intellectuals have made to maintain the pace of development of both the spirit and the politics, democracy and freedom of our continent have been remarkable," Prince Radu told the members of the Academia Europaea and the Romanian Academy, at an evening at the Elisabeta Palace dedicated to the two institutions.

He pointed out that the Romanian politics from the middle of the last century was mainly shaped by the Romanian elite and that nowadays they are trying to continue their legacy, which is not an easy task at times.

In his turn, Mircea Dumitru, vice-president of the Romanian Academy, said that the presidents of the Romanian Academy and the Academia Europaea signed on Friday a cooperation agreement between the two institutions, which establishes a hub of the Academia Europaea in Bucharest, whose mission is to conduct scientific, fundamental and applied research, interdisciplinary in nature and with a special focus on social sciences and humanities.

"There are several hubs in Europe. In this part of Europe, in the eastern or central part of Europe, there is a hub in Budapest and starting today we will have one in Romania, which has a regional vocation, not just a national one, in the sense that together with colleagues working in research in these countries of Central and Eastern Europe we aim at a stronger connection of the Romanian research space to the European space. At the same time, a very beautiful and symbolic coincidence makes it possible to set up this new structure on the very day we celebrate Europe, May 9," added Mircea Dumitru.

In his turn, the president of the Academia Europaea, Donald Dingwell, drew attention to the fact that the diaspora is a special part of nationalities, which has an important role to play.
The photovoltaic park "Da Vinci New Project" in Nanov, Teleorman county, has been completed, the investment, which occupies an area of about 24.7 hectares having an installed capacity of 23.106 MW, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja announced on Saturday.

"Today we announce the completion of the photovoltaic park "Da Vinci New Project" in Nanov, Teleorman county. The project is realized with financial support from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) - Component C6: Energy. The investment covers an area of approximately 24.7 hectares and has an installed capacity of 23.106 MW. The plant uses 39,600 high-efficiency photovoltaic panels (CHSM72N - 585 W) and is equipped with 78 CPS275 KTL - 275 kW inverters, contributing to the production of clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 88,310 tonnes of CO2 equivalent," the minister wrote on his Facebook page.

The project, implemented by the company Alive Capital, also includes an electricity storage component, currently in the execution phase, which will integrate a 5 MW/10 MWh energy storage system. This expansion contributes to increasing the flexibility and stability of the national energy system, supporting the strategic objectives of integrating renewable energy, he added.

"Romania's independence, which we are celebrating today, also depends on our energy independence. Every new MW in the system is a step in this direction and an extra chance for lower bills. It is the most important goal of my mandate: investments, investments, investments. In the public arena, one often faces injustices, lies and insults. If one wants to get things done, they're a nuisance. But it is better to bother some people than to do nothing and disappoint everyone," emphasized Sebastian Burduja. AGERPRES
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  The veterinary medical director at St. Louis Countys animal shelter is out, just a week or so after an outbreak of a potentially fatal canine virus led to the euthanizing of 19 dogs.

Im resigning because I cant really work there, the director, Dr. Doug Pernikoff, said Friday night in a brief telephone interview. Im too old to fight.

Im cool, he added, and then ended the phone call.

Pernikoff didnt elaborate on why he left or what fight he was referring to. He also didnt say whether his departure had anything to do with the parvovirus outbreak at the facility, on Baur Boulevard in Olivette.

Doug Moore, a spokesman for County Executive Sam Page, said Pernikoff left Friday. Moore said he wasnt sure why Pernikoff resigned, but when he agreed to take the position to help set up veterinary services at the shelter, he did not look at the position as long term.

The outbreak took an emotional toll on all the employees at the shelter, including Dr. Pernikoff, Moore said in a text Saturday.

The parvovirus outbreak and Pernikoffs departure come on the heels of a rough transition for the county, as it ramps up operations at the shelter after taking over management again just a few months ago.

The nonprofit Animal Protective Association, which also runs its own shelter in Brentwood, had run the county shelter for the past two years. The county contracted with the APA following various problems over the years under county management, including euthanasia scandals, overpopulation, poor conditions and other problems.

The APA was lauded for cleaning up the facility, leveraging its volunteer and foster programs to improve animal wellbeing, and increasing adoptions.

Then, in August, the APA suddenly announced it would withdraw from the county contract three years before it was set to expire. APA officials said the organization had fulfilled its mission and wanted to focus resources elsewhere  though records later showed its departure also stemmed from the county rejecting APA invoices for items such as meals, team outings and dog training.

The APA handed shelter operations back to the county on Feb. 21.

But there were immediate worries: The county first said it would pause the shelters volunteer program. Volunteers worried the county didnt have the staff to handle the transition.

Then, last month, the county announced that parvovirus had hit. It closed the facility April 30 while workers tried to contain the spread. The pause allowed workers to treat affected dogs, vaccinate unvaccinated animals and give boosters to the ones who were. Staffers also planned to deep clean and disinfect the facility.

On May 2, the county health department said in a news release that it had euthanized 19 dogs that had shown symptoms and tested positive for parvovirus.

Moore, Pages spokesman, said on Friday that the shelter is expected to reopen in a few days. The county is planning a reopening event.

Meanwhile, he said, there are other veterinarians remaining on staff.

Pernikoff is a longtime St. Louis area veterinarian who for years was in private practice in Chesterfield. He also was CEO of a nonprofit called Voluntary Pet Rescue Inc.

Pernikoff, in an Instagram post by the county health department about a month ago, said the county shelter had expanded its veterinary services so it could treat more animals with medical issues to get them to an adoptable, reconditioned state.

He did not immediately respond to a follow-up phone call on Saturday.

Jacob Barker of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Missouri American Water, the St. Louis regions dominant water utility, will soon increase its annual revenues by $143 million, based on settlement agreements approved this week by state regulators at the Missouri Public Service Commission.

The approval filed Wednesday does not resolve all matters tied to the nearly yearlong push to raise rates for the water utility that covers much of suburban St. Louis, and other parts of the state.

For instance, the precise rate impacts for customers have still not been determined, and wont take effect until Missouri American Water makes separate filings, due by May 28, that are reviewed by the PSC.

But the move currently stands to raise base rates by about 25%, said John Coffman, an attorney for the nonprofit Consumers Council of Missouri, which advocates for consumers on utility issues and was among the entities to sign the agreement.

Missouri American Water did not provide additional details Friday about anticipated rate impacts.

The company originally requested to receive a 34% revenue increase, or $166.6 million in additional money per year  about $23 million more than granted in this weeks agreement.

Challenges to the PSCs approval could still be filed in the coming days and weeks.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump floated cutting tariffs on China from 145% to 80% on Friday ahead of a weekend meeting among top U.S. and Chinese trade officials as he looks to deescalate the trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Top U.S. officials are scheduled to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation in Switzerland in the first major talks between the nations since Trump sparked a trade war with stiff tariffs on imports.

"80% Tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott B," Trump wrote on social media Friday morning, referring to Scott Bessent, his Treasury chief, who has been a point person on trade. The Republican president also called on China to open its markets to the U.S., writing: "WOULD BE SO GOOD FOR THEM!!! CLOSED MARKETS DONT WORK ANYMORE!!!"

Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Geneva in the most-senior known conversations between the two countries in months, according to announcements this week by the Trump administration and the Chinese commerce ministry. It comes amid growing U.S. market worry over the impact of the tariffs on the prices and supply of consumer goods.

So far, the Chinese have refused to fold under the pressure of Trumps massive tariffs. Instead, they have retaliated with triple-digit tariffs of their own.

"All bullies are just paper tigers," the Chinese Foreign Ministry declared in a video last week. "Kneeling only invites more bullying."

The stakes are high between the world's two biggest economies, whose trade topped $660 billion last year.

While businesses and investors welcome any easing of tensions, the prospects for a quick and significant breakthrough appear dim.

"These are talks about talks, and China may be coming to assess what's on the table  or even just to buy time," said Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "There's no shared roadmap or clear pathway to de-escalation."

But if the two countries eventually agree to scale back the massive tariffs they slapped on each other's goods, it would relieve world financial markets and companies on both sides of the Pacific Ocean that depend on U.S.-China trade.

"The companies involved in this trade on both sides just cannot afford waiting anymore," said economist John Gong of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

In a worst-case scenario, China could walk away from the negotiations if it feels the U.S. side isn't treating China as an equal or isn't willing to take the first step to deescalate, Gong said.

"I think if (Bessent) doesn't go into this negotiation with this kind of mindset, this could be very difficult," he said.

For now, the two countries can't even agree on who requested the talks.

"The meeting is being held at the request of the U.S. side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday. Trump disagreed. "They ought to go back and study their files," he said.

Tariffs meet economic reality

What seems clear is that Trump's favorite economic weapon  import taxes, or tariffs  has not proved as mighty as he hoped.

"For Trump, what's happened here is that the rhetoric of his campaign has finally had to face economic reality," said Jeff Moon, a trade official in the Obama administration who now runs the China Moon Strategies consultancy. "The idea that he was going to bring China to its knees in terms of tariffs was never going to work."

Trump views tariffs an all-purpose economic tool that can raise money for the U.S. Treasury, protect American industries, lure factories to the United States and pressure other countries to bend to his will, even on issues such as immigration and drug trafficking.

He used tariffs in his first term and is even more aggressive and unpredictable about imposing them in his second. He slapped a 10% tariff on almost every country in the world, blowing up the rules that governed global trade for decades.

But it's his trade war with China that has really put markets and businesses on edge. It started in February when he announced a 10% levy on Chinese imports. By April, Trump ratcheted up the taxes on China to a staggering 145%. Beijing upped its tariff on American products to 125%.

Trump's escalation sent financial markets tumbling and left U.S. retailers warning that they might run out of goods as U.S.-China trade implodes. U.S. consumers, worried about the prospect of empty shelves and higher prices, are losing confidence in the economy.

"This was not very well planned," said Zongyuan Zoe Liu, senior fellow in China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. "I don't think he intended to have the tariffs escalate into this chaos."

China was ready

When Trump hit Chinese imports with tariffs during his first term, he claimed Beijing used unfair tactics, including cybertheft, to give its technology firms an edge.

The two countries reached a truce  the so-called Phase One agreement  in January 2020; China agreed to buy more U.S. products, and Trump held off on even higher tariffs. But they didn't resolve the big issues dividing them, including China's subsidies of homegrown tech firms.

China was ready for a rematch when Trump returned to the White House. It worked to reduce its dependence on America's massive market, cutting the U.S. share of its exports to 15% last year from more than 19% in 2018, according to Dexter Roberts of the Atlantic Council.

Beijing is confident that the Chinese people are more willing than Americans to endure the fallout from a trade war, including falling exports and shuttered factories.

"For China, it's painful, but it's also imperative to withstand it, and it's prepared to cope with it," said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center.

Here's how the global economy impacts your car insurance rate Here's how the global economy impacts your car insurance rate How global changes influence domestic auto insurance
Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, Iowa Army National Guard, conduct field artillery exercises during an eXportable Combat Training Capabilities (XCTC) exercise at Camp Ripley, Minn., on July 23, 2024. (Sam Hircock/U.S. Army)



WATERLOO, Iowa (Tribune News Service)  A sendoff for National Guard soldiers from the Waterloo-based 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry is scheduled for May 28 for eventual deployment to the Middle East.

The event starts at 6 p.m. at the new Cedar Falls High School, 2701 W. 27th St., Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The Ironman Battalion  and other Iowa units that comprise the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division  will begin their summer with 21 days of force-on-force training at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, La.

From there, troops will be deployed to the Middle East for Operation Inherent Resolve. Officials declined to specify a particular area for the deployment.

Operation Inherent Resolve has operated in Iraq and Syria, working with Iraqi and Kurdish security forces in areas that were once held by Daesh, also known as the Islamic State.

During this mission, soldiers join coalition forces to provide security, support partner nations and contribute to efforts to maintain stability in the region. Some 1,800 Iowa National Guard soldiers will be part of the deployment.

 2025 Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (Waterloo, Iowa).

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RIGA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- International ratings agency Fitch Ratings (Fitch) has affirmed Latvia's credit rating at the current "A-" level, maintaining a stable outlook, Fitch said in a statement released on Friday.

The agency cited a credible economic policy framework supported by membership of the European Union (EU) and the euro area, continued low levels of public debt and debt-servicing costs compared to similarly rated countries, and moderate private sector debt as key factors maintaining Latvia's credit rating at its current level.

Among the factors that could lead to a downgrade of Latvia's sovereign credit rating to negative, Fitch cited the escalation of geopolitical risks, which could have a negative impact on the country's economic growth as well as on its public and external financial position.

Fitch forecasts Latvia's real gross domestic product (GDP) growth to rebound to 1.2 percent this year, driven by increased EU funding, defense sector projects, and improved financing conditions. Private consumption and investment were expected to accelerate growth to 2.4 percent by 2026.

Fitch published its previous assessment of Latvia's credit rating on Nov. 15, 2024, affirming the rating at "A-" and downgrading its forward rating from positive to stable. 
An adult male eastern massasauga rattlesnake was captured by volunteers at Camp Grayling on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. The snake was brought to a small field lab at the military base to be measured, tagged with a microchip, and checked for health problems. (Sheri McWhirter/MLive.com via TNS)



GRAYLING, Mich. (Tribune News Service)  Its snake week at Camp Grayling.

Each spring, dozens of conservation researchers and volunteers descend on the Michigan Army National Guard base in northern Lower Michigan for four days of scientific rattlesnake wrangling. Venomous eastern massasauga rattlesnakes are captured in whats called a blitz style field survey, then are carefully inspected by scientists and returned to the exact spot they were found in nature.

Camp Graylings resident rattlesnake population is part of multi-year research expected to help conservation scientists ultimately bolster the federally threatened species and recover its dwindling population in Michigan and elsewhere. This was the 7th year of data collection in the unique, long-term study of the species.

This year, survey teams captured 38 of the rattlesnakes, officials said.

Sometimes the searchers even find the same snakes again and again. They keep track with microchips injected beneath the skin, just like with pet dogs or cats.

Yesterday, we had an adult female that was originally captured in 2018 as an adult, said Matt Kleitch, Camp Graylings natural resource and environmental manager.

And she was pregnant this year, too, he said. We could feel the embryos in there.

That means the gravid, or pregnant, female was at least 10 years old and still reproducing as part of what Kleitch called a robust population of eastern massasaugas at the military base.

Despite the constant drizzle on the morning of Tuesday, May 6, field searchers captured three rattlesnakes at Camp Grayling before calling off the rest of the afternoon for poor weather. Officials said finding even that many on a cold, rainy spring day was impressive given the species renowned elusiveness.

They dont mess with people. Theyre not interested in infringing on anybody. They just want to bask in the sun and eat rodents, said Morgan Boyer, a zoological technician with Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) who assisted on a field team.

Although temperaments of individual snakes vary, the eastern massasauga rattlesnake is generally considered timid. Wildlife experts say it typically wont strike or bite unless stepped on or otherwise touched, which only rarely happens.

Theyre a really cool snake, just the fact that theyre adapted to these northern climates, unlike most other rattlesnakes, Boyer said.

And as a keystone species, the eastern massasauga is an indicator of high-quality wetland ecosystems. A decline in the venomous snakes means theres something wrong happening with the habitat.

The finger on the pulse is the eastern massasauga, Boyer said.

Conservation scientist Yu Man Lee, of Michigan Natural Features Inventory, closely observes an adult male eastern massasauga rattlesnake held down beneath plexiglass on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan. She describes each of the specific markings for the full length of the venomous snake while another scientist records the information. (Sheri McWhirter/MLive.com via TNS)



Michigan is considered the last stronghold of this rattlesnake species, with a greater population than any other U.S. state or Canadian province in its natural habitat range. Eastern massasaugas can be found in scattered locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ontario.

The primary reasons attributed to the snakes decline is habitat loss or fragmentation, as well as indiscriminate killing by humans and illegal collection. Scientists are also studying the impact of climate change and wintertime snow depth loss on reproduction rates and overall survivability of the rattlesnake species.

Each time an eastern massasauga is spotted during snake week at Camp Grayling, a federally licensed field expert uses tools like a snake hook or grabber tongs to safely capture the creature and place it within a pillowcase inside a 5-gallon plastic bucket.

Back at a small field laboratory, other scientists receive each rattlesnake and carefully remove them from the bucket and pillowcase with the same types of tools. Then they collect a variety of data points for the ongoing herpetological research project.

On May 6, they processed an adult male rattlesnake that had never been captured before.

Theyre hard to find. Theres a good chance survey crews have walked by the snake multiple times before and just didnt see it because they just kind of hunker down and theyre camouflaged, Kleitch said.

The researchers weighed and measured the length of the male rattlesnake before they injected a tiny microchip beneath its skin.

First, MNFI conservation scientist Yu Man Lee worked with wildlife biologist Mike Ravesi to manipulate the business end of the rattlesnake into a plastic tube. That allowed them to safely handle the venomous snake without being bitten.

They recorded detailed descriptions of the snakes saddle  the term for the pattern or markings that run the length of a snakes body. They also counted tail rattle segments and inspected for any signs of snake fungal disease.

Each one of the separate segments is called a button, Ravesi said. This one ... the very end of the last button is intact, but every time they shed, theyll add another button segment.

However, its not true that you can tell the age of an eastern massasauga rattlesnake by the number of buttons in the rattle. Thats because they break off naturally over time, Ravesi said.

Kleitch said knowledge learned from the Camp Grayling population of the venomous snakes is expected to provide critical information for the species recovery plan. Eastern massasaugas were listed as federally threatened in 2016 and the long-term study will help answer questions about the greater health and viability of the species, he said.

We try to time the survey within a couple weeks of emergence. So, when these snakes are coming out of hibernation, out of their overwintering areas, were trying to capture that window, Kleitch said.

The head of an eastern massasauga rattlesnake is placed inside a plastic tube so wildlife scientists can safely handle the federally threatened species on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan. (Sheri McWhirter/MLive.com via TNS)



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U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Joshua Appleby (WLM 556) personnel work buoys in Tampa Bay after they were set off-station by Hurricane Milton, Oct. 11, 2024. (Richard Keefauver/U.S. Coast Guard)



BOSTON (Tribune News Service)  The Coast Guards plan to remove hundreds of navigation buoys along the Northeast coastline is raising concerns among commercial fishermen and other mariners who depend on the markers to avoid rocks, fog and other dangers on the water.

The plan calls for removing 350 of the 4,700 navigational buoys in waters from New York to the Canadian border. Over the next five years, up to 1,000 buoys could be removed from the water, the agency said.

Matthew Stuck, the Coast Guards first district chief of waterways management, said the project, which has been in the works for about two years, is meant to rightsize the number of navigation buoys on the water, and will improve waterway safety by ensuring the right short-range aids work well with modern navigation technology.

Were actively adjusting short-range aids to work better and more sustainably given todays navigation tools and methods, Stuck said in a prepared statement. A sustainable buoy system ensures safety and efficiency, even during disruptions or technology failures, keeping commerce flowing smoothly.

Nearly every commercial and recreational boat has a GPS and other electronic navigation, and the new technology allows officials to rethink how many buoys need to be in the water. There is no timeline yet for removing the buoys, but the agency wants to hear from boaters about the plans, he said.

Essential tools

But the plan is raising safety concerns, especially among commercial fishermen, who say reducing the number of buoys means boaters would have to rely solely on electronic navigational systems to navigate harbors and avoid rocky ledges under the surface of the water.

Any reduction in aids to navigation is of great concern to the fishing industry, said Beth Casoni, executive director of the Massachusetts Lobstermans Association, which is expected to discuss the issue at its meeting next Wednesday.

The Maine Lobstermens Association is already urging the Coast Guard to reconsider its plans, saying the buoys are essential makers to avoid hazards on the water.

In a statement, the association said it is concerned about the plan because these buoys are not just markers, they are essential tools that help ensure the safety of everyone who works or recreates on the water.

They are especially critical in areas prone to dense fog, strong currents, or hidden hazards, the trade group said. Their removal could jeopardize the safety of those who depend on them daily and we urge the Coast Guard to reconsider.

This shift towards electronic navigation is intended to identify Aids to Navigation that may be considered less critical for navigational safety. The underlying concept is a move away from reliance on physical buoys towards electronic methods, which inherently increases a mariners dependence on electronic systems.

Gloucester Harbormaster Chris Lucido is strongly urging boaters to provide feedback to the Coast Guard about the plans. He, too, is concerned about reducing the number of physical navigational aids.

These aids provide a crucial sense of reassurance regarding a vessels proximity to underwater hazards such as ledges and rock piles, as well as indicating the vessels position within a marked navigational channel, he wrote in a letter to boaters about the plan.

The ability to physically verify ones location using an Aid to Navigation remains an invaluable safety measure.

He said the shift away from a reliance on physical buoys towards electronic methods inherently increases a mariners dependence on electronic systems.

While electronic navigation is undoubtedly a valuable tool, fundamental principles of good seamanship and navigation emphasize avoiding sole reliance on one system, Lucido wrote.

Stuck said regardless of technological advances, a robust physical aids to navigation network will always complement electronic systems.

This effort will result in the most sustainable navigation risk reduction to support and complement modern mariners, and todays much larger ships, the Coast Guard said. Electronic Charting System availability and requirements, and powerful smartphone navigation subscription apps are affordably accessible to virtually all waterway users.

State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr is urging the Coast Guard to conduct a thorough review of the buoy removal plans. He said buoys are a tried-and-true tool to guide navigation and must continue to play a fundamental role in marine safety.

While new electronic technology is being increasingly used by mariners on vessels of all types and sizes, that doesnt render buoys obsolete, the Gloucester Republican said.

Reducing their number should be carefully considered before any such action is taken.

The Coast Guard is soliciting feedback from mariners on the proposal by June 13 at DPWPublicComments@uscg.mil.

 2025 the Gloucester Daily Times (Gloucester, Mass.).

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TAMPA, Florida (Tribune News Service)  Cruise missiles are getting smaller and thats opening up ways to give older drones fighter jet-like capabilities, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command said Tuesday.

If you could use a gunship, or an MQ-9, or an OA-1K [Skyraider II] that had a small cruise missile that could go four, five or 600 miles and hit a target, that seems like a capability that a combat commander could use, said Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, who spoke to reporters at the Global SOF Foundations SOF Week event here.

The vision is aspirational, an AFSOC official said. But its built on the commands work with Leidos to integrate the experimental Black Arrow cruise missile onto an AC-130 gunship, a test successfully completed in March. That fits with AFSOCs strategy of using creative means to make their wing more effective, particularly against air defenses, without buying elaborate, expensive new airframes.

New technologies are making weapons development cheaper and less complex, opening the market to new missiles and new makers, like Silicon Valley startups. But getting a new missile to work with Air Force aircraft and software takes a unique set of competencies and relationships.

A Leidos official told Defense One that Integrating [a cruise missile] on an operational aircraft, with the battle management system and testing on a government range with an AFSOC crew, is a far cry from testing on a leased aircraft for a demo. Many safety reviews and approvals are required.

The official added, The Black Arrow on an MQ-9 would be a logical progression and provide substantial capability enhancement.

AFSOC historically has worked against adversaries, such as non-state actors, who have limited air defenses. Thats changing, Conley said, as even small groups like the Houthis in Yemen are rapidly developing new strategies and tools to counter larger forces.

Were looking closely at capabilities that the [Peoples Republic of China] and Russia are developing, he said. But over time, that technology proliferates. Its shared with other countries that we operate in or around. I think what were seeing in the broader Yemen area right now is an indicator of that trend. He added that the Houthis were not necessarily obtaining help from Russia or China directly, but that they were adapting more quickly now, largely as a result of technology trends.

Conley said requests for AFSOC to participate in exercises in Asia and Europe are increasing, but demand from CENTCOM for missions isnt going down. And the force isnt getting bigger.

Things like crisis response in general is up. If you look across just whats happening in the broader Middle East right now, a theater that weve got a lengthy commitment over there. So those types of things keep us pretty busy.

Thats creating new urgency to find efficiencies and develop new capabilities cheaply. Conley is also looking toward AI to not only help accelerate finding targets but also to allow human crew members to save time on a variety of other tasks.

2025 Government Executive Media Group LLC.

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A court heard father-of-seven Martin Maughan (42) had intended to pay the 70 bill but was drunk at the time.

A customer at a hotel restaurant arrested for refusing to pay for a meal had tried to use his bank card but it was not working, his defence said.

A court heard father-of-seven Martin Maughan (42) had intended to pay the 70 bill but was drunk at the time.

Judge Michele Finan fined him 110 for public intoxication but struck out a charge of making off without paying for the meal after hearing Maughan returned to the hotel the next day and paid.

The accused, with an address at The Haremount, Coolquay, The Ward, Dublin, pleaded guilty to the charges.

Martin Maughan

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Dublin District Court heard that on April 14, gardai were contacted by staff at the Arlington Hotel, Bachelors Walk, where the accused had been a customer and refused to pay for food he had eaten.

Separately, on March 28, gardai were called to a pub on Talbot Street where Maughan was highly intoxicated

There was a strong smell of drink coming from him and he was arrested, a garda said.

Separately, on March 28, gardai were called to a pub on Talbot Street where Maughan was highly intoxicated and could hardly stand.

He had previous convictions.

Defence barrister Kevin McCrave said the accused had gone back to the hotel the next day and paid what he owed.

He had intended to pay on the night but his card failed and he was intoxicated, Mr McCrave said. It had been the anniversary of a family bereavement and he had too much to drink.

Maughan had ongoing issues with alcohol over the years and was trying to get some help, the barrister said.

The judge took the other public order case into consideration.
She told the judge that she had been struggling with anxiety at the time of the offence, but that she is now doing much better. Im a born-again Christian, she said.

A mother-of-four who said she was pressured by criminal groups to hold drugs in her home and was "living in fear" has told a court that she is now a born-again Christian.

Lisa Lyons, of Mac Uilliam Grove, Tallaght, Dublin 24, appeared before Judge Michael Connellan at Tallaght District Court on Friday, May 2, in relation to a search carried out at her home by Garda Nicky Cleere on November 15, 2021.

During the search, gardai discovered a handbag hidden inside a larger bag. The court heard that inside were nine individual bags of cannabis weighing 29g, along with 508 in cash.

Tallaght district court.

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to the possession of cannabis for sale or supply, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and unlawful possession under Section 3 of the same Act.

The court heard Lyons has six previous convictions, all road traffic offences, but has no history of drug offending.

She was represented by Ethan Foley BL, who said his client had been placed under significant pressure by certain groups to hold the drugs and had been living in fear.

Theres no sign of any wealth in her home, he told the court, adding that Lyons had no previous involvement in drugs and had cooperated fully with gardai.

Is it fair to say this is a once-off? Judge Connellan asked. Mr Foley agreed, citing Lyons' relatively clean record, difficult personal circumstances and the fact that she had been living in fear at the time.

The court was told Lyons is a full-time mother and that one of her children has special needs, while she also volunteers with the DSPCA.

She told Judge Connellan that she had been struggling with anxiety at the time of the offence, but that she is now doing much better. Im a born-again Christian, she said.

Mr Foley asked the court to be as lenient as possible, before Judge Connellan imposed a fine of 600 with seven months to pay.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
MUNICH, Germany, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 Intersolar Europe exhibition, one of the world's most influential events in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, concluded here on Friday after a three-day run. Chinese companies as major highlights of the event won widespread acclaim for their cutting-edge products and system integration capabilities.

The exhibition hosted over 2,700 companies from more than 50 countries and regions, including around 850 from China. These Chinese exhibitors showcased a wide array of innovations ranging from high-efficiency PV modules to energy storage systems, EV charging infrastructure, and integrated energy solutions.

Markus Elsaesser, founder and CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH, the event's organizer, said that Chinese companies were "not only key product suppliers but also supplying very cost-effective solutions so that we can advance with the decarbonization of Europe."

According to a report entitled the Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2025-2029, released during the event by SolarPower Europe, China accounted for roughly half of both the world's new solar capacity additions and cumulative installations in 2024. The report hailed China's contributions to global decarbonization, noting that its sustained investments have accelerated solar technology advancements worldwide.

"The commitment of China to Europe is actually pretty strong at the moment, really providing the necessary models that we have to actually increase installation," said Christophe Lits, senior market analyst at SolarPower Europe, in an interview with Xinhua.

He noted that China, as the world's largest solar application market, plays a vital role in Europe's energy transition not only by supplying quality products but also through local production and technology partnerships, fostering strong Europe-China industrial ties.

Solar technology giant LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. showcased a new solar panel that won its top technology award during the event. The panel was recognized for maintaining high energy conversion efficiency even in low-light conditions such as cloudy days, and for improved fire safety through structural innovations.

"The European market is highly receptive to new PV technologies. We are encouraged to increase our R&D investment continuously," said Liu Yuxi, president of the global marketing center at LONGi Green Energy. He expected opportunities for China-Europe cooperation to continue to expand as renewables take up a growing share of Europe's energy mix.

Amid high energy prices in Europe, some Chinese companies are actively exploring the integration of solar technology into household appliances to better meet consumers' demand for green living.

Visitors to the event were attracted to a model home outfitted with a fully integrated green energy system showcased by TCL, a global technology company headquartered in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, neighboring Hong Kong. The setup combines rooftop solar panels with indoor inverters and storage units to smartly distribute power to heat pumps, EV chargers, and other home applications.

The integrated household energy system has been rolled out in some residential projects in Europe, according to Zhang Shengyang, General Manager of TCL SunPower Global, who is experienced in the home appliances business. He saw home energy solutions as a potential growth engine in the European market.

Still reeling from the massive blackout that hit Spain and Portugal on April 28, attendees turned their focus to energy storage -- one of the exhibition's standout themes that drew heavy interest and high footfall.

Major Chinese players such as CATL, Huawei, and Trina Solar showcased their latest solutions. CATL debuted a new container-sized modular storage unit capable of charging about 150 electric vehicles or powering an average German household for six years.

"As the share of weather-dependent renewables rises, so does the need for flexible energy storage," said Ji Yu, senior director of project management of ESS CATL. He said that Chinese storage firms are rapidly integrating into local markets and forging diverse partnerships. 
I dont know why I did it.

A MOTHER OF TWO broke down in tears as she was given a suspended sentence for stealing thousands of euro from a local shop after she had been promoted to supervisor.

Jordan Gantley (30), from Rosconnell Square in Newbridge said she was ashamed and didnt want her children to be disappointed in her after she admitted stealing 8,640 from the Londis on New Street in Rathangan.

I dont know why I did it. It spiralled out of control, she said when questioned over the thefts which took place in June and July 2021.

Jordan Gantley (30) from Rosconnell Square Newbridge.

Judge Terence OSullivan handed down a three month suspended sentence at Nass Circuit Court noting that Gantley was remorseful, lost her job and made full admissions.

He said the thefts were opportunistic and not a case of a professional thief.

Gantley, who the court heard has had two children since carrying out the thefts and sees herself as a role mode, cried when Judge OSullivan handed down the suspended sentence.

Garda Helen McDermott told the court that the shop launched an internal investigation after becoming aware of irregularities.

She said Gantley, who had been working in the shop for three years and had been promoted in that time, was using gift cards to top up prepaid Swirl credit cards and overwriting transactions.

The court was told she was topping up one card with another.

Jordan Gantley (30) from Rosconnell Square Newbridge.

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

She was confronted by her bosses when they noticed the missing money and was caught on CCTV carrying out one of the thefts.

She emailed the owner of the shop and admitted carrying out the thefts stating: Im sorry I never planned to do it. I want to apologise.

She also said she didnt want her children to be disappointed in her and was ashamed of her actions.

She was fully cooperative with gardai and admitted carrying out the thefts when interviews saying she transferred money from gift cards to the prepaid credit card.

It spiralled out of control I dont know why I did it. I had to pay off loans and used money to get groceries.

Her defence barrister said the offences happened in 2021 during the Covid pandemic when Gantley was isolated and cut off from family.

The court heard Gantley had not paid back any of the money to the shop but had brought 900 to the sentence hearing as a token of remorse.

He said if she had the money she would have paid back the full sum but was not in a position to do so.

He added that she sees herself and a role model to her children and felt her crimes left a stain on her character.

Judge OSullivan said the crime was opportunistic and at the higher end of low range or lower range of mid range.

He said the headline sentence was one of 18 months but due to a number of mitigating factors including her admissions, guilty plea, genuine remorse and losing her job as a result of her actions he was handing down a three month sentence but was suspending it in full for a period of three months.
Alexandru Vidrascu (34) ran away when confronted leaving behind his jacket

A phone snatcher was caught after his jacket slipped off during a confrontation with the victims husband and his ID card was found in the pocket.

Alexandru Vidrascu (34) ran away when confronted, leaving behind his jacket containing the stolen phone and his identification, a court heard.

Judge Michele Finan jailed him for eight months after Vidrascu pleaded guilty to nine theft-related charges at Dublin District Court.

A garda sergeant said Vidrascu bumped into a woman walking on Parnell Street on March 8 and snatched her iPhone, which was worth 1,000.

He ran away and was spotted a short time later by the victims husband, who confronted him and asked him for the phone back. Vidrascu tried to run but the husband grabbed his jacket, which slipped off. The phone was in the pocket along with the accuseds Romanian ID card.

Mobile phone. Stock image (PA)

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Separately, he stole clothes from Guineys and Penneys shops in the city centre and wine from a Tesco. He became violent when stopped as he stole groceries from an Asian supermarket on Parnell Street on July 31 last year.

In another incident, gardai found him urinating against a wall at Parnell Street and when asked to empty his pockets, he had a phone he had no passcode for, that was in a different language.

Vidrascu was stopped by security as he left a Claires Accessories shop on August 7 last year with 731 worth of jewellery. He was detained at the scene, gardai were called and the property was recovered.

When stopped in the north city centre last October 10, he had three pairs of earrings in his possession and could not provide any receipt or reason for having them, the court heard.

The accused had been in custody for three weeks after he was arrested; it had been a humbling experience for him and he had time to think about his behaviour, his solicitor Michael French said.

He had struggled with heroin and crack cocaine misuse and had been associating with a negative peer group. He had been intoxicated at the time of the offences, Mr French said.

Vidrascu had a job in construction lined up and was adamant that he had committed his last offence. He had a lot of potential, wanted to contribute to society and had made efforts to ensure he had a stable network on release from custody.

I take a dim view of an attack on a person in a theft, Judge Finan said.

Sentencing him, the judge backdated the prison term to early April.
Charlene Dwyer (35) of Corkagh Grange Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 had two stolen motorbikes in her house.

A woman hid in a wardrobe to avoid being found by gardai who had located two stolen motorbikes in her house, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Charlene Dwyer (35) of Corkagh Grange Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 pleaded guilty to possession of stolen motorbikes on March 27, 2024.

She has 65 previous convictions, all from the District Court.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

The court heard gardai went to her house on March 27, 2024 and the hall door was open. They called out but there was no response. They found two motorbikes in the kitchen and the ignition of them had damaged.

The court heard Dwyer was hiding in a wardrobe upstairs. She was arrested and taken to a Garda station.

Evidence was given that Dwyer had addiction problems and was holding the bikes for someone, for which she was to be paid 50.

One of the bikes, which was brand new and came from a dealership, was worth 11,000. The other bike was reported stolen in Clondalkin and was worth 2,000. Neither of the injured parties made victim impact statements.

Yesterday, Judge Orla Crowe handed down a sentence of one year and 11 months but suspended the final six months of it.
Vile Hamilton was jailed last March after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault of his cousin Sophie Brady and guilty to the rape, oral rape and sexual assault of her sister in Co Meath on dates between 2004 and 2008

Sophie Brady chats to Pat O'Connell about her rape ordeal at the hands of her evil cousins

THE DPP is to appeal the leniency of the 6-and-a-half year sentence handed down to the rape beast David Hamilton following a high profile campaign by courageous victim Sophie Brady.

Vile Hamilton was jailed last March after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault of his cousin Sophie and guilty to the rape, oral rape and sexual assault of her sister in Co Meath on dates between 2004 and 2008.

David's brother Jonathan pleaded guilty to one count of rape and sexual assault of Sophies older sister on one occasion on a date in 2005.

He was sentenced to three years with the final six months suspended.

In the wake of the verdicts Sophie spoke with the Sunday World and blasted the sentences saying This is not justice.

And, speaking this week, Sophie confirmed that the gardai had contacted her to confirm that the DPP is appealing the sentence handed down in David Hamiltons case.

It still feels like a long way to go for real justice, she said, but Im still hopeful for a more positive outcome the second time around.

David and Jonathan Hamilton

At the Hamilton brothers sentencing in March, an investigating garda told Carl Hanahoe SC, that prior to the offending starting when David Hamilton was aged 12 years and his first victim was aged 10, there had been a background of inappropriate behaviour by him towards the child while playing.

The garda said the woman recalled a rape occurring around this time after he had called her into a bedroom. She said she was raped on a frequent basis by David Hamilton from them on.

She said on one occasion Jonathan Hamilton was present and after David Hamilton raped her, he told his brother: Now you need to have a go.

She said she was also forced to perform oral sex on David Hamilton and raped while on holiday.

Younger sister Sophie was sexually abused by David Hamilton beginning when she was seven years old and he was 14. This offending occurred between 2005 and 2008.

The court heard Jonathan Hamilton was only charged in relation to one incident with one child. He was 14 years old at the time of his offence.

Sophie came forward to make a complaint in 2021 and the offending against her elder sister emerged in the course of that statement.

Speaking this week, Sophie said she wanted again to appeal to people to sign a petition, set up by her and her sister, calling for tougher sentencing of sex offenders.

I would continue to encourage people to come forward in order for change to occur, she said.

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Writing on Change.Org, where the petition is being hosted, Sophies older sister wrote: As survivors of sexual violence, my sister and I demand reform in the Irish legal system.

Our abusers received sentences of 2.5 and 6.5 years, respectively.

These sentences fall drastically short of reflecting the severity, the harm caused, and the extended periods during which the crimes occurred.

Sexual violence is a devastating crime that takes a toll on the victim for the rest of their life, necessitating a robust response from our judicial system.

We urge the authorities to impose harsher sentences for sexual offenders.

This isnt just about us. Sexual violence is a pervasive problem not only in Ireland but worldwide.

According to the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, around 12% of girls and 5% of boys have experienced sexual violence.

With such troubling statistics, it is evident that the current punitive measures in place are not sufficient deterrence.

Moreover, we demand that Ireland's judges must have more autonomy in sentencing, especially in the case of offenders just months under 18.

The legal system currently grants these offenders the leniency of being treated as 'children'.

While it is important to consider the age and maturity of offenders in a balanced justice system, the gravity of their crimes should not be overlooked, diluting the punishment they rightly deserve.

We appeal to the Irish government to reconsider its stance on sexual abuse cases.

Let our justice system reflect the deep-seated pain victims feel, let it act as a deterrent, and let it be a beacon of hope for those who have suffered.

The time for change is now. Please sign this petition to support harsher penalties for sexual violence and abuse.

Anyone wishing to sign the petition can do so at: www.change.org/p/demand-harsher-sentences-for-sexual-violence-and-abuse-in-ireland
The man had been arrested by gardai attached to Kevin Street Garda Station in recent weeks

A man who had been arrested by gardai over a stalking incident in Dublin has been released from custody.

The man in his 20s had been arrested by gardai attached to Kevin Street Garda Station in recent weeks.

It follows an alleged incident of stalking/harassment at a premises on Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 in the early hours of Friday, March 21.

The male was detained for questioning at a Garda station in Dublin following a search at a residential address, a Garda spokesperson said today.

.

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

He has since been released from Garda custody and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

This investigation is ongoing.

Gardai added in a statement that they encourage anyone that has been subjected to or a victim of a suspicious approach by a stranger to come and speak with us at any Garda station where we can take a report of the incident.

It will be treated sensitively and in confidence, gardai said. If you find yourself in a dangerous situation or in an emergency, always call 999/112 for our assistance.
The attack has been linked to an ongoing feud in the area.

Gardai have arrested two people in connection with a horror machete attack in which a man lost three fingers and had an acidic substance thrown in his face.

The attack occurred at house in Kilcronan View, Clondalkin, Dublin shortly after noon yesterday.

A man, aged in his 20s, and a youth, aged in his late teens, were arrested this morning.

Both males are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Dublin..

The attack has been linked to an ongoing feud in the area.

Its understood the man was attacked by people known to him.

He fled into a house but he was pursued and caught for a second time before he was viciously assaulted.

In the wake of the attack, the injured man was rushed to Tallaght University Hospital

The area where the assault took place has been sealed off and an investigation is ongoing.

It is the latest in a series of violent incidents as part of the feud which has been ongoing for a number of years.

Threats have also been filmed and posted on social media.

Stock image

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

In a statement, An Garda Siochana said officers responded to reports of a serious assault at a house in Kilcronan View, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 at approximately 12.30pm.

Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area this morning have also been asked to make this footage available to investigating gardai.

An appeal has been issued for anyone with any information relating to the incident to please come forward with people being urged to contact Clondalkin Garda Station Garda Station on 01 666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser set up to raise money to pay for a defence team on his behalf has surpassed $1 million

Alleged CEO killer Luigi Mangione was served a bland prison meal to mark his 27th birthday behind bars.

Based on reports that have emerged from the US, Mangione's birthday meal included a sad array of dishes that included a makeshift special called a breakfast cake.

According to TMZ, Mangione, who was arrested in December 2024 after the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson went viral, spent his 27th birthday behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

For breakfast, the alleged shooter was served fruit, cereal, sugar substitute packets, skim milk, and a piece of breakfast cake, TMZ reports.

The breakfast cake is described as a "cake-like" dish usually comprised of crushed items from the prison's commissary.

For lunch he sat down to a meal of pasta with meat sauce and chickpea marinara, spinach, whole wheat bread, fruit, and a beverage.

At dinner, he was served a chicken patty sandwich, a chickpea burger, steamed rice, pinto beans, lettuce, tomato, mayo, a hamburger bun, and a drink.

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.

Luigi Mangione

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Meanwhile, a fundraiser set up to raise money to pay for a defence team on his behalf has surpassed $1 million.

The GiveSendGo page, which was set up on December 9, 2024, is collecting donations to pay for the attorneys handling his defence in the three pending criminal cases against him.

The 27-year-old has been charged at a federal level, as well as in New York and Pennsylvania, on counts including first-degree murder, terrorism and weapons charges.

Supporters of the Maryland-born man have donated $1,054,523 to his legal fund so far, surpassing the million-dollar milestone on his 27th birthday on May 6th.

The fundraiser was organised by an independent group of supporters who call themselves The December 4 Legal Committee, referring to the date Brian Thompson was gunned down in New York.

Donations to the cashpot have poured in from more than 28,000 individuals.

Organisers behind the fund have said that surpassing the $1 million benchmark represents a step forward in pursuing justice for Mr. Mangione.

It also shows how the fund has become one of the few uncensored public forums for people in America to share their grievances with our lethal for-profit healthcare system and the indefensible economic and political order that has imposed it upon us.

The tens of thousands of individual donors, many of whom have organised into Luigi support communities around the world, are directly responsible for the fund's success.

Brian Thompson, the CEO of health insurance company UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed outside a Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan as he was on his way to an annual investors meeting for parent company UnitedHealth Group.

The shooter gunned the 50-year-old down from behind, before flying the scene. Three bullet casings discovered at the scene were etched with the words Delay, Deny and Depose.

Luigi Mangione was arrested on suspicion of murder on December 9th 2024, as he dined at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania.

He was indicted on four federal charges last month, including two counts of stalking and one count of murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

In New York, he has been indicted on 11 charges, including murder and possession of a weapon, but he has yet to enter a plea. His legal team have filed a motion to have the charges dismissed. A hearing will be held at the Manhattan Supreme Court on June 26th.

The five charges he faces in Pennsylvania, which include forgery and firearm offences, are on hold pending the outcome of the other two cases.

A date for his federal trial will be set in December.
Chief Todd Waldin said he understood why the incident was a disturbing situation for nearby residents

Wolcott was wearing this mask and carrying the chainsaw when he was arrested

Police have said they could understand why locals were upset when a chainsaw-wielding man in a clown mask was spotted walking down their street.

Craig Wolcott (34) had been looking into peoples cars on Lancaster Street in Cohoes, a city in New York State, when a resident stepped outside and asked him what he was doing.

Wolcott approached the man before the resident tackled him to the ground.

Cops say they had responded to reports of a fight between two men on Lancaster Street on May 1 at 2.40pm.

Wolcott was wearing this mask and carrying the chainsaw when he was arrested

Officers were then alerted by a frightened eye-witness that a man was walking down the street wearing a clown mask and brandishing an electric chainsaw.

When a neighbour confronted him, the man reportedly "came towards the resident, menacing him with the chainsaw."

The resident then restrained him until the police arrived.

Officers also discovered that Wolcott was carrying a metal knuckle knife, according to investigators.

Wolcott, of Albany, refused to cooperate with investigators, police said.

He was subsequently charged with three felonies, including two counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon and one count of first-degree Menacing.

Craig Wolcott (34)

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

He was held and later remanded to Albany County Correctional Facility.

Chief Todd Waldin said he understood why the incident was a disturbing situation for nearby residents.

I am relieved that no one was injured and there was no damage resulting from this persons conduct, Waldin said. Thankfully, the police arrived very quickly, and the entire incident was over with shortly.
Brendan Noone from Fohenagh, Ahascragh, Ballinasloe died following the incident on Thursday.

Tributes have been paid to a thoroughly lovely guy who died in a Galway workplace accident near Galway City.

The fatally injured man, who is understood to be from Galway also, died following an incident on Thursday May 8th.

He has been named locally as Brendan Noone from Fohenagh, Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Galway. Mr Noone was in his late forties.

Brendan Noone.

News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2025

Locals said Brendan was ''a very hardworking man who loved to chat with neighbours and friends''.

Paying tribute, one friend said: Deepest condolences to Caroline, Luke, Lily, Kian and Kyle, and to all the Noone family on the very sad loss of Brendan. He was such a lovely genuine man, may he rest in peace.

Another said: What unbelievable and sad news to hear of the passing of Brendan.May he get the best bed in heaven, a really lovely guy a privilege to have known. Was just speaking to him last week. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Another friend added, Always such a pleasure to meet him and reminisce on school days, May his kind and gentle soul rest in eternal peace.

While his local Caltra GAA club said: Our deepest condolences to the entire Noone family on the tragic and heartbreaking loss of Brendan. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

As a mark of respect to Mr Noone, Broderick's Bar in Kiconnell have cancelled their Poker League and Trad music Session.

In a statement, a Health Safety Authority spokesperson said: "The Health and Safety Authority is aware of the incident and has launched an investigation. As such, no further information is available at this time."

He is survived by his wife Caroline and children Luke, Lily, Kian and Kyle. No funeral arrangements have been made as yet.

There have been nine workplace fatalities in Ireland so far in 2025. There were a total of 33 workplace fatalities in Ireland in 2024.
Toni Ogle-Johnston says she was pleased Stephen Matthews co-accused Derek Banic Lammey was found guilty of a charge of intimidation.

Masked gang in the Pitt Park area of east Belfast linked to UVF trouble

The daughter of a man murdered by a UVF-linked gang who gave evidence at the trial of Stephen Matthews says she feels vindicated  despite the alleged ex-UVF boss being acquitted.

Toni Ogle-Johnston says she was pleased Matthews co-accused Derek Banic Lammey was found guilty of a charge of intimidation.

The case arose from a show-of-strength involving a masked gang in the Pitt Park/Fraser Pass area in February 2021.

It had been claimed by those supporting the loyalist gathering of 40 masked and hooded men that it was merely a peaceful protest aimed at a group they claimed had been torturing residents and said masks were only worn because of Covid.

But despite acquitting 62-year-old Matthews  the alleged ex-boss of the East Belfast UVF who has denied any link to criminality  the judge at Belfast Crown Court determined the gathering of hooded and masked loyalists was a show-of-strength.

Those inside the centre included the wife and daughter of murdered community worker Ian Ogle.

Toni Ogle-Johnston was a key witness at the non-jury trial held earlier this year at Belfast Crown Court and when contacted by the Sunday World this week she said the case had proven what happened was an act of intimidation.

Belfast murder victim Ian Ogle with daughter Toni.

The conviction of Derek Lammey is great news because his conviction is proof of what happened on that day despite what others made it out to be, she said.

Plain and simple  like we always said  it was a show-of-strength to intimidate people in the area, including my family so we feel vindicated.

It was a genuinely terrifying experience and now a Crown Court judge has confirmed that.

The crowd gathered outside the centre for a short period and some comments were directed to those inside before the group dispersed.

When she was called to give evidence, Toni described the scene inside the centre as absolute chaos and said the incident left her terrified.

According to the prosecution, 11 members of the public fled to the nearby Ballymac Centre, where they remained for up to eight days under a constant police presence.

Loyalists Derek Lammey, left, and Stephen Matthews

News in 90 seconds - 8th May 2025

This included a pregnant woman, children and its indicated they brought their dogs from their homes, she submitted.

They told police that they feared for their safety and their lives.

On Thursday a judge acquitted Matthews on charges of unlawful assembly, affray and intimidation, saying he was not persuaded that Matthews was definitely present.

But while 60-year-old Lammey was acquitted on the unlawful assembly and affray charges, he was found guilty of the intimidation offence and was told by Judge Gordon Kerr KC that he will be sentenced on May 29.

Judge Kerr spoke of the movement of the crowd as they made their way to the centre, the shouts directed at those inside and the fear which Ms Johnston spoke about.

He said that these features, coupled with the way the men were masked and the way they moved in a co-ordinated fashion towards the centre, indicated the clear intention of the group was to intimidate those inside the centre and keep them there.

Masked gang in the Pitt Park area of east Belfast linked to UVF trouble

Branding this as a show of strength, Judge Kerr said he was firmly convinced of Lammeys guilt and convicted him on the charge of intimidation.

After he was acquitted, supporters of Matthews were quick to take to social media to congratulate him.

Coke-dealer Maggie Hutton was also among the first to weigh in behind her friend.

Hutton, who was convicted of dealing the class-A drug following a major investigation into East Belfast UVF by the PSNIs Paramilitary Crime Task Force last year, posted on Facebook: Couldnt wipe the smile of (sic) my face, great news.

And the post was liked by loyalist Thomas McCartney, who pleaded guilty to assisting offenders following the savage murder of Ian Ogle.
MEXICO CITY, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Mexico has filed a legal lawsuit against Google for labeling the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America" on Google Maps for American users, arguing that the move violates the sovereignty and international recognition of Mexican territory, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday.

Sheinbaum told a regular morning press conference that Google has already been sued and that "a first resolution" has been issued, awaiting compliance.

The United States could "change the name of a state, a mountain, a lake" and call it "whatever they decide" if it is within its territory, but those on the Mexican and Cuban sides cannot be renamed, said the Mexican president, noting that Google must clearly distinguish the respective areas.

The dispute occurred amid ongoing tariff tensions, primarily over immigration and security issues. Authorities from both countries have held meetings to reach an agreement.

Sheinbaum has held six telephone conversations with her U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.

She said she has maintained a "cordial dialogue" with Trump, but the Gulf name issue has not been addressed.

"We have not touched it. What we propose is: they have a resolution where they have the right, but not to name the entire Gulf, but the (part) corresponding to their territory," said the Mexican president. 
This Mothers Day, Bay of Plenty Symphonia welcomes Lara Hall as soloist in Beethovens Violin Concerto.

Asked what inspired her to play, Hall replied: My parents learnt through reading a newspaper article that preschoolers could play violin and asked me if Id like to learn.

Id seen both my mother and grandfather play violin, loved seeing family music-making and always took up the opportunity to do anything new and exciting  so of course I said: Yes!

Hall has a special musical connection to Tauranga through violin teacher Val Thorburn, who taught me as a young child; then again from age 10 until I commenced university study at 16.

She is inspirational in that she has a wonderful passion for music and always demonstrated with a gorgeous warm sound in her lessons. My lessons with Val were in Auckland, but she moved to Tauranga about 25 years ago.

Hall, who now teaches violin at the University of Waikato, has received students from Thorburn. Amelia Taylor and Shelby Hancox are professional violinists living in Tauranga who learnt from both Val and me.

She enjoys playing concertos because they usually have parts where the soloist can play virtuosic music of their choosing without the orchestra. In my previous performances of the Beethoven concerto, Ive performed cadenzas by Fritz Kreisler.

This time Ive chosen cadenzas by Vieuxtemps, a 19th-century virtuoso. Of all the cadenzas for the Beethoven concerto Ive found, hes the composer to have first performed the concerto closest to the time it was written  about 30 years after  so I feel this gives us a little window into a Beethoven-era cadenza.

BOP Symphonias Beethovens Violin concert is at 3pm this Sunday, May 11, at Holy Trinity Church, Tauranga. Door tickets are $25 per adult, under-18s free. Eftpos available.
Brass instruments are in the genes, Matua trumpet player Garry Hoekstra, 65, says.

He started at 13 in his native Holland and would have started younger, but he was not allowed to.

My parents wouldnt let me (play). They stopped me because I was not performing too well at school, Hoekstra said.

Eventually, his parents would let Hoekstra play, and he joined a family with generations of brass bands in the blood.

They gave me a trumpet, brand new, and I started to play, he said.

His passion stemmed from his uncle, who taught the first lesson and was a proficient church organist.

His uncle was also involved in brass bands.



Utrecht, Netherlands. Photo / 123RF

Hoekstras life in Zeist, a large town in the Utrecht province of Holland, remained relatively unchanged until 1981.

Suddenly things changed, he said.

An aunt who had immigrated to New Zealand in 1952 came to visit, and he decided to move there too.

He packed his bags for New Zealand despite objections from his family.

Tragedy struck five weeks into his new journey.

His mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and subsequently died.

She left him money in a savings account, and he received her blessing to move to another country.

Although he enjoyed playing the trumpet, he admits that he would have thrown it aside if it were not for joining a church music team.

It was just the encouragement that they gave to me.

One quirk of playing with the church team was the different musical keys they would perform in, he said.

Trumpets are in a key setting of B flat, but the music we have in the church is on a different key, in a different pitch.

Hoekstra learnt that he needed to transpose everything in a note higher.

It was hard.

While he was in Holland, visiting his mother, he had to hand back the trumpet, that was theirs.



Hoekstra, said the trumpet was the last connection he had with his mother. Photo / Tom Eley

He decided to use the money left to him by his mother to purchase a French-made Antoine Courtois trumpet.

The instrument boasted two different slides, one in B flat and the other in the key of C, allowing the instrument to go up a key and hold higher notes.

It was a fantastic feature, he said.

The trumpet would go everywhere he went, until one day in 1986, it would disappear after leaving the instrument in his car.

Somebody decided to borrow it without asking me, he said.

They stole it.

Apart from the original mouthpiece.



He was told to forget about the trumpet until, in 1993, he got a lead from a friend. Photo / Tom Eley

Hoekstras unique trumpet was gone, but the communitys generosity saw another trumpet donated to him.

He would do some plumbing on the trumpet, shortening it with a hacksaw and raising the replacement to the key of C.

But the quality just wasnt there.

Seven years would go by, and eventually, he looked for a replacement for his trumpet, Hoekstra said.

He needed to look for something a bit better.

He began ringing up musicians and contacts, looking for a good-quality trumpet.

If at all possible, a key of C trumpet.

He was told to forget about the trumpet until, in 1993, he got a lead from a friend on a trumpet in the correct key that had been bought in an auction.

After being told by his friend that the trumpet was Antoine Courtois trumpet, Hoekstras ears perked up.

I couldnt believe it. I had completely given up on that instrument.

He decided to ring the instruments owner and organise a visit with his wife and five-month-old daughter.

After convincing the owner that the trumpet was his, he reconnected with the last thing his mother had left behind for him.

I felt like taking the trumpet back home.



Hoekstra with his self-built penny-farthing bike. Photo / Tom Eley

In the years after his wife died, he constructed three penny-farthing bikes and helped restore the Ann Johson glider hanging in the Classic Flyers Museum in Mt Maunganui.

He still plays the trumpet, joining the ukele band at Jack Dustys Ale House in Otumoetai every Monday and occasionally playing at St Peters Church in Tauranga.

Hoekstra said he is still learning the trumpet and is far from a master of the instrument.

Playing an instrument is just a continuous learning, he said. The road of learning is like that all the way until the day you die.


An announcement on the government's long-awaited abuse in care compensation scheme is imminent, RNZ understands.

The government has repeatedly promised to announce its plans for a new single redress system before this year's budget and, with less than a fortnight until Budget Day, time is running out.

The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry found at least 200,000 people had been abused, and even more neglected, by the state and faith-based institutions since 1950.

Its final report, released last July, outlined 138 recommendations to right the wrongs of the past and to ensure the safety of every child, young person and adult in care today.

In 2021, the inquiry made 95 recommendations for establishing an independent, fair and effective redress scheme for all survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care with existing schemes to be phased out.

The then-Labour government made little progress on the recommendations before losing the 2023 election.

During November's apology to survivors, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced $32 million to support existing schemes while the coalition ironed out details of the new redress system.

"I know that financial redress is important to many of you, and no amount of money will ever make up for what you have endured, but today I want to provide you with some details around the next steps," Luxon told survivors in parliament on 12 November.

"Many of you do not want to engage with it as it currently exists. Some parts of it are 20 years old and it can take up to five years for your claims to be addressed. But there are also over 3,500 of you engaging with the current system. So today I am announcing the government will invest an additional $32 million to increase capacity in the current system while we work on the new redress system.

"This funding will increase resources and help ensure the system is more responsive to your needs. But I want to assure you it is our intention to have a new single redress system operating next year."

He also promised to pressure faith-based organisations to take part.

"The government has written to church leaders to let them know our expectation is that they will do the right thing and contribute to the redress process," Luxon said.

A mish-mash of compensation schemes had been run by the Ministries of Education, Health, Social Development and Oranga Tamariki, with survivors paid an average of about $18,000 for abuse inflicted while in care.

In 2022, the Ministry for Social Development began offering payments of up to $30,000 under a Rapid Payment Framework to survivors who were seriously ill, aged 70 or older, and those with the oldest claims.

Survivors of torture at Lake Alice Hospital's child and adolescent unit were an outlier to other claimants with an average payment of $68,000, then last December, the government announced a group of 77 survivors were eligible for a rapid payment of $150,000.

Details surrounding faith-based institutions were murkier, however, the Catholic Church paid an average of $30,000 (with the highest $152,000), the Anglican

Church also averaged $30,000 (with the highest $100,000) and the Salvation Army averaged $29,000 (with the highest $91,500).

The Royal Commission said payments were "too low to provide meaningful puretumu torowhanui (holistic redress)".

"Payments by state and faith-based institutions do not, in our view, amount to meaningful redress," the commissioners said.

"We have already described the considerable range in payments by state agencies - anywhere from $1,000 to $90,000 in the case of the Ministry of Social Development, although the average is a modest $20,000. The Ministry of Health average is $6,000, and the Ministry of Education average is $15,300. These figures are very low compared with payments by overseas schemes."

The figures fell well short of comparable schemes in Australia where survivors received an average of $84,000; Canada at $104,000; and Ireland at $98,000 (all in New Zealand dollars).

Since 2017, Australian survivors who had sought justice through the courts had received hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars in compensation.

Survivors were anticipating meaningful changes to redress in New Zealand with sufficient compensation to provide for their well-being, while also ensuring faith-based institutions were held to account for the abuse they failed to prevent and often covered up.

However, the government had already promised a tight budget with new spending slashed from $2.4 billion to $1.3 billion.

"We have debt at levels not seen since the mid-1990s. We're running one of the biggest deficits in the world," Finance Minister Nicola Willis said, last week.

"That's the difference between what we're earning and what we're spending. That can't go on forever."

Whatever shape redress took it was bound to come as a disappointment for some survivors.

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A major flood protection upgrade for Edgecumbe opened today.

Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson said the project significantly strengthened the regions infrastructure.

This is one of the biggest flood resilience efforts completed in New Zealand in recent years. It will deliver vital protection for local communities and unlock economic potential across the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Minister Patterson said.

The devastating 2017 floods showed how urgently the area needed improved defences, he said.

When the Rangitaiki River overflowed, it caused widespread damage, forced families from their homes and disrupted lives for months, Minister Patterson said.

The $50 million Rangitaiki Floodway project was delivered in six stages.

Its purpose was to ease pressure on the stopbanks by diverting river flow during heavy rain.

The final stage increased the floodways capacity and added a new spillway upstream of Edgecumbe.

The Government contributed $14 million, with the rest funded by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the local community.

Installing floodgates and upgrading the spillway means the Regional Council can better control water flows and reduce flood risk, Minister Patterson said.

He said the project was an example of how smart infrastructure investment can protect people and boost long-term regional wellbeing.

This kind of work strengthens the social, environmental, economic, and cultural resilience of our communities, Minister Patterson said.

Partnerships between government, iwi, industry and local residents have been key to getting this done.

Im looking forward to seeing how the newly protected land supports future growth and benefits the local economy, Minister Patterson said.
The Government will invest an extra $35 million over four years to strengthen New Zealands borders and target transnational organised crime, Customs Minister Casey Costello said.

Customs continued to face rising pressure from international drug syndicates, which were increasingly targeting New Zealand due to the countrys high street prices for illicit substances, Costello said.

Customs is doing a great job stopping illicit drugs entering the country, but New Zealand is increasingly being targeted by organised crime groups, Costello said.

The Government is committed to ensuring law and order, so it is investing in the tools and capacity agencies need to meet growing challenges.

The new funding includes $21 million in operating expenditure and $5.5 million in capital investment, with an additional $8.2 million to be recovered through third-party levies and fees.

Costello said the money would support up to 60 new roles across Customs, with staff added in intelligence, investigations, prosecutions, and border operations.

8.5 tonnes of meth from entering the country in the last two years.

In 2014, Customs seized 55 kilograms of methamphetamine in the entire year. Last year Customs stopped, on average, 90 kilograms of meth every week, Costello said.

In the past two years, Customs and its offshore partners stopped nearly 8.5 tonnes of meth from entering the country and harming New Zealanders.

The additional funding will focus on three main areas: intercepting high-frequency, low-quantity drug smuggling through mail and airports; targeting trusted insiders in the supply chain who facilitate trafficking; and expanding New Zealands presence offshore with another liaison officer to work with international enforcement partners.

Costello said that while major drug shipments often captured public attention, a large volume of harm stemmed from smaller smuggling attempts, particularly via mail and air travel.

She said the new investment would help Customs respond more effectively to this growing trend.

She said Customs would also enhance its use of advanced technology to detect threats earlier and improve information sharing with global agencies.

This new funding will provide that, Costello said.




Syracuse, N.Y.  A former investment broker has been accused of stealing more than $640,000 from four clients over two years by making unauthorized withdrawals and fees from their accounts.

Dean Dellas, 40, of Cazenovia, took the money from the savings and retirement accounts of a 61-year-old man and his 91-year-old mother as well as two other family members, according to court documents.

To hide the fraud, he concealed bank account statements and impersonated his clients while speaking with brokerage firms, federal prosecutors said.
Michael Che performs onstage during The Scleroderma Research Foundation's Cool Comedy Hot Cuisine: A Tribute to Bob Saget at Edison Ballroom on November 08, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for the Scleroderma Research Foundation) Getty Images for the Scleroderma

Michael Che may be saying goodbye to Saturday Night Live at the end of Season 50.

The Weekend Update co-anchor, who joined the cast during Season 40, announced his exit from the series in February while performing stand-up at the University of Rochester. This is my last season. Im not coming back, dont worry. Im done, its over for me. Its been so much fun. Its a little emotional, its bittersweet, Che told the audience per the Campus Times.

He didnt touch on why he was leaving and what was up next for him.

However, this isnt the first time that the That Damn Michael Che star has said he was leaving SNL. Che has frequently teased his exit on social media and has made similar statements during other standup sets over the years. This is my last year, he told a Minneapolis audience in 2022 regarding his time on the show, per Variety.

After making headlines for this statement, he brushed it off on his Instagram Story, writing: To comedy fans; please stop telling reporters everything you hear at a comedy show. Youre spoiling the trick.

However, that same year, the native New Yorker told The New York Times that hes been thinking about leaving the late-night sketch comedy series for some time.

My head has been at leaving for the past five seasons, he said. I do think that Ive been here longer than Ill be here. This show is built for younger voices and, at some point, therell be something more exciting to watch at the halfway mark of the show than me and dumb [Colin] Jost.

Che has co-anchored Weekend Update since 2014, which is also when he first joined the show. His co-anchor, Jost, has been working on SNL since 2005, when he was hired as a writer.

When Jost first made it to the Weekend Update desk in 2014, he initially worked alongside former castmate Cecily Strong. However, Che took her place shortly after, and his relationship with Jost became a favorite amongst fans.

The mens annual joke swap, in which they write jokes for each other that the other doesnt get to see until theyre reading them on air, has also become a popular segment that viewers look forward to each year.
Close-up of logo for Google Chrome on the corner of a compact Google Chromebook laptop on a light wooden desk surface, San Ramon, California, August 22, 2019. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Getty Images

A new dangerous TikTok challenge is putting middle and high school students at risk by encouraging them to intentionally damage their school-issued laptops for clout.

Dubbed the #ChromebookChallenge or #ChromebookDurabilityTest on the short-video platform, students are deliberately tampering with their Chromebook batteries and charging ports. This includes jamming objects like paper clips and pencils into the laptops USB port, which can cause them to short-circuit, and in some cases, explode or catch fire.

The challenge has prompted urgent warnings from school districts and law enforcement agencies in multiple states, including New York.

Statement from Deputy State Fire Administrator Luci Labriola-Cuffe on Chromebook Social Media Trend. Learn more about battery safety: https://www.dhses.ny.gov/battery-safety Posted by New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

On Wednesday, Deputy State Fire Administrator Luci Labriola-Cuffe addressed this alarming trend, urging parents to have crucial safety discussions with their children.

Tampering with the ports and mechanics of laptops is a serious fire hazard and completely unacceptable, the statement said. It continued: Not only is there an enormous risk of fire when lithium-ion batteries fail, they also produce large quantities of toxic and flammable vapor.

Last week, the stunt caused an early dismissal at a Dutchess County school after the fire alarm was triggered around 8.50 a.m. after smoke started coming from a students Chromebook.

A similar incident in New Jersey resulted in severe consequences, with a 15-year-old student facing charges of third-degree arson and criminal mischief.

Besides the challenges immediate dangers and potential for legal repercussions, its also creating significant financial burdens. Many school districts have made it clear that families will be responsible for covering the costs of the resulting damages.

There are heavy consequences for any student attempting this. Families will incur costs for damages, wrote Hardin Junior High in Texas on Facebook.

TikTok has taken steps to mitigate the challenge by suppressing videos tagged with #ChromebookChallenge or Chromebook challenge. Searches for these terms now yield a safety warning: Your safety matters. Some online challenges can be dangerous, disturbing, or even fabricated. Despite these efforts, the harmful content persists on the platform and can still be found using alternative search terms like school computer trend.
Description

In this workshop you will learn the basics of painting which includes color palette, blocking in color and brushwork techniques. The Atelier will provide 16 x 16 canvas paper, brushes and acrylic paint. Angelo will be working in oil paint, and you are welcome to bring your own oil paints. He will bring you along step-by-step so you will be able to bring a finished painting of this kitty home!

Angelo Mariano has been drawing since his childhood and, after receiving a degree with honors in Philosophy at the University of Bologna, he moved to New York in 2000 to pursue a professional career as a visual artist and as a teacher.

"Painting gives me the possibility to suggest without defining; it is a game that involves the author and the viewer with a freedom that goes beyond the rigidity of words". Angelo has been studying painting and etching from 2001 to 2005 at The Art Students League of New York. In 2003 he won a grant for a Summer painting course at the Marchutz School in Aix en Provence, France. His works are in private collections in USA, Canada, Europe and Japan.

Please join Angelo for this Saturday workshop! The cost for this 1-day learning experience, which will run from 10AM-2PM and includes materials, is $95 per person and is open to all skill levels. For your convenience, you may register online https://theatelieratflowerfield.org/workshops or call 631-250-9009 for more information.
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
nixie89 BHPian



Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 46 Thanked: 64 Times

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South-East drive from Chennai to Jharkhand - First 2000 km in a new Jeep Compass Last week I.e. 1st - 4th May, I was on a trip from Chennai to my home town Giridih in Jharkhand - - journey of over 1,800 kmtrs across the eastern coastal lines in Andhra, Odisha and some part of West Bengal and wish to share teh experience here.



The ride is my Red Panda - a Jeep Compass Model S in 4x2 Turbo Diesel Manual avatar, with just 503 kmtrs on the odometer.



Day 0 : Preparations



Typical tasks done : Tank full (55ltrs) at HP bunk. For diesel, Shell or HP has been my choice for last many many years since I have owned a multijet Punto EVO 90HP in the past.



Cleaned up the car, put some polish on the interiors and checked tyre pressure. 34 in rear and 37 for front

.

Talking about tyres, I didnt like the stock Bridgestone Turanza T001 and had them replaced with Yokohama Bluearth soon after I took the delivery of car.



Stocked the water and food supply in the car and kept ready for the 3-4 days trip ahead.



Day 1: Chennai to Visakhapatnam (815 kms)



Started at 5:00am from Chennai to beat the morning traffic, we headed north towards NH 16. Light traffic was a bliss and drove easily for the first 140 kmtrs or so, to Nellore.

Took a breakfast break around 7:30 at a newly opened place. Lovely food and cosy set up.

Continued in NH16 for rest of day to arrive at our stay in VSKP by 6:30pm. Had a little bit of adventure in the last 28kmtrs when I ended up at an underpass to exit NH 16 and needed to take a narrow road to enter city. Thanks to Google Maps that wasted almost an hour !!!

Took me a while to figure out the route and finally arrive at the hotel.



Thankfully the Jeep collaborated well and didnt ask me to refuel until we reached the hotel. I saw the low fuel pop up upon arrival and filled it up at a near by bunk.



First long drive on this car and it left me impressed by its sheer driving pleasure, comfort and mileage. Mileage first : 16.7 kmpl !!!! In a 2.0 litre engine.. thats impressive. Though I didnt gave it a whack and kept myself strictly below 2000rpm. But still cruised at constant 110-120km/h range.



Comfort : Apart from other things, I was surprised how convenient can ventilated seats be. This feature was never part of the buying decision but now that I have used it, can see how good it makes one feel on a long ride on a summer day in India. Another thing I loved are the media control buttons on the steering wheel - very conveniently placed behind the wheel spokes.



Last one I must talk is the MID - gives you a lot of info for driving and about the car in a very well laid out display. Will share some pics later. Kids loved the sun roof and back seat space.



Drive on NH 16 so far was pleasant - good surface through out, no surprises, mostly 6 lane and some nice scenic curves on the outskirts of Vishakhpatnam. Crossing Godavari river at Rajamundry is a nice experience. I didnt stop there because I have been to Rajamundry 2-3 times earlier but strongly recommend to take a day break here and take a holy bath next day in Godavari. Its a bliss and relaxing feeling.







Day 2 : Visakhapatnam to Sambalpur : 590 kms, 11 hrs



You read it right : 590 kmtrs in 11 hrs. This stretch of the journey was mostly on state highways which are two lane roads mostly. I followed NH16 for the first 275 kmtrs till Brahmapur before taking the road towards Aska, Phulbani, Boudhgarh and Sambalpur. When I started from vishakhpatnam, I had to drive almost 25-30 kmtrs on the service road before I could find and entry ramp on the NH 6-lane, was surprised why would they make it this way. Same was the case on day 1 when I struggled to get the exit ramp and took an hour additional.

Once on the NH, drive was smooth - went a bit heavy on pedal this time and the Jeep seemed to have enjoyed it: cruised mostly at 135-140 without any stress. One thing that kept me bugging was the speed alarm and couldnt figure how to increase the speed limit or put it to silence.



After the lunch break at Brahmapur, headed towards Aska and followed the route towards Sambalpur. These 323 kmtrs were the best part of journey so far : had a bit of everything one enthusiast would expect to get the driving pleasure : ghat sections, narrow roads but very smooth surface, jungle drives, and newly built speed ways. Got the best of driving in this part. Kids loved the open roof on the tree shaded roads through out the forest stretch.

Was able to keep the speed in 80-110 range mostly, but what a pleasure experience it was. Mileage dropped from 16.7 to 15.6 kmpl, which is still a delight considering that major portion of the drive was shifting between 4th and 5th gear on the curvy village road.



Talking about the car, got few comments from my Day 1 post about Yokohama Bluearth tyres. I was a bit confused whether to change or keep the stock Bridgestone Turanza. Didnt want to upsize and thought 225-55-R18 are good enough but was concerned about grip and noise. Did a bit of research and figured out that Bridgestone gets hard and noisy after a year or two, by 8k-10k kmtrs. But there was another challenge : had limited choice in the stock spec - Michelin and Conti came only in 235 for AT tyres, Yoko and Vredestein were the only options I had. Yokohama won in the tug of war bcos dealer was willing to give his assurance and I have trusted him for many years now. These are RV 2 version of the Bluearth and recommended for SUVs.



Another thing : some might be wondering why this route while I could have followed NH 16 for another 225 kmtrs and take a shorter route to Giridih. Well, I promised my daughter to take her to Hirakud dam : the longest dam. We have seen the highest dam : Tehri. Will make plans for the Bhakra Nangal some time later.





Day 3 : Sambalpur-Hirakud Dam-Ranchi, 340kms, 8 hrs



Had a relaxed start of the day to refresh back from the 11hr adventurous drive from previous day. I stayed at the outskirts of Sambalpur on the ring road, at a resort place on the banks of Mahanadi river. It was a newly constructed property, not too many guests. Start of the day was a little run around the ring road, had tea and samosa at a roadside joint. Bad food in Odisha is difficult to find and my experience so far has been always good when it comes to local food in Odisha. Puri sabji, Aloo paratha with curd and refreshing tea - cant be a better start of the day. Departed from the resort around 10:00am and headed straight to Hirakud Dam.

Its 11km drive, passing through the huge Hindalco factory. Hirakud is the longest dam in India and has a huge reservoir. Parks near the dam are well maintained and its a good picnic spot. View of the reservoir from Ropeway was splendid, though the hot sun was a bit of spoiler.



Around 12:00, headed back towards the Kolkata Mumbai highway and then to Biju expressway which connect Sambalpur to Rourkela : two major industrial cities of Odisha and the rich mining area in between. Industries like JSW, NTPC, MCL and TRL Krosaki have their large plants on this route among many small and medium scale steel and aluminium plants.



Industrial belt doesnt mean bad roads on this part of the country : Biju expressway is a well laid out 4 lane expressway.

To reach Ranchi, I have in the past preferred to take a small detour to save approx 50km rather than going all the way to Rourkela - from Kutra, a small road passes through Joram village and connects to the Ranchi Rourkela highway.

I have had taken this route several times in the past and was very familiar. But this time, adventure was on the cards - there was road block near the border and checklist guys didnt allow vehicles as a bridge was under construction. Gave me a chance to off road a little bit, drove through fields for 1-2 kmtrs and connected back to the highway at Joram - there is a recent movie by this name casting Manoj Bajpai, on a plot set up around this village and the political-industrial nexus to exploit the rich natural resources in this region-must watch.



Once back on the highway, started looking for a place for lunch. Just after Simdega town, stopped at a small eatery for a break around 3:30pm. To my surprise, strong winds started and soon it was dark clouds all over - sounds dramatic but the trip had it all to offer for me it seems - heavy downpour with moderate to strong winds. That slowed down us a bit and took shelter at a fuel station for 30mins before starting back. Rest of the journey towards Khunti and Ranchi was ok gained some lost time and reached home by 8:00pm.



For some reason, got a low tyre pressure warning for front right tyre - TPMS showed 33 and I was wondering what could be the reason. One observation : until this time, I was driving in hot weather temp ranging 34-38 degrees. After the rains, outside temp dropped to 22-23 degrees and TPMS reading for all the tyres also reduced from 37 to 33. But only this tyre was showing up in the warning. Cant figure out why !!!!



Anyways, none of the 3-4 fuel stations had air facility so relied on a road side tyre shop to refill. The fellows old school hand held pressure gauge indicated 30 in the from and 28 in the rear. Top up was done to 37-34 as recommended and was back to normal.TPMS was now showing 40 in the front and 38 in rear. Puts a question mark on this set up and the reason for variance in actual vs system detected. Perhaps my readers may share their experience with TPMS.



This puts an end to the onward journey will head back to Chennai in few days in this excellent machine. Best outcome of the journey is that it helped me set up the bond with the Jeep : people say drivers can sense the pulse of their car by mere crank of the ignition key. There is a connection with the engine rev, the brake intensity, how the car feels and react at a corner or pot hole or a speed breaker : all these are feelings only the driver can sense while on the steering. Last three days and 1950k mtrs have helped us both get connected.



Looking forward for more miles and memories in coming years with my Red Panda.



To the bond between Man and their Machine . Attached Thumbnails























Last edited by Rehaan : 12th May 2025 at 08:53 . Reason: Added some headings :)
It's been a busy week for AI upstart OpenAI (OPAI.PVT). The company abandoned plans to convert itself into a for-profit enterprise and appointed Instacart CEO Fidji Simo as its new head of applications. It also reached an agreement to purchase AI coding tool Windsurf for $3 billion, according to Bloomberg.

It's a lot of change in such a short period of time, and the moves leave a number of unanswered questions about OpenAI's future. What's more, they've done little to shake the ire of OpenAI's nemesis and onetime co-founder, Elon Musk, who's staying the course with a legal war against the company's attempted restructuring.

All of this comes as OpenAI finds itself beset by challengers both in the US and abroad, including the likes of Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Musk's own X.ai  and as incumbents such as Google (GOOG, GOOGL) work to ensure they're not left by the wayside.

OpenAI's nonprofit stays in control, but Musk is undeterred

OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015 but added a for-profit arm that reported to the nonprofit in 2019. It was structured so that the for-profit subsidiary, technically owned by a holding company owned by OpenAI employees and investors, remained under the control of the nonprofit and its board of directors while giving its biggest backer, Microsoft (MSFT), no board seats and no voting power.

OpenAI had hoped to shed its nonprofit status to attract additional investors and renegotiate with existing ones. But the company said on Monday that it abandoned those plans after hearing from "civic leaders and engaging in constructive dialogue with the offices of the Attorney General of Delaware and the Attorney General of California."

Instead, the company will turn its for-profit arm into a public benefit corporation (PBC). OpenAI's nonprofit will control and be a large shareholder of the PBC, giving it a more traditional capital structure where stakeholders receive stock. The new PBC, OpenAI said, would not be constricted by profit caps that currently limit profits for outside investors. Under its current structure, profits exceeding the caps are returned to the nonprofit.

Musk argues that OpenAI's new for-profit venture is a "facade" and a "PR announcement" meant to obscure company executives' looting and profiteering off the nonprofit.

Musk claimed in a court document filed on Wednesday that his former partner in charity, OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, scrapped the for-profit business plan to hide misappropriated donations.
Floods in eastern DR Congo kill more than 100: local officials



Bukavu, DR Congo, May 10 (AFP) May 10, 2025



Raging floods rushing through a village during the night killed more than 100 people, many of them children as they slept, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, local officials told AFP on Saturday.

The floods were sparked by torrential rains and ripped through the Kasaba village in the Sud Kivu province during the night of Thursday-Friday, Bernard Akili, a regional official, told AFP.

Torrential rains caused the Kasaba river to burst its banks overnight, with the rushing waters "carrying everything in their path, large stones, large trees and mud, before razing the houses on the edge of the lake," he said.

"The victims who died are mainly children and elderly," he said, adding that 28 people were injured and some 150 homes were destroyed.

Sammy Kalonji, the regional administrator, said the torrent killed at least 104 people and caused "enormous material damage."

Another local resident told AFP that some 119 bodies had been found by Saturday.

The village, which sits on the Tanganyika lake and is only accessible by the lake, does not have internet service, a local humanitarian worker told AFP

Such natural disasters are frequent in the DRC, particularly on the shores of the great lakes in the east of the country, with the surrounding hills weakened by deforestation.

In 2023, floods killed 400 people in several communities located on the shores of Lake Kivu, in South Kivu province.
Im a little weary of white men telling us about The Beatles. I say this as a white woman who actively likes The Beatles. And occasionally tolerates men. Of course, its a criticism we could extend to many artists  whiteness and maleness are qualities often shared by the diligent students of Dylan, Springsteen, Cohen, to name but three. But in the case of The Beatles, a band whose early success was so propelled by female support, it feels particularly obnoxious.

News of a four-part biopic of the band, to be released one after another in cinemas in April 2028, broke in February. Its director Sam Mendes described it as an ambitious attempt to tell the story of the worlds most successful band from the individual perspective of each member. Not long afterwards came the announcement of its cast: Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. This week came details of its writers: Jack Thorne (Adolescence), Peter Straughan (Conclave) and Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem).

By any measure, its a grand collision of talent, for which Sony Pictures holds high hopes. The Beatle-owned Apple Corps has also, for the first time, granted full life story and music rights. While audiences must wait another three years for the films, the excitement around the project is already palpable. Much has already been said about The Beatles over the past 65 years, but Mendes is adamant his films will find fresh angles. As a filmmaker, one is always looking to find new ways to look at the past, he wrote in the Times, earlier this year. To turn historical events so they catch the light in new and different ways. A noble aim, of course, but the striking element about The Beatles project thus far, is that its perspective appears to be so familiar: conventionally white, predictably male.

There has never been a shortage of women who know about The Beatles. The popular depiction of Beatlemania draws on images from the 1960s: crowds of young women screaming and fainting and waving homemade banners. Theyre there in the front rows of concerts, waiting at airports, and outside hotels: their understanding of the band deep, devoted, encyclopedic.

But at some point in the past six decades, this has shifted. A portrait of Beatlemania today might very well show a clutch of white middle-aged men pontificating about the White Album and prowling Discogs for rare Japanese pressings of Abbey Road. Its not the love I question, but the presentation; as if this devotion is superior, more respectable, less hysterical, for being dressed in cultural theory.

Five years ago, Rolling Stone published a list of the 10 best Beatles books. None of them were written by women. In fact the only Beatles book written by a woman that I can readily call to mind is the academic Christine Feldman-Barretts A Womens History of The Beatles  a fascinating look at how the work of the band has impacted the lives of women and girls, but one that presented the author as an authority on women-and-the-Beatles, rather than simply The Beatles.

open image in gallery Your new Beatles: Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Barry Keoghan and Harris Dickinson at a Sony Pictures event in March ( Getty )

Similarly, there are some very fine Beatles podcasts presented by women  Another Kind of Mind, BC The Beatles, to name but two. But the field is dominated by male-hosted series with a plethora of male guests (full disclosure: I, a woman, was once a guest on the Your Own Personal Beatles podcast and had a very nice time).

The music critic Jessica Hopper once asked what might happen if you replaced the word fangirl with expert. Its a subject also brilliantly explored by The Independents Hannah Ewens in her book Fangirls, which documented the history of female superfans from Beatlemaniacs to Beliebers. Using fandom as a derogatory term is an example of how we make women smaller by diminishing the value of their knowledge, by questioning the nature of their passion, by suggesting their interest might be more sexual than critical.

I wonder what would happen if we reversed Hoppers question. How we might regard the male Beatle connoisseurs if we focused not on their self-proclaimed expertise but on their slavish fandom. And I wonder, too: do people ask Mendes and his writers which one of The Beatles they are, in the same way that, for a time, all women were expected to align themselves with a particular Spice Girl?

open image in gallery The popular depiction of Beatlemania: two girls in Beatles sweatshirts wait for the band's arrival in New York in 1964 ( Getty )

At heart, I dont think these male Beatles fans are so different from the young women beside themselves at Heathrow airport in 1964. Their love for this band and their music is fuelled by similar desires, pleasures, hormones; the music of The Beatles offers all of them a conduit for complex human emotions. And while their screams may be a little less high-pitched, what they lose in treble they certainly gain in monotony.

I dont begrudge these men talking about The Beatles. The problem comes when we only get to see The Beatles through the white male gaze. When, to paraphrase John Berger, men look at The Beatles, and women are looked at as part of The Beatles phenomenon  as wives, mothers, girlfriends, maniacs. The Beatles film project is admirable, Thorne, Straughan, Butterworth are spectacular writers, but if Sam Mendes truly wants his subject to catch new light, he would do well to seek a different angle.
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William Shatner has unveiled his forthcoming documentary You Can Call Me Bill while reflecting on the limited time he has left.

From the Star Trek franchise to the TV series TJ Hooker, the 91-year-old acting legend has appeared in dozens of films and shows.

Now, after having turned down a lot of documentaries before, Shatner is ready to put his life on the big screen for audiences and fans to enjoy.

In a new interview with Variety, the Canadian actor explained why he finally decided to make the documentary, with Shatner revealing: Ive turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before. But I dont have long to live.

Whether I keel over as Im speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so thats very much a factor.

According to Shatner, his family also played a role in his decision, as he noted: Ive got grandchildren. This documentary is a way of reaching out after I die.

William Shatner ( AP )

Shatner, who has five grandchildren from his three daughters, Leslie, 64, actor Lisbeth, 61, and actor Melanie, 58, whom he shares with his first wife Gloria Rand, has previously spoken about how being a grandparent is his biggest joy.

I have the time now to grab a grandchild and talk, and hug and kiss them and make sure that Im taking time to be with them and to give them some aspect of the things Ive learned, he told The Guardian in 2014, adding that family life is totally encompassing.

At the time, Shatner also revealed that he sees his daughters every weekend, and that the entire family often goes on holidays together.

As for his experience filming the documentary, Shatner told Variety that he wanted to avoid just looking back on his accomplishments, and was instead trying to discover something Ive never said before or to find a way to say something Ive said before in a different way, so I can explore that truth further.

The sad thing is that the older a person gets the wiser they become and then they die with all that knowledge. And its gone. Its not like Im going to take my ideas or my clothing with me, he said, before asking: What am I going to do with all these thoughts? What am I going to do with 90 years of observations?

Director Alexandre O Philippes You Can Call Me Bill will premiere at this years SXSW Film Festival in Texas.
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Actor Denise Alexander, most known for her roles in both General Hospital and Days of our Lives, has died. She was 85.

On Friday, Variety and Soap Opera Digest reported that Alexander had died two months ago, on March 5.

General Hospitals executive producer, Frank Valentini, posted a tribute to the actor on X, thanking her for her contributions to the soap opera world and for being one of the first female doctors on television.

I am so very sorry to hear of Denise Alexanders passing. She broke barriers on-screen and off, portraying Dr. Lesley Webber  one of the first female doctors on Daytime Television  for nearly five decades, his post read.

It meant so much to have her reprise her role in recent years and I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with her. On behalf of the entire General Hospital family, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to her family, friends, and longtime fans. May she rest in peace.

Prior to her standout roles on General Hospital and the Days of our Lives, Alexander began acting in the 1950s on Broadways The Childrens Hour. Her career quickly grew as she earned guest-starring roles on Father Knows Best, The Twilight Zone, and The Danny Kaye Show.

Her soap acting career started in 1960, when she landed a role on CBSs The Clear Horizon. Six years later, she was cast as Susan Martin in Days of Our Lives and played that character for seven years before making the decision to leave the show.

In 1973, she joined the cast of General Hospital, playing Lesley Webber, who was involved in a well-known love triangle with Rick Webber (played by Chris Robinson) and Monica Bard (played by the late Leslie Charleson, who died earlier this year). At another point during her tenure on the show, Lesley confessed to the murder of David Hamilton, a crime her daughter Laura committed.

After winning an Emmy nomination for outstanding actress in a Daytime drama series, General Hospital killed off Alexanders character in 1984, only to bring her back from the dead in 1996.

open image in gallery Her soap acting career started back in 1960 ( Getty Images )

Her last appearance on the soap opera was in 2021.

Alexander previously talked about her time playing Lesley, where she discussed how soap opera fans differ from television or movie fans.

Its not necessarily that soap opera breeds bigger stardom than movies do, she said in 1997 to The Hour. Its just that the public feels closer to afternoon stars than to the movie types. After all, we are with them daily, and they feel they know us. Youd be surprised how personal my fan mail is  and I dont mean erotic personal. Our lives on the shows supersede their own lives, become part of their daily living.
We recently published a list of Billionaire David Abrams 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:ABG) stands against other stock picks with huge upside potential.

David Abrams founded Abrams Capital Management in 1999. Before forming the Boston-based investment firm, Abrams worked at Seth Klarmans Baupost Group for 10 years. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA degree in History, where he also served on the Board of Advisors of the College of Arts and Sciences. Abrams didnt have a finance background when he got his first job in New York in the early 1980s. He learned all about investing under Seth Klarman before setting out independently after a decade. He is a value investor, and in the ~12 years of his fund, he has achieved an annualized return of around 20%. His firm is like a one-man shop, which employs a small staff. Abrams Capital has 9 clients and discretionary assets under management (AUM) of $10.05 billion, as reported in the firms Form ADV dated 13 January 2025. The last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $6.22 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 98.7%.

Abrams is known for maintaining a low public profile, but in a conversation on Columbia Business Schools Value Investing with Legends Podcast series, he discussed the surface of his foundational principles when it comes to his investment philosophy. He starts by looking at the risks first and foremost, without any consideration of prospective gains. This is a reminder that the future remains unpredictable, which Abrams puts in the following words:

When you look back, theres one path that happened, but that doesnt mean that going forward theres only one path. In the future, theres multiple paths.

Abrams portfolio reflects a balanced approach with exposure to growth sectors like Industrials and Consumer Cyclical, while also maintaining moderate allocations in established industries such as Communication Services. He also believes that declining industries can present stability because they attract limited new entrants. This also implies that high-growth sectors are, on the contrary, characterized by intense competition, which necessitates a more detailed analysis of potential competitive threats. Heres what Abrams had to say about this:

If you have a shrinking industry and its dying, its like, people are not dying to get into that.

Abrams serves as a director of several private companies. He is currently on the board of MITMCO, which manages the MIT endowment. Previously, he was a trustee of Berklee College of Music for 15 years, where he chaired the investment committee. He was also the trustee of Milton Academy.
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Louis Theroux has responded to the discussion around his new documentary, The Settlers.

The BBC Two film is a follow-up to 2011s Ultra Zionists, in which he visited and interviewed Israeli settlers in the Palestinian West Bank.

In the new film, which has been praised by viewers and critics, Theroux arrives back in the West Bank 14 years after his last visit where settler ideology has found itself gaining political traction.

Among the settlers that he meets is Ari Abramowitz who says they dont believe Palestine exists as a nation, or with a real claim to this land.

Theroux also meets Issa Amro, a Palestinian man who gives him a guided tour of the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank, where everything is closed with dozens of checkpoints in place.

Clips of the movie have gone viral on social media, racking up millions of views, with bootlegged versions of the full documentary being shared across the internet.

Theroux said the success of Settlers took him by surprise. It wasnt something I saw coming, he wrote in The Guardian. The reaction to the film, when it aired, was immediate. Positive write-ups and massive online commentary.

open image in gallery Theroux visited the West Bank where he met Israeli settlers and Palestinians ( CREDIT LINE:BBC/Mindhouse Productions Ltd/Josh Baker )

He also addressed some backlash to the film, after being criticised for spotlighting a handful of crazies, comparing settlers to fringe figures such as right-wing campaigner Tommy Robinson.

A few pieces were critical of the film, he continued. The main charge was that Id focused on a handful of crazies who werent representative of the wider community. But this comparison reveals what makes the situation in the West Bank so peculiar. In the UK, Robinson is widely seen as a fringe actor. He is excluded from politics and shunned by those close to government.

Responding to criticism about his choice to pick on Israel and suggestions that reporting on religious nationalist Israeli extremism may have contributed to anti-Jewish sentiment, he said that he felt there were warnings for the west within some parts of Israeli society.

I take this charge seriously, for reasons I hope are obvious, he wrote.

But the urgency here is that West Bank settlers are a bellwether for where society may be going in countries across the West. In the past, the settler agenda has been supported by governments on both the left and the right but its currently being embraced by populist leaders and elements of the far right who find much to like about its ethno-nationalist and anti-democratic character.

open image in gallery Palestinian activist Issa Amro told The Independent that he faces a very risky situation in the West Bank for his work ( BBC )

Around the same time that the documentary aired, Israels national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who is a settler, was being hosted at Mar-a-Lago. And so a film about extreme West Bank settlers isnt simply about a region of the Middle East. Its also about us.

He also commented on one of the sadder and more outrageous results of our film, namely reports by Amro that he had been harassed by settlers and soldiers at his home in what appeared to be a reprisal for his participation in our documentary.

Theroux added: Our team got in touch with him and did its best to provide appropriate support.

Amro told The Independent in the days following the documentarys release: Its very hard and life is not easy here. I have a 13-year-old son, and hes at the age now to be arrested and targeted. Two hundred children have been killed in the West Bank in the last 18 months.

open image in gallery The Settlers has been praised by many critics and viewers ( CREDIT LINE:BBC/Mindhouse Productions Ltd/Josh Baker )

I don't stay in public areas, he continued, as he said he had received death threats throughout the years. I don't have a routine in my life. I'm very careful. I don't work alone. I work with others, you know. So, I'm very careful and I see that the situation is really, really risky.

However, he criticised an excessive focus on Israeli settlers by the media at the expense of Palestinians living in the West Bank.

We want more Palestinian voices to talk about our lives under the occupation, he explained. Referring to one viral footage of Theroux, whose courage he praised, being pushed by an Israeli soldier, Amro added: As a Palestinian, what happened to Louis is happening to me and to my people every day and multiple times a day. So we want as Palestinians to highlight that they are aggressive with us.
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Mothers Day is not only a day filled with showing our appreciation for mothers, but also a chance for them to receive free food or other discounts.

In the United States, Mothers Day is always on the second Sunday in the month of May, as women are recognized for the work they contribute to their families.

If you are looking for a last-minute gift for your mother or want to make sure she doesnt work too hard on her special day, here are the deals to pay attention to.

Dennys

The restaurant chain is celebrating mothers by offering $10 off a $30 purchase when ordering breakfast either online or using their app from May 9 through May 11 by using the promotional code MOMDAY.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Dennys will be offering $10 off of a $30 purchase using the promotional code MOMDAY ( Getty Images )

The fast food restaurant chain will be offering free delivery on all online orders on May 11 to make Mothers Day more finger lickin good.

Raising Canes

To show their appreciation for mothers, the chicken restaurant will be offering Caniac Members a buy one get one free box combo from May 11 through May 12 at participating locations.

Panda Express

The Chinese restaurant chain recently debuted a family meal available either online or through the Panda Express app that feeds five people, including two large sides and three large entrees, for $30 when using the promotional code THANKSMOM.

Through May 11, Panda Express is also giving away $8 Bonus Cards to anyone who purchases a $30+ online gift card for their mother.

Einstein Bros Bagels

The bagel chain has introduced a Brunch Box. The box comes with six bagels, a tub of cream cheese, an egg sandwich, two bacon cheddar and egg sandwiches, four hashbrowns, and four blueberry muffins.

They are also currently offering 20 percent off online gift card purchases.

Round Table Pizza

From May 9 through May 11, participating locations will be offering 15 percent off of dine-in, carry-out, or delivery orders using the promotional code RTP978.

Burger King

Only on Mothers Day, Royal Perks members get a free Whopper with the purchase of a King Jr. Meal.

DoorDash

The delivery service is offering $75 worth of select Mothers Day gifts to any DashPass members who order flowers. Non-members will receive up to $50 in credits.

Whole Foods

When ordering from the grocery store through Amazon Prime through May 13, customers can order a bouquet of 15-stem tulips for $9.99. Whole Foods through Amazon Prime is also offering 30 percent off of all body care and candles.
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You can be surrounded by the best restaurants in the world and still miss your mums cooking. Case in point, Peppe Corsaro, who moved from Sicily to London at 17 and, within days, began to crave his mammas potato gateau and slow-cooked ragu. London was full of Italian restaurants but mainly you could find carbonara, he says. Mainstream dishes. I was out for dinner and my friend said Peppe, why dont you bring your mamma to cook? Youre always complaining. I thought, one day I will. But I couldnt get it out of my head. She should have her own restaurant. So, I rang and asked, Would you consider moving to London? She said, Peppe, Ill come tomorrow. Even today. She was googling flights while we were still on the phone.

Peppe quickly realised that perhaps he shouldnt let his 60-year-old mother work in a new restaurant seven days a week. So, in 2018, he put out a Facebook call for additional mammas [mothers], nonnas [grandmothers], and zias [aunts] whod like to come to London to cook. He was inundated with applications. What began as a crumb of an over-dinner idea rapidly grew into La Mia Mamma: three London restaurants, with a fourth opening this month, where all the food  pappa al pomodoro from Tuscany, cacio e pepe from Lazio, pacchero al cinque pomodori from Puglia  is made by Italian mothers from each region. We flew them over, we found them a house, Peppe says. Its amazing.

A decade earlier and the other side of the Atlantic on Staten Island, New York, the same seed had been sown in Joe Scaravellas mind. The Brooklyn-raised entrepreneur had lost both his mother and grandmother and missed the ritual of sitting down for a family meal. So he opened Enoteca Maria, a restaurant where all the chefs are Italian grandmothers. Eighteen years later, the eatery is still thriving and its origin story  from its logistical struggles to the spats between the chefs  is the basis for the new Netflix film Nonnas, starring Vince Vaughn. It was like reading my story, says Peppe, who only became aware of Joe last week when a friend shared the films synopsis.

Peppe and Joe may have never encountered one another, but their shared idea is symptomatic of an age-old Mediterranean tradition: If you go to Greece, Italy, its all the women: mammas, nonnas, zias in the kitchen [while] the whole family manages the restaurant. We havent really made something new, he says. Weve just put the nonnas together. We havent reinvented the wheel. Yet in the UK, where just 17 per cent of professional chefs are women, Peppes army of mammas and nonnas is revolutionary.

Upon walking into La Mia Mamma, Im bundled into a hug by Mamma Annamaria, 59, who chastises me for not speaking Italian  then merrily shares the recipe for her bruschetta. I love it, its a new life, she beams, when I ask about her time cheffing in the Notting Hill branch of the restaurant. I am then bombarded with food. She brings over the best suppli [fried rice balls from Rome], the best fried polenta with pecorino and the best ragu for me to try. Its all the best, jokes Peppe as he mimics her. I made it, Annamaria retorts. So why not?!

open image in gallery Buon appetito: Annamaria, Alessandra and Ida serving up lunch at La Mia Mamma ( Lydia Spencer-Elliott )

Annamaria is joined in the kitchen by Mamma Alessandra, 54, who worked as a pasta chef in Italy until an undisclosed bad period in her life prompted her to follow her son to London and start a new chapter. Alessandras mother was English but never taught her the countrys language or traditions, so following her death two years ago she decided to discover them for herself  she found her job at La Mia Mamma along the way. Cooking is my passion, she says. In the restaurant, we are like a big family.

The last member of their trio, Mamma Ida, 72, from Abruzzo, beams from behind the counter as she artfully shapes semolina dough into cavatelli pasta shells. I worked for 50 years in a hospital, preparing people for surgery, she says. Then I was a volunteer for the Red Cross in the ambulance. I saw [Peppes] Facebook group and after one week, I said okay! I sent the email, after one hour they wrote me back. I came, just me. Taught my 35-year-old son  who doesnt know how to do nothing  how to use the dishwasher and I left, she laughs. It was my dream. The Beatles. London.

open image in gallery Cinque pomodori: Alessandra and Ida make cavatelli pasta in a Pugliese tomato sauce ( Lydia Spencer-Elliott )

La Mia Mamma has faced its fair share of challenges. When Brexit arrived, the length of time each mamma could even stay in the country was suddenly up in the air  an issue theyre still navigating on a case-by-case basis. They survived the pandemic, which saw more than 10 per cent of the UKs hospitality businesses permanently close, through a combination of rent breaks, home deliveries and pop-ups, and emerged on the other side of the global disaster with three restaurants  one more than they had when 2020 started. In a restaurant, passion is everything, says Peppe of his success. If you open a restaurant because you want a Michelin star, amazing. But its very different work than cooking because you want to make people happy and enjoy it. Its like a factory.

As Annamaria claims, their food is the best. These women are masters of the dishes of their own regions  and far beyond. The cacio e pepe is creamy and comforting, the cinque pomodori [five tomato pasta] palpably fresh. Meanwhile, the tiramisu and semifreddo are so delicious that I spoon up both despite my jeans straining under the pressure. This is what happens, says Peppe of the lifelong blessing and curse that mums will always want you to eat more food. I had to start telling them I had allergies, he confesses.

Creating La Mia Mamma with the woman who raised him allowed Peppe to see his mother in a new light, from the cooking she did in the home to the effort she put into feeding him and his three siblings. And its a beacon that could still do with being shone on the domestic labour of many mothers toiling thanklessly in homes today. Who knows, a British restaurant where all the roast dinners are made by mums could get us some way there.

open image in gallery La famiglia: Peppe, Annamaria, Lydia, Ida and Alessandra in the La Mia Mamma kitchen ( Lydia Spencer-Elliott )

It was like getting to know my mother again, Peppe says of his evolution. I really re-appreciated all of the work. But did he expect their success? No! I thought we werent going to make it, he admits. We didnt know what we were doing but wed already made the commitment. The operation was so complicated. So unusual. It was the most beautiful journey of my life.

Peppes mother died two months ago, aged 70  but he still feels her here when hes with the restaurants mammas. Every time theyd hug me, Id cry, he says, pausing to regain composure. It unlocks memories. Brings you back to your childhood. Even just through a hug or the smell of their hair. Its crazy. You might think Im overexaggerating, he adds. But the number of customers whove been crying Its not just about the food. Thats one part of it, but to me, the most important thing is the emotional connection.

Nonnas is streaming on Netflix
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Paris Hilton has launched a brand new skincare line, Parivie, partly in hopes of inspiring her two kids, the way her mom did for her.

Designed in metallic pink packaging reminiscent of the reality stars fashion, Parivie includes six products priced between $38 and $125. The first drop, which has completely sold out, is a three-piece kit with Hiltons Thats Radiant purifying cleanser, Thats Tight plumping vitality serum, and Thats Quenched barrier support creme.

Hilton, 44, co-founded the brand with Alexandra Marsh and made her media company, 11:11 Media, a partner of Parivie.

The launch of Parivie put the number of businesses created and owned by the DJ in the 20s. From jewelry to fragrances, Hilton has sold a range of products under several brand names over the years.

However, speaking to People magazine, she said her latest is the most special by far, for a few reasons, including her two children.

This is something that I've built from the ground up, she told the outlet, calling Parivie her baby.

This is the first time where I have ownership, Hilton continued.

I really wanted it to reflect me in every way, and basically take all of my knowledge from so many years being a skincare lover, traveling all around the world, going to the best spas, meeting the most incredible facialists and estheticians. I've learned so much and I took all of that knowledge and created Parivie with my team, she explained.

Hilton also plans on teaching her young children  Phoenix Barron Reum, 2, and year-old London Marilyn Reum  everything she learned from consulting with top skincare specialists.

Paris Hilton says she plans on teaching her two children everything she knows about skincare after launching her own brand, Parivie ( Getty )

She said she learned everything about beauty from her mom, Kathy Hilton.

I'm so grateful that I listened to my mom, because most of my friends were just never using any skincare, she told People. They were just laying out in the sun getting fried, and I was always the one with a giant hat and sunglasses being like, 'I'm not going in the sun.

As for how she is already on passing along her skincare knowledge to both Phoenix and London, Hilton said she has set up a Sliving Spa by Parivie in the basement of her house for them to play in.

She described the spa as having the most high-tech medical-grade equipment, all the machines, hyperbaric chamber, the cryo chamber, red-light beds, all of the most high-tech devices.

It's just fun just to go in there with [the kids]. We'll even play in the hyperbaric [chamber]. It looks like a spaceship, Hilton noted.

The socialite shares her kids with her husband of four years, Carter Reum. They welcomed both Phoenix and London via surrogate.

Hilton and Reum surprised the world when they announced the arrival of their daughter, London, in late 2023. They waited until after London was born to reveal they were expanding their family, just as they waited until their son Phoenix was born to announce his arrival on Instagram, too.
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Zendayas stylist, Law Roach, doesnt envision any details about her wedding dress being made public.

During an episode of Complexs Please Explain series, the stylist said Thursday that the Euphoria actors wedding to her fiance, Tom Holland, will likely remain very private, including her wedding dress, which he says nobody will ever see.

She and Tom are super private about their relationship. They're trying to be as private as possible, Roach said.

There won't be a Vogue spread or there won't be pictures of the wedding, and the people who she will invite will be really respectful of their privacy, so it will be a really beautiful dress that no one gets to see, Roach added.

He was then asked if he ever previously put any thought into what Zendayas wedding dress would look like, after styling her for 14 years. The stylist said no, explaining that his current priorities were to plan what the Challengers actor would be wearing on her upcoming press tours.

Zendaya first revealed she was engaged at this years Golden Globes in January as she walked the red carpet with a massive diamond on her ring finger, sparking immediate speculation that she and her boyfriend of four years had gotten engaged.

There won't be a Vogue spread or there won't be pictures of the wedding, Roach said about Zendayas wedding ( Getty Images )

Citing sources, People and TMZ reported one day after the awards that Holland proposed at one of Zendayas family homes over the holidays.

The reported confirmation came after a Los Angeles Times reporter asked the star outright if she was engaged at the Globes. The actor smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously, wrote the journalist.

Outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Zendaya silently posed for the cameras, flashing a cushion-cut center diamond set on a thin band that didnt seem to fit with the rest of her jewelry. The ring on her left hand wasnt featured in the press release detailing the diamonds she wore by Bvlgari.

Zendaya and Holland met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which Holland starred as the superhero and Zendaya played his love interest, MJ. The two have notoriously kept the details of their relationship under wraps, though theyve shown each other love and support on social media over the years.

Fans were sent into a frenzy online when they spotted the ring on Zendayas left hand, with many frantically questioning whether the star was hard-launching her new relationship status.

Roach previously spoke about the Dune actors wedding last month when speaking to E! News outside the Fashion Trust Awards. Its far away. Theyre both doing a bunch of movies this year and theres a lot of premieres next year so youll see a lot of red carpets, he told the publication about the wedding.

According to the fashion expert, the couple also asked him to be involved in the wedding.

Im resting up for 2026, he said, subtly hinting that the nuptials wont be for another year.
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The man who broke into rapper Eminems Detroit home twice has been found guilty of first-degree home invasion and aggravated stalking.

Matthew David Hughes was convicted on both counts by a jury on Wednesday in Macomb, Michigan.

Eminem  real name Marshall Mathers  was reportedly in the courtroom to testify on Tuesday. Following a two-hour deliberation the next day, the jury returned a guilty verdict.

Hughes, 32, is set to be sentenced on June 17.

Hughes was arrested last August after being found on the rappers Clinton Township property located in the northern area of Detroit.

He was later booked into Macomb County Jail, according to jail records seen by The Independent.

A judge initially set his bond at $500,000 during a preliminary hearing, but records show he didnt post bond and has remained in jail throughout the trial.

Matthew David Hughes (right) was convicted of aggravated stalking and first-degree home invasion after breaking into Eminem's home for a second time ( Getty Images/ Macomb County Sheriff's Office )

Hughes was previously arrested and charged with first-degree home invasion after breaking into Eminems Detroit home in 2020. Eminem woke up to find Hughes, whom he initially thought was his nephew, in his home.

During the trial, an officer testified that Eminem told authorities Hughes had informed him he was there to kill him, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Hughes eventually reached a plea deal and was sentenced in September 2021 to five years probation. However, that November, he was arrested for simple assault, which violated the terms of his probation, and he was sent to prison.

Last May, he was released on parole, with a supervision discharge date scheduled for June 19, 2026. Months after he was released he was in Eminems home.

Hughes also served a prison sentence in 2019 after he was found sleeping in one of Eminems former properties in Rochester Hills, which already belonged to another homeowner at that point.

At Wednesdays hearing, Steven Fox, an assistant prosecutor for Macomb County, told the jury that the series of events had caused the Grammy-winning artist a great deal of emotional distress and anxiety.

Eminem has taken extraordinary steps to protect himself and his family, Fox said, according to the Macomb Daily. Each time that step has had to increase as the result of one persons actions: Matthew Hughes. The world becomes smaller. Hes on an island.
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More than ten years after a dead man was discovered outside a California courthouse, police say theyve arrested his murderer.

Christopher Wagstaff had been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in August 2014 only to be released from custody later that evening. The following morning, Wagstaff, 43, was found lying dead outside of the Kern County courthouse.

An autopsy report determined he suffered blunt-force trauma, and his death was ruled a homicide.

On Thursday, a decade after the case went cold, Kern County Sheriffs Office arrested Jeremy Daniel Cruzen, 47, in connection to the homicide, KBAK reported. He has been charged with first-degree murder, court records reveal.

The Independent has reached out to the sheriffs office for more information.

open image in gallery A 'person of interest' in connection to a 2014 homicide in California is captured on surveillance footage with a shopping cart ( Bakersfield Police Department )

Last week, police said detectives were interviewing Cruzen in connection with the 2014 death, KBAK reported.

One month after Wagstaff died, in September 2014, Bakersfield Police released a surveillance video capturing a person of interest in the killing, who was wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts, and was pushing a shopping cart in the footage.

At the time, police offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and the filing of a complaint regarding a suspect responsible for the homicide.

"I just want to know why. Why did they have to take such a wonderful man away?" the dead mans wife, Krystle Wagstaff, who shared two kids with Christopher, told KBAK in September 2014. She said she wanted justice and said she had no idea why anyone would have targeted her husband.

Its not immediately clear how police linked Cruzen to the incident.

Cruzen was arrested while in the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, records show. He was admitted there last May and was eligible for parole in June.

Cruzen is expected in court the afternoon of May 12.
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A man in New York has been charged with animal cruelty after police found almost 100 cats in his home, including nearly two dozen dead kittens stored inside his freezer.

Stephen Glantz, 75, turned himself into police on Wednesday, according to the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

He has been charged with 18 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and animal neglect, according to CBS News.

Glantz's home  approximately 50 miles east of Manhattan  has been condemned as uninhabitable due to the overwhelming smell of urine and feces inside, according to police.

Police found 69 cats living inside the home, many of which were suffering from medical issued including respiratory infections and eye diseases. On Saturday, police found 28 cats dead inside the man's home.

Investigators received a tip that the animals were being forced to live in deplorable conditions inside the house, according to the SPCA. Three of the living cats were suffering and had to be euthanized.

In addition to the living cats, investigators also found approximately two dozen dead kittens wrapped together inside his freezer.

The SPCA said that the cats were "living in alarming conditions with wet urine, smeared feces, grime and filth covering the floors, walls and stairs."

The cats that were rescued and not put down are being treated at the Islip town animal shelter with assistance from the SPCA's mobile animal and surgical hospital.

Local officials are trying to find new homes for the cats and are asking for donations to help pay for their care and housing until they can be adopted. More than two dozen are being transported to upstate New York where they will be put up for adoption.

Roy Gross, the chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, told CBS News that the house was in "absolute deplorable condition."

"Feces covered the floors, sprayed on the walls, saturated in urine. The floors were spongy, most likely from the urine. And the ammonia was so extremely high - the ammonia smell from the urine - that the town of Islip fire marshal condemned the house," he said.

Gross said Glantz's wife died a month ago and that the couple had lived in the house for more than 30 years. Authorities do not know why the man kept so many cats in his home.
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A Texas man with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested after he allegedly tried to kidnap a 13-year-old girl over the weekend.

Stanley Dotson, 41, has been charged with attempted kidnapping for the May 3 incident at the Bella Vida apartment complex in Harris County outside of Houston.

Dotson has been arrested at least 26 times, starting when he was just 13, court records revealed.

The teenage girl told Harris County sheriffs deputies that she was riding her electric scooter in the neighborhood with her 9-year-old friend around 8 p.m. last Saturday when a man began following her.

She guessed he was about 30 to 50 years old and recalled him wearing a gray shirt with the word SHOT on it. The teen told deputies that he had been staring at her and that it was making her uncomfortable.

He then grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the ground. She got up and started screaming, at which point the man let her go and she ran off.

open image in gallery Stanley Dotson, 41, was taken into custody after he allegedly tried to kidnap a 13-year-old girl ( Harris County Jail )

The girls father, Pedro Basulto, said the suspect quickly caught up with her as she fled and pulled her to the ground a second time. She only got away from him when a neighbor stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, causing Dotson to run off, Basulto said.

Basulto said that by the time he got outside, the man was already gone.

Thank God, I don't know why destiny didn't want me to find him because bad things would have happened, Basulto told ABC13 in Spanish.

At the same apartment complex, a woman had recorded video of a man who deputies later identified as Dotson. She told ABC13 that he had been touching himself outside her window and fiddling with his pants shortly before he allegedly grabbed the teenager.

On Tuesday after the terrifying incident, managers at the apartment complex shared a photo of the man in an email to tenants.

The next day, deputies said they had received an anonymous tip identifying Dotson as the man in the photo.

open image in gallery After the attempted kidnapping, managers at the apartment complex shared a photo of the man in an email to tenants. It was later identified to be Stanley Dotson, deputies say ( ABC13 )

A victim and witness in the case were shown a photo lineup of Dotson and several other men with similar characteristics and both were able to positively identify him as the suspect, police reported.

Dotson was arrested on Thursday at his apartment on Airtex, less than a mile from the Bella Vida Apartments. He was booked into the Harris County Jail and charged with attempted kidnapping.

The Harris County District Attorneys Office filed a motion seeking to deny bail for Dotson, citing two prior felony convictions.

At his hearing on Thursday, his bond was set at $100,000.
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In January 2019, Elon Musk stood shoulder to shoulder with Chinese officials to ceremonially open the construction of Tesla's new Shanghai "gigafactory".

Six years later, that same factory is estimated to produce more than half of the roughly 1.8 million electric vehicles that Tesla sells annually across the world, underpinning Tesla's share price and its CEO's position as the richest person in the world.

So what would happen if China's ruling Communist Party  which is currently locked in a trade war with Musk's close "buddy" Donald Trump , and is just as willing as him to punish foreign companies in pursuit of geopolitical goals  decided to shut it all down?

"I mean, it's f***ed," Prescott Watson, a venture capitalist specializing in electric transport tells The Independent.

"Tesla sales basically go off a cliff by 50 percent overnight... its ability to actually power vehicles built in the U.S. and Europe may go down by a quarter or half. And if you don't have the power, you can't really build the vehicles."

To be clear, Chinas government has not threatened anything so drastic. That is simply the worst case scenario in a country that has not only shut down foreign companies in the past but also punished Chinese tech barons  such as Alibaba founder Jack Ma  who crossed the Party.

Teslas reliance on China gives Chinese officials a potentially vast degree of leverage over one of Trump's key financial backers and advisers , who has spent the last four months spearheading an allegedly unconstitutional gutting of federal agencies .

And although Musk has said he will be stepping back from his role at DOGE after the end of May, he's given mixed signals about the extent of his future involvement  to say nothing of his informal influence over the US President.

Elon owes a hell of a lot to the Chinese

When Tesla first broke ground on its Shanghai factory, the company was still struggling to scale up its manufacturing after a period of "production hell" .

Chinas manufacturing prowess offered a solution. "It's what allowed Tesla to grow so quickly, Watson explains. Because unlike any country in the West you can just build a factory in one year and then have it producing a million vehicles a year 24 months later. It's unbelievable how much better the Chinese are at doing this kind of stuff."

Meanwhile, China was in the middle of a nationwide push to become the world leader in electric vehicles. It was, as Shanghai-based auto industry consultant Bill Russo explains, a match made in heaven.

open image in gallery Tesla's Shanghai factory under construction in July 2016 ( AFP via Getty Images )

"Tesla is a fast horse that if you allow them to race with the Chinese companies, the Chinese companies will race faster," Russo tells The Independent. "They let [Musk] in. They built the racetrack for him."

Working with then Shanghai party secretary Li Qiang, who is now the third most senior minister in the whole country, Musk secured an unprecedented deal that allowed Tesla to retain 100 percent ownership of its factory rather than setting up a joint venture with a local company.

The result was a massive Chinese EV boom that benefited both Tesla and the Chinese EV industry, creating what is now easily the world's largest EV market. Tesla has been asked for comment for this story but not yet responded.

By 2024, Tesla was not only selling nearly 37 percent of its cars to Chinese customers but manufacturing hundreds of thousands of export models in Shanghai. This February it also opened a high-end battery plant to fuel its industrial energy storage business, Megapack .

"Elon owes a hell of a lot to the Chinese," says Watson, who remembers visiting Tesla's San Francisco area factory in 2018 and finding it "very disorganized".

"China has gone from nothing, to important, to critical for Tesla, he added.

That dependence has only deepened with time. According to Watson, Tesla has now largely switched from NCA batteries to LFP batteries, which were popularized by Chinese companies and are mostly manufactured in China.

Even a temporary closure in 2022 due to Covid-19 outbreaks caused what Musk described as a "tough quarter" and an 18 percent drop in vehicle deliveries.

open image in gallery The completed factory, as seen in March 2021 ( Xiaolu Chu/Getty Images )

Moreover, other countries' governments  and their consumers  have begun to treat Tesla more sceptically due to Musk's attachment to Donald Trump and his incendiary interventions in foreign politics .

Canada is reportedly targeting Musk's satellite internet business Starlink, while German chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested on the campaign trail that there might be "consequences" for Tesla's Berlin gigafactory.

"[Musk] needs to hold on to his China business, says Russo. He can't afford to have happen in China what's happened everywhere else for him.

Yet both sides need each other

China's government has never been shy about cracking down on corporations. Consider the travails of Jack Ma, the outspoken founder of Alibaba  China's equivalent of Amazon  and the digital payments company Ant Group.

Ma was considered one of the leading lights of China's tech industry when, days before Ant Group's stock market debut in October 2020, he gave a speech at a business summit accusing regulators of stifling innovation with a "pawn shop" mentality.

Officials were reportedly furious, and swiftly blocked the stock market float as well as investigating Ant. Ma all but vanished from public life for the next three years, until finally he reduced his control of the company.

Today, China is reportedly targeting various U.S. companies in response to Trump's trade war with export controls, investigations, blacklists and other tools. Tesla itself is still awaiting regulatory approval for its "full self-driving" feature, which officials have reportedly considered using as a bargaining chip.

Yet according to Russo, China is actually unlikely to bring down the hammer on Tesla  because officials need Musk almost as much as Musk needs them.

"To be considered open for business, China needs Tesla," Russo says. "They need examples of [foreign] companies that can still be successful in that market... and Tesla is probably the most obvious example."

Indeed, at a meeting with US-linked companies including Tesla last month, China's minister of commerce pledged to "protect" foreign businesses and to keep the country as an "ideal, safe, and promising ground for foreign investors".

Whether through carrot or stick, Chinese officials reportedly see Musk as a crucial ally in the trade war  and a potential backchannel into the White House. The country's vice president Han Zheng met with Musk just before Trump's inauguration, and TikTok's CEO has also sought counsel from him.

"If you were a country boss and you had the effective US president beholden to you, wouldn't you use that in some way? And wouldn't Elon?" says Anne Stevenson-Yang, a financial analyst with the activist investment firm J Capital Research who lived in China for 24 years.

Russo likewise says he would be "surprised" if Chinese officials had not already attempted to use Musk as a go-between to "de-escalate the trade war".

According to one report, Musk has already been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine since 2022 , so the idea is hardly implausible.

We obviously can't know what has been happening in private. But Musk has publicly criticized tariffs, and reportedly tried in private to persuade Trump away from them. He has also openly feuded with Trump's pro-tariff trade advisor Peter Navarro , declaring him "a moron" and "dumber than a sack of bricks".

All of which has led some to argue that Musk's closeness to China makes him a potential security risk, potentially beholden to a foreign government.

"If Elon were not so critical to US policy, they would have nationalized that company ages ago," says Stevenson-Yang.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer speaks to employees at the JLR car factory in the West Midlands, England, on 8 May, 2025. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

British manufacturers have welcomed some tariff relief in the new US-UK trade deal, with the share prices of the sportscar brand Aston Martin Lagonda and jet engine maker Rolls-Royce rising.

The US has agreed to cut tariffs on cars, jet engines and steel, although the 10% baseline levy will continue to apply to other products exported from the UK, the two governments announced on Thursday.

Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump from the headquarters of JLR, the UKs biggest automotive employer and one of the main exporters to the US.

The US now has a quota of 100,000 British-made cars per year with a 10% tariff  significantly lower than the 27.5% rate Trump imposed in March, but more than the 2.5% before he took office. The UK exported about 102,000 cars to the US in 2024, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Mike Hawes, the societys chief executive, said the tariff cut on UK car exports was great news for the industry and consumers. He had previously said there would be job cuts within weeks at the luxury and premium carmakers that rely on wealthy American consumers.

The application of these tariffs was a severe and immediate threat to UK automotive exporters so this deal will provide much needed relief, allowing both the industry, and those that work in it, to approach the future more positively, he said. However, he added that the UK should work on a deeper deal to cut trade barriers further.

The deal also purported to remove a 25% tariff on British steel exports, which the leading body for the industry said would allow trade to resume. UK Steels director general, Gareth Stace, called the announcement a major relief to the UK steel sector. However, the group added there were still questions over whether steel derivative products would still be subject to tariffs.

A senior steel industry executive said the deal was clearly very positive, despite some concerns over the details yet to be announced. The executive added that being the first to reach a deal would give the UK an advantage over rivals. Another source said they expected further strings attached, including restrictions on using Chinese material.

Trump said Rolls-Royce engines, used on Boeing 787 passenger jets, would be exempted from tariffs. The share price of Rolls-Royce rose above 8 before dropping back to 7.94, a 3.7% increase for the day.

Boeings share price also rose by 4% after the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, told a press conference that an unnamed UK company would purchase Boeing planes worth $10bn (7.5bn).
MK: Yes, Ive never seen anyone win an election by promising to cut jobs, not create jobs. So there was some pretty weird political judgments that went on. But as to the question of was he lazy, I think they made an assessment that the government was going to essentially fall out of office, and they didnt have to do much else but ride them down. So I think it was, perhaps, a combination of laziness and arrogance which saw them without any trousers when the show started and the spotlight came on. Loading Fitz: [Laughing.] That is quite the turn of phrase. MK: But it really was pretty odd to have hubris when youre not even starting from the winners circle. And the other factor was inexperience. Before the campaign, Dutton was very successful at making his team look like it was ready, but he purchased that appearance of readiness by not having any fights on policy or personnel  so he stuck with a weak frontbench team and a thin policy offering, which meant that there was very little friction within his side. But it was a political operation that was operating on the fumes of the past. All these references to John Howard and so forth  It will soon be 20 years since John Howard left, and his is a name that only really resonates with Boomers. And as Tony Barry from RedBridge said on election night, on the ABC coverage, thats a declining demographic, thats not where an election is won any more. Fitz: Which brings us to my structural question to you, if you can take off your pork-pie journalist hat and put on your mortarboard as an academic. Structurally, what ails the Liberal Party?

The Labor caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen MK: Well, some of it is ideology, but a lot of it is the structure of the party itself. Its refusal to adopt quotas is, to me, stubborn and bizarre. If you think about where the Labor Party was in the late 90s, it adopted affirmative action to ensure there was minimum representation of women, and we see the fruits of that transformation now with more than 50 per cent women as ALP MPs and senators. And, after all, if youre going to call something the House of Representatives, its got to be a good thing to make sure you have candidates who actually represent the community. But on the Liberal side, we see a dogged refusal to do this on the grounds of liberal values, we dont have quotas, we dont do social engineering and we believe in the merit principle. Loading Fitz: Hang on, do you mean capital-l Liberal values, or lower-l liberal values? Because theres a hell of a difference. MK: Well, I guess thats a question you probably should ask them because I think they mean small-l liberal values, but theyre, in fact, applying them as big-l Liberal values, in the sense that its really a party tradition not to interfere in this process  and its killing them. They say theyre for the merit principle. But if you look at the frontbench, if you look at the party room, merit doesnt have that much to do with it. The ALP, on the other hand, has been doing it for nearly 30 years, and the result was there for all to see on Saturday night.

Fitz: What I saw when they crossed from the Dutton concession speech to the Albanese victory speech was a cross from a room of grieving old white men and their good lady wives with twin pearls and a fresh hairdo, to a cheering mob of all ages, colours, sexualities and no doubt  lets say it  even genders that actually looked like Australia. Loading MK: Precisely. Because the Liberal Party has not adapted to the changes going on in the rest of society, it has no idea how to connect with, how to be representative of the very electorate it wants to represent. The ALP, though, has a philosophical yearning to embrace everyone. It is a party that likes to see itself as a party of equality of opportunity, of making sure no one is left behind. And so it is consciously embracing all those minorities  and the sum of those minorities voted for them last Saturday. Fitz: OK, I get it. When I do your course, professor, Ive decided upon my PhD thesis: By being woke, the ALP has made itself stronger. By rejecting it, the LNP are circling oblivion. I shall make the case that when organisations go woke, they inevitably become more powerful, more connected and reactive to the world theyre in, and ultimately more successful. And then Ill apply the same lesson to media, but dont get me started. MK: Exactly. What was the slogan for the Coalition attack ad on the ALP? Weak, woke and broke? Well, the voters didnt buy it, and the proof of it is in the electoral outcome. And bear in mind that Labors adoption of these policies is well before anyone ever used the term woke, and it has worked  while the overall presentation of the LNP is the old, pale, male, fail. Now, there have been some really good Liberals who have wanted to change, but they have not been listened to, and that has resulted in a party that is risking terminal contraction unless it is prepared to make some serious changes.

Fitz: Terminal contraction? This is where I must ask you to remove both your pork-pie hat and mortarboard, and put on a black hood if necessary. Youre saying they face an existential threat if they dont change immediately? MK: I think they do. Look at the result. In the midst of a grinding cost-of-living crisis, an outcry about the cost and lack of housing, the Coalition is 50 seats behind the government! They had no real plan, they refused to embrace the sort of hard work and substance that they needed to win, and the result exposed the demographic narrowness of their appeal. The lesson of 2025 is you cannot divide your way to a parliamentary majority. Fitz: So in the face of this threat, who should they pick as their next leader? Sussan Ley or Angus Taylor? MK: Thats a pretty obvious answer. Sussan Ley is clearly the more sensible choice at this moment. That very gesture  the first time they would actually select a woman to be leader  would be a dramatic message that they are intent on mirroring modern Australia. One of the first tasks will be to lift female participation representation in the parliamentary Liberal Party. How can Angus Taylor project that when hes used factional numbers to defeat a credible, competent woman? How does he credibly argue that he is the answer to the partys women problem? Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor are potential replacements for Peter Dutton. Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Fitz: The other big debating point is whether the Coalition needs to overall steer to the centre or further to the right. To me, the answer is so bleedingly obvious that its ludicrous to even ask, but over to you. MK: They obviously have to go towards the centre, where the people are. But they have been paranoid for a long time about being attacked from their right flank by One Nation and by Clive Palmers eponymous outfit, whatever it was called  Armpit of Apricots, I think? Perhaps that is a long-term concern for the Coalition, but theyre no longer the party of Menzies; they seem to eschew the liberalism that Bob Menzies talked about in his famous Forgotten People speech. So the challenge for them is to rediscover their progressive urban liberalism and to own it very strongly. And I think that involves being much broader in their approach, dropping this obsession with party discipline and actually having some genuine policy debates so theyre sure of their positions come election time and dont go into it proposing cutting things like work from home, which appalled many people, particularly women. Fitz: My father was the local Liberal Party president up at Mangrove Mountain in the 1960s, and Mum would bake pumpkin scones for the meetings. Am I right in saying the Liberal Party needs to start smelling like pumpkin scones again, rather than sulphur, bromide and hellfire? MK: [Laughing.] I certainly think its a good idea. One of the things that defeated them was their move away from kitchen-table politics, of being involved with community organisations. The Liberal Party used to do that kind of thing very well, and it needs to get back to it, advancing a positive agenda for Australia, not one thats based on fear of changing social attitudes, but which reflects those changing social attitudes. They need to reconnect with the people, be of the people. Fitz: Thank you for your time, professor. My thesis will be ready by late 2027, in time for the next election.
By Chandini Monnappa and Joanna Plucinska

(Reuters) - British Airways owner IAG on Friday unveiled plans to buy 71 long-haul aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, sharing a major fleet expansion across the Atlantic a day after Britain and the U.S. announced a trade deal.

The airline group announced a new order for 32 Boeing 787-10 aircraft for British Airways, and 21 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. It also disclosed for the first time options exercised in March for six Airbus A350-900s, as well as six Airbus A350-1000s and six Boeing 777-9s.

That gives a total of 33 Airbus jets and 38 Boeing planes.

Hailing a trade deal between the two countries on Thursday, the United States said that Britain would buy $10 billion of Boeing jets. Industry sources also told Reuters that IAG would buy about 30 jets from Airbus, including A330neos and A350s.

IAG, whose airlines also include Iberia and Aer Lingus, said the Airbus A330-900neo aircraft would be powered by Rolls-Royce engines and British Airways' Boeing 787-10 aircraft would be powered by General Electric engines.

Rolls-Royce is the sole engine provider for the A330neo but competes with GE Aerospace for the 787, where it has lost significant market share to its U.S. rival.

IAG announced the order after it reported better than expected first-quarter profit. CEO Luis Gallego told journalists that the company had been working on the new plane deal "for a long time".

Analysts said the order was likely part of a longer-term strategy for the group, given most airlines won't receive current orders until the early 2030s.

"Airlines need to think in multi-year timeframes: they will have planes that will be reaching the end of their lives and will need replacing. Boeing and Airbus are sold out for years," said Bernstein's Alex Irving.

List prices for the A330-900neo and 787-10 are about $374 million and $397 million, respectively, based on January 2025 U.S. dollar terms, but airlines typically negotiate big discounts to official prices. IAG did not give the details of its discount.

IAG also said that British Airways had secured options to buy up to 10 additional Boeing 787s, and that the group had purchase rights for up to 13 more A330-900neos under its agreement with Airbus.

The order adds to an already large backlog of Boeing planes slated for UK purchasers - 149 in total, according to Boeing's published backlog.

Planemakers have been wrestling with supply chain snags and other challenges that have delayed deliveries.

Boeing is trying to ramp up production of its strongest-selling 737 MAX jet to a rate of 38 per month this year, after a difficult 2024 when output slumped due to a broad quality crisis that led to the replacement of its CEO.
Greenline, the ambitious $316 million linear park proposed for the north bank of the Yarra River, will not be completed by the City of Melbourne, which is pulling funding from the troubled project.

Nick Reece will announce he is no longer funding the project in his first budget as lord mayor on Tuesday night, as the City of Melbourne faces financial pressures to deliver on costly election promises, such as a rate freeze, while also grappling with climbing debt.

An artists impression of a section of the Greenline works along the Yarra River. The project has struggled for funding since it was first announced.

Greenline was the signature project of Reeces predecessor, Sally Capp, who stood down last year. The plan for a four-kilometre elevated pathway modelled on New Yorks High Line has long struggled to attract enough state and federal funding to cover its price tag of $316 million.

While the full path from Birrarung Marr to Bolte Bridge is now not funded, some sections of Greenline are going ahead as funding was already allocated.
One of Australias last surviving World War II prisoners of war has been farewelled at a state funeral, where he was remembered as a dedicated, resilient soldier and cherished member of his community.

A riderless horse, symbolising a dead soldier, led the procession down St Georges Terrace, lined with hundreds of people paying their respects, before a service at St Georges Cathedral.

WWII veteran Arthur Leggett at a previous Len Hall Tribute Game. Credit: Fremantle Football Club

Arthur Leggett, who died on April 6 at the age of 106, was honoured with a military procession in Perth on Saturday.

Several items were displayed atop his casket, including his cherished sporran badge, which he kept when surrendering his Highland kit upon joining the WA battalion.
As much as many might wish remote bastions of ancient culture like Mustang to remain untouched, developments such as The Dzong, says Bista, can help preserve local architecture. They also funnel tourist dollars into the region and provide opportunities for youths who over the past several years have been leaving Mustang en masse to chase their fortunes in Kathmandu, India, Japan and the United States. We may like to change our lifestyle these days, says Bista, but religion and culture we have to save. Early next morning we continue our journey through the rugged landscape, passing fields dotted with shaggy pashmina goats and the occasional cluster of blue sheep, curved horns sprouting from their heads like pigtails. Our Jeep swerves around switchbacks, each revealing another craggy cliff face of unfathomable scale reaching into the stark blue sky as vultures circle above. Many of the cliffs have sky caves bored into them, which have been used as burial grounds, meditation caves for monks and monasteries, some since Neolithic times. At the end of an isolated canyon we follow a saffron-robed Buddhist nun up a steep, rickety staircase to one of these. Bowing our heads, we enter the 14th-century Luree cave monastery. Sherpa points her head torch up to the ceiling, illuminating intricate paintings of black, white and ochre flowers, and depictions of Buddhist deities. These were said to have been painted by levitating monks, she whispers. The cliffs and their sky caves. Credit: Later, as we walk through the Kali Gandaki riverbed over hundreds of glittering ammonite fossils, Sherpa tells us how locals believe Mustang became a holy land after the Indian mystic Guru Rinpoche slayed a demoness here. Perhaps its the altitude  were at 3800 metres, after all  but as I stop to listen to the wind slip over the mountains I cant help thinking that floating monks and demonesses really might have played a hand in creating a place as extraordinary as this.

Its late afternoon when we finally arrive in the 600-year-old walled capital of Lo Manthang, which stands like a sturdy but withered elder just 16 kilometres from the Chinese border. Circumambulating the ramparts at sunset, we pass rows of mud-brick homes with roofs stacked with firewood, and age-old monasteries washed red with ochre. Wind-worn, faded prayer flags cast lengthening shadows across the rammed-earth paths as groups of old local women wearing hand-woven striped pangden aprons methodically finger strings of prayer beads. Less romantic sights signal the encroachment of modernity: Coca-Cola in store windows, plastic rubbish scattered in street corners, kids with their heads buried in mobile phones. Its hard to see these and not consider the poignant dilemma inhabitants face in Upper Mustang, like locals in remote regions everywhere, now that access to the region is changing. How to balance progress with preservation? How to cater to the demands of youths who wish to advance their education and career prospects without seeing Mustangs culture and ecology become extinct? Camping in the kingdom. Credit: This question flits through my mind the following dawn as we visit the nomadic camp of a fourth-generation yak-herding family. Pema, age 24, is using a yak wool slingshot to gather the 150-strong herd, while his mother is expertly milking some of the female yaks. Were soon ushered inside the familys yak wool tent to drink Tibetan butter tea. Gathered around the pot-belly stove, they share their difficulties in finding enough grass for the yaks now the climate is changing drastically.

They also talk about their 24-year-old sons desire to leave the pastoral life behind and chase what he sees as progress and opportunity, perhaps by driving Jeeps for Mustangs growing number of tourists. Its Jeep tourists like us, however, that the current prince of Mustang, Jigme Singhi Palbar Bista (the king and prince share the same name), sees as one of the regions biggest issues. We meet him after polishing off lunchtime yak burgers and chai at his luxurious Royal Mustang Resort, set on the edge of town. Softly spoken and impeccably dressed in a white Tibetan tohlay silk shirt, he says that for people dependent on tourism, the new road has meant a total loss of trekkers. He explains that, once, trekkers supported villages along the trail. Its all Jeep safaris now, he says. People have lost business. Still, he hopes the new road will create chances for young people. Because without people I dont think anyone will be interested in visiting empty towns. We spend our final day in Lo Manthang exploring ancient monasteries that house what are said to be the worlds most exquisite Tibetan Buddhist paintings. Inside Thubchen monastery, dating back to 1448, we marvel at fierce images of Mara, the Buddhist deity of desire and death, and gilded figurines that have watched over the monastery since antiquity. At the 16th-century Jampa monastery we find 47 tantric yoga mandalas and a three-floor-high statue of Maitreya, the Buddha to come. Earthquakes, invasions, harsh winters  these monasteries have survived all this, says Sherpa as we make our way back out into the sunlight.

Mustang has certainly endured much over the centuries. Whether it will survive the new road remains to be seen. For now, though, this last bastion of Tibetan culture is less scarred by modern interference than almost any other region on Earth Ive visited. Perhaps now, then, is the time for thoughtful travellers to visit, stay longer and funnel their travel dollars into helping preserve the culture before it all changes too much. Loading THE DETAILS VISIT

Beyul Experiences offers bespoke itineraries for individuals, families and groups to Mustang and throughout Nepal. See beyulexperiences.com

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Singapore Airlines flies daily from Sydney and Melbourne to Kathmandus Tribhuvan airport via Singapore. From there its a 25-minute flight to Pokhara with Yeti Airlines, then an eight-hour drive to Jomsom. See singaporeair.com
Islamabad: Pakistans foreign minister said his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped further attacks, after India said it was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocated.

Both countries traded strikes on Saturday, the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

Rescuers and security workers inspect a residential building damaged by a Pakistani drone attack in Jammu, India, on Saturday. Credit: AP

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar still warned, however, that if India launched any strikes, our response will follow.

Dar told Pakistans Geo News that he had also conveyed this message to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he contacted him after speaking to New Delhi.
There was a celebratory mood at St Augustines College on Sydneys northern beaches on Friday morning as news spread that one of their own had been named the next leader of the Catholic Church.

It is the greatest honour that we could receive, college chaplain Father Senan Ward said of the appointment.

Not only is Leo XIV the first Pope from the order of St Augustine, according to Vatican News, but he was a regular visitor to Australia during his time as leader of the order from 2001 to 2013, with many local Augustinian leaders considering him a friend.

Pope Leo XIV, then prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, speaking at St Augustines College Brookvale in 2009. Credit: St Augustine's College

While Pope Francis never made it to Australia, before or during his papacy, Robert Prevost travelled to the 50 or so countries where the order has a presence. That includes at least four known visits to Australia, where he developed a great love of Tim Tams and a hatred of Vegemite.
We recently published a list of 10 Best Agriculture Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Bunge Global SA (NYSE:BG) stands against other best agriculture stocks to buy now.

Tariff Crisis in the US Agricultural Sector

On April 28, CNBC reported that while other US sectors are nearing what President Trumps Treasury secretary Scott Bessent calls an unsustainable tariff war, the American farming sector has started to bear the effects of the economic crisis, with the damage already done. American agricultural exporters believe that the global backlash to tariffs imposed by Trump is punishing them, especially through a decrease in Chinese purchasing of US products. This trend is resulting in canceled export orders and layoffs.

Data from the US Department of Agriculture shows that China canceled its biggest pork orders since 2020, stopping the shipment of 12,000 tons of pork. CNBC reported that Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), a leading export trade group for farmers, opined that calling the number of canceled orders of US agricultural products could not be called approaching a crisis, as it is a full-blown crisis already.

AgTC also reported that its members are experiencing massive financial losses because of the trade war, based on the reports sent by member companies. A wood pulp and paperboard reported to AgTC the hold or immediate cancellation of 6,400 metric tons in a warehouse. It said that 9,000 metric tons of the product are already on their way to China through water, with the estimated arrival time being May 13. Chinese buyers may refuse to accept these shipments and abandon them at the port, which is why the threat of costly diversion to Chinese or other bonded warehouses looms over the journey.

READ ALSO: Recession Resistant Investing: 10 Best Grocery Stocks To Buy Now and 11 Most Promising Future Stocks According to Hedge Funds.

Markets Unable to Replace Chinas Demand

China-to-US vessel traffic has also seen a steep decline. CNBC reported that according to the Vizion Global Ocean Bookings Tracker, the traffic is down 22.15% week-over-week and 44% year-over-year through April 14. Ben Tracy, Vizions vice president of strategic business development, said the following about the situation:
CII extends unequivocal support to Armed Forces, Operation Sindoor





Extending unequivocal support to the government and Armed Forces on Operation Sindoor, industry body CII on Friday said India's response to the reprehensible terrorist attack at Pahalgam is a reminder that the country will protect its 140 crore citizens. Emphasising that national peace and security is the bedrock of sustainable economic growth, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the swift counteraction led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi reassures businesses and investors that India remains a resilient and secure destination for economic activity. India on Wednesday carried out strikes on nine sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, marking its deepest strikes inside Pakistan in decades in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack two weeks before. Thereafter, Pakistan attempted to unleash drones and missiles at Indian military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, many of them home to air force bases.

The Indian Army said the attacks were effectively repulsed. CII extends its unequivocal support to the Government of India and Indian Armed Forces for the decisive and strategic execution of Operation Sindoor. This mission underscores India's unwavering commitment to national security and sends a strong message that acts of terror will not be tolerated at any cost but will be met with resolute countermeasures, CII President Sanjiv Puri said. Expressing solidarity with the government and saluting the Indian Armed Forces for their professionalism and dedication, the CII President said it will continue working in collaboration with all stakeholders to preserve peace, economic momentum, and national unity. We, at CII, firmly believe that national peace and security are the bedrock of sustainable economic growth. Industry draws strength from a stable and secure environment, and we welcome the Governments commitment to safeguarding these fundamental conditions. The swift counteraction led by PM Modi reassures businesses and investors that India remains a resilient and secure destination for economic activity, Puri said.
INDIA stalls PAK ESCALATION 300-400 Pak drones shot down at 36 locations





NEW DELHI :

INDIAN Armed Forces responded proportionately and adequately to Pakistans attempts to target Indian installations on Wednesday night, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Friday. The Foreign Secretary was addressing a press conference here. Pakistan violated Indian airspace to target our military installations on the intervening night of May 8 and 9, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said. She said Pakistan sent 300-400 drones in 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek last night to target Indian military installations and the drones were shot down by Indian military. Pakistan violated Indian airspace to target our military installations, she said. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusion was to attempt infiltration and test Indias air defence system and collect intelligence, informed the women officers, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during a special press briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Operation Sindoor.

The women officers further informed that the forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done, however, initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said: On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani Army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border with the intention of targeting military infrastructure. It also fired heavy caliber weapons along the Line of Control. However, all their attempts were neutralised by us via kinetic and non-kinetic means. Earlier in the day, Army in a statement said that Pakistani 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. Pakistani troops also resorted to numerous ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army said in an early morning post on X. It also shared a small video clip with the post, asserting that all nefarious designs will be responded with force.

OPERATION SINDOOR - Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along entire Western Border on the intervening night of 08 and 09 May 2025. Pak troops also resorted to numerous ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, the post said. The drone attacks were effectively repulsed and a befitting reply was given to the ceasefire violations, the Indian Army said. #IndianArmy remains committed to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nation. All nefarious designs will be responded with force, it added. The developments followed the precise missile strikes carried out by the Indian armed forces on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan early Wednesday under Operation Sindoor, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Defence on Thursday reiterated that any attack on military sites in India will invite a suitable response. In a late night statement on Thursday, the Defence Ministry said, Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and 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 the 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, it said.
PM takes stock of Operation Sindoor with top brass





NEW DELHI :

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, CDS General Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs against the backdrop of the ongoing Operation Sindoor. Apart from discussing the future course, PM Modi is believed to have discussed the continuous violation of the ceasefire by Pakistan in the sectors along the Line of Control and the border.

The PMs engagement with military commanders and strategists also involved an extensive interaction with veterans. Those who took part in the discussions included former Air Force chiefs, Army chiefs, and Navy chiefs, sources said. Earlier, the Indian Armed Forces briefed media persons about the violation of airspace by Pakistan on Thursday night and the forceful response given by the Indian side. The interaction, they added, focussed on the current situation. The veterans community has been generally appreciative of the Governments firm response to Pakistan following the horrific gunning down of 26 people, mostly tourists, by terrorists linked to the neighbouring country on April 22 in Pahalgam. The conflict with Pakistan has intensified with the Armed Forces responding proportionately and adequately to Pakistani attempts to target Indian installations on the intervening night of May 8 and 9. Pakistan violated Indian airspace to target the military installations, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said at a briefing.

She said Pakistan sent 300-400 drones in 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek to target Indian military installations and the drones were shot down by the Indian military. Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday carried out a comprehensive review of the national security scenario with the top military leadership, a day after Pakistans attempts to target Indian military installations were repelled. Every aspect of the evolving security situation was discussed in the meeting. The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. India last night neutralised Pakistan militarys attempt to hit military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur and some other locations with missiles and drones. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation along the western border and operational preparedness of the Indian armed forces, a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.
Residents, shopkeepers continue to bear brunts of prolonged construction





By Vaishnavi Pillay :

Nagpurs citizens were promised smoother rides and decongested roads. Instead, they have been handed endless delays, dust, and detours. The MotibaghMominpura Road Over Bridge (RoB), once hailed as a project to ease traffic in central Nagpur, has become a daily ordeal for thousands. Under the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDCL), the construction has dragged on for over three years, turning a solution into frustration, particularly for residents of the densely populated Mominpura area. Started in 2021 with high expectations, the project features a 2.8 kilometre-long bridge originating from Motibagh and branching into two stretches - one leading towards the Timki locality of Mominpura and the other connecting to Guards Line near the Ram Jhula. The projects cost is estimated to be nearly Rs 132 crore.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of MRIDCL, construction has been underway since 2021, but the project has faced several hurdles. One of the ongoing issues is the lack of adequate parking space around the site. The arm of the RoB heading toward Santra Market (Railway Quarter) is nearing completion, and officials aim to open it for public use by October this year, he informed The Hitavada. However, when asked about the timeline for the other arm leading towards Mominpura, the response remained vague. Challenges such as equipment mobilisation and unresolved land-related issues were cited as reasons for the delay. The PRO pointed out that in several stretches, residents park their vehicles so close to the construction site that it hampers the movement of machinery and disrupts the workflow. The issue of vehicle parking near the construction zone is a hurdle, and it is something that needs to be managed by the local authorities, he said. While acknowledging that the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has extended support to MRIDCL on various fronts, he added that any specific challenges faced by the NMC would be best explained by the civic body itself.

Also, the road beneath the half-constructed flyover has potholes, uneven surfaces, and waterlogging during monsoons. The road conditions have worsened since the construction began. Dust in summer and slush in monsoon, we are facing it all, shared a shopkeeper from the Mominpura area. The PRO acknowledged the condition of the road but stated that their team carries out regular maintenance. A permanent road cannot be constructed while work is still in progress, but we try to carry out repairs and maintain it every fortnight to keep it usable, he said. However, the state of the road is just one part of the larger issue. Residents and shop owners are concerned about the arm of the flyover that descends into the Timki area of Mominpura, which is reportedly being built narrower than the main structure. Locals are concerned that once operational, the width will cause a traffic jam at the base of the ramp. Another resident stated, Ideally, approach roads and ramps should match the width of the flyover to allow seamless movement. Otherwise, we are just shifting congestion from one place to another. Addressing concerns about the narrowed ramp, the PRO clarified that all design decisions are approved by the relevant authorities. The technical aspects, including whether the width needs to be increased, are thoroughly reviewed before approval, he said. The residents and shopkeepers of Motibagh and Mominpura locality continue to bear the consequences of prolonged construction, with constant dust, debris, and deteriorating road conditions.
Trai counters concerns of satcom spectrum levy hurting telcos





Telecom regulator Trai on Friday countered arguments that its suggestions of fixing the spectrum levy at four per cent of revenue for satcom companies like Starlink will distort the market or deal a blow to terrestrial players, such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti asserted that perception that satellite services have started competing with terrestrial services in other markets is "not a factually correct statement. We have demonstrated in our presentation also, and it is part of our analysis in the recommendation...There is a huge difference between the capacity of terrestrial and satellite networks, and the ratio ranges from 60:1 to 250:1, Lahoti said. There is no question of the two services being at par, he said, pointing out that they are, in fact, complementary. Citing a case in point, the Trai chief said that in Delhi, against a requirement of 50 lakh broadband connections, a single satellite constellation can offer just 10,000-20,000 connections.

That is the kind of ratio. If in Delhi, a satellite operator starts offering a product at a cost lower than terrestrial service providers, they will be sold out within days. There is a huge difference between the capacity of the two, and we dont think in the foreseeable term of five years, the situation is likely to significantly alter, he noted. On the rationale of pricing, Trai said it has examined thoroughly and in detail whether there is any case of real competition or level-playing field between the two types of services.
True to itself





PAKISTAN is acting true to its own nature. When the Indian Armed Forces conducted precision-strikes on specific terror targets at nine locations, they took care that their action was non-escalatory and spared civilians from any negative impact. They also refrained to hit any military targets in Pakistan. The idea was simple: India did not want to give Pakistan any reason to complain or to accuse India of having taken wrong steps. That good gesture, however, made no difference to Pakistan. For, when it retaliated, Pakistan started targeting civilian population in India and did not spare the military installations in India.

This conduct is true to the original nature of Pakistan. Another true colour of Pakistan that the world got to know in the past couple of days was in the form of the manner in which Pakistani military reacted to the killing of terrorists and their kin in the precision-strikes the Indian Forces carried out. The bodies of the terrorists killed in the Indian missile attacks were officially wrapped in Pakistani flag and were given a funeral of the military kind -- with soldiers and officers in attendance. They offered salutes to the persons killed in Indian action, and laid the bodies to eternal rest. Those funerals wore an official aura -- thus making it clear that the Pakistani Armed Forces treated the terrorists, too, as part of their outfit. This conduct, too, is true to Pakistans nature and persona that it has cherished over the past seven-plus decades. Yet another twist true to its personality, Pakistan denied that it ever fired the drone that Indian claimed to have downed before those devices hit the Indian targets.

We never fired any of those drones, Pakistan is reported to have insisted. This is a limit of lie-telling. All the downed drones and missiles wear marks showing Pakistani ownership. Yet the denial by Pakistan -- which is actually a non-denial (in a sense). Even as tensions mounted, Pakistan continued threatening India with dire consequences. Of course, India was least bothered, and continued its well-planned actions. As the pressure from India mounted, Pakistan Prime Minister Mr. Shehbaz Sharif did two things: one, he stood in Pakistans Parliament and threatened to take the fight into Indias court. And thereafter, Mr. Sharif made an appeal to the world to intervene and stop Indias aggression. Obviously, the Pakistani Prime Minister appeared frightened. This taking fright is also an old Pakistani character, so to say ! It is not without reason that many Pakistan watchers often describe the country as a massive paradox. On one hand, for example, Pakistan never admitted that it was the mastermind behind the attack of free-lancers on Kashmir soon after Partition. It kept telling the world that the attackers were mercenaries.

Then it changed the version and called them freedom fighters. The same stance it took during the Kargil conflict as well, and said that the armed men who occupied the Kargil heights on the sly were not Pakistani Army regulars. Habitually, thus, Pakistan indulges in many wrong-doings but never admits to its involvement. Though it has accepted this time that the Indian missile attack destroyed certain installations in its territory, it later returned to its own ways and denied that the drones and missiles were ever fired by its own Forces as a retaliation of the Indian attacks on terror pads a day earlier. All these actions and statements by Pakistan are true to its own nature and personality -- full of deceit tinged by a criminal mentality. Even if has lost every military confrontation with India in the past seven-plus decades, Pakistan has refused to learn right lessons from those drubbings, this time being no exception. It is obvious, thus, that Pakistan is never to learn to mend its ways and become a truly good member of the regional neighbourhood.
By Ella Cao and Naveen Thukral

BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's soybean imports plunged to a 10-year low in April as prolonged customs clearance delays and late Brazilian shipments caused by harvest slowdowns and logistics issues disrupted the usual flow of cargoes, traders and analysts say.

Total imports for the month reached 6.08 million metric tons, down 29.1% from the same period last year, marking the lowest level since 2015, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the General Administration of Customs.

The customs delays have severely strained China's oilseed processing sector from April through early May, tightening soymeal supplies for its vast livestock industry.

Soybean cargoes now take 20-25 days to move from ports to crushing plants, up from the usual 7-10 days, according to four traders, who were granted anonymity given the sensitivity of the issue in China.

"Crushing operations have taken a hit," said one source.

By early May, several crushing plants in northern and northeastern China had to cut output or halt operations due to backlogs, a trader and analyst said, adding that some feed mills ran out of stock and turned to costly spot cargoes.

There has been no official acknowledgement of delays, which come amid the trade war between China and its second-largest soybean supplier. China's customs did not immediately respond to faxed questions about the delay.

China's benchmark Dalian soymeal futures briefly rallied in late April but have since retreated, with expectations of incoming Brazilian shipments putting pressure on prices.

While crushing activity is gradually recovering, market participants remain cautious about potential port congestion if delays persist.

From January to April, soybean arrivals totalled 23.19 million tons, reflecting a 14.6% decline from the 27.15 million tons recorded in the same period last year.

Soybean imports are expected to rebound sharply in May and June with some Chinese analysts and traders expecting monthly numbers around 11 million tons.

However, Brazil's grain exporters association, Anec, said on Wednesday that total soybean exports could fall to 12.6 million tons in May, potentially limiting how much could be shipped to China.

U.S. SOYBEAN PURCHASES DECLINE

While Friday's data does not distinguish imports by country of origin, purchases from the U.S. have continued to decline, said Wang Wenshen, an analyst at Shandong-based Sublime China Information.

As of the week ending May 1, net soybean sales to China for the 2024/25 marketing year were zero, weekly United States Department of Agriculture data showed.
Chinas exports to the United States tumbled in April while its trade with other economies surged, suggesting that President Donald Trump's tariffs offensive is hastening a shakeup in global supply chains.

Total exports from China rose 8.1% last month from a year earlier, much faster than the 2% pace most economists had been expecting. That was much slower than the 12.4% year-on-year increase in March. Imports fell 0.2% in April from the year before.

Shipments to the U.S. sank 21% in dollar terms as Trumps tariffs on most Chinese exports rose to as high as 145%. With Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods at 125%, business between the two biggest economies has grown increasingly uncertain.

China's imports from the U.S. dropped more than 13% from a year earlier, while its politically sensitive trade surplus with the United States was nearly $20.5 billion in April, down from about $27.2 billion a year earlier.

In the first four months of the year, Chinas exports to the United States fell 2.5% from a year earlier, while imports from the U.S. fell 4.7%.

A potential break in the tariffs stalemate could come as soon as this weekend. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other senior trade officials are due to meet with Chinese officials in Geneva on Saturday. But Beijing and Washington are at odds over a raft of issues, including colliding strategic interests that will may impede progress in the talks.

Some of the punitive tariffs, including Beijings retaliatory 125% tariffs on U.S. exports, could be rolled back, but a full reversal is unlikely, Zichun Huang of Capital Economics said in a report.

This means Chinas exports to the U.S. are set for further declines over the coming months, not all of which will be offset by increased trade with other countries. We still expect export growth to turn negative later this year, Huang said.

Whatever the outcome of those discussions, the rapid increase in Chinese exports to other countries reflects a restructuring that began years ago but has gained momentum as Trump has raised barriers to exporting to the U.S.

Global manufacturers have been looking for alternatives to a near total reliance on manufacturing in China after disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for more diverse options.

The need for more versatile supply chains grew more apparent as Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese exports during his first term in office. Most of those remained during former President Joe Biden's term.

Exports to the United States accounted for about a tenth of Chinas total exports in April and the U.S. is still China's largest single-country market. But the European Union and Southeast Asia are larger regional export markets.
Citigroup is set to face a revived lawsuit alleging its role in a fraud at the now-bankrupt Mexican oil and gas services company Oceanografia, which led to more than $1bn (19.51bn pesos) in losses.

The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Miami has ruled that the case, previously dismissed, holds merit and Citigroup may have substantially aided the fraudulent activities, according to a report by Reuters.

A panel of three judges found that the plaintiffs, including vendors, creditors and bondholders, presented adequate allegations against Citigroup.

The financial giant's Banamex unit had been providing cash advances to Oceanografia, which worked closely with Mexico's state-owned oil company Pemex, and collected interest on these advances.

Citigroup spokeswoman Danielle Romero-Apsilos declined to comment on the court's decision.

However, Juan Morillo, representing the plaintiffs, expressed their gratification regarding the revival of the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs, which comprise shipping and leasing companies, investment funds and Rabobank, have accused Citigroup of advancing $3.3bn to Oceanografia between 2008 and 2014, despite clear signs of the company's excessive debt and fraudulent activities.

According to the report, Citigroup had discovered nearly $430m in fraudulent cash advances and was subsequently fined $4.75m by the US Securities and Exchange Commission in 2018 for inadequate internal controls at Banamex.

Former Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat acknowledged the dismissal of 12 employees due to the scandal, while Mexican regulators found ten bank employees criminally liable.

Circuit Judge Britt Grant, in an 82-page decision, pointed out that Citigroup allegedly withheld crucial information from the plaintiffs and was likely aware of Oceanografia's fraudulent conduct, given the financial institution's sophistication.

The case has been sent back to US District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami, who had dismissed it in August 2023. The case is Otto Candies LLC et al v Citigroup Inc, 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 23-13152.

"Citigroup to face lawsuit over alleged involvement in Oceanografias fraud" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Police have intensified security at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and its surrounding areas after receiving intelligence warnings about potential threats, arresting four suspected arms traffickers in a coordinated operation late Friday. Officials said the arrests were made by West Bengal Polices Special Task Force (STF) during a targeted search in Narayanpur, a northern suburb just outside the airport perimeter.

Acting on a tip-off, STF officers intercepted a vehicle allegedly transporting illegal firearms. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of one 7mm pistol, two country-made pipe guns, and 14 live cartridges, police said in a statement. The suspects, identified as Linkon Hossain, Bakibilla Gazi, Faruk Sardar, and Rajib Molla, are residents of various parts of North 24-Parganas district. Police suspect the weapons were sourced from the eastern state of Bihar and were to be sold locally. A case has been filed under the Arms Act, and investigators are probing whether the accused are part of a larger trafficking network. The operation came hours after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued an intelligence-based advisory prompting the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to enforce a five-tier security protocol at the airport.

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Surveillance has been increased using AI-driven monitoring tools, and perimeter checks have been intensified with 24/7 coordination involving national security agencies. Meanwhile, a separate high-value robbery in central Calcutta raised further concerns about urban security. On Friday, police arrested five individuals linked to the daylight theft in cash from a foreign exchange firm employee. The money was stolen from a taxi en route to a state-run bank, with assailants intercepting the vehicle and fleeing with the cash. The central home ministry has warned state governments of heightened risks amid growing geopolitical tensions with Pakistan. Home minister Amit Shah has reportedly empowered chief secretaries to enforce emergency security protocols. In West Bengal, which shares a long international border with Bangladesh, top state officials have rolled out enhanced checks across all districts. The states home secretary and chief secretary are said to be supervising the deployment of additional police personnel and coordinating inter-agency operations to prevent potential sabotage or terror-linked activities.

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In a significant boost to national security efforts, the Border Security Force (BSF) has thwarted an infiltration attempt by nine Bangladeshi nationals, while the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has apprehended a suspected Tibetan trying to cross the Indo-Nepal border illegally.

Meanwhile, senior BSF officials reviewed the security preparedness in sensitive border areas, including the Teen Bigha Corridor.

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Acting on specific intelligence, alert troops of the BSF Kishanganj Sector under North Bengal Frontier apprehended nine Bangladeshi nationals from Daspara village in North Dinajpur district on Friday. The individuals, hailing from Dinajpur and Narsingdi districts in Bangladesh, had reportedly been working as labourers in Rajasthan for the past year. Their motives for attempting to cross the border illegally are being probed through ongoing interrogation.

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In a separate incident, SSB personnel patrolling near Dangujote village apprehended a suspected Tibetan national who was attempting to cross the border via an unauthorised route without the mandatory exit permit. The individual, identified as Lhundup Dechen (45), son of Lhathar Lumbum, has reportedly been living in India since 2000. He holds an Aadhaar card and PAN card, with the address of Drepung Gomang Monastery, Mundgod Tibetan Colony, Karnataka. He was handed over to Kharibari police following joint interrogation.

In a high-level visit to assess border security, Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, additional director general (eastern command), BSF, reviewed the operational preparedness of the North Bengal Frontier. During his visit to the frontier headquarters at Kadamtala, Siliguri, he was briefed by IG Mukesh Tyagi and other senior officers on emerging security challenges along the India-Bangladesh border.

ADG Aggarwal later visited the Teen Bigha Corridor in the Jalpaiguri sector, where he examined the operational challenges of the riverine border areas along the Teesta River and the Dahagram-Angarpota enclave. He also reviewed the performance of electronic surveillance systems deployed in the region.

Addressing BSF personnel at a Sainik Sammelan in Jalpaiguri, the ADG commended their dedication and urged them to maintain high standards of vigilance, physical fitness, and operational readiness in the face of trans-border threats posed by anti-national elements.
By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) -Citigroup must face a revived lawsuit claiming it caused more than $1 billion of losses by orchestrating and concealing a vast fraud at the now-bankrupt Mexican oil and gas services company Oceanografia, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Miami said 30 Oceanografia vendors, creditors and bondholders adequately alleged that Citigroup substantially aided the fraud, and a lower court judge erred in dismissing the nine-year-old case.

Danielle Romero-Apsilos, a Citigroup spokeswoman, declined to comment. Juan Morillo, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, said his clients were gratified by the decision.

Citigroup's Banamex unit had provided cash advances to Oceanografia, which provided drilling services to Mexico's state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) , and collected interest payments on the advances.

The plaintiffs, including shipping and leasing companies, investment funds and Netherlands-based Rabobank, said Citigroup advanced $3.3 billion to Oceanografia between 2008 and 2014 despite knowing the company had too much debt and had been forging Pemex signatures on authorization forms.

Citigroup later found nearly $430 million of fraudulent cash advances, and was fined $4.75 million by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2018 over Banamex's internal controls.

Former Citigroup Chief Executive Michael Corbat said the bank fired 12 employees, and Mexican regulators said 10 bank employees were criminally liable under Mexican law.

In an 82-page decision, Circuit Judge Britt Grant found sufficient allegations that Citigroup withheld key information about Oceanografia from the plaintiffs, with the interest payments providing a financial incentive.

"Citigroup is one of the world's most sophisticated financial institutions, and it strains credulity to conclude that, assuming the plaintiffs' allegations are true, Citigroup lacked awareness of (Oceanografia's) activities," she added.

The court returned the case to U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami, who dismissed it in August 2023.

The case is Otto Candies LLC et al v Citigroup Inc, 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 23-13152.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Richard Chang)
As military tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and Indias subsequent Operation Sindoor, Kolkatas Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport has been placed on high alert.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for airport security, has cancelled all leave for its personnel. Officials confirmed that even those on leave have been recalled and instructed to report for duty immediately. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation Security is expected to hold a videoconference today to assess passenger safety measures at the airport. Security protocols have been significantly tightened across arrival and departure zones, with no vehicles allowed to halt in these areas. Indias ministry of civil aviation has directed all airports across the country to heighten surveillance and implement enhanced screening procedures. NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) have been issued for 20 key airports, and similar precautions are being enforced at other major hubs.

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The CISF deputy inspector general held a high-level meeting on Thursday with the airport director and senior airline officials to review security preparedness. In response to potential threats, passengers have been advised to report at least three hours prior to departure, with boarding gates scheduled to close 90 minutes before flight time. Late Thursday, Indian authorities reported multiple attempted drone and missile strikes by Pakistan across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab. All attacks were intercepted, according to Indian defense sources. This comes amid growing fears of a broader conflict, as both sides brace for further escalations. The situation remains fluid, and security agencies are maintaining a state of maximum vigilance.

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In the wake of this with additional checks, including vehicle inspections, extra frisking, and a second layer of baggage checks at the boarding gate, passengers have been advised to report early to avoid being rushed. Armed jawans have been posted on watchtowers and on foot patrol throughout the day to maintain strict vigilance. Different sets of Quick Response Teams of local police and CISF personnel have been deployed outside the terminal building as well. The forces strength increased from 1,400 to 1,600.
Amid ongoing concerns over potential crises, Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) convened a high-level security and preparedness review meeting at Samman Bhawan in Gangtok on Friday. The meeting aimed to assess the states readiness and ensure coordinated inter-departmental response mechanisms.

Presiding over the deliberations, the chief minister emphasised proactive planning, seamless coordination among departments, and the pivotal roles of DCs and SPs across all six districts.

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Key directives issued during the meeting include:

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Power Department: Conduct regular emergency drills and sensitisation programmes, especially for blackout scenarios. Public awareness initiatives and swift response systems are to be ensured.

Roads & Bridges Department: Maintain all major roads and ensure vital bridges are structurally sound to safeguard uninterrupted movement of essential services and defence logistics.

Health Department: All government hospitals must remain on high alert. Leave of essential medical personnel has been restricted, except for maternity cases. Hospitals are to ensure adequate supplies, ambulance readiness, and robust contingency plans.

Food & Civil Supplies Department: Maintain sufficient stocks of ration, diesel, and other essentials. Monitoring of key depots will be intensified to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Sikkim Police: Heighten surveillance, especially at border check-posts. Conduct mock drills and flag marches in coordination with IRB and SAP personnel. Immediate installation of sirens and public warning systems as per central specifications has also been mandated.

Additionally, trained disaster management personnel stationed across the State are to be mobilised swiftly in case of emergencies.

Reassuring the public, CM Golay stated: The government of Sikkim is taking all necessary steps to uphold the safety, security, and sovereignty of the state. Given our strategic location and proximity to international borders, preparedness is our foremost duty.

He urged citizens to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative, and to refrain from spreading unverified information on social media.
Shiv Sena MP Arvind Ganpat Sawant is a familiar name in Indias political circles. The politician who represents the coveted Mumbai constituency says he is essentially a social worker. Deeply and keenly aware of the perils of the dynamics of divisiveness in politics today, the parliamentarian spoke to The Statesmans Dola Mitra in an exclusive interview.

Q. What are your thoughts on the INDIA alliances decision to support the Government of India as far as Pahalgam is concerned?

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A. This is not the time for politicisation and publicity-seeking. This is the reason the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackarey party has declared unequivocal support to the Government of India. There have been attempts to politicize and publicize the issue of Pahalgam, which is extremely disturbing and disrupting at a time when there needs to be complete unity in the country. There are many questions that come to mind, but this is not the time to raise them. Questions about security and intelligence are being asked, but is this the time to raise those questions?

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No, it is not. Now is the time for the entire country to stand together against the enemy. That is the meaning of Hindustani culture. What happened in Pahalgam is extremely disturbing. It is difficult to believe that this is actually happening in the country. The issue is compounded by the complete lack of clarity that is emanating from conflicting accounts. According to some reports, people had been individually asked about which religion they belonged to and whether they were Hindus, while others refuted these claims. For instance, Syed Adil Hussain Shah, the pony ride operator, sacrificed his life trying to save the tourists irrespective of whether they were Hindus or Muslims. He belonged to the same religion as the alleged perpetrators but that did not stop him from laying down his life while saving people of another religion. This is India.

Q. Could you talk about your partys stance on the course of action?

A. As far as the Shiv Sena is concerned, it believes in taking a very tough stance on terrorists. Balasaheb Thackeray used to always say.in Marathi. Mujhe Mandir mein ghanta bajanewale Hindu nahi chahaiye. Aatankvadiyon ki bajanewale Hindu chahiye (I do not want those Hindus who only go to the temple and ring bells .I want those Hindus who will ring the death knell of the terrorists) That is real Hindutva. It is a patriotic idea, not a religious one. But today we see that Hindutva has become associated with religion instead of patriotism. Patriotism is about defending all Hindustanis which includes the people of every religion who made this country their home. When this land was divided, there were so many Muslims who refused to go to Pakistan. They said, We would rather die than leave our country. They stayed here and were ready to fight for this country and lay down their lives for this country. How can you forget them? They demonstrated the true meaning of a Hindustani.

Q. Why do you think this meaning of Hindutva got lost?

A. We need to embrace our differences. Instead of letting it divide us, we need to let it unite us. Yes, of course there will be fights. There will be disagreements and debates, quarrels and squabbles. As long as there are humans, there will be discord. There cannot be perfect harmony. In whichever country you go to you will find protests, demonstrations, fights. You cannot do away with it. But to what extent should the fighting go? And at what cost? Patriotism has to be felt.

Q. Several conflicting accounts have emanated from Kashmir after the Pahalgam incident. People on social media cast aspersions on the locals claiming that there was a great deal of tacit support for disruptive activities. Your comment.

A. I have visited Kashmir four or five times and never faced any situation of hostility. I went there even before I became an MLA, MLC and MP. I went with friends and family and stayed there and experienced the famous Kashmiriyat or Jamuriat, the warmth and hospitality that they are known for. Now on the question of Hindu, Muslim or any other religion or race, isnt it just a matter of chance that we were born into it? How is it that people do not see that? If they see the truth of this, how can they fight amongst each other?

Q. What is your and your partys view on the abrogation of Article 370 (in 2019)?

A. I totally support the abrogation of Article 370. Balasahab Thackeray used to say that there should be oneness and Kashmiris should come to the mainstream. He had said there should be no appeasement of any one group. We are all equal. We may be different but equal. The only people for whom there should be special treatment are the poor, the deprived. It is an economic consideration. The poor, the needy, the helpless, they have to be given special status for their improvement and uplift. It should not be based on religion, caste, creed but economic need.

Q. After Balasahab Thackeray, who do you think is the visionary in the Shiv Sena to lead the party forward?

A. We were lucky to have Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister of Maharashtra for he saved the lives of millions of people in Maharashtra during the Covid pandemic. The dedicated performance he has shown during the pandemic was outstanding. He created a fully air-conditioned hospital of 2,000 beds in 15 days equipped with an operation theatre at Bandra. He created a task force of expert doctors, involved family doctors, created a task force for paediatric care, and procured ambulances. He has received accolades from the New York Times, WHO, the Supreme Court and NITI Aayog, among others. The entire Maharashtra called him Kutumb Pramukh (chief of the family). And about Aditya Thackeray, his ideas on environment and especially education for the poor is phenomenal. Can you imagine that he has introduced the system of imparting CBSE and ICSE education in Mumbai public schools free of cost so that the poor too would have access to the same education as their wealthier counterparts without having to pay the fees?

The poor have access to the same syllabi, the same education as the rest. This is going to have an immense impact on the quality of education as far as future generations are concerned. He has brilliant ideas for the improvement of life. And yet he remains grounded. An example of his humility and integrity is how he went down to Juhu Beach and started cleaning it, clearing trash and removing garbage on his own. People didnt do anything about the problem of the dirty beach for years. There are only complaints. But he did what had to be done. There were no cameras or media following him. He was not doing it for show. He was just doing it on his own. He is someone who believes in solutions and does something to achieve those solutions like Balasaheb Thackeray.
An IAF Sergeant, an Armys JCO and a BSF officer were among three armed forces personnel killed in cross-border shelling and drone attacks by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday before the ceasefire came into effect.

A 36-year old Sergeant, Surendra Kumar, who was working as an assistant medical sergeant of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Udhampur airbase in the Jammu division, was killed during an airstrike launched by Pakistan early in the morning, said officials.

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He was from Rajasthan and was posted in Lucknow before being transferred to Udhampur only two months ago. A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, belonging to Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, was killed in Pakistani shelling in Poonch district.

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A Sub-Inspector of BSF Mohammad Imteyaz laid his life during early morning cross border firing along the International Boundary in RS Pura area, District Jammu.

While leading a BSF border out post, he gallantly led from the front, the BSF said.

The DG BSF and all ranks offered their deepest condolences to his family. A wreath laying ceremony with full honours shall take place tomorrow at Frontier Headquarters at Jammu.
Rajouris additional deputy commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army were among six persons who were on Saturday killed after Pakistan escalated its artillery and drone attacks in the civilian areas of the border towns of Jammu and Kashmir. An infant and a woman were among those killed.

The JCO Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, belonging to the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, was killed in Pakistani shelling in the Poonch district.

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A soldier and a civilian were also killed on Friday evening taking the civilian death toll to 19 in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch since Wednesday when the cross-border shelling by Pakistan intensified.

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The Chief Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for each family of those who have lost their lives in the cross-border shelling.

Thappa and his two staff members were critically injured when an artillery shell hit his official residence in the Rajouri town. They were rushed to the Government Medical College, where Thappa succumbed to his injuries. Condition of his staff members is stated to be critical, according to officials.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condoled Thappas death.

He wrote on X; Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired.

Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. Ive no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace, the CM added.

Two more persons, 2-year-old Aisha Noor and 35-year-old Mohammad Shohib from Bihar, were killed, and three others injured in Pakistani shelling near an industrial area in Rajouri town, officials said.

A 62-years old Rashida Bi, of Kangra Gultha in the border area of Poonch was killed in Pakistani shelling this morning at about 5 am when Pakistani drones and artillery shells were fired indiscriminately in Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Samba, Udhampur, Uri in Baramulla and other border areas. Three persons were injured in intense shelling in Poonch and evacuated to a hospital.

In another incident, Ashok Kumar of Bidipur Jattan village was killed in cross-border firing in the RS Pura sector of Jammu district. A local journalist was injured in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri.

Residents of Uri close to the Line of Control were fleeing to safer locations to escape shelling from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the residence of Thappa where he met his parents and expressed profound grief over the loss, the Chief Minister extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, acknowledging the officers outstanding dedication and supreme sacrifice. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The Government stands firmly with his family in this hour of grief, Omar Abdullah said.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also visited the areas of Rehari and Roopnagar in Jammu to assess the damage caused by the cross-border shelling, which continued for the second night in a row. The pain and disruption faced by residents is deeply concerning. We stand with every affected family and will ensure all necessary support is provided without delay, he stated.
Additional deputy commissioner of the border district of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thapa, was killed on Saturday morning in a targeted attack at his official residence by the Pakistan Army.

Two of his staff members were critically injured as artillery shells from across the Line of Control (LoC) hit his house, reports said.

They were rushed to the Government Medical College but Thapa succumbed to his injuries while the condition of his staff members is stated to be critical, according to officials.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condoled Thapas death. He wrote on X; Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired.

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Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. Ive no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace, the CM added.

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Several residential houses in the old city here were damaged as Pakistan targeted civilian areas across J&K with drone attacks early this morning.

Unconfirmed reports said heavy artillery shelling was continuing from Pakistan forces in the Uri, Poonch, Rajouri and other border areas.
The Opposition Congress on Saturday slammed the ruling BJP for its shameless act of politicizing the India-Pakistan tensions and asked the government of India to clarify if this is the time to indulge in politics.

Referring to a social media post from the official X account of the BJP, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said: So now you want to do politics? Is it time to do politics? Does the government not need the support of the opposition? Isnt it time to give a message of unity? The government and BJP should clarify.

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In the social media post, the BJP shared a compiled video of various attacks between 2005 and 2014, mocking then-prime minister Manmohan Singh for choosing peace talks over military action.

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Taking strong exception to the BJPs post, Congress national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate stated that for Congress, nationalism means unity and that the Opposition party has unconditionally supported every decision of the government during the ongoing national crisis.

For Congress, nationalism means unity. We unconditionally supported every decision of the government 100%. We did not even ask some valid questions that were being raised. Because for us, country comes before politics. But the BJP people are continuously spreading vulgar propaganda against us, Shrinate said.

She further added: On social media, in the media, we kept quiet. But how is it right that the opposition takes up the entire cloak of decorum and the ruling party tears it to shreds? Why are those who teach the opposition silent on this ugly and dirty politics of the BJP? After getting 100% support from our leaders, your party and system spews venom against us  this cannot happen.

The Congress leader asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to control their party or clarify whether the BJP wants to do politics on the issue.

The Prime Minister, Home Minister and BJP President should either control their party or tell whether they want to do politics at all, she said, adding, This is the height of shamelessness.
Barely a few hours after ceasefire was announced between India and Pakistan, explosions were heard in Srinagar. Air raid sirens were also sounded in Udhampur and parts of Srinagar.

In a tweet, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X, What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!

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Amidst the announcement of ceasefire between the two countries, India has warned that its armed forces are ready to hit back if there are any misadventures on the part of Pakistan.

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The ceasefire was announced after days of heightened escalation between the two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor.

Addressing a Ministry of Defence briefing today evening, Commodore Raghu R Nair said that the Indian military forces will adhere to the ceasefire agreement but would be ready for any eventuality. There has been an understanding that has been reached to stop all military activities at sea, in the air and on land. Indian army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Forces have been instructed to adhere to this understanding, he said.

The ceasefire announcement was first made by US President Donald Trump , in a post on Truth Social, today evening. After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries for using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Trump wrote on the microblogging site.

Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri too confirmed the same stating that Pakistans Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier. Stating that both the countries agreed to halt all the ongoing military actions, the ceasefire was announced from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time (IST).

Pakistans Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time.

Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours, he added. Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday held a meeting with senior officers to review the prevailing situation keeping in view the tension between India and Pakistan.

He issued necessary directives and assured that the state government is closely monitoring the situation.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister said that the state government is fully prepared to handle any challenges at all levels. He confirmed that debris of drones and missiles has been found in some areas in the state, but urged the public not to panic.

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He further informed that protocols being followed in border districts are in line with those of neighboring states.

The Chief Minister also emphasized that all instructions from the Union Government are being duly followed.

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Sukhu said Keeping the situation in view, the state government is taking all necessary measures. He also urged the people of the state to remain alert and vigilant.

Sukhu has also expressed grief over the martyrdom of Subedar Major Pawan Kumar of 25 Punjab Regiment in a shelling by Pakistan army in Jammu and Kashmir today morning. He belonged to Shahpur Nagar Panchayat of Kangra district.

In his condolence message, Chief Minister said that Subedar Major Pawan Kumar has made his supreme sacrifice for upholding the unity and sovereignty of the country and will be remembered by the people for ever.

He said that state government stands in solidarity with the affected family in this hour of grief and will also extend all possible assistance. The Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.
India has launched multiple precision attacks on Pakistans identified military targets in response to the targeted strikes carried out by the latter on civilian and military infrastructures since last night.

The Indian armed forces struck Pakistans technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas.

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Addressing a joint media briefing organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence, Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that Pakistan military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from fighter jets. Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases were also targeted using precision ammunition.

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Pakistan attempted multiple air intrusions targeting civilian infrastructures and killing some civilians, they said.

It was also revealed that Pakistan used Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructure along the Western front.

From Srinagar to Naliya, in more than 26 locations, airspace infiltration was attempted. There were also high-speed missile attacks, which were noticed subsequently at 1:40 am at several air bases in Punjab, said Col Qureshi.

Pakistan military also resorted to air intrusion using drones and firing of heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. Limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force Stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj, said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

Heavy exchange of artillery, mortars and small arms fire in Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors also continued, to which the Indian Army has responded effectively and proportionately, causing extensive damage to Pakistans army.

Calling Pakistans strike a deplorable cowardly act, the officers said that a medicare center and school premises at the airbases of Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were also attacked.

The officers also revealed that Pakistan military is moving its troops into forward areas along with an offensive intent to further escalate the situation.

Debunking the claims being circulated by the Pakistan and its state sponsored machinery, Col Qureshi said, Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, destruction of airfields at Surat and SirsaIndia unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan.

During the briefing the time-stamped images of perfectly intact Indian air bases, which Pakistan claimed to have struck, were also shown to falsify their claims.
First of all, we are firm believers that US investors should stay at home and continue to favor domestic stocks. The superior performance of the US stock market was not luck, but rather consistent productivity growth through deregulation, capital favoring risky but promising projects, and a more prominent hustle mentality. The European Central Bank confirms these findings and mentions that between Q4 2019 and Q2 2024, labor productivity per hour worked increased by 0.9% in the Euro area, whereas it increased by 6.7% in the US. This difference is significant and compounds over time, leading to drastic differences in stock price performance over 5-10 years or more. Odds are that the US will continue to outperform Europe and the rest of the world in productivity gains. According to analysts, Trump turmoil is a temporary thing; tariff uncertainty should naturally resolve at some point, through either a trade deal or a withdrawal by the President himself. Furthermore, the Trump 2.0 regime has some aces up its sleeve, such as tax cuts and further deregulation, which is a heaven for productivity growth. Europe, on the other hand, remains a slow bureaucratic machine that is fueling its economic growth through debt issuance and industrial-military projects that bring very little value added (for reference, the German 500 billion spending bill will mostly result in new missiles that will probably never be fired). Likewise, China has its own problems, such as stalled population growth and increasing threats of onshoring and outsourcing to India and other regions. India got itself stuck in a new war with Pakistan, which might negatively impact its investment climate and economic growth.

The situation drastically reversed in late 2024 and early 2025 with the election of a new US administration. The US stock market underperformed by more than 15% markets like Germany and China since the beginning of the year. The small-cap factor fell out of favor relative to the large-cap factor. The former event was driven by aggressive Trump 2.0 cuts and tariff threats, which put the US export/import base at risk, while the latter is driven by market uncertainty and investors flying to safe assets such as gold, bonds, or mature large-cap stocks. We believe that both these developments are temporary shocks and do not represent structural or definitive changes. In this context, a smart way to make money in the market would be to take a contrarian bet and buy American small-cap and penny stocks while they are relatively underpriced vs. their global and large-cap counterparts.

American penny stocks comprise shares of US-based companies that trade under $5 on public exchanges. Besides their perceived appeal to retail investors due to cheap price and the possibility to affordably amass a large number of shares, American penny stocks are distinct for representing two important factors  the small-cap factor and the US country factor. Readers should know that these two factors are known for significantly outperforming their broad market counterparts in the last 15 years after the Great Financial Crisis. For reference, small-cap factor has outperformed its large-cap counterparts throughout the 2010s as the economy experienced a relatively peaceful period with relatively low interest rates, which is highly favorable for small, high-growth businesses. Likewise, the US stock market has consistently outperformed the World stock market, including major markets like Europe, China, and Japan, thanks to superior productivity growth and valuation expansion.

We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best American Penny Stocks to Buy Now . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CCO) stands against the other American penny stocks.

Continua a leggere

Second, small caps and penny stocks became cheaper due to recessionary threats and widespread signals that the US economy is slowing down. While many sectors, such as construction and industrial automation, are indeed in a slowdown, the stock market is a forward-looking animal that gauges developments that would impact the economy 6-12 months from now. In other words, the market is very likely to return to growth upon the slightest positive signal. We believe there are many indications that the US will be able to avoid a deep economic recession. Rumors, as well as thorough analysts from leading banks like JP Morgan, say that the tariff saga is approaching a possible end through a deal with China and other large trade partners. China is likely to sit at the negotiating table as its economic outlook has been deteriorating as well  it turns out that around 20 million jobs in the country are directly dependent on commerce with the US. Avoiding a trade deal with the US might be more catastrophic for China than it might be for the US. Also, the latest report shows that the US economy added 177,000 jobs in April, beating expectations by a wide margin, which indicates that CEOs are reluctant to downscale their business and rather anticipate a gradual rejuvenation in the business environment later in the year.

With that being said, contrary to the prevailing belief, our opinion is that the US economy is far from doomed. History shows that stock markets have always recovered and always scored new highs. In this context, the best American penny stocks could become favored again and outperform the broad market.

Our Methodology

To compile our list of the best American penny stocks, we used a screener to identify companies based in the US with a share price below $5.00. Then we compared the list with Insider Monkey's proprietary database of hedge funds ownership, as of Q4 2024, and included in the article the top 10 stocks with the largest number of hedge funds that own the stock, ranked in ascending order.

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 busy street corner, with strategically placed advertisements to attract customers.

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CCO)

Stock price as of May 6th: $1.09

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CCO) is a global player in out-of-home advertising, providing digital and static billboards, street furniture, transit displays, and airport advertising, complemented by its data-driven RADAR platform that enhances campaign planning, measurement, and targeting. CCOs main role is to streamline the marketing process for clients and allow for easy access to various types of advertising.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Barely a few hours after a ceasefire was announced between India and Pakistan, areas near the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) witnessed a series of ceasefire violations late Saturday night.

In a late-night briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that there had been repeated violations of the understanding reached earlier that evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan.

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This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are responding adequately and appropriately to these violations, and we take them very, very seriously, he said.

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We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and to handle the situation with seriousness and responsibility. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil and have been instructed to respond firmly to any further violations along the IB and the LoC, Misri added.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed alarm on social media platform X, tweeting, What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!

Amid the ceasefire announcement, India warned that its armed forces are prepared to retaliate in case of any misadventures by Pakistan.

In another post, Abdullah shared a video, commenting, This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.

The ceasefire came after days of heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent launch of Operation Sindoor.
Soon after India and Pakistan declared a ceasefire, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted that India will continue to maintain a firm and uncompromising position against terrorism.

India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so, he said on X.

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Mr Jaishankar, who spoke to nearly a dozen foreign ministers since hostilities erupted between the two South Asian countries, said India and Pakistan have worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action.

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He spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Tubio this morning during which he told the latter that India was not interested in escalation but would respond to any aggression from Pakistan with its full might.

Had a conversation with US Marco Tubio this morning and @SecRubio this morning. Indias approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so, Mr Jaishankar wrote on X.
The Indo-Pak conflict has started impacting the Char Dham pilgrimage and tourism in Uttarakhand, with more than half of the hotel and flight bookings cancelled in the last 2-3 days. Hoteliers in tourist destinations like Mussoorie and Nainital are not receiving new bookings.

Nearly half of the advance hotel bookings by non-religious tourists and devotees on the Char Dham Yatra routes have been cancelled in the last 2-3 days. According to hoteliers, a large number of bookings on the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrine routes for May and June have been cancelled. This has caused concern among hoteliers in the state, particularly those along the Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri routes, as their economy depends on tourism.

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A significant number of hoteliers in the Uttarakhand hills are those who invest substantial amounts to acquire hotels on lease for a certain period, keeping in view the tourist season during the Char Dham Yatra. These hotel owners are now worried about their businesses as tourism often dips after June due to the monsoon season. Apart from this, tourists, mainly from Maharashtra, West Bengal, and southern states, who usually travel by air for the Char Dham pilgrimage, have also cancelled their flights following the Government of Indias decision to close several airports. This has also led to further cancellations of hotel bookings.

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Speaking to the media, Uttarakhand Char Dham Hotel Association President Rajesh Mehta said, Many flights have been cancelled due to the closure of several airports across the country amid the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. A majority of the devotees coming for the Char Dham Yatra from South Indian states first travel to Delhi or directly to Dehradun by air. In light of the difficulties caused by the closure of airports, devotees are now cancelling hotel bookings.

Atul Shah, a hotelier on the Badrinath route in Chamoli, said that most of his bookings from May 15 to June 10 have been cancelled. He added that he and other hoteliers have started returning the booking amounts to devotees.

The Char Dham pilgrimage has been severely affected within just 2-3 days of the India-Pakistan conflict. Now, only one or two rooms are booked compared to almost 100 percent bookings earlier, claimed TP Thapliyal, a hotelier in Chamoli on the Badrinath route.

The situation is similar for hotel owners in hill towns like Mussoorie and Nainital. May and June are considered the peak tourism season, but the number of visitors has significantly dropped in the last 2-3 days. While hotel bookings in Mussorie, known as the Queen of Hills, have fallen to nearly 40 percent, more than 90 percent of advance bookings from May 15 to June have been cancelled in Nainital.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited the parents of the additional deputy commissioner of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thapa, who was killed this morning when artillery shells were fired at his official residence by the Pakistan Army.

The CM also visited the civilian areas of Jammu where some houses were damaged by debris of Pakistani missiles that were destroyed by Indias air defence system.

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Omar consoled the elderly parents of the officer as he rushed to their home here.

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Paid my heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr. Raj Kumar Thapa, JKAS, ADC Rajouri who lost his life in the line of duty today due to shelling by Pakistan. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The Government stands firmly with his family in this hour of grief, Omar wrote on X.

The CM also visited Rehari and Roopnagar areas of Jammu to see the damage caused by the recent shelling. The pain and disruption faced by residents is deeply concerning. We stand with every affected family and will ensure all necessary support is provided without delay, he wrote on X.

Earlier in the morning, Omar wrote, Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Sh Raj Kumar Thappa. Ive no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace.

Rajouris District Magistrate also paid tributes to Thapa and wrote on X; My heartfelt tribute to ADDC Dr. Raj Kumar Thapa, who attained martyrdom during cross-border shelling while serving the nation till his last breath. His exemplary dedication during the Badhaal incident will always be remembered. A true hero in service.
BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha has urged the Congress government in Telangana to postpone the Miss World pageant in Hyderabad citing the escalation of tension between Pakistan and India.

However, Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala slammed Kavitha alleging that she was trying to take political mileage at this critical juncture.

Incidentally, the VHP has also opposed the decision to hold the pageant for altogether a different raised. It opposed organizing the pageant in Telangana with representatives from Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh and Canada which VHP considers as enemy states. The inaugural ceremony of Miss World pageant was held today at Gachibowli stadium.

Citing the suspension of IPL by BCCI the BRS has been making noise about the Miss World pageant which is being held in Hyderabad.

BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha said, I sincerely urge the Telangana government to consider postponing the 72nd Miss World event in light of the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. At this time, our focus must remain on national unity, peace, and security.

Slamming Kavitha for politizing every issue Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar stated that the Telangana government was facilitator of the event and not the organizers. He said, Kavitha garu, politicizing every issue shows a lack of genuine concern for Telanganas development

The Miss World organizers chose our state for its safety and investment appeal. The decision to postpone the event lies with them, not the government.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad comissioner of police, CV Anand has prohibited bursting of firecrackers around military cantoment since the sudden loud noise can be misunderstood as explosion. 

Bursting of fire crackers or fireworks is strictly prohibited in interest of public safety especially in and around military cantonment areas, read the order which was issued to prevent any kind of panic among public.

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Shortly after several reports claimed explosions across Srinagar, the government sources have refuted the claims, saying that there was no shelling or reports of blasts in Srinagar.

There is no sheling on LoC now and there are no reports of blasts in Srinagar, the government sources said.

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The clarification came shortly after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted a video, purportedly showing an interception in by air defence units.

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This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up, he said.

Gujarat Home Minister informed on X that drones have been sighted in Kutch district and that a complete blackout will be imposed.

Several drones have been spotted in the Kutch district. A complete blackout will be implemented now. Please stay safe,Dont panic, he said.
Air strikes involving drones, missiles, and other munitions from Pakistan intensified Friday night in Pokaran, Jaisalmer, Barmer, and some adjoining areas, continuing intermittently on Saturdaythough without breaching the Indian air defence system.

Indias key army/air bases and cantonments at Phalodi, Pokaran (Jaisalmer), Uttarlai and Jalipa (both Barmer) still remained the main targets of assailant Pakistani drones and missiles. Intermittent bangs of blasts and frequently sounding warning sirens in the red alert or high-red-alert zone were enough to reveal the seriousness of the situation.

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The Phalodi air base on Saturday was targetted with three missiles but neutralised by the air defence system. While two missiles neutralized mid-air, one fell in the Agraj village, causing no loss of life or property. On May 7, too, Pakistan attempted unsuccessfully to target Phalodi.

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The district collector and superintendent of police rushed to the village to take stock of the situation and supervise the safe recovery of the remains of the fallen munition. Reportedly, loud bangs were heard in three villages  Dhandhu, Ugras and Satawar in the Pokaran region.

In Dhandhu village, an object resembling a missile fell from the sky with a loud bang. Onlookers gathered there later informed the police of the incident that caused no loss of life or property.

Almost at the same time, the Lathi region of Jaisalmer resonated with three deafeningly loud bangs, one by one, which were heard in the radius of 40-50 km. A similar incident was reported from the Gida region of the newly carved out district, Balotra, in the neighborhood of Barmer and Jaisalmer.

There in Gida, another big missile/other munition was dropped. The defence personnel reached there on intimation from villagers, carefully removed it from the site and took it into possession. The debris of drones, missiles and other munitions dropped during air strikes last night was collected from many places in the rural areas of Jaisalmer.

Besides, the repeated sounding of sirens in Barmer and Bikaner city and the Nal air base warns people of a potential threat in the red-alarmed zones. Jodhpur also heard an alarming siren repeatedly on Saturday.

A defence spokesperson said Saturday morning said, Pakistans blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders.

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart enemy designs, the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma convened and chaired an all-party meeting here today to discuss key issues related to the prevailing border situation and the measures being taken by the state government. Sharma also heard the views and suggestions of leaders from various parties.

In a tragic development, on Saturday, Sergeant Surendra Singh Moga, a medical assistant from Mehradasi village in Jhunjhunu district and a proud son of the soil, was martyred while on duty at the 30 Air Force Wing in Udhampur, in conflict-hit Jammu and Kashmir.
Within just three and a half hours of the ceasefire announcement, Pakistan violated the agreement and launched another air strike targeting Pokaran in Jaisalmer on Saturday night.

Responding swiftly, the Indian Air Defence System intercepted the drone attack, successfully shooting down one drone near the Pokaran Cantonment.

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Barmer District Collector Tina Dabi, sensing the imminent threat, promptly ordered a strict blackout across the district in compliance with emergency protocols.

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Similar advisories were issued in Sriganganagar, where the administration urged residents to remain alert but calm and to switch off lights in their homes.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma convened an emergency meeting with top officials to review the situation across the border districts. The states preparedness and response were reassessed amid the escalating tensions.

Earlier in the daybefore the ceasefire was declaredPakistan had already targeted several key Indian military installations, including Phalodi and Pokaran in Jaisalmer, and Uttarlai and Jalipa in Barmer.

The Phalodi air base was hit by three missiles; two were intercepted mid-air, while one fell in Agraj village without causing any casualties.

In the Pokaran region, loud explosions were reported in the villages of Dhandhu, Ugras, and Satawar. In Dhandhu, an object resembling a missile crashed with a loud bang, though no injuries or damage were reported.

Meanwhile, residents in Lathi region of Jaisalmer reported hearing three massive explosions audible up to 50 km away. A similar incident occurred in the Gida area of Balotra district, where defence personnel recovered another munition.

Debris from drones and missiles dropped during the air strike was collected from several rural areas of Jaisalmer. Warning sirens were sounded repeatedly in Barmer, Bikaner, and even at the Nal air base. Jodhpur also reported multiple siren alerts on Saturday, indicating continued threat levels.

A defence spokesperson condemned Pakistans actions, stating: Pakistans blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. This attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. The Indian Army will thwart enemy designs.

In a tragic development, Sergeant Surendra Singh Moga, a medical assistant from Mehradasi village in Jhunjhunu, was martyred while on duty at the 30 Air Force Wing in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.
In the wake of India and Pakistan agreeing to an immediate ceasefire, political parties across the spectrum welcomed the development. However, the Congress party urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the developments of the past 18 days.

In view of the unprecedented announcements from Washington, DC, there is now a need, more than ever before, for the Prime Minister to chair an all-party meeting and take political parties into confidence, said Congress General Secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, in a post on social media platform X.

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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav echoed the sentiment of peace, stating on X: Peace is paramount and sovereignty too! Yadav, who had earlier supported the governments actions during the heightened tensions, had said the party stands with the government in its fight against terrorism.

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The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also welcomed the ceasefire, emphasizing the need for sustained peace. The people of both countries deserve peace for their progress and prosperity. We earnestly hope that the two countries build on this and ensure that the people do not have to suffer from the evil of terrorism, it said in a statement.

However, the CPI(M) underlined that Pakistan must act to eliminate terrorist activity from its soil to prevent further confrontations.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the armed forces for their unwavering resolve and courage.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya posted on X: A heartfelt thank you to Prime Minister Modi and the brave Indian Armed Forces for their unwavering resolve and courage. At a time when the Pakistani military and its terror-aligned deep state hold near-total control over the population and national discourse, India has demonstrated unmatched strength and clarity of purpose.

The ceasefire agreement comes after days of escalating military tensions. The news broke when US President Donald Trump announced on social media this afternoon (IST) that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

The announcement quickly went viral. Subsequently, both India and Pakistan officially confirmed the ceasefire agreement.
Ending days of unrest following the heightened tensions after military actions between India and Pakistan, a ceasefire was announced today. Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the same.

In a media briefing today evening, Misri said that Pakistans Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) called its Indian counterpart at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time. Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours, said Misri.

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Earlier, U.S President Donald Trump has announced that both the countries have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Trump, made the announcement , in a post on Truth Social, today evening.

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After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries for using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Trump posted on Truth Social.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also announced the ceasefire agreement between the two nations in a tweet. Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity! he wrote.

On May 7, India lad launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the killings of 26 tourists by Pakistan sponsored terrorists in Pahalgam. This led to increased tensions and military actions being carried out by both the countries.
Welcome to AI Decoded, Fast Companys weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. You can sign up to receive this newsletter every week here.

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Half of all LLM usage is for writing computer code

The tech industry insists that AI will transform how companies, both large and small, operate. Tech VCs and AI founders predict that major business functions will be reshaped, one by one, to be handled by AI agents. For a while, many speculated which function would be transformed first. It wasnt customer service, legal, or marketing: it was software development. Generative AIs first killer app is coding. Tools like Cursor and Windsurf can now complete software projects with minimal input or oversight from human engineers.

Businesses are rushing to capitalize on the efficiency gains offered by AI coding. Naveen Rao, chief AI officer at Databricks, estimates that coding accounts for half of all large language model usage today. A 2024 GitHub survey found that over 97% of developers have used AI coding tools at work, with 30% to 40% of organizations actively encouraging their adoption. (GitHub, owned by Microsoft, created one of the first such tools, Copilot.) Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently said AI now writes up to 30% of the companys code. Google CEO Sundar Pichai echoed that sentiment, noting more than 30% of new code at Google is AI-generated.

The soaring valuations of AI coding startups underscore the momentum. Anyspheres Cursor just raised $900 million at a $9 billion valuationup from $2.5 billion earlier this year. Meanwhile, OpenAI acquired Windsurf (formerly Codeium) for $3 billion.

And the tools are improving fast. OpenAIs chief product officer, Kevin Weil, explained in a recent interview that just five months ago, the companys best model ranked around one-millionth on a well-known benchmark for competitive codersnot great, but still in the top two or three percentile. Today, OpenAIs top model, o3, ranks as the 175th best competitive coder in the world on that same test. The rapid leap in performance suggests an AI coding assistant could soon claim the number-one spot. Forever after that point computers will be better than humans at writing code, he said.

One reason for the progress: AI coding tools are gaining stronger reasoning abilities and can process much more information at once. While models retain general knowledge from pretraining, they depend on specific project-related inputsuch as a software descriptionprovided by a human when its time to build something. This information is stored in short-term memory, known as a context window. Currently, state-of-the-art tools can productively consider fewer than 100,000 tokens (units representing words and word parts) at once. But that number is bound to go up.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday directed the release of additional water to Rajasthan to meet the requirements of the Indian military deployed along the states border.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said the Rajasthan government had requested extra water from Punjabs quota, citing the militarys increased demand.

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He asserted that Punjab has always prioritized national interest above all else. Whenever national interests are involved, Punjab never takes a backseat, Mann said. The water has been released in the interest of the countrys unity, integrity, and sovereignty.

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The Chief Minister added that Punjabs commitment to the nation goes far beyond resources. Not just water, Punjabis are ready to shed their blood for the country if needed, he declared. It is a matter of pride and duty. Punjab can never retreat when the countrys cause is at stake.

Mann emphasized that, in view of the armed forces requirements, he had immediately ordered the release of the additional water to Rajasthan, reaffirming Punjabs enduring legacy of sacrifice for the nation.
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the country into confidence and share details from the terrorist incident of Pahalgam to the ceasefire at a special session of Parliament.

In a message posted on X soon after the announcement of ceasefire between India and Pakistan on Saturday, the RJD leader said, Prime Minister is requested to call a special session of Parliament and give date-wise and point-wise information  from the terrorist incident of Pahalgam to the ceasefire.

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He also urged the Prime Minister to take the country into confidence so that all Indians can express their views on various aspects in one voice through the Parliament while thanking the bravery and valour of the Indian Army and send a common message from the whole of India to the country which runs a laboratory of terror.

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Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of CPI-ML, questioned the way the news of a ceasefire was broken by US President Donald Trump and his officials before being corroborated by India and Pakistan.

He said, Be it tariff, deportation or ceasefire, these days news about India is broken by the Trump Administration and the Modi government remains conspicuously silent. Is this the new normal of Indian foreign policy? Why do we need a long night of American mediation to de-escalate?

The Left leader said that the ceasefire should be used as the first step towards complete de-escalation. Both India and Pakistan should withdraw the announcements made in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and restore full diplomatic relations between the two neighbours.

He said, The perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack must be brought to justice and measures taken to ensure lasting peace and promote friendship and cooperation in the region.

He also urged the government to withdraw the various arbitrary measures taken over the last few days in the name of national security and guarantee the constitutional rights of citizens and media platforms who raised questions about the multiple lapses that enabled the Pahalgam terror attack, rejected hate and jingoism and insisted on peace and justice.

Bihar BJP Media In-charge Danish Iqbal said that Pakistan must understand that India is no longer what it used to be before 2014. Under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the nation does not compromise on its sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.

He said, Talks of ceasefire hold meaning only when Pakistan completely stops its nefarious designs, cross-border infiltration, and support to terrorism. India will not be misled by symbolic peace gestures. If provoked, India is fully capable of giving a befitting reply  and we have done so before. We desire peace, but not at the cost of national pride and security.
Stepping up efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar urging both sides to find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, a US Department of State press statement said.

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While talking to Jaishankar, Secretary Rubio also emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation.

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He (Secretary Rubio) further proposed U.S. support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes, a press statement, attributed to US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Saturday (India time) said.

In his renewed bid to de-escalate hostilities between India and Pakistan, Secretary Rubio, who also spoke to Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, reiterated that both parties must find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation.

He also offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, a statement also attributed to Ms Bruce said.

Mr Rubios redoubled effort comes at a time when Pakistan continues to carry out drone and air strikes on Indian targets. Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated since Wednesday, when the Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which was found to have cross-border links.

On Friday (India time) Secretary Rubio also spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and EAM Jaishankar when he had also emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation and called for an end to violence.

On Friday the White House also said that US President Donald Trump wants the India-Pakistan conflict to de-escalate as quickly as possible.

Addressing a press conference White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had said: This is something that the Secretary of State and now our NSA as well, Marco Rubio, has been involved in. The President has expressed that he wants this to de-escalate as quickly as possible.

He (US President) understands these two countries have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here at the Oval Office. However, he has good relations with the leaders of both countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in constant communication with the leaders of both countries, trying to bring this conflict to an end, Ms Leavitt said.
The spate of Pakistani aerial intrusions and attacks targeting Jammu and other key Indian installations by loitering munitions and drones is more than a military event ~ it is a direct challenge to Indias sovereignty and resolve. These were not random provocations; they were calculated acts designed to test our defences, undermine public confidence, and signal a new phase in asymmetric warfare. Yet, even as blasts echoed across Jammu and Indian air defence systems were activated from Srinagar to Bhuj, the republic stood firm. India responded with clarity and precision, intercepting hostile drones, neutralising threats mid-air, and ensuring that civilian lives remained protected.

This is not just a demonstration of technological capability ~it is a testament to the preparedness and professionalism of the armed forces executing Operation Sindoor, and the indomitable spirit of a nation. Indias doctrine of peace is not born of weakness, but of strength. We are a nation that believes in dialogue, diplomacy, and coexistence. But when provoked, we have never hesitated to defend every inch of our land, every life under our flag. The events unfolding along the western frontier remind us that while the nature of warfare has evolved ~ with drones, AI, and loitering munitions entering the fray ~ the core challenge remains the same: protecting the idea of India from those who seek to destabilise it.

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These attacks mark a shift toward grey-zone warfare ~ tactics that aim to stay below the threshold of conventional war while inflicting strategic harm. They are meant to create fear, confusion, and uncertainty. But they will fail, because India is not a soft target. Her defences are increasingly integrated, technologies are rapidly modernising, and the people are resolute. More than ever, this is the time for national unity and strategic foresight. We must support our security forces, demand international accountability from rogue states, and invest in indigenous defence innovation. Patriotism today means vigilance ~ not only on the battlefield but also in public discourse. We must not allow disinformation or divisive rhetoric to dilute our collective resolve. This is not just about border defence; it is about civilisational integrity.

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From the snowbound posts of Ladakh to the airfields of Punjab, Indias defenders are writing a new chapter of courage under fire. It is our duty as citizens to match their valour with civic strength, strategic clarity, and unwavering national pride. India must also respond on the diplomatic front with equal intensity. While our military safeguards the skies, our foreign policy must isolate and expose aggressors on the global stage. Strategic partnerships, international forums, and intelligence-sharing alliances must be activated to send an unmistakable message: India will not tolerate state-sponsored aggression in any form. Global silence in the face of such provocations only emboldens those who traffic in instability and terror. In the face of provocation, India does not flinch. We rise, we respond, and we remember that this land is ours ~ not just by inheritance, but by unyielding will.
Regardless of the controversy justifying the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Indias obligation under international law remains. International law obligates under VCLT (Art 72) and the law on state responsibility under the ILC Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ARSIWA) ((Art 49(3)) that measures taken in the duration of the suspension or countermeasure are reversible and allow for the resumption of the performance of the relevant obligation.

From another angle, it has been suggested that Pakistan can involve the International Court of Justice (ICJ). There seems to be a systemic misconception of the applicability of international law. Both India and Pakistan, though ipso facto admitting ICJs jurisdiction have made several reservations under Article 36 of the ICJ statute. The last all-encompassing declaration was made in 2019 by India, replacing its earlier declaration of 1974, which excludes from the ICJs purview, interalia, disputes relating to situations or collective actions. taken for the protection of national security and ensuring national defence.

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A similar declaration was made by Pakistan in 2017. Thus, given the wide ambit of the reservations made it is highly unlikely Pakistan will be able to invoke ICJs jurisdiction against India and vice-versa. The only way to challenge the unilateral suspension is via Article IX of the IWT. Yet another misconceived position was advocated elsewhere by calling for a referral of the matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This also suffers the same fate as above, even more bluntly for the simple reason that neither India nor Pakistan is a member of the ICC.

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Both States have not ratified the Rome Statute and have not accepted ICCs jurisdiction. For the matter to be referred to the ICC, India will have to conditionally accept the jurisdiction of the ICC under Art 12 (3) of the Rome Statute and Article 12 has to be read with Rule 44 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence. A combined reading suggests that ICCs jurisdiction tends to be broad and a selective declaration limited to a particular incident may not be allowed. The Pahalgam incident, arguably will fall under Crime against Humanity of Murder.

By its very definition, crimes against humanity have to be widespread or systematic. All this makes it difficult to keep a declaration very limited. Furthermore, the ICC Trial Chamber has provided a detailed clarification on this issue in Prosecutor v. Laurent Kou dou Gbagbo, No. ICC-02/11- 01/11-212 (PreTrial Chamber I, 15 August 2012, para. 5), wherein the Court has held that Article 12 (3) read with Rule 44 limits States discretion in framing the situation that may be investigated by the Court and the Court cannot be used opportunistically. Even if, hypothetically, India succeeds in limiting its declaration, doing this will be a nightmare ~ legal, political and diplomatic.

This will expose India to possible counter-cases from other ICC members. The other way is for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to refer the matter under Article 13 of the Rome Statute. This too poses veritable problems. A suggestion of referring the matter to the UNSC, where Pakistan has a seat currently (and China has a veto), will thus be an imprudent one. Just a plain reading of UNSC Press Statements issued on the terrorist attack on Jaffar Express, and the terrorist attack on Pahal gam are enough to clarify the councils stance currently. Thus, in the current political habitat, a UNSC resolution referring to the Pahalgam attack on the ICC is also a non-starter. The alternative workaround argument isnt incomprehensible.

Although not formally bound by the VCLT, India has implicitly endorsed the principle of pacta sunt servanda which coexists with well-accepted doctrinal principles such as countermeasures, necessity, and state sovereignty. These principles may, in exceptional cases, justify a temporary departure from treaty obligations. This is where the ILC Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ARSIWA) come into play. Given that the ILC Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts have arguably achieved the status of customary international law, the doctrines of necessity (Article 25), self-defence (Article 21) and countermeasures (Article 22) further support Indias stance. This approach provides India with flexibility in such matters of suspension or termination, as in the recent IWT fiasco. Yet, it must be remembered these defences will be invoked as and when arbitration commences to justify the deviation from the Treaty.

Under the treaty, there are  mains not a morsel of doubt ~ such unilateral suspension is not permitted. One can argue that it is not expressly barred. At the same time, it is not expressly allowable either. Even though one can rely upon the VCLT to justify the suspension, albeit unilateral, the issues of VCLT are hard to miss. Yet the counterargument isnt incomprehensible. As one can argue, on the first issue, if VCLT arguably represents principles of customary international law (CIL), it has been acknowledged by the Indian court in AWAS Ireland v.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation and has been invoked by India in the Bay of Bengal Maritime Boundary Arbitration (Bangladesh v. India) arbitration. This dilutes the nonsignatory argument. On the second issue, while Article 4 VCLT enumerates the non-retroactivity to prior concluded treaties; if, however, the VCLT provisions reflect established customary law, these rules apply to treaties concluded by States Parties before the entry into force of the VCLT (See Botswana v. Namibia [1999] ICJ Rep 1045, para 18; and Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Rwanda (Jurisdiction and Admissibility) [2006] ICJ Rep 6, para 125) Despite this, the question still lingers on an if~ that is the million-dollar question. If VCLT does reflect customary international law, then the workaround is that treaties such as IWT (which are pre-1969) can be within the ambit of VCLT. The first stage hurdle is to make VCLT applicable to India, and that is based on the IF ~ ness of VCLT reflecting CIL.

While the Indian Prime Minister once remarked that blood and water cannot flow together, Indias so-called in abeyance aka suspension raises far more nuanced questions under international law. It is more than the IWT not providing an exit clause. It is deeper. It strikes at the very root of the interpretation of treaties and the surrounding geopolitical environment with India skating on thin ice. It can be argued that the decision to place IWT in abeyance is not a violation but a legal decision under the aegis of customary international law. Yet, on the other hand, the deployment of the diplomatic strategy of keeping IWT in abeyance seems to play in a grey area of the Treaty. Though seemingly innocuous, it brews a recipe for disaster in its wake with potentially serious consequences for both sides.

(The writer, a Kings College, London, alumnus, is an international disputes lawyer)
The recent meeting between President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was more than a polite diplomatic encounter ~ it was a vivid display of two clashing worldviews in an increasingly volatile North American partnership. While much of the media spotlight has lingered on Mr Trumps offhand suggestion about annexing Canada, the more consequential moments unfolded in the subtleties of trade, sovereignty, and strategic posture.

Mr Trumps rhetoric, though often theatrical, reveals a deeper posture of American transactionalism. His insistence on tariffs ~ 25 per cent across sectors, and specifically targeting key Canadian exports like steel, aluminium, and automobiles ~ signals a worldview that frames allies as economic competitors first, strategic partners second.

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This isnt just tough talk. It is a policy driven by a zero-sum mindset: if America is to win, someone else must lose. Unfortunately for Canada, this mindset seems to treat long-standing partnerships as leverage, not legacy. Mr Carney, for his part, handled the moment with composure and clarity. Rather than rise to provocation, he anchored the conversation in the language of sovereignty and mutual respect. His focus was not on emotional rebuke or political theatre, but on ensuring Canada remains economically self-determined in the face of growing pressure from its largest trading partner.

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His tone was deliberate: warm when necessary, firm when it mattered. Canadas challenge now is to navigate this new terrain without capitulating to pressure or provoking escalation. It must balance resilience with diplomacy, ensuring that national interests are protected while leaving room for constructive engagement with a historically vital if increasingly unpredictableally. One of the more revealing aspects of their exchange was Me Trumps assertion that trade deals are not an American priority ~ They have to sign deals with us.

We dont need their market. That line encapsulates a shift in US global posture under Mr Trumps continued influence: a retreat from multilateralism in favour of dominance-based negotiation. While this may play well to a domestic audience, it leaves neighbouring nations navigating a minefield of uncertainty. Canada, with over $760 billion in annual bilateral trade at stake, cannot afford to misread this moment. Mr Carneys response ~ that negotiations will continue, with zigs and zags expected ~ reflects recognition that standing still is not an option. Whats being tested is not just economic resilience, but national identity in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.

This isnt merely about trade policy or political optics. Its about two competing visions of North America. One seeks to consolidate power through economic coercion and rhetorical overreach. The other asserts that cooperation and sovereignty can ~ and must ~ coexist. In the coming months, the tone and outcomes of US-Canada talks will matter not just for tariffs and exports, but for the broader message they send to the world: Can democracies maintain mutual respect while facing populist pressures? Can smaller powers hold their own with dignity and purpose? For now, Canada has drawn a quiet but resolute line. The test will be whether that line can hold.
Several prominent Baloch leaders and writers, including Mir Yar Baloch, have slammed Pakistan for operating terror factories and unleashing mayhem on neighbouring countries, especially India.

In a message to the international community on Friday, Mir Yar Baloch asserted that the Pakistani army has opened many terror franchises which have bled India by attacking the countrys Parliament, hotels, passenger airplanes and tourist destinations like Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

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India being a civilized and peaceful country and guardian of human dignity, human rights reserves the right to defend her people. In a retaliation to Pakistans barbaric Pahalgam terror attacks, India is carrying out targetted attacks inside Pakistan where the ISIs national assets of extremist groups are dwelling, receiving training, operating under the supervision and full support of its military and deep states, Mir Yar Baloch stated.

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Today it is the moral obligation of the entire world to firmly stand with India and acknowledge the courageous decision of the Indian government which has the full mandate of its 1.4 billion Indian and overwhelming endorsement and backing of two of the houses, Mir further added.

Emphasising that India is doing absolutely what is appropriate for a durable peace and tranquility, Mir called on the global community to join Indias Operation Sindoor to give justice to those widows and innocent people who lost their loved ones.

Dear world, India is not alone, the Baloch, Pashtun, Sindh and Kashmiri people who are also the prime victims of Pakistans fundamentalist army for last more than seven decades, are appreciating Indias precise air and drone strikes against Pakistans terror infrastructure and facilitators of terror groups, he stated.

Tara Chand, former Cabinet Minister in the Government of Balochistan and the President of Baloch American Congress, also extended his support to India in its retaliatory actions against terror infrastructure in Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

Dear Prime Minister Modi Narendra Modi, I want to express my support for the recent actions taken against terrorism by entering Pakistan. However, it is important to acknowledge that Pakistan has harboured many such terrorists. Until the situation in Balochistan, which is crucial to Pakistans stability, is addressed, Pakistan will continue to pose challenges for India, Chand posted on X.

It is time to consider a strategic approach to the freedom of Balochistan, similar to how Indira Gandhi played a pivotal role in the separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. Currently, the people of Balochistan stand in solidarity with the people of India, he added.

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.

Hostilities between India and Pakistan have intensified after Pakistans military attempted to hit civilian infrastructure and military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, and some other locations with missiles and drones, all of which were neutralised by Indian armed forces.

Highlighting the hypocrisy of Pakistan, Baloch activists also exposed how Pakistan demands human rights for terrorists while denying the same to Baloch, Pashtuns, and Sindhis.

The image of a state grieving for dead terrorists while Baloch mothers search for missing sons is a painful contradiction. It exposes a brutal truth  this nation values the lives of terrorists over its own oppressed people. A nation that sheds tears for dead terrorists but stays silent on the innocent lives lost in Balochistan is a nation that has lost its humanity, said a Baloch activist.
The G7 nations on Saturday urged immediate de-escalation amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following alleged missile strikes.

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan, it said in a statement.

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Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides.

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We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution, it added.

Canada is taking up the 2025 G7 Presidency with the 2025 G7 Leaders Summit, which will be held in Kananaskis in Alberta from June 15 to 17.

Meanwhile, Indias Ministry of Defence said on Saturday in a press statement that drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, which also includes suspected armed drones.

The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

A Ministry Spokesperson said: Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces.

The Indian armed forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary.

The Ministry of Defence also urged citizens, especially in the border areas, to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities, adding that while there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval and Chiefs of all Armed Forces.
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Coinbase has agreed to acquire Dubai-based crypto options exchange Deribit in a $2.9 billion deal set to close by the end of this year, the companies announced Thursday.

The deal aims to expand Coinbases international foothold: Deribit controls roughly 85% of the global crypto options market, according to CoinDesk  and reported $1.2 trillion in trading volume last year, a 95% jump over 2023. About 20% of Coinbases revenue now originates overseas.

The acquisition breaks down to a $700 million cash offer, alongside 11 million shares of Coinbase Class A common stock. The companys shares saw a 6.6% jump in value on the market Thursday after the deal announcement.

Were excited to join forces with Coinbase to power a new era in global crypto derivatives, Deribit CEO Luuk Strijers said in a statement Thursday. As the leading crypto options platform, weve 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.

The deal ranks as the crypto spheres largest of 2025  a year already rife with several high-profile combinations. Ripple last month said it would buy prime brokerage firm Hidden Road for $1.25 billion. Kraken in March opted to acquire futures platform NinjaTrader in a deal worth $1.5 billion.

Kraken had been in talks to buy Deribit for months, CoinDesk reported. Now it appears Coinbase has won out.

The deal aims to add diversity and durability to Coinbases trading revenues, Greg Tusar, the companys vice president of institutional product, said in a blog post Thursday.

We believe crypto options are on the cusp of significant expansion, similar to the equity options boom of the 1990s, Tusar said.

Options give traders the right to buy or sell an asset at a predetermined price by a specific time but dont require them to execute the trade. That helps in hedging risks.

The crypto sphere writ large appears to be betting on the U.S. as a massive growth catalyst. Last week, for example, U.K.-based crypto lender Nexo announced its reentry in the U.S. market after two years away. The swarm for U.S. assets comes after Donald Trumps reelection as president. On the campaign trail, Trump called for the U.S. to become crypto capital of the planet and pledged that Biden-era persecution of crypto firms  largely through an aggressive enforcement campaign by the Securities and Exchange Commission  would end.


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Travel technology company "ixigo" announced that they are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, China and Azerbaijan through their portal in the backdrop of the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

Azerbaijan had strongly backed Pakistan after India targeted terrorist hubs in Pakistan and PoK through 'Operation Sindoor' while Turkey sent a naval ship to Karachi port amidst the clashes. Later, Turkish kamikaze drones were used by Islamabad to target locations across India's border states. Ankara and Beijing are the major known arms suppliers of Pakistan. It is said that China supplied around 70% of Pakistan's total arms between 2016 and 2022.

ALSO READ | How China can assist Pakistan in aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack

Enough is Enough! Blood and Bookings wont flow together. We are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, China and Azerbaijan on ixigo.  Aloke Bajpai (@alokebajpai) May 10, 2025

"Enough is Enough! Blood and Bookings wont flow together. We are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, China and Azerbaijan on ixigo," Group CEO of Ixigo Aloke Bajpai jotted on X on Saturday evening. "In solidarity with our nation, ixigo is suspending flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, Azerbaijan and China. Because when it comes to Bharat, we don't think twice. Jai Hind," Ixigo's X handle said.

ALSO READ | 'Countries fighting terrorism, radicalism quick to identify with India over Pahalgam'

Earlier, EaseMyTrip and Cox & Kings had announced similar move condemning the anti-India stance by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Cox & Kings has stalled all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Turkey.

For the love of our nation, we stand united. pic.twitter.com/GqKKzQ4as9  ixigo (@ixigo) May 10, 2025

Go Homestays on Friday had cut ties with the Turkish Airlines on similar grounds. "We are officially ending our partnership with Turkish Airlines due to their unsupportive stance towards India. Going forward, we will no longer include their flights in our international travel packages. Jai Hind," the travel brand had said.
Pakistan's propaganda machinery seems to be working full-time, circulating false claims and spreading misinformation on social media. However, PIB Fact Check team is working tirelessly to debunk falsehoods and rumours spread in a bid to evoke fear in the minds of Indians.

The latest such claim by pro-Pakistan social media is the alleged missile attack on Delhi Airport. However, PIB clarified that an old video is being falsely shared a footage of a missile strike on Delhi Airport. The fact check team said the video is actually of a gas station explosion in Yemen's Aden from August 2024 and has no connection to the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan.

Another social media post falsely claimed that the Bathinda Airfield was destroyed in Pakistani attack. However, PIB Fact Check clarified that the Bathinda Airfield is fully operational and there was no damage to any infrastructure.

PIB Fact Check has been fighting Pakistan-linked fake news spread on social media with the hashtag India Fights Propaganda. Earlier, there were false claims about explosions at Jaipur Airport. These too have been debunked. Other posts claimed that the Amritsar military base, the Srinagar airbase and the Indian Brigade Headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir were attacked. These too turned out to be false.

PIB has also warned Indians about fake Facebook accounts of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, clarifying that the NSA does not have an official Facebook account.

Another fake Whatsapp post claimed that ATMs were closed for two to three days. However, this has also been debunked by the Fact Check team of the PIB.

The Centre has warned citizens against sharing unverified information on social media and rely only on official sources from the Indian government for accurate information.
India effectively thwarted an extensive Pakistani attack on the intervening night of May 9-10 that comprised armed drones, long-range weapons, including several high-speed missiles, loitering munitions and fighter aircraft, ostensibly part of Operation Bunyan al-Marsous (Iron Wall) that Islamabad announced on Friday.

In a restrained retaliation focused on minimising collateral damage, the Indian forces hit important military installations including technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian using air-launched precision weapons from fighter aircraft.

Pakistans military installations and airbases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Pasrur and Sialkot and Chunian are understood to have suffered sufficient damage.

The Pakistani attack came in two wavesone from about 1 am-2 am and the other from about 4am-5 amas an indiscriminate attack took place targeting 26 locations including Indian military installations and civilian infrastructure in a sweep of area from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat.

But these waves of attacks were effectively thwarted by an alert air defence system that used both kinetic and non-kinetic weapons to neutralise the offensive. The main weapons used were shoulder-launched Man-Portable Air Defence Systems, ZU23 and L70 guns.

However, the attacks caused limited damage at Indian Air Force stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj while civilian infrastructure was damaged in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur.

Of significance is the fact that the Pakistani army has begun mobilising.

Addressing a press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said: Pak military has been observed to be moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian Armed Forces remain in a high state of operational readiness.

A military source told THE WEEK: We have the Pakistan militarys movements under observation all the time. These are out of the ordinary movements of men and material. But we are totally prepared.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a meeting at his residence with defence minister Rajnath Singh and the three service chiefs.

In what it lacked or was unable to effect on the war fighting front, Islamabad unleashed a massive disinformation campaign.

Urging all not to be misled by the propaganda being peddled by Pakistan, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said: The claim about the Air Force Station in Sirsa being destroyed, completely false The claim about the Air Force Station in Surat being destroyed, completely false again. There is a claim that has been made that the S-400 base at Adampur was destroyed, completely false, once again.

Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems, etc. being attacked and destroyed, completely false.

More details are expected at a press briefing to be held in the evening.
At a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, the announcement of a new film named Operation Sindoor has sparked significant controversy.

Directed by Uttam Maheshwari and produced by Nicky Vicky Bhagnani Films and The Content Engineer, the movie aims to represent Indias historic Operation Sindoor, barely a few weeks since it took place.

The backlash began with the release of the films poster, which features a female soldier applying sindoor (vermilion) on her forehead while holding a gun in her other hand, with a backdrop of a war scene. Social media users criticised the announcement's timing and imagery, accusing the filmmakers of exploiting such an incident for commercial gain.

Netizens were quick to attack to the now-deleted post in large numbers. One user replied:  Bhai tum ko sharam nahi aati kya, country main kya chalu tum film ke piche pade ho (Are you not embarrassed? Despite what's happening in the country, you're only interested in your film). Another one wondered: This is a joke right?

In response to the backlash, Uttam Maheshwari issued a public apology on his Instagram, stating that the film was not for fame and monetisation, but was born out of deep respect and love for our nation.

ALSO READ | Rajkummar Rao-starrer Bhool Chuk Maaf to skip theatrical release amid India-Pak tensions

In his post, Maheshwari says: As a film-maker, I was moved by the courage, sacrifice, and strength of our soldiers and leadership, and simply wished to bring this powerful story to light. He also expressed deep regret for any offence caused due to the announcement, and even thanked the Indian Army and Prime Minister Modi for working hard day and night.

Although an apology was posted by Maheshwari, he was still seen to be promoting his film through Instagram and other social media platforms by reposting the mentions, stories and posts.

This incident also highlights the ongoing debate over commercialising national events and tragedies in Indian cinema. Recently, Bollywood was also accused of registering several titles similar to the mission, which was mostly seen as an opportunity for a cash grab.

Films like 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' have been successful in showcasing military operations, but the line between patriotic storytelling and exploitation is still very narrow.
A simple selfie can now be analysed and can give you information about the individual's chances of surviving cancer. Here's how that is made possible.

A team of researchers from Mass General Brigham, a non-profit research group in the United States, used artificial intelligence (AI) to come to this conclusion.

In a study published in Lancet Digital Health, the researchers mentioned how with the use of AI, a person's photo can be analysed and predictions can be made about their chances of surviving cancer.

FaceAge, a deep learning system is the AI tool that is being put to use to estimate the biological age. This can be done through a simple selfie.

As per the study, the biological age of a person is being used as a factor to determine the individual's chances of surviving cancer. Looking older was correlated with worse overall survival. As per the findings, it was found that on average, patients with cancer looked older than their chronological age. The study also mentioned that the FaceAge tool can improve physicians survival predictions in patients with incurable cancer receiving palliative treatments highlighting the clinical use of the algorithm to support end-of-life decision making.

According to a report by The Telegraph, academics showed how the tool assessed the biological age of Hollywood actors Paul Rudd and Wilford Brimley based on pictures of them when they were 50 years old. Mr Rudd's age was calculated to be 42.6 while Mr Brimley, who died in 2020, was assessed to have a biological age of 69.

Suggesting the use of deep learning models like the use of FaceAge tool to effectively enhance the survival prediction in patients with cancer, researchers also mention that further research and testing, especially in large cohorts are needed to verify the findings.
India will consider any future act of terror as an act of war against the country and vowed to respond accordingly, according top government sources.

India's warning for Pakistan came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the three service chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan attended the meeting. They reviewed the security situation and decided on the future course of action.

This comes as Pakistan on Saturday said it will consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks.

#WATCH | Jammu: Loitering munition fired by Pakistan was destroyed by the bomb disposal squad of security forces and NSG (National Security Guard). This drone was found in a village near Jammu. pic.twitter.com/jSj1eKroSy  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

"Pakistan will consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks. However, if India launches any further strikes, our response will follow," said Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar while speaking to Geo News. This statement came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to him.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to avenge the killings of 26 innocent civilians in Pahalgam on April 22. On the night of May 6-7, Indian armed forces destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Following this, several terrorists were killed, including Hafiz Muhammed Jameel and Mohammed Yusuf Azhar, the brothers-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar.

Other terrorists killed by Indian airstrikes include Mudassar Khadian Khas, Khalid alias Abu Akasha, and Mohammad Hassan Khan. Among these, Mudassar's funeral was attended by top Pakistani military officials. Floral tributes were sent on behalf of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif.

Mohammad Hassan Khan's funeral was attended by top military officials and the Faisalabad deputy commissioner. This blatant political and military support for terrorists in Pakistan has often been exposed by India in the past and have become more evident in the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
The External Affairs Ministry has confirmed the ceasefire violation by Pakistan on Saturday night and said the armed forces have been given instruction to take strict action to deal with it.

Foreign secretary Vikram Misry in a video briefing said Pakistan should understand the situation properly and take appropriate action immediately to stop this intrusion.

"An understanding was reached this evening between the DGMOs of India and Pakistan to stop the military action that was going on for the last few days. For the last few hours, this understanding is being violated by Pakistan. The Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with this border intrusion. This intrusion is extremely condemnable and Pakistan is responsible for it, he said.

Misry further stated that the armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation and have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the borders.

India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire, reportedly brokered by the United States, on Saturday evening after days of military escalation triggered by a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.

New Delhi alleged involvement of Pakistan-based terror groups in the attack and took a slew of diplomatic punitive measures against Islamabad before launching a military operation against the terrorist infrastructures in the neighbouring country in the wee hours of Wednesday.

India claimed to have neutralised scores of terrorists in the operation, named as Operation Sindoora, even as it brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of a war.
By Tom Sims and Frank Siebelt

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Commerzbank, fending off a possible takeover by Italy's UniCredit, said on Friday that net profit rose nearly 12% in the first quarter, beating expectations despite strong headwinds for the German economy.

The earnings set the stage for an annual shareholder meeting next week when Commerzbank management will seek investor backing for a continued standalone strategy.

Commerzbank's results were helped by stronger than expected interest and commission income, and by lower than expected provisions for bad loans.

The lender posted net profit of 834 million euros ($936 million) in the quarter, above a consensus forecast of 698 million euros in a poll published by Commerzbank. Net profit stood at 747 million euros in the prior-year period.

"We achieved the highest quarterly profit since 2011, demonstrating that we can grow even in economically challenging times," Commerzbank CEO Bettina Orlopp said in a statement.

Shares were up 2.5% in midmorning trade.

UniCredit, with a stake of nearly 10%, is Commerzbank's second-largest shareholder after the German government. It began a push for a potential pan-European bank merger last year, leaving Germany's corporate and political establishment shocked.

The interest swiftly sparked concern among employees as well as Commerzbank management and top German government officials.

"We focus on our own standalone strategy," Orlopp told analysts as she briefed them on the earnings.

HEADWINDS

UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel's pursuit of Commerzbank has become a test of Germany's resolve to fend off foreign suitors and prevent its financial centre in Frankfurt from losing one of the few remaining big commercial banks.

The German economy has been stagnating, but bankers and executives hope that a spending push by newly-installed Chancellor Friedrich Merz will help support a revival.

Commerzbank warned in a presentation on Friday that increased U.S. tariffs "are making it more difficult for German companies to access their most important export market".

The nation's central banker has warned that Germany faces a possible slight recession in 2025, which could weigh on banks' profit and lead to loan defaults by corporate clients.

Earlier this week, Germany's financial regulator BaFin said uncertainty would remain high.

Orcel has said he would wait until a new German government was in place before further action. He said the bank may need to wait until 2027 to make a final decision.

Last month, UniCredit secured German antitrust authorities' approval for a stake of just under 30% of Commerzbank. It followed a similar green light by the European Central Bank earlier this year.
Even as both India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after days of military escalation, New Delhi has reportedly maintained that the truce is conditional and there is no change in its stand on the diplomatic measures taken against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty.

India suspended the decades-old treaty, that allows Pakistan to use around 80% of the water from the Indus river system, a day after the terrorist strike in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed.

Soon after the ceasefire deal was announced by the Ministry of External Affairs, NDTV quoted a source as saying that there is no change in India's position on the diplomatic measures against Pakistan.

Besides placing the water treaty in abeyance, India had also taken a slew of punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of bilateral trade and downgrading of diplomatic ties after the terrorist attack on April 22.

New Delhi also closed the land border crossing at Attari and suspended the short-term visas issued to Pakistani nationals.

#WATCH | Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "Pakistan's Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air pic.twitter.com/k3xTTJ9Zxu  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

On Wednesday, India launched a military operation against the terrorist groups in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, triggering a military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Tensions mounted in the border areas after Pakistan fired hundreds of drones at the Indian side on the nights of May 7 and May 8. Indian Army claimed to have neutralised every threat from the Pakistani side and responded effectively.
The conflict between the West Bengal government and Governor C.V. Ananda Bose continues over the appointment of university vice-chancellors (VCs). A division bench of the Supreme Court led by Justice Surya Kant heard the matter on Friday.

During the hearing, a report by the search-cum-selection committee, led by former Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit, was submitted. Last year, the apex court had directed for the formation of a committee for the appointment of VCs in West Bengal universities.

The committee was tasked with shortlisting names and sending them to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who would then forward her chosen names to the Governor for approval. In case of disagreement, the Supreme Court would intervene.

The Supreme Court on Friday stated that further directions will be issued after reviewing the contents of the report with the next hearing in the case scheduled for May 15.

In a previous hearing on Thursday, the state government, represented by senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, urged for an expedited conclusion to the appointment process.

He informed the Supreme Court bench that out of 36 universities, 17 are still without VCs. Among the institutions operating without a VC include the University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, Rabindra Bharati University, and the University of North Bengal.

In response, Attorney-General R. Venkataramani, representing Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, stated that there are certain complexities involved, which they wish to present to the court in a sealed envelope.

They provided, in a sealed envelope, the reasons behind the rejection of the West Bengal governments recommendations for appointing Vice-Chancellors in 17 universities.

Subsequently, the court advised that since the names were initially shortlisted by the Justice Lalit-led committee, the sealed document be also sent to the former CJI. The court said it would like Justice Lalit to scrutinise it.
India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 pm on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has announced.

The truce, reportedly brokered by the United States, came after the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of both countries talked this afternoon. The next phase of talks will be held on May 12 at 12 pm.

Misry said Pakistan's Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 3.35 pm this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding.

#WATCH | Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "Pakistan's Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air pic.twitter.com/k3xTTJ9Zxu  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

Confirming the developments, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and that the country will continue to do so.

India and Pakistan have worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action, he tweeted.

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.



India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

The nuclear armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire four days after New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, a military strike against the terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the massacre of tourists in Pahalgam on April 22.

The MEA announcement came shortly after US President Donald Trump claimed on social media that both New Delhi and Islamabad had agreed to immediate ceasefire following talks mediated by the United States.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!, Trump tweeted.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also tweeted: Over the past 48 hours, JD Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisers Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.

The active involvement of the US to bring about a ceasefire between the two warring nations has underlined the importance and enhanced the heft of the US in the South Asia region.

With inputs from Sanjib Kr Baruah
The Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math (RKM) has backed the Indian Armys Operation Sindoor, launched in the aftermath of the killing of 26 Hindu tourists in Kashmir. Swami Suvirananda, the general secretary of RKM, said that the ongoing military operation is the war of common people.

"Anyone who tries to harm Mother India will be met with a strong response from us, her children," he said during an event organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Friday at Belur Math, the headquarters of Swami Vivekananda-founded RKM.

This is the India of Vivekananda and Ramakrishna. From the very dawn of civilisation, this land has been home to countless sages and seers. If anyone dares to harm even the slightest part of India, the nation will not remain silent. It will strike back, he said.

Swami Suvirananda described 'Operation Sindoor' as not only spiritually justified but also aligned with scriptural principles, calling it a battle of good versus evil, a fight for righteousness over injustice, and a clash of civilisation against barbarism.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, cited the RKM general secretarys statement to criticise an upcoming rally in Kolkata on May 12, organised by intellectuals and civil society members advocating for de-escalation and peace between India and Pakistan.

Sharing a video of Swami Suviranandas address on his official social media platforms, he wrote, This '#NoToWar, YesToPeace' brigade seems to forget a fundamental truth that India has never been the aggressor, but we reserve every right to defend ourselves.

He referred to these activists as "armchair theorists" and accused them of selective outrage, alleging that they dont protest against provocations from Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and extremist factions like Maoists and Naxalites.

This criticism came just a day after the leader of the opposition targeted the CPI(M), claiming the party failed to condemn Pakistan and instead ridiculed Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the announcement of mock military drills by the central government.

They didnt hold a single protest against Pakistan. Instead, they chose to mock the Prime Minister online. Since Operation Sindoor, theyve gone completely quiet, LoP Adhikari told reporters outside the West Bengal Assembly on Friday.
A supplement company sued YouTubers and Instagram influencers, alleging defamation and trademark misuse over critical reviews of its protein powder. The company claimed that terms like ghatiya and sarcastic remarks like Doctor Has No Choice damaged its brand and sales, seeking an injunction.

However, the Delhi High Court rejected the plea, affirming influencers rights to fair critique, as long as they are backed by facts. The ruling clarified that brands could not silence honest commentary, and trademark claims dont apply when names are used for reviews, instead of profit. This protects influencers freedom to speak truthfully, balancing brand reputation with consumer awareness.

The case is between San Nutrition Pvt. Ltd. (the plaintiff), who has filed a suit seeking a permanent injunction against several social media influencers who had posted videos on YouTube and/or Instagram about the company and one of its products. The plaintiff alleged trademark infringement, defamation, disparagement, and unfair trade practices.

However, Justice Amit Bansal ruled that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate that the defendants defences of truth and fair comment were clearly false or untenable at trial.

ALSO READ | Media scrutiny necessary in democracy: SC overturns Delhi HC order to remove Wiki page about ANIs case

The high court also found that the plaintiff did not establish a case of disparagement, as the videos in question could not be deemed false, misleading, or maliciously intended to harm the plaintiff.

The High Court rejected San Nutritions plea for an interim injunction, refusing to force the influencers to remove their videos and noted that the lab reports were from accredited labs, and San Nutrition failed to provide any evidence to dispute their findings.

The plaintiff has not placed any material in justification of the claims made by it on the label, the order read, holding the company accountable for its products accuracy, even if manufacturing was outsourced.

The High Court further said: The word ghatiya simply meant substandard and was an exaggeration, not defamation. The satirical Doctor Has No Choice jab? Protected as free speech, not a malicious attack.

The court also rejected the trademark infringement claim. Justice Bansal explained that simply mentioning a brand name in a review doesnt break the Trade Marks Act, 1999unless it's done to mislead people or make money unfairly. In this case, the influencers werent pretending to sell San Nutritions products or using the name for profit: they were just sharing information.

Justice Bansal also pointed out that influencers serve a dual purpose, they not only set trends but also help protect consumers. Stopping them from sharing honest, fact-based reviews, he warned, would limit their right to free speech and keep the public from getting important health information.
The Karnataka cabinet is yet to arrive at a consensus on the contentious socio-economic and educational survey, as only 11 ministers gave their opinion in writing on the report submitted by the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, while 21 ministers have sought more time to study the report.

The report, also referred to as Caste census, has divided the ruling Congress after the ministers and leaders from the politically dominant communities, especially Vokkaliga and Lingayat, had opposed the report stating their communities were undercounted. The chief minister has deferred the discussion on the report to the next meeting (May 15) and asked the ministers to come prepared with their opinions.

Some ministers had sought a detailed version of the report as only a concise report had been given to them on April 11. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, while addressing a press briefing, said, Additional information like taluk-wise data has been given to the ministers and the chief minister has asked the district in-charge ministers to give their opinions in writing.

It may be recalled that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had called for greater representation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) based on their population, besides the SC and ST communities, by endorsing the slogan 'Jitni abadi utna Haq' (Rights proportionate to the population) during the Lok Sabha polls last year. Taking a cue from the party leadership, the Congress-ruled states Telangana and now Karnataka have tabled the surveys.

In Karnataka, the politically dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities have been opposing the survey citing flaws in enumeration and lack of reliable data in the absence of a national Census (after 2011).

Siddaramaiah, who holds sway over the Ahinda (minorities, backward classes and Dalit) voters is being accused of playing a political game through the survey, to consolidate his votebank at the expense of the dominant communities.

In 2015, during Siddaramaiahs first stint as the chief minister (2013-2018), he commissioned a study of the socio-economic and educational status of the various social groups (referred to as the caste survey). Accordingly, the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (H. Kantharaju Commission) prepared a report spending Rs 169 crore.

While the report was ready by 2016, it was put in cold storage by subsequent governments fearing a backlash from politically dominant and numerically strong communities  the Vokkaliga and Lingayat. Again in 2020, the Bharatiya Janata Party government appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as the Commission chief, but the report was not made public. Hegde submitted the final report to the Siddaramaiah government on February 29, 2024, where he recommended reservation in education and public employment and targeted intervention to empower the backward communities.

The Vokkaligara Sangha and the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, which represent the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, are opposed to the caste census. The two communities believed to be numerically strong (Lingayat  17 per cent of the total population and Vokkaliga  12 per cent) have been wielding immense political power. At least 16 of the 23 chief ministers of Karnataka belong to these two caste groups. The community leaders, cutting across party lines, feel that the census, by undercounting their numbers, might curtail their political representation both within and outside the party.
Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India launched precision strikes targeting critical military infrastructure in Pakistan during the early hours of Saturday. Saying the armed forces are in high state of operational readiness, Singh reiterated that the Indian armed forces are committed to non-escalation, "provided the Pakistan side reciprocates."

Addressing a media briefing regarding recent developments of Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India launched precision strikes targeting critical infrastructure, radar sites and weapon storage areas during the early hours of Saturday. Singh added Pakistan military targets at various places, including Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan and Sukkur were engaged using air-borne precision weapons launched from Indian fighter aircraft. Singh added the strikes were carried out ensuring minimum collateral damage.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh added that there were limited damages to equipment and personnel in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj. However, she debunked Pakistan's claims of damaging critical infrastructure, including S-400 systems 'completely false'. She also showed time-stamped pictures of Air Force bases claimed to be critically damaged by Pakistan.

Addressing the briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said, "Pakistan targeted hospitals and school premises at air bases at Srinagar, Awantipur and Udhampur. This once again revealed their irresponsible tendency of attacking civil infrastructure." She added Pakistan used high-speed missiles at 1.40am to target Punjab's air base.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistani actions have constituted provocations and escalations. "In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side," Misri stressed. Misri added that a repeat of this provocative pattern was seen on Saturday morning. The foreign secretary added Pakistan's attempts to sow discord among Indian communities will fail.
Multiple blasts were reported in Srinagar and Pathankot, Punjab, during the early hours of Saturday as India reportedly launched precision strikes targeting at least three Pakistani air bases. In retaliation, Pakistan has closed its airspace till 12 noon and has launched 'Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos' targeting Indian military assets, Al Jazeera reported.

Similarly, explosions were heard in Punjab's Pathankot during the early hours of Saturday. A blackout was enforced in Pathankot and residents were advised to stay indoors.

VIDEO | India-Pakistan tensions: "It seemed like a very heavy object had fallen. When I came out, there was smoke everywhere. It took 15 minutes for the smoke to settle," says a local after a reported attack by Pakistan in Rehari, Jammu.



(Full video available on PTI Videos - pic.twitter.com/UUbEcS4Com  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 10, 2025

The blasts in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab come after India launched air strikes targeting Pakistani military establishments in retaliation for Pakistani drone strikes on Friday night. Indian troops thwarted Pakistani drone strikes targeting locations in India for the second day. Pakistan launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in Indiafrom Jammu and Kashmir to Gujaratfor the second night on Friday.

Blasts have been reported at multiple places in Karachi. The explosions were heard near Shahra-e-Faisal in Karachi, where key Pakistani government offices are located, BBC Urdu reported.

Pakistan launched 'Operation Bunyan Marsoos' after dawn prayers on Saturday and has targeted to strike key military establishments in India. Pakistan resorted to intense shelling across the Line of Control on Saturday night. A senior Jammu and Kashmir official was killed in the shelling in Rajouri. As per reports, at least five persons were killed in shelling on Saturday night.

The defence ministry advised citizens, especially those residing in border areas, to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities.
In a tragic escalation of violence along the Line of Control (LoC), Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thappa, was killed early this morning after Pakistan resorted to heavy artillery shelling in Rajouri district.

Officials said that Thappa was critically injured during the shelling and was immediately taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed the officers death in a post on X. Two staff members were also critically injured.

#WATCH | Poonch, J&K | Residential buildings, vehicles in Poonch suffered damage after heavy cross-border shelling by Pakistan last night. pic.twitter.com/gOclLLPVKQ  ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2025

Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administrative Services. Just yesterday, he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district and had joined the online meeting I chaired, he wrote. "Today, his residence was hit by Pakistani shelling targeting Rajouri town, killing our Additional District Development Commissioner, Shri Raj Kumar Thappa. I have no words to express my shock and sadness at this terrible loss. May his soul rest in peace," Abdullah added.

In addition to the loss in Rajouri, there was heavy shelling on several areas in neighbouring Poonch district last night, including Poonch town, using long-range mortars. One civilian was killed, and five others were injured. The shelling caused extensive damage to houses and government buildings.

Reports from Poonch said a portion of the District Police Lines (DPL) in the centre of Poonch town caught fire due to the shelling and sustained damage. One shell landed near the back gate of Poonch district hospital, damaging vehicles, while a couple of shells exploded near the Betar bridge, though no damage was reported there.

In Rajouri, six civilians were also injured in the shelling. Many houses and shops were also damaged. Mendhar, Balakot, and Ajot were heavily hit. The Indian Army retaliated strongly, causing significant damage on the Pakistani side.
The Indian armed forces are continuing precision strikes against terrorist bases in Pakistan amid heightened tensions between the nations in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. The Indian Army has razed down terror bases, used to launch drones targeting Indian cities close to the Line of Control.

The Indian Army released a video on Saturday revealing how it razed down Pakistan's drone launchpads close to the Line of Control. Pakistan has been resorting to drone strikes targeting Indian cities and military bases along the Line of Control and International Forces. Indian armed forces thwarted these targeted strikes successfully.

OPERATION SINDOOR



Indian Army Pulverizes Terrorist Launchpads



As a response to Pakistan's misadventures of attempted drone strikes on the night of 08 and 09 May 2025 in multiple cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, the #Indian Army conducted a coordinated fire assault on pic.twitter.com/2i5xa3K7uk  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 10, 2025

In a post on social media platform X, the Indian Army said, "In a response to Pakistan's misadventures of attempted drone strikes on the night of 08 and 09 May, 2025 in multiple cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, the #Indian Army conducted a coordinated fire assault on terrorist launchpads, pulverizing & razing them to cinders."

Army said the terror bases close to LoC were a hub for executing strikes against India. "The terrorist launchpads, located close to the Line of Control, were a hub for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces in the past. The Indian Army's swift and decisive action has dealt a significant blow to terrorist infrastructure and capabilities."

The India Army on Friday night thwarted drone strikes launched by Pakistan targeting 26 locations along the western border, from Gujarat to Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan also resorted to intense artillery shelling across LoC, resulting in the death of five civilians, including a key Jammu and Kashmir government official.

The defence ministry advised citizens, especially those living in border areas, to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities.
Costco is set to open at least three more locations this year, with two of them overseas.

The wholesale warehouse giant has cultivated a fervent following of 140 million card-carrying members around the globe by all-but-perfecting the art of impulse buying.

Costco's strategy is to attempt to open 25-30 new locations each year, typically with half of them in the U.S. and the other half in international markets, chief financial officer Gary Millerchip said in March.

The Issaquah, Washington-based company operates 905 warehouses around the world and 624 in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Here's where Costco is set to open warehouses next.

Where is Costco set to open stores?

Costco lists three locations with future opening dates on its "Coming Soon" page.

The company's website says warehouses will open in:

Pyeongtaek, South Korea in June 2025

Malmo, Sweeden in July 2025

Midland, Texas in July of 2025

The company declined to provide details on the locations when USA TODAY reached out for comment.

Where has Costco opened stores recently?

Costco opened a spate of stores in March. Those locations were:

The company followed that by opening the following locations in April:

CEO Ron Vachris said prior to the California openings that the company has "big plans for the rest of the fiscal year," which ends Aug. 31.

Contributing: Mike Snider

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Costco to open 3 new warehouses: Here's where
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated to unprecedented levels following the recent terrorist attack. Since the tragic April 22 assault in Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, daily exchanges of gunfire along the Line of Control have further deepened the crisis.

Chinas response to the incident has been notably measured. Initially, Beijing extended its sincere sympathies and denounced the violence, though it refrained from explicitly naming Pakistan. Subsequently, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun underscored Beijings stance, stating, China hopes that India and Pakistan will exercise restraint, work in the same direction, handle relevant differences properly through dialogue and consultation, and jointly uphold peace and stability in the region.

China and Pakistan have maintained an enduring partnership, often referring to each other as all-weather friends. Their alliance is rooted in shared strategic objectives, primarily aimed at counterbalancing Indian influence and fostering economic cooperationmost notably through ambitious projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). With Beijings military and economic backing, Pakistan has bolstered its defence capabilities, enhancing its arsenal with advanced military technology. Additionally, Chinese investments in Pakistans infrastructure, and its military presence in Gilgit-Baltistan, have cemented Beijings foothold in the region, reinforcing its strategic influence.

This unwavering alliance continues to shape the delicate and conflict-ridden geopolitical triangle between India, Pakistan, and China. Jammu and Kashmirlong a flashpoint between India and Pakistangains even greater geopolitical weight due to its proximity to Chinas western border.

China has consistently shielded Pakistan at the United Nations (UN), obstructing India's efforts to hold Islamabad accountable for terrorism. It blocked India's attempts to list LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar as global terrorists under the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee. Despite overwhelming evidence linking these individuals to terror attacks in Indiaincluding the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2019 Pulwama bombingChina has stalled or outright vetoed proposals, citing the need for "further verification" or "technical holds."

Following the Pahalgam attack, Beijing in close coordination with Islamabad actively backed the "false flag" narrative at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which is being repeatedly peddled by Pakistan. Unlike the strong wording used after the Pulwama attack, the Pahalgam resolution omitted references to Pakistan-based terror outfits.

The tense situation with India has led to increased diplomatic engagement between China and Pakistan. On April 27, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi to apprise him of the escalating tensions. Wang reiterated Pakistans position advocating for an impartial investigation into the attack. Reaffirming Beijings steadfast alliance, Wang declared that China fully understands Pakistans security concerns and remains committed to supporting its sovereignty.

A day later, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, while replying to a question, said China welcomes all measures to "cool down" the current situation between India and Pakistan, including a "swift and fair investigation" into the terror attack.

On May 3, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad to discuss the deteriorating situation. Sharif expressed gratitude for Beijings unwavering support, as China issued a statement endorsing Pakistans "legitimate security concerns" while urging both nations to exercise restraint.

During his meeting with Sharif, Ambassador Zaidong acknowledged Pakistans detailed presentation of its stance on the incident and reaffirmed Chinas commitment to standing by Pakistan.

Chinese diplomatic engagement intensified further when on May 5 Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong met with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad to discuss the ongoing crisis.

Following Ambassador Jiang Zaidongs meeting with President Asif Zardari, cautioning against any military aggression toward Pakistan, Chinese strategist and former diplomat Victor Gao said, China and Pakistan are all-weather, ironclad allies. This alliance should never be underestimated. Whenever Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity are threatened, China will stand firmly by its side, offering unwavering support and assistance. Chinas commitment to defending Pakistans sovereignty is absolute.

As the Indian government continues its pursuit of those responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, a sophisticated network involving banned Chinese technology and alleged Pakistani complicity has been exposed. Investigations into the Pahalgam terror attack have uncovered the use of banned Chinese technology, including Huawei satellite phones and encrypted messaging applications, in the Pahalgam region at the time of the attack, which allowed the attackers to coordinate their movements while evading Indian surveillance. Huawei and ZTE, both Chinese telecom vendors, are barred from India's 5G networks, and Indian telecom companies have largely excluded them from their infrastructure due to security risks.

Intelligence indicated that the terrorists used Chinese-manufactured Ultra Sets, sophisticated hybrid communication devices employed by Pakistans military and its non-state proxies. These devices operate via radio frequencies and satellite relays, making them difficult to detect using conventional Indian surveillance systems. Messages sent through these systems are encrypted, compressed, and routed via Chinese satellites to servers in Pakistan, bypassing traditional GSM and CDMA interception methods. The presence of Chinese-origin technology in cross-border terrorism has raised concerns about Beijings indirect role in facilitating militant operations.

The strategic interplay between India, Pakistan, and China forms a deeply entangled geopolitical triangle, where shifting alliances and expanding regional influence significantly impact South Asias security and stability. Beijings close ties with Islamabad, coupled with its assertive regional presence, continue to reshape the delicate balance of power in the region.

Tensions between India and China have deepened due to Beijings support for Pakistans stance on Kashmir. The intricate web of strategic ties between India and Pakistan, coupled with Chinas growing influence, forms a complex triangular dynamic that profoundly shapes South Asias security and stability.

Regarding the Indian Air Force's airstrikes conducted on May 7 in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Chinas Foreign Ministry expressed its dismay, calling the military operation regrettable. Emphasising its concern over the evolving situation, the China's Foreign Ministry statement reads, 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.

China has responded to Pakistan's claims of using Chinese J-10 fighter jets against India by stating that they are "not familiar with the matter". Meanwhile, there are some videos online that appear to be Chinese parody songs trolling India over the fake news of Pakistan shooting down a Rafale fighter.

The geopolitical triangle encompassing India, Pakistan, and China is among the most consequential in the region. The proximity of these three nuclear-armed nations heightens the risk that any military standoff could escalate into a broader conflict, raising the possibility of India facing a two-front war against a Sino-Pakistani military alliance. Additionally, Chinas perception of the US containment effortsincluding Washingtons strategic partnership with Indiafurther complicates this dynamic. Pakistan has a vested interest in navigating the tensions between China and India, as its strategic alignment with Beijing serves multiple geopolitical objectives.

(Vaishali Basu Sharma is a security and economic affairs analyst)

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.
As wreath-laying ceremonies were carried out for Hafiz Muhammed Jameel and Mohammed Yusuf Azhar, brothers-in-law of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief and terror mastermind Maulana Masood Azhar, there was visible distress within the terror machinery operating from Pakistan, counter-terror officials said. The Indian strike on Jaish top brass was actually a blow to the Pakistani spy agency, ISI.

Azhar's sister, Sadeya Bibi, is married to Yusuf Azhar, the JeM commander at the Jaish camp killed in Operation Sindoor. "The Pakistan 'state and non-state' actors have been hit hard, which is why there is a flutter and visible discomfort in the Pakistan military, which is responding to the counterterror operations," said a senior security official.

The JeM is a family-controlled group, and the ISI has kept it like that, said a counter-terrorism official, because if there are strong ideological leaders who are independent, they can go rogue. But when family members are involved, the leaders are automatically reined in, said the official.

The control to the family members of Jaish was spread out to relatives like Jameel and Azhar especially after Pakistan informed the Financial Action Task Force that the JeM founder was missing and seven out of the sixteen other UN-designated terrorists in Pakistan were dead. With the FATF crackdown looming large on Pakistan, the JeM was forced to create several verticals with Masood Azhar nominally out of the picture owing to the international pressure. The FATF action against Pakistan could not be prevented, as Pakistan continued to be on the grey list and was warned of stern action if it did not check the flow of money to terror groups.

While Azhar continued to shuttle between the JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi, where he was allegedly living in an ISI safe house, his younger brothers Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar and Talha Saif were made the JeM chief and the overall in-charge of operations, respectively.

The international pressure and FATF action had no impact on the ISIs terror machinery, said officials. In fact, intelligence sources said the ISI even had some meetings with Asghar, where he was told that the spy agency had convinced the Pakistan government to gradually ease the restrictions on the JeM.

Azhar's elder brother, Mohammed Tahir Anwar, is in charge of arms training, and Mohammed Ibrahim Azhar, another brother, is in charge of Afghanistan operations. The youngest brother, Mohammed Ammar, is in charge of propaganda.
The announcement of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan has generated hope for the restoration of normalcy among people living along the Line of Control (Loc) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Escalating tensions had displaced hundreds of villagers from the LoC and the IB and left 15 people dead13 in Poonch, two in Rajouri, including an Additional District Development Commission, Raj Kumar Thappa and one in Uri in Baramulla.

The shelling by Pakistan this time has been the heaviest in years, said Waseem Baba, a resident of Karnah tehsil in Kupwara, where multiple villages were severely hit. We seek peace and hope it lasts. People here have suffered immensely.

Muhammad Farooq, from Balkote village in Urione of the closest habitations to the LoCsaid his family had to be shifted to a government-arranged relief camp due to the worsening situation. I hope they return home soon, he said

In Srinagar, the sense of anxiety had spread beyond the borders. The airport was under high alert, and Hajj pilgrims were worried about delays or cancellations, said Bashir Ahmed, a businessman. The ceasefire news is welcome as it brings hope for stability.

Brokered with US diplomatic intervention, the ceasefire has paused a dangerous cycle of retaliation that was spiralling into broader conflict. With the guns falling silent for now, residents along the LoC and IB are beginning to return home, although the trauma and damage of the past week will take much longer to heal.

Tensions had sharply escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by militants.

India blamed the Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a Lashkar-e-Toiba affiliate, and pointed fingers at Pakistan for sheltering the group.

Islamabad denied its involvement and called for an international probe, which India rejected.

In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to avenge the killings.

On May 7, the Indian Air Force launched airstrikes on nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under "Operation Sindoor," claiming to have destroyed terror infrastructure.

Pakistan retaliated with drone and missile attacks on military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan, triggering further escalation. India hit back by targeting Pakistani military and air force bases.
An Indian Army trooper sustained minor injuries in an exchange of fire after a suspicious movement was noticed near Nagrota Military Station on Saturday night.

A search operation is underway to track down the intruder, the army's Jammu-based White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

On noticing suspicious movement near the perimeter, alert sentry at Nagrota Military Station issued a challenge, leading to a brief exchange of fire with the suspect. Sentry sustained a minor injury. Search operations are underway to track the intruder(s), it said.

#WATCH | Search operation by security forces underway in Nagrota, J&K



Firing incident was reported at an Army unit in Nagrota. As per Sentry, suspicious movement was seen, but there has been no further contact after initial engagement. Further investigations are on in the https://t.co/8lUcM3RaKw pic.twitter.com/1ivjoh8Zuz  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

Police have advised people to report any suspicious movement for proper verification. They have also warned against uploading and forwarding unverified messages about presence of terrorists on social media.

A police spokesman termed as baseless reports claiming the presence of terrorists in the R S Pura sector on the outskirts of Jammu.
Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish citizen and PhD student at Tufts University, was released from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody yesterday, ending a six-week detention that had sparked widespread protest and legal challenge. Her release came just hours after a federal judge in Vermont ordered her to be freed without monitoring or travel restrictions.

Ozturk, who studies child development, was detained by immigration authorities in March after her F-1 student visa was revoked by the Trump administration. The revocation was based on claims from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE that she had been involved in activities potentially harmful to US foreign policy. These allegations included co-authoring an opinion piece that sympathised with a campus organisation later temporarily banned. According to a State Department memo, her visa was cancelled immediately following a review by the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

The opinion piece, published in a student newspaper in 2023, criticised Tufts Universitys response to the war in Gaza. Ozturks detention followed her involvement in pro-Palestinian activism and was part of a broader crackdown on international students participating in such protests. Similar actions had previously targeted other scholars, such as Mahmoud Khalil and Badar Khan Suri.

A dramatic video of Ozturks arrest on March 25 showed armed officers detaining her near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts. The footage, widely circulated online, drew outrage and intensified scrutiny of the administrations approach. After being taken into custody, she was moved across multiple states and eventually held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile. Her lawyers reported she suffered repeated asthma attacks during detention and did not receive adequate medical care.

The American Civil Liberties Union and another rights group, CLEAR (Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility), led Ozturks legal challenge by filing a habeas corpus petition in Vermont. They argued that she was targeted for her political views, clearly violating constitutionally protected freedom of speech.

Ozturk has not been charged with any crime, and during the court proceedings, federal authorities failed to present concrete evidence linking her to any banned activities or organisations.

US District Judge William K. Sessions III presided over a lengthy hearing in which Ozturk and several witnesses testified. The judge stated that she had raised substantial claims related to constitutional violations and pointed out that, apart from the newspaper article, no evidence had been submitted to justify her detention. He also acknowledged that her health had worsened due to incarceration, particularly as she suffered from asthma and had experienced attacks without timely medical intervention.

Sessions ruled that Ozturk did not pose a threat to the community or a flight risk and therefore should be released on her own recognisance. He rejected attempts by ICE to impose an ankle monitor prior to her release, saying there was no justification for such a measure.

Despite the court order, ICE allegedly attempted to delay Ozturks release. However, she eventually walked free from the detention centre, greeted by a group of supporters. Her legal representatives said she was looking forward to returning to Massachusetts and resuming her academic work.

Tufts faculty also spoke in support of Ozturk, emphasising her importance to the universitys academic community. Dr Sara Johnson, her PhD adviser, testified that Ozturk played a vital role in her research group and was known for her intellectual rigour.

The judge instructed Ozturk to check in regularly with a community justice organisation in Burlington, Vermont, to support her reintegration after what he described as a traumatic experience.

Following the hearing, Ozturk expressed gratitude to her supporters and said, I am a little bit tired, so I will take some rest, but I really appreciate you being here.
Russia celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two on Friday with a major military parade that was conducted smoothly, with no interruptions from Ukraine, despite the two nations being embroiled in a devastating conflict.

The ceremony saw President Vladimir Putinthe longest serving head of the Kremlin since Joseph Stalinstand beside Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio, and numerous other high-profile faces.

Commonly called Victory Day, May 9 marks one of Russia's biggest secular festivals, conducted with immense pomp and splendour to project Moscow's status as a formidable global power, amid its ongoing conflict with Kyiv, which is well-past its third year.

Grand formations of troops at the Red Square in Moscow | RIA Novosti via AP

Its again showing that Russia is not isolated, that Russia is seen as a very legitimate victorious nation that is among victors in World War II, said Alexander Gabuev, director of Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, as per an Associated Press report.

The report added that the Soviet Union lost 27 million people in a phase of WWII that it calls the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), an enormous sacrifice that left a deep scar in the national psyche. Putin capitalised on this collective historical sentiment, attempting to encourage national unity at a time when the country's conflict with Ukraine openly bleeds both sides, and the West tries to prise the two apart.

ALSO READ | US-Ukraine mineral deal EXPLAINED: How it will affect Russian war and Kyiv's EU membership

People carry portraits of relatives who fought in World War II, during the Immortal Regiment march at St. Petersburg | AP

Addressing crowds at the Red Square, Putin praised the grand scale of the celebrations, with a special mention for a section of the soldiers (1,500 of them) who had fought against Ukraine, praising their spiritual force that always has brought us victory.

"We highly appreciate the contribution of the soldiers of the Allied armies, the members of the resistance, the courageous people of China, and all those who fought for a peaceful future to our common struggle," he added, more generally.

More than 11,500 troops had been organised into ranks on Red Square. The time's parade also saw Russia's dronesthe biggest technological innovation of the conflictbeing paraded for the first time, as well as tanks and intercontinental Yars missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, a Reuters report stated.

Despite the two nations attacking each other several times this week, Russia's prestigious ceremony saw no interruptions from Ukraine, which respected the 72-hour ceasefire from May 7-9, unilaterally declared by Putin last month.
India and Pakistan have agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire", US President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday evening. The White House mediated between the two rivals as discussions stretched late into the night, the US President announced on X.

Not long after the POTUS made the claim, New Delhi confirmed the development with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri telling the media that the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 15:35 hours and both sides agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea from 17:00 hours.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on X.

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.



India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

On the other side, the confirmation of the ceasefire came from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who wrote, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"

FULL REPORT | India, Pakistan agree to ceasefire after DGMO-level talks

Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit  Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 10, 2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that both countries have agreed to hold discussions at a neutral venue. US Vice President JD Vance and himself have been holding talks with both sides for the last two days, Rubio said before appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Shehbaz Sharif for "choosing the path of peace."

"Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," his post on X said.

The armed forces of Pakistan and India were engaged in an exchange of fire after India targeted nine terrorist hideouts and launchpads across Pakistan and PoK. Islamabad retaliated to the targeted Indian offensive codenamed 'Operation Sindoor' by intensified firing and shelling across LoC. Numerous Pakistani drones were brought down by India's air defence systems across border states as Pakistan escalated the situation.

DONALD TRUMP'S FULL STATEMENT:

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Pakistani Defence Minsiter Khawaja Asif said the National Command Authority was not summoned, dismissing a report by Reuters.

"No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled," the minister told ARY TV.

This comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, urging him to de-escalate the tensions with India and restore "direct communication to avoid miscalculation". He also offered help in resuming constructive talks so that future conflicts can be avoided.

Reuters had earlier cited Pakistan's military, reporting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called a meeting of the National Command Authority, a body comprising civilian and military officials who oversee decisions on country's nuclear arsenal.

This has raised the concerns of a nuclear misadventure by Pakistan, which has been heavily hit by India in the ongoing Operation Sindoor. On Saturday morning, Pakistan announced a coordinated military operation, called Operation Bunyan al-Marsus. This is in response to India's Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan had earlier fired a long-range missile targeting a key strategic area in India. However, it was intercepted by the Indian armed forces.

In retaliation, India struck key airbases in Pakistan, including Noor Khan in Rawalpindi, Murid in Chakwal and Rafiqui in Shorkot.

Rubio also spoke to Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar, urging India to communicate with Pakistani side directly and extended support for productive discussions.
Pakistan's connections to terrorism have been brought to light countless times, with the most recent being India's Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes on 70 terrorists spread across nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

With the conflict between the two nations escalating after the precision strikes, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)the media and public relations arm of the Pakistani militaryhas stepped into the spotlight more, which makes his terrorist connections all the more concerning.

Lt General Chaudhry's father happens to be Mahmood Sultan Bashir-Ud-Din, a nuclear scientist affiliated with Pakistan's nuclear programme (having been conferred the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's third-highest civilian honour, for the same), who was, however, sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for his links to terror outfits, such as Al-Qaeda.

His time at Pakistan's Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) saw him play a key role in the development of Pakistan's nuclear infrastructure, the construction of uranium enrichment plants and the construction of reactors compatible with plutonium, as per an NDTV report.

In the early 2000s, Mahmood co-founded the Ummah Tameer-e-Nau (UTN), which claimed to be an NGO operating in Afghanistan. UTN's affiliations with terror networks was discovered later, as a result of which it was also added to the UNSC's Al-Qaeda sanctions list.

ALSO READ | Pakistan minister denies Shehbaz Sharif summoned nuclear command authority after Marco Rubio talks to army chief

The UNSC sanction report for the UTN, dated April 2011, also mentions that it was during Mahmood's time with the UTN that he frequently met with 9/11 attack mastermind Osama Bin Laden, as well as Mohammed Omar Ghulam Nabi and other Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders to discuss the development of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

According to 'The Man from Pakistan: The True Story of the World's Most Dangerous Nuclear Smuggler', a work of investigative journalism by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins, Mahmooda man who believed that Pakistan's nuclear asset was the collective property of the Ummah, a term for the Islamic community across the worldhad even met Al-Qaeda in 2001, prior to the 9/11 attacks that made Osama a vicious symbol of terrorism.

Despite Mahmood's son Ahmed rising up the military ranks, rather than the scientific ranks, his role at the once-sanctioned Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO)a multidisciplinary institution involved in Pakistan's defence research and developmentas well as his speculated involvement in orchestrating Pakistan's online misinformation campaign at a time of escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations, raise serious concerns.
In response to India's ongoing Operation Sindoor avenging the deaths of innocent civilians in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, Pakistan has launched Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos.

The operation seeks to target India's strategic military installations, a mission that Pakistan has been pursuing of the past few days but in vain. India's air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed the drones and missiles sent by Paksitan over the past three days.

What is Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos?

Bunyan al-Marsoos is a verse from the Quran. The Arabic phrase translates to "a structure made of lead". It broadly means "a firm and compact structure". Al Jazeera reported that name was taken from a Quran verse that reads: "Truly Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure."

So why did Pakistan name their operation after this? It has been reported that Islamabad is trying show itself as an unbreachable wall. This also reflects Pakistan's efforts to deny India's attacks on its military installations and convince its citizens that its air defence systems are secure.

The use of Quran verse is also seen as Pakistan's efforts to gain support from Muslim-majority nations. Though Turkey has openly supported Pakistan, countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran have called for de-escalation of tensions.

In retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack carried out by Pakistan-backed terror group, The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, India destroyed nine targets in Pakistan and the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.

Days before the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan army chief Asim Munir made a speech on communal lines. "Our forefathers believed that we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life. Our religion is different. Our customs are different... That was the foundation of the Two-Nation Theory," the embattled army chief of Pakistan said back in April 16.

However, India has thwarted Pakistan's attempts to create communal tensions in the country, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri saying, "India's steadfast unity in itself is a challenge to Pakistan." He said Islamabad is seeking to give a communal colour to the ongoing tensions.
Bloomberg / Getty Images





Key Takeaways

The price of bitcoin jumped above $100,000 for the first time since early February, lifting crypto-connected stocks.

Coinbase shares rose, as did those of major bitcoin buyer Strategy and crypto miners Mara and Riot.

Bitcoin surged as President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with the U.K. and said that many more deals could be on the way, while expressing optimism about talks with China that are scheduled for this weekend.







Crypto stocks got a jolt Thursday as the price of bitcoin climbed above $100,000 for the first time since early February.

Bitcoin was at $101,000 recently, up from an overnight low around $96,000, as investors welcomed news of a trade agreement between the U.S. and U.K. and the prospect of more deals. President Donald Trump said Thursday that "many other deals" are in "serious stages of negotiations," and expressed optimism that progress would be made in talks between U.S. and Chinese officials over the weekend.

The latest developments on trade provided a boost to risk assets broadly, as U.S. stocks also surged. Investors have been looking for concrete signs of progress on trade talks amid concerns that the tariffs the Trump administration has proposed will cause economic growth to stall.

Shares of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (COIN) were up 6% in early-afternoon trading, while Strategy (MSTR), the Bitcoin buyer formerly known as MicroStrategy, added 7%. Bitcoin miners Riot Platforms (RIOT) and Mara Holdings (MARA) climbed 7% and 8%, respectively.

Bitcoin hit a record high of around $109,000 ahead of Trump's inauguration in January amid optimism that the new administration would adopt policies to benefit the crypto industry. Trump has made efforts to be seen as a pro-crypto president, including signing an executive order in March that laid the groundwork for a strategic bitcoin reserve and a broader U.S. digital asset stockpile.

However, bitcoin stumbled in recent months, along with the U.S. stock market, as concerns about the potential impact of Trump's trade policy weighed on risk appetite. With today's rally, bitcoin has risen about 33% from its early-April low of $76,000.

Read the original article on Investopedia
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed "victory" after Islamabad and New Delhi agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after days of military escalation.

In an address to the nation, Sharif said Pakistans armed forces had given a professional and effective response to the Indian side and reduced their military depots, ammo storage places and airbases to ruins.

India has already debunked the Pakistani claims, terming them as a tissue of lies. At a press briefing earlier in the day, Colonel Sophia Qureshi showed visuals indicating functional status at several Army bases, including Sirsa and Suratgarh.

Sharif alleged that India tried to challenge Pakistans territorial integrity and sovereignty and targeted innocent lives, mosques and civilian populations, a claim that was also vehemently refuted by New Delhi.

The Pakistan prime minister, in his address, thanked the military leadership and extended gratitude to Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir for his brave leadership.

He said Pakistan has given a positive response to a ceasefire in the interest of regional peace. We fully believe that the path of peaceful negotiations in line with principles of justice will be adopted to solve the distribution of water resources and all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump and countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Kingdom for their role in securing the recent ceasefire with India.

Our operation was against hatred, aggression and religious fanaticism, he said.

In an earlier post on X, Sharif thanked Trump, US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their valuable contributions for peace in South Asia.

Pakistan believes this marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region and prevented its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability, he further said.
The Houthis in Yemen fired another missile at Israel on Friday, which was Baruch Hashem successfully intercepted by the Arrow 3 missile defense system.

Following the attack, an Israeli security official told Ynet that Israel is not a party to the Houthi-US ceasefire and will continue attacking the Houthis.

Well continue striking the Houthis without any restrictions, he said. That deal doesnt bind us. Theyll pay the price.

According to the report, Israel plans on carrying out broader and more powerful strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in the coming days.

Israeli security officials also warned that Iran wont get off easy, adding that Israel is weighing possible strikes on Iranian targets.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
It's your last chance to pick up a ticket for this year's four-day Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, which is celebrating 75 years of Formula 1 World Champions with the help of British racing legend Nigel Mansell.

Only tickets for Thursday, July 10, remain on sale, though. Get them at goodwood.com.

Mansell, the 1992 F1 champion, is returning alongside fellow champs Alain Prost and Mario Andretti.

Nigel, now 71, said: 'It's been amazing to drive the Goodwood hill-climb in a number of my cars over the years and I can't wait to do it all again!'

In good company: British racing legend Nigel Mansell with the Duke of Richmond

The Duke of Richmond, above with Mansell, who hosts the festival, said: 'Nigel was more than just a legend of the sport, he was a hero  and celebrating Formula 1 without him would be unthinkable.

'He inspired a level of devotion amongst British fans the like of which we have never seen before or since.'
A succession of strategic errors and management disruptions has made BP a sitting duck for takeover.

The oil and gas giant is particularly vulnerable in that it has a departing chairman, Helge Lund, hanging on to his job and couldn't be relied upon to put up a muscular defence or hold out for a value which would properly reward shareholders.

It is vital that Dame Amanda Blanc, who is leading the search for a successor, moves swiftly. When in difficulties, companies have a right to suspend sclerotic governance procedures.

BP's spin on the green roulette wheel under the leadership of Bernard Looney, and the personal entanglements which hurried his resignation, have been disastrous.

So far, his Canadian successor Murray Auchincloss has failed to steady the ship. It is unusual for corporations to switch chairman and chief executive simultaneously. Sometimes necessity dictates.

With a market value of just 58billion, BP is vulnerable. It is a bargain of the first order given a sum-of-the-parts valuation of 120billion.

Signing off?: A break-up or sale to overseas interests of BP should not be an option

No wonder rivals such as Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Total and Middle East investors are casting their eyes over one of the FTSE 100's behemoths.

As The Mail on Sunday has reported, senior investment bankers have been touting the idea of an all-British oil major, formed by a merger of Shell and BP, since the spring.

A break-up or sale to overseas interests of BP should not be an option.

Unlike BAE Systems or Rolls-Royce, it has no golden share to protect the company.

Yet the 116-year-old UK giant, founded as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, is part of the country's commercial DNA.

Down the decades it has been a powerful political and economic force for Britain around the globe.

It also has a remarkable record on exploration and production of liquefied natural gas and oil as well as a world-class trading operation.

Moreover, having survived an existential crisis in 2010, after the disastrous explosion on the Deepwater Horizon platform in the Gulf of Mexico (now America!), the 28 per cent dip in the stock over the last year is as nothing.

It should not be forgotten how it was brought back from the near-dead by Texan Bob Dudley after former US president Barack Obama weaponised its problems for political reasons.

A look at the BP share register shows it would be a hard company to defend from overseas marauders.

BlackRock holds a chunky 9.27 per cent. Legal & General is the biggest UK holder, in seventh place with just 1.03 per cent.

That means all which stands between it and being swallowed is a Labour government that has declared war on fossil fuels, even though big oil is among the significant investors in green choices such as hydrogen.

The best defence strategy for BP is rapid-fire change at the top of the kind which has been seen at Unilever and elsewhere.

If a deal is to be done, then the least bad outcome would be a merger with Shell, even though Shell chief executive Wael Sawan publicly argues that buying back shares is a preferable strategy to creating a UK-based rival to Exxon Mobil.

But big deals are notoriously difficult to execute calmly and successfully.

A Shell deal is also risky in that the Anglo-Dutch group flirts with shifting its listing to New York.

There should be no other choice for BP but keeping it British and independent.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has authorised the first law firm providing regulated legal services using artificial intelligence.

Garfield.Law, based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, offers small and medium-sized businesses the use of an AI-powered litigation assistant to help them recover unpaid debts of up to 10,000 through the small claims courts.

Speaking to This is Money, Philip Young, co-founder of Garfield.Law, said: 'This week's decision by the SRA is very significant.

'To our knowledge, we're the first law firm in the world to provide legal services largely via tech-based solutions rather than humans.'

Garfield.Law is the 'first purely AI-based firm' the SRA has authorised to provide regulated legal services in England and Wales, it said.

The firm charges 2 for a 'polite chaser' letter, while a letter before action costs 7.50.

AI law firm: Philip Young, left, co-founded Garfield.Law with quantum physicist, Daniel Long

Young, who previously founded litigation-focused firm Cooke, Young & Keidan, said the AI-driven services Garfield.Law provides will improve access to justice, particularly for small businesses or the self-employed, and help clear court backlogs more quickly.

He said there was a major issue across the economy of small debts not being recovered. He estimated that there were around 50billion worth of smaller unpaid debts never recovered each year.

'The inspiration for Garfield.Law came from my brother-in-law, Andy, who works as a plumber and occasionally had trouble with unpaid debts being owed to him', Young told This is Money.

He added: 'Having a AI-driven law firm is, I believe, good for small business and the economy. It's hugely cheaper for clients and the services are available around the clock. The services are also available to law firms'

Young told This is Money that Garfield.Law has sparked the interest of politicians. The firm's top brass were summoned to a parliamentary committee meeting a few months ago and the firm has been in contact with the Ministry of Justice.

Young said the use of AI across law firms looks set to increase.

He added: 'There will be a lot more law firms looking for outside AI solutions they can buy in, while others will be building tools internally to give themselves a competitive advantage. The use of AI will enhance the work of a lawyer rather than replace it.'

Paul Philip, chief executive of the SRA, said: 'The first regulatory approval of an AI-based law firm is a landmark moment for legal services in this country.

'With so many people and small businesses struggling to access legal services, we cannot afford to pull up the drawbridge on innovations that could have big public benefits.

'Responsible use of AI by law firms could improve legal services, while making them easier to access and more affordable.'

He added: 'Any new law firm comes with potential risks, but the risks around an AI-driven law firm are novel.

'So we have worked closely with this firm to make sure it can meet our rules, and all the appropriate protections are in place.

'As this is likely to be the first of many AI-driven law firms, we will be monitoring progress of this new model closely, so we can both manage the risks and realise the benefits to consumers.'
The City watchdog faces a mounting backlash over its approval of Shein's listing on the stock market.

Joshua Reynolds, a member of the business and trade committee, blasted the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for allowing the Chinese fast fashion giant to float on the London Stock Exchange.

He is the latest MP to criticise regulators over the plans amid concerns about a lack of transparency from Shein about its business practices and allegations of abuse in its supply chain.

'Quite simply, Shein is not the kind of company we should be welcoming to our stock exchange,' Reynolds wrote in a letter to FCA boss Nikhil Rathi, seen by the Mail.

He said the UK has a 'proud history of standing up for human rights around the world' but allowing Shein to list would 'signal to the world that we are happy to sell out our values for the prospect of commercial success'.

Based in Singapore, Shein was founded in China and still relies on suppliers in the country to manufacture its cut-price T-shirts and dresses.

Concern: The Financial Conduct Authority faces a mounting backlash over its approval of Shein's listing on the stock market

Human rights organisations have accused the Chinese government of allowing slave labour, saying Uyghurs  a mostly Muslim ethnic group  are forced to work in cotton production.

Beijing has denied such claims and Shein insists it has 'zero tolerance' of forced labour.

The online giant was hoping for a mega 50billion float in London but has reportedly come under pressure to scale back its ambitions to around 24billion  at a time when the City is losing companies to rivals.

Rathi, who was reappointed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves for another five years last month, has been urged to encourage more companies to list in the UK.

James Alexander, chief executive of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, has said investors have 'raised concerns repeatedly about being exposed to Shein'.

He added: 'A race to the bottom on governance and standards will not help us in the long term, as it risks undermining the status of the UK as a high-quality financial centre.'
Democrats are calling on GOP leaders to discard Medicaid cuts and instead address Medicare Advantage "upcoding" to tackle federal waste. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, more than 40 lawmakers called for action against private insurers tampering with patient diagnoses to increase profits.

What Happened: The lawmakers cited reports that Medicare overpaid private insurers by $50 billion in 2024 for unverified diagnoses, as per The Hill. "Where there is widespread agreement is the need to address waste, fraud, and abuse by private, for-profit insurance companies," they wrote, referring to $83 billion in excess payments in comparison with traditional Medicare.

Dont Miss:

Why It Matters: The budget cuts sought by Republicans could harm working-class Americans who depend on welfare programs for healthcare access, according to Democrats. "Moving forward with this dangerous plan... would be a man-made disaster for the health of the nation and the economy," the letter says.

A new Congressional Budget Office analysis indicates that Republican budget proposals could remove Medicaid coverage from 2.3 to 8.6 million Americans. The plans include cutting funds to states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA. This could potentially leave 5.5 million without coverage by 2034, including 2.4 million who would lose all health insurance.

Last month, President Donald Trump said he would veto any legislation that reduces Social Security or federal health programs, emphasizing that the only reforms he supports are those addressing "waste, fraud and abuse" in Medicaid.

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This article Democrats Urge GOP To Target Medicare Advantage 'Upcoding' Instead Of Medicaid Cuts, Calling Budget Plan A 'Man-Made Disaster' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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Kansas City's favorite Democratic Party loyalist shows more than bit of heavy artillery that's TOTES not compensating for anything else.



No hate here . . . We're no jelly and have no problem admitting: It's a nice truck.

Here's Mr. Kander's social media flex in the aftermath of the flameout we reported amid a brutal winter:



"4 months have gone by, but I bought another truck and @kccustoms1 helped . . . Color scheme inspired by Royals away gray."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Jason Kander: "I love it so much!"

Take a better look via Insta . . .
On May 9, Wang Qing, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, accompanied President Bio of Sierra Leone to the inauguration ceremony of Maforki Port, which was invested in, constructed and operated by Chinese - funded enterprises. Sierra Leone's Chief Minister, Minister of Transport, Minister of Mines and others attended the ceremony.

Ambassador Wang Qing extended warm congratulations on the commissioning of Maforki Port. He stated that this represented the latest progress in implementing the outcomes of President Bio's visit to China last year. It was a successful case of China - Sierra Leone's infrastructure cooperation through an innovative model and a vivid demonstration of the win - win cooperation among all stakeholders. China was willing to work with Sierra Leone to implement the outcomes of the state visit and the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China - Africa Cooperation. Guided by the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, China would further deepen cooperation with Sierra Leone in infrastructure, mining and other fields, continuously injecting new impetus into Sierra Leone's economic and social development and the practical cooperation between the two countries.








The first step executives must take to prepare for a geopolitically and economically divided world is to conduct a company tech stack audit to assess the exposure to disruption at each layer: hardware, data, and software (models) used.

To strike that balance, multinationals should assess their exposure to geopolitical disruption by focusing on two core variables: the regional footprint of their tech operations and the layers of the tech stack that they are most reliant upon. To illustrate this balance, we analyzed the impact of geopolitical fragmentation on the GenAI tech stack of a European automotive supplier operating globally, including in China, the U.S., and the European Union.

Navigating this new, fractured global economy requires a different approach for multinational players that starts with finding a strategic balance between operational resilience and flexibility and operational efficiency. Building resilience and proactively mitigating risk through just-in-case operations can be costly, but centralized tech stacks and operations are now an important driver of enterprise risk.

This new market environment, however, has upended that assumption and elevated IT resilience from what was once an operational concern to a strategic imperative. Simply keeping up with technological change to avoid ending up as  roadkill on the information highway  is not enough anymore. Today, companies must compete and innovate while also tiptoeing around the widening geopolitical cracks of the global economy.

This is a dramatic U-turn from the longstanding prevailing corporate belief of a continued expansion of the transnational digital economy. That belief drove multinationals to centralize their tech stacks as they banked on their continued ability, for example, to dispatch top tech staff across the globe as they saw fit, and to transmit data freely across borders to benefit from their scale.

This splintering has also prompted the emergence of new geographic boundaries in the digital economy. The result is that just as technology has assumed a central role, touching nearly every aspect of a companys operations, geopolitical tensions are limiting which technologies international firms can use and how they can use them, threatening to wipe out the gains from increasing technological integration.

The recent wave of American tariffs on allies and adversaries alike has fractured the global economy to a degree we havent seen in decades. While the tariffs have, for now, only targeted goods, for multinational companies, this recent round of trade brinksmanship reflects a broader, sustained shift towards greater complexity and volatility in their global operations.

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Volatility will impact companies and their tech stack differently, and starting with an overarching assessment enables a company to develop a flexible strategy tailored to its own specific operational, geographic, and industry needs. New data localization regulation prohibiting the transfer of certain types of data outside of a country, for instance, will have a relatively small potential impact on a hypothetical construction company, even one that works in many countries, compared to its impact on a global consumer goods business, like Shein or Zara, that relies on scaling its data and analytics across markets to be successful. Identifying ones true exposure requires looking independently at each of the layers of the tech stack before considering how they interact.

Hardware and cloud platforms

Any audit should begin by examining hardware access, the foundation of the tech stack.

Microchips, as weve witnessed in recent U.S.-China trade relations, are particularly exposed to geopolitical tension because of their centrality to success in the digital economy. Restrictions affecting access to computing power can significantly impact companies that rely on GenAI models as part of their operations, especially when those models require localized data processing.

For our automotive supplier, for instance, which does not rely heavily on GenAI tools, restrictions on where it can access a specific type of chip should not be too disruptive compared to companies, like banks or online retailers, that rely on certain chips that provide the compute necessary to run models at scale to respond to customer queries.

When data localization laws force companies to run models inside specific countries, the availability of domestic cloud and hardware infrastructure may become a binding constraint. The same is true for companies that need to keep their models processing time to a minimum. To maintain low latency, they need to limit the distance between where model inference requests are made and where the inference itself is run. Even if not legally bound to run models in Africa, for example, a multinational that aims to limit latency for customer-facing, GenAI-powered interactions would want to be able to access computing power nearby. But local options may be limited, due to caps on African imports of cutting-edge chips imposed by the U.S. AI Diffusion Framework.

Most companies are heavily reliant on just a few suppliers for computing power. What happens when that power is walled off due to geography? The best mitigation strategy is to proactively build a portfolio approach to cloud platforms and on-premises computing capacity, as well as stockpiling additional chips or keeping excess computing power capacity available. In cases where thats not feasible, firms should prepare to rapidly tailor their operations and products to comply with evolving regional constraints.

Data and data platforms

Multinational boards and executives must also consider their data flows. To stay competitive, multinationals need to learn to effectively use their data at scale to fine-tune models and their applications. The scaling of data most likely involves cross-border flows, a process that is complicated by the fact that some 80% of global data is subject to transnational mobility restrictions.

But not all data is treated equally, leaving certain sectors more vulnerable to data geofencing than others. Manufacturing data, for example, is often less regulated than personal data. For our automotive supplier, manufacturing data stored locally near its production sites is likely more important to optimizing its operations and production than customer data. As a result, data flow restrictions may not be particularly problematic.

The financial sector, on the other hand, is one the most regulated industries due to the highly confidential nature of the (often personal) data it collects. In 2021, American Express and Mastercard were forbidden from onboarding new customers in India due to non-compliance with payment storage data laws. The companies were eventually allowed to resume operations after fulfilling compliance requirements, including localizing some operations in India and hiring Indian nationals. These obligations, however, had a cost: eroding synergies. Retailers and social media companies, like Amazon and Meta, that rely heavily on the scaling and use of personal data, will need to be particularly aware of the potential for increased regulatory pressure.

Multinationals of all stripes need to evaluate just how important the free flow and centralization of data is to their competitive advantage. To start this process, companies will first need to properly label and track their own data so they can respond quickly to regulatory changesa move that might seem obvious, but is easier said than done.

More importantly, firms should seriously explore ways to transform their data so as to remain compliant yet able to extract the value of cross-border aggregation and analytics. As weve argued before, this is often possible because while regulation typically targets raw data, companies can get much of the benefit of data centralization through synthetic data, model features, and embeddingsall forms of data transformation that protect confidentiality but can still hold the requisite insights.

Foundation models, fine-tuned models, and applications

Finally, multinationals must be aware of how geopolitical restrictions can directly affect access to certain foundation models and apps that their employees and customers use on a day-to-day basis. Two recent examples: OpenAIs departure from China and the ban on DeepSeek in Italy.

This is not a big concern for most businesses, thanks to the commoditization of foundation models, and the reduction of the performance gap between closed and open-source models. Most companies can effectively mitigate their exposure with strategic modularization and the use of model-agnostic platforms and applications. It is important to note, however, that this mitigation strategy may negatively impact performance in certain areas, like coding, where specific models have differentiated capabilities.

The companies that embed LLMs into their products face greater risk of disruption. In those cases, being proactive is key. For example, it has been widely reported that Apple has tailored its AI partnership strategy based on the geography being served. In China, Apple procures the AI model embedded in its iPhones from Alibaba. Elsewhere, the company uses a combination of its proprietary Apple Intelligence and OpenAIs ChatGPT.

International firms should also examine to what extent the apps they use in their operations are governed by different regulatory regimes. The EUs AI Act, for example, classifies as high-risk the use of AI systems to evaluate personal creditworthiness or to price individual life and health insurance. In the U.S., however, there is no such restriction. A financial services company would likely need different strategies for its GenAI model use in the U.S. and the EU.

The best way for companies to avoid disruptions is to use and build model-agnostic applications and prioritize a portfolio approach (including open-source models) to tailor their operations and products to regional contexts. For companies using models for specific use cases, this also means that they should identify alternatives through the creation of their own performance benchmarks.

Right-sizing the response

Multinationals must recognize the serious threat currently posed by the fracturing of the digital space, particularly to those companies that have gained a competitive edge through a centralized tech stack. The erosion of their competitive advantage due to geopolitical fragmentation will open the door for more agile, regional firms to regain market share.

In the most extreme cases, this new landscape could force multinationals to effectively become global holdings, piloting separate, geographically dispersed companies. For many others, the extent of this shift will not be as existential. A grounded, pragmatic approach is required to assess the value derived from technology, and to right-size preparedness. The assessment must be done for each individual layer of the tech stack, and across all geographies. Only then can firms formulate the right response.

Read other Fortune columns by Francois Candelon.

Francois Candelon is a partner at private equity firm Seven2 and the former global director of the BCG Henderson Institute

Etienne Cavin is a consultant at Boston Consulting Group and an ambassador at the BCG Henderson Institute.

Leonid Zhukov is the director of the BCG X AI Science Institute and is based in BCGs Dubai office.

David Zuluaga Martinez is a partner at Boston Consulting Group and an Ambassador at the BCG Henderson Institute.

Some of the companies mentioned in this column are past or present clients of the authors employers.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
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FYJC 11th Admission 2025 Made Online Across Maharashtra

Maharashtra Education Department has made the admission process of First Year Junior College (FYJC) or Class 11th across the state online and centralized from the year 2025.

Sunday May 11, 2025 11:51 AM , Ahmed Abdullah Faizee

FYJC 11th Admission 2025: Maharashtra Education Department has made the admission process of First Year Junior College (FYJC) or Class 11th across the state online and centralized from the year 2025.

The Maharashtra Education Department is conducting online admission process for FYJC and 11th admission in Mumbai MMR since 2009-10, and Mumbai MMR, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Amravati since 2013-14.

FYJC Centralised Admission

The FYJC online admission process in Aurangabad was stopped in 2021. However, the online admission in Class 11 continued successfully in Mumbai MMR, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Amravati till last year.

Buoyed by the success of the online admission process in five important regions of the state, the government has now announced to implement the same across Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra Education Department has also launched a special wesbite "mahafyjcadmissions.in" for the purpose.

While announcing its decision to make Class 11 admission 2025 online across Maharashtra, the education department also asked the registered junior colleges of the state to register via the website. The last date of registeration for the colleges in May 15, 2025.

Students, who have appeared in the Class X or SSC exam this year, should note that they will need to register online from May 19, 2025.

FYJC Admission 2025 - Steps

The online application process or CAP round for admission in Class 11 or FYJC in Maharashra involves the following steps.

Step 1: Colleges are asked to register on the website giving their name, address, registration details and strength or number of seats and vacancies available for admission. So far 11, 679 colleges of Maharashtra have registered. The last date for colleges to register is May 15, 2025.

Colleges are asked to register on the website giving their name, address, registration details and strength or number of seats and vacancies available for admission. So far 11, 679 colleges of Maharashtra have registered. The last date for colleges to register is May 15, 2025. Step 2: Students are required to fill Part 1 online form. FYJC Part 1 form is filled before the announcement of Class X result. The form asks for name, address, age, gender, caste and other basic details of the student. FYJC Part 1 form submission will start on May 19. The registration fee of INR 100 is required to be paid online, as per the FYJC Admission 2025 notification.

Students are required to fill Part 1 online form. FYJC Part 1 form is filled before the announcement of Class X result. The form asks for name, address, age, gender, caste and other basic details of the student. FYJC Part 1 form submission will start on May 19. The registration fee of INR 100 is required to be paid online, as per the FYJC Admission 2025 notification. Step 3: FYJC Part 2 or Option form is submitted after the Class X result is announced. The Maharashtra Education department has not yet announce the Class 10 result 2025. Once the result is announced, students will be required to fill Part 2 Option form. The form asks for Class 10 marks and score and preferred college choices.

According to the FYJC 2025 Notification, the education department will conduct 4 CAP rounds for admission to Class XI. The seat allotment will be done on merit.

"Class XI should start after completion of all four rounds. The admission process will be done till the last student gets admission", the department said.

[Ahmed Abdullah Faizee is Staff Writer at ummid.com.]

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India, Pakistan announce ceasefire

In an important development amidst the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear armed neighbors have announced ceasefire from 5 PM today

Saturday May 10, 2025 8:26 PM , World Desk

In an important development amidst the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear armed neighbors have announced ceasefire from 5 PM Saturday May 10, 2025.

The two countries agreed to stop all military action on land, sea and air effective 5 PM Saturday soon after U.S. President Donald Trump said his team mediated to bring peace in the region.

Tension simmered between the two countries since April 22, 2025 when terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam in Indias Kashmir.

India blamed Pakistan even as the latter denied its role.

However, India launched  Operation Sindoor  on May 7, 2025 to avenge the Pahalgam terrorist attack , hitting 9 targets  five in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and four in Pakistan.

India said it hit the terrorist hideouts and training camps. Pakistan countered saying India targeted mosques and civilians, and vowed retaliation.

Consequently, Pakistan launched operation  Bunyan ul Marsoos  early in the morning Saturday May 10, 2025, claiming it hit a number of military and strategic targets in India.

India confirmed the Pakistani forces targeted as many as 26 locations in the country but said there were no heavy damagaes because of the airstrikes Saturday.

After four days of attacks and counter attacks, the two countries, however, announced ceasefire Saturday afternoon following the mediation done by Team Trump.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL and Immediate ceasefire, Trump wrote in a social media post.

Trump also congratulated the two countries, for what he called, using "common sense" and "great intelligence".

India, Pakistan Confirm Ceasefire

Trump shared this post around 05:33 PM IST. Around 40 minutes later, Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the ceasefire but said it was the result of the direct talks between the two countries.

MEA India announces that stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries. The Pak DGMO initiated the call this afternoon after which discussions took place and understanding reached, Indias Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also confirmed that Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire.

The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called its Indian counterpart It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea, with effect from 5:00 PM IST today, he added.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed, what he called, US backed ceasefire.

Dar added that diplomatic efforts had been ongoing throughout the day, which eventually led to the agreement.

Further confirming that the ceasefire reached between India and Pakistan was the result of U.S. mediation, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance hailed, what he called, great work from the President Trump's team.

"Great work from the Presidents [Trump] team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire," he wrote on X.

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Pakistans Bunyan ul Marsoos to retaliate Indias Operation Sindoor

The Pakistan Army early on Saturday May 10, 2025 launched a military operation, which it named, 'Bunyan ul Marsoos' in retaliation of Indias 'Operation Sindoor'

Saturday May 10, 2025 2:15 PM , ummid.com News Network

[The Pakistani forces said its indigenous Fatah-1 missile system was used to hit targets in India. (Video grab)]

The Pakistan Army early on Saturday May 10, 2025 launched a military operation, which it named, Bunyan ul Marsoos in retaliation of Indias Operation Sindoor.

Under the  Operation Sindoor , India had launched a barrage of missiles on Pakistan hitting as many as 9 targets  five in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and 04 inside Pakistan, on May 07, 2025 to avenge the Pahalgam terrorist attack .

Pakistan had vowed retaliation. And, after three days of playing hide and seek, Pakistan finally launched its military operation Bunyan ul Marsoos.

Briefing the media after the military operation early in the morning Saturday, the Pakistani army claimed hitting a number of military and strategic targets in the Indian Territory.

The Pakistani forces further said its indigenous Fatah-1 missile system was used to hit targets in India.

No heavy damages: India

India confirmed Pakistan attacked its air bases but denied any heavy damage as claimed by the Pakistani forces.

"Claims have been made about large sections of critical Indian infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems being attacked and destroyed are completely false," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told media.

Earlier, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, in a press briefing, said Pakistan tried attacking Indian air bases in 26 locations, including Udhampur, Pathankot, Bhuj, Bhatinda stations, last night.

High-speed attacks were noticed after 1:40 am Saturday at several air bases in Punjab, she said.

Pakistan had earlier accused India of firing missiles at three air bases inside Pakistan.

India fired the air-to-ground missiles at the Nur Khan base (Rawalpindi), Murid base (Chakwal) and Shorkot air base, Director General Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at a press conference.

'Bunyan ul Marsoos' launched hours after IMF bailout

Pakistan launched its military operation against India hours after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved disbursements of $1 billion loan to the country and approved another $1.4 billion under two economic programmes.

India had opposed the IMF bailout program for Pakistan and abstained from voting.

Meanwhile, world leaders are again calling both India and Pakistan to de-escalate the situation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir in an attempt to find ways to resolve the ongoing crisis between the two nuclear armed neighbors.

US President Donald Trump has also encouraged both countries to de-escalate. China too urged India and Pakistan to exercise calm and restraint, and return to the track of peaceful settlement.

We strongly urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, exercise calm and restraint, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means, and refrain from any action that could further escalate tensions, Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Amidst the volatile situation between the two countries, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir also visited India and Pakistan.

Al-Jubeirs visit was unannounced and took place specifically in the context of the spike in tension between India and Pakistan, media reports said.

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LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Food maker Kraft Heinz, which sells top U.S. coffee brand Maxwell House, has asked its coffee suppliers for 60 days' notice before hiking prices due to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, according to a document seen by Reuters.

In the document sent in April, the company asked suppliers to raise prices only if the tariffs are permanent and to immediately reverse them if the levies are removed, underscoring the struggle U.S. companies face to contain the fallout from Trump's erratic and punitive trade policies.

The document also dashes the hopes of investors in U.S.-based companies and Trump administration officials that companies with big buying power like Kraft Heinz could negotiate better deals from their suppliers to help offset tariffs.

Under the Green Coffee Association contract, which covers most shipments to the United States, tariff costs imposed at the market of destination "shall be borne by the buyer."

"No one (on the trade side) has hit the panic button yet, because it's crystal clear what the rules are," said a Europe-based coffee trader who ships beans to the U.S.

Kraft Heinz, whose brands also include premium Gevalia coffee, declined to comment.

The company also said in the document it hoped suppliers would work with it to "mitigate the impact" of tariffs.

The United States implemented a 10% universal tariff last month on all imported goods including coffee and is negotiating separate trade deals with different countries.

Trump paused plans for steeper tariffs on April 2, except for Chinese imports.

Kraft Heinz's well-worn brands like Lunchables, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and Oscar Meyer are struggling to keep their position on grocery store shelves against private label and start-up rivals.

Its sales and volumes plunged in the quarter ended March 29, and Kraft Heinz lowered sales and profit forecasts for the rest of the year.

TOUGH TIMES

Coffee has not faced U.S. tariffs since colonial times, and both roasters and suppliers are grappling with how to handle them.

Kraft Heinz's coffee business reported net sales of $835 million in its fiscal year ended December 28, accounting for about 3% of its total net sales of $25.8 billion.

The packaged food maker has said it uses cash flow from coffee sales, which are not growing quickly, to invest in higher growth brands.

A coffee price hike may hurt Kraft Heinz's budget-friendly Maxwell House brand. A 27.5-ounce canister sells for $11.79 at Target, or about 21 cents per cup.

Kraft Heinz has bumped up its estimate for higher input costs this year to 5% from 3%, but its coffee cost increases are far bigger as raw bean prices have nearly doubled over the past year, thanks to adverse weather and crop shortfalls.
Hawkins also has a famous quote related to Grahams strategy, which has been cited in a renowned book, The Art of Value Investing: How the Worlds Best Investors Beat the Market by John Heins and Whitney Tilson.

Mason Hawkins is one of the key figures for value investment literature. He has been a keynote speaker for the Value Investment Conference at the Ben Graham Centre for Value Investing, where he discussed how a company has to be fit both qualitatively and quantitatively. Hawkins noted that Benjamin Graham, who is known as the father of value investing, talked about all great investments being a qualitative and quantitative fit, the quantitative nature being judged by the Price to Value ratio, whereas qualitative health being judged by the competitiveness of the business and the quality of your partner. He further explained that investors should look at businesses that are likely to get better with time, not vice versa. Moreover, on the management side, investors should look at the partners that are running the company and their ability to generate free cash flow and reinvest it very intelligently.

Value investment is an investment strategy that employs buying stocks of well-managed and quality companies at prices significantly below their intrinsic value. The core of Hawkins strategy is to purchase equities when their market price is no more than 60% of the firms appraisal of their intrinsic value. Value investors believe that the market overreacts to economic news, which leads to movement in stock prices, however, this news does not affect the long-term fundamentals of a company. Therefore, investors like Mason Hawkins do not follow the herd and use financial research and analysis to find quality companies. Value investors are also known for holding companies for the long term, but also actively ferret out stock that the market is underestimating.

Billionaire Mason Hawkins is the founder and chairperson of Southeastern Asset Management . We recently covered Billionaire Mason Hawkins 10 Small-Cap Stocks with Huge Upside Potential , discussing his value investment strategy. Heres a piece from the article:

We recently published a list of Billionaire Mason Hawkins 10 Mid-Cap Stocks with Huge Upside Potential . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS) stands against other billionaire Mason Hawkins mid-cap stocks with huge upside potential.

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Our view is simply that superior longterm investment performance can be achieved when financially strong, competitively entrenched, wellmanaged companies are bought at prices significantly below their business value and sold when they approach that corporate worth. The quantitative piece of that is that we only want to buy when we can pay less than 60 percent of a conservative appraisal of a companys value, based on the present value of future free cash flows, current liquidation value and/or comparable sales.

This qualitative and quantitative value investment strategy is reflected in Southeastern Asset Managements strategies. The fund has a concentrated stock portfolio of only 40 to 50 companies. Lets now take a look at stocks with huge upside potential from Billionaire Mason Hawkins portfolio.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Mason Hawkins 10 mid-cap stocks with huge upside potential, we sifted through 13F filings of Southeastern Asset Management, from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked each stocks upside potential from CNN and ranked the stocks in ascending order of the upside potential. We have also added the stake Southeastern Asset Management holds in each company and the hedge fund sentiment around each stock. Please note that the data was recorded on May 4, 2025. Also note that for this article, we have defined mid-cap companies as those with a market capitalization between $10 billion to $55 billion.

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).

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS): Among Billionaire Mason Hawkins Mid-Cap Stocks with Huge Upside Potential

A financial analyst monitoring the stock market, with multiple screens of varying sizes and colors.

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS)

Market Capitalization: $41.47 billion

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 53

Southeastern Asset Management Stake: $117,161,650

Analyst Upside Potential: 10.32%

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS) is an international financial technology company that provides a range of services to financial institutions, businesses, merchants, and developers. It operates through three segments, namely Banking, Capital Market Solutions, and Merchant Solutions.

On April 17, the company announced two major transactions to reshape its business and strengthen its position as a global fintech leader. Firstly, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS) announced acquiring a 100% stake in Global Payments Issuer Solutions business, and secondly, it announced the sale of its Worldpay stake to fund the acquisition. Management noted that it will integrate Issuer Solutions credit processing with its own debit, loyalty, and network services. The announcement was taken positively by analysts as the stock was upgraded to Outperform by Oppenheimer with a price target of $94. Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS) is one of billionaire Mason Hawkins 10 mid-cap stocks with huge upside potential.

Longleaf Partners Fund stated the following regarding Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS)  Technology solutions provider for financial institutions FIS was a top contributor for the year. We first started buying this company in 2023 when its bank customers were going through stock market turmoil following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank. As we have written previously, we have seen how resilient the financial technology industry tends to be, even through crises, and FIS has demonstrated this once again with the companys core bank software business reporting solid growth this year. CEO Stephanie Ferris is proving to be a great partner since she was elevated to the role with FIS making notable strides this year. FIS monetized a non-core business this year at an attractive valuation and used the proceeds to repurchase 10% of its outstanding shares. These actions led to strong double-digit value per share growth in 2024. FIS is a stable company that is on offense yet still trading at a reasonable multiple of FCF  an increasingly rare attribute in todays market.

Overall, FIS ranks 7th on our list of billionaire Mason Hawkins mid-cap stocks with huge upside potential. While we acknowledge the potential of FIS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than FIS but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
The Hudson News store in the airport had several areas dedicated to Berkshire books and other financial titles, including "Poor Charlie's Almanack" and "Buffett & Munger Unscripted."

The influx of thousands of Berkshire shareholders to Omaha each year spells opportunity for many local companies.

Munger called the proliferation of special-purpose acquisition vehicles, or SPACs, a "moral failing," dismissed bitcoin as "stupid" and "evil" as well as "rat poison." He also described earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization as "bullshit earnings."

One of the welcome ads on the airport's wall requested visitors to "check your SPACs, Crypto, and EBITDA at the gate"  a nod to Buffett and his late business partner Charlie Munger's disdain for risky, speculative, and volatile assets.

I took a connecting flight from Chicago to Omaha and arrived late on Thursday night.

Arriving in Omaha, it was clear this was Berkshire turf.

When he nodded off a few hours later, Buffett's face looked up at me from the Kindle on his lap, as he'd been reading "Tap Dancing to Work."

He told me that when his wife asked why he was so excited to go to Omaha, he replied, "Imagine you're a Christian and you have a chance to see Jesus Christ."

The value investor in his 30s, who asked not to be named, showed me a Berkshire Class B share certificate  signed by Buffett in 2005  that his firm had given him as the proof of ownership he needed to get a meeting pass.

My nine-hour flight from London to Chicago became far more interesting after I learned my seatmate was making the same pilgrimage.

Buffett's revelation that he plans to resign as Berkshire's CEO at the end of this year was the headline of my trip. But I also saw rare treasures, spoke to people from all walks of life, visited storied locations, and discovered how Buffett and his businesses pervade almost every part of Omaha.

I flew from London to Warren Buffett's hometown of Omaha to cover Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting. I wasn't expecting the biggest business story in the world to break while I was there.

I immersed myself in all things Buffett for a weekend and had an unforgettable time.

The biggest news story of my career ended up breaking while I was there.

I traveled from London to Omaha to cover Warren Buffett's annual meeting for Business Insider.

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Another airport eatery had a See's Candies stall and a sign from Berkshire welcoming its shareholders.

I took a taxi to the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Omaha. There was a banner in front of the hotel welcoming Berkshire shareholders, and a similar display outside the elevators on my floor.

Berkshire's big bash evolves with every acquisition.

Berkshire-owned Pilot was serving coffees outside the CHI Health Center. Theron Mohamed/BI

This was my third annual meeting, and I'm always interested to see how it changes to reflect the deals that Buffett makes.

The conglomerate added Squishmallows-owner Jazwares to its exhibitors after acquiring the toy company's parent, Alleghany, in 2022.

Squishmallows was one of the biggest exhibitors at Berkshire's shareholder shopping day this year, with myriad displays and interactive activities.

Berkshire took full ownership of Pilot Travel Centers at the start of 2024. Pilot employees were selling coffee outside the meeting venue, the CHI Health Center. Inside, the company offered everything from Berkshire Blend coffee to T-shirts with Buffett quotes.

Buffett superfans were out in force.

Wan Xue and a friend were first in line to get their shareholder passes on Friday. Theron Mohamed/BI

Wan Xue, or "Cathy," 33, from China, was first in line to get her shareholder pass on Friday. She told me she'd purchased 11 books on this trip already, and planned to buy more.

She planned to see everything related to Buffett that she could, and had already visited his birthplace and school as well as Berkshire headquarters, she said.

Plenty of Buffett experts were in town.

Investors John Rogers, Chris Marangi, and Mario Gabelli spoke at the Gabelli Funds conference. Theron Mohamed/BI

Veteran investors including billionaire Mario Gabelli and Buffett's former financial assistant, Tracy Britt Cool, spoke at conferences on Friday, the day before Buffett's Q&A.

Fund manager Chris Bloomstran said at the Gabelli Funds conference that tariffs, trade wars, recessions, depressions, and other crises were "net good for Berkshire" as they created buying opportunities. "Bring on a little pain," he added.

I asked Gabelli straight after the conference how he felt about owning Berkshire stock given the current market turmoil.

He shrugged off any concerns, saying he first met Buffett more than 50 years ago at Columbia Business School, and has only ever sold Berkshire to stop his portfolio becoming too concentrated.

At her company Kanbrick's conference, Britt Cool shared a memorable piece of advice from Buffett about long-term, responsible management: "Think about this business as if it's your family's only asset and you cannot sell it for 50 years."

After Buffett's bombshell, I headed to Nebraska Furniture Mart for the shareholder picnic.

Mrs B's Clearance & Outlet in Omaha. Theron Mohamed/BI

After Buffett shocked the world with his retirement plan, I left the press area and spoke to several dumbstruck shareholders.

Once things calmed down, I took a taxi to Nebraska Furniture Mart for the shareholder picnic, and saw "Mrs B's Clearance & Outlet," named after the remarkable lady who built NFM and sold it to Buffett.

There was a photo of Buffett's face on the front door. NFM stocked Buffett T-shirts and other merchandise, and featured an entire See's Candies concession.

Shareholders took the news of Buffett's exit in good spirits.

Sam McColgan and classmate Vipara Rasphone at the NFM picnic. Theron Mohamed/BI

At the picnic in NFM's parking lot, there was live music, bocce, barbecue, drinks, and lots of people laughing, taking photos, playing games, or dancing.

Sam McColgan, 31, a Stanford graduate student, told me he was "somewhat relieved" that Buffett had announced his resignation, as "it would have been a shock to the world" if he'd died while still CEO.

I even went on a shareholder fun run

I joined the droves of Berkshire shareholders taking part in the Brooks 5K run. Theron Mohamed/BI

On Sunday morning I donned an official shirt and racing bib and took part in Brooks' 5K run. I loved the branded team shirts for See's Candies and Oriental Trading employees, and the announcer's wordplay about "investing in yourself" to garner "healthy returns."

I enjoyed traversing the center of the city, but the run wasn't long enough as I was interviewing people along the way and had to keep retracing my steps to avoid finishing.

The finishers' medals were satisfyingly heavy.

The finishers' medal from the race. Theron Mohamed/BI

I liked the look, feel, and weight of my finishers' medal.

The rest area after the race was well set up with breakfast burritos, Dairy Queen ice cream, and energy drinks at the Berkshire Hathaway Energy booth for runners.

It was fun to tear off a tab from my race bib and exchange it for a Pilot hot chocolate too.

Buffett's retirement was front-page news on Sunday.

Warren Buffett made the front page after breaking the news of his resignation plan. Theron Mohamed/BI

The magnitude of what I'd witnessed became clearer after I saw Buffett on the front page of his hometown paper in my hotel's lobby on Sunday.

Buffett bought the Omaha World-Herald for $150 million (and took on its $50 million of debt) in late 2011. He sold his newspapers, which also included The Buffalo News, to Lee Enterprises for $140 million in 2020.

People were still processing Buffett's bombshell.

Calvin Sowah was one of many shareholders surprised by Buffett stepping down. Theron Mohamed/BI

After a shower back at the hotel, I took a Lime scooter to Markel's brunch at the Omaha Marriott, down the road from where Buffett held his Q&A.

Much of the second floor was packed with people wearing Berkshire merch they'd purchased over the previous two days, from hats and windbreakers to polo shirts and shoes.

Calvin Sowah, 30, a venture capitalist from New York City, told me that Buffett's casual manner caught him off guard.

"I wasn't expecting it," he said. "And he just said it so nonchalantly that it was like, 'Oh, wait, what? You're retiring.'"

A veteran shareholder told me he wants Buffett to keep sharing his wisdom.

Martin Wiegand showed me his copy of "Buffett & Munger Unscripted." Theron Mohamed/BI

Speaking in the hallway outside Markel's shareholder meeting, Martin Wiegand, 67, told me he's attended more than 30 Berkshire meetings and has owned the stock for about 40 years.

Wiegand said his father was a school friend of Buffett, and his parents attended Berkshire meetings too.

He told me he wants Buffett to continue talking after his deputy, Greg Abel, takes over as CEO in the new year.

"I hope he doesn't drop the mic and walk off the stage, never to be heard from again," Wiegand said. "I hope he teaches a Coursera course  some sort of a podcast is too much to ask," he continued, adding that he'd like Buffett to keep doing media appearances.

"Warren Buffett's the moral authority of finance in America," he said. "And I think he proved yesterday he's still the sharpest man in the room at 94."

There was time for one final story from Omaha on my trip home.

College students John Di Bella and Aidan Sims on the flight back to New York City. Theron Mohamed/BI

I thought my Berkshire experience was over when I boarded a flight to New York City early Monday morning.

But my seatmates, Aidan Sims and John Di Bella, were two finance majors from NYC who'd also made the trip to see Buffett speak.

Sims said he had a date to a formal on Friday night, but managed to make it to Omaha in time to watch Buffett's bombshell announcement.

Di Bella told me how he spent the night outside to get good seats for the Q&A. He played poker on the street, vaulted up the arena's steps once the doors opened, and scored selfies with Apple CEO Tim Cook and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The chance encounter cemented Omaha in my memory as a magical place to meet fascinating people, hear wild stories, visit historic locations, and, just maybe, have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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A judge has refused to suspend the sentence of a Born Again Christian man, who stole 115 from a staff member of a shop.

Stephen Finn (38), of 166 St John's Park, Waterford, pleaded guilty to theft at a sitting of Waterford District Court before Judge Kevin Staunton.

Sergeant Michael Hickey told the court that on March 14, 2023, gardai were called to EuroGiant on Michael Street.

The staff reported that a man had entered a back room from behind the counter.

There, he stole 115 from a staff member's purse.

Gardai identified Mr Finn from CCTV.

The court was told the defendant had 129 previous convictions, 59 of which were for theft.

Acting for the defendant, solicitor Ken Cunningham said the Circuit Court had, despite his client's list of previous convictions, imposed a four-year suspended sentence in relation to a previous matter.

Five months after the latest incident, in August 2023, Mr Finn entered a residential treatment programme in Dublin.

After finishing a 12-month programme, he became a mentor at the treatment centre.

He embarked on a path of redemption, becoming a born-again Christian.

He has very much turned his life around, said Mr Cunningham.

However, more recently, he has had to return to Waterford to care for a sick family member, and he is currently looking for employment.

He requested that the judge allow his client a month to pay compensation to the staff member he stole from.

Judge Staunton asked why he had not already paid the compensation when the incident was two years ago.

Mr Cunningham said that was because his client had been in treatment.

Imposing a 10-month prison sentence, the judge said: I would have thought as a born-again-Christian, he would have made good on what he took from that hard-working lady.

But apparently, his Christianity does not go that far.

Mr Cunningham asked the judge to suspend the sentence, given how far his client had come, but Judge Staunton declined to do so.
REVIEW: The Sea Horse Tragedy at Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre

Well, everyone knows the story of the Sea Horse. The ship that sank in Tramore Bay with great loss of life, and thats embedded in the folk memory of Tramore. With memorials on the Doneraile, on the Prom and on the towers overlooking Newtown Cove. Or do they?

A full house at Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre suggests otherwise.

James Powers Stagemad Theatre Co., based in Tramore, has set its sights on a dramatised reading of the events that led up to the fateful morning of January 30th, 1816, when the ship Sea Horse, with 394 souls on board  16 were officers with 287 men, 33 women and 38 children  was wrecked with only 30 survivors.

The 293 tonne Sea Horse was actually a merchant ship. It was one of three ships transporting soldiers, after the Battle of Waterloo, that set sail from Ramsgate for Cork, along with the Boadicea carrying 290 troops with 34 women and children, and the Lord Melville with 450 souls on board on their perilous journey.

Only 12 souls perished on the Lord Melville. However, the Boadecia was less fortunate. Although the ship rounded Kinsale Head it was driven onto the shore at Garretstown Beach and broke up. About 100 people managed to scramble onto a large rock, but 190 died of the 324 aboard.

Tonights performance takes the shape of four readings of these events  the Battle of Waterloo from David Marchant, the voyage and wreck of the ship narrated by Garret Wyse as ships captain Gibbs in graphic detail, the heroic if futile efforts of local people to assist as told by Lauren Cardiff and an exploration of the perils of Tramore Bay as recounted by Mark Waters.

The wreck of the ship led to the erection of the towers, financed by Lloyds of London, on Newtown Cove's cliffs with the Metalman (there are five others around the Irish coast) admonishing those who sail too close to the rocks. Along with the two towers on Brownstown Head and the towered lighthouse at Dunmore East, they indicate the path to Waterford harbour.

The evening was linked by Aine McCarthy-Kent on flute and rounded off with a performance of The Ballad of the Metalman that was composed by Mark Waters and Mick Cullen and performed on the night by Mark and Aine.
As January was ending, Gabelli joined Squawk Box on CNBC to discuss a range of topics. He explained how the stock markets performance is tied to company earnings, revenue growth, gross margins, expenses, and taxes, but most importantly to the market multiple, which is influenced by interest rates. These are shaped by debt, deficits, and overall confidence. Gabelli also mentioned that strategic corporate M&A was returning after a freeze caused by regulatory uncertainty and some failed deals. Activist investors are also seeking greater visibility and pushing for changes at companies. He argued against reducing the corporate tax rate below 21% but advocated for a minimum tax on a cash basis. He called for the restoration of 100% bonus depreciation, which would allow businesses, such as farmers, to fully write off new equipment purchases immediately, thereby encouraging investment in technologically advanced machinery. Gabelli mentioned that similar incentives should apply to capital expenditures in sectors like cable and referenced comments from Hans Vestberg. He noted that while corporations currently receive tax deductions for capital expenditures, these are spread over longer periods, and accelerating them would provide more immediate benefits.

Mario J. Gabelli founded Gabelli Asset Management Company in 1977. The firm is now called GAMCO Investors and is an American firm headquartered in New York. It specializes in providing investment advice and brokerage services to mutual funds, institutional clients, and select investors. It is majority-owned by Mario Gabelli, who is the Chairman and CEO of it. GAMCO Investors includes two businesses: GAMCO Asset Management, with institutional and separate accounts; and Gabelli Funds. The last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $9.55 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 16.81%. Gabelli stayed true to the principles of value investing and used a solid base created by Warren Buffett and Ben Graham, while adding some of his elements to the mix. He believes that value investing isnt focused on short-term market movements. He looks for the ignored and unloved companies that nobody covers for whatever reason, with a good business, solid management, and a good price.

We recently published a list of Billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 Small-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential . In this article, we are going to take a look at where GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) stands against other small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential.

Story continues

Gabelli graduated summa cum laude in 1965 from Fordham Universitys College of Business Administration in 1965 and holds an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He has received honorary doctorates from Fordham University and Roger Williams University. He also serves on the Boards of Boston College, Roger Williams University, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, and the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture. He is a Trustee of the Winston Churchill Foundation of the US and the EL Wiegand Foundation. Gabelli was honored as Morningstars Portfolio Manager of the Year in 1997, named Money Manager of the Year by Institutional Investor in 2011, and is a member of Barrons All-Star Century Team.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential, we sifted through the Q4 2024 13F filings of GAMCO Investors from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked the upside potential from CNN for the top 50 stock picks that were trading between $1 billion and $10 billion and ranked the stocks in ascending order of this upside potential. We have also added GAMCO Investors stake in each company and the hedge fund sentiment around each stock.

Note: All data was sourced on May 8.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

Is GATX Corporation (GATX) The Best Railroad Stock To Buy Now?

An engineer examining a high-tech tank and freight car, showcasing the company's innovation in railcars.

GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX)

GAMCO Investors Stake: $204.74 million

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14

Market Capitalization as of May 8: $5.25 billion

Average Upside Potential as of May 8: 19.70%

GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) is a railcar leasing company in the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and India. It operates through three segments: Rail North America, Rail International, and Engine Leasing. The company leases tank & freight railcars, and locomotives for petroleum, chemical, food/agriculture, and transportation industries. It also offers maintenance services.

In Q1 2025, GATXs Rail North America segment maintained a high fleet utilization of 99.2% at the end of the quarter. The renewal success rate was strong at 85.1%, which shows continued customer satisfaction and the essential nature of the companys railcars. GATX is successfully placing new railcars from its 2022 Trinity supply agreement, having placed more than 5,700 railcars with deliveries starting in Q1 2026.

In addition to new builds, GATX invested over $227 million in acquiring railcars in the secondary market during the quarter. The company also capitalized on a secondary market by selectively selling cars and generating over $30 million in asset remarketing income. While the direct impact of tariffs on procurement costs is currently limited, GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) acknowledges potential indirect impacts from broader economic conditions and commodity flow changes.

However, GATX Rail North America, with its diverse fleet, over 800 customers, and ability to move over 600 commodity types, is positioned to navigate these uncertainties. The focus remains on leveraging their existing fleet, strategically investing in new and used railcars, and optimizing their portfolio through selective sales to drive continued revenue and growth in this core segment.

Overall, GATX ranks 7th on our list of billionaire Mario Gabellis small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential. While we acknowledge the potential of GATX as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GATX but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
At age 66, Ive finally succumbed to face cream. I bought it at the chemist at the ridiculous price of $27.95 for a tiny jar. Its imported from Switzerland and promises to remove wrinkles. Inspired by time-honoured male wisdom, I quickly decided that since a tiny amount is said to benefit the skin, giant handfuls of the stuff will be even more advantageous.

Which is why I now start every morning looking like Marcel Marceau.

Why has vanity suddenly overtaken me? I have never previously taken any trouble over my appearance. Up to now, Ive been influenced by that lovely chunk of wisdom from Anthony Powells A Dance to the Music of Time, warning against the awful fate of the man who always knows the right clothes to wear and the right shop to buy them at.

Now I start every morning looking like Marcel Marceau. Credit: Getty Images

Ive worn torn jeans, rock T-shirts from before Midnight Oil was famous, and assorted shirts from that well-known businessmans accoutre-rer, Harris Scarfe Ulladulla. I have jumpers with built-in air-conditioning, my name for the holes that decorate both front and back, and shorts that could easily lead to a charge of public indecency.
I was on a superannuation fund livestream this week doing a Q&A when a woman asked me what I thought about the major new super rules coming in on June 1.

I did a double-take. She continued  what did I think of the new phased withdrawal limits that would be imposed on people in the pension phase? And the limits to lump sums that we could withdraw?

The lack of appropriate advice for retirees means these sorts of scams will become more and more common. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Theres no new super rules coming in on June 1, unless Albo brings parliament back early and passes the $3 million rule, I said, pretty confident I hadnt missed anything. The funds financial adviser also agreed with me. And I didnt give it a second thought  until the next day.

That was when I received an email from a lady asking me what I thought about the new super withdrawal rules coming into effect on June 1. Shed forwarded on an article in the email  which I categorically refused to open.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the May 10 edition of Good Weekend. See all 14 stories . Its Friday night and I have a meeting with an old rocker who has a new mission in life: making drones. Oleksandr Pipa, one of Ukraines original punk rockers, had watched the initial Russian incursion from his window in Kyiv before rushing to help set up checkpoints and medical tents in his suburb for soldiers being brought back from the rapidly shifting front lines. Now hes found a new role in life as, each evening, he and fellow musician Anton Chernysh get together to make drones. My wife, Sylvie Le Clezio, a documentary filmmaker and photographer, and I tag along as they head to a secret location in Kyiv. Drones are very expensive; that is why we have started designing our own version of the drones that we use for surveillance and also to deliver some presents, Pipa says with a grin. Many Ukrainians involved in making drones call the explosives they attach to them presents or gifts for Russian soldiers. Once there, we go to the basement, where the two musicians have set up an extraordinary drone factory, complete with 3D-printing machines provided by a Ukrainian company, models of various drones and anti-drone guns. This basement is our main research laboratory, Chernysh says. All the groups where we have fighters, volunteers and so on are doing almost the same thing as us, but this lab is the heart of inventions, which we later share with others. Chernysh, 27, is a mild-mannered IT consultant and musician. Hes using the technology smarts he developed in his career to help the war effort. In this basement factory, he shows us the workstations hes built for anyone who wants to help, such as Pipa, who comes along for several hours each evening. Chernysh had expertise in IT before the war while Pipa has simply learnt on the job under Chernyshs guidance. We mention to them that its a Friday night, and before the war began musicians like themselves might be performing. I would normally be playing in a pub or drinking some beer, but now I cannot afford to have fun, Chernysh says. Its a war and Im fighting for our survival ... Every single Ukrainian is fighting for survival. But we often also have something personal. He tells us that his parents home was invaded in the early hours of the war. About 500 Russian military vehicles stopped in their village and fought their neighbours for one-and-a-half months. It went from being a peaceful village in Ukraine to one occupied by Russian soldiers, he says. He quit his job that day. I could not sit in front of a computer attending long calls and meetings with customers because I knew what was going on outside, he says. He began transporting elderly people from Kyiv towards western Ukraine, and because he had a permit to leave the country, he began going to Poland to buy supplies for the army. He would purchase things, like body armour, in Poland, deliver them over the border to Lviv, then other volunteers took them to Kyiv.

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Anton Chernysh quit his job as an IT consultant to design drones soon after the war started. He tells us about an old lady whom one of his volunteers met while making deliveries to a village that the Russians had recently left; she was crying and wanting to kiss the feet of the volunteers. She told the story of how 14 Russians came to her apartment, killed her husband and threw him from the window. Then they raped the granddaughter and did the same to the daughter, and they made her watch this, Chernysh says. That is why she was saying, Give me some weapons, give me something, I have nothing to live for now and I want to join you.  Citizen Army signs on Chernysh says that when Russia decided to invade Ukraine, it did not factor in Ukraines army of civilians. At the beginning it was [the Russian armys] role to come to Kyiv, to kill [President Volodymyr] Zelensky and be done, he says. But there was a huge misunderstanding from their side. They are not fighting against the Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian president or the Ukrainian parliament  they are fighting against the whole population of Ukraine. Chernysh wanted to work out what he could contribute to the volunteer army and how he could be involved. Instead of using his body, though, he realised he could use his mind. I started making drones and the release mechanisms for them and collecting requests from the army at the front, he says. I started providing whatever I could to help them from a technical perspective. This basement has been fitted with a wall of 3D printers producing parts for drones and for the mechanisms that Chernysh has designed, which are attached to the drones and release the bombs. Some of these drones are for reconnaissance, while others carry what Chernysh calls the candies  explosives  that the Ukrainian army drops on Russian positions. Working alongside Chernysh in this basement, Pipa says hes watched footage of Russian soldiers reacting when they see the drones. They hear this noise, they start to panic, its like a chaos, he says. They try to hide. They dont know what explosives it may have. Sometimes they are regular surveillance drones but sometimes they carry something.

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The author (right) and Oleksandr Pipa, a punk rocker who now works with Chernysh. Chernysh proudly shows us various drones. We ask how he feels about preparing machines designed to kill people. At the very beginning, I had bad feelings, he says. I felt sorry for those guys, but after a while I found myself no longer feeling any regret. This desensitisation was something we encountered a lot. Its a rule of war: they are not people, they are invaders, he says. Either we eliminate them or they kill us. Its that simple: kill or be killed. We ask him what Russian soldiers would think if they saw one of these drones approaching. If youre a Russian soldier, and you see it coming, he says, it is the last thing you see coming. Loading Chernysh and Pipa receive requests from the front line as to which types of drones are needed  reconnaissance, medical or attack  and then go through the orders, building whatever is requested. Tonight, the two are unpacking parts, welding and wiring all kinds of drones. The range is extraordinary. In one corner are kamikaze drones: the explosives go on the bottom and there are triggers to fire up the detonator. Theyre called kamikaze drones as theyll also blow up with their packages. Once Chernysh and Pipa make these drones, they hand them over to soldiers who attach the explosives. On another bench are surveillance drones, originally made for film and television production, but their excellent cameras and zooms have made them desirable for the war effort. They also have altitude and obstacle sensors, which allow Ukrainian soldiers to see the position and movements of Russian soldiers; at night, the sensors can also pick up the heat of a Russian body.

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On yet another bench is a do-it-yourself drone kit. The two musicians use fundraised money to buy all the components from China, or from inside Ukraine, and one of these little DIY drones can carry up to two kilograms and fly two kilometres. They may look like toys, but Chernysh says if a tank is hit in the right spot  particularly if the drone is flown into the tank while the turret is open  they can destroy it. In another corner of this basement is a Russian reconnaissance drone that Chernysh souvenired from the front line when Russian soldiers fled. He studies this drone with great interest; he and other Ukrainians I met making drones always valued the chance to study the enemys weapons up close. Drones are important in this war, Chernysh says, because they save lives. When we have a drone, we do not have to use people to find out what is out there, he says, and it is better for us to lose the drone than it is to lose a human in the war. Pipa echoes this view. We can sacrifice the drones, [but] our soldiers lives are important, and that is why the more drones we have, the more human lives will be saved. It can also give someone the chance to surrender. In this war of drones, there is now a protocol understood by both sides. If a Ukrainian drone comes across a group of Russian soldiers, it will try to fire at them or drop explosives. But if it comes across a solitary Russian soldier, it will try to capture him instead. It feels important that we are contributing to winning this war, says Pipa. Drones can be used to [get] the enemy to surrender, Chernysh explains. If [Russian soldiers] see a drone that goes like this  he wiggles his flat palm from side to side  it means, Surrender: immediately drop your weapon, lift up your hands and follow the drone. The drone will take them to a safe place where they will be picked up by a Ukrainian soldier, and you will still be alive and stay alive. If the soldier tries instead to shoot down the drone or to run away, the drone will fire. Whats going on in this basement is not the reality that either musician imagined for himself a couple of years ago. But making drones makes Pipa feel like hes involved. It feels important that we are contributing to winning this war, he says. Its Friday night, and usually us musicians should be performing or rehearsing, having fun, but we are making these devices because we hate war. Hes someone who likes to joke and have a laugh, he says, but when there is a war, I cant do that: I have to be serious, and I hate that. We need to push out these invaders from our country and [see] their empire collapse, and then we can get back to our normal life  to playing gigs. Up until now, Pipa has been a lifelong pacifist. As he sits working on a drone, he tells us a story from his childhood. The last time I went fishing  it was in fact the first and last time I went fishing!  I was six years old, he begins. I caught the fish, but I felt sorry for the fish and I let it go. He says that he hates hunting; he doesnt like people killing animals just for fun. I am a very peaceful person, but what I am doing now is producing devices that will kill the invaders, he continues, and I feel quite good about that because they are invaders. They came here to kill us, so it is either them or us.

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When were talking about killing Russian soldiers, I would not use the word killing, he argues. The military terminology is more appropriate. The military never use the word killing but rather use eliminate, because when it comes to the military, it is a hard job, and you dont think about them as human beings. You have to destroy them, and thats it.  Pipa realised before this invasion that his view of Russians and the friendships hed built over years of performing were deteriorating. I had my mind changed before the war; I thought I had a lot of good friends, musicians, we used to perform together, he says. I thought they felt the same as I do about the collapse of the Soviet Union, but gradually I saw them change. Once Russia became richer, with oil prices going higher, they were coming back to this natural state, this state of feeling superior. Loading We heard many variations of this sentiment when travelling around Ukraine, that while Ukrainians and Russians had for some time thought of themselves as colleagues or even friends of sorts, the power dynamic between the two countries had shifted more and more dramatically in the lead-up to the war and overshadowed many relationships. According to Pipa, thats not a coincidence. Millions of Ukrainians have finally had their eyes opened, he says. Russians invested billions in their cultural expansions about brainwashing, how Russia is attractive, and how a lot of people want to live in Russia. They claimed a lot of Ukrainians had felt that way, and how a lot of Russian politicians were performing quite well here. They had a lot of supporters here. Now its over. Chernysh was one of those people who had been made to feel lesser by the Russian propaganda, a feeling that extended not just throughout Ukraine but worldwide. He says that before the invasion, when he was travelling, and people asked him where he was from, he would say, I am from Ukraine, and they would reply, Is that the same as Russia? He says he doesnt get asked that any more.

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The May 10 Edition

Theres something about Murray. Bartlett, that is  the Perth-born actor whose award-winning turn as the wickedly edgy hotel manager in the first season of The White Lotus propelled him to international fame. Since that break-out role  and that oh-so-icky scene hell be long remembered for  Bartlett has appeared in a slew of other shows, including an exquisitely sensitive performance as a gay man in an episode of the The Last of Us and a darkly comic role in the new season of Nine Perfect Strangers, airing later this month. What the 54-year-old seems to have perfected  on the small screen as well as in life  is the ability to win over people without any phoney attempt to do so. As our writer Amanda Hooton found when she interviewed him recently, no one has a bad word to say about Bartlett. Hes chatty, generous with his time, looks you in the eye, has deeply loyal friends and is great with animals, even  as Hooton witnessed for herself  a pigeon in distress in a Bondi cafe.  Greg Callaghan, acting editor.
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 As Anthony Albanese basked in electoral glory last weekend, an American eye doctor gave a crowd of surgeons in Sydney a piece of advice that wouldnt be lost on the prime minister. If youre thinking about making a change to your healthcare system  ask yourself one question: Does America do that thing? Dr Will Flanary, better known online as Dr Glaucomflecken, told the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons annual scientific congress on Sunday. If America does that thing  let me just say, dont do that. Australians have long treated the US health system as a cautionary tale, and since the return of Donald Trump, they have only grown more unimpressed with what they see happening across the Pacific. Labor knew it. It went to the polls with a pitch to boost Medicare and make GP visits free again. It painted opposition leader Peter Dutton, who tried to introduce a $7 GP fee when he was health minister, as the man who might take it all away. If you ask people what they think works here much better than America, most Australians would put health at the top, says Health Minister Mark Butler. Dutton had a record of trying to introduce a user-pays system of healthcare for GP visits  and that was really a more American style of healthcare than what people identify as quintessentially Medicare, or quintessentially Australian.

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Albanese swept to re-election on a pledge to make nine in 10 GP visits free by the end of the decade. To deliver, he will need to defy gravity. Bulk-billing rates have been in freefall since he came to office in 2022, and while a $3.5 billion boost in 2023 left children and concession cardholders better off, millions of Australians still cant remember the last time they visited a doctor without paying. Not going to happen First, Albanese will need to sell his plan to hundreds of GPs yet to be convinced they would be better off abandoning gap fees and embracing bulk-billing for all patients. What the government needs to do is make the expectations clear, says Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Dr Danielle McMullen. They need to make sure patients dont expect 100 per cent bulk-billing [when the scheme begins] on November 1 because thats clearly not going to happen. Loading The $8.5 billion scheme, which extends the incentive paid to GP practices that choose to bulk-bill all patients, did not go down with doctors as well as might have been expected from such a lucrative investment. Throughout the governments first term, doctors groups including the AMA and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) told Albanese and Butler they wanted higher Medicare rebates without the obligation to bulk-bill. This was to make up for a six-year freeze (that ended in 2019), and save clinics from an avalanche of soaring rent, electricity, insurance and labour costs.

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They wanted the investment without strings attached, says Butler. Youre not going to get me to agree to that. But perhaps the government didnt attach enough strings to its record funding, says Professor Henry Cutler, a health economist who advised the government on its latest review of primary care incentives. What Labor proposed, particularly with bulk-billing, was good politics, poor policy, says Cutler, director of the Centre for the Health Economy at Macquarie University. [Medicare] hasnt changed in the last 40 years, and that is a problem because we have greater chronic disease, more need for multidisciplinary care and a fee-for-service model [that] really isnt delivering the care that people need. He says several reviews in Labors first term recommended sweeping changes to the way primary care is funded, such as creating payments to fund multidisciplinary teams with GPs, nurses and allied health working together. The $8.5 billion that was pledged by government really doesnt talk to that at all, says Cutler. It is a continuation of the status quo. In a recent poll of 283 doctors by the RACGP, two-thirds said they didnt intend to increase bulk-billing in response to the proposal. If a GP practice in metropolitan Sydney or Melbourne agreed to bulk-bill all patients, the Health Department calculates their rebate per standard appointment would rise from about $42 to just under $70.

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McMullen says that might be enough to convince a GP who has only recently begun charging a fee under $30, but it is well short of the $40 gap fees that are now commonplace at major city clinics (the AMA fees guide estimates GPs should charge about $102  including the Medicare rebate  for a standard consult to meet costs). Butler says the scheme wont suit everyone, but based on national billing data, the government estimates three-quarters of clinics would be better off. That can get us to a 90 per cent bulk-billing rate across the country over time, Butler says. Another common argument from GP groups is that the flat-rate incentive encourages quick consults, and financially penalises doctors who spend longer with patients that may have more complex or chronic conditions. If youre doing a lot of seven-minute appointments, this actually works very well, says Dr Kean-Seng Lim, a GP in Mount Druitt in Sydneys west. If you have a practice where you are spending a lot more time with patients, then this actually doesnt work very well. But Dr Edias Shumba, a GP in a Werribee clinic in Melbournes south-west, which bulk-bills about 90 per cent of its patients, says the length of appointments is determined by what a patient needs. If you have a patient that you always see for 20 minutes because they have a serious condition, but theres a day when ... they just need a medical certificate, why would you do a 30-minute consult just to prove that you care so much? You saw them two days ago, Shumba says. Most doctors, they want to do a good work. They want, they feel good when they know that theyve diagnosed something that could have killed someone.

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I think the majority focus on that ... and let the finances take care of itself. Werribee Medical Centre, where Shumba works, is owned by ForHealth, the countrys second-largest primary care provider. Chief executive Andrew Cohen, who has appeared alongside Butler and his assistant minister, Ged Kearney, at several media events spruiking the governments health policies, says the new incentives will have an immediate effect on bulk-billing at about 100 GP clinics owned by the company nationally. Dr Edias Shumba, a GP from Werribee: Most doctors, they want to do a good work. Credit: Eddie Jim On November 1, we will switch from one in 10 [clinics that bulk-bill], to six in 10, Cohen says. Suddenly, the bulk-billing model is sustainable from our perspective, its sustainable from an investment perspective, and most importantly, its sustainable from a doctors perspective. Cohen says the company is looking to build 50 additional clinics over the next two years, targeting bulk-billing deserts in regional and outer metropolitan communities where the incentives are more lucrative. Clinics that dont change their practice may be left behind. Its all well and good to say you wont do it, but if next door opens up and theyre bulk-billing, thats competition, Cohen says.

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Chaney, a minister in the Fraser government and uncle of the teal independent Kate Chaney, joined the Liberals in 1959 and was an active member until 1995: It was genuinely a broad church and accommodated a broad range of views. But for a long time the moderates in the party have been spineless. The tragedy is that the National Party has become the tail that wags the dog. Kate Chaney with her uncle and former Liberal Party deputy leader Fred Chaney, in 2022. Credit: Bohdan Warchomij He says that he knows families, like his, that were multi-generational Liberal bastions, but today would not even consider voting for the party. The problem is that the Liberals dont like Australia as it is. Australia is not the problem, its the Liberals themselves. The party didnt win a majority of women in any age group, nor a majority of any age cohort under the age of 60. So the Liberals did poorly; Labor did well. Extraordinarily well. Every first-term government since World War II has suffered a net loss of lower house seats when re-elected to a second term. Including Bob Hawkes and John Howards. Albanese gained. Notably, Labor took the opposition leaders seat, another first. Taken together with Albaneses 2023 feat of leading the first government in a century to win a seat from the opposition at a byelection, it must be time to reevaluate the man.

Politically, in manner plebeian, he is royalty. Whatever you say about Albanese, says the political historian Paul Rodin, hes done some important things historically. In only three years. Tony Barry agrees: Winners write history, and hes writing it, and hes got quite a good entry in the history books already. Loading Another of Labors extraordinary accomplishments at the election is that it cut into political territory to its right and left, unseating not only the Liberal leader but also Greens leader Adam Bandt. Its evidence of how firmly Labor conquered the centre. The Greens bragged that their share of the vote was a record high for the party, but in the electorates where they actually held seats  all four of them  voters rejected the Greens MPs in at least three, with the result in the fourth still pending. The seats lost by the Greens all were taken by Labor. Seeking to diminish Albaneses achievement, the Greens acting leader, Nick McKim, says: The prime minister needs to recognise that this was a strong result for Labor in terms of seats, not votes.

Only around one-third of Australians voted for his party, his national primary vote is lower than Mark Latham achieved in 2004, and in many seats Labor only won thanks to Greens preferences. This is all true, but how so? Labors primary vote was 34.7 per cent on the count so far. Thats an increase of 2.1 per cent since the last election. But it used to be orthodoxy that Labor needed a primary vote of 38 to 40 per cent to win a majority. How can such a modest primary produce such a big majority of seats? Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressing Labor caucus on Friday morning. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Its a kind of electoral alchemy. In this election, Labor won a primary vote 11 percentage points lower than Bob Hawkes when he was re-elected in 1987. Yet Albanese won a bigger share of the two-party preferred vote and more seats than Hawke did. How? A Labor strategist points to a campaign conducted on two levels. At the national level, Labor had a clear and consistent set of overarching themes, positive and negative. At the local level, Labor ran dozens of distinct campaigns tailored to meet the community where they are. This was six years in the planning, led jointly by Albanese and Labors national secretary, Paul Erickson.

We won seats in inner-city Melbourne and the north-west coast of Tasmania  they couldnt be further apart, says the strategist. Labor took some seats, like Bandts seat of Melbourne, from the Greens and others, like north-west Tasmanias Braddon, from the Liberals, with quite different local campaigns. Apart from the bifurcated structure of the campaign, what were the main strengths of the Labor effort? Its architects nominate its theme of the future, whereas the Coalitions campaign constantly referenced the past. Dutton wanted to know whether you were better off than you were three years ago, while Albanese offered a brighter prospect for the three years ahead. Under the future rubric came all its policy offerings. Loading A Liberal strategist, asked to nominate the reasons for the partys failure, named its feeble, ill-aimed and chaotic effort at policy offerings first and foremost. Everything was left to the last moment. The Liberal next nominated its polling. This misled the campaign. For example, the partys pollsters twice surveyed Duttons seat of Dickson and both times reported that he was ahead by 55 per cent to Labors 45. But when Labor polled the same seat in the campaigns first week, it found that it was effectively at parity with 49.5 per cent and knew it could be won.

Third, the Liberal pointed to Duttons poor image, which contrasted with Albaneses. Fourth came Donald Trump. The impression that Dutton was a Temu Trump hurt the Liberal vote as the US president upturned the global order and sent the sharemarket into downturn. Indeed, the Labor strategist highlighted three moments where Albaneses leadership boosted the partys support. First was his performance during Tropical Cyclone Alfred, contrasting with Duttons flight to a Sydney fundraiser at the time. The other two were times when Trump imposed tariffs on Australian exports. Albaneses responses reassured the country. Albanese and Peter Dutton in one of the leaders debates during the election campaign. Credit: News Corp Australia As the campaign progressed, Albaneses confidence gained. When some of his advisers recommended that he agree to three debates with Dutton, Albanese insisted on doing a fourth. When some around him told him not to risk his lead by appearing at the National Press Club, he did it anyway. The Liberal strategist counted Albaneses confident campaign performances as the fourth decisive factor. And the Greens poor showing? Tony Barry says that they were seen as obstructionist and extremist: Older Labor voters who sometimes vote Greens just went back into Labors arms.
At a second appearance at 11pm, the observant might have noticed the colour of Bandts face. It was grey. His message, however, remained upbeat. We may not come out of tonight with all three of our Brisbane seats, but we are within reach of other seats right across the country, including here! Hooray! the crowd cheered. Plus, the Greens would have the balance of power in the Senate. Adam Bandt on Thursday in a final press conference after 15 years as the MP for Melbourne. Credit: Wayne Taylor A week later, the Greens have one lower house seat left  Ryan, in Queensland  the last remaining from the Greenslide of 2022. They suffered a swing against them in the Senate vote nationally, and in Victoria. And on Thursday, Bandt finally conceded his seat of Melbourne.

Loading Fifteen years after he stormed to victory over Labor, winning his partys first ever lower house seat at a general election, the Greens national leader fell 4000 votes short on a two-party-preferred count. Party elder Bob Brown blamed a relentless and despicable negative campaign by the main parties. Bandt referenced a Labor-Liberal preference swap, describing electorates where this had happened as purple seats (a mix of red and blue). Perhaps he had forgotten that his first victory, too, had come on the back of Liberal preferences. Live by the sword, die by the sword, gloated one Labor hardhead, who did not want to be quoted because he has left the political fray.

Picking and sticking After Bandts victory in 2010, the commentary was all about the Greens ascendancy. Sure, Melbourne was the most progressive electorate in the most progressive state, but the Greens could win Grayndler, in Sydney, next  Anthony Albaneses seat. Tanya Pliberseks seat of Sydney would be the next to fall. Then might come Victorian Liberal seats such as Kooyong, Goldstein and their equivalents in Sydney. Bandt in 2010, when he was first elected to parliament. Credit: Erin Jonasson Driving it, said the partys strategists in 2010, would be the young.

Getting people in their 40s and 50s to vote for us the first time is much harder than getting 18-year-olds, the partys electoral analyst, Stephen Luntz, told The Australian at the time. But once we pick up the 18-year-olds, it is much easier to keep them. Following Saturdays election, the Greens national primary vote will end at somewhere around 11.74 per cent, just shy of the 11.76 per cent of 2010. Its been up and down over the years, but as the two main parties votes have continued to fracture, and other independents and third parties have risen around them, the Greens are apparently in stasis. Redbridge Consultings Kos Samaras said its those 18-year-olds of 2010  now Millennials in their 30s  who have drifted away.

There are still healthy levels of support [for the Greens] in Gen Z, but Millennials are becoming Labor voters, Samaras said. His tracking poll of key seats (not specifically Greens seats) suggests people now in their 30s have become pragmatic and centrist and that the perpetually over-optimistic Greens over-egged it last term. Kos Samaras from Redbridge Consulting, a political consultancy firm. Credit: Wayne Taylor They pushed too hard on Gaza, on the CFMEU and by holding up Labors housing policies in the Senate. There was a perception the Greens built that they were in the business of opposing Labor and of helping [then opposition leader Peter] Dutton, Samaras said. Green voters arent green activists, he added.

A perfect storm Psephologist Kevin Bonham says that in Melbourne, Bandt confronted several problems in 2025. A redistribution took some of the Greens safest booths and deposited them to the north, in the neighbouring seat of Wills. The redistribution also brought other booths from what had been Higgins  a formerly safe Liberal seat that Labor flipped when the Morrison government was defeated in 2022. (Higgins was abolished as a seat before the election.) The Brunswick South booth, for example, voted 63.3 per cent for the Greens at the 2022 election but is now part of Wills. It was replaced in the south by Hawksburn, on Toorak Road, with a 30 per cent Greens primary. In addition, said Bonham, Liberal preferences in Melbourne at this election flowed even more strongly than they had in the past to Labor. About 80 per cent of conservative voters preferenced Albaneses party over the Greens, compared with 70 per cent in 2022.

Not since Bandts 2010 win has the Liberal Party recommended to its voters that they preference the Greens above Labor. But, until this election, Bandt has won sufficient votes on his own and collected enough preferences from other small parties to get over the line, even before the main party votes were counted. Samantha Ratnam, the Greens candidate for Wills, campaigning during the election. Credit: Gus McCubbing But this time, said Bonham, an almost 5 per cent swing against Bandt on primary votes meant this was not enough. It was a perfect storm. A redistribution, the swing in primary votes and bad preference flow all went wrong for the Greens, Bonham said.

Purple seats In Wills, the beneficiary of those pro-Greens southern booths, another quite remarkable thing happened. This is an electorate where young, left-leaning educated types vie for housing and cafe space with an old working-class left and a large cohort of migrants. Young Greens supporters cheer at campaign HQ in Melbourne on election night. Their joy was short-lived. Credit: Paul Jeffers Its long been divided by Bell Street  variously labelled the Quinoa Curtain, the Latte Line and the Hipster-Proof Fence. North of this line votes Labor, and to the south, Greens.

Loading This election, though, the Greens did better than usual in the north. Labor MP Peter Khalil lost a fifth of his primary vote at one of his strongest booths, at John Fawkner College, and it went straight to the Greens Samantha Ratnam. It was not the only one. The Greens campaign on Gaza might have swayed the large Muslim populations in the north to abandon Labor. These were places where pro-Palestinian group Muslim Votes Matter campaigned hardest. We had an impact on the day, said Ghaith Krayem, the groups national spokesman. In the south, conversely, in the old Greens areas, young, educated Greens voters turned more strongly to Labor.

Loading How voters cast their ballots at Princes Hill Primary School tells the story. In 2022, when this booth sat in the seat of Melbourne, the Greens won 55 per cent of primary votes to Labors 24 per cent. Three years later, and now part of Wills, the booth returned 43 per cent for the Greens  a swing of 12 percentage points against the minor party. Labors figure climbed to 37 per cent  a shift mirrored across the south as affluent voters came back to Labor. Overall, in Wills, the Greens vote lifted by 2 per cent on primaries, but it was not enough to win Ratnam the seat. (She predicted on election night it would be 10 per cent.) Carlo Carli, the former Labor MP for the state seat of Brunswick, said that while the Greens and Ratnam worked extraordinarily hard, Khalil had turned this into a poll on the importance of having a local member that could oppose Dutton. In the other seat in metropolitan Melbourne targeted by the Greens  bayside Macnamara  they fell hopelessly short. The swing against them was 3 per cent, and their candidate, Sonya Semmens, came third to Liberal and Labor.

Nobody spoken to for this article thinks this result marks the terminal decline of the Greens. Of course they can come back, Samaras said. This election tells us that the other vote is now very strategic. Four-something million votes are strategic and tactical. If the Greens are smart, theyll find a way to win them back. Bandt saved his final words as MP for Melbourne for ABC Radio. He would take a rest, he said. His party would elect a new leader and wield the balance of power in the Senate. Not conceding any fault with his partys approach in the last term, Bandt said the government would be forced to listen to them. I hope [the government] ... understands it would be a lot better to listen to what the Greens put forward, he maintained.
What in the World, a free weekly newsletter from our foreign correspondents, is sent every Thursday. Below is an excerpt. Sign up to get the whole newsletter delivered to your inbox.

Rome: There I was, sitting in a quiet corner of Rome, the Vaticans chimney stack just visible in the distance, waiting for the puff of white smoke that would declare a new pope.

It was a moment wrapped in tradition, symbolism and centuries of history  the kind of global story I could have only imagined reporting on. The kind that once lived only in the margins of a high school history textbook, brought to life by a woman named Ms Needham.

A street musician plays a violin outside the SantAngelo castle as the sun sets in Rome on Sunday. Credit: AP

Three and a bit years ago, I left Australia with a suitcase, a passport and a quiet sense of disbelief. I was to cover Europes biggest stories  the politics, the protests, the wars and the wonders. Ive since stood inside a centuries-old chapel as Elizabeth II was laid to rest, and witnessed the pomp of a kings coronation. Ive watched firelit protests engulf Parisian streets, heard air raid sirens in Kyiv and wandered the cobbled corners of Berlin, imagining the wall still looming above.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Saturday to discuss a proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in the war with Russia.

In a statement on X, Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said his country and its allies were ready for a full ceasefire on land, air and at sea for at least 30 days, starting from Monday.

He described the phone call with Trump as productive.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet onboard a train en route to Kyiv. Credit: Getty Images

The visit by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was the first time the leaders of the four countries had travelled together to Ukraine. Their meeting was intended to be a show of unity a day after Russias Vladimir Putin hosted his allies in a Victory Day parade on Red Square.
Heathrows 20bn third runway could be in use by 2035 - AFP

Heathrow has been warned that it cannot afford a third runway without loading the business with billions of pounds more debt.

In a damning new report, the ratings agency S&P Global said the planned expansion will potentially imperil the airport by significantly increasing its borrowings, which are are already as high as nearly 20bn.

As well as increasing debts, S&P said the project would also lead to higher passenger charges at Heathrow, which are already among the highest in Europe.

According to S&P, this could lead to a weakening of Heathrows competitive position relative to other European hubs  raising fresh concerns over the airports status as a global transport hub.

Heathrow has insisted that the planned expansion will not need any financial support from the taxpayer, although S&P claims it will not be able to afford a third runway without a significant cash injection from its shareholders.

The airports backers are largely made up of overseas investors, led by French private equity giant Ardian, the Qatar Investment Authority and Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund.

S&P said: Notwithstanding Heathrows strong regulatory environment and superior competitive position, we believe that our issue ratings on Heathrows debt have limited headroom for significant additional leverage.

In our view, the new runway would be difficult to finance without strong equity backing.

Concerns over how Heathrow will pay for a third runway have emerged just months after Chancellor Rachel Reeves backed the 20bn project, as she stepped up efforts to boost economic growth.

Heathrow is set to submit plans for the expansion later this year, with chief executive Thomas Woldbye claiming that the third runway could be in use by 2035.

Plans could see the airports capacity increase from 80m passengers a year to 140m in an expansion costing between 20bn and 25bn, according to S&P.

Mr Woldbye has said that a third runway would lead to lower air fares for passengers because it would remove flight capacity limits that are responsible for inflating prices.

Meanwhile, the airports latest annual reports show that Heathrow has just over 19bn worth of debt across the business, which led to more than 600m in finance costs last year alone.

However, these did not prevent the airport from posting profits of 917m from total revenues of 3.6bn.

A Heathrow spokesman said: Expanding Heathrow will be entirely privately funded, and as such must be financeable. Policy changes, including adjustments to the regulatory regime for a third runway, will be key to delivering the project successfully.

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.
As January was ending, Gabelli joined Squawk Box on CNBC to discuss a range of topics. He explained how the stock markets performance is tied to company earnings, revenue growth, gross margins, expenses, and taxes, but most importantly to the market multiple, which is influenced by interest rates. These are shaped by debt, deficits, and overall confidence. Gabelli also mentioned that strategic corporate M&A was returning after a freeze caused by regulatory uncertainty and some failed deals. Activist investors are also seeking greater visibility and pushing for changes at companies. He argued against reducing the corporate tax rate below 21% but advocated for a minimum tax on a cash basis. He called for the restoration of 100% bonus depreciation, which would allow businesses, such as farmers, to fully write off new equipment purchases immediately, thereby encouraging investment in technologically advanced machinery. Gabelli mentioned that similar incentives should apply to capital expenditures in sectors like cable and referenced comments from Hans Vestberg. He noted that while corporations currently receive tax deductions for capital expenditures, these are spread over longer periods, and accelerating them would provide more immediate benefits.

Mario J. Gabelli founded Gabelli Asset Management Company in 1977. The firm is now called GAMCO Investors and is an American firm headquartered in New York. It specializes in providing investment advice and brokerage services to mutual funds, institutional clients, and select investors. It is majority-owned by Mario Gabelli, who is the Chairman and CEO of it. GAMCO Investors includes two businesses: GAMCO Asset Management, with institutional and separate accounts; and Gabelli Funds. The last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $9.55 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 16.81%. Gabelli stayed true to the principles of value investing and used a solid base created by Warren Buffett and Ben Graham, while adding some of his elements to the mix. He believes that value investing isnt focused on short-term market movements. He looks for the ignored and unloved companies that nobody covers for whatever reason, with a good business, solid management, and a good price.

We recently published a list of Billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 Small-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HRI) stands against other small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential.

Story Continues

Gabelli graduated summa cum laude in 1965 from Fordham Universitys College of Business Administration in 1965 and holds an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He has received honorary doctorates from Fordham University and Roger Williams University. He also serves on the Boards of Boston College, Roger Williams University, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, and the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture. He is a Trustee of the Winston Churchill Foundation of the US and the EL Wiegand Foundation. Gabelli was honored as Morningstars Portfolio Manager of the Year in 1997, named Money Manager of the Year by Institutional Investor in 2011, and is a member of Barrons All-Star Century Team.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential, we sifted through the Q4 2024 13F filings of GAMCO Investors from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked the upside potential from CNN for the top 50 stock picks that were trading between $1 billion and $10 billion and ranked the stocks in ascending order of this upside potential. We have also added GAMCO Investors stake in each company and the hedge fund sentiment around each stock.

Note: All data was sourced on May 8.

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).

Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HRI): Among Billionaire Mario Gabellis Small-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential

An overhead shot of a ProSolutions employee in the process of delivering equipment to a construction site.

Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HRI)

GAMCO Investors Stake: $212.26 million

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32

Market Capitalization as of May 8: $3.50 billion

Average Upside Potential as of May 8: 18.81%

Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HRI) operates as an equipment rental supplier. It rents aerial, earthmoving, material handling, trucks & trailers, air compressors, compaction, and lighting equipment. The company sells its products through its sales team and industry catalogs, as well as through participation and sponsorship of industry events, trade shows, and the Internet.

The companys Equipment Rental segment grew its revenue by ~5% year-over-year in Q1 2025. This growth was achieved despite headwinds from unusually cold weather that impacted local rentals. The acquisition of H&E Equipment Services and its 160 US branch locations is positioned to drive further growth at Herc. This acquisition aims to expand Hercs scale, geographic coverage, and long-term opportunities by integrating H&Es locations, fleet categories, and local & national account presence.

Herc plans to use its expertise in cross-selling specialty fleet to H&Es general rental customer base to drive revenue synergies. The company anticipates 20% capture in the first year of integration, which would potentially ramp up to 60% in year 2 with specialty cross-selling, and the remainder in year 3. Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HRI) is also managing its fleet investments, with a ~35% lower net fleet CapEx plan for 2025 at the midpoint of the companys guidance.

Overall, HRI ranks 8th on our list of billionaire Mario Gabellis small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential. While we acknowledge the potential of HRI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than HRI but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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Ellen O'Donoghue

Two people, a man (20s) and a youth in his late teens, were arrested on Saturday following a serious assault in Dublin on Friday afternoon.

The assault took place at a residence in Kilcronan View, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

Both males are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a garda station in Dublin.

A man (20s) remains in hospital being treated for non-life-threatening injuries following the incident.

Gardai have appealed to anyone with information about the incident to come forward, and have asked anyone who may have camera footage, including dash cam, and were in the area between 12.30pm and 1.30pm to make the footage available to investigating gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Clondalkin Garda Station on (01) 666 7600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Investigations are ongoing, a garda statement said.
Tech Edge hosted a fireside chat on April 30 at RSAC 2025 in San Francisco with Mickey Bresman, Chief Executive Officer at Semperis. The in-person interview was joined by Editor-at-Large Jarrett Banks and they discussed whats next for the company after recently surpassing $100M ARR, the evolution of Semperis mission of putting identity at the center of cyber resilience strategy, among other topics.

Watch the interview below:

About Mickey Bresman

Mickey Bresman is CEO and co-founder of Semperis, a leading provider of enterprise, hybrid identity protection, threat research, and incident response services. Among the top three fastest-growing cybersecurity companies in the U.S., according to Inc. 5000, Semperis is widely recognized for offering the industrys most comprehensive hybrid directory protection technology and services. Semperis recently surpassed $100M in annual recurring revenue, a milestone that fewer than one in every 1,000 venture-backed enterprise software companies achieves.

The company has been recognized by Deloittes Technology Fast 500, Incs Best Workplaces, and, recently, CRNs 2025 Security 100 list. Its Purple Knight community tool, a free assessment solution designed to identify vulnerabilities in Microsoft Active Directory, Entra ID, and Okta, has been endorsed by leading cyber agencies from the Five Eyes Nation, including the NSA and CISA.

Beginning his technical career in the Navy, Mickeys comfort zone is on the front lines helping organizations thwart and respond to cyberattacks. The long-time cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur has an extensive track record of driving revenue growth and scaling organizations across the globe. Prior to founding Semperis, Mickey held the position of CTO at YouCC Technologies, a Microsoft Gold Partner integration company.

About Semperis

For security teams charged with defending hybrid and multi-cloud environments, Semperis ensures the integrity and availability of critical enterprise directory services at every step in the cyber kill chain and cuts recovery time by 90%. Purpose-built for securing hybrid identity environmentsincluding Active Directory, Entra ID, and OktaSemperis AI-powered technology protects over 100 million identities from cyberattacks, data breaches and operational errors. The worlds leading organizations trust Semperis to spot directory vulnerabilities, intercept cyberattacks in progress and quickly recover from ransomware and other data integrity emergencies.

Semperis is headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, and operates internationally, with its research and development team distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Israel. Semperis hosts the award-winning Hybrid Identity Protection conference and podcast series (www.hipconf.com) and built the community hybrid Active Directory cyber defender tools, Purple Knight (www.semperis.com/purple-knight/) and Forest Druid. The company has received the highest level of industry accolades, recently named to Inc. Magazines list of best workplaces for 2024 and ranked the fastest-growing cybersecurity company in America by the Financial Times.
By Yuka Obayashi and Katya Golubkova

TOKYO (Reuters) - Nippon Steel expects net profit to slide 43% in the fiscal year ending March 2026, it said on Friday, citing a weak global steel market pressured by China's exports and the impact of new U.S. tariffs.

Japan's biggest steelmaker also said it expects a U.S. decision on whether to approve the company's proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel by June 5.

Nippon Steel forecast net profit for the year through March 31, 2026 would fall to 200 billion yen ($1.4 billion), after reporting on Friday that profit fell 36% in the year ended March 2025 to 350.2 billion yen.

"Excess production and increased exports from China, driven by a widening supply-demand gap amid the economic slowdown, show no signs of easing, and this difficult environment is expected to persist through the current fiscal year," President Tadashi Imai told a news conference.

"The indirect impact of the U.S. tariffs on our earnings could be significant," he added, while noting that direct effects will be limited as exports to the U.S. are small and consist of mainly hard-to-substitute products.

Nippon Steel's $15 billion bid for U.S. Steel, rejected by former U.S. President Joe Biden, is under review.

"We'll take all necessary steps to ensure the transaction closes," Imai said.

Imai reiterated Nippon Steel's core proposal to acquire full ownership of U.S. Steel remains the starting point in negotiations with U.S. authorities, though the company is also exploring various proposals to secure approval.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who began his second term on January 20, initially stated he "wouldn't mind" if Nippon Steel bought a minority stake in U.S. Steel. Such a scenario would require an overhaul of the deal structure.

In March, Trump directed the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews foreign investment for national security risk, to reexamine the bid to determine whether "further action" would be appropriate.

Nippon Steel's Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori, a lead negotiator on the deal, said he expects CFIUS to make a recommendation to Trump by May 21, with a final decision from Trump anticipated by June 5.

"We continue to believe that the U.S. Steel deal poses no risk to U.S. national security," Mori said. "But the outcome will ultimately hinge on Trump's decision, as the deal has become a political issue beyond just national security considerations."

($1 = 145.3300 yen)

(Reporting by Katya Golubkova and Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Christopher Cushing and Susan Fenton)
The State Employment Agency of Azerbaijan and Moroccos National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills have signed a comprehensive Cooperation Action Plan for 20252026, marking a significant step forward in bilateral collaboration on labor and employment initiatives, Azernews reports.

The agreement was signed during a high-level ceremony in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, on the sidelines of the World Congress of the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES). The event brought together global leaders in workforce development to discuss innovations and best practices in public employment services.

The newly signed Action Plan sets a roadmap for joint efforts in several strategic areas, including the implementation of active labor market programs, the digital transformation of employment services, the enhancement of vocational training systems, and initiatives to improve youth employment and career guidance.

In addition to programmatic collaboration, the agreement also provides for reciprocal study visits and the co-hosting of events aimed at knowledge exchange and capacity building between the two agencies.

This partnership underscores both countries commitment to modernizing employment services and fostering inclusive labor markets in line with international best practices.
We recently published a list of 10 Jim Cramer Stocks to Watch as US-China Prepare to Begin Talks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discussed.

The optimism over US-China trade talks is increasing as the US Treasury Secretary is set to meet Chinas trade negotiator in Switzerland later this week.

In a latest program on CNBC, Jim Cramer expressed his renewed optimism for major tech stocks and said the negative market sentiment about these companies was weakened after the latest quarterly reports.

Sometimes you forget why you ever liked something in the first place. Take the super stocks, the hyperscalers, the tech titansI dont care whatever you want to call them. These stocks all got lumped together because of their size, their gigantic market caps that dwarf the rest of the market, and then they lost their juice, Cramer said. Its their scale, their smarts, their moats, their balance sheets, and their sensational products.

Jim Cramer also talked about the latest data in company reports that shows the demand for data centers remains strong.

READ ALSO: 7 Best Stocks to Buy For Long-Term and 8 Cheap Jim Cramer Stocks to Invest In.

For this article, we picked 10 stocks Jim Cramer recently talked about during his programs on CNBC. With each stock, we mentioned the number of hedge fund investors. 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).

Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 37

Jim Cramer in a latest program on CNBC talked about BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) and reiterated his long-term bullish case for the stock:

Look, we own it for the Chartiable Trust. Candidly, were down on it and I dont like that when were down on a stock, but we are. The stock has declined far more than I thought it would on what was a decent quarter. I agree with you, and I think it should be bought. That said, Ive been wrong, but I think it should be bought. In long term, I think this would be a great position.

Nightview Capital stated the following regarding BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter.

A jury awarded a former chief people officer nearly $3.3 million on Wednesday, finding she suffered retaliation for speaking up about alleged pay bias and wage and hour violations.

The plaintiff, a lawyer with more than two decades of experience in employment law, was hired as CPO at Memphis-based personal injury law firm Reaves Law Firm, with expectation that she would shape its culture and be a buffer between the firms founder and its employees.

An issue arose when the founder interrupted an interview and made an offer to a potential hire outside of the pay band for the role, according to the courts order denying summary judgment for the law firm. He offered the applicant $20,000 more than what a woman employee was already making in the role. The plaintiff highlighted this disparity to her boss, who then accused her of being disloyal.

The CPO was demoted shortly after and ultimately fired. The individual sued, alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Pay Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. A judge denied the employers request to dismiss the case, teeing it up for a jury trial.

A jury found the employer had retaliated against her, in violation of all three laws, and awarded her back pay and compensatory and punitive damages.

Neither Reaves Law Firm nor the plaintiff responded to requests for comment by press time.

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People take part in a pro-Palestinian protest at Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University in New York on May 7.
NHS Fightback is holding an online Zoom meeting on Monday May 19, at 7 p.m. to oppose Labours plans to gut and privatise the National Health Service. All healthcare workers, patients and their families are invited to attend.

On March 19, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the abolition of NHS England. Aping Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency in the United States, Starmer declared the worlds biggest quango was being axed to cut waste and inefficiency.

One day later, Streeting announced that all 42 NHS integrated care boardswhich allocate NHS budgets locally and commission serviceswould be expected to cut running costs by half.

Streeting instructed NHS Englands new CEO Jim Mackey to oversee a financial reset, putting an end to the deficit-by-default culture that has consumed our health service. Streeting would do the same at the Department of Health and Social Care, going through budgets line by line, he pledged.

Labours announcements were immediately hailed by right-wing media outlets. Murdochs Sun declared Streeting had done what the Tories should have sorted long ago and that Starmer was living the Tories dream.

Less than two months later, Labours plans for the dismantling of the NHS are being put into practice.

Thinking the unthinkable

Mackey told the Medical Journalists Association this Thursday that the government had maxed out on the funds it was prepared to provide the NHS. It is really now about [the NHS] delivering better value for money, getting more change, delivering on getting back to reasonable productivity levels.

He has ordered hospitals in England to make unprecedented cuts this financial year to avoid a projected 6.6 billion deficit. Trusts say the resulting efficiency savings amount to 12 percent of their entire budget.

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers (which represents NHS trusts) said that trusts are having to think the previously unthinkable to meet the savings demanded under Streetings whip.

On May 19, the BBC and Guardian reported results of a survey of 160 NHS Trust leaders which found they are planning to shrink their workforce by up to 1,500 positions each.

In addition:

47 percent were cutting services and another 43 percent were considering doing so.

37 percent were cutting clinical posts and a further 40 percent may follow suit.

26 percent were closing some services and 55 percent more may do so.

At North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT), a staff video call uploaded to YouTube last month exposed the extent of the cuts and their impact on patient care. NHS workers described chaos on wards, financial hardship and excessive workloads, the BBC reported.

Around 400 NHS staff joined the call, with one frontline worker challenging senior management: Have any of you been on the wards at the moment and seen the chaos? They added: All the staff are feeling the same. You go home with this tremendous sense of guilt.

The trust has been instructed to save 73.5 million this year, around 10 percent of their annual budget.

The same cuts are being implemented everywhere.

Dorset Hospitals Trust: a test case

An example of Labours cost-cutting and privatisation agenda is on display at the NHS Dorset Hospitals Trust which has announced plans to transfer more than 1,300 staff into a newly created subsidiary company (SubCo).

The move affects essential workers in housekeeping, catering, portering, estates, and health and safety roles, many of whom are among the lowest-paid staff in the NHS.

Despite promises that transferred staff will retain their NHS contracts and pensions, the creation of a separate legal entity exposes them to worsening pay and conditions, with trust bosses admitting its formation is to help improve efficiency and provide services that are affordable

Subsidiary companies were created in the NHS in 2006 during Tony Blairs Labour government. A back-door route to privatisation, they flourished during 14 years of Tory-led governments from 2010. By March 2018, 42 NHS Foundation Trusts had either set up, or were in the process of setting up, SubCos. A year later there were over 65.

The Health Service Journal found that Trusts are regularly denying staff employed by their wholly owned subsidiary companies access to the NHS pension and providing them with schemes which are significantly less generous. It noted, Some offered pensions with just 3 per cent employer contribution, compared to 20.68 per cent on AfC [Agenda for Change].

A catering worker at Dorset HealthCare NHS Trust told NHS Fightback: Weve been told well have to sign new contracts with SubCo by September this year.

Weve made it clearwere not signing. But management warned that anyone with over two years service can apply for redundancy if they refuse, and those who dont sign will lose their jobs. Thats not a choiceits blackmail.

Were all angry about whats happening. And its not just hereIve heard that Southampton hospitals are also trying to shift staff into private companies. This is a national issue. We need to stand together and fight back.

Staff anger toward these plans is growing. Yet Unison and other health unions are doing everything in their power to keep their members in the dark, and to divide and suppress a collective struggle against Labours scorched earth measures.

A rank-and-file strategy

At Dorset NHS Trust, Unison has organised no ballot for industrial action to fight the governments plans. Instead, workers received a WhatsApp chat message from Unison reps proposing a three-stage plan consisting of 1) a protest during days off; 2) a work to rule; followed by 3) consideration of strike action as a last step.

NHS FightBack calls on workers to reject this bankrupt policy and to take the lead themselves.

Only through collective resistance can this assault on NHS workersand the principles of a publicly owned and operated health servicebe stopped. Staff must prepare for a united and determined fightback based on a socialist strategy.

Labours frontal assault on the NHS is being justified as necessary to pay for rearmament and war. Starmer has pledged to increase military spending to 3 percent of GDP and has called for a Coalition of the Willing with boots on the ground and planes in the air against Russia.

NHS FightBack says: Billions for health and patient care, not rearmament and war! No fight to defend the NHS can be successful without challenging the grip of the financial oligarchy over society. The claim that there is no money for the NHS is a lie!

Conditions exist for a powerful fightback by health workers against the Labour governments frontal assault on the NHS. A network of rank-and-file committees is needed, linking together all of us across our respective workplaces and disciplines, to share information and discuss a common strategy to fight.

Join our online meeting on Monday May 19, at 7 p.m., and encourage your colleagues to attend. Register for the NHS FightBack Zoom meeting here.
Kohl's fired CEO Ashley Buchanan on May for cause

The dismissal came after an investigation uncovered unethical and undisclosed conflicts of interest

Michael Bender will be serving as interim CEO, while the company searches for a new leader

Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) dismissed its newly installed CEO on May 1, citing "undisclosed conflicts of interest," the company said.

Ashley Buchanan had been in the position for just four months before the company discovered allegedly unethical behavior. According to the retailer, an outside investigation found that Buchanan "violated company policies by directing the company to engage in vendor transactions that involved undisclosed conflicts of interest." As a result, he was terminated "for cause," a rebuke that carries serious weight in these circles.

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A regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission disclosed a few more details about what the company said it discovered. "Mr. Buchanan had directed that the Company conduct business with a vendor founded by an individual with whom Mr. Buchanan has a personal relationship on highly unusual terms favorable to the vendor and that he also caused the Company to enter into a multi-million dollar consulting agreement wherein the same individual was a part of the consulting team," the filing said.

The filing also said Mr. Buchanan did not disclose this relationship as required under the company's code of ethics, which amounted to his dismissal with cause.

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Buchanan joined Kohl's in January. During his short tenure, he was unable to do so, with sales continuing to decline by 4.3%, according to the company's preliminary Q1 earnings report released on April 30. However, Kohl's said that his dismissal was not related to the company's performance.

In a note on LinkedIn, Neil Saunders, the managing director of GlobalData Retail, wrote that the "disruption and distraction" of Buchanan's firing "is the last thing that Kohls needs as it tries to turn itself around. Kohls needs stability. It currently has chaos."
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks during the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago. [AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite]

On May 5, Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped all charges against seven of the 11 protesters who were arrested during the pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Michigan (U-M), which was established last spring and dismantled by police in May 2024.

The individualsOliver Kozler, Samantha Lewis, Henry MacKeen-Shapiro, Michael Mueller, Asad Siddiqui, Avi Tachna-Fram, and Rhiannon Willowhad been charged with misdemeanor trespassing and felony obstruction of a police officer, the latter carrying a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Robyn Liddell, a deputy to Attorney General Nessel, filed the motion to dismiss the case, visibly surprising the defendants and their attorneys, who had been prepared to deliver closing arguments. Nessel herself did not appear in court but later issued public statements explaining the decision to drop the charges.

When my office made the decision to issue charges of Trespassing and Resisting and Obstructing a Police Officer in this matter, Nessel stated, we did so based on the evidence and facts of the case. I stand by those charges and that determination. She blamed the 14A-1 District Court for failing to promptly bind the case over to the circuit court, where preliminary hearings on the felony charges began in December. During this time, Nessel added, the case has become a lightning rod of contention.

Nessels remarks alluded to growing public calls for her to recuse herself from the prosecution, as well as a defense motion to disqualify her from the case. The motion cited her open political alignment with the Zionist Israeli regime and numerous personal and financial ties to the University of Michigan Board of Regents.

Nessel also cited a letter submitted to the court by the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, a local Zionist organization, which defended her against accusations of bias. Calling the letter inappropriate, Nessel later told the Detroit Free Press, We have learned that a public statement in support of my office from a local nonprofit has been directly communicated to the court.  The impropriety of this action has led us to the difficult decision to drop these charges.

In concluding her statement, Nessel doubled down on her support for the original felony charges, declaring, While I stand by my charging decisions, and believe, based on the evidence, a reasonable jury would find the defendants guilty of the crimes alleged, I no longer believe these cases to be a prudent use of my departments resources, and, as such, I have decided to dismiss the cases.

While the dismissal of charges are a victory for the rights of the seven defendants, several other protesters at the University of Michigan still face prosecution by Nessels office.

Four individuals charged for their involvement in the pro-Palestinian encampment continue to face misdemeanor charges. Additionally, on January 15, Nessel announced new charges against three protesters who participated in a die-in demonstration on the universitys central quad, the Diag, during the annual Festifall club event in August.

The remaining charges include felony counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer, as well as misdemeanor trespassing.

Moreover, the courtroom prosecutions are just one component of a broader, bipartisan campaignled in Michigan by the Democratic Partyaimed at criminalizing protest and suppressing political opposition to the interests of American imperialism.

On April 23 this year, Nessel, with the assistance of FBI agents and local police, coordinated raids on five locations across southeast Michigan as part of an investigation into what her office called coordinated criminal acts of vandalism and property damage across multiple counties, allegedly totaling $100,000 in damages.

No one was arrested or charged during the raids, but police and FBI agents seized electronic devices and personal belongings, and briefly detained 11 individuals for questioning. At least one of the three raided residences had its door broken down by police, who initially refused to present a warrant. One person targeted in Canton was compelled to provide a DNA sample.

Earlier this month, eight former University of Michigan employees filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging that it violated their right to free speech and unfairly terminated and barred them from campus due to their political views and participation in nonviolent protests.

The day before Nessel dismissed the felony charges, University of Michigan President Santa Ono announced that he would be stepping down from his position, which he has held since October 2022. He stated that he was accepting a position at the University of Florida.

Over the past year and a half, Ono, as president of the University of Michigan, played a leading role in the nationwide bipartisan campaign to suppress and intimidate opposition to the US- and Israeli-led genocide in Gaza. For his efforts, the U-M Board of Regentsa cabal of political operatives and multimillionaires from both the Democratic and Republican partiesrewarded him with a planned eight-year contract extension and a salary increase to $1.3 million.

Throughout 2024, Onos administration repeatedly altered the universitys conduct policies, effectively redefining any form of protest as disruptive and subjecting students and staff to a wide range of disciplinary measures.

In October, leaked audio revealed Ono stating, The government could call me tomorrow and say, in a very unbalanced way, that the university is not doing enough to combat antisemitism. He added that the government could say something like, well, we will withhold two billion dollars in funding if you dont address antisemitism.

In January, Onos administration banned Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE), the local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), for organizing peaceful protests against the genocide in Gaza throughout 2024. This marked the first time in U-Ms history that a legacy student organization was banned. The action stripped SAFE of formal club status, access to university facilities and the right to promote its views on campus.

By pivoting to the University of Floridawhere fascistic Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed the majority of the universitys trusteesOno is aligning himself with the far right as the Trump administration seeks to transform American academia into an instrument of Gleichschaltung: the official subordination of intellectual and cultural life to fascist ideology.

To smooth his transition to Florida, Ono on Wednesday withdrew his signature from a public letter defending academic freedom, originally launched by the American Association of Colleges and Universities and signed by more than 150 university presidents and leaders.

According to reports from the New York Times, Ono is expected to receive a salary of up to $3 million as the new president of the University of Floridamore than any other university president in the country and more than double what he earned at U-M.
A US-UK trade deal was announced Thursday evening, after only being trailered that morning.

Tariffs of 27.5 percent on UK cars will be reduced to 10 percent for a quota of 100,000 carsany additional sales will be charged the full rate. Tariffs on UK steel and aluminium will be removed. There will also be exemptions for UK aerospace components, in return for British Airways ordering 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets. All other exports to the US will incur a blanket 10 percent tariff.

President Donald Trump, center, with Vice President JD Vance, left, and Britian's ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, right, making remarks on a trade deal between U.S. and U.K. in the Oval Office of the White House, May 8, 2025, in Washington [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

A reciprocal agreement on beef allows both countries to export 13,000 metric tonnes at a reduced tariff rate of 4-10 percent for UK exporters and tariff-free for US exportersdown from up to 125 percent in some cases. The US is also granted a tariff exemption on the first 1.4 billion litres of ethanol exported to the UKpreviously a rate of 10-50 percent was charged.

There have been vague suggestions of preferential treatment when it comes to tariffs on pharmaceuticalsBritains second-largest goods export to the US by value after carswhich Trump is expected to announce in the coming weeks.

Although the deal brings some small relief to Britains car and steel industries, the overall picture shows the weak hand being played by British capitalism. Average UK tariffs on US products have fallen from 5.1 percent to 1.8 percent since Trump became president, while average US tariffs on UK goods have increased from 3.4 percent to 10 percent.

More than anything, the deal is a signal from Sir Keir Starmers Labour government that it is prioritising relations with America over those with Europe. And Trumps White House is eager to use this fact to its advantage in its trade war, against the European Union (EU), but also globally.

While most British commentators have limited themselves to pointing out how thin the deal is, a few have been more scathing. Alan Beattie, writing in the Financial Times, headlined an article, Britains trade deal with Trump may not be good news for the world, arguing, Starmers choice undermines multilateralism and poses risks to the UK.

Beattie describes the deal, designed purely to escape the tariffs that Donald Trump imposed on steel and cars, as closer to a protection payment to a mob boss than a liberalising agreement between sovereign countries, and warns, Given how eager the UK was to make a deal, theres no guarantee that Trump wont come back for more.

His biggest concerns go beyond Britain. Beattie writes that whatever short-term benefit it has given to the UK, the deal hasnt done a whole lot for the integrity of the global trading system. By capitulating to US pressure and rushing for a quick deal, the UK has encouraged others to do the same, and By accepting that it will continue to face the 10 per cent baseline tariff, the UK has also normalised a deeply regressive move.

The agreement with the US was announced the same day the EU published a 200-page catalogue of more than 4,800 goods imported from the US which could be hit with tariffs totalling close to 100 billion. Trump very possibly sprung the newsputting in a surprise call to Starmer Wednesday nightas a riposte.

For its part, the European press has been quick to point to Britains weak economic position viz the US, the European Union and China. Compared to the two big blocs [China and the EU], wrote Der Spiegel, the British are small fry, accounting for just 3 percent of US trade. It cites Justin Wolfers, professor at the University of Michigan, calling the agreement a photo opportunity with little macroeconomic relevance.

The paper added, Trump can feel vindicated that it was a good idea to blow up the whole system. Other governments will now be under pressure to extract concessions for their companies and voters.

This will irk European leaders with whom Starmer is attempting a post-Brexit reset, hosting a UK-EU summit in London on May 19the first of an annual series of meetings aimed at tak[ing] stock of the bilateral relationship, according to a draft joint statement.

Faisal Islam, the BBCs economics editor, explains the British governments intentions, writing that the real win of the deal with America could be that this agreement on tariffs will keep the US sweet whilst leaving the door open to a substantive deal with the European Union.

By maintaining UK food standards and not, for example, accepting hormone treated beef or chlorinated chicken, a full fat food and farm export deal with the EU, similar to Switzerlands, is now clearly on the cards in the next fortnight.

Bank of England Chief Andrew Bailey was quick to argue for the UK to start to rebuild that relationship with the EU, telling the BBC the deal with the US could set an example: It demonstrates that trade deals are important. Trade deals can be done I hope that we can use these deals to rebuild the world trading system.

This is a clear case of putting a brave face on a bad situation.

Whatever their ultimate outcome, Starmers manoeuvres point to the continued fragmentation of international trade relations in place since the end of the Cold War. Indeed, Beattie writes that the most important risk is not to the UK itself but the global trading system. He notes that Britains reduction of tariffs on specifically US-produced ethanol and beefnot as part of a formal trade agreementundermines the most favoured nation principle that underlies the multilateral trading system.

According to World Trade Organisation rules, outside of specific trade agreements, members must treat all other members the same when it comes to import charges. But these principles are being abandoned amid a global trade war whose logic is to replace the anti-working-class brutality of relatively free market competition with the yet more anti-working-class brutality of competing trade blocs.

Specifically, Britains behaviour will not meet a friendly response from Europe.

Der Spiegel warns of the US-UK deal, According to the White House, the creation of a trading community for steel and aluminum is planned. This could mean that in future, the UK could impose a 25 percent tariff on imports from third countries such as Germany.

Economic conflicts are closely intertwined with military competition. Politico reports that French President Emmanuel Macron is playing hardball as Starmer strives for EU reset, with France aiming to limit British access to a 150 billion European rearmament defense fund that is being negotiated.

The article explains, The U.K. wants its firms to benefit from SAFE, the multibillion-euro rearmament program that is currently being negotiated by EU members, but France sees that effort as unwelcome competition from London and a case of the Brits trying to have their post-Brexit cake and eat it too

British efforts to secure a trade deal with Washington, have reinforced the French view that the reset with Starmer will be relatively limited and that the U.K. doesnt see its future as lying exclusively with the continent.
This speech was given by Tomas Castanheira, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Group in Brazil, at the International May Day 2025 Online Rally, held Saturday, May 3.

May Day 2025 speech given by Tomas Castanheira

May Day is the day we celebrate the international unity of the working class. Never have workers been so internationally integrated, operating together the great workshop of globalized production. And at the same time, never has the political affirmation of this international unity been so urgent.

Trumps return to the White House marks a realignment of US imperialisms foreign policy toward domination of the Western Hemisphere, seen as a necessary step in its offensive against China.

Speaking to the US Congress in February, SOUTHCOM commander Admiral Alvin Holsey explained:

The [Latin America and the Caribbean] region is on the front lines of a decisive and urgent contest to define the future of our world. China is assailing US interests from all directions, in all domains.  Failure to adequately compete here and now will leave the region under the influence of Americas chief authoritarian rivals which directly threatens the US shift to the Indo-Pacific.

Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, left, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, center, and Southcom Commander Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey pose for a photo during a tour of the Panama Canal's Miraflores Locks, in Panama City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. [AP Photo/Matias Delacroix]

Washington must meet presence with presence, Holsey concluded. This open doctrine of intimidation by force has been demonstrated most clearly in recent moves against the Panama Canal.

Acting like a gangster at the head of the worlds most powerful army, Trump threatened to invade the sovereign country to force Panama to break agreements with China and extract significant military concessions.

In the outraged eyes of millions of workers in the region, this blatant neocolonial policy adds to the humiliating treatment of Latin American immigrants in the United States.

Workers and their families, who crossed the border in search of a better life, being hunted down and deported in handcuffs on planes, without food or water, under the abuse of guards who owe much to the Gestapo: this has become the American experience in the collective consciousness of Latin America.

The assault on immigrants is the spearhead of the American capitalist oligarchys efforts to build up a dictatorship in the United States. In this and other respects, the fate of the working class in Latin America and the United States is completely intertwined.

The agreements between Trump and his fascist ally, Nayib Bukele, to massively expand El Salvadors prison complex and send thousands of prisoners, born in the US and other countries, evoke sinister images of the future and of the past.

The construction of a transnational complex of repression, imprisonment and torture draws directly on the experience of Operation Condor, established exactly 50 years ago, in 1975.

Augusto Pinochet with Henry Kissinger in 1976 [Photo by Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile / CC BY 2.0

Condor was the culmination of the murderous collaboration between US imperialism and the fascist military dictatorships that consolidated themselves in Latin America, backed by the CIA.

This network of counterrevolutionary terror turned the continent into a labyrinth of horror, in the words of Argentinian author Stella Calloni. A political exile could be kidnapped, taken hostage and taken across the border, tortured and disappeared, without any judicial authorization.

The attempt by the American oligarchy in crisis to revive the Monroe Doctrine in the 21st century using brute force alone can well be characterized as insane. But the insanity of these plans has real roots in the insoluble crisis of the imperialist system.

1898 cartoon promoting US expansionism based on the Monroe Doctrine [Photo: Victor Gillam, ornell University  PJ Mode Collection of Persuasive Cartography]

This crisis leaves no room for a new equilibrium in which another power will supplant Washington and the US dollar. Nor does it leave room for a peaceful multipolar order. The eruption of imperialist war is its most genuine manifestation.

Nothing would be more fatal for the Latin American working class than to be taken in by the nationalist agitation being promoted by the ruling classes in their own countries.

The eruption of imperialist aggression does not unify, from outside, the social classes within Latin American countries. On the contrary, it exacerbates their deep social antagonisms.

In Brazil, the Lula government responded to Trumps tariffs by promoting the slogan Brazil for Brazilians. This campaign aims to use the unpopularity of Washingtons attacks to subordinate workers to the bankrupt national bourgeoisie and make them swallow the growing attacks on their living standards.

In recent years, Latin America has been in a continuous state of social and political unrest. Mass strikes and protests demanding social equality once and for all have shaken every country in the region.

The ruling class has responded with a universal turn to the right: with the rehabilitation of the heirs of the military dictatorships of the 1970s; with Javier Milei in Argentina, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, Daniel Noboa in Ecuadorthe fascist stars of CPAC, who inspire and are inspired by the government of the worlds greatest capitalist power.

Elon Musk holds up a chainsaw he received from Argentina's President Javier Milei, right, as they arrive to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Maryland. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana]

And what do the governments and parties of the Pink Tide, the great hope of the worlds pseudo-left, have to offer? Capitulation after capitulation to the fascists. In the name of restoring lost national unity and the tattered bourgeois political system, they impose capitalist austerity, policies of repression and mass incarceration, and the strengthening of the military.

The working class and youth are ready to fight, both to resist capitalist shock measures and to settle accounts once and for all with the persistent legacy of the military dictatorships and imperialism.

But a decisive political turn is urgent.

The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and the Socialist Equality Group (GSI) call on workers in Brazil and throughout Latin America to break with the rotten national political establishments dominated by the bourgeoisie and to unite with their class brothers and sisters in the United States and internationally to fight capitalism, war and fascism.

Forward to building the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), the bodies of 21st-century workers democracy!
This is the second part of a series of articles on the 2025 San Francisco International Film Festival, April 17-27, which made a number of films available online. Part 1 was posted April 24.

To find in reality the basis for changing the existing state of things, the artist has to approach reality with anger and partisanship.

In the first article on the recent San Francisco film festival, we pointed out that a number of films, including Souleymanes Story, Xoftex and Where the Wind Comes From (France, Greece and Tunisia), take positions on subjects such as immigration and the persecution of refugees that are admirable, principled. These films contain the element of protest.

Ricky

Unfortunately, some of the American attempts at social realism are weaker, more passive. They contain truthful moments and sequences, but on the whole they sidestep vital social contradictions and accept too much of the world as immediately given.

Ricky (directed by Rashad Frett) centers on its eponymous protagonist, a 30-year-old man from East Hartford, Connecticut, following his release from prison after 15 years for armed robbery. In other words, the punishment begins. He loses employment in a warehouse due to a background check. Holding a job is a condition of his parole. He learned barbering in prison, but that doesnt offer much in terms of steady prospects. He is largely lost in his new conditions, including its modern technologies.

Virtually every relationship and encounter has an abrasive quality. Life is harsh, people are mostly rude and callous.

Ricky, like filmmaker Frett, comes from a Caribbean background. His religious mother and her friends exert their own particular pressure on him. He meets a young woman with a son who needs a haircut. Through interactions with her, we learn things about Ricky (he has no car, he lives with his mother, he doesnt know his own cellphone number.) He meets another woman in his self-help group, who proves to be more volatile. This connection leads to a disaster.

Im here to make films that bring in humanity, Frett tells Variety. Everything I do, I want to not only entertain our audience but inform them on whats going on. Give them food for thought. To bring the audience a visceral perspective from a situation theyve never experienced before.

Ricky came from seeing a lot of family members go through the criminal justice system and how they struggled to improve and find work, and some resorted to their old ways, Frett says, explaining the backstory for the project, which he co-wrote, produced and directed. We wanted to shed light on this topic with this different type of coming-of-age story, where a 30-year-old adult is outside in the free world for the first time.

The ambitions are worthy ones, as far as they go, but the results are somewhat dull. Everything is rounded off to grey, to drabness, in the interests presumably of realism. But this is not truly realistic, as the mass demonstrations against Trump and his policies reveal. America seethes with anger, and this is not simply inwardly focused or directed against other oppressed people.

Some 2 million people are in prison in the US. This is not the product of individuals making millions of poor decisions. It is, above all, the result of sharp economic decline, the destruction of vast numbers of decent-paying manufacturing jobs, relentless and systemic poverty, the devastation of public education and the central fact that the US ruling class has no solution to its burning social ills except to throw people in jail.

Nor do people resort to their old ways merely out of personal irresponsibility. The self-help group of former convicts, with quasi-religious conceptions hovering in the background, is not actually that helpful. We want someone to jump up and point out that the basic cause of their problems is poverty, that no one in the room is rich and that theyre all being sold a bill of goods. No such luck. There is too much submissiveness to the authorized version of things here. In the end, the severity of prison and neighborhood life reflects the essential brutality of social relations in America.

Joel Alfonso Vargass Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, Dile Que No Soy Malo) suffers from some of the same general problems. Set in the Bronx, 100 miles or so from East Hartford, the film follows Rico (Juan Collado), a 19-year-old Dominican American who is selling home-made (illegal) cocktails on the beach when we first meet him. He lives with his mother and sister in a small apartment, amidst a good deal of inevitable, economically driven friction.

Mad Bills to Pay

Things only take a turn for the worse when Ricos girl-friend Destiny (Destiny Checo) discovers she is pregnant and moves in with Ricos family. His sister is particularly unfriendly and derisive. The situation is not promising. Inevitably, Destiny and Rico have a falling out. She moves out and returns to her mother. Rico is arrested for jumping a turnstile, and finds a lousy job cleaning up in a restaurant. Ultimately, he tells Destiny, I want you back in my life, and makes an effort to stay on the straight and narrow.

The story gets a bit tedious. Without anger, protest, genuine non-conformism, the details of such lives are not that fascinating or illuminating.

Vargas, who mentions his admiration for problematic figures such as Martin Scorsese and Pedro Costa, explains that the film is

deeply personal, drawn from childhood memoriesmy family dynamics, the boroughs hustler culture, those mad, hot New York City summers. Rico is an amalgamation of the guys I grew up aroundkids forced into adult responsibilities too soon, raised with the expectation to man up despite having no blueprint for what that actually means. That tensionbetween the social pressure to be a man and the naivete of still being a boysits at the heart of the film.

Bronx is the most impoverished borough in New York and contains the poorest congressional district in the US. Such things are apparently accepted in the film as immutable facts of nature. Instead,

Thematically, were trying to understand Ricos misinterpretation of masculinity, and how thats really been impacted by a lack of a male figureor a male role model/father figurein his life.

This is very, very limited material.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa (unrelated to Akira Kurosawa) is a veteran Japanese filmmaker, known for his work in the horror genre, psychological and otherwise. One of his best known films is Cure (1997), which concerns a detective investigating a particularly gruesome series of murders.

Cloud

One commentator notes that his films are generally

Tales of dread and uncertainty, [with] tensions lurking beneath placid surfaces, the world of the dead and of the supernatural blurring into reality, haunting sounds, memories, and appearances, Kurosawas films are calculated devices that leave you needing to turn and check behind twice, just to make sure theres no dark force trying to catch up to you, too.

Another points out that

The definitive image in Kurosawas cinema may well be the spectacle, in Pulse (2001), of his characters watching in helpless terror as their friends or loved ones, or strangers to whom theyve formed desperate attachments, literally disintegrate before their eyes into dust-like particles.

Some critics consider Kiyoshi Kurosawa a remarkable filmmaker. Another possibility is that his bleak, misanthropic, often bloody films epitomize the overall decline in Japanese filmmaking, once a crowning jewel of international cinema (Akira Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu and others), over the past 40 years.

In Cloud, Yoshii (Masaki Suda) is a factory worker whose real obsession is online reselling. He specializes in obtaining (by fraud, coercion and other means) items for cheap and selling them dear. He has such success in his operations that he gives up his factory position, much to the chagrin of his superior. He moves into a large house in the country with his girlfriend Akiko (Kotone Furukawa). He also hires a highly efficient assistant, Sano (Daiken Okudaira).

At one point, Yoshii encounters a shady former schoolmate, who points out that they had always wanted to make easy money, but it proved not easy to do. Yoshii gets his hands on a large number of allegedly fashionable womens bags. Sano asks him, are they real or false? Ill sell them before I find out, is Yoshiis response. However, the police begin to investigate the fake designer jobs.

An object is thrown through his window. A mysterious car stops near his house, then pulls away. His enemies and rivals assemble online. Lets get revenge. Eventually, they capture him and plan to burn him alive while streaming it. A gory bloodbath ensues, in which Sano plays a major role. He seems to have underworld connections and experience. A deeply shaken and unnerved Yoshii, in the final scene, exclaims, Im doomed and So this is how you get to hell.

Everyone in Cloud is either a fraudster, a cynic, an opportunist or a psychopath. Not a single one of them deserves the viewers concern or attention. How accurate is that as a view of life in Japan, or anywhere else? Of course, works with nothing but detestable characters have been artistically successful, but in such cases the author or narrator provides or represents an alternative. Kurosawa treats his material with stoical seriousness, without a hint of disapproval or outrage. In its way, Cloud may accurately reflect the stagnant and pessimistic state of bourgeois Japanese life and the mentality of its upper echelons. But the artist has the responsibility of doing more than merely identifying, much less wallowing in, such moods.

Triumph from Bulgaria takes its cue from a bizarre incident after the collapse of Stalinism in 1989-90, which tells us a great deal about democratic, capitalist Bulgaria.

Triumph

As one commentator sums it up, the film centers on

a hapless general desperate to prove his worth off the battlefield falls sway to his personal psychic, Pirina. She prophesizes glory if they discover a way to communicate with aliens, using a powerful artifact hidden in Bulgarian soil. The general sends the seer and an army unit to undertake a decidedly unscientific excavation in search of this galactic connection.

Indeed, a hapless general, his batty daughter, an ambitious psychic, gullible soldiers, a conniving government minister, all search for a powerful extraterrestrial device buried somewhere in a field in the Bulgarian boondocks! The picture emerges of an extremely backward, grasping and rather stupid ruling elite dreaming of national greatness.

The co-directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov explained that their film was based on a notorious military operation that took place between December 1990 and September 1992. They continued, pointing to the

turbulent times, as the country was in a deep political and economic crisis, people had nothing to eat, and governments were coming and going. The military, in particular, were running amok, left without enemies or masters, and forced to downsize by 80%. They were desperate to find a higher purpose. So, on the orders of the general headquarters and under the patronage of the presidents homeland-security advisor, a special task force of generals, colonels and mediums, who were allegedly channelling messages from an advanced alien civilisation, started digging a hole in search of an artefact that would turn Bulgaria into a great power.

According to a survey conducted in 2009, and reported in the New York Times,

Only 11 percent of Bulgarians agreed that ordinary people had benefited from the changes in 1989. And asked whether the state was run for the benefit of all people, 16 percent of Bulgarians agreed, down from 55 percent in 1991.

Its not entirely clear what the filmmakers deduce from the episode, but objective observers will draw sharp conclusions about the New Bulgaria.

To be continued
This tribute was read at a memorial meeting held on January 19 for Wolfgang Weber, a leading member of the German section of the International Committee of the Fourth International for five decades. Comrade Wolfgang died on November 16, 2024.

Many comrades have referred to Comrade Wolfgang as a revolutionary and Marxist intellectual. This term encapsulates both the accomplishments and challenges of the period that he lived in and the principles he fought for.

Wolfgang was born a few years after what Victor Serge called the midnight of the century. His life was shaped by the aftereffects of the horrors that had preceded his birth: fascism, World War II and the betrayals and mass murder of revolutionaries by Stalinism. The working class was still a very palpable force in social and political life, to be sure, but, politically, it had been beheaded. The traditions of revolutionary Marxism had not been destroyed but severely undermined. The kind of revolutionary intelligentsia that existed in the inter-war periodonly a decade before his birthhad been all but annihilated.

In West Germany, the Nazi past was still lurking in every pore of society and the intellectual and cultural climate was, despite the economic boom, suffocating. There were very serious and talented artists in post-war Germany, but they were unable to come to grips with what had happened; more than one of them was driven to suicide by historical and personal despair. Among the less talented and serious, who managed to set the tone, what prevailed was self-satisfaction and a preoccupation with their own careers.

It was only in Britain that Comrade Wolfgang was able to establish contact with the Marxist movement. At the University of Oxford, he was exposed to the world of the champagne-drinking, self-satisfied, bombastic official elite. He often recalled one literature professor who made a big impression on him, for all the wrong reasons. He was an expert on Thomas Mann, or so he said. It turned out he had read exactly one novella, about which he would talk endlessly.

But Wolfgang also came in contact with a very different world. He was extremely impressed with the working class movement that developed at the time, and the Marxist analysis and perspective that the British section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the Socialist Labour League (SLL), advanced in response to that movement and the breakdown of Bretton Woods. It was certainly an entirely different social milieu, and a different intellectual and political tradition than the ones he had been groomed to become part of. Judging from what he later recalled, the decision for this second world was not a hard one for him to make.

Wolfgang Weber in August 2024

Comrade Wolfgang underwent the internal revolution that Trotsky said was necessary for intellectuals to break from their class and fully join the ranks of the working class. He consciously merged all the progressive elements of his humanist education, which he always cherished, with the revolutionary traditions of the working class and Marxism. He learned to subordinate his entire thinking and being to the interests of the Trotskyist movement. This is not a single decision, but a life-long struggle. It means that one learns to approach everything in politics from the standpoint of the traditions and interests of the working class, and not the current moods, impressions and ideas of any individual. It means to have a sense of perspective and of proportion, in politics and in ones personal life.

Without this internal revolution, this perspective and this sense of proportion, he and the other members of the German section of the ICFI, the Bund Sozialistischer Arbeiter (BSA), would not have politically survived the degeneration of the WRP (Workers Revolutionary Party).

Much has already been said on this, and I dont want to repeat other comrades. At stake in the reestablishment of the historical continuity of Trotskyism in Germany were theoretical, historical and political questions of enormous complexity and international significance. Yet by the time the BSA was founded in 1971, the WRP had begun to turn away from confronting these challenges and the struggle against opportunism.

Nevertheless, despite the immense pressures to liquidate the movement and the heavy toll this period took on the cadre, the entire German section stood on the side of the IC during the split with the WRP in 1985-1986. This is a fact worth pondering. When later reflecting upon why they held out, Comrade Wolfgang said, We ultimately had very strong convictions. There are two episodes from the first two decades of the BSA that illustrate what these convictions and this orientation were.

The first issue of the "Marxistische Rundschau" (Marxist Review), issued by the BSA in 1978. It included articles by Wolfgang Weber (writing as Franz Weber) on the economic crisis and a polemic against Ernest Mandel, as well as an article on the investigation into Security and the Fourth International investigation by the ICFI

The first was the intervention of the BSA in a major struggle by mine workers in the Ruhr region in 1978. Comrade Wolfgang often spoke about how much he enjoyed and learned from hours-long discussions he and other comrades had with striking miners, the vast majority of them social- democratic oriented. He discussed with them the lessons of 1933, of how Hitler could come to power, and the betrayal of Stalinism. In generational terms, this experience was not far removed. The workers comrades spoke to were workers whose fathers and mothers Trotsky had addressed in his writings of 1930-1933. Despite the already significant problems and opportunist degeneration of the WRP, and the confusion it produced, these were discussions no other political tendency would have had with workers.

A special feature on the 1978 Ruhr strike, authored by Wolfgang Weber (writing as Franz Weber) for the BSA's newspaper at the time, the Arbeiterpresse (Workers Press)

The second episode falls into the period immediately after the split. In 1989, the crisis of the Stalinist regime and the political clarification during the split made it possible for the Trotskyist movement to intervene, for the first time, in the Soviet Union and in the GDR. Comrade Wolfgang was one of the first comrades from the BSA to drive into East Berlin.

One working class woman in East Berlin said she was reading the series on the history of the GDR, which was later published as a book, when she was going to the hairdresser. This is our history, she said. Many workers wrote in to the BSA with questions about Trotsky and were eager to join the movement. However, while the movement was able to recruit a few important comrades out of this intervention, this mood in the GDR, as in the USSR, dissipated relatively rapidly and turned into its opposite. There were many discussions at the time about how this could be explained and what the response of the IC had to be.

The principal lessons are, in some sense, encapsulated in the experience of meeting with Oskar Hippe. Born in 1900, Hippe embodied the revolutionary traditions of the German working class. In 1916 he attended a mass demonstration against the war where Karl Liebknecht spoke. He joined the Spartakusbund, then the German Communist Party, and later the German Trotskyist movement. After 1933, he and his wife fought in the resistance against Nazism.

After the war, Hippe fought to build a German section of the Fourth International, for which the Stalinists imprisoned him in the GDR. Upon his release, he studied the documents of the split with Pabloism of 1953, and he sided with the International Committee. But the destruction of the German section by Stalinism and Pabloism meant that for the coming decades he remained politically isolated.

Wolfgang met with Oskar Hippe and his wife, Gertrud, who had been crippled from torture inflicted by the Nazis, shortly before the first intervention in the GDR. Other comrades, including Bill and Jean Brust from the American section, the Workers League, met them shortly thereafter. The encounter with the IC, which took place just months before his death in March 1990, was likely as moving for Hippe as it was for the comrades. At one point, Hippe told them, You are now doing what I cannot do anymore.

Wolfgang Weber, (back row, left), Jean Brust, Oskar and Gertrud Hippe.

In the obituary of Hippe, Comrade Wolfgang wrote:

For the present generation of Trotskyists, he represented a living link, not merely to the revolutionary battles of the first half of this century, but likewise to their greatest Marxist leaders such as Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht and Leon Trotsky, all of whom he personally met with and knew.  He [Hippe] enthusiastically supported the activities of the Bund Sozialistischer Arbeiter in the GDR and offered advice based on the long life of a revolutionary that was immensely rich in experiences. He looked upon the work of the BSA to mobilize the working class in the GDR for the struggle against capitalist restoration and to arm it with the program of the Fourth International as a continuation of the work which he himself had carried on up to 1948 and which had been interrupted by his imprisonment in Bautzen. The most important task, he, that is, Hippe, continuously emphasized in his discussions, is to construct a revolutionary party and train a cadre in Marxism capable of creating socialist consciousness in the working class and laying the basis for victory in the approaching class battles. These revolutionary class battles, stated Oskar, inevitably accompany the crisis of capitalism! But the working class can triumph only with a Marxist, Trotskyist party, with the Fourth International!

Wolfgang Weber speaking at a memorial meeting for Gertrud and Oskar Hippe in Berlin, May 1990

The work of Comrade Wolfgang, as that of the IC, in the subsequent 30 years was the conscious result of the lessons from these experiences. In one document from 1989, David North described the situation as bearing the potential for both revolution and for counterrevolution. The response the ICFI initially encountered testified to the former, but what dominated in the end was the latter. The severe damage that decades of Stalinism and Pabloism had done to the socialist consciousness of the working class and the building of the Fourth International could not be overcome within a few weeks or months.

The principal task flowing from that recognition was to reestablish this socialist consciousness, based on the struggles and history of the Trotskyist movement, and build it as the revolutionary leadership of the working class.

This understanding found its highest expression in the struggle to defend historical truth, which in Germany and internationally has merged directly with the struggle against fascist barbarism and war. Wolfgang played a central role in this struggle for several decades. He wrote on the denial of the crimes of the Wehrmacht in the late 1990s, and he helped organize a lecture series with Alexander Rabinowitch on the October Revolution. In the past 15 years, he helped develop the response of the movement to the return of German militarism, first with the attacks on the German writer Gunter Grass in 2011-2012, and then the attacks on Leon Trotsky and direct efforts to rehabilitate Nazism by Robert Service and Jorg Baberowski.

He conducted this work with extraordinary tenacity and determination under conditions of political and cultural reaction, which created tremendous pressures, both politically and personally. Despite or perhaps because of these challenges, he always held his work to the highest standards. He had a strong distaste for dilettantism and superficiality in theory, politics and, one should add, in life in general.

That may explain why some were intimidated by him and felt that he could be hard, but it was a hardness in matters of principle that any serious revolutionary must have or learn to have. It was rooted in a deeply felt and fully thought through understanding of the price the working class has historically paid for the shallow impressionism, phrasemongering and opportunism of the radical petty bourgeoisie. Their representatives are always quick to spout radical slogans and want to shine, but ultimately, fail to provide Marxist leadership to the working class, mislead and betray it.

Workers, by contrast, take words very seriously because they understand, if instinctively, that, in politics, words are not just words. When workers act upon the words of those who lead them, they will have to face very real-life implications. Comrade Wolfgang understood that. This is why he approached the political and theoretical work and the education of the cadre with immense seriousness.

This also meant that he took the words of workers and of comrades very seriously. He was able, like only few are, to listen to and to learn from others. He often used the phrase, You have to understand whats going on in the heads of people. That may sound trivial, but it is not. Social being determines social consciousness. However confused or wrong a position may appear to be, it always has an objective basis. Comrade Wolfgang was able to identify the social and historical origins and the implications of political positions. And he fought to win workers to Marxism and train the cadre by relating their experiences and conceptions to the historical experiences of the working class and the Trotskyist movement.

Many have stressed his fighting spirit and optimism. They were inseparably linked. He understood struggle, however hard it may be, as the driving force of progress, in society and in life, and also of thought. And no serious struggle can be waged without optimism. His optimism wasnt conjunctural or emotional. It was part of a highly conscious, theoretically and scientifically grounded outlook. He understood that confidence in the possibility of progress and success is itself an essential factor in determining the course and outcome of a struggle for yourself and for others.

He approached the fight against his terminal illness in the same spirit. There is no denying that there was an element of cruelty in the diagnosis. He loved life, and he did not want to die. But he still fought relentlessly to continue to live and continue to contribute to the maximum of his abilities.

Trotsky once noted that only few are able to absorb Marxism as a world outlook so completely that it informs how they view every aspect of politics, society and life. Wolfgang was one of these few. He not only fought for a socialist future but also lived according to the principles of humanism and socialism in the present. He had a keen sense of the meaning that even a small gesture or note can have for those who suffer, and how much others leaned on him. He thought about and felt very deeply the challenges that his family, friends and comrades went through, and he always sought to help in any way he could.

It takes a lot of strength to live that way. He drew much of this strength from the traditions of the movement, from music, literature and from the comrades, colleagues and friends that surrounded him. He was also fortunate to have his life-long partner and comrade, Annie, who shared his life and struggle for 47 years.

There was still a lot more that he had to give and wanted to give. He was planning projects about the German revolution of 1918/19, and was in the midst of working on an article about right-wing revisionism of the history of the Hitler-Stalin Pact and World War II.

In this sense, his life was not complete. But it was fulfilled in a higher sense: He saw and clearly understood the purpose of his life and its meaning, for himself and for others, and he lived and fought accordingly. The time when he couldnt fight anymore came earlier than any of us expected. Ultimately, his death is part of a transition of generations. He has done what he could to fight and it is now upon us, especially the younger generations in the party, to do what he cannot do anymore, to continue the fight and live up to the political and, I would add, human example that he set.
With San Francisco in the background, Alcatraz Island is pictured on Monday, May 5, 2025, in San Francisco. [AP Photo/Noah Berger]

President Trump announced May 4 that he is directing his administration to reopen and expand Alcatraz, the notorious former prison on an island off San Francisco, California.

In a post Sunday on his Truth Social site, Trump wrote, For too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm. Thats the way its supposed to be.

As the WSWS noted yesterday, Trump could well be looking in the mirror when he makes reference to vicious, violent and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. Under American capitalism, however, billionaire criminals live in mansions or estates: Mar-a-Lago, not Alcatraz.

Trump then indicated he is directing the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt Alcatraz, to house Americas most ruthless and violent Offenders.

The reopening of ALCATRAZ will serve as a symbol of Law, Order and JUSTICE, he added.

Within hours of Trumps pronouncement, the Director of Prisons, William Marshall III, released the following statement: I have ordered an immediate assessment to determine our needs and the next steps. USP Alcatraz has a rich history. We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law, order, and justice.

The US history with the Alcatraz began in 1848 when it seized California from Mexico via the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War. Alcatraz is a small 22-acre island located in San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles off the northern shore of the city of San Francisco. It is the first land encountered by ships entering the bay through the Golden Gate.

In 1850 President Fillmore ordered that the island be set aside as a United States Military Reservation and the US Army began studying the suitability of Alcatraz Island for the positioning of coastal batteries to protect the approaches to San Francisco Bay.

The fortification ultimately led to the completion of Fort Alcatraz by 1858 that held a garrison of around 200 soldiers.

Because of the isolation created by the cold, strong currents of the waters of San Francisco Bay, in 1859 Alcatraz began to be used to house soldiers convicted of crimes.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, it was used to imprison Confederate sympathizers and prisoners of war.

By the end of the Civil War, Alcatrazs fortifications had become obsolete and the military changed its purpose from coastal defense to detention, a task for which it was well suited because of its isolation.

In 1867, a brick jailhouse was built (previously inmates had been kept in the basement of the guardhouse), and in 1868, Alcatraz was officially designated as a long-term detention facility for military prisoners.

Among those incarcerated at Alcatraz in the 1870s were Hopi Native American men who had refused orders to send their children away from their families to Indian boarding schools.

In 1907, Alcatraz was officially designated as the Western U.S. Military Prison, later Pacific Branch, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. Construction of the huge concrete main cell block was completed in 1912 and remains today as the islands dominant feature.

During World War I, the prison was used to hold conscientious objectors, including Phillip Grosser whose pamphlet titled Uncle Sams Devils Island details his experiences.

By 1933 Sanford Bates, the director of the Bureau of Prisons, found it an ideal place of confinement for about 200 of the most desperate or irredeemable types.

It was formally opened as a federal penitentiary the next year and initially housed prisoners who were deemed to be the most dangerous bank robbers and murderers.

Though it was built to house a maximum of 336 prisoners, it averaged only 260-275 prisoners per year.

During the 29 years it was in use, the prison held some of the most notorious criminals in American history, including gangsters such as Al Capone, George Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz), as well as political prisoners such as Rafael Cancel Miranda, a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party who attacked the US Capitol in 1954.

The penitentiary claimed that no prisoner successfully escaped. There were, however, a total of 36 prisoners who made a combined 14 escape attempts. Two men tried twice, 23 were caught alive, six were shot and killed during their escape attempts, two drowned, and five are listed as missing and presumed drowned.

The most violent incident occurred on May 2, 1946, when a failed escape attempt by six prisoners led to the Battle of Alcatraz, which lasted two days, resulting in the deaths of two guards, three inmates, the wounding of 14 others, and the later execution of two inmates for their roles in the attempted escape and the ensuing fighting.

Perhaps the most famous escape was carried out in 1962 by Frank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin. The three men are believed to have drowned in their attempt. However, no bodies were ever found, sparking speculation that they made it to shore and escaped.

The 1979 film, Escape from Alcatraz, depicts this escape, and was shown three times last weekend on a local Florida television station covering the area where Trump was spending the weekend. This has led many to speculate that seeing this film triggered Trumps interest in reopening Alcatraz.

In 1963, a year after this latest escape attempt, Alcatraz was closed as a penitentiary. Many reasons were given, including that its operating costs were more than three times most other prisons and that a half century of saltwater saturation and caused extensive damage to many of its buildings.

On November 20,1969, a 19-month occupation of Alcatraz by Native Americans began. A group of Native American activists, led by a coalition called the Indians of All Tribes, occupied the abandoned island in protest against the US governments policies toward Native Americans, particularly regarding land rights, treaties, and the treatment of Indigenous peoples.

The activists claimed Alcatraz based on a historic treaty that allowed Native Americans to reclaim surplus federal land. They sought to draw attention to the issues faced by Native American communities, including poverty, lack of education, and inadequate healthcare. The occupation attracted national media coverage and support from various groups, leading to increased awareness of Native American rights.

Throughout the 19-month occupation, the activists established a community, held cultural events, and engaged in negotiations with the government. However, the US government eventually demanded that the occupiers must vacate the island. The ensuing standoff ended in June 1971 when federal authorities forcibly evicted the remaining activists.

The following year the National Park Service purchased Alcatraz along with Fort Mason from the U.S. Army to establish the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Today, Alcatraz Island has become an iconic San Francisco attraction and important historic site. It receives about 1.6 million visitors annually and generates about $60 million in annual revenue.

Many believe that the exorbitant costs needed to build and maintain a Guantanamo Bay-type prison on Alcatraz, along with its size limitations, will prevent the realization of Trumps proposal.

Whatever its ultimate outcome, however, Trumps proposal to construct an American Guantanamo, within full view of one of Americas most scenic cities, is repulsive and revealing.

It would serve to normalize the construction of similar concentration like prisons throughout the country. And it is a demonstration of the fundamentally sadistic preoccupation with brutal repression as the solution to the crisis of American capitalism, shared not just by Trump but by the entire ruling class.
Former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr appears at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday, May 8, 2025. [AP Photo/Joel Bissell]

On Thursday, Judge Christina Mims declared a mistrial in the second-degree murder trial of Christopher Schurr, a former Grand Rapids police officer, after three days of deliberations failed to yield a unanimous verdict in the death of Patrick Lyoya.

The trial resulted in a hung jury after 12 jurors failed to come to a unanimous verdict that Schurr was either guilty or not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the murder of Lyoya. After informing Judge Mims of a deadlock on Tuesday, jurors were instructed to continue deliberating and, after more than 24 hours, were unable to reach a unanimous decision as required by Michigan law.

When it became apparent that the jury was likely deadlocked, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker moved to have a lesser charge considered, but this failed to resolve the issue. Now Becker must decide whether to retry the case, dismiss the charges or pursue a plea agreement with Schurr.

More than three years have passed since the traffic stop that led to the killing of Lyoya, a 26-year-old immigrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on April 4, 2022.

Peter Lyoya holds up a picture of his son Patrick Lyoya, 26, in his home in Lansing, Mich., April 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Nichols)

Dash camera, body camera and cell phone footage shown in court showed Lyoyas last moments of life in graphic detail. A scuffle broke out after Lyoya attempted to flee, and Schurr chased him down. Lyoya was able to wrestle Schurrs Taser away from him.

In the struggle, Schurr ultimately gained control and positioned himself over Lyoya. He removed his handgun from its holster, placed it against the back of Lyoyas head and pulled the trigger. The use of a deadly force was made without issuing any verbal warning.

The defense claimed that Schurr feared for his life and acted in self-defense, while the prosecution argued that Lyoya posed no threat to Schurr. The mistrial comes only one day after three former Memphis officers were acquitted of all charges in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop, in another miscarriage of justice.

Both cases are part of a broader pattern of police violence directed overwhelmingly against the most impoverished and marginalized sections of the working class, including immigrants and unarmed black individuals. While it is a fact that a plurality of those killed by police in the US are white men, it is also true that blacks and Hispanics are arrested, searched and subjected to the use of force rates which are disproportionate to their percentage of the total population.

While minorities are significantly more likely than white Americans to be victimized by police violence and brutality, in some areas of the country, such as the rural South, white and black men are killed by police at nearly identical rates. This points directly to the class nature of police violence and its relationship to the repressive purpose of the entire law enforcement apparatus as an instrument of capitalist rule.

Since the 2020 police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, there has been a heightened awareness of police violence and murder and widespread public demands for an end to it. With the expanded use of smartphone and bodycam video, there has been an increase in protests and lawsuits across the country that have exposed the nature of unjust police interactions and the attempt by law enforcement agencies to cover up these crimes.

Now, murderous officers have found a friend in President Trump, who has been outspoken in his support for blanket immunity from prosecution for law enforcement officers. Trump has stated he wants federal guarantees that police officers will not be charged with crimes so they can do their job and often describes unreasonable force cases against officers as frivolous lawsuits.

It is within this context that the trial of Schurr for the brutal murder of Lyoya in Grand Rapids ended in a hung jury and the three officers in Memphis were acquitted of all charges in the savage beating death of Tyre Nichols.

Tensions surrounding Schurrs trial have been high, with protesters gathering outside the courthouse throughout the week. Lyoyas supporters held Black Lives Matter signs and chanted for justice for Patrick Lyoya. Schurrs supporters have been accused of cheering him on as though he were a hero and not someone on trial for murder. Police supporters waved thin blue line flags outside the courthouse to show their support for former Officer Schurr.

On Tuesday, police resorted to using a powder spray on protesters supporting justice for Lyoya to subdue a confrontation while they were detaining a woman outside the courthouse for alleged fighting.

The declared mistrial has left unanswered question regarding the jurys composition and potential causes for the hung jury. The demographics of the jury were unbalanced with only one black juror, 10 white jurors and three Latino jurors.

Additionally, three of the jurors disclosed ties to law enforcement. Specifically, one juror is involved in a romantic relationship with an officer, another is considering a career in law enforcement, and a third has a familial connection to an officer who was injured in the line of duty. These elements raise legitimate concerns about the jurys ability to remain impartial and render a fair and just verdict.

Judge Mims mistrial announcement on Thursday was painful for Lyoyas family, who have waited three years for justice for Patrick. Lyoyas father said:

It hurts my family and my wife. We are bleeding, we are in pain. We will continue to fight until we get the true justice for Patrick.

Dorcas, Lyoyas mother, stated, I am not tired, we did not give up on our son. Addressing the community of supporters, she expressed her gratitude, saying:

We will keep fighting until we get justice for Patrick. ... I want to say just thank you. Thank you so much for standing up with us for all these three years. Thank you.

Lyoyas father added:

Dont give up, dont get tired. We will keep fighting until we get justice. Thank you, thank you so much for standing up with us for all of these three years.

When asked how she felt when Schurr took the stand, Dorcas said that she was surprised the officer did not apologize to the family. Dorcas said:

During his testimony he seemed like he had no remorse or guilt and he didnt care that he took the life of a human being. It seemed like he had only killed an animal and he did not show any emotion or that he was wrong for what he did.

Lyoyas father said:

He displayed like he was joyful and happy for what he did. That was really painful for me and for my entire family. I want him to know hes still carrying the blood of Patrick on him and hes responsible for the blood of Patrick.

Ven Johnson, a civil rights attorney representing the Lyoya family in a civil wrongful death suit against Schurr, expressed that there is a systemic issue with law enforcement in West Michigan. There have been issues with three separate police forces in the area using clear excessive deadly force that was not necessary under the circumstances. In 2022 the Fraternal Order of Police spoke out against the prosecution of Schurr, claiming that it was a miscarriage of justice. They set up a donation savings account at Lake Michigan Credit Union for contributions by Schurrs supporters.

Johnson commended Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker for having the guts to not only criminally charge Schurr with second-degree murder but to have tried the case himself. It is hard to get convictions against police officers in the US, and especially in West Michigan, a conservative area.

And it is very common in the US for officers charged with murder to receive not-guilty verdicts. Johnson stated that they have a very strong civil case against Schurr, and with a lower burden of proof necessary, the attorney expects to win the lawsuit.
Autoworkers are responding enthusiastically to the call for an independent rank-and-file investigation into the death of Stellantis Dundee Engine worker Ronald Adams Sr., who was crushed to death on the job while repairing machinery on April 7.

One month after Adams death, family and co-workers remain in the dark on to the circumstances of this tragedy. The family has yet to even receive a death certificate from the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner. Neither has information been communicated by the UAW, plant management or state safety investigators.

The plant, located in the small town of Dundee, west of Monroe in southeast Michigan, is currently undergoing retooling for production of engines and frame components for a new generation of gas-powered, hybrid and electric vehicles.

Ronald Adams Sr. and Shamenia with some of the children in their blended family [Photo by Family of Ronald Adams Sr. ]

Co-workers say Adams, a 19-year plant veteran, was well-respected in the plant and known as an outspoken advocate for workplace safety. They said that management routinely ignored complaints about unsafe machinery in the plant.

Joint UAW-management safety committees are notorious for taking the side of management, typically seeking to shift the blame for deaths or injuries onto the backs of workers. Investigations carried out by the government safety agencies, such as the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), are usually whitewashes. Even in the cases where fines are levied, they are normally only token amounts and are often reversed on appeal.

Such was the case with the death last summer of Antonio Gaston, who was crushed to death while working on the line at the Toledo Jeep Assembly Complex. OSHA levied a fine of just $16,000 for unsafe conditions contributing to the death of Gaston.

Further, OSHA is being dismantled by the massive cuts being carried out by the Trump administration and billionaire budget-cutter Elon Musk.

Therefore, if the truth is to be uncovered, it is up to rank-and-file workers to take the initiative.

Shamena Stewart Adams, Ronalds widow, told the World Socialist Web Site:

If we dont speak out against these corporations, theres going to be other families losing their loved ones.

A veteran Detroit autoworker, who has followed the case on the WSWS, gave the following statement:

The death of Brother Ronald Adams is a tragedy that all union workers feel the deepest sympathy. Safety in the workplace has to be the highest priority, including through awareness, training, and transparency. The family of Brother Adams deserves the full cooperation of the company and the IUAW [International UAW, the unions top leadership], but unfortunately this has not been the case. Therefore, a complete investigation into the circumstances surrounding this heart-wrenching accident by a committee of workers has to be conducted. A complete report on the facts with full transparency divorced from corporate cover-up and union corporate collaboration must be rendered. The family of Brother Adams demands to know the truth, and workers from all over the globe stand in unison with their demands to know the truth.

Many Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) workers, who spoke to WSWS reporters during their shift change Thursday afternoon, were aware of and concerned over Adams death. Many expressed scorn for UAW officials, including UAW President Shawn Fain, for allowing management to kill and injure workers.

You can pass out and theyll roll you over to the side to keep the line running, one second shift worker said as he rushed through the turnstile. Another explained that Stellantis has recently put a new mechanical system in one part of the plant, and even if the skilled trades locked out the area, management could bypass it, and the machinery could still operate even if someone was in there.

Another worker looked at the picture of Adams and his family and said:

This is terrible. He had a wife and kids. None of this should be happening. All we want to do is be able to come home every day the same way we came in.

Another SHAP worker said:

An investigation needs to be done. If there was anything suspicious, it needs to be looked in to.

When told that the UAW was stonewalling the family, another worker said, Thats what they always do. The UAW wants to protect their own behinds.

A veteran SHAP worker with more than three decades in the plant related her experiences:

A few years ago, a few of us were brought in to clean out the cells [a caged area with automated machinery] because they were full of soot and grease and oil. It was during downtime on the weekend. The floors were trash, and they had to put on their dog and pony show for somebody from corporate [coming to the plant]. A guy comes and unlocks the cell door and says, Youre good to go. Then about an hour later, a skilled trades guy who knew us personally and had worked with us for a long time said, What are you doing in there? Thats not locked out? He said, Let me get that. You guys, come on out while I do the lockout. Nobody had their key on it. The first guy just opened the cell and said the power was cut off to the system. I was eyeing it sideways, like, something sounds suspicious, but we dont know, we dont have that depth of information. Were just told by management to clean it, right? And we were told by the guy that its locked out, and I dont think it was.

What if the power did come on all of a sudden? What if somebody didnt know we were around the corner, working on the equipment, or cleaning around that robot or conveyor? What if we were wiping it down and mopping underneath it and they didnt know we were in there? We were dusting it off because they wanted to look as clean as possible for the tour group that usually comes through. So, yeah, we could have been killed. You want to protect yourself from what could happen. Ronald Adams must have believed he was safe. But it could have been like us until we were told not to go in there again.

Workers speak with WSWS reporters at Sterling Heights Assembly Plant

The UAW-Stellantis safety committees are like a buffer between yes and no. Between go and no-go. But I noticed with this company, they always like to point the finger of blame on the worker. They want to put the fire out after it started. They dont do preventative maintenance in here whatsoever. How long is it going to be before somebody else gets hurt or killed because they assume theyre OK or are being rushed? Its hard for these skilled trades workers to be split up into different areas. They are always in a mode of thinking and trouble-shooting the system. There should be some type of buddy system. Put one at the gate, another at the door, one at the lockout, and another person could perform the work. What they call spotters. What is so hard about that?

She discussed how decades of concessions by the UAW had severely undermined safety, saying she sees skilled tradespersons working alone a lot.

Were more or less a sweatshop in here. When I started here in the 1990s, the union used to come up and ask us what management was doing and what we needed the union to do. Now, the union goes to management first, and then right away, were accused of whatever they want to accuse us of. Or the union will be like, the company can do that.

Well, you know, I say, Wait a minute, I pay union dues. I dont get it. The union officials embezzled all that money that was supposed to be for training in safety and other things. They just took it. We never got it back. They used it to buy luxury shoes for their wives and their mistresses. I went up to Black Lake [UAW resort in Michigan], and I found one of those shoes in the sand. I dont know how this woman lost her shoe, but she said, Give that to me, thats mine. It must have been one of those $1,000 a pair shoes, and she thought I was probably going to sell it.

Asked about forming a rank-and-file committee to investigate Ronnie Adams death, a younger SHAP worker said:

I see nothing wrong with that. We would have more say-so in what is going on instead of leaving it to the powers that be. I feel like our word doesnt even count. Look at the contract we just got. A lot of us voted No, but somehow it still passed. I would like to see more power come back to the people.

Are you an autoworker? Tell us about conditions at your plant, fill out the form below. All submissions will be kept anonymous.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Washington. [AP Photo/Evan Vucci]

The Trump administrations erection of the framework of a dictatorship reached an ominous new stage on Friday, as senior adviser Stephen Miller announced the White House is actively looking at suspending the writ of habeas corpus, a foundational safeguard against arbitrary detention dating back to the Magna Carta of 1215.

Miller declared to reporters outside the White House:

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion. So, its an option were actively looking at. Look, a lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.

Millers comments came amid mounting anger within the Trump administration over a series of court rulings that have blocked or delayed the deportation of non-citizens, particularly those accused, often with no evidence, of being associated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Two separate federal judges, including one appointed by Trump, recently ruled that the administrations use of the Alien Enemies Act to justify these deportations was unlawful, finding no credible evidence that the United States is being invaded by the gang.

Miller stated that the administrations decision on whether to suspend habeas corpus would come down to whether the courts do the right thing or not.

In other words, the White House is openly threatening to suspend key constitutional protections unless the judiciary ceases to rule against it.

The Trump administrations threat to suspend habeas corpus comes amid a broader campaign to expedite the deportation of non-citizens with little or no due process.

Habeas corpus has become a crucial tool for migrants and their advocates to challenge these detentions and deportations. Multiple court cases contesting the administrations efforts to deport undocumented immigrants are grounded in habeas claims.

Rumeysa Ozturk in a photograph provided by her family. [Photo: Ozturk Family.]

The significance of habeas corpus, and the administrations hostility to judicial oversight, was underscored this week by the case of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish Ph.D. student at Tufts University.

Ozturk was detained by ICE in March after authoring an op-ed critical of Israel in her school newspaper. Her video-recorded apprehension by masked federal agents was a turning point in the administrations crackdown on foreign students for pro-Palestinian activism.

US District Judge William Sessions III ordered Ozturks immediate release, ruling that her detention was unlawful and appeared to be a violation of her free speech and due process rights. Her continued detention cannot stand, Sessions wrote, emphasizing that there was no evidence against Ozturk beyond her authorship of the op-ed.

The judge warned that the administrations targeting of Ozturk could have a chilling effect on the speech of millions and millions of non-citizens. Sessions further noted that Ozturk faced significant health risks in ICE custody due to her chronic asthma, which had worsened since her detention.

The Justice Department argued that Sessions had no authority to order Ozturks release, insisting that immigration enforcement falls within the exclusive purview of the executive branch. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed this position, stating, Weve made it very clear that lower-level judges should not be determining the foreign policy of the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had revoked Ozturks visa, asserted that her presence in the country was contrary to American foreign policy interests, despite the absence of any evidence of criminal conduct or association with terrorism.

The Ozturk case illustrates precisely why the Trump administration is so determined to curtail habeas corpus and judicial review. Ozturks attorneys filed an emergency habeas petition, arguing that her detention was unlawful and violated her constitutional rights. Judge Sessions ruling in her favor is a direct rebuke to the administrations claim that it can detain and deport non-citizens at will, without meaningful judicial oversight.

The administrations invocation of invasion as a pretext for suspending habeas corpus is particularly revealing. There is, in fact, no invasion of the United States. The administrations use of emergency powers is being justified on the basis of an entirely manufactured crisis, a means of circumventing legal and constitutional constraints on its authority and laying the basis for arresting anyone, including US citizens, for making statements or actively opposing its policies.

By framing the judiciary as an enemy of both the executive and legislative branches, Miller and the administration are laying the groundwork for an authoritarian regime in which the president is accountable to no one.

The consequences for democratic and constitutional government are profound. The suspension of habeas corpus would not only allow the administration to detain and deport non-citizens without judicial review; it would set a precedent for the arbitrary detention of anyone deemed a threat to the regime.

The Trump administration is facing a deepening economic crisis and mounting social opposition, and is preparing the machinery of repression not only against immigrants, but against the entire working class.

The defense of democratic rights cannot be entrusted to the Democratic Party or the courts, which have repeatedly shown themselves unwilling or unable to resist the onslaught of authoritarianism and the fascists in the White House. Only the independent mobilization of the working class, united across all lines of race, nationality and immigration status, can halt the drive toward dictatorship and defend the basic principles of democratic rights.

The World Socialist Web Site calls on workers and youth everywhere to oppose the Trump administrations assault on habeas corpus, judicial independence and the rule of law. The fight to defend democratic rights is inseparable from the struggle against capitalism and for socialism.
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Palestinian children wait to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Friday, May 9, 2025. [AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana]

In February, US President Donald Trump declared that The US will take over the Gaza Strip and level out the remaining buildings and transfer the Palestinian population to other countries. At the time, both US and international media dismissed Trumps plan as an outlandish scheme with no prospect of realization.

The Israeli government approached Trumps plan with deadly seriousness. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trumps bold vision for an ethnically cleansed Gaza. Were working on it, Trump said during a meeting in Washington last month.

On Monday, the Netanyahu government effectively announced the beginning of the final stage of ethnic cleansing in Gaza. The plan includes a full military occupation of the entire Gaza Strip and the mass internment of the population in concentration camps under armed guard, as a prelude to forced marches through the desert or deportation by sea.

These concentration camps will be staffed by private US security contractors, with the Israel Defense Forces overseeing the distribution of starvation rations. According to a report this week by Reuters, the United States and Israel are actively discussing the formation of a transitional government headed by a US official to administer Gaza.

Echoing the final solution, the Nazi term for the genocide of Europes Jews, Netanyahu declared, Its time to launch the concluding moves. The next day, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich explained the meaning of the Israeli governments plan:

Within a year, ... Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to ... the south to a humanitarian zone ... and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries.

The mechanism for the forcible displacement of the Palestinian people will be mass starvation. As National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made clear, No electricity, and no other aid should be allowedneither by the [Israeli military] nor by civil society.

On March 2, Israel imposed a total blockade on all food, water and electricity entering the Gaza Strip. As a result, the majority of Gazas community kitchens have been forced to shut down due to a lack of supplies, and cases of acute malnutrition have surged by more than 80 percent. Harrowing images have circulated of emaciated, starving childrenvictims of a famine that is entirely man-made.

As Lama Bastami, director of the Legal Department at the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, explained:

The crime of starvation in Gaza is fully-fledged and committed in broad daylight; it requires no investigation committees or judicial rulings to prove it. It is enough to note that Israel has closed all crossings into the devastated Strip for over two months, completely banning the entry of food, medicine, and goods  a well-established reality openly acknowledged by Israeli officials without fear of accountability. Gaza is filled with irrefutable evidence of the crimes horror: the emaciated bodies of people and children, tens of thousands lining up daily at charity kitchens, and the escalating death toll from hunger, malnutrition, and associated diseases.

The deliberate starvation of a population of two million people is being carried out with the full support not only of the Trump administration, but also of the Democratic Party. In April, Senate Democrats voted overwhelmingly against placing any restrictions on US arms shipments to Israel.

Bernie Sanders, often presented as a critic of the Netanyahu government, has repeatedly declared that Israel has the right to defend itself. He has denied that a genocide is taking place in Gaza, dismissively responding in February, What genocide? Youve got to be careful about that word.

This week marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, marked by the surrender of Nazi Germany. As the Red Army advanced and liberated the concentration camps of Eastern Europe, it uncovered overwhelming evidence of a campaign of mass exterminationcarried out in secretthat murdered six million European Jews.

Opening the prosecution of Nazi leaders at the Nuremberg Tribunal, Justice Robert Jackson declared that the crimes of the Third Reich were so calculated, so malignant, and so devastating, that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored, because it cannot survive their being repeated.

The undeniable reality is that similar crimes are once again being committedthis time in full view of the world. Unlike the Nazis, who sought to conceal the scale of their atrocities, Israel is acting openly, with the eyes of the world watching. And yet, none of the institutions of so-called international lawthe United Nations General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Courtdespite issuing vote after vote, ruling after ruling, have been able to stop it.

In recent decades, the imperialist powers have invoked allegations of war crimes to justify military interventions around the worldfrom the bombing of Yugoslavia to the denunciation of Russia in the Ukraine war. Today, however, the United States is openly sponsoring a genocide and campaign of ethnic cleansing on a scale far surpassing anything it has accused others of. It is pursuing a flagrantly criminal policy with complete impunity.

The open embrace of ethnic cleansing and mass starvation by the US and Israel has exposed the claim that protests against the Gaza genocide are driven by antisemitism. This monstrous lie has been used to criminalize protesters, who have been attacked by police and arrested en masse. Student visa holders have been disappeared in immigration facilities and been forced out of the country.

The Gaza genocide has been ongoing for one and a half years. During that time, millions of people have protested the criminal actions of the Netanyahu government and its imperialist backers. These protests, despite the heartfelt aspirations of its participants, have failed to shift policy.

Certain lessons must be drawn. The Gaza genocide is not an incidental event, caused by mistaken policy choices. It represents an open embrace by the imperialist powers of deliberate starvation, ethnic cleansing, and mass murder as part of the global eruption of imperialist war.

It is a component part of the creation of a new Middle East, to use the term Netanyahu borrowed from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, under imperialist domination, as a central component of US war preparations against China.

The Gaza genocide sets a precedent not only in foreign policy, but also in domestic policy. The Trump administration, along with governments worldwide, views the Netanyahu governments strategy of mass killing, internment, torture, and unbridled brutality as a model for their own actions at home.

A new strategy is necessary. In recent months, millions have taken part in mass protests against the Trump administrations attacks on the social and democratic rights of the working class. There is enormous opposition to the administrations mass layoffs of more than 100,000 federal workers, its assault on Social Security, the dismantling of public education, and the stoking of a global trade war that threatens to devastate jobs and living standards across the country.

The struggle to defend the social and economic rights of the working class must be united with the struggle against imperialist war and barbarism. This requires the mobilization of the working class, uniting the struggle to oppose the Gaza genocide with the defense of the social rights of the working class.

As World Socialist Web Site writer Jean Shaoul stated at this years International May Day rally, Millions have marched and rallied in defense 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.

Stopping the Gaza genocide is inextricably connected to the political offensive of the international working class against capitalism and for socialism.
We recently published a list of Billionaire David Abrams 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD) stands against other stock picks with huge upside potential.

David Abrams founded Abrams Capital Management in 1999. Before forming the Boston-based investment firm, Abrams worked at Seth Klarmans Baupost Group for 10 years. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA degree in History, where he also served on the Board of Advisors of the College of Arts and Sciences. Abrams didnt have a finance background when he got his first job in New York in the early 1980s. He learned all about investing under Seth Klarman before setting out independently after a decade. He is a value investor, and in the ~12 years of his fund, he has achieved an annualized return of around 20%. His firm is like a one-man shop, which employs a small staff. Abrams Capital has 9 clients and discretionary assets under management (AUM) of $10.05 billion, as reported in the firms Form ADV dated 13 January 2025. The last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $6.22 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 98.7%.

Abrams is known for maintaining a low public profile, but in a conversation on Columbia Business Schools Value Investing with Legends Podcast series, he discussed the surface of his foundational principles when it comes to his investment philosophy. He starts by looking at the risks first and foremost, without any consideration of prospective gains. This is a reminder that the future remains unpredictable, which Abrams puts in the following words:

When you look back, theres one path that happened, but that doesnt mean that going forward theres only one path. In the future, theres multiple paths.

Abrams portfolio reflects a balanced approach with exposure to growth sectors like Industrials and Consumer Cyclical, while also maintaining moderate allocations in established industries such as Communication Services. He also believes that declining industries can present stability because they attract limited new entrants. This also implies that high-growth sectors are, on the contrary, characterized by intense competition, which necessitates a more detailed analysis of potential competitive threats. Heres what Abrams had to say about this:

If you have a shrinking industry and its dying, its like, people are not dying to get into that.

Abrams serves as a director of several private companies. He is currently on the board of MITMCO, which manages the MIT endowment. Previously, he was a trustee of Berklee College of Music for 15 years, where he chaired the investment committee. He was also the trustee of Milton Academy.
This speech was given by Evan Blake, Coordinator of the Global Workers' Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic, at the International May Day 2025 Online Rally, held Saturday, May 3.

May Day 2025 speech given by Evan Blake

Revolutionary greetings to all those attending todays May Day rally from throughout the world.

In just over three months, Donald Trump and RFK Jr. have unleashed a fascist war on science and public health unlike anything in modern American history. They are carrying out a scorched-earth campaign to destroy all the gains won by generations of workers and scientists. It is a counterrevolution designed to drag global society back to the conditions of industrial slavery and barbarism not seen since the Nazi regime.

Donald Trump watches as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is sworn in as Health Secretary in the Oval Office, Feb. 13, 2025 [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

Let us be clear about what has taken place. In just three months:

Over 20,000 scientists and public health workers have been fired from the Department of Health and Human Services, gutting the CDC, NIH, FDA and every other agency responsible for the health and safety of the population.

90 percent of the staff at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have been terminated, ending research into workplace safety, chemical exposure and protective equipment.

The CDCs Global Health Center and Chronic Disease Prevention programs have been dissolved, crippling outbreak detection in over 40 countries and halting diabetes and heart disease tracking for tens of millions.

Dozens of other programs and agencies have been eviscerated, including many related to climate change and environmental sciences.

Thousands of pages of scientific information have been scrubbed from government websites, in a form of modern-day book burning, while gag orders silence scientists and prevent the public from accessing vital health information.

This is not cost-saving. It is a deliberate, fascist effort to destroy the infrastructure of scientific research and public health that underpin modern society.

These attacks have vast global ramifications. The planned elimination of PEPFAR funding will deny HIV/AIDS treatment to tens of millions, reversing decades of progress and condemning millions of people to death. A recent scientific model projects that if these cuts are not reversed, 25 million people will die preventable deaths over the next 15 years, including 15 million from HIV/AIDS alone, with sub-Saharan Africa hit particularly hard.

Share of the population living with HIV globally [Photo by Our World In Data / CC BY 4.0

The US withdrawal from the World Health Organization and the dismantling of pandemic surveillance programs means the world is now flying blind in the face of new and emerging threats. These include H5N1 bird flu, which scientists warn requires only one mutation to develop the capacity for human-to-human transmission.

The reckless policies of the Trump administration are not simply the product of incompetence, though this is certainly in no short supply. But more fundamentally, these fascists are consciously implementing a eugenicist program, reviving the Nazi doctrine of Lebensunwertes Leben (or life unworthy of life), treating the vulnerable and all those who die from these policies as a worthy sacrifice at the altar of corporate profits.

Kennedys own statements dehumanizing autistic people echo the fascist propaganda that justified the extermination of the disabled through the Nazis infamous T4 program. His fraudulent studies on vaccines and autism, led by the notorious anti-vaccine quack David Geier, are not about protecting the vulnerable, but about scapegoating and eliminating them through neglect and deprivation.

The Orwellian Make America Healthy Again commission, framed as a supposed fight against chronic disease, is a Trojan horse for dismantling Medicare, Medicaid and disability services while funneling billions to the financial oligarchy. Their real aim is to drive down life expectancy, sending workers to an early grave as soon as they retire.

This social counterrevolution cannot be understood until one grapples with the experience of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which over the past five years has killed more than 1.5 million Americans and disabled over 20 million more with Long COVID. Globally, there are now 30 million excess deaths due to COVID-19, and over 400 million continue to suffer from Long COVID.

Some of the most prevalent symptoms of Long COVID

Officially proclaiming the pandemic is over, the HHS is attempting to stop all research into Long COVID and next-generation vaccines. COVID.gov, once a hub for public health resources, has been transformed into a propaganda outlet, erasing science and replacing it with lies and anti-China hysteria.

The path to Trump and Kennedy was paved by the Biden administration. Having falsely pledged to follow the science in the 2020 elections, Biden instead normalized mass COVID infection and dismantled public health infrastructure. Throughout the pandemic, both capitalist parties in the US and their counterparts globally have subordinated public health to the profit interests of the corporate-financial elite.

Following the same logic, every capitalist political party in the world is facilitating the climate catastrophe, which deepens every year. Billions are now threatened with displacement through rising sea levels, starvation through droughts and death from wildfires, hurricanes and other so-called natural disasters.

Firefighters protect a structure as the Eaton Fire advances Wednesday, January 8, 2025 in Altadena, California [AP Photo/Ethan Swope]

The development of science and public health cannot be entrusted to the capitalist politicians or the trade union bureaucrats that have stifled workers opposition. The international working class must organize independently, building rank-and-file committees to unite with scientists and health workers around the world. We must demand the immediate reversal of all cuts, the rehiring of all fired workers, free and universal access to healthcare and the restoration of scientific integrity and public health data.

Above all, we must fight for a world socialist program to advance science and public health, based on democratic workers control of all scientific institutions, pharmaceutical monopolies, healthcare programs, energy corporations and more.

The fight for science and public health is inseparable from the fight for socialism. Only through the building of a mass socialist movement can we defeat the fascist danger and secure a future in which science serves humanity, not profit, war and extermination.

Join us in this fight for the future.
Seven months after coming to power, Sri Lankan ruling Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National Peoples Power (JVP/NPP) of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is facing growing popular opposition.

In the Local Government (LG) elections held on May 6, the JVP/NPP came first ahead of the traditional bourgeois parties but lost over 2.3 million votes compared to the general elections held six month ago last November. In percentage points, this is a decline of 18.3 percent. Its total vote was also over 1 million less than Dissanayakes vote in presidential election in September last year.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake casting his vote for the local government election on May 6 2025 [Photo: Sri Lanka Presidents Media Division]

The fall in the JVP/NPP overall national vote was despite lavish spending on its campaign including the transport of thousands to its rallies meant to showcase its widespread support. At these meetings, Dissanayake strongly hinted that local government bodies won by opposition parties would lose financial allocations from the central government.

The JVP/NPP, which had never held power, won the elections last year by exploiting the widespread alienation from the traditional establishment parties including the United National Party (UNP), Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the Tamil and Muslim bourgeois parties.

Local government elections have been repeatedly postponedfirst in March 2022 by President Gotabhaya Rajapakse amid a mounting economic crisis that forced the government to default on foreign debt the following month. Skyrocketing prices and scarcities of food, fuel and medicines as well as lengthy daily power cuts triggered strikes and protests involving millions of working people that forced Rajapakse to flee the country and resign.

His successor, the right-wing, Ranil Wickremesinghe was anti-democratically installed by parliament in July 2022 after the opposition parties, including the JVP/NPP, aided by the unions and fake lefts, such as the Frontline Socialist Party. They derailed the mass movement by claiming that the economic crisis could be resolved in the parliamentary arena with an interim bourgeois government.

Wickremesinghe signed a deal with the IMF for a $3 billion bailout loan and began implementing its savage austerity conditionsincreased taxes on working people, cuts to prices subsidies and essential services, and the restructuring of state-owned enterprises in preparation for privatization. Lacking any significant political base, he again postponed local elections.

Dissanayake and the JVP/NPP road to power on the wave of opposition to the traditional parties and Wickremesinghes austerity measures by promising to renegotiate the IMF loan and ease the social crisis facing working people. In power, however, the JVP/NPP has ditched all its election promises and begun to implement the IMF demands to the letter. It has responded to emerging strikes and protests by workers and youth with police state repression.

The JVP/NPP will no doubt boast that of its votes in the local government elections in which it secured 4,503,930 million votes or 43.26 percent of the total vote cast. While certainly far higher than in the last local elections in 2018 when the JVP won 693,875 votes, it is a very marked decline, as already noted, on last year.

The JVP/NPP won the most votes in the polls for 265 of the 339 local government bodies, but only secured an outright majority in 166 bodies. As a result, it will be compelled to negotiate with opposition parties or independents in the other 99 in order to form an administration.

The hostility of voters to the government and the entire political establishment was reflected in the huge rise in the number of eligible voters who did not cast a ballot. Turnout dropped dramatically from 80 percent of eligible voters in 2018 to just over 60 percent this week. Millions of voters, including many who voted for the JVP/NPP last year, simply did not cast a ballot.

The vote for the main opposition parties increased but not substantially from last years parliamentary elections. The SJB recorded the second highest national vote this week with 2,258,480 votes (21.69 percent) up from 1,968,716 (17.66 percent). The SLPP received 9.17 percent and the UNP got 4.69 percentneither party won any of council.

The opposition of the working class to the Dissanayake government was most evident in the central hill districts where hundreds of thousands of plantation workers constitute one of its most oppressed sections. The JVP/NPP won large votes in the districts in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla in the parliamentary election based on its empty promises to alleviate the widespread social misery.

This week in Nuwara Eliya, the JVP/NPP finished ahead all but two of the 13 local councils but had a majority in none. In Badulla, it came first in all but one of 18 bodies but achieved a majority in just two. Significantly, a so-called independent group led the vote for the Haputhale Urban Council.

In the war-torn North and East, where Tamils and Muslims form the majority, the result was similar. The significant gains made by the JVP/NPP in last years parliamentary election largely evaporated. It came first in just 5 out of the 33 councils in the Northern Province and 15 out of the 39 councils in Eastern province.

Last year the JVP/NPP, a party steeped in Sinhala chauvinism, promised to unite the nation and address the many burning issues outstanding from the countrys protracted communal war that only ended in 2009. These included the release of Tamil political prisoners and the return of land occupied by the military during the war to its Tamil owners. Like all the other populist promises, Dissanayake rapidly tore them up.

Tamil capitalist party, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) secured 2.96 percent of the overall national vote, but came first in 35 councils in the north and east, on the basis of whipping up reactionary Tamil nationalism. None of the Tamil bourgeois parties represents the interests of Tamil working people but rather pushes for greater privileges for the Tamil elite. ITAK, along with all the opposition parties, backed the IMFs austerity program in full.

JVP/NPP leaders, which had projected a landslide in support, downplayed their electoral decline, declaring they had received a mandate. Even before the official results were released, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva claimed the party had achieved a clear and strong victory and its electoral success meant the government would continue to build the country.

What this means is that the JVP/NPP government will accelerate the IMF agenda of privatization, huge public sector job cuts, further inroads into essential services such as education and health, higher prices and higher taxes. Amid an escalating global economic crisis and geopolitical conflict, Dissanayake has no solution to the mounting problems confronting Sri Lankan capitalism, including the threat of huge US tariffs, other than to impose further huge burdens on working people.

Workers cannot defend their interests by not voting or a protest vote against the government by casting a ballot for one of the opposition capitalist parties. There is no solution to the social disaster facing the working class and the danger of world war within the capitalist system and the nation state.

Socialist Equality Party local government election public meeting in Jaffna, April 2025

Despite numerous obstacles its election campaign, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) alone fought for the historic interests of the working class against the JVP/NPP government and all the opposition capitalist parties, fake left groups and their trade unions.

Our election statement explained: The SEP is campaigning for the independent mobilisation of workers to rally the rural poor and fight the governments austerity program. We call on the working class to break from all the capitalist parties and muster its enormous strength in an industrial and political struggle for a workers and peasants government based on a socialist program.

We distributed tens of thousands of leaflets in Sinhala and Tamil and explained to workers, youth and the rural poor the importance of building a revolutionary party as a part of international movement of the working class. We call on all those who voted for us and supported our campaign to apply to join the SEP and build it as the necessary revolutionary leadership of the working class in the struggles ahead.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers gather for a briefing before an abduction operation, January 27, 2025, in Silver Spring, Maryland. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

On Friday, armed and masked federal agents wearing military fatigues arrested Democratic Mayor Ras J. Baraka of Newark, New Jersey while he and several other politicians were outside a massive immigration detention facility known as Delaney Hall. Newark is the largest city in New Jersey and home to a large immigrant population estimated at over 100,000.

Outraged protesters screamed at the masked agents as they took the mayor behind the barbed wire fence. God damn Gestapo, that is what you are. New Jerseys Gestapo right here. Put on brown shirts, you will look more the part. Another man yelled, F***ing Nazis.

According to the New York Times, Baraka was taken to a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newark, where he was held for over five hours before being released shortly before 8 p.m. local time.

This is the second time in less than a month that a prominent public official has been arrested for allegedly interfering with immigration police operations. Last month, the FBIunder the direction of Kash Patelarrested Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan. She faces two federal charges, including obstruction of a federal agency (a felony) and concealing a person to help them avoid arrest (a misdemeanor).

Baraka was protesting at the facility alongside Democratic Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Robert Menendez Jr. (son of convicted U.S. Senator Robert Menendez), and LaMonica McIver. The three representatives were allowed to enter the facility as part of an oversight visit, but Baraka was denied access to the building after initially being allowed past the front gate.

According to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, after the federal agents denied Baraka entry to the facility, the mayor waited outside while the representatives went into the facility. After the representatives came out, the mayor and the representatives began walking back to the public side of the gates. As they were walking back, an argument broke out and the agents started intimidating and putting their hands on the congresswomen, she told The Trentonian.

Martinez continued: There was yelling and pushing. Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car.

Trumps current acting US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, wrote on X following the arrest that Baraka committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

On Fox News, Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, falsely claimed the Democrats stormed that gate and got to the first security checkpoint. She added, They illegally broke into this facility.

Daily protests have been held outside the facility all week. In February, the federal government announced it had signed a 15-year, $1 billion contract with the notorious GEO Group to reopen Delaney Hall and resume detention operations after its closure in 2021. Baraka, who is running for governor of New Jersey this year, has asserted that the facility lacks the necessary permits to resume operation, having not been inspected since it was shut down.

Ignoring Barakas objections, the federal government announced on Monday that it had begun transferring immigrants to the facility as part of Trumps mass deportation operation. The 1,000-bed detention center is located near an international airport.

In a statement issued Monday, Christopher Ferreira, director of corporate relations at the GEO Group, claimed the attempt by the Mayors Office to stop the operation of a lawful federal immigration processing center at the Delaney Hall facility in Newark is another unfortunate example of a politicized campaign by sanctuary city and open borders politicians in New Jersey.

The arrest of Baraka comes after Trump signed an executive order last month aimed at imposing martial law on cities and states that resist his dictatorial rampage. The order, titled Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens, declared that Federal supremacy with respect to immigration, national security and foreign policy is axiomatic.

After falsely declaring an invasion at the southern border, the order stated some State and local officials nevertheless continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws. This is a lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law and the Federal Governments obligation to defend the territorial sovereignty of the United States (emphasis added).

In analyzing the order, the WSWS noted that while consequences could include Trump halting federal funds to state and local programs, More ominous is the threat of prosecution against state and local government officials. ... Trumps latest order clearly envisions extending such repressive measures to mayors, local chiefs of police, county sheriffs, and even governors or state attorneys general.

In New Jersey, as across the country, there has been mass opposition to the deportation operations. Last month, in large cities and rural towns alike, millions participated in protests throughout the US. Workers, students, and community members spoke out against Trumps plans for dictatorship and in defense of immigrants like Kilmar Abrego Garcia, one of nearly 300 men exiled to El Salvador in March.

At restaurants throughout Washington D.C. this week, community groups, workers and patrons confronted ICE agents as they attempted to kidnap workers while serving I-9 notices.

In Worcester, Massachusetts, on Thursday, over 30 people gathered to try to prevent ICE from kidnapping a mother and her 16-year-old daughter. Despite support from dozens of community members who tried to block the arrests, the family was kidnapped and disappeared by immigration agents.

The kidnapping was facilitated by the Worcester Police Department, which was called to the scene to protect the agents and ensure they could carry out their operation. The police arrested two people, including the 16-year-old girl taken by ICE and school committee candidate Ashley Spring, who is facing trumped-up charges of disorderly conduct and assault and battery.

The masked agents refused to provide warrants to members of the community witnessing the kidnapping.

We were all asking for a warrant. They didnt answer at first, and then eventually just said this is a warrantless arrest when they were shoving them into the vehicle, David Webb told CBS.

Commenting on the kidnapping on Boston Public Radio Friday, Democratic Governor Maura Healey defended the police and urged against a rush to judgment.

There was a big crowd there and eventually Worcester PD was called to it to help address what was going on, and some in the crowd moved on law enforcement, Healey said. You cannot move on police.

Healeys remarks underscore that the defense of democratic rights cannot be left to the Democratic Party, which, by refusing to prosecute him for the January 6 coup, is responsible for Trumps return to the White House. Following his inauguration, Democrats in the House and Senate provided Trump the votes to pass the anti-immigrant Laken Riley Act.

In the Senate, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and every other Democrat, voted to approve Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Under Rubios direction, Mahmoud Khalil and other students have been kidnapped by ICE for peacefully protesting the genocide in Gaza. In March, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats provided Trump the necessary votes to prevent a government shutdown and ensure Trump and billionaire Elon Musk could continue their wrecking/enrichment operation.

The defense of democratic rights cannot be left up to either capitalist party. The Socialist Equality Party urges workers, students and all who oppose fascism, to join our party and help build the mass movement in the working class to put an end to the capitalist system, the source of inequality and dictatorship.
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best American Penny Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) stands against the other American penny stocks.

American penny stocks comprise shares of US-based companies that trade under $5 on public exchanges. Besides their perceived appeal to retail investors due to cheap price and the possibility to affordably amass a large number of shares, American penny stocks are distinct for representing two important factors  the small-cap factor and the US country factor. Readers should know that these two factors are known for significantly outperforming their broad market counterparts in the last 15 years after the Great Financial Crisis. For reference, small-cap factor has outperformed its large-cap counterparts throughout the 2010s as the economy experienced a relatively peaceful period with relatively low interest rates, which is highly favorable for small, high-growth businesses. Likewise, the US stock market has consistently outperformed the World stock market, including major markets like Europe, China, and Japan, thanks to superior productivity growth and valuation expansion.

The situation drastically reversed in late 2024 and early 2025 with the election of a new US administration. The US stock market underperformed by more than 15% markets like Germany and China since the beginning of the year. The small-cap factor fell out of favor relative to the large-cap factor. The former event was driven by aggressive Trump 2.0 cuts and tariff threats, which put the US export/import base at risk, while the latter is driven by market uncertainty and investors flying to safe assets such as gold, bonds, or mature large-cap stocks. We believe that both these developments are temporary shocks and do not represent structural or definitive changes. In this context, a smart way to make money in the market would be to take a contrarian bet and buy American small-cap and penny stocks while they are relatively underpriced vs. their global and large-cap counterparts.

READ ALSO: 13 Best Canadian Penny Stocks to Invest in Now

First of all, we are firm believers that US investors should stay at home and continue to favor domestic stocks. The superior performance of the US stock market was not luck, but rather consistent productivity growth through deregulation, capital favoring risky but promising projects, and a more prominent hustle mentality. The European Central Bank confirms these findings and mentions that between Q4 2019 and Q2 2024, labor productivity per hour worked increased by 0.9% in the Euro area, whereas it increased by 6.7% in the US. This difference is significant and compounds over time, leading to drastic differences in stock price performance over 5-10 years or more. Odds are that the US will continue to outperform Europe and the rest of the world in productivity gains. According to analysts, Trump turmoil is a temporary thing; tariff uncertainty should naturally resolve at some point, through either a trade deal or a withdrawal by the President himself. Furthermore, the Trump 2.0 regime has some aces up its sleeve, such as tax cuts and further deregulation, which is a heaven for productivity growth. Europe, on the other hand, remains a slow bureaucratic machine that is fueling its economic growth through debt issuance and industrial-military projects that bring very little value added (for reference, the German 500 billion spending bill will mostly result in new missiles that will probably never be fired). Likewise, China has its own problems, such as stalled population growth and increasing threats of onshoring and outsourcing to India and other regions. India got itself stuck in a new war with Pakistan, which might negatively impact its investment climate and economic growth.
Marc Rowan, chief executive of Apollo Global Management, at the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit in Hong Kong on Nov. 19, 2024. (Bloomberg / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Mexican business leaders and executives lauded statements from Apollo Global Management Inc. Chief Executive Marc Rowan emphasizing the need for a trade partnership between the U.S. and Mexico, which propelled a view that a global trade war could make the U.S. southern neighbor a winner amid uncertainty.

The U.S. and Mexico together should be the driving economic force in the world for the next 50 years, Rowan said during a Bloomberg TV interview from the sidelines of the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills on Monday.

We have not been able to get there despite two or three rounds of massive free trade agreements, he said.

The topic of trade was at the forefront at the Milken conference, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent opening the conference by saying tariffs, tax cuts and deregulation are interlocking parts of an engine. Later in the week, he said the U.S. was in talks with 17 major trade partners.

Imagine coming to the world with Mexico and Canada resolved first, and then taking people piece by piece, country by country, Rowan said during the Bloomberg TV interview. We would be in a much stronger position to do what we need to do, to reset the terms of trade.

Mexican executives cheered the comments from Rowan, who runs the $785-billion alternative asset manager, throughout the week, saying trade turmoil presented an opportunity for more integration between the U.S. and Mexico, especially as companies seek alternatives to China for manufacturing.

The two economies are complementary as most trade is for products produced in both countries, said Emilio Cadena, CEO of Prodensa and chairman of the board of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation.

Theres almost perfect correlation, where for every manufacturing job created in Mexico, another is created in the U.S., Cadena said. The U.S. wants to recover leadership in manufacturing, and Mexico can be its great partner in that.

At Milken, Mexico was perceived as a strategic opportunity due to its proximity to the U.S., its young demographics and its large pension system, said Guadalupe Rodriguez, the chief investment officer at Mexican family office Talipot. She said Mexican investors made up a prominent voice in a closed-door session organized by Oaktree Capital Management, which included co-founders Bruce Karsh and Howard Marks.

Mexico, we are the worlds amigo, Rodriguez later said during a panel alongside other institutional investors.

Millan writes for Bloomberg.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Two legal experts exclusively explain to In Touch how 90 Day Fiance star Gino Palazzolo could be financially responsible for his estranged wife, Jasmine Pinedas baby after she had a child with new partner Matt Branistareanu.

Whether a person is liable for child support, it's basically ruled by state law, so we would have to review the rules in the state of Michigan, Anibal Romero, Attorney at Law and Owner of The Romero Firm, tells In Touch. But there are states that when the person is married, there is a presumption that the child belongs to the married couple and yes, they are both responsible for the child even if a DNA test comes back negative. Again, it depends on state law, and we would have to review the case in Michigan, under Michigan law, to decide whether this person is liable or not.

Elizabeth Ricci, Partner at Rambana & Ricci, gives more insight into the role that Gino, 56, might play in this dynamic. Elizabeth exclusively tells In Touch that because Gino is still legally Jasmines husband and because he is the sponsor of Jasmines K-1 visa, he is considered the putative father [of her child], regardless of paternity, under Michigan law. A putative father is a man whose legal relationship to a child has not been established, but claims to be the father or who is alleged to be the father of a child, according to the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA).

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This means that Gino could be found liable for child support for Jasmines baby. Gino could also be on the hook for any unpaid hospital bills for the child.

Additionally, Jasmines pregnancy with another mans child could have also affected her status in the United States. For most K-1 visa applicants, the first step of the process is to marry within 90 days of the foreign spouses arrival in the States. The second step is that the K-1 visa sponsor (or the partner who is a United States citizen) files an adjustment of status to then turn the foreign spouses K-1 visa into a green card.

But if Jasmine and Gino split before her adjustment of status could be processed, on top of the fact that she had a baby with another man, she would have been facing even more difficulties in her immigration status, according to Elizabeth.

How 90 Day Fiances Jasmine May Be Impacted by New K1 Visa Process

If USCIS found out about the pregnancy, [Gino and Jasmine] would probably be denied if they cant prove their intention to have a life together despite the infidelity and pregnancy, she explains. Immigration law requires that the K-1 beneficiary [Jasmine] be adjusted through the K-1 petitioner [Gino] so even if the couple divorced and the other man [Matt] petitioned for her, it would be an uphill immigration battle.

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Jasmine, 38, is known for her relationship with Gino as the couple chronicled their journey from their first meeting in Panama to their June 2023 wedding on the 90 Day Fiance franchise. After their wedding, Gino promised to file the necessary paperwork to bring Jasmines two sons from Panama  after they were left off her original visa application. During the series, Jasmine was heartbroken to learn it could take up to two years before her children would be able to join her in the United States.

The couple also fought over Ginos procrastination in filing Jasmines adjustment of status paperwork. However, in February 2025, Gino hinted that he eventually did file the paperwork and Jasmine had been in possession of her green card for more than a year.

Fans watched as Gino and Jasmine attempted to give their marriage one last try on season 2 of 90 Day: The Last Resort, which began airing on TLC in December 2024. As a way to remedy their sexless marriage, Gino agreed to have an open marriage and approved of Jasmines new partner, Matt, 37.

Fans were shocked when Jasmine announced her pregnancy with baby No. 3 in February, revealing that the father was not Gino, but Matt.

Jasmine later insisted that she was faithful in her marriage, explaining that she and Gino separated two weeks after filming for 90 Day: The Last Resort season 2 wrapped in April 2024, and that they had been apart for almost five months before she became pregnant. She and Matt welcomed their daughter, Matilda, on March 21.
(Reuters) - U.S. rare earths producer MP Materials said on Thursday that it swung to a first-quarter loss due in part to rising production costs and interest expenses, though results met investors' expectations.

The results are the first since the Las Vegas-based company said last month it would stop shipping the critical minerals to China for processing in response to Beijing's tariffs.

The move essentially halts a major source of revenue for the company, although its impact will not reflect until second-quarter results, expected in August.

For the first quarter ended March 31, the company posted a net loss of $22.6 million, or 14 cents per share, compared to net income of $16.5 million in the year-ago period.

Excluding one-time items, the company lost 12 cents per share, matching analysts' expectations, according to IBES data from LSEG.

Shares of the Las Vegas-based company fell 1.3% in after-hours trading.

MP said its cost of sales, excluding depreciation and related items, increased by roughly $13.3 million, due in part higher production costs associated with the low utilization of its refining facilities. The company is increasing the use of those facilities.

MP's interest costs also rose by nearly $5 million due in part to rising expenses tied to a convertible note due in 2030.

MP produces rare earths concentrate at its California mine that it had sold to refiners in China, until last month, and elsewhere. It also refines rare earths in California.

The company produced 12,213 metric tons of that concentrate during the quarter, 10% higher than the year-ago period.

At its California refinery, MP produced 563 metric tons of neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr)  the two most in-demand rare earths  during the quarter, more than four times the year-ago period.

Realized prices of rare earth concentrates during the quarter rose 12% from the year-ago period, though prices for NdPr fell 16%.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Michael Perry)
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The dedicated Swedish cast of XYZ Films' "Watch the Skies". | Credit: XYZ Films

When XYZ Films Swedish sci-fi adventure movie "Watch the Skies" has its American debut on May 9, 2025, Hollywood and fans will also get a remarkable look at its AI-driven TrueSynch visual dubbing administered by the British startup firm Flawless AI.

This nostalgic feature film is set in 1996 and focuses on a small town teenage girl named Denise, whose father mysteriously vanished one night years ago while investigating a flying saucer sighting in the nearby forested hills. Determined to unravel the reality behind his disappearance, the feisty girl bonds with a group of antisocial enthusiasts at a local UFO club called UFO Sweden, who aid her in searching out the truth about her dad in true "The X-Files"-like fashion.

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Directed by Victor Danell for his Crazy Pictures production shingle, "Watch the Skies" will be the first flick to demonstrate this immersive technology, where the film's original Swedish-speaking cast has re-recorded their lines in English for AI tools to match lip movements. Once foreign films leave their home territory, an immediate language barrier exists. This pioneering new AI technology of "visual dubbing" opens up a whole new way to release and introduce their Swedish film (and countless others) to a far wider audience and helps retain the actors' screen performances.

Part of the movies originality and warmth comes from the natural inclusion of cultural customs unique to the Swedish people, and that means the obligatory communal sipping of coffee and munching on tarts.

"It's a traditional Swedish thing that we do called Fika, where you have kind of a coffee break," Danell explains to Space.com. "Especially in these types of volunteer associations, what you do is have meetings where youre drinking coffee and having Fika and eating buns and tarts. And that's something we wanted to bring into the movie, because it's a bunch of outsiders that want to solve this big mystery, but they also just want to be together having Fika, coffee, and tarts."

Are the coffee and tarts ready for Fika time yet? | Credit: XYZ Films

The misfit UFO cult that forms "Watch the Skies"' core is based on an actual flying saucer society in the country called UFO Sweden, giving the project an engaging authenticity.

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"We all grew up in the '80s and '90s with these old-fashioned sci-fi movies as our base in our filmmaking," he adds regarding project influences. "Who doesnt love early Steven Spielberg and films like that? So we were inspired by those movies and we heard about this group in Sweden, a real association called UFO Sweden. We saw a documentary about them and knew we had to look them up. Are they for real? What we found out is that UFO Sweden is based in our hometown called Norrkoping.

"Not only that, but their headquarters are across the street from my apartment. So we just went down the street and knocked on the door and asked if we could come in to learn about their work. So we all sat down for Swedish Fika and they told us that they're a UFO investigation group and if you see something in the sky you can call them and they'll help find out what you saw. They're gathering an archive of UFO sightings from around the world in their basement and it's the largest UFO archive in the world. They showed us around and when we left their headquarters we knew that this was our next movie. We just needed to find a story that could take these lovely guys out on an adventure larger than they usually went on."

A scene from director Victor Danell's "Watch the Skies" | Credit: XYZ Films

"Watch the Skies" is imbued with a heartfelt reality even though its story is rooted in paranormal events, and its striking cinematography enhances a certain retro appeal.

"The cinematographer is Hannes Krantz, one of our partners in Crazy Pictures. Actually, I built the lenses for this movie myself. It's a mix of old Contex still photography lenses with the anamorphic block off an old projector combined together. It's kind of nerdy but the look of the movie is a big part of making the audience feel like this is an old nostalgic throwback to the 70s and 80s. It was hard work making that look.

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"Sweden doesnt do a lot of genre movies. We went into this thinking it would be quite hard to make a Swedish science fiction movie. It actually wasn't. I think the Swedish audience also is ready for one so it went quite easily. But its still hard to make a good sci-fi movie. We're so excited to see what will happen with this movie. We released it in Sweden and now it's coming out in the U.S. and we're so thrilled to see how it will go."

"Watch the Skies" stars Inez Dahl Torhaug, Eva Melander, Jesper Barkselius, Sara Shirpey, Hakan Ehn, Isabelle Kyed, Niklas Kvarnbo Jonsson, and Mathias Lithner.
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

The Doctor lands in Lagos, Nigeria.

You can't kill Doctor Who.

That's the ultimate meta-lesson from "The Story & the Engine," episode 5 of Season 2 of the show's tenure on Disney+. Even if persistent online rumors that Disney won't renew its co-production for a third season turn out to be true, this 61-year-old BBC show will simply emerge in a new form.

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As the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) says in his first ever six-word memoir: "I'm born. I die. I am reborn."

"The Story & the Engine," which mostly takes place inside a barber shop in Lagos, Nigeria, is a prime example of how Doctor Who can adapt to many different places, times, and cultures. Written by Nigerian-British playwright Inua Ellams, the script builds on his play "Barber Shop Chronicles"  for which Ellams visited 60 Black-owned barber shops in the UK and across Africa  and gives an American Gods-style sci-fi spin to the stories traditionally told there.

Ellams is the first Black man to write for Doctor Who, and this episode is the first to feature a fully BIPOC cast  other than in a brief flashback scene in which current companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) is working as a nurse in a UK hospital.

But Ellams himself is hardly new to Who; he's a fan of the show from his childhood in Nigeria. Classic 1970s episodes were shown, via an ancient projector, on a large screen  hence the magic screen in the Lagos barber shop where stories are projected ... and where, for the first time, the Doctor Who opening titles appear in the universe of the show itself.

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SEE ALSO: All the times 'Doctor Who' broke the fourth wall

"As a kid I was terrified of this show," Ellams told Doctor Who Magazine. "Hiding behind the sofa, peeking ... it was closer to a cinema in my living room."

When has the Doctor visited Africa?

Technically, we've seen the Doctor in Africa twice before  but he barely knew he was there.

In "The Chase" (1965), William Hartnell's first Doctor visits a haunted house exhibit which turns out to be in Ghana in the then-far future year of 1996. And in "The Pyramids of Mars" (1975), which saw the original appearance of Season 1 villain Sutekh, the Tom Baker Doctor is transported to Sutekh's tomb in Egypt.

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But "The Story & the Engine" is the first time the Doctor knowingly lands his TARDIS on the African continent. Why? First, Lagos' status as a communications hub can help the TARDIS navigate Belinda's way home. But the Doctor also explains to Belinda that since his current "Black body" is not fully accepted in many parts of the world, he likes to come to the barber shop in Lagos formerly run by his friend Omo, where he can just be himself.

What's the original six-word story?

The Doctor discovers a mysterious barber has taken Omo and his customers hostage. The barber is using stories to power a journey through story-space known as the Nexus. And that gives the Doctor a path to victory: by inserting his own "never-ending story" into the barber's engine, using just six words.

The six-word story concept isn't new, of course; it's generally attributed to Ernest Hemingway, an American writer with his own connections to Africa. But the Doctor claims that he gave Hemingway the idea for six-word stories because, "I wanted to see how good he was."

The six-word story Hemingway came up with isn't actually mentioned in the show, but you might be familiar with it if you've ever taken a creative writing class. "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

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Whatever happens to the show next on the U.S. side, its popularity in the UK  not to mention many countries around the world like Nigeria  will ensure its continuity in the long run. Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor will regenerate, and the Doctor will be reborn.

Doctor Who Season 2 premiered Apr. 12 on Disney+ and BBC. New episodes air weekly on Saturdays at 3 a.m. ET.
Miss Universe Cuba now has its 20 official candidates who will compete in Hialeah this summer to see who goes to the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand in November.

The winner will also receive another title this year: Queen of the 100th Anniversary of the City of Hialeah. Last year, Hialeah hosted the first Miss Universe Cuba contest with Marianela Ancheta winning the crown.

The search for the most beautiful Cuban woman began in January, with 250 applicants. Twenty-five finalists were selected, and on Thursday, the finalists were narrowed down to 20 after three in-person auditions, the last held on April 30 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Doral. This years contestants features a mix of well-known faces and social media darlings. In addition to charm and communication skills, Miss Universe Cuba contestants must either have been born on the island or have one parent that is Cuban.

Daughter of a Cuban celebrity in Miss Universe

The judges this year included last years Miss Universe Cuba, Marianela Ancheta; stylist Carlos Sigas; Gallia Vega, a fitness model and candidate for Miss Universe Cuba in 2024; Miguel Angel Garcia, official makeup artist for Miss Venezuela; Tenay Rodriguez, influencer, businesswoman, and television presenter, who was part of the panel of judges that selected Miss Universe Cuba last year; makeup artist Eugenio Rodriguez; and photographer Michel Milian, who took the photos of Ancheta wearing the Ochun-themed outfit she wore on the preliminary night of the Miss Universe pageant.

Model Lina Luaces, daughter of Lili Estefan, is one of the official candidates for Miss Universe Cuba.

Congratulations to each and every one of you, the new Miss Universe Cuba 2025 candidates, said Ancheta at the Thursday event, dressed in a black skirt with matching floral details and a white blouse. I celebrate and embrace you, because I know what youre feeling today the nerves, the excitement, the dreams. Cuba deserves to shine, and together we can make its light reach further than ever.

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Lina Luaces, daughter of Lili Estefan, host of Univisions El Gordo y la Flaca, and businessman Lorenzo Luaces, was one of the finalists who caused a buzz. Luaces works as a model and has done runway shows in New York Fashion Week and other cities such as her native Miami.

My mom and I spent weeks preparing for this casting. Im very excited, and its an honor because Cuba is part of my roots, said Luaces, who said she preferred competing to represent Cuba instead of the United States, where she was born.

I didnt even think about it. I wanted it to be Cuba to honor my family and my roots, Lina said, according to Hola. I have always said I feel more Cuban than American, because thats how I grew up, with the values I have, the food I eat.

Miss Universe candidate criticizes the Cuban regime

Another contender is social media star Mia Dio, a gorgeous blonde with one million of followers who come to her for funny content. She recently announced that she was a candidate for the crown in one of her posts.

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I have a confession to make. My name is Mia Angelina Donadio Cancio, and my mother is Cuban. I am currently a preselected candidate for Miss Universe Cuba 2025, she said, before strongly condemning the Cuban regime for the inequality that plagues the country, especially against women, who lack laws to protect them from violence and femicide.

I dont want to be the most beautiful woman in the world, but the one who says it the loudestI want to tell you what is happening in Cuba, Donadio said in the post.

It is a communist country, and you would think that means equality, especially for women. Free education, free healthcare, and half of Parliament being made up of women. Does that seem progressive? But this is what they dont show you; there is no national law against gender violence, the government doesnt have a hotline to report these cases, and right now, a very serious situation is happening that no one is talking about. In 2023, at least 83 women died at the hands of their partners or ex-partners, she denounced in English.

Mia Donadio Cancio, an influencer and comedian from Miami and the daughter of a Cuban mother and an Argentine father, is one of the young women hoping to be chosen as Miss Universe Cuba 2025.

Donadio also participated in the Univision pageant show, Nuestra Belleza Latina in 2021.

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The influencer and comedian, who performs her stand-up routine in English, has Latin American heritage from both parents. Her father, born in Argentina, was a cameraman for Univision for many years.

He inspired me to start creating content when I was 14, said Donadio, who addressed Cuban women directly. Sisters, visibility is power, and if the Cuban government isnt going to say your names, I will, she said in a video on her Instagram profile, concluding with the phrase that led Cubans to protest on July 11, 2021, Patria y Vida (Homeland and Life.)

Miami mother and businesswoman to compete

Indiana Williams is another candidate for the crown. She is a mother and entrepreneur who founded an event planning company more than a decade ago.

In my skin and in my heart I carry the history, strength, and passion of my homeland. Representing my country at Miss Universe Cuba is not just an honor, its a mission. Its time to raise our voices, to show that Cuba has beauty, intelligence, elegance, and an unstoppable spirit, Williams said.

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A new story begins and I promise to live it with the strength of a woman, the tenderness of a mother, and the fire of a dreamer who never gave up, she said about her journey to the Miss Universe Cuba finals.

Official Miss Universe Cuba Candidates

Also included in this group of 20 young women born in Cuba or with Cuban roots are: Anabella Urquiola; Angelica Roque, Ariday Villar, Claudia Ramos, Claudia Fernandez, Deneb Morales, Emely Artabe, Glenda Verdecia, Katherine Nunez; Lianet Aguilera Sarmiento; Linnet Mustafat Arcial; Lisbeth Fernandez; Maria Diaz; Romy Alvarez; Sheila Laza; Stefany Parli; and Vanessa Garcia.
If you're looking for a direct flight to the Caribbean, a new budget airline will begin flying out of Boston starting in late fall 2025.

In a release this week, Arajet airlines announced that it would be offering a new route connecting Boston Logan International Airport to Las Americas Santo Domingo Airport in the Dominican Republic. Arajet was launched on Sept. 15, 2022 but the new flights to the Dominican will mark the airline's first appearance in Boston.

"The Boston area is home to one of the largest Dominican communities in the U.S. and serves as a key hub for education, business, and tourism," Victor Pacheco, CEO and founder of Arajet, said in a release when announcing the move into Boston. ""With this addition, Arajets presence in major U.S. markets will capture strong demand for low-fare, high-quality service between North America and Latin America, reflecting our commitment to building a bridge between the regions and opening new travel opportunities for both leisure and business travelers.""

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In the Northeast, Arajet also flies out of Newark Liberty International Airport.

Here's what to know.

When will Arajet start its service in Boston?

Arajet flights will begin on Nov. 20, 2025.

Where will Arajet fly to?

Starting on Nov. 20, the airline will offer "four nonstop flights per week (out of Logan Airport in Boston) ... providing New Englanders with affordable access to the Dominican Republic, Caribbean, and Latin America," according to a report in Business Wire magazine.

The Hoodline website explained that while Arajet's direct route is to Santo Domingo, the airline will offer connections from that location to more than 25 destinations in the Caribbean, Central, and South America.

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These locations include places like Aruba, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and more, Hoodline noted.

How much will the airline's fares cost?

One way tickets, which are now online at Arajet.com, start at $170.

There are three different levels of fare tiers, Smart, Comfort, and Extra, which come with different amenities like selected seats and

What kind of airplanes are in the Arajet fleet?

Arajet will soon be providing direct service to the Caribbean from Logan Airport in Boston, according to a report from Business Wire.

Business Wire online stated that it will use Boeing 737 MAX airplanes for its flights.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Cheap international tickets: Boston's Logan airport gets new airline
When passengers first arrive on a train into central London, many are greeted by the ornate, towering clock face of St. Pancras International or the abstract modern dome of Kings Cross. Paddington Station, three miles down the road, however, shares little of its bigger sisters pomp. Its large iron and glass roof was probably impressive in the 1850s when it was first built, but today the station feels largely utilitarian, a forgotten relic of the citys industrial past.

Despite its humble design, though, Paddington Station is a special place for me. If you wind across its tile floors, past the waiting trains, and through the hurried crowds towards its westernmost platform, youll find, hanging on the wall, a large three-faced clock. Beneath it, sitting atop a rectangular suitcase, is a small bronze statue of a bear. Paddington Bear.

Along with being Britains most famous mammal, Paddington has, over the years, become an important part of my relationship with my mom.

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For the uninitiated, Paddington is an iconic figure in British culture and the main character in 29 childrens books and three movies. The stories follow the small, orphaned bear as he travels from Darkest Peru to Londonsent there by his guardian, Aunt Lucy, when she moves into the Home for Retired Bears and can no longer care for him. After arriving at Paddington Station alone and in need of help, he is rescued by the Browns, a typical British family who bring him into their home and teach him the ins and outs of life in England.

Paddingtons experience in London isnt easy; the city isnt as sunny and the people arent as welcoming as they sounded in the stories he was told as a cub. Its not easy being somewhere new, Paddington tells Lucy, the Brown familys daughter, in the first Paddington film. Things can be very different from how you imagined. But over time, Paddington finds a family in the Browns and a home away from home in London.

The love my mom and I share for Paddington began in 2018 when, on the eve of my own departure to London for a college semester abroad, we watched both filmsthe first at home, and the second at a theater on opening night. By the time the credits rolled, my mom was crying. It had been a difficult time for our familyfirst, my sister and I had left for college, then a year after that, my father had died of cancer. And now, I was leaving again, even further away. For both of us, the films were a picture of the new friends and experiences that, even after hardship, an adventure in England could bring.

But it was several years later when I returned to Londonthis time with a one-way ticketthat Paddington took on a deeper meaning.

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During my five months as an exchange student in London, I had become enamored with the city and promised myself that, one day, Id make it a home. Three years later, that promise would be fulfilled. After two unsatisfying years working for a bank in the United States, I was accepted into a political economy masters program at Kings College London. The program offered me a chance to pursue a career I found more meaningful, andmore importantlywould let me live and work in London.

However, like Paddington, my move to London was not what I imagined. Only three weeks before my move, I had been diagnosed with a chronic pain condition that had quickly taken over every aspect of my life. I struggled to eat, could barely sleep, and found it almost impossible to spend more than an hour at a time outside of my home. While the condition was not life-threatening, it was poorly understood, difficult to treat, and, for many people, completely disabling.

Despite the pain, the thought of abandoning my move to London was out of the question. I would find some way to get through it, my mom assured me, even though we werent entirely sure how. But, by the time I boarded my one-way flight to England, I was at the lowest point in my lifeboth physically and mentally. I needed support more than ever, and I was on my way to a country where not a single person even knew my name.

When I arrived at Paddington Station, like the small bear from Darkest Peru, I arrived alone and in desperate need of a family.

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By then, I didnt think it would be possible for me to stay in London for long, let alone excel in school, make friends, or engage with the city. Physically, I felt hopeless. My pain was worsening day after day, and I was pouring what little energy I had into navigating a new and inept medical system that seemed determined to give me as few treatment options as possible.

The mental side was even worse. Anyone who has experienced chronic illness or a life-altering accident has likely felt something similar. We all have a vision of what we hope our lives will look likebuilding a career, getting married, and raising a family. But in an instant, that paradigm can shift. Your foundational assumptions about who you are and what you value shatter, and the future becomes a very murky and uncertain space. Its an uncomfortable, and lonely, place to be.

The experience was also harrowing for my mom. She was sending her kid across the ocean, not knowing what awaited me on the other side, and for the first time in her life, she was helpless to give me the support I needed. She felt, she said when I asked her, a bit like how Aunt Lucy felt when she hid Paddington on a ship destined for England, hoping that someone would be there to take care of him on the other side.

In the stories, when Aunt Lucy says goodbye to Paddington, she hangs a small paper tag around his neck, scrawled with the words Please look after this bear. The tag is inspired by those given to the thousands of British children who, during the Second World War, were evacuated from London into small towns and villages where they would be better protected from the falling bombs of the Luftwaffe. Long ago, people in England sent their children by train with labels around their necks, so they could be taken care of by complete strangers in the countryside where it was safe, Aunt Lucy tells Paddington. They will not have forgotten how to treat strangers.

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Those words, Please look after this bear, took on a special meaning for my mom as I crossed the ocean to start my own life in London. There were things that I would needsupport, care, a familythat she could no longer give me. Instead, she was sending me off with faith that someone would do what she could not.

That little tag was like my prayer, my mom told me later. God, please look after this bear. Im sending this kid off to this far away place where I cant reach him.

On her first trip to visit me in London, my mom bought two Paddington Bears: a small stuffed bear and a keychain. The stuffed bear she placed on the long wooden mantel in my bedroom, and the keychain she kept for herself. The symbolism was unspokenbut we both understood it. During the many nights when my pain kept me from sleep, I would stare at that bear as a reminder that, even though I was far from home, not a second went by that my mom wasnt thinking of me 4,000 miles away. If the worst came to worstif I had to leave London, return home, even go on disabilityshe would be there for me.

But worst didnt come to worst, and eventually, my moms prayers were answered. Paddingtons family came in the form of the Browns, and mine came in the form of a church. One Sunday morning, I wandered through the doors of a brown-bricked schoolhouse in the South London neighborhood of Waterloo, where a small nondenominational congregation met each week. The room was full of young Londoners from every corner of the worldAmerican and Canadian runaways, a pack of adventurous Singaporeans, and more South Africans than anyone could count.

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I couldnt predict it at the time, but over the following two and a half years, those people would become my family. They took me in as one of their own and walked with me through the ups and downs of illness and recovery. They prayed with me, cried with me, celebrated with me, and changed me. They became close lifelong friends. They, at least, had not forgotten how to treat strangers.

When I arrived at Paddington Station, the first moments of my time in London, I was at my lowestwrecked by illness and anxious about my future. But when I stepped on the same platform several years later to leave the cityonce again, with a one-way ticketI did so with a masters degree in hand, dozens of new friends, and some of the best memories of my life.

None of that would have been possible without my mom and without the foundation of love she provided me. It was because I knew she was there for me that I even had it in me to build a new family in a new country. It was her lovenot just during that period, but for the 23 years leading up to itthat carried me through that time.

The author and his mother at his graduation in January 2023. (Photo by Alex Demas)

Last month, my mom flew to Washington, D.C., for a weekend visit. Its been a year and a half since I left London to start a new adventure with The Dispatch, and almost two years since my illness went into a miraculous remission. While she was in town, we had dinner at Amazonia, a wonderful Peruvian restaurant. And then we went to see the latest Paddington movie, Paddington in Peru.

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In the film, Paddington returns to South Americawith the Browns in towin search of Aunt Lucy, who has mysteriously disappeared from the Home for Retired Bears. Paddington and the Browns trek through the Peruvian rainforest, following Aunt Lucys trail all the way to the gates of El Dorado. The mythical lost city turns out to be Paddingtons long-lost homefull of oranges, not goldand there he reconnects with the community of bears he was separated from as a cub.

The movie was bittersweet for my mom. Paddington, after all, doesnt choose to stay in Peru with Aunt Lucy and his given family. Instead, he sets back off to England. London is his home now, and the Browns are the family hes chosen. Thats a tension, my mom tells me, that every parent feels. You want nothing more than for your kid to never grow up, to live in your house forever, and to be somewhere you can always take care of them. But at the same time, you want them to go out into the world to build a family of their own, to build a home away from home, supported by the foundation that you gave them.

Paddingtons experience, like mine and my moms, may have been unique in its intensity, but it wasnt unique in its direction. Every mother and her child will, at some point, face something similar. You raise your kid, prepare them for the world, and then send them out to make their own way, trusting that others will love and care for them just like you have.

In some way, every kid eventually gets on a boat to somewhereand each one of us has a little tag, a little prayer, hanging around our neck, tied there by our mom: Please look after this bear.

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Happy Mothers Day.

Read more at The Dispatch

The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free.
Portsmouth has it's fair share of older buildings, and not just because of the Strawberry Banke Museum.

Englishmen first settled the Portsmouth area in 1630, only a decade after the Mayflower has landed in Massachusetts. By 1653, Portsmouth was incorporated into what was then Massachusetts and took Portsmouth as its name.

The oldest building in the state was built not long after that, and it opens for summer tours starting in June.

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Interested in visiting? Here's what to know about it.

The Richard Jackson House

The oldest building in the Granite State, the Jackson House in Portsmouth dates back to 1664, built by Richard Jackson, a woodworker, farmer, and mariner.

The oldest building in the Granite State, the Jackson House in Portsmouth dates back to 1664, built by Richard Jackson, a woodworker, farmer, and mariner.

Like houses of a similar age, it's seen its fair share of modifications since it was originally built. Succeeding generations added a lean-to by 1715, along with more additions in the 1700s and 1800s to accommodate different family groups sharing the house at once.

The property remained with the Jackson family for seven generations, until 1924 when it was acquired by William Sumner Appleton, founder of the non-profit Historic New England that maintains the building.

Can I visit the Jackson House?

The Jackson House is located at 76 Northwest St., Portsmouth. It's open for tours during the summer on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from June to October.

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The 45-minute guided tours are held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $5 for students and children. Members of Historic New England can attend free.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Oldest building in NH is older than the U.S. Here's where it is
WALKER, Mich. (WOOD)  A Holland man was killed in a fiery crash in Walker early Saturday morning.

Around 4 a.m., officers with the Walker Police Department were sent to the area of Butterworth Drive SW and Hall Street SW for a crash. The police department said the initial call was that a vehicle was on fire, and it may have also hit a house.

While on the way, officers learned that one of the people inside the burning vehicle was trapped.

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Responding officers found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames and a vacant house on fire. They worked to get a man trapped in the vehicle out, but were unable to save him, the police department said. His name has not been released.

The police department said there were five Holland men in the vehicle, aged 19 to 41, at the time of the crash. The other four were able to get out of the vehicle. They were taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

Officers believe that speed and impaired driving are contributing factors in the crash.

The crash remains under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
A person was taken to the hospital by a medical helicopter after a two-vehicle crash in Springfield Friday night.

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The scene of the crash is near the intersection of Tuttle and East National Road.

TRENDING STORIES:

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According to Clark County dispatch, a man had to be extricated from the vehicle.

The crash investigation has been turned over to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.

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TREMONTON, Utah (ABC4)  Box Elder County is hitting a historic mark in August, the 100th anniversary of the county fair and Golden Spike Rodeo.

To kick of the summer of events, organizers hosted a 100 days until 100 years kick off night at the fairgrounds on Friday. The event included music from a fair staple, Rough Stock, as well as free Peach City ice cream and BBQ dinner from the Box Elder County Farm Bureau.

A cowboy will never die. You just got to get off the interstate and see. Brent Rose, President of the Golden Spike Rodeo

The kickoff event was titled Branding the Legacy: A 100-Year Love-A-Fair. Ranching families from all over the county were able to bring their family brands to add to a display that will be put up at the fair in August. Brent Rose, president of the Golden Spike Rodeo, explained, A brand means so much. I dont know when our brand started and so I try to honor that brand.

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2 dead after separate fatal crashes in San Juan County

Rose, like many others in attendance, has been a part of the fair since he was a kid. He expressed the importance of carrying on the tradition, I know the history of the other family brands we have and the good men and women who sacrificed to make their ranch. And were trying to carry on the tradition in a 2025 world. But its alive and well.

Fair Board President Jan Roades is also a fair lifer. She mentioned that the fair every year stands as a meeting post for family reunions. A lot of times this is the only time you see people in the county is here at the fair.

In the lead up to the 100th anniversary fair, the Box Elder County Farm Bureau is hoping to feed 100 families in need. They purchased livestock to be processed and donated to local food pantries. Jeff Hunt, president of the North Box Elder County Farm Bureau, said not only does it help promote the agriculture industry but teaches a lesson to young ranchers.

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First responders contain fire, rescue pets in Weber County

Hunt explained, Show the kids that where their animal is actually gonna go and what a good effort it is to be able to raise a good animal to feed people that are in need.

This celebration was rich in tradition. Rose remarked on how important it is to pass down their heritage to the next generation, saying, My grandkids can come and do the same things I did with some of the same friends, generations and the other new friends. And so theres other places in this world Im sure that does the same as, but its getting fewer and farther between where they can feel their roots.

Rose added, A cowboy will never die. You just got to get off the interstate and see.

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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 ABC4 Utah.
Research from WisdomTree also underlined the strong income-generating capacity of dividend-paying stocks. Their analysis indicated that a dividend-focused strategy could enhance investors income and improve the trailing 12-month dividend yield. This method becomes even more useful during times of low interest rates and heightened market volatility. Allocating investments to dividend-weighted indexes may therefore offer a consistent income strategy in uncertain market environments.

He pointed out that dividend-paying stocks can be a dependable source of income, offering investors the flexibility to either reinvest the proceeds for compounding growth or use the cash to meet financial obligations. This feature makes dividend stocks particularly appealing to younger investors, as they provide steady income along with exposure to the broader market. His remarks echoed the long-term significance of dividends in overall market returns. Data from S&P Dow Jones Indices showed that between 1926 and July 2023, dividends made up 32% of the total monthly return of the broader market, with the rest coming from price gains.

Analysts also support dividend stocks for income portfolios, especially in times of market volatility. Financial advisor Michael Dinich discussed dividend investing in an interview with Business Insider. Here are some comments from the analyst:

This renewed interest comes after a challenging period for dividend stocks. Rising interest rates had made bonds more appealing to income-seeking investors, while excitement around artificial intelligence propelled growth stocksespecially the Magnificent Seven tech namesto new heights, leaving many established dividend-paying firms overlooked.

Amid concerns over trade restrictions and a weakening economy, some investors are seeking stability in dividend-paying stocksa traditional defensive strategy. While safe-haven assets like gold and US Treasurys have seen increased demand and more economically sensitive stocks such as small caps and financials have faced outflows, many favor dividend stocks for their dual benefits: the potential for capital appreciation and the steady income from dividends, which can help offset market declines.

We recently published a list of the Best Income Stocks to Invest in Now . In this article, we are going to take a look at where NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) stands against other best income stocks.

Story Continues

With investor interest in dividends on the rise, companies across the US and globally are steadily boosting their payouts. In 2024, global dividend payments reached a record $1.75 trillion, according to the Janus Henderson Global Dividend Index, reflecting a 6.6% increase on an underlying basis. Headline growth came in at 5.2%, slightly lower due to fewer special dividends and a stronger US dollar. The total slightly surpassed Janus Hendersons earlier projection of $1.73 trillion, thanks to better-than-expected performance in the US and Japan during the final quarter, when Q4 dividends rose 7.3% on an underlying basis.

Throughout the year, solid growth was also seen in Europe, with emerging markets like India and parts of Asia, including Singapore and South Korea, showing respectable increases. Out of 49 countries tracked, 17including major contributors like the US, Canada, France, Japan, and Chinahit record dividend levels. The report noted that 88% of companies either raised or maintained their dividends, with the median increase coming in at 6.7%.

Looking ahead, Janus Henderson forecasts global dividends will rise by 5.0% in headline terms in 2025, reaching another all-time high of $1.83 trillion. When adjusting for currency effects, underlying growth is expected to be around 5.1%.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE): Among the Best Income Stocks to Invest in Now

A wind turbine, its blades spinning to generate clean renewable energy.

Our Methodology:

For this article, we used a stock screener to pick companies that have raised their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years or more. The consistent dividend growth reflects the reliability of these stocks as income-generating investments for shareholders. From that group, we picked companies with the highest number of hedge fund investors, as per Insider Monkeys database of Q4 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds having stakes in them.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with hedge funds. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 84

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) is a Florida-based leading force in the renewable energy industry. The company operates Florida Power & Light (FPL), one of the largest electric utilities in the country, and oversees a major global renewable energy business through NextEra Energy Resources. These core operations generate reliable cash flow, enabling the company to fund dividends and invest in long-term growth opportunities.

In the first quarter of 2025, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) delivered strong financial performance, with revenue climbing to $6.25 billion, up 9% from the same period a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share also grew by nearly 9% year-over-year, a solid result for a utility company. This momentum was fueled by robust results from both FPL and the renewable energy segment. FPL alone contributed $1.3 billion in adjusted net income, or $0.64 per sharean increase of over 12% from the prior year. The company remains focused on targeted capital investments to address Floridas growing energy needs while keeping electricity rates reasonable.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) also ended the quarter in a strong financial position, with more than $2.4 billion in cash and cash equivalents and $2.77 billion in operating cash flow, reinforcing its reputation as a dependable dividend payer. The company holds a 29-year track record of dividend growth, which makes it one of the best income stocks. Currently, it offers a quarterly dividend of $0.5665 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.22%, as of May 9.

Overall, NEE ranks 7th on our list of the best income stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of NEE as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than NEE but that trades at 10 times its earnings and grows its earnings at double digit rates annually, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A 12-year-old says she was sexually assaulted outside of an east Charlotte Target store, according to police.

According to a report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the incident occurred just after 1 p.m. at the big-box store at 8830 Albemarle Road. A 12-year-old girl told police a subject used their open hand to make unwanted physical contact.

Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area  >> Latest stories here

She was not injured, and the suspect is not known to the victim.

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The allegations fall under child sexual assault and battery. Police have not provided information on a suspect.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - At least 13 civilians were killed in Pakistani Kashmir in 12 hours until noon on Saturday, the region's disaster authority said, as India and Pakistan traded fire after Islamabad's military action against India in the early hours of the day.

More than 50 people were also injured in the region, the authority said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan, both of who rule Kashmir in part, have escalated since India struck "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Tariq Maqbool in Muzaffarabad, writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh)
A coalition of 15 states is suing over President Donald Trumps efforts to fast-track energy-related projects, saying the administration is bypassing environmental protection laws and threatening endangered species, critical habitat and cultural resources.

Trump issued an executive order declaring a national energy emergency on the first day of his presidency. The order urges oil and gas expansion through federal use of eminent domain and the Defense Production Act, which allows the government to use private land and resources to produce goods deemed to be a national necessity.

Those kinds of steps are supposed to be reserved for actual emergencies, such as projects needed in the aftermath of disasters like hurricanes, flooding or major oil spills, the attorneys general wrote in the lawsuit filed in Washington state on Friday.

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But now, Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown and the other plaintiffs said, agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Interior are bypassing required reviews under federal laws like the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.

The attorneys general said reliable and affordable electricity is of critical importance to the nation, but noted that U.S. energy production is already at an all-time high.

The Executive Order is unlawful, and its 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, they wrote in the lawsuit.

The shortcuts inherent in rushing through emergency processes fundamentally undermine the rights of States, the attorneys general said, noting that the federal Clean Water Act grants states the right to protect water quality within their own borders.

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They want a federal judge to declare the executive order unlawful and bar the agencies from pursuing emergency permitting for non-emergency projects.

The White House was not immediately available for comment.

Brown and California Attorney General Rob Bonta are leading the lawsuit, and the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin have signed on.

We know that this president has a very tenuous relationship with the truth, so it should come as no surprise that he fabricated an emergency to get his way, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. Heres the truth: if we dont do everything within our power to address climate change, including spearheading the transition to clean and renewable energy sources, future generations will suffer the irreparable consequences.

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Under this executive order, fossil fuel producers would be allowed to extract from anywhere they see fit while bypassing important environmental and historical reviews, thereby disrupting and destroying the land and habitats of Americans and wildlife alike, he continued. We must stop the illegal, unnecessary actions of this President before its too late.

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Police arrested a 16-year-old accused of firing at a car at a busy Clearwater Avenue intersection in a gang-related shooting last week.

Three teens were on the sidewalk near the corner of Edison Street about 6:15 p.m. on April 28 when one of them reportedly opened fire at a passing car, Kennewick police Commander Isaac Merkl told the Tri-City Herald.

The car, with about three or four people inside, sped away, and Merkl said investigators havent determined if anyone in the car also fired a shot. No one was reported wounded.

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Police talked with the teens on the sidewalk but they didnt have enough evidence to hold them, Merkl said.

In the past week, Kennewick detectives found evidence linking the teens to the shooting, he said.

Tri-City Regional SWAT team and Criminal Apprehension Team detectives searched two Clearwater Avenue homes on Thursday morning and arrested the 16-year-old, Kennewick police said in a Facebook post.

The teen was booked into the Benton Franklin Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree assault and illegally having a gun.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  A 19-year-old man has been convicted for a shooting that took place at the Oklahoma State Fair in September 2023.

The Oklahoma County jury found 19-year-old Canaan Jenkins guilty on Friday after being arrested and charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon for a shooting that occurred at the 2023 Oklahoma State Fair.

RELATED: Where am I safe?: OK State Fair confirms teen shooter didnt go through detector, officials still uncertain of how he got in

Canaan Jenkins. Image courtesy, Oklahoma County Detention Center.

During the State Fair on September 23, 2023, Oklahoma City Police were called to reports of a shooting at the Bennett Event Center. Upon arrival, officers found one victim with a gunshot wound. They were transported to a local hospital, where the victim was treated for the wound for three weeks before being released

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The suspect, Jenkins, had fled the scene after the shooting, but officers were able to find him and take him in for questioning at the Oklahoma City Police Department headquarters.

RELATED: Something just came over me: 14-year-old performs life saving measure on OK State Fair shooting victim

Jenkins had originally denied being the shooter but would eventually admit to the crime, claiming to be the suspect and that he fired his weapon in self-defense after a fight had happened, according to the release.

The jury, after finding Jenkins to be guilty of the crime, sentenced him to eight years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. A formal sentencing is scheduled in court on June 30.

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Jenkins entered a blind plea for a conjoint robbery that happened on September 22, 2023, one day before the shooting at the State Fair. He could face anywhere from the minimum sentence of five years to a maximum of 50 years in prison.

He will be sentenced for the conjoint robbery also on June 30.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A 19-year-old was found dead in Columbus early Thursday morning from a gunshot wound.

Columbus police say they were called to the 4800 block of Manitoba Rd in the early morning hours on Thursday. Upon arrival, officers located a the man suffering from a gunshot wound.

Police said the victim was pronounced dead by medical personnel at about 5:20 a.m. According to a release from Columbus police, it was later determined that the victim was shot before midnight on Wednesday.

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They also say they are still investigating to determine a possible motive. Police know the identity of the victim, but said next of kin has not yet been notified.

Detectives are asking anyone with videos in the area between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. on May 7th to submit them using the following bar code.

Police are urging anyone with information regarding this incident to call Detective Yoder at 614-645-2040 or the Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
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The history of climbing Mount Everest is full of remarkable stories of strength, determination and human achievement. And now, with more than 800 people summiting each year, there are more voices than ever that can regale their heroic versions of how they conquered the mountain. Despite that, it is probably the stories of tragedy and suffering on its hostile slopes that the general public are most aware of.

The 2015 film Everest, featuring big-screen stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Keira Knightley, took the story of the 1996 Everest disaster to the masses. It grossed $203 million worldwide and catapulted the survivors back into the media limelight.

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It tells the story of the series of events that occurred on May 10 and 11, 1996, which led to eight climbers dying on Everest during a blizzard. It remains one of the deadliest single events in the mountain's history and drew global attention to the dangers of high-altitude mountaineering.

The rise in commercial Everest expeditions

The number of climbers attempting Everest started to boom in the 1990s (stock image) | Credit: Getty Images

Mount Everest lies in the heart of the Nepalese Himalayas, an isolated location with no road access to speak of. Until the 1960s, all supplies had to be carried by either people or animals, usually yaks. During the 60s, airstrips were created to bring supplies to the Khumbu region, but only a couple of permits to scale the mountain were issued each year. It was in the 1980s that the Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport, became the entry point for tourists trekking in Everest's Khumbu region.

Towards the end of the 1980s, the Chinese and Nepalese governments issued permits for both the pre- and post-monsoon seasons (the best times to climb Everest) and the total number of expeditions increased to about 10 per year. In the 1990s the number of people summiting exploded, with a then-record high of 129 successful summits in 1993.

The 1990s was when commercial trips to Everest really took off. Entrepreneurial mountaineers saw great business opportunities in guiding on the world's highest mountain and, in 1991, Adventure Consultants was formed. This company has often since been credited with pioneering commercial travel to Everest.

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Adventure Consultants founder Rob Hall, along with the founder of Mountain Madness expedition company, Scott Fischer, were two of the leaders guiding expeditions on the day of the disaster.

May 10-11, 1996

May 10 and 11, 1996 would be a fateful 48 hours on the mountain | Credit: Getty Images

On May 10, 1996 three groups of climbers set out from Camp IV on a mission to summit the mountain. The Adventure Consultants' expedition, led by New Zealander Rob Hall, consisted of 19 people, including eight clients. Adventure Consultants was seen as one of the most, if not the most successful operators at the time, with a solid summit success rate.

The Mountain Madness team, led by Scott Fischer, also consisted of 19 people, including eight clients. Also on the mountain's south route that day was a Taiwanese group of climbers and an expedition organized by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.

After midnight on May 10, the Adventure Consultants team, along with the Taiwanese group began their summit attempt from Camp IV. They encountered delays at two critical points  the Balcony and the Hilary Step, the latter being the famous crux of the route. When they arrived at both points, they found that the expected fixed ropes hadn't been installed, the reason for which is debated to this day. The climbers experienced bottlenecks and some decided to turn back, fearing they would run out of supplementary oxygen, which can be fatal in the so-called death zone above 8,000 meters.

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Guide Anatoli Boukreev, from the Mountain Madness team, was the first to summit not long after 1pm. He stayed to help climbers but many had still not summited by 2pm, the agreed safe turnaround time. Snow began to fall yet still clients pushed to summit, some reaching it after 3.45pm.

The snowfall turned into a blizzard on the south-eastern face, reducing visibility and burying ropes. Several climbers got lost in the chaos. When the blizzard cleared, around midnight, rescue attempts swung into action but they weren't enough to avoid the deaths of eight individuals.

Fatalities

A memorial for Scott Fischer built by sherpas in 1996 stands outside the village of Dughla, Nepal | Credit: Getty Images

In total eight climbers died on May 10 and 11, 1966. These included:

Rob Hall  New Zealand expedition leader with the Adventure Consultants. After waiting with dying friend Doug Hansen on the descent following a late summit his oxygen regulator froze and he could not descend.

Andrew "Harold" Harris  a New Zealand guide with the Adventure Consultants, who is presumed to have fallen near the South Summit.

Doug Hansen  American client with the Adventure Consultants. Doug's body has never been recovered and he's presumed to have fallen.

Yasuko Namba  the female Japanese client with the Adventure Consultants died descending the South Col.

Scott Fischer  the American expedition leader with Mountain Madness summited late and died on the southeast ridge from hypothermia

Subedar Tsewang Smanla, Lance Naik Dorje Morup, Tsewang Paljor  three Indian nationals working for the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, who also died on the northeast ridge that day

What went wrong on Everest in 1996?

Various factors led to the 1996 tragedy | Credit: Boy_Anupong

Many of the mountaineers who would have had first hand information about what led to the disaster died, and others have found their unravelling physical health clouded their memory of events. However, a few things have been said to have contributed to the high death toll.

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A lack of planning and execution meant that ropes were not placed at critical climbing areas on the South Col route. This led to bottlenecks, delaying the climbers from reaching the summit. Competitiveness rather than collaboration between the two main expedition groups has also been reported to have contributed to the errors.

Snow forecasts did not deter the two expedition leaders, who were said to be competitive in their race to help their clients summit. Both Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness had two public-figure clients on the expedition. Jon Krakauer, an accomplished climber and journalist on assignment for Outside Magazine, was in the Adventure Consultants team, while Sandy Hill-Pittman, described as a socialite and journalist, was with Mountain Madness. It's thought that the enhanced profile of the expeditions may have influenced both Hall and Fischer's decision making.

Leaders and climbers were said to have been suffering from summit fever. They ignored the safe turnaround time of 2pm (set to give enough time to get back to Camp IV before night) and continued long after this had passed, becoming exhausted in the process.

While deaths in the 1980s had failed to attract much media attention, the launch of the world wide web meant the 1996 disaster got much global coverage.

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The aftermath made people question the growing popularity of commercial expeditions to Everest, but it did not deter them. In 2024, the Nepalese government issued 421 climbing permits. China issues a maximum number of 300 permits for the north side of Everest. And, in 2025, permits were gobbled up twice as fast as in 2024. Everest's allure, its siren song, is timeless.

Conflicting accounts

The aftermath of the disaster was characterized by conflicting accounts and no end of rancour | Credit: Getty Images

It's difficult to answer exactly what happened on that fateful day in 1996 because the only people that could possibly truly recount the events with any accuracy are those that perished and those who survived. The problem is, many of the survivors disagree  in some cases bitterly  about the exact circumstances and events that led to the disaster. Add in the cognitive impairment and subsequent memory issues that time spent at high altitude can have and it's no wonder a fuzzy, contradictory picture emerges.

A classic of mountaineering literature, Into Thin Air: A personal account of disaster on Everest (1997) tells Jon Krakaeur's version of what happened on the mountain that day. It received criticism for the portrayal of one of the guides on the other team, Anatoli Boukreev. Krakaeur paints him as a selfish mountaineer who puts his own oxygen-free summit ambitions over the safety of his clients.

Boukreev published his own bestselling book in the same year, The Climb, rebutting many of the claims made by Krakaeur. In this version of events, Boukreev asserts that his decision to climb without oxygen meant that he was better acclimatized to lead rescue efforts. The guide went out into the storm on several occasions to bring back stricken clients, though he was unable to save Mountain Madness' founder, Scott Fischer.

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Beck Weathers, a client on the Adventure Consultants team who suffered severe frostbite, also wrote his own bestselling account: Left for Dead. All three tell contradictory tales  underlining just how fraught, if not impossible, it is to establish exactly what happened up there.

In fact, there are several books that have been written by the survivors of the tragedy. Perhaps the best way to glean an accurate picture of exactly what occured would be to study them all in turn. As you can see from Jon Krakauer's Instagram post below, debate around the events still rages on to this day.

Everest's worst disasters

In the past decade Everest has seen its deadliest days. On April 18, 2014 a huge serac (ice shelf) broke off triggering an avalanche that killed 16 sherpas on in the Khumbu Icefall. Before that, in April 2015, an earthquake in Nepal and surrounding areas caused tremors up Everest that triggered an avalanche which swept through Base Camp killing 22 people. Nearly 9,000 people in Nepal and surrounding countries died.
CHICAGO  A shooting on the citys north side left two men dead and a third injured overnight.

Chicago police said the deadly shooting unfolded just before 1:30 a.m. early Saturday morning in the 6300 block of North Broadway, in Edgewater.

According to police, officers were first called to the scene on a report of a person shot in the area, but when they arrived, they found multiple victims who had suffered gunshot wounds.

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The victims included a 28-year-old man, identified as Derrell Givens, who suffered several gunshot wounds to his body and an unidentified 31-year-old man who was shot in the chest. Both men were taken to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

A third victim, a 36-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound to his back, was taken to the hospital, where he was listed in fair condition.

Officers said the victims were not able to provide details about the incident and it is currently unclear what led to the gunfire.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

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Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact CPD Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8263 or dial 911.

Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
MEDIC responded to a call about a shooting in west Charlotte early Saturday morning.

Paramedics responded to the scene at the 900 block of S. Summit Avenue around 1:40 a.m. on Saturday.

READ: Family, police plead for justice in killing of man ambushed in York

Two people had been injured in a shooting and were transported to the hospital, MEDIC said. One patient had life-threatening injuries. The other had serious injuries.

No additional details have been made available.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

WATCH: Family, police plead for justice in killing of man ambushed in York
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Dive Brief:

Group and business travel continued to grow at a healthy pace across the U.S. in the first quarter of 2025, according to Cendyn and Amadeus Hospitality Group and Business Performance Index, released Thursday.

For Q1, the overall health index, which assesses the strength of the meetings and events industry, achieved 109.1% growth compared to the prior-year quarter, reaching its highest level in four quarters, per the report. The group index, specifically, achieved 107.4% growth for the same period.

St. Louis led other U.S. markets in Q1s overall health index, reaching 121% performance growth year over year, per the report. Events drove group and business travel in the quarter, with events volume higher than in previous years, the companies detailed.

Dive Insight:

Philadelphia and New Orleans followed St. Louis as leaders of the overall health index. The two cities also led other U.S. markets in the group index. Other top markets for group growth were Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Chicago.

Q1 marked the group indexs 10th consecutive quarter of growth, driven by a 2.6% increase in room nights and a 4.7% increase in ADR, the report detailed.

Events volume in Q1 was 114.6% higher than in the same period in 2024, per the report. Education, national association and technology events led other industries by event volume.

By market, St. Louis meetings volume was the highest, followed by Austin, Texas, and Philadelphia, the report detailed. Across markets, the average meeting attendee size was 146 guests, while the average space used was up quarter over quarter to 4,186 square feet.

Hotels across the board benefited from the meetings and events industries in Q1, according to Cendyn and Amadeus.

Choice Hotels International, Hyatt Hotels and Hilton reported in Q1 earnings that group and business travel contributed to their RevPAR results during the quarter. Hilton specifically reported 6% year-over-year growth in group travel, supported by events in urban markets and company meetings.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Two vehicles crashed into Taqueria El Cometa early Saturday morning, May 10, in West El Paso, according to the El Paso Fire Department.

The call came in minutes before 2 a.m. on May 10, near the intersection of Mesa Street and Eubank Court, about reports of two vehicles crashing into Taqueria El Cometa.

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According to El Paso Fire, one person was hurt but refused transportation.

KTSM 9 crew on scene spoke to a representative from Taqueria El Cometa who said the business will be open except the patio area.

We have reached out to El Paso Police for more information.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Two industrial projects and one townhome community are underway in the East Valley, all of which are expected to be completed in 2026.

LG Energy Solutions is building a battery manufacturing facility in Queen Creek, with the goal of producing cylindrical batteries for electric vehicles. The company predicted the facility will bring thousands of jobs to the area.

A 15-acre plot near Warner Road and Hardy Drive in Tempe will be home to a 144,885-square-foot industrial park. The spot was previously used for an office building, a commercial garage, outdoor storage and RV parking.

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A luxury townhome community in Scottsdale is being built a few hundred yards west of the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt. The developer said the community is focused on sustainability with less costly energy bills.

Here's what East Valley residents should know about the projects.

Source Logistics Center in south Tempe

Source Logistics Center has begun construction in south Tempe.

A 144,885-square-foot industrial park is being built on a 15-acre plot near Warner Road and Hardy Drive in Tempe. It is being developed by Phoenix- based Creation and Boston-based CrossHarbor Capital Partners.

The development will include 6 acres of yard space for storage or vehicles. One structure in the park will be built before a business has signed on to lease the space.

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Construction is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

LG Energy Solutions plant in Queen Creek

The LG Energy Solutions battery plant under construction in Queen Creek along Ironwood Drive on April 17, 2025.

Construction is underway on an electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility near Ironwood and Pecos roads in Queen Creek.

LG Energy Solutions is expected to hire 2,800 employees. The company commenced training its launch team members at a new workforce training center, which was established under Arizonas Future48 Workforce Accelerator program, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, Pinal County, and Central Arizona College, it stated in a news release.

The company said the project was halfway completed in April. The plant is expected to begin production in mid-2026.

Paloma townhome community in Scottsdale

The southeast corner of 78th Street and San Miguel Avenue will be home to the Paloma, a 6-unit luxury and custom townhome community that focuses on sustainability.

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The homes are 3,000 square feet each, with two-car garages, 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. The backyards will have pools, hot tubs and cabanas.

Developer Ed Gorman said it will be "the first net-zero energy ready luxury home community in Scottsdale." Monthly energy bills are expected to be 50% to 70% lower, he said.

Construction is anticipated to finish in August 2026, and residents are expected to start moving in fall 2026.

Like this story? Get more East Valley news straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free weekly East Valley Newsletter, which comes out on Wednesdays.

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Is there something under construction you'd like to tell us about or find out more about? Contact reporter Lauren De Young, who covers Tempe, Chandler, Maricopa County and transportation. Reach her at lauren.deyoung@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 East Valley projects to know: Tempe, Queen Creek, Scottsdale
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The captain of a large fishing boat remains missing after the vessel capsized off the Washington coast early Friday morning.

Just after 8 a.m., a crew member of the Captain Raleigh  a 68-foot fishing vessel  issued a distress call they were taking on water off the coast of Westport.

A few minutes later, officials said a boat who had heard the distress call came to aid by providing a dewatering pump.

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Juvenile boy injures 3 in drive-by shooting during child exchange, officials say

Then U.S. Coast Guard boat crews from Grays Harbor arrived on scene, but the Captain Raleigh quickly sank.

Officials said three members of the ships crew were found in lifejackets in the water and picked up by the Coast Guard boat crew. However, the captain, Jon Stevenson, was still on board the sunken ship.

Two more boat crews from Grays Harbor, as well as an air support crew from Astoria were dispatched and began actively searching for the missing captain.

Excommunicated: WA Archdiocese pushes back against mandatory reporting law, DOJ investigating

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By the early afternoon, officials said U.S. Navy divers were called in to assist in the search, and Army Corps of Engineers were tasked with finding the sunken ship at the bottom of the channel.

Around 11:45 a.m., crews pinpointed the ships location, but divers could not access it until over six hours later due to strong environmental conditions, authorities said. However, by that point, they were unable to get inside the sunken Captain Raleigh due to debris buildup and strong currents, prompting crews to call off the search at 8:40 p.m.

In light of this news, the Newport Fishermens Wives organization held a vigil for the 44-year-old captain at Yaquina Bay State Park in Newport. They urged coastal communities to light candles at homes, on docks or by the sea in Stevensons honor.

This is a tragedy for our fishing communities, said Capt. Justin Noggle, commander of Coast Guard Sector Columbia River. Im thankful our Coast Guard crews were able to save the three crewmembers quickly, and our hearts are with the family and friends of everyone impacted by this tremendous loss.

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The family began a GoFundMe to help with the immediate details.

The Coast Guard said a team from Seattle is on scene developing a salvage plan. The Captain Raleigh is currently resting approximately 40 feet underwater.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
(This story was updated to add new information.)

After a nearly 38-hour standoff, a suspect who had barricaded himself inside a residence in Fredonia and repeatedly threatened to shoot officers was taken into custody May 10, according to the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office.

There is no longer a threat to the public, according to the sheriff's office. All roads are now open and residents can return to their homes.

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According to the sheriff's office, this is what unfolded:

At around 8:30 p.m. on May 8, the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office received a report from a resident on Fox Glen Road in Fredonia of multiple gunshots throughout the day. Other residents made similar calls, according to authorities.

At around 10:30 p.m. May 8, the homeowner was reached by phone and acknowledged playing loud music and firing weapons from the residence. According to the sheriff's office, the suspect said he was going to continue playing music and "if anyone came to his residence, he would shoot them."

Shortly after the phone conversation, deputies on the scene heard multiple gunshots coming from his residence.

According to a May 9 Facebook post from the sheriff's office, the subject continued to threaten to kill officers if they entered his home. Tactical resources and negotiations to de-escalate the situation with the suspect "continued through the night and were unsuccessful," the sheriff's office wrote early in the morning on May 10.

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Authorities said the suspect surrendered around 10:50 a.m. on May 10.

The suspect was shooting automatic rifles from his residence and made numerous threatening statements throughout the duration of the standoff, authorities said. He was heavily armed and barricaded within the residence.

"We understand that the duration of the incident raised questions. However, the decision to proceed with a measured approach was made to safeguard all individuals involved, including community members, law enforcement, and the suspect," the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The Ozaukee County Sheriffs Office was assisted by numerous law enforcement agencies, including the Washington County Sheriffs Office SWAT Team, the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office SWAT Team, the Franklin Police Departments SWAT Team, and others.

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Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy.

This story has been updated to add video.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Authorities take suspect into custody after 38-hour standoff in Fredonia
(KRON)  Four men in Cote dIvoire have been arrested on criminal charges relating to their roles in an international sextortion scheme that targeted thousands of victims, including minors, throughout the United States and Europe, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Ryan Last, a 17-year-old high school senior from San Jose, killed himself just hours after being sextorted by a man who pretended to be a 20-year-old woman online. Last died in February 2022.

Evidence led law enforcement to identify Alfred Kassi, an Ivorian citizen living in Cote dIvoire, as the man who allegedly conducted the sextortion. On April 29, Kassi was arrested by Ivorian law enforcement. At the time of his arrest, Kassi still had the sextortion messages on his phone that he sent to the 17-year-old San Jose boy three years ago, prosecutors said.

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Additionally, the investigation identified money laundering accomplices who helped Kassi move the money he received from Last. The boy had paid $150 in order to prevent his intimate images from being disseminated on the internet.

One of the money launderers was Oumarou Ouedraogo, who was arrested by Ivorian law enforcement on April 25, prosecutors said. Two more men, identified as Moussa Diaby and Oumar Cisse, were part of Kassis alleged sextortion network and admitted to their own sextortion crimes, according to prosecutors.

A California-based accomplice, 28-year-old Jonathan Kassi, was convicted in 2023 in a California State Court and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Jonathan Kassi sexually exploited children online utilizing the username emillysmith on social media apps.

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The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the San Jose Police Department, the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, and Meta, which provided information that assisted with the identification of the offenders. The government of Cote dIvoire made the April arrests.

Cote dIvoire does not extradite its own citizens, so the four men will be prosecuted in their own country, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Pauline Stuart, Lasts mother, previously told KRON4 that her son had a good head on his shoulders. He was a member of the Future Farmers of America, and was ready to attend Washington State University, until a cyber scammer reached out to him.

They probably spent four or five hours getting to know him, and then a couple hours of pressure. He couldnt handle the pressure and took his life rather than see his pictures posted on the internet, Stuart said.

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The scammer demanded $5,000. Last sent a fraction, but it wasnt enough. Stuart had parental controls set up on her sons electronics. She urged parents, talk to your kids about what apps they are on and make them understand that not everybody that reaches out to them is who they say they are.

U.S. Department of Justice officials said if you or your child is being exploited via sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Thousands of people were dressed in pink for the 40th annual Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Walk.

The Susan G. Komen foundation raised roughly $200,000 at the annual walk on Saturday in Peorias Metro Center.

Helene Peterson raised the most money out of any individual for the last three years. She raised a total of $7,777. She said she hopes to see a world where her granddaughters dont have to worry about getting breast cancer.

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40 years from now, I hope my granddaughters dont even have to think about breast cancer. A world without breast cancer would be the best, she said.

The funds, which could be raised however the participant wants, including going door to door or a bake sale, will be used for cancer research and patient navigation services.

The walk honors breast cancer survivors as well as those who have lost their battles to the disease.

Jordan Clum with the foundation said she hopes to see a cure for breast cancer during her daughters lifetime.

40 years ago, you couldnt even say breast cancer in conversation. It was such a taboo. And to have been a part of the last 40 years where Komens dollars have touched every major advancement in the field of breast cancer is amazing.

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And I think that, we have to believe that were so close. We know that there are scientists out there who are going to just find that right key. And as soon as they find one, its going to unlock the door for so many, said Clum.

The participants were arranged in teams, and the top team raised more than $11,000.

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(FORT CARSON, Colo.)  On Friday, May 9, the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) and Fort Carson hosted a Relinquishment of Responsibility Ceremony.

The ceremony is a time-honored tradition in the military, symbolized by the passing of the battalion colors, or command responsibility, to the incoming Command Sergeant Major.

In the case of a Relinquishment of Responsibility, the incoming Command Sergeant Major has yet to arrive, so responsibility is entrusted to the most senior noncommissioned officer in the formation in the interim. Division Command Sergeant Major Alexander Kupratty relinquished his responsibilities on Friday after 31 years of service and sacrifice.

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I would like to believe I put my heart and soul into this position and that is simply because our soldiers deserve nothing less, said Sgt. Maj. Alexander Kupratty. There are not off days when you are a leader, and the profession of arms is one of the hardest.

Courtesy: Pool camera Courtesy: Pool camera Courtesy: Pool camera

Since attending Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, Kupratty has served at every leadership echelon in the Army, from team leader to Command Sgt. Maj.

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The American president and the American pope both have their eyes fixed on the late 19th century, but they seem to be drawing very different, if not clashing, lessons.

President Donald Trump has recently waxed nostalgically about the period from 1870 to 1913 in defending his imposition of across-the-board tariffs. Cardinal Robert Prevost, in choosing the papal name Pope Leo XIV, follows in the footsteps of Leo XIII who set forth the concept of Catholic social teaching in 1891.

While theologians point out the two views are not necessarily contradictory, some in the MAGA-verse were ringing alarms louder than the tolling bells in St. Peter's Square after white smoke heralded the selection of a new pontiff on Thursday.

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Firebrand Lara Loomer denounced Prevost as "pro-open borders" and Catholics for Catholics President John Yep said he harbored "justifiable apprehension" over Prevost's election.

Here are five things to know.

What was going on in late 1890s, early 1900s America?

Trump speaks of the era as one in which America was at its "richest."

Certainly a clique of industrialists and others profited mightily from the country's industrial boom at the time. This was the so-called Gilded Age in U.S. history, in which Manhattan's richest families, such as the Vanderbilts, Astors and Morgans, built palatial estates in Newport, Rhode Island.

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But for the vast majority of America, life was a very different experience. Many moved to urban centers in search of work and found jobs in factories where the hours were long and the wages minimal. Labor unrest ensued, sometimes turning violent. Immigrants and others working in factories lived in squalor.

"It was not uniformly a period of strong growth. The analogies to the 1890s are extremely weak," said Edward Alden at the Council on Foreign Relations in an April interview. "If you're learning lessons from that era, they are going to be the wrong ones for sure."

The Progressive Era of American politics ushered in safety protocols, a 40-hour week, anti-child-labor laws and many other workplace reforms.

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. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

What have Trump and Leo XIV said?

In calling for broad duties on imports, Trump has extolled the nearly 50 years that spanned the last centuries of the past millennium.

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"You know, years ago, 1870 to 1913, we didnt have an income tax. What we had is tariffs," Trump said in one speech. "And the tariff system made so much money. It was when we were the richest  from 1870 to 1913.  It was when we were the richest."

The president has often alluded to wealth, telling Americans he will make them more affluent than ever. He has said he will usher a "golden era" and even redecorated the Oval Office with gold trimmings.

You see the new and improved Oval Office, Trump said to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during their May 6 meeting. As it becomes more and more beautiful with love  you know we handle it with great love  and 24-karat gold, that always helps too.

As pope, Leo XIV has not mentioned the era nor drawn lessons from it, but has alluded to faith and wealth.

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In his first homily as pontiff on May 9, Leo XIV cited from the Gospel of Matthew a conversation between Jesus and the disciples in Caesarea Philippi, a place the pontiff said was marked by "luxurious palaces" but "also a place of cruel power plays and the scene of betrayals and infidelity."

There, Jesus was a "completely insignificant person," the pope noted, and once this world saw him as a source of irritation, it opted to "eliminate Him." Others there saw Jesus, Leo XIV said, as a courageous "upright man," similar to other great prophets, but at the moment of "danger," they turned away and abandoned him in disappointment.

"What is striking about these two attitudes is their relevance today," the pope concluded. "Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power or pleasure."

What do theologians say about the choice of Leo?

Sister Maryanne Stevens said the choice of Leo has several messages.

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Stevens noted Leo I, also called Leo the Great, worked for peace and kept Attila the Hun from entering Italy. The most recent Leo, the 13th, was the founder of modern Catholic social teachings.

Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Novarem" critiqued the excesses of socialism and capitalism. During his 25-year papacy, from 1878 to 1903, the pontiff exhorted people to "come together guided by values" and preached "solidarity between the classes," said Stevens, a theologian and the retired president of the College in St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska.

According to her, Leo XIII spoke out against "exploitation" of workers by capitalist industrialists but did not agree the "state should take over everything," either. Rather, she said the pontiff recognized the dignity of the human person and called on the broader community to safeguard the rights of people, particular those most vulnerable.

She said Leo XIII wrote there is dignity to every human person and extolled the dignity of work. Stevens said the pontiff pressed capitalists to provide safe environments and healthy environments and create just wages.

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"There was a tremendous amount, at the time, of social inequality and exploitation of people and they were problems that had to be faced by both the Church and the state," she said. "That was one of his basic points."

Is there a clash brewing between U.S. president and U.S. pope?

Stevens cautioned against commentary suggesting Leo XIV chose the name in order to send a message to the president.

"I'm not prepared to suggest that Leo chose that name so as to respond to Trump," she said.

Trump's supporters point out the president won election in 2024 by waging a campaign for blue-collar and other workers forgotten and left behind by U.S. free trade and neglectful manufacturing policies in the past 40 years. He vowed, during the campaign, to end taxation of tips and overtime for wage employment.

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But once in office, the Trump administration has sought to slash federal spending, including numerous safety net programs for the poorest Americans and the elderly. The White House has also delivered on Trump's harsh rhetoric toward immigrants with equally harsh deportations.

MAGA voices certainly see a potential clash with Leo XIV

Some in the MAGA-verse were decidedly unhappy over Prevost's immigration tweets, some of which rebuked Trump and Vice President JD Vance's views.

Loomer, a failed congressional candidate in Palm Beach County, wrote on X that the new pontiff "supports illegal aliens and open borders."

Yep said in an interview with Charlie Kirk of the far-right youth group Turning Point USA that he harbored "great concern" because Leo XIV had "an ambiguous scorecard on same sex blessings."

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In a statement to The Palm Beach Post, Yep reiterated his belief there is "justifiable apprehension" for what the new papacy will bring due to prior postings on social media. But Yep also said other "praiseworthy actions" by Prevost, such as his emphasis on the "defense of babies in the womb," offer hope.

"We pray that he will work well with the Trump Administration as well as ending immediately the Francis era Secret Accord between the Vatican and the Chinese Communist Party signed in 2018," Yep wrote. "Catholics above all should be praying for this man as undertakes a tremendous responsibility as head of 1.4 billion people."

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump, Leo XIV cast gaze on Gilded Age but draw different lessons
Mountain Line, Missoulas community bus service, provides zero-fare fixed-route bus and Paratransit service in and around Missoula and the University of Montana. (Courtesy photo)

Right now, the City of Billings MET Transit buses cant serve nearby Lockwood because of a 1973 law.

Legislation awaiting a decision by Gov. Greg Gianforte would change that, as well as an issue regarding transportation districts highlighted during the past few years in Bozeman. If signed, House Bill 764 would make changes to Montanas urban transportation districts and bus systems.

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Update: House Bill 764 has been signed into law.

Under current law, transit systems owned by a municipality cant serve communities outside the city limits. Legislators also used the bill as an opportunity to revisit laws surrounding urban transportation districts.

The new law would open up cities with larger transportation systems  like Billings  to expand their reach outside town. Rusty Logan, an assistant director with the City of Billings who leads MET Transit, said the legislation could potentially lead to new routes.

It allows the city to more openly negotiate inter-local agreements to provide regional transit service, said Logan, who is also the president of the Montana Transit Association. As far as the urban transportation districts goes, the intention of the bill was to make it easier to establish an urban transportation district; and in saying easier, just easier to get the vote on the ballot so that the voters could decide.

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Currently, municipal bus routes cant go further than eight miles from city limits. The bill adds language allowing municipalities to exceed that mileage if funded by another state, federal or non-profit source.

The bill was brought by Rep. Brian Close, a Bozeman Democrat, whose community was part of the reason the legislation was brought in the first place.

Its been 50 years since you looked at these statutes, Close said during a House hearing on the bill on March 4. And I think the statutes need just a small amount of reform.

The 2020 census put the Bozeman population at more than 50,000 people, an important milestone as they were now federally required to create a Metropolitan Planning Organization. It also opens up the city for increased federal funding, including for transportation.

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While the Bozeman area already had some transit services run by a non-profit, a new funding structure had to be created in order to continue receiving federal funding.

Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District was formed in the wake of the changes to Bozemans population. Creation of the district required 20% of all registered voters in the boundaries of the proposed district to sign a petition to get it on the ballot. It was a drawn out process, said Sunshine Ross, who is the transit director at Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District.

A lot of effort, a lot of time, but it really did pay off, Ross said.

Gallatin County voters approved the district, with 79% voting yes. HB 764 will simplify the process by allowing a county commission to put creation of a transportation district directly on the ballot.

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It eliminates this really onerous threshold, said Jordan Hess, who is the CEO of Mountain Line and a former city council member in Missoula.

Gallatin Valley was the fifth transportation district in the state, which includes larger cities like Missoula and smaller ones like Glendive, which is served by Dawson Urban Transit.

The bill also gave a clear definition of direct transportation service, saying it was 1.5 miles from the nearest route used by a vehicle that provides general or special service to the public on a regular and continuing basis.

Clarity was needed in cases where a property owner wanted to get out of the boundaries of the transportation district, which can be used to generate funding through taxes.

Our board has had to essentially define the term in statute by policy, since it is not defined in statute, Hess said. Were happy to be in a situation. Were happy to be in an environment where thats clarified and were not having to interpret unclear statutes.
We recently published a list of Billionaire Quants Two Sigmas 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH) stands against other billionaire quants two sigmas stock picks with huge upside potential.

Two Sigma Advisors is one of the leading players in the quantitative hedge fund space, according to Archive Market Researchs analysis. The quant fund operates as an investment management company and was founded in 2001 by David Siegel, a computer scientist, and John Overdeck, a mathematician. The fund manages $60 billion worth of assets as of April 2025.

Quant funds and their multi-strategy counterparts often do well in the market. A Reuters analysis found that many quant hedge funds posted double-digit growth in 2024. This growth happened despite negative drivers in sectors like energy, metals, and European equities. Two Sigma, alongside quant funds like D.E. Shaw and Citadel, also managed solid performance last year.

The hedge funds Spectrum Fund returned 10.9% and 14.3% for the Absolute Return Enhanced Fund. But one might argue that for a hedge fund that relies on complex algorithms to make investment decisions, the asset manager should have beat the market. For context, the S&P 500 finished 2024 with a total gain of 25.0%.

READ ALSO: Billionaire Ray Dalios Bridgewaters 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential and Billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 Large-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential.

In August last year, the billionaire founders of the hedge fund exited from active management because they couldnt resolve tension between them.

Over the past year and a half, we and our senior management team have dedicated significant effort to securing the long-term success and stability of Two Sigma. Throughout this process, our own roles have been a central consideration. Today, we are confident that stepping back from our day-to-day management roles is the right decision at this time, the co-founders said in a letter to investors.

But recent reports indicate that Overdeck is returning to active management. John has determined now is the right time for him to return to this role in order to progress certain priorities and decisions he believes are important to the future of Two Sigma, Two Sigma said in a letter. Siegel chose to remain outside of the funds top ranks but had full confidence in Scott Hoffman, one of the Co-CEOs who took over last year.

It is good news that Two Sigma wont be held back by feuding management because they need it to navigate a challenging market. According to a Reuters analysis, the risk of recession is alarming, even though it may not be as clear-cut. The report quoted Zurich Insurance Groups chief market strategist, Guy Miller, who said that the risk of a US recession is quite plausible. Recession risks have risen markedly even if there are some deals struck on tariffs. The risk of a U.S. recession is 50-50, its that close.
Six senior officials from the logistics division of Ukraines National Guard have been suspended from their posts, the Interior Ministry said on May 10, amid the launch of an internal investigation.

"Full cooperation is being provided to the investigation," the Interior Ministry wrote.

Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) into suspected embezzlement, money laundering, and bribery, under relevant articles of the Criminal Code.

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Oleksandr Pivnenko, the commander of the National Guard, is suspected of receiving a bribe of up to Hr 190 million ($4.6 million) in collusion with other officials, ZN.UA reported. The payments were allegedly made in exchange for facilitating contract awards and favouring specific entrepreneurs in public procurement tenders.

The director and deputy director of the logistics department of the National Guard are also suspected of embezzlement and money laundering, ZN.UA reported.

Investigators suspect the two officials of embezzling Hr 199 million ($4.8 million) from National Guard funds. According to the probe, the officials allegedly purchased FV-series tracked armored personnel carriers at inflated prices.

Ukraine's military has seen a number of procurement scandals since the start of Russia's full-scale war.

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Earlier on April 2, Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies announced charges in a corruption case involving overpriced food purchases by the Defense Ministry between 2022 and 2023.

Read also: $18 million embezzlement  Anti-graft agencies shed light on military food procurement scandal, press charges

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
6 things to know about Buc-ees before its South Mississippi opening

Stories by Biloxi SunHerald journalists, with AI summarization

Mississippis first Buc-ees is almost ready to open, drawing attention with its massive 74,000 square foot building and 120 fueling stations. Job fairs have attracted more than 200 hires, who will help run the travel centers food counters, souvenir shelves, and famously clean restrooms. The signature bronze beaver statue is already a popular topic, as residents wait for its installation outside the entrance.

County leaders expect Buc-ees to spark new development nearby, as seen with the surrounding Oak Square Shopping Center and ongoing improvements to the Menge Avenue exit. Like in Loxley, Alabama, visitors can look forward to brisket sandwiches, Beaver nuggets, and a beaver mascot, while the community prepares for both increased traffic and possible economic growth.

Work continues on the construction of Buc-ees in Harrison County on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. By Hannah Ruhoff

NO. 1: BUC-EES BROUGHT ECONOMIC BOOM TO SMALL ALABAMA CITY. WILL HISTORY REPEAT IN SOUTH MS?

As Buc-ees arrival in South Mississippi gets closer, economic successes of the travel center in Alabama came with headaches. What can Harrison County learn from Alabamas experience? | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Martha Sanchez

Work continues on the construction of Buc-ees in Harrison County on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. By Hannah Ruhoff

NO. 2: IS BUC-EES A ONE-SHOT WONDER FOR SOUTH MISSISSIPPI OR WILL MORE BUSINESSES FOLLOW?

The focus has been to get the new bridge and Buc-ees travel center open along I-10 in South Mississippi. Now its time to go after more business for that area of Harrison County. | Published January 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez

Work continues on the construction of Buc-ees in Harrison County on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. By Hannah Ruhoff

NO. 3: HOW DEAL TO BRING BUC-EES TO SOUTH MISSISSIPPI CAME TO LIFE. WE LOVE YOU. WE NEED YOU.

The Harrison County travel center will be one of the biggest in the nation. | Published February 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Poet Wolfe

Progress is being made as the floors are down and the lights and some of the counters are in place as Harrison County officials tour the new Buc-ees travel center opening along I-10. By Harrison County Fire Rescue photo

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NO. 4: TAKE A PEEK INSIDE THE NEW BUC-EES TRAVEL CENTER, OPENING SOON IN SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

Inspections are under way at the new Buc-ees in Harrison County as opening day nears for the companys first Mississippi location. | Published March 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez

The beaver signs are up on the building as construction continues on Buc-ees travel center in Harrison County on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. By Hannah Ruhoff

NO. 5: SAVE THE DATE. HERES WHEN BUC-EES IN SOUTH MISSISSIPPI IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN

The wait is nearly over. An official has announced when the long-awaited travel center in Harrison County will open. | Published April 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez

The beaver statue welcomes you to Buc-ees in Loxley, Alabama. By Scott Watkins

NO. 6: WHERES THE BEAVER? FANS AWAIT BELOVED STATUE OUTSIDE SOUTH MS BUC-EES

Construction of the new Buc-ees on I-10 in South MS is nearly complete and people await the bronze beaver statue before the grand opening. | Published April 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mary Perez

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
A Friday morning crash on a rural Benton County highway killed a 68-year-old Yakima man and left two others hurt.

James L. Sandall was pulling out from the Vernita Rest Area near the Vernita Bridge in a 2018 Corvette onto Highway 24 when a GMC Sierra pickup slammed into his car, the Washington State Patrol said in a traffic memo.

The crash happened about 11 a.m. Friday.

Highway 24 is also known as the Hanford highway because it crosses a large section of the Hanford nuclear site. Because its a two-lane highway, both lanes can exit and enter the same Washington state rest area just south of the bridge that crosses the Columbia River.

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Sandall died at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.

The Corvettes passenger, Carrie A. Greenough, 62, of Yakima, and the GMC driver, Rhonda G. Procell, 66, of Bovill, Idaho, were also taken to Kadlec, the state patrol said. Their conditions were not immediately available.

A passenger in the GMC, Robin D. Taylor, 65, of Rochester, Wash., was not hurt.

Everyone was wearing a seat belt, said the WSP.

No other information was available Friday evening.
JEROME, Fla. (WFLA)  The partial remains of an 89-year-old Florida man were found in one of the bears Florida Fish and Wildlife officials captured earlier this week following the first deadly bear attack in the states history.

On Friday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officials said preliminary findings confirmed that a 263-pound male bear contained the remains of Robert Markel, a Florida resident who was found dead Monday morning. The bears DNA was found on Markel, inside his trailer and on the dogs body.

Investigators said there was evidence indicating a physical encounter between the bear and Markel near his trailer, a dog recently killed by a bear near Markel, and signs that the bear had entered the trailer itself. However, the order of events remains unclear, according to the FWC.

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More Igloo coolers recalled after 26 fingertip amputations

The Collier County Medical Examiner is still working to complete their investigation.

Just after 7 a.m. on May 5, Markel was found dead nearly 100 yards from his dog in Jerome, Florida, which is located south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area. After Markels dog was found dead in the front driveway, a search ensued for the man.

A 911 call from Markels granddaughter to the Collier County Sheriffs Office detailed the moments when family members discovered the 89 year-old missing from his trailer, along with signs of disturbances likely caused by bears. His granddaughter told operators that the bear had entered his residence while he was sleeping.

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FWCs incident report described Markels trailer as being in disarray, with the mattress and other items scattered throughout.

Searching for the culprit, FWC officials trapped and removed three bears, weighing 207, 263, and 434 pounds, in the area on Tuesday and sent them off to Gainesville for a necropsy and DNA testing. Officials were unsure if the same bear, or multiple attacked, as the deaths occurred at separate times, they said Monday.

Four live bear traps were deployed that afternoon. FWC said that while they were unable to capture the fourth bear, they were able to obtain DNA evidence. All three bears successfully captured matched the DNA found at the scene, indicating the presence in the area is isolated to those three.

Police across US issue warnings about senior assassin game: What is it?

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On Thursday night, an additional bear was briefly spotted in the area but left. FWC said Jerome has the third-largest bear population in Florida, with approximately 1,044 bears. While fatal attacks are rare, officials urge Floridians to remain vigilant and keep a safe distance if one is near.

We want to thank the family for their cooperation as they navigate this challenging time,

and our thoughts remain with them, FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said. I am proud of

our staffs professional response and support for the family as they faced an unfathomable

event this week.

Wildlife officials and local law enforcement will remain in the area throughout the weekend. This remains an ongoing investigation until testing is completed and results are thoroughly reviewed.

For more information on Florida black bears and what to do in the event a bear approaches, click here.

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A 9-foot alligator, known by locals as Elvis, was spotted on the grounds of a preschool in Florida on May 6

Authorities helped wrangle and relocate the animal with the help of a local trapper, and no injuries were reported

This king of the (swamp) jungle was safely removed, read a statement from the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office







A 9-foot alligator was removed from the grounds of a preschool in Florida.

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Hillsborough County deputies "responded to a scaly situation outside Fishhawk Early Learning Preschool in Tampa suburb Lithia, on May 6, per a statement from the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office (HCSO).

Elvis appeared during pickup hours, when children and staff typically are moving between buildings, per the statement.

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Deputies quickly stepped in to keep everyone safe and steer foot traffic away from the 9-foot gator until a certified trapper arrived.



Deputies then assisted with the reptiles capture and relocation.

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Thanks to a quick response and teamwork, this king of the (swamp) jungle was safely removed, the statement concluded.

A video of the incident shared to the HCSO Facebook page shows deputies wrangling the alligator with the help of the trapper, eventually rolling the animal onto its back. They then slid Elvis into the bed of a truck via a wooden board with the assistance of an unidentified woman.

Several local residents commented on the post, expressing concern for the welfare of the animal.

I live across the street. This gator has been here for years and was a favorite of many. We know it's him because he's missing a foot. I really hope he was relocated and not euthanized, one commenter wrote.

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It is sad that Elvis is no longer in our community. People need to stop feeding them and just let them be. Especially, if they arent being aggressive, wrote someone else.

PEOPLE reached out to the HCSO and Fishhawk Early Learning Preschool for comment on Saturday, May 10, but did not receive immediate responses.



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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Happy weekend, Utah! A ridge of high pressure builds today with plenty of sunshine and a solid warming trend with our temperatures.

We will see daytime highs climb between 15-20 degrees above seasonal norms with highs about ten degrees above average in the southern part of the state. When high pressure builds, we see clearer skies so more sunshine and overall dry conditions. Expect daytime highs to hit the mid to upper 80s today along the Wasatch Front and high 80s on Mothers Day. St. George will reach the mid 90s through the weekend.

When it comes to winds and wet weather potential, the chance for thunderstorms begins to uptick as we get into Saturday afternoon. Our ridge of high pressure slides east, and we begin to see southwesterly winds crank up. Gusty winds, especially on the western side of the state, will increase with the potential of blowing dust. These winds pick up ahead of a trough that moves into the Beehive State.

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The Mothers Day trough is expected to impact Northern Utah with isolated thunderstorms and a cold front arriving by the evening, with winds keeping daytime highs well above average Sunday. The front will cool highs into the beginning of the work week, with the trough increasing precipitation potential and allowing temperatures to drop well below average. Right now, it looks like the Wasatch Front could see several days with highs in the low to mid 60s with scattered/isolated storm and shower potential next week. A shift is underway so stay tuned.

Well keep you up-to-date on the latest developments in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online, we are Good4Utah!

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LUFKIN, Texas (KETK)  A Lufkin man has been arrested for murder after allegedly fatally shooting a man during a speeding dispute on Wednesday night, an on-view arrest complaint from the Angelina County Sheriffs Office reveals.

Dead men cant testify: East Texas judge accused of coercing plea with death threat

According to an on-view arrest complaint, an Angelina County Sheriffs Office deputy responded to a call from a man identified as Phillip Hunter Gersbach of Lufkin, who told dispatch that he had shot someone at around 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday.

Mugshot of Phillip Hunter Gersbach, courtesy of Angelina County Jail.

A deputy responded to the scene after the suspect, identified as Phillip Hunter Gersbach, of Lufkin, called 911 on Wednesday at around 11:15 p.m. and told dispatch he had shot someone. The deputy noticed an unresponsive man on the ground and performed CPR on the victim while Gersbach remained near the patrol unit.

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Once the second deputy arrived, they took over chest compressions on the victim while the first deputy took the suspect into custody. The deputy put the suspect in the back seat of her patrol unit to deescalate the situation as a woman at the scene was irate and hostile.

EMS arrived on the scene and declared the man dead at 11:37 p.m. after no pulse could be found. The arrest document states that Gersbach was then read his Miranda rights and interviewed about what happened.

In body camera footage described in Gersbachs arrest complaint, Gersbach stated that he was driving home when a woman stopped him for driving too fast past her home. A man then came up behind her and asked Gersach not to yell at his wife.

Gersbach reportedly stated that he saw the man move something behind his back before pointing it behind Gersbachs headrest and saying hed shoot.

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Man arrested for slapping Mabank 82-year-old, assaulting officer

Gersbach said he felt threatened and shot the victim before he could shoot him through the headrest, according to the arrest document. The woman who waved Gersbach down was also interviewed and said the truck had been driving by their home fast multiple times when the victim asked her to stop the truck.

The woman explained in the arrest document that they were in an altercation where Gersbach allegedly called kept calling her a b*tch when the victim approached and said Ill f**cking shoot your *ss to Gersbach several times. According to the woman, Gersbach shot the victim multiple times while sitting in the vehicle before he got out and shot him several more times.

Angelina County Sheriffs Office investigators then arrived to collect evidence from the scene and Gersbachs clothes. Gersbach was arrested for murder and booked into the Angelina County Jail, where he was released on Thursday after posting a $15,000 bond.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A man admitted to investigators that he fired the shot that killed a mother who was in her home in Berthoud on April 28, and said he accidentally discharged the gun, according to an affidavit.

FOX31 obtained the affidavit for the warrantless arrest of 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku, revealing new details about what led to the shooting that killed 49-year-old Jennifer James.

Community mourns woman killed after bullets fly through her Berthoud home

Woman shot dead in Berthoud

James was in her home on 1st Street just north of Mountain Avenue in Berthoud on Monday, April 28, around 11:20 p.m., when a bullet came through a window and struck her in the upper arm and traveled through her chest.

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According to the affidavit, the 911 caller reported that she said she was shot before she collapsed and stopped breathing. First responders rendered aid but she was pronounced dead on the scene.

FOX31s Vicente Arenas spoke with the James family and learned that she had beaten cancer four times, only to be shot in her home by a stranger in a vehicle outside.

The Larimer County Sheriffs Office said at the time that her death was being investigated as suspicious.

Surveillance footage leads investigators to suspect

Investigators reviewed security camera footage captured nearby and found that a Nissan Rogue stopped in front of the residence at 11:18 p.m. and was there for several moments before its headlights went dark and it drove away.

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A vehicle matching the description was seen just after 11 p.m. in footage from a Conoco gas station a few blocks north. According to the affidavit, the Nissan driver got out and appeared to interact with the license plates.

At the gas station, the occupant of the Nissan was also seen meeting with the driver of a blue 2002 Dodge Ram. According to the affidavit, the truck left and returned shortly after, again meeting with the occupant of the Nissan, which then left the gas station and drove south on 1st Street around 11:18 p.m.

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Data from automated license plate readers showed that the Nissan and the Dodge were only located near Larimer County once in the past 30 days.

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On April 30, the Nissan was involved in a crash on Interstate 25 near Greenwood Village. A Greenwood Village Police Department commander contacted the driver, identified as Ebenezer Worku, and body-worn camera footage showed that he had a handgun holster underneath his jacket.

Investigators pinged his cell phone to the parking lot of Cabelas in Thornton, where Worku and the Nissan were found, along with the Dodge and its driver. The affidavit said the driver of the Dodge entered the store, returned with two boxes of live cartridges and handed them to Worku.

Worku and the driver of the Dodge were taken into custody for questioning and the vehicles were seized for processing. A Glock 22, .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine was found between the drivers seat and center console of the Nissan.

Worku questioned by investigators

Previous coverage: Denver man arrested in connection with shooting death of woman in Berthoud: Sheriffs office

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Worku waived his Miranda rights and was taken to the sheriffs office to be interviewed.

Worku talked about his mental health history, according to the affidavit, and said he suffers from homicidal schizophrenia, and hears voices that tell him to harm others. He said he was off prescriptions for two years.

He admitted to possessing a Glock 22 handgun and said it was a birthday gift from his adopted uncle, identified as the driver of the Dodge. He said the gun was for target shooting and was only used at the range, and otherwise kept in a storage unit.

He initially denied being in Larimer County and the affidavit said he was confused why he was connected to an investigation. He later admitted to possibly meeting the driver of the Dodge at a Murphy Express gas station to get another magazine between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., before going to an airsoft facility in Erie. He said he was driving his fathers Honda CR-V that day because his Nissan had recently been repainted.

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Investigators told him that surveillance footage showed him in Berthoud on the night of the homicide and he denied knowing anything about a shooting.

The affidavit said he appeared to be in emotional distress when they told him someone had died. Investigators pressed, and Worku said he discharged his firearm but did not know anyone was near.

Affidavit: Worku admits to firing shots

Worku said he met the driver of the Dodge at Conoco to pick up a marijuana vape cartridge, and said he taped his license plates to avoid toll fees on the drive back to his house.

Worku said he left the gas station and was driving south on 1st Street while he tried to clean his gun and accidentally fired it out of the drivers window toward a house, according to the affidavit. He said he was unfamiliar with the gun and had his finger on the trigger when he pulled back the slide, making the gun discharge. He said he stopped in the middle of the road before the shot was fired.

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Then, he said he fired again when he tried to clear the chamber, not realizing a live round was present. He told investigators he was not aiming and thought the bullets would hit a wall or stop short. He said he saw that the curtains of the home were mostly closed, so he did not think he hit anyone, got frightened and drove away, turning his headlights off to avoid drawing attention.

Jennifer James was in her home on 1st Street just north of Mountain Avenue in Berthoud on Monday, April 28, around 11:20 p.m., when a bullet came through a window and struck her in the upper arm .

He said he thought the casings flew out of the car as he was holding the gun outside of the vehicle, however, the sheriffs office said no casings were found at the scene.

The affidavit said he was willing to take responsibility and asked that the victims family be told about his deep regret. According to the affidavit, he said, I did it, and Im getting punished for it, and repeatedly said put me in jail, even requesting the death sentence.

After his confession, he was placed under arrest for first-degree murder. he was booked into the Larimer County Jail for one charge of first-degree murder  extreme indifference, and was issued a $1.25 million cash-only bond.

Community, family mourns loss of mother

The small community of Berthoud is mourning James loss. She had beaten cancer four times, only to be shot in her own home by bullets fired from a strangers car.

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It just makes me mad that such a senseless act of violence occurred and you never think thats going to happen to you, James oldest daughter, Ashley James, told FOX31s Vicente Arenas.

Jennifer James was shot and killed while inside her home on April 28, 2025, and her loss has left a hole in the Berthoud community. Jennifer James was shot and killed while inside her home on April 28, 2025, and her loss has left a hole in the Berthoud community.

By all accounts, James was well-loved by so many in Berthoud. She was passionate about helping kids battling cancer, too. She loved helping find animals a home and was a huge Nuggets fan.

She was the most selfless mom that anyone could ask for. She kind of devoted her whole life to us kids, so Ill be forever grateful for everything that she did for us, James said.

Two of James children were home at the time of the shooting.

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James funeral is set to take place later this month.

A fundraiser through GoFundMe has been set up to help the family cover expenses. Those who wish to contribute can donate online.

FOX31s Vicente Arenas contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.  African investors see opportunity in the chaos of President Trumps return to the White House, despite the pain caused by his foreign aid cuts and whiplash tariff decisions.

That was the message from Vice Adm. Issah Adam Yakubu, the former chief of staff of Ghanas navy, who spoke at the Milken Institute Conference in Los Angeles this week.

I have coined a term: Acquired Aid Addiction Syndrome, Yakubu told a packed room for the panel titled Securing Africas Future. He said foreign charity was not the answer to Africas challenges.

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That never will help us. What we need is trade  fair trade. Aid does not make us resilient, it kills our resilience.  Its like a virus eating you up.

While the continent is reeling from the termination of billions of dollars in U.S. assistance for health, education, social and life-sustaining programs, investors pitching the crowd at Milken tried to shift the narrative  talking about new partnerships and opportunities for growth.

Yakubu wants to educate the next generation of Africans about professional opportunities at sea, and as a first-time attendee to the conference, is looking to make connections to help grow his nonprofit think tank, the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute.

The Milken confab draws a tony crowd. Some access fees start at $25,000, in exchange for an opportunity to mingle among a group of high-powered CEOs, government officials, philanthropists, scientists, investors, nonprofit leaders  and members of the media.

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The most important is networking to be able to meet people, particularly those who can support our initiatives, Yakubu told The Hill in a short interview.

What I want to get from the conference is to have a global view of what to expect in the next 2-3 years so that we can prepare ourselves for that.

The uncertainty surrounding the Trump administrations economic agenda was a center point of conversations at the conference.

Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent tried to calm nerves in the crowd Tuesday, explaining the administrations three goals  trade, tax cuts and deregulation  were mutually reinforcing and increase the strength of capital for American businesses.

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Africa, like the rest of the world, is under Trumps 10 percent global tariff. But Lesotho, Madagascar and South Africa, in particular, are in the crosshairs of Trumps reciprocal tariff policy, which is temporarily paused. Those countries are facing 50 percent, 47 percent and 30 percent tariffs, respectively, unless new trade deals are struck.

The mood at Milken was optimistic.

Chidi Blyden, who served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense for African affairs during the Biden administration, recently opened Culturally Bound, a strategic consulting firm advising on development, security and investment in Africa.

We got the message that we can still go and invest in Africa, and I still will go and invest in Africa, from its talent to critical minerals, Blyden said in an interview with The Hill on the sidelines of the summit. But what Ive done now is Ive created a small business to go out and provide advisory services in the private sector.

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Blyden was most recently the deputy CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)  the U.S. government agency known for its infrastructure projects that promoted economic growth, which the Trump administration shut down.

She argued the MCC was one of the best tools to deepen U.S. ties with African countries with the potential to expand abroad, and box out China economically.

Its not clear right now how the average small business can get into the spaces, I am optimistic that this administration will create funnels and opportunities, she said.

There are 54 countries on the continent, all with distinct opportunities and challenges. Its also a massive and growing workforce and retail market  by 2050, 1 in 4 people on the planet will be African.

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Yet there remain enormous barriers to entry for foreign businesses and investment, from corruption to lack of infrastructure, stalled or slow economic growth, violence and humanitarian crises.

Comfort Ero, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, cautioned that economic dealmaking would not resolve some of the entrenched conflicts facing the continent.

If I thought you could use a mineral deal to end decades of war, then theres lots of countries that I imagine would have been fixed already, Ero said on the African panel at Milken.

She was referring to a potential deal between Washington and the Democratic Republic of Congo, looking to trade mineral wealth for security guarantees. Just last week, Washington inked the framework of a minerals deal with Ukraine, though avoided making any firm commitments on security.

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The Congo deal is being formulated as a way to end fighting in eastern Congo with the M23 rebel militia, backed by Rwanda  although a mix of rebel groups are active in the region. Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened the foreign ministers of Congo and Rwanda to sign a declaration of principles expressing intent to come to a resolution.

Ero said the movement toward peace talks is an important step.

What it doesnt address is why weve got excessive back-and-forth fighting in the east of the Congo. What it doesnt address is disarmament of militias. What it doesnt address is the insecurity concerns of Kinshasa. And it doesnt address the insecurity concerns of Kigali as well, she said.

So I think you can strike a deal that takes out the resources of the country, but if it doesnt deal with the fundamentals, then thats a problem.

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One executive attending the conference, who was granted anonymity to offer a personal view, described a disconnect between developments in Washington and the tone in California.

I found the voices at Milken to be very booster-ish and far more positive than the mood in Washington to me. There felt like a real disconnect, the executive said.

I dont discount what I was hearing at Milken. It was, to me, quite useful as a little bit of a level-set.  People are just, keeping on, keeping on.

While U.S. aid may not be the answer for Africas economic future, the executive noted there are a lot of lives depending on continued humanitarian support. Rubio has insisted lifesaving programs will continue despite deep cuts to the United States Agency for International Development.

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Trumps cuts to foreign aid for the continent  in particular for HIV/AIDS prevention programs, the suspension of the Prosper Africa initiative and the likely termination of the African Growth and Opportunity Act  are likely to strain ties with the continent. The U.S. also plans to cut $555 million in funding to the African Development Bank.

The administration has not signaled its going to end support pledged during the Biden administration for the Lobito corridor  a major infrastructure project to move mined minerals from the Congo through Zambia to Angolas Atlantic coast.

One African investor, who asked for anonymity because he did not want to speak on behalf of his company, said the U.S. aid cuts were a gut punch to African leaders and communities.

I spend a lot of time with authorities across Africa, what all of them were saying  every time they get in the room with the U.S., there was some sort of almost deference to the U.S. because of what the U.S. was doing in terms of programs.  Wll of them are now wondering how are they going to be able to fill the gap, the investor said.

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But the investor said a global economic downturn would be more damaging in terms of his work, which includes philanthropy.

We know as trade goes down, then theres a chance that the global economy will also slow down, and that will have an implication on commodity prices, and Africa is seen as a commodity exporter, they said.

African assets might look less attractive just based on that.

Laura Kelly received a complimentary press pass to the conference.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
On May 10, marking the 102nd anniversary of the birth of National Leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev, Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, along with other senior officials of the Ministry of Defense, visited the Alley of Honor.

Azernews reports, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Defense, the leadership laid wreaths and bouquets of flowers at the grave of the Great Leader, paying their deep respects and honoring his memory.

The delegation also visited the grave of the distinguished ophthalmologist-scientist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva, where they laid flowers and expressed their admiration and respect.
We recently published a list of 10 Best Agriculture Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE:NTR) stands against other best agriculture stocks to buy now.

Tariff Crisis in the US Agricultural Sector

On April 28, CNBC reported that while other US sectors are nearing what President Trumps Treasury secretary Scott Bessent calls an unsustainable tariff war, the American farming sector has started to bear the effects of the economic crisis, with the damage already done. American agricultural exporters believe that the global backlash to tariffs imposed by Trump is punishing them, especially through a decrease in Chinese purchasing of US products. This trend is resulting in canceled export orders and layoffs.

Data from the US Department of Agriculture shows that China canceled its biggest pork orders since 2020, stopping the shipment of 12,000 tons of pork. CNBC reported that Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), a leading export trade group for farmers, opined that calling the number of canceled orders of US agricultural products could not be called approaching a crisis, as it is a full-blown crisis already.

AgTC also reported that its members are experiencing massive financial losses because of the trade war, based on the reports sent by member companies. A wood pulp and paperboard reported to AgTC the hold or immediate cancellation of 6,400 metric tons in a warehouse. It said that 9,000 metric tons of the product are already on their way to China through water, with the estimated arrival time being May 13. Chinese buyers may refuse to accept these shipments and abandon them at the port, which is why the threat of costly diversion to Chinese or other bonded warehouses looms over the journey.

READ ALSO: Recession Resistant Investing: 10 Best Grocery Stocks To Buy Now and 11 Most Promising Future Stocks According to Hedge Funds.

Markets Unable to Replace Chinas Demand

China-to-US vessel traffic has also seen a steep decline. CNBC reported that according to the Vizion Global Ocean Bookings Tracker, the traffic is down 22.15% week-over-week and 44% year-over-year through April 14. Ben Tracy, Vizions vice president of strategic business development, said the following about the situation:
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown on Friday announced a new lawsuit against President Donald Trump  marking the 17th time since January that the state has led or participated in a suit against the federal administration.

The latest legal challenge takes aim at Trumps fake energy emergency, as Browns office puts it.

Washington and California are spearheading this multi-state complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Trump is named as a defendant, as are the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

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Brown blasted an executive order issued by Trump on Inauguration Day that declared a national energy emergency. The attorney general claims it was done to pad the pockets of Big Oil by paving the way for such companies to pollute the environment.

No energy emergency actually exists, according to Brown. But because of Trumps directive, federal agencies are skipping or weakening crucial reviews meant to protect the environment and endangered species.

All of these actions cause direct harm to Washington state and our environment, Brown said at a May 9 news conference in Seattle. And all of these actions are done to undermine state efforts to combat climate change and keep our communities safe.

The White House responded to news of the lawsuit by highlighting Trumps authority.

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The President of the United States has the authority to determine what is a national emergency, not state attorneys or the courts, Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers said in an email to McClatchy. President Trump recognizes that unleashing American energy is crucial to both our economic and national security.

Trumps executive order directs the leaders of executive departments and federal agencies to issue permits and approvals needed for energy-related projects on an emergency and expedited basis, as noted in the lawsuit.

The presidents directive blames the previous federal administration for the countrys inadequate energy supply and increasingly unreliable grid.

It also claims the issues are most pronounced on the West Coast and Northeast, where dangerous state and local policies jeopardize our Nations core national defense and security needs.

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Brown said the national-emergency declaration comes at a time when U.S. energy production is greater than its ever been. Yet excluded from the order are wind, battery and solar projects  which Brown said are some of the cleanest and cheapest sources of energy today.

He decried the order as nonsense, pointing out that Trump has declared more emergencies than any other U.S. president to date, and has issued the highest number of executive orders in his first 100 days.

This is not a serious or lawful effort by the president, Brown said. It is all about eliminating competition and shackling America to dirty fossil fuels forever.

The suing attorneys general want the court to declare Trumps directive unlawful, as well as its implementation by agencies. They also want to halt the issuance of emergency permits under the order.

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The Washington AGs Office argues that the only real emergency is that Trump doesnt agree with climate-change policies in Washington and other states.

Bill Iyall, chairman of the Cowlitz Tribe, said the Tribe wants to safeguard its natural and cultural resources along the lower Columbia River. But the sped-up permitting process could make that more challenging.

So we just want to be assured that there is a factual basis for these emergencies, he said. Looking at a project individually, if you did it carefully and planned it carefully, you would be able to minimize those impacts and get a facilitated permit.

Casey Sixkiller, director of the Washington State Department of Ecology, said that as a parent, he thinks often about the kind of world thatll be left for future generations. The state has long been a leader in creating environmental protections and tackling the effects of climate change, he said.

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He slammed the federal governments latest use of emergency powers as reckless and unnecessary, casting them as a work-around benefiting oil and gas companies  at the expense of Washingtonians health and lands.

Sixkiller views environmental regulations as guardrails to protect the environment, not red tape.

As Governor Ferguson has repeatedly said: Were not going back, Sixkiller said. Were standing up for what we know is right. Were standing up for the law, and were standing up for the people and places that call this place home.

WA, Oregon sue over Trumps exec order on mail-in voting: We dont want to go backward
A bear hunts for salmon in Katmai National Park. (National Park Service photo)

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Friday it will resume its predator control this weekend in Western Alaska, despite a court ruling two days earlier that determined the program remains in violation of the state constitution.

The program, which is using aircraft to kill bears in the area used by the ailing Mulchatna Caribou Herd, will resume on Saturday, the department said in a statement.

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In its statement, the Department of Fish and Game said Superior Court Judge Christina Rankins decision against issuing a restraining order that was sought by an environmental organization, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, allows predator control to be carried out, as authorized by the Board of Game in March.

The court order did not prohibit these activities or invalidate emergency regulations adopted by the Alaska Board of Game on March 27, 2025, the statement said.

The program is needed to improve calf survival so that the herd size can grow enough to support hunting, the departments statement said. During the peak, this herd provided as many as 4,770 caribou for the subsistence needs of more than 48 local communities, as well as hunting opportunities for all Alaskans and nonresidents, the statement said.

While Rankin declined to issue a restraining order sought by the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, she ruled that the need for such an order was moot. Her ruling, issued Wednesday, said the state remained bound by an earlier decision, issued on March 14 by Superior Court Judge Andrew Guidi, which found that the program was unconstitutional. The Board of Games action two weeks later failed to address the deficiencies that Guidi identified, she said.

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The Mulchatna predator control program was initially authorized in 2022. It started in 2023. Through it, 180 bears and 19 wolves have been killed, according to the department.

The program has been carried out during spring and early summer, the time of year when the caribou are giving birth to their calves that department officials say are vulnerable to being killed by bears.

The Alaska Wildlife Alliance on Friday before the state announcement already had filed a new application for a restraining order to prevent the startup of this years predator control, along with additional information providing evidence that the state was gearing up to kill bears.

Joe Geldhof, an attorney for the alliance, accused the state of violating the judges order.

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This is so wrong on so many levels. And its now turning into a constitutional fight, he said late Friday, after the department announced that its predator control will resume.

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Traffic in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 10, 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

This week is National Small Business Week, a time to celebrate the entrepreneurs who keep our communities vibrant and full of opportunity. In Anchorage, were lucky we dont have to look far to see that spirit in action.

Just last week, a room full of small business owners, proud families, and community members gathered in Spenard to celebrate the newest graduates of Anchorage Community Land Trusts Set Up Shop and Indigenous Peoples Set Up Shop programs. These programs help entrepreneurs in underserved communities launch and grow their businesses, creating a ripple effect of community revitalization and generational wealth.

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But just as we mark this week meant to honor small businesses, the future of this work is in jeopardy. Recently, the federal government terminated congressionally approved grants that fund these very programs. That means Set Up Shop  a proven path to self-sufficiency for underserved entrepreneurs  may not continue in its current form.

And lets be clear. This isnt about government waste or bloated bureaucracy. Its about breaking a contract.

Imagine hiring a contractor to paint your home. They buy the paint, prep the walls, schedule a crew, and then you cancel the job halfway through and refuse to pay. Most people would agree thats unethical, and certainly indefensible. Yet thats exactly whats happening to nonprofits like ACLT, who were asked to do a job, only to see the funding pulled midstream. The work still needs to be done, but the government has walked away.

Were not just talking about line items in a budget. Were talking about hard- working Alaskans who have done everything right. Theyve taken business classes, written plans, earned certifications, and opened storefronts, and are now left with fewer tools and less support than they were promised. When we dont invest in our own people, we pay the price in other ways, with lost jobs, empty buildings, and neighborhoods full of untapped potential.

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When an entrepreneur opens a new business in Anchorage they hire locally. They spend locally. They transform vacant lots into thriving storefronts. The economic return goes far beyond the individual business owner and it makes our city a better place to live.

Set Up Shop has helped more than 500 entrepreneurs turn ideas into realities, and side hustles into fully fledged businesses. These businesses hire locally, pay taxes, and invest in their neighborhoods. Thats not charity. Thats economic infrastructure built from the ground up.

We will continue to do this work, with or without the original funding. Thats what it means to serve your community. But we could benefit from you being with us. If you believe in the promise of local business and the power of neighborhood-led change, we invite you to consider supporting ACLT and, most importantly, supporting these entrepreneurs. You could visit their businesses, share their stories and help us keep the momentum alive.

Because when we invest in our neighbors, we all win  and thats just good business.

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By Fatos Bytyci and Edward McAllister

TIRANA (Reuters) -Albanians voted in parliamentary elections on Sunday with prime minister Edi Rama seeking an unprecedented fourth term after a campaign dominated by promises to join the European Union and accusations of widespread corruption.

Polling stations closed at 7 p.m. Results will be published by Tuesday, said the head of the Election Commission Ilirjan Celibashi.

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Rama, in power as head of the Socialist Party (PS) since 2013, is favourite to win against his old rival, former prime minister Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party (PD), bolstered in part by an influential network built over 12 years in power, a recent period of healthy economic growth and a largely popular image abroad.

But opposition to Rama has intensified in the past year over a perceived crackdown on the opposition, including Berisha, while Rama weathered a series of scandals of his own. These include the arrest of his ally, the mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, this year on allegations of corruption and money laundering.

Veliaj and Berisha deny wrongdoing.

Rama has spent the last week reiterating his promise to join the EU by the end of the decade, although some experts doubt that timeline will be possible given the reforms required to join the bloc, including eradicating graft.

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One exit poll, for the Tirana-based news portal Albanian Post and the Kosovo-based Klan Kosova TV, showed Rama's party getting 51.8% of the vote or 79 seats in the 140-seat house and Berisha 38% or 54 seats. Berisha said the poll was pro-Rama.

Three TV stations told Reuters they had decided not to release exit polls, citing procedural or legal issues.

Opinion polls have shown Rama winning up to 50% of the vote and Berisha up to 35%. Rama may need help from smaller parties to maintain his parliamentary majority.

"Today the Albanian people will ... give us all the strength we need to make Albania the next European member state," Rama said after voting.

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Berisha also backs Albania's EU aspirations and has promised to fight corruption and increase wages.

"It's going to be a new summer day for Albanians," he told Reuters.

About 200,000 Albanians living abroad voted on Sunday, the first time the diaspora has been included in the process.

Many young voters especially are tired of the likes of Berisha and Rama who have run the country in various roles since the fall of communism in 1990. They point to Albania's stark income inequality that sees some people drive expensive Range Rovers around Tirana while others live in cramped Soviet-era housing.

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"I will vote for new politicians because those like Rama and Berisha have been here for three decades and they only replace themselves, said Arber Qazimi, 21, earlier.

Some other voters abstained or looked to join the hundreds of thousands of Albanians who have emigrated over the past decade, many of them to nearby EU countries.

By some measures, Rama has done well. Annual economic growth above 4% for 2022-2024, driven by trade with the EU and a tourism boom, has outstripped other Balkan countries, the World Bank says.

But corruption remains a huge problem, experts say, driven by criminal gangs who make billions of euros from drugs and weapons trafficking abroad and bring it back to Albania to be laundered.

(Reporting by Edward McAllister and Fatos Bytyci; Writing by Edward McAllister and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Giles Elgood)
May 9The city of Albuquerque issued a stop-work order against Ezee Fiber, saying the company has run "roughshod" over a Northeast Heights neighborhood, and promised more rules to prevent the activity in the future.

The move comes as officials raise concerns about three companies permitted to develop Albuquerque's fiber optic network, something the city has touted as a key technology to improve economic competitiveness. Each company has had stop-work orders issued against them, with two of the firms currently barred from doing work underneath Albuquerque neighborhood streets.

"Unfortunately, the way this is being done, especially by some of these providers," Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said, "is an absolute nightmare for our homeowners."

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Over the last year, the city has received thousands of complaints about the companies, sometimes totaling 200 per month. The complaints involve workers leaving yards damaged, working outside normal hours, blocking driveways, busting sidewalks and communicating poorly, if at all, with residents. In at least one instance, the city also said Ezee Fiber struck a gas line.

"And so these, typically subcontractors, are just riding roughshod all over these neighborhoods," Keller said.

Keller said all three companies permitted to lay fiber in Albuquerque are guilty of this. But Friday's news conference focused primarily on work done by Ezee Fiber, a Houston-based company that had been laying fiber optic cable in the neighborhoods around Ventura and Paseo del Norte NE.

Keller also said Ezee Fiber had broken the law by working after a stop-work order was issued. However, a spokesperson for Ezee Fiber said that was inaccurate and that no unpermitted work had occurred.

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"At every point, including after the order was issued, Ezee Fiber has acted in good faith, taken immediate steps to prevent and address construction issues, and complied fully with the city's permitting and regulatory requirements," Jim Schwartz, spokesperson for Ezee Fiber, said in a statement. "We remain committed to transparency and collaboration, and we expect the same accuracy and fairness in return from City leadership."

Schwartz also said that Ezee Fiber "recognizes the frustration construction brings to Albuquerque residents, and we take full responsibility for any incidents that impact landscaping or existing infrastructure buried in the right of way where we are installing fiber optic lines."

"Unfortunately, even with the most careful planning and use of line locator services, construction crews will occasionally impact these utilities or disturb landscaping; however, Ezee Fiber is committed to being a good neighbor, helping to support progress for New Mexico families, and quickly resolving any issues to restore service or restore landscapes," Schwartz said.

Schwartz added that Ezee Fiber continues to see Albuquerque as a partner and will continue to work with the city.

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The city's Broadband Office touts fiber optics on its website as a faster, more reliable and cost-effective internet service.

"It'll help support our needs as the city grows into the future, and we all want construction to be quick and out of our way," the city's broadband program manager, Catherine Nicolaou, said. "We're hearing from our residents and seeing that this is too quick and quite careless, as the mayor mentioned."

Still, fiber is the future, Nicolaou argued.

"We're looking at how our city can remain competitive with the rest of the world in terms of access to technology," Nicolaou said. "Everyone should have equitable access to a high-speed fiber connection, and we support that by issuing permits to private companies to install these fiber optic connections in public utility easements."

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Nicolaou said three firms are permitted to lay fiber in Albuquerque: Ezee Fiber, Gigapower and Vexus Fiber. Both Ezee Fiber and Vexus Fiber are barred from working in Albuquerque until they show they comply with the law, while Gigapower has worked its way back from a previous stop-work order.

Alan Varela, the city's director of Planning, said the companies submit project work orders. Those work orders specify what they're doing and include agreements to follow the rules, such as repairing damaged yards and communicating with residents about their work.

But changes to the regulations are coming, Varela said. Those include requiring the companies to notify neighbors of impending work and workers identify the company for which they are working. Varela said the city will also start fining companies out of compliance.

"We're going to make sure that we hold their feet to the fire and that they slow down and do it right," Varela said. "They shouldn't have come in the way they did. We're happy they're here, but they didn't need to come in in such a careless, haphazard fashion."

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Watching all this was William Schooley, one resident whose yard had been trashed by fiber optic installers. Schooley lives in a different neighborhood, but said he came to news conference to observe. For him, the problem started about 12 months ago, when workers came out and spray-painted lines as indicators for future work. He said he was given no notice beforehand and, when he confronted the workers, was given little information about the development. But the big thing for Schooley  paint left on the sidewalks and in the road.

"It's in my front yard and it's been there for a year," Schooley said.

Over the period of work, Schooley said that sewage service was briefly unavailable to some residents, while others had to navigate destroyed sidewalks and blocked driveways. The work is done now, Schooley said but he hopes the new rules and regulations can help mitigate circumstances like his in the future.
ANDALUSIA, Ala. (WDHN)  An Andalusia woman is dead after a two-car crash in Covington County.

Troopers with ALEA say the crash happened around 10:30 Friday morning.

59-year-old Teresa Kirkland McIntosh was killed when a Chevrolet Silverado hit the 2022 Hyundai Accent she was driving.

A 13-year-old passenger in McIntoshs vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital to treat their injuries.

The driver of the Silverado, 65-year-old Randall Eugene Cooper, was not injured in the crash.

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The crash occurred at the intersection of Cantaline Bridge Road and U.S. 84 about one mile west of the town of Babbie in Covington County.

ALEAs Highway Patrol Division is investigating the wreck.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
NYC mayoral candidates likely violated long-standing rules forbidding the use of school visits for political purposes to participate in an endorsement stunt by the powerful teachers union, The Post has learned.

With the blessing of schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, the United Federation of Teachers announced in March that candidates must spend a full day teaching in a NYC public school to be considered for its endorsement.

To be eligible for the UFT endorsement, you will need to spend at least seven (7) periods in a public-school classroom, helping the teacher and paraprofessional with lessons, classroom management, and whatever needs to be done to keep the students engaged, read an invitation to candidates from Vanecia Wilson, director of the UFTs Political Action Department.

The UFT enforced a new requirement for endorsement in the NYC mayoral race this year: each candidate had to teach for a day in a city public school. Jack Forbes / NY Post Design

If you choose not to participate, we will not consider you for mayor, read the invite that went to 12 Democratic, GOP and independent candidates.

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Mayoral candidates have traditionally promised to listen to educators and to base their education policies on the recommendations of the people doing the work, UFT President Michael Mulgrew said in a press release. Then they get in City Hall and all that goes out the window . . . If you want our endorsement you have to understand the work we do.

The UFT picked the schools where the candidates would teach, and put a union staffer in the classroom to facilitate if necessary. Aviles-Ramos signed off on the plans, and the press was banned.

The Post confirmed that at least four mayoral candidates  former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), Comptroller Brad Lander and former Comptroller Scott Stringer  all taught for a day last month.

Lander said he taught third-graders what a comptroller does and served as a judge on a mock Shark Tank competition at PS 96 in East Harlem.

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Ramos visited PS 224 in East New York where she prepped students for state math exams, participated in an exercise about Earth Day and spoke with teachers about chronic absenteeism.

City schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos signed off on the union requirement, according to an emailed invitation. Gabriella Bass

Former NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, at a town hall this month, spent a day at PS/IS 30 in Sunset Park in April. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander taught 3rd graders at PS 96 to meet the UFTs requirement. Robert Miller

Stringer went to PS/IS 30 in Sunset Park and helped a class of English language learners with math drills.

State Sen. Zelnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) is scheduled to teach soon, and [is] looking forward to it, a spokeswoman said.

In a Good Day New York interview Tuesday, Mulgrew said Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Queens) and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) also taught in schools for a day.

Mulgrew, who in 2018 chanted alongside Cuomo at a Lower Manhattan rally for gun safety, said the UFT endorsement will come in June.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew appeared on Good Day New York for Teacher Appreciation Day on Tuesday. FOX 5

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At least one candidate refused the offer because it appears to blatantly violate Chancellors Regulation D-130, which restricts political activities in school buildings.

While I think I am the best candidate to support our courageous public school teachers, I cannot agree with the UFTs process for making its endorsement, Jim Walden, a lawyer running a longshot independent campaign, told The Post.

Chancellors Regulation D-130 makes clear that public schools should not be used for political purposes. The endorsement process is, by definition, political, he said. I hope the UFT will grant me an exemption from this requirement. If not, I will not be seeking its endorsement.

Independent candidate and former federal prosecutor Jim Walden hopes the UFT will grant him an exemption. AFP via Getty Images

The regulation, which applies to DOE employees, states that candidates can visit schools if approved by the principal, but that schools must request and seek to ensure that such visits are not to be used as vehicles for personal political purposes.

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The rules also prohibit any person, group, or committee to use any school during school or business hours on behalf of, or for the benefit of any elected official, candidate, candidates, slate of candidates or political organization/committee.

David Bloomfield, an education law professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, said mayoral candidates should have done their due diligence before agreeing to the UFTs quid pro quo.

Woe betide the poor principals who gave in to this stunt, which appears to violate one or more protocols of D-130, Bloomfield said.

David Bloomfield is an education law professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center.

Teachers, too, need to beware of actions that can be construed as campaigning for their classroom visitor, he added.

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Investor Whitney Tilson, seeking the Democratic nomination, said he would guest teach but isnt seeking the UFTs endorsement, according to Chalkbeat. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa said he would take part, though its not clear if he did or is scheduled to do so.

The DOE acknowledged that candidates are not permitted to visit schools as a condition for political endorsement by any group, but said regulations carve out allowable conditions for visits. Spokespersons for the DOE and City Hall refused to specify the conditions.

Mayor Adams made a mental health announcement in a Lower Manhattan subway station this week. Paul Martinka

The UFT insisted the regulations were followed.

Providing anyone who wants to be New York Citys next mayor an opportunity to see what goes on in our classrooms is a net benefit for our students, educators and for public education, Mulgrew said in a statement provided to The Post.

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A veteran teacher blasted the move.

I would not judge a mayor on classroom skills, said Arthur Goldstein, a part-time ESL teacher at Francis Lewis HS in Queens who retired after 39 years in the DOE.

And Im sorry, but one day in a classroom with big shots standing around does not make you understand what teaching entails.
A Charlotte mother is giving more insight into the incident that led to her confronting an employee at Randolph Middle School.

She spoke with Channel 9s Almiya White about her arrest and what she says is a deeper story.

ALSO READ: Flammable liquid splashed on students during fight at Charlotte high school, CMS says

Mariah Hector began by explaining that her daughter had been bullied several times by students at the school since September.

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Earlier that week, she said those same students jumped her daughter.

I was angry because I had been trying to prevent this from happening all year, she explained. My daughter was jumped, and her hair was pulled out of her scalp. It was by a number of girls and a boy. They also threw a trash can on her.

Hector shared a video with Channel 9 of the incident. She said the bullying has been going on since the beginning of the school year.

I came to speak to the administration, she explained. I felt like they just brushed it off and didnt take it seriously.

After several meetings with school officials, Hector said a non-contact order between her daughter and the group of students involved had been issued.

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However, on Monday, Hector said she received a call from her niece saying her daughter had been jumped. And as a parent, she said she felt like the school wasnt protecting her child.

I felt like they acted like nothing was going to happen, like it was just basic Catty, you know, teenage behavior, she elaborated.

That is what led to the large police presence at the middle school Monday afternoon, which led to a brief lockdown, according to school officials.

When asked if she had any regrets, Hecktor said, Yes, moving out of anger.

However, she also had a message for students who play a role in bullying.

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You never know the toll it takes on your kid. You cant go to school with your kid and hold their hand, and you know they may come home at night and cry all night, said Hector.

Police said a second woman was also arrested in connection with this incident for trespassing after she allegedly remained at the school when she was told not to enter.

Channel 9 reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to address the claims Hector made.

They said they could not comment on student records due to privacy concerns.

VIDEO: Police respond to southeast Charlotte middle school
The other day, during his intensive daily reading of complex policy papers, President Donald Trump noticed that a government initiative created by his predecessor had the word equity in its title. Naturally, this caught his attention. As he appeared to conclude, this could only mean the initiative was designed to help undeserving minorities.

Which presented Trump with a ripe opportunity to demagogue about supposed reverse racism against white people. As Trump just announced on Truth Social, he has canceled the program, raging that its RACIST. He fumed: No more woke handouts based on race!

Except theres a problem here. The program in question, the Digital Equity Act, contained huge amounts of money for governments in GOP-run states, as well as Democratic ones, to expand high-speed internet access in underserved communitiesvery much including red states rural areas.

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Whats more, every red state government had submitted proposals designed to garner their states large amounts of this funding. These proposals were explicitly designed by these GOP governments partly to serve their states rural areas.

While much of that money has already been approved, large sums still have not, according to the office of Senator Patty Murray, who is monitoring these expenditures as ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee. With Trump moving to block these funds, these states now could be denied some or possibly all of that money, Murrays office says.

Murrays office says this cutoff is illegal, and some of these states will likely sue. Democrats will fight this every step of the way, Murray said in an emailed statement.

In this saga, we once again see Trumpwho is supposed to be remaking the GOP into a working-class partyemploying precisely the same race-mongering scam that Republicans have used for a very long time to downsize Big Government in ways that hurt their own voters.

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The Digital Equity Actwhich was part of the bipartisan infrastructure law that former president Joe Biden signed in 2021appropriated over $2 billion for grants to states to improve internet access. As The New York Times reports, states were already in the process of submitting plans to access that grant money, red ones included.

Heres where the story gets funnyor perhaps sad. Under the law, the federal government recognizes covered populations that are underserved by high-speed internet. Each states plan is supposed to be designed to use federal money to expand access to those populations.

One of these populations is members of a racial or ethnic minority. Plainly, thats what constitutes the woke handouts based on race that triggered Trump. After all, it sounds woke, doesnt it?

But as it happens, some of the other covered populations include veterans and people living in rural areas, as well as low-income households. Guess what: Those arent necessarily minorities, and red states have a lot of people in those categories too!

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Indeed, as the Times story details, the racial component of the law was actually pretty negligible. The law barely mentions race at all, the Times observes.

But heres the real rub of the matter. A number of red states proposalssubmitted, again, to access federal money for themselvesexplicitly detailed how they intend to use that money to expand digital access to their veterans and to their rural residents. You can see that in proposals submitted by Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, and many others.

Individuals living in rural areas face the most urgent needs for broadband availability, Alabamas proposal reads. And Iowas proposal laments the internet accessibility gap that persists particularly in rural communities.

Heres the other rub of the matter. As of now, under the law, the federal government has approved tens of millions of dollars to well over a dozen red states, along with a lot of blue states. But many of these states dont have full access to that money, pending their completion of further steps in the approval process, Murrays office tells me.

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This is where Trump entered the picture. He tweeted:

I have spoken with my wonderful Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, and we agree that the Biden/Harris so-called Digital Equity Act is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL. No more woke handouts based on race! The Digital Equity Program is a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway. I am ending this IMMEDIATELY, and saving Taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!

Its anybodys guess how serious Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick really is about this. But if the Commerce Department, which is implementing this law, follows Trumps command, it will do all it can to halt these payments.

Murrays office estimates that as much as hundreds of millions of dollars has still not been formally approved.

Its insane that Trump is blocking resources to help make sure kids in rural school districts can get online all because he doesnt like the word equity, Murray, who originally sponsored this law, said in her statement. My Republican colleagues will need to explain to their constituents why the rural schools they represent wont get this funding for hotspots or laptops in the meantime.

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The irony here is that lack of digital access is a good example of a serious inequity (theres that woke word again!) that impacts both low-income minorities and low-income rural whites in a similar way. This lack of access constitutes an unfairness embedded in the nations patchwork infrastructure, something the federal government is well positioned to try to rectify across racial lines. So its degenerate nonsense for Trump to pluck out the tiny fraction of this effort aimed at minorities and cast it as racism against white people.

In todays world, everything is online, and yet folks in rural areas, low-income households, and racial and ethnic minorities all suffer from the same challengebarriers that keep people offline, Amy Huffman, policy director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, told me. Its absurd to say this is reverse racism.

For decades, Republicans have demagogued about Big Government giving handouts to racial minorities, in order to justify slashing government programs in myriad ways that hurt their own voters. This has often been communicated in couched language: For Ronald Reagan it was welfare queens. For Mitt Romney, it was the 47 percent who were dependent on the government. For Paul Ryan, it was the hammock that lulls able-bodied citizens to lives of dependency.

We constantly hear that Trumpism is supposed to represent a break with that old form of Reaganesque, drown-government-in-the-bathtub, plutocratic GOP ideology, as part of its supposed project to remake the GOP as working class. But the reality is that MAGA often takes that old race-baiting trick and, if anything, supercharges its racist overtones. This latest move is a case in point: Once again, here we see Trump carrying out precisely that same old swindle. And once again, GOP voters may very well get screwed by it.
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter.

A seamless, omnichannel buyers journey that combines online and at-dealership activities, as well as investing in first-party data to aid in customer retention and conquesting, are essential to succeeding in todays automotive retail market, experts say.

New vehicle sales are projected at between 15.6 million and 16.3 million, which would be a slight increase from 16 million in 2024 if estimates reach the higher projection, according to a recent Cox Automotive forecast.

However, changing consumer habits and fewer lease returns could make it challenging for automakers and dealers to retain existing customers and obtain new ones.

Omnichannel buyers' journey now essential

Consumers are demanding a seamless, omnichannel shopping and purchasing experience, experts say. Thats where we really see our OEMs focusing, said Jade Terreberry, senior director of strategy development at Cox Automotive, in an interview.

Manufacturers want to create a highly connected and consistent experience from their OEM to the dealer website  to ensure every consumer receives the right message in the right channel at the right time, without redoing steps like reentering their trade-in information.

It's really about knowing what the consumer has already done and being able to serve messaging to them that is relevant to where they are in the funnel, Terreberry said.

Their efforts are paying off. Customer satisfaction rates reached an all-time high in 2024, with 75% of respondents saying they were happy with their car buying experience, according to the 2024 Cox Automotive Consumer Buyer Journey study.

While many consumers still prefer to do most or all of their shopping and purchasing in-person, thats changing quickly. The share of consumers who complete their transactions entirely online will rise from 7% in 2023 to 21% in the next few years, according to Kevin Frye, eCommerce director with Jeff Wyler Automotive Family. Likewise, the share of consumers completing their buyers journey through a mix of online and in-person experiences will also grow: 43% of consumers surveyed in 2023 already did this, whereas 71% of consumers suggested they would do this in the future, a 28 percentage point increase, according to Cox Automotives 2023 Car Buyer Journey study. That's a massive number across all age groups and families, Terreberry said. They want that seamless transition to in-store.
The Detroit Free Press has been seeking feedback regarding President Donald Trumps first 100 days in office, so I thought Id offer a view from a moderate/conservatives perspective.

I am pleased that he has been true to his campaign promises that a majority of the voting public supported. Closing the southern border, arresting people who are here illegally and the criminals who have invaded our country, addressing the fraud, waste and duplicity in our federal government, trying to broker an end to the Ukrainian/Russia conflict, reversing the woke agenda that has permeated our society, balancing the green initiative agenda versus being energy independent, etc etc.

Would I prefer that he was more of a statesman as opposed to a shock jock  Yes! Am I confident that he is leading the U.S. in the right direction  most definitely. Is our democracy at risk because he is our leader  absolutely not. My opinion.

Dave Dow

Newaygo

Protests arent votes

I saw newspaper reports on a significant number of American citizens (or not American citizens, depending on the location of the protest) exercising their constitutional rights and again protesting against the polices of President Donald Trump. I would best describe the protests as, A number of people who did not vote for Trump in 2024 reminding the rest of country, once again, that they still dislike Trump and his policies by waving signs and marching in protest of the elected president. That seems to be the only and recurring go-to action for those voters on the wrong side of the electoral college and popular votes last November.

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More: Christopher Schurr's murder trial ended in a hung jury. It still has value. | Opinion

I can fully understand their confusion regarding the actions of the president. Trump is actually following through on the campaign promises that he made as candidate Trump, the promises that got him elected. This is the first time I have ever experienced an elected president actually moving forward on fulfilling his campaign promises on day one, much less day 100. Since I am 62 years old, that is quite an accomplishment.

I am thankful that our elected leaders are determined by a national vote rather than a national protest. When we reach 2.2 million people protesting and waving signs that previously voted for Trump last November, then, and only then, give me a call about changing the directions of his policies.

More: Pope Leo XIV to succeed Francis as the first American. Tell us what you think. | Letters

Brian Ross

Flint

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Like what you're reading? Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access with a Detroit Free Press subscription. We depend on readers like you.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump is keeping his promises. Protesters don't get it. | Letters
As Republicans and Democrats prepare to face off about Medicaid cuts in next weeks Energy and Commerce Committee meetings at the House of Representatives, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is vehemently speaking out against threats to Medicaid.

Theyre robbing people in order to hand it over to the rich, the progressive New York lawmaker tells Rolling Stone. Medicaid is one of the largest insurers in the United States of America.

Republicans are considering a range of proposals to slash Medicaid, the federal health insurance program for low-income people and those with disabilities, in order to fund an extension of Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts, which disproportionately benefited the wealthy. Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans are trying to pass the bill by Memorial Day, but the Medicaid fight is a tough one for Republicans  particularly those in swing states or in red states whose constituents heavily rely on Medicaid. Nearly 82 million people rely on Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program for their health care coverage.

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Theyre not just out here to cut health care for health cares sake, they have an assignment, says Ocasio-Cortez. Their assignment is to cut the taxes of their donors, and to have giveaways to Big Oil, which financed their election, Big Tech, which financed their election, Elon [Musk], [Jeff] Bezos, etc.

She continues, In order to do that, you have to gut what is left of the health care and social safety net in the United States. Theyre doing it because they have to hand over a bag.

Ocasio-Cortez referenced a Congressional Budget Office report on Wednesday that scored parts of Republicans Medicaid plan. They confirmed millions of Americans will be left out in the cold from their cuts on Medicaid, she says.

The Houses Energy and Commerce Committee plans to meet early next week to mark up its reconciliation bill, which has yet to be formally introduced. Republicans have committed to cutting $880 billion in spending under the committees purview; it would be impossible to do that without significantly slashing Medicaid.

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One of the ways Republicans are considering cutting Medicaid spending is to add work requirements to the program, which Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is against, because it adds burdensome paperwork demands that could lead to eligible beneficiaries losing their insurance for administrative reasons.

Medicaid has strict income caps, so adding work requirements could also force people to perform low-wage jobs in order to maintain their health insurance coverage.

The majority of people covered under Medicaid are already working, according to a KFF report studying Medicaid enrollees which also found that many of those not working couldnt because of caregiving responsibilities, illness or disability. If the federal government enacted work requirements, a 2023 CBO report found that about 600,000 people would lose coverage, but the policy would not increase employment. During his first administration, Trump encouraged states to add work requirements to Medicaid eligibility. When Arkansas implemented the policy, it resulted in thousands losing coverage. Eventually a court struck down the policy.

Democrats like Ocasio-Cortez argue that the administrative burden and red tape of work requirements would result in a huge loss of coverage for Americans. Critics of Medicaid cuts are also extremely concerned about how it would affect rural hospitals and other providers whose patients rely on Medicaid, arguing it would destabilize health care for communities beyond those who have Medicaid as their health insurance.

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The committee markup is expected to take place on Tuesday.

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A Granite City man who shot another man dead four years ago in a road rage argument outside a Sauget gas station was resentenced in a St. Clair County courtroom Friday.

Charles B. Shaw received the nine-year sentence on his second-degree murder conviction for fatally shooting 46-year-old Terrill E. Vance of Florissant, Missouri, on May 9, 2021.

Since St. Clair County Associate Judge Dominic Kujawa said Shaw would only have to serve half of the nine-year sentence if he maintains good behavior in prison, according to his attorney, St. Clair County Public Defender Cathy MacElroy.

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And since Shaw has already been in the county jail or the state prison system for four years and would receive credit for time served, MacElroy said Shaw could be released in six months if he maintains the good behavior he has previously displayed since he was arrested four years ago.

Before Kujawa announced his sentence, he said, Somebody died Mr. Shaw. But he added he also he was impressed by the rehabilitation programs Shaw had completed while incarcerated.

Shaw is now 46 years old, which was the age of Vance when he was gunned down in the parking lot of the MotoMart convenience store and gas station at 3120 Mississippi Ave. in Sauget.

Road rage argument

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was called to investigate Vances death.

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It said in a news release at the time that Shaw had been involved in a verbal altercation with the victim following a road rage incident.

Shaw told jurors in his trial in April 2022 that during the dispute in the parking lot, Vance had threatened multiple times to kill him and his brother, according to court records. Shaw said he thought Vance had a gun but court records note that he did not.

Shaw described to jurors how the argument began.

Shaw was driving a Chrysler Town and Country van behind his brother, who was driving a Chevrolet Malibu. They were waiting to turn into the MotoMart because Shaw needed to get air in a tire and his brother needed to get gas. At that point, Vance drove about an inch by Shaws brothers car, Shaw testified.

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Shaw said Vance made a U-turn and then pulled into the MotoMart after the Shaw brothers.

During the dispute, Shaw went to his van and got out a handgun and shortly after that the fatal shots were fired, according to court records.

After shooting Vance three times at close range, Shaw left the convenience store and did not call police.

The store clerk alerted police about the shooting at 12:25 a.m. on Sunday, May 9, 2021 which was Mothers Day. Later that day, after he had cooked fish for a Mothers Day event for his church at a local bowling alley, Shaw was arrested, according to authorities and court records.

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Shaws trial was for a first-degree murder charge but jurors instead convicted Shaw of second-degree murder.

Sentence for second-degree murder

After being convicted of second-degree murder in June 2022, Shaw was given a 12-year prison sentence.

He appealed that sentence because he argued that Kujawa should not have considered a pending aggravated unlawful use of weapon/vehicle charge that Shaw had at the time in Madison County. That felony charge had been filed in 2019, but dismissed three years later, according to Madison County Court records.

The 5th District Appellate Court in Mount Vernon agreed with Shaw and in August ruled that Shaw should be resentenced on the second-degree murder conviction.

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During the resentencing hearing Friday, St. Clair County Assistant States Attorney Jason Emmanuel told Kujawa that a 12-year sentence would be a fair and just sentence for Shaw.

MacElroy asked Kujawa to impose a four-year sentence.

Shaw sat quietly as Kujawa announced the nine-year sentence. He looked back at his parents as he was led out of the courtroom.
Marilyn and Nick Mosby outside the U.S. District Courthouse in Baltimore in April 2022. (Photo by Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters)

A three-judge panel of the Appellate Court of Maryland has ruled that individual donations to a political fund are private financial information and must be protected from public identification.

The May 2 opinion, by Judge Kathryn Grill Graeff, said that public interest in government transparency and uncovering corruption do not outweigh plain language of the Maryland Public Information Act, which prohibits the disclosure of an individuals financial activity, no matter how small.

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The ruling came in response to separate lawsuits by the Baltimore Sun and the Baltimore Brew, which had filed Maryland Public Information Act requests with the city for records relating to a legal defense fund set up in 2021 by Council President Nick Mosby for himself and his then-wife, Marilyn, who was Baltimore City States Attorney at the time.

The city Ethics Board ruled in May 2022 that Nick Mosby had violated ethics law by soliciting and accepting monies from donors and by failing to disclose his interest in the Mosby Trust, the fund set up to collect donations. (A circuit court later found that Mosby had not accepted gifts from donors, but upheld the finding that he solicited the donations and failed to disclose his interest in the fund.)

Along with its ruling, the board included a spreadsheet that listed the amount, date and method of payment for each donation to the Mosby Trust, but it redacted names, addresses and email addresses of the donors. The board said was required to redact the names under the PIA, which prohibits release of records that include information about the finances of an individual, including assets, income, liabilities, net worth, bank balances, financial history or activities, or creditworthiness.

The Sun and the Brew appealed to the Maryland Public Information Act Compliance Board, arguing that donations to a legal defense fund do not reveal personal financial information about that donor and are not subject to protection under the PIA exception on releasing personal information.

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SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

The compliance board agreed with the news outlets, ruling in September 2023 that merely listing a donation to a campaign does not reveal the assets, income, liabilities, net worth, bank balances, financial history or activities, or creditworthiness. To the extent that such a listing might be an intrusion on someones personal privacy, on balance it does not seem like an unwarranted one given the publics interest in election integrity and detecting political corruption.

Campaign finance activity, for example, is not ordinarily protected financial information. We think that donations like thesedonations that are made to support elected officials in their political capacitiesare much more akin to that sort of financial activity, which is commonly accepted as disclosable, the boards ruling said.

But that finding was overturned in March 2024 by a circuit court, which said the long list of things covered by the exemption clearly meant that financial information should be construed broadly. Even though single donations, some in small amounts, show little about any persons overall financial position,' it still qualifies as financial information and must be withheld from the public.

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In their appeal to the Appellate Court of Maryland, the news organizations argued that a single payment also does not constitute a financial history or activities, which denotes a [series] of transactions over time from which one might glean some qualitative information about the payers assets, income, liabilities, net worth, bank balances, or creditworthiness. And donors cannot have expected that their donations to elected officials in their political capacities are private, any more than donations to political campaign are private.

The Board of Ethics argued that the PIA law does not concern itself with where a donation is directed, and to argue that a donation is not financial activity is patently absurd. The state-held record shows that a person had a certain amount of money (an asset) and that they transferred that money to another person or entity, which is plainly information about these individuals financial activity  and, as such, must be withheld from the public.

The appeals court agreed with the Ethics Board, and upheld the circuit court ruling.

Here, the language of the statues is clear and unambiguous, Graeff wrote in the 23-page opinion. We conclude that the names and addresses of donors to a legal defense fund do fall in the same category as the items listed in the statute that are prohibited from disclosure.

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While the news organizations may argue that the public interest demands that donors to political interests should be revealed, Graeff said thats not what the law says, and changing the law is the job of the legislature, not the courts.

An attempt to reach editors at the Brew and the Sun were unsuccessful.

Nick Mosby lost his bid for re-election to as council president in 2024. Gov. Wes Moore (D) appointed him this year to a seat on the Maryland State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.

Marilyn Mosby was under indictment when she ran for reelection in 2022, for lying on an application to improperly withdraw funds from her city pension account. She lost her reelection bid that year and was later convicted year of two counts of perjury and one count of mortgage fraud in connection with financial maneuvers related to the purchase of a home in Florida.

She was sentenced last May in federal district court to serve three years supervised release, one year of which was to be served under home confinement. She vowed an appeal at the time of her sentencing.
A 2018 reconstruction project of a hillside road in the capital of the Shanxi Province led to unearthing the tomb, but archaeologists hadnt really reported on the discovery until recently.

Long Zhen, director of the Jinyang Ancient City Research Institute of the Taiyuan Cultural Relics Protection Research Institute, says, according to a translation from the state-run news outlet Xinhua, that the tomb has pairs of figures painted on both sides of the tomb door and that paintings of people continue throughout the tomb, including everything from women pushing stones to grind flour to men making pasta, women using oranges to fetch water, and men stepping on hammers to help pound rice.

Xinhua News Agency - Getty Images

Experts believe the tomb was owned by a man who died in 736 AD at age 63, during the middle of the Tang dynasty, which ran from 618 to 907 AD. He was buried in the tomb along with his wife.

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The eight scenes painted on the tomb are in the figures under the tree style, trendy at the time, whichnot unlike the name suggestsshows daily activities occurring under artistically rendered trees. The scenes offer a fresh view on what daily life and responsibilities were during the Tang dynasty.

The figures painted on the tomb all appeared to be of the Han ethnicityexcept for one: a figure painted with blond hair and a beard.

Victor Xiong, professor of history at Western Michigan University, who wasnt involved in the discovery, told Live Science the Westerner, painted in the tomb leading camels, likely represented someone from Central Asia. Based on his facial features and outfit style, Xiong said, we can identify him as a Westerner, likely a Sogdian from Central Asia.

The Sogdian people lived in what is now modern-day Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and were active along Silk Road trading routes.

Xinhua News Agency - Getty Images

The murals coat the entire tomb, save for the floor. The South China Morning Post wrote that the artwork is styled similarly to other Tang-era murals with strong outlines, simple shading, and two-dimensional artwork.

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Zhen believes the style coincides with the paintings found in the tomb of Wang Shenzi, a key figure in the late 800s during the fall of the Tang dynasty and rise of the Song dynasty. The styles so closely match, it may have been the same painter.

Not only was the small, brick tomb covered in paintings, but the gates, corridor, and tomb pedestal holding the coffins were all adorned as well. The domed ceiling strays from the rest of the motif and features a dragon-like image. Figures painted at the gate may represent guardians, with yellow robes and swords tied around their waist.

Other scenes include a woman in a brightly colored dress leading four horses while a man stands nearby with a whip, women and men holding boxes or ceremonial bowls tucked to their chests, and an old man shown in various scenes reaching toward a snake, carrying an axe and firewood, and holding a cup. The paintings also feature plenty of trees, flowers, mountains, and livestock. Most of the figures throughout the tomb appear to be the same two people, leading the archaeologists to surmise they were the owners of the tomb.

The scenes painted on the mural offered some never-before-seen examples of Tang-era chores, Xiong told Live Science, and because the figures were most likely the owners of the tomb, probably depicted the minutiae of their daily lives. But the Westerners presence adds a bit of mystery to the otherwise staid way of living for the long-deceased man and woman.

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May peace be with you.

That was the first sentence uttered by Pope Leo XIV after he was introduced Thursday as the new leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics. From the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, the first American pontiff then reminded the audience that those were also the first words Jesus spoke after His resurrection.

This is the peace of the risen Christ, the man born Robert Francis Prevost continued, an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering.

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My eyes and heart welled with pride as I listened to his short speech  as a Catholic, yes, but especially as an American.

Read more: Much like L.A., this American-born pope transcends borders

Next month will mark a decade since Donald Trump descended down a golden escalator at his namesake Manhattan tower to announce his 2016 presidential campaign and offer his own version of spiritual renewal. His MAGA gospel wasnt based on the words of Jesus, but rather American exceptionalism at its worst: isolationism, jingoism, grievance, xenophobia and the idea that you should take care of yourself and screw everyone else.

Instead of finding salvation, Americans are more paranoid and divided than ever. We seek deliverance from our national malaise from anywhere and everywhere, to little avail. But in Pope Leo, we now have an American leader who can remind us and the world what the United States represents at its best.

Pastor Antonio Cacciapuoti exits after leading Catholics in prayer at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in a Mass on Thursday to welcome Chicago native Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new pope. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)

His ancestry is multicultural  French, Italian, Black, Hispanic  and his maternal grandparents moved from New Orleans to Chicago. He went to school and church in Chicagos blue-collar South Side, then attended Villanova University. The young Robert Prevost became a missionary in Peru for the Augustinians before going to Rome to head the religious order, which focuses on helping the marginalized of society.

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He applied that life experience to his last role before becoming pope: helping the late Pope Francis find candidates for bishop around the globe, beyond the Church's traditional recruiting areas of Europe and the Americas. Yet he never shied away from his roots, frequently returning to Chicago to meet with friends, eat at favorite spots and root for the White Sox (talk about a man who sympathizes with the wretched of the earth!).

Above all, the arc of Pope Leos career is a testament to how true strength and success come through service for others  something that Americans have long felt was important to a healthy democracy but that hasn't been emphasized lately by the powers that be. The new pope told the faithful as much in his inaugural speech, urging that they be a Church that walks, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close especially to those who suffer.

Such language is heresy for too many Trump supporters, some of whom are already trashing Pope Leo as anti-American. Theyve strayed far from what the United States is at its best, the country that I love. (Trump, for his part, congratulated Pope Leo on social media, describing his election as "a Great Honor for our Country.")

People listen to a sermon during Mass at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on Friday. (Erin Hooley / Associated Press)

In my America, like Pope Leo's, speaking multiple tongues and being a citizen of multiple countries is normal, not treasonous  Leo is a dual Peruvian U.S. citizen who speaks five languages. My America is one not of fear but of embrace, a worldview Pope Leo echoed when he called on us to accept others with open arms," especially "all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.

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Contrary to what Trump insists, we remain the greatest country on Earth. This is why our nation has drawn so many immigrants since its founding and continues to do so. People come here to be part of our grand experiment, predicated on the ideal of equality and prosperity, that anything is possible if you put in the work for yourself and others.

The interior of the now-shuttered St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Chicago. St. Mary of the Assumption was the church that Pope Leo XIV attended in his early life. (Jim Vondruska / Getty Images)

The selection of Pope Leo by the College of Cardinals to a position once thought impossible for a son of Uncle Sam to occupy is not just a rebuke to Trumps vision for an imperial United States. It's a challenge to Americans to lean on the side of us that's known for being charitable, not whatever Trump is trying to turn us into.

We Americans should also take note of Leo XIVs choice for his papal name. He has yet to offer a reason, but many Vatican observers have speculated that he's honoring the last pontiff who went by it.

Pope Leo XIII was a fierce advocate for workers and the downtrodden during the latter part of the 19th century, an era also fraught with technological and political upheaval. In an 1899 encyclical, he warned American Catholics not to stray from the Churchs teachings in the name of following the spirit of the age, arguing there was more to the good life than the pursuit of money and individualism.

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When I read that now, I think of the well-funded push by conservative American Catholics to undercut Pope Francis and sow internal doubt and dissent, all because he always reminded us to live by Jesus admonition to help the least of these. Pope Leo praised his predecessor for his "courageous voice," leaving little mystery about where he stood on the Francis question.

Read more: L.A. is a capital of Catholicism. It has direct and indirect ties to the new pope

We are a perpetually unsatisfied people, so I'm not sure how many of us  Catholic or not  will heed Pope Leo's invitation to embrace peace and reflect on what we can do to better us all. But he seemed to have Americans on his mind in his first homily as pope.

The Gospel's message of charity and faith is sometimes dismissed as "meant for the weak and unintelligent" in a world where "other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure," Leo told the cardinals before him.

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Invoking imagery used by American presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama, he said that God has called on him to lead the Church "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 illumines the dark nights of this world.

Those words have long reminded Americans of our obligation to be great. May the example of Pope Leo, not the bloviations of Trump, spark that in us again.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Attorney General Tim Griffin announces the results of human trafficking raids in his Little Rock office on Jan. 24, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)

Attorney General Tim Griffins office has received a $100,000 grant to combat human trafficking in Arkansas, he announced Thursday.

Griffin secured the grant while attending a bipartisan attorney general conference in Rome and Vatican City that was organized by the Attorney General Alliance and focused on fighting human trafficking worldwide, according to a press release from the AGs office.

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We are the most effective in our fight against international human trafficking right here in Arkansas when we are maximizing relationships, sharing information and learning best practices, Griffin said.

During the trip, which was at no cost to taxpayers, Griffin said he met with experts who specialize in illicit massage parlors and invited some of them to conduct trainings and share insights in Arkansas.

In January 2023, Griffin announced the creation of a statewide group to combat human trafficking called Statewide Tactical Operations Partnership (STOP) that was to be composed of representatives from federal, state and local law enforcement.

More recently, Griffin announced in January that four suspected human trafficking perpetrators were taken into custody following a statewide raid called Operation Obscured Vision. The initiative focused on a dozen illicit massage parlors in Jonesboro, Russellville, Hot Springs, Rogers, Harrison and a Little Rock hotel. Officials identified 17 purported trafficking victims who were 29-65 years old, and 16 accepted services from medical staff and advocacy groups that partnered with the operation, Griffin said.

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Also in January, just days after the governor cited public safety as one of her priorities for the 2025 legislative session, Arkansas State Police announced a new website that provides human trafficking victims with county-level resources.

Legislators approved a number of laws related to human trafficking during the legislative session that adjourned Monday, including one that would require information about the National Human Trafficking Hotline to be posted in a nail salon or massage business licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health.

Other new laws create enhanced penalties for recruiting trafficked people from certain places, and require those convicted of violating the Human Trafficking Act of 2013 to pay mandatory restitution to victims, among other things.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  The current Arkansas Library Board held its last meeting before Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is expected to appoint all new members to the team due to a new law.

Gathered for the last time, the board met to discuss funding and recommendations to leave for the new board to take up.

Bill filed in Arkansas legislature to require locking away childrens library material on sexuality

Act 903, passed during the recent legislative session, removes all seven current board members and allows the governor to replace them. Legislators in support of the bill testified during the session that the current board is not run correctly, citing concerns about young peoples access to certain library materials.

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Rep. Howard Beaty (R-Crossett) is a sponsor of the bill that became law.

This board is not functioning in a manner that we find acceptable, Beaty said in introducing the legislation.

Bill filed in legislature would abolish the Arkansas State Library, put controls on public libraries

Misty Hawkins is the regional director of the Arkansas River Valley Regional Library system. During the meeting, she thanked the board and said the library shouldnt be partisan.

We do not want to be affiliated with either party, but we need to work with both, Hawkins said.

If Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders acts in accordance with the new law, which will go into effect Aug. 3, the next library board meeting will have new members.

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Hawkins said she hopes the new board will reach across party lines. Although its bittersweet to have this board leave, shes optimistic.

I do think that bi-partisan, nonpartisan, that is something we need to focus on, we have business to do, lets do it, Hawkins said.

President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden

The boards next meeting will be Aug. 8.

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MARION COUNTY, Ark.  An Arkansas man is accused of attempted murder after allegedly shooting toward a woman who was checking on his well being.

Jones, courtesy of Marion County Sheriffs Office.

According to a Marion County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) news release, Jimmy R. Jones, born 1949, is charged with attempt to commit first-degree murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, and one count of possession of firearms by certain persons.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 6, in northern Marion County. Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander states Jones was parked in the roadway on County Road 8042 when the victim stopped to check on him.

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The victim said she asked Jones if he was okay, and Jones responded by pointing a handgun at her, prompting her to drive away from the scene.

The victim stated she heard at least two gunshots as she drove away. She said Jones followed her in his vehicle for a short distance, before turning onto another road.

MCSO deputies responded and processed the scene of the initial incident, before then responding to a call of a vehicle crash near County Road 3530.

Deputies found a vehicle belonging to Jones and recovered a firearm from the vehicle, but were unable to locate him. The victim was able to identify Jones as the person who fired at her, as well as the vehicle he had been driving.

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Jones was arrested on Thursday, May 8, and booked into the Marion County Detention Center in lieu of a $50,000 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Arkansas State Librarian Jennifer Chilcoat (left) offers a plan for extending eligibility for state funds to more libraries during the May 9, 2025, quarterly meeting of the State Library Board. Board member Lupe Pena de Martinez listens. (Photo by Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate)

Arkansas State Library Board members on Friday voted to recommend a 10.39% across-the-board cut in state aid to public libraries in fiscal 2026, which starts July 1.

The recommendation would allow 20 libraries currently ineligible for state funds to receive the money. State Librarian Jennifer Chilcoat presented the proposal as one option for complying with a 2023 state appropriation bill that called for new eligibility criteria to be adopted by July 1, 2024. The current State Library appropriation act now calls for the new rules to be adopted by July 1, but the rulemaking process has been stalled for more than a year.

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The board also approved $1,386,177 in fiscal 2025 fourth-quarter state aid payments to currently eligible libraries.

Friday marked the last meeting of the Library Boards current members, and it will be up to a new seven-member board to decide this summer whether to follow the recommended reduction in funds. The cut is necessary to stay within the State Librarys fiscal 2026 appropriation, Chilcoat said.

Act 903 of 2025 ends the terms of the current board members and requires Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to appoint new members in August.

The boards next quarterly meeting would fall in August, which would also be when the board typically awards the first-quarter state aid payments to eligible libraries.

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Current eligibility standards for state aid require public libraries to be supported by a one-mill county or city property tax. Language in the 2023 State Library appropriation bill, and each subsequent years appropriation, calls on the board to establish new rules that allow a public library to adequately demonstrate a source of revenue in lieu of the requirement to maintain a one-mill county or city property tax.

Chilcoat told board members Friday that her proposal would allow the agency to comply with that language in the absence of the new eligibility rules and stay within its $5,641,919 appropriation for fiscal 2026. The 10.39% cut would be a one-time distribution formula, she said, totaling $5,641,180.

Chilcoat also presented another proposal, which would eliminate the $18,000 awarded to library directors who hold masters of library science degrees, but said she preferred the across-the-board cut as more fair to everyone, especially smaller libraries.

Either proposal would include 20 libraries not currently eligible for state aid, 11 of them in Benton County, where libraries tend to be local and supported by their local governments, Chilcoat said.

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Another library on that list is the one in Ash Flat. Republican Sen. John Payton of Wilburn specifically mentioned that library when he proposed adding language to the 2023 State Library appropriation bill to revamp the eligibility rules.

Payton said he wanted to help constituents in Ash Flat, which has a population of just over 1,100 and a library funded by the city government.

We want [libraries] to receive local support, Payton told a Joint Budget subcommittee at the time. We dont want them dependent on the grants and aid that might come through the State Library system, but its impossible for them to pass and maintain one mill if theyre a city of less than 5,000.

Eligibility for state aid would also allow the Ash Flat Library to apply for state and federal grants it currently cannot access, Terry Hill, chairman of the librarys governing board, told the Advocate.

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Five of the boards seven members attended Fridays meeting virtually: Chairwoman Deborah Knox of Mountain Home, Jo Ann Campbell of Fort Smith, Pamela Meridith of Cherokee Village, Shari Bales of Hot Springs and Sydney McKenzie of Rogers. Only Lupe Pena de Martinez of Mabelvale attended in person.

The boards most controversial member, former state senator Jason Rapert, was not present. Rapert, founder of a national Christian organization of state legislators, has repeatedly called for depriving funds to libraries that have sexually explicit books where children can see them as well as libraries affiliated with the American Library Association. Hes also called for defunding libraries that sued the state over Act 372 of 2023.

Rapert supported legislative efforts this year to change or eliminate the State Library Board.

Advocate reporter Tess Vrbin contributed to this story.

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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ripple Labs, co-founder Christian Larsen, and CEO Brad Garlinghouse filed a joint settlement agreement letter on May 8, lawyer James Filan shared on X.

The joint letter, submitted to Judge Analisa Torres at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, requests an indicative ruling to dissolve the injunction included in the Aug. 7, 2024 judgment.

It also requests to order that the escrow holding the civil penalty amount of $125 million be released, with $50 million paid to the SEC and the remainder paid to Ripple.

If Judge Torres issues the above ruling, both parties will move the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit for a limited remand to seek relief, the letter mentions.

Note that the joint settlement letter is the latest step in the direction toward the end of the years-long securities violations case against Ripple.

It was in December 2020 that the SEC sued Ripple for the alleged sale of unregistered XRP token securities worth $1.3 billion.

In July 2023, Judge Torres delivered a landmark summary judgment as per which, while the sale of tokens to institutional investors constituted a violation of securities laws, their sale to retail investors on public exchanges didn't constitute a securities violation.

However, the case took a different turn once President Donald Trump assumed office for the second term in January 2025.

In March, Ripple and the SEC reached a historic settlement as per which both parties decided to drop their appeal and cross-appeal. The firm's penalty also got reduced from the original $125 million to $50 million.

Note that Ripple's chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty personally donated $300,000 in XRP to Trump's presidential campaign in June 2024. Ripple Labs also donated $5 million in XRP to Trumps inaugural committee.

As per Kraken's price feed, XRP was trading at $2.27 at press time, up 7.2% a day.
WASHINGTON (KELO)  Army veterans Frankie and Joe Laird of Sioux Falls will celebrate 57 years of marriage on June 14.

Nobody Id rather spend any time with, Joe said Tuesday at the Marine Corps War Memorial in northern Virginia.

Thousands of sticky notes highlight mental health, 988

Their wedding anniversary is also the Armys anniversary, and the branch has a big one in 2025: 250 years. The Lairds experienced the memorials of northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Tuesday alongside other honored veterans; Midwest Honor Flight, a nonprofit organization based out of Iowa, brought the group to the area. Joes time with the Army between 1965 and 1989 included the fall of Saigon, and the trip to Washington took place just six days after the 50th anniversary of April 30, 1975. Nearly all of the 85 honored veterans on the trip, including Joe and Frankie, served during the Vietnam War era.

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Santella: How are you feeling about the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War? Have you been thinking about that?

It was so long ago for me, it was like in another lifetime, Joe said Tuesday. I dont spend any time dwelling on it anymore.

The welcomes the veterans received with their trip Tuesday were a far cry from how the country received its servicemen and servicewomen decades ago.

They looked at me, like, disgusted because I had to wear my uniform when I traveled, Frankie said as she sat next to her husband Tuesday.

Veterans had to process hostility and press forward.

Ill tell you the truth: I never lost any sleep over that any way, Joe said. I had my job to do, and I did it. I didnt care what they thought.

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Today, they feel appreciated.

I want people to understand how organized this is, Joe said about the trip to Washington.

This is run well  the whole thing has just been super, Frankie said.

And not just the tour people from Midwest Honor Flight, but in the airports and driving around at Arlington and stuff, Joe said. The people that just show up and clap.

And clap and say, thank you, thank you, thank you for all youve done,' Frankie said. We didnt have that when, during the Vietnam era.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
The Department of Homeland Security is considering arresting members of Congress who were involved in a scuffle between New Jersey officials and guards outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on Friday.

The threatened arrests would mark a dramatic escalation of an already controversial incident that saw the arrest of Newark mayor Ras Baraka.

Whether you are a civilian, a mayor, or a member of Congress, if you are storming an an ICE detention facility and putting law enforcement and detainees at risk, you can bet that we will arrest you and you will face the law, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told CNN on Saturday. You will face justice.

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Federal authorities allege Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver, all New Jersey Democrats, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility during an oversight visit at the Newark-area Delaney Hall Detention Center on Friday, an allegation the legislators have all denied.

"Threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this administration abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone who stands up to them," a spokesperson for Watson Coleman told Axios.

DHS says body camera footage of the scuffle, which took place in a parking lot area outside the detention center, shows McIver elbowing past a DHS agent, while McLaughlin has alleged one of the lawmakers body slammed an ICE officer.

We were just simply there to do our jobs, McIver told CNN in a separate interview. We are congressional members. Our job is oversight. We were there to do that. Thats simply it. We did not come there to try to break people. We did not come there to cause chaos or cause any trouble.

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"We're honestly surprised they released this footage given that it so wholly contradicts their claims, Watson Colemans spokesperson added to Axios. Nobody was 'body slammed,' nobody 'assaulted' any agents, and this footage confirms that."

Congress members say DHS is lying about order of events that led to scuffle outside New Jersey detention facility (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Baraka was initially allowed into a fenced parking lot area outside the detention facility before officers told him to leave and threatened him with arrest.

A chaotic scene later ensued as ICE agents, members of Congress, staff members, and gathered protesters pushed and shoved and shouted at each other.

Video of the incident from NJ Spotlight News appears to show McIver attempt to make her way through the scrum as Baraka is pulled from outside the facility into a fenced area.

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A voice can eventually be heard saying, Clear the way, member of Congress coming in.

The lawmakers have insisted that DHS is making false claims about what happened.

Since DHS has been lying about this, allow me to correct the record, Rep Watson Coleman wrote in a statement on X on Friday. This scuffle, during which an ICE agent physically shoved me, occurred AFTER we had entered the Delaney Hall premises. We entered the facility, came BACK OUT to speak to the Mayor, and then ICE agents began shoving us.

After Mayor Baraka was arrested yesterday, DHS officials let us conduct our tour as is required by law, Rep. Menendez said in a statement on X on Saturday. So despite the Admins attempts to spin this, they know we had every right to be there and enter the facility. If you ignore the spin, youll see there is only one accurate narrative - ours

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The Independent has contacted McIver and Menendezs offices for further comment on the arrest threat.

Baraka, who has been charged in federal court with trespassing and released without bond, said after the incident he did nothing wrong and that his arrest was part of what democracy is about.

Last month, federal agents arrested Hannah Dugan, a Wisconsin judge accused of attempting to prevent federal agents from arresting an undocumented man outside her courtroom.

A group of more than 150 retired state and federal judges signed a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi condemning the arrest, calling it another attempt to intimidate and threaten the judiciary after a series of rulings by judges appointed by presidents of both parties holding the Trump Administration accountable for its countless violations of the Constitution and laws of the United States.
When artist Jeffrey Gibsons work lit up the 60th Venice Biennale last spring, it became a vivid reflection of his place in Americas colorful history and the forces that shaped it.

Gibson made history as the first Native American artist to represent the United States with a solo show at the global art spectacle in Venice, which is often dubbed the Olympics of the art world. He is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and is also of Cherokee descent.

I think I really felt, This is the moment that the art world wants this, Gibson told HuffPost at a preview of the art exhibit. This is the moment that America wants this.

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His exhibition, the space in which to place me, will now make its U.S. debut at Los Angeles Broad Museum on Saturday.

The exhibit, which includes paintings, sculptures, flags, murals and video, situates Gibsons personal experience within a broader historical narrative, blending prismatic color and traditional Native craftsmanship with bold geometric texts that reference queer, Native American and U.S. histories.

Installation view of "Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me" at The Broad in Los Angeles. The exhibit is on display from May 10 to Sept. 28. Photo by Joshua White/JWPictures.com, courtesy of The Broad

Words from the Declaration of Independence and the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 are in conversation with rapturous lyrics from Nina Simone and Roberta Flack, excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.s speeches and letters between founding fathers George Washington and James Madison. Meanwhile, garments with intricate beading and fringe offer an ode to Native Americans diverse powwow culture.

Through his work, Gibson reveals his radical form of patriotism; it confronts the nations challenges with joy and optimism.

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But as his celebration of history and color makes its way to the United States, American values are being redefined in increasingly narrow terms.

In an effort to reshape America to his own vision, President Donald Trump and his administration have begun targeting the countrys top cultural institutions.

After the Trump administration proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts outright, the agency changed its application to bar recipients from using funds to promote diversity, equity and inclusion or gender ideology. The NEA then canceled or withdrew millions of dollars of grants for artists and arts organizations earlier this month, citing a shift in priorities.

Those cuts included a $50,000 award to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) approved last year to support Gibsons installation, POWER FULL BECAUSE WERE DIFFERENT. The exhibit is expected to remain on view as scheduled through August 2026.

Jeffrey Gibson was the first Indigenous artist to represent the U.S. with a solo show at the Venice Biennale. Courtesy of Jeffrey Gibson

In an executive order titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History in late March, Trump also accused the Smithsonian Institute of coming under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology and replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.

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Gibson, who has worked with several of the Smithsonians 20-plus institutions, reflected on the shifting cultural landscape in an interview with the Los Angeles Times earlier this month. To me, its almost whiplash going from Venice to whats going on at the Smithsonian now, he said.

The presidents bid to take control of the nations museums and theaters is unnerving many Americans as well. Last month, a Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed 66% of people surveyed across party lines disagree with his interventions.

But as the U.S. Pavilion for the 2026 Venice Biennale prepares to open, the Trump administration seems eager to impose its new priorities. When the application portal opened this month, it introduced new guidelines requiring applying artists to represent American values and American exceptionalism.

Gibson, whose work engages in both a critique and celebration of American culture, has long defined American values in his own terms.

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American values for me are representative of a vibrant community within the context of what I could critique about American culture, he told HuffPost. I grew up believing that thats what America was about. America was about this diversity. America was about celebrating and allowing for people to have their own free choice, their own free voice, and that you were putting it into a dialogue that was, in unspoken terms, being managed as a civil conversation. So thats the American value that Ive clung to my entire life.

"Theres all kinds of resistance," Gibson told HuffPost. "I have had to come to terms with truly believing that my artwork is my contribution to enabling a different form of existing." Photo by Joshua White/JWPictures.com, courtesy of The Broad

The effort to cage in creative expression and enforce a one-dimensional image of America is something Gibson resists in his work and in his ethos.

At The Broad, visitors are greeted with an exquisitely beaded bird sculpture titled if there is no struggle there is no progress, named after a line in a 1857 speech by abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Its a powerful reminder that growth has always come with tension.

Looking beyond the present moment, Gibsons work envisions a new chapter of history filled with creativity, rebellion and abundance.

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Theres all kinds of resistance, he said, reflecting on his role in shaping a different future. I have had to come to terms with truly believing that my artwork is my contribution to enabling a different form of existing.

He added, What happens next is about maintaining a sense of self in the most stable environment we can find. But were not being offered the most stable environment to be humane and civil to each other. Thats not whats happening right now. So we have to find a way to craft that environment for each other and for ourselves.

As a professor, Gibson said that hes seen generations of students eager to collapse boundaries and embrace a future of progress and engagement.

I think the thing you really want to know is that you always want people to know they have choices, he told reporters at the press preview at The Broad. Even in the most dire situations. Once people believe they dont have a choice anymore, thats really the beginning of the end.

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Jeffrey Gibsons the space in which to place me runs through Sept. 28 at The Broad Museum in Los Angeles. For more information, visit here.

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ASHTABULA  The city is considering temporary zoning moratoriums while studying current land use and develop the zoning code.

City leaders discussed the issue at a Wednesday economic development committee meeting.

The 11 zoning moratoriums they are considering are:

 Accessory structures over 200 square feet

 Auto and truck rentals

 Boarding and rooming houses not licensed by Ohio Housing Recovery

 Check cashing and payday lending

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 Convenience and dollar stores

 E-cigarette, vaping and tobacco sales

 Food trucks with permanent locations

 Junk and scrap yards

 Motor vehicle fuel dispensing

 Thrift and secondhand stores

 Used and new motor vehicle sales locations

City Manager Jim Timonere said he has been interested in temporary moratoriums and a study for some time.

This is a saturation issue, he said. As I mentioned several times, [Ashtabula County] is huge. Why always the city of Ashtabula. Why not Andover? Why not Saybrook? Why not Ashtabula Township? Why does it always have to be the city?

Timonere estimated the analysis would take a year and a half, he said.

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The committee also discussed a moratorium on outpatient addiction treatment centers presented by Timonere.

City Solicitor Cecilia Cooper previously said at council meetings such a measure would be unconstitutional.

Timonere said he would never advocate for going against advice from the solicitors office.

I included that on here because I feel strongly about it, he said. It doesnt mean it makes it right, but I feel strongly about it.

Assistant City Solicitor Catherine Colgan, who was at the committee meeting, said the city solicitors position should be made clear.

The solicitors position is stronger than that, she said. She will not approve, as to legal form, a moratorium that has that particular use.

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City Council President John Roskovics said it is unlikely council will pass or be presented a resolution putting a moratorium on addiction treatment centers.

Roskovics said council will not suspend two readings of the resolution for the moratorium to give residents more time to reach out to city leaders and council more time to discuss it.

Ashtabula Fire Department Fire Marshal and Captain Stephen Chase told the committee he supports all the moratoriums.

To me, its a work issue, he said.

City staff are stretched thin regulating properties with constant development, he said.

I am the fire marshal trying to juggle all these businesses, he said. They come. They go, and in a lot of cases, theres little we can do to say No, you cant be here, and we try to regulate it to be the best it possibly can.

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Chase said he suggested council consider a temporary moratorium on multi-family rental units.

Rental properties are out of control, in my opinion, he said.

Chase said he has encountered many living situations that are not up to regulations.

We were dealing with a boarding house for several years that had padlocks on all the bedroom doors. ... The guy rented rooms and then subletted beds inside the rooms, he said. Theres three or four or five people living inside a bedroom.

Chase said single-family rental properties are easier to deal with and did not recommend a moratorium on that.
After working at the city of Aurora under four different mayors, Chief Management Officer Alex Alexandrou is heading to retirement.

Alexandrou, who is in his 25th year of working at the city and 34th year in the public sector, will serve out his last day working at the city on May 13. Thats the day Mayor-elect John Laesch, alongside newly-elected and reelected members of the Aurora City Council, are set to be sworn into office.

I think its time, he said when asked why he is retiring. Ive been doing this a long time.

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The job can be quite a pressure cooker at times, he said, which casual observers of local government may not understand.

His current job, which has basically been to be the citys manager, has been a 24/7 position, he said.

Its the relationships, both with other city staffers and with colleagues in other communities, that Alexandrou said he will miss most about working at the city of Aurora. The city has been fortunate to be part of the Illinois Municipal League and the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference, which has done a lot of great work together as a group effort, he said.

But Alexandrou will also miss the certain energy and adrenaline when responding to a crisis or when a task needs to be done quickly, he said. Thats because he is still a risk manager at heart, he said, which is the job he was first hired for at the city of Aurora.

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It was former Mayor David Stover who hired Alexandrou as the citys first-ever risk manager, and he also asked Alexandrou to be the interim human resources director in the last 18 months of his administration.

Alexandrou was then formally appointed to lead the human resources department under former Mayor Tom Weisner, who was elected after Stover.

The city went through a significant reorganization because of the 2008 recession, Alexandrou said, and so he ended up as the head of the citys administrative services department. He served in that position, managing city operations like HR, the city clerk, IT and more, until he was given his current job as chief management officer by Mayor Richard Irvin in 2017.

Im eternally grateful to all the mayors Ive worked for, Alexandrou said.

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At an event honoring outgoing Mayor Irvin and many from the mayors office on Tuesday night, Irvin said that without Alexandrou, his big ideas would have been nothing but words on a piece of paper.

Theres people that you meet in your life that are just extraordinary, that are outstanding, and you realize that without that person, it wouldnt have looked the way that it looks now, Irvin said.

Alexandrou told The Beacon-News that he has helped to do really transformative things because Irvin gave him the opportunity.

Some of those things, which he saw from idea to execution, include the transformation of the Fox Valley Mall, the redevelopment of the old Copley Hospital into Bloomhaven and the redevelopment of downtown anchored by the Paramount Theatre, he said.

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He is proud to have played a part in changing the reputation of Aurora, he said.

Another thing Alexandrou said he is proud of is how the city weathered so many different storms, such as the deadly mass shooting at Henry Pratt in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest.

Chuck Nelson, who served under Irvin as his previous deputy mayor and under Weisner as his chief of staff, said that Alexandrou is an aggressive learner with strong leadership, organizational and communication skills.

There are so many things that define Alex, Nelson said. Hes good to have in your corner because hes a problem- solver.

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None of it, Alexandrou said, was done alone. He has been proud to work with the citys tremendous team and very talented professionals, many of whom he sees as good friends, he said.

While his job involved supporting the mayor and making sure the city was aligned on important things like public safety, economic development and education, it was also about delivering the citys bread and butter services to residents, according to Alexandrou. He said those are things people may take for granted, such as 911 services, EMS, police, drinking water and city-run parks.

All that takes constant attention, he said, and thats not counting the unexpected that may happen every day.

Alexandrou said he is proud of all the city departments, and specifically called out the police, fire and public works departments. The administration pushed them hard, and they deserve all the credit and compensation they get, he said.

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When it comes to dealing with a crisis, Alexandrou said none do it better than the citys team, and that includes the Aurora Police Department, Aurora Fire Department and Emergency Management Agency.

Sometimes you have to be over-prepared, because its not a question of if, but when, he said.

As for whats next, Alexandrou doesnt yet know, he told The Beacon-News. First, hes going to take some well-deserved time off this summer, he said, and then start looking, but hes not in a particular hurry

Weve been through a lot the last four years, so Im looking forward to spending some time with family, he said.

rsmith@chicagotribune.com






At 2 months old, Mattie Beacham was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia and needed a liver transplant to save her life

She spent 185 days at Orlando's AdventHealth for Children, where every one of the 80 nurses in the hospital's critical care unit cared for her in some way

After a difficult journey, Mattie underwent a successful liver transplant, and her parents credit the hospital's nurses for fighting for their daughter "as if she were their own"







It takes a village  or in this case, a "warrior squad" of 80 determined nurses.

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When Allison and Michael Beacham brought their then-2-month-old baby daughter Mattie to Orlando's AdventHealth for Children, she was critically ill and battling for her life. Diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare disease of the liver and bile ducts that affects infants, Mattie needed a lifesaving liver transplant.

But initially, she was too sick to even be placed on the waitlist. "Her liver was dying by the hour," Allison recalls to PEOPLE. "Michael and I spiraled, entering a new dimension of flight, advocacy and, of course, fear."

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Mattie Beacham Mattie Beacham

Mattie would spend 185 days  half a year  in the hospital, during which time every single one of the 80 nurses who worked in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) cared for her in some way. Those nurses never stopped fighting for Mattie, even as her situation seemed hopeless.

At her sickest, Mattie's organs began shutting down and she went into a coma. Eventually, her heart stopped. Medical staff performed CPR and brought her back, but Allison and Michael were given some heartbreaking news.

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"Chaplains repeatedly came in with the doctors telling us that Mattie would not last more than four hours and that it was time to let her go," Allison says. "But it wasnt time for consolation yet; it was time for battle."

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Allison Beacham with baby Mattie Allison Beacham with baby Mattie

While Mattie remained in a coma, Allison remembers finding solace in morning runs outside the hospital before rounds began in Mattie's unit. "Id jog and reflect and pump myself up to be the best mom and advocate that I could possibly be as I came to terms with the dire reality," she says.

But she and Michael were far from alone. Their daughter's team of dedicated doctors and nurses rallied around them through it all.

"Joe, Amanda, Kim, Niki, Caila, Eric, Hannah  instead of being 'another nurse in scrubs,' they became Matties warrior squad, determined to find solutions to one of the most complicated patients in the history of the liver transplant program," Allison tells PEOPLE.

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Mattie Beacham with members of the hospital staff Mattie Beacham with members of the hospital staff

"They wept, they nurtured, they even laughed with us at brief moments of levity," she continues. "Their wet brows and huddles assured us they were thinking outside of the box to bring back to life our precious, unresponsive angel, who was still only alive artificially."

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Even nurses who were not part of Mattie's care team showed their support.

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Mattie Beacham Mattie Beacham

"Nurses who werent assigned to Mattie on day or night shift asked to be with her. Nurses not in the Critical Care Unit would come visit in between their patients," Allison says. "The AdventHealth team understood us, respected us and fought for Mattie as if she were their own."

Never giving up, the nurses even pushed to try experimental or never-before-used treatments on Mattie.

"One of the nurses  Amanda [Hellner]  helped engineer a tandem dialysis and plasmapheresis machine that had only been done once in the country, according to them," Allison says. "The doctors initially didnt want to try it as the risks were too great. But the nurses rallied with us and convinced the administration to try this unknown and unproven technique."

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It really tested us as a PICU," nurse Nikki Sapp says. "But if theres something we can do, were going to try, and sometimes that one treatment that weve never done is what is going to save their life."

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Mattie Beacham with two hospital staff members Mattie Beacham with two hospital staff members

The risky technique worked  and proved to be a turning point for Mattie, who eventually stabilized and grew healthy enough to undergo the transplant surgery once an organ match was found. Hellner, the PICU's nurse educator at the time, remembers being in the room when Mattie opened her eyes for the first time following the 10-hour procedure.

"Its just one of the moments you live for as a nurse, and that was one Ill never forget, she says. Ill carry that always with me in my career. Shes become part of my why.

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Mattie Beacham Mattie Beacham

These days, Mattie  who turned 2 in December  is "the happiest human," according to her proud mom.

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"She finds boo-boos on us that we dont even know we have. She hugs strangers' legs. She kisses even when she shouldn't," Allison says. "She blows kisses to everyone at AdventHealth."

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.

Courtesy of Michael Beacham Mattie Beacham Mattie Beacham

As for the toddlers' nurses? They are forever "family" to the Beachams.

"Theyve come to two of her birthday soirees and blew the roof off of our house. The parties were as much of a celebration of Mattie's birthday as they were a celebration for her healthcare heroes," Allison tells PEOPLE.

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After Mattie's experience, Allison says she has newfound appreciation for the work that nurses do and the dedication and compassion they show  both to their patients and their families.

"My reason for even existing has changed, thanks to learning, feeling and understanding how nurses are wired. To work 12 hours with some of the most intense and complicated situations imaginable nurses bring perspective to how we want, and should, live our lives," Allison says.



Read the original article on People
A top member of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party has expressed strong reservations about calls to ban the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), ahead of nationwide rallies in favour of the measure on Sunday.

The AfD, which is Germany's largest opposition party, was earlier this month designated a "confirmed right-wing extremist" force by the country's domestic intelligence agency, an upgrade from its previous classification as a "suspected" threat.

But the agency - formally known as the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) - announced this week it was suspending its decision, saying it would not use the new label until legal proceedings brought by the AfD are settled.

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The "confirmed" designation gives authorities greater powers to monitor the party.

The events have revived discussions about outlawing the AfD, known for its anti-immigrant and nationalist platform.

Carsten Linnemann, general secretary of the Christian Democrats (CDU), described such a move as "politically highly dangerous."

In an interview with Sunday edition of the Welt newspaper, Linnemann said that leading legal experts believe a ban "would be very difficult under the current circumstances and that the outcome would be uncertain."

Linnemann also warned the legal fight would be lengthy and that the AfD would likely exploit the situation to present itself as a victim.

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He argued that a ban would do nothing to address the concerns of the partys voters.

He said if the new government revived the economy and cracked down harder on illegal migration, the AfD would be significantly weakened.

"You can't ban frustration; you can only resolve it through good politics," he said.
A top member of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party has expressed strong reservations about calls to ban the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), ahead of nationwide rallies in favour of the measure on Sunday.

Carsten Linnemann, general secretary of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), described such a move as "politically highly dangerous."

In an interview with the Sunday edition of the Welt newspaper, Linnemann said that leading legal experts believe a ban "would be very difficult under the current circumstances and that the outcome would be uncertain."

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The AfD, which is Germany's largest opposition party, was earlier this month designated a "confirmed right-wing extremist" group by the country's domestic intelligence agency, an upgrade from its previous classification as a "suspected" threat.

But the agency - formally known as the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) - announced this week it was suspending its decision, saying it would not use the new label until an AfD challenge to the designation is settled in court.

The "confirmed" designation gives authorities greater powers to monitor the party.

The events have revived discussions about outlawing the AfD, known for its anti-immigrant and nationalist platform.

'You can't ban frustration'

Linnemann warned the legal fight would be lengthy and that the AfD would likely exploit the situation to present itself as a victim.

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He argued that a ban would do nothing to address the concerns of the partys voters.

He said if the new government revived the economy and cracked down harder on illegal migration, the AfD would be significantly weakened.

"You can't ban frustration; you can only resolve it through good politics," he said.

Nationwide rallies planned

His remarks come as civil society groups prepare a nationwide day of action on Sunday under the slogan "No More Excuses  Ban the AfD Now!"

Rallies are planned in more than 60 cities across Germany.

The alliance "Together Against the Right" has joined forces with the "Ban the AfD Now" campaign and other organizations to call on Merz's government, which came to power on Tuesday, to launch immediate legal action against the party.

The central rally in Berlin is set to begin at 4 pm (1400 GMT) at the Brandenburg Gate. Organizers are demanding that the government immediately initiate proceedings to ban the AfD.
Bangladeshs interim administration has announced a sweeping ban on all activities of the country's oldest political party, the Awami League, following mass protests in Dhaka demanding the party be outlawed.

"All activities of the Awami League, including in cyberspace, have been banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act until the prosecution of the party and its leaders is completed by the International Crimes Tribunal," Asif Nazrul, law affairs adviser to the interim government, told reporters on Saturday.

The decision was taken during an emergency meeting of the council of advisers, headed by interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Nazrul added.

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"This decision is intended to safeguard national security and sovereignty, protect the leaders and activists of the July Movement, and ensure the safety of plaintiffs and witnesses involved in the tribunal," he said.

The Awami League, which led Bangladeshs 1971 independence war against Pakistan under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been a dominant force in the countrys politics for decades.

Sheikh Hasina, Mujibs daughter and the partys president since 1981, was ousted last year after her administration was accused of violently suppressing a mass uprising. She is now in exile in India and faces multiple criminal charges.

The protesters, many of whom played leading roles in the uprising, have long called for the party to be banned and prosecuted as an entity accused of political violence.

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Saturdays meeting also approved amendments to the International Crimes Tribunal Act, enabling the tribunal to try and punish any political party, its affiliates, or support groups.

Crowds in Dhaka welcomed the decision, saying it fulfilled a longstanding demand to hold the Awami League accountable for its alleged role in political violence, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings during Hasinas tenure.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  The interim government in Bangladesh on Saturday banned all activities of the former ruling Awami League party headed by former influential Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted last year in a mass uprising.

Asif Nazrul, the country's law affairs adviser, said late Saturday the interim Cabinet headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus decided to ban the party's activities online and elsewhere under the country's Anti-Terrorism Act. The ban would stay in place until a special tribunal completes a trial of the party and its leaders over the deaths of hundreds of students and other protesters during an anti-government uprising in July and August last year.

This decision is aimed at ensuring national security and sovereignty, protection of activists of the July movement, and plaintiffs and witnesses involved in the tribunal proceedings," Nazrul told reporters after a special Cabinet meeting.

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Nazrul said the meeting Saturday also expanded scope for trying any political parties involving charges of killing during the anti-Hasina protest being handled by the International Crimes Tribunal.

He said a government notification regarding the ban would be published soon with details.

Hasina and many of her senior party colleagues have been accused of murder in many cases after her ouster last year. Hasina has been in exile in India since Aug. 5 as her official residence was stormed by protesters soon after she left the country.

The United Nations human rights office in a report said in February that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during three weeks of anti-Hasina protest.

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Saturday night's dramatic decision came after thousands of protesters, including supporters of a newly formed political party by students, took to the streets in Dhaka and issued an ultimatum to ban the Awami League party by Saturday night. The members of the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami party also prominently took part in the protest.

There was no immediate reaction from Hasina or her party, but the chief of the National Citizen Party, Nahid Islam, who is also a student leader, applauded the Yunus-led government for its decision.

The student-led uprising ended Hasina's 15 years of rule, and three days after her fall Yunus took the helm as interim leader.
CHEYENNE  Wyomings congressional delegation is focused on keeping the Medicaid program free of fraud, waste and abuse, but none offered a direct answer as to whether they support the proposed $880 billion cut in program spending.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle asked Wyoming Republican U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman for their stance on Medicaid cuts that are currently being considered in Congress.

Last week, health care officials warned of the detrimental impacts an $880 billion cut to Medicaid would have on Wyoming hospitals, nursing homes and residents. According to experts interviewed by the WTE, several nursing homes would likely shut down, hospitals would potentially face cuts to services and staff layoffs, and tens of thousands of Wyomingites would be at risk of losing their health insurance or become uninsured.

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In January, Barrasso brought up Wyomings rural health care challenges to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is now U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Barrasso said six Wyoming hospitals are at risk of closing, two could close in the next two years, and 10 have had to cut available services.

We have 33 hospitals in Wyoming. Twenty-six are located in various locations often hard to get to, or weather impacts them, Barrasso said. This is a concern of rural hospitals in both Republican and Democrat states. Its bipartisan. It is critical that the financial, workforce challenges that we are facing are addressed.

However, neither he nor Lummis gave the WTE a clear answer as to whether they support a major cut to the federal health care program. Barrasso recently said there are no definite conclusions on what will be cut from Medicaid, according to an article published by the American Health Association this week.

The Senate majority whip told the WTE in an emailed statement the currently proposed Medicaid reforms are unlikely to negatively impact our state, since Wyoming is a good steward of taxpayer dollars.

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Wyomings policies are already aligned with a majority of the Trump administrations proposal, Barrasso said in the statement. This includes work requirements for all able-bodied adults enrolled in Medicaid.

He said Congress needs to ensure the accessibility and reliability of high-quality care for Medicaid recipients. Thats why Ive introduced legislation to eliminate fraud in Medicaid services while saving American taxpayers billions of dollars.

Barrasso introduced the Safeguarding Medicaid Act, with Lummis and a few other Republican U.S. senators signed on as co-sponsors. The bill aims to address fraud and abuse in Medicaid by requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop an asset verification program for all applicants and recipients in all states and territories, according to a news release from his office.

Lummis said in an emailed statement to the WTE that Republican congressional lawmakers want to strengthen the Medicaid program by adding measures that ensure transparency and accountability.

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I believe we should protect this program while ensuring its long-term sustainability through responsible financial management, Lummis said. My priority is establishing regular independent audits to root out waste and fraud, guaranteeing taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and that Medicaid fulfills its core mission of delivering health care to our most vulnerable citizens.

Barrasso also mentioned Republican lawmakers proposal to repeal a Biden administration rule that required a minimum staffing level at all nursing homes across the country. This rule would have cost nursing homes approximately $6.8 billion per year, according to a 2023 analysis conducted by a professional services firm (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP).

A federal judge in Texas struck down the controversial Biden administration mandate in April, CNN reported.

There are not enough registered nurses in Wyoming, or in the country, to be able to comply with this one-size-fits-all rule, Barrasso said in his statement. Repealing this rule will help keep the doors open for nursing homes across Wyoming to care for seniors.

Hagemans office did not respond to the WTEs multiple requests for comment by press time.
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A wild bat that was found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Wednesday tested positive for rabies.

The animal, which did not live at the Safari Park, was located around 10:45 a.m. at the base of the public elevator (the only public one in the park) in the African Loop near the hot air balloon ride, according to the County of San Diego.

Park visitors who had direct contact with the bat, know of someone who may have touched the bat or were in the area of the elevator and stairs should contact County Public Health Services as soon as possible at 619-692-8499.

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Those who had no physical contact with the bat are not at risk for rabies, per local health officials.

Why does CHP sometimes zigzag on freeways?

A trained staff member safely secured the bat, which later tested positive for rabies.

Human rabies is usually fatal without prompt post-exposure vaccine and treatment, said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, County interim public health officer. Rabies transmission can happen from a bat bite or if a bats saliva comes in contact with a cut or abrasion, or with mucous membranes, such as the eyes, nose or mouth. Although bats can carry rabies, they are an important part of nature in San Diego County. It is important to respect the space of wildlife and do not touch them.

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Rabies is viral disease that is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.

If you do come in direct contact with a bat, the County of San Diego advises to wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and get medical advice immediately.

If symptoms develop, which can take weeks to months, is almost always fatal, so being on top of it as soon as possible is essential.

In 2025, three rabid bats have been detected in San Diego County.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Baton Rouge Police Department has arrested a man accused of shooting another man during an argument Thursday night.

According to an arrest affidavit, officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 1600 block of Blanche Court. When they arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg.

The victim told detectives he had been shot by a heavy-set Black male wearing a hair scarf or rag. While canvassing the area, officers spotted a man matching that description leaving a nearby home. The man, later identified as Bradford Williams, 47, reportedly locked the door behind him and approached police. After being read his Miranda rights, he shouted, I wanted to kill him.

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Williams was detained and placed in a patrol car. While officers secured the scene, they overheard Williams on a phone call, captured on dashcam video, admitting to the shooting.

The victim told investigators he had been working on plumbing at the home and was given $40 by Williams to buy materials. Upon returning, he gave Williams his change and mentioned he needed more supplies. According to the victim, Williams became agitated and demanded he do something for him. Williams then went inside the home, returned with a rifle, and fired six to seven shots, which hit the victim in the leg.

Williams was arrested and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.

No bond amount has been set, according to jail records.

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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 Louisiana First News.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A Baton Rouge man connected to a 2018 shooting pleaded guilty to manslaughter Friday.

According to court documents, Dayln Hynard, 23, was arrested after being accused of shooting Chavron Johnson, 19, on Dec. 4, 2018, in the 3000 block of Jackson Avenue. The Baton Rouge Police Department said Johnson was found behind an abandoned home with gunshot wounds. Johnson later died at the hospital.

Hynard was 16 at the time of the shooting and 17 at the time of the arrest. He was initially charged with second-degree murder, possession of a handgun by a juvenile, and illegal use of a weapon.

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He will face a 15-year sentence that will run concurrently with a 30-year sentence for an unrelated armed robbery charge.

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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 Louisiana First News.
Oghenochuko Ojiri, who regularly appeared as an art expert on the popular BBC series Bargain Hunt, pleaded guilty to helping finance the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Ojiri made the stunning admission on Friday during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, according to BBC News. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to disclose potential terrorist financing.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is designated as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK.

Oghenochuko Ojiri walking outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London on May 9, 2025. AP

Ojiri on the popular BBC show Bargain Hunt. BBC

The embattled Bargain Hunt star reportedly admitted that he had helped fund the group by selling artwork to Nazem Ahmad, a suspected terrorist financier sanctioned by the US and UK due to his alleged links to Hezbollah.

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Prosecutors in the case claimed that Ojiri submitted paperwork for the sales of certain pieces of art to Ahmad by naming other individuals suggested by Mr. Ahmads associates in what was alleged to be an attempt to disguise the true owner of the works of art.

The deals took place between October 2020 and January 2022, the court was told, and the art was valued to be worth a whopping $186K.

Ojiri arriving at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on May 9, 2025. Jordan Peck|Getty Images

At the time of the transactions, Mr. Ojiri knew that Nazem Ahmad had been sanctioned in the U.S. as a suspected terrorist financier, the prosecutor, Lyndon Harris, told the court.

Mr. Ojiri accessed news reports about Mr. Ahmads designation and engaged in discussions with others about it, he added, indicating his knowledge or suspicions.

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Ojiri was ultimately arrested by counterterrorism police on April 18, 2023, following a lengthy investigation. The US Justice Department soon announced charges against Ojiri, Ahmad and eight others for allegedly evading terrorism-related sanctions, per the New York Times.

The Bargain Hunt star pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to disclose potential terrorist financing. PA Images via Getty Images

Before his arrest, the art gallery owner appeared on several episodes of Bargain Hunt as a freelance expert.

The show, which launched on BBC One in 2000, features two pairs of contestants who are challenged to purchase antiques from shops or fairs and sell them at an auction for more than they initially paid.

BBC pulled Ojiri from the official Bargain Hunt website following his conviction. According to Deadline, he had been listed as an expert whose best Bargain Hunt find was a box of tiny Victorian china dolls.

Ojiri standing outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London after pleading guilty to terrorism-related offenses. PA Images via Getty Images

Ojiri also appeared in similar capacities on BBC shows like Antiques Road Trip and Storage: Flog the Lot!

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It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings, a spokesperson for the network said after Ojiris conviction.

District Judge Briony Clarke reportedly granted Ojiri bail, but ordered the former BBC star to hand over his passport. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6.
Earlier this year, Spanish lender Santander (SAN) spurned a bid worth roughly GBP 11B for its U.K. retail bank from NatWest Group (NWG), the Financial Times reports. Santander rejected the offer because it believed the price was too low, the report says, adding that the bank has since raised EUR7B from the sale of its Polish stake as it pivots from Europe to the Americas.

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OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT)  Its a weekend full of flavor and fun in Owensboro. The BBQ and Barrels festival is back for its 46th year. It used to be known as the International BBQ Festival.

Thousands of people visit the city hoping to taste some of the worlds best barbeque.



If you walk anywhere near downtown Owensboro this weekend, youll probably smell something amazing. Grills, street vendors and thousands of people flooded West Second Street in Owensboro for day one of one of its oldest festivals. Menus include chicken, bologna, and even fried donuts.

Precious Blood Catholic Church team is one of four church cooking teams and say theyve fired up their grills like this since the tradition was first introduced to the cityover 40 years ago.

Were not in competition anymore. They did away with that a few years back, so its easier on us older guys [now], says Steve Cecil of Precious Blood.

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Cecil says the day starts at 6:30 a.m. and by the end of it they usually walk away with around $10,000. The sales amount goes back into the community and into the church.

Weve got what we call a tuition supplement for our students that go to catholic schools. it. It usually helps out about 10 or 15 families, says

On the east side of the bridge, a carnival will be set up with tickets starting at $1.50 each so everyone can join in on the fun.

Jason Shirel and Angela Shirel are excited to get a hold of some mutton. They came all the way from Princeton, Kentucky and just got married 3 weeks ago. Jason is an Owensboro-native, but this is Angelas first time at BBQ and Barrels.

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Its a lot of fun. Im used to little street fairs, and this is way bigger. Its way bigger and Im with my favorite guy, says

Inside the Owensboro Convention Center, guests will spend the next two days sipping and sampling from 40 bourbon distilleries. At night, live music will fill the air. Friday nights performances include Lindsey James and Resurrection  A Journey Tribute.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
TUPELO  Tupelo officials are still considering what to do with skateboarding obstacles donated to the city over two years ago.

Built by local welder Welding Willies, the obstacles include two quarter pipes, two pyramids and two boxes. The equipment, designed to be set up as a beginner-level skatepark, were purchased with prize money a group of Tupelo skateboarders earned by winning the 2023 Red Bull Terminal Takeover for best video, beating out teams from much larger cities, including Houston, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Pensacola, Florida, among others.

The win netted the Tupelo team $5,000 in winnings. The team raised another $5,000 from local law firm Mama Justice through its Macon a Difference Foundation and an additional $1,000 from Corey Seawright, owner of Mississippi Premier Inspections, and his brother Jonathan Seawright. Cody Floyd, who is the head instructor at Tupelo Jiu-Jitsu Academy, also donated.

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The proceeds were used to jumpstart a batch of obstacles for a second, beginner-friendly skatepark for the city.

Since their donation, however, the ramps have remained in storage inside the citys former police station.

Whats important is how meaningful it still is to see the community come together like that, said Matt Robinson, owner of local skateboard shop, CHANGE, and the organizer of Tupelos annual skateboarding festival, CHANGE Fest.

Robinson said its disappointing the city hasnt installed the obstacles for young and beginning riders to use, especially after so many people contributed to its purchase.

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CHANGE Fest people raised the money, built the stuff and gave it to the city and then the city is doing their thing, Robinson said.

Robinson said following the 2023 CHANGE Fest, he and city officials began working on ideas of where to place the obstacles. The original plan, he said, was to place the ramps at the old farmers depot downtown.

Those plans fell through, however, and city officials have yet to land on a new location to set up the equipment.

Tupelo Parks and Recreation Director Alex Farned said the city is still considering multiple locations for the equipments installation, but there is nothing concrete. He said the city plans to look at its options again during the upcoming budgeting season.

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While the other wooden obstacles stores in that area are subject to weathering deterioration, Robinson noted that the donated ramps are made with gator skin, a composite wood designed for skating in outdoor ramps.

Robinson said he saw the community do-it-yourself attitude toward building beginner-level parks in every ward as refreshing, noting that he and others involved in the festival planned to build more obstacles every year and donate them to the city for different wards.

Robison said hed like to install small skate parks in every ward, one following each iteration of CHANGE Fest.

Though he said he felt the delay in installing the obstacles has put a wet blanket on building community-funded parks, he does not see this as the fault of the administration, noting that as president of the skatepark association, it was up to him to help facilitate the projects.

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I actually understand and appreciate that (the city) has a process that they have to go through, he said. In the meantime, we dont need a park built for that. All we need is a flat piece of concrete in the city and to not be arrested in the city.

To Robinson, the need for beginner obstacles is higher than ever with the renovation and complete reconstruction of the Boerner skatepark at Ballard Park, which opened in 2023. The $572,000 park is built to tournament specifications and isnt suited toward smaller or beginning riders.
May 9BEMIDJI  In the words of 2025 Distinguished Minnesotan Robert Anderson, one doesn't need a perfect plan to lead a meaningful life. What they need is purpose.

Such a message expanded beyond the walls of the Sanford Center on Friday as the Class of 2025 was celebrated from

Bemidji State University

and

Northwest Technical College.

The day's festivities kicked off with a commencement ceremony for the College of Creativity, Enterprise and Place in the morning, followed by a program for the College of Science and Health in the afternoon, as well as a ceremony for NTC to conclude the day.

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Being recognized in the span of one single day, BSU and NTC President John Hoffman encouraged graduates to reflect on their respective times at their respective institutions.

"There's a saying, 'If these walls could talk, oh, the stories they would tell.' Class of 2025, tell me. Think back on your last three or four years," Hoffman said. "What would the walls and halls of Bemidji State have to say? What are the stories, late nights and study sessions, friendships, learning, learning something about yourself. What would the stories be?"

Hoffman noted that the class of 2025 will be joining more than 50,000 alumni, all sharing a similarity in their decision to attend BSU.

"They share your story. Overcame amazing odds and hurdles to get to this space," Hoffman said. "What ties every BSU story together is this. BSU changes the lives of people who change lives."

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Sharing some notable stats, Hoffman noted that half of the 2025 graduating class are first-generation college students, 92% relied on financial aid to attend, one-third were adult learners returning to college and 70% arrived with transfer credits from other institutions.

Additionally, the 2025 class clocked in the largest number of American Indian graduates in any class since BSU's inception.

"You are rural, you are urban. You are from Minnesota and surrounding states across the country and across the globe," Hoffman added. "You are the full breadth of political views and world views. And you've all come together here."

Reflecting on his own story, graduate and Student Senate President Darby Bersie addressed the College of Creativity, Enterprise and Place  detailing his journey at BSU since starting in fall 2022 after two years of online high school.

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"I hadn't stepped into a classroom in years. I didn't know anyone and I was starting from scratch," Bersie said. "But then came the bricks. Countless hours spent in Hobson Memorial Union, a late night in Oak Hall, an early morning in the Student Senate office or playing rugby at the field house.

"Eventually, I realized I wasn't just building a resume or a career, but I was building a life and I wasn't doing it alone. The most important lessons I've learned here didn't come from a textbook or in the classroom, but it came from the people."

As a motivating factor in building his life, Bersie pointed to a piece of advice from a close friend.

"She once told me, 'To be cringe is to be free.' Over time, I've come to believe it," he added. "To be cringe is to be free because when you're not performing  when you're not trying to impress anyone  you are laying bricks that last. Bricks made of truth, bricks made of courage and bricks made of you."

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During his address, Anderson detailed his own path since graduating from BSU in 1980. Selected as the 2025 Distinguished Minnesotan, Anderson is a professor emeritus at the University of Washington School of Law, where he taught courses in American Indian law, public lands, water and property.

He was also nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as Solicitor of the Department of the Interior in 2021, a position he held until January 2025.

"As a child, my dad had instilled in me the belief that an education was something that could never be taken away from you. He was right," Anderson said. "That belief in an education as a general matter and the fact that I had gotten a high-quality education here at BSU stuck with me through all of my nights in law school."

Emphasizing his prior comment on the power of purpose, Anderson touched on the impact of community throughout each person's professional pursuits.

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"You need a community that believes in you and you need the courage to keep showing up day after day especially when the road is long, the weather is cold and you feel like no one's ever going to stop to give you a ride," Anderson mentioned. "Work with integrity."

Prior to the graduates crossing the stage and claiming their well-earned diplomas, George Soule, a member of the Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, recognized the class for their success as well as their challenges along the way.

"I know this hasn't been easy for some of you. Some have had to overcome barriers to enter college and to stay in college," Soule said. "Some are the first in your families to graduate from college. Many of you balanced school with a job and family.

"Today, your hard work has paid off. You are and will be living proof of the value of higher education, not just in dollars and cents. But think about the friends that you've made, the experiences you've had, the learning and growth that you've experienced inside and outside the classroom. Those will last for a lifetime."

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After officially becoming alumni, Foundation Board Member Jacob Richmann welcomed the 2025 graduating class into the legacy of the BSU Alumni and Foundation, and provided three pieces of advice.

"No. 1, build something that outlives you, whether it's a business, a family, a nonprofit, a great reputation. Make sure your legacy serves others," Richmann said. "No. 2, people over everything. The relationships you invest in will be the greatest return for your life. Never forget that people are true measures of success. No. 3, give back. Whether it's time, talent or treasure, generosity fuels purpose and purpose outlasts ambition every time."

Richmann further pressed on the matter of legacy, leaving off, "We live in a world that measures success in followers, in titles, in likes. But let me tell you something from the real world: legacy isn't what you keep. It's what you leave."

All ceremony recordings can be viewed on

BSU

and

NTC's

Facebook pages.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  On Friday, the Diocese of Birminghams Bishop Steven Raica celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving for the election of the new Pope.

CBS 42 News attended the service and spoke with those in attendance about their reaction to the news that the conclave had elected an American-born pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost, to head the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first mass in Vatican City on Friday.

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Here in Birmingham, we asked Bishop Raica to explain the significance of Fridays mass.

Today is a Mass of gratitude and thanksgiving for the election of a new Pope for us, he said. We are grateful for the providence that the Cardinals have provided through the action of the Holy Spirit.

After 40 days in ICE detention, Alabama student Alireza Doroudi decides to self-deport back to Iran

Some of the parishioners we spoke with at St. Pauls Cathedral said they were surprised to learn a Chicago native had been elected as the 267th pope.

When I heard the name Roberto, I thought, Is it Robert Sarah, the Cardinal from Africa? And then they said Prevost, and I heard a little bit about him, and I said, Its an American. I was amazed, I think none of us were expecting that, Brian Christine said.

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We were all excited that Pope Leo chose his name, said Nino Yutiamco, whose 4-year-old sons name is Leo.

Steve Harmon, a former faculty member at Samfords Beeson Divinity School, is in Rome reporting for Good Faith Media.

There were people overcome with emotion, some laughing, some crying, definitely a very emotional moment with a great crowd of people experiencing the same thing, he explained.

Bishop Raica said he plans to travel to Rome within the next two years with other Bishops from the region to deliver a report on church matters to Pope Leo XIV.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A Birmingham man was killed in a crash that occurred in Limestone County on Tuesday, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

William D. Hardrick, 22, was killed when the Chevrolet Impala he was driving was hit by a Peterbilt tractor-trailer. Hardricks vehicle left the roadway, struck a fence and a guardrail and overturned. Hardrick was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, John W. McAdams, failed to stop and fled the scene of the crash.

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Prior to striking Hardricks vehicle, McAdams was involved in a previous crash, in which the tractor-trailer he was operating struck a Nissan Sentra. The driver of the Nissan Sentra was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.

After striking multiple vehicles, the tractor-trailer came to a stop and caught fire.

McAdams was arrested by troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division. He was charged with murder, two counts of felony leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The crash occurred on Interstate 65 near U.S. 31, about two miles north of Athens. Troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division are investigating the crash.

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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 CBS 42.
NANTY GLO, Pa.  Blacklick Valley High School teacher Shane Rudnik carefully transported roughly 50 rainbow trout raised in his classroom to individual cups for students to carefully deposit in Stewarts Run creek Friday as part of the annual Trout in the Classroom program.

I feel honored just to be part of the wildlife, seventh-grader Catelyn Witherow said.

She and her friend Alexis Wood gingerly stepped into the creek and lowered their cups into the water as part of the program.

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The two watched with smiles as the small fish begin their new lives in the local body of water.

Awesome, Wood said.

Each year Rudnik, whos vice president of Mountain Laurel Trout Unlimited, raises the fish to deposit in the stream between Ebensburg and Mundys Corner, where trout unlimited has also done improvement projects.

Throughout the months-long program that starts in January, the students learn about the lifecycle of the fish and their ecosystem.

That was Woods favorite portion of the lessons.

We learned to test the water to make sure the levels were correct and temperature, she said. It was awesome.

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Lucas Brown, an 11th-grader, was also intrigued by the release.

The lifelong fisherman and hunter said getting to deposit the trout in the stream was cool and that he enjoyed connecting with nature.

The hands-on approach is what Rudnik said he enjoys about the offering.

They get to apply what they learn and see in action, he said.

Rudnik added that students can learn a lot in the classroom, but when you get outside the walls its a whole different world.

In addition to the release, the students also explored work stations from Cambria County Conservation District, Prince Gallitzin State Park, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

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The 40 seventh- through 11th-grade students broke into groups and explored herpetology, tree identification, snakes, macroinvertebrates and fly casting.

Melissa Reckner, Brandywine Conservancy Penguin Court program manager, noted the importance of introducing students to these outdoors worlds and activities.

She said many people arent aware of the natural resources located in their backyards.

Reckner also said she hoped the students were inspired by Fridays lessons to possibly become the next conservationists.
NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11)  Air traffic controllers for Newark International Airport experienced a second total blackout of its radar and communications for about 90 seconds overnight, according to the FAA.

The White House said a copper wire is again to blame, and that the DOT and FAA will work Friday night to address the issue and prevent further outages.

More Local News

New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer renewed calls on Friday for more air traffic controllers to be temporarily relocated to Newarks airspace. Hes further asking the DOT to send its air traffic control overhaul plan to Congress for a vote by June 1st.

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Gottheimer also wants to expedite the training of military air traffic controllers to handle commercial airspace.

Ive heard from many in the military  military controllers, specifically  who are ready with the experience and the desire to help, said Gottheimer. If they can handle the skies in the militarytheyd have a great leg up on handling the flights here over the New York and Newark airspace.

Travelers at EWR said Friday that they dont feel great about flying after a second communications failure, but they believe the alternative is too much of an inconvenience.

I did have concerns, and I had the option to switch to LaGuardia, but I live here in Jersey, said Rachel Phillips, who flew into EWR Friday morning from Houston.

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I actually called United and they looked at other options for us and they were very complicated out of LaGuardia, so I decided well just take a risk, said Ellen Vanwart, who was flying Friday to New Orleans.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
HERRIMAN, Utah (ABC4)  A senior at Layton High School might not get to wear his cap and gown this year to take photos with friends and family after graduation.

Its getting ripped away from me in some part of the way, Rave Morby said.

Morby is a senior in high school, half homeschooled and half online and through Layton High School.

He was shocked when the school told him the bad news.

The high school doesnt want to give me the cap and gown until after graduation is all over and everyone is turning in their cap and gowns, Morby said.

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Now, his already purchased cap and gown might not be worn on graduation day.

I just want to get my cap and gown to take pictures because I feel like thats the most memorable part of graduation for everyone, Morby said.

After years of hard work, Raves mom urged his school to reconsider.

I know things take time. I know there are rules and standards for everyone. I didnt think it was that much to ask for a cap and gown for pictures, Lindsie Morby, his mom said.

Rave has an extremely rare genetic disorder triple A syndrome along with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

His mom, who has a degree in education, homeschooled him from when he was in fourth grade until now. Because of medical reasons, he was missing a lot of school, so they switched to homeschooling.

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Now, Lindsie Morby says there are new rules for homeschooling regarding graduation credits she didnt know about.

She says hes graduating with the correct number of credits but not to the schools standards, even though colleges have already been accepting him and offering him scholarships.

I guess there is now in place of a review system in place, a review system of homeschool curriculum so that high schools can choose to accept it and grandfather them in. They get to walk and get the whole thing, but I guess its an all-or-nothing deal. You either get everything through the high school or nothing, Lindsie Morby said.

Rave started an online petition hoping to get the school and district to let him wear his cap and gown and snap a few photos with friends to commemorate the big day.

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I hope my principal and counselor are going to be willing to let me have my cap and gown at the end of the day and have my memory. I hope if it doesnt happen for me, I just want to see a change for other people, Rave Morby said.

ABC4 received the following statement from the Davis School District:

Graduation from an accredited high school is the pinnacle of a K-12 public education in Davis School District. Students who participate in such ceremonies have met academic requirements established by the Utah State Board of Education and policy of the Davis School District Board of Education.

Teachers, counselors and administrators work with students throughout their education career to track and document the credits they need to graduateespecially during their senior year. It is never a surprise to any student, by this time of year, whether they have met the requirements to graduate.

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We do everything we can to help students meet those standards, yet, it remains incumbent on the Davis School District to preserve the integrity of its diploma.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Pohakuloa, Hawaii (KHON2)  The Board of Land and Natural Resources heard testimony for eight hours on Friday as it made a decision on the future of the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island.

Hawaii County intensifies fight against coconut rhinoceros beetle

The BLNR decided to reject the U.S. Armys final environmental impact statement for its live-fire training use of the 23,000 acres of state land.

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There are four years left of the Armys 65-year lease, the military wanted to retain the land and to get a new lease, they have to go through an environmental review process.

Before the hearing began at 9 a.m., Chair Dawn Chang said this would be the most important decision the board has ever made.

Around 6:15 p.m. a decision was made.

Hawaii islands BLNR representative voted in favor of accepting the EIS saying he understood the concerns raised by the community and felt the Army had addressed short-comings identified in the EIS.

But BLNR member Kaiwi Yoon quickly said he didnt agree with that decision or the U.S. Army using the word warrior to describe the men in training.

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What we heard from the community is that we are exhausted and I hear that call and I bring this up because the fundamental question is, is live-fire good or bad for our cultural and natural resources? Yes or no? And the answer is clearly no, because there is no warrior that would say firing missiles and rockets is good for that cultural environment, Yoon added.

The others said there were too many deficiencies in the Armys documents and comments were not adequetly addressed, and while the board believes the military is trying their best, the question at the end of the day was if the Army met all the EIS requirements.

Based on my review of the document, and oral comments today, I do not feel its adequate, and I do not support the current motion, Chair Chang said.

Hundreds of people showed up in person to testify on Friday, and over 1,300 pieces of testimony were submitted. It was standing room only and overflow as many expressed their opposition of approving the Armys final EIS at Pohakuloa.

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This is not about approving a new lease, this is not about whether we like the military here in Hawaii, its not about Red Hill and other military installations, we are here about three volumes of paper that sit on this desk, said an Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands staff member during the hearing while pointing at three large binders of paper.

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OCCL said the use of the land is inconsistent with the conservation district and state land use policy and noted other concerns. We had issues with known impacts on wildlife and birds, incompleteness of the archeological surveys, and those who were interviewed for the cultural impact assessment, the OCCL staffer added.

Chair Chang told testifiers that if the BLNR was unable to make a decision, the EIS would be deemed accepted automatically.

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Many who testified against accepting the EIS said the U.S. Army has shown time and time again that they have not been good caretakers of the land.

This environmental review is missing key information including biological and cultural surveys, it ignores impacts to adjacent federal lands which is a clear requirement under state law, turns a blind eye to threats to endangered species, and the impacts to cultural resources and practices and aquifer contamination, said Healani Sonoda-Pale, Ka Lahui Hawaii spokesperson.

Hawaii secures historic $700M settlement with pharmaceutical giants

The U.S. Armys Final EIS can be found here.

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The military says the land is an ideal location for national defense and security, and benefits multiple agencies.

PTA is the only area in the region that allows this source of training, explained Col. Rachel Sullivan, U.S. Army Garrison Commander. Training our forces for the higher standard of preparedness and safety, we have a responsibility top train our soldiers our nations youth who volunteered to be warriors.

Some of these assets are not available anywhere else in Hawaii or the pacific region, Col. Sullivan added. PTA provides a critical training opportunity for the U.S. Army, Marines, Air Force, Army Reserve and National Guard. She said state and county officials also utilize the area as well.

The Hawaii County Chamber of Commerce also supported the measure

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Another testifier argued that due to lack of archeological surveys, its unknown how many iwi are on the land. With the discoveries made in 2003 and April 2021, there are bound to be more, the testifier said.

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

James Maioho testified saying it is clear from the executive summary and what weve already heard this morning that there is a lack of content to the document and the process itself and this testimony you have enough to deny this EIS.

The Armys lease is up in 2029. They can appeal the decision or file an action.

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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 KHON2.
Saudi Arabia and packaging solutions company Sidel have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Paris, France, to explore the development of packaging operations within the kingdom.

The deal was signed during the Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources official visit to France.

The MOU was signed by Saudi National Industrial Development Center CEO Saleh AlSolami and Sidel Customer Management AOA executive vice-president Clive Smith.

The deal reflects Saudi Arabias intent to attract global partners to localise advanced manufacturing.

It is part of efforts to foster technology transfer within key industrial sectors in the country.

AlSolami said: Sidel is a global leader in the packaging solutions market and a source of valuable sectoral knowledge.

This partnership supports our ambition to build globally competitive industrial capabilities across strategic sectors. We welcome partners who share our long-term vision and are ready to invest in Saudi Arabias industrial base and people.

The MOU includes a joint evaluation of establishing local services and training programmes.

This assessment will focus on meeting the needs of the food and beverage packaging market.

The move aligns with Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 goals for economic diversification and private-sector development.

National Industrial Development Program industrial services vice-president Yousef Dhahi said: Our partnership with Sidel was established after a thorough assessment of market needs and the expectation for significant value-added contributions to manufacturers in Saudi Arabia.

Sidel has been in high demand among many manufacturers in the food and beverage sector.

In January this year, Sidel unveiled a packaging solution built for high-speed output, using 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate for still beverages such as water and juice.

"Saudi Arabia and Sidel sign MOU to explore local packaging operations" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand.




HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  A homicide investigation is underway after a woman was found dead in a parking lot in Henry County Saturday.

The Henry County Sheriffs Office said a call came in on Saturday, May 10 about a possible body in the parking lot of Gin Creek WMA  even though the Gin Creek Unit is a part of the Big Sandy Wildlife Management Area, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency  on Copper Springs Road.

Man dead, police investigating self-defense claim after shooting in South Nashville

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Hunters reportedly discovered a dead woman on the edge of the the parking lot. Authorities said she has since been identified as 31-year-old Kristiana Shook-Livingston, with a last known address listed as homeless in Murfreesboro.

The sheriffs office said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Murfreesboro Police Department are helping with the investigation. The 24th Judicial District Attorneys Office has also been contacted for assistance.

Law enforcement announced on Sunday, May 11 that the medical examiners office has deemed the preliminary cause of death as homicide, so the case is being investigated as such.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Officials believe this was an isolated incident and that theres no threat to the public.

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If you have any information about this case, youre asked to call the Henry County Sheriffs Office Investigation Division at 731-642-1672, or the TBI at 1-800-824-3463 or tipstotbi@tbi.tn.gov.

No additional details have been released about this death investigation.

 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.

 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
(KRON)  A body was found at Its Beach in Santa Cruz Friday.

The Santa Cruz Police Department said the body was reported to authorities at 2:13 p.m.

The identity of the body is pending verification by the Santa Cruz County Coroner, SCPD said.

A UC Santa Cruz student disappeared at Its Beach around 4:45 p.m. on May 4 after two people jumped from a cliff into the ocean near Steamer Lane. A witness reported that two swimmers struggled to swim back to shore after jumping into the water at the popular surf spot. One person made it back to shore. The other did not, the Santa Cruz City Fire Department said.

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UC Santa Cruz student disappears in ocean at Steamer Lane

Sundays search-and-rescue efforts at Its Beach in Santa Cruz. (Photo courtesy Santa Cruz City Fire Department)

A massive search-and-rescue effort was launched at Its Beach to recover the missing student. The U.S. Coast Guard, California State Parks, harbor patrol, local lifeguards and multiple fire departments responded to the scene. The missing student was not found during the search and rescue mission.

Specialized search patterns were conducted in the area where the victim was last seen, along with drone operations for assistance, SCCFD said. After over an hour of an extensive search, it was determined to conclude the search from shore. Coast Guard units remained on scene to search the area with both aircraft and a vessel.

Officials have not confirmed if the body found Friday is that of the missing UC Santa Cruz student.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
WAYNE COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT)  A system-wide boil water notice has been issued for the Southwest Wayne Water Association.

Serengeti Springs at Hattiesburg Zoo offers new amenities

The notice affects 1,100 individuals in Wayne County, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). This alert was issued as a result of a pressure loss due to a control panel at the well.

Health officials strongly recommend that all water be boiled vigorously for one minute before it is consumed. The water system will be notified when tests show that the water is safe to drink.

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President Donald Trump is attempting to sell migrants on a one-way ticket home.

The Department of Homeland Security announced a historic opportunity for illegal aliens on Monday, launching a program that gives free flights and financial assistance to those seeking to leave the United States. Today, Trump threw some extra weight behind the initiative by signing an executive order.

Today I signed an executive order to launch the first-ever self-deportation program for illegal aliens, Trump said in a video shared by The White House.

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We are making it as easy as possible for illegal aliens to leave America, the president continued. Any illegal alien can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out of our country.

The so-called Project Homecoming initiative will grant migrants federal government funding to leave the U.S. with a stipend of $1,000 plus a free airline ticket. The DHS has claimed that the measure will decrease the cost of deportation by around 70 percent.

Illegals can book a free flight to any foreign country, Trump shared. As long as its not here, you can go anywhere you want.

The administration has also launched a free app, CBP Home, which will pay out the travel expenses stipend once someone has left the United States. Cooperation with the government through the use of the app may help a migrant looking to re-enter the U.S. legally later on, the DHS has said.

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This deportation bonus will save American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars, Trump continued, before going back to the Blame Biden playbook.

What Biden did to this country can never be explained, will never ever be accepted, Trump stated. Eventually, when the illegals are gone, it will save us trillions of dollars.

The DHS has claimed that tickets have already been booked by migrants wanting to leave the U.S., with one person departing from Chicago to Honduras.

The move is part of the wider push that the Trump administration has made to remove migrants living in the U.S. illegally. Trump entered office claiming he would deport millions, though so far his administration trails behind Bidens in its removal of illegal migrants.

Trump deported 37,000 people in his first month in office, which is far fewer than the Biden average of 57,000. The DHS has previously claimed that the lower figure is because fewer people are attempting to enter the country, thanks to Trumps tough stance.
President Donald Trump's proposed budget includes cuts to federal housing aid, including vouchers.

The vouchers are used by more than 2 million low-income households, but millions more qualify.

Seniors reliant on Social Security and struggling with health issues tell BI they need the aid.

After Richard Hale had his left leg amputated last October, he struggled to find a new place to live that could accommodate a wheelchair and that he could afford.

An Air Force veteran who worked in construction for much of his career, Hale, 64, hasn't been able to work since he began experiencing vascular issues in the summer of 2023.

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And, for years, his housing was precarious: he lived with his brother, who also suffers from chronic health issues, in a mobile home an hour northwest of Portland, Maine. Hale relies on his girlfriend to help him with basic daily activities, but his landlord wouldn't allow three people to live in their mobile home and demanded he move out.

"I'm just one bill, one emergency situation, away from being food-insecure or housing-insecure," said Hale, whose income consists only of his monthly $1,675 Social Security disability checks.

Luckily, in March, he was approved for a Housing Choice Voucher through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, and in late April, he moved into an accessible and affordable unit in a 55+ building.

Hale is now one of about 2.3 million US households that rely on housing vouchers. A growing number of voucher holders are older and living on fixed incomes. Tenants with vouchers pay about 30% of their income toward rent, while the US Department of Housing and Urban Development covers the rest, up to what it determines to be fair market rent .

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But the future of vouchers is uncertain. President Donald Trump's budget proposal asks to slash HUD funding by about 44%, with a $26.7 billion cut in funding  a 43% reduction  for rental assistance, which includes vouchers, public housing, and aid for older people and those with disabilities. The proposal, which would need to be approved by Congress, would replace the housing voucher program with block grants and impose two-year limits on rental assistance for healthy adults.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner, praised the budget proposal in a statement, arguing that federal housing programs have become "too bloated and bureaucratic to efficiently function."

HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett pointed to a recent statement Turner made, saying that his goal is to "get people off of subsidy, and live a life of self-sustainability," while supporting those who require assistance.

Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, has previously called for an end to all housing vouchers, arguing the program "brings with it crime, decreased property values, and results in dependency, and subsidized irresponsibility."

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But Hale's holding out hope that Trump's cuts in federal spending will translate to bigger Social Security checks for people like him.

"They may find extra money to give everybody on Social Security a boost, because, God knows, you can't live on a monthly basis on Social Security," he said.

Trump and Congressional Republicans have not announced any plans to make major increases to Social Security benefits.

President Donald Trump's budget proposal asks to slash HUD funding by about 44%, including a 43% cut in funding for rental assistance. ALASTAIR PIKE/Getty Images

A growing low-income elderly population

There are already far more low-income households than housing vouchers. Only about one in four Americans who are eligible for a voucher receive one. A recent Zillow report found there are almost 17 million more severely rent-burdened households than available vouchers. The average wait time to get the assistance, which is doled out by local public housing authorities, is two and a half years .

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The program also faces challenges. A declining number of landlords across the US accept them, and a growing number of voucher recipients can't find a landlord who will take them. While it's illegal in some places to discriminate against voucher holders , the practice isn't outlawed everywhere. And many landlords say the administrative process is simply too slow or burdensome .

But some housing policy experts say vouchers are a particularly effective form of housing assistance. They give low-income people more power to choose the neighborhood, building, and unit they want to live in  and to stay there, creating stability and better work and educational opportunities for themselves and their families.

It offers an alternative to traditional government-owned and operated public housing, which is often underfunded and dilapidated.

With his voucher, Hale will pay $493 per month in rent for an accessible one-bedroom apartment in a brand new 55+ subsidized housing development not far from him in Westbrook, Maine. That leaves him just over $1,000 a month for all his other expenses. So, despite ongoing health issues, he also hopes to start working part-time as soon as he can.

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"I've always been one of those people that believes when one door closes, another one opens, eventually," he said.

Robin Spear, 62, hasn't had an easy time living in public housing in Oklahoma City. But after a year of experiencing homelessness, she was desperate for any home she could get.

"I'm grateful for the roof over my head, I'm not complaining about that at all," Spear told BI. But she doesn't feel safe in her building, which she says suffers from deferred maintenance issues and disrespectful neighbors. "My daughter won't let my grandkids even come over here."

Robin Spear, 62, experienced homelessness for a year before finding subsidized housing in Oklahoma City. Courtesy of Robin Spear

The search for affordable senior housing isn't over for Tracey Lee, 67, It became increasingly clear to her that she needed to find subsidized housing as her landlord repeatedly raised the rent on her one-bedroom apartment in Long Beach, California, in recent years. Lee had to stop working last year when she began suffering from kidney failure and went on dialysis.

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Lee says she relies chiefly on her Social Security checks, after spending much of her retirement nest egg on medical care.

"The bills are exceeding what I get monthly," Lee said. "It's a month-by-month situation."

Luckily, she was recently approved for a subsidized apartment in a senior building in Long Beach and is supposed to move in about six months. Her new rent will be just a third of her income. In the meantime, Lee hopes to go back to work and is looking for a full-time remote job in healthcare customer service, mortgage lending, or counseling  all industries she's previously worked in.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A suspect remains at large after a 12-year-old boy was killed in a shooting at a Compton park Friday afternoon.

Los Angeles County deputies responded to a shooting on the 2100 block of Oris Street near Fig/Oleander Park shortly before 4 p.m.

The boy was found with gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital where he died from his injuries.

A small playground at Fig/Oleander Park in Compton was cordoned off after a boy was found shot to death on May 9, 2025. (KTLA) Deputies are investigating after a boy was found shot to death near a Compton park on May 9, 2025. (KTLA) Deputies are investigating after a boy was found shot to death near a Compton park on May 9, 2025. (KTLA) A small playground at Fig/Oleander Park in Compton, California. (Google Maps) Deputies are investigating after a boy was found shot to death near a Compton park on May 9, 2025. (KTLA) Deputies are investigating after a boy was found shot to death near a Compton park on May 9, 2025. (KTLA) A small playground at Fig/Oleander Park in Compton was cordoned off after a boy was found shot to death on May 9, 2025. (KTLA) A small playground at Fig/Oleander Park in Compton was cordoned off after a boy was found shot to death on May 9, 2025. (KTLA)

No suspects were found at the scene and its unclear what led up to the fatal shooting. Sky5 footage showed authorities had cordoned off a playground at Fig/Oleander Park, which was located in a residential area.

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The suspect remains at large. He was described as a male wearing all black clothing, including a black ski mask, and was last seen running northbound on Oleander Avenue.

No further details, including the boys identity, were released as police continue investigating.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call LASDs Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.

Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
When US vice-president JD Vance criticised the infringements on free speech that are rapidly coming to define the UKs international reputation, few were more offended than Sir Keir Starmer. The Prime Minister  who in his previous role as Director of Public Prosecutions oversaw the unsuccessful prosecution of the Twitter joke trial  insisted that Britain was very proud of its free speech.

He would have done better to caveat his statement with politically approved. A string of cases have shown that free speech in Britain is under severe threat from an overbearing state, with little apparent appetite in Westminster to rein it in. The most recent entry in a long and dispiriting series has seen a retired special constable wrongly arrested and jailed for a social media post condemning anti-Semitism.

Shocking body-worn footage shows officers searching the home of Julian Foulkes, 71, pointing to Brexity material on his shelves, prior to his being held in a police cell for eight hours then released with a caution.

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This latest incident  as with the hounding of Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson, the investigation of former Labour MP Ian Austin for calling Hamas Islamist and the police visiting writer Julie Bindel without explaining which tweet had triggered their visit  follows a familiar and worrying pattern. In each case, the initial legal wrong has to date been redressed; the chilling effect of the investigations remains.

The thought that a loosely worded comment could result in massive legal bills, the shame of arrest, a stint in jail and potentially a criminal sentence is understandably exerting an unwelcome force on public discourse, limiting necessary criticism and discussion.

Some in Westminster may see this as a feature rather than a bug. Over time, the meaning of policing by consent has shifted from the support of a singular British community, to the buy-in of multiple communities with conflicting interests and opinions. And as the set of overlapping interests has narrowed, so too the model of policing has shifted to managing and suppressing community tensions rather than protecting and upholding the rights and liberties of the individual.

This is a poor model. Rather than instructing police officers to act as glorified social media moderators, we should free their time to work on serious crimes, and free the public to engage in frank conversation without the creeping fear of an early morning knock on the door. As things stand, Britains dismal record on free speech deserves every criticism Mr Vance had to offer. If we dislike this, we should work to fix our laws rather than object to being shown a mirror.

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.
BROOKVILLE, Ohio (WDTN)  More than 500 Brookville Local Schools students and alumni came together to open a time capsule from the year 2000.

The chest included various memorabilia from students that attended the school 25 years ago. Many of those same students were there to open up the capsule and retrieve their items.

Dayton approves $7 million to renovate Kettering Fields

The current class also got to build their own capsule to open 25 years from now, in 2050.

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The time capsule tradition began in Brookville with the first one created in 1976.

Ms. Hoy poses next to a clip of her 2 NEWS interview from 2000.

One teacher at the ceremony today has been at all three time capsule burials, saying its a special way to make memories for everyone involved.

This time capsule today is so powerful, and so beautiful for these little ones to come back in 25 years, and say, I cant believe I did that, said Gleneeda Hoy, Brookville teacher. Theyre saying that today from 2000. Its so beautiful and powerful and wonderful.

2 NEWS was there in 2000 for the capsule burial, and interviewed Ms. Hoy back then as well.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
The son of the Brooklyn livery driver killed and dumped on the side of the road in Connecticut in 2005, said he had stopped holding onto hope that the cold case would be solved as decades passed.

He learned to live without his father Mureed Hussain  and with no memories of him.

Now, twenty years later, with a recent breakthrough and arrest in his fathers case, 21-year-old Safwan Mureed said hes trying to sort through mixed emotions of gratitude and grief.

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We had lost hope. We kind of stopped thinking about it We just felt like this massive injustice happened and then there wasnt any resolution, there wasnt any justice, Mureed told the Daily News.

Mureed was an infant when his father was killed. He said his father, who has been described to him throughout his life as a kind and loving man, immigrated to New York from Pakistan in the late 90s in pursuit of economic opportunity to support his family.

Hussain, who was 35 at the time, mainly worked in construction, and had picked up a second job driving a cab at night just a few weeks before he was brutally murdered, Mureed said.

It was winter, there were less [construction] jobs, so he decided to start driving, Mureed said.

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On Feb. 9 2005, three young men showed up at the Eastland Cab Company headquarters in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and asked to be driven to Enfield, Connecticut. Hussain, who had just gotten off his 12-hour shift, agreed to drive them there for $200, according to the criminal complaint and a Hartford Courant article published at the time.

Hussain was later found shot in the back of the head, his body tossed over a guardrail.

South Main Street and School Street, thats where we believe the shooting took place, Windsor Locks Det. Sgt. Jeff Lampson told NBC Connecticut last month.

We believe the cab driver was in his van, was either compelled to pull over or pulled over under his own volition, was shot in the car, and then pulled out, thrown over the guardrail, and his vehicle was located in Brooklyn.

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Hussains wife began to worry as time passed and he didnt return home, Mureed said.

She said that she woke up and he wasnt home. She wasnt that worried. She just assumed he was out working, Mureed said of his mother. But you know, time keeps passing, and then eventually she starts getting worried. She started calling and calling and hes not picking up. She was calling other people in the family, they didnt know where he was either.

Three days later, the familys worst nightmare became their reality, and one-year-old Safwan and his four-year-old brother Huzaifa were left without a father.

I dont have any memories [of him.], Mureed said. My brother, the only memory he has was in the funeral home. His body was being taken back to Pakistan to be buried there, and someone held him up to see [the body]. Thats the only thing he can recall.

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I talk about this a lot with [my brother], just about how different our lives couldve been. The life we couldve had, Mureed said solemnly.

The case ultimately went cold until Windsor Lock, CT detectives reopened the case last spring.

Through advancements in forensic technology, interviews, canvassing, and a re-examination of the evidence seized in 2005, detectives developed suspects, the Windsor Locks PD said in a statement.

Two suspects, who had been identified back in 2005, were linked again to the killing through DNA evidence collected inside Hussains cab, officials said.

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Suspect Mohammed Ali fled the country after the killing. After an arrest warrant was filed earlier this year, U.S. Marshals arrested 38-year-old Ali in Dublin, Ohio in March.

Alis DNA was found on Hussains clothing in areas that would be consistent with pulling a body out of a car and dragging him away.

The arrest was a shock, Mureed said. It was emotional. I think for all of us, we kind of just moved on in a way, before the detectives came. Once they came last year its like, its all real again.

Ali was extradited back to Connecticut, arraigned on murder charges on April 17 and ordered held without bail. Mureed and his family traveled to Hartford to attend the hearing.

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I never felt that angry, he said of seeing Ali in court. To tell you the truth I didnt want to see his face. I did [see it]. He looked pathetic. I really mean it. He looked disgusting.

The second suspect, Arfan Butt, 33, was shot and killed as he drove his gold BMW through Brooklyn in 2020, officials said. At the time of his death he was a registered sex offender convicted of first-degree rape, cops said. His murder remains unsolved, although police believe he was shot by his passenger.

He died as he lived, Mureed said matter-of-factly.

A third person-of-interest, NYPD Detective Rohail Khalid was linked to the 2005 homicide in Alis arrest warrant, but his lawyer has insisted he is innocent.

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Khalid, 38, was stripped of his gun and shield and placed on modified duty last month, officials said. Khalids potential link to the killing was first reported in CT Insider.

In 2005, Khalid was identified as one of three persons believed to be involved in the case, the documents say. He has adamantly denied any involvement in the killing and, when the murder took place, gave detectives an alibi, court documents confirm.

Khalid, Butt and Ali were friends who attended James Madison High School. They also lived in Marine Park, Brooklyn, where Hussains cab was found a few days after the murder.

Khalid offered his DNA to Connecticut detectives to see if it could be matched to items recovered on Hussains person or in his cab, which was recovered in Brooklyn after the killing, his attorney John Arlia told the News last month.

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Det. Rohail Khalid was cleared by the NYPD in this investigation some 20 years ago, when he appeared voluntarily to assist in the investigation and accordingly no arrests were made, said Arlia, who is conflict trial counsel for each of the NYPD law enforcement unions.

[He] offered his DNA for testing to prove he was never involved with any criminality. This DNA test was negative and thus exonerates him from these false accusations.

Additional DNA tests ordered by Windsor Locks police have yet to be completed, but when they are, Det. Khalid will be exonerated, Arlia said.

As the case continues to unfold, Mureed said he feels grateful for some closure after nearly an entire lifetime without answers.

I think that anything you do in this life, you should have to answer for it, he said.

I know its been 20 years, but Im thankful that a semblance of justice is going to be served.
This story was originally published on Utility Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Utility Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

Sempra plans to sell Ecogas Mexico, a three-utility conglomerate that provides natural gas service in the Mexicali, Chihuahua and La Laguna-Durango regions in Mexico, and a minority stake in its development arm Sempra Infrastructure in order to finance expansion plans in Texas, company leaders said during a Thursday earnings call.

The company plans to spend $13 billion on energy infrastructure this year alone, with $10 billion of that investment destined for the United States, Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Martin said.

Analysts at Morningstar welcomed news of the sale and the company's desire to refocus on its regulated utilities. Sempra disappointed analysts and investors in February when it cut its earnings projections amid rising costs and will need to continue strong execution, according to Morningstar strategist Andrew Bischof.

Dive Insight:

Sempra's Texas subsidiaries continue to draw what analysts described as huge numbers from would-be customers hoping to connect to the utility's electric system. And to bring those customers online, Sempra plans to invest heavily in new transmission projects.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas anticipates a need for $32 billion to $35 billion in new transmission to serve a projected 150 GW peak load by 2030, and Texas-based electric distributor Oncor is well-positioned to construct a significant portion of the required transmission infrastructure, according to Karen Sedgwick, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Sempra. Sempra owns 80% of Oncor.

The company is already involved in the $15 billion to $17 billion Permian transmission project, which is set to become ERCOT's first extra-high-voltage transmission project following a decision by the Public Utility Commission of Texas in April. Sempra originally anticipated that the construction of the Permian project would stretch beyond 2030, but recent regulatory decisions have shortened the timeline, prompting a need for greater near-term funding, Martin said.

And Oncor itself continues to attract a record number of requests from large prospective customers, with new requests up 30% since the end of the year, Oncor CEO Allen Nye said. The company's customer queue now consists of 156 GW of requests from data centers, and 22 GW from other industrial sectors, he said.

Oncor has high confidence that 29.5 GW of that load will come online by 2031, and has signed interconnection agreements for an additional 9 GW of new load, Nye said.
Bryan Kohberger allegedly ogled photos of college coeds in swimsuits in the months before he allegedly murdered four University of Idaho students.

Some more of Bryan's alleged cell phone browsing history is being revealed by "Dateline" ... they say they got info from cops showing Bryan was checking out female college students in bikinis.

TMZ

And, get this ... NBC News says they dug through social media and found some of the bikini-clad coeds on Bryan's phone were friends with or followers of 3 of the 4 students Kohberger is accused of murdering ... Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen.

TMZ

"Dateline" also says Kohberger searched online for "sociopathic traits in college student" a couple months before the November murders ... and in October they say he went online to search "can psychopaths behave prosocially." As we reported, his Kobberger was also looking up Ted Bundy, porn ... and Britney Spears' song, "Criminal."

Bryan Kohberger In Court - Click image to open gallery

Cops also reportedly have cell phone data showing Kohberger near the house where the students were murdered on multiple occasions, often at night.

Kohberger is set to go on trial this summer after being arrested and charged with four murders ... and he has continued to maintain his innocence.
Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didnt cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, its an off-topic thread.

The caption to this weeks top shot reads:

BRDY MILITARY BASE, CZECH REPUBLIC  MARCH 28: A part of the abandoned bunker complex that formerly belonged to the Soviet military on the Brdy reservation near Mirosov on March 28, 2007 near Plzen, Czech Republic. The site which was visited by US experts, may become the new location of an American radar installation that will be used for the pupose of anti-missile defense. (Photo by Kurt Vinion/Getty Images)

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Also, a reminder:

Prime Directives!

If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that theres always somebody that isnt going to agree with you.

If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you cant handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else.

No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just dont interact with folks you dont like.

Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! Thats as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you dont like what you see.

So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isnt going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, its probably best to just move on.

Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesnt mean reporting people who dont share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard.

The Bunker is open!

Contact the editor: tyler@twz.com
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  About 150 graduating student doctors from Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine walked the stage to receive their degrees on Friday, May 9.

The spring 2025 commencement ceremony took place on May 9 at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces.

According to the news release by Burrell College, 151 graduating student doctors participated in the commencement ceremony, the largest graduating class of any regional medical school this year.

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The keynote address was given by Dr. Kevin OConnor, a retired U.S. Army colonel and the former White House physician to former Presidents Joe Biden and George W. Bush, Burrell College said.

This commencement ceremony is more than a celebration  its a testament to the resilience, determination, and heart of our students, said John Hummer, president of Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. Each graduate represents not only years of rigorous training, but a deep commitment to improving the lives of others through medicine. We are proud to see them begin their careers as physicians, and we know they will carry forward Burrells mission of serving underserved and rural communities across the country.

Graduates from the Class of 2025 have matched into the following residency programs:

Allergy and immunology

Anesthesiology

Dermatology

Diagnostic radiology

Emergency medicine

Family medicine

Internal medicine

Medical genetics

Neurology

Neurosurgery

Nuclear medicine

Obstetrics and gynecology

Ophthalmology

Pathology

Pediatrics

Physical medicine and rehabilitation

Preventive medicine

Psychiatry

Radiation oncology

Surgery

Urology

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Each of our graduates is a reflection of the academic excellence and community focus we champion at Burrell, Dr. William Pieratt, executive vice president of Academic Services, dean and chief academic cfficer, said. Our mission is to graduate physicians who are not only clinically prepared but also culturally competent and deeply aware of the health challenges facing our communities. With our growing footprint in Florida and New Mexico, we are proud to educate the next generation of doctors who will make a lasting impact across the nation.

According to Burrell College, since its founding in 2013, the college has graduated 862 physicians.

In July 2025, Burrell College opened its newest campus in Melbourne, Florida, to reflect the colleges commitment to addressing the physician shortage in medically underserved regions.

Burrell College received the highest level of accreditation from the American Osteopathic Associations Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA)  a Ten-Year Accreditation with Exceptional Outcome  affirming the Colleges unwavering commitment to the success of its student doctors, the news release read.

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For more information, you can visit Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicines website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
ASHTABULA  An Ashtabula Harbor business is reaching out to assist an area woman fighting breast cancer.

Weeepaaa Smoked & BBQ LLC is hosting an event from 2-5 p.m. May 10 at 913 Joseph Ave., Ashtabula, to help raise funds for Samantha Noce, who is battling breast cancer, according to a press release from the business.

All proceeds from a basket raffle at the event will got to Noce. Food will be available at the event, including brisket, pork, chicken, Puerto Rican red rice, and macaroni and cheese.
In December 2024, the Norwegian government decided to pause its controversial deep-sea mining plans in Arctic waters following concerns about its threat to marine ecosystems.

The policy limbo has affected deep-sea mining companies in Norway, with some folding, going bankrupt, or significantly slashing costs. However, nearly five months after suspending its seabed mining plans, the government announced a tentative licensing round for 2026, Mongabay reported.

What's happening?

The suspension has affected Norwegian deep-sea mining companies in different ways. Some, like Adepth Minerals CEO Anette Broch, remain cautiously optimistic. "This is a lengthy process, but I believe our government will initiate the process," she said, according to Mongabay.

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In the meantime, Adepth Minerals will focus on data analysis, developing new mining technologies, and enhancing public awareness of its activities.

Other companies have struggled financially because of the delay. Loke Marine Minerals declared bankruptcy in early April, while Green Minerals had to cut costs, slashing 80% of its budget.

Activists and environmentalists remain skeptical about the deep-sea mining industry and its potential risks to marine ecosystems. Haldis Helle, an activist from Greenpeace Norway, likens the deep-sea mining industry to gambling with the ocean.

"We're talking about sending mining machines into the last true wilderness on Earth, and it's completely reckless," she said, according to Mongabay.

Why is deep-sea mining concerning?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, deep-sea mining is the process of extracting minerals from the ocean floor. It's still in an experimental stage, so it's hard to say the exact impacts it would have on the ocean and the marine ecosystem.

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Deep-sea mining may do more harm than good. Scientists say that there are many gaps in people's knowledge of marine ecosystems. Due to limited research, it's challenging to fully determine the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining and to implement efficient protection for the marine environment.

As noted by the Marine Stewardship Council, the ocean holds 80% of the world's biodiversity, including many species that people rely on for food and livelihood. Disrupting marine biodiversity could affect these species, along with many other species and ecosystems that humans still know little about.

What's being done about the deep-sea mining industry?

While the Norwegian government maintains that the industry still has potential, political pressure might hinder its advance. The Socialist Left Party contributed to the government's decision to suspend deep-sea mining plans in December, and they might be able to delay the licensing round again.

"We will try to repeat the success we had by stopping the handout of permits for looking for deep-sea minerals," said Socialist Left Party member Lars Haltbrekken, according to Mongabay.

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Other areas, like Hawaii and Portugal, have taken protective stances on deep-sea mining activities. Hawaii shut down dangerous mining practices with the Hawaii Seabed Mining Prevention Act. Portugal passed a moratorium on deep-sea mining, prohibiting such activities until at least 2050.

The best thing individuals can do to help preserve marine biodiversity is to stay informed about marine conservation laws and support efforts to protect marine wildlife and ecosystems.

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 line of customers was steady at Twin Bears Bakery in Frederick on Thursday. It took Andrew Roy a few minutes to get a chance to chat.

After a few months for the business at its new location, were suffering through the curse of success right now, Roy said with a laugh. He owns the South Carroll Street bakery with his wife, Emily.

The bakery is looking to upgrade its facilities to meet customer demands.

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The upgrades include a new walk-in refrigerator and a new stone mill that will allow them to grind their own whole wheat, rye, and spelt flours on a larger scale, Roy said.

Twin Bears is one of three downtown businesses taking part in a unique crowdfunding effort to raise money for various improvements and projects. The others are the downtown taphouse and restaurant Frederick Social and Tenth Ward Distilling Company.

The program is run through the fundraising platform NuMarket and promoted through the Downtown Frederick Partnership. It lets customers and community members contribute to a businesss campaign in exchange for receiving 120% of their contribution in store credit from the business.

The Downtown Frederick Partnership learned about the program through its participation in the Main Street America program, Executive Director Kara Norman said Friday.

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After learning more about the NuMarket program and feeling like it had potential, the Partnership told its members about it.

It creates an opportunity to introduce businesses to new customers, which is always good, Norman said.

It also encourages donors to come back to the businesses multiple times to use their store credit, she said. While there, they might stop into another shop downtown and buy something else.

Tenth Ward and Twin Bears campaigns began April 30 and will last 30 days. Frederick Socials campaign began May 7.

Frederick Social is looking to upgrade its oven and enlarge its outside patio space, said Mike Nagi, who owns the business with his wife, Audi.

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Nagi said theyre always looking for ways to upgrade the business and thought the NuMarket program made sense.

Its not just asking people for a donation.  they get something back in return, he said.

Tenth Ward owner Monica Pearce said she would use the money raised to help provide a face lift for the businesss early-1900s building, including to the hardwood floors and the distillerys event space.

After learning about the program from the Partnership, she talked to some other businesses who worked with NuMarket, and heard good things, she said.

Like Nagi, Pearce liked the mutually beneficial aspect of the fundraising effort.

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Its a win-win. Everybody gets something out of it, she said.

Roy said Twin Bears Bakery, Tenth Ward, and Frederick Social all represent the best of what makes downtown Frederick special.

These are truly homegrown businesses, he said.

After about a week of fundraising, the bakery was closing in on $30,000, just about enough to afford the walk-in refrigerator, he said Thursday.

The stone mill would cost about another $25,000, he said.

Roy said he and his wife wouldnt have felt right just asking patrons for donations to help support their improvements.

But he looks at the program as a type of community financing.

It feels good to know that our community recognizes how much we care about them, he said.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  Every hotel room in Key City is fully booked. Vice President of the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, Robert Lopez, explains that three major events occur the second weekend of May.

Travel and tourism is peak season right now. As things warm up here in Abilene, travel picks up. Events start happening. This weekend, with it being Mothers Day and graduations at the universities, and then you add Western Heritage Classic to that mix. Its really hard to find a hotel room in Abilene this weekend, said Lopez.

With about 40 hotels and about 3,800 hotel rooms fully booked. Others are using alternative booking options like Airbnb or hotels outside city limits. Lopez adds that many significant events take place in the summer and encourages those who need hotel accommodations to book early.

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Just to put it into perspective, in 2024, tourism generated $567.7 million for the local economy and employed 3,790 hardworking Abilenians. So, just the economic impact and the number of jobs that the hospitality industry produces for Abilene is one thing. But tourism also contributes $16.4 million in tax revenues for the city. So, if you kind of equate that without tourism, well, Ill say it this way, tourism saves each household in Abilene $640 in taxes, explained Lopez.

The Western Heritage Classic attracts approximately 30,000 attendees and generates around $1.7 million for the local economy. Chairman Jeff Gore explains that this event brings in people from across Texas and beyond. He is pleased to see that multiple events are taking place on the same weekend, allowing attendees to visit the Western Heritage Classic and learn about Western history.

Texas was built on the back of the cattle business in this in this part of the country especially. And we want people to know that. We need people to understand that, so we dont ever get away from that, because as long as people want hamburgers and steaks, there needs to be ranches and there needs to be cowboys, shared Gore.

Texas was built on the back of the cattle business in this in this part of the country, especially. And we want people to know that. We need people to understand that, so we dont ever get away from that, because as long as people want hamburgers and steaks, there needs to be ranches and there needs to be cowboys, shared Gore.

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Texas was built on the back of the cattle business in this part of the country, especially. And we want people to know that. We need people to understand that, so we dont ever get away from that because, as long as people want hamburgers and steaks, there needs to be ranches and there needs to be cowboys, shared Gore.

From the rodeo to chuckwagon competitions to vendors, Gore explains, even if you dont like anything Western, the event is able to bring people together.

But the thing about Western Heritage Classic, to me, is that theres something for everybody. There is no event like this anywhere in the world. Theres a bunch of ranch rodeos, theres a bunch of horse shows, and theres a bunch of trade shows with Western gear and Western apparel, added Gore.

You can find the Western Heritage Classic Event Schedule here: WHC Event Schedule

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May 9A Butler Twp. man who was accused of trying to solicit a young girl for sex that turned out to be undercover law enforcement has pleaded guilty to a bill of information.

John Dady, 54, pleaded guilty to bill of information charges of soliciting and possession of criminal tools, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.

As part of a plea agreement, one count of importuning and another count of possession of criminal tools were dismissed, the prosecutor's office said.

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Dady is scheduled to be sentenced June 5.

The charges stem from Oct. 9, 2024.

According to the prosecutor's office, on that day a sheriff's deputy was posing as a 15-year-old girl on social media as part of the Miami Valley Human Trafficking Task Force's Operation End Ohio Human Trafficking.

Dady reportedly solicited the deputy to meet for sex and was arrested when he arrived, the prosecutor's office said.
A passenger's battery charger caught fire on a JetBlue flight from Florida to the Bahamas.

Crew on the Airbus A320-200 put out the fire, which caused smoke in the cabin.

The Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Authority said it was investigating the incident.

Smoke and flames erupted in the cabin of a JetBlue flight last month after a passenger's portable charger overheated and caught fire in their carry-on luggage.

The flight on April 25, operated by an Airbus A320-200 aircraft, took off from Fort Lauderdale International Airport bound for Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, the Bahamas.

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The Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Authority said the plane was about 50 miles from Nassau when a portable charging device ignited, resulting in smoke and flames in the cabin.

Crew put out the fire with water and placed the device in the trash bin of the aircraft's front bathroom, the authority said on its website.

The pilots then contacted air traffic control to advise them of the emergency situation.

The flight landed safely and there were no injuries or serious damage.

The AAIA is investigating the incident, which was first reported by Simple Flying.

It's just another example of the risks posed in the air by rechargeable batteries. They are commonly found in chargers and other electronic devices and can become dangerous if they overheat.

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In March last year a Breeze Airways flight made an emergency landing after a passenger's laptop caught fire.

FAA regulations state that devices containing lithium ion or lithium metal batteries  covering everything from laptops and smartphones to electric skateboards  should be put in your carry-on, rather than hold baggage.

JetBlue did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
We recently compiled a list of the 14 Best Growth Stocks Under $10 to Buy Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP) stands against the other growth stocks under $10.

Growth stocks refer to companies that grow their earnings and revenues at rates much above those of the broad market. The growth factor in investing has been widely recognized as a significant driver of stock price returns, especially in periods of low interest rates, low volatility, and a growing economy. For reference, growth stocks, as proxied by thematic ETFs, have consistently outperformed the broad US market during secular bull runs, such as the 2010-2021 and the 2023-2024 periods.

However, the growth factor has fallen out of favor during 2025 and slightly lags the broad market year-to-date. As already mentioned above, growth stocks thrive under conditions that arent apparently met at the moment. Interest rates are still high, and theres a lot of uncertainty about whether the Fed will rush to cut them. Furthermore, the outlook on the US economy has been undermined by tumultuous change and actions from the new US administration. The good news is that growth stocks are currently trading at a discount vs. the beginning of the year, which represents a great opportunity for those willing to take a contrarian bet against the broad market. As we discuss below, some trustworthy signals suggest that growth stocks might become favored again and start outperforming the broad market.

READ ALSO: 11 Oversold Growth Stocks to Buy Now

Some indications emerged that point to the possibility that the tariff detox period is over and the Trump administration may be shifting to tax cuts and deregulation. Growth stocks love certainty on the economy and geopolitics, meaning that the end of the tariff dilemma is an extremely bullish signal. JP Morgan recently expressed their view on the evolution of US policy:

On tariffs, the Administration is indicating progress on potential deals with Japan, Korea, and India, which could serve as templates for other trading partners. Of most importance is China, where the Administration has signaled some willingness to find a common ground and possibly get a deal done soon (the increasing risk of a small business default cycle kicking off is gaining attention).

In addition, theres plenty of negative official data coming every week, which is causing a lot of fear in the market. We firmly believe much of the negative data is transitory and could rebound at any moment, as soon as the US administration gives the right signal. For instance, container data from China recently showed a massive decline in shipments amid the tariff turmoil; many fear that consumer sales, transportation, and industrial activity will drastically slow down because of lower imports. Some early data from the Dallas and Philadelphia Fed have confirmed that manufacturing and general business activity are cooling, while the New Orders index has plummeted. Now, just think about it  shipments from China can instantly recover the moment that the Trump administration announces a trade deal with its main trade partners. Even if a deal with China directly wont be reached quickly enough, there are endless possibilities to evade the 140% tariffs through third countries, similar to how European exports continued into Russia after the 2022 sanctions.
(FOX40.COM)  Gov. Gavin Newsom has been appointed co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance and will be working alongside Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who will serve on the alliances executive committee, overseeing the climate coalitions strategic direction.

 Video above: Gov. Newsoms Senior Climate Adviser Lauren Sanchez speaks on trip to China

Newsom said that this appointment follows his announcement in March that he will serve as co-chair of America Is All In, which is an expansive coalition of state, local, tribal, private sector, and non-profit leaders supporting the climate efforts at a subnational level.

Human remains found in Plumas County, investigation underway

Americans want cleaner air and water, lower costs, and healthier communities  and thats exactly what Alliance governors are delivering. As the federal government retreats from the climate fight, states are charging ahead. We were built to lead in moments like this, and as co-chair of this coalition, I look forward to partnering with my fellow governors to keep America on track. Gov. Gavin Newsom

The Alliance consists of 24 bipartisan governors who represent almost 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population, according to Newsom. Gov. Newsom and Eevers were appointed co-chairs by the coalitions members and will serve a one-year term.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
In the wake of destruction from the January wildfires, some residents in Greater Los Angeles are looking to build back better. And, for some, that means turning to the past for future solutions.

Don't miss

Ellen Snortland and her husband have now lost a home to fire, another to flooding and another to a mudslide  and theyre tired of fighting the elements.

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We are going to have to deal with extreme weather for the rest of our lives. To pretend otherwise is really folly, Snortland told KCAL News. I dont see anybody doing anything radical. So what I can do is make my home radical.

Radical how? SuperAdobe, developed by a company called CalEarth, is a form of architecture that uses long sandbags, barbed wire and earth, which the company says can withstand fire, flooding, earthquakes and even hurricanes. Think of it as adobe 2.0.

The key is not the usage of material so much, but the understanding of geometry and forces of physics, said late founder Nader Khalili to The Earth & I.

The need for fire-resistant homes is only going to increase as the frequency and severity of wildfires continues to increase. So far this year, 24,415 fires have burned through more than a million acres across the U.S., both significantly above the 10-year average, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Whats so super about SuperAdobe

During the Eaton fire, Snortland watched her home burn on TV. Now shes ready to rebuild  literally using the dirt on her property.

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Its why she came to an open house by CalEarth, a nonprofit founded by an Iranian architect who developed SuperAdobe based on traditional adobe architecture from his home in Iran.

Bridget Butler, executive director of the CalEarth Institute, told KCAL News that every CalEarth open house has been sold out since the fires. During the open house, they showcase the dome-shaped rooms, which she said are harder to shake, burn or wash away.

The arch shape is the strongest shape in nature, said Butler. Instead of working against nature, its trying to beat nature at its own game.

According to the website, the long coils of sandbags provide compression (vertical) strength and the barbed wire adds tensile (horizontal) strength.

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If youre so inclined, you could even build the house yourself and save on labor costs. SuperAdobe rolls start at $445 for 250 yards. They are sold in conjunction with CalEarths training courses.

A SuperAdobe home can last several years, according to CalEarth, but to make them permanent youll need to plaster over the sandbag structure to protect it from erosion.

It's unclear how having such a home would affect your home insurance policy.

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 movement towards safer homes

The concept of earthen homes has been around for thousands of years. Indigenous communities in what is now New Mexico and Colorado, for example, have used adobe for centuries, keeping their homes cool in summer and warm in winter.

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In the aftermath of the L.A. wildfires, advocates for natural building techniques argue that materials like adobe and cob (which use sand, clay and straw) not only offer fire-resistance, but are also more environmentally friendly  reducing toxic hazards associated with more modern building materials.

Asbestos, for example, was more recently used for its fire-retardant properties, but exposure can create health issues, such as an increased risk of developing lung disease.

This shift reflects a growing awareness of the need for resilient and environmentally friendly construction practices in fire-prone regions.

Not everyone is going to build an earthen home, but its possible to retrofit a home to reduce vulnerability to wildfire  and some of those measures are affordable. In a paper by Headwaters Economics on retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance, the authors say that costs can range anywhere from $2,000 for minimal retrofits to more than $100,000 (for a typical 2,000-square-foot home in California).

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Some of these measures include replacing exterior vents with flame- and ember-resistant vents, installing metal gutter guards and replacing bark mulch with gravel, according to the paper.

Californias Safer from Wildfires initiative lists steps you can take to qualify for an insurance discount.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Fifteen people have been arrested on charges of soliciting sexual acts and attempting to buy sex from juveniles online, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office.

During an undercover operation spanning from April 21 to April 24, detectives with the Human Trafficking Section and Predator Unit posed as relatives of a juvenile, exploiting them for sex across various online platforms.

Detectives also posed as juveniles themselves and contacted suspects who sent explicit photos and had explicit conversations through text or video calls while fully aware of the recipients fictitious age.

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A total of 12 suspects were arrested during the operation after physically traveling to meet the juvenile.

Video captured of one such arrest shows Walter Rivera, 48, being apprehended by HCSO deputies. In the video, Rivera can be heard repeatedly asking the deputies why he is being arrested before saying, Can I call my mom then?

Additionally, three suspects agreed to purchase sex from a detective posing as a juvenile but did not come to the location. Hillsborough County deputies said these individuals were later arrested on warrants for charges relating to the undercover operation.

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As technology continues to enhance and more of our children use the internet as a way to advance their education, connect with friends, and communicate with loved ones, these predators are using it to torment, manipulate, and prey on the innocent, said Sheriff Chad Chronister. By arresting these fifteen criminals, our detectives continue to prove that crimes against kids will never be tolerated in Hillsborough County.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Tacoma residents will be hard-pressed to have missed the political advertising signs plastered all over town this spring.

Those signs meant nothing until candidates officially filed their declaration of candidacy by May 9 at 5 p.m. for the August primary ahead of this years general election in November. With Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards second term expiring, six candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to take her place.

The close of the candidate-filing period on Friday signaled the beginning of a three-month period of campaigning ahead of the Aug. 5 primary election, which will whittle down the list of candidates to two for the Nov. 4 general election.

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Heres what we know about the candidates in the race:

Jesus Jesse Carlos

Carlos touts his background as a former U.S. Army ranger sniper and recently completed degree from Harvard University on his campaign website. His top priorities include public safety and economic development, though he also lists housing affordability, climate action and equity on his website. As of the close of the filing period, Carlos had not reported any contributions or expenditures for his campaign according to public disclosures.

Anthony (Tony) Ginn

Ginn did not appear to have a campaign website as of the close of the filing period. According to public disclosures, Ginn had also not reported any contributions or expenditures on behalf of his campaign by the close of the candidate filing period.

Steve Haverly

Haverly has worked in construction, as a para educator for Tacoma Public Schools and TV production, according to his website. His priorities include reducing homelessness, keeping streets clean and protecting the natural environment. By the filing deadline, he had not raised or spent any money for his campaign, according to public data.

John Hines

Hines, who has served on the Tacoma City Council since 2019 and was reelected in 2023, also noted his background as a teacher and educator on his campaign website. His top priorities include public safety, homelessness and supporting local businesses, according to his website. As of the close of the candidate filing period, Hines reported that his campaign had raised $116,098.42 and spent $42,425.54, according to public disclosures.

Anders Ibsen

Ibsen joined the race for mayor after serving two terms on the City Council representing District 1 that ended in 2019. Most recently he has worked as a managing broker at Windermere Real Estate, according to his website. His top priorities include affordability, public safety and economic development, his website reads. By the close of the candidate filing period, Ibsen had raised $138,320.46  the highest amount out of any other candidates in the race so far, according to public disclosures. He also reported spending $81,491.96 by that same time.

Whitney Stevens

Stevens is the chair of the 27th Legislative District Democrats executive board and founded The Viability Project, which helps first-time candidates, women and people of color run for elected office. Her priorities as mayor as listed on her website include community safety, summer childcare and revenue growth. Stevens had raised $5,889.78 for her campaign as of the close of the candidate nomination period and reported spending $3,547.67, according to public disclosures.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  To celebrate National Nurses Week, 2 NEWS is sharing the stories of those who showcase dedication, bravery and resilience helping people in desperate times of need.

On Friday, 2 NEWS caught up with a group of nurses from CareFlight.

Watch the video in the player above to see the full story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
In a significant shift of Californias salmon strategy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has begun releasing juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon from CDFW-operated hatcheries into the main stem of the Sacramento River for the first time.

The release of approximately 3.5 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the main stem of the Sacramento River occurred in mid-April near Redding and Butte City. The fish originated from increased production at CDFWs hatchery operations at the Feather River Fish Hatchery and the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery. CDFW-operated salmon hatcheries historically have supported populations on their home rivers elsewhere in the Central Valley.

We strongly support the California Department of Fish and Wildlifes bold decision to release salmon smolts directly into the main stem of the Sacramento River  a historic first that gives juvenile fish a fighting chance at survival, said Scott Artis, executive director at Golden State Salmon Association. With Sacramento fall-run Chinook returns at crisis levels, and fishing families and businesses having been impacted since 2023, this innovative move is exactly the kind of action we need. We applaud the tireless hatchery staff who made this possible and stand with them in the effort to rebuild our salmon runs and revive Californias commercial and recreational fisheries.

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The naturally spawning Sacramento River salmon populations have been the primary driver of Californias commercial and recreational salmon fisheries for decades, said Jay Rowan, CDFW Fisheries branch chief. Poor spawning and migration conditions for fall-run Chinook during the past two droughts have resulted in low returning adult numbers the last three years. These low adult returns not only affected fishing seasons but also reduced the number of spawning adults and, consequently, the number of juvenile salmon available to take advantage of the good river conditions to rebound this part of the run. The extra effort by our hatchery staff to maximize production has allowed us to take measures this year to speed up the rebuilding of these critical Sacramento River natural spawning areas. This significant shift in strategy speaks to CDFWs long-term commitment to boosting these important salmon populations.

The 3.5 million fish being released into the main stem of the Sacramento River are part of an additional 9.7 million salmon produced in 2025 above normal production goals, funded in partnership with ocean and inland fishing groups. CDFWs hatchery operations, in coordination with the state Department of Water Resources, East Bay Municipal Utility District, and the federal Bureau of Reclamation, will raise and release more than 28 million fall-run Chinook salmon in total in 2025.

CDFWs Sacramento River salmon releases are being timed with increases in water flows that have been shown to improve survival in their journey to the Pacific Ocean and also with salmon releases from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Shasta County to overwhelm predators with a massive volume of released fish.

Additionally, CDFW has provided the Coleman National Fish Hatchery with 10 million salmon eggs to help meet its production goals and offset low adult salmon returns to the federal fish hatchery located on Battle Creek about 3 miles east of the Sacramento River in Anderson.

The juvenile salmon released into the Sacramento River are expected to imprint on the main stem during their migration to the ocean, which in three years upon their return to freshwater is expected to increase the number of adults utilizing important natural spawning areas within the main stem.
The ceasefire between India and Pakistan that the world was hoping for has arrived. Now will it hold?

After four days of trading air strikes, missiles and drones, the adversaries agreed to halt their hostilities on Saturday afternoon.

Donald Trump, the US president, praised their common sense and great intelligence, and David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said the halt was hugely welcome.

But the relief will be short-lived if the truce does not last.

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In the hours immediately after the ceasefire was supposed to come into effect, there were unsettling reports of explosions in Srinagar and Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir, followed by a blackout in the two cities. The cause of the explosions was not immediately known.

There were also reports of continued shelling across the contested line of control.

On Saturday night, a drone was spotted over Peshawar, the north western Pakistani city, prompting the authorities to activate the air defence system, according to residents.

Yet the language each side had used to announce the truce had been unambiguous about a genuine halt to hostilities.

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Moreover, in the run-up to it, each side had used conciliatory language to signal that they were trying to avoid escalation and that more than 72 hours of tit-for-tat strikes had left their honours satisfied.

Credit: ISPR Directorate of Pakistan Armed Forces

Each side is well experienced in the high-stakes game of calibrating such confrontations, and each would have been looking for a juncture to call it a day, as long as they felt they could show they had taught their opponent a lesson and could save face.

On Saturday, Pakistan said that it had delivered a befitting response to India, but was considering stepping down if India reciprocated.

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Indias armed forces said they had neutralised Pakistans attacks and they too were committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocated.

The White House may have provided the juncture they needed to put down their weapons.

Both sides will claim victory now to their own audiences, said Manoj Joshi, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. What is the reality will be hard to know.

Credit: Reuters

Paul Staniland, a South Asia expert and professor of political science at the University of Chicago, told the Associated Press that the ceasefire was a clear signal of de-escalation and will hopefully end the direct fighting for the near future.

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Ideally, this leads to a new period of relative stability and quiet in the region, he said, adding that it is certainly possible the ceasefire will hold since the two countries had entered risky and costly territory that they will probably not be in a hurry to revisit quickly.

The tensions and disputes which have brought them to the brink remain and the largest threat to the ceasefire is likely to be the same issue that caused the confrontation in the first place.

India launched air strikes in the early hours of May 7, after blaming Pakistan for a terrorist attack that killed 26 tourists in India-administered Kashmir.

Delhi blames Pakistan for stoking and supporting decades of militancy in the contested territory. Pakistan denied any involvement in the attack and maintains the insurgency is home-grown.

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This weeks strikes are not the first time India has hit back after blaming Pakistan for attacks and, if another attack took place, India would be under intense domestic pressure to punish Pakistan again.

Even as the truce was being finalised, officials made it clear to The Times of India that another terror attack would be a red line and considered an act of war that will be responded to accordingly.

Kashmir and terrorism remain the most dangerous triggers between the old foes.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin accused European countries on Saturday of making contradictory and confrontational statements, after European leaders backed a U.S. plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine and threatened Russia with "massive" sanctions if it failed to comply.

"We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

President Vladimir Putin "has repeatedly said that he is ready for contacts with any leaders", Peskov said. "And he is open to interaction, to dialogue with any leaders to the extent that the leaders themselves are ready."

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Ukraine and European leaders agreed on Saturday that an unconditional 30-day ceasefire should start on Monday, with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump.

"So all of us here together with the U.S. are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Russia has long said that it is open to talks, accusing Kyiv of closing off that option by adopting a 2022 decree ruling out any negotiation with Putin.

On Friday Peskov was quoted as saying that Russia supported the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, but only with due consideration of "a large number of nuances".

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In separate remarks to ABC News that were aired on Saturday, the spokesman suggested that Western military assistance for Ukraine would have to stop in order for a ceasefire to happen. "Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine," he said.

Russia believes it has the advantage on the battlefield and says it is concerned that Ukraine could use a 30-day pause in the war to rest its forces, mobilise more men and get hold of more Western arms.

(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Stellantis is reportedly planning to implement up to 200 voluntary redundancies at its Termoli plant in central Italy.

This decision, agreed upon with trade unions, is part of Stellantis' broader strategy to rejuvenate its workforce in Italy, reported Reuters.

The initiative follows similar announcements for other Italian plants, aiming to reduce the workforce by up to 1,000 employees.

The company's strategy also includes recent hiring initiatives, with around 300 new employees joining in Turin and Atessa in Italy.

Stellantis currently employs fewer than 40,000 staff in Italy, a decline from 55,000 in early 2021, following the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot maker PSA.

The company said: "Stellantis reaffirms that Italy is at the centre of the group's strategies."

Last December, Stellantis presented a plan to the Italian government to revitalise production in the country, with benefits expected next year.

In March, the Termoli plant began preparations for a production line dedicated to electric dual clutch transmission (eDCT) gearboxes for hybrid vehicles, making it the third Stellantis production hub alongside Mirafiori in Turin and Metz in France.

Termoli is also one of the sites selected by Stellantis-led joint venture ACC for building EV battery plants in Europe.

However, plans for gigafactories in Italy and Germany were put on hold due to sluggish market demand for electric vehicles.

In April, Stellantis announced temporary layoffs of 900 hourly workers across its five US facilities.

This decision was influenced by newly implemented tariffs, which increased the cost of auto imports and disrupted production across North America.

Also, Stellantis has withdrawn its 2025 financial outlook amid tariff concerns, engaging with officials to mitigate trade policy effects.

The firm saw a 14% drop in Q1 net revenues, down to 35.8bn year-over-year.

"Stellantis plans for 200 voluntary redundancies at Termoli plant in Italy" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




If youve ever sped through the air on a suspended monorail, chances are you were in an amusement park, taking in views festooned with rides, animals, and manicured grounds. But its more likely that your first sky-car experienceassuming youve had onewas in an aerial tramway or cable car, gliding over steep terrain toward a tourist overlook perched atop a hard-to-reach peak. Whether its that strong association with park-like settings or simply the thrill of riding high with a birds-eye view, theres something inherently recreational about aerial railways.

But as editor Arthur Stuart reported in Popular Science in May 1925, suspended monorails, or aero-railways, in which the train swings freely from an overhead track, were not limited to amusement parks and mountainsides; a century ago, they were serious mass-transit contenders in cities around the world. Despite their appeal, with few exceptions, commuting above the congestion of city streets gave way in the 20th century to more practical terrestrial and subterranean alternatives. Today, only one suspended monorail, the Wuppertal Schwebebahn in Germany, has survived since the turn of the last centurythough not without incident. When an elephant jumped from the Wuppertal train in 1950, plunging into the river 10 meters below , service on the suspended train was, well, suspended for a year. The elephant, on the other hand, survived with minor bruises.

The Schwebebahn Train Crossing a Street in Wuppertal, Germany. The Schwebebahn is the oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars in the world. Image: Getty Images  Allard Schager

Excitable pachyderms notwithstanding, the technical complexities of suspended monorailsparticularly their vulnerability to weather conditions, difficulty in switching tracks, and structural requirementsmade them suitable only for niche applications. Ground-based trains and subways proved more stable, energy-efficient, and easier to integrate with existing infrastructure than suspended systems. But as modern cities grow denser and struggle to reclaim natural terrain to make their communities more livable, aero railways, with their smaller footprint, potentially lower cost, and quieter operation, may be worth another look.

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The suspended monorail system described by Stuart in 1925 would have run from Paris to a nearby suburb, St. Denis. Its inventor, Francis Laur, had been tinkering with its unique design for more than a decade. The proposed car, Stuart wrote, would be virtually a propeller-driven airship suspended from and running along a rail. Its [sic] body, tapering off at both ends like a dirigible, would be built of duralumin, extremely light. While it had not yet been built, according to Stuart, its design had been examined by expert engineers, and found to be practicable. Just six years earlier, however, Popular Sciences coverage of Laurs invention had been much less sanguine: It is the offspring of airplane and monorail, two young ideas sprouting wild shoots in a lively imagination. Just in case readers didnt get the point, the 1919 staff writer added, The Laur monorail flier does not figure out well financially or aeronautically.

The first electric overhead railroad in Minnesota. Image: Minnesota Historical Society/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Minnesota Historical Society

Laurs monorail never took off. In fact, the only propeller-powered monorail that ever progressed beyond the lively imagination stage was the Bennie Railplane. In 1929, George Bennie, an engineer from Scotland, debuted a propeller-powered monorail, or railplane, on a test track in Glasgow. Bennie envisioned his railplane running from London to Pariswith a seaplane to carry passengers over the English Channelbut his project, like Laurs, never got off the ground.

Japan holds the modern record for the longest suspended railway, the Chiba Urban Monorail, which runs for 15.2 km and has been operating since 1988 in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo. But if Japan gets credit for the longest suspended railway, perhaps the most unique design concept goes to Hamburg, Germanys Cabintaxi. As writer David Stuart reported in Popular Science in 1980, cars run above and below the slim, lofty beam, in a personalized urban conveyor with a difference. The project never materialized beyond a demonstration track, but the idea was that a car could be called to a station by a passenger, like hailing a taxi or booking an Uber ride. Depending on the direction, the car would either ride on top of the track or suspended below it.

Japan, Chiba City, Hanging Monorail. Image: Prisma Bildagentur/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Dukas

Despite the failure of suspended railways to take root in 20th-century mass-transit systems, the 21st century may offer new opportunities. According to a 2018 United Nations report, the rapid urbanization trend of recent decades is likely to continue, adding 2.5 billion to the worlds urban population by 2050. As people migrate to cities, upgrading and expanding mass transit will play a key role in reducing congestion and emissions. But in densely built city centers already served by subways and surface rails, urban planners and mass transit engineers may need to dust off century-old concepts to leverage the airspace above city streets and waterways.

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In the US, the only suspended commuter systems currently in operation are the Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York, which began operating in 1976, and Oregons Portland Aerial Tram, but others are being considered. The Chicago Skyline project, still in a proposal stage, would run cable cars, or aerial gondolas, over iconic neighborhoods, connecting tourist sites with downtown transportation hubs. Engineers in Austin, Texas, have been kicking around an 8.7-mile urban gondola line, dubbed Wire One Austin, for several years. New Yorks Roosevelt Island tram may one day have a companion if the East River Skyway ever lifts off, connecting Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. In central Los Angeles, LA Aerial Rapid Transit, or LA ART, is an aerial gondola project that proposes to connect Los Angeles Union Station with Dodger Stadium. But LA ART is not Los Angeles first proposed aerial transit system. As writer John Ford reported in Popular Science in 1923, inventor Fletcher Felts designed a suspended monorail with electric-powered passenger cars that resembled torpedoes. The project was never approved, but anyone stuck in LA traffic today likely wishes it had been.

The November 1923 cover of Popular Science.

Urban planner and researcher Steven Dale launched a blog in 2009, the Gondola Project, that tracks aerial transit system projects around the world. The list does not include suspended monorails, but it captures a global trend toward leveraging aerial transit in dense cities, especially those with challenging terrain, to address transportation problems.

Even if suspended mass transit systems do catch on, its unlikely youll ever have the chance to ride in an aero-railway powered by a propeller turning at 2000 revolutions per minute, as Stuart described in 1925with the possible exception of visiting a steampunk-themed amusement park (there arent many). But if global trends continue, it is increasingly likely that you will soon have the opportunity to commute across a city in an aerial car, suspended by cables or a rail, perhaps enjoying a recreational moment in an otherwise busy workday. That is, if you havent already.
CHESTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Chester County authorities are searching for a man who fled after allegedly crashed into deputys vehicle Friday night

Sheriffs deputies were in the area of SC Highway 72 Bypass between West End Road and Flint Street in Chester in search for a suspect who ran after a vehicle chase.

The suspect, who deputies claim was driving a stolen vehicle, rammed into the side of patrol car. The deputy sustained minor injuries.

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The sheriffs bloodhound tracking team and done team were on scene Friday night. The suspect is described as a Black male.

Anyone in the area was asked to secure all doors and vehicles and notify 911 if you see or hear anything suspicious.

This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
When Marco Velazquez, a Chicago homeowner, discovered squatters living in his South Side property, he didnt leave. Instead, he stayed the night.

I couldnt believe it, Velazquez told ABC 7 News, after finding the home he was preparing to sell was already occupied. It was like a nightmare.

Don't miss

What went down

The intruders, a woman named Shermaine Powell-Gillard and her boyfriend, Codarro, claimed they had purchased the property and even produced a mortgage document for police. But when Velazquez checked with Cook County officials, no such mortgage was on record.

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To his shock, the police couldnt help.

The worst thing happened when police told me they couldnt do anything. It needs to go to a civil court, he said, indicating that Illinois law prevented officers from removing the pair without a court order, despite Velazquez holding the deed.

Determined not to let go of his home, Velazquez made an unusual choice.

I said, Im not going to leave. Called a couple friends, stayed overnight and I knew they were not going to like that, he told ABC 7s I Team.

He, his wife and some friends camped out in the living room while the alleged squatters took one of the bedrooms.

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We stayed a whole night with them  watching the door, Velazquez recalled.

The next morning, Velazquez was given an ultimatum.

They were like, we want $8,000 of what we paid, so we can leave your property, he said.

Though reluctant, Velazquez eventually negotiated a cash-for-key deal. He paid the couple $4,300 in exchange for their leaving and signing a release, as he feared what might happen otherwise.

We didnt want to give them money, but we heard really bad stories about squatters taking over properties for six, eight, 10 months, even a year, he said.

Weeks later, a police detective told Velazquez that Powell-Gillard had also allegedly squatted in another home owned by Marcia and Carlton Lee. In that case, Powell-Gillard was arrested and charged with burglary, forgery, obstructing identification and criminal residential trespassing.

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Powell-Gillard has denied all accusations, stating that claims she is a squatter are false and unfounded, and emphasized that she is innocent until proven guilty, says ABC 7.

The Chicago Police Department has not confirmed if they're investigating Velazquez's case. No one has been arrested or charged.

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

Why police cant always act  even when its your house

Velazquezs case underscores a broader legal issue: why property disputes involving squatters often fall under civil  not criminal  law.

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In Illinois and many other states, once someone establishes possession of a home, even wrongfully, it can be difficult to distinguish them from a legal tenant. That means a legal eviction process must occur before law enforcement can step in.

Under the current Illinois law, police often need clear evidence of criminal behavior, like a break-in or vandalism, to act. Like in Velazquezs case, if the squatter presents a lease, mortgage, utility bills or other documents  whether forged or not  police typically dont have the authority to assess authenticity on the spot.

Instead, the dispute moves to civil court, where a judge can determine rightful ownership.

But this may not be the case for much longer. ABC 7 reports that Senate Bill 1563 is working toward allowing police to remove squatters and skip the eviction process. The bill still has to be passed by the full Illinois House and would then be sent to the governors desk for final approval.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
To the Parents/Guardians of CPS Students:

We know that as the school year draws to a close and the weather grows warmer, Chicagos young people will want to spend more time outside. Today, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) is asking for your partnership to make sure our youth stay safe and supported as they enjoy their beautiful city.

Over the past several months, weve seen an increase in large, unsupervised groups of teens and young adults from in and around Chicago. Last month, two shootings were associated with these gatherings. To protect your childrens safety, the Chicago Police Department strongly encourages parents to refrain from allowing youth to attend these events.

Through posts on social media, the Chicago Police Department has been made aware of a potential gathering at one of Chicagos beaches this weekend. While beaches can be informal and relaxed places for young people to connect, its important to remember that these spaces come with specific safety concerns and restrictions  especially before the official start of summer.

We urge you to review these important reminders about Chicagos beaches, and to go over them with your children:

1. Chicagos beaches do not officially open until Friday, May 23

2. No lifeguards are currently assigned to our citys beaches

3. Alcohol is prohibited on all Chicago beaches.

4. All beach visitors are subject to search.

5. Citywide curfew laws apply on the beach just as they do throughout Chicago.

CPDs goal is to ensure public safety while maintaining peace. Therefore, in instances of large gatherings, we will use de-escalation and dispersal techniques to encourage our young people to comply with the law. This will be particularly important in situations where young people are walking in roadways and/or obstructing the public way. Individuals who fail to voluntarily comply with lawful police orders may be subject to arrest.

As a reminder, curfew hours for the City of Chicago are 10 p.m. for minors 12 and older and 8:30 p.m. for minors younger than 12, except on Fridays and Saturdays, when the curfew is 9 p.m.

In all instances, curfew hours remain in effect until 6:00 a.m. the following day.

As long as it is safe to do so, members of the CPD will make every attempt to educate young people on these rules and have them disperse voluntarily before enforcing curfew laws. Protective action will only be taken when a minor refuses to comply despite those efforts.

We want our young people to explore and enjoy the great city they live in. But large, unsupervised gatherings promoted on social media are not the best way to do that. Instead, we urge families to explore the many offerings available through your childrens schools, community and faith-based organizations, and city agencies like the Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Library.

We thank you for your partnership as we work together to ensure our citys youth remain happy, engaged, and above all, safe.

Sincerely,

The Chicago Police Department
HOMEWOOD  From a South Side Chicago parish to a suburban pizza parlor, people are remembering when and where they crossed paths with Robert Francis Prevost.

Prevost grew up in Dolton. He returned to the south suburbs just nine months ago gathering with friends and family at his favorite pizza place.

I didnt know the day he came because he didnt announce, Hey Im the cardinal, Joe Aurelio of Aurelios Pizza said.

Back in August, family and old friends took photos with then Cardinal Robert Prevost at Aurelios Pizza in Homewood.

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Fast forward to yesterday, he was selected to lead the Catholic Church as the 267th pope.

All the employees went crazy. They started texting and calling me, Can you believe it? He was just here a few months ago, Aurelio said.

The now famous photo with the unassuming future pope, like divine intervention, is inspiring a new creation  Aurelios newly trademarked Pope-A-Roni Pizza.

The restaurant is even featuring what theyre calling the Pope Chair. Customers who want to sit in it can make that request.

In Chicagos Canaryville neighborhood, the kids of St. Gabriels Parish at 45th and Lowe are still buzzing over Chicagos South Side pope.

It just erupted. We were screaming, clapping, and we were so excited, a child at St. Gabriels Parish said.

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In 2015, Prevost, then a bishop, presided over a Confirmation that almost didnt happen if not for John Prevost, his brother and the schools principal.

The bishop that was set to come here had to attend a funeral downtown so the principal just called his brother and said would you be able to step in? current principal Julie Jurisic said.

The children of St. Gabes are sending a message of love to the new pope, yelling St. Gabriel loves Pope Leo.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  Agencies in Vanderburgh County have announced a new partnership to strengthen the enforcement of court ordered child support.

The program is between the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office, the prosecutors office and the circuit court clerk.

When judges in Vanderburgh County issue non-compliance for child support the sheriffs office will contact the person to voluntarily comply.

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If the compliance is not made within 45 days, their name and warrant information will be made public on the sheriffs office website.

Its not about public shaming, the goal of the program is to get results, said Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson. Its not about enforcement, but results. We wanna create any opportunity for non compliant parents to meet their obligations.

According to the Indiana Department of Child Services, the sheriffs office enforces nearly 8,000 child support cases.

There are currently 152 active child support writs of attachment in Vanderburgh County.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
At least 21 people, including several children, have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since dawn amid a months-long Israeli blockade that has deepened the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn coastal enclave.

Four Palestinians were killed and others were wounded Saturday evening after an Israeli air attack hit a tent sheltering displaced families in Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.

Earlier, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported Israeli warplanes bombed a tent in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City on Saturday morning, killing five members of the Tlaib family.

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Three children, their mother and her husband were sleeping inside a tent and were bombed by an [Israeli] occupation aircraft, family member Omar Abu al-Kass told the AFP news agency.

The attacks came without warning and without having done anything wrong, added Abu al-Kass, who said he was the childrens maternal grandfather.

In parallel, a drone attack on Gaza Citys Tuffah neighbourhood killed six people and one more in the Sheikh Radwan area of the city, where Israel bombed an apartment belonging to the Zaqout family.

Further south, Wafa said, Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire on the shores of Rafah, killing a man identified as Mohammed Saeed al-Bardawil. Two more civilians were injured in an attack on the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, west of Rafah.

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In the past 24 hours, at least 23 Palestinians have been killed and 124 others injured in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to the enclaves Ministry of Health.

Israeli blockade

The attacks came amid Israels continuing refusal to allow vital supplies into Gaza since March 2, leaving the enclaves 2.3 million residents dependent on a dwindling number of charity kitchens, which have been shutting down in recent days as food runs out.

Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeeras Hind Khoudary said: Theres barely food  Were talking about bakeries not operating, were talking about zero distribution points and were talking about only a few hot meal kitchens still operating.

Khoudary said people queueing for hours would often leave empty-handed, with remaining kitchens stretching out food that would previously have fed 100 to serve up to 2,000 people.

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Were seeing more people dying, were seeing more children dying due to malnutrition and the lack of food. But its not only the lack of food, its also the lack of medical supplies, its the lack of fuel, cooking gas, and its the lack of everything, she said.





Among the charities shuttering operations, the United States-based World Central Kitchen said on Wednesday that it had been forced to close down because it no longer had supplies to bake bread or cook meals.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs appealed for the blockade to be lifted.

Children are starving, and dying. Community kitchens are shutting down. Clean water is running out, it said on Friday in a post on X.

Failure of humanity

The blockade is also having a devastating effect on people with chronic illnesses, depriving Palestinians who suffer from diabetes, cancer and rare conditions of life-saving medication.

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Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeeras Hani Mahmoud said: Doctors here say the tragedy is not in whats happening, but in what is preventable.

These diseases have a treatment, but people of Gaza no longer have access to them, and they say that this is not just a failure of logistics, but of humanity, he added.

Mahmoud spoke to the father of a 10-year-old boy suffering from diabetes, who said insulin was not available across northern Gaza.

I spend entire days searching pharmacies, hoping to find it. Sometimes we hear that individuals might have it, so I go to their homes to barter, he said.

Said al-Soudy, head of emergency in the oncology department of Gaza Citys Al Helou International Hospital, told Al Jazeera: A large part of patients are struggling to find their essential medications. Without them, their health conditions deteriorate and may become life-threatening.

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Pharmacist Rana Alsamak told Al Jazeera that Palestinians were unable to obtain medication for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, chronic illnesses and  immune-related diseases.

These conditions now go largely untreated, she said.

On Friday, the US said it was establishing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to coordinate aid deliveries into Gaza, with Israel providing military security for operations. The UN rejected the move, saying it would weaponise aid, violate principles of neutrality and cause mass displacement.




Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) is outperforming and posting numbers that make you wonder why anyone still doubts the stocks longevity. Bears have long scoffed at its telehealth model, hammering the stock down to $25 just last month. Yet yesterdays Q1 results were a masterclass in defiance, with eye-popping revenue and profit growth that sent shorts scrambling. Stock bears are still hanging on, but given how cheap the stock has become, a run towards $100 per share may be coming sooner than most expect.

Protect Your Portfolio Against Market Uncertainty

Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) price history over the past 5 days

Following yesterdays 5% jump, the stock is almost 30% higher since the end of last week. With a strong confluence of bullish factors in play, I remain bullish on HIMS stock while remaining cognizant of the potential risks overshadowing it.

Quarterly Results Indicate the Birth of a Juggernaut

HIMS delivered a Q1 revenue haul of $586 million, up 111% year-over-year, crushing Wall Streets $538.9 million estimate by a cool $47.1 million. The drivers? A 38% surge in subscribers to 2.4 million and a 53% spike in monthly revenue to $84 per subscriber.

During the earnings call, management spotlighted their weight loss segment, turbocharged by a partnership with Novo Nordisk (NVO) for branded Wegovy. New specialties like menopause and hormonal treatments are also gaining traction, with 1.4 million subscribers now opting for personalized solutions.

Main Street Data showing HIMS stellar average order value growth since 2020

Whats fueling all this is, of course, HIMS vertically integrated platform, which traverses from telehealth to pharmacy, all while keeping costs lean and innovation swift. Their bold Super Bowl ad for affordable GLP-1 treatments cemented their brand in consumers minds.

Moreover, CEO Andrew Dudum leaned into their data-driven personalization, noting its not just driving growth but locking in loyalty, with retention rates climbing as subscribers engage across multiple care categories.

Hims & Hers Profits Steal the Show

If revenue was the main act, profitability was the encore. Adjusted EBITDA nearly tripled to $91.1 million, boasting a 16% margin from $32.3 million a year ago. Net income soared to $49.5 million, which also came in crazy high compared to $11.1 million last year. Finally, free cash flow exploded 321% to $50.1 million, with $323 million in cash, short-term investments, and virtually no debt providing a fortress-like balance sheet.

Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) balance sheet showing assets, liabilities and debt-to-assets

The bottom line success stemmed from smarter marketing, now down to 39% of sales, and higher average order values as users embrace multi-condition solutions. The shift to premium daily products in sexual health, now 40% of that segment, has boosted margins, too, even if its caused some short-term volatility.
(NewsNation)  The sheriffs office in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, has released video from earlier this year in which deputies had a tense standoff with two brothers, aged 7 and 9, who were handling a loaded handgun. Sheriff John Allen joins Banfield to talk about the type of juvenile justice reforms he says are needed in his state.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
By Karen Lema and Devjyot Ghoshal

MANILA (Reuters) - In political rallies, Senate hearings and voter surveys ahead of Monday's midterm elections in the Philippines, China has been an overwhelming - and unusual - presence.

The shadow of its giant maritime neighbour has loomed over the Philippines for years, but as the country's two most prominent political clans flex their muscles in the usually low-key process to pick senators and local government leaders, relations with China have emerged as a political lightning rod.

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The outcome could end up shaping the country's strategic positioning over the remaining half of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's six-year term, which began in 2022.

"Will we allow ourselves to return to the time when our leaders wanted us to become a province of China?" Marcos asked voters at a rally in February, in a dig at predecessor Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sara, who is currently vice president and a key Marcos rival.

During his 2016 to 2022 term, Duterte shifted foreign policy on China, adopting conciliatory rhetoric and downplaying disputes in the South China Sea. The strategy drew concern from Washington and raised questions about the Philippines' longstanding security alliance with the United States.

In contrast, Marcos has moved to rekindle and deepen ties with Washington.

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"These are hot button issues that many Filipino voters can relate to, particularly on the issue on China. There was a time in the past when foreign policy did not really matter that much during elections," said Ederson Tapia, professor of public administration at the University of Makati.

"But now it does."

An April survey found that a majority of voters in the country of 110 million prefer candidates who assert Philippine sovereignty in the South China Sea, where the Marcos-led administration has taken a more assertive stance in its maritime confrontations with Beijing, which continue unabated.

It is a sentiment that Marcos has tapped into since he started his campaign for the slate of Senate candidates that he is backing.

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In the February rally, Marcos pointed to his candidates, saying: "None of them were applauding China when our coast guard was being bombed with water, when our fishermen were being blocked, when their catch was stolen, and our islands seized to become part of another country."

China's embassy in Manila did not respond to questions from Reuters.

The Duterte camp enjoyed a surge of sympathy when he was arrested by the International Criminal Court in March and taken to The Hague, but Marcos' candidates remain ahead in polls and appear poised to dominate the Senate race.

A Duterte spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

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DISINFORMATION PROLIFERATION

Through a months-long campaign, Marcos has kept up the pressure and focused on China as a key election issue, while his allies have taken aim at Sara Duterte for her silence on China's actions.

Sara, a likely future presidential candidate, was once a Marcos ally but now faces an impeachment trial on charges including a threat to assassinate the president if she herself was harmed.

In the Philippines, the 24-member Senate acts as the jury in any impeachment trial, making the midterms even more consequential in determining Sara Duterte's political future.

Sara, who has denied wrongdoing, has responded to her impeachment with defiance, asking the Supreme Court to nullify the complaint against her.

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A strong mandate for Marcos would not only define his ability to govern decisively in the remaining three years of his term, but would also shape the 2028 presidential race, said Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit, a political analyst and founder of Stratbase Group, a research and advisory firm.

Marcos is limited to a single term under the Constitution and is expected to anoint a successor. If she survives impeachment, Sara Duterte would also be eligible to run in 2028.

"Those who will run need to be tested on consistency with regard to these issues," Manhit said, referring to the protection of Philippines' maritime rights and sovereignty.

"And one of them is the current vice president. She has not spoken against this coercion by China."

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A spokesperson for Sara Duterte did not respond to a request for comment.

The midterm election comes amid a proliferation of disinformation in the Philippines. Up to 45% of discussions about the elections on social media have been driven by inauthentic accounts, Reuters reported last month.

The use of fake accounts and paid influencers for political operations is widespread in the Philippines, but a top security official and a senator alleged last month that Chinese state-sponsored groups might be attempting to influence Filipinos.

China's foreign ministry and its embassy in Manila have rejected the accusations.

(Reporting by Karen Lema and Devjyot Ghoshal; Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
China is outpacing the world in robotics production, building safer alternatives to uranium reactors, and flooding the globe with high-tech electric vehicles  to name just a few of the rising superpower's achievements.

But the country is also innovating on the military front  a domain usually thought to be dominated by the United States.

Researchers at the 38th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation recently announced the successful development of a handheld device they say can detect cloaked stealth fighters.

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The new bit of kit blends civilian telecoms tech with military-grade radar sensitivities according to the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong-based newspaper. The researchers claim that it can detect stealth signals at a rate of "100 percent."

Here's how it works: US stealth vehicles use a system called low-probability-of-intercept radar (LPIR) to operate virtually undetected. LPIR makes military hardware nearly untraceable by employing several methods, including spamming a bevvy of super-weak radio signals across a wide range of frequencies, modulating rapidly.

This device, the researchers claim, can crack these quickly-changing signals with "ultra sensitivity, extremely fast speed," and across a wide range of frequencies from "5kHz to 44 GHz," per the SCMP. Even through electronic jamming  when a detection device is bombarded with noisy, high-power signals  the tablet can locate LPIR devices with an error margin of 0.4 to 0.5 inches, according to the researchers.

If it's as effective in real life as it was in testing, it could signal a pivotal point in the US-China arms race. The US uses LPIR on a huge range of equipment, from stealth bombers and unmanned drones to nuclear submarines.

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As essentially a repurposed tablet you could buy from a wholesaler, the gadget is blisteringly cheap compared to highly specialized military hardware.

The handheld device used to build the stealth-detector rings in at less than $68,600 online, meaning the Chinese military could very easily roll these out to its troops en masse, potentially lowering the threat of a first strike. Meanwhile, the hardware it's meant to detect  like the B-2 stealth bomber  can cost as much as $2 billion to produce.

However, that's presupposing that it actually works and lives up to the researchers' claims. There's also the chance that the US military, or one of its many tech contractors, could find a new solution to avoid being detected.

Though the device seemingly has no offensive application, it could be a major defensive tool as the US military under Trump maintains a large presence around China.

More on military tech: Pentagon Signs Deal to "Deploy AI Agents for Military Use"
The largely intact rear section and other parts of a Chinese-made PL-15E active-radar-guided air-to-air missile came down in India during a battle in the skies along the countrys border with Pakistan earlier this week. While many details about the aerial confrontation between the two countries remain murky, it marked the first known combat use of any version of the PL-15. Recovery of any parts of what is one of Chinas most modern air-to-air missiles could be of great interest to authorities in India, as well as to its allies and partners.

Readers can otherwise find out more about the ongoing India-Pakistan crisis in TWZs reporting here.

At a press conference today, Pakistani officials said that Chinese-made J-10 and JF-17 fighters, as well as U.S.-supplied F-16 Vipers, had taken part in the aerial fighting with Indian forces on the night of May 6-7. They also explicitly noted the employment of PL-15E missiles. Pakistani authorities claim 42 of their fighters tangled with 72 Indian jets, downing five of the opposing aircraft  three French-made Rafales, one Russian-made Su-30MKI Flanker, one Russian-made MiG-29 Fulcrum and a drone in the process.

Weapon systems used by Pakistan during air clashes with India:



 JF-17

 J-10

 F-16

 PL-15 missilespic.twitter.com/hXPj2h17JO  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025

Pakistan Air Force official explains how PAF shot down IAF fighter jets, a must watcher   pic.twitter.com/cPTl26a3iR  Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) May 9, 2025

BREAKING: Pakistan Army shares locations where 5 Indian jets were shot down on the night of May 7. pic.twitter.com/bSAtiBthg4  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025

Pakistans claims remain largely unsubstantiated. Pakistani officials have now released radar data and audio recordings, but they cannot be readily verified independently. There is visual evidence of at least one of Indias Rafales having been lost. There have also now been multiple reports on Indian Air Force losses, citing unnamed U.S., French, and Indian officials, but they disagree on the exact numbers and circumstances. Pakistan has also denied losing any of its aircraft in response to unconfirmed counterclaims.

PAF, Pakistan Navy & DG ISPR explaining to the International media, a must watcher for everyone. pic.twitter.com/76OvQXsoY7  Pakistan Strategic Forum (@ForumStrategic) May 9, 2025

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BREAKING: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) played audio recordings of downed Indian Rafale jets from the night of May 6-7 during the ISPR press conference.



Formation commander checking on formation on the record.



"REPORTING EXPLOSION IN AIR!" pic.twitter.com/Ujs7lV8cYl  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025

In these exchanges, parts of Pakistans Chinese-built PL-15E missiles fell inside Indian territory along the border with Pakistan. This includes one missile that reportedly came down near the village of Kamahi Devi in the Hoshiarpur district of the Punjab region with significant portions intact. Pictures and video show much of the rear body of the missile and what appears to be a portion of the guidance section lying nearby.

Pictures of the PL-15E missile body that came down in Indias Punjab region. via X

A portion of what looks to be the PL-15Es guidance section that was also found nearby. via X

*Recovered ..    (@Kunal_Biswas707) May 9, 2025

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Whether any part of that missile was subsequently recovered is unclear.

On Friday, on the information of the villagers, Indian Air Force personnel reached the spot and successfully neutralized that missile, according to a machine translation of a report from Indias Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). The soldiers sent the villagers away from the spot and later deactivated and destroyed it.

However, while there is video, seen below, showing Indian personnel securing the site, there does not appear to be imagery showing the physical destruction of the PL-15 components. Not recovering any parts of the missile seems unlikely given the intelligence potential.

Hoshiarpur, Punjab: Army and Air Force personnel have arrived at the village Kamahi Devi, where a missile fired by Pakistan was successfully deactivated. The process of dismantling the missile is currently underway pic.twitter.com/CuYa1GoROH  IANS (@ians_india) May 9, 2025

Smaller PL-15 parts were reportedly found elsewhere in Punjab after the air battle this week.

So 1st Use of PL-15 Very Long Range Air to Air Missile by PAF. pic.twitter.com/LMR1vgBk55  International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) May 7, 2025

Didnt think Id ever see a PL-15(E)s AESA without going to a vault lol



Good to know my guess was right pic.twitter.com/XQBwDiMOoN  John Ridge    (@John_A_Ridge) May 7, 2025

The loss of missiles, especially in a relatively intact state, can be the result of many circumstances. This includes shots taken at the maximum reach of a beyond-visual-range missiles capabilities, without prolonged guidance support of the launching aircraft. These launches can be used defensively or offensively, with the missile being fired at a target and entering into its fire-and-forget mode, without assistance from the launching aircraft, long before its own seeker activates. These shots are made with the missile best predicting where the target will be based on initial telemetry up until its launch aircraft stops sending it mid-course updates. The missiles onboard radar, which has short range, would then turn on and search for the target when it thinks its within range.

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This mode of fire drastically lowers the probability of a kill, but it also can greatly enhance the survivability of the launching fighter. Considering no Indian or Pakistani aircraft reportedly crossed over the border during these extensive air-to-air skirmishes, longer-range shots made with limited guidance by the launch aircraft likely occurred, with most aircraft staying far enough away from each other to survive the maximum capabilities of the opposing forces weapon systems. Mid-course updates provided from the launching fighters radar would also be truncated due to the aircrafts proximity to the border and the need to turn physically away from it so as not to cross it or enter deep into the engagement envelopes of opposing fighters and surface-to-air missile systems. Just turning on a fighter radar for an extended time in such a high threat area can lead to rapid detection and death.

Long-range shots also mean that the missiles would more likely be at a very low energy state when they eventually impact the ground.

Once again, there are many reasons why a missile could turn up relatively intact like this, but considering what we know about the tactical situation along the border, this seems like one very likely possibility.

The PL-15, which has been in Chinese service since the mid-2010s, is one of that countrys most modern air-to-air missiles. It was reportedly developed to be at least a rough analog to the U.S. AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). It is a radar homing design with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) seeker that offers active and passive modes, and that is said to offer better resistance to radiofrequency countermeasures than its Chinese predecessors. It also has a two-way data link that allows for guidance updates after launch.

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The PL-15s reported maximum range is around 124 miles, but the reach of the export PL-15E variant in service in Pakistan is said to be just 90 miles. It is not uncommon for export versions of missiles to have reduced capabilities compared to the ones a country builds for its own use.

A PL-15E missile, or a mockup thereof, on display at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow in China. Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In general, the recovery of relatively intact weapons and other material, especially more advanced designs, can be a boon for intelligence services. Retrieving parts of an air-to-air missile like the PL-15E can provide valuable details about its capabilities and limitations, which can then be used to help with the development of new countermeasures and tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Though a missile guidance package  especially an AESA seeker like the one in the PL-15  and other electronics would be of chief interest, close examination of other components could still yield very useful data. The PL-15 uses a dual-pulse rocket motor, and an expended example might still offer some insights into its performance. Testing of the materials used in the construction of the body and other parts of a missile could provide useful intelligence about the overall industrial capacity and quality control of production lines in the country of origin.

The use of the PL-15 at all in the recent fighting would have offered opportunities for intelligence gathering, whether or not significant parts of the missiles are recovered.

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India could also share components of PL-15, or any other advanced materiel it recovers in the country of the current crisis, for further examination and analysis by allies and partners. The possibility of gleaning new details about the PL-15 could be of particular interest to the United States. The missiles would be a pressing threat to American aircraft in any future conflict with China.

It is also worth noting that we dont know what information Indian, U.S., or any other foreign intelligence agencies may already have on the PL-15. The U.S. Intelligence Community, to include elements of the U.S. military, has an extensive so-called Foreign Materiel Exploitation (FME) enterprise charged specifically with acquiring items of interest ranging from aircraft to missiles to tanks, and much more, by whatever means might be available, as you can read more about in this detailed TWZ feature.

In the meantime, the current India-Pakistan crisis shows no signs of slowing down. Just as this piece was being written, reports emerged of a new wave of Indian strikes targeting Pakistani bases, including one in the northern city of Rawalpindi, immediately to the southeast of the countrys capital, Islamabad. Pakistani officials have denied the loss of any assets, but imagery has emerged raising the question of whether a C-130 was hit at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi.

Pakistan military spokesman says Indian airplanes fired missiles at an airbase in Rawalpindi. He adds that multiple military bases were targeted by Indian missiles.  Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) May 9, 2025

"India has fired Air to Surface Missiles from its planes targeting NurKhan airbase, Mureed Airbase and Shorkot airbase have been targeted, All Assets are SAFE", says Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif, Pal Mil Spox. #Pakistan  Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) May 9, 2025

It appears that a Pakistani Air Force C-130 military transport plane caught fire following Indian missile strikes on the Nur Khan Air Base. https://t.co/GGQU2jcFCY pic.twitter.com/qdNmk8fFvG  Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) May 9, 2025

Alert: at least tow explosion sounds heard in Rawalpindi and surrounding area. According to locals, most probably the drones were shot downed. More details awaited pic.twitter.com/IUzkPWwtWq  Mahaz (@MahazOfficial1) May 9, 2025

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#BREAKING: Multiple explosions heard at Noor Khan Air Base of Pakistan Air Force in Rawalpindi  Headquarters of the Pakistan Army. Tit for Tat action by India after Pakistan Army launched attack on India Air bases and Military Stations. pic.twitter.com/L1MqRsMY9Q  Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 9, 2025

Pakistans air defenses intercept Indian cruise missiles targeting Rafiqui Air Force Base near Shorkot, Jhang.



At leeast 1 interception clearly recorded. pic.twitter.com/8yGi8SlNKN  Clash Report (@clashreport) May 9, 2025

Whether or not the relatively intact parts of the PL-15E that fell in Indias Punjab region this week were recovered, there may well be more chances to retrieve portions of those missiles or other valuable materiel for intelligence exploitation before the ongoing crisis ends.

Tyler Rogoway contributed to this story.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
A dangerous TikTok trend spreading to school districts around the country has made its way into Texas schools. School officials are warning students against the challenge that risks serious injury and damage to school property.

Known as the "Chromebook Challenge" or the "Chromebook Durability Test," the trend involves children and teens inserting paper clips or other metal items into the USB port of their school-issued laptops. The act is meant to create sparks and smoke from the Chromebook and might even cause the device to catch on fire.

The issue has prompted concern in schools in several states. A 15-year-old New Jersey student has even been charged with third-degree arson and criminal mischief, after his smoking Chromebook forced the entire high school to evacuate.

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School districts in New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and now Texas are alerting parents of the trend and urging them to warn their children against participating.

Hays school district reports 5 Chromebooks destroyed for TikTok trend

Hays Consolidated Independent School District sent a warning to parents, informing them of the social media challenge responsible for the destruction of school property.

According to the Central Texas district, five Chromebooks were ruined in under two days. The incidents spanned three schools throughout the district: a high school, a middle school and an elementary school.

"Please help us by taking a minute today to mention to your children that if they see this social media challenge that they shouldn't participate," the district's spokesperson, Tim Savoy, said in an email. "Intentional damage to school district devices will lead to an expensive equipment replacement bill for the student, and possibly worse  having to explain to a judge what they were thinking."

Dangers of the 'Chromebook Challenge'

Students who jam school supplies into the USB ports of their school laptops are risking more than just a fire. Dr. Greg Sugalski, the Hackensack University Medical Center's acting chair of the emergency department, told Yahoo! that the melting plastic can release toxic chemicals into the air. These can irritate students' noses, eyes and lungs. Holding metal to electrical ports can also cause burns.

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"It can make the computer's lithium ion battery explode and cause a large fire, and there is a risk of smoke inhalation as this trend causes the computer to smoke, burning electrical equipment and plastic," Sugalski said.

Why are students destroying Chromebooks?

While each student might have unique motivations for participating in the "Chromebook Challenge" fad, many have speculated on several possibilities.

The most obvious reason students might be hopping on the trend is for social media engagement. Videos of such incidents are flooding TikTok, despite the platform flagging the "#chromebookchallenge" tag and replacing search results with a safety warning.

In the case of the Connecticut schools forced to evacuate, students might be seeking to disrupt class or get out of doing work. Students might also be engaging in the challenge to get attention, whether from parents and teachers or from other students. They might also mistakenly see the trend as a "harmless" prank.

North Jersey's Kyle Morel contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 'Chromebook Challenge': Texas schools warn of dangerous TikTok trend
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  A viral TikTok trend dubbed the Chromebook Challenge is taking place in schools across the United States, where students are attempting to set their school-issued Chromebooks on fire.

Some parents have shared to News 8 they have received notices about this from local school districts. State officials say not only is it extremely unsafe, but it can also be considered a criminal offense.

My belief is that students are doing this to get early dismissal from school, said Luci Labriola-Cuffe, who serves as deputy state fire administrator for the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control.

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The agency has been notified of at least five of these incidents taking place across New York State, including one in Genesee County.

Essentially, they are sticking something metal, or something like a graphite pencil, into a USB port. Then, that short circuits it and can cause a problem with the battery. Unfortunately, this can cause a very hazardous condition from the explosion of the battery, which can cause shrapnel to hit another student or embed into someone or something. It can cause a large fire if its exposed to any further combustible material and the gases are toxic. So, the students are in the classroom and theyre going to breathe those gases, said Labriola-Cuffe.

Not only is this extremely hazardous, but the action can be classified as criminal in nature. Officials add the simple message: the prank is not worth the risk.

We want to make sure students understand this isnt a joke. Its actually very dangerous. Attempting to start a fire in an occupied building is considered Arson class 2, which is a Class B felony. So, students may get criminally charged depending on the situation. They need to take it seriously, said Labriola-Cuffe.

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TikTok has recently removed the keyword Chromebook Challenge from searches on the platform. State officials urge parents to talk with their children and remind them taking part in a trend such as this is never a good idea. More information on warnings from the state can be found here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
CHEYENNE  Last week, Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins presented the City Council with a proposed $74,417,876 budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. This week, the elected officials began hearing from city department heads on how they assembled their budget and answered questions about proposed changes.

Most departments heard this week are requesting more funds than allocated last year, while some are projecting they will need less. Overall, the proposed budget is currently $2,770,229 higher than last years final budget.

This week, the city heard from the citys public works department, city clerks office, Cheyenne Fire Rescue, city attorney and engineering department.

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Fire

The second-largest department expenditure in the city this year is once again the citys fire programs, behind only police.

In total, Cheyenne Fire Rescue programs are requesting $19,278,372 for Fiscal Year 2026, up $134,803 from last year, or 9%. The fire department is composed of the emergency medical services, fire administration, fire operations, fire prevention and fire support divisions.

A majority of the percentage increase can be attributed to collective bargaining reclassifications and benefits in the city's compensation plan, as well as health and wellness initiatives through improved firefighter medical screenings and exit physicals.

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Although the fire department is requesting an overall increase this year, Cheyenne Fire Rescue Chief John Kopper said there was a missed opportunity to bolster safety services due to additional property tax cuts approved this year by state lawmakers.

It also directly impacted our response partners that rely much more heavily on property taxes. Special districts that we partner with must reduce some of their services to lessen the blow, Kopper said. In years past, mutual aid was given and received without concerns of compensation between both parties. However, now with special districts taking a much bigger hit on property taxes, that is now being reevaluated.

Council member Ken Esquibel said he would have also liked to see the estimated $1.77 million in lost property tax revenue put toward police and fire services as the city continues to expand.

I hope the press is listening, because the message should be sent out pretty loud and clear that while our uncles up (at the state Capitol) may have promised the people of the city that tax break, we're the ones writing the checks, and basically that checking account does not have enough money to provide the three main services the government is supposed to provide, and that's for the health, welfare and safety of the citizens, Esquibel said. So, well probably be saying that more often as we go through this budget.

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City Attorney

The city attorneys office, which operates under the mayors office, is requesting permission to hire an additional attorney to assist in a busy office. The office is seeking a $236,882 increase to the payroll budget to accommodate for the new hire and give existing staff a pay increase.

City Attorney John Brodie said this hire is needed because there are only three staff  two prosecutors and a paralegal  who handle around 6,000 cases per year, something he said is at the maximum workload for most attorneys.

He said if the city wants to continue to invest in police officers, that will result in more cases coming to the city attorneys office.

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That's 115 officers that are on the street issuing citations every day, and all of those citations, with the exception of the few that go up to District Court, are landing on the desks of only two attorneys, Brodie said. That creates a pretty good bottleneck.

He said having an additional full-time attorney in the division would ease the workload and help the city in reaching traffic control goals.

Public Works

As the city continues to annex county pockets and other areas of land, the responsibilities of the public works department grow along with it. Over the past four years, Cheyenne has grown by 4,637 acres, an 18.24% increase.

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The public works department oversees facilities maintenance, fleet maintenance fund, 1% fund, public works administration, solid waste fund, street and alley, traffic and transit divisions.

This year, the department is requesting a $125,816 budget increase from FY 25.

This includes a reduction in funds for the traffic division of more than $70,000, an increase of $80,000 for the facilities maintenance division and an increase of more than $100,000 for the street and alley division.

The increase in street and alley is primarily attributed to changes in payroll, telecommunications, utilities, and fleet fuel, labor and parts.

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Council member Kathy Emmons asked Public Works Deputy Director Craig LaVoy how the department is projecting costs to meet potential needs.

Concerning waste collection, he said it will be difficult to tell.

If you can tell me which parts are going to be annexed, I mean, I've heard some interesting thoughts that it could be the (F.E. Warren Air Force) base. I've heard interesting thoughts that it could be the whole south side. We would have to add to our fleet, if it was something like the south side one, where we would have to add two trucks.

Engineering

City Engineer Tom Cobb is anticipating the city engineers office will not need as much funding in the upcoming fiscal year as in FY 25, requesting a budget $221,840 below last year.

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The largest changes are a result of decreases in payroll expenses, contractual services, and parts and supplies. The parts and supplies expense decreased 95%, or $40,000, which is the result of approved one-time funding to replace the antiquated Trimble surveying equipment and to purchase electronic equipment for the divisions conference room upgrade.

Cobb said there are four primary objectives of his department: to hold paramount community safety within the flood plains, drainage areas and roadways; protection, preservation and maintenance of roadway right-of-way assets; oversee the programming, planning, design and review of all new right-of-way and drainage assets; and be a steward of taxpayers' dollars.

In his presentation to the governing body, Cobb listed several accomplishments of his department last year, including 60 miles of patch-and-seal throughout the community, completing phase one of the Belvoir Ranch trails and completing the Powderhouse Road and Carlson Street intersection improvements and signalization installation.

Between total construction of new facilities and maintenance, we did $28.5 million worth of work, Cobb said. That's never been done in my office, not in the history of the city engineer's office.

With the future of the economy uncertain and a potential recession looming, Cobb said the uncertainty of prices could have resulted in an overestimation of costs in the annual budget, but he is unsure how things will play out.
**Related Video Above: Learning about internet service providers

CLEVELAND (WJW)  Five local nonprofits recently received $75,000 in grants from Charter Communications, Inc. to help further advance digital education in the community.

Krayzie Bone working to improve Glenville neighborhood with Harmony District

Spectrum Digital Education supports programs that empower community members to enhance their lives with connectivity, from providing digital literacy training to seniors to connecting students with important resources and tools for their education, Spectrums John Higgins said in a statement.

Photo courtesy Spectrum

The five Cleveland groups honored with the Spectrum Digital Education grants, first introduced in 2017, this year were:

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Seeds of Literacy ($20,000): The organization works to help adults earn the GED and more.

Empowering and Strengthening Ohios People ($10,000): The groups mission is to help older adults on their journey through aging.

Urban League of Greater Cleveland ($20,000): The Urban League of Greater Cleveland uplifts black and other under-served communities through services and programs.

Ashbury Senior Computer Community Center ($20,000): ASC3 focuses on free technology classes for seniors.

1,000 Ties ($5,000): A youth mentorship program that helps with digital literacy and job readiness.

Find out more about the grant program right 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia needs to "think about" the latest proposal from Kyiv for a 30-day ceasefire.

Speaking to CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen on May 10, Peskov commented on the ceasefire proposal put forward by Ukraine and its European allies.

Zelensky and European leaders, with the support of United States President Donald Trump, demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12. If Russia refuses the proposal, Europe and the U.S. will respond with increased sanctions.

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When asked about the proposal, Peskov responded: "We have to think about that... these are new developments. We have our own position."

Peskov also commented on the increased pressure from Europe.

"Europe is actually confronting us very openly... and we are quite accustomed to it," Peskov added.

When asked whether Russia can be pressured, Peskov said that "Russia is quite resistant to any kinds of pressure," while simultaneously claiming that the Kremlin is "open for dialogue... open for attempts to have a settlement in Ukraine."

Peskov also noted that Moscow appreciates "efforts of mediation," but added that it is "quite useless to pressure" Russia.

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Earlier, Peskov rejected the 30-day ceasefire in an interview with ABC News on May 10, claiming that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia continues to attack Ukraine while Victory Day celebrations underway in Moscow

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com

The co-leader of a drug operation with ties to Aryan prison gangs has been sentenced on federal charges.

Bryson Gill, 32, will serve 17 and a half years for his role in conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release Friday.

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Gill pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2025. He was sentenced Friday in federal court in Tacoma.

The seriousness of these offenses cannot be understated, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said via the release. There are so many people out there that become addicted to these drugs or suffer overdoses and are no longer with us.

Drug with ties to Aryan prison gang ring sold fentanyl, meth, heroin

Authorities stated Gills operation sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin throughout the Puget Sound region.

In December 2022, law enforcement raided his home and stash house in Shelton, seizing more than 640,000 fentanyl pills, $81,000 in cash, and 23 firearms.

Make no mistake, Gills drug ring used violence and threats of violence as their stock in trade, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said via the release. Gill was heard on the wiretap plotting to kidnap another drug dealer and expressing a desire to murder a law enforcement officer. With the more than $1 million he laundered, Gill bragged that he was going to set up a compound with an airfield in Arizona to further his drug trafficking. This conviction and sentence successfully ended those plans.
On May 10, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with the residents who moved to Kangarli village in Aghdam district and presented them with the keys to their new homes, Azernews reports.

Greeting the villagers, President Ilham Aliyev said: Welcome to Kangarli!

Residents: Thank you. You are the hero of the day. You are welcome too!

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. I congratulate you. Life is returning to Kangarli, the natives of Kangarli are already returning here. It is a great happiness and a historic event. Living in the land of our ancestors after a long break is a huge happiness, of course. I congratulate you on this occasion.

Residents: Thank you very much, we are grateful to you.

President Ilham Aliyev: You lived in difficult conditions for many years - in dilapidated houses, dormitories, kindergartens, and for a certain period in tent camps in various parts of our country. Today, in this beautiful village, we are seeing a renewed Azerbaijan, we are seeing a restored Karabakh. We are demonstrating that we have always been the owners of these lands, and it is the case today. Only the owner of this land can build and create here. The contemptible enemy devastated this entire region. Not a single building remained intact in Aghdam district. The entire city and all surrounding villages were completely razed to the ground. Not only in Aghdam, but almost in all the territories occupied at the time, the Armenian state was pursuing a consistent policy so that Azerbaijanis could never return to this region. They wanted to keep these lands under occupation forever. Some countries that provided them with moral and material support also stood in solidarity with them. But they had forgotten one thing: the Azerbaijani people will never come to terms with the occupation, the people of Azerbaijan will never give up on their native lands, the Azerbaijani state will rise up, gather strength, and expel the enemy from its land. They failed to calculate this.

Those painful years are now in the past. You are now returning to your native land, where wonderful conditions have been created for you. The village of Kangarli is beautiful. This is the first stage of the restoration and reconstruction of the village. A total of 292 houses are ready and will be made available to you. More houses will be built in the second stage. All conditions are available here. There are beautiful houses, there is electricity, gas, water, sewage, a school, a kindergarten, a market, a medical center, and even a market complex  everything is available. Land will be allocated for planting. Demining work has already been completed on some lands. I have given instructions so that residents can also be given plots of land. Land parcels are 12 acres. It is possible to plant and cultivate there too. In other words, life is returning, and justice has prevailed. This is a celebration of justice. We are witnessing that.

The city of Aghdam is also coming back to life. This morning I inaugurated the Aghdam railway station complex. After this event, the Aghdam Mugham Center will also be opened. The fact that we have built the Mugham Center as one of our first projects in Aghdam is evidence of our attachment to our spiritual roots. In other words, it was our music, language, and unyielding spirit that kept us together as a nation, as a people.

The displaced people lived in the most difficult conditions. You know that I had numerous meetings with the displaced people during the occupation, including those in tent cities. I had promised to them that not a single tent city would remain standing during my first presidential term, and in 2007 there was not a single one left. We also met in the newly built settlements, at the inauguration of those settlements. We provided nearly 300,000 displaced people with beautiful homes. During those meetings, I was saying that this is your temporary residence, and that after the lands are liberated, we will create even better conditions for you in Karabakh.

Resident: Thank you very much for this day.

President Ilham Aliyev: Today's ceremony is, as they say, the seal of those words. I know that neither you nor we, the entire Azerbaijani people, had any doubts that we would return to our lands. But we have returned magnificently. We defeated the enemy in a matter of 44 days. And then, within 23 hours, perhaps even faster, we completely eradicated the separatists. You, representatives of the older generation, remember the Soviet era. Back then, the Armenians who lived next to you, those who were resettled to our lands by Tsarist Russia, had a negative attitude towards us, our people, especially the Azerbaijanis who lived in the then Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region. Both Khojaly and Shusha  they were under tremendous moral pressure.

Today, Azerbaijani citizens are the owners of every inch of land here. They live and will live everywhere. The rapid restoration work shows that all former displaced persons will soon return to their lands.

The village of Kangarli is the 14th settlement we have restored. It is second in Aghdam district. First Sarijali and now Kangarli. The village of Khidirli is almost ready for opening. In the coming months, life will be bustling there too. So you will not be bored here. Together with your relatives, friends, and acquaintances, you will rebuild this region, Karabakh. We will all build it together.

I congratulate you and wish you good health. Live happily here.

Residents: Thank you very much.

x x x

Then, a ceremony for the presentation of the keys took place.

x x x

Commemorative photos were taken.
TD Bank is closing nearly 40 locations this summer after evaluating its existing stores.

The Cherry Hill, New Jersey-headquartered national bank confirmed to USA TODAY that after a recent analysis, it "made the difficult decision to close 38 locations on June 5."

A spokesperson for the bank said that as part of its normal business practices, it regularly evaluates existing TD Bank stores, which "may result in some closures, consolidations, or relocations." The evaluations allow the bank to better align its network of stores with "customer needs and preferences," he added.

"We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for our impacted customers and colleagues and look forward to serving them at one of our over 1000+ TD Bank locations or through our digital banking products and services," the spokesperson said.

Although the bank will be closing some locations, the spokesperson said it has recently opened three new stores  two in New York (Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and Jerome Avenue, the Bronx), and one in Boston (Nubian Square).

What TD Bank locations are closing?

According to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency data, the closing TD Bank locations include:

TD Bank pleaded guilty to money laundering violations in 2024

Last year, TD Bank agreed to pay over $3 billion in penalties after becoming the largest bank in U.S. history to plead guilty to federal money laundering crimes.

According to the government, TD Bank for years ignored red flags from high-risk customers and created a "convenient" environment for bad actors to exploit.

"TD Bank chose profits over compliance in order to keep its costs down," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said during a press conference at the time, noting TD was the largest bank to admit to violating the Bank Secrecy Act.

TD Bank Group President and CEO Raymond Chun speaks at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Toronto, Ontario, Canada April 10, 2025.

New TD Bank CEO Ray Chun, at the time, said the financial institution would "make the necessary changes to put the bank on a stronger foundation."

"This is TD's number-one priority, and my number one priority," Chun said during a conference call in October 2024. "Make no mistake, we will meet our commitments to our regulators ... we will get the job done."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: TD Bank closing nearly 40 branches on June 5: See list
The countries in the coalition of the willing have agreed to demand that Russia engage in a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire effective Monday 12 May to give diplomacy a chance.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference in Kyiv with the leaders of France, the UK, Poland and Germany, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy noted that the demand to Russia is the main result of the latest coalition meeting.

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Quote: "The most important thing is that we've agreed that a complete and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days should begin on Monday 12 May. Together, we demand this from Russia and know that the United States supports us in this regard."

Details: Zelenskyy pointed out that an attempt to impose conditions would indicate an intention to prolong the war and disrupt diplomacy.

"The ceasefire must be comprehensive; in the air, at sea and on land," he said. "It's entirely possible to ensure the monitoring of the ceasefire in coordination with the United States. That's totally realistic."

The Ukrainian leader believes the ceasefire should last for 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance. During this time, efforts will concentrate on defining the security, political and humanitarian foundations of peace.

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French President Emmanuel Macron added that the ceasefire will be monitored primarily by the Americans, but all others will also participate.

Macron said this will allow negotiations on sensitive infrastructure and security guarantees to begin immediately.

"In the event of a violation of this ceasefire, we have agreed that massive sanctions will be prepared and coordinated between Europeans and Americans," the French president noted.

Background:

After the meeting of the coalition of the willing, Zelenskyy and the leaders of four European countries  Germany, France, Poland and the UK  had a telephone conversation with their American counterpart, Donald Trump.

Leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the UK have urged Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire in a statement released before the four leaders arrived in Kyiv.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW)  Information on Coastal Carolina Universitys website that South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace said promoted cross-dressing was removed after she posted a Facebook video this week criticizing CCU.

Coastal Carolina confirmed to News13 Thursday night in an email that the link had been removed but did not specify whether it was taken down because of Maces video.

Coastal Carolina University was made aware of the link in question, which directed users to a third-party website, the school said in a statement. The link has since been removed from our website. We appreciate this matter being brought to our attention and are conducting a review of the site to ensure that third-party links align with our sites guidelines.

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Maces office provided News13 with screenshots of links to the information on CCUs website after her office was asked about the video on Thursday. In the video posted on Wednesday, Mace did not mention a specific website link.

The screenshots show a page that included details of Safe Zone  Training and Resources with a link to Tri-Ess, which is an international support and social group for straight (heterosexual) crossdressers and their partners, spouses, and families.

Why is a South Carolina school promoting cross-dressing on their website? Mace said in her video. I sure would like to know.

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Mace wrote in the caption of the video that South Carolina is better than this. On Friday, she thanked Coastal Carolina in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Thank you to @CCUChanticleers for acting quickly to remove their cross-dressing page, the post reads. South Carolina parents, students, and taxpayers spoke up, and Coastal Carolina responded.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SIRONKO, Uganda (AP)  Meridah Nandudu envisioned a coffee sisterhood in Uganda, and the strategy for expanding it was simple: Pay a higher price per kilogram when a female grower took the beans to a collection point.

It worked. More and more men who typically made the deliveries allowed their wives to go instead.

Nandudus business group now includes more than 600 women, up from dozens in 2022. Thats about 75% of her Bayaaya Specialty Coffees pool of registered farmers in this mountainous area of eastern Uganda that produces prized arabica beans and sells to exporters.

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Women have been so discouraged by coffee in a way that, when you look at (the) coffee value chain, women do the donkey work, Nandudu said. But when the coffee is ready for selling, men step in to claim the proceeds.

Her goal is to reverse that trend in a community where coffee production is not possible without women's labor.

Uganda is one of Africas top two coffee producers, and the crop is its leading export. The east African country exported more than 6 million bags of coffee between September 2023 and August 2024, accounting for $1.3 billion in earnings, according to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.

The earnings have been rising as production dwindles in Brazil, the worlds top coffee producer, which faces unfavorable drought conditions.

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In Sironko district, where Nandudu grew up in a remote village near the Kenya border, coffee is the community's lifeblood. As a girl, when she was not at school, she helped her mother and other women look after acres of coffee plants. They usually planted, weeded and toiled with the post-harvest routine that includes pulping, fermenting, washing and drying the coffee.

The harvest season was known to coincide with a surge in cases of domestic violence, she said. Couples fought over how much of the earnings that men brought home from sales  and how much they didn't.

When (men) go and sell, they are not accountable. Our mothers cannot ask, We dont have food at home. You sold coffee. Can you pay school fees for this child? she said.

Years later, Nandudu earned her degree in the social sciences from Ugandas top public university in 2015, with her father funding her education from coffee earnings. She had the idea to launch a company that would prioritize the needs of coffee-producing women in the country's conservative society.

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She thought of her project as a kind of sisterhood and chose bayaaya"  a translation in the Lumasaba language  for her company's name.

It launched in 2018, operating like others that buy coffee directly from farmers and process it for export.

But Bayaaya is unique in Mbale, the largest city in eastern Uganda, for focusing on women and for initiatives such as a cooperative saving society that members can contribute to and borrow from.

For small-holder Ugandan farmers in remote areas, a small movement in the price of a kilogram of coffee is a major event. The decision to sell to one or another middleman often hinges on small price differences.

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A decade ago, the price of coffee bought by a middleman from a Ugandan farmer was roughly 8,000 Uganda shillings, or just over $2 at todays exchange rate. Now the price is roughly $5.

Nandudu adds an extra 200 shillings to the price of every kilogram she buys from a woman. Its enough of an incentive that more women are joining. Another benefit is a small bonus payment during the off-season from February to August.

That motivates many local men to trust their women to sell coffee, Nandudu said. When a woman sells coffee, she has a hand in it.

Nandudus group has many collection points across eastern Uganda, and women trek to them at least twice a week. Men are not turned away.

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Selling as a Bayaaya member has fostered teamwork as her family collectively decides how to spend coffee earnings, said Linet Gimono, who joined the group in 2022.

And with assured earnings, shes able to afford the "small things she often needs as a woman. I can buy soap (and) I can buy sugar without pulling ropes with my husband over it, she said.

Another member, Juliet Kwaga, said her mother never would have thought of collecting coffee earnings because her father was very much in charge.

Now, Kwaga's husband, with a bit of encouragement, is comfortable sending her. At the end of the day I go home with something to feed my family, to support my children," she said.

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In Sironko district, home to more than 200,000 people, coffee trees dot the hilly terrain. Much of the farming is on plots of one or two acres, although some families have larger tracts.

Many farmers dont usually drink coffee, and some have never tasted it. Some women smiled in embarrassment when asked what it tasted like.

But things are slowly changing. Routine coffee drinkers are emerging among younger women in the coffee business in urban areas, including at a roasting place in Mbale where most employees are women.

Phoebe Nabutale, who helps oversee quality assurance for Darling Coffee, was raised in a family of coffee growers. She bent over the roaster, smelling the beans until she got the aroma she wanted.

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Many of her girlfriends, she said, regularly ask how they can break into the coffee business, as roasters or otherwise.

For Nandudu, who aims to start exporting beans, that's progress.

Now there are more women in coffee as a business, she said.

___

For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  The College of Charleston announced a change in schedule for its Saturday graduation.

A high probability for rain prompted the college to move its commencement ceremony one hour earlier, at 9 a.m., in Cistern Yard.

Gates will open at 7:30 a.m.

The College also shared a reminder that umbrellas are not allowed in Cistern Yard since they obstruct the view of the stage.

Complimentary rain ponchos will be available at the Porters Lodge entrance to Cistern Yard.

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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 WCBD News 2.
May 10The man convicted in the October 2024 stabbing of the principal of South Point Elementary School was sentenced to an aggregate term of 39 1/2 to 45 years in prison on Thursday.

According to a news release from the Lawrence County Prosecutor's office, County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Ballard sentenced Josh Collins, after he was found guilty following a two-day bench trial in April.

On Oct. 24, 2024, Collins entered a secure area of South Point Elementary School, and after a brief conversation with Christian, he pulled out a knife and began stabbing Christian in the back and head.

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Christian was able to retreat into the secure office. Collins then used his knife and broke the glass to the office window, gaining entry into the secure part of the school. Collins continued after Christian with a knife, causing the school to enter into lock down and extreme panic ensued on behalf of teachers, students, administrators and parents, the prosecutor's office said.

Collins was found guilty of felonious assault, attempted murder, possession of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance in a School Safety Zone, inducing panic and seven counts of kidnapping.

At sentencing, Prosecutor Anderson emphasized the gravity of the offenses and urged the court to impose a term that would ensure Collins could never again endanger or terrorize others. Judge Ballard agreed, imposing the sentence to reflect the seriousness of the crimes and to protect the community.
Three Denver-area businesses face a combined $8 million in fines for allegedly employing unauthorized migrant workers in contravention of employment law.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent Steve Cagen told Fox31 News that the fines are designed to uphold the law and promote a culture of compliance."

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The employment of unauthorized workers undermines the integrity of our immigration system and puts law-abiding employers at a disadvantage, he said.

The agency announced the fines publicly on X.

Who was fined and why

ICE said CCS Denver, Inc.  a commercial cleaning and facility maintenance company  knowingly hired and employed at least 87 unauthorized workers. It faces the largest fine: $6.19 million.

According to ICE, Denver's PBC Commercial Cleaning Systems, Inc. demonstrated a pattern of knowingly employing at least 12 unauthorized workers. It was fined nearly $1.6 million.

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

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Green Management Denver was fined $270,195 after ICE identified 44 unauthorized employees.

ICE said its enforcement actions follow workplace audits. John Fabbricatore, a former field office director for ICE. said such audits have been going on for decades.

They performed an I-9 audit in which they found multiple Social Security number (probably) mismatches and no matches, Fabbricatore told Fox31.

So, they went through with a civil violation of that and fined these companies for employing people who are unlawfully present in the United States and unauthorized to work (there).

Undocumented workers pay a price

While the businesses face financial consequences from such audits, undocumented workers pay a high price on the job. Here's how they're typically impacted.

Wage theft

When employers knowingly hire unauthorized workers, they sometimes exploit that status to skirt labor laws, resulting in wage theft.

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According to a report from the Economic Policy Institute, workers lose over $15 billion each year due to minimum wage violations alone  a burden that disproportionately affects immigrant and undocumented workers.

Benefits loss and job instability

Undocumented workers are rarely offered employee benefits like health insurance, paid sick leave or unemployment protections.

Their precarious legal standing often prevents them from reporting labor violations like unsafe conditions, wage theft or harassment.

For many, this is due to fear of retaliation or immigration consequences, including deportation.

But some workers also have visas tied to a specific employer, meaning that employer controls their visa status along with their livelihood.

Financial strain and tax implications

Although many undocumented workers pay taxes  often through Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs)  they're ineligible for many public benefits funded by those taxes.

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They're also more likely to face budgeting strain due to unpredictable income, lack of formal employment contracts and vulnerability to sudden job loss during enforcement actions.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
DENVER (KDVR)  A Weld County District Court Judge sentenced 73-year-old Mark Switzer to four years in the Colorado Department of Corrections on Friday for assisting his friend in suicide in 2017.

The sentence comes after Switzer pleaded guilty in February to manslaughter  aiding in suicide in the May 2017 death of 49-year-old Nathan Combs.

Dates set for Menendez brothers resentencing hearing

Investigators initially believed Combs death was the result of an accident involving a truck, after he was found dead on May 18, 2017, near a semi-truck west of Hereford, however investigators later determined he had been shot.

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The Weld County DA said the investigation also revealed Combs had increased his life insurance policy in the months leading up to his death and had arranged for Switzer, a then-friend, to carry out the killing.

This was not a momentary lapse in judgement or a mistake, Deputy District Attorney Katherine

Fitzgerald said, during Fridays sentencing hearing. This was a calculated plan and a deliberate action. Regardless of whether the victim asked him to assist in his death, this defendant still killed Nathan Combs and this type of behavior wont be tolerated in our community.

Free on Your TV  New FOX31+ App for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV

Switzer was arrested in March 2023. He was originally charged with first-degree murder but had that charge dismissed as part of his plea agreement.

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Find mental health resources in Colorado.

If you are thinking of hurting or killing yourself:

Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Please get help immediately.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NEW YORK (AP)  Columbia University has suspended dozens of students and barred alums and others who participated in a pro-Palestinian demonstration inside the schools main library earlier this week, a school spokesperson said Friday.

The Ivy League institution in Manhattan placed more than 65 students on interim suspension and barred 33 others, including those from affiliated institutions such as Barnard College, from setting foot on campus.

Interim suspension generally means that a student cannot come to campus, attend classes or participate in other university activities, according to Columbia's website. The university declined to say how long the disciplinary measures would be in place, saying only that the decisions are pending further investigation.

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An undisclosed number of alums who also participated in the protest are also now prevented from entering school grounds, according to Columbia.

Roughly 80 people were arrested in connection with the Wednesday evening demonstration at the university's Butler Library. Most face trespassing charges, though some may also face disorderly conduct, police have said.

The mask-clad protesters pushed their way past campus security officers, raced into the building and hung Palestinian flags and other banners on bookshelves. Some protesters also scrawled phrases on library furniture and picture frames, including Columbia will burn."

New York City police in helmets and other protection broke up the demonstration at the request of university officials, who denounced the protests as an outrageous disruption for students studying and preparing for final exams.

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said his office will be reviewing the visa status of those who participated in the library takeover for possible deportation.

The Trump administration has already pulled federal funding and detained international students at Columbia and other prestigious American universities over their handling of student protests against the war in Gaza.
By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - Columbia University has suspended more than 65 students for their role in a pro-Palestinian demonstration that forced the shutdown of the main campus library, a school official said on Friday.

The students were placed on interim suspension and will be prohibited from taking their final exams or entering campus except to access their dormitories, the university official said.

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Columbia also barred 33 other people from campus, including students from other colleges and alumni who took part in the protest, according to the official.

"When rules are violated and when our academic community is purposefully disrupted, that is a considered choice  one with real consequences," the Columbia official said.

Scores of students were arrested after seizing part of the school's main library on Wednesday in one of the biggest pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus since last year's wave of protests against Israel's war in Gaza.

Officers of the New York Police Department were called to campus to quell the protest at the request of university officials.

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The demonstration came amid negotiations between Columbia's board of trustees and the Trump administration, which announced in March it was penalizing the university over previous pro-Palestinian protests by canceling hundreds of millions of dollars in research grants.

There was no immediate reaction to news of the suspensions from student activists representing the protesters.

Organizers of Wednesday's demonstration repeated their long-standing demands that the university cease investing any of its $14.8 billion endowment in weapons makers and other companies that support Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territories.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
As January was ending, Gabelli joined Squawk Box on CNBC to discuss a range of topics. He explained how the stock markets performance is tied to company earnings, revenue growth, gross margins, expenses, and taxes, but most importantly to the market multiple, which is influenced by interest rates. These are shaped by debt, deficits, and overall confidence. Gabelli also mentioned that strategic corporate M&A was returning after a freeze caused by regulatory uncertainty and some failed deals. Activist investors are also seeking greater visibility and pushing for changes at companies. He argued against reducing the corporate tax rate below 21% but advocated for a minimum tax on a cash basis. He called for the restoration of 100% bonus depreciation, which would allow businesses, such as farmers, to fully write off new equipment purchases immediately, thereby encouraging investment in technologically advanced machinery. Gabelli mentioned that similar incentives should apply to capital expenditures in sectors like cable and referenced comments from Hans Vestberg. He noted that while corporations currently receive tax deductions for capital expenditures, these are spread over longer periods, and accelerating them would provide more immediate benefits.

Mario J. Gabelli founded Gabelli Asset Management Company in 1977. The firm is now called GAMCO Investors and is an American firm headquartered in New York. It specializes in providing investment advice and brokerage services to mutual funds, institutional clients, and select investors. It is majority-owned by Mario Gabelli, who is the Chairman and CEO of it. GAMCO Investors includes two businesses: GAMCO Asset Management, with institutional and separate accounts; and Gabelli Funds. The last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $9.55 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 16.81%. Gabelli stayed true to the principles of value investing and used a solid base created by Warren Buffett and Ben Graham, while adding some of his elements to the mix. He believes that value investing isnt focused on short-term market movements. He looks for the ignored and unloved companies that nobody covers for whatever reason, with a good business, solid management, and a good price.

We recently published a list of Billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 Small-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) stands against other small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential.

Story Continues

Gabelli graduated summa cum laude in 1965 from Fordham Universitys College of Business Administration in 1965 and holds an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. He has received honorary doctorates from Fordham University and Roger Williams University. He also serves on the Boards of Boston College, Roger Williams University, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, the American-Italian Cancer Foundation, and the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture. He is a Trustee of the Winston Churchill Foundation of the US and the EL Wiegand Foundation. Gabelli was honored as Morningstars Portfolio Manager of the Year in 1997, named Money Manager of the Year by Institutional Investor in 2011, and is a member of Barrons All-Star Century Team.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential, we sifted through the Q4 2024 13F filings of GAMCO Investors from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked the upside potential from CNN for the top 50 stock picks that were trading between $1 billion and $10 billion and ranked the stocks in ascending order of this upside potential. We have also added GAMCO Investors stake in each company and the hedge fund sentiment around each stock.

Note: All data was sourced on May 8.

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).

Telephone and Data Systems Inc. (NYSE:TDS): Among Billionaire Mario Gabellis Small-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential

A well-dressed executive walking along a network of wires, demonstrating the power of a telecommunications company.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS)

GAMCO Investors Stake: $65.33 million

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 36

Market Capitalization as of May 8: $3.67 billion

Average Upside Potential as of May 8: 50.10%

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) is a telecom company that provides communications services to consumers, businesses, and government in the US. It operates through three segments: UScellular Wireless, UScellular Towers, and TDS Telecom. It sells and distributes its products through third-party direct sales, retail stores, sales agents, and an online platform.

Over the past three years, the companys ongoing fiber program in its TDS Telecom segment has expanded TDS Telecoms footprint by over 30%. In Q1 2025, TDS Telecom delivered 14,000 new fiber service addresses and anticipates achieving 150,000 fiber addresses for the full year. While fiber net additions of 8,300 in the quarter were lower than in previous periods due to the timing of service address delivery, the company expects these additions will increase as build-out accelerates throughout the year.

TDS Telecom is actively investing in its fiber infrastructure, with more than 80% of its full-year capital expenditures dedicated to fiber in 2025. This investment supports both expansion markets, primarily in Wisconsin and the Pacific Northwest, as well as the new Enhanced A-CAM (E-ACAM) program, which will bring fiber deeper into rural communities. The company has already begun construction in its first E-ACAM market in Wisconsin.

Overall, TDS ranks 1st on our list of billionaire Mario Gabellis small-cap stock picks with huge upside potential. While we acknowledge the potential of TDS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than TDS but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Paul Rieckhoff, a combat veteran of the Iraq War and a nationally recognized military veterans advocate, issued a blunt warning Friday: The Trump administrations purge of transgender service members is only the beginning, and the rest of America should take note.

This isnt just a banits a purge, Rieckhoff said during an appearance on MSNBCs Katy Tur Reports, reacting to a directive from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth requiring all transgender troops to resign voluntarily by June 6D-Dayor face administrative separation. Its reckless. Its bigoted. Its mean. And its crushing morale.

Rieckhoff, who served as an Army infantry officer in Iraq and later founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said the policy is not only discriminatory but destabilizing. Were talking about people whove served 20 yearsfighter pilots, Green Berets, people forward-deployed in combat zones. Removing them devastates unit cohesion, wastes resources, and sends a clear message of intolerance.

 (@)

On Friday afternoon, attorneys for the plaintiffs in Talbott v. United States submitted a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, alerting judges to Hegseths Thursday directive and including the full text of the order as an exhibit. Filed by GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, who represent 32 transgender plaintiffs, the letter says the directive restates the unsupported assertion that expressing a false gender identity divergent from an individuals sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for Military Service, and argues it further corroborates the district courts finding that the ban was motivated by animus against transgender people as a group.

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U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes ruled in March that the Trump administration had implemented the policy based solely on a dislike of transgender people without showing any evidence that trans service members harm the military in any way.

The same language appeared in a public post from Hegseth, which the plaintiffs also cited as reinforcing the bans unconstitutional basis.

The directive came just days after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a nationwide injunction in another complaint by trans troops in Shilling v. United States, allowing the administration to begin enforcing the transgender military baneven as legal appeals remain active.

On The Daily Show Thursday night, host Jordan Klepper sat down with transgender troops who dismantled the administrations justifications. This idea that we spend years of being non-deployable is just simply untrue, said Lt. Rae Timberlake, a 17-year Navy veteran. Ive never missed a deployment. I can fight tonight.

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Chief Warrant Officer Jo Ellis, a Blackhawk pilot, added: Theyve paid for nothing for my transition. I paid out of pocket because I wanted to be mission-ready as fast as possible. In six weeks, I was deployable again.

Kleppers segment aired the same week Hegseth delivered a tirade at a military event in Florida, proclaiming, No more pronouns, no more dudes in dresses. Were done with that shit.

Rieckhoff said that while some may find the Pentagons new stance appealing, many will choose not to join the armed services.

Youre going to get more people who are anti-woke and think Pete Hegseth is MacArthur, Rieckhoff said. And you get other people who dont want to be part of a military that becomes more narrow, more male, more white, more right-wing. Thats not the military of 2024. Its the military of 1864. It looks like the army of the Confederacy, not a modern military that can fight around the world.

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For Rieckhoff, the separations during Pride Month were deliberate. [Hegseth has] announced that they have till June 6th, which is D-Daywhether thats some kind of spectacular culture war moment or they just want to be mean, he said. But theres always a component here that politicizes even something like D-Day.

Riekhoff warned that the military purge is part of a larger strategy. Everything theyre doing at the Pentagon and the military is what they want to do for the rest of society, Rieckhoff said. Theyre just doing it there first because, in part, its easier to get the military to do what you want them to do. So they ban books. Theyre banning trans people. Theyre trying to attack DEI and remove books by Maya Angelou or anything else that they view as unacceptable from the curriculum, from the academic institutions, as a way of cascading down to the rest of society. So watch the Pentagon spacenot just because of national security, because its the tip of the spear for the total transformation of society that they want to execute.

Rieckhoff tied the crackdown to Project 2025, a sweeping far-right blueprint for reshaping the federal government. They fired [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] CQ Brown. They removed all legal opposition. Now theyre transforming the most powerful part of the U.S. governmentbiggest budget, biggest guns, most employeesand that makes pushing around the rest of the government pretty easy.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Just one day after a judge declared a mistrial following a deadlocked jury in Christopher Schurrs murder trial, questions continue to mount as to what will happen next.

In a news conference on Thursday, following the mistrial declaration, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker was asked if he plans to retry the case.

No decision yet on whether to retry Christopher Schurr

Im not gonna let this drag out. Im going to be considerate of the community. This is a big decision, but Im not gonna rush through it, but Im not gonna sit here and its not gonna be June. I dont have a specific timeline, but I hope to know relatively quickly, Becker said.

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Schurrs defense attorney, Matthew Borgula, said in a press conference that he did not think the case should have been tried in the first place, let alone retried. But, he said, if Becker decides to retry, he is confident it will go in their favor.

I thought we were going to win the first time around. So obviously I feel even stronger that we would win should we have to retry this case, he said.

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)

Cooley Law Professor Tracey Brame weighed in on what could happen next, describing it as a reset period.

It is not uncommon to have a hung jury the first time and then to get a verdict the second time because again, both parties are going to learn from the first time around, she said.

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While in this limbo period, Brame says Schurr is not a free man, and the only way he would be is if he is acquitted or if Becker decides to dismiss the charges and not retry him.

The mistrial was based on the original information, right like the original complaint. So, before he did anything, he would have to dispose of the original complaint. So right now, where we are is a reset officer Schurr has been charged with second-degree murder, are we going to retry him on that? she said.

City of Grand Rapids: Mistrial in Schurr case brings continued uncertainty and pain

Brame added that there are likely a lot of different factors Becker will look into while making his decision.

The family of Patrick Lyoya, attorney Ven Johnson and Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack speak at a virtual press conference after a jury said it could not reach a verdict and the judge declared a mistrial in Christopher Schurrs second-degree murder trial in the death of Patrick Lyoya. (May 8, 2025)

Mr. Becker has to decide where to go from there, hes going to talk to the family. Does the family want to go through this again? What will be different next time? Obviously, the jury would be different. What else, knowing now the testimony (of) the experts, knowing that defense counsel is almost certainly going to preemptively try to keep certain evidence out, kind of, where do you go from here? So, it sounds like he is going to take a few weeks to really think about that, she said.

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The jury split and their holdups, plus a potential new jury, Brame said will also likely play a role in his decision.

Any new jury is going to be just that, right, its going to be a new set of 12 people, you never know what the split is going to be. The difficult part about this case is that it was so polarizing right in the community in the first place, so it depends on the mix that you get, she said.

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Native Fashion Week

This week is Native Fashion Week in Santa Fe, featuring one slate of events at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center organized by the Southwest Association for Indian Arts and a new slate of events at the Railyard organized by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, formerly of SWAIA but now striking out on her own.

Pick up Sunday's paper for live coverage of Saturday's goings-on. We will also have additional profiles and features to go with it, including a story on how the Trump administration's tariffs are impacting the world of Indigenous fashion.

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Low clearance rates in rape cases

Average clearance rates for rape cases have declined nationally in recent years. New Mexico's statewide average  which is well under the national average  has fallen in recent years as well, from about 13% in 2019 to about 9% last year, according to the FBI's database. And Santa Fe's is even lower than this, with city police clearing only two cases out of a total of 59 rape incidents that were reported in 2023.

What's going on? Pick up Sunday's paper for a closer look at what's behind these numbers.

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Jack Sullivan opens the top of his well to climb into the depths to show The New Mexican the various pumps, tanks and piping related to a well that he shares with three other families on Churchill Road on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

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Water's for fighting

A battle has been brewing south of Santa Fe over a water rights transfer now pending before the state.

Amid acute concerns about water, Churchill Road residents are assailing a proposal from county government and two developers in the region to move a substantial amount of water rights from the city to a well in the growing Rancho Viejo residential area for backup water.

The move has angered these county residents who maintain the proposal to divert up to 55.3 acre-feet, or about 18 million gallons, of groundwater during a 10-year period to a well owned by Rancho Viejo within the county's water service utility area could impact their private water wells.

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Lit fest mag cover

Santa Fe International Literary Festival official guide out Sunday

The New Mexican releases the official guide to the Santa Fe International Literary Festival on Sunday. Published in partnership with the festival, the magazine previews the authors and moderators appearing next weekend, May 1618, at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. In the magazine, Percival Everett  who won the Pulitzer Prize this week  discusses how he came up with the idea for his critically acclaimed novel James. Renowned historian, and author of Democracy Awakening and the blockbuster newsletter Letters from an American Heather Cox Richardson shares advice on finding truth in these turbulent times. And thought-provoking environmental and nature writers Michael Pollan, Terry Tempest Williams and Amy Tan consider their roles amid global climate change. Plus, go behind the scenes with the Nomadic School of Wonder to discover how you can spark creativity on a sensory walk.

Read it all at sfnewmexican.com
The Rogers County Commissioners passed a joint resolution Wednesday that would provide economic incentives to the Inola area, if ultimately approved.

The resolution, a request from Inola's town government, seeks for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to classify the town and surrounding areas as an enterprise zone. These are U.S. Census tracts the commerce department designates "economically distressed areas."

The commissioners first discussed the resolution at their Monday meeting. Andrew Ralston, director of economic development for Tulsa Ports, presented the resolution and said passing it would stimulate business growth in Inola.

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District 1 Commissioner Dan DeLozier said Monday he needed more time to read the resolution thoroughly before he could vote for it. District 2 Commissioner and Chairman Steve Hendrix seconded his motion to table until Wednesday.

"I'm pretty sure I'm able to support this," Hendrix told Ralston. "Your endorsement carries a lot of weight with me."

At Wednesday's special meeting, the commissioners passed the resolution.

The Delaware County Commissioners passed their version of the resolution when they met Tuesday; the Mayes County Commissioners elected Monday to revisit it at their May 12 meeting.

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All three counties must sign off on the resolution for Inola to submit an application for the Department of Commerce to consider.

Ralston said Inola wants to become an enterprise zone because doing so opens up incentive dollars from the Department of Commerce to stimulate development.

"Everything related to it is related to enticing and improving business conditions within the county and hopefully getting it out of an enterprise zone eventually," Ralston said. "You do want the data to eventually show that you don't need enterprise zones to attract business."

According to the 1983 Enterprise Zones Act, these incentives include low-interest loans and additional investment tax credits.

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The joint resolution requests establishing an enterprise zone across seven census tracts in Rogers, Mayes and Delaware counties. These tracts run along U.S. Highway 412 from Inola to West Siloam Springs on the Arkansas border, and they encompass economic engines such as the Port of Inola, MidAmerica Industrial Park and Google's Mayes County data center.

Ralston said a big reason why Inola wants to establish an enterprise zone is to capitalize on U.S. 412 soon becoming an interstate highway. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act required the Oklahoma and Arkansas departments of transportation to study turning this corridor into an interstate, to be designated Interstate 42.

Hendrix asked if there would be any downsides to establishing an enterprise zone; Ralston said there were none. In Rogers County, high-poverty parts of Chelsea, Claremore and Catoosa already fall under enterprise zones.

Also Monday, the commissioners tabled action until May 12 on a bid package for Rogers County's maintenance building project.

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The county is refurbishing an old auto repair shop on Cherokee Street to house the Rogers County Maintenance Department, which is vacating the Rogers County Courthouse as part of that building's remodel.

The county received 30 bids for the project in March but cut about $115,000 from the package March 17. Lyle Building Group, the project's construction manager, determined the cuts altered the bid's scope sufficiently to require a rebid.

The rebid package the commissioners approved April 8 contained bids for glass and glazing, appliances, plumbing and HVAC. The commissioners received one bid for appliances, one for plumbing and two for HVAC. One bid came in for glass and glazing, but Samantha Sherman of the county's purchasing department said it was invalid because a required affidavit lacked a notary's signature.

Justin Sessions of Lyle said he would prepare a package of the received bids for the commissioners to consider May 12. Sessions said the cost of the glass and glazing work would likely come out low enough that it could be added to the package after it receives approval.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Cathy Schultz, director of the Rhode Island Overdose Task Force, joined 12 News at 4 Friday to discuss new grants being offered to address the opioid crisis.

The $2.5 million in funding is being offered by the Rhode Island Foundation and the Executive Office for Health and Human Services.

Non-profit organizations interested in applying can click here.

In the video above, Schultz explains what organizations are eligible for the funding and what it can be used for.

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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BERTHOUD, Colo. (KDVR)  The small community of Berthoud is mourning the loss of a well-known woman who was shot and killed in a random act of violence.

Jennifer James, 49, had beaten cancer four times, only to be shot in her own home by bullets that investigators say were fired from a strangers car.

Affidavit: Man says deadly shooting of woman in Berthoud home was an accident

Two bullets went through a window and a wall and killed Jennifer James.

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It just makes me mad that such a senseless act of violence occurred and you never think thats going to happen to you, James oldest daughter, Ashley James, said in an interview with FOX31.

Jennifer James was shot and killed while inside her home on April 28, 2025, and her loss has left a hole in the Berthoud community.

By all accounts, James was well loved by so many in Berthoud.

She was passionate about helping kids who were battling cancer, too.

She loved helping find animals a home and was a huge Denver Nuggets fan.

The bullets that investigators say came from a strangers gun left a hole in the heart of this community.

She was the most selfless mom that anyone could ask for. She kind of devoted her whole life to us kids, so Ill be forever grateful for everything that she did for us, James said.

Jennifer James was shot and killed while inside her home on April 28, 2025, and her loss has left a hole in the Berthoud community.

The shooting happened on April 28 around 11:20 p.m., according to an affidavit for the suspects warrantless arrest obtained by FOX31.

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Two of James children were home at the time of the shooting.

According to the affidavit, Larimer County Sheriffs Department investigators used surveillance video and license plate reader data to track down the suspect.

The sheriffs office arrested 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku, of Denver, and charged him with first-degree murder  extreme indifference after he was taken into custody for questioning and admitted to firing the gun.

Worku claimed that he accidentally fired the gun twice, not knowing how it worked. He was booked into the Larimer County Jail and was issued a $1.25 million cash-only bond.

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James funeral is set to take place later this month.

A fundraiser through GoFundMe has been set up to help the family cover expenses. Those who wish to contribute can donate online.

More details on the investigation from the affidavit can be found in a separate article here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey, joined Jen Psaki on "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" following his arrest on trespassing charges during a chaotic scene involving protesters, members of Congress and federal agents at an ICE detention facility. Baraka has spoken out against the detention center throughout the week. "They obviously targeted me...I wasn't the only one out there. They came directly to me," Baraka said.
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  U.S. Border Patrol agents detained a man illegally entering the U.S. in Orleans County near Troy.

Lordson Mboko Mavungu, 23, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, pleaded guilty to illegally entering the country. According to court records, on May 3 at about 2:00 a.m. the Royal Canadian Mounted Police notified U.S. Border Patrol of two adults with a small child about to cross the international border in the area of Guay Farm Road. Border Patrol found people matching the description and detained them.

Mavungu initially appeared in court before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on Monday and pleaded not guilty. Three days later on Thursday, Mavungu pleaded guilty and received a sentence of time served. Mavungu had faced up to 6 months imprisonment.

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The United States Attorneys Office of the District of Vermont identified the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative () to repel the invasion of illegal immigration first announced by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on March 6.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
There are only two things that matter in investing. What are they going to earn, and what multiple are people going to put on that. Lets not make our business any more complicated than this.

Due to his sharp analytical skills and a focus on the healthcare sector, Robbins has built a reputation as one of the most influential figures in the hedge fund industry. Glenview Capital Management has 6 clients and discretionary assets under management (AUM) of $5.6 billion as reported in its Form ADV dated 4 March 2025. The last reported 13F filing for Q4 2024 included $3.95 billion in managed 13F securities and a top 10 holdings concentration of 65.22%. Earlier in September 2024, Institutional Investor reported that Glenview Capital Management was on track for its best year in 5 years. The flagship Glenview Capital Partners fund was up 3.45% in August 2024 and 17.2% through the first 8 months of the year. One of the reasons behind this performance is the hedge funds diversification away from a historically heavy concentration in healthcare stocks. Glenview Capital Management has now expanded its investments into the tech sector and other industries. Larry Robbins believes in a straightforward investment strategy:

Larry Robbins is an American hedge fund manager and philanthropist who founded Glenview Capital Management in 2000. The firm manages capital for investors across a range of private investment funds. Robbins is currently the CEO of his firm. He graduated with honors from the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology at the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and earned a BS in economics with concentrations in accounting, finance, and marketing. He also has a BS in engineering with a major in systems engineering. He became a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois in 1991. Before founding Glenview Capital, Robbins worked as a portfolio manager at Omega Advisors , which is a prominent hedge fund founded by Leon Cooperman. In 2017, Larry Robbins also began serving as chairman of the Robin Hood Foundation, which fights poverty in New York City. Through his Family Foundation, he is an active supporter of education reform both in NYC and on the national level. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of KIPP NY and is a Board Member of Zearn and Relay Graduate School of Education.

We recently published a list of Billionaire Larry Robbins 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) stands against other stock picks with huge upside potential.

Story Continues

Our Methodology

To compile the list of billionaire Larry Robbins 10 stock picks with huge upside potential, we sifted through Q4 2024 13F filings of Glenview Capital from Insider Monkey. From these filings, we checked the upside potential from CNN for the top 30 stock picks and ranked the stocks in ascending order of this upside potential. We have also added Glenview Capitals stake in each stock as well as the broader hedge fund sentiment for it.

Note: All data was sourced on May 8.

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).

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE:TEVA): Among Billionaire Larry Robbins Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential

A close-up shot of various types of medicines on a table, illustrating the specialty and generic products offered by the pharmaceutical company.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA)

Glenview Capitals Stake: $186.38 million

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 72

Average Upside Potential as of May 8: 27.84%

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic and other medicines and biopharmaceutical products. It offers generic medicines in various dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams. It focuses on the central nervous system, respiratory, and oncology areas.

The company has a focus on AUSTEDO, which is a prescription medicine that is used to treat involuntary movements caused by tardive dyskinesia and Huntingtons disease. Revenue for AUSTEDO was up 34% in 2024 and reached ~$1.7 billion. In the US, AUSTEDO generated $1.642 billion in revenue, which marked an improvement of 34% in TRx (total prescriptions).

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) is confident in AUSTEDOs success and projects revenues between $1.9 and ~$2 billion for 2025. This sentiment comes from the unmet medical need in tardive dyskinesia, where only 6% of the 800,000 patients are currently on treatment.

Sound Shore Management stated the following regarding Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA): Traditionally known as a generic drug company, Teva has a growing branded drug business and a promising pipeline. Following a period of poor capital allocation decisions by prior management teams, we were able to invest at a very attractive 4 times earnings and with a 20%+ free cash flow yield. New leadership has focused on execution and pipeline development, leading to upward inflection in margins and positive clinical trial results. Teva remains remarkably cheap, trading at a significant discount to its intrinsic value. (Please see our 2Q 2024 letter for a more in-depth review of Teva.)

Overall, TEVA ranks 8th on our list of billionaire Larry Robbins stock picks with huge upside potential. While we acknowledge the potential of TEVA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than TEVA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
BELCHERTOWN, Mass. (WWLP)  On May 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that he would revoke Harvard Universitys tax-exempt status.

According to Harvard, the tax exemption means more money can go towards scholarships, lifesaving medical research, and technology advancements.

President Trumps announcement comes after Harvard sued the administration over the decision to freeze more than $2 billion in funding for the institution. The administration wanted the school to change and end programs like diversity, equity, and inclusion. According to Congressman Neal, Harvard has done nothing wrong. He said this decision is a breach of academic freedom.

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What happens in Harvard Medical School is important to the world, and I think we need to treat it that way. I dont think we need any presidential administration intervening or interfering with what is taught on campus, said U.S Congressman Richard Neal.

Congressman Neal also told 22News he met with Harvards President to discuss this decision.

He advised him to keep fighting.

In a statement, Congressman Richard Neal said, President Trump is a threat to the rule of law, and by revoking Harvards tax-exempt status, hes weaponizing the power of our government to attack any institutions that stand up for the rule of 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.
A Chinook salmon is seen in an undated photo. (Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

A Washington state-based conservation group filed a lawsuit this week in an effort to speed up the federal governments review of a proposal to list king salmon as threatened or endangered across the Gulf of Alaska.

The Wild Fish Conservancy filed its lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., saying that the National Marine Fisheries Service had missed a 12-month deadline under the Endangered Species Act to decide on the conservancys proposal to list Gulf of Alaska king salmon.

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The conservancy, in its 17-page complaint, said it formally asked the service to list the king salmon in a petition Jan. 11, 2024, which gave the agency until Jan. 11, 2025, to respond. The lawsuit asks a judge to order the service to promptly issue its decision on the petition by a specific date.

With the crisis facing Alaskan chinook, we are out of time and options, Emma Helverson, Wild Fish Conservancys executive director, said in a prepared statement, using another name for king salmon. She added: The Endangered Species Act sets clear deadlines for a reason, to evaluate the risk of extinction and trigger action while recovery is still possible.

The conservancys press release announcing the lawsuit points to other listing proposals that the fisheries service had failed to act on within 12 months and described systemic dysfunction at the agency.

A top Alaska official at the fisheries service, Jon Kurland, said in a brief email Friday that the agency is continuing to review the petition and to develop the required 12-month finding.

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The lawsuit to force action from the fisheries service is fairly routine, said Doug Vincent-Lang, fish and game commissioner for the state of Alaska, which has opposed the conservancys proposal and numerous other efforts to list species as endangered in Alaska.

Vincent-Lang said that the fisheries service is working through the process  if, perhaps, slowed by the change in presidential administrations  and that two state scientists have been given access to a team reviewing the petition, though theyre not voting members.

I understand theyre getting closer to a decision, he said. Id much rather have them take their time and have a deliberative process than to rush to a decision because of a statutory timeline.

The conservancy has taken multiple actions in Alaska in recent years that have drawn sharp rebukes from the states elected officials and commercial fishermen.

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Lawsuit targets Southeast Alaska salmon fishery to save 73 orcas

Another lawsuit filed by the group with the intent of preserving salmon as prey for endangered Pacific Northwest orca whale populations threatened to close down Southeast Alaskas small-boat troll fishery.

And Vincent-Lang has expressed concerns that, if the Endangered Species Act listing of Gulf of Alaska king salmon is approved, it could lead to sharp restrictions on harvests of the fish, as well as in other salmon fisheries that accidentally hook or harvest kings.

The conservancy says that Alaska king salmon are threatened by accidental harvest in trawl fisheries, and by fish hatcheries, habitat destruction, climate change and overfishing.

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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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NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11)  A worker was found dead at a construction site in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday morning, according to the authorities.

Officers responded to a call of a worker injured in an elevator shaft at 10 Commerce Court just after 9 a.m., police say.

More Local News

The worker was pronounced dead just before 10 a.m. and the incident is now under investigation, officials report.

According to a list from the real estate developer, 10 Commerce Court is set to be a luxury apartment building near Newark Penn Station.

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Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
A drill rig at the Palmer deposit in the Chilkat River valley near Haines, Alaska. (File photo/Lex Treinen, Chilkat Valley News)

Critics of a mining project thats long stirred political debate in the Southeast Alaska town of Haines are celebrating an announcement that the development is on the market  just months after its owner acquired it.

A small, Vancouver-based company, American Pacific Mining Corp., assumed full ownership of the Palmer Project late last year. At the time, company executives and major investors touted it as an exciting deal that would provide a clear path forward for the project.

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Now, in what mine opponents view as a stunning about-face, American Pacifics executives are saying they intend to transact on the project and focus on advancing another development that the company owns, in Montana.

The Southeast Alaska project is outside of our wheelhouse, if were completely honest, American Pacifics chief executive, Warwick Smith, said in a call with analysts last month.

The company notified state regulators this spring that it does not intend to do any exploratory drilling this year, marking the first summer the project will sit idle in several years.

Palmer is now in a state of transition, the company said in its notice to the state. American Pacific officials did not respond to requests for comment.

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Mineral exploration is a famously speculative industry, and its common for deposits to change hands, often several times, before a developer comes in and builds a mine.

But Palmer opponents still say American Pacifics apparent desire to back away from the project signals a dimming of its potential.

Its a remarkable turnaround, said Gershon Cohen, a longtime Haines resident and clean water advocate whos concerned about the impacts of mining. The project appears to be fading away.

This is a huge step toward protecting this valley, he added, noting the Chilkat Valleys wild salmon runs and huge bald eagle population.

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Other Haines residents have supported the copper and zinc project because it could bring high-paying jobs to the region. Gov. Mike Dunleavy toured the development several years ago.

For years, Palmers owners have been drilling holes and studying its geology to determine whether a mine would be profitable. Some permits face legal challenges from a local tribe and conservation groups, and a mine would require additional permits from the federal government before it could be built.

The apparent setback for one of Alaskas more advanced exploratory mines comes at a surprising time, when miners around the state are expecting boosts from high metal prices and the Trump administrations pledges to accelerate resource extraction and permitting.

Even amid their decision to sell the project, American Pacific executives have been advertising increased copper demand and the Trump administrations particular focus on Alaska as potential tailwinds for Palmer.

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Companies have been trying to advance the project for well over a decade. American Pacific bought a minority stake in the project in 2022.

Development seemed poised to leap forward a few years ago, when the project had access to the deep pockets of part-owner Dowa Metals and Mining, a Japanese smelting giant.

Dowa and American Pacific built a camp to house dozens of workers and initially appeared intent on drilling a mile-long tunnel under a glacier to access more ore  a step that observers said could boost the chances that developers would build a mine.

But the tunnel still hasnt been built. And Dowa, which spent some $20 million on the project over the past two summers, pulled away last fall, leaving American Pacific with full ownership of the project.

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The Canadian company also received $10 million from Dowa, in exchange for an option to buy half the zinc produced at a Palmer mine if one is ever built.

The Chilkat River hosts salmon runs that residents of Southeast Alaska communities Haines and Klukwan harvest for subsistence. (Photo by Max Graham/Northern Journal)

Palmer sits above the salmon-bearing Chilkat River some 15 miles from the Tlingit village of Klukwan and about 40 miles from Haines. For years, the project has fueled political division in Haines, a small town renowned for both its rugged beauty and ideological rifts.

Some residents see a mine as an economic lifeline for the Chilkat Valleys rural population of 2,500, while others  including the leaders of Klukwan  view it as a threat to the valleys wild salmon and subsistence culture.

American Pacific has not announced any potential buyers but is in the midst of negotiations, Smith, its chief executive, said on the April call. The company aims to sell the project to a company based in the state. We think that there are better groups that are more well-suited towards Alaska than we are, Smith said.

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The company expects to receive about $25 million in a transaction, he added.

Northern Journal contributor Max Graham can be reached at max@northernjournal.com. Hes interested in any and all mining related stories, as well as introductory meetings with people in and around the industry.

This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Nathaniel Herz. Subscribe at this link.

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A man who was jailed and paroled after a series of violent road rage attacks in Southern California was arrested in Hawaii on allegations of similar crimes, according to authorities.

On Wednesday, Nathaniel Radimak, 39, was speeding in a gray Tesla and exchanged words with an 18-year-old woman, who had parked her car on Halekauwila Street in Kakaako, according to the Honolulu Police Department.

Radimak is accused of getting out of the vehicle and assaulting the woman and her 35-year-old mother before fleeing the scene, police said.

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Radimak was arrested Thursday at 2121 Ala Wai Blvd. on suspicion of third-degree assault, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and contempt of court, according to authorities.

Radimak, who was convicted of two bouts of pipe-wielding road rage in Southern California, was sentenced to five years in prison in September 2023 for criminal threats and stalking and was paroled in Los Angeles County on Aug. 28  serving less than a year of his sentence.

Read more: Cybertruck vandal captured on camera in California, latest in spate of violent Tesla attacks

Radimak was accused of threatening women with a pipe in 2022 and again in 2023, when he was seen on a dash camera hitting someone's car on the 2 Freeway near York Boulevard.

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He was charged with four counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, four counts of criminal threats and one felony count of vandalism, along with two misdemeanor counts of vandalism and one misdemeanor count of elder abuse. He has a lengthy criminal history and pleaded no contest, according to prosecutors.

Radimak was cited in January 2023 in Hawaii for driving without a valid driver's license and speeding more than 30 mph over the speed limit. He also had an outstanding traffic warrant, according to DMV records.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
After Conway was rocked by the murders of two young people just 10 days and one block apart, Mayor Barbara Jo Blain and Police Chief Dale Long said the city doesnt believe that fatal shootings are connected, though both investigations remain ongoing.

In a video addressing the gun violence shared to Facebook, Blain said Conway is using every resource it has to stop the violence.

Were putting out cameras, license plate readers, acoustical detectors that detect and give us early warnings on gun shots, Long said. We are using every asset that we have at our disposal to try to bring security and safety to the area.

Addressing gun violence

In a news conference addressing the fatal shootings, NAACP Conway chapter President Rev. Dr. Kenneth Floyd called for actionable steps in reducing gun violence in the community.

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On the state level, Floyd supports raising the age to carry a firearm from 18 to 21 years old and spoke about common sense gun laws. Although its unclear if such a law would apply to either Gibbs or Richburgs murders, Floyd also pointed out that South Carolina has no hate crime law.

Locally, Floyd advocated for increased police presence, promoting an anonymous crime tip line and firearm safety courses.

It may not solve all of the problem, but at least it can deteriorate it, Floyd told The Sun News.

Blain said steps the city is taking to address the violence include law enforcement, crime-solving technology, youth programs and safety tools.

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We do this by maintaining a fully-staffed, well-vetted and trained force of professional officers and cooperating with other law enforcement agencies; growing and utilizing technology to assist in solving crimes; by leading children away from trouble and gang involvement through recreational outlets, focused summer camps; by connecting our community with law enforcement to offer children, families and the elderly tools to improve personal safety and the list goes on, Blain said.

Young lives lost

Conway resident Vron Gibbs, 24, was shot on April 19 near Grainger Road and Marion Street around 10:47 p.m.

The first incident that we investigated started off as a street encounter, people just walking and talking to each other, Long said. Unfortunately it escalated into an argument and, ultimately, ended with the tragic loss of life of Vron Gibbs.

Two suspects have been charged with murder, 29-year-old Davion Chino Hunt and 31-year-old Traeqwan Wilson.

Loris High School senior JaNiya Richburg was fatally shot through a window at her boyfriends Conway home on Horry Street just before midnight on April 29.

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Were still investigating the potential cause for that incident, but we do not have any evidence at all that links the two different crimes that occurred.

Derrick QueShawn Ashley, a 19-year-old Conway resident, is being charged with Richburgs murder.

All three suspects are in custody at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center without bail.
On Friday May 16 a Law Enforcement Torch Run fundraiser for Special Olympics will come to Dunkins across the Quad Cities. The Cop on a Rooftop event will be from 5a.m. to 12:00p.m. at participating Dunkin locations. Law enforcement officers will be collecting money that goes toward supporting programming for Special Olympics athletes in Iowa and Illinois. Donating to the event will get you a free donut coupon and people who donate $10 or more will get a free medium coffee coupon.

Cop on a Rooftop (coponarooftop.com)

To see a list of all participating locations click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Felonies

The following people were booked into the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Jail in connection with felony charges ending Thursday at 11 a.m.

Vantorian Coleman, 25, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, violation of parole.

William Joseph Duggard, 45, of Saltillo, was arrested by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, parole violation.

Harold R. Green, 32, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, sale of a counterfeit substance, two counts of contempt of court.

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Daniel Joseph Guillot, 48, of Booneville, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, possession of methamphetamine.

Cheyanne Hall, 32, of Nettleton, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, possession of methamphetamine.

Jeffery Paul Hendrix, 46, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, possession of a Schedule II drug, no drivers license, no headlights.

James Carl Hurd, 56, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, felony shoplifting, violation of parole.

James A. McClung, 57, no address listed, was arrested by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, violation of parole.

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Christopher Coy McKay, 48, of Plantersville, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule II drug, no insurance.

James H. Wright III, 48, of Saltillo, was arrested by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, violation of parole.

Darious I. Young, 27, of Guntown, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, possession of a firearm by a felon.

Lee County Sheriffs Office

The following reports were filed Thursday by the Lee County Sheriffs Office.

A County Road 1001, Tupelo, man was driving home and noticed a truck on the side of the road in front of his house. He did not know who the truck belonged to. A deputy responded and the vehicle had not been reported as stolen. Since the truck was off the road and not blocking traffic, it was the mans responsibility. He could have it towed away, if he wanted.

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A County Road 1201, Plantersville, man said a pit bull came onto their property and had a litter of puppies near a storage container. The dog has a collar, but he does not know who the owner. The dog has not bitten anyone, but it gets aggressive and backs when humans approach.

A County Road 811, Tupelo, woman thought she heard someone outside her house at 1:30 a.m. She told deputies she heard noises outside and someone tapping on her windows. She then heard a noise that sounded like something was under the house. Deputies walked around the house and found no signs of anyone. They did find an access door open on the front of the house where an animal could have crawled under the house. Nothing else appeared to be disturbed.

An employee at the Saltillo Amazon warehouse project said a scissor lift was moved overnight, and a piece of equipment was found running at 5 a.m. Someone also broke a locking fuel cap on a piece of heavy equipment and stole about 30 gallons of diesel fuel.

A County Road 506, Shannon, woman heard people arguing outside her house around 2:30 p.m. She looked outside and saw a Black male yelling at a woman who was running away. The black car they arrived in, turned around and began following the couple. The man grabbed the woman and forcefully dragged her into the car. The car then drove away, heading west toward Pontotoc County.

Anyone with information on any of these reports is urged to call the Lee County Sheriff's Office at 841-9041, the Tupelo Police Department at 841-6491 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi at (800) 773-TIPS or download the P3 Tip App and leave an anonymous tip that way.
WYTHEVILLE, Va. (WAVY)  Virginia State Police (VSP) is assisting Wytheville Police Department find a man whos disappearance is deemed a credible threat to his health and safety.

Juan Carlos Cordozo, 54, was deemed to be critically missing by VSP Saturday at 1:05 a.m. He is described to be 5 feet, 4 inches and weigh 150 pounds. He is also described to have black hair and brown eyes.

He is believed to be traveling in a 2014 white Ford Escape with Virginia license tag 66392C.

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Those with information on his whereabouts are encouraged to call Wytheville Police at 276-227-0382.

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Restaurant Brands International (RBI) has reported net income attributable to common shareholders of $159m for the first quarter of 2025, compared to $230m posted for the same period the previous year.

RBI is the parent company of quick service restaurant brands Tim Hortons, Burger King, Popeyes, and Firehouse Subs.

For the quarter ended 31 March 2025, the company witnessed a 21.3% increase in total revenues to $2.14bn, compared to $1.74bn in the same period last year.

RBI experienced a downturn in profitability, with income from operations dropping by 20% to $435m, down from $544m in Q1 2024.

Net income from continuing operations also took a hit, falling to $223m from $328m in the previous year, while diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were reported at $0.49 compared to $0.72 in Q1 2024.

The company's system-wide sales growth stood at 2.8%, with international sales growing by 8.6%. The global comparable sales remained nearly flat at 0.1%.

At the end of the quarter, RBI saw a net restaurant growth of 3.3%, with a total of 32,149 restaurants, an increase from 31,113 at the end of Q1 2024.

Burger King's system-wide sales reached $2.7bn in Q1 2025, a slight decrease from $2.753bn in the previous year.

The brand's adjusted operating income was $103m in Q1 2025, down from $106m in Q1 2024.

Revenue stood at $356m for the brand in Q1 and comparable sales at a stagnant 0.1%.

Tim Hortons reported system-wide sales of $1.63bn, from $1.725bn. It also saw a decrease in adjusted operating income to $220m from $224m and a drop in revenue to $903m.

Comparable sales remained at 0.1%, a significant decline from the 6.9% seen in the same period last year.

Popeyes China's system-wide sales were $1.47bn, a slight decrease from $1.51bn, with adjusted operating income growing to $60m from $58m and revenue increasing to $194m.

The brand's comparable sales growth was 4%, down from 5.7%.

Firehouse Subs brands showed growth with system-wide sales of $322m, up from $301m, and adjusted operating income increasing to $11m from $10m.

Revenue rose to $54m, and comparable sales saw a slight increase to 0.6%.

RBI chief executive officer Josh Kobza said: "We are making solid progress executing the fundamentals of our business, despite a slower start to the year. We have clear growth plans across each of our brands and strong alignment with our franchisees. We're seeing encouraging momentum in Q2 and combined with responsible cost management, are on track to deliver stronger results through the balance of the year and achieve at least 8 percent organic adjusted operating income growth in 2025."
When was the last time you saw 1,300 Wichita-area residents come together in one place to address the communitys two most persistent problems  affordable housing and homelessness?

For me, it was Thursday night.

Justice Together has done the extraordinary, as demonstrated by its Nehemiah Assembly that brought together faith communities of Christians, Jews, Bahais and others  and came close to filling the mammoth auditorium at the Wichita State University Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

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Local leaders are listening. Three of the people on stage for the event were members of the Wichita City Council  Becky Tuttle, Mike Hoheisel and Maggie Ballard, along with Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Ryan Baty.

A fourth City Council member, Dalton Glasscock, was in the audience, but couldnt participate directly because that would have violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

Heart-rending testimonials

To me, the most compelling part of the evening was testimonials from two women who have experienced homelessness as rents have risen and housing affordability has reached crisis proportions.

In July 2024 I had to leave my rental home because it had become uninhabitable  no repairs, unsafe conditions and an electric bill over $1,500 due to poor insulation, said Valerie Martens, a college graduate with a degree in applied sciences, now living with a disability.

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When I looked for a good place, I was met with rejection after rejection, she said. Landlords want tenants to make three times the rent. That is an impossible standard for somebody on disability. I am now waiting for a housing voucher, but thousands are ahead of me. In the meantime, I took on $13,000 in debt to buy a cargo van to convert into a shelter just to avoid the streets.

Rachel Porter holds her daughter, Anna, during Thursdays Nehemiah Assembly organized by Justice Together. Porter, a paramedic who is married to a veterinary technician, spoke about her families struggles in finding affordable housing.

Despite having good jobs, theyve struggled to find a place to live and been exploited by landlords.

The rental market was brutal, Porter said. Listings disappeared within hours. Applications cost money we didnt have to spare. And even when we found a home, the terms were often arbitrary and inflexible. We finally found a place listed at $1,500 a month. When it came time to sign the lease, it mysteriously jumped to $1,600. We were told if we didnt take it, there were 65 people behind us ready to sign.

So they did. But it didnt last. The birth of their daughter and medical complications caused them to fall behind. They applied for rental assistance and were approved.

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Despite having a rental assistance pledge, our landlord still filed for eviction, she said. We werent behind months, simply that current month, it was a matter of a few hundred dollars and we had never missed our payment before. But in Kansas, the law doesnt lean towards the tenant. People like us, even with help, we were just still one signature away from losing everything.

They were homeless for three weeks. Two weeks ago, they moved into a new place, where theyre spending half their income in rent.

(Thats) more than we should, but its a start, and were hopeful, but were tired, she said. Were not unique, were not anomalies. Were your neighbors. Were the people who answer your 911 calls and care for your pets. We are struggling. This is why affordable housing initiatives are not just important. They are urgent.

Low-barrier ID a victory

Justice together has won some victories. They pushed for and got the city to establish a low-barrier municipal photo ID card, so homeless people without the wherewithal to obtain all the documents needed for regular ID can have something to use to access public services.

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On Thursday, they got a commitment from Baty to try to take the concept countywide, although, he said, it will probably still have to run through Wichita, which maintains the master files on homeless individuals.

They also pressed Baty to commit to earmarking $500,000 of the county budget for operational costs at the Multi-Agency Center, a homeless shelter and social-service hub being developed in the former Park Elementary School building at 1025 N. Main.

Baty said he couldnt commit to that at present, because the county will be working on some more expensive initiatives.

We are going to do more, and . . . were working with the MAC board right now, he said. And they have a different request from us in regards to what were going to do, the mental health, substance use, housing components and some of the other things that were doing in the medical components . . . Theyre going to have a different request coming to us. Its going to be surpassing $500,000, so I cant make that commitment.

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What makes Justice Together work is its definition of justice versus mercy.

Faith communities of Wichita have long been involved in dispensing mercy  things like feeding the hungry and providing shelter for the homeless when the weather makes it dangerous to sleep rough outside.

While those are good things to do and they continue, the justice movement looks for the underlying causes that create the need for mercy ministries, and addresses them with research and action. Theyve been doing that for more than a year and show no signs of stopping.

People of faith are still here, said the Rev. Kevass Harding, the United Methodist minister and former Wichita school board member who closed Thursdays meeting. Were still rising, and we still believe in a better Sedgwick County as a whole. Tell them that our shared justice ministry is not a one-time campaign. It is not a seasonal effort, but a permanent, lasting ministry. And tell them, this isnt the end, its just the beginning.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A man was tased and arrested Friday, May 9, after fleeing from officers who had tracked down the stolen car he was driving, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

CSPD reported that on Wednesday, May 7, members of the Motor Vehicle Theft (MVT) unit found a stolen Chevy Tracker in the area of Drennan Road and Drennan Industrial Loop North, near Astrozon Boulevard and South Academy Boulevard. A K9 unit tried to stop the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Joshua Cody James Davis, but Davis accelerated and got away from the marked police vehicle.

According to CSPD, on Friday, May 9, around 4:15 p.m., MVT investigators learned that Davis had a felony warrant for arrest for a robbery probation violation. They tracked Davis and the stolen vehicle down at a T.J. Maxx, in the 3800 block of Bloomington Street, near North Carefree Circle and North Powers Boulevard, where he had parked and gone into the store.

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When Davis came out of the store and returned to the stolen vehicle, he encountered detectives and tactical officers who ordered him to surrender, according to CSPD. Davis ran from law enforcement, and after several warnings, he was tased and surrendered.

Davis was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries, then to the Criminal Justice Center and charged with motor vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, and obstructing a peace officer.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Multiple dentists in Norwalk have entered into a civil agreement with the state and federal governments to resolve allegations that they paid kickbacks to a patient recruiting company.

The civil settlement agreements, announced Friday, resolve allegations of violations of the federal and state False Claims Acts against Advanced Dental Center PC and its owners Tal Yossefi and Elad Yossefi, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut and the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. As part of the agreement, Advanced Dental paid $495,721 to reimburse the Medicaid program.

According to officials, Advanced Dental is enrolled in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (CMAP), which includes the Connecticut Medicaid program. Between July and December 2018, the dentistry is alleged to have paid a third-party patient recruiting company $120 for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the company referred to them whenever a patient received dental services above routine preventative care.

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Authorities said the practice is prohibited by the federal anti-kickback statute, the CMAP provider agreement and the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership provider manual.

Paying kickbacks for patient recruitment is illegal, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said in a statement. Dentists participating in Connecticuts public healthcare programs are responsible for knowing the law.

This is the fourth settlement arising from ongoing joint investigations, and we will continue to work closely with our state and federal partners to aggressively protect the integrity of our public healthcare programs, Tong said.

Officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office noted that Nazneen Jaffri, a dental provider formerly licensed in Connecticut who operated a practice in Norwalk, also agreed to reimburse the Medicaid program $150,000 for allegations stemming from January 2019 to April 2021. Officials said the reimbursement resolved allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by submitting or causing to be submitted claims to CTMAP for dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by a third-party patient recruiting company.

In entering into their respective civil settlement agreements, the providers and their practices did not admit liability, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement.
A Connecticut man faces wire fraud charges for allegedly defrauding Amazon out of more than $3 million.

The charges stem from a 13-count indictment returned Wednesday by a federal grand jury in New Haven against Ameer Nasir, 24, of Trumbull, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut.

According to federal officials, Nasir allegedly defrauded Amazon Logistics, an Amazon subsidiary, by registering 23 trucking businesses with the company and misrepresenting that he had completed numerous transportation assignments.

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Amazon frequently contracts with various interstate trucking businesses to transport both empty trailers and trailers containing heavy loads of freight between cities as well as between warehouses and fulfillment centers, authorities said. Of the nearly two dozen businesses Nasir registered, one was reportedly done in the name of his business, Pak Express Transport, LLC. The others, authorities allege, were created fraudulently using the names and identifying information of other trucking or transportation companies without their knowledge.

Between December 2019 and February 2021, Nasir allegedly used these accounts to sign up for more than 1,000 transportation assignments with Amazon Logistics, officials said. Authorities allege he manipulated information in Amazons transportation management system to misrepresent that he had completed trailer movements when he had not, and submitted fraudulent invoices to Amazon Logistics that were paid out. Federal officials claimed that he defrauded the company out of more than $3 million through the alleged scheme.

Nasir was arrested Thursday. He appeared in federal court in Bridgeport where he was released on a $300,000 bond.

The indictment charges Nasir with 13 counts of wire fraud, each count of which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.
May 9On April 2, Humanities Texas was notified that its federal funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) had been terminated, effective immediately.

For over 50 years, Humanities Texas programs have improved classroom teaching, supported libraries and museums, and created opportunities for lifelong learning across the state, a news release said.

The loss of federal funding  approximately 65% of the organization's annual budget  will have a devastating effect on Texas communities, the release said.

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Over 140 teachers from 55 schools in the Permian Basin region have participated in Humanities Texas's free professional development programs.

Humanities Texas has awarded 122 grants to 60 area organizations, and the council's traveling exhibitions have been displayed 133 times at 38 local venues. Recent grantees and venues include the Museum of the Southwest, Midland Historical Society, Ector County Library, the Heritage Museum of Big Spring, and Sul Ross State University.

Permian Basin organizations have also served as partners for Humanities Texas's Texas Storytime family reading program, local teacher professional development programs, grants workshops, and film screenings.

These programs contribute to Texas's thriving economy, culture, and civic life and create opportunities for the connection and meaningful conversation that representative democracy demands.

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"The support and guidance provided by Humanities Texas has been extremely important to our museum, community, and region," Christine Holcomb, executive director of the Historic White-Pool House in Odessa, said in the release. "Our legacy and authenticity are at great risk on a daily basis. Through Humanities Texas's teamwork, we have been able to preserve and promote that which gives us our distinctive culture."

"We are basically an underserved region of Texas," Holcomb continued. "Cuts to funding demonstrate a misunderstanding of the importance of our collective history. Once history is lost, it cannot be fully restored. Being able to visit and participate in our history is a gift and immeasurable way to connect the generations."

Like its fellow state humanities councils, Humanities Texas pursues its mission as a public-private partnership, leveraging federal dollars with state and private funding. Without NEH support, Humanities Texas loses the operating grant that not only supports its service to Texans statewide but also catalyzes local investment from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

Everyday Americans will feel this loss. Those most negatively impacted will be citizens in rural communities, veterans, seniors, families with young children, students, and teachers, the release said.

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"Without federal support," said Executive Director Eric Lupfer, "we will be forced to make significant cuts to programs that promote local heritage and history and strengthen the capacity of grassroots cultural and educational organizations."

To learn how you can help protect the state humanities councils, visit the Humanities Texas website at www.humanitiestexas.org.
Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Ashley Hinson helped introduce legislation that they said would help provide more services and support for expecting and new mothers. (Photo via Getty Images)

Members of Iowas federal delegation have introduced multiple measures related to health care, weighing in on Medicaid coverage and maternal care options.

Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Ashley Hinson, both Republicans, helped introduced the More Opportunities for Moms to Succeed (MOMS) Act in the Senate and House respectively, legislation that they said would help provide more services and support for expecting and new mothers.

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The legislation would create a grant system for nonprofit entities that provide support and assistance for prenatal and postpartum care, as well as support during early childhood, with a focus on providing funding for support and equipment for prenatal care options in rural areas, including telehealth options.

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Grassley said the measure would help encourage and aid parents both before and after the birth of their child.

Parenthood is a blessing, and its critical that women have the support they need during this crucial time, Grassley said in a statement. Our legislation would expand access for moms looking for resources and services in their area. Im proud to be pro-life, pro-mother and pro-family.

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The proposal is similar to the MOMS program approved by the Iowa Legislature and Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2022 that provides funding for maternal care nonprofits that encourage alternatives to abortion. This state program has faced criticism from Democrats and reproductive care advocates who said state money is going to crisis pregnancy centers, nonprofit entities that some former patients have said shared inaccurate information and misrepresented themselves as licensed medical providers.

Democrats in U.S. Congress have criticized previous attempts to make a federal MOMS program along similar lines, with a group of female Democratic senators saying in a 2024 statement the proposal would encourage pregnant women to register their pregnancies with the government in order to push them toward anti-abortion propaganda and dangerous crisis pregnancy centers.

The 2025 bill is backed by several anti-abortion groups, including Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, the March for Life Action, and the National Right to Life Committee, according to a news release by Grassley on the bill.

Hinson said in a statement that she supported the measure as a way to save moms and babies and help advance a culture of life of America.

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When a woman finds out she is pregnant, she should be surrounded with resources and support, and feel confident in her access to care, Hinson said. Im proud to co-lead the MOMS Act to help more women choose life, have a healthy pregnancy, and create the foundation for strong families.

Nunn tours MercyOne Medical Center, promotes protection for Medicaid, SNAP

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, representing Iowas 3rd Congressional District, introduced a resolution May 2 that he said will help protect Medicaid and SNAP benefits for some individuals during upcoming budget negotiations.

The proposed Defending Medicaid and SNAP Resolution would prohibit consideration of budget reconciliation bills that reduce Medicaid or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or enrollment for people age 19 or younger, age 65 or older, pregnant women and individuals with disabilities. The rule would apply to budget reconciliation bills and related amendments and reports during the current term of Congress.

Nunn said this provision would help ensure people in the most need of assistance retain access to these public benefit programs while still allowing Congress to address abuse, reduce improper payments, and enhance program integrity, according to a news release on the proposal.

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The Iowa Republican said the bill will provide some protections for Iowans receiving assistance through SNAP and Medicaid, but would allow Republicans to move forward with efforts they say will help address fraud and abuse of these public programs.

In a news release on the resolution, Nunn cited two figures  a Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimate that between $233 billion and $521 billion was lost to fraud in programs including Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security between fiscal years 2018 and 2022, and a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an improper payment rate of 5.09% for Medicaid in fiscal year 2024  as evidence that there was a need for Congress to address abuse in these systems.

Every dollar lost to an improper payment or a criminal scamming the system takes resources away from Iowans who need these programs to put food on the table or access healthcare, Nunn said in a statement. The mission we have in front of us in the budget process is to find and eliminate fraud while protecting benefits for those who deserve them. President Trump has endorsed this vision, and Im proud to fight for it in Congress.

Nunn, and many other Republicans in Congress, have faced heavy criticism over cuts to federal programs and proposed reductions in federal spending on programs, including Medicaid.

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However, Nunn said he supports continuing to provide Medicaid and SNAP for Iowans who are in need. He visited MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines on May 2 and published a video speaking with Drs. Hijinio Carreon and Mustafa Eldadah at the facility. He said he was committed to making sure funding for these programs was being used in a way that truly helps those most in need  those families, those with urgent need and those who are vulnerable members of our society, from birth through death.

Eldadah, a pediatrician at MercyOne, said he serves many families in the Des Moines metro who would not be able access needed services without Medicaid.

We have many families that rely on Medicaid as their source of medical coverage, and we appreciate that service, Eldadah said. And we always feel like those patients cannot be taken care of without that benefit or coverage  so definitely, we appreciate any efforts to maintain that service to our patients.

Nunn said in a statement his conversations with doctors and patients showed why defending these critical programs is so important, and how my legislation will ensure D.C. cuts do not impact vulnerable Iowans.

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However, Democrats criticized Nunn, saying this provision will not prevent cuts for Medicaid and SNAP coverage for Iowans. Justin Chermol, a spokesperson with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, criticized the resolution in light of Nunns support for Republican budgets.

If Zach Nunn really wanted to save Medicaid and SNAP, he should have voted NO on the Republican budget that cuts both, Chermol said. No matter how hard he tries to run away from it, Zach Nunns vote to rip away health care and take food off the table of working families will cost him his job next year.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Due to recent changes from the U.S. Supreme Court, an Oregon woman has been re-convicted on offenses she was first found guilty of more than a decade ago.

The Polk County District Attorneys Office reported that Tara Leeann Griffin was convicted of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment following a four-day trial in April. The 41-year-old former Dallas resident, whose previous surname was Davies, was first convicted for these crimes involving an infant in her care in 2011.

15 years later, FBI to re-examine Kyron Horman case after files go digital

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Authorities said Griffin was originally found guilty with an 11-1 vote from the jury, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. But a 2020 Supreme Court ruling overturned previous nonunanimous verdicts, prompting officials to seek a second trial.

It was important that the integrity and justice of the first trial outcome be maintained, while fully respecting the due process rights of the defendant as our appellate courts envision, Polk County District Attorney Aaron Felton said in a statement.

Griffins sentencing is scheduled for May 13.

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(NBC)  On Friday, Dateline will air a two-hour special on the case that has captivated the country since that tragic night more than two years ago  the University of Idaho murder investigation.

The program will reveal new details that have never been reported before, including video, photographic and digital evidence that investigators say track murder suspect Bryan Kohbergers movements. The show will include interviews with friends of the victims and former students, who open up for the first time about their interactions with the accused killer.

Here is a preview of Keith Morrisons report:

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Moscow, Idaho, where Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernoodle and Ethan Chapin were murdered in November 2022. All four had been stabbed to death.

With the trial of accused killer Bryan Kohberger now just 12 weeks away, its the crime no one can forget.

In the two years since our last report, we have learned things  heard and seen things from sources with direct knowledge of the evidence, sources we trust and reported here for the first time.

What happened in that house? Why four victims, why any?

How will attorneys defend Bryan Kohberger, with the death penalty hanging over his head?

One terrible, terrible night, in a small college town.

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Watch Dateline: The Terrible Night on King Road Friday at 9 p.m. on NBC4.

About Dateline

Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 33rd season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Blayne Alexander, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy.

The stories range from compelling mysteries to powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. When major news breaks, they go to the scene, putting the pieces together to bring the viewer the full picture. And in every story they tell, they help the real people who lived the events share their journeys with the viewer.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
By Casey Hall

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China-based shipping agents have resumed buying container space for goods headed for the United States after a series of U.S. tariff-induced cancellations, as Beijing and Washington head for trade talks in Switzerland.

Trade between the world's two largest economies has slumped since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 145% tariffs on China-made goods on April 10, a move which prompted China to impose levies of 125% on U.S.-made products.

The U.S. tariffs, which affect an estimated 80% of goods shipped from China to the U.S., prompted sailings from China to the U.S. to drop 60% in April, according to Flexport, a logistics and freight forwarding broker. Customers from logistics operator Hapag-Lloyd cancelled 30% of shipments from China last month.

Since late April, however, traders have stepped up buying of shipping capacity, locking in space from mid-May, according to two China-based executives with freight forwarding firms who declined to be named as they weren't authorised to speak to the media.

Four China-based exporters, some serving large U.S. retailers such as Walmart, also told Reuters they were preparing to restart shipping goods to the U.S. in the coming weeks, a previously unreported development.

With the U.S. and China adopting more conciliatory language on trade since late April, and officials due to begin trade talks in Geneva on Saturday, exporters are hopeful that the two countries will soon move to lower tariffs.

In the latest sign that rates might be eased, Trump said on Thursday that a reduction from the 145% rate was likely.

"We are obviously all looking forward to a relaxation of the (tariff) situation this month. I believe it will happen," said Liu, a second-generation toy manufacturer from the southern export hub of Dongguan who declined to give her full name for privacy reasons.

Until recently, half her orders came from U.S. customers including Walmart, she added.

EMPTY SHELVES?

But it's not just optimism that tariffs might fall that's fuelling the shipments.

Goods such as toys, home furnishings and Bluetooth speakers that U.S. retailers cannot quickly or easily source from places other than China have been stuck in China while the stores try to wait out the tit-for-tat tariff escalation.

If those products are not shipped by June, shelves in the U.S. will begin to empty, Chinese exporters told Reuters.

"Companies are running out of inventory and Trump has toned down his China talk," said Jonathan Chitayat, the Asia boss of Genimex Group, a contract manufacturer whose firm works with clients to design and engineer custom mechanical, electronic and consumer goods from bluetooth speakers to rubbish bins.
BOONVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  Donna Hatfield of Boonville was last seen alive in late May or early June of 2019. For six years, the case has gone unsolved. However, now, the family and investigators are bringing the case back to the publics eye in hopes of finding closure.

Hatfield was believed to have been last seen alive at her residence in the 600 block of First Street in Boonville, where her son and caretaker, Thomas Rainey, Jr. also lives. Authorities have confirmed Rainey is one of a few persons of interest in Hatfields disappearance.

I dont talk to my brother, no, says Shannon Martin, daughter of Donna Hatfield. I havent talked to him since, well, right after all this came about.

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Martin says Rainey was their mothers caretaker for around four years. She says Rainey called her on August 26, 2019 saying Hatfield died at a hospital. I called the hospital he told me, recalls Martin, and they said, No, she hadnt been there since, I think they told me 2015 or 16 for a test or something.

Authorities continue to ask for information after 72-year-old Boonville woman disappears

Martin then called police, launching an investigation that has now hit the six year mark. We felt a renewed sense of urgency since Mothers Day is Sunday, and her children would like to know what happened to their mother, says Boonville Chief of Police Brandon Wells.

Detective Lieutenant Adam Wilmes with the Boonville Police Department has been involved in the case for several years. He says the number of tips has decreased over time, but is hopeful this renewed call to the public will spark someone to come forward. At this point, there is no evidence to suggest she is still alive, says Wilmes. Donna was suffering from Alzheimers, and her medication, identification and clothing were still at the residence when she was reported missing.

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Absolutely nothing is being ruled out at this point. Whether Ms. Hatfield died of natural causes or under criminal circumstances is still unclear, says Warrick County Prosecutor Michael Perry. Donna was a mother, she was a grandmother, she was a sister, she was an aunt, she was a human being.

There was no sign of Rainey when our crew stopped by his residence. When asked if she thought her brother played a role in Hatfields disappearance, Martin did not want to discuss what may have happened, only saying Raineys story had continued to change.

That she died of a stroke, that she died of an aneurysm, that she was in a nursing home on the north side, says Martin. I do believe somebody knows something. They know what happened to my mom.

Hatfields family has stated that a reward of up to $10,000 will be strongly considered for information that directly leads to the discovery of her remains. Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact one of the following agencies:

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Boonville Police Department: 812-897-6550

Warrick County Dispatch: 812-897-1200

Warrick County Prosecutors Office: 812-897-6199

Indiana State Police: 812-867-2079

FBI (Toll-Free): 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)

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Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
David Hogg, the Democratic National Committee official who ignited a firestorm inside the party with his pledge to fund primary challenges to asleep-at-the-wheel Democrats, privately pitched a compromise to the party head in recent days.

Speaking with DNC Chair Ken Martin, Hogg proposed a so-called internal firewall in which he would stay on as vice chair but be barred from accessing any internal DNC information about congressional and state legislative races as long as he was supporting challengers, according to three people familiar with their conversations and granted anonymity to describe them.

Martin shot down the idea, the people said, expressing confidence that he would win the votes at the DNC to pass a rule requiring party officials to remain neutral in primaries  essentially forcing Hogg to drop his primary project or step down.

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Jane Kleeb, a Martin ally and another DNC vice chair, said she also spoke with Hogg about his proposed compromise. She called it nonsense and argued it is not the DNCs job to create a firewall for one officer  it is the officer's responsibility to create a firewall."

The exchange between Hogg and DNC leaders marked a breakdown in efforts to diffuse controversy surrounding his announcement that a group he co-founded, Leaders We Deserve, would spend $20 million in safe-blue Democratic primaries against incumbent House members. Martin has given Hogg an ultimatum, telling reporters that party officers cant be both the referee and also the player at the same time.

Martin told POLITICO that party bosses should not be involved in putting their thumb on the scale and said, I campaigned on this, while Hogg, in an interview, stood by his peace offering. He said the DNC doesn't really have a role in congressional races, and therefore there shouldn't be an issue or real conflict.

But Hogg is not backing down. Instead, he is mounting a charm offensive.

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The 25-year-old Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor recently spoke at a fundraiser for state Democrats in Rhode Island. He donated $100,000 to the House Democrats campaign arm. He is scrambling behind the scenes to win over Democratic activists and operatives, and he is finding some success.

Even as Hogg has enraged many establishment-oriented Democrats, he is gaining the support of some others on the left, including state party leaders, labor officials and powerful media voices who view him as tapping into a more aggressive approach in the second Donald Trump era.

Hogg has captured the attention of Charlamagne tha God, the influential radio host, who has publicly thrown his weight behind him. He said in an interview that Hogg is absolutely right  I don't know why people are acting like he's not, and that Democrats who aren't willing to fight for democracy in the way that it needs to be fought for, they need to be banished.

James Carville, the longtime Democratic strategist who once dubbed Hogg a contemptible little twerp, went from vehemently disagreeing with Hogg to posting on social media that the DNC needs him because David Hogg fights. Hogg said that after appearing on a podcast with Carville, he texted the strategist, saying that he respected the work he has done and would love to connect more. Carville then called him and soon after took his side.

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Hogg is working to pull more Democrats along with him. Speaking at a fundraiser for the Rhode Island Democratic Party a few weeks ago, Hogg said, We need to show the reason to vote for Democrats isnt because were the less bad of two options. Its because were the best fucking option, according to a video shared with POLITICO.

Hogg addressed the dispute with the party, saying, I know that right now there is a movement to try to remove me from the DNC. The crowd booed in response, in an apparent show of support for Hogg.

His plans to oust some Democratic incumbents  and the uproar hes triggered  have exposed a painful rift among Democrats as they struggle to rebuild their party. And the messy conflict threatens to drag on for months, putting a spotlight on Democrats internal disagreements over generational change and how aggressively to take on Trump.

Martin has described the ultimatum he issued to Hogg, proposing to amend the partys bylaws to bar DNC officers from getting involved in primary campaigns, as part of an overall reform package that is not aimed at the vice chair. But it would effectively force Hogg to decide between leaving his vice chair post or walling himself off from the primaries launched by his group Leaders We Deserve. The overhaul is expected to come up for a vote this summer.

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Even some of Hoggs allies are skeptical that hell be able to defeat Martins proposal. Unfortunately, I do think itll pass, said Jeanna Repass, chair of the Kansas Democratic Party, who argued that Hogg should be grandfathered in because it really looks like we're bullying out a young Dem who's trying to be a change agent.

Kleeb said that as a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016, she felt that the party influenced that primary  as leaked emails revealed that many DNC officials derided Sanders' bid against Hillary Clinton  arguing that is what we are trying to fix.

No quote-unquote charm offensive or media appearance of David, she said, will change the fundamental fact of what we are trying to do at the DNC.

Stuart Appelbaum, a DNC associate chair, said that he and every other DNC officer  except Hogg  signed a neutrality policy at a private party retreat in March. As president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, he said that meant a big change for me but that it is crucial that the Democratic Party be seen as impartial.

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But Hogg does not appear to be budging. He said he will refuse to wall himself off from his groups work on primaries, as the neutrality rule  if adopted  would require.

If that's the rule that they implement, then they're going to have to vote me out if that's what they want, said Hogg. I would prefer that we come to a deal here.

Hoggs group has pledged that it is moving forward with plans to target House Democrats in anywhere from 10 to 50 districts. When he was in Rhode Island for the state party fundraiser last month, Hogg met with progressive legislators and activists to discuss potential primary challenges, according to a person familiar with the conversation.

Asked about the meeting, Hogg said Rhode Island is not currently on his groups list of targets. But, he said, I can't write any state off at this point, because we're looking at all the districts around the country.
May 9MITCHELL  The following cases were among those heard Tuesday, May 6, during a circuit court session at the Davison County Public Safety Center, with Judge Chris Giles presiding:

* Michone Collins, 64, of Omaha, Nebraska, pleaded guilty to reckless driving, a Class 1 misdemeanor. As part of a plea agreement, several additional charges were dropped, including possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to renew registration during the assigned month, smoking marijuana while driving, first-offense driving under the influence (DUI), all Class 2 misdemeanors; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and possession of a controlled substance, a Class 6 felony. Collins was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with all time suspended, and fined $100.

* Elisa Hampton, 56, of Tacoma, Washington, pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. As part of a plea agreement, four felony charges were dropped, including two counts of drug distribution (psilocybin mushrooms and hashish oil), both Class 4 felonies, and two counts of possession of controlled substances (psilocybin mushrooms and hashish oil), both Class 5 felonies. Hampton was sentenced to 10 days in jail, with all time suspended, and fined $250.

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* Brian Maxwell, 31, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to traffic-in/substitute plates, a Class 1 misdemeanor. As part of a plea agreement, a Class 6 felony charge for forging a vehicle registration card was dismissed. Maxwell was granted a suspended imposition of sentence, meaning his conviction will not be formally entered unless he fails to meet the conditions of his sentence, and he was fined $350.

* Kai Anderson, 23, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance (psilocybin mushrooms), a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several charges were dismissed, including an open container, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, Class 2 misdemeanors, possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and possession of cocaine, a Class 5 felony. Anderson was granted a suspended imposition of sentence. He was ordered to serve 10 days in jail, with credit for four days already served, and was fined $750. Anderson will also serve two years of probation.

* Sean McDannel, 48, of Wessington Springs, appeared in court for a status hearing. The case was continued until August as the court is awaiting testing results. McDannel faces several drug-related charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia and speeding, both Class 2 misdemeanors; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and two counts of possession of controlled substances cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms  both Class 5 felonies.

* Kyle Erickson, 34, of Sioux Falls, was sentenced for third-degree burglary, a Class 5 felony. His attorney requested a pre-sentencing investigation report, but the court denied the request. Erickson received a five-year prison sentence, with three years suspended, and was credited for 17 days already served. He was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution. According to court documents, Erickson broke into a shop and attempted to steal a stack of tools valued at over $1,000, causing less than $400 in damage to an interior wall during the incident.

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* Mark Leach Jr., 43, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, a Class 4 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several charges were dismissed, including unauthorized distribution of meth, a Class 3 felony; a drug-free zone violation, a Class 4 felony; two counts of possession of controlled substances, methamphetamine and Ritalin, both Class 5 felonies; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. Leach is scheduled to be sentenced in four weeks.

* Matthew Weddell, 44, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a status hearing. The case was continued for two weeks as the court awaits the results of a mental health assessment. Weddell is facing two Class 5 felony charges: grand theft involving an amount between $2,500 and $5,000, and second-degree escape by a prisoner. A jury trial is scheduled for June.

* Andrew Whittecar, 36, of Surprise, Arizona, failed to appear in court. He is facing multiple drug-related charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana and operating a vehicle with a suspended registration, both Class 1 misdemeanors; three counts of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine, hydrocodone and methamphetamine, all Class 5 felonies; distribution of cocaine, a Class 4 felony; and committing a felony while carrying a firearm, a Class 2 felony. The court issued a $5,000 bench warrant for his arrest.

* John Bunker, 58, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of one-half to one pound of marijuana with intent to distribute, a Class 4 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several other charges were dismissed, including possession of more than one-half pound but less than one pound of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of controlled substances, and keeping a place for the use or sale of controlled substances, all Class 5 felonies, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. The court ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and a treatment needs assessment. Bunker is scheduled to be sentenced in June.

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* Caleb Moore, 24, of Mitchell, admitted to a probation violation and pleaded guilty to violating a protection order, a Class 6 felony, and unauthorized ingestion of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, additional charges for simple assault, interference with emergency communications, and driving under the influence, all Class 1 misdemeanors, were dismissed. For the probation violation and protection order violation, Moore was sentenced to two years in prison, with all time suspended, and placed on two years of probation. For the drug charge, he was sentenced to five years in prison, with credit for 69 days already served.

* Andrea Buchholz, 33, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a status hearing and requested a new attorney. She is facing several charges, including fourth-offense domestic abuse/simple assault, a Class 5 felony; first-degree burglary, a Class 2 felony; and violating a court order prohibiting contact with the victim before a court appearance, a Class 1 misdemeanor. A jury trial is set for June.

* Matthew Nunez, 31, of Mitchell, admitted to violating the terms of his probation. He had been on probation for a DUI charge, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and simple assault against a law enforcement officer, a Class 6 felony. Nunez was sentenced to two years in prison, with six months suspended, and was given credit for 20 days already served.

* Darice Garcia, 50, of Mitchell, failed to appear in court. She is facing charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. A $3,000 bench warrant has been issued for her arrest.

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* Santos Lopez, 38, of Sioux City, Iowa, pleaded guilty to second-offense DUI and having an altered or invalid license, both Class 1 misdemeanors. As part of a plea agreement, charges for driving without a license, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and identity theft, a Class 6 felony, were dismissed. The case was continued for two weeks, at which time the guilty plea will be formally accepted, and Lopez will be sentenced.

* Justin Fleury, 42, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, a Class 2 misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia was dismissed. Fleury is scheduled to be sentenced in two weeks.

* Markita Rath, 34, of Pierre, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and distribution of meth, a Class 4 felony, were dismissed. She was sentenced to five years in prison, with three years suspended, and received credit for 28 days already served.

* Brian Johnson, 63, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to failing to register a new address, a Class 6 felony. He was sentenced to two years in prison, with all time suspended, and ordered to serve two years of probation. He was also fined $200.

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* Gary Kuper, 68, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, charges for second-degree petty theft involving an amount less than $400 and intentional damage to property totaling less than $400, both Class 2 misdemeanors, were dismissed. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with all time suspended, and ordered to serve 11 days in jail, with credit for one day already served. Kuper was also fined $500 and ordered to pay $291 in restitution. According to court documents, Kuper broke into a garage and stole items, including tools. The restitution covers the damage to the garage door and the value of the stolen items.

* Zach Nelson, 21, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to failure to register a new address, a Class 6 felony. A jury trial is set for August.

* Henry McClellan, 29, of Oakland, California, pleaded guilty to possession of psilocybin mushrooms, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and possession of marijuana wax, a Class 5 felony, were dismissed. McClellan was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and placed on two years of probation. He was also fined $750.

* Trenton Slattery, 23, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to third or subsequent offense of domestic abuse simple assault, a Class 6 felony; domestic abuse simple assault to put another in fear of bodily harm; and violating a no-contact order with a victim prior to court, both Class 1 misdemeanors. A jury trial is set for August.

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* Dustin Fox, 34, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a status hearing. Fox is facing a fourth-offense domestic abuse simple assault charge, a Class 5 felony, along with charges of obstructing police and resisting arrest, both Class 1 misdemeanors. He is in the process of retaining a lawyer, and the case was continued for two weeks.

* Alexandra Lee Smith, 37, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a status hearing. Smith dismissed her lawyer and intends to represent herself. She is facing charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and possession of fentanyl, a Class 5 felony. A jury trial is set for June.

* Chad Hoadley, 42, of Mitchell, was not present for a status hearing. He is facing charges for possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of a firearm with a prior drug felony conviction, a Class 6 felony; and possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. He is also a habitual offender. The case was continued for two weeks.

* Michael Cline Jr., 38, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and intentional damage to property valued between $1,000 and $2,500, a Class 6 felony. As part of a plea agreement, charges for resisting arrest, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor, were dismissed. Cline is scheduled to be sentenced in June. According to court documents, Cline was working at Casey's General Store in Mitchell when he became agitated and began swearing. Management was called, and he was asked to leave. After his departure, store staff discovered damage to equipment, including cords and connectors for the register and a shattered screen on the lottery ticket machine. Video footage confirmed that Cline caused the damage, which totaled just over $1,800. A marijuana joint was also found behind the counter.

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* Mark Rigdon, 61, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to threatening a law enforcement officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor. As part of a plea agreement, charges for reckless use of weapons, also a Class 1 misdemeanor, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a Class 3 felony, were dismissed. Rigdon was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and fined $300. According to court documents, Rigdon had been target shooting on a trail leading to private property, firing in the direction of a house and nearby cattle. When the landowner confronted him, Rigdon allegedly made violent threats and fired three rounds into the ground near the person's vehicle. While being transported to jail, he reportedly told a female trooper he could "cap" her without warning.

* William Perez-Favila, 27, of New Kirk, Oklahoma, appeared in court for a status hearing and requested a two-week continuance, which the court granted. He is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and possession of cocaine, a Class 5 felony.

* Chris Sheehan, 46, of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor. As part of a plea agreement, a reckless driving charge, also a Class 1 misdemeanor, was dismissed. Sheehan was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and fined $350.

* Justin Fischer, 41, of Merrifield, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to possession of psilocybin mushrooms, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several charges were dismissed, including illegal lane change and possession of drug paraphernalia, both Class 2 misdemeanors; driving under the influence, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and possession of methamphetamine and unauthorized ingestion of meth, both Class 5 felonies. Fischer is scheduled to be sentenced in four weeks.

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* Jesus Garcia, 35, of Mitchell, was arraigned on multiple charges, including hit and run resulting in injury or death, a Class 6 felony, as well as driving with a suspended license and failure to yield while making a left turn, both Class 2 misdemeanors. He also appeared in court for a probation violation. A status hearing is scheduled for two weeks.

* Bryon Fischer, 51, of Chamberlain, appeared in court for a probation violation, which he denied. He is currently serving probation for a grand theft charge. Fischer also requested a bond modification, which was denied by the court. He is scheduled to return for a status hearing in two weeks.

* Destiny Brotherton, 23, of Huron, pleaded guilty to identity theft, a Class 6 felony. As part of a plea agreement, a charge of second-degree petty theft involving less than $400, a Class 2 misdemeanor, was dismissed. She was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and ordered to pay $215.90 in restitution.

* Brandon Kendall, 24, of Mitchell, denied violating the terms of his probation. He is currently serving probation for a charge of simple assault against a law enforcement officer. Kendall also requested a personal recognizance bond, which the court denied. He is scheduled to return in four weeks for a status hearing.

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* Cleveland Skunk, 33, of Mitchell, denied a probation violation. He is currently serving probation for a third-offense or greater domestic abuse simple assault. The court also denied his request for a bond modification. Skunk is scheduled to return in four weeks for a status hearing.

* Jonathan Schroeder, 25, of Mitchell, pleaded guilty to identity theft, a Class 6 felony. As part of a plea agreement, a second-degree petty theft charge, a Class 2 misdemeanor, was dismissed. He was sentenced to two years in prison, with all time suspended, and ordered to pay $489.66 in restitution.

* Courtney Stork, 45, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a violation of his 24/7 program bond. Stork is facing multiple drug charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and possession of methamphetamine, a Class 5 felony. He is also facing a new charge for possession of a controlled substance, a Class 6 felony, related to a separate incident. His personal recognizance bond was reinstated.

* Tammy Fischer, 48, of Mitchell, appeared in court to admit to a probation violation. She is currently serving probation for possession of oxycodone and methamphetamine. Fischer was sentenced to three years in prison, with all time suspended.

* Tyriek Traversie, 23, of Fort Pierre, pleaded guilty to grand theft involving an amount between $5,000 and $100,000, a Class 4 felony. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with all time suspended, and fined $300.

* Josh Katrein, 30, of Surprise, Arizona, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several other drug-related charges were dismissed, including distribution of cocaine, a Class 4 felony; possession of hydrocodone and another controlled substance, both Class 5 felonies; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, a Class 1 misdemeanor; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; and committing a felony while carrying a firearm, a Class 2 felony. Katrein was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and placed on two years of probation.

* Sirkka Miller, 29, of San Francisco, California, pleaded guilty to possession of psilocybin mushrooms, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several other charges were dismissed, including possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and possession of marijuana wax and amphetamines, both Class 5 felonies. Miller was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and ordered to serve two years of probation. She was also fined $750.

* Joshua Whiteman, 28, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a status hearing. Whiteman is facing charges of simple assault and threatening a law enforcement officer, both Class 1 misdemeanors, as well as first-degree burglary. His jury trial, originally scheduled for June, has been rescheduled for August.

* Barbara Blaine, 50, of Decatur, Illinois, pleaded no contest to one of three counts of simple assault against a law enforcement officer, a Class 6 felony. The other two charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Blaine was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and ordered to serve two years of probation. She was also fined $500. According to court documents, Blaine assaulted hospital staff and an officer, including hitting a doctor, slapping a nurse in the face, kicking an officer in the groin and chest, kicking a nurse in the face, and kicking a doctor in the side. During the incident, Blaine reportedly shouted profanities at the staff.

* Isaiah Hampton, 26, of Tacoma, Washington, pleaded guilty to possession of psilocybin mushrooms, a Class 5 felony. As part of a plea agreement, several charges were dismissed, including two counts of drug distribution, Class 4 felonies; possession of hashish oil, a Class 5 felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor. Hampton was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and ordered to pay a $750 fine.

*

Carey Fleury, 52, of Mitchell, failed to appear in court for a status hearing. Fleury faces two counts of possession of meth, Class 5 felonies, and two counts of distribution of meth, Class 4 felonies. As a result of her failure to appear, a motions hearing scheduled for later this month, as well as a jury trial set for June, were both canceled.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  D.C. police are investigating after two people arrived at a hospital with gunshot wounds early Saturday morning.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) told DC News Now that at around 6:45 a.m., officers responded to an area hospital for reports of two people who came in with gunshot wounds.

Upon arrival, officers found a man and a woman who had been shot. Police said they were both conscious and breathing.

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MPD said the shooting possibly took place in the 900 block of T St., NW.

Police: Man arrested, accused of first-degree murder in 1-year-olds death in DC

As of Saturday morning, no arrests have been made.

Investigators were looking for two people, armed with handguns and wearing ski masks, last seen driving a silver Mercedes, in connection with the shooting.

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The Daviess County Sheriff's Office's remote vehicle inspection site will be open on Friday, May 9, at 5333 Frederica St.

The site will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The location is Kentucky Sound Stage, which is in the former Malco Theaters location.

Officials will inspect vehicles damaged in the March hail storm. People seeking a "hail damage" amendment to their vehicle titles must have their vehicles inspected by the sheriff's office before seeking the title change from the county clerk.

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Before getting the inspection, people must have a letter from their insurance carrier stating the vehicle sustained 75% damage or more, or is considered a total financial loss. The insurance company letter must include the vehicle's VIN.

People arriving for inspections must also bring their identification and a check or $15 in cash for the inspection.

A person with a hail damage title can still drive their vehicle if it is roadworthy. Windshields must be free of cracks before the sheriff's office will inspect a vehicle.
Demonstrators have been holding street performances since May 4 in protest of Russia's "immortal regiment" and its Victory Day celebrations, a source in Ukraines military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent on May 9.

"The series of actions took place under the name 'Death Regiment,' as the antithesis of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's propaganda campaign, 'Immortal Regiment,'" the source said.

Russia tries to use Victory Day celebrations as a historical justification for its ongoing war against Ukraine. The Kremlin invited foreign leaders to its Victory Day parade on May 9 as Moscow faces isolation from the West due to its ongoing war.

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Russia's Victory Day celebrations are marked with grand military parades and its "immortal regiment." Putin has used the celebrations to fuel nationalism.

"For several days, starting from May 4, street performances were held in nine European countries and in Canada to remind humanity of the systemic war crimes of Putin's Russia," the source said.

Moscow often situates victory in World War II as a sole Russian achievement and not a multinational one, Jonathan Brunstedt, an assistant professor of history at Texas A&M University, focusing on nationalism and historical memory in the Soviet Union, said.

"As reported by representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora, the actions took place in (the U.K.), Germany, Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain, Albania, Ukraine, and Canada," the source told the Kyiv Independent.

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The counter performances will likely span from May 4 until Russia's Victory Day celebrations on May 9, the source said.

"According to the participants of the performances, their goal is to remind the civilized world of the barbaric actions of Moscow, which for many years and decades has systematically violated international law," the HUR source said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 3 that Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign officials planning to attend Russias Victory Day parade in Moscow.

"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.

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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, a proponent of Putin, arrived in Moscow on May 9 to attend the Victory Day celebrations, despite Russia's war against Ukraine.

The EUs top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, on April 15 warned European leaders against attending Russias Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.

"What was also discussed very clearly, and said by different member states, is that any participation in the 9th May parades or celebrations in Moscow will not be taken lightly on the European side, considering that Russia is really waging a full-scale war in Europe," she said.

Read also: Why Ukraine remains dependent on US Patriot missiles

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A man who was found dead along Interstate 5 in Oregon has been identified after nearly 45 years and police say a notorious California serial killer is the sole person of interest in the case.

The 30-year-old was identified Friday as Larry Eugene Parks. Oregon State Police spokesperson Kyle Kennedy said Randy Kraft, who has been dubbed the Scorecard Killer, is the only person under investigation for the 1980 killing.

Theres some evidence that were processing to determine that link, Kennedy said. We are very confident that we have the correct person of interest.

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Kraft, now 80, was convicted in 1989 of brutalizing and killing 16 men over a decade in California and sentenced to death. He remains incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison and has denied killing anyone.

On July 18, 1980, police responded to a report of a body now identified as Parks along I-5 south of Portland near Woodburn. Police opened a homicide investigation at the time and unsuccessfully tried to identify the victim.

Parks, a Vietnam veteran whose family had lost contact with him in 1979, had last been seen in Pensacola, Florida, police said.

Kraft was pulled over in his vehicle on a California freeway in 1983 after a trooper spotted him driving erratically. In the passenger seat of the vehicle was a strangled U.S. Marine. In the trunk of Krafts vehicle was a coded list believed to tally 67 victims in California, Oregon and Michigan, according to police.

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Prosecutors described Kraft, a former computer programmer, as a fetishist who kept some of the dismembered parts of his victims in his freezer.

In 2024, an Orange County Sheriffs Department investigator reached out to the Oregon State Police Cold Case Unit and offered to help identify the remains using forensic investigative genetic genealogy. A genetic profile was developed from a blood sample and Parks' identity was confirmed after possible family members submitted DNA profiles for comparison, according to police.

Until his identification last month, the circumstances of his disappearance were unknown to the his family, police said.

In 2023, the remains of a teenager believed to have been killed by Kraft in California were also identified using investigative genetic genealogy.
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said a Decatur man was killed in an ATV incident Friday.

ALEA said that around 6:50 p.m., a single-vehicle crash involving an ATV killed Larry D. Whitlock, 65 of Decatur.

The agency said Whitlock was killed when the ATV he was driving left the roadway, hit a ditch and overturned. Whitlock was then thrown from the ATV and was pronounced dead on the scene.

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The crash happened on Lawrence County 362, about four miles west of Trinity. Troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division are currently investigating this incident. Nothing more is available.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Some Bellevue residents have reported a growing problem in their community: mail theft.

The Metro Nashville Police Department said they were searching for the driver of an orange sedan, adding the suspect may have bribed a someone else to steal mail.

Its definitely violating and incredibly frustrating, Bellevue resident Rachel Sumner said.

RELATED: Police see increase in mail thefts in Bellevue

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Sumner lives in one of the affected neighborhoods off Sawyer Brown Road, adding that the residents are older and its usually quiet. While she told News 2 that she had not been targeted, she has spoken up for neighbors who have.

I got so upset by hearing the stories, Sumner said. I just couldnt stand by and not do something. We have to work together.

Sumner said most of the victims she knows of are elderly. The MNPD said thieves mainly appear to be targeting checks to steal.

A lot of the people who still write checks are older people, Sumner said. They still rely on sending checks for bills  maybe to send a graduation card or a birthday card with a check inside.

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CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

Sumner advised anyone living in a targeted neighborhood not to leave their flag up for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, you can also physically hand your mail to a letter carrier or go inside the lobby of the nearest Post Office.

If you are the victim of mail theft, you can follow this link for information on how to inform the U.S. Post Office.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
We recently published an article titled Billionaire Chris Rokos' 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential. In this article, we are going to take a look at where TransAlta Corporation (NYSE:TAC) stands against Chris Rokos' other stock picks with huge upside potential.

One of the traits that define investors who become billionaires is the ability to make money regardless of market conditions. Chris Rokos is one example. For instance, in March 2025, the hedge fund gained 3.4% amid heightened volatility. At the same time, fellow big-name asset managers like Point72, Citadel, and Millennium struggled to handle the volatility.

Christopher Charles Rokos is a British hedge fund manager. He co-founded Brevan Howard in 2002 after nearly 10 years with Goldman Sachs, where he traded interest rate products. In 2015, he established Rokos Capital Management. The asset manager has approximately $20 billion worth of assets under management (AUM) as of 2025. Rokos is the funds Chief Investment Officer (CIO).

The billionaire hedge fund manager made the most of Trumps election in November last year. According to a Bloomberg report, Rokos netted nearly $1 billion in profits in a single day following Trumps victory. This, according to the report, is a standout trading performance since Rokos Capital started operating in 2015.

READ ALSO: Billionaire Ray Dalios Bridgewaters 10 Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential and Billionaire Mario Gabellis 10 Large-Cap Stock Picks with Huge Upside Potential.

And the winning didnt stop there. Since that election victory, Trump has fueled rallies and routs in almost equal measure. But, interestingly, Rokos keeps turning up profits regardless of market conditions. Thanks to the Trump-fueled rally in November 2024, Rokos Capital Management ended the year with 31% in returns.

In early April 2025, Trumps tariffs triggered a large sell-off, and many hedge funds lost money. But not Rokos. The asset manager advanced 4.5% in the first two weeks of the month. This gain helped the hedge funds returns for the year to reach 8% as of mid-April 2025.

But whether Rokos Capital Management will keep winning this year is something that remains to be seen, especially in light of the conditions in the market. On Monday, May 5, 2025, the S&P 500 snapped out of a nine-day rallythe longest winning streak in 20 years. The broader market index fell 0.64%, while the Nasdaq shed 0.74% and the Dow lost 0.24%.

Market observers quoted by CNN put the decline on tariffs. For instance, Argent Capital Managements Jed Ellerbroek said that the market is intensely focused on where the tariff rates end up, and its bouncing around day to day as those assessments change.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  Delgado Community College is offering four forensic classes in its science laboratory technology program.

Really, were priming students to get ready to go and finish their bachelors in some type of related field, associate professor and biotechnology director Charlie Shunick said.

The program has a current 100% placement rate for students.

Theyre helping family members get answers that they need. They need to get some type of conclusion to the case and the more people were able to hire to work on these cases, the faster it will happen, Shunick said.

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Broadening horizons on the forensic front. One more way Delgado helps every student step closer to unstoppable.

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 9LIMA  Jurors in the case of Donya Perkins, charged with murder in the July 16, 2023 shooting death of Steve Smith, were deliberating the Lima teenager's fate when The Lima News went to press Friday evening. The 12-member jury received the case late in the afternoon after four days of testimony.

Perkins, 18, is charged with 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 to the shooting death of Steve Smith, whose body was discovered in the early morning hours of July 16, 2023, in the 1000 block of Reese Avenue in Lima. That location is near the home of Perkins and his parents.

A Lucas County medical examiner testified that Smith died of gunshot wounds that likely were the result of one projectile.

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Perkins and his mother, Latoya McClellan, each were taken into custody later that morning as suspects in Smith's death. McClellan told police her son fired a gun in Smith's direction and said she took the alleged murder weapon and discarded it in a woods on the south edge of Lima. The weapon was never found.

McClellan was convicted of tampering with evidence and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was recently released and is now on parole.

On Thursday

In earlier testimony in the trial, McClellan was questioned by prosecutors about statements she made to Lima Police Department Detective Steve Stechschulte in the hours after Smith's body was located. The woman admitted some of the information she initially provided investigators was false.

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McClellan testified that late on the evening of July 15, 2023, her son exited the family home at 403 E. Second St. with a gun in his pants after Smith had knocked loudly on the front door of the residence. She said Smith was in the yard when her son exited the home "and then the gun went off." Asked by Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Josh Carp if Perkins fired the gun, McClellan answered "yes."

Jurors also watched two videotaped interviews between Stechschulte and Perkins, including one in which Perkins initially denied any knowledge in the events surrounding the shooting. He changed his story during the interrogation after his mother was briefly brought into the LPD interview room and told him she had confessed to discarding the murder weapon.

The teenager then told Stechschulte he pulled a pistol from his pants pocket and fired a random shot in Smith's direction after the pair had fought outside the family home.

Shoddy police work alleged

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In her closing arguments to jurors on Friday, defense attorney Allison Hibbard said the state had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Perkins was responsible for Smith's death. She said Latoya McClellan was an unbelievable witness who should not be trusted and accused Stechschulte of conducting an incomplete investigation in the case.

"Latoya's testimony in court was all over the place, yet Detective Stechschulte just elected to believe what she had told him," Hibbard said. "He chose not to get certain DNA tested, chose not to get a search warrant for the Perkins residence or to interview the defendant's younger brother who was home at the time of the shooting. Why not?" Hibbard asked jurors to consider.

The defense attorney also maintained the detective had intimidated Perkins to get him to provide what prosecutors called a "confession" of his role in Smith's death.

"There was no confession. Donya just provided a confirmation of what he had been told by Detective Stechschulte," the defense attorney said. "The interview was not done properly."

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The attorney said McClellan, not her client, had the motive to kill Smith.

"Steve Smith had come to the home that evening to end their relationship," Hibbard said. "Latoya was the one who was outraged ... not Donya. This entire case is about Latoya. Donya had nothing to do with this. It's a mess what happened that night but there is no proof of Donya's guilt. Add everything up and it doesn't make sense. This is precisely what 'reasonable doubt' is," the attorney told jurors.

Assistant Prosecutor Joe Everhart called Smith's death "a tragedy (that) never should have happened" but told jurors that "Steve Smith died as a result of the defendant's actions."

The prosecutor said Perkins admitted he had fired the shot that killed Smith and that "his mother ratted him out."

Jurors were instructed that self-defense was not to be considered as a factor in the case.

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Newark Mayor and top Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ras Baraka is speaking out following his arrest outside a New Jersey ICE facility on Friday, and the gleeful MAGA pile-on that followed.

Baraka was at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on Friday, where protests were taking place against the facilitys reopening. He was arrested at the site and charged with a Class C misdemeanor of federal trespass.

Ras Baraka committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself, Interim U.S. District Attorney for New Jersey, and President Donald Trumps former personal attorney Alina Habba tweeted. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state.

The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this  Alina Habba (@AlinaHabba) May 9, 2025

Pushing back on those claims, Baraka described the incident differently to MSNBC. We were allowed on the property in the first place. Nothing happened for a long long time, at least over an hour, Baraka said. They finally told us to leave and I told them I was leaving. They came outside the gate and arrested me.

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It looked like it was targeted, Baraka stated.

Appearing on CNNs The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Baraka addressed Habbas comments directly, saying she doesnt know what happened and that the arrest was the result of escalation by a Homeland Security Officer.

Mayor Ras Baraka tries to gain access to the New Jersey ICE facility Delaney Hall on Friday. He was later arrested for trespass. / Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images

She was not there, so she should get some better information, he concluded.

The facility is the first immigration detention center to open since Trump took office again in January. Despite ongoing legal disputes over its operation, Delaney Hall began accepting detainees on May 1.

As mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka has a responsibility to ensure that facilities operating in the city are adhering to laws that protect the safety and wellbeing of occupants and residents.

This incident is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the  Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) May 9, 2025

The arrest has been condemned by Democrats, with Sen. Cory Booker calling the incident disturbing, unnecessary, and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities.

Moreover, Booker added, the Trump administrations decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison in our community, should never have gone forward.
BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsylvania  Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego said Republicans are trying to pull John Fetterman to the right and argued Democrats should keep the Pennsylvania senator in their corner as he faces mounting questions over his health and shifting political persona.

There needs to be space for Fetterman and for other senators in our caucus, he said in an interview Saturday. He still is a senator that fights for working-class people. We may not be 100 percent in agreement a lot of times in a lot of areas, but we don't have to be.

While some Democrats have distanced themselves from Fetterman, top Republicans have rallied around him in the wake of news reports that his current and former staffers are concerned about his mental and physical health. Several GOP senators, including Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), have come to Fettermans defense on social media.

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"The radical left is smearing him with dishonest, vicious attacks because he's pro-Israel and they only want reliable anti-Israel politicians," Cotton said.

Asked if Republicans are trying to tug Fetterman to the GOP, Gallego said of course.

In the Marines, we call these fuck-fuck games, said Gallego, who traveled to Pennsylvania Saturday for a town hall.

Fetterman has said repeatedly that he will not change parties. But that isnt stopping some conservatives from trying to push him to vote for their priorities  and perhaps more broadly come onto their side. The Club for Growth, a conservative group, is airing a TV ad in Pennsylvania this weekend praising Fetterman as standing up for every working family in PA and urging him to back President Donald Trumps tax cuts.

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Fetterman has voted against the budget blueprint laying the groundwork for a massive package that would include the extension of Trumps first-term tax cuts, and he said on Friday he remains opposed to the efforts. Gallego expressed confidence that Fetterman would continue to hold that position, saying I think the last thing he'll do is harming working-class families by voting for the reconciliation bill.

While Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said Fetterman is an all-star who is doing a good job, several House Democrats in Fettermans state have offered more chilly responses, saying that the recent reporting raises questions and voters should read it. Fetterman has also drawn criticism from some on the left over his hardline position on Israel and recent meeting with Trump.

During Gallegos town hall, Gallego repeatedly stressed the need for Democrats to maintain a big tent. He was asked by a member of the audience why he did a fundraiser with Marc Andreessen, a pro-Trump businessperson. Gallego said he runs the largest venture capital firm in Arizona.

We got so pure that we started kicking people out of the tent  it ends up there aren't enough people in the tent to win elections, he said to applause.

Gallegos stop in the critical battleground of Pennsylvania, first reported by POLITICO, has drawn speculation that he is interested in a future presidential bid. When asked in an NBC News interview about the prospect of running for the White House, Gallego said, Has it ever crossed my mind? Fucking of course, Im an elected official, it crosses my mind. Am I thinking about it right now? Absolutely not.
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  Deputies are searching for a man wanted in connection with a Knox County shooting.

According to the sheriffs office, 42-year-old Daniel Edwards is accused of shooting a gun on Thursday in the Stinking Creek community.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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He is described as being 6 feet tall, 230 pounds, with a shaved head, full neck tattoos, and several tattoos on his arms.

Officials said Edwards is armed and dangerous.

If you see him, do not approach him; instead, call Knox County Dispatch at 606-546-3510 or the Knox County Sheriffs Office at 606-546-3181.

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SURRY COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)  Deputies shot a 78-year-old man who was allegedly approaching them with a shotgun, according to a Surry County Sheriffs Office news release.

At about 11:09 a.m. Friday, Surry County deputies responded to a report of what investigators described as an armed mental subject on the 100 block of Alicia Lane in the White Plains community, near Mount Airy.

Deputies say a person was reportedly firing gunshots in a residential area.

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At the scene, deputies found Gaston Ruben Golding, 78. Golding reportedly ran into a garage when deputies arrived. When deputies tried to speak with him, Golding allegedly came out with a shotgun and pointed it at deputies while moving towards them.

A deputy fired their weapon, hitting Golding.

Deputies rendered medical aid until emergency services arrived. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating per standard protocol.

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(WBRE/WYOU) Shocking new details surrounding the Brian Kohberger case have been revealed Friday in a special NBC Dateline report.

The man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students faces trial this summer.

Friday evening, Dateline aired a two-hour special sharing new details, evidence and video that took place before and after the murder.

High-tech cameras aid in tracking Terence Rays movements

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Former Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Jarret Ferentino has extensively analyzed this case from the beginning and says its only looking worse for the accused.

With the trial of accused Bryan Kohberger now 12 weeks away its the crime no one can forget.

In Datelines The Terrible Night on King Road, evidence appears to be stacking up against the man accused of stabbing four college students to death.

As the new information comes out, it is painting a dark picture of Bryan Kohberger, said Ferentino.

Former Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Jarret Ferentino has analyzed this case on many national news networks since the murder happened in 2022.

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What happened in that house? Why four victims, why any, teased dateline host Keith Morrison.

Narrated by Datelines Keith Morrison, the special provided more insight into those questions.

Investigators say Kohberger was found shopping on Amazon for a KA-BAR knife and sheath. It matched the same brand of sheath found in the bed of one of the victims.

Home security video exclusively obtained by Dateline near the murder scene shows the white car investigators believe was driven by Kohberger circling the block around the time of the murders several times.

And police say, Kohberger searched the internet before and after the murders for information about serial killer Ted Bundy.

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All of these pieces of evidence together are very very strong. Individually, what the defense is going to try and do is knock each of them out one at a time, but you run into a brick wall here the DNA is in, stated Ferentino.

And that DNA, Ferentino says, will be the toughest piece of evidence for the defense to explain.

Good luck with that, wished Ferentino.

And thats not all, Morrison had an exclusive interview with a woman who exchanged numbers with kohberger at a pool party months before the killings.

She said the text message she received from him made her uncomfortable.

Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty if Kohberger is convicted in trial.

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Ferentino says nothing can change that unless Kohberger pleads guilty.

At this phase, this close to trial, Ferentino feels the defense is up against the clock.

They are running out of options, stated Ferentino.

Bryan Kohbergers trial is set to begin on august 11.

Ferentino anticipates from now until then both the defense and prosecution will be mentally and physically preparing for a 4-6 month long case.

To look at our full interview, click here.

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The family of Roger Fortson, the Black Air Force airman who was shot and killed by a Florida police officer, is taking new steps to get justice for their loved one. Now, the officer in question is facing more trouble than a potential criminal charge. All of the tension stems from one question, was the officer even supposed to be at Forstons house in the first place?

The Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office released body camera footage in connection to the incident from last May. The video shows an officer approaching Fortsons apartment door, knocking and shouting, Sheriffs office, open the door! Forston is then seen seconds later partially opening the door with a firearm in hand down by his side. Within milliseconds of the officer ordering him to step back and to drop his weapon, he shot Fortson six times.

Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump claims the 23-year-old airman did not initially hear the officer knock at his apartment door nor announce himself. A witness who was on FaceTime with Fortson during the incident heard him call out toward the door but with no response. Therefore, he armed himself for safety. Crump also said based on dispatcher audio, the officer was investigating a domestic violence incident and showed up to the wrong apartment.

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Now, the fallen airmans family is ready to take justice into their own hands in the form of a wrongful death lawsuit. Crump said he accuses former Okaloosa County Sheriffs Deputy Eddie Duran of excessive and unconstitutional deadly force. The lawsuit also attributes Durans actions to a lack of training and supervision by the sheriffs office.

I want accountability because he was 23. I want accountability because he had a life ahead of him. I want accountability because he was in his own home, said Fortsons mother, Meka, in a press conference.

In addition to the lawsuit, Duran faces a charge of manslaughter with a firearm. He plead not guilty.

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UPS is closing five facilities in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, plus a sortation shift at an Ohio building, in the coming months as part of its sweeping network overhaul.

The following locations will shutter or see operations reduced due to the companys "Network Reconfiguration" initiative, spokesperson Karen Tomaszewski Hill confirmed in an email to Supply Chain Dive:

Location Result Closing date Employees impacted 2006 River Road, New Kensington, Pennsylvania Building closure May 10 Unknown 2129 Rockdale Lane, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania Building closure May 16 Unknown 647 Summer St., Boston, Massachusetts Building closure May 23 62 20 N. Star Rd., Holmen, Wisconsin Building closure June 10 42 1821 South 19th St., Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Building closure June 20 Unknown 17940 Englewood Dr., Middleburg Heights, Ohio Day sortation shift closure July 1 98

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letters filed for the Wisconsin and Ohio facilities said the bulk of employees impacted at those locations work part time, with bumping rights in effect for workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The unions general president, Sean OBrien, warned in a statement last week that if any planned job cuts attempt to go after hard-fought, good-paying Teamsters jobs, UPS will be in for a hell of a fight. UPS is working to place as many affected employees as possible in other positions, according to Hill.

More closures could be revealed in the coming weeks, as UPS is planning to shutter 73 facilities by June's end and cut roughly 20,000 positions this year. The cuts are part of the carrier's efforts to match its U.S. network's capacity with expected volume declines. UPS is reducing the amount of volume it delivers for Amazon, its largest customer, by June 2026.

UPS is helping its largest customers adjust their operating plans to mitigate any disruptions from the building closures while encouraging smaller shippers to use alternative drop off points, CEO Carol Tome said during an earnings call last week.

While this may be the largest network reconfiguration in our history, weve got experience that gives us confidence that we will be able to complete our plan with very little customer disruption and at the right cost to serve, Tome said on the call.
NEWARK, New Jersey  A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said arresting three Democratic members of Congress is on the table following a chaotic scene outside of an immigrant detention center on Friday.

Three New Jersey Democrats  Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez and LaMonica McIver  were there for a tour of a new Trump administration Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility, Delaney Hall, which is expected to play a significant role in its Northeast immigration operations. But chaos broke out when federal agents arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, setting off a tense scrum including the three members of Congress.

There will be more arrests coming, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN on Saturday morning. In response to a request for further comment, DHS referred questions to the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba. Her office did not immediately respond to an inquiry from POLITICO.

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The possibility of arrests marks an escalation of the Trump administrations crackdown on public officials and comes as a Wisconsin judge was arrested late last month for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest.

Members of Congress have the legal right to make unannounced oversight visits to ICE detention facilities.

A spokesperson for Watson Coleman said her office had not heard from DHS; it had only seen the public statements by the department.

In response to those, Watson Colemans office said it had reviewed body camera footage from DHS and that proves that DHS has been lying about this incident  blatantly lying.

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Though federal law enforcement officials at the scene did tell Baraka to leave a fenced-in parking lot area, which he eventually did before being later arrested, they did not ever appear to ask the members of Congress to leave. But one official appeared to shove McIver as she was trying to re-enter a secure parking lot at the tail end of the chaotic scrum. Baraka is facing trespassing charges and was released from federal custody on Friday night after scores of supporters gathered outside a separate federal facility where he had been held.

McLaughlin alleged one of the members had body slammed an ICE officer, something that a POLITICO reporter on the scene did not witness. She told CNN there was a video of the incident that ICE would be released very shortly.

Instead, the members of Congress said they had been variously manhandled, roughed up and assaulted.

Baraka told reporters on Saturday that he heard officials ordered to take him to the ground although he said they did not follow through on that. He said he would not have been inside the gate of the parking lot if he had not been invited, though he was later asked to leave. After he did, police and federal agents came outside the gate to apprehend him.

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During a scrum at the facility, Watson Coleman and McIver both appeared to surround Baraka while agents tried to arrest him. Video of the incident shows that an agent tried to pry both members of Congress away from the mayor while one of 80-year-old Watson Colemans aides shouted, Get off of her!

Moments later, as the scrum moved from a public area of the parking lot to a gated area, a federal law enforcement officer shoved McIver, according to both McIver, Menendez and video taken at the time by NJ Spotlight News. On Saturday morning, Fox News posted video it said had been provided by DHS to show McIver was shoving/elbowing her way past a DHS agent.

Other elected officials shouldn't fear they're going to be arrested, or judges arrested because they're behaving in their conscience, Baraka told reporters Saturday morning. This is authoritarianism. There's no other way to describe what's happening in this country right now, but authoritarianism.

The mayor of the states largest city spent several hours in custody on Friday night, where he was fingerprinted and had his mugshot taken, a city spokesperson said. Baraka has denied any wrongdoing and told reporters on Saturday that he was invited by the people who owned the property.

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Somebody allowed me to be there, he said. I didn't climb the fence, I didn't kick the door down, I didn't bust a window like their friends did at the Capitol.

Republicans and conservative media have described the members of Congress storming the facility, which has been disputed by elected officials present and video of the encounter. Habba said in a post on X that the mayor "committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings" to leave.

This is all a fabrication, Baraka said. And they get on the media and they lie and lie and lie and lie  and you can see the video  and we continue to allow them to lie.

Baraka said he will absolutely be back to visit Delaney Hall. The Baraka administration has sued the private prison operator, the Geo Group, alleging that it does not have proper permits and inspections to operate. Federal officials and the Geo Group have denied that claim.

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The mayors arrest has seemingly upended the Democratic primary for governor, catapulting him to the national spotlight. He said, however, that he never intended to be arrested  noting that he had been to visit the facility several times that week.

I didn't wake up that morning yesterday thinking I was gonna go to jail, he said. If I wanted to go to jail, I could have easily went any morning that I was down here.
Dialogue Coffee House sees major expansions across Shawnee County

TOPEKA (KSNT)  Recently celebrating their two year anniversary with the Capper Foundation, Dialogue Coffee House now has five locations open across Shawnee County.

The coffee house recently expanded into Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and the Stormont Vail Administration Center. Within the past month an improved kitchen space became apart of the southwest 29th Street location, vastly cutting down on baking time to supply all five locations with cookies, scones and more.

With the new locations and additional kitchen training space, the CEO told 27 News this leads to more job creation and furthers opportunities for those with disabilities.

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Topeka Cat Cafe approaching adoptee 400 under a year of opurrration

We know that 28% of all Kansans with disabilities want to work, and we know the way that we can create more jobs, more opportunities, more empowerment and more independence is to create more places like Dialogue, Capper Foundation President and CEO, Zach Ahrens said. People may choose to gain a skill here and go out and work in another coffee shop, and thats okay, or maybe theyll want to create their own business or work in different settings.

The CEO said creating that opportunity of choice for those with disabilities is what Dialogue is all about. The Capper Foundation is furthering that mission in the near future, opening a new training and education center attached to the southwest 29th Street location in early June 2025.

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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Even in death, Diane Foley told Marquette University graduates, her late son challenges her on how to live.

"No matter what we choose to do, each of us has the choice every day to speak out instead of being silent, to hope instead of giving up, to show mercy instead of resentment," she said at Marquette's 144th undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 10, held at Fiserv Forum.

Her son, slain journalist James Foley, was a 1996 graduate of Marquette University and a combat journalist who was kidnapped in 2012 while covering the Syrian Civil War.

Diane Foley, left, and Alex Gambacorta participate in a story exchange at Marquette University. Foley was the commencement speaker at Marquette University's 144th commencement ceremony.

Moral courage is how her son inspired her, and it is what the Marquette graduates can strive towards.

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"Moral courage lives deep within us," Diane Foley said.

James Foley was publicly murdered by ISIS for being an American journalist in Syria in 2014. His beheading was filmed and disseminated on social media.

"Imagine that," said Thomas Durkin, program director for the James W. Foley Foundation and research coordinator for the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking, who introduced Diane Foley at the commencement ceremony.

"A parent's worst nightmare shared for all the world to see," he said.

What would Jim Foley have wanted?

After her son's kidnapping, Diane Foley said she fueled her anger at the government for repeatedly stating that Jim was the highest priority but not negotiating for his release.

James Foley speaks at Marquette University in 2011.

But she soon started asking herself what Jim would have wanted. "Jim was challenging me," she said.

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She told graduates that she realized Jim "would have stepped up for others."

Just three weeks after her son's death, her family started the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation to advocate for American hostages and wrongful detainees held abroad.

"I had a deep desire to somehow keep Jim's goodness and moral courage alive," she said.

Because of the foundation, 160 American hostages and wrongfully detained individuals have been reunited with their families, she said.

"Each of those hostages who've returned home is its own miracle," she said. "Every single person matters."

'Our ordinary son became truly extraordinary'

Diane Foley described her son as having a "deep curiosity about our world, its history and other cultures." It was evident when he would take a book to read during Red Sox games, she said.

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James Foley graduated from Marquette University in 1996 with degrees in Spanish and history and joined Teach for America, teaching teenagers in Phoenix. While studying creative writing at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, he volunteered at the local care center, helping unwed mothers get their high school credentials while helping them share their stories.

Journalist James Foley, a 1996 Marquette graduate, speaks about his experiences as a captive in Libya at Marquette University on Dec. 7, 2011. Foley was murdered in Syria in 2014.

He also studied journalism at Northwestern University in Chicago while teaching English at the Cook County Jail.

"Jim was also an ordinary person with hopes and dreams like you and I. Until tested," she said. "When tested, our ordinary son became truly extraordinary."

And you, too, she advised the graduates, "can become extraordinary."

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She challenged the graduates to "find your purpose" as the students can bring hope to the world, she said.

"What gives you joy and purpose?" Foley challenged the Marquette University graduates. "What matters to you?"

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Diane Foley, mother of James Foley, speaks at 2025 Marquette commencement
For more than two years, a big wooden sign in west Marin County has displayed a set of hand-painted numbers, dutifully changed each morning.

"Days Without a Bolinas Post Office," the sign reads. The number Friday: 806.

The sign has been a charming, if sad, reminder to the 1,200 or so residents of Bolinas of the loss of their beloved post office, which was booted from its downtown building amid a spat between the U.S. Postal Service and its longtime landlord.

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Late last month, though, Bolinas resident John Borg nailed a new message to the top of the sign  the wooden equivalent of a P.S. on a letter. It reads: "We Did It, Bolinas!!! New Post Office Opening by Fall 2025."

The post office soon will move back into the unadorned wooden building on Brighton Avenue where it had operated for six decades.

Read more: Dear USPS: This California town wants its post office back

On April 17, the Postal Service signed a 10-year lease with landlord Gregg Welsh, of Ventura County, his attorney, Patrick Morris, said in an email.

For the rural denizens of ZIP Code 94924, the reopening is a major victory  especially given President Trump's musings about privatizing the Postal Service, which lost $9.5 billion in the 2024 fiscal year and is cutting thousands of jobs.

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"For this to be approved during the massive federal cutbacks of the Trump administration, it's really somewhat astonishing for a lot of us," said Borg, 63, who helped lead a citizens' campaign to reopen the facility.

"I think the past two years gave our town a taste of what potential privatization of the Postal Service could mean for other underserved and rural places throughout the country," he said. "That includes reduced retail operations, delays and inconvenience, increased prices ... [and] more focus on bigger communities that can deliver more profit."

In Bolinas  a haven for poets, painters, writers and actors  residents got creative in their push to reopen the post office.

They picketed with placards reading, "Real Mail Not Email!" They marched in local parades dressed as letter carriers, composed songs and wrote more than 2,000 letters in hand-painted envelopes that they sent to Postal Service officials.

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And they wrote scores of poems to be read at aloud rallies. Like this one, with emphasis by the author:

Theyve closed the Bolinas Post Office down

Forgetting our isolated, far away little town.

The elders need their pensions and checks

And wonder what on earth will be next.

Most people in Bolinas, a town abutting Point Reyes National Seashore, do not get home mail delivery. Residents long relied upon daily trips to the post office for parcels, pension checks and mail-order prescriptions, not to mention a chance to catch up on the local gossip.

Since the post office closed, their mail has been delivered to the smaller town of Olema  a 40-minute round-trip drive through the forest on Highway 1  where the post office has repeatedly closed because of flooding. And sometimes it has been rerouted to nearby Stinson Beach.

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The relocations have been more than just an inconvenience for the towns elderly residents, many of whom cannot drive. There is little public transit, and 47% of the town's residents are 65 and older. Residents have reported problems getting mail-order prescriptions, lab results, healthcare coverage updates, paychecks and other packages.

A sign reads "Save Bolinas Post Office" in west Marin County. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

"It may seem like a little thing, but it really did impact our town greatly," said Borg, 63, a type 1 diabetic who had his insulin delivered through the mail before the closure. For the last two years, he has driven two hours round-trip to San Rafael each month to pick up his medication at a pharmacy.

Rep. Jared Huffman, a San Rafael Democrat who lobbied former U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on behalf of Bolinas, called it "great news" that the post office was reopening. But, he said in an interview Friday, the process took too long.

"They should not have had to experience all of this and to weather all of the bureaucracy and just bulls that has prevented them from having a post office," Huffman said.

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The Bolinas post office shut down on March 3, 2023.

Welsh, whose family trust owns the building, acquired it about 50 years ago. The Postal Service already was a tenant. According to a statement provided last year by Welsh through his attorney, Patrick Morris, the Postal Service for years violated its lease, which required it to maintain and repair the flooring at its own expense.

The agency discovered asbestos in the floor tiles in 1998, according to the statement, but essentially kept it hidden from the landlord for more than two decades and did not post warning signs. Welsh and the Postal Service fought over who should pay for asbestos abatement and the repair of worn and broken floor tiles.

The Postal Service lease, according to Welsh's statement, ended in January 2022, but USPS continued to occupy the building, sans lease, as a tenant at sufferance. In February 2023, Welsh demanded the post office vacate the building within a month.

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Morris, the attorney, said in an email last week that, although the parties have signed a new lease, the Postal Service has not told Welsh when it expects to move back into the building.

Morris said that, although most of the flooring appears to have been replaced and "an asbestos clearance was provided," the Postal Service has not provided his client details about the work.

Kristina Uppal, a Bay Area-based spokeswoman for USPS, told The Times in an email that she could not provide details about lease negotiations but that postal services are expected to resume in Bolinas "early fall 2025 after all necessary construction is completed."

Read more: How Trump cuts will hit your post office, mail deliveries

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On March 13, then-Postmaster DeJoy wrote in a letter to several members of Congress that the Postal Service would eliminate 10,000 positions within 30 days through a voluntary early retirement program and that it had eliminated about 30,000 positions since 2021. The letter said he had signed an agreement with the General Services Administration and members of billionaire Elon Musk's White House advisory group, the Department of Government Efficiency, to identify further cost savings.

DeJoy resigned March 24.

On Friday, the Postal Service's Board of Governors announced its selection of David Steiner, a board member for FedEx, a direct USPS competitor, to be the next postmaster general. Critics, including the National Assn. of Letter Carriers, the union representing some 295,000 mail carriers, said they feared his selection would hasten privatization of the independent agency.

Huffman said that, during the fight over the Bolinas post office, he found the Postal Service  a onetime Cabinet-level department that has operated as an independent agency for half a century  to be unresponsive and, at times, "deeply unaccountable."

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But privatizing it, he said, "would make it even worse."

Bolinas had had a post office since 1863.

After the post office closed, there was no viable commercial real estate in town to which it could be relocated. And a 1971 water meter moratorium  put into place because Bolinas has a limited water supply  has effectively prohibited new development for the last 54 years.

At one point, residents drafted a detailed proposal for a temporary facility  a mobile office trailer on a parking lot next to the fire station  and offered to raise $50,000 for its installation. They sent the plan to a supportive Huffman, who shipped it to DeJoy, to no avail.

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Kent Khtikian, a 39-year Bolinas resident, said his friends' and neighbors' hopes for a new post office dimmed after Trump returned to the White House in part because they live in ultra-liberal Marin County, where 81% of voters cast their ballots for Kamala Harris in the November presidential election compared with 17% who chose Trump.

"It is certainly a relief to have the post office back," said Khtikian, a retired attorney who helped with the citizens' campaign. "While there are certainly much bigger problems in the world, its an example of what can be done by people not giving up and not being discouraged and believing in their ability to be effective."

Enzo Resta, a longtime resident and founder of the Bolinas Film Festival, compared the Bolinas post office to an Italian piazza  a place of serendipitous run-ins and "the poetry of community engagement."

"It's quite beautiful to see all walks of life, all demographics, all age groups, all personal interests, all cultural interests be unified in coming together to say: This part of our community matters," Resta said.

As of Friday, there's a new hand-painted sign in town.

Affixed to the exterior wall of the still-closed post office, it reads: "Coming Fall 2025 Bolinas Post Office 94924. Hooray!"

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Federal prosecutors have pulled a surprise on Sean "Diddy" Combs' defense team in his ongoing sex crimes trial.

They revealed plans to call another person labeled "victim 5," someone who was not named in the superseding indictment filed against the embattled music mogul.

This revelation comes after prosecutors also informed the court that they have been unable to reach one of the other witnesses in the case and are u/ncertain whether she will testify during the trial.

The Identity Of The Alleged Fifth Victim Is Currently Unknown

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In today's pre-trial hearing for Diddy's sex crimes case, prosecutors informed Judge Arun Subramanian that they intend to call a "Victim 5" to testify against the rapper.

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In the legal documents filed last month, prosecutors did not disclose the existence of this alleged victim, seemingly holding back the detail to catch Diddy's defense team off guard.

According to TMZ, the victim, whose identity remains unknown, is expected to testify that Diddy committed an act of sexual misconduct in the past, an incident for which he is not being criminally charged in this case.

Following the revelation, Diddy's legal team attempted to block the testimony from being presented to the jury.

However, their efforts were only partially successful, as Judge Subramanian ruled that at least some of the testimony would be allowed once the trial officially began.

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Still, Diddy's attorneys walked away with a minor win, as the judge also ruled that the alleged accuser will not be granted anonymity during the trial.

The Rapper's Attorney Intends To Argue There Was Mutual Violence In His Relationship With His Ex-Girlfriend Cassie

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In the hearing, Diddy's attorney, Marc Agnifilo, also hinted at how the rapper's legal team intends to tackle the testimony of "Victim 1."

Victim 1 is already known to be Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura, Diddy's ex-girlfriend, who was seen being assaulted by the rapper in a viral 2016 hotel surveillance video that resurfaced shortly before his arrest.

Her testimony is said to be central to the case, including claims that she was one of the women he allegedly forced to participate in his now-infamous sex- and drug-fueled parties known as "freak offs."

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Speaking with Judge Subramanian, Agniflo said the defense "is going to take the position there was mutual violence in their relationship," adding there was "hitting, on both sides."

He continued, "We are absolutely going to admit to domestic violence. But at what point does it become coercive?"

Diddy's Jury Will Be Finalized Next Monday

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As for Diddy's jury selection, a decision on the final panel was not reached during the hearing.

According to Deadline, the process is expected to conclude early Monday morning and was only delayed due to last-minute objections and challenges from prosecutors and defense attorneys.

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In total, the trial will have 12 jurors plus six alternates who will determine Diddy's fate after what could be an eight-week trial.

Opening statements from the attorneys will also begin on Monday and are expected to set the tone for the rest of the proceedings.

One Of The Witnesses In The Rapper's Sex Crimes Trial Is Missing

MEGA

In the previous pre-trial hearing, federal prosecutors revealed in court that they were unable to locate one of the witnesses, who is referred to in the indictment as "Victim 3."

According to the Daily Mail, the witness in question is not residing in New York, where the trial is currently taking place.

This disclosure appears to have shut down what was expected to be a series of "very personal and explosive details" regarding the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Diddy.

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If "Victim 3" fails to testify, prosecutors may be forced to rely solely on the testimonies of Cassie, "Victim 2," and "Victim 4."

"Victim 2" is expected to testify about her relationship with Diddy, including how she endured "financial losses, dependency, and social isolation" that left her vulnerable to his coercion.

"Victim 4" is reportedly a former employee of the embattled music mogul whom he allegedly forced into sexual acts. The identities of Victims 2 and 4 remain unknown to the public at this time.

Diddy Could Face Life In Prison If Found Guilty

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In this ongoing trial, Diddy is facing charges of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

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If found guilty of racketeering, he could face life in prison. A conviction for sex trafficking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, while the transportation charges could bring an additional sentence of up to 10 years.

Despite the chances of spending the rest of his life in prison, Diddy recently rejected a plea deal that may have ensured he got a lighter sentence.
Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras Baraka has been released after being arrested by federal officials at a protest outside an immigration detention center in the city.

Baraka was held in custody for five hours on Friday before he was let go around 8 p.m., The New York Times reported. The reality is this: I didnt do anything wrong," he told around 200 supporters waiting for him, per CNN.

Baraka, a Democrat running for governor of New Jersey, has objected to the opening of the 1,000-bed facility that is part of the Trump administration's plans to ramp up the deportation of immigrants. Baraka and city officials have said the privately-run center is operating without a valid certificate of occupancy. Federal officials and the company running the facility said it has the proper permits.

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Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, posted on social media that Baraka trespassed on the property's secure area and didn't listen when federal personnel told him to leave.

He was trying to enter the facility with three Democratic members of New Jersey's congressional delegation  Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman  who said they had the right to inspect the facility.

A Homeland Security official told Baraka he couldn't enter the facility because he wasn't a member of Congress, according to a video shared with The Associated Press. Baraka then joined a group of protesters at a public area outside the front entrance gates, where he was arrested by masked federal agents wearing military fatigues, The Times reported.

Whats happening now in this country, everybody should be scared of, Baraka said after his release, per The Times. Theyre using the courts. Theyre using everything else to justify what theyre doing.
URBANDALE, Iowa  Students at Valerius Elementary were welcomed by inflatable dinosaurs Friday morning as part of an attendance boosting initiative.

Attendance is super important, it gets them(students) involved in the academics, the emotional, the social, its all around, gives an impact on their lives, said Maddy Punsalan, a facilitator of family outreach.

Ankeny mother-daughter teaching duo seeks to set new standard of inclusion

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Valerius Elementary in Urbandale brings in special guests once or twice a month, typically near the end of the week, to boost attendance. On Friday, three dinosaurs danced and cheered on the students.

Its just another level of energy when they come, just they might be a little sleepy coming in, but now we do these activities and they get really excited about it, kinda gets that gusto going for the day, said Derek Wilkins, Valerius Dean of Students.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul opened its doors Friday to celebrate a milestone once thought unlikely: an American becoming pope.

Monsignor Anthony Mancini from the Diocese of Providence said he was shocked to learn that Pope Leo XIV is from the United States, calling it a great honor for the country and the Catholic Church.

Then it was all over the news that he was from Chicago. You cant get more American than that. Goodness, Mancini told 12 News. But this was a great, great, wonderful surprise.

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RELATED: Pope Leo XIV celebrates his first Mass as pontiff a day after election

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, became the first U.S.-born pontiff on Thursday after white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling his historic election. Hailing from Chicago and having attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania connects him to the American people and cultivates a sense of relatability.

We are human beings, and we come from families, Mancini said, referencing the lives of popes and other church leaders. We come from normal families. We do normal things that normal people do.

While his selection marks a departure from tradition, Mancini sees it as a blessingone that elevates the country and raises the whole consciousness of the [Catholic] Church in the United States.

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MORE: Robert Prevost, first US pope in Catholic Church history, takes name Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru, where he spent much of his life and served as a bishop from 2015 to 2023.

According to the National Catholic Register, he is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, and can also read Latin and German.

When youre a world leader like that, its very, very convenient. You can go from one group to the other and just switch languages, which is the great gift. Not everybody has that, Mancini noted.

He is also the first-ever Augustinian to be elected pope. The Order of St. Augustine, which follows the teachings of its namesake, includes about 2,800 members in 47 countries.

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Mancini said Pope Leo [XIII] was heavily involved in social justice and believes the new popes chosen name reflects a deep concern for the poor.

Because the new pope was involved in Peru, which was not wealthy country, obviously, he was involved with the poor a lot. So he has a special heart for the poor, which Jesus demands that we have, Mancini explained. I mean, Jesus himself was poor, so we have to have a special place in our hearts for helping the poor. Thats the Lords command.

Mancini also described Pope Leo XIV as having an openness to people and the ability to make individuals feel comfortable and at ease.

Im sure hell be a wonderful pope for the church and a wonderful citizen for the world, and be a great, wonderful influence, he added. Well pray for that.

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Very emotional: RI priest witnesses introduction of new pope

As the world embraces the change of a new pope, the Diocese of Providence is also undergoing a transition of its own.

Change is a good thing. Thats a very good thing, Mancini said. Change happened here quickly in Rhode Island because we had Bishop Henning, but we only had him for not even two years until he became the Archbishop of Boston.

In April, Maryland prelate Rev. Bruce Lewandowski was selected to serve as Rhode Islands new Roman Catholic bishop, following a period of unusual turnover in Providence.

I open my heart to you, Lewondowski said last month. I give you my heart and theres plenty of room there for you. There is space for you. And I look forward to moving forward and journeying with you.

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According to Mancini, Pope Leo XIV previously worked with Pope Francis to help appoint new bishops. He said Rhode Island now holds the distinction of having one of the last bishops appointed by Francismaking it likely Pope Leo XIV had a hand in selecting Bishop Lewandowski.

Mancini described Lewandowski as down to earth, affable and friendly, saying he believes this change will be a good one for the Diocese of Providence.

MORE: Pope Francis appoints Lewandowski as RIs new Catholic bishop

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Reports have emerged revealing disturbing searches from Idaho killings suspect, Bryan Kohberger's phone that shed light on his interests.

The alleged killer, accused of murdering three women and one man, reportedly searched for images of bikini-clad female students, x-rated content, and bizarre phrases related to the crime.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have already disclosed a series of chilling pieces of evidence linked to Bryan Kohberger that they intend to present in court.

Bryan Kohberger's Phone Search History Reveals New Details

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As the high-profile murder trial of Kohberger approaches this August, unsettling new details have emerged from the suspect's digital footprint.

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According to NBC News' "Dateline," the former criminology Ph.D. student, charged with the brutal slayings of four University of Idaho students, allegedly scoured the internet for numerous images of female students from both Washington State University and the University of Idaho.

He reportedly searched for photos of women in swimsuits, some of which were linked to friends or followers of the three young women whose lives were later cut short by his alleged actions.

Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves, and Madison Mogen were all fatally stabbed in their off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho, during the early hours of November 13, 2022.

That same night, Kohberger also allegedly murdered Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, who was staying over at the house.

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Despite the disturbing discovery, it remains unclear whether Kohberger had any prior relationship with the victims.

The Former Criminology Ph.D. Student Made Other Bizarre Searches, Including A Britney Spears Song

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Beyond searching for bikini-clad images of students, Kohberger made other disturbing online inquiries that have raised eyebrows.

The alleged Idaho killer reportedly conducted several porn-related searches featuring keywords such as "drugged" and "sleeping."

He is also said to have looked up phrases like "Sociopathic traits in college students," "Can psychopaths behave prosocially?" and "University of Idaho murders."

Strangely, Kohberger even searched for the song "Criminal" by Britney Spears.

Bryan Kohberger Was Arrested At His Family Home

Indiana State Police/MEGA

After the murders, authorities eventually identified Kohberger as the primary suspect and arrested him on December 30, 2022, at his family's home in Pennsylvania.

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Kohberger was charged with four counts of murder and one count of burglary, and in May 2023, a judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf because he stayed silent at arraignment.

If the jury convicts him during the upcoming trial, he could face the death penalty, as earlier attempts made by his lawyers to exclude this possibility failed.

Prosecutors Have Revealed The Evidence For Bryan Kohberger's Trial

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Ahead of the trial in August, prosecutors have revealed key pieces of evidence they intend to present in support of their case against Bryan Kohberger.

According to Newsweek, among the evidence is a record of a black balaclava that Kohberger allegedly purchased from Dick's Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 10, 2022.

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Prosecutors also plan to highlight Kohberger's background in criminal justice by introducing his academic records from DeSales University, where he took courses related to criminal justice.

Adding to the list of evidence is surveillance footage from a convenience store that reportedly captured Kohberger driving to and from the scene of the murders.

Prosecutors also intend to introduce his driver's license as evidence, both to confirm his ability to operate a vehicle and to match his physical appearance with a witness description of the person seen fleeing the victims' residence.

The Alleged Killer's Family Will Be Able To Attend His Upcoming Trial

Ada County Sheriff's Office/MEGA

A few months ago, the prosecutors had argued against allowing Kohberger's family to attend the trial, at least not until they had given their testimony if they were called.

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A decision on the argument was reached on Thursday by Judge Steven Hippler against the prosecutors.

"Courts recognize that having defendant's family members present at trial advances the values served by the right to public trial, i.e., ensuring fair proceedings; reminding the prosecutor and judge of their grave responsibilities; discouraging perjury; and encouraging witnesses to come forward," Hippler wrote in his ruling, per New York Post.

Hippler added that the presence of Kohberger's family members observing the trial from the start is unlikely to influence their testimony if they are called to the stand.

He also pointed out that they have already provided recorded interviews, which would limit any deviation from their prior statements.
Macro investor and fund manager Dan Tapiero believes Bitcoin could gain more than double its value should the U.S. Federal Reserve have to ease monetary policy due to slowing economic growth stemming from tariff-related uncertainty.

In a post on X, Tapiero noted that both the U.S. and China are experiencing a growth-dampening impact from the continuous trade tensions. He said, If the US slows hard, could the Fed get to 1.4%, -250 bps from here?

For now, Tapieros statements follow news of Chinas central bank, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC), cutting its key short-term lending rate by a modest 10 basis points, from 1.5% to 1.4%.

The central bank will also lower the reserve requirement ratio by 50 basis points to help add about one trillion yuan ($138.5 billion) into the financial system.

The macro strategist also believes that impending policy loosening in the U.S. could lead to significant debasement of fiat currency, thereby fueling the next large move up in Bitcoin.

This is extreme data, Tapiero added. Much lower rates and a weaker dollar are needed to offset fiscal austerity, and fiat debasement equals +BTC.

In addition, he pointed out that U.S. consumer sentiment is at levels last seen during the Global Financial Crisis of 200809, which seemed to indicate increased pressure for fiscal and monetary stimulus.

At press time, Bitcoin is trading at $101,565.42 as per Kraken. The price is up by 32.47% over the last one month.
May 10ST. PAUL  The Roseau Parks and Recreation Department in northwest Minnesota is seeking funding from the Department of Natural Resources' off-highway vehicle grant-in-aid program for a proposed 10.4-mile OHV trail. In a news release, the DNR said the proposed route would connect to the

Great Northern Connection Veterans Memorial Trail,

which links Roseau and Warroad.

The OHV GIA program is a cost-share partnership between the DNR, local government sponsors and local clubs to fund the maintenance and development of trails for all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles.

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The DNR is accepting public comments on the proposed Roseau project  and the city's request for $3,496.64  along with four other projects in Becker, St. Louis, Aitkin and Kanabec counties, until 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 30.

Comments may be submitted by email to Molly Lou Pintok at

OHV.Planning.DNR@state.mn.us  indicate the name of the proposed trail(s) being commented on in the subject line and email body; or by postal to Molly Lou Pintok, Principal Planner, Minnesota DNR, Parks and Trails Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155

A map of the proposed trail segments for each of the projects up for comment can be found at the

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DNR's OHV trail plans and proposals webpage

at

mndnr.gov/ohv-input

. For more information, call Pintok at (651) 259-5095.

In related news, many of Minnesota's more than 3,000 miles of trails for all types of OHVs and rider skill levels are now open for use, the DNR said. Before heading out to the trails, riders should remember these key points:

* Know before you go. Some trails may open later than normal due to late spring thaw, flooding, and trail maintenance work. Check the

OHV Trail Closures web page

(

mndnr.gov/closures

) before leaving home. Download maps to a smartphone before heading out to know your location utilizing Avenza. Remember to stay on signed and mapped trails.

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* Be safety certified. Riders born after July 1, 1987, are required to complete online ATV safety training before riding an ATV on trails. People under age 16 must complete the hands-on component of ATV safety training in addition to the online training. Online safety training for off-highway motorcycle operators under 16 is required before operating on OHM trails. Off-road vehicles may be operated only by individuals ages 16 and older. The Department of Natural Resources and its network of volunteer instructors offers training courses open to everyone. Find information online about upcoming

recreational vehicle safety trainings

(

mndnr.gov/safety/vehicle/index.html

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).

* Be registered. OHV registration is legally required when riding on state and grant-in-aid trails, and those registration fees support trail construction, trail maintenance and OHV safety. For more information, visit the

OHV registrations web page

(

mndnr.gov/licenses/ohv/index.html

).

* Help out. Most trails in Minnesota are built and maintained by clubs and funded through the GIA program. Consider joining a club to help maintain one of these trails.

For riders who are interested in trying the trails but aren't ready to commit to OHV registration, there are two upcoming no-registration events:

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* May 17: For off-road vehicles at the Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area near Gilbert, Minnesota.

* June 14-15: For ATVs statewide.

For information on where to ride, regulations and safety training, check out the

OHV program website

at

mndnr.gov/atv

.
In the days before President Trumps administration moved to drop Mayor Adams corruption indictment, federal authorities raided the upstate New York home of Dwayne Montgomery, a former NYPD inspector friendly with Adams, as part of an expanding investigation into alleged crimes linked to Adams and his campaigns, according to bombshell new records released Friday.

The Jan. 23 raid at Montgomerys Middletown home was part of a flurry of previously unknown law enforcement actions detailed in a trove of 1,785 pages of search warrants and other materials from the years-long federal corruption probe into Adams.

The materials provide a glimpse into what prosecutors may have laid out had Adams case gone to trial. In addition to the revelations about Montgomery and the feds suspicion about another straw donor scheme, the documents reveal FBI agents accused Adams of lying about one of his personal cellphones.

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After being intercepted by the FBI near Washington Square Park in a highly-publicized episode in November 2023, Adams told the feds through his lawyer that he had left that phone at City Hall and forgotten the password to the device  after changing the code to it just the night before, the new records say. He told his scheduler to help him bring the phone to an Apple Store to get access back, but he ultimately never did so, Adams said through his lawyer.

But the phones location tracking showed the phone was not stationary at City Hall but actually traveled from City Hall, past Washington Square Park and then north to 29th Street before it was either put in airplane mode or turned off, the documents say.

I respectfully submit that there is probable cause to believe that Adams made false statements about the location of the Adams Personal Cellphone through his attorney, thus committing certain of the Subject Offenses, an agent wrote in a newly-released document from March 2024.

The agent added that that violation constitutes evidence of consciousness of guilt on Adams part.

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Adams indictment, the first against a sitting New York City mayor in modern history, mostly revolved around allegations that he took illegal campaign cash and bribes, like free luxury airline tickets, from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Adams has consistently denied those charges.

Todays unsealing of documents affirms what we have long known  Mayor Adams did nothing wrong. These documents also show that federal authorities made false, reckless accusations with absolutely no evidence in a relentless, shameless assault on the mayor, Todd Shapiro, a spokesman for the mayors reelection campaign, said in a statement.

The new documents, which were unsealed late Friday at Manhattan Federal Court Judge Dale Hos order, reveal the feds were expanding their investigation in the days before Trumps Department of Justice intervened and ordered prosecutors on Feb. 10 to dismiss the case so Adams could better help the president in his immigration crackdown.

Montgomery, who worked with Adams in the Police Department, pleaded guilty last year to state charges alleging he orchestrated a straw donor scheme in which he financially boosted the mayors 2021 campaign by giving money to it in the names of others, unlocking illicit public matching funds. Those charges came out of an investigation conducted by the Manhattan district attorneys office that did not implicate the mayor in any wrongdoing.

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The new search warrant records unsealed Friday reveal the feds suspected Montgomery had also engaged in a separate, but similar straw donor scheme involving Adams 2025 reelection campaign. Montgomerys name is redacted in the records, but information about the circumstances of his guilty plea spelled out in the federal documents, including the date, charges and his home address, point to him.

The feds seized at least two phones from Montgomery, according to the new records. He was never charged with any wrongdoing as part of the federal probe, nor were additional charges brought against Adams in connection to Montgomery.

The feds wrote in the newly-unsealed records they had reason to believe Montgomery was implicated in the 2025 scheme as he and Adams had continued to be in touch with each other about campaign fundraising after Adams became mayor in January 2022.

Because [Montgomery] remained in contact with Adams into 2023, there is probable cause to believe that evidence of criminal activity by [Montgomery] relating to the 2025 campaign also exists, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit seeking to pull data from Montgomerys phones confiscated during the search of his home.

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Other records reveal the feds were able to get their hands on texts between Montgomery and Adams in which they referred to each other as brother and Boss man.

In one exchange from January 2022, Montgomery asked Adams to be appointed a deputy mayor. Deputy mayors are in charge of several agencies. Not a small task, Adams texted back, according to the new records.

Montgomery was ultimately never made a deputy mayor.

An attorney for Montgomery didnt return a request for comment Friday. Kayla Mamelak, Adams spokeswoman at City Hall, referred comment to the mayors criminal attorney, Alex Spiro.

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This case  the first of its kind airline upgrade corruption case  should never have been brought in the first place and is now over, Spiro said in a statement.

The new records reveal other previously unknown law enforcement actions.

A judge signed off on a warrant to search the Fort Lee, N.J. condo that Adams shares with his longtime partner, former Department of Education official Tracey Collins, who allegedly benefitted from some of the bribes he took. While the warrant did not directly name Collins, it described her job and said she was Adams partner. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing by the feds.

The new records also reveal a December 2024 raid at the Woodside, Queens home of an executive of a health care company who allegedly reimbursed employees to donate money to Adams campaigns, a previously unknown example of illegal straw contributions, an affidavit from an FBI agent states.

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The raid at the unidentified health care executives home was authorized by a judge after a person phoned in a tip to the FBI, according to the affidavit.

The tipster alleged being a victim and being forced to make straw donations myself along with many others to Adams campaigns along with campaigns for other politicians, according to an affidavit from an FBI agent.

The trove of search warrant documents got released a week later than originally expected, as Trumps DOJ asked for an extra week to pull everything together after the records were initially due last Friday.

Trumps DOJ officials secured the dismissal of Adams indictment on April 2 after arguing the case inhibited the mayor from helping in the presidents mass deportation agenda. That arrangement has led many to believe Adams is compromised, and DOJ officials never opined on the merits of the case against him in seeking its dismissal.

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The Trump DOJ-led effort to kill the case ignited a sharp backlash, setting off waves off resignations inside the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office, which indicted Adams in September 2024.

That included former interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who wrote in her resignation letter that Adams had entered into a corrupt quid pro quo with Trump to get rid of his case by offering immigration enforcement assistance in exchange for a dismissal.

Before the dismissal, prosecutors indicated in court and in filings that they planned to pursue additional charges against the mayor.
NEW YORK  In the days before President Donald Trumps administration moved to drop Mayor Eric Adams corruption indictment, federal authorities raided the upstate New York home of Dwayne Montgomery, a former New York City Police Department inspector friendly with Adams, as part of an expanding investigation into alleged crimes linked to Adams and his campaigns, according to bombshell new records released Friday.

The Jan. 23 raid at Montgomerys Middletown home was part of a flurry of previously unknown law enforcement actions detailed in a trove of 1,785 pages of search warrants and other materials from the yearslong federal corruption probe into Adams.

The materials provide a glimpse into what prosecutors may have laid out had Adams case gone to trial. In addition to the revelations about Montgomery and the feds suspicion about another straw donor scheme, the documents reveal FBI agents accused Adams of lying about one of his personal cellphones.

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After being intercepted by the FBI near Washington Square Park in a highly publicized episode in November 2023, Adams told the feds through his lawyer that he had left that phone at City Hall and forgotten the password to the device  after changing the code to it just the night before, the new records say. He told his scheduler to help him bring the phone to an Apple Store to get access back, but he ultimately never did so, Adams said through his lawyer.

But the phones location tracking showed the phone was not stationary at City Hall but actually traveled from City Hall, past Washington Square Park and then north to 29th Street before it was either put in airplane mode or turned off, the documents say.

I respectfully submit that there is probable cause to believe that Adams made false statements about the location of the Adams Personal Cellphone through his attorney, thus committing certain of the Subject Offenses, an agent wrote in a newly released document from March 2024.

The agent added that that violation constitutes evidence of consciousness of guilt on Adams part.

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Adams indictment, the first against a sitting New York City mayor in modern history, mostly revolved around allegations that he took illegal campaign cash and bribes, like free luxury airline tickets, from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Adams has consistently denied those charges.

Todays unsealing of documents affirms what we have long known  Mayor Adams did nothing wrong. These documents also show that federal authorities made false, reckless accusations with absolutely no evidence in a relentless, shameless assault on the mayor, Todd Shapiro, a spokesman for the mayors reelection campaign, said in a statement.

The new documents, which were unsealed late Friday at Manhattan Federal Court Judge Dale Hos order, reveal the feds were expanding their investigation in the days before Trumps Department of Justice intervened and ordered prosecutors on Feb. 10 to dismiss the case so Adams could better help the president in his immigration crackdown.

Montgomery, who worked with Adams in the Police Department, pleaded guilty last year to state charges alleging he orchestrated a straw donor scheme in which he financially boosted the mayors 2021 campaign by giving money to it in the names of others, unlocking illicit public matching funds. Those charges came out of an investigation conducted by the Manhattan district attorneys office that did not implicate the mayor in any wrongdoing.

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The new search warrant records unsealed Friday reveal the feds suspected Montgomery had also engaged in a separate, but similar straw donor scheme involving Adams 2025 reelection campaign. Montgomerys name is redacted in the records, but information about the circumstances of his guilty plea spelled out in the federal documents, including the date, charges and his home address, point to him.

The feds seized at least two phones from Montgomery, according to the new records. He was never charged with any wrongdoing as part of the federal probe, nor were additional charges brought against Adams in connection to Montgomery.

The feds wrote in the newly unsealed records they had reason to believe Montgomery was implicated in the 2025 scheme as he and Adams had continued to be in touch with each other about campaign fundraising after Adams became mayor in January 2022.

Because [Montgomery] remained in contact with Adams into 2023, there is probable cause to believe that evidence of criminal activity by [Montgomery] relating to the 2025 campaign also exists, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit seeking to pull data from Montgomerys phones confiscated during the search of his home.

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Other records reveal the feds were able to get their hands on texts between Montgomery and Adams in which they referred to each other as brother and Boss man.

In one exchange from January 2022, Montgomery asked Adams to be appointed a deputy mayor. Deputy mayors are in charge of several agencies. Not a small task, Adams texted back, according to the new records.

Montgomery was ultimately never made a deputy mayor.

An attorney for Montgomery didnt return a request for comment Friday. Kayla Mamelak, Adams spokeswoman at City Hall, referred comment to the mayors criminal attorney, Alex Spiro.

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This case  the first of its kind airline upgrade corruption case  should never have been brought in the first place and is now over, Spiro said in a statement.

The new records reveal other previously unknown law enforcement actions.

A judge signed off on a warrant to search the Fort Lee, New Jersey, condo that Adams shares with his longtime partner, former Department of Education official Tracey Collins, who allegedly benefited from some of the bribes he took. While the warrant did not directly name Collins, it described her job and said she was Adams partner. She has not been accused of any wrongdoing by the feds.

The new records also reveal a December 2024 raid at the Woodside, Queens, home of an executive of a health care company who allegedly reimbursed employees to donate money to Adams campaigns, a previously unknown example of illegal straw contributions, an affidavit from an FBI agent states.

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The raid at the unidentified health care executives home was authorized by a judge after a person phoned in a tip to the FBI, according to the affidavit.

The tipster alleged being a victim and being forced to make straw donations myself along with many others to Adams campaigns along with campaigns for other politicians, according to an affidavit from an FBI agent.

The trove of search warrant documents got released a week later than originally expected, as Trumps DOJ asked for an extra week to pull everything together after the records were initially due last Friday.

Trumps DOJ officials secured the dismissal of Adams indictment on April 2 after arguing the case inhibited the mayor from helping in the presidents mass deportation agenda. That arrangement has led many to believe Adams is compromised, and DOJ officials never opined on the merits of the case against him in seeking its dismissal.

Advertisement Advertisement

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The Trump DOJ-led effort to kill the case ignited a sharp backlash, setting off waves off resignations inside the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office, which indicted Adams in September 2024.

That included former interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, who wrote in her resignation letter that Adams had entered into a corrupt quid pro quo with Trump to get rid of his case by offering immigration enforcement assistance in exchange for a dismissal.

Before the dismissal, prosecutors indicated in court and in filings that they planned to pursue additional charges against the mayor.
(WHTM)  The Trump administration has announced they are actively looking at suspending habeas corpus. Heres what that means.

According to the Cornell University School of Law, habeas corpus is Latin for that you have the body. Cornell says in the United States, federal courts can use habeas corpus to determine if a states prisoner detention is valid. The writ, or order, of habeas corpus is used to bring a prisoner or other detainee (such as an institutionalized mental patient or illegal immigrant) before the court to determine if the persons imprisonment or detention is lawful.

Cornell University says the sources of habeas corpus are the Constitution, statutory law, and case law. The Constitution does not specifically create the right to habeas corpus relief, but federal statutes do provide federal courts with the authority to grant habeas relief to state prisoners, per Cornell.

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According to Cornell, only Congress can suspend habeas corpus. The president can delegate the suspension to Congress, but the Executive does not have the independent authority to suspend the writ.

Article I, Section 9 of the United States Constitution says, The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

Whether the United States is in a rebellion or invasion is up to interpretation; however, federal courts have historically ruled that illegal immigration does not constitute invasion. A top aide of the Trump administration told BBC News that they are actively looking at suspending habeas corpus.

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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 ABC27.
LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR)  It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

On stage at Stillwater Derby, a veterans fundraiser at Stillwater Ranch in Larimer County over the weekend, a puppy named Humphrey met the Colorado veteran hell be paired with to help navigate the challenges of PTSD.

Humphrey is a service dog in training who begins his journey and partnership with his veteran right here in this moment, said JoAnna McTevia, founder of Bodhi Battalion, a non-profit that for the last decade has paired veterans and first responders with young service dogs in training.

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This service dog placement holds special meaning. He was named in honor of a Colorado hero who was all set to receive a service dog before tragedy struck.

Jason (Humphrey) was accepted into our program and set to receive his service dog in training just before retiring from the sheriffs department. He felt both excited and nervous about this new chapter in his life. And we were just as excited to walk along with him, said McTevia.

Tragically, just two weeks after his acceptance, Jason lost his life in a traffic accident, she added.

Groups urge governor to sign rent algorithm bill

Jason Humphrey was killed in a car crash in February 2024 while driving home from work. Hed spent 20 years with the Adams County Sheriffs Office and 25 years in military service.

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While this shook the community that he knows so well and we grieved, we also knew that we had to do something to honor the life and legacy he was building, McTevia said.

Thats why they named their newest service dog in training Humphrey, and what better way to carry on Jason Humphreys legacy than to pair the pup with one of Jasons friends? A Colorado National Guard veteran named Dillon, who served with Jason Humphrey both overseas and at home.

Dillon carries Jasons memory with him, and today Humphrey becomes a living reminder that even in loss, theres hope, healing and new beginnings, McTevia said.

Humphrey the puppy was bred by San Juan Kennels in Montrose, which is owned by a Gold Star Family. Owner Rob Halls brother, Curtis, was killed in action in Iraq in April 2007. The family raises and places service dogs in Curtiss memory.

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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 FOX31 Denver.
A communications system reliant on floppy disks and copper wires. Radars operated with a remote line described as a long extension cord. Multiple air traffic controllers on trauma leave to recover from the stress of technical failures that caused them to lose contact with planes. And the closure of a runway for construction.

The result: Thousands of delays and flight cancellations over the last two weeks at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the nations busiest airports. Its a perfect storm, with one air traffic controller describing the loss of communications alone as the most dangerous situation you could have.

And with summer travel season approaching, the crisis at the New Jersey airport could mean weeks, if not months, of misery for travelers.

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It will be a dreadful summer, particularly around the high-volume holidays of the Fourth of July and Labor Day, said Peter Goelz, a CNN aviation analyst and former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board.

While the air traffic controllers who went on leave could be back on the job next month, the technology that failed them last week cannot be fixed or replaced quickly, meaning theres a chance it will keep failing. Indeed, it happened again on Friday, with air traffic controllers handling flights approaching and departing Newark losing radar for about 90 seconds overnight, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

When will Newark  considered a microcosm of the problems plaguing Americas aviation system  get back to some semblance of normalcy? Not anytime soon, according to experts.

It just cant be done quickly, said Colin Scoggins, a former FAA military specialist and retired air traffic controller, referring to upgrades to the air traffic system and the hiring of new controllers.

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On Thursday, the US Department of Transportation announced a three-year-plan to build a brand-new air traffic control system by 2028. The plan will replace core infrastructure, including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks, as well as the copper wiring that failed, impacting flights at Newark, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

What you saw in Newark, you will see variations of that through the airspace in the coming years, unless we undertake this mission, Duffy told CNN after making the announcement.

On April 28, communications crashed at a Philadelphia air traffic control facility. The center handles aircraft in and out of Newark  roughly 85 miles north. A controller, who asked not to be identified, said he returned from a break to find co-workers recovering from an outage that lasted from 60 to 90 seconds. They could not see planes on radar scopes or communicate with pilots.

The crash knocked out information from radars located at an FAA facility in Westbury, New York, where the air traffic controllers formerly managed flights heading to Newark. Airspace control was transferred to the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Control Facility (TRACON) last July and, since the move, the radars have been operated with what one source called a remote extension cord-like line.

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A single data feed connecting the two facilities failed, according to the controller, who said the feed had crashed at least two times before. More than a thousand flights were canceled as a precaution. And the incident, though brief, highlighted the flaws of an antiquated air traffic control system long afflicted by staffing shortages.

Controllers cant take anymore

Five FAA employees  a supervisor, three controllers and one trainee  ended up taking 45 days of trauma leave after the outage, according to the air traffic controller.

CNN aviation and transportation analyst Mary Schiavo, a former Department of Transportation inspector general, said controllers who dont feel they are well enough to come back and a doctor agrees can apply to the Department of Labor to extend their leave.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the controllers on leave represented 20% of the air traffic control staff at the radar facility responsible for Newark. He said the control facility has been chronically understaffed for years.

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About 15 to 20 flights were being controlled by Newark Liberty approach controllers when communication and radar went down on April 28, according to an analysis by flight tracking site Flightradar24.

The FAA on Wednesday said it will increase air traffic controller staffing but did not provide a specific number.

United Airlines planes are seen Wednesday at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark. United's CEO Scott Kirby says he wants the federal government to limit the number of flights any airline could schedule to take off or land at the airport. - Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images

The area in the Philadelphia TRACON responsible for Newark traffic has 22 certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training, with 10 of the latter receiving on-the-job training, the FAA said in a statement.

The US needs more than 3,000 new air traffic controllers to reach adequate levels, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a union representing 10,800 professional controllers.

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Nationwide staffing is at its lowest point in nearly 30 years, Nick Daniels, president of the controllers union, testified before Congress in March.

The most recent FAA data shows that across all airport towers and terminal approach facilities nationwide, only about 70% of staffing targets were filled by fully certified controllers as of September 2023. When controllers in training are included, that rose to about 79%.

Despite various initiatives for new hiring and increasing the starting salary for academy trainees by 30%, hiring and retaining controllers has been tough. Strict certification requirements coupled with burnout from long hours and job stress have contributed to the shortage.

Training a new controller can take up to seven years. Approximately 40% to 50% of applicants do not successfully finish the demanding courses at the FAA academy, according to experts.

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Air traffic controllers cant take anymore. Theyve been working 60-hour weeks for years and years  six days a week, CNN analyst and former FAA safety inspector David Soucie said.

Reaching adequate air traffic controller staffing levels could take years, according to Scoggins.

Newark exposes vulnerability

The April 28 outage resulted in two weeks of chaos for passengers and a public outcry among government and airline officials. The breakdown was caused by failures in the copper wiring that transmits information from Long Island to Philadelphia, a source told CNN.

What we use today is copper wires. We are one of the last institutions, last businesses, that actually use copper wires, Duffy told reporters Thursday.

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We should be using fiber, but its copper. We use radar from the 1970s, some of them are from the 80s So this technology is 50 years old that our controller has used to scan the skies and keep airplanes separated from one another.

Some controllers still use floppy disks to upload data onto computers that date to the early 1990s, according to experts.

The FAA said in a statement Wednesday it plans to add three new high-bandwidth telecommunications connections from New York to Philadelphia, replace copper lines with fiber-optic technology, and deploy a backup system to provide more speed and reliability.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reveals plan for new air traffic control system Thursday at the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. - Win McNamee/Getty Images

In the longer term, Duffy announced a day later the complete, three-year reconstruction of the nations air traffic control system he said will be more reliable than the current antiquated technology.

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The plan will involve critical upgrades of communications, surveillance, automation and facilities. By 2028, more than 4,600 sites will get new high-speed network connections replacing antiqued telecommunications lines with fiber, wireless and satellite links, the department said.

But we are going to focus on Newark first, Duffy told CNN before Thursdays announcement of the three-year plan.

The chaos at Newark was compounded by the closure of its busiest runway for rehabilitation work that is not expected to be completed until mid-June.

Another big contributing factor was the decision to move Newarks approach controllers to Philadelphia last summer.

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In July, the Federal Aviation Administration relocated about two dozen controllers overseeing flights heading to and from Newark, transferring them from the Long Island facility to a site in Philadelphia. The FAA at the time said the move would help address the staffing problems and growing air traffic congestion.

Within weeks, at least a half-dozen controllers reported what they described as serious safety issues caused by failures to collaborate between the two locations, CNN has reported.

Before the move to Philadelphia, FAA experts downplayed safety concerns, concluding the odds of a dangerous communications breakdown were extremely unlikely: 1 in 11 million, according to an internal report obtained by CNN.

Controllers in Philadelphia still rely on radar on Long Island that transmits data to Philadelphia via telecommunications lines. Two air traffic controllers told CNN the feed had failed at least twice after the move.

Kirby said United has asked the federal government to put level three slot controls in place at Newark as a short-term fix  limiting the number of flights any airline could schedule to take off or land at the airport.

If they throttle back the scheduling of the flights then its going to be a half decent summer but theres not going to be any flights available to get people where they want to go though, Soucie, the CNN safety analyst, said.

The reason were focusing on Newark right now is because it was the perfect storm  the equipment failures, the lack of personnel, the fact that they had just moved quite a few controllers over to the Philadelphia center, he added.

And the fact that it had all these things happen all at once, at one time, shows the vulnerability of all of the air traffic control centers.

CNNs Aaron Cooper, Blake Ellis, Casey Tolan, Kyung Lah, Melanie Hicken, Rene Marsh, Amanda Musa, Chris Boyette and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Cruising toward disaster?

Cruise ship passengers splash out big bucks for private hot tubs in their own staterooms all the time  but the Center for Disease Control is warning against the exclusive amenity, calling them a bubbling breeding ground for Legionnaires disease.

In a damning statement reported on by Travel + Leisure, the CDC linked 12 cases of the severe pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria to private hot tubs on two cruise ships between November 2022 and June 2024.

In a scathing October 2024 report, the CDC connected 12 cases of Legionnaires disease to private hot tubs on two cruise ships from November 2022 to June 2024. Photographer: Losevsky Pavel

Ten passengers were hospitalized in those incidents.

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Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory evidence suggests that private balcony hot tubs were the likely source of exposure in two outbreaks of Legionnaires disease among cruise ship passengers, the shocking report notes.

These devices are subject to less stringent operating requirements than are public hot tubs, and operating protocols were insufficient to prevent Legionella growth.

Unlike public hot tubs, private hot tubs werent required to meet certain rigorous cleaning standards, according to insiders.

Hot tubs can be a source of Legionella growth and transmission when they are inadequately maintained and operated, a CDC spokesperson told T+L.

Private hot tubs werent held to the same strict cleaning rules as public ones  until now. Hot tubs can be a source of Legionella when inadequately maintained, a CDC spokesperson told Travel + Leisure. serg3d

It is important for cruise ship operators to inventory hot tubstyle devices across their fleets, evaluate the design features that increase the risk for Legionella growth and transmission, and test for Legionella, they told the outlet.

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For cruise-goers, the CDC advises testing the cleanliness of the hot tub before use.

Travelers can use test strips to test hot tub water to find out if the hot tub is being properly operated, the CDC spokesperson added.

Norovirus  the cruise ship scourge  is also back with a vengeance. The new GII.17 strain has driven nearly 80% of 2,400 U.S. cases since last summer, per the CDC. u4219699853

Meanwhile, Legionnaires isnt the only unwelcome guest on deck. Norovirus  a notorious cruise ship nemesis  is also making waves.

This year, a new strain called GII.17 has fueled a surge in outbreaks, accounting for nearly 80% of the 2,400 reported norovirus cases in the U.S. since last summer, according to the CDC.

Its new to the population, Lee-Ann Jaykus, a food microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State University, recently told the Associated Press.

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Most people dont have immunity to the germ, so it can spread more widely, she explained.

And it spreads fast.

People infected with norovirus typically shed literally billions of viral particles, Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University, said, per the AP.

And it only takes a few viral particles to make someone sick, he informed the news agency company.

If you see someone vomiting, Schaffner suggests, immediately walk away from them, ideally into the wind.

Adding insult to injury, the CDCs Vessel Sanitation Program  the watchdog that inspects cruise ships and investigates outbreaks  recently lost key staffers due to federal budget cuts.

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If you want to have no disease outbreaks, all you have to do is fire all the epidemiologists, Schaffner quipped. And therell be no one there to investigate.

So, next time you book a cruise, consider skipping the hot tub  or at least bring your own test strips and plenty of soap.
TUPELO  In 1905, R.W. Reed and a friend who owned a wholesale business put in $500 to open the store in Downtown Tupelo. That store was Reeds, and 120 years later, there are few  if any  who call Tupelo home who dont know it.

R.W. Reed had three sons: Bob, Bill and Jack Sr. After R.W. died of a stroke, Bob and Jack took over the store, while Bill ran Reed Manufacturing.

R.W.'s grandson, Jack Reed Jr., is now chair of the company, which also operates Reed's Gift Shop, GumTree Bookstore, another Tupelo location near The Mall at Barnes Crossing, and a third store in Starkville.

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Reed said the company will celebrate its 120th birthday, and the original stores storied history, throughout the year.

We're using it as a message thanking everyone, especially our customers, for being 120 years, and also a reminder that another 120 years is not guaranteed, Reed said. We are a part of the community, and a lot of big names have gone out of business."

Hes right. Southern-based retailer McRae's sold to Belk, which is no longer run by the Belk family, years ago. Its a similar story Rich's in Atlanta. The list of national retailers that have come and gone since Reeds opened its doors is much longer.

With a sense of humor, Reed proudly calls his store a "dinostore."

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"Every week people come from out of town, whether it's for a concert, sporting event, etc., into the store and say, There used to be a store like this in my town,'" he said.

But while the store still has the department store "feel," its buyers guarantee the merchandise remains fresh, in style, on trend.

"It's fun to think what fashion was like back in 1925, but that's not what people want to wear in 2025," Reed said.

Becoming part of a family

Lucia Randle, executive director of Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association, has a special place in her heart for Reed's. The company has both played a tremendous role in supporting the downtown area  its sponsored the citys annual Christmas parade for years  but also once employed her. Almost 20 years ago, Jack Reed Sr. called Randle, who worked at WTVA at the time, and asked her to be the marketing director for the store.

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Randle wasn't initially interested because she was happy where she was.

"Jack said, 'Can we just meet and have a conversation about it?' she said. I politely obliged and met with him later that afternoon. When I left Reed's that day, I had a new job  a testament not only to the power of a simple conversation but also to Jack's skill of 'getting to yes.'"

Randle worked for Reed's almost 10 years, and she said her time there contributed significantly to her career. More importantly, however, it was the catalyst for immense personal growth.

"When you are added to the Reed's team, you join a family," Randle said. "One is hired with the understanding that this is a family business, and attributes like integrity, loyalty, inclusion, kindness and civic engagement are expected. I was always told that my family was a priority and was given time away for my children and their activities. This was a tremendous gift, and I will always be grateful."

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Randle said her time around Reed's forged bonds and friendships with the entire family and the extended store family.

"Included in those precious friendships was one I cherished with the late Jack Reed Sr.," she said. "Both his and Jack Jr.'s impact on my life is impossible to put into words. I'll simply say, if life gives you friends like these, then you're lucky enough."

Feed to ties, and those promotions

While Reed's didn't get its start selling apparel, shoes, gifts, and books, it didn't take R.W. Reed long to determine that being a general dry goods store was not going to be sustainable.

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"He gradually realized that he could make more profit selling a tie than a 40-pound bag of feed," Jack Reed Jr. said.

Today the store sells men's, women's and children's brands from head to toe, something few other retailers can claim.

"There's no other store that offers the breadth of lines," Reed said. "One thing about independent stores is we don't have to have all one brand. We can have everything from Birkenstocks to the hottest new dress shoes for women, Cole Haans and Johnson & Murphy for men's dress shoes ... We're going to offer more."

To be a successful retailer, it boils down to what the customers want and need. Perhaps it's a young man looking for a suit for his first big interview, Reed said.

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"You want him to walk out with the confidence that, 'This is the way I want to look,' and we're proud he's wearing something from Reed's," he said.

A retailer has to capture the attention of buyers, and what better way than to come up with a clever promotion? For 15 years, Reed's has asked a simple question of its customers: "Where have your Reed's T-shirts been?"

Every week, the company runs an ad in the pages of the Daily Journal featuring a photo from customers proudly brandishing their Reeds T-shirts in some exotic locale. The farthest one of the shirts has been? Antarctica.

To mark the store's anniversary, Reed's will give away 120 limited edition T-shirts in a special promotion to be announced later.

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These kinds of clever, customer-driven promotions fall right in line with the stores history. In the 1930s, R.W. Reed created the first Day and Night Sale, which later became a nationwide promotion for other retailers.

"He opened the store on a Monday and it stayed open for 24 hours until that Saturday," Reed said. "It was during the Depression, and he was just trying to drum up business."

R.W. Reed contacted area mayors and held Mantachie Day, Fulton Day, etc. and the store would give a percentage of the profits to that community. And the mayors of those towns were involved as well, hired as salesmen for the day.

Another popular promotion: the annual Watermelon Sale. That began in the 1980s and continues to this day. The last week of June up until July 4, every purchase of $50 or more got a customer a free watermelon. Reed's partnered with a watermelon farm, and now, more than 40 years later, the store has given away an estimated 20,000 watermelons.

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Beyond Downtown Tupelo

While the merchandise and promotions at Reed's have evolved along with its customers tastes and buying habits, one aspect has remained steadfast: outstanding customer service.

Much of that has been a result of who Reeds employs. Many of its employees have been with the company for years. Some of them, many years.

"We call ourselves a store family," Reed said. "Certainly we have our own families, but when you work 40 hours in one place together during the week, you become a family there as well. And I'm proud of the fact we have so many employees who take joy in helping our customers. I'm happy we have real people who can still help people."

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A lot of firsts have occurred at Reed's, including becoming the first air-conditioned store in North Mississippi, the first non-outdoors store to sell Patagonia in the state in 1990, and most recently, the first store in the state to carry L.L. Bean.

Perhaps more importantly, Reed's was the first store in Mississippi to integrate its dressing rooms. And Jack Sr. was president-elect of the Mississippi Economic Council in 1963 and took on the challenging role of asking for peaceful integration of the schools in speeches throughout the state.

Whether it stands as a shopping destination for a beacon for civic engagement, Reed's will always have great meaning to so many.

It is more than just a store, Randle said. To her, of course, but also to just about everyone who walks through its doors or calls Tupelo home.

"Reed's serves as Downtown Tupelo's longtime anchor store, and contributions to the quality of life and economic vitality of Downtown Tupelo are immeasurable, Randle said. With every enhancement project or event facilitated by Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association, Reed's has contributed both moral and financial support.

That commitment, she said, stretches far beyond the streets of Downtown Tupelo.

Reed's has the entire city's best interest at heart, she said. I have heard both Jack Sr. and Jack Jr. say, 'What's good for Tupelo is good for Reed's,' a statement that reflects the store's dedication to the betterment of all of Tupelo.
Protestors showed up at Plaza Fiesta along Buford Highway on Friday night to demand the release of a Georgia college student in ICE custody.

Now, the 19-year-old college student is facing potential deportation.

This all began on Monday, when Ximena Arias-Cristobal was pulled over for making an improper turn at a stoplight in Dalton and not having a proper license.

To compound things, her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, was already in ICE custody after being arrested for speeding.

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Now both sit in the Stewart Detention Center near Columbus in ICE custody.

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Theyre not criminals, and theyre good people who came here to make a living for themselves, Ximenas sister, Aurora Arias-Cristobal, said. They came here for a better future, a bright future, and they came here to work and not to be criminals.

Arias-Cristobal and her parents came to the U.S. from Mexico in 2010 and were unable to obtain a work visa.

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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, Aurora Arias-Cristobal said.

Her family said the DACA program stopped accepting new applications before Arias-Cristobal was eligible.

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement to Newsweek, saying: The family will be able to return to Mexico together.

In a statement from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, she said: Mr. Tovar had ample opportunity to seek a legal pathway to citizenship. He chose not to. We are not ignoring the rule of law.

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Through the CBP Home Appthe Trump Administration 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.

Georgia State Rep. Kacey Carpenter said in a letter on the teens behalf: The reality is, the conversation has always been that we need to get hard criminals out of the country.

Unfortunately, the people that arent hard criminals are getting caught up in the wash. It seems like we are much better at catching people committing misdemeanors than people that are actually a danger to society.

In a post on a GoFundMe set up to help with the students legal fees, it said: Ximena is in good spirits in Stewart, and her attorney has already filed a motion for bond. He thinks she will be home by the middle of next week.

Channel 2s Michael Doudna contributed to this article.
LYON COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW)  A Topeka man was seriously injured Saturday morning in a single-vehicle crash on the Kansas Turnpike in Lyon County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the crash occurred around 9:53 a.m. on northbound I-335 near mile marker 140.6.

Measles exposure reported at Wichita Airport and Hutchinson Library

Authorities say the driver, 21, was headed north in the right lane when his vehicle left the roadway, struck a fence, and ended up in a ditch on the east side of the highway.

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He was taken to the hospital with suspected serious injuries. No other vehicles were involved.

The crash remains under investigation.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.

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Aleksander Kalka / NurPhoto via Getty Images Warner Bros. Discovery in December had announced a restructuring potentially laying the groundwork for a split.

Shares of media company Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) popped Thursday following reports that the company was considering a split.

The wide-ranging media company known for brands like HBO, MAX, CNN, and Adult Swim is moving toward some kind of split, CNBCs David Faber said earlier today, adding that we could get some sort of an announcement in the not-too-distant future. (A detailed transcript of Fabers comments is available on CNBCs website.)

A split will take quite some time to actually happen, Faber said. The company in December announced a restructuring, at the time saying the changescreating one division focused on global linear TV and another with its film studios and global streaming platformwould "increase optionality to pursue further value creation opportunities for both divisions in an evolving media landscape."

Comcast (CMCSA), meanwhile, late last year said it would spin off its cable TV networks.

The news helped Warner Bros. Discovery shares gain more than 5% in Thursday trading, leaving the company down roughly 15% so far this year. Spokespeople for Warner Bros. Discovery did not respond to Investopedias request for comment in time for publication.

The company earlier today reported first-quarter financial results that included a year-over-year drop in revenue.



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May 9NORRIDGEWOCK  Two people were arrested Friday when investigators searched a Norridgewock home believed to be connected with drug trafficking for the second time in recent months, according to the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.

A 12-person team of Somerset County sheriff's detectives and deputies and Waterville police detectives executed the search warrant around 5:30 a.m. at a residence on Madison Road in Norridgewock, Sheriff Dale Lancaster said in a statement Friday afternoon.

The investigators found and seized several grams of crack cocaine and fentanyl, digital scales, a firearm, illegal drug-related documentation and items and possible stolen property, Lancaster said.

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Inside the home, they also found three people, Lancaster said.

Leeanna Gosselin, 32, who lives at the home, was arrested on two Class C counts of unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs and one Class C count of violation of condition of release, Lancaster said.

Gosselin had been arrested on more severe charges of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs during a previous search of the home Feb. 27, which also resulted in the arrests of three other people. Bail conditions in that case prohibited Gosselin from possessing and using illegal drugs, committing new criminal acts and possessing firearms, Lancaster said.

Police also arrested Aaron Lewis, 23, of the Bronx, New York, on two Class C counts of unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs and one Class C count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, Lancaster said. Lewis was not allowed to possess firearms because of previous felony convictions in New York, he said.

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Lewis also had an outstanding arrest warrant from Kennebec County for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs, the sheriff said.

The Sheriff's Office did not release any information about the third person found at the residence Friday morning.

Gosselin and Lewis were each being held without bail as of Friday afternoon, Lancaster said.

Both would be expected to make initial in-custody court appearances in Skowhegan on Monday, when bail could be changed.

Lancaster said the two are due back in court Sept. 3

The Somerset County district attorney's office is reviewing the case and may file additional charges, Lancaster said.

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The Sheriff's Office has been encouraging those seeking help with substance use disorder to contact Betsy Richard, a care coordinator with Somerset Public Health who works with the Sheriff's Office. Richard can be reached by calling 207-858-8466.

Richard can help with treatment, harm reduction, or recovery support and will respect requests for privacy.

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HONOLULU (AP)  Pharmaceutical companies have agreed to pay Hawaii $700 million to settle its lawsuit over the efficacy and safety of the blood thinner Plavix, the state attorney general's office announced Friday.

A court ruling last year ordered Bristol Myers Squibb Company and three U.S.-based subsidiaries of French pharmaceutical company Sanofi to pay a combined $916 million.

But before an appeal was decided, a settlement was reached for the lower amount, the attorney general's office said.

In a joint statement, the companies said they are pleased to resolve this litigation, and to continue their companies focus on discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines to patients.

Plavix has helped millions of people with cardiovascular disease around the world for nearly 30 years and it continues to be endorsed as a first-line therapy by leading treatment guidelines across the globe, the statement added.

First Circuit Court Judge James Ashford found that there was a risk that about 30% of patients, particularly non-Caucasians, might have a diminished response to Plavix but the companies did not update their labels, Attorney General Anne Lopez said last year.

Neither company has admitted wrongdoing.

Gov. Josh Green called it a landmark settlement and a major victory for the state.

The settlement divides the $700 million equally between Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi, with the funds to be paid by wire transfer by June 9, the attorney general's office said.
May 9The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. May 13 in the first floor board room of the administration building, 802 N. Sam Houston Ave.

Items on the agenda include a presentation on the gifted and talented program, a presentation on attendance by Texas Tech University, an update on 2024-25 School Nutrition Services, a request for approval of an order canvassing the May 3 Board of Trustees election returns, and administering the oath of office for all the board members, including Steve Brown who was reelected.
Reform UK is economically illiterate and has no plan to save Britains dying high streets, the shadow chancellor has said.

Sir Mel Stride, a key Tory frontbencher, accused Nigel Farages party of peddling fantasy economics as he launched a new campaign to save Britains high streets from Labours tax raid.

The Conservatives suffered bruising losses at the hands of Reform in this months local elections and Sir Mel said the party would produce a thorough plan to rejuvenate the countrys struggling high streets and win back voters.

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He said: You dont fix struggling high streets with fantasy economics. High streets deserve serious, credible solutions, not uncosted slogans.

[Mr Farage] doesnt have a clear, credible plan, hes just making announcements. We will have a well thought-through, thorough plan that stacks up. We will want to get the tax burden down, but we will show how it can be done in a responsible way.

Sir Mels party is licking its wounds after getting trounced by Reform at last weeks local elections.

The Tories lost 674 councillors and the majority control of every council it controlled. In comparison, Reform won majority control of 10 councils and 677 council seats.

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As part of its economic proposals, Reform has promised to abolish business rates for small businesses, introduce an online delivery tax for large multinationals, cut entrepreneurs tax to 5pc and slash the main corporation tax rate from 25pc to 20pc.

However, the shadow chancellor accused the partys manifesto of being largely economically illiterate.

He said Reform had not had the proper scrutiny that it needs and will now get in areas like the economy.

Sir Mel was speaking ahead of a visit to the last outpost of Beales, a 140-year-old retailer based in Poole, Dorset.

The company has launched a Rachel Reeves closing down sale to protest against the Governments tax policy and its impact on the high street.

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High taxes, falling consumer confidence and increased competition from online giants have all been blamed for mass closures of shops across the UK.

In recent months, businesses have had to grapple with the Chancellors decision to increase National Insurance (NI) contributions and lower the threshold at which they are paid.

Bosses have warned the combination of these factors means they will have to cancel investments, pause hiring and even close down in some cases.

Tony Brown, Beales chief executive, said the combined effect of Ms Reevess policies would cost the company more than 200,000 in added annual costs.

Tony Brown, Bealess chief executive, says Rachel Reevess policies would cost the company more than 200,000 - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph

Sir Mel said: Its successful, community-based, high street business that is just getting hollowed out. That is what you start to lose. Weve got to get those costs down.

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[Labour] has no concept of [small businesses] importance and no concept of what it is to struggle with and fight to create a successful enterprise.

My background is that not long after I left university, I set up my own company, and I did it sitting at the kitchen table. I got people together, and we climbed those metaphorical mountains.

The Tories local election defeat has prompted calls for Kemi Badenoch, the party leader, to resign. However, Sir Mel said Ms Badenoch had taken on one of the toughest roles in British politics and that the party would earn back the trust of the British people.

Were under new leadership. There are many things that as a party weve done in the past that we will be doing very differently, he said.

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The Treasury was contacted for comment. A Reform UK spokesman said it did not usually comment on statements made by minor parties.

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ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An Ector County man has been convicted of multiple sex crimes against children. Court records show that on Friday, an Ector County jury found Weldon Needham guilty on three counts of Sexual Assault of Child, second-degree felony and one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of Child, first-degree felony.

Needham was first charged in June of 2023 after deputies with the Ector County Sheriffs Office responded after a woman called 911 and said her eight-year-old daughter had made an outcry involving an older relative. As part of the investigation, the child was taken to Harmony Home for a forensic interview; in that interview she said Needham had touched her multiple times and that the assault hurt. A Sexual Assault Nurse Exam indicated the girl had signs of trauma from penetration that were consistent with her claims.

Following his initial arrest, Needham was arrested again in July of the same year, and then again twice that August after another relative made similar outcries. Investigators said that between years 2017 and 2022, Needham repeatedly sexually assaulted two children under the age of 10.

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Needham was sentenced to a total of 113 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

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NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  More than 120,000 boxes of fortified peanut paste  which Edesia Nutrition ships globally to combat severe malnutrition  will soon expire due to a lack of government funding.

Edesia Nutrition CEO Navyn Salem walks past shipping boxes piled high alongside raw materials for PlumpyNut, a nutritional lifesaving peanut paste sent to malnourished children worldwide, at the companys warehouse Friday, March 14, 2025, in North Kingstown, R.I. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Navyn Salem, founder and CEO of Edesia Nutrition, told 12 News the nonprofit relies heavily on its monthly payments from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

But the North Kingstown-based nonprofit has struggled in recent months to continue its life-saving mission because of the Department of Government Efficiencys efforts to dismantle USAID.

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The termination of USAID is putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of malnourished children at risk around the world, Salem said. Children cant wait for the government or other international agencies to figure out a solution. We have to act now.

RELATED: Edesia Nutrition cuts 10% of workforce due to lack of USAID funding

Salem said her nonprofit has been operating without 85% of its funding.

The boxes of PlumpyNut sitting in Edesia Nutritions warehouse were supposed to be shipped to Sudan, where Salem said the situation is dire.

This is one of the most critical countries that need our support, Salem said.

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Salem told 12 News shes waiting on a transportation contract from the federal government to send the boxes to Sudan. But if she doesnt get that approval within the next month, the United Nations wont allow her to ship it out.

In an effort to try and ship the PlumpyNut without the transportation contract, Edesia Nutrition has launched a Mothers Day donation drive.

Malnutrition and undernutrition are 100% preventable, Salem said. As a mother myself, its unconscionable that children are starving to death.

We have the solution; we just need the funding to get our life-saving PlumpyNut to them, she continued. A $50 donation buys one box of PlumpyNut that will save one childs life. This will help us give mothers around the world what they want most  healthy children.

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Salem is encouraging everyone who can to donate in honor of their mother. She said each gift will be matched up to $2.4 million.

Anyone interested in donating to Edesia Nutrition can do so online.

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The 2025 Indiana state legislative session lasted from Jan. 27 through April 24, the better part of three months.

Yet, on the last day of the session lawmakers had to vote on bills with substantial last-minute amendments thrown in.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on the frustration felt by Sen Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, over late adjustments to an education deregulation measure that was championed by his own party and won ultimate approval.

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This is bull crap, Young lamented. Youve got a 116-page bill. Youve got 30 minutes to read it. We should have more time than that.

I am so mad about this. Our one job is to do whats right for our constituents, and we cant do it if we dont have a chance to read the dang bill.

Heres an even more troubling example.

On April 23, the day before the legislative session ended, Republicans buried deep in pages 181 and 182 of the 215-page budget bill an amendment giving Gov. Mike Braun control over membership of the Indiana University Board of Trustees.

What does the IU board of trustees have to do with the budget? Not much, but state Legislature rules that amendments should be germane to the main subject matter of a bill dont apply to sweeping biennial budget legislation since, ostensibly, all state issues  including funding of state universities  are germane to state finances.

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That exception enabled Braun and fellow Republican culture warriors to use the budget bill to position themselves for control at the highest level over the states liberal bastion of higher education. The sneaky, underhanded way Republicans accomplished this left no time for proper legislative review, let alone public awareness and comment.

The Legislature shouldnt be doing business this way, nefariously sneaking related  or unrelated  law into bills on an expiring clock.

Yes, the legislative process demands compromise and a certain amount of back scratching to pass new laws. But this tactic sidesteps the rigorous process of vetting so fundamental to the development of sound public policy.

Forty-four states have an imperfect solution to the problem  line-item vetoes that enable the governor to strike specific portions of legislation. When wielded ethically, governors can erase last-minute amendments or riders before signing a bill into law.

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In 2005 in West Virginia, where the state constitution forbids more than one topic per bill, then-Gov. Joe Manchin vetoed a line item in a local parks boards bill. The last-minute rider to the bill would have made English the official language of the state. Manchin supported the English language idea but realized it should have no place in the parks board bill, so he struck it before signing the parks board legislation into law.

Indiana is one of the six states that dont allow line-item vetoes by the governor. There are some good reasons for that, primarily that it puts too much power in the hands of the state executive to undo the efforts of the legislative branch.

Of course, in the case of the state budget bill, Braun wouldnt have invoked a line-item veto anyway. It handed him a responsibility that he, no doubt, very much wanted.

Braun almost certainly worked behind closed doors with GOP legislators on the strategy of adding it to the budget bill. In the end, its just another example of why a state government supermajority of one party simultaneously controlling both chambers and the governors office encourages abuse of power.

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Instead of empowering the governor to veto line items, perhaps a better way to bring substantial last-minute amendments under control would be to change the deadline for the final form of legislation to be posted online for review. Currently, its just 24 hours. Extending it to seven days would enable legislators and their constituents to review and debate changes ahead of the final vote.

Short of that, Hoosier must call on their legislators to behave ethically rather than pulling last-minute shenanigans to fool elected colleagues and hoodwink the voters who elected them.
(FOX40.COM)  As the traditionally dry summer season approaches, the El Dorado County Sheriffs Office Homeless Outreach Team has been working actively to dismantle encampments along the west slope of the county.

Video above: Goats used to help reduce fire danger in Sacramento area

EDCSO stated that in 2024, there were about 27 fires in the county that were linked to homeless encampments.

Woman killed in officer-involved shooting in Butte County

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While our HOT team works diligently to connect individuals with support services and shelter options, we take a zero-tolerance approach when signs of campfires are present, prioritizing community safety, EDCSO said.

The sheriffs office is asking the public if they see an encampment to report it to its Homeless Outreach Team.

Image: El Dorado County Sheriffs Office Image: El Dorado County Sheriffs Office Image: El Dorado County Sheriffs Office Image: El Dorado County Sheriffs Office

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One more mark of prestige was added atop the tall pile of educational accolades held by Hope Cahill on Friday morning.

But for Cahill, 50, one of five New Mexicans honored this year with the Golden Apple teacher's award  and the only recipient in the Santa Fe school district  it was an elaborate surprise.

Students at El Dorado Community School were lured to the school gym Friday morning under the guise of throwing Jell-O at their school principal John Sais, who said a big announcement was to come.

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 Somebody in this room is going to be very surprised here in a few minutes, Sais announced, wearing a full-body plastic suit to stain-proof himself.

Can I have Ms. Cahill come down please? he said to the students in the bleachers, with Cahill standing at the top.

The students would later have their chance to pelt Sais with Jell-O, but the immediate electrified reactions to Cahill's name  without mentioning the award  proved they didnt need deception to show up and support a beloved educator.

Thats my teacher! yelled one student, while the rest cheered wildly as Cahill bashfully descended to the center of the gym to accept the award.

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Richard Grainger III, right, executive director of the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico, presents El Dorado Community School science teacher/instructional leader Hope Cahill, center, with a Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award on Friday, May 9, 2025.

While it is her first Golden Apple, its not her first accolade.

Cahill is heavily decorated, a recipient of the 2020 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching and the districts 2021 Teachers who Inspire Award. And she was one of two honored in 2022 as an Outstanding New Mexico Science Teacher Awardee by the New Mexico Academy of Science.

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Her latest award is presented by the Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico, a teacher-centered nonprofit that has been issuing the honors for almost 30 years.

Aileen Garcia, a former principal and educator, is probably the longest-serving member, of the selection committee, she said, and one of the ones who sat in on Cahills classroom.

Hope is very humble, Garcia said in an inerview. And her name, Hope, reflects the attitude she emits to all her students.

Site-visitors like Garcia from the nonprofit sit in on a teachers classroom after theyve been nominated by a student's parents and selected as a finalist by a committee consisting largely of former educators and administrators.

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Cahill is a relationship-builder, Garcia added, who takes serious stock in students, parents, and colleagues  and she uses those relationships to recognize how to motivate others to succeed.

 Shes not just a teacher. She helps with the whole school. I mean, there's nothing she doesn't do, Garcia said.

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El Dorado Community School science teacher/instructional leader Hope Cahill, center holding flowers, poses for a picture as students raise their arms in the air after Cahill was presented with a Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching Award on Friday, May 9, 2025.

Cahill, who has taught across subjects and across grades at El Dorado since 2012, is heavily involved, even outside of the school.

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Its about opportunity, Cahill said in an interview. We want our students to be creative, constructive thinkers, and I think it takes opportunities beyond  the classroom to get them there."

Outside of her duties as teacher, Cahill also organizes the schools science fair, participates in the STEM Pathways for Girls Conference and serves as a mentor for the Santa Fe High School Supercomputing Challenge team, to name a few of her involvements.

School was a place Ive always felt safe, and Ive wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl, said Cahill, who moved to Santa Fe from upstate New York over two decades ago.

She taught at Capshaw Middle School, now Milagro Middle School in the '90s, she said, before taking a break to be a parent. She returned to teaching at El Dorado Community School in 2012.

Its never about being the best for me, Cahill said. Its about being my best. and that's what I always tell my students too.
Source: TradingView.com





Key Takeaways

Bitcoin surged above the closely watched $100,000 level on Thursday for the first time since early February.

Thursday's strong breakout above a consolidation period sets the stage for a potential retest of the cryptocurrencys record high of $109,000 set in late January.

Investors should watch crucial overhead areas on bitcoin's chart around $107,000 and $120,000, while also monitoring key support levels near $100,000 and $92,000.







Bitcoin (BTCUSD) will remain in the spotlight Friday after surging above the closely watched $100,000 level on Thursday for the first time since early February.

The legacy cryptocurrency rallied along with stocks after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had reached a trade agreement with the U.K. The president also said that further deals could be on the way and expressed optimism about trade talks with China that are slated to take place this weekend.

Bitcoins price had fallen sharply between February and April, weighed down by uncertainty about tariffs and their potential impact on the economy, as well as disappointment with the pace of reforms by the Trump administration to support the crypto industry. With the latest surge, bitcoin is nearly 40% above last months low and up 10% from the start of the year.

Bitcoin was trading at $102,700 late Thursday evening, up from an intraday low of around $96,000.

Below, we take a closer look at Bitcoins chart and apply technical analysis to identify crucial price levels worth watching out for.

Record High in Sight

After reclaiming the 200-day moving average (MA) last month, bitcoin traded within a narrow consolidation period before todays strong breakout above the all-important $100,000 mark. The move sets the stage for a potential retest of the cryptocurrencys record high established at $109,000 in late January.

Meanwhile, the relative strength index confirms bullish price momentum with a reading above the 70 threshold, though the indicator also cautions overbought conditions that could lead to short-term profit-taking.

Its important to note that trading volumes on Coinbase (COIN), the largest crypto exchange in the United States, have declined since bitcoins move higher started in early April, indicating larger market participants may be sitting out the current rally.

Lets identify two crucial overhead areas on bitcoins chart worth watching while also locating key support levels to monitor.

Overhead Areas Worth Watching

The first overhead area to watch sits around $107,000. This location will likely attract significant attention near the prominent December and January peaks that marked a double top pattern on the chart.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A 23-year-old man has been arrested and is facing an intoxication manslaughter charge in a motorcycle crash back in March on the Spaghetti Bowl that killed his female passenger, El Paso Police said.

Police said they arrested Nathan Verdugo, of Las Cruces, on Thursday, May 8, in connection with a crash that killed 20-year-old Isabella Rose Mendez, also of Las Cruces.

He was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a $150,000 bond, police said.

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Woman killed when thrown from motorcycle on Spaghetti Bowl

At 12:30 a.m. on March 3, Verdugo crashed his motorcycle at the Spaghetti Bowl in Central El Paso.

Police said he was traveling at a high rate of speed on U.S. 54 going south.

As he entered the ramp from U.S. 54 to Interstate 10 West, he struck a barrier, causing his passenger to be ejected from the motorcycle. Verdugo was transported to a local hospital and was treated for serious injuries.

His passenger, Mendez, died at the scene, police said.

On April 29, the El Paso Police Departments Special Traffic Investigations Unit completed its investigation into the crash. A warrant was issued for Verdugo, and he was arrested this week, police said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Students, teachers and community members gathered to celebrate Zavala Elementary Schools 100th anniversary on Friday, May 9, but for many it was an event filled with mixed emotions.

The celebration featured music, laughter and memories, as many participated in a parade to commemorate the milestone.

I did grow up in this school, starting from kindergarten. Then, I graduated here from sixth grade, said Laura Pena, a fourth-grade teacher at Zavala. My dad was a custodian. My parents, weve lived here for almost 20 years. So I am very excited, very blessed to be part of this community.

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However, the celebration was bittersweet. Zavala is one of eight elementary schools that the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) voted to close due to budget shortfalls and declining enrollment.

Today, we celebrate a hundred years of learning, of togetherness. And this is not the end. We are going to keep going. And these children are going to succeed wherever they go, said Alma Brockhoff, former principal at Zavala.

The El Paso ISD voted in November 2024 to close eight elementary campuses to help offset a projected $24 million budget deficit and respond to the ongoing enrollment decline.

Zavala is part of phase one of the closures. Its one of six schools that will close in the 2025-26 school year, while two others are scheduled to shut their doors the following year. Students and staff of these closing campuses will be reassigned to nearby schools.

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Its going to just continue that work. Its sad its closing but were going to like, the principal said, its just bringing that enthusiasm into the next school year, said Jorge Lopez, a first-grade teacher at Zavala.

It remains unclear what will happen to Zavalas campus once the school closes.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.






A former elementary school teacher is accused of inappropriately touching two young female students at a school in Georgia

Police said Brandon Hill rubbed the students' hair, back and shoulders on multiple occasions throughout March, and one girl even had her hair cut so the educator would think she wasn't in the class anymore, so as to not touch her"

Hill now faces a first-degree felony child cruelty charge, as well as one count of simple battery







A Georgia teacher faces child cruelty and battery charges for allegedly touching at least two elementary school students inappropriately  including one who got a haircut in the hopes that the educator would not recognize her anymore.

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Brandon Hill, a teacher at Trip Elementary School in Grayson, Ga., lost his job over the alleged incidents, which occurred throughout March, according to Atlantas ABC affiliate WSB-TV.

In an arrest affidavit obtained by WSB-TV, police state that Hill, 29, rubbed the hair, head, back and shoulders of a female student on six different occasions. The teacher allegedly told her not to use her voice and that it was quiet time while he was touching her," police said.

The student even had her hair cut, so Hill would think she wasn't in the class anymore, so as to not touch her, the affidavit states.

Another student also accused the teacher of stroking her hair and rubbing her back and shoulders on multiple occasions, per a second affidavit, which also states that the student attempted to stand up for herself.

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"The victim told him to stop on several different occasions, police said. However, the accused didn't stop stroking the victim's hair when told to stop by the victim.

Hill was arrested and charged with a first-degree felony child cruelty charge, as well as one count of simple battery, a misdemeanor, WSB-TV reported. He was charged with child cruelty because, one affidavit states, he maliciously caused one of the underage victims cruel or excessive physical pain or excessive mental pain.

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.

Getty A police car (stock image). A police car (stock image).

In a statement to WSB-TV, a spokesperson for Gwinnett County Public Schools said, The safety and well-being of our students and staff is  and will always be  the districts top priority. As soon as we became aware of the allegations, we acted swiftly and followed all state and district-mandated protocols.

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The spokesperson also stated that following the allegations, Hill was promptly removed from the classroom and did not return to the school.

The Gwinnett County Police Department and Gwinnett County Schools Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment, nor did Gwinnett County Public Schools. It is not immediately clear if Hill has retained legal representation to comment on his behalf.

According to WSB-TV, Hill was released after posting a $6,000 bond and is currently awaiting his first court appearance.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



Read the original article on People
Elizabeth Smart is speaking out after one of her kidnappers, Wanda Barzee, was rearrested earlier this month over a parole violation. According to NBC News, she is no longer in custody.

Barzee, 79, is said to have visited at least two parks, which she is not permitted to do as a registered sex offender.

The kidnapping victim, who was abducted by Brian David Mitchell andBarzee at the age of 14 and held until her rescue almost nine months later, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, May 8, to address Barzee's arrest and send her thanks to "the Salt Lake City Police Department for their quick and appropriate response."

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In a selfie-style video uploaded to the social media platform, Smart explained that the park is a place where she is legally barred from going, because shes a registered sex offender.

Her justification was that she was commanded by the Lord, which unfortunately is very familiar to me and is probably the most concerning thing," Smart continued, "because thats how they justified kidnapping me.

She said this incident confirms exactly why shes been so vocal with her concerns surrounding Barzees initial release from prison.

That said, she was very grateful to the members of law enforcement who dealt with the matter, stating that They handled the situation with a trauma-informed approach, which means so much to me personally."

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When authorities take these situations, these violations seriously, it sends a very powerful message that survivor safety matters," she added. "My case received so much attention but the sad truth is that most survivors never see their perpetrators arrested, let alone convicted."

She took the opportunity to address policy makers, "urging" them to "view this as a reminder that sex offender registries and release conditions exist for important reasons."

Next: Kidnapping Victim Elizabeth Smart Reflects on Life on the 21st Anniversary of Her Rescue


Originally appeared on E! Online

Elizabeth Smart is not letting her past trauma keep her down.

One week after Wanda Barzeewho kidnapped a then-14-year-old Smart in 2002 and held her captive for nine monthswas arrested for violating the terms of her sex offender status by visiting two Utah public parks, according to online booking records viewed by E! News at the time, Smart shared her thoughts on the troubling situation.

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I want to begin by saying thank you to everyone for your continued support. I never, ever take it for granted, the 37-year-old said in a video shared to her Elizabeth Smart Foundations Instagram May 8. Her justification was that she was commanded by the Lord, which unfortunately, is very familiar to me and is probably the most concerning thing, because that's how they justified kidnapping me.

Smart also noted that this incident confirms exactly why she has been vocal about her concerns with Barzeewho pleaded guilty in 2009 to kidnapping and unwarranted transportation of a minor, according to a statement by the Federal Bureau of Investigationsince she was released in 2018 after serving only a portion of her 15-year sentence.

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(Barzees husband, Brian David Mitchellwho, Smart testified in 2009, raped her daily throughout her nine-month captivityis currently serving a life sentence for interstate kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor.)

Despite her worries, Smart praised local authorities for their handling of the situation.

Elizabeth Smart/Instagram

I am so grateful to the Salt Lake Police Department and Chief [Brian] Redd for their quick and professional response, she shared. They handled this situation with a trauma-informed approach, which means so much to me personally. When authorities take these situations, these violations, seriously, it sends a very powerful message that survivor safety matters.

After calling for more progress to be made within the legal justice system to protect survivors of sexual violence, Smart noted she refuses to let Barzees recent resurfacing impact the joy she has found in life.

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Personally, this situation for me, I turned back to the advice my own mother gave me the day after I was rescued, Smart shared. She said, They've already stolen nine months of your life away from you. Do not let them steal another second. You need to move forward with your life and you need to be happy.

She added, I have always tried to follow that advice to the best of my ability. So, although this situation has arisen, I refuse to live my life in fear. I refuse to allow anyone to stop me from living.

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Dua Lipa and Elton John - Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for EJAF

Elton John, Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and Florence Welch are among the over 400 artists who have signed a letter calling on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to update copyright laws in the face of A.I. technology.

We, along with 400 other creatives, have signed and sent this letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to give Government support to proposals that would protect copyright in the age of AI, Elton John wrote on social media. This comes ahead of a crunch vote on the plans in the House of Lords on Monday 12th May.

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Paul McCartney, who previously lobbied for copyright law protections in a BBC interview earlier this year, also signed the letter, along with Kate Bush, Robbie Williams, and hundreds more musicians, actors, playwrights, directors, and artists.

Creative copyright is the lifeblood of the creative industries. It recognizes the moral authority we have over our work and provides an income stream for 2.4 million people across the four nations of the United Kingdom, the letter reads.

The fight to defend our creative industries has been joined by scores of UK businesses, including those who use and develop AI. We are not against progress or innovation. The creative industries have always been early adopters of technology. Indeed, many of the worlds greatest inventions, from the lightbulb to AI itself, have been a result of UK creative minds grappling with technology.

The signees have thrown their support behind the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which would require developers to be transparent with copyright owners about using their material to train AI models, the BBC reports. The bill was proposed by Baroness Beeban Kidron, with a vote set Monday in the House of Lords.

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The first job of any government is to protect its citizens, the letter continued, adding that the bill would put transparency at the heart of the copyright regime and allow both AI developers and creators to develop licensing regimes that will allow for human-created content well into the future.

This past December, artists, publishers, media companies and more banded together to form the Creative Rights in AI Coalition, which aims to keep the current copyright protections in place despite the U.K.s continued courtship of AI technology

Were the people, youre the government. Youre supposed to protect us. Thats your job, McCartney said to lawmakers in a BBC interview earlier this year. So if youre putting through a bill, make sure you protect the creative thinkers, the creative artists, or youre not gonna have them. If theres such a thing as a government, its their responsibility  I would think  to protect young people to try and enhance that whole thing so it works. So that these people have got job and can enhance the world with wonderful art.

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LARAMIE  The Equality State Policy Center (ESPC) filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging Wyoming House Bill 156, a law passed earlier this year that imposes proof-of-citizenship and proof-of-residency requirements on Wyoming voters.

The lawsuit argues that HB 156 violates both state and federal law, and threatens to deprive legitimate Wyoming voters of their right and freedom to vote.

HB 156 makes several changes to the ways elections are carried out in Wyoming. It requires voters to be Wyoming residents for no less than 30 days before an election, requires proof of residency and U.S. citizenship to register to vote, and requires county clerks to deny registration if there is any indication that the person is not a United States citizen.

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"Wyoming has a proud tradition of fair and secure elections, and there is no evidence of non-citizen voting or widespread fraud to justify the harsh new restrictions in HB 156," ESPC Executive Director Jenny DeSarro said in a news release announcing the lawsuit. "This unnecessary law creates significant barriers that will prevent eligible citizens from exercising their constitutional right to vote, particularly young voters, women who changed their names when they married, low-income voters and Hispanic voters. These hardworking Wyomingites must be allowed to exercise their rights and freedoms at the ballot box.

Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Republican state lawmakers aligned with the hardline Freedom Caucus pushed for the election measure, which Gov. Mark Gordon allowed to become law without his signature.

Explaining why he refused to sign the bill, Gordon said that while he agrees with allowing only U.S. citizens and Wyoming residents to vote in the state, he had significant legal concerns: Because I believe in adequate checks to ensure only qualified electors can vote, I am allowing this bill to become law, despite the likelihood that it will invite litigation, Gordon said in a March 21 statement.

Gordon said at that time that whether federal or state statute would prevail in a legal contest is a question that would have to be resolved in court.

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The governor also took issue with the requirement for county clerks to deny registration if there is any indication that the applicant is not an American citizen in their registration, calling this addition far-reaching.

Secretary of State Gray celebrated the passage of the bill into law, as it was one of his top priorities going into this years legislative session.

Gray responded to the filing of the lawsuit by issuing the following statement: This lawsuit shows how far the radical Left is willing to go to try to stop election integrity. The far-lefts lawsuit is a meritless attempt to undermine the common-sense election integrity measures Wyomingites want. Proof of citizenship and proof of residency are common sense measures pivotal to election integrity, which is why House Bill 156 was the number one priority of our conservative election integrity agenda during the 2025 Legislative Session. I will be preparing to vigorously defend Wyomings proof of citizenship and residency requirements. We will fight this lawsuit and the false claims in it. And we will win.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, names Gray, as well as all 23 of Wyoming's county clerks, as defendants.

The law will not become effective until July 1, and it will first apply to the 2026 primary election.
Mayor Eric Adams planned to collect campaign donations in Turkey for his 2025 re-election bid, according to newly unsealed documents from his high-profile corruption case.

The extensive filing, obtained by The Post Friday night, showed that Hizzoner attended a lavish January 2022 dinner with two staffers, where he expressed interest in visiting Turkey to solicit additional funds from local businessmen for his mayoral race.

Adams welcomed the offer of foreign contributions  and told his staff in a private area to coordinate and arrange the contributions, the filing states.

View this document on Scribd

Adams was accused of blocking federal investigators from accessing his phone. Paul Martinka

The scorching detail was included in court documents when Adams was indicted last September  when he became the first sitting New York City mayor to face criminal charges.

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Though the 1,785 pages of court filings  made public after The Post and other outlets fought for access  shed some light on Adams murky plans when federal prosecutors requested a warrant for the mayors electronic communications during their investigation.

The court filings also exposed Adams alleged efforts to block federal investigators from accessing his personal cellphone after a September 2024 raid at Gracie Mansion uncovered a stash of electronics  including a satellite phone on his nightstand.

Adams longtime girlfriend, Tracey Collins  who had a cushy high-ranking six-figure position in the Big Apples Department of Education  allegedly helped arrange admission for the Turkish Consul Generals child into MS 255 Salk School of Science, one of New York Citys most competitive and sought after schools, court filings revealed.

Prosecutors said Adams welcomed the foreign contributions.

The feds recovered alleged text messages detailing the admission scheme after executing a search warrant on two iPhones.

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Collins, who retired from her position working as senior adviser to Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos in November, was described in court papers as taking trips to India, Hungary, Turkey, Jordan, Oman and Ghana with Adams starting in 2016.

She was never charged with a crime.

The Trump administration dropped the charges against the mayor. REUTERS

Adams was hit with a five-count indictment accusing him of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in luxury travel from foreign officials seeking to buy influence at City Hall.

The historic case was controversially dismissed in April after the mayor, a moderate Democrat, appeared to align himself with President Trump in the months following his notorious charges.

The mayor has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.
The Estonian Voluntary Rescue Association has donated equipment and other supplies to the psychological units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in three oblasts.

Source: State Emergency Service

Details: The equipment will be received by the State Emergency Service units in Sumy, Kharkiv and Poltava oblasts.

The aid includes minibuses, technical equipment (including projectors, laptops, printers and tablets), autonomous power sources, special kits for working with children in crisis situations, and elements of mobile psychological assistance centres: folding furniture, thermal blankets, first aid kits, tents, etc.

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Piia Kallas, chair of the Estonian Voluntary Rescue Association, expressed solidarity with Ukrainians.

She said that they were trying to help Ukraine because it was defending values that were important in Estonia and Europe.

Background:

At the end of April, it was announced that Denmark would allocate DKK 317 million (over 42 million) for artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

On May 9, it was reported that Norway is allocating NOK 580 million (over 49 million) to support the work of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Ukraine and Moldova for refugees, internally displaced persons and other people affected by the war.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
An Azur Air passenger aircraft en route from Mineralnye Vody to Antalya was forced to return to its departure airport due to a technical malfunction.

Azernews reports, the West Siberian Transport Prosecutor's Office reported that the Boeing 757, operated by Azur Air, encountered an issue with one of its engines shortly after takeoff.

Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 21:00 Moscow time, a Boeing 757 flying the Mineralnye VodyAntalya route returned to M.Y. Lermontov International Airport in Mineralnye Vody due to a technical malfunction in one of its engines, the statement read.

More than 230 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported, and further inspections are underway to determine the cause of the malfunction.
Key Points

Occidental reported mixed earnings, with a miss on the top line but a beat on adjusted EPS.

In addition, the U.S. announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom, fueling optimism over trade deals and tariffs.

10 stocks we like better than Occidental Petroleum 

Shares of Buffett holding Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) rallied 6.2% in Thursday trading.

Occidental reported earnings last night, with mixed results. However, investors focused on the profit metric, as Occidental displayed resilient production metrics with more efficient costs. Furthermore, and perhaps even more meaningful than the earnings report, oil stocks were generally up, as the administration announced a trade deal with the U.K. today, spurring optimism that a global tariff-induced recession may be avoided.

Occidental does more with less

In the first quarter, Occidental reported revenue of $6.8 billion, up 13.7% year over year, and $0.87 in adjusted (non-GAAP) earnings per share (EPS). While the top line slightly missed, investors apparently took comfort in the solid bottom line, which beat expectations by a solid $0.11.

One can thank Occidental's technology chops for more efficiently turning profits, even in a lower oil price environment. In the company's presentation, management noted a 17% improvement in drilling duration per well in the Permian Basin, resulting in 18% lower costs per well. Management also divulged that as a result of efficiencies, it was reducing its Permian rig count by two, and also said it was lowering combined operating and capital expenditures by $350 million this year, with only "minimal" impact to production.

Of note, it was Occidental's huge, low-cost inventory in the Permian along with its commitment to technology enabling lower costs that drew Buffett to invest in the stock.

The lower costs were music to investors' ears, who have worried about profitability in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariff announcements. Since April 2, the price of oil has plunged as recession odds have increased.

However, there was also optimism over tariff and trade negotiations today, as Trump announced the administration's first trade deal, made with the U.K. In a press conference announcing the deal, Trump also said other deals were close to coming to fruition, and that this weekend's initiation of trade talks with China would be "very substantive," saying the current tariff on China "can't go any higher."

In response to the trade deal optimism, the price of oil rose 3.3%. That being said, today's oil price is still a hair below $60 per barrel. In the first quarter, Occidental realized an average price of $71.07.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  East Tennessee State Universitys Quillen College of Medicine and Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy honored their Classes of 2025 at commencement.

On Friday, 72 College of Medicine and 46 College of Pharmacy graduates walked the stage in separate ceremonies at the Martin Center for the Arts.

According to the university, members of the College of Medicines graduating class will travel to residency programs in two dozen states, with 25 remaining in Tennessee. Around half will remain in Tennessee, North Carolina, or Virginia. About half are also entering primary care-related fields.

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At the College of Pharmacy commencement, a chair on stage was left empty in honor of Luvango Musungira, a member of the Class of 2025 who died during his first year. Musungiras family attended the ceremony and was presented with a shadowbox containing his graduation regalia. Graduates also wore lapel pins in his memory.

He was really loved by our whole class, class president Bailey Boyd said. He was a nice guy. His smile kind of brightened up all of our days. And he was such a dedicated student. We just all loved him. And, hes been in our hearts for four years. And we really just wanted to honor his memory and, go out from here and make sure that his memory lives on.

Commencement for graduates of other ETSU colleges will take place on Saturday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
The EU would like to secure unanimous support, but it has alternative plans if Hungary vetoes Ukraine's accession to the bloc, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on May 9.

"We have a plan B and a plan C. But our focus is plan A, the essence of which is to get everyone's support," Kallas told reporters in a visit to Lviv.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been a vocal critic of President Volodymyr Zelensky and has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban on April 22 publicly shared photos of himself marking "against" on a ballot in a national poll opposing Ukraine's accession to the EU.

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"Ukraine has its own homework, and the EU also has to do its homework... we are working with the Hungarian government," Kallas said.

Hungarian officials have repeatedly threatened to undermine Ukraine's EU candidacy and EU support for Ukraine. Hungary has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU aid packages for Kyiv.

"But if that doesn't work, we're already working on a plan B, but I won't reveal it. We're still in the process," Kallas said.

European officials have denounced Hungary for aligning with Russia. European officials, including Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, have suggested stripping Hungary of its voting power within the bloc.

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"The accession process, or as we call it, the reunification process, is important not only for Ukraine, but also for the European Union," Kallas said.

Hungary maintains positive relations with Russia in contrast with other EU members. On March 26, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto visited Moscow to discuss continued economic cooperation between the two countries.

"Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union provides for the possibility of withdrawing a member state's voting rights if membership endangers the security of Europe and that of the other members.... that's exactly what (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban is doing," Tsahkna said in an interview released on April 5.

Read also: 5 things Putin conveniently left out of his Victory Day speech in Moscow

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday backed a proposed unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine and said that the EU was ready to impose more sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire is breached.

"The ball is now in Russias court," von der Leyen wrote on social media platform X.

"We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire," she said.

(Reporting by Lili BayerEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has criticised Hungary for making bilateral issues an obstacle to Ukraine's integration.

Source: Kallas in an interview with the Ukrinform news agency, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kallas believes it is a positive step that Ukraine is meeting with Hungary to resolve bilateral issues.

Quote: "On our side, we are also saying that these bilateral issues  not only in Ukraine but in other countries-candidates cannot be an obstacle if the country has done their homework, which means all the reforms that the European Union requires."

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Details: Kallas stressed that the EU, for its part, is also working on decision-making mechanisms.

"Because if the majority  26 states  are in favour and one is against then this one country cannot hold hostage everybody else," she emphasised.

Background:

Earlier, the Ukrainian government criticised the EU's treatment of Ukraine's progress as unfair. Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has complained that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is trying to change the Hungarian government.

On 9 May, Kallas said that the EU understands how to proceed if Hungary's veto on Ukraine's accession cannot be overcome.

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The European Union released a statement on May 10 in support of calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, adding that it would "serve as a vital step toward reducing civilian suffering and allow space for meaningful talks for genuine peace."

Ukraine has repeatedly stressed the necessity of a 30-day ceasefire, but Russia has dismissed the proposal, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling U.S. media on May 10 that such a move would play to Kyivs "advantage."

"As in the past, it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," the EU's statement reads.

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"The EU remains steadfast in its commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law and welcomes all efforts towards achieving such peace."

During both of the so-called ceasefires proposed by Russia during the Easter holidays and Victory Day celebrations, Ukrainian soldiers across the front line told the Kyiv Independent of multiple instances of Russian attacks.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Russia's ceasefires as "theatrical."

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Kyiv on May 10 for talks with Zelensky, amid the EU's support for calls for a 30-day ceasefire.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has shown signs of growing frustration with Russia, despite having repeatedly praised Putin in the early stages of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations.

Trump called for an "unconditional" 30-day ceasefire on May 8, adding that "If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions."

"As president, I will stay committed to securing peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans... This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a peace agreement," Trump added.

Read also: Macron, Starmer, Merz, Tusk arrive in Kyiv for talks with Zelensky

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The leaders of several political groups in the European Parliament on Saturday called on Israel to allow the immediate resumption of aid supplies into the Gaza Strip.

"We call for immediate action by the Israeli authorities, in cooperation with the United Nations and humanitarian organisations, to secure unrestricted access to essential humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian population in Gaza," read the statement.

It was issued by Manfred Weber of the conservative European People's Party (EPP), Iratxe Garcia of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Valerie Hayer of Renew Europe, Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout of the Greens/European Free Alliance, and Martin Schirdewan of the Left.

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"We call for immediate and effective international action to ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis in Gaza against the backdrop of the blockade enacted by the Israeli government that prevents humanitarian aid from reaching the civilian population living in inhumane conditions," the statement continued.

The signatories also condemned "any act of politicization or militarisation of humanitarian aid."

At the same time, they called for proactive diplomatic efforts by the EU to achieve a lasting ceasefire and reaffirm the European Parliament's commitment to a two-state solution.

For more than two months, the Israeli military has barred aid supplies from entering the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian situation has reached catastrophic proportions.

There is a lack of food, drinking water, medicine and everyday necessities, prompting international aid organizations to urgently warn of a growing famine.
The European Union and the United States have agreed to a coordinated increase in sanctions against Russia if it does not agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda, citing statements by attendees of the coalition of the willing meeting in Kyiv on 10 May

Quote from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "If Russia refuses an unconditional and complete ceasefire, sanctions should be imposed: increased sanctions against its energy sector and banking system."

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Quote from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk: "If Russia takes this proposal [for a 30-day ceasefire - Ed.] lightly, it will be subject to a wave of new sanctions."

Details: The Polish leader also stressed that coordination with the United States is the main element in making this approach effective.

French President Emmanuel Macron separately emphasised the agreement that sanctions would also be strengthened if Russia subsequently violates the ceasefire agreement.

Quote from Macron: "In the event of a violation of this ceasefire, we have agreed that massive sanctions will be prepared and coordinated between Europeans and Americans."

Background:

Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised that the EU will impose sanctions against Russia if it violates a ceasefire.

On Saturday 10 May, representatives of EU nations, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, arrived in Kyiv to attend the coalition of the willing summit.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, without preconditions," an offer that came in response to Ukraine and its allies urging Moscow to commit to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face additional sanctions.

Putin referenced the unsuccessful 2022 peace talks that took place in Istanbul in March, shortly after Moscow's full-scale invasion, and proposed "restarting" them without preconditions in remarks to reporters in the early hours of Sunday.

We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine," Putin said, adding that he doesn't rule out agreeing to a ceasefire later, in the course of direct talks with Ukraine.

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Putin's proposal came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to ratchet up pressure on Moscow if it does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that they offered on Saturday in a strong show of unity with Kyiv.

The leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland said their proposal for a ceasefire to start on Monday was supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, whom they had briefed over the phone earlier in the day.

Trump has called for Ukraine and Russia to meet for very high level talks, saying they are very close to a deal on ending the bloody three-year war.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously said he was ready for peace talks, but only after a ceasefire is in place.

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Moscow's proposals

Putin said that Russia proposed several ceasefires in recent months  a halt on strikes on energy infrastructure, which Ukraine had agreed to, a unilateral 30-hour Easter truce and another unilateral ceasefire on May 8-10 that has since expired.

Ukrainian officials said Russia repeatedly violated all of those.

Putin on Sunday accused Ukraine of sabotaging these initiatives time and time again" and launching multiple attacks on Russia.

In March, the United States proposed an immediate, limited 30-day truce, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking.

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Putin on Sunday once again said the Kremlin needs a truce that would lead to a lasting peace" instead of one that would allow Ukraine to rearm and mobilize more men into its armed forces.

He said he would speak to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ask him to facilitate the peace talks on May 15.

Shortly after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Turkey hosted unsuccessful talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at ending the hostilities. The proposed deal reportedly included provisions for Ukraines neutral status and put limits on its armed forces, while delaying talks on the status of Russian-occupied areas.

Moscow has blamed Kyiv and the West for the talks collapsing.

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Putin said that "those who truly want peace cannot but support" his proposal to restart the peace talks.

A very important signal

Zelenskyy, speaking to reporters alongside the European leaders in Kyiv on Saturday, called their meeting "a very important signal.

In a joint statement, as published on Zelenskyy's official website, the five leaders called for a ceasefire lasting at least 30 days" from Monday, to make room for a diplomatic push to end the war.

An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions. If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy, the statement read.

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French President Emmanuel Macron said that the U.S. would take the lead in monitoring the proposed ceasefire, with support from European countries, and threatened massive sanctions ... prepared and coordinated, between Europeans and Americans, should Russia violate the truce.

Macron traveled to Kyiv with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

This is Europe stepping up, showing our solidarity with Ukraine, Starmer said.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trumps special envoy to Ukraine, said Saturday that a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire, covering attacks from the air, land, sea and on infrastructure, will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.

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Meanwhile, Putin on Saturday held a series of bilateral talks with foreign officials who had attended Moscow's own celebrations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, in an apparent attempt to underscore the Wests failure to isolate it on the global stage. Putin's interlocutors included To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the leaders of Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and the Palestinian Authority.

Europe threatens more sanctions if Russia ignores ceasefire offer

Progress on ending the three-year war has seemed elusive in the months since Trump returned to the White House, and his previous claims of imminent breakthroughs have failed to come to fruition. Trump has previously pushed Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to end the war, threatening to walk away if a deal becomes too difficult.

Since the start of U.S.-mediated talks, Russia has kept up attacks along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, including deadly strikes on residential areas with no obvious military targets.

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The ceasefire would include a halt to fighting on land, sea and in the air. The European leaders threatened to ratchet up sanctions, including on Russias energy and banking sectors, if Putin did not comply.

The priority was to make it too costly for Russia to keep fighting in Ukraine, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

When asked how the monitoring mechanism would work, Sybiha told The Associated Press the details were still being discussed.

Addressing skepticism over whether fresh sanctions against Moscow, which has so far managed to keep fighting in the war, Merz said almost all member states of the European Union and a large coalition of the willing around the world are determined to enforce these sanctions even if our initiative of the weekend should fail.

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The leaders also discussed security guarantees for Ukraine.

Building up Kyiv's military capabilities will be a key deterrent against Russia and require supplying Ukraine with robust quantities of arms to deter future attacks and investing in its defense sector. A force comprised of foreign troops could also be deployed as an added reassurance measure, Macron said.

He said details about potential European deployments to Ukraine were still being fine-tuned. No mention was made of NATO membership, still Kyivs top choice for a security guarantee.

Earlier on Saturday, the European leaders joined a ceremony at Kyiv's Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. They lit candles alongside Zelenskyy at a makeshift flag memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians slain since Russia's invasion.

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Russian attacks continue

Russian shelling in Ukraines northern Sumy region over the past day killed three residents and wounded four more, local officials said. Another civilian died Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on Friday warned of a potentially significant Russian air attack in the coming days, without giving details.

Russia in November gave the U.S. brief advance warning before striking Ukraine for the first time with its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, an experimental hypersonic weapon that Putin claimed could travel at 10 times the speed of sound.

Ukrainian Telegram channels linked the embassy's warning to reports of an imminent flight ban by Moscow over the Kapustin Yar military training and rocket launch complex. A similar flight ban preceded Novembers strike. There was no immediate comment from Russian officials.

Trump said last week that he doubts Putin wants to end his war in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism that a peace deal can be reached soon, and hinted at further sanctions against Russia.

Ukraines European allies view its fate as fundamental to the continents security, and pressure is now mounting to find ways to support Kyiv militarily, regardless of whether Trump pulls out.

___

Kullab reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Kozlowska reported from London. Associated Press writers Thomas Adamson in Paris, Philipp Reissfelder in Berlin and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland have told Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday or face possible massive sanctions, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, on a highly symbolic visit to Kyiv. The demand comes with the backing of the White House after a joint phone call with President Donald Trump, the Europeans said.

Standing alongside Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, the four leaders - Macron, new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk  said the ceasefire should be observed on land, at sea and in the air.

If successful, Macron said, it could pave the way for the immediate launch of negotiations to build a robust and lasting peace.

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In an exclusive interview with CNNs Frederik Pleitgen shortly after the leaders called for the ceasefire, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is resistant to any kind of pressure.

Europe is actually confronting us very openly, Peskov said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin supports the idea of a ceasefire in general, but there are lots of questions about the recent proposal that still need answering. He did not expand on what these questions are.

The dramatic announcement gives Putin less than 36 hours to respond, and also means a complex mechanism of satellite monitoring and communications would need to become operational in the same, short time period.

We have agreed that from Monday 12th of May, a full and unconditional ceasefire must start for at least 30 days, Zelensky said. We demand it together from Russia and we know that the United States supports us in this.

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The unconditional ceasefire means no conditions and an attempt to put conditions on it is to signal an intention to drag out the war and undermine diplomacy.

The four European leaders arrived together by train early Saturday morning and were met at Kyivs main railway station by Zelenskys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Their first public engagement was at Independence Square, where they stood to honor Ukraines fallen soldiers. Then it was on to the citys Mariinsky Palace, where they met together for more than three hours.

The leaders of Ukraine, France, the United Kingdom and Germany pay their respects to victims of war at the Memorial for the Fallen in Kyiv on May 10, 2025. - Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Afterwards, the leaders sat together round a phone and spoke to Trump. Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted a photo of the moment on social media, saying the call had been fruitful, while Zelensky called it positive and concrete. There was no immediate response from the White House.

For two months now, Ukraine has said it wants an immediate 30-day ceasefire  a position promoted by Kyivs key European allies, and also by Trump.

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Russia has so far refused to commit, saying it supports the idea of a 30-day ceasefire in principle but insists there are what it calls nuances that need addressing first.

In an interview with ABC News published earlier on Saturday, Peskov suggested that one of these nuances was putting a halt to the supply of US and European weapons to Ukraine.

Putin has often spoken about the need to address what he calls root causes  which are taken to mean, among others, the eastward expansion of NATO.

In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump wrote that if the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions, adding to a sense he is growing frustrated with Russian stalling.

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Peskov told CNN Saturday that Russia is very grateful for the US mediation efforts, but added that at the same time, its quite useless to try to press on us.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand in Independence Square in Kyiv. - Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The inauguration of Trump in January ushered in a complete change in the US diplomatic focus on the war, with Ukraine and key allies fearful of a significant tilt in US policy towards Moscow.

European leaders have convened a series of meetings in response, aimed both at showing the US that Europe can do more to support Ukraine militarily, as well as providing a single voice urging the US president not to take Russias side in the war.

For its part, rather than commit to a lengthy ceasefire, the Kremlin has instead pursued a policy of unilateral short-term ceasefires - the latest of which began on Thursday and is due to end at midnight tonight.

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It coincided with Russias May 9 Victory Day celebrations  when the country marks the defeat of Nazi Germany. This year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were among Putins guests attending the annual parade in Moscow.

Ukraine has reported many hundreds of Russian attacks along frontline locations during the ceasefire period, though missile and Shahed drone attacks on Ukraines cities have not been seen since Wednesday.

In a rare  though not unprecedented  move, the US embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert Friday warning it had intelligence suggesting a possible significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days.

CNNs Svitlana Vlasova, Daria Tarasova-Markina, Frederik Pleitgen and Catherine Nicholls contributed to this report

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk paid their respects to fallen Ukrainian soldiers during a visit to Kiev on Saturday.

Joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska, the leaders placed lanterns at a memorial on the central Independence Square - known as the Maidan - and observed a minute's silence.

A Ukrainian honour guard attended the ceremony at the memorial site, which was spontaneously erected on a lawn on the Maidan after the Russian invasion in February 2022.

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Relatives or friends of Ukrainian soldiers killed in action were asked to place a small flag for each of the casualties on the grass.

Since then, tens of thousands of flags, photos and other items have appeared to commemorate the victims of the war.

According to official figures, over 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the fighting, although some estimates see the death toll as up to twice as high.

The United Nations has reported the deaths of more than 13,000 civilians as a result of the invasion.
We recently published a list of 10 Best Agriculture Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) stands against other best agriculture stocks to buy now.

Tariff Crisis in the US Agricultural Sector

On April 28, CNBC reported that while other US sectors are nearing what President Trumps Treasury secretary Scott Bessent calls an unsustainable tariff war, the American farming sector has started to bear the effects of the economic crisis, with the damage already done. American agricultural exporters believe that the global backlash to tariffs imposed by Trump is punishing them, especially through a decrease in Chinese purchasing of US products. This trend is resulting in canceled export orders and layoffs.

Data from the US Department of Agriculture shows that China canceled its biggest pork orders since 2020, stopping the shipment of 12,000 tons of pork. CNBC reported that Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC), a leading export trade group for farmers, opined that calling the number of canceled orders of US agricultural products could not be called approaching a crisis, as it is a full-blown crisis already.

AgTC also reported that its members are experiencing massive financial losses because of the trade war, based on the reports sent by member companies. A wood pulp and paperboard reported to AgTC the hold or immediate cancellation of 6,400 metric tons in a warehouse. It said that 9,000 metric tons of the product are already on their way to China through water, with the estimated arrival time being May 13. Chinese buyers may refuse to accept these shipments and abandon them at the port, which is why the threat of costly diversion to Chinese or other bonded warehouses looms over the journey.

READ ALSO: Recession Resistant Investing: 10 Best Grocery Stocks To Buy Now and 11 Most Promising Future Stocks According to Hedge Funds.

Markets Unable to Replace Chinas Demand

China-to-US vessel traffic has also seen a steep decline. CNBC reported that according to the Vizion Global Ocean Bookings Tracker, the traffic is down 22.15% week-over-week and 44% year-over-year through April 14. Ben Tracy, Vizions vice president of strategic business development, said the following about the situation:
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk were in Kiev on Saturday to reaffirm support for Ukraine and press for a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia.

The visit aimed to showcase European unity in the face of Moscow's ongoing aggression. It also marked Merz's first trip to Ukraine since becoming chancellor earlier this week.

In a statement issued ahead of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the leaders called on Russia to accept a "full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace," echoing a proposal initially floated by US President Donald Trump.

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The leaders pledged to continue to "ratchet up pressure on Russias war machine" until it agrees to a lasting ceasefire.

The delegation's visit coincides with renewed European diplomatic efforts by a broader 30-nation group led by France and the UK called the "coalition of the willing," which has been meeting to prepare for potential post-ceasefire support for Ukraine.

During their stay in Kiev, the leaders took part with Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska in a memorial ceremony to victims of the war, placing lanterns and observing a minute of silence at a makeshift shrine on Kiev's Maidan square.

The improvised memorial, which was erected by members of the public in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has since grown to include tens of thousands of flags, photos and other mementos.

Ukraine counts on new German arms supplies

Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksii Makeiev said he expects Merz to commit to new arms deliveries during the visit, although no official announcement has yet been made.

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According to government sources in Berlin, the new conservative-led German government plans to keep the details of future weapons shipments largely confidential to avoid giving Russia a strategic edge, according to informed circles.

The main aim is to "deny military advantages to the aggressor in the Ukraine war," a government source told dpa on Friday evening.

Makeiev expressed confidence that German-Ukrainian relations were entering a new phase, stating: "I sense that the German-Ukrainian partnership with the federal government, the new federal government, will be raised to a whole new level."

He reaffirmed Ukraine's readiness to enter ceasefire talks "from a position of strength," unlike Russia, which he accused of using negotiations as a stalling tactic.

Kremlin demands end to military aid before ceasefire

Meanwhile, the Kremlin pushed back on the ceasefire proposal, saying it would only consider a pause in fighting if the US and Europe halt arms deliveries to Ukraine.

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"Otherwise, it will be an advantage for Ukraine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told US broadcaster ABC, claiming Kiev would use the pause to regroup, retrain, and rotate troops.

Peskov said Russia currently holds the upper hand on the battlefield and dismissed suggestions that Ukraine is ready for genuine negotiations, accusing Kiev of trying to avoid talks.

"Why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?" he asked.

He welcomed what he called Trumps influence on the process, suggesting it could help pressure Ukraine toward a deal.

While Russia has declared short-term ceasefires for recent holidays, including Easter and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, both sides have accused each other of violating a temporary truce which was set to expire Saturday night.

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The war in Ukraine, now in its third year, has claimed more than 43,000 Ukrainian military lives according to official figures, with some estimates placing the toll far higher. The United Nations has recorded over 13,000 civilian deaths since the invasion began.

(L-R) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in Maidan Square in Kiev as European leaders meet in Ukraine for further talks on the so-called "coalition of the willing". Kay Nietfeld/dpa
A joint ceremony to honour the memory of fallen Ukrainian soldiers took place in the centre of Kyiv on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) on Saturday 10 May 2025, attended by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders of European countries.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the Office of the President of Ukraine

Details: The Ukrainian president was joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, UK PM Keir Starmer and Polish PM Donald Tusk, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Together, they honoured the fallen heroes with a minute of silence and lit lamps at the national memorial.



Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

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The participants in the ceremony placed lamps at the national memorial and honoured the memory of the fallen soldiers with a minute of silence.



Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Background:

European leaders arrived in Kyiv on Saturday 10 May to attend a meeting of the coalition of the willing.

The coalition of the willing, led by France and the UK, said it was working on a plan to send a mission to Ukraine to ensure a future ceasefire.

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May 10 (UPI) -- European leaders from Britain, France, Germany and Poland joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday in urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire or face more sanctions.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merez traveled in a train together to Kiev, and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk was aboard another train, the Guardian reported.

Putin, several hours later at 1 a.m. local time Sunday, said "we propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks that they broke off in 2022, and, I emphasise, without any preconditions."

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He said the "direct talks" with Ukraine could start as early as Thursday. The two nations met in Istanbul, weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine leaders have not commented on the proposal from Putin.

From left to right: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Chancellor and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk appear in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, during a summit of the Coalition of the Willing. Photo by Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/UPI

Zelensky said they "spoken to President Trump together. We agreed on our common view of our further actions."

"The cease-fire must be comprehensive: in the air, at sea and on land," Zelenskyy told reporters. "It is quite possible to monitor the cease-fire in coordination with the United States of America, this is really realistic. The cease-fire should last for 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance."

From left to right: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and France's President Emmanuel Macron appear with members of their respective militaries in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday. Photo by Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/UPI

Zelensky said he was "grateful to President Trump" and wants the cease-fire to begin Monday in a post on X.

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"We share a common view: an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire is needed for at least 30 days," Zelensky posted on X. "We propose it begin on Monday, May 12. We are waiting for Russia's response.

"This proposal has been on the table since the talks in Saudi Arabia, when it was first put forward by the United States. Once the ceasefire begins, there will be the best moment for diplomacy. Ukraine is ready for meetings and negotiations in any format."

The proposal was dismissed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov , who said via the Russian news agency Interfax that he hears "many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more."

Peskov earlier said Russia would only agree to a cease-fire if U.S. and European end arms supplies to Ukraine.

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"Otherwise, it will be an advantage for Ukraine," he told ABC News. "Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to frontline,"

Putin also wants Ukraine to surrender large parts of the eastern and southern regions of its country that Russian forces haven't seized.

"Macron, Merz, Starmer and Tusk were supposed to discuss peace in Kyiv. Instead, they are blurting out threats against Russia," Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current deputy head of Russia's Security Council, the BBC reported.

The four European leaders made their first joint appearance in a virtual meeting of the "coalition of the willing," which includes mostly European nations. They said they would assist Ukraine if there is a durable cease-fire in the now 3-year long war, which started when Russia attacked it's neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022.

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Joining in the video link were Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Macron said "some 20 countries" are in "unanimity" about the cease-fire, referring to Ukraine as "the beating heart of Europe." He said once the cease-fire is agreed, there are a "number of steps we're working on." That includes strengthening Ukraine's army.

"All of us here, together with the U.S., are calling Putin out. If he's serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now," Starmer said.

Merz, who assumed office on Tuesday, said Saturday that if Russia rejects the ceasefire proposal, Europe will keep defending Ukraine.

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Macron documented the leaders' journey by train on Instagram, including traveling through Poland, and posted a video of the group with Zelensky and Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska visiting a memorial to the war dead in central Kyiv. Macron and Starmer also joined Zelensky in a visit to the Saint Sophia Cathedral.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was "symbolic" to meet in Kyiv and showed the "the strength of our unity."

Putin had declared a three-day cease-fire, which ended on Saturday, although Russia had not followed by it -- similar to what happened during a one-day Easter truce Russia implemented last month.

Ukraine and Russia traded accusations of violating cease-fire that ceasefire, as well, with Zelensky accusing Russia of nearly 3,000 violations and Russia claiming Ukraine violated the halt more than 1,000 times.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  An Evansville man will spend the next 62 years in prison after he was found guilty of murdering an 18-month-old child who was injured while in his care.

Tavion Cobb was arrested in September of 2022 after Evansville Police were dispatched to a hospital when the childs mother brought in an unresponsive toddler. The mother of the child told detectives Cobb had been watching her son, and that he said the baby was injured in an accident.

Hospital staff told authorities that the child had likely been deceased for a few hours. After investigating the injuries on the child, authorities discovered burns near his knee and face as well as a severe head injury.

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Ian Blair represented the state and Dawnya Taylor represented Cobb. Judge Robert Pigman oversaw the case.

Before sentencing, Richard Barksdale Sr. told the court that Cobb cared about others before himself, and he loved the baby.

A family member of the deceased child addressed Cobb saying while she didnt hate him, he made his choice.

You made the choice for him (the baby), I hope it sits with you for a long time, she said.

She addressed Judge Pigman, stating the only factor that should be considered should be the last moments of the childs life.

He took the opportunity away from someone. You dont have the right to take a life, and you took his, she said.

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Before the sentence was read, the defense asked for 45 years while the state asked for a consecutive sentence beyond the max.

Pigman said there were both mitigating and aggravating factors. Mitigating included Cobbs lack of criminal history, but the aggravating outweighed the mitigating including the childs age, injuries inflicted, etc.

Cobb plans to appeal the sentence.

Prosecutor Diana Moers gave her thoughts on the sentence right after it happened.

Were happy with the sentence that Judge Pigman levied today with the 62-year prison sentence, she said. Well always seek to fight in court for these types of cases and seek justice on behalf of children. This is a very tragic, and I commend my deputies trial work on this matter. We hope this sentence brings a sense of justice to the family. These cases are incredibly difficult for everyone involved from the first responders to the victims families, and as well as the deputy prosecutors. These types of cases live with us forever, and well always remember the victim in this case.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
By Andrew Mills and Jonathan Landay

(Reuters) -A Qatari mission has begun searching for the remains of U.S. hostages killed by Islamic State in Syria a decade ago, two sources briefed on the mission said, reviving a longstanding effort to recover their bodies.

Islamic State, which controlled swathes of Syria and Iraq at the peak of its power from 2014-2017, beheaded numerous people in captivity, including Western hostages, and released videos of the killings.

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Qatar's international search and rescue group began the search on Wednesday, accompanied by several Americans, the sources said. The group, deployed by Doha to earthquake zones in Morocco and Turkey in recent years, had so far found the remains of three bodies, the sources said.

One of the sources - a Syrian security source - said the remains had yet to be identified. The second source said it was unclear how long the mission would last.

The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment.

The Qatari mission gets under way as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to visit Doha and other Gulf Arab allies next week and as Syria's ruling Islamists, close allies of Qatar, seek relief from U.S. sanctions.

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The Syrian source said the mission's initial focus was on looking for the body of aid worker Peter Kassig, who was beheaded by Islamic State in 2014 in Dabiq in northern Syria. The second source said Kassig's remains were among those they hoped to find.

In a statement, the Kassig family said it was waiting for analysis seeking to confirm the identities of the dead.

"We are grateful to all those who are involved in the effort to get these deceased individuals' remains identified and returned to their home countries and loved ones," it said.

U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were among other Western hostages killed by Islamic State. Their deaths were confirmed in 2014.

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U.S. aid worker Kayla Mueller was also killed in Islamic State captivity. She was raped repeatedly by Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before her death, U.S. officials have said. Her death was confirmed in 2015.

"Were grateful for anyone taking on this task and risking their lives in some circumstances to try and find the bodies of Jim and the other hostages," said Diane Foley, James Foley's mother. "We thank all those involved in this effort."

The jihadists were eventually driven out of their self-declared caliphate by a U.S.-led coalition and other forces.

APRIL VISIT

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Plans for the Qatari mission were discussed during a visit to Washington in April by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the Minister of State for the foreign ministry, Mohammed Al Khulaifi - a trip also designed to prepare for Trump's visit to Qatar, one of the sources said.

Another person familiar with the issue said there had been a longstanding commitment by successive U.S. administrations to find the remains of the murdered Americans, and that there had been multiple previous "efforts with U.S. government officials on the ground in Syria to search very specific areas."

The person did not elaborate. But the U.S. has had hundreds of troops deployed in northeastern Syria that have continued pursuing the remnants of Islamic State.

The person said the remains of Kassig, Sotloff and Foley were most likely in the same general area, and that Dabiq had been one of Islamic State's "centrepieces" - a reference to its propaganda value as a place named in an Islamic prophecy.

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Mueller's case differed in that she was in Baghdadi's custody, the person said.

Two Islamic State members, both former British citizens who were part of a cell that beheaded American hostages, are serving life prison sentences in the United States.

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who seized power from Bashar al-Assad in December, battled Islamic State when he was the commander of another jihadist faction - the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front - during the Syrian war.

Sharaa severed ties to al Qaeda in 2016.

(Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Erin Banco, Writing by Tom Perry, Editing by Timothy Heritage and David Ljunggren)
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a death warrant for Anthony Wainwright, who was convicted of kidnapping a woman in 1994 from a Winn-Dixie supermarket parking lot in Lake City and raping and murdering her in rural Hamilton County.

Wainwright, who had escaped from a North Carolina prison days before killing 23-year-old Carmen Gayheart, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection on June 10 at Florida State Prison.

A 1995 sentencing order by Circuit Judge E. Vernon Douglas described the murder as extremely wicked, evil and vile, in that the victim of this case was abducted at gunpoint while placing groceries in her vehicle, as she was en route to pick up her two small children at a day care center.

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It said Gayheart was made to ponder her fate for more than an hour as she was driven to where she was strangled and shot twice in the back of the head with a .22-caliber rifle.

Wainwright and a co-defendant, Richard Hamilton, were arrested the next day after a shootout with police in Mississippi, according to a document filed last year at the U.S. Supreme Court by the Florida Attorney Generals Office in an unsuccessful appeal by Wainwright.

Wainwright, 54, is scheduled to be the sixth inmate executed this year in Florida. Four men have been executed, and Glen Rogers is slated to be put to death Thursday in the 1995 murder of a woman in a Tampa motel room. The Wainwright death warrant came a day after the Florida Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Rogers.

Past appeals by Wainwright have been unsuccessful, but the Florida Supreme Court on Friday issued a schedule for what could be a final attempt by his attorneys to spare him from execution.

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The document filed last year at the U.S. Supreme Court by the Attorney Generals Office said Wainwright and Hamilton escaped from a prison in Newport, N.C., stole a Cadillac and burglarized a home, where they took two rifles.

After driving to Florida, they decided on April 27, 1994, to steal another car because the Cadillac was overheating, according to the court document. They drove into the Winn-Dixie parking lot in Lake City and saw Gayheart loading groceries into a Ford Bronco.

Hamilton forced her into the Bronco at gunpoint and drove away, with Wainwright following in the Cadillac. They subsequently ditched the Cadillac and headed north on Interstate 75 before pulling off into a wooded area, where Gayheart was raped and killed, the document said.

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Solar energy is popular with homeowners for a number of reasons. It's affordable. It reduces electricity costs, and it's a source of clean energy. But an Associated Press report about the impacts of tariffs on solar panels might make you want to make the switch sooner rather than later.

What's happening?

The price of solar panels has been going down since 2010. Many homeowners have also taken advantage of the 30% Residential Clean Energy credit. However, as former Lakewood City Mayor Mike Summers said to the AP, "I'm glad to have done it when I did."

President Donald Trump's recent tariff war with China has had several implications, including an impact on solar panels. And it's not just China. A BBC article states that the U.S. Commerce Department is considering a tariff of up to 3,521% on solar panels from Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Why is the increase in solar tariffs important?

As much as 80% of solar panel parts come from China, according to the International Energy Agency.

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In addition, the U.S. imported $12 billion in solar parts from Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam in 2023, as noted by the BBC. As much as many would like to see the U.S. as entirely independent, it relies on countries like China for the parts and minerals needed to create solar panels. What we can build in the U.S. doesn't come close to what we get outside the U.S.

A Solar Energy Industries Association 2024 report shed light on the U.S.'s exploding growth in solar, which was expected to double by 2029. This was having a positive impact on manufacturing and on our economy. But an increase in tariffs means an increase in costs to customers.

Less solar energy means more reliance on dirty-energy sources and, consequently, increased pollution and more warming of the Earth.

What's being done about it?

In the AP article, Columbia University Climate School Dean Alexis Abramson, said that interested homeowners should shop around now for solar. Homeowners can use sites like EnergySage, which lets users compare prices on providers in their area.

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For the moment, tax credits are still available, though Trump has made it clear he wants to do away with the subsidies.

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.
An early-morning explosion at a Muscatine home on Saturday remains under investigation, according to a news release from the City of Muscatine..

(muscatineiowa.gov)

No injuries were reported among the occupants or emergency responders. Shortly after 6:15 a.m., the Muscatine Joint Communications Center (MUSCOM) received a 911 call reporting a loud boom and visible smoke at a residence on the 1000 block of East 8th Street.

Similar reports were received from across the surrounding area.

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When fire crews arrived on the scene, they found the residents safely outside and saw light smoke in the vicinity. Visible damage to the front door of the home appeared consistent with an explosion, the release says.

Firefighters quickly cleared smoke from the interior of the residence. Because of the nature of the incident, the Iowa State Fire Marshals Office was requested to assist with the investigation. Investigators remained on site until about 9 a.m.

While the cause of the explosion remains under investigation, officials believe it was an isolated event. The Muscatine Fire Department is being assisted by the State Fire Marshal and the Muscatine Police Department. Preliminary fire damage is estimated at $1,000.

Fourteen firefighters from the Muscatine Fire Department responded, along with personnel from the Muscatine Police Department and the State Fire Marshals Office.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Claim:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will no longer require companies to limit salmonella bacteria in poultry products.

Rating:

Rating: False

In late April and early May 2025, social media users claimed that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would no longer require companies to limit salmonella bacteria in poultry products.

The rumor circulated after the USDA withdrew a proposal for a new framework regulating salmonella in raw chicken and turkey. This proposal would have set enforceable "final product standards" for salmonella in raw chicken and turkey and would have allowed the USDA to stop the sale of products that exceeded those standards.

However, the withdrawal of the proposal does not leave salmonella in raw poultry entirely unregulated. Since 1996, the agency has set "performance standards" for poultry processing plants and it has increased scrutiny of plants with consistently high salmonella levels. The most recent performance standards, set in 2016, continue to be enforced. However, the USDA cannot currently stop the sale of poultry from plants if the only justification is high salmonella levels.

Critics of the withdrawal say the current framework is inadequate because it places an "unfair" burden on the consumer to know what category of plant their poultry came from or to attempt to combat salmonella bacteria in their personal cooking and handling processes.

The USDA said in its withdrawal statement that it would "evaluate" whether the current performance standards needed to be updated.

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In late April and early May 2025, a claim (archived) circulated online that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would no longer require companies to limit salmonella bacteria in poultry products.

https://www.facebook.com/polialertcom/posts/pfbid02WJDCV1xRvJQ4rZ2rV5kwvNrUfG12Sp6uHJMtpLocsyoQCDRb14LosvgF8vpbt71Jl

For example, one Facebook user wrote: "The Agriculture Department will not require poultry companies to limit salmonella bacteria in their products, halting a Biden Administration effort to prevent food poisoning from contaminated meat."

The rumor also appeared on X (archived), Bluesky (archived), Reddit (archived) and TikTok (archived).

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However, while it is true that the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) withdrew a proposal aimed at reducing salmonella in raw poultry products, that withdrawal did not leave salmonella levels in poultry completely unregulated. The FSIS continues to regulate salmonella levels at poultry processing plants according to "performance standards" for products including raw chicken. These standards have existed since 1996. Therefore, we have rated this claim false.

A USDA spokesperson said via email that its most recent performance standards, set in 2016, continue to be enforced and that the withdrawn proposal "has never gone into effect, and was merely a proposal, therefore there is no effect on the safety of the food supply chain."

Salmonella bacteria can cause salmonella infection, also known as salmonellosis, in humans. The infection usually causes diarrhea, a fever and other stomach issues, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most healthy people can recover from a salmonella infection within a few days. In serious cases, diarrhea can cause life-threatening dehydration. If the infection spreads beyond the intestines, it can cause other life-threatening complications.

According to 2023 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 1.35 million cases of salmonellosis per year in the U.S. Of those cases, around 26,500 result in hospitalizations and 420 in deaths.

Current framework means FSIS cannot shut down plants on salmonella test results alone

At the time of this writing, the USDA's FSIS has "performance standards" for poultry processing plants with a view to reducing bacteria levels. The USDA published the most recent edition of these standards in 2016.

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The agency tests products for salmonella at poultry processing plants and, depending on how often results exceed the "maximum acceptable percent positive" as defined in the standards, classes plants into one of three categories. Plants in Category 3 have "exceeded the maximum allowable percent positive during the most recently completed 52-week moving window." The agency publishes the results of its tests regularly on its website.

Plants in Category 3 face increased inspections from the FSIS until results improve. In its 2016 framework, the FSIS wrote (our emphasis):

If, after 90 days, the establishment has not been able to gain process control, as determined from FSIS's follow-up sampling and from the results of the PHRE or FSA, and the establishment has not taken corrective actions, FSIS will likely take enforcement actions, such as by issuing a Notice of Intended Enforcement (NOIE) or by suspending inspection, under the conditions and according to the procedures described in 9 CFR part 500. FSIS will not issue an NOIE or suspend inspection based solely on the fact that an establishment did not meet a performance standard.

The guidance on NOIEs and performance standards marks a key difference from the proposed 2024 framework (outlined below). Because FSIS can't use its regulatory tools, such as suspending or withdrawing inspections, on Category 3 plants if its only justification is salmonella performance standards, that means the plants can continue to operate.

Short of FSIS enforcement actions, poultry processing plants can be motivated to stay out of Category 3 by their buyers  for example, supermarkets might not want to purchase goods from plants in Category 3, or buyers might include terms in their contracts that plants must remain in a certain category of performance standards. The 2016 framework says that public postings of categories can be seen online, meaning that processing plants "could be potentially affected by the postings because consumers and wholesale buyers in the poultry supply chain can equally view the Web site."

Withdrawn framework would have given USDA the power to stop sale of contaminated products

The USDA announced the now-withdrawn proposed framework in 2024.

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Under that framework, the FSIS would have considered raw chicken and turkey products with salmonella levels exceeding set "final product standards" adulterated. In terms of meat and food products, federal legislation considers items adulterated if they are unsafe for human consumption for various reasons. Adulterated products  in this case meaning those testing above the "final product standards" set by the FSIS  may not be sold or, if already in circulation, may be recalled.

According to the 2024 proposal, products would breach "final product standards" if they contained "any type of Salmonella at or above 10 colony forming units/per milliliter or gram" and "any detectable level of at least one of the salmonella serotypes of public health significance identified for that commodity."

The proposal identified six serotypes of salmonella that were of "public health significance": Enteritidis, Typhimurium and the awkwardly named I 4,[5],12:i:- in chicken, and Hadar, Typhimurium and Muenchen in raw turkey. The FSIS said the serotypes were classed as being of "public health significance" because they were "highly virulent."

The FSIS took similar action in 1994 for a certain strain of E. coli in ground beef after it caused a massive illness outbreak in the Pacific Northwest. The FSIS will also begin verification sampling of "not-ready-to-eat" (NRTE) breaded stuffed chicken products for salmonella in November 2025.

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Allowing raw chicken with salmonella levels exceeding "final product standards" to be considered adulterated would have marked a significant change from the current regulatory "performance standards." As the FSIS wrote in its proposal:

However, because Salmonella is not currently considered an adulterant in raw poultry, the Agency cannot withhold the mark of inspection or otherwise prevent products produced in an establishment that has failed the performance standards from entering commerce based solely on the establishment's performance standard results (75 FR 27288, 27293-4). This proposal, on the other hand, would set an enforceable final product standard that prevents raw poultry products with certain levels and types of Salmonella contamination, which would be classified as adulterants, from entering the stream of commerce.

It was unclear at the time of this writing whether the USDA intended to propose a new regulatory framework for salmonella in place of the one it withdrew. The USDA said in its withdrawal that it would "evaluate" whether it should update the current performance standards.

Critics of the withdrawal  like the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Consumer Federation of America, two consumer watchdog groups that deal with topics including food safety  said government inaction was "certain to make Americans sicker" and placed an "unfair burden" on consumers.

Foodsafety.gov, the U.S. government's food safety information website, provides guidance for consumers to avoid salmonella when cooking with products that may carry the bacteria.

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The Meat Institute, the National Chicken Council, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Consumer Federation of America and Stop Foodborne Illness provided assistance with interpreting the current salmonella framework and the USDA's withdrawn proposal for this article.

Sources:

9 CFR 301.2 -- Definitions. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-9/part-301/section-301.2. Accessed 8 May 2025.

9 CFR Part 500 -- Rules of Practice. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-9/part-500. Accessed 8 May 2025.

Bottemiller, Helena. "Looking Back: The Story Behind Banning E. Coli O157:H7." Food Safety News, 14 Sept. 2011, https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/09/looking-back-in-time-the-story-behind-banning-ecoli-o157h7/.

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Center for Veterinary Medicine. "Get the Facts about Salmonella." FDA, Oct. 2023. www.fda.gov, https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/get-facts-about-salmonella.

"E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination of Beef Products." Federal Register, 7 Oct. 2002, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/10/07/02-25504/e-coli-o157h7-contamination-of-beef-products.

FSIS. "Delayed Verification Sampling of Not Ready-to-Eat Breaded Stuffed Chicken Products." Regulations.Gov, 11 Apr. 2025, https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FSIS-2025-0010.

"New Performance Standards for Salmonella and Campylobacter in Not-Ready-to-Eat Comminuted Chicken and Turkey Products and Raw Chicken Parts and Changes to Related Agency Verification Procedures: Response to Comments and Announcement of Implementation Schedule." Federal Register, 11 Feb. 2016, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/02/11/2016-02586/new-performance-standards-for-salmonella-and-campylobacter-in-not-ready-to-eat-comminuted-chicken.

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Salmonella and Food. 8 Aug. 2017, https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/salmonella-and-food.

"Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products." Federal Register, 7 Aug. 2024, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/07/2024-16963/salmonella-framework-for-raw-poultry-products.

"Salmonella Infection." Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/salmonella/symptoms-causes/syc-20355329. Accessed 8 May 2025.

USDA. ACTION: Final Rule with Request for Comments. 25 July 1996, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1996-07-25/pdf/96-17837.pdf.

---. Constituent Update - April 25, 2025. 25 Apr. 2025, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/constituent-update-april-25-2025.

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---. USDA Finalizes Policy to Protect Consumers from Salmonella in Raw Breaded Stuffed Chicken Products. 26 Apr. 2024, https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2024/04/26/usda-finalizes-policy-protect-consumers-salmonella-raw-breaded-stuffed-chicken-products.

---. USDA Proposes New Policy to Reduce Salmonella in Raw Poultry Products. 29 July 2024, https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2024/07/29/usda-proposes-new-policy-reduce-salmonella-raw-poultry-products.

"USDA Drops Plan to Tighten Salmonella Rules in Raw Chicken and Turkey." Consumer Reports, 25 Apr. 2025, https://www.consumerreports.org/health/salmonella/usda-drops-plan-to-tighten-salmonella-regulations-in-poultry-a4541543748/.

Usda.gov. (2025). AskUSDA. Available at: https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-does-adulterated-mean.

"USDA Repeal of Salmonella Framework Certain to Make Americans Sicker." Center for Science in the Public Interest, https://www.cspinet.org/statement/usda-repeal-salmonella-framework-certain-make-americans-sicker. Accessed 8 May 2025.


The northern hemisphere of Venus is displayed in this view of the planet created with data from NASA's Magellan spacecraft. - PL-Caltech/NASA

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A Soviet-era spacecraft that was designed to make a soft landing on Venus  but instead remained trapped in Earth orbit for decades  likely fell from the sky early Saturday morning, according to the European Space Agency.

The object, referred to as Cosmos 482 or Kosmos 482, is believed to be a capsule launched by the Soviet Union in March 1972 that failed en route to a transfer orbit that would have taken it to Venus to study its environment. The probe entered the dense layers of the atmosphere around 9:24 a.m. Moscow time (2:24 a.m. ET) Saturday, splashing down in the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia, according to the Russian space agency, Roscosmos.

The ESA, which was one of several organizations using ground sensors to keep tabs on the falling space junk, also said on its website that the vehicle was not spotted by radars in Germany around 7:32 UT (3:32 a.m. ET), indicating, it is most likely that the reentry has already occurred.

In the decades since it was launched, Cosmos 482 circled Earth aimlessly as it was slowly dragged back toward home.

Astronomers and space traffic experts have had their eyes on the object for years now as its orbital path slowly reached lower and lower altitudes, a result of the subtle atmospheric drag that exists even hundreds of miles away from Earth.

The cylinder-shaped craft is about 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter.

Because the spacecraft no longer had the ability to maneuver, it was destined to undergo what space traffic experts refer to as an uncontrolled reentry  plunging back to Earth in a manner that can be extremely difficult to accurately forecast. The sheer complexity of spaceflight and unpredictable factors, such as space weather, complicate efforts to pinpoint exactly when or where an object will fall out of orbit.

This particular piece of space junk did not pose a substantial risk to people on the ground, experts told CNN. But it garnered international attention because of Cosmos 482s unique history.

This object was designed to survive reentering Venus, so theres fair odds that itll survive coming back (to Earth) in one piece, said Marlon Sorge, a space debris expert with The Aerospace Corporation, on Monday. That actually makes the risk less  because it would stay intact.

Surviving reentry

Often, when spaceborne garbage hurtles back toward Earth, objects such as defunct rocket parts are torn apart by the jarring physics as they can slam into Earths thick inner atmosphere while still traveling at more than 17,000 miles per hour (27,000 kilometers per hour).

Each of the pieces from the rocket part can then pose a threat to the area where it lands.

But Cosmos 482 was well suited to make the trip home in one piece. The spacecraft had a substantial heat shield that protected the vehicle from the intense temperatures and pressures that can build up during reentry.

And because Cosmos 482 was designed to reach the surface of Venus  where the atmosphere is 90 times denser than Earths  the probe likely remained intact.

The Soviet Venera program

The Soviet Unions Space Research Institute, or IKI, ran a groundbreaking Venus exploration program amid the 20th century space race.

Venera, as the program was called, sent a series of probes toward Venus in the 1970s and 80s, with several spacecraft surviving the trip and beaming data back to Earth before ceasing operations.

Of the two Venera vehicles that were launched in 1972 , however, only one made it to Venus.

The other, a spacecraft sometimes cataloged as V-71 No. 671, did not. And thats why researchers believed that Cosmos 482 was the failed Venera vehicle. (Beginning in the 1960s, Soviet vehicles left in Earth orbit were each given the Cosmos name and a numerical designation for tracking purposes, according to NASA.)

What to do if you spot debris

While a landing on dry ground was unlikely, it wasnt impossible. The Cosmos 482 objects trajectory showed it could have landed within a broad swath of land that includes the whole of Africa, South America, Australia, the USA, parts of Canada, parts of Europe, and parts of Asia, said Marco Langbroek, a lecturer and space traffic expert at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands, via email.

Sorge emphasized that if Cosmos 482 had landed on dry ground, onlookers would have been advised to keep their distance. The aged spacecraft could leak dangerous fuels or pose other risks to people and property.

Contact the authorities, Sorge urged. Please dont mess with it.

Legally speaking, the object also belongs to Russia. According to rules mapped out in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty  which remains the primary document underpinning international law on the matter  the nation that launched an object to space retains ownership and responsibility for it even if it crashes back to Earth decades after launch.

The big picture

Though defunct objects in space routinely fall out of orbit, most pieces of debris disintegrate entirely during the reentry process.

But the world is in the midst of a new space race, with commercial companies such as SpaceX launching hundreds of new satellites to orbit each year. That burst in activity has raised alarms across the space traffic community, as experts are seeking to ensure that objects dont collide in space or pose a risk to humans if they make an uncontrolled descent back home.

Safety standards have drastically improved since the 20th century space race when the Soviet Venus probe was launched, noted Parker Wishik, a spokesperson for The Aerospace Corporation.

Still, incidents such as the Cosmos 482 reentry are a stark reminder.

What goes up must come down, Wishik said. What you put up in space today might affect us for decades to come.

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Summary: TAB Bank is a Utah-based online bank that was founded in 1998 as Transportation Alliance Bank and primarily served customers in the trucking industry. It has since expanded to provide banking services to individuals, families, and businesses across the nation.

TAB Bank product overview

TAB Spend

TAB Spend is a rewards checking account that offers customers the chance to earn interest on their checking account balance as well as cash back on their purchases. There is no monthly fee associated with this account. There is also no minimum opening deposit requirement, though youll need to maintain a balance of $0.01 to earn interest.

TAB Save

TABs high-yield savings account currently offers 4.26% APY with no minimum opening deposit or minimum balance required. There are also no monthly maintenance fees. This account ranks among our list of the 10 best high-yield savings accounts available today.

Chrome Checking

TAB Bank has served the trucking industry for decades, and its Chrome Checking account is designed for truck drivers and OTR operators. This account requires a minimum of $25 to open and offers 0.10% APY.

This account charges a monthly service fee of $8, which can be waived by meeting one of the following requirements:

$1,000 minimum daily balance

8 debit card purchases post to your TAB checking account during the monthly statement cycle, excluding ATM transactions

$1,200 in direct deposits per monthly statement cycle

Money market account

TABs money market account requires a minimum opening deposit of $25 and offers 0.25% APY. Interest is compounded daily and credited monthly.

Certificates of deposit (CDs)

TAB Banks CDs offer rates up to 4.21% APY with a minimum opening deposit of $1,000. Terms range from one to five years, and interest is compounded daily and credited monthly. TAB Banks CD offerings were included in our ranking of the best CDs available today.

Insurance

TAB currently offers auto, home, renters, pet, life, disaster insurance, and more.

Business banking products and services

Business customers can take advantage of TABs suite of business products and services, which include business loans, lines of credit, checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, and more.

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TAB Bank fees

Heres a closer look at the fees you may be responsible for as a TAB Bank customer:

TAB Bank pros and cons

Here are some of the major pros and cons to consider before becoming a TAB Bank customer:

Pros:

Checking account earns rewards: Spend account customers can earn 1% cash back on all purchases.

Competitive rates on savings account and CDs: TABs savings account and CDs offer more than 4% APY  well above national averages.

No monthly fees for most accounts: With the exception of the Chrome checking account, TAB Bank doesnt charge monthly maintenance fees.

Cons:

High minimum opening deposit for CDs: The minimum opening deposit for CDs is $1,000, which is higher than many comparable CDs on the market.

No physical branches: TAB Bank does not have physical branch locations for customers to visit, which could be a drawback for banking customers who prefer face-to-face service.

Customer service and mobile banking experience

TAB Bank representatives can be reached via telephone at (800) 355-3063 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mountain), Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Mountain) on Saturdays. Federal holidays are excluded. The bank also offers an online form you can submit to be contacted via phone or email.

TABs mailing address is: 4185 Harrison Blvd, Ogden, UT 84403.

This bank also offers banking services via its mobile app, which is available for download on both the App Store and Google Play with a rating of 4.7 and 4.4 stars, respectively. Customers can use the app to check account balances, search transactions, transfer funds between accounts, pay bills, deposit checks, and more.

Frequently asked questions

Is TAB Bank FDIC-insured?

Yes, TAB Bank is an FDIC-insured bank that insures deposits to the federal maximum of $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category.

What is TAB Banks routing number?

TAB Banks routing number is 124384657.

When was TAB Bank founded?

TAB Bank was founded in 1998.
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Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project caught this image of Kosmos 482 during one of its last orbits as it passed over Rome, Italy on May 10, 2025. | Credit: Gianluca Masi/The Virtual Telescope Project

A failed Soviet Venus lander's long space odyssey has come to an end.

The Kosmos 482 probe crashed to Earth today (May 10) after circling our planet for more than five decades. Reentry occurred at 2:24 a.m. ET (0624 GMT or 9:24 a.m. Moscow time) over the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta, Indonesia, according to Russia's space agency Roscosmos. Kosmos 482 appears to have fallen harmlessly into the sea.

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That's just one estimate, however; other space agencies and tracking organizations predicted different reentry locations, from the South Asian mainland to the eastern Pacific. It's unclear when or if we'll get a definitive answer to where Kosmos 482 came down.

Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project caught an image of Kosmos 482 during one of its final orbits as it passed over Rome, Italy just before sunrise on May 10. In the photo, the probe is "visible as a trail entering the field of view from the top and pointing to the bottom right corner," Masi wrote on his website. "The picture is the sum of four images, this is why the trail of Cosmos 482 looks dashed."

Earth isn't the planet that Kosmos 482 was supposed to land on. The spacecraft was part of the Soviet Union's Venera program, which sent a fleet of probes to Venus in the 1960s, '70s and early '80s.

Kosmos 482 launched toward Earth's hellishly hot sister planet in 1972, but a problem with its rocket stranded the spacecraft in an elliptical orbit around Earth. For the next 53 years, atmospheric drag pulled the probe down slowly but surely, leading to today's dramatic denouement.

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Most large pieces of space junk  decrepit satellites and spent rocket bodies, for example  break apart during their fiery trips back to Earth, creating artificial meteor showers. It's possible that Kosmos 482 made it down in one piece today, however, given that it was designed to survive a high-speed trip through Venus' thick atmosphere.

Kosmos 482 is about 3.3 feet (1 meter) wide and weighs about 1,190 pounds (495 kilograms). If it didn't break apart during reentry, it likely hit Earth's surface going about 150 mph (240 kph), according to Dutch satellite tracker Marco Langbroek.

In that scenario, "the kinetic energy at impact is similar to that of a 40-55 cm [16 to 22 inches] large (after ablation) meteorite fragment," Langbroek wrote in a blog post recently.

Telescopic images of the Soviet Kosmos 482 Venus descent craft in Earth's orbit, taken by satellite tracker Ralf Vandebergh of the Netherlands, suggest that the probe's parachute may be out. | Credit: Ralf Vandebergh

Related stories:

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 3 big hunks of space junk crash to Earth every day  and it's only going to get worse

 New images of Soviet Venus lander falling to Earth suggest its parachute may be out

 Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem

Kosmos 482's fall draws attention to our planet's growing space junk problem. On average, three sizeable pieces of debris crash back to Earth every day  and that number is only going to go up.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), Earth orbit hosts about 14,240 satellites, 11,400 of which are active. Most of the operational craft belong to SpaceX's Starlink broadband megaconstellation, which currently consists of about 7,200 satellites but is growing all the time.

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Other megaconstellations are under construction as well. For example, Amazon just launched the first big batch of spacecraft for its Project Kuiper broadband network, which will eventually harbor 3,200 satellites, if all goes according to plan. And rockets have lofted satellites for two different Chinese megaconstellations, each of which is designed to host at least 13,000 spacecraft.

"With the increasing space traffic, we expect that reentry frequencies increase further in the future," ESA officials wrote in a Kosmos 482 blog post.

The risk of injury or property damage from each individual reentry is very small, given that much debris burns up in the air and the pieces that don't usually come down in the ocean or on unoccupied land. But as the reentry volume goes up, so too do the odds of a destructive impact.

There are other potential consequences as well. For instance, researchers are calling attention to the pollution created by reentering satellites, which could damage Earth's ozone layer and also affect our planet's climate.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:10 p.m. ET on May 10 to state that tracking organizations predicted several different possible reentry locales for Kosmos 482.
In moments of crisis or uncertainty, free societies are tempted to hand their problems to a strong mansomeone who promises swift, decisive action when the slow machinery of constitutional delegation feels too unwieldy.

Economist F.A. Hayek warned, The principle that the end justifies the means ... becomes necessarily the supreme rule ... It is the general demand for quick and determined government action that is the dominating element in the situation.

We are watching that impulse unfold in real time, as the executive branch imposes, retracts, and reimposes tariffs with the flick of a tweet. One day, theyre aimed at Chinas trade practices; the next, theyre a tool to fight fentanyl, fund tax cuts, or create jobs. The justification shifts  but the power flows in one direction: unchecked.

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Whether tariffs are the right policy tool is a different question from whether the executive is the right branch to decide when and how to use them. A tariff is simply a tax on imports, inescapably passed on to consumers.

Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution says Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises and to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations. The question is, what are the limits of the authority Congress delegated to the executive, and should emergency powers be used to implement tax policy?

President Trump is hardly the first to flex executive power. President Biden tried to forgive hundreds of billions in student debt by executive fiat  authority the Supreme Court said he didnt have. President Obama bypassed Congress entirely, reshaping immigration policy through sweeping executive action. For more than two centuries, presidents have tested the limits of their power.

Andrew Jackson, faced with a Supreme Court ruling he didnt like, refused to enforce it. Even Franklin Roosevelt  whose central planning prompted Hayeks warning  used emergency powers to remake the economy from the top down. The pattern is clear: the more we cheer power when it suits us, the harder it becomes to resist when it doesnt.

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A free society must ask: Should one person hold the power to restructure the global economic order unilaterally?

President Trumps April 2 executive order declared that U.S. trade deficits constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States. The order chronicles U.S. trade policy since 1934 and argues the international post-war system was built on flawed assumptions. The result is a sweeping justification for tariff authorityand an unprecedented use of the word emergency that has already sparked legal challenges.

In response, the president argued that judges have no authority to review his emergency declaration.

Tariffs are now portrayed as an economic panacea, but when power is concentrated in one person, there is no one to challenge those conclusions. As Proverbs warns, The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.

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The executive order conflates correlation with causation, relying on flawed premises to justify a predetermined conclusion. There was no argument, no competing analysis, no hearingjust a decision handed down from the top.

In effect, the executive branch launched a trade war against allies and adversaries with no vote, no debate, and no public process.

Even worse, proximity to power invites the kind of abject groveling that produces arbitrary carve-outs, exemptions, waivers, and favors. Yes, the legislative branch is messy but its committees, fiscal notes, and public testimony provide at least some transparency and safeguards against favoritism and corruption. Thats a world apart from one persons gut instinct driving tax policy.

In response to this chaos, members of Congress have introduced the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would require the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of imposing tariffs. Without congressional approval, those tariffs would automatically expire after 60 days.

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Other proposals to put Congress back in the drivers seat on tax policy and limit emergency powers have also been introduced. Mountain States Policy Center recently joined a letter to Congress encouraging action on these constitutional safeguards. These proposals are a necessary reminder: policymaking belongs to the legislative branch.

Those applauding the presidents actions because they prefer the results should ask themselves: What happens when the next president uses the same authority for goals they oppose? Imagine a future president declares housing costs a national emergency and imposes a 2% rent cap nationwide. Is that an acceptable use of executive power, or does it depend on whose hand is on the lever?

The glacial pace of our government is a feature of the system, not a bug. Deliberation, debate, and limits arent flaws  theyre the point. In fear or frustration, humans prefer to trade freedom for order, process for speed, and law for force. But barriers around power protect us from ourselves.

Separation of powers isnt a bureaucratic inconvenienceits a wall between liberty and coercion. When we bypass the measured legislative process for the rapid decisiveness of the strong man, we invite authoritarian rule. Under central planning, economic damage builds, frustration grows, and the public demands even more power in fewer hands  a vicious cycle Hayek warned against.

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As he wrote, We shall never prevent the abuse of power if we are not prepared to limit power in a way which occasionally may prevent its use for desirable purposes.

We cannot defend freedom with the tools of central planning or by becoming what we once resisted. A free and virtuous society is not steered by the wisdom of one, but by the knowledge of many.

If we fail to limit power when we like the outcome, well have no defense when we dont.

Amber Gunn is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at mountainstatespolicy.org.
May 9Editor's note: This story includes discussion and descriptions of a child's suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States.

Sarah Niyimbona was "love, light, talent and potential," her family remembered in an interview last week. But after months of anguish and loneliness, the 12-year-old girl took her own life on the warm spring evening of April 13 by jumping from the fourth floor of a parking garage at the hospital where she was being treated for mental health challenges.

Her death has left her family grief-stricken and angry, and her caregivers at Providence Sacred Heart Children's Hospital devastated. It also has raised major questions about how a girl with so many warning signs could have left her room.

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Her mother, Nasra Gertrude, wants to know how Sarah was able to slip out of her monitored hospital room, ride an elevator, walk to the parking garage and jump from the structure near Seventh Avenue and Bernard Street.

She recalled being told to hurry to Sacred Heart. When she arrived, she burst into Sarah's room to hold her child for the last time.

"I ask what happened," Gertrude told The Spokesman-Review. "How come she left the room without anybody seeing her? How come she walk all the way to the elevator without anybody seeing her?"

Answers to those questions are at the heart of an ongoing investigation by the Washington state Department of Health and an internal inquiry by Sacred Heart.

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But such details won't be publicly disclosed until the investigation concludes, according to DOH. And Providence Sacred Heart leadership has declined interview requests, citing patient privacy laws and a pending lawsuit.

News of Sarah's suicide was first reported by InvestigateWest.

Gertrude blames the hospital for Sarah's death. She had been under its care since January.

"I feel like they neglect my daughter and they neglect me. I feel like they were tired seeing Sarah there, so they didn't care about looking after her all the time," she said.

In a brief statement, Providence wrote: "We are heartbroken about the tragedy that occurred at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Safe, compassionate care is always our top priority. We believe that Sacred Heart Medical Center provides compassionate and thoughtful care to our patients in alignment with our mission and values. We extend our deepest sympathy to the patient's loved ones."

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Attorney Matt Conner, who represents Gertrude, said the family looks forward to seeing the results of the investigation. The DOH issued what's called an immediate jeopardy notice to Sacred Heart the week of April 28.

Immediate jeopardy occurs when a medical provider's noncompliance has "placed the health and safety of recipients in its care at risk for serious injury, serious harm, serious impairment or death," according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Hospitals have 23 days to fix conditions that caused CMS to issue an immediate jeopardy notice. In the case of Sacred Heart, investigators said the hospital quickly implemented a safety plan addressing the issues raised.

If hospitals fail to fix the problems, CMS can suspend that hospital's participation status. In the case of Sacred Heart, suspending or ending participation in Medicaid and Medicare would erase 77% of its revenue and cripple the largest health care provider in Eastern Washington.

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"This was a needless tragedy. We will be initiating litigation shortly," Conner said Wednesday.

Sarah's secret pain

Gertrude is a single mother of six children between the ages of 3 and 19. A native of the Congo, she escaped her home country in the 1990s as a refugee during the genocide in neighboring Rwanda. She lived in Tanzania until immigrating to Spokane in 2010. She came with no other family except young children.

Sarah was born to Gertrude in the United States in 2012. Her father had not been present in her life and now lives in Kentucky, according to Gertrude.

The family lived in a Spokane apartment until displaced by a fire. They eventually moved in 2023 to Cheney where the cost of living is lower.

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Before the move, Gertrude described Sarah as a happy child.

"Sarah loved everybody. She was a friend. She was welcoming. When she sees you, she wants to know where you come from. She wants to know you. Wanted," she said.

But at Cheney Middle School, Sarah complained of being bullied. Children would call her ugly and big. A giraffe. She would fight these students and was suspended several times, according to Gertrude.

In a statement, Cheney Public Schools officials said they were "deeply saddened" by Sarah's death.

"As we mourn this loss, we continue to focus on supporting our students, staff, and families throughout our school community," district spokesperson Jenna Larson said in a statement.

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Starting last fall, Sarah would often wrap a scarf around her arm. She told her mom it was a fashion statement.

One day, Gertrude forced Sarah to remove the scarf, revealing numerous scars from where Sarah had been cutting herself.

Gertrude didn't understand at first. Where she grew up in Africa, she said, the concepts of mental health and being suicidal are not discussed.

"Mental health in my country... Maybe it's there, maybe it is not. I never hear or see a child at Sarah's age going through depression. I never hear or see anybody who killed themselves," she said. "So when I see the cutting, I ask 'What is that?' And they would try, they would try to explain. It was hard for me to click in my mind that this is something very, very serious."

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Gertrude's 19-year-old daughter, Asha Joseph, said she was shocked by Sarah's self-harm. Sitting with her mother, she remembered thinking of her sister as a "sweet, optimistic person" who "found the light out of everything."

But she knew her sister needed help and persuaded Gertrude to call 911. It marked the beginning of the family's engagement with mental health treatment for children. Within six hours, Gertrude said, Sarah was released from the hospital.

Sarah's self-harm behavior quickly escalated to attempting suicide.

According to Gertrude, Sarah was encouraged in this behavior by a 14-year-old girl who lived in the same Cheney apartment complex. After the two attempted to carry out a suicide pact, Sarah was taken back to Sacred Heart and within a few days was admitted to Inland Northwest Behavioral Health, a facility with a 25-bed inpatient psychiatric unit designed for children between the ages of 12 and 17. After a stay of a week or two at INBH, Sarah returned home.

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It didn't take long for Sarah to try again. From October to mid-January, Sarah made "countless" suicide attempts, Gertrude said.

"It was just back and forth. She would come home. Maybe stay a week or two. And then she would attempt and go back to the hospital and might be transferred to INBH for a week or two. Then she comes home and it happens again," she said.

Between October 2024 and her April 13 death, Sarah was admitted to Sacred Heart nine times and transferred to Inland Northwest Behavioral Health four times, Gertrude estimated.

As her access to ways to hurt herself were restricted, Sarah found other means. At one point, she broke a colored pencil and used the wooden shards to cut away at her arms. She swallowed her mother's sleeping medication. She stole cough medicine from a gas station. When admitted for care, Sarah shared with her mother that she tried to jump out of windows and often fantasized about jumping out of the large window in her Sacred Heart hospital room.

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All the while Sarah rotated in and out of the hospital and INBH, Gertrude had to continue working as a full-time home care aid for the elderly to support and care for Sarah and her other children.

"I was very scared and tired. I didn't know what to do," she said.

In January, Sarah was released from another hold at Sacred Heart into Evangeline's House, a foster care and group home in Spokane run by the Salvation Army. Within two weeks, she attempted suicide by jumping out of a second story window. After that, Gertrude said, Sarah was readmitted to Sacred Heart.

Gertrude said she stopped working by March and applied for paid family and medical leave to better take care of her children and visit Sarah more often. During this time, Gertrude said Sarah's reasons for harming herself often changed.

"She would tell me that she does not know why she's feeling this way. Sometimes she would tell me it is because of friends' bad influence. Sometimes she will tell me that she wants me home. That I work a lot. Sometimes she'll say, 'I want my dad in my life. I want to see my dad when my dad is not in my life,' " Gertrude said.

Sarah also told her she worried about inflicting financial hardship on the family.

Gertrude said Sarah once found several hospital invoices that detailed the cost of treatment. The family's sudden onslaught of medical bills was a source of great anxiety for the 12-year-old, and Gertrude made it a point to try and hide the medical notifications and assure her that hospital stays and treatment elsewhere would be taken care of by the government.

"I would tell her, let me worry about it. I know you need help, and those bills is not your problem at all," she told Sarah.

Clamoring for care

Sarah's extended stay at Sacred Heart is the outcome of a mental health system that is failing to match the needs of a growing number of children. Often a safety net for those with nowhere else to turn, hospitals such as Sacred Heart are not set up to care for children needing psychiatric care for weeks or months.

"Hospitals are acute settings. The goal in an acute setting is stabilization so that you can step to that next place. Residential inpatient treatment is set up to feel a little more homey. A place where you can be a long time," said Washington State Hospital Association Director of Behavioral Health Brittany Weiner.

Sacred Heart did have its own 24-bed inpatient child psychiatric unit until last year, claiming that a shortage of child psychiatrists, high costs and a low number of patients made the medical offering unnecessary. The hospital instead agreed to send people who qualify for such care to INBH if they are outside the scope of enhanced outpatient services.

During the final months of Sarah's stay at Sacred Heart, INBH had such bed capacity. But Sarah, it was determined, needed something different.

So her care team and mother tried to find Sarah an appropriate facility better able to help her.

Such facilities have what are called Children's Long-Term Inpatient Programs, or "CLIP beds," considered the most intensive inpatient psychiatric treatment available. The average stay at one of these facilities is nine months, but the goal is to return the child to their home as soon as possible. CLIP is a publicly funded Washington state program that is supported by Medicaid, the federal and state government insurance program.

"CLIP is a course of psychiatric treatment with a focus on stabilization and skill development/acquisition that aims to reintegrate children and youth back to their homes, families, communities, or long-term supportive environments, as soon as deemed clinically appropriate," the website reads.

These facilities are available to children between the ages of 5 and 17. Children ages 13 and older can be involuntarily held at a CLIP facility for up to 180 days via a court order. But any child 12 and younger must be voluntarily admitted to the treatment program, which has four facilities in Washington totaling 109 beds. There's one in Eastern Washington, but Spokane's Tamarack Center is a small facility with only 16 beds available at any one time.

With how limited CLIP beds are, children in need of them often languish for weeks or months awaiting availability.

During her three-month stay at Sacred Heart, the hospital's care team found Sarah an open CLIP bed in one of the facilities in the Seattle area. Though the family was interested, Gertrude said, they passed on the opportunity. Gertrude said she couldn't arrange for an ambulance and was unable to take Sarah herself because of her responsibility toward her other children.

So Sarah continued to stay at Sacred Heart.

Options run out

Sarah's death has spurred criticism of the decision to close Sacred Heart's Psychiatric Center for Children and Adolescents, which provided intensive care that may have been more clinically appropriate for Sarah than a stay in a room in the children's hospital.

"This tragic suicide, less than eight months after closing the Providence Sacred Heart Psychiatric Unit for Children and Adolescents, raises major questions about access to the specialized care and treatment that adolescents with mental health issues need and deserve," said David Keepnews, the executive director of the Washington State Nurses Association, which represents the unionized nurses at Providence. "That unit provided much-needed services to Eastern Washington communities. Serious concerns about closing the unit were voiced by nurses and healthcare workers, community members and, notably, by former patients and their families."

The decision to close the unit was driven by its high cost amid wider financial challenges at the hospital. Sacred Heart had $175.5 million in operating losses in 2023, according to the state Department of Health, though the children's psychiatric unit was losing about $2 million a year, per the closure announcement last year.

Inland Northwest Behavioral Health is meant to provide capacity for the patients who otherwise would have received care at the Sacred Heart psychiatric center. At the time, INBH spokesperson Jamie Valdez said the organization had the capacity to care for the influx of patients.

Sarah was transferred to INBH at least four times with stays from a few days to more than a week, Gertrude said. During Sarah's three-month stay at Sacred Heart, there was at least one instance when INBH refused to accept Sarah, her mother claims.

Gertrude did note Sarah appeared to be improving in the weeks leading up to her death.

Sarah's sister said that she improved the most when she was treated at INBH.

"She really enjoyed INBH. They had a lot of kids there. But where she was in Sacred Heart, she did not get to socialize with a lot of kids. It felt like she's the only person that would always feel constantly alone. She doesn't have anyone to really talk to her. So it was hard," Joseph said.

Valdez had agreed to an interview this week but changed course and instead emailed a written statement.

The spokesperson also noted INBH could not comment on Sarah's case because of patient privacy laws.

Sarah's death

For much of her extended stay at Sacred Heart, Sarah had a "designated sitter" who would be in her pediatric hospital room or just outside at all times. About a week before her death, that regimen was changed to someone checking on her every 15 minutes, according to Gertrude.

Whenever Gertrude visited Sarah, an alarm would ring when the door opened.

Sacred Heart spokeswoman Beth Hegde declined to comment on any specifics surrounding Sarah's case, but when asked generally about locked rooms in the children's hospital, she said there are none.

Some rooms, she said, are outfitted with door alarms or bed alarms.

Gertrude said she last saw Sarah alive when she visited her on April 10. They spoke again over the phone two days later, on April 12. During the visit and again during the call, Sarah described frustrations with hospital staff for invading her personal space and expressed a desire to come home. Gertrude said she promised to broach the subject at a meeting about her care the following week.

"Mom, I want to come home. I don't like it here. I'm tired of being here," Gertrude remembers her daughter saying.

The next day, on April 13 at approximately 5:30 p.m., Sarah left her room, rode the elevators and crossed a skybridge to the parking garage where many expectant parents go for easy access to the maternity ward. Moving across the fourth floor, Sarah overlooked the garage's entrance on Bernard Street. From that southwestern edge, she jumped onto the concrete four stories below.

Police tape remnants were still tied to a sign at the parking garage entrance this week.

When interviewed for this story more than a week after Sarah's death, Gertrude said she still did not know which parking garage her daughter jumped from or where she landed. During the interview, she said she perused social media trying to find the location.

"I want to know where she jumped, because that place  it's gonna stay in my heart forever. I want to be taking flowers there all the time," Gertrude said.

Two 911 calls were made in the minutes after Sarah's fall  both from Sacred Heart security workers. Sarah survived the initial impact and can be heard wheezing in the background of one 911 call. The security guards tell Sarah not to try to stand on her broken body as one cradled her and spoke with a 911 dispatcher.

Within minutes, Sarah was taken to Sacred Heart's emergency room just around the corner.

Her mother paused every few words as she cried and described how she held her daughter telling her to wake up, praying to God to heal her.

In the days after her suicide, a Providence representative called Gertrude with condolences.

Gertrude asked the pressing questions: "How come she left the room without anybody seeing her? How come she walks all the way to the elevator in the open without you seeing her?"

She felt some people grew weary of Sarah after all those months, and that perhaps led to carelessness in her oversight.

"They haven't given me any answer at all. I trusted this hospital to take care of my daughter," she said. "My heart got a little peace. At least I can go to work without receiving a 911 call that Sarah had attempted or was taken to the hospital. At least I can sleep. At least I don't have to worry about Sarah much because I know she's in safe hands. I trusted this hospital."
BOSTON (SHNS)  American-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost made history Thursday.

Prevost, who grew up in the south Chicago suburbs and steadily rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church on three continents, became the first American to be elected pontiff.

He took the name Pope Leo XIV after the 133 College of Cardinals members elected him, on the second day of balloting at the Sistine Chapel, to succeed Pope Francis, who died the day after Easter.

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Pope Leo, 69, becomes just the 48th pope (out of 266) who is not Italian, the first pope from America and only the second from the Western Hemisphere following Pope Francis, who was from Argentina.

According to the National Catholic Reporter, By selecting an American, the cardinals have defied conventional wisdom that a man from the United States would never ascend the throne of St. Peter as long as the U.S. was a superpower.

Joe Donnelly, the former Indiana senator who served as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican from 2022 to 2024, described the former cardinal as incredibly smart in a conversation with State Affairs on Tuesday.

Whats important for him as well is hes been viewed as really competent financially, which is important to keep the books right, Donnelly said. In this world of culture wars, he [Pope Leo] had seemed to have the amazing ability of having folks think that, in his heart, hes really with us. And the way he was able to do that was not by saying much about the cultural wars.

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The faithful and political elite from around the U.S. on Thursday praised the appointment.

President Donald Trump wrote on social media: It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said, I join Catholics around the world in congratulating Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope. At this consequential moment, may his leadership be marked by deep compassion, humility, and a commitment to peace as we build on the legacy of Pope Francis.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called it a historic moment in a written statement: Hailing from Chicago, Pope Leo XIV ushers in a new chapter that I join those in our state welcoming in a time when we need compassion, unity, and peace.

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Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston, told State Affairs that the new pope has been very forceful in speaking on the matter of building climate resilience, a stance Suarez-Orozco expects will continue.

The university chancellor added that, as an Argentinian-American himself, he is excited to have another double American as pope.

Lets baptize him as double American, because hes American by birth, but he chose to become a Peruvian citizen. So hes doubly American, Suarez-Orozco said. Im doubly American  Im Argentinian, but I became American by choice. So when I saw that he had been chosen as the Holy Father, I said, We have a double American pope.

Suarez-Orozco added, I think this bodes very well for us, the Hispanics in the United States and for Americans more generally.

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Heres what others from around the nation said:

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine: Fran and I are joyous upon the selection today of our new Pope  Pope Leo the XIV. As a member of the Augustinian order, he has lived a life of service, building communities through the commandment of loving our neighbors. 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. 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.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted on X: Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, our first American Pope. I join Catholics around the world in praying for him as he embarks on this remarkable journey to lead the Church.

U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., posted on X: I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Pope Leo XIV. Im praying for him as he assumes this position of spiritual leadership. May God grant him the compassion and courage needed to lead during these difficult times.

U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts posted on X: It is an honor that Pope Leo XIV hails from the United States. We are reminded by his urging for the world to build bridges  that what unites us is stronger than what divides us. I hope to one day meet and have an audience with him to discuss the most urgent issues of our time.

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio: As a lifelong Catholic and proud Great Laker, I am deeply moved to witness the astounding selection of Pope Leo XIV from Chicagos South Side.  His faith, humility, working class spirit, and heartland values will inspire countless millions. This is a true moment of grace for our nation, our Great Lakes region, and the world. May the Saints be praised.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom:  In his first address, he reminded us that God loves each and every person. We trust that he will shepherd us through the best of the Churchs teachings: to respect human dignity, care for the poor, and wish for the common good of us all.  In a fractured world, we pray his voice becomes a bridge  between faiths, nations, and beliefs  and a force for peace rooted in our shared humanity.

Former President Barack Obama posted 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.

Catholic Charities Boston: In his opening remarks, Pope Leo XIV pledged to build bridges through dialogue and come together as one people. His leadership arrives at a pivotal point for a world in need of a unifier who will carry on Pope Francis legacy to preserve peace and restore human dignity to the most vulnerable members of society. We pray that His Holiness be blessed with the strength and wisdom to guide with compassion and continue to advocate for those whom Catholic Charities Boston is humbled to uplift through our mission to welcome and serve all those in need.

Archbishop Richard Henning of the Archdiocese of Boston: With great joy we received the news from Rome: habemus papam! 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. 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.

Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger of the Archdiocese of Detroit: It is with deep joy and gratitude to God that I join the faithful around the world in celebrating the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV.  Pope Leo XIVs election leaves me exceptionally joyful, and I must humbly acknowledge that I did not anticipate a United States citizen would be elected Pope. His lifetime of ministry includes many years of ministry as a bishop in Peru, giving him a thorough understanding of South America. Moreover, his close association with Pope Francis, history of charitable efforts for the poor and marginalized, extensive prior experience in the Vatican, and personal humility are all qualities that perhaps focused the light of Christ upon him for his brother Cardinals to see.

Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas, told the National Catholic Reporter that he was floored, stunned and full of hope for Prevosts election as pope.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Families First Fest Western Mass took place Saturday afternoon at Brightwood Elementary School.

Local officers graduate from Municipal Police Training Committee Academy

The event featured a variety of activities for children of all ages, including face painting, arts and crafts, a photo booth, and a magic show. Many local organizations were also in attendance, holding raffles and providing resources to parents.

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Families First is an organization that works with parents to positively impact the lives of children within the community.

Were trying to build community and parents together as a cohesive unit in the region, said Israel Rivera, Regional Director of Families First in Western Massachusetts. Its one thing in the community to offer programs for kids and the youth, its another thing to offer programs for parents.

This is the second year Families First Fest has been held, and the first year it was held at Brightwood. The organization hopes to continue raising awareness and expanding this event in the future.

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 family of the 2-year-old U.S. citizen who was deported with her mother to Honduras last month, voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit against the Trump administration, one of the attorneys who represents the family told ABC News.

"Given the traumatizing experiences the families have been through, they are taking a step back to have full discussions about all their options, the safety and well-being of their children, and the best ways to proceed so the harms they have suffered can be fully addressed," attorney Gracie Willis said.

PHOTO: In this Feb. 24, 2025, file photo, a Federal agent is photographed as ICE conduct raids on a local tire shop business in Colony Ridge, Texas. (Raquel Natalicchio//Houston Chronicle via Getty Images, FILE)

"They are voluntarily dismissing this case to give themselves space and time to consider all the options that are available to them," she added.

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Last month, a federal judge said he had a strong suspicion that the Trump administration deported a 2-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras "with no meaningful process."

PHOTO: Demonstrators hold up signs condemning ICE and DOGE at a rally in Foley Square in New York, May 10, 2025. (Bing Guan/Reuters)

MORE: Trump administration deported 2-year old US citizen 'with no meaningful process,' judge says

The U.S. citizen, identified in the filings as "V.M.L," was initially detained with her mother and sister, who both lacked legal status to be in the United States, at a routine immigration check-in in New Orleans last month. After the father of the 2-year-old learned that his family was detained, his lawyer called immigration officials to inform them that V.M.L. is a U.S. citizen and could not be deported, according to court documents.

Before the court responded to the habeas petition and a motion for a temporary restraining order, the 2-year-old, along with her mother and sister, were deported to Honduras, according to court filings.

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In response to the motion, lawyers with the Department of Justice said it was in the best interest of the minor that she remain in legal custody of her mother and that she was not at "risk of irreparable harm because she is a U.S. citizen."

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty had scheduled a hearing in the case for May 16.

"The ACLU dropped its lawsuit on the false claims that DHS deported a U.S. citizen," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Saturday.

PHOTO: In this Sept. 5, 2019, file photo, an ICE agent badge is shown in Revere, Mass. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald via MediaNews Group via Getty Images, FILE)

MORE: Video Trump faces tough questions over upholding the US constitution

"The truth is, and has always been, that the mother -- who was in the country illegally -- chose to bring her 2-year-old with her to Honduras when she was removed. The narrative that DHS is deporting American children is false and irresponsible," she added.

Family of 2-year-old deported US citizen dismisses suit against Trump administration originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  Lots of students crossed the stage today at Columbus State University, but these non-traditional students have a unique story.

Angelica and Ferrell Strange gathered their masters degrees in Organizational Leadership in what some would call an amazing feat for the married couple.

Angelica Strange, a student, mother and active-duty soldier, encouraged her husband Ferrell to get their degrees as a team effort.

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I feel like I could have still accomplished it. Ferrell Strange said. But I feel like my wife pushing me and nagging at me is the reason why I ended up taking four classes at once full term because I wanted to graduate with her.

Angelica would call it something else.

Yeah, I guess nagging is a word. I just wanted to push him. I wanted to push him and I wanted to push us. To do things that made us uncomfortable. To do the hard things. And when you get to doing it you realize its not as hard as you thought.

Another factor in their joined success  their two children, 11-year-old daughter, Allana and 4-year-old son, Elijah.

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We are first generation college graduates, Masters graduates. And its just setting a standard for our children, Angelica said. We definitely want them to exceed where we have gone. I have even told my kids, my son is only four so he doesnt really understand. I told my daughter now you have to get a doctorate because you have to be better than us.

Although Ferrell left the Army a few years ago, Angelica remains in the Army Medical Service Corps. She had a Green to Gold slot at Columbus State, which means she has now been commissioned as Army officer after 11 years in the enlisted ranks.

The Stranges hope their unique story will encourage their children to exceed in school and beyond.

2025 Graduates of CSU

Columbus State University also awarded more than 1,000 masters and undergraduate degrees across its four colleges and the Honors College this morning.

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More than 83% of the spring class is from Georgia, with the top five counties for graduates being Muscogee, Harris, Gwinnett, Fulton and DeKalb.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
The last time tariffs became the issue of the day was a decade ago. My dad was still farming, but getting older. My sister was working with him more, thinking about how to keep our farm going while caring for her growing family. Card games with Grandma were the same as theyd always been, her refusal to let us win offering a lesson in how the world plays for keeps.

It was a fitting lesson: Global trade disputes were about to prove farms were more vulnerable than ever.

If the threat of trade disputes feels familiar, its because were living it again  only now the stakes are even higher. And as President Trump weighs tariffs against hundreds of countries, its clearer than ever what we need to do next: negotiate a new era of trade deals that will finally put Americas family farms first.

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The last time we faced a moment like this was not long after Trump became the front-runner of the GOP primary in 2015, promising then as now to stop the world from ripping off America.

Trump's tariff talk reminds us of his first term

Farms were already headed for trouble. Production of beef, pork, chicken, milk and row crops of all kinds was rising, but by 2018 demand had levelled off for many products. Fickle markets once again meant lower prices and hard times for farmers.

That spring, Trump slapped worldwide tariffs on China and other countries, saying hed force our largest trading partner to its knees.

Economists had long acknowledged China was messing with farmers  buying up goods to make them captive then dropping sales to depress prices, on top of all kinds of cheating  but what to do about it was a matter of debate.

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Hicks: A Trump recession would hit Trump's voters hardest

Polling at the time showed farmers willing to accept the short-term pain of foreign retaliation for the long-term gain of better trade deals. But they also faced consequences: The administration ultimately gave out $28 billion in aid to farmers affected by falling sales.

Eventually, trade under Trump and former President Joe Biden returned to normal other than with China. Improving prices heading into 2020 gave farmers more breathing room, and America forgot what had happened to our farms.

In farm country, however, we didnt forget.

My dad and I walked a neighboring farm together as the family working it prepared to sell all they had. I talked with farm families whose kids I went to school with, as they fought to keep from losing everything. We drove through farmland marked by one farm after another disappearing.

How do farmers adapt? Seize the moment.

The situation today is messy, charged with challenge and opportunity for farmers, and youll get a range of views on what to do.

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After ratcheting up tariffs on countries worldwide, the Trump administration has paused them to give countries a chance to negotiate and says a deal with China is close.

The talk of completing trade deals comes as the stock market has swung up and down and farmer support for tariffs has begun to slip.

I called my sister, the fourth generation in a long line of independent women forging a path forward for our farm, to see what she thinks. She couldnt have exemplified the issue better.

Hicks: Indiana factories are about to speed up automation  and job cuts

Malia was building a chicken tractor  a mobile wagon that will allow us to sell eggs from pasture-raised chickens to local customers  in between preparing to plant row crops that are often sold on the world market.

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She thinks that we had to draw a hard line on unfair trade, and that were better off if we can be self-sufficient by growing our own food. At the same time, she knows we cant produce everything and thinks selling excess American goods abroad makes sense. A good trade deal, she said, is one that has a clear benefit for American farmers.

And that means there is really only one path: Seize the moment to make better deals.

There are ways to do this. Negotiating with one country at a time on one product at a time, as the Farm Journal Foundation economist Stephanie Mercier has suggested, would allow America to avoid the trade-offs of large deals (new markets in some places, a flood of unwanted imports from others). Targeted trade also increases Americas leverage with each country. And we need to diversify where were trading, so no one country can hold us hostage.

The alternatives are unfair trade or no trade, and neither is an option for the American farmer.

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If Grandma were here, I think shed say its high time for a re-deal.

Brian Reisinger is a writer who grew up on a family farm in Sauk County, Wisconsin. He contributes columns and videos for the Ideas Lab at the Journal Sentinel, where this column originally appeared. He is the author of "Land Rich, Cash Poor: My Familys Hope and the Untold History of the Disappearing American Farmer." Reisinger works in public affairs consulting for Wisconsin-based Platform Communications. He splits his time between Sacramento, California  Americas farm-to-fork capital, near his wifes family  and the family farm in Wisconsin. You can find him on X: @BrianJReisinger

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Farmers need deals to end Trump's trade war | Opinion
Agrivoltaics is reshaping the agriculture industry, benefitting farmers and the planet.

According to The Appalachian Voice, agrivoltaics is when land is used for agriculture and solar farming. With solar panels raised off the ground, this brilliant system allows land to pull double duty.

For a long time, there has been tension between the agriculture and solar industries. Solar farms take up land that could be used for agriculture. In some situations, farmers were forced off their land to make room for solar, destroying their livelihood.

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Agrivoltaics eliminates this problem. Farmers can keep farming, and solar panels can produce energy that doesn't contribute to pollution.

Burning dirty energy sources releases harmful carbon pollution, which raises the Earth's temperature and accelerates the changing climate. Solar energy is a green alternative, providing energy without pollution.

Not only can farmers continue to use the land for agriculture, but they can also make more money.

Cody Moore, a sheep-grazing farmer in Tennessee, explains, "If it weren't for these solar farms, there would be no way I could do this  There's just no other way."

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He pointed out that combining the profits of solar with farming takes "some of the volatility out of the agricultural market." Agrivoltaic setups protect farmers' livelihoods while giving them a new, more stable source of income.

Solar companies, like EnergySage, benefit too. Farmers maintain the land, ensuring the panels aren't blocked by overgrown vegetation. Technically, the sheep and cattle take care of that with their snacking.

It's not just grazing sheep and cattle. Beekeeping farms, greenhouses, and crop farms can all operate with solar panels above them. The panels are raised high enough for plants to get all the sunshine they need.

Agrivoltaics is a win for farmers, solar companies, and the whole planet. Even the land wins.

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Jess Gray, the CEO of Gray's LAMBscaping, a solar grazing farm, told TAV: "I wish more people would recognize that dual-use solar is a fantastic idea because we're getting clean energy but also taking time and almost letting the field be fallow again."

The InSPIRE agrivoltaics map shows 599 sites across 64,689 acres of farmland, producing 10,310 megawatts of power. That's enough to power over one million homes. But there is plenty more land that could be used for agrivoltaics.

According to Silo, Texas, Montana, and Kansas have the most farmland, holding over 25% of all U.S. farmland. Texas has six agrivoltaics installations, Montana has two, and Kansas has zero. On the other hand, states like Minnesota and Massachusetts have dozens.

There are over 1.8 million U.S. farms across 876 million acres. If every farmer adopted agrivoltaics, it could theoretically power most or all U.S. homes.

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Elon Musk has even said, "If you wanted to power the entire United States with solar panels, it would take a fairly small corner of Nevada or Texas or Utah  You only need about 100 miles by 100 miles (6.4 million acres)," per Inovateus.

Gray highlighted, "It's about getting people to understand that agriculture changes, and it's supposed to change  It doesn't have to look the way it did when your grandparents started farming."

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.
Change is coming to security at Mars Area School District.

The district is ending its longtime contract with Adams Township police. The change affects two resource officers: one at the high school and one at the middle school.

I was actually a little shocked, Taylor Ellis said. Shes a Mars graduate and sibling of a current student. When I was in middle school, high school, I recall there being a lot of bomb threats and everything. So, an Adams Township police presence was really important.

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The school district established its own police force in 2019. Its made up of three school police officers and two Adams Township officers. Overall, Adams has been involved with the district since 2012.

In the 2025-26 school year, Adams Township officers wont be there.

I think, for me, the connection the kids have with law enforcement in the area, thats huge, Ellis said.

The change was briefly mentioned at this weeks school board meeting when talking about next years budget. District leaders are creating a new security director position to replace the officers.

The Adams Township Police Association weighed in on its Facebook page, saying in part:

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The men and women of our police association are deeply disappointed by this decision [...] The relationships and bonds formed with the students, staff and School Resource Officers throughout this time have not only strengthened our community but have left a lasting impact on our personal lives.

The change comes as the area grows. According to a 2024 study, the district projects 400 more students by 2030. The district also approved a nearly $25 million expansion of the elementary schools and is considering a tax increase for a third straight year.

Channel 11 reached out to the superintendent and the school board but did not hear back.

Adams Township supervisors are set to meet Monday at 7 p.m.

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(FOX40.COM)  An elderly man who attempted to sell his car in Northern California was recently targeted in a scam involving a father and son, according to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office.

 Video Above: Scams circulating in California

On Thursday, a Sacramento County resident attempted to sell his vehicle through a private sale. The seller, age 65, was contacted by Gabriel-Stefan Bebe, 41, and his 16-year-old son, who met the resident at his home to purchase it, according to SCSO. While the victim spoke to the 16-year-old, Bebe discreetly sprayed the vehicles engine bay with oil.

California car-buying scam hits Placer and Sacramento County

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Next, he claimed the vehicle had serious mechanical issues, in an attempt to fraudulently drive down the asking price of $10,000. SCSO said the victim reluctantly agreed to sell the car to the duo for $6,000.

When the victim was handed the money, he noticed the 16-year-old remove some of the money using sleight of hand. After he counted the money, he only had $3,800, according to SCSO. Deputies said the victim became wary of their tactics and cancelled the transaction. As the victim attempted to take a photo with his cell phone, the 16-year-old reportedly pushed him while trying to leave. No injuries were reported, and the seller was able to keep his vehicle.

The sheriffs office said it identified the two suspects within hours and arrested them. Bebes son was transported to the Sacramento County Juvenile Hall, while Bebe was taken to the Sacramento County Main Jail. Since then, Bebe posted bond on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on May 12.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  A man from Fayette County pleaded guilty to a federal drug crime involving methamphetamine.

According to a press release from the United States Department of Justice, 39-year-old Daemien Thompson, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Missing Greenbrier County mans death ruled homicide

The press release stated that according to statements made in court, Thompson revealed that he planned to receive and distribute methamphetamine in southern West Virginia with the help of other people from around November 27, 2022, to approximately December 6, 2023.

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Thompson and a co-conspirator sold 446 grams of methamphetamine for $2,600 to a confidential informant on November 27, 2022, the press release stated.

According to the United States Department of Justices press release, Thompson revealed his involvement in the sale, as well as that the co-conspirators sold methamphetamine, normally around one pound or more, at other times to the confidential informant at locations, such as a trailer park in Oak Hill.

Thompsons guilty plea involved him admitting his involvement in controlled buys of high-purity methamphetamine on December 5, 2022, December 14, 2022, and February 2, 2023, totaling around 2.59 pounds of methamphetamine.

West Virginia man arrested in Kentucky for crimes in Texas

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Thompsons sentencing is scheduled for September 12, 2025, and he faces ten years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years of parole, and a $10 million fine.

The press release stated that Thompson is one of four people, all of which pleaded guilty, who were charged by a federal grand jury for allegedly being involved in the drug trafficking conspiracy.

The United States Department of Justice stated that the people involved include:

41-year-old Phillip Gray, of Oak Hill: On April 17, 2025, Gray pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and his sentencing is scheduled for August 8, 2025.

43-year-old Leondus Whittenburg, of Beckley: On March 3, 2025, Whittenburg pleaded guilty to distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 3, 2025.

39-year-old John Gray, of Oak Hill: On September 24, 2024, Gray pleaded guilty to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine and awaits his sentencing.

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The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston, who thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for their work on the investigation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  Since its inception 12 years ago, the Cambria County Backpack Project has partnered with AmeriCorps to meet the mission of serving food-insecure children throughout the area, Executive Director Kristen Villarrial said.

An AmeriCorps member from the local Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps served as the nonprofit's coordinator for years. When funding was secured for a permanent position, the county food program immediately partnered with the service organization again for continued assistance.

"AmeriCorps has been really a crucial part of the backpack project," Villarrial said.

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Despite three decades of assistance throughout the nation, AmeriCorps' future is in jeopardy since President Donald Trump's administration, through the Department of Government Efficiency, eliminated this year's contracts at the end of April.

"It was an abrupt and unforeseen mid-award termination of the PA Mountain Service Corps AmeriCorps grant," PMSC AmeriCorps Program Director Jill Latuch said. "We are hopeful that the courts will intervene; Pennsylvania, along with many other states, has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction.

"We appreciate our AmeriCorps members and community host sites for their dedication during these challenging times. Our PMSC members have been addressing critical needs within our communities for 30 years."

She said the regional group has 77 members serving 47 schools, 10 community wellness sites and 20 environmental stewardship locations.

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Villarrial said without AmeriCorps' help, the backpack project likely wouldn't exist.

AmeriCorps members, who receive a "modest stipend" for their service, join groups in hour-based roles to help in a variety of areas  such as education, disaster, and environmental sites.

More than 200,000 members served in those areas throughout the country in 2025, according to the federally-funded organization.

There are 56 community host sites that are affected by the termination of PMSC this program year.

Additionally, there were 12 more members scheduled to start on May 23 and serve throughout the summer.

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At this time, the local chapter will not be onboarding them, Latuch said.

'Sudden termination'

According to a statement from America's Service Commission, the "sudden termination" may "shutter more than 1,000 programs and prematurely end the service of over 32,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers."

"Terminating nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants with no advanced notice is already having a detrimental impact on the vast network that makes up the national service field in the United States," ASC CEO Kaira Esgate said in the statement.

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"Thousands of people who have steadfastly dedicated their lives to serving their country through AmeriCorps are finding their livelihoods suddenly thrown into jeopardy, and hundreds of communities are losing critical services they rely on."

Villarrial said she and her team are "shocked, worried (and) frustrated" by the situation.

"We've been able to empower these members to serve these communities while addressing undeserved (populations)," she said. "To be honest, we don't know how we'll be able to replace the position if AmeriCorps funding isn't available, or AmeriCorps isn't there anymore."

One potential silver lining is it seems the members are allowed the serve out their terms for now, Villarrial noted.

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The backpack project serves 700 youth weekly with a team of three that includes AmeriCorps member Senda Harvey, and numerous volunteers.

'Continuation of my service'

During the 2023-24 term, the group distributed nearly 87,000 meals to families in almost every school district in Cambria County. Last year the nonprofit opened a second packing and distribution site in Ebensburg Borough to make access easier for those in the county's northern area.

That location is run by Harvey, who is in her first term with AmeriCorps and said she adores the position.

"This project I'm in right now with AmeriCorps is my heart," she said.

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The Ohio native moved to the Johnstown area three years ago while working for Department of Veterans Affairs and seeking to help a family member.

A U.S. Army veteran of 10 years and former teacher, she said she's always wanted to be a service person and when she retired from the VA joining AmeriCorps made perfect sense.

"To me, this is just a continuation of my service to the community," Harvey said.

Finding out the future of the program is in jeopardy was "very disheartening," Harvey said, but she's still hopeful the situation will be resolved positively for the project.

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"In my core, I believe we will be OK," she said. "If there's another term, I want to continue serving with AmeriCorps and the backpack project."

'Initiatives in jeopardy'

One potential route for reinstating the program is the multi-state lawsuit.

"AmeriCorps members serve their fellow Pennsylvanians every day  and the federal government entered into a contract with our commonwealth to hire them for disaster response, veterans services, tutoring for kids, and more," Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote in a May 1 Facebook post. "By dismantling AmeriCorps, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract and putting those critical initiatives in jeopardy.

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"I'm suing to hold them to their word and defend Pennsylvania's rights  and stand up for our seniors, veterans, and students."

The lawsuit alleges that "the 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," according to Democracy Forward  one group that represents the plaintiffs.

AmeriCorps' roots can be traced from the Civilian Conservation Corps to the VISTA program and the Commission on National and Community Service.

'Hardest pill to swallow'

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In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the National Community Service Trust Act that officially created AmeriCorps  to combine "the concepts of volunteerism, civilian service, and education benefits for service" and built on former President George H.W. Bush's commission on service.

The Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps was organized the following year to serve Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties with Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 as the administering agency.

"Since its inception, there have been hundreds of students tutored in math and reading, thousands of seniors and families provided with services that would have otherwise gone undone, hundreds of after school and educational activities presented to at-risk youths, hundreds of miles of water tested and cleaned up, thousands of volunteer hours generated and a unique collaborative effort of community organizations formed," according to PMSC information.

Villarrial said if AmeriCorps can no longer serve the backpack project, the board of directors will have to develop a contingency plan, which is already being discussed.

That may include hiring another coordinator. That outcome would negatively impact the group's finances and possibly result in fewer children being served, she said.

"That's the hardest pill to swallow," Villarrial said. "The hardest hit are the ones who need it."
A federal judge has issued a two-week pause on the Trump administrations mass layoffs across the federal government, ruling that the effort to fire of thousands of workers and entirely eliminate some agencies cannot proceed for now.

The plaintiffs behind the lawsuit, which include nonprofits, labor unions and multiple cities and counties, argued that the president does not have the power to radically restructure and dismantle the federal government without congressional authorization.

In a late-Friday order, Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California agreed. She instituted a 14-day pause on reductions in force until May 23.

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The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch, she wrote, pointing out that Trump had urged Congress to pass legislation to approve such broad changes in his first term.

Illston, a Bill Clinton appointee, wrote that no statute authorizes the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget or Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency to carry out mass terminations or restructuring.

Such action is far outside the bounds of any authority that Congress vested in OPM or OMB, and, as noted, DOGE has no statutory authority whatsoever, she wrote.

The White House did not immediately respond to NBC News request for comment.

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The Trump administration has sought to dramatically restructure the federal government, largely through Musks DOGE. A flurry of lawsuits that challenge those cuts is making its way through the courts, but Fridays order in this particular case is likely the most significant  if temporary  setback for the administration so far.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving ahead with a plan that would allow Resolution Copper to take ownership of Oak Flat and begin extracting copper on land considered sacred to Apache and other Native peoples.

Judge Steven P. Logan issued the order May 9, two days after hearing the case in U.S. District Court in Phoenix. He ruled that the government cannot publish a final environmental review of a land swap between Resolution and the U.S. Forest Service, which manages a campground at the site 60 miles east of Phoenix.

The order would remain in place until the day after the U.S. Supreme Court declines to take the case or, if it accepts it, rules against grassroots group Apache Stronghold, which filed a lawsuit to stop the exchange in 2021 and sought the temporary delay in the Phoenix court.

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In his decision, Logan wrote that it was "abundantly clear that the balance of equities 'tips sharply' in Plaintiffs favor, and that even in the short term, they have established a likelihood of irreparable harm should the transfer proceed." If the government reissued the environmental impact statement, the land swap could occur within 60 days.

The judge also said Apache Stronghold presented serious questions on the merits of the case that warrant the Supreme Courts careful scrutiny if it takes the case.

Apache Stronghold leader Wendsler Nosie called the decision a blessing.

"It brings us the bright hope that we can get on the path to protect Mother Earth," he told The Arizona Republic.

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Nosie said the long-standing conflict has been long watched not only by Native people but people across the United States and across the world. He said corporations have done immense harm to the Earth with extraction projects and damaged or destroyed places with holy significance.

He hopes that ultimately the project is halted to preserve what he called a vast groundwater deposit stretching across central and eastern Arizona.

"Water is 80% of us and 80% of Mother Earth," he said. "Mother Earth was heard today."

Energy policy: Trump puts Oak Flat copper mine on permitting fast track. Tribes, opponents vow to fight

Mining company cites support, economic benefits

A spokesperson for Resolution Copper saw less significance in the ruling.

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This short-term order simply maintains the status quo pending the Supreme Courts ongoing review, but changes nothing about the merits of the legal issues currently before the Supreme Court," the spokesperson said. "We anticipate the Supreme Court will decide the petition for certiorari soon."

In the meantime, he said, the mining company is evaluating the district courts ruling.

The Resolution Copper mine is vital to securing Americas energy future, infrastructure needs, and national defense with a domestic supply of copper and other critical minerals," the spokesperson said.

He said there is 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.

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"More than a decade of extensive consultation and collaboration with Native American tribes and local communities has directly led to major changes to the mining plan to preserve and reduce potential impacts on tribal, social, and cultural interests," he said.

A lawyer who argued on behalf of Apache Stronghold said protecting the site until all arguments are resolved is critical.

The feds have absolutely no reason to ram through the transfer of Oak Flat while our case is standing on the doorstep of the Supreme Court, said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. This ruling ensures that Oak Flat remains protected as the legal process continues, giving the Supreme Court time to decide if cherished Apache rituals can continue for future generations.

Why Oak Flat has become an energy battleground

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.

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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 about 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive private land farther south, parcels owned by Resolution, a company owned by British-Australian mining corporations Rio Tinto and BHP.

But Oak Flat is held sacred by Apache and other Native peoples. It's also a popular site for recreation and rock climbing and is one of Arizona's remaining undisturbed wetlands. The seeps and springs host wildlife, provide water for the oaks and other plants and offer a haven from Phoenix's brutal summers.

The Trump administration 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 a push to increase domestic production of critical minerals through an executive order issued March 20.

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, the 60-day window opens to complete the land swap and transfer the site to Resolution.

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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.

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.

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 a lawsuit.

Apache Stronghold filed for an emergency injunction on 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.

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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 7, has not yet decided if it will hear the group's appeal.

Fight over deal: Federal court to hear Apache Stronghold plea to halt a land swap for Oak Flat copper mine

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.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Federal judge temporarily halts land swap at Oak Flat copper mine site
The US Postal Service Board of Governors announced Friday that David Steiner, a board member at FedEx, will be the next postmaster general  a move that comes amid concerns the Trump administration will push for privatization of the independent government agency.

Steiner, who also served in leadership roles at Waste Management, will now oversee a mail delivery service that employs 635,000 workers. In a statement Friday, he said he is committed to maintaining the USPSs independence.

I deeply admire the public service and business mission of this amazing institution, and I believe strongly in maintaining its role as an independent establishment of the executive branch, Steiner said.

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Steiners appointment comes after his predecessor, Louis DeJoy, abruptly resigned in late March, a month after he told the board to begin looking for his successor. DeJoy served in the top role for five years, helming the agency through the pandemic, financial losses and elections that saw surges in mail-ballots.

In response to reports earlier this week that Steiner could be named the next postmaster general, Rep. Gerry Connolly, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, warned that Steiners appointment would be a blatant conflict of interest and an attempt by President Trump to install a handpicked loyalist.

Following the boards announcement, Connolly and Government Operations Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Kweisi Mfume said the panel will be keeping a very close eye on the actions of the new Postmaster.

The American people deserve and expect an independent, fair, and accessible Postal Service that operates without prejudice or political influence, the Democrats said in a statement. It is our sincere hope that as Postmaster General, Mr. Steiner will put the interests of the American people and the U.S. Postal Service ahead of any whims or demands of an Administration that has failed to respect the independence of this trusted institution and has instead worked to undermine and privatize Americas mail service.

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Steiner, who said he is looking forward to engaging with unions, is already facing pushback. The National Association of Letter Carriers, a union that represents mail carriers, said earlier this week that Steiners selection would be a conflict of interest given his role at FedEx, one of USPS competitors.

His selection isnt just a conflict of interestits an aggressive step toward handing Americas mail system over to corporate interests, NALC President Brian Renfroe said in a statement Tuesday. Private shippers have been waiting to get USPS out of parcel delivery for years. Steiners selection is an open invitation to do just that.

Steiner will step down from FedExs Board of Directors, USPS said in its announcement. The former executive is expected to formally join the independent agency in July.

President Donald Trump has called for major changes to USPS, which is already several years into a reorganization effort.

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He has floated plans to give Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick oversight of the agency, which is currently overseen by its board of governors, not a Cabinet secretary. The president has also suggested a merger.

Well, we want to have a post office that works well and doesnt lose massive amounts of money, and were thinking about doing that, and it will be a form of a merger, Trump said at Lutnicks swearing-in ceremony in February. Itll remain the Postal Service, and I think itll operate a lot better than it has been over the years.

The move could be a first step towards privatization  a change tech billionaire and White House adviser Elon Musk called for in March.

Before DeJoy departed the agency, he made an agreement with the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency to work with the USPS, focusing on retirement assets and the Workers Compensation Program. In a letter sent in March to Congress announcing the agencys collaboration with DOGE, DeJoy also previewed plans to slash 10,000 employees through a voluntary early retirement program  adding to the roughly 30,000 employees who were cut from the agency since 2021.

CNNs Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Gabe Cohen contributed to this report.

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An abrupt change in Civil Air Patrol leadership has created uncertainty among Fremont CAP families over the past month.

During an April 17 open house for Fremont Civil Air Patrol cadets to share what theyve been learning with the community, senior leadership received a visit from interim Nebraska Wing Commander Col. David E. Plum and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Michalski.

Fremont CAP senior leadership was taken into a training room in the squads Fremont Municipal Airport building where Plum told them that the Fremont squad leaders, Maj. Isaac Piper and Capt. Kameron Graham, were being relieved of their command, and all senior members were asked to hand over their keys to the CAP buildings.

In an email to parents the following morning, Michalski introduced himself as the new commander for the Fremont CAP.

Neither senior leadership nor parents of CAP cadets were given any explanation of why the change was being made, though one senior member of the Fremont CAP who spoke to The Tribune on condition of anonymity reportedly heard Plum reply, because I can, when asked.

Parents seek answers

When news of the change in leadership reached parents of the cadets, they were confused, concerned and wanted answers.

Were dealing with children here and for (Plum and Michalski) to handle things the way theyre doing and claim that there is no wrongdoing on the part of our senior members, which, if I didnt know these people a little bit more personally over this past year that weve been a part of it, I would have been concerned (by) this very rapid, no notice, no warning, just come in and take over and demand keys, said Michelle Martinson, whose daughter has been a Fremont CAP cadet for about a year. What the heck happened? Should I be concerned for the safety my child?Other than assuring parents that their children were never in any danger, the new leadership has kept them in the dark regarding the change, Martinson said.

Parents requested a meeting with new leadership the following Thursday, April 24, to try to get more satisfactory answers, but none were forthcoming.

In a video recording that one of the parents made of the meeting, Michalski can be heard saying, I cannot get into the complete details (about why Fremonts senior leadership was removed). The reason why is because its a personnel matter.

When asked by a parent whether the senior leaders who were relieved of command had been given any official documentation, neither Michalski nor Lt. Col. Roxann Richards, the deputy commander of the Nebraska Wing who was also present, were able to answer that question.

This explanation did not go over well with the parents in attendance, nor did the fact that Plum was not present.

When The Tribune reached out to the Nebraska Wing for a comment, we were directed to Kelly Owens, the senior director of marketing and strategic communications for the national Civil Air Patrol.

While details related to the leadership change cannot be shared due to ongoing internal review, the changes were implemented after serious consideration and deliberation. Our priority is to ensure that programs and services to the community continue with minimal interruption while maintaining adherence to our organizational regulations and core values, Owens wrote in an email.

A lack of communication

The Fremont CAP senior member said that its odd that no one, not even Piper and Graham, have seen any official documentation regarding the decision to remove them from command.

The correct way to do it would have been to tell (Piper and Graham) if there was something that they were doing that Plum didnt like, he should have informed them in writing, even if its an email  This is a problem. This is what needs to be done by this date. And if its not accomplished, heres going to be the corrective action taken, he said. And none of that happened.CAP squadron commanders have four year term limits, but Piper had only been in the job for a little over a year, the senior member said.

The Fremont CAP cadet squadron meets every Thursday at 7 p.m., and so a meeting was on the schedule for the Thursday after that parents meeting on April 24.

That was the one thing I said (at the end of the April 24 meeting), Can we just make an agreement ... that these kids can have their normal meeting with their normal senior officers, because (Piper and Graham have) not been removed from the ability to be volunteers, they just got removed from their roles as leaders, Martinson said. So can we agree to let them come in and continue to teach and let the kids have a normal night and and not have you there interrupting it ... can we agree that you just dont show up, let us have a normal night?

Michalski said that no, he would be in attendance at the May 1 meeting, but he agreed to stand in the background and just leave them alone, be a quiet observer, be a shadow on the wall, Martinson said.

On the afternoon of April 30, the day before the scheduled May 1 meeting, Michalski sent a squadron-wide email informing parents that the next days meeting was canceled due to workers on-site installing an antenna on the roof during the afternoon, which will overlap with our meeting time.

Michalski said he was concerned that the workers presence may cause disruptions or limit access to certain areas, despite the fact that the squadron has use of two buildings at Fremont Municipal Airport and they just as easily could have met in the other building.

Wyatt Aufenkamp, whose son has been a CAP cadet for three years, replied to Michalskis email and asked if the cadets could still come out to the airport and do some physical training outdoors, away from the buildings, maybe play some games with equipment thats locked in the CAP building.

Michalski replied, saying, I dont have any objections  this sounds like a good idea, and said that, Due to the antenna installation, Ill be at the airport until the job is complete. Anyone is welcome to pick up the forms and do the testing for the cadets.

Thursday night, when Aufenkamp went to the CAP building to get the equipment from Michalski, he wasnt there.

I emailed him (Thursday) night, Im like, OK, so, were trying to meet with you, Im trying to pick up the stuff that you told me to come and get, and Ive stopped by several times and you are nowhere to be found, Aufenkamp said. And today, right now (Friday, May 2), I have no reply to that.

A normal cadet meeting

Since Plum did not attend the April 24 meeting and was apparently going to be out of town and unable to attend the May 1 meeting, parents requested another meeting  with Plum  on May 15.

In an April 28 email sent to Plum, Michalski, senior members of the Fremont CAP, parents and the media, Martinson reiterated that the May 1 meeting would be a normal cadet meeting and that Michalski agreed, in front of all parents, that he and new leadership will stand in the background and NOT interact with the cadets unless they initiate.

Martinson also stated that there will not be a meeting on May 8 as there were other activities and conflicts on the schedule already.

Martinson emphasized that no cadets or senior members would be present on May 8 and asked that Plum attend the May 15 meeting, another parent meeting with NO Cadets.

The fact that there was no meeting scheduled for May 8 was made clear in multiple emails that did not receive a reply from Plum or Michalski.

On Wednesday, May 7, in an email timestamped at 1:13 p.m., Michalski wrote that Plum will be in attendance at Fremont Squadron this Thursday, May 8, at 7:00 PM. I understand this is short notice and that there are other prior commitments that evening. However, due to his work schedule, Col. Plum will not be able to attend the meeting on the 15th.

The prior commitment scheduled for the night of May 8 was a going-away celebration in honor of one cadet, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, who is shipping out to Iraq soon and another cadet who is going to U.S. Air Force Basic Training.

In reply to Michalskis email, one parent wrote, Its nice to see that (Plum) has plans to come on a day that there is no meeting, that has been well communicated over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, the community that supports this squadron is hosting an event and OUR Cadets, OUR community, OUR parents, OUR senior members, all plan to be at this event in full force to support this event that was planned well in advance before the hostile take over.

No comment

Shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday evening, The Tribune and a Fremont CAP senior member went to the CAP building at the airport to see if Plum or anyone else had actually shown up. No parents were present, as they were already at the other event that had been scheduled weeks in advance.Plum was in attendance, as was Nebraska Wing Public Information Officer Wilma Gerena.

When The Tribune asked if they could ask Plum a couple of questions, he asked whether the paper had received the statement that was sent.

In fact, The Tribune received two statements, one from Gerena directing us to contact the national CAP and a second one from Owens, the senior director of marketing and strategic communications quoted above, that was essentially the same as the first one she sent.

Neither statement addressed the question posed by The Tribune to both Plum and Michalski, which was, What would you say to parents about their concerns to put them at ease?

Standing in front of Plum, The Tribune repeated that question and was told that that was something that would be addressed at that nights meeting with the parents  the parents who were not in attendance and were not planning to be in attendance.

The Tribune asked why Plum would come to Fremont for this meeting when he knew, thanks to the previously mentioned emails, that no one was going to be there.

At this point, The Tribune was asked to leave.

The Tribune had been invited to attend the squadrons celebration of its two cadets and, while there, described the above encounter to interested parents and senior members.

Upon hearing that Plum had actually come to Fremont, a former senior member who remains close to the squadron decided to leave the event and go to the CAP building at the airport to speak with Plum.

In a video recording of the conversation, the former senior member asked Plum if he could explain why the Fremont commanders, Piper and Graham, had been removed from their positions.

After reiterating that he cant speak about specifics because it is a personnel issues, Plum said their removal was due to a lack of confidence in the leadership.

It comes from the Civil Air Patrol side of, things the squadron needs to be doing, Plum said. It comes from the integrity of what we call logistics or property management. ... Theres some interpersonal issues that happened, not necessarily with me, but happened in general.

Plum continued, Theres all this rhetoric about what happened, it was kneejerk, it was this, it was that. It was not. It was not. This things been in the works for a while. Weve worked to try to solve problems. ... When it came down to it  why did we have to do this?  well, this was the solution we came up with.

The former member asked, if there had been problems, were there clear, defined measurements of what they need to do to correct those problems.

Ill say it this way, when youre the commander of a unit, you have to function within the scope of the regulations of your organization, Plum said. So when those things dont happen, then, OK, why didnt that happen? And when you get no answers or you get answers that may not be the best answers, at some point you run out of options.

Plum also questioned how close the Fremont cadets are to their squadron leadership, saying, If the cadets are truly upset about (the change in leadership), like, why would they, like, people they see two hours a week-ish ... Hey, Ive been a squadron commander, I ran a unit, Ive had cadets that I knew outside (CAP), but we werent that close, so that gives me pause.

One parent at the party said that the Fremont Civil Air Patrol was family and (the new leadership) doesnt seem to understand that.

Unfortunately, the recording cut out after about 35 minutes of what The Tribune was told was more than an hour of conversation.

Uncertainty looms

Back at the party, parents and senior members were left to wonder what their next step would be, while some questioned the viability of the cadet program going forward given all of the uncertainty.

Its a pretty easy way to destroy a group, Aufenkamp said. Were afraid that the kids are just, you know, you miss a couple, two, three, four in a row and then the kids, I mean, theyre just gonna go find something else to do. Theyre going to lose focus. I dont want to see this, but if things just continue on the trajectory theyre going, I dont see how it will continue, because if the people who are supposed to be in charge dont communicate anything, then nobodys in charge.
NEW YORK  Federal agents suspected Mayor Eric Adams of misleading them about the location of his personal phone. They compiled evidence suggesting Adams administration discussed favorable school placement for the child of a Turkish diplomat. And they continued probing him after President Donald Trump took office.

Those were among the findings in the more than 1,700 pages of documents about Adams closed criminal case that Trumps Department of Justice released Friday night. They shed light on the FBIs raids on Adams, his staffers and others in his orbit in relation to the bribery case involving Turkish interests that resulted in an indictment of the mayor last September. Adams pleaded not guilty and a judge dismissed the case last month, at the behest of the DOJ.

The document dump encompassed dozens of search warrant applications and other materials, revealing a far bigger investigation than the public had previously known. The search warrants focused on purported straw donations to the mayors 2021 and 2025 campaigns, travel perks involving the Turkish government and the alleged official action Adams provided in return.

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Several court papers concerned the whereabouts of the mayors personal cellphone, which agents tried to seize in a dramatic confrontation with Adams  a former police captain  on Nov. 6, 2023. Federal gumshoes approached the mayor as he left an event at New York University in Manhattan and tried to seize his devices, but Adams did not have his personal phone on him and provided conflicting explanations of where it was.

He said he left it at City Hall, but location data showed otherwise.

The mayors team then told federal agents a mayoral aide had taken the phone. In an effort to find out what actually happened, the agents sought cellphone location data from devices used by Adams and several of his aides.

The Adams Personal Cellphone traveled from the vicinity of City Hall northbound, passing the vicinity of Washington Square Park and then moving north in a manner consistent with driving northbound on Sixth Avenue, a federal agent wrote.

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At one point, federal investigators were so unsure of how many cellphones Adams used that they sought a warrant to use a cell-site simulator, commonly known as a stingray, to determine which phones he was carrying.

I know of at least six different cellphone numbers that Adams has used during the time period relevant to this investigation, an agent wrote in a September 2024 search warrant affidavit. A later warrant raised that to seven.

A federal judge ordered the release of the trove of search warrant data following a request for it from media organizations. DOJ blew its first deadline to unveil the materials last week.

The massive document release comes at a politically perilous time for Adams, who is running a longshot independent bid for reelection. Hours before DOJ made the information public, Adams was confabbing with Trump in the White House, underscoring his burgeoning relationship with the president. It was their first sitdown since Trump took office, and it provided more fodder for Democrats looking to unseat Adams.

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Eric Adams has made it clear that he cares more about staying on Donald Trumps good side than fighting for New York City, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who is running for mayor, said in a statement that referenced the dismissal of Adams federal bribery case. Adams already gave up his independence as Mayor to save himself from criminal prosecution. Now, Trump and his cronies are coming to collect  and New York City will keep paying the price.

The mayors campaign earlier Friday shot back at Myrie, saying his past support for criminal justice reform disqualified him from running the city.

The documents show the feds also found evidence either Adams or those close to him received a request to help the Turkish consul general get his son into a selective New York City public school. It is unclear who communicated about the request, but federal agents refer at one point to Adams longtime partner, Tracey Collins, who at the time was a high-ranking official at the city Department of Education. The documents show a judge signed off on a search warrant for Collins home in Fort Lee, New Jersey in May, 2024. Collins involvement in the criminal investigation had not been previously reported.

The search warrant dump also showed federal agents were continuing to seek new evidence in the case even after Trumps inauguration  which the mayor raced down to Washington to attend  despite the new presidents apparent disinterest in continuing the case.

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And in another finding, investigators noted a longtime friend of Adams had kept in touch with the mayor since he took office  even texting to ask he be named a deputy mayor. That friend, Dwayne Montgomery, served with Adams in the NYPD and pleaded guilty last year to orchestrating a straw donor scheme to Adams 2021 campaign. Federal agents raided Montgomerys home on January 23, three days after Trump took office, seeking more of his communications with the mayor. That search has not been previously reported.

Adams attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the revelations as inconsequential.

This case  the first-of-its-kind airline upgrade corruption case  should never have been brought in the first place and is now over, he said in a statement, referring to Manhattan prosecutors' allegation that Adams was bribed with straw donations and Turkish Airline perks in exchange for official favors.

Adams campaign spokesperson said the material further proved Adams did nothing wrong.

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The truth is now well-known: the mayor is innocent of any wrongdoing, and a handful of campaign volunteers attempted to take advantage of his trust, the spokesperson, Todd Shapiro, said.

The revelations in the defunct case came shortly after Adams and Trump concluded their meeting  with dramatically different takeaways.

He came in to say hello, he was very nice. I think he came in to thank me, frankly. That would be  I would say  the primary reason, Trump told reporters afterward, noting they discussed almost nothing. He was very nice. Hes a nice man."

The mayor issued a statement saying, I met this afternoon with President Trump and members of his administration at the White House to discuss critical infrastructure projects, as well as the preservation of essential social services, among other topics.

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His campaign sought to explain the gulf between the two readouts.

During todays discussion with President Trump regarding issues of importance to New York City, Mayor Eric Adams took a moment to thank the president for his words of support while the President was on the campaign trail, Shaprio said in a statement. At a time when Mayor Adams was being unfairly and selectively targeted by federal authorities, then-candidate Trump publicly acknowledged the injustice and stood in defense of fundamental fairness and due process.

The dismissal of the mayors case has continued to haunt Adams.

The former Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District in New York, Danielle Sassoon, called the deal between Adams and the DOJ a quid-pro-quo that exchanged the mayors freedom for cooperation on federal immigration enforcement  a notion the mayor has denied.

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That didnt stop British broadcaster Piers Morgan from peppering the mayor with questions about the dismissal and Adams soft touch with the president during a tense, 30-minute interview Thursday night.

During the spot, Adams avoided any criticism of the presidents tariff regime  even as municipal budget wonks have warned it could create turmoil for city revenue  and defended his own posture toward the White House.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order late Friday supporting an important Great Lakes project in Illinois to contain invasive carp, but the president still found a way to call out Gov. JB Pritzker, who responded by saying he was glad the White House heard our calls about the importance of delivering federal funds.

Trumps order and Pritzkers response mark a rare point of policy agreement between the governor and a president whose administration Pritzker has compared to Nazi Germany. Pritzker has harshly criticized Trump on an array of broad issues and has also noted that the Trump administration has held back some $2 billion in federal funds meant for Illinois.

The State of Illinois continuously monitors access to these funds and Governor Pritzker will keep using every lever available to unlock these resources the state is owed, including how he did with the Brandon Road Infrastructure Project, the governors office said in a news release.

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Anticipating a federal funding shortfall, Illinois recently postponed construction of a project near Joliet aimed at stopping the movement of invasive carp up the states waterways. A scheduled groundbreaking ceremony in February was canceled.

In the executive order Friday, Trump referenced the stoppage at Brandon Road Lock and Dam and asked his administration to ensure the State of Illinois does not stand in the way of its construction.

The construction is intended to stymie the spread of invasive carp, which could pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes regions native species, ecosystems and billion-dollar fishing and boating industries.

Trump blamed Pritzker by name for not allowing the project to start, while the federal government, he said, has already begun work on it.

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Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker decided to delay the States acquisition of property, which is necessary for construction to begin, the order said of the project.

In his response, Pritzker said the Trump administration decided to finally meet their obligations to the State of Illinois and the Great Lakes region.

I have made clear that  in the interest of saving the Illinois taxpayer potentially hundreds of millions in liabilities  we would only move forward if given the proper assurances that the federal government would hold up their end of the bargain, Pritzker said. Those assurances had been met in the Friday executive order, the governors press release said.

By February, about $340 million had been allocated for the first phase of the project. But state officials were worried about going further without assurances from the Trump administration that the state would receive the necessary funding for the next two phases.

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The first phase includes site preparation and installation of some multilayered technologies at the lock and dam. These technologies include a bubble barrier that removes small fish trapped under barges or carried in their wake and an acoustic deterrent that creates painful sound waves.

The subsequent phases are expected to include an electric barrier and more acoustic deterrents. At the end, a flushing lock would send any remaining larval fish and eggs back downstream.

At the time the project was delayed, the Trump administration was withholding $117 million in federal grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, halting 70 unrelated projects across the state, according to Pritzkers administration. Because of that uncertainty, Pritzker and IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie expressed concerns about starting construction at Brandon Road.

So-called Asian carp, which are invasive across the United States, include silver, bighead, grass and black carp. The fish were introduced in Arkansas in the 1960s to get rid of seaweed without using chemicals. After flooding events in the 1980s and 1990s, the carp escaped into the Mississippi River basin, spreading to 31 states. Some were also released after breeding experiments failed. Silver and bighead carp are particular threats to native species as they have no natural predators in American waterways and likely never will, meaning their populations can grow uncontrollably.

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The National Wildlife Federation on Friday praised the White Houses reinforcement of full funding at Brandon Road, calling the project the most effective solution to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp.

We are encouraged by the federal governments signal of renewed commitment to complete the Brandon Road Project and broader efforts to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, NWF Great Lakes policy director Marc Smith said in an emailed statement.
The feds and the city must probe whether NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams committed mortgage fraud and broke other laws in light of serious red flags surrounding his troubled ownership of a Brooklyn property that ended in foreclosure, a fellow Democrat demanded this week.

Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) fired off letters Monday to Federal Housing Finance Director William Pulte and NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber in the wake of The Posts exclusive last week revealing how the socialist pol lost a two-family home in Canarsie to Bank of America after he stopped paying the mortgage and racked up nearly $1 million in debt over 15 years.

NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams recently lost a two-family home he owned in Brooklyn to Bank of America after racking up nearly a $1 million in debt over 15 years by refusing to pay a mortgage he took out on it. Getty Images

Holden in both letters said public records suggest Williams misrepresented his financial situation for years by collecting rent from multiple tenants living on the property while simultaneously being delinquent on a federally backed mortgage.

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If Mr. Williams misrepresented his financial position, rental income, or occupancy status in mortgage applications or ongoing certifications, he may have violated federal statutes governing mortgage fraud and bank fraud, Holden wrote Pulte.

This matter is particularly troubling given Mr. Williams prominent role in publicly criticizing landlords through the Citys Worst Landlords Watchlist while allegedly engaging in similar misconduct himself. The apparent hypocrisy, combined with the scale of financial mismanagement and possible deception, undermines public confidence in elected leadership.

Queens Councilman Robert Holden (left) is demanding the Federal Housing Finance Agency and NYC Department of Investigation Commissioner investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent foreclosure of a Brooklyn home once owned by Williams for possible mortgage fraud. REUTERS

Williams  who earns $184,000 annually and collected thousands of dollars a year renting the home to multiple tenants  stopped making his $1,344 monthly mortgage payments in 2010, according to records.

Holden in his letter to Strauber questioned whether Williams broke New York law by knowingly making false statements in his annual financial disclosure filings.

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Williams, who served as a Brooklyn councilman from 2010 to March 2019 before being elected public advocate, didnt list earning rental income in many of his past yearly filings dating back over a decade  despite court records showing tenants living on his property.

Federal Housing Finance Director William Pulte Getty Images

But he did list earning anywhere from $5,000 to $55,000 in rent in both 2022 and 2023, according to his most recent disclosure statements.

Williams was slapped with a foreclosure action in 2014 by Bank of America over a $389,600 mortgage he took out on the house in 2006 to finance a vegan sandwich shop in Park Slope that went belly up two years later.

Williams has long blamed his financial woes on the terms of his loan and tenants who didnt pay rent.

Williams and his mother purchased the Canarsie home in 2005 for $370,500. He secured full ownership a year later. Michael Nagle

The house was listed for sale through a foreclosure auction last month, but it reverted back to Bank of America ownership after not a single bidder offered a price exceeding the debt owed, which is now up to $944,582, according to Auction.com.

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The DOI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency declined comment.

Williams spokesman Kevin Fagan shot down the claims, saying Holden has every right to request wasting time and money investigating a decade-old non-story on a false premise  though it would have been more efficient if hed simply looked at the public records and seen that the public advocate has accurately reported any rent collected and filed required disclosures.
David Richardson started his first meeting as acting FEMA chief with a bang. Within minutes of launching an all-hands meeting, Richardson, who was named acting head of the agency on Thursday, May 8, reportedly laid into staffers, warning them, Dont get in my way.

The threat was part of a bizarre, 17-minute speech to staffers, during which Richardson repeatedly vowed allegiance to Trump, threatened workers who might undermine the presidents agenda, and declared I, and I alone in FEMA, speak for FEMA.

Referencing his background in the Marines, Richardson, a former ground combat officer who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, said, I had too important a mission for anybody to undermine me or to make things difficult. He then said hed take a similar approach to running FEMA. To any staffers considering obfuscating, delaying, or undermining Trumps agenda, Richardson warned, I will run right over you. I will achieve the presidents intent.

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When it came to his actual title, Richardson didnt seem exactly sure, telling staff, I cant recall the full title, but essentially, Im acting. I dont need the full title. All I need is the authority from the president to put me in here as some degree of acting. (For the record, Richardson is the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator, an interim role that makes him acting head of the agency.)

But Richardson didnt let forgetting his own title stop him. Instead, he went on to warn staffers, I dont stop at yield signs. Whatever that means.

While Richardson hasnt clarified exactly what he meant by the remarks, the Trump administration has already thrown its full support behind him. When asked about the comments, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told CBS, Sounds like a productive meeting.

Indeed, Richardsons approach seems to be the exact opposite of his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, who was fired yesterday after publicly disagreeing with Trump. While testifying at a House Appropriations Committee hearing, Hamilton was asked about the presidents plan to eliminate FEMA, and told the committee, I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that Hamilton was removed for saying something contrary to the president.

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In contrast, Richardson spent most of his introductory speech pledging allegiance to Trump, at one point telling staffers, I am as bent on achieving the presidents intent as I was on making sure that I did my duty when I took my Marines to Iraq.

Richardson refused to take questions from staff and instead closed the meeting by likening working for FEMA to the life-or-death dangers of being in the Marines. Ive had friends who are either dead, physically or very damaged emotionally because they ran into trouble doing things that were not within their mission during combat, Richardson told staffers. Its the same thing for a mission like FEMA.

However, he also assured FEMA employees, Im fine operating in chaos and a very ambiguous environment. Sounds like that will come in handy.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  Experts are working hard to figure out what is driving a growing trend of early onset cancers, those in people under 50.

We just dont know what is causing this concerning increase in early-onset cancers. There are steps you can take and things you can cut out of your life to potentially lower your risk, explains Yale Early Onset Cancer Program Co-Founder Dr. Nancy Borstelmann.



Its been alarming because its been showing up across a number of cancer populations.

Experts on what to watch out for with growing cancer cases in younger people

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The question experts are desperately trying to answer is why this is occurring.

The why is a critical question. Its being researched by many across the nation and globe, explains Dr. Barstelmann.



She says that research includes researching factors like genetics, environment and lifestyle.



We know there are a lot of toxins, but how much is this increasing your risk of getting breast cancer? Doing the best you can at using more naturally beauty products, whole foods, says young breast cancer survivor Meagan Schroder of Stonington.



She is reevaluating her lifestyle choices after being diagnosed with breast cancer at 30 after the birth of her son.



Im more aware now. I definitely was like 50% I paid attention to the fruits and vegetables. But cosmetics and beauty products. I didnt really pay attention to what are the chemicals theyre putting in fragrances or deoderant, i just used whichever one works, explains Schroder.



If youre unsure whats in your beauty products and foods, there are several free apps that can help. Just scan your item for a breakdown of ingredients.



Some of the biggest risk factors are tobacco, obesity and drinking. Just this year the U.S. Surgeon General issued a 22-page advisory warning of a link between alcohol use and cancer.

According to that advisory, more than 741-thousand cancer cases worldwide were attributed to alcohol consumption in 2020.

Doctor Borstelmann says its important to look at your lifestyle as a whole



And remember, you can do everything right and still face a devastating diagnosis



Sometimes things go ary even in ways you dont expect. Could be someone whos lived a very healthy, done all the right things so to speak, says Dr. Borstelmann.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
With four of the Tacoma City Councils nine seats up for election this year, 14 candidates have jumped into the race ahead of the Aug. 5 primary.

District 2, currently represented by Sarah Rumbaugh; District 4, currently represented by Sandesh Sadalge; District 5, currently represented by Joe Bushnell; and at-large Position 6, currently filled by deputy mayor Kiara Daniels, are up for election this year. All incumbent candidates but Daniels have filed paperwork to run for re-election.

With the close of the candidate-filing period on May 9 at 5 p.m., heres who is running.

Council District 2

Sarah Rumbaugh

Rumbaugh has held the District 2 seat after she was first elected in 2021. If re-elected, this would be Rumbaughs second term. Her priorities, according to her website, include housing and homelessness, safety and domestic violence. By the end of the filing period, Rumbaugh had raised $21,743.17and spent $9,599.52, according to public disclosures.

Ben Lackey

Lackey did not appear to have a campaign website by the close of the filing period. He also had not raised any funds for his campaign, according to public data.

Council District 4

Sandesh Sadalge

Sadalge has held the District 4 seat since last July after he was appointed to fill the seat following council member Catherine Ushkas death in 2024. After just under a year on the job, Sadalge is running for election to hold the seat for his first full term. Sadalges priorities include affordable housing, crime prevention and supporting small businesses. He had raised $15,990 and spent $2,913.72 by the end of the filing period, according to public disclosures.

Silong Chhun

A potential newcomer to the council, Chhun recently served as a communications specialist at Washington States Office of Equity, according to his campaign website. His priorities include protecting immigrant communities, affordable housing and increasing economic opportunity, his website reads. He raised $20,442.91 and spent $9,767.22 for his campaign as of the close of the filing period, according to public disclosures.

Israel James McKinney

McKinney, who unsuccessfully ran for the District 4 seat against Catherine Ushka in 2021, did not appear to have a campaign website by the filing deadline. He also did not appear to have raised or spent any funds on his campaign according to public disclosures.

Council District 5

Joe Bushnell

Bushnell has represented District 5 since he was first elected in 2021 and has worked as the local government affairs coordinator for the Washington Hospitality Association in addition to spending about a decade in the Marine Corps. His priorities include housing affordability, public safety and jobs, according to his website. He had raised $13,570.20 and spent $6,221.29 on his campaign, according to public disclosures.

Zev Cook

Cook is a community organizer and the co-founder of Tacoma for All, according to her website. Her priorities include raising the minimum wage, building more affordable housing and taxing big businesses over working people, according to her website. She had raised $33,522.15 and spent $10,347.37 for her campaign, according to public disclosures, almost double compared to her opponent.

Brandon A. Vollmer

Vollmer did not appear to have a campaign website by the filing deadline. His priorities, according to his X profile, include repairing damaged and broken infrastructure in the South End and lowering taxes. He did not report raising or spending any money for his campaign by the filing deadline, according to public disclosures.

At-large Position 6

Krista Perez

Perez is a small-business owner and community leader, according to her campaign website. Her priorities for the at-large council position include supporting local businesses, increasing access to affordable housing and a thriving economy, her website reads. Perez had raised $13,068.92 and spent $2,043.92 for her campaign by the filing deadline, according to public disclosures. Deputy Mayor Daniels, who currently occupies the Position 6 seat, has not filed paperwork to run for re-election and endorsed Perez, according to her website.

Latasha Palmer

Palmer is a small-business owner according to her Linkedin profile and touts her membership in the citys 2024 Charter Review Committee and the Aya Community Land Trust on her campaign website. Her priorities include housing security, safety and economic security, according to her website. Palmer raised $12,167.22 and spent $11,524.22 on her campaign by the filing deadline, according to public disclosures.

Hunter D. Henderson

Henderson is a transportation planner for the Washington State Department of Transportation and has served Pierce County Parks and Recreation as an AmeriCorps member, according to his website. His priorities include improving the citys roads, sustainable energy and environmental justice. Henderson reported raising and spending zero dollars by the end of the candidate filing period, according to public disclosures.

Jessica Johnston

Johnston is the property manager for the KSP Building in Hilltop and a city-appointed leader for the Hilltop Business Improvement Area, according to her website. Her priorities include transparent government, addressing homelessness and public safety. Johnston had not reported spending or raising any funds according to public disclosures.

Todd Briske

Briske, who unsuccessfully ran for the at-large Position 8 which was up for election in 2023, did not state his background or priorities on his campaign website. He also had not reported spending or raising any funds for his campaign by the filing deadline, according to public disclosures.

Lindsay Willis

Willis has worked as a fire inspector and is a lifelong government employee, according to her website. Her priorities include addressing climate change, addressing the citys budget and transparency from the city council. She has raised $950 and spent $594.86 for her campaign, according to public disclosures.
An apartment fire broke out late Friday afternoon in Fircrest, leaving one unit a total loss and displacing at least three residents, according to Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd.

No one was home in the unit where the fire began, on one end of a single-story apartment building in the 1400 block of Rainier Court, she told The News Tribune via phone Friday evening. Three of four units in the building were damaged.

The unit where it started is just a total loss, Shepherd said. It was pretty burned up.

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There were three people who lived in that end unit. The Tacoma Fire Department reached out to the Red Cross to support them while they are displaced, according to Shepherd.

She said the Fire Department believes the fire started in the kitchen. A call came into 911 about a kitchen appliance on fire at 4:01 p.m. Friday, but firefighters havent independently confirmed what the cause of the fire was yet, she said.

Tacoma Fire Department crews responded to an apartment fire on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Fircrest, Wash.

The fire spread through the roof to the next unit, causing severe roof damage to the neighbors place and requiring those residents to also move at least temporarily, according to Shepherd. Crews hadnt made contact with those residents as of Friday evening, and she didnt have information on how many lived in the adjacent unit, she told The News Tribune.

A third unit might also be damaged by smoke or water, but the type and extent of damage is unclear, Shepherd said.
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  Dozens of firefighters from multiple departments across Mahoning County as well as the State Fire Marshal were on the scene of a fire at a storage facility in Boardman on Saturday afternoon.

It happened around 1 p.m. at the Extra Space Storage on Route 224. First News crews on scene reported seeing the smoke coming from the back of one of the buildings shortly after it began.

Firefighters had to cut the roof off the building to release the fire, which started inside a unit and then kept moving through dozens of other storage units.

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Chief Mark Pitzer with the Boardman Fire Department said there were many challenges in their way.

Theres no way we could handle this fire on our own, Pitzer said.

Officials said its currently unclear how the fire started, but it began in a back corner of the facility. Crews worked for hours to put out the flames, using shopping carts and golf carts to transport materials and themselves back and forth.

Very labor-intensive. Its very hot. This is a metal building, Pitzer said.

Pitzer said the flames damaged as many as 40 units.

We have to cut through doors. Weve had saws burn off, Pitzer said.

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Despite help from neighboring departments, the heat and intensity of the smoke took its toll on the firefighters. Some of them experienced heat exhaustion on the scene, and several oxygen tanks were filled and returned to the scene repeatedly throughout the afternoon.

Typically, just to put it in perspective, on a routine house fire  we may have a firefighter go through two bottles. So, were three to five in per firefighter. Very labor intensive, exhaustion beyond belief, Pitzer said.

Pitzer thanked his fellow neighboring departments and his fellow staff for theirs.

It was a very, very challenging fire here for us, but our guys are doing a fantastic job working well. All our neighboring departments have done an excellent job in supporting us. We cannot thank them enough, Pitzer said.

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The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.

Pitzer said that for those who were renting at the facility, they should make a list of their inventory for insurance companies and check with the storage company on who is responsible for covering the cost of the lost items.

Jake Carrier contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
WEBER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  Early this morning, emergency responders arrived at the scene of a structure fire in west Weber County, rescuing several pets while fighting the flames.

Around 7:30 a.m. on Friday, crews from Weber Fire District, Hill Air Force Base, and the Weber County Sheriffs Office were dispatched to a structure fire in the western area of Weber County.

When crews arrived at the house, they discovered heavy smoke and rapidly deteriorating conditions, according to a release from Weber Fire District. Firefighters began search and fire suppression efforts at the home.

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Officer not charged in 2023 fatal shooting of Sandy man in mental health crisis

Courtesy: Weber Fire District Courtesy: Weber Fire District Courtesy: Weber Fire District Courtesy: Weber Fire District

All residents were safely evacuated, and two individuals and one sheriffs deputy were treated on scene for smoke inhalation. All those impacted were released after being treated.

The fire was contained to a single room in the home, and multiple pets were rescued by responders. The scene has since been turned over to the Weber Fire Districts fire marshals office for investigation.

Outstanding teamwork ensured a rapid response, successful rescue, and minimized damage, Weber Fire District said in their release.

Latest headlines:

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Emergency officials across the region have continued to assist in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. However, that response has had an impact on the responders themselves.

The devastation brought by Helene took a physical and mental toll on the region. First responders found it difficult to respond to a disaster of this level in their backyard.

Most of the agencies here have been deployed, have been on large-scale events, Washington County/Johnson City EMA Director Evan Clyburn said. Weve had folks that were at Katrina, 9/11, so forth. But the thing that separated it here was, it was home. It was people that we connected with. We knew our communities.

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East Tennessee pastor recounts miracle rescue after kidnapping in South Africa

Clyburn said this experience was unlike anything his team had dealt with.

Its one thing to ask you to step up and do what youve trained for and what your career is, he said. But its another thing when youre in your own neighborhood or your own community and youre having to deal with your own folks and seeing this level of devastation. First responders, agencies deal with horrific things daily. But not to this extent.

Melissa Taylor works at the Northeast Tennessee Regional Health office and serves as a leadership team member for the Tennessee Statewide Disaster Mental Health/Crisis Response Team. Although she is unable to give an official diagnosis, she said many of the first responders she works with are showing signs of trauma.

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I cant say, you know, that individual has PTSD, she said. But we are seeing signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and we are seeing those areas of high impact that are being triggers to those individuals.

In Washington County, responders are actively searching for Nancy Tucker, a county resident missing since the flood. On May 1, officials found the body of another missing county resident, Steven Cloyd. Taylor said these searches and the recovery process can be hard for the responders.

It weighs on the responder on a daily basis that still know that there are things to accomplish to make sure that everybody in the community has closure, she said.

Clyburn agreed, citing Taylor and her team as major supporters through it all.

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Deaths and loss of life, unfortunately, is something that we do encounter on a daily basis, he said. But in this aspect, I mean, the search part was extended and its still going on. So seven months into this, thats a long time to keep that going. And the support of Melissa and her group from the health department. Its needed, its good.

Gray residents discuss concerns with growth along Highway 75

Taylor said those impacted will continue to face these traumas throughout the recovery process.

Its really not something that you can deal with, cope with and move on, she said. Until we come to a final conclusion and the rebuilding is going to take years.

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Taylor said the team will continue to serve first responders and survivors until the rebuild and recovery process is complete.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
QUITO, Ecuador (AP)  Five fishermen who spent 55 days adrift at sea arrived Saturday at a port in the Galapagos Islands after being rescued by a tuna boat, the Ecuadorian navy said on X.

The three Peruvians and two Colombians had been missing since mid-March and were found on May 7 by an Ecuadorian boat called Aldo.

The fishermen had reported damage to the boats alternator two days after setting sail from Pucusana Bay, to the south of Perus capital Lima, the navy said in a separate post on Friday.

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The failure caused communication and navigation tools to malfunction, Ecuadorian navy Frigate Capt. Maria Fares told The Associated Press, adding that they had no power on the boat.

They had no starter, lights and everything that a battery generates, she said. To survive, they had to take rusted water out of the engine (and) when a fish passed by, they caught it and parboiled it to eat. Fares added that they also drank rain and sea water to survive.

The men are in stable condition and the navy said it is coordinating with local and foreign authorities to ensure their safe return to their respective countries.

Earlier this year, another Peruvian fisherman, 61-year-old Maximo Napa, spent 95 days at sea alone. He was also rescued by an Ecuadorian vessel and returned to Lima in mid-March to be reunited with his family.

____

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Five North Texas men have been arrested and are facing federal charges related to distribution and possession of child pornography, officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

The five men were among 205 people arrested nationwide over the course of five days as part of Operation Restore Justice, an initiative that involved all 55 FBI offices, according to a statement.

The Fort Worth Police Department assisted the FBI with the arrest of one suspect, identified as Micheal Huffman, officials said.

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When agents went to arrest Huffman, they found him sitting in his driveway with his laptop logged in to a platform he used to view child pornography, according to the statement.

Huffman was charged with distribution of child pornography, officials said. If convicted, he faces between five and 20 years in federal prison.

Jose Lizandro Trevino Rodriguez, of Dallas, was also charged with distribution of child pornography, according to the statement.

Otho Earl London, of Azle, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, officials said. If convicted, London faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

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Two of the five men arrested were charged with offenses related to child sex trafficking, according to the statement.

Harold Lee Hill of Rockwall was charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, officials said. If convicted, Hill faces up to life in federal prison.

Robert Rayel of Benbrook was arrested in Pinellas County, Florida and charged with attempted sexual exploitation, possession of child pornography and receipt of child pornography, according to the statement.

Nationwide, the operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children from sexual abuse, officials said.

If you suspect that a child is being sexually exploited or abused, contact the FBIs tipline at 1-800-225-5324 or contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
A Massachusetts State Police supervisor read flirtatious text messages Karen Read exchanged with an ATF agent to the jury in her murder trial on Friday.

The case against Karen Read is not cut and dry.

On Friday, defense attorney Alan Jackson asked State Police Sergeant Yuri Bukhenik about all the evidence that could be viewed as favorable to Read. Jackson had Bukhenik on the stand the entire day.

Read made a quick exit after a long day in court.

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Bukhenik read aloud texts Read and Brian Higgins shared in the weeks before Reads then boyfriend John OKeefe was killed.

Jackson asked Bukhenik for his take on the messages.

My opinion is that shes trying to get revenge, he said. Shes trying to hook up with Higgins and then hurt John by cheating on him.

Jackson told the jury Read had ignored Higgins at a Canton bar hours before OKeefe was killed.

OKeefes body was found outside 34 Fairview Road in Canton in January 2022.

At the time, the family that lived there owned a German Shephard name Chloe. Bukhenik testified Chloe is alive and well with a new name and home.

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I traveled to the dogs home and assisted with identifying the dog, Bukhenik said.

The jury learned Chloes name has been changed to Cora. Where Cora now lives was not discussed.

On her way out of court, Read told reporters that fired State Trooper Michael Proctor will not be called by the prosecution.

The defense can call Proctor and likely will.

The trial resumes on Monday.

For a full recap of the trials happenings this week, Ted Daniels spoke with Peter Tragos, also known as the lawyer you know online.

Head over to the Boston 25 News Youtube page for that full interview.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
A flood warning for the Connecticut River that extends from Enfield through Hartford is in effect until late Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning said minor flooding is forecast and that portions of the river may continue to flood, according to the NWS. The river is expected to rise above the flood stage of 15 feet.

The NWS said lowland flooding will begin along the river near the Thompsonville section of Enfield. Minor flooding impacts may be seen downstream as far as Haddam, the NWS said.

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The river is expected to rise above flood stage late tonight to a crest of 15.4 feet early tomorrow afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage early Monday morning, according to a flood warning from the NWS.

The flooding is due to a series of heavy rainfall events that swelled the river over the last few days, according to officials.

In Connecticut, minor flooding shut down roads Friday. Officials in Old Lyme warned drivers to avoid Cross Lane for most of the day on Friday due to flooding. In Wolcott, flooding caused a police officer to have to be rescued after his cruiser slid into a pond, officials said.

The NWS said areas that may be affected by flooding include roads along the river, parks, and recreation areas. Weather officials noted that most flooding deaths occur in vehicles and urge drivers to never try to drive through flooded roads.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
The politically powerful auto dealerships in Florida have battled for years to protect their turf, seeking help from the Legislature and state courts in their quest to ensure consumers dont buy cars without them.

Now they have a new defender in their latest legal fight, attempting to quash a new Volkswagen subsidiarys plans to sell electric trucks directly to drivers: Attorney General James Uthmeier.

Uthmeier says plans by Scout Motors to circumvent auto dealers is harmful to state businesses and consumers.

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But he might have a good reason to take the dealerships side. Dealerships  and their lobbyists  have donated close to $90,000 to his 2026 campaign, making him just the latest GOP leader to get money from the industry. Uthmeier was appointed this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill the job left open by Ashley Moodys appointment to the U.S. Senate. He must run for the job next year.

Several Florida VW and Audi auto dealerships have sued Volkswagen of America challenging the German auto manufacturers plan to use a direct-sales model for Scout. The lawsuit says such sales are prohibited by Florida law and that Scout is not properly licensed as a manufacturer with the state Division of Corporations.

Uthmeier took to social media this week to publicly blast VW and share a letter hed sent the company in mid-April demanding answers about how many $100 reservations it had taken from Florida residents for its Scout vehicles, which the company says should be available in 2027.

His spokesman declined to answer questions about the letter or campaign donations.

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Volkswagens efforts to circumvent Floridas auto dealers are harmful not only to the states business community but also to Florida consumers, as they fail to disclose that these new Scout vehicles wont actually be sold in Florida, Uthmeier posted on X Wednesday. Thats why my office sent a letter to VW demanding answers. We will stand by Floridas consumers and businesses!

Built by International Harvester, the Scout was a popular competitor to the Ford Bronco and Jeep CJ5 in the 1960s and 1970s. VW acquired the rights to the Scout when it bought Navistar, International Harvesters successor, in 2021.

Scout Motors CEO and president Scott Keogh revived the brand and reconceived it as a line of electric sport utility vehicles called the Terra and the Traveler. The company is building a $2 billion plant in South Carolina and expects the first vehicles to roll out in 2027.

But its plans to sell directly to consumers, as Tesla does, quickly prompted controversy and pushback from auto dealerships, whod lose out on sales, Auto Week reported last year.

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Theres a lot to talk about with this revival of an iconic SUV brand, and a lot to admire, but its the sales model thats started a boiling pot of controversyand is likely leading to lawsuits, the trade publication wrote in a November story.

In February, the owners of several Florida dealerships, including Audi Lakeland, Lakeland Volkswagen, Leesburg Volkswagen, launched legal action against Scout in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.

The Florida suit is similar to those in other states, including one filed in April in San Diego by The California New Car Dealers Association against Volkswagen Group and Scout.

In Florida, the issue is a 2023 law that bans most automakers from selling directly to their customers. The Florida Automobile Dealers Association pushed hard for the new law, the Florida Politics news website reported.

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The law created a carve-out for electric car companies Tesla and Rivian but not for those that are a common entity with another manufacturer. Those firms must sell their vehicles through licensed dealers.

The dealers and Uthmeier argue Scout is a common entity of VW.

Scouts relationship to VW, Uthmeiers April 18 letter says, would prohibit it from leasing or selling a motor vehicle to any retail consumer in America.

In its letter, Uthmeiers office asked for a record of all fees Scout Motors has collected from Floridians and the number of agreements executed to see if they follow state law, including Floridas Deceptive and Unfair Practices Act.

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Keogh has said that Scout is a separate brand and entity from VW, and has the right to sell direct to customers, according to Automotive News.

We look forward to discussions with the Attorney General, a Scout spokesman said in an email Friday.

Weeks before the letter went out, Uthmeiers political campaign received $31,000 from Norman and Irma Braman of Braman Automotive, a plaintiff in the suit, plus $25,000 from Warner Peacock, CEO of Windermere Ford, which is not listed as a plaintiff.

He received an additional $30,000 from the Florida Automobile Dealers Association days after the letter was sent.

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The automobile association gave more than $1 million to Florida politicians before the Legislature approved the 2023 law, according to the Seeking Rents newsletter, including to a political action committee controlled by the then-president of the Florida Senate. DeSantis collected more than $2 million in campaign funds from dealerships in that same time period, the newsletter reported.

Days after the Florida dealers suit was filed against Scout earlier this year, state lawmakers introduced a bill (HB 429) to make it even easier for dealerships to sue the competition. The Legislature has approved the bill, but not sent it to the governor for his approval.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Following the November election, the Florida Democratic Party saw lawmakers leave the political organization.

State Sen. Jason Pizzo, from South Florida, switched to no party affiliation. State Rep. Susan Valdes, in Hillsborough County, switched to the Republican Party. Another state house member also switched after Valdes.

Florida Department of Education claims pornographic books remain in Hillsborough County high school libraries

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On Friday, during a stop in Jacksonville, Gov. Ron DeSantis made a claim he had mentioned before about the state of the Democratic Party in Florida.

This party is dead across the state of Florida, DeSantis said.

Its a similar claim made by Pizzo while announcing his switch to no party affiliation.

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said she has noticed increased support after about 25 town halls statewide this year and two recent special congressional elections. During that time, Fried said, she saw more funding and boots on the ground.

I call B.S. for so many reasons. First and foremost, we have an energized base at this moment, Fried said.

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Fried said this is because of economic conditions over issues involving property insurance and uncertainty from tariffs.

People are energized by what Democrats are going to do, not only here in the state of Florida, but Washington D.C., Fried said.



USF Political Science Emeritus Professor J. Edwin Benton questioned whether that momentum will carry over into the midterm.

Democrats are not going to win office or get votes because thats not a lasting effect, Benton said.

Hes referring to some voters looking at Democrats only as dissent toward Republicans.

Theyve got to resonate the message, their policy programs, (and) the things they are endorsing, Benton said.

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Benton also said some fear the party may be moving too far left, making it difficult to gain additional support, especially as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continue to hold a series of large rallies boosting their political power.

Fried believes there are many voices leading the national party.

Youve got Democrats all over the country who are speaking out against what is happening, Fried said.

When asked about leadership of the state party, Fried said she takes responsibility for organizing voter outreach, listening to constituents along with elected officials, and organizing the partys messaging. She said the key message from Democrats this year and into next year involves the economy.

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The fact that our state is unaffordable. That economic message continues into 25 and 26, Fried said.

Orlando-based U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost and Sen. Chris Murphy from Connecticut are scheduled to be in Sarasota over the weekend for a rally.

DeSantis and Fried also criticized some of the politicians who have switched parties recently. They both think it was done for each politicians personal gain. DeSantis went on to say that he found the new GOP members mostly aligning with Democrats in Tallahassee.

The office of Rep. Valdes didnt respond to News Channel 8s request for comments.

The Florida Republican Party has more than 1.2 million more registered voters in the state than Democrats.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Florida Department of Education sent a letter to Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Van Ayres Friday, claiming the district has not removed pornographic and inappropriate books from some high school libraries.

In the letter signed by Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr., Diaz wrote that Call Me by Your Name and Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) had been found in the districts public database.

Diaz said Call Me by Your Name was found in three high school libraries. Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) was available in two high schools, the commissioner said.

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Victims remains found in bear following deadly attack in South Florida: FWC

Thanks to the leadership of other Florida school district superintendents and school board members, several districts have done the right thing and proactively ensured that pornographic and inappropriate materials are not in the hands of kids. Unfortunately, Hillsborough has failed to do this and continues to have pornographic and inappropriate books available to students, Diaz wrote.

He also told Ayers that he is expected to attend the upcoming State Board of Education meeting on June 4 at Miami Dade College to explain why you continue to allow pornographic materials in your school libraries.

You can read the full letter below:

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Old soldiers worry that Americans are forgetting the heroes and horrors of that war
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The rising costs of food and housing have hit Oregon families hard.

In 2024, the Oregon Food Bank tracked 2.5 million visits to their sites alone, a 31% increase from previous years.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are facing another blow as U.S. House Republicans consider cutting more than $200 billion from the program over the next decade.

Former Trail Blazer Antonio Harvey launches new training program for local athletes

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No one in our country should go hungry, says Rep Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.). Cuts to SNAP would be devastating here in Oregon. I met with the Oregon Food Bank and other advocates to say this is not the time to cut food assistance for needy families.

Given these circumstances, the Centro Mercado food pantry opened Friday in Cornelius, Ore. Centro Cultural built the pantry, which delivered food through other ways for many years.

Members of the Centro Cultural, as well as Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), celebrated the grand opening of Centro Mercado on May 9, 2025. (KOIN)

But now, they have packed the pantry with fresh foods, dry goods and dairy items  all available for free to those in need.

The Central Mercado serves over 25,000 people every year, said Juan Carlos Gonzalez, Centros Chief Strategy Officer. We distribute over 600,000 pounds of food and thats thanks to amazing partners,

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According to Centro, a bulk of their inventory comes from the Oregon Food Bank. In addition, grocery stores donate half a million pounds of food to their organization every year. The rest comes from local farms.

Scam alert: Clackamas County warns public against fake tax payment emails

One of the biggest threats our organization faces, especially for operating a site like this, is the loss of federal funding, Gonzalez added.

A huge chunk of their funding comes from a USDA grant that is about to expire and the will be applying for more money in the next six months. But if the federal government denies their request, Gonzalez says Centro wont be able to accept as much food and will be forced to reduce services.

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I can only appeal to our federal leaders, please help keep bellies full, please take care of families, especially in these times that were in, he stressed.

To find out more information on how to volunteer with or donate to Centro Cultural, visit here.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Republican Senator Adam Pugh (R-Edmond) introduced a bill this session that would allow programs supplying healthy and fresh foods to be covered by Medicaid.

If signed, in order to be effective, the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority will need approval from the federal government.

Oklahoma AG Drummond wants to recover lost CVS Medicaid funds

Crops. Image courtesy OKC Food Hub

Senator Pugh believes the bill could boost the agricultural economy and help Oklahomans live healthier lifestyles.

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Giving someone an insurance card doesnt make them healthy, it just changes who pays the bill, said Senator Pugh in Februarys session meeting.

Senator Pugh also said supplementing prescription medicine with the consumption of long-term nutritional foods could make a big difference.

Jenna Moore is the director of OKC Food Hub, a nonprofit working with local farmers, connecting them to communities needing fresh produce.

OKC Food Hub van. Image courtesy OKC Food Hub

If were able to use this bill to provide access and to compensate for the cost, I think people are ready for a change, said Moore.

However, due to recent federal funding cuts within the agency, some, like Moore, are concerned.

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Other funding is getting cut, and regular retail buyers are not really ready to try to help grow the fruit and vegetable local market in Oklahoma, said Moore.

If Medicaid doesnt have enough dollars to buy local foods and start these programs, that could definitely affect the scale and ability for it to be effective, Moore adds.

The legislation is now waiting on a signature from the governor to be signed into law or vetoed.

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A man was walking along a rocky, picturesque shoreline of Trinidad Head, located about 25 miles north of Eureka, when he spotted something unusual and unnerving.

The unidentified man's discovery in February 1993 turned out to be a partial human skull that he handed over to the nearby Fortuna Police Department.

To help identify the remains, the police forwarded them to the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office, which extracted a DNA sample and entered that into the California Missing Person DNA Database and the National Unidentified Person DNA index.

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The remains were unidentified until the Sheriffs Department announced this week it had linked the skull to the 1987 disappearance and death of a 48-year-old woman from Trinity County. The discovery was made with the aid of a third-party forensic tester and a federal grant.

Authorities believe the skull fragments are the third set of remains belonging to Kay Josephine Medin, also known as Kay Adams, an elementary school teacher from Hyampom, who disappeared from that rural Northern California community in 1987.

No witnesses, potential suspects or charges have ever emerged in what authorities classified as a cold case homicide. Her husband, Nickolas, died in 2018.

Read more: Man charged in cold case murder, sexual assaults could have more victims, police say

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Although theres been no progress in finding out who killed Medin, this latest set of remains provides law enforcement another clue.

Law enforcement officials credit Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) for providing a community project grant designed to help clear a backlog of cold cases.

Within a short span, the Sheriffs Department contacted Othram, a Texas-based forensic laboratory that specializes in genome sequencing that helps disentangle cold cases. The company says it has assisted in solving 47 cases involving unsolved murders, unidentified remains or unresolved sexual assault kits over the last 90 days.

The company utilized its forensic-grade genome sequencing to construct a DNA profile of the DNA sample from the discovered skull fragment.

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In September, Othram generated new leads on the possible identity of the skull, which included Medin, to the Sheriffs Department. Included in the report were possible genetic relatives, including a daughter.

Sheriffs investigators located the daughter, obtained a DNA sample and confirmed the skull was that of Medin.

Othram said in a release that Medins case was the 63rd instance of individuals identified in California through its testing efforts.

Read more: He found a girl's body in the snow in 1979. Nearly 50 years later, DNA shows he killed her

Inquiries sent to Othram and the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office were not returned.

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While Ms. Medins case is tragic, I am relieved for the community that it has been brought to rest, Huffman wrote in an emailed statement. Funding like this to help solve cold cases can not only bring justice, but closure to families and communities. Im proud we were able to do some of that in this case.

The Sheriffs Office said that anyone who has tips regarding Medin should contact investigator Mike Fridley at (707) 441-3024.

During the summer of 1987, Medin went missing while her husband was on a business trip.

The family property was searched, and friends, family and her personal doctor were interviewed.

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Medins purse and personal belongings were found in her home, and the Trinity County Sheriffs Office listed her disappearance as suspicious.

Reports from the time said around 100 people , mostly volunteers, searched throughout remote and woodsy Trinity County.

The local sheriff acknowledged at the time in an interview that he had run out of leads.

Part of the mystery was solved in November 1987 when the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office received a package of skeletal remains. A letter was included with directions leading to more, but what was found was still an incomplete set of remains.

Those remains were recovered in East Humboldt County, about 45 miles from the Medin home; the skull was discovered 100 miles away on the shore of Trinidad Head.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  A group of nurses at Connecticut Childrens inspired one of their patients.

Kaitlyn Hildebrand was hospitalized at 14 years old but has gone on to nursing school. On Friday, during National Nurses Week, she graduated from the University of Saint Joseph as part of a special ceremony and is moving on to help others in the profession.

Daughter says mom gave me life twice with kidney donation as pair graduate nursing school together

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When Hildebrand was 14 years old, she was diagnosed with Crohns Disease. She spent most of her high school years in college, going for treatments at hospitals.

She was inspired by the nurses who cared for her, so much so that she is now becoming a nurse and hopes to inspire others.

All of the nurses at CCC pushed me more into it. I thought about nursing prior to being hospitalized, Hildebrand said. But the care that I was given there, and how much ease they put me at, really pushed me in this direction, and I knew freshman year that I wanted to do this.

Hildebrand said she hopes to return to Connecticut Childrens and work in the same ward where she was treated. She wants to work side-by-side with some of the nurses who gave her all that great care.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha has been released from the Oregon prison where he was serving time on federal corruption charges and is now back home in Hawaii.

BLNR denies U.S. Armys final EIS at Pohakuloa Training Area

Kealoha, along with his wife Katherine and two Honolulu police officers, was convicted in 2019 of obstruction and conspiracy in a public corruption case that shook the states law enforcement community.

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According to retired federal public defender Alexander Silvert, Kealoha earned credit for good behavior under updated federal guidelines  roughly two months off for each year served  allowing for his early release.

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At this point in time, Mr. Kealoha has completed his jail, Silvert said. Hes been released to what would be considered a halfway house or home confinement situation, which will last for about a year.

After that period, Kealoha will serve three years of supervised release. He is permitted to reenter the workforce to help repay restitution tied to a related civil lawsuit.

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Silvert said Kealohas transition marks the beginning of his reintegration into the community under federal supervision.

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HEATH, Ohio (WCMH)  A former Ohio State High Patrol trooper has been indicted on charges related to the possession of sexually oriented material involving a minor.

According to court records, Anthony Pagan, of Heath, is facing three counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and one count of pandering obscenity involving a minor. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Aug. 9, 2024, when Pagan allegedly downloaded sexual abuse material.

Mother of Reynoldsburg boy who was allegedly tortured denied bond

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Pagan, 23, was arrested on Jan. 30 after the Heath Police Department received reports from Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children, where a cybertip originated from Dropbox. Detectives executed a search warrant, reviewed the material, and confirmed the user account information provided matched an iCloud email address and two IP addresses matched with Pagan.

A grand jury officially indicted Pagan on Thursday and concluded that he also surrender an iPhone14 and an iPad Air, properties instrumentally involved in all four counts of the indictment.

The OSHP said Pagan is no longer employed with the division after being terminated on Feb. 6.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
A former Pflugerville High School employee was charged in connection to sending sexually explicit social media messages to a male student, police said. Marissa Juarez, 27, was charged with online solicitation of a minor, a third-degree felony. It is punishable by up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Juarez was an administrative assistant at the school, according to an arrest affidavit released Tuesday. Her last day of work at the school was April 28, said Tamra Spence, a Pflugerville district spokeswoman. Spence would not say whether Juarez had been terminated or had resigned. She had worked at the district since August 2024, Spence said.

Pflugerville police began investigating after a school district sergeant saw Juarez and the male student on a security camera sharing a hug and a kiss in a school parking lot, according to the arrest affidavit.

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What is criminally negligent homicide? Texas man guilty in fatal high school stabbing

The male student told police that the kiss seen on the security camera was the first one he and Juarez had ever shared and that he never communicated with her on social media, the affidavit said. He later told police he had shared one message with Juarez on Instagram about getting her a hoodie.

When police interviewed the student and his mother the next day, his mother showed the investigator 55 screenshots of sexually explicit messages on Snapchat between the student and Juarez, the affidavit said. Some of the messages discussed a plan for them to have sex at the student's home while his mother was on vacation.

In an interview with police, Juarez denied knowing about the Snapchat account and denied any online communication with the male student, the affidavit said. Juarez, however, sent several messages to the male student "with photos and videos of her face which are plainly seen," according to the document. It said Juarez also denied kissing the male student and said she didn't text or talk to him.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ex-Texas school employee charged with online solicitation of a minor






Fox News guest Camryn Kinsey, who fainted on air and fell from her chair on May 8, shared a health update

The political commentator, a former staffer for Donald Trump, fainted during her appearance on Fox News @ Night

Kinsey said shes "taking it slow, staying hydrated, letting my body rest, and thanking the Lord that everything is okay"









Camryn Kinsey, the Fox News guest who fainted during a live broadcast this week, is updating her people on her well-being.

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On May 8, the political commentator fainted and slipped out of her chair during Fox News @ Night while she was discussing Joe Biden's recent comments on Kamala Harris' loss in the 2024 presidential election.

The 24-year-old  who previously served as the external relations director in the White House's presidential personnel office for Donald Trump, per her LinkedIn  revealed on X on May 9 that she was "sorry for the scare."

"I want to start by thanking the incredible Fox News team and the EMTs who responded with such speed and care, Kinsey wrote. It was an unexpected and frightening moment, but thanks to their professionalism and kindness, Im doing well.

Fox News panelist Camryn Kinsey suffers medical episode live on air, host Jonathan Hunt tries to carry on with the segment before going to a commercial. pic.twitter.com/wpBZoxAI2s  Mike Sington (@MikeSington) May 9, 2025

"To everyone who has called, texted, prayed, or checked in, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support has meant the world," she continued.

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As for how she's doing, Kinsey wrote she's "taking it slow, staying hydrated, letting my body rest, and thanking the Lord that everything is okay."

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Monica Schipper/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Camryn Kinsey in August 2024 Camryn Kinsey in August 2024

"It may not have been how I planned to end the segment, but Ill be back on your TV soon," the political commentator wrote. "Hopefully long enough to finally finish my point about Kamala!"

On Friday, a Fox News spokesperson shared in a statement with PEOPLE that Kinsey indeed "fainted" during the broadcast at the company's Los Angeles bureau. After paramedics arrived, she was "treated and cleared."

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"We are happy to hear she is now feeling much better and wish her a speedy recovery," the spokesperson said at the time.

Before Kinsey's social media update, footage of her health scare circulated on social media this week, showing her fall to the ground from a chair. "This is about incompetency, it's not about uh, uh, ideology," she said before fainting.

"Oh my goodness," host Jonathan Hunt said as he reacted to the moment, while crews rushed in. "We're just going to get some help here for Camryn."

Hunt then took the show to commercial, later reassuring viewers that Kinsey had regained consciousness and that he wished her "all the best."

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Kinsey, who has a background in national security, has also previously worked as a reporter and White House correspondent for the Trump-aligned One America News Network.



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U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, left, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser are running in the Democratic primary for governor in 2026.

2026 governors race
WARREN COUNTY, Tenn. (WTAJ)  A former fan favorite WWE wrestler from the 1990s has been indicted in Tennessee for attempted aggravated sexual exploitation of children.

Michael Droese (Photo from District Attorney General Chris Stanford, 31st Judicial District)

Michael Droese, better known to wrestling fans as Duke The Dumpster Droese, was indicted by a Warren County grand jury in May, according to a release from District Attorney General Chris Stanford, 31st Judicial District.

It was alleged that Droese used a Coinbase account in an attempt to purchase child pornography on the dark web, the release reads. Coinbase, however, recognized what the transaction was and declined the payment. The company then sent a tip to the FBI.

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According to Stanford, the FBI alerted the Warren County Sheriffs Department of Droese and the tip they were given on March 29. Within days, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began investigating, which quickly led to charges against Droese.

Stanford said that Droeses charges are considered attempted because his transaction was never processed.

Deadly illness spreading twice as fast in 2025, surpasses 9,000 cases

At the time, Droese was employed as the DUI Coordinator for the 31st Judicial District Adult Recovery Court Program, the release states. Droese served the program for several years in various capacities. Upon learning of the indictment, Droese was terminated from his position effective immediately. Stanford noted that Dorese, though working through the public court system, was never given duties that mandated any contact with children.

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After the indictment, Droese peacefully surrendered himself to law enforcement, according to Stanford. Droese was booked on his charges and released after posting $10,000 bond.

Droeses next court date is set for May 28.

Droese, wrestling as Duke The Dumpster Droese, appeared in the WWE (then WWF) from 1994 to 1996. He would then return in 2001 for one night only in a special attraction battle royale at WrestleMania 17.

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Landowners opposed to carbon sequestration pipelines shout at senators for declining to debate an eminent domain bill Friday. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Shame, shame, shame, a red-shirted group chanted from a Senate gallery after a full day waiting for senators to debate a bill impacting carbon sequestration pipelines.

A group of landowners has been pushing lawmakers to take up the issue around property rights for four years. They, along with farmers and union workers in favor of the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, showed up to the Capitol in droves Friday, expecting to hear debate on House File 639.

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After breaking for a closed-door caucus after almost every action on the floor, senators decided to adjourn until Monday, without having debated the eminent domain bill or budgets.

Youre disrespecting our time, a landowner yelled from the gallery following the pound of the gavel.

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HF 639 would set requirements for pipeline insurance and permit limits and change the definitions of common carrier in the state to require hazardous liquid pipeline operators prove they will transport commodities owned by shippers not affiliated with the carrier.

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The Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, which was granted eminent domain by the Iowa Utilities Commission in June, would connect to nearly 60 ethanol facilities and stretch around 2,500 across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. The pipeline would transport sequestered carbon dioxide from the facilities to underground storage in North Dakota.

Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, proposed a major amendment to the bill in committee, and an additional amendment Friday that removes many parts of the version passed from the House.

Under Bousselots amendment, which must be approved on the floor, projects could seek voluntary easements from outside of the project corridor, which he said would allow them to avoid using eminent domain.

Sherri Webb, second from right, one of a group of landowners who have traveled several hours to be at the Capitol Friday. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

His amendment also requires the project operators to repair damaged land for the lifetime of the project. The Iowa Utilities Commission would have to make a decision on permit applications within one year and members would have to be present at hearings under the amendment, which would apply to all projects seeking eminent domain.

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Sen. Kevin Alons, R-Salix, proposed a strikethrough amendment Friday that instead added language similar to House File 943, to ban the use of eminent domain for pipelines carrying liquified carbon dioxide.

I guess four years and another day is what we will be doing again next Monday, Sherri Webb, a landowner opposed to the pipeline said following the adjournment. Were just gonna have to wait another day, and its not right.

Farmer support

Farmers and biofuel advocates who gathered in the Capitol rotunda earlier in the day said the carbon sequestration capabilities offered by the pipeline would open the door to expanded biofuel markets, like sustainable aviation fuel.

A number of farmers were among the more than 1,300 landowners who have already signed easement agreements with Summit.

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Kelly Nieuwenhuis, a signed landowner and corn farmer in OBrien County, said he signed easement agreements with Summit for nearly three miles of pipeline through his property.

We need to get this project done for a positive future for not only farmers, but the biofuels industry and good-paying jobs for rural America, Nieuwenhuis said.

Farmers pointed to low corn prices from lack of market demand as a strong reason for the pipeline, as it would make it easier for ethanol producers in Iowa to enter the ultra-low carbon ethanol market.

Farmers, ethanol industry employees and union members gathered on the steps of the Rotunda Friday to voice support for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association earlier this week published a study highlighting the same issue. While the ethanol industry had another good year in 2024, the study said the associated economic effects of biofuels were diminished by the stagnant corn market.

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This project, hooking these plants onto it, is going to change and open up markets, Mark Wigans, a signed landowner and an ethanol plant president, said at the rally. Agricultures in terrible shape right now, and we need change and this is going to give it to us.

Also in attendance were members from several union locals, in favor of the pipeline for the construction jobs it would supply.

Other business

The 110-day legislative session was scheduled to end May 2, marking the end to some per diem payments to lawmakers. The failure to bring an eminent domain bill to the Senate floor likely sets back efforts to end the session early next week.

Though the Senate did not vote on the eminent domain bill Friday, lawmakers did approve one measure, House File 856, a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion activities and offices in state agencies and community colleges. The Senate amended the bill to remove private colleges from the measure and returned it to the House.

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The chamber also voted along party lines to confirm three of the governors appointees  Cheryl Elsloo to the Iowa State Civil Rights Commission, Christine Hensley to the Iowa Board of Regents and Whitney Smith McIntosh to the states Human Rights Board.

However, there were several other measures on the calendar  including budget bills  that were not brought up for debate. Senate File 645, the economic development budget, Senate File 646, the agriculture and natural resources budget and Senate File 647, the education budget were not brought up before the chamber adjourned Friday.

There were amendments filed on these three bills to reflect the budget compromise reached with House Republicans Thursday. While these amendments are spending figures that represent an agreement between House and Senate Republicans, the majority caucuses in both chambers, the Senate would not be able to pass these or other budget bills before getting the support of the 12 GOP senators who pledged to vote against appropriations bills until the eminent domain legislation is brought to the floor.

Most of the spending bills for fiscal year 2026 have not yet been approved in either chamber. The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet Monday, May 12 to discuss four budget bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee also still must hold a meeting to approve standings appropriations bill that includes the State Supplemental Aid (SSA) per-pupil funding for Iowas K-12 system, the House priority of $14 million for paraeducator pay, and other various state spending obligations.

Robin Opsahl contributed to this report.

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Fox News host Bret Baier admits that President Donald Trumps decade-long Fake News crusade is to blame for plummeting trust in the mainstream media.

Baier, 54, said the president broke the system and decimated whatever trust remained in the media before he took over the Republican Party in 2016.

Maybe that was part of his MO, what he wanted to do, Baier told Politicos Deep Dive podcast on Friday.

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The host said that those in the media are partly to blame, too.

Donald Trump speaks to Fox News moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum after a town hall in 2020. / LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS

Middle America didnt trust what they were getting from a lot of media, he said, which opened the door for Trump to capitalize on those emotions.

The attacks have had a notable impact. A Gallup poll released just before the 2024 election found that only around 30 percent of Americans have a great deal of trust in the media to report fairly and accurately. That figure was 72 percent in 1976, by comparison, and was at 40 percent in 2015, just before MAGA went mainstream.

Baier is his networks chief political anchor and a longtime host on Special Report. He appears to be one of Trumps favorite pundits and is an unabashed supporter of the president himself.

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Still, Fox News is not always spared from the presidents wrath. Most recently, Trump attacked the network over unfavorable poll figures regarding his approval rating and Americans view of his tariffs. His adviser, Stephen Miller, outright called on Fox to fire its pollster. Trump said the same in a Truth Social tirade aboard Air Force One.

FAKE POLLS FROM FAKE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS should be investigated for ELECTION FRAUD, he posted, upset that a Fox News poll assessed him a meagre 38 percent overall approval rating.

While thats no MSDNC or Fake News CNN, as Trump has used to describe the left-leaning networks, it is the latest evidence that no news organization is safe from Trumps attacks in MAGA 2.0.

The White House, despite Trump hiring a large number of former Fox News journalists to non-media roles in his administration, has said it is employing a messaging strategy to bypass the media entirely and reach the eyes and ears of Americans directly.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has posted a joint statement by the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, the UK and Ukraine following their meeting in Kyiv on 10 May.

Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook

Details: The statement includes the need for a complete and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days, as well as the imposition of sanctions on the banking and energy sectors of the Russian Federation if it refuses to cease fire.

Full text of the statement:

Joint Statement by the Leaders of France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine Following the Meeting in Kyiv.

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On Saturday 10 May 2025, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Ukraine met in Kyiv.

They agreed that. starting Monday 12 May, there should be a full and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days.

They concurred that an unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions. If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy.

They demanded that the ceasefire must be comprehensive  in the air, at sea, and on land.

They underlined that it requires effective monitoring, which could be successfully implemented in close coordination with the United States.

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They agreed that the ceasefire should last for at least 30 days to create room for diplomacy. During this period, diplomatic work should focus on outlining the security, political and humanitarian foundations of peace.

They welcomed that the call for a ceasefire and meaningful negotiations is supported by both Europe and the United States.

They underlined the crucial importance of strengthening Ukraines Defence and Security Forces as the primary guarantee of Ukraines sovereignty and security. A key element of security guarantees to Ukraine should also be a reassurance force (Contingent).

They agreed that if Russia refuses a full and unconditional ceasefire, stronger sanctions should be applied to its banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil and the shadow fleet.

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They agreed to pass a strong 17th EU sanctions package and to coordinate it with sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom and Norway, as well as by the United States.

They agreed to continue working on the effective use of frozen Russian assets and to discuss this at the next G7 summit.

They expressed their readiness to further strengthen Ukraines defence, especially the Ukrainian army. This should include funding defence resilience and investment in arms production in both Ukraine and in European countries in the framework of joint projects.

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PARIS (Reuters) - France is consulting with partners on how to potentially support Ukraine in its struggle with Russia with troops, French President Emmanuel Macron told newspaper Le Parisien on Saturday, without elaborating on what such a presence could include.

"We are working on the presence and strategic footprint of the partner countries. There have been several exchanges between our British, French and Ukrainian chiefs of staff, who have coordinated the work with all their partners, and all this is becoming clearer and making progress," Macron was cited in the article.

"The key is to have troops in Ukraine," he added.

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Major European powers including France threw their weight behind an unconditional 30-day Ukraine ceasefire, with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Macron joined the leaders of Britain, Germany and Poland on a visit to Kyiv on Saturday during which they held a phone call with Trump.

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel, Editing by Nick Zieminski)
France and the United Kingdom have not yet agreed on the details of a possible deployment of a Western contingent in Ukraine following a ceasefire, but have emphasised that Ukraines Armed Forces will play a leading role in ensuring security.

Source: French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting with journalists in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravdas correspondent

Details: Following the summit of the "coalition of the willing" in Kyiv, Macron and Starmer acknowledged that as yet there is no agreement on the parameters, size or location of the Western contingent.

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Quote from Macron: "Discussions are ongoing among all partners, led by France and the UK. Can I announce the result? Not at the moment. We are working on options, and the decision also depends on what Russia's response will be. When it comes, we will work on the most effective proposal."

Details: Macron confirmed once again that the option of sending troops from France, the UK and a number of other countries to Ukraine is being considered: "Indeed, the deterrence force is an option. But everything will depend on the course of the discussion between Ukraine and Russia."

Quote from Starmer: "Looking at contingencies in relation to the air, to the sea, and to land. Obviously there is a degree of optionality about it because we havent yet got to a ceasefire."

Details: Starmer said he believes the contingent is an indispensable and very important component of the peace agreement.

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"Unless there is a contingent behind a deal, Putin is likely to breach it. There have been deals in the past that he has not honoured. And Ukraine needs not just a peace, but a lasting peace. Not a peace that is temporary, not a peace that lasts a few months or a few years, but a lasting peace," the UK Prime Minister said.

Both politicians stressed that the Western contingent would not be the main guarantee of security.

"The guarantees will be built in several tiers. The first tier of defence is the Ukrainian army itself. And the second tier is deterrence, the contingent," Macron said.

"We need to strengthen the Ukrainian army so that it is an element of deterrence," Starmer agreed.

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Background:

Following the coalition summit on 10 May, it was reported that the EU and the US have agreed to tighten sanctions against Russia if it rejects the ceasefire. Starmer also announced that the West has agreed not to ease sanctions against Russia "until the end of the process".

Speaking to journalists, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected US envoy Keith Kellogg's idea of a demilitarised zone on the demarcation line with Russia.

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Though armed conflict is becoming increasingly rare as the decades go by, global military spending is rising sharply with each passing year, reaching unprecedented numbers in the history of warfare.

Much of that spending is fueled by the rise of the military tech industry. Between 2021 and 2023, venture capital firms pumped $100 billion into military tech startups in the US alone, hoping to snag lucrative contracts for everything from high-powered counter-UAV systems to deadly drone swarms.

With so many startups and defense conglomerates pitching all kinds of buzzy hardware, it's getting pretty difficult to predict what the future of warfare is going to look like.

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That isn't stopping countries like France from taking a guess, however. General Bruno Baratz, commander of future combat programs for the French Army, recently announced the country's intent to deploy robot warriors to the front lines as soon as 2028.

"We hope to have something fairly evolved within three years, with the first ground robot capabilities ready to equip our forces," Baratz said at a military robotics exercise near Paris.

Baratz added that the French government anticipates "deploying evolved systems with practical utility to our combat elements well ahead of 2040," referencing a target date for robot deployment set back in 2021. That decision was part of a call by French military leaders to prepare for "high-intensity warfare" by upgrading equipment, increasing army reserves, outsourcing to private contractors, and investing in high-tech drone and robotics programs.

At the military robotics trials, Barrons reports that unmanned units sporting legs, treads, and wheels navigated obstacles and dodged traps meant to emulate battlefield conditions. The French army anticipates deploying the robo-units for a range of tasks, from surveillance to remote repair work to mine clearing.

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"Now we need to prove [the robots] can be more effective when they come into contact with an adversary," said French general Tony Maffeis, head of the army's technical branch. "The robot must facilitate combat, not hold it back."

Though France points to the Russian-Ukraine war as a reason to embrace high-tech hardware, president Emmanuel Macron recently affirmed that France would not be sending troops to the conflict  raising the important question of what, exactly, its robot army will be used for.

The European superpower is currently withdrawing troops from deployments in formerly colonized African countries like Chad, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which some critics warn is a smokescreen for France to return to the kinds of covert schemes its military has come to be known for across the continent.

France has previously employed tactics like economic warfare in Guinea, drone espionage in the Central African Republic, and high-tech arms transfers to the oil-rich nation of Guyana, to name a few.

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It's anyone's guess how France will deploy its cutting-edge military tech going forward, but it's hard to imagine it'll be sitting in a warehouse gathering dust.

More on military robots: Senior Pentagon Official: New Plan Is to Invest in "Autonomous Killer Robots"
The third of three measures intended to address the problems with rape test kits and accountability issues at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation won Senate approval on Friday.
A seven-year veteran Fresno police officer has been accused of sexual battery on two adults.

In a news release Friday, the department said the alleged crime occurred when Officer Obioma Agbowo was off duty in March 2025.

Following an investigation and a review of the case by the Fresno County District Attorneys Office, a misdemeanor warrant was issued for Agbowos arrest, police said.

Agbowo was arrested Wednesday and cited.

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He was placed on administrative leave pending completion of the Internal Affairs investigation, police said.

No other details were given on the citation.

Said Police Chief Mindy Casto in the news release:

Immediately upon being advised of this complaint, the Fresno Police Department launched both a criminal and administrative investigation to address the allegations. We hold our personnel to the highest standards of conduct both on and off duty. When misconduct is alleged, we take action to thoroughly investigate and identify any violations of policy and law,

Agnowo was cited on suspicion of two counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.
A fugitive convicted of murder in Brazil has been arrested in Massachusetts, federal immigration authorities said.

Fernando Antonio Vieira-Martins, 34, of Brazil, was arrested by federal officers in Milford on May 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement.

Vieira-Martins is wanted by authorities in his native country of Brazil to serve a sentence following his conviction for murder. Officers with ICE Boston and agents with FBI Boston made the arrest.

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Fernando Antonio Vieira-Martins murdered someone in his home country and attempted to subvert justice by fleeing to the United States, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde said in a statement. He represents a significant hazard to the residents of Massachusetts.

Brazilian authorities convicted Vieira-Martins of murder on June 29, 2022, and sentenced him to 24 years and nine months in prison.

He fled Brazil after that conviction, Hyde said.

Vieira-Martins illegally entered the United States on March 9, 2023, near Calexico, California, without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official, Hyde said.

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On May 10, 2023, Brazilian authorities issued a criminal arrest warrant for Vieira-Martins for failure to serve a sentence for a murder conviction.

Vieira-Martins remains in federal custody, where he will remain pending removal proceedings, Hyde said.

While some in New England may be perfectly fine with criminal alien offenders settling in our communities, ICE Boston will continue to prioritize the safety of our law-abiding public by arresting and removing such criminal alien threats to our neighbors, Hyde said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A fugitive wanted for assault out of Pueblo was arrested in Colorado Springs on Thursday, May 8 by multiple law enforcement agencies.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service Denver, fugitive Ja Verrea Doage was wanted on numerous felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon.

Courtesy: U.S. Marshals Service Denver

Members of the Colorado Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force (COVOTF), including the U.S. Marshals Service, Fountain Police Department, Colorado Department of Corrections, Colorado Bureau of Investigations, and the Colorado Springs Police Department, assisted in the arrest.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has expressed cautious optimism that an end to Russia's war against Ukraine may be within reach.

"This war must end. And I believe there is now a small chance. But there is a chance," he said in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD in Kiev, where he had gathered with the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Poland and Ukraine.

Merz stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin must recognize the futility of continuing the war, adding that another package of EU sanctions is already being prepared.

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"We are now very united," Merz said, noting that the United States is also fully engaged.

US President Donald Trump was informed of the results immediately after the Kiev meeting, the chancellor told ZDF television. "Putin must know that he cannot divide the West," Merz said in that interview. "This is the biggest diplomatic initiative in recent months, if not years, to end the war in Ukraine."

Speaking to the German news channel ntv, Merz said it was possible he could speak with Putin by phone: That is an option, of course.

However, he said any such conversation would occur only in close coordination with European partners and Washington. "Then everyone will know about it  before and after," he said.
BERLIN (Reuters) - The new German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, departed for Israel on Saturday for a Middle East trip in which "critical discussions" are expected, he said when leaving Berlin.

"In both of our democracies, critical discussions about the policies of one's own government and friendly nations are part of this," Wadephul said on Saturday.

Wadephul condemned the Hamas' attacks "in the strongest terms" and called for the liberation of all hostages.

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Hamas' attacks on October 7, 2023 killed 1,200 people and 251 were taken hostage back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run health authorities.

"I will ask about the strategic objective of the fighting, which has intensified again since March," Wadephul said.

According to a Foreign Office spokesperson, Wadephul will meet Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Wadephul will also visit the Yad Vashem memorial and talk to the relatives of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

In Ramallah, the minister will meet with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammed Mustafa.

(Reporting by Alex Ratz, writing by Maria Martinez, Editing by Louise Heavens)
Germany will significantly restrict information about the weapons it supplies to Ukraine after three years of broad transparency.

Source: German news agency dpa, citing government sources, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Government sources told dpa that the new administration will "significantly limit information on future arms supplies".

The main goal is "not to give the aggressor a military advantage in the war in Ukraine".

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The restriction of public debate on arms supplies is part of the "tactics of warfare", the sources said.

It is not yet clear how the Bundestag will be informed about arms supplies in the future.

Background:

Notably, the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union, and the Social Democratic Party of Germany had confirmed in their coalition agreement that they would continue supporting Ukraine before officially taking office.

In mid-April, the German government updated the list of military aid provided to Ukraine, including additional air defence equipment, ammunition and drones.

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Colorado Republican Bob Beauprez, a former two-term congressman, talks to call center volunteers during the final day of get out his 2014 gubernatorial run in Thornton in this file photo.
KYIV (Reuters) - The German government will stop publishing details of military aid to Ukraine, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Saturday during a visit to Kyiv.

Sources with knowledge of the matter had earlier told Reuters that public information about the delivery of weapons systems to Ukraine was to be reduced to achieve "strategic ambiguity" and prevent Russia gaining any strategic advantages.

"Under my leadership, the debate about arms deliveries, caliber, weapons systems and so on will be taken out of the public eye," Merz told RTL/ntv broadcasters in Kyiv.

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Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany's government initially reported sporadically on military aid to Kyiv. Under pressure from parliamentarians and media, it later started publishing an updated list of systems and goods supplied.

Merz, who took office on Tuesday, said Germany's commitment to supporting Ukraine in the fight against Russia's invasion would not change.

"Germany will continue to expand its financial support. I am counting on you (...) to do the same with us," Merz said, addressing other European leaders at a meeting in Kyiv.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Maria Martinez, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
During a visit to Kyiv, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to continue military support for Ukraine, stressing close coordination with European partners and the United States.

Source: Merz in a comment to German news channel n-tv in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Merz commented on the possible supply of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

"We support Ukraine militarily to the extent that we can and bear responsibility for it," Merz said. "And we are doing this in order to put an end to this war."

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However, he said discussions about specific arms transfers will no longer be held publicly.

"Under my leadership, debates about arms deliveries, calibres, weapons systems and so on will be removed from the public eye," the chancellor said.

He stressed, however, that this matter is in the legitimate public interest.

Merz added that decisions on the type and amount of military assistance will continue to be made within the Federal Cabinet and in close coordination with international partners.

Background:

Earlier, the German news agency dpa, citing government sources, reported that Germany would significantly reduce transparency regarding its arms supplies to Ukraine after three years of openly disclosing such information.

Notably, the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union and the Social Democratic Party of Germany confirmed in their coalition agreement that they would continue supporting Ukraine even before taking office.

In mid-April, the German government updated the list of military aid provided to Ukraine, including additional air defence equipment, ammunition and drones.

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GLENNVILLE, Ga. (WSAV)  A little rain couldnt put a damper on the fun in Glennville Saturday. Even though the weather didnt cooperate completely, the crowds were still full of smiling festival-goers.

The Glennville Sweet Onion Festival is the towns biggest annual event. Glennville is the largest town in Tattnall County, which grows more Vidalia Sweet Onions than any of other official Georgia Department of Agriculture Sweet Onion growing counties, contributing approximately half of the entire state crop each year.

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The Glennville Sweet Onion Festival celebrates the harvesting of the yearly Vidalia sweet onion crop.

Amy Terrell, the president of the Glennville Chamber of Commerce, said the rain didnt deter the 120 arts & crafts vendors, 75 parade entrants, the 20 food vendors or the locals who supported them Saturday. Its good for the community to come together, to be one, to be whole. Theres so many people who offer so many things. And this is the perfect opportunity to support small business and get to know those people on a one-on-one basis.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  Each year, The Golden Apple Foundation picks several teachers and principals across Illinois who have a lasting impact on students and the community. This year, one of those educators came from Shelbyville High School.

Tim Aberle, who teaches world history and psychology, was selected and recognized by the foundation. He was picked out of nearly 500 nominations for 9th-12th grade teachers.

Vermilion Co. Health Department announces electronic recycling event for next month

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I was just trying to take it all in as best as I could, just rolling with the punches and just looking around me and just trying to be in the moment and enjoy it, Aberle said.

Aberle has been working in the district for five years. He said what got him into this career were the ones before him.

I love to learn, and when I was growing up, school was a warm, safe, welcoming place to me, Aberle said. At school was a place where my interests were nurtured and I had teachers that inspired me and motivated me.

Now hes able to take what hes learned over his 10-year career and implement that into the classroom.

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Ive been blessed to have Mr. Aberle as a teacher, said Kenna Prosser, student of Aberle.

The senior in high school said Aberle is one teacher she connected with.

People say enough is enough  Citizens Utility Board fighting record-breaking gas rate hike

Truly, Ive seen he cares deeply about his students. He checks in on us, he asks what we want to do in our future, Prosser said. If were struggling, hell sit down and see how he can help us in any way.

And those are just a few qualities into why The Golden Apple Foundation picked him.

Its incredible, its incredible and it prompts me again to look back at all the nights and days that it wasnt always easy, Aberle said. Its not always smooth, sometimes its hard.

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Aberle said this award shows the strength and resilience in not giving up.

Im always learning, and Im always shifting, and I learn something from each and every one of them [his students], Aberle said. And ideally, its something I can give back to them right away, but I become a better teacher because of my interaction, my relationship with them.

He was awarded a $5,000 check and a spring sabbatical from Northwestern University. This means hell be able to take free classes next year to learn anything he wants.

Aberle and the other 10 recipients will now help play a role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apples scholars and accelerators programs, which are dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
(KRON)  Google will pay the state of Texas $1.375 billion as part of a data privacy settlement, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Friday.

Paxton sued Google in 2022 after the company allegedly broke the law by tracking and collecting private data related to users locations, incognito searches and biometric data. Paxton called the settlement a historic win for Texans data privacy and security rights.

After years of aggressive litigation, Attorney General Paxton agreed to settle Texas data-privacy claims against Google for an amount that far surpasses any other states claims for similar violations, a statement issued by Paxtons office reads. To date, no state has attained a settlement against Google for similar data-privacy violations greater than $93 million. Even a multistate coalition that included forty states secured just $391 million  almost a billion dollars less than Texass recovery.

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It was ugly. Following systemwide BART outage, transit advocates raise red flags

Paxton said that the lawsuit sends a message to tech companies that they will pay for abusing the publics trust.

For years, Google secretly tracked peoples movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services, Paxton said in a statement. I fought back and won.

In July, Paxton negotiated a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta for the companys alleged collection and use of facial-recognition data. Paxton also took part in a $700 million, multistate settlement regarding allegations that Google was illegally stifling the competition in its Android app store.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
GOSHEN  Chicagoland native and Augustine priest Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected to the office of the papacy on Wednesday, choosing the name Pope Leo XIV.

Father Brian Florin, pastor at St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church, said on Thursday when he received the official word, he rushed to the meeting house and began ringing the bell for almost a half hour around the noontime hour.

This isnt just another democratic process, he said. This is more of a mystical process. Its a lot of prayer and dialogue and discernment.

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Florin said through the conclave that began on Wednesday, his church was praying for the cardinals to make the best decision. When the announcement was made, the students at the parish school also began watching the livestream at the Vatican of his selection and speech.

I think everybodys in agreement, never in our lifetime would we have expected a North American pope to be chosen, from the United States to be chosen, Florin said. Then finding out hes from Chicago, literally 100 miles from us, its like, Oh, my goodness. This is crazy.

On one hand, it shows the universality of the Catholic church, that the church extends around the entire world, he said. Its not just particular to one race or one ethnicity or one language or one culture, it is as far reaching from one end of the world to the other.  But then for the result to be a humble man from the south side of Chicago, you see the particularity of the church.

As a priest from the Midwest, it instilled within me the desire to be holy and to be the best priest I possibly can be here in Goshen, Indiana, Florin said. It makes me realize that even if nobody knows my name, I know that I am participating in something that is so far beyond myself, that Im involved in the universal church. But nonetheless, my particular contribution, my particular effort striving for holiness here in Goshen does have an impact on the whole church around the world.

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Florin said as Catholics, the news is exciting, foremostly because now there is a new pope. That is most important.

Now we have a pope who has filled the seat. Florin said. He is the successor of Peter; hes the 267 successor of St. Peter.

Florin also reflects on the tradition and the beauty of the church and the process.

We believe the Catholic church is a divinely instituted church dating back to the personage of Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh, Florin said. And its a time for us to just be able to show the world that beauty and that goodness and the true joy in the truth of what the Catholic church is at its core  it is the living instrument of Christ, guided by the spirit here on earth in the Year of Our Lord 2025.

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Florin said Cardinal Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV flew under the radar as a contender for the papacy.

That means hes just a guy whos been doing the work of the Lord, Florin said. He was just a man, with the people, for the people, bringing them the word of the Gospel  If he is holy and humble, thats a man Ill follow.

Florin said he would follow the pope anyway, but having faith in Prevosts previous work in the Lord including missions in Peru and education at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas for canon law, bolster his faith in the decision made by the church and he will continue to pray for Pope Leo XIV as he begins his new journey.

Father Ryan Timossi, pastor at St. Patricks Catholic Church in Ligonier, echoed his sentiments.

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Our Catholic faith teaches us and I fully believe that the pope is the successor of the Apostle Peter who was not given only Christs authority to bind and loose and to forgive sins, but that he alone was given also the keys of the kingdom as seen in Matthew 16, signifying a role of primacy over the other apostles, Timossi explained. Pope Leo XIV was an unexpected candidate without a doubt. The saying in Rome that one who goes in as a pope leaves as a cardinal definitely rang true again in this conclave.

Timossi said he expected the next Pope to be Italian as the last three have not been, and said he didnt know much about Prevost when he was named, but his first impressions have been that Prevost is humble and measured with his words.

As he proclaimed the peace of the risen Lord to the multitude, I really felt that this is what he is going to strive to bring about, greater peace and unity both in the Church and in the world, Timossi noted. As I have looked into Pope Leo XIV I have grown hopeful that he will truly be a gift to the Church and to the world. He seems to be a man who is genuinely in love with Christ and with the poor. He will continue Francis advocacy for the poorest of the poor in our world.

Timossi said that while its still early on and he doesnt yet know all the positions of Prevost, hes listened to some of his homilies and he and others like him remain of faith that the new pope will strive to lead the Church through prayer and faith.

Christ has promised that the gates of hell will never prevail against his Church and so even though the responsibility of the governance of the Church is given to one man, our faith trusts that the Church will march on as a means of salvation and grace for the world no matter what, he said. Having said that, this pope seems to be a man who desires to steady the waters and promote unity within the Church and the world and uphold the dignity of the poor and the downtrodden.
May 9JUNEAU  Gov. Mike Dunleavy wants the Alaska Legislature to form a "joint team" with his administration to forge a long-term fiscal plan for the state.

The Legislature is grappling this year with a substantial deficit and a dire fiscal outlook due to diminished oil revenue. The Senate approved an austere budget this week ahead of final negotiations with the House. Lawmakers have warned the state's fiscal outlook likely will be even more dire next year.

On Friday, Dunleavy also issued an administrative order that seeks to limit state spending. The order would implement a statewide hiring freeze for public sector workers and a freeze on out-of-state travel with some exemptions for public safety and other positions. Dunleavy said that was needed with oil prices falling and tightening fiscal conditions.

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However, Dunleavy in a Friday letter made clear that he opposed several tax proposals being considered by lawmakers this year.

In recent years, legislators have discussed countless proposals intended to balance the state's budget for the long term. Measures have been considered to change the state's Permanent Fund dividend formula; institute a tighter legislative spending cap; and impose new taxes to raise revenue. But virtually all of those measures have been rejected by the Legislature.

Members of the bipartisan Senate majority introduced a new dividend formula bill that would pay a $1,400 PFD this year, but it has failed to advance. The Senate this year has supported a $1,000 PFD, but some senators have said they hope Alaska's finances improve to pay the larger dividend figure in the future.

Senate majority members have also favored new revenue-raising measures to balance the budget, but the House has shown little appetite for bills that would hike oil taxes. The Legislature did broadly approve Senate Bill 113 this week, which would raise revenue by taxing out-of-state businesses online.

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Dunleavy on Wednesday sent a letter to legislative leaders, saying that he opposed "standalone tax measures." He said that a "tax-and-spend" approach would not lead to a long-term, sustainable fiscal plan for Alaska.

"As I have consistently stated since my first term, a truly durable fiscal plan must include revenues, but it also requires clear guardrails: spending limits, statutory and regulatory reviews, and policies that make Alaska the most competitive state in the nation for investment and new business growth," Dunleavy said in his Wednesday letter.

Dunleavy formally requested that legislators establish "a joint team" with his administration after the legislative session ends later in May to "develop a comprehensive, sustainable long-term fiscal plan that ensures stability and fosters economic growth."

Kodiak Republican Senate President Gary Stevens on Friday said Dunleavy's proposal had not been discussed yet by the bipartisan Senate majority caucus. But Stevens said it was "a reasonable idea." He compared it to a legislative task force that worked last year to make recommendations to aid the ailing Alaska seafood industry.

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However, Stevens said he was "sorry" to hear Dunleavy opposed tax bills being considered by lawmakers this year. Those revenue-raising measures include:

SB 113, which has been estimated to raise between $25 million and $65 million per year for the state treasury. The revenue raised from that bill has been earmarked to fund reading incentive grants and career and technical education. The Legislature approved the measure this week on a combined 42-18 vote. But Dunleavy has opposed it, telling school superintendents that he was against tying revenue raised from that bill to education funding.

Senate Bill 92 would impose the same corporate income tax rate on privately held oil companies as those paid by public corporations. The tax would apply to Hilcorp, which operates the Prudhoe Bay oil field and produces the vast majority of natural gas from Cook Inlet. The Senate is set to hold a final vote on that measure next week, but lawmakers say it could face long odds of being approved by the House. The measure is estimated to raise up to $150 million per year.

Senate Bill 112 would reduce tax credits available for oil companies from $8 to $5 per barrel. Senators say they don't expect the measure will be approved by the Legislature this year. The tax credit change has been estimated to raise between $100 million and $300 million annually.

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Anchorage Republican Rep. Mia Costello, the House minority leader, voted for the tax on Outside businesses that operate online. Costello said that she would have "a conversation" with Dunleavy if he chose to veto SB 113. But she did not say Friday if she would vote to override.

Costello said that prior efforts to forge a long-term fiscal plan have failed because "not everybody likes" the various proposals being offered. She applauded the governor for trying again, and said that "the discussion is very important to have."

Lawmakers have said that Dunleavy has largely been absent from fiscal policy debates and discussions about new revenue measures. In 2021, he announced support for a new dividend formula, but he has since kept proposing dividends following the 1982 formula in state statute. In 2023, Dunleavy said that he would introduce a statewide sales tax proposal, but he never did.

In a brief Friday interview, House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, declined to comment on Dunleavy's opposition to revenue-raising bills. He said of Dunleavy's plan for a joint fiscal policy team that, "We could have used it a long time ago."

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Lawmakers have previously attempted to forge a durable fiscal plan during Dunleavy's tenure as governor.

In 2021, a bipartisan and bicameral working group devised a framework intended to make the state's finances sustainable for the long-term. The policies were pitched as a package that could attract support across the political spectrum, but none have been approved by the Legislature.

Wasilla GOP Sen. Mike Shower, the Senate minority leader, said that the state's gloomy fiscal outlook means the Legislature needs to act soon. He said that "if we don't do something, this problem only gets worse for us."

Shower was a member of the 2021 fiscal policy working group. He welcomed Dunleavy's request for another attempt to craft a bipartisan solution. But he was opposed to simply studying the fiscal problems facing the state.

"We study and study and study and never do anything. And I think that's a frustration for everybody, probably in this building, including the governor on down. I am, frankly, tired of studying and not acting," he said.
May 10JUNEAU  Gov. Mike Dunleavy wants the Alaska Legislature to form a "joint team" with his administration to forge a long-term fiscal plan for the state.

The Legislature is grappling this year with a substantial deficit and a dire fiscal outlook due to diminished oil revenue. The Senate approved an austere budget this week ahead of final negotiations with the House. Lawmakers have warned the state's fiscal outlook likely will be even more dire next year.

On Friday, Dunleavy also issued an administrative order that seeks to limit state spending. The order would implement a statewide hiring freeze for public sector workers and a freeze on out-of-state travel with some exemptions for public safety and other positions. Dunleavy said that was needed with oil prices falling and tightening fiscal conditions.

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However, Dunleavy in a Friday letter made clear that he opposed several tax proposals being considered by lawmakers this year.

In recent years, legislators have discussed countless proposals intended to balance the state's budget for the long term. Measures have been considered to change the state's Permanent Fund dividend formula; institute a tighter legislative spending cap; and impose new taxes to raise revenue. But virtually all of those measures have been rejected by the Legislature.

Members of the bipartisan Senate majority introduced a new dividend formula bill that would pay a $1,400 PFD this year, but it has failed to advance. The Senate this year has supported a $1,000 PFD, but some senators have said they hope Alaska's finances improve to pay the larger dividend figure in the future.

Senate majority members have also favored new revenue-raising measures to balance the budget, but the House has shown little appetite for bills that would hike oil taxes. The Legislature did broadly approve Senate Bill 113 this week, which would raise revenue by taxing out-of-state businesses online.

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Dunleavy on Wednesday sent a letter to legislative leaders, saying that he opposed "standalone tax measures." He said that a "tax-and-spend" approach would not lead to a long-term, sustainable fiscal plan for Alaska.

"As I have consistently stated since my first term, a truly durable fiscal plan must include revenues, but it also requires clear guardrails: spending limits, statutory and regulatory reviews, and policies that make Alaska the most competitive state in the nation for investment and new business growth," Dunleavy said in his Wednesday letter.

Dunleavy formally requested that legislators establish "a joint team" with his administration after the legislative session ends later in May to "develop a comprehensive, sustainable long-term fiscal plan that ensures stability and fosters economic growth."

Kodiak Republican Senate President Gary Stevens on Friday said Dunleavy's proposal had not been discussed yet by the bipartisan Senate majority caucus. But Stevens said it was "a reasonable idea." He compared it to a legislative task force that worked last year to make recommendations to aid the ailing Alaska seafood industry.

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However, Stevens said he was "sorry" to hear Dunleavy opposed tax bills being considered by lawmakers this year. Those revenue-raising measures include:

SB 113, which has been estimated to raise between $25 million and $65 million per year for the state treasury. The revenue raised from that bill has been earmarked to fund reading incentive grants and career and technical education. The Legislature approved the measure this week on a combined 42-18 vote. But Dunleavy has opposed it, telling school superintendents that he was against tying revenue raised from that bill to education funding.

Senate Bill 92 would impose the same corporate income tax rate on privately held oil companies as those paid by public corporations. The tax would apply to Hilcorp, which operates the Prudhoe Bay oil field and produces the vast majority of natural gas from Cook Inlet. The Senate is set to hold a final vote on that measure next week, but lawmakers say it could face long odds of being approved by the House. The measure is estimated to raise up to $150 million per year.

Senate Bill 112 would reduce tax credits available for oil companies from $8 to $5 per barrel. Senators say they don't expect the measure will be approved by the Legislature this year. The tax credit change has been estimated to raise between $100 million and $300 million annually.

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Anchorage Republican Rep. Mia Costello, the House minority leader, voted for the tax on Outside businesses that operate online. Costello said that she would have "a conversation" with Dunleavy if he chose to veto SB 113. But she did not say Friday if she would vote to override.

Costello said that prior efforts to forge a long-term fiscal plan have failed because "not everybody likes" the various proposals being offered. She applauded the governor for trying again, and said that "the discussion is very important to have."

Lawmakers have said that Dunleavy has largely been absent from fiscal policy debates and discussions about new revenue measures. In 2021, he announced support for a new dividend formula, but he has since kept proposing dividends following the 1982 formula in state statute. In 2023, Dunleavy said that he would introduce a statewide sales tax proposal, but he never did.

In a brief Friday interview, House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, declined to comment on Dunleavy's opposition to revenue-raising bills. He said of Dunleavy's plan for a joint fiscal policy team that, "We could have used it a long time ago."

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Lawmakers have previously attempted to forge a durable fiscal plan during Dunleavy's tenure as governor.

In 2021, Dunleavy called four special sessions with the intention of getting legislators together to craft a fiscal plan. A bipartisan and bicameral working group crafted a framework intended to make the state's finances sustainable for the long term. The policies were pitched as a package that could attract support across the political spectrum, but none have been approved by the Legislature.

Wasilla GOP Sen. Mike Shower, the Senate minority leader, said that the state's gloomy fiscal outlook means the Legislature needs to act soon. He said that "if we don't do something, this problem only gets worse for us."

Shower was a member of the 2021 fiscal policy working group. He welcomed Dunleavy's request for another attempt to craft a bipartisan solution. But he was opposed to simply studying the fiscal problems facing the state.

"We study and study and study and never do anything. And I think that's a frustration for everybody, probably in this building, including the governor on down. I am, frankly, tired of studying and not acting," he said.
It's here! And not a minute too soon: Capitol M | Sine Die edition for May 10, 2025
Home improvement work is an owner-driven initiative, but government assists homeowners in a variety of ways.

One way local governments assist a homeowner is through tax abatements.

In Conneaut, homeowners can fill out a form, through the Community Reinvestment Area, which can lead to tax exempt possibilities for a homeowner building a house or conducting remodeling work, Conneaut City Manager Nick Sanford said.

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We certainly offer benefits through the citywide Community Reinvestment Area in the form of tax abatements on property reinvestments during the planning phase, he said.

Sanford said the city would like to get more people involved in the program.

It was established in 2005 during the Doug Lewis administration and city council at that time, and made effective in the codified ordinances in Chapter 1381, he said.

Sanford said it is available to all property classes, and is a tremendous reinvestment and economic development tool.

Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said the city offers some tax abatement options for home remodeling.

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He said the city encourages people to remodel homes to improve an aging housing stock.

Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette said the citys comprehensive plan, which is in the early stages of funding and planning, will address quality of housing issues as it develops.

An improvement to property is also funded on a sidewalk reimbursement program, Varckette said. He said information on how the project works is available on the citys website, genevaohio.gov.
A grand jurys investigation alleges Hope 4 Johnstown Executive Director Quan Britt was among six people involved in a sophisticated racketeering scheme that acquired thousands of free sporting event tickets for fellow conspirators to sell for profit.

Britt, 46, of Johnstown, was reportedly paid in cash and counterfeit goods for his role, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Investigators said he acquired 536 of those free tickets, worth more than $16,700, for at-risk children in 2024 and instead handed them over to Pittsburgh conspirators who used trusted scalpers and other methods to sell them.

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Sometimes tickets were sold outside stadiums, the 22-page report shows.

Britt and his co-conspirators now face numerous felony counts for their alleged role in the scheme.

The Allegheny County Grand Jury learned that the investigation was launched after an individual involved with a nonprofit notified Pittsburgh organization Tickets 4 Kids that they were approached about signing up for free tickets through a tickets for pay scam.

Authorities discovered through the course of the investigation that officials with several Pittsburgh nonprofits and allegedly Hope 4 Johnstown  in this case Britt  were using their unique abilities to acquire the tickets needed to carry out the scheme.

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Tickets 4 Kids has operated for a decade in Pittsburgh and provided impoverished southwestern Pennsylvania youth the opportunity to attend games and special events that would otherwise be unaffordable, according to its website.

That mission is carried out, in part, through partnerships with other at-risk youth-focused nonprofits, and has a detailed vetting process that requires organizations to apply to participate, investigators said.

The process requires applicants to provide Employer Identification Numbers and other information to verify their legitimacy and good standing.

If accepted, one person from each organization serves as the sole point person for access to the Tickets 4 Kids ticket website and orders, the grand jury wrote.

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Britt served in that role, the grand jury wrote, and in doing so, the Pittsburgh ticketing charity required that he was solely responsible for requesting tickets and managing their usage.

He was also required to complete an orientation program regarding the policies and procedures of T4K and sign agreement letters pledging to follow the charitys rules and guidelines.

Stipulations required that tickets can only be used by children their nonprofit serves, as well as chaperones, and the tickets can never be used by organization employees, resold or given away, the grand jury said.

The organization required reports to be filed after each set of tickets were used to indicate how each experience went and whether children enjoyed it.

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Investigators said they observed Facebook messages where Britt was solicited about joining in the criminal ticket conspiracy  and was instructed on how to fabricate reports that were later sent to Tickets 4 Kids.

The grand jury alleges Britt often listed himself as the events chaperone and forwarded tickets for redistribution to a Pittsburgh man, Jacob Mazzie, who operates the company Steel City Tickets.

Mazzie is a ticket broker who allegedly worked with other people, but at times also sold tickets on the street, according to the report.

Once an investigation was underway, Pirates game ticket purchases were arranged Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, 2024, with an undercover investigator arranging controlled purchases.

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One purchase was made at Mazzies Greentree Road business for $200, Trooper Eric Guido told the jury.

The grand jury alleges similar acts were occurring with members of Pittsburgh nonprofits, including Pittsburgh Mercy and, separately, the Center for Family Excellence, acquiring free tickets that were either being distributed improperly or being sold.

The report alleges Center for Family Operations Mary Henning and co-conspirators were acquiring tickets as far back as 2013 under the organization, with Henning fraudulently listed as a chaperone for $207,000 worth of ticketed events.

Britt, Mazzie and Henning are among a list of people now facing felony charges that include dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, among other charges.

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They are also accused of participating in corrupt organizations, a felony alleging they participated in a pattern of organized racketeering. Depending on several factors, including criminal history, sentencing guidelines can enable a sentence of up to 20 years in prison for that crime.

Todd Anthony Hall, 55; Ramona Wilkes, 63; and Kevin Riley, 59, all of Pittsburgh, are also facing charges. accusing them of conspiring in the organization.

Britt was not yet arraigned on his charges as of Friday morning, district court staff in Pittsburgh said.

Britt has worked in various roles in Johnstown in recent years and is still listed as executive director of Hope 4 Johnstown, which operates as a community outreach organization to curb violence in Johnstown.

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In recent years, part of its mission has been to use evidence-based methods and local interruptors with deep community roots who understand street violence, to go into neighborhoods and deescalate situations that could otherwise spark more violence.

No other members of the Hope 4 Johnstown organization were named in the 22-page report.

But the organization was among those named as a party and it was not immediately clear Friday if partner agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service, were also investigating fraud allegations raised in the grand jury report.

Alan Cashaw, Hope 4 Johnstown board chairman, said he couldnt comment on the situation at this time.

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However, he did confirm that Britt has not been released from the organization.

We dont abandon our people, Cashaw said.

Pittsburgh-based Tickets 4 Kids released a statement to media Friday stating that they contacted state police as soon as they suspected tickets were being misused and that they have fully supported the investigation.

While weve always had strong safeguards to prevent this type of activity, those safeguards were bypassed by individuals acting outside our policies, the organization told WTAE-TV news. In response, weve implemented new measures to protect our mission and ensure every child has access to the opportunities they deserve.

Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5054. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.
Waskom, Texas, is an old railroad town of about 2,000 nestled at the midway point between Dallas and Shreveport, La. According to the citys website, Waskom became a significant player in Americas east-to-west trade during the 1880s because J.M. Waskom, a director of the Southern Pacific Railroad, led the way in bringing the railroad to East Texas. Thats largely how Waskom got the nickname Gateway to Texas.

In 2019 Waskom adopted a new nickname, sanctuary city for the unborn, after an all-male city council voted to make Waskom the first municipality in America to ban abortion since the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973. Versions of Waskoms sanctuary city for the unborn ordinance quickly spread to more than 70 municipalities in a handful of states as the Supreme Court was preparing to hear arguments on the case that would eventually lead to Roes overturning.

The railway was planned. The legal assault on reproductive care was planned. Both turned out to be part of tectonic shifts in society. So, while everything is bigger in Texas, dont overlook the smaller things happening in the Lone Star State. Recent history suggests its the small things that are going to have the biggest impact.

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Last month a driverless truck developed by an autonomous vehicle company out of Pittsburgh made its first delivery run  frozen pastries between Houston and Dallas. Round trip thats about a hair under 500 miles or roughly an eight-hour workday for a truck driver. The company plans to expand freight operations to El Paso and Phoenix in time for the holidays. There are similar companies based in Texas planning to unveil driverless freight options to include San Antonio.

The future is now.

And just as one anti-abortion ordinance out of one small town in Texas became a much larger movement nationwide, one driverless truck dropping off frozen baked goods in Dallas is a sign of something far more significant for the rest of the country.

The administrations tariff policies have reportedly ushered in a decline in port traffic, endangering trucking and dock jobs in the process. One recent study found a decline of 1% in cargo traffic in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach could threaten as many as 4,000 jobs . However, whats going to eliminate those positions entirely is the kind of automation that quietly hit the Texas roads in late April.

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Keep an eye on the small things. Without long-term planning about the consequences  or in these cases, even short-term planning  the effects can be catastrophic.

I wonder if the administration is discussing what new skills displaced workers in the logistics industry will need to be employable going forward. Or will local officials be forced to wing it as we did in the immediate aftermath of Roe being overturned? Remember some states started reaching back to ordinances from the 1800s to ban reproductive care without even passing new legislation.

Without designs and public funding to retrain Americas workers, the negative effects of tariffs and automation on employment are likely to quickly overtake the societal benefits (if there are any). It would be a small thing to make skills training a priority in certain communities at this moment in history, but the effects could be significant  preventing a disaster.

Theres danger in overlooking those opportunities. We saw one outcome in a recent election 250 miles south of Waskom, in the Houston suburb of Katy, one of the states fastest-growing cities. In the Katy Independent School District, leaders have their hands full just trying to keep up with growth and serve the rising number of students, projected to hit 100,000 by 2028 .

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However, during the recent campaign, the incumbent board president was focused on banning transgender athletes and other conservative talking points. His opponent, an educator and school administrator for three decades, focused on what teachers need in order to provide for the growing population. Wouldnt you know it, the candidate who actually wanted to fix long-term problems in the district won. In fact, a number of pro-education candidates in Texas won seats in last weeks election on school boards previously held by folks responsible for banning books and the like.

Its noteworthy that voters in conservative pockets of the state want leaders who are more focused on solutions than they are on slogans. I know its not significant nationally, but given the history of small things in Texas growing, this trend gives me hope.

@LZGranderson

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.
The man responsible for the October death of a pregnant 22-year-old Chico woman in a vehicle crash pleaded guilty in Tehama County Superior Court to two counts of gross negligence vehicular manslaughter on April 28.

The case stems from a horrific collision caused by Tucker on October 15, 2024 wherein Ruth Kibbe and her unborn child were killed and a second motorist injured on Highway 99E in the Vina area, said Tehama County District Attorney Matt Rogers.

Andre Jordon Tucker, 44, was driving a 1997 Ford Expedition south of Highway 99E at a high rate of speed when he reportedly crossed the center line into the northbound lanes and crashed into a 2015 Honda Accord driven by Mirna Rodriguez, 56, of Gerber.

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Tucker then collided head-on with a 2012 Toyota Prius driven by Kibbe, reported the California Highway Patrol.

Kibbe and her unborn child suffered fatal injuries in the crash, according to the D.A.s office.

Rodriguez suffered minor injuries.

Tucker was arrested and treated at Enloe Medical Center previous to being booked into the Tehama County Jail on suspicion of causing injury while driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

As part of the plea agreement, the Tehama County D.A.s Office required Tucker to make two statements in court at the time of his plea hearing.

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Tucker was required to give a sincere and detailed explanation as to why he drove in the manner he did and the circumstances leading up to his having caused this horrific incident, Rogers said. Tucker was also required by the District Attorneys Office to provide a sincere and detailed explanation of what he plans to do in the future and how he plans to ensure that he will be a productive and safe member of society.

According to the D.A.s office, Tucker stated his vehicle was experiencing mechanical issues, that he was angry at having been detoured from his typical route home and acknowledged having illegally passed a vehicle in Los Molinos prior to the collision. He also acknowledged he was looking at this cell phone at the time of the collision.

Tucker returns to Tehama County Superior Court for sentencing at 10:30 a.m., on June 3, where he is facing a possible maximum sentence of five years, four months in state prison. He remains in Tehama County Jail without bail pending sentencing.
The future of habeas corpus has been pushed into the spotlight as President Donald Trump has been involved in discussions inside his administration over potentially taking the extreme step of suspending the procedure.

What is habeas corpus?

Habeas corpus is a legal principle that allows people who believe they are being unlawfully detained or imprisoned to petition for their release in court.

Immigrants and rights groups have filed habeas petitions in recent months as Trump has tried to speed up deportations as part of his immigration agenda.

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Still, habeas petitions are notoriously difficult to win in federal court, and it will be a challenge for most immigrants to obtain lawyers.

How serious would suspending habeas corpus be?

Lee Kovarsky, law professor at the University of Texas and expert on habeas corpus, said it would be a national historical disaster.

The executive could just detain you, and there would be no recourse, he said. Obviously they would do it to try to detain certain non citizens, but theres no reason why its limited to them.

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said Friday the administration was actively looking at suspending habeas corpus and it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.

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But the Constitution allows habeas corpus to be suspended only when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

The Constitution makes clear that suspension of habeas corpus is to be reserved for actual rebellion or invasion posing the most dire threats to public safety. And Congress has never passed a law authorizing deportations without any court involvement, as Miller suggests, CNN senior legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Elie Honig said.

Kovarsky said the reason why suspension of habeas corpus is so restricted is precisely because its so severe.

You have no right, to a court, to say that youre being unlawfully detained. So in a way, the cash value of your substantive rights is zero if you dont have a judge to evaluate them, he said.

What has the Supreme Court said about habeas corpus?

The Supreme Court issued a murky, unsigned order on April 7 allowing Trump to use the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act to speed up deportations for now while at the same time, the court said migrants subject to deportation under the act were entitled to notice and an opportunity to challenge their removal through federal habeas corpus petitions, marking a partial win for migrants.

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Following the Supreme Courts decision, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a series of habeas lawsuits seeking to protect identified clients as well as similarly situated Venezuelans who could potentially be targeted under the Alien Enemies Act.

The Supreme Court also issued a rare overnight order on April 19th where a majority of justices blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of immigrants in Texas.

When has habeas corpus come up in other cases?

Habeas corpus has been used in US courts including over issues with detaining alleged enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in recent years. The Supreme Court initially ruled in 2008 that detainees at the Guantanamo prison have the right to habeas corpus.

In one case, a federal judge ruled in 2021 that the detention of one detainee being held at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay was unlawful. The judge granted a petition for a writ of habeas corpus to Asadullah Haroon Gul, who was accused of being a member of an extremist group.

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Gul, whom the US went on to repatriate to Afghanistan, became the first detainee at the Guantanamo Bay prison to win a habeas petition in 10 years.

Another high-profile case related to habeas corpus involves Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian activist and legal permanent resident who was detained by immigration officers in March. Khali filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge the legality of his detention, and his case still faces legal challenges as he faces deportation.

Has habeas corpus been suspended before?

Habeas corpus has been suspended only four times in the history of the US, including by former President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.

The other three times include in eleven South Carolina counties overrun by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction; in two provinces of the Philippines during a 1905 insurrection; and in Hawaii after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, according to the National Constitution Center.

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Residents in a Hancock Park neighborhood said theyre being invaded by burglary crews that have been continually breaking into homes with no signs of stopping.

Surveillance cameras captured the criminal crews at work as they repeatedly hit the same neighborhood near 3rd Street and La Brea.

Its been happening for the past two months, said a neighbor who did not wish to be identified out of safety concerns. Weve been hit maybe 10, 11 times.

Home security cameras captured burglars breaking into a house in Hancock Park and escaping with valuables. Residents said the neighborhood has been relentlessly targeted by thieves. (KTLA) Home security cameras captured burglars breaking into a house in Hancock Park and escaping with valuables. Residents said the neighborhood has been relentlessly targeted by thieves. Home security cameras captured burglars breaking into a house in Hancock Park and escaping with valuables. Residents said the neighborhood has been relentlessly targeted by thieves. The suspects getaway car, an older-model gray Mercedes-Benz C-class sedan, was captured by on home surveillance cameras. A victims window is boarded up after thieves smashed their way into a home in a Hancock Park neighborhood that residents said has been relentlessly targeted by burglars. (KTLA)

Residents said that oftentimes, the intruders break in when nobody is home. They quickly ransack the properties and escape with many valuables within minutes.

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Eric Jacoby, however, said he happened to be present when the thieves targeted his home on May 1 around 10:15 p.m.

I was getting ready for bed when I heard a thump followed by another thump and then a smash, he said. I open my bedroom door and a man was coming up the stairs and I realized very quickly he would get to my kids room before he would get to me. So I screamed. I yelled, Get out! Get out! The police are on their way!

Jacoby said his verbal warning was enough to scare the thieves away. He said the frightening encounter only further underscores the need for more community protection.

There needs to be more police, he said. There needs to be more police on the street.

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Many neighbors have since banded together to protect each other and keep an eye out for any suspects lurking around, but they believe more needs to be done by local leaders and law enforcement.

Through all the communicating that were doing as neighbors, it doesnt seem like theres any clear strategy for keeping our neighborhood safe, said Kate Cress, a resident.

The neighborood, which is in a predominantly Jewish community, has now expanded their patrols through a special volunteer security force called Magen Am Shield of the Nation.

We get licensed through extensive training and we carry firearms, explained Salvador Litvak, a neighbor and security force member. We thought it was to protect our houses of worship, but now that crime is just so rampant in the neighborhood, weve extended our vigilance to that.

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Many residents told KTLA theyve since removed all valuables from their homes and are increasing security measures.

Authorities said that if anything appears suspicious or out of place, residents should report the situation to their local law enforcement.

Anyone with information or evidence in the Hancock Park burglaries is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-527-3247.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Plans for new apartments near the Tacoma Mall recently received an extension in terms of permitting.

Avanti Apartments, planned at the site of a former office building, 4218 S. Steele St., received an extension on its building permit last month.

The building permit was granted an extension on April 17 for another 180 days (10/14/2025), according to Maria Lee, media representative for the City of Tacoma. The status of the sites building permit is listed as awaiting resubmittal/revisions, on the citys permit portal.

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The site is owned by an LLC affiliated with Bend, Oregon-based Pahlisch real estate entity, which acquired the site in 2022 for $6.5 million. Pahlisch Commercial, which has offices in Bend, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; and Bellevue, is the firms branch that develops mixed-use, multifamily properties.

Pahlisch representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Tacoma site.

The project received an 8-year multifamily property tax exemption from City Council in 2023. Plans at the time called for 171 market-rate units, eight live/work units at ground level and around 130 parking spaces on the first two levels of the seven-story structure. In 2023, the city listed the developments completed assessed value at $75 million, based on estimated construction costs.

Pahlisch has other planned apartment projects in Western Washington. The developers earlier this year received an 8-year MFTE for a $135 million, 564-unit, market-rate apartment complex at Kents West Hill.

In January, Pahlisch Commercial landed a $69.2 million construction loan for a a seven-story, 198-unit apartment building in Vancouver, Washington, as reported by ConnectCRE.com.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Catholics around the world have a new Pope and Catholics in Sioux Falls also have a new leaderat least for now.

Bishop Donald Kettler is now the temporary administrator of the Diocese of Sioux Falls while Bishop Donald DeGrood undergoes treatment for some health concerns. Kettler says being back in Saint Josephs Cathedral feels like coming home.

An American pope: How will US Catholics respond?

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Im a north-ender from here. So I grew up four blocks from here, Kettler said. So this is my home, my closer home is right here within the neighborhood, So, Im just happy to be back.

Kettler served with the Diocese of Sioux Falls from 1987 to 2002 before becoming a bishop in Alaska and later a bishop in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

I hope I can be of some help around from having been experienced as both a priest and a bishop for awhile, Kettler said. And I always am happy with the warmness of the people here.

His return to the Diocese of Sioux Falls came at a whirlwind time as Catholics around the world awaited a new pope.

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I was meeting with the staff for the first time and here they are hearing that theres a new pope. So, its interesting, Kettler said. Its the way church works, the way God works.

We also spoke with Kettler about his thoughts on Pope Leo XIVs appointment, which you can read by clicking here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
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?
The state Board of Land and Natural Resources voted Friday to reject the Armys Final Environmental Impact Statement on its proposal to renew its lease on state owned land on on Hawaii island that makes up its Pohakuloa Training Area.

The vote came after a day of public testimony from residents across the islands, some who showed up in person and others who spoke over a Zoom teleconference. Those who testified overwhelmingly called on the BLNR to reject the EIS, citing wide-ranging concerns about lack gaps on environmental impacts, efforts to protect Native Hawaiian traditional burial sites and other issues they had with the documentas well as with the military use of the area as a whole.

The board ultimately decided that, along with several other data gaps, warranted rejecting the EIS. In the boards motion, its members also called on the Army to submit additional updated information to the board.

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Ive been on the board for a little over two years. This is probably the hardest decision that I know, that Ive had to make,  said BLNR chair Dawn Chang before the vote. You know, its always hard to deal in our trying to find balance. Our mission is to preserve and protect cultural and natural resources, but also recognizing that we have other competing interests, including national defense.

The ruling is a setback for the Army, but does not end its efforts to retain training land after its leases expire in 2029.

In a statement released Friday evening the Department of Land and Natural Resources said, An EIS is intended to support informed decision-making and does not, by itself, authorize any land use. No decision has been made on the Armys long-term lease request. A separate review and determination will be required should such a request be brought before the board in the future.

Situated between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, PTA is the militarys largest contiguous live-fire range and maneuver training area in the islands. The state parcel of 22, 750 acres sits between two federally owned pieces of land, collectively making up 132, 000 acres. Army officials call the leased land the connective tissue  of PTA. In recent years, PTA has become central to the Armys new Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, a series of training ranges in Hawaii and Alaska aimed at preparing soldiers for operations in the Pacific amid tensions with China.

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Hawaii island resident Ana Kahoopii testified to the BLNR that she lives downind of PTA, saying that we lost our pastoral lots during the last wildfire that was started at PTA, so we cant keep cattle on our property anymore. The largest island aquifer also lies between PTA. Its unprotected. The desecration of very own cultural sites, preparation for war with China, isnt protecting us. Its actually making us a target of retaliation.

The land cant be restored and destroyed,  said Alihilani Katoa, a member of thr group Hui Aloha Aina, who spoke of how native birds were being harmed. The EIS also notes that 38 bird species were observed, but only five native birds were detected on state lands. This is not proof of proactive management, as the Army claims, its a warning. A warning that we are failing to preserve our native avifauna, many of which are culturally sacred and ecologically critical.

Many of the testimonies drew upon concerns raised by agencies under the state DNLR itself, which have been critical of previous drafts of the EIS and called them incomplete. Among concerns DLNR raised were that they considered much of the data in the EIS outdatedthe most recent biological survey it cited was from 2013. The Army is working on new environmental surveys expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

The Army, which obtained the parcel at PTA and other lands it uses for training for a mere $1 in 1964, and has faced increasing scrutiny of the effects of training on the environment and ancient Hawaiian cultural sites. The state now considers its parcel at Pohakuloa to be a conservation district and DLNR has said that military use of the land is not consistent  with that designation.

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The Army has argued that the states designation of the land as a conservation district did not apply to its operations, as the military already had the lease and had been training since before the designation, essentially grandfathering it in. But the final EIS seemingly concedes that under a new lease, that would not be the case.

U.S. Army Hawai i understands and deeply respects the concerns expressed by community members, cultural practitioners, and environmental advocates regarding the Armys presence and activities at Pohakuloa Training Area,  said Lt. Col. Tim Alvarado, the officer who oversees operations at PTA. We recognize that past actions have caused harm and eroded trust, and we continue to seek a balance with consideration for the cultural and environmental significance of this land.

A small handful of people testified in support of approving the EIS. Matthew Chalker, a Waikoloa Village resident and self-described wildfire safety advocate said that he believed the EIS was thorough and that and argued that firefighting facilities at PTA have been critical in protecting his community and training other firefighters across the state.

Riley Smith, who represents Hawaii island on the BLNR, opposed the motion to reject the EIS and argued that he believed the Army had acted in good faith to provide the best data it could. BLNR at-large member Vernon Char, who abstained from the vote, said he believed the public testimony was very one-sided. It was very well planned and very emotional  many of the statements made today in opposition were very sincere, But some of it, I thought, was misdirected, and maybe not really relevant to the issue of whether the EIS should be accepted as having positioned everything, subject to negotiation.

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In a statement Friday night, Gov. Josh Green said, I respect the Boards decision and the community voices that guide it. Military members who utilize this area to train for local and national security and emergency missions are our neighbors, our childrens classmates, and often our own ohana. While the rejection of the Final EIS presents challenges, it is not the end of the conversation. We remain committed to finding new paths that protect Hawai is natural and cultural resources while supporting national security. This is a time for collaboration, not division, as we seek balanced solutions that honor both our heritage and our future.

U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, along with U.S. Reps. Ed Case and Jill Tokua released a joint statement, saying that from the beginning of this important process, we have encouraged the collaboration and dialogue that is required between our state, military, and community. While we acknowledge the Board of Land and Natural Resources decision on this aspect of the issue, we believe there can be a path forward that accounts for the critical importance of Hawaiis role in our countrys national security strategy and fundamentally respects and responds to the needs of the people of Hawaii. We will continue working with Governor Green, Department of Defense leadership, and community members to support and encourage continued dialogue as discussions continue toward a mutually acceptable result.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Hawaii County is ramping up efforts to stop the spread of the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), committing additional funding and equipment to combat the growing threat.

Waianae building fire extinguished

The county recently awarded $250,000 to the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) to support control measures targeting CRB and other invasive pests.

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Officials also announced they are supplying boom trucks to the state Department of Agriculture to assist crews in treating infested palm trees.

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On Tuesday, response teams treated 86 trees at Kona International Airport as part of ongoing containment operations.

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Residents are urged to report potential sightings of the beetle by calling the state pest hotline at 808-643-PEST.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  In one of the largest legal victories in state history, Governor Josh Green, M.D., and Attorney General Anne Lopez announced Friday that Hawaii has reached a $700 million settlement with two major pharmaceutical companies: Bristol-Myers Squibb and three U.S.-based subsidiaries of Sanofi.

Road rage repeat; California parolee attacks mother, daughter in Honolulu

The lawsuit, filed in 2014, accused the drug manufacturers of misleading marketing practices tied to prescription medications. The settlement brings to a close more than a decade of litigation.

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Each company will pay $350 million, with the full $700 million expected to be wired to the state by June 9, 2025.

The funds will be deposited into Hawaiis general fund.

This is the largest settlement weve ever seen in our state, said Governor Green. Let me say this, its a historic result that were grateful for, gratified by. Im proud of the work by the Attorney General and her team. This result will help the state of Hawaii.

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The case, State of Hawaii ex rel. Anne E. Lopez, Attorney General v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company et al., alleged that the companies violated Hawaiis consumer protection laws.

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Attorney General Lopez emphasized the broader implications of the outcome.

I also want to be clearwhile this money is substantial, it is important to me that everyone who does business in the state of Hawaii, whether youre a small shop or a multibillion-dollar oil company, knows the Attorney Generals Office will be relentless in our pursuit of consumer protection laws, said Lopez.

Special Deputy Attorney General Rick Fried, who has worked on the case since 2012, called the settlement a long but worthwhile journey, thanking state leaders for their support.

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State officials say the next step will be identifying how the funds can best serve Hawaii residents, especially in enhancing health care services across the islands.

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People who were at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport from 6:15 to 9 p.m. on May 2 may have been exposed to measles, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Saturday morning.

The highly contagious respiratory virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours, the KDHE news release says.

KDHE is notifying the public of a possible measles exposure so that the public may take the appropriate steps to protect their health and limit the spread of measles, the release says, adding that people who were at the airport should watch for symptoms through May 23.

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The KDHE on Saturday also warned about exposure at the Hutchinson Public Library tied to a Reno County case and exposure at B & P Auto Parts in Cimarron. If you were at the library from 2 to 5 p.m. on May 3, you should check for symptoms through May 24. If you were at the auto parts store on May 2, 5 or 6, you should monitor symptoms through May 23, May 26 and May 27.

Measles symptoms include a fever, cough, sore throat and a runny nose, as well as a rash that begins on the face and moves to the neck, chest and back. It can also reach the arms and legs.

An infected person usually wont see symptoms until about 10 to 14 days after exposure, according to the Mayo Clinic, and they are contagious four days before and after symptoms begin and end.

Sedgwick County residents who are most at risk are those who are unvaccinated or who have not had measles, Sedgwick County spokesperson Stephanie Bergmann Birmingham said, adding that the potential exposure at the airport is not related to a Sedgwick County measles case.

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If you experience symptoms, call the Sedgwick County Health Department at 316-660-5558.

The concern comes after Sedgwick Countys first case since 2017 was confirmed on Wednesday. Health officials said then that anyone who visited the Carnicerias El Guero grocery store No. 1 at 524 W. 21st St. in Wichita from 6:30 to 10 p.m. April 29 may have been exposed to the virus.

There are currently 48 cases in Kansas. The first was reported in March. The KDHE said that the case in March was the first in the state since 2018, though that conflicts with the 2017 figure local health officials cite for the last case in Sedgwick County. Still, it has been several years since the last case in Kansas.

There were 1,001 confirmed cases in 31 states as of Thursday.

Contributing: Lindsay Smith with The Eagle
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  The Heartland Flyer Passenger Train could see its final ride next month, unless Texas lawmakers pony up their portion of the cost. That would squash hopes of it ever extending to Wichita.

Evan Stair, the president of Passenger Rail Kansas and Oklahoma, said that a decade ago, Amtrak officials warned that if the Heartland Flyer didnt expand to Kansas, it would eventually be shut down.

He believes we may be at that point. Stair said Texas legislators are attempting to show taxpayers in their state that they are fiscally efficient, but he believes that decision will backfire and hurt Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

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The Texas legislature left $4 million to fund the Heartland Flyer out of the budget, with less than a month to choose whether to fund it.

US and China agree to pause sky-high tariffs for 90 days

Kansas seems to be the good cop, Oklahoma seems to be quiet, and Texas seems to be the bad cop, said Stair.

The Federal Rail Administration awarded Kansas $500,000 in late 2023 for expansion, which was expected to occur by 2029.

Stair said this lack of Texas funding could put the brakes on that project ever happening.

It would also take away the 5-1 return on investment the train already provided to Texas and Oklahoma.

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Losing an optional, safe transportation resource will cause the commercial impact the train has each year, on Oklahoma, North Texas, and the potential economic impact it couldve had on Kansas, said Stair.

Something that makes Sedgwick County Commissioner Pete Meitzner, whos backed the expansion for years, nervous.

Cant sugarcoat it. Its an extension. If theres nothing to extend to, it will die its own death, said Meitzner.

He said this is the first time funding has been questioned and believes it wont prevent Kansas from moving forward with its part of the plan.

Were not slowing down, were not stopping anything, KDOT is working closely with FRA, the Federal Rail Administration, said Meitzner.

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Uncertainty if the Heartland Flyer will ever go from Texas to Wichita to Kansas City.

Stair, with Passenger Rail Kansas, said theres more to worry about down the line. The Southwest Chief could face problems because it is federally funded, and he believes that funding could be in question in the 2026 congressional budget.

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  People in Central Illinois have been pushing the idea of high-speed rail stops since a bill was passed creating a committee to explore it.

Now, Champaign officials want people to take an online survey to drive favor towards a stop in the city when the trains come. High-speed rails have been talked about for decades across the country, and cities across Central Illinois want to get on board.

Most ramps at I-57, I-74 interchange will be open by years end, IDOT says

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Champaigns mayor said the idea to connect Chicago to St. Louis is gaining steam, and they want to be part of the line that could be placed alongside existing tracks near Interstate 57.

They could put high-speed rail and, basically, along the same line from Chicago to Champaign that weve got our existing freight and passenger rail, said Champaign Mayor Deborah Feinen.

Feinen wants people to take an online survey, which could show why the line should cut through Champaign. She said it could bring commuters from Chicago in under an hour, which will boost prospects for employees and jobseekers.

It would also improve the trip University of Illinois students, like Sydni Brantley, often take.

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We wish that the campus was a little closer to Chicago, Brantley said. Because two hours is almost too out of the way to go for any reason.

Feinen said there seems to be two ideas of where the line should go: either through Rockford and Peoria, or from Champaign to Springfield. She said the latter would make more sense for not just Central Illinois, but the state as a whole.

Student shocks staff member with stun gun in Champaign school fight

The amount of income thats generated through University of Illinois grads and the tentacles of the University of Illinois, that it only makes sense that they come through this community, Feinen said.

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The survey asks what peoples experience is with high-speed rails, but more importantly, Feinen said it asks for the zip code where the respondent lives.

The decision on where this line goes is really important because its not going to be changed for, you know, 50 years, she said.

Sajiv Shah, who regularly goes through Chicago to visit his sister at the U of I, said a faster way of traveling cant come soon enough after taking a bus ride for hours to get into the city.

We spent 35 minutes, like, filling up gas, Shah said. This is a pretty well trafficked route. Theres a lot of reasons you might come from Chicago. Anyone from the suburbs might go to Chicago to come here, so why not have a high-speed rail?

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High-speed rails are still just an exploratory idea in the state of Illinois. Feinen said the hefty price tag would require help from the federal government and private investment.

For a link to the survey, click here.

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The following is an executive summary from a roundtable breakfast that focused on discussing roadblocks and solutions surrounding the integration and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) into our everyday lives.

Participants cautioned against oversimplifying AI as magic and emphasized the importance of understanding its actual capabilities and limitations.

It was held under Chatham House Rules, prior to The Hills Energy & Environment Summit on May 6 in Washington, D.C. The discussion featured a diverse group of more than 20 attendees, including U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), co-chair of the AI Caucus, and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), vice chair of the Democratic Caucus as well as business and philanthropy leaders, researchers and policy advisers. The discussion was moderated by The Hills Technology reporter Miranda Nazzaro and Bill Sammon, SVP of Editorial Content for The Hill.

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, so much so that theres even a term for it. Ubiquitous AI refers to the concept of AI being integrated into every aspect of our lives, from everyday devices to complex systems, making it accessible and beneficial to everyone, everywhere.



While the concept sounds wonderful, putting it into practice is a different story. As lawmakers continue to grapple with how to regulate the technology, companies are scrambling to inform their opinions on the best way to create rules of the road for AI.

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How will AI continue to transform our society? How should we balance AI innovation and its potential risks? What will it take to reach Ubiquitous AI? Using the energy sector as an example, which areas will be most impacted? And what does an informed, collaborative, and evidence-based approach to AI regulation and governance look like?

1. The Imperative of Public-Private Partnerships and Collaboration:

Essential for Progress: There was a strong consensus that collaboration between the public and private sectors is not just beneficial but critical for the future development and responsible deployment of AI. This includes sharing expertise, resources, and understanding.

Balancing Roles: The discussion explored the balance of leadership in AI policy. While industry drives innovation, government has a crucial role in setting top-line best practices, ensuring accountability, and establishing standards to foster trust. No single entity should operate in isolation.

Government as an Enabler and Agenda Setter: Participants highlighted the governments potential to proactively shape the direction of AI development through funding initiatives, prize structures, and identifying areas where AI can address societal goals (e.g., wildfire prevention).

Addressing the Governments Knowledge Gap: Lawmakers acknowledged the rapid pace of AI development and the need for Congress to learn from experts in the field. Initiatives like the Senate AI Caucuss events and the ASAP project aim to bridge this gap.

2. The Challenge of Pace and the Need for Adaptive Governance:

Industrys Breakneck Speed vs. Governments Deliberation: A significant concern was the stark contrast between the rapid advancements in AI and the often-slower pace of governmental processes. This raises questions about the governments ability to keep up and regulate effectively.

Regulation vs. Shaping: Participants suggested that instead of solely focusing on traditional regulation, the government should also focus on shaping the market through incentives and strategic investments.

The Need for Adaptability: Given the constant evolution of AI, rigid rules may become quickly outdated. The discussion emphasized the importance of adaptive systems, continuous information sharing, and iterative approaches to governance.

Challenges for Higher Education: The rapid pace also presents challenges for educational institutions in developing relevant curricula that keep pace with industry changes.

3. Sectoral Regulation as a Preferred Approach:

Targeted Expertise: Both Congressman Lieu and Senator Rounds advocated for a sectoral approach to regulation, where existing agencies with specific expertise (e.g., FAA, FDA, Department of Agriculture) tailor AI oversight to their respective domains, rather than a single, overarching AI bill.

4. The Profound Implications of Emerging AI Capabilities:

AI Agents: The potential of AI agents capable of autonomously executing complex tasks based on simple prompts was highlighted as both amazing and alarming, with uncertain societal and economic consequences.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): While considered further out, the long-term implications of AGI, including potential widespread unemployment across all skill levels, were raised as critical considerations for future planning.

5. The Critical Intersection of AI and Energy:

Growing Energy Demands: The increasing energy consumption of AI, particularly for large language models and data centers, was identified as a significant challenge. Projections suggest a substantial increase in national electricity demand due to AI.

AI for Energy Solutions: Conversely, the potential of AI to drive advancements in energy efficiency, material science, and the development of new energy sources was also acknowledged.

Infrastructure and Permitting: The need for significant investment in energy infrastructure, including transmission and new generation capacity (potentially including small nuclear reactors), was discussed, along with the challenges of permitting and local acceptance.

Resilience and National Security: Concerns were raised about the concentration of data centers in specific geographic areas and the need for a resilient and secure energy supply to support both the AI industry and national defense.

6. The Importance of Data Regulation:

Enabling Innovation and Avoiding Fragmentation: The lack of comprehensive data regulation in the U.S. was identified as a hindrance to innovation and a potential driver of market fragmentation, as companies are forced to comply with varying international standards (e.g., GDPR in Europe).

7. The Uncertainty of Timelines and Adoption:

Adoption S-Curve: The discussion acknowledged that the widespread adoption of AI may follow an S-curve, potentially taking longer than current rapid advancements might suggest.

AGI Timeline Uncertainty: The timeline for achieving AGI remains highly uncertain, impacting the relevance of different policy approaches.

Focus on Foundational Elements: Despite timeline uncertainties, investments in fundamental research, digital infrastructure, and energy solutions were deemed crucial regardless of the specific pace of AI development.

Comparative and Absolute Advantage: The discussion highlighted that even with absolute advantages in certain tasks, AI adoption will also be influenced by factors like cost, practicality, and comparative advantages of existing solutions.

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In summary, the roundtable highlighted the urgent need for proactive and collaborative approaches to AI governance, focusing on sectoral expertise, adaptability, and addressing the significant implications for energy infrastructure and the future of work. The rapid pace of innovation necessitates continuous learning and engagement between policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The Hillsborough County School Board has approved a deal with the teachers union that allocates around $15 million to keep in place a bonus structure for employees at schools within what is known as its Transformation Network.

The district started the network in 2020 to provide additional resources to employees at low-performing schools. In its first year, the network had 45 schools, and this year will have 39.

The bonus structure approved will allow an additional $5,000 for teachers and assistant principals, $7,500 for principals and $1,000 for paraprofessionals assigned to those schools. Some teachers are eligible for a state bonus, too, though its capped at a combined $5,000 from both sources. The agreement also allows for additional planning and evaluation time for certain teachers.

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While teachers and board members expressed enthusiasm over the agreement, both raised concerns over an ending state program that provided additional funds to Renaissance schools, which are designated based on income level.

Im concerned that our Renaissance schools will one day become Transformation schools, board member Nadia Combs said.

Board member Henry Shake Washington agreed that the district should try to find a way to get money to Renaissance schools, which would see a gap.

We have improved a great deal, but we are a long ways from coming to our goal, where we need to be successful, he said.

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In recent weeks, teachers have registered concerns over what the disappearance of Renaissance pay could mean.

Erik Hagen, a music teacher at Oak Grove Elementary, told the board in April that hed already heard whispers of teachers trying to leave Renaissance schools.

Our schools have more challenges and barriers than others, he said. Ive heard from former colleagues how much easier a job is at one of our more affluent schools, saying things to me like, Its not worth it, you would be less stressed if you transfer.

In the long run, he said, its students from the poorest neighborhoods who suffer the most.

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Liz Baker, a behavior resource teacher at Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary, told the board last month that her school ended the previous year with 35 vacancies, even with Renaissance pay. Much of their labor, she said, is unpaid.

Renaissance schools serve some of our most vulnerable student population who often face poverty and instability and limited access to resources, she said. Teachers in Renaissance schools wear many hats. Were not only educators, but were mentors, counselors, translators and often students most consistent source of support and safety.

Board chair Jessica Vaughn asked whether if a similar deal were to come back to the board to supplement Renaissance schools, the district would have a chance to revisit it. Superintendent Van Ayres said yes.

Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Association President Rob Kriete said the union plans to bring forth a proposal as part of negotiations.

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Florida, he said, remains 50th in the nation for teacher pay.

It really creates an issue in the state of Florida and in Hillsborough County in dealing with vacancies all the time, he said. So what we try to do is find creative ways to staff our schools, because our kids deserve it and students deserve quality teachers and quality professionals meeting their needs.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  There was some shock  both positive and negative  expressed locally Thursday when the College of Cardinals selected the first U.S.-born pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, a Chicago native, ascended to the papacy, taking the name Leo XIV, following Pope Francis, from Argentina, who died April 21.

The Rev. Matthew Baum, rector of St. John Gualbert Cathedral in Johnstown, became very excited to see the white smoke coming from the Vatican on television, indicating a new pope had been picked.

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I dont think any of us expected there to be a North American pope, Baum said. We certainly had Pope Francis who was the first pope from South America, but no one expected us to have a North American pope. Its very exciting to think that our new holy father was born in Chicago and went to school in Pennsylvania at Villanova (University).

Baum is looking forward to seeing what hes going to say and getting to know who he is.

Bishop McCort Catholic Academy Principal Tom Smith said he and students at the school were shocked when we heard that the new pope was from the United States.

Our kids were really excited, Smith said.

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What a historic moment. In all the years that theres been a pope in that position, theres never been an American one. Thats a historic moment for every Catholic across not just America but across the world. Boy, if youre an American, what a moment, what a special feeling. Our kids in our school were really excited about that whenever they saw that.

Another viewpoint

Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests President Shaun Dougherty, a Westmont resident, was also shocked, but in a different way.

Dougherty was at the Vatican and saw the white smoke.

He and other SNAP members immediately returned to their hotel to prepare for an anticipated flood of incoming media requests for comments.

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They were there as part of the organizations Conclave Watch initiative that had the goal of seeing a pope elected who would adopt a zero-tolerance church law regarding child abuse. The group was also in Rome a few weeks earlier when it launched the watch. SNAP profiled Prevost, who headed the Dicastery for Bishops that vets bishop nominations, and other possible candidates for pope.

They filed a complaint against Prevost as part of Francis vos estis lux mundi decree, thus calling for an investigation into allegations of covering up child sexual abuse.

As provincial of the Augustinians, Prevost 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, according to conclavewatch.org/cardinals/prevost. When Prevost was Bishop of Chiclayo (in Peru), three victims reported to civil authorities in 2022 after there was no movement on their canonical case filed through the diocese. 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.

Hes a horrible candidate, Dougherty said.

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Hes known to cover up. And hes been in charge and overseeing most of the cases because of his last position in the Dicastery. This guy knows all the cases and he hasnt released any of them.  Its a horrible choice for survivors. Its a horrible choice for the church. Its an incredibly unsafe selection for children of the church because this guy is known, known to cover up abuse.

Its just shocking, shocking that they went this route.

Nationally known attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who represented numerous victims of childhood sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, issued a written statement: Hopefully, Pope Leo XIV will actually create effective programs to help clergy sexual abuse victims try to heal, screen and supervise priests and prevent clergy sexual abuse.

The Catholic Church has to understand that the safety of innocent children cannot be sacrificed for an outdated and inexcusable need to protect the reputation of the Catholic Church.

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Decision came quickly

Altoona-Johnstown Bishop Mark Bartchak said the decision seems as though it came about very quickly after the cardinals only started the conclave Wednesday.

He pointed out that the past two popes had connections to South America, with Leo XIV having done extensive missionary work in Peru.

Bartchak said that continent is an area where the Catholic Church is thriving.

This is something unique since we now have two popes who spent much of their lives administering to the poor in South America, Bartchak said. It seems as though the Holy Spirit is directing all of us to turn our attention to places where the average people may be poor, but their most valuable possession is their Catholic faith and the hope that corresponds with that faith.

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He said Francis was known to move quickly from subject to subject and thinks Leo XIV will be more tempered and direct.

The diocese has scheduled a Mass for the new pope to take place Wednesday, beginning at noon, inside the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona.
(NEXSTAR)  If you have bought a house (or tried to) in the last few years, you know how competitive the housing market can be. With the spring real estate market picking up in many parts of the country, prospective homebuyers may again be on the threshold of a fierce buying process, pushing them to consider any path to get a leg up on an offer.

That may include writing a letter to the sellers, detailing how much you love the property and could envision a life there. These so-called love letters, however, may not be the best approach to making your offer more enticing.

Do love letters work?

The effectiveness of the love letters can vary based on the seller, Charlie Lankston, executive editor for Realtor.com, told Nexstar via email. A seller with a deeper personal connection to the property may be more inclined to pick a buyer who is showing a real personal connection to the property, and who has gone above and beyond in order to make clear their vision for its future.

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Alternatively, some may view selling their home simply as a transaction and be put off by the more personal approach.

3 homebuying tips you can ignore, according to real estate experts

A spring 2021 survey of Zillow Premier Agent partners ranked love letters among the least effective strategies used in transactions among buyers and listing agents.

Its best to consult with your real estate agent to determine whether or not penning a letter is helpful for your offer, Lankston said.

How to write a love letter

If you would prefer to write a love letter to accompany your offer, Lankston recommends emphasizing what you love about the home and avoiding mentioning renovations or changes you would like to make upon moving in.

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A little praise goes a long way in these situations  and it doesnt hurt to pick out a few very specific design touches or features that you loved in particular when viewing the home, Lankston explained.

Stuck at a red light? You may need to let it know youre there

You may want to opt against sharing characteristics that may open the door to bias, according to Zillow. That could include details about your family or children, how your family plans to enjoy the home, what you do for work, or information about your place of worship.

Legal concerns surrounding love letters

Amid scrutiny that the letters could lead to sellers discriminating against buyers, the National Association of Realtors warned in 2020 that the seemingly innocuous tactic could pose fair housing risks. The organization noted that buyers may include information that reveals characteristics of themselves, like their race, religion, or familial status, which could then be used, knowingly or through unconscious bias, as an unlawful basis for a sellers decision to accept or reject an offer.

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Trying to sell your home? These paint colors can impact offers, survey suggests

Oregon became the first state in the nation to enact a ban on love letters in real estate transactions. The law prohibited realtors from passing along letters that could potentially be discriminatory to homeowners; prospective buyers would need to deliver the letter to the seller themselves, the Portland Tribune explained. Oregons attorney general later conceded that the ban was unconstitutional shortly after it took effect in January 2022.

Real estate lawyers did, however, tell The New York Times in 2021 that proving or prosecuting discrimination connected to a love letter would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Alternatives for competitive offers

If penning a letter isnt your forte, you can still craft an attractive offer.

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A cash offer is, of course, among the most effective ways to make your offer stand out, Lankston said.

Speaking of finances, youll want to make sure yours are in order, even without a cash offer. Lankston recommends having a pre-approval letter on hand, a strong credit score, and other financial documents prepared. And, if youre taking out a mortgage, you may want to consider putting down more than the typical 20%, Lankston said.

The seller may even tell you what would sweeten the deal for them. A report by Zillow, citing a spring 2021 survey, showed that many sellers may prefer  and even need  a lease-back agreement that allows them to stay in the home beyond closing while they close on their future home. There may be other concessions as well, like a further-out closing date.

$95M settlement over Siri eavesdropping claims approved: How to make a claim

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In April, the median price of a home listed for sale rose only 0.3% from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com. Buyers who can afford current mortgage rates have a wider selection of properties now than a year ago.

Active listings  a tally that encompasses all homes on the market except those pending a finalized sale  surged 30.6% last month from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com. Home listings jumped between 67.6% and 70.1% in San Diego, San Jose, and Washington, D.C.

As properties take longer to sell, more sellers are reducing their asking price. Some 18% of listings had their price reduced last month, according to Realtor.com.

Sellers are becoming more flexible on pricing, underscored by the price reductions were seeing, and while higher mortgage rates are certainly weighing on demand, the silver lining is that the market is starting to rebalance, said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. This could create opportunities for buyers who are prepared.

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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 NewsNation.
TEXARKANA, Texas (KETK)  A 21 year-old man was found dead inside a home on Saturday, the Texarkana Police Department said.

AFFIDAVIT: Lufkin man arrested for murder after speeding dispute ends in shooting

Officials responded to the home on Carroll Street after receiving reports of shots fired. When they arrived, they found the 21-year-old dead and a 52-year-old injured.

The 52-year-old was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

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It looks like the shooter  or shooters  fired several rounds into the house from the street before running off, the department said.

This marks the first homicide investigation of the year for the department and anybody with information is asked to contact them at 903-798-3875 or Texarkana Area Crime Stoppers at 903-793-STOP to leave an anonymous tip.

A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A state representative recently filed a bill that would give the Horry County Sheriffs Office control of the police department and make the sheriff the chief law enforcement officer in the county for the first time in more than 60 years.

Horry County Rep. William Bailey says Act 21 of 1959 helped create the Horry County Police Department. However, the South Carolina constitution makes the sheriff the chief law enforcement officer for each county.

Baileys bill would repeal the 1959 law. Horry County is the only county in South Carolina that still has both a police and sheriffs agency.

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If the bill is passed, county council would no longer be able to restrict the elected sheriffs duties, and Horry County would only have a sheriffs office.

Bailey says with the alleged mishandling of the 2023 road rage shooting and death of Scott Spivey, some residents are questioning their trust in the police department.

He says electing a leader shows the publics trust in them.

When you elect someone, when you give them your vote, theres a certain amount of faith youre having in that person, Bailey said. They do not currently have that ability through the current system. Its the council and the administrator that decides who the chief law enforcement officer is going to be.

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Bailey says he did not file the bill because of the Spivey case, but it does make the bill timely.

Its definitely a concern about some of the things, he said. But its not a deciding factor of trying to do this. At the end of the day, I dont know whether this will be something that the delegation wants to do or not. But its definitely time for that conversation.

However, Horry County Councilman Dennis DiSabato says the bill is a bad idea and a publicity stunt.

News13 asked DiSabato if residents can still trust their police department.

I think there were some bad actors here, and I think we need to investigate who they were and do what we need to do to clear out the bad actors so that we can restore the trust that the people have in the police department, he said. But it is our job to do that, not the state legislatures.

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DiSabato calls most Horry County police officers law-abiding community servants and says misconduct by some is not reflective of the entire department.

Bailey says he did not sign the letter to the attorney general asking to reopen the Spivey case because it is not elected officials jobs to tell the attorney general or SLED what to investigate. Lawmakers cannot make a decision on the bill until they return to session in January.

Horry County Sheriff Phillip Thompson sent News13 a statement Thursday, saying the sheriffs office serves its citizens, and the final decision should be up to them.

Horry County and the police department declined to comment.

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* * *

Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  One of just two Horry County representatives who did not sign a letter asking Gov. Henry McMaster to reopen a deadly road rage shooting case from 2023 has a personal relationship with the attorney of the man who pulled the trigger.

Horry County Reps. William Bailey and Jeff Johnson were the only representatives earlier this week not to sign the letter asking McMaster to reopen the September 2023 road rage shooting death of Scott Spivey, which involved Weldon Boyd  who shot Spivey  and Boyds passenger Kenneth Williams. Bailey said he chose not to sign it because he thinks it would be an obstruction of justice and its not his job as an elected official to get involved.

However, campaign contributions show Boyds attorney, Kenneth Moss, donated $400 to Baileys campaign in March 2019. Bailey said he and Moss have a personal relationship because Moss has been his attorney and friend since 2008.

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Campaign contribution records show Moss and his colleague, Dennis Worley, have contributed a total of $1,400 to Bailey. Some North Myrtle Beach restaurants have also contributed to Baileys campaign, but records do not specifically name Boyds restaurant, Buoys on the Boulevard.

Boyd has never faced charges in the shooting, with the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office in April 2024 citing a lack of evidence. Spiveys sister, Jennifer Foley, sued Boyd in June 2024, although Boyd has since filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and is also seeking immunity from the shooting and compensation from Spiveys family.

Since the attorney generals office declined to prosecute Boyd, Horry Countys deputy police chief, Brandon Strickland, resigned, another was fired, and three others face disciplinary action after claims of misconduct involving the case. Stricklands attorney denied the misconduct claims.

Bailey has since introduced a bill at the Statehouse in Columbia that would transfer control of the Horry County Police Department to the county sheriff.

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News13 has reached out to the attorney generals office three times via email to ask if they plan to take any action in Spiveys case since Tuesday and have yet to hear back.

Count on News13 for updates.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

* * *

Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work here.

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* * *

Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
A very warm Mothers Day weekend is ahead for KELOLAND, with strong south winds likely tomorrow.

The upfront forecast in Sioux Falls looks similar to yesterday, with temperatures in the mid to upper 80s late this afternoon.

The almanac below shows Sioux Falls is now over 2.5 below normal on precipitation for the year. That deficit will continue to grow.

Fire weather concerns look high tomorrow. Many areas East River are under fire weather watches and warnings. Strong south winds, low humidity, and hot temperatures near 90 will all be contributing factors to the forecast.

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Take a look at the details on Futurecast. First, highs today will be mainly in the 80s with developing south winds. Those winds will be stronger tomorrow, with several spots near 90 in the afternoon. Very little will change on Monday and Tuesday with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s once again.

The map below shows a closer look at the wind forecast for early next week. South wind gusts over 40mph are likely tomorrow in portions of eastern KELOLAND, with little change expected Monday. South winds will continue through Wednesday in far eastern KELOLAND, but strong NW winds will usher in a change in the weather by Thursday as a storm system enters the region.

You can see that storm on the map animation below. A batch of showers and thunderstorms should develop on Wednesday ahead of the low pressure center. That system may sit in the northern plains into Thursday and Friday, so we will also watch the wrap-around moisture on the backside of the storm system. Another low pressure center will move into the plains during the weekend, with additional important chances of rain to follow. A classic severe weather set-up is very likely in the warm sector of this storm, with some nice beneficial rainfall attached to the main low track. While the jury is still out on the exact details, the trends are cautiously optimistic for rain chances in the extended forecast.

Here are the details of the forecast.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Housing needed: 6 stories examine projects, solutions under discussion

Stories by Sacramento Bee journalists, with AI summarization

Sacramentos housing landscape is shifting through a range of new policies and initiatives. Sacramento State is considering turning underused downtown state buildings into a mixed-use university village, potentially revitalizing the area and increasing housing options. Placer County has approved developer subsidies, such as the Launchpad Program, to speed construction of multi-family housing and address shortages in key regions.

City leaders are pushing for more affordable approaches to homelessness, debating cost-effective solutions like mini-homes and shared facilities. At the state level, lawmakers are advancing bills to cut red tape and accelerate permitting, aiming to reduce construction delays and encourage faster housing production.

The Employment Development Department building along with the EDD Solar Building and the state Personnel Board Building will all be converted into affordable housing, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. By Cameron Clark

NO. 1: SACRAMENTO STATE EYES STATE-OWNED SITES FOR DOWNTOWN MIXED-USE UNIVERSITY VILLAGE

The state granted the university an exclusivity period to evaluate several downtown properties. | Published February 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Annika Merrilees

The Placer County Elections Office, photographed on July 26, 2024, moved from Auburn to 3715 Atherton Road in Rocklin last year. By Jose Luis Villegas

NO. 2: PLACER COUNTY TO GIVE DEVELOPERS NEW SUBSIDIES TO BUILD MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the program Tuesday. | Published April 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Theresa Clift

Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, works the Assembly floor at the state Capitol on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, the day before the end of the legislative session. By Hector Amezcua

NO. 3: CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS MAKE FIRST MOVES TO IMPROVE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, said the bills would alter the trajectory of Californias housing crisis. | Published April 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Kate Wolffe

Traffic moves on Freeport Boulevard near William Land Park in Sacramento on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. By Nathaniel Levine

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NO. 4: SACRAMENTO EYES 40+ QUICK-BUILD FIXES YEARLY AS NEW SAFETY TEAM FORMS

Sacramento is working on a new quick-build safety program. | Published April 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ariane Lange

Construction is still underway at the Mirasol Village affordable housing project in Sacramentos River District on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. By Nathaniel Levine

NO. 5: MAYOR SAYS IT WOULD TAKE 300 YEARS TO HOUSE SACRAMENTOS HOMELESS, ASKS FOR OPTIONS

Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty McCarty asked Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency leaders for cheaper options to build affordable housing. | Published April 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Theresa Clift

Theresa Rivera, 45, camps in a tent in Sacramento on Nov. 18, 2024. In March, she received a city citation and after a missed court date now owes $333. Rivera, who uses a wheelchair to get around, says that she doesnt even have $5 in her pocket most days. By Renee C. Byer

NO. 6: A NEW SACRAMENTO COUNCIL CONFRONTS HOMELESSNESS. CAN MAYOR MCCARTY DELIVER? | OPINION

The new mayor is exploring new shelters for unique populations as funding grows tight. Can Sacramento truly do more with less? | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Robin Epley LeBron Antonio Hill Tom Philp

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
A decades-old family home is now the center of a high-stakes legal showdown after a Houston woman says a man squatting on the property filed an adverse possession lawsuit, essentially claiming it as his own.

Glory Gendrett says her family's roots run deep in the Sunnyside neighborhood, where her father built the home on Clover Street nearly 70 years ago. Now, shes fighting tooth and nail to keep whats hers.

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Its a huge part of my family because my father built that house, Gendrett shared with KPRC 2.

But what was once a symbol of generational legacy is now tangled up in unpaid taxes and a legal quagmire thats pushed Gendrett, 73, to the edge.

Gendrett said she moved out in 2014 after a break-in left her shaken. Making matters worse, she found that she was unable to keep up with the rising property taxes. And while the deed to the property was later transferred to her and one of her sisters, the unpaid taxes ballooned into the tens of thousands, which opened the door for trouble.

Gendretts efforts prove to be futile

Gendrett claims a neighbor informed her that a man had broken into the home and was living on her property. She says calls to the police went nowhere  the issue, she was told, was a "civil matter." But the system didnt make it easy for her to fight back.

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I went to different places trying to get somebody to help me get this taken care of, Gendrett recalled. What do I need to do, who do I need to talk to, this group, that group, you know, legal aid, a lot of different people, and Ive had no help.

Her son, Lloyd Hudson Jr., tried to confront the man living inside the home but, according to Hudson, the man claimed his mother had given him the keys.

I said, well, my mother has two kids, two grandkids, why would she just give you the keys? said Hudson.

But the man, identified in court documents as Marquise Busby, wouldnt leave. Busby then went a step further and filed an adverse possession lawsuit, asserting that since hes been living in and maintaining the home since 2014, it now legally belongs to him.

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The lawsuit states Busbys been handling the upkeep, paying utilities, mowing the lawn and raising horses on the property. But when KPRC 2 reporter Robert Arnold visited the home, he found boarded-up windows, trees and vines choking the structure of the house, and no horses in sight. One piece of siding reportedly dangled loose, a symbol of a house in complete disrepair.

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

Neighbor attempts to save the day

Court records reveal that Harris County first moved to collect back taxes in 2017. The legal drama stretched on until 2019 when the county initially won a judgment, but that ruling was tossed when it was discovered that one of the heirs to the property was never properly notified.

Fast forward to 2024 and a final judgment hit Gendrett and her now-deceased sisters estate for nearly $30,000 in taxes, fees, penalties and interest.

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Hudson found a company to help the family set up a payment plan, preventing the property from going up for auction. Thats when neighbor Jerome Harris stepped in, offering to buy and fix up the home.

"Its destroying the neighborhood, its an eyesore, Harris said. But his attempt to buy the house was blocked by the squatter who refused to vacate. Now, with the taxes resolved, Gendrett thought theyd finally reclaim the home. But instead, Gendrett and her family were blindsided by Busbys adverse possession lawsuit.

Dana Karni, director of litigation services for Lone Star Legal Aid, said these types of cases are rare and hard to prove.

One of the elements thats more challenging is that the person living there needs to have been there in a way thats, quote, open and hostile, Karni explained. That means theyre not hiding the fact that they are possessing the property, and in fact, they do not have the owners permission.

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Gendrett and Hudson are still searching for an attorney. In the mean time, their formal response to the lawsuit was a handwritten letter to the judge that Gendrett filed herself.

If you snooze on your property, you could lose it

In U.S. real estate, theres a legal backdoor that can hand your property to someone else without a sale, will or a single dollar exchanged. According to Cornell Law School, adverse possession is a doctrine under which a trespasser, in physical possession of land owned by someone else, may acquire valid title to the property.

Under the right circumstances, a person can take over land they dont own and eventually become the legal owner. All it takes is time, persistence and a few strategic moves.

The idea behind adverse possession is rooted in practicality: if you abandon your property long enough and someone else takes care of it like its theirs, the law might just reward them for doing so. Think of it as the legal systems way of saying use it or lose it.

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But adverse possession is not a free-for-all squatters paradise. The bar is set quite high  in order to win an adverse possession case, the claimant has to check off some very specific boxes:

Actual: The squatter is living on and in possession of property that doesn't belong to them.

Open and Notorious: The squatter's possession of the property is obvious to anyone paying attention. An adverse possession claim cannot succeed if posession of the property is a secret.

Exclusive: The squatter cannot share control of the property with someone else.

Hostile: Not in the angry sense, but legally speaking, it means the squatter is using the property without the true owner's permission.

Continuous: The squatter must occupy the property openly and continuously. Depending on the state, that can be anywhere from five to 20 years.

The financial consequences of this situation could be huge for Gendrett and her family. A vacant lot in a growing city like Houston could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you forget about your unused property, someone else could walk in, clean it up and eventually walk away with the deed, all without paying you a cent.

Gendretts story should serve as a warning to homeowners, landlords and heirs throughout the country. Keep an eye on your property, pay those taxes and dont let it sit idle for too long, because in the eyes of the law, possession really can be nine-tenths of ownership.

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At this time of my life, 73 years old, I have exhausted all I can do, Gendrett wrote to the judge. I dont know where else to turn.

The court battle is set to go to trial in 2026. Until then, the fight for the Clover Street home and the legacy it holds rages on.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Elijah Caudill, the suspect in the 16th Street Mall quadruple stabbing, appeared talkative in a Denver District Court room Friday morning, thick hair covering his eyes.

While Caudill was initially set for a preliminary hearing Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault and four violent crime sentence enhancers, his defense attorneys asked Judge Karen Brody on Friday for a competency evaluation to be completed prior to further hearings.

The 24-year-old suspect continued to talk to his appointed defender, Paloma Calipo, while his other defense attorney, Ariana Burnette, discussed the evaluation with the court.

Friday marked nearly four months since Caudill was arrested following an alleged spree of stabbings in the city's blocks-long shopping district that injured two and killed two others between Jan. 11-12.

The first stabbing occurred at 16th and Tremont streets at 5:12 pm. on Jan. 11. The 49-year-old male victim, who was slashed in the face, went to the hospital on his own and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The second stabbing occurred at 16th and California streets about five minutes later at 5:17 p.m. The female victim, 71-year-old Celinda Levno, was stabbed in the throat and taken to a hospital, where she died.

The third stabbing occurred at 16th and Lawrence streets at about 5:54 p.m., the victim was a 62-year-old man who was stabbed in the arm and torso and taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

The fourth stabbing occurred at 16th and Wynkoop streets around 8:06 p.m. on Jan. 12. The male victim, 34-year-old Nicholas Burkett, was taken to a hospital and later died from his injuries.

Caudill was arrested shortly after the fourth stabbing on that Sunday evening and booked into the Denver County jail without bond. He was charged by the Denver District Attorney's Office on Jan. 17.

The suspect's mental health and ability to stand trial have continued to be focal points in the case since January, with the defense previously saying Caudill suffered from an "obvious, severe and debilitating mental illness" in a Jan. 17 motion to limit pre-trial publicity and that the judge deny any requests for expanded media coverage in the ongoing case, according to court records.

Brody eventually approved the motion on Jan. 24, denying expanded media coverage requests and banning livestreaming of the case.

Expansive record and mental health concerns

Caudill has been arrested 15 times since 2018 in metro Denver on charges that included criminal mischief, disturbing the peace, robbery, menacing and twice for sex assault, according to court records.

In August 2021, Caudill lunged at the manager of a Commerce City apartment complex with a knife and threatened to cut the man's throat before he fled. He was arrested on charges of felony menacing and the case was closed in June 2022.

He was considered homeless at the time of the arrest.

His probation officer following the case filed a motion seeking to revoke his probation and requested that the judge order Caudill to complete whats known as cognitive behavioral therapy to address anti-social behaviors.

Caudill didnt complete the therapy, which led to another motion to revoke his probation. In that case, the judge checked a box in a court order that said: There is reason to believe the defendant poses substantial risk of serious harm to others, the Denver Gazette's news partner, 9NEWS, reported.

Three months later, Caudill followed a woman into a Target store in Thornton, grabbed her purse and ran away without it. The case was closed in January 2023.

It appeared that Caudill was sentenced to a year of supervised probation for an assault conviction on June 3, 2024, court records show, and was arrested again on Aug. 8 while in custody at the Denver Detention Center after he kicked a glass door repeatedly and shattered it in the jail's recreation yard.

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Records obtained by The Denver Gazette's news partner, 9NEWS, detailed two times when it was reported that Caudill was hearing voices.

A Colorado Department of Corrections record of Caudills history in the prison system reported an incident on May 20, 2023, in which he began yelling in a day room. When asked if he was OK, he responded yes  just that the voices in his head were bothering him today."

A Department of Corrections case managers Feb. 21, 2024, report of a conversation with someone who had talked to Caudill in jail reported that he was hearing voices and refusing to take his meds.

Caudill was ultimately accepted by the Bridges Program  a statewide program that facilitates collaboration between the criminal justice and mental health systems that has placed court liaisons throughout Colorados 22 judicial districts  on Nov. 12, with the promise of reporting to the program via the bus in Aurora. His defense attorney claimed he would be staying at a home in Aurora, as well, according to court records.

He was arrested in connection to the stabbings just two months later.

For a man like that, at 24 years old, to become mentally ill and drug addicted himself and then become a murderer. Thats it for his life?" Wayne Burkett, the father of victim Nicholas Burkett, said of the suspect during a vigil a few days after the stabbing. "Thats not justice. Its just paying the price for what youve done."

Competency evaluation

Now, Caudill will be evaluated to see if he is mentally competent to stand trial  meaning he is able to understand court proceedings and help his lawyers in his defense.

The evaluation will be done by the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo at the Colorado Department of Human Services in Denver.

The evaluation is supposed to be done within 21 days, per court requirement, but Brody balked at the idea of it occurring in time.

"I think this is going to take a little bit of time, which is probably an understatement," Brody said Friday morning.

If evaluators find Caudill incompetent, the process may be significantly delayed, with Caudill having to wait to get into the hospital and then staying until he is deemed competent.

The state has the capacity to treat 516 people at the state-run Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo. But due to the number of beds and the lack of mental health professionals in the field, some in-custody defendants have had to wait up to a year or longer before inpatient space becomes available for restoration services.

For example, Ahmad Alissa  the man convicted of shooting and killing 10 people at a King Soopers in Boulder in 2021  saw around a two-year pause on his trial due to delays in the Colorado Mental Health Institute.

Caudill's attorneys are due back in court on June 6 for a status hearing, but Caudill is not required to attend.

Former Denver Gazette reporter Carol McKinley and the Denver Gazette's news partner, 9NEWS, contributed to this report.
Recently discovered stone tools and circular structures on the Isle of Skye suggest humans from the Old Stone Age traveled all the way to the frigid northwest edge of Scotland.

This boundary-pushing endeavor took early humans in northern Europe to the "far end of everything", according to a new paper from an international team of archaeologists.

"This is a hugely significant discovery which offers a new perspective on the earliest human occupation yet known, of north-west Scotland," says lead author and archaeologist Karen Hardy from the University of Glasgow.

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"The journey made by these pioneering people who left their lowland territories in mainland Europe to travel northwards into the unknown is the ultimate adventure story."

Isle of Skye. (David C Tomlinson/Getty Images)

Until recently, there hadn't been any clear evidence of a human population in Scotland before the Holocene, the current geological epoch that began about 11,700 years ago. Even when earlier artifacts began to pop up, it was assumed that the inhospitable climate would have only allowed for visiting humans, not a sustained population.

But the new study suggests humans arrived  and settled  earlier than we give them credit for.

Hardy and colleagues have based their conclusions on a collection of stone tools and circle structures found on the Isle of Skye in the last eight years.

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Unfortunately, no radiocarbon-datable material has been recovered, so the exact timing of human arrival is unknown. Still, there are some important clues in the details.

The ancient baked mudstone tools found on Skye have complex features that resemble artifacts from continental Europe in the Late Upper Paleolithic, specifically those of Ahrensburg culture, argue Hardy and colleagues.

Ahrensburg-like tools have been found on some other isles and islands in Scotland, but never this far north and never in such abundance.

The number of artifacts made from local materials on Skye "indicate either a reasonably sized population or long-term occupation", the team of archaeologists argue.

Baked mudstone tools found on the Isle of Skye. (Karen Hardy)

What's more, archeologists have uncovered several stone circles, between 3 and 5 meters (10 and 16 feet) in diameter, in a large tidal flat in the center of the Isle. Long ago, when Scotland was icier, this tidal flat would have existed above sea level.

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Today, the stone circles are only visible for around two to three hours per year, when the extreme spring tides arrive. At other times, archaeologists have had to snorkel.

The stone circles found in a tidal flat on the Isle of Skye. (Jamie Booth)

Even during the lowest tide, digging into the waterlogged sandy bottom made it very difficult to measure definitive sediment layers for dating.

Based on some climate modeling, however, this tidal flat was above sea level roughly 11,000 years ago. For the last 10,000 years, the sites of the stone circles have been covered by water, meaning they were most likely built before then.

What's more, other similar stone circles, found across the sea in Norway, were radiocarbon-dated to between roughly 10,400 and 11,000 years ago.

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"The similarity between these circular alignments and those at Sconser is remarkable and supports the interpretation of a Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene age," write Hardy and colleagues.

Bird's eye view of the tidal flat where archaeologists found stone circles on the Isle of Skye. (Hardy et al., J. Quaternary Sci., 2025)

Experts disagree on when the Ahrensburg culture came and went, but some studies suggest it existed as recently as 10,500 years ago. There is also evidence of Ahrensburgian-like artifacts from this time in what is now southern England.

Today, the Isle of Skye is connected to the mainland by a human-made bridge. During the Upper Paleolithic, however, when ice sheets in the region were expanding, there may have been a land bridge or very narrow crossing, less than 300 meters wide. This could have been walkable to Old Stone Age humans during spring tides.

During this time, however, the western margins of Scotland would have been cold and inhospitable. The authors of the recent archaeological analysis suspect the earliest humans came to Skye after the ice sheets had already begun to recede.

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"As they journeyed northwards, most likely following animal herds, they eventually reached Scotland, where the western landscape was dramatically changing as glaciers melted and the land rebounded as it recovered from the weight of the ice," hypothesizes Hardy.

"A good example of the volatility they would have encountered can be found in Glen Roy, where the world-famous Parallel Roads provide physical testament to the huge landscape changes and cataclysmic floods that they would have encountered, as they travelled across Scotland."

Without reliable radiocarbon dating it's hard to say much about when these cultures arrived. Hardy and colleagues admit this is a limitation, but based on what we know about Old Stone Age humans in continental Europe and in southern England, there's reason to suspect an early push northward.

The study was published in The Journal of Quaternary Science.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN)  A 5-year-old boy battling cancer received a special surprise when hundreds of people turned out for a parade in his front yard.

For the Fulk family and their son, Larkin, this is a birthday for the books.

It was amazing, I mean, the support for our little boy from just all over, I just cant say enough to the people who went above and beyond for him, said Lewis Fulk, Larkins dad.

Last year, 5-year-old Larkin was diagnosed with leukemia, and has been fighting alongside his parents and two brothers.

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Due to his condition leaving him immunocompromised, his family needed to get creative for his birthday party. Soon enough, their invitation for a drive-thru birthday party spread like wildfire across social media.

The post seriously said, Can I get anyone to come to Kenton Ridge parking lot to drive by for Larkin? And people started saying yes, and it snowballed tremendously, said Julia Fulk, Larkins mom. I dont think any of us are prepared for what were about to see.

Ahead of the parade, the community gathered at the staging area down the road. It was a surprise not only for Larkin, but for the full Fulk family, who had no clue what was about to come down the road and right into their front yard.

The parade itself lasted over an hour, with hundreds of cars, motorbikes, police cruisers, semi trucks, fire trucks and countless others. Passengers hung out of car windows with signs, blasting silly string and gifting cards and presents.

There were more strangers there than people that we knew, so it just says a lot about our community, said Julia Fulk.

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And Larkin was happiest of all.

Thank you everyone, said Larkin.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
An aide for Ice Barbie Kristi Noem threatened to send Department of Homeland Security goons to arrest three Democratic members of Congress who tried to tour an ICE detention facility.

Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, said on CNN podcast First of All that there exists body-camera footage of some of these members of Congress assaulting our ICE enforcement officers. She said the representatives were body-slamming the officials.

Calling the lawmakers purported actions disgusting, McLaughlin said that her agency will release the footage soon.

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The American people should know the facts, she said in a teased clip of the podcast.

The Department of Homeland Security and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka tell VERY different stories about his arrest. #CNN#FirstofAll pic.twitter.com/N2JxHLCORL  Victor Blackwell CNN (@VictorBlackwell) May 10, 2025

Asked by host Victor Blackwell whether the representatives were going to be arrested, McLaughlin said, This is an ongoing investigation, and that is definitely on the table.

The three Congress members in question are New Jersey Democratic Reps. Rob Menendez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIver. The trio attempted to tour an ICE detention facility in their state on Friday and began to protest when they were not allowed in.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was trying to join the representatives in their protest at Delaney Hall Detention Center, was arrested by ICE officers. He was released later on Friday night.

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Baraka, who was also interviewed for the CNN podcast, pushed back on McLaughlins claim that the representatives assaulted ICE officers.

None of those people body-slammed any officer, he said, pointing out that Watson Coleman is 80 years old.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, 80, was one of the lawmakers the DHS aide suggested body-slammed ICE officers. / Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The DHS, ICE, and three Congress members did not immediately respond to the Daily Beasts requests for comment. Noem, who has earned the nickname Ice Barbie for her publicity stunts cosplaying as an on-the-ground law enforcement officer, has yet to address the situation publicly.

In posts on X soon after the Thursday afternoon incident, McLaughlin claimed that the Congress members stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.

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Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities, she added. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility.

Watson Coleman pushed back on McLaughlins post. She wrote that she and her fellow representatives were not attempting to storm the facility, arguing that they were trying to exercise their oversight authority as lawmakers.

McIver told reporters that the group of Democrats was actually roughed up by ICE officers, adding, If they can treat members of Congress like that, imagine how they treat people on the streets.

LaMonica McIver was one of the New Jersey Democrats who protested outside of an ICE facility. / Jemal Countess / Getty Images for MoveOn

Democrats were incensed by Barakas arrest, which came after he complied with an order to leave a fenced-off area.

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Many New Jersey officialsincluding Gov. Phil Murphy, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Sen. Andy Kim, and Sen. Cory Bookerpublished statements expressing their outrage and calling for Barakas release.

This incident is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities, not adding to it, Booker said. Law enforcement officers should have de-escalated this situation.

Rep. Rob Menendez was also in the coalition of Democrats outside the detention center. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Images

After being held in an ICE office for several hours, Baraka was charged with misdemeanor federal trespassing and released.

In an appearance on MSNBC soon after his release, the mayor called the arrest targeted. He said that he was initially allowed onto the property. After an hour there, he was asked to leave. Although he said that he would leave, he was quickly detained.
NEWARK, New Jersey  Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was released from custody Friday evening following a dramatic day where federal authorities got into a scrum with three members of Congress and arrested him.

Baraka, who is also a Democratic candidate for governor, was released shortly before 8 p.m. from a Homeland Security field office in his own city after scores of sympathizers  including several members of Congress, numerous New Jersey lawmakers and two candidates for mayor of New York City, all Democrats  had gathered to protest Barakas arrest and chant for his release.

Baraka has been charged with trespassing earlier in the day at Delaney Hall, a new immigration detention facility in another part of town. Standing on the sidewalk by the field office after being released, Baraka gave a fiery speech  and doubled down on his pro-immigrant rhetoric.

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Baraka got biblical, saying his approach to accepting immigrants was akin to religious philosophies to accept and care for those in need, while blasting the religious right.

Im doing what your religious leaders told you to do, he said. And all of these people in the Christian right, with this mean-spiritedness, that makes them believe they are more righteous than everyone else  theres a special place in hell for all of you.

Charging documents filed in U.S. District Court accused the mayor of New Jerseys largest city of entering and unlawfully remaining at Delaney Hall. He was charged with trespassing under a federal law that allows charges for state law crimes allegedly committed on federal property. The offense would carry the same maximum punishment under state law: up to 30 days in jail and a fine of $500.

According to court records, Baraka made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Espinosa and appears to have made it by videoconference at about 7:15 p.m. Friday, while at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility he was taken to. No plea was entered and Baraka was released on an unsecured bond with no dollar value, the records indicate. Another hearing was set for May 15.

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A federal court proceeding at that hour of the evening is unusual. Many defendants arrested by federal authorities on a Friday dont appear in court until Monday.

Baraka was represented at the hearing by Newark defense attorney Raymond Brown. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Baraka said afterward that he couldnt speak about the case and that staff from Homeland Security treated me pretty well.

But the reality is this: I didnt do anything wrong, he said.



The interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, posted on social media earlier in the day that Baraka had committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon.

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The arrest has catapulted Baraka to national prominence as he is seeking to be the states next governor. His arrest has already become a partisan flashpoint, with Republicans and conservative media claiming he and the members of Congress had stormed the facility.

But when a POLITICO reporter showed up before the arrest, Baraka was standing inside the facilitys fence line in a parking lot for an extended period of time, while three members of Congress  Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez and LaMonica McIver, all New Jersey Democrats  were inside trying to inspect the facility.

It is unclear how Baraka got inside the fence, but he was eventually asked to leave and, though he appeared reluctant, he did leave that area. Then he stood on the other side of the fence in a parking lot with members of the media and protesters who had gathered earlier at the detention facility ahead of what was expected to be a press conference about the detention center, which is expected to play a major role in its Northeast immigration operations.

Then federal authorities came back out to arrest Baraka, setting off a scrum where he was handcuffed and the three members of Congress said they were variously manhandled, roughed up and assaulted.

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Barakas eight-minute address after being released went far beyond his hometown. He spoke of his familys experiences fleeing the Jim Crow South for Newark and blasted President Donald Trumps efforts to roll back birthright citizenship and said the president disregarded the courts.

Whats happening now in this country, everybody should be scared of. This authoritarianism thats taking place is legal authoritarianism, Baraka said.

As Baraka left the facility for the day, his throngs of supporters chanted Ras for governor.
Originally appeared on E! Online

Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger's internet activities have come to light.

The 30-year-oldwho has been accused of fatally stabbing University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in November 2022was active on Google in the weeks before and after the killings, according to records from Kohbergers phone in the possession of law enforcement that's been obtained Dateline.

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In addition to searches on infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, the records indicate Kohberger made online inquiries for pornography with the words "forced," "passed out," "drugged" and "sleeping," per the phone data.

But that's not the only activity discovered by law enforcement on his cellular device.

In court documents, authorities said they found a selfie of Kohberger taken from his phone on November 13, 2022, only hours after the homicides at 10:31 a.m."

In the photo, which was attached to the filing, Kohbergerdressed in a button-down shirt and with Bluetooth earbuds instood in front of what appeared to be a shower as he smiled at the camera and held up a thumbs up.

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At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at the nearby Washington State University. He was arrested in December 2022 at his family home in Pennsylvania.

A judge entered a plea of not guilty to first-degree murder charges on Kohberger's behalf after he stood silent at his May 2023 arraignment. Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in August 2023.

His trial is scheduled to begin this August.

For everything to know about Idaho murders, read on.

(E! and Dateline are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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On Datelines The Terrible Night on King Road TV special, airing May 9 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, a University of Idaho graduate student said she exchanged phone numbers with Kohberger months before the murders.

I definitely felt a little obligated to chat with him," she told host Keith Morrison, explaining that the two spoke about hiking when they met at a pool party in Summer 2022, "because to me, he seemed a little awkward."

She said Kohberger texted her the day after the bash.

Hey, I am pretty sure we spoke about hiking trips yesterday, read Bryans text from July 10, 2022, per Dateline. "I really enjoy that activity, so please let me know. Thanks!"

August Frank-Pool/Getty Images

At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at the nearby Washington State University. He was arrested in December 2022 at his family home in Pennsylvania.

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A judge entered a plea of not guilty to first-degree murder charges on Kohberger's behalf after he stood silent at his May 2023 arraignment. Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in August 2023.

His trial is scheduled to begin this August.

For everything to know about Idaho murders, read on.

(E! and Dateline are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Who Were Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle?

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, were University of Idaho students who lived in an off-campus apartment. On Nov. 12, 2022the night before their bodies were foundGoncalves and Mogen were at a nearby sports bar, while Kernodle and Chapin were at the latters fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on Nov. 13, the four roommates and Chapin were back at the three-story rental house. Goncalves was a senior majoring in general studies at the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. She was expected to graduate in December before heading to Austin, Tex., for a job at a marketing firm, her friend Jordyn Quesnell told The New York Times. Mogen, who was studying marketing, was best friends with Goncalves since the sixth grade. She had plans to move to Boise after graduation, family friend Jessie Frost shared with The Idaho Statesman. Kernodle was a junior majoring in marketing, the University said at the time. She and Chapinwho majored in recreation, sport and tourism managementhad been dating since the spring, the roommates neighbor Ellie McKnight told NBC News.





Were There Any Survivors?

Two roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, had been home at the time of the murders. In text messages that were unsealed March 6, 2025, Mortensen and Funke tried contacting their roommates on Nov. 13 after the former saw a masked man moving through the house, according to documents obtained by E! News. "No one is answering," Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. "I'm rlly confused rn." She continued to reach out to their roommates, urging them to respond. "Pls answer," she texted Goncalves at 4:32 a.m. and again at 10:23 a.m. "R u up??" At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was placed after Kernodle was found unresponsive, per an additional motion obtained by E! News. A woman named A1 in the transcript described the current situation to the operator. "One of the roommates who's passed out and she was drunk last night and she's not waking up," she said on the phone. "They saw some man in their house last night."





Who Is Bryan Kohberger and How Was He Found?

Bryan Kohberger, who has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, was a doctoral candidate at Washington State University. Over one month after the bodies of Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were discovered, Kohberger was taken into custody Dec. 30 in Monroe County, Penn. He was extradited to Idaho Jan. 4. As for how authorities connected him to the killings? DNA was found on a knife sheath that was left at the crime scene, prosecutors revealed in June 2023 court documents, per NBC News. When the DNA didn't match anyone in the FBI database, authorities ran the DNA through public ancestry websites to create a list of potential suspects, according to the filings. After learning that Kohberger had driven to his parents' home in Monroe County, local officials then went through their trash and found DNA that tied him to that found on the sheath.





What Is Kohbergers Defense Arguing?

At the moment, a motive for the attack has not been detailed and a gag order prevents many involved in the case from speaking publicly, NBC News reported. However, the unsealed documents provided some insight into their arguments. Kohberger's attorneys argued in a motion obtained by E! News to strike the death penalty that Kohbergerwho could face the death penalty if found guilty on all counts, a judge ruled in November 2024has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that executing him would violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on "cruel and unusual punishment." His defense argued that Kohbereger "displays extremely rigid thinking, perseverates on specific topics, processes information on a piecemeal basis, struggles to plan ahead, and demonstrates little insight into his own behaviors and emotions." "Due to his ASD, Mr. Kohberger simply cannot comport himself in a manner that aligns with societal expectations of normalcy," the motion said. "This creates an unconscionable risk that he will be executed because of his disability rather than his culpability."

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Where Does the Case Stand Today?

Kohberger had a judge enter a not-guilty plea to the first-degree murder charges on his behalf after remaining silent at his May 2023 arraignment. Although his trial was set to begin Oct. 2, 2023, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in August 2023. His new trial datewhich will take place in Ada County, more than 300 miles from Latah County, where the killings took placeis set to begin Aug. 11, 2025. Latah County Judge John Judge ruled in favor of the transfer request made by Kohberger's defense in September 2024 based on "presumed prejudice" if the trial remained in Latah County.

Ada County Judge Steven Hipplerwho is now presiding over the casedenied the defense's request to suppress key DNA and other evidence, including cell phone and email records, surveillance footage, past Amazon purchases and DNA evidence in the trial.



For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
(FOX40.COM)  The California Department of Fish and Wildlife caught a car moving slowly through a rural area outside of Paso Robles.

 Video above: How to report a public safety threat

According to CDFW, when the officer went to approach the driver and the passenger, they noticed blood on the trunk, bumper, and license plate, which led them to open the trunk of the Honda Civic. They found a tom turkey and a squirrel, wounded but still alive.

CDFW said, It is unlawful to pursue or hunt any bird or mammal species in California from motor-driven air, water, or land vehicles, unless allowed under extremely limited CDFW permitted exceptions such as those for hunters with disabilities.

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Sacramento Police launch 2025 Click it or Ticket campaign

Two weeks later, another wildlife officer on patrol saw another car rolling slowly through a different stretch of rural Paso Robles, stated CDFW. When the officer made contact with a Chevy Malibu, the driver admitted to having a tom turkey in the truck, along with a .22 caliber gun found in the rear floorboard.

When the officer went to do a records check, the wildlife officer involved in the previous case with the Honda Civic reached out and said the driver of the Chevy is the same individual who was cited for road hunting, said CDFW.

CDFW officials said neither the driver nor the passenger was a licensed hunter, and both were cited. The 26-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of unlawful hunting of wildlife, among other wildlife violations.

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According to CDFW, the San Luis Obispo County courts have set bail at $20,000, with both cases given to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys Office prosecutors.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO)  Illinoiss controversial program to offer insurance to noncitizen migrants contributed millions to hospitals bottom lines, according to a new study.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Illinois currently insures roughly 40,000 people who dont have legal status or qualify for federal Medicaid or Medicare.

Illinois enacted laws in March 2022 that provide free health insurance, first for senior migrants, then for migrants aged 55-64, and ultimately for all migrants aged 52+.

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Without federal match dollars for treating immigrants as part of the states Health Benefits or Immigrant Adults program, Illinois taxpayers were left to pick up the tab.

The program is similar to Medicaid but is funded by the state, since noncitizens arent eligible for federal coverage.

A study by the University of Chicago found that the state programs, funded by taxpayer money, helped hospitals reduce bad debt by nearly $1.5 million per hospital.

The state paid hospitals for the medical care they provided, without having to bill uninsured patients who couldnt afford care or wouldnt pay.

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Following Gov. JB Pritzkers annual budget address, an audit found the costs of the program and enrollments were vastly underestimated, costing taxpayers more than $1.6 billion since it began in 2020.

The state had estimated the cost of the program for younger people at $126 million, but the actual cost to taxpayers came in at $485 million over three years, the audit found.

Pritzker did not include the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program in his proposed 2025 budget. More than 30,000 noncitizens between the ages of 42-64 are set to lose coverage starting July 1st.

The Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors program, on the other hand, was budgeted at $2 million for the first year, but that estimate ballooned to $4 million while the program was being set up in 2020, and actually cost taxpayers more than $67 million by December 2020.

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In three years, the program cost the state $412 million  84% higher than the original estimates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
NEW DELHI (AP)  India accuses Pakistan of breaching ceasefire along their border after reaching deal hours earlier.
Yvonne Woods, the embattled former Colorado Bureau of Investigation forensic scientist accused of compromising criminal evidence for decades, was bound over for trial on Friday after she waived her preliminary hearing where prosecutors present evidence to a judge.

Woods, 64, who goes by Missy, was charged in January with a total of 102 felonies, including 52 counts of forgery, 48 attempts to influence a public servant, one count of perjury and one count of cybercrime  the most serious charge.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 4.

When asked by Denver District Judge Graham Peper if she understood the implications of waiving the preliminary hearing and being bound over for trial, Woods answered in a clear voice: Yes, I do.

Woods is basically admitting prosecutors have enough evidence to send the case to trial on the felony charges shes facing.

Fridays proceeding took just minutes.

Woods alleged misconduct has been at the heart of an unprecedented scandal that threatens to upend the states criminal justice system.

Already one murder conviction has been vacated due to her questionable DNA testing, and three other murder cases once been headed for trial resulted in plea deals on lesser charges and lighter sentences because prosecutors were unwilling to chance presenting the cases to a jury because of the scandal and possibly tainted evidence.

In November 2023, CBI acknowledged that Woods  once considered one of the most esteemed DNA experts in Colorado  had skipped steps in her testing, mishandled and manipulated DNA evidence throughout her 29 years with the lab, potentially throwing into question past criminal cases.

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After more than a year of reviewing her past work as part of an internal investigation, the agency said it had found 1,003 problems in the more than 10,780 cases Woods had worked on during her time at CBI  or roughly one in 10.

CBI maintained throughout that it never found indication she had falsified DNA profiles.

The agency recently acknowledged for the first time that sex assault cases made up nearly half, or 46%, of the more than 1,003 problem cases it identified. Burglaries made up 21%, and homicides made up 13%. Other flagged cases included robberies, kidnappings, and drug and weapons offenses.

Defense attorneys in the state have voiced concern that the number of cases with potentially tainted evidence handled by Woods could be higher than what CBI has identified.

For instance, the murder case against Michael Clark  whose conviction was recently vacated  was not included in the CBI list of problems cases.

Clark, who was serving life without parole for a murder he swore he did not commit, was convicted in 2012 in large part on DNA evidence analyzed by Woods.

She also testified at his trial that her testing of the DNA found in a jar of lip balm found at the scene of the 1994 murder was a partial match to Clark. But a recent retesting of the DNA in the lip balm by an independent lab in Virginia found some results not consistent with what Woods found.

Clark was released from custody last month but remains charged with murder. Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty has not yet said whether he will retry the case.

Within CBIs internal investigation, it was revealed for the first time that Woods colleagues had flagged problems in her work in both 2014 and 2018 but prosecutors, defense attorneys and the public had never been told.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday accused Pakistan of committing repeated violations of a peace deal between the two countries that President Donald Trump announced just hours earlier.

The swift ceasefire aimed to deescalate the military conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries following weeks of mounting attacks in the divided Kashmir region shared by India and Pakistan.

This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today, Misri told reporters at a press briefing in New Delhi. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations, and we take very very seriously notice of these violations.

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The accusations came after explosions were reported Saturday in Indias area of Kashmir. The regions Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted videos of the explosions on social media, writing: What the hell just happened to the ceasefire?

Tensions between the two historic rivals heightened in recent weeks following an attack on tourists in the Kashmir region last month. India said Pakistan initiated the attack, which Pakistan denied, but it set off a series of retaliatory strikes in the region that stoked fears of a larger war.

Trump took to Truth Social earlier on Saturday to announce a full and immediate ceasefire following U.S.-led talks Friday night. Both sides confirmed they agreed to a ceasefire, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that the two countries would begin talks at a neutral location. Rubio added he and Vice President JD Vance had spoken several times with senior Indian and Pakistani officials to negotiate the deal.

We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X.

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In an interview with Pakistani news outlet Geo News, Pakistans Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied any strikes or reneging of the agreement, saying that a violation of ceasefire agreement from our side is out of question.

Misri added that India will deal strongly with any violations of the ceasefire terms.

We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility, Misri said.
India has accused Pakistan of breaking the ceasefire brokered with the help of the U.S., saying it is responding to the violations.

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a press briefing where he confirmed a ceasefire agreement had been reached, but accused Pakistan of violating it Saturday evening. He called on Pakistan to act to stop the violations to avoid escalation along the border, and says that India is "giving an adequate and appropriate response."

India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire on Saturday, ending tensions that had been rising since an April attack on Indian-controlled Kashmir, both countries confirmed.

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India's chief minister for the territory of Kashmir and Jammu, Omar Abdullah, posted on X in the last few hours that explosions could be heard in Srinagar, the largest city of the region.

"There is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up," he wrote.

Pakistan's Prime Minister broadcast an address to the nation at 11 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET), but it did not address any possible ceasefire violations.

President Donald Trump first announced the ceasefire in a post on social media.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said in a post on his platform Truth Social.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed in a statement that over the past two days, Vice President JD Vance and he conversed with Indian and Pakistani officials to broker an immediate ceasefire.

PHOTO: Demonstrators hold a banner with a portrait of Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir alongside banners with the holy Hindu symbol 'Om' during an anti-India protest in Karachi, on May 10, 2025. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP via Getty Images)

"We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," Rubio said in a statement.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday thanked President Trump "for his leadership and proactive role" and said this "marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region."

Earlier Saturday, Indian officials said during a press briefing that Pakistan had attacked 26 locations across India and the Pakistani military had begun moving its troops "into forward areas."

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"I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. "In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

Indian Army Col. Sofiya Qureshi said the forward movements of Pakistani troops indicate "offensive intent to further escalate the situation."

"Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness," Qureshi said. "All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded appropriately. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military."

PHOTO: Pakistan India (K.m. Chaudary/AP)

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh denied that Pakistani strikes have caused any damage to India's military infrastructure.

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"Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, artillery gun positions in Derangyari and Chandigarh ammunitions depot, with heavy damage to other military stations being propagated on social media," Singh said. "India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan."

India and Pakistan have exchanged cross-border fire and strikes for the past several days, with civilian casualties reported on both sides.

Tensions have been rising between the nuclear-armed neighbors since the April 22 attack on Hindu tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistani-backed militants. In response, India on Wednesday launched strikes on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting what it called "terrorist infrastructure."

Pakistan has denied any involvement in last month's attack and said it was conducting retaliatory strikes on India and Indian-controlled Kashmir.

India accuses Pakistan of violating ceasefire, says it will respond originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
India and Pakistan accused each other of attacking military sites overnight, as tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours intensified.

India said on Saturday that it launched airstrikes on several Pakistani military installations in response to a series of alleged cross-border attacks involving drones and artillery.

Indian army spokeswoman Vyomika Singh told reporters in New Delhi that Indian fighter jets had fired precision-guided weapons at targets including command and control centres, radar sites and weapons depots.

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Pakistan said its forces repelled three Indian strikes on military bases in Punjab province, causing no casualties or damage. In retaliation, it launched counter-attacks that Islamabad claimed destroyed several Indian installations, including an advanced air defence system.

In a statement, the Pakistani military said it had targeted the Indian town of Adampur and destroyed an "S-400 system" valued at $1.5 billion using hypersonic missiles.

Indian media disputed the claim, with The Indian Express citing a military source who said the system had not been hit. Hypersonic missiles are considered particularly difficult to intercept due to their speed and manoeuvrability.

The Indian army spokeswoman also pushed back, calling Pakistan's account of events "false." Singh further alleged that Pakistani forces were observed moving into forward positions near the border, "indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation."

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"Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military," Singh added.

Earlier, India's Defence Ministry condemned Pakistan for what it called a "continued escalation," citing the downing of multiple drones early on Saturday and describing the incidents as a serious threat to national sovereignty and civilian safety.

As a precautionary measure, India has closed 32 airports in its northern and western regions until May 14, while Pakistan has shut down its airspace to all types of air traffic.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meanwhile was convening on Saturday an emergency meeting of the National Command Authority, the body responsible for nuclear policy and oversight.

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The surge in hostilities comes weeks after a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists. India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, a claim Islamabad denies. Pakistan has instead called for an independent investigation.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Islamabad remains open to peace if India halts its military operations.

In an interview with broadcaster Geo News, Dar said he had spoken with US Secretary of State Macro Rubio and told him that the ball is in Indias court. He added: "War is not our priority and we genuinely want peace but without hegemony of any country."

Dar said his talks with Rubio and other leaders, including the Saudi foreign minister, had been "positive" and expressed hope that dialogue with India could begin. Asked whether military channels had been used to de-escalate the crisis, he confirmed: "Messages have been exchanged on both sides."

India and Pakistan each control parts of the disputed Kashmir region but claim it in full. The two rivals, which both carried out nuclear tests in 1998, have fought multiple wars and remain locked in a long-standing missile and arms race.
May 10 (UPI) -- Within hours of agreeing to a cease-fire, Pakistan is accused of launching a drone attack and shelling targets in Srinagar in the Jammu and Kashmir Province.

"What the hell just happened to the cease-fire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!," Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a post on X.

Pakistani forces "resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling along the Line of Control on Saturday, breaking the cease-fire deal just within hours," India Today reported Saturday evening.

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In another post on X, Abdullah showed a video of what he called Indian air defense units in action amid a drone assault from Pakistan, ABC News reported.

"There is no cease-fire," Abdullah said. "The air defense units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up."

India and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to an "immediate cease-fire," the neighboring nations and U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier Saturday.

The Asian countries, both of which are nuclear powers, paused fighting at 5:00 p.m. local time after weeks of increasing skirmishes that have included airstrikes from both sides, including early Saturday.

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Once fighting stopped, Pakistan fully reopened its airspace for all flights across the country after being closed for several hours, CNN and the New York Times reported.

Trump first announced the cease-fire.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump posted on Truth Social before 8 a.m. EDT. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

The nations' leaders also confirmed the cease-fire.

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"Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!" Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar wrote on X.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, also posted on X, saying that "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so."

Both sides agreed to talk again Monday.

Britain, which until 1947 ruled both countries, also played a key role in the talks, the BBC reported. Also involved were Saudi Arabia and Turkey, CNN reported.

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"I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy in a post on X.

A Pakistani government source told CNN that the United States played a crucial role in the talks, which occurred during the last 48 hours and included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

In a statement, Rubio said the nations have agreed "to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site."

"We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," Rubio added.

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On April 22, tourists were massacred in Indian-controlled Kashmir. At least 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national died in an area only accessible by foot or on horseback

India blamed Pakistan, launched "Operation Sindoor" and targeted nine locations within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Islamabad has denied involvement in the massacre.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that retaliatory strikes Saturday against India specifically targeted military infrastructure in New Delhi that he said was used to launch earlier attacks in "a powerful and well-coordinated response," according to CNN.

Eleven people were killed, including a child, and 56 others injured by India along the Line of Control, Pakistan said.

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"Last night, intense shelling from the Indian side took place at more than five different locations along the Line of Control," Pir Mazhar Saeed Shah said.

Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan each control parts of Kashmir, fighting wars over the territory in 1965, 1971 and 1999.

In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Indian shelling has damaged 235 homes, including 29 completely destroyed, Pakistan's Shah said.

A shopkeeper in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, earlier told a BBC reporter that they are "not really worried about my safety, but I don't know how this can end. War is bad for people in both countries, no matter their religion."

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China, which borders the two nations, also weighed in on the fighting.

"China is closely following the current situation between India and Pakistan and is deeply concerned about the escalation," a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"We strongly urge both sides to prioritize the broader interest of peace and stability, remain calm and restrained, and return to the path of political resolution through peaceful means," the statement said

The International Monetary Fund announced that it will give an approximately $1 billion loan to Pakistan for relief, which is part of a $7 billion bailout Pakistan secured from the IMF in September 2024.
The News

India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire Saturday after days of escalating tensions and retaliatory strikes between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Top officials from both countries confirmed the halt in fighting after US President Donald Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire following a night of talks mediated by the US. However, violations were reported in Indian-administered Kashmir within hours of the ceasefire, which had been announced after a night of heavy fighting.

The two countries were engaged in what was seen as their worst military confrontation in decades following the killing of dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, an attack that New Delhi linked to Islamabad.
A ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan appears to be holding, with both sides stressing their commitment to the surprise truce which halted the worst fighting in decades between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

The flare-up was triggered by a massacre of tourists last month in Indian-administered Kashmir. Cross-border military strikes began on Wednesday and have left dozens of people dead.

There were reports of violations from both sides soon after the ceasefire was announced on Saturday, although CNN understands that since then it has been holding.

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US President Donald Trump was the first to announce the ceasefire and claimed credit for Washingtons role in securing it, but contradictory accounts have emerged about the extent of US involvement.

Heres what you need to know.

How did the truce come about?

Just before 8 a.m. ET on Saturday, about 5 p.m. in India and Pakistan, Trump announced the ceasefire in a post on Truth Social.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, Trump said, congratulating the leaders of both countries for using common sense and great intelligence.

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Soon after, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that India and Pakistan had not only agreed to a ceasefire, but also to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. Rubio said that the ceasefire came after he and Vice President JD Vance spent the past two days speaking with senior officials from both countries.

Both sides confirmed the agreement soon after.

Indias Ministry of Information said the agreement was worked out directly between the two countries, downplaying US involvement and contradicting Trumps claim. The ministry also said there was no decision to hold further talks.

But Pakistani officials have heaped praise on Washington.

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We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region, said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

A Pakistani source familiar with the negotiations told CNN that the US  and Rubio in particular  was instrumental in striking the deal, painting a picture of talks that were in doubt right until the truce was confirmed.

The deal was all the more surprising given fighting continued Saturday, with both sides accusing each other of attacking military bases, raising fears of further escalation.

Why the differing accounts?

It should not be surprising that these bitter rivals have given contradictory accounts of how the ceasefire was reached.

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India, which views itself as a regional superpower, has long been resistant to international mediation, whereas Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on foreign aid, tends to welcome it, analysts say.

India has never accepted mediation in any dispute, be it India-Pakistan or India-China, or any other, said Dr. Aparna Pande, research fellow for India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute, a think-tank in Washington, DC.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has always sought international mediation so they will praise it, she added, saying it is the only way it can put pressure on India to discuss and resolve the Kashmir dispute.

The fighting before Saturdays ceasefire was marked by claims, counterclaims and disinformation from both sides. Now that the conflict has paused, both sides are ramping up their efforts to shape perceptions of what the fighting achieved and how it ended.

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On Sunday, Indias defense minister said New Delhi had sent a bold message to terrorists, while the countrys air force hailed its precision and professionalism.

A man walks past a house damaged by Pakistan's strikes on Jammu, a city in India-administered Kashmir, on Saturday. - Adnan Abidi/Reuters

What was the trigger for the crisis?

This round of fighting began in Kashmir, a disputed region that has been a flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations since both countries gained their independence from Britain in 1947.

The two nations to emerge from the bloody partition of British India  Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan  both claim Kashmir in full, despite only controlling parts of it. Months after becoming independent, they fought the first of their three wars over the territory.

On April 22, gunmen opened fire on sightseers in a popular travel destination in the mountainous destination of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir. At least 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali were killed in the massacre.

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New Delhi immediately blamed Islamabad, accusing it of supporting cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has denied all involvement in the attack.

Two weeks after the Pahalgam massacre, India on Wednesday launched a series of strikes on Pakistan and the parts of Kashmir it holds, calling the attack Operation Sindoor.

The theater of conflict since then has been far broader than in previous rounds of fighting, with both sides striking deep into the others territory.

Why did the US get involved?

Just two days ago, JD Vance downplayed the potential for US influence as the India-Pakistan conflict spiralled.

What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but were not going to get involved in the middle of a war thats fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with Americas ability to control it, Vance told Fox News on Thursday.

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Vances about-face is a measure of how concerned the US  and the wider international community  became by the escalating conflict between the two nuclear powers.

Trump administration officials told CNN that, after receiving alarming intelligence on Friday about the extent to which the conflict could escalate, the State Department felt it had no choice but to play a greater role in talks between the two sides

Will the ceasefire hold?

While initially appearing fragile, both sides appear to be upholding the terms of the ceasefire into Sunday.

Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement on Saturday, after explosions were heard in both the India- and Pakistan-administered parts of Kashmir.

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Pakistan also accused India of committing violations but stressed it remains committed to a faithful implementation of the ceasefire.

Since then, CNN understands there have been no fresh missile strikes or drone flights. However, an Indian defense source told CNN Sunday that the air forces operational readiness is still high.

In the wake of the tourist massacre, the two announced a host of other reprisals: suspending visas, banning trade, while India suspended its participation in a crucial water-sharing pact. It is unclear yet whether such moves will be reversed.

Correction: This piece has been updated with the correct date for the tourist massacre in India-administered Kashmir.

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CNNs Rhea Mogul, Sophia Saifi, Esha Mitra, Aditi Sangal, Nic Robertson, Alayne Treene, Aishwarya S. Iyer, Kunal Seghal, Sophie Tanno and Mukhtar Ahmad contributed reporting.

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Investing.com -- On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in tensions between India and Pakistan, stating that the two nations have agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire." The declaration followed a night of intense negotiations facilitated by the United States, aimed at de-escalating the military confrontation that had recently intensified.

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump said on his Truth social platform.

Earlier in the day, Pakistans military launched strikes against India, which they described as a response to ongoing provocations. According to Pakistans military, India had targeted their airbases with missile attacks, leading to Pakistans retaliatory action. The strikes from Pakistan involved medium-range Fateh missiles and targeted over 25 Indian military sites, including airbases and weapon depots across the states of Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, and in the disputed region of Kashmir under Indian administration.

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Indias military swiftly condemned Pakistans actions, labeling them as a "blatant escalation" of the conflict. Indian officials reported that their air defenses had successfully engaged and neutralized the drone strikes along their western border. President Trumps announcement on Truth Social praised the two countries for their use of "Common Sense and Great Intelligence" in reaching an agreement to cease hostilities.

The agreement to halt military actions comes after the situation escalated earlier in the day, with both nations exchanging fire. The ceasefire is seen as a significant step towards preventing further military engagement in the region.

The international community has been closely monitoring the situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with concerns that any prolonged conflict could have severe implications for regional stability. The successful mediation by the United States and the subsequent ceasefire agreement have been welcomed as positive developments in maintaining peace in South Asia.

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India and Pakistan have agreed to "a full and immediate ceasefire," U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on May 10.

"Congratulations to both countries on using common Sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote.

The announcement follows mounting fears that the two nuclear-armed countries were on the brink of engaging in another full-scale war. The latest escalation in tensions between the two nations began in April.



U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X that he and U.S. Vice President JD Vance had been in contact with both sides over the past 48 hours in a bid to halt the fighting.

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India confirmed that a ceasefire had been agreed upon, with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson briefly saying during a press conference on May 10, "It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all fighting and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 17:00 Indian standard time today."

Pakistan also confirmed the news, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar writing on X on May 10 that his country "has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The news of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan comes amid reports that Trump is increasingly frustrated behind the scenes that he hasn't been able to achieve lasting peace deals between Russia and Ukraine or Israel and Palestine.

Trump on May 8 called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, warning that Washington and its allies would impose further sanctions on Moscow if the truce were violated.

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Read also: Zelensky, European leaders hold productive call with Trump about peace talks

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The use of psilocybin  the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms  has increased significantly in Denver and throughout the country, driving a spike in calls to national poison control centers, a study found.

Researchers from Denver Healths Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety Center and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus found that the use of psilocybin increased nationwide across all age groups, especially among adolescents and those over 30.

We found that since 2019, the number of people using psilocybin has gone up sharply, said Karilynn Rockhill, co-lead author of the study and a researcher at the Colorado School of Public Health, in a news release. This seems to line up with when some U.S. states began to decriminalize or legalize it.

In 2022, Colorado passed Proposition 122, which decriminalized the personal use of five psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, though the sale of psilocybin remains illegal. Colorado was the second state in the nation to decriminalize its use after Oregon.

The study, published on April 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, noted that adults who reported using psilocybin increased from 25 million people in 2019 to 31 million people in 2023.

Use among young adults (ages 1829) increased by 44% from 1.2 million users in 2019 to 1.7 million in 2023.

The rate for those 30 years and older increased by 188%, from 1.3 million in 2019 to 3.8 million in 2023.

Use among 12th graders increased by 2.4% in 2023, but rose 53% over five years.

While the study only had official data through 2023, additional information being collected for 2024 is showing a continued rise, Dr. Andrew Monte, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, told CNN.

The study also noted that, while only three instances of psilocybin exposure were documented nationwide by hospital emergency rooms and outpatient clinics from 2019 to 2023, there were marked increases in the number of calls to poison control centers.

There were 396 calls to poison control centers for psilocybin exposure in 2019 by adults. That number rose to 1,192 calls in 2023, an increase of 201%.

The number of calls grew by 317%, from 130 in 2019 to 542 calls in 2023, for adolescents 12 to 17 years old.

Poison control calls for children under 12 saw the biggest increase with 35 calls in 2019 rising to 288 calls in 2023, a 723% increase.

The mismatch between what hospitals report and the number of calls to poison control centers, according to Joshua Black, senior scientist at the Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety Center, tells researchers that theyve lacked visibility into the real-world health impacts of psilocybin use.

Locally, between March and December 2024, Colorados poison center was contacted 133 times for psychedelic exposure, a Denver Health statement said in January, adding that the ages for those calls ranged from 10 months to 90 years old.

Those kind of numbers worry Rachel OBryan, co-founder of One Chance to Grow Up, a nonprofit focused on youth use and unintended consequences resulting from state policy surrounding marijuana and other controlled substances.

This study is very timely because weve only just begun the licensing of healing centers. So, now we have a baseline number that we will be able to track going forward," OBryan told The Denver Gazette.

Colorado lawmakers want more data on 'magic mushroom' use

At the state Capitol, lawmakers said they want more data on psilocybin's use.

Senate Bill 25-297 is making its way through the legislative process. Under the bill, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Department of Revenue and Department of Regulatory Agencies would be required to collect information and data on the use of psilocybin therapy in the state, including negative health impacts, impacts on health care facilities, law enforcement incidents, and consumer protection claims against facilitators.

Data collection efforts would be funded by gifts, grants and donations from nonprofits and academic institutions, and all data would be stripped of any identifying information for security and privacy purposes.

Adults over 21 years of age in Colorado may possess, cultivate and give away psilocybin-containing mushrooms, but are prohibited by law from selling them. They may also access psychedelic-assisted centers, where patrons can experience the effects of the mushrooms in a supervised environment.

The licensing and regulation of "natural medicines" in Colorado falls under two state agencies: the Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

The Natural Medicine Division in the DOR licenses and regulates those businesses  clinics, cultivators, manufacturers, testing facilities, and their owners and employees.

DORA licenses and regulates the facilitators of such services.

In March, DORA issued its first operational license for what's called "psychedelic-assisted therapy" to The Center Origin at 1440 Blake St. in Denver.

Some early research suggests potential with the use of psilocybin for the treatment of certain conditions, such as depression and anxiety, and the study found that people with mental health conditions or chronic pain were more likely to report using psilocybin. However, psilocybin has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment.

Critics insist that the substance is linked with suicide and accidental deaths, as well as associated with psychosis. Critics have also been pushing for strict oversight, arguing it is necessary because psychedelics are being promoted and "normalized on social media in the same way that marijuana has been for the past decade."

Psilocybin-infused products make their way into market

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The growing interest in the legal consumption of "magic mushrooms" and recent decriminalization have fueled a wave of offerings of psilocybin-infused products.

Mushrooms, tablets, gummies, chocolates and others are being peddled via the internet.

This whole idea that (psilocybin) is not allowed to be commercialized is only as good as whether the state is willing to enforce that limit, OBryan said. So, we see signs and ads and online (shops) selling this product and selling it in candy form.

While personal use and the sharing of psilocybin without compensation is permitted, the sale of psilocybin is a criminal offense.

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, nothing in the Natural Medicine Code limits police departments, sheriffs, or other state or local law enforcement agencies from investigating psilocybin business licensees, owners or substance handlers for unlawful activity.

As we have stood up the regulatory program and began accepting applications for licensed natural medicine businesses, the Department of Revenues Natural Medicine Division has issued cease and desist orders when we identify blatant violations of the law to help educate the public, Natural Medicine Division Communications Manager Heather Draper told The Denver Gazette. However, the DORs authority to take action is against licensed operators. Enforcement of the criminal code is the responsibility of local law enforcement.

Since 2023, Colorado's Department of Revenue has issued four cease and desist letters to businesses engaged in the commercial sale of psilocybin mushrooms.

Operating in gray areas

As the state continues to roll out its licensing programs, some in Denver continue to do business in what many see as a gray area.

Darren Lyman operates what he calls a psilocybin harm reduction support center on West Eighth Street, near Santa Fe Drive in Denver.

He said his facility aims to educate clients about the use and risks of psilocybin, offering support before, during and after a psychedelic experience.

That support comes in the form of a consultation about the psychedelic experience itself, what to expect, the benefits of psilocybin use, as well as potential risks, including interaction with other drugs, medicine and alcohol.

Lyman charges for the consultation and any requested support, but the psilocybin and psilocybin-based products he has are given to clients as gifts.

Under the states new law, facilities may store specified amounts of dried mushrooms on their premises, provided they are stored in a locked facility and not commercialized.

Licensed facilitators in Colorado who are authorized by the state to supervise sessions may provide psilocybin for their clients. However, they are not permitted to sell it to them or permit clients to take it home.

I have multiple levels (of support) like a micro-dosing guide that includes how to dose out all of the benefits, tips and techniques for emotional regulation. We teach that also in the session, he said.

Lyman insists he operates legally. He said his facility is not a dispensary and he does not sell products to his clients.

He said he has clients from as far away as the United Kingdom and that Colorado law supports "harm reduction" services, such as his, because they foster safe and responsible psilocybin use.

In November 2023, the Colorado Division of Revenue issued a cease and desist order to Lyman, citing unlicensed and unlawful activity based on print advertisements he ran which included specific prices for psilocybin products.

'A problem and an opportunity'

Researchers agree that as interest continues to grow in the use of psilocybin, more attention needs to be directed to data and policy development.

It's important to collect (data) now because things are changing, Black said. I think it's possible to go backward in time to understand what's happening, and with the changes in policy and the increased availability, I think the general public needs to understand the best ways, the safest ways to use substances, as well as the potential health opportunities."

Black added that having the best, most accurate information about psilocybin use helps individuals make healthy choices.

As public views continue to change, Black said psilocybin has grown to be the second most commonly used controlled substance, behind only cannabis, and so its prevalence is quite high relative to other drugs.

I think it's both a problem and an opportunity, Black said. I think there's a lot of very interesting evidence in clinical trials showing that these drugs may have quite meaningful benefits for people who are suffering from mental health conditions or substance use. And so, going into the future, (we need to ensure) that we balance the benefits that come from a novel pharmacotherapy against the potential risks individuals may face if they're using in unsafe ways."
India and Pakistan have seen the scenario play out before: a terror attack in which Indians are killed leads to a succession of escalatory tit-fot-tat measures that put South Asia on the brink of all-out war. And then there is a de-escalation.

The broad contours of that pattern have played out in the most recent crisis, with the latest step being the announcement of a ceasefire on May 10, 2025.

But in another important way, the flare-up  which began on April 22 with a deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed  represents significant departures from the past. It involved direct missile exchanges targeting sites inside both territories and the use of advanced missile systems and drones by the two nuclear rivals for the first time.

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As a scholar of nuclear rivalries, especially between India and Pakistan, I have long been concerned that the erosion of international sovereignty norms, diminished U.S. interest and influence in the region and the stockpiling of advanced military and digital technologies have significantly raised the risk of rapid and uncontrolled escalation in the event of a trigger in South Asia.

These changes have coincided with domestic political shifts in both countries. The pro-Hindu nationalism of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has heightened communal tensions in the country. Meanwhile Pakistans powerful army chief, Gen. Syed Asim Munir, has embraced the two-nation theory, which holds that Pakistan is a homeland for the subcontinents Muslims and India for Hindus.

Newspapers with front page articles on the India-Pakistan conflict are displayed on May 8, 2025. Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images

This religious framing was even seen in the naming of the two countries military operations. For India, it is Operation Sindoor  a reference to the red vermilion used by married Hindu women, and a provocative nod to the widows of the Kashmir attack. Pakistan called its counter-operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos  an Arabic phrase from the Quran meaning a solid structure.

The role of Washington

The India-Pakistan rivalry has cost tens of thousands of lives across multiple wars in 1947-48, 1965 and 1971. But since the late 1990s, whenever India and Pakistan approached the brink of war, a familiar de-escalation playbook unfolded: intense diplomacy, often led by the United States, would help defuse tensions.

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In 1999, President Bill Clintons direct mediation ended the Kargil conflict  a limited war triggered by Pakistani forces crossing the Line of Control into Indian-administered Kashmir  by pressing Pakistan for a withdrawal.

Similarly, after the 2001 attack inside the Indian Parliament by terrorists allegedly linked to Pakistan-based groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage engaged in intense shuttle diplomacy between Islamabad and New Delhi, averting war.

And after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which saw 166 people killed by terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, rapid and high-level American diplomatic involvement helped restrain Indias response and reduced the risk of an escalating conflict.

As recently as 2019, during the Balakot crisis  which followed a suicide bombing in Pulwama, Kashmir, that killed 40 Indian security personnel  it was American diplomatic pressure that helped contain hostilities. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo later wrote in his memoirs, 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.

A diplomatic void?

Washington as peacemaker made sense: It had influence and a vested interest.

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During the Cold War, the U.S. formed a close alliance with Pakistan to counter Indias links with the Soviet Union. And after the 9/11 terror attacks, the U.S. poured tens of billions of dollars in military assistance into Pakistan as a frontline partner in the war on terror.

Simultaneously, beginning in the early 2000s, the U.S. began cultivating India as a strategic partner.

A stable Pakistan was a crucial partner in the U.S. war in Afghanistan; a friendly India was a strategic counterbalance to China. And this gave the U.S. both the motivation and credibility to act as an effective mediator during moments of India-Pakistan crisis.

Today, however, Americas diplomatic attention has shifted significantly away from South Asia. The process began with the end of the Cold War, but accelerated dramatically after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. More recently, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have consumed Washingtons diplomatic efforts.

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Since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the U.S. has not appointed an ambassador in New Delhi or Islamabad, nor confirmed an assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs  factors that must have hampered any mediating role for the United States.

And while Trump said the May 10 ceasefire followed a long night of talks mediated by the United States, statements from India and Pakistan appeared to downplay U.S. involvement, focusing instead on the direct bilateral nature of negotiations.

Should it transpire that Washingtons role as a mediator between Pakistan and India has been diminished, it is not immediately obvious who, if anyone, will fill the void. China, which has been trying to cultivate a role of mediator elsewhere, is not seen as a neutral mediator due to its close alliance with Pakistan and past border conflicts with India. Other regional powers like Iran and Saudi Arabia tried to step in during the latest crisis, but both lack the power clout of the U.S. or China.

This absence of external mediation is not, of course, a problem in itself. Historically, foreign interference  particularly U.S. support for Pakistan during the Cold War  often complicated dynamics in South Asia by creating military imbalances and reinforcing hardline positions. But the past has shown external pressure  especially from Washington  can be effective.

Breaking the norms

The recent escalation unfolded against the backdrop of another dynamic: the erosion of international norms since the end of the Cold War and accelerating after 2001.

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Americas war on terror fundamentally challenged international legal frameworks through practices such as preemptive strikes against sovereign states, targeted drone killings and the enhanced interrogation techniques of detainees that many legal scholars classify as torture.

More recently, Israels operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria have drawn widespread criticism for violations of international humanitarian law  but have resulted in limited consequences.

Security forces patrol the street near the Wuyan area of Pampore in south Kashmir on May 7, 2025. Faisal Khan/Anadolu via Getty Images

In short, geopolitical norms have been ebbed away and military actions that were once deemed red lines are crossed with little accountability.

For India and Pakistan, this environment creates both opportunity and risk. Both can point to behaviors elsewhere to justify assertive actions that they have undertaken that, in previous years, would have been deemed a step too far  such as attacks on places of worship and sovereignty violations.

Multi-domain warfare

But what truly distinguished the latest crisis from those of the past is, I believe, its multi-domain nature. The conflict is no longer confined to conventional military exchanges along the line of control  as it was for the first five decades of the Kashmir question.

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Both countries largely respected the line of control as a de facto boundary for military operations until the 2019 crisis. Since then, there has been a dangerous progression: first to cross-border airstrikes into each others territories, and now to a conflict that spans conventional military, cyber and information spheres simultaneously.

Reports indicate Chinese-made Pakistani J-10 fighter jets shot down multiple Indian aircraft, including advanced French Rafale jets. This confrontation between Chinese and Western weapons represents not just a bilateral conflict but a proxy test of rival global military technologies  adding another layer of great-power competition to the crisis.

In addition, the use of loitering drones designed to attack radar systems represents a significant escalation in the technological sophistication of cross-border attacks compared to years past.

The conflict has also expanded dramatically into the cyber domain. Pakistani hackers, claiming to be the Pakistan Cyber Force, report breaching several Indian defense institutions, potentially compromising personnel data and login credentials.

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Simultaneously, social media and a new right-wing media in India have become a critical battlefront. Ultranationalist voices in India incited violence against Muslims and Kashmiris; in Pakistan, anti-India rhetoric similarly intensified online.

Cooler voices prevailing  for now

These shifts have created multiple escalation pathways that traditional crisis management approaches werent designed to address.

Particularly concerning is the nuclear dimension. Pakistans nuclear doctrine is that it will use nuclear weapons if its existence is threatened, and it has developed short-range tactical nuclear weapons intended to counter Indian conventional advantages. Meanwhile, India has informally dialed back its historic no-first-use stance, creating ambiguity about its operational doctrine.

Thankfully, as the ceasefire announcement indicates, mediating voices appear to have prevailed this time around. But eroding norms, diminished great power diplomacy and the advent of multi-domain warfare, I argue, made this latest flare-up a dangerous turning point.

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What happens next will tell us much about how nuclear rivals manage, or fail to manage, the spiral of conflict in this dangerous new landscape.

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: Farah N. Jan, University of Pennsylvania

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Farah N. Jan 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.
In a completely unexpected development, the United States, India and Pakistan announced that the two Southeast Asian nuclear powers had reached an immediate ceasefire, though India has reported some violations.

It is not clear how well the ceasefire is holding, as a few hours after the surprise announcement, India reported violations of the ceasefire with Pakistan.

The agreement was unexpected as just hours before it was announced it appeared as if the conflict was heating up.

Ceasefire violation or misunderstanding?

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in a press briefing said there had been a breach of the understanding between the directors general of military operations of the two countries.

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He said Indian armed forces were giving "an adequate and appropriate" response.

"We call on Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility," the foreign secretary added.

Explosions were heard at Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar and blackouts were enforced in several border areas amid suspected drone intrusions, Times Now news channel reported. There were similar reports of intrusions along the western sector of the India-Pakistan border.

In an evening television address, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan did not address the violations but instead thanked other countries for the role in helping with the ceasefire.

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India's Misri said the country's armed forces were maintaining a strong vigil on the situation and had been given instructions to deal strongly with any violations along the international border and the disputed line of control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Trump is first to announce

The initial ceasefire announcement came from US President Donald Trump just after 8 am in Washington (1200 GMT), when he posted to his Truth Social network that there was a halt to the conflict, thanks to US mediation.

"I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," he wrote. US Secretary State Marco Rubio had spoken earlier to his Indian and Pakistani counterparts.

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Confirmation from the Pakistani and Indian governments followed shortly after that.

"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect," Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar wrote on X.

His Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who is known as S Jaishakar, confirmed the cessation of hostilities on X as well.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action," he wrote.

Shortly after the ceasefire announcement, Pakistan reopened its airspace, which had been closed due to the hostilities. The two nations have traded missile strikes and heavy cross-border fire, including drones and shelling, for days

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Pakistans airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights, said a spokesman for Pakistan Airports Authority.

Congrats from the EU

The European Union was quick to congratulate the two neighbouring nations.

"The announced ceasefire between India and Pakistan is a vital step toward de-escalation," wrote the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas on X.

"All efforts must be made to ensure it is respected.

Hostilities ongoing before ceasefire

Pakistan reported more civilian deaths on Saturday, while each side claimed to have struck military targets overnight.

A spokesperson for Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said that 10 people were killed overnight in the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir.

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As part of its response in an operation the Pakistani military has called Operation Bunyan Marsus or Iron Wall, the country's armed forces said it has deployed hypersonic missiles. These missiles are considered particularly dangerous due to their high speed and manoeuvrability, making them difficult for missile defence systems to intercept.

It was impossible to immediately verify the claims of both sides.

Tourist attack triggered current hostilities

The trigger for the latest tensions was militant attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists.

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New Delhi pointed the finger at Islamabad, accusing it of supporting militants, and then launched attacks on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday, igniting fears the region was on the brink of all-out war.

Pakistan denied having any role in the attack on the holidaymakers and is calling for an independent investigation.

The roots of the conflict between the two nations date back to the colonial era. In 1947, the British granted independence to the Indian subcontinent and partitioned it. This violent partition created the new state of Pakistan for Muslims alongside predominantly Hindu India.

The partition continues to fuel a bitter rivalry to this day. Since their independence, the two countries have fought three wars, two of them over the border region of Kashmir.
The United States, India and Pakistan on Saturday announced that the two South Asian nuclear powers have reached an immediate ceasefire, though India has reported some violations since.

The surprise announcement followed days of heightened tensions and overnight missile attacks on both sides of the border.

A few hours after the announcement, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused the neighbouring country of violating the truce.

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Misri in a press briefing said there had been a breach of the understanding between the directors general of military operations of the two countries. He said Indian armed forces were giving "an adequate and appropriate" response.

"We call on Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility," the foreign secretary added.

Explosions were heard at Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar and blackouts were enforced in several border areas amid suspected drone intrusions, Times Now news channel reported. There were similar reports of intrusions along the western sector of the India-Pakistan border.

Misri said the country's armed forces were monitoring the situation closely and had been given instructions to deal with any violations along the international border and the disputed line of control in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied any violations, broadcaster Geo News reported, calling reports from Indian media "baseless." The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Islamabad remains committed to implementing the ceasefire.

Pakistani prime minister hails 'victory' over India

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday congratulated Pakistan for its "victory" over India, expressing hope for meaningful dialogue with its arch-rival and for the resolution of all outstanding issues.

"This is a victory not just for the armed forces, but for the whole nation," Sharif said in his address to the nation, hours after a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump came into effect.

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"History will always remember how Pakistan's armed forces and jets silenced the Indian military in a matter of hours," the Pakistani leader added.

Sharif expressed hope that all outstanding issues between the two countries, including the distribution of water resources and Kashmir, would be resolved through negotiations.

Last month, India unilaterally revoked the Indus Waters Treaty  the agreement that divides water resources between the neighbours  following a deadly militant attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Sharif also thanked the US and other friendly countries for their role in securing the ceasefire, and expressed gratitude to China for always standing firm with Pakistan during challenging times.

Trump first to announce ceasefire

The initial ceasefire announcement came from US President Donald Trump just after 8 am in Washington (1200 GMT), when he posted to his Truth Social network that there was a halt to the conflict, thanks to US mediation.

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"I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," he wrote. US Secretary State Marco Rubio had spoken earlier to his Indian and Pakistani counterparts.

Confirmation from the Pakistani and Indian governments followed shortly after that.

"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect," Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar wrote on X.

His Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar confirmed the cessation of hostilities on X as well.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action," he wrote.

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Shortly after the ceasefire announcement, Pakistan reopened its airspace, which had been closed due to the hostilities. The two nations have for days traded missile strikes and heavy cross-border fire, including drones and shelling.

Hostilities ongoing before ceasefire

Pakistan reported more civilian deaths on Saturday, while each side claimed to have struck military targets overnight.

A spokesperson for Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said that 10 people were killed overnight in the Pakistani-administered part of Kashmir.

As part of its response in an operation the Pakistani military has called Operation Bunyan Marsus, or Iron Wall, the country's armed forces said it has deployed hypersonic missiles. These missiles are considered particularly dangerous due to their high speed and manoeuvrability, making them difficult for missile defence systems to intercept.

Advertisement Advertisement

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It was impossible to immediately verify the claims from both sides.

Tourist attack triggered current hostilities

The trigger for the latest tensions was the militant attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists.

New Delhi pointed the finger at Islamabad, accusing it of supporting militants, and then launched attacks on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday, igniting fears the region was on the brink of an all-out war.

Pakistan denied having any role in the attack on the holidaymakers and is calling for an independent investigation.

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The roots of the conflict between the two nations date back to the colonial era. In 1947, the British granted independence to the Indian subcontinent and partitioned it. This violent partition created the new state of Pakistan for Muslims alongside predominantly Hindu India.

The partition continues to fuel a bitter rivalry to this day. Since their independence, the two countries have fought three wars, two of them over the border region of Kashmir.
India's military said on Saturday it carried out airstrikes overnight on several Pakistani military installations and alleged a build-up of Pakistani troops along the border.

The strikes were launched in response to a series of alleged cross-border attacks by Pakistan involving drones and artillery, Indian army spokeswoman Vyomika Singh said at a briefing in New Delhi.

Precision-guided weapons were fired from Indian fighter jets at targets including command and control centres, radar installations and weapons depots, she added. No details were provided on the extent of the damage.

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The Indian confirmation followed earlier claims by the Pakistani government that missile attacks had taken place. Islamabad reported that its forces had repelled Indian strikes on three military bases in Punjab province overnight, saying no damage had occurred.

In retaliation, Pakistan launched what it called Operation Bunyan Marsoos early on Saturday, targeting military sites in India. According to Pakistani state media, several Indian installations were hit and destroyed, though these claims have not been independently verified.

Wing Commander Singh said Pakistan was spreading "false claims" about its attacks on India.

She also said Pakistan has been observed moving its troops into forward areas near the border, "indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation."

"Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military," she continued.

People flee their villages in Baramullam after cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan on the Line of Control in Uri. Basit Zargar/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Activists and supporters of Jamat-e-Islami protest against Indian military strikes on Pakistan. Ppi/PPI via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN)  Damage reports are coming in after a possible tornado hit Holmes County Saturday morning.

Sheriff John Tate told WDHNs sister station in Panama City that there have been some injuries and homes damaged in the Bethlehem, Esto, and Winterville areas. No deaths have been reported.

Sheriff Tate tells us that 18 structures were damaged as of Saturday afternoon and that one resident was injured in the storm.

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The Holmes County Sheriffs office took to the air to survey the damage throughout the county.

That video can be seen below:

They also posted these photos of some of the damage in the area.

In a social media post, the Holmes County Sheriffs Office said downed trees and debris from a tornado are blocking Highway 79, Highway 2, Highway 177, and Highway 160.

Portions of these highways around Bethlehem and Esto are closed while crews work to clear the roadway.

Residents out sightseeing are putting themselves and our first responders in additional, unnecessary danger. Please stay home, the HCSO said in a Facebook post.

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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 WDHN - wdhn.com.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  From working on ships to being involved in bombing campaigns, local veterans played a variety of roles during the Vietnam war. On this Inside KELOLAND, were sharing their stories.

Were also looking back at our local news coverage during war. For every protest and rally questioning what was happening in Vietnam, we also had stories of emotional homecomings. Our camera was there when one of the first South Dakotans returned home after the U.S. began to gradually withdraw forces.

On the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, KELOLAND News has covered a variety of stories on the Vietnam War. Those stories are included on a our Vietnam War: 50 Years Later page our website.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Long before she was a Fox News host who pushed pro-Trump election conspiracy theories, Jeanine Pirro was an ambitious New York politician whose career stalled after she was recorded plotting to bug her then-husbands boat to catch him in an affair.

The revelation rocked Pirros campaign for New York attorney general nearly 20 years ago, resulting in days of front-page headlines in the citys tabloids (BUG THIS LOVE BOAT! blared the Daily News cover).

The conversation took place in 2005 between Pirro and the former commissioner of the New York Police Department, Bernard Kerik, a close ally of Rudy Giulianis.

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What am I supposed to do, Bernie? Watch him f--- her every night? Pirro said, according to a transcript obtained by WNBC-TVs Jonathan Dienst in 2006. What am I supposed to do? I can go on the boat. Ill put the f-----g thing on myself.

The incident is likely to receive renewed attention now that Pirro is President Donald Trumps pick to be the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Her selection came after the president withdrew the nomination of conservative activist Ed Martin, whose defense of Jan. 6 rioters was criticized by some Republican senators.

In announcing Pirro as his choice for Martins replacement, Trump described her as in a class by herself.

Hes right in one sense: No other U.S. attorney nominee is known to have come under federal investigation after being caught on tape scheming to catch a cheating spouse in the act.

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The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York confirmed the existence of an investigation into Pirro at the time, but no charges were brought.

Pirro was the district attorney of Westchester County when she was caught on tape talking to Kerik, who was under investigation by the Bronx District Attorneys Office.

Suspicions of an affair

According to WNBC, Pirro believed her then-husband, Albert Pirro, was using the familys 26-foot boat  the Christie, named after the couples daughter  for sexual trysts with his then-mistress. Pirro appeared to grow frustrated that an employee of Keriks security firm was reluctant to plant a recording device on the vessel.

We can just simply say, if there is an issue, that I am redecorating it for our anniversary, Pirro said, according to WNBC.

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But Jeanine, Im having the same problem with everybody, Kerik allegedly replied. Everybody is panic-stricken because its you. Ive gone out on a limb. I had two other people looking at this. Its a problem.

At a press conference after the WNBC report came out, an emotional Pirro insisted that no recording device was placed on the boat and blasted the federal probe as a waste of taxpayer money."

I said a lot of things, but what matters is what I did and didnt do  and what I did was vent, said Pirro, who was running for state attorney general at the time.

Jeanine Pirro in New York City in 2006. (ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy)

Two months after the revelation of the tapes, she lost the race for state Attorney General to future Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a landslide, marking the end of her political career.

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What happened over the next two decades is well known. Pirro became a TV star and one of Trumps most ardent defenders.

In 2020, she repeatedly pushed conspiracy theories on her Fox News show about Trumps election loss. In the course of litigation filed by Dominion Voting Systems, it was revealed that Pirros executive producers sent a blunt assessment of one of her monologues to higher-ups: This is completely crazy.

Pirros evolution from a once-lauded district attorney to an election-denying Trump booster mirrors the trajectory of other MAGA figures, most notably Giuliani.

Douglas Muzzio, a retired Baruch College political science professor with extensive knowledge of New York politics, said he finds it unfathomable that Pirro is now on a path to helm one of the countrys most important federal prosecutors offices.

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If you would have told me 20 years ago, or even 15 years ago, that she would be in the position shes being put in now, I wouldnt believe it, Muzzio said. There were many more people who I was familiar with by reputation who deserved the job more in terms of qualifications than Pirro.

Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, called Pirro a "highly respected and accomplished attorney and judge" who "is dedicated to President Trumps agenda to restore safety and justice in our nations capital."

Attorney General Pam Bondi described Pirro as a "fearless advocate for the rule of law" and said she's "thrilled to have her on our team at the Department of Justice as we make America safe again."

Kerik did not respond to a request for comment.

Former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik in New York City in 2024. (Steve Sanchez / Sipa USA via AP file)

Rising GOP star

A decade before the release of the tapes, Pirro was seen as a rising star in the Republican Party.

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She was the first woman to be elected as a judge, in 1990, and district attorney in Westchester County, in 1993. Her telegenic appearance and distinctive speaking voice made her a natural on TV.

She developed a reputation as an aggressive prosecutor and twice won re-election. But she was dogged by reports of mob ties and forced to deal with a stream of scandals involving her former husband.

Albert Pirro, a wealthy businessman and GOP fundraiser, was convicted of conspiracy and tax evasion charges in 2000 and sentenced to 29 months in federal prison. The trial shed light on the couples lavish lifestyle, the Daily News reported at the time, in which Albert Pirro wrote off vacation home repairs, country club dues, paintings, luxury cars  including two Ferraris  and a fence for the familys pet pot-bellied pigs.

Five years later, the Daily News published a report that a top lieutenant in the Gambino crime family was caught on an FBI wiretap claiming Albert Pirro had discussed one of his wifes pending cases with a mob associate.

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Federal prosecutors in Manhattan investigated the claim, but no charges were brought.

Albert Pirro denied that such a conversation ever took place, and Jeanine Pirro told the Daily News in May 2005: I was surprised. It seemed incredible.

Three months later, in August 2005, Pirro announced that she would seek the Republican nomination for Senate, challenging then-Sen. Hillary Clinton. Days later, her fledgling campaign was dealt a blow when the Daily News reported that six donors with ties to organized crime had written nearly $12,000 in campaign checks to her since 2003.

We will take a look at the facts and make the appropriate decisions on a case-by-case basis, her campaign spokesperson said at the time.

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But those scandals paled in comparison to the Kerik conversation tapes.

Keriks phone was bugged as part of an investigation into accepting free renovations to his apartment from a contractor with alleged mob links while he was the commissioner of the New York City Corrections Department. He ultimately pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors.

After the transcript of his phone call with Pirro was leaked, Keriks lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, told the Daily News: Bernie spoke to a friend in distress regarding a domestic conflict. Nothing illegal was discussed and nothing illegal was done.

At the time, Pirros husband issued a statement through his attorney: Al Pirro is outraged at the conduct of the U.S. attorney in launching a federal investigation into a private marital dispute.

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Pirro separated from her husband in 2007. He was pardoned by Trump in 2021.

Trump also pardoned Kerik after the former commissioner served three years in prison on federal charges of tax fraud and making false statements.

In her conversation with Kerik, Pirro lamented how her then-husband was impacting her political career.

Without him, she said, I move into the governors mansion.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Normally, the average landfill is not supposed to accept hazardous waste and radioactive material. But exceptions are made for waste from oil and gas fracking.

One facility in Pennsylvania has been polluting local waterways and damaging the surrounding community since it opened in 1964 due to heavy metals and radioactive material from fracking and other industrial waste, Inside Climate News reported.

What's happening?

As recently as 2024, signage was added to the bank of Sewickley Creek near Yukon, Pennsylvania. It stands across the water from a slowly seeping pipe and reads, "Warning! Hazardous Waste Discharge Point. Arsenic, lead, cyanide, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and more are permitted substances for discharge at this site."

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The pipe leads from the Max Environmental Technologies landfill, a waste disposal site that accepts wastewater and other materials from fracking operations, as well as a range of industrial waste. The water being discharged into the creek has, in theory, been treated, but Max Environmental's Yukon landfill is known to be out of compliance with regulations regarding hazardous waste disposal.

Testing reveals that the radioactive content of the water downstream from it is 1.4 times higher than the content upstream.

Stacey Magda, managing community organizer at the Mountain Watershed Association, told Inside Climate News, "It's not maintained properly. It's in really bad shape, and that's really the norm for the whole facility."

Why is this pollution important?

The people of Yukon have been exposed to this toxic pollution for decades without warning or precaution. There used to be no signs at the Sewickley Creek site, and the drain pipe is normally submerged underwater, invisible to visitors. The spot has been popular for kayaking and fishing, meaning people have been exposed to the contaminated water.

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Beyond this one creek, the contamination from Max Environmental affects the surrounding area, including the Youghiogheny River and the Monongahela River, which Sewickley Creek flows into.

The result has been a heightened rate of cancers, miscarriages, respiratory distress, and neurological diseases throughout the community compared to state and national averages.

More broadly, the lack of regulation on this type of waste and the lax enforcement of what regulation does exist means that any community could be exposed to improperly treated water or other contamination from a dumping site.

What's being done about Max Environmental?

Regulators from the EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection have taken some steps against the facility, issuing citations and temporarily stopping waste disposal there. However, it hasn't been enough.

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"There have been so many violations over the years," said longtime Yukon resident Debbie Franzetta, according to Inside Climate News. "And what they do is they pay the fines, and they continue to operate."

More decisive legal action will be needed to protect Pennsylvania residents from this ongoing pollution.

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.
Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar for consultations in the run-up to the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States, which will take place in Oman on Sunday.

The future direction of Irans nuclear programme, its enrichment of uranium, and sanctions relief remain the key issues.

Speaking later Saturday in Doha, Araghchi said that if the USs goal is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, Tehran will not back down from any of our rights.

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Iran insists its programme is for civilian purposes and it has no intention to pursue a nuclear weapon.

Araghchi told Al Jazeera in Doha, I have always said that if the purpose of a deal is to ensure that Iran would never have [a] nuclear weapon that is already granted and a deal would be at our reach.

But if there are unrealisticdemands by the other side, then we are going to have problems, he said.

In an interview with Breitbart News on Friday, President Donald Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who will attend the talks in Oman, said the US would take [Iran] at their word that they do not want nuclear weapons, but set out specific conditions for verifying such a position.

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If thats how they feel, then their enrichment facilities have to be dismantled. They cannot have centrifuges. They have to downblend all of their fuel that they have there and send it to a faraway place  and they have to convert to a civil programme if they want to run a civil programme, he said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised the possibility of Iran importing enriched uranium for any civilian energy.

Araqhchis Gulf tour on Saturday came after Tehran confirmed the latest round Friday: The negotiations are moving forward, and naturally, the further we go, the more consultations and reviews are needed, Araghchi said in remarks carried by Iranian state media.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said on Friday that, after coordination with both Iran and the US, the delayed talks would go ahead in Muscat. The fourth round, initially scheduled for May 3 in Rome, was postponed for what Oman described as logistical reasons.

Ongoing dispute over nuclear programme

The talks come against the backdrop of a long-running dispute over Irans nuclear ambitions. The meeting is the latest effort to revive diplomacy after years of rising tensions.

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Successive US administrations have sought to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. A sustained effort by world powers during the Barack Obama administration culminated in a 2015 agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The multilateral agreement created a framework for Iran to receive much-needed relief from international sanctions, in exchange for reducing its uranium enrichment and submitting to inspections of its nuclear facilities.

But when Trump succeeded Obama as US president, he unilaterally withdrew the US from the nuclear agreement in 2018, causing the deal to crumble.

Some Western countries argue that Irans programme, accelerated after the US walkout from the 2015 accord, is aimed at developing weapons. Tehran maintains that its nuclear activity is entirely civilian.

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Trump himself has acknowledged tensions in his policy on Iran, saying at the start of his second term that hawkish advisors were pushing him to step up pressure reluctantly.

In an interview on Thursday, Trump said he wanted total verification that Irans contested nuclear work is shut down, but through diplomacy.





Id much rather make a deal than see military action, Trump told the conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

There are only two alternatives  blow em up nicely or blow em up viciously, Trump said.

Irans Gulf outreach

Araqchis trips to Saudi Arabia and Qatar on Saturday are part of what he describes as continuous consultations with neighbouring states.

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He said the visits aimed to address concerns and mutual interests regarding the nuclear issue.

Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Iran is regularly in contact with Saudi Arabia, but the purpose of this visit was to consult with our Saudi colleagues, especially on Iran-US talks.

We want to make sure that you know everybodys on board, and there would be no concern So I hope that when we come to a deal, he said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed the presence of a technical delegation in the talks in Oman on Saturday.

In an interview with Mehr News, Baghaei stated that the Iranian delegation is comprised of experts and specialists relevant to the current phase of the negotiations. He did not comment on the US team.
Iran is planning to soon send Russia launchers for its short-range Fath-360 ballistic missiles which Moscow may use in the war against Ukraine.

Source: Reuters, citing two Western security officials and one regional official

Details: The sources state that the transfer of the Iranian launchers is "imminent". These are launchers for Fath-360 missiles with a range of up to 120 km, which would allow Russian forces to conduct tactical strikes on Ukrainian positions, military facilities and settlements near the line of contact.

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Iran delivered missiles to Russia on nine vessels sailing under the Russian flag in September 2024. Three Reuters sources said at the time that the launchers had not been included in that shipment.

The experts suggest that the delivery of Fath-360 launchers would indicate a deepening of military cooperation between Iran and Russia.

Earlier, US Army General Christopher Cavoli informed the US Congress that Iran had supplied Russia with over 400 short-range ballistic missiles. These were likely Fath-360s.

Meanwhile, there is no public evidence that Iran has supplied Russia with other types of such missiles or that Russian forces have used the Fath-360.

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Analysts believe that the deployment of the Fath-360 would allow Russia to reserve more advanced missiles, like the Iskander, for long-range strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, including the energy sector, further burdening the air defence system.

"It would be much easier [for Russian forces] to launch a strike much faster ... against high-value targets. They [Fath-360s] don't need a lot of launch preparations. Their flight time is incredibly short," said Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"The Fath-360 is designed to be handled and operated by people with relatively little training," explained Ralph Savelsberg, associate professor at the Netherlands Defence Academy.

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Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.

The Fath-360 has a range of 75 miles (120 kilometers), providing Russian forces with additional means to strike Ukrainian front-line positions, military sites, and population centers near the border.

The Western security and regional officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the delivery of the launchers was "imminent."

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Iran has emerged as a key ally of Russia in its war against Ukraine, supplying Moscow with kamikaze drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ratified a strategic partnership with Iran on April 21, committing to strengthen bilateral ties across key sectors and pledging not to support any third party engaged in conflict with the other.

Alongside Iran, North Korea has also served as Russia's ally in the war, providing not only soldiers but also artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and other supplies.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un called the soldiers who fought alongside the Russian military in Russia's Kursk Oblast "heroes" and "representatives of the nation's honor," North Korean state media reported on May 10.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
CHICAGO  Illinois State Police arrested Jeremy Arnold, 36, for allegedly leaving the scene of a crash that left one person dead.

On April 19, around 12:30 a.m., officers were called to a crash that was on I-94, near 170th Street in South Holland. Officials determined that Arnold was driving a Chevrolet Monte Carlo that crashed into a Chevrolet Traverse.

The driver of the SUV, 30-year-old Rickia Blair, died due to the injuries she sustained from the collision.

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Arnold was taken into custody on May 7th by ISP special agents.

He is charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City (AP)  Israeli airstrikes overnight and into Saturday killed at least 23 Palestinians in Gaza, including three children and their parents whose tent was bombed in Gaza City, health officials said.

The bombardment continued as international warnings grow over Israeli plans to control aid distribution in Gaza as Israel's blockade on the territory of over 2 million people is in its third month.

The U.N. and aid groups have rejected Israels aid distribution moves, including a plan from a group of American security contractors, ex-military officers and humanitarian aid officials calling itself the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

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Among the 23 bodies brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours were those of the family of five whose tent was struck in Gaza Citys Sabra district, Gaza's Health Ministry said.

Another Israeli strike late Friday hit a warehouse belonging to UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, in the northern area of Jabaliya. Four people were killed, according to the Indonesian Hospital, where bodies were taken.

AP video showed fires burning in the shattered building. The warehouse was empty after being hit and raided multiple times during Israeli ground offensives against Hamas fighters over the past year, said residents including Hamza Mohamed.

Israel's military said nine soldiers were lightly wounded Friday night by an explosive device while searching Gaza Citys Shijaiyah neighborhood. It said they were evacuated to a hospital in Israel.

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Israel resumed its bombardment in Gaza on March 18, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. Ground troops have seized more than half the territory and have been conducting raids and searching parts of northern Gaza and the southernmost city of Rafah. Large parts of both areas have been flattened by months of Israeli operations.

Under Israel's blockade, charity kitchens are virtually the only source of food left in Gaza, but dozens have shut down in recent days as food supplies run out. Aid groups say more closures are imminent. Israel has said the blockade is meant to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages and disarm. Rights groups have called the blockade a starvation tactic and a potential war crime.

Israel accuses Hamas and other militants of siphoning off aid in Gaza, though it hasnt presented evidence for its claims. The U.N. denies significant diversion takes place, saying it monitors distribution.

The 19-month-old war in Gaza is the most devastating ever fought between Israel and Hamas. It has killed more than 52,800 people there, more than half of them women and children, and wounded more than 119,000, according to the Health Ministry. The ministry's count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed thousands of militants, without giving evidence.

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Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped over 250 others. Hamas still holds about 59 hostages, with around a third believed to still be alive.

Hamas released a video Saturday showing hostages Elkana Bohbot and Yosef-Haim Ohana, who appeared under duress. They were abducted during the Oct. 7 attack from a music festival where over 300 people were killed. Hamas released a video of them a month and half ago and has released several videos of Bohbot alone since then.

Protesters on Saturday night rallied once more in Tel Aviv to demand a ceasefire that would bring all hostages home.

Can you grasp this? The Israeli government is about to embark on a military operation that could and will endanger the lives of the hostages, Michel Illouz, father of hostage Guy Illouz, told the gathering, referring to the plan to vastly expand operations in Gaza.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Thousands of Israelis rallied in central Tel Aviv, calling on the government to end the war on Gaza and secure the immediate release of Israeli captives held in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that in Tel Aviv, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli campaign group, held its weekly rally Saturday in Hostages Square, while another demonstration by families of captives is taking place outside the Israeli military headquarters.

A separate antigovernment protest also occurred at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.

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The Times of Israel reported that Shai Mozes, whose parents were held captive and released in separate exchange deals, told the crowd at the protest in Habima Square that Israels real enemy is not Hamas, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is destroying Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

Al Jazeeras Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan, said that family members of Israeli captives still held in Gaza say that Netanyahu is still prolonging the war for personal and political gain, and that hes the one whos not willing to compromise when it comes to any sort of cease fire deal.

There are still 59 captives held in Gaza, 35 of whom Israeli officials say are confirmed dead, and 21 that are presumed alive, and three whose fate is still unknown, she said.

Israeli officials say that they are going to be expanding their operations in Gaza and not heading toward any sort of ceasefire deal just yet, saying that the best way to bring about the release of those captives is through military means, something that the family members of captives and the larger portion of Israeli society do not agree with she said.

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After Netanyahu announced an expanded offensive in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticised the move in a statement, saying the plan is sacrificing those still held in the Palestinian territory.

Haaretz also reported that protests were planned in other cities, including Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba, as well as at dozens of other sites and intersections across Israel.

A demonstrator wearing a mask representing US President Donald Trump and carrying a doll with a mask depicting Netanyahu at an antigovernment protest in Tel Aviv [Jack Guez/AFP]

Hamas releases video of two Israeli captives alive in Gaza

Hamass armed wing released a video on Saturday showing two Israeli captives alive in the Gaza Strip, with one of the two men calling to end the 19-month-long war.

Israeli media identified the pair in the undated video as Elkana Bohbot and Yosef Haim Ohana.

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The three-minute video released by Hamass Qassam Brigades shows one of the captives, identified by media as 36-year-old Bohbot, visibly weak and lying on the floor wrapped in a blanket.

Ohana, 24, speaks in Hebrew in the video, urging the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining captives.

Bohbot and Ohana were both abducted by Palestinian fighters from the site of a music festival during Hamass attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023.
The first class of students in Ivy Tech Community College Logansports ESL Career Training certificate program walked across the graduation stage Wednesday night.

The program helps those in the community who are non-native English speakers learn language skills and career training.

The program recently received a $50,000 grant from Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) and the NiSource Charitable Foundation.

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Among those earning certificates Wednesday were Vincente and Norma Garcia, owners of La Fiesta restaurant, 524 North St.

The couple said they were excited to be earn their certificates and they looked forward to continuing the program at the next level.

Vincente was encouraged to take the courses by Carlos Marroquin, ESL coordinator for Ivy Techs Kokomo Service Area. Vincente than asked his wife to join him.

We encourage anyone to come and participate in the program, the couple said with Marroquins assistance as a translator. Its a great, great program for people like us who are maybe a little bit older. Its never too late to learn. Its never too late to get ahead in life. Overall, we have great things to say about the program and we encourage everyone to at least get information (about the course.)

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Starting this program back in November there was a lot of uncertainty, Marroquin said. We built it from the ground up. What weve done in such a short amount of time is phenomenal. I feel very blessed to be here. We are making an impact on our community and individual lives. Im excited to see where we go from here.

Lizette Garcia, Vincente and Normas daughter, said she was very happy to see her parents earn the certificate. Normally they are watching her graduate, she said.

She attended Ivy Tech, studying in the ASAP program, a program that helps students complete the first two years of college in under a year. From there she transferred to IUPUI and graduated with her bachelors in psychology and sociology.

My dad has always been big on learning English, learning to read English, anything to be able to better communicate with his clientele, she said. As a business owner we have a lot of different cultures coming in and out of their business and it was very important for him to be able to communicate with them.

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Lizette said that Ivy Tech was a great institution and said it was a great starting point for those looking to get an education or just learn English through the ESL career training program.

I would definitely advise anyone who doesnt know where to look, who dont have the resources or tools to reach out to Ivy Tech, she said. Ivy Tech has a great team. They can get all the help and resources they need.

The funding from NIPSCO and the NiSource Charitable Foundation will cover fees for things like instructional tools, the Test of Adult Basic Education (an English assessment test) and EnGen, a language learning software.

After taking the test, students are placed in the proper class based on their English language skills. There are four levels of classes and students can advance to each level by completing the previous course they tested into.

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By reducing language barriers and equipping individuals with essential job skills, the ESL Career Training Program will create clear pathways to educational and workforce success, said NIPSCOs Karen McLean, Public Affairs & Economic Development manager in a press release. NIPSCO and the NiSource Charitable Foundation are proud to support this community initiative.

McLean was at the ceremony Wednesday night, handing the students their certificates as they were called to the stage.

So much of what we do is dependent upon really great partners, said Ethan Heicher, chancellor of the Ivy Tech Kokomo service area. Great community partners, a great community and NIPSCO has always been a great friend for the college. They have supported us whether it be funding STEM camp or this ESL program. Theyve been willing to commit to helping our community. We really appreciate their contribution.

Marroquin encouraged anyone interested in learning more about the course to reach out to him.

The next class will run from June 9 to August 1 at Ivy Techs Logansport Campus. Day and evening classes are available. For more information, contact Marroquin at cmarroquin1@ivytech.edu or call 574-398-6081.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Law enforcement executives gathered for a luncheon on Friday to discuss crime and issues within their departments.

The law enforcement agencies in the Jackson-metro area meet monthly to discuss crime within their communities. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said hes worked to rebuilt relationships with other agencies.

There were a bunch of fractured former relationships. They did not exist. I had to rebuild those relationships, and now, were breaking bread with the colonel of the Highway Patrol, the colonel of Wildlife, Fisheries, Capitol police chief, all these chiefs who want to work with Jackson PD to address crime. Because as Jackson goes, the whole state of Mississippi goes, Wade said.

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The chief said the agencies also work to address other issues within their communities.

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called on Russia to take constructive action to bring about a comprehensive ceasefire and secure a just and lasting peace.

Source: Embassy of Japan in Ukraine on X

Quote: "Prime Minister of Japan Shigeru Ishiba has published a written address to the Virtual Meeting of the Leaders of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine, organised today by the United Kingdom and France with the participation of President Zelenskyy.

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In his address, Ishiba strongly urges Russia to take constructive steps towards a comprehensive ceasefire and a just and lasting peace."

Details: The embassy noted that since the peace to be achieved in Ukraine could impact global security, the Japanese prime minister has emphasised the need for international cooperation and reaffirmed Japans readiness to contribute further to strengthening Ukraines economic and social stability.

He also expressed his "firm hope" that the 10 May meeting of the coalition of the willing will mark another step towards the ultimate goal of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Background:

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Following their summit on 10 May, the coalition of the willing has demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days starting 12 May.

The EU and the US plan to tighten sanctions against Russia if Putin rejects the ceasefire.

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President Donald Trump has reportedly brought in his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to help him plan for his big upcoming trip to the Middle East.

Kushner has been secretly advising administration officials on how best to negotiate with Arab leaders as Trump hopes to secure economic agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, according to sources close to Kushner and the administration, CNN reported.

In Trumps first term, Kushner served as Trumps chief negotiator on the Middle East, where he had a hand in negotiating the Abraham Accords, bilateral agreements marking normalizing relations between Israel and Arab nations.

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According to CNN, Kushner, along with other Trump advisers, has been plotting to expand the treaties to include more nations.

A White House official confirmed to CNN that such an expansion is a topic of discussion.

A senior Trump administration official involved in the talks said they fully expect other countries to sign (agreements) first before Saudi, adding that they are engaged in conversations with a wide range of countries.

However, sources said Kushners foray back into politics is only a one-time affair after he said he would not take an active role in his father-in-laws second term.

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After Trumps first term, Kushner bowed out of politics to run his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, which is fueled by investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

He told Axios in February last year that he is committed to my investors, to my firm, to my employees, to my partners, and thats what Im planning to do.

Ive really enjoyed the opportunity as a family to be out of the spotlight, Kushner told Axios. He added that he and his wife, Ivanka Trump, have both really enjoyed the opportunity to be down here in Florida with the kids.

Ivanka Trump attends a ceremony with the Philadelphia Eagles, winners of the 2025 Super Bowl, on the South Lawn of the White House in April. / Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag

Ivanka has also opted not to resume her nebulous role as an adviser to her father and has instead focused on a pet project: produce.

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Ivanka reportedly spoke publicly for the first time since her father took office again at the Heartland Summit in Bentonville, Arkansas. CNN reported Thursday that she was interviewed by Arianna Huffington about her produce business, Planet Harvest.

Her participation in this is about regional private sector innovation, a source told CNN. She was also there in the name of supporting small farmers and strengthening access to fresh food and uplifting communities.
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  Elmira native and former county court judge Jeanine Pirro was picked by President Trump to serve in the capacity of top prosecutor for the District of Columbia. The role, according to Trump, will be on an interim basis. Prior to that, Pirro spent her law career serving in Westchester County.

An alumna of Notre Dame High School, Pirros academics were highlighted by former Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli, who stated that she completed high school in three years at the top of her class. Santulli, who met Pirro through Notre Dame High School, added that she graduated from Albany Law School and had motivation of immersing herself in issues to make a difference.

Trump taps Jeanine Pirro for top DC prosecutor job

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She was the first woman to be County District Attorney in Westchester County, the first woman to be Westchester County Judge, and she was a force to be reckoned with. She was strong-willed, Santulli said. As a district attorney, it is said that she never lost a case. Thats pretty hard to believe, but she did.

Another great thing about Janine Pirro is, shes a fighter. Shes a fighter against people, women that are abused. Shes a fighter on their side. Shes a fighter for the elderly, for the people, said political analyst, Dr. Stephen Coleman.

Santulli believed that Pirros advocacy for womens rights and her work in addressing violence against women inspired her to pursue a career in law. He is hopeful that she can foster stability by addressing the root causes of issues and bringing people together.

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)  A Reynoldsville man is facing multiple drug charges after he allegedly overdosed and admitted that he had more drugs to officers.

Andrew Bowser, 35, has been charged following an investigation into his December overdose, according to a criminal complaint. On Dec. 15, Pennsylvania State Police were called after Bowser allegedly overdosed on fentanyl at a home in Washington Township. Troopers went to Penn Highlands DuBois to speak with Bowser and there he allegedly admitted to taking some drugs from a friends house who had died a few days previous in an overdose.

Bowser told police that he had taken the drugs to try and make some money and that there was more at his house than what had been seized by police during his overdose, according to the complaint. At this time, troopers began a separate investigation from the one that local police were conducting on his overdose.

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Im not going down for this, woman charged after overdose death in Altoona

Police continued to interview Bowser, and he allegedly admitted to having the following items in his home: a pound of weed, drug-making supplies, white powders that might be coke or fentanyl, pills, weed seeds and other unknown drugs. Police asked Bowser if they could search his home, but he said that he did not want to give consent, but would surrender the listed items.

Troopers applied for a search warrant for Bowsers home and it was approved. The following items were found by police, according to the affidavit.

Multiple containers and bags of marijuana

A pill press

Three boxes of marijuana seeds

A white bottle of suspected psilocybin mushrooms

A white bottle of an unknown white powder

Syringes and vapes

White and purple capsules

Digital scales

Two bottles of listed 30mL liquid THC

A bag of unknown white substance

Packaging materials

A bag containing suspected methamphetamine

A container of suspected THC wax

A container of suspected MDMA

A baggies of suspected psilocybin mushrooms

A container of suspected methamphetamine

A second pill press

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According to the criminal complaint, the unknown drugs were sent for testing, and in January, a regional testing laboratory confirmed that they were controlled substances. They identified the drugs to be cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, xylazine, fentanyl and fluorofentanyl.

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Bowser is facing charges of intent to possess a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacturing with the intent to deliver.

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TRENTON, N.J. (PIX11)  Could New Jersey be looking more into nuclear power?

New Jersey needs an all-of-the-above energy approach, said Assemblyman Cody Miller (D-NJ 4th District). That includes nuclear, that includes natural gas, that includes solar, that includes wind, that includes hydrogen.

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Miller is among the first in his party to express interest in bolstering nuclear energy in New Jersey.

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Hes authoring a bill that would direct the State Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study the feasibility of small modular reactors statewide.

Not only do we know that it can be done here in the State of New Jersey, but we have a company [Camden-based Holtec] that can build it that is a South Jersey company/ so the stars are kind of aligning with that.

Obviously thats going to get bipartisan support, but the question is, is it too little too late? said Republican Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, who sits on a GOP energy task force that applauded Millers bill in a committee meeting on Monday.

Starting June 1st, utility bills will be hiked up to 20 percent for New Jersey ratepayers. Lawmakers are looking for ways for New Jersey to create more of its own energy.

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The only plausible future to bring our rates down is to look at nuclear and look at natural gas and look at things from a cost-savings perspective, said Kanitra (R-NJ 10th District).

This comes as the Murphy administration signals interest in exploring new nuclear energy in the State.

On Tuesday, the BPU announced a request for information on new nuclear opportunities in the State.

Governor Murphy said in a statement, in part:

As part of my administrations all-of-the-above energy strategy, we continue to explore ways to bring online new sources of electricity generation and improve and expand our nuclear fleet to grow the supply of resources as the U.S. Faces increasing demand.

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The Salem and Hope Creek generating stations in deep South Jersey continue to operate. Meanwhile, the Oyster Creek site in Forked River was shut down in 2018 and is still being decommissioned.

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After a week of repeated U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations left a number of South Nashville residents devastated, Senator Cory Booker, a prominent Democratic senator from New Jersey, visited Nashville to speak with a number of city leaders and community members at a packed town hall on May 9.

Mass traffic sweeps began on May 4 and have continued throughout the week, with Tennessee Highway Patrol working in tandem with ICE agents in the heavily immigrant and Latino neighborhoods around Nolensville Pike and Harding Place. Local activists and lawmakers say the operations have since continued nightly, and claim the stops are the result of racial profiling.

The THP in a May 7 statement said the sweeps have so far netted at least 360 traffic stops and nearly 100 people detained by ICE.

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The operations took city officials by surprise and sparked backlash and calls for actions from local and state leaders, a number of who spoke at the town hall held at First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill in Nashville.

More: Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell: Recent ICE arrests caused 'deep community harm'

"When will it be enough?"

In the packed nave of the historic church, Booker called the current immigration crackdowns a storm.

There are things going on in our country that I did not think would go on, he said. I never imagine that people would be disappearing off of our streets. I never thought we would have an issue that if you say something that I dont like, youre out of this nation. They did that in the Red Scarethis is not normal.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) speaks during a 'Community Conversation and Town Hall' at the historic First Baptist Church Capitol Hill, as town hall events are being held in GOP competitive districts across the country, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Seth Herald

Booker, whose mother is a Fisk University graduate, spoke on impacts he has seen similar immigrations sweeps inflict across the country, and took questions from multiple audience members, including the daughter of a local resident who was detained in Sundays operation.

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This immigration assault in our country is not about keeping us safe, he said. If it was about that, they would be doing what they said they would do: getting dangerous people off our streetsWe need to have immigration enforcement that is not violating the fundamental rights of this nation like due process.

In a later conversation with The Tennessean, Booker reiterated the importance of protecting fundamental rights in the face of an immigration crisis.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) speaks during a 'Community Conversation and Town Hall' at the historic First Baptist Church Capitol Hill, as town hall events are being held in GOP competitive districts across the country, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Seth Herald

Every American should understand that an infringement on the First Amendment rights of anybody is a threat to the First Amendment rights of everybody, he said. So when we see things  even if its speech we dont agree with  and its being used as a pretext for abducting someone and disappearing someone off our streets without due process, that should strike fear and worry in us about the erosion of the right.

When will it be enough for you to speak up and say something against what we see happening? (President Donald) Trump continues to cross constitutional line after constitutional line. And all of us have to defend our constitution.

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Nashville City Mayor Freddie OConnell similarly did not mince words at the event, decrying the ICE presence as unwelcome visitors from Washington D.C., and demanding that law enforcement provide the names of those detained  a move that ICE officials have yet to do.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell speaks ahead of Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) during a 'Community Conversation and Town Hall' at the historic First Baptist Church Capitol Hill, as town hall events are being held in GOP competitive districts across the country, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. May 9, 2025. REUTERS/Seth Herald

We dont know their names, because they have been taken from our streets by Homeland Security, he said, adding, Show us the names. Tell us the charges.

In addition to not knowing who was detained, OConnell empathized with the communitys prevalent attitude of concern regarding surprise arrests.

More: Federal immigration agents arrest Newark mayor trying to enter NJ detention center

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I will tell you, in America, in this moment, in my hometown, I never expected to be having to ask my legal director multiple times a week some version of the question, If I do this will I get arrested?  O'Connell said, referencing the news that the mayor of Newark, New Jersey had been arrested mere hours before, after being charged with trespassing in an ICE facility.

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: Nashville ICE arrests: Cory Booker, Freddie O'Connell speak out
BOARDMAN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes)  Joan Cuhran, 85, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in the Emergency Room at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

Joan was born July 28, 1939, in East Liverpool, Ohio, the daughter of the late George and Marjorie (Fowler) Vincent.

Find obituaries from your high school

She moved to the Mahoning Valley as a child and graduated from Boardman High School in 1957. She later attended Kent State University.

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Joan began her career working in the records room at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown. After marrying her husband, John, she devoted herself to her family while continuing to serve others as a nurse assistant at Diamond Head Nursing Home in North Lima for 13 years and later at Greenbrier Nursing Home for another 13 years. She also enjoyed working as a sales consultant for Tupperware, Pierce Candles and World Book Encyclopedia.

A woman of deep faith, Joan was a member of St. Catherine of Siena Parish  St. Charles Church.

She was actively involved in her community, serving as a Cub Scout Leader with the Boy Scouts of America when her sons were young.

Joan was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who cherished spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She also found joy in playing cards with friends and family, visiting casinos, bowling and watching figure skating.

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Joan is survived by her three children, John J. Cuhran of Youngstown, James M. (Amy) Cuhran of Austintown and Jeanette K. (Ted) Barnes of San Diego, California; four grandchildren, Kathryn and Kyle Cuhran of Austintown and Brittany and Maria Barnes of California; her nephew, David Shears of Austintown and sister-in-law, Mary Agnes Shears of Austintown.

In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, John Cuhran, Jr., whom she married on May 19, 1962 and who passed away on February 4, 2017 and her brother-in-law, David Shears.

Family and friends may call on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, from 12:00  12:45 p.m., at St. Catherine of Siena Parish  St. Charles Church, 7345 Westview Drive in Boardman, a Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 1:00 p.m.

Interment will take place at Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown.

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Arrangements are being handled by Davis-Becker Funeral Home, 8536 Market Street in Boardman.

To share memories and condolences, please visit www.beckerobits.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joan, please visit our floral store.

A television tribute will air Monday, May 12 at the following approximate times: 5:17 a.m. on WKBN, 8:39 a.m. on FOX, 5:21 p.m. on WYTV and 6:35 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

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For more than 50 years, non-public schools have been able to access money from their local school districts for transportation, learning materials and perhaps a counselor or a nurse. Money in the state budget is not sent to the non-public school but, rather, again, to the district and then dispersed. Nobody from the state shows up at Our Holy Mother of the Perpetual Deficit with a large canvas bag of cash.

Gov. Tim Walz wants to end that practice of modest sharing, the first governor to attempt to do so. He claims to be looking for ways to put a dent in the pending $6 billion budget deficit. Being the sharp numbers guy that he is, that $109 million for non-public education must have really jumped out at him, even when the funding for public education is routinely about half the entire state budget.

The governor also doesnt have his facts straight. On the day when parents, teachers and students gathered in the Capitol Rotunda to demonstrate on behalf of preserving the payments, the governor said that he didnt think it was fair to the taxpayers to pay for for-profit schools.

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The non-public schools are not for-profit. On the contrary, they run on thin margins. Its usually the schools affiliated parishioners, in the case of a Catholic school, who get hit up when the schools furnace conks out. The teachers and administrators dont work with the safety net of the always-running state spigot. And youll have to tell me the last time you read a headline that said Our Holy Mother of the Perpetual Deficit falls $6 billion short of budget and needs more state money. You cant tell me. It doesnt happen.

Personally, I dont think its fair to be governed by a guy so disingenuous, duplicitous and incompetent as Walz. But the voters, in a nod to the mystery of the cluttered human mind, voted for him, twice. That $6 billion budget deficit is the direct result of Walz and his trifecta of drunken sailors blowing the $18 billion surplus.

Fraud doesnt seem to have gained any purchase with Walz supporters, either, but more than $600 million in fraud has leaked out of the state Capitol since Walz took office. A hotline established by a new legislative committee charged with stopping fraud has already, in a months time, received more than 600 calls.

Republicans in the Legislature vow to not let Walz strip the non-public school funding. Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, the GOP House floor leader, said, House Republicans will not agree to an education bill that cuts non-public aid. We will not agree to an education bill that cuts this critical funding and leaves our next generation behind.

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Niska was talking about the 70,000 kids in Minnesota who attend non-public schools. There is no way of knowing how many of those kids would have to change schools if they face a tuition increase. Many parents, who, of course, also pay for public education, make significant sacrifices to send their children to private schools for a variety of reasons, none of which dare be questioned by Walz, who seems to harbor an ideological predisposition to believe in only a government school.

For example, Walz was quoted the other day as saying, if you want to have a school that teaches your curriculum and things you do, you have every right to do that. I dont think the taxpayers should be the ones who support you in that.

You could almost hear a snarl of contempt for schools that might teach, oh horrors, faith. No other governor, remember, has tried to pull off this pathetic budget stunt. No other governor would purposely alienate the families of 70,000 kids.

And it is pathetic, a pathetically obvious stunt, which makes you wonder who he is pandering to.

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Joe Soucheray can be reached at jsoucheray@pioneerpress.com. Soucherays Garage Logic podcast can be heard at garagelogic.com.

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Johnson City microschool plans to use vouchers for expansion

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  The school voucher application period is set to open next week, and as it approaches, alternative education options like Acton Academy in Johnson City are looking to expand their programming in anticipation.

Its the best thing that Ive ever seen in my life. But I dont want to put that kind of stress on families, founder Sarah Fagerburg said. So we want to grow and make it closer to families. I have families who say, I want to come, but its too far away.'

Acton Academy is a non-traditional education model focusing on student-led learning with guides instead of teachers and heroes instead of students. The schoolhouse has four studios of mixed ages and groups where the guides lead the heroes on hands-on quests and adventures. Fagerburg said they looked into vouchers because it would allow them to hire full-time guides and serve more kids with an expansion into a larger location.

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This location will only handle 49 children at the most, and weve got 26 already, Fagerburg explained. So were looking to expand to have a larger space that has more room for a middle school. We do have a studio upstairs, but we need a middle school and we need a high school. And they all should ideally be on the same campus. So we really want to build a building, we want to hire guides. And we think that vouchers would be a huge blessing.

We ideally want to have a campus here in Johnson City, one in Kingsport, one in Bristol, one in Gray and one in Greeneville. Its so hard to have your family driving an hour to school back and forth just from Kingsport twice a day, its weve got parents who are doing it because the model is that great.

The last hurdle for her now is getting the Category III accreditation needed to qualify for the voucher program.

The process is extremely intense, just the application is 37 pages and they ask for all sorts of evidence, how we do our processes, all of the things involved in accreditation from curriculum to safety procedures to fire standards to each of their registrations, applications, you name it, its in there, Fagerburg said. So weve had to show all the evidence. But because Acton Academy is a nationwide chain, a worldwide chain, we already have all those processes set up even though were a micro-school. So its really facilitated by being able to move quickly.

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Mother of four Mariah Walker said the academy fits exactly what she and her kids are looking for.

Its comforting to know who my kids are hanging out with, Walker said. With public school, you get a lot of influences that you dont know who your kids are hanging out with all the time, and you dont always even know what theyre being taught in school. And so here every learner learns at their own pace and nobodys, you know, comparing anybody to anything. And, for the most part, I feel like everybody kind of lines up morally with everything that my family values. And so I like that.

Walker is excited about vouchers and will be applying, but is anxious there wont be enough for everyone.

On the voucher side, its a little worrisome that theres like 40,000 homeschool families in Tennessee and only 10,000 vouchers are going to be given out, Walker said. So thats kind of like a little stressful. I wish they would give more.

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She hopes the vouchers allow Acton to expand.

I think what were doing here right now is its just so different from any other program, Walker said. And I think the Tri-Cities really needs something like this.

As of now, they havent received the accreditation but Fagerburg told News Channel 11 its just a matter of time as they meet all requirements.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
CHICAGO (WGN)  Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday called for the immediate release of Newark, New Jerseys mayor following his arrest earlier in the day during a protest at a federal immigration detention center.

Ras Baraka was visiting Delaney Hall to conduct oversight after the building was turned into an facility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Newark mayor has been protesting the opening of the facility throughout the week, saying its operators did not get proper permits, WGN Nexstar sister station WPIX reported.

Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said on the social platform X that Baraka committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave the detention facility run by private prison operator Geo Group, the Associated Press reported.

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Mayor Baraka has a duty to make sure all facilities in his city are safe and compliant for residents of Newark. He further has a right to protest the allegations of unconstitutional practices at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, Johnson said in a statement released by his office. His arrest today is an example of how the federal governments overreach continues to undermine due process afforded by our Constitution.

Johnson called Baraka a political leader and a personal friend whose vision and values inspired him early in his career.

Baraka, a Democrat who is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, has embraced the fight with the Trump administration over illegal immigration.

We are in solidarity with Mayor Baraka, Johnsons statement concluded. His courage in the face of injustice reminds us all of what is at stake and how we must show up to defend the rights of all people.

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Linda Baraka, the mayors wife, accused the federal government of targeting her husband.

They didnt arrest anyone else. They didnt ask anyone else to leave. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor, she said, adding that she had not been allowed to see him.

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 WGN-TV.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has called President Donald Trumps tariffs too aggressive, but still applauded him for trying.

Dimon, whose estimated net worth is $2.5 billion, told Fox 11 Los Angeles that Trumps tariffs, which launched a global trade war, were too large, too big and too aggressive when he first implemented them. But the CEO says hes still very happy Trump put the tariffs in place.

The tariff stuff  was very big and very large and everybody all at once, Dimon said. I think its very important that they start to show progress in the deal.

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These are deals in principle  a real trade deal would be 10 or 20,000 pages long, he added. But any progress is good.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said Donald Trump's tariff plan was 'too aggressive' but that he's still 'very happy' the president implemented the taxes (AFP via Getty Images)

Trumps Liberation Day tariffs sent the global economy into turmoil last month, with the president announcing 10 percent blanket taxes on imports from nearly every country. The president is also waging an intense trade war with China, placing a 145 percent tariff on its goods. Beijing then retaliated with its own 125 percent tariffs on U.S. products.

This week, Trump also threatened 100 percent tariffs on the toy-maker Mattel after the company said it would diversify its production to other countries, but not the U.S. He also announced a 100 percent tariff on movies made outside the U.S.

Trump has conceded hes open to lowering the tax on Chinese goods to just 80 percent, but said the decision is ultimately up to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

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The president also struck a trade deal with the U.K., slashing his tariffs on cars from 27.5 to 10 percent, up to 100,000 vehicles. Levies on steel and aluminum will also be reduced to zero, but a general 10 percent tariff on most other goods will remain. In return, the U.K. ended its tariff on ethanol from the US.

While Dimon is happy with Trumps tariffs, many economists and American consumers are not.

President Donald Trump pictured with Vice President JD Vance and British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson shortly after the U.S. struck a trade deal with the U.K. (AFP via Getty Images)

A survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reveals 58.9 percent of Texas executives say tariffs will negatively impact their businesses. Meanwhile, a new Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll discovered just 34 percent of Americans approve of Trumps tariffs. Economists worldwide agree that consumers will pay the price for Trumps tariffs as the taxes cause costs to skyrocket.

Dimon also praised Trumps immigration policies, which have also proven unpopular.

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When you look at it, the border has been successful  after you eliminate the criminal element, I would try to work on real immigration reform, he said. We need seasonal workers, we need a path to citizenship for some of the undocumented but law-abiding immigrants, we need DACA.

Fifty-two percent of Americans dont back Trumps immigration policies, an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found last month. Similarly, Trumps immigration approval rating fell from a net score of plus 18 points to a net score of just plus 10 points since mid-March, according to an Echelon Insights poll released mid-April.

This disapproval follows legal and public backlash against a series of high-profile immigration enforcement actions, including the Trumps administrations refusal to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father and Salvadoran immigrant who was living in Maryland and wrongfully deported to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the government must facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia, while a federal appeals court said the removal of U.S. residents without due process should be shocking to Americans intuitive sense of liberty.

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Late last month, ABC News correspondent Terry Moran told the president he could get him back if he picked up the phone and called President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador. Trump conceded that he could, but that he still wont.

I could, Trump said. And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that. But he is not.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
May 9MOUNT CARROLL  An Ogle County judge now will be presiding over the felony case of a former Carroll County sheriff's deputy accused of reckless homicide and destroying evidence in connection with the July death of a Mount Carroll teen.

Matthew Herpstreith, 44, of Savanna, was charged March 24 with reckless homicide, reckless conduct and obstructing justice  all felonies  as well as a misdemeanor count each of attempted obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident in the death of 18-year-old Jackson Kradle of Mount Carroll. Herpstreith pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment April 23.

[ Former Carroll County deputy pleads not guilty to reckless homicide, destroying evidence in teenager's death ]

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Kradle's body was found at 3:30 a.m. July 28 on Route 78, less than a mile north of Mount Carroll's city limits. He was the victim of blunt force trauma, which a forensic pathologist ruled was the result of a vehicle/pedestrian crash.

Herpstreith and a Carroll County dispatcher, who were off duty at the time, alerted the Carroll County dispatch center via a nonemergency call that they had found the body on the highway. Herpstreith's arrest came eight months later.

On Friday afternoon, Herpstreith appeared before Lee County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Klahn with defense attorney Joseph Nack. It was scheduled to be a preliminary hearing, which is held to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. Instead, the hearing focused on Nack's motion for judge substitution based on the employment of Klahn's brother-in-law with Illinois State Police.

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Matthew Herpstreith appears in Carroll County Circuit Court on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Mount Carroll. (Alex T. Paschal)

Nack's motion requested a different judge to preside. Klahn granted the request, appointing Ogle County Judge Anthony Peska to the case. There was no objection from special prosecutor Charles Colburn, an attorney with the Illinois State Appellate Prosecutor's Office.

Klahn said this was not out of the ordinary, as every defendant in a criminal case is allowed one substitution.

At a previous hearing April 23, Klahn said he expected to be assigned as the judge through the entirety of the case and that he had informed the chief judge that his brother-in-law is employed by Illinois State Police. If his brother-in-law was involved in the investigation and was going to be called to testify, Klahn would recuse himself, he said. He learned from Colburn at that hearing that his brother-in-law was involved in the case and would be called to testify at some point.

Herpstreith's preliminary hearing has been rescheduled for 2:30 p.m. June 13. Peska will preside at that hearing.
The Menendez brothers will get their day in courtagain.

On Friday, a judge scheduled a resentencing hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who in 1996 were convicted of the murder of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Michael Jesic set the hearing to begin next Tuesday, May 13, according to The New York Times. It is expected to last for two days.

The brothers will have the opportunity to present their case for release. While they dont dispute the fact that they killed their parents on August 20, 1989, they claim it was in self-defense, as their fathers alleged sexual abuse left them with no other choice.

Erik and Lyle Menendez blasted their parents to death with shotguns in 1989. / Ted Soqui / Sygma via Getty Images

They believe they should have faced lesser charges than the first-degree murders for which they were convicted in 1996. If the court agrees, the brothers could be allowed to walk free.

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The ruling is a major victory for Erik, 54, and Lyle, 57. It caps off a lengthy legal saga that has seen their resentencing hearing repeatedly postponed.

Lawyers for the brothers have been pushing for a reassessment of their case since as early as May 2023, citing new evidence that they say supports the brothers claims that their father was sexually abusing Erik.

Their bid for freedom picked up significant momentum after the September 2024 release of Ryan Murphys Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The Netflix series was a massive hit, bringing renewed attention to the brothers casewhich had enthralled the nation during their two highly publicized trials in the 90s. When their first trial, which lasted from 1993 to 1994, ended in a mistrial, they were retried in 1995.

Former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon emerged as a strong proponent of the brothers legal battle. Last fall, he asked the court to resentence the brothers to 50 years to life, which would have made them immediately eligible for parole.

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In November, however, Gascon lost his reelection bid and was replaced as DA by Nathan Hochmanwho ran on a tough-on-crime platform and has offered a much less sympathetic take on the brothers.

He contends that Erik and Lyle have failed to come clean about the lies they used to make their casechiefly, that they acted in self-defense. The brothers maintain that because they feared physical harm from their father, they were acting in self-defense by killing both their parents.

LA District Attorney Nathan Hochman has opposed the brothers bid for freedom. / Eric Thayer / Getty Images

Hochman has tried to pull Gascons petition but was previously denied by Jesic. The judge reaffirmed that decision on Friday, after Hochman made another attempt at yanking the petition.

The DA cited a new report, commissioned by California Governor Gavin Newsom, on the brothers behavior in prison, which found, among other things, that they had violated regulations by using cellphones. However, Jesic decided that the report didnt contain much new information, and scheduled the hearing.

Despite the win, tensions between Hochman and the brothers legal team continued to flare on Friday, as one of their lawyers, Mark Geragos, declared the district attorney a loser while speaking outside of the courthouse, TMZ reported.
(This May 9 story was refiled without any changes to text.)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration must temporarily halt its sweeping government overhaul because Congress did not authorize it to carry out large-scale staffing cuts and the restructuring of agencies, a federal judge said on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco sided with a group of unions, non-profits and local governments, and blocked large-scale mass layoffs known as "reductions in force" for 14 days.

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"As history demonstrates, the President may broadly restructure federal agencies only when authorized by Congress," said Illston.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The ruling is the broadest of its kind against the government overhaul that has been led by Elon Musk, the world's richest person who is also CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla.

Dozens of lawsuits have challenged DOGE's work on various grounds including violating privacy laws and exceeding its authority, with mixed results.

Trump directed government agencies in February to work with the Department of Government Efficiency to identify targets for mass layoffs as part of the administration's restructuring plans.

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Trump urged agencies to eliminate duplicative roles, unnecessary management layers, and non-critical jobs, while automating routine tasks, closing regional field offices and reducing the use of outside contractors.

The Trump administrations unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation," said a statement from the coalition of plaintiffs.

"Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government  laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that.

Illston scheduled a hearing for May 22 to consider a longer-lasting preliminary injunction.

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She said that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on merits of some of their claims in their lawsuit, which was filed on April 28 and alleged Trump exceeded his authority. It also alleged the Office of Management and Budget, DOGE and Office of Personnel Management exceeded their authority and violated administrative law.

Illston said plaintiffs are likely to suffer irreparable harm without the temporary restraining order, which she said preserves the status quo.

Illston said the plaintiffs submitted more than 1,000 pages of evidence and 62 sworn declarations and she highlighted some of the material.

For example, she said the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and its Pittsburgh office, which researches health hazards facing mineworkers, had 221 of the department's 222 workers terminated, citing the union. She gave similar examples at local offices of Head Start, which supports early learning, the Farm Service Agency and the Social Security Administration.

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"The Court here is not considering the potential loss of income of one individual employee, but the widespread termination of salaries and benefits for individuals, families, and communities," Illston wrote in her ruling.

(Reporting by Tom Hals and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
A Wake County woman will serve eight years in prison and pay over $1.9 million for her part in defrauding a federal small business loan program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loretta Clarice James, 49, of Zebulon, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II sentenced her to prison and five years supervised probation Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Two co-defendants were sentenced earlier this year, according to a news release. Lakesha Bowles, 43, of Raleigh, was sentenced on April 24 for her role in the conspiracy, and on March 11, Darnell William King pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, court records show.

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Bowles received 30 months in prison and three years of supervised probation, including 12 months of home detention, after pleading guilty in January to conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. She was ordered to repay nearly $1.5 million.

King, 42, of Clayton, could be sentenced at a June 10 hearing in a Wilmington federal courtroom.

James also has several cases pending in Wake County Superior Court, where she is accused of 12 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, 18 counts of identity theft, 16 counts of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretenses, four counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretenses, 17 counts of felony conspiracy to commit identity theft, and one count of trafficking in stolen identities, records show.

This office is committed to holding accountable those who exploited a national crisis and the hardships of others for their personal gain and greed, acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Bubar said. Public relief funds were created to support hardworking individuals and small businesses during times of crisis  not to line the pockets of criminals.

Loan fraud, stolen identities and theft

Court records show the women were accused of submitting fraudulent loan applications, under their own names and the names of others they recruited, to the federal Paycheck Protection Program. The U.S. Small Business Association loan program supported small businesses affected by economic uncertainty and layoffs during the pandemic.

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The fraudulent applications inflated payroll numbers and named dormant or nonexistent businesses, the release said. The women were paid when the third-party loans were approved.

James was also accused of submitting several hundred fraudulent loan and grant applications to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Program under her name and under the names of relatives, friends and associates, the release said.

The businesses and the employees listed in the applications did not exist, it said. James was accused of receiving more than $500,000 from the EIDL program.

James, Bowles and other co-conspirators fraudulently obtained over $1.5 million in COVID-19 loans, the news release said.

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They also were accused of using stolen identities to get loans or personal lines of credit from private lenders, it said. Court records show James was accused of acquiring Social Security numbers belonging to people with good credit and using forged documents and email accounts to submit loan applications to banks and other lenders.

She and others then hired mules, providing them with the fake identification necessary to pick up the money once the loans were approved, it said. The mules would give the money to James and others, receiving $100 to $2,000 from each loan as payment.

None of the loans, which ranged from $5,000 to $10,000, were repaid, the release said.

The local investigation started when several Wake County residents filed reports with law enforcement about identity theft and fraud. The Clayton Police Department, Wake County Sheriffs Office and other state and federal agencies investigated, identifying hundreds of victims across the state, Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe said.

The probe became part of the national Operation Overload investigation that uncovered a sophisticated criminal enterprise that fraudulently utilized thousands of North Carolina licenses, resulting in financial crimes that impacted individuals across multiple states, according to Capt. Talaya Vaughn, with the N.C. DMV License and Theft Bureau.
A federal judge in California on Friday temporarily blocked plans for reductions in force and reorganization at 21 departments and agencies across the federal government, a significant setback for the Trump administration as it works to downsize.

The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch, Judge Susan Illston wrote in her order after hearing arguments on the issue earlier in the day.

Many presidents have sought this cooperation before; many iterations of Congress have provided it. Nothing prevents the President from requesting this cooperation  as he did in his prior term of office. Indeed, the Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime, she wrote.

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Late on Friday, attorneys for the government filed their appeal, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to review Illstons temporary restraining order.

The temporary restraining order, in effect for two weeks, puts the presidents Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative on hold for 21 departments and agencies. The order also includes memos issued to the same effect by the Office of Personnel Management and DOGE.

Illston, appointed by President Bill Clinton, said she believes theres no statute that gives the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget or DOGE the authority to direct other federal agencies to engage in large-scale terminations, restructuring or self-elimination. Such action is far outside the bounds of any authority that Congress vested in OPM or OMB, and, as noted, DOGE has no statutory authority whatsoever, she wrote.

While thousands of federal employees working in departments and agencies across the country have seen their jobs cut since Trump took office in January, the Trump administration has not made an exact number of affected employees available.

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The departments and agencies blocked from instituting reductions in force or reorganizations include DOGE, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management and the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Interior and Transportation.

The Trump administration argued the lawsuit, filed April 28, lacked timeliness because the relevant executive order was issued nearly three months ago. In similar cases around the country, the administration has argued lawsuits filed immediately after executive orders were issued are premature. Defendants cannot have it both ways, Illston wrote. The Court finds that plaintiffs reasonably waited to gather what information they could about the harm they may suffer from the Executive Order, the OMB/OPM Memorandum, and the [agency reduction in force and reorganization plans].

The Trump administrations unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation, the coalition of nonprofits, unions and local governments said in a statement Friday.

Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government  laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that. We are gratified by the courts decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds.

Illston is scheduled to hear further arguments in this case on May 22.

The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A fundamental promise by Americas founders  that no one should be punished by the state without a fair hearing  is under threat, a growing chorus of federal judges say.

That concept of due process under law, borrowed from the Magna Carta and enshrined in the Bill of Rights, is most clearly imperiled for the immigrants President Donald Trump intends to summarily deport, they say, but U.S. citizens should be wary, too.

Across the country, judges appointed by presidents of both parties  including Trump himself  are escalating warnings about what they see as an erosion of due process caused by the Trump administrations mass deportation campaign. What started with a focus on people Trump has deemed terrorists and gang members  despite their fierce denials  could easily expand to other groups, including Americans, these judges warn.

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When the courts say due process is important, we're not unhinged, we're not radicals, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Washington, D.C.-based appointee of President Joe Biden, said at a recent hearing. We are literally trying to enforce a process embodied in probably the most significant document with respect to peoples' rights against tyrannical government oppression. That's what we're doing here. Okay?

Its a fight that judges are increasingly casting as existential, rooted in the 5th Amendments guarantee that no person shall  be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law. The word person, courts have noted, makes no distinction between citizens or noncitizens. The Supreme Court has long held that this fundamental promise extends to immigrants in deportation proceedings. In a 1993 opinion, Justice Antonin Scalia called that principle well-established.

The daily skirmishing between the White House and judges has obscured a slow-moving, nearly unanimous crescendo: If the courts dont protect the rights of the most vulnerable, everyone is at risk.

If today the Executive claims the right to deport without due process and in disregard of court orders, what assurance will there be tomorrow that it will not deport American citizens and then disclaim responsibility to bring them home? wondered J. Harvie Wilkinson, a Ronald Reagan appointee to the Richmond-based 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. Wilkinson described an incipient crisis but also an opportunity to rally around the rule of law.

Trump and his aides push back

The Trump administration has resisted these odes to process as overwrought and unrealistic. Trump and his aides say voters elected him to cast out immigrants in the country illegally. That electoral mandate deserves virtually unlimited weight, they say.

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Over 77 million Americans gave President Trump a resounding Election Day mandate to enforce our immigration laws and mass deport criminal illegal aliens, said White House spokesperson Kush Desai. The Trump administration is using every power endowed to the Executive Branch by the Constitution and Congress, such as Expedited Removal, to deliver on this mandate.

Trumps close adviser Stephen Miller has railed daily against what hes called a judicial coup that has largely centered around rulings upholding due process rights of immigrants. Miller has scoffed at the notion that people Trump claims are terrorists  even if they deny it  must be allowed to contest their deportations, saying they only have the right to be deported. Miller suggested Friday that the White House was actively looking at suspending habeas corpus, the right of due process to challenge a persons detention by the government.

FBI Director Kash Patel told senators Thursday he didnt know whether hundreds of Venezuelans Trump deported to El Salvador in March required due process.

What youre saying is that every single one of the illegals that was sent down to El Salvador is supposed to be given due process, Patel said in an exchange with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

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Thats what the Constitution says, Merkley replied.

It doesnt say that, Patel responded. (Patel later said he did not dispute Scalias view in the 1993 opinion.)

Trump last week told an interviewer he wasnt sure whether the Constitution required him to uphold due process rights of noncitizens, repeating I dont know when asked by NBCs Kristen Welker. And he lamented the extraordinary burden of providing individual hearings for millions of immigrants marked for deportation.

Trump reiterated that view Wednesday morning: Our Court System is not letting me do the job I was Elected to do, the president blared on Truth Social. Activist judges must let the Trump Administration deport murderers, and other criminals who have come into our Country illegally, WITHOUT DELAY!!!

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Administration officials say despite these frustrations, they are providing a constitutional level of due process to the people being deported and following court orders they disagree with.

Neither Congress nor the Founders intended for invading aliens to sit in court for years while their attorneys file frivolous motions, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. This is not what the Constitution requires, and the far left knows it. Given this, any reasonable person might wonder why foreign citizens who have broken our laws are entitled to constitutional protection at all.

Judges at every level have resisted that view.

Courts dig in

The Supreme Court has three times emphasized the right of due process for people queued up for deportation by the Trump administration, brushing back Trumps efforts to hastily expel immigrants under the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked 1798 law meant to speed deportations during wartime. The high court took the unusual step of issuing a 1 a.m. ruling last month halting a new round of Alien Enemies Act deportations until further notice.

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And appeals court judges have bristled at the Trump administrations view of due process, most notably in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native whom the administration expelled to his home country in March. The Supreme Court noted that Abrego Garcias deportation was illegal because it violated a 2019 court order that forbade the government from sending him there because he faced violent persecution by a local gang. Despite acknowledging the error, the administration claims in court it has no power to bring Abrego Garcia back, and in recent days Trump and his aides have portrayed Abrego Garcia as a dangerous gang member, suggesting his deportation, while erroneous, was justified.



The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order, Wilkinson wrote last month. This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear.

Judges appointed by Trump have raised similar concerns.

In Maryland, a Trump-appointed judge scolded the administration for arguing against an effort to bring back another man who was sent to El Salvador in violation of a court-ordered settlement. The Justice Department argued that, if he were returned to the U.S., hed surely be re-deported.

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Process is important. We dont skip to the end and say, We all know how this is going to end up, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher said.

And U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a Trump appointee based in Louisiana, described a strong suspicion that the Government just deported a U.S. citizen with no meaningful process in the case of a two-year-old sent to Honduras.

Despite the heightened alarm of the courts, tension over due process is not novel to the Trump administration. The executive branch has long chafed over due process rights, which by design slow down initiatives that might move at lightning speed in a country without similar protections.

Of course, due process makes it harder for the government to do what it wants, said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the Berkeley School of Law. Thats the whole point  to make sure that the government is acting in accord with the law.

Case studies across the country

Several cases have been playing out for months and some, like Abrego Garcias, have received national attention, while others have remained in relative obscurity. But the tenor from the courts is consistent.

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U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo, based in Buffalo, New York, has been presiding over the emergency petition of a Gambian national named Sering Ceesay, 63, who has lived in the Bronx for 30 years and has avoided deportation, despite the scrutiny of immigration authorities for nearly as long. Ceesay is subject to a deportation order approved by an immigration court that has been in place for more than a decade. But Ceesay, who has severe medical conditions, has also been on release while his deportation was pending.

On Feb. 19, after a regular check-in, ICE officials detained Ceesay without warning. Vilardo ruled that Ceesay's detention violated laws and regulations in multiple ways: It was initiated by an official without authorization; Ceesay was given no notice; and he was deprived of an informal interview required by ICE regulations.

Those defects, he said, required Ceesays immediate release from custody  even if he were immediately re-detained under proper procedures.

When someones most basic right of freedom is taken away, that person is entitled to at least some minimal process; otherwise, we all are at risk to be detained  and perhaps deported  because someone in the government thinks we are not supposed to be here, Vilardo wrote.

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The Trump administration had argued that the court had no role in weighing in on its purported procedural violations, in part because the outcome was likely to be Ceesays deportation anyway.

The governments suggestion  is downright frightening, Vilardo added. Procedure is not mere puffery, a gesture that is irrelevant so long as the result is correct.



In Maryland, Gallagher faced a similar quandary. The Trump administration acknowledged that it had sent a 20-year-old Venezuelan man, whom POLITICO has identified as Daniel Lozano-Camargo, to El Salvador, despite the fact that a 2024 legal settlement barred his deportation while he was awaiting asylum.

The Trump administration, however, resisted Gallaghers order to ask El Salvador to return Lozano-Camargo so he could receive due process. Justice Department attorneys instead this week produced an unusual indicative ruling from immigration officials saying that Lozano-Camargo would be ineligible for asylum even if he returned to the United States. Because of that determination, they argued, there was no need to go through the complex and burdensome process of seeking his return.

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But Gallagher, referring to Lozano-Camargo as Cristian, a pseudonym used in court, rejected this argument out of hand.

"It may be that the result here for Cristian is no asylum. I think people following the news here for the last four months would not be surprised if that's the end result here, Gallagher said at a recent hearing. We don't just get to skip to the end. He gets to have a particular process and the claim for the process is not futile.

And in Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy expressed shock at the administrations claim that it can send deportable immigrants to any country  without advance notice or the explicit approval of an immigration judge  so long as they receive blanket assurances that they will not be tortured.

All nine sitting justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Assistant Solicitor General of the United States, Congress, common sense, basic decency, and this Court all disagree, Murphy wrote.

Murphy doubled down Wednesday on his order barring the administration from deporting immigrants to so-called third party countries without due process after alarming reports suggested the Trump administration was prepared to fly a new round of deportees to Libya imminently.

Judges warn Americans could be next

Across the country, judges grappling with due process concerns returned repeatedly to one central premise. If immigrants can be summarily labeled gang members or terrorists and deported, delivered to any country without warning, detained without a hearing or stripped of their ability to attend college in the United States, it could happen to U.S. citizens, too.

If the government contends that it has the ability to take someone it thinks is a noncitizen off the street without any process whatsoever  without any guarantee even that the person is who the government claims he is  then what is to stop the government from detaining someone who really is a citizen, even perhaps a sitting judge? Vilardo wrote in the Ceesay case.

Wilkinsons colleague on the 4th Circuit, Obama appointee Stephanie Thacker, agreed.

If due process is of no moment, she wrote, what is stopping the Government from removing and refusing to return a lawful permanent resident or even a natural born citizen?
May 9LIMA  Jurors in the case of Donya Perkins, the Lima teenager charged with murder in the July 16, 2023 shooting death of Steve Smith, was convicted by an Allen County jury on Friday.

Jurors deliberated for three hours before finding Perkins guilty of four of the six charges against him. Guilty verdicts were returned on single counts of murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and carrying a concealed weapon. He was found not guilty of one count of murder and discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises.

The charges were linked to the shooting death of Smith, whose body was discovered in the early morning hours of July 16, 2023, in the 1000 block of Reese Avenue in Lima. That location is near the home of Perkins and his parents. A Lucas County medical examiner testified that Smith died of gunshot wounds that likely were the result of one projectile.

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The Lima teenager and his mother, Latoya McClellan, each were taken into custody later that morning as suspects in Smith's death. McClellan told police her son fired a gun in Smith's direction and said she took the alleged murder weapon and discarded it in a woods on the south edge of Lima. The weapon was never found.

McClellan was convicted of tampering with evidence and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was recently released and is now on parole.

Judge Jeffrey Reed said sentencing for Perkins will be held at a later date.

On Thursday

In earlier testimony in the trial, McClellan was questioned by prosecutors about statements she made to Lima Police Department Detective Steve Stechschulte in the hours after Smith's body was located. The woman admitted some of the information she initially provided investigators was false.

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McClellan testified that late on the evening of July 15, 2023, her son exited the family home at 403 E. Second St. with a gun in his pants after Smith had knocked loudly on the front door of the residence. She said Smith was in the yard when her son exited the home "and then the gun went off." Asked by Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Josh Carp if Perkins fired the gun, McClellan answered "yes."

Jurors also watched two videotaped interviews between Stechschulte and Perkins, including one in which Perkins initially denied any knowledge in the events surrounding the shooting. He changed his story during the interrogation after his mother was briefly brought into the LPD interview room and told him she had confessed to discarding the murder weapon.

The teenager then told Stechschulte he pulled a pistol from his pants pocket and fired a random shot in Smith's direction after the pair had fought outside the family home.

Shoddy police work alleged

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In her closing arguments to jurors on Friday, defense attorney Allison Hibbard said the state had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Perkins was responsible for Smith's death. She said Latoya McClellan was an unbelievable witness who should not be trusted and accused Stechschulte of conducting an incomplete investigation in the case.

"Latoya's testimony in court was all over the place, yet Detective Stechschulte just elected to believe what she had told him," Hibbard said. "He chose not to get certain DNA tested, chose not to get a search warrant for the Perkins residence or to interview the defendant's younger brother who was home at the time of the shooting. Why not?" Hibbard asked jurors to consider.

The defense attorney also maintained the detective had intimidated Perkins to get him to provide what prosecutors called a "confession" of his role in Smith's death.

"There was no confession. Donya just provided a confirmation of what he had been told by Detective Stechschulte," the defense attorney said. "The interview was not done properly."

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The attorney said McClellan, not her client, had the motive to kill Smith.

"Steve Smith had come to the home that evening to end their relationship," Hibbard said. "Latoya was the one who was outraged ... not Donya. This entire case is about Latoya. Donya had nothing to do with this. It's a mess what happened that night but there is no proof of Donya's guilt. Add everything up and it doesn't make sense. This is precisely what 'reasonable doubt' is," the attorney told jurors.

Assistant Prosecutor Joe Everhart called Smith's death "a tragedy (that) never should have happened" but told jurors that "Steve Smith died as a result of the defendant's actions."

The prosecutor said Perkins admitted he had fired the shot that killed Smith and that "his mother ratted him out."

Jurors were instructed that self-defense was not to be considered as a factor in the case.

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Prosecutors and attorneys for rapper Sean Diddy Combs appeared in a New York City courtroom earlier today where Judge Arun Subramanian, who is presiding over the ongoing sex-trafficking case revolving around the disgraced hip-hop scion, ruled that final jury selection for long-awaited trial will take place on Monday, May 12.



Jury selection, a process known as voir dire, was originally slated for today, but was pushed after Subramanian cited concerns that potential jurors in the white hot-button criminal case might drop out over the weekend.



Combs, who catapulted to fame following the release of his debut 1997 album No Way Out, which has sold over seven million copies in the U.S., was arrested last September, charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs was denied bail and has remained incarcerated at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal facility, since his arrest. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted on all counts, the hip-hop mogul faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. He also faces the possibility of life behind bars.

Now-infamous drug-fueled orgiesknown as freak-offsforced labor, arson and bribery are among the charges leveraged by prosecutors, Meanwhile, attorneys for Combs argue that the prosectors are attempting to criminalize menages a trois sex between consenting adults.



One specific indictment alleges that Combs, along with a cadre of associates, forced women to have sex with male sex workers while Combs filmed them.



At least three accusers, possibly four, are expected to testify against Combs. Earlier this week, prosecutors informed the court that one alleged victim, referred to as Victim-3 in court documents, may not testify, citing difficulties reaching her attorney.



Combs ex-girlfriend, Cassandra Cassie Ventura, is also expected to be a key witness. In court today, Combs lawyers said they planned to produce evidence that there was mutual violence between Combs and Ventura. Judge Subramanian was not certain he would allow the defense to introduce such evidence but said that he would rule on the matter come Monday.
Editors note: The original version of this story indicated charges would not be filed against the man police shot. Prosecutors said they would not file charges against the officer for acting in self-defense.

TOPEKA (KSNT)  Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay will not seek charges against an officer who shot a Topeka man.

Kagay said the officer acted in self-defense when shooting 37-year-old Joseph L. Pham-Gardner, of Topeka. Around 9 p.m. Jan. 17, a TPD officer stopped Pham-Gardner on a bicycle for an equipment violation in an alley near the 2000 block of southwest Clay Street.

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Parole board grants release of man convicted of killing KHP trooper

When Pham-Gardner attempted to flee, Kagay said he produced a handgun and pointed it at the officer; which led to the officer drawing his firearm and firing multiple shots, striking Pham-Gardner. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) took over the investigation.

Trump cuts impact Kansas health care, mental health funding

On Jan. 24, Pham-Gardner was in custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections due to a parole violation. On Jan. 24, he was officially charged with the following six crimes:

Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer (Level 7 Felony).

Criminal Threat against a Law Enforcement Officer (Level 8 felony).

Criminal Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Level 8 felony).

Defacing Identification Marks of a Firearm (Level 10 felony).

Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer (Class A Misdemeanor).

Bicycle Equipment violation.

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Anyone with information related to this crime should report that information directly to the KBI. The charges are allegations of criminal conduct only. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Juveniles engage police in pursuit in Stamford

STAMFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Two juveniles were arrested and multiple injuries were reported after a vehicle pursuit started after an alleged explosion at Stillmeadow Elementary School in Stamford on Friday, police said.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., Stamford police responded to reports of a vehicle explosion which released a white powdery substance. Upon investigation, a blue Ford Crown Victoria fled from the scene.

Four kids allegedly steal car, strike multiple vehicles in New Haven

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Officers pursued the vehicle through the city before the vehicle crashed into multiple police cruisers in the area High Ridge Park.

Multiple injuries to the suspects and responding officers were reported.

Further investigation revealed that the explosion was a fire suppression device that was accidentally activated.

There is no risk to the public, and the incident is being investigated, police 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 WTNH.com.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  One woman was killed and two others were hospitalized with serious injuries following a two-car crash near Osceola, Missouri, Friday afternoon.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, just before 3 p.m., a 2023 Nissan Kicks and a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 were driving northbound on Highway 13, about one mile north of Osceola, when they collided.

The cause of the crash is still unknown; however, the driver of the Nissan, a 31-year-old woman from Kansas City, and a 66-year-old woman from Lees Summit, were seriously injured. Additionally, a 66-year-old woman from Kansas City was killed in the crash.

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Bicyclist killed in Friday night crash in Kansas City

All three women were in the Nissan.

According to the MSHP, the 52-year-old man driving the Chevrolet suffered moderate injuries.

This is Troop Ds 36th deadly crash of 2025.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.






Kayla Malec was named as the victim in domestic assault charges filed against her ex-boyfriend, Evan Johnson on Thursday, April 10

The TikTok influencer announced earlier this week that Johnson was sentenced to one and a half years in prison for the charges after pleading guilty in a Tennessee court

"I'm safe for the next year and a half. I like, I can't put it into words," she said in a TikTok video







Kayla Malec, a TikTok influencer with 16.6 million followers, is opening up about the case against her ex-boyfriend, Evan Johnson, who was found guilty of domestic violence.

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On Wednesday, May 7, Johnson pleaded guilty to a domestic assault charge and probation violation for a DUI, according to Sumner County, Tenn., court records obtained by PEOPLE. He was ordered to have no contact with Malec and not to operate TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook accounts in his name, according to NBC News.

Malec was congratulated on the verdict after posting a TikTok video filmed outside the courthouse.



Tiktok Kayla Malec on May 9, 2025 in Tennessee. Kayla Malec on May 9, 2025 in Tennessee.

On Friday, May 9, two days later, she then made a TikTok video detailing the entire experience of her day in court. She confirmed Johnson was sentenced to one and a half years in prison for his charges in Tennessee.

Malec alleged that he assaulted her in California, Hawaii and New York as well. She said she is currently in the process of filing felony charges in California.

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Even though it's over in the state of Tennessee, it's not in California. So I still have a lot more f----ing s--- to do, she said. I'm safe for the next year and a half. I like, I can't put it into words. I'm in Tennessee right now, I'm in Nashville, and I'm not scared.

I just feel really happy. It doesn't excuse what he did to me, but knowing that he finally got the consequences to his actions, feels really f---ing good, she said.

Hes in f---ing jail. A win for me is a win for us, she said, before concluding, We f---ing did it bitches we f---ing did it.

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.

Malec first revealed in early April that she was in an "extremely abusive relationship. 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.

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She was named as the victim in domestic assault charges filed against Johnson on Thursday, April 10. A few weeks later, Malec confirmed that her court day was coming up. Her win in the domestic assault case against Johnson was announced on Wednesday, May 7.

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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In the United States, there are two national holidays to honor veterans.

Memorial Day in May is to honor Americans who died in the defense of the country.

Veterans Day in November is to remember and honor those who have served in the military.

The two holidays are not the same.

President Donald Trump wants to change the name of the November holiday to Victory Day. As you might expect, veterans organizations are opposed to the idea.

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Veterans Day was initially known as Armistice Day. It was renamed in 1954.

I believe Americans have forgotten about the significance of the two holidays.

Memorial Day has become the unofficial kickoff of the summer season with people gathering for picnics and parties.

Veterans Day is overlooked in many ways. Locally, many local cemeteries place American flags on the graves of Madison County men and women who paid the supreme sacrifice.

Its hard to imagine the emotions of families who have lost loved ones through military actions involving Americans. For them, it has to be a time of remembrance and to remember a loved ones smile or laugh.

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We should all take a moment on Memorial Day to remember and honor those who died while defending the country.

Veterans Day, in recent years, has seen many restaurants and businesses provide free meals or discounts to veterans for their service.

Just about every family in Madison County has a member who served in the military or died while serving.

Im reading a book titled Remember Me, which recounts the German invasion of Holland and the experiences of Americans who served in different capacities during World War II.

The one thing that stands out in the book is how the people of Holland honor the American war dead.

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There is a cemetery outside a small town in Holland that contains about 10,000 graves of Americans. Since the end of World War II, area residents have organized and every American grave has been cared for.

The people of Holland have adopted each grave, making sure they are maintained and the fallen members of the military are honored.

As a veteran of the Vietnam War, it was difficult to return to the U.S. and to be criticized or ignored for serving. It took many years for Vietnam veterans to gain recognition among the majority of Americans.

Thankfully that has changed as Americans continued to fight for freedom.

Nov. 11 should remain as Veterans Day so we can honor all who have served.
A key federal prosecutor in the classified documents case against President Donald Trump is expected to privately testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee in the coming days, a source familiar with the process told CNN.

Jay Bratts deposition, which was first reported by The Guardian, is scheduled for May 14, the source added.

Bratt is a former national security prosecutor who spearheaded the case in which Trump was indicted for taking classified national defense documents from the White House after he left office and resisting the governments attempts to retrieve the materials.

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While the case was ultimately dismissed, sources previously told CNN that Trumps legal team believed Bratt didnt afford the respect he should have to Trump as a then-former president. And as Republicans probe the Department of Justices investigations into Trump, the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee had long sought Bratts testimony.

With the investigations into Trump now complete and him returning to the White House, Congressional Republicans have had more success in obtaining documents and testimony.

The House Judiciary Committee also recently interviewed a Department of Justice Tax Division prosecutor who the panel has been pursuing for months for their federal tax investigation into then-President Joe Bidens son Hunter Biden, who ultimately pleaded guilty in the case.

CNNs Kaanita Iyer, Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, Paula Reid, and Katelyn Polantz contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com






A woman's children heard her boyfriend allegedly beat a puppy to death at their Ohio home on May 5

The boyfriend, Jimmy Wiggins Jr., fled the scene, but cops soon discovered him clinging to a tree branch in a nearby river, and a bloody hammer was found at the scene  but the puppy's body was never recovered

Wiggins and his girlfriend, Gretchen Howard, were both booked into jail on May 7 and face several charges, including two counts each of endangering children







Content warning: This article contains disturbing descriptions of violence.

After his girlfriends children allegedly heard him brutally murder a puppy, a man fled to a nearby river to hide from authorities.

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The incident, which Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth described as sickening, occurred at a home in Milan Township, Ohio, on May 5, according to CBS affiliate Cleveland 19 News.

Deputies arrived at the home after a 911 call reported hearing a man kill a puppy, triggering an onslaught of screaming from family members as a result, the Erie County Sheriffs Office (ECSO) told the outlet. The deputies quickly discovered an extremely distraught girl outside of the home, and she told them that her moms live-in boyfriend had killed a puppy and fled, police alleged.

The girl and a second child told police that the boyfriend, Jimmy Wiggins Jr., threatened to choke the puppy, whom the outlet identified as Hank, just before he allegedly bludgeoned him to death.

What one of the children described was Jimmy threatening to strangle Hank, and then he heard Hank screaming like a puppy would scream, and they heard an impact, Sigsworth told Cleveland 19 News.

Erie County Sheriff's Office Jimmy Wiggins Jr.'s mugshot Jimmy Wiggins Jr.'s mugshot

The children claimed to have seen Hank dead inside the bathroom, but the puppys body was gone by the time they arrived, the ECSO told the outlet. Wiggins, 46, was also gone, allegedly leaving behind just a bloody hammer and a bottle of peroxide, which the kids said he used to wash his hands.

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Meanwhile, the childrens mother, 42-year-old Gretchen Howard, was at the home, which the ECSO said was in complete disarray, smelled strongly of animal feces/urine and was basically uninhabitable due to the deplorable conditions, per Cleveland 19 News. Howard spoke with officers but was unintelligible, police said.

While searching the surrounding area for Wiggins, deputies found footprints, which they followed to the river behind the home. There, they then heard sticks breaking and a splash, the ECSO said. With the help of additional first responders and a drone, deputies were able to locate Wiggins, who was partially submerged in the water and holding on to a tree branch.

He was subsequently taken into custody, along with Howard  who, just hours earlier, was allegedly found in possession of a crystallized substance during a traffic stop, Cleveland 19 News reported. Wiggins was with her during the stop, and was driving without a license, per the outlet.

Erie County Sheriff's Office Gretchen Howard's mugshot Gretchen Howard's mugshot

During a sweep of the home, deputies also found an influx of narcotics, most notably methamphetamine and/or paraphernalia/instruments in plain view, per the ECSO. After Wiggins was found, all of the items were seized as evidence.

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The Erie County Sheriffs Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on Saturday, May 10.

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Wiggins and Howard were both booked into jail on May 7, and their bonds were set at $50,000 and $20,000, respectively, according to jail records viewed by PEOPLE. It was not immediately clear if they have retained legal representation to comment on their behalf.

Wiggins was charged with two counts of endangering children, and one count each of tampering with evidence, cruelty to animals and obstructing official business. Howard also faces two charges of endangering children, and one count of obstructing official business.

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They are both set to appear in court later this month  Howard on May 12 and Wiggins on May 16.

Howards two children are in the permanent custody of Erie County Job and Family Services, the ECSO told Cleveland 19 News. Another puppy, Mud, who was recovered at the scene, was relocated to another home, the outlet reported.

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Ukraine and its Western allies have proposed a 30-day ceasefire with Russia starting Monday, in what European leaders described as a united push to open the door to peace negotiations and end Moscow's three-year-old war against its neighbour.

"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

He added that if Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, the truce could pave the way for "confidence-building measures" and negotiations to achieve a durable peace.

Russia's response

The Kremlin, however, quickly rejected the plan and said it would not be intimidated by threats of more sanctions from Europe and the United States.

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Zelensky, speaking at a press conference, said Russia's attempt "to impose any conditions is evidence of the intention to delay the war and sabotage diplomacy."

The 30-day proposal came during a high-level joint visit to Kiev by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The leaders held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump, a conversation Sybiha called "fruitful."

Tusk emphasized the alignment of Western powers behind the ceasefire initiative. "For the first time in a long while, we feel that the entire free world is truly united," he said. Tusk noted the ceasefire proposal was first proposed by Trump, who has in the past blamed Zelensky for the war launched by Russia.

Macron pledges sought-after security guarantees

Macron reinforced the effort with a pledge of "robust security guarantees" for Ukraine, alongside continued military and financial support.

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Above all, we will continue to work to ensure that Ukraine has robust security guarantees, with a viable army structure and deterrent capabilities, Macron said at a press conference. He noted that France and Britain are leading a 30-nation coalition of the willing to coordinate long-term post-ceasefire support.

A just and lasting peace begins with a full and unconditional ceasefire, Macron wrote separately on X. If Moscow continues to obstruct, we will step up the pressure  together, as Europeans and in close coordination with the United States.

Merz, on his first trip to Ukraine since becoming chancellor of Germany on Tuesday, warned that Russia would face severe consequences for rejecting the initiative.

There will then be a massive tightening of sanctions and there will be further massive aid for Ukraine, he told Germanys Bild newspaper.

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However, at a press conference in Kiev, Merz avoided committing publicly to sending German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, saying such decisions would first be discussed with allies, including the US.

The Kremlin responded to the show of European solidarity with defiance.

Trying to scare us with sanctions is futile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state TV on Saturday. Speaking separately to ABC News, Peskov said any ceasefire must not provide a military advantage to Kiev and insisted that Western arms deliveries must stop as a condition for any truce.

Later, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev issued a profane rejection of the ceasefire plan. Writing in English on X, Medvedev said its authors could shove these peace plans up your pangender arses!

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He accused the visiting Western leaders of issuing threats rather than promoting peace: Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk were supposed to discuss peace in Kiev. Instead, they are blurting out threats against Russia, he wrote.

Medvedev, now deputy head of Russias National Security Council, is known for his provocative rhetoric. His remarks came on top of Peskovs earlier claims that Russia maintains the battlefield advantage and that Ukraine has repeatedly avoided what Moscow calls "real negotiations."

Upon arriving in Kiev on Saturday morning, the visiting European leaders joined Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska at a memorial ceremony on Kievs Maidan Square, observing a moment of silence for victims of the war.

The makeshift public shrine on the square, created after Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, has become a symbol of national resilience, lined with thousands of flags, photographs and personal mementos.
KILGORE, Texas (KETK)  As college students end their time in the classroom and prepare to take their final walk, students said they are also preparing to take on a tough job market.

LeTourneau University graduate focuses on achieving education, faith

I was really nervous about how all that was going to work, Kilgore College graduating student, Karlie Smith said. But with our clinicals they tell us that those are working interviews.

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Thankfully, Smiths set to start working after graduating with her degree in radiologic science. In fact, several graduates at Kilgore reported they already had a job lined up and credited Kilgore College staffs work to prepare them.

The staff is amazing, Kilgore College graduating student April Bagley said. They dont give you the runaround. Theyre just good people.

Kilgore College not only provided them with lessons inside the classroom, they also prepared these students to be professionals.

Kilgore College hosting annual Industrial Technologies Career Fair

They taught us how to fill out resumes and when to send them out, Kilgore College student Leighann Moore said. Just got us prepared for the field.

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The college also creates opportunities to meet future employers while students are still in school.

Being here at Kilgore really did set me up for success and set me up for the real world, Kilgore College student Ester Delgado said.

Even if a student didnt have a job lined up just yet they were still ecstatic to be finishing their programs.

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An Ohio man has been charged with a felony after being accused of sending multiple letters to almost three dozen victims, threatening to kill Ohio officials.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Ronald Lidderdale, 39, was in court Friday. He is charged with making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, mailing threatening communications, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking.

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Law enforcement believes Lidderdale sent the threatening letters to public officials, including Ohio politicians, federal politicians and people involved in Ohio politics.

Lidderdale is accused of sending at least 49 letters which contained suspicious white powders. Some letters even claimed the powder was ricin, a deadly poison.

So far, 29 victims have received letters with white powder in them. One letter contained a 9mm bullet with the recipients last name engraved on it.

The letters contained threats against the officials like, I will kill you for your ignorant loyalty to your pedophilic party and I will kill you for the good of The People. Your death will come when you least expect it.

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Lidderdale allegedly sent letters to victims, a local TV station and law enforcement with a hit list of the eight people he planned to kill in May.

Lidderdale is facing years in prison, with mailing threatening letters having a maximum sentence of 10 years and all other charges up to five years.

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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un called the soldiers who fought alongside the Russian military in Russia's Kursk Oblast "heroes" and "representatives of the nation's honor," North Korean state media reported on May 10.



"Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights," Kim said. "I regard this as part of the sacred mission we must execute for our brothers and comrades-in-arms."

Kim also declared that if the "henchmen of the United States and the West, with their tacky, defective munitions, attempt another assault on the Russian Federation," then North Korea "will unhesitatingly issue an order on using the armed forces of the DPRK in repelling the enemys invasion."

The North Korean dictator also went on to claim that Russia "serves as a spiritual model" for North Korea and that it is a country of "the last people to tolerate injustice."

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North Korea only publicly admitted its involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine in late April, although they first dispatched around 11,000 troops to aid Russia in the fall of 2024. An additional 3,000 troops were reportedly sent earlier this year after Kyiv reported that more than a third of North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured in combat.

Kim has been one of the key allies of Russia during its full-scale war against Ukraine, providing not only soldiers but also artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and other supplies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin personally greeted North Korean soldiers after the so-called Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9, although Kim was not among the foreign leaders in attendance.

Read also: Whats next for North Korean troops fighting for Russia? A possible Ukraine deployment, experts, officials say

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
KIMBALLTON, Iowa  For the past couple of days, the water in this Audubon County town was not drinkable. In some parts of town on Thursday, it came out of the tap pink in color. Residents were told not to drink the water.

Test results came back Friday showing the water was safe to drink.

We had to take water samples to Council Bluffs for two days in a row, and yesterday was our last sample to take over there, and it came back that there is no bacteria in the water, said City Councilman Thomas Lake. Yes, you can drink the water.

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Hy-Vee stepped up with stores in Harlan and Atlantic, each bringing in hundreds of water bottles for the town of 250 people.

Des Moines businesses prepare for Mothers Day

We need to get something done, it doesnt seem like the town gets things done, said John Nowatzki, a Kimballton resident. When we put up the new water tower, thats where it all started.

Nowatzki said he has not drunk water from the Kimballton system in four years.

City Council members are working to get the new water system to work properly. The town installed a new water tower and water mains. The problem lately involves a filter.

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Weve just run into some unexpected snags, and you know its created a lot of hardships for our, for our people in town, said Tony Petersen, a Kimballton City Councilman. They understandably get a little bit upset, and I get it, we can certainly understand why.

While the water is now drinkable, city officials are still working to make the entire system function as planned.

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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)  Kinetic Physical Therapy and Wellness here in Greenville is helping veterans out. The local business hosted a Veterans Service Day to help those who served in the military and are having trouble accessing care.

Almost sixteen veterans came in and received a full assessment, which included a basic medical screening, physical therapy evaluation, and planning out a home exercise routine. Veterans have a high rate of issues like chronic pain, and they can also have difficulty accessing care, Dr. Justin McCray said. So what we want to do is provide that solution in the community as were able to. So were providing physical therapy. So massage therapy and home exercise plans to veterans in need.

This service came at no cost to the veterans, something that was very important to Dr. McCray as he himself is a veteran. I myself am an Iraq war veteran. Its important to myself that I give back to the community. As we mentioned before, veterans have a difficult time accessing care, Dr. McCray said. There are a huge amount of veterans in this area with so many military bases close by, and theres definitely a need in the community of people who are who are in pain or have had injuries and are having difficulty getting into a provider. So were trying to fill that gap.

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This is the first year that Kinetic Physical Therapy and Wellness have hosted this event, but they are looking forward to continuing this for years to come.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.






King Charles and Prince William will not attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV

Instead, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, will represent His Majesty at the Vatican City ceremony on May 18, in line with previous royal tradition

The King did, however, send well wishes to the newly elected pontiff on his and Queen Camilla's behalf







King Charles and Prince William will not attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV. Instead, Buckingham Palace is sending someone else: Prince Edward.

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The Duke of Edinburgh, 61, will represent His Majesty at the inauguration, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace confirms to PEOPLE. The ceremony will be held on May 18 in St. Peters Square in the Vatican City, according to Vatican News.

The King, 76, has already sent well wishes to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and first-ever American pontiff.

According to Buckingham Palace, the British monarch sent a private message congratulating the pope on his and Queen Camillas behalf, Hello! Magazine and The Daily Mail reported.

Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh

Edward  who King Charles named as the new Duke of Edinburgh back in 2023  will be the latest royal to represent the King, his older brother, in the Vatican.

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In April, William, 42, attended the late Pope Francis funeral in Vatican City, a duty that typically falls on the heir to the throne. The prince represented the British royal family and the King at the April 26 ceremony, which was also attended by other royals, foreign dignitaries and religious leaders.

As heir, Charles previously represented his mother, Queen Elizabeth, at the 2005 funeral of Pope John Paul II. (That funeral even forced the royal to push back his wedding to Camilla by one day, so he and others could attend.)

Meanwhile, the late Queen Elizabeth never attended a funeral service for a pope, despite the fact that four  Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul I  died during her 70-year reign. No one from the British royal family attended the 2023 funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Antonio Masiello/Getty Prince William at the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26 Prince William at the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26

As for previous papal inaugurations, Francis 2013 ceremony was attended by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The late Prince Philip, meanwhile, represented the Queen at the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI back in 2005.

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.

The King shared a message following Pope Francis death on April 21, just a few weeks after he and Camilla met with the late leader on April 9. (Their initial visit was postponed due to the popes health at the time.)

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My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis, the monarch said of himself and Camilla, via Buckingham Palace. Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.

Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Pope Leo XIV Pope Leo XIV

His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others, King Charles continued his tribute. His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.

Recalling his numerous visits to Pope Francis throughout the years, the monarch added, We were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.

Read the original article on People
KINGWOOD, W.Va. (WBOY)  The Kingwood VFW Post 826 Auxiliary, Preston County Honor Guard, and VFW Auxiliary Department of West Virginia teamed up Friday to demonstrate a proper flag retirement ceremony for students at Central Preston Middle School.

Multiple garbage bags full of donated flags, in addition to the elementary schools own flag, were retired in the ceremony.

The idea of getting the youth involved stemmed from the president of the Kingwood VFW Auxiliary, Carol Dixon, who spoke with 12 News on why they chose to demonstrate in this way.

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Preston High School FFA students participate in Drive Your Tractor to School Day

We respect everything our soldiers have done for us, and we want them to know as we retire this flag, said Dixon.

Dixon also said that the ceremony took about 3 months to prepare for, as the group also cut off stars and grommets from each flag to give to students as memorabilia.

12 News also spoke with Jamie Crum, President of the VFW Auxiliary Department of West Virginia, on why it was important to get younger generations involved in this way.

We need youth, we need the younger kids to start joining, and if we can teach them as theyre young, hopefully when they get older, theyll want to join, Crum said.

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If you have an American flag you wish to have retired, you can drop off flag donations at the Kingwood VFW and the Preston County courthouse.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
A Know Your Rights workshop was held Thursday at Gathering Covenant Church in Patterson  just blocks from where a Stanislaus County sheriffs deputy was recorded last month using force during a traffic stop. The incident drew public outcry.

The workshop was organized in response to the April incident, which involved Deputy Alexander Helms and a driver, Joshua Rhodes. The stop, initiated over an alleged red-light violation, was captured on cellphone video.

The footage circulated widely on social media, prompting criticism of the deputys actions and leading the Sheriffs Office to release body camera footage.

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After the vehicle stop, the deputy and the driver have a verbal back-and-forth. Helms repeatedly demands Rhodes exit his vehicle, which the driver refuses to do. Eventually, Helms tries to open the door of the car and pull out the driver. At one point during a struggle, Rhodes grabs Helms arm.

By the time backup has arrived, the deputy has fired his Taser at Rhodes and pointed his gun at him.

Ultimately, Rhodes and his passenger, Elianna Barraza, were arrested, him on suspicion of using violence or threats to impede a law enforcement official from doing his duty, her for resisting arrest.

What attorney says driver should have done

Sacramento-based criminal defense attorney Keith J. Staten, who led the workshop, was asked how someone should respond in a situation like the one between Helms and Rhodes.

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Staten went over the encounter and offered an alternative ending: the driver asking to speak with a lawyer and choosing not to engage further with the officer.

If he had done that, it ends right there, Staten said.

Staten said he believes the situation could have turned deadly  and that the deputy might have shot Rhodes if backup hadnt arrived when it did.

He was that close to being shot, Staten said.

The workshop was organized by the local NAACP, Valley Improvement Projects, Invest in Me and the Grayson Neighborhood Council.

It lasted nearly two and a half hours, with around 20 attendees who were provided pizza and Know Your Rights cards to take home.

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Wendy Byrd, president of the local NAACP and a member of the Modesto Community Police Review Board, pointed out the contrast in attendance, noting that the turnout was much smaller than the crowd that attended the Patterson City Council meeting to protest the use-of-force incident.

When theres a problem or something to complain about, you get a big crowd. But when were talking about solutions and how to advocate for yourself  for some reason, theres little turnout, Byrd said.

Staten, who has been an attorney for about 31 years, said he didnt want to be a lawyer at first, but was pushed into it by a desire to save young Black men.

His core mantra is Fight the law with the law. Essentially, knowing rights is key to effectively navigating interactions with law enforcement.

Sacramento-based criminal defense lawyer Keith J. Staten leads Know Your Rights workshop at The Gathering Covenant Church in Patterson on May 8, 2025

We carry the burden in ensuring that were not murdered, Staten said, adding that its not worth fighting a cop. Dont risk your life because youre ignorant, because youre stupid, because you got pride.

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Staten began the presentation with a history of policing in the U.S., tracing its roots to the capture of runaway slaves. He then provided an overview of constitutional rights and key Supreme Court rulings, alongside statistics highlighting the disproportionate arrest rates for Black people nationwide.

In Stanislaus County, sheriff deputies used force against Black individuals at a rate of more than six times their population since 2016.

Key question: Am I free to leave?

Statens main advice when contacted by police is to say these five crucial words: Am I free to leave? If the answer is no, you are being detained, and you should immediately request to speak with a lawyer. Just give your name and present your ID.

Children should also ask for a lawyer rather than ask for their parents. Children 15 and under are required by law to have a lawyer present before questioning in California.

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Otherwise, remain silent, Staten said. Dont argue, answer questions or ask why youre being stopped. Dont run or resist.

Give them nothing. Be like water, just float, he said.

He explained the concept of probable cause, a legal standard meaning there is a reasonable basis to believe a crime has been, is being, or will be committed. Police generally need probable cause for arrests, searches and warrants.

This is why its crucial to stay quiet and request an attorney when approached by an officer, Staten said, because anything you say can be used against you and you might unintentionally provide the officer with probable cause.

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He also urged people to note the names and badge numbers of officers and file complaints with the department if necessary. For safety, you can begin recording the interaction with your phone.

Staten encouraged people to serve on juries whenever possible, stressing the importance of diverse jury pools to ensure a jury of your peers.
BARBOURVILLE  The Knox County Sheriff's Office is actively searching for a local man in regard to a shooting that took place in the Stinking Creek community on Thursday.

Daniel Edwards, 42, is described as a white male, six feet tall and weighing 230 pounds. His head is shaved and he has full neck tattoos as well as several on his arms.

Published reports indicate the incident involved a man suffering two gunshot wounds to the lower torso with the shooter fleeing scene. He was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington for treatment.

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Kentucky State Police and the US Marshals Service are assisting with the investigation.

Authorities are asking the public not to approach Edwards as he is considered armed and dangerous.

If you have seen or know Edwards' whereabouts, call Knox County Dispatch at 606-546-3510 or KCSO at 606-546-3181.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin needed to see "certain dynamics" on the battlefield before agreeing to an extended ceasefire, insisting arms deliveries from Ukraine's allies must stop before there can be a pause in hostilities.

"Otherwise, it will be advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones," Peskov told ABC News' Chief Global Affairs Correspondent and "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?"

Peskov also asserted that Ukraine is "not ready for immediate negotiations," denying that Putin was the one dragging his feet.

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MORE: Ukrainian ambassador supports talks with Russia but ceasefire needed

"President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means. But having no peaceful and democratic means at hand, we have to continue military operation," he said.

PHOTO: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic in Kremlin, Moscow, on May 9, 2025 (Alexander Zemlianichenko via Reuters)

Peskov also told Raddatz the Kremlin was hoping that President Donald Trump would be able to help Moscow "bring a little bit more flexibility and a little more political will" to Kyiv's position.

Peskov's statements come as Ukraine and the Trump administration are pushing for a 30-day truce. Kyiv has been advocating a monthlong ceasefire for many weeks, while Trump voiced his support for the proposal on Thursday.

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MORE: Putin's 3-day ceasefire goes into effect ahead of Victory Day celebrations

"U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025 (Evgenia Novozhenina/AP)

The president also threatened to impose further sanctions if that ceasefire was not respected and vowed he would "stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine" -- an apparent turnaround from his previous threats to abandon the peace process unless progress was made.

On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said during the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, D.C., that Russia is insisting on a "certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict" that the Trump administration believes is "asking for too much."

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So far, Russia has only expressed support for much shorter truces -- declaring a unilateral three-day ceasefire that coincided with the country's commemoration of Victory Day, a celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied forces' defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin is shown at the Kremlin in Moscow, May 9, 2025. (Yuri Kochetkov via Reuters)

MORE: Is Trump's Ukraine peace effort stalled amid Putin's relentless strikes?: ANALYSIS

Putin marked the holiday on Friday with a massive military parade through Moscow's Red Square, a display featuring 11,000 Russian troops, fighter jets, and tanks meant to showcase the modern power of the country's fighting forces.

During a public address, Putin praised members of the Russian military fighting in Ukraine, which he called a "special operation."

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"We are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory," Putin said.

However, the festivities were clouded by fear in Moscow that Victory Day could become a target for Ukrainian drone attacks, a possible motivating factor behind Putin's three-day truce proposal.

Despite security concerns, the event drew the attendance of more than two dozen world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sat next to Putin during the festivities. Troops from 13 foreign countries also participated in the parade, including China.

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in Moscow, May 9, 2025. (Sergei Bobylyov/RIA Novosti via Reuters)

Although Russian state media reported earlier in the month that a high-level representative from the Trump administration would attend the celebrations, the United States was not represented. However, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin "exchanged congratulations on the occasion of our common holiday."

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In Raddatz's interview with Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson lauded the relationship between the two leaders and said Putin has a lot of respect for Trump.

"He considers him a wise man, a brave man," Peskov said.

"It doesn't mean that we're going to agree on everything," he added. "We will continue to disagree on lots of things. It's inevitable.

Kremlin spokesman: Putin considers Trump a wise man, a brave man originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that Putin has rejected the possibility of a 30-day ceasefire unless the West halts its weapon supplies to Ukraine.

Source: Peskov in an interview with ABC News

Details: Peskov claimed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had supported the proposal for a 30-day truce but came up with a new reason that prevents Moscow from adhering to it.

He said that the Kremlin considers the implementation of this initiative impossible as long as "Russian troops are advancing and advancing in quite a confident way". Furthermore, he claimed that Western weapon supplies from the United States and European countries should cease during the truce.

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"It will be an advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilisation, bringing new troops to the front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give rest to their existing ones. So, why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?" Peskov stated.

Peskov also added that Putin is allegedly "doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means", but in the absence of "peaceful and diplomatic means", Moscow "has to continue [the] military operation".

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.

"Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to the front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give rest to their existing ones. So, why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?" Peskov told ABC News.

Peskov added that Russia wants shipments of Western weapons to Ukraine to stop, repeating that, otherwise, a ceasefire will be "an advantage" for Ukraine.

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Peskov went on to claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin "is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means," but without a clear resolution to the war in place Russia "has to" continue the war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for a 30-day ceasefire, explaining that three-day ceasefires proposed by Russia around Easter and Victory Day were "theatrical."

During both of the so-called ceasefires proposed by Russia, Ukrainian soldiers across the front line told the Kyiv Independent of multiple instances of Russian attacks.

International pressure is mounting against Russia to agree to a longer ceasefire, with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arriving in Kyiv on May 10 as a show of support for Ukraine.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has shown signs of growing frustration with Russia, despite having repeatedly praised Putin in the early stages of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations.

Trump called for an "unconditional" 30-day ceasefire on May 8, adding that "If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions."

"As president, I will stay committed to securing peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans... This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a peace agreement," Trump added.

Read also: The front is noisy  for Ukraines soldiers, Russias Victory Day ceasefire is yet another sham

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia on Saturday rejected pressure to agree to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, as well as renewed threats of sanctions by Western powers.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television in Moscow on Saturday that Russia would not be intimidated and had grown accustomed to punitive measures.

"We are already thinking about what we will do after these sanctions are imposed, how we will minimize their consequences," Peskov said. "Trying to scare us with sanctions is futile."

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US President Donald Trump and European leaders have warned of new sanctions if Russia refuses to agree to the ceasefire.

However, Moscow has attached conditions to any pause in fighting, including a halt to Western arms deliveries to Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk were in Kiev on Saturday to press for a 30-day ceasefire.

The EU and the US have imposed a wide range of sanctions on Russia in an effort to deprive the country of the economic means to sustain its war against Ukraine.

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While these measures have created significant challenges, including limiting access to Western technology, analysts have noted the surprising resilience of the Russian economy.

As a major exporter of raw materials, Russia continues to earn billions from oil and gas sales, revenue that in turn helps fuel its war economy.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Meteorologists with KRQE News 13 continue to visit schools around the metro area as part of KRQEs Weather Academy. KRQE Meteorologist Ryan DePhillips was at Adobe Acres Elementary School speaking with a group of young students about New Mexicos diverse climate. These weather academies are a fun and interactive way for young kids here in the metro to learn about the weather from our talented team of meteorologists.

The Weather Academy is full for this school year and is not accepting any requests for the 2024-2025 school year. However, KRQE is now accepting requests for the 2025-2026 school year.

Teachers interested in bringing the KRQE Weather Academy to their students can fill out the form here. Also, at this time, the Weather Academy is only available for 2nd  6th graders in the Albuquerque-Metro area.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Los Angeles man made his first court appearance in Las Vegas on Wednesday, facing charges in a transnational financial scheme involving bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Xui Jie Chen, also known as Johnny Chen, 32, and co-conspirators Jin Wei Chen, 41, of Flushing, New York, and Yue Yuan, 34, of the Peoples Republic of China, are accused of obtaining more than 5,000 drivers licenses belonging to people in Nevada and 13 other states.

The three worked with others to use those licenses to withdraw or attempt to withdraw funds from banks and obtain financing for luxury cars under false pretenses, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Nevada.

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The Homeland Security Investigations unit in Las Vegas handled the case with assistance from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the Nevada Gaming Control Board Enforcement Division.

Chen appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III, in Las Vegas. In addition to bank fraud conspiracy charges, each defendant faces multiple counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, plus additional time for identity theft.

The scheme touched at least 14 states, including Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Texas, according to the news release.

A jury trial is scheduled for July 14 before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan.

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Sigal Chattah, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Frayn for the District of Nevada and attorney Ken Kaplan of the Justice Departments Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.

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A Labour-run council has about-turned on its attempts to ban Christian street preachers in a victory for free speech.

Rushmoor borough council, in Hampshire, sought an injunction in February that would have prohibited Christians preaching, praying and handing out leaflets in the town centres of Farnborough and Aldershot.

The local authority claimed preachers were being offensive and caused alarm and distress to passers-by.

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But it has now withdrawn its application for an injunction after being accused of attempting to criminalise Christians because the maximum sentence for breaching an injunction is two years imprisonment.

Jamie Broadey, a preacher and evangelist, said it was highly concerning that the council had attempted to acquire the injunction in the first place.

We welcome the news that the council has withdrawn its application, but it is highly concerning that they made this attempt to criminalise the Christian faith in the first instance, he said.

When I first read the injunction I thought: They must have made a mistake. I felt complete disbelief that it was saying that you cant have religious discussions, you cant pray or sing, and people have to come to you, you cant go to them and share the gospel which Christians have done freely in this country for centuries.

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Under the terms of the drafted injunction, Christians would have been banned from praying for anyone without their prior permission, offering leaflets or Bibles by hand and laying hands on anyone in prayer even if they consented.

Other proposed prohibitions included approaching people to discuss Christianity and the preaching of any sermons that were hostile towards anyone with the protected characteristic of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.

Street preacher Sally McGuinness: We are still awaiting assurances that nothing like this will ever happen again

Sally McGuinness, a cleaner and street preacher, said the council had attempted to criminalise her.

If this had not been challenged and stopped in its tracks now, we have no doubts that the Christian faith would be criminalised in Aldershot and Farnborough, she said.

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This would have been terrible for Christian freedoms and freedom in general in this country. We are still awaiting an apology from the council and assurances that nothing like this will ever happen again.

The councils about-turn came after local Conservative councillors Gareth Lyon and Ade Adeola took up the preachers case.

The council organised meetings with local ministers and preachers where the Christians objections were heard.

In a statement, the council said it had discussed introducing a voluntary code of conduct for street preachers to limit distress caused to passers-by.

The preachers maintain that being seen as hostile is unavoidable when attempting to convince non-believers of the truth of Christianity.

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Cllr Lyon, leader of the Tory group on the council, said: I am delighted by the decision to withdraw the application for an injunction. It is absolutely the right decision.

Bishop Malcolm Cummins, pictured with his wife

Cllr Gareth Williams, the leader of the council, added that he was pleased to address a very sensitive issue.

Im pleased that, following our discussions with the local Christian community and faith leaders, we have been able to address this very sensitive issue and agree a way forward that balances the rights to freedom of worship and expression with the interests of all town centre users, he said.

Bishop Malcolm Cummins, a Pentecostal minister and chairman of the Rushmoor Faith Leaders Forum, said: Were relieved that our discussions with the council have proved constructive. We now look forward to working closely together to build even stronger relationships.

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Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which supported the street preachers, added: We urge Christians to remain vigilant and prayerful, and to continue supporting efforts to ensure that the public square remains open to the gospel and to the free exchange of ideas.

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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP  Lake to River Economic Development had its first annual meeting Thursday at the Lake Club, just south of Poland in Mahoning County.

The nonprofit was formed soon after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the creation of the Lake to River JobsOhio region in April 2024. The region consists of Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.

The nonprofit works with JobsOhio to promote economic development for and commerce between the four counties.

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The meeting included Lake to River executives and board members, state politicians from the region and prominent business leaders.

Lake to River Board President Chuck George said the organizations biggest accomplishment in its first year was bringing the company Kimberly-Clark to Warren.

Kimberly-Clark announced it would build a manufacturing plant in Trumbull County.

George said projects like that will affect the whole region.

In Ashtabula County, George said Lake to River is working hard to open some of the brownfields next to Lake Erie.

Theres a lot of smaller things that are going on in support of existing business in the region, he said. Retention is our best way to grow.

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Lake to River presented champion awards to two people who promoted economic development in the region.

Growth Partnership of Ashtabula County Executive Director Greg Myers received one of the awards.

Myers said he would not be there without the help of others in his organization.

Its really humbling to be recognized and to be up here, he said. To be honest, I like to be behind the scenes. I like to be behind it, and sort of just doing the work day in and day out.

Ohio House leaders from the Lake to River region formed a Lake to River Caucus Jan. 14.

Lake to River Caucus Chair and Ohio 64th District Representative Nick Santucci, whose district covers Warren and surrounding portions of Trumbull County, spoke about the caucus progress.

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Santucci said the caucus focuses on things to bring money to the whole region.

Thats what Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati do all the time, because their populations are so large, he said.

Ohio 65th District Representative David Thomas, who represents the southern portion of Ashtabula County, was also at the meeting.

Working together across our region only strengthens our economic future, he said.

Santucci said the caucus recently got funding to study and potentially build a Lake to River fossil fuel pipeline.

[It] is super important for understanding what economic development can take place along the Route 11 corridor, he said. Im really happy for that.

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Santucci said the caucus has gotten funding for Mosquito Lake State Park, the Mahoning County Scrapers stadium and Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

The Lake to River economic region, now gives us an actual region, he said. It gives us a border and a boundary, and it gives us an identity.

Caucus members talk weekly, he said.

Lake to River Vice President Michael McGiffin said Lake to River has accomplished a lot in a year.

The momentum is real, he said. Its building, and it belongs to all of us. Heres the reality, if we want to keep this momentum going, its going to take all of us.

McGiffin was thankful for the organizations and businesses that have supported Lake to River already, he said.

These conversations would not be possible without those of you, who choose to sponsor today, he said.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Las Vegas man was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison on drug charges involving the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, according to the U.S. Attorneys office.

Abel Puebla pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine after a six-month investigation that concluded in May 2024.

Court records indicate Puebla sold one pound of meth, a bag of cocaine and an ounce of heroin as investigators made their case.

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He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. In addition to prison time, Puebla received five years of supervised release when he is let out.

U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip known for its Mediterranean cuisine is set to close at the end of May.

Cathedrale at Aria will close permanently after business on Saturday, May 31, according to MGM Resorts International.

Cathedrale Las Vegas was envisioned by Executive Chef Jason Hall and featured a bar area, lounge, main dining room, and semi-private dining room, according to the restaurants website.

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There are no immediate plans for the space at this time, MGM Resorts International stated on Friday.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  Tennessee lawmakers have earmarked $165.5 million in the state budget for the construction of a new chemistry facility at the University of Tennessee. It marks the largest state investment ever funded for a single higher education project in Tennessee.

The eight-story building will be located on Cumberland Avenue between Strong Hall and the College of Law on the site of UTs recently demolished Panhellenic Building. A groundbreaking is scheduled for September and the project is expected to be completed in 2029.

University of Tennessee loses $37M in grant funding amid federal funding cuts

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It will feature a wide range of facilities including dedicated workstations for student researchers, 28 research labs, 12 collaborative spaces, two 50-seat lecture halls, and one 50-seat study room. The project design phase is nearly complete with final blueprints expected in August.

University leaders touted the project in an official announcement on Friday as a critical tool to help prepare students for in-demand careers in the chemical industry.

$2M partnership will give Carter HS students hands-on engineering experience

According to the official release, the industry has invested over $400 million in the state over the last six years and created more than 2,000 jobs. More than 16,000 Tennesseans already work in the chemical industry with an average salary of $82,800, more than 30% above the average of other manufacturing jobs in the state.

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We thank Governor Bill Lee and the state General Assembly for their transformative support of the new chemistry building, said College of Arts and Sciences Interim Executive Dean Robert Hinde. This building will be a major step for future innovation at UT, enabling us to attract the most promising students and top faculty to UTs world-class chemistry department and meeting the increasing demand to provide high-quality chemistry education and training for the next generation of leaders in this field.

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The leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland have issued a joint statement calling on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire and pledged increased support for Ukraine.

Source: the joint statement by the four leaders on the UK government's website, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On 10 May, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will jointly call on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Kyiv, while pledging increased support for Ukraine.

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"We reiterate our backing for President Trump's calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace," the joint statement reads.

The leaders of the four European countries, along with the United States, have urged Russia to "agree [to] a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace".

They stressed their readiness "to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal".

The statement also noted that these countries will continue to step up their support for Ukraine.

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"Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia's war machine," they added.

Background:

On 10 May, European leaders arrived in Kyiv to attend a meeting of the coalition of the willing.

During their visit, they paid tribute to the fallen defenders and those killed in the Russian war at Independence Square in Kyiv, where Ukrainians had planted flags in their memory.

The coalition of the willing, led by France and the UK, announced that it was working on a plan to send a mission to Ukraine to ensure a future ceasefire.

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At least 33 people have been killed in Sudan in attacks suspected to have been carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as the brutal two-year war claims its latest victims.

An RSF strike on a prison on Saturday in el-Obeid killed at least 19 people, while on Friday evening, at least 14 members of the same family were killed in an air attack in Darfur, local sources said.

The attacks  part of the RSFs ongoing war with the military-led governments Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since 2023  came after six straight days of the paramilitary groups drone attacks on the army-led governments wartime capital of Port Sudan.

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These attacks damaged key infrastructure, including a power grid and the countrys last operational civilian airport, which was a key gateway for aid into the war-ravaged nation.

The war has left tens of thousands dead, displaced 13 million people and triggered what the United Nations calls the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

The attack on the prison on Saturday also wounded 45 people, a medical source told the AFP news agency. The source said the jail in the army-controlled city in the North Kordofan state capital was hit by an RSF drone.

The night before, 14 people were killed at the Abu Shouk displacement camp near el-Fasher in Darfur, a rescue group said, blaming the paramilitary.

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The camp was the target of intense bombardment by the Rapid Support Forces on Friday evening, said the group of volunteer aid workers.





The camp near el-Fasher, the last state capital in Darfur still out of the RSFs control, is plagued by famine, according to the UN.

It is home to tens of thousands of people who fled the violence of successive conflicts in Darfur and the conflict that has been ripping Africas third-largest country asunder since 2023.

The RSF has shelled the camp several times in recent weeks.

Abu Shouk is located near the Zamzam camp, which the RSF seized in April after a devastating offensive that virtually emptied it.

RSF escalation

Elsewhere on Saturday, SAF warplanes struck RSF positions in the Darfur cities of Nyala and el-Geneina, destroying arms depots and military equipment, a military source told AFP.

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The RSF has recently said it had taken the strategic town of al-Nahud in West Kordofan, a key army supply line to Darfur.

The RSFs escalation in Port Sudan earlier this month came after the military struck the Nyala airport in South Darfur, where the RSF receives foreign military assistance, including drones. Local media stated that dozens of RSF officers were killed in the attack.

Sudans army-aligned authorities accuse the United Arab Emirates of supplying those drones to the RSF, which has no air force of its own.

The war began as a power struggle between SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. It has effectively divided the country into two, with the army controlling the north, east and centre, while the RSF and its allies dominate nearly all of Darfur in the west and parts of the south.

Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes.




MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP)  At least seven people have died and major roads were cut off after heavy rains led to flooding in Somalias capital, Mogadishu, on Friday night due to an overwhelmed drainage system and a growing urban population.

The regional administration spokesperson, Abdinasir Hirsi Idle, told The Associated Press on Saturday that rescue efforts were ongoing.

The death toll could rise because the rains were heavy and lasted for several hours, causing nine houses to collapse across different neighborhoods, and at least six major roads to suffer severe damage, he said.

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Somalia has in the past suffered extreme climate shocks that include prolonged dry seasons that have caused drought and heavy rains that have resulted in floods.

Fridays rains went on for about eight hours, leaving waist-high waters in neighborhoods where some residents were trapped and others were forced to move to higher ground.

A resident, Mohamed Hassan, told the AP that some older people were still trapped.

We spent the night on rooftops, shivering from the cold, and I havent even had breakfast, he said.

Floodwaters also damaged key infrastructure, halting public transport and temporarily disrupting operations at the main airport, Aden Abdulle International Airport. Officials later confirmed flights had resumed operations.

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The Somali Disaster Management Agency has not yet released an official death toll but said assessment was underway to determine the extent of the damage.

The countrys energy and water ministry in a statement on Saturday said, a substantial amount of rainfall, exceeding 115 mm, was recorded in over 8 consecutive hours and warned of flash floods in other regions outside the capital.
LEBANON, Mo.  A woman from Lebanon is facing her second charge of maintaining a childcare facility without a license.

According to online court dockets filed on Friday, May 9, Jennifer L. Jones, born 1977, is accused of operating a childcare facility for children without having a written license granted by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The charge is a Class A misdemeanor.

Jones is a prior offender, as she was convicted of operating a childcare facility for children without a license on May 2, 2024, in Laclede County Circuit Court.

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The probable cause statement says on Jan. 15, 2025, DESE received a complaint that Jones was caring for more than six children, which exceeds the laws exception. A DESE investigator visited her home on Jan. 21, 2025, and advised Jones of the statutory requirement to be licensed.

Around that time, Jones was providing care for at least nine children.

A follow-up investigation at her home on Feb. 28, 2025, revealed Jones was providing care for at least six children.

The probable cause statement from her prior conviction says in June of 2023, Jones provided care for at least 16 children at one time.

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Jones is due in court on Monday, June 23, for a hearing.

The range of punishment for this offense is a fine not to exceed $2,000 per day up to a maximum of $10,000 for subsequent offenses.

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Friday marked the deadline for candidates seeking nine seats in Washington's Legislature to file to run in elections this year. (Laurel Demkovich/Washington State Standard)

Intriguing match-ups in the fall elections emerged Friday as Democrats look to retain control of several seats in the Washington state Legislature.

Two Senate contests should provide a test of voters views on new laws, higher taxes and spending decisions pushed through by the majority Democrats over the objections of Republicans.

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Races for two other legislative seats will showcase strains within the Democratic Party between its progressive and moderate factions.

Three appointed Democratic lawmakers are breathing easy. They drew no challengers before the filing window closed Friday.

This all but assures the trio  state Sens. Tina Orwall of Des Moines and Emily Alvarado of Seattle, and Rep. Brianna Thomas of West Seattle  will retain their seats for the 2026 session.

Heres where things stood Friday. Candidates have until Monday to formally withdraw from any of the races.

Senate

26th District: This looms as the must-watch contest of the year.

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Sen. Deb Krishnadasan, a Gig Harbor Democrat, is looking to keep the seat she was appointed to after the districts former state senator, Emily Randall, was elected to Congress. She faces Republican state Rep. Michelle Caldier, also of Gig Harbor. She was first elected to the House in 2014 and re-elected in November with nearly 55% of the vote.

The winner will represent the legislative district which encompasses parts of Kitsap and Pierce counties and includes Bremerton, Port Orchard, Purdy and Gig Harbor. They will need to run again in 2026.

Caldier enters with backing from most of the Senate Republican Caucus. She is expected to focus on what GOP legislative leaders say has been Democrats overreach with passage of a $9.4 billion package of tax increases to balance the budget and another $3.2 billion for transportation, anchored by a 6-cent per gallon gas tax hike.

Krishnadasan, who served six years on the Peninsula School District Board of Directors, was among the vulnerable Democrats voting against their partys major tax bills and transportation revenue package. Shell be pressed to make that clear in the coming campaign.

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5th District: This race is to fill the vacancy created by the death of Democratic state Sen. Bill Ramos in April. Whoever wins will serve the remaining three years of the term.

Rep. Victoria Hunt, D-Issaquah, a scientist and former Issaquah City Council member, won her House seat in November with 54% of the vote. She formally entered the race Monday and is backed by her seatmate, Rep. Lisa Callan, D-Issaquah.

While this was not a campaign I wanted to run, I am honored to build upon the legacy of leadership and spirit of selfless service exemplified by Bill Ramos, while continuing to rely on my experience in Olympia and local government, Hunt said in her announcement.

Republican Chad Magendanz, a former two-term state representative for the district, is opposing her. He ran for Senate last year, losing to Ramos by 3,400 votes. In 2022, Magendanz lost to Callan for the House seat.

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In his announcement, he targeted Hunts support of billions in new, unnecessary, and regressive taxes and called the election our opportunity to correct course.

48th District: Sen. Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue, and Rep. Amy Walen, D-Kirkland, are squaring off in what will be a litmus test for some of the partys priorities and the district voters allegiances.

Slatter had served in the state House since 2017 until being appointed to replace Patty Kuderer, following her election as Washingtons insurance commissioner. Walen won her seat in 2018 and also sought the appointment. The district covers communities in Redmond, Bellevue and Kirkland.

Both opposed the largest piece of the Democrats $9.4 billion tax package, a sweeping bill containing an across-the-board increase in the business tax and surcharges on the states largest corporations and financial institutions. And both supported another key component, extending the retail sales tax to some services.

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Slatter voted for the gas tax increase. Walen did not. They differed on some high-profile policies, too. For example, Walen opposed the new rent increase cap and Slatter voted for it.

This will be a costly contest. As of Thursday, Walen had raised nearly $320,000 to Slatters $107,000, according to filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission.

House

33rd District: Rep. Edwin Obras, D-SeaTac, who was appointed to fill Orwalls House seat, is being challenged by Burien Mayor Kevin Schilling, a Democrat, and Darryl Jones, a Republican and Kent resident. The two with the most votes in the August primary will advance to the general election. The district includes Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines, SeaTac, and much of Kent.

Obras formerly worked for the city of Seattles Human Services Department. This will be his first election campaign for a public office. We need someone in Olympia who will fight for the diverse communities in South King County and not settle for or slide back into the status quo, he said in his announcement.

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Schilling was elected to the Burien City Council in 2019 and reelected in 2023. Hes been mayor since last year. He is the government affairs director for the Washington State Dental Association and former political director for retired congressman Derek Kilmer. Schilling did not seek the appointment to the post.

The government of the state of Washington is not doing things differently to solve the problems that need to be solved, he said. He said he wants to bring new approaches to addressing homelessness, housing, and public safety based on his experience as mayor.

Jones, who filed Friday, made an unsuccessful run for a Kent City Council seat in 2023.

As of Friday, Schilling had raised $83,100. Obras, who could not raise money during the session, had not reported any contributions yet on the state Public Disclosure Commission website.

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41st District: Rep. Janice Zahn, D-Bellevue, who was chosen to replace Tana Senn when she left to lead a state agency, will face two opponents  Democrat Vinita Kak of Newcastle and Republican John Whitney of Bellevue. The top two finishers in the primary will face-off in November to represent the district that includes Mercer Island, Newcastle and part of Bellevue.

Zahn is a former Bellevue City Council member and chief engineer at the Port of Seattle. Shes formally endorsed by more than 40 members of the House Democratic Caucus, along with Gov. Bob Ferguson. Kak is a member of the planning commission for the city of Newcastle.

48th District: Rep. Osman Salahuddin, D-Redmond, who serves on the Redmond City Council and was chosen to replace Slatter in the House, drew two challengers Friday afternoon  Ranga Bondada and Dennis Ellis.

Bondada, a Democrat, lives in Bellevue and owns two small businesses. This is his first campaign. Ellis, a Republican, lives in Redmond and has worked at Boeing. He made an unsuccessful run for Redmond City Council in 2021.
SAO PAULO (AP)  The bishop sat quietly near the front row, hands folded, listening as Indigenous leaders and church workers spoke about the threats to Perus northern forests, a part of the Amazon rain forest. It was 2016, a year after Laudato Si, Pope Francis encyclical on the environment.

When he was up to speak, the bishop didnt preach though he was in his city of Chiclayo as host of a regional gathering. Instead, he reflected on things he had seen.

Its a very important encyclical, he said. It also represents something new in terms of this explicit expression of the churchs concern for all of creation.

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That bishop, Robert Prevost, is now Pope Leo XIV.

He was always very welcoming, very close to the people, Laura Vargas, secretary of the Interreligious Council of Peru, who helped organize the event, recalled in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

He had no problem saying yes when we proposed it  he was genuinely interested in social pastoral work.

Since then, Prevost deepened his ties with interfaith environmental networks like the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative and Indigenous organizations such as AIDESEP, which place forest protection and rights at the center of Church concern.

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Such credentials have brought hope to clergymen and faithful in the Amazon region, a vast area with 48 million residents and 6.7 million square kilometers (2.6 million square miles) in South America. They see Chicago-born Prevost, who spent about two decades in Perus countryside, as a pontiff who protect the region and fight against climate change.

NAVIGATING THE AMAZON

Many Catholics have said they believe Prevosts experience as bishop of Chiclayo, a city of 630,000 residents in Northern Peru and not too far from the Amazon, was one of the key reasons he was chosen. They also said the pontiffs hands-on experience in an impoverished area far from major cities could also serve him well in dealing with the Amazon and navigating its challenges.

The Amazon is a key regulator of the climate, as its dense forests absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that when released into the atmosphere heats the planet. But many parts of the Amazon are under threat from a wide range of illegal activities: farmers clearing trees to raise cows, gold miners dredging rivers and destroying local ecosystems and land-grabbers seizing territories. Wildfires and droughts, exacerbated by climate change, have also hit Amazon communities hard in recent years.

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Prevost is well acquainted with these issues, having presided over the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, which helped him bond with colleagues of the nine countries touched by the Amazon. Many of them are among the 105 bishops of an organization he openly supports, the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network, a Catholic Church network focused on the Amazon region.

I spoke to him a number times about the Amazon and the environment. He doesnt need to be convinced of its importance, said Cardinal Pedro Barreto, the president of the network, who has known Prevost since he became the bishop of Chiclayo in 2015.

Brazilian Friar Paulo Xavier agrees.

Leo will follow Francis; we are going forward with environment protection," Xavier said. The Holy Spirit has acted on our behalf.

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Xavier is based in Manaus, a city of 2 million residents in the Amazon which received its first-ever cardinal appointed by Francis in 2022: the now 74-year-old archbishop Leonardo Steiner, an enthusiast of Laudato Si.

Steiner, Xavier and the Manaus archdiocese have invested to get the encyclical into the hands of locals, even when that means jumping on small, motorized canoes through the brown waters of the Negro River to reach isolated villages in journeys that can last days on a boat.

POPE FOR ACTION

In November 2024, the Vatican News reported that Prevost called for more action to tackle climate change and protect the environment during a seminar in Rome. He cited efforts the Vatican has taken such as installing solar panels and electric vehicles.

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On the social media platform X, Prevost has reposted messages about protecting the environment. One message he reposted on April 1, 2017, expressed concern about emissions of carbon dioxide, a planet-warming gas, during President Donald Trumps his first term.

Laura Vicuna, an Indigenous woman of the Kariri people and the vice president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon Region, said in a letter published on social media that she hopes the pope will be an ally in the fight against climate change. The conference was created by Francis in 2020 to promote discussion between clergymen and laypeople.

From our dear Amazon, we plead with you to be our ally in the defense of what is the most sacred for us; life, land and rights, Vicuna wrote.

Indigenous peoples like Vicunas Kariri are often regarded as key protectors of the Amazon, but for many years they have been forced out of their lands by criminals, deforestation and famine, as seen in the Yanomami lands in Northern Brazil in 2023.

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Spaniard Luis Ventura, the executive-secretary of Brazils Indigenous Missionary Council, said he prays for the new pope to keep his eyes close to the Amazon, with a special attention to the Indigenous. Founded in 1972, the council had rare occasions to meet with pontiffs until Francis rose in 2013. Its members hope Leo doesnt change that.

Leo XIV will have a big impact on the Amazon," said Ventura. His life was always with the people in Peru, and that allows us to think the church will be deep into the territory.

CLIMATE URGENCY

Francis showed great interest in the Amazon during his pontificate. Four years after Laudato Si, he hosted the Amazon Synod, which sought new Paths for the Church and for an integral ecology.

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Rose Bertoldo, one of the secretaries of the Manaus archdiocese, said she is hopeful for the regions future under Leo, given it would build on Francis interest. She added the new pontiff will have a chance to visit Brazil, the nation with the most Catholics in the world, during this years U.N. climate summit, known as COP30, in the Amazonian city of Belem in November.

We know that the urgencies and the challenges in the Amazon will be bigger because of the global political context of division. We need him at COP, Bertoldo said.

Irish priest Peter Hughes, who spent most of his life in Peru, met Prevost shortly after he arrived in the Andean nation in 1985. They quickly became friends, and would see each other when the bishop of Chiclayo was in the capital Lima.

Back then, (Prevost) was worried about extractivism in the Amazon and the effect it had on the poor," said Hughes, referring to the new pontiff. Now it is a much more complex world, the urgency is evident.

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____ Grattan reported from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Associated Press writer Isabella OMalley contributed from Philadelphia.

___

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Corvallis nonprofit Unity Shelter, which serves the homeless community in Benton County, will be suspending operations of its shelter programs and reducing its staff by 80% as a result of funding uncertainty.

Effective July 1, operations at the Mens Shelter, Room at the Inn (the womens shelter) and the Emergency Hotel Shelter program will be suspended.

On average, the Mens Shelter and Room at the Inn serve a combined 80 people each night. Room at the Inn launched in 2013 and operated as a seasonal shelter until 2020, while the Mens Shelter has been in its current location since 2017.

Services provided at the Hygiene Center and Unitys SafePlace program that houses individuals in microshelters will continue. The nonprofit is exploring other ways to continue offering limited shelter with a largely volunteer staff.

Unity Shelter was founded in January 2020 as an umbrella organization for Room at the Inn, SafePlace and Corvallis Mens Shelter. Its growth was fueled largely by federal pandemic relief programs.

Much of that money has dried up in recent months  at about the same time that the federal government announced massive cutbacks in spending on domestic programs, a statement from Unity Shelter reads.

This has subsequently cast doubt on continued state funding for Unity Shelter, which it relies on for about 90% of its operational budget. The state budget for the next biennium will not be complete until the state legislature adjourns in mid-June, and even if state funding for Unity Shelter is approved, it probably wont be accessible to the nonprofit until much later in the year, the statement continues.

Unity Shelter board members made the decision to cut back in late April.

According to executive director Shawn Collins, as the board meeting approached, he wasnt receiving any clarity from the state about how funding might shake out and was watching the pattern of cuts coming down from the federal level.

It occurred to me, theres not really an option here, he said.

The nonprofit told their staff about cuts in May. The final number of layoffs is still to be determined, but about 80% of the nonprofits paid workforce, or 40 people, are anticipated to lose their jobs.

While its strange to talk about layoffs six weeks out, Collins said, he wanted to give employees as much runway as possible.

Breaking the news to the individuals served by Unity Shelter has also been hard, Collins said. Some are understanding of the challenges nonprofits are facing, some are angry and scared and some want to know where to direct their protests.

I hesitate to brag on what we do, but I think we run pretty good shelters, and people feel safe in them, Collins said. The idea of losing access to that is pretty stressful for them.

And theres not a lot of shelter capacity in the surrounding region, especially once Unity Shelter cuts back. Community Outreach Inc. in Corvallis has a handful of beds available, but its traditionally a high-barrier shelter and not an option for most that Unity Shelter serves, Collins said.

Albany has maybe a five-bed capacity, he continued, and he hasnt reached out to the coast, Salem or Eugene yet, though hes doubtful theyll have much available, either.

For community members who want to do something, Collins recommends advocacy at the state level. House Bill 5011, which includes funding for shelters, is currently in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Not only is it important that the bill passes, Collins says, but its imperative that Oregon Housing and Community Services distributes it quickly once it is.

Volunteering for and donating to Unity Shelter are also appreciated, Collins said.

Nonprofits and shelter services nationwide are struggling, he said, and trying to figure out how to survive in the face of cuts. According to Unity Shelters statement, changes in the funding picture may allow Unity Shelter to revisit some of its decisions, but regardless, it will be necessary for the organization to ensure that services can be sustained at the local level.

If people want these services to exist, theyre going to have to figure out how to do it with local support, Collins said. Its going to be our community thats going to make a difference here and decide whether or not were going to have shelter in our community.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Lincoln City school bus driver was arrested Friday, accused of luring a student in the district in which he works.

Police say 21-year-old Josiah Lafrenz was taken into custody after they learned of inappropriate communications between him and a student at Taft 7-12 Middle & High School the day before.

Dallas woman re-convicted after Supreme Courts reversal of nonunanimous jury verdicts

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Lafrenz is now facing charges of luring a minor and online sexual corruption of a child.

He is currently lodged in the Lincoln County Jail and police say he is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.

As investigators believe there may be additional child victims, anyone with information is encouraged to contact Lincoln City police.

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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.

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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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NORTH JACKSON, Ohio (WKBN)  Lisbon opened a 9-0 lead in the sixth inning before coming away with a 9-4 victory over Jackson-Milton to post its fifth consecutive win.

Ashton Hinchliffe, Marc Moore and Logan Sturgeon each had two singles apiece. Nick Peruchetti drove in three runs and Mason Jones and Sturgeon both had 2 RBIs.

Brady Carpenter pitched the first three innings before registering the win (1 H, 6 Ks). Bryce Esarey came in to relieve No. 27 in the fourth  hed face six batters and struck out 2. Sturgeon closed the door on the Blue Jays by tossing the final two innings.

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Lisbon (9-7) will face Leetonia on Monday.

Dom Krol led Jackson-Miltons offense with a pair of hits. James Croyle doubled, driving in 2 runs.

On Monday, the Blue Jays return to action against Springfield.

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MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Habemus Pampa: We have a new pope. Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo the Fourteenth, is the first American Pope to be selected to lead the Catholic Church.

When a Pope is selected, they pick a new name that relates to the Christian tradition. The pope can pick a Saint name or a past Popes name that they have a lot of respect for.

For example, Pope Leo the Fourteenth had a lot of respect for Pope Leo the Thirteenth, Bishop Sis said. For the good things he did for the Church and the world. So he decided to honor him by picking the same name.

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The Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo, Michael Sis, thought it was impossible to have an American as the next Pope.

Well, the United States is such a powerful country, militarily, politically, and economically, Bishop Sis said. In general, people said it wouldnt make sense for the Pope to be from such a powerful country because a Pope needs to have a full sense of independence from all of that power.

The local Bishop is now looking forward to whats next for Leo the fourteenth.

All of the Cardinals will declare that they will work with him, Bishop Sis said. That they are going to be loyal servants of the church under his authority. Thats the big step that comes next. Then all of the Cardinals will go home to work that they have waiting for them back home. Then the Pope will take up his duties as the new Holy Father of the Catholic Church.

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Bishop Michael Sis is very happy to have a new pope and is asking people to pray for Pope Leo for a fruitful ministry.

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YONKERS, N.Y. (PIX11)  Friday marked the first full day of service for Pope Leo XIV, the first American to be elevated to the papacy.

However, the pontiffs international and multi-ethnic ties are the source of much interest at the very ethnically and culturally diverse seminary here, which serves the Tri-state region, which is itself multicultural and international.

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St. Josephs Seminary attracts students from around the world and has also attracted two of the last three popes.

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A portrait of Pope Leo XIV was set up right outside of the seminarys main chapel minutes after the pontiff was officially named on Thursday afternoon. It was a reminder of some of the strong ties the seminary has with the pope, even though hes 4,280 miles away. One of the biggest connections involves one of the main study programs at St. Josephs. Its linked to the Angelicum, the churchs Roman university, as Father John Cush, the admissions director at St. Josephs, pointed out.

The Holy Father has his doctorate in canon law from the Angelicum in Rome, as well, Fr. Cush said in an interview. Thats our connection.

Another important tie to the new pontiff is that St. Josephs was founded under the leadership of Pope Leo XIII, the last pope before this one to take on that name Leo. Leo XIII was a vocal advocate for workers and other people struggling economically and socially. Cush said that seminarians at St. Josephs, which is also often referred to by the name of the neighborhood where its located, Dunwoodie, minister to the same groups for which Leo XIII advocated.

Cush also said that the new pope, LeoXIV, has served many of the same populations during his four decades of ministry prior to his papacy. That shared mission, said Cush, could help attract the pope to Dunwoodie, just like two other pontiffs.

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We would be so happy, he said, if Pope Leo XIV would come and visit us here, in whatever capacity.

He referenced the other visiting popes, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, who have visited in the last 30 years.

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Two marble tablets in the seminarys entry hall commemorate the two visits, and in the library of St. Josephs, a throne in which both visiting popes sat during their visits is also on display.

For Leo XIV to also occupy that holy seat is something that many of the seminarians wish for. Franklin Anyanechi said that its because of the new pontiffs broad appeal.

This is a pope we can all identify with, said Anyanechi, whos completed three years of seminary studies, with three more to go. This inclusiveness, he said is what Louis XIV has preached in both his first public address on Thursday, and in his homily at Friday mass for cardinals in Rome. Everyone is welcome to the church, said Anyanechi.

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Hes affiliated with the Diocese of Albany, but was born and raised in Nigeria. He talked about how the now-pope visited his country in 2016 as part of his ministry with the Augustinian Order. Anyanechi also talked about how genealogists have now shown that the popes family has African Creole roots in Louisiana.

Anyanechi said that its representative of the universality of the new leader of the universal church. [Its a] connection to every aspect of the society, he said.

Officially, while Pope Leo XIV has traveled widely, and lived in Peru for two decades, he is a citizen of three nations: The United States, Peru, and now, Vatican City, as its sovereign leader.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  A Mass of Thanksgiving was held Friday at the Cathedral in downtown Syracuse for the election of the new pope.

I never really thought I would see a day that there would be an American pope, said Bishop Lucia.

A man, Father John Oduor first met in 2005 in Kenya. But back then, he knew him as Father Prevost.

I wanted to join the Augustinian community, so I joined them as a postulant studying philosophy way back in Nairobi in a little town called Langata, so thats when I met him, said Fr. Oduor.

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He says Pope Leo XIV stayed with them at the mission house for a few weeks.

We just knew him like a priest, Father Bob. He was just like any other priest in the house and I can say that hes a very kind man. He was very kind, said Fr. Oduor.

Father Oduor also says he was quiet, but humble, with a great sense of humor.

I can say he loved us. As students, you could feel that he loved us just like Augustinians. He would always tell us to leave together, stay as one. Love one another, said Fr. Oduor.

When Father Oduor heard who was chosen as the new pope, he says he was overcome with joy.

I stood from my seat and I shouted Father Bob is the pope and I sat down, made a sign of the cross and I felt it, said Fr. Oduor.

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To see Father Prevost rise from priesthood from a priest, to a prior general, to a bishop, to a cardinal, and now to a pope, what do you think, the holy spirit is telling you that he is chosen, said Fr. Oduor.

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The Ioni Creek 4-H held a special ceremony Thursday night at the Anderson County Courthouse Annex to present Veteran Robert Mike Richbourg with a Quilt of Valor.

Richbourg served in the U.S. Army from 1993 to 2011, serving as an infantryman and combat medic. He was stationed in Texas, Georgia and Germany and was deployed on several humanitarian missions. He is a combat veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was honorably discharged in 2011.

During the special ceremony, Ioni Creek 4-H leader Amy Jones gave Richbourg a special certificate from Rep. Cody Harris.

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Jones also shared with those in attendance the meaning of a Quilt of Valor.

According to Jones, the quilt has a three-part message of honor, freedom and comfort.

First we honor you for your service to our country in the United States Army. We honor you for leaving all you hold dear to stand in harms way in a time of crisis, protecting us from the effects of war.

Next we know that freedom is not free. The cost of our freedom is the dedication of lives of men and women like you, and this quilt is meant to say thank you for your sacrifice.

And finally, this quilt is meant to offer comfort to you, and to remind you that although your family and friends cannot be with you at all times, you are forever in all our thoughts and hearts, Jones said.

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The 4-H members who helped make the quilt then surrounded Richbourg and wrapped him up with the quilt, much like a hug.

Jones said the Quilt of Valor is described as the civilian equivalent of a Purple Heart.

The quilt says thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor in serving our nation, she said.

I want to say thank you for that quilt, Richbourg said. I guarantee Ill sleep with it every night. I do have a Teddy bear I sleep with, but the quilt is gonna take its place. We all need comfort at times, we really do. Thank you to everybody that showed up. It was my pleasure and my honor to serve my country, and the people, and I will continue to do my part as an American. I appreciate it, thank you all.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, those in attendance enjoyed cookies, cupcakes and other treats provided by Ouida Mathis, Susie Wolf, Jessica Moore, Betty Pierce and Amy Jones.
LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK)  Longview ISD announced on Friday that 17-year-old Longview High School student Colleen Cleaver died earlier this month.

Pope Leo XIV helped remove Bishop Strickland from Diocese of Tyler in 2023

Photo of Colleen Cleaver, courtesy of Longview ISD

Cleaver was an 11th-grade student at Longview High School who died on May 3. Longview ISD is not currently sharing details out of respect for Cleavers family.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Colleen Cleaver, a student at Longview High School, Longview ISD said. On behalf of Longview ISD, I extend our heartfelt condolences to Colleens family, friends and the educators who supported her. During this difficult time, our thoughts are with all who knew and loved Colleen.

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The district extends its deepest condolences to the family and counseling services will be available to students and staff.

Tyler PD honors officer on 70th anniversary of line of duty death

Memorial arrangements will be shared once details become available.

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LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK)  The Longview Police Department praised several officers and medics on Thursday for the brave actions they displayed when an officer was shot on duty.

Officer Leininger receiving the Purple Heart Award, courtesy of Longview Police Department Officer Jones receiving the Lifesaving Award, courtesy of Longview Police Department Officer Clark receiving the Meritorious Conduct Award, courtesy of Longview Police Department Medic Lambert receiving a Certificate of Appreciation, courtesy of Longview Police Department

Longview man sentenced for 2022 Waffle House murder

Purple Heart

Officer R. Leininger

Leininger received the Purple Heart award for taking a gunshot wound to the leg while trying to arrest a suspect in a vehicle burglary incident.

Lifesaving Award

Officer L. Kientz and Officer J. Jones

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After Leininger was shot, Officer Kientz placed a tourniquet on his bleeding leg while Officer Jones secured the suspect. Jones noticed that Leininger needed a second tourniquet and assisted Kientz in applying the second tourniquet. Kientz and Jones immediate actions helped stabilize Leininger until medical assistance arrived.

Longview ISD mourns loss of 17-year-old student

Meritorious Conduct Award

Officer C. Clark

When Officer Clark arrived at the scene, he took charge of the severe situation by directing everyone involved. Clark also arranged additional police and fire department response, which allowed the unit to care for Leininger.

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Longview Fire Department medics Justin Royer and Camden Lambert also earned certificates of appreciation for treating Leininger in a composed manner.

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A federal judge granted an injunction on Friday (May 9) to musical group Los Alegres del Barranco, allowing them to sing narcocorridos in the Mexican state of Michoacan despite a state decree that prohibits the dissemination of music or expressions that promote the glorification of criminal activities in public spaces since last April.

The legal measure, identified as injunction case number 518/2025 and to which Billboard Espanol had access, was filed on April 28 by a representative of the Mexican band. With this ruling, Los Alegres del Barranco will be able to sing narcocorridos provisionally in the state without facing penalties, as the federal judge determined that the decree violates fundamental rights to freedom of speech and labor protected under the Mexican Constitution. The bands next show in Michoacan is scheduled for May 30 in the municipality of Tziritzicuaro.

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For now, the ruling only benefits Los Alegres del Barranco. The federal judge has scheduled a new hearing for May 15 to decide whether the temporary suspension granted to the group will be upheld or revoked.

The government of Michoacan enacted a state decree on April 17 that prohibits the performance and/or reproduction of music that promotes the glorification of criminal activities at public events. The regulation includes musical genres derived from regional Mexican music, such as corridos tumbados, narcocorridos, progressive corridos, war-themed corridos, and altered corridos, as well as any other subgenre that promotes illicit acts or glorifies criminal activity.

The Michoacan government announced that it would file an appeal against the judges decision to overturn the prohibition for the musical group, according to the newspaper Reforma.

Billboard Espanol attempted to contact the Secretariat of Government of Michoacan for comment but has yet to receive a response. Billboard Espanol is also awaiting responses from the Federal Judiciary Council and representatives of the musical group.

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Los Alegres del Barranco became the first act from the regional Mexican genre to be formally accused by the Jalisco State Prosecutors Office of alleged glorification of criminal activities. Authorities in that state, located in western Mexico, are investigating the group after images of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), were projected during their performance of the song El del Palenque on March 29 at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara.

This incident even led the U.S. to revoke work and tourist visas for the band members, as announced on April 1 by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in a statement on X. A federal judge will now decide whether or not to initiate legal proceedings against the members of the band, their legal representative, and the promoter of their concerts in a hearing scheduled for Monday (May 12).

The band, its representative, and the promoter are facing investigation from the Jalisco Prosecutors Office for four performances in different municipalities of that state in which they allegedly glorified criminal activities, according to information published on Friday (May 9) by the same office.

Ten out of Mexicos 32 states have implemented various bans against narcocorridos or any expression that promotes or glorifies criminal activities, though such bans have not yet become federal law.

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President Donald Trump and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry have discussed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow challenging U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy in next year's Republican primary, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

The Republican governor's promotion of a new challenger to Cassidy reflects unease within Trump's base about the two-term senator. Cassidy voted to convict Trump in Trump's 2021 impeachment trial over the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. And Cassidy, who is a medical doctor, expressed doubts about Trump's pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the nation's health secretary before voting to confirm Kennedy.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and have a favorable electoral map in the 2026 midterms to help them keep control. But Cassidy is among several GOP senators up for reelection next year who are facing challenging primaries over past moves to distance themselves from Trump.

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For the senator, "the biggest hurdle is going to be the impeachment vote. Thats what he has to overcome. And I dont think he has the mindset to say, I made a mistake, said Eddie Rispone, the Republican nominee for Louisiana governor in 2019 and a Cassidy supporter. And Louisiana is a big Trump state.

Landry, a close Trump ally, spoke last month with the president about Letlow as a potential Senate candidate, according to two people with knowledge of the conversation. They were granted anonymity to share contents of a conversation they were not authorized to discuss publicly.

A spokesperson for Letlow declined to comment on a potential campaign for Senate or the discussion between Landry and Trump. Landry's office declined to comment.

Landry, elected in 2023, has been advocating for Letlow to consider a run, according to the people who confirmed their April conversation about Letlow. A Senate seat would be a safe bet for a Republican given that Trump received 60% of the vote in carrying Louisiana last year.

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Republican insiders describe Landry and Cassidy not as close, but as having a cordial working relationship despite a difference in their feelings of loyalty to Trump, which creates some distance between Cassidy and segments of the party base in the state.

Senator Cassidy delivers conservative results for the people of Louisiana," Cassidy spokesperson Ashley Bosch said in a statement. "Hes worked hard to support the Presidents agenda and were confident voters will re-elect him next year.

Letlow is a three-term Republican representative from northeast Louisiana. She won the seat in a special election in March 2021 after her husband, Luke, had been elected but died of complications from COVID-19.

Letlow sits on the influential House Appropriations Committee. Her district was a mostly rural swath of northeast Louisiana when she arrived in Congress. It has shifted as a result of a redistricting map ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2024 and now also include parts of metropolitan Baton Rouge, where Cassidy lives.

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Cassidy already faces one major challenger, Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming, a former congressman.

Some Republican activists in the state condemned Cassidy for his 2021 vote to convict Trump, a vote Cassidy said afterward he was at peace casting.

The state Republican executive committee voted unanimously to censure Cassidy. The Republican committee in Bossier Parish, which includes the city of Shreveport in northwest Louisiana, adopted a censure measure describing Cassidy as an object of extreme shame and called for his resignation.

Trump revived his public contempt for Cassidy a year ago after the senator spoke out when the then-former president promised to pardon those convicted in connection with the Capitol riot; Trump did that after taking office in January.

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In an April 2024 post on Truth Social, Trump called Cassidy one of the worst Senators in the United States Senate and a disloyal lightweight.

Louisianas new congressional primary election system also could be a wrinkle for Cassidy.

Until the new system was adopted this year, congressional candidates from all parties seeking the same office ran on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation. In these so-called jungle primaries, only a candidate who received 50% of the vote would win the office outright. If no one reached the threshold, the top two finishers would face each other in a runoff.

Next year, only voters who note Republican affiliation on their voter registration  and those who affiliate with no party  will be able to participate in the GOP Senate primary. The effect is seen as a potential challenge for Cassidy, who had benefited from the less-partisan nature of the old system.

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It does tighten it a little bit for him, because you do have the far-right Republicans  for them, its going to be hard to forgive him for that impeachment vote, Rispone said.

Still, Cassidy has a clear fundraising advantage, with more than $7.4 million in his campaign account at the end of the first quarter. Cassidy has also begun laying the campaign groundwork in Louisiana and is expected to announce his candidacy formally in the coming weeks.

And in a sign things might not be as bad with Trump as they were, Cassidy received different sort of recognition from the president at an economic event at the White House this month.

We have some great people, great senators, here, Trump said. Bill Cassidy, thank you, Bill.
The ICT Newscast for Friday, May 9, 2025, features stories about a mascot issue that catches the ear of the Trump administration, cultural institutions and funding are canceled. Plus ready for some comedy? Joey Clift has a new movie!

A New York school district defies a state order to remove its Native-themed mascot and gains national political support.

A Dakota tribe uses hempcrete to build mold and fire resistant homes, calling hemp the new green buffalo.

A new short film blends powwow culture with gaming nostalgia, proving Native stories can be both funny and relatable.

A new Miss Indian World is crowned! The winner of this years pageant emphasizes cultural pride and community over titles.

Federal funding cuts to cultural institutions raise fears of erasure and prompt calls for Native-led solutions.

Check out the ICT Newscast on YouTube for this episode and more.

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View previous ICT broadcasts here every week for the latest news from around Indian Country.



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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said during a recent interview that President Trumps administration is looking to deescalate the ongoing tariff war but first will need to get the China trade dispute right.

So I think the president would like to work it out with China, as he said, hed like to deescalate it. But look, hes not going to live with a trillion-dollar deficit, Lutnick said Friday during his appearance on Fox News The Ingraham Angle.

Hes just not going to do it. So the idea is de-escalate, but lets get China trade right, and lets get trade deals with the rest of the world, he continued. Lets cut our trade deficit down. Lets grow our GDP.

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The commerce chief added, I think the President can grow our GDP 3 percent, I mean, I think this presidents got it right. Hes got it dead right, and hes doing everything hes supposed to be doing.

Lutnicks remarks came just ahead of scheduled trade talks between the U.S. and China in Switzerland. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will lead the U.S. delegation for talks in Geneva opposite Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.

It will be the first in-person interaction between the two sides since Trump last month imposed a 125 percent tariff, paired with an existing 20 percent, on goods coming from China. In response, Beijing hit Washington with a 125 percent duty on imports from the U.S.

Trump indicated earlier Friday that he is willing to lessen the tariff pressure on China, suggesting he could lower import taxes down to 80 percent. But, he said, its up to Scott B.

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The president late last month put a 90-day pause on most reciprocal tariffs introduced during his Liberation Day announcement, but Beijing was notably left out. A 10 percent baseline tariff is still in play on nearly all trading partners.

Lutnick on Friday said there is no chance import taxes would be completed paused between the U.S. and China, even after the talks in Switzerland.

They come down to a human level, right to a level where we do business. There are significant tariffs. The President is going to keep significant tariffs on trade with China, he told host Laura Ingraham. That is his objective. Thats his expectation that should be everybodys expectation.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, alongside Bessent, will also participate in the trade discussions.

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The weekend talks come after the U.S. struck its first trade deal earlier this week. Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the agreement on Thursday, which includes billions of dollars of increased market access for U.S. exports, particularly in agriculture.

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LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR)  A young student of Bedford Hills Elementary has received recognition for going above and beyond as a Safety Patrol Captain.

This patrollers dedication to her studies and school, her classmates, and her community makes her a shining example of leadership and character. We cant think of a better representative of the AAA School Safety Patrol, said AAA Mid-Atlantic representative Adam Reece, who presented McAngus with the award at a school assembly.

Eleanor McAngus is a student at Bedford Hills Elementary School and has been awarded the prestigious 2024-25 Outstanding AAA School Safety Patrol Award for her outstanding commitment to keeping her fellow students safe and modeling good citizenship as a leader in her school community.

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(Photo Credit: Lynchburg City Schools)

Lynchburg City School officials said McAngus has gone above and beyond in her duties, showing initiative to train and mentor, displays responsibility and respect, and is always ready to learn. This past fall, she designed a certificate to award younger students who embody the Husky Way and read the AAA training handbook to fellow patrollers.

Roanoke County educator named as 2026 Virginia Teacher of the Year

From the moment I met Eleanor, she stood out to me. She loves to learn and thrives as a leader and captain of our Bedford Hills Safety Patrol. She finds joy in lifting others up and works hard to make sure shes leading by example, said Bedford Hills teacher Heather Burkhardt. As the mentor teacher for the safety patrol program, Ive been honored to collaborate with Eleanor throughout the year, and I look forward to seeing her impact continue to grow in the future.

(Photo Credit: Lynchburg City Schools)

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McAngus also launched Change for Change, which is a school fundraiser that hopes to combat homelessness in her community. Along with her fellow students, Eleanor raised almost $400 for the local Lynchburg non-profit, Miriams House.

Eleanors leadership style is transformational, inspiring, and motivating others through her unwavering dedication to the AAA guidelines. As a strong communicator, she leads by example, demonstrating confidence while collaborating with staff, said LCS School Security Officer Jim Scott. Eleanor empowers her staff to carry out their mission, fostering trust and reliability within the team.

(Photo Credit: Lynchburg City Schools)

The AAA School Safety Patrol program promotes safe school environments and provides leadership opportunities for millions of children. Since 1920, AAA has provided equipment and educational materials to patrol officers, including reflective belts, patrol badges, and training resources. Eleanor joins the ranks of more than 679,000 students making a positive difference in school communities nationwide through the AAA Safety Patrol program.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Oregon Government Ethics Commission is raising the penalty against former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan after finding she violated state ethics laws while in office.

Ban on high capacity magazines upheld in Washington

Fagan resigned in 2023 following revelations about her consulting work for the cannabis company La Mota while in office.

You know, for most of 2023, I imagined the chance to sit here and defend myself, Fagan said. And now Im sitting here, and I know that my actions were indefensible, embarrassing mistakes, bad judgment. And Im sorry. Whatever you decide to impose on me today, I will accept.

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On Friday, the commission voted to increase her fine to $3,600. They said they want this to send a clear message: ethics wont be taken lightly. Earlier this week, Fagan had initially agreed a $1600 fine.

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French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on Saturday 10 May for a meeting of the coalition of the willing.

Source: Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster; European Pravda

Details: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Andrii Yermak, Head of the President Office of Ukraine, met the European leaders on the morning of 10 May.

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Background:

On 9 May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a meeting of the coalition of the willing would take place on 10 May, although it was not entirely clear from his message what format the meeting would take.

Macron later confirmed that he would attend the meeting.

On 10 May, Kyiv announced traffic restrictions due to the presence of foreign delegations and "the holding of ceremonial and commemorative events".

The coalition of the willing, led by France and the UK, is working on a plan to deploy a mission to Ukraine to guarantee a future ceasefire.

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French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv on May 10 to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived separately in the capital to join the group.

The visit marks Merzs first trip to Ukraine, and the first time all four leaders have travelled there together.

"We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," a joint statement released by the U.K. ahead of the trip reads.

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We reiterate our backing for (U.S.) President Trumps calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace."

Macron confirmed that a meeting of the "coalition of the willing"  a group of countries that have pledged peacekeeping troops and other security guarantees for Ukraine in a potential ceasefire  would take place during the Kyiv visit, with some countries participating virtually, the Guardian reported on May 9.

The visit comes one day after Trump demanded a "30-day unconditional ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine. Reuters reported on May 9 that the U.S. and European allies are currently finalizing their proposal for a full 30-day truce.

Since March, Kyiv has said it is ready to implement a full ceasefire if Moscow agrees to the same terms. Russia has repeatedly rejected the proposal, demanding sweeping concessions from Ukraine, including an end to all foreign military assistance.

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Upon arrival, four European leaders joined President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska at the Memorial for the Fallen at Kyiv's Independence Square, honoring not only the Ukrainian but also foreign soldiers who lost their lives defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.



"We honored the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom, for Ukraine's independence," Zelensky wrote on Telegram with a video of their visit.

"Eternal glory and gratitude to the heroes  those who are no longer with us, but who remain with us forever. Eternal remembrance to those who gave their lives defending Ukraine."

Read also: Why Ukraine remains dependent on US Patriot missiles

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged "robust" security guarantees for war-torn Ukraine as part of efforts to secure a peace deal amid ongoing Russian aggression.

Speaking in Kiev alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron reaffirmed France's commitment to providing both financial and military aid to Ukraine.

The support, he said, would help lay the groundwork for a "robust and lasting peace."

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"Above all, we will continue to work to ensure that Ukraine has robust security guarantees, with a viable army structure" and "equipment that enables it to deter further attacks," Macron said.

"We will continue to work on the peacekeeping forces," he said.

Alongside Macron and Zelensky, the talks in Kiev included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

After the leaders met, Ukraine and its allies proposed a 30-day ceasefire beginning on Monday - if Russia agrees.

France and Britain are leading a 30-nation group called the "coalition of the willing," which has been meeting to prepare for potential post-ceasefire security support for Ukraine.

(L-R) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk speak during a press conference in the garden of St. Mary's Palace in Kyiv as part of the coalition of the willing's push for a 30-day ceasefire. Kay Nietfeld/dpa

(L-R) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk walk through the garden of St. Mary's Palace after a press conference during the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kiev. European leaders are in the Ukrainian capital to push for a 30-day ceasefire. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that Paris is ready to help initiate direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, but only if a 30-day truce is reached.

Source: Macron in an interview with TF1/LCI, a French television network and news channel, during a visit to Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Macron expressed confidence that the allies would be able to reach talks between Kyiv and Moscow.

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He said the goal is to demonstrate unity between Ukraine, the United States and Europe to end the full-scale war.

"If we all stand firm that this 30-day ceasefire is what you've been telling the world for months, we'll do it; we'll start direct talks between Ukraine and Russia; we're ready to help," he stressed.

Meanwhile, the French president added that additional "much tougher" sanctions will be imposed if the ceasefire is not respected.

Background:

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Residents from Benton County and beyond descended upon county headquarters this week to speak out against the proposed expansion of Coffin Butte Landfill just north of Corvallis.

A flock of people rallied outside in advance of the May 6 hearing, protesting the expansion and gathering energy before public testimony began at the third session of the Benton County Planning Commissions public hearing to consider the proposal. Though it was the third session, it was the communitys first opportunity to speak.

Rally participants held signs with Stop the Landfill Expansion typed in big letters, as well as other homemade signs, including one with the words The Peoples Hearing painted across it in big white lettering.

More than 70 people signed up to testify at the public hearing. Three spoke in support of the expansion, which would expand existing operations to a 59-acre tax lot south of Coffin Butte Road, along with other additions, to extend the landfill's life.

Proponents pointed out that when Coffin Butte closes  an expansion adds six years of life, and it currently has 10 to 11  the waste will simply have to be carted elsewhere, which is not a solution.

The planet does not care if the landfill is in Benton County, Polk County, Marion County or Timbuktu, said Jason Clifford, a Corvallis resident and electrical engineer.

These individuals referred to the idea of just moving trash somewhere else as a kind of NIMBY-ism  NIMBY stands for Not In My Backyard  and said that hauling trash long distances in trucks was not eco-friendly, either.

One proponent said he views the landfill as an asset, pointing out that Benton County will lose income when the landfill closes.

When it came time for the deluge of opponents of the expansion to speak, many focused their testimony on concerns about odor and potential health impacts from PFAs, a group of forever chemicals found in landfills runoff and emissions.

Mason Leavitt, who testified on behalf of environmental justice nonprofit Beyond Toxics, said that Republic Services odor study, which found that odor from the expansion would not seriously interfere with the character of the area, was neither comprehensive nor objective, failing to incorporate any real-time air-monitoring technology despite its availability.

The applicants model is serving a purpose to cast doubt on hundreds of peoples lived experiences, he said. The applicant has offered no explanation for the discrepancy between the results of their odor study results and the experience of residents.

Some Benton County residents who live near the landfill described dump days, or days when the odor is so strong they cannot leave their homes.

Ive heard acrid, chemical, vomit, feces, bad fart, rotten cabbage, sulfur, ammonia, nail polish remover, amongst other descriptors, Faye Yoshihara, a Corvallis resident, said.

Bruce Cowger, who has lived five miles southwest of the landfill since 1985, said the odor only began in the 2000s and has increased over the last 20 years. Any expansion, he said, will further worsen the odor, as well as health risks of toxins and PFAs from the landfill.

Granting Republics request for the expansion errs on the side of their bottom line, he said. Please err on the side of our health.

Shelley Su, a former EPA employee and longtime cancer researcher, said that Coffin Butte Landfill is a super emitter of methane  in her days at the EPA, words used to describe only the worst of the worst heavy industrial polluters.

Hydrogen sulfide gas, which emits from the landfill, is linked to lung cancer, and leachate chemicals are endocrine disruptors and carcinogens, she continued.

The landfills nearing the end of its lifetime, she said. Granting Republic Services an extension, it just provides a temporary band-aid on the myriad of environmental problems we already have out there that have not been addressed.

In addition to these themes, concerns expressed in oral testimony ran the gamut from fire danger to wildlife disturbances to Republic Services history and practices at the landfill. Emotions also ran the gamut, from frustration to exasperation and even to tears.

The testimony took two evenings to complete, as by the end of the hearing on May 6, planning commissioners had worked through just over half of the signups for testimony. They opted to offer an additional session on May 8, rather than continue on into the wee hours of the night.

At the end of oral testimony on May 8, Republic Services legal counsel Jeff Condit and vice president for the Northwest area Brian Rupe said that it would be frankly impossible to verbally rebut all that had been said in oral testimony, and that most of their response would be deferred to written rebuttal.

Rupe requested a 14-day extension of the public hearing to grant time for a response, and planning commissioners unanimously extended the public hearing until 6 p.m. June 17.

During the continued public hearing, the countys planning staff, which have recommended denial of the application, will present a supplemental staff report. Oral and written testimony will be limited to only new evidence. And Republic Services will be allowed at least seven days after the record is closed to all other parties to submit final written arguments in support of the application.

Though scope for these parties will be limited to new evidence, the planning commission will be allowed to ask comprehensive questions, including questions about the publics testimony from May 6 and May 8.

Related stories:

Recap: First week of Coffin Butte Landfill hearing concludes, here's what was said County staff and Republic Services had their say, and the Planning Commission had these questions for them. Next up: the public.

Residents deluge Benton County with opinions about Coffin Butte Landfill Read what these residents had to say in written testimony. Oral testimony will begin next week. Pro or con, there's still time to weigh in.

As I See It: The not-so-free revenues from Coffin Butte Here's the math when you compare the landfill's costs with its revenues, which in many ways, ends up being costs.
French President Emmanuel Macron issued a warning to Russia during his visit to Kiev on Saturday, threatening consequences if Moscow refuses to agree to a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.

"A just and lasting peace begins with a full and unconditional ceasefire," Macron wrote on X. "If Moscow continues to obstruct, we will step up the pressure  together, as Europeans and in close coordination with the United States."

Macron noted Ukraine had already accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposal put forward by Washington on March 11. "Russia, however, delays, sets preconditions, plays for time, and continues its war of invasion," the president wrote.

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The leaders of Ukraines four key European allies were jointly pressing for a 30-day ceasefire during a coordinated visit to Kiev on Saturday.

Newly appointed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital by train alongside Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The trio then met up with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
MAGA leaders finished out the week in meltdown modeyet again. The latest outrage? That an elected official would attempt to visit a government facility.

It all went down on Friday afternoon when Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark and Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, was arrested outside an ICE facility alongside three members of Congress.

While the congresspeopleNew Jersey Democratic Reps. Rob Menendez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIverwere inside the Delaney Hall detention facility waiting to be given a tour, Baraka waited outside in a fenced-in parking lot as protestors gathered on the other side of the fence. He was told to leave the fenced-in part of the parking lot and, despite complying with the request, was then detained by ICE agents.

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Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey and Trump advisor Alina Habba said on X of the arrest, The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  New Jersey mayor is arrested at ICE detention center where he was protesting its opening, acting US attorney says.



pic.twitter.com/T0b62D75p7  philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 9, 2025

In her own statement, Rep. Watson Coleman explained that she and her fellow members of Congress were exercising their legal oversight function as they have previously done at the Elizabeth Detention Center without incident, she noted.

Watson Coleman continued, Reopening Delaney Hall wont make us safer and it wont create an immigration system that is fair and secure for all families.

Her statement was a response to posts made by Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security, who called the protest a bizarre political stunt and described the politicians as having stormed the gate of the center.

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McLaughlin added, Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility. In a later tweet, she described the members of Congress as being part of a mob that assaulted ICE agents.

Appearing on Fox News, McLaughlin said that the people detained at Delaney Hall were the worst of the worst and included members of the MS-13 gang. She described the claim that the group were exercising their legal oversight rights as laughable.

Other official government X accounts were quick to try and get ahead of the story, with the Department of Homeland Security and Rapid Response 47 accounts tweeting about the detainees, with the Rapid Response account tweeting, Meet the criminal illegal immigrants Democrats tried to release back onto the streets today when they showed up at an ICE detention facility in Newark.

In another tweet, Rapid Response 47 posted a video from the protest with the caption, Democrats are screaming at ICE agents simply because theyre working to get vicious criminal illegal immigrants off our streets.

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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller shared the Department of Homeland Securitys thread and added, Today, Democrat officials riotously stormed and invaded an ICE facility to secure the release of the following criminals and terrorists here illegally.

MAGA supporters were similarly quick to categorize the protest as criminal, with one Daily Signal reporter tweeting, Peacefully entering is a funny way to spell trespassing on federal property and interfering with detention. Libs of TikToks Chaya Raichik, described as an extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Center, called for the mayor and all of the congresspeople involved in the protest to be arrested, repeating the Trump administrations line that no one is above the law.

MAGA YouTuber Benny Johnson echoed these sentiments, tweeting about Rep. McIver, She broke into a New Jersey ICE facility and assaulted multiple law enforcement officersviolating federal law under 18 U.S. Code  111. Expel her from Congress. Lock her up. A pro-MAGA account with over 1 million followers said that the action was clearly criminal trespassing and that Rep. McIver should be prosecuted and thrown in prison.

JUST IN:@RepLaMonica says @rasjbaraka complied with instructions to leave the restrict area (seen above) and was still arrested.

Here is the whole statement from her. pic.twitter.com/T8KeVfyeH9  Henry Rosoff (@HenryRosoff) May 9, 2025

Speaking to the press at the site, McIver said that Mayor Baraka was arrested despite complying with instructions to leave the area. She also said that she and her fellow Democrats were roughed up after being made to wait for two hours, adding, If they can treat members of Congress like that, imagine how they treat people on the streets.

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In a statement shared to social media, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said that he was outraged by Barakas arrest and called for his immediate release. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) described the scenes outside Delaney Hall as an absolute outrage and also called for Barakas immediate release.

New Jersey Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim both released statements on Barakas arrest, with Booker also calling for Barakas release and describing his arrest as, disturbing, unnecessary, and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities. In Kims statement, he revealed that he had contacted ICE, who confirmed Baraka was arrested for trespassing, and that he has also contacted DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

According to POLITICO, Baraka was being held at an ICE field office in Newark as New Jersey Democrats worked to secure his release. Speaking to the publication, Watson Coleman said that ICE was out of control, saying of the incident, This most assuredly is the most discomforting, concerning visit we have had. And what we experienced was the weaponization of the abuse of power that this administration has given ICE to do.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Rep. Seth Magaziner provided an update on his push for a bill that would prevent members of Congress from trading stocks.

Magaziner told 12 News Friday he recently started meeting with other lawmakers who have proposed similar legislation to negotiate a single, consensus bill they can all get behind and work on passing.

BACKGROUND: Magaziner, Roy push to ban congressional stock trading

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He said opponents of the ban argue that the existence of multiple versions of the bill mean its an idea thats not ready for primetime. Magaziner also believes the ban is gaining momentum after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and President Donald Trump came out in favor of it.

The issue started getting a lot of favorable media attention again, he explained. I think all of us recognized that some momentum was building and that we needed to capitalize on it.

Alongside Magaziners bill, his office shared four other similar pieces of legislation that were introduced this session: No Corruption in Government Act, Stop Politicians Profiting from War Act of 2025, End Congressional Stock Trading Act and Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act.

The group of lawmakers Magaziner is meeting with are Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who he cosponsored one of the bills with, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY).

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Among the differences being hashed out are enforcement and what would happen if someone owned stocks before getting elected. As for enforcement, Magaziner said he favors a monetary fine as opposed to jail time for members who dont abide by the ban.

Magaziner anticipates his chambers new bill being introduced and publicized in a matter of weeks, not months.

Despite being the lead sponsor of his bill for a ban, Magaziner expects a Republican will now take that responsibility for this new legislation since the Republicans currently have a majority in the House.

Thats just part of life in the minority and thems the brakes, Magaziner explained. But I care more about getting things done than I do about having my name be the top name on the bill.

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Over in the Senate, a ban was previously introduced by U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), among others.

NEXT: Crisis in the classroom: Lawmakers push for more mental health resources in schools

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Comedian Bill Maher poked fun at President Trumps use of dolls to illustrate the need for families to avoid overconsumption as the administration navigates an uneven economic climate fueled by his trade war.

Hes obsessed with how many dolls we get to have, Maher said Friday on an episode of his Real Time show, adding later, What is it with the dolls?

Three times, three times in the last week now, three times he has defended his tariffs talking about dolls, he told the panel, according to a clip shared by Mediaite.

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Questions around the impact of the Trump administrations latest tariff rollout on U.S. consumers has prompted the White House to switch up its messaging. The president and his allies have argued that families must be prepared to sacrifice during what hes floated as a transition period.

As retailers have expressed concerns about how the sweeping import taxes will affect the prices of their products and any impact on the supply chain, Trump suggested children would be OK with fewer toys  a sentiment Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller later defended.

You know, someone said, Oh, the shelves, theyre going to be open. Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally, the president said last week.

Maher leaned into the rhetoric, noting that the president changed up the number of dolls in recent days.

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First off, maybe children will have to have two dolls and then a couple of days later he said Theyre gonna have three or four dolls, he said. And then he bumped it up the next day, five dolls.

Yes, thats our deal-maker-in-chief, the comedian quipped. Losing an imaginary negotiation with children.

The TV host isnt the only one to question the administrations strategy. Senate Republicans have also pressed the president to tone down the doll talk.

Some have even suggested the comments are counterproductive and could risk Trump coming off as insensitive at a time when consumer confidence is seemingly already at a five-year low.

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Everything that we need to do needs to be instructed by people who experienced scarcity, and thats clearly the words of somebody thats never experienced scarcity, one Senate Republican told The Hill earlier this week.

Its not really sensitive to the circumstances of people that are struggling every day, they added.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  Two major charitable organizations in Morgantown have merged in order to better aid people facing food insecurity in Monongalia County.

According to a release, St. Ursula Pantry & Outreach Center and Catholic Charities West Virginia, the new merger will allow the pair to utilize one anothers resources. St. Ursula, for instance, will have access to Catholic Charities regional food distribution network.

To add to that, Catholic Charities already had a food pantry at Hazels House of Hope, but it was difficult for people to access and has since been closed. To help with this, the St. Ursula site will be more suited for the community, especially as need grows.

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WVU Political Science Professor weighs in on Trumps tariffs on China

President and CEO of Catholic Charities West Virginia, Mark Philips, told 12 News that this merger comes at a time of increased need in West Virginia, as many pandemic relief funds have ended. Weve seen many food pantries across the state seeing 50 or 100 percent more people than they were just a couple of years ago, Phillips said.

According to Phillips, Catholic Charities started communicating with Sister Rachel of St. Ursula about working together three years ago.

You know, the harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. And so we always need volunteers and partners in collaboration to make things work. So when you find a partner like Saint Ursula and like sister Rachel, its natural that you want to work together. Put your minds together, put your budget together, and you can really help to serve more people in the area, he said.

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An 89-year-old man and his dog have died in a black bear attack in southwest Florida, marking the first confirmed fatal attack in the state's history

Jerome, Fla., resident Robert Markel was found dead 100 yards away from his home, and DNA was found on his body from a 263-pound male black bear

Officials have only documented 42 incidents where wild black bears have made physical contact with people in Florida since the 1970s







An 89-year-old man and his dog have died in a black bear attack in southwest Florida  the first of its kind confirmed fatal attack in the state's history.

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According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), authorities were called to the home of 89-year-old Robert Markel in Jerome, Fla.  a rural unincorporated community located about 40 miles southeast of Naples  soon after 7 a.m. on Monday, May 5, where they discovered his body about 100 yards outside of his home.

The FWC said in a press release that Markel's family members reported him missing and said that there were signs of recent disturbances that could have been caused by a bear around the property.

Getty Big Cypress National Preserve, located near Markel's home. Big Cypress National Preserve, located near Markel's home.

FWC investigators said that they found evidence of "a physical encounter between a bear and a person near the residence, a dog recently killed by a bear in close proximity to a person and signs that a bear had entered the residence itself."

In its statement, the FWC confirmed that this was the first fatal black bear attack in Florida's history, although humans have previously been scratched and bitten by bears in the state.

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The organization added that circumstances surrounding the attack met requirements for three bears living in the nearby South Bear Management Unit to be euthanized and for their DNA to be collected, including three adult male bears weighing 207, 263 and 434 pounds. FWC staff also attempted to trap a fourth bear but were unsuccessful.

Related: Demonic Sea Lions Have Been Attacking People in California. Heres Why, According to Scientists

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"The three carcasses were immediately transported to laboratories in Gainesville for necropsy and testing, along with DNA samples collected from physical evidence at the scene," officials said.

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According to the FWC, the exact sequence of events is still unclear, but DNA samples from the testing revealed on Friday that the 263-pound male's body contained Markel's partial remains.

DNA results also showed that the 263-pound male's DNA was present on Markel, inside his house and on his dog's body, per the FWC, and all three bears tested negative for rabies.



Getty A male American black bear. A male American black bear.

Related: Alligator Grabs Woman Out of Canoe in Front of Her Husband, Then Her Body Is Spotted Floating in Lake

Law enforcement and bear management staff have been observing the property for more bears since Monday, and only briefly saw one additional bear on Thursday night, which quickly left the area.

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"We want to thank the family for their cooperation as they navigate this challenging time, and our thoughts remain with them," FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement. "I am proud of our staff's professional response and support for the family as they faced an unfathomable event this week."

According to the FWC, no other species of bear is found in Florida, and there are estimated to be around 4,050 across the state. The South Bear Management Unit, where Jerome is located, contains the third largest population of bears in the state, estimated at 1,044 in 2015, the organization added.

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The press release states that the FWC has only documented 42 incidents where wild black bears have made physical contact with people since the 1970s. Only three of those incidents resulted in serious injuries requiring medical attention, excluding the fatal attack this week.

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According to the organization's website, anyone living near bears should never feed the animals, keep garbage, food and livestock secure, and be aware of their surrounding while walking dogs.

"Please contact the FWCs Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) if you feel threatened by a bear; observe a sick, injured, dead, or orphaned bear; or to report someone who is either harming bears or intentionally feeding them," the press release said.

The FWC added that the investigation into the fatal attack is still ongoing and will remain open until testing is complete.

Read the original article on People
MILLERSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Between internal investigations, accusations of wrongdoing, and untimely firings, the Millersville Police Department has been in the news multiple times in recent years for reasons that dont involve policing.

On Monday, May 5, the city swore in a brand new police chief, Stephen Hale, who most recently worked as an investigator with the Nolensville Police Department.

Just a few days after Hale assumed the role, his officers arrested a man suspected in numerous felonies from Knoxville to Middle Tennessee.

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JANUARY 2024 | Our town is extremely broken: Millersville City Commission fires new chief after nationwide search, only 35 days on the job

More than three months of diligent police work paid off on Thursday, May 8 as Millersville authorities found their main suspect, Luis Negrete Jr.

The 20-year-old was at a local campground when officers had to chase him, running through the main office, out a back door, and then into an open field. Negrete surrendered at gunpoint without further incident.

Man, I hate running from yallmade me lose my breath, Negrete told law enforcement on the way to the squad car.

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SEPTEMBER 2024 | Millersville Police Department locked down for evidence gathering, officials say

Thursdays arrest was the result of months of investigation into a string of car burglaries, auto theft, and stolen weapon possession in the Millersville area.

They were able to read him Miranda [rights], and under Miranda, they were able to get a confession of numerous burglaries that had been occurring here in Millersville, Hale said.

For the past few years, the Millersville Police Department has been dealing with turmoil amidst firings, resignations, and investigations by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

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FEBRUARY 2025 | Millersville police chief announces resignation after conflict with commissioners

Hale said the community can expect more operations like the one from Thursday moving forward.

I just think it speaks to the officers here. The officers here are great  so much potential here, the new chief explained. Again, so excited for the future, so excited to get to work, and especially for our community. Our residents here deserve a good police department, something to be proud of.

Millersville authorities told News 2 that not only has the suspect confessed to the crimes, but other law enforcement agencies are now inquiring about Negrete in relation to crimes in their jurisdictions.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Taking an individual that dangerous off the street actually gives the community a sense of relief, Hale added.

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According to records from the Robertson County Detention Facility, Negrete is being held on a $57,500 bond for vehicle burglary, vehicle theft, and theft of property worth over $10,000.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The Marshall County Sheriffs Office said a man was arrested Friday after barricading himself in a camper after deputies attempted to serve a warrant.

MCSO said around 2:30 p.m. Friday, deputies and drug task force agents attempted to serve a felony arrest warrant for a parole violation for a murder conviction out of Tennessee in the 800 block of Greenbriar Cove Road in Union Grove. Authorities identified the man wanted as Todd Eugene Dalton of Tennessee.

The sheriffs office said that as deputies approached a camper on the property, Dalton shot at them. MCSO said deputies then retreated to cover and called for the county SWAT team.

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Authorities said negotiators were able to secure the release of a woman from the camper and eventually get Dalton to surrender. MCSO said Dalton was transported to the Marshall County Jail and will be held on a felony warrant pending any charges in Marshall County.

Sheriff Phill Sims praised his deputies for their conduct during the incident.

Im very proud of how our deputies and officers reacted today, he said. The incident ended with the suspect surrendering and no one was injured. I appreciate the response of the countywide SWAT team. Our negotiators did an outstanding job talking with the suspect, ending in his surrender to officers. We will be working with the district attorneys office on any additional charges. Thank you all the agencies who responded today.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
PORTSMOUTH  The alleged shooter of a Wednesday night killing around the Cradock neighborhood has been identified but is at large and armed and dangerous, police said Friday.

At around 8:21 p.m., police were dispatched to an address off Connor Place, near its intersection with the George Washington Highway, and found a man with a life-threatening gunshot wound. The man, 32-year-old Nikale Kwame Gordon Sr., was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his wounds, a statement from the Portsmouth Police Department said.

Police now seek the publics help in locating the suspected shooter, 28-year-old Hasaun Nyquan Williams, who officers said was armed and dangerous and fled the scene in a vehicle. Williams has been charged with second-degree murder.

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No additional details were immediately available.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Portsmouth Police Investigations Bureau at 7573938536. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact the Crime Line at 1888-LOCK-U-UP. Callers can also submit an anonymous tip through the Crime Lines P3 Tips app or visit their website at www.portscrimeline.com.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Metro Nashville Police Department is investigating a claim of self-defense after a deadly shooting Saturday morning in South Nashville.

The incident was reported at 1:50 a.m. on Saturday, May 10 outside of an apartment in the 200 block of Tampa Drive.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

According to authorities, an investigation found that the 48-year-old man victim  later identified as Jamal Judkins  arrived at an apartment and repeatedly knocked on the door asking to speak with a woman he knew.

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A 60-year-old man who reportedly lives at the apartment with his girlfriend answered the door and asked the victim to leave. The 60-year-old told authorities that the other man continued knocking, and during the third interaction, Judkins and the woman started fighting.

According to police, the womans boyfriend said he saw the other man reach for an item in his waistband, at which point the 60-year-old shot the victim once.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

The man called emergency services, but Judkins  who had a BB pistol in his possession  was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials are working to notify his next of kin.

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At this time, no charges have been filed against the 60-year-old. When the investigation has concluded, it will be sent to the District Attorneys Office.

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 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.






An man died after collapsing in the ocean while trying to rescue his dog on Thursday, May 8

According to authorities, two women pulled him from the water and called 911

Emergency responders transferred him to a local hospital in critical condition, but the man later died from his injuries







A man died earlier this week after attempting to save his dog from the ocean, according to officials.

On, Thursday, May 8, the San Francisco Fire Department received calls about a man who jumped into the water fully-clothed in order to rescue his dog from the waters of Ocean Beach, one of California's deadliest beaches. As the man was in the water, he collapsed "for an unknown reason."

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"Two adult females entered the surf line and affected a successful rescue of this male and called 911 while providing life-saving measures," officials added.

Local Ocean Rescue workers appeared moments later and began CPR before the San Francisco Fire Department and Fire Paramedics arrived and began administering advanced life support measures.

The man, who has not been publicly identified yet, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, but later died from his injuries. The dog he was trying to save exited the water on its own and is uninjured.

The man was middle-aged, according to Sukai Curtis-Contreras, a paramedic and public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department. She added that the 911 call came in shortly after 2 p.m. local time.

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An official cause of death will be determined by the San Francisco Medical Examiner.

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.

This is an unfortunate reminder not to enter the water for humans or pets but rather, to call 911, authorities warned.

There have been eight deaths at the beach between 2014 and 2020, according to National Weather Service data.

The San Francisco Fire Department did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment about the incident.

Read the original article on People
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A local man has pleaded guilty in federal court after intending to distribute bulk amounts of meth.

The US. Court Southern District of Ohio announced 24-year-old Antel Braden has pled guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute bulk amounts of methamphetamine.

Man pleads guilty to selling counterfeit items at local mall kiosk

Court records show in August 2024, Braden was the intended recipient of a postal package containing more than 3 kilograms of methamphetamine.

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Law enforcement intercepted the package and replaced the drugs with sham narcotics before delivering the drugs to Braden. Upon receiving the sham drugs, Braden began driving to another location to pick up his brother and alleged co-conspirator.

Police attempted to perform a traffic stop on Bradens vehicle on E. Dorothy Lane, but he tried to flee, causing a crash at Stroop Road that left both vehicles significantly damaged.

The brothers threw the sham narcotics out the window and attempted to flee the scene on foot. Both were arrested by law enforcement soon after.

Following his guilty plea, Braden faces 20 years in prison.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A man fell off the border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico and was injured early Saturday morning, May 10, Sunland Park Fire said.

Sunland Park Fire said they were called out just before 4 a.m. Saturday to a call about a man falling off the border wall at the end of Anapra Road.

The man, only identified as being in his 30s, fell about 20 feet off the wall, Sunland Park Fire said.

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The man suffered serious lower extremity injuries that are not considered to be life-threatening.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A 52 year-old man was found dead inside a kangaroo and wallaby enclosure with multiple blunt force injuries, at a South Carolina farm just outside of Loris, police said.

The deceased, Eric State, was discovered in the facility, located on Highway 746, just before midnight, Horry County authorities said. An autopsy is planned as officers continue to investigate.

REVIEW: Clown in a Cornfield is campy, bloody fun

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Officials didnt immediately provide a location. An earlier report by police said the man entered an enclosure with the non-domesticated animals.

Close-up of a kangaroo feet and claws at Casuarina Beach, Cape Hillsborough National Park, Australia  stock photo (Credit: Joao Inacio/Getty Images)

Horry County council member Dennis DiSabato told News13 Saturday a kangaroo was directly involved in States death.

Are kangaroos and wallabies dangerous?

While kangaroo and wallaby attacks arent all that common, they can still happen.

Back in 2022, a 77 year-old man was killed in Western Australia after reportedly being attacked by his pet kangaroo. At that time, University of Melbourne reported it was believed to be the first deadly kangaroo attack since 1936 in the country.

The university explains that kangaroos are very strong, with powerful arms and massive feet  not to mention long and sharp nails. While the iconic Australian animals are typically docile and prefer to be away from humans, they can attack if provoked and threatened.

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Where was Texas Roadhouse founded? The answer may surprise you

Additionally, the Queensland Government says that kangaroos and wallabies that get used to being fed by humans can become aggressive when people approach without food.

All-in-all, University of Melbourne says fewer than five people per year in New South Wales seek medical attention for kangaroo-related injuries.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  A man is in the hospital with non-life threatening injuries following a shooting Friday in Virginia Beach.

The shooting happened around 10:52 p.m. in the 1300 block of Pine Cone Circle. When officers arrived, they found a man with a singular gunshot wound.

No suspects have been arrested in the incident is still under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
A man who was kidnapped from his residence in West Los Angeles during a reported home invasion was rescued after the suspects let him out at a gas station in Montrose, according to police.

Los Angeles Police Department Officer Eisenman confirmed to KTLA that units were dispatched to the 9800 block of Vicar Street in the Cheviot Hills neighborhood around 3:25 a.m. Saturday to investigate a home invasion.

Officer Eisenman could not confirm whether any valuables were taken but did say that a man was kidnapped from the home by four Hispanic male suspects who may have been armed.

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Man, 46, sought by authorities and family after not being seen for over a week

A crime broadcast was put out regarding the kidnapping; however, the victim was dropped off at a gas station located in the 2100 block of Verdugo Boulevard in Montrose, over 22 miles away from Cheviot Hills.

The unidentified victim sought assistance from the gas station clerk and was able to call 911. He was not injured in the incident.

The suspects are still outstanding, and detectives are actively investigating the case and searching for surveillance video.

No further details were released.

Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
CUSHING, Okla. (KFOR)  A suspect was shot and killed by law enforcement overnight Friday after he pulled out a gun and fired at officers.

This happened at around 1:30 a.m. Friday, when Cushing police tried to pull over the suspect, Curtis Russell.

The officer spotted a gun in the car, and Russell took off, leading officers on a chase.

There was some fear about you know going to jail, said Kevin Garrett, Lincoln County Sheriff. We had a deputy that went to that address to try and find that vehicle that Cushing was in pursuit with.

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RELATED: Police investigating pursuit, officer-involved shooting in Cushing

When a Lincoln County Deputy arrived at the home, Russell came out and told him he needed to get off his property, then began shooting.

The subject was shooting at the deputy, said Garrett.

The deputy backed up out of the driveway and waited for backup.

Several agencies, including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, came to help.

The trooper that responded was out for another call, diverted, said Joe Williams, Chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Shortly after he arrived on scene, he obviously was fired at.

The trooper was able to get a sight of the suspect and shot back, killing Russell.

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He had to defend himself, and he had to shoot that guy, said Williams.

The sheriffs office said they found several weapons on Russells body.

He had a weapon on his side, a semi-automatic pistol, it looked like it was a Beretta, and he had a lever-action rifle laying right there, said Garrett.

Russells family members didnt want to go on camera, but told News 4 he wasnt a bad man, he just made a bad decision.

I still hate that for the victims family and obviously for the trooper for having to take another life, it does impact us as well, said Williams.

The trooper who shot Russell is on paid administrative leave while the shooting is being investigated.

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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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Memphis man has pleaded guilty to helping a former Memphis Police officer dump a mans body in a river after a fatal shooting.

The U.S. Department of Justice says Joshua Rogers pleaded guilty on Thursday.

In January 2021, Memphis Police officer Patric Ferguson was charged in the death of 30-year-old Robert Howard. Ferguson was accused of forcing Howard into his squad car and shooting him in the head while on duty.

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ORIGINAL STORY: Memphis Police officer charged with murder, kidnapping in mans death

Rogers, who was reportedly an acquaintance of Ferguson, was accused of helping Ferguson dispose of Howards body. Rogers was charged with tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse at the time.

The DOJ says that Rogers stated that he and Ferguson put chains, padlocks, and cinder blocks on Howards body before dumping his body into the Wolf River.

Rogers reportedly admitted that he and Ferguson used Fergusons squad car to transport Howards body.

Rogers will be sentenced on August 6. Based on his plea agreement, He faces a maximum of 70 months in prison.

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In addition to his first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping charges, Ferguson also faces federal civil rights, kidnapping, weapons, and obstruction charges. Fergusons trial is set for November 3.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
A depraved man pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a vulnerable woman for nearly a year, using her addiction to keep her under his control, the Manhattan district attorneys office announced.

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2024, Winston Williams forced the victim into prostitution by leading her to believe she was continually in his debt for supplying her with drugs  and telling her he would subtract the cost from money she made turning tricks, according to court documents.

Winston Williams kept a woman trapped in a cycle of drugs and debts while lining his pockets, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement.

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Traffickers target vulnerable New Yorkers all too often, as this defendant did by specifically seeking out someone with substance use disorders, he added.

In addition to forcing the victim into sex work, Williams, 42, used other methods to control his victim, including physically abusing her, controlling her access to money and food, and taking away her phone and government identification, the DAs office said.

Winston trafficked the victim across the city, forcing her to have sex for money in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. He pleaded guilty on Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court to sex trafficking and stalking.

Hes expected to be sentenced June 10 to between 5-15 years in state prison.
May 9A man was stabbed in the arm Friday morning near Riverfront Park, and police are looking for a suspect.

Officers responded shortly before 10:30 a.m. to the area of 300 N. Post St. in downtown Spokane for a report of a stabbing, according to the Spokane Police Department Facebook page. Officers found a man with a stab wound to the arm. He was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, the social media post stated.

Police believe the stabbing happened near the Spokane River but the exact location was unknown. Police said there is no threat to the public because the involved parties know each other.

Anyone with information to aid police in its investigation is asked to contact Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 and reference incident No. 2025-20091134.
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Burials of females interred with weapons have been found across Scandinavia. But were any of these Viking Age women actually warriors?. | Credit: Grace Aldrich

In Birka, Sweden, there is a roughly 1,000-year-old Viking burial teeming with lethal weapons  a sword, an ax-head, spears, knives, shields and a quiver of arrows  as well as riding equipment and the skeletons of two warhorses. Nearly 150 years ago, when the grave was unearthed, archaeologists assumed they were looking at the burial of a male warrior. But a 2017 DNA analysis of the burial's skeletal remains revealed the individual was female.

Skeptics scrambled to explain away the evidence, said Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson , an archaeologist at Uppsala University in Sweden and first author of the 2017 study.

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Even now, despite further studies strengthening the case for the Birka individual's martial profession, some archaeologists still insist she wasn't a warrior.

Science Spotlight takes a deeper look at emerging science and gives you, our readers, the perspective you need on these advances. Our stories highlight trends in different fields, how new research is changing old ideas, and how the picture of the world we live in is being transformed thanks to science.

The Birka controversy highlights the fraught archaeological debate about the existence of Viking women warriors. Viking mythology and lore are filled with tales of women who lived for battle and engaged in violence, but whether these stories reflect real life is unsettled.

Across Scandinavia, at least a few dozen women from the Viking Age (A.D. 793 to 1066) were buried with war-grade weapons. Collectively, these burials paint a picture that clashes violently with the hypermasculine image of the bearded, burly Viking warrior that has dominated the popular imagination for centuries. And it's possible that, due to gendered assumptions, archaeologists may be systematically undercounting the number of Viking women buried with weapons.

The finds hint at a nuanced picture of Viking society  one where most warriors were men but a person's class and profession had the biggest impact on who went to war.

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"Women can be as strong, as skilled, as fast as men," said Leszek Gardea , an archaeologist at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and author of " Women and Weapons in the Viking World: Amazons of the North " (Casemate, 2021). "There is nothing in the biology there that would prevent them from being warriors."

Still, the poor preservation of Scandinavian graves, the enigmatic nature of Viking burials and the lack of historical texts leaves the meaning of many female burials up for debate. And even if women warriors existed, their significance in the broader Viking culture is unclear, Ole Kastholm , a prehistoric archaeologist and senior researcher at Roskilde Museum in Denmark, told Live Science.

"It's an area where we can't find a secure answer," he said.

Related: What's the farthest place the Vikings reached?

A drawing, based on excavator Hjalmar Stolpe's field records, showing the location of the skeleton and grave goods within the Birka burial. It's possible, albeit controversial, that this woman was a warrior about 1,000 years ago. | Credit: Drawing by Harald Olsen; Public Domain

What the burials hold

Across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, there are thousands of known Viking burials typically thought to be of male warriors. In contrast, we know of around 30 graves in which women were buried with obvious martial equipment such as spearheads and shields; of these roughly 30, only three have swords.

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Of the known Viking Age burials, "statistically speaking, there would be less than 1%" of women buried with weapons among graves of men buried with weapons, Gardea told Live Science.

But there are many more female burials that included other gear, such as shield bosses (a round protective metal piece at the shield's center), or possible weapons, such as arrowheads and ax-heads. Interpreting the latter burials is especially challenging because axes and arrowheads were used in battle, but they were also tools for hunting and farmwork.

But one of the main reasons the female-warrior question is so controversial is that many Viking burials aren't in great condition.

The Birka burial is one example. In 1878, workers used dynamite to blast open the grave, damaging it in the process. Untrained locals then helped excavate the grave. This poor excavation work has given naysayers room to argue that the chamber once held a double burial with a man.

Some of the metal weapons found in the burial at Birka, including a sword, ax-head, fighting knife, two lances, two shield bosses and 25 armor-piercing arrows. | Credit: Photo by Christer Ahlin; CC-BY Swedish History Museum

According to the skeptics, "a woman would never be strong enough to use those weapons"  an argument that was ridiculous to Hedenstierna-Jonson, who had actually handled them.

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"There were all these opinions rather than scientific facts," Hedenstierna-Jonson told Live Science.

Yet modern-era damage isn't the biggest obstacle to analysis. In many cases, bones and cremated remains are partially or completely decayed before archaeologists get a peek, largely due to Scandinavia's acidic soil. "We need very good preservation of the skeletons before we can determine the sex" via DNA analysis or bone studies, Kastholm said. "So even though the Viking Age has been investigated for like 150 years or more, it has not been that easy" to assess these graves.

"Occam's razor, you know  the simplest explanation is usually the best. If you find a woman with a sword, then you should interpret it the same as you would a man with a sword."

As a result, archaeologists often guessed the deceased's sex based on grave goods, such as mirrors, weaving tools and brooches, which archaeologists assumed were typically buried with females, and battle-related weapons, which archaeologists thought were typically buried with males. If a Viking Age sword was the only item recovered, for example, it was nearly always assumed to be a male grave.

So it's possible archaeologists may be systematically undercounting Viking women who were buried with weapons.

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"We could have a lot more of these [female] graves than we know about," said Marianne Moen , head of the Department of Archaeology at the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, calling the situation a catch-22. "You excavate a grave in Norway, you find a sword and you go, 'Oh, it's a man.' And then, 'isn't it funny how all the swords are buried with men?'"

In some instances, if a burial had both male- and female-associated artifacts, it is assumed, possibly incorrectly, that it was a double burial with a male and a female.

Even with that potential bias, there is strong evidence that some women were buried with war-related objects across Scandinavia. Norway has several of what have been nicknamed "shield-maiden" burials, after the women warriors of Scandinavian folklore. One is the Nordre Kjlen burial in Solr , which had a young adult  likely a female, based on a skeletal analysis  interred with a sword, an ax head, a spearhead, arrowheads, a shield boss, a horse skeleton and tools.

The skull and weapons, including a sword, ax head, spearhead and arrowheads, that were found in the Nordre Kjlen grave in Norway. | Credit: Ellen C. Holte/Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo

A second is the female boat burial from Aunvoll in Nord Trndelag , in which a female was interred with a sword, eight gaming pieces, a sickle, a spearhead, shears, a knife and tools. The Klinta burial in Oland, Sweden has the cremated remains of what are thought to be an elite woman with valuable metal artifacts, including an ax-head, knives and an iron staff, causing some to wonder if she was a volva, or a Viking Age sorceress.

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And although they're not buried with sharp weapons, "there's quite a few female burials on the west coast of Norway that have shield bosses and nobody likes to talk about them," Moen told Live Science.

Difficult to interpret

Still, many archaeologists struggle to make sense of these graves because the Vikings didn't have a consistent way of dealing with the dead.

"When we look at the Viking Age burials as a whole, they are weird and there's a great variation," Kastholm said. For instance, one had only a foot in it. Another was a triple burial of "a woman, then another woman buried some years later and then a half man buried later."

These mysterious, inconsistent burials make it hard to make straightforward conclusions.

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Take the example of a grave discovered in Gerdrup, Denmark, in 1981, Kastholm said. A woman was buried with a spear, with large stones on her body. Her adult son, who had bound ankles and may have been hanged, was also in the grave.

The burial of the Viking Age mother (right) who had large stones placed on top of her, and her son (left) whose ankles were bound and whose neck is broken, likely from hanging. Although a spear was found by the mother, researchers don't think she was a warrior. | Credit: Tom Christensen, ROMU

The spear could be a sign the woman was a warrior. But that's not how Kastholm interprets the grave. Instead, he thinks that the son was hanged in devotion to Odin , the stones represent the woman's high status, and the valuable "spear was thrust into the bottom of the grave in a concluding ritual that dedicated the dead to Odin," he co-wrote in a 2021 study . This would have been a form of complex "mortuary theater," a play of sorts that would have been enacted at the grave site , which research suggests may have been common.

As for the Birka burial, Kastholm doesn't dispute that the deceased was biologically female and that she was buried with many weapons. "I'm totally convinced by that," he said. "If that means she was a warrior, I'm not convinced there. But that would go for male graves as well."

How the Birka woman's burial may have looked 1,000 years ago, with two horses buried on one end and the martial-related items placed around her. | Credit: Reconstruction by orhallur rainsson; Copyright Neil Price; Commissioned by the project

What historical texts tell us

To put the burials of women with weapons into context, archaeologists have looked at historical texts.

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The Vikings left behind only a few thousand runic inscriptions . So most descriptions of warlike women and " shield maidens " come from semihistorical works written during the post-Viking medieval period. For instance, in " Gesta Danorum ," a semifictional history of Denmark by Saxo Grammaticus (who lived circa 1150 to 1220), the warrior woman Lagertha travels with a group of women dressed as men, marries a Viking king who later divorces her, and still fights with him in a pivotal battle.

And some sagas, such as The Saga of Hervor and Heidrek, describe Norse women taking up arms to help protect family property, according to a 1986 analysis . Only men could inherit property, so if a man had only daughters, one was sometimes compelled to step into the role of a warrior as a "functional son" who could protect the family's interests, according to the study.

The Icelandic sagas , written by people who were likely the Viking's descendants in the 13th and 14th centuries, include stories about "women leading troops and engaging in acts of violence," Moen wrote in a 2021 article .

But are these stories evidence that Viking women were warriors in real life? Or did some stories have other mythical or mystical significance?

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Some evidence points toward the latter. Sagas in which women wield weapons like axes often have magical overtones. In the Old Norse Ljosvetninga saga, for instance, a cross-dressing Norse sorceress strikes the water with an ax to see into the future. Axes are frequently associated with magic in folk traditions from Scandinavia, Finland and Central Europe, Gardea noted in a 2021 article .

Gender wasn't destiny

After the Viking Age, the stereotype of the burly and ruthless male Viking warrior arose in the medieval sagas that detailed their exploits, and again in the late 19th century during Scandinavia and Iceland's National Romantic period. But it's possible that Viking Age society was "less governed by binary gendered ideals and more by fluid social obligations," Moen wrote in the 2021 article.

This would mean there wasn't a simple male-female dichotomy in who did what. This is seen in Viking Age grave goods. For instance, at Viking Age cemeteries in Vestfold, Norway, Moen found that although weapons were more common in male graves, they were also found in female burials. Likewise, while jewelry was more pronounced in female graves, 40% of male graves also had them, "hardly a negligible proportion," she wrote in the article.

Given how much violence permeated Viking society , "it would be naive to think that only one half of the population was invested in it," she wrote in the article.

But people should not see this as female warriors filling a "man's role," Kastholm said. Rather, "warrior" was probably a profession, like modern-day firefighting , in which most were male but some were female.

An illustration depicting the possible likeness of the woman buried in Birka, Sweden who was interred with many weapons, including a sword and ax-head. | Credit: Reconstruction drawing by Valeri Tancredi; Copyright Neil Price; Commissioned by the project

Even among Viking Age men, being a "warrior" meant different things. Farmworkers, fishers and other peasants may have fought occasionally. But for the most part, the warriors were the social elite.

"Your biological sex was a factor [in your profession], but it was not the main factor," Hedenstierna-Jonson said. "The main factor was your role and your position and your family."

Still, people should be cautious in using information about these burials to infer how gender was perceived in Viking society, Moen said.

"I don't think it even necessarily indicates any kind of gender equality," she said. "What I do think is that you have much evidence women could be warriors and were warriors at certain times and in certain conditions."

"Occam's razor"

Moen splits archaeologists into three groups: those who think the burials clearly show that female warriors existed; people who say, "Yes, obviously women could be buried with weapons, but we need to question what it means"; and naysayers who think there's no way women actually used the weapons they were buried with. "They find it really quite troubling, and they go to very long lengths of explaining it away," she said.

To Moen, the evidence of female Viking warriors is right in front of us.

"Occam's razor, you know  the simplest explanation is usually the best," she said. "If you find a woman with a sword, then you should interpret it the same as you would a man with a sword."

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In the end, Kastholm thinks "there will always be a lot of debate. And that debate is more about our time" and our modern-day attachment to gendered stereotypes about the Vikings than it is about the archaeological evidence, he said.

"Of course there were warriors in the Viking Age, and I'm pretty sure that some of them were female," Kastholm said. Yes, many graves are tricky to pin down, but at least a few have an impressive number of hard-core weapons buried with them.

"If it was a man," he said, "we would say 'that's a warrior grave."

Editor's Note: In this article, we are referring to biological sex, as it's impossible to know the gender of these deceased individuals.

Viking quiz: How much do you know about these seaborne raiders, traders and explorers?
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A $1,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information that leads to an arrest for an armed robbery at a 7-Eleven in the City Heights area earlier this year.

The incident occurred on March 8 around 3:22 p.m. at 4350 University Ave in the Teralta East neighborhood, San Diego County Crime Stoppers along with the San Diego Police Department said in a news release Friday.

Authorities say an unknown man entered the 7-Eleven, then punched one of the employees and brandished a knife.

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Coast Guard stops illegally chartered pleasure craft in San Diego

The suspect, who attempted to take the cash register but was unsuccessful, did make it out of the store with an undisclosed amount of merchandise.

He is described as 25 to 30 years old and was last seen wearing black shorts, a black-hooded sweatshirt, shoes that resemble the Nike Air Max 97 (USA colorway) and with a black Jansport brand backpack.

Photos of suspect in 7-Eleven armed robbery (San Diego County Crime Stoppers)

The suspect also has unknown tattoo designs on the top of both of his hands.

Anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspect is asked to call the

SDPDs Robbery Unit at 619-515-2772 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at

888-580-8477. Please visit www.sdcrimestoppers.org for information on how to

send a web or mobile app tip.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander, one of the last living Jewish survivors of the Nazi concentration camps, has died at the age of 103, the Margot Friedlander Foundation announced on Friday.

Friedlander, who was born in Berlin in 1921, went into hiding in the city and was eventually sent to the Theriesenstadt concentration camp in 1944, in what was then Czechoslovakia. Her father, mother and brother were killed in Auschwitz.

She and her husband, whom she met in Theresienstadt, emigrated to the United States in 1946.

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After he died, she started to visit Berlin in the 2000s and moved back permanently in 2010 at age 88. She had working tirelessly telling young people in Germany about the Nazi regime ever since.

"Hate is alien to me," she once said.

The Margot Friedlander Foundation said Friedlander had fought for a better Germany.

"We pay tribute to her impressive life's work with deep gratitude. Her example is our mission and our obligation."

World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder said Friedlander was "a woman of unshakable moral courage, a survivor of unimaginable loss, and a voice of remembrance for generations."

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She did not only survive the Holocaust, "she chose to bear witness," he said.

"Until her final days, she stood as a symbol of resilience and humanity. Her words reached hearts. Her presence changed lives."

Lauder said her death was a loss for Jewish people, for Germany and "for all those who believe in memory and moral responsibility."

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his condolences and said he had lost a great friend.

He said she gave Germany reconciliation, despite what she had endured in her life. Steinmeier said the country could not be grateful enough for her gift.

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Steinmeier had been due to honour Friedlander with a state medal on Friday.

Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised Friedlander for speaking up for peaceful coexistence and against anti-Semitism.

"She entrusted us with her story. It is our task and our duty to pass it on," Merz wrote on X.

Friedlander received a lot of recognition in Germany - a lovable, sprightly old lady who could tell such impressive stories. A prize for school projects on the Holocaust and today's culture of remembrance bears her name.

In June 2018, at the age of 96, she was named an honorary citizen of Berlin. To mark her 100th birthday, a book and an illustrated biography were published.

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In 2023, public broadcaster ZDF produced a docudrama about her, coinciding with the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the horrific 1938 pogrom carried out by the Nazis.

The National Socialists launched a nationwide wave of terror against Jews on the night of November 9 to 10, 1938. According to the German Historical Museum, more than 1,300 people were killed, 1,400 synagogues were destroyed or damaged, 7,000 shops were attacked and 30,000 Jews were deported to concentration camps.

Even at 102, Friedlander remained active in public life, attending events such as a reception with Steinmeier.

Last month, she delivered the keynote speech at the Federal Press Ball in Berlin.

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Friedlander spoke to schoolchildren and at official memorial ceremonies, including at the European Parliament in Brussels at the age of 100.

In 2011, she was awarded Germany's highest civilian honour - the Order of Merit - given for outstanding service to the nation.

One of her enduring messages was simple yet powerful: "We cannot change what happened, but it must never happen again."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican firebrand and ally of President Donald Trump, is passing on the Senate race in Georgia.

Im not running, she said in a lengthy post on social media on Friday, citing her frustrations with the Senate as the main reason she didn't want to run. "Even with a few good Republicans in the Senate, nothing changes."

The two-term Georgia representatives name had been floated as a potential Republican candidate after popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp passed on a bid this week to take on incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff. Greene's decision loomed large over the race, with many Democrats salivating over the possibility shed enter the contest in one of the swingiest of swing states in the nation.

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Trump carried Georgia by about 2 percentage points last year, after Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the state since former President Bill Clinton in 1992.

In passing on a run, Greene, a prolific fundraiser and darling of conservative media, nevertheless claimed she could have won.

"When I met with the NRSC a few weeks ago, they told me their internal polling shows any Republican can beat Ossoff," she said in her post. "But now theyre pushing a public poll of just 800 people claiming only certain Republicans can win."

The outspoken MAGA stars lengthy statement left open the door for another statewide run. She did not rule out the possibility of running for governor to succeed Kemp, who is term-limited.

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Should she decide to embark on a gubernatorial bid, many questions that hovered over her potential Senate run would remain. Georgia, with its demographic shifts, has become a purple state in recent years, now with two Democratic senators in Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

While Republicans control the governor's mansion and both chambers of the state legislature  and while Trump won in 2024  the state is not considered a MAGA stronghold.

Georgia Republicans bucked the president in recent elections, including during the 2022 cycle when Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Rafensperger roundly defeated Trump-backed primary challengers after both men rejected efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. They were able to cruise reelection victories in the general election.

Raffensperger has not signaled if he plans to run again for statewide office, but is likely to be a formidable candidate should he decide to run to succeed Kemp or challenge Ossoff for his seat.
RED RIVER, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A bill in the Texas Legislature that would eliminate plans for a controversial reservoir in East Texas has cleared an early hurdle, but it still has a long way to go.

Marvin Nichols is a proposed reservoir project that would flood 66,000 acres of the Sulpher River Basin, located in Northeast Texas, encompassing all or portions of Fannin, Hunt, Lamar, Hopkins, Red River, Franklin, Titus, Morris, Bowie, Cass, and Delta counties.

Every year, Region C, which is the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, they put the Marvin Nichols reservoir in their plan. Since 1968, theyve been doing that. Region D, which is Northeast Texas, doesnt put it in their plan, and theres this conflict that is unsettled, says Cass County Judge Travis Ransom.

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House Bill 2109 would settle that conflict once and for all, requiring the removal of projects that have been part of a Texas Water Development Board water plan for more than 50 years without starting construction.

Texas House bill could bring the end of Marvin Nichols Reservoir plan

I think you would agree that its unreasonable to think that the state has the right to call dibs on private property to be taken at some point, more than 50 years in the future. This is not fair to these hardworking Texans, and this runs counter to the very spirit of what it means to be a Texan, said the bills author, District 1 State Representative Gary VanDeaver, during the Natural Resources Committees hearing on the bill on May 2nd.

Judge Ransom was one of many who went to Austin, TX., to testify in favor of the bill.

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I felt like the House Committee hearing on natural resources was the most substantive discussion, specifically about the Marvin Nichols reservoir, that Ive seen in over 20 years fighting about this issue, says Judge Ransom.

Water has been a big issue during this Texas legislative session, and opponents of the bill say that it would limit Texass ability to meet the growing states needs. Proponents argue that there are options that reservoirs are an outdated water supply method and that the state should be looking at new ways to meet the need that do not infringe on property rights.

Homes and dreams of NE Texas residents could end up underwater

Desalination is on the horizon at a reasonable rate, and reuse is available, and leaky infrastructure can be fixed and repaired with modern technology. Necessity is the mother of invention. I have confidence that well innovate and figure this out without putting a big shallow mud puddle, 66,000-acre mud puddle, in Northeast Texas, says Judge Ransom.

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The bill passed through the committee by a twelve-to-one margin but has yet to be placed on the calendar for full-floor discussion in the House.

Im optimistic. I think those that say were going to be outspent and out politicked are wrong. I think that rights right and private property rights should matter in Texas and they still do and, and I think were winning slowly but surely, I think were winning, says Judge Ransom.

The one dissenting vote in the Natural Resources Committee, State Representative Ramon Romero Jr. of Tarrant County, also sits on the calendars committee. That is the group responsible for adding bills to the the houses schedule.

Judge Ransom says they are exploring multiple avenues to pass HB 2109 before the session ends on June 2nd.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
ANNAPOLIS, Md.  A Maryland board approved a $14.3 million contract on Wednesday to begin the demolition and rebuilding of Baltimores storied but antiquated Pimlico Race Course, home to the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.

The vote by the three-member Board of Public Works, which includes Gov. Wes Moore, was made 10 days before the 150th Preakness Stakes, which is scheduled for May 17. It will be the last time the annual horse race will be held with the existing structures in place before the track is rebuilt on the same site. The demolition will begin shortly after this years race.

There cannot be a better time to announce the beginning of a transformation that will allow Pimlico to become a year-round hub for economic activity within the Park Heights community, Moore said of the Baltimore neighborhood and longtime home of the race.

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Under the plan, the Preakness will take place in Laurel Park, located just southwest of Baltimore, in 2026 while the new facility is built, before returning to Pimlico in time for the 2027 race.

Craig Thompson, the chair of the Maryland Stadium Authority which is overseeing the design of the new track, said the plan is to make Pimlico the home of Maryland thoroughbred racing. The track will go from hosting about 15 races a year to well over 100, Thompson said.

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.

Thompson also shared a preview of the design plans. They include a new clubhouse with architecture inspired by the Rawlings Conservatory in Baltimores Druid Hill park and the original Pimlico Clubhouse, which included a colonnade and rooftop balconies, Thompson said.

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Last year, the board approved a deal to transfer ownership of Pimlico from The Stronach Group to the State of Maryland in order to ensure the Preakness remains in Baltimore.

The state has been wrestling with what to do to restore the old racetrack for decades. Aptly nicknamed Old Hilltop, the track opened in 1870. Its where Man o War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat and many others pranced to the winners circle.

But its age has long been a concern. In 2019, the Maryland Jockey Club closed off nearly 7,000 grandstand seats, citing the safety and security of all guests and employees.

The horse racing industry and other equine industries have been a cornerstone of Maryland agriculture, as well as an integral part of preserving green space.
BOSTON (WWLP)  The Bay State is putting out a call to artists and historians to create a new state seal, flag, and motto so that every community sees themselves in Massachusetts story.

A commission will be choosing replacement designs that better reflect the state as it is today, and encourages all interested to submit designs.

They say they would like to see designs featuring native nature symbols, like the right whale, cranberries, or white pine or elm trees, or the geographic outline of Massachusetts and coastline imagery, but are open to all suggestions.

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The motto should reflect Massachusetts as it is now, and what the state aims to represent.

Advocates for this change see the states current representation as outdated and even offensive, as the seal and flag prominently feature a depiction of an indigenous American.

The current motto is ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem, meaning by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty, which was certainly relevant during the American Revolution, but perhaps less so now.

The states education secretary co-chairs the commission searching for replacements.

Our seal, flag, and motto should reflect not just our history, but the vibrant, diverse community we are today  and the future we are building together, said Secretary Patrick Tutwiler.

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The committee intends to choose three finalists for each category and gather public input before sending final recommendations to Governor Healey.

Design proposals are due by June 18th, and a recommendation will be sent to the governor by the end of July.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Saturday denied trespassing at a new federal immigration detention center during a confrontation that led to his arrest while the Democrat was at the facility with three members of Congress.

Baraka, who has been protesting the centers opening this week, was released around 8 p.m. Friday after spending several hours in custody. He was accused of trespassing and ignoring warnings to leave the Delaney Hall facility.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary for public affairs with the Department of Homeland Security, said in an interview with CNN on Saturday that the investigation was ongoing, and the department also released more video of the confrontation. McLaughlin also accused Baraka, who is seeking his party's nomination for governor, of playing political games."

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I'm shocked by all the lies that were told here, Baraka said, who said he had been invited there for a press conference. No one else arrested, I was invited in, then they arrested me on the sidewalk.

Baraka, who is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, has embraced the fight with the Trump administration over illegal immigration. He has aggressively pushed back against the construction and opening of the 1,000-bed detention center, arguing that it should not be allowed to open because of building permit issues.

Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said on the social platform X that Baraka trespassed at the detention facility, which is run by private prison operator Geo Group.

Habba said Baraka had chosen to disregard the law.

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Video of the incident showed that Baraka was arrested after returning to the public side of the gate to the facility.

Witnesses describe a heated argument

Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, in attempting to enter the facility.

When federal officials blocked his entry, a heated argument broke out, according to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. It continued even after Baraka returned to the public side of the gates.

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There was yelling and pushing, Martinez said. Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that the lawmakers had not asked for a tour of Delaney Hall, which the agency said it would have facilitated. The department said that as a bus carrying detainees was entering in the afternoon a group of protesters, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.

Ned Cooper, a spokesperson for Watson Coleman, said the three lawmakers went there unannounced because they planned to inspect it, not take a scheduled tour.

Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not storm the detention center, Watson Coleman said in a statement. The author of that press release was so unfamiliar with the facts on the ground that they didnt even correctly count the number of Representatives present. We were exercising our legal oversight function as we have done at the Elizabeth Detention Center without incident.

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Video shows the mayor standing on the public side of the gate

In video of the altercation shared with The Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he could not enter the facility because you are not a Congress member.

Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: Theyre talking about coming back to arrest you.

Im not on their property. They cant come out on the street and arrest me, Baraka replied.

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Minutes later several ICE agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded him and others on the public side. As protesters cried out, Shame, Baraka was dragged back through the gate in handcuffs.

Rep. Menendez said in a statement that as members of Congress, they have the legal right to carry out oversight at DHS facilities without prior notice and have done so twice already this year. But on Friday, Throughout every step of this visit, ICE attempted to intimidate everyone involved and impede our ability to conduct oversight.

In an interview Saturday with MSNBC, Baraka recounted being put in a cell, getting his fingerprints taken and being the subject of a mug shot. He said he would continue to try to gain entry to the detention facility. We dont know whats going on in there, said Baraka, who has a court date scheduled for Thursday.

The detention center

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The two-story building is next to a county prison formerly operated as a halfway house.

In February, ICE awarded a 15-year contract to The Geo Group Inc. to run the detention center. Geo valued the contract at $1 billion, in an unusually long and large agreement for ICE.

The announcement was part of President Donald Trumps plans to sharply increase detention beds nationwide from a budget of about 41,000 beds this year.

Baraka sued Geo soon after the deal was announced.

Geo touted the Delaney Hall contract during an earnings call with shareholders Wednesday, with CEO David Donahue saying it was expected to generate more than $60 million a year in revenue. He said the facility began the intake process May 1.

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Hall said the activation of the center and another in Michigan would increase capacity under contract with ICE from around 20,000 beds to around 23,000.

DHS said in its statement that the facility has the proper permits and inspections have been cleared.

___

Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed.
McDonald's is one of the biggest fast food chains in the world. With more than 13,000 McDonald's locations nationwide, the burger joint's restaurant empire in the U.S. trails only behind Subway and Starbucks. Interestingly, until early 2025, McDonald's actually held the title of the biggest fast food chain in the world, only to be overtaken by Mixue Ice Cream and Tea, a China-based fast food chain with 45,000 stores.

Despite being technically dethroned, McDonald's remains hugely popular. Not only is the restaurant easily accessible and convenient, but it also offers consistency and affordability. Whether you're in Los Angeles, Tokyo, or Rome, fast food enthusiasts can be assured that they will receive similar food and experiences at the restaurant, wherever they may be dining. However, that doesn't mean things don't occasionally go awry. Even at a fast food chain as standardized as McDonald's, there is room for error. Whether it's a problem with suppliers, an unexpected ingredient showing up in a meal, or a toy that poses a safety risk, the fast food giant isn't immune to quality control issues -- as proven by the list of recalls to hit the Golden Arches over the decades.

Read more: 7 Fast Food Chains That Never Use Frozen Burger Patties & 5 That Do

Onions In McDonald's Quarter Pounders Were Contaminated With E. Coli In 2024

McDonald's Quarter Pounder - aikidoginick / Instagram

While a lot of food recalls are carried out as a precaution, a multistate McDonald's Quarter Pounder recall in 2024 was accompanied by reports that at least 104 individuals had fallen ill and 34 were hospitalized after contracting E. coli. Unfortunately, one person also lost their life after eating a contaminated burger. The individuals affected by the bacteria lived in 14 states, highlighting the widespread impact of the recall.

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The source of the outbreak was traced back to one of the ingredients in the fast food item -- specifically, its slivered onions. The contaminated onions had been shipped to McDonald's by fruit and vegetable producer Taylor Farms. Once the problem was identified, McDonald's promptly stopped serving the yellow onions sourced from the supplier in the affected states.

In the most severe cases, E. coli can be deadly, with symptoms developing up to 10 days after eating contaminated food. The most common symptoms of an E. coli infection include diarrhea, cramps, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Those with serious complications can also suffer kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, and neurological problems.

McDonald's Pulled Its Novos McPicanha Line In 2022 Amid Confusion Over The Name

Novos McPicanha burgers Brazil - Lucas Silva / Facebook

In the world of marketing, things are not always what they seem. Some McDonald's customers in Brazil found this out the hard way when the chain launched its new line of Novos McPicanha burgers in 2022. While the menu item was clearly named after the popular cut of beef frequently served at Brazilian barbecue restaurants, the issue was that the burgers didn't actually contain any picanha. Instead, Folha de S.Paulo quoted McDonald's as claiming that the line's name was meant to "provide a new experience to the consumer, by offering unprecedented sandwiches developed with a more accentuated barbecue flavor."

The Ministry of Justice gave McDonald's 10 days to explain the possible false advertising. After all, the burgers were made with a blend of beef cuts and flavoring instead of picanha. Eventually, McDonald's apologized and pulled the burgers from its restaurants. While it wasn't exactly an explanation, McDonald's did issue a statement at the time, saying, "The brand regrets that the communication created about the new products may have generated doubts and informs that new pieces, highlighting the composition of the sandwiches more clearly, are already being produced."

Undercooked Chicken McBites Sparked A Recall In New Zealand In 2022

Chicken McBites McDonald's - McDonald's Fiji / Facebook

If you aren't familiar with McDonald's Chicken McBites, join the club. The bite-sized pieces of seasoned and breaded chicken breast -- introduced as an alternative to KFC's popcorn chicken nuggets -- were served at McDonald's locations in the U.S. only between 2012 and 2013. During their run, they were often paired with dipping sauces such as honey mustard, ranch, and sweet chili.

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Despite being discontinued in the U.S., Chicken McBites have thrived on the other side of the globe. International McDonald's restaurants often boast unique menu items, with Chicken McBites being one example in New Zealand. In 2022, these little nuggets of goodness became a hot topic after a customer complained on social media that the poultry was undercooked. The post, which included photos, was accompanied by the following tongue-in-cheek message: "Hey McDonald's Timaru didn't realize I had to cook my own chicken tonight, [it] almost walked off my plate" (via Stuff).

Further investigation revealed that the raw chicken was caused by an error involving portion sizing, which we assume threw off the cooking times. However, that was still enough to spark a recall. Simon Kenny, a McDonald's New Zealand spokesman, told 1News at the time, "In an abundance of caution, McDonald's stopped selling [the] product nationwide while replacement stock was distributed."

Sweet 'N Sour Sauce Was Recalled In Ireland In 2021 Due To The Presence Of Mustard

Sweet 'n Sour Sauce from McDonald's with nuggets and fries - ocfooddiva / Instagram

McDonald's Sweet 'N Sour Sauce dates all the way back to 1983, when the chain launched it as a pairing for its Chicken McNuggets alongside honey, hot mustard, and BBQ. While some people may find the McDonald's dipping sauce disappointingly bland, it combines the flavors of apricot and peach, savory spices, and a hint of heat.

In 2021, the restaurant's Sweet 'N Sour Sauce hit the headlines in Ireland after it was discovered that the condiment contained an ingredient not listed on the label  mustard. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland, like the rest of the European Union, counts mustard as one of the 14 allergens that must be declared if included in a food product. For some, mustard can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis.

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It's unclear how mustard ended up in the 25-milliliter tubs of the product handed out at the restaurants. The condiment was promptly removed from stores, with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland also issuing a warning. "This may make the affected batch unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of mustard," it said (via Dublin Live). "Point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in all McDonald's restaurants."

Bottles Of Robinsons Fruit Shoots Posed A Choking Hazard In 2019

McDonald's Bottles of Robinsons Fruit Shoot - McDonald's

While Robinsons Fruit Shoots are not part of McDonald's lineup in the U.S., they are a popular Happy Meal option in the U.K. The drink -- which contains no added sugar -- was added to the chain's menu in 2003 as part of its effort to counter claims of offering nutritionally poor options for children. In 2019, bottles of Robinsons Fruit Shoots sold at McDonald's in the U.K. became the subject of a recall due to faulty packaging.

The Britvic product was withdrawn not only from McDonald's locations but also from Tesco and Costco stores to which it had been shipped. The problem involved the cap on the bottles of the apple and blackcurrant flavored beverages. More specifically, the drinking spout could detach and pose a choking hazard. The issue was particularly pressing since Fruit Shoots are marketed directly to kids. Britvic and McDonald's worked to recall the 200-milliliter bottles of the fruit juice after a handful of reports from customers. McDonald's released a statement in which it confirmed that it had pulled the bottles from its stores and was instead awaiting new stock.

A Parasite Led To A Mass McDonald's Salad Recall In 2018

Grilled Chicken Salad McDonald's - McDonald's

While McDonald's isn't exactly known for its salads -- and actually discontinued its most recent lineup in 2020 after deciding its customers weren't interested -- it previously offered healthy dishes including the likes of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and grilled or crispy chicken as a protein. Unfortunately, in 2018, health-conscious McDonald's customers got more than they bargained for when an outbreak of Cyclospora infections was traced back to the chain's salads.

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More than 430 people across at least 15 states contracted the parasite, with at least 20 individuals requiring hospitalization. The contamination was specifically linked to the Romaine lettuce and carrots included in a Fresh Express salad mix used at the Golden Arches. Unsurprisingly, McDonald's recalled salads from 3,000 restaurants across the Midwest and also decided to change its supplier. The offending lettuce was also distributed by Caito Foods and was used in wraps sold at Trader Joe's, Kroger, and Walgreens.

Cyclospora is a bowel infection characterized by stomach cramps, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Left untreated, the illness can last up to a month. Even more disturbingly, the infection is caused by eating raw fruit and vegetables that have been exposed to human fecal matter.

Happy Meal Fitness Trackers Were Recalled In 2016 After Causing Burns

Orange Happy Meal Step-it fitness tracker from McDonald's - runyanacres76 / eBay

It's pretty ironic that a fast food giant known for its calorie-laden food would promote its menu items with a device designed to track physical activity. However, this is precisely what happened in 2016 when McDonald's started distributing Step-it Activity Bands as a part of its Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals in the U.S. and Canada. While the marketing move was arguably pretty strange to begin with, things only got more bizarre after the fitness trackers were linked to a string of rashes and burns.

The pedometers came with plastic wristbands in a range of vibrant colors. While it's unclear what exactly caused the irritation, plenty of people witnessed it in action. As per one Facebook user whose complaint attracted plenty of attention at the time, "If your kids have this Happy Meal toy, do not let them play with it. Cason has a burn after playing with the toy for about 8 minutes. The toy has a red light in it that is powered by the battery on the back that possibly is the cause of the burn." All in all, McDonald's received at least 70 reports of adverse reactions to the product, with 29 million fitness trackers recalled in the U.S. and 3.6 million in Canada.

Chicken McNuggets Were Contaminated With Plastic And Vinyl In Japan In 2015

Chicken McNuggets from McDonald's with a burger - The Image Party/Shutterstock

Chicken McNuggets were first added to the McDonald's menu in the U.S. in 1983. The following year, the snack started being distributed internationally in Canada, Japan, France, and Germany. However, it was in Japan that McDonald's Chicken McNuggets found themselves at the center of a troubling incident. In 2015, McDonald's recalled the nuggets due to potential contamination with a foreign object.

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The fast food giant recalled 1 million McNuggets from restaurants after a customer complained that they had discovered a piece of plastic in the boneless chicken pieces. Not long after, another customer found vinyl in their McNuggets. The fragment was substantial in size, measuring 1.5 inches. Considering that each nugget is typically just over 2 inches long, it's unclear how this contamination was missed. The shard of vinyl was traced back to Cargill, which was responsible for running a chicken processing plant in Saraburi, Thailand. After further investigation, the processing company reported that the plastic fragment didn't come from its facilities.

Chicken And Beef Were Recalled In China, Hong Kong, And Japan In 2014

Raw meat in a refrigerator - Simpleimages/Getty Images

Chicken and beef are staples of McDonald's menu, featuring in some of its best-selling items, including the Big Mac and Chicken McNuggets. In 2014, McDonald's faced a food safety scandal when an undercover investigation revealed that its supplier, Shanghai Husi Food, was repackaging expired meat and falsifying production dates. The plant also failed to follow basic food-handling practices, handling meat without gloves, and using meat that had fallen on the floor.

Shanghai Husi Food is a subsidiary of Illinois-based supplier OSI Group. At the time, the food-processing factory supplied meat and poultry not just to McDonald's, but also to Starbucks, Papa John's, and Burger King. While the other companies affected by the scandal decided to distance themselves from OSI Group, McDonald's was the exception. The global burger chain chose to maintain its relationship with the food supplier in China, merely shifting its supply operations to another Husi food plant in China.

The tainted poultry and meat were also supplied to some McDonald's locations in Japan and Hong Kong. In Japan, 20% of the poultry for the chain's McNuggets came from the Husi plant at the center of the controversy. Meanwhile, McDonald's in Hong Kong -- which initially issued a statement that it wasn't importing meat from Husi -- was forced to retract this claim after the government imposed a ban on the producer.

Happy Meal Hello Kitty Whistles Sparked Choking Fears In 2014

McDonald's Happy Meal boxes - Anastasia Lau/Shutterstock

Happy Meal toys have been a major part of McDonald's branding since the late 1970s. The child-sized meals normally include a burger or nuggets, french fries, a soft drink, and a toy or activity to keep young diners busy. Over the years, the bundles have featured promotional toys ranging from simple puzzles to more elaborate figurines inspired by popular culture like Peter Pan, Mulan, and Snoopy.

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These meals haven't always been as harmless as they might initially seem. In 2014, McDonald's found itself in hot water after Hello Kitty-themed whistles included in the meals were found to pose a safety risk. In total, the chain ended up pulling 2.3 million whistles from the U.S. market and 200,000 from Canada after determining that the plastic toy was a choking hazard. More specifically, the components inside the whistles could detach during play, potentially leading to serious injury.

Unfortunately, the toy was linked to two choking incidents, one of which required medical attention. McDonald's offered a replacement toy and a yogurt tube or a bag of apple slices to anybody who returned the defective whistle to one of its locations.

Happy Meal Drinking Glasses Were Deemed Hazardous In 2010

McDonald's Happy Meal Shrek drinking glasses - McDonald's / Facebook

Sold at around $2 a pop, McDonald's Shrek 16-ounce glasses were released to promote the 2010 movie "Shrek Forever After." The collectibles came in four different designs, including Shrek, Fiona, Puss in Boots, and Donkey. The glasses were produced by ARC International  a company that clearly didn't pay enough attention to the materials it used. The painted designs were found to contain cadmium, which is a hazardous substance. In particular, the Puss in Boots glass was found to contain notable levels of cadmium.

This discovery prompted McDonald's to recall 12 million glasses across the U.S., with a $3 refund offered for each item. Cadmium is a heavy metal used in the production of rechargeable batteries, metal plating, and fertilizers. It's also found in cigarette smoke. If absorbed by the body in sufficient amounts, the toxin can cause damage to the kidneys, lungs, and bones. It's also a known carcinogen. Luckily, the level of cadmium on the glasses was relatively low, and there were no reports of adverse health effects at the time.

Listeria Forced An Apple Slices Recall At McDonald's In 2010

Packet of apple slices McDonald's - McDonald's

McDonald's started offering apple slices in 2004 as a part of its strategy to include healthier options on its menu. Initially called Apple Dippers, the fruit wedges came with a low-fat caramel sauce. McDonald's still offers apple slices as a part of its menu, boasting that they are, surprisingly enough, made from real apples.

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In 2010, McDonald's issued a recall of its packaged apple slices due to potential listeria contamination. The fruit had been shipped by Missa Bay, a subsidiary of Ready Pac Foods, before Listeria monocytogenes was discovered on the facility's production equipment. The suspect apples were distributed in 36 states and Washington, D.C. The chain's other menu items containing apples at the time were also recalled, including oatmeal and its fruit and walnut snacks.

Other companies impacted by the possible listeria contamination included Burger King, Wawa, and Wegmans. Listeria is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. Symptoms of infection with the bacteria include headache, fever, nausea, diarrhea, muscle aches, loss of balance, and even convulsions. Fortunately, no cases of illness were linked to the apples at McDonald's at the time.

Parents Were Warned About Happy Meal Lego Toys In 1986

Happy Meal Lego set in McDonald's packaging - Thumprr's Sports&Collectibles / eBay

Designed to appeal to younger customers, Happy Meals at McDonald's come with small portions of classic menu items, a soft drink, and a toy to make the meal more entertaining. In 1986, the fast food giant partnered with Lego, offering different block sets as part of its Happy Meals. While the sets were safety tested, there was one problem the chain failed to anticipate.

It wasn't long before McDonald's was alerted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission that the small Lego pieces could pose a potential choking hazard for some of its youngest customers. Parents who had purchased McDonald's Happy Meals with a Lego toy for children under 3 years old were asked to return the building blocks to the point of purchase and exchange them for Duplo sets, which contained bigger blocks and were designed specifically for toddlers. While the mishap could have led to a tragic outcome, no injuries were linked to the Lego sets at the time.

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Washington (DC News Now)  Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) continues to make a name for himself in the Democratic Party. Moore made several appearances this week including The View, and The Breakfast Club.

On The View, Moore said he would not be running for president in 2028. Gov. Moore also delivered Lincoln Universitys commencement speech.

The Hills, Julia Manchester, returns to Capitol Review. Manchester is the national political reporter. Manchester discusses what makes Moore a key leader in the party.

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Cases of measles in the U.S. surpassed 1,000 for just the second time in 30 years this week. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. still isnt taking it seriously.

The deadly and fast-spreading outbreak that first started in western Texas in January has spread to at least 31 states, with 1,001 cases in total reported, according to Friday data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Texas currently has the most cases at 709. Three unvaccinated people have died, including two school-aged children from Texas. Data from the CDC shows that 96% of cases in the U.S. came from people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. More than 120 people have been hospitalized.

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As the onslaught continues, Kennedy  an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist who now heads the nations top health agency  has routinely downplayed the deadly spread, including promoting a range of unproven treatments.

After the death of a 6-year-old boy in February, Kennedy said the childs death was not unusual.

We have measles outbreaks every year, he said at the time.

FILE -A sign is seen outside of Seminole Hospital District offering measles testing, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez), File) via Associated Press

But this spread is unlike others the U.S. has previously seen, becoming the second-highest case count in 25 years.

After facing criticism, Kennedy slightly walked back his comments after attending the funeral of an 8-year-old Texas girl who died from measles at the start of April.

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The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine, he posted on X.

But since then, Kennedy has continued to downplay the continued spread of measles and the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine, which treats measles, mumps and rubella.

At the end of April, Kennedy baselessly claimed that the measles vaccine contains a lot of aborted fetus debris and DNA particles. Less than a week later, he went on a TV appearance to tell parents to do your own research on vaccines. Kennedy did not specify any sources parents should look at.

And earlier this month, Kennedy announced the HHS would look into using vitamins as a possible treatment for measles.

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The directive comes because Kennedy and department officials recognize that some individuals and communities across the U.S. may choose not to vaccinate, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement.

Kennedy also announced this month that the HHS will now require placebo testing for all new vaccines. Health experts warn that the changes could seriously delay a vaccines release and lead to making vaccines less accessible. It could also create situations in which someone needing a life-saving vaccine could instead receive a placebo, which is an inert substance that does not contain the vaccine.

You are watching the gradual dissolution of the vaccine infrastructure in this country, Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, told The Washington Post. The goal is to make vaccines less available and less affordable.

Making matters worse, thousands of workers at the HHS were laid off earlier this year as part of President Donald Trumps continued purge of civil servants. On Monday, more than a dozen states sued the Trump administration over the firings, arguing that the cuts brought important work at the agency to a sudden halt.

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Despite Kennedys seemingly-lax response to the spread and his continued denigration of vaccines, the CDC still recommends vaccinations as the best way to prevent measles.

Measles is an airborne, extremely infectious, and potentially severe rash illness, the CDCs website says. Before the measles vaccine was introduced, an estimated 48,000 people were hospitalized and 400500 people died in the United States each year.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Health officials are warning the public of potential measles exposure at three Kansas locations: Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, the Hutchinson Public Library, and an auto parts store in Cimarron.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says individuals may have been exposed to the virus at the Wichita airport on Friday, May 2, between 6:15 p.m. and 9 p.m. and at the Hutchinson Public Library on Saturday, May 3, from 2 to 5 p.m.

A third potential exposure occurred at an auto parts store in the 500 block of South Main in Cimarron on Friday, May 2, Monday, May 5, and Tuesday, May 6.

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Measles in Sedgwick County, exposure at Wichita grocery store

Sedgwick County health officials said the airport exposure is unrelated to a Sedgwick County measles case.

The state said the Reno County case is not associated with any of the U.S. measles outbreaks and does not represent community transmission. One resident in Reno County has been confirmed positive, and the state is monitoring their case during recovery.

With cases spreading across Kansas, Gregg Wamsley, director of the Hutchinson Public Library, calls it disappointing but not surprising.

Im a little dismayed its come here to Reno County, it sounds like this maybe is a one-off kind of thing as long as no one else was exposed, so Im hopeful that people will be safe and do the right things, and we will certainly do our part, Wamsley said.

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The employees who worked on the day of the potential exposure should monitor for symptoms until May 24. Wamsley says the library has thorough cleaning procedures, and he will be waiting for word from the KDHE on how to proceed.

Measles can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Anyone who was at the above locations during the listed times should monitor for symptoms through May 23, check their vaccination status, and avoid contact with high-risk individuals if not immune.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that usually begins on the face and spreads downward.

For questions or guidance, contact the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5) or visit www.kdhe.ks.gov/measles.

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Sign at the Nokomis Learning Center in Meridian Township | Susan J. Demas

With U.S. Reps. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids) and John James (R-Shelby Twp.) reintroducing the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Restoration Act on Thursday, members of the bands are cheering the policy, which would grant them federal recognition.

The Grand River Bands have advocated for federal recognition for more than 30 years using the process laid out by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Federal Acknowledgement. While the tribe completed a petition for federal recognition in 2000, and received a potential finding from the Bureau in 2023, recognition is still many years away.

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The United States government recognizes 574 tribes, including 12 in Michigan. If the Grand River Bands receive recognition, members would be able to access federal resources, including social services, education, housing, elder care and the ability to exercise treaty rights and weigh in on legislation that impacts tribes.

On behalf of the Grand River Bands, I thank the lead sponsors of this legislation, Reps. Scholten and James, and others from the Michigan Congressional delegation for advocating for justice for our tribal members, Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands, said in a statement. After more than three decades of advocacy for federal recognition, I am hopeful our tribal members will soon have access to the resources they deserve, and which have eluded generations of tribal members.

According to a statement, the Grand River Bands signed five separate treaties between 1795 and 1855 reaffirming their constitutional sovereignty. They are the last treaty tribe east of the Mississippi River without federal recognition.

For generations, the Grand River Bands have made meaningful contributions to our state and country  and yet, they have remained unjustly excluded from the federal recognition they deserve. Without federal recognition, they are denied access to the same opportunities available to other federally recognized tribes including health care, housing assistance, and educational support. This bill fixes that and Im honored to support it, James said.

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The Grand River Bands are based along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan, with most current members residing in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.

The Grand River Bands are a central part of our states history, culture, and community, and its long overdue that we officially recognize them as a sovereign tribe, Scholten said. They are foundational to the identity of West Michigan, and for nearly 30 years, the Grand River Bands have been advocating for federal recognition. Im committed to ensuring they get the resources and respect they deserve.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Leaders with Mahoning Countys Mental Health and Recovery Board took time Friday to honor what theyre calling The Champions of Champions.

This was the agencys 10th Annual Awards Luncheon to honor those in the community whose efforts have helped those served by the countys system of care.

Directors added a special honor for leaders with the local United Way.

Because with the bank explosion, they immediately organized our agencies, provided food and shelter for people, and it was just wonderful. They needed recognized, said Duane Piccirilli, with the Mahoning County Mental Health Recovery Board.

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Directors say in addition to recognizing this years recipients, .they hope the event reminds others in the community of the need for people to enter into social service work.

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princeton  Mercer Countys share of money from a court settlement against the company making the medication Lipitor is being used to help keep the countys regional jail bill paid until its new budget is prepared.

The daily cost of keeping an inmate in West Virginias regional jail system recently grew from $45.97 to $57.46, an increase of almost $12. To meet the extra cost, the Mercer County Commission met Thursday in special session to see how to pay the countys April jail bill in full.

In March, the countys jail bill was $127,474.81. By April, it had grown to $146,985.60, according to county records.

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We had already fixed our budget for the previous year based on the previous rate, County Commission President Bill Archer said. Weve already worked on our budget for the coming year, but that increase was not included in it immediately, so now we have to make some adjustments in order to get through this one month and the coming months will be in better shape in terms of that.

On April 30, West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey announced that cities and counties were sharing nearly $3.5 million from a settlement agreement with Pfizer, Inc., Ranbaxy, Inc. and related companies concerning the cholesterol drug Lipitor. The lawsuit alleged the two companies conspired to delay the introduction of a cheaper generic Lipitor for 20 months.

Mercer County received $50,000 from this settlement. Archer said that unlike money from settlements against opioid manufacturers, the counties are not limited by how they can spend it. Archer proposed using that money to help pay the jail bill.

We can use those to plug a hole immediately, and thats what we decided to do, Archer said.

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Commissioners Brian Blankenship and Greg Puckett voted with Archer to use $43,000 of the Lipitor funds to help pay off the April jail bill.

Paying the monthly jail bill will be addressed in the new county budget which starts July 1, he said. This new budget will be adjusted with the new daily inmate rate in mind.

Contact Greg Jordan at

gjordan@bdtonline.com
In recent years, the Triad has faced unusually early warm spells and record-breaking heat waves that mirror global trends, according to meteorologists and climatologists such as UNC professor Charles Konrad and Corey Davis with the North Carolina State Climate Office.

As a result, some species, including one found only in the Triad, are in danger.

Endangered in the Piedmont

The Cape Fear shiner, a small endangered fish that lives only in the Cape Fear River Basin in the Piedmont region, is one of many species struggling to survive as rising temperatures change its environment.

They maintain their own body temperature the same way that we do, Brena Jones, central aquatic wildlife diversity research coordinator at N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, said.

They have what we call thermal limits. Beyond a certain temperature, they wont be able to survive anymore. Their metabolism will start to shut down. Theyll stop reproducing. If the water temperature exceeds that level, they wont be able to survive.

The Cape Fear shiner lives in the upper portion of the Cape Fear River Basin, specifically in headwater streams of central North Carolina such as the Deep, Haw, and Rocky Rivers, where dams block its movement and isolate it into small, similar habitats. Because it has nowhere else to go, any environmental changes, such as warmer waters or increased sediment from heavy rain, could wipe out the species, Jones explained.

According to the National Park Services Point Reyes National Seashore website, biologists estimate that climate change could drive as much as 35% of plant and animal species to extinction in the wild by 2050. Meanwhile, the World Wildlife Funds 2022 report found that global wildlife populations have declined by 69% on average since 1970.

In North Carolina, one of the most well-known cases of population decline is that of the red wolf, whose numbers have dropped to less than 20 wolves in the wild as of September 2024, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. The decline is blamed on habitat loss and human conflict such as vehicle strikes and illegal killings.

Ann Somers, senior lecturer emerita in the biology department at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, emphasized that climate change is especially hard on turtles and salamanders as rising temperatures can kill turtle embryos, while shifting rainfall and seasons threaten the wetlands that amphibians depend on.

The species that we have all around us here in central North Carolina today, will be very different in 20, 30, 50 years, John Bruno, a marine ecologist and professor in the department of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said. In fact, the climate projections are that well have the climate roughly, of Jacksonville, Florida, by the end of the century.

Bruno explained a notable trend where rising temperatures are causing species to migrate north. In North Carolina, this means that native wildlife will increasingly be replaced by species from the warmer regions like South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

They call it species on the move. Almost every species right now is migrating to higher latitudes to escape the heat of migrating to cooler places, he said, referring to the increasing range expansion of nine-banded armadillos, which have been seen in North Carolina.

Similarly, bumblebees are experiencing a northward shift in their range and a decline in their populations in North Carolina. While there isnt yet concrete evidence directly linking their changes to rising temperatures, the trend mirrors broader patterns observed in various species across the globe.

Theres not a specific smoking gun if theres temperatures contributing, if there are diseases that are contributing, or if theres something else, said Elsa Youngsteadt, associate professor of applied ecology at NC State University. But knowing what we know about bumblebees, they are one of the more heat-sensitive bees in the bee world.

Bees play a crucial role as pollinators in both natural areas and agricultural systems across the state. They actively pollinate crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and various other flowering plants, essential for successful fruit development.

Why should I care?

We are beneficiaries of all these ecosystem services in combination that allow us to have a healthy, vibrant living landscape, Somer said.

If were going to try to pick it apart (and only focus on) But what do whales do for me? What do salamanders do for me? What does that bird do for me?  that limited viewpoint is going to be the undoing.

NC Wildlife Commission watches for federal fallout

President Donald Trump on March 1 signed an executive order directing the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to fast-track timber harvesting on federal lands.

The order directs agencies to use emergency rules under the Endangered Species Act and to convene the Endangered Species Committee, a federal panel with the authority to override species protections, to speed up logging approvals and address endangered species that might delay timber projects.

The move prompted environmental groups like Earthjustice to criticize the decision, calling it a chainsaw free-for-all on our federal forests that will worsen the effects of climate change, while also destroying critical wildlife habitat.

While the administration emphasized the economic benefits of these decisions, Stuart Pimm, Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University, called them incredibly foolish even from an economic standpoint.

Rough rule of thumb is every visitor to a state park or a national park drops about $100 a day, Pimm said.

In 2023, the National Park Service reported that 325.5 million people visited the National Park System and spent $26.4 billion in national parks and nearby communities, contributing to $55.6 billion in economic output for the U.S. economy.

Massive clear cuts of forests in North Carolina will be ugly. They will reduce peoples quality of life. They will create areas that are very dry, and as they get drier, they become more flammable. Its bad news all the way around, Pimm continued.

Protecting endangered species is almost always a matter of protecting their habitats. Those habitats are worth huge amounts of money to our state especially.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Mercer County Sheriffs Office is investigating a threat made at Marion Local Schools Friday morning.

Authorities said a middle school student allegedly made threats to come to school and do harm to their fellow students and school staff.

Deputies took one student into custody. The student appeared in Mercer County Juvenile Court before being taken to the Juvenile Detention Center.

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The case will be turned over to the prosecutors office for review.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has arrived in Kiev by train with France's Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to push for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

The trio, alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, are set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday to reaffirm their countries' continued backing in light of Russia's ongoing war.

According to a joint statement, the meeting is also intended to coordinate efforts to support a plan for a 30-day pause in fighting, which has been put forward by US President Donald Trump.

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"Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace," the leaders said.

"We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal."

The leaders will continue to "ratchet up pressure on Russias war machine" until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, the statement said.

Zelensky said earlier on Friday that the "coalition of the willing" was set to convene in Kiev.

The coalition, consisting of some 30 countries, is led by France and Britain. The countries are working on plans to support Ukraine after a possible ceasefire.

During the visit to Kiev, European leaders are also due to commemorate the victims of the three-year war in Ukraine, which began after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (C) walks across the platform to board the special train to Kiev. The heads of government of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Poland are set to meet the President of Ukraine in the capital, as part of a joint effort with the United States to push for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz dodged a question on Saturday about whether he would be willing to send Ukraine German Taurus cruise missiles, as he had advocated for during his campaign.

Merz, speaking at a meeting in Kiev joined by the leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Poland, said what decisions will be made are not something he wants to talk about in public.

"What measures we take together to end this war and what joint decisions we make to secure a possible peace in Ukraine are not primarily matters for public discussion," he said, adding that the issues would first be discussed allies including the United States.

Merz had said earlier in an interview published on Saturday in Germany's Bild newspaper that if Russia does not accept Ukraine's 30-day ceasefire proposal there would be far-reaching consequences.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday threatened far-reaching consequences for Russia if it rejects a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine and subsequent peace talks to end the war.

"There will then be a massive tightening of sanctions and there will be further massive aid for Ukraine. Politically anyway, financial aid, but also military aid," Germany's new leader told Bild newspaper.

The US would support this intensification, Merz said, noting US President Donald Trump's diminishing patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the quest to end the more than three-year-long war.

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The ball is now in the Kremlin leader's court and "Putin must give the answer to this offer," the conservative chancellor stressed.

Merz arrived in Kiev by train in the morning with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

There, the three leaders met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky together with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to push the idea of a 30-day ceasefire that would be a platform for peace talks.
Filmmaker and conservative activist Robby Starbuck joins On Balance to discuss his lawsuit against Meta over its AI chatbot for defamation after it allegedly associated him with Nazis, extremist groups and Jan. 6 riots.

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Mexico has sued internet giant Google over the labelling of the "Gulf of America" on its Maps service, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday.

Sheinbaum provided few details of the lawsuit during her daily press briefing. Google did not immediately comment.

In February, Google changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" for US users of its Maps service after the US government unilaterally renamed the body of water.

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Both names are displayed for users outside the US.

US President Donald Trump ordered the renaming of the body of water on the south coast of the US and east coast of Mexico in honour of "American greatness" shortly after coming into office.

The current name of the sea inlet on the southern coast of the US has been in use since the 16th century.

The waters border not only the US states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, but also Mexico and Cuba. According to Trump's decree, the name change applies to the area up to the maritime borders of Mexico and Cuba.
Mexico has sued Google for changing the Gulf of Mexicos name to Gulf of America for Google Maps users in the United States.

Announcing the legal challenge, Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, said: The lawsuit has already been filed, without saying where and when it was submitted.

The move comes after Donald Trump instructed the US Board on Geographic Names to change the gulfs name within hours of taking office, after arguing that the ocean basin was ours and the US did most of the work there.

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Google said it would follow the US government in renaming the gulf, which is ringed by the US, Mexico and Cuba.

Ms Sheinbaum had warned Google, which is part of tech giant Alphabet, that she was considering legal action unless the company reversed its decision.

For us, it is still the Gulf of Mexico, and for the entire world it is still the Gulf of Mexico, Ms Sheinbaum said in January.

On Thursday, US lawmakers voted in favour of the name change, turning into federal law the executive order signed by the US president.

Mexico argues that Mr Trumps executive order on the subject only applies to the part of the continental shelf belonging to the United States.

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All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with, Ms Sheinbaum said.

The US government only calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not the entire gulf, because it wouldnt have the authority to name the entire gulf, she added.

Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, said the lawsuit against Google has already been filed without saying where and when it was submitted - Raquel Cunha/Reuters

At the time of the change, a Google spokesman said: We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.

When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too.

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Google shows two names for disputed places. It calls the sea between Japan and Korea the Sea of Japan, Tokyos preferred name, but adds East Sea, Koreas preference, in brackets. It does the same with the Falkland Islands, adding Islas Malvinas in brackets.

Britain will not refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America despite Donald Trumps order for it to be renamed, The Telegraph understands.

Britain will continue to call the body of water by its current name unless the new title ordered by Mr Trump gains widespread usage in English.

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Mexico has sued technology company Google over its decision to update its maps platforms to match President Trumps renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Friday.

Sheinbaum told reporters Friday that a suit was filed against Google but did not provide further details, The Associated Press reported.

Google did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment.

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The reported lawsuit makes good on Sheinbaums threat from February, shortly after Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico on his first day in office.

Shortly after the order, the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) made the change official, prompting Google Maps to follow suit for U.S. users.

Currently, those in the U.S. only see the label Gulf of America on the map while users in Mexico see the name as Gulf of Mexico. Those elsewhere see the label Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).

Sheinbaums announcement comes one day after House Republicans took the first step in codifying the executive order to rename the body of water. The legislation, titled the Gulf of America Act, cleared the House in a 211-206 vote and now heads to the Senate, where its future looks murky.

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At least seven Democrats would need to join all Republicans in supporting the legislation.

Amid the backlash earlier this year, Google maintained it has a long-standing practice of applying name changes when they are updated in official government sources, like the GNIS. In a case where official names vary between nations, Googles policy states users will see their official local names.

Sheinbaum argues Trumps executive order only applied to the area of the continental shelf under U.S. control.

What Google is doing here is changing the name of the continental shelf of Mexico and Cuba, which has nothing to do with Trumps decree, which applied only to the U.S. continental shelf, Sheinbaum said in February.

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According to Sovereign Limits, a database of international boundaries, the U.S. has control over about 46 percent of the Gulf, while Mexico controls about 49 percent and Cuba about 5 percent.

Mexicos foreign relations ministry sent letters to Google earlier this year, urging the company not to implement the changes.

In February, Sheinbaum shared Googles response from its vice president of government affairs and public policy, Cris Turner, who said the company will not change its policy after Trump signed the order, the AP reported.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The next boss of MI6 will be a woman for the first time in its history.

The shortlist to select the new Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6, has been whittled down to three female candidates.

It means that Britains top spy, known internally by the moniker C, for chief, will be a woman.

At least two of the candidates are serving intelligence officers, and therefore cannot be named.

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The current head of MI6s engineering arm is a woman and is likely to be a strong contender, and those with knowledge of the service have touted her as a candidate

The department was fictionalised as Q Branch in Ian Flemings James Bond novels and films.

Dame Barbara Woodward, who has never been a spy, is one of three women in line for the top job at MI6 - Julia Nikhinson/The Associated Press

Dame Barbara Woodward, an outsider candidate, is also a favourite, The Sunday Times reported.

The former head of the UK Border Agency currently serves as Britains Permanent Representative at the United Nations and has not worked at MI6 before.

Sir Richard Moore, the current MI6 chief, was a former spy who left and became the British ambassador to Turkey. In 2020, he returned to MI6 to take the top job.

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His five-year term is coming to an end later this year, with the search for a replacement proceeding at pace.

Final interviews for his successor are understood to have taken place last week.

In 2023, Sir Richard revealed that he had been recruited from an all-male shortlist, writing on X: I will help forge womens equality by working to ensure Im the last C selected from an all-male shortlist.

Dame Barbara, currently the most senior woman in Britains diplomatic service, has attracted comments for being insufficiently vocal with her criticism of China while serving as Britains ambassador to China from 2015 to 2020.

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After she left Beijing, Dame Barbara described the situation in Xinjiang as one of the worst human rights crises of our time.

Dame Judi Dench portrayed M in the James Bond franchise, a fictional role based on MI6s chief - Allstar/UNITED ARTISTS/Allstar Picture Library

The final decision on the appointment will be made by the Prime Minister, advised by a board of senior government figures including David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and Jonathan Powell, the National Security Adviser.

MI5, the domestic security service, has had two female directors-general, Dame Stella Rimington and Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller. MI6, which was established in 1909, has had 17 chiefs, all of them men.

In the James Bond series the figure of C was fictionalised as M. Fleming chose the moniker after the first initial of the first MI6 Chief, Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming.

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In John Le Carres George Smiley novels the head of the intelligence service was known as Control.

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.
Five-time Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein accused the Kennedy Center of cowing to government-sanctioned censorship and the silencing of creativity Saturday in response to the center canceling its Pride Month programming.

The genesis of art is essential to our need to enlighten, entertain, educate and help each of us, as human beings, connect to one another. Art, especially during the 20th century in America, offered every soul an opportunity to express or experience the diversity of culture, Feinstein wrote in an Instagram post titled Fear of Queer? by Michael Feinstein.

Recently, I was invited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, perform and speak at a program entitled A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride at The Kennedy Center, which celebrated the rainbow of influences upon art, music and our entire culture. This program was abruptly and unceremoniously canceled.

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These recent Kennedy Center losses may well be defined in the years ahead, as the 21st century government-sanctioned censorship and silencing of creativity, regardless of value, based strictly on sexual orientation. Art, in its purest form, is where we suspend our differences to illuminate elements of the human condition, Feinstein concluded.

In April the Kennedy Center and organizers canceled a slew of Pride events scheduled this summer to celebrate LGTBQ+ rights during the WorldPride festival in Washington, D.C.

The events were part of a week-long Tapestry of Pride celebration, described on the centers website as a celebration of diversity and unity, weaving together performances, exhibitions, and experiences for all ages.

The decision to cancel the events came weeks after Donald Trump fired several board members and named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center.

The post Michael Feinstein Accuses Kennedy Center of Government-Sanctioned Censorship for Pride Event Cancellation appeared first on TheWrap.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  In March, President Trump issued an executive order that would cut funding to the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

From books and movies to internet access and even assistance in finding a jobyour local library has it all. Gabby Kindig with the East Lansing Public Library says the recent executive order could make it harder for them to offer up these important resources.

And especially for small libraries and rural libraries, they dont have a lot of funding to supplement, and so they really, really rely on this money to serve this population, said Kindig.

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According to the Michigan Library Association, millions of dollars that they rely on each year could be impacted. Although a federal court blocked that executive order in response to a lawsuit by the American Library Association, it still leaves concerns about future funding.

Here in East Lansing, we would lose about $48,000 from the federal funding, but one of the bigger impacts is to MeLCat, said Kindig. So, thats the Michigan E-Library, its run by the Library of Michigan, and its funded entirely by the IMLS.

Kindig says her library does receive funding from other outlets, like the state and local governments.

We are luckily funded by a millage which is approved by voters, said Kindig. Most of our budget comes from this millage. So, we wont have too much of a devastating impact.

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The same cant be said for libraries in small rural areas.

If their funding is cut, then thats going to have an impact on the availability of resources, said Kindig.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at May 9, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 1-7-3

Evening: 3-6-1

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 9-4-8-5

Evening: 7-5-7-5

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 9 drawing

04-09-22-41-46, Lucky Ball: 13

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from May 9 drawing

KC-AC-JH-JS-7D

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from May 9 drawing

09-17-24-25-27

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13-14-22-26-29

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from May 9 drawing

01-04-12-15-16-18-19-24-29-32-36-39-43-47-51-52-54-58-59-64-65-75

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Heres how to claim your lottery prize

All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lotterys Regional Offices.

To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:

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Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a drivers license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.

If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:

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Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325

Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325

Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325

Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325

Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325

Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery's prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.

Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily

Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily

Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday

Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily

Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for May 9, 2025
May 9ROCHESTER  The head of Microsoft's research arm has been elected to the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, the health system announced Friday, May 9.

Peter Lee, Ph.D., is the president of Microsoft Research, overseeing laboratories that focus on computer science, artificial intelligence and health and life sciences. He joined Microsoft in 2010, Mayo Clinic says, and previously worked for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Carnegie Mellon University.

In 2024, Lee was featured on Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in health for Microsoft Research's work with Epic Systems, an electronic health record software company, on "AI-augmented record keeping."

"Dr. Lee is a values-driven leader recognized for his excellence in technological innovation, particularly in health care," Mayo Clinic president and CEO Dr. Gianrico Farrugia said in a statement. "With his deep expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science, he will offer valuable insights to our Board of Trustees as we continue to transform health care for the benefit of patients worldwide."
Mike Johnson says he's "open to the conversation" about banning stock trading in Congress.

That doesn't mean it's going to happen anytime soon.

Here's where things currently stand.

You may have heard this story before: The Speaker of the House is open to the idea of banning members of Congress from trading stocks, but it's not exactly clear whether it will happen.

That's where we were three years ago, when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi  after initially causing a firestorm by rejecting the idea  told reporters that she was "okay with that" if that's what her colleagues wanted to do.

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That's where we are again, with Speaker Mike Johnson telling NPR earlier this month that he's "open to the conversation."

"It's been talked about for quite some time," Johnson observed. "But there's probably a reason that the bill hasn't moved in all those years because there's never been a consensus built around it."

Johnson is correct. Despite the broad popularity of banning members of Congress from trading stocks  along with renewed interest driven by scrutiny of recent trades made by lawmakers like Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania  the task of actually passing a bill to do it has never been straightforward.

As of now, there are several proposals in both chambers that would address the issue, and each one is a little bit different. There's the question of whether spouses should be included in a ban. There are differing views about the feasibility of using blind trusts. And if someone violates the rules, what should be the punishment?

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These are all solvable questions, and during the last Congress, a group of senators with dueling bills managed to come together around a common proposal. But we're in a new Congress now, and lawmakers have largely returned to introducing their own bills.

It's also a matter of prioritization.

Sure, politicians ranging from President Donald Trump, to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, to Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri all support the idea. But it's ultimately up to GOP leaders like Johnson and Senate Minority Leader John Thune  who told NPR that the current rules around stock trading disclosures are "pretty good" already  to decide it's an issue worth taking up.

In the meantime, they're spending most of their time trying to muscle through a sweeping fiscal bill that's set to include changes to the tax code and spending cuts.

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Even if Johnson and Thune decide it's important, success isn't guaranteed.

In 2022, Pelosi and House Democratic leaders ultimately did move towards a vote on banning members of Congress from trading stocks, only to yank the bill due to internal opposition.

This year, it may take pressure from Johnson's right flank to spur Congress to action.

"It's been sitting out there for three or four years, we kind of keep dragging feet, and it's time to deal with it," Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas told BI in January.

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON  A New York Times bestseller that chronicles the true story of a nonbinary teenager set on fire by another teen while riding a bus in Oakland, California.

A collection of stories and poems by a New York Times bestselling author about the feelings and experiences of teenagers in love.

An NPR best book of the year award winner featuring authors and illustrators sharing personal stories about their conversations with their kids about race in America today.

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This is a small sampling of the kinds of books that have been marked for quarantine in school libraries run by the Defense Departments Education Activity, or DoDEA. For months, officials atop this agency have been quietly flagging and banning dozens of books in response to President Donald Trumps executiveorders requiring federal agencies to eliminate programs or materials related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The effect is that tens of thousands of kids in U.S. military families living on military bases worldwide no longer have access at their school libraries to celebrated and highly recommended books that happen to talk about LGBTQ+ people and people of color.

HuffPost obtained an internal list of 80-something books that have been banned, or are in the process of being banned, at schools across the DoDEA system, which provides K-12 education to more than 67,000 kids in 11 countries, seven states, Guam and Puerto Rico.

HuffPost isnt providing the full list at the request of the DoDEA employee who shared it; they feared they could lose their job. But the clear theme to these books is that in one way or another, they talk about gender identity, sexuality and race.

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Some of the books on the list include:

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives, by Dashka Slater. This nonfiction book tells the backstories of two very different teens and explores race, class, gender and crime. It has won multiple awards, including being ranked as a Time Magazine best young adult book for all time. If I Was Your Girl, by Meredith Russo. This story follows a young trans woman who has gone to live with her estranged father after being bullied at her old school, and navigates her relationships with new friends and her first romance. It has won numerous awards and was listed as a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Pet, by Akwaeke Emezi. A story about a Black transgender woman navigating her place in the world. This book is a National Book Award finalist and was named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, Time, NPR, New York Public Library, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. Kirkus Reviews named it one of the best young adult books of the century. 19 Love Songs, by David Levithan. Written by a New York Times bestselling author, this book is a collection of short stories that explores big and small moments in young adult relationships. Some of the stories, but not all, have LGBTQ+ themes or characters. Cemetery Boys, by Aiden Thomas. This story follows a character named Yadriel, a Latino transgender teen who sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. Written by a New York Times bestselling author, this book was a Goodreads nominee for readers favorite debut novel and for readers favorite young adult fantasy and science-fiction book. Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The award-winning author writes in the form of a letter to his then-teenage son about his perception of the feelings, symbolism and realities associated with being Black in America. The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth, by Wade Hudson. This book is a collection of short stories from 30 award-winning authors and illustrators that engage young people in open conversations about racism, identity and self-esteem. The New York Times rated it the best childrens book of the year, as did NPR and Bank Street College of Education.

In some confusion over that last book, DoDEA officials also accidentally banned a similar-sounding book  The Talk, by Darrin Bell  in all the schools that had it, according to the DoDEA employee. Bell is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, and this book, a memoir about police brutality and anti-Blackness, has won multiple awards. It was rated a 2023 top 10 pick by the New York Public Library system and by the Chicago Public Library system, and named one of the best graphic novels of 2023 by School Library Journal.

Still, senior DoDEA officials focus on rooting out books that talk about transgender people stands out the most, said this DoDEA employee.

They are really trying to deny transgender people exist, said the employee. It makes me physically ill.

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A second DoDEA employee told HuffPost its clear that, in their scramble to comply with Trumps executive orders, the agencys leadership has had a tendency to err far on the side of caution.

Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates, has been banned in Defense Department-run schools, which serve more than 67,000 students in grades K-12. The National Book Award winner was banned as a result of President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at erasing diversity initiatives. The Washington Post via Getty Images

DoDEA students last month sued the agency over its book bans, arguing that it is violating their First Amendment rights. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on behalf of 12 students from six families, ranging in age from pre-K to 11th grade. All are children of active-duty U.S. service members stationed in Virginia, Kentucky, Italy or Japan.

In their lawsuit, they cite other books they say have been banned in DoDEA schools in response to Trumps executive orders. They include The Kite Runner, a New York Times bestseller by Khaled Hosseini; Freckleface Strawberry, by actress and New York Times bestselling author Julianne Moore; Hillbilly Elegy, by Vice President JD Vance; The Antiracist Kid, by New York Times bestselling author Tiffany Jewell; and a preparation guide for an Advanced Placement psychology exam.

Learning is a sacred and foundational right that is now being limited for students in DoDEA schools, Natalie Tolley, a plaintiff on behalf of her three children, said in a statement. The implementation of these [executive orders], without any due process or parental or professional input, is a violation of our childrens right to access information that prevents them from learning about their own histories, bodies, and identities.

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A DoDEA spokesperson said he couldnt comment on the list of banned books obtained by HuffPost, or on any books that may have been pulled off the shelves at DoDEA school libraries, given the new lawsuit.

I cannot comment on active litigations, Michael ODay, the communications director for DoDEA Americas, said in a statement.

However, DoDEA remains unwavering in its dedication to providing an exceptional educational experience for every student, said ODay. Our curriculum, rigorously aligned with DoDEAs proven standards, has earned us the distinction of being the top-ranked school system in the United States for four consecutive years, based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Nations Report Card.

HuffPost previously talked to an active-duty military officer overseas with kids attending a DoDEA school. He described Trumps anti-DEI policies as a constant source of stress and fear for people around him, including at home: His spouse is a DoDEA teacher and he has LGBTQ+ children.

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Trumps attacks on LGBTQ+ kids and transgender service members hits home in so many ways, said the officer. Its dehumanizing.

Members of Congress previously wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, urging him to stop to the Orwellian book purges within DoDEA schools.

We write to express our grave concern about the escalating censorship taking place in schools run by the Department of Defense, reads a March letter to Hegseth from more than two dozen lawmakers, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.

You are plainly violating the constitutional rights of DoD families, they wrote.

A Defense Department spokesperson on Thursday declined comment on the lawmakers letter, saying only, As with all congressional correspondence, we will respond directly to its authors.
Popular Chinese lifestyle retailer, Miniso plans to open a store at Southgate Plaza in south Sacramento, according to its website.

The new location at 4242 Florin Road, near Franklin Boulevard, will be Minisos third in the Sacramento area. It will join existing stores at Arden Fair mall and the Westfield Galleria at Roseville, both of which opened in 2021.

The 7,631-square-foot space is near Southgate Plaza retailers including 99 Ranch Market, Foot Locker and Ross Dress for Less, the Sacramento Business Journal reported.

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Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Guangzhou, Miniso markets itself as an Asian-themed lifestyle brand with a focus on design and affordability. Its inventory includes toys, beauty and personal care items, electronics, home goods and snacks.

Its unclear when the store will officially open; company representatives did not respond to an inquiry from The Sacramento Bee. The companys webpage for the location says simply coming soon.
The National Weather Service continues to warn of dangerous fire weather conditions developing in Minnesota amid a hot and dry stretch that begins Saturday and will last through Tuesday.

"The combination of gusty winds and low [relative humidity] will create a favorable setup for rapid fire spread when paired with the vulnerable state of dry fuels across much of Minnesota," says the forecast discussion from the NWS Twin Cities.

Red flag warnings have been issued in northwest Minnesota from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday due to "extreme fire danger." Counties in the warning include Beltrami, Clearwater, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau.

Red flag warnings mean rapid fire spread is possible, with grassfires and wildfires burning out of control due to high winds and low humidity. Residents within the red flag warning are advised not to burn, and campfires are discouraged.

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When fire risk is this high its important to be careful with anything could spark a wildfire, said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist.

The elevated fire conditions expand Sunday through Tuesday as heat builds. Sixty-one of Minnesota's 87 counties are under a fire weather watch on Sunday.

High temps on Mother's Day could break records that are 100+ years old. Temps will soar into the upper 80s and 90s across much of Minnesota, with the heat bubbling up the highest in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

Temps at 3 p.m. Sunday, as projected by the HRRR model.WeatherBell

Monday and Tuesday will bring similar temperatures and dry air to the region before things start to cool down Wednesday into Thursday.

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"To summarize, a multi-day period of dangerous fire weather conditions remains likely Sunday through Tuesday due to [relative humidity] as low as 15 percent, sustained winds between 15-25 mph, and gusts up to 35 mph," the NWS Twin Cities says.

"We encourage folks to stay tuned for local information regarding burn bans and avoid activities that involves open flames/sparks."
MISHICOT, Wis. (WFRV)  What began as a day off quickly turned into a once-in-a-career moment for Lisa Van Hefty, a dedicated special education teacher at O.H. Schultz Elementary School in Mishicot.

On Friday morning, Van Hefty walked into a surprise school assembly only to be named one of Wisconsins 2026 Teachers of the Year. The recognition was presented by State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly in front of a crowd of students, staff, and her family.

Chef from Wisconsin competing on new cooking show co-hosted by Martha Stewart & award-winning chef Jose Andres

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When my name was called it just kind of took me back, took my breath away actually, Van Hefty said. Very unexpected. I just do my job.

Van Hefty has spent her entire 27-year teaching career at O.H. Schultz Elementary, advocating for inclusive education and championing the needs of students with disabilities.

She nailed itits about inclusion, its about making every kid belong, said Underly. Being a special education teacher is a lot of hard work, and Lisas commitment shows why these roles are so vital.

Fellow teachers praised Van Hefty as a leader and tireless advocate.

Shes here every single day, putting in the fight, loving on these kids, and making our school a better place, said colleague Brittni Buyeske.

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Van Hefty says her mission has always been simple: make every student feel valued.

Green Bay School Board of Education Trustee resigns, timeline & process to be reviewed

Just include them. They are people just like us, she said. They want to be seen, they want to be heard, they want to be treated like everyone else. Its our responsibility as citizens and community members to do that for them.

Van Hefty is one of five educators statewide honored with the 2026 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year title.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
8:51 p.m. update: Boston Police say they have located the missing 10-year-old from Dorchester.

CANCELLED- BPD Missing Person Alert: 10-Year-Old Zayleigh Bourget, Of Dorchesterhttps://t.co/Xz72Joq8mu  Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) May 10, 2025

Original article: Police are asking for the publics help locating a missing 10-year-old from Dorchester.

She was last seen on Friday around 1:15 p.m. in the area of Hecla Street, according to Boston Police.

She is described as a 408, 120lb Hispanic female with thin, brown, wavy, hair and brown eyes.

Authorities say she has a developmental disability and is known to frequent the area of Ronan Park, Ryan Playground, the Mather School, Savin Hill, and stores in the 500 block of Geneva Avenue.

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She was last seen wearing a black shirt and a black windbreaker.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call 911 or District C-11 Detectives at 617-343-4335.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC4)  A 15-year-old girl who was reported missing in April may have communicated with a man living in Texas, according to a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Alisa Petrov was reportedly last seen walking away from her American Fork school on Monday, April 21. Detectives said she bought items at a nearby gas station before boarding a UTA train and getting off at a station in Provo. Petrov may have been trying to get to Las Vegas, Nevada, police said.

South Jordan police have reportedly received new information via a cyber tip that authorities in Texas have reason to believe Petrov was communicating with a man in their state. They have identified the individual and launched an investigation into the matter.

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PREVIOUSLY: Missing 15-year-old last seen in Provo could be heading to Las Vegas, police say

Courtesy: Nikolai Petrov

Courtesy: Nikolai Petrov

Courtesy: Nikolai Petrov

Courtesy: Nikolai Petrov

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South Jordan police will be working closely with the Texas City Police Department on the outcome of their investigation, a press release from South Jordan PD states.

We will continue all efforts to locate Alisa and follow any leads that may become discoverable from our Texas partners, the release states.

Petrov is believed to be attempting to meet individuals she has communicated with online using multiple social media platforms and chat applications. She is currently listed as a runaway juvenile and is considered endangered. Any information regarding her whereabouts should be reported to police immediately.

You can reach the Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center at 801-840-4000. Petrovs case number is SJ25-11568.

What to do when speaking to law enforcement about a missing person

Here are some suggestions to keep in mind if someone you know goes missing. Utah officials suggest taking notes on interactions with law enforcement to keep track of details such as officer names, dates and times of interactions, the case number, and what the officers say.

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When working with local law enforcement to report a missing person, it is recommended one shares as much information as possible about the missing person, including but not limited to:

Full name or nicknames.

Recent photos.

Date of birth and age at the time they disappeared.

Gender/sex.

Detailed physical description (including unique scars or tattoos).

Date of disappearance.

Medical conditions.

Last known location.

Social media accounts.

Sorina Trauntvein contributed to this report.

Additional resources

For more information, the Department of Public Safety has a page on its website dedicated to resources for missing persons, as well as pages to view missing persons from Utah.

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Additional hotlines and resources originally compiled in a 2021 guidebook are available below:

Latest headlines:

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
HUBBARD, Ohio (WKBN)  An endangered missing adult alert for a Hubbard woman has been canceled.

The Hubbard Police Department said the woman walked away from her home at 9 p.m. Friday.

The alert was canceled around midnight.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A potential kidnapping situation led to a Dayton Police SWAT call to a Wright-Dunbar home.

According to a Dayton Police supervisor, crews were originally called out to a different location on a report of a missing person.

The investigation led officers to believe the missing person may have been kidnapped, which in turn brought them to a home in the 900 block of South Paul Laurence Dunbar St.

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The missing person and other family members were located safe and unharmed.

Dayton Police said there is currently no evidence a kidnapping took place, but detectives were called to the scene and still investigating.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CHICAGO  Police are asking for help in the search for a woman who officers say has been missing for over a week and may be in need of medical attention.

Chicago police say 24-year-old Brittany Brown has been missing since Friday, May 2.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

The missing woman was last spotted in an area near the 2100 block of South Michigan Avenue, in the South Loop.

Brow, who stands 5-foot-3 and weighs around 125 pounds, has brown eyes and black hair.

Police shared details about the missing womans disappearance in a news release sent out on Friday afternoon, but did not provide a description of what she was last seen wearing.

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A photo provided by Chicago police shows Brown with blonde highlights in her hair and silver earings, though it is unclear if she had either at the time of her disappearance.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 24-year-old Brittany Brown is asked to contact the CPD Area One SVU at 312-747-8380 or dial 911.

Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

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House Speaker Jon Patterson of Lee's Summit speaks at a news conference Friday with House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton of Noel. (TIm Bommel/Missouri House Communications)

Missouri House Republicans unexpectedly refused to allow a vote Friday on a $513 million spending bill for construction projects, citing a desire to control spending for a move that was kept secret from Democrats in the chamber and members of the state Senate.

The move sank funding for major projects around the state, including national guard facilities, Boys and Girls clubs, and community health centers, to name a few. And it could seriously damage relations within the House and between chambers.

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Up to the moment the House adjourned without passing the bill, this years process for deciding the budget had resembled years in the past where even major disagreements over spending priorities was resolved in time to meet the Constitutions deadline for passing appropriation bills.

House and Senate conference committees hammered out the details of the $49.8 billion budget for day-to-day operations over two days of meetings this week. Last year, no public negotiations at all occurred because factional Republican warfare in the Senate delayed spending bills in that chamber.

The major new spending items in the operating bills going to Kehoes desk include:

A $300 million increase for the foundation formula, the states basic aid program for public schools.

$107 million to revamp the child care payment system so providers receive their money at the beginning of each month for the children enrolled in their center.

$50 million to expand the number of children served by the MOScholars program, which helps parents pay tuition at private and parochial schools.

A state employee pay raise plan based on longevity, with raises up to 10%, plus pay increases for Department of Corrections officers who work in high-security and administrative segregation areas.

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Only once, since the early deadline for spending bills was enacted in 1988, have lawmakers failed to pass any of the operating budget bills. Failure to enact those bills means they must meet in special session before the fiscal year begins on July 1.

There is no similar urgency for the construction bill, except for the organizations and agencies planning the projects it would fund. Gov. Mike Kehoe could call a special session to consider construction spending or let the projects wait a year to receive money.

There was no advance notice that the capital projects bill would not receive a vote. The final votes on the 13 operating budget bills came, for the most part, rapid fire. Only the bill that included the $50 million for the MOScholars program received extended debate in the House and it passed by the narrowest margin, 84-55, on a roll call that required 82 votes to pass.

Along with the operating budget bills, three capital appropriation bills were pending when the day began. One bill authorized $171 million for maintenance and repair needs, the second allocated $513 million to new construction and a third bill has $2.6 billion of state and federal tax money to continue projects first included two years ago.

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The Senate voted on the capital appropriation bills first as it waited for word that the House had passed several of the operating bills. The Senate voted on each bill as it arrived from the House, sending the entire set to Kehoes desk.

The Senate was already adjourned for the day when the House finally debated the maintenance and repair funding and the bill to continue ongoing projects late Friday afternoon, just hours before the constitutional deadline.

Only when the House itself adjourned without taking up the construction bill was it clear that the bill would die. The Constitution forbids lawmakers to consider spending bills in the final week of their regular session.

House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton of Noel, left, speaks privately with Majority Leader Alex Riley of Springfield, during debate (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).

House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Noel Republican, said at a news conference that he made the decision after consultation with House Speaker Jon Patterson of Lees Summit and Majority Leader Alex Riley of Springfield. He said he did not inform Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican, of his decision. House Democrats said they were not told, either.

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It was a purely financial decision, Deaton said. The House-passed budget, he said, projected the state would use about $600 million of what the governors budget plan projected will be a $2.5 billion unencumbered general revenue surplus at the end of the current year. Kehoes budget used about $1.1 billion of the surplus, but when the operating budget negotiations ended, the projection showed that about $1.6 billion would be spent.

During negotiations on the nearly 600 budget lines with differences between the House and Senate, Hough held the Senate position on more than 350, while the House version was chosen about 185 times. For several dozen, a compromise amount between the chambers was included.

On the majority of lines where differences occurred, the conference committee chose the higher spending amount.

We had many things in there that we thought were good and worthy of doing and would have liked to have seen done, Deaton said. But considering what we spent in the operating (budget), I just felt like we couldnt move forward at this time.

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The decision to shelve the construction bill was not because the House perceived it had lost in budget negotiations, Patterson said.

We dont think about Senate positions and House positions, he said. We think about positions from Missouri, I think probably had more to do with we sent them the bill on the 17th and then we received the bill back with about six hours left.

Lawmakers have one more week before the session ends. There are major bills awaiting final action, including GOP priorities to roll back the abortion rights and the sick leave law approved by voters in November.

Patterson said he didnt see any reason why refusing to vote on the construction bill would change whether those other bills pass.

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I have nothing but great things to say about how the Senate has been working this year, he said. I think theyll continue to work like that.

After passing the operating budget, the House recessed and Republicans met in caucus. That is when the decision was made, Deaton said.

They had great concerns that I would try to be fair to them and not ask them to have to vote on something that they hadnt had an opportunity to review and have input on, Deaton said.

State Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, speaks Friday at a news conference about the budget, surrounded by other members of the Democratic caucus (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

The action hurts communities across the state that were anticipating projects that ranged from hospitals and new National Guard facilities to major research buildings, said state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

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My members and I worked very hard to fund vital services to Missourians in House Bill 19, Fogle said. I would like to deliver the promise and the effort that we made. And I know a lot of the majority party feels the same way. Looking through this list, there were members that worked very hard to bring dollars back home to our communities.

Hough confirmed in an interview with The Independent Friday eventing that he was not informed by Deaton that the bill would not receive a vote.

Am I frustrated with them taking no action and essentially then killing the (capital improvements) bill? Absolutely. Hough said. Thats frustrating for everyone.

The Independent tracks earmarks  special items added to the budget proposed by Kehoe  and of just over 300 in the budget, 60 were in the capital bill that did not pass. Of those 60, 42 were in the bill when the House approved it.

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Disproportionately, they hurt their own members, Hough said. The majority of the things in that bill were added for House members, so that just doesnt make any sense.

As proposed by Kehoe, the construction bill used about $139 million of general revenue and about $186 million of federal funds and other money. The projects included $50 million to support a new research reactor at the University of Missouri, $55 million for projects on the State Fairgrounds in Sedalia and $52 million for National Guard facilities.

In the House-passed version, the general revenue was bumped to $216 million and new projects included $20 million for a parking garage adjacent to a convention center in Jefferson City, $11 million for a redevelopment project in Cape Girardeau and $6.8 million for a hospital in Salem. The smallest project added in the House was $60,000 for a county maintenance building in Dallas County.

The Senate accepted all of those projects and added 18 more of its own, with items like $10 million for a community health center in Barry County, $8 million for Boys & Girls Clubs statewide and $1 million for improvements at an airport in Washington County.

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Because of the tight timeline for passing budget bills and House rules that make conference meetings impossible when the deadline is near, Hough had anticipated that by keeping everything in the bill when he received it, the House would accept it.

He said at the Wednesday committee meeting that approved it that he had assurances from Deaton that was the case.

The trust has been eroded with the lack of communication from the House, Hough said.

Deaton said he had not given Hough any assurance that the package would be acceptable.

There was never any agreement, and certainly not one that we would just take anything if our insertions were not taken out, Deaton said.

House Democrats, who had praised Deaton for running a more bipartisan budget process where they received a share of the earmarked items, said the goodwill of that work has been damaged.

What Rep. Fogle was mentioning, said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City, about having not been clued in that this was on the table for the majority party, is a huge breach of trust between the caucuses.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  A Mobile man has been sentenced to prison time after pleading guilty to the distribution of child pornography.

5-year-old killed, Citronelle woman arrested in Mobile County crash

According to a news release from the United States Department of Justice, Michael Jerome Elder, 50, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on the charge. He pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2025.

Michael Jerome Elder (Photo courtesy of the Mobile County Sheriffs Office)

Court documents show a Mobile County deputy identified Elder as an individual who demonstrates a sexual interest in children after investigating a file-sharing network where people share child sexual abuse material. There, the deputy identified Elders IP address.

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A search warrant was obtained, and investigators located Elder at the home and reportedly found a cell phone hed hidden in a vent. Investigators examined the phone and found child sexual abuse material, the USDOJ release said.

Elder was already convicted of five counts of possessing obscene material of minors. Hed been released on Nov. 15, 2022, which was less than a year before the most recent incident.

U.S. District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Elder to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervision. In prison, Elder is subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment.

According to the USDOJ, Elder is also required to register as a sex offender and cannot have contact with minors. Hes also been ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments.

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Pensacola police: Beware of jugging  2 people already robbed of thousands

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriffs Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case.

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The mother of a 6-year-old boy with autism has spoken out after her son was allegedly assaulted by an elementary school employee

Kimberley Horen faces battery and assault charges related to the incident and could spend up to 93 days in jail if convicted

The boy's mom said he hasn't been the same since the alleged incident took place







The mother of a 6-year-old boy with autism is speaking out after her son was allegedly assaulted by an elementary school employee.

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Tabatha Woodward told local news station WXYZ-TV Detroit that she received a call from the principal of Forest Park Elementary School in Michigan in regards to an incident involving her son Ryder Sobieski and a worker at the school.

The principal called saying that one of the paraprofessionals took a shoe to my sons head, a staff member has seen it, and they are going to investigate it," Woodward told the outlet.

It hurts me a lot that somebody actually could do that to somebody thats autistic she added, further explaining that her son is non-verbal.

The paraprofessional at the school  who has since been identified as Kimberley Horen by the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office  now faces assault and battery charges related to the incident, according to WXYZ-TV, WDIV-TV and CBS News.

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If found guilty, Horen, 53, could face up to 93 days in jail, per the outlets.

According to the prosecutors office, Horen allegedly took the boy's shoe off and then intentionally struck him on the head with it, per WXYZ-TV and CBS News. The incident reportedly took place in October 2024, the outlets said.

After the incident, Horen was placed on leave, and an internal investigation was conducted, according to WXYZ-TV. Horens employment was terminated following the investigation.

The Eastpointe Community School District, which oversees the educational institution, told WXYZ-TV in a statement: We have high expectations of our employees, and we absolutely do not accept or tolerate that kind of behavior in Eastpointe Community Schools.

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The Eastpointe Community School District and the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on Saturday, May 10.



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Macomb County Prosecutor's Office Kimberley Horen. Kimberley Horen.

Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido also issued a statement to WXYZ-TV, stating, "The defendant had a responsibility to provide a safe and focused learning environment for students. Instead, she violated that trust.

This behavior is unacceptable, and we are committed to pursuing justice to ensure that such misconduct has no place in our schools," he added.

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Woodward told WXYZ-TV that she had hoped that Horen would face harsher punishment, including a felony charge of child abuse. She said that her son has not been the same since the incident.

Hes been throwing himself on the floor, and hes been having a hard time spending time with his other nieces and nephews, Woodward explained.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



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A new AP-NORC poll finds that the majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trumps stance on colleges and universities as he intensifies threats to cut federal funding unless schools comply with his political agenda.

More than half of Americans, 56 percent, disapprove of the Trump administrations approach to higher education, while about four in 10 approve, reflecting his overall job approval ratings.

Since taking office in January, Trump has sought to enforce change at universities he claims have become hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism.

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Harvard University is the most recent target. The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal grants, threatened to strip the school's tax-exempt status, and demanded broad policy changes. The university has characterized the governments demands as a threat to the autonomy that the Supreme Court has long granted to American universities.

The Trump administration has also cut off funding to other elite colleges, including Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell University, citing their handling of pro-Palestinian activism and transgender athletes participation in womens sports.

This targeting of universities appears out of step with the wider American public, which sees such institutions as key to scientific research, new ideas, and innovation.

About six in 10 U.S. adults say colleges and universities make more of a positive contribution to medical and scientific research than a negative one, and a similar share favors maintaining federal funding for scientific research.

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Freddy Ortega, 66, a Democrat and a retired military veteran in Columbus, Georgia, told the AP: The way [Trump] took away all that money in funding, impacting things that Harvard has been working on for the betterment of the world.

One man should not have that much power, Ortega continued. This is something for Congress to deal with.

Harvard students and faculty demonstrate on campus against Trumps attacks on the university (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Ortega, who is Hispanic, also expressed concern regarding Trumps attempts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs throughout U.S. society. I came up in the military. I know the good that those programs do, he said. It changes the direction that peoples lives are going to take.

For Republicans, the issue is more complex. The presidents approach generally resonates strongly with them, even more so than his handling of the economy, with eight in 10 Republicans approving of his approach to colleges, many of whom see universities as places where conservative ideas are silenced and liberalism runs unchecked. Six in 10 say they are extremely or very concerned about liberal bias on campus.

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However, on withholding federal funding from schools unless they bow to Trumps demands, the numbers are significantly different. About half are in favor, while about one-quarter are opposed, and a similar share is neutral.

Im all for it, said Republican voter Hengameh Abraham, 38, a mother of two in Roseville, California. She supports cutting federal funds and opposes DEI programs, saying she emigrated to America from Iran as a teenager and worked hard to succeed in school without the help of affirmative action programs.

Your racial identity, nationality, and background should not be a factor in getting accepted to college or getting a job, said Abraham. She endorses Trumps focus on campus antisemitism. When pro-Palestinian protests swept through U.S. colleges last year, she noted that some of the demonstrators messaging was anti-U.S.

I do not think if you have any kind of anti-American agenda or slogan that you should be allowed on a university campus in the United States, she said.

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In Harvards case, Trump has threatened to remove its tax-exempt status, and his administration has implemented funding cuts. Those measures are divisive among the general public: nearly half oppose withholding federal funding as a punitive action, while about one-quarter favor it. About one-quarter remain neutral.

Charles Jolivette, 43, a Democrat and college career counselor from New Orleans, views Trumps education policies as an assault on free speech and people of color.

Not only is the president going after anyone he feels is an opponent and anyone who is not compliant, but hes attacking some of the most important elements of our society, said Jolivette. Its rampant bullying from the president of the United States, who is supposed to be crossing the aisle.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a top concern of most Americans is the cost of a college degree, with about six in 10 U.S. adults extremely or very concerned about the cost of tuition. The majority of Democrats and Republicans share that concern, which far outweighs concerns about antisemitism and liberal bias on campuses among the general public.

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College costs a lot more than it needs to. To get an education, you should not have to break your pocketbook, said Eunice Cortez, 68, a Republican near Houston.

A sculler rows down the Charles River near Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Cortez, who is originally from Mexico, did not attend college, but she ensured that her U.S.-born children did and is proud that her grandchildren are earning college degrees. She supports Trump but is concerned that some of his policies, including funding cuts, will make it harder for people who need tuition aid to obtain an education. She sees it as the government getting in the way of an educated society.

The poll shows a divide between college-educated Americans and those without college degrees, highlighting a possible cultural rift that Trump has seized on in the past.

Most Americans with a college degree62 percentoppose withholding funding from universities that dont comply with the presidents requirements. In contrast, those without a college degree are divided: about three in 10 in favor, a similar proportion oppose, while around four in 10 express no opinion.

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Kara Hansen, 40, a registered independent in Seminole, Oklahoma, is a few credits shy of a college degree. She supports the idea of dismantling the Education Department to shake things up. But she said shes concerned by what she calls Trumps authoritarian tendencies and a growing fear on college campuses to speak up and voice opinions.

It feels like everybody has a muzzle on, Hansen said. They cant fully express themselves because theyre afraid of getting in trouble, and afraid of Trump.

About three in 10 U.S. adults say students or professors can freely speak their minds a lot on college and university campuses. About four in 10 say they can do this to some extent. However, Republicans feel their views are stifled, with about eight in 10 saying liberals can speak their minds a lot or some on campus, but fewer than half express the same sentiment about conservatives.

With reporting from the Associated Press
When you walk up to the doors at the Rite Aid on Rostraver Road in Belle Vernon, youll find the doors are locked, and the store permanently closed.

Wow, whats going on? asked Marilynn Taylor of New Eagle. [Im] very disappointed.

Taylor stopped by the Rite Aid to pick up some allergy medicine.

I just stopped to pick up some Allegra, she told Channel 11s Andrew Havranek. Im usually up here quite a bit because I stop at Walmart, and I usually come over here if I need stuff, so Im really disappointed and surprised.

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Belle Vernons Rite Aid is one of three local Rite Aids to close in this round of store closures. The others are a location in Oakland, and the location inside the Pittsburgh International Airport.

More closures could be coming.

Taylor is concerned for people in smaller towns who rely on Rite Aid for prescriptions.

Where are they going to go? I mean, theyll have to find other pharmacies, but yeah. Its going to be bad, she said.

Some communities are trying to get ahead of any possible closures of their Rite Aid locations. Derry Borough Councilman Nathan Bundy said if their Rite Aid closes, the nearest full-service pharmacy would be nearly 20 minutes away by car.

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Our residents here may or may not have access to a vehicle, may or may not have access to reliable internet, and may or may not even have a cell phone to order prescription drugs or use a delivery service, Bundy said.

There is no word on when, or even if, the Derry location will close. But Bundy said council contacted Rite Aid, local, state, and federal representatives to urge the company to sell this location to another pharmacy.

That was our only pharmacy, that was our only convenience store, Bundy said. I believe in the potential of our town, and I believe in our residents, and I believe there is economic opportunity here.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Its a story News 4 has reported on multiple times: stolen SNAP benefits. A metro woman is now speaking out after her benefits were stolen twice in the last two months.

Tammy Dunn gets her benefits at the beginning of the month. This month, she used her card in the morning at a store, then tried to use it again that night, only to find her card had been wiped clean.

DHS wants you to use the right app to protect your SNAP benefits from thieves

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The Department of Human Services told her to download Connect EBT, link her card, and lock it.

However, after Dunn filled out her information, a notification popped up on the app that said its unable to authenticate her card.

I have no family in Oklahoma City at all. Its just me and my four-year-old daughter fending for ourselves, said Tammy Dunn, who had her food stamps stolen.

Dunn said its frustrating and she doesnt know how to get food on the table for her family.

Its really hard for single families, and especially when they tell you that they wont replace the food stamps, and they wont give them back. Ive been calling agenciesthere are no churchestheres nowhere I could get assistance from, said Dunn.

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News 4 ran a story in January reminding SNAP users about locking and unlocking their cards. In the last four months, DHS said Connect EBT has stopped funds from getting stolen off thousands of cards.

Those transactions were over 30,000 of them for $12 million. So its a huge success when its utilized, said Michael Adams, the special agent in charge at the OKDHS office of the Inspector General.

News 4 asked about Dunns case and why the app wont connect her card. DHS said users, like Dunn, will have to take that up with the apps technical team.

Another Oklahoman hit by SNAP benefits crime ring

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As it becomes easier for SNAP benefits to be stolen, DHS is sending a reminder.

Whenever theyre ready to make a transaction, they can unlock it, swipe the card and lock it again. As long as that card is locked, even if the bad guys have that card data, they cant steal the benefits because the card is locked, said Adams.

DHs said the federal government stopped reimbursing for stolen benefits in December of 2024.

To combat any Connect EBT app issues, DHS said, The app belongs to our EBT vendor Conduent. Anyone with technical issues can call the number on the back of their card for support.

If you are impacted by stolen benefits, fill out this form. DHS said its not a link for replacement benefits, but it helps law enforcement investigate fraudulent activity.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
MORGAN COUNTY, Ala (WHNT)  The Morgan County Sheriffs Office says a Somerville man was arrested Friday on multiple child pornography charges.

MCSO said James Oliver Canter, 49, of Somerville, was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography with intent to disseminate. Authorities said Cantro was arrested after he was found with several child sex abuse images on his person during a search at a rehabilitation and recovery center on Highway 36 near Hartselle.

Huntsville City Schools files for partial unitary status

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The sheriffs office said investigators, along with the Alabama Police Department and the District Attorneys Office for the 25th Judicial Circuit, executed a search warrant Friday. According to MCSO, the search was a part of an ongoing investigation into child sex abuse images.

MCSO said during the search, 25 people were detained, and of those, seven were determined to have unrelated outstanding warrants and were arrested. The sheriffs office is not releasing those names at this time.

The Morgan County Sheriffs Office continues to maintain a heightened focus on crimes against children, Sheriff Ron Puckett said. Through the effort of our Investigators, we have made numerous human trafficking, child abuse and child pornography arrests. This will continue.

MCSO said due to the number of residents and size of the property, the Morgan County Sheriffs S.W.A.T. team, including Priceville PD, Morgan County Sheriffs Drug Enforcement Unit and Fugitive Unit, assisted.

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Jail records show Canter is being held in the Morgan County Jail on a $375,000.00

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 Welcome to the Your Morning newsletter, featuring the latest news across America! Its Saturday, May 10 ,2025, and theres a lot happening today. Lets dive into it:

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY  MAY 05: A monitor shows flight delays at Newark International Airport on May 5, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. Delays and cancellations at one of the nations busiest airports have persisted for about a week, with these disruptions continuing into Monday morning. Air traffic control outages, runway construction, and an announcement by United Airlines that over 20% of FAA controllers at Newark walked off the job have all contributed to delays and cancellations. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, left, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, appears with, from left, Master of Ceremonies Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, and former Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican on May 8. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

A person inspects his damaged shop following overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in the Uri district of Indian-controlled Kashmir on May 9. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos arrives at federal court for sentencing, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

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(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

 News Across America 

 Menendez brothers: Defense pulls motion to remove DA from case

 7 alleged child sex predators arrested in Michigan during sting

 California border officers confiscate $29 million in illicit drugs in April

 Good NewsNation 

Louis Prevost, brother of Pope Leo XIV

Holy cow, this is nuts, said Louis Prevost as he watched his younger brother, Robert, become Pope Leo XIV live on television.

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One of Russia's most prominent officials has rejected, in vulgar terms, Ukraine's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire beginning Monday.

Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and the current deputy head of the National Security Council, panned the plan in a post on X, writing in English that its authors could "shove these peace plans up your pangender arses!"

The ceasefire proposal was made as Germany's Friedrich Merz, France's Emmanuel Macron, the UK's Keir Starmer and Poland's Donald Tusk visited Kiev on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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The leaders also warned that sanctions would follow if Russia rejected the plan.

"Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk were supposed to discuss peace in Kiev. Instead, they are blurting out threats against Russia," Medvedev, who is known for his frequent use of inflammatory language, wrote.

Separately, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said before the ultimatum was issued that Russia would not be swayed by sanctions. He argued that any ceasefire must not allow Kiev to reposition its forces and named a halt to Western arms deliveries as a prerequisite for Moscow to consider the 30-day truce.
In early May, 64-year-old film critic and journalist Ekaterina Barabash made international headlines when it was revealed that she had pulled off a daring escape from house arrest in Russia and sought political asylum in France.

Barabash was put under house arrest in February for posts that she had made criticizing Russias war against Ukraine. She was accused of spreading knowingly false information about the military on her social media.

The Kremlin has intensified its crackdown on dissent in Russia since the start of its full-scale war against Ukraine, not only targeting those who dare to speak out against the war but also fostering a climate of surveillance that hearkens back to the worst periods of the Soviet era, urging Russian citizens to police one another.

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For Barabash, the war struck a personal chord  she is the daughter of a renowned Ukrainian academic and her son lives in Ukraine with his family. Unlike many Russians  who either seek to justify the war or retreat into indifference  Barabash felt a moral imperative to speak out

Most people in Russia arent willing to look for the truth, Barabash told the Kyiv Independent from France.

Theyve always been taught that Ukraine is just a part of Russia. But this belief is a kind of poison. Its something that every Russian grows up with, often without even realizing it.

In this exclusive interview, Barabash reflects on the moment she decided to risk her life to flee Russia, how her Ukrainian heritage shaped her perspective on Russian culture over the years, why even good Russians who oppose the war dont understand Ukraine, and the bleak future facing anyone with a conscience who chooses to remain in todays Russia.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.



The Kyiv Independent: Since the idea for this interview originally came after you escaped house arrest in Russia, I just wanted to start off by asking, how are you doing?

Ekaterina Barabash: I escaped from house arrest in Russia on April 13. I got past the checkpoints and left my home. We had a plan  I was supposed to be free within 24 hours. But things didnt go as expected, and I ended up having to hide for two and a half weeks. Unfortunately, I cant share all the details right now. Its a shame, because some parts are really interesting. Maybe one day Ill write about it  maybe even a small book.

During that time, I hid in many places  in forests, fields, villages, and so on. It was a bit frightening and definitely dangerous. I knew I had to leave quickly, and that sense of urgency never left me.

We had hoped they wouldn't notice my absence for at least a few hours, but they realized I was gone very quickly  within just minutes, maybe half an hour. They started searching for me almost immediately. I dont know all the details of how the search was carried out.

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After that, I had to cross the border into a European country. Of course, it was an illegal crossing. From there, things were arranged to help me move forward. A woman from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) came to meet me, and she helped bring me safely to Paris.

The Standard of the President of the Russian Federation flutters on top of the dome of the Senate Palace, one of the main buildings within the Kremlin compound, as seen through a barbed wire in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 22, 2024. (Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP via Getty Images)

The Kyiv Independent: Was there a specific moment when you decided that you would take the risk and escape, or did you know from the moment you were arrested that this was what you had to do?

Ekaterina Barabash: No, I didnt make the decision right away. At first, when they placed me under house arrest, it felt almost like a breath of fresh air. It was so unexpected  usually, in political cases, people accused of such crimes are held in jail while they await trial. But the judge said that because I had a very old mother, and I myself am not so young, they decided to place me under house arrest until the court date.

At first, it gave us hope  even my lawyer believed that I might only receive a large fine rather than jail time. But within a few days, after some conversations with certain people, I realized the risk was very high. The chance of being sentenced to prison was real. I believed I could face five, six, even seven years in a Russian prison  and a Russian prison is worse than death.

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That was when some people from Europe, who help political prisoners like me, told me clearly: even though I was at home, I needed to plan my escape.

At first, I was in shock. I never imagined I would have to leave  especially not my mother, who is 96 years old. But eventually, I realized it was the best option. I had to choose between two impossible outcomes: prison or fleeing the country. So, of course, I chose to escape.

Thats when we began the operation. I had coordinators from Europe who guided me through every step. They told me what to do, what to prepare, and explained our plan in detail.

Russian film critic and journalist Ekaterina Barabash draped in the Ukrainian flag in a Facebook post from early March 2022. (Facebook)

The Kyiv Independent: What makes your case unique among other Russian opposition figures is that you have very strong ties to Ukraine. Does your Ukrainian heritage influence how you view Russia and Russian culture?

Ekaterina Barabash: Yes, I was born in Ukraine, though I was very young when we left  I was only five months old when my parents moved to Moscow. So my entire life has been connected to Russia. I always felt like I had two motherlands: Ukraine and Russia. I was born in Ukraine, but I was raised and educated in Russia, in Moscow.

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My family has always had very strong ties to Ukraine. My father, who passed away five months ago, was a well-known figure there. He was a literary critic and the author of many books written in Ukrainian. He was highly respected in the academic community.

Years earlier, my son also moved to Ukraine for personal reasons. He lives there now with his wife and my grandchildren.

So when the war began, my situation was very different from that of my friends in the Russian opposition. For me, it was not just a political crisis  it was a personal tragedy. My closest relatives were there, being targeted by drones and missiles. And I couldnt stay silent. I couldnt hold back my grief or outrage.

I couldnt keep this anger and pain inside me. I started to speak out, openly accusing the Russian government and military of killing innocent people and invading Ukraine. I wrote things like, "I hate you  you are murderers."

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My perspective on the war was deeply personal. It wasnt just politics for me  it was about my family, my roots, and the suffering of people I love.

Even intelligent and well-educated Russian people often dont truly understand Ukraine. Almost all Russians have been poisoned by imperial propaganda. Theyve been raised with it  its part of their worldview.

Theyve always been taught that Ukraine is just a part of Russia. That the Ukrainian language is just a slightly different version of Russian. That Ukrainians are our "younger brothers," and we are all one people  Russians. Ive heard this over and over, even from good people, even from those who are against the war.

But this belief is a kind of poison. Its something that every Russian grows up with, often without even realizing it.

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I knew at least a little about Ukrainian culture and history  something most Russians dont. Ive done interviews and written about Ukrainian culture. So yes, my point of view was different from the beginning.

Russian soldiers patrol the area surrounding the Ukrainian military unit outside Simferopol, Crimea, on March 20, 2014. (Photo by Filippo Monteforte / AFP via Getty Images)

The Kyiv Independent: We know that Russias war against Ukraine started in 2014, not 2022. In what ways did Russian public opinion about the war in Ukraine change during those eight years?

Ekaterina Barabash: Most people in Russia simply didnt care  and they still dont. Even many anti-Putin individuals, including some of my friends, didnt grasp that the war actually started in 2014. When the invasion happened in 2022, they acted as if it was the beginning of the war. I had to remind them, "No, the war started eight years ago."

Later on, many of them started to understand, at least a little, what had been happening. But the truth is, almost no one cared. They saw (the invasion of Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts) as some small conflict in eastern Ukraine, maybe with some Russian soldiers involved, but they didnt recognize it as the coming of something horrific.

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They didnt understand the connection between the illegal annexation of Crimea and the war that followed. Yes, Crimea was officially part of Ukraine. But they thought that (Soviet leader Nikita) Khrushchev had given Crimea to Ukraine many years ago and that Russia had long claimed it.

Then came the war.

The Kyiv Independent: What would you want to say to people still in Russia?

Ekaterina Barabash: You know, Ive recently realized one thing that I didnt understand at first: its impossible to change their minds. Its like religion  you either believe or you dont. If you want to know the truth, you can seek out information, but most people in Russia arent willing to look for it.

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Theres a common response I get when I ask why they dont check alternative sources, like Ukrainian media. There are plenty of (Ukrainian) outlets that offer Russian-language versions of the news, and many people understand English, so they could easily access European media, too. Yet, they only rely on Russian sources.

The answer I often hear is, "Everyone lies." Theyre willing to accept the lies from Russian propaganda, but they wont even consider competing narratives from other sources. "Everyone lies," they say. Its an awful argument  a foolish one, really.

It's unfortunate, really, but what can I say to these people? Honestly, theres nothing more I can say. If youre scared, just stay silent. I understand  everyone has families, property, and they dont want to end up in jail. But if you care, then leave Russia, if you can, if its possible.

I know its not easy to leave behind elderly parents. I never intended to leave mine. But my father told me several times, "Leave, leave, leave. The end will be very, very dramatic." Still, I couldnt bring myself to go. I had to take care of them.

But if you care, if you can leave, then do it. Russia is not a place to stay. If you have any sense, youll understand that.

Note from the author:



Hey there, Kate Tsurkan here, thanks for reading my latest interview. It's horrific that in Russia you're considered a criminal for calling out the actual criminals who are murdering innocent people, but thankfully we have people in this world like Ekaterina Barabash who are not afraid to call evil what it is. I hope her story inspires you and helps show that if a 64-year-old grandmother can stand up to authoritarianism in this world, then so can you. It you like reading about this sort of thing, please consider supporting The Kyiv Independent.



Read also: Decolonizing Russia  what it means and why it matters

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Family and community members gathered Friday to honor the life of 10-year-old Aerica Dixon after she was killed when a tree fell on her familys home in southwest Atlanta.

Tears, songs, and balloons filled the skies over a park in Vine City to mourn Aerica.

Aericas mother, Santice Dixon, spoke publicly for the first time since her daughters death.

The biggest fear as a parent is to be somewhere and not be able to save your child. I tried, she told Channel 2s Brittany Kleinpeter.

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The grieving mother shared more about her little girl, whom she affectionately called Tink.

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Aerica was one of a kind, Santice said. One thing about Aerica, she loved family, and she brought all of us together as one.

Family members said Aerica was sleeping with her grandmother when the tree came crashing through their home.

Her grandmother, Pricilla Dixon, remains hospitalized at Grady Hospital with a broken pelvis and a paralyzed right leg.

A GoFundMe account has been set up by the family to support Priscilla and her medical costs.

Aericas funeral is planned for May 24.
With World War II winding down in Europe, President Harry S. Truman issued a proclamation calling on the nation to give special attention to Mothers Day.

It is fitting that we acknowledge a new our gratitude, love and devotion to the mothers of America, the proclamation read. In this year of the wars greatest intensity, we are ever mindful of their splendid courage and steadfast loyalty to the highest ideals of our democracy.

Calling the American mother the greatest source of the countrys strength and inspiration, Truman requested the observance of May 13, 1945, Mothers Day, and called for the display of the American flag on government buildings, homes and other suitable places on that day.

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And I urge that by our prayers, by our devotion to duty, and by evidences of affection, we give expression to our love and reverence for Americas mothers.

Truman signed the proclamation on April 17, 1945, almost a month before Mothers Day.

Perhaps by coincidence, or maybe not, the declaration came 21 days before WWII ended in Europe on May 8, 1945, termed V-E Day.

Interestingly, the war ended in Europe one day short of 31 years after President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May Mothers Day on May 9, 1914.

Traditionally, vendors sold carnations for churchgoers to wear on Mothers Day  red if mother was alive, white if she had passed.

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Frank Hering, of Notre Dame University, floated the idea of Mothers Day as early as 1904. Ana Jarvis, a Philadelphia native, started a campaign to establish a national Mothers Day in 1907.

The Schuylkill Haven Ministerium endorsed President Trumans proclamation, holding a Mothers Day service and calling upon all people to a National Day of Prayer.

The organization called on all people to unite in prayer and supplication in an effort to establish international freedom and liberty for all peoples.

Special Mothers Day services were also held in Salem Evangelical and St. Johns Evangelical and Reformed churches in Orwigsburg.

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Rev. W. H. Egge, national chaplain to the Patriotic Order Sons of America, or POSofA, delivered a sermon entitled Praising God for Victory at Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church in Frackville.

And in Shenandoah, the Elks Lodge held a solemn ritual honoring mothers.

Rev. J. P. Briggs, pastor of All Saints Episcopal Church, called special attention to the sacrifices of Gold Star mothers in his sermon.

Their exemplary conduct and untiring efforts are the foundation of building strong character, he said. Character that will someday enable, not only various communities, but nations to rise to unknown heights.

Recalling his mothers death when he was a child, Briggs prayed that in all generations the love of mother would burn brightly as it had that day  80 years ago today.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A motorcyclist died Friday after crashing into a pickup truck making a turn at a Las Vegas intersection.

The crash occurred Friday evening just before 6 p.m. at Lake Mead Boulevard and James Bilbray Drive in west Las Vegas, where a motorcycle and a pickup truck collided.

Police said the motorcyclist, identified only as a 25-year-old woman, was driving at a high rate of speed and collided with the truck, which was attempting to make a turn. The woman died at the scene.

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The driver of the pickup truck, a 35-year-old man, had minor injuries and stayed at the scene. Police said he did not show signs of impairment. Law enforcement officials said the motorcyclists death represents the 64th traffic-related death in Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department jurisdiction for 2025.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A motorcyclist was seriously hurt Friday evening, May 9 in East El Paso when they crashed into a pole, an El Paso Fire Department spokesperson said.

The crash happened just before 7 p.m. at Vista Del Sol and Lomaland, the spokesperson said.

The motorcyclist was transported with serious injuries (Code 3), the spokesperson said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Even before completion of the Roy Blunt Health Science Innovation Center, Missouri Southern State University is test driving one of the educational opportunities that will be featured there.

University officials were on hand Friday to open the new Missouri 3D Printing Center for Precision Health in Room 118 of the Ummel Technology Building in its temporary home prior to the completion of its permanent home sometime in 2026.

A new initiative funded through a Science to Jobs grant provided by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, it will serve as a hub for advanced research, workforce training and regional collaboration focused on the intersection of 3D printing and personalized health care.

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The Missouri 3D Printing Center for Precision Health brings new opportunities spanning into the disciplines of health care, education, research and industry, said Crystal Lemmons, dean of the College of Health, Life Sciences and Education. The potential impact of this technology is unlimited in its scope, and we expect the center to continue to grow and evolve over time.

Lemmons said the center features four different kinds of 3D printers that use different materials to print realistic human organs, bones and tissue for surgeons to practice on before they cut into a real human body.

We have the ability to make anatomical models. Some of them, depending on what the needs are, can be very lifelike, Lemmons said. We have the ability to make devices or models that can be used to practice with surgery. We have the ability to make all kinds of other objects that may be needed. For example we made a tool, as kind of a practice, that helps us open some of the jugs that we have for our detergent. These are 3D printers and we have lots of different types of materials, so really the potential application for what can be made is almost limitless.

Lemmons said the center is not quite ready to bring students into its lab, but shes heard positive feedback from students about the center.

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We are searching for staff members to run the center to be able to develop our curriculum, Lemmons said. As soon as that piece  were going to work on that this coming year  is in place we anticipate a lot of student involvement. Ive had some initial conversations with students, theyre very excited about it, those that know about it. Ive had very good student feedback so I think its just a matter of getting the center fully launched and getting our curriculum in place.

Missouri Southern President Dean Van Galen said the center will provide unique opportunities for students to have a hands-on learning experience in 3D tech and how it is used in the medical field in a way thats not common at other universities.

Its also important because it creates a bridge for us to work with health care providers in the region to work hand in hand in developing the use of this technology to benefit patients in our region and really across the state of Missouri, Van Galen said. I think it also opens a door for more innovation and potential economic development that is centered around 3D printing in a precision lab.
California public health officials have announced a quarantine on mussels that aren't commercially harvested, cautioning that naturally occurring toxins make the species potentially poisonous to humans this time of year.

The order from the state Department of Public Health, which is issued annually, runs through Oct. 31 and warns against eating all types of sport-harvested mussels off the West Coast.

During this six-month period, mussels may have naturally occurring toxins that can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning and domoic acid biotoxins, also known as amnesic shellfish poisoning.

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The emergence of biotoxins in mussels is unpredictable and their concentrations can rapidly increase, according to state public health officials.

The quarantine area extends along the California coastline from Oregon to the Mexican border  including all bays, inlets and harbors in Los Angeles County, according to public health officials.

Read more: L.A. lifeguards taking mental health leave as beach algae bloom takes toll

Why do these biotoxins occur this time of year?

The amount of algae that produce toxins, also known as phytoplankton, is normally small and doesn't pose a threat. However, when algae bloom this time of year, the number of phytoplankton dramatically increases.

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This algae, some of it toxic, in turn becomes a food source for shellfish species including mussels, clams, oysters and scallops.

As the shellfish filter and eat the toxic algae, they accumulate biotoxins in their tissue, which isn't harmful to them.

Eventually the algae decrease or disappear and the shellfish flush the toxins from their systems, according to health officials.

However, it can be several days, several months or longer before they're safe to eat again  and there isn't a way to visibly determine whether that's the case.

Cooking the shellfish also does not reliably get rid of the toxins.

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Read more: L.A. fire contaminant levels could sicken the marine food chain, new tests show

How dangerous are the two types of poisoning?

Consuming toxic shellfish can lead to death as there are no known antidotes, according to public health officials.

Treatment for someone who has consumed a mussel with toxins includes respiratory support until the toxins are flushed out of the body.

Since 1903, 582 total cases  including 39 deaths  have been attributed to paralytic shellfish poisoning in California.

Death can occur within 30 minutes of consuming toxic shellfish, public officials warn.

But officials say contracting the poisoning is rare, due to public health efforts to dissuade people from eating the potentially toxic mussels.

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There have been no reported human cases of domoic acid poisoning in California.

Read more: 'Feral, almost demonic': Surge in poisoned sea lions threatens SoCal beachgoers, burdens rescuers

What are the symptoms?

Early symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include tingling of the lips and tongue that could start anywhere from a few minutes to hours after eating toxic shellfish.

These symptoms are typically followed by a loss of balance and muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing.

In severe cases, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

Read more: Invasive mussel found in North America for first time, posing immediate threat in Californias Delta

Can I eat commercially grown mussels?

Yes. Commercially grown mussels from certified companies are exempt from the quarantine because they are required to submit frequent samples to the state Department of Public Health for testing.

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If high levels of toxins are detected in a sample, the area from which it was harvested is closed until conditions become safe.

Are clams and scallops OK to eat?

Clams and scallops are not a part of the quarantine. However, officials caution that if you do consume clams and scallops you should remove and discard the digestive organs or viscera and any other dark parts.

Only the white meat of clams and scallops should be prepared for eating.

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.
BANGKOK (AP)  The chief of Myanmar's military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, has for the first time since seizing power four years ago met with President Xi Jinping of China, a top ally of his military government, state-run media in the Southeast Asian nation reported Saturday.

The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that Xi pledged to provide assistance for recovery after Myanmars devastating earthquake in March and aid in efforts to end the countrys civil war. The two leaders met Friday in Moscow on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Its report said they also discussed bilateral relations, enhancing cooperation in all sectors, and cooperating in regional stability and peace.

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Cooperation discussed as Beijing seeks to shore up military government

China has been using its influence with ethnic rebel organizations to ease their pressure on the military government in an apparent effort to stabilize it.

China, along with Russia, is a major arms supplier to Myanmars military in its war against pro-democracy and ethnic minority resistance forces. Beijing is also Myanmars biggest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in mines, oil and gas pipelines, and other infrastructure. Its interests in security in Myanmar are especially strong because the two nations share an 890-mile (1,440-kilometer) border

Chinas government has maintained good working relations with Myanmars ruling military, which is shunned and sanctioned by many Western nations for the army's February 2021 takeover from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and for major human rights violations.

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It is also one of the countries providing major relief and reconstruction assistance after the 7.7-magnitude March 28 earthquake that killed more than 3,700 people in Myanmar and injured more than 5,100.

The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million people displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million in need due to the war, according to the United Nations.

Beijing has been concerned about instability that threatens its interests in Myanmar since Myanmars army suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past few years, especially in areas near the Chinese border.

An offensive began in October 2023, by the  Three Brotherhood Alliance,  comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army and the Taang National Liberation Army, was able to quickly capture towns and overrun military bases and command centers and strategic cities along the Chinese border in northeastern Shan state.

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It was widely seen at the time as having Beijings tacit support to help stamp out rampant organized crime activities in areas controlled by ethnic Chinese.

In early 2024, Beijing helped broker a ceasefire, but that quickly fell apart when the alliance launched new attacks. Myanmars ruling generals and Chinas government showed concern as pro-democracy guerrillas and armed ethnic minority groups, sometimes working hand in hand, gained the initiative in fighting.

Beijing put pressure on rebel groups to yield key captured town

The alliances offensive lost momentum after China shut down border crossings, cut electricity to Myanmar towns and took other measures to discourage the fighting.

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Under increasing pressure from Beijing, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, withdrew its forces and administration authorities last month from the strategically important town of Lashio in northeastern Myanmar, which hosts a major regional military headquarters but which the rebel group seized in August last year.

A member of the MNDAA told The Associated Press on Saturday that the army's soldiers had already re-entered and and reestablished themselves in bases inside the town at the end of April. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information.

Tar Pan La and Lway Yay Oo, spokespersons for the Taang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, said during an online press conference on May 4 that local residents had been facing difficulties as China and Myanmars military government blocked trade into areas it controlled.

Tar Pan La said China had continuously urged the group both in person and through messages to avoid clashes along the border and areas of Chinese investments.

The TNLA said in a statement released on its Telegram channel on Saturday that the military carries out daily airstrikes in areas it controls, although it extended until the end of May a ceasefire it declared in the wake of the earthquake.
President Donald Trumps tense exchange with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over making Canada the 51st state this week offered a vivid example of how the presidents blunt demands to alter the worlds map are both shaping and complicating his foreign policy.

They have led to alarm among allies, a battle between the White House and its press corps over labels on the map, and concerns that foes will be emboldened on territorial claims  not to mention plenty of confusion. But Trumps cartographical compulsion and his desire to alter them was ingrained long before his first presidency. It came out of his career in business, where he derived power from acquiring property and branding rights.

Im a real estate developer at heart, Trump said Tuesday during his Oval Office meeting with Carney, referring to his wish to bring Canada under U.S. control. When you get rid of that artificially drawn line  when you look at that beautiful formation when its together, Im a very artistic person.

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In 2022, Trump told the journalists Peter Baker and Susan Glasser: I love maps. And I always said: Look at the size of [Greenland]. Its massive. That should be part of the United States.

Trump has said he wants the U.S. to get Greenland, turn Canada into the 51st state, take back the Panama Canal and own Gaza. He upended the White House press corps and raised tensions with Mexico over a debate over the use of the term Gulf of America to describe the body of water known centuries before the U.S. existed as the Gulf of Mexico. And amid escalating tensions with Iran, Trump is considering changing the name of the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Arabia during a visit to the Middle East next week.

Its a political tactic that has lasted as long as maps have, according to Karl Offen, a geography professor at Syracuse University. Maps and politics have been wedded from day one, Offen said. To name is to claim.

That naming and claiming is having real geopolitical consequences. It became a core issue of the Canadian election, catalyzed protests in Greenland and threw the White House press corps into chaos. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue Google for complying with the Gulf of America name change. The Iranian foreign minister promised the wrath of all Iranians if Trump moves forward with Gulf of Arabia.

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Maps have been core to Trumps political messaging for years. During both of his nonconsecutive terms, hes leaned on county-by-county electoral maps that bathe the country in red to bolster the legitimacy of his wins  even though those maps fail to illustrate how red counties tend to be less populated than blue ones (he lost the popular vote in 2016). In one first-term viral moment , Trump presented a map in the Oval Office that appeared to be altered with a Sharpie.

Since winning his second term, Trump has posted to social media several political maps, including ones that show the Gulf of America as well as the U.S. merged with Canada. And as his expansionist impulses have grown more brazen, hes framed them in real estate terms. Trump, for example, called the Gaza Strip, decimated by 18 months of war, oceanfront property and a big real estate site and shared on Instagram an AI-generated video of Trump Gaza reminiscent of a developers pitch deck.

When Trump on Tuesday invited Carney to the Oval Office, his 51st state comments were top of mind for the newly-elected prime minister. As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale, Carney said, sending a message of defiance to his home audience.

Trump replied: Never say never.

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Trump has complained that Canada is ripping off the U.S. economically and argued that both countries would be better off if Canada joined the union. And he and Vice President JD Vance have said the U.S. has a security interest in Greenland , citing threats from Russia and China. The U.S. also has broader strategic interests in the resource-rich Arctic region, where melting ice is opening up new trade routes.

But the presidents fascination with Canada and Greenland could also be explained, in part, by their size on a map. Canada is the worlds second-largest country by area and Greenland is its largest island. But their northern latitudes also mean the common Mercator projection inflates their size, said Ryan Weichelt, chair of the geography and anthropology department at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

If you want to go after something, you make it look big, Weichelt said. This has been a common tactic in political cartography for a long time, using the right projection to make your point.

In a statement to POLITICO, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung lauded Trump for having a deep appreciation for geography and history, adding that This Administration is about American Exceptionalism.

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A visit by Second Lady Usha Vance to Greenlands capital for a dogsledding race in March was abruptly walked back after Danish and Greenlandic officials slammed the trip as an escalation of Trumps annexation rhetoric.

"We will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by anyone, and that's the message I think is most important to understand," Greenlands prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said last month, foreshadowing Carney's response.

The attempt to name the Gulf of America also thrust the White House press corps into chaos after officials blocked reporters and photographers from the Associated Press from covering some events in retaliation for its guidance on the term in its influential stylebook, which calls for the original name to be used while acknowledging Trumps term. A judge ultimately ruled the wire service must be reinstated in the White House press pool.

Amid nuclear talks with Iran, Trump on Wednesday told reporters he will make a decision on trying to change the name of the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Arabia during a trip next week to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, all of which use the term Arabian Gulf to describe the waterway that is 7,000 miles from Americas shoreline.

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I dont want to hurt anybodys feelings, the president said. I dont know if feelings are going to be hurt.

Iran swiftly clapped back. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, the countrys foreign minister, said the name change would be a short-sighted step and will only bring the wrath of all Iranians.

Jake Traylor contributed to this report.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Across Middle Tennessee and around the globe, devoted Catholics are celebrating the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV, as the first pope from the United States.

A Mass of Thanksgiving for the new pope was held at Cathedral of the Incarnation in Midtown Nashville on Friday, May 9, just one day after the cardinals elected him during their conclave in Vatican City.

Im elated, one parishioner at the West End Avenue cathedral told News 2.

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Robert Prevost becomes first American pope of the Catholic Church: What to know

That appears to be the sentiment for many Catholics around the world, especially in America.

Its something I never thought would happen in my lifetime, Aurelie Steve, another parishioner at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, said.

The Chicago native shocked the world on Thursday, May 8 when he appeared on the loggia of St. Peters Square wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy, marking the first pope born in the U.S. in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

I dont know if American politics have anything to do with Leo XIV being elected, but its been sort of a proverb of sort that there was never going to be an American pope, Cathedral of the Incarnation parishioner Truman Hill explained.

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Conclave that elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as pope was short  but not the shortest ever

Dozens of people attended Fridays special mass at the Cathedral of Incarnation with Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville.

This mass is being said by our bishop, Bishop Spalding, in thanksgiving for the new pope, so were able to come and celebrate together as a family, Steve said.

Steve said it was a priority to be at the church to celebrate Friday, sharing high hopes for Leo.

We see a lot of division, as you can imagine, in the church these days, so somebody who can speak a lot of languages but is able to articulate to so many different groups of people might be able to help bridge that gap and bring the church back together again, Jospeh DiPaolo, another member of the cathedral parish, told News 2.

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Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass as details emerge of how conclave votes coalesced

According to the Associated Press, Leo is set to formally meet with cardinals on Saturday, May 10; deliver his first noon blessing from the loggia on Sunday, May 11; and attend an audience with the media on Monday, May 12. Then, he will be formally installed as the 267th pope of the Catholic Church at a mass on May 18 and preside over his first general audience on May 21.

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The National Gallery has refused to politicise its paintings and will instead celebrate the European tradition.

Bosses refused to make paintings political with their recent redisplay of the collection, in a move out of step with many British arts institutions.

Museums and galleries have been accused of going woke by reinterpreting their cultural treasures in terms of how they relate to slavery, colonialism, and racism.

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Rehangs of famous collections, including that of Tate Britain, have been used as opportunities to add new labels alerting visitors to historic injustices, which can sometimes be tangential.

John Constables beloved images of English rural life have even been linked in one museum to dark, nationalist beliefs.

The National Gallery has now completed the redisplay and relabelling of its entire collection, but has deliberately refused to politicise its artworks.

Sir Gabriele Finaldi, the Gallery director, told The Telegraph: Fundamentally, it is a celebration of the collection, of painters, and of the great European tradition.

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In some sense, its a bit old fashioned.

The Nationals Gallery 36 prior to the redisplay - The National Gallery

Sir Gabriele, who has led the National Gallery since 2015, added: We think of it as an aesthetic experience, which then can become an educational experience, and a social experience. Not necessarily a political experience.

Instead, the total rehang of the collection aims to celebrate some of the great figures of the canon.

The rehang of all the gallerys displayed paintings, aside from a handful of works by Turner and Claude, marks the completion of a two-year project.

Central to this was the 85 million remodelling of the Sainsbury Wing of the gallery, intended to make the space into a brighter, more welcoming main entrance to the attraction.

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The gallerys apolitical approach stands in contrast to recent rehangs of major British collections.

In 2023, Tate Britain removed some innocuous images, while displaying more politically contentious works, and those linked to slavery and colonialism.

Fundamentally, it is a celebration of the collection, says National Gallery Director Gabriele Finaldi - The National Gallery

New labelling then told the public of the evils of slavery and empire defences in the paintings, as well as issues including prejudice against travellers, and economic hardship for the labouring classes.

Curators also pointed out in new labelling that Constables paintings show an idealised England that ignores the suffering of the rural poor.

The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge followed a similar theme.

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In 2024, the museum reordered into themed categories, in an inclusive shake-up, with artwork grouped into categories including Men Looking at Women, Identity, Migration and Movement.

In the Nature gallery, containing works by Constable and Gainsborough, it was noted that bucolic landscapes had a darker side and could evoke nationalist feeling

The National Gallery, which cares for Constables great 1821 work, The Hay Wain, has not included any political observations in its labelling for the painting.

Information presented to visitors across the gallery instead places the focus on artistic trends and the art-historical significance of the painters represented.

The National Gallerys Sainsbury Wing has reopened following a redesign and radical rehang - NEIL HALL/Shutterstock

Sir Gabriele said he wanted to ensure labels helped visitors understand art and art history, adding: Artists come to the National Gallery and say, This is where I learn, this is a tonic for me.

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Marking the revamp, Arts Minister Chris Bryant said: The National Gallery is one of the best loved members of our family of national museums.

Its a delight to see any family member get a makeover, and this is no exception. And having seen some of the rehang, I know everybody will be amazed.

The revamped wing includes a new coffee bar, restaurant, and high-definition screens which show artworks in close up, revealing details that are barely visible to the naked eye. Some ceilings have also been removed to provide more space and light.



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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has endorsed a call for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine by over 20 world leaders within the coalition of the willing.

Source: Mark Rutte in a statement on X (Twitter) on 10 May

Details: Rutte stressed that a coalition meeting had confirmed the common determination of the world's democracies to support Ukraine.

Quote: "Joined more than 20 leaders for the Coalition of the Willing call this morning to advance efforts to ensure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.

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This starts with a 30-day unconditional ceasefire and must be underpinned by continued, concrete support.

It's clear from our meeting today that we are committed and continue to stand with Ukraine."

Background: On Saturday 10 May, the leaders of four European countries issued a joint statement urging Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

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The head of the Royal Navy who has stepped down over allegations of a relationship with a junior colleague had set up a taskforce to ensure better behaviour by commanders.

Adml Sir Ben Key, who was allegedly having an extramarital affair with a woman under his command, appointed a Commodore last year to support driving cultural, behavioural and leadership improvements across the entirety of the Royal Navy.

This came after Sir Ben had launched a Navy investigation into what he described as abhorrent claims of bullying, misogyny and sexual harassment against women in the Submarine Service.

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The investigation was prompted by a whistleblower who alleged that a culture of sexual assault, sexual harassment and misogyny was widespread within the service.

Adml Sir Ben Key faces accusations that he has breached the Navys service test that prohibits relationships between commanders and their subordinates - Finnbarr Webster/PA

In a statement accompanying the publication of the investigations report in October last year, Sir Ben, who is married with three children, said he was setting up a new Head of Culture team reporting directly to the Navy Board.

He added: This team is instituting and assuring better command cultures and organisational behaviours across the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy will do whatever it can within the bounds of the law, and the evidence available, to investigate wrongdoing properly and without hesitation. We must do better than this and do better than we have.

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Sir Bens alleged affair with the junior colleague is now under investigation by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

As a serving member of the military he is facing accusations that he has breached the Navys service test that prohibits relationships between commanders and their subordinates. The military does not allow behaviour that could harm another serving members marriage.

An investigation into service personnels conduct is known as administrative action and could result in the maximum penalty of reduction in rank or dismissal.

Adml Sir Ben Key with then prime minister Rishi Sunak - Stefan Rousseau/PA

Sir Ben, a veteran of the Iraq war who also oversaw the retreat from Afghanistan, had been due to stand down in the summer, when Royal Marine Gen Gwyn Jenkins is set to take over his command.

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But the Sun newspaper, which first reported that Sir Ben had had an affair with a female subordinate, said it understood he was prevented from resigning early to allow the MoD investigation into his behaviour to run its course.

One military source who worked closely with Sir Ben said: He deserves to be remembered for being much better in leadership, strategic insight and operational insight than any First Sea Lord in a long time. Not this legacy.

The Royal Navy lists integrity as one of its six core values. It says: Integrity is that quality of an individuals character that encompasses honesty, sincerity, reliability and unselfishness. It is an essential requirement of both leadership and comradeship. Unless we maintain our integrity, others will not trust us and teamwork will suffer.

Sir Ben has been told to step back from all duties while the investigation is ongoing. Vice-Adml Sir Martin Connell, the Second Sea Lord, was promoted to First Sea Lord in his absence.

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An MoD spokesman said: An investigation is ongoing, and it would be inappropriate to comment at this time.

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NEBRASKA (KCAU)  A burn ban in Nebraska has been extended again, a Friday press release from Governor Jim Pillen stated.

Officials said burning is prohibited through midnight on May 20 due to possible wildfire risk, and the ban will mitigate the risk of potential fires throughout the state. The border of where burn permits are allowed, shown on the map below, runs from Highway 81 down to Highway 281.

Picture of the statewide burn ban in Nebraska | Courtesy: The Office of Governor Jim Pillen

Counties in the burn permit permission area includes Dixon County, Dakota County, Wayne County, Stanton County, Thurston County, and part of Cedar County.

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The Nebraska State Capitol. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  God and religion may have a new path into Nebraskas public schools after the Education Committee on Friday sent a package to the legislative floor that includes a revamped release time proposal.

The packages most controversial part was its inclusion of a watered-down version of State Sen. Loren Lippincotts Legislative Bill 550, which would let students be excused during the school day for off-site religious instruction and coursework.

Religion in schools

Christian education organization Lifewise Academy, with ties to the populist right, is lobbying for similar bills in conservative-led states nationally. Lippincott has acknowledged the groups influence on the issue.

The top of the Nebraska statehouse and a church cross in the Lincoln skyline on Mar. 5, 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)

He was pleased that the bill made it out of committee Friday with a few minor changes and said he hoped lawmakers would give it a chance. Amendments adopted Friday kept the measure essentially the same as existing law, which lets parents sign a kid out for any reason.

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Well see what happens once it gets on the floor, said Lippincott, of Central City.

Committee members had battled back and forth for weeks on whether to include Lippincotts proposal in a bill largely built around Omaha State Sen. Ashlei Spiveys former LB 440 to boost paid leave for teachers.

Spiveys bill

The Spivey bill would give teachers up to three weeks of paid leave to deal with significant life events and pay for it using a new payroll fee on teacher salaries to cover the costs of paying long-term substitutes. The fee also would help pay for special education teacher recruitment and retention.

The importance of that underlying bill to teachers, now in LB 306, put the Nebraska State Education Association on the same side as some of the Legislatures members who want more Christianity in schools.

State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, left, joins Gov. Jim Pillen for a ceremonial bill signing for Nebraska National Guard recruitment and retention. Dec. 10, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Tim Royers, president of the NSEA, had no immediate comment on the bills advancement. He had said earlier Friday that his union was only willing to accept Lippincotts release time bill if allowing students to leave school for religious instruction was optional, not required.

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As such, the committee amended Lippincotts part of the package to change its shall language to a may on the requirement that schools let students leave. Other changes clarified that they had to leave for at least 42 minutes and that they couldnt miss core classes.

The three amendments to Lippincotts proposal are a big reason why the bill secured at least six votes to get out of committee  and might get a seventh. It needed five to advance to the legislative floor.

Republican State Sens. Dave Murman of Glenvil, the chair, Jana Hughes of Seward, the vice chair, Dan Lonowski of Hastings, Glen Meyer of Pender and Rita Sanders of Bellevue all voted to advance the package.

Progressive split

Democratic State Sen. Margo Juarez of South Omaha voted yes as well. The lone no vote came from progressive nonpartisan State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, who warned about the door to more religious bills in schools.

State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha, center, speaks at a rally for transgender Nebraskans. Feb. 7, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Hunt acknowledged that Lippincotts bill does not change the process for students leaving under current law, but the proposal endorses what she called missionary work.

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She said the organization behind the bill, Lifewise, brings a bus for students and entices them with a popcorn party or other incentives to grow membership. Students left behind feel pressured, she said.

Lonowski said he didnt see Lifewise getting involved in Nebraska, but that he might be wrong. Hunt said he was wrong. Jesse Vohwinkel, LifeWise Academys Vice President of Growth, testified in favor of Lippincotts bill during its public hearing in February.

GOP senator calls proposal pragmatic

Lonowski said the bill was pragmatic, as public schools are losing students when families want religion. Murman said it gives parents and school boards a little bit of cover to get the programs off the ground.

Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, center, talks about 2025 priorities for the teachers union. Jan. 28, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Juarez said if other religions were not allowed, she would oppose the bill. She noted Satanists have already said they would use provisions of Lippincotts original bill if it required schools to open doors to groups.

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Given the time constraints of budget bills and the likelihood of the education bill facing a filibuster, Speaker John Arch will have to decide whether scheduling the bill is worth the floor time.

Arch said late Friday that he would need to wait until the bill is officially reported out of committee and he has a chance to review it to determine whether to schedule it. The committee was holding open its vote until Monday to let State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln weigh in.

Examiner reporters Zach Wendling and Juan Salinas II contributed to this report.

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To prioritise the release of the captives in Gaza, or to continue fighting what critics are calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus forever war  that is the question increasingly dividing Israel.

Israels government, laser-focused on the idea of a total victory against Hamas in Gaza, appears to be opting for the latter.

And that is only increasing the criticism Netanyahu has received since October 2023, firstly for his governments failure to stop the October 7 attack, and then for failing to end a now 19-month war, or provide a clear vision for what the day after in Gaza will look like.

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Netanyahus decision in March to unilaterally end a ceasefire instead of continuing with an agreement that would have brought home the remaining captives has widened the cracks within Israeli society, as opponents realised that the likelihood of the captives leaving Gaza alive was becoming more remote.

In recent weeks, a wave of open letter writing from within military units has emerged protesting the governments priorities.

The discontent has also gained traction with the public. Earlier this month, thousands of Israelis gathered outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv to protest against Netanyahus decision to call up a further 60,000 reservists as part of his escalation against the bombed out and besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza, where his forces have already killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children.

In mid-April, current and former members of the air force, considered one of Israels elite units, also released a letter, claiming the war served the political and personal interests of Netanyahu, and not security ones.

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Prompted by the air force, similar protests came from members of the navy, elite units within the military and Israels foreign security agency, Mossad.





Political and personal interests

Accusations that Netanyahu is manipulating the war for his own personal ends predate the breaking of the ceasefire.

In the minds of his critics, the longer the war continues, the longer Netanyahu feels he can defend himself against the numerous threats to his position and even his freedom.

In addition to facing trial on numerous counts of corruption dating back to 2019, he also faces calls to hold an inquiry into the governments political failings before the October 7 attack.

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Netanyahu also faces accusations that members of his office have allegedly been taking payment from Qatar  the Gulf state has previously dismissed the allegations as a smear campaign intended to hinder efforts to mediate an end to the conflict.

The continuation of the war allows Netanyahu to distract from those issues, while maintaining a coalition with far-right parties who have made it clear that any end to the war without total victory  which increasingly appears to include the ethnic cleansing of Gaza  would result in their departure from government, and Netanyahus likely fall.

And so there are questions about whether Netanyahus announcement of a further escalation in Gaza, including the occupation of territory and displacement of its population, will mark an end to the conflict, or simply bog Israel down in the kind of forever war that has so far been to Netanyahus benefit.

I dont know if theyre capable of occupying the territory, former US Special Forces commander, Colonel Seth Krummrich of international security firm Global Guardian told Al Jazeera, Gaza is just going to soak up people, and thats before you even think about guarding northern Israel, confronting Iran or guarding the Israeli street, he said, warning of the potential shortfall in reservists.

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Its also competing with a tide of growing [domestic] toxicity. When soldiers dont return home, or dont go, thats going to tear at the fabric of Israeli society. It plays out at every dinner table.





Staying at home

Israeli media reports suggest that part of that toxicity is playing out in the number of reservists simply not showing up for duty.

The majority of those refusing service are thought to be grey refusers. That is, reservists with no ideological objection to the mass killings in Gaza, but rather ones exhausted by repeated tours, away from their families and jobs to support a war with no clear end.

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Official numbers of reservists refusing duty are unknown. However, in mid-March, the Israeli national broadcaster, Kan, ran a report disputing official numbers, which claimed that more than 80 percent of those called up for duty had attended, suggesting that the actual figure was closer to 60 percent.

There has been a steady increase in refusal among reservists, a spokesperson for the organisation New Profile, which supports people refusing enlistment, said. However, we often see sharp spikes in response to specific shifts in Israeli government policy, such as the violation of the most recent ceasefire or public statements by officials indicating that the primary objective of the military campaign is no longer the return of hostages and destruction of Hamas, as initially claimed, but rather the occupation of Gaza, and its ethnic cleansing.

Also unaddressed is growing public discontent over the ultra-religious Haredi community, whose eight-decade exemption from military service was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court in June of last year.

Despite the shortfall in reservists reporting for duty and others having experienced repeated deployments, in April, the Supreme Court requested an explanation from Netanyahu  who relies upon Haredi support to maintain his coalition  as to why its ruling had not been fully implemented or enforced.





Promoting division

Throughout the war, Netanyahus escalations, while often resisted by the captives families and their allies, have been cheered on and encouraged by his allies among the far-right, many of whom claim a biblical right to the homes and land of Palestinians.

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The apparent conflict between the welfare of the captives and the total victory promised by Netanyahu has run almost as long as the conflict itself, with each moment of division seemingly strengthening the prime ministers position through the critical support of the ultranationalist elements of his cabinet.

Netanyahus position has led to conflict with politicians, including his own former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. While Gallant wasnt opposed to the war in principle  his active support for Netanyahu eventually led to him joining Netanyahu in facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for war crimes  his prioritisation of the captives put him at odds with the prime minister.

The divide over priorities has meant that civility between the government and the captives families has increasingly gone out the window, with Netanyahu generally avoiding meeting families with loved ones still captive in Gaza, and far-right politicians engaging in shouting matches with them during meetings in parliament.

Division within Israeli society was not new, Professor Yossi Mekelberg of Chatham House told Al Jazeera, but wars and conflicts deepen them.

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Now we have a situation where some people have served anywhere up to 400 days in the army [as reservists], while others are refusing to serve at all and exploiting their political power within the coalition to do so, Mekelberg added.

Elsewhere, there are ministers on the extreme right talking about sacrificing the hostages for military gain, something Mekelberg said many regarded as running counter to much of the founding principles of the country and the Jewish faith.

Theres such toxicity in public discourse, Mekelberg continued, We see toxicity against anyone who criticises the war or the prime minister, division between the secular and the religious, and then even divisions within the religious movements.




LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Pahrump judge and former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore was awaiting a commissions decision Friday on whether or not she could return to her courtroom after receiving a presidential pardon.

Last month, President Donald Trump pardoned Fiore, a Nye County Justice of the Peace, after a jury convicted her of taking money meant for fallen police officers memorials and spending it on herself. The jury deliberated for two hours, convicting her on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud.

Following Fiores federal indictment last July, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline suspended her from office with pay amid the proceedings. The commission later suspended her without pay after her conviction.

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Trump pardoned Fiore on April 23. First elected as a Republican Nevada assemblywoman in 2012, Fiore later served as Las Vegas mayor pro tem and unsuccessfully ran for governor and treasurer as a Republican. Nye County Commissioners appointed her to her judgeship in late 2022. Last June, before her indictment, voters re-elected Fiore, who is not an attorney, to that position.

Former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Fiore and her attorney, Paola Armeni, appeared on Zoom before the commission Friday to ask the panel to remove her suspension order.

When does this end? Armeni said, adding the commission only has jurisdiction over a judges actions as a sitting judge. The commission can no longer issue, rescind, and reinstate based on this conviction, based on the pardon. There is nothing before this commission about her conduct as a judge, nothing.

Fiore did not speak during the meeting. The commissions deliberations were private and not shown on the Zoom live stream.

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After Trump issued her pardon, Fiore promised a return to the bench on Monday, April 28, in the immediate aftermath of the presidential pardon. That Monday, she did not appear, telling the 8 News Now Investigators, who attended court that morning in Pahrump, that she would return to the bench once the procedural formalities are concluded.

On Monday, I will walk back into my courtroom as the elected justice of the peace  not because man permitted it, but because God ordained it, Fiore originally said in a statement announcing her pardon.

On June 8, 2014, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo were gunned down while they were on their lunch break in northeast Las Vegas. Fiore claimed to raise money for statues for the fallen officers, and some of the high-profile citizens from whom she collected donations were Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo and the union boss Tommy White, both of whom testified at trial.

During the trial, Lombardo said he was a victim. He has not commented publicly on the pardon.

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The only way my full story will ever be told is if I write it myself, she said in late April, criticizing the media coverage. Fiore has alleged investigations into her began following her support for rancher Cliven Bundy and the armed standoff he had with the government in 2014. In court documents filed last year, she claimed the government had labeled her as a domestic terrorist.

Fiore could face state charges should the attorney general or the district attorney decide to move forward.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  As a bill that would introduce a movie industry tax credit is considered, Nevadans debated on Friday the quantity of jobs it will create, and if the legislation is competitive with other states.

During a May 9 Nevada Assembly Ways and Means Committee meeting, legislators heard arguments for and against an $80 million annual tax credit, possibly starting in 2028 and ending in 2043.

Were asking in this bill for the industry to make an investment in the state of Nevada, Nevada Assemblywoman Danielle Monroe-Moreno said.

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The studios would have to spend a minimum of $400 million in Nevada, 50 percent of its photography and filming must take place in Nevada, and the film would need to be finished within 18 months to qualify for the tax credits.

Electrical and carpentry worker unions filled the Nevada Legislature hearing room in Las Vegas. Most of them voiced support for Assembly Bill 238.

Filmmakers observe a virtual film production. (KLAS)

This is going to be a multi-generational type of investment within the state, said Ronnie Young, spokesperson for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Were looking at not only job growth, but a diversification of the economy in Nevada, which  is going to produce apprenticeship opportunities, new trades.

The committee heard arguments against the Assembly Bill, specifically about concerns over the competitiveness of the tax credits. Anahit Baghshetsyan, a research assistant at Nevada Policy, made the case that the Assembly Bill would be similar to those in effect in 30 other states, potentially making the incentive less competitive.

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We cannot base our policy recommendations on shallow promises, Baghshetsyan said. But we can base it on existing statistics and make sure that Nevada doesnt go down the wrong road.

Young responded to claim that the tax credit and movie studio in Summerlin was unfair to northern Nevadans.

If you think about it, theres tons of places to film within Nevada, Young said. Theyre not limiting it to just Southern Nevada  Tahoe is beautiful. The mountains of Reno are beautiful. We have some really cinematic-ready areas in Nevada. I think that they can expand  all over the state.

A similar film bill, currently in the State Senate, would build a studio for rent at Harry Reid Technology Park.

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Newark Mayor Ras Baraka being taken into custody by federal agents at Delaney Hall, an immigrant jail in Newark, on May 9, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman)

Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey and one of six Democrats running to be the states next governor, was arrested and detained by federal immigration agents Friday, according to his campaign.

This comes just over a week after the migrant jail, Delaney Hall, opened its doors as the largest detention center on the east coast. Baraka, whose city filed a lawsuit challenging whether the facilitys owner secured proper city permits before opening, has spent the week protesting outside the jail and attempting to gain entry, to no avail.

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A photo taken by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, who was also at Delaney Hall Friday, shows a handcuffed Baraka being led away from the facility in handcuffs. Its unclear whether he has been charged with any crime. He was taken to a Department of Homeland Security Investigations office on Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark, said Kabir Moss, a Baraka spokesman.

Acting U.S. Attorney of New Jersey Alina Habba said on social media that Baraka committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center.

He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody, said Habba.

Habba, a personal lawyer for President Donald Trump, said in April that she is investigating Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Matt Platkin over the state ban on local law enforcement assisting in civil immigration enforcement. Under a 2018 attorney general directive, state, county, and local cops are barred from aiding federal agencies in civil immigration arrests or providing access to state or local resources and databases.

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In February, private prison firm The GEO Group announced it had secured a 15-year contract with ICE to use Delaney Hall as a 1,100-bed detention center amid ramped-up immigration enforcement. Trump has made mass detention and deportation of immigrants  including some here legally  a pillar of his second term in office.

Delaney Hall, which held immigrant detainees from 2011 to 2017, reopened May 1, despite Newark officials attempts to block the opening through the lawsuit. ICE officials have confirmed that detainees are being held there, but have not said how many.

Murphy called Barakas arrest unjust and demanded his release. He noted that Baraka was among throngs of people and politicians who have protested outside Delaney Hall in recent months.

Four years ago, I was proud to sign a law banning private immigration detention centers in New Jersey. And just last week, my Administration was leading the fight to defend that law before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Murphy said in a statement. Mayor Baraka is an exemplary public servant who has always stood up for our most vulnerable neighbors. I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement.

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About 200 people gathered under the pouring rain outside Delaney Hall late Friday afternoon chanted: Free Mayor Baraka! and No justice, no peace! Some vowed they would not leave until he is released. The Attorney Generals Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This article was first published by the New Jersey Monitor, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. New Jersey Monitor maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Terrence T. McDonald for questions: info@newjerseymonitor.com.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at a new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in his city on Friday, escalating tensions between local officials and federal authorities tasked with carrying out President Donald Trumps immigration efforts.

Baraka, who is running for governor of New Jersey, is accused of trespassing and ignoring multiple warnings from Homeland Security officials to leave the detention facility, according to Alina Habba, Trumps former lawyer and current acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Baraka and other Democratic members of Congress had joined protests outside the center on Friday and that they stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility as a busload of detainees was entering the security gate.

Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, suggested that the lawmakers had impeded immigration enforcement. They can stand out and scream all they want, Homan told Fox News in an interview on Saturday morning. Theyll be arrested. If they impede, theyll be arrested.

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But Baraka and other Democrats at the scene, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman, have disputed the federal governments account of the incident.

Baraka told MSNBCs Jen Psaki in an interview on Friday night that he was not there to protest but to hold a press conference with his fellow Democrats. I knew I wasnt going to get in the building with them. I was waiting for them to return from outside of the building to participate in the press conference with them, he said, adding that he believed he was targeted.

The incident Friday further inflames tensions between local officials and the Trump administration as the latter seeks to expand its mass deportation efforts.

The mayor has paid multiple visits to Delaney Hall, the 1,000-bed facility run by private prison company GEO Group. He and other local officials allege that it does not have the proper city permits to be operating, a claim that GEO Group denies.

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According to The Associated Press, witnesses said Baraka tried to join the congressional delegation to enter the facility. When he was told he could not because he was not a member of Congress, he then moved to the public side of the fence before he was arrested.

Watson Coleman accused DHS of lying about the events that led to Barakas arrest, saying the confrontation with federal agents occurred only after the congressional delegation had visited the facility.

Baraka said he couldnt speak to the case but that he faces a misdemeanor trespassing charge and will soon have to appear in court. The mayor was released later on Friday from the Homeland Security Investigations Newark office, telling a crowd outside that he had done nothing wrong. Whats happening now in this country, everybody should be scared of, he said.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
NEWARK, N.J. (WTVO)  Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at an ICE detention center during a protest on Friday and was released shortly after.

Newarks mayor claimed he was not at Delaney Hall to protest, but to meet Congress members who were touring the building.

Baraka appeared in court Friday evening and was charged with one count of trespassing. He was released after the appearance.

Security at the hall claimed members of Congress stormed the gate.

The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba wrote on social media. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

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Baraka and other legislators have argued that ICEs use of Delaney Hall is illegal, alleging that a contract signed between the private prison company and ICE did not obtain proper permits.

Were not asking for anything thats incorrect. We ask them to obey our laws, to obey the policies and rules here in the city and state of New Jersey, Baraka said.

Whats happening now in this country, everybody should be scared of, he told a crowd after his arrest.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.






Newark, N.J., Mayor Ras Baraka was taken into custody at Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center, on Friday, May 9

Baraka had been protesting the facility's opening this week, alleging that it had building permit issues

He and three members of Congress were at the facility for a scheduled "oversight" visit when federal officials refused to let them inside, leading to a heated exchange











Newark, N.J., Mayor Ras Baraka has been released from custody, per multiple reports.

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Baraka was charged with trespassing and released around 8 p.m. local time, according to Pix 11, citing officials.

Baraka was arrested outside of Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center, on Friday, May 9. Baraka had been protesting the facility's opening this week, claiming it was not being run legally.

Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, confirmed Baraka's arrest on X Friday, writing, "The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon."

"He has willingly chosen to disregard the law," she continued. "That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW."

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PEOPLE reached out to Baraka's office for comment.

Baraka has been vocally pushing back against the opening of Delaney Hall, which is run by private prison operator GEO Group, alleging there were issues with the building permit, per the Associated Press and NBC New York.

The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this  Alina Habba (@AlinaHabba) May 9, 2025

Witnesses said that on Friday, Baraka tried to enter the building with Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman for a previously scheduled "oversight" visit and tour of the building.

However, federal agents wouldn't let him inside, and a dispute occurred, activist Viri Martinez of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigration said, according to the outlets. Baraka returned to the public area of the gates, but the heated exchange allegedly continued.

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The agents started intimidating and putting their hands on the congresswomen. There was yelling and pushing, Martinez recalled, per NBC New York. Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka [in] handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car.



Watson Coleman documented the moment on X with photos and videos of them not being allowed inside Delaney Hall.

"Were at Delaney Hall, an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city & in violation of local ordinances," Coleman wrote. "Weve heard stories of what its like in other ICE prisons. Were exercising our oversight authority to see for ourselves."



The Department of Homeland Security addressed the incident in a statement and alleged that members of Congress bombarded the building as a group of detainees were being bussed inside.

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Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk. Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility. This is an evolving situation, said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.



The DHS added that allegations that the 1,000-bed detention center has building permit issues are "false."

"We have valid permits, and inspections for plumbing and electricity, and fire codes have been cleared."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy condemned the arrest on X, writing in part, "I am outraged by the unjust arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka earlier this afternoon outside of Delaney Hall in Newark."

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He also called for Baraka's "immediate release."

I am outraged by the unjust arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka earlier this afternoon outside of Delaney Hall in Newark.



I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/BLl7sDHpQK  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 9, 2025

Delaney Hall, which sits next to a county prison, used to be a halfway house. In February, ICE awarded The Geo Group a $1 billion, 15-year contract to operate the facility as a detention center. Baraka filed a lawsuit against the GEO Group, but the facility began housing detainees on May 1, CEO David Donahue said during a shareholders' call on Wednesday, May 7, NBC New York reported. He also noted that the facility is on track to make over $60 million a year.

The deal came amid the Trump administration's plans to increase the number of detention beds nationwide from a budget of 41,000 beds, according to NBC New York and the AP.



Read the original article on People
(Corrects story link in paragraph 11)

By Doyinsola Oladipo and Rajesh Kumar Singh

NEWARK (Reuters) -Travelers flying in and out of New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport were increasingly edgy about a host of recent problems at the busy airport, but they were most alarmed about two separate equipment outages in the last two weeks that disrupted communications between air traffic controllers and pilots.

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The airport is one of the busiest in the United States, last year handling nearly 49 million passengers out of the New York metro area, the most populous in the country. Runway construction and air traffic control staffing shortages have caused cancellations and delays to spike in recent days.

But the disruptions to communications between pilots and air traffic control left travelers shaken, with some questioning if flying out of the airport is safe. On Friday at around 4 a.m. EST (0800 GMT), a facility that guides air traffic in and out of the airport suffered a 90-second communications outage, following an April 28 incident that also lasted about 90 seconds.

It's a little concerning that this is the second outage in under 30 days, said Mikhail Liverpool, 37, from Somerset County, New Jersey, who said his flight to Georgia was delayed for four hours. The fact that they didn't remediate the problem the first time is, you know, worrisome to say the least.

Newark was the preferred airport for Mark Nelson, a systems engineer at Siemens Healthineers, who travels for work and personal reasons. But after the two incidents, Nelson said he has decided to avoid it.

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"If the FAA or someone tells you it is safe to fly from Newark, do not believe them," said Nelson.

The airport was already considered a headache for travelers. Last year, JD Power ranked it the lowest in terms of overall customer satisfaction among mega airports in North America.

The disruptions have become more acute. Since May 1, flight cancellations have surged to an average of 49 flights per day, up from 4 flights a day in early April, according to aviation analytics company Cirium. On-time departures dropped to 63%, well below industry norms of about 80%.

Allison Miles, 34, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, said she now plans on avoiding Newark after her flight from Houston was delayed by more than 8 hours. "I'll probably stay home for a lot this year, because until they can figure this out, I'm not going to get out there," she said.

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The Federal Aviation Administration plans to meet with major airlines on Wednesday, including United Airlines, the largest operator at Newark, about temporary cuts in flights at the airport. United has culled about 10% of its daily Newark flights and waived change fees and fare differences for customers affected by the disruptions.

The FAA last year relocated control of the Newark airspace to Philadelphia to address staffing and congested New York area traffic.

United CEO Scott Kirby has blamed the airport's stretched infrastructure for the delays. He wants U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to designate Newark as a slot-controlled airport, which would allow the FAA to limit the number of departing or arriving flights to prevent delays.

Duffy wants Congress to allocate billions to upgrade the aging U.S. air traffic control system, but any overhaul would take years. In the interim, some travelers said they'll shift airports.

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Every other week I'm traveling, and the only issues I have is traveling here, said John Clark, 50, from Greenville, South Carolina, and a regular United flyer. Moving forward, he is looking to fly out of LaGuardia Airport in Queens, even if it lengthens his commute to his New Jersey office. I'll try LaGuardia again for a little while until that becomes a pain point.

(Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in Newark, New Jersey, and Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago; additional reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle and David Shepardson in Washington; editing by David Gaffen and Diane Craft)
May 9LIMA  Over the past two millenia, there have only been 267 who have been bestowed the title of Bishop of Rome, or Pope, but on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV, 69, became the first to be born in the United States, having been born in Chicago.

Like millions of Roman Catholics around the world, Father David Ross of Lima's St. Rose and St. John parishes, expressed optimism in the wake of the papal conclave at the Vatican.

"Some people have asked me, am I shocked? And I said, 'No, I'm pleasantly surprised,'" he said. "It's a great honor for our country and a great honor for the church because he's going to do very well considering his background. Not only is he multilingual, but he'll be able to converse well with world leaders, I think, in such as way that perhaps his predecessors hadn't been able to so far as he's very fluent, of course, in English, Spanish, Italian, I understand, in French and some other languages."

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Ross also pointed to the pope's experience, having served both as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru as well as in the Vatican as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

"I think they selected him because he is the one who's going to be able to build the bridges," Ross said. "He also indicated that, having used his background as a backdrop, this will be a missionary church. So a significant number of Catholics now are in South America and in Africa, and I think he'll be able to reach out to them."

Archbishop Robert Casey of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will hold a Votive Mass to celebrate Pope Leo's election at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati. In a video message released by the archdiocese, Casey, a fellow Chicagoan, praised the election of the new pontiff.

"With great joy and gratitude, I join the people of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in praying for our new Holy Father," he said in the video. "May the Lord grant Pope Leo XIV wisdom, courage and strength in carrying out his sacred ministry."

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Outside the Roman Catholic Church, many civic leaders in the area offered their best wishes for the new pope.

"Fran and I are joyous upon the selection today of our new Pope  Pope Leo XIV," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. "As a member of the Augustinian order, he has lived a life of service, building communities through the commandment of loving our neighbors. 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. 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."

"Today, I congratulate the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope and fellow native of the Midwest," U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green said in a statement. "This is a moment of unity and hope for the church."

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WEATHERSFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  Firefighters battled a fire Friday evening.

It happened around 7:30 p.m. on 12th Street in what appears to be a trailer or mobile home.

According to the Weathersfield Fire Department, flames could be seen on two sides of the structure.

No one was inside at the time, and no injuries were reported.

According to firefighters, the damage was contained to a single room.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
May 9Nine Minnesota students, including an Ellis Middle School student, will represent the state at the historic 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking place May 25  31, in Washington, D.C.

These spellers earned their spots through local and regional competitions and are ready to showcase their skills on the national stage, including Carter Peterson, an eighth-grade student at Ellis.

The Minnesota representatives are:

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Emmaline Bushman  Saint John's Preparatory School, St. Cloud

Jaden Go  Sacred Heart School, East Grand Forks

Josslyn Hansen  Wadena-Deer Creek High School, Wadena

Gemma Kim  Ordean East Middle School, Duluth

Charles Mueller-Thompson  Marshall Middle School, Marshall

Carter Peterson  Ellis Middle School, Austin

Wade Salvey  Scenic Heights Elementary School, Minneapolis

Eli Schlosser  Kennedy Secondary School, Fergus Falls

Anya Stoll  Saint Peter Lutheran School, St. Peter

This year marks the 100th anniversary of one of America's most celebrated academic competitions. More than 240 spellers from across the country and around the world will gather for a week filled with competition, camaraderie, and a celebration of language excellence.

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"We are proud to support these exceptional Minnesota students as they compete on the national stage," said Mary Hillmann, student academic coordinator with the Minnesota Service Cooperatives. "Their hard work, dedication, and love of learning are truly inspiring."

Preliminary rounds begin May 27, with semifinals and finals broadcast live nationwide. The event will culminate with the crowning of the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion.

For more information about the Bee and the Minnesota students, visit spellingbee.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Nineteen-year-old arrested and charged with murder after a shooting left one dead and another injured.

Columbus Police (CPD) have arrested and identified the suspect involved in a fatal shooting on Mock Rd Wednesday night. According to a release from CPD, nineteen-year-old Carson King was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in the shooting.

According to court records from the Franklin County municipal court, Detectives determined King as a possible suspect using cell phone and surveillance video of the incident. The records also stated multiple interviews were conducted that led detectives to King as the shooter.

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Study: Ohioans spend low percentage of income on housing

One victim from the shooting was pronounced deceased at the hospital, and a second victim was transported in stable condition. Court records state three additional people, two being juveniles, were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.

King is charged with murder and will be arraigned in municipal court on May 10th at 9 a.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  In a 6-1 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court this week denied additional death benefits to the widow of a security guard who died of asphyxiation seconds after walking into a room filled with nitrogen gas.

The widow of Kenneth Ray Jr. had accused TimkenSteel Corporation of failing to provide the proper respiratory and safety equipment while requiring him to conduct safety checks in a pressurized, sealed control room.

In the per curiam opinion, the majority found that nitrogen is not toxic and is not a poison as those terms are commonly understood because nitrogen appears naturally in ambient air. But in a scathing dissent, Justice Jennifer Brunner said the nitrogen gas fell within the definition of poison when it displaced oxygen in the room to a toxic level, causing Ray to die from oxygen deprivation within seconds.

Brunner wrote, To dispel any doubt about the toxicity of nitrogen gas, we should take notice of the fact that nitrogen gas is now being used in the United States to conduct executions of death-row inmates.

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Attorney David Steiger, who represented Rays widow, Sharmel Culver, criticized what he called the Republican stranglehold on the Court. Its disgusting the length the current Supreme Court will go to protect industry over people.

Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy and Justices Patrick F. Fischer, R. Patrick DeWine, Joseph T. Deters, Daniel R. Hawkins, and Megan E. Shanahan joined the majority opinion, reversing the Tenth District Court ruling that Rays widow was entitled to additional benefits. The Ohio Industrial Commission earlier concluded that rules in effect at the time of the 2016 accident required respiratory equipment when toxic gases were present, but because nitrogen is not considered a toxic gas, no rules violation occurred.

Steiger told NBC4 that rule was changed three months after Rays death to remove the word toxic, meaning under current standards, Rays widow would be entitled to compensation.

Watch the full interview with Attorney David Steiger below

It is not disputed that Rays death was caused by a malfunction in an air-handling unit that uses bursts of compressed nitrogen to dislodge debris from the filter. Steiger said the danger only came in an industrial environment and workplace safety codes should have protected Ray.

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Ohio family contracted stomach bug from puppy bought from Petland, lawsuit claims

He said for the Court to find nitrogen gas is not toxic in the workplace required legal somersaults and twists and turns to say the very gas that displaced the oxygen in the very room he was required to be in is not toxic  even though it killed him. 

Steiger compared the decision in the Culver case to a 2024 Supreme Court holding that a restaurant patron who ordered boneless chicken wings should reasonably expect to find bones in the chicken.

This is like Part 2 of the boneless chicken holding he said of the court finding nitrogen is not a toxic gas even though its deadly.

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In a response to an NBC4 request for comment, an Ohio Supreme Court spokesperson said, The legal reasoning of the Court is written between the pages of the opinion. The judiciary operates under a framework where the Court communicates its determination exclusively through formal orders, decisions, and opinions. This protocol ensures that the legal process remains impartial and adheres strictly to the rule of law.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The Sheraton Crossroads Hotel crumbled in a controlled implosion in New Jersey on Saturday, an event that drew scores of people hoping to say their final farewells to the decades-old building.

Residents as far away as Midland Park and Montebello, Wyckoff and Waldwick, reported hearing the early morning blasts, coordinated by the fire, police, ambulance and building departments in Mahwah.

This is a serious construction event that involves the implosion of a multi-story building, they warned. The site and the event are regulated by the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor, a very experienced implosion contractor, the general contractor for the developer, the New Jersey State Police, the Mahwah Police and other Township personnel.

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By 7:45 a.m., the 22-story building  a New Jersey landmark since 1987 and a once popular wedding venue known for its rows and rows of glass windows  was no more.

Located along Route 17 near the New Jersey/New York border, the hotel closed its doors in December 2023 after 36 years.

Hundreds of people gathered along the highway to watch the building fall, and even more people tuned in for the livestream.

That was wild, Sarah Warren from West Milford told the North Bergen Record. Its crazy to be gone. I used to drive by it all the time.

Another wrote on Facebook: When I was little I called it the Superman building and thought he lived there.

The owners of the site previously said they planned to build two warehouses on the property.
Locomotive engineers and agency management remain at odds over wages with less than a week before workers can launch a disruptive strike. (Photo by New Jersey Monitor)

Locomotive engineers at NJ Transit and the agencys management remain at odds as stalled contract negotiations at an impasse over wages threaten to boil over into a disruptive strike in less than a week.

NJ Transit has argued that engineers are seeking extravagant salary hikes. But NJ Transit Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers General Chairman Tom Haas told reporters in Newark Friday that the agency has overstated engineers pay and inflated the figures included in the unions latest contract proposal by listing other forms of compensation as salary.

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Its not been true, good faith negotiations on their part, and I think you see that with some of the PR theyve done over the last couple weeks, said Mark Wallace, the unions national president, who would be the one to call a strike Friday.

In a separate press conference held across the street, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri impugned Haass mental health and maintained the agency would not depart from an earlier contract offer agreed to by both bargaining teams but overwhelmingly rejected at a vote by union members last month.

Im worried about his health. Im worried about his mental health, Kolluri said of Haas.

When asked about those comments, Kolluri said he was merely questioning his memory.

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NJ Transits locomotive engineers have been working under an expired contract since 2019, and years of bargaining have exhausted the extensive federal process for railway strikes.

The union could launch a job action after 11:59 p.m. May 15. A strike by engineers would effectively stop all agency trains on one of the countrys busiest commuter rail lines.

NJ Transits contingency plan for such a strike would see additional buses launched from four park-and-ride lots, but that plan would only capture about 20% of its daily riders, and at a cost of about $4 million per day, the agency has said.

On Friday, Haas said the difference between the two sides wage proposals was just over $4 million per year. He said the union asked for increases that are two percentage points higher than those in the deal rejected in Aprils vote, from an average of 2.65% in eight increases over seven years to 4.625%.

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That means over the course of a week, should New Jersey Transit cause a work stoppage that lasts a week, that would exceed the cost difference between our proposal and theirs, Haas said. So, New Jersey Transit is, again, being a little cagey with the numbers here.

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri speaks to reporters at Newark Penn Station on May 6, 2025. (Photo by New Jersey Monitor)

Anthony Grieco, senior vice president of communications and customer experience at NJ Transit, said the union had requested three additional 5% increases in 2028, 2029, and 2030, years not covered under the rejected proposal.

When asked Friday about the difference in cost between the two proposals, Kolluri said $1.3 billion before acknowledging that figure includes pay for other workers and assumes the agencys other unions would obtain similar increases.

NJ Transits proposed total spending on labor in the fiscal year that begins July 1 is $984.2 million, according to budget documents.

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Grieco later said the unions proposal, including the three extra years, would on average annually cost $11.8 million more than the rejected deal.

But me, too provisions in contracts with 12 of the agencys 14 other unions could trigger matching wage increases for other unions at a cost of about $55 million more each year, Grieco said.

More than once Friday, Kolluri said he would not entertain proposals apart from the one the unions members have already rejected.

I will not be party to any deal other than the one thats on the table, he said, adding a larger increases could spur other unions to seek their own wage hikes.

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The CEO argued the agencys proposal would bring hourly pay for NJ Transit engineers to $49.82, about on par with rates at the Long Island Rail Road. But that figure includes one-time retroactive payments and non-salary compensation like overtime. Engineers at LIRR have been working under an expired contract since 2022.

The NJ Transit engineers union argued that figures the agency gave for their salaries are inaccurate.

Agency officials have said engineers are paid $135,402 on average and on Friday proffered payroll documents to support the figure. The documents list gross pay for 238 locomotive engineers (NJ Transit has about 420 engineers on staff). Agency staff said roughly 200 others had been excluded because they did not work at least 40 hours each week in 2024. Salaries for locomotive engineers listed across two categories on the states transparency website averaged to $113,853.

Haas said he would accept a contract that brought average base salaries  not total compensation  to $172,000.

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Ill come upstairs and sign it right now. I will walk over to their building and avert a strike. If youre willing to do $172,000 a year average earnings for engineers, weve got a deal, Haas said.

Officials still have a path to avert a strike. Congress and President Donald Trump could act to avert a strike by passing and signing legislation to impose a tentative contract, as happened in December 2022, when President Joe Biden signed a bill to block a national rail strike over a sick leave dispute.

The National Mediation Board, which oversaw bargaining between the parties for more than four years, is holding a public interest meeting at which the two sides are to deliver statements on Monday (the boards formal role as a mediator ended last June).

But sharp rhetoric and apparently growing animosity between the two camps could make an amicable resolution unlikely.

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He somehow thinks there is a better pot at the end of the rainbow, Kolluri said, referring to Haas. Let me be crystal clear: This is the deal that was offered, that he shook my hands on, that he negotiated, and now he has to live with his consequences. Let me tell you what that means: We are about to spend $4 million a day. That is the number thats coming off their contract every day theyre on strike.

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After two months and a gratuitous 15 episodes  including interviews with far-right talking heads Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon, Obama-era Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and New York Times columnist Ezra Klein  guess how many women the governor of California has deigned to interview on his podcast, This is Gavin Newsom?

One.

That (dubious) honor went to Amie Parnes, a senior political journalist at The Hill, who shared the interview with Johnathon Allen, a political journalist with NBC News. The two co-authored Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House about the 2024 presidential election, which was released in April.

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Good for her. But in a state thats home to nearly 40 million people, more than half of whom are women, the governor really cant find any of them to interview for his little podcast project? Yikes.

Opinion

Newsoms choice to exclude womens voices from such important conversations about the state of American politics  and these conversations must be important! If theyre not, then why is the governor of the worlds fourth-largest economy spending his precious time in office recording them?  only reinforces the stereotype that womens opinions are fringe to real politics; that they have not yet earned a voice in the government decisions that affect them.

Forgive me, but I thought we put that matter to rest with the suffragette movement last century? Apparently not.

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Ironically, Newsom would need to look no further than inside his own $9 million mansion for a good interview: First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsoms documentary Miss Representation, in particular, examines how women in power are habitually underrepresented in media. How embarrassing  has he seen it?

If he doesnt want to interview his wife, then maybe Newsom could interview women integral to California politics, like San Franciscos former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, or Oaklands incoming mayor, Barbara Lee? How about former Rep. Katie Porter, former State Controller Betty Yee, former State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins or Newsoms own Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis; just some of the women vying to replace him as governor in 2026?

He could interview titans of industry like Lois Quam, the now-former, first female CEO of Blue Shield of California, the insurance company that just admitted it revealed the personal health information of 4.7 million members to Google, in a stunning breach of state and federal privacy laws.

Or maybe he could talk to Patti Poppe, CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric, whose company is responsible for 31 wildfires that killed more than 100 Californians in recent years. Id think the governor publicly questioning Poppe about PG&Es plan to prevent further disasters is a pretty relevant topic, considering the state is well into fire season, even though its only May. (Thanks, global warming!)

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At this point, its painfully clear to see why Newsom hasnt highlighted any women on his podcast: This Is Gavin Newsom is meant to appeal to moderate and right-leaning voters in middle America who he hopes will support him in a 2028 presidential campaign.

His podcast is definitely not for left-leaning California residents who already know about  and are deeply tired of  his political flip-flopping.

Newsom hasnt featured a woman by herself on his podcast because he probably thinks those moderate voters hes courting dont want to hear womens opinion about politics. In doing so, hes perpetuating the same stereotypes that have kept womens voices all but silenced in American politics for the last 250 years.

What a shame. A governor of such a powerful state could use his podcasting platform for the betterment of the people under his care, promoting civility, conversation and equality in politics. Instead, we got This
Mayor Ras Baraka is now free after federal officials arrested him on trespassing charges during an oversight visit at a new ICE detention facility. One of the elected officials present during the arrest, Rep. Rob Menendez and MSNBC Legal Analyst Catherine Christian join The Weekend to discuss.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its an eventful day in KELOLAND, lets check out the latest in news and weather with KELOLAND On The Go.

Two people are dead in a weekend crash in southeast Sioux Falls.

2 killed in crash on Veterans Parkway

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will receive an honorary degree from Dakota State University during todays commencement Madison.

Law enforcement visible early Saturday in Madison

A Sioux Falls man appeared in court Friday, charged in connection with a standoff west of Downtown.

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Arrest made in Thursdays 12th street standoff

A Sioux Falls banker helped save a woman from being scammed out of thousands of dollars.

Sioux Falls banker saves woman from Bitcoin scam

A very warm Mothers Day weekend is ahead for KELOLAND, with strong south winds likely tomorrow.

Hot weather ahead for KELOLAND; Much-needed rain chances returning Wednesday

Feeding South Dakota teams up today with the National Association of Letter Carriers for its biggest food drive of the year.

How you can help Feeding SD by leaving food outside

The new recreation center on the west side of Sioux Falls is proving to be far more popular than expected.

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Strong start at new west Sioux Falls rec center

For the latest in news and weather, use the KELOLAND News app.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem delivers a commencement speech at Dakota State University in Madison on May 10, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

An international student in western South Dakota overcame Kristi Noems attempt to stop her from graduating Saturday, while hundreds of people protested on the other side of the state where Noem received an honorary degree and delivered a commencement speech.

The international student is Priya Saxena, from India. She received two degrees from South Dakota Mines in Rapid City: a doctorate in chemical and biological engineering and a masters degree in chemical engineering.

Priya Saxena, right, poses for a photo with South Dakota Mines President Brian Tande after receiving her doctoral and masters degrees May 10, 2025, during a commencement ceremony in Summit Arena at Rapid City. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

Noems U.S. Department of Homeland Security  which she has led since resigning as South Dakota governor in January  has been trying to deport Saxena since last month, asserting that Saxenas permission to stay in the country should be revoked because she was convicted four years ago of failing to move over for flashing yellow lights, a misdemeanor. The action is part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.

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Saxenas student visa is not scheduled to expire until 2027, and if allowed to stay in the country, she could apply for an extension to work in fields related to her degrees.

Saxena and her attorney, Jim Leach, of Rapid City, sued and won a temporary restraining order that assured Saxenas graduation and will halt the governments action against her until at least next week, when she has a hearing on her request for a court order to stop her deportation while the lawsuit proceeds. Saxena and her attorney have said in court filings that she has not committed a deportable offense, and have called the governments actions lawless.

Saxenas graduation went smoothly Saturday as she crossed the stage and received applause from the audience at Summit Arena in Rapid City. Her attorney and a university spokeswoman said Saxena preferred not to make any public comments.

Meanwhile in Madison

About 350 miles to the east at Dakota State University in Madison, Noems speech and her acceptance of an honorary doctorate in public service went off without a hitch inside the university fieldhouse, where she did not reference the protesters or make any comments about her official duties.

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Outside, she was loudly opposed.

Students and community members lined the sidewalks chanting phrases including no honor for Noem and due process. Protesters said they were spotlighting Noems cruel immigration policies and the universitys decision to invite her to graduation.

One thing that immediately came to my brain when I heard she was coming here was I was genuinely scared for the massive amounts of international students that we have on campus, said student Maya Plummer. Thats something we take pride in.

The ceremony in Madison included foreign students from countries such as Vietnam and India.

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Scenes from a protest against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on May 10, 2025, at Dakota State University in Madison. (Click an image for a slideshow and captions.)

Noems department has pursued enforcement actions against more than 1,000 international students. It has also removed temporary protected status for immigrants who fled danger in their home country, wrongly deported a Maryland man to a notorious prison in El Salvador, aired TV ads warning migrants to self-deport or avoid coming to the United States, and launched an initiative to provide up to $1,000 in travel assistance to immigrants without legal authorization who self-deport, among other actions.

This week, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, accused Noem of running a department thats out of control, saying its at risk of spending all of its $65 billion in funding before the end of the fiscal year.

The Dakota State University student senate and general faculty both voted against the honorary degree for Noem, citing concerns over Noems policies and the message her recognition would send to international students and marginalized communities.

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University spokespeople said they extended the invitation for Noem to speak and receive the honorary degree while she was still governor of South Dakota. The invite was based on her longstanding support of the universitys nationally recognized cybersecurity programs.

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Dakota State President Jose-Marie Griffiths said in her speech that Noem is among a number of individuals who were instrumental in changing the trajectory of this institution in recent decades. She said the university was transformed from one that was losing enrollment to one thats thriving as a flagship institution for computer technology.

And by the way, there were protests for that decision, too, Griffiths said.

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Noem gave students a five-point bullet list of advice during her approximately 10-minute speech.

She told students their education is important, But I will tell you that the world still revolves on relationships. People will be successful based on the people that they know and the people that they spend time with.

Her other advice for students included, You believed in Santa Claus for many years, at least believe in yourself for five minutes.

Attendees react

Among attendees, there were conflicting views about the protest. Some family members of graduates expressed frustration that the controversy overshadowed the event.

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Honestly, its shocking because I feel like we should be here just celebrating the graduates, said Anico David of Sioux Falls, whose sister graduated. People are making it bigger than it should be with all this protesting. In my opinion, its kind of out of pocket and unnecessary.

Max Lerchen, who earned a masters degree, said honoring Noem does not reflect the values that are held by the university, such as inclusion. He said university officials should have expected opposition, and protesters should not be blamed for pushing back.

They knew it was going to be an unpopular decision to begin with, he said. I think thats similar to being picked on by a bully, and you decide to fight back, and then people go, Why did you fight back?

Andrew Sogn, a spokesman for Dakota State University, said the institution hoped for a celebratory atmosphere, and recognition of the graduates and their hard work.

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When asked about the students and faculty who opposed Noems honorary degree and speech, he said it was welcome, because I think that we encourage open conversation and freedom of expression.

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PLATTSBURGH, NY (WVNY/WFFF)  The bond between siblings is often unparalleled. The lifelong bond between Kim Lamay and her brother, Cory McNamara, is now literally unbreakable.

Cory was diagnosed with leukemia last year. His sister, Kim, saved his life with a stem cell donation.

They told us he was going to need stem cells or a bone marrow transplant, that he was going to need a donor and that a familial match would be his best option. I am his only sibling. I immediately signed up on the national donor registry, said Kim Lamay.

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According to registry statistics, theres still only about a 30 percent familial match rate, with siblings being the best opportunity. The more siblings you have, the more likely you are to have a match.

Being his only sibling, I knew the odds were not in my favor, said Kim.

Despite those odds, Kim matched and donated her stem cells to Cory.

The transplant was done last February. Cory is at a rehabilitation facility, in Boston, recovering.

Her stem cells have engrafted in me and as far as I know, theyre growing inside of me, making sure that I dont have any of my own cells left. According to my blood work, Im still in remission, said Cory. My 100 days of post stem cell transplant ends on June 7th. Im on day 70-something out of a hundred.

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Cory will spend the next year monitoring his health with doctors to make sure the cancer does not return.

Both Cory and Kim offer this message to everybody:

Donate stem cells. Donate platelets. Donate blood. Donate bone marrow. All the banks are running dry, and nobody seems to know things like donating bone marrow is nowhere near as painful as it used to be, said Cory

Donate. Be the hero in somebody elses life, said Kim.

Donating stem cells and bone marrow is not nearly as difficult as it once was. For more information, or to sign up as a donor, click here to visit the national registry.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
(FOX40.COM)  The Butte County Sheriffs Office identified the woman who was fatally shot by a deputy.

 Video Above: What happens when you call 911?

Around 2:39 p.m. on Thursday, BCSO responded to a residence on the 11000 block of Butte Creek Island for a report of a woman threatening someones life. The woman was identified as Valerie Ann Cadwallader, 48, of Chico

Woman killed in officer-involved shooting in Butte County

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Several deputies responded to the scene and said Cadwallader was armed with a rifle. According to BCSO, she pointed the gun at them before an officer fatally shot her. The incident is under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning.

Older parents are constantly telling those in the early days to cherish it: It goes by in a flash. But that can be very hard advice to follow when youre in the thick of it, as Stephanie H. Murray wrote in 2022. Ultimately, all a parent can do is keep an eye out for the precious moments amid the tumult and chaos, one mother Murray spoke with told her. Do what you can to imprint them in your memorywrite them down, or share them with friends. Collect them like gems, so that when your arms are finally free and your eyes are a little clearer, you can turn them over in your hand. Todays reading list explores both the gems and the challenges of parenting.

On Parenthood

Why We Long for the Most Difficult Days of Parenthood

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By Stephanie H. Murray

Older parents are always telling parents of young children to cherish every second; it will be gone in a flash. But its very difficult advice to follow in the thick of it.

Read the article.

Why Dads Side of the Family Tends to Miss Out

By Chiara Dello Joio

Many people have stronger bonds with their maternal relatives. Why?

Read the article.

A Shift in American Family Values Is Fueling Estrangement

By Joshua Coleman

Both parents and adult children often fail to recognize how profoundly the rules of family life have changed over the past half century.

Read the article.

Still Curious?

American family life should not be this volatile : Welcome to the age of tremors, Elliot Haspel wrote in 2023.

A totally unnecessary way to stress parents out: Julie Beck on the tyranny of school spirit days

Other Diversions

P.S.

I recently asked readers to share a photo of something that sparks their sense of awe in the world. Ari sent this photo of a lotus pond in bloom in Bali.

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Ill continue to feature your responses in the coming weeks. If youd like to share, reply to this email with a photo and a short description so we can share your wonder with fellow readers in a future edition of this newsletter or on our website. Send us the original, unedited photos from your phone or camera as JPGsno cropping or shrinking is needed.

Please include your name (initials are okay), age, and location. By doing so, you agree that The Atlantic has permission to publish your photo and publicly attribute the response to you, including your first name and last initial, age, and/or location that you share with your submission.

 Isabel

Article originally published at The Atlantic
NEW YORK (PIX11)  New York City council members Erik Bottcher and Keith Powers joined PIX on Politics to discuss their pedicab legislation, which limits drivers access to Manhattans Theater District.

The council members also discussed the latest developments regarding the state budget.

Watch the video player for the full interview.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Oakdale leaders, alarmed by recent spikes in PG&E power bills, are looking to switch to the Modesto Irrigation District.

The City Council voted 5-0 on Monday, May 5, to recruit a consulting firm to explore the idea in detail. It came over a protest from PG&E, which said rate relief is coming and the system is not for sale in any case.

Interim City Manager Jerry Ramar said homes could save $257 a month on average based on the current rate structures. He cautioned that the transition costs could cancel out the benefits.

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Supporters told of residents paying several hundred dollars a month for air-conditioning during heat waves.

I do live next to people who have to run their fans all summer, and they are actually hot, very hot, Councilmember Kayleigh Gilbert said.

About 7,000 of Oakdales homes, the vast majority, have PG&E hookups. Some of the newer subdivisions are in MID because of a circa-2000 effort to bring competition to the California grid.

The switch would need approval from the MID board, the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission. The process could mean several years of legal wrangling.

Electric transmission lines in Oakdale, Monday, May 5, 2025.

Why is MID cheaper than PG&E?

As a public agency, MID can charge less for electricity than PG&E because it does not have to earn profits for investors. It also does not serve mountainous areas, where PG&E has incurred huge costs for wildfires sparked by its wires.

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Oakdale would have three main obligations before joining MID, said an email from Melissa Williams, the utilitys public affairs manager. One is paying for an analysis of how this would affect the overall system. The city also would have to cover the cost of extending MID service and reimburse PG&E for its infrastructure.

Those assets includes poles and wires along city streets and Oakdales share of PG&E power plants and transmission lines around the West.

Mondays vote was for Ramar to contact firms that could do a feasibility study, which he said might run $50,000 to $75,000 and take a year. The council would have to approve the contract at a future meeting.

Electric transmission lines in Oakdale, Monday, May 5, 2025.

When did MID begin selling electricity?

MID was founded in 1887 to provide Tuolumne River water to farms, as was the neighboring Turlock Irrigation District. Both began in the 1920s to generate cheap hydropower for sale to local homes and businesses. Population growth prompted them to add other sources, first fossil fuels and later wind and solar.

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MIDs original service area takes in much of the zone bounded by the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and San Joaquin rivers. Oakdale lies within the Oakdale Irrigation District, which generates Stanislaus hydropower for sale to distant users rather than city residents.

MID gained its Oakdale customers as part of a grid reform that also gave it access to part of the Ripon area and to all of Mountain House. The latter was an entirely new town northwest of Tracy.

MID and TID now have close to a quarter-million electricity customers between them. PG&E also evolved over the past century-plus and today serves about 16 million users of power, gas or both.

Electric transmission lines in Oakdale, Monday, May 5, 2025.

How are power bills calculated?

Electricity bills have one charge to cover fixed costs, such as salaries, and rates that vary with monthly consumption. Users are penalized for high use.

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Ramar said his estimate was based on average MID consumption of 850 kilowatt-hours per home in a month. The district charges 18 cents for each of the first 500 kilowatt-hours and 21 cents for the other 350.

PG&Es rates are 63 cents per kilowatt-hour during peak demand 40 cents at other times, the city manager said.

The speaker from PG&E was Eric Alvarez, government affairs representative for Stanislaus and four other counties. He is a Modesto City Council member but recuses himself from matters involving that city.

Alvarez acknowledged that high summer bills cause a hardship for many of our Central Valley customers. But he said no rate hike is planned this year and 2026 will bring a drop of about 5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

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Alvarez also mentioned a $15 billion federal loan guarantee that will help PG&Es upgrade its sources and transmission capacity.

PG&E has paid major settlements following wildfires and also is burying the lines in many vulnerable areas. During winter, it contends with snow and wind in the mountains.

A PG&E crew buries pipes and power lines along Pearson Road on Feb. 17, 2022, in Paradise as part of a project to replace 200 miles of overhead wires in an effort to dramatically reduce wildfire hazards.

The council said Oakdale residents need help sooner than PG&E offered. Member Jarod Pitassi said this could especially aid renters hoping to become owners. He added that his own house is on MID power, never topping $160 per month.

I think its fair for us to stand up for the residents, Pitassi said. ... It really ticks me off how much they have to pay.

A caution about eminent domain

Alvarez warned Oakdale against trying to acquire the system through eminent domain, which happens when governments cannot get owners to sell. And he noted the ongoing attempt by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to take over PG&E customers within its boundaries.

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SSJID generates hydropower on the Stanislaus River in a partnership with OID. It has proposed since 2008 to use it as a cheaper source than PG&E in Manteca, Ripon, Escalon and other towns. Alvarez said this has cost SSJID about $28 million in legal and other costs so far.

He concluded with these words for the Oakdale council: We are committed to providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers in Oakdale, and while we understand the focus on affordability, exploring a public takeover that isnt viable and would create additional risk and costs will not benefit residents and customers.
Six people, including multiple public officials, have been arrested and charged as part of a long-running investigation into an alleged vote harvesting scheme in a rural Texas county against vulnerable seniors during 2022 and 2023 elections.

The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system, Texas Attorney General Paxton said in a statement Wednesday announcing the arrests. Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable. No one is above the law.

The accused include Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho; former Frio County elections administrator Carlos Segura; Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza; Pearsall school district trustee Adriann Ramirez; and campaign worker Rosa Rodriguez.

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Candidates for local office allegedly paid a campaign worker named Cheryl Denise Castillo to collect ballots from voters at senior citizens complexes, according to court documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Castillo, who died last year, allegedly prepared ballots for individuals, influenced their voting choices, and assisted individuals who were ineligible for such support under state voting law.

In one December 2023 instance, the campaign worker allegedly told a candidate for sheriff she wouldnt help voters who supported her clients rivals.

Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho is among the six charged in the election voting scheme (Frio County)

In another instance a few months later, Castillo allegedly told a fellow campaign worker that honest to God if you do not go after the elderly disabled, then you will lose your election, according to the documents.

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Investigators reportedly recovered a text message to Castillo during the time of the alleged scheme that read, So that means you have stolen ballots from the elderly in elections LMFAO HARD.

Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballots, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot, police wrote in a search warrant, adding that Castillo had been paid for her work.

Segura, the former county elections administrator, called the allegations ridiculous in an interview with the Post.

The Independent has contacted Camacho and Ramirez for comment, and was unable to reach Rodriguez.

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In August 2024, investigators carried out search warrants related to the case in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar counties, with a grand jury arriving at charges on May 1 of this year.

The investigation dates back to 2022, when a county judge candidate running against Camacho filed a complaint.

Mary Moore told investigators she got a tip that Camacho hired Castillo to collect mail ballots for her, and that upon inspecting the ballots, the campaign worker filled out several without notifying officials she assisted anyone.

Moore later went to Pine Hill Estates II, a nursing home, and allegedly captured video of Camacho, Rodriguez, Ramirez, Castillo walking out of the home with what appeared to be carrier envelopes, according to an affidavit obtained by KSAT.

Charges follow multi-year investigation from Texas officials including Attorney General Ken Paxton (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Several residents confirmed that Castillo picked up their ballot by mail, and in some instances advised them how they should vote their ballot, per court records obtained by the outlet.

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Records obtained by Texas Scorecard reportedly show a convoluted web of payments for the alleged scheme, in which Rodriguez allegedly paid Camacho in May 2022 and May 2023 for vote-harvesting services.

The funds then allegedly went to Ramirez, who made three Cash App payments in April 2023 to Castillo, according to the outlet.

The six individuals, who face charges ranging from vote harvesting to tampering with evidence, could face up to 10 years in prison with fines up to $10,000.

All suspects turned themselves in, and at least five have been released on bond. An arraignment is scheduled for May 23.

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The case comes as both state and national Republicans seek to crack down on alleged vulnerabilities in election security, a cause many Democrats dismiss as tackling a largely non-existent issue in an effort to disenfranchise certain voters.

The indictment in the vote harvesting case in Texas comes just months after a September 2024 ruling from U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, who found that the states SB1 voter security law was vague, overly broad, and violates freedom of speech and the 14th Amendment, Texas Public Radio reports. The decision also found theres little evidence of illegal vote harvesting.

The decision temporarily paused Paxtons investigation, but he appealed, allowing the probe to move forward.
Australia's National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority has greenlit oil and gas company Santos' Barossa offshore gas field  a decision environmental experts have denounced as the world grapples with the effects of rising global temperatures.

What's happening?

In April, the Guardian reported that Australia gave Santos' environmental plan for the Barossa offshore gas field its seal of approval, even though the project is projected to add nearly 300 million tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The move, which came amid Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's reelection campaign, outraged environmental advocates, who said the Labor government wasn't doing enough to protect Australians from the dangerous effects of global overheating.

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"This is Australia's dirtiest gas project, and it should never have been given the green light," said Gavan McFadzean, a program manager at the Australian Conservation Foundation. "Barossa is a massive climate bomb that will produce more climate pollution than usable gas."

"It is unfathomable that it has been approved in 2025, when the climate science is clear that we can have no new fossil fuel projects if we are to avoid dangerous global heating," added Environment Centre NT executive director Kirsty Howey.

Why is this important?

While carbon dioxide can enter Earth's atmosphere through natural processes  for instance, the breakdown of organic matter  and plays a life-supporting role in regulating temperatures, human activities have boosted atmospheric levels of this heat-trapping gas by 50% since the start of the industrial revolution in the 18th century, according to NASA.

The dirty energy industry is the primary culprit. Now, the planet's temperatures are rising at an "unprecedented" rate.

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With the Earth's warmer atmosphere holding more moisture, extreme weather events are growing more intense and frequent, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars of damage, displacing families, and destroying food crops.

While funding oil and gas projects may provide a short-term boost, experts warn that the long-term economic impact could be dire.

In December, data from the Network for Greening the Financial System suggested that Australia could experience a 14% annual drop in its gross domestic product because of the effects of a warming climate, according to the Investor Group on Climate Change. The report estimates some of its trading partners could take an even greater hit to their GDP as a result.

What's being done about this?

In January, Tanya Plibersek, Australia's Minister for the Environment and Water, said in a press release that the Labor party has been working to transform Australia into a "renewable energy superpower," hooking up a record amount of clean power in 2024.

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"I've now approved 70 renewable energy projects  enough to power more than 8 million Australian homes," Plibersek said, underscoring that the transition could help drive down household utility bills.

As for the Barossa project, a Labor campaign spokesperson told the Guardian that the Albanese government, which won reelection in the May election, would remain committed to driving down energy prices and pollution while updating Australia's energy system.

"The Barossa Gas Project is subject to the Albanese Government's strengthened safeguard mechanism, which requires major emitters to reduce or offset their emissions over time, in line with net zero by 2050 targets," the spokesperson said.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The City of Oklahoma City and nonprofit Palomar broke ground on the New Family Justice Center funded by MAPS 4.

I was saved here, said Cara Carllson, a domestic abuse surviver who now volunteers at Palomar.

To be alive and to be here are the biggest achievements I have made, said Kavita McMaster, another survivor and volunteer.

Survivors, advocates, and partners flooded the new site of the MAPS 4 Family Justice Center just west of 1140 N. Hudson Ave.

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LOCAL NEWS: People will die: OKC family justice center loses federal funding for a third of its staff

MAPS 4 is building the $42 million facility, while Palomar will fundraise for the operations inside.

This will allow us to double our facility and help more survivors, said Kim Garrett Funk, the Chief Visionary Officer for Palomar.

For eight years, Palomar has helped 29,000 survivors who are fleeing domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, or criminal violence.

In 2022, Tara Currien was shot by her boyfriend several times in the parking lot of Integris. Palomar helped her escape and heal.

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A lot of times it is so hard for women to come forward. With Palomar you can go in without being judged, said Currien.

Palomar also helped Cara Carllson. Seven years ago, she showed up outside their doors with only a wagon of belongings.

They literally unpacked my wagon and said, This is real. This is happening. We believe you,' said Carllson.

McMaster said all the help you need is in one place at Palomar.

Before Palomar, we did not have a one-stop-shop, she said. If you did not have a car, or did not have money for gas, it wasnt possible.

A few weeks ago, the nonprofit was dealt a devastating blow. A $500,000 cut in federal funds cut a third of their frontline staff.

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The bottom line is our programming is vital to Oklahoma City and families and it cannot stop and it cannot be interrupted or people will die, said Funk.

Friday, OKC Mayor David Holt stressed Palomars work is vital.

Every time someone is murdered in this city it is almost always, not always, but darn-near close an act that occurred between two people who knew eachother and usually not in a public place, said Mayor Holt. The prevention that stops violence and homicides in our city is not what happens two minutes before the act. It is what happens days weeks months years before the act.

This new facility will help them continue, by expanding their size and services.

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Im excited well be able to provide more mental health and therapy, said Funk.

LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma AG Drummond alerts 23andME customers with tips

Not to mention, Palomar will be able to expand their hours to 24/7.

We know domestic violence isnt 8-5. Its an ongoing thing, said Currien.

Despite cuts from the federal government, the groundbreaking is a sign that a city is behind them in their fight to end generational domestic violence.

Its too important. Our mission will not be detoured, said Funk.

The new facility is set to open in 2027.

Palomar said they could not have done this without voters who approved the MAPS 4 penny sales tax in 2019.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
UPDATE 2:55 P.M.

According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, Satterfield has been found safe.

ORIGINAL STORY

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma City Police Department is searching for a missing man from Indiana, last seen in northwest Oklahoma City.

According to OKCPD, Keith Hampton Satterfield, from Indiana, is visiting relatives in Oklahoma City. He was last seen at around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, in the 5700 block of Northwest 16th Street.

Keith Hampton Satterfield. Image courtesy, Oklahoma City Police Department.

He is in desperate need of medical care due to several medical conditions, officials said.

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Satterfield is described as being 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds with a cornrow style haircut, short white beard, and wears glasses.

He was last seen wearing black jogging pants with a white stripe down the side, a black t-shirt, a black jacket with yellow writing, a black hat, and gray shoes.

Anyone with information on Satterfields whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
ONEIDA, Wis. (WFRV)  Community members gathered Saturday morning for the Oneida Nations fifth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Walk, taking steps both literal and symbolic to honor those lost and to raise awareness about the silent crisis affecting Native communities.

Participants dressed in red and carried signs bearing names and dates of missing loved ones. The walk began at the Oneida Recreation Center and ended at the Turtle School, where attendees were invited to share a meal, listen to presentations and reflect with music and prayer.

Convention celebrates paranormal in Appleton

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This is our fifth annual MMIW walk. We have everyone come together  its a healing event because its a silent crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, said Oneida Nation Council Member Jennifer Webster.

Red has become a symbol of the movement, representing both the voices of the missing and the resilience of the families left behind. Many attendees wore red handprints across their faces, a visual symbol that has become a hallmark of MMIR advocacy across Indian Country.

Webster said around 200 people participated in this years walk. She noted that the walk is not just about remembrance, but also about ongoing efforts to push for justice and prevention.

It started in 2017 with Savannah, Webster said, referencing the case of Savannah Greywind, a 22-year-old pregnant Indigenous woman who was murdered in North Dakota. From that event grew Savannahs Act.

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Savannahs Act, signed into law in 2020, was designed to improve coordination and data collection among federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies in cases involving missing or murdered Native people.

Tsyoshaaht Delgado, the Bear Clan manager for the Oneida Cultural Heritage Department, said walks like this are happening across the country.

Native American people are the number one group that have gone missing and been murdered, and they never get investigated, Delgado said. So this is to bring awareness to the community and the surrounding area.

Many who attended the walk have been directly impacted by the crisis or know someone who has. For some, that pain remains unresolved.

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Some of their relatives are missing and theyve never been found, Delgado said. That always impacts our community.

Webster added that Native women face disproportionately high rates of violence.

Appleton nonprofit hosts free wheelchair wash, safety check

Native women are three times more likely to be involved in trafficking, to be involved in domestic violence, she said. So the whole thing today is for healing.

Organizers hope to grow the event each year and keep the conversation alive, not just for those who are missing, but for those still searching for 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
May 9One UTPB student is celebrating his graduation in a very personal way.

UTPB President Sandra Woodley made a trip to Austin this week to host a one-of-a-kind graduation ceremony  just for one student.

Jeremy Hannon, an Austin native, completed his Business Management degree entirely online through UTPB. While juggling a full-time job and running his own successful automotive business, Jeremy managed to take up to 18 credit hours each semester and he did it all with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

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Hannon's story is just one example of what's possible through UTPB's flexible and affordable programs offered both in-person and online, a news release said.

Joining Woodley for the ceremony was Archie Holmes, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs with the UT System.

The University will hold its spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, where more than 500 graduates will cross the stage and officially become Falcon alumni.

See more photos here.
Shiloh Hendrix, a white Minnesota woman, went viral after repeatedly calling a child on a playground the N-word. The financial windfall she then received  reportedly over $700,000  from crowdfunding donors, many of whom apparently saw in the unrepentant racist a fearless hero, is a despicable and miserable commentary on the current state of Americas soul.

But it isnt shocking. Far-right racism and white grievance culture have been ascendant and increasingly mainstreamed for at least a decade. Their most influential avatar  President Donald Trump  is once again in power. (It doesnt get more mainstream than the presidency.)

But to many of those I call MAGA centrists  ostensibly nonconservatives who blame the left for making them either Trump supporters or very Trump-sympathetic  unabashed right-wing racism is a terrible, but entirely new, phenomenon. And wouldnt you know it, they say wokeness is to blame. Theyve even coined a name for Hendrix and her donors style of racism: the woke right.

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In the MAGA centrists telling, the woke left is obsessed with identity politics and clings to a perpetual victim mentality, a desire to cancel its adversaries and an adherence to bonkers conspiracy theories, and it rewrites historical facts to suit its political agenda. The woke right, they say, is merely an unfortunate mirror reaction to that.

An article by River Page published this week in The Free Press  among the most influential Trump-friendly sites that insists its nonpartisan despite ample evidence to the contrary  argued that the excesses of the left  canceling all those innocent Americans  has triggered an equal and opposite reaction on the right, which has become more and more extreme in railing against cancel culture.

Page added, Basically: The left cried wolf, and now the wolf is here on your phone, calling a little boy in Minnesota the N-word on camera  and theres a new, identity politics-obsessed far right waiting in the wings to reward her for it.

This argument, to put it politely, combines an outrageous rewriting of history with a monomaniacal worldview that assumes the left is all-powerful and the far right has no agency.

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This isnt the first time The Free Press has put the responsibility of overt right-wing racism at the feet of the woke left.

In February, amid a spate of what looked like Nazi-esque salutes from powerful MAGA figures including Steve Bannon and Elon Musk, The Free Press published an essay by Richard Hanania, who previously wrote vile, racist content under a pseudonym for the alt-rights flagship website. Explaining his past association with this particular racist, antisemitic, Trump-supporting movement, he wrote, To understand where this comes from you need to go back to the 2010s. Back then, online rightists reacted to the Great Awokening by leaning into performative racism, sexism, and homophobia through edgy memes and jokes.

Once again, the identity politics and victim grievance culture of right-wing racists, sexists and homophobes are waved away as unthreatening and understandable (though unpleasant) responses to left-wing wokeness. As far as other traits ascribed to the woke right by the MAGA centrists  rewriting history, dividing people by their identity groups and pushing conspiracy theories  I can think of a few people who fit that bill who cant be dismissed as insignificant internet trolls.

How about Tucker Carlson repeatedly pushing the racist and antisemitic great replacement theory on his top-rated Fox News show?

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How about Vice President JD Vance, who as a candidate last year chose to amplify what he knew was a racist lie that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were kidnapping their neighbors pets and eating them?

How about Trump, in his first term, telling U.S.-born members of Congress  who happen to be women of color  to go back where they came from? Or his more recent claim that immigrants are vermin and poisoning the blood of America?

What the MAGA centrists call the woke right is merely an evolution of the online alt-right (a brand that few wanted to be associated with after its murderous rally in Charlottesville in 2017) and which was later also referred to as the dissident right. Though they dont all share the same, exact worldview as the Nazi-adjacent alt-right, this dissident right also includes elements of Christian nationalism, QAnon and far-right street militias like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. All of these entities were inspired and emboldened by Trump and, to a great extent, he embraced them back.

Over the past decade, Never Trumper ex-Republicans and ex-libertarians loudly warned of the rising influence and genuine threat posed by what they now call the woke right. But we just called them what they were, racists and aspiring fascists, and refused to buy into the fiction that they were merely motivated by economic anxiety.

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But a great many of us  who, before Trump conquered the Republican Party and most of the conservative and libertarian movements, had previously identified as on the moderate or center-right  were also critical of the excesses of significant segments of the activist left. Over the past decade, Ive blasted elements of the left for mob-led zero tolerance cancellations, winking support for antisemitic terrorists, excusing rioting and wanton violence as righteous expressions of dissent, pushing incoherent definitions of racism and anti-racism as gospel and demanding the government be the arbiters of acceptable speech in the name of fighting bigotry.

It isnt a heroic act to hold principles and call out both the left and the right when they stand in opposition to those principles. But many MAGA centrists are either unwilling or unable to do that.

Trump is purging librarians, artists, generals and civil servants who wont pledge loyalty to his imperial presidency, and hes issued executive orders against individuals who stood up to his big lie. Thats cancel culture. His administration includes people whove paid no price for their public displays of racism and antisemitism, he pardoned Jan. 6 rioters who wore Nazi-themed T-shirts and carried Confederate flags, and hes aiming to gut the Civil Rights Act. Thats identity politics and victim grievance culture. And its hard to know where to begin when it comes to false conspiracy theories and rewritten histories emanating from this White House.

Man accuses woman of using a racial slur toward a young child on the spectrum at a playground in Rochester, Minn., on April 28. (Courtesy Sharmake Omar)

Self-reflection is hard and often painful, and for the MAGA centrists who are a bit embarrassed by the increasingly open racism of the MAGA right, its just easier to blame the left. But when it comes to warnings about Trump and MAGAs racism, lies and predilection to cancel their enemies, the left and the Never Trump center-right (oft-derided as afflicted by Trump Derangement Syndrome) were a whole lot more prescient about the horrors were currently experiencing than the MAGA centrists  who never could accept that what they term the woke right was always there, inside the same MAGA big tent they shared.

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The woke right isnt an understandable response to the woke left, and it sure as hell isnt new. It has a home in the White House, and MAGA centrists have spent a decade whitewashing its sins and enabling its rise to power.

Many Trump supporters say they feel liberated by his re-election to once again freely use slurs that had been previously socially verboten. Its not too much of a stretch to wonder if the N-word-spouting Shiloh Hendrix  and her many donors  have felt similarly liberated by Trumps return to power.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
When people hear foreign aid, too often, they picture wasteful spending or endless checks to corrupt governments. But here in Utah, international assistance isnt about charity. Its about strategy. Its about building global markets for our products, creating jobs for hardworking Utahns and ensuring that America, not our adversaries, sets the rules in a fast-changing world.

For Utahs economy and for Americas future, targeted international assistance isnt just the right thing to do; its the smart thing to do.

Utah isnt just a landlocked state with sprawling mountains and a strong emphasis on family values. Its also a hub of international business. In 2024 alone, Utah exported $18.2 billion worth of goods, supporting an estimated 45,000 jobs in our state.

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Companies like Adobe, Texas Instruments and Northrop Grumman, which have major offices in Utah, depend on access to stable markets abroad. International assistance helps keep these markets open and growing. When America supports global health, critical infrastructure and education programs abroad, its not a handout. Its a strategic investment.

For example, U.S. assistance programs in Latin America help stabilize local economies and can stem the flood of illegal immigrants flowing to the U.S. This is good for Americas borders and for Utah businesses looking for new markets and reliable trading partners.

Every well-spent dollar in Americas global footprint helps to generate long-term demand for American-made products, including the ones produced right here in Utah. Again, thats not charity  thats economic strategy.

Take our agricultural industry: Utahs farmers and ranchers shipped $512 million worth of exports in 2023. When we help developing countries build stronger economies, we are not just providing aid; we are creating future customers for Utah beef, alfalfa and dairy products.

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The same goes for tech. Utahs growing tech industry thrives in global markets. As middle classes grow in regions once reliant on aid initiatives, they become new markets for cloud-based software, cybersecurity tools and digital services, many of which are developed by Utah companies.

Global competition is not taking a break. China is pouring billions of dollars into Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia through its Belt and Road Initiative, which is all about control, not building goodwill.

Every time America withdraws from international engagement, we leave a vacuum that China and Russia are more than happy to fill. Thats why it is crucial to ensure that international assistance programs align with our national interests. These initiatives not only help build alliances and promote American values, but also serve as strategic countermeasures to the rising power of authoritarian influence around the globe.

Utahs own Sen. John Curtis has argued that U.S. leadership abroad is essential to keeping America and Utah safe and competitive. Hes right. By investing in smart programs that support our international partners, we are creating relationships that benefit our states businesses and help us outpace our rivals.

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Reform is certainly necessary to ensure that every dollar we spend on international assistance delivers a clear return for the American people. I applaud the efforts of President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio to refocus strategic American aid and development. Ending wasteful spending on programs lacking strategic focus or outdated priorities of previous administrations was long overdue.

For Utahns who believe in American exceptionalism, self-reliance and free enterprise, international assistance is a bold assertion of leadership. Its how we shape the global economy to our advantage and protect our values from authoritarian threats.

Now is the time to recognize that what happens abroad matters here at home. To protect our workers, farmers and families, we must invest wisely in international assistance programs that put America and Utah first.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration turned the full force of the student loan collection apparatus on the poorest borrowers. On Monday, the federal government began resuming some of the most punitive collection measures at its disposal, including garnishment of wages and Social Security payments. After months of causing chaos at the Department of Education and sabotaging affordable loan repayment and relief plans, the White House is now plunging millions of working- and middle-class families  already scratching to make ends meet  into a new level of financial pain.

As a 54-year-old student debtor who has struggled for years to make my loan payments, I have experienced decades of a broken student loan system: failed income-driven repayment programs, mismanaged payment systems and public service loan forgiveness that stayed just out of reach. I know firsthand the terrifying hardship of having your meager wages seized because of a years-old loan you cant pay off. President Donald Trump is not protecting taxpayers, as the government claims. He is punishing the working poor to justify tax cuts that benefit billionaires.

For as long as I remember, Americans have been told getting a degree is the way to get ahead, and I believed that. Before going to college, I was hustling between fast-food jobs and telemarketing gigs to make ends meet, a young single mom with two children, just out of an abusive relationship. I could barely keep my head above water and needed a path out of poverty. So, with a herculean effort, I went back to school. My children and I moved back in with my parents; I juggled work as a nurses aide, taking a full course schedule at the local state university and caring for my children.

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In spite of the exhaustion, going to college was the most hopeful time of my life. I built community, gained insights, developed critical thinking skills, learned how to research, learned to believe in a new world. That education has helped me see and understand my subsequent labor  a public transit scheduler, a certified nurses assistant, a mother and a grandmother  as a major social contribution to society.

But with more than $60,000 in student loans that date back to 1996, the price of that education still stalks me. A lifetime of work in underpaid care labor has meant that over the last 30 years of working and paying this debt, I have never earned enough to even make a dent in the principal. Today, I make $17.50 an hour; my husband and I together make less than $60,000 a year. I have less than $2,000 in a retirement account. My daughter and grandchildren live with us, and even with all three adults working and sharing expenses, we struggle to make ends meet.

Working-class families like mine need more relief  not higher bills and harsher consequences for missed payments. Instead, Trump is worsening consequences for struggling borrowers. Coupled with proposed changes to the student loan system being pushed by Republicans in Congress, the president and his party want to ensure a generation of student debtors die with their debt, and encourage future generations to avoid college out of fear of a similar fate. Republicans do not want to reform a broken lending system. Their goal is to decimate public higher education while enriching Wall Street lenders.

Resuming loan garnishments will be a disaster for countless families. Like millions of others, I am currently in SAVE forbearance  the Biden administrations update of long-standing repayment programs pegged to a borrowers income. The Republicans want to replace SAVE with a new Repayment Assistance Plan that is designed to bleed the working class or force borrowers into default.

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As many as 10 million Americans have fallen behind on student loan payments  nearly 25% of all student borrowers. Now, millions face the seizure of their wages, tax refunds and even their Social Security payments. Trump doesnt want to help people with their loans  he wants to punish us for having them.

The consequences will be dire, as I know from experience. Prior to the pandemic, I worked as a direct service provider (DSP) for people with developmental disabilities, caring for my communitys most vulnerable. I monitored their health status, assisted them with their medical appointments and made sure they were clean, clothed, nourished. The work was immensely fulfilling; each day I knew I was making a difference.

But like most jobs caring for humans, the pay was barely above minimum wage. When I fell behind on my student loan payments  hundreds of dollars each month  the Department of Education started garnishing my salary, plunging my earnings below New York states minimum wage. Only the Covid-induced payment pause allowed me and my family the breathing room to scrape things back together.

Now once again, we are preparing for the bottom to fall out. I dont know how I will make ends meet when payments inevitably resume. I face the risk of once again falling into default and garnishment. Recently, my loan servicer informed me that when my forbearance period ends, my loan payments could be over $2,000 a month. That is more than my monthly take-home pay. Where will that money come from? Will I stop buying gas to get to work? Paying electricity to heat and light our house? Most likely, we will be forced to reduce our food budget and my granddaughters weekly dance classes.

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While Trump and House Republicans ready a budget that dispenses hundreds of billions of dollars to the military and extends gigantic tax breaks to the ultrawealthy, working people will be wrung dry by government garnishment and further denied opportunities to get ahead. Struggling American families need more support to go to college  not less. Trumps plan punishes the poor for our desire and hard work to make our lives and our communities better. We need a movement fighting for working class peoples right to learn. The best way to eliminate the crisis of student debt wont be punishing the poor who tried to seek an education; it will be free college for all. Its time to start organizing for it.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Reflecting on the White House visit by newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada, I was struck by what President Trump had posted on Truth Social just prior to Carneys arrival.

Trump posted, in part, Why is America subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things? 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. They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us!

I have paid more attention over the years to the political system in Canada and its inner workings than any other foreign nation because I have long felt Canada to be my second home country. More than a century ago, my family emigrated from Scotland to Nova Scotia, and then down to Boston, the city of my birth. I have visited Canada dozens of times over the years. I have family across the nation, I have done its media often, and I truly love the people and the country.

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Why? Because they are a very warm and giving people, from a nation that has been our best friend for decades.

But then came the Age of Trump. Suddenly, some people on the left and the far-left in Canada  including members of their media  simply lost their minds about Trump. Without getting into all the details, it is very fair to say that Trump Derangement Syndrome is as real in Canada as it is in the U.S. I know because I came up close and personal with it back in September 2019.

Back then, I had authored a piece for the Toronto Star titled, Hatred for Donald Trump clouds judgment of Canadians. As an example of such hatred, I outlined how former Prime Minister Kim Campbell was seemingly openly hoping for a massive hurricane to hit Trumps home in Florida. With the news that highly destructive hurricane Dorian was heading toward Florida, Campbell tweeted out at the time, Im rooting for a direct hit on Mar a Largo!

Although she later deleted the tweet and called it sarcasm, this was the former leader of all Canada who, in order to hurt Trump, seemed to have no problem wishing harm upon millions of Floridians and tourists from a killer storm. Trump Derangement Syndrome, anyone?

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Unfortunately, the Trump Derangement Syndrome did not end there. I was later told by an editor at the Star that the site paid a severe price for running my column. The outrage from the left in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada was instantaneous and quite vicious. For far too many on the left, only one point of view can be accepted or sanctioned when it comes to Trump: hatred. Sanity and rational discussion will not be tolerated.

Speaking of rational discussion, lets go back to the post from Trump. Now, leaving aside the irrefutable fact that Trump is the most successful businessman ever to occupy the Oval Office and knows what he is talking about with regard to America subsidizing Canada to the tune of billions per year, lets focus on something else he mentioned  the FREE Military Protection the U.S has been granting Canada for decades. What is the collective value of that, prorated over those decades? Surely its more than $1 trillion.

Some on the left and in Canada may protest that this is all just hyperbole from the president, but it is not. It is actually a cold, hard fact  but again, admitting Trump can be correct about anything is nearly impossible for some.

Knowing that, lets go to a media source in Canada itself  the CBC. In a piece posted on YouTube by the CBC titled Is Trump right about Canada being a military free-rider? with over 2.5 million views as of this writing, we find out that Canadas failure to pay its fair share is much worse than most know.

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Not only has the Canadian government purposely shorting America over the years  while living under the umbrella of U.S. military protection  but it has also been shorting NATO. Again, all this was spelled out in a major Canadian media outlet.

Like him or not, hate him or not, Trump is correct about Canada taking advantage of our friendship and generosity. Again, that is simply a fact.

But, as Trump just showed this week with his historic trade deal with the United Kingdom, circumstances can flip in a hurry. Canada has long been Americas best friend in so many ways, and with Trump in the Oval Office making one deal after the other, it may soon be our best and fairest trading partner as well.

Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.

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The Orange County district attorney's office has charged a Santa Ana High School student with murder and assault in the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old classmate during a fight after school that also left two other students injured.

The 15-year-old, who was not identified because he is a minor, is also facing two counts of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly stabbing the two other classmates earlier this week.

The teen and his 17-year-old brother turned themselves in to police on Wednesday, hours after the deadly incident in front of Santa Ana High School, according to authorities.

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Santa Ana Police Officer Natalie Garcia said the brothers were questioned by investigators and then transported to juvenile hall, where they were booked. She said the 17-year-old remains in custody.

The incident occurred at 3:25 p.m. Wednesday, when Santa Ana School Police officers reported a stabbing that occurred during a fight in front of Santa Ana High School.

At least three male students, ages 14, 15 and 16, were found with stab wounds and taken by paramedics to a hospital.

Prosecutors said the 14-year-old boy who died was stabbed in the heart and was identified by authorities as Armando Morales of Santa Ana. His family created a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral expenses.

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Misael Morales wrote on the site that his brother was a happy and smart kid who was known for making people laugh.

Jazmin Delgado, the victims cousin, echoed those words in an interview with KABC-TV.

He was just always a happy kid and always loved to help and was just an amazing little kid, Delgado told the station.

Armandos family said the teen was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They said he was stepping in to help his friends when he was stabbed.

What sparked the confrontation remains under investigation by police, who allege those involved in the fight, with exception of the victim, were affiliated with gangs.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Doctors with Legacy Health are sounding the alarm in the wake of the healthcare systems failed merger with OHSU.

On Friday, unionized physicians from across six local legacy hospitals held a news conference, warning stalled negotiations at the bargaining table could impact care at the operating table and beyond.

The hospitalists voted overwhelmingly to join Northwest Medicine United (NWMU), AFT Local 6552 in November of 2023.

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Multnomah County overpaid more than $78K for recruiting services, report finds

However, more than a year later, frontline healthcare workers accuse Legacy of dragging out the process and refusing the unions proposals to improve patient care and physician retention

Even before Legacy hospitalists unionized and began negotiations with Legacy over a year ago, we consistently prioritized doctor-to-patient ratios, work-shift structure and guaranteed recovery time out of the hospital, said Dr. Mikeanne Minter, who works at Legacys Good Samaritan Medical Center and Emanuel Medical Center. Our priorities ensure physician retention, career longevity, physician health, job satisfaction through providing high-quality patient care, and the ability to recruit hospitalists to meet community needs.

Menter added, Legacy has delayed coming to a mutually acceptable agreement by canceling sessions and failing to provide counteroffers. In order to serve patients and meet the care needs of community members, we must have sustainable hours, workloads and rest that prevent physician burnout.

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Among key demands, unionized hospitalists have called for sustainable hours, recovery time and increased time with patients.

When a child is hospitalized, its one of the scariest times for a family, said Dr. Eric Seymour, a pediatrician at Randall Childrens Hospital. Forty-percent of our group has turned over in the last few years, and weve lost some really amazing people because we are not given both the resources of time, and the kind of human resources to do our jobs well.

The call to action comes less than a week after Legacy Health and OHSU canceled a long-planned mega-merger Monday.

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According to union data, since announcing the proposed merger in August of 2023, the number of unionized Legacy Health members has more than tripled, as first reported by Willamette Week.

Data showing Legacy Health members who joined a union since the announcement of a proposed merger between Legacy and OHSU back in August 2023. (Sources: SEIU, Oregon Nurses Association, AFSCME, NMU)

In response, a Legacy Health spokesperson provided the following statement to KOIN 6 News:

Legacy health respects and supports the rights of our employees to participate in union activities. We remain committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with union representatives and bargaining in good faith to achieve a mutually agreeable outcome.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Oregon State University, in partnership with the Trust For Public Land (TPL), has officially acquired 3,110 acres for a new research forest just north of Portland for conservation and recreation purposes.

According to TPL, the forest area is found within the proximity of Forest Park in the Tualatin Mountains, contains 40 miles of protected trails, as well as over 20 miles of creeks.

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The land  which TPL and OSU refer to as the Tualatin Mountain Forest  will be managed by the College of Forestry at OSU and serve as living outdoor classrooms for students and living laboratories for OSU, as well as other institutions to research forest resilience, habitat restoration, timber production and wildfire risk reduction.

Eventually, OSU intends to also open use of the Tualatin Mountain Forest to the public for outdoor recreation and explore partnerships with K-12 schools for nature-based education programs.

The Tualatin Mountain Forest will offer incredible opportunities for educational programming, public access, and the co-identification of research and management priorities with Tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, on whose ancestral lands the forest is located, said Tom DeLuca, dean of the OSUs College of Forestry.

East Portlands new Parklane Park bursts to life

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He added, Were so thankful to our partners who helped establish the Tualatin Mountain Forest as an OSU Research Forest. This forest gives us the rare chance to research and demonstrate new and different approaches to active management, and to showcase how timber harvest, research and access to nature-based recreation and education can beautifully support our economies, urban communities and our understanding of forest ecosystems.

Along with TPL and OSU, the partnership coalition also includes Metro, Oregon Department of Forestry and other local community organizations. But OSU is the primary owner of the acreage.

With the acquisition of the Tualatin Mountain Forest, the College of Forestry now manages 10 research forests across Oregon, totaling more than 18,000 acres.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
An independent school in Wakefield is set to close later this year as a result of Labours VAT and National Insurance tax raids.

In a letter to parents sent this week, Philip Hardy, proprietor and chairman of the board of governors of Wakefield Independent School, blamed the proposed closure on a combination of the VAT increase that has reduced pupil numbers, and the Governments decision to increase employer National Insurance.

He added increases to the minimum wage and outstanding fees had also contributed to the decision, in the letter seen by The Telegraph.

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The letter said: Over the last six months, exhaustive efforts have been made by the directors to cope with several, in many cases sector-wide, challenges: a reduction in current pupil numbers caused by the VAT impact, difficulty recruiting new pupils, outstanding fees, plus increases in business rates, minimum wage and employers National Insurance contributions.

The school has also been served with new lease terms by its landlord that Mr Hardy said were unsuitable.

A proposal for closure at the start of July has been put forward after a comprehensive financial review, and months of meetings with lawyers, accountants and consultants in a bid to save the school.

The Yorkshire school was rated good by Ofsted, with personal development and behaviour and attitudes both rated outstanding. The Ofsted report, published in December 2023, also praised Wakefield Independents approach to supporting children with special educational needs.

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Campaigners have warned children with special educational needs will be particularly hit by the tax changes, as higher fees threaten to push them into state schools that are not always able to cater to their needs.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: I dont understand what the Government is doing here, there must be a perception that everyone is wealthy because they use these schools, but that is just not the case.

The vast majority of the parents at the school arent particularly wealthy and just work really hard to send their children there.

There are a lot of kids with special educational needs because the school is fantastic and the small class ratios are really beneficial.

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The co-education school caters to pupils aged two to 16 years across infant, junior and senior schools. It currently has around 140 pupils, but has capacity for over 200, with fees costing up to 12,000 a year for pupils in year seven and up.

In his statement, Mr Hardy wrote: We hope that making the announcement now gives staff, parents and pupils, with our full support, several weeks before the end of term, and a full summer holiday, to make any necessary arrangements for the future, without sacrificing the education were determined to provide up to the end of term.

The underlying mission of Wakefield Independent has always been to provide affordable private education on a non-selective basis.

He added that fees remain below half of those at other selective schools in the area.

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Wakefield Independent is the latest fee-paying school to announce it is on the brink of closure as a result of Labours tax raid on the sector.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Lord Heseltines old private school is set to close.

Cognita UK, the education company which runs the school, said in a statement: This week we shared some difficult news with our families and staff about the proposal to close Oakleigh House School.

We carried out a comprehensive review of the schools sustainability in light of local demographic trends and a changing economic environment, which sadly concluded that pupil numbers are expected to continue to fall to an unsustainable level in the next academic year.

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The private preparatory school in Swansea also boasts Eddie Izzard as an alumnus alongside the former Conservative deputy prime minister.

Cognita is also closing St Clares School, another school it runs in Porthcawl, Wales.

Kate Caryl, headmistress at Wakefield Independent School, said: This addition of VAT has caused greater elitism than I have witnessed in my 54 years of teaching. I have taught in the south of England in selective girls boarding schools, with high fees. Life there bears no relation to the financial restrictions seen in small low fee independent schools.

Many of the children who come to our school have special needs, some fostered, some are school phobic, theyve had bad experiences in very large schools. some children have autism, EHCPs, dyslexia or dyspraxia.

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We bear no relation to the big independent schools with fantastic facilities, swimming pools, concert halls. Its simply not fair that the Government hasnt taken this into account if they want to add VAT to the bigger schools it bears no relation to adding 20pc to small schools like ours.

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At least 119 current and former Amtrak employees conspired with New York medical professionals to swindle the company's health care plan out of over $12 million, the Amtrak Office of the Inspector General said in a report released Tuesday of what it described as the largest employee conspiracy it has ever investigated.

"The sheer volume of employees who cavalierly participated in this scheme to steal Amtrak's funds suggests not only a serious lapse in basic ethics, but a troubling workforce culture, at least in the Northeast region, in which blatant criminal behavior was somehow normalized," said Amtrak Inspector General Kevin H. Winters, whose office released its findings this week.

Amtrak is a for-profit corporation with over 20,000 employees that operates railways across 46 states and receives billions of dollars in federal funding.

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Twelve Amtrak employees, alongside three healthcare providers, were criminally charged in federal court for their participation.

Two Amtrak employees, Devon Burt of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and a co-conspirator, Hallum Gelzer, of East Orange, New Jersey, allegedly worked with health care providers to recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme, the report said. They found Amtrak employees based in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Connecticut and Washington, D.C., willing to participate, the report said.

Employees accepted cash from the health care providers in exchange for using their insurance information, the report alleges. The information was then used to file fraudulent claims for services  ones that were never provided, the inspector general said.

Burt and Geltzer separately pleaded guilty in June 2023 to federal charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud as well as conspiracy to communicate extortionate threats, said the report. As part of their plea agreement, Burt agreed to pay $959,072 in restitution, while Gelzer agreed to pay approximately $1.66 million.

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Six other employees have also pleaded guilty to health care fraud conspiracy charges, the report stated. It is unclear who the prosecuting agency was or in which jurisdiction the pleas were entered.

About 28 employees retired or resigned, and 30 have left the company for undisclosed reasons, the report said.

"In total, Amtrak's health care plan was billed over $16 million and paid out more than $12 million during the scheme," the OIG found.

The OIG initially started investigating when an agent noticed unusual billing patterns between the three New York health care providers and a high number of shared Amtrak employees as patients.

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Amtrak said the agency was considering disciplinary action for the remaining 61 active employees involved.

In a statement provided to CBS News Thursday, Amtrak said it "has taken significant steps to address medical insurance fraud and, like many employers, calls on medical benefit providers and insurers to do more to identify suspicious activity and stop medical insurance fraud."

CBS News reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

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An Indiana company is recalling containers of tomatoes because of potential salmonella contamination.

Ray & Mascari Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana, is recalling its 4-count vine-ripened tomatoes packaged in clamshell containers because of potential salmonella contamination.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration alert, 20-ounce (1 pound 4-ounce) containers of tomatoes were sold to Gordon Food Service stores in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Packages of vine ripe tomatoes sold at Gordon Food Stores in Michigan and other states are being recalled because of salmonella concerns.

Consumers who bought these tomatoes are advised not to consume them. The tomatoes should be discarded.

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Ray & Mascari Inc. received the tomatoes from a farm in Immokalee, Florida, and repackaged them into the 4-count containers. The farm, Hanshaw & Capling Farms, initiated the recall because of the possible presence of Salmonella in their facility.

The items sold have Vine Ripe Tomatoes on the label with UPC numbers of 7 96553 20062 1 and a master case label with lot numbers of RM250424 15250B or RM250427 15250B.

So far, no illnesses have been reported from this recall.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause severe and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, children younger than 5, and adults older than 65.

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More: There's been a rash of foodborne illnesses leading to product recalls: What to know

Symptoms for healthy people include diarrhea (which may be bloody), fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.

Symptoms can start six hours to six days after being infected and last four to seven days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you have severe salmonella symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.

The CDC estimates salmonella bacteria cause more than 1 million infections in the United States annually, with most illnesses coming from food.

Customers can contact Ray & Mascari Inc. with questions or reports of any illnesses 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 317-637-0234.

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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: Packages of vine ripe tomatoes recalled: What to know
SHELBYVILLE  You don't often see a teacher giving autographs, but Tim Aberle had the unique experience of his students asking him to do so.

Aberle teaches history and English at Shelbyville High School, and last fall a former student, Kara Tipsword, nominated him for the Golden Apple Excellence in Teaching award.

He knew he was a finalist, but he didn't know he won until representatives from the organization appeared Friday from behind the curtain in the auditorium at the end of an assembly, bearing a banner, a basket of goodies, and an oversized check for $5,000, which is one of the prizes.

The Golden Apple Award recipients are given a paid sabbatical to Northwestern University and become Fellows of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators, a community of educators who play an important role in preparing the next generation of teachers in the Golden Apple Scholars and Accelerators programsinitiatives dedicated to addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois. This year there were 470 nominations, whittled down to 30 finalists, and 11 winners. Each winner was surprised by a visit from Golden Apple staff at his or her school over the last two weeks.

Keeping the secret was a major production, said Principal Kyle Ladd, who had arranged for Aberle's family to attend, trying to stay invisible in the back of the auditorium until the big reveal. Several other staff members were in on the secret and helped orchestrate it. The surprise was sprung at the end of an assembly to congratulate seniors and celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day.

The autographs came in when a staff member from Golden Apple handed out pom poms and signs to the students to wave as they cheered and gave a standing ovation for Aberle. Some of the students went to him afterward and asked him to autograph their signs, which he did, laughing.

I was in his class sophomore year and junior year, said senior Hannah Morgan. He was, honestly, one of the best teachers I've ever had. He was always the first person to walk up to me and ask me how my day was.

Fellow senior Kenna Prosser is in Aberle's psychology class this year, and has an inside joke with him due to her ambition to be a police officer.

He's always got a bright smile on his face, she said, glancing toward the stage where Aberle was posing for pictures with that smile. He's good at engaging all of his students, checking in on us, and joking around when he needs to. Part of winning stuff like this is not being serious all the time. You have to also be laid back, and that's Mr. Aberle.

Aberle was clearly caught by surprise, and Golden Apple President Alan Mather said his was the last of the 11 surprises, so he probably thought he hadn't won. When Mather and the others popped out from behind the stage curtain, Aberle said, Wow, and he said it several more times as students surrounded him for photos and congratulations.

This is amazing, overwhelming and incredible, all at the same time, Aberle said. This is an incredible honor and privilege and I recognize that and I want to thank all of you folks for making this a reality.

After thanking his fellow teachers and Ladd, Aberle told the students that he hoped they would realize that every teacher is a Golden Apple teacher to someone, and he knows they have at least one in their lives. He urged them to go and tell that teacher thank you and show them they appreciate them, and to do it right away.

You know who that special teacher is for you, who that teacher is that inspired you, that makes your day a little brighter, he said. It's Teacher Appreciation Day, and I know a lot of you have written letters, but whoever it is, whoever gave you that tough love when you needed it, whoever it might be, tell them.
Pakistan announced on the night of 9-10 May the beginning of a large-scale military operation in response to aggression from India.

Source: Pakistani government on X (Twitter); CNN

Quote: "Operation Bunyan un Marsoos starts."

Details: According to Pakistani state television, Pakistani military forces initiated actions in response to "Indian aggression". The announcement came shortly after Pakistan's claims of Indian attacks on its military air bases.

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Immediately afterwards, the Pakistani government posted a message on X warning that "India must now prepare for Pakistan' response".

"The Armed Forces of Pakistan are fully prepared to defend the homeland, airspace, and national security," the statement said.

Pakistan also claimed that it had conducted strikes on the Indian Air Force's Pathankot Airbase and the Udhampur Air Force Station.

According to Pakistani military officials, as part of the "tit-for-tat" retaliation campaign, they targeted Indian air force bases from which they claimed missile strikes on Pakistan had been launched.

Background: On Tuesday 6 May, India began striking what it described as military bases on Pakistani territory. Pakistan promised to respond.

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ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that no meeting of the National Command Authority, which is Pakistan's top military and civil body overseeing the country's nuclear arsenal, was scheduled following a military operation against India that took place early on Saturday.

Pakistan's military had said earlier in the day that Pakistan's prime minister had called on the authority to meet.

(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam in Islamabad; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
The Pakistani and Indian governments said on Saturday that the two sides had agreed to an "immediate" ceasefire, echoing a post from US President Donald Trump just minutes before saying the parties had agreed to stop attacking each other.

"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect," Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar wrote on X. "Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"

Vikram Misri, the foreign secretary in the Indian Foreign Ministry, confirmed the ceasefire.

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Trump had announced that the US had mediated a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed rivals. The two have traded strikes and heavy cross-border fire for days.

The alarming escalation in tensions was triggered by a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April which killed 26 people, mainly Indian tourists.

New Delhi accused Islamabad of involvement in the attack. Pakistan denies involvement and has called for an independent investigation.
Islamabad, Pakistan  India and Pakistan fired missiles at each others military bases on Saturday morning, the latest escalation in their rapid drift towards an all-out war.

Pakistan accused India of carrying out attacks inside its territory for the fourth consecutive night, launching ballistic missile strikes on at least three air bases. Islamabad said that in response, it launched a major military campaign, Operation Bunyan Marsoos (Arabic for a structure made of lead) targeting at least six Indian military bases.

India, in turn, accused Pakistan of being the aggressor. Indian military officials claimed Pakistan had targeted several Indian military bases and that its missiles into Pakistani territory were in response.

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Yet, regardless of who hit the other first on May 10, the very fact that India and Pakistan had struck each others military bases over such a wide swath of territory, well beyond Kashmir  the disputed region that they each partly control  means that the conflict has now veered into almost unknown territory.

Never have the South Asian rivals attacked each other on this scale outside the four wars they have fought.

Here is what we know so far about Indias attacks, Pakistans response, what both countries and global powers like the United States are saying, and the background to this intensifying conflict.

(Al Jazeera)

What happened on the morning of May 10, according to Pakistan?

Pakistan said that India launched a salvo of drones into Pakistan, followed by ballistic missile strikes on at least three major airbases.

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The Pakistani bases India targeted are:

Nur Khan airbase: Located near Chaklala, Rawalpindi, it serves as a key operational and training hub. It houses important Pakistan Air Force commands, and supports transport, logistics and VIP flight operations.

Murid airbase: Located in Chakwal, roughly 120km (75 miles) from Islamabad. It is a vital forward-operating base for the Pakistan Air Force. It plays a crucial role in air defence and combat readiness.

Rafiqui airbase: Located in Shorkot, Punjab, the base hosts fighter squadrons.

Pakistan said that in response, it launched aerial attacks against multiple Indian military bases. The bases known to have been targeted are:

Udhampur airbase: Located in Indian-administered Kashmir, Udhampur is also the headquarters of the Indian Armys Northern Command.

Pathankot airbase: The base in Indian Punjab is a central part of Indias frontline air force operations and was targeted by armed fighters in a 2016 attack in which six Indian soldiers were killed. India blamed that attack on the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Drangyari artillery gun position: Drangyari is in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Uri field support depot: Uri, in Indian-administered Kashmir, is also home to a major Indian Army base that was attacked in 2016 by armed fighters who killed 19 Indian soldiers. India, which blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad for the attack, launched what it described as surgical strikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Nagrota: The town in Indian-administered Kashmir is home to a storage site for the Brahmos missiles jointly designed and made by India and Russia.

Beas: Located in Indian Punjab, the site is a storage facility for the Brahmos missile.

Adampur air base: Located in Indian Punjab, the base is home to an S-400 missile defence system that India bought from Russia.

Bhuj air base: The base is located in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What has India said?

At a media briefing, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of provocations and escalations, claiming that New Delhi was only responding to its neighbours actions.

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He was joined by Colonel Sofia Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, who shared New Delhis version of events.

Pakistan, Qureshi said, used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircrafts to target civilian areas and military infrastructure.

Pakistan military also resorted to air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy calibre weapons along the Line of Control, she said. Loitering munitions, also known as suicide drones, are remote-controlled and designed to crash into their targets. The Line of Control is the de facto border between Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

While India said it had shot down most incoming missiles and drones, Qureshi and Singh conceded that the air force bases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj did suffer limited damage.

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India, however, rejected suggestions that any bases had suffered any significant damage, with the military releasing time-stamped photos of the facilities in support of its assertion. Pakistans military had on Thursday claimed that the Udhampur and Pathankot bases had been destroyed.

Indian officials said at least five people had been killed by Pakistani missile fire on Saturday.

What else happened on May 10?

As the neighbours traded missile fire and allegations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with General Syed Asim Munir, Pakistans army chief and widely regarded as the countrys most powerful figure, as well as with the Indian foreign minister, S Jaishankar.

According to the US State Department, Rubio urged both parties to seek ways to deescalate and offered American assistance in launching constructive dialogue to avoid further conflict.

How did India and Pakistan get to the brink of war?

Pakistans military response on Thursday followed four days of consecutive Indian attacks inside its territory and came two weeks after a deadly assault on tourists in the scenic town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22.

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The attack killed 26 men, all civilians. India blamed armed groups it alleges are backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad has denied, calling instead for an impartial, transparent investigation that New Delhi has rejected.

Multiple witness accounts suggest the gunmen segregated the men from the women, then selected and killed non-Muslims.

India initiated strikes on May 7, targeting areas inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It claimed to have destroyed terrorist infrastructure and eliminated at least 100 terrorists.

It called its attacks Operation Sindoor, a reference to the vermilion  sindoor in Hindi  the red pigment many married Hindu women apply to their foreheads. The missions name was an allusion to the manner in which gunmen killed tourists in Pahalgam.

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Pakistan reported that the Indian strikes killed 33 people, including several children, and injured more than 50. It denied that any of the dead were fighters, as India claimed.

As the attacks unfolded, Pakistan deployed its air force in response, engaging in a battle with the Indian Air Force (IAF). Pakistans military claimed it downed five Indian jets, including three Rafales, the French-made aircraft considered the IAFs most advanced assets. India has neither confirmed nor denied the losses.

Drone warfare intensifies

India responded by deploying drones and loitering munitions on May 9 and 10, hitting at least a dozen targets across Pakistan, including major urban centres such as Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

India said the drone strikes were in response to Pakistans use of drones, a claim Islamabad continues to reject.

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There is no credence to their claims. They continue to lie. Their allegation is false. Otherwise, where is their evidence? Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistans military spokesperson, told Al Jazeera during a news briefing in Rawalpindi on Friday.

He added that Pakistans response to Indian aggression would come at a time, method, and place of our choosing.

That time came on the morning of May 10.

What does Operation Bunyan Marsoos mean?

Pakistans operation is titled Bunyan Marsoos, an Arabic phrase that translates as a structure made of lead.

The phrase originates from the Quran: Truly God loves those who fight in His cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.

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In its Quranic context, the phrase symbolises unity and strength among believers fighting for a righteous cause.

What comes next?

Experts have repeatedly warned of the need for immediate de-escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours before the situation becomes irreversible.

India said on May 10 that it was willing to stop the cycle of escalation if Pakistan reciprocated.

But Kamran Bokhari, senior director at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, said Indian strikes on Pakistani airbases had dramatically escalated the conflict.

With Pindi being hit and other airbases such as the one in Sargodha, the war has taken a turn for the worse, he told Al Jazeera. We are now looking at a much bigger-scale war.

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Muhammad Faisal, a South Asia security analyst at the University of Technology Sydney, said Pakistan was left with little choice but to respond forcefully.

Pakistan can employ its latest jets in standoff mode or launch long-range missile strikes on Indian airbases that bypass air defences. During the last three days, both sides have significantly mapped each others air defences, and now the next round of escalation is here, he told Al Jazeera.
The News

Pakistan launched a retaliatory military operation against India, responding to what it said were New Delhis air strikes on three of its air bases, further ratcheting up tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors.

Relations have plummeted in recent days following the killing of dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, an attack that New Delhi linked to Islamabad, allegations Pakistan denied.

On Saturday, Pakistan said it launched surface-to-surface missiles against Indian air bases and missile-storage sites. It said these attacks were in response to Indian strikes against its own air bases. New Delhi did not immediately confirm the claims.
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting of the National Command Authority on Saturday, the military said, after Islamabad launched a military operation against India and targeted multiple bases.

The authority is the top body of civilian and military officials that takes security decisions including those related to the country's nuclear arsenal.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalated this week as they both accused each other of violating airspaces by sending drones and other munitions, killing at least 48 people.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad, writing by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh)
Pakistan fully reopened its airspace for all types of civilian and military flights after a ceasefire agreement took effect with India, an official said on Saturday.

The development marks a significant step toward de-escalation following days of heightened tensions and overnight missile attacks on both sides of the border.

Pakistans airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights, said a spokesperson for Pakistan Airports Authority.

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All airports are available for regular flight operations, he said.

Earlier at 3:50 am (2250 GMT on Friday) the authorities announced the closure of the airspace which had been suspended several times during the past weeks.
By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam, Shivam Patel, Charlotte Greenfield, Aftab Ahmed

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after U.S. pressure and four days of fighting, but within hours explosions rang out in border cities and towns and India accused Pakistan of violating the pact.

Artillery fire and attack drones were witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, the centre of much of the fighting, while blasts from air-defence systems boomed in cities under blackout, similar to the previous evening, according to authorities, residents and Reuters witnesses.

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Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that Pakistan had violated the understanding arrived at by the two countries earlier in the day, and that the Indian armed forces had been instructed to "deal strongly" with any repetition.

"We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility," Misri told a media briefing.

In response, the foreign ministry of Pakistan said the country was committed to the ceasefire and blamed India for the violations. "Our forces are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint," it said.

The ministry also called on troops on the ground to exercise restraint and said that any issues in the implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels.

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Pakistan's military spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The fighting has been the worst between the old South Asian enemies in nearly three decades and threatened to erupt into a full-scale war in one of the world's most volatile and densely populated regions.

There were briefly fears that nuclear arsenals might come into play as Pakistan's military said a top body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet.

But the defence minister said no such meeting was scheduled, hours after a night of heavy fighting in which the two countries targeted each others military bases and the combined civilian death toll rose to 66.

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"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect," Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar posted on X. "Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"

Misri had earlier said the chiefs of the two countries' military operations had spoken to each other and agreed that all fighting would stop at 5 p.m. Indian time (1130 GMT).

U.S. President Donald Trump posted: "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence."

HOTLINES AND DIPLOMACY

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Dar told the broadcaster Geo News that military channels and hotlines between India and Pakistan had been activated, and three dozen countries had helped to facilitate the agreement.

On Wednesday, India had attacked what it said was "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistani Kashmir and Pakistan, two weeks after 26 people were killed in an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir.

Pakistan denied India's accusations that it was involved in the attack. Days of cross-border fire, shelling and drone and missile attacks followed.

Despite the truce, two Indian government sources told Reuters that the punitive measures announced by India and reciprocated by Pakistan, such as trade suspension and visa cancellations, would remain in place for now.

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The sources also said the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a critical water-sharing pact that India suspended after the Kashmir attack, would remain suspended.

The Indian foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he and Vice President JD Vance had engaged with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir, and the two national security advisers over the course of 48 hours.

TALKS TO FOLLOW AT NEUTRAL VENUE

In a post on X, Rubio commended Modi and Sharif on the agreement, which he said included not only an immediate ceasefire but also the start of talks on "a broad set of issues at a neutral site.

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News of the ceasefire was greeted with relief on both sides of the border and Pakistan's airport authority said its airspace had been fully reopened.

But the subsequent violations sparked alarm in India.

"What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!", Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Indian Kashmir, posted on X. "This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up."

India and Pakistan have been locked in a dispute over Kashmir ever since they were born at the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both rule part of Kashmir but claim it in full.

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They have gone to war three times, including twice over Kashmir, alongside numerous smaller outbreaks of fighting.

India blames Pakistan for an insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989 and has killed tens of thousands. It also blames Pakistani Islamist militant groups for attacks elsewhere in India.

Pakistan rejects both charges. It says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.

(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam, Charlotte Greenfield and Saeed Shah in Islamabad, Ariba Shahid in Karachi, Asif Shahzad in Muzaffarabad, Shivam Patel in New Delhi, Aftab Ahmed in Jammu, Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar and Saurabh Sharma in Amritsar, Rishabh Jaiswal and Kanjyik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield, Gibran Peshimam, Krishna N. Das and YP Rajesh; Editing by Mark Potter, Kevin Liffey, Louise Heavens and Matthew Lewis)
Investing.com -- The long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan has seen an alarming escalation in recent days, with multiple attacks being carried out on both sides. The hostile exchanges signal rising tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

According to a statement by Pakistans military, the South Asian nation recently carried out retaliatory strikes in response to what they called "continuous provocation" by India. Pakistans military reported that India had fired missiles at three of its airbases, sparking their counteroffensive.

The strike, carried out using medium-range Fateh missiles, was directed at over 25 military sites, reportedly including airbases, weapon depots in various Indian states such as Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, and also certain locations in the contentious region of Kashmir, administered by India.

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The Indian military, in their response, condemned what they referred to as Pakistans "blatant escalation". They claimed the attacks, which included drone strikes along their western border, were swiftly "engaged and destroyed" by their air defenses.

Added tension arose during the early hours of Saturday when Pakistan initiated a military operation against various bases and a missile storage site in northern India.

India also warned of possible aggression from Pakistan notable alleged troop movement along the border. An Indian military spokesperson stated that such activity indicated "offensive intent" on Pakistans part, intensifying the volatile situation.

Reacting to this, India has declared high operational readiness and its commitment to "non-escalation", conditioned on a similar response from Pakistans military.

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Pakistans foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, in a recent interview, noted that Pakistan would consider halting their offensive if India reciprocated the action.

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday congratulated the nation for its "victory" over India, expressing hope for meaningful dialogue with its arch-rival and for the resolution of all outstanding issues.

"This is a victory not just for the armed forces, but for the whole nation," Sharif said in his address to the nation, hours after a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump came into effect.

"History will always remember how Pakistans armed forces and jets silenced the Indian military in a matter of hours," he added.

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Sharif expressed hope that all outstanding issues between the two countries, including the distribution of water resources and Kashmir, would be resolved through negotiations.

Last month, India unilaterally revoked the Indus Waters Treaty  the agreement that divides water resources between the archrivals  following a militant attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists.

Sharif also thanked US President Donald Trump and other friendly countries for their role in securing the ceasefire, and expressed gratitude to China for always standing firm with Pakistan during challenging times.

"Pakistan remains committed to faithful implementation of ceasefire between Pakistan and India, announced earlier today," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  As the world adjusts to the election of Pope Leo XIV, were continuing to learn more about who he is and why cardinals believe hes the right choice to lead the Catholic Church.

28/22 News spoke with a local papal expert about the election and talked about the future direction of the church.

The selection of any new pope always raises questions about what his election signals, and experts say in this case, the cardinals liked the path Pope Francis set, and want to keep moving in that direction, just with a new voice.

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He may have chosen a name from the 19th century, but Pope Leo the Fourteenths message is focused on the problems of today.

My expectation is that Pope Leo the Fourteenth now took his name, in all likelihood, because of Leo the 13th example, but also because he sees a world that is in trouble, and he said yesterday, we will not be overcome by evil, explained Dr. Daniel Cosacchi, vice president and mission/ministry at the University of Scranton.

Family member speaks out after nephew was shot

Elected on the fourth ballot, experts say his experience in both Latin America and inside the Vatican made him an appealing bridge builder for a global church.

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It is clear that something that Cardinal Prevost did during the general congregation meetings over the last few weeks caught the attention of the cardinal electors. They saw something in him, said Cosacchi.

While hes not a clone of Pope Francis, hes seen as a clear continuation of the Francis era, especially when it comes to social justice issues and church reform.

Pope Francis was so popular, I mean, he had popularity ratings in these polls that most politicians would die for. The cardinals recognized this. Pope Leo has tweeted about immigration and the death penalty. Those were two topics that Pope Francis spoke about ad nauseum, explained Cosacchi.

Still, Pope Leos early actions, like choosing more traditional vestments and sticking to prepared remarks, suggest hes carving out his own style.

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I think were going to see a little bit of both continuity with Francis, but also novelty in the sense that he has. He is his own person, and hes going to have his own style. I think were going to see somebody who measures his words maybe even more carefully than recent popes in the past, said Cosacchi.

While the world is just beginning to get to know this new pope, Cosacchi says the cardinals choice tells us a lot about their desire for stability, compassion, and moral clarity.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Children in flood-hit Welsh communities are so traumatized by repeated flooding that parents must close curtains and turn up TVs when it rains to prevent panic attacks, reported the BBC.

What's happening?

Storm Bert devastated communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf last November, flooding 438 properties and causing 8 million (around $10.7 million) in infrastructure damage. This follows similar devastating floods in 2020, creating a cycle of trauma for residents.

Sharon Elward, who organizes Pontypridd Foodbank, notes mental health issues are "skyrocketing" as people live in constant fear.

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"How can you physically keep living like that? Moving furniture and cabinets upstairs whenever there's a warning ... it's just not realistic," she said.

Parents now hide rainfall from traumatized children. Colin Fenn, an 83-year-old Pontypridd resident whose home has flooded twice, describes the emotional toll simply: "The worst thing of all is the trauma, the mental effect. Waiting, wondering if it's going to get flooded again."

Why is flood trauma concerning?

When you experience your home being flooded multiple times, you can develop a heightened state of anxiety that affects your daily life. Parents in these communities say they must now manage their children's symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder whenever rain appears.

This environmental crisis also creates economic hardship, with businesses like the Rheola Hotel suffering up to 80,000 in damages (around $107,500) across three floods in five years.

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The situation highlights how climate-related disasters aren't just environmental problems but profound mental health crises that affect entire communities. If you constantly watch river levels and worry about the next storm, normal life becomes impossible.

What's being done about flood trauma?

Local organizations like Pontypridd Foodbank have created drop-in sessions for flood victims to share experiences and access support. These sessions help people feel heard after being "thrown from pillar to post" between various agencies, per the BBC.

Rhondda Cynon Taf council has invested over 100 million (around $134.4 million) in flood protection since Storm Dennis, which prevented flooding to an estimated 2,269 properties during Storm Bert. Meanwhile, Natural Resources Wales has reduced the trigger level at which flood warnings are issued on the River Taff at Pontypridd, giving residents more time to prepare.

Wales' National Infrastructure Commission has recommended creating a new flooding commissioner role to improve coordination between agencies and better engage communities in decisions about flood management.

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The Welsh government has set aside record funding of 75 million (around $100.8 million) for flood programs this year, which will protect more than 45,000 homes across the country.

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Several years ago, to research the novel I was writing, I spent six months working in the warehouse of a big-box store. As a supporter of the Fight for $15, I expected my co-workers to be frustrated that starting pay at the store was just $12.25 an hour. In fact, I found them to be less concerned about the wage than about the irregular hours. The store, like much of the American retail sector, used just-in-time scheduling to track customer flow on an hourly basis and anticipate staffing needs at any given moment. My co-workers and I had no way to know how many hours of work wed getand thus how much money wed earnfrom week to week. Wed be scheduled for four hours one week and 30 the next.

For my co-workers, these fluctuating paychecks made it nearly impossible to get an auto loan or to be approved for a lease on an apartment, let alone to save money. Many didnt have cars. They walked to workin the middle of the night (our shift started at 4 a.m.), in the snow, in the rain. Even more maddening, in many states, social-safety-net programs such as Medicaid and food stamps require beneficiaries to document their work hours, meaning that if workers are, through no fault of their own, scheduled for too few hours in a given period, they could lose the very benefits that their lack of hours makes them need even more. Human-resources departments usually tell workers that the way to get more hours is to increase their availabilitythat is, if you want more hours at one job, youre advised to promise to be available whenever you may be wanted. This makes it very hard to hold down a second job.

One of the great achievements of 20th-century American labor law was to set limits on how many hours of work an employer could demand from its employees. In recent years, however, working-class Americans have become susceptible to a different sort of exploitation. Instead of assigning employees too many hours, large corporations routinely give them too few, hiring multiple part-time staff in place of one full-time worker. These precarious, contingent workers arent entitled to benefits and are subject to inconsistent schedules in which the number of hours they work fluctuates dramatically from week to week. The result is an inversion of the situation that reformers confronted a century ago. For millions of American low-wage workers today, the problem is not overworkits underwork.

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Work as Americans understand it began in 1940, with a piece of New Deal legislation. Before then, Americans commonly worked 60 or 80 hours a week for little more than subsistence-level pay. Even the much-mythologized jobs in industry and manufacturingthe good jobs that Americans regret losing to globalizationconsisted of dangerous, poverty-level work.

Then came the Fair Labor Standards Act. The FLSA established the federal minimum wage and limited child labor. And it stipulated that employers pay most nonmanagerial workers overtime, or time and a half, for all hours worked beyond 40 in a week. Combined with the rise of unionization, the FLSA changed work in fundamental ways. Americans began to believe something novel in human history: that if a person was willing to work, he or she should be able to make a decent livingmaybe not a lavish one, but more than the kind of bare subsistence that had always been the lot of most human beings. When popular songs and movies use 9 to 5 as a shorthand for work, they are referring not to some natural phenomenon but to a way of life formalized by the FLSA.

[Roge Karma: The California job-killer that wasnt]

Over the past 20 years, however, employers have figured out a clever way to circumvent the FLSA, taking advantage of the fact that the law sets a ceiling on work, but not a floor.

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In 2005, The New York Times obtained a revealing memo written by a senior Walmart human-resources executive. The memo, drafted with advice from McKinsey consultants, recommended various ways of cutting costs. One of those suggestions would become particularly consequential: hiring more part-time workers. A year later, the Times revealed that Walmart planned to double the percentage of its workers who were part-time, from 20 percent of its workforce to 40 percent. Walmart is hardly unique in that regard. At Target, for example, where pay starts at $15 an hour, the median employee makes not $31,200, the annualized full-time equivalent, but $27,090, meaning that at least half of its employees are part-time. Kohls and TJX (the owner of such stores as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods) also rely on predominantly part-time workforces.

The most obvious reason employers favor part-time labor is to avoid paying benefits. Starbucks, for example, talks up its generous benefits. But the median Starbucks worker made just $14,674 last year. For baristas, who earn a $15 minimum wage, this amounts to about 19 hours a week, just shy of the 20 hours a week that the company requires to be eligible for those benefits.

But an even bigger and less well-understood driver of the shift to part-time work is the rise of just-in-time scheduling. With a part-time workforce, made up of workers not guaranteed a set number of hours, employers can schedule the bare-minimum number of worker hours they expect to need on a given day. If business turns out to be brisker than expected, as it often does, they have a reserve of part-time workers to call on at the last minute.

The ability to schedule low and add more worker hours as needed saves employers money by freeing them from the necessity of offering, and paying for, 40 hours of work (or whatever number of hours it defines as full-time), week in and week out, even when business is slow. For the system to operate effectively, workers must be not merely part-time but also underscheduledso desperate for more hours that they will reliably come in at the last minute.

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Employers, and many economists, argue that this approach is efficient because it allows businesses to use only the number of worker hours they actually need. That is true, in the same sense that child labor and 80-hour workweeks were efficient during the original Gilded Age. The fact that what is most efficient for an employer might prevent workers from living stable, prosperous, healthy lives is why labor laws exist.

Employers and industry lobbyists also claim that they are merely responding to employee preference. The National Retail Federation, the countrys largest retail trade organization, argues that flexibility and part-time options are essential for many employees, such as students pursuing a degree, working parents and teenagers.

[Lora Kelley: The teen summer job is back]

In fact, the available evidence suggests that most part-time workers would prefer to have stable full-time work. A survey of more than 6,000 Walmart employees conducted by the Center for Popular Democracy, a progressive advocacy group, found that 69 percent of part-time workers would like to be full-time. If Walmart wished to contest this claim, it could conduct its own survey. But the nations largest employers have not only chosen not to disclose precisely what percentage of their workforces are part-time; they also havent released any data to support their claim that many workers prefer these sorts of schedules.

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Meanwhile, issues concerning hours are often among the first demands made by employees who form unions today. The platform of Target Workers Unite, for example, lists as its first demand not increased hourly pay or better benefits, but more hours. The second demand is stable schedules. The platform goes on to say, Target workers cant live decent lives when we have no fixed schedules or no guaranteed hours while we are encouraged to have open availability and be on call for any open last-minute shifts.

The FLSA worked as well as it did because it dealt with the two components of incomewages and hourswhereas efforts to raise the minimum wage alone, however well-intended, deal with only half of the equation. But for all of its virtues, the FLSA never contemplated the problem of underwork.

Congress has the power to correct that oversight. It could require large employers to set schedules in advance, as some municipalities have done in recent years. It could remove some of the incentives for employing people part-time by either rewarding businesses for hiring full-time workers or penalizing themsuch as by charging them the equivalent of benefitsfor hiring part-time workers.

Another modification of the law would be to let hourly workers at big firms choose whether they want to work part- or full-time, the same way they choose to sign up for health insurance or change insurers during an annual window. The advantage of this approach is that it doesnt involve the federal government putting its finger on the scale in favor of a particular type of employment. Instead, it allows employees to determine what type of schedule works best for themsomething that should appeal to employers, who have spent years insisting that theyve moved to part-time schedules because thats what their employees want.

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But none of these or any other reform ideas will gain any traction unless the issue of part-time work becomes a political issue, much as the minimum wage has. So far, the dismantling of 9 to 5of the kind of steady, predictable work it assumedhas gone largely unnoticed, except among low-wage workers themselves, who unfortunately tend to lack access to the levers of power.

[Annie Lowrey: The future of labor]

One reason for this is the very success of the FLSA. It so effectively instilled the 40-hour workweek as the norm that even many economists habitually assume that workers choose whether they work full-time or part-time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates annual earnings in various sectors by multiplying the average reported hourly wage by 2,080, the number of hours youd work if you worked 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. As a result, many earning statistics that are widely relied on for policy prescriptions have become more aspirational than reality-based.

A second reason is that professional-class workers tend to imagine part-time work as a mutually beneficial arrangement agreed on by employee and employersay, for a mother whod like to spend more time at home with her young children. For professional workers, this is what part-time work generally has been.

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But the appeal of just-in-time scheduling for employers is not inherently limited to low-wage professions. Even those of us who dont work in a retail or food-service environment could find that our jobs nevertheless can be made more flexibleorganized around projects or workload rather than customer flow. This has happened already to some white-collar jobs. Consider higher education, where well-paid, full-time positions for professors have been replaced with tenuous, part-time adjunct gigs. Without a concerted policy response, more industries could be affected. You might think your boss needs you for 40 hours every week of the year. But are you sure?

Article originally published at The Atlantic
A portion of eastbound Interstate 10 will be closed this Mother's Day weekend for electrical work.

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, I-10 east will close between State Route 143 and U.S. 60.

The closure will be in effect late Friday, May 9, until Saturday night, May 10.

Eastbound I-10 ramp closures

The following ramps will be closed from 10 p.m. on May 9 until 10 p.m. on May 10.

Southbound I-17 ramp to eastbound I-10

Southbound SR 143 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) ramp to eastbound I-10

Closures beginning at 8 p.m. on May 9

These additional ramp closures will begin two hours earlier and are scheduled to reopen at 10 p.m. on May 10.

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Eastbound I-10 on-ramps at 24th, 32nd and 40th streets

Northbound 48th Street between Broadway Road and I-10

Eastbound I-10 off-ramp at Broadway Road

Detour

According to ADOT, to reach eastbound I-10 beyond the closures, drivers should take northbound SR 143 to eastbound Loop 202, then continue to southbound Loop 101 and follow either westbound U.S. 60 or Loop 202.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Eastbound I-10, SR 143, US 60 closures on May 9 and 10






A Florida pastor is accused of sexually assaulting two underage girls on church grounds

Yersson Solarte, 33, has been charged with sexual battery of a minor and lewd and lascivious molestation

The religious figure allegedly told one of the victims, We only live once," per The Miami Herald







A Florida pastor is facing legal trouble after being accused of sexually assaulting two underage girls on church grounds.

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Yersson Solarte, 33, was arrested by the Prince William County Police Department in Virginia on Wednesday, May 7, during a coordinated effort with Florida's Sanford Police Department (SPD). Authorities believe Solarte was on a "family trip" at the time of his arrest. He has since been charged with sexual battery of a minor and lewd and lascivious molestation.

Officials first learned of reports of an alleged "inappropriate relationship" between Solarte and two underage victims on April 10, which led them to launch an investigation, the SPD said in a statement shared on Facebook.

The SPD then claimed that the pastor "did inappropriately touch the victims" and sexually assaulted one of them at Ipul Pentecostal Church  or Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latinoamericana Orlando Norte  in Sanford.

Both minors were members of the church, and Solarte has since been removed from his position, per the SPD.

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A contact for the Ipul Pentecostal Church did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. As of Saturday, May 10, Solarte's name remains on the church's website.

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According to an affidavit obtained by The Miami Herald, the first girl reported Solarte days after her most recent incident that allegedly involved him. The girl claimed that the religious figure made her sit on his lap and sexually assaulted her in both his office and the church's multimedia room.

The outlet also reported, citing police, that the second girl claimed she was abused by Solarte multiple times. The girl alleged that Solarte expressed his love for her, before hugging her sister and trying to make her jealous.

She also claimed that Solarte molested her in his office and during a juvenile meeting, and also "forcefully" grabbed her face to kiss her. The girl further alleged that the pastor unzipped his pants and said they were a couple, per the Herald.

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At one point, the girl claimed that the pastor explained his reasoning behind the reported abuse, allegedly telling her, We only live once, the Herald reported, citing investigators.

Police are currently asking those with more information tied to the case to get in touch, as they said there "is a possibility" there are additional victims who haven't yet come forward about Solarte  who ABC affiliate WPLG reported is a married father.

People like this are a special class of criminal, who use their position of trust to prey on innocent victims," Chief Cecil Smith said in a statement. "Solarte is now behind bars where he belongs."

"We pray there arent any additional people who have been victimized by this man. If anyone has information about these crimes, or other victims, come forward and help protect our children," Smith added.

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The pastor has since been transported to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Florida. It is not immediately clear if he has legal representation to comment on his behalf.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

Read the original article on People
PENDLETON  The sounds of hammers banging and paintbrushes swiping against wood filled the halls at Pendleton Heights Middle School Friday morning.

Instead of opening their textbooks, about 350 seventh graders donned hardhats and goggles to learn about career opportunities in the trades.

The school held its second Build Your Future Trades Day, a day-long event designed to give students information about different trade programs and the chance to receive hands-on training from 90 trade workers, as well as 40 student volunteers from D26 Career Center and Pendleton Heights High School.

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Activities during the day included include laying down concrete, building and painting birdhouses and building picnic tables, as well as staining ones built last year.

Karen Shreves, who runs the event through the Madison County Builders Association and is an owner of Midwest Remodeling, said when her son was young, she knew he was meant for the trades. At around two years old, he would find pieces of string to link his toy tractors and trucks into a line to tow them.

That is who we want to reach. Even if they are a strong student, there are more things than just test scores. There are different measurements in life, and here are all these available options.

Many states are facing a decline in workers joining the trade. According to an Associated Builders and Contractors press release, the construction unemployment rate was 5.4% for March 2025, the same rate as last year. Nineteen states had lower construction unemployment rates, while 25 had higher unemployment rates and six states remained the same.

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Build Your Future is a program backed by the Indiana Construction Roundtable.

Shreves said Build Your Future originally held the event as a six-week club, but Shreves and her sister, Beth Carey, wanted to turn it into a one-day event. They were able to do that through state funding.

BYF got the funds to be able to hire some teachers who then created this curriculum, Shreves said. That is where state funds really matter, because we did not even know where to start, and once they created that, we were like, We can totally modify this and make it a day, and we can make it a day with every single student. 

Mark Hall, superintendent at South Madison Community School Corp., said there is great value in introducing students to different opportunities they might have after they graduate.

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I think a lot of times, the focus is too much on four-year colleges, Hall said. Although a four-year college degree can oftentimes also end up in a job in the trades, I think it is really important to show them there are a lot of opportunities out there to make a really good living that do not necessarily require a four-year degree.

T.J. Price, a seventh-grade health and wellness teacher, said it is good to get students exposed to the trades.

There are some that are more hands-on than others that you can tell this is for them, Price said, but even some of the kids that would surprise you that I have in class, they are still participating and learning. They are definitely enjoying it.

Hall said his district has seen more students go to D26 Career Center in the last two or three years.

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We have always tried to make our program a comprehensive program, Hall said. We try to provide the opportunity for kids to be college- or career-ready when they leave, but in the last couple years, one thing we have seen is an increase in the number of students going to the area career center.

I think part of that is because, even though we have always tried to make our students aware of the trades, I think it has been a more concerted effort in the last few years.

In the future, Shreves hopes to bring more trades to participate in the event, as well as bringing the program to more seventh grade students in different schools.
Graduation events are in full swings at schools across the Ozarks, but one senior student in Houston, Missouri has another accomplishment worth celebrating.

Meet Ben Steelman. He just received his senior-year plaque for perfect attendance. Its the last one hell get, but its the final plaque in his collection of 12.

Steelman is finishing his academic career with perfect attendance. 13 years of perfect attendance to be exact, if you include preschool.

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The senior has completed his entire schooling in the Houston School District.

When speaking with Ozarks First Bailey Strohl following his final day of school and graduation preparation, he credited his own will power for getting him to class on time every day.

But, he also credits luck to being able to keep his perfect attendance through his elementary, middle and high school years.

Steelman says he did get sick, but was lucky in that his illnesses always began and ended during school breaks like spring break and over the holidays.

Steelman graduates from Houston High School on Saturday.

He plans to attend Drury University in the fall where he will study bio chemistry.

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Because his parents are both paramedics, he says he wants to go to medical school.

Steelman will also join the trap shooting team at Drury University. He frequently practiced and competed in the sport through Houstons FFA Chapter and the Texas County 4H Club.

He mentioned the support he received from his family and friends throughout the years.

Watch Baileys full interview with Ben Steelman in the video above.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Editors note: President Trump announced Saturday that a truce had been reached between India and Pakistan, according to several major media outlets.

For decades now, its been assumed in the field of security studies that the first nuclear exchange in a conflict would take place on the Indian subcontinent, between India and Pakistan. There have been incidents in the past that have come close, such as when nuclear bombs were loaded onto aircraft by these countries in 1999, but the crisis was averted by the efforts of then-President Bill Clinton. The most recent flare-up when nuclear sabers were rattled by India and Pakistan was in 2019, and again U.S. intervention was pivotal in achieving de-escalation.

Terrorist activity has often precipitated these escalatory spirals, and that has been the catalyst yet again. On April 22, terrorists machine-gunned more than two dozen people in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a territory claimed by both nations. India retaliated by shelling what it said were terrorist camps across the line of control between Pakistani-controlled Kashmir and Indian-controlled Kashmir.

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Pakistan is now retaliating, with shells dropping on several towns and cities in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The defense minister of Pakistan is reported as saying, There is a very vivid and clear possibility that this confrontation will expand.

Supporters of a religious party 'Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F' chant anti-India slogans during a demonstration to condemn Indian strikes in Pakistan and to show their support with Pakistan military, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 9, 2025. | Anjum Naveed

That would be truly unfortunate. The impetus for the use of nuclear weapons lies in the fact that Indian military forces dwarf those of Pakistan. In addition, Indias military budget is nine times that of Pakistan. If push came to shove, Pakistan would get shoved. The acquisition of nuclear weapons by Pakistan was meant to deter such a foreseeable outcome, and that has arguably been the case to date. Even so, the continuing hostility of the two countries, mixed in with terrorist attacks by militant groups, shakes Indo-Pakistani deterrence to the core every few years, and the world can only wonder how sturdy that nuclear deterrence is in reality.

A nuclear war between the two countries has been war-gamed over and over by military planners, so we have a good idea of what the price would be if deterrence failed. Both countries have approximately 170 warheads, typically of 50-100 kiloton yield. India has a full nuclear triad  land, sea and air  with Pakistan missing one leg: the sea component. Both countries have missiles that can reach any part of its foes territory. Because of its military advantage, India has adopted a No First Use doctrine, meaning it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in a conflict, for it is Pakistan that is likely to need first-strike capability.

If an all-out nuclear exchange were to occur between India and Pakistan, it is estimated that up to 125 million would die after escalation from tactical nukes to airbursts to ground bursts. But those would only be the first casualties, as the two countries would likely then be plunged into prolonged scarcity and famine, the death toll from which might even outstrip that from the detonations themselves. Furthermore, smoke and dust from the nuclear explosions would also probably affect global weather patterns, decreasing both temperature and sunlight, also jeopardizing agriculture in lands far from the Indian subcontinent. Effects would be felt for up to a decade.

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No wonder many nations of the world, such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, China, Iran and the United Arab Emirates have called on the two countries to step back from the brink of nuclear escalation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with officials in both countries, urging them to de-escalate immediately. But already the conflict is having longer-term repercussions. The day after the April 22 terrorist attacks, India suspended its water-sharing agreement with Pakistan, which is devastating for Pakistani agriculture, and India has also lobbied the International Monetary Fund to deny new loans for Pakistan.

There are also larger geopolitical considerations at play. The biggest arms seller to Pakistan is China, a clear example of my enemys enemy is my friend. There have been recent clashes between Chinese and Indian soldiers over disputed territory, and Pakistan might look to China to offer a form of extended nuclear deterrence.

How easily nations forget what was learned in the early years of the Cold War: a nuclear war produces no winners, only losers. The only thing nuclear weapons are good for is, ironically, preventing their own use through deterrence: the balance of terror, as it was known then. But as yields have decreased and the terror they are capable of instilling has decreased with them, nations have once again begun to speak of nukes as usable weapons. We have certainly seen that in the Russia-Ukraine war, where Russia has been rattling its nuclear saber at the U.S. and Europe for the past three years.

Indian soldiers stand guard in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, May 9, 2025. | Mukhtar Khan

At some point, I fear this slipshod thinking will result in nuclear use, which will harm every person on the planet in one way or another. During the Cold War, there were many attempts to help understand what that would entail; one of the most successful efforts was the 1984 BBC docudrama, Threads. The screenplay was written by professional writers working with scientists who were able to describe exactly what biological, social and environmental effects that survivors of a nuclear exchange in Sheffield, England would likely experience, out to 15 years post-detonation. The effect on that generation was sobering in the extreme, helping to catalyze the nuclear freeze movement, and, arguably, the INF Treaty later on. If you have never seen Threads, it is well worth viewing even now.

As a sign of the times, the BBC has just announced it is making a new series  a reboot of Threads. How apropos, especially since European nations are busy dusting off their plans for survival after nuclear attack. However, given what we know now, the new series should not be set in Sheffield, as it was in 1984. Rather, it should be set in Islamabad. That is the wake-up call the world needs now, in 2025.
May 9WASHINGTON, D.C.  As Chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) hosted the Secretary of the Interior and Chairman of the newly formed National Energy Dominance Council Doug Burgum, on Capitol Hill for this week's RSC members meeting.

During the meeting, Secretary Burgum outlined his goals to unleash all forms of American energy, including oil, gas, and coal. He also spoke on his work to streamline permitting and bolster American energy production.

"As the representative for the most prolific oil and gas producing region in the country, I remain committed to working alongside the administration to advance pro-growth, energy policies," Pfluger said in a news release. "Under the leadership of Secretary Burgum, America will once again be energy dominant."

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Pfluger was elected by his colleagues in November of 2024 to serve as the Chair of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) for the 119th Congress. He previously served as Chair of the RSC House Energy Action Team for the 118th Congress, leading energy policy on Capitol Hill.

The Republican Study Committee is the oldest and largest conservative caucus in the U.S. House and represents the leading voice for conservative values in Congress. The RSC is home to 189 strong conservative members, representing congressional districts from across the country.
The world of philanthropy is abuzz this week following the Gates Foundations announcement Thursday that it will ramp up its spending to $200 billion over a 20-year periodthen close its doors at the end of 2045.

Bill Gates told Fortune that the commitment will help the foundation eradicate or dramatically reduce the worlds deadliest diseases and cut maternal and child mortality rates to a fraction of what they are. By spending the money sooner than later, it allows us to be very ambitious, he said.

While spend down foundations are becoming more popular, the decision by the worlds largest private foundation is a marked departure from other such large organizations. The charitable endeavors of the industrialists of old, such as the Fords and Carnegies, were set up to endure for generations.

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This is by far the most significant kind of example that we'll have of a spend-down foundation, Michael Moody, a professor of philanthropic studies at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, says. People will be watching this as an example.

The move comes at a fraught time for global public health and the charitable sector more broadly, with the Trump administration dismantling the countrys international aid infrastructure and the agency that oversees it, while also cutting domestic programs designed to help the most vulnerable.

For Wendy McGrady, Chair of Giving USA, a nonprofit organization founded by the Giving Institute to advance research, education, and public understanding of philanthropy, the news signaled that the moment were in calls for bold action. Perhaps there is a line in the sand to say, lets not do it incrementally, she said. Lets go all out.

Una Osili, associate dean for research at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, agreed. When global health progress is being threatened, she said, it doesnt make sense to save money until its too late. The idea is, if you want that to be around for the future, you have to invest now, she said.

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It was inspiring, she said of Gates decision. This is a bold step for the Gates Foundation and for the field.

Cari Tuna, chair of Open Philanthropy, who spoke at a Gates Foundation event following the announcement in New York City, said the fragility of the sector requires fast action. The gains of the past few decades arent guaranteed to continue; right now, theyre at risk, she said, unless more of us step up and get involved.

Alongside the optimism, however, there was some anxiety. As the Chronicle of Philanthropy put it, the decision could unnerve nonprofits grappling with how to respond to the Trump administrations near-total elimination of international aid and efforts to roll back funding for domestic causes such as higher education and affordable housingareas the Gates Foundation has funded over the years. And Gates himself admits that how much he can get done in the 20 years is probably the biggest unknown, given the pullbacks of foreign aid.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
CENTERVILLE, Ohio (WDTN)  After over a year of renovations, Stubbs Park in Centerville is nearly ready to reopen.

Stubbs Park initially closed in March 2024 to undergo major renovations, including new pavement, improving the amphitheater bowl, putting in more accessible handicap seating and new landscaping.

The concession stand and restrooms also received a major overhaul.

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The park will reopen in just a few weeks, and the city of Centerville is excited to show off the improvements, especially the modernized accessibility.

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We have paved over two miles of accessible paths so that parkgoers of all abilities can enjoy the parks recreational opportunities, said Joey OBrien, Centerville economic development administrator. Its obviously very important. An extreme focus of the city has been becoming more accessible to parkgoers of all abilities, and Stubbs is a major facet of that.

Centerville restaurant abruptly closes; replacement named

Centervilles Summer Concert Series returns to Stubbs Park on Sunday, June 1, with the Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience, beginning at 7 p.m. Click here to learn more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Plainfield man in hospital after barricading himself in bedroom

PLAINFIELD, Conn. (WTNH)  A Plainfield man is in the hospital after allegedly barricading himself inside a bedroom with a knife and threatening to harm himself and others Friday afternoon.

According to Plainfield Police, at approximately 2:35 p.m. they responded to a Lake Street residence in the Moosup Village for a report of a 42-year-old man, who had allegedly consumed a significant quantity of alcohol and unspecified medication, was armed with a knife.

The first officers on the scene found the man inside the residence with a knife. When the man saw the officers, he retreated to a bedroom and barricaded himself inside.

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Police said that while inside the bedroom, he allegedly stabbed the door with the knife several times while making homicidal and suicidal statements. Additional officers arrived on the scene and evacuated the remaining occupants of the residence.

Police negotiated with the man to relinquish the knife and exit the bedroom peacefully. After about 40 minutes, the man became disoriented due to the alcohol and medication he had consumed prior. Officers then entered the room and secured him and the knife without incident.

The man was transported Backus Emergency Room in Norwich for a Police Request for Emergency evaluation. Police are not releasing his identity.

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Eight coastal North Carolina governments are pushing back against a state Senate proposal to charge tolls on all ferry routes  including the Currituck-Knotts Island ferry  and increase existing toll rates.

Included in the North Carolina Senates budget bill is a proposal to add or increase ferry tolls as a way to generate money for the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the states Ferry Division.

Service is free on several of North Carolinas seven ferry routes, with fares charged on the Cedar Island-Ocracoke, Swan Quarter-Ocracoke, Southport-Fort Fisher routes and the Ocracoke Express passenger ferry route.

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If the budget proposal is adopted, toll rates for the Knotts Island ferry would be $3 for vehicles under 20 feet, $6 for vehicles over 20 feet and $1 for passengers.

The proposal is part of the states budget bill, which passed the North Carolina Senate in a 30-15 vote. House lawmakers will now have their say on a spending plan.

The Knotts Island ferry serves a peninsula area in northeastern North Carolina near Virginias state line, connecting Knotts Island to mainland Currituck County. County leaders say the ferry has been free for nearly 50 years, and that it originally was established to provide children on Knotts Island access to schools in the county.

The only alternative at this time between Knotts Island and the mainland of Currituck County is a longer drive through Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.

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The budget bill would raise toll rates on other routes, such as the Swan Quarter and Cedar Island routes, which could see fees doubled.

Tolls also would be charged for the first time on the Bayview-Aurora, Cherry Branch-Minnesott and Hatteras-Ocracoke routes at $1 for passengers. Rates for Bayview-Aurora and Cherry Branch-Minnesott would be $3 and $5, respectively, for vehicles under 20 feet, and $6 and $10, respectively, for vehicles over 20 feet.

Meanwhile, rates for vehicles would be $20 and $60 for the Hatteras-Ocracoke route.

The collective toll fees are estimated to generate $6.4 million in revenue for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 27, according to a fiscal impact document attached to the budget plan. The toll revenue would be allocated to the states Ferry Capital Fund for marine vessel replacement.

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Local governments in North Carolina are pushing back, including the Currituck County Board of Commissioners, which adopted resolutions decrying the tolls during its regular meeting this week. One was a joint resolution that includes Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Jones, and Pamlico counties.

The resolution states the addition of tolls is an unfair tax burden on Knotts Island residents, who commissioners say are also being penalized due to geographic location and lack of alternative routes.

Commissioners also said the addition of tolls will greatly strain Currituck County government and schools budgets.

The Knotts Island-Currituck Ferry Route is relied upon daily by children, young adults, families, and senior citizens for educational, social, and extracurricular activities, including access to healthcare and county services, the resolution states.

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(The) Knotts Island-Currituck Ferry supports a small, year-round, close-knit community that relies on the ferry as an essential lifeline for daily transportation and connectivity.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
LARGO, Fla. (WFLA)  A Pinellas County plastic surgeon accused of murdering a missing attorney represented himself in court, just 10 days before his trial is set to begin.

Tomasz Kosowski stood before a judge Thursday morning in an orange jail jumpsuit, asking to suppress evidence found during a search of his Toyota Corolla. Kosowski argued that Largo police searched the car without a valid warrant.

Entire legal team representing plastic surgeon on trial for Pinellas murder quits

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It was concluded that there was probable cause to search my Corolla, Kosowski said during the hearing. And despite Largo Police Department not having a warrant at the time of the search, I believe that this ruling was in error.

Kosowski was charged with the murder of attorney Steven Cozzi, who disappeared in March 2023. Investigators believe the killing stemmed from an ongoing legal dispute between the two men.

Prosecutors pushed back against Kosowskis claims, saying investigators had a valid warrant and were searching for more than just the items Kosowski mentioned.

I think Dr. Kosowski is hung up on a wagon, a red blanket, and the body of Steven Cozzi, Assistant State Attorney Nathan Vonderheide said. But in fact, as is evidenced in the warrant. There are a multitude of things being searched for inside the Corolla, not just that.

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The judge ultimately denied Kosowskis motion to suppress, stating the search did not violate his constitutional rights.

They didnt find anything when they walked, the judge said. So there was no Fourth Amendment violation. Theres no exclusionary ruling because theres no fruit to the force of the treatment.

Kosowskis previous defense team withdrew from the case last week due to an ethical conflict. When asked about hiring a new attorney, Kosowski said his mother is currently trying to help him find one.

His trial is scheduled to begin May 19. If convicted, Kosowski could face life in prison or the death penalty.

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KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD)  One person died in a car crash in Kentwood Friday, police say.

The two-car crash happened around 4:40 p.m. on 28th Street and Radcliff Avenue, west of the East Beltline near the entrance to Woodland Mall.

The Kentwood Police Department says medical crews tried to save the passenger in one of the cars, but the person died on the scene. Police did not release any information about the identity of the person who died.

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Police say the drivers of both cars were taken to the hospital, but their injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Kentwood police did not release details about the circumstances of the crash, saying an investigation is ongoing.

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A man holding a "No to war!" placard was detained in central Moscow and later beaten at the police station, human rights activists have reported.

Source: OVD-Info, a Russian human rights media project

Details: Alexander Klevitov came to Pushkinskaya Square with a "No to war!" placard on 9 May, when Russia observes Victory Day. Soon, he was approached by police officers and taken away. [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 next day, he was released and said that he had been beaten at the police station.

A report was filed against him for "discrediting the Russian army".

Human rights activists stated that the overnight detention was unlawful, as the charge of "discrediting the Russian army" does not allow for administrative detention as a permissible punishment.

The activist subsequently sought medical attention, visiting an emergency room to document his injuries.

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BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Law enforcement agencies across northwest Louisiana will unite next week to honor officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.

This memorial service is our way to show our commitment that we will never forget the price these officers paid for their communities, said Bossier City Police Chief Daniel Haugen.

The annual observance reflects a shared vow to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Last years memorial honored 40 officers and deputies dating back to 1894.

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Among the most moving moments was when Frances Tompkins, widow of Shreveport Police Patrolman Thomas Glen Tompkins, spoke publicly about her husbands legacy. Officer Tompkins was fatally shot in 1978 while transporting a prisoner.

The city says ceremonies like this are a public promise that those who served with courage will not be forgotten.

This years Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, inside the courtroom of the Bossier City Civic Center, located at 620 Benton Road. Law enforcement agencies from Shreveport, Bossier, Caddo Parish, and surrounding jurisdictions will take part.

Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler and Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux are expected to deliver a joint proclamation.

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The ceremony is free and open to the public. Community members, families, and supporters are encouraged to attend.

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Spain's Guardia Civil cracked down on a wildlife smuggling family allegedly connected to the maltreatment of over 50 animals, according to Canarian Weekly.

What's happening?

In February, the Guardia Civil found 33 exotic animals being illegally transported in the Canary Islands. Some of these animals were protected species or otherwise deemed too dangerous for ownership, including tarantulas, scorpions, and sand boas.

Authorities also discovered 22 animals  including six endangered giant lizards  being kept in the town of Vecindario, Gran Canaria, by the same family. Even more were discovered in a package, several of which were invasive to the Canaries.

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Authorities suspect that the animals were being bought and sold online. Regardless of where they were discovered, all the animals had poor health and were relocated to wildlife recovery centers.

Why does wildlife smuggling matter?

Aside from harming the trafficked individuals, wildlife smuggling also has far-reaching consequences for local ecosystems, especially when invasive species are involved.

Invasive flora and fauna can make a native species completely disappear from its original habitat, which could lead to an ecosystem's decline, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture explained. By introducing non-native species to foreign ecosystems, wildlife smuggling indirectly decreases biodiversity.

Meanwhile, removing threatened species from their native environment harms the population of that species and the wider ecosystem that relies on it for stability.

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This doesn't just hurt animals. It hurts humans, too. Humans rely on biodiversity and local ecosystems for a number of things, including fresh water, medicines, and overall health and well-being. According to the U.S. National Park Service, areas with greater biodiversity also have better human health outcomes.

What's being done about it?

Environmental law enforcement groups like Spain's Guardia Civil are often the ones bringing wildlife traffickers to justice. Spain also introduced a whole host of new animal welfare laws in 2023, one of which prohibits the direct sale of animals online, Euronews revealed.

If you'd like to contribute to animal welfare and stop the mistreatment of wildlife, consider voting for pro-climate candidates.

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.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma City Police Department is investigating after a person walked into an Urgent Care with multiple stab wounds.

Officials said that the person walked into an OU Health Urgent Care near SW 104th Street at around 5:30 p.m. with multiple stab wounds.

OKCPD investigate stabbing in SW OKC. (KFOR)

OKCPD investigate stabbing in SW OKC. (KFOR)

Police are working to figure out where the stabbing happened.

There is no other information, including details on the condition of the victim, at this time.

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This is a developing story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash after a vehicle slammed into two utility poles and a fence on Friday night.

According to police, around 7:52 p.m., officers were called to Moraine Street for a crash.

The driver of a 2012 KIA Forte was traveling northbound when the car struck a utility pole, crashed through a fence, and then collided with a second pole, police say.

The compact sedan, which was last registered in Westwood, sustained significant damage.

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The driver fled the scene on foot before police arrived.

Officers attempted to find the suspect by searching the area but did not locate them.

The crash remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about the incident or the identity of the driver is urged to contact the Brockton Police Department at 508-941-0200.

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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A woman fell asleep behind the wheel of her vehicle Friday morning near Wakarusa, resulting in her hospitalization.

Elkhart County deputies reported that at 5:16 a.m. Friday, Brandi Perkins, 21, of Mishawaka, was traveling east on C.R. 40 west of C.R. 1 in a 2009 Dodge Caliber when she fell asleep behind the wheel and drove off the roadway, striking a guardrail.

Perkins was transported to Elkhart General Hospital for a knee injury.

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ARRESTS

 A 60-year-old man was arrested and jailed by Goshen police at 9:18 a.m. Thursday on a charge of criminal trespassing after police were called to Martins, 1401 College Ave., for a report of a man trespassing there.

 A 25-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman were both arrested by Goshen police at 12:23 p.m. Thursday  the man due to a warrant and both in possession of illegal narcotics  after police happened on them in the 1000 block of South 12th Street.

 A 27-year-old man was arrested and jailed by Goshen police at 6:57 p.m. Thursday on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of paraphernalia after police initiated a traffic stop for a welfare check near East Purl Street and South Sixth Street.

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 Goshen police were called to Goshen High School, 401 Lincolnway East, at 12:30 p.m. Thursday for a 17-year-old boy found in possession of marijuana. The teen was arrested and transported to the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center where he was released to a guardian after being processed by probation.

HIT-AND-RUN

A 31-year-old woman reported to Elkhart County deputies that between noon and 8 p.m. Thursday someone failed to remain at the scene of a motor vehicle accident causing damages to her vehicle in Elkhart County while delivering groceries.

SEX CRIME

 Elkhart County deputies received a report at 10:30 a.m. May 1 of a child molestation.

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 Elkhart County deputies received a report at 7:42 p.m. April 29 of a child molestation.

SOUNDS OF GUNFIRE

Goshen police were called to the 200 block of North Second Street at 5:42 a.m. Friday for a report of gunfire in the area. No evidence was found.

UNLAWFUL ENTRY

A 47-year-old woman reported to Goshen police at 1:25 p.m. Thursday that she caught someone entering her vehicle without her consent at Maplecrest Country Club, 611 Hackett Road.

RUNAWAY

Goshen police at 12:26 a.m. Thursday entered a report for a 16-year-old boy who had allegedly run way from a residence on Alpine Fire Lane in Elkhart.

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CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

A 60-year-old man reported to Goshen police at 3:45 a.m. Friday that someone vandalized his vehicle in the 100 block of North Winter Avenue overnight.

HOMELESS ASSIST

Goshen police offered shelter and social services to a homeless person in the 100 block of South Main Street at 7:57 a.m. Thursday. The individual refused services after being found in violation of the citys camping ordinance.

FRAUD

A 78-year-old woman reported to Elkhart County deputies that between April 14-18 fraud was committed.
(FOX40.COM)  The Fairfield Police Department is asking for the publics help to find or identify a 2-year-old child who witnesses said was last seen running through traffic Saturday morning.

 Video Above: What should you do if some you love goes missing?

Around 10:05 a.m., the Fairfield Police Department received multiple reports of a 2-year-old boy running in traffic at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Utah Street. Several neighbors in the area reported the same information, according to FPD.

Police investigate fatal crash in Elk Grove

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Officers said they arrived at the scene one minute later, but after an hour-long search, they were unable to locate the child. He is described as Hispanic or white and wearing a red shirt, blue shorts, and no shoes.

Anyone with information on the incident can call the Fairfield Police Department Communications Center at 707-428-7300.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A man is dead following a police shooting in Arizona after officers said he pointed a weapon at them.

The shooting took place on Friday shortly before 2 p.m. in the 4700 block of Ty Street in Kingman.

Officers with the Mohave County Sheriffs Office responded to a home after reports that an armed man was pouring gasoline inside. Officers located the man but said he refused to leave the home. A SWAT team and Bullhead City police officers were called in to assist with the matter.

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When the man exited the home, officers said he pointed a weapon at SWAT members and officers. That is when SWAT members fired their weapons, striking the man. He was then taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries, according to the Mohave County Sheriffs Office.

The investigation is being conducted by the Lake Havasu City Police Department, the Mohave County Sheriffs Office stated on Friday.

The officers involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A fake viral post about a woman police officer who is supposedly missing and in danger has police in York County issuing a warning for the community.

The post that Carroll Township police is warning about states that a silver alert was issued, meaning that the officer could be in danger.

We want to advise all residents and visitors that the following social media post is FALSE, the department said in a statement. There is no threat to any officers or their family at this time.

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The post also has a photo of the officer, and vehicle that appears to have bullet holes on the front windshield, and an unknown mans mugshot.

Photo of fake post circulating about woman officer missing

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Police also warn not to share the post.

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A Polish model lied that Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her starting at age 16 as part of a cash-grab scheme to escape her abusive ex-husband, the former producers lawyer suggested in court Friday.

Michael Cibella, a lawyer for the fallen Miramax founder, zeroed in on accuser, Kaja Sokola, 39, in Manhattan Supreme Court at the sex-crimes retrial for Weinstein, 73.

Sokolas alleged abuse by her husband gave her motivation to say, Ive gotta get the money to get out of this abusive relationship,  the lawyer said.

Polish model Kaja Sokola made up sex-assault claims against Harvey Weinstein to get a settlement to leave her abusive marriage and move to the US, Weinsteins lawyers claimed Friday. REUTERS

Sokola received $475,000 through a victim compensation fund set up through a bankruptcy proceeding for women allegedly assaulted by Weinstein. She would also later settle with Disney, Miramax and Weinsteins brother and business partner, Bob Weinstein, for $3 million.

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Shes living in an abusive relationship for four years, and once she gets the money from the Weinstein bankruptcy case, she leaves, Cibella said, noting Sokola moved to the US just two months after receiving the nearly $500,000 payout.

Early during Cibellas questioning of Sokola, she also admitted she is currently applying for a U visa, which allows victims of a crime to live in the US. Sokola said she also would have the Manhattan District Attorneys Office backing her immigration push because of her testimony against Weinstein.

Weinstein is accused of first sexually assaulting Sokola when she was 16. AP

Prosecutor Shannon Lucey told the judge the defenses claims were far-fetched.

The whole argument is pulling at straws, Lucey said.

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Judge Curtis Farber later told the jury to disregard some of Cibellas questioning of Sokola, saying it went too far into her personal life with her husband  whom she divorced in late 2020.

Sokola testified over the past three days about how Weinstein allegedly assaulted her three times  the first time when she was a model and aspiring actress at 16 in 2002.

Sokola received nearly $3.5 million in payouts tied to her accusations. Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

She claimed Weinstein invited her to lunch but instead took her to his SoHo loft, where he touched her vagina and forced her to touch his penis.

Sokola told jurors she remained in contact with Weinstein over the years, hoping he would help her advance her acting career.

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Then, in a 2004 car ride with Weinstein, Sokola claimed he groped her breast,s but she rebuffed his sexual advances for the 15-minute ride until she was dropped off at the gym.

The accuser was a model and aspiring actress when she met Weinstein in 2002. Getty Images for FLC

Sokola said that when she was 19 in 2006, she met Weinstein at a hotel restaurant with her older cardiologist sister  to whom she wanted to prove that her acting career was thriving.

Weinstein then asked Sokola to his room to look at a script, and he orally raped her, Sokola claimed.

Friday afternoon, Sokola choked up as she told jurors Weinstein broke her heart by ruining her acting aspirations after the alleged assaults and pushing her out of the industry.

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My heart was broken, Sokola said. I believed I could do it. I met a person who was on top of the world at the time.

Weinstein is on trial for the second time after his first sex-crimes conviction was overturned last year. AP

Weinstein failed to deliver on big promises to boost her career, she testified.

He said hed get her an on-screen role in a movie with a prominent actress, but instead, she only landed as an extra in a scene from The Nanny Diaries that ultimately ended up on the cutting-room floor, she said.

Sokola is expected to continue testifying Tuesday morning.

The movie producer is only charged with the 2006 alleged assault against Sokola and not the two prior alleged incidents.

Sokola is testifying for the first time against Weinstein, unlike other alleged victims in the case who testified at his 2020 trial.

Weinsteins conviction and 23-year sentence were overturned last year. He has pleaded not guilty and faces up to 25 years if convicted again.
Pope Leo XIV has said artificial intelligence (AI) is the main challenge for humanity in his first address to cardinals.

The new pontiff vowed to continue some of Pope Franciss missions, including making the Catholic Church more inclusive.

The first American Pope told the cardinals who elected him that he was fully committed to the reforms.

He singled out AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying: In our own day, the Church offers everyone the treasury of its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.

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Pope Francis had become increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. He warned that such powerful technology risked turning human relations into mere algorithms.

An AI image of Donald Trump as the Pope - Reuters

Ahead of the conclave, the secret process of electing a new pontiff, an artificially generated image of Donald Trump dressed as the pope sparked criticism across the globe.

The picture depicted the US president draped in white robes while wearing a gold crucifix and mitre hat and pointing his right index finger to the sky. The post by Mr Trump was called insulting by some Catholics, while the president claimed they loved it.

Other AI videos were shared widely on the internet. One depicted cardinals turning the conclave into a party, with a DJ booth, drinking games and karaoke.

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Pope Francis used his 2024 peace message to call for an international treaty to ensure that AI was developed and used ethically.

On Saturday night, Leo XIV prayed at the tomb of Pope Francis. Vatican News published a photo of him kneeling before Franciss simple marble tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore, a papal basilica in Rome beloved of Francis.

Pope Leo XIV prays at the tomb of his predecessor Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/gilyXZtU2l  Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 10, 2025

In his first Mass on Friday, Pope Leo also said the Church must do more to reach places around the world where there was a lack of faith.

In his homily, he said people with a lack of faith often suffered a loss of meaning in life, adding: A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.

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He said he had been elected as the Pope so the Church could be an increasingly bright beacon in a troubled world.

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The new Pope Leo XIV on Saturday warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) during a meeting with cardinals in the Vatican.

The first pontiff from the United States, where the leading AI firms are based, described the technology as one of the greatest challenges of the coming years "for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour."

Leo also expressed his intention to continue the path of his late predecessor, Francis. The American, whose secular name is Robert Francis Prevost, was elected on Thursday as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Francis was seen as a pope of the people, choosing to live in the Vatican guest house rather than the traditional papal quarters inside the Vatican Palace.

Meanwhile, a top candidate seen by many Vatican observers as having been the likely next pope said on Saturday that he was satisifed that another cardinal, Chicago-born Prevost, was chosen to become pope instead of himself.

"I believe I am not betraying a secret when I write that a very long and hearty applause followed the acceptance [of the conclave] that made him the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church," Italian Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin wrote of Pope Leo XIV in a letter published by Italy's Giornale di Vicenza newspaper.

The 70-year-old expressed joy that the cardinals were able to agree on Pope Francis' successor within just 24 hours.

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He also noted the new pope's positive aura from the very first moments following his election.

"What struck me most about him was the serenity that shone from his face in such intense and, in a certain sense, 'dramatic' moments, because they completely change a person's life," Parolin said about the new pontiff.

Parolin - previously the Vatican's number two - had been considered the top favourite to succeed Pope Francis by experts and bookmakers before the conclave.

As the highest-ranking cardinal entitled to vote, he also presided over the conclave.

Several Italian newspapers reported varyingly on Saturday about the conduct of the conclave.

According to Corriere della Sera, Parolin declared in his opening speech that he would not be available to step up as pope. Other papers said he had withdrawn after three rounds of voting in order to clear the way for Prevost.






Pope Leo XIV is now the head of the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis

One of his two brothers, John Prevost, spoke with Good Morning America about what he plans to call his brother now

The new pope celebrated his first Mass in the Sistine Chapel on Friday, May 9







Pope Leo XIV is now the head of the Roman Catholic Church, but when it comes to his brother, the new pope is still the regular Robert Prevost.

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One of his two brothers, John Prevost, spoke with Good Morning America after it was announced that Pope Leo, 69, would become the first American pope and answered whether he would still refer to his brother as "Rob."

"You are absolutely correct," Prevost told co-host George Stephanopoulos. "Because I never called him father either. 'This is my brother, the father.' No, never did that. So I think it will still continue Rob."

Prevost said he will be traveling to Rome in the next couple of days and is looking forward to telling his brother that he is proud of him.

He noted that his brother had been interested in the church from a young age, telling ABC News that "from the time when he was 5 or 6 years old, he knew this was his fate."

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"Not that he would be a pope, that he would be a priest," said Prevost. "He knew that from a very young age and his idea never faltered all through grammar school, high school, college."

TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Pope Leo XIV addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica on May 8, 2025 Pope Leo XIV addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica on May 8, 2025

He also recalled his brother playing priest as a child, taking their mom's ironing board and covering it with a tablecloth.

When asked what he thinks Pope Leo's "biggest leap" will be regarding policies, Prevost said he does not know but believes his brother will first "listen to what's being said before he makes that kind of a leap."

"Maybe for the first few days, weeks, months, first year, [he will] look and see what needs to be done and where it needs to be done and who he needs to talk to," said Prevost.

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During his first address as Pope Leo XIV, the new pope took time to pay his respects to the late Pope Francis, who died on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88.

"We still keep in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world that morning on Easter Sunday," he said.

HANDOUT/VATICAN MEDIA/AFP via Getty Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, 2025 Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, 2025

"Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all and evil will not prevail," Pope Leo XIV continued. The same sentiments were reiterated when he celebrated his first Mass in the Sistine Chapel.

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The new pope said he wants his election to contribute in the Catholic Church providing light to drive out "dark nights of this world," noting that he aims to be a "faithful administrator," per the BBC.



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Above the door of the church in the last blocks of Chicago, the Virgin Mary still stands with her arms wide open.

The double doors beneath the statues feet are shut, but a disintegrating wooden side door swings freely, leading to a set of stairs with chipped paint scattered on them. Above, a pool of blue light from a stained-glass window illuminates a balcony where the St. Mary of the Assumption Church choir  including a young boy who would later become the first American-born pope  once sang.

Antoinette Nuzzo stepped inside the sanctuary earlier this week, took a look around and thought out loud: Wow, they took a lot of stuff out of here.

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Nuzzo, 71, had not been inside St. Marys since the churchs final Mass in the summer of 2011. But she came back Thursday to see what remained of the old sanctuary because it is where Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, began his formal religious journey.

The rail where Nuzzo knelt for her first communion as a fourth-grader was gone. The front of the sanctuary where Prevost first served the Catholic Church as an altar boy was covered with two pink and orange graffiti murals, the result of neglect after a series of closures and downsizing ordered by the Archdiocese of Chicago, which sold the parish property in 2019.

An alcove that once held a statue is now empty and spray-painted with the words Oh My God. Nuzzo wondered if the religious sculpture went to the still-operational Christ Our Savior church in South Holland, which absorbed many former St. Marys parishioners.

Many others made the same trip in Leos first hours as pope, wanting to feel a connection with the South Sider who had just appeared in papal regalia on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica. They posed for pictures outside the building and walked gingerly around the crumbling interior, agog that the first American to lead the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics could have roots there.

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And in doing so, they may have been the sites first unofficial pilgrims.

The Chicago area does not lack for holy Catholic sites. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in northwest suburban Des Plaines draws thousands of pilgrims for La Virgens feast day every December. The Shrine of All Saints in Morton Grove bills itself as the second-largest collection of relics in North America.

But becoming the hometown of the first American pope could bring crowds on a different order of magnitude to the south suburbs and the citys South Side. Many sites associated with past popes lives and upbringings have become museums or holy destinations for the faithful, and papacy-themed tourism more broadly often flowers in popes hometowns. Benedict XVIs birthplace in Germany and John Paul IIs old family home in Poland are both now museums, and themed tours of the cities where they spent parts of their lives abound on the internet. The grand basilica where Pope Francis was baptized in Buenos Aires has become a popular stop for tour groups, as well.

People who gathered outside the abandoned St. Mary of the Assumption on Thursday mused about what the future might hold for Pope Leo XIVs childhood church, given its new significance.

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If he was baptized here, its a historic place, said Oak Lawn resident Steve Ligda. I bet (the archdiocese) wishes they didnt close it now.

Aaron Hollander, a scholar of theology and culture based in New York, said it made sense for people to spontaneously come out to the church as they sought a sense of connection to the new pope. But the sites religious status in the long term still remains to be seen.

It will depend in part on what Pope Leo does and what he becomes and how his relationship with the faithful changes over time, he said.

Hollander said its likely there may be a push to formalize the sites status as a destination but cautioned that there was no way to predict the intensity of organizing or the official response from the archdiocese.

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Emily Crews, a scholar of religious life at the University of Chicago Divinity School, said it would be fascinating to observe whether St. Marys or Leos childhood home, a few blocks away on the 200 block of East141st Place in Dolton, draw religious tourists or pilgrims given their newfound significance to the history of the church. A key factor will be whether the archdiocese would buy either the church or the home, she said.

A spokesperson for the archdiocese said there were no plans to repurchase the old parish property and couldnt comment on the future of the popes childhood home..

So the future of the church remains unclear.

The archdiocese merged St. Mary of the Assumption with Queen of Apostles in Riverdale in 2011 to become the St. Mary, Queen of Apostles church. The archdiocese spokesperson said the new congregation was placed at the Riverdale church building because it was in better condition. That congregation merged with two others in 2019 to become Christ Our Savior, according to the archdiocese.

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Cook County tax records show the archdiocese sold the St. Mary of the Assumption property  which encompasses the church itself, the school, convent, rectory and annex  to a company called Eugene Benjamin Properties in 2019 for just under $250,000. Then the property was sold again in 2022 to the South Side-based JBlendz Holdings, records show.

JBlendz Holdings bills itself online as a telecommunication infrastructure maintenance firm.

One of the companys owners, Joe Hall, fielded questions from reporters Thursday afternoon on the cracked front walk as people trickled in and out, taking smartphone photos.

Asked why the site has stood apparently untouched since it changed hands three years ago, Hall cited a series of weather-related setbacks.

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He said his ambition was to renovate the five buildings on the parcel for community development uses, including a food pantry, and to get it equipped with free Wi-Fi.

Hall said he had planned to keep the church building itself as a space of worship. But he acknowledged that the news from Vatican City might scramble the rest.

Whatever plan we thought we had, its all been changed in the last few hours, he said.

That said, he added, he would not sell or lease the property unless it had anything to do with the pope, period.

Late on Thursday, Dolton Village Trustee Stanley Brown took in the churchs facade from beneath his black cap. Hed passed by the building for years, he said. And he was chuffed to know that it suddenly had a place in the history of the Catholic Church, particularly after the village had weathered years of political turmoil.

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For all the things weve been going through, (God) sent us the pope here in Dolton, he said. So that is a blessing.

It was early evening by the time Laura Mathews traipsed through the building in her neon crossing-guard vest and reflective sunglasses. Every few steps, shed shout, I remember this!

Mathews, 71, remembered wearing the blue and white jumper uniform as an elementary student at St. Marys, and trying to stay out of the way of one particular nun, Sister Cecilia.

She said shed never forget the thunderstorm the night of her first communion. She recalled glaring at the crucifix the first Easter after her mother died. As a young woman, she quit going to church and questioned her faith. Eventually, she said, she came back around.

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Nuzzo reminisced about the white dress and the hat with flowers shed worn for her first communion.

They both remembered the popes parents, a school superintendent and a librarian, reading in front of the congregation, and picnics on the back lawn and carnivals in the parking lot. They remembered where the baby room had been and where the rosaries had been kept.

Looking around for the first time in 14 years, they saw the stained glass had largely survived.

The place was gutted. The air smelled like must.

But looking up at the windows, the friends were amazed by how much  including the memories  remained.

Chicago Tribune reporter A. D. Quig contributed.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  On May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV was elected the 267th head of the Catholic Church.

Bishop William Byrne tells 22News, Pope Leo XIV has been working in the Vatican for several years now. Bryne believes his next steps will be settling in and getting used to a new life.

On May 9, 2025, Pope Leo XIV held his first Mass with the first two bible readings in English and Spanish to reflect his personal history. His public installation Mass will be on May 18th.

Bishop said people are waiting to listen to his vision and words.

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Im sure itll be about the people, about those who have no voice, and also standing up for peace in our world, said Bishop William Byrne, Bishop, Saint Michaels Cathedral.

Bishop Byrne also told 22News, he met Pope Leo XIV at a conference in Rome in September 2023. Pope Leo XIV coordinated that conference for bishops to understand their roles.

After meeting him, Bishop said he is kind, welcoming, and intelligent.

To welcome the new pope, Saint Michaels Cathedral in Springfield will celebrate him at Mass on Sunday, May 11, 2025. It will be broadcast on 22 News at 10 am.

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.
Robert Prevost, 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 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.

Heres what else to know about the historic announcement  and what it means for the Chicago area.

News of the new pope

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, the most geographically diverse in history. Priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted Viva il papa!

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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.

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 in Spanish. Read more here.

His Chicago roots

Prevost was born on Sept. 14, 1955, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, and his Catholic roots were planted in the south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers. He grew up in St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the Far South Side, attending school, singing in the choir and serving as an altar boy.

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Prevosts father, Louis, was an educator who led Glenwood School District 167 and served as principal of now-defunct Mount Carmel Elementary School in Chicago Heights. He died in 1997, according to his obituary.

His mother, Mildred, was a librarian who worked at Holy Name Cathedral, Von Steuben High School on the North Side and Mendel Catholic Prep. She died in 1990 after decades of service to St. Marys Church.

After graduating from St. Marys in 1969, Prevost attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan. Then he briefly lived at the now-shuttered Tolentine seminary in south suburban Olympia Fields before attending Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

John Prevost acknowledged that the role will have its challenges but said his brother is ready.

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Its awesome, its a great responsibility, but he will be scrutinized left and right, he said. I think it will be a lot. But he has the patience of a saint.

And most importantly, at least in terms of the new popes South Side credentials, John Prevost confirmed that his brother has always been a White Sox fan. Read more here.

How the new Pope Leo XIVs childhood church fell into disrepair

Above the door of the church in the last blocks of Chicago, the Virgin Mary still stands with her arms wide open.

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The double doors beneath the statues feet are shut, but a disintegrating wooden side door swings freely, leading to a set of stairs with chipped paint scattered on them. Above, a pool of blue light from a stained-glass window illuminates a balcony where the St. Mary of the Assumption Church choir  including a young boy who would later become the first American-born pope  once sang.

Antoinette Nuzzo stepped inside the sanctuary earlier this week, took a look around and thought out loud: Wow, they took a lot of stuff out of here. Nuzzo, 71, had not been inside St. Marys since the churchs final Mass in the summer of 2011. But she came back Thursday to see what remained of the old sanctuary because it is where Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, began his formal religious journey.

Many others made the same trip in Leos first hours as pope, wanting to feel a connection with the South Sider who had just appeared in papal regalia on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica. They posed for pictures outside the building and walked gingerly around the crumbling interior, agog that the first American to lead the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics could have roots there.

And in doing so, they may have been the sites first unofficial pilgrims. Read more here.

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White Sox embracing their newest superfan

For many South Siders and White Sox fans, the news of Robert Prevosts election to head of the Roman Catholic Church was nothing less than a godsend during these trying times. It brought joy to a part of Chicago that hasnt had much to celebrate lately and smiles to faces of thousands who were proud of the fact one of their own was suddenly on top of the world.

Before Fridays game, the Sox congratulated Pope Leo XIV on the video board as the South Sides very own. A small but appreciative crowd gave the pope a nice ovation. Divine intervention was on the minds of many.

Well take it, manager Will Venable said. Great to have him on our side, for sure.

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After the Cubs put the message Hey Chicago, hes a Cubs fan on their iconic marquee Thursday afternoon, the Sox countered with the message Hey Chicago, hes a Sox fan on the video board at Rate Field and displayed it again Friday night. Read more here.

A Midwesterner who is not afraid of hard work, Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich says

As newly elected Pope Leo XIV made his first appearance on the loggia at St. Peters Basilica, Cardinal Blase Cupich looked on from an adjacent balcony, keenly aware of the monumental moment and its significance for more than a billion Catholics worldwide.

The archbishop of Chicago gazed down at the piazza and crowd that spilled to the Tiber River, jam-packed with more than 250,000 faithful awaiting the first words of the new pontiff.

To be in that position is something that Ill never be able to replicate in the future, Cupich said during a phone interview with the Tribune from Vatican City. Its a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be on the same platform where the new pope is going to be announced with hundreds of thousands of people chanting his name.

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Following the papal conclaves historic selection, Cupich declared that Chicago should be proud to have produced the new pope, a South Sider who became the first American pontiff in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Read more here.

Criticism of Trump and Vance

Prevosts previous social media history includes sharing criticism of Donald Trumps administration policies and of comments by Vice President JD Vance.

The majority of the posts on the X platform 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.
In an instant, Cardinal Robert Prevost became the most powerful and influential American Catholic when he was selected to be pope and rechristened Pope Leo XIV on May 8.

But with the United States' standing in the world on edge with President Donald Trump in office, experts say many will be watching the first American to lead the Catholic Church to see how he walks the tightrope between Western politics and his papal duties.

Vatican experts told ABC News that Leo must thread that needle effortlessly, with a focus on leading from a global perspective.

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"I suspect he will be scrupulous and careful to avoid the thought that he is an American and not a Christian view," the Rev. Stephen Spahn, an assistant teaching professor of theology at Loyola University Maryland, told ABC News. "He is going to be a bridge builder and build relationships with world leaders broadly."

PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV meets the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican, on May 10, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

MORE: Cardinal suggests Pope Leo XIV wasn't elected as 'counterweight' to Trump

At the same time, experts predicted Leo will not hesitate to speak out on American matters from his seat when needed.

Spahn said cardinals have always come to their decisions knowing that the man who becomes pontiff will have to work within the geopolitical environment in pushing forward the Catholic Church's mission.

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"It's definitely going to trail him. How could it not?" he said of the pope's Americanism. "But the cardinals have said they chose him without any regard to his nationality."

David Gibson, the director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University who has been in Rome all week, told ABC News that cardinals whom he spoke with do not see him as solely American, given his experience as a priest and missionary in South America.

He noted Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis rarely traveled outside of their home countries when they were cardinals and that Leo's expertise on international relations will be beneficial during his tenure.

"I think he does not want to be seen as an American pope," Gibson said.

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Both experts said Leo made a telling move when he delivered his first speech from the balcony in St. Peter's Basilica. The speech, which stressed the message of unity and building bridges, was in Italian and Spanish, and he did not publicly speak in English until his homily the next day.

"He made no shoutout to his countryman. We will see more of that," Spahn said.

However, experts said Leo will have to address the issues coming from his homeland at some point.

Gibson said the cardinals he talked to noted that one of the decisions in Leo's selection was not Trump but the growing populist and nationalist movement sweeping the globe.

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"In that way, it is an irony that, frankly, the rest of the world was looking to an American as a sign of hope, as someone who can speak for them in an American register rather than act against them," he said. "They looked at him and said, 'OK, you know America, you know how to deal with this particular strong man.'"

PHOTO: President Donald Trump talks with Vice President JD Vance in the Cross Hall following a celebration of U.S. military mothers event at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 8, 2025. (Leah Millis/Reuters)

MORE: Here's what we know about Pope Leo XIV voting in US elections

Trump, who was vocal against Francis' stance on immigration and the environment, offered congratulatory remarks to Leo after his election, saying the pope's election was a "great honor for our country."

Leo has not immediately talked about the Trump administration since he was elected to the papacy.

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However, while he was a cardinal, he appears to have reposted articles that were critical of Vice President JD Vance and Trump's policies.

Gibson said Leo will likely be more judicious with his communications, including social media posts, but will likely still have a voice in international affairs.

"He will be like Francis, where he will message the Vatican's voice," he said. "[The Vatican is] certainly ready for it. They have been dealing with Trump for years. They don't get into back-and-forths. They will just make their position clear."

Spahn agreed and likened Leo's relationship with American leaders to the one he has with his students.

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"As a professor, I want to build bridges with my students. I want to communicate that, but when they submit a paper, I'm taking out a red pen and I'm critiquing them," he said.

PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV, left, is flanked by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, second from left, after his meeting with the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican, on May 10, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

MORE: Pope Leo shared content critical of Trump, Vance's immigration policies in social media posts

At the same time, the Trump administration will likely maintain a friendly relationship with Leo during his "honeymoon" period as a matter of respect and to keep controversy down, Spahn argued.

In one of his last actions, Francis wrote a letter to bishops that rebuked Vance's interpretation of the Latin phrase "ordo amoris." Vance contended in a Fox News interview that the idea meant that one must love his or her family first before the community and said he disagreed with Francis.

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Vance congratulated Leo's election on X, posting, "I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church."

"I thought that the vice president's congratulatory statement was generous and warm, and from his vantage point, there is no point in picking a fight," Spahn said.

Gibson and Spahn both noted that Leo has been pushing that message of building bridges since his appointment and will offer guidance with no judgment.

"One thing he made clear is he keeps repeating peace," Gibson said. "Every pope tries to do that and wants to do that. But if there is an opportunity to engage with the U.S. administration in peace, he will do that. The pope's door is always open."

Pope Leo XIV must carefully thread needle between Catholic Church's mission, US politics: Experts originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Chicago White Sox players walk on the field as the scoreboard honors Pope Leo XIV before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Chicago White Sox players walk on the field as the scoreboard honors Pope Leo XIV before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

The Chicago White Sox honors Pope Leo XIV on the scoreboard before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

The Chicago White Sox honors Pope Leo XIV on the scoreboard before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Chicago White Sox players walk on the field as the scoreboard honors Pope Leo XIV before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

Chicago White Sox players walk on the field as the scoreboard honors Pope Leo XIV before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

The Chicago White Sox honors Pope Leo XIV on the scoreboard before a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 8, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

CHICAGO (AP)  It's the biggest victory for the struggling Chicago White Sox in a long time.

Pope Leo XIV is a White Sox fan  and the organization is embracing the news.

Elected on Thursday, Robert Prevost is the first pope from the United States in the history of the Catholic Church. And Prevost's brother, John, said the Chicago-born missionary cheered for the White Sox.

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Proud moment for Chicago, White Sox manager Will Venable said before Friday nights game against Miami. Its awesome.

It was initially reported that the new pope was a Cubs fan. The team congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a post on X that had a picture of Wrigley Fields iconic marquee with the message: HEY, CHICAGO. HES A CUBS FAN!

But John Prevost set the record straight in an interview with WGN-TV. "He was always a Sox fan, John said.

The White Sox posted a clip from the brothers interview on X, along with a picture of the Rate Field videoboard with the message: HEY CHICAGO, HES A SOX FAN! That message was still on the videoboard in center when the White Sox began batting practice Friday.

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Venable said he couldnt blame the Cubs.

I get it, he said. I think we all want the pope on our side, so I certainly understand. But Im glad he chose the right team.

The White Sox said they sent a jersey and a hat to the Vatican after the announcement. The organization also congratulated the new pope in a scoreboard graphic that was shown before Friday nights first pitch.

The White Sox are last in the AL Central this season, a year after they went 41-121 to break the post-1900 major league record for losses in a season. So they welcomed a reason to celebrate.

Well take it, Venable said with a smile. Its great to have him on our side, for sure.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican shortly after his election as pontiff on May 8. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

When 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost appeared on the main balcony of St. Peters Basilica for the first time as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, he was cheered loudly by the huge crowd of pilgrims, tourists, local Catholics and other onlookers who had waited hours for the first sign of white smoke and the official announcement.

As a specialist in Catholic history and ritual, I know how important this moment was for Catholics and others all over the world. A new pope brings with him a sense of excitement often mixed with uncertainty.

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But the choice of the College of Cardinals came as a surprise to some. Prevost is the first pope from the United States, and, traditionally, the European-dominated College of Cardinals has had reservations about choosing a cardinal from the U.S. for fear of too much American influence in the church.

So, who is Prevost, and what might have influenced the cardinals vote?

Early experiences

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost joined a Catholic religious order at the age of 20: the Order of St. Augustine, called Augustinians, founded in the 13th century. Instead of withdrawing from the world in isolated monasteries, members of this order travel as mendicants to aid the poor as well as serve as missionaries and teachers.

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Prevost studied theology in the U.S. and Rome, and as a newly ordained priest he spent a year in Peru. After a short return to the U.S. as an official of the Augustinian order in Illinois, he returned to Peru as a seminary professor to teach canon law, the legal structure of the Catholic Church. He would stay in Peru for the next 10 years.

In 1999, he became the prior  that is, the head  of the local Augustinian province in Chicago and was later elected prior of the worldwide Augustinian order. This gave him a truly global experience, since the Augustinians had some 50 communities spread across every continent.

In 2015, Pope Francis appointed him bishop for the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru. In 2019, Francis appointed him a member of several important Vatican dicasteries, or departments, where he became familiar with the central church administration. Most importantly, he served as prefect, or chairman, on the Dicastery for Bishops.

In fact, because of his lengthy pastoral experience in Peru and service at the Vatican, some commentators had noted before Prevost was chosen that if the cardinals were to elect an American pope, it would be him. His service on the Dicastery for Bishops was considered especially important, since members play a key role in selecting new bishops.

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Global church

During the 20th century, especially after the Second Vatican Council  a series of meetings of the worlds bishops to modernize the church, ending in 1965  the popes began to name cardinals from other parts of the world that were previously considered to be on the periphery of the Catholic Church.

This led to popes being chosen from outside of Italy for the first time in centuries. Pope St. John Paul II was Polish and the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century. Pope Benedict XVI was another non-Italian, born in Germany, who had served as a Vatican official. Pope Francis was born in South America to parents who were Italian-born immigrants to Argentina.

The College of Cardinals, which had few representatives from other continents until recently, is now much more international. Some 80% of the cardinal electors were named by Francis, many from countries that had never before had a cardinal.

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In reviewing his record, the cardinal electors might have taken a number of factors into account. Prevost would be an effective administrator as head of the church and was an expert in church canon law. He had decades of experience doing pastoral work in South America, as well as in North America. And as prior general of the entire Augustinian order, he would likely have traveled widely to visit many of the communities he supervised.

Papacy under Leo

The new pope appeared on the Vatican balcony wearing the traditional papal garments: white cassock, short red cape, decorated red and gold stole, and golden cross hanging around his neck. Francis, on the other hand, had appeared dressed in the plain white cassock of a pope.

Certainly, he had not chosen the simplicity of Francis. Was this a sign that he would be more of a traditionalist?

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His choice of a papal name, I believe, could indicate a different point of view. Pope Leo XIII wrote a groundbreaking encyclical in 1891, Rerum Novarum, subtitled On Dignity and Labor. In this he stressed the rights of workers to unionize and criticized the conditions in which they worked and lived. He also championed other rights the ordinary worker deserved from their bosses and from their government.

In his first remarks from the balcony, offering a glimpse into the direction of his papacy, Leo XIV stressed the role of Catholics and the church as peacemakers and bridge-builders, in dialogue with other religious traditions and cultures. His first words were Peace be with you all, describing this peace as a disarmed peace, a disarming peace. He further urged Catholics to act together without fear  united with one another  to build bridges through dialogue and outreach  to bring peace to the world.

He may not follow exactly in Francis footsteps, but he will likely continue walking in the same direction.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Joanne M. Pierce is a professor emerita of religious studies at College of the Holy Cross. 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.
Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago-born man who became Pope Leo XIV on Thursday, has Black family roots in New Orleans, Louisiana, records show.

ABC News has obtained several records, including U.S. Census records from the early 1900s, demonstrating that the first American pope's family tree reflects the complex racial history of this country.

Both of Leo XIV's maternal grandparents, Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquie, are described as Black or mulatto in several census documents.

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Tune into "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+

On their 1887 marriage license, Martinez listed his birthplace as Haiti, and birth records show that he was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Chris Smothers, professional genealogist for 15 years and historian studying at Simmons University, told ABC News that these were the same territories at the time. Baquie's birth records show she was born in New Orleans.

PHOTO: Marriage license of Joseph Norval Martinez and Louise Baquie which depicts Joseph as native of Haiti. (Courtesy Chris Smothers)

Despite Martinez being born abroad, his father -- the pope's great-grandfather -- was found to be from Louisiana, Smothers said, emphasizing the pope's ancestry in the American South.

"It's clear that the Pope has centuries-long ties to free people of color in Louisiana," Smothers told ABC News.

PHOTO: 1900 U.S. Census records which depict the popes maternal grandparents and his two aunts, Irma and Margaret. The familys race is listed as B, which meant Black. (Courtesy Chris Smothers)

On the 1900 census, while his family lived in New Orleans, both Leo XIV's maternal grandparents and his aunts -- Irma and Margaret -- were identified as Black. However, in 1920, after the family migrated to Chicago and had the pope's mother Mildred, that decade's census reflected their race as white.

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Like so many families fleeing the South at that time, they could have shifted their racial identity. Smothers called this a common "survival strategy" at the time.

PHOTO: 1920 U.S. Census records which depict the family living in Chicago, including the popes mother, Mildred. However, the race for Joseph, Louise, and all their children is now listed as W, which meant white. (Courtesy Chris Smothers)

"In that intervening period, they not only migrated from New Orleans to Chicago in the period between 1910 and 1912 but they also changed their racial identifiers, which is very common," Jari Honora, a genealogist and family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, told ABC News. "Many families did this as a question of their livelihoods as an economic decision, they passed for white."

PHOTO: Joseph Norval Martinez is shown in this undated portrait. (Courtesy Chris Smothers)

ABC News also obtained photos of those grandparents from the local genealogists working on uncovering this lineage. The pope's brother, John Prevost, recognized the photos and confirmed to ABC News that they depict their grandparents.

While John Prevost knew about his grandparents' connection to Haiti and the family's time in New Orleans, he told ABC News that their family never discussed racial matters.

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MORE: Brother says Leo XIV always wanted to be a priest

Creoles in New Orleans have been a part of Louisiana history for almost as long as it has been a state and have contributed enormously to the culture of Louisiana. The word Creole commonly describes mixed-race people of color.

"To be, you know, Creole in Louisiana, to be a free person of color in New Orleans in that time really indicates that there was at some point an enslaved person that had to fight for their freedom," Smothers said, though genealogists have yet to find direct evidence linking the pope's ancestry to any enslaved individual.

MORE: What to know about the 1st American pope

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In a statement released Thursday night, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell said "the City of New Orleans is a melting pot of different religions and beliefs. We are thrilled to welcome Pope Leo XIV, who embodies morality, unity, and inclusivity."

PHOTO: Louise Baquie is shown in this undated portrait. (Courtesy Chris Smothers)

Genealogists continue to dig into the pope's records to find out more information about his ancestry. For now, it seems that Pope Leo is not only the first American pope, but he also represents the melting pot of backgrounds in the U.S.

MORE: Pope Leo XIV live updates: Cardinal hopes Pope Leo will 'build a bridge' with Trump

"They were a Creole of color family -- Creole indicating their cultural background that they are rooted in this place in Louisiana, which, of course, has its origins of the French and Spanish colony with a significant West African population. And of color indicating that they were a racial mix. They were a combination of all of those ethnic backgrounds," Honora said.

PHOTO: Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)

Honora also pointed to the symbolic nature of the pope's ancestry.

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"The story, the trajectory does not surprise me. But the fact that a descendant of that family  is the pope, you know, really adds the element of surprise," he said.

Pope Leo XIV's family tree shows Black roots in New Orleans originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Portland Fire and Rescue is unveiling its new water lance tool in an effort to minimize the toxicity released in the water and the air from lithium-ion battery fires from electric vehicles.

The new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance is so powerful, it can be used to penetrate metal and can minimize the amount of water needed to combat EV fires, officials said.

Portland archbishop stunned at new pope selection

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The proliferation of sometimes explosive EV battery fires is a fairly new phenomenon, with fire departments across the nation struggling to respond to them. As a result, a variety of approaches have been taken among the different fire departments around the country, PF&R officials said.

The issue stems from the fact that lithium-ion battery fires can dispense toxins in the water runoff or in the air via aerosolized particulates, leading to respiratory health dangers for those nearby. Traditional firefighting methods would either require using a lot of water to put the battery fire out, creating toxic runoff, or waiting until the fire consumes the battery and use less water, but allowing a plume of toxic smoke to occur instead. Both methods risk environmental and health dangers.

However, the new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance tool can be used to penetrate into the battery compartment to dispense the water. The tool uses less water than traditional methods, and the water that is used is contained, minimizing toxic water runoff.

Portland Fire unveiled their new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance to combat EV fires. May 9, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). Portland Fire unveiled their new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance to combat EV fires. May 9, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). Portland Fire unveiled their new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance to combat EV fires. May 9, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). Portland Fire unveiled their new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance to combat EV fires. May 9, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue). Portland Fire unveiled their new Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance to combat EV fires. May 9, 2025 (courtesy Portland Fire and Rescue).

The Cold Cut Cobra has a self-contained water tank with a motor used to power a high-pressure water pump, with the additional ability to mix in a nontoxic, environmentally safe iron ore aggregate used to penetrate into solid materials such as metal and concrete, using a hole of just 1/8 in diameter, PF&R said in a press release. The tool is designed to pierce through the metal protective battery compartment cover using the aggregate-water mix. Once the hole is made, the iron ore is removed from the stream and the water stream floods the compartment, quickly extinguishing the fire.

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Portland team hits Disney with trademark lawsuit

The water lance method also minimizes the risk of the battery fire rekindling, a common problem with this type of emergency, officials said.

The Cold Cut Cobra Water Lance will be housed in the North Portland Heavy Squad 24 in the Overlook Neighborhood, providing quick access via I-5 to problematic areas of Portland streets where EV battery fires are likely to occur, PF&R said.

The funding for the tool was made possible by the City of Portlands Bureau of Fleet and Facilities and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.

Back in September, lithium-ion batteries that experienced thermal runaway were the root cause of a fire in two structures that displaced 11 people in Portland. Portland Fire said they had responded to a number of other fires caused by the lithium battery in e-scooters in the months leading up to the blaze.

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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 KOIN.com.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Portland Mayor Keith Wilson is discussing with city and county leaders how to better address the homeless crisis.

This comes just days after announcing his $8.54 billion budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year.

The budget dedicates tens of millions of dollars toward his plan to end unsheltered homelessness.

Rising costs prompt opening of new free food pantry

Wilson shared with the Multnomah County Homelessness Response System Steering and Oversight Committee where he believes the city and county are falling short.

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Specifically, when it comes to how data is collected at homeless shelters, Wilson said their current system is leading to waste.

I want to see a utilization rate, Wilson said. The problem with our system is we are not doing three-bed checks a night. We are conflating utilization with the occupancy. Yet we know the beds are empty for long periods of time.

Wilson also discussed stay limits at shelters. Under his plan, people can only stay at a 24/7 shelter for 90 days at a time and are required to meet with a caseworker.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
This story is part of an occasional series about the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), a proposed 500,000-volt transmission line to cross three counties, and its potential impacts on people living and working in Frederick County. The project is being developed by the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG).

Jay and Alicia Weinrich live in a log house off Black Ankle Road in Mount Airy, nestled in trees and tranquility, at the end of a narrow, steep driveway on top of a hill.

Jay is originally from Howard County, and Alicia is from Carroll County. The couple bought their property in Frederick County in 2003 with the intention of building the home they'd live in for the rest of their lives.

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With the help of family and friends for more than a year and a half, the couple constructed their house from the ground up, touching all the logs that make the home and staining everything in the basement.

The Weinrichs officially moved into the house in 2005. It's where they raised their son, who has moved away.

Alicia said they chose this property because it's "kind of in the middle of nowhere."

The stars come out at night because the sky is clear, and the view is beautiful, filled with trees and, in the summer, hay when farmers are working the land.

She said deer run across their property and cross over the driveway, drinking from a nearby stream filled with trout. The couple also sees and hears bald eagles frequently.

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"This was really our dream  he wanted a log cabin, and I just wanted to have some peace and quiet," she said.

The MPRP could shatter that dream entirely.

MPRP- Jay and Alicia Weinrich

Jay, left, and Alicia Weinrich stand for a portrait at their home in Mount Airy on April 30. In the early 2000s, the couple constructed their log house with the help of their family and friends. Now, the final route of the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) would cut through their property. If the MPRP is built, the Weinrichs don't know what they'll do, and they're hoping the project doesnt move forward.

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Residents like the Weinrichs, as well as farmers and other property owners, are fighting a staunch battle against the project. More than 170 petitions to intervene were submitted to Maryland for an application PSEG submitted for a certificate to build the project.

A petition to intervene is a request to become a formal party in a case and be able to actively participate in the legal process and influence the outcome of a project.

Additionally, a nonprofit called Stop MPRP formed after the project was announced. Its mission is to advocate for people impacted by the project and stop it entirely, and it's a resource many opponents of the MPRP turn to.

The Weinrichs submitted a petition to intervene on Feb. 10. They've never had anyone approach them asking for a right-of-way to build something through the property.

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If the MPRP is built, Alicia said, it'll be placed right over the Weinrichs' fence next to their home, cross over their chicken coop and the driveway, and hang over the trout stream at the bottom of the hill the house is on.

What is the MPRP?

The MPRP is slated to be nearly 70 miles long and would go through northern Baltimore County, the middle of Carroll County and parts of Frederick County, ending at the Doubs substation.

The project is meant to help meet anticipated power demands on the regional power grid operated by PJM Interconnection, which coordinates the movement of electricity in 13 states  including all of Maryland  and Washington, D.C.

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As part of developing the project, PSEG has applied to the state for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, which would allow the company to build the transmission line should its application be approved.

In addition to the hundreds of properties in the route's path, there are 58 parcels that PSEG added to its application as possible places for access roads, which the company would use while constructing the MPRP.

PSEG spokesperson Bill Smith said that it's possible for the MPRP route to be adjusted or changed during the application process.

Smith said that PSEG has "engaged with residents and property owners to address their concerns regarding agriculture, safety and property values" since the MPRP was announced and will continue to do so.

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He also said PSEG does not have eminent domain rights  a governmental power to seize private property for public use with just compensation  without its certificate application being approved.

On April 15, PSEG filed a request for a court order to gain temporary access to properties on or along the MPRP route to conduct environmental and field studies as part of its certificate application.

MPRP route and county outlines

Alicia said she estimates 50% of the trees on her property will be cut down for the project. The stream will get too hot, killing all the trout.

"I'll be able to stand there at my kitchen sink and see the top post holding wires," she said. "And then, to top it off, that beautiful view that I have  this will all be gone because they're taking out all of my trees."

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The couple said when PSEG first proposed multiple routes for the MPRP, there were three in the general area of their home. Only one of those routes  the one that was ultimately picked  cut through the Weinrichs' property.

The couple attended one of PSEG's public information sessions it held after the final MPRP route was announced. Jay said he also sent letters to many Maryland elected officials sharing the couple's story.

Jay said he feels like all the discussion about the project is about the farms people are losing, but not about anyone else.

MPRP- Jay and Alicia Weinrich

Alicia, left, and Jay Weinrich pose together outside at their home in Mount Airy on March 20. The Weinrichs moved into the log house in 2005 after building it with the help of family and friends. Now, they are worried how the MPRP will affect their property and the environment around them.

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"There was very little discussion about those of us that just have a home on five acres. It was all about farmland," he said. "I felt like we were kind of the forgotten ones."

For Alicia, the MPRP poses a unique health risk. She has a spinal cord stimulator, a medical device that sends low-level electric pulses into her spinal cord to relieve pain.

When she goes to a doctor's office and cautery tools are used to stop bleeding, she has to turn the stimulator off because otherwise, it'll start shocking her. It could also turn off improperly and may not come back on.

If one tool can cause that, she wonders what would happen if she were living under a 500,000-volt transmission line.

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"What's that going to do to my back? Is it going to shut my spinal cord stimulator off completely? I just don't know," Alicia said.

The Weinrichs don't know what they'll do if the MPRP is built. Right now, they're just hoping it doesn't move forward at all  they've told people who asked to enter the property to evaluate it to not come.

Just the thought of having the transmission line on the property, Alicia said, "makes me want to just run."

MPRP- Jay and Alicia Weinrich

Shown through a window, Alicia and Jay Weinrich stand for a portrait with their dogs at their home in Mount Airy on April 30. In the early 2000s, the couple constructed their log house with the help of their family and friends. Now, the final route of the MPRP would cut through their property. If the MPRP is built, the Weinrichs don't know what they'll do, and they're hoping the project doesnt move forward.

MPRP- Jay and Alicia Weinrich

Jay, left, and Alicia Weinrich pose together with DeDe inside their home in Mount Airy on March 20. The Weinrichs moved into the log house in 2005 after building it with the help of family and friends. Now, they are worried how the MPRP will affect their property and the environment around them.

Margie and Steve Schroeder

Margie and Steve Schroeder live on and own a 25-acre parcel of land off Ijamsville Road. Their home has a room with windows for walls where the sunlight spills in and the couple can look out at a sprawling field.

MPRP- Steve and Margie Schroeder

Margie, left, and Steve Schroeder pose together in the sun room of their home on March 27. They built the house's sun room as an add-on to the home to get a better view of the outdoors. This year marks their 50th year living in the home. All of the routes PSEG proposed for the MPRP cut through the Schroeders' property.

The property was originally a 220-acre parcel where the first settler of Ijamsville, Plummer Ijams, built a plantation, according to the Schroeders.

Over time, the parcel has been divided up, and several of the Schroeders' family members  like their daughter, nephew and grandchildren  live on other pieces of the land.

Margie said her father bought the entire property in 1950. He was a lawyer working in Washington, D.C., but he always had wanted to run a farm.

When she was a child, she did chores on her family's dairy farm, and the family also owned horses and hunted foxes.

Margie met Steve while attending college in North Carolina, and when the couple moved to Frederick County after Steve finished dental school, Margie's father gave them the land where their house now stands.

This year marks their 50th year living there.

The couple's nephew, Josh Nicodemus, owns the family farm to the west of their home, and their daughter and grandchildren live in another house built on a giant parcel. Margie's sister also lives in a tenant house on the land.

Since the family lives so close to each other, it's common for the grandchildren to walk over to see the Schroeders. They love to sled on the field when it's blanketed in snow in the winter.

If the MPRP gets built, the route would put the line over the Schroeders' pool and into the woods, requiring trees to be removed for the right-of-way.

MPRP- Steve and Margie Schroeder

Cousins James Duncan, 14, left, and Sawyer Smith, 11, play in the pool at Margie and Steve Schroeders home on April 30. If the MPRP is built, the line would go over the Schroeders pool and into the woods.

All of the routes PSEG presented for the MPRP would've gone through the Schroeders' property.

Margie said the couple's worst case scenario is that they could lose their house. Even if the power line is put farther out toward the field next to the home, it would divide the acreage and separate the Schroeders from the rest of their family.

The consequences of the MPRP on the family range in severity. Margie said her daughter won't feel comfortable walking over to the Schroeders' house if she and her grandchildren will go under a power line.

Nicodemus may not want to farm anymore. Margie said the MPRP would cut the field in half and prevent him from using a chunk of the land.

Margie said the MPRP wouldn't devastate their livelihood the way it could hurt people with farms along the MPRP route, but it would still notably impact her and her husband.

Over the past several decades, many developers have approached the Schroeders to buy the field by the house.

Margie said the couple would never sell the land unless there was a "catastrophic event" where they needed those funds.

She doesn't think they would be able to move, because their property value would tank and nobody would want to buy it.

Margie and Steve built the house's sun room as an add-on to the original building specifically so they could see the nature that they've enjoyed for so long.

They are concerned there could be a point in the future when eminent domain rights are used to obtain their land.

"We wish that they would actively pursue other ways to power the data centers and think about the impact on the residents," Margie said.

"... I know other people have had horrible things done for progress and for the public good and eminent domain. I know it's been used other places, but it's when it affects you, you think, 'Oh my God, how can I live in the United States of America?'"

MPRP- Steve and Margie Schroeder

Margie Schroeder, left, sits next to her sister Victoria Nicodemus at the Schroeders household on April 30. The Schroeders 25-acre parcel of land is part of a larger parcel of land that is divided among several of the Schroeders family members. Victoria lives across the field on the parcel. Since the family members live close together, it is common for them to walk across the field to the Schroeders home. But, if the MPRP is built, Margie said family members wouldnt feel comfortable walking under the power lines.

MPRP- Steve and Margie Schroeder

Cousins Sawyer Smith, 11, and James Duncan, 14, drive through a field behind Margie and Steve Schroeders home on April 30. Several of the Schroeders' family members live by the field and own parts of the parcel of land. Margie said that if the MPRP is put farther out in the field, it would divide the acreage and separate the Schroeders from the family.

Betsy and Mike McFarland

Betsy and Mike McFarland's house in Adamstown overlooks Bennett Creek, a tributary to the Monocacy River, and they can hear the frequent chitter and songs of wildlife outside their windows.

Betsy McFarland can list many different animals she's seen since she and her husband moved to Frederick County almost 20 years ago from Rockville.

Those animals include a black bear, bald eagles, reptiles, frogs, a snapping turtle and wild turkeys. She remembers watching the snapping turtle's eggs hatch, and the newborns headed down to Bennett Creek.

McFarland said the couple wanted to be somewhere rural, since they both love animals and nature. The house is tucked away at the very end of a road, and in the summer time, "you feel like you're in the middle of the jungle."

"As we settled in, I was like 'This is the house I'll die in.' I'm so happy to be here. I love this place," she said. "Now, of course, it's all threatened."

MPRP- Betsy and Mike McFarland

Shown through the reflection of a mirror, Betsy McFarland looks out of a window where a Stop MPRP sign stands outside at the McFarlands' home in Adamstown on April 7. The Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) would cut through the middle of Betsy and Mike McFarland's property. If the project is built, Betsy doesn't think she and her husband would want to stay in their home.

The MPRP would cut through the middle of the McFarlands' property. They own nearly three acres of land, and a quarter acre of what they own is on the other side of Bennett Creek.

McFarland said a power line tower would be built west of their property, and power lines would go past the couple's back patio and over the creek.

Like other residences in wooded areas along the project route, trees would have to be cut down so the power lines can be built. For the McFarlands, the right-of-way is supposed to go between their house and Bennett Creek.

If the project is built, McFarland doesn't think she and her husband would want to stay in their home.

"It's really thrown our plans into a loop. We were planning to stay here through retirement," she said. "Now, we're really wondering what's going to happen, and we've put everything on hold."

The McFarlands have ignored attempts from PSEG to contact them, including an offer of $1,000 from the company if the couple agreed to give PSEG permission to survey the property.

MPRP- Betsy and Mike McFarland

A document sent to Betsy and Mike McFarland is shown at the McFarlands' home in Adamstown on April 7. The MPRP would cut through the middle of their property. This document from the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) offers $1,000 for a temporary right-of-entry to the property.

McFarland said she wanted to live somewhere that was safe from development. Since part of this property is designated as a floodplain by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, she thought it was safe.

She's worried about how the MPRP will impact the environment and the rich wildlife. It "seems insane" that a company could come in, take down trees and build power lines through an environmentally sensitive area, she said.

Additionally, she said, the county government's discussions about how to regulate the data center industry and development are intertwined with the MPRP.

She said she recognizes the need for data centers and creating support for that industry  but there are other solutions available to power those facilities that isn't building a transmission line across Maryland.

"Anybody who says this is just for, 'Oh, we gotta stop rolling blackouts,' whatever, I don't buy it for a second," she said. "... There's a lot of different ways this could be done. They're just pushing their way because it's best for that company, and that also makes me livid."

McFarland is the chair of Stop MPRP's advocacy and outreach committee and shared the potential consequences to her home in the nonprofit's short documentary, "Unyielding Ground: The Fight Against the MPRP."

She's also submitted a petition to intervene and has attended public meetings in all three counties.

"There's only so many mountains you'll die on, but for me, this is one of them, and I'm going to fight this as much as I have to because I care about it," McFarland said. "I care about Frederick County, not just my own house."

MPRP- Betsy and Mike McFarland

Betsy and Mike McFarland stand outside at their home in Adamstown, which overlooks Bennett Creek, on April 7. The MPRP would cut through the middle of the McFarlands property. Betsy is worried how the MPRP will impact the environment and the wildlife.
Seven days after his inauguration, Donald Trump issued the Iron Dome for America executive order to create a cutting-edge defense system that protects the U.S. from long-range missile attacks.

Trump revealed Tuesday that his administration has settled on a design for the massive system, adding that it will be operational within three years. The president appointed Michael Guetlein, the current vice chief of space operations, to lead the project.

Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built, Trump said from the Oval Office.

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The idea evokes the concept of Israels missile defense system, but there would be several key differences between the U.S. allys Iron Dome and Trumps so-called Golden Dome.

The Golden Dome would have to cover a much larger area, for starters. The Golden Dome will also have to be a lot more comprehensive, with several different systems that can locate, track and stop any kind of aerial attack the U.S. might face, according to Wes Rumbaugh, a fellow in the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. By comparison, Israels Iron Dome is a system designed to specifically protect against just short-range rockets and artillery shells.

Congressional Republicans recently proposed allocating $25 billion from this years budget for the project, further signaling that construction could begin soon.

Heres what you need to know about Trumps plan  and why some experts warn it has some big issues:

President Donald Trump wants to build a Golden Dome to protect the U.S. from missile threats. Experts say its technically feasible, but poses several logistical problems (AP)

Space-based missile defense would be key

Trumps executive order outlines some straightforward aspects to his Golden Dome plan, like an updated missile threat risk assessment or a list of strategic locations where itd be best to defend against missile threats proactively.

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But the most significant component is also the most complicated: a network of space-based interceptors, such as lasers, that would be able to stop or destroy warheads shortly after theyre launched. This harkens back to President Ronald Reagans infamous space-based missile defense system, nicknamed Star Wars by critics.

Officials building any space-based interceptor system would need to ensure every possible attacker and target are covered  you cant have Florida covered but not California. But this means building a massive web of interceptors to ensure theyre always in the correct position, which Michael OHanlon, director of research in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, argues would be costly and hugely inefficient.

Youve got to be pretty confident you're going to get everything, or at least knock everything off course, OHanlon tells The Independent.

OHanlon also says lasers themselves also pose a cost issue, because those would have to be sent into orbit with large amounts of fuel and giant mirrors that can focus the lasers energy enough to destroy a warhead.

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This translates into each one of your defensive space-based lasers being the equivalent of the Hubble telescope, he says.

An Israeli soldier is seen taking position in front of a battery of an Iron Dome air defense system in Jerusalem. Trump's 'Golden Dome' harkens back to the idea of Israel's Iron Dome, but it has key differences (AFP via Getty Images)

Can the Golden Dome ever come to fruition?

Rumbaugh believes the Golden Dome is feasible on a purely technical level, but other factors will determine whether it ever gets built.

By building up such strong defensive systems, the U.S. could provoke an adversary into further strengthening their offense, sparking a global arms race. This could trigger a feedback loop where officials make the country less secure and certainly more impoverished, OHanlon said.

If you really try to make this comprehensive against even a Russian nuclear attack, then you're reigniting all the age-old debates about the likelihood of just triggering an arms race where defense continues to be more difficult and expensive than offense, OHanlon added.

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Other challenges will include budget and scale. Rumbaugh said some have compared the Golden Dome to the Manhattan Project, Americas top-secret effort to construct an atomic bomb during World War II. OHanlon similarly estimates the project would cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

Even if you just sized [the system] to today's Russian nuclear arsenal, and you wanted to build a multi-layer capability that Trump has talked about, that is already enormously expensive, OHanlon said. I think I calculated something in the range of $500 billion, and that was just for a limited part of it.

Israel's Iron Dome intercepts rockets fired from Lebanon. Trump's so-called Golden Dome would aim to similarly intercept rockets using space-based interceptors (AFP via Getty Images)

Collaboration and resource-sharing may also prove difficult and the details are still unclear, Rumbaugh added. How will the Missile Defense Agency, the Space Force, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and various other agencies work together to manage the Golden Dome? That remains unclear.

Do we need a Golden Dome?

Even if the idea seems farfetched, OHanlon says the U.S. does need to expand its missile defense capabilities.

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I think that there could be some benefits to even a limited, partially effective missile defense system, whether it's defending against the North Korean threat that's continued to grow, or a future Iranian threat, or a threat of a limited strike by Russia or China, he said.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

OHanlon offers that a scaled-back version of Trumps plan could be beneficial overall to U.S. national security.

I think there is value in doing more than we've done already, he added.
After surpassing the 100-day mark since returning to office, President Donald Trump has grappled with persistently low approval ratings, according to most polls.

His approval numbers reached historic lows not seen by any other president in recent decades  except for himself during his first term in 2017 according to a new poll from The Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos released April 25, indicating that a growing number of Americans are not satisfied with his performance.

Among his recent controversial proposals are continued efforts to place more tariffs on international goods, a suggestion to reopen the notorious prison Alcatraz and cutting government positions that assist communities recovering from natural disasters.

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In the past week, Trump has also faced agency shake-ups, a tense Oval Office meeting with Canada's new leader and ongoing back-and-forths with several nations and industries over Trump's aggressive import tariffs.

Here's what to know about Trump's approval rating, including how they are decided and how Trump's ratings compare with his first term and past presidents.

What is Donald Trump's approval rating?

Here are the latest approval ratings released about Trump's administration:

According to the most recent Gallup poll, Trump's job approval rating was averaging 45% since he took office in his second term. His first term's overall average was a 41% approval rating. At any given time during both terms thus far, his lowest to highest approval ratings have ranged between 34%-49%.

Most recent Pew Research Center polls found a 40% approval rating on Trump's 100th day in office, marking a decline of 7 percentage points since February.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll from April 25-27 reported that 42% of those surveyed gave him a favorable approval rating of his performance in office.

The Economist shows that 41% of people are favorable of Trump and 53% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from May 6.

A CNBC poll most recently updated on April 21, indicated 44% of Americans approved and 51% disapproved of Trump's work.

Rasmussen Reports poll from DATE showed 51% approval and 48% disapproval of Trump.

How does Trump's approval rating compare with his 1st term?

Trump had a final approval rating of 34% when he left office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was 41%.

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Arizona politics: Federal judge temporarily halts land swap at Oak Flat copper mine site

How does Trump's approval rating compare with past presidents?

Joe Biden - 40%

Donald Trump (first term) - 34%

Barack Obama - 59%

George W. Bush - 34%

Bill Clinton - 66%

George H.W. Bush - 56%

Ronald Reagan - 63%

Jimmy Carter - 34%

Gerald Ford - 53%

Richard Nixon - 24%

Are presidential approval ratings accurate?

Data agency Gallup notes that these approval ratings are a "simple measure, yet a very powerful one that has played a key role in politics for over 70 years."

A presidents approval rating reflects the percentage of Americans polled who approve of the presidents performance. Anything can impact a president's rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections.

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According to ABC News, an approval rating doesn't just represent how well the administration is doing for the general public, but could determine the outcome of an upcoming election for a politician or how much they get done during their time in office.

While these ratings are easy to understand, Quorum says some analysts believe they are not as useful as they once were due to extreme partisanship and the polarized political climate.

Presidential approval ratings have always been partisan, with members of the presidents party offering more positive assessments than those in the opposing party, according to the Pew Research Center. But the differences between Republicans and Democrats on views of the president have grown substantially in recent decades.

USA TODAY Network reporter Maria Francis contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What is Trump's current approval rating? See the polls
KINGWOOD, W.Va. (WBOY)  It isnt every day you get to bring your tractor to school, but at Preston High School, tractor operation and mechanics are part of the curriculum.

On Friday, May 9, Preston High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) students and associates drove tractors to school to help demonstrate the students pride in their agricultural roots.

All the participants in Drive Your Tractor to School Day (WBOY image).

This is the second year of the initiative, which was created and organized by Preston High seniors Connor Gibson and Cordell Bolyard.

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Cheat River Rail-Trail open for recreation in Kingwood

12 News spoke with Gibson and Bolyard on why they chose to drive their tractors to school and how it felt to have support from the community in doing so.

One happy farmer. (WBOY image)

I guess passion for agriculture, I mean, just kind of promote it a little bit, get people out and knowing what it is, Bolyard said.

Im happy to see that people are willing to take time out of one day and let us drive our tractors and not really get upset about it. Preston County is a very agriculturally driven county, so its definitely something cool that we can all kind of come together because this county is massive and we can all come together in one place and do one thing all together, said Gibson.

Preston High School agriculture teacher Samantha Funk also spoke with 12 News, mentioning that having students participate in this event demonstrates the strength and appreciation students have for agriculture and that shed like to see more girls participate next year.

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Bolyard and Gibson have already passed the torch of the tradition off to underclassmen so that the Tractor Day tradition will live on after they graduate.

Tractors heading in. (WBOY image)

On Sunday, May 18, the Preston County FFA will host an awards banquet to honor all of its students accomplishments this year.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its National Travel and Tourism Week, but how does the upcoming summer look with the rising costs across the nation?

Each year, millions of tourists flock to South Dakota, with many of them frequenting Sioux Falls.

Its well over a million people every annual year, CEO Experience Sioux Falls, Teri Schmidt said.+

Swigart suing Rapid City School District

But with rising prices, theres a chance that it could slow down.

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You may not take that big ten-day vacation that youre thinking of, but maybe youre going to take a three-day vacation and Sioux Falls is the best place to come, especially in the region for a quick trip, Schmidt says.

While tourism may look uncertain, Becky Dewitz with the Sioux Falls Zoo and Butterfly House, says that locally, things are looking up.

So last month I saw a 22% gain in the year-over-year comparison of our members coming to the zoo. And thats what were seeing is were seeing a lot more memberships being purchased, which is a really economical way for you to see both the zoo and the butterfly house and aquarium for a household as many times as you want throughout the year, CEO Sioux Falls Zoo and Butterfly House, Becky Dewitz said.

While they still anticipate tourists to visit the zoo, people may cut back on spending while they are there.

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What we may see is a dip in that consumer spending. They might not buy as much gift shop merchandise. They might not buy as many food items, Dewitz said.

No matter how tourism ends up looking this year, Schmidt says that the people of Sioux Falls will keep tourists coming back.

Were known as a number one host city. That means the people of this community make that happen. We smile at people. People are lost, we help them find their way. We dont cut in front of them and get mad if theyre in the wrong lane. Thats called hospitality. And this town is full of it, Schmidt said.

Schmidt says that tourism had a $400,000,000 impact in Sioux Falls and that tourism in the state saves households over $1,000 in taxes.

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(NewsNation)  An investigation has found that a charity Prince Harry is connected to admitted its rangers commit human rights abuses against those in Republic of Congo Indigenous communities, according to reports.

Prince Harry serves on the board of directors for African Parks, which currently manages over 20 national parks and protected areas in nearly 15 countries across Africa. The charity conducted an independent investigation that found in some incidents, human rights abuses have occurred.

According to People magazine, Prince Harry has been with the organization since 2016. He served as president before he became a member of the board of directors.

Survival International criticized Prince Harry-backed charity

That investigation, conducted by Omnia Strategy LLP, was not fully released to the public. A group called Survival International, which was one of the first to raise these concerns, criticized African Parks for not releasing all details.

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Director Caroline Pearce said in a statement, Baka men and women have been beaten, tortured and raped  by rangers who are managed and paid for by African Parks. The charity has known this for many years, but it was only after Survival complained to Prince Harry and the ensuing global media story, that the charity finally commissioned this independent investigation.'

Bill Belichicks girlfriend Jordon Hudson not banned from facilities: UNC

African Parks released a statement, saying, in part, We deeply regret the pain and suffering that these have caused to the victims.  Omnias process also highlighted several failures of our systems and processes that were insufficient for the level of responsibility given to us.

The charitys statement also said:

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We are committed to addressing the shortcomings that have been identified. Further, where sufficient evidence is available, we will take action against staff members implicated in incidents not yet known about, or that had not been adequately dealt with. The Board is confident that the institutional improvements implemented over the past five years, along with those planned for the coming months  incorporating valuable recommendations from Omnia  will mitigate risks in the future.

Prince Harry recently left Sentebale charity

Prince Harry has made many visits to Africa since he was a child. He even reportedly co-founded Sentebale back in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The organizations goal is to help young individuals in Southern Africa.

However, now, sources tell NewsNations Paula Froelich that Prince Harry is deeply depressed and embarrassed by the Sentebale charity scandal he is enmeshed in and devastated that the charity he founded has been ripped away from him.

Lainey Wilson rules the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards once again, Alan Jackson is honored

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Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso both released a joint statement in April, stating:

With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charitys trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.

He loves his charities  this is what he wants to spend his life doing and now, one of them is gone  and in the most horrible way, the source said.

Prince Harry waves as he leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

On March 31, The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry allegedly sent a chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, an unpleasant and imperious message after she declined to defend Meghan Markle, whom Chandauka claims showed up unannounced and caused an awkward scene during the trophy presentation.

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The U.K.-based Charity Commission has confirmed that they are investigating the Sentebale charity.

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Geoscience professor Nan Crystal Arens says the "many ways that microplastics might be harmful to humans" hasn't been studied sufficiently  and she secured a $358,976 grant from the National Science Foundation to spend three years investigating the issue with a team of undergraduates in New York, according to the Finger Lakes Times.

What's happening?

Concerns about microplastics, defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as plastic particles "less than five millimeters in length (or about the size of a pencil eraser)," have been steadily increasing in recent years.

Those concerns exist in part because microplastics have been found virtually "everywhere," often in areas rarely or barely touched by human activity, like Antarctica.

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A pair of high school students recently identified "a concerning level" of microplastics in two remote lakes at Grand Teton National Park. Their findings were worrisome in part because the National Park Service does not routinely test for microplastic pollution.

Why is research into microplastics important?

The fact that microplastics have proliferated across land, sea, and air is one of two things often centered in reporting on the issue.

The other, as Harvard Magazine noted in 2023, is that research into whether microplastics "pose threats to human health is still in its infancy"  a sentiment Arens echoed recently when discussing the NSF grant.

Finger Lakes Times spoke with Arens, a professor of geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, about the newly awarded NSF grant. It will fund a collaboration between Arens and Professor Linda Tseng of The City College of New York, focused on the "impact of microplastics in the Finger Lakes watershed" in Central and Western New York.

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Arens explained that there are "many ways that microplastics might be harmful to humans, but we don't have a ton of evidence compiled yet," a sentiment frequently expressed by scientists sounding the alarm on plastic pollution.

Arens described the three-year collaborative effort between HWS and CCNY as an opportunity for undergraduates to engage in "cutting-edge research on microplastic pollution," and to "contribute to meaningful scientific inquiry while preparing them to address pressing environmental challenges."

Researchers are quick to note that more inquiry is needed to truly understand the impact of microplastics on human health  but existing research has identified potential risks to liver health and cognition, and microplastics have even been found in human semen samples.

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.

What can I do about microplastics in the environment?

Scientists have repeatedly called for more research into the pervasive presence of microplastics in our air and water and their effects on human health, but research is not the sum of what we can do to understand and ultimately limit our everyday exposure to microplastics.

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Fast fashion's impact on the environment is well-documented, and adopting a more sustainable approach to shopping can further reduce exposure to microplastics, both directly and indirectly.

Limiting or eschewing single-use plastics is another way to avoid contributing to the sheer volume of microplastics in our environment.

Avoiding plastic water bottles and not microwaving foods in plastic containers can reduce ingestion of microplastics as well  and researchers are working on a way to turn plastic waste into a valuable material known as graphene.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
A new program providing an alternative response to mental health-related 911 calls has been officially launched in Oklahoma City.

Mobile Integrated Healthcare  an Oklahoma City Fire Department program developed through the city's Public Safety Partnership  is meant to divert mental health emergency calls away from police and toward trained behavioral health professionals who can better address the caller's needs.

As Assistant City Manager Jason Ferbrache puts it, not every emergency call needs a police response. Recent demands for police reform have compelled law enforcement to reexamine how certain emergencies might be better addressed by mental health workers, freeing police to instead focus on other problems and serious crimes.

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There are calls that come in that really are specifically behavioral health in nature, and so as a city, we now have the staff to respond, especially in that area, to help folks who are experiencing behavioral issues, said Ferbrache, who oversees the citys police and fire departments and law enforcement policy implementation. The other plus side to that is, if we have staff dedicated to responding to 911 calls involving behavioral health, that adds capacity to our other first responders, police, fire and EMSA, that can deal with those life-threatening emergencies  so its really a twofold approach.

Related: Oklahoma City demonstrates progress for mental health services in new report

How and why did Mobile Integrated Healthcare get started?

A Mobile Integrated Healthcare vehicle is pictured during the official launch of OKC Mobile Integrated Healthcare.

Mobile Integrated Healthcare, which has been in development since last year, is a response to 39 recommendations on eight topics made to Oklahoma City officials in 2022. The recommendations  a result of the work of the mayors Law Enforcement Policy Task Force, the Community Policing Working Group and the city-hired consultant 21CP Solutions  ranged from prioritizing de-escalation, improving officer wellness and exploring alternative responses to mental health calls.

Demands for an alternative public safety response to behavioral health issues grew out of increased calls for police reform in Oklahoma City, which heightened after local and nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020.

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For the past two years, the citys Public Safety Partnership has involved community stakeholders, city officials and law enforcement collaborating on how to enact the recommended reforms. Andrea Grayson, the Public Safety Partnerships implementation manager, said Mobile Integrated Healthcare expands two programs that had been in place at the fire department: the Overdose Response Team formed in 2023 and the Community Advocacy Program begun in 2019.

More: What is OKC's plan for reform following DOJ inquiry into mental health emergency calls?

There was also a specific recommendation that we determine existing community resources and capacity for an alternative response model in the community, Grayson said. And in doing the research, we made the determination to keep that in-house and to build and launch Mobile Integrated Health. It was really just a natural progression and an organic development, because the fire department already had those health programs that were already set up, and it just made sense.

What does Mobile Integrated Healthcare do?

The inside of a Mobile Integrated Healthcare vehicle is shown during the official launch of OKC Mobile Integrated Healthcare.

The city started staffing Mobile Integrated Healthcare in late 2024 with a 27-member team, including a program manager, clinicians, paramedics, response navigators and peer recovery support specialists. The city also purchased vans specially fitted to serve residents experiencing mental health crises.

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There are four subteams that make up Mobile Integrated Healthcare, which include:

The Crisis Call Diversion Team embedded at the 911 Call Center, helping to provide de-escalation, stabilization and support for callers in need of mental health service;

The Crisis Response Team, responding to mental health emergencies where a person might be showing signs of being a risk to themselves or others;

The Alternative Response Team that continues working overdose responses, as well as less-severe behavioral and mental health calls; and

The Community Advocacy Program, which helps individuals who frequently call 911 for nonemergency needs get connected to community resources that can better serve them.

Related: A look at the effort to expand mental health workers' role in policing

The teams were recognized during a May 6 ceremony officially launching Mobile Integrated Healthcare at Oklahoma City Fire Department Station No. 1, 820 NW Fifth St.

Fire Chief Richard A. Kelley speaks during the official launch of OKC Mobile Integrated Healthcare on May 6. Kelley said the people in the new program are "experts in their area that are passionate about serving others.

Were about public services, were about meeting the needs of our community, but what we most importantly have is stepping into space and putting the right people in the right place, said Oklahoma City Fire Chief Richard Kelley. And what Im really proud of is this being a behavioral health forward program that really has excellent people that are first class. Theyre experts in their area that are passionate about serving others.

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Lori Brown-Loftis, who became program manager in September, has worked in the mental health field for 16 years. She said the Mobile Health team members have been working in a soft launch capacity since January, trying to become accustomed to working with the different resources in different settings with limited hours, and was excited to see the program officially launch.

Mobile Integrated Healthcare now operates from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The program manager said there are plans to extend operating hours in the future.

I feel like being able to provide mental health treatment in a trauma-informed way in the community, helping people stay in the least restrictive environment  Im incredibly passionate about that, Brown-Loftis said. Its been such an incredible and exciting thing to be a part of something brand new in Oklahoma City. Its so needed, and Im just glad to be a part of it, honestly, and to help sort of shape how Oklahoma City is responding to people who are struggling with mental health.

Lori Brown-Loftis, program manager for Mobile Integrated Healthcare, speaks during the official launch of the program.

More: OKCPD sees decrease in mental health calls directed to police, partly due to 988 success

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The program also was developed with guidance from the citys Crisis Intervention Advisory Group, a committee of mental and behavioral health experts, social service providers, clinicians, academics and community advocates who were brought in to help ensure best practices are being followed.

Jessica Hawkins, director of community initiatives at the nonprofit Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, is the lead facilitator for the Crisis Intervention Advisory Group. She said the committee meets regularly to be briefed on the progress of the mobile health teams, who have already had an incredible impact responding to hundreds of calls in the past few months.

This allows for an opportunity to keep law enforcement in the field doing what they do in the space of public safety, Hawkins said. Theyve already realized quite a bit of time and cost savings, I know, by not having to dispatch police into situations where theyre not the best responder, and this is just going to continue to go up and up and be a big win for the city and the residents.

Jessica Hawkins, Healthy Minds director of community initiatives, speaks during the launch of OKC Mobile Integrated Healthcare. She said the mobile health teams have already made an impact, responding to hundreds of calls in the past few months.

Hawkins also said it was refreshing to see Oklahoma City leadership investing real time, money and effort into finding solutions for behavioral and mental health issues. She has long advocated for establishing protective factors that can prevent harmful problems from happening to residents in the first place.

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Life happens, and people have circumstances mostly out of their control that lead them into a situation of distress, Hawkins said, and if we can intervene appropriately as early as possible, with the best possible care applied to whats happening for that person, we can prevent these events from happening ever again.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Mobile Integrated Healthcare responding to mental health calls in OKC
NEW JERSEY (PIX11)  Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has been released after he was arrested for allegedly trespassing at an ICE facility in New Jersey Friday, officials said.

The politician said he was released at 8 p.m. and charged with trespassing.

Baraka was taken into custody at Delaney Hall in Newark, where he has been protesting since the new immigration facility opened by the President Donald Trump administration, authorities said.

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ICE officials arrested the mayor during a raucous scene caught on video. In video of the altercation shared with The Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of the Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he could not join a tour of the facility because you are not a congress member.

Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: Theyre talking about coming back to arrest you.

Im not on their property. They cant come out on the street and arrest me, Baraka replied.

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Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join a scheduled tour of the facility with three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

When they arrested the mayor, he was in the public domain. He was not on their property, Rep. Coleman said.

McIver said she and her colleagues were allegedly assaulted by ICE police officers.

It was unnecessary force. It was really, really ridiculous, she said.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that as a bus of detainees was entering the detention center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.

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The Newark mayor was visiting Delaney Hall to conduct oversight after the building was turned into an ICE facility.

Delany Hall was leased for $63 million annually from a private prison group known as The GEO Group. The city of Newark is suing for more inspections, claiming ICE has not indicated how many detainees it has in the building  which can only house 1,000 people.

Baraka said on Monday that the issues at Delany Hall go beyond the lack of safety inspections and proper permits.

This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates.

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here.

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NEW LENOX, Ill.  Excitement continues to run high about the new pope inside the halls of Providence Catholic High School. Pope Leo XIV has spent a lot of quality time there.

My dad was texting me. We were in lunch, and he was like, We met the pope, and I was like, What? Thats crazy. I just couldnt believe it, senior Maia Allen said.

Allen and several of her classmates met Pope Leo XIV last August when he visited Providence Catholic High School for mass.

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After mass we had a brunch, and Hannah and I were able to talk to him about our experience in Peru. We went last summer on a school trip, and he spent a lot of time serving there, senior Reagan Sincak said.

The ladies remember the formal cardinal as very kind, wise, humorous and humble.

Usually when you think of a cardinal, you think of all the extravagant clothes they wear but at the time Prevost came to mass, he was just wearing the normal Augustinian attire, senior Laurel Murach said. It showed how humble he was and didnt think of himself to be above anyone.

He was also well-connected.

Ill never forget he pulled out two phones from his pocket and he was like, This is my personal phone, and this phone is directly to the pope, senior Hannah Winkleman said.

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While meeting then Cardinal Prevost was a first for most students, hes like family to many of the adults.

WGNs full coverage on Pope Leo XIV

Hes from Dolton and I am from Calumet City, and we went through seminary together. We kind of bonded well because we are from the same area, Faither John Merkelis, President of Providence Catholic High School, said.

Those who know him say Pope Leo XIV is like a bridge, someone who listens to all sides and takes his time making a decision.

Hes someone who the Providence Catholic High School family say will lead the Catholic Church well.

He practices the faith and the teachings in the Church, but he has faith, and he inspires faith in people, Paul Houston, principal of the school, said.

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Im proud that its someone from this area, senior Katherine Timm said. I feel like the people from this area have a lot of heart and we really know how to look out for each other.

Graduation is in about two weeks, and while its a long shot, the seniors want leaders at the school to reach out to Pope Leo XIV to see if he will return as their graduation speaker.

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Public frustration in the UK is growing over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's continued use of royal titles and requests for taxpayer-funded security.

According to a new poll, most Brits seem to want Harry stripped of his title, citing his departure from royal duties and repeated criticisms of the monarchy.

Meghan Markle has also faced backlash for using her HRH title privately, though insiders claim no rules were broken.

Calls To Strip Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Of Their Titles Intensify: 'Enough Is Enough'

MEGA

Frustration is mounting among the British public, calling for Harry and Meghan to be stripped of their royal titles, with one local stating, "Enough is enough."

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Speaking to the New York Post, one frustrated British individual voiced their discontent, questioning why the public should pay for security for Harry, Meghan, and their children: "Why on Earth do we, the British public, need to foot the bill for this?"

They added: "He chose to leave. Simple as. Want security? Should've stayed."

A recent survey by the Express also revealed that a staggering 97% of the 4,500 respondents believed King Charles should revoke Harry's royal title.

This sentiment was echoed by a previous poll from Find Out Now, which highlighted a sharp decline in support for the Sussexes in the UK.

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However, the public sentiment hasn't deterred Meghan from occasionally using her HRH title in private settings.

Meghan Markle Used Her HRH Title To Send A Gift To A Friend

MEGA

Last month, the Duchess of Sussex was revealed to have used her title on a personal note attached to a gift basket shared by her friend Jamie Kern Lima.

Sharp-eyed observers noticed a note that read, "With Compliments of HRH The Duchess of Sussex," which had been sent about a year ago.

Meanwhile, sources close to Meghan clarified that the use of the HRH title was in a private, personal context and not intended for public exposure.

They denied any violation of the Sussexes' agreement with the late Queen Elizabeth II, asserting that neither Harry nor Meghan uses their HRH titles in commercial or public contexts.

Meghan Markle's Use Of HRH Title Sparked Backlash

MEGA

The incident with Meghan's HRH title quickly made waves in Britain, with a royal insider revealing to the New York Post that the matter was even discussed behind closed palace doors.

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One former supporter of Harry and Meghan expressed disappointment, claiming that the couple has made every effort to embarrass the monarchy, especially during such a delicate time for Charles, who is battling cancer.

He described their actions as "despicable," referring to their numerous high-profile, lucrative projects like Harry's controversial memoir, "Spare," their Netflix series "Harry & Meghan," and the explosive 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview.

"It's constant attacks without any real consequences," he added. "The [late] queen would be horrified."

Prince Harry Sparks Outrage With BBC Interview After Losing Legal Battle Over His UK Security

MEGA

Harry stirred fresh controversy last week after addressing his strained ties with the royal family during a BBC interview just hours after losing his legal fight to receive publicly funded security in the UK.

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The Duke of Sussex expressed deep disappointment over the court's decision, describing the outcome as the result of a "good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up."

He referenced a troubling conspiracy theory, hinting that some influential figures might want him and his family to suffer a fate similar to that of his mother, Princess Diana, who tragically died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Harry didn't hold back during the interview, criticizing Charles for cutting off communication. He also reflected on his father's cancer battle, saying, "Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has; he won't speak to me because of this security stuff. It would be nice to reconcile."

Royal Commentators Slam Prince Harry's BBC Interview as 'Disturbing' And 'Rushed'

MEGA

During a recent episode of "Palace Confidential," royal commentators dissected Harry's explosive BBC interview, with several expressing concern over his tone and claims.

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The Daily Mail's Royal Editor, Rebecca English, characterized the interview as a "monumental hissy fit," pointing out how unsettling it was that Harry suggested there are individuals who wish him harm and might view his security loss as a personal victory.

"Some aspects of it are really very disturbing," she remarked. "Where Harry goes from here, I don't know."

Other royal experts, Charlotte Griffiths and Richard Eden, echoed similar sentiments, with host Jo Elvin noting that Harry came across as "beyond furious," a view Eden supported.

"I am going to have to be careful with how I phrase this, but I thought he didn't look well in his expression, his demeanor," Eden continued.

He also speculated that the interview appeared rushed, saying, "Often if you are angry about something, people say you should sleep on it, but this seemed to be something, and I think the BBC would confirm that it was done in a hurry."
Vladimir Putin will think through a Western proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, after Britain, the US and European allies threatened to send more weapons to Kyiv if Russia did not comply by Monday.

The ultimatum was made after a meeting in Kyiv, where the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland, together with Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke on the phone with Donald Trump, the US president.

In response, the Russian President proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine at a meeting in Istanbul on Thursday.

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It was not Russia that broke off negotiations in 2022, Putin said, blaming Kyiv.

Nevertheless, we are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions.

Let me remind you that as a result of these negotiations, a joint draft document was prepared, and it was initialled by the head of the Kyiv negotiating group, but at the insistence of the West, it was thrown into the trash.

Sir Keir Starmer told the Russian president that there should be no more ifs and buts and that he must agree to a truce or face further sanctions on its energy and banking sectors.

All of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin out. If hes serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it now, Sir Keir said at a press conference.

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The Kremlin then agreed to think through the proposal, without committing to sign anything.

We have to think this through. It is a new development, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, said. But trying to pressure us is quite useless.

Moscows unilateral three-day ceasefire declared for the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany was due to expire on Saturday night.

The Russian president insisted that during the ceasefire Kyiv has made five attempts to attack the Russian border.

Russia has repeatedly made ceasefire initiatives, Putin said.

Kyiv authorities have not responded to any of our ceasefire proposals.

Show of unity in Ukraine

The unprecedented visit to Kyiv was the first time the leaders of the four European nations had made a joint trip to Ukraine.

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Sir Keir, together with Emmanuel Macron, the French president, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, and Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, also held a videoconference with around 20 member countries of the coalition of the willing supporting Ukraine.

Afterwards, Sir Keir said: So we are clear, all five leaders here  all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the coalition of the willing  an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putins conditions, and clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.

Working with president Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraines defence to pressure Russia back to the table.

No more ifs and buts. No more conditions and delays. Putin didnt need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade. And he doesnt need them now.

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Ukraine has shown their willingness to engage again and again. But again and again, Putin has refused.

On a visit to Kyiv, Sir Keir Starmer said sanctions would be ramped up and military aid for Ukraines defence would be increased to pressure Russia back to the table - Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street

Keith Kellogg, Mr Trumps special envoy to Ukraine, was not at the meeting, but said that a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire, covering attacks from the air, land, sea and on infrastructure, will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.

Mr Macron said that the US would take the lead in monitoring the proposed agreement, with support from European countries. He threatened massive sanctions, prepared and co-ordinated, between Europeans and Americans should Russia violate the truce.

Addressing scepticism over whether fresh sanctions against Moscow would work, Mr Merz said almost all member states of the European Union and a large coalition of the willing around the world are determined to enforce these sanctions even if our initiative of the weekend should fail.

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Russia has long said that it was open to talks, accusing Kyiv of closing off that option by adopting a 2022 decree ruling out any negotiation with Putin.

On Friday, Mr Peskov said that Russia supported the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, but only with due consideration of a large number of nuances.

He also suggested that Western military assistance for Ukraine would have to stop in order for a ceasefire to occur. Otherwise, it will be an advantage for Ukraine, he said.

Russia believes it has the advantage on the battlefield and says it is concerned that Ukraine could use a 30-day pause in the war to rest its forces, mobilise more men and get hold of more Western arms.

The European leaders paid their respects to victims of war at the Memorial for the Fallen at Independence Square in Kyiv - LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

In Kyiv, Mr Macron did not commit to the Russian proposal.

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There is no precondition. Neither stopping delivery of arms to protect and resist for you [Ukraine], he told Mr Zelensky.

The leaders also discussed security guarantees for Ukraine.

Foreign troops could be deployed

Building up the countrys military capabilities will be a key deterrent against Russia, while a force comprised of foreign troops could also be deployed as an added reassurance measure, Mr Macron said.

He said details about potential European deployments to Ukraine were still being fine-tuned, and no mention was made of Nato membership, still Kyivs top choice for a security guarantee.

Earlier on Saturday, the European leaders joined a ceremony at Kyivs Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. They lit candles alongside Mr Zelensky at a makeshift flag memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians killed since Russias invasion.

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Hours before, and despite Russias own supposed ceasefire, three people were killed and four others wounded by Russian shelling in Ukraines northern Sumy region. Another civilian died on Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

The US embassy in Kyiv on Friday warned of a potentially significant Russian air attack in the coming days, without giving details.

In November Russia gave the US brief advance warning before striking Ukraine for the first time with its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, an experimental hypersonic weapon that Putin claimed could travel at 10 times the speed of sound.

Ukrainian Telegram channels linked the embassys warning to reports of an imminent flight ban by Moscow over the Kapustin Yar military training and rocket launch complex. A similar flight ban preceded Novembers strike.

06:59 PM BST

Live coverage has now ended

Our live coverage of events in Ukraine and Russia has now ended for today. Thank you for reading.

05:39 PM BST

Pictured: Putin meets Vietnamese Communist Party general secretary in the Kremlin

Vladimir Putin, center right, and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, center left, talk to each other during their meeting in the Grand Palace at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 10 - Sergei Bobylev/RIA Novosti

05:11 PM BST

Turkey ready to observe potential Ukraine ceasefire

Turkey is ready to observe a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, its foreign minister said during a call with Kyiv and its allies, according to a Turkish foreign ministry source.

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The leaders of Ukraine, Britain, France, Germany and Poland demanded Vladimir Putin agree to a 30-day ceasefire beginning on Monday. They threatened massive new sanctions if Russian leader failed to comply.

Hakan Fidan, Turkeys Foreign Minister, joined a call with the five leaders when they met in Kyiv today and emphasised his countrys commitment to Ukraines territorial integrity, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Mr Fidan was said to have voiced Ankaras support for the unconditional ceasefire and added that Turkey was ready to help in observing the truce if it is established.

It was not clear if this would mean Turkish troops deployed in Ukraine to enforce the pause in fighting.

04:45 PM BST

Starmer tells Putin: No ifs or buts, its time for a ceasefire

Sir Keir Starmer told Vladimir Putin that there should be no more ifs and buts and that he must agree to a 30-day ceasefire.

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Ukraine and European leaders have agreed to an unconditional 30-day truce with the backing of US President Donald Trump, threatening President Vladimir Putin with new massive sanctions if he failed to comply.

The announcement was made by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine in Kyiv, after they held a phone call with Mr Trump. The US leader, who wants a rapid peace, has not commented publicly on the course of action.

So all of us here together with the US are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it, Sir Keir said afterwards.

No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays.

04:14 PM BST

Zelensky: We are waiting for Russias response

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and its allies are waiting for Russians response after demanding Putin agree to a 30-day ceasefire beginning on Monday.

We share a common view: an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire is needed for at least 30 days, the Ukrainian president wrote in a post on X. We propose it begin on Monday, May 12. We are waiting for Russias response.

Mr Zelensky added that he and Sir Keir Starmer - as well as the leaders of France, Germany and Poland - had spoken with Donald Trump at the end of a meeting in Kyiv today, and that it was a good conversation - positive and concrete.

The 30-day ceasefire proposal was first put forward by the United States during peace talks in Saudi Arabia.

03:33 PM BST

Pictured: Macron looks towards Sir Keir Starmer during Kyiv meeting

Emmanuel Macron looks towards the Prime Minister during a meeting in Kyiv - LUDOVIC MARIN/REUTERS

03:25 PM BST

European statements are contradictory and confrontational, says Kremlin

The Kremlin accused European countries of making contradictory and confrontational statements, after leaders demanded a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine and threatened Russia with massive sanctions if it failed to comply.

We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, told reporters.

Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that he is ready for contacts with any leaders, Peskov said. And he is open to interaction, to dialogue with any leaders to the extent that the leaders themselves are ready.

On Friday Peskov was quoted as saying that Russia supported the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, but only with due consideration of a large number of nuances.

In separate remarks aired on Saturday, he suggested that Western military assistance for Ukraine would have to stop in order for a ceasefire to happen. Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine, he said.

Emmanuel Macron ruled out agreeing to halting military aid to Kyiv, saying the proposed ceasefire would have no preconditions.

Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Vietnams Communist Party General Secretary To Lam in Moscow, Russia May 10 - Anton Vaganov/REUTERS

03:14 PM BST

Macron rules out agreeing to halt military aid to Ukraine during ceasefire

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, ruled out agreeing to halt military aid to Ukraine during a potential 30-day ceasefire period.

There is no precondition. Neither stopping delivery of arms to protect and resist for you [Ukraine], he told Volodymyr Zelensky.

The French president said if Russia did not comply with the proposed ceasefire, it must face consequences with additional sanctions and further support to Ukraine.

And we have to prepare a new package of sanctions which should not be business as usual, he added.

Mr Macron was earlier asked what Ukraine and its allies would do if Russia demanded a halt on military aid to Kyiv as a condition for agreeing to the proposed truce.

Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea of a month-long ceasefire, saying the West would use the break in fighting to rearm Ukraine.

02:57 PM BST

Starmer: We are standing up for the same values as we did in WW2

Sir Keir Starmer said supporting Ukraine is about the same values that the Allies fought for in the Second World War.

This week we have been celebrating 80 years since the end of the Second World War, the Prime Minister said at a meeting in Kyiv.

What that war was about were the values of freedom and democracy and the right of countries to make their own decisions. Their sovereign right to do so.

Those are the same values that we are addressing here today.

02:32 PM BST

Starmer: One country started this war, and one country stands in the way of peace

Sir Keir Starmer said one country started this illegal conflict and only one country stands in the way of resolving it peacefully during a meeting of Ukraine and its allies in Kyiv.

Speaking from Kyiv, the Prime Minister said: It is an important moment because, as Volodymyr has just said, there is this ceasefire-for-30-days proposal that is very clearly now on the table.

Volodymyr, I think you first  with courage  put forward this proposal probably two months ago now, as the way forward? Emmanuel [Macron] and I have been discussing it intensively, including this week, and pushing the case of 30 days.

Other allies in Europe have joined that, and of course the US position is now absolutely clear. So we have unity in relation to the proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

That is a really important moment of this conflict that we should focus on in this meeting of the coalition of the willing, and remind ourselves that only one country started this illegal conflict, and that was Russia and Putin, and only one country stands in the way of resolving it peacefully, and that is Russia and Putin.

Keir Starmer with Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Tusk at a press conference during todays meeting in Kyiv - Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street/No 10 Downing Street

02:25 PM BST

Meeting in Kyiv shows strength of our unity, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer said the meeting in Kyiv between Ukraine and European allies showed the strength of our unity.

It is a very important symbolic meeting showing the strength of our unity, the Prime Minister said.

And its timely because this awful conflict has been going on now for over three years, and this week we have been celebrating 80 years since the end of the second world war, VE Day has been celebrated across Europe.

What the war was about were the values of freedom and democracy and the right of countries to make their own decisions, their sovereign right to do so.

Those are the same values that we are addressing here today, and so it is timely, it is important and I pay tribute to the courage and resilience of the Ukrainians that have fought this conflict for three long years.

Sir Keir Starmer speaks during press conference at the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv - Vitalii Nosach/AP

02:19 PM BST

Starmer: We are calling Putin out

Sir Keir Starmer said that European allies together with the US are calling Putin out, as they attempted to ramp up pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

Speaking from Kyiv, the Prime Minister said that allies will ramp up sanctions if the Russian president turns his back on peace as he and allies backed plans for a 30-day ceasefire.

The Prime Minister and his Ukrainian, French, German and Polish counterparts spoke with Donald Trump earlier on Saturday to update him on their progress on the so-called coalition of the willing.

Speaking from Kyiv, he said the five leaders in the Ukrainian capital on Saturday had agreed on the need for an unconditional ceasefire.

The Prime Minister said all of us here, together with US, are calling Putin out.

01:58 PM BST

Macron: Europe sees itself as a power

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said: Whats happening with Poland, Germany and Great Britain is a historic moment for European defence and toward a greater independence for our security.

Obviously, for Ukraine and all of us. Its a new era. Its a Europe that sees itself as a power.

01:49 PM BST

Starmer: Absolute unity between allies on proposed Ukraine ceasefire

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday there was absolute unity between Kyivs allies on a proposed 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

The position weve now got to today is absolute unity across a whole range of countries around the world, including the United States, that there must be that 30-day unconditional ceasefire, Starmer told a press conference in Kyiv.

01:46 PM BST

Macron threatens massive sanctions

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Saturday that Russia would face massive coordinated European and US sanctions if it broke a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine proposed by Kyivs Western allies.

In the event of a violation of this ceasefire, we have agreed that massive sanctions will be prepared and coordinated between Europeans and Americans, Macron told a press conference in Kyiv.

Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv - WPA Pool/Getty Images Europe

12:01 PM BST

Russia to close airspace over Oreshnik launch site

Russia will reportedly close its airspace over a suspected Oreshnik ballistic missile launch site from May 12-13, raising fears Vladimir Putin is preparing a major attack on Ukraine.

A notice about the airspace closure over the Kapustin Yar training and launch complex was published on the US Defence Departments Notice to Airmen website on May 10, Ukrainian defence news outlet Militarnyi reported.

It came after the US embassy in Kyiv last night issued a rare security alert warning of a potential significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days.

The Oreshnik is an experimental intermediate-ballistic missile equipped with six warheads that can be fitted with a conventional or nuclear payload. Its speed and manoeuvrability make it extremely difficult to intercept.

It was first used in combat in November in an attack on Dnipro, however it appeared to have been fitted with inert munitions.

11:18 AM BST

Pictured: Starmer, Macron and Zelensky pay tribute to fallen Ukrainians

Starmer, Macron and Zelensky pay tribute to fallen Ukrainians - Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street/No 10 Downing Street

11:00 AM BST

Russia and North Korea have blood-sealed bilateral relationship, says Kim Jong-un

Russia and North Korea have a blood-sealed bilateral relationship, Kim Jong-un said as he visited Moscows embassy in Pyongyang to celebrate Victory Day on Friday.

The North Korean dictator said he wanted to congratulate Russia on the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, and celebrate this historic day with the Russian friends.

The two countries have a blood-sealed bilateral relationship [that] will continue to be in its heyday in the future, making a perfect demonstration of its inexhaustible potential in all realms, Kim was quoted as saying by state media.

He said it took only 80 seconds for him to travel to the embassy from the Korean Workers Party headquarters, which reminded him of 80 years of spiritual intimacy between Pyongyang and Moscow since the end of the Second World War.

Thanks to Comrade President Putins outstanding foresight and decision, the Korea-Russia relationship has regained its original features befitting allies and made the choice which could not be substituted by anything else for all its fate.

Kim Jong Un and his daughter visit the Russian embassy in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of Russias victory in the war over Germany, May 9 - STR/AFP

10:42 AM BST

Russia will face harder sanctions if it refuses ceasefire, Germany says

Russia will face much tougher sanctions if it refuses a 30-day ceasefire demanded by the West, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said in an interview published on Saturday.

If Putin does not agree to the truce, there will be a massive hardening of sanctions and the massive aid to Ukraine will continue - politically, of course, but also financially and militarily, Mr Merz told the Bild newspaper.

We agree with the US government, with Donald Trump. We are demanding a 30-day ceasefire so that peace negotiations can be prepared during this period, he said.

The ball is now in Putins court. Putin must respond to this offer.

10:33 AM BST

Kremlin: Starmers sanctions plan does not scare us

The Kremlin has said it is not worried by Sir Keir Starmers announcement of new sanctions on Russia.

We have already become accustomed to sanctions, we can already even imagine what we will do after these sanctions are announced, how we will minimise their consequences, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, was quoted by Russian state media as saying.

Scaring Russia with the threat of new restrictions was a waste of time, Peskov added.

Downing Street on Friday said it was planning the largest ever sanctions package on Russias shadow fleet, which transports the Kremlins oil across the world.

10:26 AM BST

Victory Day parade made Europe nervous, Kremlin says

The Kremlin said Russias Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday made Europe nervous.

Europeans are nervous about what is happening in Moscow on May 9, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, was quoted as saying by Russian state media.

He added: Europeans are nervous about the large international consolidation around Victory Day.

And the large international consolidation around pride in that victory over fascism and for the liberation of the world from fascism.

10:07 AM BST

Slovak PM derides EU attempts to keep him from Moscow war commemorations

Robert Fico, Slovakias prime minister, says his country wants to develop relations with Russia, and derided those in the European Union who he said created obstacles to his attendance at Second World War commemorations in Moscow.

Mr Fico broke ranks with the EU by visiting Moscow late last year, more than two years after Russias invasion of Ukraine.

He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin late on Friday evening following the Red Square parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

Chinas Xi Jinping was among several dozen leaders at the commemorations, but nearly all Western leaders stayed away.

Fico arrived after a circuitous journey made necessary by EU members barring his aircraft from their airspace.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Kremlin - Maxim Shemetov / POOL / AFP/Maxim Shemetov / POOL / AFP

As a head of government, I want to assure you that it is in my interest to have pragmatic relations with the Russian Federation, Russian news agencies quoted Fico as telling Putin.

He said he opposed the creation of any new iron curtain and pledge to do everything so that we can shake hands across a curtain.

Let us consider as a childish joke all the technical problems we confronted, created by our European Union colleagues.

Putin said Russia appreciated Ficos decision to attend despite the logistical obstacles that were created. But you are nonetheless here.

09:22 AM BST

Russia says Western arms flows to Ukraine would need to stop during any ceasefire

Russia would require a halt to US and European arms supplies to Ukraine during any potential ceasefire, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with ABC News.

Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilisation, bringing new troops to (the) frontline, Peskov said.

Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones. So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?

US President Donald Trump urged Russia and Ukraine on Friday to get this stupid war finished, as he pushed for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine says it is willing to agree to.

But Peskov, in the interview, restated Russian concerns that Putin had made public as far back as March 13 and set out in a phone call with Trump on March 18.

A ceasefire was supported by President Putin, but he asked several questions. He said that right now we have certain dynamics on the front, Russian troops are advancing, and advancing in quite a confident way, he said.

So if we speak about ceasefire, what are we going to do with shipments of weapons coming every day from the United States and from European countries?

08:51 AM BST

Zelensky posts morning highlights

The Ukrainian president has posted a slick video on social media of his busy morning with the European leaders.

We commemorated the warriors who gave their lives for our freedom and Ukraine's independence.



Eternal glory and gratitude to the heroes  those who are no longer with us, but who will forever remain in our hearts. Eternal memory to those who gave their lives defending Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/6goudUUGhk  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 10, 2025

08:40 AM BST

Macron calls for direct talks between Ukraine and Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Saturday for direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in the event of a ceasefire in Moscows three-year invasion.

If there is a 30-day truce, as Western countries have floated, we will look to direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, we are ready to help, Macron said in an interview with French news outlets TF1 and LCI while travelling to Kyiv to meet European leaders.

Macron in Kyiv this morning - REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

08:12 AM BST

Leaders visit Ukraines Independence Square

Before any meetings this morning, the leaders have paid their respects to the victims of war at the Memorial for the Fallen at the Independence Square in Kyiv.

Sir Keir Starmer and his counterparts from Germany, France and Poland visit the Memorial for the Fallen - LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

08:07 AM BST

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon

The grownups meet in Kyiv today to deal with Putin and his excitement over his parade

A peace deal and ceasefire seem far away, but there is a suggestion that the wind may be about to change.

Read Hamishs full piece here.



08:04 AM BST

What is the visit for?

Their visit to Kyiv is designed to expose Putin as a barrier to peace as he continues to resist American, Ukrainian and European calls to sign up to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

The three leaders will also convene a meeting of the coalition of the willing that plans to defend Ukraines airspace and seas and train Kyivs armed forces to deter future Russian attacks following any peace deal.

08:01 AM BST

European leaders arrive in Kyiv

French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have arrived in Kyiv.

The three arrived by train from Poland. They are dut to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, along with Polish premier Donald Tusk.

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Russian soldiers killed a man in the Dniprovskyi district in Kherson using a drone at around 07:00 on Saturday 10 May, when the so-called "Putin ceasefire" was supposed to be in effect.

Source: Kherson Oblast Military Administration

Details: Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported that the man had suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.

In addition, two people have been injured in the oblast on Saturday.

The Russians targeted residential areas in the oblast settlements, damaging four houses. They also destroyed a car.

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A Qatari mission has begun searching for the remains of United States hostages killed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group in Syria about 10 years ago, according to the Reuters news agency, citing two sources briefed on the mission.

Qatars International Search and Rescue Group began the search on Wednesday, with the help of several US nationals who wished to remain anonymous, the news agency reported.

So far, three unidentified bodies have been found by the group, according to the sources. The missions focus was on locating the body of aid worker Peter Kassig, who was beheaded by ISIL in 2014 in Dabiq, northern Syria, a Syrian security source told Reuters.

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US aid worker Kayla Mueller as well as US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were among other Western hostages killed by ISIL. Foley and Sotloff were confirmed killed in 2014. Muellers killing was confirmed in 2015.

Were grateful for anyone taking on this task and risking their lives in some circumstances to try and find the bodies of Jim and the other hostages, said Diane Foley, James Foleys mother. We thank all those involved in this effort.

The Qatari mission is getting under way as US President Donald Trump prepares to visit Doha and other Gulf Arab capitals next week and as Syrias new government seeks relief from sanctions imposed by the US.

Washington, along with some other Western governments, has said it will wait to see how the new authorities exercise their power and ensure human rights before lifting any sanctions.

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The United Kingdom last month removed its sanctions on 12 Syrian government entities, including the Ministries of Defence and Interior and the General Intelligence Directorate.

Longstanding commitment

ISIL once controlled vast swaths of Syria and Iraq, ruling over millions of people. At the peak of its power from 2014-2017, it beheaded numerous people in captivity, including Western hostages, and released videos of the killings.

A coalition of more than 80 countries, led by the US, was formed to fight ISIL in September 2014.

The war against the group officially ended in March 2019, when US-backed and Kurdish-led fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces captured the eastern Syrian town of Baghouz, the last sliver of land ISIL controlled.

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Plans for the Qatari mission were discussed during a visit to Washington in April by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and State Minister Mohammed Al Khulaifi  a trip also designed to prepare for Trumps visit to Qatar, one of the sources told Reuters.

Another person familiar with the issue said there had been a longstanding commitment by successive US administrations to find the remains of the murdered US nationals, and that there had been multiple previous efforts with US government officials on the ground in Syria to search very specific areas.

The person did not elaborate, the report said. But the US has had hundreds of soldiers deployed in northeastern Syria that have continued pursuing ISILs remnants.

The person said the remains of Kassig, Sotloff and Foley were most likely located in this part of the country. Muellers case was different as she was in the custody of ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the person added.

Two ISIL members, both former UK citizens who were part of a cell dubbed the Beatles that beheaded US hostages, are serving life prison sentences in the US.




PRINCETON, N.J. (AP)  A group of Quakers are marching more than 300 miles from New York City to Washington, D.C., to demonstrate against the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrants.

The march extends a long tradition of Quaker activism. Historically, Quakers have been involved in peaceful protests to end wars and slavery, and support womens voting rights in line with their commitment to justice and peace. Far more recently, Quakers sued the federal government earlier this year over immigration agents' ability to make arrests at houses of worship.

Organizers of the march say their protest seeks to show solidarity with migrants and other groups that are being targeted by President Donald Trumps administration.

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It feels really daunting to be up against such critical and large and in some ways existential threats, said Jess Hobbs Pifer, a 25-year-old Quaker and march organizer, who said she felt a connection to the faiths long history of activism.

I just have to put one foot in front of the other to move towards something better, something more true to what Quakers before us saw for this country and what people saw for the American Experiment, the American dream," she said.

Their goal is to walk south from the Flushing Quaker Meeting House  across New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania  to the U.S. Capitol to deliver a copy of the Flushing Remonstrance  a 17th century document that called for religious freedom and opposed a ban on Quaker worship.

Quakers say it remains relevant in 2025 as a reminder to uphold the guiding principle that all are welcome.

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We really saw a common thread between the ways that the administration is sort of flying against the norms and ideals of constitutional law and equality before the law, said Max Goodman, 28, a Quaker, who joined the march.

Even when they arent breaking rules explicitly, theyre really engaging in bad faith with the spirit of pluralism, tolerance and respect for human dignity that undergirds our founding documents as Americans and also shows up in this document thats really important in New York Quaker history.

A Quaker history of resistance

The Religious Society of Friends  best known as the Quakers  originated in 17th century England.

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The Christian group was founded by George Fox, an Englishman who objected to Anglican emphasis on ceremony. In the 1640s, he said he heard a voice that led him to develop a personal relationship with Christ, described as the Inner Light.

Fox taught that the Inner Light emancipates a person from adherence to any creed, ecclesiastical authority or ritual forms.

Brought to court for opposing the established church, Fox tangled with a judge who derided him as a quaker in reference to his agitation over religious matters.

Following the faiths core beliefs in nonviolence and justice, Quakers have demonstrated for the abolition of slavery, in favor of the suffrage movement, against both World Wars, and the U.S. role in the wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan, said Ross Brubeck, 38, one of the Quaker march organizers.

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They also joined protests against the World Trade Organization in Seattle and the Black Lives Matter protests after the 2020 killing of George Floyd.

Within the DNA of Quakerism is actions speaking out against authority, said Brubeck, who was marching along a trail in New Jersey with companions waving an upside-down American flag  intended to serve as a signal of distress.

Quakers have had a central role in opposition to repression within the United States since its founding, Brubeck said.

The basic unit of Quaker organization is the weekly meeting, which corresponds to the congregation in other churches. Quakers gather for silent worship in meeting houses, where they wait for a message from God to move through them until they speak.

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When Brubeck and his group reached downtown Princeton, they were met by members of the local Quaker group, who praised them for their effort and guided them to their meeting house. After taking their shoes off their blistery feet, some rested on wooden pews and later prayed in silence, holding hands in a circle in preparation for another long walk.

I felt humbled by their presence knowing what a long way theyve been walking, said Casey Oware, a member of the Princeton Friends Meeting. And also a sense of connection knowing that were fighting for the same thing.

Her friend, Marae McGhee, a retired teacher and member of the local Quaker group, agreed: Its such a disturbing time and I think a lot of people feel that theres little they can do. But these folks are doing it  theyre giving their feet and their energy.

Quaker beliefs and a lawsuit challenge to Trump

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Quaker practices and beliefs vary from a more Bible-centered Christianity, with pastors as worship leaders, to a more liberal approach with less structured worship and a wide range of teachings.

One the most well-known Quakers was William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania following the faiths emphasis on religious tolerance; the group became influential in cities like Philadelphia.

But members of the group have also faced scorn for refusing to join wars due to their belief in pacifism and nonviolence. Some were persecuted and even killed for trying to spread their religious beliefs.

Earlier this year, five Quaker congregations filed a lawsuit challenging a Trump administration move giving immigration agents more leeway to make arrests at houses of worship.

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The Quaker groups were later joined by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Sikh temple. Following that, more than two-dozen Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans  ranging from the Episcopal Church and the Union for Reform Judaism to the Mennonites  filed a similar lawsuit, but a federal judge ruled against them last month.

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump insisted that immigrants were an existential threat to America. Immigration into the U.S., both legal and illegal, surged during President Joe Bidens administration, and Trump assailed that influx in ways that proved powerful with voters.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has launched a campaign of immigration enforcement that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him.

Immigrants are the ones experiencing the most acute persecution in the United States, Brubeck said. The message to Trump is that the power is not his to make.

__

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.
FAYETTE, Ala. (WIAT)  Human remains believed to be that of 1-year-old Kahleb Rowan Collins were sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences almost two months ago.

I hope thats what they tell (investigators), Charles Hodges said. It is his body.

Hodges is a Glenn Allen resident, a small town in Fayette County that has gained a lot of attention.

It goes on everywhere, but you never think its going to happen where you live, Hodges said.

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Hodges drives through the intersection of U.S. 129 and Fayette County Road 73 daily. Sitting on the corner of that intersection is a single-family home.

Since December, residents like Hodges pass through. At times, the house was marked off by crime tape and swarming with law enforcement. Its the home of John Bailey.

Bailey is being held at the Fayette County Jail on the following charges:

One count of aggravated child abuse

Four counts of first-degree domestic violence

One count of abuse of corpse

One count of first-degree hindering prosecution

John Bailey is the grandfather of Collins. The childs mother Pam Bailey is also being held at the Fayette County Jail on the following charges:

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One count of aggravated child abuse

Four counts of first-degree domestic violence

One count of abuse of a corpse

On the outside, that Glenn Allen house looks like a quiet and quaint family home, but court documents allege horrific things happened inside.

Photos and text messages exchanged between Pam Bailey and the childs father Steven Collins, who died in a fatal crash weeks after his son disappeared, reveal Collins was physically assaulted and hung by rope. His body was allegedly placed in a bag.

She deserves everything shes going to get  both of them, Hodges said.

Michael Davis found guilty of capital murder in deadly 2023 shooting involving former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles

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Hodges is a father and grandfather. The idea that someone would hurt their family is hard to comprehend, which is why Hodges said he hopes the remains are Kahlebs.

He deserves that, Hodges said. That kid didnt deserve what he got.

For months, the Fayette County Sheriffs Office said it has not found Collins. That changed Thursday.

While this discovery brings a measure of closure, it is also a solemn reminder of the responsibility we all share in protecting our children, Fayette County Sheriff Byron Yerby said in a statement.

It was a long process of sifting through almost a barrel of ash, Yerby said. The sheriff said law enforcement found human remains the size of a quarter well before it was shared with the public.

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Its a big deal, Yerby said. They were actually found several weeks ago, but we were waiting on confirmation.

They needed confirmation that it was in fact human remains. Now, the FCSO is awaiting confirmation they are Collins remains.

About six weeks ago, we sent the remains to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Yerby said.

Given the time gap between when Collins went missing and when law enforcement found out, there was skepticism among some residents on whether or not he or his body would ever be found.

I just didnt think hed be in that burn pit, Hodges said.

Thats where remains were found, however, in a burn pile outside of the grandfathers house.

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We never gave up, Yerby said. Our number one goal was to find Kahleb.

The ADFS did not tell the FCSO when it could expect forensic results to come in. As of right now, the investigators are still waiting for confirmation, and Hodges feels there is a lot more to the story than anyone knows.

This has been a long investigation, and a lot of stuff has gone on, Hodges said. Still a lot to be answered.

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BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  The Raleigh County Sheriffs Office has announced a new partnership aimed at protecting local youth online.



Sheriff Frank Priddy and the Raleigh County Sheriffs Office have announced plans for a collaboration with the Safe Surfin Foundation to increase internet protection for users in Raleigh County. Since 1998, Safe Surfin has worked to prevent hateful and illegal online behavior. This includes identifying and stopping online predators before a crime can occur.



59News spoke with Safe Surfin Regional Manager Jim Hale to learn more about the background of the program.



Safe Surfin is a foundation founded by Sheriff Mike Brown out of Bedford, Virginia, he said. He was sheriff of Bedford County. He started it back in 1998 when he saw a lot of problems on the internet affecting children.

Since then, the non-profit has partnered with numerous educational programs and law enforcement agencies to provide education on safe technology use as well as prevent dangerous online activity.

As part of Safe Surfins partnership with the Raleigh County Sheriffs Office, the department has planned to offer an internet safety training class for local law enforcement. The class is scheduled to be held on May 16, 2025 at the Beckley Moose Lodge and will be free of charge for those who wish to learn more about online safety.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
May 9SANTA FE  The recent rain and snow that fell across parts of New Mexico have eased wildfire concerns  for now  in the state's northern mountains and eastern grasslands, but not fully doused drought conditions.

After an extremely mild, dry winter, most of southern and southwestern New Mexico remains in extreme drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

"There's still definitely concern," said Andrew Mangham, a senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. "Once we're dried out, we could be back in trouble again."

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David DuBois, New Mexico's state climatologist, said the Gila National Forest and Black Range did not receive much of the recent precipitation that traveled northwest from the Gulf of Mexico.

"I think there's still risk if you go farther south," DuBois said, referring to a wildfire season that's started increasingly earlier in the year in recent years.

Indeed, the Iron Fire in the Gila Wilderness burned more than 600 acres this week and prompted local evacuations before hotshot crews were able to slow its growth.

However, parts of eastern New Mexico are no longer technically in drought conditions after receiving more than 2.5 inches of rain over the last week. Nearly 3 feet of snow fell in some parts of the high mountains of northern New Mexico, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a snowmelt flooding advisory through the weekend.

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But the May moisture could be a double-edged sword, Mangham said, as it could lead to an increased fuel load if it's followed by dry and warm conditions.

He also said there's still concern about water levels statewide after the state's driest winter in 100-plus years.

"One storm is not going to make up for such a dry winter," Mangham told the Journal.

In fact, the state's overall drought outlook is still significantly more dire than it was at the start of the year.

Specifically, just 1.3% of New Mexico was not designated as being abnormally dry or in drought conditions as of this week, compared to 43.7% of the state as of the start of January, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In addition, about 92% of state residents live in parts of the state currently in drought conditions.

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Just days before the early May storms, Santa Fe National Forest had implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions that banned campfires outside designated fire rings through September.

Claudia Brookshire, a U.S. Forest Service public affairs officer for the national forest, said those restrictions are still in place despite the recent precipitation.

She said they could be reevaluated if there is more rain and snow in May, but cautioned that June is typically New Mexico's hottest and driest month.

"When we initially made the decision to implement Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, we were experiencing a historical drought," Brookshire told the Journal. "Although recent rainfall has exceeded initial predictions, we are closely monitoring the weather."

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In the Santa Fe National Forest and in other parts of the state, local officials warned that warmer, drier weather could bring renewed fire danger even after the recent moisture.

"If we get some really warm days, that could change pretty rapidly," cautioned DuBois, who is also a professor at New Mexico State University.

Dangerous fire weather could return to southwest New Mexico early next week, as strong winds and low humidity combine to create moderate to high fire danger, according to the National Weather Service.

"It really depends on where you are in the state," said Mangham.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  The American Cancer Society celebrated 40 years of Relay For Life in Warren on Sunday afternoon.

People from Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana counties joined in. In the past, each county had its own event, but this year they all came together at the Saint Demetrios Community Center in Warren.

The event honors cancer survivors and remembers those who have died from the disease. Survivors were recognized during a special lap.

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Relay For Life has become the largest volunteer-based fundraiser in the world. Jen Snodgrass, a manager with the American Cancer Society, is hopeful about reaching this years goal.

Our goal is to raise $70,000. Were about $3,000 shy right now, which is super exciting, and so hopefully after today as well as some additional fundraising, well be able to hit our goal. Im pretty confident we will. So, its awesome that everyone here in Trumbull County are raising $70,000 for an awesome mission. So, its really great to be out, Snodgrass said.

Snodgrass said the money raised benefits the American Cancer Society with programs and services for those battling cancer and for cancer research.

Tino DiCenso contributed to this report.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A mans remains will finally be returned home to his family over a quarter century after his mysterious death.

The Hillsborough County Medical Examiners Office said Rodolfo Barcenas Guerrero was found dead in Tampa in the fall of 1997 near 43rd Street and 7th Avenue.

Plastic surgeon accused of murdering Largo attorney represents himself in court

A resident alien card and social security card found with his remains clued investigators in on his identity. However, when they contacted the Mexican Consulate in November 1997 to try to find his family, they had no luck.

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The cause and manner of Guerreros death were ruled undetermined. Still, authorities never gave up on trying to find his family.

Guerreros case was one of many cold cases recently revisited.

The medical examiners office has been able to crack over three dozen cold cases with recent breakthroughs in DNA technology, but said all this one took was the right people in the right places.

Last year, the medical examiners office reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Mexican Consulate, with renewed hopes of solving the case.

Officials said Customs and Border Protections Missing Migrant program then found Guerreros sister in Guanajuato, a Mexican state just northwest of Mexico City.

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She submitted a cheek swab to compare against his DNA, and it was a match.

The medical examiners office said Friday the Mexican Consulate was arranging for Guerreros cremated remains to be returned to his family in Guanajuato.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
SHAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR)  The Citizen Potawatomie Nation held a Remembrance Walk Friday in Shawnee to honor the many Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

This comes the same week Gov. Stitt vetoed a crucial bill that wouldve helped fund an investigative unit to help solve cases surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

The veto, I can honestly say I didnt understand, said Lorenda Morgan.

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Morgan led the way for Idas Law after her cousin, Ida Beard, disappeared from El Reno in 2015. She stood by Gov. Stitt as he signed it into law.

That law essentially created an investigative unit within the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation that would help try to solve cases surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

The money for the unit has to come from the federal government, but officials said the process is hard, so getting money for the unit is hard too.

Tribes upset over a bill vetoed by Gov. Stitt

The veto came this week from Gov. Stitt, and it applied to House Bill 1137.

One of Stitts reasons for the veto was that agencies shouldnt prioritize justice because of race.

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OSBI is tasked with prosecuting all kinds of crime, including anyone who is murdered in Oklahoma, regardless of race, said Gov. Stitt in a video on social media.

Everyone is equally protected under the law, but Native Americans didnt have that protection under the law like everyone else, said Morgan.

The peacewalk was hosted for a second year in a row and was also held through the House of Hope, the tribes domestic violence intervention program. The goal was to raise awareness for the disproportionate violence against indigenous peoples with a walk during National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Week.

There were talks this week from lawmakers about a possible override.

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Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton was asked specifically about overrides, and he said that there were several of Rep. Weavers bills that were vetoed that were going to talk about.

Rep. Weaver was the Senator co-author on HB 1137, he was also a part of 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 seems like the governor has his legislation a little bit wrong in terms of what his bill was trying to do. Again, we have efforts that were working on to hopefully see an override, said Rep. Cindy Munson on Thursday.

The way for an override to work, there would have to be a two-thirds vote to approve in both the House and the Senate.

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Both of those bills had overwhelming support.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A Columbus woman said her emotional support animal got out of her apartment and was killed, and now she is questioning her rights as a tenant.

Melody Ashworth claims her dog was let out by a worker at her apartment complex. It all started with what she said was an unannounced maintenance visit in March; it was the last day she saw her dog.

Its been really hard because she was prescribed to me, so, like, I dont have any other, you know? Ashworth said. She was my coping mechanism. I dont really have any other outlets.

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National Science Foundation cuts more than $800,000 in grants for Ohio State

At University Village, Ashworth said a maintenance worker came to fix something in her bathroom. She said the worker left a couple of hours later and said he would have to come back another day. Ashworth went to work that night without locking up her two dogs because she didnt think anyone would be back.

Apparently, while I was gone, he was in and out of my apartment dozens of times, she said.

According to a police report, a neighbor witnessed the worker coming back and, at one point, leaving the door open. Thats when Ashworths dog, Pebbles, apparently escaped. Ashworth found her dogs body on the side of the street a few hours later.

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She was already long gone by then, she said.

Watch: Man throws small dog at Albuquerque police officer during arrest

The police report said the apartment rental company claims another person must have entered the residence and let the dog out while the worker was there. The company is letting Ashworth out of her lease early, but will not provide compensation for Pebbles death.

Attorney Kevin Truitt, who specializes in housing rights, said that under Ohio law, landlords must give reasonable notice that they are entering a tenants home.

Theres many reasons for that, including that the tenant should be able to plan their day if they know a maintenance man is coming, that allows them to either be home or in the situation like cage their animal or take their animal elsewhere, Truitt said.

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He said its important for tenants to know their rights.

So, any harm that a tenant suffers as a result of a landlord not complying with these legal requirements, a court could award monetary compensation to a tenant if they brought legal action, Truitt said.

Intel reaffirms commitment to division behind its New Albany plant

Requests for comment from University Village management and its parent company were not returned.

Ashworth said that along with filing a police report, she filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
EBENSBURG, Pa.  The Cambria County Board of Elections has approved a slate of elections custodians and workers ahead of the May 20 municipal primary election.

The nearly 30 election workers approved Thursday will receive stipends of $85 to $150 for their work at the courthouse on election night  the range depends on how long they are scheduled to work, the elections board said.

However, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, issued a press release stating the county has yet another election issue.

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He said he received a phone call from Pennsylvania Department of State Secretary Al Schmidt on Thursday morning, informing him that Cambria County misprinted its ballots for the May 20 primary.

Burns said he was told the order of judicial race candidates presented on the ballots was incorrect, that the State Department flagged the problem a month ago and that the county ignored that notice and plowed ahead with misprinted ballots, which have already been mailed to voters.

The county commissioners need to take action, Burns said.

They can no longer hide from the failures of the election mishaps on their watch.

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Speaking on behalf of the county commissioners, Cambria County Solicitor Ronald Repak issued an email saying Burns claims are partially false.

It is correct that the only two names listed under the Republican state judge race were in the reverse order for the mail-in ballots sent out prior to May 6, Repaks email said.

However, the countys elections director, Nicole Burkhardt, made contact with the Department of State to alert them to the mail-in ballot issue and seek guidance  not the other way around, Repaks email said.

The Cambria County director of elections reached out to the Department of State to let them know of the inverted names on the Republican state judge race mail-in ballots and was told to segregate those mail-in ballots to ensure they are properly marked and scanned, Repaks email said.

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The problem was rectified in 24 hours, he said.

We want to be clear, the Cambria County Director (of elections) found that two names were inverted on the state judge race for the mail-in ballots only, he said.  ... We appreciate that the County Elections Department did not wait, but took swift action to correct it. Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Elections Department.

Moreover, the precinct ballots for election day are correct, he said.

Additionally, for this May primary, the County will be testing the actual precinct ballots before disbursement to the precincts to avoid the issue related to the previous election, Repak said in his statement.

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As for the approved election workers, their duties include collecting materials from polling places, counting mail-in ballots and working with ballots delivered by truck on election night, according to the elections board  a board that is composed of the Cambria County commissioners.

In addition, county elections office staff said it has hundreds of elected inspectors and clerks are set to work at local voting precincts across the county.

Somerset County Voter Registration and Elections Director Tina Pritts said Somersets 230 local election workers are also preparing for election night.

She said there will be 15 county employees who handle the ballots at the courthouse on election night.

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Pritts expects lower voter turnout for the upcoming municipal election compared to the last election in November, in which voters turned out in droves to elect the United States President and congress members.

Cambria County experienced a unique problem during the last election: the countys voting systems malfunctioned.

Ballots that couldnt be scanned due to a printer error were collected by Cambria County sheriffs deputies and hand-delivered to the courthouse where they were hand-counted with poll watchers from both parties present.

However, as the municipal primary approaches, the countys voting machines  and the election-day paper ballots  have been tested for accuracy and dependability, Repak said.

Repak said the county commissioners and elections office have taken steps to prevent a repeat problem.

We are doing everything we can to make sure its tight for May and November elections, he said.
princeton  Mobile home communities, also known as trailer parks, are facts of life around West Virginia and throughout the nation, but a report compiled by two nonprofit organizations with help from Mercer County residents argues that out-of-state owners are making these parks less than desirable places to live.

In February 2023, Mountain State Justice, a statewide nonprofit legal services and advocacy organization, announced they filed a lawsuit in Mercer County Circuit Court on behalf of the residents in five manufactured housing communities against an out-of-state private equity firm and its affiliates.

The lawsuits defendants, Smith Management LLC and Homes of America LLC, had purchased five manufactured home communities in Mercer County, according to court documents. The communities include Gardner Estates, Elk View, Country Roads, Delaney and Shadow Wood. The firm has purchased several manufactured housing communities in Mercer County and surrounding areas, in many cases more than doubling the lot rent rates residents were paying. The lawsuit cited problems including faulty sewer systems, standing water and insect problems.

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Two nonprofit organizations, Human Impact Partners and Manufactured Housing Action, released a report May 6 titled Home Sick: Uncovering the health harms of Homes of Americas manufactured housing communities.

Valeria Steele, a resident organizer at Elk View Estates and the West Virginia Rights Project, worked on the 66-page report along with Will Dominie, Housing Justice Program Director, Human Impact Partners and Paul Terranova, Midwest Community Organizer, Manufactured Housing Action.

According to the report, Homes of America and West Virginia residents came to a settlement for the lawsuit in 2024, with court approval expected in 2025. As part of the settlement, Homes of America denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to comply with all applicable West Virginia laws and regulations, including habitability laws. Homes of America also agreed to:

 Provide lease agreements to those residents who remained in the lawsuit with a comparable lease as provided to others, including the opportunity for lower rent and credit for overcharges.

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 Improve processes for rent payment, including refunds for inadvertent late fees.

 Allow (and not further hinder) residents efforts to organize with one another or seek outside assistance.

In a separate settlement, Homes of America agreed to withdraw a lawsuit against resident and community organizer Valeria Steele for organizing and educating residents about rental lease agreements, according to the report.

Steele said a settlement was reached on Dec. 13, 2024 and the hope is that the agreement will go before the circuit court within three weeks for approval.

My biggest takeaway is that it took a lot of interaction amongst the communities to be resilient to last through this. It proves that if you organize, it does make a difference, Steele said. If we hadnt shared information about what was going on, if people hadnt gotten together, it (the lawsuit) wouldnt have gotten off.  Dont be afraid to act. Its your right.

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Steele later said that units at her park have been left empty. Some properties which were empty when the problems started in October 2022 have never been rented.

The sad thing is its kind of a hollow victory because the properties are ruined, she said. The properties are almost empty. Elk View has only about nine now.

Residents of other Mercer County parks purchased by Homes of America also said conditions have deteriorated.

They [Homes of America] have made it so miserable for us. We used to love to come home. This was our home. We thought we could live here until we died and our life is so miserable, so miserable. This place has ruined our life, our health, and our future, Barry Yost, a Shadow Wood Mobile Home Park resident, said in the report.

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Homes of America LLC now owns at least 144 manufactured home communities, most of which are in Florida, Michigan and Illinois, according to the report.

Homes of America LLC did not reply to a Bluefield Daily Telegraph request for comment.

Dominie said that Human Impact Partners is a national nonprofit organization which works to transform the public health fild and build power with grassroots social justice movements. Human Impact Partners has a longterm partnership with Manufacturing Housing Action, recently worked on the issue of corporate landlords and health.

And I think in that research we really sought to understand and show the ways in which the corporate investors model prioritizes profit over human needs and the needs of housing and leads to a number of issues like neglect, upkeep, evictions, rent hikes, tax evasion, dodging accountability and influencing policy and kind of rigging the rules, Dominie said. We had already done that research with them and they started telling us about this campaign with the residents of Homes of America-owned manufactured housing communities.

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While these residence are often called mobile homes, their owners cannot easily leave a community when the rent for a home lot increases, Dominie said.

It does leave people captive to more exploitive practices, he said.

Paul Terranova, Midwest Community Organizer, Manufactured Housing Action, said his nonprofit organization supports residents in those communities work for better living conditions. About two years ago, Manufactured Housing Action and Human Impact Partners started getting phone calls and emails from people whose parks had been purchased by buyers they could not identify. The only hint was a New Jersey mailing address at the end of residents leases.

But we started seeing the same address from a bunch of different parks where people were having problems, Terranova said.

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Terranova said he has visited between 30 to 35 manufactured housing parks in Michigan and Illinois that have had the same problems.

What I hear residents talk about is that when things go wrong either nothing is done or, you know, something less than the absolute minimum is done, he said. I think people tend to believe that their communities are allowed to deteriorate.

Terranova said its hoped that the report will highlight the situations residents locally and across the country face when their parks are bought out by outside companies.

One of the main things is raising awareness among local officials who may not realize that this local mobile home park is part of a much bigger problem, he said. Theyre under attack by a much bigger set of forces.

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Local governments and local building inspectors do have authority to hold companies accountable for building codes, Terranova said.

I think the other thing is also educating state legislators so they realize that the seniors and veterans and disabled folks in their communities are themselves being attacked by the Wall Street predators, he said. This cuts across ideology and party lines. When you go into the manufactured housing communities whether the area they are in is deep red, deep blue, deep purple, people are being hurt from every political persuasion and walk of life.

In the report, the organizations and park residents make several recommendations for improving conditions. These recommendations include:

 Strengthen housing standards to keep residents safe in their homes: Pass and enforce strong housing standards like licensing requirements, regular inspections, and accountability mechanisms to ensure homes are safe and habitable.

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 Protect residents from exploitation: Pass rent regulations and good-cause eviction policies, and prohibit retaliation and unfair or discriminatory practices.

 Promote and resource community-friendly ownership: Provide funding and pass policies that enable residents to transition from corporate to community-friendly models of ownership.

 Address the root cause by limiting corporate speculation: Enact protective zoning regulations, impose portfolio caps, divest resources, and increase taxes on speculative investments to deter corporate profiteering.

Home Sick: Uncovering the health harms of Homes of Americas manufactured housing communities can be read by going to https://humanimpact.org/hipprojects/home-sick/ on the internet.

Contact Greg Jordan at

gjordan@bdtonline.com
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of four European countries - Germany, France, Poland and the United Kingdom - had a telephone conversation with their American counterpart Donald Trump following the meeting of the coalition of the willing.

Source: Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Telegram, as reported by European Pravda.

Details: Sybiha said that on 10 May, after the meeting of the coalition of the willing in Kyiv, all five leaders - Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Donald Tusk and Keir Starmer - had a productive phone conversation with Trump on peace efforts.

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"Ukraine and all its allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air and at sea for at least 30 days, starting on Monday," the Ukrainian minister said.

Sybiha said that if Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a lasting ceasefire and confidence-building measures could pave the way for peace talks.

Background:

The leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the UK called on Russia for a 30-day ceasefire in a statement released before the four leaders arrived in Kyiv.

After speaking with Zelenskyy on 8 May, Trump said that he would prefer to see a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

Reuters recently reported that the United States, together with European allies, is working on a proposal to declare a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

The agency claimed that the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire has not yet been approved and will be worked out over the weekend at the coalition of the willing summit in Ukraine.

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ARGENTA  If you've ever wondered about the origin of the saying blowing off some steam, Bob Johnson has the answer.

Johnson brought a 1919 A.D. Baker steam engine to the "Farming in the 50s" antique tractor show in Argenta on Saturday. It's one of two steam engines he owns, and at one point had to blow off some steam, which is a noisy but necessary task.

The steam engine has been in his family since his grandparents' days in the 1940s, Johnson said, and used to be used as a farm tractor.

This is, I believe, the only Baker running in the state of Illinois, Johnson said. There's only five, and I have two of them."

He added, "They would hook plows to it, and run the belt around that big flywheel, and they would run threshing, like a modern-day combine. They ran sawmills, crushed rocks, just about anything a regular tractor would do.

Johnson was one of a large number of antique tractor aficionados who brought their prized possessions to Argenta for Farming in the 50s, which is celebrating its fourth year.

It actually was an idea for this little coffee shop, said organizer Martin Bayless. We were going to park tractors around it and have a little show. That made it to the Argenta Committee and they said, 'We're behind this,' and Argenta teamed up with my outfit, Annella Farms, and we got together and started the tractor show. I personally call each driver, and that's how we built the whole thing.

Bayless has a list of 95 tractor owners now, and invites them all to come out and bring their tractors. Now they also have sponsors, which makes it more feasible to advertise, and all expenses are covered.

We want people to come out and see the show, Bayless said.

Bill McCleary jokes that his wife won't let him have as many antique tractors as he'd like because they take up too much room in the shed, but he has four, and three of them were at the show. The fourth refused to cooperate and run, so he had to leave it at home, he said.

He added that his father had several tractors, and when he died, most were sold off, but McCleary kept one and has added more along the way.

Mark Allen, who lives in rural Argenta and is the go-to guy for gathering up bee swarms in the area and moving them to hives on his property, said people just like old tractors.

It's just like people like old cars, Allen said. We're right in the middle of farming country here, and a lot of these people have been here for four or five generations, and they've all got some tractors their grandpas and great-grandpas had, and it's a good excuse to get together and look at old tractors and eat ice cream.

Bob Hudson of Ashmore was admiring a 1928 Case tractor, which had to be started with a crank, and he said he remembered a childhood friend who had to plow wheat fields with one like it. The steering wheel, Hudson said, is metal, and working outside under the hot sun meant that steering wheel scorched your hands if you weren't careful.

The Case, and a 1918 Rumely Oil Pull Tractor next to it, were being shown by 20-year-old Lane Sauder, who got them running and is an expert on how they work.

It was a friend of mine (Mark Fehr) from up in Tremont, and he bought it back in the '90s; he bought it in pieces out of a shed up in Chicago, Sauder said. He brought it home and got it restored, and he got in a car accident two or three years ago and got killed. It's kind of a unique machine, and his family came to me and asked me if I could work on getting it running.

The Rumely had been sitting for years, and Sauder met a guy in St. Louis who knew about that model and taught him the ropes. Sauder got it running and, with the permission of his friend's family, takes it to shows as a tribute to him.

It was his passion, Sauder said. He lived and breathed the Rumely Oil Pulls. So it's kind of his legacy, I guess.
Left to right, Rhode Island Current Editor-in-Chief Janine L. Weisman; Reporter Alexander Castro, and Christopher Shea hold some of the honors awarded at the Rhode Island Press Association annual banquet in North Kingstown on Friday, May 9, 2025. (Photo by Amie Wambach for Rhode Island Current)

Rhode Island Current took home seven awards  including first place for Best Website, General News Photo and Headline Writing  at the annual Rhode Island Press Association Editorial Awards Banquet on Friday, May 9.

The banquet at the Quonset O Club in North Kingstown recognized the best work produced by Rhode Island news organizations in 2024 across 45 categories, including photography, writing and design. This years contest drew a total of 463 entries.

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Rhode Island Current, an affiliate of States Newsroom that launched in 2023, joined the association last year after the board voted to open membership to digital news outlets.

The Best Website category recognizes a news website that showcases an outlets depth of work with emphasis on presentation, strength of content and use of digital tools and storytelling techniques. After Rhode Island Current took first place, second place went to The Boston Globe Rhode Island and third place to The Providence Journal.

Reporter Alexander Castro won first place in the General News Photo for his candid photo of a young girl about to drop her ballot into a voting box at the Providence Childrens Museum last October as part of a civics education program geared for kids.

Editor-in-Chief Janine L. Weisman earned first place in the headline writing category, which required the submission of three headlines. Weisman entered:

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Whitehouse going for gold in Olympic ad spending with his U.S. Senate reelection campaign

Schoolkids already have enough on their plate. Will legislators take brown rice off it?

So many accusations in Providence House Democratic primary contest, so little time to investigate

Reporter Christopher Shea took second place for Government Reporting for his story on a last-minute intervention in Rhode Islands U.S. Senate race by an unknown super PAC on behalf of GOP candidate Patricia Morgan, who lost her bid to unseat Democratic incumbent Sheldon Whitehouse.

The second place award for General Election Coverage went to Rhode Island Currents four-person staff for their coverage of all ballot questions, General Assembly contests, a U.S. Senate race and the Cranston mayoral race in the November 2024 election.

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Senior Reporter Nancy Lavin won third place for Reporting on the Environment for her story on the offshore wind industrys struggles to overcome misinformation and negative public perception.

Castro also won a third place writing award in the Single Topic Series category for five stories he wrote last December on the RIBridges data breach as the personal data of 59% of Rhode Islands population burgled from the states public benefits system started making its way onto the dark web.

Fridays awards banquet honored three inductees into the Rhode Island Journalism Hall of Fame: Providence Journal photographer Kris Craig; Marta V. Martinez, a community oral historian and executive director of Rhode Island Latino Arts; and Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin.

Eliza White of Bristol was named the winner of RIPAs annual $1,000 scholarship competition. A senior at Mt. Hope High School, White plans to attend the University of Rhode Island as a journalism major. She is the daughter of Melissa and Tim White.

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The death of an unidentified person found early Saturday is being investigated by the Rock Island County Sheriffs Department, according to a news release.

(rockislandcounty.org)

Shortly before 4 a.m. Saturday, Rock Island County deputies responded to the 5100 block of Airport Road, Milan, for a subject lying in the roadway, the release says. Deputies found a person lying in the roadway with significant injuries.

The person was transported to UnityPoint Health  Trinity Rock Island, then later was transported to University Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, where the person succumbed to their injuries.

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Vehicle debris was located at the scene, but no vehicle was found in the immediate area, the release says.

The Rock Island County Sheriffs Office  which was assisted by Milan Police, Moline Police, Blackhawk Fire Department, and AMT Ambulance  is investigating the incident .

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RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE)  Should Rio Rancho hand over its city-run election to the county and state? That question took center stage and drew strong opinions at Rio Rancho City Council this week as the potential shift would allow Rio Rancho Mayor Greg Hull to run for governor but also extend his current term in office an extra year and a half.

Rio Rancho City Council delays vote on development after contentious meeting

Just one of nine cities in New Mexico to do it, Rio Rancho still runs its own city elections with voters picking local officials in March of even-numbered years. But a change up for consideration this week would give city election control to the county and state. The potential shift would move the citys election to November in odd-numbered years while also extending the terms of current officials, including Mayor Greg Hull. His term is supposed to end in March, and hes planning to run for governor.

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The consideration of an election control shift comes as theyve gotten more expensive under state law requiring more polling places. City administrators think they could save nearly half a million per election by handing election control to the county and state. The idea drew strong opinions. I get it is about money, you guys know how to cut costs, you do it all the time, we see it, so lets not talk about the money, said Michael Farrell, Rio Rancho resident.

Threats of extortionary costs by state officials to force municipalities to fold is unacceptable, said Ramona Goolsby, Rio Rancho resident.

Rio Rancho voters approved a rule in 2012 that requires photo ID for municipal elections. But if the city gave up control, that rule would also go away drawing strong feelings from some.If go on a plane, go to the bank to do a transaction everywhere, you require a photo ID. For us to now to take steps back when everyone has waved the flag, we are helping with voter integrity, said Anita Levo, Rio Rancho resident.

After Mayor Hull recused himself from the discussion and vote, city councilors ended with a 3-3 tie on the potential election change, meaning the ordinance failed.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A North Carolina man was sentenced Friday for damaging federal property in Columbus Circle during a July 2024 protest, according to the United States District Attorneys Office (USAO) for the District of Columbia.

Michael Snow Jr., 25, will serve 40 hours of community service and four months of probation after pleading guilty in February to destruction of government property.

Woman sentenced for spray painting fountain, flag poles during pro-Palestine protest near Union Station, officials say

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Court documents say that on July 24, 2024, organizers were given a permit to demonstrate in front of Union Station. Over two hours, demonstrators removed and burned flags, sprayed graffiti on multiple statues, and interfered with officers trying to place people under arrest.

According to court documents, Snow burned the American flag at Union Station as a crowd surrounded him, chanting, Burn that sh**. Surveillance footage showed two people lowering the flag, causing it to fall on the ground, with Snow picking it up.

Court documents continue by stating Snow then carried the flag towards a crowd, pulled out a lighter, and doused the flag in lighter fluid.

The National Park Service estimated the repair from the protest to cost $11,282.23.

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The USAO states that a user posted pictures of the incident on X the following day, where officers were able to connect Snow to the incident.

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RIVERSIDE  Codee Mixon, 27, has always wanted to have his own business, and with his Mixon Magic Auto and Marine Upholstery, at 221 Third St., Riverside, he has achieved that goal.

I am an entrepreneur, he said recently. I have always tried to find a way to make something profitable. As soon as I got into upholstery, I liked it. It seems like a straightforward type of business and from a back-end paperwork perspective, it looked very interesting to me.

Mixon is from Chicago, but grew up and went to school in Las Vegas. About two years ago, Codee and his wife moved to Riverside.

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A lot of Mixons background is in film and TV production. While I was in school I did some marketing and advertising production for people, he said. Otherwise, most of his experience is in car building.

In honing his upholstery skills he worked at a shop for free for three months just to learn the trade. Once he learned upholstery, it was time to do my own thing, he said.

Mixon bought his first classic car to restore sometime in 2021-22. In doing so he worked with his father. My dad, does everything but upholstery. We built the car to the point where I wanted to complete it.

Upholstering is probably the last thing he learned in building cars. Ive done paint, body building, engine building, all the suspension building, fabrication. Everything.

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Upholstery is a business that is underserved, Mixon said. Everybody that is in the industry now is at retirement age, it seems. So when people come into my shop I hear that the customer has been looking for someone for a long time.

I can go anywhere and be successful at what I am doing, he said.

Mixon established his Riverside shop in 2023. When I started it was slow and it took me four months to go from working part time at another shop to part-time in my shop and finally working full time in my shop.

Mixon approached Bucknells Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for advice. With their help, I went to a bank looking for a small business loan to help my business move forward and expand. We drew up a business plan, a business proposal and from there I got the loan and worked with SBDC to do some advertising and get my website up.

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Ray Haden, SBDC business consultant helped Codee with crafting a business plan as well as making financial projections.

Additionally, Haden said, Codee received technical assistance and consulting in approaching a lender suitable for his needs. He also received additional support with the loan application process. Ultimately, through these efforts, he was able to secure monies through the Columbia-Montour Chamber of Commerce to help with his working capital and equipment needs.

Mixon Magic does upholstery in many ways but mostly as it pertains to vehicles, Mixon said. Cars, motorcycles, trucks, anything from customization to simple repairs. Vinyl work, leather, cloth, whatever people want.

Whats it like having his own business? Its always been my dream. I am at my easiest point in my entrepreneurial journey I am finally in a place where I have a business that is running.
ARDMORE, Ala. (WHNT)  Governor Kay Ivey and other state leaders visited Ardmore on Friday morning to give details on a much-needed traffic safety project.

The Alabama Department of Transportation will be adding turn lanes and making other improvements to the intersection of Highway 53 and Pinedale Road in Limestone County.

School Choice applications deadline set in Limestone County

Help is now on the way, Governor Ivey said.

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This section of Highway 53 is only one lane in each direction. So, traffic on Highway 53 comes to a screeching halt when drivers attempt to turn left onto Pinedale Road. Drivers attempting to turn onto Highway 53 from Pinedale Road also struggle to turn during periods of heavy traffic.

Governor Ivey said the safety improvement project is long needed, and were glad to finally be getting it done.

The intersection has seen several fatal and serious injury crashes over the past few years. Including a crash in January of 2024 involving a Greyhound bus and a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Sidney Benson of Ardmore. Benson died in the crash, and several of the Greyhound passengers were injured.

When you have an injury or loss of life, it makes it that much more important, State Senator Tim Melson said. You dont want it to happen to anybody else.

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Melson and other state leaders who support the project say they hope the improvements help prevent future crashes.

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These turn lanes and these additions will absolutely save lives, slow people down, Rep. Andy Whitt said.

This project was one of a few that were approved for funding through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program-II (ATRIP-II). That funding comes as a result of the Rebuild Alabama Act.

The Alabama Department of Transportation says the project is still in the very early stages. An ALDOT spokesperson said it could take about two years for it to be completed. He said the project is estimated to cost $1.25 million, although $1,344,348.90 has been allotted for the project.



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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Wednesday evening, Diane Ungs 18-year-old daughter was trying to parallel park her car on Halekauwila Street, her 7-month-old daughter in the backseat, Diane riding shotgun.

Waianae building fire extinguished

A speeding Tesla zipped by  fast enough for her daughter to yell out in concern.

This guy just comes zooming down, maybe about 40 to 50 in a 25-mile-per-hour zone. And my daughter just like sticks her head out the window and says, slow down,' said Diane Ung.

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Surveillance video shows the Tesla turning around, park across the street, and a man approaching the drivers side of her daughters car.

He started screaming at my daughter, telling her all these swear words and everything, said Diane. And he reached in the window and just like punched her right in her jaw area.

Mothers instincts kicked in and Diane jumped out of the car, furious.

I know Im not supposed to do this, but out of frustration, I threw my coffee at him and he came running across the street and punched me right in my eye, said Ung.

She suffered a gash that required eight stitches. Her daughter has bruises on her neck and jaw. The baby? Thankfully uninjured. But witnesses say the trauma was felt all around.

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It just blew my mind. How could somebody even do something like that? said Guy Martinez, who witnessed the entire incident from his business across the street.

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The suspect, Nathaniel Radimak, 38, fled after the attack, running through a stop sign. Honolulu police say he identified shortly after the assault and was tracked down at an apartment on Ala Wai Boulevard the next day.

Police say Radimak has a violent history of road rage in California, including multiple convictions. According to court records, he served only 10 months of a 5-year sentence, and somehow had his parole transferred from California to Hawaii.



He was visiting for a while and after he was here for a while, he was super nice, but I could tell when he got frustrated, he had a very short fuse, said Mark Danielson, property manager of the Ala Wai apartment complex where Radimak was staying.

As for Diane, she hasnt yet returned to work, still trying to process the ordeal.

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Every time I shut my eyes, I just see his face. Thats how paranoid I am, said Diane.

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He was charged for assault and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and two counts of assault. His bail has been set at $100,000.

Additionally, he was arrested on a no-bail parole revocation warrant.

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Robbinsdale Police Department has issued a public appeal to find witnesses or surveillance footage that can shed light on those responsible for a double shooting at a city park last weekend.

The department issued a press release on Friday saying it's seeking help in finding videos or tips regarding the shooting at Sanborn Park, on the 4200 block of Drew Avenue North, last Sunday, May 4.

"They are asking everyone with an exterior camera to please review your footage between 8:30 pm and 9:45 pm on May 4th, 2025," spokesman John Elder said.

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"If you have seen something, please let them know. Information that may seem insignificant to you could be of paramount importance to them."

Officers arrived to a "very chaotic scene" at the park, with police finding a 19-year-old woman had been shot in the head. Lifesaving efforts began, with the woman taken to North Memorial Hospital with "grave injuries."

There is no update on her condition as of Saturday, May 10.

A man in his 20s later arrived at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park shortly after 10 p.m. with gunshot wounds he sustained in Robbinsdale. His injuries were considered serious.

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Information can be shared by email at robbinsdalepolice@robbinsdalemn.gov. If a video file is too large, police will send someone to collect it. Tips can be submitted via CrimeStoppers of Minnesota at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477).

Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change.
In the southern Philippine city of Davao, a spirited mayoral election campaign is in full swing, with candidates and their supporters out canvassing for votes.

But one of the leading contenders is conspicuously absent from the stump. Instead hes 7,000 miles away, languishing in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is awaiting trial at The Hague for crimes against humanity, over a brutal war on drug dealers that killed possibly thousands of people, including many innocents and bystanders, with barely any kind of due process.

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None of this affects the 80-year-olds eligibility for the role of mayor of Davao  a job he held, on and off, for two decades. Under Philippine election law, only a criminal conviction in a local court can keep a candidate off the ballot.

Duterte could well win Mondays election, thanks to his enduring popularity in the region, where many credit his two-decade iron grip with tightening up law and order, before he took his brutal zero-tolerance policy nationwide as president from 2016 to 2022.

I grew up here all my life and when I was younger it was very dangerous, killings and fighting everywhere, said Ian Baldoza, 46, a native of Davao who remains a loyal Duterte supporter.

But as I grew older, I started to understand that those who were killed were drug addicts, dealers and troublemakers.

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He praised Duterte for improving public safety, building infrastructure and strengthening law enforcement in the city of 1.8 million people, telling CNN: You never see people spit on the street or leave trash behind, unlike in other cities.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has not been on the campaign trail since his arrest by the International Criminal Court on March 11, 2025. - Daniel Ceng/Anadolu/Getty Images

Many Davao voters feel similarly, said Cleve Arguelles, a political scientist and head of polling firm WR Numero.

His ICC arrest doesnt really shake their core of who Duterte is but rather, paradoxically, it only reinforces what Duterte stands for, he said.

Baldoza, the Duterte voter, said he witnessed neighbors killed by hitmen under Dutertes drug war, yet his Facebook profile is full of pro-Duterte posts.

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Were not looking for a saint, were looking for a leader with political will, and the Duterte family has that, especially in the patriarch, he said.

While he has not commented publicly on the race, Dutertes daughter Sara, the Philippine vice president, thanked supporters on her fathers behalf at a rally on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte thanks you all for your love, your continued support, and your prayers that he will one day be brought back to our country, she told a crowd in the capital Manila, under heavy rain.

Thousands of local posts are up for grabs in the midterm elections across the archipelago nation of about 120 million people, ranging from district councilors and mayors all the way up to legislators.

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte gives a speech at the campaign rally of senatorial candidates under the party of her father and former president Rodrigo Duterte in Manila on May 8, 2025. - Jam Sta Rosa/AFP/Getty Images

Three generations of the Duterte clan are fighting elections. Dutertes son Sebastian, the incumbent Davao mayor, will be his fathers running mate, while his other son, Paolo, is seeking re-election to the national congress. Two of Paolos sons are running for local council seats.

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While his popularity seems impervious to decline, Duterte is not politically immortal. His old age and frail health also raise questions on the succession for the dynasty, which has not been as solid as it once was, said Ramon Beleno, a political analyst and former professor from Ateneo de Davao University, who has observed elections in the Duterte clans bailiwick for more than a decade.

The people of Davao have this perspective that a political dynasty is OK if its working, Beleno said.

But its only working as long as the patriarch, the person who established the political dynasty, is still strong.

Opposition camps, in the elder Dutertes absence from the country, are re-emerging across Davao, according to Beleno.

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Among them are descendants of the late former national House speaker Prospero Nograles, reigniting a decades-old family rivalry that typifies the nations clan-tinged politics.

Karlo Nograles is running against Rodrigo Duterte for the mayoralty while his sister, Margarita, a lawyer and rising TikTok influencer, is challenging Paolo.

Scandal-hit political dynasty

And cracks in the Duterte family name are beginning to show.

Vice President Sara Duterte is in a long-running feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and faces calls for her impeachment for alleged corruption, which she denies.

In the past months my name and my family name has been dragged through the mud, she said at the recent rally.

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I have repeatedly said this before, and I will say it again now  I am not the problem of this country. The Dutertes are not the problem of the Philippines, she said, in a vailed dig at the incumbent Marcos administration, the familys allies turned enemies.

Marcos Jr. hails from perhaps the most famous political family in the nation - he is the son of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Paolo Duterte and his bodyguards were recently embroiled in a nightclub brawl, prompting a businessman to file a complaint against him. He said in a video statement that the clip of the melee circulating on social media was taken a very long time ago.

If Duterte wins the mayoral election, he can still be sworn in by proxy or in absentia  possibly by a Zoom call, if the ICC allows it, according to political scientist and pollster Arguelles. His day-to-day duties would be delegated to the vice mayor.

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But if Rodrigo Duterte is not allowed to be sworn in virtually, the runner-up  projected to be Karlo Nograles  would ascend to the seat.

Duterte ran the Philippines for six turbulent years, during which his brutal crackdown on drugs  which he openly boasted about  killed many young men from impoverished shanty towns, shot by police and rogue gunmen.

According to police data, 6,000 people were killed  but rights groups say the death toll could be as high as 30,000.

Dutertes tough approach on drugs prompted strong criticism from opposition lawmakers who launched a probe into the killings. Duterte in turn jailed his fiercest opponent and accused some news media and rights activists as traitors and conspirators.

The ICC has set his next hearing for September 23.

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BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (WBTW)  The 16-year-old brother of an 18-year-old who was shot and killed by a Myrtle Beach police officer last month spoke about how much he misses him during an exclusive interview with News13.

Jerrian Davis said he looked up to his older brother, Jerrius, who police say shot into a crowd on Ocean Boulevard the night of April 26. Their mother says they were always together.

Im his brother, his twin, Jerrian said. Were just close, me and my brother.

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Like his mother, Jerrian talks about Jerrius  or as they call him, Chuckie  like hes in the next room. Jerrian said its been hard to live through not only that night, but the past few weeks.

Its been rough, he said. Ive barely been able to sleep, eat. I keep thinking about it. I keep playing it back in my head.

Their mother, Jaeishala Fox, says she has to try and be strong for her kids. The family had planned to move, but thats now on hold.

This is way more important than us moving, she said. I do want to get away from South Carolina altogether and that has always been a plan of ours, but getting justice for my baby is way more important than that.

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Fox said she had Jerrius remains cremated, so that just like in life, he will be close to her.

* * *

Eric Cooper is a multimedia journalist at News13. He joined the team in September 2024 and covers stories in the Pee Dee. He is a native of Cades in Williamsburg County and a proud graduate of Kingstree Senior High School and Benedict College. You can read more of his work here.

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It was quite the week for the royal family! New portraits of King Charles and Queen Camilla were revealed, Kate Middleton debuted a stunning new hairstyle and the king was joined by Prince William and his family to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

But the biggest news of all? Prince Harry making his first public appearance since losing his appeal for publicly funded security by giving a tell-all interview with BBC.

As PureWow's very own royal expert Rachel Bowie shares, Its a tough one to watch. Amongst some of the bombshells from the interview, Harry revealed that he currently has no idea about his dads cancer prognosis, as well as his desire to put an end to the familys painful rift.

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I would love reconciliation with my family, he says. Theres no point continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I dont know how much longer my father has. He wont speak to me because of this security stuff. But it would be nice to reconcile.

But while Harry may want to make amends with his family, Hello!s royal editor Emily Nash says that after his surprise interview, a reconciliation is unlikely.

In an episode of A Right Royal Podcast, the co-host and royal expert explains that the king felt as though he was unable to interfere in Harry's legal case and that it would be unconstitutional to do so. His son is suing His Majestys government, you know he needed to stay right out of this situation, she notes.

But once that had concluded, there was potentially a path to some kind of rapprochement, some kind of olive branch being offered, Nash adds. And I get the sense that that was the mood music, but that really quickly got switched off once the interview landed.

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As Hello! reports, the royal expert no longer believes that olive branch is on the table.

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According to the outlet, the royal family were briefly made aware of the interview shortly before it aired. But considering the somewhat frosty statement that a palace spokesperson shared in response to Harrys interview, Nash may be right that a reconcillation is unlikely. Per People, the statement simply read: All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.

So while Harry may be ready to make peace, it seems that at least for now, the palace gates remain firmly closed.

Royal News Roundup: Kate Middleton's New Hair, Meghan Markles Striking Pic of Archie & More


SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  A resolution passed the U.S. Senate Thursday that would allow the use of off-road vehicles (ORVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in areas of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area where it was previously banned.

The use of ORVs and ATVs in Glen Canyon was banned in parts of the park by a National Park Service rule enacted during President Bidens administration. The resolution was introduced by Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Mike Lee (R-UT). Companion legislation passed the House of Representatives last week.

Previously: House blocks rule limiting off-road vehicle usage in Glen Canyon

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The original rule banned the use of off-road vehicles from an area of Glen Canyon known as the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit, which makes up 25 miles. The rule was put in place after the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) settled lawsuits against the National Park Service over off-road vehicle management in Glen Canyon, and it was intended to protect the environment and visitor experience in the park.

ORV use in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Courtesy: NPS).

Sen. Curtis said restoring off-road vehicles in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a step to ensure that public lands remain accessible for the people, and not dictated by Washington bureaucrats.

Senator Curtis also stated:

Utahns have responsibly accessed Glen Canyon for decades, and Washingtons one-size-fits-all restrictions threatened not only that access but also the livelihoods and traditions of rural communities. This legislation restores the balance between conservation and responsible recreationsomething Utahns have always led on.

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SUWA and NPCA have strongly criticized this legislation, calling it an attack on national parks. The organizations stressed that the rule did not close any park roads to all motorized vehicle use. The affected roads were only closed to ATVs and OHVs, but they were still open to full size vehicles.

See also: Good4Utah Road Tour

Staff Attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Hanna Larzen stated:

[Congressional Republicans] voted to undermine the Park Service and instead bowed to extreme motorized recreation in some of the most remote and wild parts of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Todays action means that Orange Cliffs, Gunsight Butte, and Canyonlands National Parks Maze District will be impaired by noisy, destructive off-highway vehicles.

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Erika Bollard, Campaign Director of the Southwest Region for the National Parks Conservation Association, said, The Orange Cliffs is a place of rare solitude and unbelievable beauty that creates the once-in-a-lifetime moments so many come to Glen Canyon to experience. Thats why the Park Service limited off-road vehicles along some of the most sensitive areas and fragile shorelines.

Bollard also stated that removing protections is unnecessary and damaging, as more than 250 miles in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area are already available for off-road vehicle use.

This resolution comes after legislation passed the House of Representatives that would authorize the sale of federal public lands in Utah. That amendment has been similarly controversial among environmental groups.

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Russia will close its airspace over the Kapustin Yar missile testing range for two days on 12 and 13 May to allow for the potential launch of ballistic missiles.

Source: Ukrainian military news outlet Militarnyi, citing the official NOTAMs website

Details: Militarnyi noted that the conditions for the airspace closure might indicate the possible launch of ballistic missiles.

Particularly noteworthy is the specified altitude range to be closed: from ground level to an unlimited height.

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The restriction applies to all aircraft that may fly in this area on 12 and 13 May from 06:00 to 16:00 local time.

A similar flight ban was previously in place on 21 November 2024, ahead of a ballistic missile strike by a Kedr (Oreshnik) missile on Dnipro.

For reference: The Russian medium-range ballistic missile Oreshnik was developed based on the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.

The missile is equipped with six warheads, each containing six sub-munitions. Its speed at the final phase of the trajectory is over 11 Mach, which is 3.7 km per second.

Tests of the missile system took place at the Kapustin Yar range in October 2023 and June 2024.

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Previously: The US Embassy in Ukraine urged American citizens present in the country on the evening of 9 May to be cautious due to the risk of a large-scale airstrike "over the next several days".

Background:

Ukraine's Air Force noted that Russia had used an intercontinental ballistic missile during the missile attack on the city of Dnipro on 21 November 2024. Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that it could have been a Rubezh missile, a potential carrier of nuclear warheads.

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated in an address that Russia had used the Oreshnik medium-range missile during the morning attack on Dnipro on 21 November.

The United States officially confirmed that on the morning of 21 November, Russia had struck Dnipro with a ballistic missile based on the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile.

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Vladimir Putin has achieved what many old men dream of but few accomplish  to bend the modern world into looking exactly like it did when they were young. Yesterday on Moscows Red Square the illusion that Russia has gone back to the future was nearly complete. Serried rows of tanks and soldiers, so immaculate that from a distance they look computer generated, paraded in perfect order.

Five-storey-high scarlet banners featuring Soviet emblems and chiselled military heroes were draped over the GUM department store and the State Historical Museum. And on the leaders podium a line-up of slab-faced old apparatchiks worthy of the 1980s lined up alongside the diminutive Putin, the star of his own show.

There were a few differences. For one, Lenins Mausoleum, from whose viewing platform the likes of Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko would shuffle out in geriatric procession, had been covered up. In its place was a much higher and grander viewing platform.

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And unlike the 80s, the faces of the leaders who surrounded Putin had a distinctively Asian cast, from Chinese president Xi Jinping to a scattering of Central Asian leaders who still feel the need to pay fealty to their old colonial boss. Units from the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army and from North Korea also joined the parade.

Gone, too, were any references to the wartime Alliance that won World War Two that had been a feature of Victory Day parades during the Yeltsin and early Putin eras. Today Chinese and North Korean flags were in evidence, but strictly no Union Jacks or Stars and Stripes.

The 80th anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazism is the highest of high holidays for Putins Russia. For years now the Kremlin has been building a cult of World War Two that now resembles something close to a national religion.

Indeed, the worship of war has been officially merged with that of God in the form of the Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces outside Moscow. The Cathedral, built five years ago, features spectacularly sinister blood-red stained glass windows and huge mosaics glorifying Russian feats of arms from the days of Kyivan Rus to the latest Ukraine war.

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The floor-plates are forged from the steel of captured Nazi tanks and guns, and the Victory Park that surrounds it is a theme park devoted to World War Two, complete with mini tanks for little kids to ride.

The memory of the Soviet struggle against Hitler has been appropriated to justify Putins war on Ukraine. Kremlin propagandists claim that Volodomyr Zelensky and his government are modern-day fascists  despite Zelenskys Jewish heritage  and that Putin launched the invasion to save the suffering and downtrodden Russians of Ukraine from genocidal attack from the Kyiv government.

Thus has Putins colonial-style land grab been transformed, in the minds of many Russians, into a war of national defence and solidarity with the oppressed. At the same time Russian schoolchildren and students have been corralled into paramilitary youth groups, complete with uniforms, parades and rallies, that take the preservation of the legacy of World War Two as their ideological base.

Conflating modern Ukraine with Nazi Germany is absurd, of course. Especially so for the families of the seven million Ukrainians who fought in the Red Army  including Zelenskys own grandfather, who as a young infantry officer participated in the Battle of Berlin. Can it be possible that Russians actually believe it?

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Yes and no. Modern Russians have retained one psychological peculiarity from their Soviet forebears, and thats the habit of apparently believing two completely paradoxical things at the same time. Which, of course, was George Orwells definition of the totalitarian mindset he called Doublethink.

Young Russians can simultaneously enjoy Hollywood films and American computer games, lament the departure of Ikea and McDonalds, and dream of studying in Europe while at the same time claiming to believe that their country is under Nazi attack. But its really all cosplay.

As he stands beside Xi, Putin is merely posing as a superpower leader. True, he has a nuclear arsenal. But Russias only remaining international allies are rogue nations like North Korea and Iran. China, whom Putin claims as a strategic partner, has refused to send weapons and offers only the most guarded of diplomatic support to the war.

Russias economy is smaller than Spains, and is in increasing trouble as world energy prices sink. And the army fighting Putins war  which in Russia is officially not a war but a special military operation  is composed of expendables recruited from the countrys prisons and poorest regions.

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Putin and the elderly KGB men who form his inner circle may believe that they have restored Russia to the prestige of the USSR at the height of its power. But all they are really demonstrating is how far Russia has fallen from those glory days, no longer a world power but rather a vassal to the true superpower of China.

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Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, has stated that the war has significantly changed and it seems that Russia will not achieve "any major victories".

Source: Kubilius in an interview with Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kubilius noted that, judging by the situation on the front line, Russia does not appear capable of achieving any major victories.

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"The war has changed a lot," he said. "Drones are now playing the greatest role. This is what prevents a party with more resources, like Russia, from significantly pushing the front line."

Kubilius added that it is crucial to recognise that Russia is not as strong as it claims. He argued that this is why Russia is relying on North Korean soldiers and is dependent on Iranian technology.

"I'm quite optimistic about the future: Ukraine can hold its positions on the front line; the West can increase its support," Kubilius said. "And this can bring a result that will allow us to see the prospect of a just peace."

He also stressed that Ukraine deserves a just peace.

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Quote: "It can only be secured through force on the part of Ukraine. Both the Americans and Europe should exert pressure on Russia. I'd like to see the American strategy bear fruit. But I don't see Putin being ready to agree to ceasefire talks yet."

Background:

Earlier, UK intelligence suggested that Russia could suffer record losses in the war against Ukraine in 2025.

UK Defence Intelligence warned that the sharp decline in oil prices threatens Russia's ability to finance its planned budget for 2025.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia would require a halt to U.S. and European arms supplies to Ukraine during any potential ceasefire, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with ABC News.

"Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilisation, bringing new troops to (the) frontline," Peskov said.

"Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones. So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?"

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U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russia and Ukraine on Friday to "get this stupid war finished", as he pushed for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine says it is willing to agree to.

But Peskov, in the interview, restated Russian concerns that Putin had made public as far back as March 13 and set out in a phone call with Trump on March 18.

"A ceasefire was supported by President Putin, but he asked several questions. He said that right now we have certain dynamics on the front, Russian troops are advancing, and advancing in quite a confident way," he said.

"So if we speak about ceasefire, what are we going to do with shipments of weapons coming every day from the United States and from European countries?"

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His comments underlined the lack of any shift in Russia's position on a ceasefire since mid-March. During that time Trump, who previously had applied intense pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has shown growing impatience with Russia and questioned whether Putin was "tapping me along".

Peskov denied that was the case, and said it was Ukraine that was refusing to enter direct negotiations.

"President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means. But having no peaceful and diplomatic means at hand, we have to continue the military operation," he said.

Russia hoped that mediation by Trump would help to bring "a little bit more flexibility, a little bit more political will and wisdom to the Kyiv regime", Peskov said.

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Putin declared a brief Easter ceasefire last month, which both sides accused each other of violating countless times, and another three-day pause this week as Russia marks the 80th anniversary of victory in World War Two. Ukraine did not agree to the latest truce, saying it wanted a halt of 30 days or more.

(Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
An agreement on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine could be reached as early as this weekend, new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters in Brussels on May 9.

Merz's comments come amid Russia's so-called Victory Day "truce," a temporary ceasefire from May 8-11 that Moscow unilaterally declared and has already violated.

"I have great hope that an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine will be reached this weekend," Merz said, according to the German outlet Die Welt.

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Merz believes there is a "great chance" that Russia's three-day truce will be extended to 30 days and that "negotiations on a peace treaty could then begin."

Shortly after these remarks, Merz, who was sworn in on May 6, traveled to Ukraine in his first visit as Germany's chancellor. Merz will meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on May 10 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The leaders' visit is meant to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine and advance a proposal for a complete 30-day ceasefire in Russia's full-scale war. The U.S. and Europe are reportedly in alignment on the 30-day truce and are in the final stages of completing their proposal, according to Reuters.

U.S. President Donald Trump, after speaking with Zelensky via telephone on May 8, called for an "unconditional" month-long ceasefire and threatened additional sanctions against Russia if it does not agree to a peace deal.

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The U.S. has initiated a series of failed peace talks and broken ceasefires in recent months, as Russian attacks against Ukraine have only grown deadlier.

According to Merz, the European leaders' ceasefire proposal is "largely identical" to the U.S. version.

"We very much hope that this will also be accepted on the Russian side," Merz said.

"The ball is entirely in Moscow's court."

Read also: 5 things Putin conveniently left out of his Victory Day speech in Moscow

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Russia wants the United States and the European Union to cease their arms supplies to Kiev as a precondition for a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine war, the Kremlin said on Saturday, as European leaders convened in the Ukrainian capital.

"Otherwise, it will be an advantage for Ukraine," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the US broadcaster ABC.

Ukraine would use a ceasefire to continue its "total mobilization" and bring new troops to the front, to train new personnel and give current fighters a rest, Peskov said.

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"Why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?" he asked, arguing that Russia is making progress in its offensive in Ukraine and has the initiative.

The spokesman for President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that US President Donald Trump would continue to use his influence on Ukraine and help Moscow to pressure Kiev into talks.

However, Ukraine is "trying to escape from negotiations," Peskov said.

Putin has recently ordered short-term ceasefires at Easter and around the current celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The three-day pause in fighting is set to end on Saturday night, although the sides have traded accusations of violating the ceasefire over the past two days.
The Russians killed two people in Siversk and Rivne in Donetsk Oblast on 9 May.

Source: Donetsk Oblast Military Administration

Details: In addition, seven houses were damaged in Rai-Oleksandrivka in the Mykolaivka hromada. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

One person was injured in Mykolaipillia in the Druzhkivka hromada, and in Kostiantynivka, a multi-storey building, ten houses and a gas pipeline were damaged.

In total, the Russians attacked settlements in Donetsk Oblast ten times over the past day.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul.

Following are key quotes translated into English by Reuters.

"It was not Russia that broke off negotiations in 2022. It was Kyiv. Nevertheless, we are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions."

"Despite everything, we offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul."

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"Let me remind you that as a result of these negotiations, a joint draft document was prepared, and it was initialed by the head of the Kyiv negotiating group, but at the insistence of the West, it was thrown into the trash."

"Our proposal, as they say, is on the table, the decision is now up to the Ukrainian authorities and their curators, who are guided, it seems, by their personal political ambitions, and not by the interests of their peoples."

"We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine. Their purpose is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict, to establish a long-term, lasting peace for the historical perspective."

"We do not rule out that during these negotiations it will be possible to agree on some new truces, a new ceasefire, and a real truce, which would be observed not only by Russia, but also by the Ukrainian side, would be the first step, I repeat, to a long-term sustainable peace, and not a prologue to the continuation of the armed conflict."

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"I repeat, Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions. There are military actions, a war, now, and we propose to resume the negotiations that were interrupted not by us.

2What's wrong with that? Those who really want peace cannot but support this."

"Russia has repeatedly made ceasefire initiatives."

"Kyiv authorities have not responded to any of our ceasefire proposals."

"During the three days of the declared ceasefire, Kyiv has made 5 attempts to attack the Russian border."

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
As the conclave worked away unseen in the Sistine Chapel to elect Pope Leo, St Peters itself gave vast, silent witness, as at Pope Franciss funeral, to the historic function of the Bishop of Rome.

I thought I might be perverse in wishing we still had Old St Peters, the church built under Constantine in the 4th century, instead of the stupendous Renaissance basilica that always awes visitors. But others have felt likewise. In 1605, when the new church had been a century in the building, the Canons of St Peters wrote to Pope Paul V regretting that its architects had demonstrated that they had more regard for the externals of the structure than for its interior spirituality and for divine worship.

It wasnt just the architecture they regretted, though that had a part. Old St Peters was in the Ancient Roman basilica style, used for buildings, secular or sacred, where large numbers gathered. It was an open hall with two rows of pillars on each side. We caught sight of the similar structure of St Mary Major during Pope Franciss funeral.

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When the neo-classical architect Leon Battista Alberti surveyed Old St Peters in the 15th century he declared that the continual force of the wind has already displaced the wall more than six feet from the vertical, and a slight movement will make it collapse.

That is what demolishers always say, and the Canons noted that danger (so they say) of collapse had been cited as a reason for pulling down the old church. By then, complete reconstruction had crept up on them. But the historian Prof Bram Kempers has argued that Julius II, pope from 1503 to 1513, wanted Bramante to build a great dome at the altar end of old St Peters without tearing down the nave.

The present St Peters is big all right  the facade where Pope Leo made his appearance is 376 ft wide and 150 ft high. But Old St Peters was big too: 350 ft long, with the pitched roof more than 100 ft above the pavement.

The nave was flanked by 22 columns, each a monolith 30ft tall, of different colours: white granite, red granite, green cipollino, ruddy Portasanta, dark Africano. Sixteen columns were new, the rest spolia, reused material from old buildings. Using spolia was normal in secular as well as Christian buildings of the period.

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The Canons in their letter worried about the discs of precious porphyry set in the floor of the old church being damaged by works of demolition and construction. They called them pools of the martyrs, the dark purple stone representing the blood of those buried in the basilica.

The porphyry discs were made by slicing spolia columns. The quarries of this beautiful stone had been exhausted. Today, inside the door of St Peters, a large porphyry roundel in the floor is said to be where Charlemagne was crowned Emperor by the Pope on Christmas Day 800. In Old St Peters, it was, I think, nearer the high altar. Such connections were what the Canons feared losing, along with altars built by benefactors at which constant prayer was offered, ancient icons, tombs of popes and saints and revered relics.

In the 17th century Bernini did, daringly, carve out niches in the four great pillars supporting the dome for relics of St Andrew (the brother of St Peter), the Cross, the holy lance and St Veronicas veil. The site of the burial of St Peter, below the altar with its huge baldacchino, remained central.

The destruction of Old St Peters was shocking, but the new St Peters still expresses in stone continuity with the succession of the popes from the Apostle Peter.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Two days after Deputy Ombudsman Tony Green publicly criticized the fire bureau for ignoring his safety warnings, KOIN 6 has uncovered new safety concerns at a Habitat for Humanity complex in SE Portland.

The newly obtained documents show the City of Portland has identified multiple building code concerns at the Cherry Blossom Townhomes near Mall 205, some of which now require correction.

I am grateful that I got this opportunity to buy a home. But I also feel like that there were so many errors along the way that werent caught, and this is not their first time that theyve built a home, said homeowner Jasmine Stoner.

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The citys inspection found fire hazards in at least one garage, as well as missing drywall, no fire caulking, and no fire separation measures installed.

If there was a fire in the garage, the fire would just go right through those walls, said homeowner Lacey Sutton, who added that they appreciate the citys code enforcement team taking their concerns seriously. These are very important safety issues that Portland Permitting & Development admits were just missed during inspections.

These findings come after a KOIN 6 investigation in December discovered additional issues at habitat housing that likely violate certain fire codes  raising serious safety concerns in an emergency.

KOIN Investigation reveals fire code concerns at new Habitat for Humanity homes

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Green highlighted similar fire safety concerns in a report this week.

So what happens next?

The city is now telling Habitat for Humanity to fix issues that the permitting department missed during the building inspection.

I was beyond thrilled to find out that Portland Permitting & Development would be making Habitat for Humanity come back and fix things, Sutton said.

An email from Habitat for Humanity CEO Steve Messinetti said the city has contacted him to fix the fire hazards in the garage and missing bike parking.

I think this is just the tip of the iceberg for what theyre going to have to come back and fix, Sutton said.

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In the public records, KOIN 6 found other outstanding building complaints from residents as well. KOIN is still looking into those additional safety concerns.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Sam Nordquist, a Black trans man that was tortured for nearly three months before being found dead in Hopewell earlier this year is set to be inducted into the Wall of Honor at the Stonewall Inn in New York City.

Communications Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force Cathy Renna said this years focus on transgender trailblazers and changemakers shows the current climate for transgender individuals.

As we continue to fiercely battle against attacks on our trans and nonbinary communities, we are honored to uplift their legacies. Their courage inspires our ongoing fight for liberation, both within the Task Force family and across every queer advocacy organization, Renna said in a news release.

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Nordquist traveled from Minnesota to New York but was subjected to violence and torture before he was killed. His body was then taken to a field in Yates County. This all happened between December 2024 and February 2025. Seven people have been charged with murder.

Seven individuals will be inducted into the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at Stonewall Inn on June 26  in celebration of Pride Month.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  San Diego International Airport officials celebrated the debut of its newest nonstop route abroad this week, connecting Americas Finest City with Amsterdam.

The new trip offering to and from the Netherlands Schiphol International Airport was first announced by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority last year.

Operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the route was lauded as a major addition to the airports service, linking travelers not only with another popular international destination, but a major travel hub that can make connections to dozens of other cities more convenient.

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Lines form at local DMVs as Real ID requirements go into effect

Now, the route is up and running, officially making KLM the seventh foreign-flag carrier with international service in San Diego and the Netherlands capital the 10th international destination reachable through the local airport.

The nonstop route also joins direct connections to two other cities in Europe already offered through San Diego  London, U.K. and Munich, Germany.

In celebration of the inaugural trip from San Diego to Amsterdam Thursday, the airport authority says the first crop of globetrotters were treated to special festivities at KLMs Terminal 2 gate, including an official ribbon cutting.

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Launching our new direct route between San Diego and Amsterdam is a significant step for KLM, expanding our transatlantic network and linking two dynamic cities, Bas Brouns, CFO and Managing Director at KLM, said in a statement shared by the regional airport authority.

San Diego is a gateway to Southern California and a hub of innovation and culture, making it an important destination for both business and leisure travelers, Brouns continued.

The route will run three times a week, year-round between the two cities, according to the airport. San Diegans can also use the route to connect to more than 160 destinations in KLMs network, as well as those reachable by other carriers in the SkyTeam Alliance.

Additional SkyTeam Alliance member airlines include Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, among others.

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San Diego International Airport braces for delays once REAL IDs are required

Travelers who want to take advantage of the new route can book flights through the fall on KLMs website. One-way fares are currently starting at about $300.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria cheered on the new route in a statement as years in the making, having first discussed it with KLM during a city trade mission to the Netherlands back in 2022.

The new direct flight from San Diego to Amsterdam is a major win for our regional economy, supporting jobs, tourism and international business and investment opportunities, he said. Its a clear example of how international engagement delivers real, lasting benefits for San Diego.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A San Diego church has joined a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administrations immigration enforcement ability in houses of worship.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Logan Heights is now part of one of many legal battles playing out around the country questioning whether President Trumps agenda is constitutional.

We have been an immigrant parish since our very beginning, Father Scott Santarosa, pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe, said of the lawsuit.

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For Santarosa, Our Lady of Guadalupe Churchs roots are not just history  theyre a source of identity. Signs promoting unity in both English and Spanish hang out front.

Completely surreal: San Diego faithful react to election of Pope Leo XIV

I feel like we want to send a clear and consistent message that this is a church for people of all shapes and sizes, Santarosa said.

His church joins other parishes, a nonprofit and interfaith group suing the Trump administration over its decision reversing a long-standing directive to bar U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from carrying out operations at places like churches and schools.

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For the last 30 years, the government has applied an immigration non-enforcement policy at or near what they deem protected areas also referred to as sensitive locations, said Wendy Patrick, a legal analyst.

The lawsuit, which was filed in an Oregon federal court, claims federal conduct violates the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Attorney Laura Flores-Perilla with the Action Justice Center says individuals who are undocumented  or have undocumented loved ones  are avoiding certain places out of fear.

As a result, this is harming these organizations and these churches, Flores-Perilla said. So our goal for this lawsuit is to seek nationwide relief that prevents this policy from continuing.

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Father Santarosa says now that some time has passed since the directive was reversed, parishioners who were afraid to attend mass are taking the risk.

FOX 5/KUSI reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and ICE for comment on the lawsuit. CBP declined to comment on pending litigation, while the other agencies did not respond prior to publication.

A January statement from a DHS spokesperson said in part, This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliensincluding murders and rapistswho have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.

Pope Leo XIV has several ties to San Diego

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I can tell you that we are not harboring any criminals, Santarosa said of DHS comments. People arent coming here to hide from law enforcement, theyre coming here because they want to pray.

So far, there hasnt been any ICE activity at his parish.

I have been out front of the church and ICE vehicles have rolled by, Santarosa recalled.

What comes next in the case is unknown for now, but as the legal fight plays out Santarosa says he hopes other parishes and churches appreciate the stand Our Lady of Guadalupe is taking.

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SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO)  The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is a celebration of Latino culture and heritage in Sioux Falls. The free Fiesta goes from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Falls Park and includes live music, dancing, food, pinatas and a dog fashion show. The Fiesta benefits Caminando Juntos, a ministry of the Presentation Sisters.

More than 7,000 runners and walkers are expected to take part in the Avera Race Against Cancer. The annual fundraiser for cancer research is taking place in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Pierre, Yankton and Marshall, Minnesota. Activities include 1.5 and 3-mile walks and 5K and 10K runs.

The Empire Mall in Sioux Falls is hosting a Firefighter Appreciation Event that includes fire truck tours, kids crafts, games and refreshments. The free event is taking place in the east JCPenney parking lot from 11 a.m. 1 p.m.

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Purchase fresh produce along with other home-grown and home-made items at the Falls Park Farmers Market. Its open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October.

Local businesses are hosting a Mothers Day Celebration at the Nordic Hall in downtown Sioux Falls. Theyre offering womens clothing for sale, crafts, jewelry, baked goods, photo shoots and chair massages from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

AMC Collective in Sioux Falls is hosting a Cupcake Liner Flowers Make & Take from noon to 3 p.m. Guests can choose from a wide variety of cupcake liner colors and designs to make their flowers unique. It costs $4 for two flowers.

Businesses in Luverne, MN are hosting a Mother Day Flower Walk. All mothers and mothers to-be are invited to the participating businesses between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to receive a free, fresh flower stem to create their own Mothers Day bouquets.

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Joahs Ark, a Minnesota-based petting zoo, is making a special trip into South Dakota to showcase its animals. Youll find a menagerie of bottle lambs, fainting goats, mini-horses, donkeys, prairie dogs and a potbelly pig. The location is 48258 265th Street, south of Brandon. The hours are 1-6 p.m. Sundays hours are 1-5 p.m. Admission is free.

MadTown Bike Day includes free helmets, e-bike test rides and kids bicycle inspections in the parking lot of Madison Vision Clinic. Its taking place from 1-5 p.m. and also includes bike rides around Lake Madison.

Movies playing at the historic State Theater in downtown Sioux Falls include Star Wars: Episode IV  A New Hope, plus The Legend of Ochi and The Parent Trap, all rated PG.

The Wells Fargo CineDome & Sweetman Planetarium at the Washington Pavilion features T-Rex, Mars: The Ultimate Voyage, 3-2-1 Liftoff and Experience the Aurora.

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New movie releases playing at a theater near you include Shadow Force, Clown in a Cornfield and Fight or Flight, all rated R.

Enjoy sprint car, street stock and hobby stock racing at I-90 Speedway in Hartford, SD. Gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. The races start at 7 p.m. Admission is $17, $7 for children and free for ages 12 and under.

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HARVEST, Ala. (WHNT)  A Madison County School Board member says Sparkman Ninth Grade School was evacuated Friday afternoon for a possible fire, which he says may be linked to a viral TikTok trend.

Madison County School Board Vice President Heath Jones said Friday afternoon the school was evacuated after there were indications of a possible fire on the first floor of the school.

Jones said that local fire departments, including Harvest Volunteer Fire Department, Monrovia Volunteer Fire-Rescue and Toney Volunteer Fire & Rescue, responded and confirmed there was no active fire. He said it discovered that a metal object had been inserted into an electrical socket in a classroom, causing a spark and initiating the evacuation.

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The board vice president said there were no immediate threats, injuries or damage reported in the incident.

However, Jones said he believes the incident may be related to a TikTok challenge.

It has come to my attention that this incident may be linked to a trending TikTok challenge, he said. I want to assure our community that those responsible will face appropriate disciplinary action. Such behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our school system.

Jones expressed gratitude for the quick action by the agencies that responded.

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TAMAQUA  About 30 people gathered along Route 309 in Tamaqua for a rally held by the Schuylkill Democrats to protest the actions of the Trump Administration on Saturday.

Protesters held signs that read History has its eyes on you and Hate wont make America great as traffic passed by.

Jan Kear, of Palo Alto, held a sign that said Hands Off and included words such as social security, medicare, free speech and others. She also held a small Ukrainian flag.

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Everything on the sign is a concern of mine, she said.

Kears late father came to the United States from Ukraine in 1923 seeking opportunity and freedom.

She said would be upset about what is happening in the nation, and that attending the rally is one way to possibly stir something inside people to awaken them to what is going on nationally.

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Jan Kear, of Palo Alto, holds a sign May 10, 2025, in Tamaqua on Route 309.AMY MARCHIANO/ STAFF PHOTO

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A protestor in Tamaqua holds up a sign encouraging continued support for Social Security, as well as a Ukrainian flag. (JOHNATHAN PAROBY/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)

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Protestors at a rally in Tamaqua hold up signs as traffic passes by on PA-309. (JOHNATHAN PAROBY/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)

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Protestors in Tamaqua show their support for causes close to their hearts on Saturday. (JOHNATHAN PAROBY/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)

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Jan Kear, of Palo Alto, holds a sign May 10, 2025, in Tamaqua on Route 309.AMY MARCHIANO/ STAFF PHOTO

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The Schuylkill Democrats are hosting rallies on the second Saturday and the last Thursday of each month.

The efforts are a way to bring attention to the issues facing the nation. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Previous rallies had 100 or more people present, but attendance has been steady, organizers said.

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Democrats contend that the Trump Administration is testing the tenets of the U.S. Constitution regarding the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government.

We support peoples rights and to have a quality life, said Todd Zimmerman, chairman of the Schuylkill County Democratic Committee.

The majority of those who drove by Saturday were respectful of those protesting. Some even honked their horns in support, he said.

One person waved a Trump hat out a passenger window, though.

Army veteran Josephine Kwiatkowski, of Pottsville, said she is saddened about what is happening in the country.

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As a veteran, this is not the country I was willing to give my life for, she said.

She believes the government is targeting the most vulnerable of the population with its most recent actions.

Rachel Keck attended with her children.

Watching the news is really, really scary, she said.

She viewed participating in the rally as a way to take action against the Trump Administration.

It can feel very oppressive watching the news, and you start to feel hopeless, Keck said.






U.S. biotech company Colossal Bioscience and the University of Melbourne are collaborating to revive a number of species lost to history

Lead scientist Professor Andrew Pask revealed they've now mapped the genome of the Tasmanian tiger, an extinct marsupial that hasn't been seen in its natural habitat since 1936

The findings come after Colossal Bioscience announced earlier this year that they've essentially revived the extinct dire wolf







Scientists have successfully mapped the genome of the Tasmanian tiger, an extinct marsupial native to Australia that was last seen in its natural habitat in 1936.

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The discovery, a collaboration between U.S. biotech company Colossal Bioscience and the University of Melbourne, could have the Tasmanian Tiger revived in as little as eight years, 9 News reported.

"We've been able to sequence the entire thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger genome now, absolutely every single bit of code from one end to the other of the genome," Lead scientist Professor Andrew Pask told the outlet.

Hugh Clark/imageBROKER/Shutterstock Tasmanian Tiger Tasmanian Tiger

"We've been able to make the first really key stem cells that we can do this whole genetic engineering process that we need to recreate the thylacine," he added.

Tasmanian Thylacine Advisory Committee chair Derwent Valley Mayor Michelle Dracoulis told 9 News, "The thylacine is not just an animal where I come from, it's part of the identity of the people that live there."

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The research announcement comes after Colossal Bioscience similarly managed to revive the extinct dire wolf earlier this year. The company unveiled three fluffy dire wolf pups, named Romulus, Remus and Khalessi. The species of wolves was notably featured in hit show Game of Thrones.

The company uses gene editing to modify the traits of existing animals to the point that their DNA becomes, essentially, that of lost animals.

Our team took DNA from a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull and made healthy dire wolf puppies, Colossal CEO and co-founder Ben Lamm said in a statement in April.

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George R. R. Martin, the writer behind the novels on which Game of Thrones was based, said in a statement at the time, Many people view dire wolves as mythical creatures that only exist in a fantasy world, but in reality, they have a rich history of contributing to the American ecosystem.

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Both the dire wolves and Tasmanian tiger projects are a part of Colossal's de-extinction project, in which they are seeking to revive a number of species lost to history.



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Alleged misconduct in the Horry County Police Department regarding the shooting death investigation of a North Carolina man has spurred conversations about the separation of the countys two law enforcement agencies.

Several agencies have been involved in the investigation of the 33-year-old, who was killed nearly two years ago in a roadside shootout between the owner of a North Myrtle Beach restaurant and his friend.

There has been confusion over what department is actually the lead investigating agency, which has become an issue as the Spivey family, as well as Horry County and state leaders, have requested the case be reopened as new information has surfaced showing that HCPD officers allegedly mishandled evidence and assisted the shooters.

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Spiveys sister, Jennifer Foley, asked Horry County Council members to demand state Gov. Henry McMaster appoint a special prosecutor aside from the Attorney Generals Office, and nine state legislators sent a letter to the governors office also asking for the case to be reopened as it is believed that the incident was prematurely deemed self-defense.

Deborah Spivey, mother of Scott Spivey and his sister Jennifer Foley, listen to an audio recording of the 911 call made the night Spivey was killed during a shootout with Weldon Boyd and Kenneth Bradley Williams. Police say the shooting began with a road rage incident that ended in Spiveys dealth in Longs, SC. Neither Boyd or Williams were charged in the shooting. March 31, 2025.

The Attorney Generals Office, as well as the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, reviewed HCPDs original investigation of the Sept. 9, 2023, shooting on Camp Swamp Road off of Highway 9 in the Longs area. The AGs Office determined that the shooting by Weldon Boyd and Kenneth Bradley Williams was self-defense. Neither man has been charged.

The Horry County Sheriffs Office also has been asked to step in and reopen the death investigation. Such a decision could complicate the case further as the Sheriffs Office and HCPD operate as two independent police agencies  one that answers to the Horry County Council and the other which is an elected position.

But ultimately, it would be the appointed prosecutor who would determine what agency would take over the investigation.

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Such a decision probably will not come until SLED finishes its criminal investigation into alleged misconduct of one of the HCPD officers involved in the shooting case. SLED has previously said that it is not reopening the death investigation and that it was never the lead law enforcement agency, adding the state police agency was only providing assistance to HCPD.

A message left for the Attorney Generals Office on Thursday was not returned.

At this point, we have not been asked to assist in any capacity, according to Horry County Sheriffs spokesperson Brennan Cavanagh by email.

Cavanagh said it wouldnt be appropriate right now to say whether Sheriff Phillip Thompson would take on the case if asked.

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At least five HCPD officers  including one who resigned and another terminated for their roles in the case  have been accused of misconduct. Three officers recently were disciplined after seven videos of officers dash cam footage from the night of the shooting was discovered. The footage was said to be mislabeled.

The involved officers were part of HCPDs internal investigation of the Spivey case. It comes after 90 audio recordings and hundreds of text messages from Boyd, who owns Buoys on the Boulevard, and officer body cam footage showed that Boyd was allegedly getting preferential treatment because of his relationship with officers on the force.

Should departments be merged?

Horry County is the only county out of 46 in South Carolina to have a separate county police department. It is considered the primary law enforcement agency in the county.

The Horry County Police Commission was formed under the Act 21 of 1959, which allows county councils to determine law enforcement for their county. The state statue was later amended, doing away with the police commission and moving to a county administrator being in charge of the HCPD.

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Currently, the HCPD reports to the director of public safety, which is responsible for hiring of the police chief, according to a text from Moskov. The director of public safety reports to the county administrator, who is hired by County Council. The police chief hires his own personnel, Moskov said.

The Sheriffs Office is operated by Sheriff Phillip Thompson, which is an elected position. The Sheriffs Office handles the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, court security, civil process and serving criminal warrants and tracking registered sex offenders.

Sheriffs deputies will step in occasionally to assist in HCPD cases if there is a conflict of interest. Recent examples are accidents involving HCPD officers.

S.C. Rep. William Bailey (R-Horry), who is a former police chief and lives in Little River, has authored a bill that would repeal the 1959 Act, eliminating the HCPD and having the Sheriffs Office go back to being the primary law enforcement agency in the county.

S.C. Rep. William Bailey (R-Horry) has authored a bill that would repeal a state act that created the Horry County Police Department. If passed, the bill would merge the police department with the Horry County Sheriffs Office.

Bailey said the bill, which would be considered during next years legislative session, is not based on the Spivey case, but latest developments in the investigation is something to consider. He said merging the departments would be more efficient and provide additional accountability, which he believes would come from the public through the sheriff.

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I look at resources, Bailey said, ...its just a very complicated system in Horry County.

The bill follows the letter signed by nine Democrat and Republican representatives from Horry, Dillon and Georgetown counties asking the governors office to become involved in reopening Spiveys case. The letter cited continued conflicts of interest within the Horry County Police Department.

Bailey said conversations about the repeal would have to take place. Bailey said the question is, is it better to work for a singular sheriff or 12 council members?

In the real world, we know that the county council has the final say over that police chief, Bailey said.
MONROE COUNTY, Ky. (WKRN)  The Monroe County Sheriffs Department is still searching for a suspect considered armed and dangerous after he fled the scene of a shooting Thursday.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

The MCSD responded to a call about a possible shooting on Hickory Ridge Road at about 9:34 a.m. Thursday. When they arrived to the scene, they found that the victim had allegedly been shot by Timmy Jackson with a shotgun. The victim was transported to TJ Samson Community Hospital for non life-threatening injuries.

Timmy Jackson (Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriffs Office)

According to the MCSD, Jackson fled the scene after the incident in a silver 2002 Chevrolet Silverado regular cab pickup truck that had been reported stolen Thursday morning from Mud Camp Road in Burkesville. Although several units responded to the scene and searched the area, they were unable to find him.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

As of Thursday evening, Jackson was still at large and considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information of Jacksons whereabouts has been asked to call the Monroe County Sheriffs Department at 270-487-6622.

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NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WPRI)  The Atlantic Shark Institute is asking beachgoers for assistance searching for fossilized shark teeth.

Jon Dodd, executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, told 12 News at least seven shark teeth have been discovered at Narragansett Town Beach within the past year.

The first fossilized shark tooth was discovered last August by a 6-year-old boy who was wandering the beach collecting seashells.

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RELATED: 6-year-old finds fossilized shark tooth at Narragansett beach

Dodd told 12 News that, as soon as he looked at the tooth, he knew it belonged to a great white shark. He estimated that the fossilized shark tooth was at least 10,000 years old.

He was astounded to learn that a second fossilized great white shark tooth was uncovered at the same beach by a South Kingstown woman a few months later.

Dodd said five more fossilized shark teeth have cropped up since then, and the Atlantic Shark Institute is analyzing a possible eighth.

Were not sure whats going on, but its fascinating and the teeth are different sizes, shapes and colors, Dodd said.

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Dodd said each of the fossilized shark teeth were discovered on one small stretch of the beach.

Its not a significant beach in terms of length, he said. But were continuing to explore whats going on.

The Atlantic Shark Institute is encouraging beachgoers to look for more fossilized shark teeth. Dodd said signs are now posted across Narragansett Town Beach alerting everyone to the recent discoveries.

MORE: Ancient shark tooth uncovered at Narragansett beach

If you run into a shark tooth, just reach out to us, Dodd said. Its your tooth to keep, not ours. But we would love to see a picture of it and get a sense of its size.

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This is the only beach in the state where fossilized shark teeth have been spotted, according to Dodd, but that doesnt mean its impossible to find them elsewhere.

Anyone who finds a fossilized shark tooth is asked to send a photograph of it to info@atlanticshark.org and include the location where it was discovered.

SEE ALSO: Fisherman catches shark rarely seen in Rhode Island waters

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NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11)  A man from New Jersey who claimed to be a church pastor is facing multiple charges alongside his wife after both were accused of sex trafficking and forced labor, according to Alina Habba, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

The 60-year-old man faces charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion as well as forced labor meanwhile his 63-year-old wife was charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor.

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According to the court documents the man and his wife were said to be founders and pastors of a church called Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost, which they operated out of an apartment building in Orange, a township in New Jersey.

Between 2011 and 2020, the pair recruited people who were facing personal struggles with their families and finances and told them that disobeying directions would result in spiritual retribution as well as homelessness, hunger, and more hard labor, attorneys said in court.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

The victims were forced to work throughout the township while the pastors withheld their pay. The husband and wife also isolated their victims, deprived them of sleep, and fed them only once a day, the district attorney reports.

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This while the 60-year-old man also repeatedly sexually assaulted one woman in particular, court documents show.

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The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of faith or community, said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division.

This Civil Rights Division is committed to holding accountable those who abuse positions of trust to manipulate and control others for personal gain.

If found guilty the couple could face anywhere from 15 years to life in prison. Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the HSI Human Trafficking Hotline at (866) 347-2423 or email hsinewarkhumantrafficking@hsi.dhs.gov.

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Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

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ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP  Numerous long-time military members came to Edgewood High School Thursday evening to give graduating seniors entering the military a better send off than they received at the annual Rite of Passage Ceremony.

Rev. Fred Grimm said he believes it is important to support the students entering the military.

When I graduated in 66 they said goodbye and keep your head down, he said with a laugh.

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He said it is important to let these seniors know they are appreciated. Grimm spent many years in two different branches of the military, and has long supported veterans causes while serving as a Lutheran pastor.

Bruce Hook, of Geneva, said he, too, thinks it is important to support the young men and women willing to serve their country.

I went in 1978 and we just turned all-volunteer [military] and everyone thought we were losers, he said.

He said he wanted to serve, but was scared when he was dropped off to start his life in the military.

My parents had to work so my sister took me, he said.

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Hook said he spent two and a half years active duty U.S. Air Force and 20.5 years in the reserves.

The Rite of Passage Ceremony was started by Ben Schwartfigure, executive director of the Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission, with the assistance of a variety of veterans organizations.

Schwartfigure said he believes it is important to let the high school seniors know the community appreciates them serving their country. The event also introduces them to the services offered by the VSC.

When they get out of the military in four years, 20 years or 30 years, they need to go to their county and sign up for benefits, Schwartfigure said. He said it is important for them to know the benefits that will be available to them for the rest of their lives.

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Pymatuning Valley High School Principal Mark Mollohan said he believes the ceremony is very important, because students going to the military often get lost in the spring celebrations of athletes, academic achievement and college choices.

Last year, we had one enlisting in the Army, this year we have two, one in the Army and one in the Marines, he said.

Schwartfigure opened the ceremony, and Edgewood High School Principal Mike Notar thanked the students for their service.

We stand behind you as you make the bold step, he said.

William Runyan, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, was the keynote speaker for the event.

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Thank you all of you in the front row [where the soon-to-be graduates were seated] who have made a commitment to the U.S. Armed Forces, he said.

The students honored as they enter the U.S. Army were were Makayla Spaid of Edgewood High School, Alexander Battaglioli, A-Tech from Jefferson, and Landen Coder, of Pymatuning Valley High School.

Aiden Farr, of Edgewood High School, Nicholas Hezebicks, of Jefferson High School, and Timothy Frabotta, of A-Tech from Geneva, are entering the U.S. Army Reserves.

The U.S. Army National Guard has three Edgewood High School seniors: Brayden Vatananonh, Aidan Burch and Chris Skwera.

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Three county seniors, Daniel Hutchins, of Saint John School, Jerrod Addair Jr., of Lakeside High School, and Damon Brainard, of Pymatuning Valley High School, are enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The final three students that were honored were Jayden Dragon, of Edgewood, entering the U.S. Air Force, and Jaiden Ralston, of Conneaut High School, and and Colin Cantrell, of A-Tech from Geneva, joining the U.S. Navy.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  A 19-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of six armed robberies and one attempted robbery between early December and late January May 7, according to the Commonwealths Attorneys Office.

The man charged, Jeovany Rodriquez, committed four of the incidents between Jan. 15-20, the Commonwealth said.

Rodriquez was eventually caught, when on Jan. 24, he robbed a cashier at a Subway on East Little Creek Road. The Commonwealths Attorneys Office said Rodriquez showed his air rifle at the cashier and then attempted to flee the scene, where officers saw him.

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Police chased Rodriquez, during which he threw his rifle out the car. Officers then secured Rodriquez and the gun, and later connected him to the string of robberies, according to the Commonwealth.

Jeovany Rodriguez. Image provided by the Norfolk Sheriffs Office

Rodriquez agreed to plead guilty to six counts of armed robbery and one count of attempting to commit armed robbery on May 7 for dismissal of additional charges and to waive his rights to a preliminary hearing and indictment before a jury.

Mr. Rodriquez put himself and his victims in extremely dangerous situations, ones where a reasonable person would fear getting shot and killed and where either the victims or a bystander could have tried to defend themselves, risking injury or death, said Commonwealths Attorney Ramin Fatehi.

With the plea agreement, Rodriquez will face up to 14 years in prison, which is left up to the discretion of the judge. His sentencing hearing is set for June 30.

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In this era of culture war politics, the importance of law has diminished significantly. Instead of being crafted to create balance for our society, laws are being used as ammo for political games.

Ive thought a lot about this issue since reading a book by Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law. In it, Gorsuch explains how, in the last generation, America has become a law-obsessed nation, to the detriment of everyday Americans.

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Some law is essential to our lives and our freedoms, the book tells us. But too much law can place those very same freedoms at risk and even undermine respect for law itself. And often those who feel the cost most acutely are those without wealth, power and status.

Gorsuch, and his collaborator, Janie Nitzie, tell us that there are 60,000 pages of American law, which amounts to 3 million words.

They rightly ask: Have we gone too far?

I thought of that for the last two weeks, as Sacramento was consumed by Assembly Bill 375, which sought to toughen penalties for the crime of solicitation of minors and support survivors of abuse.

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Written by Sacramento-area Assemblymember Maggy Krell, AB 379 gives the impression of filling a void in California by creating more laws to punish those who solicit underage people.

But the California Penal Code is full of laws to crack down on sex trafficking and prostitution. Specifically, CPC 288.3 gives judges the discretion to sentence someone to jail who is charged with attempting to communicate with a minor.

It also states that the person could be charged for indirect or direct communication with he victim, something that Krells bill seeks to address.

Just last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed four laws to address human trafficking. They covered increasing penalties for traffickers to giving hospitals tools to identify victims.

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So, with the presence of laws on the books to confront human trafficking, why do we need more laws? Why do we need AB 375?

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How do we reconcile if a bill does harm?

In his book, Gorsuch documents the consequences people have experienced because of the American obsession with creating too many laws. One situation that stood out to me was a fisherman who had federal agents inspect his boat and the fish he caught.

The man was arrested initially for catching undersized fish in the Gulf of Mexico, and later on, charged with fraud under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, a 2002 federal law that penalizes record-keeping and reporting. The commercial fisherman was allegedly playing fast and loose with the size of his catch. He was convicted, but that decision was later reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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To make matters worse, after spending thousands of dollars on lawyers to fight his jail time, the federal government ultimately changed the law, which wouldve allowed him to go free.

Frankly, America doesnt know how to reconcile with its past, especially when it comes to law.

Lets say AB 379 passes. What if it led to people being wrongfully convicted and put into jail because of this law? California could write an apology and reform the law, but that wouldnt do anything for the lives of people negatively affected.

I dont know Krell, but it seems she put her fellow Democrats in a bad place. They wanted to move slowly, to have a hearing this autumn to make sure AB 379 would not result in a felony conviction for someone who was not trafficking a 16- or 17-year-old, but was convicted anyway.

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Krell is not some sinister politician. She is a career prosecutor using her expertise for what she believes is the right solution to human trafficking.

But in the current climate of government, there is an obsession to create more laws to protect more people while forgetting that more laws also hurt more people.

Krell wants to believe that AB 379 would only have consequences for the worst in us. She should have listened to her colleagues who worried about the unintended consequences of her bill if it were applied too broadly. She refused and created a situation where her party got trashed by the lawmaking obsession that Gorsuch wrote about.

What was wrong with the laws already in place?
The murder of a Lake County woman leaves people in Eustis heartbroken.

Investigators say 44-year-old Monica Islam was found shot to death last Friday shortly after she was reported missing.

Islam was last seen at a Shell gas station on South Bay Street, Friday, May 2nd., She was reported missing and shortly later, Lake County investigators found her body in an area near Scenic Hills Drive and Wolf Branch Road in Mount Dora.

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The community held a vigil to honor Monica Islams life. Many said she was a friend to everyone and always smiling.

She was amazing. Even if she was just in the store and she was helping her daughter, she was super kind,, super sweet, said Alisha Curtin.

Lake County deputies say Islam was shot. Her daughter Rimi didnt want her face shown on camera, but says she doesnt know anyone who would have wanted to hurt her mother.

All I know is she was a good woman. A strong woman. Thats why Im like her almost. People who did that to her and make me suffer like this, said Islam.

People who came brought flowers and the little stuffed animals. Alisha Curtin helped organize the vigil. She says the Islams are the heart of the community.

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They are pillars of this community. There are so many people who come into the story on a daily basis. Theyre always smiling, theyre always nice, said Curtin.

Grieving a big loss, the community is rallying behind Rimi. And theyre all focused on getting justice.

I do want my mom to get the justice. I know Ill get it. I know. Cause I trust the police and people working on this, said Rimi.

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SHEFFIELD, Ala. (WHNT)  Two people were arrested in Colbert County for their role in the death of a three-month-old infant, according to police.

The Sheffield Police Department said that on May 9, around 4:45 p.m., officers and investigators arrested Denise Derrick and Javon Hargrove.

SPD said the pair was arrested on felony and misdemeanor warrants issued by a Colbert County Grand Jury initiated by the Sheffield Police Department. The warrants, per the department, were issued after an investigation into the death of a three-month-old.

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Hargrove was charged with manslaughter, three counts of aggravated child abuse and three counts of child endangerment.

Derrick was charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse and four counts of child endangerment.

The pair was taken into custody and booked into the Colbert County Jail. Derrick was given a $50,000 bond but was released nearly two hours after her arrest. Hargrove still resides in jail with a bond of $100,000.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  UPDATE: After Syracuse Police officers were on Tallman Street for several hours for a menacing call, the suspect was not located.

Syracuse Police officers were called to the 900 block of Tallman Street for a report of a menacing call. Before police arrived, they were informed that a male suspect who was potentially armed had entered a residence on Tallman Street.

When officers arrived at the scene, they set up a perimeter and helped evacuate neighboring apartments. The public was asked to shelter in place for a short time while officers worked at the scene.

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After several hours and a thorough search of the residence, the suspect was not located, police said.

Police believe that the suspect is known to the victim and that the incident was isolated.

ORIGINAL STORY: Onondaga County 911 confirmed that the shelter-in-place warning sent out for Onondaga, New York, was due to a menacing call in Syracuse.

Onondaga County 911 clarified that the shelter-in-place warning only applies to residents who live within a .25 mile radius of the incident on Tallman Street.

Onondaga County 911 confirmed that Syracuse Police officers were sent to Tallman Street just after 3:30 a.m. on May 10 for a menacing call.

The shelter in place warning said, A civil authority has issued a shelter in place warning for the following counties or areas; Onondaga, NY, at 7:01 a.m. on May 10, 2025. Effective until 9:01 a.m.

Members of the Syracuse Police SWAT Team were called to the scene to assist.

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We have reached out to Syracuse Police and are waiting to hear back. We will continue to update this story as we learn more.

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Shooting in Springfield leaves man hospitalized

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A shooting in Clark County late Friday left one person hospitalized.

Deputies were dispatched to the 300 block of Burnett Road in Springfield around 11:45 p.m. Friday.

Once on site, they located a man apparently suffering from a gunshot wound.

The man was transported to the hospital. His condition is not know, but is believed to be non-life-threatening.

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Newark Mayor Ras Baraka being released from a federal building hours after his arrest on May 9, 2025.

NEWARK  Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested Friday and accused of trespassing at an immigration detention center, was released from custody hours after his detainment to cheers from hundreds of supporters.

Baraka, a Democrat, walked out of the federal building where he was being held just before 8 p.m. to the strains of Aint No Stoppin Us Now by McFadden & Whitehead blaring through speakers that had been set up by protestors.

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The mayor, one of six Democrats running for governor in the June 10 primary, said he didnt do anything wrong.

I didnt know this morning when I woke up that I would be in this facility here, that I would end up incarcerated for something that I believe is my democratic right to show up and speak out against what I think was happening here, a violation of city and state laws, he said.

He was ordered to be released by U.S. District Court Judge Andre M. Espinosa at roughly 7:30 p.m. Baraka said he was charged with trespassing and will have to appear in court May 15. He said Department of Homeland Security agents treated him very nicely.

Barakas release capped off a wild day in Newark that started with him and three members of Congress  Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez  appearing in Newark to visit Delaney Hall, a 1,100-bed immigration detention center that Baraka has tried to prevent from opening, saying the jails owner has not obtained necessary city permits.

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Baraka said he was with fire officials Friday attempting to gain entrance to the facility, and videos show he was warned by federal agents that he would be placed under arrest.

After immigration agents arrested Baraka, acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba claimed the mayor was trespassing. McIver and Menendez said Baraka was invited onto the jails property before he was arrested.

A scuffle broke out after protestors locked arms to protect Baraka, with Watson Coleman and McIver being pushed by immigration agents, videos show. Menendez was also seen yelling at officers not to arrest the mayor.

Baraka was walked away by masked agents and plainclothes officers.

Protestors gathered outside a building in Newark where Mayor Ras Baraka was being held following his arrest on May 9, 20205. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

The Department of Homeland Security characterized the incident as a bizarre political stunt. It claims the House members were holed up in a guard shack with protestors while a bus of detainees entered the security gate. It also denied claims that Delaney Hall does not have the proper permitting  allegations at the center of a lawsuit Newark filed against the jails owner, Geo Group  and said inspections and fire codes have been cleared.

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Once protestors and officials found out Baraka was being held at an ICE facility on Frelinghuysen Avenue about 10 minutes away from Delaney Hall, the protest moved there  and grew. Hundreds of supporters and immigration activists stood in the pouring rain, relentlessly chanting for hours for federal officials to free the mayor.

State senators, county commissioners, local council members, and politicos from nearby New York also joined the protest. Meanwhile, statements of support poured in from other Democrats who are also running for governor, while Republicans used it as an opportunity to attack Baraka. Barakas campaign also sent out a fundraising text while he was detained.

During the protest, ICE agents peered through windows of the brick building where Baraka was being held, and a group of six agents stood in the parking lot, keeping watch on the crowd.

Watson Coleman told reporters that she had been manhandled during Barakas arrest. And Menendez called it an act of intimidation to keep the public from speaking about the Trump administrations increasing immigration enforcement.

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The fact that they pushed, physically assaulted two female members of Congress, ask yourself if this is the beginning or if theyre going to change course, Menendez said. I have no faith that theyre going to change course, but we will continue to speak out against it.

Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said on social media that while he was happy to see Baraka released, the bottom line is he never should have been detained in the first place.

While walking with police officers down Frelinghuysen Avenue after his release, Baraka was asked what his next steps would be.

See my children, he said.

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In the news ...

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UPPING SUPPORT: Oklahomas U.S. senators doubled down on their support for President Trumps steep tariffs on imports, saying they could lead to long-term gains.

THIRD TERM?: Is a Trump third term possible? Oklahoma lawmakers Mullin, Cole weigh in.

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WILLIAM C. WERTZ: In times like these, Congress has an important role to play, but too many are sitting passively on the sidelines instead of offering reassurance.

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PHIL BUSEY: Our lack of great leaders is on full display in Washington, D.C. And Oklahomans won't be immune from the repercussions of those leaders' failures.

GARRETT T. KING: Oklahoma needs PBS stations like OETA. Oklahoma's delegation needs to help protect them amid Trump's calls to cut funding.

JOHN THOMPSON: Oklahoma's members of Congress need to speak up about Trump's actions.

PUBLIC SQUARE: Oklahoman readers weigh in on President Donald Trump's first 100 days.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma delegation remains silent on Trump moves | Cartoon
Donald Trumps announcement that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire is a significant humiliation for China, whose own claim that it could act as an honest broker in ending hostilities between the two nuclear-armed powers was almost laughable.

Beijing offered to mediate efforts to end hostilities, despite being Pakistans main military backer in its confrontation with India. Fortunately, the Trump administrations timely intervention meant Chinas offer has been rendered surplus to requirements, which will be a relief to all concerned, given Beijings less-than-helpful involvement in the conflict.

Chinas military support for Islamabad has certainly been an important factor in the conflict to date. Just how many Indian warplanes the Pakistanis managed to shoot down after India launched its air strikes against Islamist terror bases on Wednesday remains a matter of dispute.

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Islamabad claims that five warplanes and a drone were hit during the Indian attack, while reports on the ground suggest at least two Indian fighters were lost, including a French-made Rafale warplane, one of the Indian Air Forces more advanced fighters. A French intelligence source has told CNN that at least one had been shot down, marking the first time a Rafale has been lost during combat.

The very fact, though, that Pakistan has been able to challenge Indias military superiority in the first place owes a great deal to the support it has received from Beijing, where Chinas Communist rulers have spent the past decade carefully developing their ties with Islamabad.

Since the end of US-led coalition operations in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2014, which also resulted in a significant fall in Western support for Pakistan, China has moved quickly to fill the void, strengthening bilateral ties with Islamabad to the extent that it is now Islamabads main arms supplier.

While Beijing has provided diplomatic cover for Pakistan during its latest confrontation with India, with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi describing Beijings ally as an ironclad friend, military cooperation remains the mainstay of this deepening strategic partnership.

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Between 2017 and 2021, it is estimated that nearly half of Chinas total arms exports were delivered to Pakistan, a country deemed vital to Chinas ambitious Belt and Road initiative. Apart from providing Pakistan with multi-role J-10C fighters  the Chinese equivalent of the Rafale  Beijing has provided the Pakistan Air Force with long-range PL-15 anti-aircraft missiles.

Reports are now emerging that China rushed fresh consignments of anti-aircraft weaponry to Pakistan after India launched Operation Sindoor, which targeted the Islamist terror bases used to stage last months terrorist attack in Kashmir and precipitated the latest crisis.

Careful analysis by the Pentagon of the aerial exchanges between India and Pakistan during the past week has led US officials to conclude that Pakistans success in shooting down a number of Indian warplanes was down to the military superiority provided by Chinese weapons.

Beijing will certainly be taking a close interest in the performance of these and other weapons systems that have supplied to Pakistan, as the latest eruption of hostilities between India and Pakistan provides the Peoples Liberation Army with an important opportunity to test its military technology against Western weaponry.

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The Chinese have been using the Ukraine conflict in similar fashion, providing Russia with drone and missile technology for use against Nato weaponry provided to Ukraine.

Given Chinas active role in supporting Pakistans military campaign against India, its offer to act as an intermediary in the conflict needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Chinas deepening ties with Pakistan have, after all, been undertaken to strengthen its position with regard to its long-standing rivalry with India, a dispute that has seen both countries involved in border clashes in recent years.

Indeed, given the alacrity with which Beijing sought to send emergency military supplies to Pakistan, it is very much in Beijings interests to use Pakistan as a proxy to intensify pressure of India which, as New Delhis recent trade deal with the UK has demonstrated, is taking steps to improve ties with the West.

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The aim of Beijing, by contrast, is sow as much division as possible. In this it shares the same ambitions as other avowed enemies of the West, from Iran and North Korea to Putins Russia.

Chinas sinister motivations for prolonging this conflict as much as it could has utterly failed. But we shouldnt be too complacent. China will continue to shape the Great Game between India and Pakistan. We must hope this fails and the ceasefire can be a long-lasting one; the prospect of two nuclear superpowers at loggerheads is a frightening one.

Trump may have succeeded in helping to broker a ceasefire, but the White House and its Western allies must be on their guard to deter Beijing from continuing to pursue its malign ambitions in South Asia.

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Skilled foreign workers will be required to have a degree to get a job in the UK under new laws to reduce net migration.

Sir Keir Starmer is proposing to return the threshold for skilled foreign workers to graduate level after that was scrapped by Boris Johnson and replaced with a points-based immigration system requiring only the equivalent of an A-level and based on salaries.

Under the new laws, to be announced on Monday, employers will still be allowed to recruit lower-skilled workers using the points-based system  but only if they are in critical sectors such as IT, construction and engineering. These areas are deemed by the Government to be suffering shortages that are damaging the economy.

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Employers will only be allowed to hire overseas workers on a temporary, time-limited basis, and will have to demonstrate to a new Government body that they are training British workers through apprenticeships and other schemes to plug the skills gaps.

Writing for The Telegraph, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said the new system would be underpinned by five core principals.

First, migration must come down so the system is properly managed and controlled, she said. Second, the immigration system must be linked to skills and training requirements here in the UK, so that no industry is allowed to rely on immigration to fill its skills shortages.

Third, the system must be fair and effective, with clearer rules agreed by Parliament in areas like respect for family life, to prevent confusion or perverse outcomes.

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Fourth, the rules must be respected and enforced  from our crackdown on illegal working to the deportation of foreign criminals. Finally, the system must support integration and community cohesion.

These changes are essential to end the chaos left by the Tories in the immigration system, and to regain control.

Employers in sectors with labour shortages will face being stripped of their visa-sponsor licence, which is needed to hire someone from outside the UK, if they fail to show they are investing in training the domestic workforce.

Bad bosses who break employment law  for example by failing to pay their staff the minimum wage  will also be banned from hiring workers from abroad.

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The plans will be set out in a long-awaited immigration white paper on Monday, which aims to fulfil Labours manifesto pledge to significantly reduce net migration. Net migration stood at 728,000 in the 12 months to last June.

The reforms are part of the Prime Ministers attempts to combat the rise of Reform UK, which inflicted big losses on Labour in this months local elections. This was partly blamed on a failure to tackle immigration.

Labour ministers will accuse the Tories of presiding over an influx of lower skilled workers that pushed up net migration to a record 906,000 in the year ending June 2023.

Figures published on Sunday have shown that the proportion of skilled worker visas below graduate level increased from 10 per cent in 2021 to around 50 per cent in 2024.

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Labour will not, however, set a target on how far it will bring down net migration. Forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility project that it would settle at 340,000, well above pre-Brexit levels, without further significant action.

White paper is a white flag

On Sunday night, the Tories said Labours migration white paper was a white flag.

Chris Philp MP, the shadow home secretary, said: Fixing Britains migration crisis requires a new radical approach. Labour had the opportunity to do this and have failed.

The 88 per cent fall in student dependents and 84 per cent drop in social care visas didnt happen due to Labour, they happened because of tough Conservative policies. We planned to go further by raising the family salary threshold, but Labour scrapped it.

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Labour ditched our plan to raise the family salary threshold, gutted enforcement powers, and now theyre boasting about returns built entirely on the back of Conservative groundwork. Its utterly shameless.

If Labour were serious about immigration, theyd back our binding immigration cap and back our plan to repeal the entire Human Rights Act from immigration matters. But they have got no grip, no guts, and no plan. This white paper is a white flag.

Net migration figures to be published by the Office for National Statistics on May 22 are expected to show it continued to fall in the last six months of 2024 after the Tories raised the skilled worker salary level from 26,200 to 38,700 and barred students and health and care workers from bringing in dependents.

By raising the skills threshold to the higher RQF6 graduate level, Labour claimed it would be reflected in higher salary thresholds, although the Home Office said the levels were yet to be determined.

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Under the pre-Brexit immigration system, non-EU citizens could only come to the UK to work in graduate jobs that had a salary of at least 30,000. Last year, Government advisers suggested a graduate job would be worth between 30,000 and 40,000, while the average graduate starting salary is currently 35,170.

New body to determine skills shortages

The white paper is also expected to include restrictions that will force foreign graduates to leave the UK unless they get a graduate-level job, based on skill levels rather than salary.

The Governments migration advisory committee estimated that 150,000 foreign students progressed onto the graduate visa in the UK last year and that this contributed to 10 per cent of total net migration.

The visa allows foreign graduates to remain for two years, or three years for those completing a PhD, without having to find a job, raising concerns it has become a backdoor route to permanent residency in the UK.

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Labour will set up a new body, the Labour Market Evidence Group (LMEG), to determine where there are skills shortages that would allow companies to recruit foreign workers below the graduate skill levels on a strictly time-limited basis. The group will include officials from Government departments, the migration advisory committee and skills bodies.

Any company seeking to recruit from abroad will have to convince the LMEG that overseas staff are necessary to plug skills shortages and that they have a strategy of training and apprenticeships for domestic UK workers.

A new temporary shortage list, replacing the current salary list, will be established to provide time-limited access  with a period to determined  to the points-based immigration system.

Employers will still be subject to the points system salary thresholds, which stipulate that they pay a minimum of 38,700 or down to 30,960 for occupations suffering shortages.

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Sectors will only be added to the list if they are key to the Governments industrial strategy, are delivering critical infrastructure and have domestic training plans.

Higher standards of English required

Health and care jobs will continue to be treated separately according to nationally agreed pay scales with in-country recruitment prioritised. Most health and care jobs are subject to minimum salaries of 29,000 or 23,200 for care workers.

The white paper will set out plans for all migrants to have higher standards of English and may require this for them to secure indefinite leave to remain after five years of residency. It means migrants could be forced to wait up to a decade for permanent residency if they fail to meet new conditions including financial status.

It will also propose a law change to create a new common sense legal framework for immigration judges to prevent illegal migrants and foreign criminals avoiding deportation by exploiting the European Convention Human Rights (ECHR) article eight, which protects rights to a family life.

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It is designed to stamp out the ad hoc decisions of judges where human rights have trumped public interest or safety, and which have been exposed over the past three months by The Telegraph.

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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said he will seek to block the REPowerEU plan, which provides for the EU's rejection of Russian gas and other energy resources from the country.

Source: LIGA.net, a Ukrainian news outlet, citing the Kremlin's website

Details: "If it takes all 27 countries to agree, we will use our veto power on the ban on imports of all types of energy resources," Fico said during a meeting with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 9 May.

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"If they decide to vote by majority instead of unanimously, then the great powers will simply make the decisions themselves," Fico said.

Fico argued that the European Unionand Slovakia in particularis not yet ready to live without Russian energy.

"If you think someone will buy fuel from Westinghouse and introduce it into our nuclear power plants, it's impossible," he explained.

However, Ukraine has been successfully using Westinghouse fuel assemblies since 2015 in VVER-1000 reactors, and since 2023 in VVER-440 reactors, similar to those in Slovakia.

"Stopping gas supplies will cause instability," Fico added. "Our petrochemical plants are set up to use Russian oil, and halting supplies could cause technological issues."

Background:

It was previously reported that, as part of a working group established at Slovakias request to address gas supply concerns following the anticipated end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, the European Commission is exploring options to diversify supplyparticularly through Azerbaijan.

"I've met with Prime Minister Fico twice in the past few months, and only yesterday did I speak with the country's deputy prime minister. We have a high-level working group that has met four times and will meet again very soon to try to heal some of the adverse effects on the various countries in the region. Slovakia is certainly one of those nations," said Dan Jrgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing.

It was also reported that, despite Europe's frozen energy relations with Russia, representatives from Washington and Moscow held talks regarding potential US assistance in resuming Russian gas sales to the European market.

Following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe has significantly reduced its imports of Russian gas. As a result, Russian energy giant Gazprom suffered losses of US$7 billion last year.

Sources close to the negotiations suggest that Russia's return to the European gas market could be a key factor in reaching a peace agreement with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

It was previously reported that Gazprom would significantly boost gas supplies to Slovakia through the TurkStream pipeline, starting in April. The announcement was made by Vojtech Ferencz, CEO of Slovak importer SPP.

Ferencz noted that the supply volumes will increase several times over the level of the last two months, rather than just doubling as initially expected.

After the cessation of transit through Ukraine at the end of 2024, Slovakia primarily received gas from Hungary, which supplies Russian fuel via the TurkStream pipeline. Bratislava and Budapest are pushing for the resumption of transit through Ukraine, with Slovakia even threatening to veto EU aid to Kyiv if its position is not reconsidered.

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Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has reiterated his rejection of an EU-wide ban on Russian gas imports at a meeting in the Moscow with President Vladimir Putin.

Fico described a corresponding proposal by the EU Commission in Moscow as "economically untenable and harmful to Europe," a spokesman for the left-wing nationalist politician said following Friday's talks between the leaders.

Slovakia is a member of both the European Union and NATO.

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Fico reportedly threatened to veto a unanimous decision in the EU to end Russian gas imports. However, if a qualified majority is sought, small member states such as Slovakia could be outvoted.

The EU Commission wants to completely ban the import of Russian gas by the end of 2027.

At his meeting with Putin, the prime minister also spoke in favour of Slovakia continuing to purchase nuclear fuel elements from Russia.

This was "unavoidable" for the "safe and stable operation" of Slovakia's nuclear power plants, he said.

Fico was the only EU head of government to travel to Moscow to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

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According to his spokesman, the one-on-one consultations with Putin also focused on developments in the Ukraine war.

Fico again stressed his view that there is no military solution to the conflict and that he supports all peace initiatives, regardless of which country they come from.

On Saturday, Ukraine offered Russia a 30-day ceasefire, to start Monday. That announcement came as leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland visited Ukraine to show their support for the embattled country, which Russia invaded in 2022.

Slovakia and Ukraine share an almost 100-kilometre stretch of border.
It is a thought that may well have occurred to you if you have landed at Heathrow at any point in the last decade. Or, more likely, have been heading to the airport on a Piccadilly or Elizabeth Line train  and have found yourself listening to the station announcements.

Why does Britains biggest air hub not have a Terminal 1? Considering that Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe  and the fifth busiest on the planet  this does seem a trifle unusual.

1005 Heathrow terminal map

It is also nothing new. It is 10 years now since Terminal 1 disappeared from view, waving farewell to its final departure, a British Airways flight to Hannover, at 9.30pm on June 29 2015. The lights were turned off later that evening, the bulbs dimming without ceremony.

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In truth, while it had existed for 47 years prior to its closure  and had worn its coveted number almost from the off  Terminal 1 was only briefly the star of the Heathrow show.

Heathrow Terminal 1 saw its final departure in 2015 - Heathrow Photo Library

True, it was part of the grand reinvention of the airport during the 1960s  the decade in which air travel really began to morph from a high-cost pursuit for the rich into a regular form of travel for everyday holidaymakers. Heathrow had reached the milestone of one million passengers per year by as early as 1953, but as the 1960s neared their end, that figure was closer to 14 million. Expansion was essential.

Terminal 1 was at the vanguard of this growth. It pushed open its doors on April 17 1968, but was quickly shoved down the headlines by more significant events  arriving, as it did, on the day that the FBI issued an arrest warrant for the suspected murderer of Martin Luther King, and 24 hours before London Bridge was sold to an American entrepreneur.

The design of Terminal 1 was stark, focused mainly on getting passengers from A to B effectively - Getty

Photos of the era show it as a blocky, unlovely building, redolent of the architectural trends of the time. It had been designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, the British architect who had been pivotal to the ongoing construction efforts at Heathrow over the previous decade (while also working on the development of Harlow as a new town). Although Gibberd had shown a remarkable flamboyance in crafting Liverpools dramatic new Metropolitan Cathedral over the previous seven years (1960-1967), Terminal 1 was a pragmatic proposition, mainly concerned with getting its customers from A to B with minimal fuss.

Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated Terminal 1 on April 17 1969 - Getty

It had its moments, of course. It was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II on April 17 1969. And with its ribbon snipped, it was the biggest short-haul terminal in western Europe, responsible for the bulk of domestic departures and arrivals, as well as connections to the continent. Once it had come into being in 1974, British Airways used Terminal 1 as a key hub. So did British Midland International (BMI). At its peak, Terminal 1 harboured 17 airlines, greeted 13.8 million passengers a year, and hit an annual total of 123,000 flights.

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And yet, despite its very specific number, it was never the first. Heathrows original terminal was the Europa Building. It appeared as early as 1955  again with the Queen ushering it officially into view; again, as a piece of Gibberds handiwork. Yet in a curious quirk, when Terminal 1 opened and the Europa Building needed to be rechristened (in May 1969), it became Terminal 2  even though it predated its new sibling by 13 years.

The departure lounge of the then-newly opened Heathrow Terminal 1 - getty

Stranger still, Terminal 1 was also predated by Terminal 3. That structure, too, had emerged from the ether in a non-numbered guise, commencing operations on November 13 1961, as the Oceanic Terminal. As its name suggested, its purpose was to meet the growing demand for long-haul flights. Its numerical rebrand also occurred in May 1969.

For a while, Terminal 1 eclipsed them both. During the 1980s, it was the departure point for the charter flights which saw British Airways make Concorde accessible to the public beyond its premium transatlantic routes  setting out to zoom above France and Spain with its Trip around the Bay [of Biscay] packages. And in the early 1990s, Terminal 1 enjoyed a significant upgrade with the installation of its new Europier  half a million square feet of fresh infrastructure, designed to facilitate the arrival of wide-body aircraft.

But as the millennium dawned, so the end approached. Terminal 5 had been discussed as early as 1982, at a point when Terminal 4 was still under construction on the southern side of the airport complex (it was eventually opened by the then-Prince and Princess of Wales, on April 1 1986). Heathrows 4.2 billion flagship would not be ready for action until March 2008, but when it clicked into gear, it was a death knell for 1968s poster boy.

Today, Terminal 1 is used as both a baggage handling facility and a training centre - Heathrow Photo Library

Terminal 5 was not a direct replacement for Terminal 1, but its expensive advent made it the main focus of British Airways operations. Further BA flights were sucked away into Terminal 2, which enjoyed its own 2.3 billion refurbishment between 2009 and 2014. By the time the curtains were drawn on Terminal 1 in 2015, only four airlines were still visible up on its departures boards: BA, Icelandair, El Al and the Brazilian carrier TAM.

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Ultimately, it was Terminal 2  that original Europa Building, which had had its thunder stolen in 1969  which delivered the coup de grace. Out of date and out of time, Terminal 1s closure was largely driven by the modernisation of its neighbour. A decade later, it lives on as an unheralded appendix; much of the baggage handling for Terminal 2 is done through the wall next door. The building is also maintained as a training centre, with the London Fire Brigade, the Ambulance Service and the Met Police using it as a venue for drills and emergency tests.

This, at least, ensures that Gibberds blocky building has an immediate future  a ghost by the runway; a weird gap on the Piccadilly Line route map.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Fire crews were called to a house fire on Smithville Road early Saturday morning.

The call came in around 4:45 a.m.

Dayton District Fire Chief Matt McClain said crews were able to get control of the fire pretty quickly, though a section of hose getting burned through was a minor issue.

Got that section swapped out and finished putting the fire out in a very timely manner, said McClain.

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McClain also said crews encountered some hoarding conditions in the house that caused searches to slow.

Everyone in the home was able to get out safely. The firefighters were even able to save some cats in the house.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  Stolen SNAP benefits are becoming a growing concern, especially when it comes to skimming and phishing incidents.

The rate of SNAP theft is on the rise, with a million dollars stolen monthly from residents accounts, according to the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, an advocacy group for low-income families.

The advocacy group says roughly 7,800 Massachusetts families have had more than $3.6 million stolen from their accounts since mid-December. Criminals are increasingly targeting Electronic Benefit Transfer cards used for SNAP. Theyre installing devices at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals to steal card information, which they then use to make fake cards and steal benefits.

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Director of the Springfield Mayors Office of Consumer Information, Milagros Johnson, told 22News, Never, never, ever share your information or your PIN with anyone over the phone who calls you.

The Department of Transitional Assistance has a free Connect mobile app for download. This is a new EBT card locking feature that allows people to control when their card is usable by locking and unlocking it through the app.

When an EBT card is locked, benefits cant be stolen. Its also recommended to change your EBT PIN every month. The DTA is also pursuing chipped EBT card technology.

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.
President Trumps first 100 days in office have brought sweeping changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Learn More: 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks

For You: The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing

In its work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the SSA is on a new course that prioritizes improving customer service, reducing waste, fraud and abuse while optimizing its workforce to better serve the public, the SSA announced in April.

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Heres whats happening in the SSA  and how it could impact you and your Social Security benefits.

Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

The SSA has implemented the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), which is a law that repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The WEP and GPO reduced benefits for 2.2 million people who received a pension based on work not covered by Social Security. The SSA paid over $14.8 billion in retroactive payments.

This will only impact those who received a pension from work where they did not pay into Social Security, such as teachers, firefighters and police officers.



To find out if the SSFA affects you, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) suggested reviewing your work history, especially if youve held a public sector job or receive a pension from one. They also recommended reaching out to the SSA to get details on how your specific benefits may be impacted.

Consider This: Need to Cut Expenses While on Social Security? Heres the First Thing to Get Rid Of

Reduced Spending

The SSA implemented new common-sense approaches to cut costs by over $1 billion for fiscal year 2025. This included areas such as payroll, information technology, contracts and grants, real property, printing, travel and purchase card policies, according to the SSA.

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These cost-saving measures are intended to make the SSA more efficient and better able to deliver service. However, the Center for American Progress (CAP) pointed out that cuts to the SSA could lead to delayed or missed payments, longer wait times or slower response times.

Cuts to Staffing

The SSA has a staffing target of 50,000  a 7,000 reduction to its workforce. The CAP reported reduced staff levels likely mean greater delays. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren also recently said the workforce reduction and chaos have led to an increase in mistakes and a reduction in available support for correcting them.

Updates to Phone Services

The SSA began rolling out a modern telecommunications platform on its National 800 Number. This will allow the agency to better handle calls to field offices while providing more self-service options. According to the SSA, there have already been improvements in office answer rates and average speed of answer.

For retirees, this could mean faster access to support when questions arise about monthly payments, benefit adjustments or account issues. Complete rollout is expected by the end of summer 2025.

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The SSA has also improved fraud prevention tools for claims filed over the phone. This adds an extra layer of protection against identity theft and unauthorized access to retirees Social Security benefits.

Improved Accuracy of Aged Records

After reports of people who are implausibly old to be living, the SSA is improving the accuracy of death data. This could also prevent fraudulent claims that could strain program resources. According to the SSA, this is an important anti-fraud measure, as criminals may use those individuals information to commit fraud.

Recover Social Security Overpayments

The SSA is increasing how much it withholds from monthly benefits when overpayments occur, raising the default rate from 10% to 50%, according to an SSA emergency message. This means retirees who owe money to SSA may see a larger deduction from their checks each month.

The agency is also restarting the Treasury Offset Program (TOP), which allows the government to collect old Social Security debts, such as overpayments, by withholding federal payments like tax refunds. For retirees with unresolved debts, this could result in unexpected reductions in benefits or other federal payments.

Improve Payment Accuracy

The SSA is rolling out a new system called the Payroll Information Exchange (PIE), which automatically pulls wage data from payroll providers. This allows the agency to quickly and more accurately verify income and reduce the chances of overpayments or errors.

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For retirees who still work or have fluctuating income, PIE means fewer reporting headaches and a lower risk of accidental overpayment that could later lead to withheld benefits.

Expand Health Information Technology

The SSA is expanding its Health Information Technology (Health IT) program, which enables the agency to access medical records for disability claims electronically.

For those applying for disability, this helps streamline the determination process, which could allow applicants to receive decisions and potentially benefits more quickly.

Cost Reduction and Enhancement of Social Security Number Verification

The Electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (eCBSV) service, which helps financial institutions and government agencies verify identities, is getting an overhaul. The plan will reduce operating costs and lower user fees to allow for greater accessibility. For retirees, this could also mean smoother and faster identity verification, resulting in fewer delays and identity-related errors.

Rollout of the Hearing Recording and Transcriptions System

The SSA is completing its nationwide rollout of the new Hearing Recording and Transcriptions (HeaRT) system, which replaces outdated equipment with advanced, AI-powered software.

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This upgrade will help create more accurate hearing transcripts, and for retirees involved in appeals or disability hearings, HeaRT can mean faster, more reliable records of their proceedings.

Raise Awareness Against Scams

The SSA, in partnership with its Office of the Inspector General, is stepping up efforts to combat Social Security-related scams, especially those targeting retirees. For retirees, staying informed is a must. Scam allegations increased by 22.1% from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024, according to the Social Security Administrations Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Scammers often pose as SSA employees to trick individuals into giving up personal information or making payments.

Improve Communication and Transparency

The SSA has ramped up efforts to keep the public informed about how the agency is performing. It now publishes key performance metrics directly on its website at ssa.gov/ssa-performance. These updates give retirees and the broader public a clearer view of how the SSA is doing.

For retirees, this increased transparency allows them to stay informed about any improvements or delays that may impact their benefits.

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Sources

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Social Security Highlights From Trumps First 100 Days  How They Impact You
EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP)  A grand opening celebration is being held for a new Pilates studio in East Longmeadow on Saturday.

Solene Pilates was founded by Miaya Dreanee and says that its the first Latina woman-owned pilates studio in western Massachusetts. Miaya told 22News that she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. She turned to holistic methods, including Pilates, that helped transform her life.

Local foster kids to get new beds through Red Day Project

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Pilates exercise has been around since the 1920s and is named after physical trainer Joseph Pilates, who developed it for rehabilitation purposes. A Pilates routine is an excellent way to incorporate a low-impact full-body workout for enhanced strength, flexibility, and stability training.

Solene Pilates is located at 60 Shaker Road #2 in East Longmeadow. Classes begin on Monday with variations of classic pilates. Private sessions can also be booked for 50, 60, and 90 minutes. For more information or to book online, visit solenepilates.com.

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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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SOMERSET, Pa.  Since becoming Somerset Area Ambulance Associations chief four years ago, John Jordan has led an effort that put 75 portable defibrillators in homes, restaurants and businesses countywide.

Hes worked with local schools to ramp up CPR training, updates ambulances and joined his staff on emergency calls across a 600-square-mile area, responders said.

Jordan was recognized for it all Thursday.

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As he entered the associations Wood Duck Road station, Jordan was greeted with the 2025 David J. Lindstrom EMS Innovation Award and a standing ovation from members of his local staff, state colleagues and his family.

This, Jordan said, as he entered the door, was completely unexpected.

Unexpected  but no less deserving, Pennsylvania Director of Pennsylvanias Bureau of EMS Anthony Martin said.

Jordan has served as chief through a period EMS agencies statewide are facing increased challenges to attract and retain employees. Call volumes have risen in recent years while funding challenges have also grown.

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Still, Jordan has found ways not just to ensure his 55-employee department is answering calls around the clock, but also embracing new technology and the community itself, Martin said.

That doesnt just include CPR training, but also events promoting EMS careers, Martin said.

He praised Jordans unwavering dedication to the job  and his community.

Dr. Alvin Wang, who serves as Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council President, said Jordans accomplishments over just four years are a powerful reminder that when communities invest in their EMS agencies  and their staffs  it doesnt just support a system.

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Were strengthening the foundations of health, safety and wellness for all, he added.

Somerset Area Ambulance includes three stations that serve a combined 25 communities in Somerset County, stretching from the Boswell area south to Addison Township, as well as a section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Donegal. Its Confluence station also serves a section of nearby Fayette County, Jordan said.

Nearly 550 of its 600 square miles encompass Somerset County.

Jordan said many of his outreach efforts are simply broader ways to deliver on Somerset Area Ambulances core mission  saving lives in their community.

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The data shows that early CPR and defibrillator use saves lives, said Jordan, explaining why expanded CPR and AED device availability are so important. Especially in rural areas. When someone calls for aid, the average response time is 14 minutes  and it could be 45 minutes if a house is (very remote).

When brain function is at risk, every second matters, Jordan said.

Part of what were trying to do is educate the community about that. My 7-year-old son can operate a defibrillator safely, and they can, too, he said.

Every church or business that adds a device can be linked into the PulsePoint apps network of maps that can alert people where to quickly find a portable defibrillator in a time of need, he added.

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The way I look at it ... we have to educate the community, Jordan said.

Martin said most EMS personnel are humble and arent looking for accolades.

They simply see themselves as doing their job. But they sacrifice a lot ... putting themselves in challenging situations to deliver healthcare to people before they get to (a hospital), Martin said.

And the EMS industry, in general, needs to do more to bring awareness to success stories worth sharing  not to mention educate the community about the role stations like Somerset Area Ambulance serve each day.

I dont think many people recognize the care EMS agencies provide  how much it costs or the challenges volunteer-based workforces face today, Martin said. We have to do a better job sharing our stories because otherwise communities can take us for granted.
Only the best

Im old enough to remember when the folks that were nominated to be Surgeon General needed to have an active medical license. And completed a medical residency.

Great choice

President Trumps pick to be the nations top doctor, Dr. Casey Means, never finished her surgical residency, doesnt hold an active medical license, promotes supplements and pseudoscience on Instagram, and has long been a big supporter of RFK Jr.

At war for decades

Pakistan and India have been at war on and off for decades. Perhaps No Wars might do a wee bit of research next time before sounding off.

TDS

Its getting quite old and stale to see President Trump blamed for anything bad that happens in the world. India bombs Pakistan and Trump gets dinged it. He lives comfortably in the minds of many.

Youre fired

Apparently there is no room for integrity or morals in the Trump administration. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Administration testified to Congress that he opposes Trumps desire to eliminate FEMA. The reason he gave to not eliminate FEMA was because its not in the best interest of the American people. One day later he is fired and replaced with a Trump loyalist with zero emergency management experience. Its a poor state of democracy when you cant speak the truth without threat of losing your livelihood.

FEMA

I dont see how anyone can have any confidence or security as we head into hurricane season. Deep-red Arkansas had its emergency request denied by the Trump administration. Mississippis request hasnt been acted on yet and President Trump just fired FEMAs leader and has designs on eliminating the agency. Looks like were going to need those thoughts and prayers in advance.

The new pope

The new Pope is Creole with ties to Louisiana, and was born in Chicago. And he is progressive on social issues. Dont worry hes a Christian, like he follows the teachings of Jesus.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.
Justice David Souter, touted as a steadfast conservative for the Supreme Court in 1990, soon revealed himself as the opposite.

He valued constitutional privacy, individual equality and the separation of church and state. And in 1992, when the justices confronted a major test of abortion rights, he unflinchingly cast a vote to affirm Roe v. Wade.

From the elevated courtroom bench that June 29, 1992, morning, as Souter read his portion of the opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, he emphasized regard for the 1973 precedent and the courts promise of constancy.

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Like the character of an individual, the New Hampshire native said in his distinctive Yankee drawl, the legitimacy of the court must be earned over time.  The courts concern for legitimacy is not for the sake of the court but for the sake of the nation to which it is responsible.

When I contacted Souter nearly three decades later, as the court was about to hear a new abortion case (one that would lead to the 2022 reversal of Roe), he asked, to be excused from voicing recollections of Casey.

In his inimitable manner, he added, I still think that on a judges past decisions his silence is the best course.

Souter, whose Thursday death was announced by the Supreme Court on Friday, was known for his integrity and erudite yet amiable manner. The appointee of President George H.W. Bush represented an era in which Supreme Court justices did not hew to the political interests of the presidents who appointed them.

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Souters record as a Republican appointee who turned left generated plenty of resentment and the mantra of No more Souters.

Federalist Society leaders and other right-wing advocates disappointed with his record urged more comprehensive vetting of possible Republican nominees. So searing was the Souter lesson that when President Donald Trump conferred in his first term with Federalist Society leader Leonard Leo, Souters name came up. He talked about Souter, Leo told me during Trumps first presidency. That was of his generation. He knew of the Souter problem and lack of an extensive paper trail.

President Bush landed on Souter to succeed retired liberal Justice William Brennan at the urging of Granite State natives US Sen. Warren Rudman and John Sununu, Bushs chief of staff. Sununu, a former New Hampshire governor, predicted Souter would be a home run for conservatives.

Souter had served in various public offices in New Hampshire, including as attorney general and a state supreme court justice. But Souter had a scant record on federal issues and no national profile. When asked before his Senate confirmation hearings began how it felt to be snatched from obscurity, Souter remarked, I must say, I never thought of myself as that obscure.

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Still, he stood apart from other justices. The lifelong bachelor shunned the Washington social scene. When each annual term was over, he would immediately drive in his Volkswagen to his quiet, book-filled home in New Hampshire. He retired from the bench at the relatively young age (for a jurist) of 69.

President Barack Obama chose as his successor Sonia Sotomayor, the countrys first Hispanic justice. I know of no one who cherished books more than David, Sotomayor said in her tribute on Friday, and he filled his mind and heart with the lessons of beauty they imparted.

Souters legacy comes down in part to how he slowed  rather than accelerate, as predicted  the conservative takeover of the Supreme Court. When he joined with allies Justices Sandra Day OConnor and Anthony Kennedy to ensure the preservation of Roe in 1992, Souter said, Despite the controversy it has produced, the decision has not proven unworkable in practice. It has undoubtedly engendered reliance and countless people have organized intimate relationships and made choices that define their views of themselves and their places in society in the two decades since it was handed down.

Just as todays Supreme Court has discarded that view, it has also overturned decisions Souter signed permitting such racial remedies as campus affirmative action. Rejected, too, is Souters resolute position on the First Amendment.

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Souter authored the courts 2005 opinion that struck down the posting of the Ten Commandments in two Kentucky courthouses. (T)he divisiveness of religion in current public life is inescapable, he wrote. This is no time to deny the prudence of understanding the Establishment Clause to require the government to stay neutral on religious belief, which is reserved for the conscience of the individual.

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Of Souters 19-year tenure on the high court, Bush v. Gore stands out. In that 2000 case, the justices cut off presidential election recounts in Florida and ensured that George W. Bush, the son of the man who appointed Souter became president. The controversy deeply split the nation and the court.

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Souter dissented with fellow liberals, writing that the Florida Supreme Court and ultimately Congress should have been allowed to resolve the matter. He said the political tension could have worked itself out without the courts interference.

That decision left bitterness all around, but Souter was known for keeping any rancor in check. He had a generous spirit, observed when his predecessor, Justice Brennan, died in 1997 and Souter offered a funeral tribute that reflects on him in this moment.

While I was with him, he might tell me some things that were true, Souter said of Brennan, a master of gathering a majority on the nine-member court, like how to count to five. And he might tell me a few things that were patently false, which he thought I might enjoy hearing anyway.

Hed bring up some pedestrian opinion that Id delivered, and hed tell me it was not just a very good opinion but a truly great one, and then hed go on and tell me it wasnt just great but a genuine classic of the judges art. And Id listen to him, and Id start to think that maybe he was right. Maybe it was pretty good. And when, inevitably, Id realize again that it wasnt, Id still feel great myself. I always felt great when Id been with Bill  Thats why the good-bye comes so hard.

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT)  The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) celebrated the Class of 2025 on Friday, May 9.

USM President Dr. Joe Paul awarded diplomas to undergraduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Nursing and the College of Business and Economic Development.

Mississippi teacher donates part of liver to save student

The Class of 2025 has 2,025 graduates from USM. Students said theyre proud to have reached the milestone and are ready to embark on their next journey.

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Its an honor. Southern Miss was kind of my dream school coming into it. So, its such an honor to be graduating today and to be among a group of people that have worked so hard, said Sarah McCammon, a graduate.

It means that Ive accomplished a lot of my dreams, have overcome a lot of challenges and just made my family proud, said Jimena Peredes, another graduate.

USM will hold a graduation ceremony for its Gulf Park campus on May 10 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.

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A Cold War-era spacecraft has come crashing down to Earth after being stuck in orbit for more than five decades.

An unconfirmed report from the Russian space agency claimed that the Kosmos 482 splashed down in the Indian Ocean, west of Jakarta.

Experts from around the globe had been monitoring Kosmos 482, but its eccentric orbit, coupled with space weather, made its potential landing site difficult to predict.

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In an update on its Telegram channel, Roscosmos said: The descent of the spacecraft was monitored by the automated warning system for hazardous situations in near-Earth space.

According to calculations by specialists from TsNIIMash [part of Roscosmos], the spacecraft entered the dense layers of the atmosphere at 9:24 Moscow time, 560km west of Middle Andaman Island, and fell into the Indian Ocean west of Jakarta.

The spacecraft was launched in the spring of 1972 to study Venus, but due to a malfunction of the booster block it remained in a high elliptical orbit of the Earth, gradually approaching the planet.

Both the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Operations Centres and US Space Command have been monitoring the probe after it suffered a rocket malfunction and ended up trapped in orbit around Earth for 53 years.

A view of the Kosmos 482 spacecraft in 2020

The European Space Agency (ESA) space debris office had calculated that the craft would come down at a point between 52 North and 52 South of the equator.

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The last update to the live ESA blog at 9.56am on Saturday said: As the descent craft was not spotted by radar over Germany at the expected 07:32 UTC/09:32 CEST pass, it is most likely that the re-entry has already occurred.

The craft was fortified to withstand the extreme conditions on the surface of Venus, which has temperatures of 477C and pressure over 90 times that of the Earth.

A team of researchers from University College London, the University of Colorado Boulder and Space Environment Technologies, who have been working to predict the capsules crash site, said earlier this week that the craft was likely to land in the ocean.

Dr Marcin Pilinski, a research scientist at the laboratory for atmospheric and space physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, said: The odds that this relic will land in a populated area are very low. It will very likely land in the ocean. But we cant yet say for certain where that will be.

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People who monitor asteroids to see if they will potentially impact Earth actually have an easier job. Those objects would enter at a really steep angle. Theyre not skimming part of the atmosphere for days or weeks like this spacecraft.

Space junk and meteors regularly plummet through Earths atmosphere, but most burn up or disintegrate on entry, posing little risk. However, the extra strong casing on Kosmos 482 had made researchers more worried than usual.

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A Soviet spacecraft launched in 1972 on a failed mission to Venus is believed to have crashed back to Earth early on Saturday morning.

The European Space Agency, which was monitoring the crafts uncontrolled descent, said it was last spotted by radar over Germany. At the time of its expected crash, radar could no longer detect the Kosmos 482, concluding that it is most likely that the reentry has already occurred.

No injuries or damage have been reported.

A replica of the Venera 4, the first probe to transmit data from the atmosphere of another planet, similar to the Kosmos 482 that was launched afterward and became stuck in Earth orbit. (NASA)

The Kosmos 482 spacecraft was part of the USSRs Venera program, a series of probes that were developed to research the planet Venus. Ten of those missions successfully landed on the hot, barren planet, but the rocket carrying Kosmos 482 malfunctioned. Its upper stage, which contained the descent craft, got stuck in Earth orbit.

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Over the following 53 years, the approximately 3-foot-wide, 1,069-pound spacecraft circled the Earth in an ever-smaller elliptical orbit, until it came close enough to fall into the planets atmosphere.

Its not unusual for space junk to fall back to Earth. More than 2,400 human-made objects fell from space in 2022, a record number, according to the ESA. The vast majority of them burned up in Earths atmosphere, and most of those that didnt splashed into an ocean.

But Kosmos 482 was built to withstand a descent through Venus dense atmosphere, and to operate on the planets surface, where the mean temperature is 867 degrees Fahrenheit (464 C). That meant it was theoretically hardy enough to survive a comparatively easy re-entry through Earths atmosphere.

Theres no record of space debris ever causing a human fatality. The risk of any satellite reentry causing injury is extremely remote, ESA officials wrote in a blog post about Kosmos 482. The annual risk of an individual human being injured by space debris is under 1 in 100 billion. In comparison, a person is about 65,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

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On Friday, the U.S. Space Force forecast that the spacecraft would re-enter the atmosphere at 1:52 a.m. ET on Saturday morning above the Pacific Ocean, west of Guam.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  Celebrating Pope Leo XIV and his new spot in the Vatican Church, members of Saint Andrew Catholic Church off 37th Avenue North hung the yellow and white papal bunting above the churchs doorways.

Father Priest Roger Morgan said the papal bunting represents a new pope. The colors resemble the Papal flag, celebrating joy and happiness that a new holy father oversees the Catholic church.

Morgan said when he found out Leo XIV was named the new pope, he was filled with utter excitement. Not only is he thrilled to have a new pope in general, he said for it to be an American is, in his eyes, a step forward for the churchs presence in the U.S.

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Seeing an American bishop, a native born American from Chicago, who was a White Sox fan, becoming the Holy Father is a recognition of the importance of the church, the strength of the church here and the belonging of the American church to the worldwide church, Morgan said. He spent a lot of his time serving in Peru. He was a missionary, he was Augustinian, so he belongs to a religious order as did Pope Francis. He was a Jesuit, so he brings the charisma of that religious life and that religious order to do his work.

Parish member Becky Relford said being a devout Catholic, she looks forward to see what Pope Leo XIV brings to the Catholic people.

I am just really looking forward to learning, getting to know him and what his devotions are so that he can lead our church and really the whole world, she said. What I loved about Pope Francis is that he was always bringing people together. He seemed to have a real desire to unite us. So I hope that continues.

Helping to also clean Saint Andrew Church every Friday before Sunday mass, Kathy McCormick said she was in awe when she heard white smoke had come from the Vaticans chimneys.

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Never thought that I would see an American pope. I would be excited no matter who was taking the office of pope. But this is so special. And I think everybody was stunned, she said. I lean very heavily on my church, and I want a leader in my church, and so this is wonderful. Like, this is wonderful news. To think that they did this so quickly also makes me  it gives me confidence.

Relford said having a pope brings Catholics around the world together. She said shes always been happy with the popes that have been around during her lifetime, but to see the first American pope lead her faith is special.

It just gives me hope to see what direction hes going to take our church, she said. And I think that were just here, also excited, already waiting to see what happens. And Ill continue to pray always for the pope and his intentions.

Morgan said the Pope is a sign and symbol that everybody knows throughout the world. But he said there is very little knowledge of what the cardinal electors are thinking and how theyre coming to their consensus.

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He was one of the ones that I had the least knowledge of, to be honest. He was sort of the dark horse candidate, he said. The candidate that I wanted is the candidate that would do the work of the church and fulfill this role, you know, with one that a man of holiness, a man of prayer, a man of thoughtfulness and he seems, from what I understand, and what Ive learned in these past 24 hours, that he is a man who embodies all of those qualities in a wonderful way.

He said that seeing the new pope embody these characteristics is helping continue the thousands-year-old religion to help Catholicism prosper.

What were seeing is the continuity of the faith going back to Peter himself, going back to the apostles, going back to Christ the Lord himself. And that is something that Catholics know and love and appreciate from their earliest days, he said. Theyre taught that this is an apostolic church. Its built on apostolic foundations. And the election of the pope is that apostolic tradition transpiring right here in our own time.

McCormick added she looks forward to Pope Leo XIV visiting the U.S. and will continue to serve him as best as she can.

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I just know that we are all filled with hope knowing that we have somebody at the helm that we consider ourselves to be his sheep and he will lead us, she said.

* * *

Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

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PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG)  Spirit Airlines will soon offer nonstop flights from Pensacola to Houston for the summer, according to Pensacola International Airport.

Pensacola police: Beware of jugging  2 people already robbed of thousands

The flights will run twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from July 9 to Aug. 12.

Spirit already offers flights out of Pensacola to Dallas-Fort Worth, Orlando and Tampa.

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Spirit Airlines continues to be a strong partner as we expand connectivity for our region, Pensacola International Airport Executive Director Matt Coughlin said. This new service to Houston adds more choice and convenience for our passengerswhether theyre heading to Texas or coming to enjoy everything Pensacola has to offer.

Vice President of Network Planning for Spirit Airlines, John Kirby, said they look forward to helping travelers get to the beaches of California.

Person drowns off Quietwater Beach in Escambia County, Florida

Summer is a great time for travelers to explore new destinations, and our new seasonal service between Houston and Pensacola makes it even easier to experience all that Pensacola has to offer, Kirby said.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A rare abundance of snowfall in May is helping, as farmers expect yet another tough year for irrigation. It definitely is a pleasant surprise this time of year, said Anne Marken, river operations manager for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

That surprise comes in the form of snow; something the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District welcomes amid lesser spring runoff this year. Earlier this week, Red River, Taos, and Ski Santa Fe all saw several inches of snow after a storm moved across Northern New Mexico.

Up into the northern mountains, its not too unusual to get snow during the month of May in fact a few places like Red River actually average several inches of snowfall during May, but to get two to three feet of snow is pretty rare, said Grant Tosterud, KRQE chief meteorologist.

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Heritage Farms at ABQ BioPark reopens after two years

That snow is expected to help out farmers in the middle Rio Grande valley, as the conservancy district expects less water for irrigation this year compared to last.

I think the snow accumulation is going to help extend the period of time where we see the benefits of the storm, because more snow in the mountains means that once it starts to warm up, that snow will melt off and show up in the river and contribute to available water supply for the middle valley, said Marken.

The MRGCD says even though they received a decent amount of snow earlier this week, they are still below average snowpack levels.

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Sandia Peak Ski Area reopens due to snowfall

While the Rio Grande usually starts to see a decrease in water flow by late June, this year flow has already been decreasing about a month earlier than usual, but recent storms should help. I think well start to see river flows decline in late May. We probably wont immediately see river channel drying through the Albuquerque area, but I think in the following weeks, it could be expected, Marken said.

Theyre asking farmers to be prepared.

This summer is going to be very challenging, and to continue to meet irrigation deliveries to farmers in the middle valley, we will be very reliant on summer rains, and I encourage everybody to pray for rain, said Marken.

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The MRGCD says if we dont see a good monsoon season this year, farmers should also expect summer deliveries of irrigation water to be limited.

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This weekend is all about memories for Lincoln Southeast High Schools Class of 1965.

For some, its memories of carving their initials into Robbers Cave or hanging out with friends on a Friday night at Kings.

For most of them, its one final chance to reunite with classmates while reliving some of their teenage years.

Sixty years after crossing the stage and getting their diplomas, more than 75 classmates gathered together in Lincoln to celebrate with one another and remember the "good ol days." This is the seventh reunion for the Southeast Knights of 65  and their last.

Its the last hurrah, and so thats why you want to make the most of whatever moment that you have, alumna Nan Webster said.

Webster said theyve lost many classmates over the years. Others cant travel for various reasons.

Thats just part of life and you dont ever think youre going to get here and were here, Webster said. You can still celebrate peoples lives even when theyre gone and remember them and remember the good things.

While the alumni group has dwindled in size, Webster said those who are still able to gather can reflect on their memories on a more heartfelt level now.

I think as you get older, the memories become more important than anything, because thats something they cant take away, Webster said. It just brings back some beautiful memories of connections with people, things that youve done, things that youve shared with people.

The reunion weekend kicked off Friday with a tour of Robbers Cave. The tour was originally booked in 2020 for the class' 55th anniversary, but it was canceled along with the rest of the reunion weekend due to the pandemic.

Five years later, five alumni gathered together Friday morning as they revisited the underground hangout spot where many Lincoln teenagers spent their time.

The tour reminded Tedda Watts of her first kiss with her husband in Robbers Cave as a junior in high school.

Were all 78 now, which is stifling, Watts said. We remember being young and running around.

Watts, who lives in Lincoln, said it was overwhelming to see the cave for the first time in more than 60 years. As a small child, she often visited to play tag.

I just remember going in and then that circle kind of thing, thats all the further we went, Watts said. It wasnt lit up like this  it looked spooky.

Back then, there was a little hideaway spot that had different names, including the kissing nook. Watts said they would sneak into the cave with their flashlights and hang out.

Bill Nefsky and his wife traveled from Georgia for the reunion weekend. Nefsky said he thought it was a great idea to start the weekend festivities with a blast from the past.

As a grown-up, you just see stuff so totally different than as a kid, Nefksy said.

Jim Moses traveled in from Arizona and said he remembered hiding in Robbers Cave as a child. As a ninth grader, he remembered one boy brought cigarettes with them and they would all hide away from their parents in the cave to smoke.

We had to get a ride out here and then we got in the cave and then tried to lose our parents, he said.

The reunions have changed over the years. When they first started in 1975, Webster said everyone was excited about their new careers and marriages. As they kept going, the talking points became their children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren.

Its hard to believe youre here and its hard to believe where did the time go, Webster said. It makes you grateful to look at where youve been and the friends youve had and very grateful for the life that you have now and that youre still here.

When Webster was growing up, she said Lincoln was much smaller and people didnt leave as much. Many of her classmates went all the way from kindergarten to their senior year of high school.

By the time they graduated in 1965, the men were growing their hair out while women wore shorter skirts. The average cost of gas was 31 cents a gallon and a new house was a mere $13,600.

Each reunion weekend, the alumni make time to visit Southeast High School to see how much the building has changed.

Sometimes just wandering the hall just brings back certain memories again, Webster said. Sometimes it seems so big, but now it looks a little bit smaller. Its all your perspective of where you are in life.

When she was a student, there werent women in sports, but there were intramural options. Without many electronics, most of their time was spent outside at places like at Kings Food Host, an old restaurant at 40th and South streets.

Other reunion activities over the weekend will include a tour of the Museum of American Speed, visiting the Pershing Mural at Wyuka, and a double date night with the Lincoln High School Class of 1965. There was also a buffet of favorite foods from local hot spots such as Runza, Lees Chicken Restaurant and Valentinos.

John Tidball helped plan the reunion and said its difficult to find classmates since many arent on social media, but hes looking forward to meeting people he didnt know from their class of more than 400 students.

For me, its not as much getting together with maybe the handful of friends that I had in high school, but maybe checking in with some people that I didnt really know that well in high school, and I regret it, Tidball said.

Some alumni have kept together with virtual book clubs or meeting up, but Tidball said as they are getting older, its become more clear to him that its important to take it all in this weekend.

I think that theres going to be people that, like me, think, Gosh, if I dont see so and so this week or this year or touch base with them somehow, I might never see them again, Tidball said.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  A person from Springfield was arrested just over the state line in Indiana on three drug charges Friday evening.

On May 9 just after 6 p.m., Indiana State Police Trooper Grundell was patrolling Interstate 74 near mile marker eight in Fountain County when he conducted a traffic stop on a 2011 Buick for a speeding violation.

Boil order issued in Springfield neighborhood

While speaking to the driver, 41-year-old Shanna McCrary of Springfield, Grundell detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. He then conducted a search of the Buick based on the smell.

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During the search, Grundell located substances believed to be fentanyl and marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia. The suspected drugs were then collected as evidence and will be submitted to the Indiana State Police Laboratory for further analysis to determine the exact identity and weight of the substances.

As a result of the search, McCrary was arrested and charged with the following:

Possession of a narcotic drug (Level 6 Felony)

Possession of marijuana (Class B Misdemeanor)

Possession of drug paraphernalia (Class C Misdemeanor)

During this incident, Grundell was assisted at the scene by the Convington Police Department. This investigation remains ongoing.

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ST. LOUIS  Graduate students at a theological school in Florissant were excited with yesterdays announcement of the new pope.

Everyone was excited. They were excited to see who it was and then the name that he chose. So both by who it was and the name he chose of Leo the XIV, said Ben Akers, Augustine Institute Chief Mission Officer. One of the key fathers of the church is St. Augustine. Its the name of our institute. We take him as a patron. So we were very excited when the pope came out and said, I am a son of St. Augustine.

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He said within minutes of the announcement at the Vatican, the school held mass.

Within 10 minutes of him giving a blessing to the city and to the world, the Urbi et Orbi blessing, we were here praying for the new pope, using his name in the mass and in the liturgy. We were all able to pray for him as he began his new ministry. So we have to be one of the first groups in the world to have a mass with the new popes name being used, Akers said.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis released a statement to FOX 2 saying,

Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski, Archbishop of St. Louis, will celebrate the regularly scheduled 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday to pray for newly inaugurated Pope Leo XIV. Catholics, and men and women of all faith backgrounds, are invited to join us in praying for the pope.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
A police officer shot a knife-wielding man in the arm in St. Cloud on Friday afternoon.

According to the St. Cloud Police Department, an incident that began around 3:43 p.m. as a domestic dispute involving a man allegedly threatening harm against a woman turned into an officer-involved shooting when the man attacked with a knife.

It happened on the 600 block of 8th Ave. N, with officers arriving to handle the domestic dispute. When police got to the scene, the man went to a car parked on the street and sat inside, refusing to come out, according to police.

The street view of the 600 block of 8th Ave. N in St. Cloud.Google

After some time, the man got out of the vehicle with a knife and allegedly "lunged at an officer," with police saying the effort wound up "striking the officer in the arm."

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"The officer fired one round from their handgun striking the male in the arm," release from St. Cloud police reads. "Another officer discharged their taser at which time the male was taken into custody."

The suspect was taken to St. Cloud Hospital by ambulance and was believed to be in stable condition. The officer suffered a minor injuries from the knife attack.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is leading the investigation into the police shooting, while the Stearns County Sheriff's Office has taken over the investigation of the assault on the police officer and the initial domestic dispute call.

Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)  Graduation is a time of joy and celebration for any student who get's to walk across the stage to receive their diploma.

Bishop LeBlond High School's class of 2025 will be able to have that special experience.

Mass will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the graduation ceremony to follow.

Graduation is being held at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, located at 4503 Frederick Ave.

News-Press NOW will update this article.
BALLANTYNE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Parishioners around the world are celebrating the newly installed American leader of the Roman Catholic Church  Pope Leo XIV.

One of the special Masses was Friday night at Saint Matthew in Ballantyne.

Through the ministry of Peter, you have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, said new American Pope Leo XIV while leading his first Mass at the Vatican a day after his election to the papacy.

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Just like the followers who cheered and greeted the newest bishop of Rome, followers in Charlotte are celebrating as well.

What so many people find fascinating about what has transpired in the last few days is the power of the holy spirit to blow across this earth to draw us ever closer to one another and to Christ. Are we seizing this moment? said Bishop Michael Martin.

The Pope  originally named Robert Prevost  is sharing a message of love and unity, drawing people closer to Christ through humanity.

At Friday nights Mass in Ballantyne, Bishop Michael Martin of the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte told parishioners this is the time to recommit themselves to their religion.

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But realizing that youve given me certain gifts to be able to think and understand to agree with or disagree with not so that I can create division, but that I can foster unity. Thats why weve been given a shepherd. Leo, Francis, Benedict. John Paul. John Paul. Paul. John I just dont want to count 266, Bishop Martin laughed.

He left parishioners with Pope Leos first words.

Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid. We are meant for this moment, he said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  The Food Bank of North Alabama is teaming up with the U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers to fight food insecurity in North Alabama.

Mail carriers in Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Cullman, Hartselle, Eva, Falkville, Cullman and Athens will pick up food donations Saturday and deliver them to the Food Bank of North Alabama. If you would like to participate, fill a grocery bag with canned goods and other non-perishable foods and put it next to your mailbox.

Celebrating new moms at Huntsville Hospital who delivered on Mothers Day weekend

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Our volunteers will go through everything thats donated to make sure it meets our food safety standards, said Joshua Matthews, the Food Bank of North Alabamas Chief Operations Officer. Its going to be nutritious and be a good meal for somebody right here in north Alabama.

During last years drive, the food bank collected more than 75,000 pounds of food. As the cost of food increases, Matthews said the donations will play an important role in helping people.

This food drive comes at a really great time of year for the food bank, Matthews said. Its right before school gets out. We know that a lot of families rely on free and reduced lunch at school, and so oftentimes parents are left to figure out where those meals are going to come from, that kids are getting in school.

Make sure to set out donations before your mail carrier typically arrives.

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Some of our most needed items right now are definitely canned proteins, canned vegetables, peanut butter and other shelf-stable items like that, Matthews said. We do ask that folks refrain from donating home-canned items just because we cant verify the food safety on those ingredients and things like that for folks that may have allergens.

If you are unable to donate food on Saturday but still want to help out, you can always donate online.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Miami Valley postal workers will be carrying more than letters on their routes Saturday.

The National Association of Letter Carriers is hosting its 32nd annual Stamp Out Hunger food driver.

To take part, all you have to do is leave non-perishable food donations in a bag next to your mailbox.

All donations collected in the Greater Dayton area will benefit The Foodbank.

Before 1970, letter carriers  many of them  could not sustain their living on just their letter carrier salaries, said Mark Beach, vice president of the NALC Buckeye Branch. Many of them had to rely on food banks and things like that. So its something thats dear to letter carriers hearts.

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Organizers recommend setting bags outside as early as possible this morning to ensure they get picked up.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Starbucks has confirmed it is closing another store in downtown San Francisco.

Sees Candies closing South Bay shop

The Starbucks at 1255 Battery St. in Levi Strauss Plaza (also known as Levis Plaza) will officially shut its doors on Friday, May 16.

The location is a favorite go-to for work professionals in the area. Coffee lovers were greeted to a sign taped on the shops door confirming the closure.

Photo: KRON4.

Starbucks released the below statement to KRON4 on Friday.

As part of Starbucks standard course of business, we continually evaluate our business to ensure a healthy store portfolio. After careful consideration, we made the decision to close our store at 1255 Battery Street at lease end. Our last day at this location will be May 16 and all Starbucks partners working at the store received the opportunity to transfer to one of our nearby locations. Customers can find the nearest store location through the Starbucks app. A Starbucks spokesperson

The announcement comes months after another downtown location at 99 Jackson St. closed in early February.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
An agreement was reached at a coalition of the willing summit in Kyiv on 10 May that Western countries will not ease sanctions against Russia while negotiations with it continue.

Source: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as reported by an European Pravda reporter

Details: Starmer noted that the decision had been agreed upon collectively.

"We're equally clear from the meetings today that there can be no release of the sanctions already in place until the end of the process. Now we're at the beginning of the process," he said, without specifying what he would consider the end of the process.

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Starmer emphasised the US commitment to this common policy. He said this stance is strengthened by the fact that "we've got the US, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, other countries around the world all speaking with one voice on this vital point".

Speaking to journalists after the summit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed his gratitude to Donald Trump for supporting the sanctions initiatives.

"I'm grateful to President Trump... for maintaining the sanctions in place today, and I look forward to their strengthening," Zelenskyy said.

Background:

European Pravda reported that the EU and the US plan to sharply tighten sanctions against Russia if Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin rejects the ceasefire.

Following the summit on 10 May, the coalition of the willing demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days starting 12 May.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  2,400 Costume Clad students, their drama teachers, parents, friends, and other supporters brought the energy of a big time award show to the Rochester Broadway Theatre League Friday.

Stars of Tomorrow is the biggest night for theatre kids in the Greater Rochester area.

Students from 42 local schools performing selections from their high school musicals.

The annual recognition ceremony begins with an opening performance and is always full of good energy, sincere support, and talented teens.

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News 8 spoke with two Hilton high school students who say they are thrilled that their school is participating for the first time this year.

Im so excited, Hilton High School sophomore Lylah Mason said. Ive already dreamed about this. Its like the Tonys just for teens.

It was just wonderful to see the community support and how everyone since they knew we were doing this, it was extra special to have the community support, Hilton High School senior Grant Wood.

Truly, its just the sound of the cheering and the love that they have for each other and it fills me for the rest of the year, RBTL Director of Education Holly Valentine said.

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Valentine called it a night full of magic, and News 8s Theresa Marsenburg agrees. For the past three years, Theresa has been honored to give the News 8 welcome, and instead of pumping up the kids.

They fill me with such great energy, Marsenburg said.

And as a long time supporter, WROC will launch the Stars of Tomorrow webpage on Monday morning. It will feature the student performers selected to return to RBTL later this month for round two of Stars of Tomorrow.

Fans will be able to vote for their favorite performer.

Congratulations to all of Fridays participants.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Attorney General James Uthmeiers office this week filed a notice that is a first step in appealing a preliminary injunction that prohibits enforcement of part of a 2023 law aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

The Farmworker Association of Florida and individual plaintiffs challenged part of the law that threatens felony charges for people who transport into Florida immigrants who entered the United States in violation of law and have not been inspected by the federal government since his or her unlawful entry.

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman last year granted a preliminary injunction blocking the part of the law from being enforced statewide.

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The judge later narrowed his original order and specified that the preliminary injunction only applied to the farmworker association; the associations members as the date of the order; and the individual plaintiffs, who are Andrea Mendoza Hinojosa, Carmenza Aragon and Maria Medrano Rios.

The association has about 12,000 members statewide, according to court documents.

Attorneys for Uthmeieirs office on Wednesday filed a notice of appeal at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

As is typical in such instances, the notice did not include details about the appeal. Uthmeiers office this week also turned to the Atlanta-based appeals court in a separate fight about a new law targeting undocumented immigrants who enter Florida.

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The state is seeking a stay of a preliminary injunction issued last week that blocked enforcement of the law.

If granted, a stay would allow enforcement while an underlying appeal of the injunction plays out.

That law, passed during a February special legislative session, created state crimes for undocumented immigrants who enter or re-enter Florida.

In issuing the preliminary injunction, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams said the law likely was preempted by federal immigration authority.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
HARTFORD Conn. (WTNH)  With the election of a new pope dominating headlines and social media feeds around the world, Catholics in Connecticut are optimistic that renewed attention on the Church will help them build on recent growth.

In the past few years, Church leaders say theyve seen a resurgence of interest and attendance.

Connecticut church leaders, lawmakers react to election of new pope

Weve been seeing significant growth in numbers, said Archbishop Christopher Coyne of Hartford.

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Coyne pointed to increased mass attendance in the diocese and an increase in vocations to the priesthood. He noted that much of the churchs growth has happened among college-aged churchgoers.

On campuses from Fairfield to Hartford, mass attendance has spiked in recent years, so much so that Coyne said some college parishes have had to find bigger spaces to hold Sunday services.

Alexander Walton, a graduate student at Yale Divinity School, said hes observed increased interest in Catholicism among his peers. Walton himself is a recent convert to the faith as well.

I think the Holy Spirit is trying to work throughout the world and talk to people who feel lost or feel insecure in this new modern age and I think young people are at the forefront of it, Walton said. I think Gods working hard and I think a lot of young people are trying to be open and make sense of the world and they find a lot of love and fraternity in the Catholic Church.

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Bishop Juan Betancourt, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford, said he expects the newly-elected Pope Leo XIV will continue the work Pope Francis undertook to instill a spirit of new evangelism among the worlds youth.

Pope Leo said, like the arms of St. Peters Basilica, the church welcomes everyone, Betancourt said in an interview with News 8s Dennis House. This is something that I trust that he will keep in mind  something that will be very important in his pontificate. To receive everybody. That will be his message. Everybody is welcome into the church.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
House Republicans unveiled a discussion draft of a market structure bill but all eyes this week were on the Senate, where a largely bipartisan effort to advance stablecoin legislation ran up against a wall.

PS: I'll be in Toronto next week for Consensus. In town? Come say hi.

Youre reading State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. Click here to sign up for future editions.

Unstable movement

The narrative

Stablecoin and market structure bills are the two big things around crypto that Congress is expected to get to President Donald Trump's desk this year. There was a press conference by crypto and AI czar David Sacks with the chairs of the House and Senate committees. Everyone had this rough deadline of "before the August recess."

Why it matters

Of these two bills, the stablecoin legislation was supposed to be the easier lift. It's focused on just a part of the crypto sector, while the market structure bill will define how a much broader part of the industry operates and is overseen by federal regulators. And up until just over a week ago, the stablecoin bill was largely sailing through with few issues. Now  while it's still expected to become law  the timing of its passage is far less certain.

Breaking it down

First thing's first: No one this reporter has spoken to this week thinks the Senate's stablecoin bill  the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act  is dead. According to multiple individuals familiar with the situation, lawmakers were already back to negotiating after Thursday's failed vote, and lawmakers could vote again as soon as next week  potentially even Monday.

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Thursday's vote failed after Democrats raised an alarm last weekend that certain provisions around national security, the soundness of the financial system and accountability, though Republicans argued that ongoing stablecoin usage requires swift passage. U.S. President Donald Trump's profiting off of stablecoins also raised alarm bells for lawmakers, senators introducing multiple bills that would prevent the President from issuing financial assets, including the "End Crypto Corruption Act," which would block all members of Congress, the president, vice president, other executive branch officials and their families from "issuing, endorsing or sponsoring crypto assets."

On Wednesday, one individual told CoinDesk that it appeared that a deal might be in place so that Democrats would get a vote on the End Crypto Corruption Act, either as an amendment to the GENIUS Act or as a standalone bill, ahead of the procedural vote on the GENIUS Act itself.

This ultimately did not happen, with lawmakers proceeding directly to the so-called cloture vote on Thursday; it fell 48-49.

The vote did not fail on party lines either: though no Democrats voted in favor of the bill, Republicans Josh Hawley and Rand Paul joined 46 Democrats in voting against the motion (Majority Leader John Thune initially voted in favor of the bill, but flipped in a procedural move that will let him bring the bill back for a vote later).

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Among other issues was the fact that there was no bill text available at the time the vote kicked off.

The cloture vote, which would open 30 hours of debate, is likely the main piece of leverage Democrats have to try and get their priorities into the bill because it needs 60 Senators to pass. After the debate, there will be another cloture vote before the final passage vote, but it would be difficult for a lawmaker who voted to open debate to walk that back afterward, one of the individuals told CoinDesk.

Having their priorities sorted before getting to the final set of votes would also just generally provide more comfort to lawmakers, the individual said.

None of the individuals who spoke to CoinDesk expect that an actual provision blocking the U.S. President from issuing or being tied to an issuer of a stablecoin will become part of the final bill.

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One of the individuals said ongoing negotiations are more focused on how foreign issuers are treated and anti-money laundering provisions.

A broader concern was that a hefty delay in passing the stablecoin legislation may slow down the process for advancing the market structure bill, which will rewrite the law around how the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission oversee digital assets, including how cryptocurrencies might be defined as securities. A discussion draft was introduced in the House this week.

If the Senate votes on the stablecoin bill in the next week or so, it should not hold up the other bill, two individuals told CoinDesk.

Stories you may have missed

This week

soc 050625

Tuesday

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10:00 a.m. ET (14:00 UTC) The House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees were scheduled to hold a joint hearing on digital asset market structure, but FSC Ranking Member Maxine Waters objected and instead held her own hearing on Trump's crypto tie-ups.

Thursday

10:00 a.m. ET (14:00 UTC): Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to commodities and securities fraud charges last year.

Elsewhere:

(404 Media) It turns out former National Security Advisor Michael Waltz was not using Signal, but rather an unofficial version called TeleMessage, which was then hacked and later suspended services temporarily.

(The San Francisco Standard) Jeffy Yu appeared to fake his own death to pump a memecoin, or something. The once late Yu is alive and kicking at his parents' home, the San Francisco Standard reported.

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If youve got thoughts or questions on what I should discuss next week or any other feedback youd like to share, feel free to email me at nik@coindesk.com or find me on Bluesky @nikhileshde.bsky.social.

You can also join the group conversation on Telegram.

See yall next week!
CHEYENNE  Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees may soon be legally held at the Laramie County jail, pending the approval of a supplemental Intergovernmental Agreement between the two agencies.

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak successfully pursued an IGA with the U.S. Marshals Service, with the intent to generate income for the county while bringing federal inmates closer to the courts in Cheyenne. That IGA was approved in February, providing an avenue for ICE to attach a supplemental IGA to the agreement.

While the supplemental IGA has yet to be presented to county commissioners, Kozak said he suspects that the contract would allow ICE to pay the jail a daily rate to hold detainees for more than 72 hours.

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Kozak included the potential for further collaboration with ICE in his letter explaining the need for the original U.S. Marshals IGA.

This collaboration with ICE (is) overwhelmingly supported by our community, while improving public safety, Kozak wrote in a January memo to commissioners.

Currently, the jail can hold people on immigration detainers for 48 hours after the completion of their jail time and receive no income for doing so, according to the Laramie County Sheriffs Office.

By having additional inmates come in at the contracted price from the U.S. Marshals Service, or even ICE, that's just additional (income) to what we have in the budget itself, Kozak said. So pretty much all that is just extra revenue to the county.

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The jail anticipates providing housing for ICE inmates who have undergone due process, increasing access to the U.S. District Court in Cheyenne. However, Kozak said he would be open to leasing space to ICE for civil holds, as long as the agreement includes a right-to-refuse clause.

I don't see a reason why we wouldn't, as long as we have the space and we have the medical facilities, Kozak said.

Kozaks eagerness to pursue continued collaboration with ICE reflects a statewide effort, as local lawmakers and law enforcement look for ways to assist the Trump administration in its deportation efforts.

During the Wyoming Republican Party's State Central Committee meeting last weekend, party members voted in favor of a resolution to open a federally funded ICE facility in Wyoming. The resolution indicates that the party supports opening a detention center in Wyoming by utilizing an existing facility or building a temporary facility.

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The Republican Party voted to pursue an ICE detention facility in Wyoming, Kozak wrote in email correspondence.My question would be Why?' We have the room in our facility, which is already built and has the trained staff.

While the resolutions language is focused on a facility, newly appointed Wyoming Republican Party Treasurer Dallas Tyrrell noted that the intent is to provide facilities for ICE to utilize while alleviating the cost burden on the counties. This could potentially be satisfied by IGAs and 287(g) agreements similar to the ones Kozak is pursuing.

We need to identify a facility, and that facility should be getting federal funding, rather than the funding coming from the local governments, Tyrrell said. It should be coming from the federal level. (The resolution) is just an informal way of putting that (support) into words.

Kozak noted that the jails have the space to hold ICE detainees, potentially making jail collaborations an easier solution than building a detention facility.

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It may satisfy their desire to help with President Trump's goal and provide extra revenue to our local economy, Kozak wrote.

The resolution does call for collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE.

Whether or not agreements with local jails are more beneficial to communities than setting up a detention center, a few out-of-state companies have shown interest in building a detention center in Wyoming.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming has been working to inform communities where these projects have been proposed, a few of whom have already rejected out-of-state proposals to build detention centers.

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They're looking to build somewhere here, and we're hoping we can get in front of it, but people need to know that it's happening, ACLU of Wyoming advocacy director Antonio Serrano said.

Serrano noted that ICE has been active in Wyoming, leaving many immigrant community members scared for their future in the state, regardless of their immigration status.

A lot of these people who are caught up in ICEs net are just regular people, Serrano said. They're not a danger to anybody. They're just trying to survive.

While local law enforcement and the state GOP are eager to pursue ICE contracts and federal funds to detain undocumented immigrants, the ACLU has informed sheriffs about the strain these agreements can put on local communities.

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This is a huge drain on the local resources, Serrano said. You have to send officers away for training, and if you're short-staffed, like I believe we are here in Laramie County, that can be difficult. (287(g)) also makes the local jail pay for a lot of the things up front, and ICE typically doesn't reimburse them, so it's an unnecessary cost in our city and county.

The ACLU released an informative letter warning local law enforcement of the potential risks of signing 287(g) agreements earlier this year. Sheriffs across the state have still pursued these agreements, seeing community support for the programs and potential profits.

The IGA to hold detainees is separate from the pending 287(g) agreement.

An additional risk of local law enforcement working with ICE is a potential loss of community trust. Kozak has previously stated that he does not want the community to feel like they cant call for help because of these agreements with ICE, but Serrano says thats exactly what these agreements do to communities.

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ICE did not confirm or provide comment on current or future contract agreements when asked by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Public Affairs Officer Steve Kotecki also provided no answers when asked if ICE would utilize a detention facility in Wyoming should one be built.

Kotecki instead pointed to the list of active and pending 287(g) agreements on the ICE website.

As of mid-morning Thursday, ICE had signed 531 Memorandums of Agreement for 287(g) programs in 38 states, with an additional 105 agreements pending.

This includes three types of 287(g) agreements:

* The Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) enables law enforcement to identify and process removable aliens with criminal or pending criminal charges arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies.

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* The Task Force Model (TFM) enables law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during routine police duties.

* The Warrant Service Officer (WSO) allows ICE to train and certify law enforcement officers to serve and execute administrative warrants on undocumented immigrants in their jails.

Laramie County has a pending application for a WSO agreement, alongside Natrona and Sweetwater Countys pending applications for TFM agreements. Sweetwater County already has active WSO and JEM agreements.
BOSTON (WWLP)  State officials continued to push out policy dealing with spending taxpayer dollars this week and worked to establish session priorities.

Early this week, the Senate unveiled its fiscal year 2026 budget plan, and the Senate also passed a $1.3 billion supplemental budget using millionaires tax collections to fund regional transportation.

Robust public transportation in Fitchburg and Southbridge, and Springfield means a possibility of more housing production and easing density in Boston, said Senator Robyn Kennedy during the supplemental budget debate.

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The Healey Administration announced a set of policy initiatives to make Massachusetts better for older adults. Their priorities include dementia-friendly policies and ensuring older adults can age in their own homes.

Aging in place is a heck of a lot better than needing any alternative, I know, so its important for us to do the work and make sure everyone sees themselves through this effort, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said at the announcement.

The commission on combating antisemitism held a hearing focusing on increasing hate crimes, and a western Massachusetts senator expressed his commitment to fighting back.

This special commission will not hesitate to follow and confront antisemitism wherever it rears its vile and repugnant head, whether its from the left or the right, Westfield Senator John Velis said.

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This commission meeting comes in the same week as the state announces a partnership with an Israeli medical innovation center.

Attention at the State House will soon turn to Senate budget debate, as the final budget deadline looms in July.

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.
The Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise shines in the sunlight on Jan. 7, 2025. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

This story originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on May 9, 2025

A state education official tempered what he implied were exaggerated claims about investments in public education during a post-legislative tour stop in Pocatello Thursday.

The Legislature did increase funding this year for public education  but debate over the amount continues between politicians, education stakeholders and the Idaho Department of Education (IDE).

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IDE staff directly countered Rep. Wendy Hormans touting of $400 million in new public education investments, and watered down Gov. Brad Littles showcasing of $50 million for rural school facilities.

Gideon Tolman, the IDES chief financial officer, did not mention Horman by name, but said claims of a new $400 million investment were misleading at best.

Public educations financial gains were few but appreciated, IDE leaders said, during a 2025 legislative session that had moments ranging from surprising to heartbreaking. From a failed $3 million request for high-needs students to the states first private school choice tax credit, the repercussions led to a sense of gloom among the district leaders and superintendents who gathered at Idaho State University for a recap of the session.

As politicians and educators scramble to craft the narrative over what the session meant for public education, Little held his own press event Thursday, where he said its both our constitutional and our moral obligation to the next generation that we increase funding, and more importantly, have better outcomes for public schools.

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The debate over Horman and Littles claims

In a column for EdNews, Horman wrote that public education received $400 million in new funding.

Co-chairwoman Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, conducts the proceedings of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

That sparked frustration among education stakeholders who said the public schools budget provides no new additional state funding for anything other than pay increases and benefits for school staff, as Clark Corbin of the Idaho Capital Sun reported.

In response, Horman told Corbin that just $100 million in new general fund dollars will go to pay and benefits. The other $300 million is located outside public school budgets in the form of tax cuts and facilities payments sent to districts to pay down levies and bonds.

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IDE staff publicly chimed in Thursday.

Tolman said there was a $100 million increase for pay and benefits  a fact stakeholders and politicians seem to be able to agree on.

The other $300 million is not accessible to charter schools, Tolman said. For traditional school districts, this funding is either very restricted or has been repurposed  meaning it was already in education coffers, but got moved from one account to another.

For example, Little has touted a $50 million investment for rural school facilities, a promise he outlined in his state of the state address.

But that $50 million isnt as new or accessible as it seems, Tolman said.

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Half of it had been sitting in a facilities cooperative fund, which has been on the books for about 20 years, Tolman said. To access it, a district had to run a failed bond or levy, and document a health and safety concern in the building.

Over the 20 years, only two districts have been able to use the fund  Plummer-Worley to build a new school, and Salmon to replace a roof. School districts that meet those conditions can apply for and receive the funds, but would have to pay back the funds with state dollars they received for paying down bonds and levies, if possible, Tolman said. But, if the money isnt repaid within 20 years, it will be forgiven.

The second half of the $50 million comes from a preexisting bond levy equalization fund, which was discontinued in the 2024 session  but the cash remained. So this year, legislators moved those dollars into this new fund.

That, Tolman said, helps illustrate why the $400 million claim is misleading  because its repurposing funding that either was given to you and taken away and now given back to you, or was already in the account, or that doesnt apply to charters.

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At a separate event held the same day, hours later, Little touted an additional $50 million for rural school facilities.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives a press conference after delivering his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Idaho Capitol. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

He also cited $85 million for increased teacher pay, and additional literacy investments.

While Littles claims about public education investments were more modest than Hormans, he seemed to defend her thinking when asked about the $400 million. If a district receives money to pay for facilities, pay for maintenance, thats money they can use elsewhere, Little said.

Denied special education funding puts it at top of list for next year

Facing an $82 million special education funding gap, state superintendent Debbie Critchfield pushed to shore up funding in two ways  a new, student-weighted funding formula and a $3 million funding request for high-needs students. Both failed.

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The fate of the funding formula rewrite  a long sought-after change that legislators have previously pursued, without success  was likely not a shock.

But IDE staff were surprised that the relatively small, $3 million ask ended up being a fiscal hangup for some, said Greg Wilson, Critchfields chief of staff. It goes back to how these requests, however minuscule, require a high bar in order to get them across the finish line.

Wilson said he knew the $3 million isnt a lot, but said it seemed a reasonable amount to get it through the (legislative) process and get something in place.

Scott Muir, superintendent of Soda Springs School District, asked IDE leaders why legislators oppose additional special education funding.

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As we see the rise in special education, and we cannot meet the needs, now were going to see advocates and lawyers stepping into the process and school districts are going to suffer for that, he said.

Tolman said some legislators are not aware of the $82 million gap between what the federal government provides and what schools need.

Other comments we have heard are, Why are you educating special education students at all? Why are they part of the public school system? Tolman said. There is a real lack of understanding or an unwillingness to learn more about the problem.

It kind of breaks your heart when you listen to the comments some of the legislators made regarding the students that we not only want to serve but are required federally to serve, said Spencer Barzee, the IDEs deputy superintendent for eastern Idaho.

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Some legislators were also surprised by the high costs associated with students who might need a one-on-one aide, or who have feeding tubes or are nonverbal, Tolman said, adding that the $400 million in tax cuts may also have made it difficult to approve even small asks.

Wilson said increased special education funding will be a priority in the next legislative session.

Little said special education funding is also a priority for him. But theres a caveat  the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education could lead to increased uncertainty, and require a wait-and-see approach, he said.

Little took a similar tack when addressing private school choice.

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When asked whether he planned to push for more oversight and accountability for the program, and whether he would advocate to keep its $50 million cap in place, Little was noncommittal.

Well see how the implementation goes, he said. Well obviously work with our legislative partners for next year. Anything is relative to what the budget looks like next year.

All of those issues will be on the table, he continued. But public education will continue to be the top priority.

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WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)The State Senate Presidents proposal to make public schools cell phone-free has sparked much discussion and debate among community members.

Some welcome the idea as they believe it could improve student focus and productivity in the classroom, but others are worried about the potential safety risks of not having cell phones during an emergency.

Cell phones have become an integral part of our daily lives, but their presence in classrooms has sparked a heated debate. Senate President Karen Spilka is calling on Massachusetts lawmakers to explore a ban on cell phones in all public schools. And many are for it.

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I think cell phones shouldnt be involved in schools at all. Its a complete distraction. If they dont have distractions, theyre going to learn more, said Brian Friedrich of Connecticut.

Spilka said in a speech to business leaders Wednesday morning that her son, a public high school teacher, often tells her about the unique challenges of teaching students who sit with a cell phone at their desk.

She stated, There is mounting evidence that cell phone usage among students during the school day is detrimental for several reasonsfrom simple distraction to more worrying issues such as cheating and cyberbullying.

However, some are not in complete agreement with banning cell phones since they believe students should be able to use them in emergencies.

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A lot of different students might have health issues where they, you know, really need their cell phone,s and the influx of school shootings in the country. Thats scary. I know as a mom, I would want to be able to contact my child if I ever needed it or if he ever needed it, said Keira Hildack of Westfield.

Some suggest setting guidelines for cell phone use, like keeping phones in a lockbox during class and then letting students have them back after the bell rings. It remains to be seen if this ban will potentially be implemented across Massachusetts schools, but Spilka says this idea has received broad bipartisan support.

According to Spilka, at least 18 states have laws limiting cell phone usage.

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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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  In Springfield, State Senator Chapin Rose is leading a full audit of the Discovery Partners Institute at the University of Illinois.

There was supposed to be a tech hub built in Chicago, but that project was cancelled and shifted to focusing on quantum computing. U of I System President Timothy Killeen has been heading the institute for the past eight years.

High-speed rail survey could help bring trains through Central Illinois

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Rose said in that time, it has spent $30 million with almost nothing to show for it. Now, hes hoping this investigation can shed light on what went wrong.

Thats insane. Like, what is going on? How do you lose $30 million? Rose said. In the handling of these funds, we want to know where every penny went. But this isnt just a financial audit, its also a performance audit. Theyre going to look at every email, every decision point, theyre going to tell us what happened, how we got here. At the end of the day, I think Tim Killeen should be removed from his duties related to DPI.

The state audit commission unanimously approved the Mahomet Senators request late last month. Rose said the process will most likely take months to complete.

WCIA reached out to Killeen and his media team, but they declined to comment.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Fort Worth ISD needs reform. Admitting that is the easy part.

But how the district pursues  or is allowed to pursue  reform is crucial to building schools that serve our kids faithfully.

Mike Morath asserts that those choices, by a plain reading of the Texas Education Code, are already out of the elected school boards hands. The Texas Education Agency commissioner pointed to a Fort Worth campus that failed state benchmarks in five consecutive years, which he says forces his hand and may compel the state to take over the entire district.

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Morath wrote that he will be evaluating the operations and leadership of Fort Worth ISD more closely in the coming months and, if forced to make a decision under [state law], will do so after ratings become final.

Whether state law gives Morath an option or a mandate is up for debate. The statute as written, also gives the state the ability to close the school down. Complicating the discourse is that the school no longer exists. FWISD closed the struggling Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade before the 2023 data was released, merging it with Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Middle School.

(If youre asking yourself Wait, were just getting 2023, as in two years ago? and wondering why an old date should determine the fate of roughly 75,000 students  we urge you not to think too hard about it all. You may start making too much sense, more than our state can handle.)

The district acted, arguably proactively, in closing the low-performing school before the state law could be triggered. Problem solved? Well, not as Morath articulates it. With that option gone, he believes the law demands TEA intervention.

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Since the campus earned its fifth consecutive unacceptable academic rating in that year, the schools subsequent closure has no bearing on, and does not abrogate, the compulsory action the statute requires the commissioner to take, Morath wrote in a letter to the school board and superintendent.

Perhaps Morath will take an aggressive stance because of the districts ongoing academic struggles. Maybe he sees the Leadership Academy case as an opening to address years worth of district failures to adequately teach children, especially in basic reading and math.

Its been about two years since the TEA seized control of the Houston school district, citing poor performance at one high school and allegations of misconduct among school board members. The district has improved on state and national tests, but Moraths pick for superintendent, former Dallas schools chief Mike Miles, has been criticized for transforming school libraries into detention centers and blamed for an eruption of teacher and principal turnover.

For Fort Worth, the takeover would be premature. Weve consistently decried the mess in Fort Worth ISD and the achingly slow response from the school board. But since Mayor Mattie Parker and a coalition of city leaders highlighted the issue last year, the district has changed leadership, executed crisis plans and restructured to get more educators helping kids. Superintendent Karen Molinar and the elected board  to which, like it or not, voters just reelected three members  deserve a chance to see the plan through.

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Unfortunately, we dont know the answer to what the law requires of the state. We might not know until its likely settled in court.

If the law does tie Moraths hands while expanding his reach, then the first issue that needs reform is the statute itself. Our rules shouldnt require a steamroll when a steady scalpel would suffice. But if FWISD satisfied the laws less invasive option by closing the school down, then Morath needs to exercise restraint.

FWISD has problems, but we fear a trigger happy state leadership with a cure far worse than the disease.

Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us!

We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news  and to publish those views in the Opinion section.

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Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic.
STATESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Statesville man was arrested Friday after being charged with assault earlier in the week in connection to a cellphone robbery.

According to the Statesville Police Department, officers responded May 6 to the 1000 block of Old Charlotte Road. Officers say two victims stated they had been walking along the road when they were approached by two unknown individuals. The suspects demanded the victims cellphones and, when denied, allegedly physically assaulted both victims.

Statesville police investigating fatal crash on Davie Avenue

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Police say one victims cellphone was reportedly taken during the robbery, while the other victim was able to retain their phone.

The suspects reportedly fled north on Old Charlotte Road, while both victims were transported to Iredell Memorial Hospital for treatment. One victim sustained a fractured jaw. The second victim required surgery for injuries to their nose and eye and was transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.

Investigators with Statesville PD identified one of the suspects as 39-year-old Detrick Dontay Hamilton of Statesville. Warrants were issued for Hamiltons arrest on the following charges:

Two counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury

Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon

Attempted Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon

Felony Conspiracy

Assault on a Female

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On May 9, investigators located Hamilton near the Fifth Street Ministries. Officers say after a traffic stop was conducted on Old Charlotte Road, the suspect was taken into custody without incident. He was denied bond.

The investigation into the second suspect remains active. Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Statesville Police Department at 704-878-3406 or 704-832-3853.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
May 9STERLING  Concerned with a change in who is leading local protests against the Trump administration, Sterling's police chief said an increased police presence and enhanced security measures will be put in place at upcoming protests.

"Our priority is to preserve the peace, protect life and prevent the destruction of property," Sterling Police Chief Alex Chavira said. "[The protest] didn't raise to that level on Saturday, but it's moving in the wrong direction."

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Organized by Indivisible SRFD, a group marches across the First Avenue bridge into Sterling Saturday, May 3, 2025, to protest the Trump administration and show their support for workers' rights. The crowd started at RB&W Park in Rock Falls and marched to Grandon Civic Center in Sterling. (Alex T. Paschal)

Th protest on May 3 started at 9 a.m. at RB&W District Park in Rock Falls with more than 200 participants making signs, sipping coffee and conversing. The organizers fired up attendees with chants such as, "When democracy is under attack, what do we do? ... Fight back," before setting off with the crowd for Sterling's Grandon Civic Center about 9:45 a.m.

But the protest took an unexpected turn when one of its leaders started shouting after cars began honking at the crowd, which was legally walking through the crosswalk at the intersection of First Avenue and Route 2.

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In response, the leader shouted back at the honking drivers through a megaphone, swearing at an elderly driver who stepped out of his vehicle to confront the leader. Shaw Local was at the event and captured the profanity-laced encounter on video.

Moments before the incident, an SPD officer warned several members of the crowd to stop blocking traffic  an issue that Chavira said led to multiple complaints about the crowd's actions.

"I wasn't pleased with what I heard about this weekend," Chavira said. "Whether or not these agitators are from outside of the area, the fact remains the same that those who were participating, those who were following suit, they just now made it impossible for us to give them the benefit of the doubt."

Who's in charge?

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Although there have been several protests at the Grandon Civic Center over the past few months, this was the first one organized by the nonprofit group Indivisible Sterling/Rock Falls/Dixon. The other protests were organized by several members of the Action for a Better Tomorrow Sauk Valley political group  some of whom are associated with the Whiteside and Lee County Democrats political organizations. All took place without incident.

Chavira said the surprising number of people who showed up to the first protest quickly led to the decision to place barricades along the roads for subsequent demonstrations as a safety precaution. Plainclothes officers and marked units also have been present at every event, he said.

Chavira said that before the previous protests, he had been in contact with Whiteside County Democrat Committee Chair Fidencio Hooper-Campos, who notified him in advance of events to ensure they complied with state laws.

Chavira said that although there were no problems at any of the ABT events, he became concerned about the planned May 3 Indivisible march after he noticed the name of the event had a more aggressive tone and included foul language. The name was later changed.

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"So, I called the same individual from the Whiteside County Democrats and said, 'Hey, your tone is starting to change. What's going on with this?'" Chavira said. "He said, 'That's not us, that's another group out of the Chicago area, but we are going to march with them.' So, we went over their plan and the rules, and I said as long as you're not blocking traffic and you're on the sidewalks, you have every right to do that."

Shaw Local spoke with Hooper-Campos, who said the march was supposed to continue from the First Avenue bridge to East Fourth Street, when one of its leaders unexpectedly diverted the crowd to Wallace Street, blocking traffic and violating state regulations. He immediately called Chavira after the protest, apologizing for the incident.

"I didn't even know what to say," Hooper-Campos said. "When you have 200 people marching and all of a sudden everybody's going in a different direction, you basically had to follow. I apologized profusely for that and told him I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Despite the incident, Hooper-Campos said he still is willing to work with the Indivisible group for future protests, provided they follow his directions and state regulations.

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Chavira said that although the SPD upholds citizens' right to protest, when individuals cannot do it peacefully, it becomes a problem.

"I think it says a lot for this gentleman to have been calling me the last three or four times to kind of walk through what the rules are, and he understood and didn't have any issues," he said. "But something changed on Saturday."

Shaw Local reached out to the Indivisible group through its Facebook page. A representative provided the following response through Facebook Messenger: "SRFD Indivisible is committed to organizing peaceful, nonviolent protests in our community. While disruption is an inherent part of protest, we strive to ensure that any disruption remains respectful and manageable for the municipalities where we demonstrate. We work in cooperation with local law enforcement to prioritize the safety of both the public and our participants.

"We want to remind the public that pedestrians in crosswalks always have the legal right of way. This includes during protests. When protesters are crossing at intersections, even as part of a larger march, they are still protected by pedestrian laws.

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"Vehicles that attempt to push through or drive into a crosswalk while people are crossing present a serious safety risk and may be in violation of traffic laws. We ask drivers to remain patient and cautious when encountering any group of people in a crosswalk, whether during a protest or any other time. As we continue to grow and learn from each event, we are committed to evolving our approach.

"To that end, we are implementing de-escalation training for all members to help ensure our actions have a positive and constructive impact on the communities we care about."
STRUTHERS, Ohio (WKBN)  A local business is celebrating eight decades in the community.

If youre a Struthers native, youve no doubt been to The Elmton.

This weekend theyre celebrating their 80th anniversary. It first opened back in 1945.

Owner Jack Walters describes The Elmton as your classic neighborhood bar and restaurant where everyone is on a first-name basis.

The shop is famous for its Real Pizza, but is also known for its broasted chicken and wings.

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The business has seen a lot over the years, but customers that keep coming back are whats kept it alive.

Ive seen people come in third and fourth generation, watch them grow up, get married, watch them have kids, and then they come in, Walters said.

As times have changed, so has the business  including its hours. They are open Tuesday through Saturday.

Everyone is invited to stop in this weekend and join the celebration.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  As the school year comes to an end, some parents in the Birmingham area may be looking for summer camps to keep students engaged this summer.

Heres a list of some of the camps being offered:

Samford University School of the Arts Summer Camps Camps are offered for various ages. More information can be found here.

Alabama Ballet Junior Camp The Alabama Ballet is offering a two-week camp for dancers ages 8-12. More information can be found here.

Summer Music Camps at Mason Music Mason Music is offering summer camps for various age ranges, from a preschool camp for ages 3-5 to a rock band camp for ages 13-18. More information about their camps can be found here.

Summer Camps at the Birmingham Childrens Theater Birmingham Childrens Theatre is offering camps for various ages, as well as a summer youth production of A Wrinkle in Time. More information on these programs can be found here.

Alabama School of Fine Arts Summer Programs ASFA will offer summer camps focused on multiple categories, including math, video game design, creative writing, violin/ viola, app programming and visual arts. Details and dates for each camp can be found here.

The Dance Foundation Summer Programs The Dance Foundation will offer multiple camps for different ages, going up to 12th grade. Dates for each camp can be found here.

Red Mountain Theatre Summer Camps Red Mountain Theatre will offer 10 weeks of camps and intensive programs. More information, as well as dates for each camp, can be found here.

Art Zone Summer Camps Art Zone will host multiple camps from June-August. Details for each camp can be found here.

Camp Briarwood Camp Briarwood, operated by Quest Recreation, will host overnight camps and day camps during the summer. Click here for the camp schedules.

High Point Climbing and Fitness Camps High Point will offer camps for ages 5-14. More information can be found here.

Nike Junior Golf Camps at the Highland Park Golf Course These camps will be hosted at the Highland Park Golf Course. Camps are available for students of all abilities. More information, as well as dates each camp is offered, can be found here.

Head Over Heels Gymnastics Camps Head Over Heels will offer their Camp Fliptastic camps throughout the summer. Click here for descriptions of each camp, as well as registration.

Birmingham Fencing Club Summer Programs The Birmingham Fencing Club will offer three sessions of summer camp for ages 7-13. More information can be found here.

YMCA of Greater Birmingham Summer Camps The YMCA of Greater Birmingham will offer summer day camps, as well as Camp Cosby sleepaway camps. Information on both camps can be found on the YMCA Birmingham website.

Nike Junior Golf Camp at UAB This camp will offer a day camp and an overnight camp from July 14- July 18. More information can be found here.

Southern Research Biotech Academy This camp is offered to 10th-12th grade students. Dates for the camp can be found here.

Southern Research NextGen STEM Academy This camp is offered to 7th-9th grade students. Details can be found here.

Sawyerville Summer Camps These camps are offered to children ages 6-14 in Hale County. Click here for dates and registration.

McWane Science Center Camps Camp McWayne will offer STEAM-based camps for children ages 4-13. More information, as well as registration, can be found here.

Advent Episcopal School Camp ADVENTure Camp will be offered throughout June 9-July 12. Day camps will be offered for PreK to 4th grade students, and counselor in training camps will be offered to rising 5th grade students to 10th grade students. Click here for more information.

Camp BRIDGES Foundation The Camp BRIDGES Foundation provides camps and programs for children, teens and young adults experiencing heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants. Information can be found on their website.

Highlands School Summer Camp Highlands School will offer a traditional day camp, enrichment camps, school year preparation camps and counselor-in-training camps. More information on each camp can be found here.



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SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Sumner County Grand Jury has decided not to indict a YouTuber who had been accused of violating orders of protection against the family of a missing teen.

Andra Griffin, also known as Bullhorn Betty, created social media content about missing Sumner County teen Sebastian Rogers. Rogers case gained national attention; several of his family members claimed that Griffin stalked and harassed them.

PREVIOUS | She is harassing me: Parents of missing Sumner County teen testify against YouTuber covering the case

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Griffins trial had been put on pause due to threats made against the bench, but was ultimately bound over to a grand jury in April. According to the district attorneys office, the grand jury ultimately declined to indict Griffin because they did not believe there was enough evidence.

With no indictment, the criminal case against Griffin will not move forward.

Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers, 15, was reported missing on Feb. 25, 2024 from the Beech area in Hendersonville.

Sebastian Rogers: Description

Sebastian is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 120 pounds with dirty blond hair. He was last seen on Monday, Feb. 26 near Stafford Court wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants, said the TBI.

AMBER Alert Issued

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) originally issued an Endangered Child Alert for Sebastian on the morning of Feb. 26 as multiple agencies took to the area to look for him.

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Based on additional investigative information developed during the search, the TBI issued an AMBER Alert for Sebastian on the afternoon of Feb. 27. An AMBER Alert is issued when there is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred and the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death, per the DOJ.

Multiple agencies including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Nashville Fire Department, City of Hendersonvilles first responders, Sumner County Sheriffs Office and Shackle Island Volunteer Fire have assisted in the search for Sebastian.

Who to Contact

If you have seen Sebastian or have info about his whereabouts, call the Sumner County Sheriffs Office at (615) 451-3838 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
President Trump has recently discussed future trade deals with foreign partners amidst uncertainty about the global and national marketplace due to tariffs, which could cause consumer prices to skyrocket.

This week, the White House secured its first agreement with the United Kingdom since the rollout of the Liberation Day levies.

The deal will allow U.S. farmers to sell more beef and agricultural products overseas in Great Britain and Ireland, while a 10 percent tax on imports from the countries still stands. British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson may champion the details of the trade policy during a Sunday appearance on CBS Face the Nation.

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U.S. automakers urged the president to redirect his focus on a trade deal with neighboring nations like Canada and Mexico, where their vehicles plants are based. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick may speak to any pending financial negotiations and proposals on the horizon during a Sunday appearance on CNNs State of the Union and Fox Newss Fox News Sunday.

On Friday, Trump suggested the tariffs on China, the worlds second-largest economy, could soon come down. He toyed with the idea of an 80 percent duty on the Asian nation in a Truth Social post.

A day later, Lutnick confirmed a trade deal with China is a top priority for the administration ahead of scheduled talks in Switzerland with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the countrys high-ranking officials as the Trump administration seeks to end conflict.

The president will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday as efforts to end the war in Gaza remain underway.

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The travel comes as Western allies, including the U.S., are prodding the Kremlin for an immediate, full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov will likely speak to the response charted by Russian President Vladimir Putin during an appearance on ABCs This Week.

We have to think this through. It is a new development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN Saturday. But trying to pressure us is quite useless, he added.

The Trump administration has worked to curb violence in the region for months to no avail.

The late Pope Francis frequently prayed for peace across the globe as signs of turmoil continued to increase. His successor, Pope Leo XIV, will now take over his intercessory role for the Catholic Church.

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The newly elected pontiff is the first American pope in history. Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova graduate and native of Chicago, has been the subject of media headlines for days as the country marvels over his childhood and background in service.

Rev. Peter M. Donohue, president of Villanova University, will likely speak to the alumnis new role in his appearance on ABCs This Week.

Please see the full list of Sunday Show appearances below:

News Nation The Hill Sunday: Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.)

ABCs This Week: Rev. Peter M. Donohue, president of Villanova University; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov

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NBCs Meet the Press: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy; Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)

CNNs State of the Union: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick; former Gov. Chris Sununu, (R-N.H.); Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.)

CBS Face the Nation: United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby; Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, (D-N.M.); Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas); Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago; British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson; Sam Rose, director of United Nations Relief and Works Agency Affairs in Gaza

Fox News Fox News Sunday: Lutnick; Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.); Rep. Jared Moskowitz, (D-Fla.)

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Fox News Sunday Morning Futures: Kevin Hassett, National Economic Council Director

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.); Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelan Opposition Leader; Frank Bisignano, Social Security Administration Commissioner

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Maryland supporters urge Gov. Wes Moore to sign bill creating a commission to study slavery reparations and systemic racism.

Supporters of a measure to create a commission to study potential reparations for slavery in Maryland rallied by the governors residence on Friday, calling on Gov. Wes Moore to sign the legislation.

Speakers at the rally said they were optimistic Marylands first Black governor would sign the bill, but they wanted to underscore how significant the legislation is to them, days before Moores fourth bill signing ceremony and possibly the last of the year.

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State Sen. C Anthony Muse, who sponsored the measure, emphasized that it only provides for a study  not a mandate to make anyone do anything.

When is it the wrong time to study something? We need to study it, and we need to do it now, and were asking again in this context and especially in the time in which we are living now in this country: sign the bill and make it happen, said Muse, a Democrat from the suburbs of the nations capital.

Moore, a Democrat who is the nations only Black governor currently in office, has repeatedly noted the lingering impact of racism when asked about the legislation. But he has yet to say publicly whether he would sign the bill.

I have said and long stated that the history of racism in this state is real, the governor told reporters as the bill neared passage, adding that the impacts are still very much being felt, and theyve been structurally felt within the state of Maryland.

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But the governor also has noted the states fiscal constraints in a very challenging budget year.

Carl Snowden, who is the convener for the Caucus of African-American Leaders, said Friday at the rally that he believed Moore would sign the bill.

I think there are political advisers who are telling the governor the politics of signing the bill, pro and con, and I think hes taking his time, measuring how he should respond, Snowden said in an interview. But Im very confident that the bill will come into effect, either as a result of his signing it or allowing it just to become law.

The governor could opt to not sign the measure, and it would become law without his signature. The governors office did not immediately return an email seeking comment Friday.

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The bill passed with strong support in the General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats. The House voted 101-36 for the bill, and the Senate approved it 32-13. Both chambers approved the measure with margins large enough to override a veto.

Potential reparations outlined in the bill include official statements of apology, monetary compensation, property tax rebates, social service assistance, as well as licensing and permit fee waivers and reimbursement. Reparations also could include assistance with making a down payment on a home, business incentives, childcare, debt forgiveness and tuition payment waivers for higher education.

At the rally, Wanika Fisher, who is a member of the Prince Georges County Council and is a former Maryland House member, noted a nearby statute of former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall that faces the governors residence and is steps away from the Maryland State House. The Baltimore native was denied entry into the University of Maryland Law School in 1930 because of his race, but he went on to become the nations first Black Supreme Court justice.

It really speaks to why this commission is so vital to address the root causes of structural racism and slavery that occurred here in Maryland, Fisher, a Democrat, said, also noting the states rich Black history and birthplace of renowned abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.

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Last year, California lawmakers passed some of the nations most ambitious legislation aimed at atoning for a legacy of racist policies that drove racial disparities for Black people. None of the bills provided widespread direct payments to Black Americans. Instead, California lawmakers approved the return of land or compensation to families whose property was unjustly seized by the government, and issuing a formal apology.

New York City lawmakers approved legislation last year to study the citys significant role in slavery and consider reparations to descendants of enslaved people.

More must-reads:
Barring a last-minute presidential pardon, former Rep. George Santos is about to join the relatively exclusive group of Americans who have spent time in both Congress and federal prison.

There are some similarities between the two locales. Both involve taxpayer subsidies and include individuals of questionable character, but the lifestyles are quite different. Members of Congress have private dining rooms and private elevators; prisoners have no privacy at all.

For a sense of what life will be like for Santos, a New York Republican who wassentenced to more than seven years in prison for his con artist ways, POLITICO Magazine talked toformer Rep. Bob Ney, who, before Santos, was perhaps the most well-known member of Congress to serve time in prison in recent decades. A former chairman of the House Administration Committee, Ney served 17 months in federal prison for his role in theJack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

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The Ohio Republican also had some advice for Santos, including what lessons from politics are applicable in prison. And Ney noted that Santos, who wasexpelled by his colleagues, has some experience navigating such a cold-blooded and adversarial environment.

If you can survive the Hill, you can survive in prison, he said. The Hill can be a treacherous place, no question about it.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.



What does it feel like knowing that youre going from being a member of Congress to being a prisoner?



It depends on the person. But let's face it, if you've been in Congress, you have led a different type of life, a different type of schedule and a different type of give and take with people, obviously. I had never spent an hour, ever in my lifetime, in a jail.

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Id dealt with prison issues, but never spent time in a prison. So when you finally realize that's going to happen, it's quite stunning.



How anxious were you about going behind bars?



Your world's falling apart.



You go from being chairman of a committee, member of the House, to you're going to prison. And you hear all these stories that it's a little country club and all that nonsense. Then you hear other stories where you're probably going to be shanked the first day you're in there. You hear everything. I kind of woke up to the fact that when you were a congressman, you voted for the laws that sent people who do drugs to prison

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How did you prepare for it?

I met with Webb Hubbell for four hours, and he walked me through everything. [Editors note: Hubbell was a close friend and ally of Bill and Hillary Clinton in Arkansas who went to federal prison after getting caught up in the Whitewater scandal.]

I learned everything under the sun from him, everything. The four hours with him was a blessing. He taught me what to do. When you go into prison and you're a member of Congress, they don't have a special place for you or someone to call if somebody is harassing you. My life would have been completely different without him.



Did people know who you were coming into prison?

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Everyone knew, because it had been on CNN. There are TV rooms in prison, and everybody knew I was coming.



And here's the worst part. After dinner, they have a movie that can be watched. You can request movies, and they have a lottery to see what movie they will play. What I found out later on is that they had shut the entire prison down on a lockdown because I was coming in. After a while being in there, if they shut the movie off, youre not happy.



Did being a politician teach you anything useful for prison life?

Webb Hubbell had told me, Use your political skills. Use humor. And avoid certain things. After 24 years in office, 11 in Congress, you deal with the public, you deal with some hot situations, people who are angry. He said, It's no different in there. It's a community. Use those skills. And being around people all those years in politics, the tens of thousands of people you meet and work with, it helped.

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How did prison compare to Capitol Hill?

I loved the Hill, but the Hill could be a vicious place. It could be a blood sport. If you can survive the Hill, you can survive in prison, because people are people, and the Hill can be a treacherous place, no question about it.



One day in rehab, I'm standing there and said, When I get out of here, I'm going to talk about all the thieves and liars and vicious people that I've had to be around. Maniacs! You can't trust them. And they're looking at me, and one guy's laughing. He goes, We're not that bad. I said, No, I'm talking about Congress. I'm not talking about you guys.



How were you regarded in prison?

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I made a lot of friends, I really did. I mean, you had some people that weren't friendly, but I made a lot of friends, and people were pretty nice to me. Ed Mezvinsky, Chelsea Clinton's father-in-law, was in there with me. He was pretty well-liked, and we used to joke about running for governor of the prison, me versus Ed.



I was kind of always a congressman. People would come to me and they would say, Can you talk to me? Or they would say, Hey, tell me the secrets. Are there aliens? Stuff like that. But I had a lot of guys that would come to me, and I used to walk around the yard every night. I walked off 68 pounds in a year. And if people wanted to talk to me, I would say, Come down, walk with me. And they would ask me, How do I start a business? Do you know anything about that? What about becoming a realtor? So I did that. I also tutored guys in prison. We helped them with their resumes, and we did mock interviews for when they got out, when they had to interview with a company.



Then you get people like one guy who told me You're the reason I'm eating this shitty food. Yes, you did this. Yeah, you did that. And another friend of mine is like, Shut the hell up. You're in here because you sold drugs.



Were you always viewed as a member of Congress or just as another prisoner?

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The thing about going in as a congressman, you're going to be labeled because you are going to be looked at as privileged. So when you go in there, youve really got to open yourself up, open your mind up and keep some humility to yourself and realize that youve just got to take it one day at a time.



What advice would you give to George Santos as he goes into prison?



First of all, there's no internet in the prison, but they have relatives that visit them, and the system knows where George is going to go eventually, and so when I went in, they knew everything about me, what bills I had co-authored, it was amazing. So he should go in understanding they're going to have read about him and know about him.



Number two, it won't carry any weight that he was a former congressman. In fact, again, it will look like somebody of privilege didn't use the privileges they should have. And a lot of people in prison feel that they don't have that privilege. They weren't given that chance to be in the United States Congress, so that's how he'll be looked at. I would say, go in, be low-key but friendly, be real with people and don't make up stories. And also give back. They need volunteers for people that don't have GEDs. There are some people that don't know how to read and write. There's all kinds of things that can be done.

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The other thing I would advise him is this: You can go in there and you can come out having a real problem mentally. It can happen to anybody. So you need to go in and focus on self help. There are books in these facilities that people can read and keep busy. One of the main problems in these systems is keeping busy  boredom  there's not a lot out there to focus on. You need to create that type of environment for yourself, where you're reading and learning and giving back to fellow inmates. And he has to remember that he is a fellow inmate. He's one of them.



Santos said in an interview that he was concerned hed be targeted by gangs like MS-13 because hed voted for law enforcement to go after them in Congress. Is that an issue?



When I walked in prison the first day, a guy stopped me. He said, You co-authored the bill that put me in here. I think it was dealing with stealing Sudafed to make methamphetamine. I said, I didn't do that. I supported the bill, but I can't remember what it was, an amendment or bill or something. But I said, We all put ourselves in here. And then I walked away, because you want to defuse things.
A 38-year-old after he was sentenced to five years in a California prison for a series of road rage assaults was arrested on a no-bail parole revocation warrant in Honolulu Friday and charged with another road rage attack in Kakaako.

Nathaniel Walters Radimak was arrested at 4 :15 p.m. Friday while in custody at the Honolulu Police Departments cell block at 801 South Beretania St., according to a post on HPDs social media feeds.

Radimak was charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and one felony count of breaking into a car in connection with the alleged road rage attack of an 18-year-old woman and her mom in Kakaako. His bail is set at $100, 000.

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According to the Honolulu Police Department, an 18-year-old woman was parking her car on Halekauwila Street in Kakaako just after 6 p.m. Wednesday with her 35-year-old mother as a passenger. She saw a gray Tesla speeding past and exchanged words with the driver.

Police say that Radimak stopped, got out of his vehicle and allegedly assaulted the 18-year-old and her mom. The 18-year-olds infant child was in the car when the attack happened.

Radimak got out of his car and allegedly reached into the drivers side of the 18-year-olds car and punched her in the face. Radimak then allegedly punched the womans mother when she tried to defend her daughter before fleeing the scene.

Honolulu police arrested Radimak Thursday at 4 :40 p.m. at his apartment at 2121 Ala Wai Blvd. He was booked on suspicion of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor ; first-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, a felony ; and contempt of court.

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Radimak remains in police custody ahead of his initial court appearance.

In California, he was sentenced in September 2023 to five years in prison for several road rage offenses but he was paroled in Los Angeles County on Aug. 28.

He had an outstanding traffic warrant in Hawaii after he was cited Jan. 18, 2023, for driving without a valid drivers license and speeding more than 30 mph over the posted limit.

In 2011, Radimak was cited by HPD officers for driving without a license, not paying his car registration, not having a safety check, no registration in car and not transferring the registration of his car to the state after 30 days, according to state court records. In 2014, he was cited for not having car insurance, and operating a motor vehicle and using a mobile electronic device.

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On Friday, the results of a Writers Guild of America West vote over discipline for members accused of breaking strike rules signaled a divided union, at least on this issue.

In the cases of three writers, disciplinary measures initially decided by the unions board were upheld, but by tight margins (between 52 and nearly 55 percent). A fourth writers public censure sentence over a Facebook post considered offensive was overturned in favor of an alternative action, months after the union publicly admonished the member, with 62 percent voting to throw out the punishment.

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Julie Bush, a union member for roughly 15 years since she got her card through Sons of Anarchy, was one of the members whose discipline was confirmed by the proceedings on Friday.

On May 22, weeks after the 2023 writers strike began, Bush sent a non-signatory company a revision of a pilot she had written. Writers are forbidden by the unions Working Rule 8 from working with non-signatory companies, but Bush says the company had promised it would eventually become a signatory and she was working with the union to make that happen. Once the work stoppage began, strike rules dictated that union members couldnt work for struck companies, which the company wasnt at that point.

Bush has said she deeply regret[s] sending the script, which created confusion and hurt regarding guild rules; the union called it scab writing. Eventually, a five-member trial committee and the unions board didnt find Bush guilty of breaking strike rules. Instead, Bush was disciplined for engaging in conduct prejudicial to the welfare of the guild (an infringement of an article in the unions constitution) and of writing for a non-signatory company.

She was sentenced by the board to a suspension until 2026 and was permanently forbidden for holding non-elected office in the union, a harsher punishment than the one that the trial committee initially recommended.

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Now, members have voted to ratify that temporary exile. In an interview, Bush discussed why she decided to file an appeal in the first place, her feelings about the close results and why shes planning on reporting recent proceedings to the Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board.

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the WGA West for comment.

What is your initial reaction to todays results?

Im obviously disappointed. The guild [has been] my main community since I first got to L.A. with a dream, and I continue to love these people and the guild. I had received so many wonderful messages that I guess I sort of fooled myself into thinking that I would prevail. So Im pretty upset right now, Ill be honest. And Im surprised and upset and disappointed.

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But the way that the Guild has evolved in recent years, theyve sort of become this kind of top-down, authoritarian structure where no dissent will be brooked. Everybody has to march one way. And so in a way, I shouldnt be surprised at all. I really do feel like thats what this is all about, and I feel like thats what drove this outcome.

Im wondering if you can respond to the vote tally that the Writers Guild provided, because in your case and others the results were close.

In my case, the actual vote was 745 in favor of upholding and 686 in favor of restoring the trial committees decision. Thats the difference of just 59 votes. I have never in all my years in the guild  thats 10 years as a full, current, active member  seen a guild vote come in at less than 90 percent one direction. This is almost a literal 50-50 tie. So I just told Van Robichaux, who was the wonderful guild member who represented me through this entire ordeal for free, in an act of incredible solidarity, I hope that you are very proud of what you have done here. Because this is a great act of David and Goliath here that he and I undertook. So I believe that this marks a turning point. I believe that guild members are ready for a change, and I think that thats what this vote is signaling.

Why did you decided to appeal the ruling in your case  what thinking went into that?

When they were first making noise about charging me, I couldnt believe it because I knew that it was questionable, very debatable whether I had broken any rules. I knew from the start that I had not broken any strike rules, and that was actually confirmed by the trial committee, and I knew that it was debatable and questionable whether I had even broken Working Rule 8. And so the fact that the SRCC [Strike Rules Compliance Committee] even indicted me to the board, that the board recommended me to the trial committee, at each step, I was surprised because I didnt think I had broken any rules and I honestly believe that each of those groups didnt understand the rules clearly. I think that this was a case of these groups being just so eager to find any scapegoat so that they could take somebody to the membership to be like, See, see, we got somebody. This was just never, ever a clear-cut case of me doing anything wrong, ever.

Julie Bush

Can you explain the alternative action that you proposed as your punishment and why you felt that was appropriate?

What the board came up with in their new appeals process that they completely invented, which was not part of the [guild] constitution, they said to me, You need to propose your own alternative action that the members will vote on. And so I said, okay, so Im going to participate in this new imaginary, made-up process, under protest, because I was afraid that if I didnt participate that I would then waive my right to appeal. So I submitted the specific language of my alternative action. I was very careful with how I worded it because as writer, we understand that the wording of language, particularly in something this heated, is very important.

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In my memory, the way I worded it was something like, Restore the decision of the trial committee: A private letter of censure and three-year ban from serving as a captain. That was the exact punishment that the trial committee handed down to me. The problem is that when I actually saw the ballot that the election department submitted to the membership to vote on, they stripped that important context from the language of my alternative action [that this was the original punishment proposed by the trial committee]. So then they just had it saying, Julie Bushs alternative action is private letter of censure and three-year ban on serving as captain. And then I actually saw members debating it in the private WGA Facebook group, and they were actually saying, Why did she want to be a captain so badly if she doesnt even understand the rules? And the entire point is thats not the punishment I made up for myself; thats the punishment the trial committee assigned for me. So the election department stripping away that language, it actually makes a big difference.

Has your view on the guild changed since undergoing this process?

Yes, definitely. I used to be one of those people that completely 100 percent backs the board, whatever the board says, Im your soldier. And I just dont feel that way anymore. Ive just really come to realize that they dont necessarily know what theyre doing and that they dont even know the rules that well, and that while they purport to be experts in these matters, theyre just not, and they dont even know the laws that well.

What are your next steps following todays result?

Were going directly to the Department of Labor and the NLRB. Im going to send them everything I have and sort of let them determine exactly what to call whats happened here.

Anything else youd like to add?

The message I just want to convey is I have wanted to be a writer my entire life; this is my identity. This experience has been absolutely devastating for me. Getting into the guild was one of the best things that happened to me my entire life, and I cant believe this has happened to me. Its been absolutely devastating, horrifying, crushing. It will take me years to get over this, if ever.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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NEED TO KNOW

Suzanne Morphew was reported missing on May 10, 2020, and her remains were found more than three years later

Her husband, Barry Morphew, was charged in connection with her murder a year after her disappearance

Prosecutors alleged that Barry "hunted" Suzanne but the charges against him were dropped in April 2022, only for a grand jury to indict him on June 20, 2025





Suzanne Morphew allegedly went for a bike ride on Mothers Day five years ago  and was never seen again.

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Her bike and helmet were later found in separate locations "without significant damage," according to CNN, and her husband, Barry Morphew, pleaded for Suzannes return on social media.

The public later learned that the couple were allegedly having marital difficulties. Authorities even told Barry that Suzanne had been having an affair with an old high school classmate, to which he allegedly responded, maybe in Gods eyes this was his way of resolving something.

On May 5, 2021, Barry was arrested and charged with murder after deliberation, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant in connection with his wifes death, court records showed.

Barry pleaded not guilty to the charges, posted a $500,000 cash bond and was released from jail in September 2021. The charges were dropped without prejudice in 2022, and a year later, Barry filed a $15 million suit against the agencies that had arrested and detained him, but his case was dismissed in September 2024, per CBS News.

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Barry was separately accused of voter fraud for submitting a presidential ballot in Suzannes name. He pleaded guilty and avoided jail time in accordance with his plea agreement, CBS News reported.

After all this turmoil, in September 2023, Suzannes remains were finally found in Saguache County, Colo., nearly 50 miles away from her home. Months later, in August 2024, the El Paso County coroners office released Suzannes autopsy report, in which her death was ruled a homicide.

On June 20, 2025, officials announced that a grand jury in Colorado had returned an indictment against Barry and charged him with the murder of his wife, per ABC News.

Heres everything to know about Suzanne Morphews disappearance, five years after she was last seen.

Who was Suzanne Morphew?

Suzanne Morphew/Facebook Suzanne Morphew Suzanne Morphew

Suzanne Morphew was born on April 30, 1971, and grew up in Alexandria, Ind. She had at least two siblings, brother Andrew Moorman and sister Melinda Moorman.

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Suzanne and her husband, Barry, met in Indiana and moved to Salida, Colo., in 2018. They were married for 25 years and shared two grown daughters, Mallory and Macy.

"That [family structure] where the husband loves being the provider and the wife loves being the homemaker they fit that to a T," longtime friend Jeff Isles told PEOPLE of the couple in July 2020.

Suzannes case file listed her as 54 and 120 lbs., with blue eyes and brown hair. She had twice beaten cancer and was an avid mountain biker, according to her husband.

When did Suzanne Morphew disappear?

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office Suzanne Morphew

Barry told authorities that the night before Suzanne went missing, they ate steaks, had sex and went to bed early, KRDO reported. He said she last saw her asleep in bed at 5 a.m. the next day and that he and his daughters had all texted Happy Mothers Day to Suzanne but never received responses, according to the affidavit.

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Around 2 p.m. on May 9, 2020, Suzanne sent her alleged boyfriend, Jeff Libler, a selfie of herself sunbathing, according to a 129-page arrest affidavit, but then didn't respond to his following texts.

Now-retired FBI Agent John Grusing testified in court that based on data from Barry's cell phone and truck, he came home at 2:44 p.m. that day. The affidavit stated that Barry admitted to running around their property with a gun and putting his phone in airplane mode at 2:47 p.m.

Barry told authorities he was shooting chipmunks, but Grusing wrote in the affidavit that he believed he was "most likely chasing Suzanne around. Barrys defense attorneys contended that data shows he was moving at 45 m.p.h. and thus could not have been moving on foot and chasing his wife.

A neighbor then reported Suzanne missing on May 10. Law enforcement and Suzannes brother, Andrew Moorman, led extensive searches but were unable to find her. After Suzanne vanished, Barry posted an emotional video online pleading for her safe return, along with the FBI tip line number and the promise of a $200,000 reward.

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Investigators claimed that on that morning, Barry made five trash runs during his work trip to Broomfield, Colo. They alleged that he threw away tranquilizer material during one of those runs, per The Denver Post.

In August 2020, Barry told Fox 21 that he believed the Sheriffs Department mishandled the case and that his wife's disappearance was "the most devastating thing that has ever happened to me."

When were Suzanne Morphew's remains found?

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office Suzanne Morphew

In September 2023, Suzannes remains were found almost 50 miles away from her home in a remote area of Moffat, Col.

After the discovery, Barry issued a statement via his lawyer, Iris Eytan, in which he said that he and his daughters were "struggling with immense shock and grief, as they "had faith that their wife and mom would walk back into their lives again."

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In April 2024, the El Paso County coroners office released Suzannes autopsy report, ruling her death a homicide, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in a statement.

The autopsy report stated that Suzanne was killed by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication, but added that there were no signs of trauma, according to the AP. The report added that these drugs are marketed as a compounded immobilizer for wildlife"  in other terms, an animal tranquilizer  according to KKTV.

Per the Denver Gazette, Barry told investigators that he used the three drugs routinely to immobilize deer before removing their antlers. But, one of Barrys lawyers said that the tranquilizer found in Suzanne's bones was "very common," 9NEWS reported.

Barry's lawyers also told the outlet that a bullet and Suzannes biking clothes were found with her remains, though it was not clear if the bullet had been used, and that her foot bones and shoes were not in the shallow grave.

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According to the State of Colorado, Suzannes homicide is an ongoing cold case.

What was Barry Morphew accused of?

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office via AP Barry Morphew in Salida, Colo. Barry Morphew in Salida, Colo.

On May 5, 2021, nearly a year after Suzannes disappearance, Barry was arrested and charged with murder after deliberation, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant, court records showed.

According to a criminal complaint, Barry allegedly killed Suzanne between May 9 and May 10, 2020, Fox 31 reported. At the time of his arrest, Suzanne was presumed dead and Barry denied the allegations.

Barry owned a landscaping business and on the day his wife disappeared, he traveled to nearby Broomfield to work on a construction site, investigators said. The couples daughters were away on a camping trip.

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In the affidavit released in September 2021, investigators alleged that Barry tried to "hunt and control Suzanne like he had hunted and controlled animals" after she allegedly told him she wanted a divorce. Suzanne had allegedly accused her husband of having had affairs for years, and investigators learned that she had allegedly been having an affair with a former high school classmate, Libler.

Suzannes sister, Melinda, told local Colorado radio station Heart of the Rockies Radio in May 2021 that her sibling had raised red flags about Barry.

She definitely made implications that she had concerns about her safety, Melinda said, adding, And the condition of their relationship had, I think, deteriorated quite a bit over the last several years."

What evidence did investigators present against Barry Morphew?

KUSA via AP, Pool Barry Morphew, center, appears in court in Salida, Colo. Barry Morphew, center, appears in court in Salida, Colo.

Prosecutors said that Suzanne texted her husband on May 6, 2020, telling him she was "done" and wanted to end the marriage, 9NEWS reported.

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In the affidavit, Suzanne is said to have taken clear, articulable steps in January 2020 in attempts to separate from and divorce her husband, Barry." The document also claimed that Barry tried to determine if Suzanne was having an affair by stalking her at their own residence, which was allegedly witnessed by one of her friends, and knowingly destroyed evidence that his relationship with Suzanne was deteriorating.

In August 2021, Chaffee County Undersheriff Andy Rohrich testified in a preliminary court hearing that when Barry returned to his house on May 10, he acted oddly. The sheriff alleged that Barry did not attempt to call her phone and was not asking any questions, according to the AP. Barry's lawyer, Eytan, disputed the description, saying her client followed the task as directed by law enforcement."

In the August preliminary hearing, Grusing testified that a dart gun, empty tranquilizer darts and a needle used to inject tranquilizer into the darts were found in the Morphews home, as well as a tranquilizer cap. During a cross-examination by one of Barrys attorneys, Dru Nielsen, Grusing said no tranquilizer chemical had been found and there was no way to know how long the cap had been in the dryer.

One of Barrys attorneys later said that his client's dart gun was not working at the time of Suzannes disappearance, and claimed he did not have the tranquilizer used in the darts for the gun, according to the AP. Prosecutors also said they found three unknown DNA samples on the glove compartment of Suzannes Range Rover, and one was a partial match to an unknown male connected to sexual assault cases in other states, 9NEWS reported. Barrys lawyers said that his DNA was not part of that sample.

In April 2022, authorities dropped the charges against him, as the Colorado Judicial Department told PEOPLE. A judge granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the charges without prejudice, which would allow prosecutors to file the charges against Barry again, at a later date.

In May 2022, Barry and Suzanne's daughters, Mallory and Macy, joined their father for an interview on Good Morning America, the first since the charges were dropped against Barry.

Its been an emotional rollercoaster, but we feel like we can finally take our first steps in healing, which is a blessing, Mallory said. We just know our dad better than anyone else, and we know he is not involved in our moms disappearance.

Then, on June 20, 2025, a grand jury indicted Barry and charged him with Suzanne's murder. According to the 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office, he was taken into custody in Arizona and will be extradited to the San Luis Valley to face charges, per ABC News.

According to the outlet, District Attorney Anne Kelly released a statement, saying, "Federal, State and local law enforcement have never stopped working toward justice for Suzanne."

Kelly continued, "The Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office stands in solidarity with Suzanne's family and the citizens of Chaffee and Saguache Counties in pursuing the Grand Jury's indictment."

Was Barry Morphew charged with any other crimes?

Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP Barry Morphew leaves a Fremont County court building in Canon City, Colo., with his daughters, Macy, left, and Mallory, after charges against him in the presumed death of his wife were dismissed, Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Barry Morphew leaves a Fremont County court building in Canon City, Colo., with his daughters, Macy, left, and Mallory, after charges against him in the presumed death of his wife were dismissed, Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Just a year after she went missing, Barry was charged with voter fraud  specifically felony forgery of public records and a misdemeanor elections-mail ballot offense  after casting Suzannes ballot for then-President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, as reported by multiple outlets.

In July 2022, Barry pleaded guilty to forgery, was fined and assessed $600 in court costs and avoided jail time with a plea deal, CBS News reported.

When federal investigators asked him why he submitted the ballot for his missing wife, he said, "Just because I wanted Trump to win.

"To give him another vote, I figured all these other guys are cheating and I know [Suzanne] was going to vote for Trump anyway, he continued, according to the warrant.

FBI agents told Barry that what he did was illegal, to which he responded, "I didn't know you couldn't do that for your spouse."

Read the original article on People
BEIRUT (AP)  Syrias president flew to Bahrain Saturday where he discussed mutual relations and regional affairs with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on his latest trip abroad since taking office in January.

Syrias state news agency, SANA, said President Ahmad al-Sharaa is heading a high-ranking delegation to Bahrain, a gulf nation that had relations with former President Bashar Assad until his removal from power in early December.

Bahrain's news agency said the two leaders discussed mutual relations and ways of boosting them, as well as regional affairs and ways of backing Syria's security and stability.

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Al-Sharaas visit to Bahrain comes days before U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the region for talks with leaders of gulf Arab nations.

Since taking office, al-Sharaa has visited Arab and regional countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey. Earlier this week, he made his first trip to Europe where he met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and announced that his country is having indirect talks with Israel.

After Assads fall, Syria and its neighbors have been calling for the lifting of Western sanctions that were imposed on Assad during the early months of the countrys conflict that broke out in March 2011.

The lifting of sanctions would open the way for oil-rich Arab nations to take part in funding Syrias reconstruction from the destruction caused by the conflict that has killed nearly half a million people.

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The United Nations in 2017 estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria. Some experts now say that number could reach at least $400 billion.

In April, Saudi Arabia and Qatar said they will pay Syrias outstanding debt to the World Bank, a move likely to make the international institution resume its support to the war-torn country.

Since the fall of Assad, a close ally of Iran, Syrias new leadership has been improving the countrys relations with Arab and western countries.
Turkiye is prepared to participate in monitoring compliance with a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who attended an online meeting of the coalition of the willing in Kyiv, reports European Pravda with reference to Anadolu

Details: During the online meeting, Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Turkiyes commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, expressing Ankara's support for an unconditional ceasefire.

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He reiterated that Ankara stands firmly in favour of establishing an unconditional ceasefire in the ongoing conflict and is committed to supporting efforts to achieve this.

"Fidan also expressed Turkiye's readiness to fulfill its responsibilities in monitoring a ceasefire if one is established for the conflict, which is now in its fourth year," the statement said.

Background:

Following their summit on 10 May, the coalition of the willing has demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days starting 12 May.

The EU and the US plan to tighten sanctions against Russia if Putin rejects the ceasefire.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Students at San Diegos Taft Middle School are getting a taste of rocket science as part of a new program to further their STEAM  science, technology, engineering, arts and math  curriculum.

The program, which allows students to learn hands-on what it takes to send astronauts into space, is the only one of its kind in the city.

We at Taft Middle School are on the cusp of what is up-and-coming and the next up-in-coming segment in engineering is aerospace, said Hortencia Garcia-Rubio, principal of Taft Middle School.

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Behind the hedges: La Jollas Secret Garden Tour returns this May

Id love to be the first person to step on Mars, said Casen Addy, a student at Taft who participated in a launch event on Fiesta Island Friday, expressing excitement about the program.

The aerospace initative was introduced as part of a collaboration with STEAMWorks, which provides all the parts needed for the students projects. Students each load a rocket onto a launch pad and shoot them into the sky, simulating real-world aerospace engineering tasks.

John Pacente, SteamWorks CEO, explained the experience gives students a leg up looking ahead to college applications, on top of sparking an interest in the industry as a potential career path.

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While many of these students are getting their first exposure to aerospace, at least one said it has been a dream for a long time.

It inspires me. When I was like 3 [years old], I had an interest in rocket science stuff, Kisen Durand, another student, said of his passion. I wanted to launch my own and today I did.

As the only middle school in San Diego with a rocket program, Taft is offering its students a unique chance to engage with aerospace technology in a way that could propel them to other opportunities in high school and beyond.

With this program, Taft Middle School students are gaining valuable experience that could shape their future careers in aerospace and beyond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  President Donald Trump on Friday signed a memo telling his administration to prioritize efforts to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes and calling on Illinois to keep working on a key part of that effort.

The Republican presidents memo directs the administration to achieve maximum speed and efficiency in stopping the fish.

This includes supporting the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, through deadline-oriented investments of taxpayer dollars, to ensure the State of Illinois does not stand in the way of its construction, the memo reads.

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Illinois presses pause on critical invasive carp project, cites federal funding concerns

Gov. Gretchen Whitmers office says she raised the issue of the Brandon Road project in Illinois with the president when she met him in the Oval Office weeks ago. She praised Trumps memo, stressing the importance of the project.

After years of advocacy alongside our partners in Illinois and together with a wide range of stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels, we now have renewed assurances from the Administration to move forward expeditiously on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, Whitmer, a Democrat, said in a Friday statement. I am grateful to the President for his commitment.

In the works for more than a decade, the goal of the Brandon Road project is to implement renovations to an existing lock and dam to keep invasive carp from moving from the Chicago Area Waterway System into the Great Lakes. The hungry invasive fish are capable of doing significant damage to local ecosystems because they eat up the food source of native species. That would harm fishing and tourism industries.

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Thats why I went to Washington, DC to advocate for this project face-to-face with the President at the White House. I am grateful that, in the midst of a lot of change at the federal level, he is confirming that our federal partners are as committed as ever to getting this done, Whitmer stated. Michigan continues to win because we show up, talk to anyone, and work together to get things done.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading the Brandon Road project and most of it is expected to be funded by the feds, with some $274 million already allocated. Michigan has promised $64 million and Illinois $50 million.

First construction contract awarded on long-awaited $1.1 billion invasive carp project

But earlier this year, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, hit pause on his states part of the project. The Detroit News reported he cited concerns about federal funding, saying the Trump administration had frozen about $117 million in grants to his states department of natural resources.

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Trumps memo called on Illinois to get back on board.

The Federal Government is prepared to do its part, but the States where preventative measures can be taken must cooperate, the memo reads in part. The State of Illinois, where the Brandon Road Interbasin Project is located, must cease further delay in cooperating with this effort, for the sake of its own citizens and economy and for the sake of all of the Great Lakes States.

The memo went on to say Illinois should start buying up the land needed for the project by July 1 and quickly grant any permits the Army Corps needs.

Federal agency heads shall similarly streamline any permitting and environmental reviews and issue any requisite Federal permits or approvals as quickly as possible, the memo says.

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Tampa Bay mother takes bullying concerns to court

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)  A Wesley Chapel mother said her daughter was bullied repeatedly at school and online.

She turned to the school district for help, but when the bullying continued, she took the case to court.

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This frustrated working mom said Pasco County Schools seemed powerless to stop the alleged bullying, even a judges order couldnt seem to stop the abuse. So, she brought her story to 8 On Your Side because she feels that parents in her position have nowhere to turn.

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The mother, who we will refer to as Tosha to protect her childrens identities, said she moved her family from Ohio to Wesley Chapel for the same reasons that draw many to this booming suburb: a better quality of life and a fresh start somewhere new.

But for Tosha, dreams of a fresh start with her three daughters quickly turned into a nightmare.

Plastic surgeon accused of murdering Largo attorney represents himself in court

It was very traumatizing for her, Tosha said. She at one point thought if she got skinnier, that the girl would leave her alone. If she had nice hair, the girl would leave her alone. We went through: Im only going to eat crackers and water.

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It began with texts like this one from her 13-year-old, her oldest: Mom, can you come get me.



A young boy walked to her class, shared some classes with her, and that started a whirlwind and months of heartache for my daughter, Tosha said.

Tosha described her daughters first day at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School last September. Tosha said the bullying began the next day: name-calling, racial slurs, even photos of her daughter taken in the schools locker room and posted on social media.

I lost count as to how many times Ive been in school, she responded.

When asked how the school responded, she said she only got reassurances.

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It was always were going to talk to the parent, Tosha said. We spoke to the child. Its not going to happen again. Then, they did something called a no-contact order.



Tosha didnt stop there. She said she went back time and again to the school district for help, requesting mediations, and asking for meetings with school leaders, board members even with the superintendent himself.



They asked her if she felt feel fearful, and she said yes, Tosha said.



Frustrated, Tosha called the Pasco County Sheriffs Office.



A total of six times, she said.



Tosha took her daughters case to the courts. According to Pasco County court documents, a judge took the allegations seriously enough to sign an injunction forbidding the accused bully from stalking Toshas daughter.



Shes broken not only the school order of the non-contact, Tosha said. Shes broken the civil order that was given to my daughter by a Judge.



A few days later, Tosha received the final report from the school.



Their final conclusion was [my daughter] has indeed been bullied, cyberbullied, harassed at the hands of this one child, and instead of giving any type of consequence to the child, they gave me a paper saying that you can move your child outside of the school, Tosha said.



8 On Your Side contacted the Pasco County School District about this case. A spokesperson cited a statute forbidding them from sharing confidential student information, but wrote:

While Pasco County Schools in not in a position to discuss specific students, we can assure you that our District strictly and ardently complies with both our anti-bullying School Board policies and Florida Law. You can review more information regarding our Anti-Harassment ( Policy 5517) and Anti-Bullying (Policy 5517.01) at: Active Policies  7227 Land O Lakes Blvd.| Land O Lakes, FL 34638 | (813) 794-2000 BoardDocs Pro.

Were not identifying the accused bully because of her age, either, but we reached out to the Attorney representing her family, William Anderson. Anderson gave 8 On Your Side this statement, reading in part: My client and her family have been victimized enough.

Anderson goes on to ask that we not identify the accused bully or her family in our story.

As for Tosha, she said her 13-year-old couldnt take it anymore. So, she moved her daughter back to live with the girls grandmother in Ohio and when her own lease is up in Wesley Chapel, Tosha said she and her other daughters will join them.



I feel that I failed her, she said. I feel like the community failed her, and I feel like the school system failed her.

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Tosha said the school district offered her daughter a Hope Scholarship to enroll in a different school, but said transportation wasnt part of the deal. This was a challenge for a single mom with two other little girls.

There are studies on bullying in Floridas K-12 schools, but because of those student confidentiality laws, its impossible to know the number of cases for a specific local school.

Tosha claimed that at least three other parents with children at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School contacted her and said they had pulled their children out of the same school due to bullying.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
WASHINGTON (AP)  What, exactly, the Republican Party stands for in terms of economic policy in the second Trump administration is a question reaching an inflection point.

Is it the party that promotes free-market prosperity or a 21st-century populism?

Does it stick with the No new taxes pledge that has been GOP political orthodoxy for decades or do Republicans tax the rich, as President Donald Trump suggests?

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Roll back the Obama-era's health care expansion and the President Joe Biden's green energy investments or protect the federal flow of investment dollars generating jobs in the states?

Slash deficit spending or spike the nations now $36 trillion debt load?

Free trade or Trumps tariffs?

As House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Republicans race to draft Trumps big, beautiful bill of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, the final product will set the party on a defining path.

Its still a work in progress.

This idea of the American dream where we are the best country in the world  which I believe we are  will be gone and itll be our fault, so we have to do something right now to address it, said Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga.

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And everybody wants to say, Oh, yeah, we should do something, but nobodys willing to say what that hard choice is.

The GOP is shape-shifting its economic policy priorities in real time, transforming from a party that once put a premium on lower taxes and smaller government into something more reflective of the interests of the working-class coalition that depends on the federal safety net and put Trump in the White House.

On the one side, theres the old-school Republican stalwarts who have guided policy thinking for years. Among them are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist, who says tax increases would be stupid, destructive and the influential Club for Growth, which pours millions into political campaigns.

But a rising neo-populist power center with proximity to Trump carries clout, with Steve Banon and others who reject the traditional trickle-down economic policies and propose a new direction that more benefits Americans.

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Divisions run strong within the Republican Party, which holds the majority on Capitol Hill, and is bulldozing past Democratic objections to push its package forward on its own. GOP lawmakers are under mounting pressure to set aside their differences by Johnson's Memorial Day deadline, especially as Trumps tariffs stoke unease, and they are eager to signal that the economy is under control on their watch.

This is a once in a generation bill, said Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a large group of House conservatives.

He said not only would the emerging package extend the tax breaks and cut spending, "it also gives us a mentality just to settle the markets, to give some predictability, to give everybody in our country the ability to go, hey, our economy is going to be strong.

This weekend, Republican leaders are working to finish the 11 separate sections that will make up that big package before potential public hearings in the coming week.

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But the final three  on tax policy, Medicaid and green energy programs, and food stamp assistance  have proved to be the most difficult, posing the biggest political risks.

Moderate conservative Republicans in the House have signed on to letters opposing steep cuts to Medicaid, which provides health care to more than 70 million Americans.

The Medicaid program has expanded in the 15 years since the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, became law, as more states signed up for federal cost-sharing allotments, and people benefited from enhanced federal credits to pay their insurance premiums. Republicans who pledged to repeal and replace the health law during Trump's first term are now insisting they only want to target what they say is waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid, as many fight to save its more popular parts.

Many of those same moderate GOP lawmakers also oppose rolling back the green energy tax breaks that Democrats approved under Biden as companies invest in wind, solar and other renewable energy development.

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At the same time, the more conservative Republicans are roaring back, insisting on deep cuts.

Some 30 Republicans said the party must hold to the original GOP budget framework of up to $2 trillion in spending cuts, which they argue are needed to prevent the tax cuts from piling on annual deficits that are fueling the nation's debt load. The cost of the tax cuts, first approved by Republicans in 2017, during Trump's first term, is expected to grow if Republicans add other priorities, including no taxes on tipped wages or Social Security income. Estimates put the final costs beyond $7 trillion.

We must hold that line on fiscal discipline to put the country back on a sustainable path, wrote Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., and colleagues.

Meanwhile, Johnson is negotiating with a core group of five Republicans from the highest tax regions in New York, New Jersey and California who claim they will not vote for any plan unless it reinstates a bigger state and local tax deduction, called SALT, for their constituents.

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They called the latest proposal to triple the cap on state and local tax deductions, which is now $10,000 a year, to $30,000 insulting.

Trump himself has waded into the debate in uneven ways. The president told Johnson this past week that he wanted to see a higher tax rate on incomes of $2.5 million for single filers, or $5 million for couples, only to sort of back off the idea Friday.

Republicans should probably not do it, but Im OK if they do!!! Trump wrote on social media.

With Republicans going it alone, over the objections of Democrats in the House and Senate critical of the tax package as a giveaway to the rich that will hurt Americans who depend on federal services, leaders will need almost every Republican on board.

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One Republican, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, implored his colleagues not to worry about the politics of the next midterm election and to stick to party principles.

How about we do the job we got elected 5 months ago to do and see where the chips fall, he posted on social media. Cut Spending. Shrink the Deficit. Cut Taxes. Lead.

__

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.
May 9Blackshear Elementary School fifth grade teacher Dave Machuca is going to Disney World this summer, especially after being awarded $22,415.40 through the Teacher Incentive Allotment Friday.

Machuca was one of 412 teachers  including 16 at Blackshear  given a big check. Along with their checks, teachers sported black sashes with the words Inspiring Minds in white on them.

Superintendent Keeley Boyer noted that Blackshear teachers earned a total of $219,000.

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Machuca has been teaching for 17 years, including seven at Blackshear. He said he had received smaller checks previously and this year was a tremendous jump.

Being recognized in this way was nice  and appreciated  after so many years.

"It's nice that they're starting to do this for our teachers" Machuca said.

He said he was planning to go to Disney before he got the funds, but it will help.

Fourth grade teacher Samantha Hutson also received $22,415.40 and it's life-changing for her. A single mom, she plans to use the money for a downpayment on a house. This is her 19th year with ECISD and her fifth year at Blackshear.

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"I think it's amazing," Hutson said of being recognized. "I think it's such a good inspiration for teachers daily just to have that drive and that persistence and that determination to come to work, to show up, to be present and to really give their best effort," Hutson said.

The recognition is a daily reminder to be present even on the hard days "when I want to give up. This motivates me to be at work and give it my all," she added.

Last year, 350 teachers were recognized. Boyer said this year $4.6 million was awarded and last year it was $3.1 million. Teachers at 40 schools received the Teacher Incentive Allotment this year. Boyer said there were more teachers this year because more teachers are impacting students at a higher level when it comes to academic achievement and growth.

"I think it just has really a testament to the work that our teachers are doing in the classroom," Boyer said.

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There were campuses that had more than 20 recipients, but she said this was a campus the team had not visited before to celebrate.

"We wanted to come celebrate 16 TIA checks, as well as $219,000 which is a very large amount," Boyer said.

Teachers get the Teacher Incentive Allotment through student growth and student performance on STAAR and MAP tests.

The evidence is showing up with the students, she added.

The check amounts differ by school population and designation. There are recognized awards, exemplary awards, and master level awards, which is the highest level.

"Depending on student population in terms of economically disadvantaged, as well as teacher performance, that is where the teacher lands in terms of their designation. Recognized is your lowest amount," Boyer said.

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At Blackshear, that was $6,184.80, followed by exemplary at $12,368.70 and master at $22,415.40.

All teachers, regardless of school, use the same foundational high-quality instruction, but Boyer said they differentiate based on student need.

"Every school and every kid needs something a little different so our teachers do differentiate, and that is where you see the growth because these awards are based on student learning growth. Here we have 16 teachers that are in the top 15% of the state on growing kids when it comes to academic success," Boyer said.

ECISD is in its fourth year of awarding Teacher Incentive Allotments. As a district, ECISD opted into the statewide program.

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Over the past four years, the program has grown tremendously in terms of the number of teachers who have received the award.

They started four years ago with a little more than $800,000 in payouts and now it's at $4.6 million.

This was the first time she had done the honors as superintendent.

"It is so fun, and it is just exciting to see how happy the kids are for their teachers. You could hear it every single time a teacher's name was called, the kids just erupted with joy. Just seeing the kids celebrate their teachers and be as excited for them as the teachers are to receive the big checks. It's a ton of fun," Boyer said.

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"I've gotten to be a part of it for the past several years in my role as chief of schools and going out to other schools. But today was my first time to be a part of actually handing out the checks. It was definitely a fun day and a few more stops to go," Boyer said.

Zavala Elementary where six teachers were recognized was the next stop. Some 735 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade celebrated the instructors.

Principal Tanya Galindo said having her teachers recognized was a blessing.

"I'm elated. All of our teachers in our district work so hard making sure that we put kids first and doing what's best for our kids, and the fact that they get rewarded for it is even better," Galindo said.

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The presentation also capped off Teacher Appreciation Week.

"What a perfect way to end Teacher Appreciation Week," Galindo said.

She added that it's great that the students are able to experience it and see all the great things that are happening in the classrooms. Galindo said some of the students told her they want to become teachers so they can get the big checks, too.

"But seeing their teachers get rewarded is also wonderful. We're a family here on this campus, so we celebrate everybody, all teachers, all students. We really focus on celebrating everyone and their accomplishments," Galindo said.

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This is Galindo's last year at Zavala. She will be principal at Burleson Early Education Center.

"This was wonderful. I'm so glad I was here to experience this with with my teachers. What a great thing to experience and just to celebrate them," she added.
Talk to a teacher lately, and you'll probably get an earful about AI's effects on student attention spans, reading comprehension, and cheating.

As AI becomes ubiquitous in everyday life  thanks to tech companies forcing it down our throats  it's probably no shocker that students are using software like ChatGPT at a nearly unprecedented scale. One study by the Digital Education Council found that nearly 86 percent of university students use some type of AI in their work.

That's causing some fed-up teachers to fight fire with fire, using AI chatbots to score their students' work. As one teacher mused on Reddit: "You are welcome to use AI. Just let me know. If you do, the AI will also grade you. You don't write it, I don't read it."

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Others are embracing AI with a smile, using it to "tailor math problems to each student," in one example listed by Vice. Some go so far as requiring students to use AI. One professor in Ithaca, NY, shares both ChatGPT's comments on student essays as well as her own, and asks her students to run their essays through AI on their own.

While AI might save educators some time and precious brainpower  which arguably make up the bulk of the gig  the tech isn't even close to cut out for the job, according to researchers at the University of Georgia. While we should probably all know it's a bad idea to grade papers with AI, a new study by the School of Computing at UG gathered data on just how bad it is.

The research tasked the Large Language Model (LLM) Mixtral with grading written responses to middle school homework. Rather than feeding the LLM a human-created rubric, as is usually done in these studies, the UG team tasked Mixtral with creating its own grading system. The results were abysmal.

Compared to a human grader, the LLM accurately graded student work just 33.5 percent of the time. Even when supplied with a human rubric, the model had an accuracy rate of just over 50 percent.

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Though the LLM "graded" quickly, its scores were frequently based on flawed logic inherent to LLMs.

"While LLMs can adapt quickly to scoring tasks, they often resort to shortcuts, bypassing deeper logical reasoning expected in human grading," wrote the researchers.

"Students could mention a temperature increase, and the large language model interprets that all students understand the particles are moving faster when temperatures rise," said Xiaoming Zhai, one of the UG researchers. "But based upon the student writing, as a human, were not able to infer whether the students know whether the particles will move faster or not."

Though the UG researchers wrote that "incorporating high-quality analytical rubrics designed to reflect human grading logic can mitigate [the] gap and enhance LLMs scoring accuracy," a boost from 33.5 to 50 percent accuracy is laughable. Remember, this is the technology that's supposed to bring about a "new epoch"  a technology we've poured more seed money into than any in human history.

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If there were a 50 percent chance your car would fail catastrophically on the highway, none of us would be driving. So why is it okay for teachers to take the same gamble with students?

It's just further confirmation that AI is no substitute for a living, breathing teacher, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. In fact, there's mounting evidence that AI's comprehension abilities are getting worse as time goes on and original data becomes scarce. Recent reporting by the New York Times found that the latest generation of AI models hallucinate as much as 79 percent of the time  way up from past numbers.

When teachers choose to embrace AI, this is the technology they're shoving off onto their kids: notoriously inaccurate, overly eager to please, and prone to spewing outright lies. That's before we even get into the cognitive decline that comes with regular AI use. If this is the answer to the AI cheating crisis, then maybe it'd make more sense to cut out the middle man: close the schools and let the kids go one-on-one with their artificial buddies.

More on AI: People With This Level of Education Use AI the Most at Work
A teenager was charged with murder after a stabbing attack outside Santa Ana High School killed a 14-year-old boy and left two others hospitalized.

The deadly incident happened on May 7 as a fight broke out among a group of teenagers in the school parking lot shortly before 3:30 p.m.

Three male students, ages 14, 15, and 16, were stabbed during the violent altercation. The suspects, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, who are also students at the school, fled the scene.

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All three victims were transported to the hospital with stab wounds. The 14-year-old, identified by family as Armando Morales, died from his injuries at the hospital. The other two victims are expected to survive.

On Friday, the Orange County District Attorneys office said Morales had been stabbed in the heart.

The fight was among students who were believed to be members of rival gangs, police told the Orange County Register, though Morales family said the 14-year-old was not a gang member and was instead trying to defend his friend during the confrontation.

Armando Morales,14, is seen in a photo from his GoFundMe page. 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) 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)

He was trying to help a friend, said Lauren Santiago, Morales friend. Like anybody else would do, whenever theres a fight, someone will jump in and try to stop it and calm everyone down and he was one of those [kinds of people.] But he got hit instead.

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Police set up a perimeter and began searching for the two suspects who fled the area. The next day, escorted by their parents, the teen boys, who are brothers, turned themselves in at the Santa Ana Police Department.

They were arrested for murder and attempted murder and were transported to Juvenile Hall.

On Friday, the DAs Office announced the 15-year-old suspect was charged with murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Charges against his 17-year-old brother are still pending.

The knife that was used in the attack had not been located, police told the O.C. Register, while they noted the 17-year-old suspect did not use any weapons during the incident.

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Morales was a freshman at Santa Ana High School who was described by friends and loved ones as a kind and spirited kid.

He was the sweetest soul ever, Santiago said. Anytime he would see you passing by or if he wanted to say hi, it was always with a smile. He showed everyone so much love. It just hurts to see that hes gone. He was a very happy kid and I know he was bound to do something great in the future.

A vigil was held to honor Morales on May 9, 2025, as friends, family and classmates gathered outside Santa Ana High School. Many brought candles, flowers and mementos for a makeshift memorial. (KTLA) A makeshift memorial honoring Armando Morales, 14, was set up by friends and family outside Santa Ana high school where candles and mementos could be seen. (KTLA) A makeshift memorial honoring Armando Morales, 14, was set up by friends and family outside Santa Ana high school where candles and mementos could be seen. (KTLA) A vigil was held to honor Morales on May 9, 2025, as friends, family and classmates gathered outside Santa Ana High School. Many brought candles, flowers and mementos for a makeshift memorial. (KTLA) A vigil was held to honor Morales on May 9, 2025, as friends, family and classmates gathered outside Santa Ana High School. Many brought candles, flowers and mementos for a makeshift memorial. (KTLA) Armando Morales friends peform music during a vigil that was held to honor the boy on May 9, 2025, as friends, family and classmates gathered outside Santa Ana High School. Many brought candles, flowers and mementos for a makeshift memorial. (KTLA) Armando Morales is seen in a family photo.

A vigil was held to honor Morales on Friday night when friends, family and classmates gathered outside the high school. Many brought candles, flowers and mementos for a makeshift memorial that continues growing. He is survived by his parents and two older siblings.

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The Santa Ana Unified School District released a statement saying, 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. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.

All after-school activities were cancelled following the deadly incident and the district confirmed there was an increased police presence on campus, along with crisis counselors for those who needed support.

The suspects identities were not released due to their juvenile status. Detectives said they are investigating cellphone video captured by a witness that showed portions of the fight and are seeking any additional footage that may exist.

A GoFundMe page to help Morales family with funeral expenses can be found here.

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Anyone who was a witness or has information on the case is urged to call SAPD Homicide Detectives at 714-245-8390. Anonymous tips can be provided to OC Crime Stoppers at 1-855-847-6227 or online at occrimestoppers.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.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Three teenagers are accused of kidnapping a man at gunpoint, driving him to a remote desert area an hour outside of Las Vegas, and stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency and other digital assets, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16 and from Pasco County, Florida; and a third teenager, face charges including robbery, kidnapping, and extortion, records said. A juvenile court judge previously certified Ashraf and Fletcher as adults.

REVIEW: Clown in a Cornfield is campy, bloody fun

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The third teenager was no longer in the United States, a prosecutor said during Fletchers probable cause hearing Friday. The men are accused of stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), prosecutors said.

Last November, a man called police saying three young men kidnapped him at gunpoint, drove him to a remote desert area, and stole millions of dollars from him, documents said.

Police suspect the three young men then drove the victim across the Nevada border to White Hills, Arizona  more than 70 miles and an hours drive from Las Vegas. The victim walked five miles alone in the desert to reach a gas station where he called a friend to pick him up, documents said. (KLAS)

That night, the victim was hosting a cryptocurrency-related event at a business in downtown Las Vegas, police said. The victim then returned to his apartment complex and parked his car. The three suspects then approached him and forced him into the back seat of their vehicle, police said.

[The victim] was told if he complied, he would live to see another day, and if he did not comply, they had his dad and would kill him, documents said. [The victim] had a towel placed over his head and was told by the suspects not to look at them.

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Is your name extinct now? Federal government releases new baby name popularity data

The young men demanded the victims passwords and threatened him for access to his financial accounts, police said. It also appeared that another person was directly speaking to the young men through a phone call, which the victim could hear through a speakerphone.

Police suspect the three young men then drove the victim across the Nevada border to White Hills, Arizona  more than 70 miles and an hours drive from Las Vegas. The victim walked five miles alone in the desert to reach a gas station where he called a friend to pick him up, documents said.

Austin Fletcher, 16, appears in Las Vegas Justice Court on May 9, 2025. (KLAS)

Metro investigators later tracked a possible suspect vehicle traveling from Florida to Nevada, specifically including the locations of the victims apartment. In a separate vehicle stop in Mississippi, a gun involving a suspects family member matched one in one of the teenagers social media profiles, police said.

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The three teenagers were also involved in disturbances together at a Florida high school, police said.

Lunchables launches dippable, no-thaw PB&J with a remix from Lil Jon, Twista

In one report from last summer, the young men were reported as swearing in English and Arabic, and [Ashraf] was observed shoulder checking a school resource officer, and screaming at an assistant principal, documents said.

During Fridays hearing, Fletchers public defender argued for her client to serve house arrest. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Daniel Westmeyer set bail at $4 million.

This surveillance photo shows the victims car leaving during the kidnapping, police say. (KLAS)

During a hearing Tuesday in Ashrafs case, his attorney, Ross Goodman, argued for his client to serve house arrest. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Noreen Demonte ordered Ashrafs release with electronic monitoring, records said.

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A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June. The FBI assisted in the investigation, documents said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The Tehama County Museum will host its third lecture on Saturday, May 10 in its 2025 Lecture Series. The presentation will feature Steve Schoonover speaking on Before Ishi: The Life and Death of the Yahi,.

Schoonover will be speaking about his book by the same title, which he describes as an effort to unravel the history of the Yahi from the myths that have been woven around Ishi.

The presentation will begin at 1 p.m. in the Marty Graffel Annex of the Museum at 275 C St., in the City of Tehama.

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The Museum will be staffed and open to the public from 1-4 p.m. Admission to both the museum and the presentation is free and donations will be greatly appreciated.

Schoonover is a long-time Northern California newsman, spending about 40 years with the Chico Enterprise-Record. A resident of Chico since 1963 and a 1975 graduate of Chico State University.

His book is an attempt to reconstruct the history of the Yahi Indians of Northern California, a history the author feels was mangled by a common infatuation with the myths surrounding Ishi, the last survivor of the tribe. The focus on Ishi has allowed the Yahis remarkable adaptation to a hostile environment to be ignored. The author also believes the facts of the destruction of the tribe have been replaced with yarns which have been widely accepted, even though in his view, they dont make any sense.

For decades, Schoonover, aided by his wife and fellow reporter, Laura Urseny, have been in search of Ishis heritage and the fate of his people, the Yahi. They backpacked in 1995 from the Sacramento Valley floor near Red Bluff to Childs Meadow, in a bid to replicate the Yahi annual migration.

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Schoonovers dogged investigation of the historical record challenges claims made in books about Ishi, and paints a nuanced picture of gruesome violence against native populations in the mid-1800s in Butte, Tehama and Shasta counties. He attempts to burst the Ishi myth, that he was starving, that he and the Yahi were part of the Mill Creek Indians, the last survivor of a tribe that had terrorized Northern California for years.

The book focuses on the life of the Yahi and surrounding tribes, and the coming of white settlers.

There will be opportunities to ask questions at the end of the presentation.

The Tehama County Museum may be reached by phone at (530)384-2595, and by email at tcmuse@tehama.net.
Temple, Tx (FOX 44)  Temple shooting leaves one individual with minor injuries.

Police were dispatched to the 400 block of Cheyenne around 1:19 early this morning with reports of gunfire. Upon arrival officers located one individual with a gunshot wound.

This is an ongoing investigation, anyone with information should contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500 or the Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477, where callers can report anonymously. Tips can also be submitted anonymously at bellcountycrimestoppers.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
Ten people were killed in overnight strikes on Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Pakistani authorities told dpa on Saturday, with more than 60 others injured.

A spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority shared the toll amid renewed cross-border exchanges between India and Pakistan.

No reports of casualties in the Indian-controlled parts of Kashmir have yet emerged.

Pakistan reported several attacks on military installations overnight and said it responded by destroyed an Indian defence system with hypersonic missiles.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have escalated in recent weeks following a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
LUFKIN  Child marriages in Texas could end this year, as state lawmakers debate a proposal that would close a loophole from a 2017 law that allows certain 16- and 17-year-olds to wed.

House Bill 168 by state Rep. Jon Rosenthal, a Houston Democrat, would also nullify all existing marriage licenses involving minors, including those who move into the state after being married elsewhere.

The Texas House could vote on the matter as early as Saturday. For it to become law, the legislation would also need approval from the Senate.

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Marriage among teenagers is rare after lawmakers took steps in 2017 to curb the practice. Still, Rosenthal believes the practice must be abolished entirely.

My first concern was with a handful of marriages that we have in this state over the last few years where 40- to 50-year-old men are marrying 16 to 17 year old girls, Rosenthal said. While it was only a couple or a few cases a year, I just saw that as horribly egregious.

Opponents to the legislation told a House committee in April that legal avenues for young people to get married were important for teen mothers. At least one legal expert also suggested the provision that nullifies out-of-state marriages violated the U.S. Constitution.

[New state law seeks to reduce the number of child brides in Texas]

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The proposal is backed by the Tahirih Justice Center, a national nonprofit advocacy group that has advocated for the abolition of child marriages nationwide. Since the centers campaign began 10 years ago, 13 states and Washington D.C. have outright banned child marriage.

The center also backed the successful campaign to drastically limit the types of marriages involving minors allowable in Texas in 2017. The change to Texas law dramatically reduced the number of people under 18 getting married.

The 2017 change required a minor to be emancipated before they were married. The rates of child marriages declined significantly, according to data from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. There were more than 200 marriages involving minors in Texas in 2016 alone. There were less than a dozen marriages involving minors in 2021, the latest data available.

We always knew that this law would need to be revisited, because it is an imperfect law, even if it's having a really positive effect, said Casey Swegman, Tahirihs director of public policy. One child married is too many, and the only way to get to that is to set a bright line of 18.

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Victims of child marriages feel the consequences for the rest of their lives, even if they do divorce, according to a report by Child USA, a nonprofit think tank for policies on childrens issues. Girls who marry before 19 are 50% more likely to drop out of school than their unmarried counterparts. By and large, these girls will have more children, fewer lifetime earnings and experience more intimate partner violence.

Brigitte Combs, a survivor of a 1984 child marriage that took place in Hays County, has become an advocate to end the practice. She has been outspoken in Virginia and Washington, D.C., where they passed laws prohibiting such marriages.

She wants to see her home state put an end to the practice that set her life on a much more difficult, and often terrifying, trajectory.

Combs mother first attempted to marry her off at 11, she said. Two years later, she met the 35-year-old man who would become her husband. He bought her her first milkshake and took her to her first movie.

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She was pregnant and married by 15.

I was scared, Combs said. I was scared because now were doing this legal thing. I was standing there and the judge, she even asked me if this was something I wanted to do. What am I going to say? No? No. This is not what I want to do. My parents were standing there.

Opponents in April argued that minors ought to be permitted to marry, especially if theyre pregnant.

I do not think that single-parent households are as beneficial to raising children as a two-parent household. Please oppose this bill, George Brian Vachris, a former high school teacher from Houston ISD, said at a hearing.

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Cecilia Wood, a family law attorney from Austin, argued it took away parental rights.

Marriages involving minors were legal in all 50 states until 2017, according to Unchained At Last, a survivor-led nonprofit organization dedicated to ending forced marriage and child marriage in the U.S.

Between 2000 and 2018, more than 40,000 Texas children  mostly girls  were married, the organization reported.

Tahirih and other organizations took up the mantle to end the practice, which has resulted in 13 states outright banning child marriages. Other states, like Texas, installed stricter guidelines for marriages involving minors.

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The age floor in Texas was raised to 16, and the law requires the child to be emancipated first. But Texas emancipation laws dont offer much protection for the children they impact and there is no guidance from the state on how to determine the best interest of the child, Swegman said.

Anyone who's getting married in Texas now represents the most vulnerable, most groomed and most coerced person, Swegman said. They had to get through this process of emancipation for the purposes of being married as a child.

Young women still married men several decades their senior in the last few years. In 2021, the latest data available, one Angelina County girl married a man 20 years her senior. And in 2020, a girl from Kaufman County married a man 31 years her senior.

Rosenthal was prepared to narrow the legally acceptable age gap between those wishing to marry minors to three years or less, and saw widespread support among his colleagues. But his mind changed when he spoke with advocates.

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The statistics are staggering, Rosenthal said. The divorce rate is super high. The suicide attempt rate is high. These young ladies that get married, especially in rural areas, even with the sort of consent and support of their families, often feel trapped in the marriage.

Disclosure: Texas Department of Health and Human Services has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 1315 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
The state of Texas and tech giant Google have agreed in principle to a $1.375 billion settlement to end a lawsuit rooted in data privacy and security rights, the Texas attorney general's office announced late Friday.

The attorney general's office brought the lawsuit against Google in 2022 alleging that it had unlawfully tracked and collected private data regarding geolocation, incognito searches and biometric data, according to a news release from the state agency.

"After years of aggressive litigation, Attorney General (Ken) Paxton agreed to settle Texass data-privacy claims against Google for an amount that far surpasses any other states claims for similar violations," the release said. "To date, no state has attained a settlement against Google for similar data-privacy violations greater than $93 million."

Texas filed suit against Google in 2022 alleging that it had unlawfully tracked and collected private data regarding geolocation, incognito searches and biometric data.

The private law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright was hired by the attorney general's office to assist with the litigation.

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More: Google supports Austin area nonprofits' AI adoption efforts through $1 million grant

The attorney general's office in recent years has secured several settlements against big tech companies. In July, Paxton's office and Meta  formerly Facebook  reached a $1.4 billion settlement over the collection of facial recognition data. Earlier, Texas and Google agreed to one $700 million settlement and a separate $8 million settlement over allegations of anticompetitive and deceptive trade practices.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas, Google reach $1.375 billion settlement over data privacy
After banning books with sexually explicit content from schools in 2023, Texas Republicans are setting their sights on a new target: municipal public libraries.

The party is hoping to make books that "describe, depict or portray" sexual conduct off-limits to underage library visitors with House Bill 3225, which the Texas House advanced to the Senate with an 82-53 vote Friday.

The bill would require that librarians remove all "sexually explicit" materials from the children's and young adult sections, and mandate that they verify patrons' ages during checkouts of those materials. Three Democratic House members from South Texas voted with Republicans in support of the proposal.

If there aren't books, teens are going to go to the internet, and the internet is not a good source of information, Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, said in arguing against House Bill 3225, which would require public library access restrictions based on age.

State Rep. Daniel Alders filed the bill to make parents feel comfortable allowing their children to freely explore the books in public libraries, he said in an April 14 hearing in the House State Affairs Committee. The Republican House member from Tyler said he worries about his tween daughters, who are voracious readers, accessing sexually explicit books that are available in the young adults section of his local library.

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In a heated floor debate Friday, Democratic members argued the bill could unconstitutionally restrict minors access to classic books like Lord of the Flies, The Bluest Eye and Brave New World. They also said it would cut off their access to information about sexual health, sexual assault and puberty.

If there aren't books, teens are going to go to the internet, and the internet is not a good source of information, said Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood.

Book removals: Llano County settles librarian's wrongful termination suit for $225,000

Pretending that this doesn't happen or that these kids are not being confronted by this stuff is absolutely asinine, said Rep. Ann Johnson, a Houston Democrat and former human trafficking and child sex abuse prosecutor. So be honest with them about society and give them access to honest information, which comes out of a public library.

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In response, Republicans said libraries should let parents, rather than kids, choose when their children are ready to read mature books. Alders, with approval from the House, amended the bill Friday to let parents opt their children out from the restrictions. An amendment from Zwiener that would have made the restrictions apply only to minors under 13 years old failed along party lines.

A parent helps to guide a child to adulthood, and the parent does that according to their own sense of what is best for that child, said Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville.

A parent helps to guide a child to adulthood, and the parent does that according to their own sense of what is best for that child, Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, said in arguing for HB 3225.

Another dispute over the bill centered on the cost and labor the proposals implementation might require.

HB 3225 would authorize Texas' attorney general to sue cities and counties whose libraries violate the bills provisions. A library would have to pay up to $10,000 to the state per violation, plus attorney's fees and other costs.

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Democratic critics took umbrage at this enforcement mechanism.

Our libraries are starving," said Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas. "How are they going to pay these $10,000 fines when somebody gets grumpy about a book in the library?

Texans' reactions mixed on HB 3225

The bookshelf at Rep. Erin Zwiener's Capitol office holds books that have been banned or yanked from school libraries around the state.

For the Houses hearing on the bill April 14, Texans from across the state came to the Capitol to lay out cases for and against the proposal.

Colby Wiltse, national faith director for Christian political advocacy group Citizens Defending Freedom, praised the legislation.

This bill represents a reasonable balance between protecting our children and preserving the valuable role that libraries play within our communities, he said.

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Related: How a national dispute over library books is fracturing a small Texas town

In contrast, a mom from Llano, a town about 80 miles northwest of Austin, argued the bill didn't take the reality of teen life in Texas into account.

Irrespective of their reading choices, our Texas teens are having sex, said Leila Green Little, who advocates against book restrictions. They're becoming parents. Theyre driving. They hold down jobs. They commit to military service. Why should they be barred from exploring and reading 'Slaughterhouse-Five' in a public library?

Another witness focused on the bill's exception for religious texts, which safeguards them from content-based restrictions. Sara Stevenson, a former English teacher and school librarian from Austin, argued the bill could ensnare other important books.

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Theres a problem with the rating of books for sexual material, and the bill admits this with that exception, she said. If you did an AI search for sexual organs, the Bible could be banned.

The Senate State Affairs Committee heard Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes SB 2101, the companion bill to HB 3225, on April 28. It is pending a vote from the panel, which is composed of 10 Republicans and one Democrat.

HB 3225's proposed book restrictions don't take the reality of teen life in Texas into account, argued Leila Green Little, who is also one of the Llano Count public library patrons who have sued over alleged viewpoint discrimination in that county's libraries.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas House OKs bill to restrict public library books for minors
AUSTIN (Nexstar)  The Texas Legislature voted to make it illegal for citizens of China, North Korea, Iran and Russia to own Texas land if theyre not legally residing in the United States.

On Friday, the Texas House voted to pass Senate Bill 17 after adding seven amendments to the bill on Thursday evening. The bill will now head back to the Senate to either adopt the Houses changes, or to start a conferencing committee to find common ground.

Background

In 2021, the Texas Legislature unanimously passed Senate Bill 2116, preventing China, North Korea, Iran and Russia from connecting to critical Texas infrastructure due to national security concerns.

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In 2023, State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, tried to build off the legislation by preventing citizens of the same nations from buying Texas land.

Texans have raised concerns of national security ranging from energy security to food security, Kolkhorst wrote in her statement of intent. Preventing private property rights from being controlled by entities from adversarial nations is key to ensuring national security.

The bill underwent several changes due to concerns over rights violations and was eventually killed in the Texas House.

This guts the bill: Controversy over amendments

State Sen. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, introduced an amendment to make those who live in the U.S. legally eligible to buy land regardless of nationality. While the amendment passed 120-19, it immediately drew backlash from some conservative activists and lawmakers on social media.

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3/4 of Republicans vote to allow Chinese nationals with student visas to buy land, Former Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi said on X. Just enroll in an ESL course at a local community college and you are good.

Heres a short explanation on how this guts the bill, Rinaldi said in a follow-up post. Chinese nationals (even those who are members of the CCP) are not prohibited from getting tourist visas (B-2). Once in the United States, immigration lawyers will advise them to enroll in an ESL or other course at a local community college, so they can change their status to a student visa (F-1), which can last 5 years.

Rinaldi supported three other amendments brought forward by Republicans. The first, by State Rep. Steve Toth, R-Spring, prevented citizens of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran from leasing land for more than a year. Previously, the bill allowed for 99-year leases.

The second, brought forward by State Rep. Mitch Little, R-Dallas, prevented those who are a member of the ruling political party or any subdivision of the ruling political party in a designated country, from owning Texas land.

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The last, brought by State Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, allows the governor to designate new nations to the designated country list at will. Schatzline specifically mentioned Venezuela and the gang Tren de Aragua as a reason the governor may have to act quickly.

Discrimination is discrimination: Fears of amendment getting stripped

On Friday before the third reading, two attempts were made to undo the controversial Shaheen amendment. Both times the amendments failed because they didnt receive the two-thirds majority needed to amend a bill on third reading, but both times they received a majority vote.

The [Shaheen] amendment its not in the Senate bill, Chuck Guo said. Guo is a Chinese citizen who practices immigration law in Texas on a H-1B visa. They will maybe listen to the proponents of the bill to strengthen the bill and to strip the [Shaheen] amendment from the bill that will eventually become law.

Guo has been concerned about SB 17 since it was first floated as SB 147 in 2023. On Saturday morning, hes helping host a rally outside the Texas Capitol in opposition to the bill.

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Discrimination is still discrimination, Guo said. It is targeting the entire community and is creating a chilling effect.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  A third man wanted in connection to a murder in April in Escambia County Florida is in jail. 19-year-old Antonio Larkins was booked into the Escambia County Jail Friday afternoon.

He was wanted in connection with the death of 20-year-old Andrew Michael Sanders. Sanders was shot and killed on Currier Place on April 24th. The shooting was discovered by deputies after Sanders was reported missing the next day.

21-year-old Michael Polnitz and a 17-year-old, whom we are not publicly identifying, were arrested earlier this week. The sheriffs office believes the victim agreed to meet a group as part of a drug deal.

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Witnesses told the deputies they saw one person trying to get out of the vehicle before being shot once.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Thousands of people protested in Israel Saturday against the new military offensive against the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

At the central rally in Tel Aviv, which was called by The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, relatives who have been fearing for their loved ones for 581 days now also spoke.

According to official Israeli figures, 59 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, but only 24 of them are believed to be alive.

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Ilan Dalal, the father of an Israeli man who was abducted on October 7, 2023 after the Hamas terrorist attack said that his son and the other hostages still alive are in immediate danger.

"They could be killed by Israeli army bombings. Terrorists could murder them if they hear the Israeli army coming. Or they may simply not survive the harsh and inhumane conditions of their captivity," he added.

Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, Dalal said: "You are elected officials, you must listen to the public. And the public is saying loud and clear: 'All of them! Now! It is time to make a courageous and necessary decision to end the war and bring everyone home."

"Don't sacrifice our children," the mother of another hostage said.

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Earlier, the Family Forum had published a statement warning that the Israeli government's strategy could lead to political and moral defeat.

"A historic opportunity is being wasted because Israel continues to insist on continuing the war in Gaza and abandoning the hostages," it asserted.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  Thousands of owners who had their pets cremated in the Pittsburgh area, including a woman who works in West Virginia, were recently told that the ashes they received dont belong to their pets.

Total shock, disbelief, deceived, was kind of the worst thing you could ever hear, said Bobbi Loveridge, assistant professor of Vet Tech at Pierpont Community and Technical College in Clarksburg, West Virginia.

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Nearly two weeks ago, Loveridge was stunned to learn that the ashes she received may not be from her three beloved pets. Owners of the ashes received them between 2021 and 2024.

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.

According to the AGs office, in many cases, instead of providing the pets ashes, 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.

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.

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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 may have gone 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.

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).

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.

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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.

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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).

Then, after pondering the question further, Loveridge later told Nexstars WBOY, Should I receive a settlement, I would like to memorialize my pets by creating a scholarship for vet tech students.

Vereb waived his right to a preliminary hearing. All of the charges will now proceed 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, seeking to know exactly what happened to all the pets during that time.

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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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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Nearly 1 in 4 adults in South Dakota has experienced a mental illness.

Thats according to a national survey from two years ago.

A new art installation in downtown Sioux Falls is giving people thousands of reminders that theyre not alone.

Head to the third floor of the Washington Pavilion and youll find a wall covered in colorful squares.

But step a little closer, and youll notice the sticky notes have messages on them.

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Amy Carter is the Chief Operating Officer of the Helpline Center.

The South Dakota Department of Social Services and the Helpline Center unveiled the art installation last week for Mental Health Awareness Month.

What I think is most powerful about this wall is it really shows youre not alone, Helpline Center Chief Operating Officer Amy Carter said.

Be kind to your mind and I am proud of who I am, are just a few of the thousands of inspirational messages covering the wall.

Recovery is a journey, things take time, Carter read on the wall.

The sticky notes dont just feature messages.

Some have drawings or the 988 number.

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The more than 13,000 sticky notes on the wall represent the thousands of calls, texts, and chats to 988 last year.

I think this says a lot when you have over 13,000 contacts in one year, and those are just the people who are reaching out to 988. Imagine all the other individuals who either havent reached out for help or are utilizing other services, Carter said.

The display will remain up through the month of May.

What we want people to take away is mental health is something we can talk about. Its not an issue we should be ashamed of. Any stigma thats attached to it we want to take that away, Carter said.

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Reasons people reach out to 988 include thoughts of suicide and anxiety.

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Three more Ukrainian children aged 12 to 16 have been brought back from the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast.

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration

Details: Among those rescued is a boy who was only nine years old when his hometown was occupied.

"He was not afraid to defend his pro-Ukrainian stance, despite being bullied by his peers at school with the support of his teachers. The FSB visited his family, threatening to take him away from his mother. However, the boy remained steadfast, refusing to participate in militarised events or sing the Russian national anthem," Prokudin said.

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All three children are now safe and are receiving the medical and psychological support they need.

This marks the 46th successful return of children from temporarily occupied Kherson Oblast since the start of the year.

Background: On 8 May, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the return of Ukrainian children forcibly removed and deported by Russia.

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Hello, its the weekend. This is The Weekender 

The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear arguments related to President Trumps executive order that purports to white out the guarantee of birthright citizenship from the Constitution.

These arguments will focus on a narrow facet: whether district judges properly issued universal injunctions against the order, or rulings that block a policy or law for the whole country and not just the plaintiffs who brought the suit.

In an abrupt 180 from the Biden administration, the right has turned against this type of relief as judges have frequently levied it against Trumps hurricane of executive orders. His allies in the House even recently passed a bill to limit federal judges power in this realm (though its unclear if it will go anywhere in the Senate).

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The Trump administration argues that its being disproportionately and unfairly hamstrung by an egregious number of these judicial blockades. The plaintiff, an organization that advocates for immigrant rights, says that argument only holds up if you ignore the context.

According to the Federal Register, President Trump has already issued more Executive Orders in the past six weeks than any President has in an entire year since President Truman in 1951, in the midst of the Korean War, lawyers for CASA wrote.

Resenting universal injunctions when theyre used against a president you support is a bipartisan endeavor. Under Biden, Democrats were furious that antagonists like the state of Texas went back to divisions with only one or two right-wing judges over and over, all but guaranteeing blocked government action at last for a few months. Democrats, though, were less of a blow it all up bent. Many in Congress proposed various reforms, including routing petitions for universal injunctions against the federal government through the D.C. district court or three judge panels like those used in redistricting cases.

This piece of the case will have massive ramifications, particularly for the reach of Trumps power. As Congress has abdicated its oversight powers, its left the courts as a singular bulwark against Trumps power grabs. And these arguments are only the tip of the iceberg of the birthright citizenship litigation, where a win for Trump would shred the Constitution and renege on one of its most fundamental promises.

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 Kate Riga

Heres what else TPM has on tap this weekend:

Josh Kovensky writes on Fridays order in Rumeysa Ozturks case and the climate of fear the Trump administration is trying very hard to instill among non-citizens.

Emine Yucel unpacks President Trumps dramatic flip-flop this week: he reportedly spent a few hours dipping his toes into progressive politics (taxing the rich) only to reverse course on Truth Social a few hours later.

Emine also checks in on disgraced former congressman George Santos, as he publicly pleads for Trump to grant him a commutation, clemency, whatever!

Lets dig in

Tearing Up Campus

If youre not a U.S. citizen, youre already living in an authoritarian state.

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Since Trump took office, many non-citizens present in the U.S. have been keeping opinions critical of the U.S. government to themselves, out of fear of retribution. The same goes for criticism of U.S. policy towards Israel  many are keeping quiet out of fear that the government will detain and remove them for expressing a dissenting opinion. They have good reason to feel this way: Trump administration officials have bragged about revoking visas of foreign students over their speech. Look at the emblematic case of Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk. Plainclothes ICE officers detained her on the streets of Somerville, Massachusetts in March. She was promptly sent to immigration detention in Louisiana. The government has said that it revoked her visa and arrested her on the basis of an article that she co-wrote with three others for a Tufts student newspaper last year that was critical of Israel.

On Friday, a federal judge in Vermont (Ozturk was held there briefly before being moved to Louisiana) ordered her released.

The judge ruled that the case could suppress the speech of millions and millions of individuals in this country who are not citizens, that they may now avoid exercising their First Amendment rights for fear of being whisked away to a detention center, and that, for those and other reasons, Ozturks continued detention cannot stand.

There has been no evidence that has been introduced by the government other than the op-ed, as to why she should continue to be detained, the judge ruled.

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Ozturks release doesnt restore her ability to be in the country. She still faces removal from the United States. It goes to the limited power of the courts: they can slow these cases down. In some instances, they can reverse clearly unlawful or capricious decisions. But you dont have to look any further than what Secretary of State Marco Rubio said about the case in March to be reminded of the climate of fear they are trying very hard to instill among non-citizens: Ozturk had not been given a visa to become a social activist that tears up our university campuses, he said.

 Josh Kovensky

Trump Flirts With Taxing The Rich, Immediately Retreats

In a surprising move this week, President Donald Trump reportedly instructed Republican leadership to raise taxes on the rich, seemingly as part of a scheme to appease a group of Republicans who have balked at the way in which Trumps big, beautiful reconciliation bill, as currently constituted, would increase the deficit.

Those instructions were seemingly short lived as shortly after, he casually tried to walk it back.

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Republicans should probably not do it, but Im OK if they do!!! Trump wrote in a Friday morning Truth Social post.

The back and forth comes as intraparty tensions spilled out into the open this week. Republicans are trying to figure out a way to put together a reconciliation package that includes all of Trumps priorities without adding to the deficit. Thats proving to be a Herculean task.

Lets put taxes to the side for a second. Another big question remains, leaving Republicans divided: how exactly will they enact sweeping cuts to Medicaid?

Vulnerable Republicans, aware of how unpopular these cuts will be back home, are continuing to insist they wont support a reconciliation package that would include deep cuts to Medicaid. But a separate group in the House Republican conference jammed things up substantially this week, threatening to not vote for the bill if it adds to the federal deficit (which would be very difficult to do without massive cuts to the social safety net program).

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The Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees cuts to Medicaid, is expected to meet Tuesday at 2 p.m ET to mark up its portion of the bill, according to a person familiar with the schedule.

 Emine Yucel

Words Of Wisdom

Ill take a commutation, clemency, whatever the president is willing to give me.

Thats former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) publicly asking President Donald Trump for a get-out-of-jail-free card this week - just two weeks after he was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

In case you need a refresher, Santos is the embattled former lawmaker who lied and tricked his way into a congressional seat in 2022, as TPM helped uncover. He served in Congress for less than a year before he was expelled from the House by his colleagues. He pleaded guilty in August of last year to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft to fund his campaign.

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Seven years and three months in prison for a first-time offender over campaign matters just screams over the top, and I would appreciate if the president would consider, Santos added.

Well see if the White House comes to the rescue for the disgraced former congressman who, in the words of his own lawyers, everyone hates.

 Emine Yucel
Topeka healthcare system celebrates loved ones lives

TOPEKA (KSNT)  Thousands of people gathered at the Midland Care campus for the 29th year, to celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

Guests were able to see displays of their loved ones, next to thousands of others. Monarch butterflies were released to commemorate those who have passed, thats a Native American tradition. 27 News Meteorologist Matt Miller was there to help lead the event.

The event coordinators said its almost like a big family party.

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Car drives into The Wheel Barrel in north Topeka

Its really special. It really connects you back to your purpose, VP of Strategic Initiatives, Jeremy Wiltz said. You know, we come to this campus every day to work, and its nice to take a night to really say thank you to those families that have entrusted us in their care. And then also, were with you.

The money raised from the event will go towards funding their non-profit hospice program.

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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TOPEKA (KSNT)  Topeka police say a local store has been declared safe after it was evacuated due to a bomb threat Saturday afternoon.

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) announced in a press release on May 10 that a 911 call was made around 2:30 p.m. from an individual who claimed to have left an explosive device inside the Walmart at 1501 Southwest Wanamaker Road. Police evacuated the building and deployed a bomb investigation unit and K-9 unit to investigate the situation.

The TPD announced at 4:23 p.m. on May 10 that no devices were found inside the store. The Walmart has reopened and resumed normal operations. An investigation into this situation is ongoing.

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If you have any information to share with police regarding this situation, send an email to telltpd@topeka.org or call 785-368-9400. You can send anonymous tips to law enforcement by contacting Shawnee County Crime stoppers at 785-234-0007 or by clicking here.

Topeka man dead in Douglas County rollover crash

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.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

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CHICAGO (WGN)  John Prevost was somewhat of a celebrity at OHare International Airport on Friday as travelers recognized him as a brother of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV.

Totally surreal. It hasnt really hit in that its real, that its really happening, Prevost told WGN on Friday as he embarked on a journey to Rome to visit his younger brother who is now the leader of the Catholic Church. Proud with a capital P.

The first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the church had his humble beginnings in Dolton. Stories of his love for the Chicago White Sox, memories from his classmates and of his visits to local establishments all painting a picture of the new church leader.

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Normal person, John Prevost said. People will be able to relate to the new pope.

WGN Full Coverage: Pope Leo XIV

Prevosts boyhood neighbors predicted he would become Pope

The siblings oldest brother, Lou, also expressed elation and surprise over his brothers election but said hes sure hes the right man for the job.

If they are looking, honestly, for somebody that is well rounded, has the capacity, the ability, the experience around the world with the people, hes their only choice, Lou Prevost told WFLA, Nextars sister station in Florida.



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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
MADRID (Reuters) -An order was lifted on Saturday to confine around 160,000 people in Spain's northeastern Catalonia region after a fire at an industrial estate caused a toxic cloud of chlorine over a wide area, the regional government said.

The blaze at a swimming pool cleaning products company started at 2:20 a.m. (0020 GMT) in Vilanova i la Geltru, a town 48 kilometres (30 miles) south of Barcelona and caused a huge plume of chlorine smoke over the area.

Authorities had told people in the affected zone to stay at home, but hours later lifted the order.

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"If you are in the zone that is affected, do not leave your home or your place of work," the Civil Protection service had said on social media site X.

No one has been hurt in the fire, Catalan emergency services said on Saturday, but residents in five towns were sent a message on their mobile phones telling them to remain inside.

"It is very difficult for chlorine to catch fire, but when it does so it is very hard to put it out," the owner of the industrial property, Jorge Vinuales Alonso, told local radio station Rac1.

He said the cause of the fire might have been a lithium battery.

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Trains which were due to pass through the area were held up, roads were blocked and other events were cancelled.

The fire was under control, Civil Protection spokesperson Joan Ramon Cabello told the TVE television channel.

(Reporting by Graham KeeleyEditing by Mark Potter)
A traffic stop on S. Main Street in Red Bluff on Friday, May 2 ended with a man behind bars on drug-related charges.

According to the Red Bluff Police Department, an officer made the stop on a vehicle driven by Billie Polley, 40, of Gerber around 3:40 p.m., at Starbucks reportedly because Polley was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant and was driving without a license.

Polley was detained on the warrant, while a second Red Bluff police officer arrived and allegedly discovered drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

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As police continued to search the vehicle they reportedly located six 9mm pistol rounds, 56 grams of packaged marijuana, a scale, and 46.2 grams of methamphetamine concealed inside an improvised Arizona Tea aluminum can.

Polley was placed under arrest on the warrant, and suspicion of transporting and possessing a controlled substance for sales, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and felony possession of a controlled substance with prior convictions. He was booked into the Tehama County Jail.
WASHINGTON  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told congressional leaders on Friday that the U.S. will likely run out of borrowing authority by August.

In a May 9 letter, he urged them to extend the debt ceiling by July, before Congress leaves for its annual August recess, in order to avert economic calamity.

Bessent said there is "significant uncertainty" in the exact date.

"However, after receiving receipts for the recent April tax filing season, there is a reasonable probability that the federal government's cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted in August while Congress is scheduled to be in recess," Bessent wrote. "Therefore, I respectfully urge Congress to increase or suspend the debt limit by mid-July, before its scheduled break, to protect the full faith and credit of the United States."

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Republicans, who control the House and Senate, plan to raise the debt ceiling by $4 trillion or $5 trillion in their sweeping party-line bill to pass President Donald Trump's agenda. That's a tall order, as the party is struggling to unify on various components of that legislation with their narrow majorities. It's far from clear they'll pass a bill before August.

If they fail in that timeline, they may have to deal with the debt limit issue separately and lean on Democratic support to resolve it and avoid an economic crisis that would likely result from a default on U.S. debt.

A failure to suspend or increase the debt limit would wreak havoc on our financial system and diminish Americas security and global leadership position, Bessent wrote in the letter.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  A TikTok challenge involving Chromebooks has made its way to central Kentucky.

Its causing a school issue device to be short-circuited, causing fire, smoke. Those kinds of things that are happening and, and its very destructive and destroys, the device, said Jessamine County Schools Director of Operations and School Safety Coordinator Matthew Simpson.

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West Jessamine Middle School was evacuated after a student participated in the action. Simpson said there can be stiff consequences.

It really does, cost us time and resources, and those things are precious, he explained. Not only do we have the cost of a device but, but there are real criminal charges that can come from this, particularly if a student becomes injured or, you know, heaven forbid, we burn down a school or theres a loss of life.

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He said it is important that parents urge their children not to participate in the actions.

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So, we just encourage them to really have those conversations, Simpson added. I have three, three children myself, two of which are, in middle school. And I just said, guys, this is not worth it. So, lets step up, lets do the right thing, and lets avoid these kinds of behaviors.

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Its been a big week for Chicagoland, especially the regions large Catholic community.

Robert Prevost, who took the name Pope Leo XIV, is not only the first American leader of the Catholic Church, but hes also a South Sider. Prevost was born at Mercy Hospital and grew up in the south suburban town of Dolton. He is also a fan of tavern-style pizza and, according to his brother, has always cheered for the White Sox. The former missionary gave his first Mass on Friday and will be formally installed as pope at a Mass on May 18.

President Donald Trump appeared to retreat from his trade war this week. The U.S. made a trade deal with the United Kingdom that cuts tariffs and streamlines customs processes. The president also floated cutting Chinese tariffs to 80%.

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The White House announced plans Thursday to take action on an air traffic control shortage, the day before yet another radar outage at Newark airport. The administration said it will be creating six new air traffic control centers and making necessary technology upgrades. And in a series of moves this week, the president tapped a wellness influencer to be surgeon general, named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as the interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., and fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.

In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson got the City Council to approve funding for his Green Social Housing plan that he hopes will spur more affordable housing, and signaled that he wants his chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, to lead Chicago Public Schools despite the fact that she lacks the proper license.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who has represented Illinois 9th Congressional District for more than 25 years, announced that she will not seek reelection next year. But while one representative is stepping down, two others are seeking higher office. South suburban U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and northwest suburban U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi threw their hats into the race to replace outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin.

The Met Gala was held this week, with several Chicago athletes, including Sky player Angel Reese and Bears safety Jonathan Owens, in attendance. The theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style focused on Black dandyism.

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The White Sox have matched the worst 38-game start in franchise history, but there is some good news for fans: Longtime organist Nancy Faust is coming back to play at the Rate after a 15-year hiatus.

Thats all for this week! Test your knowledge of who said what for the week of May 4 to 10 with the Tribunes Quotes of the Week quiz. Missed last week? You can find it here or check out our past editions of Quotes of the Week.
A family has paid an emotional tribute to a woman from East Bethel who tragically died during a flight between the Twin Cities and London, England.

Rachel S. Green, 44, was traveling with her mother Mary on the direct Delta flight between Minneapolis-St. Paul International and London Heathrow on Sunday, Apr. 30.

Her sister, Roxanne Carney, told Bring Me The News that Rachel asked her mother if she could sleep on her shoulder, and when her mother woke up with a couple of hours of the flight to go, "Rachel was cold and unable to wake up."

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Green was pronounced dead after 30 minutes of CPR, and was taken to a coroner's office in London, with Delta providing a hotel and a flight back for her mother.

Carney says "we have no idea" what caused her death, with autopsy results still pending, but authorities say it's not suspicious and it's presumed to be natural causes.

Her sister has launched a GoFundMe not only to help the family with the costs of Green's cremation in London, transfer back to Minnesota, a memorial, and a funeral, but also to provide donations in her name to the Lakeshore Players Theatre, with which she had become involved since her return to Minnesota.

Rachel S. Green with her nephew, Jack.Roxanne Carney

"Rachel was truly an amazing person. I know many people say this about their loved ones but she was beyond selfless and thinking about her leaving us too soon is very difficult to understand," Carney said.

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"She was the absolutely best aunt in the world to my son Jack who was her everything," she continued, adding that Green was the "best dog mom ever" to her beloved dog Riley, whom she "spoiled ... and indulged her in the best things in life."

An attorney by trade who had been practicing in Florida for much of career, Green had returned to East Bethel in recent years partly to help care for her great aunt, who was battling cancer.

While in Florida, Green was struggling with GI issues and then developed a severe thiamine deficiency that turned into "an episode of full blown ataxia and polyneuropathy," nerve conditions that required weeks in the ICU and then physical rehab as she regained her ability to walk, which she achieved with the aid of a cane.

Rachel Green, Roxanne Carney and her son, Jack.Roxanne Carney

After returning to Minnesota, where the healthcare was  in Carney's words  "100 times better," Green reconnected with her great loves: live theatre, through her involvement with the Lakeshore Players, reading, and writing.

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A "brilliant writer," Carney said, Green wrote a book in her 20s that she never tried to get published, and at the time of her death was working on another book, a historical fiction based on the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the 12th Century Queen of France and England.

"This was the whole motivation going to England," her sister continues, "To research places and to feel the environment for her writing. She had a trip to France planned in September for the same research purposes."

Rachel Green and her mother, Mary.Roxanne Carney

"A dream of mine would be to get this book published for her. This was her intention and she took the book very seriously pouring all of her time and love into writing," she continued.

The family is now dealing with heartbreak and loss of, in Carney's words, "the most loving positive person I have ever known.

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"I know everyone who ever met her would say the same. She was a devoted Catholic, even when others in the church were not kind. She never gave up on her faith nor did she waver in her kindness.

"She was truly a Saint."

View the original article to see embedded media.
Admiral William McRaven is a Navy SEAL and was the president of the University of Texas. In 2014, he gave a commencement speech that has been viewed over 10 million times. It is considered one of the greatest contemporary graduation speeches of all time.* Although the speech was directed at 8,000 graduates at the University of Texas, his message certainly applies to the health care profession.

So, here are the ten lessons Admiral McRaven learned from basic SEAL training that may apply to doctors and others in the health care profession.

1. Make your bed.

Every morning in basic SEAL training, the instructors awaken the SEAL trainees, and the instructors would inspect their beds. The exacting process of making their bed consisted of perfectly square, tight corners, with the pillow centered under the headboard and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the bed. The bed needed to be made to perfection each morning. The purpose of this requirement was that by making the bed perfectly every morning, the trainees would have successfully accomplished the days first task. The training was arduous and often brutal, but the purpose was that this task provided a small sense of pride and encouraged the trainees to do another task equally as perfectly. By the end of the day, that one task will have turned into many tasks completed. Making the bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you cant do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.

Practicing medicine also requires performing the simplest tasks to perfection. Even what seems mundane and not requiring much attention must be accomplished with the same perfection as the most important task or procedure.

If you want to change the world, start by doing the easiest task perfectly.

2. Have a team you can count on.

During SEAL training, the students are broken down into boat crews. Each crew is seven studentsthree on each side of a small rubber boat and one coxswain to help guide the dinghy. Every day, your boat crew forms up on the beach and is instructed to get through the dangerous surf and paddle several miles down the coast. To make it through the surf, which might be 810 feet high, every student must synchronize the paddling with the other five paddlers to the stroke count of the coxswain. Everyone must exert equal effort, or the boat will capsize, and the crew will end up in the ocean.

Everyone must paddle together for the boat to reach its destination. No one can make it through that surf alonethe trainee needs the help of a team that pulls together. The admirals message is that to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the goodwill of strangers, and a strong leader or coxswain to guide them.

In health care, we must recognize that we cant do it alone. No doctor, except a psychiatrist, can manage a medical practice alone. No practice can function without a receptionist, a billing clerk, a medical assistant, and a nurse. No surgeon can perform their craft without an anesthesiologist, a circulating nurse, and an assistant. We need to surround ourselves with a competent team to help us care for our patients.

If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle. Create a team you can count on and that will do whatever it takes for the patient to have a positive experience.

3. Provide the tools so everyone can succeed.

Over a few weeks of difficult training in my SEAL class, the students saw that the best boat crew was made up of the little guysthe munchkin crew, we called themno one was over about five-foot-five. The smaller crew out-paddled, out-ran, and out-swam all the other boat crews. But somehow, these little guys were able to paddle faster than everyone and reach the shore long before the bigger trainees.

Health care also requires some on the team to make use of some assistance to enhance their contribution to the team. For example, employees need to have the necessary tools to provide the best care for the patients. If the receptionist and medical assistant spend 6090 minutes a day verifying insurance before patients can come to the practice, consider one of the automated programs that conduct insurance verification. Now, the employees can spend more time on patient care instead of paperwork verifying coverage.

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The take-home message is that if you want to change the world, ensure everyone has the proper tools.

4. There is no defeatjust keep those feet moving.

Several times a week, the instructors would line up the class and do a uniform inspection. It was exceptionally thorough. Your hat had to be perfectly starched, your uniform immaculately pressed, and your belt buckle and shoes polished so you could see your face. But it seemed that no matter how much effort you put into starching your hat, pressing your uniform, or polishing your belt buckle, it wasnt good enough. The instructors would always find something wrong.

For failing the uniform inspection, the student had to run, fully clothed, into the surf and then, wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of their body was covered with sand. The effect was known as a sugar cookie. You stayed in that uniform for the rest of the daycold, wet, and sandy.

Many students couldnt accept that all their efforts were in vain. No matter how hard they tried to get the uniform right, it was unappreciated and never exactly the way the drill sergeant wanted. Those students didnt make it through training. Those students didnt understand the purpose of the drill. You will never succeed all the time. You were never going to have a perfect uniform.

No doctor can treat patients who have no complications. As physicians, we try for perfection and help everyone improve their medical condition. But we will fail on occasion and patients wont get well, or worse, have a complication. This is not easy for doctors to accept. We arent programmed for failure or for handling complications easily.

If you want to change the world, get over being perfect and accept that, on occasion, you will fail. How we manage failure by being honest with patients and managing a patients emotions and feelings will determine our success and the success of our patients.

5. Dont run off to join the circus.

Every day during training, students were challenged with multiple physical eventslong runs, long swims, obstacle courses, hours of calisthenicsdesigned to test your mettle. Every event had standardstimes that had to be met. If students failed to meet standards, their name was posted on a list, and at the end of the day, those on the list were invited to a circus. A circus was two hours of additional calisthenics designed to wear down the spirit of the student.

No one wanted a circus. The pain of the circuses built inner strength and physical resiliency. Admiral McRaven said, Life is filled with circuses. You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times, it will test you to your very core.

Physicians also face circuses. They may not be physical circuses, but we all experience mental circuses sometimes in our careers.

Nothing tests the courage and persistence of a physician more than being named in a lawsuit. One minute, we find the patient likes their doctor; then, something that isnt to the patients liking happens, and the patient files a lawsuit against the doctor. The plaintiffs attorney will craft an opening statement that will demean and belittle the defendant doctor. At times, you wont believe your eyes and ears when you hear what is said, and you must defend yourself and demonstrate that you practiced within the standard of care even if the outcome wasnt exactly what the patient was expecting. This can be a very discouraging experience even if you are acquitted, but the havoc that a lawsuit creates is a spiritual circus that, hopefully, you wont have to go through very often.

But if you want to change the world, dont be afraid of the circuses.

6. See obstacles not as stumbling blocks but as stepping-stones.

At least twice a week, the trainees were required to run the obstacle course. The obstacle course contained 25 obstacles, including a 10-foot-high wall, a 30-foot cargo net, and a barbed wire crawl, to name a few. But the most challenging obstacle was the slide for life. It had a three-level, 30-foot tower at one end and a one-level tower at the other. In between was a 200-foot-long rope. The students had to climb the three-tiered tower, and once at the top, they grabbed the rope, swung underneath it, and pulled hand over hand until they reached the other end.

The record for the obstacle course was held for more than a decade. One of the students left his comfort zone and went down the slide for life headfirst. It was a dangerous move, and failure could mean injury and being dropped from the training. The student slid down the rope in half the time and broke the record.

There are times in medicine when we challenge the status quo. There may be antiquated ways of treating a patient or performing a procedure, and when new ways or going down headfirst is discouraged, the doctor offering a new idea is ridiculed or discouraged from trying something new.

There is a paucity of health care professionals willing to try new ideas and share them with others to improve the care we offer our patients. When people fear being put down or ridiculed for trying something new or launching a radical new idea, we will be left with the status quo and groupthink.

If you want to change the world, sometimes you may have to slide down headfirst, and you may have to challenge the status quo.

7. Dont be afraid of the sharks.

You will encounter sharks along the way.

During the land warfare phase of training, the students are flown out to San Clemente Island, where the waters are a breeding ground for the great white sharks. To pass SEAL training, there are a series of long swims, including a night swim.

The students are taught to stand their ground if a shark circles their position. Do not swim away. Do not act afraid. And if the shark attacks, summon up all the strength and punch the shark on the nose, and the shark will turn around and swim away.

There are a lot of sharks in the world. There are going to be people who want your time or your money, and they will circle you and promise you the world only to take advantage of you. It is necessary not to back down from the sharks but to hold your ground.

8. Stay calm under pressure.

As Navy SEALs, one of their skills is to conduct underwater attacks against enemy shipping. The training requires the trainee to use nothing but a depth gauge and a compass to reach their target.

To be successful, the trainee must swim under the ship and find the bottom of the ship, where it is so dark that the trainee cannot see their hand in front of their face.

Every SEAL knows that this is the time when the trainee must be calm and composed and where there is no room for error or panic.

This scenario happens in health care when there is a crisis or a potential crisis, and reacting in a calm fashion will save the day. This isnt easy, and, unfortunately, we dont have any training to swim in the dark, but a cool head will often save the day.

If you want to change the world, you must be your best in the darkest moment.

9. If you are going through Hell, keep going. (Winston Churchill)

Hell Week is six days of no sleep, constant physical and mental harassment, and one special day at the mudflats. The cold, freezing mud consumed each man until nothing was visible but their heads. The instructors tell the students they can leave the mud if only five men quit. Then, one of the students began to sing a song with great enthusiasm. Before long, everyone in the class was singing. They knew that if one man could rise above the misery, others could also.

With more class chiming in, the mud seemed a little warmer, the wind a little tamer, and the dawn not so far away.

The take-home message is that just one person can change the world by giving people hope.

So, if you want to change the world, start singing when youre up to your neck in mud.

10. Never consider ringing the bell  the bell doesnt have to toll for you.

Finally, there is a bell in the center of the training complex in SEAL training. If a student wants to quit, all they have to do to quit is ring the bell. If a student rings the bell, they no longer have to wake up at 5 oclock, no longer have to do the freezing cold swims, no longer have to do the runs on the obstacle course, and no longer have to endure the hardships of training. Just ring the bell.

If you want to change the world, dont ever, ever ring the bell, i.e., dont quit.

Admiral McRaven ended his speech by saying, Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But you must take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give upif you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today.

My final advice is to take fifteen minutes to watch the YouTube video of Admiral McRavens commencement speech delivered to the graduating class at the University of Texas.

Neil Baum is a urologist.
Editors Note: The video above first aired in October of 2024.

Austin (KMID/KPEJ)- Legislation authored by State Representative Brooks Landgraf and sponsored by State Senator Kevin Sparks to honor the life and service of fallen Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez officially passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature and is now headed to the governors desk.

House Bill 1708 designates a 23-mile section of State Highway 302 near Notrees in Ector County as the Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway.

Last September, Vasquez, a U.S. Army veteran and recent graduate of DPS class A-23, was working on the crash in the westbound lanes of Highway 302, when a vehicle struck an Ector County Sheriffs Office vehicle, critically injuring Vasquez, who was outside the vehicle. Vasquez was flow to Lubbock for continued care but later died from injuries he sustained in the crash. The driver of the vehicle that hit Vasquez is now facing criminal charges; investigators said she was speeding and was distracted when she failed to respond to slow moving traffic.

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Trooper Ramirez Vasquez was a true public servantdedicated, selfless, and courageous, Landgraf said. He gave his life in the line of duty protecting his fellow Texans. This highway designation is a lasting tribute to his sacrifice and a way for us to honor his life for generations to come. We can never fully repay the debt we owe Trooper Ramirez Vasquez and his family.But we can ensure his heroism is never forgotten, and that his name lives on in the region he served so faithfully.

Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett was also helpful by signing a letter of support for the memorial highway. Landgraf will now work with West Texans to raise private funds to pay for the memorial highway signage so that this designation will come at no expense to Texas taxpayers.

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MARSHALL, Mich. (WOOD)  A 14-year-old Marshall teen who was reported missing was found safe and returned to their family on Saturday evening, according to Michigan State Police.

Previously, MSP said the teen was missing on Friday after they didnt return home from school.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
May 10 (UPI) -- The Trump administration is appealing a district judge's order that temporarily blocked plans to reduce the federal workforce and reorganize 21 departments and agencies.

Late Friday, attorneys asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to review Judge Susan Illston's temporary restraining order earlier in the day. Illston, who serves in California, was appointed by President Bill Clinton.

She said plaintiffs need to file their motion for preliminary injunction by Wednesday and plans to hear further arguments on May 22.

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The judge said the "plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of at least some of their claims."

The lawsuit was filed April 28 by a coalition of nonprofits, unions and local governments, including San Francisco.

Federal workers and protesters hold signs and later form a picket line at a rally in New York City on Feb. 19 in protest against Elon Musk's takeover of public services jobs. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Her 42-page order puts on hold Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency "Workforce Optimization Initiative." The order also includes similar memos issued by the Office of Personnel Management and DOGE.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 11 calling for significant cuts to the federal workforce, as well as reorganization of various departments and agencies.

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During Trump's first 100 days in office, at least 121,000 workers have been laid off or targeted for layoffs, according to a CNN analysis. There are more than 3 million workers among civilian and military personnel.

"The President has the authority to seek changes to executive branch agencies, but he must do so in lawful ways and, in the case of large-scale reorganizations, with the cooperation of the legislative branch," Illston wrote after hearing arguments from both sides.

"Many presidents have sought this cooperation before; many iterations of Congress have provided it. Nothing prevents the President from requesting this cooperation -- as he did in his prior term of office. Indeed, the Court holds the President likely must request Congressional cooperation to order the changes he seeks, and thus issues a temporary restraining order to pause large-scale reductions in force in the meantime."

Illston said she believes there is "no statutory authority whatsoever" that allows the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Management and Budget or DOGE the authority to direct other federal agencies to make cuts through buyouts or layoffs.

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The agencies are the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Transportation and Veterans Affairs.

Six additional agencies that have a statutory basis elsewhere in the United States Code are AmeriCorps, General Services Administration, National Labor Relations Board, National Science Foundation, Small Business Administration and Environmental Protection Agency.

The only executive department not named in this suit is the Department of Education, which Trump wants to disband.

Federal agencies were directed to submit phase 1 plans by March 13 and phase 2 by April 14.

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The Trump administration said plaintiffs lacked timeliness because the relevant executive order was issued nearly three months ago.

"Defendants cannot have it both ways," Illston wrote. "The Court finds that plaintiffs reasonably waited to gather what information they could about the harm they may suffer from the Executive Order, the OMB/OPM Memorandum, and the [agency reduction in force and reorganization plans]."

Eric Hamilton, an attorney for the Department of Justice, told the judge the executive order is not a mandatory order but merely a planning process.

"There's case law in the Ninth Circuit as well as federal district courts in the state of California that have recognized that delays of much less are by itself enough for a court to deny a motion for a temporary restraining order," he told the judge.

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"The Trump administration's unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation," the coalition said after the ruling in a statement. Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government - laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that."

"We are gratified by the court's decision today to pause these harmful actions while our case proceeds," they said.

In a separate case, Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup, also a Clinton appointee, ordered the government to rehire thousands of workers it fired. The Supreme Court said the nonprofits did not have legal standing to sue and the judge then ordered the agencies to give fired workers letters they were not fired based on their performance.

In April, U.S. District Judge James Bredar of Maryland, appointed by President Barack Obama, also ordered 19 federal agencies to reinstate probationary workers fired.

CBS News reported that more than 24,000 workers at 18 agencies were fired as part of Trump's efforts to shrink the size of government were rehired as part of the judge's order, although an appeals court later cleared the way for the mass firings.
A group of white South Africans will be arriving in Washington, D.C., on Monday by way of a State Department-chartered plane to be resettled in the U.S. as refugees, a source familiar with their arrival told NBC News.

Their resettlement comes even though President Donald Trump suspended the State Departments refugee admissions program through an executive order on the first day of his second term.

The groups scheduled arrival as the first white South Africans to enter the U.S. as refugees was first reported by The New York Times on Friday.

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Trump signed an order on Jan. 20 that said the U.S. lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans, that protects their safety and security, and that ensures the appropriate assimilation of refugees.

But after a public dispute with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a few weeks later over his signing of a land seizure law, Trump issued a second executive order both eliminating aid for South Africa and granting an exception for Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation.

Trump adviser Elon Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, has described the country as having racist ownership laws, accusing its government of failing to stop what he has referred to as a genocide against white farmers.

The South African government expressed its concerns to the Trump administration regarding the refugee status granted to its citizens in a Friday phone call between South African Deputy Minister Alvin Botes and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

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According to a South African readout of the call, Botes disputed the Trump administrations position that the white South Africans are refugees, adding that the allegations of discrimination are unfounded.

Under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, a refugee is defined as someone with a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding how the white South Africans fit into the conventions definition, or why this group was given priority over requests from other groups fleeing persecution in countries like Sudan, the Republic of Congo or Myanmar.

Chrispin Phiri, a spokesperson for South Africas Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, said in a statement Friday: It is most regrettable that it appears that the resettlement of South Africans to the United States under the guise of being refugees is entirely politically motivated and designed to question South Africas constitutional democracy; a country which has in fact suffered true persecution under Apartheid rule and has worked tirelessly to prevent such levels of discrimination from ever occurring again.

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On Friday, White House deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser Stephen Miller defended the resettling of the Afrikaners even as refugees from other countries were barred from the U.S.

Whats happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was created, Miller said. This is race-based persecution. The refugee program is not intended as a solution for global poverty, and historically, it has been used that way.

Shawn VanDiver, the president of AfghanEvac, a San Diego-based coalition that helps Afghans evacuate and resettle in the U.S., said the Trump administration does not get to cherry-pick which victims deserve safety.

If Stephen Miller suddenly supports refugee resettlement when it suits a political narrative, fine  but lets not pretend Afghan allies dont meet the same legal definition, VanDiver told NBC News. Race-based persecution is real in many places  but so is religious, political, and gender-based violence. Thats exactly what Afghans are fleeing.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  The Trump administration is bringing a small number of white South Africans to the United States as refugees next week in what it says is the start of a larger relocation effort for a minority group who are being persecuted by their Black-led government because of their race.

The South Africans' applications are being fast-tracked by the U.S. after President Donald Trump announced the relocation program in February.

The Trump administration has taken an anti-migrant stance, suspending refugee programs and halting arrivals from other parts of the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan and most countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Refugee groups have questioned why some white South Africans are being prioritized.

South Africa says there's no persecution

The South African government said the U.S. allegations that the white minority Afrikaners in question are being persecuted are completely false, the result of misinformation and an inaccurate view of its country. It cited the fact that Afrikaners are among the richest and most successful people in the country, and said they are amongst the most economically privileged.

Afrikaners are the descendants of mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers who first came to South Africa in the 17th century. There are around 2.7 million Afrikaners among South Africa's population of 62 million, which is more than 80% Black. Many in South Africa are puzzled by claims that Afrikaners are persecuted and meet the requirements to be refugees.

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Afrikaners are part of South Africas everyday multi-racial life: many are successful business leaders and some serve in government as Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. Their language is widely spoken  including by non-Afrikaners  and is recognized as an official language, and churches and other institutions reflecting Afrikaner culture hold prominence in almost every city and town.

So what persecution is the U.S. alleging?

Farm attacks

Trump and his South African-born adviser Elon Musk have accused the South African government of having racist anti-white laws and policies, but the claims of persecution center on a relatively small number of violent farm attacks and robberies on white people in rural communities.

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The U.S. alleges those attacks are racially motivated and the South African government is fueling them by allowing anti-white rhetoric from some political parties not in government and not doing enough to protect rural Afrikaner communities. The government strongly denies that and has condemned the farm attacks, but says their cause is being deliberately mischaracterized.

Violent attacks on farm owners in South Africa have been a problem for years but represent a small percentage of the country's extremely high violent crime rates, which affect all races. The government says there is no targeting of white people in South Africa and no persecution, and farm attacks are part of its struggles with violent crime.

An Afrikaner group called AfriForum records farm attacks and said there were 49 farm homicides in South Africa in 2023. Those are set against a total of more than 20,000 homicides in South Africa a year. Experts say rural communities are susceptible to crime because of their remoteness and less police presence, but Black farm owners and workers are also killed in violent robberies.

Still, many rural white communities have long expressed fear at the threat of violence and feel authorities are not doing enough to protect them. Those claims appear to be part of the requirements to claim refugee status in the U.S., although no details of the application process have been announced.

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Affirmative action and reverse racism

The Trump administration has also criticized South Africa's affirmative action policies as racist against whites and has falsely claimed white South Africans are having their land taken away by the government under a new expropriation law that promotes racially discriminatory property confiscation. No land has been expropriated, but Afrikaners who make up many rural communities have raised fears that their land might be targeted.

South Africa does have laws designed to advance employment opportunities for Blacks, and many white South Africans and white-led political parties have also criticized them and called them racist and counter-productive.

Some Afrikaner groups say the employment, land and other laws are designed to limit their opportunities in South Africa.

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Afrikaners were at the heart of South Africa's previous apartheid system of white minority rule and there is a sentiment among some that they and their culture are being targeted in a kind of reverse racism by the Black-led government as punishment for that. The government denies that.

Not the only whites in South Africa

Afrikaners make up just some of South Africa's approximately 4.5 million white people, which also include those who have British and other heritage.

But the Trump administration's refugee program only offers relocation to Afrikaners, who are largely seen as holding conservative and Christian values that might align with the politics of the Trump administration.

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It's not clear how many Afrikaners have applied for or been granted refugee status, but a U.S.-based South African business group has said it had a list of tens of thousands who had expressed interest.

U.S. officials and a document obtained by The Associated Press said a first group of more than two dozen Afrikaners from around four families will arrive Monday at Dulles International Airport outside Washington.

___

Associated Press writer Michelle Gumede in Johannesburg contributed to this report.

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More news on South Africa: https://apnews.com/hub/south-africa
The Trump administration continues to seek out practicaland creativeavenues to bring Greenland into Americas geopolitical orbit, despite repeated Danish rejections.

Sources speaking to Reuters have revealed that White House officials are exploring a Compact of Free Association with the Danish territory, an arrangement currently used with Pacific Island nations such as Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands.

Under a COFA deal, the U.S. would provide Greenland with essential services, military protection, and largely duty-free trade, though the island would maintain its independence.

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Its not the only option that officials at the National Security Council and the National Energy Dominance Council, which was established by Trump, are discussing. Outright purchase of the island is still a consideration, though the source described a COFA deal as an elegant solution to American interests.

Its cold as s--t here, Vice President JD Vance declared after touching down in Greenland for a diplomatic visit on March 28. Nobody told me. / Jim Watson/Getty Images

That said, such a deal would still face a number of practical hurdles, notably that Greenland would likely need to separate from Denmark in order to sign. Polls have shown that the 57,000 inhabitants of the island are interested in independence, but they overwhelmingly do not want to be part of the U.S.

Still, Trump views the acquisition of Greenland as a strategic necessity and is not likely to drop the idea anytime soon. The islands untapped rare-earth mineral resources are crucial for high-tech development and military advances, which is enough of an enticement that Trump has previously hinted he might use military force to take it.

I never take military force off the table. But I think theres a good possibility that we could do it without military force, Trump told Meet the Press Kristen Welker in March.

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COFA deals already in place with Pacific island nations are seen as strategically important for countering Chinas influence in the region, but they are not without their issues. Republican lawmakers have previously opposed funding allocations to these territories, leading to frustrations in the countries that rely on the money.

Greenlands Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen is unequivocal about the prospect of a U.S. takeover. / Facebook

Greenlands Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has been steadfast in his rejection of Trumps overtures. We must listen when others talk about us. But we must not be shaken, Nielsen said in March.

President Trump says the United States is getting Greenland. Let me make this clear: The U.S. is not getting that. We dont belong to anyone else. We decide our own future.

Denmark has not been approached about the idea of a COFA deal with Greenland, nor have its officials entertained any discussions about a change in ownership. Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously drawn parallels between Americas attempts to acquire the island with Russias invasion of Ukraine.
US President Donald Trumps Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will present Russian leader Vladimir Putin with a list of 22 proposals concerning the war in Ukraine from the United States, European partners and Ukraine.

Source: NBC News, citing sources, as reported by European Pravda

Details: A Western official said US, European and Ukrainian negotiators have prepared a "term sheet" containing 22 proposals, including a 30-day ceasefire.

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The term sheet reportedly meets Putins demand that the US cease its support for Ukraines accession to NATO, the source added.

"If Putin wants a way out, here is his way out," the official said of the proposals.

Witkoff is expected to present the proposals to the Russian leader, the sources added. The report did not specify when the meeting might take place.

Background:

Following a summit on 10 May, the coalition of the willing has demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days from 12 May.

The EU and the US plan to tighten sanctions against Russia if Putin rejects the ceasefire.

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Reflecting on the spiritual process of electing a new pope, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan has revealed in a press conference the real reason the conclave selected Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV.

We look for somebody whos a good shepherd, a good pastor, Dolan explained. Part of his curriculum vitae would be extensive pastoral experience. Lord knows Pope Francis had it, and Lord knows Pope Leo XIV has had it.

Dolan spoke alongside several prominent U.S. Catholic bishops and cardinals at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at the Pontifical North American College in Rome on Friday. The assembled religious leaders described Leo as a bridge builder and a citizen of the world.

It should not startle us that we would look to Pope Leo as a bridge builder. Thats what the Latin word pontiff means, hes a bridge builder, Dolan said in response to a question asking whether the new pope would be a counterweight to Donald Trump.

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Will he want to build bridges to Donald Trump? I suppose, Dolan said, But he would want to build bridges with the leader of every nation. So I dont think at all my brother cardinals would have thought of him as a counterweight to any one person.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop emeritus of Galveston-Houston, described Leo XIV as a citizen of the entire world, given his missionary work in South America. The new pontiff is also a citizen of Peru, having spent three decades there as a missionary.

He reminds us that we all have our true citizenship in heaven, Dolan agreed. As St. Paul taught us, and that is his role as universal pastor, where he comes from is sort of now a thing of the past," he said.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, left, and Donald Trump share a laugh on Thursday night. / Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

Cardinal Dolan has become known as Trumps favorite cardinal, having delivered the traditional prayer at both of the presidents inaugurations. In 2020, Trump described Dolan as a great gentleman and a great friend of mine, which the cardinal described as a mutual feeling.

Although Trump backed Dolan as his choice for next Catholic leaderin addition to himselfthe cardinal has recently spoken out against the president. It wasnt good, Dolan said of the AI image Trump shared of himself as pope. Brutta figura," he concluded, dropping an Italian expression used when someone embarrasses themselves.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expressing his frustration in private to donors about his inability to broker an end to Russia's war against Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported on May 9.

Trump originally claimed during the 2024 presidential campaign that he would end the war on his first day in office. He then went on to say that he would end it during his first 100 days in office, repeatedly adding that the war "never would have happened" if he'd had a consecutive second term in office.

However, Trump has since acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance has also said publicly that Russia is "asking for too much" to end its war against Ukraine.

This change in rhetoric comes after Trump had a number of public missteps with President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him "a dictator without elections" and claiming that Ukraine was "more difficult" to deal with than Russia.

Trump has asked advisers in recent weeks whether they think Russian President Vladimir Putin has "changed" since his last term in office, and voiced concern over Moscows military actions, including strikes in areas with children, the WSJ reported.

Trump called for an "unconditional" 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on May 8, adding that "if the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions (against Russia)."

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Zelensky and Ukraine's European allies have endorsed Trump's calls for a 30-day ceasefire.

Read also: Russia may close airspace over Kapustin Yar, site of Oreshnik ballistic missile launch, on May 12-13

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Donald Trumps administration has decimated the crown jewel of the Department of Justice.

Dozens of career officials working in the departments storied civil rights division have left in a mass exodus of prosecutors and staff.

Trumps new chief of the storied division, Harmeet Dhillon, has recast the agencys mission into one that leans into the presidents grievances and shifts its focus away from critical missions like police oversight, voting rights protections and combating racial discrimination.

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The president has also signed an executive order that directs federal agencies to abandon a critical tool used to enforce the landmark Civil Rights Act, the bedrock civil rights law that forms the basis of the nations antidiscrimination laws  from ending segregation to federal protections for housing and employment.

In an expansive executive order signed last month, Trump directed the federal government to deprioritize enforcement of federal law that includes disparate impact liability  the idea that a policy or behavior that hurts a protected group more than others can be considered discriminatory even if they were not intended to discriminate.

Trumps executive order on April 23 claims that doing so is unlawful, and ordered agencies to end or revisit pending investigations, lawsuits or judgements that relied on disparate impact liability.

Civil rights groups argue that the disparate impact test is one of the most important tools for uncovering discrimination where seemingly neutral policies or laws have potentially severely different outcomes for protected people.

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If not for disparate impact liability, employers could lawfully deny jobs to applicants of color based on any prior arrests, pay women less without regard to their job duties, and fire older workers based on age limitations, without having to show any business justification for these discriminatory policies, according to Katy Youker, director of the Economic Justice Project at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

The presidents executive orders do not change the law upholding disparate impact as a form of discrimination, but they do expose a vision for America that predates the Civil Rights movement, she said in a statement.

Trump picked right-wing activist attorney Harmeet Dhillon to lead the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division (AP)

Dhillon, meanwhile, has redirected the Civil Rights Division staff to investigate allegations of antisemitism as defined under the Trump administration, the participation of transgender athletes in girls and womens sports, anti-Christian bias, and institutions with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In an interview with conservative commentator Glenn Beck last month, Dhillon said dozens and now over 100 attorneys decided that theyd rather not do what their job requires them to do and have left her division.

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I think thats fine, because we dont want people in the federal government who feel like its their pet project to go persecute, you know, police departments based on statistical evidence or persecute people praying outside abortion facilities instead of doing violence, she said. Thats not the job here. The job here is to enforce the federal civil rights laws, not woke ideology.

The dramatic departure of dozens of career attorneys inside the division is just further evidence that this is not an administration that cares about civil rights, said Jin Hee Lee, director of strategic initiatives at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

The rapid transformation of the department is really unprecedented and and really threatens the foundations of our multiracial democracy, and its something that all Americans should be very, very alarmed about, she told The Independent.

This is a real moment in history in terms of trying to thwart efforts to undermine our democracy, she said.

Trump signed an executive order on April 23 gutting a critical tool for combatting discrimination under the Civil Rights Act (REUTERS)

The Trump administrations crusade against so-called woke ideology is a direct assault on civil rights progress, according to civil rights groups and advocates. Dhillon has even suggested that the depth of discrimination in the United States that inspired the civil rights movement and creation of the Civil Rights Act in the first place no longer exists.

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Its 2025, today, she said. The idea that some police department or some big employer can be sued because of statistics, which can be manipulated, is ludicrous and it is unfair.

The Trump administration is not merely shifting priorities for enforcement of civil rights abuses, Vanita Gupta, who ran the Civil Rights Division during the Obama and Biden administrations, told The New York Times.

The division has been turned on its head and is now being used as a weapon against the very communities it was established to protect, she said.

Jon Greenbaum, a former senior trial attorney for the voting rights section at the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, called Trumps gutting of the agency and the departure of career officials the end of the division itself.

This is what we are faced with for the next three and three-quarter years in the Civil Rights Division and the executive branch as a whole, he wrote last month. Federal agencies that follow the dictates of one person and his friends while largely ignoring their Congressionally mandated responsibilities.
President Donald Trump took aim at the country of Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels.

Earlier this week, the company indicated that it would bump up prices because of the presidents 145 percent tariff on most Chinese exports.

When asked about it Thursday, Trump claimed that that was part of a negotiating ploy.

Mattel, I dont know. Im not so sure. They also saidtheyre the only country Ive heard, they said, Well, were going to go counter. Were going to try going someplace else. Thats okay, Trump said.

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Let him go, and well put a 100 percent tariff on his toys. And he wont sell one toy in the United States, and thats their biggest market, Trump added.

Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said Tuesday on CNBC that it was unlikely that the company would start manufacturing its products in the United States.

We dont see that happening, Kreiz said on Squawk Box. We believe that production in other countries where we can be efficient and more productive is the best balance between manufacturing outside of the U.S. and continuing to develop product in terms of design and creativity in America.

Mattel, a California-based company, is also planning to cut its Chinese imports from 20 percent to 15 percent by 2026.

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Late last month, Trump admitted the cost of his tariffs on childrens toys.

Somebody said, Oh, the shelves are gonna be open. Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more, he rationalized during a Cabinet meeting.

Vice President JD Vance later defended the remark by calling on Americans to exhibit more self-reliance. American families will also be happier as a result of the tariffs, he added, knowing that more U.S.-made weapons would be used in war.

As an American parent, would you like toGod forbid, if your country goes to a war and your son or daughter is sent off to fightwould you like to know that the weapons that they have are good, American-made stuff, not made by a foreign adversary?" he said.
In just over 100 days, weve seen President Donald Trump work overtime to erase every ounce of cultural and racial diversity from our government institutions, including threatening to end funding to the National Museum of African American History. His latest move will impact the worlds largest library, as he fired Dr. Carla D. Hayden  the first African American and the first woman to serve as the head of the Library of Congress  on May 8.

Dr. Hayden was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2016 and had just one year left on her term. But according to the White House, she was just a little too woke for Trump to let her finish the job.

There were quite concerning things that she had done at the Library of Congress in the pursuit of DEI and putting inappropriate books in the library for children, said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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And while you may not be shocked by anything that comes out of the White House anymore, the news of Dr. Haydens firing got lots of backlash from those who are concerned that Trumps decisions will erase all of the progress people of color have made in this country. Here just a couple of the reasons why Black people should care about Dr. Carla Haydens firing.

A Diverse Collection of Information

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with a diverse collection of books, photographs, newspapers and maps from various periods throughout history. Weve been covering conservatives increasing attempts to ban books by Black, Latino and LGBTQ authors in schools and libraries for the past several years. Given the chance to appoint his own librarian, President Trump and his supporters could have a greater influence on the diversity of materials available.

Donald Trumps unjust decision to fire Dr. Hayden in an email sent by a random political hack is a disgrace and the latest in his ongoing effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement.

Keeping Our Legislators in the Loop

While Democrats are currently in the minority in Congress, they are doing everything they can to keep the MAGA movement from completely steamrolling over democracy. But despite what Donald Trump might have you believe, they cant fight the good fight if their case is not on point.

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The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is an important part of the Library of Congress and a primary source of materials that help keep our elected officials up to date and prepared for any legislative debate. Members of Congress also frequently use the Law Library of Congress which serves as a source of foreign law research.

We can only imagine what a Trump-appointed Librarian of Congress might do control access to this valuable source of information.

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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.

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In a message explaining the chaos at Newark Liberty International Airport, United Airlines (UAL) CEO Scott Kirby said some of the disruptions were due to more than 20% of the air traffic controllers walking off the job.

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The bloom is very much off the rose when it comes to the business communitys embrace of President Donald Trumps second term. With his imposition of steep tariffs on virtually every country around the globe threatening to tip the United States into a recession, CEOs are pleading with the president to start making those deals he likes to boast about.

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President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23, 2025, in Washington, DC. Trump signed a range of executive orders pertaining to issues including cryptocurrency. - Photo: Anna Moneymaker (Getty Images)

The Trump familys latest cryptocurrency gambit may have flown too close to the sun. Now, the bipartisan GENIUS Act, one of the most comprehensive and pivotal attempts to regulate the stablecoin industry, is at stake.

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Bill Gates is holding Elon Musk responsible for the preventable deaths of the worlds poorest children, as a result of his cuts to the U.S. foreign aid budget.

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A series of crises has led to chaos at Newark Liberty International Airport, with flight cancellations, delays, and staff shortages causing major disruptions for more than 10 days with no end in sight.

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President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs are headed to the medicine aisle next.

On Monday, Trump announced his plans to place tariffs on pharmaceutical imports within the next two weeks, signing an executive order designed to boost drug companies manufacturing in the U.S. While the exact tariff rates havent yet been specified, the president has suggested they could be as high as 200%.

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A series of crises has led to chaos at Newark Liberty International Airport, with flight cancellations, delays, and staff shortages causing major disruptions for a week.

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Waymo (GOOGL), the self-driving car division of Google parent Alphabet, is preparing to scale up its manufacturing facility in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa, Arizona.

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Consumers using snail mail will have about 30,000 fewer people handling their letters and packages this year. Both UPS (UPS) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) say this shouldnt affect delivery times in any significant way.

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The Trump administration might suspend immigrants' constitutional right to challenge their detention if the courts don't start cooperating, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said Friday.

Thats an option were actively looking at, The New York Times quoted Miller as saying. A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.

The legal procedure, known as habeas corpus, can be suspended "in cases of rebellion or invasion" that threaten public safety, according to the Constitution.

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Trump has tried to paint America as under attack from immigrants, but it's unclear if he can legally use this route to deport them. Habeas corpus has been used before, but "only in times of actual war or actual invasion, narrowly defined, Ilya Somin, a professor of law at George Mason University, told CNN.

Additionally, the Constitution is almost universally understood to authorize only Congress to suspend habeas corpus, Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University, told The Times.

The only reason why they would do this is because theyre losing in court, he said.

Trump has railed against federal judges who have halted his aggressive approach. He has ignored a Supreme Court ruling that directed him to find a way to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an immigrant who was mistakenly sent to a notorious El Salvador prison. In a separate ruling, the Supreme Court blocked Trump from using the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans. Earlier this month, a Trump-appointed judge ordered all deportations in his Texas district to stop. Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., said the presence of Venezuelan gang members in the country can't be described as an invasion or predatory incursion."

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Trump told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that he didn't know whether noncitizens in the U.S. are entitled to due process, as the Fifth Amendment states.

I dont know. It seems  it might say that, but if youre talking about that, then wed have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials, he said. We have thousands of people that are  some murderers and some drug dealers and some of the worst people on Earth.

I was elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it, he added.

The post Trump might suspend immigrants rights to challenge their detention appeared first on Salon.com.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  President Donald Trump has named Fox News host Judge Jeanine Pirro as the new interim U.S. Attorney for D.C.

The announcement came after Trump pulled his nomination for conservative activist Ed Martin.

Martin has been serving in the role since January but faced pushback from both the local community and members of Congress, including Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who said he would not support Martin because of his support of Jan. 6 rioters.

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In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Martin would be moving into a new role at the Department of Justice as the Director of the Weaponization Working Group.

Ed will make sure we finally investigate the Weaponization of our Government under the Biden Regime, and provide much needed Justice for its victims. Congratulations Ed! he posted.

Trump pulls the nomination of Ed Martin for DC US Attorney after concerns of partisanship

In another post, Trump wrote in part, I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia 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!

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Pirro served as a judge and district attorney in Westchester County, New York, before joining Fox News in 2006. She most recently hosted The Five and formerly hosted Justice with Judge Jeanine.

She was named in a 2021 libel lawsuit, along with Fox News, by voting technology company Smartmatic USA for making false statements about the 2020 Election.

Its unclear if Trump will name Pirro as the permanent D.C. U.S. Attorney. If so, shell require Senate confirmation.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Fox News said, 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.

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President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the existing West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus to become a National Center for Warrior Independence that would house thousands of homeless veterans.

The order, Keeping Promises to Veterans and Establishing a National Center for Warrior Independence, directs VA Secretary Doug Collins to create a plan within 120 days that would allow the West Los Angeles VA campus to house up to 6,000 veterans by Jan. 1, 2028. The new center would serve the Los Angeles area and veterans nationwide, with the 388-acre campus helping them get housing, receive substance abuse or addiction treatment.

Under President Trump, VA is implementing a host of important reforms to improve care and benefits for our nations heroes, Collins said in a statement Friday. This executive order builds on the progress weve made so far and puts us on a path to fixing some of the departments most vexing problems.

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Collins also noted that the VA wants to make it a place for homeless Veterans from across the nation who can travel there to find housing and support and start their journey back to self-sufficiency. The VA did not say how the programs outlined for the proposed national center differ from existing VA programs.

The executive order also calls for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the VA to use housing vouchers to get people into the new veterans housing.

The order comes as the Department of Veterans Affairs is currently fighting against a federal judges order for a similar expansion of housing on the West Los Angeles campus. In September, Judge David O. Carter, a federal district judge and Vietnam veteran himself, issued a sweeping ruling in a major case brought by disabled veterans. He said that has not made good on its promise to build housing for veterans and ordered the construction of 1,800 new permanent housing units and 750 temporary housing units. He also declared several leasing contracts on the campus  including ones from oil companies and the nearby University of California, Los Angeles  as void. An appeals court extended a stay on that in the fall. Arguments in the appeal started in April and a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is expected soon.

It is unclear how the new order impacts the ongoing legal fight over the use of the campus, or if the VAs stance in the appeal will change given similarities here to Judge Carters directive. Carter declined to comment as the case is ongoing in its appeal and the VA directed Task & Purpose to Sec. Collins statement.

From housing to Veterans Row

The land was deeded to the federal government in 1888, to serve veterans from the U.S. Civil War. For decades the land was home to homes for veterans, but several of the buildings were closed in the 1970s. The campus currently is predominantly used for VA medical care. In recent years, a large encampment of homeless veterans formed on the perimeter of the campus, eventually being dubbed Veterans Row. Advocates and the veterans pushed for the VA and local governments to do more to help the thousands of unhoused veterans in the greater Los Angeles area. In 2021, the encampment was cleared, with the agreement that more of the VA campus would be used for housing. A few dozen veterans were moved into several tiny homes, most donated by people such as former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, that were put up on the VA grounds. Those have been hit by a series of problems, including fires and flood damage.

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The ongoing lawsuit, brought by a group of veterans, argued that the VA was not doing enough with its land to help house veterans. The VA has argued that it was already working on housing for veterans and that it was bringing in money for services via leasing agreements. Judge Carter disagreed.

There are 32,888 veterans experiencing homelessness nationwide, out of a total unhoused population of 771,480, according to HUD. In Los Angeles County, 2,991 people of the 75,312 total unhoused population are veterans, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is currently working on building 1,200 new housing units on the West Los Angeles campus by 2030, as the result of a settlement for a separate and previous lawsuit brought by veterans. Its also unclear if the new executive order counts that project towards its housing unit goal.

UPDATE: 5/12/2025; This article has been updated with new comments from Judge Carter and the VA.

The latest on Task & Purpose
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Credit - Francis ChungPolitico/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Since President Donald Trumps January 20 Executive Order against, what he calls, illegal and immoral DEI programs, the Trump Administration has been busy commanding an Orwellian erasure of womens achievements from the public record. In January NASA was ordered to remove mentions of "anything specifically targeting women (women in leadership, etc)" from its website. The Pentagon has deleted online many mentions of female military members who made history. Even a dead woman is still a threat: the Arlington Cemetery website has erased pages on female veterans.

This feels Orwellian, because it reminds us of Orwells novel 1984, in which Winston Smiths job at the Ministry of Truth is to send unwanted truths down the memory hole to be obliterated. Winston lives in a surveillance tyranny which falsifies history, including by erasing the names of people who have been vaporised, and were therefore considered never to have existed.

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But it also feels Orwellian in a more profound way if we take the word to refer to how Orwell lived his life, rather than only to his novel. Orwell had a brilliant wife who was erased from history, and he started it.

Never heard of her? Thats because Eileen OShaughnessys name, along with her enormous contribution to Orwells life (she saved it) and work (she helped make it) have gone down the patriarchal memory hole. When the Trump Administration orders the erasure of women it is doing overtly something that is usually, in patriarchy, done underhandedly.

In Wifedom: Mrs Orwells Invisible Life, I explore just how a woman so crucial to a mans life and work can be erased from the story while she is alive, and then, after she dies, from history.

And I also ask, why is it so important in our culture to disappear women from the story? Turns out, its how patriarchy creates itself. Erasing women makes men into the main characters in life and in history, and women into supporting cast, or caste.

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OShaughnessy was an Oxford graduate in literature, a writer and editor whod studied under famed British author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Before she met Orwell she wrote a poem titled End of the Century, 1984. She had the word obey deleted from her wedding vowsthe first act of the editing genius she brought to the marriage. OShaughnessy was funny, telling stories about herselfand Orwellwith an utter and deliberate frankness one friend said, revealing their relationship as if they were characters in a book. And she was extremely brave. OShaughnessy saved Orwells life during the Spanish Civil War, though to read his account in Orwells memoir, Homage to Catalonia youd not even realise she was there.

OShaughnessy was the main breadwinner, and worked during WWII at the Department of Censorship in London. When Orwell proposed writing an essay critical of Stalin, she told him it would never be published. So, the couple began an animal fable instead, a book unlike any other he had written before, one imbued with OShaughnessys wit and whimsy, and her acute sense of other people. Orwells publisher and friend of the couple, Fred Warburg, was astonished by Animal Farm. How this writer of rather grey novels, with heroes embodying some aspect of his personal character, had suddenly taken wings and become  a poet, he said in his memoir. Warburg simply could not fathom. There was, he writes, after all, little in Orwells previous work to indicate that he was capable of this supreme effort.

Too often, the miracle of the man and his masterpiece is achieved by making a woman disappear, even as shes standing there, probably serving them dinner.

After six years of research, popular biographies of Orwell came to seem like fictions of male achievement and innocence (or decency, to use an Orwell term), created by erasing women. We dont hear about what our hero might owe them (as mothers, teachers, editors, mentors or financiers), nor what he did to or with them (as girlfriends prostitutes, wives, mistresses and, unfortunately, sexual assault victims).

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The most underhand way women are erased is by the passive voice. Manuscripts appear to type (or improve) themselves, idyllic writing circumstances simply exist, an escape from Stalinist pursuers is achieved. Every time I saw it was arranged or nobody was hurt I became sensitisedwho arranged it? Who might have been hurt?

And without the labor of women the successes of some of historys most famous men makes no sense. Youd never understand from reading the biographies that Orwell grew up in a family of left-wing, feminist women. His mother was a Fabian socialist; both she and her sister Nellie, to whom Orwell was close, were suffragettes. They raised a boy who felt he was an underdog too, and whoto our great benefitcould see through the stories the world tells about itself.

As OShaughnessys sense of self was whittled away and her life ebbed, I saw something more sinister. Orwells sense of himself as a man and an artist was buttressed not just by her work, but by his power over her.

This is the power Trumps policies could give back to disgruntled men everywhere: jobs are gone, you have inadequate healthcare and feel vulnerablebut you still have your most basic power, which is power over women.

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Removing women from public recognition as astronauts, patriots, or anything else, is a step towards pretending their achievements never happened. Orwell put it best, in 1984, Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. A MAGA-revised history would read that women have always been kept at home, it is their natural place to work unpaidand at unrecorded cost to themin the interests of men and families.

And then, having erased women from the public sphere, MAGA men could to take the impunity of untrammelled power they feel in the private sphere and spread it everywhere, to move fast and take/break things.

This does not mean we should cast aside, or cancel, Orwell. Indeed we need his important work to understand the world today. But nor should we erase the women who show us who he really was, or the American women who made, and make, history. Understanding the truth of Orwells life makes more sense of his art. We can see the women who made him and showed him another world underneath the normal one; and the women he used and abused to feel like a man, and to get his work done. And by recognizing how women are erased, we reveal the doublethink that is male entitlement: some animals are more equal than others.

Orwells work is important to make sense of our world, as it arcs towards power blocs of opposing surveillance autocracies, and we carry telescreens in our pockets at all times, revealing everything about us to craven, unaccountable, data-hoovering Big Broligarchs who can erase us with a keystroke.

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Or, the President can order it done. Revered institutions vulnerable to his autocratic, retribution-style politics have erased women from the historical record. I just hope they backed up their databases first, so that when this memory-hole era is over, they can put the women who made history back into it with a click.

And for OShaughnessyand any of us who fear being disappeared into domesticity, let alone historytheres Wifedom.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
President Trump is reinstating commercial fishing in a national marine monument after the practice was blocked by his Democratic predecessors.

Trump is expected to issue a proclamation Friday reinstating commercial fishing access in all 4,913 square miles of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which is located off the coast of Massachusetts.

The proclamation was first reported by the NH Journal.

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The national monument was established by former President Obama to protect deep-sea canyons with unique ecosystems. The administration said at the time that these ecosystems are significantly impacted by climate change.

The monument is home to 54 species of coral and is a feeding ground for species including whales, dolphins, turtles and more than 10 species of shark.

During his first term in office, Trump reopened the monument to commercial fishing. Former President Biden reversed that decision, which Trump is now reinstating.

The White House said the move will support the vital Maine lobster industry by ensuring unfettered access to the coastal waters of the United States.

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It also declared that the Obama and Biden-era protections were not necessary for the proper care and management of the Monument, as many fish species are highly migratory, not unique to the area, and are already protected through existing law.

However, environmental activists slammed the move.

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts is a truly special place: a living scientific laboratory, a refuge for creatures as varied as cold-water corals and sperm whales. Its status as a national monument means that its permanently protected from damage by commercial fishing, Brad Sewell, managing director of oceans at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a written statement. Trumps move to dismantle those protections is unlawful, and were confident that it wont stand.

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President Trump on Saturday morning signaled that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire following a slew of tit-for-tat strikes, with some targeting military bases.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, he wrote on Truth Social. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

But the agreement came with a caveat: the other must reciprocate.

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The growing tension between the two nuclear powers was sparked after they traded retaliatory attacks following a strike on Indian-controlled Kashmir, which led to the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists. India responded to the massacre by launching their own strike on Pakistan  which they blamed for the initial violence  earlier this week.

On Saturday, Pakistan said India targeted at least three of its air bases. Islamabad responded in kind, launching short-range missiles to several sites in India  including two air bases.

Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif called it a powerful and well-coordinated response to New Delhis unprovoked aggression. He also accused India of targeting the Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and killing innocent civilians.

Today, we have delivered a resounding reply and avenged the blood of the innocent, he said in a statement, according to CNN. We are proud of our armed forces.

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Indias foreign secretary Vikram Misri Singh, during a news conference Saturday, placed blame on Pakistan for the conflict that has brought the two nations to the brink of war.

It is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocation and escalation, Misri said, The New York Times reported. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion.

Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh also said on Saturday that India is committed to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to both Indias External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, urging both sides to find a way to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation.

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Rubio also proposed U.S. support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes, according to the State Departments readout of the calls.

A group of G7 foreign ministers have also called for the situation to simmer down

We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides, they said in a joint statement on Saturday. We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.

The news comes a day after Vice President Vance suggested the U.S. would not get involved if more conflict arose, calling it none of our business.

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India and Pakistan agreed to an immediate cease-fire on Saturday after US mediation.

It followed days of rising tensions and cross-border strikes between the two nations.

President Donald Trump has since floated "substantially" increasing trade with New Delhi and Islamabad.

President Donald Trump has floated "substantially" increasing trade with India and Pakistan after the two countries announced an immediate cease-fire on Saturday.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised India and Pakistan for their "strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership" and said that, "while not even discussed," he was "going to increase trade, substantially, with both of these great Nations."

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He added that he would also work with Islamabad and New Delhi to find a solution regarding the contested region of Kashmir.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed Trump's comments in a statement on Sunday, thanking the US for its help brokering the truce and saying it looked forward to working more closely with Washington on "trade, investment, and economic cooperation."

It comes after a series of drone and missile strikes between the long-time rivals that were sparked by an attack that killed 26 people in Kashmir last month.

Following US pressure and diplomatic efforts, a "full and immediate" cease-fire was declared on Saturday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that he and Vice President JD Vance had spent 48 hours engaging with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif.

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"I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," Rubio wrote on X.

However, both India and Pakistan have since accused each other of violating the cease-fire.

India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, said in a statement Saturday that there had been "repeated violations" of the truce and that India's armed forces were "giving an adequate and appropriate response."

A spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said it was India that had carried out violations and that Islamabad remained committed to upholding the terms of the cease-fire.

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"We believe that any issues in smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels. The troops on ground should also exercise restraint," they said.

Western leaders have also been pushing to broker another crucial cease-fire deal between Russia and Ukraine this weekend.

The leaders of the UK, France, Germany, and Poland met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire from Monday, or face more sanctions.

"Russia must agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted on X.

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Donald Trump on May 9 signed a memorandum ordering his administration to "expeditiously implement the most effective mechanisms, barriers and other measures" to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes, following through on a commitment he made to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the Oval Office a month earlier.

The memorandum recognized the threat posed to the Great Lakes by the voracious nonnative species should it reach Lake Michigan and also urged the state of Illinois to move on its part of a project to stop the carp at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, a key choke point along the Des Plaines River near Joliet, which has been sought for nearly a decade.

Michigan, Illinois and the federal government are partners to the Brandon Road project, but earlier this year, Illinois officials halted their efforts, first wanting assurances from the Trump administration that a $1.1 billion commitment to the project would be kept. After Trump entered office on Jan. 20, he signed a set of orders suspending funding for certain projects and programs across the U.S.

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The memo doesn't specifically promise any new funding but it does say the federal government will make sure the project moves forward "through deadline-oriented investments of taxpayer dollars, to ensure the state of Illinois does not stand in the way of its construction," presumably meaning it will meet that earlier commitment. And it instructs the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Fish and Wildlife Service to work toward keeping Asian carp out of the Lakes.

Whitmer and Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, visited Trump in the Oval Office on April 9 and asked him to help them get the Brandon Road project on track. For more than a decade, environmentalists and state officials clamored for help in blocking the invasive species of Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan, with worries they would spread from there throughout the Great Lakes and decimate the local fish populations.

Talked about since 2014 or earlier, in 2019, the Army Corps of Engineers signed off on a $778 million proposal to stop the spread of Asian carp at Brandon Road with air bubbles, electric shocks and noise, but required congressional funding to move forward. In his memo, Trump said the federal government has already provided $274 million and done design work and site preparation but still needs Illinois to acquire nearly properties and expedite permit approvals for the project.

By issuing the memo, Trump not only committed his administration to funding the project but prioritized it in a way far more publicly than his predecessors.

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"Curbing this threat requires immediate and effective deployment of resources, infrastructure and expertise. The federal government is prepared to do its part, but the states where preventative measures can be taken must cooperate," the memo read.

"For several decades, invasive species of Asian carp have steadily migrated and expanded from the Southeast northward through streams, rivers, and lakes in the Mississippi River and Midwest region. ... These invasive carp are nearing the entry point to the Great Lakes, which, if breached, would irreparably damage native fish species like walleye, yellow perch, and lake whitefish. This poses a significant risk to Great Lakes fishing, boating, recreation, and tourism, which support tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of commerce annually," the memo read.

"My administration fully supports preventing the spread of invasive carp," the memo continued. "The state of Illinois, where the Brandon Road Interbasin Project is located, must cease further delay in cooperating with this effort, for the sake of its own citizens and economy and for the sake of all of the Great Lakes states." He called on Illinois to have the property in hand by July 1 of this year and expedite any necessary permits.

Given that Whitmer, a Democrat who political pundits consider a potential candidate for president in 2028, took heat from some in her party for appearing in the Oval Office with Trump  and at one point briefly shielded her face with folders as photos were taken  she can claim the visit an enormous success: Not only did Trump follow through on a promise to help the Asian carp barrier project, he also visited Michigan just over a week ago to announce that, with the governor's urging, Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County would get a fighter mission in the coming years, something it has been pursuing for years.

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More: Whitmer makes light of viral Trump moment in Detroit speech to business leaders

At the Oval Office meeting, Trump, who has previously been a sharp critic of Whitmer's, praised her, saying she's been doing "an excellent job." For her part, Whitmer, who campaigned for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race last year, has said she must work with the Republican president to do right by Michigan while also voicing concerns about policies she disagrees with like the widespread use of tariffs or the possibility of slashing Medicaid.

"Today, Michigan scored another huge win that will protect our Great Lakes and secure our economy," Whitmer said, calling the Brandon Road project "a game-changing" one for protecting the Great Lakes from the spread of the species commonly referred to as Asian carp, which have been seen leaping prodigiously out of the water and can reach 60 pounds and eat up to 40% of their weight per day.

"(We) now have renewed assurances from the administration to move forward expeditiously on the Brandon Road (project). I am grateful to the president for his commitment," she said. "Michigan continues to win because we show up, talk to anyone, and work together to get things done," she added.

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More: Whitmer celebrates Selfridge, says she'll work with Trump on common ground priorities

Republican members of Michigan's congressional delegation noted they had asked Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to move on the project after the delay. "The Great Lakes are a national treasure, offering many recreational opportunities and supporting a multibillion dollar fishing industry," said U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton. "By advancing construction of the Brandon Road project, President Trump is delivering on his promises and preserving the future of the Great Lakes ecosystem and our economy."

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on X @tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump signs memo to keep Asian carp out of Great Lakes
As Donald Trump prepares to visit Riyadh, the one seemingly consistent and firm thread to his foreign policy in both his first and second terms  his backing of Israel  is fast becoming as unpredictable and unreliable as he is in almost every other sphere.

In his first term, the Abraham Accords (the unprecedented bi-lateral agreements between Israel and Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the UAE) were one brilliantly successful part of a two-pronged approach: solidify the alliance of regional allies who shared Israels concerns over Iran, and act to reduce the Iranian threat.



Trump understood that the nuclear deal negotiated by Barack Obama was a disaster. Not only did it allow Iran to enrich uranium  the necessary precursor to a nuclear weapons capability  but by loosening sanctions it gave the Revolutionary Guards (the IRGC) the funds needed to bolster its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah. Trumps maximum pressure approach to Iran, with renewed heavy sanctions, brought the regime close to its knees.



The Biden years saw a return to the misguided idea that the Iranian regime could be induced towards normalcy, as well as strong disagreements over Israels handling of the Gaza war  with the US, for instance, openly hostile to the IDF entering Rafah. So when Trump returned to power there was a widespread view that he would once again deal with Iran, a task all the more vital after its proxy, Hamas, carried out the October 7 massacre, and after Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel. There was also an expectation that the Abraham Accords, which the Biden administration effectively ignored, would be bolstered.



After three and a half months, however, it is difficult not to regard Trump in his second incarnation as president as being as unreliable towards Israel and on Iran as he has been on Ukraine.

Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, has been charged with negotiating a nuclear deal with the Iranians. He is catastrophically out of his depth and appears not to understand the critical importance of an all-out bar on enrichment. Witkoff has said the key to any deal is that they do not need to enrich past 3.67 per cent. Even though Iran is far weaker now than in 2015, when the last deal was agreed  Hezbollah and Hamas are hugely diminished, its air defences have been crippled by Israel and post-Assad Syria is no longer a bridge to Lebanon  the Trump administration has conceded enrichment at the very start of the talks.



It goes further. Vice-President Vance is said to have opposed the recent US attacks on the Houthis, arguing the Iranian proxies do not threaten US interests. With the departure of Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser, Vances isolationist slant appears to be gaining the upper hand. When Trump announced a halt to the air strikes on Tuesday he had not even told the Israelis, and he credulously told the press that, They [the Houthis] dont want to fightWe will take their word that they wont be blowing up ships. Just, of course, as Putin gave his word over Ukraine.

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Trump is now enamoured of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who at the same time as he crushes domestic opposition is stepping up his quest to replace Iran as a servant of the sharia (as he has put it) and as Israels key enemy. In March he reportedly told worshippers in Turkeys largest mosque: May Allah, for the sake of his name, Al-Qahhar  the Vanquisher  destroy and devastate Israel.

Now it has emerged that Trump is preparing a deal with the Saudis over a civilian nuclear program, but without the previous US prerequisite of a peace agreement with Israel  a stance which has been shared by both Republicans and Democrats for years. At a stroke this would undermine Israeli efforts to normalise relations with the Saudis.

The unpalatable truth is that just as President Trump is happy to throw a hand grenade into Nato and undermine decades of US alliances in Europe, he is equally unreliable when it comes to Israel and the Middle East.

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President Donald Trump took credit for a cease-fire between India and Pakistan that immediately fell apart Saturday. Fighting took place across the border between the two countries soon after leaders agreed to the cease-fire, The New York Times reports. Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were reportedly involved in the talks, although India said that the cease-fire was negotiated directly between the two countries.

Trump announced the deal on social media following several days of the most intense fighting in decades between the two nuclear-armed countries.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE, Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday morning. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

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Ishaq Dar, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan, confirmed the cease-fire in a post on social platform X.

But on Saturday evening in India and Pakistan, a local lawmaker told The New York Times that fighting had been going on for two hours. He said no casualties had been reported. A senior Indian official confirmed the fighting. He also said Pakistani drones had appeared over Indian-administered Kashmir and the Indian state of Punjab.

What the hell just happened to the cease-fire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!! Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, posted on X. Srinagar is a city in the region.

Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of violating the agreement.

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For the last few hours there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the directors general of military operations of India and Pakistan, Misri said Saturday night, according to CNN.

This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response and take very serious notice of these violations, he said.

India and Pakistan each control parts of Kashmir, but they both claim the entire territory. The fighting was sparked by a terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.

The exact extent of Trumps involvement in the cease-fire deal is unclear. India announced on X that the cease-fire was worked out directly between the two countries.

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A senior Pakistani intelligence official told the Times that Rubio had played a key role in the negotiations and gave Trump the credit for finalizing the agreement.

I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate cease-fire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site, Rubio posted on X.

We commend Prime Ministers [Narendra] Modi and [Shehbaz] Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace, he added.

On Thursday, Vance called the war fundamentally none of our business on Fox News. But Vance ended up calling Modi, CNN reported, something the outlet called a critical moment. CNN also reported that the Trump administration did not draft the agreement but they helped make it so the two countries leaders talked to one another.

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It was a beautiful partnership, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, according to CNN. This was the result of the Vice President J.D. Vance, of course, this entire government moving through the vision and implementing the insight and vision of President Trump along with of course, my guy, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region, Pakistans Sharif posted on X. Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability. We also thank Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their valuable contributions for peace in South Asia.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller says President Donald Trump is looking for ways to expand its legal power to deport migrants who are in the United States illegally. To achieve that, he says the administration is actively looking at suspending habeas corpus, the constitutional right for people to legally challenge their detention by the government.

Such a move would be aimed at migrants as part of the Republican president's broader crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Constitution is clear, and that of course is the supreme law of the land, that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion, Miller told reporters outside the White House on Friday.

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So, I would say thats an option were actively looking at," Miller said. Look, a lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.

What is habeas corpus?

The Latin term means that you have the body." Federal courts use a writ of habeas corpus to bring a prisoner before a neutral judge to determine if imprisonment is legal.

Habeas corpus was included in the Constitution as an import from English common law. Parliament enacted the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679, which was meant to ensure that the king released prisoners when the law did not justify confining them.

The Constitution's Suspension Clause, the second clause of Section 9 of Article I, states that habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.

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Has it been suspended previously?

Yes. The United States has suspended habeas corpus under four distinct circumstances during its history. Those usually involved authorization from Congress, something that would be nearly impossible today  even at Trump's urging  given the narrow Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

President Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus multiple times amid the Civil War, beginning in 1861 to detain suspected spies and Confederate sympathizers. He ignored a ruling from Roger Taney, who was the Supreme Court chief justice but was acting in the case as a circuit judge. Congress then authorized suspending it in 1863, which allowed Lincoln to do so again.

Congress acted similarly under President Ulysses S. Grant, suspending habeas corpus in parts of South Carolina under the Civil Rights Act of 1871. Also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, it was meant to counter violence and intimidation of groups opposing Reconstruction in the South.

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Habeas corpus was suspended in two provinces of the Philippines in 1905, when it was a U.S. territory and authorities were worried about the threat of an insurrection, and in Hawaii after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, but before it became a state in 1959.

Writing before becoming a Supreme Court justice, Amy Coney Barrett co-authored a piece stating that the Suspension Clause does not specify which branch of government has the authority to suspend the privilege of the writ, but most agree that only Congress can do it.

Could the Trump administration do it?

It can try. Miller suggested that the U.S. is facing an invasion of migrants. That term was used deliberately, though any effort to suspend habeas corpus would spark legal challenges questioning whether the country was facing an invasion, let alone presenting extraordinary threats to public safety.

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Federal judges have so far been skeptical of the Trump administration's past efforts to use extraordinary powers to make deportations easier, and that could make suspending habeas corpus even tougher.

Trump argued in March that the U.S. was facing an invasion of Venezuelan gang members and evoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a wartime authority he has tried to use to speed up mass deportations.

His administration acted to swiftly deport alleged members of Tren de Aragua to a notorious prison in El Salvador, leading to a series of legal fights.

Federal courts around the country, including in New York, Colorado, Texas and Pennsylvania, have since blocked the administration's uses of the Alien Enemies Act for many reasons, including amid questions about whether the country is truly facing an invasion.

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If courts are already skeptical, how could habeas corpus be suspended?

Miller, who has been fiercely critical of judges ruling against the administration, advanced the argument that the judicial branch may not get to decide.

Congress passed a body of law known as the Immigration Nationality Act which stripped Article III courts, thats the judicial branch, of jurisdiction over immigration cases, he said Friday.

That statute was approved by Congress in 1952 and there were important amendments in 1996 and 2005. Legal scholars note that it does contain language that could funnel certain cases to immigration courts, which are overseen by the executive branch.

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Still, most appeals in those cases would largely be handled by the judicial branch, and they could run into the same issues as Trump's attempts to use the Alien Enemies Act.

Have other administrations tried this?

Technically not since Pearl Harbor, though habeas corpus has been at the center of some major legal challenges more recently than that.

Republican President George W. Bush did not move to suspend habeas corpus after the Sept. 11 attacks, but his administration subsequently sent detainees to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, drawing lawsuits from advocates who argued the administration was violating it and other legal constitutional protections.

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The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that Guantanamo detainees had a constitutional right to habeas corpus, allowing them to challenge their detention before a judge. That led to some detainees being released from U.S. custody.

___

Associated Press writer Mark Sherman contributed to this report.
US President Donald Trump's special envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, believes that a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire will begin the process of ending the Russo-Ukrainian war, the largest and longest in Europe since World War II.

Source: Kellogg on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: "A comprehensive (air, land, sea, infrastructure) ceasefire for 30 days will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II," Kellogg tweeted, referring to a post by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. "As the US president has repeatedly said, stop the killing  now."

A comprehensive (air, land, sea, infrastructure) cease fire for 30 days will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II. As @POTUS has repeatedly said, stop the killing-now. https://t.co/OC49YEFP4P  Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) May 10, 2025

Background:

Sybiha noted in the post that, following a meeting of the coalition of the willing in Kyiv, all five leaders  Zelenskyy, France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Friedrich Merz, Poland's Donald Tusk and the UK's Keir Starmer  had a constructive phone conversation with US President Donald Trump regarding peace efforts.

Following the summit on 10 May, the coalition of the willing demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days starting 12 May.

European Pravda reported that the EU and the US plan to sharply tighten sanctions against Russia if Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin rejects the ceasefire.

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TUPELO  At least three Northeast Mississippi communities will host ceremonies as part of National Law Enforcement Memorial Week.

The Northeast Mississippi Law Enforcement Memorial Service, hosted by Wives of Warriors and C.O.P.S. (Concerns Of Police Survivors), will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 12, outside the theater at the Elvis Presley Birthplace in Tupelo.

The memorial service was started more than a quarter-century ago by John Harmon after his son, Casey Harmon, was shot and killed while working as a jailer at the Lee County Juvenile Detention Center in March 1998.

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Northeast Mississippi Community College Police Chief Jason Jackson will be the speaker at the event, which will include the playing of taps, the reading of the names of the areas officers who have been killed in the line of duty and a candlelight vigil.

Thursday morning, the Lafayette County Law Enforcement Officers Association will host its annual ceremony on the courthouse lawn. Representatives from area agencies will report if any officers were killed or injured in the line of duty. Following the laying of a wreath at the Public Safety Memorial at the courthouse, the Oxford Police Department honor guard will give a 21-gun salute.

The Prentiss County Sheriffs Office will hold their annual ceremony at the Prentiss County Justice Center at 6 p.m. Thursday. Recently appointed First Circuit District Attorney Jason Herring will be the guest speaker. The event will include the laying of a wreath on the memorial to the agencys only officer lost in the line of duty, Michael Hisaw.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy established May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. The week around that day is National Police Week.

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There will be a pair of events in Jackson on Tuesday. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety will host their memorial service at 10 a.m. at their 1900 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue headquarters. Lt. Col. Matt Lott will be the keynote speaker. Robin Whitfield will offer comments about the late Lee Tartt, an MBN agent who was killed during a February 2016 standoff.

The same day at 6:30 p.m., the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police and the Mississippi Sheriffs Association will host their annual fallen officer candlelight vigil at the State Capitol Mall in downtown Jackson.

The national memorial will also be held Tuesday night at 7 p.m. with a candlelight vigil on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. That event, which will be livestreamed on social media by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund, will include the reading of the names of fallen officers, including the 148 who died in 2024.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has underscored the unity of the Western alliance in its push to end Russia's three-year-old war against Ukraine.

"For the first time in a long while, we feel that the entire free world is truly united," Tusk said in Kiev.

Tusk spoke following talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev.

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Tusk noted that the proposal put forward on Saturday by Ukraine and its allies for a 30-day ceasefire, beginning on Monday, has the backing of US President Donald Trump.

If Russia rejects the initiative, Tusk added, there will be no doubt about who stands for peace, and who stands for war.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on May 9 slammed foreign leaders attending Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day celebrations as Russia wages its war against Ukraine.

"I have no doubt that being present at the victory parade in Moscow and applauding President Putin, who says he will continue to cleanse Ukraine of Nazism, is a shame for everyone who is present there and pretends not to see the truth," Tusk said.

Tusk, alongside leaders from France, Germany, and the U.K., will visit Kyiv on May 10 in a show of support for Ukraine. Many European leaders boycotted Russia's Victory Day celebrations, but Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended.

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Tusk denounced foreign leaders attending Moscow's Victory Day celebrations despite Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are among the notable guests present at Putin's request.

"Therefore, the presence at the victory parade of a country that bombs cities, hospitals, and daycares, and which has caused the deaths and injuries of over a million people over three years, is a shame," Tusk told reporters alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Nancy, France.

Tusk, alongside Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and newly elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, are set to arrive in Kyiv on May 10 to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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In protest of Russia's "immortal regiment" and its Victory Day celebrations, demonstrators have been holding street performances since May 4, a source in Ukraines military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent on May 9.

"The series of actions took place under the name 'Death Regiment,' as the antithesis of Putin's propaganda campaign, 'Immortal Regiment,'" the source said.

Russia tries to use Victory Day celebrations as a historical justification for its ongoing war against Ukraine.

Read also: Lula da Silvas visit to Russia is hypocritical, undermining everything he allegedly stands for

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Two men have been arrested, including one this week, in connection to sending sexually explicit material to each other, with one of the suspects posing as a 13-year-old boy.

According to court documents, detectives with the Franklin County Sheriffs Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant in February at a home on South Waverly Street in Eastmoor. Arrested was Richard Campbell, who was charged with two felony counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, one each in the second degree and fourth degree.

Detectives seized Campbells electronic devices, specifically an Android Galaxy Z Flip 4 phone. Investigators discovered a conversation Campbell had with a man later identified as Tyler Congrove. In this alleged conversation, Campbell reportedly posed as a 13-year-old boy named Grayson.

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Franklinton nonprofit accused of attracting criminal activity reaches deal with city

Court records said that Congrove sent selfie-style pictures, including nude photographs to who he believed was the 13-year-old. Campbell then sent Congrove nude photos of a minor in front of a mirror exposing himself.

Congrove reportedly then sent his photo to Campbell, who was also portraying himself as the father of Grayson.

Authorities were able to trace the selfie photo back to Congrove, who was arrested Wednesday at an apartment on Belle Street in Downtown, Columbus, approximately seven miles west of Campbells location. Detective confirmed that the conversation and photos exchanged between the two men were found on Congroves phone.

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A Franklin County Municipal Court judge issued Congrove a $75,000 bond and scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 16. Campbells case was dismissed in municipal court in March, but could still be prosecuted in common pleas 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Update on May 12

DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  The Vermilion County Coroner has identified the two people who died in an apparent murder-suicide in Danville on Friday.

In a news release, Coroner Jane McFadden said the woman was identified as Lacy K. Williams, age 32, and the man was identified as William J. Rudy, age 67. Both lived in Danville.

2 hospitalized with stab wounds after fight at Springfield restaurant

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McFadden said autopsies on both people were performed on Sunday. The final determinations on the deaths are pending the results of toxicology testing.

The deaths are still under investigation by the Danville Police Department and the Vermilion County Coroners Office. If anyone has information about this case, they are encouraged to call Danville Police at (217) 431-2250 or Vermilion County Crime Stoppers at (217) 446-8477.

DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  A man and a woman died in Danville Friday evening after an apparent murder-suicide, according to the citys police department.

On May 9 at approximately 5:57 p.m., Danville Police responded to the area of the 200 block of Grace St. for the report of shots fired. On scene, officers located a 32-year-old Danville woman lying in the front yard of a residence with apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to local hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.

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Student shocks staff member with stun gun in Champaign school fight

Following this, Danville officers began an initial investigation and spoke to witnesses who had heard the gunshots and then saw a man standing next to the victim while holding a handgun. The suspect then went inside of the residence and had not been seen since.

Officers attempted to make contact with the suspect but were unable to do so. The Danville Police Emergency Response Unit (ERU) then responded to the scene and made entry into the residence. Once inside, ERU members found a 60-year-old Danville man who was deceased with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

One person hurt in Decatur shooting, police still investigating

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At this time, the identification of the deceased individuals is being withheld pending notifications by the Vermilion County Coroners Office. Additionally, the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit and the Vermilion County Coroners Office are assisting the Danville Police Department in this investigation.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing and no further information is available at this time. The department is asking anyone who has information on this incident to call them at 217-431-2250 or Vermilion County Crime Stoppers at 217-446-TIPS.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Two people face federal charges for allegedly defrauding a Connecticut resident out of more than $150,000 through a phony investment scheme.

Marc Anthony Alexander, 44, formerly of Milford, and Melanie Ham, 40, of Norwalk were each charged after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on April 22, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut said Friday.

The indictment charges them with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Each charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.

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According to federal officials, in 2022 a business known as Traveling Graces, LLC was registered in the state. Ham was registered as its agent while Alexander was listed as a manager, officials said.

Between July and December 2023, Alexander and Ham misrepresented to a Connecticut resident that Traveling Graces was a legitimate business and they were looking for investors, according to authorities. The victim provided two bank checks totaling $167,000 to Alexander and Ham, which they allegedly used for themselves, officials said.

Alexander appeared Thursday in federal court in Hartford where he pleaded not guilty. He remains in federal custody.

Ham previously pleaded not guilty and is free on $100,000 bond.
May 10JAMESTOWN  Two people were sentenced recently on felony charges in Southeast District Court in Jamestown.

Joshua Michael Zimmerman, 38, Streeter, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to prohibited/possess firearm, prohibited acts A/controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia, Class C felonies.

Zimmerman was accused of being convicted of a felony and owning, controlling or having a firearm in possession within five years of the date of a conviction or the date of release from incarceration, parole or probation with previous convictions in 2015 and 2021, possessing amphetamine with a previous conviction in 2015, and possessing items used to introduce methamphetamine into the human body with a previous conviction in 2015 on May 30, 2024.

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Judge James Shockman sentenced Zimmerman to 120 days in the Stutsman County Correctional Center. Shockman placed Zimmerman on 18 months supervised probation and ordered him to pay a $400 criminal administration fee, $100 defense/facility administration fee and a $25 victim-witness fee.

A Class C felony is punishable by five years in prison and $10,000 fine.

Sara Lynn Silberg, 35, Jamestown, pleaded guilty to prohibited acts A/controlled substances, a Class C felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.

Silberg was accused of possessing fentanyl with previous convictions in 2016, 2017 and 2021 and possessing tinfoil used to introduce fentanyl into the human body on Oct. 11.

Shockman sentenced Silberg to six months in the Stutsman County Correctional Center and placed her on two years supervised probation. Silberg is allowed to serve her sentence through electronic home monitoring. Shockman also ordered Silberg to pay a $400 criminal administration fee, $100 defense/facility administration fee and a $25 victim-witness fee.
Two suspects have been arrested in connection to the shooting death of Caleb Quick in Clovis, police announced Friday night.

The Clovis Police Department said Chief Curt Fleming will hold a press conference on Saturday at police headquarters.

Quick, 18, was killed outside a popular McDonalds in Clovis after a suspect first stalked him inside the fast-food restaurant. The shooter had help escaping the scene, according to police.

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Fleming released surveillance video on May 2 that showed Quick and his two friends entering the McDonalds, located at Willow and Nees avenues, and talking inside the restaurant for 13 minutes the night of the killing.

A suspect in all-black clothing and a hoodie entered the restaurant and watched the victim.

Fleming said the suspect had his hands in his waistband and inside his front pocket and did not move from his position.

Quick and his two friends left McDonalds. The suspect followed as he left the restaurant while Quicks friends held the door.

Moments later, the suspect shot Quick on the side of the head at least one time shortly before 9 p.m. on April 23 and then fled westbound on Nees in a getaway vehicle, described as a newer white Tesla.

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Fleming said the suspect arrived walking eastbound from Fresno on Nees and entered the crosswalk before reaching McDonalds.

It was a planned (attack), Fleming said last week. It was obviously targeted towards Caleb.

On Tuesday morning, Clovis Police seized a newer-model white Tesla in a Fresno neighborhood that may be connected to the shooting.

Clovis police served a search warrant at a home and located a parked Tesla in the garage, which was towed for evidence.

Anyone with information is asked to call police 559-324-2800 or can call Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867. Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward.
The first six days of May resulted in not a single travel warning from the United States.

However, over the course of May 7 and May 8, six new countries made the list of travel advisories from the U.S. with one holding the highest possible warning: Russia.

Travelers received a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" warning regarding Russia due to:

Danger associated with the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine.

The risk of harassment or wrongful detention by Russian security officials.

The arbitrary enforcement of local laws.

The possibility of terrorism.

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While Russia received the harshest warning, it was just one of six countries to be named in the latest advisories from the United States. On May 7 the U.S. announced Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" warnings for Cuba and Uruguay while also announcing a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" warning for Trinidad and Tobago due to "serious risks from crime" as well as "heightened risks of terrorism and kidnapping."

In a country summary, the U.S. warned of the following possible crimes amid gang activity:

Murder

Robbery

Assault

Sexual assault

Home invasion

Kidnapping

In addition to warning about Russia on May 8, the United States also included Level 2 warnings for the Philippines and United Kingdom.

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Of the Philippines, the U.S. warned travelers to "exercise increased caution in the Philippines due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping" while calling for residents to avoid travel to:

The Sulu Archipelago, including the southern Sulu Sea, due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

Marawi City in Mindanao due to terrorism and civil unrest.

Of the United Kingdom, the U.S. warned of possible terrorism:

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the United Kingdom. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, concerts, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

The full list of travel advisories from the United States can be found here.

Related: Ferrero Announces Historic Change to Nutella
As President Donald Trump continues to bow down at the altar of the fossil fuel industry and decimates federal commitments to confront the worsening climate crisis, activist groups in the United Kingdom took to the streets to grieve over losses and organize for renewed action.

Today, Extinction Rebellion Cambridge and other activist groups held a mock funeral for the 1.5C target that international policymakers agreed to in the 2015 Paris Climate Accord to limit global average temperature rises above pre-industrial levels.

The other groups involved included Extinction Rebellion U.K., Cambridge Greenpeace, Cambridge Stop the War, and the Organisation of Radical Cambridge Activists.

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A solemn procession around Cambridge city centre was led by two dozen Red Rebels  silent performers dressed in red with their faces painted stark white. The procession, which included a black funeral casket representing the death of the 1.5C target, passed through the Lion Yard, where a banner reading, No future on a dead planet, was lowered from the first floor as the march passed underneath.

In 2015, world leaders gathered at the United Nations Conference of Parties in Paris where they signed the Paris Climate Accord, agreeing to limit global average temperature rises to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, with a target of 1.5 C. The rallying cry, 1.5 to stay alive! was regularly repeated by activists during both negotiations and protests inside and outside of the conference, who also demanded the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels. In 2015, temperatures had already risen by 1C above pre-industrial levels, due to the actions of the fossil fuel industry and the continued use of fossil fuels.

Despite these promises, global average temperatures smashed through the 1.5C target in 2024  just a quarter of a way through the century. The breach needs to be sustained for a decade or more for politicians to agree that 1.5C has been exceeded  but many scientists say that the target has now been missed, with one describing it as deader than a doornail.

Trump removed the United States from the Paris Climate Accord upon taking office and has refused to uphold pledged financial commitments to support climate resilience, adaptation, and the transition away from fossil fuels at home or abroad.

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The procession in Cambridge marked the enormity and sadness of this moment, Alex Martin of Extinction Rebellion Cambridge said in a statement. We felt we needed a physical space where we could grieve together for what we are losing and reflect on how to respond to the challenge now in front of us.

While sounding the death knell of the 1.5C target, participants in todays funeral procession pledged to step up where politicians have failed, seeing the action as a rallying cry to the public to join the many organizations and groups striving to limit temperature rises and prevent the worst effects of climate collapse, according to the statement. The groups sought to highlight that while it can feel overwhelming to act alone, coming together as part of a supportive community can be a powerful force for change.

Every fraction of a degree of warming we can prevent will save lives, said Zoe Flint, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion Cambridge in a statement: We call on everyone to do what they can to protect people and planet, while there is still time to prevent the worst harm.

Extinction Rebellion is a decentralized, international, and nonpartisan movement that uses nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act to solve the climate crisis.

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In April 2024, 400 Red Rebels and hundreds of mourners in black held a Funeral for Nature procession through the historic city streets of Bath, culminating in a dramatic finale in front of the Abbey.

In April 2024, 400 Red Rebels and hundreds of mourners in black held a Funeral for Nature procession through the historic city streets of Bath, culminating in a dramatic finale in front of the Abbey.

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Anna V. Smith

High Country News

This story is published through the Indigenous News Alliance, a collaboration between High Country News, Grist, ICT, Mongabay and other Indigenous media outlets.

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.

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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 percent to 80 percent 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.

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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.

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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.

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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 article was first published in High Country News
Three Democratic U.S. representatives for California visited the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Friday to voice their concerns after President Trump told reporters that the slowdown of activity at the ports was "a good thing."

Trump has argued that tariffs are needed to boost manufacturing jobs in the U.S. and that the slowdown in port activity "means we lose less money."

But steep duties on imports from key trade partners have resulted in fewer cargo containers moving through the two ports, which are the busiest in the nation.

U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) tours the Port of Los Angeles post-tariffs as normally bustling berths sit empty behind him on Friday. "Unfortunately, Trump engaged in a trade war without understanding the repercussions of his actions," Gomez said. "This is going to cost them a lot." (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

With a 145% tariff on China, a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, and 10% tariffs on dozens of other countries, the flow of goods into the U.S. is expected to slow drastically.

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The drop off in activity means fewer jobs for longshoremen and truckers, and down the line, higher prices for consumers, the representatives said.

"Unfortunately, Trump engaged in a trade war without understanding the repercussions of his actions," U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) told The Times. "This is going to cost them a lot."

Read more: Traffic at the Port of Los Angeles set to plunge amid tariffs

During a Friday board tour of the port of Los Angeles, where towering cranes loaded cargo onto waiting ships, Gomez said in an interview that port workers and small business owners would be hit hardest by the tariffs.

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The scene was less bustling than usual, port officials said. Seventeen ships have already canceled their planned trips to the Port of Los Angeles in May, port officials said, an occurrence known as a "blank sailing" that means less cargo being processed.

Cargo containers are stacked near the shore as normally bustling berths sit empty Friday as Trump's tariff's are plunging volume as much as 35% as ships from China cancel their trips to the Port of Los Angeles. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka predicted in late April that activity at the ports would plunge by 35% over the next 14 days. The 17 confirmed blank sailings in May alone are equivalent to 225,000 fewer 20-foot equivalent units of cargo, or TEUs.

Roughly four TEUs represent one job at the port, according to Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro). The ripple effects of the tariffs could result in significant job loss, she said, which could harm the communities of Long Beach and San Pedro, which she represents.

"It was really concerning to hear the president, when he was asked about the slowdown, say it was a good thing," Barragan said. "It's insulting to people at the ports and American families who are going to start to see prices going up."

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Read more: Tariffs bring shipping slowdown, threatening trucking jobs at L.A. ports

The Port of Los Angeles, which covers 7,500 acres on San Pedro Bay, processed more than 10 million TEUs in 2024. A 2023 report found that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach contributed $21.8 billion in direct revenue to local service providers, generating $2.7 billion in state and local taxes and creating 165,462 jobs, directly and indirectly.

A decline of just 1% in cargo to the ports would wipe away 2,769 jobs and endanger as many as 4,000 others, the study found.

A spike of activity at the ports preceded the drop-off as importers front-loaded goods before the tariffs took effect. While large corporations such as Amazon and Walmart had this option, smaller businesses likely did not, Gomez said.

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"The mom and pop stores, the medium size and small folks, they don't have warehouses where they can just store stuff," Gomez said. "I don't want them to go through unnecessary pain."

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) also visited the twin ports on Friday.

"The reality is that no communities are going to be impacted by these tariffs more than Long Beach, San Pedro and south Los Angeles," Garcia said. "The dockworkers and warehouse workers, they are the fabric of the harbor."

A White House representative did not respond to a request for comment.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
U.S. officials have ordered spy agencies to ramp up efforts to gather intelligence on Greenland, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter, in a sign President Donald Trump apparently remains focused on acquiring the island.

The directive was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The move has drawn objections from Denmark, a NATO ally which rules the semi-autonomous island.

Denmarks foreign minister, Lars Lkke Rasmussen, has said he will summon the American ambassador over the report. It worries me greatly because we do not spy on friends, Rasmussen said, according to the Ritzau news agency.

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The Office of the Director of Intelligence sent out a directive last week to intelligence agencies to gather information on Greenlands independence political movement, perceptions about U.S. interest in the islands resources and to identify people who back Washingtons goals for the Arctic island, the sources said.

The directive came in the form of a collection emphasis message,  which sets priorities for intelligence efforts, the sources said.

James Hewitt, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said in an email: We dont comment on matters of intelligence. However, the President has been very clear that the U.S. is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.

The director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, alleged in a statement that government officials were trying to undercut Trump by leaking classified information.

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The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information, the statement said. 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.

Gabbard added: I have referred three illegal leaks to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution, and we are investigating nearly a dozen more.

It was unclear why the administration was turning to espionage to glean information on a U.S. ally that could likely be obtained by diplomats or open-source research, said Marc Polymeropoulos, a former career CIA officer.

This seems to be something that could be handled by diplomatic and State Department channels, he said. Why would you waste precious intelligence resources on this?

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In an interview last weekend with NBC News Kristen Welker, Trump refused to rule out seizing the territory by force.

I dont say Im going to do it, but I dont rule out anything, Trump said. 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.

In a speech to a joint session of Congress in March, Trump said: One way or the other, were going to get it.

A January poll commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske and Greenlandic daily Sermitsiaq showed 85% of Greenlanders do not want their island to become a part of the United States.

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The U.S. military has a base in northwestern Greenland, which is part of a ballistic missile early-warning system.

Greenland has taken on increasing strategic importance as global warming has sparked a competition in the Arctic among the worlds powers. And Greenlands rare earth minerals, uranium and iron are of increasing global interest as climate change could make those natural resources more accessible.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By Andrew MacAskill

LONDON (Reuters) -The British government outlined plans on Sunday to end what it called the "failed free market experiment" in mass immigration by restricting skilled worker visas to graduate-level jobs and forcing businesses to increase training for local workers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to cut net migration after the success of Nigel Farage's right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party in local elections this month.

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Under the government's new plans, skilled visas will only be granted to people in graduate jobs, while visas for lower-skilled roles will only be issued in areas critical to the nation's industrial strategy, and in return businesses must increase training of British workers.

Companies in the care sector will no longer be able to seek visas for workers recruited abroad.

The Labour government said the changes will be part of a policy document, known as a white paper, to be published on Monday setting out how ministers plan to reduce immigration.

High levels of legal migration were one of the major drivers behind the vote to leave the European Union in 2016 with voters unhappy about the free movement of workers across the bloc.

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After Britain eventually left the EU in 2020, the then Conservative government reduced the threshold to allow workers in categories such as yoga teachers, dog walkers and DJs to be eligible for skilled worker visas.

"We inherited a failed immigration system where the previous government replaced free movement with a free market experiment," Yvette Cooper, the British interior minister, said in a statement. "We are taking decisive action to restore control and order to the immigration system."

While post-Brexit changes to visas saw a sharp drop in the number of European Union migrants to Britain, new work visa rules and people arriving from Ukraine and Hong Kong under special visa schemes led to a surge in immigration.

Net migration, or the number of people coming to Britain minus the number leaving, rose to a record 906,000 people in the year to June 2023, up from the 184,000 people who arrived in the same period during 2019, when Britain was still in the EU.

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Cooper said the combination of the changes to the rules for low-skilled visas and the closure of visas for care workers recruited overseas would probably reduce the number of low-skilled worker visas by up to 50,000 this year.

British employers have expressed concern about the government's plans to tighten the rules on foreign workers, saying they are needed to fill shortages in the jobs market.

Asked about the government's latest announcement, a spokesperson for the Confederation of British Industry pointed to comments by CBI Director General Rain Newton-Smith to The Times published on Friday in which she backed the push for more training of British workers.

"But there's no doubt that at times businesses will face acute skill shortages," Newton-Smith said. "And of course, they'll look for domestic routes to fill those, but there will be times when immigration is an important way."

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; additional reporting by William Schomberg; editing by Suban Abdulla, Louise Heavens and Ros Russell)
The UK military is sending decoy models of air defence systems and tanks to Ukrainian troops, designed to deceive Russian forces into targeting fake weapons instead of real ones.

Source: The Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The decoys are part of a strategy to make it appear as though Ukraine has received more weapons from the UK than it actually has. The goal is to trick Russian forces into expending valuable resources on destroying cheap, printed models, rather than attacking real military equipment.

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"We havent gifted a huge amount of these, so anything we can do to make the quantities look greater on the front line is advantageous to us," explained Squadron Leader Lowri Simner from the Royal Air Force.

As Russian forces increasingly use satellite imagery and drones to identify targets, experts have developed new, more sophisticated methods of deception. Unlike the inflatable tanks of World War II, the UK has now developed mock-ups that are harder to distinguish from real vehicles.

Taskforce Kindred, a Ministry of Defence team that handles Ukrainian requests for new equipment, collaborates with industry professionals to create and deploy these mock-ups. Digital photographs of the UKs real weapons are printed on material that Ukrainian troops can assemble quickly. These decoys are then placed on the front lines to confuse Russian systems.

Colonel Ollie Todd, a Royal Marine and procurement officer for Taskforce Kindred, explained that the team has worked on various models, including replicas of Challenger 2 tanks and AS-90 armoured self-propelled artillery systems, both of which are in limited supply.

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"They look just like the real thing. You could be quite easily fooled," Todd said. If the UK sends five real vehicles to Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence may provide up to 30 decoys. From a distance of about 25 metres, the models are difficult to distinguish from actual military hardware and have become "fundamental" in battlefield tactics.

Kateryna Chornohorenko, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister, mentioned that Russia is also deploying its own decoys. "Decoys are a very necessary element of warfare today," she said. She highlighted that while Russia uses drones to attack Ukrainian troops, many of them are "fake" with small amounts of explosives, forcing Ukraine to waste valuable resources shooting them down.

In 2023, it was reported that the Czech company Inflactech, which specializes in the production of inflatable military equipment models, had begun manufacturing fake HIMARS systems to mislead Russian forces amidst the ongoing invasion.

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Ukraine and its allies in Europe are upping their pressure on Russia to accept terms for a 30-day ceasefire that would begin as early as Monday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Saturday that leaders of France, Germany, the UK and Poland  a partnership dubbed the Coalition of the Willing  met in Kyiv with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss terms for a temporary pause in fighting amid a war that has raged on for more than three years. President Trump also joined the meeting by phone, where the world leaders discussed peace efforts.

Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday, Sybiha wrote on social media platform X. If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations.

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U.K. Prime Minister Keri Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Kyiv to conduct the peace talks.

A comprehensive (air, land, sea, infrastructure) cease fire for 30 days will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II. As @POTUS has repeatedly said, stop the killing-now, Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trumps envoy to Ukraine, wrote Saturday on X in response to the foreign minister.

The meeting comes on the heels of Trumps push to broker a ceasefire in the Eastern European region and end the largest land conflict in Europe since World War II.

Trump has in recent months pressed both Ukraine and Russia to agree to a temporary truce. Ukraine is in favor of the month-long initial truce, but Russia has yet to come on-board. The president previously threatened to impose additional sanctions on the Kremlin if a deal wasnt reached soon.

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Both Secretary of State Marco Rubio  who has been involved in direct peace negotiations with Russian officials  and Vice President Vance have also voiced frustration with the lengthy process. The duo has threatened to pull out of negotiations if coming to an agreement takes much longer.

Macron spoke with Trump on Thursday, saying he had a strong conversation for a unconditional 30-day ceasefire, as did our British and Nordic partners earlier this morning.

Trump talked with Zelensky on Wednesday, after which he called for ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

The president has loosened up the pressure on Zelensky in recent weeks as he has reupped calls for an end to the war. The two leaders appear to be on better standing compared to a contentious meeting at the White House in February  when Trump and Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being insufficiently grateful for the support the U.S. has provided.

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The two leaders met face-to-face in Rome while both attending Pope Franciss funeral.

Doug, Klein, a policy analyst with Razom Ukraine, suggested the tide may be changing.

This might be a sign that after months of bullying Ukraine and begging Russia for peace, the White House might finally understand that Ukraine has been a willing partner all along saying yes to every proposed ceasefire while Russia keeps killing, Klein, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Ukraine and its allies "are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire" with Russia "for at least 30 days" beginning on Monday, the Ukrainian foreign minister said Saturday.

"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday. If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X.

PHOTO: Ukrainian servicemens of the 24th Separate Assault Battalion 'Aidar' gather before their rotation at an undisclosed location in Dnipropetrovsk Region on May 9, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP via Getty Images)

The European Union supports "the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, the head of the EU's main executive body said Saturday, adding that the "ball is now in Russia's court."

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"It must be implemented without preconditions to pave the way for meaningful peace negotiations," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X. "We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire."

MORE: Kremlin insists arm deliveries to Ukraine stop before agreeing to ceasefire

PHOTO: Prime Minister Keir Starmer Visits Ukraine (Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool via Getty Images)

The United Kingdom, France and Germany are saying they -- with U.S-backing -- are demanding Russia's Vladimir Putin accept a 30-day ceasefire or they will all together increase sanctions on Moscow and increase military support to Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "all of us here, together with US, are calling Putin out." If he is "serious" about peace then "he has a chance to show it now by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire," Starmer said.

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Russia has "to think about" the ceasefire proposal put forth by Ukraine and supported by European leaders and Trump, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN on Saturday.

"We need to think about it. These are new developments. We have our own position," he said.

Peskov added that Russia is "open to dialogue. We are open for attempts to have a settlement in Ukraine." He added, "Russia is quite resistant to any kinds of pressure."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Ukraine and allies ready for 'full unconditional' 30-day ceasefire starting Monday, foreign minister says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
It was a proposal that the Kremlin could neither outright reject nor accept, intended to force it into an awkward choice, revealing Russian President Vladimir Putins true appetite for his brutal war of choice.

Europes leaders have grasped the nettle of whether peace talks over Ukraine can lead anywhere meaningful, to force Moscow into a pause in violence, precisely when it seems to seek to escalate assaults in the summer months ahead.

It also gave Europes largest army  Ukraine - the unenviable task of preparing in just over 30 hours their frontline forces for perhaps a month of tense peace, and then hopefully weeks of serious negotiation, in which the borders of their country will be decided.

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Ultimately, Ukraine, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland faced little choice: the Trump administrations very public loss of patience  sometimes with Moscow, but also less justifiably with Kyiv  carried the risk of the White House simply moving on. That could lead to the United States dropping aid to Ukraine, together with their efforts for a peaceful solution  a potential disaster for European security.

The past weeks clear enormous diplomatic lifting by French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and of course Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself, has put the White House in a position where it has had to back a direct European bid to take control of the outcome of the biggest war on the continent since the 1940s.

Europe is indeed forcing on Russia a proposal initially made by the US and Ukraine  the 30-day unconditional ceasefire first offered after a bilateral meeting in Saudi Arabia almost two months ago. But they are also forcing the White House to step up, monitor the truce, and then back tough consequences  Macron called them massive sanctions  if the initiative falls apart.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky take a walk after visiting St. Sophia Cathedral,in Kyiv on May 10, 2025. - Ludovic Marin/Pool via Reuters

Putins answered by simply stating he did not believe Ukraine had honored the previous ceasefires Moscow had unilaterally called, and that Kyiv has said Moscow never respected either. And he suggested something old as something new: the idea of direct talks, already consented to in differing terms by both sides, concretely in Istanbul on Thursday. Macron and Zelensky were clear the offer was not enough and a ceasefire must precede talks.

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The Kremlin was in a place where it needed to agree, dispute, or ignore the proposal. It chose to contrive, as it has in the past, a complex fudge of a response. Putin seemed to refuse to address the proposal directly and offered perhaps enough to suggest to Trump he is interested in peace, but not enough to suggest European pressure is working.

This is the most significant diplomatic moment of the war, perhaps the most important declaration of the conflict yet, and certainly the most important 36 hours since Putin faced a rebellion from his top aide Yevgeny Prigozhin in June 2023. Time is a serious problem: something that has to last 30 days must be built in 30 hours.

Gigantic questions remain for Ukraine and its allies as to how this ceasefire comes into effect. Can Kyiv order its forces to not fight back in self-defense? If the US is to monitor the truce, as Macron suggested, does it have the capabilities in place, in adequate quality and quantity, to study hundreds of miles of violent frontlines? Precise evidence of Moscows infractions will be key to helping Ukraine and Europe respond to the inevitable wave of Russian misinformation and recrimination that may accompany a truce.

The cost for Kyiv and Europe of the next month could be significant. Ukraine could lose ground as its troops soften their responses to Russian assaults during a ceasefire. The White House might emerge from the process and again swing back on its pendulum to a place where it believes Zelensky is the problem. Europes unity  on display remarkably today in Kyiv, and backed by over a dozen other countries from New Zealand to Canada  can only worsen from its current peak, especially if American support for Ukraine ebbs.

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But the cost of doing nothing  as was the case in the Europe of the 1930s  was higher. Trump losing patience with perhaps the most complex item on his portfolio would likely be damaging for Kyiv, more than for Moscow. Putin having another two months to pick away at Kyivs frontlines would leave Zelensky facing another ghastly winter.

Servicemen of Special Police Battalion walk at their positions, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine April 29, 2025. - Reuters

Ukraine and its European allies seek clarity from this proposal on whether Putin wants any kind of peace at all. The path they have chosen to get there is in itself unclear, and deeply fraught with potholes of Putins manipulation.

Listening to the heads of Europes five largest militaries in Kyiv Saturday, it appeared most had made their mind up that Putin does not want peace and wont genuinely contemplate a month of it. These five leaders face a tricky few weeks of establishing that fact, and then the messy persuasion of Trump that he must take an even tougher position on Russia than his predecessor, Joe Biden.

The path ahead that Europes leaders appear to envisage is of a worsening of the war  where Putin violates a ceasefire, is hit with massive sanctions, and Europe must escalate its military backing for Ukraine. They do not appear to think the Kremlin wants the war to stop. The weeks ahead are designed, it seems, for a future in which they must prove to Trump he is being misled, and drag his White House permanently and irrefutably into their camp.

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Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, expects Chancellor Friedrich Merz to commit to sending new German arms shipments to the embattled country during his visit to Kiev on Saturday.

"I am sure of it," said the ambassador in response to a question after Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Ukraine's capital. He did not elaborate.

The new conservative-led government in Berlin intends to keep German arms deliveries to Ukraine largely secret, according to informed circles.

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The main aim is to "deny military advantages to the aggressor in the Ukraine war," a government source said on Friday evening.

Merz, Macron, Starmer and Tusk met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday morning to underscore their support for Kiev and push for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the conflict with Russia.

Makeiev reiterated that unlike Moscow, Kiev was ready for such a pause in fighting, which was initially proposed by US President Donald Trump.

"We very much hope that we will enter into these negotiations from a position of strength," he said, expressing confidence that German-Ukrainian relations would be further expanded.

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"I sense that the German-Ukrainian partnership with the federal government, the new federal government, will be raised to a whole new level."

During their stay in Kiev, the European leaders are also set to commemorate the victims of the full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022.
Ukraine and its European allies are demanding that Russia agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 10 during a press conference in Kyiv.

The demand for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire was the main outcome from talks between Ukraine, France, the U.K., Germany and Poland, according to Zelensky.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Kyiv on May 10 as a show of support for Ukraine amid growing calls for Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

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"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said, as reported by a correspondent from European Pravda.

"The ceasefire must be comprehensive  in the air, at sea, and on land. Monitoring the ceasefire is entirely feasible in coordination with the United States. This is a realistic goal."

Starmer also confirmed that Ukraine's European allies would not ease any sanctions against Russia until a result had been achieved.

Ahead of the press conference, the five leaders held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the call was "productive," adding that all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday.

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Zelensky and European leaders told Trump during the 15-minute phone call that Ukraine would be ready to engage in peace talks directly with Russia if a ceasefire was agreed upon, Axios reported on May 10, citing two sources with knowledge of what was said on the call.

The ceasefire would allow all parties to focus on defining the security, political, and humanitarian foundations of a lasting peace deal, according to Zelensky.

Zelensky and European leaders said during the press conference that the threat of tougher sanctions could help not only to pressure Russia into agreeing to an unconditional ceasefire, but also serve as a deterrent against any potential ceasefire violations.

"If Russia refuses an unconditional and complete ceasefire, sanctions must be applied  strengthened sanctions against its energy sector and banking system," Zelensky said.

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Tusk confirmed that if Russia "takes the proposal lightly," then it would be met with "a new wave of sanctions," stressing that coordination with the U.S. was key to achieving an effective approach to peace talks.

Amid reported growing frustration with a lack of a peace deal, Trump called for an "unconditional" 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on May 8, adding that "if the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions (against Russia)."

So far, Russia has only proposed partial ceasefires during the Easter holiday and Victory Day celebrations, which Zelensky has dismissed as "theatrical" given the ongoing attacks reported by Ukrainian soldiers along the front line.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told ABC News on May 10 that Russia rejected a 30-day ceasefire because it would be to Kyiv's "advantage."

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Read also: Zelensky, European leaders hold productive call with Trump about peace talks

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Ukraine is ready for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia from Monday, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday, as European leaders convened in Kiev to show support for peace efforts.

"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday," Sybiha wrote on X.

"If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations," he added.

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Sybiha's comments came during a high-profile visit to the Ukrainian capital on Saturday by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The group held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and, according to Sybiha, spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump. Sybiha called the conversation with Trump "fruitful."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the ceasefire proposal, saying, "The ball is now in Russia's court. We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire."

Merz, on his first trip to Ukraine as German chancellor, warned Moscow of far-reaching consequences if it rejects the ceasefire, including a sharp escalation in military and financial support for Ukraine.

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"There will then be a massive tightening of sanctions and there will be further massive aid for Ukraine, he told Germany's Bild newspaper.

"A just and lasting peace begins with a full and unconditional ceasefire," Macron meanwhile wrote on X. "If Moscow continues to obstruct, we will step up the pressure  together, as Europeans and in close coordination with the United States."

He noted that Ukraine had already accepted a ceasefire proposal from Washington on March 11, while accusing Russia of "delays, preconditions and playing for time."

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that Moscow would not be intimidated by new sanctions.

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"Trying to scare us with sanctions is futile," he told Russian state TV.

Peskov, speaking before Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha's announcement, separately told US broadcaster ABC that any ceasefire must be contingent on an end to Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, claiming that otherwise, "it will be an advantage for Ukraine."

He asserted that Russia currently holds the battlefield advantage and accused Kiev of avoiding real negotiations.

Despite waves of Western sanctions aimed at crippling Russia's war economy, the Kremlin continues to earn substantial revenues from oil and gas exports, which analysts say have helped cushion the economic blow and sustain its military efforts.

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While in Kiev, the European leaders took part in a memorial ceremony with Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, placing lanterns and observing a moment of silence at a public shrine on Maidan Square.

The site, created after Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, has grown into a powerful tribute lined with flags, photographs, and personal mementos honouring victims of the war.
In April 2025, Ukraines Defence Ministry codified and approved 12 models of automotive vehicles for various purposes, more than 60% of which are Ukrainian-made.

Source: Ukraines Defence Ministry

Details: Over 50 models of automotive equipment have been codified and approved for use since the beginning of 2025, according to data from the Main Directorate for Support of the Life Cycle of Weapons and Military Equipment.

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These include wheeled evacuation tractor-transporters, vehicles for transporting bulky goods, and modern all-terrain chassis for a wide range of applications. In addition to Ukrainian vehicles, the fleet of vehicles also includes models from the worlds leading automakers.

"Troop mobility and the prompt execution of logistics tasks depend on the available vehicle fleet. Ukrainian manufacturers have already mastered the production of certain vehicles. The army needs more modern vehicles with broad functionality," said Deputy Defence Minister Valerii Churkin.

Background:

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraines Defence Ministry allocated one-third of its defence budget to technological weaponry. One of the Ministrys objectives for 2025 is to standardise the technical requirements for UAVs.

In response to an enquiry from Ekonomichna Pravda, the Ministry of Defence also said that overdue receivables under contracts for weapons purchases had increased by UAH 13 billion (US$313 million) since the beginning of 2025.

The ministry noted that as of 1 January 2024, overdue receivables under arms procurement contracts totalled UAH 39.6 billion (US$953 million). By 1 January 2025, this had risen to UAH 45 billion (US$1 billion), and by 13 March 2025 (the latest available data at the time of the response), the amount had increased to UAH 58 billion (US$1.3 billion).

In 2025, as part of the Weapons of Victory initiative, the Ministry signed contracts worth almost UAH 130 billion (US$3.1 billion) with 12 Ukrainian arms manufacturers.

Weapons of Victory is a mechanism for long-term contractsranging from three to ten years  for domestic manufacturers of weapons and military equipment.

Among the requirements for Ukrainian arms manufacturers seeking to be included in the programme and enter into long-term contracts are: mandatory codification, mass production capability, and a localisation level of at least 50%.

It has also been reported that Lithuania is considering launching the production of naval drones and other weapons under the 1+1 scheme  one unit for Lithuania and one for Ukraine. Lithuanias Defence Ministry has also expressed an interest in missile drones and other weaponry.

The ministry is considering joint production of certain types of weapons in Lithuania on a 1+1 basis. Lithuania would fund the production and transfer half of the output to Ukraine.

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Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has been arrested at a protest outside of an ICE detention center. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, who was present when Baraka was arrested, joins The Weeknight to share her eyewitness account.
We the people ... in order to form a more perfect union ... do ordain and establish this Constitution ... Article 1  ALL Legislative Powers ... shall be vested in a Congress of the United States

Happy Mothers Day!

We are a nation where power is intended to flow from the people up through our representatives to a constitutional established government, not an autocracy where authority and resources trickle down from clotted oligarchical regimes. We are a country of communities, gather within community, democratically governing ourselves, while attempting to respect the dignity of all people. It didnt start that way. But through the struggles of all our ancestors we have grown that way.

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Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, who was chosen on the fourth ballot during the second day of the conclave. At 69 years old, Robert Francis Prevost is the first Pope during my lifetime to be younger than me, by over a decade. Most probably he shall outlive me. He is also one of my homeboys. Truth be told, I am a practicing Catholic. I was rescued while running the streets of Chi-town by Fr. George Clements, only the second Black priest, and major pastor in the City. He used community commitment to rebuild from ashes Holy Angels (Our Lady of Africa) Catholic Church. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis at Selma. He helped tutor the young social worker Barack Obama.

Fr. Clements had all prominent Chicagoans like Hilary Clinton and Mayor Daley on speed dial. He made his bones fighting with both Archbishop Cody for the right to legally adopt children and the local street gangs for the opportunity to provide a decent Catholic school education for thousands of kids in Bronzeville, including me.

Though he was born a generation after me, Robert Prevost and I both spent our youth in Chicago, nourishing ourselves with the sultry summer waters of Lake Michigan, and trying to buttress against the hawk, the icy arctic winds, which stormed directly down from the north pole in winter. Growing up in Chicago toughens you while teaching you to appreciate community.

While yet young men we both immigrated. I, to the civil rights movement and Robert on his Augustinian road to become Pope. His journey followed his orders core values of communal living, contemplative spirituality, and service to others, particularly in diverse ministries like pastoral care, education and missions.

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I believe, I hope, I pray that he will continue to follow the example of his mentor, Francis, and provide a model of grace and humanitarian concern for those in need.

Around town

Congratulations to Reverend Ephraim McKenzie, who was installed as lead Pastor of the Unity Church of Jesus Christ. He as his wife, Shani, are the successors to his father and mother Pastor Emeritus Harold and Sister Sherren McKenzie. Bishop Derek Grier said in his pastoral charge that we should not let broken people break you. G. Andre Abdullah was the emcee for the ceremony. Also officiating were Bishop Courtney McBath, pastors Dan Nold, Adam Knapp, Rick Rannie, Rob Folen and Vernon Davis. Elders of Unity participated in the prayer and laying on of hands including Audrey Kharem, Diane Mixon, Duane Bullock, Gary Abdullah, Willie Barnes and Linda Wade. Pastor Ephraim returns home to our community after pursuing a calling in Virginia. In his sermon the following day he reminded us to say yes today with the same fervor as we did yesterday.

Congratulations during this time of celebration and commencement to Keya Ahrestani, daughter of Savita Iyer and Farshid Ahrestani. She and thousands of our beautiful young people will be graduating from PSU this weekend. They are the joy and hope in our lives. We are the people. We will grow as we always do through our yes to the struggle of our time.

Charles Dumas is a lifetime political activist, a professor emeritus from Penn State, and was the Democratic Partys nominee for U.S. Congress in 2012. He lives with his partner and wife of 50 years in State College.
Worcesters police union is calling for city officials to conduct an ethics investigation into City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, accusing the local councilor of using her elected position to incite aggression towards police officers.

Two people, a juvenile and a Worcester School Committee candidate, were arrested on Thursday after chaos erupted and police officers were assaulted on Eureka Terrace in Worcester when federal agents detained a Brazilian woman.

In a statement released Friday night, Worcester Police Patrol Officers Union Local 911 President Thomas Duffy said Worcester police officers and federal agents were threatened, abused and even assaulted on scene."

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Police union officials called out Haxhiaj for inciting the violence towards law enforcement officers.

Of particular concern in this case, one of our elected policy makers and someone who has created this difficult task for the police, District 5 City Councilor, Etel Haxhiaj, incited aggression towards the police during the incident, Duffy said.

This councilor participated in the conduct of the unruly crowd and eventually assaulted both Worcester police and federal law enforcement officers on scene, Duffy said.

Her behavior also emboldened others to act in this manner, Duffy said. The conduct of this anti-police activist councilor is deplorable and unacceptable.

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Regardless of political opinions or views, city officials should never condone the assault of an officer and flat-out disregard to the point of violent opposition, the authority of police to maintain safety and public order, Duffy said.

Boston 25 has reached out to Haxhiaj for comment.

During a press conference earlier Friday, Haxhiaj blasted federal and local law enforcement for their response to the Worcester neighborhood.

The message for ICE is: Get out of our city, Haxhiaj said during the press conference.

The response yesterday from the federal government and the police department was completely unacceptable, Haxhiaj said during the press conference.

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Worcester Police said officers responded to Eureka Terrace around 11:15 a.m. Thursday after learning of 25 people reportedly surrounding a federal agent.

Witnesses told Boston 25 News tensions grew after federal authorities intercepted a family in a BMW with a two-month-old baby in tow.

A crowd of neighbors, community leaders, and immigration activists went to the scene and tried to stop the family from being separated.

Then, things escalated.

Neighbors at the scene accused ICE agents of not having a warrant and wanted to know why they were taking the unidentified woman into custody.

Worcester Police officers were dispatched to Eureka Street for the call from federal law enforcement officers needing assistance due to a hostile and uncooperative crowd surrounding them, Duffy said.

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Officers arriving on scene continued to call for more officers as the scene continued to escalate rapidly, Duffy said.

Police officers respond to a variety of highly emotional calls daily and there is nothing that can be more emotional or difficult to deal with than a call that involves times when families are separated or arrested or taken into custody in front of other family members, Duffy said.

These types of calls for assistance can be extremely dangerous and place officers at a high risk of injury due to the high emotions people feel at the time, Duffy said.

Our officers always strive to be as compassionate as we can daily, Duffy said. We as fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters understand human emotions and try to be as empathetic as we can while still doing the job we are required to do daily.

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Duffy said all available Worcester police officers were dispatched to Eureka Street on Thursday to protect the public and ensure the safety of federal and Worcester police officers on scene.

For obvious reasons, officers became concerned for their safety and that of the federal agents based on the actions of the crowd, Duffy said. They tried to deescalate the situation and prevent injury to all present.

Ashley Spring, 38, a Worcester School Committee candidate on the November ballot, was among those arrested following Thursdays incident.

Spring is accused of pushing multiple officers at the scene and throwing an unknown liquid substance on the officers. She is charged with assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer.

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A juvenile was also arrested. Neighbors said the teenager is the daughter of a Brazilian woman ICE agents were detaining.

The teen reportedly held a baby in front of a law enforcement vehicle as officers were detaining the woman and chaos unfolded at the scene.

The teen was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Her name was not released because she is a juvenile.

Worcester Police said more charges could be coming at the local level as police review videos showing the crowd surrounding and, in some cases, assaulting law enforcement officers.

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Federal authorities will also review the incident and determine whether federal charges may be coming for those involved, union officials said.

The Worcester Police Patrolmans Union Local 911 will not stand silently in the face of such outrageous conduct or allow the safety of our officers to be put at risk by any individual, Duffy said.

Police union leaders called Haxhiaj unfit to serve after Thursdays incident.

Any official, particularly a sitting councilor, who acts in such a manner is, in the opinions of those of us ordered to keep the peace during such hostilities, unfit to serve, Duffy said.

This councilors egregious actions were not limited to physical interference, as she attempted to use her official position several times to interfere with the police on scene, Duffy said.

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Union officials said this type of conduct is controlled by the states ethical laws and our own city charter.

Councilor Haxhiaj, in our opinion, broke her oath and these ethical laws, and in doing so put the safety of our officers and our citizens at great risk, Duffy said. The members of the Worcester Police Patrolmans Union Local 911 condemn this councilors disrespectful and dangerous behavior.

We will take the necessary steps to hold her and anyone who assaults our officers accountable and call upon those state and local policy makers to do the same, Duffy said.

We demand that the city conduct an ethics investigation into her conduct, Duffy said in his statement.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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The United States will begin admitting the first group of White South African refugees next week, whom President Trumps administration has argued have been victims of racial discrimination.

The refugee program is not intended as a solution for global poverty. And historically it has been used that waythis is an example of the president returning the refugee program to what its intended to be used as, White Houses deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said Friday.

Whats happening in South Africa fits the textbook definition of why the refugee program was createdrace based persecution, Miller, Trumps chief immigration policy architect, told reporters.

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Millers remarks came after he was asked about news reports that at least 50 Afrikaners would be flown from Johannesburg to the U.S.

Around 60 Afrikaners are expected to arrive at the Dulles International Airport Monday on a State Department-chartered jet, The Washington Post reported Friday, citing documents and emails it obtained, along with three government officials familiar with the matter.

The families are expected to be resettled in 10 different states, The Post reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the plans.

Trump signed an executive order in early February to formally pause all aid to South Africa and directed his Cabinet to formulate a resettlement program for Afrikaners who he contended are victims of unjust racial discrimination.

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The president and other top U.S. government officials have slammed South Africas Expropriation Act, which was signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, alleging it is violating the human rights of Afrikaners and the country is illegally confiscating their land because of it.

South Africas government has strongly denied the claims.

We reiterate that allegations of discrimination are unfounded. The South Africa Police Services statistics on farm related crimes do not support allegations of violent crime targeted at farmers generally or any particular race. There are sufficient structures available within South Africa to address concerns of discrimination, South Africas government said in a statement on Friday.

Moreover, even if there are allegations of discrimination, it is our view that these do not meet the threshold of persecution required under domestic and international refugee law, the countrys Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation added.

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Trump reiterated his intention to help resettle some South African farmers in the U.S. two months ago.

To go a step further, any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship, Trump said in early March.

The news of the forthcoming arrival of Afrikaners to the U.S. ignited pushback from some Democrats in Congress.

Trump and Musk are about to give refugee status to 60 white South Africans  who do not need it  while Trump locks up and deports refugees here who face genuine dangers in other countries, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said in a Friday post on X. This is the sick global apartheid policy being adopted by this lawless administration.

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High-ranking representatives from China and the United States have opened negotiations in Geneva aimed at resolving their ongoing tariff dispute, sources close to the delegations said on Saturday.

Vice Premier He Lifeng is leading the Chinese side, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is heading the delegation from Washington. The exact location of the talks in the Swiss city has not been disclosed.

This is the first talks between the two powers since US President Donald Trump ignited a trade war last month.

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Trump imposed additional duties of up to 145% on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with its own tariffs of up to 125% on US imports.

The talks are seen as the first step toward de-escalation, but an agreement is not expected at the meeting.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Talks planned this weekend between U.S. and Chinese officials in Switzerland are a culmination of more than three months of dizzying rounds of retaliatory tariffs between the two countries that have crippled each other's exporters and dragged on their economies.

Washington and Beijing are entering talks with tariffs on each others goods at an all-time high. U.S. duties on Chinese imports stand at 145%, while Chinas retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods have reached 125%.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed the talks could bring tangible progress, and that he was open to lowering the tariffs substantially if Beijing made concessions. China, however, has reiterated calls for Washington to cancel the tariffs ahead of the talks.

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Here is a play-by-play of how U.S. and Chinese tariffs have reached such sky-high levels since the beginning of Trumps second term in office:

Feb. 1, 2025

Trump signs an executive order imposing 10% tariffs on China, as well as 25% duties on Mexico and Canada. He later announces a 30-day reprieve on the Mexican and Canadian tariffs.

Feb. 4

The 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports to the U.S. come into effect. China retaliates the same day by announcing a flurry of countermeasures, including duties on American coal, liquefied natural gas and agricultural machinery.

March 4

Trump imposes additional 10% tariffs on all Chinese goods, bringing the total level of duties to 20%. China responds with tariffs of up to 15% on imports of key U.S. farm products including chicken, pork, soy and beef, and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies.

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March 10

Chinese tariffs and measures announced on March 4 go into effect.

April 2

On Trumps so-called tariff Liberation Day, he announces additional 34% duties on all Chinese imports, alongside tariffs on goods from countries around the world. The sweeping tariffs are to come into effect April 9.

April 4

China fights back by imposing 34% tariffs on all U.S. goods, effective April 10, as well as other retaliatory measures including more export controls on rare earth minerals.

China also suspends imports of sorghum, poultry and bonemeal from several U.S. companies, adds 27 firms to lists of companies facing trade restrictions, and starts an anti-monopoly probe into DuPont China Group, a subsidiary of the U.S. company DuPont.

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April 7

Trump threatens China with additional 50% tariffs if it doesnt roll back its 34% reciprocal tariffs.

April 9

Trumps Liberation Day tariffs come into effect. The U.S. raises tariffs on China even higher than previously announced, to 104%.

Beijing retaliates with duties of 84% on U.S. goods, effective April 10.

Trump further raises tariffs on all Chinese goods to 145%, effective immediately.

April 11

China raises its tariffs on all U.S. goods to 125%, effective April 12. Beijing says it would not raise the duties any further.

May 6

The Trump administration announces that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their Chinese counterparts in Geneva. China will be represented at the talks by Vice Premier He Lifeng.
GENEVA (AP)  President Donald Trump said great progress was being made in ongoing U.S.-China talks over tariffs menacing the global economy, and even suggested a total reset" was on the table as tariff negotiations are set to continue Sunday in Switzerland.

No major breakthrough was announced in discussions that lasted over 10 hours between U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Still, Trump struck an upbeat tone.

A very good meeting today with China, in Switzerland. Many things discussed, much agreed to. A total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner, the president wrote on his Truth Social platform. We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business. GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!

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He gave no further details, and officials at the White House also offered little information during and after the opening day of discussions.

Trump's post followed an official telling The Associated Press that talks would continue Sunday. The official requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, which could help stabilize world markets roiled by the U.S.-China standoff. They've been shrouded in secrecy, and neither side made comments to reporters as they left.

In an editorial late Saturday, China's official Xinhua News Agency said the talks had come about at the request of the U.S. side  noting an earlier point of contention  and said China agreed to them after taking full account of global expectations, national interests and appeals from U.S. businesses and consumers.

Whether the road ahead involves negotiation or confrontation, one thing is clear: Chinas determination to safeguard its development interests is unshakable, and its stance on maintaining the global economic and trade order remains unwavering, Xinhua said.

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Talks should never be a pretext for continued coercion or extortion, and China will firmly reject any proposal that compromises core principles or undermines the broader cause of global equity, it added.

Several convoys of black vehicles left the residence of the Swiss ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, which hosted the talks aimed at de-escalating trade tensions between the worlds two biggest economies. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks took place.

The opening day of negotiations were held in the sumptuous 18th-century Villa Saladin overlooking Lake Geneva. The former estate was bequeathed to the Swiss state in 1973, according to the Geneva government.

Trump's assessment aside, prospects for a major breakthrough appeared dim when the talks opened. Still, there is hope that the two countries will scale back the massive taxes  tariffs  they have slapped on each others goods, a move that would relieve world financial markets and companies on both sides of the Pacific Ocean that depend on U.S.-China trade.

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Trump last month raised U.S. tariffs on China to a combined 145%, and China retaliated by hitting American imports with a 125% levy. Tariffs that high essentially amount to the countries boycotting each others products, disrupting trade that last year topped $660 billion.

And even before talks got underway, Trump suggested Friday that the U.S. could lower its tariffs on China, saying in a Truth Social post that  80% Tariff seems right! Up to Scott.

Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, noted it will be the first time He and Bessent have talked. She doubts the Geneva meeting will produce any substantive results.

The best scenario is for the two sides to agree to de-escalate on the ... tariffs at the same time, she said, adding even a small reduction would send a positive signal. It cannot just be words.

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Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has aggressively used tariffs as his favorite economic weapon. He has, for example, imposed a 10% tax on imports from almost every country in the world.

But the fight with China has been the most intense. His tariffs on China include a 20% charge meant to pressure Beijing into doing more to stop the flow of the synthetic opioid fentanyl into the United States.

The remaining 125% involve a dispute that dates back to Trumps first term and comes atop tariffs he levied on China back then, which means the total tariffs on some Chinese goods can exceed 145%.

During Trump's first term, the U.S. alleged that China uses unfair tactics to give itself an edge in advanced technologies such as quantum computing and driverless cars. These include forcing U.S. and other foreign companies to hand over trade secrets in exchange for access to the Chinese market; using government money to subsidize domestic tech firms; and outright theft of sensitive technologies.

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Those issues were never fully resolved. After nearly two years of negotiation, the United States and China reached a so-called Phase One agreement in January 2020. The U.S. agreed then not to go ahead with even higher tariffs on China, and Beijing agreed to buy more American products. The tough issues  such as Chinas subsidies  were left for future negotiations.

But China didnt come through with the promised purchases, partly because COVID-19 disrupted global commerce just after the Phase One truce was announced.

The fight over China's tech policy now resumes.

Trump is also agitated by America's massive trade deficit with China, which came to $263 billion last year.

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Trump slaps hefty tariffs on Switzerland

In Switzerland Friday, Bessent and Greer also met with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter.

Trump last month suspended plans to slap hefty 31% tariffs on Swiss goods -- more than the 20% levies he plastered on exports from European Union. For now, he has reduced those taxes to 10% but could raise them again.

The government in Bern is taking a cautious approach. But it has warned of the impact on crucial Swiss industries like watches, coffee capsules, cheese and chocolate.

An increase in trade tensions is not in Switzerlands interests. Countermeasures against U.S. tariff increases would entail costs for the Swiss economy, in particular by making imports from the USA more expensive, the government said last week, adding that the executive branch is therefore not planning to impose any countermeasures at the present time.

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The government said Swiss exports to the United States on Saturday were subject to an additional 10% tariff, and another 21% beginning Wednesday.

The United States is Switzerlands second-biggest trading partner after the EU  the 27-member-country bloc that nearly surrounds the wealthy Alpine country of more than 9 million. U.S.-Swiss trade in goods and services has quadrupled over the last two decades, the government said.

The Swiss government said Switzerland abolished all industrial tariffs on Jan. 1 last year, meaning that 99% of all goods from the United States can be imported into Switzerland duty-free.

___

Wiseman and Tang reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
By John Revill, Emma Farge and David Brunnstrom

GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump hailed talks with China in Switzerland on Saturday, saying the two sides had negotiated "a total reset ... in a friendly, but constructive, manner."

"A very good meeting today with China, in Switzerland. Many things discussed, much agreed to," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

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Trump added: "We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business. GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!" He did not elaborate on the progress.

Earlier, top U.S. and Chinese officials wrapped up the first day of talks in Geneva aimed at defusing a trade war that threatens to hammer the global economy and planned to resume negotiations on Sunday, a source close to the discussions said.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met for about eight hours with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in their first face-to-face meeting since the world's two largest economies heaped tariffs well above 100% on each other's goods.

Neither side made any statements afterwards about the substance of the discussions nor signaled any specific progress towards reducing crushing tariffs as meetings at the residence of Switzerland's ambassador to the U.N. concluded at about 8 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).

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Bessent, Greer and He were meeting in Geneva after weeks of growing tensions prompted by Trump's tariff blitz starting in February and retaliation from Beijing that has brought nearly $600 billion in annual bilateral trade to a virtual standstill.

The trade dispute, combined with Trump's decision last month to impose duties on dozens of other countries, has disrupted supply chains, unsettled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp global downturn.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

The location of the talks in the Swiss diplomatic hub was never made public. However, witnesses saw both delegations returning after a lunch break to the gated U.N. ambassador's villa, which has its own private park overlooking Lake Geneva in the leafy suburb of Cologny.

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Earlier, U.S. officials including Bessent and Greer smiled as they left their hotel on the way to the talks, wearing red ties and American flags on their lapels. Bessent declined to speak to reporters.

At the same time, Mercedes vans with tinted windows were seen leaving a hotel where the Chinese delegation was staying on the lakeside as runners preparing for a weekend marathon warmed up in the sunshine.

Washington is seeking to reduce its $295 billion goods trade deficit with Beijing and persuade China to renounce what the United States says is a mercantilist economic model and contribute more to global consumption, a shift that would require politically sensitive domestic reforms.

Beijing has pushed back against what it sees as external interference. It wants Washington to lower tariffs, clarify what it wants China to buy more of, and treat it as an equal on the world stage.

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China's official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary on Saturday that the United States' "reckless abuse of tariffs" had destabilized the global economic order, but added that the negotiations represented "a positive and necessary step to resolve disagreements and avert further escalation."

"Whether the road ahead involves negotiation or confrontation, one thing is clear: China's determination to safeguard its development interests is unshakable, and its stance on maintaining the global economic and trade order remains unwavering," Xinhua said.

LOW EXPECTATIONS

With distrust running high, both sides have been keen not to appear weak, and economic analysts have low expectations of a breakthrough.

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Trump said on Friday that an 80% tariff on Chinese goods "seems right", suggesting for the first time a specific alternative to the 145% levies he has imposed on Chinese imports.

He has suggested the discussions were initiated by China. Beijing said the U.S. requested the discussions and that China's policy of opposing U.S. tariffs had not changed.

China could be looking for the same 90-day waiver on tariffs that Washington has given other countries as negotiations take place, while any kind of tariff reduction and follow-up talks would be seen as positive by investors.

Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin met both parties in Geneva on Friday and said the fact that the talks were taking place was already a success.

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"If a road map can emerge and they decide to continue discussions, that will lower the tensions," he told reporters on Friday, saying talks could continue into Sunday or even Monday.

Switzerland helped to broker the meeting during recent visits by Swiss politicians to China and the United States.

China's He is also provisionally scheduled to meet the director-general of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, during his stay, a spokesperson for the Geneva-based watchdog said.

She has welcomed the talks "as a positive and constructive step towards de-escalation", calling for sustained dialogue between the two top economies.

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Since taking office in January, Trump has increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, citing unfair trade practices and accusing Beijing of failing to curb the export of chemicals used to produce fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid.

China retaliated with 125% retaliatory tariffs, and said it would not bow to "imperialists" and bullies.

(Reporting by Emma Farge and John Revill; Writing by David Lawder and Emma Farge; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Washington and Denis Balibouse and Sophie Yu in Beijing; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Mark Potter and Diane Craft)
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said late on Friday it plans to meet with major airlines on Wednesday about potential temporary cuts in flights at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport to address recent major disruptions.

Earlier this week, Transportation Department Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration was working with airlines to cut flights at Newark after hundreds of flights were disrupted since April 28.

United Airlines, the largest airline at Newark, last week cut 10% of its flights there after prior significant cuts. On some recent days, flights have been delayed five hours or more, on average.

On Friday, the Philadelphia facility that guides air traffic in and out of Newark airport suffered a new 90-second communications outage, the second in two weeks.

The Newark airport has been hit by runway construction, FAA equipment outages and air traffic control staffing shortages that prompted urgent calls from lawmakers for investigations and new funding for Newark, the busy airport just outside New York.

United said it has historically flown 440 flights daily out of Newark, but after cutting flights earlier this spring due to the runway construction and the latest cuts, it is now down to 293.

The FAA last year relocated control of the Newark airspace to Philadelphia to address staffing and congested New York City area traffic.

United CEO Scott Kirby wants Duffy to designate Newark as a slot controlled airport, which would allow the FAA to limit the number of departing or arriving flights due to congestion and capacity constraints to prevent delays.

Reuters first reported last week that major U.S. airlines have asked the FAA to extend cuts to minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports through October 2027, citing severe air traffic controller staffing shortages.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
PHOENIX (AP)  A U.S. district judge on Friday temporarily halted the federal governments plans to transfer land in eastern Arizona for a massive copper mining project amid protest by Native American groups that consider the area sacred.

Apache Stronghold and its supporters have been fighting for years to stop the transfer of Tonto National Forest land known as Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. Meanwhile, the company has touted the economic benefits for the region and says it's worked with Native American tribes and others to shape the project.

U.S. District Judge Steven Logan said halting the land transfer would merely delay the production of copper and jobs and revenue to Arizona if it's ultimately upheld. On the other hand, he said Apaches would lose legal access to an ancestral, sacred site if the transfer proceeded.

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He said the balance of equities tips sharply in favor of Apache Stronghold. He granted an injunction that will be in place until the U.S. Supreme Court resolves an appeal to reconsider a decision from a panel of judges that refused to block the land transfer for the mine.

Logan, however, denied Apache Strongholds request to have the injunction extend beyond the Supreme Courts resolution of the case.

We are grateful the judge stopped this land grab in its tracks so that the Supreme Court has time to protect Oak Flat from destruction," Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold said in a statement Friday.

A statement from Resolution Cooper said the ruling simply maintains the status quo and anticipates the U.S. Supreme Court will decide soon whether to take up the case.

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The fight over Oak Flat dates back about 20 years, when legislation proposing the land transfer was first introduced. It failed repeatedly in Congress before being included in a must-pass national defense spending bill in 2014.

President Donald Trump in his first administration released an environmental review that would trigger the land transfer. Former President Joe Biden pulled it back so the federal government could consult further with tribes.

Then, the U.S. Forest Service in April announced it would forge ahead with the land transfer, prompting Apache Stronghold's emergency appeal.

Apache Stronghold sued the U.S. government in 2021 under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to protect the place tribal members call Chichil Bildagoteel, an area dotted with ancient oak groves and traditional plants the Apaches consider essential to their religion.
Credit: ISPR Directorate of Pakistan Armed Forces

In a conflict characterised by a flood of misinformation, Muhammad Saleem knew something was really happening when he saw a missile pass over the roof of his home on Thursday night.

Seconds later, the Indian projectile smashed into a Pakistani air force base in Rawalpindi, exploding in flames and igniting the most dangerous round of fighting yet between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

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At around 3am local time, Indian jets launched missiles at Nur Khan and two more air bases, Murid and Rafiqi, with the defence ministry citing an earlier wave of Pakistani attacks in justification. Footage of blasts lighting up the night surged across Pakistani social media.

On the ground in Rawalpindi, the garrison city that houses the headquarters of the Pakistani armed forces, crowds poured onto the street chanting Pakistan Zindabad, or victory to Pakistan.

I saw the missile from the top of my house, Mr Saleem, who is in his late 40s, told The Telegraph. There were several explosions.

Like dozens of others, he headed towards the Nur Khan air base, originally built by the RAF and used in the Second World War. God is great, shouted the nervous residents.

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With flames still burning, we saw a missile had hit the base area, Mr Saleem said.

At a 3.30am press conference, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesman for Pakistans army, accused India of pushing the whole region towards a dangerous war with its madness.

Pakistans air defences had shot down all but a few Indian missiles which sneaked in but did not cause any damage, he claimed. Nur Khan hosts transport and signals-intelligence-collecting aircraft, rather than fighter jets.

Shaky phone camera footage from a rooftop hundreds of yards away appeared to show something erupting in flames on impact.

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Ending his press conference, Mr Chaudhry issued a warning: India must now prepare for Pakistans response.

After little more than an hour, Pakistani air force jets took off for the launch of Operation Bunyam um-Marsoos, a phrase taken from the Koran that translates as unbreakable wall of lead.

With several local Pakistani journalists briefed that the operation was underway before its targets were known, there was a moment when the region felt flung into the air  with where, and how hard it would come down, unclear.

Islamabad issued a notice to airmen announcing the total closure of its airspace from 3.15am until noon on Saturday.

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Targets are acquired and locked, one popular anonymous X account wrote, promising strikes that would send chills down their spines, instilling dread in seven generations.

The impact, AirlinePilotmax claimed, would reshape Indias ideological core for decades.

Then the missiles hit. At 5.52am, state-run Pakistani media reported that the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) had struck air bases in Pathankot, Udhampur and a storage site in the Beas region for the long-range, supersonic Brahmos missile.

An eye for an eye, said a statement from Pakistans military.

In Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents took shelter from pounding explosions on their lower floors. Two loud blasts shook the ground. Dust filled the air. I thought jets had begun bombing the airport, said Wasim Adhmad.

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Were used to gunfire and mines, but this is something else. It feels like death in the air.

Later, PTV claimed that an Indian S-400 air defence missile system, worth roughly $1 billion, had also been destroyed  but the report was swiftly denied by New Delhi.

The aftermath of cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Jammu town in Jammu and Kashmir - MUKESH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

There were a few minutes to take stock; the damage looked more like tit-for-tat than armageddon. Both sides could claim wins. Civilian casualty numbers were not being bandied around.

At 7am, Ishaq Dar, Pakistans foreign minister, was making conciliatory comments in an interview with Geo News, a local TV channel. If they stop, so will we, he said. Khawaja Asif, the defence minister, denied reports of an urgent meeting of Pakistans National Command Authority (NCA), which oversees Islamabads nuclear arsenal.

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In New Delhi, there were echoes. Indias armed forces had given a befitting reply to Pakistani strikes on schools and health facilities at Indias air bases in Kashmir, said Colonel Sophia Qureshi.

All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately, added Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

Outside of Kashmir, the last time India and Pakistan targeted each others military facilities with this level of ferocity came in the 1971 war, which ended with Islamabads defeat and the breakaway formation of Bangladesh.

Then, neither side possessed nuclear weapons. It may have been the prospect of an all-out war between two nations capable of destroying entire cities at the push of a button which roused Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to personally intervene and call for calm.

Explosives and debris of a drone which were intercepted by India on the outskirts of Amritsar on Saturday - NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images

Under Donald Trump, Washington had largely stood aside as tensions rose. JD Vance, the vice-president, said the conflict was fundamentally none of our business. Mr Trump had called the hostilities little more than a shame, adding: I get along with both, I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out.

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Indian diplomats told The Telegraph there had not been the familiar descent of US officials on New Delhi and Islamabad, as there had been in previous rounds of fighting.

Mr Rubio spoke with Dr S Jaishankar, Indias foreign minister, as well as Mr Dar and Asim Munir, the head of the Pakistani army, who is the most powerful person in the country.

According to a statement from the state department, Mr Rubio offered Mr Munir US assistance in starting constructive talks towards peace. As so often happens, a United States seeking to disentangle itself from foreign conflicts appeared to be pulled back into one.

On Saturday afternoon, Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, held a cabinet meeting where he sought to lay down a new red line in the region. Any terror attack on India would be considered an act of war by Pakistan, government sources told the Times of India.

An anti-India protest in Karachi on Saturday - RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP via Getty Images

For too long, Mr Modi and many Indians feel, the country has passively put up with massacres on its territory. Islamabad has failed to root out terrorists, they say  indeed at times it has indulged them.

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In the Pahalgam attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month, gunmen asked victims their religion before executing any Hindus. Tell your government. Tell Modi what we did, one attacker told a woman after shooting her husband in the head at point-blank range.

Mr Modi, a thoroughbred Hindu nationalist, promised to pursue [the terrorists] to the end of the earth. Pakistans fervent denials of any backing for the attack did not convince him, nor critics suggesting he should loosen repression of the largely Muslim population in Kashmir.

With his speech to cabinet on Saturday, the prime minister both appeared to be drawing a line under the fighting ignited by the Pahalgam attack, and threatening a far more violent encore should it ever be repeated.

It appeared that Americas late-night return to pulling strings in foreign conflicts had paid off  although Indian officials briefed local news that the talks were direct with Pakistan and the US role was exaggerated.

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CNN reported that Mr Vance, Mr Rubio and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, had been stung into action by alarming intelligence reports.

Trump administration officials declined to reveal the nature of the intelligence, but said it was serious enough to prompt an immediate change of approach.

At 5pm local time (8am in Washington), Mr Trump surprised the world by being the first to announce the agreement of a full ceasefire.

The president, who had appeared disinterested, could claim to be a peacemaker. Few doubt such services will be needed again before long.

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(Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir on Friday and urged both Pakistan and India to find ways to de-escalate, a U.S. Department Of State spokesperson said.

Rubio also offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, the spokesperson said.

Pakistan said it launched a military operation against India early on Saturday, targeting multiple bases including a missile storage site in northern India as the neighbours extended their worst fighting in nearly three decades.

(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
Jack Benny used to say that kids say the darndest things.

But every time theres an election, we can honestly say that political ads say the darndest things.

A seemingly innocuous vote or comment by a campaign becomes a negative TV ad or campaign mailer.

Forget about the issues and whether a controversial vote was cast for a good reason. Its all about whether a candidate is a scoundrel or not.

You might remember a few years ago when a group of state senators were targeted for re-election defeat for supporting an increase in the states gas tax?

They overrode a veto of the hike by then Gov. Pete Ricketts to raise the tax by 6 cents over four years, reasoning that some delayed highway construction projects would never get done without more revenue.

I think they were right. Nebraska ranks high for the condition of its highways, which, you gotta think, is because we invest in good roads. But the attack ads screamed that senators raised your taxes.

Negative ads work, political consultants will tell you, and they worked to defeat some of those legislators who committed the sin of raising taxes so we could have good roads.

This all brings me to a recent jury trial in Lincoln, in which $500,000 in damages were awarded to a Nebraska City woman who maintained that she was defamed by campaign ads during the 2020 election.

Janet Palmtag, who owns a Nebraska City real estate firm, was challenging the incumbent state senator, Julie Slama, in a race to represent the southeast corner of the state in the Nebraska Legislature. Both candidates were Republican  Palmtag, a long-time GOP contributor and volunteer, and Slama, a law student who had worked on a campaign of Ricketts, who appointed her to her seat in the Unicameral.

Palmtag objected when the State Republican Party (which endorsed Slama) sent out mailers that claimed the realtor had broke the law and lost her license to sell real estate.

Those claims, it turned out, were untrue. An agent employed by Palmtag had violated an Iowa real estate rule concerning transfer of an earnest deposit. So Palmtag, as his manager and because her agent was gravely ill, paid a $500 fine to settle the matter. She didnt break the law, nor did she lose her real estate license (she voluntarily didnt renew it a couple of years later).

It should be noted that when the negative ads first came out, Palmtag asked the then State GOP Executive Director Ryan Hamilton for a retraction, telling him the claims were false and malicious. But he reportedly laughed at the request, and stated that a second mailer, with similar attacks, was at the printers and was soon to be mailed.

These kind of hit pieces are what makes people hate politicians and politics. It makes reporters hate to cover campaigns because you have to wade through all the claims and counter claims.

In todays world, a half-truth becomes a slimy political talking point. By the time a candidate tries to tell people its not true, its too late, the damage has been done  not only to a candidates reputation, but to the reputation of a business they might own.

Whats lost in a mudslinging contest is a discussion of the issues, and how each candidate might deal with an issue important to you.

Whats to be done?

Increased spending on political campaigns is partly to blame. Legislative candidates raised more than $9 million by Election Day 2024 to spend on their races, and that doesnt count independent expenditures by political parties and the dark money spent by anonymous donors. Less spending would translate into less of a chance to go negative.

In Europe, campaigning is limited to a few weeks before an election. Maybe shorter elections would help. Were all worn out by the onslaught of TV ads by the time election day rolls around.

More debates would also help. Too many candidates skip debates, fearing they might say something stupid or otherwise help an opponent. Voters deserve to hear, in person, from candidates to see how they respond to questions (remember President Bidens abysmal performance in a debate).

But some of this comes down to us.

As long as negative campaigning and name calling works to tear down one candidate and elevate another, political consultants will keep pushing that button.

Some voters are already rejecting mudslinging. A good example was the last race for mayor in Lincoln. One candidate kept insisting that the Capital City was crime ridden hell hole that required new leadership. The incumbent won handily because most voters rejected the smear.

One thing that might also help clean up campaigns is legal awards like the recent one.

Reportedly, the State GOP has some kind of insurance that will help pay for the half-million it owes Palmtag. Lets hope awards like that also make campaigns think twice before going negative.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  The Utah Attorney Generals Office has filed a petition to appeal a lower court ruling that found the Utah Fits All Scholarship was unconstitutional.

In an 84-page interlocutory appeal filed to Utahs Supreme Court, the State Attorney Generals office lists two main reasons why the lower court decision should be overturned. The state claims that:

First, Article X of Utahs constitution doesnt limit the legislatures authority to create educational programs; rather, it sets the minimum, and the state has done that by providing a public education system, and

Secondly, voters in 2020 approved expanding the use of income tax to support children, therefore, income tax can be used for Utah Fits All because it supports childrens education.

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PREVIOUS: Judge finds Utah Fits All scholarship unconstitutional, legislature to appeal

The appeal comes after a district judge found the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, which critics call a voucher program, unconstitutional because it uses constitutionally earmarked income tax dollars to help families pay for private school education. A group of plaintiffs led by the Utah Education Association filed suit, alleging that the scholarship is an educational program that takes income tax dollars to offset private schools  which are not free and open to all students.

The legislature does not have plenary authority to circumvent these constitutional requirements by simply declining to designate the program as part of the public education system. And because there is no genuine dispute that the program fails to meet these open to all children and free requirements, it is unconstitutional under Article X of the Utah Constitution, the lower court decision read.

The state is seeking an immediate review of its appeal, arguing that thousands of families are in limbo.

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That would stop scholarships for thousands of Utah families. And halting the Program would automatically eliminate thousands of dollars in individual public school teacher raises that are statutorily tied to the programs validity, the states appeal reads. Neither the State (nor presumably the Plaintiffs) wants to go down that thorny path if the district courts merits decision turns out to be wrong. Both sides agree the Court should grant an interlocutory appeal to resolve the merits.

First claim: State met its obligations

The state argues that Article X is not a limit, or ceiling on the legislatures ability to create educational programs, as the lower court argues; rather, it is a minimum standard that the state must meet.

The Legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of the states education

systems including: (a) a public education system, which shall be open to all children of the state;

and (b) a higher education system. Both systems shall be free from sectarian control, the section reads.

The legislature is already meeting its constitutional mandate to provide a free public education system devoid of sectarian control and open to all children. Plaintiffs do not argue otherwise, the appeal reads. The district court recognized that Plaintiffs Article [X] claim fails as a matter of law if the educational provisions set a floor rather than a ceiling on legislative power.

Second claim: The scholarship supports children

Contrary to the lower courts decision, the state argues that the scholarship program supports children as the constitution allows. In 2020, voters changed Article XIII section 5 in what was known as Amendment G to expand the use of income tax dollars to support children and to support people with disabilities. The state argues that, there can be no real dispute that the Program support[s] children under any reasonable, plain, and ordinary meaning of that phrase. Even the district court (essentially) says so.

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The lower court, however, ruled that voters hadnt been informed that the change in 2020 was regarding school choice or vouchers when the standard had changed.

In reaching this conclusion, the court makes no judgment as to the value of school choice or private school vouchers, The ruling read. But school choice or vouchers for children without disabilities was never discussed, much less debated, in connection with the legislatures passage of Amendment G. And, more importantly, the voters were never informed that Amendment G was about school choice or vouchers for children without disabilities.

What now? What happens during litigation

The Utah Fits All Scholarship is still active, and funds are being allocated to families who received scholarships for the current school year. Additionally, families were allowed to continue filing applications for the 2025-26 school year. The State Board of Education also just hired a new program manager while the litigation is ongoing.

If the appeal is successful, the program would presumably be allowed to continue.

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If the high court overturns the ruling or declines to hear the case, the program  and teacher salary increases tied to it  could be halted.

The Attorney Generals office told ABC4.com they dont comment on active litigation. Additionally, the Utah Education Association has not yet replied to requests for comment.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

Lindsay Aerts contributed to this reporting.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
A core group of top US officials  including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State and interim national security adviser Marco Rubio, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles  had been closely monitoring the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan when on Friday morning, the US received alarming intelligence, Trump administration officials told CNN. While they declined to describe the nature of the information, citing its sensitivity, they said it was critical in persuading the three officials that the US should increase its involvement.

Vance himself would call Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The vice president briefed President Donald Trump on the plan, then spoke with Modi at noon ET on Friday, making clear to the Indian prime minister that the White House believed there was a high probability for dramatic escalation as the conflict went into the weekend, the administration officials said. Vance encouraged Modi to have his country communicate with Pakistan directly and to consider options for de-escalation, the officials said. The behind-the-scenes details of the US involvement have not previously been reported.

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At that point, the officials said, the US believed the nuclear-armed neighbors were not talking, and it needed to get them back to the bargaining table. Vance also outlined to Modi a potential off-ramp that the US understood the Pakistanis would be amenable to, the officials said, though they did not offer details.

Following the call, State Department officials, including Rubio, began working the phones with their counterparts in India and Pakistan through the night, the sources said.

Rubio had been calling people in the region beginning Tuesday with a general idea of how to reach a ceasefire, but the administration left the finer details of the agreement for India and Pakistan to work out directly.

There was a lot of effort going on to try and tamp down escalation earlier in the week, and it was clear at that point that the two sides werent talking, one of the officials familiar with Rubios calls to his counterparts said.

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The goal earlier this week was to encourage India and Pakistan to talk with our counterparts and figure out a path to de-escalation through a ceasefire, and through the course of those conversations, US officials were able to gain insights into what those potential off-ramps look like for both sides, and be able to help relay that message and bridge some of that communications divide, which then allowed the two sides to actually talk and get to the point where we are now, the source said.

The Trump administration was not involved in helping draft the agreement, the administration officials said and viewed its role mostly as getting the two sides to talk. But from the US perspective, Vances call to Modi was a critical moment. Vance traveled to India and met with the prime minister last month, and Trump officials believed his relationship with Modi would help on the call, officials said.

Vances call with Modi came just a day after the vice president said the conflict was none of our business, downplaying the potential for US influence.

What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate 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, Vance told Fox News on Thursday.

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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, Vance said.

The ceasefire was reached following a day of intense fighting Saturday. The Trump administration officials said precise details of how the ceasefire will be monitored are still being determined. Blasts were heard in India-administered Kashmir and over Pakistan-administered Kashmir hours after the ceasefire announcement.

Trump announced the full and immediate ceasefire on social media Saturday morning, and Rubio minutes later posted, I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the ceasefire was a result of several conversations between Rubio and Vance over the past 48 hours between top officials in each country. It was a beautiful partnership, Bruce said Saturday on NewsNation, praising Vance and Rubio for implementing the insight and vision of President Trump.

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While Pakistan praised US involvement in the talks, India has downplayed it.

We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X about three hours after Trump announced the ceasefire.

Indias foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, did not mention US involvement when announcing the agreement, and an Indian statement said the deal was worked out directly between the two countries.

It should not be surprising that these bitter rivals have given contradictory accounts of how the ceasefire was reached. In their long history of tensions, India and Pakistan have both viewed foreign intervention differently. India, which views itself as an ascendant superpower, has long been resistant to international mediation, whereas Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on foreign aid, tends to welcome it, analysts say.

CNNs Kit Maher, Sophia Saifi and Christian Edwards contributed to this report.

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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  People of the Catholic faith have been rejoicing all week because of the announcement of the 267th pope, Leo XIV. KTAB/KRBC spoke with Catholics in Abilene about this announcement.

Here in Abilene, Catholics celebrated the news as Taylor County Expo Center General Manager Rochelle Johnson shared her thoughts about the new pope.

Well, I was in tears yesterday. Its very exciting that a new pope has been elected and that hes from the United States, Johnson said.

Johnson was also in Rome during Pope Franciss final days and heard his final speech before his death. Yesterday, May 8, she was surprised by the white smoke.

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Im hoping that this will be somebody that really unites the Catholic church across the world. Because you know, there were everywhere, Catholic means universal, and so I hope that this pope will be a leader of this church with the teachings of Jesus Christ, Johnson said.

Meanwhile, members of the church, Holy Family Catholic Church on Buffalo Gap Road, joined the celebration. The Holy Family Catholic Church Director of Religious Education, Dr. Bob Moore, shared his insight on the new Pope.

I think hes going to fit in really well within our diocese, because we obviously have many people coming in from other countries, and I think itll be really good as we talk about how we can be more welcoming, Moore said.

Moore and Johnson also spoke about the new popes stances on immigration, similar to Pope Francis.

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I think hes going to do everything he can for those that are seeking to come into this country, thats been a long history. And thats been his charisma, thats been what hes known for, Moore said.

Im in favor of immigration as long as its done legally. And thats as the church teaches, Johnson said.

Abilene Catholics expressed their hopes of seeing the pope, either in Abilene or somewhere else in Texas. They shared their thoughts on the possibility.

Wouldnt that be wonderful if he would come to our diocese? Johnson said.

Itll be a special time for Abilene, said Moore.

The local diocese and others across Texas remain hopeful about what Leo XIV could bring to the region.

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May 9The Grace Lutheran Church Veterans Appreciation Sunday Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 18 at Grace Lutheran Church in Austin located 2001 6th Ave SE, Austin.

This year's service marks the 22nd year that Grace Lutheran has held this service.

The speaker this year is Craig Johnson, captain, armor, in the United States Army Reserve. Johnson is a retired attorney from Austin.

The idea of this service came from Richard and Lavona Johnson. Richard was a veteran of the US Navy during World War II.

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During this service, each branch of the military has their flag displayed and as the congregation sings that branch's song.The veterans of that branch are asked to come forward to be recognized.

"It is a very moving service" said Randy Mickelson, organizer of this year's service. "As a veteran, I take pride in standing with the other men and women that have honorably served our country."

For many veterans of the Viet Nam conflict, this service was the first time that they had been thanked for their service.

Everyone is invited to attend. All veterans, their families and friends are encouraged to join us. A light lunch will be served following the service, courtesy of Grace Lutheran WELCA.
(NEXSTAR)  As we near the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Nexstar is highlighting the veterans and families who were affected by the conflict, and finding out how they feel all these years later. A group of veterans we dont often hear from are the nurses who aided wounded soldiers during that time.

Recently, Nexstars Marielena Balouris spoke to three Vietnam War nurses to discuss their experiences and their lives afterwards. Though nurses Elaine Niggemann, Jane Mason and Ruby Scheuing didnt serve together, they share a history. You can see that discussion in the video player at the top of this page.

All the women tell tales of wanting to join the effort to both serve their country and to see the world. They also share similar memories of aiding gnarly injuries in intense (and sometimes dangerous) environments.

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The presence of nurses in the war zone also presents a unique relationship with soldiers, as Balouris pointed out.

[For them] to see a woman, was such a nice feeling [for the soldiers], Scheuing recalls. When they woke up, just to hold their hand  to reassure them, talk to them, tell them everythings going to be okay. To be their support system.

The women all eventually made it back to the U.S. and continued serving and living successful lives.

One surprise for the nurses through the years: their community. Though Niggemann, Mason and Schueing werent together during the war, they found each other later and have become friends.

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It really was a very fortunate outcome, says Niggemann, who encountered Schueing on a tour of Vietnam. Through an organization called the Greatest Generation Foundation, which takes veterans back to where they served, I was invited as a group of nurses returning  Ruby was invited in that same group.

Niggemann says then, while she was Washington, D.C. for the dedication of the Vietnam Womens Memorial she had been looking for a Navy nurse. I knew that we wanted to involve Navy and Air Force and I saw Jane at an elevator.

The two became quick friends and soon travelled on a tour to Normandy and now, all three veterans are friends.

Niggemann added: Its amazing.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  After 45 years, investigators have identified a Marion County man they believe was the victim of a notorious West Coast serial killer.

On July 18, 1980, Oregon State Police officers originally responded to a report of a man found dead along I-5 near Woodburn. Although a homicide investigation into the mans death was open, authorities were unable to identify him until now.

15 years later, FBI to re-examine Kyron Horman case after files go digital

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In April 2025, he was positively identified as Larry Eugene Parks, a Vietnam War veteran who was 30 years old at the time of his death.

Officials identified 30-year-old Larry Parks as the victim of a murder on I-5 near Woodburn back in 1980. (Oregon State Police)

OSP added that the discovery of Parks body came a day after the body of another man was found along I-5 in Marion County. Although investigators suspected the two murders were related, leads dried up and both cases went cold.

Then in 1983, a man named Randy Kraft was arrested in Orange County, Calif. on suspicion of being the Scorecard Killer, who murdered 60 victims across the West Coast, as well as Michigan.

Teen arrested after fight at Salem pool hall leads to death

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Even though Kraft was ultimately convicted of 16 murders in California in 1989, officials believed Parks and OFallon were also killed by Kraft and evidence collected from their murders was used during trial, which was then stored in Orange County.

But in January 2024, OSP said the Orange County Sheriffs Department contacted their Cold Case Unit about the John Doe (Parks) case and offered to help them identify the remains by creating a genetic profile from a blood sample. Investigators used the information to find possible family members who then submitted their own DNA samples, leading to the identification of Parks.

According to OSP, Parks family had lost contact with him the year before and he was last seen in Pensacola, Florida.

With Parks identity confirmed, investigators are now working to bring resolution to the 45-year-old case, officials said.

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RICHMOND, Va. (DC News Now)  Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill into law creating a grant program for large animal veterinarians.

Youngkin said on Friday that he signed House Bill 2303 and Senate Bill 921 into law, establishing the Virginia Large Animal Veterinary Grant Program.

Youngkin announces LEGO Group to establish warehouse in Prince George

[It is] an important step to address critical shortages in large animal veterinary care in communities across the Commonwealth, Youngkin said in a post on X.

(@GovernorVA/X) (@GovernorVA/X) (@GovernorVA/X) (@GovernorVA/X)

The legislation requires the State Veterinarian to create a grant program by July 1, 2026. This will help to increase or maintain the number of large animal veterinarians in parts of Virginia where there arent enough practicing.

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Every year, four large animal veterinarians will be chosen to receive grants.

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SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025  12:00 p.m.

FREDONIA, Wis. (WFRV)  Shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, deputies stated that the suspect involved in a volatile, roughly 36-hour standoff in southeastern Wisconsin has been taken into custody.

According to the Ozaukee County Sheriffs Office, the suspect who was reportedly heavily armed inside his Fredonia residence near Fox Glen Road was finally taken into custody around 11:30 a.m. on May 10.

Motorcyclist seriously injured in single-vehicle Appleton crash, officers investigating

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It was noted that there is no longer a threat to the public, however, local roads are still closed as the scene is still considered active while law enforcement continues the investigation.

Thank you to the Village of Fredonia for your support during this incident, the Ozaukee County Sheriffs Offices latest post concluded.

Local 5 will continue to follow this story and provide updates when new information is released.

Original story: Volatile Wisconsin standoff reaches second day, heavily armed suspect threatening to kill officers

SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025  11:44 a.m.

FREDONIA, Wis. (WFRV)  A volatile standoff in southeastern Wisconsin has now reached roughly 36 hours as authorities say the suspect is heavily armed and is allegedly threatening to kill officers.

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Authorities with the Ozaukee County Sheriffs Office have provided an update to the now multi-day standoff in the Village of Fredonia after hours of negotiations and tactical resources have been unsuccessful in de-escalating the situation.

Deputies have since provided some clarity and updates as to how the dangerous situation unfolded, saying it began around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, when Fredonia residents reported hearing multiple gunshots throughout the day.

Three arrested in Two Rivers on drug-related felonies following investigation

After deputies began to monitor the area of Fox Glen Road, no gunshots were heard. However, around 10:30 p.m., the suspected homeowner was contacted, and they admitted to playing loud music and firing weapons from their home.

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The suspect then allegedly stated that he was going to continue playing music, and if anyone came to his residence, he would shoot them. Shortly after that call, deputies reportedly heard multiple gunshots coming from the home.

After further investigation, deputies determined that he had been firing several different guns in unknown directions, including an automatic rifle, which posed a significant threat to those in the area.

In the following hours since the standoff began, deputies have reported the suspect to have made several explicit threats toward law enforcement, allegedly saying hed go full auto and kill anyone who approached. Deputies say that he had even aimed a rifle at law enforcement armored vehicle at the scene multiple times.

Two men arrested after shots fired between vehicles in Wisconsin

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Ozaukee County Sheriffs Offices latest update was sent out at 6:20 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, roughly 36 hours since the standoff began.

Throughout those hours, multiple agencies and SWAT teams have been working in shifts, including the Washington County and Milwaukee County SWAT teams.

Safety remains the top priority and we will continue to be patient until we can safely end the situation. Were continuing to urge residents to stay away from this area or remain in your homes. Thank you for your cooperation. Officers are employing every available resource and tactical approach to bring the situation to a peaceful and safe resolution. We recognize the seriousness of this situation and are proceeding with caution, patience, and perseverance. The public is urged to avoid the area while authorities work to stabilize and resolve the incident. Ozaukee County Sheriffs Office

Assisting the Ozaukee County Sheriffs Office are:

Washington County Sheriffs Office SWAT

Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office SWAT and EOD

Port Washington Police Department

Saukville Police Department

Wisconsin State Patrol

Ozaukee County Emergency Management

Fredonia Marshal

Cedarburg Police Department

Port Washington Fire Rescue Task Force

Ozaukee Central Fire Rescue Task Force

Fredonia Fire Department

Port Washington Fire Department

Waubeka Fire Department

Belgium Fire Department

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Local 5 will continue to follow this story and provide updates when new information is released.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has praised a proposal for a "full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire" in Ukraine as European leaders met in Kiev.

"The ball is now in Russia's court," said von der Leyen in Brussels on Saturday. "We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire."

The comments as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kiev is ready for an unconditional ceasefire from Monday, with leaders from France, Germany, the UK and Poland convening in the Ukrainian capital as calls intensify for Russia to halt the fighting and come to the table.

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European Council President Antonio Costa added in a post on X: "From New Zealand and Australia to Canada, alongside European nations, a Coalition of the Willing has united to help Ukraine defend itself and pursue peace."

"We strongly support the U.S. and Ukraines unconditional 30-day #ceasefire proposal, which could pave the way for meaningful peace talks," he added.
(Photo by FS Productions/Getty Images)

Washington hospitals are urging Gov. Bob Ferguson to veto a bill that would limit health insurance reimbursement rates for state workers and public school employees.

The bill is designed to reduce health care costs for the state. But the Washington State Hospital Association says it shifts the burden to care providers and that hospitals could lose around $100 million per year if the change becomes law.

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Just because [the state is] paying less doesnt mean it costs less to provide the care, said Ashlen Strong, vice president of government affairs at the association.

Reducing payments to hospitals for state and school employees would likely increase the cost of care for others because hospitals would negotiate with other insurers to make up the difference, according to the hospital association. If those negotiations arent successful, hospitals could look at reducing jobs or services.

Supporters of the policy argue that health care is unaffordable and that this bill would help reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients. They also say that hospitals could lower executive pay before turning to layoffs and service reductions.

Independent rural hospitals would be exempt under the bill. In Washington, two hospitals were recently found to have negative operating margins in Chelan and Clallam counties, according to reports published by the state auditor in May.

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, health care systems were completely upended, said Chelene Whiteaker, senior vice president of the association. And with costs for labor, supplies and equipment increasing, hospitals say they have been struggling financially.

Hospitals would also be subject to higher business and occupation tax rates that the Legislature approved, which would be around $60 million in taxes every year, according to industry estimates.

An amendment to have hospitals exempted from the tax hike after 2027 was unsuccessful.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Wanda Barzee, the woman convicted of kidnapping then 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart with her husband in 2002, was arrested and booked into jail on May 1, according to court records. She was charged today, May 9, for the alleged crime.

On May 1, Barzee, 79, was booked into jail for allegedly violating Sex Offender Registry requirements by visiting parks in Salt Lake City. Brent Weisberg, spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Police Department, said detectives arrested her at her home without incident.

She was officially charged today, May 9, in Salt Lake County with two counts of violation by sex offender of protected area (class A misdemeanor).

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Documents say she told police she went to Liberty Park to feed ducks in early April because she was commanded to by the Lord. Barzee allegedly also admitted to visiting Sugarhouse Park.

RLEATED: Elizabeth Smart Foundation releases statement and video addressing Barzee arrest

Barzee became a registered sex offender after she was convicted for her involvement in the kidnapping and rape of Smart. She served 15 years in prison before being released in 2018.

At the time of her release, Elizabeth Smart asked the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole not to release her, saying she was a danger, but officials said Barzee had served her sentence and there was nothing to keep her in prison. She was on probation for five years after her release and was required to participate in a mental health program.

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According to Utah law, registered child sex offenders are prohibited from going to areas where children congregate  such as parks and schools. Offenders convicted of violating this law are subject to a class A misdemeanor charge, which can be punished with up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

In a three minute long video posted to the Foundations Instagram page, Elizabeth Smart addresses the recent arrest of Barzee and the justification that Barzee used, which Smart says is a reminder of her past and a warning of the risk Barzee poses to the community.

Here is the full statement from the Elizabeth Smart Foundation:

We are deeply troubled by Wanda Barzees recent actions. She entered public parks in Salt Lake City, which she is legally barred from due to her status as a registered sex offender. Barzees justification that she was commanded by the Lord is a reminder of her past and a warning of the risk she poses to the community. This incident highlights how crucial it is to enforce the sex offender registry, monitor release conditions, and evaluate individuals convicted of crimes like Barzees. It also emphasizes exactly why we must listen to and center survivors in our legal process. We want to thank the Salt Lake City Police Department, and Chief Redd, for their responsible handling of this incident. Their professionalism, attentiveness, and trauma-informed approach speak to their commitment to survivor-centered practices. At the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, we believe in a future where all survivors of sexual violence are heard, believed, and supportedand where systems are built not just around legal technicalities, but around true justice. Many survivors live without justice for the harm done to them, and their perpetrators are never arrested. We often say for survivors of sexual violence and exploitation, we have more of a legal system than a justice system. But, we also believe in the possibility of change. We are building that change by promoting survivor-informed policies, expanding education and prevention programs, and working with law enforcement, communities, and survivors to create a safer, more compassionate world. Elizabeth Smart has continually expressed concern over Wanda Barzees release. Barzees violation affirms the need for ongoing reforms to protect survivors and prevent further trauma. At the same time, it reminds us that solutions are possible when communities, leaders, and institutions come together with a shared commitment to do better. We urge policymakers, justice officials, and the public to take incidents like this seriouslyespecially in cases that are not as widely publicized as Elizabeth Smarts. There is an urgent, broad need for reform. Survivors deserve to live without fear. They deserve to thrive. Together, we can build systems that not only protect them but also uplift them. Elizabeth often remembers advice that her mother gave her after she was rescued. She said, Dont you let them steal one more second of your life. Not one more second! You be happy. You move on. Elizabeth is pleased to report that she is indeed happy, and lives a fulfilling life with her family, and does not live in fear of her captors.

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By Suzanne McGee

(Reuters) -Investors welcomed the conciliatory tone at U.S.-China trade talks this weekend aimed at cooling a trade war between the world's two largest economies and dispelling some of the uncertainty clouding financial markets, though few expect a major breakthrough just yet.

In a sign of investor relief that the worst of a U.S.-China trade war might be averted, U.S. stock futures rose on Sunday evening. The S&P 500 E-minis rose 1.3%, while Nasdaq futures added 1.6%.

Both sides declined to elaborate on negotiations, saying that further details will be released on Monday, though U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Sunday said a deal had been reached with China to cut the U.S. trade deficit.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who met his U.S. counterparts in Geneva, described the meeting as "candid" and an important first step.

"This is a step in the right direction, showing that both sides are interested in coming to a constructive conclusion and develop a better trade relationship," said Eric Kuby, the chief investment officer at North Star Investment Management Corp in Chicago.

"The details are quite sketchy, but I think the direction sounds to be more cooperative rather than combative, and I think that we have to view that as a positive."

The meeting in Switzerland could mark one of the biggest developments since U.S. President Donald Trump launched sweeping tariffs on April 2, which threw the global trade landscape into chaos and set off extreme market volatility.

Recently, investors have expressed optimism that the worst-case trade scenarios would not come to pass, and pointed to signs of de-escalation between the U.S. and China as a reason behind a rebound in equities.

"Markets may be encouraged by some agreement on a deal, but it will remain contingent on further details being released," said Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities in New York.

"Recent price action suggests some optimism around a trade deal. If that turns out to be the case, pricing will have been justified. The risk is if the deal is less substantial than expected. Then the market might come away disappointed."

Indeed, despite comments by President Donald Trump ahead of the talks suggesting a lower level of Chinese tariffs and a trade deal announced on Thursday between the U.S. and Britain, many market participants said they were not expecting major breakthroughs.

"I'm not sure I would hit the 'buy' button on what we have heard today, but if we can make substantive progress with China I think the market will like it," said Jack Ablin, founding partner and chief investment officer at Cresset Capital in Chicago.
With the expiration of COVID relief funds, Washingtons school districts face a financial cliff that threatens to undermine childrens education. The situation has become particularly dire in the Mid-Columbia.

The comedown from the sugar high of stimulus money has hit rural districts especially hard. During the pandemic, Kennewick, Pasco and Richland school districts received more than $137 million in one-time COVID relief. They used that money to fund programs like online learning academies and mental health services, knowing full well theyd have to make cuts without continued assistance.

The problem isnt unique to this region, but districts in wealthy areas around Seattle can more easily pass levies to supplement inadequate state funding. Their larger property tax bases mean they can keep rates lower, too.

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Rural school districts must convince reluctant voters to approve higher rates. The Finley School District, for example, needed two tries to pass a recent operations levy and still will have to slash its budget.

This creates an inherently inequitable system in which educational opportunities depend on ZIP codes  a situation that violates both the spirit and letter of the states constitutional obligation to educate kids.

Rankings by the State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction found that more than half of Mid-Columbia districts are below the state average for financial health. Pasco, Finley, Kiona-Benton City, Prosser and Richland all scored poorly. Kennewick, Columbia-Burbank and North Franklin fared better.

Things could get worse. The Trump administration has threatened to suspend funding for schools that do not conform to White House edicts on race, ethnicity and gender. Washington has staked out positions in support of marginalized groups that run counter to those demands.

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The state constitution explicitly declares education to be the states paramount duty, a responsibility the state Supreme Court reinforced in its landmark McCleary decision. Despite state investment, many school districts face widespread cuts that will directly impact student learning because the states approach to education funding is fundamentally flawed.

Washingtons school funding as a percentage of the states general fund peaked in 2019 at more than 50%. Since then, it has fallen to about 43%. Meanwhile, operational costs for districts have skyrocketed, with liability insurance up nearly 50% and utilities increasing more than 30% since 2019.

When costs increase and state funding does not keep pace, the effects land hardest on less-wealthy, often rural, districts. It will not be enough for lawmakers to come up with more money. They must find ways to equitably distribute the resources to help school districts that most need it.

The Legislature took a step forward this session by passing Senate Bill 5263 to eliminate the special education funding cap, but that measure falls short of addressing the comprehensive funding needs of schools. The House and Senate compromised on approximately $870 million in additional special education funding over the next two budgets  significantly less than the $2 billion initially proposed by the Senate.

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With the 2025 legislative session over, additional state help will not be immediately forthcoming. Hopefully, lawmakers will listen to local school districts in the months to come and understand that they must do more to address the structural flaws in school funding.

Fully funding every Washington school is not merely a policy preference but a moral and legal imperative. The consequences of inaction extend far beyond classroom walls.

Inadequate school funding today means a less-prepared workforce tomorrow, reduced economic competitiveness, and greater social costs for our entire state. Washingtons economic future depends on ensuring all students receive high-quality education. This isnt a partisan issue.

The Legislature must stop applying bandages to a system that requires major surgery. It wont be easy. Lawmakers and the governor are coming off a session in which they had to deal with a revenue shortfall.

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There wasnt enough money to pay for everything the Legislature wanted. Spending cuts and tax increases ensued.

Moving from one crisis through a period of relative calm to the next crisis is not enough.

Washington needs a wholesale reconstruction of how it reliably funds schools to ensure that all students, regardless of where they live, receive the high-quality education that is their constitutional right.
MADISON, S.D. (KELO)  Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem received an honorary degree from Dakota State University Saturday.

Noem to receive honorary DSU degree

Despite controversy over awarding Secretary Noem the honorary degree, Dakota State University President Jose-Marie Griffiths said Noem has supported and helped secure funding for the schools cybersecurity programs.

She would engage in discussions with partners around the state or with stakeholders across the nation to formulate a comprehensive roadmap to move us forward, Griffiths said at Saturday mornings commencement.

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Noem was awarded a Doctor of Public Service.

The South Dakota Board of Regents approves honorary degrees recommended by the university. Under its policy, an honorary doctorate degree can be awarded to someone whos achieved distinction in their field, rendered outstanding service to South Dakota or has made a scholarly contribution.

Noem was also this years commencement speaker.

This school is a special little place in the United States of America, Noem said. Things happen here that you cant get anywhere else.

She shared a list of things with graduates she said she wished shed heard on her graduation day.

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Im going to encourage you to, as you identify your gifts and talents that are unique to you and what you have to offer, to just let the insecurities go, Noem said. Just let them be released and go forward, and be who you are.

Noem also praised the DSU administration for preparing students to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce.

What you have to offer the world as an individual will be incredibly impactful and special and utilized far into the future, Noem said.

Regional, state and federal law enforcement were present inside and outside of Saturdays ceremony.

PHOTOS: Noems appearance in Madison

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This is DSUs largest graduating class in history, according to the university.

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On her second day of testimony in the New York rape trial of Harvey Weinstein, accuser Kaja Sokola denied the defenses allegation that the two sexual assaults she has testified to were actually consensual and that she used the movie mogul to become a movie star.

You believed that if you had consensual sex with Mr. Weinstein, youd get your foot in the door and become a movie star, defense lawyer Mike Cibella said, according to the Associated Press.

The Polish born former model, who has stated that Weinstein assaulted her when she was 16 and then again when she was nearly 20, firmly responded, No, thats not what happened. I never had a consensual relation with Mr. Weinstein.

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The attorney mentioned that Sokolas testimony differed from what she told a grand jury last year, including the month of the alleged 2002 assault. He also intimated that her participation in the criminal case could merely be a way for her to continue to stay in the U.S.

Sokola, who is now a psychotherapist, previously sued Weinstein over the alleged 2002 incident when she was 16: She received approximately $3.5 million in compensation.

She testified on Thursday that shed had a tougher time dealing with the alleged second assault in 2006, which is why she had not previously mentioned it.

She said that Weinstein had promised he would help launch her acting career, but instead broke my dreams, and he broke my self-esteem.

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Cibella argued that that assault never happened and that she was merely trying to get enough money to leave her estranged husband. Sokola also denied his suggestion, saying that she earned more than husband.

Sokola is expected to take the stand again next week.

Since 2017, more than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual assault. He has denied all allegations.

The post Weinsteins Lawyer Says Ex-Model Accuser Used Hollywood Producer to Further Career, Is Using Trial to Stay in Country appeared first on TheWrap.
LEBANON, Pa. (WHTM)  WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital is recognizing efforts to bring advanced healthcare technology.

Friday, the hospital unveiled an honor wall for the Jeanne Donlevy Arnold Center For Nursing Innovation.

Jeanne and her husband Ed donated $1.5 million to the center which explores the best ways to recruit and retain nurses.

The center also uses artificial intelligence and virtual technology to promote better healthcare.

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And it kind of carries on the way that I wanted to see healthcare, where there was a continuance of care and thats what virtual nursing is going to do, Jeanne said.

AI we know is in everything, and to adapt here in an area, basically its going to make us more efficient and maybe les personnel, which in this case theres a shortage of personnel so thats good, who?

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Jeanne and Ed met each other at Good Samaritan Hospital in the early 1990s when he was chairman of the board and she was senior vice president of patient services.

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BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH)  A West Hartford man was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.

According to evidence and testimony, 34-year-old Joseph Giovanni Soto became the focus of an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Services Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force.

Waterbury man charged with drug, gun, vehicle offenses

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The investigation discovered a cocaine trafficking operation which involved shipping parcels containing large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to numerous drop addresses in New Britain and Meriden in Connecticut as well as West Springfield and Holyoke in Massachusetts.

Runners would then retrieve the packages and deliver them to Sotos residence in Bloomfield and the residence of Sotos uncle, Ramon Soto, in New Britain. Ramon Soto would usually deliver the cocaine to the Bronx, N.Y. and other locations, at Joseph Sotos discretion, for payment.

During the investigation, task force members intercepted and seized 10 suspicious packages, each of which contained about two kilograms of cocaine. They also identified approximately 280 suspicious parcels likely containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been delivered to the various drop addresses.

Joseph Soto was arrested on May 1, 2023. On the same day, during a court-authorized search of his residence, investigators seized two loaded firearms, a drum magazine, ammunition, body armor, approximately two kilograms of cocaine, drug packaging material, and approximately $12,000 in cash. One of the seized firearms was fitted with a switch making it fully automatic, and investigators also found a second, uninstalled switch.

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A search of Ramon Sotos residence on that date revealed a loaded Ruger handgun, firearm magazines, ammunition, two money counters, a digital scale with cocaine residue, and more than $1,000 in cash.

Joseph Soto pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on Feb. 7, 2025. He was released on a $100,000 bond and is required to report to prison on June 25.

Ramon Soto pleaded guilty to a related charge and, on Jan. 8, 2025, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  A wave of emotion as Pope Leo XIV stepped onto a balcony overlooking thousands in St. Peters square, of those thousands was seminarian and Odessa native Noah Hernandez at the Vatican studying to become a priest.

He watched as the elections took place, each vote black smoke signifying no consensus on who would be voted Pontif, until finally white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

The crowd of people just is absolutely electric, just this excitement and, and cheering, and just like wow. Im here in Rome within my first year, said Hernandez.

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Not only with a front row to history, hes had an opportunities many will never have.

I got to meet Pope Francis in my first four weeks nine months later, we have a New Pope.

and this Italian couple, ah Cardinal Prevost. Were like who is that?, he said. Its an American.

San Angelo Diocese Bishop Michael Sis met Pope Francis on several occasions, before attending his funeral on April 26th.

Pope Leo XIV however, hes never met but is elated an American will lead the 1.4 Billion Catholics worldwide.

It excites us because it helps us to see that our church, the American church is in a position of leadership. he said. It just helps us to take more ownership, I think it will also help with our younger because they will identify because they will identify with him more closely when they know hes an American guy that grew up in Chicago. 

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The fact the new pope is American surprised so many; Carol Asbill is both a Sacred Heart Cathedral parishioner and administrative assistant.

Very excited that he is American, was born in Chicago, she said. Totally caught me off guard I never would have thought, but so excited.

Asbil said the new Pope has the same name as her father, which brought a tear to her eye.

Jimmy Wyble visits the Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart in San Angelo everyday for an hour.

He moved to the area from Tokyo, Japan in 1977, then became a devout Catholic in 1981.

I was surprised because there were several others in the running, one from Africa, and one from the Philippines and several others but I was really surprised he got in, he said. I dont know how but by the light of the wholly spirit God picks, and chooses.

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Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart Monsignor Larry Droll was impressed, even moved by Pope Leos first words to the world.

He spoke first of all in Italian because he is the bishop of Rome, that is his primary title, and then he gave a brief presentation also in Spanish recognizing the fact that he served in Peru as a Bishop for many years, he said. And so he has a heart for all those people he was serving with at that time, and those were indications his desire to serve the church, the whole world.

Noah Hernandez feels blessed to have experienced so much in his first year studying in Rome which will last a lifetime.

Being able to be sent here to study in Rome, to walk the streets where saints have walked, to meet a Pope and to see a Pope be elected is foundation building, he said. Its part of my experience, that God willing, one day hope to take back to the Parish.

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WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC4)  A West Valley City mother has been charged with attempted murder after trying to drown her 7-year-old son, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorneys Office.

Petrice Shirley Mary Garcia, also known as Petrice Gustafson, 35, is charged in Salt Lake County with attempted aggravated murder (first-degree felony), disarming a police officer  firearm (first-degree felony), three counts of aggravated child abuse  intentionally or knowingly (second-degree felony), and criminal trespass  dwelling (class A misdemeanor).

On May 3, 2025, West Valley police responded to a report of child abuse. One individual reported that a boy  later identified as Gustafsons 7-year-old son  was bleeding and had blood all over his shirt, court documents state. The caller reported that Gustafsons son had ran to their home and said that his mom tried to kill him by hitting him on the head with a statue and trying to drown him.

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PREVIOUSLY: 7-year-old found covered in blood, woman arrested for child abuse

The caller stated she then saw Gustafson come out of her house saying, Call the cops, I tried killing my son, a statement of probable cause reads. Gustafson allegedly then entered the callers residence through the front door while completely nude. The callers husband tried to get Gustafson out of their home as Gustafson then allegedly confronted his own child and assaulted him.

Another witness added that he saw the child running down the street asking for help. He told police the boy had blood all over, and that Gustafson was also running down the street completely nude and jumped a neighbors fence. Gustafson allegedly then saw the caller near his garage and assaulted him before the man tackled her to the ground, holding her until police arrived.

Both Gustafson and her child were taken to separate hospitals for treatment following the incident. Medical staff said the boy had wet clothes and wet shoes.

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While in the hospital, Gustafson reportedly struck a witness and a nurse, pulling her hair. When an officer restrained her, Gustafson grabbed for the officers gun, saying, Youre going to have to kill me.

Upon investigation of Gustafsons home, police found a bathtub filled with water, a broken statue weighing 3-5 pounds, and a considerable amount of blood around the bathtub, court documents state. The child detailed to police a disturbing story of physical abuse in the incident.

Medical records show [the child] suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple scalp lacerations that required closure with 15 staples, and a forehead laceration that required four sutures, court documents state. [The child] also sustained bruises and abrasions on his ankles, his right shin, his right upper thigh, his right hand and wrist, his left third knuckle, and his right forearm. He also had swelling and bruising to his nasal bridge.

Doctors with Safe and Healthy Families found that the boys injuries cannot be explained by accidental injury, preexisting medical illness, reasonable discipline, or benign events and should be considered trauma inflicted.

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Gustafson told police she was pretty sure she hit [the child] and that she may have grabbed something to hit him with but could not remember.

Gustafson is reportedly on active probation and has an extensive criminal history, including multiple convictions related to possession of narcotics. The State has requested that she be held in Salt Lake County Jail without bail.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Culloden, West Virginia  It's generally not socially acceptable to air a person's dirty laundry. But in the case of foster mother Kari Cox of Culloden, West Virginia, the sheer volume of her daily load of laundry speaks volumes about her capacity for love.

"She's like Mother Theresa, almost," one of her 14 children, most of whom were adopted, told CBS News.

"My mom does 99.9% of the work, my dad does 0.1," jokes another.

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It's a gross exaggeration for sure. But even Bill Cox, a special education teacher, admits that without his wife Kari, their children, many with special needs, would fall to pieces.

Thirteen years ago, Kari and Bill adopted Maribeth from China.

"Very high-functioning autism," Kari said of Maribeth. "Extremely black and white. The first time she saw me she said, 'Oh, I didn't know I was getting a fat mom!' That was our relationship with each other, and it was actually phenomenal."

Maribeth was doing great.

"She was valedictorian of her class," beamed Kari. "She'd won tons of math awards."

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But then, tragedy struck. In 2021, while a senior at Marshal University in Huntington, Virginia, Maribeth was struck and killed by a car. For Kari, the pain of losing a child, especially in that way, convinced her to never adopt again.

"Why put yourself through that anymore?...Honestly, people that don't have children don't have to feel this pain," Kari said.

However, Kari then stumbled on something that transformed her perspective.

"Maribeth changed us," Kari said of her late daughter. "She changed us."

When going through her things, Kari found a journal where Maribeth, who had never been effusive with her feelings, wrote this to herself: "God gave you what many may never have  a loving family that will always be here no matter what."

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Since reading that, Kari and Bill have taken in four more children, to give them 14 total.

"Their need was greater than my pain," Kari said.

That's the essence of a mother's instinct, that unwavering selflessness that goes beyond the biological to create something truly divine.

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
May 9SAN ANTONIO  Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 316 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 2 through May 8.

Among the new cases, Cirilo Delgado-Alderete, Dilan Karim Valenzuela-Baca, and Antelmo Eligio Ramirez-Bernardo were arrested at an alleged stash house in Anthony, New Mexico. According to an affidavit, U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations agents observed three vehicles that had been identified as being used to smuggle illegal aliens to Albuquerque, New Mexico, parked at the residence. When agents questioned Ramirez-Bernardo, a Guatemalan national, they allegedly discovered he possessed a key to the residence on his keychain. Agents then located 25 individuals inside the residence who admitted to being citizens of Mexico, Peru, Honduras, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Pakistan without documentation to be in the U.S. Two of the individuals, Delgado-Alderete and Valenzuela-Baca, were identified as alleged stash house caretakes and drivers to harbor and transport the illegal aliens. Delgado-Alderete, Valenzuela-Baca, and Ramirez-Bernardo are charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. The drivers allegedly picked up aliens in El Paso before transporting them to New Mexico.

Mexican national Erasmo Soto-Aguilar and Cesar Jared Garcia-Raucho, a U.S. citizen, were charged with statutes related to harboring illegal aliens after agents arrested them outside an alleged stash house in El Paso. A criminal complaint alleges that Soto-Aguilar had been involved in multiple smuggling schemes in which he coordinated pick-up drivers to meet and exchange illegal aliens. The complaint also alleges that Garcia-Raucho admitted to working as an illegal alien caretaker.

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Leonel Sotelo-Santillan, a Mexican national, was arrested after allegedly entering a National Defense Area near El Paso illegally on May 2. Sotelo-Santillan is a convicted felon with two 2015 convictions for domestic abuse battery and theft in Louisiana, as well as a felony conviction in June 2024 for illegal re-entry. He has two prior removals, the last one being Dec. 28, 2024.

In San Antonio, Mexican national Joandel De Jesus Tierrablanca-Tellez aka Joandel Tierras Blanca was arrested after law enforcement officers allegedly observed him sell four firearms to a buyer in New Braunfels. Homeland Security Investigations had previously learned the firearms were to be sold and trafficked to Mexico for a predetermined amount of U.S. currency. A search of Tierrablanca-Tellez's vehicle allegedly revealed his Mexican passport and an additional firearm along with .223 caliber and .308 caliber ammunition. Tierrablanca-Tellez is charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and, if convicted, faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

Alejandro Mata-Zavala, also a Mexican national, was arrested during a traffic stop in Guadalupe County on May 6. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) immigration history inquiry determined Mata-Zavala had been convicted in April 2021 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, and was removed from the U.S. to Mexico on or about June 2, 2022. He's currently charged with one count of illegal re-entry and faces up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.

USBP agents arrested Mexican national Tomas Medina-Martinez near Brackettville on May 1. Medina-Martinez is a two-time convicted felon with three prior removals from the U.S., the most recent being Feb. 12. Mexican national Mauro Morales-Lopez was also arrested by USBP on May 1 near Eagle Pass. Morales-Lopez was deported Nov. 12, 2024 through Atlanta, Georgia following multiple violent misdemeanor convictions for family violence.

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On May 5, Mexican national Sergio De La Cruz-Ruiz was arrested near Brackettville for being illegally present in the U.S. His criminal record includes nine deportations and multiple felony convictions. De La Cruz-Ruiz was also convicted in January 2024 for assault on a family member. His latest removal was April 18 through Harlingen.

Jorge Luis Benavides-Alvarado, a Mexican national, was encountered by federal law enforcement at the Williamson County Jail and charged with illegal re-entry. He was convicted for possession of a dangerous drug in Georgetown on May 7. In 2017, Benavides-Alvarado was convicted for aggravated robbery in Dallas. He was removed from the U.S. July 26, 2019. Also encountered at the Williamson County Jail, Mexican national Agustin Ruiz-Vazquez was convicted May 7 for assault causing bodily injury. Federally charged with illegal re-entry, Ruiz-Vazquez was previously removed from the U.S. July 10, 2014, two years after being convicted of injury to a child in Austin.

And in Midland, Salvadoran national Edenilzon Hernandez was encountered at the Ector County Detention Center in Odessa, where he was being held for indecency with child sexual contact. Now facing a federal illegal re-entry charge, Hernandez has three prior removals and a criminal history that includes convictions for burglary of a habitation, assault on a public servant and an additional assault charge.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

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The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas  San Antonio, Austin and El Paso  and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The leaders of the United Kingdon, France, Germany, and Poland will visit Kyiv on May 10 to demonstrate their support for Ukraine, the leaders announced in a joint statement May 9.

The planned visit comes the day after Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow, an annual event the Kremlin uses to showcase its military might and justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin invited a number of world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to attend this year's celebrations.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are set to arrive in Kyiv early on May 10 to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a statement from the U.K. government.

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The historic visit marks the first time the leaders of all four countries have traveled to Ukraine together and Merz's first visit to Ukraine as Germany's chancellor.

The visit also comes the day after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded a "30-day unconditional ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine. Reuters reported on May 9 that the U.S. and European allies are currently finalizing their proposal for a full 30-day truce.

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv on May 9 warned that "a potentially significant air attack" could occur in the coming days  amid Russia's so-called ceasefire.

"We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," the joint statement reads.

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"We reiterate our backing for President Trump's calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace. Alongside the U.S., we call on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace."

Since March, Ukraine has agreed to accept a complete ceasefire as soon as Russia agrees to the same terms. Russia has rejected these conditions repeatedly, insisting it will not begin a full ceasefire until Ukraine makes extreme concessions, including halting all military aid.

Instead, Putin has proposed a series of partial and temporary truces, which Russia has then proceeded to break. Ahead of Victory Day, Putin unilaterally declared a temporary ceasefire from May 8-11. Nonetheless, attacks against Ukrainian civilians and front-line assaults have continued.

"We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal," the joint statement said.

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"We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure, and sovereign nation within its internationally recognized borders for generations to come."

The four leaders will visit Kyiv's Independence Square to pay their respects to Ukraine's fallen soldiers and casualties of the full-scale war, according to the announcement. They will also host a virtual meeting alongside Zelensky briefing allies on the work of a future coalition that will monitor peace in Ukraine.

The "air, land, maritime, and regeneration force" will help bolster Ukraine's military following an eventual peace deal and will "strenghten confidence in any future peace," the statement read.

Read also: The enemy is right here  how Ukrainians living under Russian occupation defied Putins Victory Day

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The members of the Writers Guild of America have voted to uphold the expulsion of two writers accused of writing during the 2023 strike, but to rescind a public rebuke of a writer who made a joke on Facebook.

The WGA board voted earlier this year to kick out Roma Roth and Edward Drake for performing forbidden writing services  what the union calls scab writing  during the 148-day strike. They appealed, but 54% of the voting membership backed the boards decision in a tally that concluded on Friday.

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On a 62%-38% vote, the members rejected the public censure of Tim Doyle, who had faced a charge of conduct prejudicial to the welfare of the Guild for making an off-color joke. On the 100th day of the strike, Doyle posted a silhouette of a man hanging from a tree, in what was meant to be a morbid reference to his own suicide.

Doyle apologized for the joke, which some took as a reference to a lynching. The process led to some internal concern that the WGA was going too far in policing members speech.

It would be nice if the WGA made an effort to publicize this announcement to the industry, Doyle said in a text on Friday, adding he hoped the guild would want to undo some of the damage done over the past 18 months by the implication that he is racist.

The members also narrowly upheld discipline of Julie Bush, a writer accused of submitting a scab script to a non-signatory company during the strike. Bush was given a one-year suspension and forbidden from serving as a strike captain for life. The members voted 52%-48% to deny her appeal.

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I am so grateful to the members who voted for me, Bush said. I believe the closeness of the vote signals that members do not like what has happened here. I have never seen a Guild vote below 90% so to me, losing by just 59 votes is meaningful.

She said she intends to continue to fight over the legality of the WGAs action. Now we go to the Department of Labor and the NLRB.

Roth was executive producer on Sullivans Crossing, a show filmed under Writers Guild of Canada jurisdiction in Nova Scotia. She was a dual WGA-WGC member, and worked under a waiver allowing WGA writers to work for non-signatory companies in certain cases. The waiver was terminated at the outset of the strike, which should have prevented her from writing on the show. Roth argued that she merely supervised the writers room, and denied breaking the rules. She also argued that under the constitution, a violation should have resulted in a fine, not expulsion.

In a statement on Friday, Roth said she found it disappointing that WGA board members decided to send out mass emails during the voting round to tip the scale in their favor and unfairly influence what was supposed to be a fair appeals process.

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This result will undoubtedly shape the standards by which the WGA and its Board continues to operate moving forward, she said. I hope members will submit their candidacy to run for the WGA Board before the May 15th deadline to address these serious issues.

Drake wrote and directed an independent film, Guns Up, which was filmed during the strike. He was accused of making improper script revisions during filming, and of refusing to identify a non-member who allegedly rewrote the ending. He argued that he made minor script changes, which are explicitly not under the jurisdiction of the WGA.

Asked for a response to the vote, Drake sent a YouTube clip of the final scene of a classic film: Forget it, Jake. Its Chinatown.

Under the guild constitution, writers may appeal any discipline to the membership at an annual meeting. The WGA has not held an annual meeting for the last six years, so the board elected to hold an online vote instead.

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Bush has objected to the process, arguing the board had no authority to change the appeal process without a constitutional amendment.

In raw vote terms, the vote was as follows:

Roth: 778-639 to expel

Drake: 769-652 to expel

Bush: 745-686 to suspend for one year, lifetime bar from serving as strike captain, public censure

Doyle: 915-557 to overturn public censure

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The members of the Writers Guild of America West voted on Friday to uphold the expulsion of two writers accused of writing during the 2023 strike, but to rescind a public rebuke of a writer who made a joke on Facebook.

The WGA West board voted earlier this year to kick out Roma Roth and Edward Drake for performing forbidden writing services  what the union calls scab writing  during the 148-day strike. They appealed, but 54% of the voting membership backed the boards decision in a tally that concluded on Friday.

Edward John Drake, Roma Roth and Julie Bush were accused of prohibited writing activities during the stoppage, while Tim Doyle was censured for an offensive social media post that compared being on strike to being lynched.

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The WGA West board voted last week to expel Drake and Roth, the guilds harshest penalty. Bush was temporarily suspended and given a lifetime ban from serving as a strike captain. Doyle was publicly censured but that was rescinded in Fridays vote.

Drake, writer-director of the indie film Guns Up, allegedly engaged in scab writing and withheld key documents from investigators, the board said. He has denied any wrongdoing, saying he only made minor script adjustments as a director and was being punished for refusing to name names.

This has been a horrible ordeal, Drake wrote in his appeal, according to Variety. I have been living under the guillotine of fear for months.

Roth, who worked as showrunner on Sullivans Crossing during the strike, broke stories and revised scripts in violation of strike rules, the board stated. She maintained she stopped writing as the strike began and continued as a non-writing producer. She criticized the WGA board for send[ing] out mass emails during the voting round to tip the scale in their favor and unfairly influence what was supposed to be a fair appeals process.

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She also encouraged members to run for a position on the board to address these serious issues raised during this inquiry.

Bush was accused of revising a script for a pilot about Elon Musk during the strike. She argued that she sought guild lawyers guidance and was not paid for the work due to the production companys failure to meet WGA standards.

On Friday, she said she will take the case to the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. She thanked the members who voted for her: I believe the closeness of the vote signals that members do not like what has happened here. I have never seen a Guild vote below 90% so to me, losing by just 59 votes is meaningful, Variety reported.

Doyle defended his Facebook post as gallows humor about the dread writers were feeling about their industrys future. The board cited Doyle at the time for conduct prejudicial to the welfare of the Guild. Doyles lawyer argued that the guild overstepped its powers in policing his speech on social media.

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Originally, Doyle was given a confidential censure and told to undergo equity and inclusion training, according to Variety.

The post WGA West Upholds Board Vote by 54% to Remove 2 Members Over Strike Violations appeared first on TheWrap.
Tensions between India and Pakistan significantly escalated last week, with the neighboring countries exchanging fire for several days after India's missile attack on Pakistan.

While the two countries announced a full and immediate ceasefire on Saturday, experts say dangers in the region remain.

The United States conversed with Indian and Pakistani officials to broker the ceasefire, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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India on Saturday evening accused Pakistan of breaking the ceasefire, saying it is responding to the violations.

The recent attacks came after already rising tensions as India continued to blame Pakistan for a deadly attack in April in the disputed Kashmir region, a claim that Pakistan denies. That militant attack, known as the Pahalgam incident, left 26 people dead in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

MORE: Pakistan says it is responding to 'act of war' after India missile strikes

"This is just the most recent in a series of conflicts between Pakistan and India," retired Col. Stephen Ganyard, an ABC News contributor and former State Department official, said. "Ever since the formation of Pakistan in the mid to late '40s, these two countries have not gotten along."

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With both countries possessing nuclear weapons, the threat of escalation is especially concerning.

"Of any place in the world, the easiest to imagine a nuclear exchange happening is between Pakistan and India," Ganyard said. "You have these two neighbors with so much hate, so much history and lots and lots of nuclear weapons exchanging live fire."

PHOTO: A man stands inside his house destroyed by Pakistani artillery shelling at the Salamabad village in Uri, May 8, 2025. (Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images)

Kashmir at center of conflict

The origin of the recent hostilities between Pakistan and India largely dates back to 1947, when they gained their independence from British rule, according to Surupa Gupta, a professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia.

"When you think about the current conflict, it is really about Kashmir," Gupta told ABC News.

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Sovereign, princely states in the subcontinent were given the option to accede to India or Pakistan at the time of independence, but Kashmir was among several that did not, she said. Its ruler at the time eventually agreed to sign a treaty of accession with India after seeking its support against attacks on the state.

"Pakistan has never really recognized that treaty of accession," Gupta said. "Pakistan's argument has always been that Kashmir was, and continues to be, a Muslim-majority region, whereas they see India as a Hindu-majority state. Which it is, but its origin story is as a secular state."

A war between India and Pakistan erupted over the Himalayan region, and in 1949, the two countries agreed to establish a ceasefire line dividing Kashmir, which is highly militarized and monitored by the United Nations.

Today, India controls the southern half of the Kashmir region and Pakistan controls the northern and western portion, though both lay claim to all of Kashmir. China also controls a part of northeastern Kashmir.

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"It's one of the few places in the world where the geography is very tight, where borders are up against each other, and so the tensions often spill over because they're still competing for various parts of Kashmir and Jammu," Ganyard said.

Continuing to fuel the conflict between India and Pakistan are strong nationalist sentiments and religious fervor, Ganyard said.

"These are two countries with very strong religious feelings, and that religion gets injected into the relationship between the two countries," he said. "So very strong Muslim population and very strong Muslim sentiment within the politics of Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi in India has been a very ardent Hindu nationalist."

"Throughout humanity, the most horrible, bloodiest kinds of conflicts between human beings tend to be those that have religious fervor behind them. And so that's part of what makes this so dangerous," he continued.

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MORE: India, Pakistan agree to full and immediate ceasefire

Years of hostilities

In the ensuing decades since gaining independence, India and Pakistan have fought several wars and battles, including ones over Kashmir.

In recent years, the conflict has "manifested itself in the form of terrorist attacks on India," Gupta said, including deadly attacks on military targets in 2016 and 2019 and a siege targeting Mumbai hotels and a railway station in 2008.

Since the late 1980s, "India has accused Pakistan of supporting international Islamist terrorist groups operating inside of Kashmir," Manjari Chatterjee Miller, a senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia for the Council on Foreign Relations, told ABC News.

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Tensions have calmed a bit in recent years, barring occasional clashes along the border areas, Ganyard said.

Tourism in Kashmir has also increased in recent years, helping drive the economy, and there was a "sense of normalcy," Gupta said.

PHOTO: An Indian paramilitary personnel stands guard near Pahalgam, south of Srinagar, April 22, 2025, following an attack. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images)

The April 22 attack near the resort town of Pahalgam targeted Indian tourists, with the civilian attack marking a departure from the more recent military attacks on military, Gupta and Miller said.

India's missile attack on Tuesday, which it said targeted "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Jammu and Kashmir, was "very clearly a reaction to the massacre of the 26 tourists," Ganyard said.

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Before the ceasefire was announced, the world was "sort of holding their breath" and "waiting to see if the pressure gets let off a bit," he said, noting that it's "in the best interest of both sides not to let this get out of hand."

MORE: At least 31 dead in Pakistan in overnight India attacks, military says

Neighboring nuclear powers

Since 1998, both India and Pakistan have nuclear arms, between 160 and 170 weapons each, Ganyard noted.

The two are among a handful of countries that have never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. India has a no-first-use policy for its nuclear weapons, which Pakistan does not, Gupta noted.

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"This is why this is so critical. You have this religious fervor that divides the two countries. This anger. You have the nationalist pride of both sides. And then you have these two sides that have nuclear weapons. So very, very, very dangerous cocktail, which is why it's so concerning that it could get out of control," Ganyard said.

Another aspect that could escalate conflicts is water. Following the April 22 attack, India suspended a key water treaty with Pakistan regarding the Indus River.

"There have been many people who've predicted that the next war would be fought over water," Ganyard said.

India had not previously suspended that treaty, marking a "departure," Gupta said.

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If India restricts the flow of water to Pakistan, "that could be grounds for war," Ganyard said.

Both India and Pakistan "have incentives to not escalate, but at the same time the risk of escalation, particularly through miscalculation, is real," Miller said. "And anytime you have conflict between nuclear-armed neighbors, it's a serious issue."

PHOTO: An elderly man walks past a house destroyed by Pakistani artillery shelling in Kalgi village in Uri, May 8, 2025. (Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images)

'Things are never going to be good between these two countries'

Amid concerns of further escalation in its latest conflict, India and Pakistan announced Saturday they had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

In the past, relations between India and Pakistan have de-escalated with the help of back-channel diplomacy and international actors such as the U.S. have talked to both, Gupta said.

"There have been instances where the military commanders have gotten in touch," she said. "Based on a shared interest in avoiding a full-scale war, both countries have scaled it down."

The ceasefire talks were mediated by the U.S., with Rubio in a statement commending the leaders of India and Pakistan for "choosing the path of peace."

The wider issue over Kashmir, though, may not be resolved in the immediate future, Gupta said.

India has previously tried to negotiate a lasting peace with various Pakistani governments, but "the lack of stability in who rules Pakistan is a major factor," she said, and the efforts have not gone anywhere.

"I think there is always a possibility of resolving conflicts, but it doesn't seem immediate. It doesn't seem likely in the short run, in the medium run," she said. "It would require a lot of effort to do so, a lot of very sincere effort to do so."

Given the variable stressors, "things are never going to be good between these two countries," Ganyard said.

"Whether it's water, whether it's religion, whether it's territory, geography -- there are so many things that are constantly and going to continue to irritate the relationship between Pakistan and India that the best we can hope for is some sort of very low-scale war, or some sort of very high tension kind of relationship, but not the exchange of nuclear weapons," he said.

What's behind India and Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, and why it's so serious originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Pope Leo XIV gave his first homily at a Mass on Friday, one day after he was selected by a conclave of cardinals at the Vatican to lead the Catholic Church. The first U.S. pope in history said he would be a "faithful administrator" of the church and warned against reducing Jesus to "a kind of charismatic leader or superman."

He delivered his homily wearing relatively simple white and gold vestments, and spoke mainly in Italian.

"There are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure," Pope Leo said. "These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied. Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed. A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society."

American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost presides over his first Holy Mass as Pope Leo XIV, with cardinals, in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, May 9, 2025. / Credit: Simone Risoluti/Getty

Leo also preached that, "today, too, there are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman. This is true not only among non-believers but also among many baptized Christians, who thus end up living, at this level, in a state of practical atheism."

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What else is Pope Leo going to do on his first full day as pontiff?

Cardinals from the United States were expected to eat lunch with the new pope on Friday, and then they were all set to speak with the gathered international media in the afternoon.

Pope Leo arrived at the Vatican as one of ten American cardinals for the conclave.

What is on Pope Leo's schedule for the coming days?

On Sunday, Leo is expected to lead a prayer at midday from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

On Monday, he's scheduled to hold a news conference.

On May 18, in a tradition marking the formal beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo will be formally installed at a Mass at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. World leaders are typically invited to attend the Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate, but most nations tend to send official delegations, rather than heads of state.

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Pope Leo will preside over his first General Audience, also at St. Peters, on May 21.

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




NEED TO KNOW

Bryan Koberger was arrested in December 2022 in connection with the killings of four University of Idaho students

Koberger was the subject of a May 2025 Dateline episode

He pleaded guilty to all four murders on July 2





Almost three years after Bryan Kohberger was arrested in connection with the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, he has accepted a plea deal.

On July 2, Kohberger formally entered guilty pleas to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary for the slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Ethan Chapin.

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Goncalves, 21, Mogen, 21, Kernodle, 20, and Chapin, 20, were stabbed to death in an off-campus rental home in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022. Two more roommates at the 1122 King Road residence, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, were home and unharmed. Early in the investigation, the surviving roommates were ruled out as suspects.

In December 2022, Kohberger was charged with four counts of murder and one count of felony burglary. Prosecutors had previously indicated they intended to seek the death penalty before a plea deal was reached in June 2025.

Kohberger is now expected to be sentenced to four life sentences plus an additional 10 years for the burglary charge.



Here's everything to know about Bryan Kohberger and where he is now.



Kohberger has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in criminal justice

KTVB Bryan Kohberger arrives to court.

Kohberger earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at a local community college near his eastern Pennsylvania hometown, The New York Times reported. In June 2022, he received a master's degree in criminal justice from DeSales University.

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Jack Baylis, who befriended Kohberger in eighth grade, told PEOPLE that Kohberger was very interested in psychology as a teen.

"He is super curious. Probably the most curious [person] who you'll ever meet. Guaranteed," Baylis said. "He was really into psychology, how people thought and whatnot. He's always been really into that kind of stuff."

One of his classmates at DeSales, Brittany Slaven, told The New York Times that Kohberger seemed rather interested in serial killers, but that his behavior didn't raise any red flags for her at the time. "At the time it seemed as if he was just a curious student, so if his questions felt odd we didn't think much of it because it fit our curriculum," she explained.



He interviewed for a job with local police in April 2022

In April 2022, Kohberger interviewed for a job as a graduate research assistant at the Pullman, Wash., police department.

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According to email correspondence obtained by The New York Times, Kohberger sent a note to then-Police Chief Gary Jenkins with the subject line "Thank you" after his interview.

"Chief Jenkins, It was a great pleasure to meet with you today and share my thoughts and excitement regarding the research assistantship for public safety. I look forward to hearing from you," he wrote.

Kohberger was getting a Ph.D in criminology at Washington State University

At the time of the murders, Kohberger was a Ph.D student in criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., about eight miles from the Moscow, Idaho, residence where the four University of Idaho students were slain.

BK Norton, a classmate of Kohberger at Washington State University who took the same courses as him one semester, described Kohberger to PEOPLE as "intelligent but quiet."

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Norton told PEOPLE that Kohberger was "more of a loner in the program," and claimed that Kohberger made disparaging remarks about the LGBTQ+ community.

Kohberger generally kept to himself, Norton said. But he noted, "I know that there were students meeting with him after the murders. He was quiet and stared a lot, but after the murders he seemed more willing to talk and hold a conversation."

An anonymous classmate of Kohberger's recalled him frequently taking contrarian viewpoints in classes and getting into heated arguments with other doctorate students, according to The New York Times. The classmate said Kohberger seemed to have more disagreements with women, including one incident that led to a female doctoral student storming out of the classroom after accusing Kohberger of "mansplaining."

While at Washington State University, Kohberger was also a teaching assistant. One of his students, Joey Famularo, said that his behavior changed after Nov. 12, 2022, when the murders occurred.

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"Definitely around then, he started grading everybody just 100s," she told CNN in January 2023. "Pretty much if you turned something in, you were getting high marks."

A local bar issued a warning to Kohberger months before the murders

Several months before the murders, Kohberger was warned about his interactions with women working and frequenting a bar in Bethlehem, Pa., Jordan Serulneck, the owner of Seven Sirens Brewing Company, told NBC News.

Serulneck explained that the bar staff scan IDs of all patrons and that they can add notes in their internal system. "Staff put in there, 'Hey, this guy makes creepy comments, keep an eye on him. He'll have two or three beers and then just get a little too comfortable,' " Serulneck recalled.

The brewery owner added that Kohberger would often sit alone at the bar, asking female staff and customers questions about where they lived and who they were at the bar with. Serulneck said that if women weren't interested in conversing that Kohberger "would get upset with them a little bit" and that Kohberger called a female staffer a "b----" when she wouldn't answer his questions.

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During Serulneck's final interaction with Kohberger, he said, "Hey Bryan, welcome back. We appreciate you coming back ... I just wanted to talk to you real quick and make sure that you're going to be respectful this time and we're not going to have any issues.'"

Kohberger seemed shocked at his remarks and told the owner, "'I don't know what you're talking about. You totally have me confused.' " Kohberger never returned to the bar after the conversation, Serulneck says.



Kohberger followed all three female victims on Instagram  and messaged one

While authorities have not revealed if the victims knew Kohberger, the suspect's now-deleted Instagram account  which was reviewed by PEOPLE before it was removed  followed the accounts of Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle. None of the victims followed him back.

Two weeks before the students were killed, Kohberger sent a series of messages to one of the victims on Instagram, an investigator familiar with the case told PEOPLE.

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"He slid into one of the girls' DMs several times but she didn't respond," a source told PEOPLE. "Basically, it was just him saying, 'Hey, how are you?' But he did it again and again."

The source added that the victim may not have ever seen the messages, as they went into the message request folder on Instagram. "There's no indication that he was getting frustrated with her lack of response," the source said, "but he was definitely persistent."

Kohberger also allegedly visited the Mad Greek restaurant in Moscow  where both Mogen and Kernodle worked as servers  in the weeks leading up to the slayings. According to a former employee, he came in at least twice to grab vegan pizza.

His DNA was found on the sheath of a knife left at the crime scene

According to the case's probable cause affidavit, which was reviewed by PEOPLE, a sheath of the knife used in the murders was left at the scene in the bed where Mogen and Goncalves were found. The affidavit states that this is where detectives found DNA linking Kohberger, which they then matched to trash taken from Kohberger's parents' home in Pennsylvania. In June 2023, prosecutors revealed that a DNA sample taken directly from Kohberger matched DNA found on the sheath of a knife.

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The affidavit also alleged that around 4:20 a.m. on the night of the killing, a white sedan referred to as "Suspect Vehicle 1" in the affidavit was seen leaving the area of the home. The document also stated that the vehicle and a phone associated with Kohberger returned to the scene between 9:12 a.m. and 9:21 a.m.

Additionally, the affidavit alleged a cell phone associated with Kohberger pinged in the area of the 1122 King Road home on at least twelve occasions prior to November 13, 2022.

"All of these occasions, except for one, occurred in the late evening and early morning hours of their respective days," the affidavit read.

A source familiar with the investigation told PEOPLE that Kohberger also had photos of one of the female victims on his phone. They did not specify whether the images were taken by Kohberger or pulled from social media.

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"He had more than one picture of her," the source said. "It was clear that he was paying attention to her."

Kohberger was pulled over twice on a road trip before his arrest

Fox 32 Chicago Bryan Kohberger during an Indiana traffic stop.

After Kohberger was arrested, body camera footage was released that showed him getting pulled over twice in one day while on a cross-country road trip from Washington to Pennslyvania with his father.

Kohberger was driving a white Hyundai Elantra  the same vehicle authorities were searching for in connection with the case  and was stopped both times for following a vehicle too closely. He was released with a verbal warning on both occasions.

After Kohberger's arrest, the vehicle was taken from his family home.

"At the time of the traffic stop, there was no information available on a suspect for the crimes in Idaho, to include identifying information or any specific information related to the license plate state or number of the white Hyundai Elantra which was being reported in the media to have been seen in an around where the crime occurred," the Hancock County Sheriff's Office said in a statement obtained by multiple outlets.

He spoke about the slain students during his extradition

Though Kohberger has largely remained silent after he was charged, a police source who was involved in the process told PEOPLE that he spoke to officers while he was being extradited.

"He seemed really nervous," the source said. "He was narrating to himself everything that was happening. At one point, he was saying something to himself like 'I'm fine, this is okay.' Like he was reassuring himself that this whole thing wasn't awful."

While Kohberger didn't speak directly to officers about the case, the police source said he did make an offhand comment about it. "He did say, 'It's really sad what happened to them,' but he didn't say anything more," the source said. "He's smarter than that."

Kohberger claimed he had an alibi for the night of the murders

According to Kohberger's defense attorney, his client was driving outside of Moscow on the night of the murders. The defendant claims he went to "hike and run and/or see the moon and stars."



Kohberger was the subject of a Dateline episode

The slayings of Mogen, Goncalves, Kernodle and Chapin were featured on the May 9, 2025, Dateline episode "The Terrible Night on King Road."

The episode contained previously unseen footage of the night of the murders.

He accepted a plea deal in June 2025

Kohberger accepted a plea deal on June 30 and pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary on July 2, 2025.

The plea deal waived his right to a jury trial, which was expected to begin in August 2025, and he will accept four consecutive life sentences plus 10 years on the burglary charge. Kohberger also waived his right to appeal.



Read the original article on People
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Although quite densely populated, Europe isnt short of lonely island outposts, remote mountain ranges and dark, seemingly impenetrable forests  and many of them shelter world-class displays of animal activity. Youll need to be well-equipped to enjoy them and will almost certainly need to travel in the company of an expert guide or a specialist tour operator  to keep you safe as well as make sense of what youre seeing. But if you get the basics right, Mother Nature still has the power to impress.

1. St Kilda, Scotland

Its the setting as much as the wildlife that makes St Kilda magnificent. Here, 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides, a citadel of soaring cliffs and islets stands fast against the heaving seas  and it swarms with breeding seabirds. The latest count was 17 nesting species, with 100,000 pairs of Atlantic puffins forming the UKs largest colony.

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Summer is the best time to visit: on a day trip, as part of a wider wildlife tour of the Hebrides or by bagging a spot on the National Trust for Scotlands sought-after campsite (booking ahead is essential). But whatever form your visit takes, the chance of spotting dolphins, orcas, seals and humpback whales en route adds to the thrill. So too the long street of abandoned houses above the main islands eastern shore  although there are wardens and researchers living here, the last St Kilda natives were evacuated in 1930, after 4,000 weather-beaten years of human habitation.

The island of St Kilda in Scotland hosts the UK's largest Atlantic puffin colony, with around 100,000 pairs of birds. Photograph by Michele D'Amico; Getty Images

2. Fagaras Mountains, Romania

In the southern Carpathians, west of Brasov, conservationists are hoping to create the Yellowstone of Europe  a half-million-acre national park whose biodiversity would be almost unmatched on the continent. But you dont have to wait till their work is done to visit. This heavily forested stretch of mountains is already home to a stellar array of species.

On a summers evening, waiting to spot brown bears from a woodland hide, youll be amazed  and heartened  to see the air thicken with insects, too, even though the worldwide populations continue to decrease. The 70,000-acre range owned by the Foundation Conservation Carpathia is one of the most rewarding areas to explore, which can be done through its partner company Travel Carpathia. Not only is the national park home to lynx, wolves and bears, bison and beavers have recently been reintroduced to the area. Next up on the rewilding list are vultures.

(Bears, wolves and rewilding in Romania's Southern Carpathian mountains.)

3. The Azores, Portugal

Ten million years of volcanic activity has created this remote archipelago at the point where the tectonic plates of Eurasia, Africa and North America meet. And as youd expect, 870 miles out into the Atlantic, they get a lot of aquatic traffic.

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In late spring and summer, fin, humpback, blue and pilot whales are all passing through while sperm whales live in the local waters year-round. Add in resident dolphin populations, as well as hammerhead sharks, and it makes for an exceptional wildlife destination; one thats covered by the largest marine protected area in the North Atlantic.

Make the island of Faial your base if whale-watching is your priority. Meanwhile, scuba divers should target Santa Maria: theres a chance of seeing whale sharks there in August alongside devil rays, barracudas and loggerhead turtles.

In late spring and summer, fin, humpback, blue and pilot whales are all passing through the Azores, making it a top wildlife-spotting destination. Photograph by George Karbus Photography; Getty Images

4. Bergslagen Forest, Sweden

You dont have to travel far from Stockholm to see Swedens wildlife. Just over two hours from the capital, the small town of Skinnskatteberg is a handy launchpad into Bergslagen  a region once famous for its iron ore that has now been reclaimed by Mother Nature. Its patchwork of pastures, thick forest and tranquil lakes is home to flourishing populations of wolves, beavers and bears as well as being one of the best places in Scandinavia to see moose.

Local guides will show you how to track these enormous creatures, which can stand six feet tall at the shoulder, as well as safely taking you into areas where sightings are common. You may also encounter them when youre out canoeing. Such waterborne meetings are the most exciting of all, as moose are much less likely to be spooked when youre afloat.

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(7 of the best places to wild camp in Europe.)

5. The Vanoise National Park, France

You wouldnt know it in a big, bustling resort such as Val dIsere or Meribel, but many of Frances busiest ski areas are within touching distance of the largest protected landscape in the Alps. Its been created by two contiguous national parks  the Vanoise in France and the Gran Paradiso in Italy  and in summer they offer a serene and spectacular sense of escape thats also very accessible.

On the edge of the Vanoise, Bonneval-sur-Arc is a pretty base, with some of the quietest parts of the park on its doorstep. Join a walking guide for the day and youll learn about the areas sizeable populations of ibex and chamois, as well as the successful reintroduction of bearded vultures, which were hunted to local extinction in the early 20th century. You may also come across evidence of another returning species, which has not been universally welcomed: wolves. Their droppings are easy to identify and usually contain the hair and bone fragments of their prey.

Many of Frances busiest ski areas, such as Val dIsere and Meribel, are within touching distance of the largest protected landscape in the Alps. Photograph by Thanachai Wachiraworakam; Getty Images

6. Svalbard, Norway

Midway between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole, this Norwegian outlier has unsurprisingly become a popular place to view Arctic wildlife. Specialist wildlife-watching holidays abound, as do locally run tours, with the north of Spitsbergen (the main island) the focus of summer activity.

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Up there, where the pack-ice still lingers, youll find many of Svalbards resident population of 270 polar bears (with up to 3,000 around the wider Barents Sea), as well as walruses, whales, seabirds and Arctic foxes. A small-ship cruise will be pricey but is the best way to explore the area, so you can mix whale-watching with excursions in rigid inflatable boats to remote stretches of the coast. Expect endless daylight and changeable weather. In July average temperatures bobble around the 3-7C mark.

(Close encounters on the Arctic pack ice of Svalbard, Norway.)

To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
May 9 (UPI) -- The Trump administration is "actively looking at" suspending the writ of habeas corpus, which is the right to challenge the legality of a person's detention by the government, White House senior adviser Stephen Miller said Friday.

Outside the White House, the deputy chief of staff for policy was asked by a reporter whether President Donald Trump was considering suspending the writ of habeas corpus to deal with illegal immigration in the United States.

"Well, the Constitution is clear -- and that, of course, is the supreme law of the land -- that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus can be suspended in a time of invasion," Miller said.

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"So, it's an option we're actively looking at. Look, a lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not."

Miller said judges should stop blocking the deportation of undocumented immigrants in cases in which those people are exercising habeas writs.

Senior adviser Stephen Miller told reporters outside the White House on Friday that the Trump administration is actively looking at suspending the writ of habeas corpus for deportations. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI

One Democratic aide told The Hill that "Stephen Miller is not a lawyer but he plays an (expletive) one on TV. No one in their right mind would take his advice seriously, but sanity is in short supply in this administration."

The U.S. Constitution, in Article 1, section 9, reads: "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

Senior adviser Stephen Miller told reporters outside the White House that judges should do the right thing and stop blocking the deportation of undocumented immigrants in cases where those people are exercising habeas writs. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI

The writ of habeas corpus has been suspended only four times, according to the National Constitution Center. They were during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, when parts of South Carolina was overrun by the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction in 1871-1872, when two provinces in the Philippines were under unrest in 1905 and in Hawaii after the bombing at Pearl Harbor in 1941.

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Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett and attorney Neal Katyal in 2017 wrote the Constitution "does not specify which branch of government has the authority to suspend the privilege of the writ. But most agree that only Congress can do it."

On April 7, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, allowed deportations of alleged members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang to El Salvador based on the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. But the justices ruled that the government must give deportees "reasonable time" to challenge their removal in court before being deported.

The 1798 Alien Enemies Act has been used three times during wars.

Administration officials didn't adhere to an oral order from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in March to turn around or halt flights of Venezuelan migrants headed to the Salvadoran prison.

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On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts said deporting a group of migrants overseas, possibly to Libya and Saudi Arabia, would violate court orders prohibiting the government from shipping deportees to a third country. Murphy was appointed by President Joe Biden.

Also, students, including Rumeysa Ozturk at Tufts and Mahmoud Khalil at Columbia, have challenged their detention. Ozturk on Friday was granted bail by District Judge William Sessions in Vermont, appointed by President Barack Obama.

Miller told reporters the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965 takes away jurisdiction by the Judicial Branch over immigration cases.

"The courts aren't just at war with the executive branch, the courts are at war -- these radical, rogue judges -- with the legislative branch, as well. So all of that will inform the choices the president ultimately makes," Miller said.

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Some men deported said they're not members of gangs.

"If Donald Trump can sweep non-citizens off the street and fly them to a torturer's prison in El Salvador with no due process, he can do it to citizens, too," Rep. Jamie Raskin, of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said last week. "Because if there is no due process, no fair hearing, you have no opportunity to object."
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  The White House has issued a memorandum calling for the swift completion of the project to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project has been in the works for years to make sure that four invasive carp species that have infested the Mississippi River system dont make it into Lake Michigan. According to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan is funding half of the 10% non-federal cost of the project, with Illinois funding the other half.

Asian carp species are a destructive nuisance that can out-compete native fish and grow to more than 100 lbs. The project would create barriers in the river system to prevent the fish from reaching the Great Lakes and harming the states huge recreation industry.

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This game-changing project, built at a critical water junction, will protect the Great Lakes from invasive species of carp. These fish, if allowed to enter the lakes, would destroy the ecosystem below the water and devastate our economy above it, says Whitmer. The Great Lakes are home to 3,500 plant and animal species and they support 1.5 million jobs that generate than $60 billion in wages a year across the entire region.

The White House memo says the federal government is ready to do its part for the projhect as long as the government in Illinois quickly acquires the needed land near the city of Joliet.

Governer Gretchen Whitmer applauded the announcement, saying it is a big win for the White House to express continued support fo th lock and dam project.

She says she advocated for this funding face-to-face when she visited President Donald Trump in the White House.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Screenshot: WLWT, TikTok

Rodney Hinton Jr. appeared in court this week for a hearing on charges he faces in connection to the killing of a Cincinnati sheriffs deputy. Walking past a wall of over 50 scowling deputies who posted up in support of their fallen colleague, Hinton stuck his chin up, eyeing down every single officer. - Kalyn Womack Read More

Screenshot: TikTok

In the latest incident of a white person appearing to attack a Black person minding their Black business, a Black woman says she was ambushed on her way to work by an old, male Karen. However, this wasnt the typical tantrum...the video shows a horrendous scene. - Kalyn Womack Read More

Photo: Executive Mayor Andre Truter Facebook

Authorities have spent over a year looking for a 6-year-old Black girl who went missing in South Africa. However, authorities recently identified the person who was behind her disappearance which turned this missing persons case into a straight up human trafficking investigation. The suspect in question is an even bigger plot twist to this story. - Kalyn Womack Read More

Photo: Amy Sussman (Getty Images)

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Adding to the list of powerful Black men who have been accused of sexual assault, news of a new lawsuit against music legend Smokey Robinson is shaking up everyones Tuesday afternoon. In a new lawsuit, four women have accused the icon of a series of heinous acts. - Phenix S Halley Read More

Photo: George Walker IV (AP)

Three of the five former Memphis police officers charged in the fatal beating Tyre Nichols faced trial this week on second-degree murder charges. After watching the horrifying footage we all did, of Nichols being beaten bloodied and mocked, the mostly white jury finally came back with a verdict... - Kalyn Womack Read More

Screenshot: YouTube

The conversation around Shiloh Hendrix, the playground Karen who was filmed calling a 5-year-old Black child the N-word is getting louder, as Hendrix is going viral and raising money to protect herself from ongoing threats. But the conversation became too much for activist and author Marc Lamont Hill during a recent appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored. - Angela Johnson Read More

Photo: Christopher Furlong (Getty Images)

As the world continues to celebrate Pope Leo XIV as the new leader of the Catholic Church, theres one important thing folks should know about him. On Thursday (May 8), Leo was named the first American-born pope in history. But his lineage has deeper ties to the intricate fabric of the Black American South. - Phenix S Halley Read More

Photo: GoFundMe

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A 23-year-old British nursing student was just days away from graduation when her life was brutally taken. Police suspect her roommate is behind her killing. The motive? A typical roommate disagreement that went way way left. - Kalyn Womack Read More

Photo: Michael Hill (AP), Office of the New York State Attorney General

About ten New York state correctional officers implicated in the death of Robert Brooks, a Black inmate who was savagely beaten in custody, were charged with murder after the incident. One officer, however, faced the court to give his decision on whether he wanted to fight to prove his innocence or not. The plea he entered was NOT what we expected. - Kalyn Womack Read More

Photo: Hamilton County Sheriffs Office

A Cincinnati courtroom was flooded with members of the county sheriffs office as they all faced the man who is accused of killing one of their colleagues. However, authorities claim theres a connection the suspect has with the fallen officer that makes the killing seem more like a revenge plot. - Kalyn Womack Read More

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Flowers remain one of the most popular gifts for moms on Mothers Day. However, youll likely pay higher prices for floral arrangements this year due to tariffs.

The operations manager of Genys Flowers, Trevor Bradshaw, told News 2 that the Charlotte Avenue florist gets dozens of orders for the occasion, adding that the holiday is second only to Valentines Day in terms of sales. The shop imports flowers from all over the world  mainly from Central American countries  and theyve started to feel the impact from tariffs.

President Trumps tariffs impacting Nashville auto repair shops

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We get a lot of roses from Colombia, Bradshaw said. Were definitely seeing tariffs across the board  Were seeing probably about a 15- to 20% increase. Sometimes, our vendors will hide the tariffs in the cost, so its tougher to see. A lot of times, though, it is right there on our invoices, so Im having to add it into our margins.

Most of the flowers Mom loves are grown in countries like Colombia, Canada and Ecuador  where tariffs have been in effect full-force. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. imported nearly $3.3 billion worth of cut flowers from 81 countries in 2022. Data showed that imports of fresh-cut roses alone totaled more than $800 million.

Were seeing increases on chrysanthemums and hydrangeas and things like larskspur, stalk and delphinium, Bradshaw said. A lot of these very classic flowers that you see in flower arrangements everywhere.

Need ideas for Mothers Day? Tennessee State Parks has you covered

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Bradshaw added that customers have been concerned about the costs of tariffs.

We have had some customers concerned about it  mostly our wholesale customers, our customers that are depending on our flowers to support their business, Bradshaw explained. Its frustrating to be caught in the politics of all this and to see tariffs so abruptly.

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A 39-year-old Wichita man was sentenced on Friday to seven years in prison for his role in a fatal shooting on Jan. 16, 2024, according to Sedgwick County District Attorney spokesperson Dan Dillon.

Yancy Hermosillo was sentenced after pleading no contest to aggravated battery in the killing of 35-year-old LaDonte Maurice Ostrander. Hermosillo had originally been charged with second-degree murder.

Video from around the time of the shooting in 2024 showed two people following Ostrander in the 900 block of South Broadway in Wichita, according to a probable cause affidavit. A second man had previously been arrested on suspicion of murder, but has not been charged. The case against that man is under review, Dillon said.

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Shots were fired around 5:09 a.m. Two shots could be heard, followed by about nine shots two minutes later and then two more shots, the court document says.

Police found Ostrander found on the sidewalk shot in the left leg. He was taken to the hospital where he died.
May 10Somewhat surprisingly, perhaps, fishing pressure this past winter on Lake of the Woods didn't set a record, despite ideal ice conditions and marginal snow cover that made it easy to get around.

According to preliminary results from a winter creel survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, anglers logged just over 2 million hours of fishing pressure on the big lake during the winter of 2024-25.

While fishing pressure on Lake of the Woods was up from the winter of 2023-24, when anglers spent just over 1 million hours on the ice, the pressure fell well short of the record set during the winter of 2022-23, when anglers logged about 3 million hours on the ice.

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A late freeze-up and marginal ice conditions hampered

fishing pressure during the winter of 2023-24,

but conditions this past winter were favorable well into March. Ice road operators took advantage of the good ice and sparse snow cover, plowing roads of nearly 30 miles in length in some areas along the south shore of Lake of the Woods.

The DNR

in recent winters has implemented a new creel survey design

to more accurately measure the extent of overnight ice fishing pressure on Lake of the Woods. Instead of a "roving survey," in which creel clerks traveled the ice by snowmobile or pickup truck interviewing anglers actively fishing, the DNR now uses an "access-based" design, setting up at popular access points and some of the larger resorts and interviewing anglers and fishing groups as they come off the lake.

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While anglers tallied more than 3 million hours of fishing pressure in 2022-23, the new creel survey design made the results kind of an "apples and oranges" comparison with previous creel surveys.

"We're now accounting for overnight pressure," Matt Skoog , area fisheries supervisor in Baudette, Minnesota, told the Herald in September 2023. "There's no good way to get a directly comparable number" with the old roving creel surveys.

Upper Red Lake, another popular winter fishing destination, uses a similar format, which provides better data on pressure from anglers who stay on the lake for extended periods of time, a trend driven by the growing popularity of deluxe wheelhouses or ice camping in portable hub-style pop-up shelters.

According to Marc Bacigalupi, Northwest Region fisheries manager for the DNR in Bemidji, operators on other big lakes such as Leech and Winnibigoshish, along with smaller 5,000- to 10,000-acre lakes around the state, may be catching up with Lake of the Woods in terms of plowing ice roads. A phenomenal jumbo perch bite this past winter on Mille Lacs Lake also caught some traffic heading north, he said.

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"When we hit 3 million (in 2022-23), it was one of the main games in town because the ice wasn't as good in other places as it was up there," Bacigalupi said of the record winter on Lake of the Woods. "So, we were below the record levels (this past winter), but the catch rates were really good. Decent-sized saugers were getting harvested and so there was good poundage out there."

Preliminary numbers show that anglers harvested about 175,000 pounds of walleyes and 150,000 pounds of saugers this past winter on Lake of the Woods, Bacigalupi said, up from about 75,000 pounds of walleyes and 102,000 pounds of saugers during the winter of 2023-24.

Anglers kept about 94,000 pounds of walleyes and 121,000 pounds of saugers during the winter of 2022-23, the ice season with record fishing pressure.

The DNR's "target harvest" for walleyes on Lake of the Woods  the poundage of fish that can be kept in a given year without adversely impacting the population  is 540,000 pounds annually, based on a six-year moving average. The most recent annual harvest, based on that six-year moving average, is about 400,000 pounds.

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A new fisheries management plan for Lake of the Woods that is nearing completion

calls for changing sauger management goals from a target harvest to an "exploitation threshold," or percentage of the population that can be harvested in a given year.

As the Herald reported in January, the exploitation threshold accounts for changes in sauger abundance. If sauger abundance goes up, more pounds of sauger can be harvested without affecting the exploitation rate  or vice versa. The exploitation threshold for this past winter is still being calculated.

"We have been consistently harvesting over our (sauger) harvest poundage thresholds and not seeing any negative (biological) effects," Skoog, the Baudette area fisheries supervisor, said in January.
President Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff suggested during a recent interview that the United States could walk away from ongoing nuclear talks with Iran if no progress ensues after the forthcoming meeting on Sunday in Oman.

We didnt think that the talks last week were going to be productive because we needed to get to certain understandings with them, and hopefully, this Sunday they will be productive. Hopefully, that means they will continue those talks. If they are not productive on Sunday, then they wont continue and well have to take a different route, Witkoff said in a wide-ranging interview with Breitbart News that was released Friday.

Witkoff, who is overseeing a large foreign policy portfolio that includes helping bring a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and the release of hostages held by Hamas, is expected to travel to Oman on Sunday for the fourth round of nuclear discussions between Washington and Tehran, a U.S. source familiar with the matter said Friday.

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The talks, similarly to previous meetings, are expected to be direct and indirect, the source added.

An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. Thats our red line. No enrichment. That means dismantlement, it means no weaponization, and it means that Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahanthose are their three enrichment facilitieshave to be dismantled, Witkoff said in the interview.

Witkoff has been the lead negotiator on the U.S. side. Iran has been represented by its foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who last week said that the Islamic Republic must be permitted to enrich uranium.

As a founding signatory to the NPT, Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle. Moreover, there are several NPT members which enrich uranium while wholly rejecting nuclear weapons. Apart from Iran, this club includes several Asian, European, and South American nations, Araghchi said on social media last Friday. Maximalist positioning and incendiary rhetoric achieve nothing except eroding the chances of success.

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The two sides have held three rounds of talks so far. Two took place in Muscat, the capital of Oman, and the other was in Rome.

The fourth round that was slated to take place in Italy were postponed last week over logistical reasons, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said.

Witkoff told Breitbart News that Iran notified the U.S. that it does not want a nuclear weapon.

They have stated back that they dont want one, Witkoff said. So were going to, for the purposes of this discussion, take them at their word that thats actually how they feel. If thats how they feel, then their enrichment facilities have to be dismantled.

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Wiktoffs upcoming meeting in Oman is scheduled right before Trump is set to embark on a multi-state trip to the Middle East next week.

Trump has warned Tehran in recent weeks that if diplomacy around Irans expanding nuclear weapons program falls apart, military strikes could follow.

Witkoff said any potential nuclear deal with Iran would be much tougher than the one negotiated by former President Obama, an agreement that Trump pulled out of in 2018, during his first White House term.

First of all, were never doing a JCPOA deal where sanctions come off and theres no sunsetting of their obligations. That doesnt make sense, Witkoff said. That was a mismatched procedure in JCPOA.

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A passerby spat on Washington D.C's interim U.S. attorney, Ed Martin, as he was giving a live interview.

The incident was captured on video, which went viral.

"We need to get really focused," Martin started saying to the television reporter, when the unidentified woman pointed her finger at him before spitting at him and then walking off.

According to The New York Post, when the incident happened, Martin was speaking about the withdrawal of his nomination to be the permanent U.S. attorney to Newsmax on May 8, 2025. Fox News host Jeanine Pirro was nominated instead to be U.S. attorney for the Washington D.C. district.

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It appeared the woman was simply walking past when she spotted Martin because she was also walking a dog.

"You are Ed Martin," the woman said before spitting on him.

D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin was spat on during a live interview.pic.twitter.com/L6Ox3on1bn  Community Notes & Violations (@CNviolations) May 9, 2025

"You are a disgusting man," the woman also shouted. Martin looked shocked in the video as the incident unfolded.

According to The New York Post, after concerns were raised about his nomination, it was decided that he would be an associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney instead.

Martin's nomination to be U.S. attorney failed after Republican North Carolina senator Thom Tillis indicated he would not back him, which would mean there were not enough votes in the U.S. Senate to get him through, according to Newsweek.

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Newsweek noted that the woman also used an expletive during the incident, which occurred while Martin was appearing on The Chris Salcedo Show.

In January, Martin was named the interim U.S. attorney.

Related: Pope Leo XIV's Alma Mater Has Message for Everyone
OTISCO, N.Y. (WSYR)  Over the past few years, a 400-acre concert venue has been the epicenter of noise and crowd complaints for Otisco and Lafayette residents. But a state judge has ruled that local laws regarding mass gatherings and noise levels must be followed.

Aidan Cleghorn purchased 70 acres of land for his wife and five boys in 2022, a location that he knew had a 30-acre border with another parcel of land.

Maybe four months after we bought the house, we learned that they were going to be doing large-scale concerts there, Cleghorn said.

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Ever since Wonderland Forest started hosting events, it has been a non-stop noise and safety concern for Cleghorns family, as thousands frequent the venue, located down the street, during the summer.

During the concerts, a lot of people would get dropped off by Uber or Lyft, and theyd get the addresses wrong, which is understandable, and theyd come roaring up our driveway and we have the little kids out thereriding their bicycles and playing ball, he said.

But Glenn Hall, Otiscos Town Supervisor, confirmed a state judge has ruled that everyone must abide by local laws involving mass gatherings and noise control. In an amended noise control law, limited noise levels are laid out for daytime and nighttime events. Another law focuses on the regulations of mass gatherings, and states events with more than 250 people must get permission from the town, or be fined.

Now that the final decision has been made and our laws are shown to be upheldnow they need to abide by those laws as theyre written today, Hall said.

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Cleghorn said he hopes Wonderland Forest owners follow the law, with their first concert happening in three weeks.

They still have a lot of power to be good neighbors orto make life hard for everyone around them, he said.

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" after a fourth day of strikes and counter-strikes against each other's military installations.

This is what global leaders have said about the latest development between the nuclear-armed neighbours:

U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

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U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO

"I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace."

BANGLADESH'S INTERIM LEADER MUHAMMAD YUNUS

"I most sincerely commend Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of India and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan for agreeing to a ceasefire with immediate effect and to engage in talks. Bangladesh will continue to support our two neighbours to resolve differences through diplomacy."

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EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF KAJA KALLAS

"The announced ceasefire between India and Pakistan is a vital step toward de-escalation. All efforts must be made to ensure it is respected. The EU remains committed to peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region."

BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER DAVID LAMMY

"Today's ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome. I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest."

SAUDI ARABIA FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY

"The Foreign Ministry welcomes the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India, optimistic that it will restore security and peace in the region. The Kingdom commends both parties for prioritising wisdom and self-restraint and reaffirms its support for resolving disputes through dialogue and peaceful means."

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UN SECRETARY-GENERAL SPOKESPERSON STEPHANE DUJARRIC

"The Secretary-General welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions. He hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries."

PRINCE RAHIM AL-HUSSAINI, SPIRITUAL LEADER OF ISMAILI MUSLIMS

"I am pleased to see that ceasefire has been agreed upon. I pray that both countries will work to resolve issues that date back to 1947 through dialogue and peaceful means."

(Reporting by Surbhi Misra and Tanvi MehtaEditing by Tomasz Janowski and Louise Heavens)
By Alina Smutko and Herbert Villarraga

ZAPORIZHZHIA REGION, Ukraine (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a three-day pause in fighting against Ukraine, but for bloodied Ukrainian soldiers limping into a field hospital, their wounds testified that the ceasefire was not being respected.

One soldier, who gave his name as Stanislav, sat in the field hospital on Friday night cradling his left arm. It was wrapped in gauze bandage, and blood was soaking through.

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There hasnt been any ceasefire," said Stanislav, who did not give his full name in line with Ukrainian military protocol.

"Shelling has continued just as before, drones are flying just like before, the same with explosives being dropped. Nothing has changed at all."

"Look, we were driving today, there were mortars all the way. Advance parties moved forward, they tried to attack."

Putin announced the three-day ceasefire to coincide with a May 9 military parade on Moscow's Red Square where he hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders in commemoration of the end of World War Two.

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The ceasefire is due to end at midnight (2100 GMT) on Saturday.

Ukraine did not sign up for the ceasefire, calling it a ruse by Putin. Each side has accused the other of carrying on fighting regardless, though there has been a pause in long-range attacks on each other's capitals.

Reuters was given access to the field hospital, in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine that is partially controlled by Russian forces, on condition the news agency did not disclose the exact location.

Medics examined soldiers as they came in and replaced the dressings that had been hurriedly put on their wounds out in the field. The more serious cases were placed on a gurney while medics bandaged them, checked their vital signs, and cleaned dried blood and mud off their skin.

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One of the medics, who gave his name as Oleh, said it was a regular night's work, even with the Russian-declared ceasefire.

The same as usual, we got used to it. They will never change," he said of the Russian forces.

"Just the opposite, we know that if they declare some sort of ceasefire it will be exactly the opposite. No question about that. They keep shooting."

(Writing by Christian Lowe, Editing by Louise Heavens)
US President Donald Trump said during a closed-door meeting with a group of leading party donors in Florida that resolving international conflicts, particularly the Russo-Ukrainian war, had proved to be a much more difficult task than he had expected. The president shared his disappointment and sleepless nights over foreign policy failures.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Details: WSJs sources, who were present at the meeting with the president, said that Trump had described attempts to end Russia's war against Ukraine as a growing disappointment that was keeping him awake at night.

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When one of the donors asked Trump about the most difficult foreign policy challenges, Trump replied that negotiations with Putin had been particularly difficult.

Trump said that Putin wanted "the whole thing", meaning Ukraine.

Quote: "When Trump campaigned to return to power, he vowed to end both of those wars [the Russo-Ukrainian and Israeli-Palestinian wars  ed.] diplomatically and argued that neither conflict would have begun if he was in the White House at the time. He would even end the war in Ukraine on on day one, he said.

Instead, as he passes the 100-day mark of his second term with neither conflict closer to a resolution, negotiations to end Irans nuclear programme stalled, and a trade war straining relationships with allies, Trump is finding solving the worlds problems more difficult than he had thought."

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Details: Over the past few weeks, sources say, Trump has said in private conversations with advisers that Putin does not want to end the war and that both sides are refusing to compromise. Trump has also expressed surprise at some of Russia's military actions, including airstrikes in areas where children are present.

Recently, senior officials in the Trump administration acknowledged that Russia remains the main obstacle to peace. Moscow is refusing to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, which has already been supported by Kyiv, and instead is demanding additional concessions from Ukraine.

US officials also suggest that Trump may consider the mere fact that direct talks between Ukraine and Russia have begun to be a success. The administration believes that further developments should be resolved without direct US involvement, which will allow it to focus on other priorities, officials said.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  The Associated Press is reporting that officials from the United States and China are meeting in Switzerland for initial trade talks. This comes in the wake of the Trump Administrations 145% tariff on Chinese goods, but what do tariffs mean for West Virginians?

12 News spoke to West Virginia University Professor in Political Science Dr. Christina Fattore, who teaches and researches international political economy, or how government policies affect economics and vice versa, and has appeared on national news to discuss tariffs.

Fattore first reached out after seeing a 12 News article that discusses a study by Investors Observer, which suggested that West Virginia is less exposed to being impacted by tariffs because the state imports less from China. The study says 4% of total imports into West Virginia are from China when in comparison a state like California imports $122.75 billion of goods, or 25% of its total imports.

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Fattore however, argued that Californias numbers are likely higher because of the states major ports, and that the goods imported in California eventually make their way to states like West Virginia. Furthermore, Fattore said goods from China find their way into American life in broad, but unnoticed ways. Clothes in Walmart or JCPenney are likely made from Chinese textiles. The frozen corn at the grocery store comes in a bag that was likely made in China.

Sen. Capito, FBI Director discuss potentially expanding Clarksburg FBI facility

In terms of trade surpluses and deficits, Fattore says, The truth of the matter is that China has the upper hand. We dont export as much to China as they export to us. And so we need China not only as consumers, but also as producers. We need components from China for many things.

President Trump has long opposed Americas trade deficit with China and has put forward tariffs as a way to encourage the rebuilding of American manufacturing. The Trump Administration in the past has also said that tariffs are paid for by other countries. Fattore said that they are actually paid for by the importers  and eventually the consumer. Fattore foresees tariffs causing higher prices and less access to goods in the next couple of months.

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If these economic disruptions last long enough, she argued that pushback from the public will prevent the Trump administration from keeping the tariffs long enough to build the factories and train the workers needed to build back up American manufacturing.

How long can Americans hold on and how long can they deal with not having access to certain goods from other countries? Fattore said. Or how long can the average American pay higher prices when they go grocery shopping or back to school shopping? I really dont think Americans will be happy with what they find.

12 News will continue to look out for how the tariffs or any change in trade policy comes back to West Virginia.

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CHEYENNE  Wyoming Public Records Ombudsman Darlena Potter said she has no teeth when asking government entities to fulfill public records requests.

During the Legislatures Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee meeting in Lander on Friday, lawmakers reviewed the states Public Records and Public Meetings acts, and heard testimony from Potter, to understand the climate of public records requests in Wyoming.

The states ombudsman serves as the mediator between governmental agencies and the public over disputes regarding timely public records requests. In her position, which was created in 2019 by the Wyoming Legislature, Potter receives complaints when an agency does not meet the 30-day response deadline and fails to release the requested documents.

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The ombudsman must determine whether that agency had good cause. When handling disputes, the ombudsman may prescribe a new timeline for releasing the records, as well as waive associated fees. But her power is limited beyond that.

We created this position for not necessarily the state, but for all of the entities, the smaller boards and commissions, the small municipalities, said co-Chairman Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander. We thought this would be helpful to them, as well as to the person making the records requests.

Potter said staffing is a common issue in a government entitys ability to fulfill a records request in a timely manner. For example, if a person asked the county clerk for a public record, its not ideal to make the request during election season.

Wyoming law allows a person to file a civil lawsuit in district court against an entity they find to be in violation of the Public Records Act. Potters job is to mediate conflicts before they reach that point.

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You know, courts expensive, Potter said. Whatever we can do to help the citizens get what they're entitled to is really what we should do  at the least amount of cost that we can.

She told the committee shes handled 27 cases since the start of the year, with five involving repeat clients, and only six cases remain in the mediation process.

Uniform fees

Another issue Potters run into is the lack of consistency in fees for public records requests.

Everyone in the state of Wyoming is kind of working off their own fee schedules, so to speak, with regard to what can be charged for those records, Potter said.

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Rep. Pepper Ottman, R-Riverton, who testified during public comment, since shes not a member of the committee, suggested putting in a statutory framework to unify public records request processes across the state at the local level.

Former Sen. Affie Ellis of Cheyenne echoed Ottmans remarks, adding that this issue is near and dear to my heart.

We see investigations across the state where one entity charges nothing and another entity charges $45 or $60 or one school board charges $900 and another one charges $1,800 for the same request of information, Ellis said. We need to ensure that we are examining some way to make sure that there's a standardization.

Wyoming does not have a fee schedule for public records requests. Fees vary by local entity across the state and reflect costs for printing and staff time.

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Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, asked Potter for her thoughts on asking agencies to justify high costs of fees after a certain threshold.

For fees where the request is over $1,000  the agency (should) justify why it's $1,000, Yin said. When we have these really exorbitant fees, if there are good reasons, I think those should be outlined.

Potter suggested establishing a fee threshold, similar to that created by the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information (A&I) for state entities. The department will cover the first $180 and then will give an estimate of costs beyond that, she said.

I would ultimately like to see most fee schedules include some at least nominal fee that would allow the citizens to receive something that's readily available for free, Potter said. I know that they have limited means and they have costs to cover, but if it's just something very small and reasonable  I think the public is entitled.

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Burden is on the public

Newcastle News Letter Journal Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Bob Bonnar told lawmakers that the burden to obtain public records rests largely on the public. Bonnar gave several anecdotes to support his testimony from the perspective of the press, and sent a 50-page email of examples from news stories around the state to each committee member.

Bonnar said his newspaper recently sued Weston County after three county commissioners voted by secret ballot to nominate a representative. The lawsuit didnt cost the county a dime, since it was represented by another county attorney pro bono, he said.

However, it cost the newspaper $15,000.

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We were forced to sue them to get them to acknowledge that the secret ballot was illegal, Bonnar said.

Bonnar said governmental entities can hide behind the ombudsman, since the burden lies on the public to file their complaints.

Governments can just tell us no, Bonnar said. The ombudsman then becomes an additional piece of bureaucracy that the public has to work through.

Data mining

One issue brought up during the meeting was data mining, or the act of massive public records requests, usually by out-of-state entities, to collect and resell data, according to public testimony.

Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins said his city clerk gave him six examples of data mining challenges that shes currently facing. Ohm Analytics sends the capital city a monthly request for every building permit on solar.

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They give us like 15 items they want, Collins said. They want the permit, the number, the name of everything on those permits.

A.I. Solutions also recently sent a request for every purchasing record from July 1, 2020, through today, Collins said. The detailed request includes the I.D. number of the vendor, name of the vendor, P.O. number, the invoice, the check number and the purchase date.

Collins said he understood the responsibility and need to fulfill public records requests, but his question for the committee is Who is that for?

If some company in New York wants to get this information so they can use it to sell products, and it's going to take my clerk two or three hours a month to do that information, is that fair? Collins asked.

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Drafted legislation

Case made a successful motion to draft a bill for the committees next meeting. The bill would include several components to address the main concerns discussed Friday.

This includes a three-day timeline for an entity to acknowledge a request and a 10-day timeline to fulfill the request. If the entity needs longer than 10 days, it would need to go through the ombudsman to request a longer timeframe, with a potential maximum of the states current 30-day deadline.

The draft bill will also apply A&Is fee schedule for state entities to local entities for public records requests, and maintain the ombudsmans ability to waive fees during a dispute. If an entity needs to charge a higher fee, it would have to go through the ombudsman to do so.

Finally, in response to the lack of teeth concern, it would give the ombudsman authority to levy civil penalties against an entity found to be out of compliance with the Public Records Act.
A New Jersey man who once stiffed the New York Yankees out of more than $626,000 was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay more than $3.5 million in restitution after pleading guilty to tax evasion, authorities said.

Shipping company owner Walter Hass of Hewitt  who was accused in 2020 of failing to pay the Yankees for eight seats, food and beverage in a suite hed signed up for  used cash that should have gone to the taxman on everything from luxury cars such as Aston Martins and McClarens, high-end watches, designer clothes and vacations.

While he initially pleaded guilty in October 2023, Hass, 63, concocted a kidney cancer diagnosis and submitted phony letters from doctors to the court in a bid to avoid having the guilty plea entered into court.

Walter Hass allegedly signed an eight-year deal for seats in a suite at Yankee Stadium then failed to pay. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Hass did not have cancer and attempted to travel throughout the United States and around the world during this time. Only when law enforcement discovered his deception did he ultimately admit to his conduct, the US Attorneys Office in New Jersey said.

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His sentence, handed down Tuesday, includes three years supervised release.

Hass failed to collect, account for and pay payroll taxes between 2014 and 2022, and during that stretch, he was also cheating the Yankees, according to court records.

The Bronx Bombers brought the Bergen County man to Manhattan Federal Court in 2020, claiming he signed an eight-year deal for eight seats in a suite that included food and beverages.

The Yankees initially wanted an eye-popping $1.5 million before arbitrators knocked down the amount, and a judge later confirmed the award but its unclear if Hass ever paid up.
Speaking at a Black church in Brooklyn last September, Andrew Cuomo tested the message that would quickly become the centerpiece of his campaign to be mayor of the countrys largest city. Were on the decline, the former New York governor said. Things are getting worse; quality of life is getting worse. Things are feeling out of control. The subtext was barely that: New York City was increasingly broken and lawless, and it needed an experienced leader at the helm.

That message has resonated. Less than two months until the Democratic primary, Cuomo holds a substantial polling lead over his myriad opponents, who are struggling to break through against a front-runner whose name recognition is so superior that hes acting as if he is running unopposed. At the same time, Cuomo has relentlessly pushed a dystopian (and quite Trumpian) vision of a city in chaoscaused by rampant crime, homelessness, an influx of immigrants, and even e-bikesand presented himself as the lone solution, given that he has experience that his rivals cant match.

Ever since he was elected state attorney general in 2006 and especially during his nearly decade-long stint as governor, Cuomo has cultivated an image of himself as someone uniquely adept at managing complex bureaucracies and messy politics. For Cuomo and the slavish aides who surround him, no one is better at the arm twistingand dark artsthat are required to get anything done in a state as notoriously dysfunctional as New York. In truth, thats a myth Cuomo himself created. He is not a cunning dealmaker, skilled manager, or inspiring leaderbut he is masterful at selling himself as all of the above. As Democrats slowly mount a resistance against Trumps second administration, there is no worse person to elevate than a shameless self-promoter with an inflated sense of his political gifts and accomplishments.

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When Cuomo officially announced his campaign for mayor two months ago, he implied that he deserved a spot in the pantheon of Democratic leaders of the last century. F.D.R., John Kennedy, L.B.J., Mario Cuomo, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama taught us what it meant to have a true progressive government: It wasnt about rhetoric, but results, Cuomo said. They focused on issues that mattered to people in their day-to-day lives, issues that were relevant to them, and then they actually made life better for people. And that is what Democrats must do once again.

If that seems arrogant to youand it should, given that the only non-president in that field is Cuomos father, another former governor of New Yorkthen consider this shorter spin on the same subject from 2019. After turning his fire on state progressives, who were attempting to push through a raft of legislation after retaking the legislature, Cuomo said, I believe I am the most progressive, or one of the most progressive leaders in the state. Then, pushed on his recent criticism of the states actual progressives, Cuomo shrugged and echoed Louis XIV. I am the left, he said.

Running for mayor, he and his allies are fond of reminding voters of the legislation that he signed into law, presenting him as a no-nonsense leader who gets things done. Its true that Cuomo did sign a number of billson gun control, same-sex marriage, and marijuanaand oversaw the completion of several infrastructure projects, including the Second Avenue subway and a replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge, which he named after his father. But Cuomos stint as governor was more notable for what didnt happen than what did.

For much of his reign, Cuomo presided over a divided government thanks to a group of renegade Democrats, the Independent Democratic Conference, who caucused with Republicans in the state Senate. Cuomo frequently used this coalition as evidence of his own political prowesshe could make divided government work, as few could!but it was all a sham. As The New Republic reported in 2017, Cuomo himself perpetuated that divided government by supporting the creation of the IDC in 2011. His reasoning was as simple as it was malevolent: He wanted to stymie New York City Democrats, who he believed would push progressive legislation. For a new governor with presidential ambitions, that simply would not do, so he propped up what was effectively a Republican majority in the Senate that held until 2018, when the benevolent governor ordered its dissolution.

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When examined closely, Cuomos record of competence is similarly less impressive. As Politicos Nick Riesman wrote in a damning account of the governors long record of mismanagement in late April, His team has asserted his consistent polling advantage is based on his reputation as an effective manager, but as he vies to oversee the nations largest school district, trash collection operation and police force, he is glossing over his mistakes and betting voters wont remember. Some of the infrastructure projects Cuomo presided over were far less impressive than they seem. The Mario Cuomo bridge was plagued by issuesbolts were reportedly flying off it around the same time its namesakes son celebrated its completion.

At first blush, the completion of the Second Ave subwaya project decades in the makingwas definitive proof of Cuomos singular prowess as a manager. But his obsession with finishing the line helped exacerbate a crisis in New York Citys subway system that led to months of brutal delays. Shifting the MTAs priorities and accelerating construction of the Second Avenue Subway led to a system-wide subway crisis in 2017, wrote Philip Mark Plotch, in his book The Last Subway. Indeed, the MTAs long-standing funding crisis was aided by Cuomo, who deliberately underfunded mass transit in the city: If anyone deserves blame for the shambolic state of citys subways today, it is him.

Cuomos mayoral campaign, meanwhile, suggests that his trademark qualityarroganceis as strong as ever. Given the cloud of corruption hanging over New York City Mayor Eric Adams, you would expect any reputable challenger to emphasize ethics and good government in their campaign. Not Andrew Cuomo. He has refused to disclose the names of the clients of his legislative consulting firm and failed to reveal to an ethics board that he holds millions in stock in a nuclear start-up.

At the same time, he has treated the Democratic primary as a coronation, refusing to debate his opponents and largely eschewing campaigning altogether in favor of glitzy events with donors. And theres a troubling sloppiness to his campaign that belies his self-image as an effective manager and experienced politician. His housing plan was apparently written with the help of artificial intelligence. He lost out on nearly $3 million in public campaign funding because his campaign blew a deadline. And his campaign keeps coordinating with a pro-Cuomo associated super PAC, even though thats illegal in New York City. Cuomo doesnt care; hes always acted as though the rules dont apply to him.

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That defiance is apparently serving him well with voters as he attempts a political comeback that would have been unimaginable several years ago. In August 2021, he resigned as governor amid several scandals, most prominently the multiple allegations of sexual harassment by women who worked with him. On the campaign trail, he has repeatedly insisted that he was punished for being a handsy Italian American from an older generation. You see all this behavior, for a 25-year-old or younger woman with different mores and sensitivities, its Dont touch me and Ciao bella is offensive and honey is offensive and sweetheart is offensive, and that is a legitimate school of thought, he told New York magazine at the end of March. I heard that intellectually, and I got itbut I just didnt actually get it enough. Its clear that he still doesnt get it enough.

Since Cuomo resigned from office, his handling of the Covid-19 pandemiconce thought to be one of his major accomplishmentshas been exposed as a sham. It was revealed that he had ordered aides to work on a memoir celebrating his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic while they were supposed to be doing government worklike helping to fight the pandemic, which was still raging. And he was accused of covering up nursing home deaths during the pandemic. (Republicans on the House Oversight Committee recently referred Cuomo to the Department of Justice for prosecution relating to allegedly false statements he made to Congress on the subject. Its a political move, no doubt, but the committees investigation was not without merit.)

And yet, despite this damning record, Cuomo is on the precipice of returning to power. This would be depressing even if Kamala Harris had triumphed over Donald Trump in November. With Trump in the White House, its potentially disastrous. Like the president, Cuomo is an incompetent politician, a malicious bully, and an inveterate braggart. He will cast himself as a foil to the president and a leader of his party, just as he did as governor. But we know the whole truth about him now. Theres no excuse for letting this political cretin rise again.
YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  Tears were shed in an emotional fallen officers memorial ceremony Friday morning at the York County Office of Emergency Services.

To those that we lost, we say thank you, Guy Hettinger, the executive director for public safety in York County, said.

Eight officers were honored and remembered. Each of their names were called and different police agencies laid a rose by their picture.

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We gather today with somber hearts and solidarity to honor the memory of York Countys brave emergency services who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service to our communities, chaplain and retired Corporal with York County Regional Police Keith Dyke said.

Families, friends, fellow officers and community united together to honor the fallen heroes.

Its important for the families to know that we still care, Julie Wheeler, the president commissioner of the county, said. We still remember, and we will always remember.

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The event is held every year to honor those officers. The last few years it included seven officers. This year added an eighth with the loss of Officer Andrew Duarte of West York Borough Police after he was killed at a hospital shooting.

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Heres the list of the eight officers recognized:

Officer Curtis D. Sowers, North York Borough Police

Patrolman Henry C. Shaad, York City Police

Deputy Ed Skip Schroeder, Jr., York Sheriffs Department

Officer David Tome, Northern York Regional Police

Private Dean Zeigler, Pennsylvania Motor Police

K-9 Officer Fury, York City Police

Officer Alex Sable, York City Police

Officer Andrew Duarte, West York Borough Police

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
New York City is expecting 2 million fewer international tourists this year amid concerns over President Donald Trumps anti-immigration and trade tariff policies, according to a new report.

City officials revised their December forecast, which estimated 14.6 million foreign tourists would visit in 2025, down to 12.1 million, according to a report released by New York City Tourism and Conventions, the citys tourism agency.

Including both domestic and foreign visitors, the city expects to see 3.5 million fewer in total compared to the 67.7 million it previously predicted.

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We are in uncertain times and there are more questions than answers, Julie Coker, the agencys CEO said, emphasizing that New York City is still the most welcoming, inclusive and diverse city in the world.

New York City is expected to see a significant drop in the number of international visitors this year, according to city officials. (Getty Images)

The drop in estimated foreign visitors is partly down to the Trump administrations high-profile detainments of immigrants, according to Adam Sacks, president of consulting firm Tourism Economics.

Stories of nightmare encounters at the U.S. border, some of which resulted in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, have spooked travelers.

Sacks also said that Trump's tariffs were deterring tourists from the U.S., according to Bloomberg.

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Foreign tourists are vital for the city as they typically spend more money than domestic visitors. In 2024, international tourists spent $23 billion, according to the citys Comptroller Brad Lander.

President Donald Trump downplayed the decline in international tourists visiting the U.S. and said it was not a big deal (AP)

Canadians have the highest number of tourists coming to the U.S., with 24 million visiting last year, followed by Mexico at 17 million and the United Kingdom at 4 million.

In a recent report by research firm Tourism Economics, inbound travel to the U.S. is now projected to decline by 5.5 percent this year, instead of growing by nearly 9 percent as had previously been forecast.

A further escalation in tariffs and trade wars could result in further reductions in international tourism, which could amount to an $18 billion annual reduction in tourist spending in 2025.

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Trump was quizzed about how his policies were impacting international tourism figures at the end of last month, when he downplayed the situation.

There is a little nationalism there, I guess, perhaps, he said in the Oval Office. Its not a big deal.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Youngstown City Schools announced plans Friday for reconfiguration in the district.

The school board held a news conference Friday afternoon, where Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor announced a major reconfiguration of the Youngstown City School District over the next two years.

Our district reconfiguration ad hoc committee has been meeting for over a year, Batchelor said.

This will not affect the elementary schools, but there will be only one high school, East High, one middle school, P. Ross Berry, as well as increased offerings at Choffin. The early colleges will also be transferred to Chaney. These changes wont happen until the 2026-2027 school year.

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The goal of this reconfiguration is simple yet powerful: to ensure every student has a robust academic program, high-quality instruction, and cohesive school identity  all while using our resources responsibly and sustainably, Batchelor said.

Another thing they are looking to do is bring back busing, which will likely be necessary to transport students all over the city to one school.

The committee decided that starting with the 2026-27 school year, East High School will be Youngstowns only high school. The name of the school and a mascot will be determined. Also in 2026-27, all middle school students will be placed in what is now East Middle School.

These two buildings have the capacity to handle our enrollment that we have right now. They have the facilities that we need and they account for growth, said Batchelor.

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Chaney High School will house Rayen Early College High School  with Rayen Early College Middle School added in 2027-28.

Starting next school year, 2025-26, all juniors and seniors not attending the Rayen Early College will be required to spend half a day at Choffin Career and Technical Center, where programs will be expanded. The Board of Education offices on Wood Street will be utilized but it has yet to be determined what for.

Our footprint is really too large in this district and we recognize that. And so were working in phases to reduce that footprint, Batchelor said.

To get students to the East Side, busing will resume, and Batchelor said if the state continues to support vouchers, he wants the law changed that requires public schools to transport private school students.

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But now they can take the money and provide their own transportation, which would then ease some of the burden on us.

As far as layoffs, Batchelor said there may be some.

Our footprint will be reduced, so then there will be the need to make somethings happen but we always try to do things by attrition if we can.

Batchelor said the single Youngstown high school will be a small Division II program.

Were going to be a mighty but powerful Division II program, but were going to be a Division II program and I think that makes some people nervous.

Youngtowns single high school will have about 1,000 students but there will be no more than 700 in the school at a time since either the juniors or seniors will be at Choffin.



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President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders visiting Kyiv on May 10 held a "productive" call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in Kyiv on May 10 as a show of support for Ukraine amid growing calls for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire.

"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Sybiha wrote.

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"If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a lasting ceasefire and confidence-building measures could pave the way for peace talks."

(From L) Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump during their visit to Kyiv on May 10, 2025. (Ukraine's Foreign Ministry)

Amid reported growing frustration with a lack of a peace deal, Trump called for an "unconditional" 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on May 8, adding that "if the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions (against Russia)."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told ABC News on May 10 that Russia rejected a 30-day ceasefire because it would be to Kyiv's "advantage."

So far, Russia has only proposed partial ceasefires during the Easter holiday and Victory Day celebrations, which Zelensky has dismissed as "theatrical" given the ongoing attacks reported by Ukrainian soldiers along the front line.

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Read also: Trump frustrated by inability to broker end to Russias war against Ukraine, WSJ reports

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Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of establishing a demilitarized zone in the war with Russia.

Zelensky said that the idea of a demilitarized zone is "dead" and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire, European Pravda reported.

The idea of a demilitarized zone as a potential solution to Russia's war in Ukraine was first floated by United States special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. During a Fox News interview on May 7, Kellogg said that Kyiv had proposed creating a demilitarized zone jointly controlled by Ukraine and Russia.

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Kellogg described the proposal as a buffer zone with both sides pulling back 15 kilometers, creating a 30-kilometer area monitored by observers from third countries.

At the press conference, Zelensky suggested that Ukraine did not propose creating a demilitarized zone, contradicting Kellogg's statements.

"The question of the demilitarized zone, the disengagement of troops, I heard about it in the media and not only in the media, from many different people, from many intelligence agencies. Officially, Ukraine did not receive anything like that. But... everyone is looking for opportunities to conduct experiments on us," Zelensky said.

Zelensky also commented on the complexities of the frontline situation and logistical challenges of a demilitarized zone.

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"The issue of a demilitarized zone of 15 km in both directions - and why 15? And from which line will we count, from the border, from which contact line... Even if we talk about 15 km, what will we do with Kherson? This means that there will be no our troops in Kherson. If there will be no our troops in Kherson - we will not have Kherson," the president said.

According to Zelensky, establishing a demilitarized zone would jeopardize Kyiv's control of key Ukrainian cities.

"If... we agree to a buffer zone and withdraw 15 kilometers from cities like Kherson, Kharkiv, and Sumy, everyone will have what seems to be peace, but the war will continue in them, because artillery will fly over them. Therefore, it is premature to talk about this today and the idea is currently dead," Zelensky said.

At the same press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine and its European allies demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12. However, the Kremlin said that it will reject a ceasefire for as long as Ukraine receives Western weapons.

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Read also: Zelensky, European leaders hold productive call with Trump about peace talks

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, in response to questions from German journalists about the Ukrainian Armed Forces need for Taurus missiles, that Ukraine has a different priority in its dialogue with Germany.

Source: Zelenskyy after a meeting of the coalition of the willing in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravdas correspondent

Details: At the press conference, a journalist from the German DPA agency asked the Ukrainian leader whether Ukraine expects the new German government to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with Taurus missiles, which Kyiv had repeatedly requested publicly under the previous government.

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But Zelenskyy did not repeat the request, stressing instead that Ukraine's priority in its dialogue with Berlin lies elsewhere.

"You know the issue of air defence systems is a pressing one for us. Germany has helped us a lot with Patriot systems and is also helping us a lot with IRIS-T systems. I would not like to talk about the number [of systems] now, but we are counting on this, we know the relevant deadlines. This is important for us," he said.

Zelenskyy also said he was confident that the German government will provide comprehensive assistance.

"Germany will be with Ukraine and will support us until the war is over  and even afterwards," he said.

Background:

It is worth noting that Merz then gave a separate comment to the German media in which he commented on the Taurus issue and confirmed that arms supplies to Ukraine will be classified.

On Saturday, the leaders of the coalition of the willing met in Kyiv and announced plans to tighten sanctions against Russia if it rejects a ceasefire.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer walked around the centre of Kyiv after a meeting of the coalition of the willing.

Source: Ukrainian Presidents website, Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)

Details: The leaders visited the Wall of Remembrance on Mykhailivska Square, laid flowers and paid tribute to the fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

Zelenskyy, Macron and Starmer also visited an exhibition of destroyed Russian military equipment and then walked down the street to St Sophia Cathedral. The leaders were accompanied by a guide who told them about the past and present of the Ukrainian capital.

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Zelenskyy also said that at St Sophia's Cathedral, he and Starmer "summarised today's meetings with our partners".

  ,  

Zelenskyy and Starmer

Photo by the Office of the President

Quote: "We discussed the implementation of the agreement on a full ceasefire starting 12 May for at least 30 days, and the strengthening of sanctions against Russia if it rejects it. Particular attention was paid to ensuring effective monitoring of the ceasefire, coordination with the United States, security guarantees for Ukraine, and the further strengthening of our country's defence capabilities.

I thank Keir Starmer for co-leading the Coalition of the Willing and for all his efforts to make cooperation within this format truly effective."

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Russia has deliberately reduced the intensity of bombardments on the eve of the 9 May Victory Day parade, but the fighting has never really stopped. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, celebrated on 9 May  ed.]

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a statement at a press conference with European leaders on 10 May

Quote: "And Putin has made a fake calm just for the time of the 9 May parade. Why fake? The attacks on the front line continue. And Russian assaults are ongoing. They haven't stopped using aerial bombs against our frontline positions and border communities."

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Details: Zelenskyy also emphasised that no air-raid warnings were issued in Ukraine during those days, which only proves Moscow's ability to control the level of escalation. He stressed that the cessation of aggression depends not on objective circumstances, but on the political will of the Kremlin.

Quote: "But there were no air raid alerts, which only proves again when Moscow wants not to kill, they can stop."

Details: Zelenskyy also outlined the main elements of the future security architecture, which should guarantee Ukraine a lasting peace and deter new Russian aggression. He noted that the key points include:

A 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire;

Increased sanctions pressure on Russia;

Strengthening Ukraine's air defence;

Enhanced international defence support, including investments in Ukrainian arms production;

Establishing international contingents and providing security guarantees;

Collaborating with the United States on a long-term security assurance mechanism (backstop).

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Details: The Ukrainian leader emphasised that Ukraine is ready to move constructively towards peace and supports the US initiative to establish a ceasefire, but Russia rejects even this basic step.

Zelenskyy also emphasised the importance of strengthening defence daily through technological superiority, increased production and resilience of critical infrastructure.

Background:

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared the idea of a 30 kilometres demilitarised zone in the war with Russia "dead as of now".

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference in Kyiv with the leaders of France, the UK, Poland and Germany, as reported by an European Pravda reporter

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that the ceasefire comes first, with everything else to follow.

Quote: "As for the question of the demilitarised zone, the disengagement of troops, I've heard about it in the media and not only in the media, from many different people, from many intelligence services. Officially, Ukraine has not proposed anything like this. But... like sappers, everyone is looking for some opportunities to conduct an experiment on us."

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Details: He believes that this idea is not very relevant now.

Quote: "The issue of the demilitarised zone in both directions is 15 kilometres  why 15 kilometres? And from which line will we measure it  from the border, from the contact line... Even if we talk about 15 kilometres, what are we going to do with Kherson? This means that there will be no our troops in Kherson. If our troops aren't in Kherson, we won't have Kherson."

Details: He recalled that after 2014, the contact line shifted and numerous ceasefires had been exploited by the Russians and separatists to advance and seize Ukrainian territories.

The Ukrainian leader also emphasised that there should be no illusions about the possibility of ceasefire violations. However, he added that the very truce is a crucial step.

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Quote: "If we agree to a buffer zone and withdraw 15 kilometres from cities like Kherson, Kharkiv and Sumy, it may appear that peace has been achieved, but the war will continue in these cities as artillery will keep firing over them. That's why it is too early to discuss this, and the idea is dead as of now."

Background:

Earlier, Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy on Ukraine, proposed a demilitarised zone to be jointly controlled by Ukraine and Russia.

The countries in the coalition of the willing have agreed to demand that Russia begin a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday 12 May to give diplomacy a chance.

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Its a running joke among Wisconsins cottage bakers: If you melt marshmallows for Rice Krispies in the oven instead on the stove, the state might let you sell them.

A coalition of home bakers highlighted that absurdity, among others, in a filing late last year with the state Supreme Court that seeks to toss out a ban on so-called cottage bakers from selling unbaked shelf-stable foods  like candies, roasted coffee beans, dried herbs and Rice Krispies treats.

But after justices declined to review the case, home bakers are back to the drawing board.

We are in a no-mans land, said Dela Ends, a Brodhead-area farmer who operates a CSA. Ive talked to lots of people over the years ... but one lady, Ill never forget her, because she said, All I want to do is earn enough money to pay the taxes for my farm.

Now thats just not asking for a lot. Thats thats the kind of thing that anybody with a heart would support.

Nearly a decade ago, Ends and two others who formed the Wisconsin Cottage Foods Association were victorious when the Supreme Court allowed them to sell baked foods, such as cookies, cupcakes and muffins, out of their home kitchens without a commercial license. Before that, a bipartisan pickle bill from 2009 permitted cottage bakers to sell $5,000 of canned goods from their homes without a license.

But in the years since, members of the association have repeatedly been met with opposition over expanding what they can sell, Ends said. The Wisconsin Cottage Foods Association itself opposed an attempt last year to expand what they could sell after the bill proposed an annual revenue cap of $20,000.

Some bills have received hearings in the Senate, and passed with bipartisan support. But similar bills have never made it to hearing in the Assembly, Wisconsin Cottage Foods Association Board President and home cake baker Jobea Murray said. And Ends and Murray place the blame on Assembly Speaker Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester.

For most of the last decade, the Wisconsin Bakers Association and the Wisconsin Grocers Association have lobbied against the legislation. That changed during debate over last years bill, when they supported the income cap that the cottage foods group opposed.

A spokesperson for Vos declined to comment, and the Wisconsin Bakers Association did not return a request for comment.

Wisconsin Grocers Association President and CEO Mike Semmann said his organization supports helping bakers get started in commercial spaces. But ensuring food safety and protecting consumer confidence are the grocers main concern, he said.

So cottage bakers decided to try the courts again. They had early success at the circuit court level: For a few months in 2023, cottage bakers could sell shelf-stable goods following a Lafayette County court ruling. But last November, a Milwaukee appeals court reversed course, ruling the limitations on shelf-stable goods didnt violate equal protection rights.

The effort is now evolving to advocacy and lobbying, Murray said. In recent years, the Wisconsin Cottage Foods Association kept a low profile, focusing largely on its members and educating them on how to stay within the confines of the law. Violating it could mean six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

Now, it hopes to build a broader base of support and show how the cottage foods industry can improve peoples lives and communities, Murray said.

Were not selling time-temperature controlled foods  were not trying to sell you a shrimp cocktail out of the back of our station wagon, right? Were not asking for that. I dont want to start a Friday fish fry out of my garage, Murray said. Were asking to sell cupcakes, were asking to sell cookies, marshmallows and Rice Krispie treats, things that have such a low risk of food-borne illnesses.

Quirks of the law

Wisconsin remains the most restrictive state for home bakers not because of its laws but the lack of them. The rules bakers follow are set by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Those regulations are a patchwork of rules and exemptions. Cottage bakers can sell anything that goes into an enclosed oven heated to at least 140 degrees and doesnt need additional refrigeration. Sales must be made directly to consumers or at farmers markets, not to stores or restaurants.

But the rules bar home chefs from selling anything made primarily on a stovetop or in an air fryer: no caramel corns, no Rice Krispies treats, no roasted nuts.

Granola is OK, if it goes in the oven first. Some frosting recipes would pass state regulators tests, but not others.

Yet, all of those regulations are waived if the food is made by a nonprofit or for a bake sale, Ends said. The Wisconsin Bakers Association uses the exemption to make its cream puffs at the State Fair each year out of a barn, not a commercial kitchen, Ends added.

Ultimately, it comes down not to the product itself, but the methodology and how its being sold.

Its just awful that theres these silly roadblocks, when every other state in the country has figured out how to make it work, Ends said.

Other states are far more lenient with their cottage food laws. Some require bakers to register with local health departments, but most allow cottage bakers to sell more than just baked goods.

Hurting the pipeline

Cottage bakers say the most recent attempt at legislation equates to government interference that entrepreneurs in other industries dont contend with. For example, Murray said, a photographer or an artist isnt told by the state government how much theyre allowed to earn.

Murray and Ends argue that by opposing home bakers, organizations like the bakers and grocers associations are cutting off their own talent pipelines and stifling bakers before they can get started. Most dont have the capital to invest in a commercial kitchen; for those who do, many would want to test whether their business is viable in home kitchens first before pouring money into it, Murray said.

It also limits stay-at-home parents, farmers and people from rural areas who might lack access to commercial kitchens from getting started, Murray and Ends argued.

As a business owner, its my responsibility to decide when I want to take the next step, and its not for the government to determine and tell me when I no longer can have my business, Murray said. Its not from a food safety aspect, because selling $20,000 and $20,001 did not change the safety of my product.
During a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is ready for direct peace talks with Russia if Moscow agrees to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Source: Axios, citing two sources familiar with the 15-minute conversation

Quote: "Two sources with knowledge of the 15-minute call said Zelenskyy and the European leaders told Trump that if a ceasefire is agreed upon, Ukraine is ready to begin direct peace talks with Russia."

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Details: Zelenskyy and European leaders stressed that Kyiv is prepared for a complete cessation of hostilities on land, in the air and at sea from Monday 12 May. If Russia agrees and effective monitoring by the international community is ensured, the parties could proceed to the next stage  negotiations.

The leaders emphasised to Trump that if Vladimir Putin rejects the 30-day ceasefire, European countries will impose new sanctions on Russia, the sources said.

Quote: "Trump seemed satisfied to see Ukraine embracing the ceasefire and accepting direct negotiations with Russia."

Details: A second source said Trump was pleased to hear that all the leaders supported his proposal.

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Background:

After the meeting of the coalition of the willing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of four European countries  Germany, France, Poland and the UK  held a phone conversation with their US counterpart, Donald Trump.

Earlier this week, Donald Trump called for a 30-day ceasefire and threatened sanctions against the side that rejects it. The Kremlin has not yet given an official response.

Prior to that, Trump had said that Putin's offer of a "three-day truce" was "a lot" compared to what had happened before.

He also suggested that the Russian leader had become more willing to make peace after the recent drop in oil prices.

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On Friday morning, West Coast port officials told CNN about a startling sight: Not a single cargo vessel had left China with goods for the two major West Coast ports in the past 12 hours. That hasnt happened since the pandemic.

Six days ago, 41 vessels were scheduled to depart China for the San Pedro Bay Complex, which encompasses both the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach in California. On Friday, it was zero.

President Donald Trumps trade war imposed massive tariffs on most Chinese imports last month. Thats led to fewer ships at sea carrying less cargo to Americas ports. For many businesses, it is now too expensive to do business with China, one of Americas most important trading partners.

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Officials are concerned not just about the lack of vessels leaving China, but the speed at which that number dropped.

Thats cause for alarm, said Mario Cordero, the CEO of the Port of Long Beach. We are now seeing numbers in excess of what we witnessed in the pandemic for cancellations and fewer vessel arrivals.

The busiest ports in the country are experiencing steep declines in cargo. The Port of Long Beach is seeing a 35-40% drop compared to normal cargo volume. The Port of Los Angeles had a 31% drop in volume this week, and the Port of New York and Jersey says its also bracing for a slowdown. On Wednesday, the Port of Seattle said it had zero container ships in the port, another anomaly that hasnt happened since the pandemic.

Thats because just nothing is being shipped over, port commissioner Ryan Calkins told CNNs Kaitlan Collins.

A container ship sits docked at the Port of Los Angeles on May 6, 2025, in San Pedro, California. Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are seeing significant drops in expected cargo ships coming into port this week due to tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration. - Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

US and Chinese trade representatives are set to meet in Geneva this weekend for their first face to face meeting in an attempt to deescalate the trade war. Most goods shipping from China to the United States have a 145% tariff, while most US exports to China are being hit with a 125% tariff. On Friday, President Donald Trump suggested lowering the tariff rate with China to 80%, but said the final terms would be up to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

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For consumers, who are facing higher prices or shortages of certain items, Cordero says a deal cant come soon enough.

If things dont change quickly, Im talking about the uncertainty that were seeing, then we may be seeing empty products on the shelves. This is now going to be felt by the consumer in the coming 30 days, said Cordero.

Upwards of 63% of the cargo that flows into the Port of Long Beach is from China  the largest share of any US port. But that number is down from 72% in 2016 as retailers shift away from China over simmering trade tensions.

Even so, China still represents a major source of imports into the United States. Maersk, the second largest shipping line in the world, told CNN the cargo volume between the United States and China has fallen by 30-40% compared to normal.

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If we dont start to see a de-escalation of the situation with China, if we dont start to see more of those trade deals, then we could be in a situation where some of these effects get more entrenched and are more adverse, said Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc.

CNNs Maisie Linford contributed to this report

This storys headline has been updated to better reflect the storys reporting and timeline.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Questen Inghram is a Murrow News Fellow at the Yakima Herald-Republic whose beat focuses on government in Central Washington communities. Email qinghram@yakimaherald.com or call 509-577-7674.

This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, email news@yakimaherald.com.
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President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an April 2 event in the Rose Garden of the White House entitled "Make America Wealthy Again."
Looking for a break? Test your knowledge of this week's news from the Yakima Valley.
TWIN FALLS  Law enforcement officers on Friday honored Officer Craig T. Bracken, the departments first and only police officer killed in the line of duty.

Its been an annual event marking the anniversary of Brackens death, and this time it was extra special.

After a graveside memorial on Thursday, the uniform that Bracken wore that fateful day when he was gunned down on May 7, 1939, was unveiled at a separate ceremony at the police station. It will be on permanent display in the room where police officers meet at the beginning of their shifts.

When they come to work I want them to remember that sacrifice, that someone who did their job one night didnt come home, Police Chief Matthew Hicks said. I think that is the least we can do for Craig Bracken and his family is to keep that memory alive.

The public safety building itself was dedicated in 2019 in honor of Officer Bracken.

The day was filled with reflection as people remembered Brackens sacrifice, for the example he set for fellow officers. It was also brimming with history, as people were taken back to the early days of the police force, when they turned a light on top of the building to signal that police officers were needed and officers didnt have an official Twin Falls Police Department uniform and instead wore World War I uniforms.

Hicks told the crowd gathered at the Twin Falls police station that the police department has made it a priority to recognize employees of the police force, but no one has made a larger impact than Bracken.

The uniform is the most significant piece of history the Twin Falls Police Department owns, and a find that Hicks said made him feel like something out of an Indiana Jones movie.

He recalled when in 2007 he asked someone at the Twin Falls County Historical Museum whether they had anything relating to the early days of the police department.

The woman at first said she didnt know of anything, but later remembered someone who mentioned her father worked in law enforcement had recently donated some items.

When Hicks asked the name, the woman thought it was Bricken, Brocken or something similar.

Could it have been Bracken? Hicks asked, and got an affirmative response.

Hicks had only seen black and white photos of Bracken, and assumed that he wore a blue uniform. But instead, there was a green uniform in the box, but yet there was a hole in the uniform coat and shirt corresponding to the place where Bracken was shot.

It was then that Hicks realized that it was the uniform Officer Bracken was wearing the night he was shot and died a day later, and it was later verified by Brackens daughter, Virginia ODell, the woman who donated the uniform to the museum.

I realized I was looking at a piece of Twin Falls and Magic Valley history, Hicks told the Times-News.

Police officers, such was the case for Bracken, often wore old military uniforms.

The newly discovered uniform didnt go on public display right away, and was kept in a garment bag to be taken out on special occasions, including the annual citizen police academies.

Thats when Greg Voetsch, a member of the local Masonic Lodge, saw it.

It was very impactful, Voetsch said. The uniform, which had blood stains on its shirt, brought the whole story about Brackens death together, he said.

The Twin Falls Masonic Lodge No. 45 last year organized a fundraiser to purchase a museum-quality display case, raising more than $15,000 on GoFundMe.

The airtight, humidity-controlled case came together just in time for Thursdays event, said Greg Voetsch of the Masonic Lodge.

A little bit wrinkled but still in pretty good shape for a 100-year-old uniform, Voetsch gave his assessment of the uniform. He plans to take it to a textile conservator to be pressed and have a couple moth holes patched.

Brackens story

Bracken, early one morning 86 years ago, responded with Officer Ken Barclay after felons Danny Williams and William Hale stole an automobile and robbed the Home Service Station.

They stopped the vehicle near Washington Street and Fourth Avenue West.

Sit still boys, we are officers, Bracken told the suspects.

Reporter's Notebook: Citizens Police Academy provides insights into law enforcement A diverse group of citizens gathered at the Twin Falls Police Department on Wednesday night to begin a 10-week journey into the depths of law 

Hale shot Bracken in his left side, just below his heart. Barclay responded by shooting Hale in the head and Hale slumped in his seat.

Williams ran.

Get that man, Ken, Bracken said. He shot me.

Williams was soon apprehended and, when officers returned to the car, Hale was gone. Barclay thought the shot to the head had killed Hale, but he had been only grazed by the bullet.

Hale, with a bandage on his head, was apprehended the next day trying to hitchhike out of town.

Bracken, the father of three small children, died from his injuries May 8, 1939. Brackens granddaughter attended Thursdays ceremony.

Williams and Hale were later tried and convicted of grand theft, robbery and Brackens murder.
World Lupus Day 2025 is being observed today, Saturday, May 10. Every year, this day is marked to raise awareness about lupus  a complex autoimmune disease that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs.

What is Lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder, which means the bodys immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. This results in inflammation and damage that can impact multiple systems within the body. The most common form is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Lupus is unpredictable, with periods of flares and remission, making it physically, emotionally, and socially challenging for those affected.

History of World Lupus Day

World Lupus Day was first launched on May 10, 2004, by the Lupus Foundation of America and a coalition of patient groups across 13 countries. The aim was to unite people globally and demand greater attention to the disease from healthcare policymakers and the public.

Since its inception, World Lupus Day has grown into a worldwide movement, with thousands of events, social media campaigns, walks, and awareness drives taking place annually.

Why Is World Lupus Day Important?

Despite affecting millions of people globally, lupus remains largely misunderstood. Many patients often face delayed diagnoses, limited treatment options, and social stigma. World Lupus Day serves several crucial purposes:

1. Raise Awareness: To educate the public and dispel myths about lupus.

2. Encourage Early Diagnosis: Prompt treatment can help manage symptoms and prevent organ damage.

3. Advocate for Research: More research is needed for better treatments and eventually, a cure.

4. Empower Patients: Providing emotional support and resources to those living with lupus.

Key Facts About Lupus

1. Lupus primarily affects women of childbearing age, but men and children can also develop it.

2. No two cases of lupus are alike  symptoms vary widely.

3. Common symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, and fevers.

4. Lupus can be life-threatening if it severely impacts vital organs like the kidneys, heart, or lungs.

5. There is no known cure, but medications and lifestyle changes can help manage it.

How Can You Observe World Lupus Day 2025?

1. Wear Purple: Purple is the official color for lupus awareness. Wear it on May 10 to show your support.

2. Share Stories on Social Media: Use hashtags like #WorldLupusDay and #MakeLupusVisible to spread awareness and share educational resources.

3. Participate in Awareness Events: Join or support walks, seminars, or webinars organized by lupus foundations and health organizations.

4. Educate Yourself and Others: Read and share informative materials about lupus to help others understand the condition better.

5. Support a Patient: If someone in your family or community has lupus, offer emotional support or help them spread awareness.

World Lupus Day 2025 reminds us of the millions battling this often invisible disease every day. It is a call for compassion, understanding, and action. From early diagnosis to better treatments and increased global awareness, every step counts in making the lives of those with lupus a little easier. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver, or an ally, your voice matters. So, lets unite on May 10 to make lupus visible and ensure that no one fights it alone.

(This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.)
Washington: US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his administration's "minimum" 10 percent baseline tariff on U.S. imports, but raised the possibility of an "exception," as South Korea and other countries are striving to avoid or minimise the impact of new U.S. levies.

Trump made the remarks as he responded to a question over whether the baseline tariff will continue to be in effect even if countries offer zero tariffs on U.S. exports in pursuit of "reciprocity."

"You are going to always have a baseline. I mean, there could be an exception at some point. We'll see if somebody does something exceptional for us," Trump told reporters at the White House after signing executive orders, reports Yonhap news agency.

"It's always possible, but basically, you have a baseline of a minimum of 10 percent and some of them will be much higher -- 40 percent, 50 percent and 60 percent as they have been doing to us over the years, he added.

He pointed out that there will be four or five more trade deals "coming immediately," but he did not specify which countries will reach those deals with the U.S.

The baseline tariff went into effect on April 5, while Trump paused higher country-specific "reciprocal" tariffs, including 25 percent duties on South Korea, until July 8 to allow for negotiations over tariff- and non-tariff barriers and other related issues.

Meanwhile, a US State Department spokesperson said that continued cooperation between China and Russia will make the United States and other countries "less safe," "less secure" and "less prosperous" after the leaders of the two countries issued a joint statement defending North Korea.

On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin released the summit statement, in which they reportedly called on "relevant states to abandon the policy of unilateral coercive measures and military pressure" against North Korea.

"As President Trump has said, continued cooperation between these two nuclear powers will only further contribute to global instability and make the United States and other countries less safe, less secure and less prosperous," the spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency.
Authorities have enforced a complete blackout in Barmer district with immediate effect amid heightened security concerns. The measure came in response to ongoing regional tensions and is part of a broader precautionary protocol to ensure civilian safety. All sources of external lighting are being turned off, and residents have been urged to cooperate fully with local administration and security forces.
Jammu: Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday confirmed that Sub Inspector Md Imteyaz lost his life during cross-border firing by Pakistan along the International Boundary in the R S Pura area of Jammu.

In a post on X, BSF stated, "DG BSF and All Ranks salute the supreme sacrifice made by BSF Sub Inspector Md Imteyaz in service to the Nation on 10 May 2025 during cross border firing by Pakistan along the International Boundary in R S Pura area, Jammu. Prahari Pariwar stands firm with the bereaved family in this trying time."

The BSF also informed that a wreath-laying ceremony with full honours will be held on May 11 at Frontier Headquarters Jammu, Paloura.

DG BSF and All Ranks salute the supreme sacrifice made by BSF Sub Inspector Md Imteyaz in service to the Nation on 10 May 2025 during cross border firing by Pakistan along the International Boundary in R S Pura area, Jammu.



Prahari Pariwar stands firm with the bereaved family in pic.twitter.com/eQeoLAHlEU  BSF (@BSF_India) May 10, 2025

Meanwhile, Hours after it agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea, following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India's air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar.

Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon.

"Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said.

"Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added.

At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively.

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones.
New Delhi: Chaos unfolded across Pakistan in the early hours of the morning after a series of strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force targeted neighbours Air Force bases in Sargodha, Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Shorkot in Punjab and Chakwal in Punjab.

The strikes were in response to a high-level cross-border provocation, which has been continuing since India launched precision strikes at terrorists infrastructure in Pakistan following the deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack in Kashmir.

The aerial assault sent shockwaves through Pakistans defense infrastructure. An Air Emergency was declared nationwide within hours. The Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority suspended all domestic and international flights early this morning, citing security reasons. As of 04:00 AM local time, airspace over major urban centres, including Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar, remains restricted, based on the Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) issued by the government.

Petrol stations across Islamabad and Rawalpindi were ordered shut by local authorities, fuelling speculation of a broader internal security alert. Long queues were seen late into the night as panic buying spread, only to be met by shuttered pumps and heavily deployed police units. City authorities cited safety protocols and emergency preparedness as reasons for the closures, although no official statement was issued by the Ministry of Interior.

Eyewitnesses in Islamabad described the atmosphere as tense and uncertain. Visuals of blacked-out streets began circulating, with military convoys on the move and sirens blaring night.

The Pakistani government has so far issued no official casualty figures, and state-run media remains tight-lipped. There are report of high-value assets being relocated from airbases, while Pakistani air defense systems were observed firing into the night sky hours after the reported strikes.

The Ministry of Defence, in an official statement today, said it has carried out limited and targeted operation in Pakistan, ensuring minimum collateral damage.

Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India's military sites... India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places and damaged our equipment and personnel at Air Force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot and Bathinda. They used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab's air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi told the media while a joint media briefing with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told the media addressing the same press conference, In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa... India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan."

Misri said, "I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

He further said, "I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

As tensions skyrocket across the subcontinent, international observers have called for restraint.
Just hours after a ceasefire agreement was reached between India and Pakistan, fresh tensions erupted following reported violations by Pakistan, prompting strong responses from both India and China. Shortly after reports of drone sightings in Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat  flagged by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on X  Pakistans Foreign Office released a statement quoting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirming Beijings support for Islamabad.

In a telephonic conversation with Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Wang said China would continue to "stand firmly" with Pakistan in defending its "sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence."

According to the Pakistani statement, Dar briefed Wang on the volatile regional situation and the latest exchange of fire between India and Pakistan following the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Wang reportedly appreciated Pakistans "restraint" and its "responsible approach under challenging circumstances."

"China, as Pakistan's All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partner and iron-clad friend, will continue to support Pakistan," the statement quoted Wang as saying.

Dar also spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and updated him on the regional developments.

In response to the ceasefire violations, Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a sharp statement accusing Pakistan of breaching the understanding reached earlier that day between the two countries Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs).

"For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today," the MEA said. It added that Indian armed forces are responding "adequately and appropriately" and have been instructed to remain on high alert.

The MEA called on Pakistan to act responsibly and stop the violations, warning that India would deal strongly with any future incidents along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).
In a decisive move to strengthen aviation security, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has expanded the mandate of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to include direct oversight of cargo operations and the In-line Hold Baggage Screening System (ILHBSS) across civil airports in India.

According to an Official Memorandum (OM) dated Friday, the temporary arrangement will be in effect from May 9 to May 18, 2025. The decision comes in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which has led to heightened security concerns nationwide.

The enhancement of CISF's mandate is essential to reinforce security arrangements at all civil airports.

CISF has responded immediately and resumed oversight over cargo and baggage operations. CISF will oversee operations and the security of airport operators for ILHBSS. The directives also authorise CISF personnel to perform random checks and oversee access control to these critical facilities.

All the airports under the cover of CISF have already implemented the new strengthened system.

Before this directive, CISF's deployment as the primary aviation security force did not explicitly extend to the direct security and screening of cargo operations and the In-line Hold Baggage Screening System.

Earlier on Saturday, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities issued a series of notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across Northern and Western India for all civil flight operations.

The NOTAM is effective from May 9, 2025, to May 14, 2025 (which corresponds to 0529 IST on May 15, 2025), due to operational reasons.

The list of 32 airports include Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise and Uttarlai

A senior Ministry of Civil Aviation official informed that all civil flight activities at these airports will remain suspended during this period.

AAI has also extended the temporary closure of 25 segments of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions (FIRs) due to operational reasons.
New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence, in its press briefing on May 9 evening, said that Pakistan launched aerial strikes on military stations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur on the night of May 8, but these attacks were successfully intercepted and made ineffective by Indias advanced air defence systems.

So, what is an air defence system and how does it work?

An air defence system is a military mechanism which protects a country's airspace from enemy aircraft, missiles, drones and other airborne threats. It uses a combination of radar, sensors, missiles and gun systems to detect, track and respond to aerial threats by neutralising them.

The system works in four main stages: Radar and sensors detect incoming threats; the command-and-control centre processes this data and prioritises responses; weapon systems are then used to intercept and neutralise these threats.

These are mobile units, which can be rapidly deployed, making the system especially effective in battlefield situations. The air defence process unfolds in stages: Initially, radar and sensors detect airborne dangers; then, the tracking phase begins, where the movement, speed and trajectory of the enemy aircraft or missiles are monitored; finally, once a threat is accurately tracked, it is eliminated before causing any harm.

This entire process relies heavily on advanced technology to ensure quick and precise detection and neutralisation of threats. Now, let's examine how India is thwarting the drone and missile attacks launched by Pakistan. India is utilising three primary air defence systems - 'S-400', 'Spider' and 'Akash' - to neutralise the threats.

India purchased the S-400 missile system from Russia in 2018-19, which is specifically deployed around Jammu. This system is designed to neutralise fighter jets, helicopters and drone attacks. India has renamed it as 'Sudarshan'.

India has also employed its indigenous Akash air defence system, which also succeeded in preventing these attacks. India has acquired the 'Spider' air defence system from Israel which has further enhanced the country's capability to counter aerial threats.

India successfully neutralised Pakistan's attacks on Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur using the S-400 system. The Russia-made system is extremely powerful. It has a detection range of up to 600 kilometers and an engagement range of up to 400 kilometers.

India's indigenous air defence systems are also successfully countering the attacks. Equipped with different missiles for various range, experts say, these are highly capable of countering aerial threats.

The experts, zeenews.com, spoke to, elaborated, Each radar has its own capability. Some radars take up to 65 seconds to detect a threat, so it is crucial to pick up fast-moving missiles quickly, even before they cross the border.

They emphasised that the speed of the missiles, traveling at 15,000 to 17,000 kilometers per hour, requires an instant response to neutralise the threats. India's air defence systems have multiple layers. While the first layer engages at long range, the second and third at medium and short ranges, respectively.

We have our radars ready. The drones and missiles from Pakistan are detected even before they reach close. They are neutralised before causing any damage, the analysts explained.

India launched 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7 to "serve justice" to April 22 Pakistan-backed deadly terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam. Several terror launchpads were targeted at nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the precision strikes. Pakistan acknowledged significant losses caused by the operation and confirmed at least 33 deaths. However, it attributed the damages to its failed air defence systems.

Pakistan reacted to the strikes and launched failed attacks in India's different bordering states. It escalated tensions and on the evening of May 8, both nations exchanged more offensives from their respective territories with the help of drones, missiles, shelling and gun firings.

The Ministry of Defence said Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks on military stations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur. These attacks were successfully intercepted. "There were no casualties. India remains committed to defending its sovereignty and protecting its citizens, the ministry emphasised. On Saturday, Pakistan even launched its long-range Fatah missile which was intercepted over Sirsa in Haryana.

However, Pakistan rejected India's claims, denying its involvement in any attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. We have not done anything so far. When Pakistan attacks, everyone will know, said Defence Minister Khwaja Asif.

As tensions between the two countries escalate, the effectiveness of Indias air defence systems in blocking aerial strikes remains a crucial factor in maintaining the nations security.
The Indian Army was successful in thwarting a Pakistani drone attack in the early hours on Saturday, demonstrating India's robust air defence systems in the wake of Pakistan's blatant escalation along India's western borders, the Indian Army stated.

Taking to X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) stated that Pakistan has been continuing to escalate the situation with drone strikes and munitions, noting that at around 5 AM, several "enemy armed drones" were spotted over Khasa Cantontment in Punjab's Amritsar, which were destroyed by the air defence units.

Pakistans blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were pic.twitter.com/BrfEzrZBuC

The ADG PI also noted that the successful retaliation by the Indian armed forces was also under Operation Sindoor, which was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, during which the armed forces neutralised nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

"OPERATION SINDOOR...Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units. Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart enemy designs," the Army stated.

Earlier, fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning, in the wake of Pakistan's blatant drone attacks against civilians across several locations in India.

Visuals from the site show fragments of the object in an agricultural field, with the surrounding area burnt. Fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were also recovered by the locals in Rajasthan's Barmer on Saturday.

Residents of Baldev Nagar, an area near Uttarlai Air Force Station and Jalipa Military Station in Barmer, witnessed the aftermath of the Pakistani attack that was successfully neutralised by Indian security forces in the early hours of the morning.

However, there is still no official confirmation from authorities regarding the whereabouts of the unidentified projectile.

Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control.
In a bold and charged statement, AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Saturday delivered a strong message to Pakistan while praising 'Operation Sindoor' following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Referring to Indias long-standing doctrine of restraint followed by resolute retaliation, Chadha declared, "We dont start fights, but we never leave them unfinished."

"The truth is that you can change your friends, but not your neighbour. And if the neighbour is like Pakistan, then it's our foremost duty to punish it strictly," Chadha asserted.

He condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, calling it "a blot on the history of humanity," and emphasised that India has already begun avenging it through the "first installment of Operation Sindoor."

Saluting the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces, he said, "The way our military is fighting with extraordinary courage and valour makes it clear that this time, terrorism will be eradicated."

Chadha urged all citizens to stand in solidarity with the families of soldiers and boost their morale.

"We must all pray to our respective gods for the safety of our troops and support their families like a rock," he added, praising the contributions of women like Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

"Families who send daughters to guard the nations honour and sons to defend the borders, deserve our unwavering support."

He reminded Pakistan of its past humiliations, saying, "India defeated Pakistan in 1971, forcing over 90,000 soldiers to surrender and created Bangladesh. In Siachen in 1984 and Kargil in 1999, our military crushed their cowardly intentions."

"India toh Pakistan ka baap hai, aur baap toh hamesha baap hota hai (India is Pakistan's father and a father always remains the father)," said Chadha.

Lashing out at Pakistans history of harbouring terrorists, Chadha reminded the world of past attacks, from Mumbai in 2008 to the Parliament attack in 2001 and the Pulwama tragedy in 2019.

"The country that begs before the world 24/7 and feeds milk to terrorists instead of its own children will now face the united wrath of every Indian," he warned.

"India is the land of Buddha, but also of Arjun and Bhim. If we are heirs to Gandhi, we are also the legacy of Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad," he said, drawing from history to underline Indias resolve.

He concluded with a stern message: "India is reminding Pakistan of its defeats, from 1971 to Kargil. If you dont correct your path, the day is not far when the Ganga will flow from Kashi to Islamabad, and the Indian Tricolour will fly over Rawalpindi. Jai Hind."
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, the United States has announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and will initiate talks on a broad range of issues at a neutral location. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that over the past 48 hours, he and Senator JD Vance held intensive discussions with senior officials from both countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Pakistans Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.

"I am pleased to announce the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site," Secretary Rubio said in an official statement.

Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit  Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 10, 2025

He lauded the leadership of both nations for their commitment to de-escalation, adding, "We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace."

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions following recent cross-border hostilities and drone strikes, with the international community urging restraint and dialogue between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
New Delhi: Do you know who is quietly watching and learning as India and Pakistan exchange military blows? It is China. The country is turning this high-stakes conflict into a real-time intelligence goldmine, reveals a Reuters investigation.

While the world focuses on the frontline action, Beijing is collecting invaluable data on Indian military operations and the performance of its own exported weapons such as the J-10C fighter jets and PL-15 air-to-air missiles used by Pakistan.

This is not just about observation; it is a rare chance for China to study its key strategic rival, India, without ever stepping onto the battlefield.

The conflict is providing Beijing with a rare and valuable intelligence opportunity, allowing it to observe and assess Indian military capabilities, doctrines and responses in real time.

Chinese military planners cannot get the critical data in peacetime training and test fires. Security analysts believe that Chinas vast surveillance infrastructure, including 267 satellites (with more than 100 dedicated to intelligence and electronic surveillance), has been placed on high alert to capture detailed insights into Indian radar systems, missile deployments and air force manoeuvres.

Chinas intelligence advantage is not just in the skies. A significant uptick in activity by Chinese surveillance vessels and fishing fleets  often acting as maritime militia  has been observed near Indian naval drills in the Arabian Sea.

According to open-source trackers, a flotilla of over 200 Chinese fishing boats approached within 120 nautical miles of Indian operations on May 1, likely serving as floating listening posts for electronic and signal intelligence.

Analysts, the reports says, suggest these vessels operate as part of a broader Chinese strategy to monitor regional military activity without overt naval provocation.

Chinas intelligence reach is further deepened by its long-standing defence ties with Pakistan. With Chinese advisers and military liaisons embedded within Pakistans defence infrastructure, analysts believe Beijing has direct access to frontline feedback on the performance of its equipment such as the J-10 jets, radar systems and missile platforms.

This enables the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to fast-track upgrades, adjust export strategies and strengthen its own warfighting doctrines.
India-Pakistan Conflict: In a special briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence held on Saturday about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, it was informed that the Pakistan Military has been moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to escalate the situation further.

The briefing was addressed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. Here are the key points from the special briefing on Operation Sindoor:

1- The Foreign Secretary commended the briefing and said that Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations, and added that India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured way to the provocations and escalations by Pakistan.

"I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocation and escalation. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and these escalations by the Pakistani side," Misri said.

2- Next, Colonel Qureshi stated that the Pakistani army is attacking the western borders of India and has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter jets to attack India's military sites.

She said, "Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter jets to attack India's military sites. India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via Air at more than 26 places, and they damaged our equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, Bathinda station."

3- Colonel Qureshi continued that Pakistan targeted hospitals and school premises at air bases at Srinagar, Awantipur, and Udhampur.

She added, "As a condemnable and unprofessional act, Pakistan targeted hospitals and school premises at air bases at Srinagar, Awantipur, and Udhampur. This once again revealed their irresponsible tendency of attacking civil infrastructure."

4- It was informed in the briefing that there were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed after 01:40 am on May 10, at several air bases in Punjab.

Wing Commander Singh said, "There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed, subsequently after 01:40 hours in the night at several air bases in Punjab."

She added, "In a swift and calibrated response, the Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets.

5- Pakistan military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian were targeted through air launch, precision ammunition, and fighter jets. Radar site in Pasrur and aviation base in Sialkot were also targeted with precision ammunition.

Colonel Qureshi said, "After Pakistan deliberately targeted air bases, Indian armed forces took a quick and well-planned retaliatory action and targeted technical installations, command and control centres, radar sites, and arms stores. Pakistan military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian were targeted through air launch, precision ammunition, and fighter jets. Radar site in Pasrur and aviation base in Sialkot were also targeted with precision ammunition."

During these actions, the Indian Armed Forces ensured minimum collateral damage and losses.

6- India unequivocally rejected the false narratives being spread by Pakistan.

The Islamic State attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, claiming the destruction of Indian S-400 systems at Adampur, destruction of Airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, BrahMos base at Nagrota, RT gun positions at Dehrangyari and Chandigarh Forward Ammunition Depot, along with heavy damages to other military stations being propagated on social media, Wing Commander Singh informed in the briefing.

7- Foreign Secretary Misri said that there is a consistent attempt to sow discord between communities in India. There has been a particular focus on its targeting of civilian infrastructure and the population in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

He said, "Pakistan continues with its execrable and wanton campaign of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, especially in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab."

8- Misri added that Pakistani officials continue to make "ludicrous claims" about India firing missiles towards Sri Amritsar Sahib.

He said, "These lame attempts to divide India are doomed to failure."

9- Talking about the remarks of the Pakistani Army's Spokesperson, Misri said, "We have also seen in some of the remarks that have been shown on television that the Pakistani Army Spokesman seems to take great joy in the fact that the Indian public should criticize the government of India concerning various issues."

He added that it may be a surprise to Pakistan to see citizens criticizing their government however, it is the hallmark of an "open and functioning democracy".

He added, "Pakistan's unfamiliarity with that, again, should not be surprising."

10- Speaking about the claims that Indian missiles hit Afghanistan, Misri termed them "ludicrous" and clarified that it is a "frivolous allegation".

"Afghan people do not need to be reminded about which country has, on multiple occasions in just the last one and a half years, targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan," he said.

Pakistani Drones In Indian Territory

In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence had stated that drones were sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.

It read, Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala.

The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary, it added.

Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj,  Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 9, 2025

On Friday, a Pakistani drone hit a residential area in Firozpur, Punjab, injuring three people. ANI quoted SSP Ferozepur, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, as saying, "We received information about three people being injured. They have burn injuries. Doctors will treat them. Most of the drones have been neutralised by the army."

On the other hand, explosions were heard in Jammu as India's air defence intercepts Pakistani drones amid a blackout. Additionally, a complete blackout was enforced in Udhampur of the Jammu division. This was the second night in a row that Jammu observed a blackout after blasts and sirens were heard.

Operation Sindoor

The Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; altogether, nine sites were targeted. The Ministry of Defences statement had informed that these steps by the Indian Armed Forces came after the gruesome Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed.

(with ANI inputs)
New Delhi: Pakistan on Saturday shut down its airspace temporarily, hours after India accused the former of using commercial flights as shields amid drone attacks.

The decision, notified through a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), came amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The move follows a night of intense drone activity along India's northern and western borders after Pakistani drones were sighted at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the North to Bhuj in the South, along both the International Border and the Line of Control with Pakistan, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

These include suspected armed drones posing potential threats to civilian and military targets, the Ministry added.

The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

Several of the targeted sites included key airfields, forward military bases, and civil aviation facilities. India successfully repelled each attack.

India accused Pakistan of endangering international air traffic by keeping its airspace open while executing drone and missile operations.

"Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners, including the international flights which were flying near the International Border between India and Pakistan," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Army said at a press briefing on Friday, alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Pakistan deployed between 300 and 400 drones, identified preliminarily as Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models, on the night of May 8 and May 9. Many were intercepted using a combination of kinetic and electronic warfare systems, including the Barak-8 and S-400 Triumph missile defence platforms, Akash SAMs, and indigenous anti-drone technologies.

"The sheer scale suggests it was a deliberate military attempt to test our readiness. We responded proportionately," Wing Commander Singh said at the briefing.

Among the locations targeted were Srinagar airport, the Awantipora airbase, Nagrota, Jammu, Pathankot, Fazilka, and Jaisalmer.

In Ferozpur, a drone attack on a civilian area injured three members of a local family. No Indian military installations were damaged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level security review meeting late Friday night with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and the service chiefs.

Earlier on Friday, PM Modi also met former Chiefs of the armed forces to take their views on the evolving crisis.

Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the civil preparedness in states along the Pakistan border, particularly around airports and high-value targets.
New Delhi: India has reportedly shot down Pakistans fighter jets between Jammu and Kashmirs Baramulla-Budgam-Srinagar areas amid escalation between India and Pakistan. Search operations are underway to locate the pilots.

Debris of a drone have also been found in a field at Muglani Kot village in Punjabs Amritsar district.

Meanwhile, surface-to-air missile systems have been activated in Srinagar by armed forces, ANI reported quoting sources. Heavy engagement is going on with Pakistan over Srinagar and adjoining areas.

The sources told the news agency that at least four airbases in Pakistan have been targeted by Indian strikes. In an immediate response to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations on May 10, India launched retaliatory strikes.

Smoke was seen rising after a loud explosion in the Dibber area of J&Ks Udhampur. Houses and property were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions. Loud explosions were heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor as well.

Earlier in its statement, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

The MoD expressed regret for launching an armed drone, which targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur. The mishap resulted in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces.

The Indian armed forces are maintaining a high state of alert and tracking aerial threats. They are also using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential," said the ministry in its statement.

Four Pakistani Airbases Targeted

Meanwhile, India has targets at least four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of May 10, sources told ANI. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India.

Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the LoC.

In Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, smoke was seen rising after a loud explosion in the Dibber area. In the Rajouri region, houses and other property were damaged after a series of explosions. Loud blasts were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor.

Meanwhile, in Punjab, a drone-related explosion damaged a house in Kanganiwal village in rural Jalandhar.

Surjeet Kaur, a local resident, described the moment of the attack, "A red coloured flash came above our house and there was a huge explosion. We got scared. Everything was dark. We came out of our houses after a short while and saw that the water tank above our houses and our neighbours' houses had exploded. There was a blackout at that time, and all the lights were off."

On May 9, a day after Indian air defences foiled an attempt by Pakistan to target civilian infrastructure along the LoC and the IB, Pakistani drones were again spotted in the Jammu, Samba and Pathankot sectors.

On the night of May 78, Indian forces also successfully neutralised Pakistans large-scale drone and missile attack aimed at several Indian military bases in northern and western parts of the country. An air defence system in Lahore was also taken out during those operations.

India had earlier responded with precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), following the initial escalation triggered by Pakistan through the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has now resorted to further escalation, which is being appropriately countered by the Indian defence forces.
India-Pakistan War: The India-Pakistan conflict is heading towards a major escalation of war with Islamabad firing its long-range Fatah-2 missiles towards India. India has retaliated hard against Pakistan, hitting their 3 airbases of Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal. Reportedly, Pakistan fired Fata-2 and Abdali-I missiles at Indian cities but the Indian air defence systems intercepted these missiles, neutralising them in the air. Reportedly, one of them was intercepted over Sirsa, in Haryana, around 300 kms from Delhi.

The Fatah-2 missiles has a range of around 400 kms while the Abdali-I missile has a range of around 200 kms.

Why Pakistan Used Fatah, Abdali Missiles? What Is Bunyan ul Maroos?

So far, Pakistan has been attacking India using Turkish drones but Indian Air Defence Systems have been successfully neutralising them all. On the other hand, Indian drones and missiles have successfully made ground hits in Pakistan, causing widespread humiliation for the Pakistani army. In a face-saving move, the Pakistan army launched Operation Bunyan ul Maroos, meaning 'unbreakable wall' to fire its long-range missiles at India. Pakistan tried to hit key Indian cities using the Fatah and Abadali missiles so that it could hold the moral high ground in front of its citizens, but failed miserably as these missiles have been intercepted and neutralised.

Meanwhile, India targeted at least three airbases in Pakistan in retaliation to Pakistan's aggression. Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India has launched 'Operation Sindoor' targeting terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. While India maintained that the strike was non-escalatory and no military sites were attacked, Pakistan has escalated the situation by repeatedly targetting Indian cities.
India-Pakistan Ceasefire: India-Pakistan Ceasefire: Following days of heightened tensions, India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to halt all military actions, including firing on land, air, and sea, effective from 5 PM. Colonel Sophia Qureshi refuted Pakistan's claims, calling them a "misinformation campaign."

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Indian DGMO spoke to each other, after which the agreement was reached. This comes after United States President Donald Trump also said on Saturday that the two nations have agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire.

Later, Commodore Raghu R Nair, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Qureshi addressed a Ministry of Defence (MoD) briefing. The Indian Armed Forces debunked the claims made by Pakistan as tensions between the two nations had escalated.

Also Read: India-Pakistan Have Agreed To Full And Immediate Ceasefire After Long Talks: Trump

Here are the claims that Pakistan had made and India debunked:

1- S400, Brahmos Missile Not Damaged: Addressing the briefing, Colonel Qureshi said that Pakistan had claimed that it damaged India's S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong.

2- Airfields Not Damaged: Pakistan ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia, and Bhuj were damaged, and its misinformation is also completely wrong.

3- Chandigarh and Vyas Ammunition Depot Not Damaged: According to Pakistan's misinformation campaign, India's ammunition depot in Chandigarh and Vyas was damaged, which is completely wrong.

4- Mosques Not Damaged: Pakistan made false allegations that the Indian Army damaged mosques. Colonel Qureshi added, "I want to make it very clear that India is a secular nation and our army is a very beautiful reflection of the constitutional value of India."

#WATCH | Delhi: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi says, "Pakistan claimed that it damaged our S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong. Secondly, it also ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia and Bhuj were pic.twitter.com/QOVrDBH899  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

Also Read: Pakistan Initiated Call With India, Both Sides Have Agreed On Ceasefire, Misri Confirms

Earlier, in a press briefing, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time. Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours."

India-Pakistan Conflict

On April 22, in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam, terrorists opened fire, killing 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen. After which Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK); altogether, nine sites were targeted.

In a statement of the Ministry of Defence, it was clarified, 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.

As per a post of the Defence Ministry on X, drones were sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala.

(with ANI inputs)
Indian Armed Forces are retaliating against Pakistan after Islamabad launched a second wave of swarm drone attacks at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. India has already warned Pakistan of consequences in case of further escalation and now, the Indian Army is hitting back at the Pakistani Army. According to the latest reports, India has hit Pakistans Air Force base in Nur Khan in Rawalpindi and Pakistani army posts in Sialkot and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Indian missiles also hit two other airbases - Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal.

Indian drones have successfully hit many other areas in Pakistan, giving nightmares to their army.

Earlier, the Indian Army said that an armed drone of Pakistan targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to civilians. "Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces," said the Defence Ministry of India.

It said that the Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. "The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential," said the Defence Ministry.

On Thursday night, India said that Pakistan attacked 36 locations with around 400 drones, but all were neutralised by kinetic and non-kinetic means.
New Delhi: Giving a fitting reply to Pakistan for its continued aggression, the Indian Air Force (IAF), in a bold and calibrated military response, has conducted multiple strikes on Pakistani Air Force (PAF) bases. The targets included Sargodha, Nur Khan in Rawalpindi and Shorkot and Chakwal in Punjab, as confirmed by senior Indian defense officials.

"India targeted Pakistan military assets in Rahim Yar Khan. Indian armed forces carried out precision strike only at identified military targets in response to Pak actions. Indian armed forces carried out precision strike only at identified military targets in response to Pak actions," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh today told a special media briefing, which was also addressed by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The strikes come in the wake of persistent cross-border provocations following Indias earlier precision operations as part of Operation Sindoor against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, triggered by the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir.

The Ministry of Defence said it has carried out a limited and targeted operation in Pakistan, ensuring minimum collateral damage.

Colonel Qureshi revealed the extent of Pakistans recent escalation: Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders; it has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India's military sites... India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places and damaged our equipment and personnel at Air Force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot and Bathinda. They used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab's air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools.

She condemned Pakistans violations of international norms and added: As a condemnable and unprofessional act, Pakistan targeted hospitals and school premises at air bases at Srinagar, Awantipur and Udhampur. This once again revealed their irresponsible tendency of attacking civil infrastructure.

Addressing the briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh emphasised India's calibrated response: In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa... India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan."

She further warned of Pakistani military activity: "...the Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates."

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, accompanying the two women officers at the media briefing, underlined the provocation: "I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

Commenting on Pakistan's propaganda and lack of democratic norms, Misri added: "We have also seen in some of the remarks that the Pakistani army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that the Indian public should criticise the government of India with various issues. It may be a surprise to Pakistanis to see the citizens criticising their own government, as that is a hallmark of open and functional democracy. Pakistan's unfamiliarity with that shouldn't be surprising..."

He also confirmed a fatal incident: "Pakistan shelled Rajouri, killing an official."

Further affirming Indias position, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh reiterated, "Indian armed forces committed to non-escalation, provided Pakistan side reciprocates."

Taking aim at Pakistans disinformation tactics, Misri stated, As you are seeing, Pakistani claims about the activities that they have undertaken continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation and propaganda. On top of that, this is pedalled by the Pakistani state agencies, the claims that they have made about attacking and destroying various military installations in the country are completely false. The claim about the air force stations in Sirsa, Suratgarh, being destroyed, they are false. Claim about S-400 base in Adampur is being destroyed, is false."

Further detailing Pakistans aggression, Wing Commander Singh elaborated, "Pakistan military continued with its provocations carrying out aggressive action, employing multiple threat vectors all along the western border. Pakistan employed drones, long range weapons, fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructures. Pakistani military also resorted to air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy caliber weapons along the Line of Control... Indian armed forces successfully neutralised these threats. However, limited damage was sustained at Indian Air Force stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj."

Colonel Qureshi further said, "Pakistan military observed to be moving their troops to border areas." Adding more clarity to Pakistan's targeting efforts, she said: "Pakistans aggressive stance on the Western Front continued and tried to target the Indian Army.

She concluded with a grave confirmation, " Pakistan attacked 26 locations from Srinagar to Chhalliya and damage airbases in Udhampur, Adampur, Pathankot and Bathinda. Pakistan targeted Army hospitals in Srinagar, Avantipur and Udhampur. Pakistan launched a high speed missile in Punjab."
New Delhi: In yet another befitting reply to Pakistan's nefarious activities, the Border Security Force (BSF) has completely destroyed a Pakistani post and a terrorist launch pad in Looni, District Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, from where the tube drones were being launched to attack India.

"On 9 May 2025, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu Sector. BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary.

"The terrorist launch pad at Looni, District Sialkot opposite Akhnoor area was completely destroyed by the BSF. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," the BSF said in a statement.

In another significant development along the Western front, the Indian Army on Saturday confirmed that its air defence units had intercepted and destroyed multiple armed drones from Pakistan flying over Khasa Cantt in Amritsar, reaffirming its resolve to counter any threat to national security.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 a.m., multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units," the Indian Army stated.

Condemning the provocation, the Army said, "Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart enemy designs."

The Ministry of Defence also raised serious concerns over the increasing provocations from Pakistan, particularly in the form of drone incursions and artillery attacks along the western frontier.

"Pakistan's continued escalation along the western front through drone incursions and munitions is a matter of grave concern... This blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilian lives is unacceptable," the ministry said in a statement.

In a related incident late Friday night, three civilians, including a woman, were injured in an attack by a Pakistani drone on the outskirts of Ferozepur town in Punjab.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, the injured individuals were members of a single family and suffered burn injuries.

He said that most of the drone attacks have been neutralised by the Indian Army, and clarified that this was the only such incident in the district.

Meanwhile, panic spread across parts of Jammu and Kashmir as residents in Srinagar and the Akhnoor area of Jammu division reported hearing massive blast-like sounds early Saturday morning. Many morning walkers rushed back home in fear.

At the same time, overnight mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army in Poonch and Rajouri districts caused considerable damage to civilian infrastructure.

According to a Defence Ministry release, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones."

The locations mentioned include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala.

"Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces," the statement added.
India-Pakistan War: India on Saturday rejected Pakistan's allegation that India launched a missile attack on Afghanistan. Addressing the media, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that no Indian missiles have targeted Afghanistan, and the people of Afghanistan know which country has been targeting their civilians.

"There is this yet again completely ludicrous claim that Indian mailers have hit Afghanistan totally frivolous allegation and I only want to point out that Afghan people don't need to be reminded about which country it is that has on multiple occasions in just the last one and a half years targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan," said Misri.

Speaking about the evolving India-Pakistan situation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations. In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

The Foreign Secretary further said that Pakistan continues to target civilians & civilian infrastructure in J&K and Punjab and has made ludicrous claims of missiles being fired at the religious site. He also rejected Pakistan's claim of critical infrastructure damage, terming it 'completely false'.

Sharing details of the ongoing conflict with Pakistan, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that Pakistan has attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa. "India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," said Singh.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh also said that the Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. "Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates," she said.
Jaisalmer Ceasefire Violation News LIVE: Within hours of announcing ceasefire agreement with India, Pakistan has yet again violated the deal. Heavy shellings, explosions and air raids in several border districts including Jaisalmer, Barmer in Rajasthan and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir has been reported.

PAKISTAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE

Pakistan has violated the ceasefire with shellings and air raids in several border districts including Barmer in Rajasthan and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir. This comes after US President Donald Trump on Saturday had announced a ceasefire between the countries and stated that the talks between the countries had been mediated by America.

#WATCH | Rajasthan: A complete blackout has been enforced in Jaisalmer



(Visuals deferred by an unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/VwdgLTGyQy  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

INDIA AGAINST TERRORISM

India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon.

"Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said.

"Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added.

(With ANI Inputs)
Jammu And Kashmir Ceasefire Violation News LIVE: Within hours of taking a crucial step toward de-escalation between India and Pakistan standoff, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah shared on social media, confirming that Pakistan has violation the ceasefire in Srinagar.

PAKISTAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE IN KASHMIR

Omar Abdullah tweeted: What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!

Pakistan has violated the ceasefire with shellings and air raids in several border districts including Barmer in Rajasthan and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir. This comes after US President Donald Trump on Saturday had announced a ceasefire between the countries and stated that the talks between the countries had been mediated by America.

INDIA-PAKISTAN AGREED TO CEASEFIRE

Earlier in evening, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST.

Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon.

Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time."

He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours.
Operation Sindoor LIVE, India Pakistan Conflict Latest News LIVE, Jammu Kashmir Drone Attack LIVE: Hours after it agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and at sea, following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India's air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar. Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar.

A complete blackout was enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action.

Following the ceasefire violation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Indian armed forces have been responding adequately to the ceasefire violations by the Pakistani army despite the announcement of a truce between the two countries a few hours earlier.

Speaking at a press briefing, Misri said the government has taken a serious note of the Pakistani actions. This is a breach of understanding. The army is monitoring the situation closely, he said. He informed that the agreement to halt the ongoing hostilities over the past few days was reached this evening. However, in the past few hours, there have been serious violations of this agreement from the Pakistani side.

Following days of tension and unrest between India and Pakistan, the two countries have agreed to a ceasefire, US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday. After Trumps announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 PM Indian Standard Time on Saturday.

"The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hrs earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hrs Indian Standard Time today," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a short media briefing.

"Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Director General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," the Foreign Secretary added.

Trump had announced a "full and immediate ceasefire" between India and Pakistan without sharing any details of the negotiations or the ceasefire. US Secretary of State Rubio also said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted the ceasefire negotiations.

After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire," President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.

Secretary of State Rubio said in a separate statement: Over the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.

I am pleased to announce the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he stated.

Stay Tuned With ZEE News For All Live Updates On Pakistan Drone Attack, India-Pakistan Attack LIVE Updates, India Pakistan News, Pakistan Airbases Attack Updates
Pakistan Ceasefire Violation HIGHLIGHTS: Despite the announcement of a ceasefire by India and Pakistan, there was a violation by the Pakistan army on Saturday evening in the Akhnoor, Mendhar, R.S. Pura, Chamb, Bhimber and Gurez sectors, while loud blasts were also heard in Srinagar. Hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire, Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah claimed that explosions were heard across Srinagar.

This comes hours after US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the two countries have agreed to a ceasefire. After Trumps announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 PM Indian Standard Time on Saturday. India and Pakistan had agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and at sea.

Following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India's air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar. Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar.

A complete blackout has been enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon.

"Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said".

Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added.

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New Delhi: Retired Lieutenant General, Satish Dua, stated on Saturday that the Pahalgam attack, where terrorists boldly declared Modi ko bata dena (Go tell Modi)", became a turning point in Indias response to cross-border terrorism that was delivered in the aftermath of the massacre of innocent people.



In an interview with IANS, Lt Gen (Retd) Dua remarked, They said Modi ko bata dena, everyone heard it. That one sentence became so famous.

"At the time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia. He heard about it while he was there, cut short his visit and returned immediately."

"A high-level meeting was held, and the steps that had to be taken were announced by him. PM Modi heard them, and that is why, just 14 days later, something unprecedented happened which never happened before, he said, referring to the decisive action taken by India.

He highlighted the significance of the strikes that followed. Jaish-e-Mohammeds headquarter in Bahawalpur was destroyed. The Lashkar-e-Taiba HQ in Muridke, just 30 km from Lahore, both cities have Pakistani Corps HQs, which were targeted. If we can strike those locations, it shows our capabilities, there's a hidden message in it. That message is well understood by Pakistan and its military.

On whether Pakistan has learnt its lesson, Lt Gen Dua remained skeptical. Pakistan never stops its misadventures. Despite defeats in 1947-48, 1965, and most notably in 1971, where we split their country and 93,000 soldiers surrendered in a formal ceremony, something unseen since World War II, they still spin it as a victory in their internal narrative, he remarked.

He added that after those defeats, Pakistan turned to proxy warfare. I dont think Pakistan learns its lesson. But yes, for the first time, weve touched on the issue of water, a tool we had never used before despite several wars and the Kargil conflict, because it impacts the common Pakistani citizens.

He emphasized the impact of this new strategy, stating, The effects of the water issue will soon be far more telling than any kinetic or non-kinetic response. We just have to wait and watch if they still refuse to learn.

Lt Gen Dua highlighted the deep-rooted anti-India sentiment in Pakistans military. Pakistans army is built on India-hating. Theyve built an empire for themselves beyond military duties, and they wont give that up. Kashmir is the glue that holds them together. With internal unrest, Baloch, Pashtun, TTP, economic collapse, and public anger, they use India bashing as their only salvation. The army hopes this will rally people behind them despite their failures.
India-Pakistan Conflict: As a part of Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army targeted terrorist launchpads and "pulverized" them, after the Pakistani drone strikes on the night of May 8 and 9 in multiple cities of India.

In a post on the social media platform X, the Indian Army shared a video and said, "As a response to Pakistan's misadventures of attempted drone strikes on the night of 08 and 09 May 2025 in multiple cities of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, the Indian Army conducted a coordinated fire assault on terrorist launchpads, pulverizing & razing them to cinders."

In addition, the post added that the terrorist launchpads located near the Line of Control (LoC) were a hub for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces.

"The terrorist launchpads, located close to the Line of Control, were a hub for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces in the past. The Indian Army's swift and decisive action has dealt a significant blow to terrorist infrastructure and capabilities," it said.

OPERATION SINDOOR



Indian Army Pulverizes Terrorist Launchpads



As a response to Pakistan's misadventures of attempted drone strikes on the night of 08 and 09 May 2025 in multiple cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, the #Indian Army conducted a coordinated fire assault on pic.twitter.com/2i5xa3K7uk  ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 10, 2025

Pakistani Drones In Indian Territory

In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence stated that drones were sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.

On Friday, a Pakistani drone hit a residential area in Firozpur, Punjab, injuring three people. ANI quoted SSP Ferozepur, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, as saying, "We received information about three people being injured. They have burn injuries. Doctors will treat them. Most of the drones have been neutralised by the army." Explosions were also heard in Jammu as India's air defence intercepts Pakistani drones amid a blackout.

In a briefing on Saturday of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, it was informed that the Pakistan Military has been moving its troops into forward areas.

(with ANI inputs)
The United Nations Security Council has voted on May 8 to extend the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for another year, as escalating instability threatens to unravel fragile peace efforts in the worlds youngest nation.

The decision comes amid mounting concerns over sporadic violence, political tensions, and delays in implementing key components of the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a brutal five-year civil war that killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced millions.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following decades of armed struggle, but the promise of peace was short-lived. By 2013, internal divisions erupted into a devastating civil war between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing his former deputy, Riek Machar. Though a peace deal was signed in 2018, progress has been sluggish and marred by recurring clashes, lack of trust between parties, and humanitarian crises exacerbated by floods and famine. The transitional unity government formed in 2020 has struggled to meet deadlines, particularly on unifying armed forces and holding national elections.

The UNMISS renewal ensures continued support for protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian aid, and supporting the peace process, including election preparations now slated for late 2024. The Security Council emphasised the importance of political inclusivity, accountability, and dialogue to prevent a relapse into conflict. As tensions rise and critical timelines are missed, the missions extension is viewed as vital for sustaining international engagement and averting a return to full-scale violence.
New Delhi: The Centre, in a special briefing on 'Operation Sindoor' on Saturday, called out Pakistans brazen attempt to escalate the matter by repeatedly targeting Indias military as well as civilian centres and also slammed the state-sponsored propaganda machinery for spewing canards. The briefing also assured the nation that all of Pakistan's nefarious attempts had been thwarted by the alert Indian military.

In the Press briefing, helmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that Pakistan has been continuously attacking Indias western borders with drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and also fighter jets to target Indian military sites.

Pointing to a particular escalation, she informed that a high-speed missile was launched by Pakistan at 1.40 am, last night to target an air base in Punjab, in clear violation of the international norms.

The 'Operation Sindoor' briefing team collectively held Pakistan responsible for the escalation, while stating that India acted in a measured and calibrated manner to destroy terror hubs but Pakistan was deliberately targeting civilian and military infrastructure on the Indian side.

They also informed that certain health facilities and school premises were targeted in last night's escalation by Pakistani forces.

Vikram Misri further called out Pakistans lies and propaganda factory and stated that the state machinery was involved in peddling a fake narrative and also urged everyone to not pay heed to it.

As part of its malicious misinformation campaign, Pakistan claimed to have destroyed an Indian S-400 system and airfields in Sirsa and Surat.

All these are brazen lies and part of its propaganda war. India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," they said.

Colonel Qureshi also said India's air defence systems intercepted several projectiles sent by Pakistan and informed that Pakistan tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places, trying to hit military bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, Bathinda but most of them were neutralised.

Pakistan launched multiple armed drones from its soil over Khasa Cantt in Amritsar; however, the UAVS were successfully intercepted by the Indian Army's air defence systems.

"Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our Western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 a.m., multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units," the Indian Army stated.

Condemning the provocation, the Army said, "Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart enemy designs."

In yet another befitting reply to Pakistan's nefarious activities, the Border Security Force (BSF) has completely destroyed a Pakistani post and a terrorist launch pad in Looni, District Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, from where the tube drones were being launched to attack India.

"On 9 May 2025, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu Sector. BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary.

"The terrorist launch pad at Looni, District Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, was completely destroyed by the BSF. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," the BSF said in a statement.
India-Pakistan Row: Amid tensions with Pakistan, an alert has been issued for the border districts of Rajasthan as there could be airstrikes on these districts by the Pakistani Army. The districts are Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Phalodi, Jodhpur and Sriganganagar. Police and District administration have issued alerts for people asking them to stay indoors and ordering the closure of shops and commercial establishments.

"Everything will remain closed. Seeing the current situation, all are expected to stay home, and vehicular movements are also stopped..," said a Jaisalmer official while making a public announcement.

Amid the India-Pakistan tension, authorities in Jodhpur have imposed a ban on drone operations across the district without prior permission. The directive, issued under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Defence Code, 2023, aims to safeguard national security.

Notably, parts of drones and projectile-like objects have been recovered from many areas of the Rajasthan bordering Pakistan. A projectile-like object was found in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur on Friday, as well while drones were found in Phalodi as well.

After an unidentified missile debris was recovered in the Gida Pareu area of Rajasthan's Barmer on Saturday morning, the district administration has put the whole region on high alert.

Jodhpur district collector issued an air warning strike earlier today, asking people to stay indoors.

This comes after Pakistan tried to bomb key cities in India using armed drones and long-range missiles. Indian Army has been responding to Pakistan decisively.
In a bold and precise operation this morning, the Indian Air Force (IAF) targeted Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases at Rafiqui, Murid, and Nur Khan (Chaklala), along with radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot. These strikes were Indias response to Pakistans reckless drone and missile attacks on civilian areas and military posts in Indias western sector. By carefully selecting these targets, India aimed to dismantle Pakistans aerial threatespecially its growing drone warfare capabilitieswhile keeping civilian harm to a minimum. Lets explore why these targets were chosen and how Indias actions reflect strength and restraint.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, addressing the nation in a briefing, explained that the IAF used air-launched precision weapons to hit only military targets. The goal was to cripple Pakistans ability to launch drones, fighter jets, and reconnaissance missions. This operation, rooted in Indias commitment to peace unless provoked, follows Pakistans aggressive response to Indias Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps after the tragic Pahalgam attack that killed 26 innocents.

Strategic Targets: Why These Bases?

Each target was chosen to disrupt a specific part of Pakistans aerial war machine. Heres why they mattered:

Nur Khan Air Base (Chaklala), Rawalpindi: The Command Hub

Located in Rawalpindi, Nur Khan is the backbone of Pakistans Air Mobility Command, coordinating the movement of troops and equipment. Its also home to advanced assets like the Saab 2000 airborne early warning and control aircraft, which tracks enemy movements and guides attacks. Indian officials say this base played a central role in Pakistans drone and missile strikes over the past 72 hours. By targeting Nur Khan, India disrupted Pakistans ability to plan and execute complex aerial operations, effectively grounding their command structure.

Rafiqui Air Base, Punjab: The Fighter Jet Stronghold

Situated in Punjab, Rafiqui houses advanced fighter squadrons, including Mirage and JF-17 jets, capable of air combat and ground strikes. Its also a training hub for missions targeting Punjab and Kashmirkey areas along Indias border. With heightened air activity in recent days, Rafiqui likely supported Pakistans aggressive jet operations. Striking this base weakened Pakistans ability to launch manned airstrikes, protecting Indian airspace and border regions from immediate threats.

Murid Air Base, Punjab: The Drone Capital

Murid is Pakistans drone warfare headquarters, housing a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the homemade Shahpar-I and Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones. Over the past two days, Pakistan sent hundreds of drones across the bordersome unarmed for spying, others armed for attacks. Targeting Murid was a masterstroke to destroy Pakistans drone capabilities, disrupting their ability to gather intelligence or launch further unmanned strikes. This was critical, given Pakistans increasing reliance on drones to challenge India.

Radar Sites at Pasrur and Sialkot: Blinding Pakistans Eyes

The radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot are vital for Pakistans air surveillance, detecting incoming aircraft and guiding their jets and drones. By hitting these sites, India weakened Pakistans ability to monitor Indian movements or respond to IAF operations. This tactical move gave India an edge in air superiority, making it harder for Pakistan to track or counter future Indian actions.

Pakistans Drone Threat: A New Challenge

Pakistans drone attacks mark a shift in modern warfare, with UAVs becoming a cheap yet effective tool for both reconnaissance and strikes. The drones used include:

- Shahpar-I: A Pakistani-made drone designed for surveillance and intelligence gathering. While primarily unarmed, it can carry small payloads and has been used to identify Indian military positions.

- Bayraktar TB2: A Turkish-made combat drone known for its precision strikes and long endurance. It can carry missiles and has been battle-tested in conflicts like Ukraine, making it a serious threat.

- Akinci: Another Turkish drone, larger and more advanced, capable of carrying heavier weapons and conducting long-range missions. Its presence at Murid underscores Pakistans investment in high-tech warfare.

Over the past two days, Pakistan deployed hundreds of these drones, many for spying and some for attacks. Indias robust air defence systems downed most of them, but the sheer volume posed a challenge. By targeting Murid, India aimed to cut off this drone threat at its source, destroying the infrastructure and expertise behind Pakistans UAV operations.

Indias Measured Response

What sets India apart is its precision and restraint. The IAFs strikes avoided civilian areas, focusing solely on military targets. This approach not only showcases Indias advanced weaponry but also its commitment to avoiding escalation. Wing Commander Singh emphasized that India is ready to counter any threat but prefers peace if Pakistan reciprocates. This balance of strength and diplomacy is a lesson for the world.

The strikes stem from Pakistans refusal to curb terrorism, which led to Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Pakistans drone and missile attacks were a desperate retaliation, but they miscalculated Indias resolve. By hitting key air bases and radar sites, India has shown it can protect its skies while keeping the door open for dialogue.

A Call to Unity and Vigilance

For every Indian, this is a moment to feel proud of our armed forces. The IAFs precision, combined with our air defence systems, proves India is ready for modern threats like drones. But its also a reminder that peace hangs by a thread. Pakistan must abandon its support for terrorism and aggression, or face further isolation.

As citizens, lets stand united behind our forces and hope for a future where borders are respected and drones are used for progress, not war. India has shown its strengthnow, its up to Pakistan to choose peace.

(Girish Linganna is a science writer and Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. The views expressed in the article are those of the author.)
Hours after India and Pakistan announced on Saturday a ceasefire in the four-day conflict , United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement between the two countries and termed it a "positive step" towards easing tensions. According to his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, Guterres also exuded hopes that it will contribute to "lasting peace", according to him.

Guterres "welcomes the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan as a positive step toward ending current hostilities and easing tensions," Dujarric said on Saturday. "He hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, long-standing issues between the two countries," he added.

Dujarric said, "The United Nations stands ready to support efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region." India and Pakistan announced on Saturday a ceasefire in the four-day conflict that pushed limits by launching attacks beyond Kashmir into other areas in both countries.

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, there was a violation by the Pakistan army in the Akhnoor, Mendhar, R.S. Pura, Chamb, Bhimber and Gurez sectors while loud blasts were also heard in Srinagar.

The tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalated further on Wednesday when India struck "terrorist infrastructures" in retaliation against the massacre of 26 people in the Kashmir tourist spot Pahalgam last month by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

While the tension was mounting last week, Guterres had expressed deep concern over the conflict, saying, "The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan." He repeatedly asked for de-escalating the conflict, including by holding a meeting with reporters exclusively on the subject.

Guterres spoke to India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month to convey his deep concern over the rising tensions.

While many international leaders, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were calling both Indian and Pakistani leaders to de-escalate the conflict, Guterres' Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Thursday, "We encourage all efforts to de-escalate the situation."

Guterres has condemned the terrorist massacre in the strongest terms several times. He said, "Targeting civilians is unacceptable  and those responsible must be brought to justice through transparent, credible, and lawful means." Guterres offered his good wishes to find a solution to the crisis, but ultimately it was the US that played the crucial diplomatic role.

At the request of Pakistan, the UN Security Council held a closed-door consultation on Monday on the situation with a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari. But it did not meet formally in an open session about the conflict.

Soon after the Pahalgam massacre, the Council issued a press statement expressing its unanimous view condemning the attack, with Pakistan, an elected member, acceding to it. It "condemned in the strongest terms" the Pahalgam terrorist attack and urged all countries to cooperate in bringing all those involved in the massacre to justice.

(With IANS Inputs)
India-Pakistan Tensions: Amid escalating tensions between two nuclear-armed neighboring nations - India and Pakistan - the United States' Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Saturday, just after speaking to Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, who was blamed by the opposition for the escalation of tensions with India. Some reports claim that the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, wants de-escalation, but Munir wants a full-blown war against India.

According to the official statement issued by the US Department of State, "the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and emphasised that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation."

US Department of State, Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, said, "He (Marco Rubio) further proposed U.S. support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes. Earlier, Tammy Bruce said that during the call with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, Rubio urged for de-escalation.

Bruce said, "He (Rubio) continued to urge both parties to find a way to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts."
Weather Update: Delhi residents woke up to cool and pleasant weather on Saturday morning, as the city continues to experience a welcome break from the intense heat following recent rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, forecasting partly cloudy skies and strong winds. Thunderstorms and rain are expected in Delhi and NCR over the next 24 hours. The alert advises people to stay cautious and prepared. On Saturday, the sky is expected to be partly cloudy, with light rain and gusty winds. Wind speeds are predicted to range from 10 to 20 kilometers per hour. The maximum temperature is expected to be between 36 and 38 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will range from 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. The IMD has also forecast similar weather conditions from May 11 to 15, with no heatwave expected in Delhi over the next six days.

Thundershowers for next few days

In other parts of the country, the Meteorological Department has issued a warning of rain and thundershowers in the north-west and central regions over the next 4 to 5 days, which is expected to provide some relief from the heat.

Additionally, the IMD has warned of heavy rains and lightning in the Northeast until May 13, advising residents to stay alert. While most parts of the country are likely to experience higher-than-normal temperatures in May, the unseasonal rains will prevent the heat from reaching the levels seen last year.

AQI in Delhi, Delhi-NCR

On Saturday morning, Delhi's air quality remained in the 'moderate' category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 170 at 7 am, up from 148 at the same time the previous day.

Across Delhi-NCR, the AQI also remained in the 'moderate' or 'satisfactory' range. On May 9, Delhi's 24-hour average AQI stood at 151 by 4 pm. In Gurugram, the AQI decreased to 128, falling into the 'moderate' category. Noida and Greater Noida recorded AQIs of 116 and 117, respectively, while Ghaziabad's AQI was 116.
Who Was Hafiz Muhammed Jameel: In response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives, India launched Operation Sindoor during the wee hours of 7 May, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 9 sites were targeted through air strikes, neutralizing dozens of terrorists. Now, three days later, fresh media reports suggest that Hafiz Muhammed Jameel, a terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), was among the terrorists killed in India's air strike.

Who Was Hafiz Muhammed Jameel?

As per the media reports, Hafiz Muhammed Jameel was in charge of Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur. He was actively involved in the radical indoctrination of youth and fundraising for JeM. He was also the eldest brother-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar, who masterminded several terrorist attacks in India.

The media reports also suggest that Mudassar Khadian Khas (Lashkar-e-Taiba), Mohammad Yusuf Azhar (Jaish-e-Mohammed), Khalid @ Abu Akasha (Lashkar-e-Taiba), and Mohammad Hassan Khan (Jaish-e-Mohammed) were also killed in India's air strikes at different locations.

During the last three days, the tensions between the nuclear-armed neighboring countries reached a war-like situation as Pakistan took a provocative action, targeting drones and missiles at several Indian locations. The Indian armed forces retaliated proportionately.

In an Indian government's press briefing on Saturday morning, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, said, "Pakistan Military continued the provocations, carrying out aggressive actions employing multiple threat vectors all along the Western Border."

She further said, "There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed, subsequently after 01:40 hours (May 10) in the night at several air bases in Punjab. In a deplorable, cowardly act, targeting of civilian infrastructure had taken place, where Pakistan attacked the Medicare center, and school premises at the Airbases of Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur. Yet again, displaying irresponsible targeting of our civilian infrastructure."

"In a swift and calibrated response, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets," she said.
India-Pakistan Conflict: In retaliation to the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. In a coordinated effort, the Indian Air Force and Army carried out precision strikes on nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), successfully neutralising the intended targets.

Who Was Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Khalid?

Khalid, also known as Abu Akasha, was a member of the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. He was involved in several terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and played a key role in smuggling weapons from Afghanistan. According to reports, the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist funeral was held in Faisalabad and was attended by senior officials of the Pakistani Army as well as the Deputy Commissioner of Faisalabad.

Terrorist Killed In India's Airstrikes

The media reports also suggest that Mudassar Khadian Khas (Lashkar-e-Taiba), Mohammad Yusuf Azhar (Jaish-e-Mohammed), Khalid @ Abu Akasha (Lashkar-e-Taiba), and Mohammad Hassan Khan (Jaish-e-Mohammed) were also killed in India's air strikes at different locations.

During the last three days, the tensions between the nuclear-armed neighboring countries reached a war-like situation as Pakistan took a provocative action, targeting drones and missiles at several locations in Indian territory. The Indian armed forces retaliated proportionately.

Wing Commander Vyomika Sing Press Conference

In an Indian government's press briefing on Saturday morning, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, said, "Pakistan Military continued the provocations, carrying out aggressive actions employing multiple threat vectors all along the Western Border."

She further said, "There were also several high-speed missile attacks noticed, subsequently after 01:40 hours (May 10) in the night at several air bases in Punjab. In a deplorable, cowardly act, targeting of civilian infrastructure had taken place, where Pakistan attacked the Medicare center, and school premises at the Airbases of Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur. Yet again, displaying irresponsible targeting of our civilian infrastructure."

"In a swift and calibrated response, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets," she said.
Who Was Mohammad Hassan Khan: After the deadly Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, in which 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali citizen were killed, the Indian Armed Forces launched 'Operation Sindoor', hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

In a statement of the Ministry of Defence, it was clarified that altogether, nine 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 selection of targets and method of execution," the statement read.

Who Was Mohammad Hassan Khan?

According to sources, Mohammad Hassan Khan was affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). He was the son of Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri, operational commander of JeM in PoK. He played a key role in coordinating terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

Also Read: List Of LeT, JeM Terrorists Killed In India's Operation Sindoor  Check Names And Details

Apart from Khan, Mudassar Khadian Khas (alias Mudassar, Abu Jundal), Hafiz Muhammed Jameel, Mohammad Yusuf Azhar (aka Ustad Ji, Mohd Salim, and Ghosi Sahab), and Khalid (aka Abu Akasha) were also killed, as per sources.

Pakistani Drones In Indian Territory

In a special briefing on Saturday of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence about the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, it was informed that the Pakistan Military has been moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to escalate the situation further.

In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence stated that drones were sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.

On Friday, a Pakistani drone hit a residential area in Firozpur, Punjab, injuring three people. ANI quoted SSP Ferozepur, Bhupinder Singh Sidhu, as saying, "We received information about three people being injured. They have burn injuries. Doctors will treat them. Most of the drones have been neutralised by the army."

Explosions were also heard in Jammu as India's air defence intercepts Pakistani drones amid a blackout. Additionally, a complete blackout was enforced in Udhampur of the Jammu division.
Operation Sindoor: The Indian Armed Forces have added another feather to their illustrious cap with the splendid success of Operation Sindoor. Amid the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, the forces eliminated over 100 terrorists in precision strikes. Among those killed was Mohammad Yusuf Azharalso known as Ustad Ji, Mohd Salim, and Ghosi Sahabaccording to media reports.

As part of Operation Sindoor, India targeted nine terror posts located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir through surprise precision strikes. The 25-minute multi-domain assault, carried out using air, naval, and ground-based platforms, hit nine high-value terror launchpads.

Government sources described the strikes as measured, precise, and intelligence-driven, with each target confirmed through actionable intelligence. These attacks were carried out to avenge the lives lost in the horrific terror attack in Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22.

Who Is Mohammad Yusuf Azhar?

Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, also known by aliases such as Ustad Ji, Mohd Salim, and Ghosi Sahab, is a key figure associated with the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). He was the brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar and has played a significant role in the organisations operations, particularly in overseeing its weapons training programs. Terrorist Mohammad Yusuf Azhar has been linked to several terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and was also named as a suspect in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

Adding further, India has carried out deep and multiple strikes inside Pakistan for the first time since 1971. The action comes in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and Pakistans targeting of Indian cities using missiles and drones.
King Mohammed VI has underlined in a message of congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his investiture to the papal mission that the Kingdom of Morocco and the Holy See are united by an unwavering commitment to peace and to the principles of living together.

As you start your eminent mission at the head of the Catholic Church, it gives me great pleasure to send you my warmest congratulations and my best wishes for a pontificate that is beneficial to the Catholic faithful and serves the common good of humankind, King Mohammed VI, Commander of the Faithful, stated in his message.

The Kingdom of Morocco and the Holy See, as the custodians of longstanding diplomatic and spiritual traditions, are united by time-honored ties rooted in fraternal understanding and mutual esteem, the Monarch emphasized, adding that they are also united by an unwavering commitment to peace and the principles of living together.

As a land of fraternal coexistence between the followers of the monotheistic religions, the Kingdom of Morocco works tirelessly to promote a spirit of solidarity and harmony between different peoples and civilizations, King Mohammed VI added.

It was with that in mind that the late Pope John Paul II made a historic visit to Morocco in August 1985, at the invitation of my revered father, HM King Hassan II, may he rest in peace. In March 2019, the Moroccan people and I had the pleasure of welcoming Pope Francis in Rabat, the Monarch recalled.

These meetings between the King of Morocco, Commander of the Faithful and the Head of the Catholic Church are events of significant symbolic value. They attest to a strong desire, shared by the Holy See, to build bridges of brotherhood between people, and to establish inter-faith dialogue as a bulwark against extremism and introversion, the King stated further.

Your Holiness may be assured that I shall invariably see to it that, under your pontificate, this privileged relationship between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Holy See will continue in the same spirit of brotherhood, friendship and mutual understanding, the King wrote in his message, expressing the hope that our ties will be further strengthened to support and promote the ongoing dialogue between Muslims and Christians, in keeping with universal human values and the precepts shared by the monotheistic religions.
EAM Jaishankar On India-Pakistan Ceasefire: Asserting that India will continue to maintain its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that India and Pakistan have worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action amid the heightened tensions between the two countries.

"India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," Jaishankar said in a post on X.

India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.



India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025

The EAMs remarks came after DGMOs of the two nations, who witnessed tensions at the LoC after the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam, agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon.

"Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said.

"Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," he added.

Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire. "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said in a post on X.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.

"Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. He made the remarks at a media briefing on Saturday morning, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by the neighbouring country.

India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi came down heavily on Pakistan over the IMFs bailout package amid conflict with India on Saturday and said that the country is an official beggar. He stated that the neighbouring country does not even know how to run an economy.

Questioning the IMF for providing a bailout package to Pakistan, Owaisi dubbed the international financial agency the International Militant Fund. How did the USA, Germany, and Japan agree to this? he asked.

"ye official bheekmange hai.' They took a loan from the IMF of $1 billion. IMF is not the International Monetary Fund; they are giving the International Militant Fund to Pakistan. How did the USA, Germany, and Japan agree to this? the AIMIM chief.

... Forget leadership; they (Pakistan) don't even know how to run an economy. You people are sitting there and telling us what Islam is, but all you have are wrong policies to spoil the peace here and create conflict between Hindus and Muslims," he further stated.

#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana | On IMF's bailout package for Pakistan, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says, "...'ye official bheekmange hai'. They took a loan from the IMF of $1 billion. IMF is not the International Monetary Fund; they are giving the International Militant Fund to pic.twitter.com/feSMRWkOsX  ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2025

The remarks from the AIMIM chief came a day after India abstained from the vote on the International Monetary Funds proposed $1.3 billion bailout for Pakistan. India has cited concerns over Islamabads historical inefficiency in utilising prior financial assistance and has expressed concerns over its neighbour's "poor track record".

India also voiced concerns about the possibility of misuse of debt financing funds for state-sponsored cross-border terrorism. The IMF conducted a review of Pakistans $1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme on Friday while also assessing a proposed $1.3 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) loan package.
India-Pakistan Conflict: Amid the evolving border conflict between India and Pakistan, the flight operations have been suspended at 32 northern airports in bordering states. Meanwhile, flight operations are running normally at Delhi airport with some delays. In response to evolving airspace dynamics and enhanced security measures mandated by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has issued an official advisory urging passengers to prepare for potential flight schedule adjustments and extended wait times at security checkpoints.

According to the Delhi Airport advisory, while operations at the airport remain smooth, travelers may experience delays due to the implementation of stricter protocols. Passengers are strongly encouraged to stay informed via their respective airline communication channels and to follow all baggage guidelines carefully. For real-time updates, passengers are advised to monitor the Delhi Airport website or their airlines official communication platforms.

To help mitigate disruptions, the airport advises all travelers to arrive well in advance of their scheduled departures and to cooperate fully with security and airline staff. We recommend verifying flight status through the official Delhi Airport website or directly with your airline, the advisory reads.

Officials have also cautioned against the spread of misinformation, urging the public to rely exclusively on official sources for updates and to avoid sharing unverified content.

The advisory thanked passengers for their cooperation and support as airport authorities coordinate with all stakeholders to maintain a secure and efficient travel environment.
New Delhi: The release of the Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi starrer Bhool Chuk Maaf has been halted by the Bombay High Court amid a fresh legal dispute. In a recent order, the Court issued an ad-interim injunction restraining Maddock Films from releasing the romantic drama on OTT (over-the-top) platforms, citing a breach of a previously agreed 8-week theatrical window with PVR Inox.

The film's producers had announced plans to skip a theatrical release and debut directly on Amazon Prime Video, citing rising tensions between India and Pakistan as the reason. However, PVR Inox labeled the move a breach of contract and filed a lawsuit against Maddock Films.

In light of recent events and heightened security measures across the country, we at Maddock Films and Amazon MGM Studios have decided to bring our family entertainer, Bhool Chuk Maaf, directly to your homes on May 16only on Prime Video, worldwide, read an official statement from Maddock Films.

The Court, however, ruled that bypassing the theatrical release constituted a clear breach of the agreement and prohibited any OTT release until the holdback period expires. The matter will be heard again on June 16.

The film was originally slated for a theatrical release on May 9. Maddock Films had subsequently announced its digital release on May 16 via Amazon Prime Video.

PVR Inox's petition insists that the film must follow the standard protocol: a theatrical release first, followed by a digital release only after an eight-week window.

Directed by Karan Sharma, Bhool Chuk Maaf is presented by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios.
New Delhi: Bollywood celebrities, including Kareena Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, and Ananya Panday, among others, have voiced their support for the India-Pakistan ceasefire.

Taking to her Instagram account, actress Kareena Kapoor endorsed the decision by writing, "Rab Rakha... Jai Hind," along with the Indian flag emoji.

Actress Raveena Tandon also welcomed the ceasefire announcement on her Instagram story, stating, "If this is true, then it's a welcome decision. #ceasefire."

However, she added a cautionary note, emphasizing India's position: "But make no mistake, the day India bleeds again#statesponsoredterrorismit will be an act of war, and then there will be hell to pay."

She continued, "The #IMF had better keep track of where their money goes. The big powers may have sanctioned these loans to get earlier loans paid back, or so that more ammunition is bought, or whatever. But now AND never should Bharat bleed again."

Raveena captioned her post, "#ceasefire But a few things are pretty clear. I will support my country in all the ways I can as a citizen. #mycountrymylife #bharatforever This has shown us who our friends are and who are not. My countrys enemy is mine."

Actress Parineeti Chopra expressed her support by writing, "Om Namah Shivaya," along with the hashtag #ceasefire.

Malaika Arora also joined the bandwagon of celebrities and shared the update on her story, writing, "Thank God."

Other celebrities, including Karan Johar, Janhvi Kapoor, and Varun Dhawan, showed their support for the announcement through their Instagram stories.

US President Donald Trump shared the ceasefire decision on his X account.

His post read: "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries for using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Additionally, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated during a press briefing: "The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air, and sea with effect from 17:00 hours IST."

Following the retaliatory attacks named Operation Sindoor by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7, tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) escalated. Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
New Delhi: Previously, more than 15 filmmakers have reportedly rushed to register the movie title 'Operation Sindoor', but it was director Uttam Maheshwari and Nitin Kumar Gupta who officially announced the project.

The film, titled Operation Sindoor, inspired by Indias response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, sparked public outrage shortly after its announcement on social media, with netizens accusing the makers of insensitivity given the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

The first look of the film was revealed via an AI-generated poster on paparazzi pages, including Viral Bhayani's Instagram account. The post described the film as Indias bravest strike based film, prompting swift backlash from netizens who called out the timing and motive behind the films release.

Take a look:

In response to the uproar, the films director Uttam Maheshwari issued a public apology. My sincere apologies for recently announcing a flim based on Operation Sindoor, inspired by the recent heroic efforts of our Indian Armed Forces The intent was never to hurt or provoke anyone's sentiments, he said in a statement. As a filmmaker, I was moved by the courage, sacrifice, and strength of our soldiers and leadership, and simply wished to bring this powerful story to light. This project was born out of deep respect and love for our nation and not for fame and monetisation. However, I understand the timing and sensitivity may have caused discomfort or pain to some."

Maheshwari also thanked the Indian Armed Forces and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the project an emotion of the entire nation.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned Bollywoods rush to fictionalise the tragic incident. Sharing a screenshot of the news on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote, Shameless vultures.

As per news agency ANI, India on Saturday categorically rejected Pakistan's malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure.
New Delhi: Sitarist Rishab Sharma has announced the cancellation of his upcoming live performances in Indore, Bengaluru, Surat, and Kolkata due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the brutal Pahalgam attack on April 22. The shows were part of his Sitar for Mental Health India Tour.

In a heartfelt social media post, Sharma emphasised that during such critical times, the nation must take precedence. He also assured fans that he would continue sharing his music online as a source of peace and connection.

His message read: Dear Sitar For Mental Health Family  In light of the recent events and ongoing conflict, it is with a heavy heart that we must cancel our upcoming shows this month in Bengaluru, Surat, and Kolkata. These are moments that call for unity, reflection, and solidarity. Art can wait  humanity cannot. We must stand the tallest with our nation, prioritizing the safety, strength, and well-being of each other. Saare Jahaan Se Achha, Hindustan Hamara. With deep respect and gratitude to our Indian forces and troops, who ensure that we sleep in peace each night  your courage humbles us.

He further added: Though we may not meet in person for now, I will continue to offer my music online as a source of calm and connection in these challenging times. I love you all. We will return stronger, and when we do, we will celebrate life and music together. All refunds will be processed through District at the earliest. With love and strength. Har Har Mahadev.

In the caption accompanying his post, Sharma wrote: Sitar for Mental Health India Tour comes to an end Indore is also cancelled. Nation always first. Im right here and will see you guys online I love you all dearly. All refunds will be processed in 57 days through @districtupdates.

The decision was widely supported by social media users, who praised the musicians sensitivity and solidarity during this difficult time.
Mumbai: Actor Sanjay Dutt has lauded the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces amid rising India-Pakistan tensions and has called for unity and strength in the face of terrorism.

On Saturday, the actor took to his Instagram Stories to show his full support for the Indian Army following the recent rise in cross-border tensions between the two countries.

In his statement, Dutt made it clear that India will not tolerate continued attacks and will respond with firm determination. He also urged the nation to remain united and not be shaken by acts of terror.

"The relentless attacks on our people will no longer be tolerated. We will respond, not with hesitation, but with full force and unshakable resolve. The world must understand that our battle is not against a people or a nation, but against the terrorists who thrive on fear, chaos, and destruction. Let there be no doubt, we are not backing down this time," read a part of his post.

Dutt also went on to describe the terrorists as "cowards" and hailed the strength and resilience of the Indian people and military.

"These terrorists are nothing but cowards hiding behind the veil of violence. They strike from the shadows, but they will learn that we are a nation that does not bow. We rise stronger every time they try to break us. Our unity, our spirit, and our will to fight back are far greater than their hate."

Calling the Indian Armed Forces the "true heroes," Dutt added, "I am proud of our armed forces. They stand tall at the frontlines, fearless and focused, answering every act of terror with courage and fire. They are not just defending borders; they are defending every child's dream, every family's peace, and the soul of this nation. They are the true heroes, and I salute each one of them."

India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads with each other after terrorist camps were destroyed at nine locations in the neighbouring country under Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the ghastly Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The 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.

Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an "act of war" against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said.
New Delhi: Actor Vijay Deverakonda celebrated his birthday this year with more than just cake and fanfare  he transformed it into a gesture of patriotism and gratitude. In a move that has resonated deeply with fans and citizens alike, the popular star announced that a portion of proceeds from his fashion label RWDY will be donated to support the Indian Armed Forces.

Taking to social media, Deverakonda shared a video message outlining his initiative. Alongside his annual Deverakonda Birthday Truck  a mobile celebration that hands out free ice creams in Hyderabad and surrounding areas to beat the summer heat  he introduced a campaign to give back to the bravehearts of the nation.

Not just made in India, made for India, the actor wrote. For the next few weeks, a portion of all RWDY sales will be dedicated to the Indian Armed Forces. Jai Hind. Yours, Vijay.

Emphasizing that this years birthday is not just about celebration, but about spreading joy, Deverakondas gesture comes at a time of heightened national sentiment due to ongoing border tensions.

In addition to his philanthropic efforts, Deverakonda gave fans more reasons to celebrate by announcing a trio of major film projects. Leading the slate is VD14, a period action drama directed by Rahul Sankrityan and jointly produced by Mythri Movie Makers and T-Series. The film's first-look poster shows the actor in a meditative yet intense avatar, generating significant buzz.

Also revealed was SVC 59, under the Sri Venkateswara Creations banner, promising another gritty performance from the star. Meanwhile, anticipation continues to mount for Kingdom (Samrajya)  an action-packed spectacle that has already teased fans with a gripping teaser and Deverakonda in a commanding new role.

By blending purpose with promotion, Vijay Deverakonda has once again demonstrated why hes not just a star on screen, but a beloved public figure off it  using his influence to celebrate, uplift, and give back.
Chennai: The makers of director Prabadish Samz's mythological thriller 'Gajaana', which released on May 9, have now announced that they had decided to discontinue the theatrical screenings of the film in the wake of the ongoing national situation and to release the film in theatres later on.



In a statement, the producers of the film, Four Square Studious, said, "We are truly grateful for the incredible love and support 'Gajaana has received since its release on May 9 in Tamil Nadu. Your response has been heartwarming and unforgettable.

"In view of the ongoing national situation and rising security concerns, we at Four Square Studious and Lyon Globus have made the responsible decision to discontinue the theatrical screening of Gajaana at this time.

"The safety and well-being of our audience are far more important than any celebration. At this moment, our hearts and thoughts are with our brave soldiers and fellow citizens. We stand in full support of the incredible josh and sacrifice of our armed forces. We will soon bring Gajaana back to you in the theatres.

"Thank you for your understanding, and we hope the film finds its place in your hearts when the time is right. With respect and gratitude, Team Gajaana."

The film, which features actors Inigo Prabhakar, Vedhika and Chandni in the lead, also features a host of stars Hareesh Peradi, Pratap Pothan, Yogi Babu, Karate Karthi, Ilango, Sendrayan, Vijayalakshmi Veeramani, Knife Naren, Velu Prabhakaran, Pooja Shankar Rajesh and Sahanavenkataraman in pivotal roles.

On the technical front, the film has cinematography by Gopi Duraisamy and Vinod JP and editing by K M Riyas. Music for the film has been scored by Achu Rajamani. Vihas Nagaraj has co-directed this film, which has dialogues by Sengovi and art direction by Seeniwasan Sankar. The film VFX's portions have been handled by Jai Prakash of Greenscar VFX.
The Lisbon-based Navy Museum (Museu de Marinha) hosted an international symposium on Friday dedicated to the protection of the maritime heritage of the African Atlantic coast, with the participation of delegations from several West African and European countries, including Morocco.

The event, organized at the initiative of the Assalam Association for the Protection of Maritime Heritage, in partnership with the Navy Museum of Portugal, was attended by a Moroccan delegation led by the President of the Communal Council of Dakhla, Erragheb Hormatallah.

This scientific and cultural gathering highlighted the Atlantic Initiative for Maritime Heritage, launched in Dakhla in November 2024, as a regional strategic framework aimed at promoting cooperation and the exchange of expertise in the field of maritime heritage preservation, according to a statement by the Association.

During the symposium, new data concerning submerged maritime heritage off the coasts of southern Morocco and West Africa were presented, revealing the significant potential of these areas and reinforcing Dakhlas position as a regional hub for the preservation and enhancement of this heritage.

Speaking at the event, Hormatallah emphasized the importance of this meeting within the framework of King Mohammed VIs Atlantic African vision, highlighting the role of cultural heritage as a lever for development and regional cooperation.

For his part, the Director of the Navy Museum, Captain Augusto Salgado, praised the fruitful cooperation with the Assalam Association, emphasizing the unprecedented scope of this initiative, which, for the first time, brought together representatives from four African countries upholding this cause.

The President of the Assalam Association, Cheikh El Mami Ahmed Bazaid, stated that this symposium represents a key step toward the recognition of maritime heritage as a shared asset of Atlantic peoples and toward the promotion of scientific and participatory approaches to its preservation.
iPhone And Android Government Alerts: Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, staying informed about emergency situations has never been more critical. With the situation evolving rapidly, both Android and iPhone users can rely on their devices to receive official government-issued alerts in real time  offering a vital lifeline during moments of uncertainty.

These alerts deliver crucial updates, including safety advisories, security developments, and directives from authorities that can help you respond swiftly and appropriately. Adding further, tensions spiked further with reports of drone sightings at 26 locations  from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south  spanning both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC).

Adding to the urgency, Noida in Uttar Pradesh is now on red alert as the situation intensifies. In this article, well guide you on how to activate emergency alerts on your Android and Apple's iPhone to ensure you never miss a critical government update when it matters most.

How To Enable Government Test Alerts On iPhone

Step 1: Go to your phone's Settings.

Step 2: Tap on the Notifications option.

Step 3: Scroll down to the bottom of the menu.

Step 4: Look for the Government Alerts section.

Step 5: Enable the Test Alerts toggle to activate it.

How To Enable Emergency Alerts On Android

Step 1: Open your phones Settings.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap on Safety and Emergency.

Step 3: Select Wireless Emergency Alerts.

Step 4: Turn on all available alert options to ensure you receive notifications.
New Delhi: Tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising steadily with recent military actions adding to growing fears across the region. In uncertain times like these, staying informed and having quick access to reliable emergency tools is crucial.

Here are some of the top safety apps and websites every Indian should know about during a national crisis. In times of crisis, staying prepared is key. Here are some must-know safety apps and websites every Indian should have handy.

Sanchar Saathi Portal

The Sanchar Saathi Portal helps users block lost or stolen phones and verify SIM cards linked to their ID. Its a must-have to prevent fraud and protect your personal dataespecially during chaotic situations.

112 India App

This government-backed app offers instant access to police, fire, ambulance, and medical services via call, SMS, or email. Linked to the national emergency helpline (112), its a vital app to keep on your phone at all times.

Raksha App

Available across Android and iOS platforms, the Raksha App empowers women to instantly alert trusted contacts during emergencies. It also includes GPS tracking, making it a powerful safety tool for everyday use or during national crises.

NDRF & SDRF Portals

The official websites of the National Disaster Response Force and respective State Disaster Forces provide timely updates on rescue efforts, safety advisories, and emergency measures. Bookmark these for reliable information during natural or man-made disasters.

CitizenCOP App

This app lets users report crimes, receive alerts, and access local emergency contacts. It promotes community-driven safety and is useful for staying aware of threats in your area.

Follow Verified Government Handles

Keep an eye on trusted accounts from the government and local police on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. These are often the fastest sources of verified updates during emergencies.

Use Google Maps & Assistant for Nearby Help

Smartphone features like Google Maps and Google Assistant can help you quickly locate nearby police stations, hospitals, or shelterscrucial in urgent situations.
Dhaka: The Bangladesh interim government on Saturday has taken a decision to ban Awami League, the oldest political party in the country. Bangladesh interim government bans Awami League. The press release further clarified that the decision was made to safeguard national security and sovereignty.

"The Advisory Council meeting discussed the need to protect the country's security and sovereignty, the security of the leaders and activists of the July Movement, and the protection of the plaintiffs and witnesses of the International Crimes Tribunal until the trial of the Bangladesh Awami League and its leaders is completed A decision has been taken to ban all activities of the Awami League, including in cyberspace, under the Anti-Terrorism Act," the statement said.

Several political parties and groups in Bangladesh, including the National Citizens Party (NCP), Jamaat-e-Islami and others, are protesting by surrounding the residence of Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser to the interim government, demanding a ban on the Awami League.

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in a mass uprising on August 5 last year. She is currently in exile. After Sheikh Hasina's fall, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Almost all Awami League leaders and workers are currently in hiding. Although the party's veteran leader, former President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, is under the radar, he flew to Bangkok with his wife and brother-in-law early Thursday morning.

The protest, which began at 10 pm on Thursday in front of the Jamuna, the residence of the interim government's Chief Adviser, demanding a ban on the Awami League, is still ongoing.

NCP's convener, Nahid Islam, said, "The first responsibility of the interim government was to ban the Awami League. We have made that demand both inside and outside the government. But today, nine months later, we have had to take to the streets again to ban the Awami League."
India-Pakistan war: Amid the almost war-like situation and escalating tensions, where both nuclear-armed nations are firing missiles at each other, the United States' Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. Notably, opposition in Pakistan has blamed Munir for the escalation of tensions with India. There are reports which claim that while the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, wants de-escalation, Munir wants a full-blown war with India.

White House Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that during the call, Rubio urged for de-escalation. "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find a way to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts," said Bruce.

According to reports, Munir received a stern warning from Rubio, who urged him not to escalate the situation any further.

Notably, Pakistan fired multiple Fateh-2 and Abdali-I missiles at Indian cities following which India targeted their three airbases - Pakistan Air Force base in Nur Khan of Rawalpindi, Rafiqi Airbase in Punjabs Shorkot, and Murid Airbase in Punjabs Chakwal.

Indian Army has said in a post on X that Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along entire Western Border on the intervening night of 08 and 09 May 2025. It said that Pakistan troops also resorted to numerous cease fire violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army said that it has been giving a matching response to Pakistani misadventure.

Earlier, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate. "This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," she said.
The Kosmos 482 spacecraft, a Soviet mission launched in 1972 for an unsuccessful trip to Venus, reentered Earths atmosphere on Saturday morning, according to a recent report. According to the European Space Agency, which had been tracking the spacecraft's uncontrolled descent, radar last detected Kosmos 482 over Germany. As the spacecraft neared its expected crash time, radar signals ceased, suggesting that reentry had likely already occurred, NBC News reported. So far, there have been no reports of any damage or injuries.

Kosmos 482 was part of the Soviet Unions Venera program, which aimed to study Venus. While ten missions under the program successfully landed on the planet, Kosmos 482 failed to reach its destination due to a rocket malfunction. The lower stage of the spacecraft, containing the descent module, remained trapped in Earth's orbit. Weighing around 1,069 pounds and measuring roughly three feet wide, the spacecraft continued circling the planet in a gradually shrinking elliptical orbit for 53 years. Eventually, it re-entered Earths atmosphere and crashed.

Space debris falling back to Earth is fairly common. In fact, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported that more than 2,400 human-made objects re-entered Earths atmosphere in 2022 alone  a record number. Most of these objects either disintegrated upon reentry or crashed harmlessly into oceans.

However, Kosmos 482 was uniquely durable. Built to withstand the harsh conditions on Venus  where surface temperatures average 867 degrees Fahrenheit (464C)  and engineered to survive descent through the planet's dense atmosphere, the spacecraft was likely tough enough to endure Earths reentry process with minimal damage.

Despite growing concern about space junk, there have been no known cases of space debris causing fatalities. In a blog post about Kosmos 482, ESA officials emphasized that the risk of injury from reentering satellites is extremely low. The annual risk of a person being injured by space debris is less than 1 in 100 billion, they noted. By comparison, you're about 65,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning.

When and where was it supposed to crash?

According to CNN, Cosmos 482 is expected to reenter Earths atmosphere sometime between 10 p.m. ET on Friday and 6:30 a.m. ET on Saturday. The European Space Agencys tracker provides a more precise estimate, predicting the descent to occur around 2:30 a.m. ET (06:37 UTC) on Saturday
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Tim Friede has survived hundreds of snakebiteson purpose. For nearly two decades, he let some of the world's most dangerous snakes sink their fangs into his arms, all for science.

Now, his bold experiment could potentially help save thousands of lives.

Friede, 57, from Wisconsin, has spent nearly 20 years injecting himself with snake venom to build immunity.

His work may now help solve a major global health problem: Each year, venomous snakes bite up to 2.7 million people, causing an estimated 120,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries, The New York Times reported.

In a two-minute video, Friede is seen calmly allowing two deadly snakesa black mamba and a taipanto bite his arms. Despite bleeding from both arms, he smiles and says, "Thanks for watching."

Researchers have discovered two powerful antibodies in Friede's blood that, when combined with a drug called varespladib, protected mice from the venom of 19 snake species.

This is a major leap forward: Current antivenoms typically only work against one or a few closely related snake species.

"I'm really proud that I can do something in life for humanity, to make a difference for people that are 8,000 miles away, that I'm never going to meet, never going to talk to, never going to see, probably," Friede told The Times.

He began experimenting in the early 2000s, sometimes housing up to 60 venomous snakes in his basement. His passion nearly cost him his life in 2001, when he let two cobras bite him and ended up in a coma for four days. That experience pushed him to become more careful and precise in his work.

Jacob Glanville, founder of San Francisco-based vaccine developer Centivax and lead author of the study now published in Cell, met Friede in 2017. Working with Peter Kwong, a Columbia University vaccine researcher, Glanville's team isolated the antibodies and tested them in the mice.

One antibody protected against six snake species. When combined with the second antibody, mice were protected from 13 snake venoms and partly shielded against six more.

Nicholas Casewell, a researcher at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in England, told The Times that cocktails of antitoxins may neutralize the venom of many species.

Traditional antivenom is made by injecting animals like horses or sheep with small amounts of venom, then collecting the antibodies they produce. But this process is outdated and pretty much only works on specific snakes. It can also cause dangerous allergic shock in some people.

The hope? Combining human-made antibodies with drugs like varespladib can neutralize a wider range of snake venoms with fewer side effects.

Next, researchers plan to test the treatment in dogs bitten by snakes in Australia, The Times said in a recently published report. Australia is home to some of the world's deadliest snakes.

Friede says his snakebite days are behind him. His last bite was in 2018.

"Well, that's it, enough is enough," Friede said.

He misses the snakes. But, "I'll probably get back into it in the future," he said. "But for right now, I'm happy where things are at."

More information: Jacob Glanville et al, Snake venom protection by a cocktail of varespladib and broadly neutralizing human antibodies, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.050 The Smithsonian Institution has more on antivenom. Journal information: Cell

 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Men with fertility issues have lower levels of phosphate in the blood than average, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). In addition, low phosphate concentrations in the blood were associated with reduced sperm motility in infertile men. The findings can help researchers improve the understanding of the biological factors involved in male reproductive health, which could lead to new fertility treatments.

Over the past 50 years, sperm counts worldwide have halved, sperm quality has declined alarmingly and 15% of all heterosexual couples are facing infertility. Male infertility contributes to approximately half of all cases of infertility, but for the majority of men with fertility issues, the cause remains unexplained. However, many factorsincluding genetics, lifestyle and nutritional choices, and hormonal imbalancescan affect men's fertility. For example, in recent years, vitamin D deficiency has been linked with poor semen quality.

In this study, researchers from the Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and the Copenhagen University Rigshospitalet analyzed blood and semen samples from 1,242 men with infertility in Denmark. They found that 36% of these men had clinically low levels of phosphate in their blood, as opposed to the approximate 24% incidence found in the general population in Denmark. Men with moderately low phosphate levels had fewer motile and progressively motile sperm compared to those with normal phosphate levels. In addition, the men with moderately low phosphate levels had slightly higher levels of the hormone estradiol. Low levels of phosphate were not associated with sperm count.

"Surprisingly, we identified, for the first time, that the percentage of infertile men with low phosphate concentration in the blood is higher than that of the general Danish population," said lead author Dr. Sam Kafai Yahyavi.

Dr. Kafai Yahyavi added, "This could mean that phosphatea mineral which has known effects in energy production and bone strengthhas a potential to be targeted directly to potentially improve fertility, possibly by treating some of the infertile men with phosphate supplements."

"While our study does not prove that low phosphate concentrations cause infertility, it highlights a potential connection that could be important for understanding and treating male infertility," said Dr. Kafai Yahyavi.

The team has also previously found that phosphate is essential for testicular function in healthy men, as phosphate concentrations in the seminal fluid are more than 20-fold higher than in the blood, implying that phosphate is regulated within the male reproductive system. With this in mind, in another study, also presented at the Joint Congress of ESPE and ESE, Dr. Kafai Yahyavi and colleagues investigated this phosphate transport mechanism in rodents and humans and found that high phosphate levels in human semen were associated with higher-quality sperm and increased testosterone levels.

"Our study suggests that phosphate levels in the reproductive organs may be important for organ function and sperm function, and we are now searching for regulators of this transport and through them, the influence on male fertility," said first author Ms Zhihui Cui, a Ph.D. student at the Copenhagen University Herlev Hospital.

Dr. Kafai Yahyavi said, "This is exciting because this transport mechanism now raises the question of whether manipulating phosphate concentrations in the blood will affect fertility. Therefore, our next step of research is to start controlled trials, in which phosphate is used as an intervention, in order to assess the direct effect of phosphate on fertility in menbut also in women."

Provided by European Society of Endocrinology
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) can lead to significant weight loss and improve blood sugar control in adults with severe mental illness, as well as having positive effects on mood, well-being, and quality of life in those both with and without mental illness, according to a systematic review of the available evidence being presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (1114 May).

The work is also published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

"Our findings suggest that GLP-1RAs might be just as safe and effective in adults with mental illness as they are in mentally healthy individuals, significantly reducing psychotropic drug-induced weight gain and improving glucose control, while protecting cardiometabolic health," says lead author Dr. Sigrid Breit from the University of Bern, Switzerland.

"These results are particularly important for people with severe mental disorders who are three times more likely to be living with obesity than the general population."

Mental illnesses are associated with an increased risk of weight gain and metabolic disorders like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Estimates suggest that around 60% of people with severe mental disorders are living with overweight or obesity.

Substantial weight gain is also a common side effect of many mood-altering drugs (psychotropics), which include antidepressants and antipsychotics, especially for individuals with severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia and major depressive disorder who must take their medications indefinitely to reduce the risk of symptom relapse.

Originally developed to treat diabetes, GLP-1RAs like liraglutide and semaglutide mimic the action of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which stimulates insulin production and lowers blood sugar levels. More recently, they have emerged as effective treatments for obesityslowing digestion, increasing feelings of fullness, and reducing hunger.

However, evidence for the impact of GLP-1RAs in individuals with obesity and mental illness is limited. There have also been concerns that these medications may increase the risk of suicide and self-harm.

To find out more, Swiss researchers systematically reviewed the evidence from clinical trials and case series examining the safety and the impact of GLP-1RAs on psychotropic drug-induced metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as mental illness outcomes from January 1st, 2010 to August 31st, 2024.

Data were analyzed for 36 studies involving a total of 25,677 adults (aged 18 or older) from 19 countries. Eighteen studies examined the effect of GLP-1RAs on weight loss, glucose control and mental illness outcomes in adults with a severe mental disorder, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and alcohol use disorder.

The other 18 studies examined emotional well-being and quality of life in adults with overweight or obesity but with no history of severe mental illness following GLP-1RAs treatment.

Overall, four different GLP-1RAs were investigated in the trialsliraglutide (also known as Victoza), semaglutide (Ozempic or Wegovy), exenatide (Byetta or Bydureon), and dulaglutide (Trulicity).

The analysis found that treatment with GLP-1RAs led to significant weight loss and improved glycemic control in adults with mental illness taking psychotropics.

The greatest weight loss was reported in a randomized trial of liraglutide (up to 3 mg daily). Participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder using this medication lost up to 5.3kg more of their starting weight and lowered their glucose levels (HbA1c) by 3.6 mmol/mol more after six months compared with participants taking placebo. Semaglutide (2.4 mg once weekly) caused weight loss of up to 15.7% after 68 weeks in patients taking antidepressants compared with placebo.

No link with suicidal thoughts or behavior

Importantly, the results showed that GLP-1RAs were not associated with a worsening mental state, suicidal behavior, new mental illness diagnoses, or increased psychiatric admissions.

For example, analysis of four studies on suicidality in adults with bipolar disorder, major or bipolar depressive disorder or no mental illness found that liraglutide was not linked to significantly increased rates of suicidal ideation (having thoughts of suicide). Two further studies of exenatide in patients with alcohol use disorder and liraglutide in bipolar disorder found no significant difference in suicidal behavior compared with placebo.

Dr. Breit cautions, "Until we have better evidence, people taking GLP-1RAs should be carefully monitored, especially those with mental illness."

Beneficial impact on mental health

The analysis also found that GLP-1RAs had a beneficial effect on mental health in adults with and without mental disorders. Five studies found that they were safe and improved mental illness outcome and quality of life in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder, and bipolar affective disorder.

In adults without mental illness, GLP-1RAs demonstrated a superior effect on mood, emotional well-being, and quality of life compared with insulin and other antidiabetic drugs. For example, a randomized trial in patients with type 2 diabetes found that liraglutide (1.2 or 1.8 mg) significantly improved emotional well-being and general perceived health compared to glimepiride (8 mg daily).

Dr. Breit explains, "GLP-1 RAs may have antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects, potentially due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, which can also help reduce neuroinflammation."

She adds, "This research provides much-needed evidence in support of GLP-1RAs to help safely address the burden of obesity in people with mental illness.

"However, more data from large-scale randomized trials and longer treatment and follow-up periods are needed to establish the long-term efficacy of GLP-1 RAs, as well as future studies exploring whether these medications might be useful for the direct treatment of mental health disorders."

More information: Sigrid Breit et al, The effect of GLP-1RAs on mental health and psychotropics-induced metabolic disorders: A systematic review, Psychoneuroendocrinology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107415 Journal information: Psychoneuroendocrinology

Provided by European Association for the Study of Obesity
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Women who experience menopause before the age of 50and especially before the age of 45are more likely to develop fatty liver disease and its related metabolic risk factors within one year after menopause, according to research presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE). This study is the largest to assess this association over five years and suggests that the age of natural menopause should be considered part of the cardiometabolic risk assessment in women.

Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 as a natural part of biological aging. After menopause, women are at a higher risk of long-term health problems such as fatty liver disease and its related metabolic risk factorsalso known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition caused by a build-up of fat in the liver. MASLD risk sharply increases around the average age of menopause, but the exact association between the age at menopause and MASLD is unclear.

In this study, researchers from the Hadassah Medical Center and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel examined 89,474 women and grouped them according to their age at menopause: 4044 years, 4549 years and those who had not yet gone through menopause by age 50. The researchers found that women who experienced menopause aged 4044, which is classed as early, had a 46% higher risk of fatty liver disease within one year after menopause.

In addition, early menopause was associated with an 11% increased likelihood of pre-diabetes and obesity, a 14% increased risk of hypertension, and a 13% increased risk of dyslipidemia (unhealthy levels of lipids in the bloodstream). Similarly, women aged 4549 who entered menopause (classed as early-normal) had a 30% higher risk of fatty liver disease and 16% higher risk of pre-diabetes than those women who had not entered menopause.

Previous studies have not shown the same association between menopause timing and MASLD. That is to say, women who experience menopause before the age of 45 have a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease and its metabolic risk factors, including high blood pressure and obesity. "Previous research on this association has reached conflicting results but was limited by small numbers of participants and short follow-up," said lead author Dr. Joshua Stokar.

"Our study is the largest of its kind with a five-year follow-up period and provides support for the hypothesis that women are relatively protected from cardiometabolic disease during the perimenopausal state," said Dr. Stokar. "We believe our findings justify considering an earlier age at menopausespecifically before the age of 45as a risk factor for MASLD."

The researchers will next assess the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women transitioning to menopause and women who have experienced menopause. "Based on our findings that women with earlier menopause are at greater risk for MASLD, we believe a clinical trial is justified to investigate whether HRT could mitigate this risk in this population," said Dr. Stokar.

He added, "With the aging of the population, as well as the increase in prevalence of obesity and metabolic risk factors, such intervention may reduce the burden of cardiometabolic morbidity in post-menopausal women."

Provided by European Society of Endocrinology
Bishop Austin Vetter of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena on Friday praised the selection of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope.

Its an exciting time. It really is, Vetter said Friday at a news conference at the diocese office in Helena. I always thought its impossible wed ever get an American as a pope, but nothing is impossible with God.

He said it also shows a great deal about the cardinals who elected Leo XIV on Thursday that they go into a conclave not to hide, but to have real freedom and open dialogue that is confidential.

This is an election different than any other election, he said.

Leo XIV is the 267th pope; St. Peter is recognized as the first.

The tradition of the life of the church continues on. Peter just simply took a new name, Vetter said.

Vetter said he met Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, in September 2023 when Prevost was prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and Vetter was attending the New Bishops' Program, also known as "Baby Bishop School," for two weeks.

He said he was also neighbors with him in Rome while on the faculty of North American College.

He said Leo XIV is thoughtful and confident.

He came out very calm, very much at peace and his beautiful opening line ... Peace be with you, he said.

I think they can see that peacefulness in him, Vetter said, adding Leo XIV speaks six languages fluently.

That sure doesnt hurt to be fluent in that many languages, he said.

Vetter said even though Leo XIV is American, he has spent much of his time in the missions in Peru.

He knows a lot of the world and would be comfortable in the missionary aspect of being pope. He also knows a lot of the bishops, he said.

Vetter said Leo XIV is 69.

That should tell you something, that the cardinals werent scared to take someone a little younger, he said.

Who knows? He could be a pope for a month or a pope for 25 years. That is the mystery for all of our lives though, that is no different for him.

Vetter said he knows there were heated discussions, but those in the conclave left their hearts open to be able to send who the Holy Spirit has chosen to be the next vicar of Christ on Earth.

Thats their main task in the conclave, he said.

Vetter said members of his church are excited about Leo XIV. Vetter led a Mass at 7 a.m. Friday at the Cathedral of St. Helena to pray for the new pope.

What is always so funny, they always say, What kind of pope will he be?

To which he replies, I dont know. What makes you think I know? Just because I hung out with him a few times 

His whole life has changed completely, Vetter said. Hes not going home to Chicago anytime soon. He gives up his whole life.

Vetter said the first steps of a pope are always fun and he encourages people to listen to Leo XIV with open hearts and open ears.

Lets watch him and being inspired during this time, he said.

Vetter said he hopes everyone grows in holiness during Leo XIVs time as pope and aren't afraid to go out and evangelize and bring the Gospel to the world.

Vetter was in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral. He was in Rome when the pope died. He was part of the transfer of the popes body from his home to St. Peters.

Vetter returned to the United States because his mother died.

Vetter shrugged aside criticism by some of Leo XIV for speaking Spanish in his opening address.

He spoke English today in his homily to all the cardinals, Vetter said. Hey, when you are fluent in six languages you can pick and choose. I think he spoke in Spanish because he was speaking to his diocese.

He said there are a lot of Spanish speakers in the Catholic world.

Give the guy a break. He just dressed in white and came out and the whole world is watching, he said.

He said his role as a bishop is one of support.

Im with him, he said, adding that when he next meets him he will say: You can lean on me and Im gonna lean on you.
Press Release

May 9, 2025 STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT FRANCIS "CHIZ" G. ESCUDERO ON THE ELECTION OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV I join the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide in a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving for the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, head of state of the Vatican, and shepherd of the Roman Catholic Church. The historic ascension of Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Pope marks a new chapter for the Church, offering hope and optimism to many. For Catholics across the globe, it is an opportunity to reaffirm and rekindle a faith tested by challenges and uncertainties. As the Philippines, the only Christian nation in Asia, continues to stand firm in its faith, I pray that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV may inspire and lead us as we navigate the challenges that we face as a nation. Beyond his role as the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, the Pope serves as a moral compass in a rapidly changing world--advocating for peace, justice, and compassion. As head of state of the Vatican, he is a powerful voice in international affairs, fostering dialogue among nations and promoting humanitarian efforts. The new Pope represents a beacon of hope, not only for Christendom but for all of humanity, as we strive to build a world where peace prevails, wars cease, kindness flourishes, and hatred dissipates. In a time when societies are fractured by discord and nations grapple with hostility, we look to him to help mend these divisions by championing the beauty of diversity. Where minorities face alienation due to intolerance, we pray that he will stand as a powerful voice for inclusivity. Where the poor are further marginalized, we will follow his lead in halting the erosion of opportunities and ensuring justice for all. As wars rage and poverty looms, never in the point of our history has the collective yearning for a better world--shared by people of all faiths, creeds, and colors--been more urgent. We wish him success in the challenges ahead, both as the shepherd of his flock and as a statesman for all humanity. May God watch over and protect Pope Leo XIV Mabuhay ang bagong Santo Papa!
Butte-Silver Bows top official says legislators have appropriated more than $200 million for potentially building a new womens prison and he thinks the writing is on the wall the Montana Department of Corrections wants it in Butte.

The Legislature also approved $50 million in spending authority that would allow Highlands College to move from the Flats in Butte to the Montana Tech campus Uptown  if they can find donations or outside money to do it.

Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher believes a Highlands move could be a great thing. Its an idea that has been bandied about for years but has never materialized.

But hes ambivalent about a womens prison, saying, Theres some positives and theres absolutely some negatives.

But the DOC owns land in south Butte and it could ultimately build a womens prison here even if they dont have the support of the community, Gallagher told The Montana Standard.

The DOC talked about the possibilities during a presentation to Butte-Silver Bow commissioners in March, saying a 23-acre site freed up by a Highlands College move could also be used for a womens prison. It already owns 25 acres nearby.

The agency said Butte is among four locations being considered for a womens prison. The others are Jefferson County, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County and Billings, where the current womens prison is located.

The agency told The Standard on Friday it has made no decisions on how or where any of the money in question would be spent.

State Rep. John Fitzpatrick, an Anaconda Republican who has been central to prison expansion, said he doesnt believe the DOC has settled on a preferred site.

Theyve got to prepare a very, very objective siting analysis and lay out the facts and figures  so it will pass not just the scrutiny of the governors office, but also by the Legislature, Fitzpatrick told The Standard on Thursday.

If there is a belief that the department has made a predetermination and then is writing a study to come to that conclusion, it will destroy the agencys credibility and I am very certain they understand that, he said.

Money for a future womens prison is included in a bill Fitzpatrick sponsored during the legislative session that ended last week. It has been sent to Gov. Greg Gianforte for his possible signature.

The bill includes about $220 million for a future womens prison, Fitzpatrick said, $4 million to start designing a facility and about $30 million for other efforts tied to the female inmate population.

Spending authority for a Highlands College move is included in the budget bill that will soon be sent to Gianforte.

Gallagher acknowledges that no formal decision has been made but believes the agency is definitely eyeing Butte.

I think some of the writing is on the wall on what their intent is of wanting to locate a womens prison here, Gallagher said at Wednesday nights council meeting. So well stay on top of this to figure out whats going to happen as we progress through that and ask the state to come and answer many questions.

Gallagher told The Standard after the meeting that if the appropriations are signed into law, he thinks the DOC will make a decision public in the next six months.

I would say from a lot of conversations at the state level that were hearing, they would like to build it in Butte, Gallagher said.

The DOC has been grappling with a growing male inmate population for years but says the female population is also growing fast and the only solution identified so far is to build a new prison for them.

Gallagher says a Highlands College move could be a really good thing that benefits students and helps the college and university grow. But hes very ambivalent about a womans prison.

The DOC has already purchased 25 acres in south Butte. That land includes the former Acadia building, where Buttes Uptown prerelease center overseen by the DOC and operated by Community, Counseling and Correctional Services Inc., or CCCS, will move to this summer.

DOC Director Brian Gootkin told commissioners in March a womens prison would create about 100 full-time jobs in Butte, lots of temporary construction jobs, and the prison would need products and services from local businesses and entities.

Gallagher acknowledges those pros but says there are clear cons, too.

He said hes comfortable with CCCS moving the pre-release center there, but some residents in the area are wary of it and they wont like a large womens prison either.

He also questions whether a prison is good economic tool.

When people look to locate businesses here, if you have a prison, does that impact us? he said. And the other thing is, the state doesnt pay any property tax so we dont get a benefit that way.

Gallagher said he talked with city officials in Billings to learn about the effects of the current womens prison there.

They havent had escapes, they havent had major calls to the prison because of disturbances and things like that, so the impact to local police and fire is really non-existent, Gallagher said.

But they said having a prison off of one of their main streets isnt the best thing either and the look isnt always great, he said. But I did want to know all that because I know they (DOC) are looking seriously at Butte.

The Standard asked the DOC if a new womens prison would replace the one in Billings or serve as a second facility, but it declined to answer.

Gootkin told commissioners in March that agency officials had also visited with officials in Billings about the possibility of a new womens prison there.

But Yellowstone County was challenging, he said, because there are serious crime and jail overcrowding issues and local officials already are seeking approval for a jail expansion. The DOC also doesnt own additional land there, he said.

The agency listed Anaconda-Deer Lodge and Jefferson counties as other possibilities but it declined to provide any details in March, saying only that it anticipated discussions with other local governments as opportunities arise.

Gootkin told Butte officials the DOC was only starting a conversation about possibilities in Butte.

This isnt big brother in the state coming down and saying 'We are going to do this,' he said. This is us trying to work with you.

Gallagher said DOC officials should further explain their intentions to county officials and commissioners and the agency is required to hold a public hearing before finalizing any plans. But they do hold serious cards.

Theyve got to listen to public comment but that doesnt mean they have to take the publics opinion, Gallagher said. They have the right within all of the state property that they can locate there. I think well need to listen and figure out what goes on here.

Montana Tech referred questions about a possible Highlands College move to Galen Hollenbaugh, communications director for the Office of Commissioner of Higher Education.

He noted that the $50 million is spending authority, not actual cash, but said the university system is grateful that Rep. Fitzpatrick got it included in the budget bill.

Were willing to partner with the Department of Corrections and Butte-Silver Bow if requested, Hollenbaugh said. Well be there to make sure were in partnership.

He said Montana Tech is the only four-year university left that does not have its college embedded on its main campus. The advantages for having both in one location are immense, he said, including shared classroom and dining facilities.

A future move could be possible as part of a larger DOC initiative, he said, or money from private donors could pave a path.

Now we have the authority so if money comes available from a source, we can begin to do some planning, Hollenbaugh said.

The Standard asked the DOC on Thursday if Butte was a preferred location, if there have been presentations at the other locations and whether they are still being considered.

The agency sent the following statement from DOC Director Gootkin:

The DOC is extremely thankful to Governor Gianforte and Montana lawmakers for the funding it received through HB 833 for the Future of Corrections Fund, he said. Of the $253.5 million included in that fund, $4 million is dedicated to the evaluation of options for correctional population management.

The DOC is in that evaluation process now and has made no decisions related to how or where that money should be used. Montanans have entrusted us with a generational investment, and we need to make sure we get it right.
It looks like deja vu all over again with President Donald Trump and the Job Corps.

Trump is once again proposing to eliminate the federal Job Corps program, according to a budget document submitted to Congress last week.

The Job Corps runs two large job training centers in Montana: The Anaconda Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Anaconda and the Trapper Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Darby.

It also appears that the application system for admitting new students is on pause, which means many students in Montana currently have no way of getting acceptance for the job training programs.

Started in the 1960s, the centers provide free job training and housing for young adults to learn everything from wildland firefighting to mechanics to welding to construction.

The Job Corps centers are big employers and economic drivers for the two small towns. As of 2019, the Anaconda center employed 250 people and had an enrollment of between 130-170 students. As of last year, the Trapper Creek Job Corps center had about 130 students and a similar number of employees.

This is not the first time the Job Corps centers have been on the chopping block. In 2019, under Trump's first term, the federal government also announced it would be closing both the Anaconda and Darby centers. Then, after public outcry and strong words from then-Sen. Jon Tester and current Sen. Steve Daines and others, the government reversed those decisions.

Daines even traveled to the Trapper Creek Job Corps center to take pictures and celebrate the announcement that it wasn't going to close. Daines sent out a press release saying he had saved the Anaconda center from closing after speaking with Trump. Over the years, Daines has voiced his support numerous times for the Job Corps programs in Montana.

Daines is still closely aligned with Trump. It's not clear if this latest situation will be a re-run of 2019, with a lot of hand-wringing over the closure of the two centers followed by a jubilant celebration if they're not closed, but that's of course possible.

When reached by the Missoulian for comment regarding Trump's latest proposal to cut the program, Daines' office sent a statement.

Montanas Job Corps play an important role in providing career technical training, especially for Montanas wildland firefighters," a spokesperson for Daines wrote. "Senator Daines is in close contact with the Trump administration to ensure critical services and jobs for Montanans are uninterrupted as President Trump works to reduce wasteful spending in the federal government.

Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican who represents the western half of Montana in the U.S. House, traveled to the Trapper Creek Job Corps earlier this spring. He later posted a photo on Instagram with himself and several students.

"Awesome lunch and tour at Trapper Creek Job Corp in the Bitterroot," Zinke wrote. "I stopped budget cuts to Job Corps the last two years because this program changes and saves lives. Students come from all over to train in a variety of skilled trades that are essential to our country. Job Corps has my backing in Congress and the students here have my support as they enter the workforce. Big thank you to the culinary arts students who cooked and showed us around the facility!"

Zinke's statement this week to the Missoulian about Trump's proposal was not quite as effusive in its praise for the Job Corps as his Instagram post, however.

The Congressman is a really big supporter of Job Corps and is an advocate for the program, however, is not afraid to admit there is a lot of waste with the programs that have a graduation rate below 40%," a spokesperson for Zinke wrote. "He and other congressional supporters are trying to work through some solutions to support higher performing centers and improve outcomes for more kids. That will benefit the youths that need to turn their lives around and provide skilled workers in some of the trades we need the most.

Ryan Zinke's Instagram post Rep. Zinke's post on Instagram about his visit to the Trapper Creek Job Corps center.

Congress ultimately has the power to approve or amend the president's budget, and often makes significant changes. Trump, a Republican, must convince the Republican-led House and Senate of his priorities.

Concern in the Bitterroot

In a presentation overshadowed by federal funding cuts, representatives from the Trapper Creek Job Corps spoke with Hamilton City Council on May 6 about their recent involvement in community projects, forest fire prevention and their positive impact on the employment of young adults.

Trapper Creek Job Corps Center Director Sal Ochoa told the council that on May 2 he was informed the Trump administration had eliminated all Job Corps programs from the 2026 federal budget.

That was an interesting piece for us to find out, Ochoa told council members. For the fiscal year of 2026 there is an elimination of the Job Corps program in its entirety, not just the CCCs but all 122 of us.

The budget request, released by the White House on May 2, described Job Corps programs as a failed experiment to help Americas youthand, in some cases, has harmed them. The program has been plagued by a culture of violence, assault, sex crimes, drug infractions, and death.

Ochoa and Job Corps liaison specialist Gary Mitchell gave council members a debriefing on the Trapper Creek Job Corps and its relationship with Ravalli County, citing a multitude of volunteer work, support of the Bitterroot Forest Service and the employment opportunities provided for its students.

We had 13,950 hours in Forest Service projects in the Bitterroot, Lolo, Salmon, Challis and Flathead forest, just to name a few, Mitchell told council members. Trapper students also participated in over 4,000 hours of assisting our local community and our local nonprofit organizations.

Trapper Creek Job Corps students have done a substantial amount of work in Ravalli County, including paving sidewalks, hanging street lights and putting up banners in downtown Hamilton, building park benches at Kiwanis Park and laying cement at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds. Theyve completed numerous projects for the Bitterroot Performing Arts, Daly Mansion, Bitterroot Celtic Games, Bitterroot Special Olympics and the Council on Aging. Theyve also assisted with various community projects in Stevensville, Darby and other county municipalities.

On Wednesday, May 7, Job Corps students laid cement at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds for a new pergola. Job Corps student of nine months, 18-year-old Sam Valov, said the program had really helped his search for employment, explaining he had a job interview later that afternoon.

Im probably gonna talk about getting a job today, Valov said. Theyve been really, really helpful. I said one thing and the next day it was already happening.

Another student, 19-year-old Brooks Jones, said joining the Job Corps was extremely crucial to his career path.

I was really interested in fire and I was told that Trapper Creek had one of the best so I came up to Montana, said Jones, who moved to Ravalli County from Colorado in January to pursue firefighting. The amount of connections youll make here, whether its with students or staff, is extremely crucial.

Ravalli County Fairgrounds Foundation President Joy McClure said the Trapper Creek Job Corps has played an integral part in maintaining the fairgrounds over the years.

They come out every year, usually at the end of July or first part of August, and its usually the whole school and they go through the fairgrounds and do all the jobs that didnt get done because we dont have enough maintenance on staff, McClure said. They are an integral part of this community and they are very helpful and as you can see the students come out and they work.

At their May 6 meeting, Hamilton city officials echoed similar sentiments about the Job Corps and its importance in Ravalli County. Council member Darwin Ernst said their involvement was imperative to events like the Bitterroot Special Olympics.

I dont know if we could do it without them, Ernst said. Theyre the first ones there in the morning with me and the last ones there at night when I lock upI want to thank you publicly because its such a beautiful relationship that we have.

Hamilton City Attorney Karen Mahar invited council members to discuss drafting a letter to policy makers, similar to their response to DOGE layoffs at Rocky Mountain Labs, expressing concern over the loss.

Job Corps has a special place in my heart, Mahar said. Its really heartbreaking so I dont know if you (city council) want to put on a committee of the whole meeting and possibly draft something to make that knownI think the language was its a failed experiment and it might seem that way to someone in Washington D.C., but for our community its the opposite.

Concern for applicants

Another big issue is that the federal application system for new students to apply to Job Corps appears to be not working due to a Department of Government Efficiency halt on a federal background check system.

Becky Margolis, a western Montana resident, told the Missoulian the pause is putting the futures of kids on hold as well.

"This pause means that no new applicants can move forward, leaving students stuck in limbo," Margolis explained. "One of those students is my son, who was planning to enroll this spring. Traditional education hasnt worked well for him, and Job Corps offered a rare and valuable opportunity to complete his high school education and pursue a career. Without it, he and many others have nowhere to turn."

The Kicking Horse Job Corps Center on the Flathead Indian Reservation closed in 2019 after the U.S. Department of Labor cited "operational and safety" reasons. More than 45 employees lost their jobs.

The director of the Anaconda Job Corps center declined to comment for this story.
Victoria Smeaton recalled the last words Brian Goodwin spoke to her before he left her Davenport home on a frigid winter morning.

Davenport police investigators believe Goodwin was shot to death just moments after he returned to his home.

"It was about 4 a.m. and Brian got up. I wanted him to stay ... and I was upset," Smeaton said Friday as she testified in the trial of Adriana Blake, one of the two people accused of murder in the Jan. 15, 2024, deaths of Goodwin and Amy M. Smith.

"He was standing at the end of the bed and he said 'I love you. I love you.' And then he left," Smeaton said.

Goodwin and Smith were found in the early morning hours of Jan. 16, 2024 after a neighbor called in a fire at 5210 N. Division St., where Goodwin rented the basement portion of a converted house.

Blake and Devon Braet were arrested days after the discovery of the killings, and on Feb. 5, 2024, both were charged with two counts of first-degree murder, among other offenses.

Blake and Braet were tried as co-defendants for the first day-and-a-half of testimony in the trial, which started Wednesday after two days of jury selection. The first-degree murder trial of Braet was severed from Blake's trial on Thursday and will be held at a later date.

The trials were split after a witness, James Schick, testified Thursday that Braet is violent, carries a gun and shoots people.

Blake is represented by Des Moines attorneys Christopher Kragnes and Austin Luse. No date has been set for Braet's trial, but he will continue to be represented by State Assistant Public Defender Jill Eimermann and Amy Kepes of the State Public Defender's Office.

A loving relationship, troubling changes

Called to the stand by Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham, Smeaton told jurors she met Goodwin in October of 2020. She described him as a good listener, attentive and punctual.

She said after a month of talking and seeing each other, they "fell in love."

Like Goodwin's wife Sarah Goodwin, Smeaton testified that Brian Goodwin used drugs and the drug use increased throughout 2023. A surgery in April of that year left him in what Smeaton called "a lot of pain" and by August of 2023 he lost his job with Scott County.

One day earlier in the trial, Sarah Goodwin told jurors that Brian Goodwin lost his job because of his drug use and his failure to self-report and seek rehabilitation.

Smeaton was candid about the relationship, which grew increasingly strained, she said, as Goodwin would leave for days at a time and not contact her. On Jan. 14, Smeaton told jurors, she went to 5210 N. Division St. because she heard a woman, Amy M. Smith, was "living there with Brian."

Smeaton said Goodwin denied that Smith was living with him.

Smeaton also described Goodwin's relationship to a man who she believed bought and sold drugs with Goodwin.

"Meth and fentanyl, heroin," Smeaton replied after being asked what kinds of drugs the pair sold.

Smeaton then told the jury Goodwin confided in her that he believed the man stole $350 from him.

Smeaton also confirmed that Kilo was the large muscular dog the other man left behind when he left 5210 N. Division St. Blake took up caring for the dog, and even purchased a "collar, or a leash, or both" for Kilo the day before the murders.

'Me and Kilo left'

Daniel Hinrichs took the stand Friday and described his life on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 of 2024. He told jurors he met Goodwin because he had been friends with Blake for "about eight years."

"I met him because Audi (Blake) was living with him," Hinrich testified.

Hinrichs said he sometimes fixed Goodwin's cars, often replacing tires on his Dodge Nitro and Nissan X-Terra.

He said on Jan. 14 Goodwin asked him to take a look at the Toyota Celica Goodwin gave his son, Caleb Goodwin.

On Jan. 15, after 1 p.m., Hinrichs was picked up from his apartment by Blake, Braet and another man. They were driving Goodwin's white-and-black Nitro.

Hinrichs testified he saw a gas can spilled in the back of the Nitro, and said the inside of the vehicle smelled like gas. He said the trip was disturbing because Braet and the other man talked about starting a fire.

The four first drove to a Quick Star, then stopped to visit a woman in a room at the Motel 6 just off North Brady Street in Davenport. Then all four went to 5210 N. Division St., where Hinrichs was supposed to move the Celica and take a look at it.

Hinrichs described for the jury how Blake and Braet went inside, but Blake later came out and said they could not locate the Celica's key.

"Adriana asked me to come help look for it," Hinrich testified.

Hinrichs said when he started down the stairs into the apartment, he saw blood. He described visible pools of blood on the bottom stairs and floor. Then, he said, he saw Kilo.

He told the jurors that Kilo had some kind of ear injury and, at first, he assumed the dog had run afoul of the cat who lived in the basement.

Hinrichs said by the time he reached the stairs and saw the blood, the key had been located. In the mean time, Blake asked him to take Kilo and handed him a chain.

In response to a question from Cunningham, Hinrichs told the jury he did not go in the basement because "I did not want to step in any blood."

Hinrichs said he left the top of the stair well and got into the Celica.

"Me and Kilo left," he said.

A return to the stand

Mitchell Morley was back on the witness stand Friday.

Morley, a civilian crime scene technician who has worked for the Davenport Police Department since 2022, fell ill Thursday and passed out while offering testimony about the chain of evidence. Morley was telling the court how the bodies of Goodman and Smith were identified, placed in body bags and moved to Runge Mortuary so an investigator with the Scott County Medical Examiner's Office could begin the investigation.

The testimony included the viewing of photos of the bodies of Goodwin and Smith.

Kragnes asked for a mistrial after Morely passed out, which Judge Stuart Werling denied.

A trip to Casey's and the search for Goodwin

Nicholas Blaszczyk testified Friday afternoon about being with a couple of other people on the night of Jan. 15, 2024, at an apartment in the 1600 block of Arlington Avenue, Davenport, when Blake and Braet stopped by. He also described traveling later that night with a friend to Goodwins residence at Braets behest.

Blaszczyk knew Blake and met Braet through her, then met Goodwin because of them. He would visit Blake during the winter of 2023 at 5210 N. Division St. He said Goodwin was a good person.

Braet and Blake stopped by Arlington Avenue apartment around 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. on Jan. 15, Blaszczyk said. They were in Goodwins Dodge Nitro, but Blake drove the Dodge all the time. There was a malfunctioning light on the Nitro the two wanted fixed and Blaszczyk said he would look at it the next day.

A woman at the apartment took Blake and Braet to get another vehicle. After they returned, Braet asked Blaszczyk to drive by Goodwins residence to see if anything was happening, Blaszczyk told the jury. Blaszczyk agreed and he and a friend went to the Division Street address in Goodwins Nitro.

When they got to the neighborhood, Blaszczyk suggested they stop by the nearby Caseys to get something to drink. Once they parked at the convenience store, Blaszczyk got out and approached the store but realized the Caseys was closed. He said he returned to the Nitro.

As they started to drive away, two vehicles tried to box them in, Blaszczyk testified.

Search warrants related to the investigation state this happened at 11:46 p.m. and surveillance cameras recorded the incident. Court documents identified Amber LeBarge as the person who attempted to stop the Nitro.

She and Goodwin had at least one child together, court documents state. LeBarge called the police about the encounter at the Caseys. Court documents related to the warrants described it as a suspicious party call.

Shortly after the killings, initial police service logs recorded the call as a report of a domestic disturbance or violence. The logs did not specify what police officers found when they arrived. They returned a few hours later because of the fire.

Blaszczyk said he was not scared when the other vehicles blocked them in, but he did not want to stick around. He and the other man were able to drive away. They drove through Davenport. Apparently at least one of the vehicles followed for a time because Blaszczyk testified they were able to lose them.

Blaszczyk and his friend returned to the Arlington Avenue apartment and Blake and Braet eventually left. The Nitro stayed behind at the Arlington Avenue apartment.

Blaszczyk said he did not wake up until late on Jan. 16. When he did, both the friend who went with him to Goodwins home and the Nitro were gone. He did not know what happened to them.

Search warrants indicate police found the Nitro on the morning of Jan. 16 and began watching it. Investigators observed the friend leave the residence on Arlington Avenue and drive away in the Nitro. Police followed, eventually stopped the vehicle and took Blaszczyks friend into custody.

Blaszczyk soon heard about the incident on Division Street and the police eventually took him and the woman who gave Blake and Braet a ride in for questioning.

By the time LeBarge encountered the Nitro at the Caseys on Jan. 15, shed already been looking for Goodwin for hours, she told the jury when she took the stand.

On Jan. 14, she and Goodwin discussed him giving her a ride, and Goodwin told her that if he didnt pick up, to keep trying until he did.

She tried calling.

He did not answer.

She kept calling.

Nothing.

Hed not answered his phone like that before, but this time LeBarge got concerned because of their conversation the day before.

LeBarge went looking for him. During the search she encountered one of Goodwins other friends, who also could not reach him, and they continued looking together.

They went to Goodwins house around 9 or 10 p.m. and knocked, she told the jury. No one answered.

They kept looking.

LeBarge said she asked around for word of Goodwin, including messaging Blake through social media. She found out other people had also not heard from Goodwin when they had expected to. She never heard back from Blake.

The search led LeBarge and others back to Goodwins neighborhood again a short time later, when they encountered the Nitro.

They pulled in behind it, she testified.

At this point, Cunningham had LeBarge stop the narrative about finding the Dodge because the days proceedings were nearing their end.

Blakes trial is expected to resume Monday with further testimony from LeBarge.
Pimentel joins Catholics in welcoming Pope Leo XIV

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III joined the Catholic faithful around the world in welcoming Pope Leo XIV, expressing pride that the newly elected pontiff shares a long-standing connection with the Philippines.

"I join the Catholic faithful in welcoming Pope Leo XIV as our new spiritual leader," Pimentel said Friday. "His life of service and humility is an inspiration for all who seek moral clarity and unity in today's world."

Pimentel expressed hope that the new pope's ties to the Philippines will help inspire deeper faith among Filipinos.

"We are honored that Pope Leo XIV shares a connection with our country," he said. "Together with the guidance of our Filipino cardinals, this moment will surely deepen the faith of many Filipinos and strengthen our spiritual commitment."

Pimentel recalled the pope's 2004 pastoral visit to Cebu--then as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost--when he blessed the Santo Nino de Cebu Parish friary.

Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago in 1955, is the first pope from the United States. He previously served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru and Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and elevated to cardinal bishop in early 2025.

His election follows the death of Pope Francis on April 21. Pimentel paid tribute to the late pontiff, calling him "an inspiring and compassionate leader whose legacy of humility and mercy will long be remembered."

As the Church enters a new chapter, Pimentel urged Filipinos to pray for the new pope. "We look forward to his leadership and we join the global Church in praying for his mission."
You could call Roseline Jean Louis, who is graduating with a PhD from Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, driven.

With roots in Haiti, Jean Louis was raised in Rochester, New York, and shes a tireless advocate for underrepresented populations, both at Emory and beyond. She is passionate about the health of mothers and infants and exceptionally gifted at serving this population. The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) named her a Birth Equity Research Scholar in 2020, making her one of only five recipients of the prestigious fellowship that year.

The latest addition to her CV? Being named the graduate student recipient of the Marion Luther Brittain Award, considered the highest honor presented to an Emory University student.

Returning to academia

As a single mother of four children, Jean Louis pursued an associates degree in nursing at Georgia State at Perimeter College, which she saw as a path to financial stability.

During my first clinical, I realized I loved caring for people in their most vulnerable state, says Jean Louis. I decided to stay [in college] for so long that Im completing my PhD!

She made the leap to Emory through the Bridges to Baccalaureate Program, a National Institutes of Health-funded initiative. The program provides financial support and research opportunities to help students advance from an associates to a bachelors degree in nursing.

Jean Louis remembers that her goal was to get her associates degree and get to work. But the funding for a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) at Emory broadened her possibilities.

During the summers at Emory, they were planting the research bug. And it took root in me, deeply, she says.

She began working as a labor and delivery nurse while completing her BSN. Because of that research bug, I started to look at the care disparities, which depended on both who was giving and who was receiving that care, Jean Louis says.

I felt like a great nurse, but I could only make a difference in the few lives I touched that day. I thought with a PhD, I could have a greater impact, she says.

Finding her community

Jean Louis is most passionate about working to reduce maternal health disparities.

What draws me in the most is the raw humanity of it, she says. Birth for anyone should be a time of support, dignity and celebration. But many Black women and birthing people enter it like a battleground, hoping theyll make it out the other end. I was interested in the why behind it and how to fix it.

As a Birth Equity Research Scholar, she focused on investigating the role nurses play in perpetuating or interrupting harm. That experience informed everything, she says.

Being selected was the most affirming moment in my entire academic journey. It was a moment of alignment where my lived experience, research interest and desire to be in community with scholars of color came together. They really understood the work I was doing and believed that I was capable and should be taken seriously, even though I didnt think that at the time.

Jean Louis credits her NBEC mentors with propelling her to lead quantitative analysis within the Centers for Disease Controls reproductive health division and become involved in the work the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists was doing, roles she wasnt sure she was ready for.

Now, coming out of it, I have all this belief that I can do things I never imagined, and be successful, she says.

Advocating at Emory

During her Emory PhD program, Jean Louis joined the School of Nursings Divisional Committee on Community and Diversity, working to develop programs and policies aimed at increasing access, and was elected president of the PhD Nursing Student Association by her peers.

At a university level, Jean Louis served on the Emory University Laney Graduate School Council as the Black Student Taskforce co-chair. In every role, she compassionately and tirelessly advocated for the interests of students, including those from underrepresented and non-traditional backgrounds.

Beyond academia, Jean Louis has actively served the Atlanta community, volunteering with multiple organizations focused on expanding and improving health care access and education, including as a past co-chair of the health committee for the North Fulton chapter of the NAACP.

Another vote of confidence

For Jean Louis, winning the Brittain Award felt like another surreal vote of confidence from her mentor, Lisa Thompson, professor in the School of Nursing. Thompson nominated her for the award and describes Jean Louis as goal-oriented, thoughtful, approachable and incredibly passionate.

Her contributions to scholarship, leadership and advocacy exemplify Emorys values, Thompson says. I have no doubt that she will have a significant impact in her future career.

From professional development to organizations and funding sources, Jean Louis has taken full advantage of Emorys opportunities and felt supported by the School of Nursing at every step.

Ive been able to access so much to put me in this position, she says. I wouldnt be here without Emory.

Professionally, Jean Louis aims to establish herself as a leading scholar in maternal health equity, pursuing research that fills existing gaps while driving tangible change in nursing practices.

I dont want to be dead and never find out that the research I did had an impact, she says. I want to focus on the policy side to get things changed now, to implement interventions and impact maternal health outcomes for Black women specifically.

Youll see me again, she adds. Ill be here, in this space, working to improve maternal health outcomes for marginalized populations for a long time.
Terrence Lurry began his final year at Emory like his first year: performing at SongFest representing Smith, Thomas and Hopkins Halls.

At his first Songfest  an Emory tradition bringing first year students together to sing about their pride in their residence halls  Lurry felt the nerves of entering college, far from his hometown of Eads, Tennessee. But the event demonstrated the strength of the Emory community.

It was one of the first times I was able to make friends in my hall and when I first started to feel the Emory spirit, says Lurry. I was able to feel less scared about starting in a whole new environment. It made me feel more ready to take on college.

During SongFest 2025  which as a Residence Life leader he helped plan, including picking the theme of song from 1985 to honor the events 40-year anniversary  he led new Emory Eagles in their performance.

Lurrys impact in Residence Life is just one of the many campus-wide contributions that has earned him the undergraduate Marion Luther Brittain Award.

As he prepares to graduate, he leaves a legacy built on campus involvement, also including work with Emory First, the Office of Undergraduate Affairs, QuestBridge Scholars Network and more. An aspiring anesthesiologist assistant, he earned his bachelors degree in chemistry and a minor in ethics from Emory College of Arts and Sciences.

Curating a campus community

Just a few weeks into his first year on campus, Lurry connected with a community that became a cornerstone of his involvement: QuestFAM, a cohort of first-year QuestBridge Scholars mentored by upper-level students. QuestBridge is a national nonprofit program that identifies high-achieving, low-income students nationwide and connects them with the nations best colleges and universities.

QuestFAM community members helped answer questions about our experience, and were people we could lean on, says Lurry. I still talk to my QuestFAM family to this day.

QuestFAM provided the springboard for Lurry to get even more involved with the QuestBridge Scholars Network at Emory. He first became the service committee co-chair, overseeing community outreach to local high schoolers and leading service projects for the organization, from park cleanups to food drives. Since May 2023, he has served as the networks co-president.

QuestBridge has made me a braver leader, because I am dedicated to the service and betterment of other people, says Lurry.

His early service work launched him into even deeper involvement in the campus community. Since his second year, Lurry has held many positions in Residence Life, working his way up to assistant complex director and senior resident advisor. In these roles, he curated a sense of belonging and growth among students living on campus and resident advisors alike.

I am so mindful of making residents feel at home away from home, and also making sure that they experience academic growth, social growth, professional development, says Lurry. I can see the layers of community building from the programming level to considering what it means to enforce policy to keeping people safe.

Coming from a low-income background himself, Lurry worked closely with the Belonging and Community Justice team to uplift and build Emory First, a central hub for students from first-generation, low-income (FGLI) backgrounds. Since August 2023, he has served as the executive student director of Emory First, managing the community space and creating engaging programming for students.

Terrence has been a beacon of light and an agent of change for FGLI students at Emory for years, says Mike Jones, director of Emory First. Terrence is constantly going above and beyond his student leader role to amplify the FGLI student experience on campus, all while exuding a level of energy and kindness that positively impacts those around him. His dedication and commitment to Emory University are indescribable, and we are better because of him.

Combining experience and passion

After graduating from Emory College, Lurry will remain on campus for two more years, studying to become an anesthesiologist assistant through the School of Medicines master of medical science in anesthesiology program.

Im a big fan of the connections and opportunities that Ive already made at Emory, says Lurry. I wanted to carry those over into the graduate level and use some of the platforms and resources that Ive gotten to affect positive change in the graduate population.

He doesnt see himself always working as an anesthesiologist assistant. Lurry says he is eager to combine his passion for health care, education access and student experience to forge a career in medical education or administration.

I want to help shape the whole student experience. I really like the anesthesiologist assistant program because it starts me down the path of being in health care, but I can also apply other lenses and interests earlier in my career, says Lurry.

Lurry attributes his Brittain Award to the people who supported him at home and on campus.

As much as the work that I do is impactful, I dont think that I would have the drive to do it if someone wasnt saying, Yes, you can do it and Im proud of you, Lurry says. Its nice to have the support of my family and loved ones.
Mount St. Mary's University will host its 217th commencement exercises at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 11 in Knott Arena. The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of 608 graduates, including 414 undergraduates, 168 graduate students and 26 seminarians.

Overview of Graduating Class

Undergraduate degree recipients, 31 of whom completed their degrees in the Division of Continuing Studies:

The College of Liberal Arts - 113 The Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business - 129 The School of Education - 24 The School of Natural Science and Mathematics - 148



Master of Arts in Philosophical Studies - 1

Master of Arts in Teaching - 33

Master of Business Administration - 69

Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology - 1

Master of Education in Instructional Leadership - 4

Master of Education in Reading - 2

Master of Education Self Design - 1

Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis - 24

Master of Science in Biotechnology and Management - 12

Master of Science in Health Administration - 10

Master of Science in Sport Management - 11

People to Know

Commencement Speakers

Gracelyn McDermott, C'93

The commencement speaker is Gracelyn McDermott, C93, vice president for marketing, sales and business development at Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States. The second woman and first African American to lead the 31-member Mount St. Marys University Board of Trustees as chair from 2021 to 2024, McDermott oversaw a period of growth at the Mount that included the establishment of the School of Health Professions. She became a trustee in 2013 and served as vice chair from 2016 to 2020.

McDermott will be honored with a doctorate of humane letters in recognition of her service to the university and the regional and state communities.

Yasier Herrera, C'25

The student speaker is Yasier Herrera, recipient of the 2025 Edward J. Flanagan Memorial Prize, awarded to the member of the senior class who best represents the tradition of the university in scholarship, conduct, and leadership. Herrera, a biology major with minors in German and theology, is an honors student who serves as a lab assistant in Assistant Professor Sarah Krueger's lab, a peer tutor, a resident assistant and the host of a WMTB radio show. She exemplifies the Mount mission of forming ethical leaders who serve God and others. Her active involvement in Campus Ministry included leading in the Women's Fellowship and in small groups for the Rite of Catholic Initiation for Adults.

Heavily involved in the Center for Service since sophomore year, Herrera was a RISE Student Leader for service-learning immersion trips and completed a semester in the Common Good Initiative, where she worked with off-campus partners. As a Guyana Mission Trip volunteer in 2022, she led youth activities, and she has been a part of welcoming high school students to the seminary's annual Mount 2000 retreat.

Following graduation, Herrera will serve a year as a missionary with Source of All Hope in Baltimore, ministering to Baltimore's homeless population.

Notable graduates, listed in alphabetical order

Jake Cuzick

A chemistry major from Baker, Oregon, Cuzick has become the first Mount St. Marys University undergraduate student to be named an awardee of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP). The five-year fellowship includes three years of funding for graduate school as well as an annual stipend. During his four years at the Mount, Cuzick received numerous accolades and awards. In addition to conducting research in the labs of Associate Professor of Chemistry Isaac Mills, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Sarah Krueger, Ph.D., and serving as a student instructor in organic chemistry classes, he was awarded competitive summer internships at Boise State University and University of Illinois, was granted a Goldwater Scholarship in 2024, and was named a Knight-Hennessy semifinalist earlier this year.

After graduation - University of Pennsylvania, Synthetic Chemistry Ph.D. Program and conducting total synthesis research under Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacology Dirk Trauner, Ph.D.

Emily DiGiovanni

An elementary education major, DiGiovanni was an active participant in the Education Club, Italian Club and Mount Fellows. She served as president of the National Educational Honor Society Pi Lambda Theta Gamma Tau Chapter and a member of the National Honor Society for Catholic Colleges Delta Epsilon Sigma. DiGiovanni received the Joanne Vignali Cushman Memorial Prize, awarded to the student who consistently demonstrates those qualities essential to dedication in the field of education.

After graduation - Teacher, Frederick County Public Schools

Owen Eby

A biochemistry and chemistry major, Eby is a semifinalist for a Fulbright Study Research award to study in the lab of Elena Conti, Ph.D., director of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany. At the Mount, he has conducted research in the labs of Associate Professor of Biochemistry Michael Turner, Ph.D., and Associate Professor of Chemistry Patrick Lombardi, Ph.D. Eby also conducted summer research in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology lab of Thomas Schwartz, Ph.D. and the lab of Kristen Varney, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and chemistry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

After graduation - Harvard University Medical School, Biophysics Ph.D. Program

Ford Rubel

Rubel has made Mount history, becoming the first student to win two competitive awards simultaneously, according to the Office of Competitive Fellowships. In addition to becoming the first Mount student to be awarded the Critical Languages Scholarship, Ford has become the first student since 2002 to be named a prestigious JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching Program) recipient. The JET, sponsored by the Japanese government, provides the opportunity to work in schools and government offices throughout Japan.

After graduation - Japan Exchange and Teaching Program

ROTC COMMISSIONING

Three cadets from the Mounts Class of 2025 will be commissioned on May 9. They are Sophia Cendar, Lorenzo DiVentura and Kevin Zaleski. Litzy Leiva, C'23, MBA'25, received the Lancer Award for outstanding performance and exemplary leadership in the Mount St. Mary's University U.S. Army ROTC program.

SEMINARY CONFERRAL OF DEGREES

Mount St. Mary's Seminary held a Solemn Vespers and Conferral of Degrees and Certificates in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on May 2. Over the next several weeks, the 26 graduates will be ordained as priests in their home dioceses.
'Tap opportunities in Middle East amid trade war'



Edwin Wong says Qatar offers a stable business environment for his company. Photo: RTHK

A Hong Kong entrepreneur who runs a leading contracting and fit-out firm in Qatar said now is the best time for the SAR to expand into the Middle East market and capture untapped business opportunities there.



Pegasus Wong, who leads the Gallery Five Group, told RTHK that mainland tech and electric vehicle (EV) companies are gaining more recognition in Qatar due to growing demand for Chinese products.



Wong is also the founder and chairman of the Qatar Belt and Road Group, which aims to bring more Chinese investment to the country.



He said Hong Kong plays an important role in helping mainland enterprises invest in Qatar and go global.



"Hong Kong's financial base is very strong, and it's one of the most well-established financial markets in Asia. I know that in Qatar they also sent someone to Hong Kong to learn about the stock market because their stock market is very new," he said.



Chief Executive John Lee heads to Qatar and Kuwait on Saturday with representatives from mainland enterprises to explore greater business opportunities.



He last visited the Middle East in 2023.



Wong, who spent seven years building Gallery Five's presence in Qatar, highlighted the need to cultivate relationships.



"The Middle East, its culture and market... it's not like you just go around for one trip or a few trips and then you know what's happening. You need relationships, you need to feel how the city is going, you need more information.



"In Hong Kong, it's always fast. If you're from Hong Kong, you serve me, we are doing the same thing and on the same timeline. But in the Middle East, you cannot chase them. If you send a few emails to chase them, and if they don't like you, you'll never see them again."



He also said the SAR could set up more economic and trade offices in the Middle East, noting there is only one in Dubai at the moment.



Amid the China-US trade war, SAR companies should seize the opportunity to enter the Middle East market as the region remains relatively unscathed by geopolitical conflicts and high tariffs, Wong added.



His comments were echoed by a fellow Hong Kong businessman who runs a company in Qatar that turns sand into paper products.



Edwin Wong, the chief executive of Besstree Sandper, said there are differences between Qatar and its neighbouring countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.



"Qatar, you don't actually have a lot of variety of people, which makes the place a little bit more closed," he explained.



"But the nature of dealing or handling or conducting business is very different, because once you know a person and you build up a good relationship, basically a lot of doors will open."



Edwin Wong added Qatar's cheap electricity supply is also a big draw.



He estimated that production costs could triple if the factory were to be moved elsewhere in the world.



He said a stable business environment is also key.



His production plant is situated inside the Qatar Science and Technology Park, which provides a range of services for overseas firms.



"Because what we're doing is an environmental project, we need commitment and support from the government," he said.
'Tech and innovation high on agenda of Mideast trip'



Cliff Zhang says his firm is now collaborating with Abu Dhabi authorities to roll out green transport initiatives there. Photo: RTHK

There is keen demand for technology and innovation services in Qatar and Kuwait, according to the sector's representative in the Legislative Council who urged Hong Kong businesses to seize the wealth of opportunities in the Gulf nations.



Lawmaker Duncan Chiu also encouraged SAR firms to seek mutually beneficial solutions when doing business in the Middle East, and build long-term partnerships based on goodwill.



Chiu, along with officials and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and the mainland, will join a delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee setting off for Qatar and Kuwait on Saturday night in an outbound mission to foster trade ties and lure investment.



Speaking ahead of the visit, the IT expert explained it's vital for governments to engage each other first before business groups get together to iron out the terms of cooperation.



Citing Singapore and Indonesia as examples, Chiu said the chief executive's 2023 visit had forged partnerships with the Asean member states which last to this day.



The lawmaker and dozens of tech firms paid a visit to Jakarta in January to follow up on the initial round of exchanges, while some Hong Kong companies have already expanded their office in Singapore.



Noting SAR companies mostly conduct business in the United Arab Emirates, Chiu hopes the upcoming delegation can tap into previously unexplored segments of the Middle Eastern market.



"So with Kuwait and Qatar, I would say it's a new initiation, especially with Kuwait," he said.



"Qatar, actually they are quite keen to have collaboration with Hong Kong and mainland China in tech... not just in purchasing of technology, but also in collaboration in research and development."



Chiu said his priority is to connect with local decision makers and promote Hong Kong's advantages.



"I want to first let them know what's been happening in Hong Kong. And second, we have some exhibitions and conferences in summer, in August, and we'd like to invite them to join."



The technology and innovation lawmaker also said SAR businesses should try to cultivate long-term relationships by meeting the needs of their trading partners.



"We have to consider in any collaboration, apart from [us] benefitting from exporting or selling some technology over there, but also, you know, in what sense we're helping these [countries] in their building up of the ecosystem or the infrastructure," he said.



Templewater, a private equity firm which owns Citybus, secured a contract to supply hydrogen buses to the United Arab Emirates during the CE's previous visit to the region in 2023.



Cliff Zhang, the firm's chairman and CEO, said the first batch of three hydrogen buses has now operated for nearly 18 months.



The company is now exploring the possibility of bringing these zero-emission vehicles to Qatar and Kuwait.



Zhang said while green buses may not be the most cost-effective option for Middle Eastern markets, where fossil fuels are cheap, the move towards renewable energy offers other benefits.



"But if you look at it from a government planning perspective, renewable energy products can ultimately spur the development of other future industries," he said, adding this aligns with Gulf nations' goal to pivot their economy away from fossil fuel.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the world's largest accounting body, set up by an Act of Parliament under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 for the regulation and development of the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India, has extended its support to the Government and Indian Army for the recent action against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. With a vast network comprising over 1.4 million members and students spread across 5 Regional Councils, 177 Branches in India, as well as more than 40,000 members in 52 Overseas Chapters and 33 Representative Offices across 47 countries, ICAI is uniquely positioned to make a significant impact in humanitarian efforts. In this time of heightened tension, the Institute reaffirms its steadfast commitment to national solidarity and stands ready to support the country and its people. ICAI has a widespread presence across nearly 17,000 pin codes in India, including over 13 branches located near the India-Pakistan border. Chartered Accountants in these bordering regions are well-positioned to go beyond symbolic support by actively volunteering their time, expertise and resources to assist local communities and authorities wherever required. Through ICAI robust local networks, members and student volunteers can collaborate with government agencies, NGOs and relief organizations to deliver timely and effective aid to those in need. Charanjot Singh Nanda, President, ICAI, lauded the heroic efforts of the Indian Armed Forces and made a clarion call to the entire CA fraternity across the nation to stand with our armed forces, he emphasized that the over 14 Lakh financial soldiers of ICAI are committed not just in words but also in meaningful action. During his address to the CA Fraternity, he said, "Operation 'SINDOOR' is a powerful message from a New Bharat, one that asserts there will be no compromise when it comes to protecting India's sovereignty. ICAI has always lived by the principle of 'Nation First'. In every storm that has shaken our country, we have stood strong as a pillar of support to our motherland,". The President further urged all ICAI members and students to rise to the occasion, remain alert and uphold the highest ideals of service by protecting the integrity and security of the nation. "Let us come together in this critical hour. Let the CA fraternity lead by example, proving that we are not only financial stewards but also pillars of strength, compassion and resilience for our nation," he added. Prasanna Kumar D, Vice-President, ICAI, said "We are financial soldiers of our motherland. In every hour of national need, we stand ready to serve our country," ICAI has a proud legacy of contributing to national causes and supporting citizens during times of crisis. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, ICAI members provided pro-bono services to the families of martyrs. In the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, ICAI extended support to grieving families, offered scholarships to students who lost parents and waived fees so the dreams could continue. Members of the Institute also organized food drives, blood and plasma donation camps and vaccination camps not only for our members but public at large. (ANI)
Despite strong opposition to the consideration of a loan package to Pakistan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India remained absent from voting during Friday's International Monetary Fund Executive Board meeting. Despite the country's objection, the IMF approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform programme under the EFF, bringing total disbursements to about USD 2.1 billion (SDR 1.52 billion). Putting forward its perspective during the meeting, which took place on Friday, India cited Pakistan's poor track record and the possibility of misuse of the financing for state-sponsored terrorism. India chose to remain absent from the voting, as the IMF rules don't allow members to vote "No". India's abstention comes amid the escalating tensions between the two countries. As India abstained instead of voting "No", the move is seen as a strong diplomatic signal made within the framework of the IMF rules. The IMF Executive Board is responsible for day-to-day decisions such as loan approvals. Unlike the United Nations, where each member has equal voting power, the IMF allocates votes based on a country's economic weight. Through its abstention, India lodged strong objections and expressed concern over what it sees as an ineffective and problematic pattern of IMF support to Pakistan. During the meeting, India highlighted that Pakistan has received IMF aid in 28 of the past 35 years, including four different programmes in the last five years alone but it has not achieved any significant economic reform. India has objected, saying Pakistan will use this loan package for military control and terror activities instead of reforms. India strongly highlighted the Pakistani military's continued dominance in economic affairs, which undermines transparency, civilian oversight, and sustainable reform. New Delhi pointed to the Pakistani military's entrenched role in the country's economic decisions, warning that this undermines transparency, accountability, and the efficacy of civilian-led economic governance. Citing terror links, India also opposed financing a state that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism. India warned that such support from the global financing body could damage its credibility and set a dangerous precedent within international institutions. The move is being seen not just as a comment on Pakistan's economic credibility, but also as a signal to the global community on the need for accountability in multilateral financial assistance. (ANI)
BusinessWire India New Delhi [India], May 10: The Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI), India's leading platform for corporate public affairs practitioners, today announced its newly elected office bearers for the term 2025-2026. PAFI's members lead public policy initiatives for over 120 major Indian and global companies, making it a pivotal force in shaping India's business environment. PAFI has made significant strides in strengthening sectoral engagement, capacity building, and inclusion. PAFI continues to focus on advancing collaboration that fosters inclusive dialogue among key stakeholders across government, industry, and civil society. PAFI today announced its new office bearers for 2025-26. Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President, PAFI and Vice President, Public Policy, Amazon India, has assumed the role of President, PAFI for the year 2025-26. He takes over from Deepshikha Dharmaraj, outgoing President of PAFI and CEO, Burson India. Sharing his thoughts, Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President, Public Policy, Amazon India, the newly elected President of PAFI, said, "As I step into the role of President of PAFI, I do so with deep respect for the foundations laid by my predecessors and great optimism for the path ahead. As India stands at the cusp of significant global influence, PAFI will be a driving force in shaping the future of public affairs in India. It is uniquely positioned to facilitate critical conversations on key issues while actively championing policies that promote sustainable economic growth, foster innovation, and ensure equitable opportunities for all. We are at a moment where collaboration is not just a value but a necessity and connectivity--across states, sectors, and global networks--is essential to ensure knowledge flows freely, enabling best practices and innovations to reach every corner of our country. Finally, we must pursue competitiveness by supporting smart, balanced regulation that aligns with global standards while being rooted in India's unique context." "With the continued support of our Members, Secretariat, and Leadership, I look forward to working together to make PAFI a stronger platform for impactful public affairs that shapes a better future for all. Let us be the nation the world turns to - for wisdom, collaboration and innovation." Deepshikha Dharmaraj, the outgoing President of PAFI and CEO of Burson India, said, "It has been a distinct honour to serve as President of PAFI this past year. We've not only maintained course but actively strengthened PAFI steering it towards a stronger future. We've created eight sector-specific councils to amplify our voice on critical policy debates; instituted a high-profile Advisory Council; launched a highly successful mentorship program 'Young PAFI' that's already shaping the next generation of public affairs leaders; and reinforced our commitment to ethical advocacy through meaningful dialogues between industry and government to reiterate PAFI's position as a credible voice in public affairs. This progress makes us incredibly proud, and I am confident that PAFI, under its new leadership, will build upon these key initiatives. We look forward to supporting the continued success of PAFI and solidifying its position as the leading and most respected voice for ethical and effective public affairs in India." Medha Girotra, Vice President, Communications, Asia Pacific, Mastercard is the new Vice President, PAFI. Shivnath Thukral, Vice President, Public Policy, Meta India is the new Secretary, PAFI and Ranjeet Goswami, Global Head, Corporate Affairs, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) is the new treasurer, PAFI. Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) Founded in 2008, the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) is India's premier organization focused on public affairs, policy advocacy, and corporate affairs in India. PAFI represents a diverse array of Indian and foreign companies, promoting ethical dialogue and professional growth. Its objectives include aligning business, society, and government, fostering trust, and developing collaborative policies. PAFI organizes impactful events, including its annual forum, which unites industry leaders and policymakers for meaningful discussions. With a strong commitment to transparency and inclusion, PAFI aims to build a well-informed public affairs community to address contemporary challenges in India. For more details: Visit: www.pafi.in and Twitter: @PAFI_India (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 10: Webhack Solutions Private Limited, a leading name in Cyber Security, Media, and Marketing, proudly honored Apna Ghar Real Estate India with the title of "Meerut's First Professional Real Estate Company." This recognition celebrates Apna Ghar's outstanding commitment to professionalism, transparency, and client-focused real estate services in the region. Founded and led under the visionary leadership of Madhuvan Singh Panwar and Abhishek Sharma, Apna Ghar Real Estate India has emerged as a pioneer in bringing structure, trust, and innovation to the Real Estate market. The company is currently handling multiple landmark residential projects across Meerut, including: - Gokul Dham, Garh Road - Royal City, Rohta Road - Shivpuram, near Subharti University - Shankar Nagar, Partapur The award was presented in recognition of their ethical business practices, modern approach, and dedication to helping people find their dream homes with complete peace of mind. "We have never come across a professional company like Apna Ghar Real Estate India, their team doesn't sells houses, they help you fulfill your dreams. Having their roots in Meerut to spreading their presence nationwide, their growth is both inspiring and commendable," said Arya Tyagi Founder & CEO of Webhack Solutions Private Limited. Their guiding belief, "Jahan har ghar ke peeche hoti hai ek khushhaal kahani," reflects their commitment to creating homes that bring happiness and pride to every family. What makes Apna Ghar stand apart is its client-first motto: "Kiraye se ho Pareshan, to Chale Aao Apna Ghar Meerut"(A perfect call to those tired of paying rent - come to Apna Ghar and own your dream home.) The company believes that owning a home should be as simple and achievable as buying a vehicle, and they are working day and night to turn that dream into a reality for thousands of families. For Apna Ghar Real Estate India, a home is more than just a structure -- it's a story of dreams, comfort, and new beginnings - Neha Verma, Chief Operating Officer of Webhack Solutions Private Limited. With this recognition, Apna Ghar Real Estate India not only becomes a beacon of professional excellence in Meerut's property market but also sets a benchmark for others to follow in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across India. Apna Ghar Real Estate India - Not just a house, a home of your own (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 10: This Mother's Day, Annapurna Group releases the campaign 'Where Purity Begins', a film that feels less like advertising and more like a moment of reflection. It is not only a celebration of the strength of Indian womanhood but pays quiet heartfelt tribute to something we all feel but rarely acknowledge: the deep, unspoken power of mothers. At the heart of the film lies a simple yet profound insight--purity isn't something loud or glowing. It's something you feel. It's unspoken, yet deeply trusted. Just like a mother. And just like Annapurna, a brand that has stood for nourishment with integrity, generation after generation. Through this video, Annapurna Group not only honours mothers but also reinforces its long-standing commitment to "Your Right to Purity". Just as a mother remains a quiet, constant force of care and truth, Annapurna pledges to uphold the same values in every product it creates. Whether it's the food we eat or the everyday essentials we trust, purity, honesty, and presence are the non-negotiables. "At Annapurna we are committed to securing the consumers' right to purity when it comes to food. This has been our objective since 1952, and stringently maintained in the food products that we have been offering" says Mr. Subir Ghosh, Managing Director, Annapurna Group. "As we infuse the purity of motherhood in everything that we create, it is only appropriate that we salute all mothers on this Mother's Day." adds Mr. Ghosh. Directed by Vinay Jaiswal, this film offers a fresh take on the purity of motherhood. Backed by Artha Creations -- a Bombay-based production house known for powerful storytelling and impactful productions. *Watch the campaign film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BGiOPmQKk* As the film concludes, it leaves no doubt: "If purity had a face, it would be hers." About Annapurna Group Annapurna Group is a renowned FMCG firm dedicated to delivering pure and delightful products to households across Eastern India. With a legacy of over 70 years, Annapurna Group is committed to upholding the Right to Purity. (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 Gurugram (Haryana) [India], May 10: The Board of Directors of India Shelter Finance Corporation at its meeting held today, approved the audited financial results for quarter and full year ended March 31, 2025. Commenting on the performance, Rupinder Singh, Managing Director and CEO of India Shelter Finance Corporation said: We are pleased to report yet another quarter and year of consistent performance. We remain committed to resilience and disciplined execution, ensuring strong financial and operational performance. Demand for affordable housing finance continues to accelerate across Tier II, Tier III, and fast-growing micro-markets. Building on this momentum, with deep market penetration, a sturdy branch-led distribution model, and a digital-first engagement approach, we are closing credit gaps and enabling families to realise their homeownership dreams. During FY25, we continued to scale our operations and increase our distribution reach by adding 43 new branches across the nation totaling our branch presence to 266 as of FY25. We delivered an AUM growth of 35% YoY to Rs. 8,189 Crs supported by a disbursement growth of 25% YoY to Rs. 933 Crs. We continue to maintain strong on profitability, with PAT reaching Rs. 108 Crs for the quarter registering a growth of 39% YoY. Our return ratios have been on an improving trend with RoA improving to 5.8% and RoE reaching 16.3% for the first time post the IPO in Dec'23. We have been successful in reducing our Cost of Funds by 10 bps to 8.7% with spreads improving to 6.2%, ensuring sustained profitability. As we remain committed towards sustainable finance, we have introduced our ESG Policy, through the implementation of this policy, we seek to achieve a sustainable future for our stakeholders and future generations. Profitability: * Profit after tax grew by 38% YoY to Rs. 108 Crs in Q4FY25 * RoA improved to 5.8% in Q4FY25 * RoE improved to 16.3% in Q4FY25 Borrowings & Liquidity: * Networth is at Rs. 2,709 Crs as of March'25. The company continues to carry a liquidity of Rs. 1,480 Crs as of March'25 * In Q4FY25, the cost of funds improved by 10bps to 8.7% Asset Quality & Provisions: * Gross Stage 3 and Net Stage 3 were at 1.0% and 0.8% as of March'25 * 30+ DPD stood at 3.1% as of March'25 * Credit Cost for the quarter came in at 0.2% About India Shelter Finance Corporation: India Shelter provides affordable home loans and loan against property in Tier 2 and 3 geographies in India. India Shelter provides home loans to customers from low-and middle-income segments who are building or buying their first homes. The company has strong distribution moat with its Pan-India network in 15 states via 266 branches and maintains a granular portfolio. The company is run by an experienced professional management team backed by marquee investors. Disclaimer: Forward-looking statements concerning the Company's future business prospects and business profitability are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and the actual results could materially differ 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 fluctuations in earnings, our ability to manage growth, competition (both domestic and international), economic growth in India and abroad, ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost over runs on contracts, government policies and actions regulations, interest and other fiscal costs generally prevailing in the economy. The Company does not undertake to make any announcement in case any of the forward-looking statements become materially incorrect in future or update any forward-looking statements made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company. For further information, please contact, Mebin Mathew | 98995 48502 | mebin@compasscommunications.co.in Shruti Singh |8076148496 | shruti@compasscommunications.co.in Khushi Singh | 870 989 7315 | khushi@compasscommunications.co.in (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 10: Adda247, India's premier multilingual learning platform backed by Google, Westbridge, Info Edge, and Asha Impact has launched a Mother's Day campaign titled "Maa ka Sapna, Aapka Selection", celebrating the selfless dreams of mothers who quietly power their children's success. The campaign shines a light on the pivotal role mothers play in shaping every aspirant's journey -- from pushing them to study harder, being their emotional support, facing social pressures and yet silently praying for their selection day and night. At the heart of the campaign is an emotional video that captures these everyday yet extraordinary moments that often go unnoticed. As part of the campaign, Adda247 has released a short film that celebrates the emotional journey of mothers whose life revolves around their child's government exam preparation.Watch the campaign video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/i1eIU_XqryE Anil Nagar, Founder & CEO, Adda247 said, "Every selection is not just a student's achievement, it's a mother's dream coming true. This campaign is a tribute to the millions of mothers who believe in their children's potential more than anyone else." The campaign reinforces Adda247's mission to democratize access to education and empower students from Bharat, where a government job is often more than a goal; it's a family's hope, and a mother's biggest aspiration. About Adda247 Adda247 is India's top multilingual edtech platform, offering online courses for over 500 exams and backed by investors like Westbridge, Google, Info Edge, Asha Impact and more. Founded in 2016 by Anil Nagar and Saurabh Bansal, Adda247 aims to make education affordable for over 500 million learners across Bharat, tier-3 & 4 cities, and rural India. With courses in 12 Indian languages and innovative technology for low bandwidth, Adda247 serves over 40 million monthly users and has 2 million students enrolled in its premium courses. Their offerings include Live Online Classes, On-demand video courses, mock Tests, e-books, and books, all tailored for specific exam preparations. Adda247 is dedicated to fostering accessibility and affordability in education, along with now focusing on employability. Adda247 has made notable brand acquisitions such as StudyIQ, PrepInsta, and Ekagrata CA that address specific student needs. For any media queries, please contact: Diksha Vidyarthi: diksha@mediamic.in Apoorva Kashyap: apoorva@mediamic.in (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 Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 10: Birla Corporation Limited concluded FY24-25 with robust quarterly production and sales by volume, which resulted in a consolidated net profit for the March quarter, growing 33% year-on-year (yoy), to Rs 257 crore. This came after three challenging quarters that had affected the entire industry. An uptick in demand and prices during the quarter led to better realization and a higher capacity utilization of 105% in the March quarter. Though realization for the quarter at Rs 5,103 per ton was still marginally lower than the same period last year (Rs 5,178 per ton) owing to the changed geographical mix, consolidated revenue for the quarter at Rs 2,863 crore was 7% higher yoy. EBITDA per ton rose to Rs 1,014--one of the highest in recent years. It represents a growth of 5% yoy and 78% sequentially. The Cement Division's operating profit margin was 20% for the March quarter, compared to 18.6% in the same period last year, and 14% for the full year (15.5% in FY23-24). Capex: With stabilization of earlier expansions, mainly at Mukutban, in Maharashtra, and Chanderia, in Rajasthan, and consolidation of the Company's position in the core markets of central India, Birla Corporation Limited is now embarking on its next phase of growth. The Board of Birla Corporation Limited, along with its subsidiary, RCCPL Private Limited, approved an investment of Rs 4,335 crore to scale up the production capacity from 20 million tons (mt) to 27.6 mt by 2028-29, by expanding an integrated unit and setting up three new grinding units. The expanded capacity includes the ongoing expansion at Kundanganj, which is progressing on schedule. RCCPL Private Limited will invest Rs 2,300 crore into its Maihar (Madhya Pradesh) unit to expand its clinker production capacity. The clinker produced at Maihar will be fed to the three new grinding units, to be set up at Prayagraj, Gaya and Aligarh, for which Birla Corporation Limited, and its subsidiary, RCCPL, have budgeted for an investment of Rs 2,035 crore. "Our capacity utilization in central and eastern India is more than 100%," said Shri Harsh V. Lodha, Chairman. "We expect cement demand to grow at a CAGR of 6-7% over the next few years. To improve our leadership position in high growth markets, we are ready for the next phase of growth. Addition of fresh capacity will have a favourable impact on profitability as well as reduce lead distances, with grinding units located closer to the market." RCCPL continued to scale up production at its Mukutban unit, which in FY24-25 has significantly contributed to profitability. Commissioned in 2022, the 3.9-mt integrated unit is one of the most efficient cement plants in the country. Through robust cash flow generation, Birla Corporation Limited has reduced its net debt to Rs 2,244 crore at the end of March against Rs 3,003 crore a year earlier. The Company's cost of borrowing at the end of March was 7.56%, down 35 basis points from a year earlier. Weak pricing: The cement industry faced unprecedented pricing pressure through the first eight months of FY24-25. Prices fell 11% on an average till the end of December. For the full year, it is estimated that prices were on an average 4-5% lower than the previous year. For the full year, Birla Corporation's price realization was 7% lower, at Rs 4,866 per ton. It is estimated that cement manufacturers' profit margin contracted 130-180 basis points in FY24-25 owing to weak pricing. Birla Corporation Limited's cement sales by volume for the March quarter grew 8% yoy to 5.2 mt. In FY24-25, the Company sold 18.1 mt of cement, compared to 17.6 mt in the previous year, up 2.5%. The full-year consolidated revenue, however, was down 4% at Rs 9,312 crore. Despite a sharp turnaround in the March quarter, consolidated net profit for the full year was down 30% yoy at Rs 295 crore. Notwithstanding pressure on prices and demand, the cement industry benefited from benign power and fuel costs. Birla Corporation's power and fuel costs for the March quarter were at Rs 1,001 per ton, down 9% yoy, while for the full year, power and fuel costs fell 14% to Rs 1,035 per ton. The share of renewable power in the total power consumed during the year was at 24.8%, compared to 23.8% in the previous year. As a pioneer of brand premiumization to increase value share (as distinct from volume share, which is the traditional measure of market share), Birla Corporation Limited managed to drive up sales of its premium products, led by its flagship brand Perfect Plus. The Company achieved in FY24-25 an 11% yoy growth in sales by volume of premium products. Premium products accounted for 60% of the Company's trade channel sales during the year against 54% in FY23-24. Perfect Plus has, on its own, grown 15% during the year, and now commands a premium in pricing over competitors in the Company's core market of Uttar Pradesh. Birla Corporation Limited has entered the business of ready-mix concrete (RMC). The initial experience in the Uttar Pradesh market has shown encouraging results and the Company is now looking to scale up the business. The RMC business will potentially create further opportunities to shore up sales of the Company's premium products. Re-appointment: Birla Corporation Limited's Board on Friday approved the re-appointment of Shri Sandip Ghose as Managing Director and CEO for three years effective 1 January 2026. Mr Ghose was responsible for developing the brand architecture of Birla Corporation Limited and launched the Company in its product premiumization journey. He also played a key role in the integration of operations of Birla Corporation and RCCPL. In his current term as the Managing Director and CEO, he has brought about transformative changes in the organization and was responsible for scaling up of the Mukutban operations. The Board has entrusted him with carrying forward the next phase of growth and expansion of the Company. Jute: The Company sees its jute business as a unique asset that has significant potential to contribute to the topline as well as bottom line, alongside the main business of cement. With renewed management focus and improvement of operational efficiency, the Division is showing signs of turning the corner. After three consecutive quarters of losses, the Division has reported a cash profit of Rs 4.43 crore in the March quarter. The Division has significantly reduced the conversion cost, while raising order execution, both domestic and overseas. Thanks to improved efficiency in raw jute procurement and better capacity utilization, the Division reduced conversion cost in the March quarter by almost 14% sequentially. Significant sales growth was also achieved during the quarter: domestic sales grew 8% yoy, while exports grew 18%. Average production per day increased 9% yoy and 18% sequentially. In addition to its sustained focus on sales of value-added products, the Division has started exploring opportunities at increasing research and development in partnership with institutes of repute. This will facilitate collaborative research, product development, industrial trials and commercialization of new value-added fibres. The Company has set a target for the Division's new leadership team to turn Birla Jute into the most efficient jute manufacturing unit in terms of cost, profitability and safety. Birla Corporation Limited (MP Birla Group) was incorporated as Birla Jute Manufacturing Company Limited in 1919, it was given shape by Syt MP Birla. The Company has interest in cement and jute goods. Its Birla Jute Mills is the first jute mill started by an Indian entrepreneur. The Company and its subsidiary, RCCPL Pvt Ltd, have 10 cement plants, in eight locations, across the country, with an annual installed capacity of 20 million tons. The Company produces an array of cement products, under the MP Birla Cement brand, suited to different climatic conditions as well as consumer segments. It also sells construction chemicals and wall putty. For more information, visit www.birlacorporation.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has penalised the State Bank of India with Rs 1.72 crore for non-compliance with certain directions. As per a statement from the RBI, the state-owned lender failed to comply certain certain directions issued by RBI on 'Loans and Advances- Statutory and Other Restrictions', 'Customer Protection - Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions' and 'Opening of Current Accounts by Banks - Need for Discipline'. This penalty has been imposed under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. A Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE 2023) of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank by the RBI, advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank's reply to the notice, additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI decides that the bank deserves imposition of monetary penalty. The charges against the bank is that it extended a bridge loan to an entity against amounts receivable from the Central / State Government by way of subsidy / reimbursement. The bank failed to credit (shadow reversal) the amount involved in unauthorised electronic transactions to certain customer accounts within 10 working days from the date of notification by the customer and compensate certain customers within 90 days from the date of receipt of the complaint. Another charge against the bank was that it opened / maintained certain current accounts in contravention of regulatory requirements. "The action (against SBI) is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank," said the RBI. (ANI)
PNN New Delhi [India], May 10: In a powerful move to protect Chandigarh from the rising wave of cybercrime, the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTR) in Sector 26 launched the CopConnect Cyber Wellness Clinic on April 30, 2025. Partnering with the Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) and backed by Zscaler's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, this state-of-the-art facility is a lifeline for students, educators, police, and citizens battling digital threats like phishing, identity theft, and QR code scams. Established in 1967 under the Ministry of Education, NITTR Chandigarh has been a cornerstone of technical education, initially focused on polytechnic training across northern India. Today, it's a premier institute offering programs in engineering, technology, and educational management, with global collaborations and recognition as a research hub. The CopConnect Cyber Wellness Clinic, following the success of a similar initiative at Panjab University on March 4, 2025, cements NITTR's commitment to digital safety. Zscaler, a global cloud security pioneer founded in 2007 by Jay Chaudhry, is at the heart of this initiative. With offices in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Mohali, and Pune, and seven data centers in India, Zscaler's Zero Trust Exchange platform protects millions. Its Social Impact Program promotes cyber education and digital equity, empowering underserved communities. "Our collaboration with NITTR and ISAC is about building a secure digital future for all," said Karishma Bhuyan, Zscaler's CSR Lead, at the launch. The Zscaler ThreatLabz Phishing Report 2025 paints a grim picture: India is the Asia Pacific's top target for AI-powered cyberattacks. From fake QR code scams to hidden links in photos, cybercriminals are relentless. Chandigarh Cyber Cell SP Smt. Geetanjali Khandelwal shared chilling local trends: "Scammers are targeting expectant fathers with fake semen donation schemes, tricking them into scanning malicious QR codes." Chandigarh Police's cyber vans and surveys with NCC cadets reveal senior citizens as prime targets, highlighting the urgent need for awareness. The CopConnect Cyber Wellness Clinic serves as a comprehensive resource for combating everyday cybercrimes. It provides awareness sessions on cyber threats and fraud, hands-on training in ISAC's Cyberange Cybersecurity Labs, and access to 26 ISAC-certified programs. Participants can engage with tools such as Breach Point, EthixFirst, and the National Security Database, which are designed to build skills for cybersecurity careers, a field projected to require millions of professionals in the coming years, according to Cyber Crime Magazine. Additionally, the clinic equips police with specialised cybercrime investigation training, enhancing law enforcement's ability to respond effectively. ISAC, a non-profit collaborating with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defence, AICTE, CERT-In, and IIT Gandhinagar, ensures the clinic's technical rigor. Its platforms provide practical tools, from bug bounty programs to ethical frameworks. "This initiative empowers communities to face digital challenges head-on," said Group Captain P. Anand Naidu of ISAC. Operating Monday through Saturday, 9 AM to 5 PM, the clinic is open to cybercrime victims and anyone looking for digital safety guidance. It also equips law enforcement with advanced cybercrime investigation training. Need urgent help? The free ISAC CopConnect App connects you directly to Cybercrime Intervention Officers for immediate support. With Cyber Crime Magazine estimating global cybercrime costs at $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 and a need for 3.5 million cybersecurity experts, this initiative establishes Chandigarh as a frontrunner in fostering a secure digital landscape. This collaboration between NITTR, ISAC, and Zscaler is a game-changer. Visit the CopConnect Cyber Wellness Clinic, arm yourself with knowledge, and join Chandigarh's fight for a secure digital future. Don't wait--stay alert, stay safe! (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)
Indian industries are looking forward to more free trade agreements (FTAs) because such trade pacts are the key enablers for participating in the global value chain, said Sanjiv Puri, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Managing Director of ITC. ITC MD Puri said that after the FTA with the United Kingdom, the industry is also keen to have a trade deal with the United States. "Industry is very keen to have the FTAs because these are important enablers to participate in global value chains, which are 70 per cent of the global trade. So, the industry is very much looking forward to it," CII President and ITC MD Sanjiv Puri said. "We know that both the other FTAs are strong focuses of the government and there's a possibility of (Trade deal with) the US one by autumn and the EU - there was this EU president along with a large number of the cabinet ministers here in India - a commitment was made that by the end of the year they should get signed so we are hoping these within the timelines," Puri further added. Puri went on to state that focusing on agriculture is needed to increase the income and consumption of the people employed by the sector. Industry body CII welcomed the India-UK FTA, adding that it is guided by the 2030 Roadmap. The timely agreement will help advance a comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the UK, steering bilateral trade towards the ambitious target of USD 100 billion by 2030, the CII had added. The Commerce and Industry Ministry on May 9 highlighted the importance of FTAs, adding that such trade agreements make India more competitive with markets like the United States of America, China, and Brazil. According to APEDA, India will gain ground over the USA, China, and Thailand in processed food. We will become more competitive than the USA, China, Thailand, and Vietnam in bakery items, said an official. The official statement added that the recently concluded FTA with the UK is a "totally job-orientated deal". The trade between India and the UK will double by 2030, creating millions of jobs and increasing our overall exports to the UK. However, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) in a report highlights potential risks to the domestic industry, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), due to increased foreign competition. GTRI further adds that India should draw lessons from the recently concluded US-UK trade deal and be cautious on a deal with America for its bilateral trade deal. (ANI)
PNN Dubai (UAE), May 10: In a ceremony graced by leading figures from business, academia, and healthcare, Dr. Aashish Suresh Mangal was awarded the Honorary Doctorate in Business Management and Finance by The Thames International University, Europe. This rare and prestigious distinction--reserved for exceptional individuals who have significantly contributed to society through business and humanitarian efforts--recognizes Dr. Mangal's remarkable journey of entrepreneurial excellence and profound social impact. Founded with the mission of nurturing global leaders, The Thames International University is a renowned European institution committed to academic excellence, innovation, and transformative leadership. The conferral of an honorary doctorate is among its highest honours, granted only to a select few global changemakers--making Dr. Mangal's achievement both rare and distinguished. Starting his entrepreneurial journey in 2009 with the establishment of Pace LLC, Dr. Mangal transitioned from his family's pharmaceutical legacy at Merlin Pharma Private Limited to build a dynamic global enterprise spanning surgical manufacturing, agro-commodities, petrochemicals, and technology investments. His vision expanded further in 2014 with the launch of Pace Global FZE in the United Arab Emirates, seamlessly integrating business success with a strong social conscience. "In Dr. Mangal, we don't just see a successful businessman; we see a visionary who builds enterprises that create profound social impact. His ability to harmonize commercial success with humanitarian ideals is the leadership our world desperately needs," said the Vice-Chancellor of Thames International University during the award ceremony. Dr. Mangal's humanitarian work is both deeply personal and far-reaching. Inspired by his wife Payal Mangal's battle with kidney complications, he has championed healthcare accessibility-- notably partnering with the Narmada Kidney Foundation and launching affordable immunosuppressant drugs under the mentorship of Dr. Bharat V. Shah. His swift action during the COVID-19 crisis--providing critical refrigeration units for vaccine storage and supporting hospitals--was officially recognized by the Hon'ble Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The Mangal legacy continues through his daughter, Anshika Mangal, who, at just 19 years old, became India's fastest female commercial pilot trainee in the United States, completing her training in a record 5 months and 10 days. Her pioneering spirit mirrors her father's trailblazing journey, making the family a symbol of leadership, resilience, and perseverance. Beyond his corporate endeavours, Dr. Mangal has been instrumental in educating the public as the Editor-in-Chief of Rx Care Magazine, registered with the Government of India, and in organizing initiatives such as the National Transplant Games, supporting organ transplant recipients and promoting blood donation drives. Born on November 1, 1978, Dr. Mangal's life story is a powerful testament to resilience, integrity, and service. Mentored by distinguished figures such as Dr. Uday C Mashelkar, Dr. Bharat V. Shah, Dr. Mita B. Shah, and Dr. Nayesh Patni, he continues to bridge the gap between business growth and societal good with humility and vision. "This honour belongs not only to me but to everyone who shaped and believed in my journey," said Dr. Mangal during his acceptance speech. "True fulfilment comes not from individual success but from creating ripples of positive change that touch lives. This honour strengthens my resolve to continue this mission." The Honorary Doctorate from The Thames International University stands as a powerful validation of Dr. Aashish Suresh Mangal's ongoing mission--building businesses that are engines of change, empowering communities, and leaving a legacy of compassion-driven leadership. (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)
PNN New Delhi [India], May 10: As the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF) continues to build a dynamic ecosystem of visionaries and change agents, Saloni Jain's addition as an investor marks another stride forward. Joining a league of esteemed industry leaders and cultural icons like Ravi Jaipuria, Gaurav Dalmia, Vinod Dugar, Manju Yagnik, Sonali Dugar and Bollywood legends, Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar, her involvement underscores FEF's commitment to merging capital with conscience igniting innovation not just in fashion, but in the social fabric of India. Meticulously building an unparalleled collection of luxury, particularly in jewellery, she's carved out a distinctive name for herself, reflecting her true essence in the companies she leads. She is the founder of Vinayak Jewels Foundation and the director of Vinayak Products Pvt. Ltd., Vinayak Products Pvt. Ltd. and Innovate Hub Prime Estate LLP. Born into a legacy of entrepreneurship, Saloni Jain combined her strong business lineage with a formal management education and has played an integral role in Vinayak Jewels' growth and evolution over the past two decades. With a deep commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and excellence, her leadership has helped transform the brand into one of the fastest-growing jewellery manufacturers in the country, crafting timeless pieces in Jaipur for a discerning global clientele. Saloni Jain's commitment to social change runs deep. As Chairperson of JITO Jaipur Chapter, she has championed education, entrepreneurship, and women's empowerment, impacting over 400 girls through scholarship programs and skill-building initiatives. Through her Vinayak Jewels Foundation, she supports welfare initiatives in partnership with Akshaya Patra, organises artisan health camps, and works closely with civic leaders to drive change. Her efforts were recently honored with the 'Nari Gaurav Samman'. Saloni's influence extends beyond organisational boundaries. She has actively engaged with political and civic leaders, including the Mayor of Jaipur, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, and the President of India, alongside several former and current leaders, to discuss and collaborate on initiatives aimed at community development and social welfare. Now joining hands with FEF's mission to strengthen India's fast-growing yet fragmented fashion industry, Saloni Jain brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial insight and philanthropic vision to drive meaningful, lasting impact. On her association with FEF, Ms. Saloni Jain shared, "Our group has always championed innovation--bringing together passionate designers, skilled engineers, and master craftsmen, backed by state-of-the-art technology to serve global markets. What drew me to FEF is its powerful vision to empower emerging entrepreneurs and fashion startups. It aligns perfectly with our commitment to the Make in India mission and my goal of creating opportunities for youth to realise their dreams. I admire that FEF goes beyond capital--it offers mentorship, guidance, and a strong ecosystem to help reshape and uplift the Indian fashion industry." Ms. Jain sees a clear gap in India's rapidly growing but fragmented fashion industry, valued at over Rs125 million. Emerging talent often lacks access to capital, mentorship, and market connections," she says. FEF bridges that gap by combining creativity with business strategy, creating a platform for real growth. I'm excited to be part of this essential movement for the industry's evolution." Talking about the businessman's association, ecstatic, Vagish Pathak, Chairman and Mr. Sanjay Nigam, Founder of Fashion Entrepreneurs, said, "Saloni Jain brings a powerful combination of creativity, entrepreneurial acumen, and a genuine commitment to social impact. As an investor, her luxury jewellery leadership and drive to foster meaningful change align seamlessly with FEF's vision. With her support, we aim to reshape the fashion industry by offering mentorship and resources to elevate startups, helping them scale and thrive. Her involvement is set to be a catalyst in accelerating our mission to create a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem for fashion entrepreneurs." This collaboration marks a significant step in FEF's journey to nurture and develop the next wave of fashion entrepreneurs and startups About the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund (FEF) Fashion Entrepreneur Fund(FEF), a groundbreaking initiative, fosters a collaborative ecosystem within the fashion industry. FEF is investing a substantial amount to empower individuals in the fashion sector, helping turn their aspirations into thriving enterprises. This pioneering venture studio aims to cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship, providing essential resources and mentorship to budding talents. By bridging gaps and offering support, FEF propels the growth and success of emerging businesses, enriching the fabric of the fashion landscape. With its robust foundation and visionary approach, FEF sets the stage for transformative change and sustainable growth in the industry. Website- thefef.net Instagram- fashion_entrepreneur_fund (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)
PNN Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 10: Enem, the home appliances brand renowned for its innovative design and functionality, is making waves once again by extending its creative vision into furniture design. This strategic move aims to provide consumers with a seamless and aesthetically harmonious living space where appliances and furniture work together in perfect synergy. Known for blending cutting-edge technology with elegant aesthetics in their appliance range, Enem is now applying this same philosophy to furniture. The company recognizes that modern homeowners desire a cohesive look throughout their interiors, and their foray into furniture design is a direct response to this growing demand. By crafting furniture pieces that are specifically designed to complement and integrate their appliances, Enem is simplifying the process of creating a stylish and functional home. "Our goal has always been to make everyday tasks easier and more enjoyable through thoughtful design," says Nilanshu Aggarwal, a spokesperson for Enem. "Extending this design philosophy to furniture allows us to create a holistic living experience for our customers. We're not just selling appliances; we're offering a vision for a beautiful and integrated home." Charu Gupta Sure, another representative from Enem, adds, "The beauty lies in the details. Our furniture designs consider the size, shape, and even the aesthetic of our appliances, ensuring a flawless fit and a unified look. Imagine a kitchen where your Enem smart oven is seamlessly built into an elegant cabinet, or a living room where your energy-efficient air purifier blends perfectly with a stylish side table." This integrated approach offers several benefits for homeowners. It eliminates the guesswork of trying to match appliances with disparate furniture styles, saving time and effort in the decorating process. Furthermore, it allows for optimized space utilization and a cleaner, more streamlined aesthetic. Enem's focus on both functionality and design ensures that these furniture pieces are not only visually appealing but also practical for everyday living. While specific details about Enem's furniture lines are still emerging, the company has hinted at designs that will reflect the same commitment to quality, sustainability, and user-centric principles that define their appliances. This move positions Enem as a forward-thinking brand that understands the evolving needs and desires of modern homeowners, offering a comprehensive solution for creating beautiful and functional living spaces. Industry experts are already noting the potential of this integrated design approach. "The trend towards seamless integration in home design is gaining momentum," comments interior design specialist Anya Sharma. "Enem's move to offer both appliances and complementary furniture is a smart one, potentially setting them apart in a crowded market." As Enem continues to unveil its furniture collections, consumers can look forward to a new era of home design where appliances and furniture coexist in perfect harmony, creating spaces that are both beautiful and effortlessly functional. (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)
PNN Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 10: Alstone, India's leading manufacturer of premium exterior cladding solutions, successfully hosted an exclusive event in Bengaluru to showcase its revolutionary product Alstone Alcomb - Aluminium Honeycomb Panel. The event drew an enthusiastic response from the top architects, facade consultants and industry professionals, reinforcing Alstone's commitment to innovation and excellence in facade innovations. https://www.youtube.com/embed/HzQKkgRu7u0 Held at Shangrila hotel,Bengaluru the evening spotlighted the unmatched strength, light weight and design flexibility of Alstone Alcomb positioning it as the future of exterior cladding in India. The event featured a live product demonstration, an interactive session with Alstone's technical experts, and insightful panel discussions on the evolution of modern building envelopes. "We're thrilled with the tremendous response we received in Bengaluru," said Sumit Gupta, Managing Director Alstone. "Alstone Alcomb represents a significant step forward in high-performance facades, and the enthusiasm shown by the architect community here validates our belief that Alstone Alcomb is the Future of Exterior cladding." Pankaj Malhotra, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Alstone, shared his thoughts at the event "It's encouraging to see how Alstone is driving innovation in facade industry. Alstone Alcomb's sustainability & fire safety features with versatile application in cladding such as ceiling, Partition, Fin Louvers, Bullnozing and Canopies will change the future of facade industry in a big way." Vivek Dubey, South Head at Alstone, added, "We are deeply thankful to the architect and facade consultant community for joining us and making the event a grand success. Their appreciation and curiosity for Alstone Alcomb motivate us to continue delivering world-class facade innovations." Guests at the event were also given a preview of Alstone's latest innovations in metal-based facade systems, including its globally certified panels and the newly launched Zinc Honeycomb Panels. The Bengaluru event is part of Alstone's pan-India outreach to promote next-generation facade technologies and build deeper engagement with the facade consultant and Architect community. About Alstone Alstone has been a leading manufacturer of cladding solutions for over two decades, offering a wide range of products including Fire Retardant Composite Panels (FRCP), Metal-based High-Pressure Laminates (HPL), Aluminium Honeycomb Panels, Metal Louvers and Zinc Composite Panels (ZCP) in association with VMZINC, France. We operate two state-of-the-art manufacturing plants one in Dehradun (Uttarakhand) dedicated to Aluminium Composite Panels, and the other in Kotputli (Rajasthan), where we manufacture Alstone ALCOMB Honeycomb Panels and other advanced cladding materials. Both facilities are equipped with in-house coating lines to ensure consistent quality and timely service delivery. For Media Enquiry Lalit Midha, Sr. Manager lalit.midha@alstoneindia.com | www.alstoneindia.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)
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 10: Rajasthan, the land of royalty, vibrant traditions, and majestic forts, is writing a new chapter in its glorious legacy. It is embracing a digital renaissance that is set to transform the lives of over 80 million citizens. At the heart of this transformation lies an ambitious vision--an inclusive, citizen-centric governance model powered by cutting-edge technology. Backed by a forward-thinking government and a progressive digital transformation budget, Rajasthan is investing heavily in technology-led reforms across more than 79 departments. From health and agriculture to tourism and education, each sector is undergoing a digital evolution, ensuring improved service delivery, transparency, and efficiency. Initiatives such as RajNET, RajSWAN, e-Mitra, and iStart have laid a strong digital foundation that reaches even the remotest corners of the state. These are not isolated programs; they are interconnected parts of a grander vision--to bridge the digital divide and ensure no citizen is left behind. Tourism and Agriculture: Anchors of Socio-Economic Growth 1. Tourism With its palaces, forts, and vibrant culture, Rajasthan is a major tourist destination. However, the sector is facing challenges such as outdated booking systems, fragmented services, and the need for seamless integration to provide tourists with a hassle-free experience. Digital platforms could provide a unified system for reservations, travel planning, and service delivery. 2. Agriculture Agriculture is the backbone of Rajasthan's economy, employing over 60% of the population. Yet, the sector faces challenges such as insufficient real-time information for farmers, fragmented market data, and limited access to advanced agricultural tools. By incorporating technology into the agricultural value chain, Rajasthan can empower farmers with better market access, knowledge, and tools for sustainable growth. Overcoming Roadblocks with Determination While Rajasthan's digital vision is forward-thinking, the state faces challenges at the ground level that hinder progress in key sectors: -Siloed Systems: Government departments in Rajasthan often operate on fragmented and outdated digital platforms, lacking integration and accessibility. Many of these systems were not designed for mobile-first or multilingual usage, which limits their reach, especially in rural areas. -Digital Divide in Rural Areas: Despite initiatives like RajNET and BharatNet, there remains a significant gap in rural connectivity, with over 1,700 Gram Panchayats still unconnected. The rural population, including marginalized communities, struggles to access essential services, hindering the state's goal of inclusive digital governance. -Inconsistent User Experience: Multiple digital platforms such as Raj Sewa Dwaar, e-Mitra, and SSO serve overlapping functions, "yet citizens need to be educated about where and how to access services. The lack of intuitive design and mobile responsiveness impedes mass adoption. -Slow Adoption of Emerging Technologies: While Rajasthan has ambitious plans to implement AI, blockchain, and IoT in governance, actual deployment has been slow, especially in rural development, agriculture, and health sectors. Dexian India as the partner of choice for Rajasthan Dexian brings a powerful blend of technological depth, domain knowledge, and grassroots experience to Rajasthan's digital mission. As a global leader in public-sector digital transformation, Dexian has built platforms that serve millions--seamlessly, securely, and sustainably. Success Stories That Speak Volumes: 1. AGMARKNET 2.0: Understanding India's Agri Pulse Dexian brings a powerful blend of technological depth, knowledge of the agricultural ecosystem, and grassroots experience to Rajasthan's digital mission. As a global leader in public-sector digital transformation, Dexian has worked with state and central governments for the last six years, building platforms that serve millions--seamlessly, securely, and sustainably. 1. AGMARKNET 2.0: Understanding India's Agri Pulse One of Dexian's standout contributions is its role in AGMARKNET 2.0, a national initiative that digitized and connected APMC markets across 12-15 states. Dexian's involvement included: -Data integration with state agricultural boards -Developing commodity-specific assaying methods (for wheat, paddy, etc.) -Real-time price updates for farmers -Local language accessibility This deep engagement has given Dexian unparalleled insight into India's agri ecosystem--its intricate value chains, structural challenges, and the immense potential for reform.In a state like Rajasthan, where over 60% of the population is employed in agriculture, such nuanced understanding is a critical asset. 2. BIHAN in Bihar: Scaling Rural Innovation Another milestone in Dexian's journey is BIHAN, implemented for the Government of Bihar. Focused on digitizing livelihoods and agriculture-centric programs across 47,943 villages, Dexian: -Integrated over 70 government and private data sources -Built 100+ dashboards to aid real-time policymaking -Trained 9,000+ users across 15 departments -Enabled geo-tagging of assets and beneficiaries for transparency -Delivered robust online and offline capabilities BIHAN has improved the livelihoods of over 18 million farmers and rural workers, demonstrating that technology designed for the people--not just the process--can deliver at scale. Dexian's Digital Framework: Built for Governance To achieve Rajasthan's digital goals, Dexian brings a full-stack, future-ready approach: -AEM Expertise: Dexian is deeply experienced in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM)--a leading CMS platform used to build high-performing, secure, multilingual, mobile-first portals. This makes it ideal for building department portals state-wide that citizens of every literacy level can access. -UI/UX Built Around Inclusion: Government platforms are for everyone. Dexian's UI/UX strategy focuses on accessibility (WCAG compliance), vernacular design, and speed--ensuring people across urban and rural areas get the same quality of service. -Multilingual & Mobile-First: In a state as diverse as Rajasthan, Dexian builds portals--like those developed for the BIHAN program in Bihar--that load fast, work on low-data networks, and offer content in Hindi, English, and other regional dialects--ensuring no citizen is left behind. -Seamless System Integration: Dexian excels in integrating siloed systems--whether it's combining health, welfare, and employment databases or syncing legacy applications with new-age platforms, as demonstrated through our successful implementations of AGMARKNET 2.0 and BIHAN. -Scalable & Secure Infrastructure: With experience in CERT-IN compliant security practices, Dexian ensures that all platforms meet enterprise-grade standards for data protection and uptime--essential for sensitive citizen services. -On-Ground Enablement: Digital adoption succeeds only when it's truly embraced by its users. Dexian supports this transformation through on-site training, periodic digital literacy initiatives, and helpdesk support--ensuring that every portal is not just built but actively used and scaled across departments. This continuous synergy between technology and training empowers stakeholders at every level to adapt, adapt, and innovate. "Public sector transformation isn't just about technology--it's about building trust, enabling access, and delivering equity through digital platforms," says Venkat Lakshminarasimha, Executive Director, Solutions and Sales - India & Middle East at Dexian India, underscoring Dexian's commitment to inclusive innovation. Strategic Alignment with Rajasthan's Digital Vision Dexian India's offerings are deeply aligned with the digital transformation goals of Rajasthan, positioning the company as a strategic partner for the state's forward-looking initiatives. Rajasthan is driving some of the several key digital priorities: -Smart Governance & Urban Command Centers: As the state advances smart governance through Urban Command Centers, Dexian's expertise in cloud transformation, AI/ML, and data analytics can create centralized, data-driven solutions for real-time urban management and decision-making. -Unified Citizen Dashboards for Welfare Access: Rajasthan's vision of streamlining welfare access via unified citizen dashboards is well supported by Dexian's comprehensive solutions in application development and data integration, ensuring a seamless experience for citizens accessing government services. -Digital Marketplaces for Farmers: With the state's focus on empowering farmers through digital marketplaces, Dexian's solutions in e-commerce platforms, IoT, and predictive analytics can support the creation of digital ecosystems that connect farmers directly to markets, optimizing supply chains and reducing intermediaries. Dexian India's focus on innovation, next-gen technologies, and strong local expertise in these areas makes it an ideal partner for Rajasthan's ambitious digital goals. Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Partner with Dexian With the state's ambitious budget and vision for the future, the time to invest in transformative digital infrastructure is now. The Rs2,138 crore allocation to IT & Communication in the 2025-26 budget signals Rajasthan's commitment to harnessing technology for better governance and citizen services. Dexian's proven track record, technological expertise, and alignment with Rajasthan's strategic priorities make it the ideal partner to help the state realize its vision of a digitally empowered future. "The true test of digital governance lies in its ability to serve the last citizen in the remotest village with the same efficiency as it does in a metro city," Venkat Lakshminarasimha adds. "That's the standard we set for ourselves at Dexian." Conclusion: A Partnership Built for Progress As Rajasthan embarks on its digital transformation, the state needs more than just a technology provider--it needs a partner who understands the complexities of governance, the diverse needs of citizens, and the role technology can play in shaping a brighter future. Dexian India offers not just the technical expertise but also a deep understanding of governance and rural innovation. By partnering with Dexian, Rajasthan can build more than just digital systems--it can create a platform for sustainable growth, social inclusion, and innovation. Together, Rajasthan and Dexian can pave the way for a digitally empowered state that leads India into a new era of governance and prosperity. (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)
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader, Telangana Jagruti President and MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha has urged the state government to postpone the upcoming Miss World beauty pageant scheduled in Telangana amid rising India-Pakistan tensions. MLC Kavitha said it would be inappropriate to hold an international beauty pageant in the state during the nation's war-like atmosphere. While highlighting the example of the Indian Premier League (IPL) postponement, MLC Kavitha warned Telangana of possible criticism for holding such events while the country faces serious security concerns. She called it a time to demonstrate "wisdom" and avoid sending "wrong signals". On Friday, in support of Operation Sindoor and expressing solidarity with the Indian Army, MLC Kavitha led a huge rally from Indira Park to RTC Cross Road in Hyderabad. She paid tribute to Murali Nayak, a soldier who lost his life while performing his duties on the border. Speaking on the occasion, she praised the Indian Army for successfully destroying nine terrorist camps in Pakistan through Operation Sindoor. She also called for such rallies to be held in all districts to support the Indian Army. "This is a righteous war (Dharma Yudh). India never makes mistakes. We are fighting with ethics and honesty. We did not harm the common people in Pakistan. We only destroyed terrorist camps," said MLC Kavitha at a rally. The 72nd edition of the Miss World pageant is set to take place in Hyderabad from May 7 to May 31, 2025. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of today, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). In its statement, the Ministry of Defence said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces. The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential." Fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning, following the attack by Pakistan. (ANI)
Actor Charlize Theron believes that her 'The Old Guard 2' co-star, Uma Thurman, deserved an Academy Award for her performance in cult film 'Kill Bill' Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Theron recently appeared on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' to start the press tour for her upcoming Netflix action sequel 'The Old Guard 2', reported Variety. During the interview, the actress opened up about her fan love for Thurman, saying that for her, Thurman was like a "sensei" in the action world. "We knew each other kind of offhand, but I knew her from being a massive fan, just watching her work, and always wanted to do something with her. Because when I came into the action world, she was really, to me, like the sensei. She was the OG," said Theron in an interview with Kimmel as quoted by Variety. Theron is referring to Thurman's iconic role of The Bride in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol. 1 " and "Kill Bill Vol. 2." "She should've won the Academy Award for 'Kill Bill,' right?" Kimmel asked Theron, as quoted by Variety. "A hundred per cent," Theron answered, adding that it's usually just "men who get a lot of credit for these [types of] movies. What she did in that film was just so unbelievable," quoted by Variety While sharing her experience of working with Thurman, the actress said she was "scared" to do action scenes against her in "The Old Guard 2". "She's just such a bad**. So since I've been in action movies, I've been like, 'Who do I want to work with and do an action sequence with?' It's always been Uma Thurman. Always," said Theron as quoted by Variety. The original 'Old Guard,' released in summer 2020, was watched by 72 million households during its first four weeks on Netflix. Theron returns for the sequel alongside original co-stars Kiandra "KiKi" Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Thurman is a new addition alongside Henry Golding. The sequel is directed by Victoria Mahoney. It is set to stream on Netflix on July 2. (ANI)
Widely respected for his transformative work in cinema, Gaikwad was a recipient of the National Film Award for Best Makeup Artist on seven occasions. He was 65.

Gaikwad's funeral will occur at 4:30 pm on Saturday at the Shivaji Park Crematorium in Dadar. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed deep sorrow over Gaikwad's passing.

In a heartfelt message posted on social media, Shinde described Gaikwad as "a magician who brought characters to life on the silver screen."

He emphasised that Gaikwad's work was instrumental in shaping the visual legacy of Indian cinema, particularly in historical and biographical films.

"The magician who brought characters to life on the silver screen has disappeared!" wrote Shinde.

"His ability to transform actors and bring fictional and real-life personalities to the screen was nothing short of extraordinary. His passing is an irreparable loss to the world of cinema and art," he wrote on X.

https://x.com/mieknathshinde/status/1921093780968440304

Gaikwad began his illustrious career with the film 'Sardar' and went on to become a transformative force in makeup artistry for both Bollywood and regional cinema.

His extensive credits include major Hindi films such as 'Uri: The Surgical Strike', 'Dangal', 'PK', 'Omkara', 'Delhi-6', '3 Idiots', 'Kaminey', 'Ishqiya', and 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', among others.

He was equally revered in Marathi cinema for his work on historical films like 'Lokmanya', 'Fatteshikast,' and 'Sher Shivraj'. (ANI)
Actor Sanjay Dutt has lauded the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces amid rising India-Pakistan tensions and has called for unity and strength in the face of terrorism. On Saturday, the actor took to his Instagram Stories to show his full support for the Indian Army following the recent rise in cross-border tensions between the two countries. In his statement, Dutt made it clear that India will not tolerate continued attacks and will respond with firm determination. He also urged the nation to remain united and not be shaken by acts of terror. "The relentless attacks on our people will no longer be tolerated. We will respond, not with hesitation, but with full force and unshakable resolve. The world must understand that our battle is not against a people or a nation, but against the terrorists who thrive on fear, chaos, and destruction. Let there be no doubt, we are not backing down this time," read a part of his post. Dutt also went on to describe the terrorists as "cowards" and hailed the strength and resilience of the Indian people and military. "These terrorists are nothing but cowards hiding behind the veil of violence. They strike from the shadows, but they will learn that we are a nation that does not bow. We rise stronger every time they try to break us. Our unity, our spirit, and our will to fight back are far greater than their hate." Calling the Indian Armed Forces the "true heroes," Dutt added, "I am proud of our armed forces. They stand tall at the frontlines, fearless and focused, answering every act of terror with courage and fire. They are not just defending borders; they are defending every child's dream, every family's peace, and the soul of this nation. They are the true heroes, and I salute each one of them." Take a look India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads with each other after terrorist camps were destroyed at nine locations in the neighbouring country under Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the ghastly Pahalgam terrorist attack. The 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. Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an "act of war" against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said. (ANI)
Actor Kichcha Sudeepa lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and praised the successful execution of Operation Sindoor, calling it "not just a response, but a statement." Sudeep, in a letter to Modi, expressed his admiration for the Prime Minister's strong stance and the Indian defense forces' actions following the May 2 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. Operation Sindoor, launched on the intervening night of May 7-8, struck nine terror sites inside Pakistan. "Today, I write to you not just as a grateful son, but as a proud Indian. As the nation salutes the triumph of Operation Sindoor, I write to you with deep admiration. It was not just a response; it was a statement--a bold, decisive message to the world that Bharat does not flinch, Bharat does not forget, and Bharat always rises," read a part of his letter. Praising the discipline and courage shown by the armed forces under Modi's leadership, the actor added, "Under your leadership, our defense forces have demonstrated unmatched precision, discipline, and bravery. Their success is our pride. We stand united as ONE PEOPLE, ONE VOICE, ONE NATION. Jai Hind. Jai Karnataka. Jai Bharat." Meanwhile, on Saturday, amid escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, US President Donald Trump announced that both nations had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire." Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries for using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said in a post on X. (ANI)
In its latest travel advisory, the airport said, "Delhi Airport operations are normal at present. However, due to changing airspace conditions and increased security measures as per orders from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, some flight schedules might be impacted, and security checkpoint processing times could be longer."

The airport operator issued the advisory to passengers, which includes, "Stay informed with updates from their airlines. Follow hand baggage and check-in luggage rules. Arrive early to allow for potential delays at security checks. Cooperate with airline and security staff for smooth processing. Check flight status via their airline or the official Delhi Airport website."

"We encourage all passengers to rely on official sources for accurate information and avoid sharing unverified content," the advisory added.

Earlier, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities have issued a series of notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across Northern and Western India for all civil flight operations.

The NOTAM is effective from May 9, 2025, to May 14, 2025(which corresponds to 0529 IST on 15th May 2025), due to operational reasons.

The list of 32 airports include Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise and Uttarlai.

Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, drones were spotted at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south, along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC), defence sources said on Friday.

The drones are suspected to be armed and pose potential threats to both civilian and military targets.

The locations where drones were spotted include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala. (ANI)
Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, former Indian Ambassador Vidya Bhushan Soni underlined that India has acted with responsibility and has not undertaken any actions that could be deemed blameworthy. Speaking to ANI on Friday, Soni stated that Pakistan is a "failed" state that has been acknowledged for decades by all international agencies and world bodies. Referring to the "Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives said, "Pahalgam is a very peaceful place where the accident happened... It was uncalled for and unnecessary. A message has to be sent to them because they keep doing it... We are a responsible nation. We have responded very responsibly, and we have not taken any action which can be found at fault. So once they have taken the initiative, they have to be told that enough is enough. We are not going to we are not going to accept it anymore. So the response has been very calculated, very precise." "It's sad that Pakistan has not learnt lessons from the past. Pakistan is not in a position to respond at all because it's a failed state that has been acknowledged for decades by all international agencies and world bodies," he added. "So, how are they going to respond when they are not ready for it? Which part of the government is ready? The civilian government is not in control. The terrorist forces are reigning supreme. Army chief makes statements which are hardly professional and not related to the reality on the ground situation. How could Pakistan take such a foolhardy step? They provoked India," Soni further said. Meanwhile, the Indian Army retaliated strongly in the Jammu sector in response to the drone attacks on Indian cities by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), Defence Sources said on Saturday. Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, drones were spotted at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south, along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday. The drones are suspected to be armed and pose potential threats to both civilian and military targets. The locations where drones were spotted include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet, and Lakhi Nala. In a serious incident, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Punjab's Ferozpur, severely injuring members of a local family. The injured received immediate medical assistance, and the area has been sanitised by security forces. The Indian Armed Forces are on high alert. All aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. Defence sources said the situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, have been advised to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary movement, and follow safety instructions from local authorities. While officials have said there is no need to panic, they have called for heightened vigilance and precaution. A day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and International border was foiled by the Indian air defence, Pakistan's drones were again sighted in Jammu, Samba, Pathankot sector on Friday. Red streaks could be seen, and explosions were heard in the Samba sector of Jammu as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid a blackout. A blackout has been enforced in the Akhnoor and Udhampur regions of Jammu and Kashmir. India had responded through precise strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK to the original escalation by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has now resorted to escalation, which is being responded appropriately by the Indian Defence Forces (ANI)
Intermittent firing is still underway at multiple places along the Line of Control (LoC).

Meanwhile, smoke was seen rising after a loud explosion in the Dibber area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur.

Houses and property were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions.

Loud explosions were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, a day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and the International Border was foiled by Indian air defence, Pakistan's drones were again sighted in the Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot sectors on Friday.

India had earlier responded with precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), following the initial escalation triggered by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack.

Pakistan has now resorted to further escalation, which is being appropriately countered by the Indian Defence Forces.

Following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 that killed 26 people, the Indian Armed Forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday, targeting and destroying nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoJK.

Earlier, during the night of May 7-8, Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India. An air defence system in Lahore was also neutralised. (ANI)
Surface-to-air missile systems were activated in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar area by armed forces amid escalation between India and Pakistan, sources told ANI. Heavy engagement is going on with Pakistan over Srinagar and adjoining areas. Sources said at least four airbases in Pakistan have been targeted by Indian strikes. In an immediate response to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations on Saturday, India launched retaliatory strikes. Meanwhile, smoke was seen rising after a loud explosion in the Dibber area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur. Houses and property were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions. Loud explosions were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier in its statement, the Ministry of Defence said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces. The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential." Earlier, a day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and the International Border was foiled by Indian air defence, Pakistan's drones were again sighted in the Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot sectors on Friday. India had earlier responded with precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), following the initial escalation triggered by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has now resorted to further escalation, which is being appropriately countered by the Indian Defence Forces. (ANI)
As Pakistan attacked multiple locations in India, parts of a drone were recovered after a blast in Kanganiwal village in rural Jalandhar of Punjab on Saturday. Surjeet Kaur, a local whose house was affected due to a Pakistani drone attack, said, "A red coloured flash came above our house and there was a huge explosion. We got scared. Everything was dark. We came out of our houses after a short while and saw that the water tank above our houses and our neighbours' houses had exploded. There was a blackout at that time, and all the lights were off." In an immediate response to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations on Saturday, India launched retaliatory strikes, sources told ANI. In its statement the Ministry of Defence said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces. The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential." Meanwhile, smoke was seen rising after a loud explosion in the Dibber area of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur. Houses and property were damaged in the Rajouri region following a continuous series of explosions. Loud explosions were also heard in Rajouri and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, a day after its attempt to target civilian infrastructure along the Line of Control and the International Border was foiled by Indian air defence, Pakistan's drones were again sighted in the Jammu, Samba, and Pathankot sectors on Friday. India had earlier responded with precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), following the initial escalation triggered by Pakistan through the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan has now resorted to further escalation, which is being appropriately countered by the Indian Defence Forces. (ANI)
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met with Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh and other health superintendents at the secretariat to review preparedness for any "emergency." The meeting was held on Friday here. Speaking to the media after the meeting, CM Gupta emphasized that the Government hospitals in the national capital are prepared. "Our government hospitals are all prepared for any situation. We have invited all the MDs and taken updates. A probe into updating on any shortage of staff or medicines is being done. The patients coming in will be treated through Ayushman Bharat Scheme and Ayushman Vyay Vandana Scheme. The administration, doctors and hospitals must be ready," she said. On April 28, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal said that the Vay Vandan Yojana, which fulfils a promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will provide health benefits worth up to Rs 10 lakh to each eligible beneficiary. While speaking to ANI, Chahal said, "PM Narendra Modi had promised Delhi to give benefits of the Ayushman Yojana... The Vay Vandan Yojana, which will provide a benefit worth Rs 10 lakh to each beneficiary, is set to be implemented from today... The Delhi government had allocated a budget of Rs 2140 crores for this scheme." Under the program, every senior citizen aged 70 and above will be eligible for comprehensive health coverage. Earlier on Thursday, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar held meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat to discuss key issues such as water supply, land, DDA, road development, traffic congestion, and other important infrastructure challenges facing by the national capital. After the meeting, Khattar said that the national capital has been facing many problems which is been pending for 15 to 20 years due to the failures of past governments. He also praised Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and stated that ever since Rekha Gupta became Chief Minister, the whole cabinet has been working together to solve these issues. (ANI)
Various fragments and pieces of unidentified debris were recovered from the Lasjan area of Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar on Saturday morning. Visuals from the incident spot showcase that the debris was found between a cluster of houses. The local residents narrowly escaped from the situation. According to a local resident, Ashraf, an explosion was heard at around 05:45 am. He spotted a blast in the air, after which he found out fragments of unidentified debris scattered in various parts of the house. He contacted with the local head after which the police arrived at the spot and recovered the fragments. "There was a loud explosion at 5.45 am...Following that, we came here...There was an object found lying here...We called up the Local Head, who then called up the Police. They came and retrieved it then. We didn't know what it was...There are no casualties", he told ANI. Other than Srinagar, fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning. Visuals from the site showed fragments of the object in an agricultural field, with the surrounding area burnt. Speaking on the incident, Sarpanch of the village Gursahib Singh said that the incident happened at around five in the morning; however, no one was injured due to the falling debris."It happened at 5 am; afterwards I came to know about the blast...no one is injured," he said. "There was a loud blast; we think it was from a drone that was brought down; not much damage has happened," said another resident of the village. "There was a blast and we rushed out; parts of this drone are lying around... What they are doing is wrong; we are giving them a befitting reply," said another villager. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of today, sources told ANI as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said.Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). In its statement the Ministry of Defence said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces. The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential." (ANI)
As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, Pakistan has targeted a temple in Jammu's Roop Nagar area, officials said on Saturday. The strike occurred near the main gate of the Aap Shambhu Temple. Jammu Police and other agencies are retrieving projectile fragments.. Speaking to ANI about the incident, a local emphasised that Pakistan will face a befitting reply. "It is the main gate of Shambhu temple where people come to offer prayers early in the morning, but the siren was activated, and hence fewer people were here. Pakistan will face a fitting reply," he said. According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), no lives have been lost in the incident. J-K police and other agencies are at the scene, and the area has been cordoned off. SDRF personnel Rashpal Singh told ANI, "...Our team is here. There is no causality... The projectile debris fell in the open." On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned Pakistan for deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including schools and places of worship. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had criticised Pakistan for intentionally shelling gurdwaras, churches, and temples along the Line of Control (LoC), describing the attacks as "a new low even for Pakistan." Earlier today, fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar. Visuals from the site show fragments of the object in an agricultural field, with the surrounding area burnt. Speaking on the incident, Sarpanch of the village Gursahib Singh said that the incident happened at around five in the morning; however, no one was injured due to the falling debris. "It happened at 5 am; afterwards, I came to know about the blast... no one is injured," he said. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Sat., as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). In its statement, the Ministry of Defence said, "Drones have been sighted at 26 locations along the International Border and LoC with Pakistan. These include suspected armed drones. The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala. Regrettably, an armed drone targeted a civilian area in Ferozpur, resulting in injuries to members of a local family. The injured have been provided medical assistance and the area has been sanitised by security forces." "The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems. The situation is under close and constant watch & prompt action is being taken wherever necessary. Citizens, especially in border areas, are advised to remain indoors, limit unnecessary movement, and strictly follow safety instructions issued by local authorities. While there is no need for panic, heightened vigilance and precaution are essential," the Ministry said in a statement. (ANI)
AIIMS Bhubaneswar has announced the cancellation of all kinds of leaves, including vacation and station leave in view of the circumstances arising in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. This comes after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday cancelled the leave of all health ministry officials. In an official order, AIIMS Bhubaneswar said, "In pursuance to the Office Order of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India dated May 9, 2025 (copy attached) and in the view of impending situation, no leave of any kind including vacation and station leave is to be granted to any officer except on Medical Grounds, till further orders." "Further, the already sanctioned leave, if any, stands cancelled, and the officers who are on leave are directed to resume their duties immediately. Therefore, all faculty members, Residents and all other staff members and Officers who are on leave as on date are hereby informed to report to duty immediately. This will come into force with immediate effect," the letter further stated. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday cancelled the leave of all health ministry officials till further notice. "In view of the impending situation, no leave of any kind, including station leave, is to be granted to any officer except on medical grounds, till further orders. Further, the already sanctioned leave, if any, stands cancelled and the officers who are on leave are directed to resume their duties immediately," the Health Ministry stated. On Friday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda chaired a high-level meeting with senior health ministry officers to review emergency health systems preparedness. The current status of medical preparedness for handling emergency cases was presented to the Union Minister. He was apprised of the actions taken regarding deployment of ambulances, ensuring adequate availability of medical supplies, including equipment, medicines, and blood vials and consumables, hospital readiness in terms of beds, ICU, and HDU, deployment of BHISHM Cubes, advanced mobile trauma care units, etc. Hospitals and medical institutions have been advised to ensure the availability of essential drugs, an adequate supply of blood, oxygen, trauma care kits, etc. AIIMS New Delhi and other Central government hospitals have mobilised doctors and nurses with supplies for ready deployment. They have been advised to coordinate with state and district administration, armed forces and regional associations of doctors, nurses, paramedics, private sector hospitals, charitable institutions, etc., to strengthen the emergency response networks in a collaborative manner. Additionally, nationwide mock drills for disaster preparedness have been conducted at AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER and other premier hospitals. The Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation in its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services and emergency response across all regions. The Indian Army, during the intervening night of May 8 and May 9, successfully repelled and responded to multiple drone attacks by Pakistan along the western border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
Amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions, heavy cross-border shelling by Pakistan caused damage to homes and religious sites in J&K's Kupwara, Uri, and Poonch. Locals vowed to stand with the Indian Army despite the attacks. Houses and properties in Uri have also been severely damaged in the shelling, which targeted civilian areas. In Poonch, houses and water tanks in civilian areas suffered extensive damage. Balbir Singh, a resident in Poonch, said, "The entire house is damaged. The adjacent houses have also suffered damage...Pakistan is targeting civilian areas...They are deliberately targeting Poonch...Gurdwara, temples and mosques - they have not spared anything...This is all the nefarious design of Pakistan that it is targeting civilians...People are scared but they have the spirit that they will continue to live here and stand with the Indian Army." "We were uprooted in 1947 and then came to live here. A massive firing is ongoing now. We will not leave Poonch and go anywhere else. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Army and Administration. They may bomb us as much as they want, we will not be scared," he told ANI. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and administration officials have cordoned off the area near Aap Shambhu Temple in Jammu, where a Pakistani strike occurred. SDRF personnel confirmed that no casualties have been reported A resident near the Aap Shambhu Temple said,"It is the main gate of Shambhu temple where people come to offer prayers early in the morning, but the siren was activated, and hence fewer people were here. Pakistan will face a fitting reply..." Meanwhile, Jammu Police and other agencies are working to retrieve projectile fragments from the site. Projectiles were recovered in Jammu's Bishnah and Lasjan areas, while splinters and debris were also found in Akhnoor, though no major structural damage was reported. Four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of today, sources told ANI as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). (ANI)
Pakistan Army on Saturday continued to target civilian areas in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir by conducting heavy shelling. Houses, water tanks, and other civil infrastructure suffered heavy damage in the attack. Local residents told ANI that Pakistani strikes targeted places of worship as well. "The entire house is damaged. The adjacent houses have also suffered damage...Pakistan is targeting civilian areas...They are deliberately targeting Poonch...Gurdwara, temples and mosques - they have not spared anything," Balbir Singh, a local resident, told ANI. "This is all the nefarious design of Pakistan that it is targeting civilians...People are scared, but they have the spirit that they will continue to live here and stand with the Indian Army...We were uprooted in 1947 and then came to live here. A massive firing is ongoing now. We will not leave Poonch and go anywhere else. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Army and Administration. They may bomb us as much as they want, we will not be scared," he added. Pakistan also targeted a temple in Jammu's Roop Nagar area, officials said on Saturday. The strike occurred near the main gate of the Aap Shambhu Temple. Jammu Police and other agencies are retrieving projectile fragments. According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), no lives have been lost in the incident. J-K police and other agencies are at the scene, and the area has been cordoned off. SDRF personnel Rashpal Singh told ANI, "...Our team is here. There is no causality... The projectile debris fell in the open." Speaking to ANI about the incident, a local emphasised that Pakistan will face a befitting reply. "It is the main gate of Shambhu temple where people come to offer prayers early in the morning, but the siren was activated, and hence fewer people were here. Pakistan will face a fitting reply," he said. Visuals from the incident spot showcase that the debris was found between a cluster of houses. The local residents narrowly escaped from the situation. According to a local resident, Ashraf, an explosion was heard at around 05:45 am. He spotted a blast in the air, after which he found out fragments of unidentified debris scattered in various parts of the house. He contacted with the local head after which the police arrived at the spot and recovered the fragments. "There was a loud explosion at 5.45 am... Following that, we came here...There was an object found lying here...We called up the Local Head, who then called up the Police. They came and retrieved it then. We didn't know what it was...There are no casualties", he told ANI. On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned Pakistan for deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including schools and places of worship. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had criticised Pakistan for intentionally shelling gurdwaras, churches, and temples along the Line of Control (LoC), describing the attacks as "a new low even for Pakistan." (ANI)
On Saturday, parts of a projectile were retrieved by security personnel in Sirsa district of Haryana. Residents reported the incident took place near a local church in the area. "My son saw this and told me that something was about to fall from the sky... We then saw something explode with loud noise. In the morning, we got to know that it had fallen near a church," a local resident told ANI. Additionally, in the early Saturday hours, a sudden explosion was heard near a local resident's home in Akhnoor region of Jammu and Kashmir. At around 3:30 am this morning, Somraj heard an explosion sound near his home. "It was around 3:30 am in the morning when I heard loud explosion. We rushed outside and called the neighbours. It was all smoky around. I don't know what the thing really was," Somraj told ANI. No injuries have been reported. As per locals, explosions could also be heard from nearby areas. A complete blackout was imposed in Akhnoor in the early hours of Saturday. Explosions and sirens could be heard in the area. A blackout was also imposed on Saturday after some drones were reportedly spotted in Punjab's Jalandhar. "We have imposed a blackout for some time as a few drones have been reportedly sighted in Jalandhar. Forces are checking. Please be calm and follow blackout protocol," DC Jalandhar said.Meanwhile, the Indian Army retaliated strongly in the Jammu sector in response to the drone attacks on Indian cities by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), Defence Sources said. Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, drones were repelled at 26 locations ranging from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the west, along both the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) on Friday. (ANI)
People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed her deep sorrow over the demise of Raj Kumar Thappa, Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) of Rajouri, who lost his life due to blatant shelling from Pakistan. In a heartfelt statement, Mufti condemned the ongoing cycle of violence in the wake of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack, which killed 26 and injured 17 in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Mufti highlighted the devastating impact on civilians due to the rising tensions and called for an end to it. "Deeply saddened to hear about the tragic loss of one of our brave officers - Raj Kumar Thappa, Additional DC in Rajouri, due to shelling from across the border. War is always a tragedy, but it becomes even more heartbreaking when innocent civilians, including children, bear the brunt of the mindless violence," Mufti stated in a post on X. She extended her condolences to Thappa's bereaved family, praying for his soul to rest in peace. "This cycle of retaliation has already cost far too many precious lives and shows no signs of ending. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace," she added. Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also expressed grief at the demise of Raj Kumar Thappa. The J-K CM offered his condolences to Thappa, who lost his life after his home was targeted due to shelling from Pakistan in Rajouri. "Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace," Omar Abdullah stated on X. Civilian areas in Jammu's Rajouri district suffered damage due to shelling by Pakistan. A series of explosions damaged several houses and properties across the region, triggering panic among residents. According to locals, smoke rose after loud explosions were reported in Rajouri. "One injured person has been brought here. Doctors and the entire team are ready. His treatment began immediately," said Farukh Ahmed Wani, the security in charge at the hospital. Authorities confirmed that the injured civilian was transported to the hospital shortly after the shelling. Strikes occurred near the Aap Shambhu Temple in Rajouri, prompting Jammu Police and other agencies to recover projectile fragments from the site. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of today, sources told ANI as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). (ANI)
The Indian Army has successfully intercepted and brought down a Pakistan Army loitering munition in the Kutch sector of Gujarat, officials said on Saturday. According to Defence officials, the Indian Army used L-70 anti-aircraft guns against Pakistan's Army's loitering munitions. Meanwhile, the Indian Army was successful in thwarting a Pakistani drone attack in the early hours on Saturday, demonstrating India's robust air defence systems in the wake of Pakistan's blatant escalation along India's western borders. Taking to X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) stated that Pakistan has been continuing to escalate the situation with drone strikes and munitions, noting that at around 5 AM, several "enemy armed drones" were spotted over Khasa Cantontment in Punjab's Amritsar, which were destroyed by the air defence units. The ADG PI also noted that the successful retaliation by the Indian armed forces was also under Operation Sindoor, which was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, during which the armed forces neutralised nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Earlier, fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning, in the wake of Pakistan's blatant drone attacks against civilians across several locations in India. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence will hold a briefing on Saturday on Operation Sindoor. As per details, the briefing will commence at 10:30 AM. This comes as tensions between the two countries continues to escalate. Pakistan carried out cross-border shelling on Saturday, causing significant damage to civilian areas in Jammu's Rajouri district and heightening fears among residents. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control. (ANI)
The incident began around 9 pm, prompting a swift and firm response from the BSF, India's border guarding force mandated to guard the 3,323 km India-Pakistan border.

In a statement, the BSF's Jammu division confirmed that Indian forces responded in a "commensurate manner", causing significant damage to Pakistani posts and assets across the border.

"On 09 May 2025, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan opened fire on BSF posts in the Jammu sector without any provocation. BSF is responding in commensurate manner causing widespread damage to posts and assets of Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," BSF said in a statement.

As per the officials, no casualties on the Indian side have been reported so far, while the tensions along the border have escalated following the exchange, with security forces maintaining high alert in the region.

In a major security operation along the India-Pakistan border on early Friday, the BSF had also thwarted a significant infiltration attempt in the Samba Sector of the Jammu frontier and neutralised seven terrorists.

According to the BSF, a large group of terrorists attempted to cross into Indian territory under the cover of fire provided by Pakistan Rangers from the Dhandhar post on early Friday. However, the attempt was promptly detected by the BSF's advanced surveillance grid.

"Acting swiftly, alert BSF troops engaged the infiltrators in a fierce exchange of fire. In the ensuing gunfight, at least seven terrorists were neutralised," the BSF had said on Friday.

Additionally, retaliatory action by the BSF caused extensive damage to the Dhandhar post.

The BSF, which is mandated to guard the 3,323 km India-Pakistan border, had also issued a Hand-Held Thermal Imager (HHTI) clip of the destruction of the Pakistani Post Dhandhar. (ANI)
As the tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, the Odisha government has cancelled all sanctioned leaves of Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) and Collectors and asked them to join the duty "immediately". In an official order on Friday, the General Administration and Public Grievance Department informed that all RDCs and Collectors currently on leave have been directed to return to headquarters and join duty. "I am directed to inform you that, because of the ongoing war-like conditions on the Western front of the Country, all leaves sanctioned earlier in favour of all RDCs and Collector & DMs are hereby cancelled. All RDCs and Collector & DMs on leave are instructed to return to headquarters and join in duty immediately. No further leave shall be granted to any officer during this period," the order stated. Earlier on Friday, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that the state government has intensified security at several important places across the state, given the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. "We have increased security at many important places in Odisha like Chandipur, Jagannath Temple, Hirakud Dam. We called an emergency meeting today and will ensure proper security arrangements in the state. We have ordered to bring back students studying in Jammu safely to Odisha," CM told ANI. Meanwhile, similar steps are being taken in other states. The Punjab government has also revoked all sanctioned leaves for IAS and PCS officers across the state. It has been clearly instructed that no officer can proceed on leave or leave their posting without the Chief Secretary's approval. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has likewise cancelled the leave of all its officials until further notice. A statement from the ministry said,"In view of the impending situation, no leave of any kind, including station leave, is to be granted to any officer except on medical grounds, till further orders. Further, the already sanctioned leave, if any, stands cancelled and the officers who are on leave are directed to resume their duties immediately." Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence will hold a briefing on Saturday on Operation Sindoor. As per details, the briefing will commence at 10:30 AM. This comes as tensions between the two countries continues to escalate. Pakistan carried out cross-border shelling on Saturday, causing significant damage to civilian areas in Jammu's Rajouri district and heightening fears among residents. (ANI)
In a decisive retaliatory action following unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers on Friday night, the Border Security Force (BSF) has confirmed the complete destruction of a terrorist launch pad located at Looni in Pakistan's Sialkot district, opposite the Akhnoor area of Jammu. The strike was part of a measured response to the ceasefire violation that began around 9 pm on Friday. "The terrorist launch pad at Looni was completely destroyed," BSF said in a statement issued on Saturday, emphasising the force's commitment to neutralising cross-border threats. This development marks a significant escalation in tensions along the International Boundary, even as Indian forces remain on high alert to ensure the nation's security and sovereignty. "On May 9, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu Sector. BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary. The terrorist launch pad at Looni, district Sialkot opposite Akhnoor area was completely destroyed by the BSF. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," BSF mentioned in the statement. As per the officials, no casualties on the Indian side have been reported so far. Earlier on Friday, in a major security operation along the India-Pakistan border the BSF had also thwarted a significant infiltration attempt in the Samba Sector of the Jammu frontier and neutralized seven terrorists. According to the BSF, a large group of terrorists attempted to cross into Indian territory under the cover of fire provided by Pakistan Rangers from the Dhandhar post on early Friday. However, the attempt was promptly detected by the BSF's advanced surveillance grid. "Acting swiftly, alert BSF troops engaged the infiltrators in a fierce exchange of fire. In the ensuing gunfight, at least seven terrorists were neutralized," the BSF had said on Friday. Additionally, retaliatory action by the BSF caused extensive damage to the Dhandhar post. The BSF, which is mandated to guard 3,323 km India-Pakistan border, had also issued a Hand-Held Thermal Imager (HHTI) clip of destruction of Pakistni Post Dhandhar. Meanwhile, India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). At least four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, top government sources said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. (ANI)
As the tension between India and Pakistan continued to escalate, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said that the country's armed forces are capable of giving a fitting reply to the neighbouring country. "Indian armed forces are very capable of giving a fitting reply. The entire country has confidence that our soldiers--the Army, Air Force, and Navy--are ready," Shivakumar told reporters here. "The entire country is supporting the Central Government for their action. We have shown our unity. Even in Karnataka, we have been supporting. We have also done the Tiranga Yatra in their support," he added. Meanwhile, in a decisive retaliatory action following unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers on Friday night, the Border Security Force (BSF) has confirmed the complete destruction of a terrorist launch pad located at Looni in Pakistan's Sialkot district, opposite the Akhnoor area of Jammu. The strike was part of a measured response to the ceasefire violation that began around 9 pm on Friday. "The terrorist launch pad at Looni was completely destroyed," BSF said in a statement issued on Saturday, emphasising the force's commitment to neutralising cross-border threats. This development marks a significant escalation in tensions along the International Boundary, even as Indian forces remain on high alert to ensure the nation's security and sovereignty. "On May 9, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu Sector. BSF responded in a commensurate manner, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary. The terrorist launch pad at Looni, district Sialkot, opposite Akhnoor area, was completely destroyed by the BSF. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," BSF mentioned in the statement. As per the officials, no casualties on the Indian side have been reported so far. Earlier on Friday, in a major security operation along the India-Pakistan border, the BSF had also thwarted a significant infiltration attempt in the Samba Sector of the Jammu frontier and neutralised seven terrorists. According to the BSF, a large group of terrorists attempted to cross into Indian territory under the cover of fire provided by Pakistan Rangers from the Dhandhar post on early Friday. However, the attempt was promptly detected by the BSF's advanced surveillance grid. Meanwhile, India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC).At least four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, top government sources said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday attended an event at City Montessori School (CMS) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, where he stressed on social media-related concerns in the times of escalating tensions in the country, and urged the public to put "nation first." The Chief Minister expressed concern about some people trying to weaken the morale of the armed forces through social media. "Today, a few people post tweets on social media that aim to weaken the morale of our soldiers. Why is this happening? Everyone's goal should be 'Nation First.' When someone works with the spirit of keeping the nation above all, they build a generation that ensures the country's safety and self-reliance," he said. CM Yogi paid tribute to CMS founder, the late Jagdish Gandhi, and praised that he did not give up. With courage and dedication, they created something meaningful in the field of education," he said. He highlighted that CMS now has around 65,000 students, which is a "major achievement." The Chief Minister also appreciated a cultural performance by students on the theme of "Adi Yogi." CM Yogi honored students who secured first rank and thanked the teachers for their contribution to education. "About 70 years ago, Jagdish Gandhi and Bharti Gandhi came to Lucknow with nothing but their hard work. Thanks to your efforts, CMS has earned a special place across the country," he said. Earlier on Friday, while speaking in a meeting in Lucknow which was also attended by the President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga, CM Yogi welcomed Banga and mentioned that the state government is seeking support from the World Bank for the UP-AGREES programme to enhance agricultural productivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh. "On behalf of the people of Uttar Pradesh, I welcome Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, to Uttar Pradesh. The productivity of agriculture in the western part of Uttar Pradesh is much higher than in the eastern part. To increase productivity in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well, we have sought help from the World Bank in the UP-AGREES (Uttar Pradesh Agricultural Development and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening) program," CM Yogi stated. CM Yogi added, "Poshan Abhiyaan is an important mission being run by the World Bank, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we have taken steps in this direction in Uttar Pradesh. Take-Home Ration (THR) is one of the steps in that direction. The World Bank team will also visit the Take-Home Ration (THR) plant in Lucknow." (ANI)
Barmer District in Rajasthan has been placed under a high red alert as tensions between India and Pakistan intensify in the wake of Operation Sindoor. District Collector Tina Dabi has issued an urgent directive for all residents to remain indoors, with immediate restrictions on public movement and market activities to ensure civilian safety. "Everyone is directed to go to their house. There is a high red alert in the district. Don't go out in markets or public places," the Barmer DC said. Earlier this morning, fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were recovered by the locals in Rajasthan's Barmer in the wake of Pakistan's blatant drone attacks against civilians across several locations in India. Residents of Baldev Nagar, an area near Uttarlai Air Force Station and Jalipa Military Station in Barmer, witnessed the aftermath of the Pakistani attack that was successfully neutralised by Indian security forces in the early hours of the morning. However, the authorities haven't confirmed the identification of the debris. According to the locals of the area, around 5:15 to 5:30 in the morning, loud sounds were heard coming from the sky, prompting them to remain vigilant, and soon after, they discovered projectile debris in the area. Fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were also recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning. Speaking on the incident, Sarpanch of the village Gursahib Singh said that the incident happened at around five in the morning; however, no one was injured due to the falling debris. "It happened at 5 am; afterwards, I came to know about the blast...no no one is injured," he said. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of today, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). (ANI)
In view of the prevailing situation in border regions, the Telangana Government on Saturday has taken swift and comprehensive measures to assist citizens from Telangana currently stranded or returning from affected areas, according to a CMO statement. Under the direction of the Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, Telangana Bhawan in New Delhi has been made the nodal centre for coordination and relief. A dedicated 24x7 Control Room has been set up and is fully operational to receive distress calls and coordinate rescue and support efforts, with around 30 distress calls received so far. Free food is being provided to all Telangana citizens returning from bordering states, and free lodging facilities have been arranged at Telangana Bhawan, with accommodations being arranged outside as necessary. A medical camp has been established at Telangana Bhawan to provide immediate health check-ups and care, while transportation assistance is also being provided from Telangana Bhawan to airports and railway stations for safe onward journeys. As per the statement, close liaison is being maintained with district administrations of the border districts from where distress calls are being received, with support extended to help Telangana residents move to safer areas in coordination with district authorities. Telangana Bhawan is also in constant coordination with the Government of India, receiving the latest updates and instructions regarding the ground situation and safety protocols. As of now, eight individuals from Jammu & Kashmir have safely reached Telangana Bhawan and are being looked after, with arrangements underway to ensure their safe return to their respective hometowns in Telangana. The Resident Commissioner personally monitored and reviewed the arrangements at midnight, ensuring preparedness to receive all stranded citizens and provide necessary care and assistance. The Government of Telangana remains committed to the safety and well-being of its people and will continue to monitor the situation closely.(ANI)
After targeting several locations and civilians in different areas in India, the Pakistan Army is now moving its troops towards forward areas, signalling possible offensive intentions. Addressing a press briefing on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas. Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan. "Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates," Singh said. "In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa... India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added. Earlier today, Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones were recovered in Punjab's Amritsar which were launched by Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, as per defence officials. The attacks were launched in several civilian areas of the region leaving their lives endangered. The attempt was thwarted by the Indian Army Air Defence guns at 5 am as the drones were destroyed in the air itself, as per the defence officials. "Pakistan launched Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones in Amritsar, Punjab endangering the residential areas of Punjab. The attempt was thwarted by Army Air Defence guns at 5 AM today, destroying the same in the air. The drone was aimed to target civilian areas and innocent civilians," defence officials said in their statement. Fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were also recovered by the locals in Rajasthan's Barmer on Saturday. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control. Pakistan's attempted retaliation came in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday. The operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. (ANI)
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi slammed the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) approval of a USD 1 billion loan to Pakistan, terming it "shocking" and "disappointing". Gogoi added that the IMF consists of 25 country board, including nations such as US, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, UK, Italy and Israel. He believed that the loan would be used to perpetuate the rule of the army over Pakistan. "The IMF Board comprises of 25 member countries such as US, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, UK, Italy and Israel. The approval of $1 billion loan after the Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam attack is shocking and disappointing. The loan will only perpetuate the rule of the army over the state," Gaurav Gogoi's 'X' post said. Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slammed IMF's decision to go ahead and fund Pakistan. The J&K CM decried that the reimbursement from IMF is being used to target several places across Jammu and Kashmir. In a post on X, CM Abdullah gave a call to the international community and said that giving funds to Pakistan would not result in de-escalation but woud rather embolden its actions to continue with devastations across places such as Poonch, Rajouri, Uri and Tangdhar along with several others. He wrote on X, "I'm not sure how the "International Community" thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar and so many other places." On Friday, IMF approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion. India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism, warning that such support carries reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms. In a post on X, the IMF said, "IMF Board approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the EFF, enabling a disbursement of ~ $1 billion, reflecting strong programme implementation which has contributed to continuing economic recovery." India abstained from the recent IMF vote on approving a loan to Pakistan, not due to a lack of opposition, but because IMF rules do not permit a formal "no" vote, sources added. (ANI)
The Indian Army, during the intervening night of May 8 and May 9, pulverised terror launch pads close to the Line of Control in a coordinated fire assault in response to Pakistan's attempted drone strikes on multiple cities in Jammu-Kashmir and Punjab, the army stated. Taking to X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) stated that the operation was aimed at pulverising and razing these launchpads to cinders, dealing a significant blow to terrorist infrastructure and capabilities. The ADG PI also noted that the assault by the Indian armed forces was also under Operation Sindoor, which was launched in the early hours of Wednesday, during which the armed forces neutralised nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir "OPERATION SINDOOR. Indian Army Pulverizes Terrorist Launchpads," the ADGPI announced on X. "As a response to Pakistan's misadventures of attempted drone strikes on the night of 08 and 09 May 2025 in multiple cities of Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, the Indian Army conducted a coordinated fire assault on terrorist launchpads, pulverizing & razing them to cinders. The terrorist launchpads, located close to the Line of Control, were a hub for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces in the past. The Indian Army's swift and decisive action has dealt a significant blow to terrorist infrastructure and capabilities," the ADGPI added. Earlier, the Indian Army successfully thwarted a Pakistani drone attack in the early hours on Saturday, demonstrating India's robust air defence systems in the wake of Pakistan's blatant escalation along India's western borders. Taking to X, the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) stated that Pakistan has been continuing to escalate the situation with drone strikes and munitions, noting that at around 5 AM, several "enemy armed drones" were spotted over Khasa Cantontment in Punjab's Amritsar, which were destroyed by the air defence units. "OPERATION SINDOOR...Pakistan's blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units. Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. Indian Army will thwart enemy designs," the Army stated. Meanwhile, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Saturday met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence to brief the Raksha Mantri on the country's ongoing security situation. The meeting came amidst heightened tensions following Pakistan's recent aggression of drone attacks on Indian military and civilian targets earlier today, to which India retaliated with air-launched precision weapons on Pakistani military targets. (ANI)
J&K Chief Minister's Office posted on X and said, "Paid my heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr. Raj Kumar Thapa, JKAS, ADDC Rajouri, who lost his life in the line of duty today due to shelling by Pakistan. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The Government stands firmly with his family in this hour of grief."

Earlier, CM Abdullah expressed grief and offered his condolences to Thapa, who lost his life after his home in Rajouri was targeted due to shelling from Pakistan.

"Devastating news from Rajouri. We have lost a dedicated officer of the J&K Administration Services. Just yesterday he was accompanying the Deputy CM around the district & attended the online meeting I chaired. Today the residence of the officer was hit by Pak shelling as they targeted Rajouri town killing our Additional District Development Commissioner Raj Kumar Thappa. I've no words to express my shock & sadness at this terrible loss of life. May his soul rest in peace", Omar Abdullah's X post read.

People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti also expressed her deep sorrow over Thapa's demise.

She extended her condolences to Thappa's bereaved family, praying for his soul to rest in peace.

Civilian areas in Jammu's Rajouri district suffered damage due to shelling by Pakistan. A series of explosions damaged several houses and properties across the region, triggering panic among residents. According to locals, smoke rose after loud explosions were reported in Rajouri.

Meanwhile, India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party leader K Annamalai on Saturday said that Pakistan is waging a war on the people of India and that India is retaliating against this. "We are hitting the terrorist centres in Pakistan. But they are waging war on the people of India. When they wage war on us, we have to retaliate. Otherwise, we are cowards," Annamalai told reporters here. He said that all Indians must be united as the country is waging a war agaisnt terrorism emanating from Pakistan. "We are a big economy. Even if Pakistan is fighting, nothing will happen to us. We are waging this war to eradicate terrorist attacks. Therefore, we should all be united. PM Modi has taken a vow that he will catch and eliminate terrorists wherever they are hiding on earth, even under the earth. Pakistan should think twice before taking a life of people in India," he added. He pointed out that in Pakistan, the elected government has no control over its army. "Pakistan is a country for the army, where the army controls the government. Pakistan is not under the control of the government. If we want, we can make it nothing, but we are waging war on the basis of morality," he said. "Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is supporting the action taken by the Indian government. Everyone is united in opposing Pakistan, including the DMK. Moreover, it is welcome that DMK is holding a rally. At the same time, the DMK government should also give its full cooperation to the Indian government," he said. Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said that the country's armed forces are capable of giving a fitting reply to the neighbouring country. "Indian armed forces are very capable of giving a fitting reply. The entire country has confidence that our soldiers--the Army, Air Force, and Navy--are ready," Shivakumar told reporters here. "The entire country is supporting the Central Government for their action. We have shown our unity. Even in Karnataka, we have been supporting. We have also done the Tiranga Yatra in their support," he added. Meanwhile, in a decisive retaliatory action following unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers on Friday night, the Border Security Force (BSF) has confirmed the complete destruction of a terrorist launch pad located at Looni in Pakistan's Sialkot district, opposite the Akhnoor area of Jammu. (ANI)
Jan Suraj on Saturday announced the postponement of all its major political programs in view of the war-like situation between India and Pakistan, according to a statement. The party issued a brief statement saying, "In view of the ongoing war like situation between India and Pakistan, all major political programs of Jan Suraj are postponed till further notice." On Friday, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor emphasised that Pakistan must take responsibility for its actions and apologise for the attack. He stated that India's response was a retaliation, not provocation, and that Pakistan's actions would have consequences. Kishor warned that a war-like situation would harm society, both countries, and their citizens, and that such a situation must be avoided. Meanwhile, after targeting several locations and civilians in different areas in India, the Pakistan Army is now moving its troops towards forward areas, signalling possible offensive intentions. Addressing a press briefing , Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas. Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan. Four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. The attacks were launched in several civilian areas of the region leaving their lives endangered. The attempt was thwarted by the Indian Army Air Defence guns at 5 am as the drones were destroyed in the air itself, as per the defence officials. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control. Pakistan's attempted retaliation came in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday. The operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.(ANI)
Amidst the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, a woman was injured due to cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor. She was admitted to the nearest hospital in the region, where her condition is stable. According to the family members of the injured woman, they will not be afraid of the situation and showed their trust in the Indian Army. They also raised their voice for strong action against Pakistan and stated that they want the country to be "destroyed". "My daughter-in-law was going and suddenly a shell fell. When the siren sounded, we were turning around. Suddenly, a shell fell and my daughter-in-law got hit in the leg. It doesn't matter if we are hit, we will remain firm like this and our Indian Army, security forces are giving a befitting reply and we are not going to be scared", father-in-law of the woman said. Meanwhile, an explosion was heard in the early hours of Saturday in another part of Akhnoor. At around 3:30 am this morning, Somraj heard an explosion sound near his home. "It was around 3:30 am in the morning when I heard loud explosion. We rushed outside and called the neighbours. It was all smoky around. I don't know what the thing really was," Somraj told ANI. A complete blackout was imposed in Akhnoor in the early hours of Saturday. Explosions and sirens could be heard in the area. A blackout was also imposed on Saturday after some drones were reportedly spotted in Punjab's Jalandhar. "We have imposed a blackout for some time as a few drones have been reportedly sighted in Jalandhar. Forces are checking. Please be calm and follow blackout protocol," DC Jalandhar said. Meanwhile, India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control. (ANI)
A large projectile fragment was recovered from the Pokhran region in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, on Saturday. Similar projectile fragments were found near Sakur Khan's home in Badoda village of Jaisalmer on Saturday. "The incident took place at around 4:30 am. However, the projectile was destroyed in the air by the Indian Army. We are not afraid. We believe in the Army. No damage has been done. God saved us," said Manu Khan, a family member. As per the locals, no injuries or damage have been reported. The police personnel arrived at the incident spot on time. Meanwhile, Barmer has been placed under a high red alert as tensions between India and Pakistan intensify in the wake of Operation Sindoor. District Collector Tina Dabi has issued an urgent directive for all residents to remain indoors, with immediate restrictions on public movement and market activities to ensure civilian safety. "Everyone is directed to go to their house. There is a high red alert in the district. Don't go out in markets or public places," the Barmer DC said. Residents of Baldev Nagar, an area near Uttarlai Air Force Station and Jalipa Military Station in Barmer, witnessed the aftermath of the Pakistani attack that was successfully neutralised by Indian security forces in the early hours of the morning. However, the authorities haven't confirmed the identification of the debris. According to the locals of the area, around 5:15 to 5:30 in the morning, loud sounds were heard coming from the sky, prompting them to remain vigilant, and soon after, they discovered projectile debris in the area. Fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were also recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning. Speaking on the incident, Sarpanch of the village Gursahib Singh said that the incident happened at around five in the morning; however, no one was injured due to the falling debris. "It happened at 5 am; afterwards, I came to know about the blast...no no one is injured," he said. Meanwhile, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of today, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India, the sources said. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). (ANI
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Punjab government has stepped in to safeguard student welfare, directing all universities and colleges across the state to prioritise safety and ensure no student is forced to leave campus under duress. In a post on X on Saturday, Punjab Higher Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains stated that institutions must not force students to leave campus due to safety, transport, or personal reasons. "In light of the prevailing situation, all universities & colleges across the State are directed to ensure student safety. No student shall be forced to leave campus if unable or unwilling due to safety, transport, or personal reasons," Bains said. "Institutions must provide food, shelter & care till the last student remains. Exams must not be a reason to compel a stay. No academic penalty for those returning home--rescheduling or alternatives must be provided," the Punjab Minister said. According to the Department of Higher Education order, while institutions may declare holidays and allow students to return home, they are directed not to compel anyone to leave campus if they are unable or unwilling due to safety, transport, or personal reasons. "Until the last student remains on campus, the university and/or college administration are fully responsible for their safety, care, and well-being. This includes continued access to accommodation, food, healthcare, and essential services. In case examinations are scheduled or ongoing, Universities shall not compel students to remain on campus against their will. Students who choose to return home due to the prevailing situation should be permitted to do so without academic penalty. Examinations for such students may be rescheduled or alternative arrangements made, as has been adopted by State Universities in similar circumstances, the order stated. Institutions have also been asked to appoint nodal officers or set up helpdesks to ensure smooth communication and address student concerns. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). Indian strikes hit at least four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, top government sources said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. (ANI)
As the tensions heighten between India and Pakistan, the Pakistani side had engaged in an all out misinformation war with claims of Pakistan's Fateh-2 missile targeting the Delhi airport, which resulted in casualties. Following the claims, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson has issued a response which stated their strong disapproval of such "irresponsible" and "provocative" content. DIAL further advised passengers and the public to rely on official sources of information. "We express our strong disapproval on such irresponsible and provocative content. It is advisable to refrain from spreading false information. Passengers and public are advised to rely only on verified official sources for accurate updates", DIAL said in their official response. Meanwhile, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport resumed normal operations in the early hours of Saturday and issued an advisory to passengers amid heightened security preparedness due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. In its latest travel advisory, the airport said, "Delhi Airport operations are normal at present. However, due to changing airspace conditions and increased security measures as per orders from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, some flight schedules might be impacted, and security checkpoint processing times could be longer." On the other hand, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities have issued a series of notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across Northern and Western India for all civil flight operations.The NOTAM is effective from May 9, 2025, to May 14, 2025(which corresponds to 0529 IST on 15th May 2025), due to operational reasons. The list of 32 airports include Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise and Uttarlai. In the early hours of Saturday, four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes, sources told ANI, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control. (ANI)
Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has passed a resolution declaring that it will not undertake any form of strike or agitation. The organisation has directed all its affiliated bodies to stand firmly with the Indian government and suspend all ongoing movements, keeping in view the context of "Operation Sindoor." In a virtual meeting of the Kendriya Karya Samithi (KKS), the BMS extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Indian Armed Forces for the success of "Operation Sindoor" and for delivering a strong response to anti-India terrorist forces operating from Pakistani soil. The bravery shown by the men and women of India's armed forces was lauded, particularly for their measured and strategic retaliation following the Pahalgam terror strike. The KKS appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his decisive leadership and unwavering political will in tackling cross-border terrorism. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was recognized for steering the military strategy effectively, and Home Minister Amit Shah was praised for maintaining robust internal security. According to the BMS, the combined leadership of these three leaders has not only enhanced India's global stature but has also instilled confidence and pride among the general public. The BMS emphasised that Indian forces have strictly targeted extremist training camps and have not caused harm to civilians. In contrast, Pakistan's military has reportedly targeted civilian populations, including attacks on densely populated areas in Poonch and Kupwara districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Despite these provocations, Indian defences successfully neutralised several threats and prevented larger escalations. Calling this a time of national emergency, the BMS recalled its historical stance during the 1962, 1965, and 1971 wars and the Kargil conflict, where it chose national duty over organizational interests. The current situation, it said, is no different -- it is a time for a united India to rise once again against foreign aggression. The KKS strongly condemned Pakistan's continued hostility and reminded the world of previous failed plots like "Operation Topac" and the Kargil incursion, all of which were decisively countered by Indian forces with nationwide support. (ANI)
Amid the escalating tension between India and Pakistan, Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav on Saturday said the administration is conducting a voluntary training and enrolment camp for civil defence volunteers at Tagore Theatre. "We are conducting a voluntary training and enrollment camp for Civil Defence Volunteers at Tagore Theatre. People's response is really good. We have enrolled over 1000 people. They are being trained at Tagore Theatre," Yadav told ANI. He said that due to the large turnout, another venue has been set up. "A large number of people had turned up. So, we have sent the rest of the people to Tiranga Park, to the second camp. The second batch of Civil Defence training will begin there shortly," Yadav added. The Deputy Commissioner said they hope to enrol 3,000 volunteers by the end of the day. "With the response we have received, we hope to train and enrol 3000 civil defence volunteers today..." Yadav also said that such training programmes could continue if there is sufficient demand. "We can keep this as a regular practice, if there is a demand from the people. We have adequate capacity, the NDRF team also provides training, Red Cross provides first aid training. Besides this, physical activities training is also being provided," he added. Looking ahead, Yadav outlined plans to engage trained volunteers in social work."Our long-term plan would be to deploy these registered civil defence volunteers and engage them in social work...The situation is peaceful right now," he added. Earlier today, youths gathered in large numbers in Chandigarh following a local announcement calling for civil defence volunteers. Parambir Singh, a resident of Chandigarh, said, "We are here to provide our services to our nation. We have filled the form (for volunteer service)." Another local, Sanjana Arora, emphasised that they all want to help the Indian Army and respond to Pakistan's "continued provocations." "We were called here by the administration, and it's incredible to see such a massive turnout of young people. So many youths have gathered today to express their support for India and our armed forces. The energy here is remarkable, even those who usually don't wake up early have shown up in huge numbers. Everyone is eager to know when they can enter because we all want to stand with our soldiers, who are bravely responding to Pakistan's continued provocations," she said. Earlier, India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). Indian strikes hit at least four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, top government sources said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. (ANI)
Amid Pakistan Army's continued violation of Indian airspace, a suspicious metal object was found in Himachal Pradesh's Una on Saturday. However, the district administration assured the people that there is no need to panic. "A suspicious metal object has been found and we have informed the higher officials and the Army," Una Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal told ANI. "I want to convey to all that there is no need to panic, the administration is vigilant, and if anyone has any information regarding this, they must inform the authorities," he added. Meanwhile, fragments of a projectile were retrieved from Rajasthan's Jaisalmer on Saturday. "We get the news early in the morning; there has been no damage to life. Army and police personnel are here, "Patwari of the area, Sabhay Kumar, told ANI. Announcements are being made by the police in Jaisalmer, appealing to people to remain in their houses. "...Everything will remain closed. Seeing the current situation, all are expected to stay home, and vehicular movements are also stopped," the police announced. Meanwhile, missile debris was also recovered in the Gida Pareu area of Rajasthan's Barmer on Saturday morning, and the district administration has put the whole region on high alert. No local is being allowed to go near the remains of the unidentified debris. According to the locals, the Indian Army have repelled the attacks and the people in the region are feeling safe and fearless. As per a local, Mohan Chowdhary, the unidentified missile debris fell at around 4:42 am and also at two other places within five kilometres of each other. "It fell at 4:42 am, and I was awake at that time. First, there was a loud sound twice, and then there was light. My house is 500 feet away from here, so we ran here. We saw that a little smoke was coming out. The second one fell near the temple, which is five kilometres away from here. The third one fell one and a half kilometres away from the temple, and the fourth one fell 2 kilometres from here. We have no fear or terror", he said. Earlier, fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were recovered by the locals in Barmer. Residents of Baldev Nagar, an area near Uttarlai Air Force Station and Jalipa Military Station in Barmer, witnessed the aftermath of the Pakistani attack that was successfully neutralised by Indian security forces in the early hours of the morning. While the authorities didn't identify the debris, according to the locals of the area, at around 5:15 to 5:30 in the morning, loud sounds were heard, and soon after, they discovered projectile debris in the area. In a decisive response to Pakistan's aggressive actions along the western border and Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Armed Forces on Saturday targeted critical Pakistani military installations, including technical facilities, command and control centres, radar sites, and ammunition strongholds. (ANI)
The Jaisalmer district administration has imposed a lockdown across the region amid escalating tensions between India-Pakistan after Operation Sindoor. An official advisory has been issued jointly by the district administration and police, calling for full public cooperation. The advisory urges all residents to remain indoors and avoid stepping out. Gathering in groups or organising any public event is strictly prohibited until further notice. Shops and markets will remain closed until further orders, the advisory stated. Ahead of the issued notice, the police patrolled across the city and appealed people to remain indoors. "...Everything will remain closed. Seeing the current situation, all are expected to stay home, and vehicular movement is also stopped...," a police official could be heard making an announcement. Authorities have appealed to the public to cooperate with the ongoing security arrangements and avoid unnecessary movement. Earlier this morning, projectile fragments were recovered from several locations in Jaisalmer. A large projectile part was recovered from Jaisalmer's Pokhran region in Jaisalmer of Rajasthan, on Saturday. Similar fragments were found near Sakur Khan's home in Badoda village in the district on Saturday. "The incident took place at around 4:30 am. However, the projectile was destroyed in the air by the Indian Army. We are not afraid. We believe in the Army. No damage has been done. God saved us," said Manu Khan, a family member. As per the locals, no injuries or damage have been reported. The police personnel arrived at the incident spot on time. Meanwhile, Barmer has been placed under a high red alert as tensions between India and Pakistan intensify in the wake of Operation Sindoor. District Collector Tina Dabi has issued an urgent directive for all residents to remain indoors, with immediate restrictions on public movement and market activities to ensure civilian safety. "Everyone is directed to go to their house. There is a high red alert in the district. Don't go out in markets or public places," the Barmer DC said. (ANI)
Indian Armed Forces launched a strike on May 7, targeting nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor. The operation resulted in the elimination of key terror operatives, including Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar, according to sources. According to sources, Yusuf Azhar, a key member of the proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), was responsible for handling weapons training for JeM operatives and was involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir. Azhar was also involved in the conspiracy to hijack Indian Airlines aircraft IC-814 from Kathmandu (Nepal) to Delhi. A Red Corner notice number A-565/6-2000 was issued against him. Judea Pearl, father of Jewish-American Journalist Daniel Pearl, who was beheaded on camera in 2002 by terrorists, clarified reports of Azhar's death and his connection to his son's murder. "I want to thank all of you who reached out to me today in response to the news that India's military forces have eliminated Abdul Rauf Azhar, a man described as 'responsible for the kidnapping and murder of my son, Daniel.' I want to clarify: Azhar was a Pakistani extremist and leader of the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed. While his group was not directly involved in the plot to abduct Danny, it was indirectly responsible. Azhar orchestrated the hijacking that led to the release of Omar Sheikh, the man who lured Danny into captivity. Sheikh was later sentenced to death but ultimately released from prison and kept in a "Government Safe House"," Pearl said in a post on X. Former Journalist and colleague of Daniel Pearl at US-based Wall Street Journal, Asra Nomani, hailed India's recent Operation Sindoor in Bahawalpur, which she revealed the place used by Pakistan for its "home-grown terrorists". In a post on X, Nomani said that when India started its action against Pakistan, she had only one city's name that was Bahawalpur. "I still have chills in my heart from when I first heard that town's name in late January 2002. 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. When I heard India bombed training camps in Pakistan this week in Operation Sindoor, in response to a Pakistani terrorist rampage in India's Kashmir state, I had one city's name on my lips: Bahawalpur," she said. "My friend, WSJ reporter Danny Pearl, went to Bahawalpur in December 2001 with a notebook and a pen. Gen. Pervez Musharraf had just promised he was shutting down Pakistan's militant groups after a strike by Pakistan's terrorists against the Parliament in India, and Danny reported on the militant offices in Bahawalpur. He literally knocked on their doors," Nomani recalled. Asra Nomani further mentioned that the militant training camps were open for business in Bahawalpur. "On January 23, 2002, Danny left a home I had rented in Karachi, Pakistan, for an interview. I learned that Danny's fixer, Asif Farooqi, had arranged an interview for Danny through a man named "Arif." Danny didn't know it but Arif was the PR man for a militant group, Harkutul Mujahadeen. What was Arif's hometown? Bahawalpur. The police launched a manhunt to find Arif in Bahawalpur. We learned Arif's family faked a funeral for Arif. Police found him trying to board a bus in Muzaffarabad, across the country by Pakistan's border with Kashmir. It is another town India said it bombed terrorist training facilities," the Journalist said. Asra Nomani recalled that Daniel was handed off to Omar Sheikh, a British-Pakistani dropout from the London School of Economics, radicalised in the 1990s in London mosques. "Omar Sheikh was freed with Pakistani terrorist leader Masood Azhar, whose family was allegedly killed this week by India's air strike in Bahawalpur. Did Pakistan jail Omar Sheikh and Masood Azhar when they returned to Pakistan with a third terrorist, freed from India's jails? No. Pakistan's military and intelligence gave them safe passage. They used them as weapons against India. But in fact these domestic terrorists have waged war against innocents in Pakistan, like civil society activists, Benazir Bhutto, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, schoolchildren and countless others," Nomani said. "Their extremism has ruined Pakistan, and Pakistanis can't blame America for creating the mujahideen to fight the Soviets in the 1980s," she asserted. Hailing Operation Sindoor further, Asra said that India is doing a strategic attack on terrorist bases, which Pakistan itself should have eliminated. "Pakistan has had a duty to dismantle those terrorist bases, for even the safety of its own people. What India is doing is a strategic attack on terrorist bases ,Pakistani military and intelligence should have eliminated but never did in their obsession to take over Kashmir," she said. 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)
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday urged the people not to believe in rumours and asked them to inform the police or the Army if they came to know about any explosion. "There is an advisory by the military that if there is an explosion, inform the Police or the Army immediately. Do not rush to the location on your own because there might be some live parts (of the object) too...So, I urge everyone not to panic or believe rumours," Bhagwant Mann told reporters. "The military is updating you every 2 hours. If the military wants anything - a school or college to stay, or an ambulance, we are providing them with the same. So, if you find a part of any bomb, drone or missile, inform the Police or the Army immediately. They will come there and defuse it. Don't rush there to see it," he added. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has stepped in to safeguard student welfare, directing all universities and colleges across the state to prioritise safety and ensure no student is forced to leave campus under duress. In a post on X on Saturday, Punjab Higher Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains stated that institutions must not force students to leave campus due to safety, transport, or personal reasons. "In light of the prevailing situation, all universities & colleges across the State are directed to ensure student safety. No student shall be forced to leave campus if unable or unwilling due to safety, transport, or personal reasons," Bains said. "Institutions must provide food, shelter & care till the last student remains. Exams must not be a reason to compel a stay. No academic penalty for those returning home--rescheduling or alternatives must be provided," the Punjab Minister said. According to the Department of Higher Education order, while institutions may declare holidays and allow students to return home, they are directed not to compel anyone to leave campus if they are unable or unwilling due to safety, transport, or personal reasons. India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). Indian strikes hit at least four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, top government sources said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. (ANI)
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma affirmed structured action against illegal migrants in the state and said that outsiders living in Chhattisgarh should come before the police and give a clarification. Vijay Sharma said, "More of that will be done. We will take further action against illegal migrants. Even stronger action will be taken. Structured action will be taken. I would like to tell those from outside who are living in Chhattisgarh that they should come before the Police and give a clarification. Otherwise, they can leave from here." Earlier, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao had said that illegal residents have been causing law and order issues in Raipur, prompting the administration to take strict action against them. Speaking to ANI, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said, "Illegal residents are creating law and order issues in the city (Raipur). It poses a danger to the law and order situation and also to the residents living in the city. These people don't have identities and nothing is known about their whereabouts, hence the administration has decided to take serious action against those living illegally." Taking a dig at the Congress party, Arun Sao said, "Action against Rohingyas and Bangladeshis has been going on for a long time, but the Congress habitually links everything to elections. This is for the safety of the citizens of the city and the entire state." In January this year, the Chhattisgarh Police launched a massive verification drive to identify illegal migrants from other states in the presence of the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Lakhan Patle. Speaking to ANI, Raipur ASP, Lakhan Patle said, "We were receiving information from various Police Stations that people from other states have been living here and working. Police did not have information on all these people and neither have their landlords informed the police about their identity. A recce and survey was carried out by our personnel after which all the suspects were brought here for verification." "Action will be taken against those found suspicious. This will cause a curb in the crime in the city. If we find a fake Aadhar card in the process, an investigation will be carried out and if the person is found to be of another Nationality, due action will be taken. Nearly 2,056 people have been brought here," said the ASP. (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed grief over the demise of fallen soldier Subedar Major Pawan Kumar of 25 Punjab Regiment in a shelling by the Pakistan army in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning. He belonged to the Shahpur Nagar Panchayat of Kangra district. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said that Subedar Major Pawan Kumar has made his supreme sacrifice for upholding the unity and sovereignty of the country and will be remembered by the people forever. He said that the State Government stands in solidarity with the affected family in this hour of grief and will also extend all possible assistance. He prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. Himachal Leder of opposition Jairam Thaur also saluted Subedar Major Pawan Kumar's supreme sacrifice, "The brave Subedar Major Pawan Kumar Ji of Shahpur in Himachal Pradesh was martyred in the firing by Pakistan. My condolences are with the family. May God give a place in his feet to the soul of immortal martyr Subedar Major Shri Pawan Kumar ji and give strength to the family members to bear the unbearable grief. The entire country is proud of the sacrifice of Subedar Major Pawan Kumar ji. The father of immortal martyr late Pawan Kumar, Shri Garj Singh Ji has retired from the army, my heartfelt salute to such a brave father and sacrificial son." Pakistan Army on Saturday continued to target civilian areas in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir by conducting heavy shelling. Houses, water tanks, and other civil infrastructure suffered heavy damage in the attack. Local residents told ANI that Pakistani strikes targeted places of worship as well. "The entire house is damaged. The adjacent houses have also suffered damage...Pakistan is targeting civilian areas...They are deliberately targeting Poonch...Gurdwara, temples and mosques - they have not spared anything," Balbir Singh, a local resident, told ANI. Earlier in a serious breach of the ceasefire, Pakistan Rangers initiated unprovoked firing on Border Security Force (BSF) posts along the International Border in the Jammu sector late Friday night. The incident began around 9 pm, prompting a swift and firm response from the BSF, India's border guarding force mandated to guard the 3,323 km India-Pakistan border. In a statement, the BSF's Jammu division confirmed that Indian forces responded in a "commensurate manner", causing significant damage to Pakistani posts and assets across the border. "On 09 May 2025, from about 2100 hrs, Pakistan opened fire on BSF posts in the Jammu sector without any provocation. BSF is responding in commensurate manner causing widespread damage to posts and assets of Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken," BSF said in a statement. As per the officials, no casualties on the Indian side have been reported so far, while the tensions along the border have escalated following the exchange, with security forces maintaining high alert in the region. In a major security operation along the India-Pakistan border on early Friday, the BSF had also thwarted a significant infiltration attempt in the Samba Sector of the Jammu frontier and neutralised seven terrorists. According to the BSF, a large group of terrorists attempted to cross into Indian territory under the cover of fire provided by Pakistan Rangers from the Dhandhar post on early Friday. However, the attempt was promptly detected by the BSF's advanced surveillance grid. "Acting swiftly, alert BSF troops engaged the infiltrators in a fierce exchange of fire. In the ensuing gunfight, at least seven terrorists were neutralised," the BSF had said on Friday. (ANI)
The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced that an ex-gratia relief amount worth Rs. 10 lakhs will be granted to the families of deceased who were killed in the recent Pakistan shelling amid escalated tensions post Operation Sindoor. In a post on X, the Jammu and Kashmir CMO expressed grief towards the deceased and wrote, "Deeply pained by the loss of innocent lives due to recent shelling from Pakistan. My Government is taking every possible measure to minimise the hardship of our people. While no compensation can ever replace a loved one or heal the trauma caused to the family, as a gesture of support and solidarity, ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakhs will be provided to families of all who have deceased. We stand with every affected family in this hour of grief." As Pakistani forces continued to target civilian population with heavy shelling from across the border, huge damage was witnessed to residences of locals in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri due to heavy cross-border shelling. J-K Administration Services officer Raj Kumar Thapa, who was a resident of Rajouri also lost his life in these attacks after his home was targeted due to continuous shelling by Pakistan. Heavy cross-border shelling by Pakistan caused damage to homes and religious sites in J&K's Kupwara, Uri, and Poonch. Locals vowed to stand with the Indian army despite the attacks. Pakistan Army on Saturday continued to target civilian areas in the Poonch sector by conducting heavy shelling. Houses, water tanks, and other civil infrastructure suffered heavy damage in the attack. A strike occurred near the main gate of the Aap Shambhu Temple. Jammu. Police and other agencies are retrieving projectile fragments. According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), no lives have been lost in the incident. Visuals from the incident spot showcase that the debris was found between a cluster of houses. The local residents narrowly escaped. Meanwhile, Jammu Police and other agencies are working to retrieve projectile fragments from the site. Projectiles were also recovered in Jammu's Bishnah and Lasjan areas, while splinters and debris were also found in Akhnoor, though no major structural damage was reported. (ANI)
Amid the Pakistan army's continuous targeting of civilian infrastructure in India, a Turkish Kamikaze drone was recovered in a village in Naushera area of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. According to an Indian official, Pakistan attempted drone intrusions at many locations of India's western border, and these drones were possibly of Turkish origin, likely to test Indian air defences. Meanwhile, Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones were recovered in Punjab's Amritsar, which were launched by Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, as per defence officials. The attacks were launched in several civilian areas of the region, leaving their lives endangered. The attempt was thwarted by the Indian Army Air Defence guns at 5 am as the drones were destroyed in the air itself, as per the defence officials. Pakistan launched Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones in Amritsar, Punjab, endangering the residential areas of Punjab. The attempt was thwarted by Army Air Defence guns at 5 AM today, destroying the same in the air. The drone was aimed at targeting civilian areas and innocent civilians," defence officials said in their statement. Earlier, fragments and debris of an unidentified projectile were recovered from a field in Mughlani Kot Village in Punjab's Amritsar on Saturday morning, in the wake of Pakistan's blatant drone attacks against civilians across several locations in India. Visuals from the site show fragments of the object in an agricultural field, with the surrounding area burnt. Fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles were also recovered by the locals in Rajasthan's Barmer on Saturday. The Indian Armed Forces' precision strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7's Operation Sindoor resulted in the elimination of high-profile terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), including Maulana Yusuf Azhar, wanted for the IC-814 hijacking, sources told ANI. According to sources, targets also included key figures involved in radical indoctrination, weapons training, and the coordination of terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Details from the source further revealed that the funeral sessions of some of the targets were also attended by top officials in the Pakistani Army, Police as well as the government, which exhibits Pakistan's false claims of not nurturing terrorist hideouts in the country. (ANI)
He stated that Pakistan has consistently supported terrorism while reaffirming India's unwavering response in retaliation for those attacks under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Fadnavis expressed pride in the Indian Army's actions amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

"Pakistan is a terrorist country; it has always supported terrorism. However, India will not stop now. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, our army is giving an appropriate response. We are proud of our army," Fadnavis stated.

He further outlined the precautions being taken across the state amidst such escalation, noting that a high-level meeting was held on Friday to assess the situation.

"Just yesterday, we held a meeting based on the war book to determine the precautions we should take. We are taking those necessary measures. All district units have been provided with the required information and resources," the Maharashtra CM added.

Earlier, in a response to Pakistan's aggressive drone and munition attacks along the western border and Line of Control (LoC) this morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted critical Pakistani military installations, including technical facilities, command and control centres, radar sites, and ammunition strongholds.

Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft.

She further noted that the precision targeting minimised any collateral damage, reiterating India's commitment to not wanting to escalate the situation. (ANI)
Congress MP Manish Tewari slammed the International Monetary Fund's approval of a USD 1 billion loan to Pakistan, terming it "extremely unfortunate" and said that the "sympathy" of the IMF towards Pakistan is clearly "unwarranted." "It is extremely unfortunate because the money which goes to Pakistan does not go for the development of the people of Pakistan. It goes to strengthening these terror networks, which then they use to create mayhem in the entire region. And so, the 'sympathy' of the International Monetary Fund towards Pakistan is clearly unwarranted because they are being deliberately oblivious as to how that money is being used," Tewari told ANI on Saturday. Tewari further said that Pakistan's intentions are clearly escalatory, and if Pakistan keeps going down this path, it has to understand that there will be a price to pay for it. "What India did on the intervening night of the 6th and 7th of May 2025 was an act purely in self-defence in consonance with public international law. What Pakistan has been doing since then is a brazen act of aggression, and therefore, there is a clear distinction between what India did and how Pakistan has responded. And so therefore, if Pakistan continues down this path as I earlier stated, then obviously there would be a cost to it and the Indian Armed Forces are imposing that cost," he added. Manish Tewari said that Pakistan has to understand that it cannot use terror as a "state policy" and if they do so they will have to "pay price." "India exercised its right to self-defence in consonance with the United Nations Charter Article 51, which gives every country the right to protect itself from egregious transgressions, which have been happening in the case of Pakistan from across the border in the form of terror. Now, going back many years, Pakistan has chosen to respond to India's inherent right to self-defence in a manner which is escalatory and therefore, Pakistan has to understand that it cannot use terror as a state policy, and if it tries to brazen a town, as it has been attempting to do, it will pay the price," Tewari said. On Friday, IMF approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform programme under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion. India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism, warning that such support carries reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms. In a post on X, the IMF said, "IMF Board approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the EFF, enabling a disbursement of ~ USD 1 billion, reflecting strong programme implementation which has contributed to continuing economic recovery." India abstained from the recent IMF vote on approving a loan to Pakistan, not due to a lack of opposition, but because IMF rules do not permit a formal "no" vote, sources added. Meanwhile, the incidents of heavy shelling and cross-border firing were reported from various places aligning with Pakistan border on Saturday. (ANI)
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a meeting to take stock of internal security and will evaluate the advisories issued by the Indian government amid escalating tensions with Pakistan. "The CM has called a meeting to take stock of internal security. We will evaluate the advisories issued by the Indian government. The CM will evaluate what steps we have to take and our preparedness for the eventuality of a war-like situation. Some steps have been initiated for civil deference. We will also stock up on law and order and essential commodities in the face of an eventuality... Some people are trying to instigate the situation by posting false information. So I have called a meeting of our IT & BT department. Priyank Kharge and our Internal Security Department will also attend the meeting," Parameshwara told reporters. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting took place following India's strikes at four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday in reply to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Vikram Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistan's use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 AM to target Punjab's airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned. India categorically rejected Pakistan's malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, while addressing the joint press conference, highlighted Pakistan's attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. She emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India's military capabilities and instil fear among the public. Meanwhile, incidents of heavy shelling and cross-border firing were reported from various places aligning with Pakistan border on Saturday. (ANI)
The Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), in collaboration with the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and the Indian National Association of Legal Professionals (INALP), on Saturday successfully hosted the International Legal Conference 2025 on the theme "India's Legal and Regulatory Framework: Navigating International Trade Opportunities." The conference brought together leading voices from the legal, policy, regulatory, and corporate sectors. The event was attended by Justice Manmohan, Judge of Supreme Court, as Chief Guest. Speaking at the inaugural session, Justice Manmohan said, "At times, the complexities of international law and the constantly shifting regulatory environment can feel like navigating through a storm--unpredictable, fast-changing, and demanding sharp legal foresight. Today's global challenges--from cross-border intellectual property enforcement to fintech innovation, data privacy, cybersecurity, and the rise of artificial intelligence--require legal systems to be far more agile, interoperable, and forward-thinking. Yet even amid this turbulence, our constitutional values provide a steady vessel, and the rule of law remains our most reliable compass." He further added, "India's judiciary is committed to ensuring that the legal framework evolves in step with technological transformation and global trade dynamics. Initiatives like the e-Courts project and the Mediation Act represent a conscious shift toward greater efficiency, accessibility, and adaptability in the justice delivery system. By fostering legal innovation while preserving fairness and predictability, we can enable a regulatory ecosystem that not only upholds justice but also empowers sustainable economic growth in an interconnected world.". Presenting the introductory remarks, Dr Lalit Bhasin, Chairperson- Conference and President, SILF said, "The Conference has been organised by Services Export Promotion Council to explore avenues of exporting India's legal services overseas and also to welcome more collaboration and cooperation with the foreign legal fraternity. The Conference has explored India's evolving legal frameworks and their impact on international business, focusing on sectors such as Energy, Technology, Finance and Infrastructure. Experts have also discussed how to integrate ESG into the business model. Presentations were also made on the most topical issue today regarding Techno-Legal Regulations: AI, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity." He further added, "The Dispute Resolution mechanism in India, which is far from satisfactory, was also discussed and the recent steps taken by the Government of India to promote mediation were welcomed. It was also felt that there is an immediate need to liberalise India's legal market by deleting stringent conditions regarding advertising, etc." Prominent dignitaries present at the conference included Dr Anju Rathi Rana, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice, Dr. Lalit Bhasin, Chairperson- Conference and President, SILF; Dr Upasana Arora, Vice President, SEPC; Dr. Shardul S Shroff, Founder and Executive Chairman, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. and senior representatives from the Bar, Bench, top law firms, academia, industry, and regulatory bodies. The conference also paid tribute to the brave personnel of the Indian Armed Forces and offered heartfelt homage to those who lost their lives in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Against the backdrop of heightened cross-border tensions, participants stood in solidarity with the families of the fallen and reaffirmed their collective commitment to the principles of justice, national unity, and the rule of law. (ANI)
The state government has an adequate stock of essential commodities, medicines, fuel, and other necessary supplies. During a video conference review meeting held by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel with the administrative officials of all districts, it was mentioned that if any border district requires such supplies, the respective District Collector can immediately approach the state government to procure them, as told by officials. The meeting also mentioned that, as stated in the release, secretaries in charge of the concerned border districts have been deputed to provide necessary guidance to the district administrations in the current situation. The release further mentioned that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel conducted a comprehensive review of district administrations' preparedness to ensure the safety of citizens and protection of life and property, particularly in the border districts, amid the current national situation. The review was held at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Gandhinagar in the presence of Minister of State for Home Affairs Harsh Sanghvi and Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi. The CM conducted a video conference with the administrative heads of border districts such as Banaskantha, Kutch, Patan, and Jamnagar to review the local situation and assess the level of preparedness. Considering the current scenario, the CM instructed officials to ensure the readiness of satellite phones, wireless systems, and walkie-talkies to maintain an uninterrupted communication network in the border regions. This would help ensure timely and effective communication with citizens. The Chief Minister also directed the district administrations to further strengthen the village evacuation plans, so that residents in vulnerable border villages can be safely relocated, if necessary. He added that safe shelters must be set up at easily accessible locations, and a sufficient number of vehicles must be arranged to ensure smooth and timely relocation. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel instructed the Road Construction Department teams across the state, including those in border districts, to remain on high alert with advanced equipment and adequate manpower. He directed that immediate action be ensured in case of road damage during any critical situation, so that vehicular movement remains unaffected and damaged roads can be made motorable at the earliest. In the meeting, the Chief Minister also received updates on the steps taken by various departments from their senior secretaries. Principal Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies, R C Meena, stated that the department is consistently monitoring the prices of 38 essential commodities to keep them in check. He noted that the state has sufficient stock of daily necessities such as wheat, rice, pulses, onions, and potatoes, with district administrations updating stock levels daily. He also mentioned that coordination is being maintained with petroleum companies to ensure the continuous availability of petrol and diesel across the state. Principal Secretary of Health Dhananjay Dwivedi shared a detailed overview of the state health department's preparedness. He stated that, along with the deployment of medical staff and doctors from other districts to the border regions, additional ambulances have been positioned in Bhuj, Jamnagar, Patan, and Banaskantha. He also mentioned that mega blood donation camps are being organised to ensure the availability of blood in times of need. Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi directed Collectors of all districts to remain on high alert and maintain regular coordination with the state control room. The review meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, M.K. Das, Director General of Police Vikas Sahay, Additional Chief Secretaries of the Revenue, General Administration, Energy, and Labour & Employment Departments, along with senior BSF and Army officials. Also present were the Secretary to the Chief Minister, Avantika Singh, Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey, and other senior officials. (ANI)
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday launched a sharp and direct critique of Pakistan's attempts to create religious divisions within India and said that Pakistan's terrorist actions are less about religious solidarity and more about political and strategic gains masked by religious rhetoric. Speaking to ANI about his views on Pakistan trying to divide Indian society based on religion, he said, "It is the deep state of Pakistan that only uses Islam as a facade to cover their illegal activities, to cover their promotion of terrorism." Owaisi strongly reaffirms that Indian Muslims, including their forefathers, rejected Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Two-Nation Theory (which led to the creation of Pakistan) and chose to live in a secular, democratic India. He also points out the inconsistency and hypocrisy in Pakistan's use of religion as a political tool and said that while Pakistan claims to champion Muslim causes, it has been violent toward other Muslim communities, such as Afghans, Iranians, and the Balochs. Asaduddin Owaisi said, "Pakistan conveniently forgets that more than 230 million Muslims are living in India and our forefathers rejected the 'Two-Nation Theory'. We despise, reject the 'Two-Nation Theory' proposed by Jinnah and accept India as our country, and we will continue to stay here. Pakistan wants to divide India on the lines of religion, it wants to create more friction between Indian Muslims and Hindus and other communities over here." Adding further, he said, "If Pakistan talks about the two-nation theory, why are they bombing the Afghanistan border post, why are they bombing the Iranian border post, why are they killing the Balochis who are also Muslims. The Afghans are Muslims, the Iranians are Muslims, the Balochis are their nationals who are Muslims. It is the deep state of Pakistan that only uses Islam as a facade to cover their illegal activities, to cover their promotion of terrorism. This is what they have been doing for the past 75 years." Notably, the 'Two-Nation Theory' argued that Muslims and Hindus in the Indian subcontinent were two distinct nations, with their customs, religion, and traditions, and therefore could not coexist peacefully within a single nation. It claimed that Muslims needed a separate nation to practice Islam and preserve their cultural identity freely. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the Indian government to push for the complete dismantling of Pakistan's terror infrastructure, holding the Pakistani deep state, ISI, and military directly responsible for continued cross-border terrorism. Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said, "The Pakistani deep state, the Pakistani ISI, the Pakistani military, their aim and objective is always to create problems and destabilise India in any way. They have been sponsoring, promoting, and training terrorists inside their own country. There are various satellite images as well, which can prove this." Owaisi accused Pakistan of systematically sponsoring, training, and sheltering terrorists within its borders, citing satellite imagery and intelligence inputs that confirm the presence of terror camps. "These terrorist camps, organisations, despite them being banned by the US, for eg when India bombed Bhawalpur--a terrorist organisation's headoffice which was a shelter to train people in arms, the terrorists who were killed over there, their last namaz--the janaza namaz, was performed by a person who is a designated terrorist in the US--Hafiz Abdur Rahouf. Why can't the world see this? In that prayer, all the people were wearing Pakistan Army dresses," stated Owaisi. He questioned the global silence and asked how long India can tolerate such provocations. "This needs to end. There must be a full stop to terrorism sponsored by Pakistan." "We, India as a country, how long can we allow this and let Pakistan enter our country and kill people? And the most unfortunate was the Pahalgam attack, these terrorists from Pakistan separated families and then asked the males to recite the Kalma, and if not, they were shot dead. Can anyone imagine the pains, the scars these families will carry for the rest of their lives? So it is high time that this terrorism sponsored by Pakistan should come to an end, there should be a full stop to it," said the AIMIM chief. Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an "act of war" against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said. Earlier in the day, amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting took place following India's strikes at four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday in reply to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Vikram Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion." (ANI)
Projectile debris has been discovered in Damtal village, situated in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. This occurrence has resulted in significant concern within the area, which is in proximity to Pathankot in Punjab. According to police, "A while ago, a blast was heard here. Following that, we reached here. We have secured the area. Experts would be able to say what this is." Meanwhile, missile debris was also recovered in the Gida Pareu area of Rajasthan's Barmer and projectile debris retrieved from Gujarat's Kachchh, on Saturday morning, and the district administration has put the whole region on high alert. No local is allowed to go near the remains of the unidentified debris. According to the locals, the Indian Army have repelled the attacks and the people in the region are feeling safe and fearless. As per a local, Mohan Chowdhary, the unidentified missile debris fell at around 4:42 am and also at two other places within five kilometres of each other. "It fell at 4:42 am, and I was awake then. First, there was a loud sound twice, and then there was light. My house is 500 feet away from here, so we ran here. We saw that a little smoke was coming out. The second one fell near the temple, five kilometres from here. The third one fell one and a half kilometres from the temple, and the fourth fell 2 kilometres from here. We have no fear or terror", he said. Earlier, the locals in Barmer recovered fragments and debris of unidentified projectiles. Residents of Baldev Nagar, an area near Uttarlai Air Force Station and Jalipa Military Station in Barmer, witnessed the aftermath of the Pakistani attack that was successfully neutralised by Indian security forces in the early hours of the morning. While the authorities didn't identify the debris, according to the locals of the area, loud sounds were heard at around 5:15 to 5:30 in the morning, and soon after, they discovered projectile debris in the area. In a decisive response to Pakistan's aggressive actions along the western border and Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Armed Forces on Saturday targeted critical Pakistani military installations, including technical facilities, command and control centres, radar sites, and ammunition strongholds. (ANI)
Amid rising concerns over misinformation, the Ministry of Defence on Saturday urged citizens to stay cautious about fake news circulating on WhatsApp and rely on verified sources for updates. The Ministry has encouraged people to follow its official WhatsApp channel for authentic information on defence matters. https://x.com/spokespersonmod/status/1921140234214887815?s=46 In a post on X, Ministry of Defence said, "In these sensitive times, a lot of misinformation and fake news is being spread on Whats App. Be cautious and follow our WhatsApp Channel for all authentic information related to Ministry of Defence." Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated further on Saturday as Indian Armed forces conducted precision strikes on four airbases in Pakistan, responding to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Secretary Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Secretary Misri said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistan's use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 AM to target Punjab's airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned. India categorically rejected Pakistan's malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, while addressing the joint press conference, highlighted Pakistan's attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. Wing Commander Singh emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India's military capabilities and instil fear among the public. The incidents of heavy shelling and cross-border firing were reported from various places aligning with Pakistan border on Saturday. Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7th, targeting terrorist infrastructure 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. (ANI)
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday urged decisive action against terrorism, stressing the need to end Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. On being asked if he agrees with PM Modi's decision to eliminate terror at any cost, Owaisi told ANI, "Well, it is a challenge for our country, the country headed by a Prime Minister. But we have to save the country. We have to save the people living in our country. We have to save children, women, everyone, the farmers. So it is high time that we put an end to this Pakistan-sponsored terrorism." Owaisi also expressed shock over Western countries' reluctance to term the Pahalgam attack a terrorist attack, saying "most unfortunate". "Most unfortunate. I mean, I'm perplexed. I'm shocked that how can you use words as militants or gunmen. These are people who came into India and they only shot people who were not Muslims. What would you call them? If a terrorist comes and asks you what is your religion? Can you recite the holy Kalima which is an assertion of our faith and they kill in the name of religion. So they are terrorists only," he stated. Owaisi also criticised Pakistan's use of religious references in its military operation against India, questioning the consistency of its actions. "See, they have used a Quranic verse of Surah Saf, verse number four. But they have conveniently forgotten what in that same chapter verse number two says. Oh believers, why do you say what you do not do? Pakistan needs to answer for its actions against Iran, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh," Owaisi said, calling out Pakistan's approach as hypocritical. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated further on Saturday as Indian Armed forces conducted precision strikes on four airbases in Pakistan, responding to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Secretary Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistan's use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 AM to target Punjab's airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned. India categorically rejected Pakistan's malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, while addressing the joint press conference, highlighted Pakistan's attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. Wing Commander Singh emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India's military capabilities and instil fear among the public. Meanwhile, the incidents of heavy shelling and cross-border firing were reported from various places aligning with Pakistan border on Saturday. Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7th, targeting terrorist infrastructure 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. (ANI)
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said the international community must consider disarming Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, calling the country a global threat. Owaisi also condemned Pakistan for targeting dispensaries in Srinagar, calling it an act of "maliciousness." Addressing a gathering at the press club here, Owaisi said, "We have to stand solid like a wall against a country (Pakistan) which is a threat to the whole world. At some point or another, the world leaders have to decide if this country should even be allowed to have nuclear weapons. The nuclear weapons in this country should be disarmed and destroyed. The height of maliciousness is such that they targeted dispensaries in Srinagar... At this time, we have to stand behind our Army and thwart Pakistani propaganda." Owaisi criticised the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for giving Pakistan a USD 1 billion loan and alleged that it was actually funding militancy. He also questioned how the United States, Germany, and Japan agreed to approve the financial aid. "...'ye official bheekmange hai' (they are beggars). They took a loan from the IMF of $1 billion. IMF is not the International Monetary Fund; they are giving the International Militant Fund to Pakistan. How did the USA, Germany, and Japan agree to this?... Forget leadership, they (Pakistan) don't even know how to run an economy. You people are sitting there and telling us what Islam is, but all you have are wrong policies to spoil the peace here and create conflict between Hindus and Muslims," he said. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated further on Saturday as Indian Armed forces conducted precision strikes on four airbases in Pakistan, responding to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Secretary Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Despite the intensity of the attacks, Indian forces successfully engaged and retaliated, though airbases in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, Bhuj, and Bathinda sustained damage, and personnel were injured. Pakistan's use of high-speed missiles at 1:40 AM to target Punjab's airbase station and the unprofessional targeting of hospitals and schools in airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur were particularly condemned. India categorically rejected Pakistan's malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, while addressing the joint press conference, highlighted Pakistan's attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. Wing Commander Singh emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India's military capabilities and instil fear among the public. Meanwhile, the incidents of heavy shelling and cross-border firing were reported from various places aligning with Pakistan border on Saturday. Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7th, targeting terrorist infrastructure 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. (ANI)
A mock drill simulating an IED explosion was conducted near the Haj Manzil, close to the main gate under the Chandni Mahal police station area on Saturday, as part of a coordinated emergency preparedness exercise. According to Jitendra Tomar, Station Officer at Connaught Place Fire Station, the drill was based on a scenario where a distress call was received reporting an IED blast near Haj Manzil. "As per the exercise, two individuals were reported injured. We immediately initiated relief operations and ensured the injured were sent to hospital services," said the fire official. "The drill was carried out as if responding to a real-life emergency to evaluate the coordination and response capabilities of the fire department and associated agencies. Such drills help us minimise our response time and prepare both officials and the public to react promptly and efficiently in critical situations," Tomar added. The mock drill was part of routine safety protocols aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness and public safety awareness in high-density areas. Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, full-scale civil defence mock drills were held across the country on Wednesday to assess India's preparedness for emergency response. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday instructed all states and union territories to conduct drills to evaluate their preparedness against "new and complex threats." The drills were carried out across major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur, focusing on evaluating local response capabilities to security challenges. These drills are critical in evaluating India's preparedness for handling complex security situations, providing essential insights into the nation's ability to respond swiftly and effectively. Several states also observed blackouts as part of the nationwide civil defence mock drills ordered by the MHA. Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an "act of war" against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said on Saturday. Earlier in the day, amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting took place following India's strikes at four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday in reply to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. (ANI)
During his visit, CM Saha appreciated the initiative and commended the organisers' efforts to promote public health, especially among older adults. CM also encouraged citizens to undergo regular eye examinations to prevent avoidable vision problems and maintain overall eye health.

The camp witnessed a significant turnout from area residents, who availed themselves of free consultations and check-ups by experienced ophthalmologists. The event highlighted the importance of community-based health initiatives in improving public well-being.

On Friday, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha held a high-level security meeting at his residence to address security concerns along the India-Bangladesh border. The meeting lasted over an hour and focused primarily on intensifying surveillance and security measures across the international boundary.

Senior officials from the Border Security Force (BSF), Assam Rifles, and various other security agencies, including intelligence officers, participated in the strategic discussion. The Chief Minister emphasised the need for increased vigilance to prevent cross-border crimes and maintain law and order in the border regions.

Sources indicate that the authorities are set to implement more robust monitoring systems and joint operations in sensitive areas in the coming days.

On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a high-level meeting in the national capital to review the prevailing border situation and evaluate security arrangements at airports across the country.

The meeting was focused on reviewing the current border situation and assessing security arrangements at airports across the country. The discussion comes amid heightened vigilance along sensitive zones and a push to strengthen national security infrastructure. (ANI)
In unwavering response to the recent heinous acts of terrorism amid India-Pakistan tensions and in steadfast support of our armed forces' resolute stance, PGIMER on Saturday launched a campaign to establish an Emergency Blood Reserve. According to an official release, this initiative calls upon the public to come forward and donate blood as a powerful, united act of defiance against terrorism and those who support it. To this end, PGIMER is taking strategic steps to establish a "dedicated emergency blood reserve." This reserve will serve as a vital buffer, ensuring that critical blood supplies are readily available. The success of this initiative hinges on the unwavering support of voluntary donors, whose regular contributions will help maintain and replenish this reserve continuously. Professor Rati Ram Sharma, Head, Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGIMER, appealed to every segment of society and said, "We are calling upon students, professionals, workers, and volunteers--every citizen--to stand with us. We especially urge O Group donors to come forward, as O Group blood is the Universal Donor and can be used efficiently in any emergency. Your support now can help us respond swiftly and effectively to any crisis." The Blood Transfusion Centre at PGIMER's Nehru Hospital operates from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM with 24X7 emergency arrangements in place to facilitate urgent donations. The institute is launching a sustained public awareness campaign, emphasising, "Donate today, store hope for tomorrow. Let terror know we are united." "As our Armed Forces stand firm on the borders, we stand united in heart and action," stated Professor Sharma. "Every donation is a testament to our collective refusal to bow to hate and violence. Our strength lies in our unity and readiness. Let us come together and make our resolve visible--each drop of blood a symbol of hope and resilience," he said. He called on everyone to join this vital movement and said that their contribution can save lives, bolster our preparedness, and send a clear message that India stands resilient, united, and unbreakable. Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an "act of war" against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said on Saturday. (ANI)
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra for the implementation of the 'Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project' on Saturday. The MoU was signed and exchanged in the presence of Chief Ministers of both the states, MP CM Mohan Yadav and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in the state capital Bhopal. Addressing the occasion, CM Yadav said, "Today a new chapter will begin with the state of Maharashtra. I would like to thank him (Maharashtra CM)... The Prime Minister has adopted a new approach for the schemes under which two states have been connected through river projects and it has a role in the national interest. Ninety percent of the amount for this scheme will be paid by the government of India. I thank PM Modi for this." According to an official release, the Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project will provide permanent irrigation facilities to 1,23,082 hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 2,34,706 hectares in Maharashtra. In Madhya Pradesh, the project will benefit four tehsils--Burhanpur, Nepanagar, Khaknar, and Khalwa--across the Burhanpur and Khandwa districts. Initially, a traditional reservoir project of 66 TMC capacity was proposed, which would have affected over 17,000 hectares of land, including forest areas and tiger reserves, and displaced around 14,000 people across 73 villages. This earlier model has now been replaced with a groundwater recharge-based approach, avoiding displacement and environmental impact. Earlier in the day, CM Yadav said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Madhya Pradesh is progressing in partnership with neighboring states to ensure equitable water distribution for the benefit of the public, especially in terms of drinking water and irrigation. An MoU with Maharashtra is a major step in this direction. A new water storage project is being developed through mutual cooperation, which will be one of its kind in the world." He also highlighted that Madhya Pradesh is actively participating in the national river-linking campaign initiated by Prime Minister Modi. He noted that work has recently begun on the Ken-Betwa National River Linking Project, which is set to transform the lives of people across the Bundelkhand region. Similarly, work has also started on the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal river linking project in collaboration with the Rajasthan government, which will benefit various regions of Malwa and Chambal. CM further added that the Tapi Basin Mega Recharge Project will benefit several districts in the Nimar region of the state which include Khandwa, Burhanpur, and parts of Barwani districts. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a high-meeting on Saturday to review the law and order situation and citizen safety measures in the state. The meeting, held at Vidhana Soudha, was attended by Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Minister Priyank Kharge, senior state police officers, all District Collectors (DCs), Superintendents of Police (SPs), and Police Commissioners of municipal corporations. Addressing the meeting, CM Siddaramaiah issued a strict directive to officials, emphasising stringent action against spreading fake news. "Strict measures must be taken to curb the spread of fake news through media and social media platforms," CM stated. CM added, "Nothing is more important than the law and order of the state. The safety of the people should be the top priority." The CM instructed officials to take firm action: "Take stringent action against those spreading fake news and submit a report." CM also directed that mock drills be conducted at key locations and emphasised continuous monitoring of illegal stockpiling and black marketing to prevent artificial price hikes of essential goods. CM Siddaramaiah also issued the following directives during the meeting: Implement strict security measures while maintaining law and order. The CM directed that officials must be prepared at all times and that guidelines should be prepared at both the state and district levels. According to directives, mock drills must be conducted at essential locations, and enhanced security must be ensured at national-level vital places. Media and social media must also be monitored strictly to prevent the spread of fake news. Social media platforms should be continuously under surveillance, and action must be taken against those spreading rumours. Additionally, CM advised strong measures against fake news, with continuous fact-checking. Official clarifications regarding misinformation should be issued at the source, and intelligence systems should be strengthened. Security at public service centres should be reinforced. Constant monitoring of illegal stockpiling and black marketing must be ensured, and attempts to artificially inflate prices of essential items should be prevented. (ANI)
Former Director General of Police of Jammu and Kashmir, SP Vaid, on Saturday welcomed the India-Pakistan ceasefire and said that Pakistan must learn from India and abandon the policy of using terror as a "state policy." "This agreement is a welcome development for India and the whole region because we don't want to harm anybody...any neighbouring country...Pakistan must learn from India and abandon this policy of using terror as a state policy," former J-K DGP told ANI. He further said that India has kept a condition that Pakistan needs to stop its acts of terrorism. "It is a good development...I feel that India has kept a condition that Pakistan needs to stop its acts of terrorism...US was doing the mediation...therefore, this agreement happened. Ceasefire is welcome," he added. Meanwhile, BJP leader Ravinder Raina said that the Indian army has made Pakistan pay for every "nefarious act." "India has answered Pakistan's insolence in Pahalgam. Pakistan has fallen to its knees and is crawling at the feet of America and PM Modi... The whole world salutes PM Modi... Pakistan is lucky that a ceasefire has been announced. Otherwise, it would have been wiped off the world map and crushed to dust," Raina said. The minister's remarks came after DGMOs of India and Pakistan agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action. In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Claiming that US mediation played a key role, US President Donald Trump praised the leadership of both countries for choosing "common sense and great intelligence" to de-escalate the crisis. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had stuck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday expressed cautious optimism regarding ceasefire in military actions between India and Pakistan, emphasising the need for continued vigilance in countering terrorism. "If both India and Pakistan have agreed, that is good. However, we must remain cautious...Even if there is a ceasefire, we must stay focused on countering terrorism," the Chief Minister stated. Earlier today, both nations took the crucial step of de-escalation to restore peace. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to implement this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12th at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity." Earlier US Secretary of state Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. (ANI)
Upon his arrival at the Ramkatha Park helipad, CM Yogi was warmly welcomed by local public representatives and senior BJP leaders. From there, he proceeded directly to Hanumangarhi.

Following the rituals, CM greeted the devotees and interacted with prominent saints at the temple, beginning with Mahant Premdas Maharaj and other seers to inquire about their well-being.

Later, CM Yogi visited the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple, where he offered prayers and performed a traditional puja.

He also reviewed the progress of the temple's construction, from officials from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Further, the Chief Minister issued key instructions to ensure the smooth completion of the remaining phases of construction.

CM Yogi Adityanath on Saturday urged the public to put the "nation first " and prioritise the well-being and interests of the nation above personal or family needs.

"Developed India and self-reliant India will be created only when our resolve is linked to our duties, when India becomes our priority. Nation first, family, personal interests later," CM Yogi said in Ayodhya.

CM Yogi further asserted that today, the nation is witnessing a "new Ayodhya."

"Eight years ago, no one would have even thought that four-lane roads would be built here, an international airport would be built. Today, we are seeing a new Ayodhya," he said.

CM Yogi paid tribute to CMS founder, the late Jagdish Gandhi, and praised that he did not give up. With courage and dedication, they created something meaningful in the field of education," he said. (ANI)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at four locations across Mumbai and Surat as part of its probe into M/s Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd (Torres Jewellery) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The investigation revealed large-scale Hawala transactions, leading to the seizure of Rs 6.30 crore in cash and incriminating digital evidence. As per an ED release, Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office conducted searches across Mumbai and Surat on May 9 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at 4 premises as a part of the ongoing probe in the case of M/s Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd under the brand name "Torres Jewellery." ED initiated an investigation on the basis of a complaint registered by the APMC Police Station, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. "ED investigation revealed that M/s Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd has collected huge cash from its customers in lieu of sale of Moissanite Diamonds and other jewellery. Instead of using the said cash for its legitimate business purposes, the said cash has been routed through Hawala operators and later converted into USDT cryptocurrency," the release read. The key person, Alpesh Khara, not only facilitated the collection of huge cash from Torres showrooms across Mumbai on the instructions of Oleksandr Zapichenko alias Alex and Ms Olena Stoian but also assisted them in converting the said cash into USDT cryptocurrency. Alpesh Khara was arrested by ED on March 26 and was in custody of ED from March 26 to April 1. "It was revealed during the course of investigation that Alpesh Khara was one of the franchise owners of a known Angadia entity, which is having branches across India and huge cash has been exchanged hands through those branches of Angadias as well as other various Hawala Operators," the release read. ED carried out searches at those Angadias / Hawala Operators at Mumbai and Surat, who assisted in facilitating such Hawala transactions at Mumbai and Surat resulted into the seizure of huge cash of Rs 6.30 crore as well as incriminating digital devices. Earlier searches conducted in this case on January 23, resulted into freezing of bank accounts totalling to Rs 21.75 crore and seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices. Further investigation is under progress. (ANI)
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately convene an all-party meeting and hold a special session of Parliament after India and Pakistan agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air. Ramesh said the government must take political parties into confidence and collectively address the pressing national security challenges. He also called for a dedicated parliamentary session to deliberate on recent developments, including the terror attack in Pahalgam and its aftermath. "In view of the unprecedented announcements from Washington, DC, there is now a need, more than ever before, for the PM to chair an all-party meeting and take the political parties into confidence. A special session of Parliament should be convened to discuss the events of the last eighteen days, beginning with the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks and the way forward, and to demonstrate a collective resolve," posted Jairam Ramesh on X. In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. "Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce that the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he said. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
After India and Pakistan agreed to halt all military actions on land, at sea, and in the air, locals in Rajasthan's bordering district Jaisalmer celebrated the development and chanted slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. While celebrating this development, people appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision for the understanding between India and Pakistan. Speaking to ANI, a local said that this is the result of PM Modi's diplomacy. He said, "Pakistan was scared... This is the result of PM Modi and his diplomacy. Pakistan will always remember the damage it has borne. Due to the grace of Mata Tanaut, no one was harmed. We would like to thank PM Modi for this ceasefire." Chandra Prakash, who also hails from Jaisalmer, said that they want peace to prevail in both nations. "PM Modi had said that the government aims to diminish terrorism and won't let any casualties be done, but whatever happened in the last 2-3 days, Pakistan tried a lot. But we gave them a befitting reply... We want peace to prevail in both countries." Another local also echoed a similar sentiment, stating, "We want peace to prevail. Because Pakistan always strikes from behind, but India is always ready to answer them. Whatever damage is happening in Pakistan, they have hurt themselves. It will be good if peace prevails between both nations. We would like to thank our Indian defence forces for giving Pakistan a befitting reply. They didn't let any destruction happen here. This public stands with them without any fear." In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." Earlier in the day, Misri emphasized that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya said that Pakistan's target was India's military infrastructure, LoC, IB and over 26 sites." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity." Earlier US Secretary of state Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site." Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he said. Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had stuck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable and movable assets worth Rs 188.41 crore in a money laundering case linked to Dnyanradha Multistate Co-operative Credit Society Ltd (DMCSL). The probe revealed that DMCSL management, led by Suresh Kute, allegedly defrauded over 4 lakh investors, diverting funds to Kute Group entities for personal benefits. "Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office has provisionally attached immovable and movable assets valued at Rs 188.41 Crore (approx.) on May 9, 2025, in the case of M/s. Dnyanradha Multistate Co-operative Credit Society Ltd (DMCSL), Suresh Kute & others under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The assets provisionally attached includes land, building, plant & machinery of various entities of Kute Group of companies situated in Beed district of Maharashtra," as per an ED release. ED initiated an investigation based on various FIRS registered during May to July 2024 by various Police Stations of Maharashtra under various sections of IPC, 1860 and Section MPID Act, 1997 in respect of fraud committed with the investors by Suresh Kute and others through M/s. Dnyanradha Multistate Co-operative Credit Society Ltd (DMCSL). "DMCSL was managed and controlled by Suresh Dnyanobarao Kute, Yashvant V Kulkarni and others. It floated various deposit schemes and claimed to provide interest, which varied from 12 per cent to 14 per cent. During the PMLA investigation, it was found that Suresh Kute & others lured more than 4 lakh gullible investors to deposit money with DMCSL by promising higher returns. However, no payment or only partial payments were made to the investors when the deposits matured, resulting in them being cheated," the release read. ED investigation revealed that the funds of DMCSL were embezzled by the management of the society, wherein Suresh Kute and others hatched a criminal conspiracy to illegally and fraudulently divert funds amounting to Rs 2,467 crore approx, in the guise of loans to various companies of The Kute Group (a Group of companies beneficially owned by Suresh Kute and family). "Upon the disbursement of these fraudulent loan amounts, the funds were siphoned off by them through several accounts of the entities of The Kute Group or directly in the form of cash. The funds received from society were further utilised for their benefits, such as investment in new businesses, purchasing property, and personal expenses," the release read. ED conducted search operations in this case on August 9, 2024, August 20, 2024, and October 14, 2024. During these search operations, movable assets worth Rs 11 crore (approx) were frozen/seized. ED also issued Provisional Attachment Orders for assets worth Rs 85.88 crore on September 24, 2024, Rs 1,002.79 crore on October 9, 2024, and Rs 333.82 crore on November 5, 2024. "Total value of seizure/freezing and attachment of assets in this case till date stands at Rs 1621.89 crore (approx). ED had earlier arrested Suresh Kute on January 7, 2025, who is currently in judicial custody. ED has filed a Prosecution Complaint before the Hon'ble Special PMLA Court, Mumbai on March 6, 2025, for which cognisance was taken on March 11, 2025," the release read. Further investigation is under progress. (ANI)
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday welcomed the understanding between India and Pakistan to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air and emphasised the importance of 'peace.' "Peace is essential. I am very glad, India never wanted a long-term war. India wanted to teach terrorists a lesson, I believe that lesson has been taught. The other details are awaited," Shashi Tharoor told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress leader Pawan Khera posted images of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on X and captioned it, "India misses Indira." https://x.com/Pawankhera/status/1921188876191731978?s=08 The 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, was a major event during Indira Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister of India. India provided crucial support to the independence movement in East Pakistan (later Bangladesh), and the war began after Pakistan launched airstrikes on Indian airbases. Indira Gandhi's leadership was instrumental in India's victory and the birth of Bangladesh. In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart, and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." Earlier in the day, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya said that Pakistan's target was India's military infrastructure, LoC, IB, and over 26 sites." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity." Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. "Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce that the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he said. Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Following the understanding between India and Pakistan, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday asserted that they should continue the battle against terrorism, adding that preparations that India was doing as a nation to combat terrorism should go ahead with full flow. "We should continue our battle against terrorism. Terrorism does not understand ceasefire. So I think whatever preparations we are doing as a nation to combat terrorism should go ahead with full flow," Kharge told ANI. Congress leader Pawan Khera said that it was "unprecedented" that they learned this from American President Donald Trump. "It is unprecedented that we get to know this from the American President... Therefore, the questions that India wants to ask can only be answered through a special session of Parliament. Therefore, Congress demands a special session of Parliament and an all-party meeting... the country deserves to know what it has achieved and what India has lost...the victims of Pahalgam would also like to know whether justice has been served to them or not," Khera said. RJD MP Manoj Jha said that in history, India has never wanted war; war has always been imposed on India. "But whenever we have fought a war, we have fought bravely. I salute the valour of the armed forces...Here too, our armed forces have targeted only terrorist hideouts; civilians and military establishments were not targeted. What did we get in return? Our citizens were killed...This is the difference between India and Pakistan...I urge the Prime Minister to call a special session to give a united message to the nation and salute the valour of the armed forces," Jha said. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that both countries have agreed not to escalate the fight, which is good for both countries. Both countries have agreed not to escalate the fight, mediated by US President Donald Trump....I welcome this. Our CM has welcomed this officially. It is good for both countries," Parameshwara said. In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Claiming that US mediation played a key role, US President Donald Trump praised the leadership of both countries for choosing "common sense and great intelligence" to de-escalate the crisis. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had stuck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday welcomed the understanding between India and Pakistan and said that peace may endure. "Tamil Nadu marched in solidarity with the Indian Armed Forces. The ceasefire is a welcome step -- may peace endure. Our heartfelt salute to the courage of those who guard our borders," MK Stalin posted on X. The minister's remarks came after DGMOs of India and Pakistan agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action. In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Claiming that US mediation played a key role, US President Donald Trump praised the leadership of both countries for choosing "common sense and great intelligence" to de-escalate the crisis. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had stuck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh BJP President Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary on Saturday criticised Pakistan and said that it is a 'failed nation' that works to serve terrorism all over the world. Speaking to ANI, Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said, "Pakistan is a failed nation. They have worked to serve terrorism all over the world. The people of India, the 140 crore people of our country, are determined that we stand with our army, stand with our government with full force against terror and terrorists." Earlier in the day, Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa had assured the citizens of the national capital to refrain from panic buying. He assured that the capital was prepared for an emergency and that the city's people need not worry about a shortage of essential commodities. "There is no shortage of essential commodities here, so no one needs to indulge in panic buying. No one needs to worry. PM Narendra Modi and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta look after you day and night. We are ready for any emergency... Delhi was safe, Delhi is safe. India was safe, India is safe. Delhi Police and the Delhi Disaster Management department are well equipped," said Sirsa. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan agreed to the stoppage of military action. However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday and noted that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said in a post on X. The minister's remarks came after DGMOs of India and Pakistan agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours," he added. Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire. "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said in a post on X. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
As the two-day session of the Delhi Assembly begins on May 13, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to take a bold and uncompromising stand on national security, moving a 'Condemnation Motion' to denounce the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam. According to an official release, the party is also set to move a 'Motion of Thanks' saluting the Indian Armed Forces for their courage and resolve in the face of India-Pakistan escalation. Through Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces have launched a decisive offensive against terrorists and their backers -- a battle that the Delhi Assembly, led by AAP, unequivocally supports. "We not only want to thank the Armed Forces, but also the families of our soldiers, whose sacrifice and dedication keep this nation secure," said the Leader of Opposition (LoP ) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi. Announcing the agenda for the upcoming session, Delhi Assembly LoP Atishi said, "The session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly is scheduled for May 13. In this session, the AAP's legislative group brings forward two important resolutions." Highlighting the party's stand against terrorism, Atishi stated, "First, the Aam Aadmi Party will move a censure resolution to strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Attacking unarmed civilians is an act against humanity, and we want the Delhi Assembly to denounce this in the strongest possible terms." Expressing gratitude to India's armed forces, she stated, "Second, the Aam Aadmi Party will move a resolution of thanks to honour and salute the Indian Army and all our armed forces. Through Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army has launched a decisive battle against terrorists and their supporters, and the Delhi Assembly -- along with the people of Delhi and across India -- stands firmly with them." Acknowledging the sacrifices made by military families, Atishi added, "We not only want to thank the armed forces, but also the families of our soldiers for their sacrifice and dedication. With this resolution of gratitude, we express our deep respect for their selfless service to the nation." Meanwhile, India and Pakistan agreed to halt all military actions on land, at sea, and in the air. In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his residence on Saturday which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were among those who attended the meeting. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Minister of Power and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated the Bharat Bodh Kendra in India Habitat Centre (IHC) on Saturday. Bharat Bodh Kendra is a new wing within its Habitat Library & Resource Centre, dedicated to enhancing understanding and appreciation of India's cultural and civilizational legacy. According to an official release from the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, "India Habitat Centre (IHC) on Saturday inaugurated a new addition to its Habitat Library & Resource Centre, the Bharat Bodh Kendra, a dedicated section aimed at fostering awareness and appreciation of India's rich cultural and civilizational heritage." As per the release, the Bharat Bodh Kendra is expected to house a curated collection of books and resources on Indian art, music, spirituality, history, philosophy, and other related fields. Accessible to IHC members, this initiative is envisioned as a quiet space for exploration and learning about India's timeless traditions and evolving cultural discourse. The release further added that during the event, the Minister Khattar appreciated the activities being undertaken at IHC, especially its green initiatives, and acknowledged its role in fostering awareness around sustainable living. Minister Khattar encouraged the Centre to take up more such initiatives and suggested that it adopt institutions to help them implement similar environmentally conscious practices. Following the inauguration, Katikithala Srinivas, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and President, IHC, and Prof. (Dr.) K. G. Suresh, Director, IHC, gave Minister Lal a walkthrough of the sprawling 9-acre IHC campus, highlighting its distinctive architectural design, environment-friendly features, and its role as a vibrant hub for cultural and intellectual engagement. Among those present were Sanjay Kulshrestha, CMD - HUDCO, Sanjay Shukla, MD - NHB and other officers of the Ministry and IHC. (ANI)
The BJP Minority Morcha is all set to launch a nationwide campaign titled "Nagrik Tiranga Yatra for National Security" starting May 11, under the mission "Operation Sindoor". A virtual meeting was held to finalize preparations, chaired by Jamal Siddiqui, National President of BJP Minority Morcha. Dushyant Kumar Gautam, BJP National General Secretary and Morcha In-charge was present at the meeting as chief guest along with other national and state-level office bearers. "Operation Sindoor is a patriotic initiative meant to boost the morale of our security forces across the country," said Jamal Siddiqui. He emphasized that the campaign would convey the message that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the nation remains secure. Siddiqui made a bold statement suggesting the eventual downfall of terrorism and the elimination of its source, Pakistan, from the global map. The campaign involves over 14,000 Sufi followers who, after participating in the Yatra, will offer prayers for soldiers at major shrines including Ajmer Sharif, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah (Delhi), Sabir Pak (Kaliyar), and Shams Turk Dargah (Panipat), among others. Siddiqui added that the main aim of the Yatra is to strengthen national unity and the spirit of patriotism among citizens. Holding the tricolor and marching through streets, participants will spread awareness that national security is not just the army's responsibility but of every citizen. The campaign will include slogans like "We Stand with the Army" and "Nation with Operation Sindoor". Only official visuals such as the Operation Sindoor logo, images of PM Modi, and Indian Armed Forces will be used--no pictures of other parties or organizations. The Yatra will be rolled out in phases across capitals, districts, tehsils, and major villages. All sections of society, especially ex-servicemen, their families, students, and religious leaders, are encouraged to participate. It will be a peaceful, disciplined, and spirited procession featuring patriotic music and long national flags. Special prayer events will also be held at Gurdwaras, Churches, Mosques, Dargahs, and other religious sites. The Minority Morcha will form state and district-level monitoring teams to ensure effective execution of this historic campaign. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday raised serious concerns about the status of the recently announced cessation of hostilities after reporting explosions and air defence activity in Srinagar. In a post on X, he added, "This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up." https://x.com/OmarAbdullah/status/1921228736776527917 In another post, Abdullah wrote, "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!" Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his residence on Saturday which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were among those who attended the meeting. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
As India and Pakistan face escalating tensions, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday praised the armed forces for their valour and bravery and urged the people to extend support and stay united with the nation. "Our brave army destroyed terror camps in Pakistan and gave a befitting reply to the cowardly terror attack by the enemy in Pahalgam. In Uttarakhand, one or the other family members is associated with the armed forces. I also belong to a family of soldiers. The brave men of Uttarakhand have always devoted their lives to protect the motherland. Let us all pledge to stand united with the nation in every crisis.", CM Dhami said in his speech. Meanwhile, hours after it agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and sea, following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India's air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar. Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar. A complete blackout has been enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism."India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Hours after it agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea, following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India's air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid blackout in Srinagar. Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar. A complete blackout has been enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan. India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said." Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Congress leader KC Venugopal on Saturday recalled the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. In a post on X, Venugopal posted old images of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, captioning, "Being a developing country, we have our backbone straight, enough will and resources to fight all atrocities. Times have passed when any nation sitting 3-4 thousand miles away could give orders to Indians" India terribly misses Indira Gandhi ji today!" https://x.com/kcvenugopalmp/status/1921226029747552438 The 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, was a major event during Indira Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister of India. India provided crucial support to the independence movement in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and the war began after Pakistan launched airstrikes on Indian airbases. Indira Gandhi's leadership was instrumental in India's victory and the birth of Bangladesh. Additionally, Congress leader Pawan Khera also posted images of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on X and captioned it, "India misses Indira." Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Saturday posted old images of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on Facebook, captioning, "Indira Ji, today the whole country is remembering you..." This came after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart, and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air. However, hours after it agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea, following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India's air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid blackout in Srinagar. Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepted Pakistani drones. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar. A complete blackout has been enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan. A complete blackout has been enforced in several areas of Punjab including Pathankot, Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, Jalandhar on Saturday evening. The Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar issued a statement requesting the residents to keep calm as blackout has been enforced as a precautionary measure. "Due to recent news in media and as a precautionary measure we are turning off street lights in some part of Jalandhar. Black out is not called at this time. Plz be calm as Jalandhar is unaffected at this point of time," the statement reads. The Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana also issued a directive stating that there is nothing to worry about. The statement reads, "As of now, there is nothing to worry. We might have to issue the blackout orders again depending on the situation. We are ready and All teams have been put on alert. Our Armed forces with district administration are monitoring the situation very closely." India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
An alert sentry at Nagrota Military Station thwarted a possible intrusion with timely action, triggering a brief exchange of fire and sustaining minor injuries, the Army's White Knight Corps said. A search operation has also been launched for the suspect. "On noticing suspicious movement near the perimeter, the alert sentry at Nagrota Military Station issued a challenge, leading to a brief exchange of fire with the suspect. Sentry sustained a minor injury. Search operations are underway to track the intruder(s)," the White Knight Corps said on X. https://x.com/Whiteknight_IA/status/1921263577677058442 Meanwhile, a complete blackout has been enforced in several areas of Punjab, including Pathankot, Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, and Jalandhar on Saturday evening. The Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar issued a statement requesting the residents to keep calm, as a blackout has been enforced as a precautionary measure. "Due to recent news in the media and as a precautionary measure, we are turning off street lights in some parts of Jalandhar. Blackout is not called at this time. Plz be calm as Jalandhar is unaffected at this point of time," the statement reads. India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier in the day on the stoppage of firing and military action, and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions. At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today and India takes "very serious note of these violations". India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. Misri said India's Armed Forces have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control. "For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations, and we take very, very serious note of these violations," Misri said. "We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control," he added. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, hospitals across Delhi-NCR are reinforcing emergency preparedness to handle potential medical crises. Hospitals, including AIIMS Delhi, Safdarjung Hospital, and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, have ramped up disaster response measures, ensuring adequate availability of beds, oxygen, and essential medicines. Speaking to ANI, Dr Rima Dada, Professor in charge of media, AIIMS Delhi, said, that they are fully prepared to receive a large number of patients. "A few days back we had a mass casualty management mock drill and... We are fully prepared to receive a large number of patients together, be it burns, gunshot injuries, chest or abdominal injuries. We also have a good stock of medicines for pain relief, for amputation, head and spinal injuries," Dr Dada said. Authorities at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital echoed similar sentiments, affirming readiness through comprehensive disaster protocols. Hospitals have also cancelled staff leave. "We are fully prepared and equipped to handle any adversity. Our disaster Management Committee stands ready to respond to emergencies with comprehensive protocols and resources in place," a Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital official said. Dr Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Sir gangaram Hospital, said they have ensured adequate availability of beds, oxygen, blood and essential medicines. "We have ramped up our infrastructure, which means there is availability of adequate beds, there is availability of oxygen, there is availability of blood, there is availability of essential medicines. So, all in all, we are ready for any problem. Secondly, the most important thing is that because of this tension, trying to take advantage of this tension, there may be some mischievous elements who are trying to create problems within the hospital.We have beefed up the security of the hospital. The security agencies have been strictly told that the security arrangements must go up by a notch. No unauthorised person should be allowed," Dr Swaroop said. "We have constituted a high-level committee consisting of three senior consultants who are all ex-army, and the Director Medical, the Director Administration, the Chief Nursing Officer and they will be responsible for carrying out all activities about health requirements in case of any sort of emergency," Dr Swaroop said. "If required, frisking will be done, bags will be checked. All employees of the hospital are being strictly instructed to wear an eye guard and they will not be allowed to enter in any unauthorised way. Similarly, any unidentified object or bag, etc," Dr Swaroop added. At Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, a mock emergency scenario was also conducted, simulating an air strike that resulted in building collapse and multiple casualties. In response, emergency services including the NDRF, Delhi Police, Fire Brigade, Fire Department, Forensic teams, CATS, Civil Defence, and other relevant authorities promptly arrived at the site. "The Fire Department initiated immediate rescue operations, followed by firefighting efforts and a coordinated evacuation process. Approximately 10 injured patients were quickly stabilized and transferred to Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, with the assistance of Red Health and CATS ambulances. To ensure timely medical intervention, the Traffic Police facilitated a green corridor between the two hospitals." said Deepak Narang, Facility Director, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh. Aakash Healthcare Managing Director Dr Aashish Chaudhry assured that they are well-equipped to handle emergencies. "Healthcare institutions are integral to the success of these drills, with medical experts ensuring that they are well-equipped to handle emergencies in collaboration with authorities," Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash Healthcare, said, emphasising the importance of disaster readiness. Dr Chaudhry said that his team has undergone extensive preparedness drills to ensure swift emergency responses. "We take our role in disaster preparedness seriously. In light of the recent rise in security concerns, especially in the case of any retaliatory measures by a neighbouring country, we have activated our 'Code Brown' disaster protocol. This dedicated code is meant to address mass casualty incidents or major emergencies. Our entire team has undergone mock drills, ensuring that all protocols, ranging from emergency medical responses to patient management, are thoroughly practised," said Dr Chaudhry. Dr Chaudhry said that Aakash Healthcare have introduced meticulous blackout procedures designed to minimise visibility and enhance preparedness. "During a blackout situation, we have a meticulous system in place where all windows are covered by curtains, perimeter lights are turned off, and all signboards are blacked out. However, one critical factor that will not be interrupted is our emergency services. Even in such situations, our emergency care will continue to function without disruption," Dr Chaudhry said. Asian Hospital Faridabad Director Anupam Pandey said that they have trained their staff to deal with various emergency scenarios, including blackouts and other contingencies. "As a responsible healthcare organisation, we ensure that our team is constantly trained to deal with various emergency scenarios, including blackouts and other contingencies. Our hospital regularly conducts mock drills to assess our readiness and response times. We view these drills not only as a safety measure but as part of an ongoing training process to enhance the efficiency of our front-line workers," Pandey said. Dr. Sameer Bhati, a public health expert, says community-level emergency preparedness with basic life-saving skills, trained paramedics, and accessible services can reduce panic and save lives. "I believe emergency preparedness should start at the community level. People must learn basic life-saving skills like CPR, First Aid, and how to respond quickly in emergencies. First Aid boxes should be available at all public places, and ambulance services must be easily accessible. Paramedics should be trained to handle different types of injuries like cuts, fractures, and serious wounds. Such basic readiness can control panic and help save lives during any crisis." States Dr Sameer Bhati, Public Health Expert. (ANI)
Ravinder Raina, a senior BJP leader, hailed the Indian Army's decisive response to Pakistan's alleged misadventures, claiming that India's actions in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi thwarted Pakistan's plans. Raina stated that Pakistan, under pressure, has acknowledged that any terrorist incident in India will be treated as an act of war, reflecting the strength of India's 140 million citizens. "Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with a robust response from the Indian Army, successfully thwarting their plans. When Pakistan engaged in mischief in Pahalgam, India retaliated with action in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi. This prompted a significant response from Pakistan, which found itself in a difficult position, seeking assistance from the United States and India. Pakistan has now agreed that any terrorist incident occurring within India will be regarded as an "act of war." This shift shows the determination of 140 million Indians and highlights the nation's strength." Raina said. Earlier Today, both nations took the crucial step of de-escalation to restore peace. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week, and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for noon in May. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. They agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to implement this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12th at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity." Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. (ANI)
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi welcomed the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan and urged that the IMF's $2.5 billion aid to Pakistan should not be diverted to terror groups. He also praised the Indian armed forces for their defence of India's sovereignty, expressed solidarity with families affected by the Pahalgam attack and cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Poonch, and criticised Pakistan's attempts to promote the two-nation theory. He highlighted India's unity under the Constitution's secular values and support for the Prime Minister. https://x.com/GauravGogoiAsm/status/1921203517521264931?s=08 "I am grateful to the Indian armed forces for their stellar and professional role in defending India's territory and sovereignty. The men and women made us proud. I continue to pray for those families who suffered tremendously during the Pahalgam attack and the cross-border firing in Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Poonch region. Pakistan wanted to spread the two-nation theory in India, but Indians of all religions, ethnicities, and linguistic backgrounds rejected it and swore by the secularism in our Constitution. Over the last few days, Indians stood as one, united under our Tiranga, and everyone supported the Prime Minister and his government. The US, through the IMF, has overseen the funding of $2.5 billion into the Pakistani economy and has brokered an immediate ceasefire between India and Pakistan. I only hope they can ensure that this aid is not funnelled into terror groups," he wrote on X post. Earlier Today, both nations took the crucial step of de-escalation to restore peace. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week, and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for noon in May. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. They agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to implement this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12th at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said," India and Pakistan have worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising its sovereignty and territorial integrity." Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. (ANI)
The International Monetary Fund approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), enabling a disbursement of approximately USD 1 billion. India, however, firmly opposed providing funds to a country that continues to sponsor cross-border terrorism, warning that such support carries reputational risks for global institutions and undermines international norms. In a post on X, the IMF said, "IMF Board approved the first review of Pakistan's economic reform program under the EFF, enabling a disbursement of ~ $1 billion, reflecting strong program implementation which has contributed to continuing economic recovery." https://x.com/IMFNews/status/1920931733551411303 This stand was taken during the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) review of a USD 1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and consideration of a fresh USD 1.3 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) for Pakistan, sources within the Government of India said. India abstained from the recent IMF vote on approving a loan to Pakistan, not due to a lack of opposition, but because IMF rules do not permit a formal "no" vote, sources added. Further, New Delhi conveyed its strong dissent within the constraints of the IMF's voting system and used the opportunity to record its objections formally. India's key objections included: India also questioned the effectiveness of ongoing IMF assistance, noting that Pakistan has received support in 28 of the past 35 years including four programs in just the last five without meaningful or lasting reform and highlighted the Pakistani military's continued dominance in economic affairs, which undermines transparency, civilian oversight, and sustainable reform. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday reviewed the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) lending program (USD 1 billion) and also considered a fresh Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) lending program (USD 1.3 billion) for Pakistan. In its official statement, India raised significant concerns regarding Pakistan's track record with previous IMF loans and the potential misuse of funds for "state-sponsored cross-border terrorism." India's concerns extended beyond economic considerations to governance issues, particularly the role of Pakistan's military in economic affairs. The statement pointed out that "Pakistan military's deeply entrenched interference in economic affairs poses significant risks of policy slippages and reversal of reforms." It referenced a 2021 UN report that described military-linked businesses as the "largest conglomerate in Pakistan" and noted the army's current leading role in Pakistan's Special Investment Facilitation Council. (ANI)
Ukraine's Western allies including the US are threatening to slap Russia with more sanctions if Moscow fails to sign up to the 30-day truce in Ukraine proposed by the US, CNN reported. US President Donald Trump on Thursday added the threat of additional sanctions from the US and "its partners" to his latest call for an "unconditional ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine that Moscow has repeatedly rejected, as per CNN. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the new Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz, are set to meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday morning, Starmer's office said in a statement late on Friday, adding that the countries will "ratchet up pressure on Russia's war machine" until Moscow accepts a ceasefire. Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine one of his priorities and he has invested much effort into trying to get Russian President Vladimir Putin on board. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff went to Russia four times to meet with Putin and there have been several other high-level meetings between US and Russian officials since Trump returned to the White House in January. But despite offering some previously unthinkable concessions to Russia, the Trump administration has not been able to get Russia to agree to the limited ceasefire proposal, intended as opening a path towards a permanent truce. The latest move by Trump marks another shift in US stance on the conflict, which had at times been sympathetic to Kremlin, CNN reported. Just days ago, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened the US would walk away from the talks if there is no progress. Instead, the US is now leading Ukraine's other Western allies in trying to put more pressure on Russia. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hinted on Friday that an announcement outlining details of the ceasefire proposal is expected as early as Saturday. He said that leaders of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" - a group of Western nations that have pledged to help defend Ukraine against Russia - will meet in Kyiv on Saturday, CNN reported. (ANI)
The G7 counties on Saturday in a joint statement condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In the statement, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, US and the European Union called for restraint on both sides of the border. "We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan," the statement read. The statement expressed concerns for civilians on both sides. "Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides," it said. The statement said that both parties should engage in dialogue for a peaceful outcome. "We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution," the statement read. Earlier in the day, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt while speaking on US efforts to mediate on the conflict between India and Pakistan said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate. "This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," she said. Leavitt said that the conflict between the nations is an old one, and talks are on to prevent further escalations. "He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office. However, he has good relationships with the leaders of both countries and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I spoke to him just yesterday. He has been in constant communication with the leaders of both countries, trying to bring this conflict to an end," he said. (ANI)
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said that seven sorties of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, eight People's Liberation Army Naval (PLAN) vessels and one official ship were detected operating around Taiwan until 6 am (local time) on Saturday. Out of the seven sorties, four crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. In a post on X, Taiwan's MND stated, "7 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 4 out of 7 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1921007309976932397 Earlier on Friday, Taiwan's MND said that 14 sorties of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, eight People's Liberation Army Naval (PLAN) vessels and one official ship were detected operating around Taiwan. Out of the 14 sorties, 12 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. In a post on X, Taiwan's MND stated, " 14 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 12 out of 14 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1920644892058910808 Meanwhile on Thursday, two US senators have reintroduced the Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act, stating that its purpose is to reaffirm America's commitment to supporting Taiwan's democracy and international participation in response to growing diplomatic and military pressure from China, as reported by Central News Agency (CNA). Republican John Curtis and Democrat Jeff Merkley introduced the bill on Monday for the fourth time, following unsuccessful attempts in 2020, 2021, and 2023, when it failed to advance beyond the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, CNA reported. Curtis stated, "Our alliance with Taiwan is one of the most strategically and morally significant partnerships America has in the Indo-Pacific, and we need to ensure our policies match our principles. The Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act will deepen our relationship with Taiwan by elevating the status of our top diplomat, incentivising high-level cooperation and visits between our governments, and combating Chinese Communist Party disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan." (ANI)
Jonathan Spyer, Director of Research at Middle East Forum, condemned the coverage of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by the Western media. Spyer, in conversation with ANI, said that when Western civilians or countries are targeted by terror outfits, the media brands them as 'terrorists', but that is not the case with non-Western countries. "It is unfortunate regarding Western coverage that when terrorist organisations, including Islamist organisations, target Western targets and Western civilians, then there's no shyness about describing them as terrorists. But when they're targeting non-Western populations, then the desire for objectivity, so-called neutrality and seeing the views of both sides suddenly comes onto the agenda. I think it's very mistaken," he said. He called the act as being ommissive and ignorant of the fact that Pakistan was behind the attacks. "Not only is it incorrect, but it's also not good reporting, because the fact of the matter is that the reason for the current escalation is because of Pakistani support and sponsorship of Islamist terror organisations. So to miss that out, in fact, is to be doing poor reporting. It's not big objective, it's simply being ommissive of a major in the picture," he said. He added that although everyone wants a de-escalation, the act also reflects Western bias where non-Western countries are expected to show restraint. As per him, the media must paint the real picture. "I think it reflects also Western policy where we see an instant jump towards the need for de-escalation, the need for both sides to behave responsibly, and so on and so forth. This is all very well, of course nobody wants escalation, but it's very vital, I think, to present a clear picture here as to what the factors actually are, which have led to the escalation in the first place," he said. The comments were made in reference to a recent controversy where a US Government panel on foreign affairs pulled up a media house in the US for calling Pahalgam terrorists as 'militants'. https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1914843415793095043 "Hey, New York Times, we fixed it for you. This was a TERRORIST ATTACK plain and simple. Whether it's India or Israel, when it comes to TERRORISM the NYT is removed from reality," the post on X read. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on Friday (US Local time) which will allow people who have entered into the US illegally to get free flights out of the US. Calling it the "first-ever self-deportation program for illegal aliens", the US President said the order incentivises illegal immigrants to leave America. His remarks were shared through a video message posted on the official page of the White House. In the video message, Donald Trump said, "Today I signed an executive order to launch the first-ever self-deportation program for illegal aliens. We are making it as easy as possible for illegal aliens to leave America. Any illegal alien can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out of our country. We have also launched a phone app called CBP Home where illegals can book a free flight to any foreign country. As long as it's not here, you can go anywhere you want. We're also adding a very important exit bonus for illegals to further incentivize their self-deportation. This deportation bonus will save American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars." Taking a dig at former US President Joe Biden, Trump slammed him for his policies on immigration. "What Biden did to this country can never be explained, will never, ever be accepted. Eventually, when the illegals are gone, it will save us trillions of dollars." Coming back to the issue of illegal immigrants, the US President said that they would face severe consequences such as "punishments including significant jail time, enormous financial penalties, confiscation of all property, garnishment of all wages, imprisonment and incarceration, and sudden deportation in a place and manner solely of our discretion", if they continue to stay in India. Trump said, "So to all illegal aliens, book your free flight right now. We want you out of America, but if you're really good, we're going to try and help you get back in." Earlier in an article shared by the White House, titled, "Week 16 wins", on May 9, several actions taken by the US President against illegal immigrants were highlighted. These include plans to house America's most ruthless, violent criminals at Alcatraz prison and establishing a "Project Homecoming" to encourage illegal immigrants to voluntarily depart the US. "The Department of Homeland Security announced it will offer financial assistance and stipends for illegal immigrants voluntarily returning to their home country via the CBP Home App -- saving taxpayers as much as USD 1 million per illegal alien family in long-term costs of welfare and public support", the White House said in its statement. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday, the Department of State shared in a press statement. As per the US Department of State, Secretary Rubio emphasised that India and Pakistan "need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation". Notably, he proposed, "US support in facilitating productive discussions to avert future disputes". His remarks come after having spoken with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir earlier on Friday (US local time). According to the Department of State, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to deescalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts." Earlier, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate. "This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," she said. Leavitt said that the conflict between the nations is an old one, and talks are on to prevent further escalations. Meanwhile, during a press briefing in New Delhi on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas. Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan. "Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates," Singh said. "In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa... India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added. Foreign Secy Misri said that there has been a particular focus on targeting of civilian infra and population of India by Punjab and said earlier on Saturday Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir which resulted in the death of ADDM Raj Kumar Thapa. He informed that overnight there was damage to property and civilians in Firozpur and Jalandhar amongst other places". He slammed Pakistan for spreading fake news on targeting itself calling, "These lame attempts to divide India are doomed to failure". "There is a completely ludicrous claim that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan. Totally frivolous allegation" He said that Afghan people don't need to be reminded which country has targeted civilian population and infrastructure", Misri said. In his concluding remarks, Misri called the developments to be "an evolving situation". (ANI)
The US is intensifying its efforts to descalate the tensions between India and Pakistan. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday and reiterated the call to "re-establish direct communication" between India and Pakistan, as noted by the press statement from the US Department of State. In the statement issued, it was noted that Secretary Rubio reiterated the stance for de-escalation and re-establishing direct communication so as to avoid miscalculations between Pakistan and India. "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Secretary Rubio reiterated that both parties must find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation," the state department said. Rubio repeated his call of offering American assistance for starting "constructive talks" between the two countries in order to "avoid future conflicts". Rubio had shared the same sentiment with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar on Saturday and Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir on Friday. In his post the EAM said, Had a conversation with US Secretary of state Marco Rubio this morning. India's approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so." Earlier, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both the countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate. "This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," she said. The de-escalation efforts come even as India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). At least four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday. Meanwhile, during a press briefing in New Delhi on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas. Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan. "Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates," Singh said. "In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa... India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added. (ANI)
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has issued its latest weekly brief, warning that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is intensifying its campaign of repression in Xinjiang while much of the democratic world remains either complicit or silent. One of the most alarming disclosures in the brief involves Harvard University's TH Chan School of Public Health, which hosted executive training programs in 2023 and 2024 for members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC). According to the brief, the XPCC--commonly referred to as the "Bingtuan"--is a US-sanctioned paramilitary and economic entity that has played a central role in Beijing's policies of forced assimilation, mass surveillance, internment camps, and state-orchestrated forced labour targeting the Uyghur population. The WUC argued that Harvard's engagement with XPCC officials effectively legitimises a group at the heart of a system the U.S. government has formally designated as engaging in genocide. According to the brief, Uyghur human rights advocates described the university's cooperation as "academic complicity in crimes against humanity." The brief also highlighted a major setback for Uyghur media and freedom of information: the shutdown of Radio Free Asia's Uyghur service, which was attributed to a Trump-era funding freeze. The WUC stated that nearly 90 per cent of RFA staff had been laid off, severely limiting independent reporting on Chinese state repression in the region. "We've gone completely dark," said Mamatjan Juma, former director of RFA's Uyghur service, as quoted in the brief. He warned that the information vacuum is rapidly being filled by Chinese state propaganda and disinformation campaigns. Despite these challenges, the WUC noted positive developments on the international front. The organisation welcomed the election of Friedrich Merz as Germany's new Chancellor, expressing hope that Berlin would demonstrate renewed leadership on global human rights. The brief also reported that US Representative Chris Smith hosted a press conference in support of HR 1503, the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act. The proposed legislation targets what Smith and others described as the CCP's "industrial-scale organ harvesting" from Uyghurs, Falun Gong practitioners, and other prisoners of conscience. In a final appeal, the WUC called on newly elected Pope Leo XIV to take a moral stand and publicly condemn the Chinese government's atrocities. (ANI)
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion". Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya said that Pakistan's target was India's military infrastructure, LoC, IB and over 26 sites. "Pakistan used high speed missile at 01:40 AM to try to hit Punjab's airbase station", Col Qureshi said. She added, "In a condemnable and unprofessional act, Pakistan made the health centre and the schools at the Srinagar, Avantipur and Udhampur Air Force Stations as its targets. Because of this unresponsible act, the intent of Pakistan was yet again seen to target civil infrastructure" In a decisive response to Pakistan's aggressive actions along the western border and Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Armed Forces on Saturday targeted critical Pakistani military installations, including technical facilities, command and control centres, radar sites, and ammunition strongholds. Col Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. She further noted that the precision targeting was done to minimise any collateral damage, reiterating India's commitment to not wanting to escalate the situation. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh highlighted Pakistan's attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. She emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India's military capabilities and instil fear among the public. "Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adhampur, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and Arti-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh forward ammunition depot, with heavy damages to other military stations being propagated across social media," she said. After targeting several locations and civilians in different areas in India, the Pakistan Army is now moving its troops towards forward areas, signalling possible offensive intentions. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas.Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan. In his remarks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri urged people not be mislead by the "tissue of lies" being peddled by the Pakistanis state. (ANI)
The Baloch National Movement (BNM) has launched a mobile billboard campaign in Washington, DC, condemning the recent arrests and alleged custodial torture of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders in Pakistan. In a post on X, BNM revealed that the campaign, which featured a truck displaying messages highlighting human rights violations in Balochistan, was strategically driven near the Pakistani Embassy to garner international attention. On X, BNM stated: "BNM condemns these arrests and the treatment of BYC leaders in custody. BNM will continue to raise its voice against these actions on every platform. Without the independence of Balochistan, these violations cannot be stopped. The international community must support the Baloch nation in their struggle for freedom" Meanwhile, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) has also announced an awareness campaign in the cities of Arnhem and Maastricht, Netherlands, to spotlight the ongoing state-sponsored violence and severe human rights abuses in Balochistan. In a post on X, BNM emphasised that this campaign seeks to draw global attention to the suffering of the Baloch people and amplify their fight for justice and freedom. The movement called on all to unite in solidarity, stand up for the oppressed, and give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch's arrest, alongside other activists, has triggered widespread protests throughout Balochistan and among the Baloch diaspora. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has reported a troubling increase in enforced disappearances in the region. Furthermore, extrajudicial killings have surged in recent months. Individuals, often young activists or suspected sympathisers of Baloch nationalism, are abducted, and their whereabouts remain unknown, leading to significant distress among families and communities. Many of these disappearances have resulted in later discoveries of victims' bodies, showing signs of torture or extrajudicial killings In February 2025, the BYC organised protests in Gomazi Tump, Dalbandin, and Noshki to condemn the targeted killings of Baloch youth by state-backed death squads in Kech and other areas. Human rights organisations have echoed these concerns, calling on the Pakistani government to respect the rights of the Baloch people and to hold those responsible for these abuses accountable. This mounting crisis highlights the growing repression faced by the Baloch population, with widespread violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms. (ANI)
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held separate telephonic calls with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia shared the details on Saturday. In a post on X it was noted that the Saudi Foreign Minister held discussions focused on de-escalating the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, along with a focus on efforts to end the ongoing military confrontations between the two countries. He highlighted Saudi Arabia's commitment towards the security and stability of the region. The statement read, "Minister of Foreign Affairs His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, held two phone calls today with Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India and Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan." "During the calls, discussions focused on efforts to de-escalate tensions and end ongoing military confrontations. His Highness affirmed the Kingdom's commitment to the security and stability of the region and its close and balanced relations with both friendly countries." Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also held conversations with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir. The US is intensifying its efforts to descalate the tensions between India and Pakistan. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday and reiterated the call to "re-establish direct communication" between India and Pakistan, as noted by the press statement from the US Department of State. In the statement issued, it was noted that Secretary Rubio reiterated the stance for de-escalation and re-establishing direct communication so as to avoid miscalculations between Pakistan and India. "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Secretary Rubio reiterated that both parties must find ways to de-escalate the current situation and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation," the state department said.Rubio repeated his call of offering American assistance for starting "constructive talks" between the two countries in order to "avoid future conflicts". Rubio had shared the same sentiment with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar on Saturday and Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir on Friday. In his post the EAM said, "Had a conversation with US Secretary of state Marco Rubio this morning. India's approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so." The de-escalation efforts come even as India launched the retaliatory strikes immediately after Pakistan attacked 26 locations across India on Saturday, the sources told ANI. Intermittent firing is still going on at several places along the Line of Control (LoC). At least four airbases in Pakistan were hit by Indian strikes in the early hours of Saturday. Meanwhile, during a press briefing in New Delhi on Saturday, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Pakistan Army is moving troops towards forward areas. Wing Commander Singh asserted that while all hostile actions have been effectively countered with proportionate responses, India has reiterated its commitment to de-escalation, conditional on reciprocal restraint from Pakistan. "Pakistan Army has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation. Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately. Indian armed forces reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates," Singh said." In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa... India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan," she added. (ANI)
On Saturday Morning, Pakistani media reported that the Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif had called for the National Command authority which is responsible for making the operational decisions on Pakistan's nuclear weapons. A few hours later, the Pakistan top brass retracted under pressure. Khwaja Asif the Defence minister insisted that no meeting of the National Command Authority has been called. Interestingly, the backtrack happened after US Secretary of state had telephone calls with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Muneer and the Pakistan Deputy PM and FM Ishaq Dar. Rubio also spoke to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. To keep their hands clean, Asif went one step further telling Geo News that the nuclear option is not on the table, but if a situation arises, the "watchers" would also be affected. He made the remarks to Geo News. "I am telling the world that this is not going to be confined to the region only; it could be a much wider [...] destruction. Our options are being reduced considering the situation India is creating," he said. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also held telephone conversations with key political leaders to brief them on the current standoff. Pakistan has often held the Nuclear option as some kind of leverage in a crisis situation with India, with Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif making reference to Pakistan's nuclear capabilities in his recent address to the National Assembly. Tensions have been escalating between Pakistan and India after Pakistan caused a string of actions against India which were effectively responded to by the Indian armed forces. On Saturday in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to media, the Foreign Secretary said, "Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion." In a decisive response to Pakistan's aggressive actions along the western border and Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Armed Forces on Saturday targeted critical Pakistani military installations, including technical facilities, command and control centres, radar sites, and ammunition strongholds. Precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. (ANI)
In a show of support for Ukraine, leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland travelled to Kyiv, urging Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasised the importance of peace, sovereignty, and Ukraine's future as a free and European nation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with the leaders, paid tribute to the soldiers killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "We remember and honor the sacrifice of the fallen Ukrainian warriors." https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921118045646303687 Sharing a post on X, Starmer wrote, "In Kyiv today with @EmmanuelMacron, @_FriedrichMerz, and @DonaldTusk. Russia must agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Every step we take towards that is another step towards security and prosperity in the UK." https://x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1921132737546633370 In a post on X, Macron wrote, "Back in Kyiv, my first thoughts go to the Ukrainian people. For more than three years, you have stood with admirable courage... In the face of Russia's aggression, our response must be collective. This visit is made jointly with Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom." The post added, "I have three messages. First, peace -- A just and lasting peace begins with a full and unconditional ceasefire. That is the proposal we are advancing with the United States. Ukraine accepted it on March 11. Russia, however, delays, sets preconditions, plays for time, and continues its war of invasion. Second, sovereignty -- The peace agreement to be built must guarantee Ukraine's security. That is what we have been working on--in Paris, in London, and now here in Kyiv. We are making progress together. Finally, the future -- Ukraine is fighting for its people, but also for the European ideal we all believe in. A free, strong, prosperous, and European Ukraine is our goal." https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1921098630934470794 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk shared a photo of himself in Ukraine, accompanied by the flags of both Poland and Ukraine, showcasing support. https://x.com/donaldtusk/status/1921096689236009083 Earlier, CNN reported that Ukraine's Western allies, including the US, are threatening to slap Russia with more sanctions if Moscow fails to sign up to the 30-day truce in Ukraine proposed by the US. US President Donald Trump on Thursday added the threat of additional sanctions from the US and "its partners" to his latest call for an "unconditional ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine that Moscow has repeatedly rejected. Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine one of his priorities, and he has invested much effort into trying to get Russian President Vladimir Putin on board. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff went to Russia four times to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and there have been several other high-level meetings between US and Russian officials since Trump returned to the White House in January. (ANI)
In a troubling sign of escalating repression, the Pakistan Army appears to be targeting even elderly individuals in its ongoing crackdown on Baloch activists. This disturbing development is evident from the recent arrest of 75-year-old Zaheer Baloch, a prominent Baloch activist, during the Eid ul-Fitr celebrations in Quetta. Prominent Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch vehemently condemned the arrest, expressing her outrage on the social media platform X. In a post, she said, "A 75-year-old elderly man, Zaheer Baloch, was arrested on the day of Eid ul-Fitr in Quetta for participating in a peaceful protest held by the families of missing persons and expressing solidarity with them." She added that the protest, where families peacefully raised their voices for the return of their loved ones, was unjustly met with state violence. Sammi Deen Baloch further highlighted the inhumane treatment Zaheer Baloch endured during his imprisonment. His health, already fragile due to his age, deteriorated rapidly while in custody. Despite being taken to the hospital twice, inadequate medical care worsened his condition. Concerned for his well-being, Sammi revealed that Zaheer's condition became critically serious, forcing his release due to the worsening health crisis. She also raised alarms about the fate of other political prisoners, particularly those associated with the Baloch Solidarity Committee, who remain in illegal detention under similar harsh conditions. Balochistan has long faced systemic repression, with the Pakistani state targeting activists, political leaders, and ordinary citizens advocating for Baloch rights and autonomy. The region experiences enforced disappearances, military crackdowns, and violations of human rights. The Baloch people's calls for self-determination often meet violent suppression, especially under the military's control. The Pakistani military has frequently carried out violent crackdowns on peaceful protests, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Civilian infrastructure in Balochistan has been militarised, and human rights organisations have reported widespread torture, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detention. The Baloch people's calls for self-determination and the protection of their natural resources face staunch resistance from the state, which views these demands as a threat to national unity. The repression has deepened resentment, fueling insurgencies and further instability in the region, leaving Balochistan caught in a cycle of violence and neglect. (ANI)
The United States and China have started trade talks in Geneva, Switzerland, CNN reported, citing Chinese state media. According to state broadcaster CCTV, China's Vice Premier He Lifeng and the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are leading the negotiations for their respective countries. A day earlier, President Donald Trump indicated that he is open to significantly reducing the United States' existing 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods. Trump said that an 80 per cent tariff on China "seems right," adding that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would make the final decision. Sharing a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump wrote, "80% Tariff on China seems right! Up to Scott B." "China should open up its market to USA -- would be so good for them!!! Closed markets don't work anymore," Trump wrote in another post. The US has placed a minimum tariff of 145 per cent on most Chinese imports, and China has responded with a 125 per cent tariff on most US imports. Trump on Thursday announced a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom, and 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 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." Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs that went into effect on 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. (ANI)
In a deeply personal counter to Beijing's long-denied campaign of repression, prominent Uyghur activist Rushan Abbas is set to release her memoir, Unbroken: One Uyghur's Fight for Freedom, on June 10. According to a press release by Campaigns for Uyghurs, a Washington-based non-profit organisation, the book sheds light on China's brutal persecution of the Uyghur people and calls on the world to take action against ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Published with the support of Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU), the memoir reportedly offers a rare and uncompromising account of Rushan's journey from student activism in Urumqi to the halls of international advocacy. "This book echoes the voices of my people, woven from grief, anchored in resolve, and lifted by hope. It is a testament to our unbroken will and spirit in the face of tyranny. It is a faithful record of communities targeted for their ethno-religious identity, and a warning of the consequences our children will face if we fail to act," the press release quoted Rushan as saying. The press release further said, "Each page bears the weight of the pain and resilience I've carried and developed since my innocent sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, was disappeared by the Chinese regime simply for being my sister, and for who I am. I hope Unbroken fosters a deeper understanding of the truth and compels action to confront what I believe is today's greatest threat to humanity." The press release said that the memoir is not just a personal testimony but a wider indictment of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) systematic targeting of the Uyghur population. It includes never-before-seen excerpts from Rushan's father's writings on surviving Mao's Cultural Revolution--further illustrating a generational cycle of suppression by the Chinese state. The Uyghur population in China reportedly faces a wide range of human rights violations including mass internment in re-education camps, intrusive surveillance and suppression of religious practices. These state-led actions aim to erase Uyghur identity and have drawn global condemnation. (ANI)
As European leaders gathered in Kyiv to show solidarity with Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen voiced strong support for peace. Backing the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, she emphasised that it must be implemented without preconditions. Saying that "the ball is now in Russia's court," von der Leyen warned of further sanctions if Moscow breaches the ceasefire, underscoring that a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is essential for the stability and security of Europe. Sharing a post on X, von der Leyen wrote, "We support the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. It must be implemented without preconditions to pave the way for meaningful peace negotiations. The ball is now in Russia's court." "We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire. Our objective is clear: a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, which is vital for security and stability across our continent," the post added. https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1921139800796504301 Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland travelled to Kyiv, urging Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasised the importance of peace, sovereignty, and Ukraine's future as a free and European nation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with the leaders, paid tribute to the soldiers killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "We remember and honor the sacrifice of the fallen Ukrainian warriors." https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921118045646303687 Sharing a post on X, Starmer wrote, "In Kyiv today with @EmmanuelMacron, @_FriedrichMerz, and @DonaldTusk. Russia must agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Every step we take towards that is another step towards security and prosperity in the UK." https://x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1921132737546633370 In a post on X, Macron wrote, "Back in Kyiv, my first thoughts go to the Ukrainian people. For more than three years, you have stood with admirable courage... In the face of Russia's aggression, our response must be collective. This visit is made jointly with Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom." The post added, "I have three messages. First, peace -- A just and lasting peace begins with a full and unconditional ceasefire. That is the proposal we are advancing with the United States. Ukraine accepted it on March 11. Russia, however, delays, sets preconditions, plays for time, and continues its war of invasion. Second, sovereignty -- The peace agreement to be built must guarantee Ukraine's security. That is what we have been working on--in Paris, in London, and now here in Kyiv. We are making progress together. Finally, the future -- Ukraine is fighting for its people, but also for the European ideal we all believe in. A free, strong, prosperous, and European Ukraine is our goal." https://x.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1921098630934470794 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk shared a photo of himself in Ukraine, accompanied by the flags of both Poland and Ukraine, showcasing support. https://x.com/donaldtusk/status/1921096689236009083 Earlier, CNN reported that Ukraine's Western allies, including the US, are threatening to slap Russia with more sanctions if Moscow fails to sign up to the 30-day truce in Ukraine proposed by the US. US President Donald Trump on Thursday added the threat of additional sanctions from the US and "its partners" to his latest call for an "unconditional ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine that Moscow has repeatedly rejected. Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine one of his priorities, and he has invested much effort into trying to get Russian President Vladimir Putin on board. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff went to Russia four times to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there have been several other high-level meetings between US and Russian officials since Trump returned to the White House in January. (ANI)
Former diplomat Yogendra Kumar on Saturday shared his insights on the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly in light of Operation Sindoor. He said that while the international community urges de-escalation, India is merely responding to Pakistan's actions, adding that the military operation was a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. In his remarks, Kumar stated, "Operation Sindoor was the first attack we did on Pakistan to take revenge and give a proper answer for the atrocities they committed in Pahalgam." He explained that the operation was named "very appropriately - for the wives, the mothers, the brothers, the children, who were killed - innocent people, who meant no harm to anyone." Kumar emphasised that Operation Sindoor was not just a military action but a step to serve justice for the victims of terrorism. "It had to be responded to, and rightly," he asserted, adding that India aimed to hold accountable those who were behind the attack. "Ultimately, not only is it an aggravation, but clearly a challenge to the country and the leadership to protect its citizens. Operation Sindoor was a response to that." India launched precision strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the intervening night of May 7-8 to hold those responsible for the Pahalgam attack accountable. The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure, not civilian areas, and was a measured response to the atrocities committed. Pakistan's reaction to Operation Sindoor was seen as an escalation, leading to increased firing along the international border and resulting in innocent lives lost. India has had to respond clearly to these actions, prioritising national defense. "The response that Pakistan then made was an escalation... Instead of cooperating with India and saying yes, this is a common fight against terrorism, they actually retaliated," Kumar remarked. According to him, this reaction triggered a cycle of escalating tensions, which continues to impact the Line of Control (LOC) and the international border. "Since that time, the escalatory cycle has been ratcheted up. You've seen on the line of control (LOC), on the international border, innocent lives have been lost and intense firing is increasing, so India has to respond to that clearly because it is a matter of national defence," Kumar stated, underscoring the importance of safeguarding Indian citizens. He made it clear that India's actions were driven by a commitment to protecting its population and ensuring that those behind terrorism are held accountable. Elaborating on India's dual approach, Kumar highlighted that the country has maintained both a strong military posture and proactive diplomacy. "What we are doing is two things - one is that we have said that we are going to hold them responsible - we are going to serve justice on them, and also to hold accountable the people behind these kinds of terror factories that are being run from Pakistan." He underscored that this strategy is not only about immediate responses but also about addressing the root of the problem. Yogendra Kumar emphasised the need for global cooperation to combat terrorism, referencing a UN statement on the importance of fighting terrorism. He questioned Pakistan's cooperation in this effort, given its history of supporting terrorist activities. Kumar concluded by pointing out that terrorism is a global issue affecting all nations, including Pakistan itself. He questioned Pakistan's willingness to cooperate in global anti-terrorism efforts, asking, "Where is Pakistan? Is it actually cooperating?" He further mentioned that while the world urges de-escalation, India's stance remains firm on defending itself and responding to any threats. "We hope that with this international pressure, Pakistan will understand," he stated. (ANI)
In a significant diplomatic development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to begin comprehensive talks at a neutral location. Rubio further said that he and Vice President JD Vance had been in close contact with senior Indian and Pakistani officials over the past 48 hours, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif. He praised the leadership of PM Modi and Sharif for demonstrating "wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship" in opting for dialogue over conflict. Sharing a post on X, Rubio wrote, "Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik." "I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," the post added. https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1921175185836708140 Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire." Claiming US mediation played a key role, Trump praised the leadership of both countries for choosing "common sense and great intelligence" to de-escalate the crisis, marking a moment of cautious relief in a volatile regional standoff. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" A day earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, while speaking on US efforts to mediate the conflict between India and Pakistan, said that the US intends to de-escalate the tensions between both countries. Leavitt said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been in talks with the leaders of both nations to de-escalate. "This is something that the secretary of state, and now our national security adviser, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," she said. Leavitt said that the conflict between the nations is old, and talks are being held to prevent further escalations. "He understands these two countries have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office. However, he has good relationships with the leaders of both countries and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I spoke to him just yesterday. He has been in constant communication with the leaders of both countries, trying to bring this conflict to an end," she said. When asked if US President Donald Trump would personally contact the leaders of those countries to try to de-escalate this situation, Leavitt said, "If and when that happens, we will certainly let you know." Meanwhile, Trump on Wednesday (local time) expressed his concern over the escalating situation between India and Pakistan and stated that he would offer any possible help to de-escalate tensions along the India-Pakistan border. (ANI)
India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, ending a period of escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries. According to official sources, the ceasefire was established through direct communication between the two nations, with the Pakistan Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) initiating the call. Discussions followed, leading to an understanding without any decision to hold further talks on other issues. https://x.com/MIshaqDar50/status/1921175494633943541 Confirming the ceasefire, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!" Indian Foreign Secretary also confirmed the ceasefire, "Pakistan's Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 3:35 PM earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 5 PM hours Indian Standard Time. Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 12 noon." https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114483405683675564 Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on Truth Social, claiming that the agreement was achieved after a "long night of talks mediated by the United States." Trump stated, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence." However, Indian official sources maintained that the ceasefire was a direct bilateral arrangement between India and Pakistan, contradicting Trump's assertion of US mediation. The understanding was reportedly reached without any third-party involvement. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had earlier acknowledged that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in communication with both countries, seeking to de-escalate the situation. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had previously highlighted that Pakistan's actions against India were viewed as "escalatory" and "provocative." During a press briefing, Misri presented evidence of these actions, exposing what he described as false narratives being pushed by Pakistan. The ceasefire agreement is expected to bring relief to the region after a period of heightened tensions and repeated exchanges of accusations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. (ANI)
India has reported a significant decline in excess mortality rates for 2020 and 2021, with figures standing at around one-third of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) estimates, according to official sources. Data published by the Registrar General of India (RGI) under the Civil Registration System (CRS) indicates that India's excess mortality during the two-year period stood at 9.3 per cent, substantially lower than that of other major income countries. For comparison, the United States recorded an excess mortality of 17.6 per cent, while the United Kingdom and Italy reported 11.8 per cent. This places India among the better-performing nations globally in terms of excess mortality during the pandemic years. Beyond the context of excess mortality, India has made remarkable strides in improving key maternal and child health indicators, as highlighted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report 2021, the country's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) saw a significant reduction, dropping from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 93 in 2019-21. This decline of 37 points demonstrates a substantial improvement, moving India closer to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing MMR to 70 per lakh live births by 2030. Eight states, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, have already achieved the SDG target. Child mortality indicators have also shown a consistent downward trend. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) declined from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 27 per 1,000 live births in 2021. Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) fell from 26 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 19 per 1,000 live births in 2021. Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) also dropped from 45 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 31 per 1,000 live births in 2021. The Sex Ratio at Birth improved from 899 in 2014 to 913 in 2021, reflecting a positive shift in gender balance at birth. Notably, 12 states and union territories have already met the SDG target of U5MR of 25 per 1,000 live births, while six states have met the SDG target of NMR of 12 per 1,000 live births. India's achievements in maternal and child health significantly outpace global averages, as confirmed by the latest United Nations reports. The UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group (UN-MMEIG) Report (2000-2023) noted a 23-point decline in India's MMR from 2020 to 2023. This translates to an 86 per cent reduction in MMR over 33 years, compared to a global decline of just 48 per cent during the same period. Similarly, the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) Report (2024) acknowledged India's strong performance, highlighting a 78 per cent decline in Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR), a 70 per cent decline in Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), and a 71 per cent decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) over the past 33 years. These reductions are significantly higher than global declines of 61 per cent, 54 per cent, and 58 per cent, respectively. The government attributed this success to a series of strategic interventions and flagship health schemes, including the Ayushman Bharat program, which is recognised as the world's largest health assurance initiative. Ayushman Bharat provides an annual health coverage of up to INR 5 lakh per family, ensuring financial protection and access to essential healthcare services. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also focused on strengthening health infrastructure across the country, establishing Maternity Waiting Homes, Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Wings, Obstetric High Dependency Units (HDUs), Intensive Care Units (ICUs), Newborn Stabilisation Units (NBSUs), Sick Newborn Care Units (SNCUs), and Mother-Newborn Care Units. In addition to infrastructural enhancements, the government has emphasised quality healthcare services for pregnant women, ensuring free institutional deliveries, including caesarean sections, along with free transport, medication, diagnostics, and nutritional support in public health facilities. To further improve maternal and child health outcomes, the government has adopted key clinical practices such as the administration of antenatal corticosteroids for preterm labour, the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for newborns, and structured follow-up programs for hearing and vision screening. The focus on ensuring skilled healthcare delivery has also been a priority. The Ministry has invested in training and deploying skilled birth attendants, midwives, and community health workers to deliver essential maternal and child health services at the grassroots level. Health data systems have been strengthened with real-time surveillance for maternal, newborn, and child health through digital platforms, enabling data-driven, evidence-based policy decisions. These sustained improvements are a result of India's unwavering commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The Ministry has highlighted that eight states, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Karnataka, have already met the SDG target for MMR. Similarly, 12 states and union territories have achieved the SDG target for U5MR, and six states have met the target for NMR. India's success in reducing maternal and child mortality, as well as maintaining lower excess mortality rates during the pandemic, underscores the effectiveness of its health policies and strategic interventions. With consistent efforts, India continues to move towards achieving the SDG 2030 targets, ensuring better health outcomes for its population. (ANI)
China is attempting to reshape global perceptions of World War II, presenting itself as one of the victorious nations and promoting a narrative that justifies its current regional ambitions, a source familiar with foreign affairs said on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity, Taipei Times reported. According to the source, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is actively promoting a "revisionist" view of history, which seeks to portray China as a central figure in the Allied victory over Japan while downplaying the role of other nations. The source explained that Beijing is framing its commemorative events as a celebration of its resistance against Japan and its fight against fascism. As part of this narrative, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to commemorate the anniversary of World War II's end alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The CCP has also intensified its messaging since last year, emphasising that China should be recognised not only as a victor in World War II but also as a custodian of the post-war global order, reported Taipei Times. "Starting last year, China has been stepping up its efforts to spread the revisionist message that it was one of the victorious nations in World War II and that it should also shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the post-war world order," the source said. This portrayal, the source added, is being used to reinforce China's geopolitical ambitions, including its claims over Taiwan. Beijing is arguing that Taiwan was returned to China at the end of World War II, a claim disputed by Taipei. The source also warned that the CCP is seeking to involve Taiwanese politicians and groups in its anniversary celebrations, a move aimed at bolstering its version of history. This campaign is expected to continue until the conclusion of a military parade in Beijing on September 3, which will mark China's commemoration of its victory over Japan, Taipei Times reported. The source pointed out that Taiwan's President William Lai, during his speech commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, highlighted that "the invaders always lose, and victory is assured by standing together." The speech underscored the importance of recognising historical truths and maintaining international unity against authoritarian threats. (ANI)
In a strong rebuttal to Pakistan, Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi dismissed Islamabad's claims of successful strikes on key Indian military assets as entirely false and part of a coordinated misinformation campaign. Denouncing Pakistan's statements about damage to India's S400 and BrahMos bases, as well as alleged hits on airfields and ammunition depots, Qureshi made it clear that no such damage occurred. She also condemned Pakistan's baseless accusations regarding harm to religious sites, reaffirming that India is a secular nation and that its army upholds the constitutional values of inclusivity and integrity. Addressing a press briefing on Saturday, Qureshi said, "Pakistan claimed that it damaged our S400 and Brahmos missile base with its JF 17, which is completely wrong. Secondly, it also ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia and Bhuj were damaged, and its misinformation is also completely wrong." She added, "Thirdly, according to Pakistan's misinformation campaign, our ammunition depot in Chandigarh and Vyas was damaged, which is also completely wrong. Pakistan made false allegations that the Indian Army damaged mosques. I want to make it very clear that India is a secular nation and our army is a very beautiful reflection of the constitutional value of India..." Wing Commander Vyomika Singh clarified that all Indian military operations have been strictly targeted at terrorist camps and infrastructure linked to anti-India activities. "In the highest regard, our operations have been aimed exclusively at terrorist camps and facilities being used for anti-India activities. No religious sites have been targeted by the Indian Armed Forces," Vyomika Singh said in the press conference. She added, "There has been extensive damage to the crucial Pakistani air bases- Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari. In addition, a loss of AD weapon system and radar made the defence of Pakistani airspace untenable..." Meanwhile, Commodore Raghu R. Nair confirmed that a mutual understanding has been reached between India and Pakistan to halt all military activities across all domains--land, air, and sea. He stated that the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been formally instructed to comply with this ceasefire agreement, marking a significant move toward de-escalation and regional stability. Raghu R Nair said during the briefing, "There has been an understanding that has been reached to stop all military activities at sea, in the air and on land. Indian army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Forces have been instructed to adhere to this understanding..." In a crucial step toward de-escalation, Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." Earlier in the day, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Pakistan Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also confirmed the ceasefire, saying, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity." Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both countries had agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. "Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce that the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he said. Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Taiwan's Council of Indigenous Peoples has criticised a former legislator for echoing "United Front" slogans during an event in China, asserting that Taiwan's indigenous peoples are not "descendants of the Yellow Emperor," Taipei Times reported. The council emphasised that any exchanges involving indigenous communities must be based on mutual respect and equality, without promoting political agendas. The controversy centres around former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator and National Dong Hwa University professor Yosi Takun, who recently attended an event hosted by China's Yunnan Minzu University. During the event, a banner proclaiming "Both sides of the Strait share the same ancestry, Zhonghua spirit, and are one big family" was prominently displayed. Taiwan's Council of Indigenous Peoples rejected this narrative, reaffirming that Taiwan's indigenous peoples are of Austronesian descent, not of Chinese lineage. "Taiwan's indigenous peoples are not descendants of the Yellow Emperor," the council declared, adding that these communities are culturally and linguistically linked to the Austronesian family, not the Sino-Tibetan language family. The council criticised Yosi's remarks at the event, where he described minority cultures as an "important part of Chinese civilisation." The council condemned this statement, arguing that, as reported by the Taipei Times, such rhetoric attempts to diminish the unique identity and cultural heritage of Taiwan's indigenous populations. Experts have described the event as part of a broader "cultural united front" strategy employed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). National Cheng Kung University political science professor Hung Ching-fu explained that the banner's message was a clear example of Beijing's efforts to manipulate cultural narratives to present Taiwan's indigenous peoples as part of China's ethnic minority framework. "The banner made no sense and was a blatant 'united front' move," Hung stated. Linguists supported the council's position, highlighting that Taiwan's indigenous languages share a deep historical connection with Austronesian languages rather than any link to Sino-Tibetan languages. This distinction underscores the independent cultural and linguistic heritage of Taiwan's indigenous communities, which China's narrative seeks to overshadow. Yunnan Province, known for its ethnic diversity, has long been used by the CCP as a base for promoting "United Front" rhetoric aimed at Taiwan's indigenous communities, Hung said. The recent event was reportedly organised by the Yunnan Provincial Government's Taiwan Affairs Office and hosted by Yunnan Minzu University. According to a source who spoke on anonymity, the CCP invited delegations from the Taiwanese indigenous community, representatives of the Taiwan-Yunnan Association, and other groups to participate. The council expressed concern that such exchanges may be used to draw indigenous students from Taiwan to Yunnan Minzu University, potentially leading them to adopt a Chinese-centric view of their heritage. Professor Hung further questioned the legality of Yosi Takun's position as a visiting professor at the university, suggesting that the Ministry of Education and national security agencies should investigate if his role is a paid position. Responding to the criticism, Yosi Takun defended his participation, stating that his intention was to foster academic exchanges and cultural interaction between students from both sides. He argued that such interactions could help the next generation build mutual understanding and explore new possibilities for innovation, Taipei Times reported. However, the Council of Indigenous Peoples maintained that Taiwan's indigenous communities should not be exploited for political purposes and called for vigilance against any attempts by the CCP to manipulate cultural narratives for political gain. "Indigenous peoples are not a political tool," the council emphasised, insisting that any engagement with China must preserve the dignity and unique identity of Taiwan's indigenous populations. (ANI)
The United States has applauded India and Pakistan's decision to reach an understanding amid tensions between the two nations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, with Vice President JD Vance praising the diplomatic efforts behind the breakthrough. https://x.com/JDVance/status/1921188620452393411 In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vance stated, "Great work from the President's team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire." The Vice President's remarks came in response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's announcement. Rubio provided details of the US-led diplomatic engagement that led to the stoppage of all military actions on land, at sea, and in the air. https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1921175185836708140 "Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik," Rubio posted. Rubio further confirmed that the two countries also consented to begin talks on a broader set of issues at a neutral site. "We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he added, directly acknowledging the leadership of both nations. This development aligns with an earlier announcement by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, who confirmed that India and Pakistan had "worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action." In his statement on X, Jaishankar reiterated India's consistent stance against terrorism, stating, "India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." The ceasefire agreement follows a period of escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with former US President Donald Trump previously announcing that both nations had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire." Trump claimed that US mediation played a pivotal role in securing the agreement. "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump posted on Truth Social. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also endorsed this understanding, stating, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!" Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasised the role of US diplomatic efforts in easing the conflict. She stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been actively engaged in dialogue with leaders from both countries, working to prevent further escalations. "The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible," Leavitt said. Leavitt also highlighted that the US has maintained strong diplomatic relations with both India and Pakistan, adding that Secretary Rubio had been in continuous communication with their leaders. "He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office," she noted. As the ceasefire takes effect, the focus now shifts to the planned talks between India and Pakistan, which are expected to address a broader range of issues beyond the immediate cessation of hostilities. (ANI)
Following the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan on Saturday amid tensions between the two nations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged both sides to sustain this and emphasised that "de-escalation is in everybody's interest." Sharing a post on X, Lammy wrote, "Today's ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome. I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody's interest." https://x.com/DavidLammy/status/1921208864239694008 Lammy said earlier that he held talks with EAM S Jaishankar and Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and emphasised the need for dialogue for a "sustainable ceasefire." "Last night's military activity between India and Pakistan is a serious concern. Speaking today to @DrSJaishankar and @MIshaqDar50. I was clear that conflict is in nobody's interest. There needs to be a dialogue that leads to a swift and sustainable ceasefire," Lammy wrote on X. https://x.com/DavidLammy/status/1921167934312845624 Earlier, the United States applauded India and Pakistan's decision to cease hostilities, with Vice President JD Vance praising the diplomatic efforts behind the breakthrough. In a post on X, Vance stated, "Great work from the President's team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire." The Vice President's remarks came in response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's announcement. Rubio provided details of the US-led diplomatic engagement that led to the stoppage of all military actions on land, at sea, and in the air. "Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik," Rubio posted. Rubio further confirmed that the two countries also consented to begin talks on a broader set of issues at a neutral site. "We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he added, directly acknowledging the leadership of both nations. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this week. The two sides agreed to halt all military actions--on land, at sea, and in the air--effective from 1700 hours IST. Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon. Addressing the press briefing on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time." He added, "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on the 12th of May at 1200 hours." External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." Claiming that US mediation played a key role, US President Donald Trump praised the leadership of both countries for choosing "common sense and great intelligence" to de-escalate the crisis. Sharing a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Earlier, India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on May 2. The attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites deep inside Pakistan. This saw Pakistan up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
As European leaders gathered in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a full and unconditional ceasefire starting May 12. Zelenskyy emphasised that the ceasefire must cover all areas, land, sea, and air, and last at least 30 days. Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland travelled to Kyiv, urging Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasised the importance of peace, sovereignty, and Ukraine's future as a free and European nation. Sharing a post on X, Zelensakyy wrote, "Together in Kyiv at the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing -- five of us in person, joined online by leaders from over 30 countries, the EU, and NATO -- we discussed what is urgently needed to achieve peace. The key outcome: a united and clear position on the following points." "Starting Monday, May 12, there must be a full and unconditional ceasefire - for at least 30 days. Together, we demand this from Russia. An unconditional ceasefire means without any conditions. Any attempt to set a condition or conditions is a sign of an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy. The ceasefire must be comprehensive - in the air, at sea, and on land. Monitoring its implementation is absolutely doable - in coordination from the United States, this is realistic. Such a ceasefire should last for 30 days to give a real chance to diplomacy. During this time, work will focus on outlining the security, political, and humanitarian foundations for peace," the post added. https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921199201649627469 Zelenskyy further warned that if Russia refuses to accept a full and unconditional ceasefire starting May 12, tougher sanctions will follow, targeting its energy and banking sectors. He also announced that preparations are underway for a powerful 17th package of EU sanctions, coordinated with the UK, Norway, and the United States. "If Russia refuses a full and unconditional ceasefire, stronger sanctions must be applied to its energy (oil, shadow fleet, fossil fuels) and banking sectors. Preparations are underway for a strong 17th package of EU sanctions, which will be coordinated with the sanctions of the UK, Norway, and the United States. We agreed to continue working on the effective use of frozen Russian assets and to discuss this at the next G7 summit," Zelenskyy wrote on X. The Ukrainian President also stated that global leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Ukraine's defence. Zelenskyy said, "We agreed to keep strengthening Ukraine's defence, especially the Ukrainian army. This includes both funding our defence resilience and investing in weapons production in Ukraine, in joint projects, and in European countries. At the conclusion of the meeting, we all spoke together with President Trump and agreed on our shared vision and our further joint actions. I thank everyone who supports a dignified end to this war." The Russia-Ukraine war, now in its third year since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, has become one of the most devastating conflicts in Europe. (ANI)
The European Union has welcomed the stoppage of military actions between India and Pakistan, with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas emphasising the importance of maintaining peace. https://x.com/kajakallas/status/1921202018296721698 "Just spoke again with Dr S Jaishankar and Ishaq Dar. The announced ceasefire between India and Pakistan is a vital step toward de-escalation. All efforts must be made to ensure it is respected. The EU remains committed to peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region," Kallas posted on X. https://x.com/EUAmbIndia/status/1921211591821062464 Herve Delphin, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to India, confirmed this by posting: "HRVP Kaja Kallas held several calls in the past days with both sides to help bring tensions down. Her message tonight after the announcement of a ceasefire..." The EU's call for maintaining the ceasefire follows diplomatic endorsements from the United States, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the agreement. Vance commended the leadership of both India and Pakistan, stating, "Great work from the President's team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire." Rubio, who played a direct role in the US diplomatic efforts, detailed the process on social media. "Over the past 48 hours, VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik," he wrote. Rubio further confirmed that both countries had agreed to an immediate end to hostilities and to begin talks on a broader range of issues at a neutral site. "We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace." India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had earlier confirmed the ceasefire, stating on X, "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so." His statement highlighted India's ongoing commitment to combating terrorism while supporting peace. The de-escalation comes after US President Donald Trump claimed that American mediation was instrumental in securing the agreement. "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also supported the announcement, posting, "Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity." (ANI)
Gaza City [Gaza], May 10 (ANI/WAM): ''Operation Chivalrous Knight 3'' has launched the fourth phase of its water supply project for residents of the Gaza Strip, by supporting the maintenance of central wells across the municipalities of the Strip. The initiative is being carried out in cooperation with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), with the aim of enhancing the municipalities' capacity to deliver water to Palestinian citizens amid the escalating humanitarian crisis and ensuring the continuity of basic services. This phase includes the repair of approximately 28 non-operational wells across various governorates in Gaza, aiming to provide water access to around 700,000 people, thereby alleviating their harsh living conditions.Sharif Al-Nayrab, Media Director of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 in Gaza, praised the efforts of UAE humanitarian organisations and charitable associations, which have consistently supported all sectors in Gaza. Key supporters of this project include the Sharjah Charity International, the Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Foundation, and Dar Al Ber Society. Mohammad Arbaei, Deputy Chairman of the Support Committee for Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 in Gaza, explained that this is the fourth water-related project, following three previous initiatives: the distribution of water tankers delivering water daily to thousands of citizens, the drilling of primitive "Nazzaz" wells along the southern coasts, and the drilling of submersible wells to improve water access for residents suffering daily. Omar Shatat, Deputy Director General for Technical Affairs at the CMWU in Gaza, stated that the humanitarian initiative has served as a key lifeline and emergency support effort to ease the suffering of Gaza's population. He highlighted that the fourth phase of the central well maintenance project is one of the operation's most impactful initiatives to date. Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 continues its humanitarian mission across all governorates of Gaza, aiming to alleviate the hardships faced by residents and facilitate their access to essential and life-sustaining services. (ANI/WAM)
Sharjah [UAE], May 10 (ANI/WAM): The 12th edition of the Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA), organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, is now open to government agencies, individuals, and institutions from around the world. The award invites pioneers and innovators in media and communication to share their inspiring stories in the category of Best Media and Communication Content, with winners to be honoured in a ceremony scheduled for this coming September. This year's award, which is accepting submissions until July 24, includes 23 categories distributed across five main sectors: Government Agencies, International Organisations, and Private Sector Awards, Individual Awards, Partner Awards, and Jury Awards. Those interested in entering the 2025 edition can submit their entries through the award's official website. The Sharjah Government Communication Award plays a leading regional and global role in encouraging impactful and effective communication practices. It is one of the most prestigious awards recognising excellence and creativity in communication across public, private, and non-profit institutions. In its previous edition, the award received nearly 3,820 submissions from 44 countries. The award places increasing emphasis on media and communication content that enhances the effectiveness of governments by clearly and transparently conveying messages, building trust with communities, and supporting public policy. It also encourages active public engagement through storytelling that resonates with the audience and reflects their evolving needs. In the previous cycle, the category of Best Media and Communication Content--part of the Government Agencies, International Organisations, and Private Sector awards--saw strong competition. The category honours innovative content that raises public awareness, creates positive impact through effective use of media tools, and fosters community participation and constructive dialogue around critical issues. In the government and international organisations sub-category, Egypt's Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre took first place, having reached the finals alongside the National Centre for Meteorology from Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture from Bahrain. Meanwhile, in the private sector sub-category, finalists included Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans from Jordan, Oranaa Marketing Services from the UAE, and Spacetoon from Syria. Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans achieved a major milestone by winning first place in the private sector category. Its campaign was recognised as a comprehensive model of effective communication. The campaign's message was inspired by a noble social cause: empowering and educating orphaned youth over the age of eighteen. It utilised both traditional and innovative communication tools to reach the public and policymakers effectively. Tariq Al-Kharabsheh, Programme Director at Al Aman Fund, stated: "We are honoured to be among the three Jordanian institutions that reached the finals in multiple categories out of 64 institutions from 12 Arab countries. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Sharjah Government Media Bureau for organising this pioneering award and for its continued support in highlighting purposeful social initiatives." He added: "This win confirms the vital role that media plays as a true partner to institutions and initiatives working to serve vulnerable groups and drive societal development forward." Participation by government entities, private sector organisations, and individuals from around the world presents an opportunity for prestigious regional and global recognition. It also serves as a platform for exchanging experiences and highlighting innovative development efforts happening across the region, as well as learning from the best international practices. As the Sharjah Government Media Bureau prepares for the twelfth edition of the award, which will announce results during the International Government Communication Forum in September, the award invites government entities, civil society institutions, organisations, and media and communication pioneers from Jordan to participate actively and share their impactful stories and experiences. Organisers of the Sharjah Government Communication Award emphasise that "winning is not an end in itself, but a recognition of a journey driven by purpose and commitment to serving humanity. The opportunity is now open to anyone carrying a meaningful message and striving to make a real difference in society, to participate and compete for this award, which upholds the highest global standards and is judged by leading experts in media and communication." (ANI/WAM)
After India and Pakistan agreed to a cessation of hostilities on Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Donald Trump and top US officials for their role. He thanked Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their "valuable contributions to peace in South Asia." Sharing a post on X, Sharif wrote, "We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region. Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability." "We also thank Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their valuable contributions for peace in South Asia. Pakistan believes this marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region and prevented its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability," the post added. https://x.com/CMShehbaz/status/1921220993101525318 Meanwhile, in a call with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as expected, praised Pakistan for showing "restraint" and promised continued support. Sharing a post on X, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said, "Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 spoke today with the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi. During the conversation, the DPM/FM briefed Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the evolving regional situation in the wake of last night's Indian aggression and Pakistan's carefully calibrated response." The post added, "Foreign Minister Wang Yi acknowledged Pakistan's restraint and appreciated its responsible approach under challenging circumstances. He reaffirmed that China, as Pakistan's All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partner and ironclad friend, will continue to stand firmly by Pakistan in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence. Both leaders emphasised the importance of close communication and agreed to maintain ongoing coordination in the days ahead." https://x.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/1921211433385144505 However, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday raised serious concerns about the status of the recently announced cessation of hostilities after reporting explosions and air defence activity in Srinagar. In a post on X, he added, "This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up." Abdullah wrote in another post, "What the hell happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!" Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his residence on Saturday, which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan attended. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended the meeting. On Saturday, India and Pakistan worked out an understanding of the stoppage of firing and military action. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon."Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. At a joint press conference earlier in the morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks at 39 different locations across Balochistan. In a press release, the group announced that these operations are still ongoing, with multiple strategic objectives being pursued. According to Jeeyand Baloch, a spokesperson for the BLA, the attacks have targeted a range of sites, including police stations, military convoys, and infrastructure along major highways. The BLA also claimed to have captured police stations and conducted blockades on key roads in the region. "A full statement with more details about the attacks is expected to be released to the media soon," the group's spokesperson stated. Balochistan has long been the site of separatist movements, and the ongoing conflict has led to significant loss of life and displacement for years. The BLA's recent activities mark a sharp escalation in this long-running struggle for autonomy and control of local resources. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is an armed separatist group based in Balochistan, Pakistan, that seeks independence for the Baloch people. It emerged in response to long-standing grievances over political marginalisation, economic exploitation, and military repression by the Pakistani state. The group claims that Balochistan's vast natural resources are being extracted without benefiting the local population and accuses the government of denying the Baloch people their rights and autonomy. The BLA has carried out numerous attacks on Pakistani security forces, government infrastructure, and development projects--particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which it views as exploitative. Balochistan, despite being rich in natural resources such as gas, minerals, and coastal assets, remains one of the poorest and most underdeveloped regions of Pakistan. According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, thousands of Baloch activists, students, journalists, and political workers have allegedly been abducted or killed by Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies over the years. These victims are often labelled as "terrorists" or "foreign agents," while families are left without answers or legal recourse. Mass graves have been discovered in various districts, adding to the region's trauma and fuelling further mistrust of state institutions. (ANI)
The Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, Paank, has once again raised serious concerns over the continuing pattern of human rights violations in Balochistan, highlighting what it describes as a systematic campaign of enforced disappearances and state repression targeting the Baloch people. Paank reported a fresh incident involving the forcible disappearance of two young brothers in Quetta. In a statement posted on X, Paank stated, "On April 19, 2025, Pakistani security forces forcibly disappeared two brothers from the Saryab Mill Scheme area of Quetta. Muhammad Rizwan, son of Saifullah and a student at Quetta's Degree College, and Balach Baloch, also son of Saifullah and a 10th-grade student at Saryab Mill School, were taken without cause or legal justification." https://x.com/paank_bnm/status/1920978709613342881?t=Pxz80EJhA-54dbyQDJ9Urg&s=08 The Human Rights Department condemned the action, labeling it another example of Pakistan's alleged policy of silencing dissent through illegal detentions. It stated, "Paank strongly condemns the enforced disappearance of both brothers and calls for their immediate and unconditional release. These actions are part of a broader pattern of human rights violations against the Baloch people, and we urge international human rights bodies to take notice and intervene." Enforced disappearances in Balochistan, a province in southwestern Pakistan, have been a significant and ongoing human rights issue. The practice involves individuals, often political activists, students, and members of ethnic minority groups, being abducted by state security forces or intelligence agencies. Such disappearances typically occur without legal justification or due process, with victims held in secret locations for extended periods. The families of the disappeared are left in a state of uncertainty, with little to no information on their loved ones' whereabouts or condition. Paank's statement underscores the gravity of the situation, calling it part of a larger campaign of repression targeting the Baloch people. Human rights organisations and international bodies have consistently condemned these disappearances, noting that they violate fundamental human rights, including the right to life and protection from torture. Despite repeated calls for accountability, the Pakistani government has not taken significant steps to address the issue, and reports of enforced disappearances continue. (ANI)
Istanbul [Turkey], May 10 (ANI/WAM): Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the "Mother of the Nation", Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, visited today the Sheikh Zayed Children's Complex in Istanbul, accompanied by Emine Erdogan, wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkiye. During the visit, Sheikha Fatima and Emine Erdogan viewed a presentation introducing the complex's comprehensive programmes dedicated to child care, highlighting its efforts to provide an integrated educational, social, and health environment for children. The session opened with recitations from the Holy Quran, delivered by one of the children at the complex. The presentation also emphasised the complex's role in supporting bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Turkiye in early childhood development. It spotlighted educational initiatives designed to instil humanitarian values, enhance children's mental and creative abilities, and provide academic and psychological support to gifted students. Representatives of the complex delivered an overview of its goals and vision, focusing on nurturing children in a safe and stimulating environment. They explained the centre's dedication to supporting the educational, psychological, and social aspects of child development, empowering children to discover their talents and potential, and thus preparing a distinguished generation capable of positively contributing to society. During the visit, Sheikha Fatima also received a detailed presentation on the redevelopment project of the Sheikh Zayed Children's Complex in Istanbul. The project stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Community Development and the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services in Turkiye. With a value of AED 40 million, the project marks a transformational step in delivering specialised child care services. The presentation included details about expansion, maintenance, and modernisation work carried out under a comprehensive plan to ensure the facility continues to operate at high efficiency, aligned with global best practices in child care. The development covered facility expansion, enhancements to living, learning, and psychological support environments. Sheikha Fatima praised the outstanding efforts invested in the complex, calling it a prominent humanitarian institution that reflects the historic and distinguished relations between the UAE and Turkiye. She underscored the importance of such humanitarian projects in strengthening joint cooperation and achieving social solidarity, emphasizing that child care and ensuring a dignified life for them is a top priority of the UAE's humanitarian mission worldwide. During her visit, listened to a moving speech by a young adult raised in the complex, who described the facility not merely as a residence but as a nurturing and humanitarian environment that shaped his character and instilled in him hope and ambition. He expressed his deep gratitude to the UAE for its continued care and noble initiatives, which reflect its profound humanitarian commitment to supporting and empowering children globally. Sheikha Fatima also watched a performance by a choir group composed of children from the centre, who expressed their dreams of a bright future and conveyed hopeful messages filled with optimism and confidence in life. (ANI/WAM)
India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier in the day on stoppage of firing and military action and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions. At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today and India takes "very serious note of these violations". India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. Misri said India's Armed Forces have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control. "For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very very serious note of these violations," Misri said. "We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control," he added. Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary Misri told the media that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart. "Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours earlier this afternoon. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time," he said. "Today, instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations will talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours," he added. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted in a post on X that India will continue its firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism. "India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action. India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so," he said. At a joint press conference on Saturday morning, Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are "escalatory" and "provocative" in nature and are being responded to effectively. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in reply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The terror attack had killed 26 people. India had struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan sought to up the ante with a series of unprovoked escalations using artillery guns and drones. (ANI)
Istanbul [Turkey], May 10 (ANI/WAM): On the sidelines of the visit of Fatima bint Mubarak, the "Mother of the Nation", Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, to the Republic of Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) signed a partnership agreement with Ibn Haldun University (IHU) to establish the "Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Centre for Arabic Language" on the Turkish university's campus. The centre is being established in recognition of her efforts in promoting UAE-Turkiye cultural relations, her support for expanding knowledge exchange between the two nations, and her commitment to teaching and spreading the Arabic language to non-native speakers. The agreement was signed by Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Chancellor of UAEU, and Professor Atilla Arkan, presidency of Ibn Haldun University (IHU). The centre aims to offer specialised educational programs for teaching Arabic to Turkish and international students, organise training courses and workshops, and support scientific research in Arabic language and culture. It also aspires to serve as a platform for cultural dialogue and foster mutual understanding between the Arab world and Turkiye through cultural events that promote awareness of Arab culture. Zaki Nusseibeh affirmed that naming the centre after Fatima bint Mubarak reflects her vision and pioneering efforts in promoting Arabic language on an international level. He noted that the centre will serve as a cultural and educational beacon, strengthening the presence of Arabic and fostering civilisational dialogue among nations. He added that this partnership underscores UAEU's commitment to promoting global cultural dialogue and expanding access to education and knowledge, helping to elevate the status of the Arabic language. The centre will serve as a bridge for academic and research collaboration between the UAE and Turkiye, and promote cultural and intellectual exchange. He also highlighted UAEU's dedication to providing a comprehensive educational environment that offers unique opportunities for Arabic language studies, catering to the aspirations of those interested in Arabic language and culture in Turkiye. For his part, Professor Atilla Arkan, President of Ibn Haldun University, expressed the university's pride in signing an agreement to establish an academic institution bearing the name of a globally respected figure in social, humanitarian, and development work. He praised Fatima bint Mubarak's pioneering initiatives in advancing Arabic language and culture on the international stage. He described the partnership with UAEU as a pioneering step toward reinforcing Arabic's status as a language of science and culture among academics and students in Turkiye. The UAEU will support the centre's activities and educational programs to ensure the sustainable development of Arabic language learning in Turkiye and enhance its global academic presence. (ANI/WAM)
In a phone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, National Security Advisor Doval stressed that the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which caused serious casualties among Indian personnel, necessitated counter-terrorism actions, while affirming that "war was not India's choice". Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack and said China opposes all forms of terrorism, stressing that peace and stability in Asia is hard-won and must be cherished; he urged India and Pakistan--both of whom are China's neighbours--to remain calm, avoid escalation, and resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, while appreciating India's stand that 'war is not its choice'. "Doval said that the Pahalgam terrorist attack caused serious casualties among Indian personnel and that India needed to take counter-terrorism actions. War was not India's choice and was not in the interests of any party. India and Pakistan would be committed to a ceasefire and look forward to restoring regional peace and stability as soon as possible," the statement read. The statement further said that China condemned the Pahalgam terror attack. "Wang Yi said that China condemns the Pahalgam terrorist attack and opposes all forms of terrorism. The current international situation is turbulent and intertwined. Peace and stability in the Asian region is hard-won and deserve to be cherished. India and Pakistan are neighbours that cannot be moved away, and both are neighbours of China," the statement read. The statement urged both India and Pakistan to resolve the issue through dialogue and diplomacy. "China appreciates your statement that war is not India's choice, and sincerely hopes that India and Pakistan will remain calm and restrained, properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, and avoid escalation of the situation. China supports and expects India and Pakistan to achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire through consultations. This is in the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan and is also the common wish of the international community," the statement said. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier in the day on stoppage of firing and military action and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions. At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today and India takes "very serious note of these violations". (ANI)
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday announced that the stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries. The Pakistani Director General of Military Operations initiated the call this afternoon, after which discussions took place and understanding reached. In a late night address, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, however chose to indulge in chest thumping as he credited his troops for the valour shown. Pakistan had suffered serious loses in the short conflict with four of its air bases targeted on Saturday morning...this was a retaliation against Pakistan pushing drones and missile into Indian territory after Operation Sindoor. Sharif, who earlier in the day, profusely thanked the American administration for helping broker peace failed to reveal the extent of damage Pakistan had suffered and the fact that the overture of cessation of hostilies was made by the Pakistani DGMO. Earlier India had warned Pakistan that any further terrorist action would be considered an act of war. India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the understanding reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier in the day on stoppage of firing and military action and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions. At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today and India takes "very serious note of these violations". India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. Misri said India's Armed Forces have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control. "For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very very serious note of these violations," Misri said. (ANI)
Bangladesh interim government on Saturday has taken a decision to ban Awami League, the oldest political party in the country. Bangladesh interim government bans Awami League The press release further clarified that the decision was made to safeguard national security and sovereignty. "The Advisory Council meeting discussed the need to protect the country's security and sovereignty, the security of the leaders and activists of the July Movement, and the protection of the plaintiffs and witnesses of the International Crimes Tribunal until the trial of the Bangladesh Awami League and its leaders is completed A decision has been taken to ban all activities of the Awami League, including in cyberspace, under the Anti-Terrorism Act," the statement said. Several political parties and groups in Bangladesh, including the National Citizens Party (NCP), Jamaat-e-Islami and others, are protesting by surrounding the residence of Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser to the interim government, demanding a ban on the Awami League. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in a mass uprising on August 5 last year. She is currently in exile. After Sheikh Hasina's fall, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. Almost all Awami League leaders and workers are currently in hiding. Although the party's veteran leader, former President of Bangladesh, Abdul Hamid, is under the radar, he flew to Bangkok with his wife and brother-in-law early Thursday morning. The protest, which began at 10 pm on Thursday in front of the Jamuna, the residence of the interim government's Chief Adviser, demanding a ban on the Awami League, is still ongoing. NCP's convener, Nahid Islam, said, "The first responsibility of the interim government was to ban the Awami League. We have made that demand both inside and outside the government. But today, nine months later, we have had to take to the streets again to ban the Awami League." (ANI)
For family fun, downtown Council Bluffs is the place to be this Saturday, May 10.

It will be a day of pancakes, a parade and lots more to enjoy the culmination of Celebrate CB, an annual weeklong celebration that brings the community together in a variety of ways.

This years theme is CB Eras. Centris Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor.

Celebrate CB is Council Bluffs signature community celebration  a tradition that has lasted over 50 years that brings people together to honor our citys past, present and future, said Lindsey Rodgers, director of marketing/public relations at the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce. With opportunities for all ages to participate, the weeklong festivities include everything from a citywide cleanup and scavenger hunt to a parade and family-friendly events in Bayliss Park.

Activities throughout this week have gone really well, Rodgers said.

This included the Thursday evening farmer's market event that became a part of the weekly Celebrate CB activities.

"We were full on First Avenue," Rodgers said. "We had about 55 vendors. It was completely packed."

Chris LaFerla, chamber executive director, added, "It's been great. In the last two years, we've been working to coordinate with other community activities so that they can happen on the same week. It's a good alignment with other things happening."

As in the past, the chamber's Ag Committee sponsored a lunch in Bayliss Park on Friday with proceeds going to a scholarship for a college-bound student majoring in an ag-related field. There were enough steaks and hamburgers cooked for 350 people.

"It's been a good event over the years," said volunteer cook J.R. Wolemath.

Saturdays fun starts in Bayliss Park at 8 a.m. with the one and only Pancake Man serving up his famous flapjacks hot off the griddle. Cost is $5 for adults and free for kids 12 and under with an accompanying adult. The breakfast includes pancakes, sausage and bottled water, with coffee and other drinks available from local food trucks. Breakfast will be served until 10:30 a.m. Pancakes in the Park is sponsored by the 712 Initiative and the chamber.

Then comes Saturdays big event, the annual Celebrate CB parade starting at 10:30 a.m.

Hey, everyone loves a parade, right? Especially when seeing friends, neighbors, maybe even some family members taking part of it.

We have 85 entries in the parade and over 1,400 people participating within those entries, Rodgers said.

Marching bands from Kirn and Wilson schools will showcase their musical skills, along with several dance and cheer teams. Approximately 20 entries have opted in to be judged.

The announcers will be in front of City Hall with a sound system. Loess Hills Media and Podcasts and TaleSlate Agency will be streaming live from Bayliss Park.

Peggie Sweet from Bluffs Country will emcee the event, and historian and former businessman Dick Miller will serve as the parade's grand marshal. This free community event was made possible from the support of First Interstate Bank, Tibbz Towing and Woodmen Life.

As in the past, the parade starts just north of Ninth Avenue, heads north on Pearl Street to the turnaround at the Veterans Memorial Plaza on the south side of Broadway, then south on Main Street to Story Street.

Beginning at 9 a.m., all roads along the route will be closed.

A handful of activities will be offered Saturday in Bayliss Park from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., including hands-on activities with Recreation on the Move from the Council Bluffs Public Library, mind-blowing magic of Joe Cole and face painting. Unleash your creativity with PACEs Community Art Project as well as live performances by the Kanesville Symphony Orchestra and Skatefest, a high-energy celebration on wheels.

Step into the spirit of CB Eras and connect across generations with a colorful, creative twist  friendship bracelet making. The Belonging in the Bluffs Bracelet tent is popping up with free materials for all ages and abilities, allowing folks to craft a bracelet that reflects their favorite era or symbolizes a special bond with friends and neighbors. This free community experience is made possible with support from the Iowa West Foundation.

Tasty eats from a lineup of food trucks will be available.

The afternoon of fun festivities is sponsored by Methodist Jennie Edmundson and partner organizations.

The Union Pacific Railroad Museum will offer a make-your-own ice cream station and a Morse Code bracelet station on the front lawn (corner by Willow Street, across from the park.) Inside the museum, participants can explore the Eras of Railroading with a scavenger hunt throughout the museum and experience modern railroading technology with Union Pacifics Tech Team.

Celebrate CB is also a time when residents take pride in bettering their community  such was the case Tuesday during the annual Clean Sweep.

We had 44 teams with 352 participants registered, Rodgers said, adding that a total number of pounds of trash collected hasnt yet been counted. So far, we collected 1,900 pounds of trash and one tire.

Schools, local organizations and businesses all play a role in bringing the celebration to life, making it a true reflection of the pride, creativity and connection that define Council Bluffs, Rodgers said.

Celebrate CB strengthens community spirit and reminds us all why CB is a great place to call home, she said.
Some of the designs we did for Captain Planet, trying several versions, a lot of back n' forth with David Pepose till we got the ones we use in the comic



@DynamiteComics #captainplanet#captainplanetandtheplaneteers#dynamite pic.twitter.com/Fz0EKkhtFs  Eman Casallos (@Eman_Casallos) May 8, 2025

DC Comics announces 'CHEETAH AND CHESHIRE ROB THE JUSTICE LEAGUE', a six-issue limited series launching this August from writer Greg Rucka, artist Nicola Scott, colorist Annette Kwok, and letterer Troy Peteri. pic.twitter.com/sxagSwI25o  DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 7, 2025

Like I said... gorgeous



In the aftermath of the original 'Age of Apocalypse' finale, 'X-Men of Apocalypse' sees these mutants crash into the main Marvel Universe, where they will come into conflict with their classic counterparts, forever impacting both https://t.co/VCqMTUBH00 pic.twitter.com/CdpqVGrU2t  X-Manhunt for a year with no drama  (@RPHutch1975) May 9, 2025

Writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Gleb Melnikov are launching a new Black Cat ongoing title https://t.co/zuHRM610K9  Newsarama (@Newsarama) May 6, 2025

SUPERGIRL #1 PREVIEW!



Written and drawn by Sophie Campbell and colours by Tamra Bonvillain pic.twitter.com/x6npC92413  DCU Updates (@dcuworld) May 9, 2025

-Captain Planet #1 is out now. A new modern reimagining for 2025-The characters are no longer teens but young adults-Gaia is fresher to her role as mother Earth-Linka is no longer from the Soviet Union. She's gone from being the most conservative Planeteer to the most liberal, headlining a subversive eco-activist band in the vein of Russias Pussy Riot-Mah-Ti is now someone who has experienced a lot of violence and oppression. Mah-Ti is brought back from a violent path when he acquires the power of heart that cleanses him of all hate and anger.-"Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League showcases titular characters Cheetah and Cheshire meticulously planning and executing a bold heistrobbing the most secure facility in the DC Universeand getting away with it! But to accomplish the impossible, Cheetah and Cheshire need to recruit a top-tier crew capable of beating not just the odds, but the Justice League themselvesall without stabbing one another in the back as they try to acquire one of the most dangerous devices in the DCU!-"All that stands between the participants in this six-issue caper and pulling off the most daring extraction in DC history are a few tiny complicationslike the most sophisticated orbital platform ever constructed, its AI-driven security system, and one other thingthe smartest and most powerful heroes in the DCU."I won't bury the lede," said Rucka. "This is a crew of villains, or at least nominal bad guys. Not one of them has access tolet alone would be welcomed aboardthe Justice League Watchtower. We're not making this easy on them. But for Cheetah especially, this is an all-or-nothing playshe needs to do this job, and she's not going to let anything, or anyone, keep her from getting what she's after.""With Scott's dramatic and detailed storytelling to execute what Rucka calls "a classic heist story told in a unique setting," the narrative is sure to have twists, turns, and the strong character and interpersonal drama fans have come to expect from this creative team. But if you're thinking it's all a grim, dark crime caper, you're in for a surprise. There may, after all, be honor among thieves."Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice Leaguea slick, stylish comic book series that guarantees fun, laughs, and more than a few unexpected surprises, written by Rucka with art by Scott, color by Annette Kwok, and lettering by Troy Peteriwill launch its first issue (of six) on August 6, 2025-WW is selling like the hero she is. On top.-Absolute WW is consistently in the top 10 sales every month while the most recent mainline WW came in at #20 overallSource: 1
Today, around 600 million people in Africa completely lack access to electricity. African leaders are under immense pressure to ramp up energy production to fill the continents current needs as well as to meet skyrocketing demand projections, and to do this in a way that doesnt break the bank or compromise climate goals. This is known as an energy trilemma: producing energy that is sufficient, affordable, and sustainable.

This task is a daunting one for all contexts, but especially for Africa, which is contending with ongoing economic development, some of the least developed grids on the planet, and a coming population boom. The continents population is expected to double between now and 2050; by midcentury, a quarter of the global population will be in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, Africa is faced with an intense and urgent imperative: to leapfrog over fossil fuels and straight into developing a renewable-powered economy.

Rural parts of the continent remain severely underserved and disconnected from power grids, and innovative solutions will be necessary to electrify these regions. Some African researchers are looking into the potential of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a clean energy solution in rural areas that are hard to electrify.

MFCs rely on the natural metabolic processes of microorganisms to act as biocatalysts to convert organic waste materials from farms, food waste, or wastewater into electricity. In more scientific terms, they are bioreactors that convert the energy in the chemical bonds of organic compounds into electrical energy through catalytic activity of microorganisms under anaerobic conditions.

MFCs are a potentially promising solution for compound crises  most notably energy security, global warming and wastewater management  particularly in rural contexts, as they can provide a cheap, small-scale, and sustainable way to generate power. They are also cleaner and more efficient than other biomass applications since they dont involve combusting the biomass (resulting in carbon dioxide emissions), but instead derive energy directly from it.

Progress made over the past two decades has considerably increased the power output and conversion efficiencies of MFCs, says Ohio State Universitys Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering. As a result, MFCs are broadly applicable for wastewater treatment, powering marine electronic devices in remote locations, and as biological sensors.

Across Africa, researchers are making important progress in the research and development of MFCs. but, according to a recent report by Nature Africa, there are still considerable challenges to developing, deploying, and scaling the technology. MFCs remain more expensive per watt of energy than other renewable energies like wind and solar, and their reliance on cheap, locally available materials  while in some ways a major boon  makes the technology difficult to scale up and standardize. Until these hurdles are cleared, MFCs are more likely to be used in niche and small-scale applications, such as in wastewater treatment plants, rather than as a broad or large-scale energy production solution.

Furthermore, a lack of funding, expertise, and clear guidance poses a challenge for research teams looking into MFCs in Africa. The research is not streamlined, and no defined policy guidelines are available, Shankara Radhakrishnan, associate professor in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Pretoria, told Nature. Many research groups scattered across Africa are working on bio-electrochemical systems and they can play a major role, especially in rural and remote areas. A clear roadmap must be drawn, and awareness needs to be created to motivate work in this area, she said.

The issue of fragmentation in MFC research is not unique to Africa. A recent scientific review of MFC research found that global sustainability issues can be successfully addressed by MFCs only if the efforts are collated, structured and directed towards a common objective of practical application of these technologies.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
In November of last year, at the annual COP climate conference, global leaders agreed that in order to advance progress toward climate goals, developed countries would need to collectively provide a minimum of $300 billion in climate finance to the worlds poorest countries by the year 2035. Accordingly, at the end of Joe Bidens presidential term, he announced a record $11 billion climate finance provision.

Now, President Donald Trump has slashed climate finance down to nothing, in a move that will have far-reaching consequences for developing countries and for the planet. For at least one country, however, the move may be a major economic opportunity. China is already pouncing on the opportunity to take the United States place as a green energy investor in emerging economies.

Ironically, as Trump takes aim at China with 145% tariffs, he is opening a door for Beijing to strengthen its flatlining economy via its already prodigious trade relations with other countries around the world. Already, Chinese President Xi Jinping has done a tour through Southeast Asia with stops in Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, all of which are facing U.S. tariffs of nearly 50%, promising to ink clean energy infrastructure deals across the region to deliver green development.

China likely wont have to work that hard to win new clean energy trading partners, as the United States aggressive tack is leaving few alternatives. If the United States is not an alternative, then there will be no choice for countries in the region other than greater interdependence and greater integration [with China], said a former senior USAID official.

Furthermore, China was already the worlds primary clean energy trading partner. Beijing has been making inroads in emerging economies for years through its massive Belt and Road infrastructure project, and already controls critical clean energy supply chains that the United States will be hard-pressed to avoid, and even harder-pressed to overtake. Plus, Chinas energy companies are likely about to get a major leg up thanks to energy insecurity in Europe, where countries are also being disincentivized to trade with the U.S.

China doesnt need to do anything to win, Samantha Custer, director of policy analysis at AidData, a research group at Virginia research university William & Mary, recently told the Washington Post. For some time now, China has worked to sow seeds of doubt that the U.S. is not a reliable economic and security partner, and unfortunately, people are now seeing the U.S. reinforce those doubts, she added.

All eyes are now on the European Union and China to see if they will take up the helm of climate diplomacy now that the United States has withdrawn from the Paris agreement and taken a hardline stance against climate financing under Trump. However, there is some concern that China, too, will shy away from climate goals due to economic concerns. This could have a cascading effect through global markets and policy spheres, causing widespread relaxation of climate ambitions, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

However, other experts take a more optimistic outlook, pointing out that historically the U.S. has not been one of the largest contributors to climate finance anyway, and that other nations may very well step up to fill in the gaps and keep momentum toward global decarbonization goals. With the US out [of] the picture for at least the next four years, there is hope that other countries will feel motivated to fill in the gap, reports the Independent.

Other countries in Europe have also cut their aid budgets, but there is particular pressure on them to maintain their climate finance numbers, Gaia Larsen, director of climate finance access at the World Resources Institute (WRI), told the Independent.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

In a report by the Oregonian, the University of Portland, a private catholic university, has removed Robert Pamplin Jr.s name from its School of Business. In a statement provided to the Oregonian, the university noted, The association of Dr. Pamplins name with the University of Portland School of Business was subject to an agreement that has concluded. No further details were provided.

The removal of Pamplins name is likely related to the scandal in which he and his company, R.B. Pamplin Corporation, settled a federal lawsuit concerning the illegal diversion of pension funds from his employees to purchase property across the state. Pamplin agreed to a settlement on December 26, 2024, which required him to sell his and the companys properties identified by federal authorities as being acquired through the illegal use of the pension funds. All proceeds from these sales were to be directed towards restoring the pension fund.

Robert Pamplin Jr. was once regarded as one of Portlands prominent businessmen, known for his significant contributions to the community through the R.B. Pamplin Corporation. A 1997 article from The Seattle Times highlighted his philanthropic efforts, including a $750,000 donation to combat hunger in Portland. Additionally, when the University of Portland faced financial difficulties and the threat of closure, charitable contributions from Pamplin helped the institution continue operating. In addition, Pamplin also provided financial support to Lewis and Clark University. His annual personal donations to Portland were estimated at around $3 million.
By Oregon State Senator Daniel Bonham

Newsletter excerpt

Finally  some good news that puts the needs of rural Oregonians first. The Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) has proposed opening the states first rural medical school to help tackle our growing shortage of doctors outside major cities.

This is exactly the kind of project Oregon should be championing and is a genuine solution to our healthcare crisis. For too long, rural communities have been ignored by policymakers more interested in Portlands pet projects than in the very real healthcare crises outside the metro areas. If Oregon is serious about equity and opportunity, investing in rural education, healthcare, and economic development must be at the top of the list.

Supporting a rural medical school means investing in the future of all Oregonians  not just the politically connected few. Ill be keeping a close eye on this proposal, and I hope state leaders dont miss the chance to deliver real, lasting change to the communities that need it most.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of the Sun on May 7, 2024, in extreme ultraviolet light (at a wavelength of 304 Angstroms). At center, the active region that instigated the Gannon storm stretches approximately 17 times the size of Earth. (A scaled image of Earth is inset for size reference.) In early May 2024, the active region released a chain of powerful solar eruptions, including several coronal mass ejections, or CMEs  giant clouds of solar particles  that merged to form a superstorm that reached Earth on May 10. Ahead of the storm, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, issued its first severe geomagnetic storm watch in almost two decades. Credit: NASA/Helioviewer

One year ago today, representatives from NASA and about 30 other U.S. government agencies gathered for a special meeting to simulate and address a threat looming in space. The threat was not an asteroid or aliens, but our very own life-giving sun.

The inaugural Space Weather Tabletop Exercise was supposed to be a training event, where experts could work through the real-time ramifications of a geomagnetic storm, a global disruption to Earth's magnetic field. Driven by solar eruptions, geomagnetic storms can decimate satellites, overload electrical grids, and expose astronauts to dangerous radiation. Minimizing the impacts of such storms requires close coordination, and this meeting was their chance to practice.

Then, their simulation turned into reality.

"The plan was to run through a hypothetical scenario, finding where our existing processes worked and where they needed improvement," said Jamie Favors, director of NASA's Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "But then our hypothetical scenario was interrupted by a very real one."

On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or "severe" geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event, named the Gannon storm in memory of leading space weather physicist Jennifer Gannon, did not cause any catastrophic damages. But a year on, key insights from the Gannon storm are helping us understand and prepare for future geomagnetic storms.

Storm consequences

The Gannon storm had effects on and off our planet.

The purple color in this animated GIF shows auroras across Mars' nightside as detected by the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument aboard NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) orbiter. The brighter the purple, the more auroras were present. MAVEN took these images between May 14 and 20, 2024, as energetic particles from a solar storm were arriving at Mars. The sequence pauses at the end, when the most energetic particles arrived and overwhelmed the instrument with noise. MAVEN made the observations as it orbited below Mars, looking up at the nightside of the planet. (Mars' south pole can be seen on the right, in full sunlight.). Credit: NASA/University of Colorado/LASP

On the ground, some high-voltage lines tripped, transformers overheated, and GPS-guided tractors veered off-course in the Midwestern U.S., further disrupting planting that had already been delayed by heavy rains that spring.

"Not all farms were affected, but those that were lost on average about $17,000 per farm," said Terry Griffin, a professor of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. "It's not catastrophic, but they'll miss it."

In the air, the threat of higher radiation exposure, as well as communication and navigation losses, forced trans-Atlantic flights to change course.

During the storm, Earth's upper atmospheric layer called the thermosphere heated to unusually high temperatures. At 100 miles altitude, the temperature typically peaks at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, but during the storm it surpassed 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA's GOLD (Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk) mission observed the atmosphere expanding from the heat to create a strong wind that lofted heavy nitrogen particles higher.

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In orbit, the expanded atmosphere increased drag on thousands of satellites. NASA's ICESat-2 lost altitude and entered safe mode while NASA's Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat deorbited prematurely five months after the storm. Others, such as the European Space Agency's Sentinel mission, required more power to maintain their orbits and perform maneuvers to avoid collisions with space debris.

The storm also dramatically changed the structure of an atmospheric layer called the ionosphere. A dense zone of the ionosphere that normally covers the equator at night dipped toward the South Pole in a check mark shape, causing a temporary gap near the equator.

The Gannon storm also rocked Earth's magnetosphere, the magnetic bubble surrounding the planet. Data from NASA missions MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale) and THEMIS-ARTEMISshort for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions-Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sunsaw giant, curling waves of particles and rolled-up magnetic fields along the edge of the CMEs. These waves were perfectly sized to periodically dump extra magnetic energy and mass into the magnetosphere upon impact, creating the largest electrical current seen in the magnetosphere in 20 years.

Incoming energy and particles from the sun also created two new temporary belts of energetic particles within the magnetosphere. Discovered by CIRBE, these belts formed between the Van Allen radiation belts that permanently surround Earth. The belt's discovery is important to spacecraft and astronauts that can be imperiled by high-energy electrons and protons in the belts.

The Gannon storm created two extra radiation belts, sandwiched between the two permanent Van Allen Belts. One of the new belts, shown in purple, included a population of protons, giving it a unique composition that hadn't been seen before. The discovery of the new belts is particularly important for protecting spacecraft launching into geostationary orbits, since they travel through the Van Allen Belts several times before reaching their final orbit. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Kristen Perrin

Unusual auroras

The storm also ignited auroras around the globe, including places where these celestial light shows are rare. NASA's Aurorasaurus project was flooded with more than 6,000 observer reports from over 55 countries and all seven continents.

Photographers helped scientists understand why auroras observed throughout Japan were magenta rather than the typical red. Researchers studied hundreds of photos and found the auroras were surprisingly higharound 600 miles above the ground (200 miles higher than red auroras typically appear).

In a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the research team says the peculiar color likely resulted from a mix of red and blue auroras, produced by oxygen and nitrogen molecules lofted higher than usual as the Gannon storm heated and expanded the upper atmosphere.

"It typically needs some special circumstances, like we saw last May," co-author Josh Pettit of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center said of Japan's magenta auroras. "A very unique event indeed."

Otherworldly effects

Impacts of the sun's amped-up solar activity didn't end at Earth. The solar active region that sparked the Gannon storm eventually rotated away from our planet and redirected its outbursts toward Mars.

On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or severe geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event did not cause any catastrophic damages, but it did produce surprising effects on Earth. The storm, which has been called the best-documented geomagnetic storm in history, spread auroras to unusually low latitudes and produced effects spanning from the ground to near-Earth space. Data captured during this historic event will be analyzed for years to come, revealing new lessons about the nature of geomagnetic storms and how best to weather them. Credit: NASA/Joy Ng

As energetic particles from the sun struck the Martian atmosphere, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) orbiter watched auroras engulf the Red Planet from May 14 to 20.

Solar particles overwhelmed the star camera on NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter (which uses stars to orient the spacecraft), causing the camera to cut out for almost an hour.

On the Martian surface, images from the navigation cameras on NASA's Curiosity rover were freckled with "snow"streaks and specks caused by charged particles. Meanwhile, Curiosity's Radiation Assessment Detector recorded the biggest surge of radiation since the rover landed in 2012. If astronauts had been there, they would have received a radiation dose of 8,100 micrograysequivalent to 30 chest X-rays.

Still more to come

The Gannon storm spread auroras to unusually low latitudes and has been called the best-documented geomagnetic storm in history. A year on, we have just begun unraveling its story. Data captured during this historic event will be analyzed for years to come, revealing new lessons about the nature of geomagnetic storms and how best to weather them.

More information: Xinlin Li et al, A New Electron and Proton Radiation Belt Identified by CIRBE/REPTile2 Measurements After the Magnetic Super Storm of 10 May 2024, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics (2025). DOI: 10.1029/2024JA033504 Journal information: Scientific Reports
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Beneath yellow fruit, hidden within the roots of the iboga plant in the forests of Gabon, lies a sacred treasure that the country is keen to make the most of.

For centuries, religious devotees have eaten ita psychotropic shrub that users say has addiction-fighting powers.

It fascinates foreign visitors, psychiatric patients and rich pharmaceutical companies that want to market it.

Now this central African country, where its use is enshrined in ancestral tradition, is scrambling to avoid missing out on the boom.

Teddy Van Bonda Ndong, 31, an initiate in the Bwiti spiritual tradition, calls it "sacred wood." He consumes it in small amounts daily, he said, for his "mental and physical health."

"It has a lot of power to help human beings," added Stephen Windsor-Clive, a 68-year-old retiree.

"It's untapped. A mysterious force lies within this plant."

He traveled to Gabon from Britain and consumed ibogain a powder ground from its rootsduring a 10-day Bwiti ceremony.

He tried it with a view to adopting it as a treatment for his daughter, who suffers from mental illness.

Economic potential

Given the interest, Gabon is seeking to channel the plant onto the international marketplace.

Exports of iboga products, including its active ingredient ibogaine, are few and strictly regulated in the country.

It grows mostly in the wild, but "more and more effort is being made to domesticate the plant," said Florence Minko, an official in the forestry ministry.

Potentially toxic in high doses, ibogaine can have effects similar to LSD, mescaline or amphetamines, and cause anxiety and hallucinations.

But users believe it can help drug addicts kick their habit and treat post-traumatic stress and neurological illnesses.

Yoan Mboussou, a local microbiologist and Bwiti initiate, hopes to gain an export license for the 500-milligram ibogaine capsules he produces at his laboratory near the capital Libreville.

He sells them in Gabon as a food supplement, declaring them to have "anti-fatigue, antioxidant and anti-addictive" qualities.

Iboga, he believes, "is a potential lever to develop the economy and the whole country."

Tradition and IP

Countries such as the United States and France class iboga as a narcotic because of health risks identified in studies, especially heart issues. But it is used in treatment centers in countries including the Netherlands, Mexico and Portugal.

Numerous studies have examined its effectsboth helpful and harmfuland scientists have taken out dozens of international patents for ibogaine therapeutic treatments.

"Most of those are based on studies of iboga use by Gabonese people, particularly by Bwiti practitioners," said Yann Guignon, from the Gabonese conservation group Blessings Of The Forest.

Despite the plant's "colossal therapeutic benefits," "Gabon is clearly missing out on the economic potential of iboga," he added.

"It did not position itself in this market in time by developing productive iboga plantations, a national processing laboratory and a proper industrial policy."

Overseas laboratories meanwhile have worked out how to make synthetic ibogaine and to extract it from other plants, such as Voacanga africana.

That flowering tree is available in greater quantities in Ghana and Mexico, which "can produce ibogaine at unbeatable prices," said Guignon.

And "Gabonese traditional knowledge is not protected by intellectual property regulations."

Currently only one company in Gabon has a license to export iboga productsthough Minko, from the forestry ministry, said the country hopes this number will rise in the coming years.

She said companies were likely to produce more, spurred by revenue guarantees under the Nagoya Protocol, an international agreement on biological diversity and resource-sharing.

She wants the country to obtain a "made in Gabon" certificate of origin for iboga.

"This is a huge resource for Gabon. We have drawn up a national strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of the product," she said.

"Gatherings will soon be organized, bringing together all the groups concerned: NGOs, traditional practitioners and scientists."

Soothing properties

After harvesting iboga to the sound of traditional harps and consuming it in the initiation ceremony, Stephen Windsor-Clive was convinced by the benefits of iboga.

"I definitely want to bring my daughter here and have her have the experience," he said.

"This is my last attempt to find something which might be of assistance to her."

Another visitor, Tafara Kennedy Chinyere, traveled from Zimbabwe to discover Gabon and found, in the initiation, relief from anxiety and his "inner demons."

"I feel good in my body, in myself," he said, sitting under a tree after the ceremony.

"I feel like the iboga helped me to let go of things that you no longer need in your life."

 2025 AFP
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

If I asked you to picture a racist, I know exactly what you'd envision. A white hood, or someone screaming slurs, or a person praising slavery.

The reality is that racism and problematic phrases are much more insidious and complex than this "cartoon-like," mustache-twirling villain version. Racism lies in the misrepresentation of marginalized communities.

I work as a cultural sensitivity reader. In this role, I review literary works pre-publication, looking for potentially offensive content, stereotypes and bias.

Very rarely in my job do I face stories that endorse such outward racisms. Instead, my role is firstly, to help authors create nuanced, truthful representations of Indigenous peoples that move away from negative portrayals and emphasize their strengths and resilience.

Secondly, I help eliminate further perpetuation of harmful misrepresentations in texts that have negatively impacted Indigenous peoples for far too long.

Why do I do sensitivity reads?

As a Barkindji woman, I have been hyper-aware, for as long as I can remember, of literature that has misrepresented my culture or even downright portrayed any sort of Blakness as bad or "othered."

I loved fantasy books by Enid Blyton. However, I remember as a child reading about how the white characters would fret if they got soot on their face. They didn't want to be dark and "ugly" (I refuse to write the slur they used). There are stories upon stories that paint my Aboriginality as deficit at best, or downright inhuman at worst.

These kinds of narratives affect people's attitudes and beliefs towards Indigenous people.

For instance, I will always remember attending a ceremony for a scholarship I had won. In conversation, a non-Indigenous woman asked me my background. When I told her I was Aboriginal, she immediately squeezed my arm and announced, "Oh, honey, don't you ever let that hold you back!"

My job as a cultural sensitivity reader is to combat that type of deficit narrative. This lady had obviously not been exposed to the strength that has lived in our community since time immemorial.

When reading a new work, I'm there to educate non-Indigenous writers who want to do better than their predecessors.

What do I look for when reading?

I interrogate multiple aspects of a work, beginning with its themes and reflecting deeply on the connotations of each word.

For example, I'll examine characterizations where a Blak woman is only ever portrayed as needlessly hostile. This is a stereotype that has long been used to minimize Indigenous women's voices when discussing important issues that affect our community. This way, we can be dismissed and ignored with a simple, "Wow, she's emotional and angry, isn't she?"

This stereotype of Blakness being "dangerous and angry" is deadly (and not in the good way) in institutions like the police and justice system.

As a cultural sensitivity reader, I also draw attention to the historical contexts of seemingly innocuous words, like "half-caste." Illustrating how this colonial concept of blood measuring is a racist and harmful principle, originating from such oppressive policies like the Assimilation and White Australia policies.

There are a few common tropes I tend to see

There's the stereotypical "Blak-cent," where every second word out of an Indigenous character's mouth is, "Deadly!" Or that every Indigenous person has this "mystical" connection to nature.

These stereotypes can even seem humorous to a point, but they are stereotypes nonetheless.

Then comes the ones that aren't so comedic. Where Indigenous peoples are written as alcoholics. Where Indigenous peoples are written as innately angry and violent criminals.

Tropes I'm glad to be seeing less of are the portrayal of Indigenous characters as inherently ugly and/or unintelligent.

These are the narratives Australia has been presented with as true. This is why I care so much about this work, helping passionate authors who care about doing representation right.

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A sanitized version of Australia's history

Not discussing or examining the impact these horrific policies have has negative effects not only on Indigenous communities, but on the way white Australians view Indigenous peoples.

We must push back on this. Writers must unflinchingly educate others on the truth of Australian history, no matter how uncomfortable.

I pass this knowledge and analysis onto non-Indigenous authors, always making sure to explain why the less cartoony versions of racism still bite, quietly continuing a legacy of misrepresentation of Aboriginal culture.

Am I censoring these authors though? Is that limiting their right to express their ideas and their thoughts about Aboriginal culture, no matter how deficit? Isn't that just their opinion?

Censorship vs. sensitivity

Most non-Indigenous authors seek out a cultural sensitivity read because they don't want to continue harmful representations of Aboriginal peoples. This can easily happen when the writers are not part of, or connected to, the community they are writing about.

When cultural sensitivity reads aren't sought or taken on board, the results can be disastrous.

This was very apparent last year with Jamie Oliver's children's book. This story perpetuated some of the tropes I've talked about and showed a clear lack of understanding of the complexity of such horrific past events like the Stolen Generations.

Wiradjuri author and academic Jeanine Leane has emphasized the importance of non-Indigenous authors seeking out and listening to Indigenous people and communities: "Without knowing us, our histories, our stories, it is impossible to 'write' an Aboriginal story."

To properly do your job as a writer is to research the subjects you don't know much about.

Crime writers often interview real detectives to make sure they are writing about police procedures realistically in their novels. Cultural sensitivity readings are forms of research that any good writer should seek.

In our modern-day discourse around how to do representation right, when we discuss harmful representations of our own communities, many of us are met with the resounding cry of, "Freedom of Speech! You can't censor my right to say my own opinions!"

To which my response to this is two-fold:

1. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequence

I can tell writers what I think. But if you don't listen, that's on you, doll.

And hate speech is not free speech. As philosopher and social commentator Karl Popper said, "The tolerant have no duty to be tolerant of the intolerance of the intolerant."

To just accept this kind of hate speech is to endanger the human rights of marginalized groups.

If storytellers want to insist on their right to knowingly spread misinformation that continues to harm Indigenous communities, we reserve our right to judge. We reserve our right to point out the inaccuracies and to combat the misrepresentations.

2. Don't you want to write the truth?

Particular words illustrate the truth of Australia's Blak history and Indigenous peoples, while other words sanitize, minimize, misrepresent or even outwardly deny this confronting history.

For instance, the British didn't "settle" Australia; they invaded it.

Aboriginal children weren't "saved" and "educated" by missionaries when they were stolen from their families. Aboriginal children were beaten and raped by the priests, and refused education.

It's the opposite of insensitive to represent truth when telling stories of colonialism.

Moving forward

Given Australia's history of misinformation and censorship, to ensure accuracy through a cultural sensitivity report is not limiting a writer's artistic expression. It is informing them of my analysis and knowledge as an Indigenous queer woman, information they have asked me to provide.

It is up to us as writers, editors, readers and cultural sensitivity editors to work together, to be discerning of the words we listen to and the words we put out in the world.

We have a responsibility to ensure truth-telling in all that we do and create more unbiased, representations of Indigenous peoples that celebrate our resilience and culture.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  One year into Vision 2030  AtlantiCares six-year strategy to transform care, grow services, and expand its regional impact  president and CEO Michael Charlton says the health system is already seeing measurable results.

In an interview marking the first anniversary of the plans launch, Charlton described a year of tremendous momentum across the South Jersey-based providers campuses and initiatives.

From major construction projects and a new medical school partnership, to cutting-edge AI integrations and targeted community investments in Atlantic City, Charlton said the organizations early strides have validated its ambitious path forward.

I feel incredibly excited, incredibly thankful, Charlton said. Everything that we discussed (last year), whether it was serving a community, our clinical partnerships, accelerating transformation, or our growthWere starting to move the needle, and were seeing actionable outcomes.

$85M Mainland Expansion Nears Completion

One of Vision 2030s cornerstone projects, an $85 million expansion of AtlantiCares Regional Medical Center Mainland Campus in Galloway Township, is nearing its final stages.

The project, which involved adding two floors atop existing structures  a complex construction feat  has already delivered results.

The fourth floor opened four months ago to highly positive feedback. Charlton said the third floor is awaiting New Jersey Department of Health approval, expected by early June.

Once final regulatory steps are complete, the new floors will provide additional state-of-the-art private patient rooms and enhanced care facilities.

Modernization efforts across the entire campus will continue for another 12 to 18 months, upgrading all rooms with the latest technology and ensuring every patient has access to a private room  a feature Charlton emphasized is crucial for patient experience and outcomes.

At the same time, AtlantiCare and its partner Select Medical are constructing a new 68,000-square-foot rehabilitation hospital nearby. Charlton said a beam topping ceremony  marking a major milestone in construction  is expected by mid-June, with the facility set to open within 12 to 14 months.

Drexel Medical School Partnership Takes Off

In a major leap for healthcare education in the region, AtlantiCare also finalized an affiliation agreement this winter with Drexel University College of Medicine.

Third- and fourth-year medical students from Drexel will begin clinical rotations at AtlantiCare in May  a move Charlton said is just the beginning of a much broader vision.

The health system, in partnership with Drexel, Stockton University, and development firm AC Devco, is working to establish a full four-year branch medical school campus on Lot 21 in Atlantic City, adjacent to Stocktons beachfront campus.

Designs for the buildings exterior and program interiors are complete, and agreements among stakeholders are expected to be finalized within the next few months.

Once groundbreaking occurs, Charlton estimated it would take 14 to 18 months to complete construction.

We see this as a major regional economic play, not just as an educational play, said Charlton.

Another ambition is to establish a Level I trauma center in Atlantic City. Currently a Level II trauma center, the city division trauma unit can provide quality care, but doesnt have specialized resources or the same level of around-the-clock coverage, something Charlton said is essential for tourism hub that draws millions of visitors annually.

AI Revolution in Patient Care

AtlantiCares early partnership with Oracle Health on artificial intelligence initiatives is also yielding powerful changes for both patients and clinicians, Charlton said.

The organization is one of the first globally to integrate Oracles clinical AI platform into everyday practice, including an ambient listening tool that transcribes medical conversations directly into patient records without recording non-medical chatter.

The system allows doctors to focus fully on their patients during appointments, rather than typing notes into a patients records  a shift Charlton said has cut documentation time by more than four minutes per visit, reclaiming hours of physician time daily.

More AI capabilities are rolling out across ambulatory specialty practices now, with inpatient hospital settings slated for adoption later this year.

Charlton said the impact on clinician wellness, patient satisfaction, and even diagnostic precision  particularly in areas like cancer detection through advanced imaging analysis  will be enormous.

Tackling housing, homelessness in Atlantic City

Beyond clinical walls, Vision 2030 placed major emphasis on community health improvements, particularly in Atlantic City, where social and economic barriers have historically driven poor health outcomes.

Charlton said while measurable outcome data will take more time to show, the groundwork has been laid in key areas like housing, homelessness support, and public safety partnerships.

AtlantiCare is involved in planning for 200 units of mixed market-rate and subsidized housing near the future medical school site on Lot 21. Working with private developers and state agencies, Charlton said the goal is to create an accessible, walkable community to support both existing residents and new healthcare professionals.

Meanwhile, a more coordinated approach to addressing homelessness  involving local shelters, city government, the state, and healthcare providers  is beginning to take shape.

By helping individuals transition from crisis situations into stable housing and medical care, Charlton said AtlantiCare is building capabilities to drive long-term improvements in health metrics like life expectancy and substance abuse recovery rates.

This year has been about creating a strong foundation with stakeholders, Charlton said.

Whether its Drexel, whether its the housing, whether its our work around homeless, whether its our partnering with the police department and the casino Association around safety, I think all of these stakeholders are really starting to come together now, he said. And thats going to be the change within Atlantic City.

Atlantic Citys Future: A New Narrative

Charlton also addressed concerns about the potential economic impact of casino expansion in New York  something Atlantic City has faced since the legalization of gaming elsewhere.

Rather than accept decline, he said, stakeholders including AtlantiCare are shifting the narrative to focus on Atlantic Citys unique value: its proximity to massive Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets, lower gaming tax rates, and opportunities for new investment in health, education, and urban development.

Charlton said gamings 46-year history in Atlantic City has served both sides well in some ways, but that a recommitment needs to take place as New York looms. He cited Ocean Casino and Hard Rock and lauded their leadership for investing in their properties, something he challenged other casino owners, such as Caesars, to emulate.

But he was clear that if a reinvention of the city is to occur, it will take healthcare and education- including anchor employer Stockton University- playing central roles  not just casinos. With investments like the medical school, expanded healthcare infrastructure, new housing, and improved public safety, Atlantic City can become a model for urban renewal driven by anchor institutions.

And Charlton is determined that AtlantiCare lead in that transformation.

Healthcare systems are anchor institutions. Theyre your largest employers, he said. They have a moral purpose and a mission are sort of immune to a lot of the things that go on in the work with the volatility of politics.

Our board has been educated over the past year on what our purpose and our mission is, and they have really started to embrace this. I expect that as momentum builds, we are going to take a much more forward foot in getting a lot of this work done. I can almost assure you that.

Rooted in the community

As part of his role, Charlton talks at least weekly to casino executives, police, city government, Stockton and other stakeholders and daily with the regions ranking political leader, state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic.

AtlantiCares leadership role among the citys stakeholders may seem unique, but there is support and precedent for that position.

Polistina, in outlining his plans for addressing the citys health and social challenges, said AtlantiCare should serve as the umbrella organization for other organizations.

Right now, you have everybody competing for the same money, you know, in some cases, doing the same work or similar work, tripping over one another, Polistina said. Were getting everybody staying in their own lane.

Oliver Cooke, an associate professor of economics at Stockton University, said anchor institutions leading economic turnarounds can be found elsewhere. He pointed to Cleveland Clinics role in rebuilding Clevelands Greater University Circle, a dense downtown neighborhood of 60,000 residents. Cleveland Clinic has also partnered with AtlantiCare on cancer care treatment.

Cooke is in the process of publishing an article for the South Jersey Economic Review, a bi-annual publication by Stockton Universitys William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, and offered a few thoughts on what he sees as the citys success diversifying its economy.

The recent efforts of the ACEA (Atlantic County Economic Alliance) in the aerospace/aviation sector are especially noteworthy and laudable. There does seem to be good momentum there, Cooke said. And the broader AtlantiCare and Stockton anchor development project continues to evolve and should have some upside over the medium term.

Meanwhile the challenges posed by New York City casinos remain, although Cooke said he believes stakeholders are sensing that urgency.

Charlton stresses urgency in his meetings.

As Vision 2030 moves into its second year, Charlton said the focus will remain on accelerating growth, deepening community impact, and ensuring that AtlantiCare not only adapts to the future of healthcare  but leads it.

Whether through AI-driven clinical advances, educational partnerships, or neighborhood redevelopment, Charlton said the key will be maintaining the momentum the team has built over the past 12 months.

Speed is crucial, he acknowledged.

The world moves at some speed and theres always a sense of urgency, whether its in healthcare, he said. Thats the bottom line. Speed wins.

Speed is key, he said.

(Staff Writer Nicholas Huba contributed to this report.)
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP  With a month to go before June 10 primary election, Steve Fulop is looking to give South Jersey another Democratic gubernatorial candidate to get behind.

Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, held a town hall and meet & greet at the Bay Avenue Community Center in Manahawkin on Saturday as part of a series of appearances he planned for South Jersey. He spoke to a room of about 90 people, most of them seniors. Later in the day, he planned a trip to Stockton University where he was going to speak in front of young voters.

Fulop is promising to win back unaffiliated voters in the process.

What Ive learned from all the time that Ive spent down here is that the people believe the same thing I generally believe, but they feel hopeless with regard to the government on the federal level and in New Jersey, Fulop told the room Saturday. They feel that disconnect and theyre acting out by voting Republican in that situation.

Fulop is hoping to win the June 10 primary against former state Sen. Stephen Sweeney, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

I wanted to build something that was grassroots oriented, that wasnt relying on the political organizations who are machines, Fulop said. ... You cannot, in good faith, say that you are going to change the system if youre beholden to the system.

Atlantic County Democrats back Sweeney for governor Stephen Sweeney won the backing of Atlantic County Democrats on Sunday at their annual convention at Renault Winery.

Fulop has formed a coalition that could be described as his own anti-establishment establishment of sorts. He recruited down-ballot candidates throughout the state who will run for county and state offices with a shared slogan with him. Hes argued that this strategy has given the opportunity for more people to run, but running candidates against Democratic incumbents has also made him some enemies.

Choice is good, Fulop said. From the beginning I said I was going to communicate with the public. So why not help people down ballot get the vote. Im gonna be showing commercials, doing digital ads, Im gonna be in your mailboxes  not as much as Sean Spiller. But the goal is it doesnt cost me anything additional.

Fulop has also openly endorsed retaining Attorney General Matthew Platkin and has already announced his Lt. Gov. choice of South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum if elected governor. Collum joined Fulop at Saturdays town hall.

By voting for people who have executive experience and understanding how budget priorities work, I think well be able to solve a lot of issues and really embrace South Jersey, Collum said. Just check out our communities and how were able to do it up in North Jersey, so we can bring some of those things to you.

Fulop was also joined by Legislative District 9 candidates Rosalee Keech and Donald Campbell.

Fulop spoke for nearly two hours, first by telling the room about his story as the son of Jewish immigrants to leaving a job at Goldman Sachs to enlist with the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after 9/11 to entering politics after his service. He opened the floor to questions, which he answered about 20 or so.

He was challenged on school funding issues, ICE, electricity costs, transgender rights in sports, state corruption, health care and more.

No one speaks at the depth he speaks about issues, said Barnegat Democratic Club president Marianne P. Clemente, who helped organize the town hall.

Clemente encouraged the guests Saturday

The reason its going to be so tough on June 10 is because there are so many candidates, Clemente said, adding people tend to vote for certain candidates on a surface level. Theyre not going to understand that Steve (Fulop) is the most electable of the six, I believe. Hes the only one that talks substance.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Baraka visits small businesses in Pleasantville, Atlantic City Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Ras Baraka visited two Pleasantville and two Atlantic City hair studios and participated in the Rise Up Against Trump Rally in Atlantic City on Saturday.

Barnegat resident Joseph Pergola, 76, a former union president for the Steamfitters in Westchester County, New York, praised Fulop for his honesty and how he presented himself Saturday morning.

He wasnt afraid to speak against organization or the process, even the Democratic one, Pergola said. I had been very disappointed in New Jersey Democrats. ... But I like the way hes going down to the grassroots and will talk to unions and non-union people, and people of color.

I think him being a mayor  and Baraka qualifies for this too  makes for a better governor than just somebody who was senator or came from a different political party because they managed people, and that is something this state really needs.
Moline High School's "Threads of Kindness" club wants to give every student a chance to experience school-sponsored dances  and look good doing it.

Through the club, students, staff and community members can donate gently-used formal dresses, which Moline students can then rent for school dances like Saturday's prom. Each dress rental is $5, and students get $2 back if their dress is returned.

Threads of Kindness began this school year after club founder Romina Garcia, a junior, realized she couldn't afford to buy a homecoming dress on top of other expenses, such as dance tickets, dinner and flowers.

"I was unsure whether I was going to go or not, because it just costs so much money" she said. "I kind of thought, 'Maybe I'm not the only one.'"

According to Illinois Report Card data, more than half of Moline High School's student body are from low-income families. Garcia said this, plus the school's multilingual population, often means that Moline students aren't always able to attend, and more specifically, afford, school dances.

"It's very unfortunate to see how many people just don't have the resources to go out and buy a dress," said junior club member Monserrat Ruiz. "You truly never know what someone has going on their life, or how a little thing like this club can have an impact on our community, just by being like 'Hey, you're not alone, we're here and we can help you with this.'"

Threads of Kindness stores its dresses in a storage room next to Spanish teacher and club advisor Marissa Stoll's classroom, hung on a rack made by Moline welding students. The dresses are sorted by size and offer a range of colors, lengths and styles.

Students can stop by during designated times before and after school to try on the dresses. Earlier this month, the club held a showcase during lunch for students to browse dresses for prom.

While only one student has rented a dress so far, Garcia and other club members hope to grow Threads of Kindness through continued promotion and future events. The club hosted a community dress drive earlier this year, collecting between 50 and 70 dresses.

"We had a good turnout for that," Garcia said "The community really showed up."

Threads of Kindness also regularly leaves a donation box outside Moline High School's main office for community members to give to outside of school hours.

"Every time we've had that (box) out, it was overflowing," Stoll said, adding she suspects to see this support continue as Threads of Kindness grows. "The more we get our name and, I think, our idea out there, the easier it will be for us to get more dresses."

They hope to eventually offer other items too, Garcia said. As the club takes off, Threads of Kindness plans to start gathering accessories, tuxedos, shoes and hair tool donations for students to rent.

"Obviously, we want to (provide) for boys and men," Ruiz said. "We are just still facing some challenges right now to grow our club."

Regardless of the club's size and scale so far, Stoll said she's inspired by her students, giving kudos to Garcia for coming up with the idea.

"It had nothing to do with herself, (but) everybody else in the school. She was thinking of the people who don't normally get thought of, and I was immediately on-board," Stoll said. "It's nice to know that there are kids out there who have that mindset."

Garcia, who is involved in other student organizations, said volunteerism and "pulling up" her community is important to her. Having struggled to afford school dances in the past, she's found a new sense of community through Threads of Kindness.

"It was comforting, almost, to see that I'm not the only person at school who (sometimes) doesn't go to dances or other opportunities because they don't have the financial means to do so," Garcia said.

Since the club is still new, she looks forward to seeing Threads of Kindness help more and more Moline students overcome these barriers moving forward.

"We truly do want everyone to experience these school dances," Garcia said. "It's literally high school, a time for us to go out and have this fun."
Gloria Mancilla wants people to know her story.

Her family fled threats of violence from gang members in Mexico when she was 9 years old, leaving behind a close-knit family and her fathers medical practice for a chance at safety.

Thirty years later, Mancilla is a U.S. citizen, nurse and registered cardiac sonographer living in Davenport. She volunteers for causes important to the Hispanic community in the Quad-Cities as vice president of Quad Cities Interfaith and remains close with her immediate family, although far from her extended family.

Mancilla's family crossed the southwest border without documentation. Navigating the United States while growing up without a Social Security number was not without obstacles for Mancilla. But, Mancilla said, she had the support of friends, family, teachers, neighbors, church members and others in her community.

People knowing her story, she said, is what opened hearts and minds to others in her same plight.

There are people that you walk with, people that you eat with, people that you play with, people that you interact with every day, Mancilla said. And when they tell you theyre criminals, they know that its not right.  When they try to tell you theyre bad people, theyre doing this and that, they know thats not true. And I think thats what happened with my friends.

Thats the reason I share my story, because if people realize how much we have in common, a border doesnt make a difference.

Fleeing violence in Mexico

Mancilla remembers the first eight years of her life in Arcelia, Guerrero, Mexico, as a magical time.

Her family gathered at her grandparents house, where her grandfathers would play the guitar and her grandmothers cooked and shared stories. They attended church every Sunday, celebrated traditions on holidays such as Day of the Dead, Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Christmas.

Mancillas parents grew up as part of large farming families. Mancillas father attended school an hours walk away in the mornings and returned home to help on the farm in the evenings. Mancillas mothers family moved to Arcelia when she was 3 years old and she helped with household chores and la jugueria (a juice stand) while her brothers helped on the farm.

Mancillas mother became an elementary school teacher and her father studied to become a doctor. They married while her father was still in medical school nine hours away from Arcelia. During one of her mothers visits, she went into labor. Mancillas father happened to be the doctor on call that day, and he delivered Mancilla into the world. Two years later, her brother was born.

Her father bought a house, where Mancilla and her brother each had their own rooms. Her mom worked mornings at a nearby elementary school and her father opened a small clinic close to home. Her father dreamed of expanding his clinic and investing in better equipment for faster, more accurate diagnoses and her mom supported his ambitions.

As a doctor, Mancilla's father witnessed inequality in the Mexican health care system, where the rich exploited the poor and denied them basic human rights, Mancilla said. But her father never turned anyone away at his medical practice and people traveled days from rural areas to receive medical care from him.

The drug cartels thrived in these impoverished areas, Mancilla said, forcing families to work in marijuana fields.

Her father also wrote columns for a local newspaper, Despertar del Sur, where he advocated for a transformation of Mexico and denounced the injustices and threats brought by the cartels.

He became a target because he was exposing a lot of the corruption that was going on, Mancilla said.

One summer, when Mancilla was 9 years old, she and her father went to the mountains to help farmers during the harvest season, which was dangerous work because of the risk of scorpion and snake bites. Mancilla said her father would take her along as his mini nurse to assist him. One day, they ran out of medicine, so he sent her back to town to get more.

After she arrived home, three masked men with guns burst through the door. They forced her, her mother and her brother into a corner.

The men searched the house, Mancilla said, demanding to know where her father was. Mancillas mother told them she didnt know. After they left, Mancillas mother broke down in tears and sent Mancilla and her brother to stay with their grandparents. A few weeks later, Mancillas father returned from the mountains in the middle of the night and told the family they needed to leave immediately because they were no longer safe.

To 9-year-old Mancilla, the whole incident seemed like a bad nightmare. It wasnt until she was in her late teens that she worked up the courage to ask about it and confirm that night was not a dream.

Mancillas father had tried to look for assistance from police to guard him, but through his reporting for the newspaper, he uncovered that the police worked with the cartels.

He couldnt just go to the police and put in a report on this when he knew that they were the ones looking for him, Mancilla said. "He didnt have a choice but to flee.

Mancillas father told her the family would only be in the United States for a few years, and they would return to Mexico, their family and local community.

But it wasnt meant to be.

Through her teen years, Mancilla studied hard and had her sights set on going to college and pursuing medicine.

But in about 2004, when Mancilla graduated from high school in North Carolina, she learned she did not have a Social Security number, at the time an immovable barrier in the way of her dreams to attend medical school and become a doctor.

Mancilla wanted to return to Mexico, where she could pursue a career in medicine. But her father told her it wasnt safe. Mancilla told him she would go with or without his support and phoned her grandparents to see if they would house her while she went to school.

They told me youre better off staying there than coming back here, Mancilla said. Theyre picking up doctors to work for the cartels. Reporters are being killed. We have lost family members. We have lost neighbors. And we dont want you being part of that number. So, you have to stay there. Someday, its going to be safe for you to come back, but not now. And thats when I realized it was bad because I knew my grandparents wanted us with them.

It really hit me that it was not something that my parents chose to do (leaving Mexico), it wasnt something that was easy, Mancilla said. The family, the love, the traditions, that we care for each other and want to be together, for a grandparent to tell you, No I dont want you here. It just hit me, and I realized how bad it was.

A few years ago, Mancillas family saved up money to make a trip to Mexico to see her grandparents, especially motivated to do so after her grandmothers health declined.

Mancillo's parents were overjoyed at the thought of returning after so many years.

But a close friend, Carmelo, had been kidnapped while trying to cross the border with his pregnant wife and brother. Mancillas father sent the money he had saved for the trip to help Carmelo. Months passed, but only Carmelos wife and brother survived the ordeal, Mancilla said.

After this, the familys plans to return to Mexico became just a dream. And now, none of Mancillas grandparents are still living.

Mancilla's family comes to the Quad-Cities

Mancilla's parents frequently worked multiple jobs to make ends meet  her father worked in agriculture and construction  in California, North Carolina and Illinois.

Through the help of her teachers, principal and school employees in North Carolina, Mancilla attended community college. But all the costs would be out-of-pocket  no scholarships or federal grants.

When people dont know, they cant help, Mancilla said. But when people know the situation and the know whats going on, doors open.

The family then moved to Kewanee, Illinois, for her father's job with American Steel Carports. Mancilla moved, too, and enrolled in nursing clinicals at Black Hawk College. She found the area to be welcoming, with other immigrants and refugees enrolled at Black Hawk, and she decided to stay.

Becoming a citizen

In 2010, the country debated Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program created to protect eligible young adults who were brought to the United States as children from deportation and to provide them with work authorization.

Mancilla, a childhood arrival herself, wanted to attend rallies and organize to help get DACA over the finish line, despite concerns she said she heard that demonstrating publicly would make her a target.

At around the same time, some states passed stricter laws to prosecute and deport undocumented immigrants. She said it was the first time she felt like a criminal in the country she had been taught to love and respect. Supporters of those laws argued immigrants were stealing jobs, increasing crime and failing to contribute to society, she said.

"I couldn't help but laugh when I heard this on the news," Mancilla said. "The United States depends on immigrants to fill jobs that many Americans won't do, such as landscaping, food processing, meat cutting and construction."

Six years after she graduated, DACA was passed and gave Dreamers like me the chance to step out of the shadows and become part of the country we grew up in, Mancilla said.

Mancilla herself was never a DACA recipient, though she would likely have qualified. When DACA passed, Mancilla had applied for  and eventually received  a U Visa, which provides protections for victims of certain crimes who help law enforcement authorities in investigating or prosecuting criminal activity. U Visa-holders can apply for a green card  legal permanent resident status  after three years.

As of September 2024, there were 538,000 active DACA recipients in the United States.

After what Mancilla described as an arduous, lengthy, and costly process, she became a citizen in 2023.

The Catholic Diocese of Davenport provides immigration services, Mancilla said. But even with its help, the application, fingerprinting and submitting forms are costly.

Some who may qualify cant afford it, Mancilla said.

When youre living paycheck to paycheck, its hard, Mancilla said. Because most of the undocumented (immigrants) are paid minimally, under the table, or less than other people doing the same thing because they know the situation and they know they cant complain.  Sometimes you may have the opportunity to fix your papers, but then you dont have a lawyer or then you dont have the money to keep up with the process, so you just let it go.

Mancilla had mixed emotions when she finally became a U.S. citizen. Happy, but sad and angry, too.

She said she was sad, because of how long it took to receive citizenship in the country she was raised in and that she had learned to love. Angry that, in her view, the country was receiving so much from undocumented people  paid taxes, labor and commerce  without acknowledgment.

And sad that she would not be able to return to Mexico to see her grandparents, whom she had not seen since she was 9 years old.

As the holidays came each year, my parents grew visibly sad, and now I understand why, Mancilla said. Leaving ones country often means saying goodbye forever  to loved ones, traditions, familiar foods and a way of life. I lost all my grandparents without ever seeing them again, which was heartbreaking for my parents and me. People dont choose to leave their homes lightly; they do so out of necessity, often risking their lives in the process.

Post-election

In January, Donald Trump came into office promising mass deportations, targeting the more than 10 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States, and imposing harsher immigration restrictions. According to a tracker by NBC News using data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the number of migrants in ICE detention was about 48,000 as of mid-April. About half did not have criminal charges or convictions.

Soon after Trump's election, Quad Cities Interfaith started helping families put together emergency plans in case of deportation or separation and educating people on their rights.

What are the steps they need to take to know their rights, to know what to say in case they encounter ICE? Have a plan ready, Mancilla said. I think one of my major concerns, personally is, as a parent, is the parent separation. If the parent goes to work, who will pick up the children from school?

The workshop helps parents sit down with kids and explain what to do if their parents are deported. For children or teens, a parent gone may mean additional responsibilities. Or just setting a plan for how their children will be able to reach them.

If this happens to me, these are the steps youre going to take. This is the phone number where you can reach me if I get deported to Mexico, Mancilla said. Its just a lot.

The group is also working with the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to do similar workshops with businesses on what to do in case ICE comes to their business.

Mancilla said the group expects federal officials to focus on bigger cities and areas first, then turn to smaller communities such as the Quad-Cities.

"I feel like the Trump administration is very desperate for results," Mancilla said. "So we will need to be prepared."

In spite of the divisive rhetoric, Mancilla said shes seen people come together. In February, she said she watched marches with people from different countries in Central America, South America, and Africa.

Realizing that what happens to an undocumented immigrant, to my brother, to my sister, to my neighbor, it affects me some way or another, Mancilla said. Some way or another were all intertwined. And I think people are starting now to realize that and appreciate each others work.
The seven generations before us all had a hand in making us who we are today, but who were those people? This is a question that Oglala Lakota genealogist and former journalist Amanda Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais has been working to tackle for herself and interest youth in on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

On Friday, the Oglala Lakota woman was honored at the South Dakota Historical Societys conference in Deadwood for her work in genealogy with the 2025 Governors Award for History.

About 17 years ago, Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais and her daughter, Jennifer Young Bull Bear, started Tusweca Ska Okolkiciye, the White Dragonfly Womens Society. The group helps Lakota girls by providing a traditional coming-of-age ceremony, called insanti, for them.

When we introduce ourselves, we say our parents' names, our grandparents' names, Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais said. But who are we really? So I thought, this could be fun to do, to build a curriculum around that work for them. We could build family trees, find out who their ancestors were.

Within the seven generations before us are 64 different people with 64 different stories, she said. Understanding who those people were, where they came from, can help us better understand ourselves.

What are the epigenetics of your ancestors that would come down to you, she said. If it's intergenerational trauma, then how do you deal with that?

As part of her work with the White Dragonfly Womens Society, she helped the girls design their own family trees on poster boards that could be displayed in their homes. All of this was done with her own money.

I think telling it from the grassroots, our own stories, how history affected us, and our genealogy, our DNA, to be able to tell our descendants that, so that they could carry that they know about it, then it strengthens them in their identity of who they are, she said.

Digging into family histories can uncover uncomfortable facts, but those are all part of the process, she said. She learned more about herself and who came before her. For about 15 years now, shes become her own familys historian.

In the process, she found information about her brother who moved away when she was young. In the 1950s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs launched the Indian Relocation Program aimed at encouraging Native people to leave reservations and move to urban areas. The program, which was part of the larger Indian Termination Policy, promised housing and relocation assistance.

Takes War Bonnett-Beauvaiss brother, Ronald Cottier, moved to California when she was young. Cottier died when he was in his 30s, but finding photos of him online brought back a wave of memories.

I went to classmates.com and I found his high school pictures, that was such a joy to see, she said.  And suddenly all the memories came back when they looked at his face, you know. So you know, being able to show them that you could do those things (was impactful).

Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais also found out she had relatives who participated in Buffalo Bills Wild West show, a touring wild west show staffed by Lakota performers. In 2024, she worked with Oglala Lakota College and Clemson University to help document the show and work to name performers.

Performers were often given fake names and false tribal affiliations to make the shows more interesting, but this process made it incredibly difficult to identify ancestors.

Those are our ancestors, she said. They would take pictures of them, but they didn't put a name on them.

Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais has always had a knack for storytelling. For 30 year shes been involved in journalism across South Dakota.

Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais was the managing editor for Indian Country Today for 14 years, back when it was headquartered on Pine Ridge. When the Lakota Times was created following the nationalization of Indian Country Today, Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais became the owner of the Lakota Times and served in that role for five years.

She now continues to write columns for the Lakota Times but spends most of her time as the public education specialist for the Native Womens Society of the Great Plains, where she helps domestic violence survivors and missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Takes War Bonnett-Beauvais was nominated for the award by the Avis Red Bear, the editor of the Teton Times in Standing Rock. The nomination came as a shock to her, she said.

She hopes in the future to help bring more Lakota voices to her hometown, Martin, as well as the town's local museum and heritage center.

When I go visit it, it's mostly about the white settlers, she said. So then I'm always thinking, how can we incorporate that they bought the allotments from the Indians and they settled there. Where's our piece in here, who's responsible for that? You know? So we need to tell our stories more. We need to tell our stories and more for our children and our grandchildren, so they know that they're just not Lakota. There's more to it than that.
South Dakotans decisively rejected an abortion measure on the ballot last November. By a 17-percent margin, we said no to elective abortions of babies who have heartbeats and can feel pain, and no to our state tax dollars funding abortion businesses. We upheld our law protecting life throughout all of pregnancy and kept our state free of abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood. Despite this sweeping victory for human rights in our state, Guttmacher Institute data shows abortion facilities around the country are still being fueled by our taxpayer dollars to end the lives of 1 million unborn children annually.

Pro-life leaders in South Dakota and the 49 other states signed a letter last month calling for an end to the national subsidization of abortion. I along with Rep. Jon Hansen and Norman Woods of Family Voice went to Washington, D.C., recently to join with hundreds of other citizen lobbyists in urging our congressional leaders to defund big abortion through the budget reconciliation process.

The shocking reality is that Planned Parenthoods latest annual report reveals they receive nearly $2 million a day of taxpayer money to help them carry out close to 400,000 abortions per year, according to the Charlotte Lozier Institute  double the population of Sioux Falls. The lions share of that money comes from Medicaid dollars. We have come close to defunding abortion businesses nationally before  falling just one vote short in 2017 (due to concerns with other parts of the bill) when it was included in the repeal and replace Obamacare package. Now that we have a Republican trifecta in D.C. and Sen. John Thune leading the way in the Senate, this is the year to get it done.

With President Donald Trump back in the White House, we have already taken important steps to decrease taxpayer support of abortion businesses. In his first week, Trump reinstated the Global Protect Life Rule  which some know as the Mexico City Policy. This rule prohibits U.S. family planning funds from going to any foreign NGO that performs or promotes abortion. The policy has been revoked by every Democrat and reinvoked by every Republican to occupy the oval office since Reagan. President Trump modernized the policy by expanding its scope in his first administration and did so again in the policy released in January.

More recently, the Trump Administration announced it would be freezing Planned Parenthoods Title X dollars due to the organizations disregard of the Presidents executive order on DEI. This impacts $27.5 million in annual funding to Planned Parenthood. But the $500+ million in annual Medicaid funding remains untouched.

The group formerly known as NARAL has started running political attack ads in an attempt to malign Republican efforts to end the subsidization of abortion businesses. The ads invoke the abortion lobbys same old talking points from the 2010s, saying defunding Planned Parenthood means fewer breast exams and cancer screenings, and less access to the birth control so many of us rely on. The reality is Planned Parenthoods non-abortion services have been declining for years, based on a Charlotte Lozier Institute analysis of the Planned Parenthoods annual report. Since 2010, taxpayer funding has gone up 43% while cancer screenings, breast exams and pap smears have all fallen by more than 70%. Planned Parenthoods contraception services are also down by 39%.

We dont have to look too far beyond South Dakotas borders to see the reality of Planned Parenthoods lack of real health care services and abysmal treatment of women. The New York Times recently issued an article with the headline Botched Care and Tired Staff: Planned Parenthood in Crisis. The article tells of a Nebraska Planned Parenthood that implanted a birth control device when a woman was pregnant and caused the child to be stillborn. Also in Nebraska, Planned Parenthood caused patients to vomit when they continued to bring women in despite sewage that had been leaking into a recovery room for days. Then just to the west of us, an 18-year-old girl in Colorado died in February after Planned Parenthood performed an abortion at 22 weeks  a point the baby may survive outside of the womb. The girl experienced an amniotic fluid embolism and, according to her grandparents, Fort Collins Planned Parenthood admitted they waited too long to call for help and they specifically requested no sirens on the ride to the hospital.

Rather than invest money to prevent future problems and tragedies, Planned Parenthood has opted to devote its dollars to further woke politics. In the 2024 election, Planned Parenthood says they gave a record-breaking $69.5 million to elect Kamala Harris and Democrats. And instead of doing any mammograms, Planned Parenthood has expanded its business model to sell gender transitions. When abortion businesses are defunded, women throughout this country will be much better served by accessing care through community health clinics that outnumber Planned Parenthoods 15:1, according to new Charlotte Lozier Institute research.

A recent Marist poll shows nearly 60% of Americans reject the public funding of abortion, and judging by the vote on Amendment G, its safe to say that at least that many South Dakotans do as well. With the leadership of Leader Thune, Rep. Dusty Johnson and Sen. Mike Rounds, this is the year we will defund big abortion.
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil is in talks with China to build a railway connecting the Chinese-built mega Chancay port in Peru to Brazilian regions, Planning Minister Simone Tebet said on Friday.

"They are very interested in helping Brazil, in crisscrossing the country with railways," Tebet told local outlet Carta Capital in an interview.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the inauguration of the deepwater port in November.

The $1.3 billion Chancay project is Beijing's largest investment in South America and part of its push to expand trade and influence across the continent.

Tebet said her team met just over a month ago with a Chinese group representing the country's state-owned railway company to discuss a potential route linking the port to Brazil, based on the view that Chancay lies on the shortest path to China, cutting maritime trade distance by at least 10,000 kilometers (6,210 miles).

Initially, the Chinese side had considered a route through the Amazon region, but the Brazilian government firmly rejected the idea due to the presence of the rainforest and indigenous peoples, Tebet said.

"They ended up understanding, after a full analysis, and the idea now is to chart a southern route," she said, noting that the railway would pass through the states of Acre and Tocantins, eventually reaching Bahia and connecting to the West-East Integration Railway (FIOL).

The FIOL railway, which remains under construction, will stretch about 1,527 kilometers from Figueiropolis in Tocantins to the Atlantic port of Ilheus in Bahia.

Tebet acknowledged that the project would take time to materialize but said it would be transformative for economic development in Brazil's poorer interior regions.

"You could be talking about five years, maybe eight, to see a project like this completed," she added.

(Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
Guwahati: The Baloch-descendants have urged the United Nations to recognise Balochistan as an independent nation out of Pakistan. In a letter, addressed to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, the Baloch Welfare Association in India, demanded to support the Baloch nation's legitimate right to self-determination, as enshrined in the UN charter and international law.

"We urge the UN to take immediate and serious action on the humanitarian crisis in Balochistan. Recognizing an independent Balochistan becomes an essential initiative to bring a lasting peace in the region, end decades of suffering and support the people whose voices have been silenced for a long period," said the letter, dispatched from its office in Banswara of Rajasthan.

For over seven decades, the people of Balochistan have been subjected to relentless atrocities by the Pakistani state, including enforced disappearances, military operations, resource exploitation, and systematic cultural suppression, asserted the letter, adding that these actions amount to crimes against humanity and continue to threaten the survival of the Baloch identity.

Pointing out that Balochistan remains under occupation and oppression from Islamabad, the association also appealed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'to take a principled and bold step by recognizing Free Balochistan as an independent state'. Such recognition would not only uphold the democratic values that India cherishes but also reaffirm India's historical and cultural ties with the Baloch people, stated the letter.
BANGKOK (AP)  The chief of Myanmar's military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, has for the first time since seizing power four years ago met with President Xi Jinping of China, a top ally of his military government, state-run media in the Southeast Asian nation reported Saturday.

The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that Xi pledged to provide assistance for recovery after Myanmars devastating earthquake in March and aid in efforts to end the countrys civil war. The two leaders met Friday in Moscow on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Its report said they also discussed bilateral relations, enhancing cooperation in all sectors, and cooperating in regional stability and peace.

Cooperation discussed as Beijing seeks to shore up military government

China has been using its influence with ethnic rebel organizations to ease their pressure on the military government in an apparent effort to stabilize it.

China, along with Russia, is a major arms supplier to Myanmars military in its war against pro-democracy and ethnic minority resistance forces. Beijing is also Myanmars biggest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in mines, oil and gas pipelines, and other infrastructure. Its interests in security in Myanmar are especially strong because the two nations share an 890-mile (1,440-kilometer) border

Chinas government has maintained good working relations with Myanmars ruling military, which is shunned and sanctioned by many Western nations for the army's February 2021 takeover from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and for major human rights violations.

It is also one of the countries providing major relief and reconstruction assistance after the 7.7-magnitude March 28 earthquake that killed more than 3,700 people in Myanmar and injured more than 5,100.

The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million people displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million in need due to the war, according to the United Nations.

Beijing has been concerned about instability that threatens its interests in Myanmar since Myanmars army suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past few years, especially in areas near the Chinese border.

An offensive began in October 2023, by the  Three Brotherhood Alliance,  comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army and the Taang National Liberation Army, was able to quickly capture towns and overrun military bases and command centers and strategic cities along the Chinese border in northeastern Shan state.

It was widely seen at the time as having Beijings tacit support to help stamp out rampant organized crime activities in areas controlled by ethnic Chinese.
Geneva: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, while revealing that 55 journalists have been killed since 1 January 2025 around the world, demanded due action against the perpetrators. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the PEC stated that the auspicious day reminds everyone to uphold press freedom and defend journalists from censorship, harassment, and violence.

"Globally on May 3, the press freedom day is observed to promote independent journalism and also remember the victim journalists, who were targeted performing professional duties. It also signifies the importance of media in promoting transparency, accountability, and informed citizenry," said Blaise Lempen, president of PEC (www.pressemblem.ch).

In the Gaza Strip, at least 18 media workers have been killed since the beginning of the year, adding to the terrible toll of more than 200 killed by the Israeli army since 7 October 2023. Silencing the witnesses will not stop the profession from doing its job. The responsible of war crimes must be brought to justice and impunity to the journo-murders (observed in a large number of countries) needs to be stopped by one and all, added Lempen.

PEC's south and southeast Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that a senior Sindhi journalist named Allah Dino Shar, associated with Hum News, was recently (11 April 2025) killed by miscreants in Pakistan's Khairpur locality. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, while condemning the murder, demanded strong actions against the perpetrators. Pakistan's neighbour India lost three journalists (Mukesh Chandrakar, Raghavendra Vajpayee and Sahadev Dey) and Nepal one (Suresh Rajak) to assailants since 1 January this year.
City police arrest fleeing Cancun taxi driver in middle of drug transaction

Cancun, Q.R.  A Cancun taxi driver has been arrested and his cab seized after police witnessed a drug deal. Police also arrested the second person involved in the deal. During the inspection, police reported finding 89 bags of pot, 24,000 pesos in cash and four cell phones.

The bust was made during a routine police patrol in SM 6 of the city Friday. Police were patrolling Bonampak Avenue when they came upon the two cars exchanging narcotics.

After a failed attempt to flee, police arrested Darwin Osbaldo N and Luis Alexander N. In a statement, the SSC (Secretary of Citizen Security) reported Darwin Osbaldo N and Luis Alexander N were arrested for their alleged involvement in drug crimes.

During surveillance patrols, officers from the Secretariat of Citizen Security observed two men next to Suzuki vehicles exchanging small transparent bags containing green plants that looked similar to marijuana.

The incident occurred on Bonampak Avenue between RBLA Avenue and Fonatur Avenue in Superblock 6 of Cancun. Upon noticing the police presence, the men boarded the vehicles and fled the scene. Due to the swift intervention of the officers, the men were intercepted for inspection.

Seized from them were two fanny packs, 89 small transparent plastic bags containing dried green plants that looked similar to marijuana, 24,000 Mexican pesos in bills of various denominations. Police also seized four cell phones and two Suzuki vehicles, one a white XL7 and the other a white Ertiga with green stripes, labeled as a taxi. Both with license plates from the state of Quintana Roo.

The men were taken into custody by the Special Prosecutors Office for Combating Drug Dealing Crimes.

Late last year, state officials raided a Cancun taxi union office after three members were killed. The three men were killed by other union members as an inside job. A total of five people were arrested. Authorities later revealed that the men were killed for taking a stance against the sale of drugs on behalf of a criminal group.

Police have not said if the latest Cancun taxi driver arrest is related to a criminal group.
Forensics called in to remove found body on Isla Mujeres mainland

Isla Mujeres, Q.R.  Forensics personnel were called in to the scene of a discovery on mainland Isla Mujeres Friday. Area residents reported finding the body on a dirt road early that morning.

Police verified the finding and called state personnel for its removal. The body was located in a grassy area off a dirt road that leads to the Manati Lagoon on the mainland of Isla Mujeres.

Residents who found the body reported the male person had been shot and left recently. Authorities have not provided details about the victim or a possible line of investigation.
Man left for dead after street brawl in Cancun Hotel Zone

Cancun, Q.R.  Police are investigating the finding of a body in the Cancun Hotel Zone Saturday morning believed the result of a fight. According to local authorities, the man was found laying face-up on a sidewalk dead after a street brawl.

The incident happened near the area of Callejon de los Milagros at kilometer 9 of Kukulkan Boulevard close to the bar district. Police say the dead man, a Mexican national, was part of a large street fight Saturday morning. Several people involved in the fatal fight have been arrested.

The Secretary of Citizen Security (SSC) reported that following a fight between a group of people who were apparently intoxicated at kilometer 9 of Kukulkan Boulevard in the Cancun Hotel Zone, the tragic death of a Mexican national was reported.

The tourist police arrived at the scene and, in coordination with the SSC (Secretary of State Security) and the help of security cameras, implemented a control and surveillance operation, resulting in the arrest of several individuals.

The detainees were handed over to the State Attorney Generals Office for immediate investigation and determination of responsibility. Additional details surrounding the Saturday morning fight are unknown.
ROCKY MOUNT  When Franklin County Superintendent of Schools Kevin Siers joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 1989, his grandmother made sure to fix him a plate of homemade biscuits and gravy before he left.

It was a tradition that his grandmother started when his grandfather left to serve in the Army in World War II. While it was a meal she cooked almost daily, Siers said she made sure to have it for any family member who was heading off to serve.

It is a tradition that Siers has now expanded to Franklin County High School students who will soon be leaving to join the armed forces this summer. The annual Future Veterans Breakfast gives those students a chance to come together for a meal, and a taste of home, before leaving.

My biscuits pale in comparison to hers, Siers said of the homemade biscuits and gravy made using his grandmothers recipe specifically for the breakfast on Friday.

Franklin County High School has 15 graduating seniors this year who will be joining a branch of the military. Of those, 12 attended Thursdays breakfast in the schools culinary arts classroom joined by Siers, Franklin County High School Principal Reyhan Deskins and recruiters Army Staff Sgts. Zachary Sharpe and Lindsay Hundley.

You guys are going to go out there and do great things, Sharpe said to the students.

The 15 future veterans are a small percentage of the approximately 1,800 students attending Franklin County High School this year. While small, they a part of a nationwide increase in military recruitment that has been ongoing for the past few years.

The Department of Defense cited a 12.5% increase in military enlistment in its fiscal year for 2024, which runs from Oct. 1 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024. There were 225,000 new recruits in 2024 compared to 200,000 in 2023.

The increase in recruitment has been linked to a variety of factors including improved recruitment strategies, increased bonuses and new prep courses. The election of Donald Trump could have also played a role as some people are more comfortable joining the military in a Republican administration. Although, recruitment numbers were increasing before Trumps election, which happened after the end of the federal government fiscal year.

Franklin County High School student Isobella Amicucci is leaving next month to join the Navy. She joined as a way to pay for her college as well as get experience in her goal of one day becoming a surgical nurse.

I wanted more opportunities, Amicucci said.

The military is an option for many high school students who question if they can afford college or if they want to be possibly saddled with student loans. Siers told students Thursday that he was able to get a bachelors degree, masters degree and doctorate paid for by serving in the U.S. Army, while also getting the opportunity to see the world.

Seeing the world it one of the reasons student Jayden Hall decided to sign up to join the Marines next month. Ive always wanted to get out of here, he said.

Hall also wants to become someone his 3-year-old little brother looks up to. He said his brother has already said he plans to be a Marine one day himself.

Deskins congratulated the students on their decision to join the military. He encouraged them to make a career out of the military. He said staying in provides additional benefits that can help them later in life.

Deskins also thanked them for joining the military and for their future service. Many of those at the breakfast Thursday said they will be leaving just a few days after graduation for basic training and the start of a new chapter in their life.

I just want to say how proud I am of all of you, Deskins said.

Before students returned to their classes, Siers also thanked them for their decision to join the military. He also offered to make them biscuits and gravy once again when they returned for another taste of home.

We appreciate the decision youve made and we appreciate the sacrifice you are going to make, Siers said.
A nonprofit organization that supports the humanities in South Carolina says a lack of federal funding has forced it to suspend its grantmaking program.

The SC Humanities Council receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to support projects and programs designed to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of South Carolinians, according to Executive Director Dr. Randy Akers.

SC Humanities offers grants, speakers and other resources to promote the understanding and appreciation of the humanities, but federal funding for grants that support that mission has been halted.

Its frustrating. Some of the things that I think are very important to our state and to our nation like the humanities, the arts, public broadcasts, libraries, museums, these are all things where federal funds are being cut, Akers said.

I think these things are vitally important for communities. It gives them a sense of pride. It gives them a chance to work together on projects, to learn about their local history, he said.

Akers said, Its frustrating to see things that are positive and help bring people together and understand themselves are not seen as important.

Congress appropriated $207 million to the NEH for the 2025 budget year, he said. Of that, $65 million is to be distributed among each of the 50 states humanities councils.

Of that $65 million, South Carolina Humanities was to receive just about $1.1 million. April 1 was when DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) decided to in effect shut down the National Endowment for the Humanities, Akers said.

He continued, It wasnt completely shut down, but about two-thirds of their staff was let go. They were not able to make federal grant payments to folks like us. So, we were unable then to receive monies that Congress has appropriated to use for 2025.

Akers said while a little more than $400,000 has been spent, by and large it was about $600,000 that we didnt have access to and that we were expecting to expend in 2025.

He said the lack of funding for grantmaking has had consequences.

We have to be very careful with our operations in the office and what we have done is currently suspend our grantmaking. Our grants is our biggest program that we give throughout the state. Were not able to do that right now until we kind of get a little sense of where the future is headed, Akers said.

SC Humanities has helped fund Pee Dee programs.

Weve given grants to the Florence County Museum and the Florence County Library. We gave a large grant to Lake City for a big program that they were going to do involving the history of Native Americans in our state, he said.

Akers said the groups looking for grants, including for any 250th anniversary celebrations for America, will find that it has been curtailed.

To me, what this funding cut especially affects are some of our small rural areas  the library, museums, schools and groups that get grants from us, Akers said.

In some of your larger communities, bigger institutions wont be as affected as much. But a lot of the cultural opportunities that come from us or like the state Arts Commission, that might be slowed down and will affect rural communities, he said.

As an example of mini grants given in the Pee Dee region, the Florence County Museum featured an exhibition titled ReCollect, which examined the museums past, present and future work, with the help of the grant funds.

The Florence County Library welcomed award-winning author and illustrator Erin Entrada Kelly in April for a celebration of National Library Week.

Akers said, Groups thatll be looking to us for funding, right now its curtailed. Some of the grants that we funded earlier in the year before April 1 have already been paid for. There will be programs going on this summer. So where will be some activity from previously paid grants.

The hope would be that when Congress starts working on the 2026 appropriations, that they would restore some of the funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities and, of course the state humanities councils. But thats going to be a while before that process works itself out, he said.

In the meantime, the SC Humanities is relying primarily on private funds its received.

Were trying to be as efficient and prudent as possible with the monies that we have right now, but we are still going ahead with our Speakers Bureau with over 40 speakers, and were going to continue to do our Humanities Festival and our awards luncheon. Were going to continue to do as much as we can, Akers said.
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On Thursday, President Donald Trump pulled his nomination of Ed Martin to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia after facing insurmountable opposition in the Senate. Martin made his name attempting to overturn the 2020 election, then zealously advocating for Jan. 6 insurrectionists; he has served as interim U.S. attorney for D.C. since Jan. 20, transforming that office into a weapon of presidential retribution against everyone who has crossed MAGA. At once menacing and clownish, Martin consistently tripped over his own incompetence, mendacity, and ignorance, ultimately dooming his chances of confirmation. He will, however, be replaced by Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host who shares Martins sycophantic devotion to Trump and obsessive hostility toward his adversaries.

Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed Martins setback and Pirros sweeps-week installment on this weeks Slate Plus bonus episode of Amicus. Their conversation, below, has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Dahlia Lithwick: I guess the good news is that Eagle Ed Martin is not going to be the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The bad news is that Fox News host Jeanine Pirro will now, at least temporarily, lead an office with more than 350 prosecutors who have the authority to charge local and federal crimes, including public corruption, national security, and other incredibly sensitive matters. Yet more bad news: Ed Martin isnt going away! Hes going to get a big old job at Main Justice. I do think this was a win overallthank you, Sen. Thom Tillis, for opposing Martinbut there is a lot going on here. Can you help us pick through it?

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Mark Joseph Stern: Martin is the first Trump nominee since Matt Gaetz to be rejected by the Senate, and that in itself is a victory. It proves, after the confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr., that there still is a line. And I think we can all understand why that line was Ed Martin. He had no training or experience as a prosecutor. He denied that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. He then vigorously advocated for Jan. 6 insurrectionists, calling them patriots. He befriended one insurrectionist who was a Nazi sympathizer, calling him an extraordinary man and an extraordinary leader, then lied about his relationship with this guy to the Senate.

Once Martin was installed in the U.S. attorneys office, he worked on dismissing the cases of insurrectionists whom he had himself represented in private practice, a flagrant violation of Justice Department rules. He fired, suspended, and demoted Jan. 6 prosecutors who did nothing wrong. He sent threatening letters to multiple Democratic lawmakers, including Chuck Schumer, over their protected political speech. He threatened Georgetown Law for allegedly promoting and teaching diversity, prompting a smackdown from Dean William Treanor. He threatened to prosecute journalists and other people who spoke critically about Elon Musk and DOGE. He had a constant stream of embarrassing, basic errors in court that revealed he had no idea how to do his job.

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So Martin was a nightmare and a disaster. And for the Senate to draw the line here is a good thing, but its pretty disturbing that it was so close: In the end, it was just Tillisthe Republican from North Carolinawho ensured that Martins nomination would be defeated in committee. There was not a groundswell of other Republican senators all saying, We cant support this guy. It wound up being pretty close, but thankfully, he is now out of D.C.

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But hes also back in with a new gig at the DOJ, right?

Yes. He will now lead Attorney General Pam Bondis new task force on the weaponization of federal law enforcement. He will also be an associate deputy attorney general and the pardon attorney, since Trump fired the previous one. I suppose that means he gets to pick criminal defendants to pardonprobably Republicans who were corrupt in ways Trump likes. Hell have sweeping power to pluck them out and recommend clemency. He will also be investigating and harassing people like Jack Smithwho prosecuted Trump. And he can continue to punish Jan. 6 prosecutors from his former office, people he has already demoted, suspended, or fired. He could attempt to investigate them for allegedly abridging the civil rights of insurrectionists by prosecuting them for ransacking the Capitol.

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This new position does not require Senate confirmation. So Martin doesnt have to worry about Republican senators balking. He can continue his reign of terror from a different position. But at least the good people of D.C. probably no longer have to worry about Eagle Ed and his goons banging down their doors because they tweeted something mean about Elon Musk.

Right, but they do have to worry about Pirro banging down their door. Pirro is probably more qualified than Martin, given her long-ago experience as a prosecutor, even though she is, to be clear, a sitting Fox News host. How does Trump make her U.S. attorney without Senate confirmation?

The same way he did with Martin: by having the AG appoint them as interim U.S. attorneys. They can serve for 120 days, exercising the full power of the office. But if they have not been confirmed at the end of those 120 days, they have to step down. Thats why Pirro can do this. An interim U.S. attorney, by the way, is different from an acting U.S. attorney, which is a different position. Acting U.S. attorneys can serve for longer210 daysbut they must have been confirmed by the Senate to a different position first, or previously served in a high-ranking post. Pirro was not, so she faces the 120-day clock, just like Martin did.

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Unless shes confirmed by the Senate before the clock is up, right? Then she gets to serve out the rest of Trumps term.

Thats right, though its not clear to me whether she wants to spend the next three and a half years doing this job. It certainly doesnt pay as well as a Fox News hosting gig. This feels like a troll move by Trump. And I think its quite possible that his new plan is to appoint a rotating series of unqualified crazy people to be interim U.S. attorney for D.C. rather than trying to nail down a qualified professional who could fill the role for the rest of their term. Thats just my guess; maybe she really wants the job and there may well be enough Republican senators to get her across the finish line.

At least, unlike Martin, she does have experience as a prosecutor.

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Yes, though that was a long time ago. And in recent years, she has been very, very crazy. She actively denied Bidens victory in 2020; an executive producer at Fox News described her as a reckless maniac who is nuts, promotes conspiracy theories, and should never be on live television. She has said horribly Islamophobic things about Ilhan Omar to the point that she got suspended by Fox News, and thats a pretty high bar. She has said wildly inappropriate things about prosecutors who took on Donald Trump, calling for a cleansing of the FBI and the Justice Department, and claiming that those people needed to be led out in handcuffs.

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So Pirro will, I think, continue Ed Martins reign of terror over that office. She will continue to purge people who oppose Trump and are not entirely on board with his fascist cult of personality. The biggest difference is that she had some experience as a prosecutor in the 90s, so we cant write her off as utterly unqualified. But she has become fully radicalized between then and now. She is not a real prosecutor; she is today very much a talking head, one who has spread crazy, unforgivable lies about the 2020 election and made it clear that she will be a foot soldier for Trump and nothing else.

Its so interesting, because you describe her as a trolly pick, but of course, Ed Martin was also a trolly pick. And it does lead you to wonder: In 120 days, whos next? Krusty the Clown? I dont know, but its not as though Trump ever says I will reach higher. He only reaches lower.
The first Opens of the 2025 season at Eldorado Scioto Downs were held on Friday, May 9. Prince Of Honor took the Open Trot in 1:53 while Hey Hey Mama was first across the wire in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace. Both are now 15-time winners.

Driver Chris Page took Prince Of Honor from post four and made the front just before the quarter in his $34,722 event. Leading through :27.3, :57.2 and 1:25.4 fractions, Prince Of Honor came home in :27.1 to win by 3-1/4 lengths for trainer Ron Burke. Kildare King (Tyler Smith) held on for second, with four-year-old Sugar Instead (Brett Miller) finishing third. Prince Of Honor, by Walner, is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. The five-year-old gelding now has more than $520,000 in lifetime earnings.

Hey Hey Mama (pictured above) got off the gate to settle in third during the opening quarters of :26.4 and :55.1 in the top distaff pace. Midway down the backstretch, driver Dan Noble pulled her first-up and made the front before the 1:23 third quarter. Coming home in :27, Hey Hey Mama tripped the beam in 1:50, fighting off a tough bid by Naked On A Hill (Chris Page), who came three-wide around the last turn. Hungry Lizzo (Jeremy Smith) finished third. Hey Hey Mama is owned by trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. and Odds On Racing. The Downbytheseaside mare now has nearly $380,000 in lifetime earnings. The win was the fifth on the 16-race card for Noble and the first of three for Morgan.

Series action also continued on Friday with three $18,056 divisions of the Kevin Greenfield Trot for Ohio-sired colts that were non-winners of one race. RC Enterprise, a three-year-old son of What The Hill, took the first and fastest division in 1:57 with Dan Noble aboard for trainer Chris Beaver. Other winners were Bold Bastogne (sired by Marseille) in 1:58.3 for driver Trevor Smith and trainer Jeff Smith and Jet Wings (sired by What The Hill) in 1:57.1 in rein to Brett Miller for Virgil Morgan Jr.

Three divisions of the Steve McCoy Pace for Ohio-sired fillies that were non-winners of one race went to Rose Run Aimee (sired by Racing Hill) in 1:51.3 with Dan Noble driving for trainer James Ehrsam, Tameudown (sired by Fear The Dragon) in 1:53.2 with Austin Hanners in the sulky behind the Steve Carter trainee and Judge Me Again (sired by Western Vintage) in 1:54 for driver Aaron Merriman and trainer Chris Beaver.

In the sole division of the Final Breath for three-year-old Ohio-sired trotting colts who were non-winners of $70,000 USD lifetime, Vekna reigned supreme for driver/trainer Kayne Kauffman when the pair crossed the line in 1:54. The Enterprise colt is owned by Kauffmans wife Natalie. What A Buckeye (Dan Noble) was second with Nelli Up (Jason Beattie) rounding out the trifecta.

Racing continues on Saturday, May 10 with a 16-race card including the $26,000 USD Open Pace featuring Bythemissal as the 5-2 morning line favourite. Two more series events will also be held, including the Carols Comet for Ohio-sired three-year-old pacing colts who are non-winners of $70,000 USD and the K F Pro Sam for three and four-year-old pacing colts who are winners of $70,000 USD but four-year-olds who are winners over $150,000 USD are not eligible.

The 90-day 2025 Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet runs through Saturday, Sept. 13. Races will be held Tuesday-Saturday, with special holiday cards on Memorial Day and Labour Day. First post is at 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 have a 6:45 p.m. post to help accommodate horsepeople attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.

(With files from Eldorado Scioto Downs)
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: University of Washington

Tuochao Chen, a University of Washington doctoral student, recently toured a museum in Mexico. Chen doesn't speak Spanish, so he ran a translation app on his phone and pointed the microphone at the tour guide. But even in a museum's relative quiet, the surrounding noise was too much. The resulting text was useless.

Various technologies have emerged lately promising fluent translation, but none of these solved Chen's problem of public spaces. Meta's new glasses, for instance, function only with an isolated speaker; they play an automated voice translation after the speaker finishes.

Now, Chen and a team of UW researchers have designed a headphone system that translates several speakers at once, while preserving the direction and qualities of people's voices. The team built the system, called Spatial Speech Translation, with off-the-shelf noise-canceling headphones fitted with microphones. The team's algorithms separate out the different speakers in a space and follow them as they move, translate their speech and play it back with a 2-4 second delay.

University of Washington researchers designed a headphone system that translates several people speaking at once, following them as they move and preserving the direction and qualities of their voices. The team built the system, called Spatial Speech Translation, with off-the-shelf noise-cancelling headphones fitted with microphones. Credit: Chen et al./CHI '25

The team presented its research Apr. 30 at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Yokohama, Japan. The code for the proof-of-concept device is available for others to build on. "Other translation tech is built on the assumption that only one person is speaking," said senior author Shyam Gollakota, a UW professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. "But in the real world, you can't have just one robotic voice talking for multiple people in a room. For the first time, we've preserved the sound of each person's voice and the direction it's coming from."

The system makes three innovations. First, when turned on, it immediately detects how many speakers are in an indoor or outdoor space.

"Our algorithms work a little like radar," said lead author Chen, a UW doctoral student in the Allen School. "So they're scanning the space in 360 degrees and constantly determining and updating whether there's one person or six or seven."

The system then translates the speech and maintains the expressive qualities and volume of each speaker's voice while running on a device, such mobile devices with an Apple M2 chip like laptops and Apple Vision Pro. (The team avoided using cloud computing because of the privacy concerns with voice cloning.) Finally, when speakers move their heads, the system continues to track the direction and qualities of their voices as they change.

The system functioned when tested in 10 indoor and outdoor settings. And in a 29-participant test, the users preferred the system over models that didn't track speakers through space.

In a separate user test, most participants preferred a delay of 3-4 seconds, since the system made more errors when translating with a delay of 1-2 seconds. The team is working to reduce the speed of translation in future iterations. The system currently only works on commonplace speech, not specialized language such as technical jargon. For this paper, the team worked with Spanish, German and Frenchbut previous work on translation models has shown they can be trained to translate around 100 languages.

"This is a step toward breaking down the language barriers between cultures," Chen said. "So if I'm walking down the street in Mexico, even though I don't speak Spanish, I can translate all the people's voices and know who said what."

Qirui Wang, a research intern at HydroX AI and a UW undergraduate in the Allen School while completing this research, and Runlin He, a UW doctoral student in the Allen School, are also co-authors on this paper.

More information: Tuochao Chen et al, Spatial Speech Translation: Translating Across Space With Binaural Hearables, Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2025). DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3713745
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Schematic representation of CuSrSnS solar cell with diverse inorganic HTLs Credit: Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids (2025); DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2025.112732

Thin film solar cells such as CdTe and CIGSe have gained significant attention due to their low production cost and excellent power conversion efficiencies (PCE). Nevertheless, toxicity and scarcity of constituent elements restrict their widespread usage.

Recently, Cu 2 SrSnS 4 semiconductor has emerged as a potential substitute due to its remarkable absorber characteristics, including non-toxicity, Earth abundance, tunable bandgap, etc. But still, it's in the emerging stage with a low PCE of 0.6%, revealing that it requires remarkable enhancement to compete with traditional solar cells.

The large open circuit voltage (V OC ) loss constricts its performance, which primarily originates from improper band alignment with the transport layers. Discovering the ideal device configuration is the best solution to enhance its PCE.

Recently, SCAPS-1D simulation software has gained attention due to its reliability and the advantage of studying solar cell properties in less time without consuming material. In our work published in the Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, we proposed several device configurations and comprehensively studied the performance of Cu 2 SrSnS 4 solar cells using SCAPS-1D.

We designed six Cu 2 SrSnS 4 solar cells in superstate configuration based on chalcogenide and oxide-based hole transport layers (HTLs), namely Sb 2 S 3 , MoS 2 , Cu 3 BiS 3 , NiO, CuAlO 2 , and Cu 2 O, with ZnMgO as electron transport layer (ETL). In addition, we also designed solar cells without HTL to understand the significance of HTL in performance enhancement.

Their performance was broadly analyzed as a function of each layer's essential parameters, such as thickness, carrier density, defect density, and interface properties. The final results of these optimizations were remarkable. Addition of HTL elevated the PCE, and compared to the chalcogenide HTLs, the oxide HTL-based solar cells delivered higher performance with the champion PCE of 18.48% for Cu 2 O HTL.

We further conducted comparative analyses between the diverse HTL-based solar cells to discover the reason for the supremacy of Cu 2 O HTL over the others. The study focused on energy band diagrams, electric field, generation, recombination rates, Nyquist plots, and electron distribution of each solar cell extracted from SCAPS-1D.

We identified that Cu 2 O solar cells had perfect band alignment at the interface of absorber and HTL with hole and electron barriers of -0.04 eV and 0.46 eV. Additionally, it displayed a higher electric field on the negative side, a large recombination resistance of 9.4105.cm2 and a low V OC deficit compared to others.

In conclusion, our work delivers promising guidelines for the photovoltaic community to understand the importance of HTL in improving the efficiency of solar cells. So, we believe that the fabrication of Cu 2 SrSnS 4 solar cells with the champion device structure FTO/ZnMgO/Cu 2 SrSnS 4 /Cu 2 O/Ni would enhance the PCE of Cu 2 SrSnS 4 solar cells in the future.

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: Kaviya Tracy Arockiadoss et al, Architecture guidelines for Cu2SrSnS4 solar cells using chalcogenide and oxide hole transport layers by SCAPS-1D simulation, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2025.112732

Dr. Latha Marasamy is a Research Professor at the Faculty of Chemistry at UAQ, where she leads a dynamic team of international students and researchers. Her mission is to advance renewable energy, particularly in the development of second and third-generation solar cells, which include CdTe, CIGS, emerging chalcogenide perovskites, lead-free perovskites, quaternary chalcogenides of I2-II-IV-VI4, and hybrid solar cells. She is working with a range of materials such as CdTe, CIGSe, CdS, MOFs, graphitic carbon nitride, chalcogenide perovskites (ABX 3 , where A = Ba, Sr, Ca; B = Zr, Hf; X = S, Se), quaternary chalcogenides (I2-II-IV-VI4, where I = Cu, Ag; II = Ba, Sr, Co, Mn, Fe, Mg; IV = Sn, Ti; VI = S, Se), metal oxides, MXenes, ferrites, plasmonic metal nitrides, and borides for these applications. Additionally, Dr. Marasamy is investigating the properties of novel materials and their influence on solar cell performance through DFT and SCAPS-1D simulations.
Indonesia to allow private companies to build EV charging stations

By Vietnam News Agency Sat, May 10, 2025 | 4:01 pm GMT+7

The Indonesian government is revising the rules to allow third parties to set up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Indonesia, said Minister of Investment and Downstreaming and head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Rosan Roeslani.

An EV charging station at a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency

According to the minister, to achieve the target of producing 2.5 million EVs per year by 2030, a sound ecosystem is needed, including charging stations.

Seven EV manufacturers built their factories in Indonesia in the period from 2024 to March 2025, he said, noting that allowing third parties to operate charging stations will spread the benefits more widely to the EV community.

In March, Vietnamese automaker VinFast announced its plan to gradually establish 30,000 to 100,000 public EV charging stations (SPKLU) in various regions of Indonesia, especially Java.

Roeslani said that the investment to build 100,000 SPKLUs is likely to reach $1 billion.

As of March 2025, the total number of SPKLUs for four-wheeled vehicles has reached 3,772 units across Indonesia, statistics from state-owned electricity company PT PLN showed.

These SPKLUs are distributed across more than 2,500 locations, with the highest concentration on Java, where nearly 2,700 SPKLUs have been established at 1,645 locations, followed by Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua.

Indonesia plans to build 63,000 EV charging stations to meet the expected increase in the EV number to 943,000 by 2030.
Vietnam's Dai Hung - Phase 3 project produces first commercial oil flow

By Vietnam News Agency Sat, May 10, 2025 | 4:34 pm GMT+7

The phase 3 of the Dai Hung field development project (Dai Hung - Phase 3) offshore Vietnam has officially begun production of its first oil flow with 6,000 barrels per day, 20 days ahead of the adjusted schedule, according to state-owned Petrovietnam.

A panoramic view of the WHP-DH01 platform, part of the Dai Hung phase 3 development project. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency.

This marks a highly significant event coinciding with the 50th founding anniversary of the group.

In October 2003, the Government gave Petrovietnam the direct authority to carry out petroleum operations at the Dai Hung oil field, following the withdrawal of an international contractor consortium after assessing the field as economically unviable.

The oil field is located in Block 05-1(a), within the Nam Con Son Basin on the southern continental shelf of Vietnam. It is approximately 265 km southeast of Vung Tau town, with water depths ranging from 110 to 120 meters.

By the end of April 2025, the field had produced nearly 75 million barrels of oil, making a significant contribution to national revenue, generating employment for thousands of workers over the years, and playing a role in safeguarding national sovereignty and security.

On June 23, 2022, the Prime Minister approved the Field Development Plan (FDP) for the Dai Hung - Phase 3 project.

The project plays a pivotal role in maintaining production levels at this field, enhancing the recovery factor, and increasing economic efficiency.

At the same time, it opens up opportunities for continued exploration and expansion within Block 05-1(a) and adjacent blocks - a long-term strategy aimed at ensuring national energy security and safeguarding maritime sovereignty
Vietnam's V-GREEN signs $300 mln MoU with partners for EV charging ports in Indonesia

By Vietnam News Agency Sat, May 10, 2025 | 11:00 pm GMT+7

V-GREEN, the global electric vehicle (EV) charging station arm of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, on Friday announced the signing of an MoU with four strategic partners to deploy 63,000 VinFast EV charging ports across Indonesia by the end of 2025.

V-GREEN collaborates with Chargecore, Chargepoint, Amarta Group, and CVS to implement a project with a total investment of up to $300 million. Photo courtesy of VinFast.

Under the agreement, V-GREEN will collaborate with Chargecore, Chargepoint, Amarta Group, and CVS to implement a project with a total investment of up to $300 million, doubling their previously announced target.

It marks a major step forward in VinFasts efforts to expand its EV ecosystem and develop green transport infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

The charging stations will be installed across key provinces and cities including Jabodetabek, Bandung, Surabaya, Makassar, Medan, Batam, Bali and Kalimantan.

Installation is scheduled to begin in May 2025, with the first stations expected to become operational in June.

In 2025, Chargecore will invest at least $30 million, while Chargepoint, Amarta Group, and CVS will each contribute approximately $5.3 million.

V-GREEN will invest in around 20% of the stations, with the remainder implemented under business cooperation contracts (BCC), enabling greater private sector participation.

Mai Truong Giang, managing sirector of V-GREEN Indonesia, said partnering with reputable companies in Indonesia marks a significant step in his company's global EV charging network strategy.

With the support of strategic partners, they are confident that V-GREEN and VinFast will successfully build a modern green mobility ecosystem that contributes to the regions and the worlds sustainable development goals.

Eastablished by VinFast founder Pham Nhat Vuong, V-GREEN has built a network of 150,000 charging ports across Vietnam. It targets 50,000 stations and 63,000 ports across Indonesia by the end of 2025.

Starting this May, VinFast users in Indonesia can charge for free at over 1,000 V-GREEN stations, marking the rollout of its infrastructure to support VinFasts four EV models and boost its presence in the regions largest market.
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.
Another student has come forward about her experiences with Kelly Walsh Principal Mike Britt and her cultural regalia being denied for graduation.

This, following a Star-Tribune story that detailed a similar experience between Britt and Zephira Arguello, who is a Northern Arapaho student requesting to wear her traditional regalia and a beaded cap during the graduation ceremony.

Kelly Walsh student prohibited from wearing Native American regalia to graduation ceremony Zephira Arguello wants to honor her culture and accomplishments with traditional Native American regalia at her graduation. But Kelly Walsh High School won't allow it.

Abigail Miller graduated from Kelly Walsh High School in 2024. She is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and was gifted an Eagle Feather by her father.

The eagle feather is a significant part of my culture and identity, Miller wrote in a text message to the Star-Tribune. To be told I couldnt wear it felt hurtful and like I was being asked to hide what makes me unique. I was hoping for acceptance, but instead, I felt diminished.

Millers mother, Erika Van Ert, said when Miller approached Britt about wearing her Eagle Feather with her tassel, he compared it to putting rubber ducks on the cap. Van Ert said he did admit the rubber ducks were an easier no.

Initially, Britt said he would get back to Miller about her request and he didnt see why not, Van Ert said. But she was later told no.

Van Ert added, at the request of her daughter, they did not push the issue at the time. Miller ended up wearing her Eagle Feather around her wrist with a beaded bracelet for the ceremony.

But after the ceremony, the family was displeased to see photos of other students wearing their culture proudly without consequence.

Once I saw other kids wearing added items at the graduation ceremony, I felt like I would have been better to not ask, Miller said.

Van Ert said they noticed some students wearing leis on the outside of their gowns, while others  the ones she assumed asked permission beforehand  on the inside of their gowns.

Leis are traditionally worn by students as a representation of their culture. Leis were brought to Hawaii by Polynesians thousands of years ago. Now, the leis have significance in both cultures and many Asian cultures as well. Historically, leis have been used to represent royalty and rank, according to Flower Leis, a shop that ships fresh leis to the United States and provides articles on the history and significance of the adornments.

Millers father, Thomas Miller, wrote an email to Britt after the ceremony expressing his frustration.

Because my child tried to do the right thing by asking for permission, she was unable to show pride in her culture by wearing the feather as it is intended, Thomas Miller wrote.

Britt responded to that email by acknowledging others did not follow the guidelines, adding the dress code is an expectation, not a policy.

Abigail is an incredible young lady, and I appreciate the honor she displayed by honoring the practice, not policy, that has been the expectation at Kelly Walsh High School for well over 30 years to not adorn caps and gowns for the optional graduation ceremony, Britt wrote in his response to Thomas Miller.

Britt offered to schedule a meeting with Thomas Miller to discuss the philosophy behind this practice.

Thomas Miller said he was not interested in the philosophy, rather he wants to see change.

The Star-Tribune wrote a story last week on Arguello, who is facing a similar problem as Abigail Miller this year. Arguello said Britt compared her wish to bead her cap to an I [heart] hot moms graduation cap from Natrona County High School in 2022.

The Star-Tribune has repeatedly reached out to the school district and Britt directly for a chance to respond to these claims; however, Britt has been unavailable every time.

Britt has only provided email responses that explain the tradition of the ceremony. However, in his latest email, Britt wrote that students who wish to wear anything not KWHS school-related and aligning with being college, career, and/or military ready may wear those items under the gown. He also said students are encouraged and welcomed to wear any clothing under the gown and any footwear they want.

Britt also wrote that additional regalia or decorations may be worn after the ceremony.

He has not addressed any claims about any of the incidents discussed in the Star-Tribune stories.
John Mangalonzo Executive Editor Follow John Mangalonzo Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

My introductory column last Saturday generated quite a few responses from readers, most with valuable suggestions about the stories we ought to be looking for.

Investigative, enterprise, and human-interest stories, those that highlight ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Our readers also emphasized the need for more local stories every day.

I also received several suggestions on getting more historical stories in the paper. I value these interactions, and they will help us to better reflect the communities we cover. In the coming weeks, Ill send informationand an invitationfor those interested in joining our local editorial board. I believe in collective voices from all sides of an issue. This board will speak in a coordinated voice.

And of course there were negative comments.

Back to the stories that matter, the one thing you need to know about me is that I consider myself a storyteller. Theres nothing better than delving into someones life and doing justice by writing a piece that illustrates a life well lived.

In my many travels, Ive encountered interesting people I now call my dearest friends, not only because of their life stories but, because of their humility and their genuine love for their fellow men.

Mind you, some of my encounters werent intended to solicit stories, but rather develop a relationship  it just morphed into something else.

Let me give you a couple of examples:

Right before Christmas 2006, I spent a great deal of time with Joe Morrison, a Korean War veteran from Missouri.

Morrison was a member of the Army 2nd Infantry division, which was part of the United Nations multination contingency under the command of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The unit battled a 70,000-strong Chinese Army in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Morrisons home from 1950 to 1953 was the Pyok Tong prison camp in North Korea. One thousand days with life on hold, he told me during one of our conversations over coffee, was the sum of his captivity. He said he saw his fellow POWs wither away and die inside the prison camp. Those who were left encouraged each other with the thought they couldnt die because we will all go home.

His experiences as a POW did not sting as much as when he came home to his roots: He thought everything would be better.

With tears in his eyes, Morrison, a Black man, told me: Im a Missouri farm boy raised on a farm. Ive been shot on that battlefield, almost died, held prisoner, and yet the most devastating thing when I came home was, I could not ride on the front of the bus.

He was 78 when he died in 2010.

Then there was a young Philippine Army sergeant I had a conversation with one summer day in 1991 when I was a young reporter embedded in the Philippine military during their many bloody encounters with communist insurgents in the mountains and Muslim rebels in the south.

During one mission, I sat next to sarge in an Army chopper  he was the gunner. The young sergeant was alert, his finger on the trigger and his sights scanning for any signs of the enemy on the ground below us.

We casually talked during the flight. He told me about his family and his desire to serve his country. He told me about his childhood and how he sold fruits and vegetables from a street stand to supplement his familys income.

We talked about faith and how he puts his trust in Gods will and guidance.

During intervals, the soldier told me about the woman he was about to marry and how excited he was to finish his tour.

He went home days later, but inside a flag-draped coffin.

Sarge died during a firefight the evening we landed. He was shot before the helicopter was able to take off. His body lied on top of the very weapon he was manning while he sat next to me just a few hours earlier.

It was hard to draft the story, his story. But I focused on the young soldiers life rather than his tragic death.

Stories like Joes and the sarges keep our feet on the ground and create an understanding we are not in this world alone  and we need to look out for our neighbors.

Stories like these make us realize there are more important things in life than wealth or fame.

Stories like these make us learn from the mistakes of the past and look toward a future of love, equality, peace, and makes us recognize there are simple things in life we often ignore.

Indeed, we have a duty to report the bad as well, but often we neglect the beauty inside each community  the string that binds us all as we journey through this thing we call life.

Keep those ideas coming.
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.
A Tucson man from Mexico who was arrested by border agents last month outside St. Josephs Hospital is facing criminal prosecution, not just deportation, court records show.

On April 29, the longtime Tucson resident, whom the Star is identifying by his first name Francisco, was detained in St. Josephs parking lot after he accompanied a relative who sought emergency care there, the Arizona Daily Star reported last week. His wife, Rosa, and two stepdaughters, ages 11 and 16, are distraught over his arrest and detention in Florence Correctional Center, Rosa told the Star.

Francisco has a hearing later this month in U.S. District Court, where hes been criminally charged with illegal entry, a misdemeanor, and illegal re-entry, a felony, after a previous deportation in 2011, according to the criminal complaint.

Speaking on background, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said the man arrested at St. Josephs was the target of a Border Patrol investigation, but could not provide further details.

Neither St. Josephs Hospital CEO, nor its parent company, have acknowledged the Stars inquiries about the arrest over the past week.

Rosa and her two daughters, who are from Sonora, entered Arizona through the DeConcini Port of Entry in 2019, seeking asylum. Her petition was successful, and shes now pursuing lawful permanent status, or green cards, for herself and her daughters, she said.

Soon after coming to Arizona, Rosa met and eventually married Francisco, who has been stepfather to her girls for the past five years.

I feel exhausted by the nightmare were living through, since Francisco was detained, she told the Star. Because of her status as an asylum seeker, shes asked the Star to publish only their first names.

While being discharged from St. Josephs, Franciscos cousin was questioned about his legal status and whether he had a Social Security number, according to Rosa, who said she was present at the time, before leaving to pick up her daughter from school.

The questions appeared to be related to AHCCCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Rosa said. Thats Arizonas Medicaid program for low-income and disabled people.

Undocumented immigrants are generally not eligible for AHCCCS, nor any other health-care coverage. But in Arizona, hospitals can apply for reimbursement for the cost of emergency care provided to patients who would otherwise qualify for AHCCCS if not for their immigration status, an AHCCCS spokesperson said.

Hospitals are required by federal law to treat anyone experiencing an emergency, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.

That could explain the reason for Franciscos cousin being questioned, Rosa said, but she said the intensive manner of questioning, combined with immigration agents appearance soon after, raised her suspicion that hospital staff made a report to immigration authorities.

Agents called out Francisco when the men exited to St. Josephs parking lot, Rosa said. She thinks the agents were calling Franciscos cousin, who has the same first name. The cousin ran and escaped from the agents, but Francisco was detained.

Errors in criminal complaint

The criminal complaint filed in District Court against Francisco appears to contain multiple misstatements. The sworn declaration, signed by border agent Carlo A. Moreno, says Francisco entered the country April 29  the day he was arrested at St. Josephs  and was detained at or near the border town of Sasabe, Arizona, 70 miles southwest of Tucson.

The complaint also says Francisco admitted to entering the country April 29 near Sasabe, although he and his family have maintained that Francisco hasnt left the U.S. in many years, Tucson immigration attorney Luis Campos said.

Any reasonable person would say theres something weird and concerning going on here, said Campos, who is representing Francisco in his immigration case.

A CBP spokesman had no comment on the discrepancies.

St. Josephs Hospital CEO Monica Vargas-Mahal has not responded to the Stars calls or emails about the incident since Monday, May 5. Her assistant referred the Star to Patti Tanner, the media relations contact listed on Carondelet Health Networks website. Tanner has not responded to multiple Star emails since May 2 and her listed phone number connects to Carondelets physician referral line. Receptionists who answered the phone could not connect the Star to Tanner.

St. Josephs is part of the Carondelet Health Network, owned by Tenet Healthcare, whose media-relations contact also did not respond to the Stars emails.

Campos said the lack of any public statement from St. Josephs leadership is disappointing.

The community has a right to know what the hospitals position is on these kinds of enforcement operations on hospital grounds. The public needs to know if the hospital is a space where people can feel safe. They need to say it on the record, he said.

New mother will seek asylum

One day after Francisco was detained outside St. Josephs, a Guatemalan woman gave birth at Tucson Medical Center and initially faced a rapid deportation, just two days after she was detained by border agents in the Southern Arizona desert, the Star reported.

At eight months pregnant, Erika, 24, had fallen behind the group of migrants she was traveling with and was alone when agents found her and took her into custody, her attorney said.

Department of Homeland Security agents were posted outside her TMC hospital room and prevented anyone other than hospital staff from speaking with the woman, despite her request for a lawyer, said lawyer Campos, who is now formally representing Erika.

A CBP spokesman told the Star May 1  one day after Erika gave birth  that she faced expedited removal, a rapid deportation process without a hearing before an immigration judge, and would be given the choice to take her U.S. citizen newborn with her, or leave her baby in the U.S.

After a public outcry, CBP changed course on May 2, saying Erika would instead be placed into normal deportation proceedings and given a court date, as well as an opportunity to speak to an attorney. She was released from ICE custody on May 3.

Erika and her baby girl, named Emily, are safe and healthy, and are now staying with a friend in the southeast, pending her removal proceedings, Campos said. Shell pursue an asylum claim, after having fled violence directed at her in Guatemala, he said.

Since arriving at her friends home, Erika has been overwhelmed by national media attention to her case and is declining interviews, Campos said.
After an undocumented Tucson resident was arrested by border agents outside St. Josephs Hospital in April, health-care providers are grappling with how to protect patients privacy and safety without interfering with law enforcement, while encouraging vulnerable patients to seek out medical care in the face of stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Tucson obstetrics nurse Ashley Edgette said in recent months shes seen more patients delaying or skipping medical care, due to fear of arrest by immigration agents.

I see it literally all the time, including pregnant women going without vital prenatal care, she said.

Local health-care leaders have been reluctant to discuss with the Arizona Daily Star their internal policies or guidance for staff on undocumented patients, in the wake of an April 29 Border Patrol operation in the St. Josephs parking lot leading to the arrest of a long-time Tucson resident from Mexico.

Some health-care programs geared toward immigrants and mixed-status families told the Star they want to avoid the spotlight, and potential targeting by immigration authorities, as the Trump administrations deportation net widens to include patients seeking medical care.

In January, the Trump administration reversed long-standing guidance to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, which previously limited immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, including hospitals, schools and churches.

Though shed never discourage anyone from seeking medical care, Edgette said she understands the widespread fear and recommends having a safety plan, and a witness or advocate to accompany undocumented patients to medical appointments.

Ive had multiple friends even in the last week tell me theyre really scared to go to the hospital, and I cannot in good faith tell them that they shouldnt be, she said. Nurses are concerned. Were concerned about our patients, were concerned about limitations on our ability to provide care and were concerned about how we may end up in the middle, between immigration agents and patients.

Public health advocates say lack of routine medical care means preventable or manageable conditions, such as diabetes, can worsen into emergencies, raising the overall cost of care and causing avoidable medical harms, disability or death.

Untreated communicable diseases, like influenza, COVID or tuberculosis, have direct impacts on the general population, health advocates say.

Everyone in the community needs to make sure people have access to preventive care, to prevent simple problems from becoming more costly emergencies that can affect the health of everyone living, working and contributing to the community, said Tanya Broder, senior counsel for health and economic justice policy at the National Immigration Law Center.

Reports of immigration enforcement outside St. Josephs have unnerved Tucsons immigrant community, said Alba Jaramillo, a volunteer with Tucsons Coalicion de Derechos Humanos.

The issue of health care should not be politicized, said Jaramillo, an immigrant rights advocate. This is about public health and keeping our entire community safe.

New legislation could worsen fears: Arizona legislators voted Monday to require hospitals that accept Medicaid payments to inquire about patients legal status, though staff would inform patients that their response is optional and their information would not be shared with immigration authorities. The bill now goes to the desk of Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

The bills sponsor, Flagstaff Republican Sen. Wendy Rogers, dismissed concerns that the bill  which she said is intended to help the state track the cost of care  would deter people from seeking medical care.

They should stay in their own country if they want to have care, Rogers said during a committee hearing.

Similar policies have taken effect in Florida and Texas for publicly funded hospitals, and although those laws also say responses are voluntary, that type of surveillance has a real impact, said Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at KFF, a health-policy research and news nonprofit.

Such policies do tend to create a sense of fear among immigrants and make them hesitant to seek health care, she said. Combined with the reversal of the sensitive locations guidance, the policies are likely to be even more of a deterrent, even for immigrants with legal status or U.S. citizens in mixed-status families, she said.

Six in 10 lawfully present immigrants reported fear of detention or deportation in a recent KFF survey, because immigrant enforcement activity recently has not been limited just to undocumented immigrants, Pillai said.

The survey also found one in three immigrants didnt know whether enforcement could happen at hospitals or other sensitive spaces.

Immigration-related fears, coupled with widespread confusion around shifting immigration policies, are likely to cause additional barriers to immigrants seeking health care, she said.

While patients personal information, including legal status, is protected by a federal law known as HIPAA, numerous exceptions allow for law enforcement to demand access to patient records.

Jaramillo said Tucson hospitals should be vocal in explaining their commitment to protecting immigrant patients, especially in light of Trumps reversal of the ICE sensitive locations memo.

This has been the policy for three months. Theyve had plenty of time, Jaramillo said. I think they have moral and ethical responsibilities to ensure that (health care) facilities are safe for immigrant communities. They could issue public statements on what their written protocol is, so immigrants feel safe to access medical services, and that hasnt happened.

Under the radar

Multiple Tucson hospitals and health-care programs provided brief, general statements in response to the Stars questions about whether staff have been given direction or training in anticipation of heightened immigration enforcement.

Neither Carondelets St. Josephs Hospital nor its parent company Tenet Healthcare responded to the Stars emails and calls. Tenet is also the parent of Carondelet St. Marys Hospital in Tucson.

Banner Health, Northwest Healthcare and El Rio Health said in their statements that they comply with laws and regulations that protect patient privacy, while sharing patient information when required by law. All encouraged patients, regardless of status, to seek out needed medical care.

Tucson Medical Centers response was more detailed, saying, It is not our role or responsibility to collect or share information about immigration status.

TMC is privately owned, so no persons (including law enforcement) are allowed to be on our property absent an invitation, in conjunction with care for a person in police custody, or taking action pursuant to an appropriately documented warrant, spokesman Tim Bentley said in an email. We will comply with lawful orders or warrants, but our property (since it is private) will not be used for random sweeps or other general investigative purposes.

One Arizona-based health-care executive told the Star  speaking on the condition of anonymity, for fear of retaliation by the Trump administration  that providers want to avoid drawing the attention of the federal government, especially providers running programs that do outreach to immigrant communities and mixed-status families, and those that receive federal funding.

Hospitals are scared right now. Were all trying to stay under the radar, the executive said. This administration is different than any administration weve ever dealt with in health care. Weve never had such large threats to funding.

The Trump administration has been openly retaliating against perceived adversaries, including lawyers, sanctuary cities and universities, critics say.

Edgette said insufficient transparency from hospital leadership regarding ICE enforcement has been stressful for front-line health workers.

Nurses such as herself are concerned about a lack of guidance on undocumented patients rights and the extent to which existing privacy laws protect both patients and hospital staff, she said.

At her hospital, theres been silence, she said. In obstetric care there was not a single memo from our management in terms of, know your rights or what to do if confronted by immigration agents.

She said that leaves hospital staff on their own in the face of big questions like, What does it mean to say no to an ICE officer?

The lack of public response from St. Josephs, a Catholic hospital, is a disappointment for faith communities, Jaramillo said.

The Catholic Church is very outspoken about their support of immigrants, and we should expect even more so from a medical facility that is funded by the church and by Catholic donors, she said.

Moment calls for courage

Privacy experts say hospitals and other health-care facilities can take steps to improve protections for patients and to empower staff to resist law enforcement overreach, without interfering with legitimate law enforcement activity.

Medical providers should avoid asking about legal status unless necessary, and should also avoid recording legal status in patients medical records, said Broder, of the National Immigration Law Center.

Information in medical records, including immigration status, is generally protected by the federal privacy law known as HIPAA. But the law carves out exceptions that allow law enforcement access to medical records, said Jacqueline Seitz, deputy director of health privacy for the Legal Action Center, a New York group that advocates for people with stigmatized health conditions, such as substance-use disorders and HIV.

Todays heightened immigration enforcement really puts pressure on some of the weak spots in HIPAA, she said. Another weakness is that HIPAA enforcement authority is concentrated in the federal government, meaning in most cases, one cant sue for a HIPAA violation but must make a complaint to the government, she said.

With the current landscape, it just leaves people without sort of baseline privacy protections, she said. We dont want to live in a world where our family, friends and neighbors arent getting health care. ... Blurring the lines between health care and law enforcement is so harmful.

Health-care facilities should delineate between public and private spaces using signs, and move vulnerable patients as quickly as possible into private patient areas, rather than public-facing waiting rooms, Broder said.

Immigration agents must have a court order or judicial warrant, signed by a judge based on probable cause, in order to enter a private space, she said.

ICE agents often have an administrative warrant that does not allow them to enter without permission, so hospital staff should be trained to know the difference and push back when appropriate, Seitz said. That includes if agents try to enter spaces, or search records, that are included in the warrant, she said.

There needs to be someone on staff with the courage to say, Im so sorry, youre not allowed to enter this space, she said. That really puts a lot of pressure on nurses and doctors and administrators in health care, but its also their legal and ethical duty.

Health-care staff can also provide patients with red cards that list immigrants rights in English and Spanish, such as the right to remain silent when asked about immigration status, and the right to ask for an attorney. Staff might advise patients not to run from immigration officers, which can constitute probable cause to detain someone, Broder said.

Jaramillo said she hopes local health-care facilities will take proactive steps to protect immigrant patients, such as increasing security in parking lots, where they should have the authority to ask immigration agents to leave, and clearly marking public and private spaces.

Seitz said she understands health-care personnel are in a tough spot, and might fear being detained themselves, particularly as the Trump administrations law enforcement arms have disregarded due process requirements in high-profile cases.

It really puts staff in a precarious position, she said. This is a moment that calls for a lot of courage.
A Marana man accused in his daughters hot-car death was given permission by a Tucson judge to accompany his family on a trip to Hawaii this month, records show.

Christopher Scholtes has been free while awaiting trial on charges of first-degree murder, domestic violence and child abuse after being accused of leaving his daughter, Parker, in a hot car parked for hours in the familys driveway in July 2024.

Parker died of heat exhaustion, according to her autopsy.

Court records show that Scholtes requested to travel to Maui from May 1-9. The family said would be staying with friends on the island.

Pima County Judge Kimberly Ortiz granted Scholtes permission to travel out of state for the family vacation.

Prosecutors vehemently objected to the family vacation.

The public record would show that the defendant and his counsel requested permission from the court to travel out-of-state. Our prosecutors strenuously objected. The court granted permission over our objection, Pima County Attorney Conover said.

Following his arrest, Scholtes was released on his own recognizance under the supervision of the courts pretrial services. He was instructed to contact his defense counsel and a pretrial services officer upon his scheduled return Saturday to Arizona.

On the day Parker died, Scholtes took her with him to run errands. Police have said he shoplifted alcohol from two different locations before returning home. He left the girl in the car for hours while he played video games, court documents say.

Parker was pulled from the car when her mom came home from work and realized the girl was not in the house, records show.

In March, the former stay-at-home dad, who has been ordered to be supervised around his remaining children, rejected a plea deal. offering him a sentence of between 10 and 25 years if he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Scholtes faces up to life in prison if hes convicted at trial.

Scholtes next appearance in Pima County Superior Court is scheduled for Aug. 11.
Pima County supervisors rejected a resolution this week to oppose Tucson Waters plan to charge higher water rates in unincorporated areas. The resolution also would have authorized the county administrator to support any legal challenges against the citys plan.

In early April, the Tucson City Council approved moving ahead with the plan to enact the differential water rate structure. The council will hold a public hearing during its June 17 meeting to approve the new rates.

If approved, the rates will take effect in early August, boosting rates by a range of 16% to 23% for Tucson Waters customers in unincorporated areas of Pima County. That will result in a household in an unincorporated area paying on average $6.41 to $8.88 per month more than a typical household in cities or towns, according to Tucson Water. The average homeowner living in Tucson, Marana and other incorporated cities who are Tucson Water customers would see their bills drop an average of about $2 a month compared to what they would be paying under the current rate structure.

Tucson Water previously said it costs more to serve unincorporated areas because they need more pipes and other infrastructure per unit of water sold.

The county resolution would have given County Administrator Jan Lesher authorization to do all things necessary to support jurisdictional rate parity for Tucson Water customers, including reconsideration of an intergovernmental agreement and support for any legal challenges to the water rate plan.

The resolution was brought forward Tuesday by Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott, the boards chair, who said the differential water rate plan is inherently discriminatory and unfair for residents in unincorporated areas of the county, who make up about a third of all Tucson Water customers.

The ratepayers we represent in the unincorporated county have been disparagingly referred to as non-owners of the utility because they live outside the boundaries of the city. That is an insulting term to apply to your customers who have been helping the utility to grow and prosper for decades, Scott said. It is equally insulting to infer that these higher rates mostly target the affluent.

By adopting differential Tucson Water rates, the city of Tucson will end its commitment to serve as a regional water provider, but continue to maintain a monopolistic market for its unincorporated water customers who lack political representation, Scott said.

District 4 Supervisor Steve Christy, who supported the resolution along with Scott, said the differential water rates would discriminate against constituents living in unincorporated Pima County.

The resolution ultimately failed 3-2, with supervisors Matt Heinz, Jen Allen and Andres Cano voting against it.

Allen said the resolution was far too confrontational and should be about regional governance and collaboration between the two bodies.

Cano said he doesnt believe that further litigation is a path forward and urged the countys legal teams and staff to instead pursue dialogue, not division.

Our focus should be on regional collaboration, not courtroom conflict, and county taxpayers should not be footing the bill for legal disputes that strain relationships between our local governments, especially when the path forward lies in negotiation and shared planning, Cano said.

Heinz said, while he does have concerns over how the rates were formed, that he doesnt support wasting taxpayer dollars in another lawsuit.

The county sued a similar version of the plan in 2021. In that case a Maricopa County judge ruled the citys differential rate structure wasnt justified by an analysis of the costs of serving water to both incorporated and unincorporated areas.

A lingering issue was settled in early April when the Arizona Supreme Court issued an order denying Pima Countys request that Tucson be required to return to its unincorporated customers the $10 million it collected when differential rates were in place from 2021 to 2023.

Many Arizona cities, including Phoenix, charge suburban customers more than they charge customers living within city limits. However, in most of those cities, the utilities unincorporated customer base represents a small fraction of their total customer base. One reason the idea of a differential rate system has proven to be controversial here is that for Tucson Water, unincorporated area customers represent about one-third of its customers.
PHOENIX  Arizona lawmakers are one vote away from adopting legislation to allow lawsuits against individual teachers by those who contend they are teaching or promoting antisemitism.

House Bill 2867 would create a first-of-its-kind law in Arizona that would make teachers personally liable for any financial damages won by the people who sue.

Rep. Michael Way said he proposed the legislation in response to a series of what he said are antisemitic incidents, especially following the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas that left more than 1,000 dead and resulted in hostages being seized.

The Queen Creek Republican particularly singled out the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, contending teachers were promoting antisemitic ideas, including giving students extra credit to participate in demonstrations against Israel. He said he also has an inbox full of examples of antisemitic incidents in public schools including propaganda on classroom walls.

But his measure, which has been approved by the House and awaits action by the full Senate, has run into opposition from lawmakers who say it is overly broad.

Tempe Democratic Sen. Mitzi Epstein said it improperly conflates criticism of Israel and its policies  including how it is conducting the war in Gaza  with antisemitism.

At least 51,000 people have been killed in the 18 months since the Gaza war began, according to unverifiable numbers from the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.

Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association, has a concern about the process the legislation would set up.

She said HB 2867 bypasses the normal process that parents of public school students can use if they are concerned about something teachers have said or done.

That normally starts with seeking a meeting with school officials, she said. It ultimately could wind up with a teacher being disciplined, after an investigation, by the state Board of Education.

But under this proposal, Garcia said, People could go straight from an accusation to a lawsuit, putting the assets of teachers at risk for what might simply be a misunderstanding by a student of something heard in the classroom.

The measure cleared the House on a 38-20 margin. But it squeaked out of the Senate Education Committee on a 4-3 vote, raising questions of whether, as written, it goes too far  and whether it can get the 16 votes necessary to clear the Senate, where a vote is slated for later this month.

Way told lawmakers this all started with a communication he got from Michael Goldstein, one of his constituents.

He and his wife explained they had been studying the Islamic and antisemitic infiltration that has been happening into American schools, both at the K-12 and higher education levels, and their indoctrination of American students for many years, Way said.

That was exacerbated, he said, by demonstrations by Hamas supporters after the October 2023 attack on Israel and the response of the Israeli government in moving troops into Gaza to free hostages and eradicate the militant group.

We watched as professors and students alike supported the efforts of this terrorist organization, Way said. That led to a legislative hearing that December, where there was a consensus the Legislature should do something.

Epstein said she does not doubt there has been a spurt of anti-Israeli activity, at least on college campuses. And she said she agrees with a statement by one witness that hate against Jews does not end with Jews.

But she questioned the narrow focus of this measure.

The hate that begins with (targeting) African-Americans never ends with African-Americans, Epstein said. The hate that begins with (targeting) people with disabilities never ends with people with disabilities. The hate that begins with (targeting) the LGBTQ community never ends with the LBGTQ community.

Way said he didnt disagree. But he said his measure is crucial because antisemitism is an issue right now.

Why hold this issue hostage to other issues? Way asked.

Epstein was unconvinced. She suggested to Way that he agree to alter his legislation to include other groups who might be subject to hate speech and actions.

Id have to look at the language being proposed, he responded. But Way did not respond to an inquiry by Capitol Media Services asking him if changes are needed.

All that still leaves the issue of whether the measures language targeting the teaching and promotion of antisemitism is in fact an effort to silence those who are critical of Israel.

Fighting for the liberation of Palestinian people is not antisemitic, said Evan Silverberg, an officer for Students for Justice in Palestine at ASU and, he said, a Jew.

In fact, fighting against occupation, discrimination and genocide is perhaps the most Jewish thing that I know, he told the Senate Education Committee. Judaism and Zionism are not the same thing, Silverberg said, referring to the movement that started in the 19th century to create a Jewish homeland in what was at the time known as Palestine and, more recently, to protect the Jewish state established in 1948.

But Beverly Goldstein, the wife of Michael, who first raised the issue, told lawmakers she sees it through a different lens.

She said her mother survived Auschwitz and lived through medical experiments conducted by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. She said she also have family members in Israel who took cover in bomb shelters to survive the missiles that have been lobbed into Israel by Hamas.

I feel like me and my family are being hunted down every day, she said. I have to live with this fear every day of my life.

She lays at least part of the blame on what is happening in Arizona, saying there are 11 student organizations at ASU that either are directly Palestinian or share campus events with Palestinian organizations.

They are all anti-Jewish and anti-Israel, Goldstein said.

She also said there have been ongoing incidents of antisemitism on the U of A campus.

Epstein told Goldstein she is sympathetic to the concerns. The intention to fight antisemitism is noble, she said.

But, along the way, this bill would stop protests against something another country does, in this case, Israel, Epstein continued. To me, its awfully important that we do not quell free speech thats critical of another country.

Marilyn Rodriguez, lobbying for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, told lawmakers her organization sees the legislation as an extension of what she called President Donald Trumps nationwide attack on K-12 education and universities.

She pointed to the unlawful arrest in March by Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent legal resident, because of his role in the protests at Columbia University. And she said the Department of Justice also has launched investigations at 60 schools where students protested against Palestinian deaths.

The federal government is attempting a full-scale assault on free speech on college campuses, Rodriguez said. And HB 2867 will make it easier for them to do it.

She called the targeting of criticism of Israel the new McCarthyism designed to weed out those not sufficiently loyal to the administration or its policies in the Middle East.

The legislation awaiting Senate action does not bar individuals from discussing or using instructional materials as part of a course about the history of Jews, Judaism or the state of Israel. It also includes more generic language saying it does not interfere with any rights individuals have under the state or federal constitutions. Rodriguez, however, said the law still could chill speech on these subjects, especially considering the personal financial risk.

Teachers, administrators, professors and speakers would fear the possibility of lawsuits if a classroom discussion veers off course or a student expresses opinions that other students consider improper criticism of Israel, she said.

Chandler Republican Sen. J.D. Mesnard, who voted for the bill in committee, said those concerns are unwarranted.

I oppose legislation that tries to crack down on hate because it is a moving target and open to interpretation, Mesnard said. But he said he doesnt see anything in the legislation that shuts down speech.

I do see where we prevent folks from inciting ... which is not First Amendment protected speech, Mesnard said. He said no one has shown him any specific provision that runs afoul of constitutional rights.

Michael Goldstein, the attorney who initiated the legislation, said fears of litigation are overblown. He told lawmakers there is a high burden to maintain such a legal complaint.

Nobodys going to run to an attorney, an attorneys going to take a case, without studying the facts of the case, he said. More to the point, Goldstein said, a lawyer will look at the facts, compare them to what the law says is illegal, and determine if the case is winnable  especially an attorney who is taking the case on a fee-contingent basis, meaning the only way to collect a legal fee is to win.

Goldstein also said the measure provides a legal option for victims of antisemitism given whats happening in Washington, D.C. now. He said the president is dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, meaning fewer people employed by the federal government who otherwise would be able to handle complaints by students that their civil rights were being violated.

Another issue is where to draw the line between whats constitutionally protected and what would run afoul of the law.

The measure is built around a definition of anti-semitism that came from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016 and was adopted by the U.S. State Department. It specifically includes the contemporary examples of anti-semitism identified in the adopted definition.

Examples include justifying the killing of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion. Also included is denying the intentional nature of the genocide of Jews at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. It also covers drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis, as well as making stereotypical allegations about Jews collectively.

No date has been set for Senate debate.
Parents of transgender teens who received treatment at Tucsons El Rio Community Health say it is crushing to have it taken away, after the clinic said it is discontinuing hormone therapy for transgender youths under age 18 due to Trump administration orders.

The loss of this is devastating, said Veronica Camacho, breaking into tears. She is mother to a 16-year-old transgender daughter who was receiving hormone treatments from El Rio for the last two years. Its going to reverse everything that shes done thus far. Theres not many options left in Tucson or in Arizona for us to do, so at this point, its been really stressful. We have to look at different places that we can find care.

El Rio, a major and leading provider of transgender health care in Southern Arizona, conveyed its decision to parents and families a week and a half ago.

Camacho found out May 1 in a phone call from her daughters child-care provider, but said Thursday she hadnt received written confirmation from El Rio. Other parents whose children received care from El Rio said they received a list of alternative pediatric gender services, including clinics in California and Mexico, as well as online health-care providers. Camacho said she hadnt received the list, however.

El Rio marketing coordinator Nathan Holaway provided a statement to the Arizona Daily Star, which confirmed the health-care clinic does not currently prescribe nor dispense pubertal suppressants or gender-affirming hormones for patients under 18 years of age. It also detailed federal orders from the Trump administration.

Shortly after his 2025 inauguration, President (Donald) Trump reversed many of the policies put in place by the Biden administration by Executive Order (EO) that directly affects transgender Americans and their families, El Rios statement said.

The Office of the Attorney General recently issued a memorandum enforcing President Trumps EO by seeking to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors and committing the DOJ (Department of Justice) to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent possible, while encouraging whistleblowers to report offenders directly to the Department of Justice.

On Jan. 28, the president put out an executive order titled, Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation, which stated, Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding.

It also stated it is U.S. policy to not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called transition of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.

I have a different child now

Camacho described her familys journey of starting treatment for her daughter, Niko, after she came out as trans when she was 11 years old.

We chose to use the hormone blockers, which stops puberty from progressing from whatever stage youre at, at the time, said Camacho.

My child was going through puberty, and she was very depressed, she was suicidal, she wasnt eating, and she was just going in the down-road trajectory really fast, she continued. By contrast, Within about six weeks of us starting this hormone therapy, she was a different person. She started doing better in school, she joined clubs, she had confidence. It was just like, I have a different child now.

In previous Star articles, El Rio doctors have described their lengthy discussions with families, emphasizing the different kinds of medical interventions available and which are reversible, partially reversible or irreversible, and about risks that are still unknown. Anyone hired at El Rio must go through training in caring for marginalized populations, and that includes the LGBTQ+ community, the Star reported in 2018.

Russ Toomey is a family and developmental scientist at the University of Arizona who examines sexual and gender minority populations. Toomeys opinion is that El Rio engaged in patient abandonment by ending the doctor-patient relationship without reasonable notice or a reasonable excuse and without giving the patient the opportunity to find a replacement care provider.

Holaway sent a statement responding to the patient abandonment claim, saying patient-provider discussions are privileged and protected information. Within the patient-provider relationship, the eventuality and possible impact of future federal dictates was strongly encouraged to be discussed since the inception of Executive Orders, he said.

We are currently unable to provide pediatric gender affirming care in the form of hormone or hormone blocker therapies but remain committed to providing primary and behavioral health care to all the impacted youth, Holaway added. We encourage our patients to continue their relationships with their clinicians as we continue to support our patients through this challenging time.

Single mom Kat Stratfords 16-year-old transgender son, Erik, came out as non-binary when he was 10 and trans when he was 11. Stratford said she was informed by her El Rio doctor on May 2 and told she had to pick up Eriks prescription by May 3, essentially a 24-hour notice. She also said she was told El Rio would be putting out a statement, but she hadnt seen anything on its website as of Thursday.

Stratford, whose family has used El Rio since 2022, said her child didnt receive puberty blockers since they didnt understand enough about it, but started hormone replacement therapy after a long process with a very low dose of testosterone. Hes been receiving a dose of testosterone for a year now.

Having hormone therapy, according to my child, its his first time feeling at home in his body. Its the most complete hes ever felt as a person, the most validated hes felt as a person. And everyday that he sees these changes in his body  like his voice has gotten much deeper, hes going through such normal teenage moments, said Startford. You know, every teenage boy is so excited when they first start sprouting whiskers. Hes so excited about it, and to see that kind of joy in your child is the greatest gift a parent can ever have. To have it taken away is devastating.

Toomey, who submitted a letter to El Rio board members with links to research summaries showing benefits of this type of medical intervention, said the canceling of hormone therapy has tremendous impacts not just on the Tucson and Southern Arizona communities, but across the state in terms of transgender youths being able to access care.

One of El Rios reasons for the cancelation was an April 22 memorandum from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi titled, Preventing the Mutilation of American Children, which went into detail about a radical ideological agenda it said was being pushed through every aspect of American life including television, films, books and school classrooms.

It called gender-affirming care procedures junk science used to justify the barbaric practice of surgically and chemically maiming and sterilizing children.

Toomey, however, a researcher into sexual and gender minority populations, said the benefits of gender-affirming care include improved mental health with decreases in depressive and anxiety symptoms, decreases in suicidality, and improvement of life satisfaction.

Derrick Fiedler, the parent of a 13-year-old Tucson boy who came out as trans when he was 9, said he and his wife started treatment for him in 2021-2022. Fiedler said it is critical for their son to continue living his life authentically.

Fiedler was also the only parent of the three who spoke to the Star who said they were given a reason for the stop in hormone therapy: the attorney generals memo.

The treatment is vital, Fiedler said, because he was pretty anxious about going through any sort of puberty or even minor physical changes relating to the sex assigned at birth. Getting the puberty blocker was vital for his well-being and mental health. Hes established a group of friends that are also primarily boys, and he can continue to hang out with them.... Because at this point, they know that he is transgender, but its really so far in the background that I dont think they think about it much.

Some trans youths terrified

Camacho said her daughter is terrified right now that shes going to have to stop the hormone blockers and start de-transitioning as a teenage girl. Its already hard enough and you care so much about your appearance and your body, and shes just devastated right now, Camacho said.

Stratford echoed those statements and said her family is discussing obtaining antidepressants for her son, saying hes hopeless and tired and so sad. She said hes been very anxious since the news came out and that the clinics decision removes a lot of stability for him.

Fiedler, though, said his son is doing okay since hes pretty resilient and he knows were going to do whatever it takes to get him the care that he needs.

What are families looking to do?

Camacho said her familys future plans of action include looking at other countries, including Mexico, since its the closest. She acknowledged they are not easy or cheap options, but said she thinks medical care in other countries is better priced.

Stratford said she is already talking to clinics south of the border, and that she will go out of state to find alternatives. She doesnt want to go to another Tucson-based clinic if that would take the spot of a family with less resources, she said. Tucson has a few private practitioners who are still providing gender-affirming care, but they have long waitlists, she said.

It pushes families to just the absolute corners, because if you can imagine, there are plenty of families using public transportation here in Tucson and those families obviously will not be able to access any out-of-state resources unless its at tremendous personal cost, said Stratford. Theyre looking at a years-long fight to gain access to basic medication.

Both Stratford and Fiedler said they will continue working with their doctors at El Rio for regular pediatric care for their children, while working to get gender-affirming care prescriptions from other places.

Fiedler said his family will have to find a state that still provides the care, such as California, or start looking in Mexico if needed. He also expressed concern over not knowing what the next attacks will be from the Trump administration, saying they escalate week after week.

For now, the administration is targeting providers, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies on this issue, he said. When is the next step going to be, to come after parents, try to say that were abusing our children and try to take our children away? he said. That could come at any time.

Stratford said she would prefer that organizations not comply in advance with executive orders she believes violate the U.S. Constitution, but she also acknowledged El Rio, which helps a great number of people aside from her tiny community, is almost completely funded by the federal government.

Fiedler said he can understand El Rios perspective in being concerned about having federal funding to provide health care for everyone else. At the same time, if every hospital and every university would take the same stand, its hard to imagine that the government could very long persist in not getting those funds out, he said.

My frustration is primarily with the administration of the hospitals, like the administrative leaders, and not with our doctor, said Fiedler. Our doctor is so phenomenal and so supportive. And then this is so hard on the doctors because they dont have the decision (authority) there.

Toomey said he wants to know why organizations are complying with orders he said they know are harmful.

Just as a transgender person in the Tucson community, Ive lost my trust in El Rio, he said. El Rio has, for decades now, touted itself as the LGBTQ+ culturally competent provider in the area. And so, to do this with such poor communication, with 48 hours notice to parents, has really broken trust of the community.
Borderlands Brewing Co.s board of directors has been scrambling since the company learned in late April that it would have to leave its flagship location by summers end.

But the companys woes started long before it faced losing the downtown Tucson presence founders Michael Mallozzi and Myles Stone established in 2011 when they started brewing beer in the historic produce warehouse at 119 E. Toole Ave.

The brewery has been on a month-to-month lease there for at least a year, and while they have had casual conversations about a longer-term arrangement, there were no serious moves to make that happen, according to the landlord, Peach Properties.

The brewery also is saddled with a mountain of debt, including $392,834 in outstanding loans owed to members of its Board of Directors and $132,007 in so-called bridge loans its shareholders and board members kicked in when the company couldnt make ends meet, according to documents provided by shareholders.

Board member Drew Palmer provided the financial data to shareholders during a meeting in mid-April, about a week before Peach Properties notified Borderlands that Live Nation was bringing its Punch Line Comedy Club to the Toole Avenue building. The move also impacts Playformance, which holds camps for kids at the building. Peach Properties told both companies they could stay through the summer.

Palmer, in the shareholders meeting, said Borderlands also owed $146,330 to the Small Business Administration and another $79,170 to the Arizona Department of Revenue. When reached by phone Thursday for additional information, Palmer hung up and did not return a follow-up call.

Meanwhile, the company stopped making its own beer last September when it let go its head brewer and brewing staff. It has since outsourced its brewing to MotoSonora Brewery in Tucson and Scottsdales State 48 Brewery, Borderlands CEO and President Es Teran confirmed.

MotoSonora CEO Jeremy DeConcinci last week said his microbrewery at 1015 S. Park Ave. has not brewed any Borderlands beers in two months. The brewery has no contract with Borderlands but is available to brew when needed, he said.

Borderlands still has its equipment at the former Voltron Brewing Company, 330 S. Toole Ave., which was a joint venture between Borderlands and Fire Truck Brewing, which closed the last of its four locations and bowed out of the Tucson craft beer market in late January. The two companies joined forces in 2018 to share brewing space and a taproom.

When it shuttered, Fire Truck sold its equipment to a group that includes Empire Pizza co-owner David Furmanski, who took over the lease on the 8,750-square-foot industrial space. Lucas Hoeferkamp in late December took over the taproom, which he said he plans to rename Arizona Beer Farm. Hoeferkamp has operated the 20-tap bar since 2023, when Fire Truck and Borderlands were still brewing at the facility.

The nine-year-old Crooked Tooth Brewing Co., 228 E. Sixth St., is expected to brew with the old Fire Truck equipment as early as late May, Crooked Tooth officials said.

When contacted for comment, Teran on Thursday said Borderlands is still evaluating (its) path forward, and Im not in a position to go into details or provide a full statement yet.

Borderlands was the first tenant of 119 E. Toole soon after Peach Properties acquired the property, said Peach owner Ron Schwabe.

Mallozzi and Stone were brewing in their garage and we ... basically just put them in there for nothing, pretty much, and incubated them, Schwabe said.

At the time, Tucsons craft beer industry was in its infancy, led by the old guard Barrio Brewing, which had been around since 1991, and Nimbus Brewing, which came around five years later in 1996. Schwabe said he looked at Borderlands and saw a serious brewery in the making.

The company in early 2011 set up its brewing operations in the back of the warehouse and established a taproom in the front. Schwabe said they planted trees and created an inviting courtyard to complement the taproom, which opened in late December.

In the months leading up to the opening, Mallozzi and Stone raised $250,000 in start-up capital by selling shares of the brewery for $1.25 a share. The price doubled by 2013, when the company set out to raise $420,000 for large capacity brewing equipment, according to a Borderlands business plan provided to investors in 2012.

That document stipulated that investors would be paid dividends beginning in 2012. Mallozzi and Stone had the majority of the shares at 150,000 apiece, according to the business plan.

That document also outlined production goals, including that by Year 3, the company would command .03% of the states beer market by producing 1,650 barrels.

It took the company a few years to reach that capacity, although by 2014, it had started canning the popular Noche Dulce Moonlight Vanilla Porter. In 2018, the brewery inched close to the 1,650 barrel goal when it landed on the Colorado-based Brewers Association list of Americas Top 50 Fastest Growing Breweries; Borderlands came in ninth after reaching an annual production of 1,511 barrels.

By the following year, both Mallozzi and Stone left the company and its board of directors took over operations, hiring Teran as CEO and president in summer 2019.

Under Terans leadership, Borderlands opened two new brewery locations  Borderlands Sam Hughes at 2500 E. Sixth St. in January 2023 and Borderlands North at 5605 E. River Road last November.

Borderlands Sam Hughes started out as a collaboration between the brewery and Tucson celebrity chef Maria Mazon (Boca by Chef Maria Mazon), but 10 months after opening, Mazon pulled out, citing on social media that she needed to focus on her restaurant and her family.

In March 2024, Teran opened the agave-centric Sonoran Moonshine Company restaurant on the ground floor of the VFW Lofts at 124 E. Broadway. The restaurant received a $380,537 construction grant from downtown redevelopment agency Rio Nuevo, which at the same time bought Borderlands a food truck that it set up outside the brewery.

Initially Sonoran Moonshine was billed as part of Borderlands including in a March 8, 2024, Borderlands Facebook post. But Teran last week insisted it was unrelated.

I apologize if it sounded like it was part of Borderlands; its not part of Borderlands, he said, although he said the project was started by people involved in the brewery.

Sonoran Moonshines Arizona Corporation Commission filing from August 2022 listed Teran and Borderlands board members Drew Palmer and Pablo Padilla among the principals in the restaurant.

As Teran was expanding Borderlands footprint, the company was drowning in debt, according to an email Palmer sent to shareholders on Oct. 28, 2023, on behalf of the board.

The board at that time reported liabilities topping $1.1 million and said the company was considering relocating its brewing operations from Voltron.

Teran, in an interview days after learning Borderlands would have to move, said one of the options the company had been exploring was signing a long-term lease at 119 E. Toole and moving the brewing equipment back to the downtown location.

The 2023 email also appealed for shareholders to either become more vested in Borderlands  the company was looking for investors with at least $50,000 in capital, the letter stated  or divest their shares at 12 cents apiece. Shareholders had spent between $1.50 and $2.50 a share depending on when they bought in and many said they owned thousands of shares.

A number of shareholders took Borderlands up on its offer. As of last week, many of them had still not be paid.

The Star reached out to several shareholders for comment. None would speak on the record, saying they feared retribution following reports that Rio Nuevo and Peach Properties received death threats after news broke that Borderlands would have to move.
Ginnie Graham Tulsa World Columnist Follow Ginnie Graham Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

In the serious thought given to having kids, at no point did I think, Hmm, if only I could get $5,000 from the government to do it.

The $5,000 Trump administration proposed birther bonus would be funny if not so insulting. Either top federal officials are so out-of-touch with costs or they think so little of motherhood. It wont fix why people dont have children.

When I had my son 21 years ago, the bill was about $26,500, and daughter born four years later cost $15,000. Fortunately, insurance covered all but about $2,800 of both.

Todays average cost for a hospital birth is $18,865, with a range of about $14,768 for a vaginal delivery to about $26,280 for a Cesarean section. With insurance, the average out-of-pocket expense is $2,854, according to Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

If you think thats bad, just wait until the baby comes home. Just when you think about saving when moving out of diapers, then they get growth spurts every three months and want to play sports, music and other extracurricular activities. Parents turn into ATMs during the teen years.

For a child born in 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects it will cost $233,610 to raise the kid to age 18. But as Im looking at college expenses at the moment, thats hardly when parenthood ends.

That $5,000 federal financial baby bump isnt going to go too far.

Americans are experiencing the rise of a pronatalist movement, a belief that a declining birth rate will lead to the destabilization of the nation. Other countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, Iran and Italy are coming up with incentives for having babies  all with some controversy.

What the pronatalists ignore is that the worlds population is far from declining. The planet had 2 billion living on it a century ago, and it topped 8 billion people last year. So, humankind isnt going away anytime soon. If anything, a little more reflection is needed on the damage so many people are having on Earth.

Americas birth rate went on a steep decline between 1960 and 1980, from about 3.65 births per U.S. women to 1.8. That coincides with a lot of cultural shifts including the waning of the post World War II baby boom and oral contraception that allows women to better plan childbearing. Since then, the rate peaked at 2.12 births per woman (2007) and hit a low of 1.64 (2020).

The worlds birth rate is decreasing as well. So, how can the population be at all time high and birth rates be down? People are living longer.

In the U.S., the pronatalist movement wrapped itself in identity politics as proponents from the extreme right and conservative Christianity flock to it. Some proponents argue the more-baby mantra from a data point-of-view. But, bigger populations do not spur economic growth. Wealth comes from innovation, investment, hard work and intellect.

President Donald Trump welcomes pronatalist thinking with South African billionaire insider Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance by his side. Musk, with 14 children from four women, said a collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger to civilization. He also he offered to pay one of his baby mommas $15 million as a one-time payment and $100,000 in child support to keep the child a secret.

Its easier to be a pronatalist when youve got that kind of cash and privilege to throw around. The U.S. Department of Transportation is ordered in a memo to prioritize grants to communities with higher birth and marriage rates. Trump said he wont mind being known as the fertilization president with his support of IVF.

In one of Vances first public speeches after the election, he said at the March for Life, Let me say very simply: I want more babies in the United States of America.

What Vance didnt say was how to support those babies when they are no longer babies. Its kind of like when kids argue for a kitten or puppy, not really understanding the decades of responsibility, costs and sacrifices that come with it.

To be a pro-family nation, or a pro-motherhood nation, start with paid maternity leave. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation not offering that benefit.

Then, move on to offering affordable child care, invest in public schools and reform a health care system so it wont trigger bankruptcies. Provide a way for kids who want college or technical schools can get that education without 25-year loans. Stabilize a housing market where families can manage a mortgage or rent that could withstand economic slumps.

The federal child tax credit of $2,000 remains massively beneficial to families, but families depend on all the other societal systems to raise kids.

What gets lost in the debate over childbirth is the risk to women remains. Its true medical advancements have advanced from the serious danger posed a century or more ago. In 1924, for every 100,000 births, 64 women died. Last year, it was 19 deaths of mothers per 100,000 births, which is up slightly from the previous year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For women of color, the rates are worse.

All this goes back to the decision about whether to have children. If $5,000 is all it takes to convince someone to have a child, then that person isnt ready for parenthood.
Not for the first time the Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched an investigation into Married at First Sight.

The ACMA has received five complaints regarding the current season of Married At First Sight from people who have complained to the broadcaster, but were not satisfied with the response they received, the ACMA said in a statement to the Sunday Herald Sun.

The ACMA is investigating allegations that an episode broadcast on February 26, 2025 contained domestic violence themes that exceeded the episodes M classification and that an episode broadcast on March 2, 2025 also contained domestic violence themes that exceeded the episodes PG classification.

Episodes related to an incident of a participant punching a wall off camera. It was not shown on screen.

In a clip from the Nine show, Paul Antoine said, I lost control and I punched a hole in the bedroom door. Its just not the right thing to do. Its unacceptable, its disgusting. Im still hating myself for doing this.

Ive apologised to Carina for multiple times.

NSW Police also launched their own investigation into the incident.

Its hardly the first time ACMA has investigated the volatile reality series.

In 2019 it was investigated over classification and again in 2021, cleared on both occasions.

Then-Chairman Peter Costello told shareholders, Nine takes its responsibility as a broadcaster, seriously. There is a Classification system, which requires Nine to actually classify its programs and to give warnings in relation to content that people might find inappropriate. And of course, were regulated by ACMA, which prevents things that dont meet community standards absolutely from being broadcast at all. So we do all of that and we do take that seriously.
TV may be chockful of successful quiz shows right now, but there is one favourite ready to return.

Yes, even after 13 years, Tom Gleisner still sees Have You Been Paying Attention? as a quiz, and all 5 panelists as contestants.

An executive producer at Channel Nine called David Lyle (The Golden Years of Television) once said to us -because I think at that point we were tossing around half an idea for a TV quiz- If youre going to do a quiz show, youve got to make the questions and the scores matter. And we think hes right, Gleisner explains.

So even though it takes 10 goes, I will wait till I get a correct answer. I dont just distribute points randomly. Youll never hear me use the phrase, You can all have 10 points!

Curiously, there are some viewers who take a great deal of interest in who wins the episode? Now, theyre hardly playing for a huge cash prize. Its not The Floor.of course, were there for the comedy. But it is a quiz.

Its a format that is the envy of rival networks, and one that has attracted some international interest, albeit not yet setting MIPCOM sales on fire.

Weve had all of two! New Zealand, which sadly has seen all television stripped back. And Cyprus did a version, which translated rather casually as Pay Attention! with an exclamation mark. So that was fun, he continues.

The United States keep expressing interest and getting very excited. But as anyone whos dealt with the Americans will tell you, its a lot of meetings, and This is the best thing weve ever seen in our life, and then radio silence for six months. So were not naive to think that anything is going to happen quickly. But, who knows?

Once again the Working Dog team are set to introduce some new faces to the panel. It has, no doubt, made stars of comedians like Sam Pang, Guy Montgomery and Aaron Chen -all of whom have gone on to other TV successes.

Im delighted that coming in with a relatively low profile and a few appearances on Have You Been, is enough to give them a bit of a boost Guy went and did that amazing Spelling Bee show on the ABC. Thats probably the hardest thing we have at the moment -getting people into the studio, because so many of our contestants are very successful touring stand-ups.

Someone like Urzila Carlson, whos just wonderful and always makes time for us, is rarely in the same hemisphere! So to kind of get her for the five minutes that shes floating through Australia is a bit of a logistical effort, says Gleisner.

We made a commitment, informally, years ago with Have You Been that we would resist the temptation just to have the same people every week, as comfortable and as fun as that is. So we really will continue this year trying to introduce new faces.

We saw a bunch of people at the recent Melbourne International Comedy Festival. So theyll be making appearances as we go, including a couple of internationals. Were just sorting out a few visa issues, because we love having people from foreign locales on the show.

Not on the roster so far is Marty Sheargold, who apologised for radio comments around womens sport, considered misogynistic and offensive.

Marty actually reached out to Michael Hirsh shortly after the incident and asked that his name be taken off, Gleisner reveals.

I believe he did that with both, Have You Been and The Front Bar as a semi-regular on that. So in a sense, Marty made the decision for us. He said he would not be comfortable doing Have You Been so we obviously respect that wish from him.

Is he out for the full season or the immediate future?

I dont think it had a time placed on it. Obviously, were thinking about the 2025, series, and at Martys initiative weve removed his name from the whiteboard.

With a steady stream of comedians knocking on the door to appear, the show is set to lure viewers back to screens for 10. Gleisner is convinced the annual break is good for the show.

It would have been tempting to run the show all year, but the break, I hope, makes the audiences appetite keener, and it certainly makes mine. Im really looking forward to Monday. Its always a great feeling to be back for another season.

Have You Been Paying Attention? returns 8:40pm Monday on 10.
Abdul Wasim Ansari, TwoCircles.net

Guna (Madhya Pradesh): A series of violent incidents over three days following Hanuman Jayanti have raised serious concerns about the safety of the Muslim community in Guna. Beginning with an alleged stone-pelting incident near the Medina Mosque on April 12, 2025, the situation escalated quickly that led to multiple FIRs.

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However, arrests have allegedly disproportionately targeted Muslim residents, sparking accusations of bias and selective enforcement.

The initial violence occurred when an unauthorised Hanuman Jayanti procession, which was led by BJP Councillor Omprakash Gabbar Kushwaha, passed near the Medina Mosque in Colonel Ganj. Provocative slogans were allegedly raised during that procession  leading to communal clashes.

Although the police initially acknowledged the unlawful nature of the event and the alleged inflammatory slogans, their focus soon appeared to shift. Later that night, Hindu organisations allegedly gathered outside Kotwali police station, demanding swift police action. Soon after, the police registered an FIR against five named Muslim individuals and 15-20 unidentified others under serious charges.

Subsequent arrests began that same night. Despite the communal nature of the conflict, the police allegedly only targeted Muslims in their response and filed cases against individuals like Vicky Pathan and Amin Khan but reportedly ignored alleged provocations and violence from the Hindu side.

On April 13, video footage surfaced showing Councillor Omprakash physically assaulting a Muslim youth and a woman. Despite the clear visual evidence, no immediate action was taken against him. Meanwhile, the police continued arresting Muslim individuals.

The situation worsened on April 14 when more than 500 people affiliated with Hindu organisations gathered at Hanuman Chowk, demanding bulldozers be deployed to demolish the homes of Muslim suspects.

The crowd then allegedly marched toward the Muslim-majority area of Colonel Ganj, where they reportedly threw stones and sticks at homes and harassed Muslim women. The police eventually dispersed the crowd but did not file any FIRs against those involved in the attack.

SP Sanjeev Sinha later addressed the media, stating that while the Hindu organisations had submitted a memorandum peacefully, some elements had tried to provoke violence. He assured the people that the situation was under control and that appropriate action would be taken.

It was only after senior officers from Gwalior, including DIG Arvind Saxena, visited Guna that the police allegedly began acting against those involved on the Hindu side. They confirmed that several police personnel had been injured during the violence and would be rewarded for their bravery.

Following the DIGs visit, FIRs were filed against the BJP councillor and 10 others for their role in the procession and violence. New FIRs also named six individuals and listed 20-25 unnamed suspects involved in the April 14 attacks.

Despite these developments, the Muslim community in Guna continues to express fear and frustration. While several Muslims have been arrested, few Hindus allegedly involved in similar or more severe acts of violence have faced legal consequences.

Community leaders, including Yusuf Khan, president of the Tazia Committee, have criticised the police response as one-sided and discriminatory.

Khan, who witnessed the events, stated that the procession had initially remained peaceful until the councillor redirected it back toward the mosque, where provocative slogans were raised.

Stone-pelting began only after Kushwaha clashed with the police and disrupted the event, he said, adding that attempts to incite violence during religious processions had occurred in previous years, but this time, the effort seemed more deliberate, with outsiders contributing to the unrest.

The arrest of 20 Muslim suspects has raised further questions about the fairness of the investigation. While the police claim that only those involved in the stone-pelting were charged, the alleged absence of action against Hindu participants has led to skepticism. Many believe that if authorities had acted impartially from the beginning, the escalation could have been prevented.

Though the police insist that calm has been restored, fear lingers in the Muslim community, which continues to feel vulnerable and marginalised by the justice system.
HA NOI  Vietnam Airlines has officially resumed its direct flight service between Ha Noi and Moscow, following a three-year suspension.

The inaugural flight, coded VN63, departed from Noi Bai International Airport at 9:45 am on May 8 and arrived at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow at 3:40 pm local time. The flight carried 254 passengers, achieving full capacity. All passengers on board received commemorative gifts from the national flag carrier to mark this occasion.

Vietnam Airlines will operate two flights on the Ha Noi  Moscow route a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. From July 2026, the airline plans to increase the frequency to three flights per week to meet rising travel demand between the two countries.

The flights use wide-body Boeing 787-9 aircraft, equipped with Skytrax 4-star amenities to ensure passenger comfort on the nearly nine-hour journey.

Russia has long been one of Vietnams key tourism markets. According to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, more than 232,000 Russian visitors travelled to Viet Nam in 2024, an increase of 84.9% compared to 2023. In just the first two months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed nearly 80,000 Russian tourists, up 204 per cent year-on-year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia was a leading European source market of Viet Nam in 2019.

The direct Ha NoiMoscow service offers Russian travellers convenient access to Vietnam, as well as onward connections to destinations across Southeast Asia. For Vietnamese tourists, Moscow remains a popular destination and serves as a gateway to Europe and Central Asia.

Favourable policies such as Vietnams 45-day visa exemption for Russian citizens and Russias electronic visa issuance for Vietnamese nationals, processed within four days, are expected to further boost two-way tourism. These factors, combined with the restored direct air link, are forecast to drive significant growth in visitor numbers throughout 2025.

As part of its 30th founding anniversary celebrations in 2025, Vietnam Airlines plans to restore 15 international routes to destinations including Italy, India and the United Arab Emirates.  VNS
HA NOI  On May 9, an international scientific workshop titled "Innovating Crop Breeding Technologies in Enterprises and Research Organisations" was co-organised by PAN Group and the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, drawing participation from leading domestic and international institutions in crop research and development.

The event aimed to address critical challenges and unlock new opportunities in Viet Nams crop breeding sector.

The workshop attracted participation from renowned organisations, including the Vietnam National Seed Group (Vinaseed), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Vietnam Seed Association (VSA), and multiple research bodies and institutions.

In her opening address, PAN Group CEO Nguyen Thi Tra My underscored the importance of innovation in agricultural development.

We have no shortage of ambition to advance Vietnamese agriculture," she said. "But ambition without technology, innovation, genetic resources, and strong linkages between research and real-world application will take us nowhere. PAN Group is committed to transformative approaches - from fast breeding and gene editing to artificial intelligence and biotechnology - backed by real investment and concrete action.

Viet Nams crop production sector has made significant strides in recent years. According to the VSA, agricultural exports hit a record US$62.5 billion in 2024, including nine million tonnes of rice, the highest volume ever. The country has officially recognised 1,008, including 455 rice and 206 maize varieties, along with numerous types of fruits, vegetables, industrial crops, and flowers.

However, challenges remain. Research priorities are imbalanced, with limited attention to fruit and forest crops. The seed production system remains fragmented and lack industrial-scale development. The use of certified seeds is still low in various regions, particularly in the Mekong Delta.

Professor and Academician Tran inh Long, Chairman of the VSA, said: Vietnamese research institutes are leading the way in crop breeding. But they face constraints in building a robust, self-sustaining seed industry. That is why collaboration and private-sector investment are essential.

The workshop provided a platform for in-depth discussions on te future of crop breeding in Viet Nam. Presentations covered the current status of research and development in rice, maize, vegetables, and flowers, with expert insights from VNUA, Vinaseed, IRRI, the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, and the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS).

Delegates also shared experiences in managing and utilising genetic resources and explored emerging advanced technologies, including gene editing, mutation breeding, fast breeding techniques, and AI-based applications in crop development.

Discussions highlighted the potential of these innovations to improve productivity, enhance climate resilience, and bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

The event fostered collaboration between enterprises and research institutions, promoting genetic resource sharing, access to cutting-edge technologies, and joint variety transfer initiatives.

As part of the workshop, PAN Group and VNUA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to extend their partnership, originally established in 2023. The renewed MoU outlined cooperation in training, scientific research, technology transfer, international cooperation, and scholarship provision.

Meanwhile, Vinaseed, a PAN Group subsidiary, signed an MoU with the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute. The agreement sets out plans for joint research, field trials, new product development, and the application of scientific advancements in rice breeding.

With hundreds of scientists, experts, business leaders, and academic representatives from Viet Nam and overseas, the workshop is expected to contribute significantly to addressing pressing challenges in Viet Nams crop breeding sector, while paving the way for enhanced collaboration between research and enterprise. VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam and Austria expect to advance cooperation in technology and innovation with a high-profile forum scheduled to be held on May 16 in Vienna.

The Viet Nam  Austria High-Tech and Innovation Forum is jointly organised by Viet Nams National Innovation Center (NIC), the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria and the Austrian Economic Chambers.

The forum is expected to provide a platform for exchanges on emerging technologies, innovation strategies and digital transformation, aligning with Viet Nams goal of becoming a high-income economy by 2045.

Leading tech companies are expected to participate in the forum, including UNIDO, TTTech, Infineon, Technologies Austria, Siconnex, Dynatrace, FPT, VNPT, Sovico, and Genetica, to discuss AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity, quantum technology, Internet of Things, biotech and robotics.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang said that the innovation-focused forum, the first of its kind to be held in Europe, is designed to provide opportunities for connecting businesses from both countries. It is expected to position Viet Nam as a strategic destination for European tech investors to integrate more deeply into the global value chains of the high-tech sectors.

NIC Deputy Director Vo Xuan Hai said that there is a huge potential to enhance cooperation with Austria in technology and innovation as Viet Nam is pursuing a strategy to become a regional innovation hub with a focus on semiconductors, AI and IoT, digital transformation, and green growth.

Austria is widely recognised as a global leader in core technology research and development, innovation and high-tech applications.  VNS
HCM CITY  Amid unpredictable fluctuations in US tariff policies, Vietnamese businesses must take a proactive and strategic approach to sustain their exports to this key market, experts emphasised at a workshop held in HCM City on May 9.

The workshop, titled US Reciprocal Tariff: Preparation of Vietnamese Enterprises, was hosted by the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) in collaboration with the US-Vietnam Business Council, drawing strong participation from the local business community.

In her opening remarks, Cao Thi Phi Van, ITPCs deputy director, reaffirmed the US position as Viet Nams largest export market.

Over the past five years, Viet Nam has consistently maintained a substantial trade surplus with the US, rising from approximately US$63.4 billion in 2020 to nearly $106 billion in 2024. Currently, Viet Namlike many other nationsis subject to the USs reciprocal tariff measures.

In response to this challenge, the Vietnamese government is intensifying negotiations with the US to foster a balanced and sustainable bilateral trade relationship.

Domestically, efforts are being intensified to monitor product origin, boost the domestic market, and facilitate bilateral investment projects.

Van also encouraged businesses to view these challenges as catalysts for growth and innovation.

She emphasised that the municipal government and the business community are advancing strategic initiatives to diversify markets, products, and supply chains, enhance product quality and competitiveness, and remain agile in the face of global economic shifts.

In particular, leveraging the benefits of the 17 effective free trade agreements will serve as a critical foundation for expanding development space and strengthening international integration.

At the seminar, Dr. Tran Son, Assistant Professor of Business at SUNY Cobleskill, New York, and business development advisor at the US-Vietnam Business Council, highlighted the shift in US trade policy from free trade to strategic trade to focus on industrial policy and national security. This shift, he noted, presents both opportunities and challenges for trading partners.

Viet Nam is viewed as a China+1 destination and the US is watching closely for anti-dumping, labour standards, mislabelling and rule-of-origin violations, Son said.

US tariffs are here to stay, requiring Viet Nam to adopt a proactive and strategic approach. Agility, trust, and innovation are key factors for success in this environment, he affirmed.

He outlined three key strategic options for Vietnamese firms: ensuring full compliance with regulations by strengthening supply chain documentation, maintaining transparent origin labeling, and early adoption of US and EU standards; moving up the value chain by shifting from Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to Original Brand Manufacturer (OBM), investment in branding, innovation, and customer development; and actively working with trade associations and policymakers to position Viet Nam as a reliable trade partner.

He also called for a long-term national and industry-level branding strategy to reposition Viet Nam as a producer of high-value and distinctive products, particularly in handicrafts, agriculture, and seafood.

From a practical logistics perspective, Mohammed Selia, CEO of US-based FulfillPlus, provided an in-depth analysis of US import regulations across industry categories.

A fundamental principle exporters must understand, he said, is that US import duties are paid upon clearance at the port of entry, determined by the HTS code, declared value, and country of origin. Each industry requires thorough research and preparation.

Apparel and textiles are subject to tariffs ranging from 10 per cent to 30 per cent and must comply with strict labeling requirements from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and accurate product classification to avoid unnecessary delays.

The furniture industry, particularly wood products, must be wary of anti-dumping duties and comply with the Lacey Act, which prohibits trade in illegally sourced plant materials. Certain US states, such as California, have additional requirements for flame-retardant materials.

For agricultural and seafood products, FDA/USDA registration and advance import notice are mandatory. In many cases, maintaining the cold chain is also required.

In contrast, handicraft and artisan products often enjoy low or zero import duties, though it is essential to avoid materials derived from prohibited animal species.

To achieve long-term success in the US market, Selia emphasised the importance of maintaining local inventory to support faster delivery and improve customer satisfaction.

He also stressed the need for continuous investment in product quality, branding, attractive packaging, and partnering with reputable US logistics providers as a key strategic advantage.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has laid stress on penning breakthrough and exceptional policies for an international financial centre to attract investors from the Middle East, China, ASEAN, the US, Europe and beyond.

Presiding over a meeting on May 10 between the permanent Government members and ministries, sectors, and localities regarding the construction of such a centre, PM Chinh highlighted that the centre aims at luring resources for rapid and sustainable development, supporting the implementation of the three strategic breakthroughs, and promoting green economy, digital economy, and circular economy. Besides, it is expected to bolster three traditional growth motives and emerging drivers as well as foster startups and innovation.

The leader called for new reports and proposals to be submitted to the Politburo, incorporating feedback from the Politburo and relevant agencies.

Related units must finalise drafts of the Politburo's conclusion, the National Assembly's resolution, and the Government's action plan on establishing the centre, with clear assignments of responsibilities, timelines, deliverables, and authority.

The documents must analyse Viet Nam's advantages, evaluate positive impacts alongside challenges and risks, propose risk mitigation measures, and recommend a distinct strategic approach for Viet Nam's international financial centre.

They should identify priority areas and propose breakthrough policies for development, balancing regulatory frameworks with openness. Additionally, modern infrastructure with accessibility and smart human resources must be prioritised, according to the Government leader.

He stated that proposals must clearly define strategies for attracting both direct and indirect foreign capital from public and private sectors in both physical and virtual environments, and determine financial resources at financial centres. They should identify development zones for financial centres' infrastructure, anticipate staffing needs, and outline management structures, he added.

PM Chinh underscored the financial centre development must be resolutely accomplished in accordance with the 13th Party Congress Resolution and the Politburo's directives to support rapid and sustainable national development.

He assigned Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Biinh to direct ministries, agencies, and localities in reviewing tasks and completing the reports, proposals, and draft documents, ensuring both progress and quality.

According to the Politburo's conclusion on establishing a comprehensive international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City and a regional financial centre in a Nang, these facilities will operate under exceptional management mechanisms that enhance competitiveness while implementing appropriate risk management and oversight protocols.

Over the past time, the PM has directed numerous meetings with ministries, agencies, and the authorities of Ho Chi Minh City and a Nang to develop the financial centre proposal. These discussions have focused on key strategies including developing modern financial infrastructure, building leading payment and securities trading systems, attracting international talent with competitive incentives, and creating an appealing living and working environment for leading global financial experts.

Other priorities include promoting financial innovation with new instruments such as green finance, financial technology (fintech), and financial risk management, expanding international integration, and ensuring financial security through enhanced oversight and risk management to maintain system stability.  VNA/VNS
TAY NINH  Over 2,000 domestic and international delegates gathered at the Ba en Mountain National Tourist Site in the southern province of Tay Ninh on May 8 to conduct a sacred ceremony to enshrine the sacred Sarira of Shakyamuni Buddha and pray for world peace as part of the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations (Vesak 2025).

Vu Hoai Bac, Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, and representatives from the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation attended the event.

The Buddhas sacred Sarira is enshrined at the Buddhist exhibition centre within the tourist site from May 8 to 13, allowing Buddhist followers and the public to pay their respects during the Vesak celebrations.

According to Nguyen Hong Thanh, Acting Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, Tay Ninh is the land rich in cultural traditions and diverse beliefs, with Buddhism playing an important role in the spiritual life of local residents. Ba en Mountain, the highest peak in southern Viet Nam, at 986 metres, is associated with the legend of Linh Son Thanh Mau (Linh Son Holy Mother) and has long been a pilgrimage destination, drawing millions of Buddhist followers and visitors each year.

Most Venerable Maha Veth Masenay, Standing Vice President of the Buddhist Fellowship Organisation of Laos, expressed his joy at witnessing the Buddha's sacred Sarira at Ba en Mountain. He said it was a great honour for the Lao delegation, as the enshrinement of Shakyamuni Buddha's Sarira holds great significance for monks and Buddhist followers.

The presence of the Sarira in Viet Nam during the Vesak celebrations not only brings spiritual blessings but also contributes to promoting lasting peace, as well as sustainable political and economic development in the region and the world, he said.

Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Standing Vice President of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)'s Executive Council, noted that the candle-lighting and lantern-offering ceremony for world peace reflects Buddhisms global mission  not only preserving spiritual traditions but also actively contributing to international dialogues on peace, human rights, and sustainable development.

Nguyen Lam Nhi Thuy, Deputy General Director of Sun Group in the southern region, said bringing Shakyamuni Buddhas sacred Sarira from India to Ba en Mountain offers an opportunity to introduce Tay Ninh which is home to magnificent spiritual landmarks that are drawing domestic and international visitors.

On the occasion, the delegates planted 108 Bodhi trees provined from the sacred Bodh Gaya tree in India.

Vesak 2025 opened on May 6 and wrapped up on May 8 at the Viet Nam Buddhist Academy in HCM City, with the participation of over 2,700 delegates, including 1,250 foreigners. The event was expected to boost tourism and economic investment in Viet Nam, and position the country as a prime destination for international tourists. - VNA/VNS
MOSCOW  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) To Lam had a meeting with Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of the United Russia Party (URP) and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, in Moscow on May 9 (local time) as part of his official visit to Russia.

Medvedev highlighted the significance of the Vietnamese Party leaders trip, especially as the two nations are celebrating major historical milestones, including the 75th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam  Russia diplomatic ties, stressing that the visit will help further deepen the traditional friendship and mutual trust between the two Parties and countries.

The Russian leader congratulated Viet Nam on its recent achievements under the leadership of the CPV and General Secretary Lam, expressing his belief that Viet Nam will continue to move forward firmly on the path of sustainable development, independence, and comprehensive and intensive integration.

Lam expressed his pleasure at attending the eightieth anniversary of the triumph in the Great Patriotic War, paying an official visit to Russia, and meeting with his friends and comrades here.

He stressed that the victory of the Great Patriotic War contributed to the success of the August Revolution in 1945 that led to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam (now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam). The commemoration of the victory's 80th anniversary is an occasion to honour contributions by the Soviet Union and progressive forces worldwide, and to remind younger generations of the sacrifices made by their forebears for peace and freedom.

The Vietnamese leader highly valued Russias dynamic development under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin and the URP, affirming that Viet Nam always attaches great importance to strengthening and expanding its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia.

The cooperation between the CPV and the URP serves as a solid foundation for advancing bilateral ties across all fields, he affirmed.

The Party, State, and people of Viet Nam always treasure and remember the valuable support from the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation today for Viet Nam's struggle for national liberation in the past as well as national development efforts at present, he said.

The Party leader added that, amid rapid global changes, Viet Nam places special importance on its traditional friendship with Russia and stands ready to work closely with the country to elevate their ties across key pillars, including politics, security  defence, energy, education  training, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

The two leaders agreed on several major directions for enhancing relations between the two Parties and countries.

They affirmed their commitment to further consolidating political trust through high-level exchanges and close cooperation between the CPV and the URP, laying the cornerstone for long-term and sustainable relations.

They also agreed to strengthen youth cooperation to uphold the traditional relations between the two Parties and peoples.

Lam and Medvedev discussed ways to strengthen the two countries' cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration, including defence, security, oil and gas, economy  trade, science  technology, transport infrastructure, aviation, space, artificial intelligence, education  training, cybersecurity, culture, and tourism.

They also had an in-depth discussion on regional and international issues of common concern, agreeing to intensify coordination at regional and international forums, particularly the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and ASEAN.

The Vietnamese leader took the occasion to invite Mr Medvedev to visit Viet Nam again in the near future.  VNS
Why is May 9 so important to Russians?

14:08, May 07, 2025 By Yuan Meng, Elena Davydova, Zhang Wenjie ( People's Daily Online

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, and the World Anti-Fascist War. Victory Day on May 9 commemorates the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, and remains one of Russia's most significant celebrations. Each year, the country holds a parade and fires ceremonial salutes. Why is the day so important for Russians? Join People's Daily Online reporter Elena Davydova to find out!

(Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Wu Chaolan)
MOSCOW  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam met with Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko in Moscow on Friday afternoon (local time).

The meeting took place as part of the Vietnamese leaders official visit to Russia and participation in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War.

Matviyenko hailed the significance of the visit, especially amid the major anniversaries of each country and bilateral relations, including the 75th anniversary of the Viet Nam  Russia diplomatic ties, the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War, 50 years since the liberation of the South and national liberation of Viet Nam, and the 80th anniversary of Viet Nams National Day. She also congratulated Viet Nam on the 71st anniversary of the ien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 19542025), which she described as a demonstration of the Vietnamese peoples heroism, unyieldingness, and aspiration for freedom and independence.

The host noted with satisfaction the progress of the two countries relations, saying the visit will create a new impulse for further enhancing the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Russia.

General Secretary Lam noted that his visit reflects Viet Nams special sentiment for and attachment of importance to Russia.

The Party, State, and people of Viet Nam always treasure the faithful and close-knit bonds with the Russian people, and view developing the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia as one of the top priorities in Viet Nams foreign policy, he remarked.

He also highly valued the Russian Federation Councils role in promoting bilateral cooperation, calling on the two sides to keep strengthening parliamentary cooperation to practically contribute to the fruitful implementation of bilateral agreements.

Matviyenko said members of the Russian Federation Council, despite coming from different political parties, as well as all political parties in the Federal Assembly of Russia have good sentiments towards Viet Nam and support the promotion of the countries traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Russian Federation Council will continue advocating the expansion of bilateral cooperation in all aspects, including Party-to-Party relations, economy, trade, science  technique, education  training, security  defence, culture, and people-to-people exchange, she added.

The Speaker also expressed her delight at the inauguration of the President Ho Chi Minh monument in Saint Petersburg in 2023 and the naming of a road in ien Bien Phu city as Leningrad-Saint Petersburg.

She affirmed that the Federation Council will continue acting as a bridge connecting Vietnamese provinces and cities with Russian localities, and help them carry out the signed agreements in result-oriented manner.

She emphasised the Russian Federation Councils readiness to coordinate with the Vietnamese National Assembly to enhance their roles at multilateral parliamentary forums to promote the principles of peace, stability, and respect for international law.

The two leaders agreed to highly value the results of parliamentary cooperation in recent times and emphasised the necessity of strengthening exchanges at all levels, particularly between specialised committees and friendship parliamentary groups. They also agreed to continue coordinating in supervising the implementation of bilateral agreements in five pillars: defence and security, energy and oil and gas, science and high technology, human resource training, and infrastructure.

Furthermore, they discussed supporting the resolution of legal obstacles to promote effective cooperation between the two countries in the new period; enhancing cultural, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges as well as cooperation between localities of the two nations; and supporting Vietnamese airlines in operating direct flights between Ha Noi and Moscow.

The two sides also discussed strengthening coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP), thereby contributing a common voice in favour of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region and globally. General Secretary Lam proposed that the Federal Assembly of Russia continue to maintain an objective and balanced stance and support the positions of Viet Nam and ASEAN in addressing the East Sea issue on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On this occasion, Matviyenko extended her greetings to Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Tran Thanh Man.

General Secretary Lam also conveyed Mans regards and invitation to her to visit Viet Nam at a convenient time. The Speaker gladly accepted the invitation.  VNS
MOSCOW  Party General Secretary To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the launching ceremony of Vietnam Airlines Ha Noi  Moscow air route on May 9 (local time) as part of his trip to Russia for an official visit and participation in the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The air link marks a significant stride in bolstering the two countries comprehensive cooperation across multiple areas, particularly economy, trade, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

In his speech, Vietnam Airlines General Director Le Hong Ha stressed that beyond transportation, the new route serves as a bridge connecting the two countries rich cultures and symbolising the enduring friendship between their people.

It will open new pathways for Russian travellers to explore Southeast Asia through Viet Nam while facilitating Vietnamese access to Eastern Europe via Moscow, he stated.

Looking ahead, Vietnam Airlines commits to scaling up operations, considering potential new destinations, and exploring charter flights to Russia, including the Far East region. The airline also plans to bolster cooperation with multiple travel partners to diversify its products and enhance operational efficiency, bringing the people of both countries closer together and creating new dynamics for cooperation, Ha added.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia ang Minh Khoi praised the national flag carriers efforts to resume the direct connection between the two capitals, noting that it fulfills the desire of both sides to strengthen connectivity. He emphasised that the route will boost trade exchange and tourism development while demonstrating long-term commitment to strengthening strategic connections between the two countries.

The Vietnamese Embassy will continue serving as a bridge between businesses and citizens of both countries, helping promote Viet Nams images internationally, he highlighted.

Vietnam Airlines is currently operating the Ha Noi-Moscow route twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays using Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft, with plans to increase frequency to three flights by July 2026.

The resumption of the Ha Noi-Moscow direct route represents a strategic step in Vietnam Airlines' international network expansion plan, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Vietnam Airlines Corporation (1995-2025). This development demonstrates the airline's ongoing commitment to promoting Viet Nam's image, enhancing the country's international standing, and fulfilling its mission of taking off with the nation in a new era.

On the occasion, Party chief Lam and the delegation also witnessed the exchange of tourism cooperation deals between Vietnamese firms and their Russian partners.  VNS
A NANG  Three Russian naval ships of the Pacific Fleet, including two escort ships, Rezkii and Aldar Cidengapov, and an oil tanker Pechenga with 262 crew members, began a four-day visit to a Nang from May 10-14, marking the occasion as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and Russia.

The Russioan navy delegation, led by Colonel Anciferov Alexey Vitalievich, will participate in visits and cultural exchanges with the central citys Peoples Committee, Military Zone 5 and Navy Zone 3, and other local destinations.

The Russian navy ships are also schedule to conduct a joint exercise with the Vietnamese navy force during their friendly visit to the coastal city.

Russia currently has 10 investment projects in a Nang, valued at US$3.7 million.

a Nang has established friendship ties with Yaroslavl, Nizhegorod and Briansk, and has held discussion on developing air and sea services with Primorye.

Russia is considered one of the promising growth markets of a Nang. VNS
MOSCOW - All parties in the State Duma of Russia support Viet Nam and are committed to strengthening cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin told Vietnam's Party General Secretary To Lam during their meeting in Moscow on May 10.

Volodin thanked the Vietnamese Party leader for leading a high-level Vietnamese delegation to the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the triumph in the Great Patriotic War, saying that this gesture reflects the fraternal solidarity and the deep affection that Viet Nam has always extended to the former Soviet Union and Russia today. The Russian leader highlighted the significance of Lams visit, especially when the two nations are celebrating major historical milestones, noting it contributes to further deepening the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations, including parliamentary cooperation.

Viet Nam is a comprehensive strategic partner and a trusted friend of Russia in Southeast Asia, Volodin affirmed, stressing that the State Duma takes pride in the loyal and enduring ties between the two countries.

For his part, Lam spoke highly of the role of the State Duma in Russia's political system as well as its positive contributions to the Viet Nam-Russia parliamentary cooperation and bilateral relations in general in recent years.

"The Party, State, and people of Viet Nam always treasure and remember the valuable support from the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation today for Viet Nam's struggle for national liberation in the past as well as national development efforts at present," he stressed.

Viet Nam attaches great importance to and wishes to further strengthen and develop its relations with Russia, with the parliamentary channel playing a practical role in promoting and supervising the implementation of intergovernmental agreements, while deepening mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples, he stated. Volodin highly valued specific proposals made by Lam regarding the renewal of the traditional friendship and confirmed that these will be included in the agenda of the State Duma and its specialised committees.

The two leaders agreed on the need to continue strengthening cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the State Duma of Russia by regularly maintaining the exchange of high-level delegations and representatives from friendship parliamentarian groups and specialised committees; and enhancing experience sharing in law-making and improving the legal framework to facilitate the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Lam and Volodin emphasised the important role of the two countries' legislative bodies in supporting efforts to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, education - training, people-to-people exchanges, and connections between localities; promoting the removal of procedural barriers and creating favourable conditions for citizens of both countries to live, study, and work in each other's territories.

They agreed that both sides will work together to further intensify youth exchanges in order to preserve and carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries.

The two sides also discussed ways to boost coordination at multilateral parliamentary forums, thus expressing a common voice in support of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region and around the world.

Lam conveyed NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man's invitation to Volodin to pay an official visit to Viet Nam and co-chair the 4th session of the Viet Nam-Russia Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, scheduled for this September. VNA/VNS
MOSCOW  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam delivered a speech at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) in Moscow on Saturday, highlighting the cultivation of the Viet Nam  Russia traditional friendship in the new era for peace, cooperation, and development.

The activity was part of his official visit to Russia, during which he also attended the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War.

Also in attendance were Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin; leaders of various agencies of the Russian Federal Assembly and Government; veterans; intellectuals; experts from both the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union; as well as a large number of students and postgraduate researchers.

In his welcoming remarks, RANEPA Rector Alexey Gennadievich Komissarov noted that the academy is the only educational institution under the direct management of the Russian President. Its predecessor, the Academy of Social Sciences under the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Central Committee, used to provide training for nearly 1,000 senior leaders of Viet Nam, including late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Stressing the significance of General Secretary Lams visit, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin affirmed that the State Duma is always proud of the two countries faithful relations. He said that the visit helps strengthen the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, including parliamentary cooperation.

In his speech, General Secretary Lam underscored the special bonds between the two countries for the past more than 100 years. In the 1920s, when Viet Nams revolutionary movement was seeking its path, the Soviet Union became the lighthouse shedding light on the path to national liberation of Viet Nam.

President Ho Chi Minh, who founded and led the Vietnamese revolution, came to the Soviet Union early, learned from the Communist International, and accessed Marxism-Leninism there, thereby laying the ideological foundation for the establishment of the CPV in 1930.

Many revolutionary predecessors such as Tran Phu, Le Hong Phong, and Ha Huy Tap also used to study and undergo training in the Soviet Union, and later became prominent leaders of Viet Nams revolutionary movement.

The sincere and faithful assistance as well as the lofty solidarity from the Soviet Union in the past and the Russian Federation nowadays forms a precious historical heritage for both countries to continue nurturing and developing substantive cooperation at present and in the future, Lam stated.

Despite the geographical distance, the two countries share great similarities in history, spirit, vision, and value, the General Secretary went on, adding that few countries in the world win such steadfast and deep affection from generations of Vietnamese people like the Soviet Union in the past and Russia at present.

Informing participants about Viet Nams oi Moi (Renewal) process, he said that surmounting numerous difficulties, Viet Nam has established itself as an open and dynamic economy and a growth powerhouse. Such major and significant achievements, together with the recognition from international friends, have positioned the country in a new historical starting point, confidently advancing to a new era with strategic and long-term directions for the next journey.

Lam stressed that Vietnamese and Russian leaders have exchanged views and outlined orientations to promote the exchange of delegations; conduct regular and substantive consultations and dialogues at the highest levels; elevate economic, trade, and investment cooperation, which is a key focus of the bilateral relationship.

It is necessary to prioritise and facilitate the expansion of trade, investment, and financial-credit relations in line with international law and the legal regulations of the two countries to boost the exchange of goods and services, he said, stressing that cooperation in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mineral mining and processing, industry, machinery and energy should be stepped up.

The Vietnamese leader underlined the need to strengthening defence  security cooperation, considering it a key area in the overall Viet Nam-Russia relationship, which must promptly meet the current requirements, while contributing to ensuring peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Furthermore, the two sides should promote cooperation in science  technology, innovation, and digital transformation as a core area of their relations, including cooperation in fundamental science, information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, biomedical technology, and renewable energy, he added.

Lam stated that building nuclear power plants is currently a top priority for Viet Nam, therefore, the country places special emphasis on strengthening cooperation in nuclear energy, particularly in the effective implementation of the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Centre project in Viet Nam.

According to him, the two countries should strengthen cooperation in education and training, culture, arts, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges; expand the activities of the network of Viet Nam-Russia technical universities to promote the training of high-quality human resources.

He called on RANEPA to further boost its cooperation with research institutes and universities in Viet Nam, especially in public administration, and international economics and relations.

He suggested the two countries strengthen cooperation and work closely together at international and regional multilateral forums, continue to promote multilateralism, and a fair and sustainable multipolar world order, with Russia being an important pole, based on the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law; promote joint efforts by the international community to address non-traditional security challenges.

Lam expressed his desire that Russia will continue to support the strengthening of ASEAN's central role in the Asia-Pacific regional architecture. He affirmed that Viet Nam will foster close cooperation with Russia to deepen the ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership.

The Vietnamese leader highlighted the heroic history and great achievements of the Russian nation and people and the proud development of the bilateral relations, which has affirmed the special role and position of Russia to Viet Nam, including the important contributions of RANEPA.

In his speech, Lam expressed his deep gratitude to the Russian veterans, intellectuals, and experts who have devoted their affection and support to Viet Nam throughout the years, stressing that they will always remain steadfast and close friends, comrades, and brothers of the Vietnamese people.

He expressed his hope that following previous generations, the younger generations of the two countries will deeply understand the noble international spirit embodied in the unique and enduring relationship between the Vietnamese and Russian people; as well as the importance of continuing to nurture the solidarity, friendship, and close-knit cooperation between the two countries in the new era.

He believed that the two nations will continue to accompany each other on the path toward prosperity, wealth, and happiness for their people; and that the bilateral relationship will reach new heights, on par with the historical and cultural stature of each country and the requirements of the times.

On this occasion, RANEPA Rector Alexey Gennadievich Komissarov awarded the Vietnamese Party leader the academy's "Honorary Professor" title. He also handed over a copy of a thesis by late CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The late leader defended this thesis, which is about the CPVs activities to strengthen relations with the public based on the experience of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, in 1983. VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The Vietnamese embassies in India and Pakistan have issued safety recommendations for the Vietnamese citizens in the two countries in the face of the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan.

The Vietnamese Embassy in India advised citizens to stay updated with new developments via the host countrys reputable media outlets while not coming to conflict-affected or unsafe areas, especially Jammu and Kashmir, where the conflict occurs.

The Vietnamese nationals were recommended to strictly adhere to local authorities regulations and guidance on security and safety measures, and proactively take necessary measures for ensuring security and safety for themselves and their families.

They were also asked to maintain contact with the embassy in case they face emergencies, need support, or look for citizen protection information.

They can liaise with the embassy via the citizen protection hotline +91 7042035588, switchboard +84 981848484, or email consularsection@vietnamembassydelhi.in.

Shortly after the fierce military actions between India and Pakistan on May 6 night and early May 7, the Vietnamese Embassy in Pakistan also released recommendations for the citizens there via social media, urging them to limit travel, avoid dangerous areas, and keep abreast of local authorities recommendations and the latest developments.

The Vietnamese people in Pakistan were also suggested to contact the embassy when necessary, gear up essential supplies, and ready evacuation plans.  VNA/VNS
HCM CITY  In an effort to support students in career orientation, communication skills development, and access to job opportunities, Gia inh University (GDU) hosted the "Job Fair - Enterprise Connection 2025" on May 9, 2025, in HCM City's Go Vap District.

This annual event aimed to bridge the gap between students and top companies across various industries.

The event welcomed over 2,500 students along with representatives from numerous reputable enterprises, including multinational corporations.

It not only provided young participants with job search opportunities, internships, and networking but also allowed companies to access a high-quality, dynamic, and creative workforce from GDU.

The Job Fair 2025 saw the participation of over 30 companies from diverse sectors, including Freshfoco, FIDOVN, Athena Network Management and Security Training Center, FPT Telecom, IPA Group, BIDV, Vinpearl, Mobifone, Vietnam News Agency Information Center, and Techcombank.

Students received guidance on preparing job applications, writing impressive CVs, mastering interview skills, and understanding employer expectations.

GDU, offering more than 27 academic disciplines, provided high-quality human resources for various industries such as Business, Information Technology, Communications, Law, Logistics, Finance, Accounting, and Languages.

The event served as a platform for direct recruitment, connecting employers with potential candidates.

In addition to job opportunities, the event offered students the chance to participate in mock interviews, career workshops, and discussions with top HR experts.

The fair also hosted a career orientation talk show featuring GDU alumni and business leaders who shared success stories and provided valuable insights for young job seekers.

A highlight of the event was the signing of memoranda of understanding between GDU and various companies, further strengthening the universitys commitment to providing quality internships and job opportunities for students.

This year, GDU received accreditation from the Center for Education Quality Accreditation  Viet Nam National University based in HCM City, for four bachelors programmes, including International Business, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Hotel Management, and Multimedia Communication.

Additionally, GDU partnered with Betma English Center to host the "Ring the Golden Bell 2025" competition, offering students a chance to win scholarships worth up to 2,000 USD from Educap  AIT TESOL.

Established in 2007, GDU has been a pioneer in providing streamlined, industry-focused education.

With the mission of "Shaping the Future," the university not only equips students with academic knowledge but also fosters core values and a spirit of dedication.

GDU believes that the "Job Fair - Enterprise Connection 2025" marked a significant milestone, opening up career opportunities for students while strengthening its partnership with leading companies, creating a sustainable future for Viet Nams young generation.  VNS
by Nguyen My Ha

The Golden Jubilee of Viet Nam's existence as a reunified nation witnessed many emotions, brought home by those who made the effort to attend.

The headline-maker war veteran Nguyen Van Thanh, 76, who rode a motorbike from his hometown in Nghe An Province for 1,300km to HCM City to mark 50 years since reunification, boarded the South-North train to head home. He accomplished his wish to see his country flourishing in peace and, as a result, turned down an offer to fly home from a prominent carrier.

Many veterans went in groups, registered with the organising committee, and were given seats and a warm welcome when visiting old battlefields. But many went on their own, wearing their signature green uniforms with military honours on their chests.

"Grandchildren, when you see the medals on my chest, it's not for me to display my honours. It's to honour my comrades-in-arms' blood and bones of our people, who sacrificed their lives for our country's peace today," one veteran said. "We must remember and bear them gratitude. We must keep this land safe."

Elsewhere, in the massive number of people who lined the riverside boulevard along Bach ang Wharf, and further around Reunification Palace, for the April 30 commemorations, veterans mingled along with people from all walks of life to be part of the immense display of one's love for the country and peace.

"We fought so that you won't have to fight," said another veteran. "Let you, the young generation today, be heroes of labour only, so you won't have to prove yourself in fighting."

Veterans saluted each other on their way and hugged each other. Most obviously, many cried while recalling the names of their fallen comrades, retelling the stories of their lives, otherwise privately kept deep and only awoken due to the reminders of more than 50 years ago.

"My dear comrades, are you here to see our country today in peace? Our children and grandchildren have been building it so beautifully, can you see?"

These veterans represent more than 2,430,600 registered with the Viet Nam Veterans Association.

Sharing these sentiments were not only veterans, but also hundreds of thousands of people who lined the streets of downtown Ho Chi Minh City over the week leading to the parade on April 30.

While we cherish the sacrifices of the veterans, and the losses millions of people have suffered to secure peace for our country today, we also need to make sure that war shall not be the better solution, if we by all means could avoid it.

"They held their rifles so that we can hold our pens today,

They walked in darkness so we all can enjoy the sunrise,

They fought for a peaceful sky,

They laid down their lives for us to live in peace."

In the military parade and aerial salute on the same day, the people of Viet Nam showcased the largest open-air concert, where a giant choir sang patriotic songs without the need to rehearse. Many left the comfort of their homes to camp on the street to make sure they had a place to witness the parade.

Many families took to the streets, trying to get a glimpse of their sons and daughters marching in line, and veterans even spent their whole night on the street to wait for the next day's celebration. The overwhelming sentiment was love for one's country, shared among strangers, between the people and their military personnel.

International news watchers may notice the presence of different segments of the Vietnamese armed forces, but the army was most happily marching in people's embraces.

The most applause should be offered to the security guards, who made it safe for Vietnamese to feel proud, sing familiar songs, and feel the brotherhood among strangers.

While in a military parade, weaponry and facilities are on display to showcase the military power of a country, but showing military might was not the overarching purpose of the parade.

Born from the people and by the people, the army fights for the people, and Vietnamese people shall make sure their army maintains the ultimate goal of their service.

In the parade that lined Le Duan Boulevard to Reunification Palace on April 30, the team of Viet Nam's Blue Beret men and women could be seen, who served in the United Nations' peacekeeping missions in South Sudan.

Viet Nam also sent its military to help earthquake rescue efforts in Turkey, and just last month, to Myanmar. Earlier, they also sent farming teams to Africa to teach them how to plant rice and other crops.

Though the material wealth and power of Viet Nam remain modest, the love they bring to sites of natural disasters, both at home and abroad, is almost priceless.

While Viet Nam fought hard to win peace, it also knows well how to treasure peace. VNS
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.
The man who police say provided the gun his troubled daughter used to kill two people in a Madison school shooting last year was ordered held Friday on $20,000 bail.

Jeffrey W. Rupnow, 42, of Madison, is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a child and two counts of providing a dangerous weapon to a person under 18  all felonies  for allegedly purchasing the Glock handgun Natalie Rupnow used in the Dec. 16 shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on the citys Southeast Side.

The shooting left teacher Erin Michelle West, 42, and student Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14, dead, and wounded six others, including a student who as of Thursday was back in the hospital due to his injuries, according to acting Madison police chief John Patterson. The shooting ended when Natalie, 15, shot herself to death.

During an initial hearing Friday, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne called the case unprecedented.

These facts allege that Mr. Rupnow purchased and provided firearms and allowed unlimited access to the internet to his minor child, knowing her concerning history and fragile mental health status, he said. There was no other person who knew the child better than the defendant. His actions and lack of judgement here contributed to the fatal and tragic mass violence incident at Abundant Life Christian School.

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 that Rupnow said he had to lock up all the knives in his house. The criminal complaint against her father says that she had a fascination with past school shooters and had long planned the attack on Abundant Life.

The complaint alleges that after the shooting, multiple legally purchased guns were found in the North Side Madison home the father and daughter shared. The Glock was one of two handguns Natalie brought to the school on the day of the shooting. It was the only one she used, and the complaint says Rupnow had purchased it for her and she had paid him for part of its cost.

There was a gun safe in the home that most of the guns were kept in, according to the complaint, but Rupnow had told his daughter the safes combination at one point and his daughter might have known the combination from watching him open the safe.

Ozanne had asked for bail of $100,000, consisting of $40,000 each for the weapons offenses and $20,000 for the contributing to the delinquency of a minor charge.

Rupnows attorney, Bruce Davie, argued his client should be released on a signature bond  in short, without putting up any money  noting that he has ties to the community, a full-time job and no criminal record.

My understanding was he was cooperative with the investigation into this matter, he said. Hes shown no signs of being a risk of not coming whenever the court schedules matters. Theres no reason to hold him in jail under those circumstances.

He said Rupnow would not be able to raise $20,000 for bail.

Hes not a wealthy man, he said. Hes got to work to pay his bills to keep his house. You might as well give him a $100,000 (bail).

Patterson on Thursday declined to comment on whether anyone else would be charged in connection with the shooting, although his agencys investigation into the incident remains open. Natalies mother, Mellissa Rupnow, typically saw her daughter on the weekends.

Jeffrey 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.

Rupnow is next scheduled to be in court June 9 for a status hearing.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Senedd signs off on data bill despite constitutional concerns

This article is old - Published: Saturday, May 10th, 2025

The Senedd signed off on the UK Governments data bill despite constitutional concerns, with the proposed legislation completely failing a key test set by the first minister.

Senedd members voted 39-11 in favour of consenting to the data use and access bill, which aims to make better use of data and boost the UK economy by 10bn over the next decade.

But Plaid Cymru members and Labour backbenchers voiced concerns about powers in the bill for UK ministers to make laws in some areas already devolved to Wales.

Alun Davies urged Welsh ministers to withdraw the legislative consent motion or LCM, the means by which the Senedd indicates support for UK laws on devolved matters.

Referring to a speech by Eluned Morgan the same day, which put distance between Labour in Westminster and Cardiff Bay, Mr Davies said the bill fails a test set by the first minister.

Unacceptable

He told the Senedd: The first minister was very clear this morning in a speech that she made at the Norwegian church that where the devolved settlement is engaged, unless consent lies with Welsh ministers then consent would not be provided for UK legislation.

During the debate on May 6, the former minister  now a member of the Senedds legislation committee  expressed concerns about the number of LCMs during this term.

He said: What we are seeing now is an LCM that deals with devolved matters and where the Welsh Government is seceding the settlement enabling UK ministers to amend Welsh legislation without reference to Welsh ministers or this parliament.

And that is unacceptable. It fails, completely, the tests that have been set by the first minister to support UK legislation.

The Plaid Cymru-turned-Labour politician added: I think many Labour members who supported the first minister this morning will feel very, very difficult about voting for this.

Unwelcome

Mick Antoniw, who was previously counsel general, the Welsh Governments chief legal adviser, nodded in agreement with much of his colleagues contribution.

Mike Hedges, the Labour chair of the legislation committee, recommended granting consent but he remained dissatisfied by Welsh ministers conceding constitutional concerns.

This is unwelcome and a serious cause for concern, he said of delegated powers exercisable solely by UK ministers in devolved areas.

Mr Hedges criticised the suboptimal quality and timeliness of the consent process, with the Welsh Government publishing key documents days before the debate.

Delyth Jewell, who chairs the Senedds culture and communications committee, expressed concerns about the bills potential impact on data sharing between the UK and EU.

Far reaching

Her Plaid Cymru colleague Luke Fletcher warned of far-reaching constitutional implications as well as potential for the bill to dilute data protection standards.

He told the Senedd: Its telling in this respect that the UK Government has refused to share this relevant risk assessment on this matter.

Rebecca Evans, Wales economy secretary, pointed to amendments to strengthen the bill but she recognised the two governments were not aligned in the devolution analysis.

Recommending the Senedd supports the bill, which is mostly non-devolved, Ms Evans emphasised the importance of UK-wide regulations.

Labour and the Conservatives supported the motion, with Plaid Cymru voting against and Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds abstaining.

Under the non-binding Sewel convention, the UK Government would not normally legislate in devolved areas without such consent.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter (Pictured Alun Davies)
Welsh Local Government Association challenged to open up and live stream meetings

This article is old - Published: Saturday, May 10th, 2025

The Welsh Local Government Association has been challenged to be more open and transparent.

Wrexham Council Leader Mark Pritchard had been speaking about the apparent challenge to Ministers he and others make inside WLGA meetings, and expressed his frustration that such discussions were not widely known or seen by the public.

Wrexham.com asked Cllr Pritchard if he would favour a move to webcasting meetings or allowing filming, along the lines of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust where people can view easily via a Youtube link a board meeting, similar to the local Health Board meetings.

Cllr Pritchard said, Absolutely. There are 22 council leaders in the chamber. Why wouldnt you want openness and transparency in the WLGA, when they have meetings with Ministers. We meet Housing Ministers, we meet Social Care Ministers, we meet the First Minister. Why wouldnt you want that filmed?

The people of Wrexham want to know that we are pushing hard for more funding, the people of Swansea, people of Cardiff would all want it.

It is there, but nobody knows whats said or what is debated. We live in a democracy for gods sake, openness, transparency, the Nolan Principles.

I am challenged daily, you are challenging me now, I am challenged by the general public, I go to scrutiny. It is all there, virtual you have got the cameras in the chamber now. Well, why cant we have the cameras in the chamber at the WLGA? Thats how I see it.

We have senior politicians Members of the Senedd, they make decisions they should be held with feet to the fire, as we say, on the decisions they make. Or, is it just an easier solution for them? Things have to change.

Future WLGA meetings are mainly online, and Wrexham.com understands they are conducted on a Teams/Zoom style platform so any live streaming should involve minimal budget and effort.

(Top pic, back in the day Wrexham Council didnt allow film or pictures from inside meetings so this was a text based ASCII art style image we created. Thankfully Wrexham Council is far more modern now!)
Tarrant Fire Chief Jason Rickels

An ongoing legal and employment dispute between an Alabama fire chief and city officials took another turn with harassment allegations leveled against him along with a suspension and an upcoming investigation.

The incident is another chapter to the saga involving Tarrant Fire Chief Jason Rickels and his fight with the city over his employment, his previous firing and his demand for a six-figure settlement.

Rickels attorney said the latest action is designed to embarrass and disparage his client as the city remains at an impasse over settlement talks.

The Tarrant City Council this week was surprised when Mayor Wayman Newton passed out a letter accusing Rickels of harassing another firefighter and recommended placing him on administrative leave with pay. The council then held a special meeting Wednesday to approve the recommendation.

Both the city and the council attorneys will recommend and present credentials for investigators and the council will decide who will facilitate investigation, Councilwoman and Mayor-protem Tracie Threadford told AL.com.

Rickels on Friday appealed to the Jefferson County Personnel Board asking the panel to reverse the citys action.

The city council and the mayor are not properly dealing with the issue, Scott Morro, his attorney, told AL.com. The latest placement of Rickels on administrative leave is like putting their head in the sand.

The Jefferson County Personnel Board gave Rickels a victory last November when it declared that the mayor had improperly dismissed him by not formally notifying the city council.

Years of political acrimony between the mayor and council have left the town of 6,000 people bitterly divided.

Tarrant currently has two fire chiefs, Rickels and Patrick Bennett, who replaced him.

Rickels had previously agreed not to return to the fire station if the city settled and paid him back pay and legal fees.

The cash under discussion accounts for Rickels missed wages going back nearly four years since he was fired by Newton in 2021.

However, talks eroded last month after a raucous exchange between Mayor Newton and members of the city council during a closed-door executive session.

Rickels then began coming to work and asserting his disputed role as fire chief. Morro said two fire chiefs are cooperating.

He has been cooperating in trying not to be a thorn in the side of the operation of the fire department, Morro said. As a matter of fact, they get along great.

The Personnel Board will hear Rickels appeal at a hearing June 3.

We are exhausting all administrative remedies. That is a precursor to filing lawsuits which we really dont want to do, said Morro.

Morro has represented several employees, including police chief Wendell Major, in employment disputes against Newton and the city.

Multiple clients dont want to do it because they love the city of Tarrant, but the city council and mayor are forcing the hand of the employees to take more drastic action, Morro said.
A truck driver is under arrest after being accused of causing a series of crashes that killed a man and injured another just outside Athens in Limestone County.

John W. McAdams, 31, Winfield, is charged with murder, two counts of felony leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence of alcohol.

The crashes occurred on Interstate 65 near U.S. 31, about two miles north of Athens.

Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said McAdams was driving a tractor-trailer on Tuesday, April 6 around 6 p.m. when he hit a car driven by 22-year-old William D. Hardrick of Birmingham.

Hardricks car left the road, struck a fence, a guardrail and overturned. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Troopers said McAdams failed to stop and fled the scene.

Before hitting Hardrick, McAdams was involved in a crash where his truck struck a 2017 Nissan Sentra driven by Gabrielle H. Furline, 20, of Athens.

Furline was injured and taken to Athens Hospital for treatment.

After striking multiple vehicles the Peterbilt eventually came to a stop and caught fire.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Highway Patrol Division continues to investigate the incidents.
Huntsville City Schools filed for partial release from its federal court desegregation order on Friday.

It faces no opposition from the Department of Justice.

The District has met its desegregation obligations with respect to faculty and staff, extracurricular activities, the DOJ said in a statement released on the school district website.

The district is seeking to remove federal supervision over faculty and staff, activities and facilities.

This is a proud and affirming moment for Huntsville City Schools, Superintendent Clarence Sutton said. This acknowledgment of our progress speaks volumes about our districts commitment to student success.

The DOJ filed a motion Friday that confirms to the judge that they are ok with the partial relief from the consent order in those specific areas.

At this time, the United States is not aware of any ongoing concerns or allegations of racial discrimination in any of the areas in which the District seeks to be released from federal supervision, the DOJ stated. For these reasons, and for the reasons set forth above, the United States has concluded that the District has met its desegregation obligations with respect to faculty and staff, extracurricular activities, and facilities and does not oppose the Districts motion for a declaration of partial unitary status and release from federal supervision in these areas.

The motion comes a couple of months after the 62nd anniversary of a lawsuit filed by parents  including Sonnie Hereford - of five Huntsville public school students seeking the right to be enrolled in schools operated by Huntsville on a nonsegregated basis. On Sept. 2, 1970, the federal court entered an order requiring a plan for a unitary school system not based on race which meets the requirements of law, according to a court document. Since then, the federal court has overseen and has had to approve certain operations of the system, including construction and zoning.

The release would mean the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education has done what it said it would do in the desegregation case related to these three factors, school board attorney Christopher Pape said earlier this year.

The motion does not affect current faculty, staff, students, activities or the districts 10-year, $60 million capital plan. The federal judge overseeing the case approved the capital plan last September.

A partial release also would not mean the end of the case.

To resolve its desegregation case, the board must prove that it has eliminated the remnants of segregation to the extent practical and that it has complied with the courts desegregation orders in good faith.

Partial release would narrow the scope of the case considerably, Pape said. Student assignments, equity access to course offerings and student discipline areas would remain under federal supervision.

Pape also said the granting of the motion does not mean the school system is immune from all other future lawsuits.

It doesnt mean the school system cant be sued under various federal laws related to discrimination and harassment, he said.

For more information on the desegregation efforts, visit: Motion for Release from Federal Supervision as to Staff, Facilities, & Extracurricular Activities | Huntsville City Schools
This is a guest opinion column

Here in Huntsville, we do not just support Americas space programwe help lead it. At NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center and across our region, thousands of skilled Alabamians are helping power the future of American spaceflight. That includes the Space Launch System (SLS), a critical part of NASAs Artemis program and the only rocket in the world capable of carrying both astronauts and heavy cargo to the Moon in a single launch.

As Congress works through the budget reconciliation process, leaders will be forced to make difficult choices. The goal of ensuring fiscal responsibility while delivering meaningful tax relief is an important one. But how we get there matters. If the process focuses too narrowly on short-term savings, we risk doing real damage to programs that are vital to Americas long-term security, global leadership, and economic strength. President Trumps proposed 2026 budget calls for phasing out the SLS after just three flights. While this proposal isnt binding and will not be decided through reconciliation, it sends a clear signaland it should give Congress pause. Now is not the time to scale back on the only launch system capable of sustaining deep space exploration. Doing so would directly impact on our ability to meet mission goals and would ripple through communities like ours that help build and maintain this world-class capability.

The stakes go far beyond exploration. Americas space program plays a critical role in national security, economic competitiveness, and technological leadership. As countries like China accelerate their own investments in space, we cannot afford to fall behind. Reconciliation decisions should reflect that strategic realitybecause while the process is meant to address tax and spending priorities, it can have real consequences for programs like NASAs. The proposed cuts show how the process can shift national priorities and put critical investments like the Space Launch System at risk. The Artemis program is also delivering real economic returns. The SLS alone supports more than 35,000 jobs across the country, and more than 15,000 of those are right here in Alabama, contributing over $2.1 billion in economic output annually. That is not just a budget line, but livelihoods, innovation, and long-term industrial capacity.

Congress has a chance to pursue smart, targeted savings while still protecting strategic investments. That means resisting cuts that could undercut Americas space leadership. I am grateful that Alabamas congressional delegation, including Senator Katie Britt and Congressman Robert Aderholt, continue to be strong champions for these priorities. Their leadership will be essential as both the reconciliation package and the FY 2026 budget takes shape.

If we want to stay ahead in spaceand ensure that America leads, not followswe need to protect the programs and people who make that possible. Reconciliation should be a tool for building a stronger future, not dismantling the foundations we have worked so hard to build.

Joseph Summers is the CEO of Minerva Defense in Huntsville, Alabama.
Halfway through a $115 million expansion of its Redstone missile integration facility, Raytheon is looking to deepen its investment in Huntsville.

The company, a unit of RTX Corp., is on track to finish construction in November and bring the 26,000 square-foot addition online in January. And the expansion has not interrupted its day-to-day work for global defense clients, a company executive told AL.com on Friday.

The fantastic part about this is were doing all this while were continuing to operate, while were continuing to put out all-up-rounds, while were continuing to deliver to the warfighter, said Michael Cox, who represents the three business units -- Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace -- as RTX site executive in Huntsville.

The expansion, which broke ground last year, is expected to bring with it 185 new jobs. When complete, RTX will be employing about 2,200 in Alabama, over 1,000 of them in the Huntsville area. Huntsville is one of just two RTX locations to house facilities for all three units.

For the initial hiring phase of the Redstone facility, Well draw from the local community -- primarily -- for the manufacturing jobs, those integration and test folks, and engineers, Cox said.

Raytheons Redstone facility is the final integration point for numerous missile programs -- including nine variants of the Standard Missile family -- for the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Navy and other defense customers. The company has won missile contracts worth over $2 billion this year alone, some of which will involve work in Huntsville, AL.com has reported.

With the expanded missile integration facility, We are scaling up for the future, Cox said. We have a few new programs that we would like to bring in at some point in time  but certainly what we want to do is increase our capacity, increase our throughput, so that we can deliver more systems [more quickly] to the warfighter, to our customers and to our allies.

Raytheon had also planned to work on the glide phase interceptor (GPI) at its expanded Redstone missile integration facility. The GPI is a hypersonic missile defense system.

Yet the Missile Defense Agency chose Northrop Grumman last year to proceed to full production. Raytheon launched a bid protest action in response, which is currently being heard before a federal claims court in Washington, D.C. The judge ruled in February that the challenge can continue.

The GPI is designed to defeat hostile missiles in their glide phase, which follows a ballistic launch. During the glide phase, hypersonic missiles  which travel many times the speed of sound -- pose a unique threat because they are faster and more maneuverable than ballistic missiles.

Hypersonic missile defense is a key part of President Donald Trumps Golden Dome proposal, which has drawn interest from Raytheon and other defense contractors with north Alabama operations. In a January earnings call just days after Trump announced what was then called Iron Dome, Christopher Calio, RTX president and CEO called it, a significant opportunity for us; something right in our wheelhouse.

Although details are scarce so far, the presidents order signaled new investment and funding opportunities for anti-missile programs, particularly space-based initiatives.

Regardless of what the Golden Dome architecture eventually entails, the Redstone expansion could lead to significant growth in Raytheons missile defense programs, according to Cox.

We have significant capability in terms of combat-proven systems, he said. Being able to bring more and more work here is something were looking forward to.
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

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., has taken to social media to publicly defend a Democrat senator with whom she is friends.

Britt posted on X in support of Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., denouncing what she called agenda driven members of the media.

Fetterman, she said, is a tremendous friend and colleague.

Its a complete disgrace what agenda-driven members of the media and his own party are doing to attack him, all because he dares to be an independent thinker and voice. Proud to stand with John.

.@SenFettermanPA is a tremendous friend and colleague. Its a complete disgrace what agenda-driven members of the media and his own party are doing to attack him, all because he dares to be an independent thinker and voice. Proud to stand with John.  Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) May 9, 2025

Fetterman has been at the center of headlines questioning his mental health and his tendencies to work with Republicans during President Donald Trumps current tenure.

Fetterman and Britt have built a relationship over the last three years after both entering Congress as freshmen in 2022.

According to the Associated Press, last week Fetterman went into an outburst during a meeting repeatedly question why everybody is mad at me, why does everyone hate me, what did I ever do.

This came a day before a New York Magazine article where former staff and political advisers to Fetterman questioned how fit he was mentally.

Fetterman has also been criticized by Democrats for cooperating with Republicans and going outside conventional Democratic thought.

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, the Associated Press said. He met with Trump and Trumps nominees  and voted for some  when other Democrats wouldnt.
This is a guest opinion column.

Americas economic future hinges on energyits reliability, affordability, and availability. Nowhere is that future being written more decisively than in Alabama.

While much of the country debates how to adapt to growing energy demands, Alabama is acting. With foresight and purpose, our state is building a foundation of energy strength that is not only fueling our own growth but offering a model for the nation. Were not following trendswere setting them.

Earlier this year, Alabama took a historic leap forward with the passage of the Powering Growth legislative package, which is on its way to Governor Kay Iveys desk. This landmark initiative positions our state to compete and win in the global race for high-quality jobs, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation industry.

At the heart of Powering Growth is a simple, powerful idea: economic strength begins with energy strength. Thats why were investing in the infrastructure that powers everythingfrom rural development to robotics, from advanced manufacturing to domestic reshoring.

What makes Alabama stand out with Powering Growth:

Proactive planning: We didnt wait for crisis or grid strain to act. Working with the Alabama Department of Commerce and the Alabama Growth Alliance as well as our energy providers, we commissioned a top-tier, independent study to guide our steps. The result is a strategic, data-backed energy blueprint tailored for long-term success.

Private-sector focused: There are no massive government bureaucracies or tax hikes hiding in this plan. Alabama is harnessing market forces and private investment to drive resultsespecially in rural communities that other states often overlook.

Real infrastructure, real jobs: Through the creation of the Alabama Energy Infrastructure Bank (AEIB), we now have a fiscally conservative financing tool to accelerate the buildout of power systems that serve industrial sites. This means faster permitting, fewer bottlenecks, and shovel-ready opportunities for American companies looking to grow.

Conservative values in action: Alabamas approach doesnt just make economic senseit reflects our core principles: smaller government, smarter investment, energy independence, and national security. Its an America First strategy built for the 21st century.

Other states have made big moves in energy infrastructure. But Alabama is matching that momentum with smart, agile legislationand winning attention from industry leaders who see the value in our business climate and energy readiness.

This is not just about lights staying onits about keeping America on. From Huntsvilles aerospace hubs to auto manufacturers across rural Alabama to our thriving ports in the Southern part of the state, Alabamas economy is evolving, and were making sure our power grid is evolving with it.

Weve seen what happens when infrastructure is neglectedwhether its blackouts abroad or costly slowdowns at home that halts job creation in its tracks. Alabama isnt waiting for a crisis. Were preparing for a future of growth, resilience, and global competitiveness.

The Powering Growth package is a promise to the people of our state that Alabama will lead with vision, act with discipline, and compete with confidence. Our message to the rest of the world is clear: if you want to see how energy and economic policy can work hand in hand, look no further than Sweet Home Alabama.

Were not just powering Alabamawere powering whats next.

Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter is from Rainsville. Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger is from Cullman. Sen. Arthur Orr is from Decatur.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) speaks at a press conference with members of Senate Republican leadership in Washington, DC on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu via Getty Images

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is one of the co-sponsors of a bill that would call for undocumented migrants to receive the death penalty if they are convicted of murder.

The Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act would modify existing federal law to add another aggravating factor for execution and codify an earlier executive order by President Donald Trump on his first day in office.

Tuberville was joined by his senate colleagues and co-sponsors John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tim Scott, (R-S.C.) and Steve Daines, (R-Mont.) at a news conference announcing the bill.

Its really sad that weve gotten to this point, Tuberville said.

Tuberville claimed many of the estimated 10 million undocumented migrants in the U.S. are murderers, rapists, terrorists, you name it.

He cited the deaths of Laken Riley and Rachel Morin to make the case for the bill.

Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student, was murdered in February 2024.

Jose Antonio Ibarra was convicted last year of her killing. Sen. Katie Britt earlier authored a bill bearing Rileys name that was signed into law by Trump earlier this year.

Morin was killed in August 2023 on a Maryland hiking trail by Victor Martinez-Hernandez, 24, a fugitive from El Salvador, who was convicted in April.

They were murdered as a direct result of Democrat open border policies, case closed, Tuberville said.

Its simple. If youre in this country illegally, you murder an American citizen, you face the death penalty. We have to stop incentivizing crime in this country.

No American family should ever have to bury a loved one because woke politicians in D.C. chose to harbor criminals and murderers instead of enforcing the law.



Im proud to join @JohnCornyn in introducing legislation seeking the death penalty for illegals who MURDER U.S. pic.twitter.com/kpy1nbwVmT  Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) May 8, 2025

We will not allow our communities to be turned into hunting grounds for foreign national murderers, Tuberville said.

Republicans in Congress, we have to do our part, to make sure more American blood isnt shed by criminals who shouldnt be here in the first place.
President Donald Trump issued a proclamation celebrating Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), marking the 80th anniversary of the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945. He stated we celebrate the unmatched might, strength, and power of the American Armed Forces, and we commit to protecting our sacred birthright of liberty against all threats, foreign and domestic. Earlier on Truth Social he had posted Without the United States, the War would have been won by other Countries, and what a different World it would be and that we had also won World War I, and for much the same reasons. In population, industrial output, and technological innovation, the U.S. has been a superpower for over a century. By 1908, the American economy was larger than Britain, France, and Germany combined, the nations that were considered the Great Powers. In 1942, the American economy was larger than the entire Axis coalition which included not just Germany, Italy, and Japan, but also a number of smaller countries and a great deal of captured territory.

President Trump has acknowledged the other allies, particularly the British, whose valiant stand against the Axis in the years before the U.S. entered the war saved civilization. That his first trade deal was signed with London maintains that special relationship. But without the unmatched strength of the Arsenal of Democracy which provided weapons to our allies as well as to our own forces, the war would have gone in a very different and terrifying direction.

Some 12 million Americans served in every corner of the globe. Though the war would not truly end until Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945; the campaign against the Nazi-led Axis was always top priority as it had the largest industrial base and most advanced technology. It had conquered much of Europe. Even so, the lower-priority campaign in the Pacific had turned the tide there by the end of 1942 with victories at Midway and Guadalcanal. We had the strength to triumph everywhere.

Why did Japan and Germany declare war on an America whose military potential was so great? An in-depth study of Axis thought leading up to WW II is provided by Harry Yeides new book Betting Against America. The Axis Powers View of the United States (Casemate, 2024). In short, Berlin and Tokyo believed that Americans had grown too soft and decadent to use their power. The Japanese built their strategy on the idea that after crippling the U.S. Navy in a first strike, they could fortify their island conquests to the point where Americans could not tolerate the casualties to take them. Nazi ideology had its own twist on this, believing the countrys mixed races would prevent unity. Thus, Hitler could confidently declared war on the U.S. four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Were the Axis thinkers wrong, or just premature? April 30 marked the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, an event that indicated what Thomas Engelhardt has called the end of the victory culture in America that the country had been running on since the end of WW II. The Left had worked hard to disillusion the children of the Greatest Generation through its control of higher education. The Vietnam War saw protests on college campuses even larger and more violent than the antisemitic, pro-terrorist protests we see today. But instead of Palestinian flags, it was Viet Cong flags, along with posters of Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong, and Karl Marx. The calls for revolution, divestment from the war machine and surrender to the enemy are the same.

The U.S. obviously did not fight the Vietnam War like WW II or even the Korean War. This was not due to antiwar protests, but to defense intellectuals who sought restraint, de-escalation, and negotiated settlements rather than imposing outcomes by winning. With the worlds largest navy, we did not even blockade North Vietnams ports (as the Soviets assumed we would). It was war on the cheap, except for those on the front lines. We fought a limited war on the enemys terms. Only the fate of South Vietnam was at stake, the enemys survival was not in jeopardy so they could fight on and on until we got tired and left. Japans strategy worked.

A wry comment at the time was that to win we should turn the war over to the Israelis.

America is hated by the Left not for its failures, but for its success, which discredits every aspect of left-wing ideology. Thus, there is an embrace of every enemy regardless of its nature simply in the hope that it will take America down a peg or two. Engelhardt is still hoping that while America is the last global superpower, the ride is over. Russia and China are on the move. Yet, this view of the world does not fit the facts at all.

The journal Jacobin, named after the most extreme elements of the French Revolution (think guillotine), claims that Saigon did not fall, it was liberated by the Communists. As an academic economist in my early career, I had several Vietnamese refugees as students. Their horror stories about liberation are the stuff of nightmares, complete with plundering, extortion, rape, executions, and concentration camps. The killing fields of Cambodia were even worse. Liberation did not bring better days to Vietnam.

Asia has been in an economic boom era. Compare the progress of those countries were communism was defeated with the dismal record of liberated Vietnam. South Korea is the 13th largest economy in the world. We defeated an invasion by China and posed a threat to North Korea that compelled Beijing to a ceasefire. South Koreas GDP per capita on a Purchasing Power Parity basis is approximated $52,000 compared to Vietnams $15,000. Taiwan is over $55,000. Malaysia, where the British put down a communist insurgency is at $37,000, while the hyper-capitalist city-state Singapore is over $80,000.

There is no reason that South Vietnam could not have joined this wave of progress had it survived. I remember one of the Vietnamese boat people I had as a student. His notes from my lectures were better than my notes! The relative failure of Vietnam is not due to its people but to its institutions. The 2024 Nobel Prize for Economics went to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson for their studies of how social institutions affect economic success. In their book Why Nations Fail. The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, Acemoglu and Robinson make much of the differences between North and South Korea, but the same can be applied to South Korea and Vietnam. The wider lesson for geopolitics is that where America has won, good things have followed and where it has lost, its failures harm millions of people for generations.

America recovered from Vietnam, electing President Ronald Reagan whose policies won the Cold War. The Soviets gained a naval base in Da Nang, only to lose much of its own empire across Central Asia and Eastern Europe (including Ukraine). Beijing learned an ideological lesson American leftists still have not (The New Republic still sponsors trips to Cuba) , adopting a version of capitalism that has given China more billionaires than there are in America. It is, however, a state-led capitalism similar to that of Nazi Germany which makes it a more capable and thus a more dangerous adversary. This is what makes Trumps tariffs, reindustrialization, and naval buildup so vital. It is the 1930s again and just as then, we need to prepare for a dangerous world and reject those voices calling for us to give up our role as the lead nation in the lead civilization of the modern world. Any generation can be great if it has the will to be.
Recently, a friend expressed her frustration to me that the PA Turnpike was dinging her for unpaid tolls on her EZ-Pass account. Immediately recognizing fraud, I cautioned her not to respond but unfortunately, she already had. In a span of just 30 seconds, the first credit card she entered was rejected and she promptly entered two other credit cards, both of which were rejected. I told her she was being scammed and advised her to freeze all her credit cards. Minutes after she froze the accounts, she was notified that a fraudulent attempt was made on one of the cards -- in California (we live in Pennsylvania).

During my time in the legislature, my office was inundated with calls from constituents who fell victim to these online cybercrimes. In Pennsylvania, we have an outstanding education program for people but limited prevention or even more limited prosecution.

I found that when these crimes/alleged crimes were reported, it was met with an attitude of let me take the report knowing full well the agency did not have the resources to respond to the millions of attempts annually.

The lack of a centrally controlled reporting system with enforcement powers as well as due to the small dollar amount (small compared to trillions of dollars in deficits), makes the victims of these crimes even more vulnerable.

The hacking of national databases of personal data as well as the impact of organized crime and sophisticated data harvesting, makes the average person much more vulnerable to cyberattacks and fraud.

This type of criminal behavior requires a federal solution with a centralized enforcement mechanism to thwart the activities of these cyberthieves.

Every second, Americans are falling victim to online scams -- phishing attacks, identity theft, fake job offers, fraudulent charities, and more. This digital deception is not just targeting strangers on the internet; its hitting our friends and neighbors in our own communities. No one is safe from these attacks.

Despite the scale of this crisis, there is no unified federal response. Surprisingly, no single agency is clearly tasked with leading and prosecuting the fight against online fraud. As a result, perpetrators operate with impunity, often from overseas or across state lines, knowing full well our fragmented enforcement system cannot keep up.

States like Pennsylvania are doing what they can with their own regulatory approach, but the digital nature of these crimes makes a purely state-based response ineffective. Online fraud crosses jurisdictional borders with ease, and the current patchwork of state regulations only leads to confusion, inefficiency, and gaps in enforcement that criminals are all too eager to exploit.

Additionally, scammers have magnified their arsenal, relying on multiple messaging platforms and financial channels to defraud Americans. As the misconduct has evolved, the governments response to stopping these nefarious actors has failed to advance.

A complicating factor is that many of these fraudsters originate from abroad. Countries like Burma and Cambodia have become breeding grounds for these criminal enterprises.

A coordinated, nationwide strategy with enforcement authority is needed to combat this behavior. This should include a federally mandated task force with the authority, resources, and expertise to investigate and prosecute online fraud. Such a task force must collaborate with law enforcement leaders and unify the efforts of existing federal agencies, while cutting through red tape and conflicting jurisdictions to bring clarity and muscle to the fight.

This is not about growing government. Its about adapting it to modern threats. In the military, our operations always dealt with operational seams where weaknesses could be fatal. With cybercrimes, a fragmented state approach is such an operational seam that can only be closed with a national response to an international criminal network. The thieves are banking on fragmented responses with limited funding at the state level to perpetuate low dollar value crimes that are difficult to stop. That approach did not work in Los Angeles or other cities which refused to prosecute crimes under $1000 and it will not work in the United States. To be fully effective, there should be no threshold on prosecution.

Cybercrime is no longer a niche concern -- its a national emergency. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022 alone, much of it from online scams. As long as the federal government remains disorganized in its response, that number will only climb.

I urge Congress and our leaders like Senator Dave McCormick to make this a priority. It is time to establish a clear, centralized federal response to online fraud.

Americans deserve better protection, and criminals should be held accountable. We cannot afford to wait.

Col. Frank Ryan, CPA, USMCR (Ret) represented the 101st District in the PA House of Representatives from 2017 to 2022. He is a retired Marine Reserve Colonel, a CPA and specializes in corporate restructuring. He has served on numerous boards of publicly traded and non-profit organizations. He can be reached at FRYAN1951@gmail.com.

Image: PxHere
Obama deported 400,000 illegal immigrants per year when he was in office. No one said a word. But now, to rid the U.S. of the enormous Biden-era 21 million illegal aliens at a mere 400,000 per year, it will take 52.5 years. That means to complete deportation, we will need 13 more consecutive Trump presidential terms.

Creatively, President Trump is considering reopening Alcatraz, while the courts are struggling to remember the Supreme Court and the Constitution have already ruled and answered illegal immigration questions.

The first three articles of the Constitution distributed distinct governmental powers amongst three branches, with Article 4 Section 4 stating this:

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.

This clearly puts the power of protecting the United States against invasion firmly in the hands of the Legislative and Executive Branches of the government and NOT the Judicial branch. In fact, the 1849 Supreme Court ruling of Luther v. Borden, Chief Justice Roger Taney held that the political branches of government, and not the federal courts, should decide such questions pertaining to the application of Article 4 Section 4.

This means that justices encroaching on the power of the Executive Branch are violating the Separation of Powers by inhibiting the president from executing his duty towards protecting the United States against invasion.

(Note: Johnsons 1785 English dictionary was widely available as the Constitution was drafted and its primary definition of the word invasion is, hostile entrance upon the rights or possessions of another; hostile encroachment. This shows us the Founders understanding of the definition of the word invasion.)

A friend of our familys relatives in Texas, went to supper and came home to find a group of illegal aliens in their home, using their bathroom, wearing their clothes and pretending not to speak any English. Not being willing to leave, this family had to call the police to have the illegal aliens forcefully ejected from the home, while still wearing the stolen clothes. The next morning the father came out to go to work, only to find illegal aliens sleeping in the bed of his truck. Again, the police had to be called to eject these illegal immigrants. Is this invasion? Yes, the 1785 definition of invasion is hostile entrance upon the rights or possessions of another; hostile encroachment.

Consider all the illegal alien criminal gang members in the United States who have committed heinous crimes like rape, murder, sexual assault of children, lewd acts in front of children, distribution of fentanyl, and illegal gun-running. Isnt this hostile encroachment falling under the definition of invasion?

President Trump is quoted as saying, Joe Biden let millions of people from jails, from prisons, from insane asylums, from mental institutions [and] drug dealers pour into our country.

Angel moms and dads are celebrating Trumps justice crusade. These are the parents of children who were killed at the hands of illegal immigrants. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem relaunched the Biden-axed ICE office dedicated to migrant crime and helping angel families. When Biden closed this office, where was the outrage of China-paid legacy media, the Democrat party and the wrongheaded federal justices?

Yes, President Trump invoked a 1798 wartime law called the Alien and Sedition Act to begin his deportation of these violent groups. When dealing with 21 million illegal aliens, most will be dead of old age before a court hearing can happen. This 1798 law permits the president to target these illegal immigrants without a hearing based solely upon their country of birth citizenship. These are not citizens; therefore, they have no Constitutional rights to citizens benefits or protection, as they have broken U.S. immigration laws and must be returned to their country of origin, their homeland.

That means President Trump and ICE are obeying the law, and justices interfering, are violating the Separation of Powers as deemed by the Supreme Court in 1849.

Some might say, We are not at war. Those saying such are asleep, are after the destruction of the U.S., or are just as disinterested in executing their duties in office as was the Biden-Harris administration. People not realizing that we are at war have failed to understand that China is destroying America with a thousand cuts. From Chinese military leaders come two widely-recognized books: The Art of War and Unrestricted Warfare.

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military book detailing 13 steps to winning war. Chapter Six explains the importance of exploiting an enemys weaknessand Biden left our borders unprotected and weak, allowing 21 million illegal aliens to cross into the United States without being vetted.

Unrestricted Warfare was written in 1999 by two Chinese Senior Air Force colonels explaining how a nation, such as China, can defeat a technologically superior nation, such as the United States. The book argues that the primary weakness of the United States in military matters is that the US views revolution in military thought, solely in terms of technology. The book also posits that the United States doesnt consider the wider picture of military strategy, which includes legal tools (lawfare), political warfare, and economic factors to leverage ones opponent and circumvent the need for direct military action. The book says the U.S. is vulnerable to these types of attacks.

The strong point that these books make is that reducing ones opponent can be accomplished in several ways other than direct military conflict and have the same or greater destructive force. So, with all that is happening, the debt, the political lawfare, the invasion of 21 million illegal aliens, etc., how are we not at war?

In defining the Separation of Powers:

When the President is prevented from controlling the actions of supposed independent agencies or even functions of his own departmentsby unelected bureaucrats who hide behind false or overstated claims of expertiseall liberty is threatened.

So, what does the law say concerning judges who violate the Separation of Powers and violate the Constitution? Certainly, these justices need to be judged to the full extent of the law, including suspension and impeachment. The House can impeach them, even if it takes a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate for completion. At the very least, Congressmen need to be on record as to how they vote concerning the endangerment of American citizens. Its time to judge the judges. Perhaps they could be cellmates and neighbors with the MS-13 Maryland fathers in Alcatraz.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
During his first term, President Trump made the prudent decision to designate the Islamic Republican Guard Corps . (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Since then, the United Kingdom and the European Union have faced mounting pressure to follow suit. That pressure intensified again last month after the Netherlands released an intelligence report detailing IRGC-backed assassination plots that have emerged throughout the western world in recent years.

Reza Pahlavi, the son and would-be heir to the dictator who was deposed in Irans 1979 revolution, has openly tethered his political fortunes to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (IRGC). This military wing of Tehrans regime was established by Ayatollah Khomeini. Its mandate is to protect and defend the Islamic Republic. As such, Pahlavi is most certainly an individual that the U.S. should not support. Doing so would usher in a prolific amount of frying pan and fire metaphors.

In a 2018 interview, Pahlavi declared : I am in bilateral contact with the army, IRGC, and Basij [militia]. We are in touch. They declare their readiness and express their desire to align with the people. He made no effort to reconcile that supposed readiness with the IRGCs readiness to open fire on those same people -- something that would be put to the test the following year when Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered the speedy suppression of protests over an increase in government-set gasoline prices, leading to 1,500 deaths in the space of a few days.

Irans so-called crown prince made no effort to reduce his contacts with the IRGC in the wake of that crackdown, nor in the wake of the crackdown on the next great uprising in 2022, wherein another 750 protesters were killed. A study by the Iranian American associations in March 2025 , pointed out that almost all of Pahlavis senior advisors and confidants are individuals with past affiliations to the Islamic Republics intelligence or military apparatus -- and, crucially, to the IRGC.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently posted a message to Iran that underscored American awareness of the lethal support that its Islamist regime continues to provide to militant proxies in the surrounding region, including the Houthis in Yemen who have been carrying out indiscriminate attacks on commercial shipping since 2023.

You know very well what the US military is capable of -- and you were warned, Hegseth wrote on the same day as it was reported a fourth round of nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic had been postponed. You will pay the consequence at the time and place of our choosing.

The statement was obviously intended to highlight the threat of direct strikes on Iranian assets, but consequences can take many forms. The more immediate takeaway from Hegseths outrage could be that the White House might be reexamining its strategies in light of the persistence of Tehrans malicious activities threatening the lives of American troops in the region, and the American people in general. This is an appropriate reaction to ongoing attacks from the Houthis and others, and whatever strategy the U.S. settles on, it should take direct aim at the institution most responsible for supporting those groups: the IRGC, the regimes apparatus of terror at home and abroad.

Blacklisting the IRGC would make it effectively impossible for anyone in Europe or North America to transact with or associate with it. This would dramatically curtail its capacity to finance regional terrorism, suppress dissent inside Iran, and extend its reach abroad. It would also have the effect of impeding the current rise of one figure who presents himself as a symbol of opposition to the clerical regime.

Flawed logic says that Pahlavi, the son of the Shah, is the ideal replacement, based on the troubling premise that the people now killing Iranian civilians in defense of the Islamic revolution might one day help to overturn the very regime that defines itself by that revolution.

His affection for that institution is unsurprising, given his family history. The rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was buttressed for many years by a secret police force, SAVAK, which is easily viewed as a prototype for the IRGC. The latter is worse on account of its bold and frequent attempts to extend the suppression of dissent far beyond Irans borders, but the U.S. and its allies should aim to confront the IRGC and anyone supporting it for both of these reasons: because of the threat it poses to American and global security and also the threat it poses to the Iranian people and Irans future.

That future cannot be determined by the existing regime, and so President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are right to threaten and cajole Tehran as part of a broader strategy of maximum pressure. But Irans future cannot be determined by its former repressors, either.

So, while maximum pressure on the mullahs regime naturally goes hand-in-hand with support for Iranian opposition activists, it is vital to recognize that Reza Pahlavi is not an appropriate object of that support. The narrative that Pahlavi promotes an alternative to the theocratic dictatorship is simply a fiction.

President Trump has already taken the lead in designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Several U.S. allies should stop misguided diplomatic consideration and should follow suit with their own terrorist designations. Such efforts to undermine the IRGC will create space for pro-democracy voices inside the Islamic Republic to assist the international community in challenging the regime more generally. But those efforts would be made all the more powerful by an underlying recognition that the Iranian people deserve a vision for the future which moves their country forward. Pahlavis vision does nothing of the kind.

Chuck Wald is a retired U.S. Air Force general and former deputy commander of U.S. European Command.

Image: Gage Skidmore
A recent article on terrorism noted there was a lot for the U.S. to learn about security from a country that, ever since its 1948 founding, has had to deal with this threat dailyIsrael. Despite the October 7, 2023 surprise raid into the country by the terrorist group Hamas that led to the murders of 1,200 innocent civilians and the kidnapping of 251 hostages, it is a nation that still has managed to establish the gold standard when it comes to security, especially aviation security. The article criticized U.S. airport security for lacking the efficiency and effectiveness Israel has achieved.

Israels aviation security for its El Al airlines was designed by a team of experts including a former IDF officer, Arik Arad. So good was he at it, Arad was also given responsibility for designing security for the countrys shopping malls. Perhaps the greatest tribute to the talents of these experts is that there has never been a successful terrorist penetration of either system.

Israeli security personnel have a good sense of observation, but in the aviation sector, they seem to have developed an additional keen sense as well. While U.S. security personnel tend to rely more on routine, Israelis seem to have developed a talent for gut instinct, being able to sense when something just does not feel right.

For example, U.S. airport security may have a routine in place to randomly conduct detailed searches of every fifth person in line, regardless of who the person is. Thus, an elderly grandmother, unfortunate enough to fall into that sequencing, would receive a more detailed search than a 20-year old in line directly in front of her.

Israeli security uses what is called the profile methoda somewhat versatile approach allowing for systematic analysis and understanding of unique characteristics and behaviors. It involves constant observation. The most discernible difference between the U.S. and Israeli systems is that while the former focuses on finding the instrument of the terrorist, the latter focuses on finding the terrorist!

For example, more obvious behaviors that might arouse an Israeli agents scrutiny would be two passengers entering an airport together, splitting up to enter different security lines for the same flight; or an exceedingly nervous passenger. But the observation skills go far beyond this to include dozens of other factorsthe final test coming with the security guard asking questions. What is impressive is the skills are so effective they have even identified a passenger totally unaware a bomb was in her luggage.

Such an incident occurred 39 years ago this past April at Londons Heathrow Airport, involving an Irishwoman named Ann-Marie Murphy. By way of background, Murphy was a hotel chambermaid working in London, befriended by a Jordanian named Nezar Hindawi. Unknown to Murphy was that Hindawi was a terrorist. He began an affair with her, but disappeared after getting her pregnant. He suddenly returned several months later, claiming he loved and wanted to marry her in the Holy Land.

Claiming his family was there awaiting their arrival, Hindawi told Murphy she needed to catch the next El Al flight. Murphy said she needed time to pack. Hindawi handed her a small bag he said he had prepared for her, assuring her his family would have everything she needed when she arrived. He told Murphy he would be unable to join her on the flight but would catch the next one. Hindawi then drove an overly trusting Murphy to Heathrow.

Murphy easily passed through British security, which had x-rayed her carry-on bag. But El Al, regardless of the security provided by a host nations airport, always conducts its own. Again, Murphys bag cleared x-ray. However, the El Al agent then asked her two questionsthe answers to which caused him to investigate her further.

Asked where she was going, after Murphy said the Holy Land, the agents follow-up question was how long would she be there. When she responded a few weeks, something did not seem right. The agent then opened her bag and discovered an item that x-ray could not detect. It was a 3.3 pound block of a pliable, odorless explosive known as Semtex. This was the first time Semtex had been used in this manner.

The agent also found a hand-held calculator with a very small explosive device inside, armed with an altimeter fuse. Once the plane reached a certain altitude, the altimeter would trigger a small explosion, incapable of destroying the aircraft but sufficient to cause a sympathetic explosion of the Semtex which would then destroy the plane.

So, what triggered the agents curiosity when not even Murphy knew she was carrying a bomb?

What aroused the security guards curiosity was that a womanwho was obviously several months pregnant and would be gone for weekswas only taking with her a small carry-on bag. The agent felt a more thorough search was warranteda decision that saved 375 lives.

Arad has long been a leading expert in the aviation security field. He was called upon in 1989, after the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, to testify before Congress. Several years ago, rather than retiring, he launched a company directed towards addressing what he believed to be the next aviation security threat.

Concerned that hijacking by hacking of commercial and business aircraft will be the next serious threat to the industry, Arads company provides cybersecurity solutions. An aircraft, whether on the ground or in the air, is susceptible to hacking by overriding pilot control. But his company, Cyviationwhich has partnered with a leading defense and aviation production company, Israel Aerospace Industrieshas developed a capability to locate cybersecurity holes within an aircrafts structure through which terrorists might try to commandeer control.

Cyviations core technology provides proactive intelligence and monitoring solutions to identify and mitigate cyber threats in real-time. It protects aircraft communication systems and avionics networks, helping the industry as well to prepare for and comply with emerging aviation cybersecurity regulations. In a nutshell, it enhances overall aviation safety and operational resilience by preventing cyber disruptions. Cyviation is now the only company in the world able to provide commercial planes and business aircraft with such protection.

In a deadly world in which terrorists are constantly searching for holes in our security, it is good to know there are companies like Cyviation just as committed to plugging them!

Image: MarcelX42, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, unaltered.
In George Floyd: did a police administrator commit perjury? I wrote of the probability Minneapolis Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell committed perjury to ensure former MPD officer Derek Chauvins conviction in the self-inflicted death of George Floyd. I wrote in part:

Fourteen current and former police officers with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) have signed sworn declarations which say they believe MPD Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell perjured herself when testifying in former MPD officer Derek Chauvins murder trial. Specifically, the group of former officers say they believe Blackwell perjured herself when she testified in court that the restraint method Chauvin used to subdue George Floyd in May 2020 was not a part of MPD officer training. In that trial, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. However, many say the knee-on-neck restraint Chauvin employed was trained under the maximal-restraint technique (MRT), a restraint the MPD taught and allowed until 2023.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is the leading leftist propaganda outlet in Minnesota, but is ably countered by Alpha News, which has consistently printed the entire truth about the Floyd case and Blackwell. Part of their efforts was a video, The Fall of Minneapolis, which is still available for free on YouTube. That earned them a lawsuit:

against Alpha News, Alpha News reporter Liz Collin, producer J.C. Chaix, and a publishing company. In her lawsuit, Blackwell alleged that the Alpha News documentary film The Fall of Minneapolis and a book authored by Collin wrongly accused Blackwell of lying. In January, Alpha News filed a 113-page motion for dismissal of the lawsuit, noting the training about which Blackwell arguably lied was well knownindeed, common knowledgeand omnipresent. They backed their assertions with many official MPD photos of training for that restraint technique:

They included MPD training photos of the technique and even included a photo of Blackwell apparently using the technique she claimed the MPD never trained, authorized or employed:

Graphic: Alpha News

And now, Blackwell has all but admitted her perjury:

Blackwell has now agreed to dismiss the case and abandon further proceedings. She has waived her right to file an appeal. In addition, she has agreed to pay defense counsel (Madel PA) $75,000 to reimburse the firm for defendants legal fees and expenses, with $50,000 being paid within five days and $25,000 being paid within 120 days. In addition, Blackwell has agreed to sign a declaration affirming Judge Wahls ruling, including his finding that the statements were not only not defamatory but also substantially true.

Graphic: Alpha News

This is an extraordinary turn of events in a city and state apparently vying with California for the most socialist/communist city/state in the union title. While Blackwell has apparently not specifically admitted to perjury, her declaration is arguably the next best thing.

Still, its unlikely Blackwell will ever face perjury charges in Hennepin County (Minneapolis). County Attorney Mary Moriarty is very much a stereotypical Soros prosecutor, who has promulgated a policy of making race a determining factor in prosecutions, essentially preventing black criminals from facing consequences for their crimes. Fortunately, the Trump DOJ has opened a civil rights investigation into Moriarty. It appears the leftist liberty extended to her under Bidens Handlers Administration is gone and the rule of law might once again prevail, even in Minnesota, not that Minnesotas system of justice would have anything to do with it.

Unfortunately, Derek Chauvin still languishes in prison. There is no way to know whether this turn of events might be the basis for a new trial or the overturning of his conviction, but one would think the apparently perjured testimony of an assistant police chief, which surely was a major factor in Chauvins conviction, and the convictions of several other officers, might provide sufficient cause for either. One can hardly punish an officer for using an approved technique, but thats only true in sane cities.

In any case, Im sure Governor Tim Walz must be contemplating a pardon as this is written. And if you believe that, have I mentioned Im a Nigerian prince in exile and if youll give me your bank account numbers, Ill deposit millions for safe keeping and you can keep half? No, really

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
Anyone from Chicago can tell you, the Cubs always get the celebrities -- from Ronald Reagan to Bill Murray. At one point, Al Capone even tried to buy the team.

While its true that Richard Nixon grew up in California rooting for the White Sox, when the Dodgers moved in, he had to switch allegiances. Even worse, another President, the Lyin Hawaiian, liked to wear the current Sox hip-hop black cap, but it turns out, he may never have been to a game at what he calls Comiskey Park and in 2010 didnt know the name of a single player.

Now comes the amazing news from the brother that the new Pope is a genuine White Sox fan, as are all the kindly old school priests and sisters south of I-55, on into Indiana and Michigan. Thats a huge point in his favor, and it appears he frequently voted in the Republican primaries in Illinois (that state does not have specific party registrations).

Growing up in the south suburbs of Chicago in the 1960s, in a very Catholic household, he would have had a ringside seat to the great battles in the American Church. Back of the Yards was where the leftist Saul Alinsky co-opted a big chunk of the Catholic community outreach, thanks to the liberal Bishop Bernard Sheil. But this area, and to the west, is also where the conservative Augustinian priest Francis X. Lawlor had his blue-collar political base.

The Augustinians are still active around Chicago, and new Pope Leo has grown up with that order since attending their high school seminary and then their flagship university, Villanova.

Generally, Augustinians are very humble priests, often called the Friar Hermits, who quietly run schools and missions. Pope Leo XIV spent over 20 years in Peru, which is the mission target for Midwest Augustinians.

Apparently, Pope Leo XIV has no hostility to the Latin Mass, while Pope Francis hates it. His public comments also indicate he has no interest in pushing the homosexual agenda or ordaining women. These are all things conservative Catholics care about and which the Pope controls.

On things he doesnt control -- immigration, global warming, American politics, etc. -- I expect a lot of rhetoric to warm the cockles of the international media. Thats a compromise most Catholics can readily accept.

The choice of the papal name is also intriguing. Pope Leo XIII, the last Leo, was one of the greatest Popes of all time. Liberals would like to claim this Pope for his support of workers and the right to organize. But Leo XIII despised socialism and was the force behind the Churchs modern support of free markets and Thomist natural law theory as well as the center/right Christian Democratic political movements in the 20th Century.

New Pope Leo, it should be noted, was a math major in college. Hell need to dust off his calculator. The Vatican finances were always crooked and are now an absolute ruin. Pope Francis brought in conservative George Cardinal Pell to try to clean it up years ago. Instead, Pells enemies in the Vatican and Australia hit him with a frame-up that sent him to prison for a while before he was vindicated.

Pell wrote a brutal report, the Demos, detailing the myriad problems with Franciss Vatican before he passed away in 2023.

Pope Leo will have a huge job ahead, digging out from under the mess that Francis is leaving him. I suspect in the end that Pope Leo XIV will have little time to generate new controversies. Just keeping the lights on will consume all his time.

Rome may be in even worse shape than what has become of the once solid ball club on the South Side. And for the same reasons -- bad managers, no farm system, no stars, lack of money, and an utterly clueless top leadership. The new Pope certainly has the modest personality and proven intelligence to do a better job than his predecessor. Like a lot of people, I will pray he does.

Image: Edgar Beltran/The Pillar
The scientists who claim to have brought the Dire wolf back from extinction wish to do the same thing with the woolly mammoth.

Is this a good idea?

Why not do the same for the sabre-toothed tiger while we're at it?

What could go wrong?

Why not Tyrannosaurus Rex, Genghis Khan, or Attila the Hun for that matter?

What fun! Who among us wouldn't like to see Khan or the Hun try to bring down a woolly mammoth or a T-Rex?!

People would pony up big money for tickets to that event, potentially creating a revenue stream that could be applied to bringing even more formerly extinct -- and remarkably dangerous-- animals back to life.

Maybe we could have these contests in a newly created version of the Roman Coliseum? Lets bring that back, as well. Better yet, let's pit the likes of Dr. Fauci and Hillary Clinton against the formerly extinct beasts! Hilarity would surely ensue! Hell, I'm laughing now! (Sometimes, irrationally, I fall in love with my own ideas. I sincerely apologize.)

But seriously, maybe we'd be better off right now if we could figure out how to bring back George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln -- or even George Patton to help Pete Hegseth reinvigorate our military  so we can put an end to endless wars.

Id settle for bringing back sanity.

Now that might be a mammoth task. But a truly worthwhile one.

Image: Library of Congress, via Picryl // no known restrictions
H. L. Mencken famously wrote Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. Although his heyday was around one hundred years ago, Mencken could have been writing about California in 2025. Two stories in todays news illustrate it perfectly.

The first to catch my eye comes from Marin County, where I lived for several decades before leaving for the saner Southeast. Marin County is a very Democrat region. It wasnt always that way. Over the years, it swung between Republicans and Democrats, but the results were fairly evenly balanced, with only two blowout presidential elections. In 1920, 68.8% of Marin voters went for Warren G. Harding, and in 1952, 67% of Marin voters liked Ike.

Image created using AI.

Things went out of whack beginning in the 21st century. In 2004, 73.2% of Marin voters actually thought that John Kerry was fit to lead the country. In 2008, unsurprisingly Obama won by 77.77 percent, the same percentage that voted for Hillary in 2016. However, in 2020 and 2024both of which were elections with mail-in ballots only, Marin went stratospherically to the left: Biden got 82% of Marins votes in 2020 and Kamala got 80.6% of the votes in 2024.

According to Grok, Marins federal choices are also reflected in its state legislative choices:

The last time Marin County sent a Republican to the California State Legislature was in 1996, when Republican William Bill Filante represented the 9th Assembly District, which included parts of Marin and Sonoma counties. He served from 1980 to 1992 and was succeeded by Republican Bill Bagley, who served until 1996. Since then, Marin County has consistently elected Democrats to both the State Assembly and Senate, reflecting the county's strong Democratic lean. For example, the current representatives, Assemblymember Damon Connolly and Senator Mike McGuire, are both Democrats.

I mention all this because Marinites definitely had a hand in the California legislature passing laws that essentially force communities to build high-density housing. That was democracyand now theyre getting it good and hard:

Residents have filed an appeal against a high-density affordable housing proposal in Corte Madera. The 98-apartment project at 240 Tamal Vista Blvd. will likely cause public safety and traffic problems for its neighbors, the appellants state. More than 90 people have signed a petition supporting the appeal, said Julie Jay, a project opponent. [snip] The Planning Commission approved the project in a 3-2 vote on April 22. Several commissioners said the project seemed too large but that their options were limited. The applicant, Jemcor Development Partners of San Mateo, is invoking recent state housing laws to limit the towns discretion and streamline the process.

I know the proposed site very well. Its on one of two roads that lead to Redwood High School, a public school with 1,800 students. In the morning, whats normally a 20-minute drive can take twice as long. Add in 98 apartments and its going to quadruple or quintuple the time. The towns residents voted for the representatives who passed these laws and now theyre getting the results good and hard.

Southern Californians arent faring any better. Los Angeles County has also been extremely Democrat-oriented. Although its better balanced than Marin in presidential elections, its still been more Democrat than Republican since FDR was first elected, and the Democrat tilt has been steadily increasing since Reagan left office. Currently, Democrat voter registrations outnumber Republican by more than two to one. The legislative districts are also overwhelming Democrat, both in Congress and in the California legislature.

As with Marin County, the voters are discovering that Democrats dont govern well, with Exhibit A being the recovery from the disastrous fires that swept L.A. Because of Californias manic environmentalism, nothing is getting built. That led to this very funny tweet from Mandy Moore, a Kamala enthusiast:

Celebrity Mandy Moore, who endorses Democrats, is now complaining about the difficulties of trying to rebuild her home in a Democrat-run city/state.



You get what you vote for. pic.twitter.com/pyinWoV6IO  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 9, 2025

As always, Im sorry for the conservatives who, for whatever reasons, are trapped in these Democrat-run preserves. Its miserable to be stuck with the fallout from other peoples bad choices. As for the voters who effectively chose these policies, its probably going to take even more of that gooder and harder before some of them wake up.
News broke yesterday that the DOJ had officially opened a criminal investigation into Letitia Jamess more recent real estate transactions. Leftists immediately countered with the accusation that this investigation was no coincidence, and is nothing more than political retribution. Theyre right that its not a coincidence, but theyre wrong about the retribution aspect. This is simply the rule of law in action (as the young woman who spat on Ed Martin is discovering, too).

X screen grab.

According to the WaPo, which carefully frames its essay to highlight the fact that James is the victim of politically motivated retribution, rather than a legitimate inquiry into the legality of her conduct.

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into real estate transactions involving New York Attorney General Letitia James, according to a person familiar with the case  the first known criminal probe of a law enforcement official who took action against President Donald Trump. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has issued subpoenas over a mortgage application in which James attested that she intended to make a single-family home in Norfolk her primary residence, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Jamess signature appears at the bottom of a two-page document granting power of attorney to her niece, Shamice Thompson-Hairston, to execute the purchase, according to records obtained by The Washington Post.

The WaPo reminds its readers that James has expended a lot of energy to destroy Trump, along with mentioning the judgment she got last year based on accusations that Trump committed fraud to get loans (never mind that the banks did their own due diligence, Trump paid back all the money plus interest, and the banks hoped to do business with Trump again).

Finally, the WaPo informs readers that the whole thing comes about because of media reports, implying that the case is ginned up:

The probe of Jamess real estate dealings follows a criminal referral that William J. Pulte, Trumps appointee as director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last month. It alleges that James falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms. Citing media reports, Pulte accused James of lying on the 2023 loan document by saying the Norfolk house would be her principal residence even as she served as attorney general in New York. Pulte also alleged James misrepresented the number of units in a brownstone shes owned in Brooklyn since 2001, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Post.

The implications behind this language track on Jamess attorney, who has called the investigation political retribution:

NEW: Big Tish lawyers are calling the reported FBI probe against her politically motivated."



Irony meters just exploded.



Tish campaigned for office on going after Trump.



She is set to appear at a public event tonight.  pic.twitter.com/w5aO6MZw87  Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) May 8, 2025

However, what were seeing here isnt a political hit job. Its the rule of law in action, and it was initiated, not by a politician who ran on a promise to destroy someone (as James did with Trump), but by ordinary people doing the legwork to find evidence indicating that James may have committed fraud in connection with her various real estate holdings.

For some time now, private citizens have been combing through the documents associated with Jamess myriad real estate holdings in New York and Virginia. Joe Gilbert has put together a helpful summary of what the documents show. Most of the acts are probably time-barred (although the clock on the statutes of limitations may have been stoppedor tolledpending discovery of wrongdoing), but the pattern still matters:

In a 1983 mortgage filing, James identified herself as her fathers wife. Perhaps it was a mistake, but if it had been deliberate, it would have been fraud.

In 2008, James was listed along with two relatives as the people buying a foreclosed property in Virginia. However, within weeks, her name vanished from the Substitute Trustees Deed. Again, it could have been a mistake or deliberate, and if it had been deliberate, it was not only fraud but also violated Jamess asset disclosure obligations when running for office.

In 2011, James obtained a government-backed loan to refinance a five-unit rental property in Brooklyn, but she mentioned only four units in her application. The difference in mortgage rates for a four-unit versus a five-unit commercial residential property is substantial. If she acted fraudulently, its a criminal act.

In 2013, James allegedly paid a non-profit for work on her campaign to be New York City Public Advocate. If thats true, it constituted a campaign finance violation.

In 2023 (and this is well within any statute of limitations), James co-signed a mortgage with her niece for a property in Norfolk, Virginia. Under the accompanying notarized Power of Attorney, James stated, I hereby declare that I intend to occupy this property as my principle residence.

At the time, Letitia James was Attorney General of New York. New York has a residency requirement for its attorneys generalfive years before running for officewhich implies that it expects continued residency while in office. Theres also no indication that James has been living in Virginia during her tenure as New Yorks AG.

Again, if James knew this statement was untrue when she made it, and she did so to obtain a more favorable mortgage rate...well, again, thats the basis for a criminal fraud indictmentand, indeed, it is this transaction that is the main subject of the federal investigation.

What this also reveals is that its absolutely not a coincidence that James is being investigated for criminal fraud. By going after Trump, she angered ordinary citizens who took the time, made the effort, and spent the money to investigate her real estate transactions. Had she refrained from targeting Trump, they wouldnt have been interested in her. However, its very important to note that the White House did not initiate these investigations.

But what really shows that the system works is that, upon being presented with evidence of fraud, along with other acts showing a pattern and practice of allegedly dishonest statements to obtain financial benefits, the DOJ is acting. Her being a black woman does not put her above the law. Its that last fact thats so revolutionary. In Trumps America, no one, including a female black activist, can escape consequences for illegal actions. Moreover, shell be tried in Norfolk, which probably doesnt have the ideological judges and jurors that make prosecutions so difficult in places like New York and D.C.

And for one more example of the system workingwith a crime caught on video resulting in prosecutionthe woman who spat on Ed Martin has been arrested and faces serious consequences:
About a year ago, AG Leticia James was in the courtroom watching President Trump on trial. My guess is that she was enjoying the show and imagining what her TV ads for governor were going to be like. Vote for me because no one, not even Trump, is above the law or something like that.

Well, it didnt turn out that way. Maybe President Trump will go to her trial. Here is the latest in the life and times of AG Letitia James:

The FBI in Albany has opened a formal criminal investigation examining the real estate and mortgage transactions of New York Attorney General Letitia James, according to law enforcement sources briefed on the matter. Its unclear why U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi steered the referral to New Yorks Northern District; although James is a statewide elected official with offices in Albany, the transactions involve her personal property purchases and loans that were processed in New York City and Virginia. Some of the transactions also may fall outside the federal statute of limitations, although one of the mortgages involves James assertions in loan documents related to her 2023 purchase of a residence in Norfolk, Va.

Well, lets see how this unfolds. A mortgage fraud trial? Where did we hear that before? Didnt they try to nail Trump on a fraud trial?

Like any of us, AG James is entitled to due process, so lets see what happens when the evidence is presented. The heart of the matter is over a personal residence and a rule that a principal residence as a statewide elected official must be in New York.

Nevertheless, the irony of all of this is incredible. The woman who wanted to nail a man over fraud that didn't actually happen now faces a case of fraud that allegedly happened. As my late mother used to say, God has a great sense of humor.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Thomas Good, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
Theres a venerable, probably apocryphal, story about a leftist reporteris there any other kind?interviewing an elderly woman known for having an impressive gun collection. What are you afraid of? the reporter asked. Not a damn thing, she replied.

In a country with more guns than people (there were some 393 million firearms in civilian hands alone in 2017, according to the Small Arms Survey), its easy to see why your husband might feel that owning one himself could give him some control, some shield against chaos. But your instincts are sound. As youre aware, bringing a gun into our homes doesnt seem to tip the odds in our favor. Studies show little evidence that guns protect against injury or loss during a crime. Instead, they raise the risk of harm within the household, through accidents, impulsive actions or suicide. Youre imagining your regret were civic life to unravel, and you had failed to prepare. Maybe theres a Last of Us scenario flickering in your heads, where bandoliered bad guys roam a collapsed society, but even then, I doubt that whatever firearm your husband is contemplating would help. In a world where some are armed to the teeth, being armed to your toes seems unlikely to do anything but escalate the dangers for you. Whats more to the point is that you feel safe in your city. Your recognition that guns bring more harm than good isnt naive. Real control lies in holding fast to your reasoned beliefs, not in giving way to fear.  Kwame Anthony Appiah in My Husband Fears Political Violence. Should We Buy a Gun?

Lets first explore reality. Credible, replicable studies indicate Americans use guns in legitimate self-defense as many as 2.5 million times every year. The Clinton Administration did a study on that subject, expecting to find evidence to support their anti-liberty/gun intentions. To their horror, they discovered 1.5 million self-defense gun incidents per year. They tried to bury their results, but they leaked.

For decades, anti-liberty/gun cracktivists have pushed the narrative that guns in the home are far more dangerous to those that live there than to criminals. There is no credible, replicable research that supports that narrative. And if they were right, their media would be trumpeting such incidents every day, but they dont because they cant.

Police officers would love to catch criminals in the act. They respond to dangerous calls as fast as they can, but there are few of them, many criminals, and when someone needs the police right now the police will virtually always get there in time to deal with whats left. They know this all too well:

74% of felons polled agreed that one reason burglars avoid houses when people are at home is that they fear being shot during the crime.[22] * 57% of felons polled agreed that criminals are more worried about meeting an armed victim than they are about running into the police.

Graphic: H&K MP5SD6, Author

Reasonable fear is not only a powerful motivator its necessary for survival. Appiah provides a false choice. If one reasons guns are not only useless for self-defense in the home and elsewhere their reasoning is faulty. Theyre trusting anti-liberty/gun propaganda rather than properly done, replicable research. Having a reasonable fear of crimenever unjustified paranoiais likewise a necessary survival trait.

Reasonable fear does not drive one to unreasonable actions. It doesnt force one to remain locked in their home or to imagine a UPS driver or a young lady delivering Girl Scoutor whatever theyre called these dayscookies are deadly threats. It does cause one to realistically assess potential threats and devise plans to avoid or counter them.

An entirely reasonable part of any self-defense plan includes obtaining an appropriate firearm, which for most will be an easily concealable and carried handgun. Equally important is obtaining professional training in the use of that handgun, and when the law allows its use in defense of self or others. Logically following is regular, correct practice to maintain necessary skills and build confidence. Thats important, because something else criminals have revealed is they carefully watch prospective victims. If theyre aware of their surroundings and confident, criminals will tend to seek easier marks.

Appiah is equally wrong in asserting owning and carrying a gun as Ive described doesnt give one some control, some shield against chaos. Referring to the credible research Ive mentioned, one discovers that in the overwhelming majority of those up to 2.5 million self-defense incidents, not a shot was fired to put criminals to flight or to hold them for the police.

One should never rely on the mere sight of a gun to end such encounters, but the facts support real control, as opposed to reasoned beliefs which have no basis in reality.

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
Yesterday, news broke that a passel of Democratsthree Congresspeople and the Newark mayorwent all insurrectiony and tried to storm the Newark ICE facility. Newarks mayor was arrested, but as of this writing, the congresspeople involved (Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), and LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) were still free. However, a new video has emerged that makes it look as if federal prosecutors might at least want to think about investigating McIver, who really seems to have gotten into the swing of things, grabbing at, body slamming, and verbally abusing ICE agents. Thats just my take, of course. Im not actually accusing her of anything.

You can reach your own conclusions by watching the bodycam video yourself:

BREAKING: I have obtained exclusive ICE officer body cam footage clearly showing Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver verbally and physically assaulting federal agents in New Jersey after illegally entering an ICE detention facility.



In the video you can see indisputable evidence of pic.twitter.com/msAQBz23oJ  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 10, 2025

BREAKING: I have obtained exclusive ICE officer body cam footage clearly showing Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver verbally and physically assaulting federal agents in New Jersey after illegally entering an ICE detention facility. In the video you can see indisputable evidence of Congresswoman McIver (in the red jacket) punch, push and hit a federal agent, refusing to follow the ICE officers orders and impeding in a lawful arrest. In the body cam footage you can also watch Rep. McIver verbally threaten to put hands on the federal agents. I touch whoever I want mother fu****! Rep. McIver then threatens to destroy the ICE officers careers, You will pay! before descending into a profanity-laced rampage tirade. All of these actions are flatly illegal under 18 U.S. Code  111 and carry heavy fines and prison sentences. A spokesperson for Department of Homeland Security has confirmed to me that there will be more investigations and arrests. If you assault a law enforcement officer you will answer to the law. I have reached out to Speaker Johnsons Office for an official statement on disciplinary action from the House.

Its not for me to say whether McIver violated the law. Thats a call for the prosecutors in the Department of Justice and, if they decide to indict her, for a jury. However, I hope that, as the prosecutors contemplate whether to charge McIver, someone is reminding them of the Democrat mantra that began in 2017: No one is above the law.

What I will say, though, is that McIver is another example of a phenomenon that its increasingly impossible to ignore: Black women believing that they get a pass when they deviate from legal or even civilized behavior.

I cant say that I blame them. Theyve been told for decades now that they are both victims and princess-goddesses, and that its immoral for the rules to apply to them. If those are the rules of the world, youll act accordingly.

What we must hope is that the next four (eight? twelve?) years remind them of the reality in a constitutional democratic republic: They are members of the human race, just like the rest of us, and that they are neither over nor under the law. Instead, they will be treated equally, as would anyone else who physically assaults a federal agent. And they will be viewed with disdain, as would any other woman who uses language like that!

Image: X screen grab.
For a brief while, it appeared as if India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed nations, were trembling on the brink of a hot war. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the two countries have reached a ceasefire. This is excellent news, although I suspect that it had as much to do with neither country seeking nuclear annihilation as it does with Americas negotiating prowess. This doesnt mean the same result can be reached with Iran, because Iran is different.

The showdown between India and Pakistan was triggered when Muslim militants from Pakistan entered India and slaughtered 25 Hindu tourists. These kinds of depredations have been going on for decadeswell, actually, hundreds of years, for Muslim conquerors in India did what Muslims always do and slaughtered Hindus in the millions (how many millions is still debated). In that ancient land, those religious rivalries dont magically disappear, even if you divide the country, sending the Muslims north and the Hindus south.

A border crossing between India and Pakistan by Raviraj96. CC BY-SA 4.0.

India responded to this mass murder by firing on terrorist strongholds along the Pakistan/India border. And, of course, Pakistan had to defend its sovereignty by vowing vengeance against India. In this he hit me back first kind of discourse, Pakistans reasoning is that, because the Pakistan government didnt commit the massacre, India had no right to attack Pakistans sovereignty, making India the aggressor. India, however, by pointing out that Pakistan allows militants to function within their borders (think about where Osama bin Laden met his end), made it the aggressor.

What made this more than a regional dispute is the fact that both countries are armed with nuclear weapons. An all-out war between the two could quickly result in hundreds of millions of deaths and a nuclear hot zone radiating out for thousands of square miles. Nobody wanted that, least of all the two combatant nations engaged in a seeming game of chicken headed toward a nuclear cliff.

It was into this standoff, with both parties aiming for the edge but neither wanting to get there, that the U.S. stepped in and scored a very quickly achieved ceasefire:

Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit  Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 10, 2025

Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik. I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.

Pakistan has already started normalizing its airspace following this announcement:

BREAKING: PAKISTAN REOPENS AIRSPACE AFTER CEASEFIRE DEAL WITH INDIA



Pakistan has fully reopened its airspace for all flights following a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement with India.



Both countries confirmed the truce on Saturday.



Trump praised the move, calling it an act https://t.co/899Qqq5PGX pic.twitter.com/kf9uYYMiI4  Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 10, 2025

So, great news. But do not expect the same from Trumps negotiations with Iran. Thats because the Iranian Shia religion has a very unique take on the coming apocalypse.

Here in America, a subset of Christians believe that the Apocalypse is coming courtesy of God, not man. They hope to be taken up in the Rapture, but, just in case theyre not, they prepare for the world after the Rapture, a world that wont be pretty.

The Shia version of Islam in Iran is also an apocalyptic religion. Irans leaders believe that the End of Days will be triggered by the return of the 12th (hidden) Imam, which will introduce an era of endless peace and harmony.

Where this Iranian version differs from that end of days concept in other religions is that Iran believes that its role is not simply to be a passive, albeit faithful, observer of the coming end. It thinks it can help out by triggering the apocalypse. And of course, Iranian religious fervor is imbued with the Ayatollah Khomeinis focus on martyrdom as an instant pathway to Paradise. As past-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad constantly made clear with his speeches, Iran was totally copacetic with the risk of all-out nuclear war.

Im thrilled that calmer heads prevailed in the Pakistan-India conflict. Im less sanguine that the same will happen when it comes to Iran.
The shadowy world of cyber espionage has a new player on the field: a sneaky piece of malware dubbed LostKeys. According to Google, a Russian state-backed malware crew known as COLDRIVER has been using LostKeys since the start of the year to snoop on Western governments, journalists, think tanks, and non-governmental organizations.

COLDRIVER isnt exactly a new kid on the block. Back in December, the UK and its Five Eyes intelligence allies pointed the finger at them. The hacking group was directly linked to Russias Federal Security Service (FSB), which is basically their counterintelligence and internal security bigwig.

Google discloses LostKeys, a malware linked to Russia

Googles Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) first spotted LostKeys in January. It seems COLDRIVER has been deploying it in very targeted ClickFix attacks. Think of these as digital con jobs where they trick people into running dodgy PowerShell scripts. Basically, ClickFix attacks are based on classic social engineering.

Once those scripts are running, they pave the way for even more PowerShell nastiness to be downloaded and executed. Their main goal is the installation of LostKeys, which Google has identified as a Visual Basic Script (VBS) data theft malware. According to GTIGs report, LostKeys is like a digital vacuum cleaner that extracts specific files and directories. It also sends system info and runs processes back to the attackers.

COLDRIVERs usual MO involves stealing login details to pilfer emails and contacts. However, theyve also been known to deploy another malware called SPICA for grabbing documents and files. LostKeys seems to be serving a similar purpose, but its only brought out for those highly selective cases. This suggests that its a more specialized tool in COLDRIVERs espionage toolkit.

Interestingly, COLDRIVER isnt the only state-sponsored group dabbling in these ClickFix attacks. The cyber underworld is apparently a fan of this tactic, with groups linked to North Korea (Kimsuky), Iran (MuddyWater), and even other Russian actors (APT28 and UNK_RemoteRogue) all using similar methods in their recent spying campaigns.

COLDRIVER operating since 2017

COLDRIVER is also known by a few other aliases, like Star Blizzard and Callisto Group. It has been honing their social engineering and open-source intelligence skills to trick targets since at least 2017. Their targets have ranged from defense and government organizations to NGOs and politicians. The groups attacks have been increasing, especially after Russias invasion of Ukraine, even expanding to defense-industrial sites and US Department of Energy facilities.

The US State Department has even slapped sanctions on a couple of COLDRIVER operatives (one reportedly an FSB officer). Currently, US authorities are offering a hefty $10 million reward for any tips that could help track down other members. This reflects the level of seriousness with which the US is taking the group.
The Princess Royal became the first member of the royal family ever to visit Little Sark on Saturday.

Anne, accompanied on the trip by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, visited Sark and Little Sark, part of the Channel Islands.

On Little Sark, the princess met residents before travelling by horse and carriage to La Coupee, a narrow walkway connecting Big Sark and Little Sark.

The Princess Royal looking at photos using a stereoscopic viewer during a visit to the Sark Society (Aaron Chown/PA)

Anne was told about the history of La Coupee and recent erosion and repair work while walking along the path.

The princess then visited la Societe Sercquaise (the Sark Society), an organisation founded in 1975 to study, preserve and enhance Sarks natural environment and cultural heritage, where she met volunteers and viewed archaeological artefacts.

Anne later attended the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Sark celebrations at the Avenue, where she met representatives from the liberated generation before being invited to say a few words.

After planting a silver birch tree to commemorate the 80th anniversary, the princess visited an exhibition on the Second World War at Old Island Hall.

The Second World War exhibition focuses on the islands experiences during the German occupation and life up to the present day. Each display covers a different aspect of the occupation years, including a section on The Deportees; residents of Sark who were deported from Sark by the German occupying forces like Nellie Le Feuvre, who Anne met at the exhibition. Mrs Le Feuvre was deported to Biberach Camp in Germany.

Finally, the princess visited the Sark Observatory, where she met volunteers and viewed the sun through a solar telescope.
Dunkirk has beaten films such as The Great Escape to be voted the UKs favourite Second World War film.

The 2017 movie also pipped films such as The Dam Busters (1955), Pearl Harbour (2001) and Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) in the poll by Deltapoll for the War Movie Theatre podcast, which covers both old and new war films.

The Christopher Nolan-directed film starring singer Harry Styles, Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan depicts the Dunkirk evacuation which took place in 1940 and saw more than 330,000 allied soldiers evacuated from the French harbour.

Dunkirk beat films such as The Great Escape to the top spot (Ian West/PA)

Saving Private Ryan (1998), which is directed by Steven Spielberg and follows the search for the titular character during the Normandy invasion, came second in the poll, followed by 1963s The Great Escape, which sees a group of allied prisoners attempt to escape a Nazi camp, in third.

The Dam Busters, which depicts the true story of the RAFs Operation Chastise, finished fourth in the poll, while the Battle Of Britain (1969), which is a dramatisation of the battle between the RAF and the German Luftwaffe, came in fifth.

The rest of the top 10 was made up of The Longest Day (1962), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Pearl Harbour, Schindlers List (1993), and The Bridge On The River Kwai.

Journalist and author Robert Hutton, co-host of the War Movie Theatre podcast, said of the poll: Cinema has always been looking for great stories, and war provides everything, heroism, moral conflict, adventure, romance.

Even as the Second World War was being fought, it was inspiring some of the greatest films of the last century, such as In Which We Serve or Went The Day Well?, which deliver moments of human drama and comedy as well as action.

Afterwards, it became a way for us to tell ourselves stories about what had happened, and then a generation later, with Saving Private Ryan, it became a way to commemorate.

Its not surprising that Dunkirk is top of the list, its the most successful war movie of the last decade. But its noteworthy that half the list is from the golden era of war movies in the 50s and 60s. Four of them were made within eight years of each other.

Im a little sad that John Mills, who seemed to be permanently in uniform on Sunday afternoon TV in my childhood, doesnt get a film in this list.

And Id have liked to see at least one of the great Alistair MacLean commando movies, Where Eagles Dare or The Guns Of Navarone, in there. But mainly Im appalled to see Pearl Harbour on the list, which ought to be a war crime.

It comes after Europe commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory In Europe (VE) Day on Thursday, May 8, which marks the end of the Second World War on the continent in 1945.

War Movie Theatre is a podcast hosted by Hutton and fellow journalist Duncan Weldon and is available from Acast and a number of other streaming platforms.

The UKs top 10 war films according to the War Movie Theatre podcast poll

1. Dunkirk (2017)

2. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

3. The Great Escape (1963)

4. The Dam Busters (1955)

5. Battle Of Britain (1969)

6. The Longest Day (1962)

7. A Bridge Too Far (1977)

8. Pearl Harbour (2001)

9. Schindlers List (1993)

10. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Sir Keir Starmer and other European leaders including Volodymyr Zelensky have spoken with Donald Trump about efforts for peace in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister is in the Ukrainian capital alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for further talks for the so-called coalition of the willing with Mr Zelensky.

The leaders are understood to have updated the US president on the progress made on coalition plans.

The call was unplanned and lasted around 20 minutes and was described as warm by a UK source.

Sir Keir posted a video on X on Saturday afternoon to mark his visit to Kyiv, and said that he will not rest until we secure a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people.

Great to see you, President @ZelenskyyUa. I will not rest until we secure a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people. pic.twitter.com/hnbwR6PLr5  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 10, 2025

Ukraines foreign affairs minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X on Saturday morning that all five leaders had a fruitful call with (Donald Trump) focused on peace efforts.

It comes after the US president called for ideally a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting was not respected the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.

Mr Sybiha said in his social media post that Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday.

Sir Keir and his French, Polish, Ukrainian and German counterparts are understood to have all agreed that there should be an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with sanctions if it broken.

Following the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kyiv, all five leaders @ZelenskyyUa @EmmanuelMacron @bundeskanzler @donaldtusk @Keir_Starmer had a fruitful call with @POTUS focused on peace efforts. Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, pic.twitter.com/MEfbtjtE4m  Andrii Sybiha  (@andrii_sybiha) May 10, 2025

Before their trip on Saturday, Sir Keir and the other leaders called on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure a peace deal.

It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine, and marks Mr Merzs first visit since he was elected chancellor on Tuesday.

After arriving in the Ukrainian capital, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz joined Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska to place candles at a makeshift memorial to killed Ukrainian soldiers in Kyivs Independence Square during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer looking at tributes to fallen soldiers in Maidan Square (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

In a joint statement before their visit, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz said they will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russias barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.

They added: We reiterate our backing for President Trumps calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace.

Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.

We held a five-party meeting in Kyiv with European leaders  Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland. It is especially meaningful that they are together in Kyiv, in Ukraine, on these very days  as this week, in Europe, we honor the victors over Nazism and pic.twitter.com/xyhE6bFDy7  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 10, 2025

On Friday, the UKs ambassador to the US Lord Peter Mandelson said that the UK had influenced Mr Trumps views on Ukraine.

He told BBC Newsnight: We have influenced his outlook on Ukraine in our attitude to Putin.

Youve seen how his stance and his language has changed just in recent weeks and indeed recent days.

Sir Keir Starmer arrives at Kyivs train station with Emmanuel Macron (right) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (second right) (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Trump said on Thursday that talks with Russia and Ukraine have continued.

The US calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He added: Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations. If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.

Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for the coalition which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.

The leaders who have travelled to Kyiv on Saturday have said they are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.

We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come, they added.

The leaders place candles at the memorial in Maidan Square (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The meetings in Kyiv will come two weeks after Mr Zelensky had discussions with a number of world leaders  including Mr Trump and Sir Keir  on the fringes of Pope Franciss funeral.
David Lammy has said the ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome as he urged both countries to sustain the agreement.

The two countries confirmed the ceasefire deal on Saturday after US-led talks to end the conflict, however explosions were reportedly heard just hours later.

It comes after weeks of clashes sparked after gunmen killed 26 people last month, that India blames Pakistan for.

Posting on X, the Foreign Secretary said: Todays ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome.

I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybodys interest.

Todays ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome. I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybodys interest.  David Lammy (@DavidLammy) May 10, 2025

The Associated Press reported on Saturday afternoon that multiple explosions had been heard in two cities in India-controlled Kashmir just hours after the deal was announced. It also reported gunfire being heard from locations along the Line of Control.

The first news of the truce was broken by Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social to say that an agreement had been reached after a long night of talks mediated by the United States.

Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence, he said.

During a silent vigil in London on Saturday, organisers from the South Asia Solidarity Group (SASG) said the ceasefire can only be the first step towards a real, meaningful peace.

Demonstrators held up placards in Parliament Square that spelt out the words United against war during the vigil.

Other signs read We stand with Kashmir and Diaspora, say no to war.

Speaking to the crowd, Kalpana Wilson from SASG said: Weve got families in India and Kashmir and Pakistan, weve got friends who weve been very, very worried about in recent days, so theres definitely something to celebrate.

But we are also coming together to demand a real, meaningful peace  a ceasefire can only be a first step.

Ms Wilson said the next step was de-escalation, which included reinstating the Indus water treaty.

A woman and her children in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir after a fragile ceasefire was announced on Saturday (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Violent clashes between the two nations were sparked after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.

India has accused Pakistan of being behind the murders, which Islamabad denies.

Kashmir has been a contested territory between Pakistan and India since 1947 and the two nuclear-armed neighbours each run part of the region but claim ownership of it all.
Websites SpareFare and Transfer Travel operate eBay-style marketplaces in which people can sell on their holidays, flights, and hotels. Photograph: Tony Tallec/Alamy

Even the best-laid holiday plans can go awry. Illness, bereavements, break-ups, money problems, redundancy, pregnancy, jury duty, floods  all of these can throw a getaway into disarray.

But while you may miss out on a break in the sun or relaxing city break, you do not necessarily have to lose all of your money as a result of problems at home that force you to cancel your trip. You can now sell on your holiday in much the same way you sell on a concert ticket, although that is not the only way to get some money back.

Cancellations and refunds

This will depend on how close you are to going away and what sort of booking you made. It is unlikely that you will get all of your money back when you cancel a package holiday as most are sold as not fully refundable.

The closer you cancel to the departure date, the more it is likely to cost you. Tui, one of the biggest tour operators in the UK, will keep the deposit paid on a holiday if it is cancelled 70 days or more before departure and then a growing percentage of the overall price as you get closer to take-off.

For example, if you cancel 65 days before, you will have to pay 30% of the booking price, while if there are two weeks or less to go you will pay the whole cost. Jet2Holidays has similar charges.

If you put the holiday together yourself, then often the flight part will not be refundable if you decide not to travel.

Ryanairs terms and conditions say if you do not travel, you are not entitled to money back.

EasyJet allows cancellations within 24 hours of booking but charges a 49 fee online (55 if you do it through customer services). Some other airlines offer refundable tickets. These typically cost more than standard tickets when you buy them  so check which type you have.

Hotels terms and conditions vary and some allow free cancellation up to a day before the booking, although there could be a fee, while some are partially refundable. However, many will be non-refundable.

If it is non-refundable

First, contact your tour operator, airline, ferry company or hotel as soon as you know that you will not be travelling to see what money you can get back.

Some travel operators may be lenient when it comes to cancellation caused by unforeseen illness and let you move the holiday to another date out of goodwill.

Matt Gatenby, a partner at the law firm Travlaw, says that if you contact a company to explain you have been taken ill, it may suggest you can go at a later date. Airlines, however, are typically not as lenient or sympathetic, he adds.

Even if a booking is non-refundable it is worth contacting the company and explaining what has gone wrong. If, for example, you are cancelling because you have been diagnosed with a serious illness, some will waive the usual rules and offer a refund if you can provide a doctors letter as evidence.

Many travel insurance policies have cancellation cover which will pay out if you have to cancel for reasons set out in the T&Cs. For example, one policy from Admiral (36 for a family of four for a year) pays out in case of death or serious injury of you or a close relative; a Covid diagnosis; quarantine; court cases; unemployment; damage to your home from fire or unemployment.

Make sure that you have enough cancellation cover for the trip. The one above will pay out up to 1,500 a person but with an excess of 150. What it will not pay out on is if you cancel because you had a pre-existing condition or if you simply do not want to travel.

Can I sell it on?

It is possible to sell on a holiday you can no longer use, but it is not straightforward and you are unlikely to recoup all of the money you have spent.

A number of websites and groups on social media have emerged in recent years whereby people who have non-refundable holidays, flights or hotels can pass them on to someone else once the names on the bookings have been changed and fees paid.

This week, on a Facebook group called Holidays for sale booked and paid but cant go or cancel, one woman was selling a week-long family holiday to Turkey  which starts on Sunday  for 800 after paying more than 1,600. She said it was because she would not have a passport on time. Another person was selling a double room in Amsterdam for three nights for the end of June for 350. She said it had cost her 481.

Two websites, SpareFare and Transfer Travel, operate eBay-style marketplaces in which people can sell on their holiday, flight and hotel bookings.

On SpareFare, a US-based site, there is a two-person holiday to Faro in Portugal, with flights from Gatwick, for 10 nights this week for 1,001  half the price it would currently cost from the provider, according to the site. A week-long holiday in Mallorca from 21 May, with flights from Manchester for three, is 1,005, almost half of the market price.

Transfer Travel, meanwhile, has return flights for two to Jamaica in September for 950, down from 1,950. Two weeks in Corfu with flights from Luton and accommodation at the Aqualand resort is 1,040 for two.

How do I sell it?

You can check whether a package holiday can be transferred by contacting the provider. With package holidays, flights and hotels in most cases it simply involves changing the names and details of the booking once you have found a buyer and agreed a price.

Erik Ritland,the owner of SpareFare, says swapping the name on a holiday is an easier process than it was in the past and requires the name, date of birth and address of the buyer. Changing the name usually involves a fee. For Tui, this is 25. On Jet2holidays it is 50 unless it is within two weeks of travel and then it goes up to 150, while changing the date of birth is 10.

Ryanair name changes are 115 a person for each flight, meaning it can often not be worthwhile selling on your booking.

On SpareFare, the seller pays the name-change fee because they are the only person able to alter the details, says Ritland.

The fee is included in the amount they charge for the holiday. The site charges the seller 12% commission on the final selling price. Transfer Travel charges 15% commission and the seller pays for the name change.

On both SpareFare and Transfer Travel, a buyer can barter or bid for a different price to that being advertised. Each site says that they ensure the holidays and flights are legitimate before sale through a verification process.

You claimed on insurance

If you have claimed on an insurance policy, for example if they have a serious illness, you cannot then go on and sell the holiday to someone else. That would be fraudulent as they would effectively have a double refund, Gatenby says.

Insurance companies usually require a cancellation invoice from a travel business before they process a claim to prevent such a thing happening.
The US president, Donald Trump, on Saturday announced a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan after deadly attacks between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Within hours, violations were reported from the main cities of Indian Kashmir, the territory that had borne the brunt of four days of fighting. Blasts were heard in Srinagar and Jammu and projectiles and flashes were seen in the night sky over Jammu, similar to the events of the previous evening, according to authorities, residents and Reuters witnesses.

The Indian foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said armed forces were responding to ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Pakistans information minister claimed there had not been any violations of the ceasefire.

The earlier ceasefire announcement, confirmed by both countries, came after India and Pakistan fired volleys of missiles across their borders on Saturday as they escalated their worst fighting in nearly three decades.

The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the agreement came after extensive negotiations by him and the US vice-president, JD Vance, with the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers, Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, and other top officials. Both sides had earlier said they would be willing to de-escalate the conflict if the other side was willing to do the same.

Rubio, posting on X, said both sides would now start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. Pakistans foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, told broadcaster Geo news on Saturday that three dozen countries were involved in the diplomacy that secured the full fledged ceasefire.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan military officials told state-run media it had launched a retaliatory operation, targeting several bases including a missile storage site in northern India. Officials said the attack was called Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, an Arabic phrase meaning wall of lead.

Pakistans offensive came shortly after it said India had fired missiles from fighter jets at three airbases earlier on Saturday, including one close to the capital, Islamabad. Pakistan said its air defences had intercepted most of them.

Among the targets was Nur Khan air base in Rawalpindi, where the Pakistani military has its headquarters, which is about 6 miles (10km) from Islamabad. The strikes caused panic in the densely populated area, with loud explosions sending people running into the streets. In the aftermath of the strikes, Pakistan shut down its airspace.

Indias attempted strikes on Rawalpindi and other key military bases  and the launch of Pakistans counterattack on Saturday  marked the steepest escalation in their confrontation yet, bringing the two countries the closest they have been to war in decades. Locked in a longstanding dispute over Kashmir, the two countries have engaged in daily clashes since Wednesday, when India launched strikes inside Pakistan on what it called militant bases.

At least 48 people have been killed since Wednesday, according to casualty estimates on both sides of the border that have not been independently verified.
The representative LaMonica McIver (center) and other protesters outside an Ice detention prison in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday. Photograph: Angelina Katsanis/AP

The mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, was arrested for alleged trespass at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention center in New Jersey on Friday and released after several hours.

Baraka was released shortly after 8pm and, after stepping out of an SUV with flashing emergency lights, told waiting supporters: The reality is this: I didnt do anything wrong.

News of Barakas arrest at Delaney Hall was reported on X by Alina Habba, the acting US attorney for the district of New Jersey, and a former personal attorney and adviser to Donald Trump.

The mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the Ice detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon, Habba wrote.

He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. No one is above the law.

Baraka has opposed the construction and opening of the 1,000-bed detention center, arguing that it should not be allowed to open because of building permit issues.

Linda Baraka, the mayors wife, accused the federal government of targeting her husband.

They didnt arrest anyone else. They didnt ask anyone else to leave. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor, she said, adding that she had not been allowed to see him.

A crowd gathered to protest outside the building where Baraka was being held, with many chanting: Let the mayor go!

When federal officials blocked his entry, a heated argument broke out, according to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. It continued even after Baraka returned to the public side of the gates.

There was yelling and pushing, Martinez said. Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car.

The New Jersey Globe published a photograph of him being led away in handcuffs by officers in jackets marked Police Ice. The newspaper did not have a reporter at the scene, but said observers at Delaney Hall said there had been a scuffle.

Baraka, who spoke out against Trumps immigration policies in January after an immigration raid in Newark he said Ice agents conducted without a warrant, was at Delaney Hall with Democratic New Jersey Congress members Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver and Rob Menendez.

The politicians have accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of reopening the detention facility, in contravention of local ordinances and without the necessary permits.

It is the largest such facility in the north-eastern US, and was the first to open after Trumps second term of office began in January, according to the Ice website.

Coleman, in a tweet, said the visit had been an attempt to establish conditions inside. Weve heard stories of what its like in other Ice prisons. Were exercising our oversight authority to see for ourselves, she wrote.

Coleman also told reporters at a press conference outside the facility that the lawmakers had traveled to the facility to see the conditions, according to the Independent.

Ice is out of control, she said. Ice thinks it can intimidate all of us. And it cannot intimidate any of us. And we the people will make sure that this administration adheres to the rules that separate us from dictatorships and other third-world countries.

Menendez accused Ice agents of having put their hands on representatives Coleman and McIver, reported the New York Times. They feel no restraint on what they should be doing, and that was shown in broad daylight today, Menendez said at the news conference.

In video of the altercation shared with the Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of the Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he could not join a tour of the facility because you are not a Congress member.

Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: Theyre talking about coming back to arrest you.

Im not on their property. They cant come out on the street and arrest me, Baraka said.

Minutes later, several Ice agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded him and others on the public side. As protesters cried out Shame! Baraka was dragged back through the security gate in handcuffs.

Axios reported that Colemans office said that they arrived at Delaney Hall today at about 1pm to exercise their oversight authority as prescribed by law. After a period of explaining the law to the officials at the site they were escorted in.

Video attached to the tweet shows the Congress members inside the grounds of the center talking to employees. Other clips show them being threatened with arrest for trespass by uniformed officials.

Associated Press contributed to this report
Hamas is a proscribed organisation banned in the UK - Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images

The BBC has been accused of failing to describe Hamas as a banned terror organisation in nine out of 10 news reports.

An analysis of BBC News online stories found that the broadcaster barely mentioned that the group is a proscribed organisation banned in the UK, despite saying it would do so after the October 7 attacks on Israel.

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (Camera) found that of 145 online news articles between January 1 and April 30 this year which referred to Hamas, only 12 (8.2 per cent) explicitly stated that it was a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK.

Ten articles (6.8 per cent) mentioned that Hamas was proscribed in other countries, but failed to acknowledge the UKs designation

During the same period 30 articles (20.6 per cent) referred to Hamas as either an armed group or militant group.

Camera also found that of 17 videos on the BBC News website that referred to Hamas between January 1 and April 30, only one explicitly stated that it is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK.

The findings appear to conflict with comments by Dr Samir Shah, the chairman of the BBC, in which he restated only last week that the BBC would describe Hamas as a terror group only with attribution, as a proscribed organisation banned by the UK Government.

At the same time, Dr Shah said that the corporation was set to appoint an independent figure to examine its handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict along with the output of its Arabic channel, which has been subjected to repeated allegations of anti-Semitism exposed by The Telegraph.

Pro-Israel media campaigners have said the failure of the BBC to consistently refer to Hamas as a terror group banned by the UK government was a betrayal of licence fee payers.

A protest at the BBC Broadcasting House against the broadcasters refusal to label Hamas as terrorists - Guy Smallman/Getty Images

A spokesman for Camera UK told The Telegraph: In October 2023 both the BBC director-general and the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs publicly committed to describing Hamas as being proscribed as a terror organisation by the UK Government and others. Over a year and a half on, the BBCs funding public can conclude that the commitments made following extensive public criticism of the corporations coverage of Hamass invasion of Israel, massacres and hostage taking were in fact little more than damage control.

The BBCs inconsistent approach to the issue of the use of language when reporting terrorism has been on display for many years. While attacks in the UK and Europe are reported using accurate terminology, terrorism against Israelis is portrayed using language which the BBC believes avoids value judgments.

The BBCs reluctance to inform its audiences that a terrorist organisation is proscribed by their own government deprives them of crucial context and is of course a value judgment in itself.

The Telegraph has previously revealed a number of BBC Arabics contributors have posted anti-Jewish sentiments and expressed their apparent support for Hamas, both before and after the October 7 attacks.

Only last week, The Telegraph revealed that a journalist who appears prominently on BBC Arabic to report from Gaza had previously called for Jews to be burned as Hitler did.

The broadcaster has previously defended its Arabic channel, which is part of the World Service.

But speaking to Times Radio last week, Dr Shah said: The Arabic service, we are looking at it, weve been examining it. I think this whole business of how weve covered Israel-Gaza is a proper thing to examine thoroughly, which is why were going to identify... were going to get hold of an independent figure to look at our coverage.

Asked by Times Radio if he thought Hamas was a terror group, Dr Shah said: We have taken the view as a board that we continue to use the word terrorist only with attribution. Thats the position we take.

In late October 2023, weeks after the massacre of 1,200 Israelis by Hamas, Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, wrote: When we mention Hamas, we make it clear, where possible, that they are a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK government and others.

A BBC spokesman said: The BBC is transparent about its use of language and adheres to clear editorial guidelines. We make clear, where possible and appropriate, that Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK government and others, but given the longevity of this current conflict, audiences are much more aware that this is the case, and so the need for constant repetition of the phrase is reduced.
Prison officer - Dangerous prisoners 'should not have right to kettles in cells'

Dangerous prisoners should not be given the right to keep kettles in their cells, campaigners have said in the wake of a reported attack by the Southport killer on a prison officer.

Axel Rudakubana is believed to have thrown boiling water over an officer at HMP Belmarsh on Thursday in an alleged attack that is being investigated by police.

The reported incident has renewed concerns about the safety of prison officers, following an attack last month by Hashem Abedi, the Manchester Arena bomber, at another prison.

Abedi attacked three prison officers at HMP Frankland by throwing hot cooking oil and using home made weapons to stab them, according to the Prison Officers Association.

There have now been calls for much tighter rules on whether dangerous inmates should have access to their own kettles, as appears to have been the case with Rudakubana.

Ian Acheson, a former prison governor and former government adviser on extremism, said on Saturday: There is no rule that mandated this. The ombudsman has no authority to mandate anything.

Decisions about what is held in possession in a cell is at the discretion of governors, who should be applying dynamic risk assessments to control any potential harm based on previous or reasonably anticipated behaviour.

This process seems to have fallen apart at HMP Belmarsh and other high security prisons where the rights of prisoners take precedence over safety of staff and a naive assumption that giving them things including potentially lethal weapons will appease them.

The tail wags the dog, and officers are hospitalised as a consequence. Its no wonder new officers join and leave such a dangerous environment with increasing rapidity.

We cannot accept risk to staff

Mark Fairhurst, the chairman of the Prison Officers Association, said: I am calling for supermax facilities in our prisons, so that extremely violent offenders who pose a significant risk to staff can be controlled and contained. We cannot accept any risk to staff from criminals who are determined to carry on with their atrocities.

Mr Fairhurst has previously called for a far tougher regime for dangerous prisoners in the UK, stating: We need a supermax regime. We model it on the US. We isolate them. They dont associate with other prisoners, they get the basic entitlements and they are cuffed every time they are unlocked. That would be for those who meet the criteria for a separation.

He has also called for a ban on kitchen facilities in separation units and for stab vests and tasers to be issued to prison officers.

Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors Association, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that prison officers did an incredibly difficult job in overcrowded conditions.

Although it remains unclear how Rudakubana reportedly got hold of the hot water, Mr Wheatley said it was lower risk to allow prisoners to boil water in their rooms than have officers bring hot water to prisoners cells.

Prisoners have used all sorts of things to cause injury to other people, he added. Pretty much anything can be utilised to cause harm to somebody else. What were really concerned about is the intent of people to do so.

Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked prison officer at HMP Belmarsh - Merseyside Police

Following the Belmarsh attack, the prison officer was taken to nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich as a precaution and is expected to return to work next week.

The number of assaults on staff in adult prisons in England and Wales per year has reached its highest level in a decade, according to data from the Ministry of Justice. Some 10,605 assaults on staff in male and female jails were recorded last year, up from 9,204 in 2023 and nearly three times the 3,640 in 2014.

On Friday, Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, posted on X that prison violence had become a full-blown crisis and called for Shabana Mahmood. the Justice Secretary, to act now.

Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in January after killing Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Alice Aguiar, nine, and six-year-old Bebe King at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29 last year.

A public inquiry into the Southport murders began in April. In February, the Attorney General rejected calls for the Court of Appeal to review the length of Rudakubanas jail sentence.

Rudakubanas minimum term of 52 years means he cannot be considered for release until he has served that amount of time in prison.

Sir Nicholas Dakin, the justice minister, told Parliament in December that small travel kettles had been allowed to be in prisoners possession for many years but could be removed following a risk assessment.

He said: If a specific risk is identified in relation to use of a kettle, or intelligence is received that one may be used in an assault, the kettle will be withdrawn until it is assessed that it is safe to return it.

The Prison Service said: Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh. Violence in prison will not be tolerated and we will always push for the strongest possible punishment for attacks on our hard-working staff.
MI6 Chief Richard Moore vowed he would be the last C selected from an all-male shortlist - Matt Dunham/The Associated Press

The next boss of MI6 will be a woman for the first time in its history.

The shortlist to select the new Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6, has been whittled down to three female candidates.

It means that Britains top spy, known internally by the moniker C, for chief, will be a woman.

At least two of the candidates are serving intelligence officers, and therefore cannot be named.

The current head of MI6s engineering arm is a woman and is likely to be a strong contender, and those with knowledge of the service have touted her as a candidate

The department was fictionalised as Q Branch in Ian Flemings James Bond novels and films.

Dame Barbara Woodward, who has never been a spy, is one of three women in line for the top job at MI6 - Julia Nikhinson/The Associated Press

Dame Barbara Woodward, an outsider candidate, is also a favourite, The Sunday Times reported.

The former head of the UK Border Agency currently serves as Britains Permanent Representative at the United Nations and has not worked at MI6 before.

Sir Richard Moore, the current MI6 chief, was a former spy who left and became the British ambassador to Turkey. In 2020, he returned to MI6 to take the top job.

His five-year term is coming to an end later this year, with the search for a replacement proceeding at pace.

Final interviews for his successor are understood to have taken place last week.

In 2023, Sir Richard revealed that he had been recruited from an all-male shortlist, writing on X: I will help forge womens equality by working to ensure Im the last C selected from an all-male shortlist.

Dame Barbara, currently the most senior woman in Britains diplomatic service, has attracted comments for being insufficiently vocal with her criticism of China while serving as Britains ambassador to China from 2015 to 2020.

After she left Beijing, Dame Barbara described the situation in Xinjiang as one of the worst human rights crises of our time.

The final decision on the appointment will be made by the Prime Minister, advised by a board of senior government figures including David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and Jonathan Powell, the National Security Adviser.

MI5, the domestic security service, has had two female directors-general, Dame Stella Rimington and Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller. MI6, which was established in 1909, has had 17 chiefs, all of them men.

In the James Bond series the figure of C was fictionalised as M. Fleming chose the moniker after the first initial of the first MI6 Chief, Sir Mansfield Smith-Cumming.

In John Le Carres George Smiley novels the head of the intelligence service was known as Control.
Steve McQueen as Captain Virgil in The Great Escape - Getty

Dunkirk has long been hailed as one of the most remarkable episodes of the Second World War. Now the film of the miraculous evacuation has been named the nations favourite Second World War movie, beating The Great Escape.

The Oscar-winning Christopher Nolan movie Dunkirk, released in 2017, also came ahead of films such as Saving Private Ryan and Schindlers List to top a poll for British movie-goers, which was commissioned ahead of VE Day celebrations.

The film, starring Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles and Barry Keoghan, depicts the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation of more than 330,000 Allied forces from the French coast besieged by the Nazis.

The iconic beach landing scene from Christopher Nolans Dunkirk - Warner Bros

The list, compiled by Deltapoll for the War Movie Theatre podcast, which covers both old and new war films, comes after the nationwide commemorations celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe on May 8 1945.

Following Dunkirk in second place is the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan, which is directed by Steven Spielberg and follows the search for the titular character during the Normandy invasion.

This was followed by 1963s The Great Escape, which sees a group of Allied prisoners attempt to escape a Nazi camp, in third.

The Dam Busters, which depicts the true story of the RAFs Operation Chastise, finished fourth in the poll, while the 1969 film The Battle of Britain, which is a dramatisation of the battle between the RAF and the German Luftwaffe, came in fifth.

The opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, depicting the Allied assault on Omaha Beach - Warner Bros

The rest of the top 10 was made up of The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, Pearl Harbour, Schindlers List and The Bridge On The River Kwai.

Journalist and author Robert Hutton, co-host of the War Movie Theatre podcast, said of the poll: Its not surprising that Dunkirk is top of the list, its the most successful war movie of the last decade.

But its noteworthy that half the list is from the golden era of war movies in the 50s and 60s. Four of them were made within eight years of each other.

A still from Steven Spielbergs Holocaust drama Schindlers List - Alamy

He added: Im a little sad that John Mills, who seemed to be permanently in uniform on Sunday afternoon TV in my childhood, doesnt get a film in this list.

And Id have liked to see at least one of the great Alistair MacLean commando movies, Where Eagles Dare or The Guns Of Navarone, in there. But mainly Im appalled to see Pearl Harbour on the list, which ought to be a war crime.

The podcast co-host, who is joined by fellow journalist Duncan Weldon for the show, explained: Cinema has always been looking for great stories, and war provides everything: heroism, moral conflict, adventure, romance.

Even as the Second World War was being fought, it was inspiring some of the greatest films of the last century, such as In Which We Serve or Went The Day Well?, which deliver moments of human drama and comedy as well as action.

Afterwards, it became a way for us to tell ourselves stories about what had happened, and then a generation later, with Saving Private Ryan, it became a way to commemorate.

Michael Caine stars in A Bridge Too Far - Hulton Archive

Nolan has also directed Oscar winners Oppenheimer, about the father of the nuclear bomb, starring Murphy in the titular role, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as the popular sci-fi movie Interstellar with Matthew McConaughey.

War Movie Theatre is a podcast hosted by Hutton and Weldon and is available from Acast and a number of other streaming platforms.
Oxford graduands are treated to an address in Latin which will now hail them as sodales, or comrades - Hannah McKay/Reuters

Oxford University has backtracked on making its 800-year-old Latin graduation ceremonies fully gender-neutral.

Last month, the university voted to remove grammatically masculine or feminine Latin words from some ceremonies, to appease non-binary students.

In an amendment to those changes, the university has said some gendered words will be retained. It argued that, even though they were masculine, they were statuses and could be treated as being without gender.

The original proposals involved dropping masculine words including magistri (masters) and doctores (doctors) and replacing them with vos, which is a neutral pronoun meaning you.

But Dr Jonathan Katz, the universitys public orator, and Dr Tristan Franklinos, a classicist, said that the words magistri and doctores would still be included in the ceremony as salutations.

The university said the decision to maintain the gendered words came because they form part of the tradition handed down to us and they connote the respect shown by University Officers to graduands in the ceremony.

Warmth and humanity

The university added that the changes had been made to restore warmth and humanity to a traditional proposal that was felt to lack feeling. It argued that the original intention was to create a single Latin text for the ceremonies, which has been done.

The partial U-turn followed criticism from academics that tradition was being lost in removing the words from the Latin address.

David Butterfield, a professor of Latin at Ralston College in Georgia, previously told The Telegraph: I regret that striking and beautiful phrases, such as domini doctores are being replaced with the empty, and rather abrupt, vos.

Prof David Butterfield said it was heartening to have the Latin words magister and doctor retained in the graduation ceremonies at the University of Oxford - Lorne Campbell/Guzelian

He said: It is heartening to see doctor and magister restored to the Latin ... on the grounds that we dont speak of a woman as a doctrix, or having a Mistress of Arts degree.

But Prof Butterfield said he saw it only as a partial victory, because some gendered words have been removed. The historic dominus or domina, meaning sir or madam, has been replaced with the word sodalis, meaning comrade or fellow.

It remains a fudge that sodalis, the form of both the masculine and the feminine, can allegedly be interpreted by the non-binary listener as neither in one gender or the other, he said.

While deliberately ambiguous Latin can be deployed, it is literally impossible for Latin to be used without any gender at all. Ceremonial Latin, centuries old, should not be make-believe.

The amendment was added following a vote attended by 28 academics, who agreed to introduce the new Latin into graduation ceremonies from October to cater to those who identify as non-binary.

Two votes took place  one for the gender-neutral Latin changes, and one for their amendment. Twenty-four academics voted for the changes to be made, and 22 for the amendment to be introduced.

An Oxford University spokesman said: Congregation has voted to accept the proposed changes to the text for graduation ceremonies with an amendment that restores salutations to the start of some of the phrases used.

The changes will come into effect from October, and will create a single simplified text for each ceremony as intended in the original proposal.
A retired special constable was arrested and detained over a social media post warning about the threat of anti-Semitism in Britain, The Telegraph can reveal.

Julian Foulkes, from Gillingham in Kent, was handcuffed at his home by six officers from Kent Police  the force he had served for a decade  after challenging a supporter of pro-Palestinian marches on X.

Police body-worn camera footage captured officers scrutinising the 71-year-olds collection of books by authors such as Douglas Murray, a Telegraph contributor, and issues of The Spectator, pointing to what they described as very Brexity things.

They were also shown raising concerns about a shopping list containing bleach, tin foil and gloves drawn up by Mr Foulkess wife, a hairdresser.

Free speech is clearly under attack, said Mr Foulkes. Nobody is really safe the public needs to see whats happening, and be shocked.

His case is the latest in a string of heavy-handed police responses to lawful expression. Last year, The Telegraph revealed that its columnist Allison Pearson was questioned at home by two officers over an X post following pro-Palestinian protests.

Mr Foulkess house was searched, with officers seizing his electronic devices and removing them to a waiting police van. Officers also rifled through his most personal belongings. Fifteen years ago, his daughter Francesca was killed by a drunk driver in a hit-and-run while on holiday in Ibiza.

On the footage, one officer can be heard saying, Ah. Thats sad, as she examined newspaper clippings Mr Foulkes had kept about the police investigation and the funeral.

In the kitchen, officers questioned Mr Foulkess wifes shopping list

After his home was searched, the retired special constable was locked in a police cell for eight hours and interrogated on suspicion of malicious communications. Fearing that further escalation could impact his ability to visit his surviving daughter, who lives in Australia, he accepted a caution despite having committed no offence.

The incident took place in November 2023. This week, Kent Police admitted the caution was a mistake and deleted it from Mr Foulkess record.

In March, officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary arrested and detained the parents of a nine-year-old girl after they had complained about her school in a WhatsApp group, before concluding that no further action was required.

Ian Austin, a former Labour MP, has also been investigated for calling Hamas Islamist, while Julie Bindel, the feminist writer, was visited by police after a transgender man reported her gender-critical tweets as an alleged hate crime.

On Saturday, a Kent Police spokesman told The Telegraph the force had concluded that the caution against Mr Foulkes was not appropriate in the circumstances and should not have been issued.

The spokesman said Kent Police expunged the caution from the mans record and was pleased to facilitate this correction, adding that a further review of the matter would now be carried out to identify any learning opportunities.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the arrest of Mr Foulkes was completely unacceptable.

Arresting a 71 year old man and holding him for hours in a police cell over a tweet that was obviously not criminal is completely unacceptable



The Police should spend their time catching actual criminals, not policing offence on Twitter

https://t.co/y5OIDqGPMz  Chris Philp MP (@CPhilpOfficial) May 10, 2025

Mr Foulkes warned about what he sees as an escalating attack on freedom of expression, saying: I saw Starmer in the White House telling Trump weve had it in the UK for a very long time, and I thought, Yeah, right. We can see whats really going on.

I never saw anything like this when I was in the force. But this woke mind virus infecting everything has definitely infected the police.

His ordeal began in October 2023, the month in which Hamas terrorists carried out the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

In London, pro-Palestinian marches swept the capital, with cases of anti-Semitic chants and placards.

They were described as hate marches by Suella Braverman, then the home secretary, and Mr Foulkes was told by Jewish friends that they no longer felt safe travelling into London.

On Oct 30, he was concerned to see reports of an anti-Semitic mob storming an airport in Dagestan, Russia, hunting for Jewish arrivals.

The next morning, he logged on to X and saw a post from an account called Mr Ethical, which featured a Palestinian flag. It read: Dear @SuellaBraverman  as someone who was on one of the hate marches, if you call me an antisemite I will sue you.

He said he had never interacted with the account before, but replied to warn that pro-Palestinian protests could escalate and to support Mrs Bravermans stance.

At 8.44am, he responded: One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals

In hindsight, he said, the tweet would have been clearer had it begun with the words: What next? You are

But he said that even without the extra wording, it should have been clear to anyone reading it in context that his post was a warning about where anti-Semitic hate could lead.

However, on Nov 1, without Mr Foulkess knowledge, the Metropolitan Police Intelligence Command referred his post to Kent Police, citing concerns around online content.

On Sunday night, Mrs Braverman said: We live in dangerous times when the police investigate speaking the truth.

This outrageous and sorry episode shows not only that freedom of speech is under attack in the UK, but that its in crisis. Law-abiding people should not be investigated for non-existent thought crimes.

The Met and Kent Police must investigate how this took place and formally apologise to Mr Foulkes. Both forces must be held accountable for their actions which were a shameful waste of time, money and resources.

The X post had not been reported by the public, and why a specialist Met unit  usually focused on terrorism and extremism  flagged such an innocuous tweet remains unclear. At the time, it had been viewed just 26 times.

The next day, police arrived at Mr Foulkess home. He opened the door to find six uniformed officers, equipped with batons and pepper spray.

Mr Foulkes case is the latest in a string of police responses to lawful expression - Julian Simmonds for The Telegraph

He said: One at the front said, are you Julian Foulkes? I said yes and she replied, Im arresting you on suspicion of an offence under the Malicious Communications Act. I was totally shocked  flabbergasted.

Ten years, I gave them. Every year we were drilled on officer safety, told any use of force had to be justified. And they put me in cuffs on my own doorstep.

One officer recognised Mr Foulkes from his time at Medway police station and told colleagues the handcuffs were not necessary. They were removed, but his ordeal had just begun.

For over an hour, he watched as former colleagues carried out a Section 32 search of his home, combing through the loft, the garage, and even his wifes underwear drawer.

Officers showed particular interest in his bookshelves. One called for backup to help her inspect several titles. Very Brexity things, she can be heard saying on the body-worn camera footage.

Picking up a Eurosceptic book on Britains entry to the Common Market in the 1970s, she asked, What the hell is this? and passed it over to another officer, adding: Very odd.

One leafed through an edition of The War on the West, by Murray, while another looked through The Demise of the Free State by David Green, another Telegraph contributor.

Thats about the level of extremist I am a few Douglas Murray books and some on Brexit, said Mr Foulkes.

One officer could be seen leafing through an edition of The War on the West, by Douglas Murray

In the kitchen, officers pored over cookbooks and scrutinised his wifes shopping list. One remarks on the footage: Bleach, foil, gloves Bit of an odd list, isnt it? It takes several minutes before they realise that she is a hairdresser, and not stockpiling bomb-making materials.

Mr Foulkes was then driven to Medway police station, booked in, fingerprinted, photographed and had his DNA taken. I asked what Id done, he said. The officer said it was for a post of an extremism nature  thats all I was told.

He was held in a cell for eight hours before he was interviewed at 9pm. He said it was only in the interview, when he was finally shown a screenshot of the allegedly offensive X post from Oct 31 that he grasped how surreal the situation had become.

Kent Police decided to interpret my post as anti-Jewish, he said. But it was the exact opposite. If theyd looked at the full thread, theyd have understood. It would have taken two minutes. I told them there was more to it, but they didnt pause the interview to check.

He denied five times that he intended to cause distress or alarm, but that was just ignored. He was bailed and told to return on Feb 1 last year.

He had feared neighbours would see officers seizing his computers, iPad and phones and assume the worst, saying: I was terrified theyd think I was a paedophile.

Above all, he feared anything that might stop him from visiting his daughter in Australia. My life wouldnt be worth living if I couldnt see her, he said. At the time, I believed a caution wouldnt affect travel, but a conviction definitely would.

At his lowest point, on Nov 7  just days after being bailed  Mr Foulkes was told to return to Medway police station on Nov 10 so a caution could be issued.

I didnt agree, but I felt I had no choice, he said. In hindsight, it would never have gone to court. The CPS wouldnt touch it with no evidence. But I wasnt thinking logically at the time.

Officers scrutinised the 71-year-olds collection of books, as well as issues of The Spectator

By early last year, the injustice was weighing heavily. It was always on my mind. I knew it was wrong on every level, he said. I knew if I didnt act, Id forever wonder  what if youd challenged this?

By last summer, he had found a new solicitor, Matthew Elkins of Legisia Legal Services, and began to challenge the caution, with news of its deletion confirmed on Tuesday last week.

While this was a relief, he said the fallout has been devastating. Its cost me money I cant afford. Im a pensioner  not one of these millionaire retirees you read about, he said. This was a disaster.

The emotional damage, however, weighs the heaviest. Its like PTSD, he said. You push it to the back of your mind, but it comes back and you relive it.

It was just so wrong  and especially painful because Id spent 10 years working with these people for no remuneration. I did it because I believed in it and enjoyed it. I left with a certificate from the chief constable, thanking me for my service. Now, all those memories feel trashed.

Mr Elkins, said: Julians case highlights a need for the police to take stock, and to make freedom of expression their starting point  our freedoms wont be taken from us suddenly, but by the quiet and gradual criminalisation of our conscience.

The police face an almost impossible task monitoring social media, and they wont enjoy being labelled the thought police, but when someone like Julian is dragged from his home the cap appears to fit.

A Home Office spokesman said: This incident occurred under the previous government.

The Home Secretary has made clear that she believes all police forces should be focused on the central priorities of the Governments Safer Streets Mission, including rebuilding neighbourhood policing, reducing anti-social behaviour, and making progress towards the unprecedented ambition to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls within a decade.
Sir Elton John has called on Sir Keir Starmer and the government to protect the creative industry from artificial intelligence

Hundreds of leading figures in the arts, including Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney, have called on Sir Keir Starmer to protect their work from AI.

Richard Curtis and Sir Ian McKellen are also among the creatives who have signed a joint letter ahead of a vote on AI and copyright in Parliament on Monday.

The letter calls on the Government to back an amendment to the Data Bill, which would force AI companies to tell creatives if their work has been used to train their models.

The Government is expected to instruct Labour peers to vote against the amendment.

Robbie Williams is just one of the artists who has signed the letter - Kristina Bumphrey

The letter has been signed by more than 400 figures in music, film, theatre, literature and the media including Anna Jones, the chief executive of The Telegraphs parent company.

The letter is the most significant intervention yet from artists who object to the use of their work to train AI.

It warns that they risk being forced to give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies by allowing AI models to train using copyrighted work.

Ministers have already faced severe backlash from the creative industries over plans to regulate AI development.

Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, is understood to have abandoned plans for an opt out model, which would have allowed AI companies to use any material in the public domain unless the creator objects.

The creatives today call for a dynamic licensing scheme that would force tech firms to inform them if they plan to use their work to improve AI models.

Musicians Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Eric Clapton, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson, Shirley Bassey and members of Coldplay and Florence + the Machine have also signed the letter.

Lord Lloyd Webber, Tom Stoppard, Richard Curtis, Russell T Davies and Michael Rosen are just some of the creatives alongside architects, artists and designers.

Other musicians include Alfie Boe, Paloma Faith and Annie Lennox.

Dua Lipa has signed a joint letter to call for a dynamic licensing - ANGELA WEISS

They have called on ministers to back the amendment, by the crossbench peer Baroness Kidron, which she says would make the copyright system more transparent.

The letter warns: We will lose an immense growth opportunity if we give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies and with it our future income, the UKs position as a creative powerhouse, and any hope that the technology of daily life will embody the values and laws of the United Kingdom.

Ministers are already considering a licensing regime for AI and copyright, and have committed to developing a policy on the issue within a year if the current version of the bill passes.

But the creatives think that action must be taken sooner to prevent AI companies from training their models in the meantime.

The Government is concerned that stricter rules would make the UK an uncompetitive place to develop AI companies, which could create economic growth.

Baroness Kidron said: The creative industries welcome the new frontier of creativity offered by advances in AI, but how AI is developed and who it benefits are two of the most important questions of our time.

The UK creative industries reflect our national stories, drive tourism, create wealth for the nation and provide 2.4 million jobs across our four nations.

They must not be sacrificed to the interests of a handful of US tech companies. Nor should we underestimate the role of human creativity in the joy of being human nor the need for common facts to cement our collective experience.

The amendment vote will take place on Monday in the House of Lords, where peers have already objected to the protections available in law for creatives.

The letter adds: The first job of any government is to protect its citizens. So, we urge His Majestys Government to accept the Lords Amendments in the name of Baroness Kidron that put transparency at the heart of the copyright regime and allow both AI developers and creators to develop licensing regimes that will allow for human-created content well into the future.

These amendments recognise the crucial role that creative content plays in the development of generative AI.

A government spokesman said: We want our creative industries and AI companies to flourish, which is why were consulting on a package of measures that we hope will work for both sectors. Were clear that no changes will be considered unless we are completely satisfied they work for creators.

Its vital we take the time to work through the range of responses to our consultation, but equally important that we put in the groundwork now as we consider the next steps. That is why we have committed to publishing a report and economic impact assessment  exploring the broad range of issues and options on all sides of the debate.
A protest against the planned scheme in Hampshire took place in May 2024 - Solent/Sheila Opensh

Villagers protesting against a proposed solar farm are claiming it could breach the local councils anti-slavery commitments.

The controversial plan would cover 17 acres of the Hampshire-Berkshire border with solar panels in an area that inspired Watership Down, the 1972 childrens novel by Richard Adams.

Since Anglo Renewables submitted the planning application to build near Kingsclere village, Hants, in April 2024, more than 300 objections have been lodged.

Sheila Openshaw, a local, recently submitted an objection which points to an amendment to the Great British Energy Bill that bans panels made using slave labour.

Mrs Openshaw highlighted the potential impact on Basingstoke and Deane borough councils obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, which requires organisations to publish their stance on forced labour.

The solar farm will cover 17 acres of countryside in panels - Andrew Croft/Solent

She urged the local authority to take the issue into account because its position on modern slavery commits it to ensuring its supply chains are free of human-trafficking.

Mrs Openshaw, who has lived next to the ancient woodland for more than 30 years, said: There is a clause to be added to the Great British Energy Bill which bans solar panels which have been produced by slave or forced labour.

This fits well with Basingstoke and Deanes stance on modern slavery and should be taken into account when discussing this matter.

Around half the worlds supply of polysilicon, a key material in the construction of solar panels, comes from Chinas Xinjiang region, where there have long been concerns about the treatment of Uyghur Muslims.

In March, the Lords tabled an amendment to the Great British Energy Bill requiring the newly created body GB Energy to ensure there were no materials suspected of being produced by slave labour used in its solar panels, batteries or wind turbines.

The Government ordered MPs to vote this down, but Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, has since U-turned. He has said the Bill will now include just such a clause.

The solar scheme proposal by Anglo Renewables involves building a renewable energy generating station at Strattons Farm, Kingsclere, Hants. The firm claims it could power over 5,700 homes.

Protesters were inspired by Watership Downs role in the 1972 childrens novel by Richard Adams - Sheilah Openshaw/Solent

To protest against the development, campaigners dressed up as rabbits in May 2024, and lay under solar panels with placards reading grass not glass and this is not in keeping with this beautiful countryside.

Speaking last year, Mrs Openshaw described the iconic Watership Down as a tranquil landscape and an area of natural beauty.

She said: If we replace fields that are growing food with solar panels where are we going to grow the food?

Mrs Openshaw suggested brownfield sites like car parks and roofs were better suited for solar farms, adding: As far as Im concerned, this solar farm is green-washing  its not really green, I think its purely a money-making exercise.

In a written planning objection, Alan Monger, another local resident, said: There are lots of amazing walks and fantastic views from the downs, soon to be spoilt if this plan goes ahead. If farming land is used to generate electricity we will need to import even more food.

James Stone, the managing director of Anglo Renewables, said: It is crucial to revolutionise the energy production methods in the UK, now more than ever.

Our proposed solar farm aligns with Basingstoke and Deane district councils acknowledgement of a climate emergency and the establishment of national climate change goals mandated by law.

Mr Stone continued: We have carefully considered the input from the local community and have recently modified the project design, to address the matters they have raised.

The size of the solar farm has reduced by approximately 16.5 acres  a reduction of 19 per cent.

We have removed panels in the southern and western portions of the proposed scheme, moving panels away from residential properties and Ecchinswell.

The variety of plants and animals on the site of the Solar Farm would also see significant improvements, with a biodiversity net gain of 44 per cent increase in habitat units, 52 per cent in hedgerow units, and 91 per cent in watercourse units.

The solar farm will produce enough renewable energy to power approximately 5,934 homes every year and provide a community benefit fund.

The consultation stage of the planning application has concluded but a decision is still yet to be made by Basingstoke and Deane borough council.
Wes Streeting says NHS staff should not be wearing uniforms on political protests - Victoria Jones/PA

NHS staff will be told to stop wearing their work uniforms on marches and displaying pro-Palestinian badges in the workplace as part of a crackdown on anti-Semitism in the health service.

Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, revealed the plans as he vowed to snuff out the appalling experiences of anti-Semitism affecting Jewish staff and patients in the NHS.

Mr Streeting wrote to the Board of Deputies of British Jews on Friday after it requested a tougher approach to staff who bring views about Gaza into the workplace.

The board, the UKs largest Jewish community organisation, had previously presented Mr Streeting with a number of requests to clamp down on perceived anti-Semitism on wards.

These included a ban on uniforms on marches and the display of pro-Palestinian symbols in the workplace, including images of the watermelon fruit, which has been adopted by pro-Palestine activists.

Mr Streeting told the board that he had endorsed its requests and presented them to Sir Jim Mackey, the chief of NHS England.

He wrote: We spoke about staff wearing NHS uniforms whilst on political protests and about staff wearing emblems and badges to work. Staff should not be wearing uniforms on political protests, with the exception of protests against the Government about matters of health policy.

He also reiterated guidance that states one or two badges denoting professional qualifications or memberships may be acceptable on uniforms but that any more looks unprofessional.

Anti-Semitism training

At the top of its list of requests, the board asked the Health Secretary to ensure that clear guidance is transmitted directly to every NHS trust, making it clear that no political symbols are to be worn or displayed by any NHS staff within NHS places of work.

It said such symbols would include any form of badge/jewellery with the Palestinian flag, maps clearly intended to show a Palestinian State without an Israeli one, slogans mentioning, From the River to the Sea and Intifada, or watermelon symbols.

Mr Streeting has also asked NHS trusts to consider adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism in staff handbooks and HR policies.

The Health Secretary has encouraged trusts to roll out wider anti-Semitism training in the workplace. Such training has already been provided to some NHS organisations by the Anti-Semitism Policy Trust.

Following concerns over anti-Semitic activities in medical schools, Mr Streeting has said they should be adhering to wider university sector guidance on stamping out such behaviour.

In December, he vowed in The Telegraph to have medics struck off the medical register if they brought racist or extreme views about the Gaza conflict into the workplace.

Actions speak louder than words

Andrew Gilbert, a vice president of the Board of Deputies, told The Telegraph: When the Board of Deputies led a Jewish community delegation to meet with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care back in December we presented him with over 100 pages of documentation of anti-Semitism in the NHS and Community Health, and were appreciative that Mr Streeting had not only read but also digested the situation and was clear that action needed to be taken.

We are reassured by the letter that responds positively to many of our concerns.

We know already that making such changes across Britains Health service is a massive challenge, and is dependent not just on the leadership but will need cooperation at all levels.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Actions speak louder than words, which is why we are working with the NHS to put concrete measures in place to stamp out discrimination and protect Jewish staff and patients.
Mikel Arteta has said he wants the pain of performing a guard of honour for Liverpool to act as Arsenals motivation to beat their rivals to the Premier League title next season.

Artetas players will stand and applaud the champions ahead of Sundays fixture at Anfield, only four days after they were eliminated from the Champions League.

Arsenals failure to see off Paris St Germain in their semi-final tie means their five-year wait for silverware will be extended into another campaign.

Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris St Germain (Adam Davy/PA)

Addressing the guard of honour, Arteta said: Something has to drive you, to motivate you and pain is probably a good one to use when you dont really want to do something, but its the right thing to do and then use that as a motivation for next season.

But they (Liverpool) deserve that guard of honour because they have been the best team and they fully deserve it. When somebody is better, you have to applaud and accept it and try to reach that level.

Arsenal, who trail Liverpool by 15 points, will record fewer points than they managed in both of the past two seasons where they finished as runners-up to Manchester City.

The Gunners could again finish second in the league. They head into their remaining three matches holding a three-point lead over third-placed City.

But following their failure to launch a serious title challenge to Liverpool and their last-four exits from both the Champions League and Carabao Cup this season, Areta has courted criticism.

The Spaniard has transformed Arsenals fortunes but he has only one trophy  the 2020 FA Cup  to show for his five-and-a-half years in charge.

However, Arteta continued: I have so much to achieve and that is what drives me every day. The people and the staff and the players drive me every single day.

If there is somebody that has raised the standard and the expectation the highest, it has been me. Because I have been demanding and expecting much more, and after that much more, and after that much more.

For me it is the only way to do it, for everybody to have really high standards and demands.

We are very, very close to achieving it. I understand the disappointment and the criticism. It is all part of it.

At the end there is one winner and the rest of them arent going to win, so they need to reinvent themselves and do better and that is part of the cycle.
Trails from an Indian air defence system are seen above Jammu. Photograph: Rakesh Bakshi/AFP/Getty Images

India and Pakistan have accused each other of cross-border missile strikes against major military targets, the most significant escalation so far in the brewing conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

On Saturday, India accused Pakistan of launching strikes on dozens of airbases and military headquarters across north India, using long-range weapons, drones and fighter aircraft. The accusations came a few hours after Pakistan said India had fired six surface-to-air missiles targeting three of Pakistans most important military bases early on Saturday morning.

Shortly afterwards, Pakistan officials confirmed they had begun their counter-attack against India, under the name Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, a phrase from the Quran roughly translating to wall of lead.

Related: India-Pakistan military reprisals escalate: what we know so far

The claims of missile attacks on military targets deep inside India and Pakistan were seen as a worrying escalation in hostilities, bringing the two countries the closest they have been to war in decades.

According to the Indian army spokesperson Col Sofiya Qureshi, Pakistan struck first on Saturday. At a press conference, the Indian army accused Pakistan of attacking 26 sites in India, including the Pathankot military airfield in Punjab, Srinagar airport and Udhampur air force base in Indian-administered Kashmir, as well as deplorable and cowardly attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Qureshi said the Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised these threats but added that some damage was done to equipment and personnel at four airbases. The foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said claims by Pakistani media that airbases and advanced weapons systems had been destroyed in the strikes were heavy on lies, misinformation and propaganda.

The Indian army alleged its attack on Pakistans military bases on Saturday was in retaliation for high-speed missiles fired at several air bases in Punjab at around 2am. In a swift and calibrated response, Indian Armed Forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets, said Qureshi.

In the hours after the strikes, Pakistans deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, told local media that if India stopped here we will consider to stop here and that the ball for de-escalation was in Indias court. India also said it was committed to non-escalation provided the Pakistan side reciprocated.

However, the Indian army claimed Pakistan was still mobilising its troops, in what they regarded as further aggression. Pakistan military has been observed to be moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation, said Qureshi.

Pakistans version of events was different to that of India. In an address broadcast on state TV at around 3.30am, the military spokesperson Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed India had struck first, using fighter jets to fire surface-to-air missiles at Nur Khan, Murid and Shorkot military bases. He said the majority of Indias missiles were intercepted by air defence systems.

Nur Khan airbase is in Rawalpindi, where the military has its headquarters, and is around 6 miles from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. In the aftermath of the strikes, Pakistan shut down its air space.

The strike on Nur Khan caused mass panic in the densely populated area. Video from the scene shared on social media showed flames and smoke billowing into the night sky, with residents running into the streets. There was a loud explosion which woke everyone up. It was so scary, everyone is still in a panic, said one resident living nearby.

Chaudhry called the strikes blatant acts of aggression by India and said they were part of a larger sinister plan to push the region and beyond into havoc. Just over an hour later, Pakistan declared it had begun its counter-attack on military sites in India.

Speaking after the attacks, Pakistans defence minister, Khawaja Asif, said it was premature to give any statements on de-escalation but confirmed international mediation efforts were under way.

Things are in the pipeline and contacts have been established. he told the Guardian. There is no conclusive statement to be given yet. But I can confirm that the US and Saudi Arabia are playing a crucial role as interlocutors. The secretary of state made a call today to Pakistans military chief, and the Saudi state minister for foreign affairs is in town.

He added: We cant trust the Indians for talks and de-escalation. If interlocutors and our common friends and credible countries such as Saudi Arabia and the US step in and play a crucial role, we have no issue to de-escalate. We did not start it. We just responded to the Indian military aggression.

Related: There will be war: fear and defiance across border after Indian airstrikes in Pakistan

The fighting this week was first inflamed on Wednesday after Indian missiles struck nine sites in Pakistan, killing 31 people. India has said those strikes were in response to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir late last month, in which militants killed 25 Hindu tourists and a guide, which they blamed on Pakistani-backed extremists.

The situation escalated further after India accused Pakistan of two consecutive nights of drone attacks. India claimed to have intercepted more than 400 drones targeting cities, military bases and places of worship across the north of the country on Thursday.

In retaliation, India said it had launched four drone strikes at Pakistan, directly targeting military defence infrastructure.

In the aftermath of Pakistans strikes, tensions remained high across India. Heavy shelling and gunfire were reported overnight across the Line of Control, the heavily militarised, de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, with several civilians killed.

In India, cities and districts in Punjab, Haryana and across Indian-administered Kashmir were put on red alert, with residents told to remain indoors and blackout orders enforced.

The Indian military said it had actively begun large-scale mobilisation of additional forces to the border and had activated its reserve Territorial Army to ensure full operational strength.

The US state department confirmed that the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, had spoken to Pakistans army chief, Gen Asim Munir, and Indias foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, early on Saturday morning. Rubio called for a de-escalation and offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, a state department spokesperson said.
Dua Lipa is one of the more than 400 artists who have signed the open letter to the government. Photograph: Dave Simpson/Getty Images

Hundreds of leading figures and organisations in the UKs creative industries, including Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, Ian McKellen and the Royal Shakespeare Company, have urged the prime minister to protect artists copyright and not give our work away at the behest of big tech.

In an open letter to Keir Starmer, a host of major artists claim creatives livelihoods are under threat as wrangling continues over a government plan to let artificial intelligence companies use copyright-protected work without permission.

Describing copyright as the lifeblood of their professions, the letter warns Starmer that the proposed legal change will threaten Britains status as a leading creative power.

We will lose an immense growth opportunity if we give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies and with it our future income, the UKs position as a creative powerhouse, and any hope that the technology of daily life will embody the values and laws of the United Kingdom, the letter says.

The letter urges the government to accept an amendment to the data bill proposed by Beeban Kidron, the cross-bench peer and leading campaigner against the copyright proposals. Kidron, who organised the artists letter, is seeking a change that requires AI firms tell copyright owners which individual works they have ingested into their models.

Urging parliamentarians on all sides of the political spectrum and in both houses to support the change, the letter says: We urge you to vote in support of the UK creative industries. Supporting us supports the creators of the future. Our work is not yours to give away.

Spanning the worlds of music, theatre, film, literature, art and media, the more than 400 signatories include Elton John, Kazuo Ishiguro, Annie Lennox, Rachel Whiteread, Jeanette Winterson, the National Theatre and the News Media Association, which represents more than 800 news titles including the Guardian.

Kidrons amendment will go to a House of Lords vote on Monday, although the government has already signalled its opposition to the change, saying that a consultation process already under way was the correct process for debating alterations to copyright law, which protects someones work from being used by others without permission.

Under the government proposal, AI companies will be able to use copyright-protected material without permission unless the copyright holder opts out of the process by indicating  in an as yet unspecified way  that they do not wish their work to be used for free.

Giles Martin, the music producer and son of the Beatles producer George Martin, told the Guardian the opt-out plan could be impractical for young artists.

When Paul McCartney wrote Yesterday his first thought was how do I record this and not how do I stop someone stealing this, said Martin, who was the music supervisor on the documentary series The Beatles: Get Back and co-produced the last Beatles song Now and Then.

Kidron said the letters signatories were speaking out to ensure a positive future for the next generation of creators and innovators.

Supporters of the Kidron amendment claim the change will ensure creatives are compensated for the use of their work in training AI models via licensing deals.

Generative AI models, the term for technology that underpins powerful tools such as the ChatGPT chatbot or the Suno music-making tool, have to be trained on a vast amount of data in order to generate their responses. The main source of this information is online, including the contents of Wikipedia, YouTube, newspaper articles and online book archives.

The government has submitted one amendment to the data bill that commits to officials carrying out an economic impact assessment of its proposals. A source close to Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, has told the Guardian that an opt-out system was no longer his preferred option.

Officially, there are four options under consideration. The other three alongside the opt-out scenario are: to leave the situation unchanged; require AI companies to seek licences for using copyrighted work; and allow AI firms to use copyrighted work with no opt-out for creative companies and individuals.

A government spokesperson said: Uncertainty over how our copyright framework operates is holding back growth for our AI and creative industries. That cannot continue, but were clear that no changes will be considered unless we are completely satisfied they work for creators.
The Princess Royal during a visit to the Sark Society to mark its Liberation anniversary - Aaron Chown/PA

Princess Anne has become the first member of the Royal family to visit Little Sark.

The Princess Royal was joined by her husband, Vice-Adml Sir Tim Laurence, on the Channel Islands peninsula as they marked the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes Sark.

The pair met residents of Little Sark and travelled by horse and carriage to La Coupee, a narrow walkway connecting Little Sark to Sark, where they heard about its history and recent erosion and repair work.

The Princess, wearing a green jacket, dark trousers and sunglasses, received a briefing on two Second World War commando raids on Sark  Operation Basalt, in October 1942 and Operation Hardtack, in December 1943.

The raids were aimed at gathering intelligence and capturing German prisoners.

Princess Anne was joined by her husband, Vice-Adml Sir Tim Laurence - Aaron Chown/PA

The couple attended commemorations in Sark to mark its Liberation anniversary - Aaron Chown/PA

The Royal couple visited La Societe Sercquaise (the Sark Society), an organisation founded in 1975 to study, preserve and enhance Sarks natural environment and cultural heritage, before attending the anniversary celebrations.

After planting a silver birch tree to commemorate the anniversary, Princess Anne visited an exhibition on the Second World War at Old Island Hall.

The exhibition focused on the islands experiences during the German occupation, with each display covering a different aspect of the occupation years.

This included a section on the Deportees  residents of Sark who were deported by the German occupying forces, including Nellie Le Feuvre, who met the Princess. Mrs Le Feuvre was deported to the Biberach camp in Germany.

The Princess concluded her visit at the Sark Observatory, meeting volunteers and viewing the sun through a solar telescope.
The FAA air traffic control tower at Newark Liberty airport in New Jersey. Photograph: Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images

Twice in the past two weeks, communications between air traffic controllers and airplanes at Newark Liberty, one of the USs busiest airports, have failed  leaving controllers unable to communicate with pilots.

The outages have, thankfully, only led to massive delays, not disaster. But they have also once again focused a harsh light on the persistent safety problems at US airports, which handle over 50,000 flights a day.

As a result of that estimated 90-second communications breakdown on 28 April, many air traffic controllers said they felt traumatized, and thousands of passengers suffered from the hundreds of canceled and delayed flights. A brief radar outage on Friday morning left radar screens black for another 90 seconds  underlining a growing crisis.

Related: US transportation secretary plans to reduce flights at Newark airport

Political leaders were quick to criticize the rickety state of the air traffic system. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was really a mess, while New Jerseys governor, Phil Murphy, decried decades of underinvestment in air traffic control infrastructure, delays in modernizing technology, and inadequate air traffic control staffing.

The transport departments inspector general has found that at 20 of the nations 26 most critical airports, air traffic control staffing falls below the 85% minimum level, with many controllers forced to work 10-hour days and six-day weeks. After the communications breakdown in Newark, several air traffic controllers there was so shaken that they went on trauma leave, leaving that airport even more understaffed.

The Trump administration moved swiftly to respond after the alarming episode at Newark. On Thursday, Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation, unveiled a plan to build a new state-of-the-art system that would overhaul the technology used by the nations air traffic controllers. Duffy said his plan would replace antiquated telecommunications, with new fiber, wireless and satellite technologies at over 4,600 sites.

A lot of people have said: this problem is too complicated, too expensive  too hard, Duffy said on Thursday. But we are blessed to have a president who actually loves to build and knows how to build.

Airlines and the air traffic controllers union applauded Duffys proposal, but several airline industry experts voiced fears that it would fall short, as have many past plans to fix the system. In a statement, the Modern Skies Coalition, a group of industry associations and experts, said: We are pleased that the secretary has identified the priorities of what must be done to maintain safety and remain a leader in air navigation services.

The air traffic control system has been through some tough months. In January, a commercial jet collided with an army helicopter near Reagan Washington National airport, killing 67 people in the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001. Trump upset many aviation industry experts and outraged many Americans when he, even before an investigation was begun, rushed to blame the crash on diversity, equity and inclusion.

On 1 May, another army helicopter forced two flights to abort their landings at Reagan airport. Newark airport has suffered at least two other similar communications breakdowns since last August. A New York Times investigation in 2023 found that close calls involving commercial airlines occurred, on average, several times each week  with 503 air traffic control lapses occurring in the 12 months before 30 September 2023.

For some these latests issues are part of a much older story. The systems staffing problems started when Ronald Reagan fired over 10,000 air traffic controllers, after they went on strike in 1981, said Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants.

And those problems were worsened by his pushing the hatred of government and the dismantling of government. Thats whats put us on the track to where we are today. There were budget cuts and tax cuts for the rich, and all that stopped us from doing the infrastructure projects and hiring and training that we needed to have a stable system.

The nations air navigation system has just under 10,800 certified controllers, but their union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, says there needs to be more than 14,300, the number recommended by an arm of the FAA, called the Collaborative Resource Workgroup. There are over 2,000 controllers in training, and the union has urged the Trump administration to increase the number in the pipeline. Training usually takes 18 to 24 months, and getting up to speed to work at the most demanding airports such as JFK and Newark can take more than three years.

There is a shortage of controllers nationwide, but not to the degree its occurring at Newark, said Jeff Guzzetti, an industry consultant who was an investigator for the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board.

Theres been a shortage of controllers for years, if not decades. That shortage was exaggerated by Covid; they couldnt conduct training for new controllers. Beyond that, theyve always had a problem finding the right people with the right skills to control traffic and to get people to pass the course work at the training academy and then to get them up to speed.

Many trainees drop out and dont pass their exams, and many controllers dont stay in the job because it is so stressful. In recent years, the number of controllers has been relatively flat. The total has declined by 10% since 2012 due to retirements and trainees failing to finish their requirements.

Its not only the shortage of air traffic controllers. Its antiquated facilities and equipment and software, Guzzetti said. Many facilities still rely on floppy disks and copper wire.

He said: Its all coming to a head now in New York and Newark. Newark has always been the worst in terms of air traffic staffing and modernizing its equipment.

Last September, the Government Accountability Office said the FAA needed to take urgent action to deal with its antiquated air traffic control systems. It said 51 of the FAAs 138 air traffic control systems were unsustainable.

On Thursday, Duffy did not say what his modernization plan would cost. The House transportation and infrastructure committee says it would cost $12.5bn to overhaul the air traffic control system, but Duffy says his plan would cost more than that. Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age, he said. Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity.

On 1 May, Duffy announced a related plan filled with incentives that he said would supercharge the air traffic controller work force. It includes $5,000 bonuses to new hires who successfully finish the initial training.

Joseph McCartin, a labor historian at Georgetown University who wrote a book about the 1981 air traffic controllers strike, said that ever since Reagan fired 11,345 striking controllers, the system has been out of sync.

The natural rhythm of the system broke down and we never fully recovered, he said. Weve improved over time, but the FAA still has grave difficulty staffing facilities.

McCartin added: [Elon Musks] Doge has made things only worse. The entire system that federal employees operate under has been terribly destabilized. The FAA exists in a world where this entire project of the federal government is teetering.

Robert W Mann Jr, an aviation industry analyst, said that for 40 years there have been FAA reauthorizations approved by Congress, but they havent fixed the problems. Unless you do it right, it doesnt make a difference what you spend, he said. You wont have solved the root causes.

Related: Newark airport sees second air traffic blackout amid weeks of major delays

Nonetheless, Mann said he remained confident about airline safety. He said: Theres a primacy in this business. Whether youre working at airlines or the FAA, safety is the first thing.

Mann said that days when an airport faces severe understaffing of air traffic controllers or a crush of airplanes eager to take off as bad weather lifts, there will often be delays to ensure safety. Im not worried about safety, Mann said, but I might be worried that my flight will be four hours late.

Nelson, the flight attendants president, said that the US should be thankful to air traffic controllers because their job is so hard, stressful and important. They should be commended for working in a system thats crumbling, she said. Theyre the ones we all need to applaud right now. Theyre like the nurses during Covid, when everyone came out at 6 oclock to bang pots and pans.

A big question now is whether Congress will approve the money for Duffys ambitious modernization plan. Nelson said: I hate to say were a canary in the coalmine, but those of us in the airline industry have known for a long time that a lot of this [the air traffic control equipment] has been a problem. What happened in Newark is a sign of what will come in other airports if we dont get the budget we need.
Zander Fagerson said he was not surprised to see Scott Cummings join him in the British and Irish Lions squad as he backed his fellow Glasgow and Scotland forward to justify his inclusion for this summers tour of Australia.

The 28-year-old lock was one of the more eye-catching names to make Andy Farrells 38-man squad as he only returned a fortnight ago from a forearm injury that had sidelined him since January and denied him the chance to enhance his claims in this years Six Nations.

But prop Fagerson, himself called up for a second consecutive Lions tour, is in no doubt that the unheralded Cummings is fully deserving of his place.

Not a major surprise to me, no, I always thought Scott had a chance, said Fagerson. I was just absolutely made up for him. I know missing the Six Nations and stuff, he was absolutely devastated.

But it just shows you how highly regarded he is to go through that and still get selected. I know hell be absolutely ready to go, and when he does come in, hell really contribute to the team.

Fagerson said Cummings would bring a calming presence to the Lions squad.

Scotts got some attributes to his game which are absolutely top drawer, said the tighthead. Some of his running lines, hes got a soft hand, and also the way he leads the line-out. Weve been missing that without him at Glasgow so its good to see him back playing.

I think his game speaks for itself. Solid defender, great attacker. He does his nuts and bolts really well. You cant ask for more from a second rower. Theres nothing flash, but its a very good basis.

Zander Fagerson is set for his second Lions tour (John Walton/PA)

There was some doubt about Fagersons own inclusion due to the fact he is set to be absent until at least June with a calf injury sustained last month.

Im getting there, said the 29-year-old. Im doing all I can. Im a fast healer. Im doing well. Im on target just now. Well see what happens.

Asked if he would expect to be fit enough for a Lions tour even if he is unable to get any more action for Glasgow this season, Fagerson said: Thats the plan. As soon as I can, Ill be on the pitch wherever I can.

After the 2021 tour of South Africa was affected by the Covid pandemic, Fagerson is relishing another trip away with the Lions in more normal circumstances.

Zander Fagerson was on the 2021 Lions tour (Steve Haag/PA)

I think the whole thing with fans as well, its going to be a completely different tour, he said. Were going to be hopping all over the place. South Africa, we were sort of based two or three places the whole time.

But this time, from what I gather, itll be flying every two or three days around all of Australia, which is pretty cool. Its going to be a different experience, but still a massive honour.

There are eight Scots in total in Farrells squad but Fagerson was disappointed that his younger brother Matts hopes of making a late dash for inclusion were dented by an ankle injury sustained a month ago.

I definitely think Matt would have been in with a shout, said the prop. Some of the rugby he was playing before his injury was absolutely top-drawer, so I think he was definitely in the conversation.

Hes just going to keep rehabbing and working hard to make sure he comes back as quick as he can and can contribute to wherever hes playing, and if an injury happens, you never know.
Sir Keir Starmer will join European leaders in Kyiv on Saturday for further talks on the so-called coalition of the willing.

The Prime Minister, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have called on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure a peace deal ahead of their trip to the Ukrainian capital.

It comes after US President Donald Trump called for ideally a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected the US and its partners will impose further sanctions.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets with French President Emanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz onboard a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Friday that he would be hosting leaders from the coalition that has been spearheaded by the UK and France, and said there is serious work ahead.

In a joint statement, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz said they will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russias barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.

They added: We reiterate our backing for President Trumps calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace.

Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.

The leaders are expected to meet Mr Zelensky on Saturday morning, and are also due to pay respects to casualties of the war.

Later in the day, they are then scheduled to host a virtual meeting with other leaders to update on progress towards a force that Number 10 has said could regenerate Ukraines armed forces after a possible peace deal.

Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for the coalition which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.

The leaders have said they are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.

Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky talk during a meeting in Rome, Italy (Marco M Mantovani/PA)

We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come, they added.

The meetings in Kyiv will come two weeks after Mr Zelensky had discussions with a number of world leaders  including Mr Trump and Sir Keir  on the fringes of Pope Franciss funeral.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 72-hour ceasefire on Thursday to coincide with celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany.

But his forces have continued offensive operations along the front line as well as air strikes on residential areas, according to Ukrainian officials.

American president Mr Trump said on Thursday that talks with Russia and Ukraine have continued.

The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He added: Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations. If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions.
UK, US and allies calling Putin out as they intensify calls for ceasefire

Sir Keir Starmer has said that European allies together with the US are calling Putin out, as the pressure increases on Russia to accept an unconditional ceasefire.

Speaking from Kyiv, the Prime Minister said that allies will ramp up sanctions if Russian president Vladimir Putin turns his back on peace, as he and allies backed plans for a 30-day ceasefire.

Sir Keir and his Ukrainian, French, German and Polish counterparts also spoke to US President Donald Trump on Saturday to update him on progress on the coalition of the willing.

The Prime Minister hailed the talks across Saturday as being one step closer to a ceasefire.

It comes after Mr Trump promised further sanctions from the US and partners if any ceasefire is struck and then not respected.

Speaking from Kyiv, he said the five leaders in the Ukrainian capital on Saturday had agreed on the need for an unconditional ceasefire.

Sir Keir said all of us here, together with US, are calling Putin out.

Great to speak to @POTUS from Kyiv, as we come together to call on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Space must be created for talks on a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/HZBhiBaiAa  Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 10, 2025

He said that if the Russian president is serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Sir Keir added: No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays.

He also said: Ukraine has shown the willingness to engage again and again, but again and again, Putin has refused.

From left, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Polands Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in Kyiv (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

So we are clear, all five leaders here  all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the coalition of the willing  an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putins conditions, and clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.

Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraines defence to pressure Russia back to the table.

Speaking to broadcasters later from Kyiv, Sir Keir said that today feels like weve got one step closer to a ceasefire which is desperately needed.

It comes after Mr Trump called for ideally a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

In a post on his Truth Socal platform on Thursday, he said that if the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions.

He added: As President, I will stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine, together with the Europeans, and a Lasting Peace it will be!

Following the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kyiv, all five leaders @ZelenskyyUa @EmmanuelMacron @bundeskanzler @donaldtusk @Keir_Starmer had a fruitful call with @POTUS focused on peace efforts. Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, pic.twitter.com/MEfbtjtE4m  Andrii Sybiha  (@andrii_sybiha) May 10, 2025

Sir Keir has been in the Ukrainian capital with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for further talks on the so-called coalition of the willing, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

They also held a virtual meeting with other leaders involved in the coalition around the globe.

The five leaders in Ukraine on Saturday spoke to the US president on the phone, and are understood to have updated him on coalition of the willing plans, in a call that lasted about 20 minutes and was described by a UK source as warm.

Mr Zelensky said on X that it was a good conversation with the American leader that was positive and concrete.

We share a common view: an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire is needed for at least 30 days. We propose it begin on Monday May 12. We are waiting for Russias response, he said.

After the conclusion of the summit in Kyiv, we all spoke with @POTUS. It was a good conversation  positive and concrete. I am grateful to President Trump. We share a common view: an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire is needed for at least 30 days. We propose it begin  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) May 10, 2025

Sir Keir posted a video on X on Saturday to mark his visit to Kyiv, and said that he will not rest until we secure a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people.

After arriving in Kyiv, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz joined Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska to place candles at a makeshift memorial to killed Ukrainian soldiers, in Kyivs Independence Square, during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

In a joint statement before their visit, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz said they will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russias barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.

Military officers from about 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for the coalition of the willing which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, third right, and European foreign ministers visit a military cemetery where Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russia's invasion of Ukraine are buried, during their meeting in Lviv, Ukraine on Friday

Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, third right, and European foreign ministers visit a military cemetery where Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russia's invasion of Ukraine are buried, during their meeting in Lviv, Ukraine on Friday Photograph: AP

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he would like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to get this war ended in Ukraine as he pushes for a 30-day ceasefire. Trump, who departs on Monday on a trip to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, was asked what his message to Putin is in the wake of a warning from the US embassy in Kyiv about a potentially significant air attack in the coming days. I have a message for both parties: Get this war ended, Trump said of Ukraine and Russia. Get this stupid war finished.

Ukrainian troops have made further attempts to breach the Russian border in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday as President Putin hosted world leaders at a major military parade in Moscow. The defence ministry said the attacks occurred during a three-day ceasefire running from 8-10 May that Russia has unilaterally declared to mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in the second world war.

Ukraine has called the ceasefire a farce and on Friday documented scores of armed clashes.
Credit: ISPR Directorate of Pakistan Armed Forces

In a conflict characterised by a flood of misinformation, Muhammad Saleem knew something was really happening when he saw a missile pass over the roof of his home on Thursday night.

Seconds later, the Indian projectile smashed into a Pakistani air force base in Rawalpindi, exploding in flames and igniting the most dangerous round of fighting yet between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

At around 3am local time, Indian jets launched missiles at Nur Khan and two more air bases, Murid and Rafiqi, with the defence ministry citing an earlier wave of Pakistani attacks in justification. Footage of blasts lighting up the night surged across Pakistani social media.

On the ground in Rawalpindi, the garrison city that houses the headquarters of the Pakistani armed forces, crowds poured onto the street chanting Pakistan Zindabad, or victory to Pakistan.

I saw the missile from the top of my house, Mr Saleem, who is in his late 40s, told The Telegraph. There were several explosions.

Like dozens of others, he headed towards the Nur Khan air base, originally built by the RAF and used in the Second World War. God is great, shouted the nervous residents.

With flames still burning, we saw a missile had hit the base area, Mr Saleem said.

At a 3.30am press conference, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesman for Pakistans army, accused India of pushing the whole region towards a dangerous war with its madness.

Pakistans air defences had shot down all but a few Indian missiles which sneaked in but did not cause any damage, he claimed. Nur Khan hosts transport and signals-intelligence-collecting aircraft, rather than fighter jets.

Shaky phone camera footage from a rooftop hundreds of yards away appeared to show something erupting in flames on impact.

Ending his press conference, Mr Chaudhry issued a warning: India must now prepare for Pakistans response.

After little more than an hour, Pakistani air force jets took off for the launch of Operation Bunyam um-Marsoos, a phrase taken from the Koran that translates as unbreakable wall of lead.

With several local Pakistani journalists briefed that the operation was underway before its targets were known, there was a moment when the region felt flung into the air  with where, and how hard it would come down, unclear.

Islamabad issued a notice to airmen announcing the total closure of its airspace from 3.15am until noon on Saturday.

Targets are acquired and locked, one popular anonymous X account wrote, promising strikes that would send chills down their spines, instilling dread in seven generations.

The impact, AirlinePilotmax claimed, would reshape Indias ideological core for decades.

Then the missiles hit. At 5.52am, state-run Pakistani media reported that the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) had struck air bases in Pathankot, Udhampur and a storage site in the Beas region for the long-range, supersonic Brahmos missile.

An eye for an eye, said a statement from Pakistans military.

In Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents took shelter from pounding explosions on their lower floors. Two loud blasts shook the ground. Dust filled the air. I thought jets had begun bombing the airport, said Wasim Adhmad.

Were used to gunfire and mines, but this is something else. It feels like death in the air.

Later, PTV claimed that an Indian S-400 air defence missile system, worth roughly $1 billion, had also been destroyed  but the report was swiftly denied by New Delhi.

The aftermath of cross-border shelling from Pakistan, at Jammu town in Jammu and Kashmir - MUKESH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

There were a few minutes to take stock; the damage looked more like tit-for-tat than armageddon. Both sides could claim wins. Civilian casualty numbers were not being bandied around.

At 7am, Ishaq Dar, Pakistans foreign minister, was making conciliatory comments in an interview with Geo News, a local TV channel. If they stop, so will we, he said. Khawaja Asif, the defence minister, denied reports of an urgent meeting of Pakistans National Command Authority (NCA), which oversees Islamabads nuclear arsenal.

In New Delhi, there were echoes. Indias armed forces had given a befitting reply to Pakistani strikes on schools and health facilities at Indias air bases in Kashmir, said Colonel Sophia Qureshi.

All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately, added Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.

Outside of Kashmir, the last time India and Pakistan targeted each others military facilities with this level of ferocity came in the 1971 war, which ended with Islamabads defeat and the breakaway formation of Bangladesh.

Then, neither side possessed nuclear weapons. It may have been the prospect of an all-out war between two nations capable of destroying entire cities at the push of a button which roused Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to personally intervene and call for calm.

Explosives and debris of a drone which were intercepted by India on the outskirts of Amritsar on Saturday - NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images

Under Donald Trump, Washington had largely stood aside as tensions rose. JD Vance, the vice-president, said the conflict was fundamentally none of our business. Mr Trump had called the hostilities little more than a shame, adding: I get along with both, I know both very well, and I want to see them work it out.

Indian diplomats told The Telegraph there had not been the familiar descent of US officials on New Delhi and Islamabad, as there had been in previous rounds of fighting.

Mr Rubio spoke with Dr S Jaishankar, Indias foreign minister, as well as Mr Dar and Asim Munir, the head of the Pakistani army, who is the most powerful person in the country.

According to a statement from the state department, Mr Rubio offered Mr Munir US assistance in starting constructive talks towards peace. As so often happens, a United States seeking to disentangle itself from foreign conflicts appeared to be pulled back into one.

On Saturday afternoon, Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, held a cabinet meeting where he sought to lay down a new red line in the region. Any terror attack on India would be considered an act of war by Pakistan, government sources told the Times of India.

An anti-India protest in Karachi on Saturday - RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP via Getty Images

For too long, Mr Modi and many Indians feel, the country has passively put up with massacres on its territory. Islamabad has failed to root out terrorists, they say  indeed at times it has indulged them.

In the Pahalgam attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month, gunmen asked victims their religion before executing any Hindus. Tell your government. Tell Modi what we did, one attacker told a woman after shooting her husband in the head at point-blank range.

Mr Modi, a thoroughbred Hindu nationalist, promised to pursue [the terrorists] to the end of the earth. Pakistans fervent denials of any backing for the attack did not convince him, nor critics suggesting he should loosen repression of the largely Muslim population in Kashmir.

With his speech to cabinet on Saturday, the prime minister both appeared to be drawing a line under the fighting ignited by the Pahalgam attack, and threatening a far more violent encore should it ever be repeated.

It appeared that Americas late-night return to pulling strings in foreign conflicts had paid off  although Indian officials briefed local news that the talks were direct with Pakistan and the US role was exaggerated.

CNN reported that Mr Vance, Mr Rubio and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, had been stung into action by alarming intelligence reports.

Trump administration officials declined to reveal the nature of the intelligence, but said it was serious enough to prompt an immediate change of approach.

At 5pm local time (8am in Washington), Mr Trump surprised the world by being the first to announce the agreement of a full ceasefire.

The president, who had appeared disinterested, could claim to be a peacemaker. Few doubt such services will be needed again before long.
Honest Mobile is one of the UKs fastest-growing mobile operators under co-founders Josh Mihill and Andy Aitken, right.

No one loves their mobile network, thought Andy Aitken, co-founder of challenger network Honest Mobile. But we figured in a moment of pure naivety, how hard could it be? What if we could build a mobile network that people liked? That was the bar we were aiming for.

First, though, to the pub where Aitken met school friend Josh Mihill and the idea was conceived for their telecoms business, one which would aim to stamp out confusing contracts, annual price hikes, poor coverage and service.

Honest Mobile launched in 2019 and is billed as the UKs first B Corp and carbon-negative mobile network. The London-based firm, which offers competitive sim only deals, currently has nearly 25,000 customers and is aiming for a bold 100,000 by the end of the year.

Read More: Impossibrew CEO says Dragons' Den failure sparked alcohol-free brand's rise

Everyone has a mobile, pretty much, people are used to paying for it and people are unhappy, adds Aitken, CEO and co-founder alongside Mihill. We got really excited about it and that was how it started.

Before taking on the likes of Vodafone (VOD.L) and EE with loyalty perks to reduce bills, Lincolnshire-born Aitken landed his first summer job as a 16-year-old thanks to his father, who worked at Boots' headquarters.

They were running clinical trials and needed a bunch of students to come in and pack hundreds of thousands of white pills into blister packs, he says.

Honest Mobile is billed as the UKs first B Corp and carbon-negative mobile network.

I think the only two lessons I'd learned were that I didnt want to commute because it was an hours drive each way and I didnt want to work in a white room, in scrubs, packing white pills.

Instead, his two main jobs before founding Honest came with Deloitte, where he worked for nearly 12 years, training to be an accountant before running a team that worked with start-ups.

I think actually moving away from attention to detail is probably my career direction, he admits. I much prefer getting 80% done quickly, and that final 20% is not my area of expertise.

Read More: 'Studying chemistry helped me sell millions of oat milk bottles'

But Josh, my co-founder, he's a real perfectionist. And so actually we work quite well together because he's great at dealing with that last 20%.

Mihill, a product designer by trade, had discussed at that pub session with Aitken a pitch he was concocting on selling millions of iPhone cases, before a deeper conversation ensued into the telecoms industry.

Previously, Aitken had switched provider to O2 as he wanted an iPhone, moved to California for a stint and needed to keep his UK number. On return, Aitken switched to another network which promptly lost the number he had since he was a teenager. A month later he was told the last digit had been deleted by accident when the CSV file was passed over.

An early telecoms signal? Honest Mobile co-founder Andy Aitken, pictured aged three.

But it's sort of universal," adds Aitken. If you wanted to write a joke about bad customer support, you'd probably pick your mobile provider. Meanwhile, there was Monzo and Revolut in banking and Bulb and Octopus in energy. It just felt like no one had done anything in telecoms for like 20 years.

In 2019, the same year Honest launched, watchdog Ofcom announced new rules whereby consumers could switch providers with a single free text. Six years on, Aitken believes a majority are still unaware.

It's not in the big operators' interest to publicise that, he adds.

People still think of switching their phone number as this torturous process where your number goes missing, like mine did. If you give it to us, you can choose your switch day and we will cancel your old contract and you never need to speak to them [networks].

Honest Mobile has a team of around 25 based in south London.

Customer service is a pivotal part of Honest's business. Average response time last year, he says, was 24 seconds while AI has been trained on five years worth of conversations from its in-house support team. Around 60% of consumer conversations are now handled by AI, while customers can speak to a real human in 20 seconds.

Last autumn, Honest, which harnesses Three UKs network for its plans, rolled out its Smart Sim to tackle poor signal and expensive roaming. The product kicks in when the primary sim loses signal and connects to other available networks.

Read More: Meet the 'jokers from London' who sold 100,000 blocks of butter in first 10 weeks

The biggest single complaint we hear from customers or those who aren't customers is, 'all I care about is signal, says Aitken. What is the point of having a phone if it's not connected?

Looking back, Aitken perhaps didnt believe that consumer connectivity would resonate quite so rapidly when Honest Mobile, which recorded 1.4m turnover last year, ran some Facebook ads in 2019.

I think it's incredible that a bloke called Andy said why don't you switch to Honest Mobile? and people did. It's kind of extraordinary really.

CEO Says: Co-founder Andy Aitken on

How to become a green mobile operator

All of the team's phones and laptops are refurbished. We barely travel for work and when we do, we do it in the most environmentally sound way we can. Our packaging is also recycled and we were the first UK network to move to recycled plastic SIM cards.

We've tried to push the balance, but the reality is the vast majority of our carbon footprint as a business sits with people using their handsets. So watching Netflix (NFLX), making calls, all of those things when you add them up across tens of thousands of users creates a carbon footprint and so we monitor that monthly for every customer.

We work out the carbon footprint of charging your phone every night. And then we remove that twice over through carbon removal technologies. We use direct air capture where they suck carbon out of the air and pump it into old oil wells as stone.

Honest Mobile says it's grown into one of the UKs top-rated networks on Trustpilot. (Imgorthand via Getty Images)

We sink seaweed in the middle of the ocean and we create biochar. It is like charcoal and you spread it in fields and it permanently captures the CO2, but also increases the fertility of that soil.

What we really want to do is show the rest of the industry that you can do more. And because we piggyback on other people's infrastructure, I'd love to just click my fingers and switch the whole industry to renewable energy overnight. But I can't.

The more the big networks see that we're growing really fast, the more they'll realise that people actually care about sustainability and care about making an impact in their decision-making. If we can make our phones and the consumption we do through our phones have less of an impact, then that's a good thing.

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Charlene Erasito onboard the submersible in the Pristine Seas expedition. Photograph: Whitney Goodell/National Geographic Pristine Seas

On the island of Rotuma in Fiji, Christmas is a time of joy, a celebration bursting with song, dance and laughter. Charlene Erasito remembers watching the festivities there when she was a child, captivated as people paraded through the village for fara, a local Christmas celebration.

Related: Trawl the sea or mine for metals? Pacific nations wrestle with how to protect oceans - and livelihoods

Erasito never imagined that decades later, she would return to the same shores, no longer as a spectator but as a scientist. Erasito, now 30 years old, is the only female Pacific Islander aboard an ambitious expedition seeking to document unexplored ocean ecosystems in Fijian waters.

The months-long project, led by National Geographic Pristine Seas, began in April with a crew of local and international experts. It starts with deep sea exploration and will later examine shallower parts of the ocean. The expedition began in Fiji and will also travel to Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Stepping on the deck of the research vessel last month, Erasito was affectionately nicknamed Moana by her crew mates  a title she accepts with a laugh.

It was funny because, as a child, I actually had a pet pig and chicken, Erasito says, referencing the popular animated Disney film. Except I named them Pig and Chicken. Zero creativity there.

Erasito is studying for her PhD at the French national institute for ocean science and technology. The invitation to join the expedition came after her research on seamounts  underwater mountains that rise from the sea floor- and biodiversity in New Caledonia impressed the Pristine Seas team. In that project, she used remote-operated vehicles, imagery and acoustic data to explore deep-sea life.

She has family links to Rotuma and was speechless when asked to join the Fijian project.

I was at work in France when the invitation came. It took me days to process and respond. It was surreal, she says.

I was thrilled to be going back to sea, but this expedition would be different. We would be exploring deep-sea ecosystems around my home island of Rotuma  something I never imagined Id have the chance to do she says.

Erasito says it felt like a duty to return to the Rotuma, where she remembers travelling as a child for her late fathers work. She had fond memories of swimming, fishing and the beach.

I used to listen to stories of night fishing that my dad would share or different aspects of Rotuma  but mostly the significance of the ocean to Rotuma and her people.

Every person we met on the island felt like family  whether or not we were actually related. Thats the magic of home.

The expedition has given Erasito experience with new technologies including types of underwater cameras and video tools.

Seeing the deep-sea footage  the fish, the corals, and the life hidden beneath the surface  was incredible. And to know were exploring with minimal disruption to these fragile habitats was important to me.

The deep-sea part of the Rotuma exploration has wrapped up, and the vessel is on its way to Tuvalu. So far, scientists have documented diverse and healthy ecosystems, and have begun sharing their knowledge with village chiefs. At the end of the journey, they will report the full findings to government and other partners.

Dr Keiron Fraser, expedition leader for Pristine Seas, said Fiji and Rotuma are home to an awe-inspiring array of marine life

Guided by our local partners, this team will help unlock the mysteries of the ocean so we can learn how to best protect it, he said.

Related: Worlds largest known coral discovered in Solomon Islands

The Pacific Ocean is home to many, but due to its sheer size, there are areas that are yet to be fully explored.

For many of our islands, the ocean isnt just our back yard. Its our lifeline. Protecting it starts with knowledge  and that starts with expeditions like this, Erasito says.

Fraser says Erasitos involvement has been inspiring for the young people in Rotuma.

Weve been unbelievably lucky to have Charlene with us. The children loved her a real example of whats possible.

Erasito hopes other young Pacific women will follow her path.

The ocean is in our blood, our stories, and our responsibilities. You belong  in science, on ships, in submarines, and in rooms where ocean decisions are made. Follow your heart.

 This story was amended on 13 May 2025 to remove a reference to the expedition visiting Tonga and replace it with Vanuatu.
Side view of a Cottonmouth snake, ready to strike  KF2017/Shutterstock.com

The Sunshine State, also known as Florida, is well-known for its oranges, beaches, and, unfortunately, snakes. Florida holds the record for the 7th highest number of snake species in the nation. With this being said, it is no surprise that researchers at the University of Florida (UF) had no shortage of snake bites to survey for a recent study.

Even though snakes are one of the most lethal animals in the world, snake bite research is limited. Thankfully, researchers from the University of Florida surveyed 546 venomous snake bite cases in Florida between 2002 and 2022. This survey explains many aspects of snakebites, including which snakes bite the most, who is getting bitten and why, and how this has changed over two decades. A key part of this study presents information on how to avoid snake bites and what to do post-bite.

So, get ready to slither into 20 years of Florida snakebite data and highlight areas where it can teach us.

Timber rattlesnakes are native  and venomous  members of Floridas snake landscape. Mark_Kostich/Shutterstock.co

Inside the 20-Year Study

The UF study discovered that most of the snake bite data collected from the Shands Hospital in Gainsville FL, occurred in male patients, mostly adults ages 21-65 (64.9%), followed by children/adolescents ages 0-20 (28.3%), with seniors >65 years being the smallest percentage (6.8%).

This study shows venomous snakes are a real public health problem in Florida. Florida contains six venomous snake species, and these incidents are common. The CDC reports that about 7,000-8,000 people across the country sustain bites from venomous snakes each year in the U.S. Although the fatality rate is low, many survivors experience permanent injuries like lost fingers or tissue damage. As for the behavior that led them to the snake bite, most individuals were intentionally handling or pestering the snake. Other cases were victims who were simply unlucky and stumbled upon the snake. In addition, most of the victims were bitten on the hand/finger. Second to this was the foot/toe.

In areas where there is poor access to healthcare, bites can prove fatal. So while Floridas medical care keeps most bites survivable, understanding and preventing bites is still important.

Who Are The Usual Suspects?

Even though Florida is home to a variety of venomous snakes, two species stood out as the chief culprits in 20 years of data: pygmy rattlesnakes and cottonmouths (water moccasins). Together, these two snakes accounted for over half of all identified bites in this study. Lets dive into some details about these two snakes.

Cottonmouth snakes are named after the characteristic cotton white lining in their mouth. Seth LaGrange/Shutterstock.co

According to the study, this snake made up 27.1% of snake bites from 2002-2022. Cottonmouths are defensive snakes that can grow fairly large (2-4 feet) and are infamous for the cotton white lining in their mouths that they show when threatened. Their habits of basking near waterways or hiding in brush can lead to people accidentally getting too close.

Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius)

Floridas native pygmy rattlesnake is one of the smallest rattlesnake species in the world. Kristian Bell/Shutterstock.co

The pygmy rattlesnakes are small snakes found commonly throughout Florida. According to the study, they accounted for 27.8% of all bites of the data from 2002 to 2022. These snakes lurk in flatwoods, palmetto scrubs, and even some suburban areas. The beautiful coloration of gray and dark blotches helps them camouflage against the forest floor.

Although these two were the most prevalent in the study, Florida has four other native venomous snakes that made contributions to the bite count.

To add to this, about 5% of bites were from non-native (exotic) venomous snakes. In about 9% of cases, the species could not be identified. With Floridas thriving reptile trade and hobbyist community, it might be best to keep in mind if it is venomous and out there, eventually, someone will get too close.

Bite Aftermath: Symptoms And Outcomes

What happens after a venomous snake bite? The Florida study offered a look at the outcomes for those cases over the 20 years. Most of the patients recovered, but the journey began with significant pain and treatment. Sadly, a few of the bites tragically turned fatal despite care. Not to mention, even with antivenom 10-44% of rattlesnake bite survivors have lasting injuries.

Typical symptoms included swelling around the bite, numbness or tingling, and nausea. These reactions are common to venom, which usually affects tissue and blood. Even though these patients eventually ended up at the hospital, 10% of them tried some form of inappropriate first aid (tourniquets, cutting the wound, suction of venom) before seeking professional help. In this study, the average time from bite to antivenom was quite delayed: patients took about 2.03 hours to reach the hospital, then an additional 4.22 hours before the antivenom was administered. Why does it take 6 hours from bite to antivenom in these cases? In some cases, the bite may seem mild at first, and that could potentially cause this delay. Since this venom can cause rapid degradation of tissues and blood vessels, it is not worth the gamble to wait it out.

Evidence-Based Tips To Help Avoid Snakebites (And What To Do If Bitten)

Leave snakes alone. Do not harass or handle snakes. Watch where you put your hands and feet. Snakes like to hide in tall grass, leaf piles, and under logs. Wear protective clothing like long pants and boots. Educate the family on basic snake safety. Be cautious in snake habitats.

Even with all these precautions, there is still a possibility of encountering a snake. In that case, dont try to kill it. Try giving it space and backing away slowly. If you happen to get bitten, make sure to get medical help immediately. Remove any constricting clothing and try to keep the wound elevated if possible. Most Florida hospitals are well-equipped for snake bites, but as these bites are time-sensitive, the goal is to get medical help as soon as possible.

Lessons And Looking Ahead

The more we understand snake and human interactions, the better we can avoid negative encounters. This study gives us the data to drive these lessons home. Most bites can be avoided by not doing something risky, staying alert, and respecting the snakes space. For those unfortunate encounters that still occur, swift action can save life and limb. In Floridas great outdoors, it is crucial to keep these insights in mind.

The post These 2 Snake Species are Floridas Main Snakebite Offenders, a New Study Reveal appeared first on A-Z Animals.
By Laurie Chen and David Lawder

BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China and the United States start their first major Trade War Two meeting on Saturday to pull back from what analysts describe as a lose-lose situation for their economies, without much clarity on what a win would look like for either side.

China is at the epicentre of U.S. President Donald Trump's global trade war that has roiled financial markets, upended supply chains and fuelled risks of a sharp worldwide economic downturn.

Washington wants to reduce its trade deficit with Beijing and convince China to renounce what the U.S. says is a mercantilist economic model and contribute more to global consumption, which would imply, among other things, painful domestic reforms.

Beijing resists any outside interference with its development path as it sees industrial and technological advancement as crucial to avoid the middle income trap. It wants Washington to remove tariffs, specify what it wants China to buy more of, and be treated as equals on the global stage.

The two sides seem much further apart and at greater risk of a major fallout than during their first trade war in Trump's previous term.

And as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer meet China's economic tsar He Lifeng in Switzerland, none of these outcomes look realistic, analysts say.

The triple-digit, two-way tariffs are not the only point of tension in the weekend talks. Non-trade issues such as fentanyl, tech restrictions and geopolitics including the war in Ukraine are likely to further complicate the path to any resolution to a trade conflict that is disrupting the global economy.

Indeed, in an indication of how deeply non-tariff issues are in the mix, China is sending a top public-security official to the talks, a source familiar with the plans said.

"They're not going to resolve anything this weekend, other than just trying to determine if there's going to be a process, and what the agenda items will be," said Scott Kennedy, an expert in Chinese business affairs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

The best-case scenario for financial markets at this early stage would be an agreement to bring down tariffs from an excess of 100% - widely seen by markets as a virtual trade embargo - to levels that would allow products to flow each way, but still be hefty on American and Chinese businesses.

Trump, who unveiled the details of a new trade agreement between the United States and Britain, has signaled that punitive U.S. tariffs of 145% on Beijing would likely come down, and on Friday floated an alternative figure for the first time, saying on his social media platform that 80% "seems right." Even that is 20 points above the level he pledged on the campaign trail last year to levy against Chinese goods, and it was unclear how it would be received by the team from China, if it is presented by his negotiating team at all over the weekend.

"I expect Beijing will insist on receiving the same 90-day waiver on tariffs that all other countries received to create conducive conditions for negotiations," said Ryan Hass, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, adding that breakthroughs are unlikely.

"Since the U.S. decisions to escalate tariffs were made arbitrarily, the decision to de-escalate tariffs can similarly be made arbitrarily."

Most analysts don't expect a waiver. But a tariff reduction, however small, and an agreement for follow-up talks that could eventually encompass non-trade issues like fentanyl would still be seen as a positive outcome by investors.

"If there is a temporary truce or symmetrical rollback of tariffs, that would be conducive to future potential holistic negotiation efforts," said Bo Zhengyuan, Shanghai-based partner at consultancy firm Plenum.

TEMPORARY DE-ESCALATION

While either side might be able to dress any rollbacks as an early win to their domestic audiences, Chinese factories and their workers are likely to start feeling the tariff pain in coming months, while Americans are staring at higher prices and unemployment.

And the root cause of the conflict will still be there.

The lopsided global trade environment in which most economies around the world rely too heavily on affordable and efficient Chinese production on the supply side and wealthy American consumers for demand won't be fixed by next week.

But markets for now are at least relieved that the world's leading powers have a chance to walk back from a path of escalating threats that investors feared might spill over from trade into finance and other areas.

Lynn Song, ING's chief Greater China economist, expects any de-escalation to bring back tariffs to around 60%, in line with Trump's pre-election pledges.

This would "still be high enough to bar many products with suitable alternatives," but also "a level that allows importers to buy products without substitutions with less pain," she said.

RHETORICAL POSTURING

Before the Saturday meeting, much of the back-channel preparations between China and the United States were bogged down by disputes over fentanyl, the seniority of negotiating officials, and the tone of rhetoric used by the U.S., Reuters reported on Friday.

Conflicting statements from both sides over who approached whom led to a further hardening in Beijing's public messaging, as one state newspaper warned of a "protracted struggle".

However, China last week signalled through a state media-affiliated blog that engaging in talks "does no harm at this stage" and that Beijing can "use this opportunity to observe, and even draw out the U.S.'s true intentions".

Analysts say that Beijing's attempts to portray Washington as the more anxious and pressured party give it political cover to engage in talks, as well as projecting strength domestically.

"We are not watching anymore for who blinks first, but for how either side will spin the other as having blinked first," said a Beijing-based diplomat.

(Additional reporting by Michael Martina and Andrea Shalal in Washington and the Hong Kong newsroomEditing by Shri Navaratnam)
Baby Capybaras  Michel VIARD/iStock via Getty Images

Is there anything more relaxing than meeting a friend for coffee or tea at your local cafe? Its one of those simple joys in life that is good for the soul. So, imagine how much better it would be if your friend were a four-legged animal instead! It would be a dream  one that you can actually make come true at one of several animal-focused cafes around the world. Guests can hang out with rescue cats to play with and/or adopt, take pictures of capybaras, and get up close and personal with micro pigs at one of these cool spots. An afternoon pick-me-up with an added dose of animal-cuddling serotonin? Sign us up!

Capybara Cafe

Gentle and sweet, capybaras are perfect for cuddling at the Capybara Cafe. iStock.com/Hakase_

Capybaras are so cute. This semi-aquatic rodent (also known as a water hog) lives in Central and South America. The little cuties can dive and swim, and they have eyes, ears, and nostrils on top of their furry heads. These gentle creatures are perfect for snuggling at the Capybara Cafe in St. Augustine, Florida. This venue allows visitors to hang out with adorable capybaras to raise money for animal conservation through Noahs Ark Sanctuary. Stephanie Angel, who opened the Capybara Cafe last year, told the Associated Press, You give them lots of scratches and love.

A lot of times [the capybaras] climb on your lap because theyre very used to people, and if youre really good at giving scratches, theyll actually fall over, she went on. So thats always our goal to get them so comfortable that they fall over.

How sweet is that? Hundreds of people have visited the cafe since it opened, with reservations recommended as it can fill up quickly. When you arrive, youll get a blanket to put over your lap, so capybaras can comfortably crawl on you. You may even get to visit other cute animals, like baby skunks, ferrets, and armadillos. Tickets begin at $49 per person for a 30-minute visit with capybaras.

Mipig Cafe

Micro pigs (or mini pigs) are so sweet to cozy up with at the Mipig Cafe. Above, a young visitor to the Kyoto, Japan location holds three at once in her lap. Ashley Haugen

Not all pigs are found on the farm. In Japan, you can see adorable micro pigs at the Mipig Cafe! Micro pigs, also known as mini pigs or teacup pigs, can grow 14-20 inches tall and weigh between 50-200 pounds. They make great therapy animals, as they are both cute and smart, although they can also be playfully destructive and make messes throughout the house. You dont have to worry about any of that at Mipig Cafe, though. Here, you can play with baby and adult micro pigs, who roam around the floor and interact with guests. Youll want to plan on being there for 1-2 hours to make sure you have enough time to relax and interact with all the cute micro pigs.

In addition to being a fun place to play, the Mipig Cafe also serves as a training environment where micro pigs learn to interact with others. Later, the pigs are adopted out, so if you cant leave without one, this is a great chance to get to know them first. There are at least 10 Mipig Cafes in Japan, where the animals are cared for by staff. Reservations are required, with prices varying depending on time and location. Visits start at 25-minute increments.

KitTea Cat Lounge

Snuggle with cats (if theyll let you!) at the KitTea Cat Lounge in San Francisco. evrymmnt/Shutterstock.com

As one of the earliest established cat cafes in the U.S., the KitTea Cat Lounge (see what they did there?) in San Francisco, California, is the ultimate stress reliever. Start with a beverage of your choiceartisan tea, sparkling drinks, or a cold brew, for example. Then, kick back and relax with rescue cats, some of which you can actually adopt at the end of the visit. Each guest will receive a complimentary cold beverage, which they can sip as they make their way to the Cat Lounge. Take off your shoes and wear socks for your 55-minute visit, during which 20-30 cats will roam, play, rest, or possibly avoid you. Its the cats world, and we just live in it, after all!

In addition to regular cat cuddling sessions, the KitTea Cat Lounge also hosts fun events throughout the year, such as Whiskers & Watercolors evenings, Cello & Chill (With Cats) nights, and more. The lounge was founded in 2014 and works with underfunded shelters across the Bay Area and Central Valley. They focus on rescuing at-risk cats, including seniors, bonded pairs, and other sweet felines that are overlooked in shelters. What could be better than sweet cat cuddles in the middle of your vacation? It sounds purr-fect!

The post These Animal Cafes Are Perfect for Coffee and Cuddles appeared first on A-Z Animals.
FILE - Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reviews an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)  The interim government in Bangladesh on Saturday banned all activities of the former ruling Awami League party headed by former influential Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted last year in a mass uprising.

Asif Nazrul, the country's law affairs adviser, said late Saturday the interim Cabinet headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus decided to ban the party's activities online and elsewhere under the country's Anti-Terrorism Act. The ban would stay in place until a special tribunal completes a trial of the party and its leaders over the deaths of hundreds of students and other protesters during an anti-government uprising in July and August last year.

This decision is aimed at ensuring national security and sovereignty, protection of activists of the July movement, and plaintiffs and witnesses involved in the tribunal proceedings," Nazrul told reporters after a special Cabinet meeting.

Nazrul said the meeting Saturday also expanded scope for trying any political parties involving charges of killing during the anti-Hasina protest being handled by the International Crimes Tribunal.

He said a government notification regarding the ban would be published soon with details.

Hasina and many of her senior party colleagues have been accused of murder in many cases after her ouster last year. Hasina has been in exile in India since Aug. 5 as her official residence was stormed by protesters soon after she left the country.

The United Nations human rights office in a report said in February that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during three weeks of anti-Hasina protest.

Saturday night's dramatic decision came after thousands of protesters, including supporters of a newly formed political party by students, took to the streets in Dhaka and issued an ultimatum to ban the Awami League party by Saturday night. The members of the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami party also prominently took part in the protest.

There was no immediate reaction from Hasina or her party, but the chief of the National Citizen Party, Nahid Islam, who is also a student leader, applauded the Yunus-led government for its decision.

The student-led uprising ended Hasina's 15 years of rule, and three days after her fall Yunus took the helm as interim leader.
Cavan Images, Simon McGill / Getty Images

If youve visited a buzzy bar in any major city in the last 15 years, youve probably encountered craft cocktails made with tequila or mezcal. At the very least, youve likely sipped a Margarita or two on a patio or stoop when temperatures soared, or you had surplus limes.

Tequila and mezcal are the hottest spirits on the market right now, says Ketsuda Nan Chaison, the bartender-turned-restaurateur behind Mestizo and Libre restaurants in Portland, Oregon.

Yet, confusion about tequila and mezcal abounds, particularly for those new to the agave party. Is tequila a type of mezcal, or the other way around? Can you swap them in a cocktail? And what is agave, exactly?

Ready to dive into the richly nuanced world of tequila and mezcal? Heres what you need to know.

Related: A Beginners Guide to the Agave Species Used to Make Mezcal

The history of agave spirits

The popularity of tequila and mezcal has surged stateside, but its just the latest development in their long, intertwined heritage. The spirits have deep roots in indigenous and agricultural communities throughout Mexico. Some historians trace their origins to Aztec ceremonies around 250 AD. They often note that the word mezcal is derived from a Nahuatl term that means cooked or baked agave.

For many, tequila and mezcal are more than ingredients, but also cultural touchstones and global emissaries. They can be important for Mexican culture because I think a lot of the producers can express themselves through their craft, family bond, and the love of the land, says Diego Livera, head bartender of The Cabinet Mezcal Bar in New York City.

What is tequila?

Tequila is a distilled spirit made from blue Weber agave, a succulent that hails from arid regions in the Americas.

There are five types of tequila: blanco, or unaged; reposado, which sits in oak or steel barrels from two months to one year before its bottled; anejo, a golden version that ages in oak barrels for one to three years; extra anejo, aged for a minimum of three years, and joven, a blend of mostly blanco, plus some aged tequilas.







Tequila Fast Facts

There are five types of tequila.

Tequila must be made from blue Weber agave.

Most tequila is made in Jalisco.

It can only be produced within five Mexican states.







Like Champagne, tequila is a geographically specific product with a designated appellation of origin (DO). A Mexican governing body, Consejo Regular del Tequila (CRT), regulates where and how its made.

Most tequila comes from Jalisco, a Pacific-facing Mexican state thats home to a city named Tequila. The spirit can also be produced in specific municipalities within four other Mexican states: Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.

How tequila is made

To make tequila, the agave pinas, or hearts, are roasted or steamed in ovens to convert the starches into fermentable sugars. Its typically double-distilled in stainless steel and copper-pot stills, and its bottled anywhere from 35% to 55% ABV.

Quality tequilas are made from 100% blue agave, but the CRT also permits distillers to make a type of tequila called mixto. Its required to contain at least 51% blue agave, but mixto can include non-agave sugars like cane sugar prior to fermentation. Some drinks professionals believe that mixto tequilas are subpar representations of the spirit.

For the most part, a mixto tequila will have a lot of artificial-tasting flavors, says William Brooks, global brand ambassador for Tequila Herradura and El Jimador. He says that mixto tequilas can be sweeter and lack the layered flavors and minerality of those made from 100% agave. Even malolactic notes are common in 100% agave tequila, and [they] are lost in mixto tequilas, he says.

What is mezcal?

Mezcal is a broad category of spirits made from roasted agave hearts commonly referred to as pinas.

Once, mezcal could be made anywhere in Mexico and from any type of maguey, or agave plant. In 1995, mezcal received DO status, and its production became more regulated.







Mezcal Fast Facts

Mezcal must contain 100% agave.

There are more than 40 approved agave species used to distill mezcal.

It can be made in nine Mexican states.

Other ingredients can be used to flavor mezcal during distillation, or can be infused afterwards.







Modern mezcal must contain 100% agave. There are more than 40 approved species, like espadin, tobala, and tepeztate. Production is permitted in nine Mexican states: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Tamaulipas, and Pueblo.

Mezcals categories encompass a range of age statements and ingredients, categorized primarily by the type of agave from which its distilled. Though not commonly barrel-aged, joven or blanco is unaged mezcal; reposado rests from two months to one year in wood; while anejo ages for at least one year in barrels.

Mezcal labeled madurado en vidrio is aged in glass. Flavored mezcal, or a spirit that contains flavorings added after distillation, will say abocado con, which translates to flavored with. If additional fruits or flavorings are included during distillation, its described as destilado con.



How mezcal is made

To make mezcal, the pinas are roasted for several days underground in earthen or stone-lined pits. The roasted pinas are then pulverized to extract juices, fibers, and caramelized sugars. Traditionally, this is done with a large stone wheel called a tahona thats pulled by a donkey or horse that circles the production area. Some modern distillers use a mechanized roller mill instead.

The extracted materials are fermented in open-air tanks and then distilled in small stills. Mezcal is bottled between 35-55% ABV.



The key differences between tequila and mezcal

The primary differences between tequila and mezcal have to do with specificity. Tequila must be made from blue Weber agave, and in one of five designated regions of Mexico. Mezcal can be made from an array of maguey, and in nine Mexican states.

Production processes vary, too. Mezcal production begins in an underground pit and entails many traditional practices, perhaps a donkey or two. However, tequila is often made with more modern processes and distilled twice in stainless steel or copper-pot stills.

Depending on their origin, production, and age, tequilas and mezcals can encompass a range of characteristics. Mezcal tends to have a wide variety of complex flavor profiles that range from fruity and herbal to vegetal and mineral-like. Tequila generally displays flavors and aromas of cooked agave, tropical fruit, and citrus. Due to production restrictions, tequila has a narrower range of flavors than mezcal.

How to use tequila vs. mezcal

In many bars, restaurants, and homes across Mexico, people sip tequila or mezcal neat. Tequila is sometimes paired with sangrita, a tangy, savory accompaniment. Mezcal might be served unadorned, or alongside salt or a slice of citrus.

Both spirits work well in cocktails. You can use tequila or mezcal interchangeably in most cocktails, says Jesse Vida, operating partner of Cat Bite Club in Singapore. Swapping in mezcal for the tequila used traditionally to make a Margarita or Paloma is really just a personal preference.

Chaison recommends to float an ounce of mezcal atop a Margarita made with tequila. Youll find its the best Margarita you've ever had, she says.

You can also combine the two spirits to make beautifully nuanced drinks, like in the Oaxaca Old Fashioned or Eclipse. Vida is a fan of this approach. At Cat Bite Club, we use a blend of tequila and mezcal in multiple cocktails  the best of both worlds, he says.

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Work to raise a superyacht that sank in Sicily last year, killing a U.K. tech mogul and six others, was suspended Saturday after the death of a specialized diver, according to local news reports.

The diver was part of a team working to raise the 185-foot "Bayesian" yacht that was struck by a pre-dawn storm in August last year while anchored off Porticello, near Palermo.

The yacht sunk within minutes after being struck by something akin to a mini-tornado, killing British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his teenage daughter and five others  Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy, U.S. lawyer Chris Morvillo, his wife Neda Morvillo and the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas, the BBC reported. Fifteen people managed to escape on a lifeboat, including a one-year-old child and Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares.

Authorities suspended work on raising the vessel after prosecutors opened an investigation Friday into the death of a 39-year-old diver, according to Italian media.

According to initial reports, the diver was part of a team working to cut and remove the 75-meter mast, a first step before recovery of the yacht itself, which is lying on its side on the seabed some 50 meters down.

Crew members, working aboard the floating crane ship HEBO, walk at the port after a diver died during preliminary operations to recover British tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht from the waters off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, Italy, May 9, 2025. / Credit: Igor Petyx / REUTERS

TMC Marine, the British company working to raise the superyacht, did not immediately respond to an AFP request for more information.

In a statement Friday cited by news reports, TMC Marine said it was cooperating with the probe and that "the circumstances of the accident are currently being investigated by the authorities."

Work to bring up the yacht began last week, with Italy's coastguard saying it would take up to 25 days.

Inquests into the deaths of the four British victims of the yacht sinking are currently being held in Ipswich, in eastern England.

In Italy, prosecutors in Termini Imerese have opened investigations into the captain and three others on suspicion of manslaughter and the crime of negligent shipwreck.

Lynch, the 59-year-old founder of software firm Autonomy, had invited friends and family onto the boat to celebrate his recent acquittal in a huge U.S. fraud case.

Who was Mike Lynch?

Lynch, once hailed as "Britain's Bill Gates," rose to prominence in the late 1990s with the development of his software company, Autonomy, which helped businesses quickly find information buried in email and other digital documents. In 2011, Lynch sold the business to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion, giving him a $800 million payday and cementing him as one of the U.K.'s richest people.

But the acquisition was later called one of the "most notorious failed mergers and acquisitions" after HP discovered alleged accounting issues, leading to Lynch's firing by HP's then-CEO, Meg Whitman. HP claimed that Autonomy had used accounting improprieties to bolster its underlying financials ahead of the acquisition, charges that Lynch steadfastly denied.

The case stretched into a 12-year legal fight that ended in June 2024 when a federal court jury in San Francisco delivered not-guilty verdicts.

Mike Lynch, former chief executive officer of Autonomy Corp., arrives at federal court in San Francisco, California, on Monday, March 18, 2024. / Credit: Loren Elliott/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Lynch, who earned a PhD in mathematical computing from the U.K.'s Cambridge University, first cofounded a company called Cambridge Neurodynamics, based on the cofounders' work with pattern recognition. The firm used the tech to match fingerprints and car license plates, according to a 1997 article in The Guardian.

From there, Lynch cofounded Autonomy in 1996, which relied on a statistical model called Bayesian inference, named after a theorem developed by the 18th century statistician Thomas Bayes. (Lynch's luxury yacht was christened the "Bayesian.")

The company tapped into the growing need of businesses to sort through and find information within the vast reams of data created by the increasing use of computers and digital documents.

Autonomy's steady growth during its first decade resulted in Lynch being awarded one of the U.K's highest honors, the Office of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2006.

Lynch told The Guardian in 1997 that people didn't quite believe that a growing tech business could emerge from the U.K.

"I have actually heard the comment, 'England, software? I thought you made bone china,'" he told the newspaper.

Trump touts UK trade deal, but U.S. companies fear they won't survive China tariffs

Saturday Sessions: The Head and the Heart performs "After The Setting Sun"

Saturday Sessions: The Head and the Heart performs "Time With My Sins"






In 2009, an 11-year-old entered Disneys Deck Out Your Room Sweepstakes without telling his parents  and won

Max Abrams was flown to Los Angeles, rode in a limo, toured the set, and met the entire cast of The Sweet Life on Deck

Now, over a decade later, hes sharing the full story of what it was like to live every Disney kids dream







Every few years, early 2000s kids start to wonder who actually won the sweepstakes advertised on Disney Channel  or if they were even real. It was the kind of childhood dream that sounded too good to be true.

Now, more than a decade later, the 2009 winner of the Deck Out Your Room Sweepstakes tells PEOPLE all about his star-studded experience.

You would watch Disney Channel, and during the commercial breaks, they would be like, oh, you know, we're announcing this new sweepstakes, and with your parents' permission, go online and sign up, Max Abrams tells PEOPLE exclusively. And if you win, you and three friends will get so on and so forth.

But Abrams reveals he didn't even ask for permission  just filled out the form and moved on. Like most kids, he didnt actually expect to win. However, he was in for a surprise when he randomly decided to check the family voicemail box several months later.

I came home from school and I checked the voicemail machine for some godforsaken reason, like, I have no clue why I was this curious in the voicemail box that day, Abrams recalls. I remember it like it was yesterday. And they said, You won. 

Understandably, his dad didnt believe it. As a stay-at-home parent from an older generation, he had no clue what the sweepstakes was  or why someone from Disney would be calling his house. He didn't know what Suite Life on Deck was  what is a sweepstakes? Like, how did these people get our phone number? Abrams says.

Eventually, after lots of back and forth with the network, it all started to feel real when a flight to Los Angeles was booked for him, his parents and his aunt and uncle.

Max Abrams Max Abrams enjoying some Coca-Cola in a limo

They landed at Los Angeles International Airport to find a man in a tuxedo holding a sign with Abrams name on it. They were then ushered into a limo stocked with unlimited cans of Coca-Cola. We're driving through the streets of L.A., he says. So everyone thinks that you're something and like, inside is this 11-year-old boy with a Coke having the time of his life.

Although the sweepstakes had promised a decked out room, that part turned out to be more metaphorical. When I checked into the hotel, it was under my name they handed me a skateboard with a gift box on top of it, and it was all Disney or Disney XD merchandise that theoretically I could have brought home to New York to deck out my room with, he explains. They didn't come and, like, renovate my room.

Max Abrams Max Abrams behind the scenes of "The Suite Life on Deck."

The situation became even more surreal once they pulled into the studio lot. It was like all these pre-teen girls crowded around the limo, like, who's gonna come out of it? And it was me, disappointingly for all of them, Abrams laughs.

The trip itself was packed with Disney magic, including a set visit to The Suite Life on Deck. I got to walk around the main deck of the cruise ship, Abrams shares. So I remember the hot tub was a real hot tub. I thought that was very coolmy parents were trying to get me to swim in it.

He even got to play with props and try on wardrobe items, making him feel like a VIP member. Abrams especially remembers wearing Mr. Moseby's suit jacket.

Max Abrams Max Abrams meeting Brenda Song, who played London Tipton

During his visit, Abrams got to meet several Disney stars, who were all very warm and welcoming. I was most excited to meet Brenda Song I think even at 11 I understood that she was an icon, he says. And I will literally never forget her coming in with hair rollers in her hair, and just being like the most gracious, sweetest person ever.

However, meeting Dylan and Cole Sprouse was more nerve-wracking than exciting for the fifth grader who didnt have many male friends.

It's Dylan and Cole Sprouse of all people, right? It's like, how am I gonna? I want them to think I'm cool, he remembers. Meanwhile, I'm wearing this Disney XD shirt that I got in a gift box the morning of. I was so uncool. But I remember them being very sweet.

Max Abrams Max Abrams trying on Mr. Moseby's iconic blue suit

Disney let the family keep the limo and chauffeur for nearly the whole week, which, luckily enough, coincided with Abrams' birthday. During their free time, he and his parents toured celebrity homes in Hollywood. The whole experience, he says, was unreal.

Before heading home, Disney handed him a thick stack of autographs  real signatures from nearly every major Disney star of the time, such as Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato.

To think that I got autographs from Suite Life on Deck, Jonas Brothers, Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana and Sunny With A Chance, all at the same time? We're talking about that era of Disney, like it was peak, Abrams emphasizes.

Max Abrams Max Abrams meeting Cole and Dylan Sprouse, who played Cody and Zack Martin, respectively.

The 11-year-old returned to school feeling like a "celebrity," passing out autographs and enjoying a brief burst of popularity.

I went from having like a few friends to having like a few more friends, Abrams reveals. I had a moment in the spotlight for like, maybe one month, and then it was summer break, and then you go to middle school I was back to being on the ground floor, but for a moment there, I was the coolest kid in school.

Years later, the 26-year-old content creator still remembers the whole thing vividly. I just remember being so overwhelmed. It just didn't stopthe gift box and then the limo, and then you meet the cast, and then you're at the set, and then the autographs, and it just didn't end.



Read the original article on People
From left: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrive at Kyiv railway station on May 10, 2025, ahead of a gathering of European leaders in the Ukranian capital. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland make an unprecedented joint visit to Kyiv on May 10, 2025 for talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr and to urge Russia to agree a ceasefire, a joint statement said. - Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland have told Russian leader Vladimir Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday or face possible massive sanctions, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, on a highly symbolic visit to Kyiv. The demand comes with the backing of the White House after a joint phone call with President Donald Trump, the Europeans said.

Standing alongside Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, the four leaders - Macron, new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britains Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk  said the ceasefire should be observed on land, at sea and in the air.

If successful, Macron said, it could pave the way for the immediate launch of negotiations to build a robust and lasting peace.

In an exclusive interview with CNNs Frederik Pleitgen shortly after the leaders called for the ceasefire, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is resistant to any kind of pressure.

Europe is actually confronting us very openly, Peskov said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin supports the idea of a ceasefire in general, but there are lots of questions about the recent proposal that still need answering. He did not expand on what these questions are.

The dramatic announcement gives Putin less than 36 hours to respond, and also means a complex mechanism of satellite monitoring and communications would need to become operational in the same, short time period.

We have agreed that from Monday 12th of May, a full and unconditional ceasefire must start for at least 30 days, Zelensky said. We demand it together from Russia and we know that the United States supports us in this.

The unconditional ceasefire means no conditions and an attempt to put conditions on it is to signal an intention to drag out the war and undermine diplomacy.

The four European leaders arrived together by train early Saturday morning and were met at Kyivs main railway station by Zelenskys chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Their first public engagement was at Independence Square, where they stood to honor Ukraines fallen soldiers. Then it was on to the citys Mariinsky Palace, where they met together for more than three hours.

The leaders of Ukraine, France, the United Kingdom and Germany pay their respects to victims of war at the Memorial for the Fallen in Kyiv on May 10, 2025. - Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Afterwards, the leaders sat together round a phone and spoke to Trump. Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted a photo of the moment on social media, saying the call had been fruitful, while Zelensky called it positive and concrete. There was no immediate response from the White House.

For two months now, Ukraine has said it wants an immediate 30-day ceasefire  a position promoted by Kyivs key European allies, and also by Trump.

Russia has so far refused to commit, saying it supports the idea of a 30-day ceasefire in principle but insists there are what it calls nuances that need addressing first.

In an interview with ABC News published earlier on Saturday, Peskov suggested that one of these nuances was putting a halt to the supply of US and European weapons to Ukraine.

Putin has often spoken about the need to address what he calls root causes  which are taken to mean, among others, the eastward expansion of NATO.

In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump wrote that if the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions, adding to a sense he is growing frustrated with Russian stalling.

Peskov told CNN Saturday that Russia is very grateful for the US mediation efforts, but added that at the same time, its quite useless to try to press on us.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand in Independence Square in Kyiv. - Stefan Rousseau/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The inauguration of Trump in January ushered in a complete change in the US diplomatic focus on the war, with Ukraine and key allies fearful of a significant tilt in US policy towards Moscow.

European leaders have convened a series of meetings in response, aimed both at showing the US that Europe can do more to support Ukraine militarily, as well as providing a single voice urging the US president not to take Russias side in the war.

For its part, rather than commit to a lengthy ceasefire, the Kremlin has instead pursued a policy of unilateral short-term ceasefires - the latest of which began on Thursday and is due to end at midnight tonight.

It coincided with Russias May 9 Victory Day celebrations  when the country marks the defeat of Nazi Germany. This year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were among Putins guests attending the annual parade in Moscow.

Ukraine has reported many hundreds of Russian attacks along frontline locations during the ceasefire period, though missile and Shahed drone attacks on Ukraines cities have not been seen since Wednesday.

In a rare  though not unprecedented  move, the US embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert Friday warning it had intelligence suggesting a possible significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days.

CNNs Svitlana Vlasova, Daria Tarasova-Markina, Frederik Pleitgen and Catherine Nicholls contributed to this report

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After a fun night out to attend the New York City Ballet's Spring Gala masquerade ball at Lincoln Center on May 8, Al Roker and Deborah Roberts shared a special look at the event with their fans.

Roberts posted a romantic clip on May 9 of herself and her husband leaving the event, looking giddy as they smiled at one another. She left the caption blank, letting the video speak for itself as she added the song "The Sweetest Thing" by Refugee Camp All-Stars in the background.

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In the clip, Roberts looked stunning in a strapless white gown with light blue organic accents. She wore her hair up, with silver heels on her feet and some jewelry. Meanwhile, Roker looked sharp in a blue, green, and black suit jacket and pants with a black tie.

While fans appreciated the sweet clip on its own, many particularly loved the sly moment at the end of the video when Roker and Roberts snuck a quick kiss.

Check out Roberts' cute video with Roker here.

"I CANNOT with you two. ," wrote one fan about Roker and Roberts, while another commented, "Such a loving and beautiful pair ."

More fans said, "Awwwww 'ain't love grand .. especially in the springtime !! ," and "Your dress is stunningly beautiful!  The sneak kiss says it all! I love this picture!!."

Another person called them "the cutest couple ever," and others seemed to feel the same way about the longtime husband and wife.

Roker and Roberts got married in 1995 and they share two children, Leila and Nick. Roberts is also stepmother to Roker's older daughter, Courtney, whom he shares with his late ex-wife, Alice Bell.

Related: Al Roker and Deborah Roberts Prove They're the 'Cutest Couple on Morning TV'
Photos show Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk outside a detention center in Basile, Louisiana, on Friday, where she had been detained for more than six weeks. - Ozturks legal team

Tufts University doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk on Saturday arrived in her home state of Massachusetts after she was snatched by masked federal agents near her home and spent six weeks in ICE detention as part of the Trump administrations effort to deport noncitizens who have spoken out against the war in Gaza.

She landed at Boston Logan International Airport Saturday evening, a day after US District Judge William K. Sessions III ordered her immediate release.

America is the greatest democracy in the world, and I believe in those values that we share. I have faith in the American system of justice, Ozturk said Saturday at a news conference at the airport. This has been very difficult time for me, for my community, for my community at Tufts, at Turkey, but Im so grateful for all the support, kindness, and care.

Ozturk said she will continue to pursue her case in court as she gets back to her studies and research work.

A chilling video of Ozturks March 25 arrest showed a swarm of officers encircling her near her Somerville, Massachusetts home as she shrieked in fear, sparking national outrage. Her detention more than 1,500 miles away from her home  part of a series of high-profile arrests of international students who participated in pro-Palestinian activism  has triggered widespread protests and raised concerns over due process and free speech on university campuses.

Hours after the judge ordered her release, a smiling Ozturk was surrounded by a group of supporters who chanted Rumeysa! Rumeysa! as she walked out of the detention center Friday evening.

Dressed in a pink blouse and beige pants, Ozturk, who appeared elated, held her hands over her heart and could be heard thanking the supporters who had gathered outside the detention center holding up signs that read Free Rumeysa. Free speech for all.

Its a feeling of relief, and knowing that the case is not over, but at least she can fight the case while with her community and continuing the academic work that she loves at Tufts, Esha Bhandari, an attorney for Ozturk, told CNN.

Ozturks parents said they were overjoyed by the decision. We are very happy as a family. We hugged each other and cried tears of joy, her mother, Tugba Ozturk, told Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu.

Rumeysa Ozturk speaks at a press conference at Boston Logan International Airport on Saturday. - WHDH

Ozturks arrest came a year after Ozturk co-authored a campus newspaper op-ed that was critical of Tufts Universitys response to the war in Gaza, and her attorneys have said that she was targeted by the administration in an attempt to chill pro-Palestinian speech in violation of her constitutional rights. The 30-year-old, originally from Turkey and on a valid F-1 student visa, was shuttled through multiple states after her arrest and suffered through a series of asthma attacks without adequate medical care, according to her attorneys.

Ozturk, who has not been charged with any crime, was accused by the Trump administration of participating in activities in support of Hamas. Neither the administration nor attorneys for the Department of Justice presented any evidence of her alleged activities in court.

Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts rallied alongside Ozturk and her lawyers at the news conference in Boston Saturday evening, calling her a symbol of the fight against violations of free speech and due process.

Its a victory for Rumeysa. Its a victory for justice. Its a victory for our democracy, Markey said of her release. Freedom of speech and the right of due process are not suggestions in our country. They are fundamental rights.

Massachusetts did not forget about you for a minute, Pressley said, addressing Ozturk. Your classmates and your neighbors peacefully gathered in the street, lawyers, elected officials and people of good conscience from every walk of life spoke your name daily.

Sessions presided over the more than three-hour hearing Friday, where four witnesses  including Ozturk  testified about her community engagement work and her asthma. Sessions said Ozturk had raised substantial claims of both due process and First Amendment violations.

Rumeysa Ozturk speaks to members of the press and others gathered outside the Louisiana detention center where she was held. - KATC

Continued detention potentially chills the speech of the millions and millions of individuals in this country who are not citizens. Any one of them may now avoid exercising their First Amendment rights for fear of being whisked away to a detention center, Sessions said.

Sessions noted that for multiple weeks, except for the op-ed, the government failed to produce any evidence to support Ozturks continued detention. That is literally the case, Sessions said. There is no evidence here as to the motivation absent the consideration of the op-ed.

Nothing in Ozturks co-authored op-ed from 2024 violated the universitys policies, Tufts University spokesperson Mike Rodman told CNN in a statement Saturday. Rumeysa is a student in good standing, the statement read.

The judge ordered her release without any travel restrictions or ICE monitoring.

In light of the Courts finding of no risk of flight and no danger to the community, Petitioner is to be released from ICE custody immediately on her own recognizance, without any form of Body-Worn GPS or other ICE monitoring at this time. Petitioner is not subject to any travel restrictions Sessions wrote in Fridays order.

Despite the judges decision, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to delay Ozturks release from the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, Louisiana, her attorneys told CNN.

Despite the 11th hour attempt to delay her freedom by trying to force her to wear an ankle monitor, Rumeysa is now free and is excited to return home, free of monitoring or restriction, attorney Mahsa Khanbabai said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ozturk is one of several international university students facing deportation as part of the Trump administration deportation efforts, which include a focus on pro-Palestinian protesters and activists on college campuses. The arrests of scholars and students at the hands of masked law enforcement officers, who have taken them into custody by ambushing them on city streets and near their homes, have sent a chill across the international student community.

The decision in Ozturks case came the same day the administration was dealt another loss after the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York denied an appeal to stay a lower courts order to release Columbia University student and lawful permanent resident Mohsen Mahdawi. In its appeal, the Trump administration had sought to re-arrest Mahdawi while his immigration proceedings play out. The decision from the Second Circuit allows Mahdawi to remain released on bail during proceedings.

As attorneys in Ozturks immigration case fight her visa revocation, the habeas petition in her federal case will be argued at a May 22 proceeding in the District of Vermont. Her attorneys hope the judge will ultimately hold that, in fact, the government cannot detain, apprehend and seek to punish people who express those political views.

This really is part of a bigger picture push to make sure that the rule of law still prevails, Bhandari said.

Photos show Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk outside a detention center in Basile, Louisiana, on Friday, where she had been detained for more than six weeks. - Ozturks legal team

Judge says Ozturk was suffering as a result of her incarceration

A medical expert and Ozturk, who appeared virtually at the Friday bail hearing wearing an orange uniform over a long-sleeved white shirt with a beige hijab, testified that her asthmatic episodes have increased in number and severity since the start of her detention.

Her first asthma attack while in detention happened at the Atlanta airport shortly after she was arrested, she said. At the time, Ozturk only had her emergency inhaler with her because she was on her way to break her fast during Ramadan when she was arrested. While the medical expert was testifying, Ozturk had to briefly step out because she was having an asthma attack.

As he was issuing his decision, the judge noted Ozturk is asthmatic and suffering as a result of her incarceration  she may very well suffer additional damage to her health, thats an extraordinary circumstance. Sessions emphasized the need for her to be released quickly.

As part of her release conditions, he ordered her to check in with a social services group that will assist her while the case proceeds.

The court finds that she does not pose a danger to the community, nor does she present a risk of flight, Sessions said. Ms. Ozturk is free to return to her home in Massachusetts.

Sessions noted Ozturks detention has been a very traumatic incident and ordered regular check-ins with an adult restorative services provider at the Burlington Community Justice Center.

The idea, of course, is for her to try to reintegrate into the Somerville community after what has been a very traumatic incident, Sessions continued. I think that this support, and also the reporting requirements, will assist in that way.

Tufts spokesperson Rodman told CNN the university hopes she can rejoin the community as soon as possible and said she will be provided on-campus housing upon her return.

Were pleased that the court has approved Rumeysas request to be released on bail, and we look forward to welcoming her back to campus to resume her doctoral studies, Rodman said.

Ozturk said Saturday that her advisor sent her dissertation proposal to the detention center and professors and students sent her letters of support while she was in detention. Her labmates read her books on the phone.

In the last 45 days, I lost both my freedom and also my education during a crucial time for my doctoral studies, she said. I am so excited to get back to my studies, community, friends, professors and my students.

Following the hearing, her attorney Khanbabai said in a statement she was relieved and ecstatic that Rumeysa has been ordered released.

Unfortunately, it is 45 days too late. She has been imprisoned all these days for simply writing an op-ed that called for human rights and dignity for the people in Palestine, Khanbabai said. When did speaking up against oppression become a crime? When did speaking up against genocide become something to be imprisoned for?

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Market volatility comes and goes, but anyone can build a substantial nest egg in the stock market over many years by steadily adding shares of growing businesses to their portfolios, and patiently holding them.

Here are two top growth stocks that are trading well below their recent highs and that should be rewarding investments over the next decade.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More 

1. Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) is a competitively strong business, with more than 3.4 billion people using at least one of its social media apps every day. This large base of users generates hundreds of billions of dollars in annual advertising revenue, which allowed the company to earn $66 billion in profit over the last year. The stock trades at a reasonable valuation, and the company continues to funnel its resources into new opportunities and technologies that it believes will drive more growth.

Meta Platforms corporate logo on a smartphone display.

Image source: Getty Images.

Meta's investments in artificial intelligence (AI) are helping increase user engagement on its apps by recommending more relevant content and helping advertisers improve ad targeting and placement. Revenue continued to grow at double-digit percentage rates in the first quarter, rising by 16% year over year, while its net profit soared by 35%.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg sees five key growth opportunities in the areas of improved advertising, better experiences, Meta AI, AI-powered devices, and business messaging. There's a lot of opportunity ahead for Meta Platforms. It plans to spend a minimum of $64 billion on capital expenditures this year, up from $37 billion in 2024, to support the growth of the business.

Meta has a great track record of translating its capital spending plans into shareholder returns. The stock has delivered market-beating returns over the last decade primarily because the business earns high returns on its investments. Moreover, Zuckerberg suggested that the company will not need all of its investments to be successful for the stock to reward investors.

One opportunity for Meta that seems promising is business messaging, which is seeing tremendous usage in countries like Thailand, where the cost of labor is low. Zuckerberg believes that AI will lower the cost of using messaging-based business operations in larger economies like the U.S., opening up a huge revenue opportunity.

Thailand ranks as one of the company's top 11 markets by revenue, largely due to businesses relying on Meta's messaging apps, even though it has a relatively small economy.

The stock trades at a reasonable multiple of 23 times this year's expected earnings. Meta Platforms should continue to grow earnings at double-digit percentage rates annually given the opportunities ahead of it, and that could lead to market-beating returns.

2. Reddit

Another advertising-based platform that is seeing strong growth is Reddit (NYSE: RDDT). It ended the first quarter with 108 million daily active unique users, up 31% year over year.

Reddit's stock soared following its initial public offering in March 2024, and again later in the year. But it began to plunge in February, and is now down by more than 50% from its peak. And based on the strong first-quarter results the company reported on May 1, that decline has created a great buying opportunity.

The value that Reddit brings users on the web is driving strong demand from advertisers. Revenue surged 61% year over year last quarter, and the company converted those revenues into a healthy operating cash flow margin of 33%. This is the look of a promising growth investment.

Reddit is just tapping into its long-term potential. International ad revenue grew by 82% year over year in Q1 -- its highest growth rate in three years. There's massive upside for Reddit, as more than half of its users are outside the U.S., yet international markets only contribute 20% to the company's revenue.

Reddit should be successful as it is emerging as a primary destination for people looking for information on products they are shopping for. This high-purchase-intent user base is what makes the platform so appealing to advertisers.

Another factor that should drive more growth for the business is that Reddit's discussion threads are easy to discover on the web, not locked away within an app. This makes Reddit content easily discoverable by search engines.

Near-term uncertainties about the outlook for the U.S. economy could lead to more volatility for stocks of ad-based businesses. But long-term investors in Meta Platforms and Reddit should see the value of their investments grow over the next decade.

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Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Labord's chameleon in a bush  irinaroma/Shutterstock.com

There are over 200 known species of chameleons worldwide, with populations stretching from Africa and Europe to the Middle East and Madagascar. Interestingly, nearly half of the worlds chameleon species can be found only on Madagascar! This is likely due to Madagascars diverse environments, ranging from drastic seasonal changes and varied habitats to dramatic weather patterns. Because of this, many unique creatures have evolved on the island that cant be found anywhere else in the worldincluding Labords chameleon. This unusual reptile has an unbelievably short life cycle. Essentially, the entire species dies off each year, only to reappear in full force months later to start over again!

A Reptile Like No Other

Male chameleons often cover larger areas and fight each other during the breeding season. Frank Vassen / CC BY 2.0 / Flickr  Original / License

Labords chameleons (Furcifer labordi) are relatively small, with males reaching a maximum length of around 5.5 inches. These unique reptiles get their name from Jean Laborde, a French adventurer who became friends with Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar. Labords chameleons are usually grayish-brown or green. However, both males and females can change color and display vibrant hues with spots or stripes. They change color for many reasons, including communication, regulating their body temperature, camouflage, and attracting mates during the breeding season. Males also have a distinct horn-like growth (or rostral appendage) near their nostrils, which may also serve to attract females.

Home Sweet (Seasonal) Home

Labords chameleons typically only live for four to five months. Wirestock/iStock via Getty Images

Labords chameleons make their homes in the deciduous forests of southwestern Madagascar. This region experiences dramatic seasonal shifts, with a hot, rainy season followed by a noticeably cooler dry season. The chameleons thrive during Madagascars rainy season. However, as the weather transitions from the rainy season to the dry season, the chameleons begin to fall from the trees, quite literally dropping dead! Male chameleons, in particular, lose weight shockingly fast  about 1 gram every three days. The chameleons move more slowly, and their grip strength weakens, which is why they suddenly fall to the ground.

When scientists examined the dead chameleons, they found no obvious signs of injury or disease. The reptiles were simply dying, and the only clue was their thin, emaciated bodies. By the end of March, the adult Labords chameleons had usually died off. Yet, when the rainy season returned, Labords chameleons suddenly reappeared!

The Bizarre Life Cycle of Labords Chameleon

Female Labords chameleons often die just a few hours after theyve laid their eggs. Lennart Hudel / CC BY 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons  Original / License

Labords chameleon is truly uniquenot just among chameleons, but among all reptiles, birds, and mammals known to science. Labords chameleons typically only live for four to five months. They are the only known tetrapod (four-legged vertebrate) with such an extreme, regular annual semelparous life cycle in the wild, which means they typically put all their energy into reproducing just once during their entire lives.

After mating, male chameleons begin to die off in large numbers. The females bury 11 to 12 tiny eggs in the soil and then, just like the males, they also die. So, for most of the year (eight to nine months), there are no living adult Labords chameleons on the islandonly their eggs remain until the next rainy season. Then, in November, all the eggs hatch with the beginning of the rainy season. The tiny chameleons immediately begin eating as much as they can, making the most of their incredibly short lifespans. Within just two months, these young chameleons grow into fully mature adults, ready to mate and lay eggs themselves. Then they die, and the cycle starts over again.

Why Labords Chameleons Live Fast and Die Young

Labords chameleon eggs typically incubate for eight to nine months. Lennart Hudel / CC BY 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons  Original / License

Scientists are still uncovering the secrets of Labords chameleon, but its super short lifespan is likely linked to dramatic environmental changes in southwestern Madagascar. These chameleons flourish during the hot, rainy season but would have a rough time surviving in the cooler, drier season.

In areas with more consistent rainfall and less extreme seasonal change, Labords chameleons can live a bit longer, and in rare cases, some females even reproduce more than once. Researchers even found one female chameleon that managed to live through the dry season and survive until the following rainy season. Additionally, when researchers took a few Labords chameleons out of the wild and cared for them in captivity, the chameleons lived longer than their wild relatives. In captivity, some Labords chameleons have lived up to 1.3 years, much longer than their typical four- to five-month lifespan in the wild.

The post Inside the Life of a Chameleon That Dies Every Year appeared first on A-Z Animals.
Of the 46 hearings and business meetings held this year for the committees on which he serves, Fetterman has attended just one. (Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images file)

In the run-up to the vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., knew her party had a problem  and its name was John Fetterman.

Fetterman, the Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, was open to confirming President Donald Trumps embattled pick, according to two people familiar with his thinking. Murray wanted to speak with her colleague one-on-one. So she reached out to set up a time.

But Fetterman refused, as the two people familiar with the episode told NBC News.

He figured that she wanted to yell at him about it, one person familiar with the senators thinking said.

That Fetterman wouldnt even talk to one of the most senior members of his party  someone who is well-respected in the caucus and, like Fetterman, has a reputation for being a straight shooter  was emblematic of the way Fetterman has operated in the Senate.

This article is based on interviews with 18 former Fetterman staffers, Pennsylvania officials and congressional lawmakers and staffers, many of whom said the senator is increasingly isolated and absent from official business, both in Washington and his home state.

His behavior has received renewed scrutiny after a recent New York magazine article detailing concerns about his mental health from one of his closest former aides, as well as some frustration from Democrats that Fetterman is not on the same page as many other members of the party when it comes to standing up to Trump and his agenda.

The crux of the article focused on a May 2024 letter from Fettermans former chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, addressed to Dr. David Williamson, the senators neuropsychiatrist at Walter Reed Medical Center, where Fetterman spent six weeks in 2023 to treat clinical depression. In that letter, which NBC News obtained, Jentleson expressed worry that if his boss stays on his current trajectory he wont be with us for much longer.

We do not know if he is taking his meds and his behavior frequently suggests he is not, Jentleson wrote. We often see the kind of warning signs we discussed: conspiratorial thinking; megalomania (for example, he claims to be the most knowledgeable source on Israel and Gaza around but his sources are just what he reads in the news  he declines most briefings and never reads memos); high highs and low lows; long, rambling, repetitive and self-centered monologues; lying in ways that are painfully, awkwardly obvious to everyone in the room, such as swearing up and down that he didnt say something everyone heard him say a few minutes prior.

A Fetterman spokesperson emphasized that the senator has no intention of resigning and has been transparent about his health, whether related to his stroke or hospitalization at Walter Reed.

"People in his circle and people who talk to him privately know this is John Fetterman," the spokesperson said. "He is not an extrovert. This is how he functions. He does care about Pennsylvania, he keeps a busy schedule, hes meeting with people all the time. For the most part, he votes along party lines and has good relationships with his colleagues."

"There are expectations of a stereotypical politician that he has never once expressed that he was going to try to be," this person added. "People knew he was breaking from tradition and they elected him for that reason."

On Tuesday, Fetterman said that the New York magazine article was built on one source with a couple anonymous sources, describing it as a hit piece from a very left publication.

Fetterman added Friday to NBC News that the article "decided to platform a grudge fashioned by best friends and disgruntled staffers unwilling to put their names on it."

"My actual doctors and my family affirmed that Im in good health," he said.

In response to Fettermans earlier pushback, Jentleson said on Tuesday, I stand by what I said and hope he gets the help he needs.

"I havent seen him this year in person, a House Democratic lawmaker from Pennsylvania said. My staff reaches out on bills and such. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

The incident with Murray wasnt the only recent run-in with a colleague. As he was leaving the cloak room after ultimately voting against Hegseths nomination, he bumped into Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

Shaheen, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wanted to discuss a Republican bill designed to punish the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants to Israeli officials.

Two sources familiar with the exchange said Fetterman was rude and dismissive to her. He also suggested to her that hed be more inclined to help her if she put him on the committee  something she didnt have the power to do.

Fetterman ended up being the only Democrat to support the Republican bill, which did not pass.

Murray and Shaheens offices declined to comment.

"Senator Fetterman has lots of conversations with his colleagues, on both sides, and he doesnt comment on those discussions," a Fetterman spokesperson said. "He highly respects and values Vice Chair Murray and Ranking Member Shaheen and considers them great colleagues and leaders."

I havent seen him this year in person

Fetterman never had a warm and fuzzy reputation. As mayor of Braddock  a downtrodden once thriving steel town just outside of Pittsburgh  and then lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, Fetterman became known for his straight-talking style, fearless social media persona and unconventional image for a Democratic politician.

Fetterman won election to the Senate in 2022. But his race was beset by challenges  chiefly, a debilitating stroke that kept the Democratic nominee off the trail for months.

Still, Fetterman and his team were able to connect with voters. They ran an intensive social media campaign to portray Fetterman as an authentic Pennsylvanian against the celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who had only limited ties to the state and is now a health official in the Trump administration.

But those familiar with Fetterman say he has often neglected the duties of his job since being elected, rarely making appearances for noncampaign events in his home state, regularly missing committee hearings, bill mark-ups and votes.

In the past year  from April 2024 to this March  Fetterman missed 77 of 381 votes, according to GovTrack. That put him in the 90th to the 99th percentile among all senators in terms of total votes missed during each three-month stretch of the calendar in that time.

Of senators who served the entirety of the 118th Congress, only Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and then-Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, missed more votes than Fetterman  and both were either running for president or on Trumps ticket as his running mate. Of course, many of those missed votes included the six-week stretch when Fetterman was hospitalized.

Fetterman also rarely attends hearings or business meetings for the three committees on which hes a member. In just this year alone, Fetterman skipped 25 of the 26 hearings or business meetings the Senate Commerce Committee held, with the first hearing he attended being on Thursday, after the New York magazine article was published.

He missed all nine of the hearings and business meetings the Senate Homeland Security Committee has held this year, and skipped all 11 times the Senate Agriculture Committee has met in 2025.

Among the meetings he missed were confirmation hearings for key Trump nominees like Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Fetterman has also voted by proxy  meaning the ranking member of the committee announced his vote because he was absent  for every vote all three committees have taken this year on pieces of legislation, nominations or organizing resolutions.

In a comment for this article, Fetterman did not address missing so many committee hearings but said of votes last year: "Everything in 2024 was about the election."

"I spent months traveling Pennsylvania to help keep Democrats in the White House," he said, adding that so far this year he has "made roughly 90% of the votes" while the ones he has missed "were overwhelmingly procedural, my vote was never determinative and limited to travel days."

On his lack of in-state events, a spokesperson said this year's Senate schedule "has given few opportunities for extensive travel in the state since January." He's also sought time to spend with his family.

"In the coming spring and summer months when the Senate is in recess, there will be more opportunities for in-state events," this person said.

That hasn't been enough for some in the state. In March, Cumberland County Democratic Chair Matt Roan called for Fetterman to resign in an op-ed that blasted the senator for having refused to hold town hall meetings in Pennsylvania to hear from his constituents.

Enough is enough, Roan wrote, adding, He seems disinterested in serving in this important position.

Additionally, a House Democratic lawmaker from Pennsylvania who spoke with NBC News on Thursday said they have had no interactions with Fetterman in recent months.

I havent seen him this year in person, the lawmaker said. My staff reaches out on bills and such.

They added that Democrat Bob Casey, who lost re-election to the Senate in 2024, was a much, much more active partner.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Fetterman has appeared publicly just once in the state this year, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January.

Fetterman hasnt been known to glad-hand or build relationships with many of his fellow members. Even among the Keystone States congressional delegation, where members frequently need to coordinate on issues like infrastructure projects and natural disasters, Fetterman has been absent.

The entire delegation has talked on Signal about how hes just so weird, never ever returned phone calls from any of us (nor did his former chief), said a participant in the Pennsylvania delegations Signal group. Pretty sure he couldnt identify most of us out of a line-up.

The opinion wasnt unanimous, though.

My team and I have a good working relationship with the Senator and his team, Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., who represents a district near Fettermans home, said in a statement. Thats important across the PA delegation and can help us get stuff done for our region.

Still, some who spoke with NBC News worried whether Fetterman is having cognitive struggles that may be exacerbating his isolation.

The House Democratic lawmaker from Pennsylvania expressed concern over the New York magazine article, saying that if theres an issue, it needs to be addressed and can be addressed.

He successfully did that once before and he should, this person said, pointing to 2023, when Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for mental health treatment. Its not like he was ever the warmest, most fluid speaker in the world. So youre starting with someone whos got an atypical personality.

But Jentleson said he saw a decline in the strength of Fettermans relationships after that episode. In his May 2024 letter, he said the senator is on his phone constantly and spends more time scrolling and coming up with tweets than any other activity.

He is isolated and has damaged his personal relationships, he added. In the fall, he had started to build relationships with other senators, but that has fallen off a cliff. He comes up with reasons why they are all out to get him or secretly hate him, and will launch into endless tirades about why they are all terrible and he is the only sane person.

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., however, said he had dinner with Fetterman and Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., two weeks ago. He said Fetterman was doing pretty well and described him as a special talent in our party who has a way of speaking to everyday folks that really connects.

Now, he went through an incredible health event, and it takes ongoing care, Welch told NBC News. I have no knowledge of it, but you dont have to know much to know that thats an ongoing challenge, and I want to be there to support him as much as I possibly can.

Hes so isolated

After his stroke, Fetterman received praise from across the political spectrum for openly sharing his struggles and destigmatizing them.

People hear all their lives about I cant get out of bed, and you really cant understand what that really means, he told NBCs Meet the Press in December 2023. You cant get out of bed until it happens to you. And it did.

But the vibe around Fetterman has shifted as an increasing staff exodus trailed him since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack in Israel. Fetterman has vociferously defended Israels conduct in Gaza in the months since, becoming one of its stalwart defenders in Congress and alienating much of the left-wing support base that championed him in his 2022 primary.

At the same time, while being a consistent Democratic vote, he has moved rightward in some of his rhetoric and approach. He was the only Democrat to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago during the transition and voted in favor of a number of his Cabinet choices, including Attorney General Pam Bondi.

When Democrats released a resolution in January to condemn Trumps pardons of supporters who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, Fetterman, who later signed onto the resolution, described it as a performance art vote.

I dont know if it was a communication breakdown or because I wasnt aware of it, or they were sandbagging me, but I love it, Fetterman said sarcastically of the resolution. I do. We need more performance art votes, because thats really been very helpful before the election.

In an interview with NBC News shortly after Trumps win in November, Fetterman said Democrats needed to stop freaking out over everything Trump does.

His favorability numbers tell the story. In an Economist/YouGov survey released this week, with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points, Fettermans favorability stands at 34% with voters who backed former Vice President Kamala Harris last fall. With Trump voters, its 39%. Voters who hold unfavorable views are flipped, with 39% of Harris voters and 34% of Trump voters viewing Fetterman unfavorably.

So far, none of Fetterman's Senate colleagues have called on him to step aside. (Francis Chung / Politico via AP file)

As for his openness to confirming Hegseth, who faced an allegation of sexual assault that he denied, Fettermans view was framed around a disdain for cancel culture, according to one person familiar with his thinking. Among a few rationales he floated, the senator repeatedly questioned why Democrats were willing to accept former President Bill Clinton  who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct  and Jay-Z, who faced allegations of sexual assault at the time, this person said. (Jay-Z sued his accuser in March for allegedly falsifying her claims after she dropped a lawsuit against him.)

He went on some rants about that, this person said.

Asked about his consideration of Hegseth, Fetterman emphasized that his vote on the nominee "was NO."

"Considering a vote is a feature of a senator, not a bug," he told NBC News.

A spokesperson added that Fetterman "expects his staff to disagree with him on things."

"Thats normal," this person said. "But airing grievances publicly hurts the staff and puts their work in jeopardy."

Some have defended Fetterman in recent days  including on the political right.

Salena Zito, a conservative journalist based in Pennsylvania who interviewed Fetterman and Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., together in February, tweeted that after spending time with him then and reading the New York magazine story, My only conclusion to come to is that someone is looking for redemption for having worked for him because he wasnt left enough and they are trying to destroy him.

Three Republican senators  McCormick, along with Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Tom Cotton of Arkansas  tweeted support for Fetterman Friday.

Its time to put politics aside and stop these vicious, personal attacks against Senator Fetterman, his wife, and his health, McCormick wrote. While we have many differences, we are both committed to working together to achieve results for the people of Pennsylvania and make their lives better.

Cotton said Fetterman was a "decent and genuine guy" and claimed the "radical left is smearing him with dishonest, vicious attacks because hes pro-Israel and they only want reliable anti-Israel politicians."

Publicly, members of Congress who have weighed in have stood by Fetterman, and no one has called for him to resign. Privately, both detractors and allies dont think he will step down anytime soon. One House Democrat from Pennsylvania said they know Fetterman well and have spent time in his office, never seeing anything odd. This person believes he is fit to serve.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was among those who voiced support for Fetterman.

Hes doing a good job, and hes a good legislator, Schumer said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has had a volatile relationship with Fetterman, offered only brief remarks Thursday on the senator.

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, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A former Fetterman staffer said the question of whether Fetterman should continue to serve should come down to whether he is doing his job.

Are you meeting with constituents? this person said. How are those meetings going? Whats your schedule like? Are you missing lots of votes? Are you in committee hearings? Are you for these Trump nominees? Are you doing things in the state? Are you visible? Are you accessible? You run down the list, and the answer to those things is like, no.

I think its connected to his mental health, the former staffer continued. Hes so isolated and very clearly so miserable being in Washington, D.C. The job feels like an imposition to him, and hes not doing it. Pennsylvania doesnt have two senators right now.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images







Jackie Kennedy was briefly engaged to stockbroker John Husted Jr. in 1952. Little is known about that engagement ring.

In 1953, then-Senator John F. Kennedy proposed. The couple later picked out a diamond and emerald ring from Van Cleef & Arpels.

In 1968, five years after JFK's death, Jackie married Aristotle Onassis. He proposed with a 40-carat marquise-cut diamond from Harry Winston.











As one of the most endearing American style icons of all time, its no surprise that Jackie Kennedys engagement rings are just as influential and inspirational as her wardrobe all these years later. The engagement rings she received from both John F. Kennedy and her second husband, Aristotle Onassis, have continued to inform the jewelry choices of modern-day brides, who look to evoke the former First Ladys innately elegant and statement-making sensibility with their own baubles. While two-stone engagement rings may seem like a modern trend, Jackie wore one beginning in 1953. And though the public is most familiar with the former first lady's two marriages, not everyone knows that Kennedy (nee Jacqueline Lee Bouvier) was actually engaged three times.

Little is known about her short-lived first engagement (or the ring).

In her early 20s, the New York-born fashion plate was first betrothed to a stockbroker John Husted Jr. after a whirlwind one month of dating. According to the book Jackie, Janet & Lee, at the couples engagement party in June 1952, both Bouvier and her mother, Janet, found out that Husted Jr.s salary was just $17,000 a year (the equivalent of $160,000 today) and were seemingly left unimpressed, People reported.

The books author, J. Randy Taraborrelli, writes that the up-and-coming journalist soon ended things with Husted Jr. by slipping her engagement ring off her finger and cooly dropping it into his pocket. To date, little to nothing is known about that ill-fated ring.

It was Georgetown-based power couple Charles and Martha Bartlett who had first thought that Bouvier would hit it off with Massachusetts congressman John F. Kennedy. The couple invited both eligible parties to dinner at their home one night to sew the seed, according to CBS news. Bouvier, then a career-obsessed emerging on-air camera personality, was smitten. "He needed a gal. And we found him a hell of a gal, the late, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Barlett was quoted as saying.

JFK proposed with a diamond and emerald toi et moi ring.

JFK proposed to Bouvier on June 24, 1953. Though it can't be confirmed, rumor has it that JFK popped the question at Martins tavern in Washington D.C. The restaurant has since christened booth #3 as the proposal booth. But as for the ring? That reportedly came later. When the highly-watched couple officially announced their impending nuptials, Bouvier notably wasnt wearing a ring.

The rock fitting of the would-be First Lady was eventually picked out at the Van Cleef & Arpels Fifth Avenue boutique in New York City. And word has it, it was actually selected by JFKs father, Joe Sr. The toi et moi dual stone design comprised a 2.84-carat emerald-cut emerald and a 2.88 carat emerald-cut diamond, writes Jay Mulvaney, who penned Kennedy Weddings. The show-stopping ring was reported by outlets to have cost up to $1 million at the time of purchase, according to Brides.

Getty Images Jackie Kennedy's diamond and emerald engagement ring.

A decade later, fully settled into her role in The White House, Kennedy would reimagine and redesign the piece with the help of Van Cleef & Arpels, replacing the baguettes with 12 marquise-cut and round-cut diamonds that formed the shape of a laurel wreath resting underneath the larger stones.

After JFK was tragically assassinated in 1963, the widow stopped wearing the ring in public. Like many of her most precious pieces, the symbolic and history-steeped engagement ring is in the permanent collection at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, where it occasionally goes on display.

CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Jacqueline Kennedy at the White House in 1962.

Aristotle Onassis proposed with a 40-carat marquise diamond.

Getty Images Aristotle Onassis, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Caroline Kennedy at Aristotle and Jackie's wedding on October 20, 1968

In October 1968, the Jackie O era officially began when Kennedy said I do to her long-time friend, Aristotle Onassis. The small and intimate wedding, which took place on Onassis private island, came as quite a surprise to the world, as the Greek shipping magnate had previously dated her sister, Lee Radziwell.

Once again, her ring became the subject of immense public fascination. And for good reason: the mega-wealthy businessman popped the question with a staggering 40-carat marquise-cut diamond purchased from Harry Winston. Kennedy Onassis rarely wore the rock in public, preferring to keep it in a bank vault for safekeeping.

Getty Images

Two years after Kennedy's death, the Lesotho III sold for $2.58 million at a Sothebys auction in 1996. (Far surpassing its valuation of $600,000!) The Los Angeles Times originally revealed that the infamous ring was purchased by Weight Watchers founders Albert and Felice Lippert on behalf of an anonymous purchaser who was never named in the mediameaning that theres no trace of where the Lesotho III might be today.



Read the original article on InStyle
China upholds fair, inclusive AI development of world

14:04, May 09, 2025 By He Yin ( People's Daily

Researchers at a China-Pakistan AI smart agriculture laboratory use drones for regular field inspections. Through AI-powered analysis, real-time feedback on crop growth is provided to farmers. (Photo/Syed Mehdi)

On May 6 local time, China and Zambia co-hosted a side event of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building at the UN headquarters in New York.

Themed "From Divide to Synergy: Global Cooperation Frameworks for AI Capacity-Building," the event brought together representatives from over 70 countries, including Russia, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Ethiopia, as well as international organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union and the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies.

Participants held in-depth discussions on ensuring the fair and inclusive development of AI, building consensus on improving AI governance and bridging the digital divide.

As a strategic technology driving a new round of scientific and industrial revolution, AI is profoundly reshaping human lifestyles and work paradigms, unlocking unprecedented developmental opportunities and vast future potential.

However, many developing countries have yet to realize these benefits. According to the International Telecommunication Union, 2.6 billion people, about 1/3 of the global population, remained offline in 2024. The world now faces the dual challenges of a widening intelligent divide and digital divide. Numerous developing countries are actively seeking to seize this historic window of opportunity to participate in and benefit from the dividends of intelligent development.

Merchants visit an exhibition booth of a Chinese tech firm at the Dubai AI Week 2025. (People's Daily/Zhang Zhiwen)

AI should serve as a global public good that benefits all humanity. In the face of both opportunities and challenges arising from AI, the international community must prioritize AI for the common good, promote fairness and inclusiveness, advocate multilateral approaches, and prioritize capacity-building efforts.

In response to the concerns and aspirations of developing nations, China and Zambia jointly established the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building. Since its inaugural meeting in December 2023, the Group has expanded steadily, emerging as a key player in global AI governance. It has injected new momentum into strengthening cooperation on AI capacity-building and narrowing the digital divide.

China is a strong advocate for the fair and inclusive development of AI. In October 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global AI Governance Initiative, which proposed to increase the representation and voice of developing countries in global AI governance, and ensure equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal rules for all countries in AI development and governance. The initiative said that efforts should be made to conduct international cooperation with and provide assistance to developing countries, to bridge the gap in AI and its governance capacity.

In July 2024, China pushed for the adoption of a resolution on strengthening international cooperation in the capacity-building of AI at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, contributing to the formation of a broad international political consensus.

A humanoid robot shakes hands with a visitor at the exhibition booth of Chinese car brand Deepal at the Auto Shanghai 2025, April 26, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Wang Yushi)

At the 19th G20 Summit, Xi stressed the importance to step up international governance and cooperation on AI, to make sure that AI is for good and for all, not a game of the rich countries and the wealthy.

China is taking concrete actions to promote the fair and inclusive development of AI. In September 2024, China proposed the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All, laying out an international cooperation framework on key areas such as infrastructure, industrial empowerment, personnel training, digital development and security governance.

Institutions such as the China-BRICS AI Development and Cooperation Center and the China-ASEAN AI Innovation Cooperation Center have been established. China has engaged in joint technology R&D and innovation cooperation with countries such as Vietnam and Laos. Besides, Chinese enterprises are partnering with the Egyptian government on the Digital Egypt Builders Initiative, supporting the United Arab Emirates' smart city construction, and helping Saudi Arabian enterprises improve operational efficiency.

China stands ready to engage broadly in international cooperation on AI and assist other Global South countries in strengthening their technological capabilities, thus narrowing the global intelligent divide.

China will remain steadfast in championing the fair and inclusive AI development of the world. It will continue to enhance the role of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building, improve cooperation mechanisms, expand cooperation areas, diversify cooperation models, and work with other developing countries to share the dividends of AI and jointly build a brighter intelligent future.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming)
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday at a federal immigration detention center where he has been protesting its opening this week and held in custody for several hours.

Baraka was released shortly after 8 p.m. and, after stepping out of an SUV with flashing emergency lights, told waiting supporters: The reality is this: I didnt do anything wrong.

Baraka said he could not speak about his case, citing a promise he made to lawyers and the judge. But he voiced full-throated support for everyone living in his community, immigrants included.

All of us here, every last one of us, I dont care what background you come from, what nationality, what language you speak, Baraka said, at some point we have to stop these people from causing division between us.

Baraka, a Democrat who is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, has embraced the fight with the Trump administration over illegal immigration.

He has aggressively pushed back against the construction and opening of the 1,000-bed detention center, arguing that it should not be allowed to open because of building permit issues.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is led away in handcuffs after he took part in a protest outside an ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, on May 9, 2025. - News 12 New Jersey

Linda Baraka, the mayors wife, accused the federal government of targeting her husband.

They didnt arrest anyone else. They didnt ask anyone else to leave. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor, she said, adding that she had not been allowed to see him.

A crowd gathered to protest outside the building where Baraka was being held, with many chanting, Let the mayor go!

Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said on the social platform X that Baraka committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave Delaney Hall, a detention facility run by private prison operator Geo Group.

Habba said Baraka had chosen to disregard the law and added that he was taken into custody.

Video of the incident showed that Baraka was arrested after returning to the public side of the gate to the facility.

Witnesses describe a heated argument

Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join three members of New Jerseys congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, in attempting to enter the facility.

When federal officials blocked his entry, a heated argument broke out, according to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. It continued even after Baraka returned to the public side of the gates.

There was yelling and pushing, Martinez said. Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the lawmakers had not asked for a tour of the facility. The department said further that as a bus carrying detainees was entering, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.

Homeland Security did not respond to questions about why only the mayor was arrested.

Watson Coleman spokesperson Ned Cooper said the lawmakers went to the facility early in the afternoon unannounced because their plan was to inspect it, not to take a scheduled tour.

They arrived, explained to the guards and the officials at the facility that they were there to exercise their oversight authority, he said, adding that they were allowed to enter and inspect the center sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

DHS, in its statement issued after Barakas arrest, said Menendez, Watson Coleman and a number of protesters were currently holed up in a guard shack at the facility.

Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour, McLaughlin said.

Watson Coleman, who left and was at a Homeland Security Investigations holding facility where Baraka was said to have been taken, said the DHS statement inaccurately characterized the visit.

Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not storm the detention center, she wrote. The author of that press release was so unfamiliar with the facts on the ground that they didnt even correctly count the number of Representatives present. We were exercising our legal oversight function as we have done at the Elizabeth Detention Center without incident.

Video shows the mayor standing on the public side of the gate

In video of the altercation shared with The Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of the Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he could not join a tour of the facility because you are not a Congress member.

Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: Theyre talking about coming back to arrest you.

Im not on their property. They cant come out on the street and arrest me, Baraka replied.

Minutes later several ICE agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded him and others on the public side. As protesters cried out, Shame, Baraka was dragged back through the security gate in handcuffs.

The ICE personnel came out aggressively to arrest him and grab him, said Julie Moreno, a New Jersey state captain of American Families United. It didnt make any sense why they chose that moment to grab him while he was outside the gates.

An email and phone message left with the mayors communications office were not immediately answered Friday afternoon. Kabir Moss, a spokesperson for Barakas gubernatorial campaign, said, We are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available.

Several civil rights and immigration reform advocates as well as government officials condemned Barakas arrest. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, whose office is defending a state law barring private immigration detention facilities, criticized the arrest during a seemingly peaceful protest and said no state or local law enforcement agencies were involved.

Rep. Menendez said in a statement that as members of Congress, they have the legal right to carry out oversight at DHS facilities without prior notice and have done so twice already this year. But on Friday, Throughout every step of this visit, ICE attempted to intimidate everyone involved and impede our ability to conduct oversight.

The history of the facility

The two-story building next to a county prison formerly operated as a halfway house.

In February, ICE awarded a 15-year contract to The Geo Group Inc. to run the Newark detention center. Geo valued the contract at $1 billion, in an unusually long and large agreement for ICE.

The announcement was part of President Donald Trumps plans to sharply increase detention beds nationwide from a budget of about 41,000 beds this year.

Baraka sued Geo soon after the deal was announced.

Geo touted the Delaney Hall contract during its earnings call with shareholders Wednesday, with CEO David Donahue saying it was expected to generate more than $60 million a year in revenue. He said the facility began the intake process May 1.

Hall said the activation of the facility and another in Michigan would increase total capacity under contract with ICE from around 20,000 beds to around 23,000.

DHS said in its statement that the facility has the proper permits and inspections have been cleared.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration must temporarily halt its sweeping government overhaul because Congress did not authorize it to carry out large-scale staffing cuts and the restructuring of agencies, a federal judge said on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco sided with a group of unions, non-profits and local governments, and blocked large-scale mass layoffs known as "reductions in force" for 14 days.

"As history demonstrates, the President may broadly restructure federal agencies only when authorized by Congress," said Illston.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The ruling is the broadest of its kind against the government overhaul that has been led by Elon Musk, the world's richest person who is also CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla.

Dozens of lawsuits have challenged DOGE's work on various grounds including violating privacy laws and exceeding its authority, with mixed results.

Trump directed government agencies in February to work with the Department of Government Efficiency to identify targets for mass layoffs as part of the administration's restructuring plans.

Trump urged agencies to eliminate duplicative roles, unnecessary management layers, and non-critical jobs, while automating routine tasks, closing regional field offices and reducing the use of outside contractors.

The Trump administrations unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation," said a statement from the coalition of plaintiffs.

"Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government  laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that.

Illston scheduled a hearing for May 22 to consider a longer-lasting preliminary injunction.

She said that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on merits of some of their claims in their lawsuit, which was filed on April 28 and alleged Trump exceeded his authority. It also alleged the Office of Management and Budget, DOGE and Office of Personnel Management exceeded their authority and violated administrative law.

Illston said plaintiffs are likely to suffer irreparable harm without the temporary restraining order, which she said preserves the status quo.

Illston said the plaintiffs submitted more than 1,000 pages of evidence and 62 sworn declarations and she highlighted some of the material.

For example, she said the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and its Pittsburgh office, which researches health hazards facing mineworkers, had 221 of the department's 222 workers terminated, citing the union. She gave similar examples at local offices of Head Start, which supports early learning, the Farm Service Agency and the Social Security Administration.

"The Court here is not considering the potential loss of income of one individual employee, but the widespread termination of salaries and benefits for individuals, families, and communities," Illston wrote in her ruling.

(Reporting by Tom Hals and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin needed to see "certain dynamics" on the battlefield before agreeing to an extended ceasefire, insisting arms deliveries from Ukraine's allies must stop before there can be a pause in hostilities.

"Otherwise, it will be advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones," Peskov told ABC News' Chief Global Affairs Correspondent and "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?"

Peskov also asserted that Ukraine is "not ready for immediate negotiations," denying that Putin was the one dragging his feet.

MORE: Ukrainian ambassador supports talks with Russia but ceasefire needed

"President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means. But having no peaceful and democratic means at hand, we have to continue military operation," he said.

PHOTO: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic in Kremlin, Moscow, on May 9, 2025 (Alexander Zemlianichenko via Reuters)

Peskov also told Raddatz the Kremlin was hoping that President Donald Trump would be able to help Moscow "bring a little bit more flexibility and a little more political will" to Kyiv's position.

Peskov's statements come as Ukraine and the Trump administration are pushing for a 30-day truce. Kyiv has been advocating a monthlong ceasefire for many weeks, while Trump voiced his support for the proposal on Thursday.

MORE: Putin's 3-day ceasefire goes into effect ahead of Victory Day celebrations

"U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a welcoming ceremony before their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 8, 2025 (Evgenia Novozhenina/AP)

The president also threatened to impose further sanctions if that ceasefire was not respected and vowed he would "stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine" -- an apparent turnaround from his previous threats to abandon the peace process unless progress was made.

On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said during the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, D.C., that Russia is insisting on a "certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict" that the Trump administration believes is "asking for too much."

So far, Russia has only expressed support for much shorter truces -- declaring a unilateral three-day ceasefire that coincided with the country's commemoration of Victory Day, a celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied forces' defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin is shown at the Kremlin in Moscow, May 9, 2025. (Yuri Kochetkov via Reuters)

MORE: Is Trump's Ukraine peace effort stalled amid Putin's relentless strikes?: ANALYSIS

Putin marked the holiday on Friday with a massive military parade through Moscow's Red Square, a display featuring 11,000 Russian troops, fighter jets, and tanks meant to showcase the modern power of the country's fighting forces.

During a public address, Putin praised members of the Russian military fighting in Ukraine, which he called a "special operation."

"We are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory," Putin said.

However, the festivities were clouded by fear in Moscow that Victory Day could become a target for Ukrainian drone attacks, a possible motivating factor behind Putin's three-day truce proposal.

Despite security concerns, the event drew the attendance of more than two dozen world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sat next to Putin during the festivities. Troops from 13 foreign countries also participated in the parade, including China.

PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping attend a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in Moscow, May 9, 2025. (Sergei Bobylyov/RIA Novosti via Reuters)

Although Russian state media reported earlier in the month that a high-level representative from the Trump administration would attend the celebrations, the United States was not represented. However, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin "exchanged congratulations on the occasion of our common holiday."

In Raddatz's interview with Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson lauded the relationship between the two leaders and said Putin has a lot of respect for Trump.

"He considers him a wise man, a brave man," Peskov said.

"It doesn't mean that we're going to agree on everything," he added. "We will continue to disagree on lots of things. It's inevitable.

Kremlin spokesman: Putin considers Trump a wise man, a brave man originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Jun 9, 2021; Paris, France; Matteo Berrettini (ITA) during his match against Novak Djokovic (SRB) on day 11 of the French Open at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images (Susan Mullane-Imagn Images)

ATP No. 1 and top overall seed Jannik Sinner kept things simple in his first match back from a doping ban by dispatching Argentina's Mariano Navone in straight sets in Rome on Saturday, winning 6-3, 6-4 to advance in his home country's Italian Open.

"It's an amazing feeling, no? I've waited quite a long time for this moment, and I'm very happy to be back," Sinner said.

Sinner took 1:39 to polish off the win on the clay surface, building a commanding 4-1 lead in the first set before finishing things off from there. The second set proved a little more troublesome, with Navone grabbing early 2-1 and 3-2 leads before rallying for a 4-4 tie until Sinner took the final two games.

The Italian, who had not competed since winning the Australian Open in January due to the suspension, was clutch on break points, converting three of six opportunities, compared to 0-for-2 for his opponent. He also held a commanding advantage in return points won (27 against 18).

"I'm very happy about the win today," Sinner added. "It's been very difficult.

"He's such a great player, especially on this surface. I tried to move the ball around. At times it went very well, at times it could be better, but in any case, it's been a remarkable day for me."

Sinner advances to face the Netherlands' Jesper De Jong, a 2-0 winner over Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Matteo Berrettini also thrilled the home-country crowd, coming from behind to top Jacob Fearnley 6-4, 7-6 (0) and move to the third round.

Berrettini, the No. 29 seed, is appearing in the Rome tournament for the first time since 2021 because of injury and illnesses. He had to pull out of the Madrid Open last week because of an abdominal injury.

Down 5-3 in the second set, Berrettini won a tough ninth game to break Fearnley's serve and get the match back on track. He then shut out the Brit in the tiebreaker to pull off the win in one hour, 55 minutes.

He has a tough draw awaiting him in No. 6 Casper Ruud, a clay-court specialist from Norway who won the Madrid Open last week. Ruud had to contend with 15 aces and a series of winning drop volleys from Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan en route to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory. Ruud is a three-time semifinalist in Rome.

"He always hits spectacular shots, and sometimes it's a little frustrating for us opponents," Ruud said of Bublik. "But all in all, happy to be through a tough three-setter. It's never easy against (Bublik). We had a tough match here in Rome a couple of years ago, so happy to get another today."

Not happy was Taylor Fritz, the No. 4 seed, who was upset by fellow American Marcos Giron 7-6(4), 7-6(3). Giron was down 4-0 in the second set but regained his two lost break points to get back in the match and win in one hour, 45 minutes.

Giron set up a third-round match with Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, who eliminated Spain's Pedro Martinez 6-1, 7-5.

No. 11 seed Tommy Paul made quick work of Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut and next will play against No. 19 Tomas Machac, a Czech, who beat Learner Tien in straight sets.

Spain's Jaume Munar defeated No. 12 Ben Shelton in dominating fashion, winning 6-2, 6-1. Munar will oppose No. 22 Sebastian Korda.

Another American, No. 15 Frances Tiafoe, was eliminated with his three-set loss to Sebastian Ofner of Austria. Ofner will square off against No. 17 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.

Other players to advance were Fabian Marozsan of Hugary, who took a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win against No. 16 Andrey Rublev of Russia. In the third round, he will meet Czech Jakub Mensik.

--Field Level Media
Conservator Sally Kilby and Bazej Mikua photograph inside the folds of a medieval manuscript that was used as the cover for another book later on. - Cambridge University Library

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Researchers have found pages of a rare medieval manuscript masquerading as a cover and stitched into the binding of another book, according to experts at the Cambridge University Library in England. The fragment contains stories about Merlin and King Arthur.

The two pages are from a 13th century copy of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin. The manuscript, handwritten by a medieval scribe in Old French, served as the sequel to the legend of King Arthur. There are just over three dozen surviving copies of the sequel today.

Part of a series known as the Lancelot-Grail cycle, the Arthurian romance was popular among aristocrats and royalty, said Dr. Irene Fabry-Tehranchi, French specialist in collections and academic liaison at Cambridge University Library. The stories were either read aloud or performed by trouveres, or poets, who traveled from court to court, she said.

Rather than risk damaging the brittle pages by removing the stitches and unfolding them, a team of researchers were able to conduct imaging and computed tomography, or CT, scans to create a 3D model of the papers and virtually unfurl them to read the story.

Fabry-Tehranchi, one of the first to recognize the rarity of the manuscript, said finding it is very much a once in a lifetime experience.

The scans revealed book-binding techniques from the distant past and hidden details of the repurposed manuscript that could shed light on its origins.

Its not just about the text itself, but also about the material artefact, Fabry-Tehranchi said in a statement. The way it was reused tells us about archival practices in 16th-century England. Its a piece of history in its own right.

Hiding in plain sight

Former Cambridge archivist Sian Collins first spotted the manuscript fragment in 2019 while recataloging estate records from Huntingfield Manor, owned by the Vanneck family of Heveningham, in Suffolk, England. Serving as the cover for an archival property record, the pages previously had been recorded as a 14th century story of Sir Gawain.

But Collins, now the head of special collections and archives at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, noticed that the text was written in Old French, the language used by aristocracy and Englands royal court after the Norman Conquest in 1066. She also saw names like Gawain and Excalibur within the text.

Collins and the other researchers were able to decipher text describing the fight and ultimate victory of Gawain, his brothers and his father King Loth versus the Saxon Kings Dodalis, Moydas, Oriances, and Brandalus. The other page shared a scene from King Arthurs court in which Merlin appears disguised as a dashing harpist, according to a translation provided by the researchers:

The pages were folded, torn and stitched together to create a cover for 16th century property records. - Cambridge University Library

While they were rejoicing in the feast, and Kay the seneschal (steward) brought the first dish to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, there arrived the most handsome man ever seen in Christian lands. He was wearing a silk tunic girded by a silk harness woven with gold and precious stones which glittered with such brightness that it illuminated the whole room.

Both scenes are part of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin that was originally written in 1230, about 30 years after Merlin, which tells the origin stories of Merlin and King Arthur and ends with Arthurs coronation.

(The sequel) tells us about the early reign of Arthur: he faces a rebellion of British barons who question his legitimacy and has to fight external invaders, the Saxons, Fabry-Tehranchi said in an email. All along, Arthur is supported by Merlin who advises him strategically and helps him on the battlefield. Sometimes Merlin changes shape to impress and entertain his interlocutors.

Blue and red flourishes on some of the letters enabled researchers to date the manuscript to the late 13th to early 14th century. - Bazej Mikua/Amelie Deblauwe/Cambridge University Library

Tracing the books journey

The pages had been torn, folded and sewn, making it impossible to decipher the text or determine when it was written. A team of Cambridge experts came together to conduct a detailed set of analyses.

After analyzing the pages, the researchers believe the manuscript, bearing telltale decorative initials in red and blue, was written between 1275 and 1315 in northern France, then later imported to England.

They think it was a short version of the Suite Vulgate du Merlin. Because each copy was individually written by hand by medieval scribes, a process that could take months, there are distinguishing typos, such as Dorilas instead of Dodalis for one of the Saxon kings names.

Each medieval copy of a text is unique: it presents lots of variations because the written language was much more fluid and less codified than nowadays, Fabry-Tehranchi said. Grammatical and spelling rules were established much later.

Some of the text, written in Old French, was faded or worn over time, likely by a leather strap. - Bazej Mikua/Amelie Deblauwe/Cambridge University Library

But it was common to discard and repurpose old medieval manuscripts by the end of the 16th century as printing became popular and the true value of the pages became their sturdy parchment that could be used for covers, Fabry-Tehranchi said.

It had probably become harder to decipher and understand Old French, and more up to date English versions of the Arthurian romances, such as (Sir Thomas) Malorys Morte DArthur were now available for readers in England, Fabry-Tehranchi said.

The updated Arthurian texts were edited to be more modern and easier to read, said Dr. Laura Campbell, associate professor in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Durham University in Durham, England, and president of the British branch of The International Arthurian Society. Campbell was not involved in the project, but has previously worked on the discovery of another manuscript known as the Bristol Merlin.

This suggests that the style and language of these 13th-century French stories were hitting a point where they badly needed an update to appeal to new generations of readers, and this purpose was being fulfilled by in print as opposed to in manuscript form, Campbell said. This is something that I think is really important about the Arthurian legend  it has such appeal and longevity because its a timeless story thats open to being constantly updated and adapted to suit the tastes of its readers.

Uncovering hidden clues

Researchers captured the documents across wavelengths of light, including ultraviolet and infrared, to improve the readability of the text and uncover hidden details, as well as annotations in the margins. The team carried out CT scanning with an X-ray scanner to virtually peer through the parchment layers and create a 3D model of the manuscript fragment, revealing how the pages had been stitched together to form a cover.

The CT scans showed there was likely once a leather band around the book to hold it all in place, which rubbed off some of the text. Twisted straps of parchment, called tackets, along with thread reinforced the binding.

Scans across different wavelengths of light enabled the researchers to see hidden details and annotations. - Bazej Mikua/Amelie Deblauwe/Cambridge University Library

A series of specialised photographic equipment such as a probe lens as well as simple accessories such as mirrors were used to photograph otherwise inaccessible parts of the manuscript, said Amelie Deblauwe, a photographer at Cambridge University Librarys Cultural Heritage Imaging Laboratory.

The research team digitally assembled hundreds of images to create a virtual copy of the pages.

The creation of these digital outputs including the virtual unfolding, traditional photography, and (multispectral imaging) all contribute to the preservation of the manuscript in its reused form, while revealing as much of the original contents as possible, Deblauwe said.

The researchers believe the methodology they developed for this project can be applied to other fragile manuscripts, especially those repurposed for other uses over time, to provide a nondestructive type of analysis. The team plans to share the methodology in an upcoming research paper.

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A Qatari government funded search and rescue team dig for human remains in Dabiq, Syria on Friday. (Ted Turner / NBC News)

DABIQ, Syria  On the outskirts of a remote village in Syria, the hunt is on for the remains of American hostages murdered by ISIS more than a decade ago.

The site, a dusty hill about a two hours drive from the city of Aleppo, looks like an archeological dig, with dozens of investigators wielding shovels, ground-penetrating radar, pickaxes and paintbrushes for the delicate work of brushing away sand as they search for bones, clothing and any evidence that ISIS terrorists may have buried their victims here.

It has taken years of intelligence work to reach this point, including satellite imagery analysis, debriefs with surviving ISIS hostages and jailhouse interviews with ISIS leaders. So far, the team is optimistic. They are finding human remains in shallow graves, and, critically, they are finding them where they were expected to be.

The investigation is led by an intelligence and security company called the Soufan Group, founded by former FBI counterterrorism officer Ali Soufan. His team, mainly composed of former FBI and counterterrorism colleagues, has been working the case on behalf of the American victims families. They work in coordination with, but are independent from, the FBI.

Weve been working with the families for a long period of time, trying to figure out what happened to their loved ones. We had an opportunity to go to a location that has been off-limits, said Soufan.

A member of a Qatari search-and-rescue team scours the parched earth for human remains. (Ted Turner / NBC News)

ISIS beheaded and tortured dozens of foreign hostages, including Americans Kayla Mueller, James Foley, Peter Kassig and Steven Sotloff. The Americans were held and executed by a brutal ISIS cell  a cell known as the Beatles because of its members British accents. None of their remains have been found, and could potentially be here.

The recovery mission was launched and funded by the Qatari government, which spared no expense, sending a full search-and-rescue team along with forensic pathologists, doctors, crime scene investigators and a SWAT team  enough men and equipment to fill a massive C-17 military transport plane.

NBC News was invited to join the mission and has been given exclusive access to the dig site and the ongoing investigation.

We brought all that we needed to find bodies under the ground. We have been investigating the area, diving into grids, and searching each one with the necessary equipment and hand tools, said Maj. Khaled al-Hemaidi from Qatars Internal Security Forces. He described it as a humanitarian mission.

After four days digging on the top of the hill under a scorching sun, the team unearthed the full or partial remains of more than a dozen people, now being sent for DNA analysis. It is unclear if the recovered remains are the missing American hostages or other ISIS victims.

An excavator moves earth at the dig site. (Ted Turner / NBC News)

We recovered more remains than we anticipated and we look forward to conducting DNA analysis with the hope of identifying those victims, whether they were Americans or otherwise, said Soufan.

ISIS controlled this part of northern Syria until the groups so-called caliphate was defeated by an international coalition led by the U.S. military under President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump during his first term.

The investigation chose to dig in this specific location, a sandy hill on the edge of the village of Dabiq, because ISIS considered it holy and symbolic. ISIS frequently referenced Dabiq in its propaganda because of an Islamic prophecy that predicted that the final, end-of-days battle between the armies of Islam and infidel crusaders would take place here  an Islamic version of Armageddon.

ISIS, which believed it was leading the way to the apocalypse and has been described as a radical death cult, was widely repudiated in the Muslim world. Locals told NBC News that ISIS would regularly carry out public executions in the village of Dabiq, and that the hill being excavated was strictly off-limits.

Dabiq was so important to ISIS that it named its propaganda magazine after the village and filmed a gruesome video here with one the terrorist leaders standing over the head of American hostage Peter Kassig.

Maj. Khaled al-Hemaidi from a Qatari search and rescue team, working to uncover human remains in northern Syria. (Ted Turner / NBC News)

It seems now that ISIS views this site as a significant burial and execution location, said Soufan. Maybe they chose it because of its symbolic importance, and they probably reserve it for specific or high-value or high-profile victims.

Dabiq today is not fully secure. There are still ISIS sleeper cells in the area, according to officials from the new Syrian government that overthrew President Bashar al-Assads regime late last year. They are providing security for the operation, which so far has gone off without incident. The new government, which is still under U.S. sanctions, was born from an Islamic group that fought against ISIS.

This operation was only possible after Assad was overthrown. While he was in power, Dabiq was an active combat zone, making it too dangerous to carry out the slow, methodical excavation work.

Families of the hostages are aware that the operation is underway.

This mission is really one of the most important missions anybody can do, said Andre Khoury, a vice president with the Soufan Group and a former FBI special agent.

A member of the Syrian Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces, a rebel group who have formed an interim government after the fall of Assad, accepts a gift from a young boy in Dabiq on Friday. (Ted Turner / NBC News)

Were doing this for the families. We really want to make sure that the families have proper closure, that their loved ones lay in rest next to them. There is no better mission in the world than this mission, he said.

If we got lucky and we were able to do it on this trip, that would be fantastic. If not, it doesnt mean that we are stopping. We will continue our mission. That was our pledge and our promise to the families, and well continue doing that until we can bring them home, Khoury said.
Warm hugs won't be the only warmth many moms feel this Mother's Day since the forecast is shaping up to be cooperative for many families to spend time outdoors in spring temperatures, but there are a few trouble spots, especially in the Southeast.

Here's a look at what to plan for this weekend:

Who Could Be Wet Vs. Dry

Sunday's Weather Forecast

-East: Parts of Arkansas Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and the Carolinas have the greatest chance of at least scattered showers and storms from a stuck low-pressure system. So if a trip to the beach or a park was planned, you might need to bring an umbrella or even consider having a Plan B indoor option.

-Central: From most of Texas and Oklahoma to the Dakotas to the Midwest and Great Lakes, there are no raindrops to worry about this weekend as high pressure is in control.

-West: A weak front could bring showers Sunday across the Pacific Northwest, especially closer to the coast. Elsewhere, most others will stay dry all weekend with the exception of the Rockies, where a few showers or thunderstorms could billow up.

Feeling Like Spring For Many

Sunday's Highs

-Summerlike Heat Might Keep Some Indoors: That's the case in the Desert Southwest, with Phoenix seeing triple-digit highs and Las Vegas well into the 90s. Highs in the 90s are also expected on Mother's Day in the Northern Plains and upper Midwest, 20 to 30 degrees above average, so you might want to avoid the outdoors in the afternoon.

-Nation's Corners Have Changing Temperatures: The Northeast Interstate 95 corridor will see a warming trend through the weekend. Boston will rise to the upper 60s on Sunday after a cooler Saturday. The Pacific Northwest will do the opposite, flipping from a warmer Saturday in Portland to cooler on Sunday.

-Jacket Weather? While it won't be cold by any means, expect early morning lows in the 40s in the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, interior Northeast, even parts of the central and Southern Plains as far south as Oklahoma City. In parts of the soggy Southeast, daytime highs may struggle to rise out of the 60s.

Chris Dolce has been a senior digital meteorologist with weather.com for nearly 15 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.
By Tom Balmforth and Christian Lowe

KYIV (Reuters) -The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks in Kyiv on Saturday in a show of unity a day after Russia's Vladimir Putin hosted his allies at a Victory Day parade in Red Square.

The summit will discuss a U.S. and European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine that if refused by Moscow would see them jointly impose new sanctions, a French diplomatic source said, adding that the step had not been finalised.

The visit by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine.

"Alongside the U.S., we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace," the four leaders said in a joint statement.

As their train pulled into Kyiv, the screen on the platform announced the arrival of the "Bravery Express". Zelenskiy accompanied them as they paid their respects at a memorial in central Kyiv to honour Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war.

The visit comes at an unpredictable diplomatic moment in Russia's more than three-year-long war against Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid peace after tearing up the policies of his predecessor since entering the White House in January.

After engaging directly with Russian officials, clashing publicly with Zelenskiy and briefly cutting vital military aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration has patched up ties with Kyiv and signed an arduously-negotiated mineral resources deal.

There has also been a palpable shift in tone from Trump, who has signalled growing frustration with what Washington views as Putin's foot-dragging over a ceasefire.

Trump has threatened to step up sanctions against Russia, but he has also said he could abandon the peace effort if there is no breakthrough. He called on Thursday for a 30-day ceasefire and Zelenskiy said he would be ready to implement it immediately. The European Union has joined the call for a 30-day ceasefire.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia supported the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, but only with due consideration of "nuances".

In remarks to ABC that were aired on Saturday, Peskov suggested that Western military assistance for Ukraine would have to stop in order for a temporary ceasefire to happen. "Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine," he said.

Western military aid has been vital for Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders at a Red Square military parade on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, sending a defiant message that he is not isolated.

On the same day, European ministers voiced support for a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian president and his officials for crimes of aggression, showing support for Zelenskiy who on Thursday poured scorn on Putin for planning a "parade of bile and lies".

'BALL IN MOSCOW'S COURT'

On the eve of the summit, the U.S. embassy in Kyiv warned of a "potentially significant" air attack in the coming days and told its citizens to be ready to seek shelter in the event of air raid sirens.

"There is a lot of work to do, a lot of topics to discuss. We must end this war with a just peace. We must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire," said Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy's chief of staff, posting photographs welcoming the leaders off the train.

The leaders are expected to give a news conference and to host a virtual meeting with other leaders to update them on progress being made for a future coalition of an air, land and maritime force that would help regenerate Ukraine's armed forces after any peace deal.

The visit falls on the final day of a May 8-10 ceasefire declared by Putin that Ukraine did not accept, denouncing it as a sham. Both sides have accused each other of violating it.

Reuters journalists at a field hospital near the front line in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region observed soldiers being brought in with combat injuries sustained since the Russian ceasefire began.

"There hasnt been any ceasefire, shelling has continued just as before, drones are flying just like before, the same with explosives being dropped. Nothing has changed at all," said a wounded soldier who gave his name as Stanislav.

Zelenskiy said on Thursday he told Trump in a telephone call that a 30-day ceasefire would be a "real indicator" of progress towards peace with Russia.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth. Additional reporting by John Irish and Sarah Marsh. Editing by Nia Williams and Mark Potter)
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday that if the United States' goal is to deprive Iran of its "nuclear rights", Tehran will never back down over those rights.

Araqchi was speaking in Doha a day ahead of another round of planned nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. in Oman.

"If the goal of the negotiations is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, I state clearly that Iran will not back down from any of its rights," state media quoted Araqchi as saying.

Iran has repeatedly said its right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable and has ruled out a "zero enrichment" demand by some U.S. officials.

But U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an interview on Friday that Iran's "enrichment facilities have to be dismantled" under any accord with the United States.

Trump, who withdrew Washington from a 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers meant to curb its nuclear activity, has threatened to bomb Iran if no new deal is reached to resolve the long unresolved dispute.

Western countries say Iran's nuclear programme, which Tehran accelerated after the U.S. walkout from the now moribund 2015 accord, is geared toward producing weapons, whereas Iran insists it is purely for civilian purposes.

"In its indirect talks with the United States, Iran emphasizes its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy and clearly declares that it is not seeking nuclear weapons," Araqchi said.

"Iran continues negotiations in good faith, and if the goal of these talks is to ensure the non-acquisition of nuclear weapons, an agreement is possible. However, if the aim is to limit Irans nuclear rights, Iran will never retreat from its rights."

(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Red projectiles are seen over Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

ISLAMABAD (AP)  India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire Saturday after U.S.-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades but accused each other of violating the deal just hours later.

The ceasefire had been expected to bring a swift end to weeks of escalating clashes, including missile and drone strikes, triggered by the mass shooting of tourists last month that India blames on Pakistan, which denies the charge. But multiple explosions were heard in two large cities of Indian-controlled Kashmir hours after the countries agreed to the deal.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said late Saturday that there had been repeated violations of the understanding arrived between the two countries and accused Pakistan of breaching the agreement.

We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility, he said at a news conference in New Delhi. Misri said the Indian army was retaliating for what he called a border intrusion.

In Islamabad, Pakistans Foreign Ministry blamed Indian forces for initiating the ceasefire violation. The ministry said Pakistan remains committed to the agreement and its forces were handling the situation with responsibility and restraint.

We believe that any issues in the smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels, the ministry said.

The first word of the truce came from U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted on his Truth Social platform that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire: Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a speech Saturday that his country agreed to the ceasefire in the larger interest of peace in the region and hoped all the outstanding issues with India, including the long-running dispute over the Kashmir region, would be resolved through peaceful dialogue.

Misri said the head of military operations from both countries spoke Saturday afternoon and agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, and in the air and sea.

However, hours after the agreement, explosions heard by residents in Srinagar and Jammu in Indian-controlled Kashmir were followed by blackouts in the two cities. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Omar Abdullah, the regions top elected official, said in a post on social media: What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!

Working toward a broader agreement

Conflict between India and Pakistan is not rare, with the two countries having periodically engaged in wars, clashes and skirmishes since gaining independence from British India in 1947.

The ceasefire in the latest hostilities came after the countries fired volleys of cross-border missile strikes Saturday, when India said it targeted Pakistani air bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at military and civilian infrastructure in Punjab state. Pakistan said it responded with retaliatory strikes.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and Vice President JD Vance had engaged with senior officials from both countries over the past 48 hours. They included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sharif, Indias External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir.

Rubio said the two governments agreed to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site.

Though Pakistanis had initially celebrated their armys retaliation, they were later jubilant about the truce, saying it was a moment of national pride and relief after days of tension.

In Islamabad, Zubaida Bibi expressed her joy at the restoration of peace with India.

War brings nothing but suffering, she said. We are happy that calm is returning. It feels like Eid to me. We have won.

Trading strikes before the ceasefire

Tensions have soared since the attack at a popular tourist site in Indian-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, on April 22.

Before the ceasefire was reached, Indias military said Pakistan had targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Kashmir early Saturday and India had launched missile strikes in response. They targeted Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district of eastern Punjab province, according to Pakistans military spokesman.

Pakistan's military said it launched retaliatory strikes against a Indian missile storage facility and air bases in the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.

The Associated Press could not independently verify all the actions attributed to Pakistan or India.

After the announcement of Pakistani retaliation, residents in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places, including Srinagar, Jammu and Udhampur.

Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard the last two nights during drone attacks, said Shesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and Jammu resident. It looks like a war here.

Residents living near Srinagar's airport, which is also an air base, said they were rattled by the explosions and booming sound of jets.

I was already awake, but the explosions jolted my kids out of their sleep. They started crying, said Srinagar resident Mohammed Yasin.

Omar Abdullah, Indian-controlled Kashmirs top elected official, welcomed the ceasefire. But he said had it happened two or three days earlier "we might have avoided the bloodshed and the loss of precious lives.

____

Hussain reported from Srinagar, India, and Roy reported from New Delhi. Associated Press writers Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi, Babar Dogar in Lahore, Pakistan, Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
A banner with the image of the recently elected Pope Leo XIV adorns the front of Chiclayo City Hall on May 9 in Chiclayo, Peru. (Raul Sifuentes / Getty Images)

CHICLAYO, Peru  Walkiria Garcia was 14 years old when she made her confirmation in the Catholic Church, an already significant religious sacrament made even more unforgettable by the man officiating it, Robert Prevost, who a decade later would become Pope Leo XIV.

To many Peruvians, however, Leo is more than the first pope from the U.S. He is also the first Peruvian pope.

Pope Leo, born on the South Side of Chicago, first arrived in Peru in 1985 as a missionary. For 10 years, he taught canon law in Trujillo, immersing himself in the local culture and community.

Though he returned to Chicago to lead the Augustinian order in the Midwest, he couldnt stay away for too long. In 2014, he moved to Chiclayo, Peru, where he served as an apostolic administrator, bishop and later archbishop. He even became a naturalized Peruvian citizen in 2015.

Now, Garcia has one message for the new pontiff: Dont change.

Garcia, now 24, recalls her first encounter with Leo at her Augustinian school, saying she felt like he was more of a friend than an authority figure.

Thats because Leo was fun, and was frequently seen playing games with the students in addition to speaking to them about religious topics.

Garcia said the former bishop shared messages of love and openness with the students, in line with their Augustinian beliefs.

We can always return and we can always change our life, Garcia said.

Leos deep bond with Peruvians is rooted in his embrace of their customs. Garcia fondly remembers seeing him at cultural festivals, serving food and participating in traditions. He was Peruvian, Garcia said.

In his first speech as pope, Leo expressed gratitude to the people of Chiclayo, highlighting the citys influence on his journey.

Garcia connected with Leo again in a chance encounter during a 2021 flight, where they reminisced about her confirmation and school days.

Garcia hopes that Leo will follow the Francis message, continuing to love all people and embracing members of the LGBTQ community. She would like to see him continue his work with children and young adults, just as he did in Chiclayo.

He is our first Peruvian pope, Garcia said.

Stephanie Gosk reported from Chiclayo, Peru, and Viola Flowers reported from New York City.
By Philip Pullella and Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo XIV signalled on Saturday he would continue with the vision and reforms of Pope Francis, telling the world's Catholic cardinals the late pontiff left a "precious legacy" that must carry on.

In his first meeting with all the cardinals since his election as pontiff on May 8, Leo also asked the senior clerics to renew their commitment to major Church reforms enacted by the landmark Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.

Leo said Francis, who died on April 21, broadly had a vision of opening the staid 1.4-billion-member Church to the modern world, had left an "example of complete dedication to service."

"Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey," the new pope told the cardinals.

The pontiff also asked the clerics to "renew together our complete commitment" to the reforms enacted by the Council, which included celebrating the Mass in local languages rather than Latin and pursuing dialogue with other religions.

He cited Francis' focus on "courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities."

Francis was pope for 12 years and often garnered criticism from conservative cardinals, who said he was watering down the Church's doctrine on issues such as inclusion of LGBT Catholics and women's leadership.

Leo, the former U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, was a relative unknown on the global stage before his election as pontiff. He had spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru before serving as a senior Vatican official for the past two years.

The new pope said on Saturday he had taken his papal name partly to honor Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903), who was known as an advocate for social justice and pushed for fair pay and treatment of workers during the industrial revolution.

Leo XIV said the Church must now take the lead in facing newer threats to workers, such as artificial intelligence. He said AI posed "new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour."

Leo's two-hour meeting with the cardinals took a different format to that used by previous popes, who would typically offer a speech and expect the clerics only to listen.

This time, Leo gave a prepared address and then opened the floor to any cardinal who wanted to make a comment -- allowing the clerics to voice their opinions and concerns about the main issues facing the global Church.

"He listened very carefully, but he knows he's going to have to make the decisions," Irish Cardinal Sean Brady told Reuters. "But we're here to help him."

Spanish Cardinal Aquilino Bocos Merino described the meeting as "very cordial and communal."

CHINA DEAL COMES UP

Leo greeted each of the cardinals individually as they left the meeting, which was held in the same small Vatican auditorium where the cardinals had been gathering in the days before the conclave to discuss who should be the next pope.

Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka said one topic that came up was the situation of Catholics in communist China.

The Vatican and China in 2018 signed a controversial deal on the appointment of bishops in the country, which gives Beijing some input into their selection.

Conservatives have attacked the still-secret deal as a sell-out, but Duka told Reuters it was necessary to keep a dialogue open in places where the Church is oppressed, comparing it to dialogue between the Vatican and eastern European countries during the Cold War.

German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, who openly clashed with Francis on issues concerning Catholic moral teaching, told Reuters that Saturday's encounter was "very good and harmonious."

To be elected as pope during the May 7-8 secret conclave at the Sistine Chapel, Leo required a two-thirds majority of 89 of the 133 voting cardinals.

Madagascar Cardinal Desire Tsarahazana told Reuters that Leo received more than 100 votes at the final ballot on the afternoon of May 8.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Philip Pullella, editing by Alvise Armellini and Timothy Heritage)
John Prevost, brother of new Pope Leo XIV, holds a portrait of the three Prevost brothers from 1958, Pope Leo, 3, left, John, 4, and Louis, 7, at his home on May 8 in New Lenox, Ill. (Obed Lamy / AP)

Just days after making history as the first American Pope, Illinois native Pope Leo XIV is preparing for a reunion with his siblings in Rome, where his brother John Prevost will join him to celebrate this unprecedented moment for the Catholic Church and Chicago alike.

Pope Leo was elected following the 2025 papal conclave on Thursday, with the Dolton native becoming the first-ever American-born pope in the churchs history.

More from NBC Chicago

The unexpected travel to Rome marks the fifth time Prevost has traveled to the Italian capital. Two of those trips were with his brother, who is now the global leader of the Catholic Church.

Prevost told NBC Chicago he informed his brother about the trip in a brief phone call.

Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican on May 9. (Vatican Media / AFP - Getty Images)

I told him we were coming. He said, Oh, okay, Prevost said.

Prevost reflected on the pride tied to his brother's historic achievement, while acknowledging the challenges. He noted that his parents would be happy and ecstatic about Pope Leo's role.

"That's the thing...look at the 'first' that we are here. First from the United States, first from Chicago," Prevost said." He's kind of young. Tremendous responsibility. The world will be watching his every step."

As for his plans during the visit, Prevost said much remains up in the air.

Were waiting to see, were supposed to have lunch, were supposed to go somewhere. We get to travel with the Pope to some special place and well just figure it out. Because were only here until Tuesday, Prevost said.

Prevost said he does not plan to stay for Pope Leos installation.
Boston Red Sox's Romy Gonzalez (23) is airborne as he collides with Texas Rangers first baseman Josh Smith in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  The Boston Red Sox put first baseman Romy Gonzalez on the 10-day injured list with a left-quad contusion, retroactive to May 8. In a corresponding move, the Red Sox recalled 2B Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester with a plan to have him split time with Abraham Toro.

Sogard was in the starting lineup Saturday against Kansas City left-hander Cole Ragans.

I think is a short-term thing, Boston manager Alex Cora said of Gonzalez before Saturday's game. He wasnt bouncing back the way we expected early. So it makes sense just to take care of him and hell be alright.

There was plenty of drama following Thursday's win over the Texas Rangers, when designated hitter Rafael Devers said he wouldn't play first base. That caused the Red Sox brass to travel to Kansas City for meetings with Devers. Cora was asked if this latest move might lead to Devers starting to take ground balls at first base.

We'll keep talking about stuff, he said, deflecting the question. We'll keep looking for our alternatives. We'll do what we need to do to keep getting better. We've got Romy, we've got Toro now, and we've got Sogi. Thats the route were gonna have right now.

Gonzalez was hitting .308 in 17 games after replacing Triston Casas, who is out for the year with a ruptured tendon in his left knee. He has an OPS of .785.

Sogard will be making his season debut Saturday, after hitting .188 in 28 games with Worcester. His OPS is .562. He hit .273 in 31 games with Boston in 2024.

Hes a good defender, Cora said. Hes a good player. Well mix and match with him and Toro. Today (Kansas City has) a tough lefty on the mound, so I think it made sense for him to play. The two of them will be splitting first the next week or so.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
May 10, 2025 at 4:55 AM

San Diego Padres' Connor Joe flips his bat after striking out to end the baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

HOUSTON (AP)  The Cincinnati Reds acquired outfielder/first baseman Connor Joe from the San Diego Padres on Friday in exchange for minor league right-hander Andrew Moore and cash.

The 32-year-old Joe was hitless in nine at-bats over seven games for the Padres this season while spending most of the year with Triple-A El Paso. He signed a one-year, $1 million contract with San Diego in February.

Joe is a career .241 hitter over six seasons with San Francisco, Colorado, Pittsburgh and San Diego.

Moore has a 4.15 ERA in 8 2/3 innings with Double-A Chattanooga this season. The Reds acquired him from Seattle as part of the package for Luis Castillo in 2022.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Reds transferred outfielder Tyler Callihan to the 60-day injured list. Hes expected to miss at least two months after having surgery to repair a broken left forearm on Tuesday.

Cincinnati announced the moves during Friday night's game at Houston.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Cruisers like to talk about cruising. That includes what ships they have been on, where they have been, where they are going, and on what ships they plan to travel.

If you enter a loyalty lounge, or any space where frequent cruisers gather, thats the conversation you hear.

Related: Royal Caribbean cruisers demand key ban extend to all cruise lines

Many cruisers do not remember exactly what ships they have been on. Since a lot of cruisers have been sailing for decades, that makes sense.

Some keep track by keeping their room key, while others have no record other than looking it up on the cruise line website.

Royal Caribbean, however, has made it much easier for cruisers on its namesake brand, and its Celebrity Cruises brand, to know what ships they have been on.

The cruise line has added a new piece of technology that allows passengers to see what ships theyve been on in a very game-like fashion.

Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter.

Royal Caribbean makes Pokemon-style change to its app (1:24)

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises add badges

Transcript:

Dan Kline: Hello cruisers, I am Dan Kline, executive editor of the most-read cruise website in the world, ComeCruiseWithMe, ComeCruiseWith.com. Next to me is Dennis Post, co-owner of Postcard Travel Planning, our travel agent partner, and we are in Aruba.

And we actually, we just got an email from Royal Caribbean that reminded us of something.

Dennis, how do you keep track of which cruise ships you've been on? Do you have a list? Do you have a souvenir from every cruise ship? How do you keep track?

Dennis Post: We have some of those. Actually, this new app that they have is going to track the cruises for you.

There are also secondary apps you can get to do that.

Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise.

Kline: So, Royal Caribbean added to its app.

It's not a new app. It's a new feature for their app, where every ship you've been on, you get a badge. So it shows, and it's kind of like a collect them all.

It becomes a little bit of a Royal Caribbean/Celebrity Pokemon.

And we're going to tell people, don't book a cruise just to get a virtual badge. Don't be like, I really wanted to go to the Bahamas, but now I'm going to the Panama Canal, and it's three times the money.

But it is really neat to go in and see. I've been on every Oasis-class ship. When we go on Star of the Seas in a few weeks, we'll have both been on every, but both, Icon-class ships.

So it's a neat little thing. And again, it's small, but it kind of just enhances the whole idea of like visiting the whole fleet, doing the whole thing. It makes you feel a little bit more part of the family.

Yeah. I am Dan Kline. He is Dennis Post.

Come cruise with us soon.

(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)

Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Randy Kraft in Santa Ana, Calif., in 1989. (MediaNews Group via Getty Images file)

Notorious California serial killer Randy Kraft has been identified as the suspect in the murder of a man almost 45 years ago, police said Friday.

Larry Eugene Parks, 30, was found dead along Interstate 5 on the morning of July 18, 1980, in Oregon, according to the Oregon State Police. An investigation into his death was opened, but Parks remained a John Doe until just last month, after an investigator from the sheriffs department in Orange County, California, offered to help identify him using forensic genealogy in 2024.

Kraft, who remains incarcerated at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, was convicted of brutalizing and killing 16 men during a decadelong series of slayings in Orange County, California, that ended with his arrest. The convicted murderer is also suspected of committing over 60 murders across the West Coast and Michigan, police said.

To identify Parks as another potential victim, a genetic profile was created using a sample of his blood, which helped investigators find and contact possible family members. They submitted DNA, leading to his identification. Parks was a Vietnam veteran and had lost contact with his family a year before his death.

Until his identification last month, the circumstances of his disappearance were unknown to the Parks family, police said.

Police believe Kraft, who was arrested in Orange County, California, in 1983, is responsible for Parks death. Evidence from the murder, along with the murder of another man who was also found on I-5 the day before Parks, was transferred to the Orange County District Attorneys Office to be used in court, but remained in the county until 2024, when the investigator set out to identify the 30-year-old, according to police.

With Parks identity confirmed, investigators are now working to bring resolution to the 45-year-old case, police said.

In 2023, an Iowa teen believed to have been one of Krafts earliest victims was also identified using genealogy.
South Korea's People Power Party's presidential election candidate Kim Moon Soo, right, and independent preliminary presidential election candidate Han Duck-soo pose for a photo during a meeting in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (Yonhap via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas embattled conservative party canceled then reinstated the presidential candidacy of Kim Moon Soo within hours as internal turmoil escalated ahead of the June 3 election.

Saturday's chaotic U-turn, after a failed attempt to replace Kim with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, underscored the People Power Partys leadership crisis following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law imposition in December, which possibly doomed the conservatives chances of winning another term in government.

Kim, a staunch conservative and former labor minister under Yoon, was named the PPPs presidential candidate on May 3 after winning 56.3% of the primary vote, defeating a reformist rival who had criticized Yoons martial law. But the PPPs leadership, dominated by Yoon loyalists, had spent the past week desperately pressuring Kim to step aside and back Han, whom they believed stood a stronger chance against liberal Democratic Party frontrunner Lee Jae-myung.

After talks between Han and Kim failed to unify their candidacies, the PPPs emergency committee took the unprecedented step early Saturday of nullifying its primary, canceling Kims nomination and registering Han as both a party member and its new presidential candidate. However, the replacement required approval through an all-party vote conducted through an automated phone survey, which ultimately rejected the switch on Saturday night.

While we cannot disclose the figures, the vote on switching the candidate was rejected by a narrow margin, party spokesman and lawmaker Shin Dong-wook said. Kim, who had denounced the partys attempt to replace him as an overnight political coup, was immediately reinstated as the candidate and plans to officially register with election authorities on Sunday, according to the party.

Now everything will return to its rightful place, Kim said in a statement.

Kim, 73, was a prominent labor activist in the 1970s and 80s, but joined a conservative party in the 1990s, saying he gave up his dream of becoming a "revolutionist after witnessing the collapse of communist states. Since then, he has served eight years as governor of South Koreas Gyeonggi province and completed three terms in the National Assembly.

Han served as acting president after Yoon was impeached by the legislature in December and officially removed by the Constitutional Court in April. He resigned from office May 2 to pursue a presidential bid, arguing his long public service career qualifies him to lead the country amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and trade challenges intensified by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Han, who had called for unity after being promoted as the candidate, said in a statement that he humbly accepts the voice of party members.

Han and Kim have lagged well behind Lee in recent opinion polls. Lee, who spearheaded the Democrats efforts to oust Yoon, ridiculed the PPP efforts to switch candidacies, telling reporters Thursday, I have heard of forced marriages but never heard of forced unity.
Stephen Miller, confirmed publicly that the Trump administration was actively looking at suspending habeas corpus, a legal procedure that allows people to challenge their detention in court. - CNN

President Donald Trump has been personally involved in discussions inside the administration over potentially suspending habeas corpus, a legal procedure that allows people to challenge their detention in court, two people familiar with the consideration told CNN.

One of Trumps top aides, Stephen Miller, confirmed publicly Friday that the administration was actively looking at suspending habeas corpus, adding that it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.

Both the private discussions and Millers public comments show this is under serious consideration inside the West Wing.

While Trump has not explicitly mentioned habeas corpus in public, its what he was referencing last month when he commented on steps he could take to combat nationwide injunctions against his actions on deportations, according to one of the people familiar with the talks.

There are ways to mitigate it and theres some very strong ways, Trump told reporters April 30. Theres one way thats been used by three very highly respected presidents, but we hope we dont have to go that route. But there is one way used successfully by three presidents  all highly respected  and hopefully we dont have to go that way but there are ways of mitigating it.

It remains unclear whether this is something the administration will actually pursue, and experts say it will likely generate legal challenges. The White House declined to comment beyond Millers statement.

White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller speaks to the media outside the White House on Friday, May 9. - Kent Nishimura/Reuters

Essentially everything Miller says about suspending habeas corpus  which would eliminate the ability of the courts to rule on immigration matters  is wrong, CNN senior legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Elie Honig said.

The Constitution makes clear that suspension of habeas corpus is to be reserved for actual rebellion or invasion posing the most dire threats to public safety. And Congress has never passed a law authorizing deportations without any court involvement, as Miller suggests.

The Constitution only allows habeas corpus to be suspended when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

Millers comments pick up on ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to use the current state of illegal border crossings to claim that the US is under invasion  which the administration says allows the government to eschew due process protections afforded to migrants. The administration is making a similar argument in defending Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act, which would allow the government to quickly deport migrants without adherence to such due process procedures.

Multiple judges, including a Trump appointee, have rejected the invocation, saying in rulings that the administration hadnt shown the United States is under invasion by a hostile foreign power, as laid out under the 18th century statute.

The Trump administration has also been examining whether it can label some suspected cartel and gang members inside the US as enemy combatants as a possible way to detain them more easily and complicate their ability to challenge their imprisonment, CNN previously reported.

Suspending the writ of habeas corpus would take Trumps efforts even farther  allowing the government to detain migrants without giving them the opportunity to challenge that detention, essentially letting the administration detain people without providing justification.

The writ of habeas corpus has been suspended a number of times, but only in times of actual war or actual invasion, narrowly defined, Ilya Somin, a professor of law at George Mason University, told CNN in January.

While the Constitution does not explicitly require Congress approval for such a suspension, its long been understood that the legislature would likely need to play that role, as the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia has noted in a dissent.

Somin said some states have also tried to claim, starting in the 1990s, that illegal immigration amounted to an invasion that would allow them to engage in war or to disregard federal laws that restrict immigration enforcement.

Every time courts have ruled on this, they have ruled against the states, Somin said.

Trump administration officials have made it clear that they believe the judicial branch is hindering their ability to enforce immigration laws. President Donald Trump has personally attacked judges in public statements, and Miller has likened court rulings against the administration to a judicial coup.

In a sign of the mounting pressure, Chief Justice John Roberts stressed the importance of judicial independence during public remarks Wednesday.

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.

This headline and story have been updated with additional details.

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Ethan Miller/Getty Robert Irwin, Bindi Irwin and Terri Irwin on May 11, 2024







Bindi Irwin shared photos on Instagram of her family in Las Vegas, where theyll attend the Steve Irwin Gala on May 10

Bindi, mom Terri Irwin and brother Robert Irwin will all attend the annual event, where they are supporting conservation and remembering Dads extraordinary legacy

Steve Irwin, a famous wildlife expert, died at age 44 in 2006







The Irwin family is in Las Vegas for a special cause.

On May 9, Bindi Irwin shared new photos on Instagram of herself with mom Terri and brother Robert in Las Vegas as they prepared to attend the Steve Irwin Gala on May 10 in honor of her late father, Steve Irwin.

Khaki by day  Bellagio chic by night!  Here in #LasVegas for the #SteveIrwinGala raising funds and awareness for Wildlife Warriors, Bindi, 26, wrote in the caption. Supporting conservation and remembering Dads extraordinary legacy. Enormous gratitude to everyone for your support as we continue to do all that we can to protect wildlife and wild places for the future generations.

In the first photo, Bindi posed with mom Terri, 60, and brother Robert, 21, in front of a row of buildings overlooking a waterfront in Las Vegas as they each wore matching khaki Australia Zoo conversation shirts.

Newspix/Getty Images Steve, Bindi and Terri Irwin in 2002

The family were snapped in a following photo in dress clothes as they posed arm-in-arm in front a balcony at night in front of a lit-up water display. Bindi wore a printed white dress, while Terri wore a black top and floral-print skirt and Robert sported a black T-shirt and jeans.

Terri shared the same photo on Instagram on May 10, as she wrote, Tonight is the night! The Steve Irwin Gala, raising funds and awareness for wildlife conservation @bellagio in Las Vegas.

Thanks to everyone joining us to honour Steves legacy, she added of her late husband.

The Steve Irwin Gala is an annual event that takes place in Brisbane, Australia, and Las Vegas honoring Steves conservation work and passion for wildlife. The Crocodile Hunter star died at age of 44 in 2006 when he was struck by a stingray barb off the coast of northern Australia.

Monica Schipper/Getty Images Robert, Terri and Bindi Irwin in 2018

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In February, Bindi said losing her father at such a young age left a scar on [my] heart while speaking about his death on the A Life of Greatness podcast.

I remember when I was little and dad had just died and every adult I saw would say to me, Time heals all wounds and I remember thinking, what in the heck does that mean?  the wildlife conservationist said.

Now, at 26, that information is wrong  time changes your grief, time changes your perspective  That feeling is just a part of me, its like a scar on your heart, Bindi added.



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A Yale-led study reveals sharp differences in U.S. state life expectancies. (CREDIT: CC BY-SA 4.0)

Life expectancy in the United States varies dramatically based on where someone lives. A groundbreaking study by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) examined more than 179 million deaths from 1969 to 2020, revealing wide gaps in longevity among states and highlighting how local health policies shape lives.

For decades, Americans enjoyed steady gains in lifespan due to improved sanitation, tobacco control, medical care, and prevention of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. But these gains haven't been equal across the country. Some states have thrived, while others lagged behind.

Geography Shapes Your Lifespan

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, used an innovative approach by tracking groups of people born around the same timecalled birth cohortsinstead of looking at each year separately. This method paints a clearer picture of how different generations experience health over their lives.

Life Expectancy Study results for women. (CREDIT: Ephemia Nicolakis)

"Looking at mortality trends by cohort gives us a more accurate reflection of the lived experiences of populations," said Theodore R. Holford, the study's lead author and a professor at YSPH. "It shows the long-term impact of policies and social conditions affecting the life course."

From 1900 to 2000, life expectancy improved significantly in the Northeast and West, especially in New York, California, and Washington, D.C. For instance, women in New York and California saw lifespan gains of over 20 years.

In stark contrast, Southern states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky saw minimal increases, particularly among womenless than three years over the same century.

"That's a staggering contrast," Holford noted. "Where you are born shouldnt determine how long you live. But in America, it still does."

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Why Policies Matter

The researchers found state policies significantly influenced these disparities. Progressive states often adopted measures early, such as tobacco control laws or broader access to healthcare, helping people live longer, healthier lives.

California, for example, banned smoking in workplaces early in 1995. As a result, entire generations grew up without second-hand smoke exposure, and many adults quit smoking. This policy significantly improved life expectancy over decades.

Meanwhile, Kentucky lagged in tobacco control, leading to higher smoking rates and increased mortality. Similar trends appeared in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, states that historically lacked aggressive health measures.

Life Expectancy Study results for men. (CREDIT: Ephemia Nicolakis)

Jamie Tam, another researcher from YSPH, highlighted the direct link between poverty, limited healthcare access, and shorter lifespans. "These trends in mortality and life expectancy reflect not only each states policy environment but also their underlying demographics," Tam said. "Its not surprising states with fewer improvements to life expectancy also have higher poverty rates."

Generational Health Differences

The study's novel cohort approach also revealed how early life experiences shape health outcomes as people age. Early exposure to sanitation, vaccinations, or tobacco control profoundly affects health later in life.

The researchers measured how quickly death rates rise after age 35. Longer intervals between these increases indicate healthier aging. Again, regional differences were striking. New York and Florida showed healthier aging patterns, while Oklahoma and Iowa saw quicker mortality escalation.

Period Life Expectancy at Birth for US Females by State and Calendar Year (1969, 1995, and 2020). (CREDIT: JAMA Open Network)

"Public health interventions affect people early in life, and the impact follows them as they age," said Holford. For example, raising the legal smoking age or improving childhood vaccinations has lasting health benefits throughout someone's lifetime.

Bridging the Gap

Todays health disparities stem from decades of cumulative impactsfrom tobacco use and healthcare access to environmental factors. Without proactive policy changes, these disparities might persist or even worsen.

"The disparities we see today are the result of decades of cumulative effects," Holford emphasized. "Without conscious policy changes, these gaps will likely persist or even widen."

Period Life Expectancy at Birth for US Males by State and Calendar Year (1969, 1995, and 2020). (CREDIT: JAMA Open Network)

The study calls for targeted interventions such as tobacco control, better healthcare access, and environmental protections. Researchers hope these findings will motivate policy shifts to ensure healthier lives for future generations.

"This research highlights the importance of viewing health through a generational lens," Tam added. "The benefits of health interventions ripple across lifetimes."

As Holford concluded, your birthplace shouldn't determine your lifespan. Yet, the reality in the U.S. today shows that it often still does.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

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NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, CANADA - MAY 7 : People visit tulip pick farm as they enjoy the sun in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images) - Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu/Getty Images

Mothers Day is busy season for American florists. But this year, theres an added source of stress: President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs, which are raising the prices of some flowers and causing some wary shoppers to pull back on spending.

We have to charge more, and its definitely affecting sales  which I totally get, Allison Krivachek of Hydrangea Bloom in Tiffin, Iowa, told CNN. People just dont have the disposable income they used to.

Eighty percent of all cut flowers sold in the United States are imported from Colombia, Canada or Ecuador, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The majority of those flowers come from Colombia and Ecuador, where year-round growing climates support the floral industry. Those countries now face tariffs making it more expensive for their products to enter the United States.

And Mothers Day spending has dropped 14% among US shoppers as many are scaling back due to tariffs and economic concerns, according to a LendingTree survey.

America imported approximately $2.26 billion worth of fresh-cut flowers in 2024, with Colombia accounting for 60% of the market and Ecuador following with 25%, according to US Census Bureau data.

Debra Prinzing, founder of the Slow Flowers Society and a leading advocate for American-grown flowers, said the US floral industry was built to rely on imports.

Dont like it, but thats just the reality, Prinzing told CNN.

Ridiculously different, is how Krivachek describes this years price hike. Flowers such as lisianthus have doubled in price, Krivachek said, and roses are up anywhere from 10% to 50% compared to last year. She believes the price hikes are higher than what would be reflected in a 10% tariff.

Its just really weird that theres been such a jump because the tariffs arent that much. And I dont know if theyre raising their prices because of supply and demand, she said.

As a result, shes raised the price of her most popular Mothers Day arrangement from $100 to $125 this year. And despite efforts to be transparent with customers, demand has taken a hit.

Were down quite a bit, Krivachek said. Were down about 30% year-over-year on this Mothers Day compared to other Mothers Days.

Many customers are now buying flowers to craft their own arrangements, according to Krivachek.

The Society of American Florists told CNN florists and wholesalers across the country are adapting to the new financial pressures  much like they did during the pandemic and other supply chain disruptions.

While tariffs and cost increases are not welcome developments, the floral industry is remarkably resilient, the society told CNN in a statement.

Florists are ordering products earlier, strengthening relationships with growers and wholesalers and planning further in advance to manage costs, the society said.

While Krivachek has felt the pressure, shes found ways to adjust, such as by sourcing from local flower farmers.

Im still going to have to import flowers, she said. Im in Iowa, so theres not a lot of variety, especially with weddings. Theres certain flowers that only you can get from Ecuador and Colombia.

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The conduct of a former Massachusetts state trooper who was fired over his handling of the Karen Read murder investigation took centerstage at her retrial this week as defense lawyers spent hours grilling the ex-officers supervisor.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik acknowledged that he was also disciplined over misconduct allegations linked to Michael Proctor, the case agent who managed the investigation into the death of Boston police officer John OKeefe. But the supervisor testified that the former trooper handled the probe with honor and integrity.

I believe human beings all have biases, Bukhenik said in a courtroom southeast of Boston. Especially in this case, they did not affect the outcome of the investigation.

Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Yuri Bukhenik testifies in Norfolk Superior Court, in Dedham, Mass., on Thursday. (Charles Krupa / Pool via AP)

Proctor, who was fired after Reads defense team raised allegations of misconduct at her widely watched first trial, has not testified at her retrial. It is not clear if he will.

Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a collision causing death.

The first trial, which spanned nine weeks and five days of jury deliberations, ended when the panel could not reach a unanimous verdict. This week marked the third in her retrial.

More on Karen Read's murder trial

Prosecutors have alleged that Read was furious over her deteriorating relationship when she drunkenly backed her Lexus SUV into OKeefe, her boyfriend of two years, and left him for dead outside the suburban home of a now-retired Boston police sergeant, Brian Albert.

OKeefe, 46, was found unresponsive in Alberts yard shortly after 6 a.m. Jan. 29, 2022. He was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner attributed his cause of death to hypothermia and blunt force trauma to the head.

Karen Read and John O'Keefe. (via Dateline)

Read has asserted her innocence. Her lawyers have claimed that she is the victim of a conspiracy  OKeefe was likely beaten inside Alberts home, bitten by the familys German Shepherd and dragged outside, they have said  and a cover-up that sought to frame her in his death.

The defense lawyers have accused Proctor of manipulating evidence and conducting a biased investigation. He was dishonorably discharged in March after a review by state police officials found that he violated agency rules when he sent derogatory messages about Read to friends, family and others, and when he shared sensitive and confidential details about the case with non-law enforcement personnel.

At trial, Proctor acknowledged that his comments were "unprofessional" and "dehumanized" Read, but he said they did not affect the integrity of the investigation into O'Keefe's death. Proctor has not commented on his termination, but his family said the decision to fire him unfairly exploits and scapegoats one of their own, a trooper with a 12-year unblemished record.

Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., on June 10, 2024. (Kayla Bartkowski / The Boston Globe via AP, Pool file)

Bukhenik was among those who Proctor texted. While searching Read's phone seven months after OKeefes death, Proctor texted a group thread about one of Read's lawyers, David Yannetti, and refered to Read with offensive language and said: "No nudes so far."

In other messages that did not include Bukhenik, Proctor said he hoped Read died by suicide and he made disparaging comments about her medical condition. Read was diagnosed with Chron's disease.

Bukhenik testified that he was working on an airport traffic detail when the message arrived on his Apple watch. Though Bukhenik responded with a thumbs-up emoji, he said, he did not look at the messages at the time.

Bukhenik was later disciplined over the accuracy of Proctor's performance evaluation, he testified, and for failing to adequately supervise him. He lost five vacation days, he said, and remains a homicide investigator with the Massachusetts State Police.

Under questioning from defense lawyer Alan Jackson, Bukhenik said that while Proctor managed the investigation, he did not believe the former trooper played a major role because he was only one of several troopers assigned to the case and was not responsible for 51 percent or more of the work.

Asked if he believed Proctor's involvement in the case tainted the investigation, Bukhenik said he did not.

"The investigation was done with honor and integrity and the evidence pointed in one direction," he said.
President Trump and his team like to tout $2 trillion in new company investments made since Inauguration Day. They argue it illustrates a broad economic renaissance and shows how tariffs can be used as an incentive to attract more commitments.

Nearly all of the big-dollar investments thus far have two things in common, according to a Yahoo Finance analysis of the 60-plus projects. They are clustered in the world of Big Tech and largely come from sectors where Trump's final tariff plans are most uncertain.

The data shows an outsized reliance on tech projects, with commitments from semiconductor companies, those building "AI infrastructure," and a single promise from Apple (AAPL) making up nearly 85% of the total money promised so far.

Healthcare and new pharmaceutical manufacturing make up most of the remainder (about 11%), with a range of other commitments, from new energy projects to food companies, comprising the remaining 4.2% of the total, according to the Yahoo Finance tallies.

A running tally of these projects is on the White House website. The president brings them up regularly and often uses the commitments to buttress his case for tariffs.

"Intelligently used tariffs and various other forms of incentives [have led to investments that are] really amazing," Trump told dozens of CEOs he recently hosted at the White House.

Read more: The latest news and updates on Trump's tariffs

2 areas with heavy investments and tariff uncertainty: Semiconductors and pharmaceuticals

Semiconductor companies have led the way, with pledges from Nvidia (NVDA), IBM (IBM), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) totaling three-quarters of a trillion dollars.

Another $500 billion pledge from semiconductor-dependent Apple brings the tally of those pledges alone to well over half of all the money promised.

What's notable is that these four companies have perhaps the least clarity of what Trump's tariff agenda will mean for their business.

Trump has made direct promises of semiconductor tariffs but has yet to announce them.

In the meantime, he recently offered a major tariff concession in April that excluded Apple from his 145% tariffs on goods from China because of these still-to-be-announced plans for semiconductor duties.

The dynamic is similar in the area of healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Companies ranging from Abbott Laboratories (ABT) to Roche (ROG.SW) are putting up money even as those sectors are another major piece of Trump's trade agenda that has yet to be announced, though Trump and his team also promise new tariffs are coming there.

As just one example, the announcement this week of a limited deal between the US and the UK included a note that "work will continue on the remaining sectors  such as pharmaceuticals."

Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet

The awards have also raised plenty of questions about what they will ultimately look like.

A carefully worded press release from Nvidia noted that its plans are to produce "up to" half a trillion dollars in new investments in the years ahead and that it will be done "through partnerships" with other companies, including TSMC.

The plans from IBM and TSMC also represent expansions of existing sites  in upstate New York for IBM and Arizona for TSMC  that were built out in recent years following investments made during the Biden administration.

Those investments were made available through the CHIPS and Science Act, enacted in 2022, which offered direct government grants to companies.

Trump himself has repeatedly dismissed any link and said again this past week that "the CHIPs Act was a ridiculous thing because that doesn't get them to build," adding that "these are not people that look for financing."

President Trump shakes hands with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during an "Investing in America" event on April 30. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Andrew Harnik via Getty Images)

A reliance on Big Tech

Many of Trump's funding announcements also include pledges from companies centered around "AI infrastructure" to help America build up the computing and server capacity to power a growing artificial intelligence sector in the years ahead.

At least 10 promises fall into that bucket, the most prominent by far are plans for a $500 billion "Project Stargate" to be led by OpenAI (OPAI.PVT), SoftBank, and Oracle (ORCL).

That effort warranted its own White House event in January, just days into the second Trump administration, but immediately faced questions. Elon Musk posted that "they don't actually have the money" and further critiqued OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, a longtime rival.

Work on the Stargate project in Texas continues, Altman told lawmakers this past week while also promising that the center would eventually be further expanded to support plans for a new initiative called OpenAI for Countries.

"I believe this will be at least as big as the internet, maybe bigger," Altman told lawmakers about AI, adding, "for that to happen, investment in infrastructure is critical."

President Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during a news conference at the White House on January 21, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Andrew Harnik via Getty Images)

Outside of Big Tech, the remainder of the investments in the White House tally spans a wide array of sectors, from automobiles to food to defense to consumer goods.

The investments include a $19 million investment in bicycle frame manufacturing in Indiana, $230 million for chocolate in Virginia, and $88 million for a new Toyota (TM) production site in West Virginia.

The Toyota investment recently earned Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota North America, a White House invitation, with Trump telling him, "Thank you, Ted," and calling the coming plant "a beauty."

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- President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman during a bilateral meeting, in Riyadh, May 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WASHINGTON (AP)  Saudi Arabia wants U.S. help developing its own civil nuclear program, and the Trump administration says it is very excited at the prospect. U.S.-Saudi cooperation in building reactors for nuclear power plants in the kingdom could shut the Chinese and Russians out of what could be a high-dollar partnership for the American nuclear industry.

Despite that eagerness, there are obstacles, including fears that helping the Saudis fulfill their long-standing desire to enrich their own uranium as part of that partnership would open new rounds of nuclear proliferation and competition. Saudi Arabia's pursuit of a nuclear agreement is likely to play into the ever-evolving bargaining on regional security issues involving the U.S., Iran and Israel.

This coming week, Republican President Donald Trump will make his first trip to Saudi Arabia of his second term. Heres a look at key issues involved in the Saudi request.

The US is eager to show its working toward Saudi Arabia's nuclear ambitions

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who traveled to Saudi Arabia before Trump's trip, said the world can expect to see meaningful developments this year on helping the kingdom build a commercial nuclear power industry. Wright said the U.S. was very excited about it.

That does not necessarily mean there will be any big breakthroughs on Trumps trip, said Jon Alterman, head of the Mideast program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Something smaller that still signals to the Saudis and the Iranians  with whom Trump is pushing for an agreement limiting Tehran's nuclear program  that Washington is interested in cooperating on Saudi efforts could be the U.S. aim for now.

There would be a lot of ways to show progress toward an agreement on a Saudi nuclear program without fully committing to a partnership on it, Alterman said.

Solid reasons for a Saudi civilian nuclear power program

Saudi Arabia is a global oil giant, but it is also largely a desert. Running all those air conditioners uses a lot of petroleum that the kingdom would rather be exporting. The Saudis' own oil consumption burns up one-third of what the country produces.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also is pushing to build up Saudi Arabia's mining and processing of its own minerals. That includes Saudi reserves of uranium, a fuel for nuclear reactors.

For the Trump administration, any deal with Iran that lets Tehran keep its own nuclear program or continue its own enrichment could increase Saudi pressure for the same.

That's even though Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have toned down their enmity toward Iran in recent years and are supporting the U.S. efforts to limit Irans nuclear program peacefully.

For the U.S., any technological help it gives the Saudis as they move toward building nuclear reactors would be a boon for American companies.

Internationally, there is support for U.S. efforts to strike a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, given that the Saudis could turn to the Chinese and Russians for help developing a nuclear industry, with fewer safeguards.

The feeling is if the U.S. doesnt provide it, then someone else will, said Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow in Bahrain for the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Possibility that nuclear weapons are a Saudi goal

Without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we would follow suit as soon as possible, Prince Mohammed said in 2018, at a time of higher tension between Arab states and Iran.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states stress better relations and diplomacy with Iran now. But Prince Mohammed's comments  and other Saudi officials said similar  have left open the possibility that nuclear weapons are a strategic goal of the Saudis.

Saudi Arabia's desire to enrich its own uranium

The Saudis long have pushed for the U.S. to build a uranium enrichment facility in the kingdom as part of any nuclear cooperation between the two countries. That facility could produce low-enriched uranium for civilian nuclear reactors. But without enough controls, it could also churn out highly enriched uranium for nuclear bombs.

Trump administration officials cite the Saudis' desire to make use of their countrys uranium deposits. The kingdom has spent tens of millions of dollars, with Chinese assistance, to find and develop those deposits. But the uranium ore that it has identified so far would be severely uneconomic to develop, the intergovernmental Nuclear Energy Agency says.

It has been decades since there has been any state-sanctioned transfer of that kind of technology to a nonnuclear-weapon state, although a Pakistani-based black-market network provided enrichment technology to Iran, North Korea, Libya and possibly others about 20 years ago, Robert Einhorn noted for the Brookings Institute last year.

Allowing Saudi Arabia  or any other additional country  to host an enrichment facility would reverse long-standing U.S. policy. It could spur more nuclear proliferation among U.S. allies and rivals, Einhorn wrote.

The effect on regional security

Under Democratic President Joe Biden, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia had looked at nuclear cooperation as just one part of broader negotiations that also involved Saudi desires for U.S. arms and security guarantees and for a satisfactory long-term deal on behalf of Palestinians. The U.S., meanwhile, had tied the cooperation to Saudi Arabia agreeing to normalize relations with Israel.

The Trump administration seems to have unpacked some of that big bundle.

But the administration may still see holding off on any major civil nuclear agreement as leverage in brokering what would be historic diplomatic relations between the kingdom and Israel, Alterman noted. Getting to that agreement, part of whats known as the Abraham Accords between Arab states and Israel, has been a chief goal for Trump.

After Wright's trip, some Israelis expressed their opposition to allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are both carefully watching the other's talks with the U.S. on their nuclear issues.
Ukraine and key European leaders agreed Saturday to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning May 12 with the backing of President Donald Trump, threatening Russian President Vladimir Putin with new "massive" sanctions if he failed to comply.

The announcement was made by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine after a meeting in Kyiv, during which they held a phone call with Trump.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also visited the memorial of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at independence square in Kyiv on Saturday.

More: War in Ukraine rages on as Putin's 3-day ceasefire nears: updates in maps

In a post on X, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that following their "Coalition of the Willing" gathering, the five country's leaders had "a fruitful call" with Trump that was focused on peace efforts.

"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday," Sybiha said. "If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations."

A joint statement from leaders of France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Ukraine said the countries agreed that if Russia rejects a 30-day ceasefire then sanctions should be adopted targeting Russia's banking and energy sectors, fossil fuels, oil, and Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers.

The sanctions would come from the European Union, the statement said, in coordination with sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States.

"They expressed their readiness to further strengthen Ukraines defense, in particular its army," the statement also said. "This should include funding defense resilience and investing in weapons production both in Ukraine and in European countries as part of joint projects.

Putin last week declared a three-day ceasefire over May 8-10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War Two. But the pause came amid a backdrop of daily skirmishes, largely by drone warfare.

Contributing: Reuters and Joey Garrison of USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine, European leaders agree to 30-day ceasefire, pressuring Russia
By Suzanne McGee

(Reuters) -Investors are hopeful that U.S.-China trade talks this weekend will cool a trade war between the world's two largest economies and dispel some of the uncertainty clouding financial markets, though few expect a major breakthrough just yet.

The highly anticipated meeting in Switzerland could mark one of the biggest developments since U.S. President Donald Trump launched sweeping tariffs on April 2, which threw the global trade landscape into chaos and set off extreme market volatility.

"This is the mother of all negotiations," said Alejo Czerwonko, chief investment officer, Emerging Markets Americas, at UBS.

"There are hundreds of billions of dollars of trade on the line, a 145% tariff on Chinese exports that amounts to some sort of de facto embargo and grievances that extend well beyond trade."

The U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva had adjourned for the day and were set to continue on Sunday, a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Saturday that the two countries had negotiated "a total reset ... in a friendly, but constructive, manner."

He added that "great progress" was made, without elaborating.

Recently, investors have expressed optimism that the worst-case trade scenarios would not come to pass, and pointed to signs of de-escalation between the U.S. and China as a reason behind a rebound in equities.

But despite comments by Trump ahead of the talks suggesting a lower level of Chinese tariffs, and a trade deal announced on Thursday between the U.S. and Britain, many market participants said they were not expecting major breakthroughs this weekend.

Rather, they confined themselves to hoping that nothing goes wrong when the two sides come face-to-face for the first formal round of what may be protracted negotiations.

"We're still doubtful that direct U.S.-China negotiations will lead to a 'grand compromise'," said Thierry Wizman, global FX and rates strategist at Macquarie, in a note to clients.

IMMEDIATE PACT SEEN AS UNLIKELY

Both the U.S. and China may want, or even need, to reach a deal, said Liqian Ren, director of Modern Alpha at WisdomTree Asset Management. At this early stage, however, there seems to be little incentive to do so rapidly, she added.

"Each still wants to see how the other side copes with negative headwinds," Ren said.

"Right now, the market is maybe a little bit too optimistic in terms of what China and the U.S. can achieve and how fast events will move."

Trade tensions between the two nations escalated last month, when the U.S. boosted tariffs on all Chinese imports to a whopping 145%, and China then raised levies on U.S. imports to 125%.

On Friday, comments by Trump that an 80% tariff on Chinese goods "seems right" - making his first suggestion of a specific alternative to the 145% levies - created some hope of progress toward resolving the dispute.

The benchmark S&P 500 stock index has already erased the steep losses seen in the immediate aftermath of the tariffs announcement on April 2, although businesses continue to warn investors of their impact, and the uncertainty they create, in earnings-related comments.

The S&P 500 remains down about 8% from its February all-time high and roughly 4% for the year.

Amid the tariff chaos, weak consumer sentiment surveys and other "soft data" have raised concerns about U.S. growth, although most economic data has indicated resilience in the economy.

EYEING MARKET VOLATILITY

Volatility, meanwhile, remains. The Cboe Volatility Index, the options-based measure of investor anxiety, hovered around 22 late on Friday - well below its recent closing high of 52.33 in early April, but above its longer-term median of 17.6.

One of the factors curbing that volatility so far has been the high cost of establishing short positions betting on future market declines, said WisdomTree's Ren.

"When a single (social media post) from the president can make the market move 10%, it becomes very costly" to establish those positions, Ren said. Equities soared on April 9 after Trump paused many of the heftiest tariffs for 90 days.

Still, markets were poised for more volatility ahead, said Matt Gertken, head of geopolitical strategy at BCA, a macroeconomic investment research firm.

Gertken said the firm's best advice was to "sell on strength."

Any signs of progress in the initial discussions would be welcome, and allow China to devote more energy to its domestic economic problems, said Andrew Mattock, a portfolio manager at Matthews Asia.

"To talk about any other scenario, you end up with a lose-lose outcome," he warned.

TOUGHEST DEAL TO NEGOTIATE

Despite the relatively fast agreement with Britain, Claudio Irigoyen, head of global economics research at BofA Securities, cautioned that other deals would be harder to hammer out, with China being the toughest.

"I can see trade deals coming with India, Japan and maybe South Korea, down the road," he said. "China - this is the most complicated and will be the last one to come," in part because the geopolitical relationship is entangled with the trade ties.

Investors are concerned that negative scenarios have not been factored into markets.

"If we come out of Geneva with people using incendiary language and strong disagreements, I don't think that's priced in," said Czerwonko of UBS.

The market would probably be content with only modest signs of progress, several investors said.

"We don't need happy talk," said Gertken.

(Reporting by Suzanne McGee in Providence, Rhode Island; Additional reporting by Laura Matthews and Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss in New York and John Revill in Geneva; Editing by Lewis Krauskopf, Mark Potter, Matthew Lewis and Edmund Klamann)
by Alessandra De Poli

The PIME missionary studied at CTU with Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV. He remembers a quiet, practical man, able to listen, the American PIME priest told AsiaNews. His election is a sign of hope for the American Church. The new pope spoke of peace, he is a missionary, he could give hope to the Catholic Church in the United States.

Detroit (AsiaNews)  When I heard 'Robertum Franciscum', I went: 'Oh my God, it's Bob!'," said Father Ken Mazur, a PIME missionary, who remembers Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, because he went to school with him.

We went for four years of theology right before our ordination at the Catholic Theological Union, CTU in Chicago. It is a school with many different religious groups, religious orders, Franciscans, Augustinians, PIME, the Divine Word missionaries, Xaverians. We all come together, we have one big school.

The two were in school together from 22 and 26. But even then, Prevost, who belongs to the Order of Saint Augustine and, like Father Ken, was ordained in 1982, showed himself to be humble yet practical.

I remember that he was very quiet, said the PIME religious, who is now in the United States after serving as superior general between 2005 and 2015, speaking to AsiaNews. He was, maybe we would say humble. He was also down-to-earth; he was friendly, he was approachable. He was someone you could talk to about your class, about your homework. Or about anything.

He was also very practical. He looked at things like everybody does. His head was not in the clouds all the time.

Such qualities will certainly be useful to the new pontiff. They probably helped the new pope when he pursued theological studies in Canon Law at the Pontifical Angelicum University, in Rome.

In the United States, no one expected an American pope, not even Father Ken Mazur. Here in America his name had circulated a bit, as a papabile, but I didn't believe it. I know him, and he is a good guy but an American pope  not possible," said the PIME missionary.

Even though he hasn't lived in the United States in many years, he still has the American mentality of being able to handle a corporation, we could say. He is probably a very good organiser, like many Americans are. Which is also something that the Church needs.

Pope Leo XIV, however, spent most of his life outside the United States: 20 years in Peru and 12 in Rome as prior general of the Augustinians.

For Father Ken, the fact that he is a missionary is something tremendous. For us in PIME, that is just tremendous. He has the heart of a missionary. Even in his speeches, his little speech when he was introduced yesterday from the loggia, he talked about being a missionary Church. Which is also something that Pope Francis spoke about, but Pope Francis wasnt a missionary. He (Prevost) was a missionary.

The rest of the new popes speech also gave hope to a lot of American Catholics. The fact that he would talk about building bridges, you know. And we have a president who builds walls instead of building bridges. I think he was making the connection that he wanted to build bridges. He did not say: I dont want to build walls, but it could have been implied.

Another aspect caught Father Kens attention. I thought it was very interesting that he did not speak in English. He spoke in Italian, which is very good, and he spoke in Spanish to the people of Peru.

By avoiding English, he tried to send a message, the PIME missionary suggests, perhaps so as not to appear too tied to the American context.

This morning (on Friday) he had the Mass with the cardinals, and he began his homily in English, when yesterday he did not speak in English. I thought that was very interesting.

However, the most important thing was the word he repeated several times: peace. He thought very much about the words he chose. Everything he said had meaning to it, the PIME missionary noted.

Peace! He talked about peace. We need to have peace. Even in the United States, where Catholics are increasingly divided by politics; especially after COVID, even more people don't come to church, they have fallen away. I think this could be a boost, could give hope to the Catholic Church in the United States.
In Bangladesh, thousands of people are calling for the Awami League to be banned. For the first time since he took power, General Min Aung Hlaing met Chinese President Xi Jinping. In Japan, laws to counter isolation have not yet taken effect. Kazakh students who protested in favour of Palestine have had their student visas cancelled.

INDIA  PAKISTAN

Tensions remain high as the military standoff between India and Pakistan continues, eliciting calls from the G7 and the United States for de-escalation. New Delhi and Islamabad have accused each other of striking military bases. The information released by the two countries continues to be contradictory. The Pakistani military, for example, says it has destroyed Indias S-400 defence systems, claims that India denies. Meanwhile, despite pressure from India, Pakistan has obtained a new loan from the International Monetary Fund.

BANGLADESH

Thousands of people gathered yesterday in front of the residence of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to demand the banning of the Awami League, the party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country almost a year ago after widespread anti-government protests. Recently, another leader of the Awami League also left the country. Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser for the newly formed National Citizens' Party, said that the demonstrations would continue until their demands are met.

MYANMAR

For the first time since the 2021 coup, General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar's military junta, met yesterday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in Moscow on the sidelines of Russias annual Victory Parade. According to Myanmar state media, Hlaing thanked China for its support of Myanmars stance on regional and international fronts.

INDONESIA

Jakarta civil servants must travel to work by public transit on Wednesdays, otherwise they risk not getting a promotion. The rule came into force on 30 April on the orders of Governor Pramono Anung, to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. For anyone who violates this policy while Im in charge for at least the next five years, dont expect a promotion, Pramono said yesterday. We want this to become not just an order, but (also) a new lifestyle for employees. Public transportation is the future of Jakarta.

JAPAN

The percentage of people who feel lonely in Japan has remained stable in recent years, at 39 per cent, a recent government survey shows. For the first time, the study analysed feelings of isolation with the use of smartphones. After the COVID-19 pandemic, a law was drafted  which came into force in April last year  that requires local governments to form regional groups made up of public and private sector organisations to promote measures to help those in need.

KAZAKHSTAN  UNITED STATES  PALESTINE

A group of Kazakh students in the US had their visas revoked for participating in pro-Palestine protests, and were put on the list of foreigners to be repatriated, but Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin urged them not to panic; the situation is still being assessed.

RUSSIA

According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia has restricted Internet access across several regions for its 9 May Victory Day celebrations on the grounds of "information security" regarding banking services, taxis, couriers, and public transit. This is seen as a test for the possible closing of the Russian part of the Internet to external connections, to be replaced by the long-awaited Runet, the Russia-centred Internet which has so far proved ineffective.
by Stefano Caprio

Robert Prevost has never had direct relations with Moscow, but the name he chose evokes very important relations in the history of relations between East and West in the ancient and modern Church, from Leo the Great to Leo XIII, the pope of Rerum Novarum, who was inspired by the great Russian author Vladimir Solovyov.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago in 1955, has become the new pope, Leo XIV, attracting the attention of the whole world and overshadowing the Victory celebrations on Moscow's Red Square, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

His election surprised the whole world, since he was not mentioned among the top candidates of the Sacred College of Cardinals, and chose a name that had not been used for over a century, despite being one of the most glorious papal titles in history.

Pope Leo XIV has never had direct relations with Russia, spending many years of his priestly and episcopal mission in Peru and the United States, before coming to the Vatican to serve as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most important and sensitive bodies of the Holy See.

Yet the name he chose evokes very important relations in the history of interactions between East and West in the ancient and modern Church, and it is no coincidence that so many popes chose this title, in memory of the great Leo the Great, who in the mid-fifth century was able to stop barbarian invasions in the Western Roman Empire, a prophet of the peace that is still awaited today in the countries of Europe and the world.

The reference to the first Pope Leo, a great player in the history of the Church in very turbulent times, is undoubtedly a first indication of the pontificate of the new pope, Robert Prevost, reflecting an attempt to reconcile the peoples of different latitudes like at the end of the ancient world, just before the beginning of the Middle Ages.

Leo the Great wrote to all the greats of his century to find ways of peace not only in armed conflicts and clashes of civilisations, but also in ecclesiastical disputes over the formulations of the faith, especially in his Tomus ad Flavianum, the letter to the patriarch of Constantinople who had excommunicated the Monophysite heretics, who did not believe in the human nature of Jesus Christ.

The papal text managed to find the right middle ground between opposing dogmatic theories, which also involved the emperor Theodosius II, so much so that it shaped the conclusions of the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the one that imposed the term "orthodoxy" on those who accepted the definitions of faith as the union of the human and divine nature of Christ.

At that time, the Creed of Faith in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan text was definitively approved. Professed by both Catholics and Orthodox (notwithstanding the Byzantine question of the Filioque), it unites the variants of the Christian theology of Alexandria and Antioch, the ancient polarisations of the Hellenistic West (which later became the Orthodox East) and the Syriac East (which then developed mainly in the Latin West).

Leo XIV also wants to reconcile the different souls of ancient and modern Christianity, in which latitudes are exchanged and influences are intertwined in the confession of the one faith.

This goal has been part of the historical mission of popes, such as Leo II who confirmed the Catholic and Orthodox faith at the Third Council of Constantinople in 680, Leo III who crowned Charlemagne as emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Leo IV who fortified Rome by building the Leonine Walls to defend the city from the Saracens, Leo IX who tried to unite Rome and Byzantium, who split in 1054 between Orthodox and Catholics, a few days after his death.

One of the most famous popes was Leo X, Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, remembered for his patronage of the arts and controversies with Martin Luther. And finally, we have Leo XIII, the last in papal history with this name, confined to the Vatican after the capture of Rome in 1870, known for his encyclical Rerum Novarum which addressed the social question and workers' rights, one of the popes with the longest pontificates (1878-1903), which his successor and American namesake could repeat since he is the youngest pope since John Paul II.

The first hint given by the papal title therefore concerns the very notion of "orthodoxy," which dates back to the times when the true faith was associated with the universality of the "Catholic" Church.

According to the doctrines of the first councils, in which Leo the Great was the only pope to have a decisive influence, one cannot be truly orthodox without being at the same time authentically Catholic, professing a unitary and universal faith, notwithstanding subsequent instrumental polemics on the details of the various formulations.

On this basis, Pope Leo XIV can be expected to maintain and develop good relations with the Moscow Patriarchate and Putin's Russia. The Russian leader congratulated the pontiff on his election by stating that he was 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 most recent inspiration, probably the decisive one for the choice of the name, comes from Pope Leo XIII (born Gioacchino Pecci), who met the challenges of modernity head on by maintaining that the Church's tasks also included pastoral activity in the socio-political field.

Leo XIII is remembered as the "pope of encyclicals, 86 in all, written with the aim of overcoming the isolation in which the Holy See had found itself after the loss of temporal power with the unification of Italy.

It is unlikely that the American pope will be as prolific in terms of official texts, not least because we are in an era of continuous communication condensed into brief verbal spurts on social media, which Cardinal Prevost said to "use with prudence," to think it through before launching thoughtless posts, like those of his president (and pseudo-pope) in Washington.

Pecci was also the workers pope or social pope, above all by virtue of Rerum Novarum, which sparked reflections on the social doctrine of the Church, a text that greatly attracted the attention of Russians.

The current patriarch of Moscow, Kirill (Gundyaev), elaborated an orthodox conception of social doctrine in the late 1990s, inviting Catholics present in Russia to collaborate by comparing the encyclicals from Leo XIII to John Paul II, and the great twentieth-century literature on the Church's commitment to political and social relations.

At the Russian synod of the jubilee of 2000, which also marked the start of Vladimir Putin's presidency, Kirill approved this document that indicated the guidelines for the new development of sovereignist Russia, inserting the key points of the defence of traditional values against any external interference, in a system of contents very much shared with Catholic doctrine.

Leo XIII wrote the social encyclical in 1891, and one of its sources of inspiration was a Russian author, the great philosopher Vladimir Solovyov, who two years earlier had circulated throughout Europe a text in which he proposed a new vision of the world, Russia and the Universal Church, proposing to rediscover the original meaning of the Christian tradition, above all the original unity of Orthodoxy and Catholicism, overcoming historical divisions, under the temporal guidance of the tsar and the spiritual authority of the pope.

One of his great admirers was the influential Cardinal Josip Strossmayer of Zagreb, who submitted the text to the pope with a letter from Solovyov himself, asking if he was willing to carry out such a utopian project, which he called "free theocracy" and which in his opinion constituted the "special mission" of religious and monarchical Russia, but in need of Petrine primacy and papal infallibility, whose dogma had been recently proclaimed. Leo XIII replied that it was a "beautiful idea, but unrealisable except for a miracle.

In drafting the encyclical, however, one can feel a certain influence of Solovyovs ideas about a third way between the great social ideologies of liberalism and socialism, between East and West in a certain way, which had been confronting each other in Russia for a century, pitting Slavophiles against Westernisers.

In Rerum Novarum the concept of the "third way" is effectively stressed, in an attempt to mediate between the socialist-revolutionary orientation and economic capitalist liberalism, a reflection taken up and deepened in the encyclicals of subsequent popes, like Pius XIs Quadragesimo Anno (1931), John XXIIIs Mater et Magistra (1961), Paul VI's Populorum Progressio (1967), and John Paul II's Centesimus Annus (1991), at the end of the Soviet era.

Pope Francis  whose magisterium Leo XIV promised to continue and with whom he had a very close relationship since the time of his mission in Peru, alongside the then archbishop of Buenos Aires  reiterated the Churchs social doctrine in the encyclical Fratelli Tutti (2020), asking precisely those who are divided by human affairs to recognise each other as brothers and sisters because they are children of one Creator, in need to become aware that in a globalised and interconnected world we can only save ourselves together.

The Argentine pope was also inspired by the document on human fraternity, signed with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb in 2019, and now it is up to the American-Peruvian pope to take up these great inspirations, ancient and recent, to build peace together with peoples at war, Christian confessions, and the religions of the world.

This is the specific task of the universal pontiff, the bridge builder, which Pope Leo XIV evoked when, from the balcony of St Peter's before the immense crowd of all peoples and nations, he wished: Peace be with you! God loves you all!

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10 May 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

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In recent years, Azerbaijan has emerged as a critical player in the global natural gas market, particularly in Europes energy diversification efforts. With the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) fully operational and strategic partnerships deepening, Azerbaijans gas exports are steadily rising, reinforcing its reputation as a reliable energy supplier. According to data from 2024, Azerbaijan exported 25.2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gasa 5.8% increase over 2023. Notably, exports to Europe grew by...

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10 May 2025 20:00 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Leadership is a quality that transcends mere authorityit is an exceptional skill set that combines vision, foresight, determination, and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of a nation. In the case of Azerbaijan, these attributes have been exemplified in the figure of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, whose contributions to the countrys independence and sovereignty have shaped its modern identity. The article "Constitution and Sovereignty: Fundamental Pillars of Heydar Aliyev's Political Legacy", authored by Samir Nuriyev, Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, offers a profound reflection on how Aliyevs leadership not only secured Azerbaijans sovereignty but also laid the foundation for its future successes.

The central thesis of Nuriyevs article posits that Heydar Aliyevs leadership qualities were instrumental in transforming Azerbaijans aspirations for independence into a robust political and economic reality. Nuriyev highlights how Heydar Aliyevs first term in power, especially during a turbulent period in Azerbaijans history, helped instill a strong sense of national pride and independence among the people. Through his decisive actions and visionary leadership, he not only preserved Azerbaijans sovereignty but ensured its continuous development, anchoring the nations place in the global arena.

The role of strong leadership in national sovereignty

A key analytical point in understanding Azerbaijan's path to sovereignty is recognizing the decisive role that strong leadership plays in the survival of a state in times of crisis. The late 20th century presented Azerbaijan with one of the most challenging periods in its history, with external threats, internal instability, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was at this juncture that the presence of a leader like Heydar Aliyev became crucial. His ability to navigate these complex geopolitical and domestic challenges showcased a leader who not only understood the importance of state sovereignty but also had the capability to steer the country through perilous times.

As Nuriyev emphasizes, Azerbaijan's resurgence as an independent state in the 1990s was not a mere result of historical circumstances; it was the direct outcome of a leader who could mobilize national resources, unify the population, and ensure the countrys political independence. Heydar Aliyevs resilience, honed through years of political experience and unwavering devotion to his country, became the cornerstone of Azerbaijans resurgence on the world stage. His leadership went beyond managing immediate crises; it was about setting the trajectory for the future stability and prosperity of the state.

Azerbaijan's transformation into a regional power

Today, Azerbaijan stands as a regional power in the South Caucasus, a position that is a direct legacy of Heydar Aliyev's state-building efforts. Under his leadership and with his strategic foresight, Azerbaijan transitioned from a fragile, post-Soviet state to a confident actor in the international arena. Nuriyev outlines that Azerbaijan has not only solidified its sovereignty but has also established itself as a political and economic center in the Eurasian space. The countrys strategic geopolitical location, coupled with its growing economic influence, has made it an indispensable partner for many nations.

In addition to the obvious political and economic advancements, Azerbaijan has also made remarkable strides in its energy and transport sectors. The country has played a critical role in diversifying energy routes, contributing to global energy security, and shaping the future of regional connectivity. Azerbaijans bold stance on key international issues, exemplified by its ability to host major global events such as COP29, is a testament to its growing influence.

Azerbaijan's sovereignty: Garabagh and beyond

One of the most defining aspects of Azerbaijans modern sovereignty is its unwavering commitment to restoring its territorial integrity, particularly in the case of Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur. As Nuriyev mentions, Azerbaijans success in rebuilding these regions independently, without external assistance, underscores the strength and resilience of its statehood. The creation of modern infrastructure, the return of displaced citizens, and the establishment of thriving communities in these territories are significant milestones in Azerbaijans journey towards complete recovery and sovereignty.

The restoration of Garabagh is not only a military and political victory but also an example of how state leadership, under the direction of President Ilham Aliyev, is committed to the long-term peace and development of the region. The completion of vital infrastructure projects and the ongoing resettlement of citizens highlight the governments determination to build a self-sufficient, stable, and prosperous future for its people. Moreover, the holding of elections in these territories and the symbolic vote of President Ilham Aliyev in Khankendi during the 2024 presidential elections further reaffirm the legal and constitutional sovereignty of Azerbaijan over its entire territory.

In conclusion, the political legacy of Heydar Aliyev has been fundamental in shaping the trajectory of Azerbaijans modern statehood. His leadership, defined by vision, determination, and unwavering dedication to his people, ensured Azerbaijans sovereignty during the most challenging times in its history. The achievements of Azerbaijan today, from its economic rise to its political influence and territorial integrity, are built upon the foundations that Heydar Aliyev laid down.

Looking forward, the continuity of this legacy under President Ilham Aliyev strengthens Azerbaijans position as a powerful and independent actor in the global arena. As Azerbaijan continues to assert its sovereignty, modernize its infrastructure, and contribute to global stability, it remains a testament to the enduring power of strong, visionary leadership. This ongoing development is not merely a continuation of past successes but a testament to the foresight and resilience of a nation led by individuals who have consistently demonstrated the core qualities of true leadershipwisdom, determination, and an unshakable commitment to the prosperity and independence of the Azerbaijani people.
10 May 2025 16:55 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

The State Employment Agency of Azerbaijan and Moroccos National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills have signed a comprehensive Cooperation Action Plan for 20252026, marking a significant step forward in bilateral collaboration on labor and employment initiatives, Azernews reports.

The agreement was signed during a high-level ceremony in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, on the sidelines of the World Congress of the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES). The event brought together global leaders in workforce development to discuss innovations and best practices in public employment services.

The newly signed Action Plan sets a roadmap for joint efforts in several strategic areas, including the implementation of active labor market programs, the digital transformation of employment services, the enhancement of vocational training systems, and initiatives to improve youth employment and career guidance.

In addition to programmatic collaboration, the agreement also provides for reciprocal study visits and the co-hosting of events aimed at knowledge exchange and capacity building between the two agencies.

This partnership underscores both countries commitment to modernizing employment services and fostering inclusive labor markets in line with international best practices.
10 May 2025 13:49 (UTC+04:00)

An event marking the 102nd anniversary of Azerbaijans National Leader Heydar Aliyev was held in Paris, organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in France, Azernews reports.

The ceremony took place at the Embassys Cultural Center, where Azerbaijani Ambassador to France, Leyla Abdullayeva, and Azerbaijans Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Elman Abdullayev, delivered keynote remarks. In their speeches, they highlighted Heydar Aliyevs pivotal role in guiding the Azerbaijani people through turbulent historical and political periods, and in laying the foundation for the country's independence and development.

Speakers emphasized that under Heydar Aliyevs visionary leadership, Azerbaijan emerged as a pillar of regional stability and a proactive member of the international community. He played a critical role in building strong ties with UNESCO and other major international organizations, advancing Azerbaijans global presence.

The legacy of Heydar Aliyev, they noted, continues to shape modern Azerbaijan  a nation progressing steadily under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, who has remained committed to his fathers political vision. That legacy was especially evident in Azerbaijans defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity during the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020 and the 2023 local anti-terror operation, under the command of President Ilham Aliyev.

Today, thanks to President Aliyevs strategic leadership, Azerbaijan stands as a confident, victorious, and increasingly influential state on the global stage.

The event featured a documentary film showcasing key milestones in Heydar Aliyevs life and leadership. The program also included a musical performance by Paris conservatory graduate Agaragim Guliyev, who played several of the National Leaders favorite pieces on the flute.

The event was attended by diplomats based in Paris, members of the Azerbaijani community, diaspora representatives, and Azerbaijani students residing in the French capital  all paying tribute to a leader remembered with deep respect and lasting gratitude.
10 May 2025 19:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Susanbar Aghamaliyeva

Heydar Aliyev, who led Azerbaijan for more than 30 years during its modern history, left behind a legacy so profound that it will require ongoing study, promotion, and application for generations to come. The period from 1969 to 2003 is widely recognized as the Heydar Aliyev era in Azerbaijan's history, a reflection of the nations deep respect for his wise statesmanship.

Renowned globally as a prominent political figure, Heydar Aliyev was among the key leaders of the Soviet Uniondistinguished by his innate talent and commanding influence. He was the first Azerbaijani to rise to such prominence, becoming a source of pride not only for Azerbaijan but for the entire Turkic world. Deeply devoted to his people, Aliyev always took pride in his Azerbaijani identity. His famous words, "I have always been proud, and I am still proud today that I am Azerbaijani," have become a motto embraced by Azerbaijanis everywhere.

In the early years of independence, Azerbaijan faced severe challenges: military aggression, the devastating consequences of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, and the looming threat of civil war. At this critical moment, the hopes of the people rested on one manHeydar Aliyev. With his strong will, exceptional leadership, and far-reaching political vision, he became the nations beacon of hope.

During the January 20 tragedy, he bravely denounced the Soviet leadership from Moscow, standing firmly with his people against imperialist policies. In the summer of 1993, amid political chaos and public desperation, Heydar Aliyev returned to national leadership in response to the peoples call. Declaring, I dedicate the remaining part of my life to my people, he embarked on a mission to save the nation from collapse. With rare political acumen, determination, and courage, he laid the foundations of a democratic, lawful Azerbaijani statemoving decisively away from the Soviet legacy.

Aliyev once said that preserving independence is far more difficult than achieving it. True to his word, he succeeded in making Azerbaijans independence eternal and irreversible. Under his leadership, the country experienced political stability, economic revival, democratic reforms, and social development. He secured a ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict, rebuilt a struggling economy, and transformed Azerbaijan into a developing state. His strategic oil policy opened new avenues for international cooperation and investment, significantly boosting Azerbaijans global standing.

Heydar Aliyev became a cherished and respected leader for all Azerbaijanis. He stood by his people, and they stood by him. Personally, I had the honor of speaking before him on two occasions during my school years. In 1996, I addressed him during a meeting with the public in Nakhchivan on behalf of schoolchildren. In 1998, I represented refugee students at a national conference on issues related to refugees and internally displaced persons. These memories are precious to me. I am also proud that the great leader showed care for our family, as he did for every Azerbaijani. Thanks to his direct support, I was provided with housing in Nakhchivan in 1997. We will always remember the attention he gave us.

Today, his legacy continues under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and the First Vice-President, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva. Under the command of the Victorious Supreme Commander, our lands have been liberated from Armenian occupation. Our countrys sovereignty and independence have been fully restored. President Ilham Aliyev, following in his fathers footsteps, is rebuilding Karabakh, where the Azerbaijani flag now flies proudly.

We, the Azerbaijanis forcibly displaced from Western Azerbaijan, also believe that under the leadership of the Supreme Commander, we will return to our historical lands with honor and dignity. This confidence stems from the successful continuation of Heydar Aliyevs policies. As long as Azerbaijan exists, the name and legacy of Heydar Aliyev will live on.

---

Susanbar Aghamaliyeva, the author of this article, is a translator at the Translation Centre of Nakhchivan State University, PhD in Philology
10 May 2025 11:43 (UTC+04:00)

On the morning of May 10 at approximately 09:55, units of the Armenian armed forces opened fire on Azerbaijani Army positions from their locations in the Chambarak region, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has reported.

Azernews reports, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry also responded to allegations issued by Armenias Ministry of Defense, which claimed that Azerbaijani forces had fired in the direction of the Khanazakh settlement and caused damage to a residential building.

These claims are entirely false and constitute disinformation aimed at misleading the international community and laying the groundwork for further provocations, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated.

The Ministry emphasized that the Azerbaijani Army does not target civilian infrastructure or non-combatants. It clarified that Azerbaijani units only returned fire appropriately in response to the incident from the Chambarak direction.
10 May 2025 14:50 (UTC+04:00)

In commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the leadership and staff of Azerbaijans Ministry of Health visited the Alley of Honor in Baku to pay their respects.

Azernews reports, the Ministry released a statement noting that flowers were laid at the grave of the founder of modern independent Azerbaijan, honoring his enduring legacy and profound contributions to the nation.

The delegation also visited the resting places of prominent figures in Azerbaijani medicine and public service. Tributes were paid to the memory of distinguished ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva, with fresh flowers placed at her grave. Floral tributes were also laid at the graves of respected statesman Aziz Aliyev and renowned physician Tamerlan Aliyev.

The statement emphasized that Heydar Aliyev consistently prioritized the development of national healthcare, playing a pivotal role in the establishment of a professional medical education system and the training of skilled healthcare personnel across the country.

May 10 marks the birthday of Heydar Aliyev  a visionary leader, architect of Azerbaijans modern statehood, and one of the most revered figures in the countrys history.
10 May 2025 15:21 (UTC+04:00)

An event marking the 102nd anniversary of Azerbaijans National Leader Heydar Aliyev was held in Washington, D.C., bringing together members of the Azerbaijani community, diaspora representatives, and Azerbaijani students studying in the United States.

Azernews reports that the event was organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the U.S.

In his opening address, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States, Khazar Ibrahim, highlighted the enduring influence of Heydar Aliyevs visionary leadership, which laid the foundation for Azerbaijans statehood, stability, and development. He emphasized that the National Leaders ideas not only shaped the nations future but also carry global relevance.

Ambassador Ibrahim noted that thanks to Heydar Aliyevs strategic vision, Azerbaijan has grown into a strong, resilient, and progressive country. He added that this legacy continues to be successfully upheld under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, with the country steadily advancing on the path of development.

The ambassador also reflected on Heydar Aliyevs deep commitment to youth and education, recalling his efforts to support talented students and invest in the next generation.

As part of the commemoration, participants laid flowers at the statue of Heydar Aliyev located on the embassy grounds, honoring his memory.

The event featured video presentations that highlighted the National Leaders contributions to youth policy, state-building, and diplomacy. A photo exhibition also showcased key moments from Heydar Aliyevs career, including his official visits and working engagements in the United States.
10 May 2025 16:23 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

To support the implementation of the President of Azerbaijans Decree on "Measures to Strengthen the Social Protection of Military Personnel," efforts are underway to provide permanent housing to military members, Azernews reports.

The Ministry of Defense has shared details of this initiative, announcing that a group of military personnelthose who have served for 20 years or more, as well as military personnel released to the reserve and their heirshave been allocated apartments in the MIDA Residential Complex in Sumgayit.

This housing program is being carried out in phases, and ongoing efforts to enhance the social welfare of military personnel will continue.
10 May 2025 13:22 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Negotiations on the draft peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia reached a critical stage in March, with progress made in several key areas. Azerbaijan has outlined specific legitimate expectations from Armenia, including the removal of any territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the Armenian Constitution and the disbandment of the Minsk Group, which has remained inactive for years and is no longer necessary following the resolution of the conflict.

Azernews reports, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized that while ongoing contacts are being made, concrete actions are what truly matter. He noted that discussions are continuing on various fronts, including the delimitation process, where commissions led by the deputy prime ministers of both countries are actively engaged.

Bayramov also highlighted the importance of opening transport and communication links between Azerbaijans western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, reiterating Azerbaijan's clear stance on the matter and its expectation that Armenia will honor its commitments.
10 May 2025 22:58 (UTC+04:00)

Today, President Ilham Aliyev addressed the inauguration of the Aghdam Mugham Center as part of his visit to the liberated Aghdam. In his message, he underlined several key issues and talked about the victory of Azerbaijan, which displayed the full integrity and courage of a nation.

This (the Victory in the Patriotic War  ed.) is the Victory for all of us. The Azerbaijani people demonstrated their historic greatness to the whole world by achieving this Victory, said President Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration of the Aghdam Mugham Center.

The head of state emphasized: It is no coincidence that although there is a hostile attitude towards Azerbaijan from certain circles, forces and countries, they know that we are a worthy people, a people worthy of respect, and that we must be reckoned with, at least in the region where we live. Those who do not reckon with us today will regret it tomorrow.

Furthermore, President Aliyev touched on projects related to infrastructure in Shusha and Khankendi: We are working on a cable road project connecting Shusha with Khankendi, said President Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration of the Aghdam Mugham Center.

The President added, I must also inform you that the construction of a cable road will probably begin in the city of Lachin this year. There is such a project in Kalbajar. So, it will be a very good means of transportation for both tourists and local residents.
10 May 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed a new strategic partnership agreement on Friday in the French city of Nancy, pledging to deepen collaboration in defense, energy, and industrial resilience.

Macron described the renewed Franco-Polish partnership as an alliance of the heart, calling the agreement a major step forward in bilateral ties and a shared vision for a more autonomous and secure Europe.

We are forging lasting solidarity built on trust shaped through recent crises, Macron said at a joint press conference with Tusk.

The treaty introduces a mutual assistance clause reinforcing commitments under both NATO and the European Union, while also calling for greater European strategic autonomy. Macron said it will speed up joint investments in Europe's defense manufacturing capacity, including weapons and ammunition production.

Our goal is an integrated European defense partnership, Macron noted, clarifying that the initiative complements rather than competes with NATO or the EU.

He emphasized the need for Europe to enhance its security capabilities, especially in light of uncertain U.S. foreign policy commitments.

We hope the United States remains a committed ally, Macron said. But Europe must reduce its dependency on others unpredictable decisions.

On Ukraine, Macron proposed a 30-day ceasefire as a starting point toward peace, highlighting the need for guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression. He noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had already accepted the proposal unconditionally and urged Russia to follow suit.

Prime Minister Tusk echoed Macrons call for stronger European defense cooperation, stressing that France would be Polands key partner in expanding its military strength. He reaffirmed Polands dedication to NATO while emphasizing the value of a robust European defense pillar.

Poland is committed to building Europes strongest defense forcenot as a rival to NATO but as a reinforcement of it, Tusk said.

He also announced upcoming joint initiatives with France, including shared weapons procurement and closer collaboration between defense industries. Plans for joint military exercises are under review, and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the mutual defense provisions outlined in the treaty.
10 May 2025 18:31 (UTC+04:00)

Pakistan has launched "Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos" in response to Indian missile attacks on three air bases within its territory. The countrys military spokesman confirmed that although India targeted the bases, all assets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) remain intact and secure, Azernews reports.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has convened a meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) on Saturday, following Pakistans retaliatory strikes on multiple Indian military installations.

According to state media, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that India fired air-to-ground missiles at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, Murid Airbase in Chakwal, and Shorkot Airbase. By the grace of Almighty Allah, all PAF assets are safe, he said.

Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar announced on Saturday that the countrys civil and military leadership initiated Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos after exercising maximum restraint. He emphasized that Pakistan would not allow India to assert regional hegemony.

Deputy Prime Minister Dar further stated that after last nights attacks on the airbases, the leadership had no choice but to respond. With the prayers of the nation, Allah will grant us victory. It is the governments foremost duty to safeguard the sovereignty of our country, he said, adding that the armed forces and government are fully committed to defending Pakistan and that the current actions are defensive in nature.
10 May 2025 23:23 (UTC+04:00)

Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by telephone on Saturday morning, Azernews reports.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they discussed the current situation in South Asia following Indian attacks on Pakistan and Pakistans response. The two leaders agreed to maintain close contact.

Pakistani media reported on Saturday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio also held a phone conversation with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir. During the call, Rubio emphasized the need for both Pakistan and India to take steps toward de-escalation, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of State. Rubio also offered US assistance in initiating constructive talks to prevent future conflicts, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the diplomatic efforts of Saudi Arabia to de-escalate the situation and promote peace in the region. He made these remarks while speaking with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Adel Al-Jubeir, who called on him in Islamabad on Friday evening.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister strongly condemned Indias missile and drone strikes against Pakistan, which resulted in the martyrdom of numerous innocent civilians, including women and children, as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.

He also paid tribute to the valiant Armed Forces of Pakistan for their exemplary commitment and courage in defending the nation against the enemys aggressive actions.

Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed that Pakistan is fully determined to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Regarding the recent Israel /Iran Conflict (the "12 Day War"), culminating in the United States Air Force employing seven B2 Bombers to complete a 33 hour flight, dropping 14 fifteen ton bunker busting bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities buried deep under mountain rock, which destroyed Iran's nuclear ambitions against Israel and the United States: Should President Trump have unilaterally made the decision to make such a bold decision to conduct this operation, without first running this prospective operation before the US Congress for their approval?

14.29% No, The War Powers Act prohibitions, which requires NO presidential military action without congressional approval.85.71% Yes, the President has Article 2 Constitutional authority to take unilateral military action to protect the American People, providing he does not break congressional codes, which he did not.0% Don't care, never have.
Google's business model has always revolved around collecting and selling the data of its users. People concerned about their privacy should be smart enough to use Google's privacy oriented competitors instead of Google.

Now Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a $1.375 Billion settlement from Google for violating the privacy of Texas citizens. Paxton filed a 44 page complaint against Google in 2022 detailing Google's infringement on the privacy of Texans. After the discovery process further sharpened his knives against Google's invasion of privacy, Paxton was able to secure the huge settlement in the lawsuit. Among other things, Paxton was able to establish that Google often lied to its users about being able to turn off tracking.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/05/google-hit-historic-1-375-billion-settlement-secretly/

The highly successful and very conservative Texas AG is now running for the US Senate against RINO incumbent Cornyn and leading in the polls for that office.

For those concerned about privacy, competitive search engines with a better record on privacy include BraveSearch, DuckDuckGo, and even Bing. BraveSearch is the most solid search engine on protecting user privacy.

https://search.brave.com/

Google's search engine is also notorious for being very politically biased and slanted.

For smartphones, Apple offers more privacy protection than the Google-based Android phones. However there are a number of privacy based operating systems that can be run on Android phones after stripping out all the Google data collecting parts. It is easy to find them on eBay by searching for "de-Googled smart phone".

There are multiple browsers that are alternatives to Google Chrome. One of the most privacy oriented is Brave. There are also many alternatives for email to Google's gmail. One of the most privacy oriented is ProtonMail, which is based in Switzerland but available worldwide.

While attorneys general here are working to protect the privacy rights of citizens, the gloablist bureaucrats of the EU are working just as hard to force American companies to expose the data of US users.

https://amgreatness.com/2025/05/01/president-trumps-stake-in-europes-mauling-of-apple/
Authors award-winning YA novels highlight health issues

Jenny Ireland remembers her husband Chris visiting her in hospital and reading Sally Rooneys Normal People aloud to her on the ward. He had to censor it, Ireland says with a smile. When we meet to chat in Belfasts Grand Central hotel, Chris is discretely stationed a few tables away, working on a laptop. I rely on him a lot, she says.
B*Witched: Irish girl band on making their Belfast return and how social media has changed gigs

Irish girl band who shot to fame in the 90s back together and looking forward to Belfast return for Farmers Bash

Sinead OCarroll, Keavy Lynch, Lindsay Armaou and Edele Lynch of B*witched perform in Brighton in 2023. (Lorne Thomson/Redferns)

Amy Cochrane Sat 10 May 2025 at 11:00

Get your denim at the ready  the original Irish girl band, B*Witched, are back and have told of their deep connection with their fans as they prepare to take to the stage in Belfast later this year
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
The Minister for Agriculture, Andrew Muir, has asked the public to remain extra vigilant as firefighters continue to tackle a Co Tyrone blaze which has spread to a special area of conservation.

Firefighters remain at the scene of a large gorse fire in the Ballagh Road area of Clogher which broke out on Wednesday afternoon.

Ten fire appliances and approximately 50 firefighters are in attendance at the ongoing incident which has since spread to Co Monaghan.

The blaze has since extended into a special area of conservation for the endangered species of Hen Harriers which nest in the blanket bog near Slieve Beagh.

Minister Muir pointed to the extensive damage caused being caused and called for the public to heed the elevated hazard warning which was issued by the Northern Ireland Fire Service (NIFRS) and PSNI.

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEARA) Minister Andrew Muir (Liam McBurney/PA)

The North Down MLA said: The current fire near Clogher is another stark reminder on how quickly they can spread, creating significant risk to life and property while causing extensive environmental damage.

The fire in Counties Tyrone and Monaghan has torn through approximately a third of a precious protected site which includes a Special Area of Conservation for the endangered Hen Harrier during nesting season as well as important blanket bog habitat.

With the current conditions set to last into the weekend and beyond I plead with everyone to heed the elevated hazard warning issued, remain extra vigilant to fires in our countryside and report to the Police or Crimestoppers anyone you know involved in deliberate and malicious fires.

Those who know the individuals involved must come forward and help us apprehend the culprits wreaking destruction across our countryside.

Minister Muir added: Once ignited, fire can spread rapidly, especially in areas with dead grasses, gorse, forestry and heather.

"Large areas can become engulfed in a very short period of time putting life, property and wildlife at real risk. This activity must stop before someone is killed or injured.

NIFRS Area Commander Barry Ross also urged the public to enjoy the warm spell of weather responsibly.

He said: With the dry weather set to continue over the next few days we are asking the public to support their Firefighters by staying safe from fire in the countryside.

"Dealing with wildfires is not only challenging and physically demanding for our Firefighters, it is extremely resource intensive for our Service and partner agencies. If you are enjoying the weather this weekend, please do so responsibly and follow our safety advice.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson added: Gorse fires have the potential to cause widespread damage to the environment and harm to wildlife, as well as threatening homes, farms and the people living in those areas.

The unpredictability of fire can also mean that those causing them may be putting their own lives at risk as well as the lives of the fire service personnel and other emergency services tasked to deal with them.

I would remind the public that deliberate setting of wildfires is a criminal offence and if you see anyone setting a fire you should contact us immediately.

Anyone caught deliberately setting a wildfire will be prosecuted to the full extend that the law allows.
Several emergency services are attending an ongoing search operation off the coast of Co Donegal.

The Irish Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter and multiple RNLI lifeboat are involved at the scene, which is taking place off the Lisfannon beach in Buncrana.

RTE News are reporting on Saturday evening that one teenager is missing, and another is seriously injured, after they got into difficulties while swimming.

It is understood that three young people, between the ages of 16 and 19, got into difficulties while swimming at Ned's Point, in Lough Swilly at 4pm.

One of the teens managed to swim ashore, but another has yet to be found following the incident.

A third was taken from the sea and rushed to Letterkenny General Hospital, where his condition is said to be "very serious".

The continuing multi-agency rescue mission includes the Rescue 118 helicopter from Sligo, an RNLI Lifeboat from Buncrana2, and around 12 yachts.

The search off the coast at Buncrana is being led by the Irish Coast Guard, with gardai and ambulance services also at the scene.

The RNLI said they were supporting the search, launched in response to an incident that involves three young men.

Gardai said Donegal North units were involved in the operation, and that the search was ongoing.

A Garda spokeserpson said: Gardai and emergency services are currently engaged in a search and rescue operation off the coast of Buncrana in Co. Donegal this afternoon, Saturday 10th May 2025.

Garda units from Donegal North are involved in this operation, alongside the Coast Guard and ambulance services.

The search remains ongoing. No further information is available at this time.

A spokesperson from the Irish Department of Transport said a member of the public raised the alarm, reporting a number of people in difficulty in the water.

"Greencastle and Mulroy Coast Guard Units were tasked along with both Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboats and the Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 from Sligo," they said.

"One person has been taken from the water and brought to Letterkenny hospital by an HSE ambulance.

"Their condition is unknown. A search remains ongoing in the area for another missing swimmer."
Police have arrested a man on suspicion of a number of offences, including dangerous driving, following the PSNI pursuit of a stolen vehicle that was first spotted in the border area.

Members of the Irish police force, colleagues, An Garda Siochan, made PSNI officers aware today that a black BMW  which had been reported stolen from the Dublin area last Sunday  was travelling on the A1 outside Jonesborough, near Newry.

"Specially trained Interceptor officers were able to track the vehicle with the overhead assistance of our Air Support Unit, said PSNI Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts.

"Roads Policing Unit officers safely deployed a stinger device in the Hillsborough area, in order to prevent a pursuit through busy weekend traffic; however the vehicle continued on deflated tyres along the M1, at speeds in excess of 80mph.

"The manner of driving was extremely hazardous, weaving in and out of traffic and even, at times, continuing along the hard shoulder.

"Officers from Armed Response Unit eventually brought the vehicle to a controlled stop in a citybound lane of the M1, between Lisburn and Black's Road.

The driver, a 24-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for police, dangerous driving, handling stolen good, no licence and no insurance.

He remains in custody at this time.

Chief Superintendent Roberts continued: One police vehicle sustained minor damage, and one officer injured his hands while extracting the suspect from his damaged vehicle. Thankfully, he did not require hospital treatment and was able to remain on duty.

"We, alongside our cross-border partner organisations, remain committed to disrupting the activities of those involved in criminal activity.

This arrest was the result of the fantastic collective efforts of officers from across our service, and demonstrates the lengths we go to each day, working together to make our communities safer."
Randy Kraft listens inside a courtroom in Santa Ana, California, in 1989 as a jury recommends he should die in the gas chamber (AP)

Police say a California serial killer is the sole person of interest after a man found dead in Oregon was identified after nearly 45 years.

The 30-year-old, whose body was found alongside an interstate, was identified on Friday as Larry Eugene Parks.

Oregon State Police spokesman Kyle Kennedy said Randy Kraft, who has been dubbed the Scorecard Killer, is the only person under investigation for the 1980 killing.

Theres some evidence that were processing to determine that link, Mr Kennedy said. We are very confident that we have the correct person of interest.

Booking photo provided by the California Department of Corrections showing San Quentin inmate Randy Kraft (California Department of Corrections/AP)

Kraft, now 80, was convicted in 1989 of brutalising and killing 16 men over a decade in California and sentenced to death. He remains in San Quentin State Prison and has denied killing anyone.

On July 18 1980, police responded to a report of the body identified as Mr Parks along I-5, south of Portland. A homicide investigation unsuccessfully tried to identify the victim.

A Vietnam veteran whose family had lost contact with him in 1979, Mr Parks had last been seen in Pensacola, Florida, police said.

Kraft was pulled over in his vehicle on a California freeway in 1983 after being spotted driving erratically. In the passenger seat of the vehicle was a strangled US Marine.

In the trunk of Krafts vehicle was a coded list believed to tally 67 victims in California, Oregon and Michigan, according to police.

Prosecutors described Kraft, a former computer programmer, as a fetishist who kept some of the dismembered parts of his victims in his freezer.

In 2024, an Orange County Sheriffs Department investigator reached out to the Oregon State Police Cold Case Unit and offered to help identify the remains using forensic investigative genetic genealogy.

A genetic profile was developed from a blood sample and Parks identity was confirmed after possible family members submitted DNA profiles for comparison, according to police.

Until his identification last month, the circumstances of his disappearance were unknown to his family, police said.

In 2023, the remains of a teenager believed to have been killed by Kraft in California were also identified using investigative genetic genealogy.
Red projectiles are seen over Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir (Mukhtar Khan/AP)

India accused Pakistan of violating a ceasefire deal made hours earlier on Saturday, after US-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday that there had been repeated violations of the understanding arrived between the two countries on ceasing fire, and accused Pakistan of breaching the agreement.

He told a news conference in New Delhi: We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.

Mr Misri said the Indian army was retaliating for what he called a border intrusion.

A man checks his mobile phone during a blackout in Jammu (Channi Anand/AP)

Pakistans foreign ministry blamed Indian forces for initiating the ceasefire violation.

In a statement it said Pakistan remains committed to the ceasefire agreement and Pakistani forces were handling the situation with responsibility and restraint.

We believe that any issues in the smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels, the ministry said.

The troops on the ground should also exercise restraint.

Earlier, multiple explosions were heard in two cities in India-controlled Kashmir hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire deal, following the US-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.

Residents said the loud explosions in Srinagar and Jammu were followed by a blackout.

Omar Abdullah, the regions top elected official, said in a post on social media: What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!

Pakistanis had earlier celebrated the ceasefire (Asim Tanveer/AP)

In another post, he said: This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.

Cross-border shelling and gunfire was also reported from at least five places along the Line of Control, a de facto frontier that divides disputed Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

There were no reports of casualties.

The ceasefire deal had been expected to bring a swift end to weeks of escalating clashes, including missile and drone strikes, triggered by the massacre of tourists by gunmen last month that India blames on Pakistan, which denies the charge.

Dozens of civilians have been killed on both sides since then.

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The first word of the truce came from US President Donald Trump, who posted on his Truth Social platform that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

He said: Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar announced the truce on Geo News, saying that Saudi Arabia and Turkey played an important role in facilitating the deal.

Mr Misri said the head of military operations from both countries spoke on Saturday.

It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, and in the air and sea.

Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding, he said.

The top military leaders will speak again on Monday, Mr Misri added.

Tensions have soared since an attack at a popular tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, on April 22.
The clash is the most serious between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades (AP)

India and Pakistan have confirmed a ceasefire deal after US-led talks to end a conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals.

It follows weeks of clashes that were triggered by a gun massacre on tourists last month that India blames Pakistan for.

It was their most serious confrontation in decades and left dozens of civilian dead on both sides.

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The first word on the truce came from US President Donald Trump, who posted his Truth Social platform that he was pleased to announce that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

He wrote: Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Pakistans foreign minister Ishaq Dar said earlier on Saturday that his country would consider de-escalation if India stopped further attacks.

Scores of people have died in the latest conflict (AP)

However, Mr Dar also warned that if India launched any strikes, our response will follow.

Mr Dar told Pakistans Geo News that he also conveyed this message to US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who contacted him after Mr Rubio spoke to New Delhi earlier.

We responded because our patience had reached its limit. If they stop here, we will also consider stopping, Mr Dar added.

India said it targeted Pakistani air bases early on Saturday after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at military and civilian infrastructure in the countrys Punjab state.

The ceasefire comes after US-mediated talks (AP)

Pakistan said it intercepted most missiles and responded with retaliatory strikes on India.

Mr Rubio spoke to his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and emphasised that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation, US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Saturday, and offered US support to facilitate productive discussion.

Earlier on Saturday, Indias military held a press briefing in New Delhi, saying Pakistan targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions, said Indian Col Sofiya Qureshi.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to non-escalation provided that Pakistan reciprocated. However, Pakistani ground forces were observed mobilising toward forward areas, she said, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation.

Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, she added.
A paramilitary soldier on a road near Karachi port as military tension between Pakistan and India rises (Fareed Khan/AP)

Pakistans army spokesman said India has fired missiles at three air bases inside the country, but most of the missiles have been intercepted.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab.

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realizes that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.

A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
Pakistan has said retaliatory attacks are underway after India fired missiles at three air bases inside Pakistan.

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur.

People living in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the disputed regions two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, as well as the garrison town of Udhampur.

Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard last two nights during drone attacks, said Sheesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and a resident of Jammu. It looks like a war here.

Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe following the Indian strikes and most of the missiles have been intercepted.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab, saying this is a provocation of the highest order.

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realises that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

Pakistani police officers remove vehicles and people from the main entry of Nur Khan airbase following an Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi Anjum Naveed/AP)

Indias army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military base in northern Punjab states Amritsar city early on Saturday.

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the countrys airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from India and Pakistan warning on Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.

A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
The two sides have traded missile attacks for weeks (AP)

US President Donald Trump has said India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after American-mediated talks  although neither country has immediately confirmed a deal.

It follows weeks of hostilities between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have traded missile strikes, drone attacks and artillery fire and is their most serious confrontation in decades.

Tensions have flared since a gun massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.
An angry dog walker who stripped naked when the police asked to speak to him about a dispute with a neighbour has been fined.
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It's town meeting season. Here is a list of each town meeting in 2025 and what to expect. After the meeting, check back here for results ...
The real cleanser would be an ethical approach: Is it appropriate to continue selling and spreading a dangerous substance? Is it appropriate to do it on a greater scale? Is it appropriate to facilitate spreading our toxic waste elsewhere just because regulations havent caught up with the threat?
GREAT BARRINGTON  His December arrest for drunken driving and leading police on a high-speed chase may have alerted immigration authorities to the local man they detained this week.

Arturo Lopez Canseco, 27, was arrested by heavily armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on Tuesday morning in the apartment where he lives in Barrington House off Main Street.

Videos, mostly shot by outraged bystanders, show ICE agents walking Lopez Canseco across the Triplex parking lot and placing him in the back of a police van.

Lopez Canseco was one of two men arrested that day. Earlier that morning ICE officers arrested another man whose name has not been verified on Bridge Street.

ICE spokespeople still have not responded to questions about why exactly the two men were taken into custody. Their immigration status is unclear. Lopez Canseco is a Mexican citizen.

The arrests were the latest to shock the Berkshires, as the Trump administration cracks down on undocumented immigrants  particularly those with pending criminal charges or criminal histories. A March crackdown resulted in the capture of at least 10 people in the Berkshires  and 370 statewide.

While the administration has said it would target undocumented people with criminal records, there have been numerous examples of agents detaining people who have never been charged with a crime. At least one man, for instance, was mistakenly arrested in Monterey amid the ICE raids in March, and later released, when authorities learned that his immigration status was legal.

Lopez Canseco entered the criminal justice system for the first time in December with four misdemeanor charges related to the December incident, including operating under the influence and driving to endanger.

The most serious of his four charges related to the December incident  the OUI charge  was continued without a finding through March of next year. This is because he pleaded guilty based on "facts sufficient" to support a guilty finding  a typical disposition for this type of case with a first-time offender, according to court officials.

Lopez Canseco, who works at Fiesta Bar and Grill in the Barrington House atrium, may have drawn ICEs attention due to his arrests after he led police on a more than 3-mile pursuit at high speeds from Lenox to Pittsfield on Dec. 21.

At around 10 p.m. that night, Lenox Police arrested Lopez Canseco after spotting him driving north on Pittsfield Road  past the area of the former Five Chairs restaurant  at speeds clocked by radar at 85 mph to 90 mph in a 40 mph zone, according to documents in Southern Berkshire District Court.

Lopez Canseco did not stop for the officer, who was tailing him at that point. Police said he slowed his orange Ford Mustang to around 75 mph as he passed the Burger King, then sped back up to approximately 80 mph as we traveled into the City of Pittsfield, according to the police report.

He eventually came to a stop on South Street. When Lopez Cansecos passenger rolled down the window at the officers request, the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol, according to police.

Both men at first denied drinking, police said. Soon they admitted they had had two IPA beers each. Police say they saw an empty 12 pack of Fiddle Head double IPAs in the backseat.

All appeared to be finished recently, the report says. There was still moisture in the cans and liquid on the rear seat.

Breathalyzer tests showed Lopez Cansecos blood alcohol levels were 0.197 and 0.205  over twice the legal limit of 0.08, according to the police report. Officers reported that he stumbled toward them. His license was immediately suspended as per state law for 30 days.

He was charged with OUI, operating a motor vehicle to endanger/negligent operation, speeding over the posted limit and alcohol in an open container.

Court documents say that Lopez Canseco eventually pleaded guilty, with an admission to facts sufficient for a guilty finding. And the case against him was continued without a finding until May 27 by Judge William A. Rota, with all fines and fees waived.

Rota suspended his license for an additional 60 days. And Lopez Canseco had to complete an impaired drivers program as a condition of probation, which ends on March 26, 2026. At the end of this period, the charges are dismissed if he meets probation conditions.

A court official said that the continuance without a finding and the other conditions are a typical disposition for cases like Lopez Canseco, a first-time offender without a prior criminal record.
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Rumor  A video shows Donald Trump humiliating Ibrahim Traore in a live interview. The president of Burkina Faso allegedly demanded an immediate response and silenced the former U.S. president.

Analysis

Another sensational story involving major political figures is making the rounds on social media and dubious video channels. This time, the protagonists are former U.S. President Donald Trump and the current president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traore. According to the viral content, Trump allegedly launched public attacks on Traore, calling him a dictator, and the African leader responded live with a harsh and incisive reply, exposing Western exploitation in Africa.

The video is being shared as if it were footage of a historic clash, with flashy titles and captions like Trump is silenced by Traore live. The post gained traction especially among profiles promoting anti-Western discourse or exalting the African president as a symbol of resistance. Below is the original content of the post:

DONALD TRUMP mocks IBRAHIM TRAORE live on TV but gets a BRUTAL RESPONSE and is SHOCKED! Donald Trump attacks African leader Ibrahim Traore in a Fox News interview, mocking his policies and calling him an incompetent dictator. What no one expected was that Traore was watching live and demanded immediate response time, leaving Trump completely speechless with facts about Western exploitation in Africa. A historic confrontation that changed diplomatic relations!

Fact-Check

As usual with misleading content that circulates online, we need to carefully analyze a few elements. In this case, we need to answer the following questions: 1) Who is Ibrahim Traore? 2) Did Trump humiliate Ibrahim Traore live on TV and get an immediate response? 3) Has the Burkina Faso politicians name been used in other fake news?

Who is Ibrahim Traore?

Ibrahim Traore is the current interim president of Burkina Faso, having come to power in September 2022 after a military coup. Young and with a military background, his image has been widely exploited on social media, especially by profiles promoting anti-imperialist and Pan-Africanist agendas. He has become a symbolic figure for groups denouncing Western military and economic presence in Africa, though his administration also faces international criticism.

Did Trump humiliate Ibrahim Traore live on TV and get an immediate response?

No. The story told in the video has no basis in real facts. There are no records of Donald Trump mentioning Ibrahim Traore in recent interviews, much less in an offensive or mocking tone. Nor is there any legitimate video or news report proving that the president of Burkina Faso responded live to the former U.S. president.

This type of content typically has characteristics of material created with artificial intelligence tools, including image manipulation and automated dubbing. A search through the Fox News website, major international news agencies, and the official channels of both leaders shows no reference to this historic confrontation.

Has the Burkina Faso politicians name been used in other fake news?

Yes. Ibrahim Traore has been a recurring character in fake videos created with artificial intelligence. He is often portrayed as a revolutionary hero confronting Western powers. Boatos.org has already debunked similar cases, such as a supposed corrupt judge allegedly arrested after trying to intimidate Traoreanother clear example of a fabricated narrative.

These contents often circulate on pro-Africa or ideologically anti-Western pages and profiles, creating heroic figures in fictional contexts to promote polarized narratives. They typically mix real facts with invented elements, making it harder for less attentive audiences to distinguish truth from fiction.

Conclusion

The video showing Donald Trump mocking Ibrahim Traore and being responded to live is completely false. There is no reliable record that such a confrontation occurred. The piece is yet another narrative created using artificial intelligence aimed at exalting Traores image at the expense of Western figures. As in other debunked cases, the Burkina Faso leaders name has been sensationalized in content that has no basis in reality.

Fake news 

Ps: This article was suggested by Boatos.org readers. If you would like to suggest a topic to Boatos.org, contact us via email at [email protected] or WhatsApp (link here: https://wa.me/556192755610)
A man (20s) has been arrested and since released by gardai from the Serious Crime Unit in Irishtown, Dublin, investigating multiple reports of accommodation fraud.

The man was arrested on Friday, May 9th.

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The alleged incidents of fraud reported to gardai by injured parties are understood to have occurred in the South Dublin Area over September and October 2024.

The man was detained for questioning at a garda station in the Eastern Region.

He has since been released from custody, and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The investigation is ongoing, a garda statement said.
Darkness Into Light, Pieta's biggest fundraising event supported by Electric Ireland, took place on Saturday, 10th May 2025.

It was the 16th year of the fundraiser.

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Thousands participated in 5km walks across 197 locations in Ireland and abroad, raising funds for Pieta, the suicide and self-harm prevention charity.

Darkness Into Light is described as a vital initiative providing a lifeline to those affected by suicide or self-harm.

Community members set off from locations including GAA clubs, churches, and schools in the pre-dawn darkness, completing the 5km walk as the sun rose  a symbol of hope for those in distress or who have been bereaved through suicide.

Pieta provides easily accessible, free-of-charge services online, by phone, or in person to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Each year in Ireland, around 500 people die by suicide. One in five of us will experience suicidal thoughts at some point in our lives.

Since its establishment, Darkness into Light has helped Pieta raise over 36 million, allowing the charity to continue offering its lifesaving services.

To avail of Pieta services, visit www.pieta.ie or call 0818 111 126. Pieta provides 24/7 support via the freephone crisis helpline on 1800 247 247, or text HELP to 51444.

Here are some pictures from this morning's events:

Photo: Tom Honan, Inpho

Photo: Tom Honan, Inpho

Photo: Tom Honan, Inpho

Photo: Tom Honan, Inpho

Photo: Inpho/Bryan Keane

Photo: Inpho/Bryan Keane

Photo: Inpho/James Crombie

Photo: Inpho/James Crombie

Photo: Inpho/James Crombie
Police say a California serial killer is the sole person of interest after a man found dead in Oregon was identified after nearly 45 years.

The 30-year-old, whose body was found alongside an interstate, was identified on Friday as Larry Eugene Parks.

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Oregon State Police spokesman Kyle Kennedy said Randy Kraft, who has been dubbed the Scorecard Killer, is the only person under investigation for the 1980 killing.

Theres some evidence that were processing to determine that link, Mr Kennedy said. We are very confident that we have the correct person of interest.



Booking photo provided by the California Department of Corrections showing San Quentin inmate Randy Kraft (California Department of Corrections/AP)

Kraft, now 80, was convicted in 1989 of brutalising and killing 16 men over a decade in California and sentenced to death. He remains in San Quentin State Prison and has denied killing anyone.

On July 18 1980, police responded to a report of the body identified as Mr Parks along I-5, south of Portland. A homicide investigation unsuccessfully tried to identify the victim.

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A Vietnam veteran whose family had lost contact with him in 1979, Mr Parks had last been seen in Pensacola, Florida, police said.

Kraft was pulled over in his vehicle on a California freeway in 1983 after being spotted driving erratically. In the passenger seat of the vehicle was a strangled US Marine.

In the trunk of Krafts vehicle was a coded list believed to tally 67 victims in California, Oregon and Michigan, according to police.

Prosecutors described Kraft, a former computer programmer, as a fetishist who kept some of the dismembered parts of his victims in his freezer.

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In 2024, an Orange County Sheriffs Department investigator reached out to the Oregon State Police Cold Case Unit and offered to help identify the remains using forensic investigative genetic genealogy.

A genetic profile was developed from a blood sample and Parks identity was confirmed after possible family members submitted DNA profiles for comparison, according to police.

Until his identification last month, the circumstances of his disappearance were unknown to his family, police said.

In 2023, the remains of a teenager believed to have been killed by Kraft in California were also identified using investigative genetic genealogy.
India accused Pakistan of violating a ceasefire deal made hours earlier on Saturday, after US-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Saturday that there had been repeated violations of the understanding arrived between the two countries on ceasing fire, and accused Pakistan of breaching the agreement.

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He told a news conference in New Delhi: We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.

Mr Misri said the Indian army was retaliating for what he called a border intrusion.



A man checks his mobile phone during a blackout in Jammu (Channi Anand/AP)

Pakistans foreign ministry blamed Indian forces for initiating the ceasefire violation.

In a statement it said Pakistan remains committed to the ceasefire agreement and Pakistani forces were handling the situation with responsibility and restraint.

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We believe that any issues in the smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels, the ministry said.

The troops on the ground should also exercise restraint.

Earlier, multiple explosions were heard in two cities in India-controlled Kashmir hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire deal, following the US-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.

Residents said the loud explosions in Srinagar and Jammu were followed by a blackout.

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Omar Abdullah, the regions top elected official, said in a post on social media: What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!



Pakistanis had earlier celebrated the ceasefire (Asim Tanveer/AP)

In another post, he said: This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.

Cross-border shelling and gunfire was also reported from at least five places along the Line of Control, a de facto frontier that divides disputed Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

There were no reports of casualties.

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The ceasefire deal had been expected to bring a swift end to weeks of escalating clashes, including missile and drone strikes, triggered by the massacre of tourists by gunmen last month that India blames on Pakistan, which denies the charge.

Dozens of civilians have been killed on both sides since then.

The first word of the truce came from US President Donald Trump, who posted on his Truth Social platform that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

He said: Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

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Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar announced the truce on Geo News, saying that Saudi Arabia and Turkey played an important role in facilitating the deal.

Mr Misri said the head of military operations from both countries spoke on Saturday.

It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, and in the air and sea.

Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding, he said.

The top military leaders will speak again on Monday, Mr Misri added.

Tensions have soared since an attack at a popular tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, on April 22.
Amanda Seyfried is "campaigning" for the lead role in the TV series 'All Fours'.

Amanda Seyfried wants to play the lead role in All Fours

The 39-year-old actress explained that she is desperate to lead the cast of the Starz adaptation of Miranda July's provocative novel  which tells the story of a 45-year-old woman who goes through a sexual awakening after having an affair during a road trip.

Amanda told Gold Derby: "I am campaigning to be the lead. I will be the right age by the time it gets made. It's very complicated and complex and nuanced. It's a sexual awakening of someone.

"I love books by women about hard things."

Meanwhile, Seyfried stars as Nina in the upcoming psychological thriller movie 'The Housemaid' and explained that she was left "giddy" by the unique demands of the role.

She said: "It still makes me giddy anytime someone mentions it. I get to play a character I never got to play and that's a giant win. I play someone playing someone deranged."

The 'Mamma Mia!' star relished getting to work with director Paul Feig on the picture and found it very "liberating" collaborating with the 'Bridesmaids' helmer.

Amanda said: "He brings out the darkest, funniest s***. It always blows my mind. I felt very free to just go nuts and that was very liberating."

Seyfried features alongside Sydney Sweeney in the flick, which will be released in December, and thinks that the movie will be a success.

She said: "I think that the Sydney and me team, works. It was really fun. I usually think no one is going to see anything I do. I have low expectations but I actually think this movie is going to get seen."

'The Housemaid' is based on Freida McFadden's 2022 novel of the same name and Amanda is certain that the movie will fulfil the expectations of those who have read the book.

She said: "The only reason to do it is if the script makes these characters come alive even more and they did an incredible job with the script."

Amanda previously revealed that she cherishes her "alone time", which she spends doing a lot of crocheting.

The Hollywood actress told People: "I sit and I crochet, or I go to the gym in the barn, or I go out to coffee with a fellow parent or a friend upstate.

"I get a lot of alone time on a train when I go to the city. If I have to go to the city, I take the train. And I get like an hour and 40 minutes of alone time each way. And I'm always crocheting. Knitting, crocheting, that's my lifestyle."
India has targeted Pakistani military bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at multiple Indian air bases in the countrys Punjab state  but said it is committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocates.

The attack on Saturday marks the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

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Pakistan earlier said it had intercepted most missiles targeting three air bases, and that retaliatory strikes on India were under way.



Loud explosions were heard earlier in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir (AP)

Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi told a press conference in New Delhi that Pakistan also targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions, she said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who was also present at the news conference, said India was committed to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

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However, Pakistani ground forces have been observed mobilising towards forward areas, she said, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation.



Police officers inspect parts of a projectile attached to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle intercepted by the Indian Army in Wadala Bhattewad village near Amritsar (Prabhjot Gill/AP)

Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, Wing Commander Singh added.

She said Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions.

All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately, she added.

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The Pakistani armys actions were a provocation and Indias response was measured, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.



Shelling from Pakistan struck Rajouri, along the Line of Control (AP)

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur.

People living in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the disputed regions two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, as well as the garrison town of Udhampur.

Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard last two nights during drone attacks, said Sheesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and a resident of Jammu. It looks like a war here.

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Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe following the Indian strikes and most of the missiles have been intercepted.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab, saying this is a provocation of the highest order.



Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

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He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realises that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

Indias army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military base in northern Punjab states Amritsar city early on Saturday.



Pakistani police officers remove vehicles and people from the main entry of Nur Khan airbase following an Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi (Anjum Naveed/AP)

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the countrys airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from India and Pakistan warning on Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.



A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
The chief of Myanmars military government, Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, has met with President Xi Jinping of China for the first time since seizing power four years ago, state media said.

The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that Mr Xi pledged to provide assistance for recovery after Myanmars devastating earthquake in March and to help efforts to end the countrys civil war.

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The two leaders met onFriday in Moscow on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

The report said they also discussed bilateral relations, enhancing cooperation in all sectors, and cooperating in regional stability and peace.

China has been using its influence with ethnic rebel organisations to ease their pressure on the military government in an apparent effort to stabilise it.



The meeting took place in Moscow (Myanmar Military True News Information Team via AP)

The Chinese government, along with Russia, is a major arms supplier to Myanmars military in its war against pro-democracy and ethnic minority resistance forces.

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Beijing is also Myanmars biggest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in mines, oil and gas pipelines, and other infrastructure. Its interests in security in Myanmar are especially strong because the two nations share an 890-mile border.

Chinas government has maintained good working relations with Myanmars ruling military, which is shunned and sanctioned by many Western nations for the armys February 2021 takeover from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and for major human rights violations.

It is also one of the countries providing major relief and reconstruction assistance after the 7.7-magnitude March 28 earthquake that killed more than 3,700 people in Myanmar and injured more than 5,100.

The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than three million people displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million in need due to the war, according to the United Nations.

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Beijing has been concerned about instability that threatens its interests in Myanmar since Myanmars army suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past few years, especially in areas near the Chinese border.
Pakistans army spokesman said India has fired missiles at three air bases inside the country, but most of the missiles have been intercepted.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe.

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He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab.

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.



Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

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These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realizes that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.

Advertisement



A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

Advertisement

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
Pakistan has said retaliatory attacks are underway after India fired missiles at three air bases inside Pakistan.

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur.

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People living in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the disputed regions two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, as well as the garrison town of Udhampur.

Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard last two nights during drone attacks, said Sheesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and a resident of Jammu. It looks like a war here.



Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe following the Indian strikes and most of the missiles have been intercepted.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab, saying this is a provocation of the highest order.

Advertisement

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realises that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

Advertisement



Pakistani police officers remove vehicles and people from the main entry of Nur Khan airbase following an Indian missile strike in Rawalpindi Anjum Naveed/AP)

Indias army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military base in northern Punjab states Amritsar city early on Saturday.

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the countrys airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from India and Pakistan warning on Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

Advertisement

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.



A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.

Advertisement

On Thursday, India said it thwarted Pakistani drone and missile attacks at military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, including Jammu city in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied that it carried out drone attacks.

India said, meanwhile, that it hit Pakistans air defence systems and radars close to the city of Lahore. The incidents could not be independently confirmed.

The Indian army said on Friday that Pakistan fired about 300 to 400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders.

India brought down a number of the drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.

Mr Sharif refuted Indias claims of firing 300 to 400 drones, challenging them to at least show us the debris of one drone to prove the charge.

He said that since Wednesday night India had fired 77 Israeli-made attack drones into Pakistan, all of which were neutralised and their debris collected by Pakistani forces.

Whatever they will send, we will convert it into debris, he said.
Pakistans foreign minister has said his country would consider de-escalation if India stops further attacks.

The comments by Ishaq Dar came after India said it was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocates.

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Both countries have traded strikes on Saturday  the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.

Mr Dar also warned that if India launched any strikes, our response will follow.



A Kashmiri villager stands outside his damaged house after overnight shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP)

The foreign minister told Pakistans Geo News that he also conveyed this message to US secretary of state Marco Rubio when he contacted him after speaking to New Delhi two hours previously.

We responded because our patience had reached its limit. If they stop here, we will also consider stopping, he said.

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India said it targeted Pakistani military bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at multiple Indian air bases in the countrys Punjab state.

Pakistan earlier said it had intercepted most missiles targeting three air bases, and that retaliatory strikes on India were under way.



Loud explosions were heard earlier in Srinagar, in Indian controlled Kashmir (AP)

Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi told a press conference in New Delhi that Pakistan also targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions, she said.

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Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who was also present at the news conference, said India was committed to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.

However, Pakistani ground forces have been observed mobilising towards forward areas, she said, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation.



Police officers inspect parts of a projectile attached to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle intercepted by the Indian Army in Wadala Bhattewad village near Amritsar (Prabhjot Gill/AP)

Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, Wing Commander Singh added.

She said Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions.

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All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded proportionately, she added.

The Pakistani armys actions were a provocation and Indias response was measured, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.



Shelling from Pakistan struck Rajouri, along the Line of Control (AP)

The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in Pathankot and Udhampur.

People living in Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard loud explosions at multiple places in the region, including the disputed regions two big cities of Srinagar and Jammu, as well as the garrison town of Udhampur.

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Explosions that we are hearing today are different from the ones we heard last two nights during drone attacks, said Sheesh Paul Vaid, the regions former top police official and a resident of Jammu. It looks like a war here.

Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif said in a televised address that all Pakistan Air Force assets are safe following the Indian strikes and most of the missiles have been intercepted.

He added that some of the Indian missiles also hit Indias eastern Punjab, saying this is a provocation of the highest order.



Indian National Congress workers hold Indian national flags in support of the Indian Army as they celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, strike against Pakistan, in Guwahati on Friday (Anupam Nath/AP)

The army spokesman said the missiles fired by India targeted the Nur Khan air base in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal city and Rafiqui air base in the Jhang district in the eastern Punjab province.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had evidence some of the missiles fired by India have also gone into Afghanistan, and to prove it.

He said that continuing its naked aggression, India, some time back, has fired air-to-surface missiles with its jets.

These blatant acts of aggression by India reflect the paranoia within the Indian mindset which continues to grow after the failure of each of its acts and the paranoia continues also to grow as it realises that they cannot break the resolve and will of the people of Pakistan, he said.

Indias army said it destroyed multiple armed Pakistani drones that were spotted flying over a military base in northern Punjab states Amritsar city early on Saturday.



Hostilities between the two countries have increased (AP)

Pakistans blatant attempt to violate Indias sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable, the statement said.

In Pakistan, the civil aviation authority shut the countrys airports for all flight operations and people in major cities were seen chanting slogans supporting the armed forces.

The Group of Seven nations, or G7, urged maximum restraint from India and Pakistan, warning on Friday that further military escalation posed a serious threat to regional stability.

The latest developments came after Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy volleys of shells and gunfire across their frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least five civilians in a growing military stand-off that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have soared since an attack on a tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22.

New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation which Islamabad rejects.
The current bishop of the Peruvian city of Chiclayo where polyglot Pope Leo XIV used to live and work has said he is certain the new head of the Catholic Church will continue in the footsteps of his predecessor and described him as a man with the smell of sheep.

US-born Robert Prevost, an American who also has Peruvian nationality and did years of missionary work in the South American country, was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo on September 26th, 2015 by Pope Francis.

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He left the city in north-west Peru after being called to Rome in January 2023.

Chiclayos current Bishop, Monsignor Edinson Edgardo Farfan Cordova, used the sheep analogy to describe the new Pope as a shepherd among people in his glowing appraisal of the 69-year-old who is the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter.

Reacting to the news of his election, he said: I am convinced Pope Leo XIV will continue the line of communion and closeness to the poor that marked the pontificate of Francis.

I am certain the new Pope will give continuity to this work in his preferential option for the poor. He has been marked by the reality of our peripheries and by the synodal spirit promoted by Francis.

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Speaking after photos were published in Peruvian newspapers overnight showing Robert Prevost as a younger man on horseback during his time in the South American country, he added: There are photos of him crossing the Piura hills.

He was a shepherd among people, a man with the smell of sheep.

Leo XIV is not only a pope for the world, he is also a spiritual son of Peru, a shepherd who knows our mountains, our parishes, our hopes.

Perus president has described Pope Leo XIV as Peruvian by choice and conviction despite the fact he was born in Chicago to a United States Navy World War II veteran of Italian and French descent and a mum who was the daughter of Louisiana Creole parents of African, French and Spanish descent.

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She said: He chose to be one of us, to live among us and to carry in his heart the faith, culture and dreams of this country before adding: The pope is Peruvian; God loves Peru.

In his first appearance from the Vatican balcony, Leo XIV briefly switched from Italian to Spanish to address the faithful from my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where he served as bishop for nearly a decade.
Ukraine and its allies are ready for a full, unconditional ceasefire with Russia for at least 30 days starting on Monday, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said.

His remarks came as the leaders of four major European countries visited Kyiv, amid a push for Moscow to agree to a truce and launch peace talks on ending the nearly three-year war.

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It coincided with on the last day of a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia that Ukraine says the Kremlins forces have repeatedly violated.

In March, the United States proposed an immediate, limited 30-day truce which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking.

The leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Poland arrived together at the train station in Kyiv, and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly afterwards to join a ceremony at Kyivs Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

They lit candles at a makeshift flag memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have been killed since Russias invasion.

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The visit marked the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine, while Friedrich Merz is making his first visit to Ukraine as Germanys new Chancellor.

On Thursday, Mr Sybiha called the Russian truce a farce, accusing Russian forces of violating it more than 700 times less than a day after it formally came into effect. Both sides also said attacks on their troops had continued on Thursday.

We reiterate our backing for President (Donald) Trumps calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace, the leaders said in a joint statement.

Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.

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Meanwhile, Russia has kept up attacks along the roughly 1,000-mile front line, including deadly strikes on residential areas with no obvious military targets.



Sir Keir Starmer, left, talks to Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky (Pool via AP)

On Saturday morning, local officials in Ukraines northern Sumy region said Russian shelling over the past day killed three residents and wounded four more.

Another civilian man died on the spot on Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron, said: Whats happening with Poland, Germany and Great Britain is a historic moment for European defence and toward a greater independence for our security. Obviously for Ukraine, but for all of us.

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Its a new era. Its a Europe that sees itself as a power.

Mr Trump has previously pushed Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to end the war, threatening to walk away if a deal becomes too difficult  and causing alarm bells in Europe about how to fill the gap.

Ukraines European allies view the war as fundamental to the continents security, and pressure is now mounting to find ways to support Kyiv militarily  regardless of whether Mr Trump pulls out.

Ukrainian presidential aide Andrii Yermak, who met the European leaders at Kyivs main train station, wrote on the Telegram platform: There is a lot of work, a lot of topics to discuss. We need to end this war with a just peace. We need to force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.

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Later in the day, the leaders began hosting a virtual meeting alongside Zelenskyy to update other leaders on the progress being made for a future so-called coalition of the willing that would help Ukraines armed forces after a peace deal and potentially deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia.
If a famous chef wanted to publish a cookbook that was actually useful, it might be called How to Cook When You Havent Left Enough Time And Dont Know Where Anything Is.

It would have chapters titled: Wheres The F---ing Cornflour? and Why Is the Person Who Hid the Cornflour Not Answering Their Phone? or What is Cornflour anyway and Can I Just Use Flour Instead? Wheres the F---ing Flour? Oh S---, Is It Wrong To Use Self-Raising Flour!

Illustration by Dionne Gain Credit:

This is such a brilliant idea for a million-selling cookbook, youd copyright it. Only, I Hate To Cook has been done. There are websites called 57 Recipes, 100 Super-Easy Healthy Dinners for People Who Hate to Cook. A service called I Hate Cooking comes to your home and cooks ingredients theyve told you to buy (unless you hate grocery shopping even more than cooking). Jamie Olivers 15-Minute Meals are for people who hate cooking. Gordon Ramsays TV career is for people who hate being in kitchens.

The challenge for cookbooks is that everythings already been done, done and done again. Less the bad ideas than the good ones, like how to make a caramel slice. The current stink setting off smoke alarms in Australias best-selling kitchens is whether Brooke (Bake with Brooki) Bellamy has re-hashed Nagi (RecipeTin Eats) Maehashis caramel slice and baklava recipes. Bellamy also has been accused of cutting and pasting Bill Grangers Portuguese tart and Sally McKenneys vanilla cake.
Cabinet submissions released under FOI also reveal Border Force has been lobbying Labor to deliver more for the ailing system, which has failed to meet any of the targets set by then-Border Force commissioner Michael Outram in 2017. Loading Investment is needed, Border Force said in its submission to former home affairs minister Clare ONeil in July last year. Traveller movements will continue to increase in the lead-up to and beyond the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. The pressure on infrastructure will continue to increase. Melbourne Airport chief of aviation Jim Parashos said the situation had become untenable. He said the airport had the same number of kiosks to process passengers as it had a decade ago. During that time, our passenger numbers have increased by more than 50 per cent, he said.

The lack of processing capability often leads to unacceptable congestion, crowding and delays for arriving passengers at peak times. The local Border Force team continue to do what they can with the lack of kiosks, but ultimately, we need significantly more kiosks to deliver an appropriate experience for arriving travellers. Sydney Airport said it was supporting Border Force to improve passport processing by directly buying additional kiosks, which the ABF will operate. The airport has bought an extra 40 kiosks that are set to be installed this year. The SmartGates system has been beset by delays and technical faults. Credit: Eddie Jim In February, this masthead revealed only 57 per cent of inbound travellers have been using SmartGates, falling far short of the 90 per cent target set by Outram in 2017. The shortfall has exacerbated delays at airports that have reduced manual processing at the counter. Border Force said the average clearance time for travellers arriving in Australia last year was 72 seconds. But the actual clearance times for all travellers are likely to be much higher.

According to the footnotes in the Home Affairs annual report, more than 2 million travellers who used SmartGates and 2.6 million who used manual passport processing were removed from the figure after being classified as outliers because their clearance took more than three minutes. One of the worlds busiest airports, Singapores Changi, has reduced its clearance times to 10 seconds. Travellers and Australians returning home have labelled the SmartGate system an embarrassment, with complaints about hour-long delays, scanners failing to read passport chips, poor signage and inadequate facilities. This is the first glimpse of Australia for many travellers, and I am not surprised if they think arriving in Australia is like joining a herd of sheep, said one complainant in the dossier of grievances received by the department.

The queues around the scanners were a disorganised bunfight, said another. In one instance in July, a Qantas captain complained about being herded by Border Force staff. Ive never seen this behaviour anywhere in the world in 31 years with my airline, they said. Its an utter disgrace and Australia is becoming the laughing stock of the world with huge entry queues, another traveller said in December 2023.

The complaints span almost all of Australias major international airports, and each month between November 2023 and November 2024. Loading The length of time it takes to get through passport control at Brisbane Airport is egregious, said one traveller in March last year. International travellers were discussing in the line how Brisbane Airport was the worst they had experienced across the world, which is just embarrassing. This morning at Sydney airport early, it was just pandemonium! Nobody knew what was going on, said a resident returning home in May. There were Border Force people, shouting at people like animals, trying to get them in some sort of order. One passenger arriving from Santiago in August described the passport processing system as a shambles.

A lone 40-something lady was attempting to direct traffic at Stage 1. I feared for her safety, they said. This has been without a doubt the worst immigration experience of my life, said another traveller in September. Last Friday morning, the mess was so horrendous that people were going crazy. Another passenger who arrived in November said they had the great misfortune of arriving at Sydney airport. Never in my history have I seen such long and poorly managed queues for the SmartGates. It is an embarrassment for visitors that this is their first experience of Australia. I dont know what youve done, but maybe you should undo it. Because its clearly not up to the task. Australian Airports Association chief executive Simon Westaway. Credit: James Brickwood

Australian Airports Association chief executive Simon Westaway warned Australia was falling behind the rest of the world as international traveller numbers surge to record highs. International passengers are understandably frustrated when they face delays at major gateways due to outdated or inadequate border facilities, he said. These experiences risk undermining Australias competitiveness as a global destination. Australia is one of the few advanced economies that still requires passengers to fill out a paper customs declaration, described as ridiculous and inefficient by travellers. Travellers fill out the paper form distributed on the plane, then on landing go to a kiosk to digitally submit some of the same details, before proceeding to a SmartGate to scan their passport, further increasing confusion and delays in tightly packed arrival areas. The government has been trialling a digital Australian travel declaration on Qantas flights between Australia and New Zealand and at Brisbane Airport that would allow passengers to submit all their customs details online before or after take-off, but it has yet to be implemented across the network.
Weve seen this before from the Liberal Party. Why is it that the Liberal Party continues to question the loyalty of Chinese Australians? Wong said in the video. We all remember how Peter Dutton weaponised the relationship with China. He didnt care about the consequences for us, for our communities. Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison in 2023. Sources say the Liberal Party has been unable to shake the perception it is anti-China. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Now he wants your vote, he says something different. But Chinese Australians know what Peter Dutton is like. While mountains and rivers can be changed, ones nature is difficult to alter.

This proverb, spoken in Mandarin, is now haunting the Liberals as they seek to alter their nature into a party that can again win elections. Key to this is reconciling how a community that is crucial to the Coalitions electoral chances has swung against it in several crucial seats in the past two federal elections. The Liberals Keith Wolahan lost his seat of Menzies, in Melbournes eastern suburbs. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen In her statement responding to Wongs criticism, Hume pointed to the taskforces investigation and said: It is deeply concerning that the minister for foreign affairs would politicise an issue as important as possible foreign interference in our election. The irony of the situation is not lost on Liberal Party members. Following the defeat of the Morrison government, it was Hume who co-wrote the partys 2022 election review that called for careful language as Liberals sought to rebuild their relationship with the Chinese community.

There is a particular need for the partys representatives to be sensitive to the genuine concerns of the Chinese community and to ensure language used cannot be misinterpreted as insensitive, the review says. Loading Liberal sources said the party spent three years working to achieve this goal, hiring Chinese-speaking staff and building the infrastructure to sell the partys message to these communities. They hoped to appeal to Chinese-Australian voters by talking up the Coalitions economic credentials and stance on crime. Liberal candidates such as Katie Allen and Keith Wolahan, running in the respective seats of Chisholm and Menzies in Melbournes eastern suburbs, appeared in WeChat videos with Chinese language captions and speech.

Loading Wong was the face of Labors pitch to these voters and appeared in WeChat clips introducing ALP candidates in seats with significant populations of Chinese Australians, including Deakin, Chisholm, Aston and Menzies. In these videos, she spoke about her Malaysian-Chinese ancestry. Labor also mailed out Chinese language flyers from Wong and tailored specific phone banks and community doorknocking campaigns to seats with large populations of Chinese speakers. Unknown to most of the voting public, a mini-campaign was playing out in the suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney in April and the first few days of May. But, one Liberal source said, the Coalitions battle fell apart at the final charge.

It wasnt the only problem, but after that video from Penny Wong was seen 500,000 times, that was the number one most damaging issue for us, they said. Other sources have pointed to comments by Dutton, who named China as the biggest threat to national security during the Channel Seven leaders debate, as another example of the rhetoric that was turned against the Liberals. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a Chinese language school in the seat of Chisholm during the election campaign. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen There was a belief internally that Dutton had failed to rebrand himself, and the Liberal Partys image had not recovered from Scott Morrisons prime ministership, when there was a perception the Liberal Party was anti-China. In the last two weeks of this years election campaign, as Labor began to believe it could win Menzies and Deakin, Dutton and Morrisons faces were plastered at the top of full-page advertisements in WeChat groups.

A vote for the Liberal Party candidate is a vote for Peter Dutton. Dont let Australia-China relations regress to the Morrison era, the ads said in Chinese language. Former Liberal MP Christopher Pyne, a government minister under Morrison, told the ABC on Thursday night that Australias Chinese community had been targeted by the Liberals during the campaign but ended up feeling left out. Theres a way of saying things that people will agree with and theres a way of saying things that make people feel like were not for you. Former Liberal MP Christopher Pyne While we werent racist about Chinese people, certainly, we cast a suspicion, or they felt that we were casting suspicion, over Chinese people because of our comments about mainland China, the Peoples Republic of China, he said. Theres a way of saying things that people will agree with and theres a way of saying things that make people feel like were not for you.

The final results indicate that in this election, Chinese Australians did not feel aligned to the Liberal brand. In four Melbourne seats with significant Chinese-Australian populations, Labor snatched heartland Liberal seats Deakin and Menzies, retained marginal Chisholm and improved its margin in Aston, a seat even the ALP had largely expected to lose. Dutton and Liberal candidate Katie Allen campaigning in the seat of Chisholm on April 30. Credit: James Brickwood Recriminations among Victorian Liberals started early in the count when results pointed towards a disaster, a source said. The Liberal Party had stopped representing modern Australia, moderate Victorian state sources said.

Its not really a broad church any more, one said. Loading The sources felt the party offered the biggest voter bloc  young people  nothing. And it was distracted by culture wars while beating up on migrants, Chinese people and Indigenous communities. As one party figure framed it: why would any of those people vote for us? Elections are a popularity contest, another said, and Australia is majority multicultural and majority women. The party had to make up ground among professional women and young voters. We were talking to the wrong voters, they said.

In Sydney, notable swings to Labor were recorded in seats such as Bennelong and Reid. The battle for Bradfield remains on a knife edge. Last week, the Chinese Community Council of Australias Victorian chapter put out a statement requesting an apology for Humes remarks, and said the comments concerned thousands of Chinese Australians. Jimmy Li, the president of the Victorian chapter, said political parties should engage with the community genuinely and consistently. He said Labor did a better job this electoral cycle, and efforts by the Coalition to organise community events in the months before the election came too late. The language they use is very important  These kinds of comments will stoke fear and division thats really unhelpful, Li said.

Fundamentally, any political party should value inclusion, not othering. Over the long term the Chinese community have been made to feel they are not part of Australian society. So politicians should see Chinese Australians as not them but us. As Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan seeks to capitalise on Labors federal success, she announced on Friday that her next trade mission would be to China and referenced the Coalitions woes. Over the last few years, weve heard unnecessary and divisive rhetoric from conservative politicians that have been hurtful to Chinese-Australian families, Allan said. In an era of divisive, Trump-style rhetoric here and abroad, I want to make the case that Victorians from overseas are a proud part of our story to the world. It wasnt just the Chinese diaspora that Liberal campaigners believe the Coalition pushed away during the election campaign.

Two sources said Indian Australians, many of whom live in growing suburbs in Melbourne and Sydney, were repeatedly sounding the alarm about the Coalitions immigration and international student policies and how they affected family members. Loading The immigration plan was so stupid, one Liberal source said. We had an outer-suburban strategy, but we ignored the [migrant] communities who actually live in those suburbs. Attack ads claiming the Coalition would cut pensions for visa holders who left the country for more than four weeks were also shared thousands of times across WhatsApp and other social media.
Xi says China ready to work with Slovakia to address challenges, safeguard int'l justice

Xinhua) 09:12, May 10, 2025

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

MOSCOW, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said here on Friday that China stands ready to work with Slovakia and other countries to jointly address challenges through solidarity and cooperation, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

It is hoped that Slovakia will actively contribute to the steady development and progress of China-European Union (EU) relations, Xi said.

Xi made the remarks while meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

Xi pointed out that promoting all-round, in-depth and high-level development of China-Slovakia relations serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and aligns with the historical trend of open cooperation and mutual benefit.

Noting that the important consensus reached by the two leaders during Fico's visit to China last November is being actively implemented, Xi said that the China-Slovakia strategic partnership is entering the "fast lane."

Xi said the two sides should continue to deepen traditional friendship, maintain close high-level exchanges, firmly support each other, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promote the steady and sustained growth of China-Slovakia and China-EU relations.

China welcomes Slovakia's participation as the guest country of honor at the fourth China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo &International Consumer Goods Fair, which will help boost exports of high-quality Slovak products to China, Xi said, adding that China is glad to see more Chinese enterprises invest and do business in Slovakia.

For his part, Fico said that deepening the Slovakia-China strategic partnership is among the top priorities of Slovakia's foreign policy.

Slovakia will firmly adhere to the one-China policy, actively advance friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with China, enhance trade and investment collaboration, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote greater development of bilateral relations, he said.

Noting that a healthy and stable EU-China relationship serves the common interests of both sides, Fico said Slovakia is committed to promoting the development of EU-China relations.

Slovakia supports major initiatives proposed by China, such as building a community with a shared future for mankind, and appreciates China's positions on and constructive role in issues related to Ukraine and the Middle East, he added.

The Slovak side stands ready to join efforts with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade rules, and maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, Fico said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Tom Cruise has hailed his ex-wife Nicole Kidman as a "great actress".

Tom Cruise recommended Nicole Kidman for a part in Eyes Wide Shut

The 'Top Gun' actor has recalled how he recommended Nicole - whom he was married to from 1990 until 2001 - to star alongside him as Alice Harford in Stanley Kubrick's 1999 movie 'Eyes Wide Shut' because he felt she had the talent to take on the role.

In an interview with the British Film Institute's (BFI) Sight and Sound magazine, Cruise said of making the flick: "I flew out to his (Kubrick's) house and I landed in his backyard. I read the script the day before and we spent the day taking about it. I knew all of his films.

"Then it was basically he and I getting to know each other. And when we were doing that, I suggested Nicole play the role (of Alice). Because obviously she's a great actress."

The production of 'Eyes Wide Shut' lasted 400 days and Cruise recalled how he informed Kubrick, who passed away from a heart attack aged 70 before the movie was released, that he was willing to do whatever it took to get the flick made.

The 62-year-old actor said: "I knew it was going to be a long shoot. He was like, 'No, no, no. We'll finish in three or four months.' And I said, 'Stanley, look, I'm here for you. Whatever it's going to take we're going to do this.'"

Cruise continued: "I thought the film was very interesting, and I wanted to have that experience. When I go to make a movie, I do a lot of detailed investigation and a lot of time with the people before I commit so that I understand what they need and want and they understand me and how we can work together and really create something very special."

Cruise also found it "exhilarating" to work with Val Kilmer, who died at the age of 65 last month, on the 'Top Gun' movies.

He recalled: "I felt so grateful that he decided to make the film. We did a lot to get him in the movie. Originally, he just didnt want to make the movie, 'I dont want to be a supporting, I want to star in films.'

"I was calling his agent, and Tony Scott was hunting him down and meeting in an elevator with Val, and he was like, 'Please, Val, please.'

"You just see what a great actor, charismatic guy he was. And in that scene, what I love about what he did and how he played it, he just knew that tone to hit. He had to play it so you wanted these guys to be friends in the end. Do you know what Im saying?

"And I remember those scenes like they were yesterday, acting with him, where he did the bite thing. You know when youre acting with somebody and you just see theyre just on fire. Its exhilarating. I love when the scene just goes to a different place. If you look at 'Top Gun', I think hes in the movie maybe ten minutes. Thats the impact of an artist like that."
Labor believes Trish Cook has made history after the party claimed victory in Bullwinkel, Western Australias newest federal electorate, named in honour of pioneering nurse and war hero Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel.

Cook, a former nurse herself and Mundaring councillor, and her party took to social media on Friday night claiming the win believing it had secured an unassailable lead over Liberal candidate Matt Moran.

Cooks lead had extending to more than 600 votes as the final postal and absentee ballots were counted.

Labors candidate for Bullwinkel, Trish Cook, has beaten the Liberals Matt Moran. Credit: Getty Images

Cook said she was incredibly grateful to be the first-ever member for Bullwinkel.
There, in his strong Chicago accent, Bishop Lawrence J. Sullivan told about 200 worshippers that, while locals rightly took great pride in one of their own becoming the pontiff, there were larger, less parochial matters at hand. Having a shepherd matters. Having someone to guide us as a universal church matters, he said. And so, far more importantly than celebrating a home town hero, and far more important than celebrating the fact that we have a first pope from the United States, the real celebration is that God has given us a shepherd, and that we gather here today knowing that, as our shepherd, he is in need of our prayers. Bishop Lawrence J. Sullivan, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago, said the most important thing was that the church had a new shepherd. Credit: AP Pope Leos father was a school teacher and principal, and his mother a librarian at a Catholic high school. She also used to volunteer at Holy Name. Sullivan said she was a wonderful, wonderful person, who shared her sense of Gods love through reading and helping children. He said he watched the white smoke blow above St Peters Square on a television at the church office with his team. There was just such an air of excitement, he told reporters following the service. But again, we would have been very, very excited no matter who was chosen.

A few blocks from St Mary of the Assumption in Dolton, half an hour south of the city centre, is Prevosts childhood home  a modest, single-storey brick house in a pretty street that sold for $US66,000 ($103,000) last year. The property was recently back on the market, with the owners certain to cash in. Its been pretty wild, real estate agent Steve Budzik told local media. Offers are pouring in, though the listing has been taken down for now. Donna Sagna, who lives next door to Pope Leo XIVs childhood home in Dolton, on the south side of Chicago. Credit: Michael Koziol But for Donna Sagna, who lives next door, the news brought opportunity of a different kind. A devout Catholic and school teacher, she has been involved in peace walks remembering young people killed by gang violence, an endemic problem in this notorious part of Chicago. With the worlds media camped outside, she erected a cross on the lawn bearing the faces of victims. One of her own students was shot dead, she said. For Sagna, the Popes former home is the scene of the violence, drug dealing and hardship she has witnessed in the eight years she has lived there. She is taking Pope Leos rise as a sign that God is aware of her communitys struggles, and she is praying for more help.

I feel that the Pope  because he lived in that same house  the Pope is close to those that have mental health issues, hes close to those that are poor. God is close to the poor and to the broken-hearted, she says. Because the Pope lived here, it helps me to see that God is even concerned with the people that are doing the crimes, if that makes any sense. Laura Spingola, a long-time parishioner at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, believes Pope Leo will continue the progressive work of his predecessor Pope Francis. Credit: Michael Koziol Here in Chicago, a heavily Democratic city and a so-called sanctuary city for undocumented migrants, many people instinctively mention Prevosts decades in Peru, of which he is also a citizen. They are also hopeful he will continue the more progressive bent instigated by his predecessor, Pope Francis. Laura Spingola, a born and raised Chicagoan who has attended Holy Name Cathedral for more than 25 years, said the variety of Prevosts experience would be a boon for the worlds 1.5 billion Catholics, who ran the gamut from urban to rural, rich to poor.

I think people were very concerned prior to this [papal] election, and they thought: is it possible that the efforts of Pope Francis would be negated, and we would go back to being very conservative? she said. The Chicago White Sox honour Pope Leo XIV on the scoreboard before a baseball game. Credit: AP So far, we understand that, no, we are going to continue with the really important concerns of poverty, of marginalisation, that Pope Francis really began, in a way. Bishop Sullivan discouraged reporters from prognosticating on the new Popes politics. I dont really think popes define themselves in those ways, he said. I think his one and only concern is care for the poor, being a voice for the voiceless and to bring Gods love into the world. I dont think he fits anywhere at all on a political spectrum.
Prince Edward will represent King Charles at the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.

Prince Edward will represent the royal family at the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV next weekend

The Duke of Edinburgh will travel to the Vatican on behalf of the royal family for the new Pope's formal installation as pontiff at a mass in St Peter's Square on May 18.

Edward, 61, will be joined by global leaders for the ceremony to mark the official start of Pope Leo XIV's tenure as the head of the Catholic Church.

King Charles sent a private message to the Pope congratulating him on his election as he expressed "most sincere good wishes for his Pontificate".

The new pontiff, who was formerly known as Robert Prevost, is the first American-born Pope in history and called for the Catholic Church to "desperately" try to remedy a lack of faith in his first Mass at the Vatican on Friday (09.05.25).

In an address delivered in Italian, the Pope said: "A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society."

The pontiff warned that people have been turning away from the church in favour of "technology, money, success, power, or pleasure".

He also echoed the calls of his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace around the world.

He said: "Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace."

Prince William had attended the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of the King last month, after the monarch led tributes to the religious leader after his death at the age of 88.

Charles, who had met the late pontiff with his wife Queen Camilla just weeks before his passing, said in a statement: "My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis. Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.

"His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others.

"His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.

"Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.

"The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.

"We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Charles R."
Sarah Slater

Cliona Ward, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for almost three weeks after returning from a visit to Ireland, is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following her release, her sister claims.

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 ill father in Youghal, Co Cork.

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. She was facing deportation by immigration officials.

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, 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 to customs on April 21st and present proof of her expungement, she was detained again and told to argue her case in front of an immigration judge. The expungement had been carried out at a state, not federal level.

Ms Ward was released by a court in Seattle last Wednesday after her original convictions were formally vacated so that they would be recognised at a federal level.

Her case has garnered huge media attention both here and in the US.

But her sister, Ms Holladay, in an update on the GoFundMe page, Cliona's Hope: A Mother's Fight for Freedom, explained that life is not normal for us. Cliona is in (suffering from) PTSD.

Ms Holladay, who is now looking after her sister, continued: She spent the night vomiting, purging the food she had been fed, and because they don't ever turn the lights off in the detention centre when she closes her eyes, all she sees is fluorescent lights.

She added that some of the donations left in the almost 50,000 raised will be used to help other women being held in the detention centre where Ms Ward was held.

She (Ms Ward) desperately wants to help the other women that were in the centre with her and we have already started the campaign to help. Know that your donations will allow Cliona some time to heal. To all of you who have sent a personal message know that I, we, will try to respond, and we are so grateful. In love and solidarity - Orla and Cliona.

Democrat California Congressman Jimmy Panetta lent his support for her release.

He tweeted on X: Cliona Ward is released and thats what happens when we fight for transparency, due process and justice. We worked this case from Santa Cruz to DCand from Seattle to Ireland.
Construction will take place for the next year on the Shady View development in Butterfield.

Champion photo by Marianne Napoles
Isabel Hodgins husband forgot his own name on their wedding day.

Isabel Hodgins husband forgot his name on wedding day

The Emmerdale actress  who has played Victoria Sugden on the ITV soap for over 20 years - tied the knot with PE teacher Adam Whitehead in April and he revealed he made the embarrassing blunder as they made their vows.

Adam told The Mirror: That was the worst part, the vows. I was so nervous. Im not a big fan of public speaking. Im a teacher and do it front of kids, but when its in front of people your age, its different. I was sweating.

However, Isabel didnt mind, saying: Ive never seen him like that before. I said, Youve messed up now so thats fine, youve got it out your system.

Isabel opened up about how they met two-and-a-half years ago, when Adam was 25 and she was 28, explaining she saw him at the gym and pursued him.

She said: I had a crush on Adam at the gym. I thought he was younger than me, which was an issue. I train with my dad and I said I wanted to know how old he was. My dad went over and asked him!

Adam added: Her dad was her wingman. I said that in my speech. He came up to me on that Monday morning and said, How old are you? And when I answered he said Thanks and walked off. There was no small talk. The day after, Isabel requested to follow me on Instagram and it started to make sense.

We were born in the same hospital, went to the same school, went to the same gym. We have so much in common.
A man was in critical condition after being pulled from a burning duplex in East Chattanooga on Saturday morning.

Firefighters had to knock flames down as they made their way through the home to get to the victim and then bring him out.

The man, who was found in a back bedroom, was suffering from smoke inhalation.

The American Red Cross is assisting displaced residents from the duplex fire.

At 10:58 a.m., Green Shift companies responded to the 1100 block of Sheridan Avenue after 911 received reports of a residential structure fire with possible entrapment. They found smoke coming from the eaves of the single-story structure.

Firefighters immediately launched a fire attack and conducted a primary search. They located the man inside the burning home and extricated the patient from the duplex.

The injured victim was transported to the hospital as CFD personnel continued working to extinguish the fire.

The cause is under investigation.

Engine 4, Engine 5, Ladder 5, Squad 1, Ladder 1, Engine 10, Battalion 1 and Battalion 2 responded, along with CFD Investigations and CFD Supply.
The Womens Fund of Greater Chattanooga is hosting a Period Product Drive during Period Poverty Awareness Week May 12-18 to benefit the ongoing needs at the Hamilton County Schools Care Closets and other local nonprofits.

Period poverty is lack of access to safe and hygienic menstrual products and lack of menstrual hygiene education. The Womens Fund is a nonpartisan policy nonprofit that advocates to improve the lives of women and girls in Tennessee through advocacy and collective philanthropy.

Addressing the effects and root causes of period poverty is just one of the many initiatives the organization works on.

Menstrual products are as essential as other basic restroom amenities, like toilet paper and paper towels, said Melody Shekari, executive director of the Womens Fund. The cost of menstrual products is a barrier to obtaining them. We know that more than 40 percent of people who need period products have struggled to purchase them at one point in their life.

Lack of access to adequate period products can be harmful to an individuals physical and mental health, especially to middle and high school students. Not having the right product or enough supply can add additional stress and burden to individuals who need them, it was stated.

Providing period products in schools helps level the playing field among students. About half the student population menstruates, and alleviating the cost and access to products allows students to focus on learning, added Ms. Shekari. In the United States, about a quarter of girls have missed school due to lack of access to period products.

The Womens Fund started the period poverty product drive due to advocacy by students of CGLA, who identified a need for products in schools. Thousands of products have been donated to the Hamilton County Schools Foundation Care Closets, where teachers can select needed items for their classrooms, but products from last year ran out in January of this year.

Other organizations have also begun to distribute items, like the Soddy Daisy Community Library. It started providing free period kits when they heard about girls using toilet paper instead of pads or tampons, which is not a safe, hygienic or reliable practice for women and girls. Other sources, including the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, have seen requests for period products at pantries far exceed the supply of donations.

The Womens Fund continues to host this drive each year because of this local need, and this year, it is expanding its partners.

The Womens Fund "urges our local community to step up for our students and local women. The average woman uses 20 pieces of product per cycle, and our community will need thousands of products to fully support women and girls. The Womens Fund is hoping to not only stock the Hamilton County Care Closet for an entire year but to also support the Soddy Daisy Community Librarys kit program and the Chattanooga Area Food Bank."

Its goal this year is to provide 10,000 products, and donors can purchase online through the wishlist at tinyurl.com/HC-Period-Product- Drive or drop off pads, tampons, menstruation underwear, and other products at the following locations:

Women's Fund of Greater Chattanooga office: 5715 Uptain Rd, Ste 300 (use the call button to get into the lobby)

Society of Work, 110 Somerville Ave, Floor 2r

Chattanooga Area Food Bank (main office), 2009 Curtain Pole Road

Monetary donations to support the drive and policy and advocacy in this area can also be made at tinyurl.com/wfgc-support.

In addition to providing immediate support to alleviate period poverty, the Womens Fund also advocates to end period poverty at the state-level.

It could cost less than $150,000 per year to provide free period products to every public high school in Tennessee, said Ms. Shekari. Even though there is wide public support for this and a bill passed to include free period products in Tennessee public high school bathrooms passed this year, the state government and TN Legislature has yet to fund it. The Womens Fund will be working with partner organizations to continue to address the root causes of period poverty.

Well continue to advocate until every person who needs access to menstrual products and education in Tennessee has it.




US President Donald Trump on Thursday pressed Russia to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire with Ukraine, with any breaches punishable by sanctions.

Trump renewed the pitch for a truce after speaking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has moved to shore up his relationship with the US administration after a bitter White House clash on February 28.

"Talks with Russia/Ukraine continue. The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire," Trump said on his Truth Social network after speaking to 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.

Zelensky quickly pressed the Russians to accept, saying it must "prove their willingness to end the war."

"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," Zelensky wrote on social media.

Ukraine in March embraced the US proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire but it was brushed aside by Russia, which sees itself as gaining an upper hand on the battlefield as US assistance to Kyiv dries up under Trump.

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.

"When has Russia ever kept its promises?" said Anatoly Pavlovych, 73, in Kyiv.

Trump had vowed to end the war within a day of returning to the White House. He quickly reached out to Putin, effectively ending the Western isolation of the Russian leader in place since he invaded Ukraine.

But Trump has shown growing impatience, first with Zelensky and more recently with Putin as the fighting has continued.

Trump said Thursday he wanted lasting peace. "It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment's notice if my services are needed," he wrote.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly warned that the United States could drop its efforts and move on to other issues without progress.

Trump heads next week to Saudi Arabia, which has served as a venue for separate US talks with Russia and Ukraine.

Asked by reporters if he could hold a surprise meeting with Putin in Saudi Arabia, Trump said: "I don't think so but we're having very good conversations. Very, very good."

Zelensky has sought to remove perceptions that he is an obstacle to peace, after Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated him at the White House meeting as allegedly ungrateful for the billions of dollars in US aid under former president Joe Biden.

Ukraine's parliament on Thursday ratified a minerals deal with the United States that Zelensky had meant to sign in the ill-fated White House meeting.

The deal, which spells out joint development of Ukraine's natural resources and minerals used in high technology, does not include any security guarantees from Washington.

But the Trump administration argues that boosting its business interests in Ukraine will itself act as a bulwark against Russia.
People cast shadows on the ancient Pueblo ruins of Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico on Nov. 21, 1996.
OPINION: Defending our health and future at the highest levels of government
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program that started in May, which will give eligible Cherokee elders funds to use at area Farmers Markets.
Photo Credit: Oceans Church

Over 7,750 people were baptized in the Pacific Ocean near Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday, in what organizers state is the largest single-day baptism in U.S. history.

Hosted by Oceans Church and led by Pastor Mark Francey, the "Baptize California" event drew around 30,000 attendees from over 300 churches across California, with participants of all ages publicly professing their faith either in the ocean or in portable baptisteries along the beach.

Addressing the massive crowd, Pastor Francey proclaimed, You were part of the largest water baptism in American history, and posed the question, Who thinks that God could do it in the other states of America?

The event included worship performances by prominent Christian artists, such as Bethel Music, Kari Jobe, and Cody Carnes, enhancing the celebratory atmosphere.

This upcoming initiative, called "Baptize America," aims to unite thousands of churches across the United States in the largest synchronized baptism in history. The baptism, now in its second year, surpassed last year's attendance of 6,000 individuals and is viewed by organizers as a spiritual catalyst for an even more significant national event slated for next month.

The campaign focuses on the unity of churches from diverse backgrounds around the shared theological practice of public faith declaration through water baptism. According to the campaigns website, This is not about any single church. It's about churches across the nation united, pursuing the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

The next scheduled event will occur on June 8, coinciding with Pentecost Sunday. The Baptize America team is actively recruiting churches from across the U.S. to participate in the upcoming movement, hoping it signifies a growing wave of national repentance and unity within the Church.

Pastor Francey expressed a vision of widespread spiritual awakening, stating, 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.

The campaign website encourages participation by 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. Join the movement today.

Our nation and the nations of the earth will bear witness that God is not done with America. It will be saved.
Kyle Kuczynski, 32, of Mahanoy City, PA, was arrested on May 6, 2025, for igniting an explosive device at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church. | Photo Credit: Facebook/Mahanoy City Police Department

A man from Pennsylvania has been taken into custody in connection with an incident involving an explosive device at a church earlier this week. Kyle Kuczynski, a 32-year-old resident of Mahanoy City, was arrested Tuesday night in relation to the event at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church.

The Mahanoy City Police Department announced early Wednesday morning that Kuczynzki was committed to Schuylkill County Prison on a county bench warrant, and that Kuczynski was wanted in connection with an incident at St. Teresa of Calcutta Rectory on the evening of May 6th where an explosive device was ignited inside the chapel.

Kuczynski was arraigned on Wednesday and faced charges including arson and other related offenses linked to the church incident. According to local authorities, the suspect entered the chapel of Saint Teresa, which is usually open 24 hours a day, placed a device on the altar, and then lit it before fleeing the unoccupied chapel.

Security footage aired by WNEP, a news outlet based in Moosic, Pennsylvania, shows the moment the device exploded, causing significant damage to the altar. The vandalism resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage, including a large hole at the top of the altar, multiple holes in the stained glass windows, and damage to a ceiling tile just above the altar, reported WNEP.

The incident drew a strong response from Bishop Alfred A. Schlert of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown, who expressed his sadness over the act. In a statement, he said, 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.

Bishop Schlert also expressed gratitude that no one was injured in the incident and that the suspect has been taken into custody by law enforcement, but he also shared his heartbreak, stating, At the same time, I am heartbroken that such a heinous, hateful, and evil act occurred at St. Teresa of Calcutta.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, meeting with H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on May 3rd, 2025, in Baku. | Screenshot: Official Website of the Russian Orthodox Church (Video)

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, expressed commendation for Vladimir Putin's management of church and state relations, despite religious persecution in Russia.

In a letter to the Russian president celebrating the 25th anniversary of Putins rise to the position of head of state, Kirill described this period as a whole new era in Russias history.

In the letter, Kirill stated, 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 nations history, as quoted by The Orthodox Times. He praised the fruitful dialogue between government and Church, asserting that it not only helps address daily challenges but also plays a vital role in the moral renewal and transformation of society.

Kirill also commended Putins efforts in advancing significant progress in the socio-economic and scientific-technical development of the country, and highlighted the unleashing of vast intellectual and cultural potential. Kirill has been a prominent supporter of Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which he has called 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 Kirills support for Putin and the invasion remains, concerns about religious persecution have been raised by human rights advocates.

Open Doors, a Christian persecution watchdog, released a report in January that revealed persecution in Russia affects Christians in Muslim-majority regions as well as unregistered churches involved in evangelism. The report noted, The military campaign launched by Russia in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has led to an increase in state surveillance.

The report also highlighted the cultural pride rooted in Russias history, which impacts its religious landscape. It said, While Russian Orthodoxy is regarded as typically Russian, Roman Catholicism and especially Protestantism are seen as Western and alien. This cultural perspective contributes to the marginalization of religious minorities.

The bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom warned last August that Russia is among countries using disinformation tactics to suppress the rights of religious minorities. The commission pointed out that The Russian government has labeled a variety of religious groups as neo-pagan cults, including the Protestant Word of Life Church.

Since Russias 2016 law banning evangelism outside of established churches under the guise of countering extremism, many Evangelical Protestants and Muslims have faced convictions and fines.
Home News Trump says India, Pakistan agree to cease-fire after US-mediated talks Christian leaders united in prayer amid fears of India, Pakistan inching closer to full-scale war

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday morning that after a long night of U.S.-mediated talks, the nuclear-armed rivals of India and Pakistan agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.

In a post on Truth Social, the president said, After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence.

The conflict between India and Pakistan intensified Saturday as the two countries accused each other of ongoing drone and missile strikes.

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also celebrated the ceasefire agreement in a post on X Saturday, where he said that he and Vice President JD Vance had engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik to work toward a peaceful solution.

We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace, Rubio added.

Original report:

Christian leaders in India and Pakistan have jointly called for prayer and fasting as military tensions between the two countries escalate. Amid fears of a wider conflict, clergy across denominations are urging their communities to seek peace through spiritual solidarity.

Bishop Nadeem Kamran of the Anglican Church of Pakistan led a regional appeal for a joint day of fasting and prayer. Kamran told Christian Daily International that they would continue advocating for peace and reconciliation, warning that war would bring destruction neither country could afford.

Cardinals Oswald Gracias of India and Joseph Coutts of Pakistan, who met in Rome on Wednesday, reaffirmed their commitment to peace.

Speaking to Agenzia Fides, the two prelates referred to a collective appeal made by the College of Cardinals during the General Congregation on Tuesday, which included a plea for peace in global conflict zones.

The prayer appeals come against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, an Indian military offensive launched on Tuesday in response to an April 22 terror attack that killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. India alleged Pakistan's involvement in the attack. Operation Sindoor is named after sindoor, the red vermilion powder traditionally worn by married Hindu women.

Indian strikes reportedly hit nine targets across Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab Province. New Delhi maintains it targeted terror hideouts associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba and calls the strikes lawful reprisals. India reported eliminating numerous terrorists, including Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior Jaish-e-Mohammed commander linked to the 2002 beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

However, Pakistans military alleges the strikes killed 31 civilians and hit the Neelam-Jhelum Hydropower project and a mosque.

India has claimed that 16 civilians were killed in strikes carried out by Pakistan.

Pakistan claims it responded by downing three Indian jets and one drone. India has not confirmed that any of its jets were shot down. Pakistan also accused India of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, a U.N.-sponsored agreement from 1960 governing water sharing between the two countries.

Pakistan has initiated Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos, which translates to Wall of Lead, which involved launching Fatah-II ballistic missiles and drone strikes targeting over 25 Indian military sites, including airbases and missile storage facilities in the states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.

India says its forces intercepted all missiles and drones. However, Pakistan claims damage to Indian military infrastructure, including the destruction of a missile storage site in the Beas region.

Despite international calls for de-escalation, including from the G7 and the United States, tensions remain high, with both countries placing their armed forces on heightened alert.

Bishop Kamran condemned terrorism in all its forms and urged both governments to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than warfare. He said only a joint strategy could deal with terrorism without inflicting harm on innocent civilians.

The Rev. Reuben Qamar of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan supported Kamrans appeal, pointing to the severe implications of Indias suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. He described the move as a threat to Pakistans water security and warned of serious humanitarian consequences.

Within India, the Catholic Bishops Conference has also weighed in.

Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, speaking to Fides after a meeting of over 30 bishops in Jharkhand state, said Indian church leaders were united in urging peace. The group called for de-escalation, insisting that even state-level disputes could be resolved without violence.

The Rev. John Gilmore, president of the National Council of Churches in Australia, condemned the targeting of civilians and urged the international community to act.

The World Council of Churches also appealed for restraint, warning that continued violence would bring suffering to millions.

On the ground, India has begun evacuating civilians from villages near the Kashmir border. Pakistani officials, meanwhile, say Indian drone strikes reached as far as Lahore and Karachi.

Clashes have intensified along the Line of Control, where India says 13 civilians were killed and 59 injured in recent gun battles.

Christian lawmakers in Pakistan have also endorsed the call for peace.

Ejaz Alam Augustine, a Christian member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, said Christians fully supported the military while continuing to pray for peace. He stated that all four Christian legislators in the Punjab Assembly backed Bishop Kamrans prayer initiative and encouraged citizens on both sides to join hands for reconciliation.

The Christian Conference of Asia, a Thailand-based regional ecumenical organization, expressed concern about the rising persecution of religious minorities amid the conflict, including Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis, according to Anglican Ink.

The combined population of India and Pakistan exceeds 1.6 billion. Christians are a minority in both countries and face severe persecution.
Kanye West is reportedly preparing to seek sole custody of his four children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian, after accusing the reality star of violating their custody agreement and using their eldest daughter, North, for "personal or commercial gain."

Radar Online reported that the 47-year-old rapper, who now goes by Ye and is currently residing in Palma, Spain, has expressed outrage following North's high-profile appearance alongside Kardashian at the Met Gala in New York City earlier this week.

Even though North did not attend the Met Gala itself, she can be seen in numerous photos and videos posted by her mom, showcasing their preparations for the event from inside their hotel suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Midtown Manhattan.

While fans enjoyed seeing how the duo prepared for the big night, West is said to have viewed this as "unauthorized exposure" of their 11-year-old daughter, claiming it violated the terms of their 2022 divorce settlement, which he insists requires mutual consent for public appearances involving their children.

Sources close to the situation revealed that West has instructed his legal team to address what he believes to be repeated breaches of the custody agreement. Among his chief concerns is that North's presence on social media, particularly in the context of events tied to Kardashian's brand or public image, is being used without his approval.

"Kanye told Kim in no uncertain terms that he explicitly objects to the children being flaunted on social media platforms," a source said.

West is reportedly especially upset over allegations that North was left briefly unattended in a vehicle during the event, citing safety concerns and a lack of proper supervision.

In addition to North, the former couple shares three other children: Saint, 9; Chicago, 7; and Psalm, 5.

Kanye West Feels Undermined as a Father

According to sources, West believes his parental rights have been undermined, claiming he has had "no contact" with Saint in 2025 and has experienced limited communication with his other children.

"Kanye's interactions with North, Chicago, and Psalm have been unreasonably restricted," the insider explained. "He believes this is a direct violation of the custody agreement, which outlines equal access and joint decision-making."

As outlined by People magazine, West and Kardashian were married for seven years before finalizing their divorce in 2022. The couple's co-parenting relationship has long been strained. West's erratic behavior, particularly in 2016, took a toll on their marriage, compounded by his outspoken support for former President Donald Trump and a string of highly controversial public remarks.

Kardashian first spoke publicly about West's bipolar diagnosis in 2020, asking for public understanding as the family navigated complex personal issues. However, they ultimately decided to split.

Originally published on Music Times
Home News John Piper addresses misconceptions of how God will judge Christians upon their death

Christians who experience moral failures or mental decline late in life will not forfeit rewards stored up from earlier acts of faithful service, theologian and author John Piper said in a May 5 episode of his Ask Pastor John podcast.

Responding to a listeners question rooted in 2 Corinthians 5:10  which declares, We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil  Piper, chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, challenged the misconception that Heaven can be lost due to future sin or diminished capacity.

My answer, and Ill try to show that its biblical, is no, Piper said. The good works of a true Christian will never be canceled out, not by anything. The good deeds will always have their reward that God considered fitting when we did them.

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The question came from a listener named Caroline, who asked whether the rewards a believer accumulates through joyful service could be erased by subsequent grievous sin, such as sexual sin, or by aging-related incapacities that limit ones ability to serve.

She referenced Roman Catholic teaching, which she said views sin as nullifying merit, and echoed a concern shes heard from elderly Christians fearing that their lifes work may diminish with time.

The Dont Waste Your Life author believes such fears misunderstand the nature of true saving faith and Gods reward system.

True Christians are born again. Theyre elect before the foundation of the world. They are persevering in faith to the end of their lives, he said.

Perseverance, he clarified, does not mean equal zeal or strength of faith at every stage. Rather, it involves continuing in genuine belief. Citing Romans 8:30, Piper said, Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. He concluded, Nobody falls out. Everybody perseveres to the end, according to Gods promise.

In contrast, Piper said that those who permanently fall away from the faith were never truly saved.

That person was never born of God, he said, referencing 1 John 2:19. He added that the outward deeds of such individuals, even if they seemed religious, are not rewarded by God because they were not works of faith and everything else is sin, according to Romans 14:23. God doesnt reward sin.

For true believers, however, every genuinely good deed remains secure in Gods memory and judgment regardless of when it was done. Piper emphasized Gods omniscience in discerning the motives behind each act: God sees a good deed, he sees it exactly for what it is, and he deems it appropriate to reward.

Quoting 1 Corinthians 4:5, he said, Do not pronounce judgment ... before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

Piper presented three main arguments to support his view that heavenly rewards are not canceled out by later failures in life. First, he cited Gods promises in Matthew 10:42 and Ephesians 6:8: Whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord.

These are unqualified promises, he said. Wed better be careful lest we cancel Gods promises by some kind of theology of reward-loss.

Piper also stressed that God doesnt forget, referencing Hebrews 6:10. He emphasized Gods faithfulness and justice in remembering the works He has deemed worthy of reward: God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints.

Even if believers themselves forget past deeds of faithfulness, God remembers them perfectly, Piper said. The life you lived 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago is as real and present before the face of God as though you were living it today.

Finally, the pastor offered the reminder that good deeds are Gods gift. Christians never earn anything good from God. Everything good that they do is a gift of grace from God, he said, quoting 1 Corinthians 4:7: What do you have that you did not receive?

He continued, God rewards his own gifts in us.

Lets get the idea of merit for these good deeds totally out of our minds, Piper said. If we do, then we will be able to see more easily that the weaknesses of our present life do not diminish Gods gracious promise not to forget the good of the first 60 years.  No sin that you commit today, if you are a true Christian, changes Gods assessment of what he regarded as a good deed to be rewarded 50 years ago.

In a previous episode of Ask Pastor John, Piper said that every good act, no matter how small or unseen, will be acknowledged and rewarded, while sinful actions will result in the loss of potential reward, not punishment.

Despite this, Piper stressed that all believers will be fully happy in Heaven, with some receiving greater capacities for joy, and no one begrudging Gods justice or grace.

[E]very single large or tiny good thing you have ever done as a Christian, whether any other human knows about it or not, will come back to you for good at the last day, said Piper.

What a great incentive not to worry about who sees us in what we do or what rewards we get in this life. Everythings written down, and God will make sure that any good deed weve ever done, seen or unseen, will be properly rewarded.

Pipers comments come on the heels of a recent study conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, which found that a majority of people who describe themselves as Christian (52%) accept a works-oriented means to Gods acceptance.

In contrast, a minority of adults (46%) who describe themselves as Christian expect to experience eternal salvation because of their confession of sin and acceptance of Christ as their savior. The study also found that huge proportions of people associated with churches whose official doctrine says eternal salvation comes only from embracing Jesus Christ as Savior, believe that a person can qualify for Heaven by being or doing good.

Len Munsil, president of Arizona Christian University, said the lack of understanding of basic Christian theology is stunning, with potentially devastating consequences for individual souls and really for all aspects of American life and culture.

Its a wakeup call for the church, and for leaders in all areas of influence, to speak, teach and work to restore biblical truth, Munsil said. Many souls will be lost if people are misled by the false notion that we can earn our way to heaven, rather than recognizing the truth that Christ alone and His righteousness are the basis for our salvation.
Home News Montana protects parents, faith groups from discrimination in foster care, adoption

Montana has passed a new law that aims to protect parents and faith-based foster and adoption agencies from being discriminated against because of their religious beliefs on sexuality.

Known as House Bill 655, the measure was signed into law last week by Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican.

Under the law, the state "may not take a discriminatory action against a person that advertises, provides, or facilitates adoption or foster care services wholly or partially on the basis that the person  has provided or declines to provide an adoption or foster care service or related service based on or in a manner consistent with the person's sincerely held religious belief."

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"[T]he state government may not take a discriminatory action against a person whom the state grants custody of a foster or adoptive child or who seeks from the state the custody of a foster or adoptive child wholly or partially on the basis that the person guides, instructs, or raises a child or intends to guide, instruct, or raise a child based on or in a manner consistent with the person's sincerely held religious belief," read HB 655.

"The state government may consider whether a person shares the same religion or faith tradition as a foster or adoptive child when considering placement of the child in order to prioritize placement with a person of the same religion or faith tradition."

The legislation comes as some states, localities and even the Biden administration have enacted policies over the last several years to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in foster care and adoption, which have faced legal pressure from Christian organizations who believe they have been discriminated against over their beliefs on sexuality and gender.

Greg Chafuen of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm that specializes in religious freedom cases, celebrated the news of the bill being signed into law.

"Every child deserves a loving home that can provide them stability and opportunities to grow. The sad reality is that in some states, the government can discriminate against people of faith, allowing vulnerable children to suffer," Chafuen stated.

"Thankfully, Montana has taken critical steps to prioritize the well-being of kids by prohibiting state and local government officials from discriminating against adoption and foster care providers and parents simply because of their religious beliefs and moral convictions."

Montana's new law cites the unanimous 2021 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that the city of Philadelphia could not exclude a Catholic charity from its foster program because the organization wouldn't place children with same-sex couples in accordance with religious beliefs. Plaintiff Sharronell Fulton fostered as many as 40 kids during her 25 years of working with Catholic Social Services.

"Government fails to act neutrally when it proceeds in a manner intolerant of religious beliefs or restricts practices because of their religious nature," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion.

"The refusal of Philadelphia to contract with CSS for the provision of foster care services unless it agrees to certify same-sex couples as foster parents cannot survive strict scrutiny, and violates the First Amendment."

Critics of the legislation included Democrat state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, a member of the Rocky Boy's Chippewa-Cree tribe, who compared the bill to the abuse suffered by Native Americans at church-run residential boarding schools.

"A lot of those kids had no choices," Windy Boy said while speaking against HB 655 on the floor, as reported by The Daily Montanan last month.

"The parents had no choices. But yet, at the same time, those kids were spanked, they were abused, mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse. Is that the kind of system that we're going to continue pushing into this era? I should hope not."

The bill would nevertheless pass the Montana Senate last month in a vote of 29-21, having previously passed the Montana House of Representatives in a vote of 59-40 in March.

"To those of you who are in opposition to it, I'm sorry," said Republican Sen. Theresa Manzella, one of the bill's sponsors, reported the Montanan. "I wish you knew the Jesus Christ that I know, because he would never abandon, or abuse, or hurt children."
Home News Salt Lake City adopts trans, progress pride as official city flags despite state ban

Salt Lake City, Utah, often referred to as the "Mormon capital of the world," has added transgender and progress pride flags to its new slate of city flags.

The city formally adopted three new city flags on Tuesday in an attempt to skirt a state law prohibiting the flying of LGBT pride flags and other non-official banners at its City Hall.

In addition to its traditional Sego Lily Flag, Salt Lake City adopted three new flags to celebrate what officials called human rights: the Sego Celebration Flag, marking Juneteenth; the Sego Belonging Flag, representing the citys LGBT-identified residents; and the Sego Visibility Flag, to demonstrate the citys commitment to seeing and celebrating transgender-identified residents.

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The flags will fly alongside the State of Utah and American flags, city officials said.

All three flags feature the sego lily, the citys most recognized emblem, and were chosen because, officials said, versions of them have been consistently displayed at City Hall during Mayor [Erin] Mendenhalls time in office and are representative of our communitys diverse, loving, and accepting values.

Our city flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake Citys values, Mendenhall said in a statement. 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.

Under Utahs House Bill 77, which became law in March without the governor's signature and went into effect on May 7, the city cannot display any flags on government property unless they meet the criteria outlined in the bill as an exempted flag. By designating the flags as official emblems, the city potentially avoids violating the law.

The law imposes a $500 fine per day on any state or local government buildings that fly any flag that is not the U.S. flag, the state flag, a military flag or a flag from a brief list of exempted ones approved by lawmakers. The state law also prohibits any political flags.

Republican Gov. Spencer Cox told lawmakers in March that while he had concerns about the bill, he would not issue a veto and would allow it to go into law without his signature. He added that he would urge lawmakers to consider commonsense solutions that address the bills numerous flaws.

I appreciate that the bill is neutral on the types of flags in question (and I find it strange that no headline reads MAGA flags banned from classrooms), Cox wrote. I agree with the underlying intent of those legislators who supported this bill in an attempt to bring political neutrality to the classroom. Unfortunately, this bill does not do that.

Salt Lake City was named the gayest city in America in 2012, and had the seventh-highest rate of LGBT-identified population in 2015.
Home Opinion 3 reasons Christians should support Trumps Iran policy

In an age when foreign policy often divides Americans along partisan lines, Christians must resist the temptation to see international affairs through an entirely political lens. Instead, we are called to discern right from wrong, justice from injustice, peace from oppression. Nowhere is this more urgent than in our response to the Iranian regimes pursuit of nuclear weapons.

President Trumps consistent Iran policy  that Iran completely dismantles its nuclear program  is firm, clear and morally grounded; it deserves the support of Christians. The presidents insistence that Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon is not only wise and prudent foreign policy but is also a just and principled position. Here are three reasons why Christians in particular should support it.

1. Just war theory requires that we resist evil  even militarily, if necessary

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Christianity is not pacifistic. Our sacred tradition, from the Apostles to Augustine, Aquinas, and beyond, teaches that military force can be morally justified, provided that it is a last resort and if its aims are to restore peace and protect the innocent. That is the heart of Christian Just War Theory. Under that framework, preventing Iran  a regime that openly calls for genocide, funds global terror against non-Muslims, and attempts to assassinate the sitting President of the United States on U.S. soil  from acquiring a nuclear weapon is not just permitted. It is morally necessary.

The Iranian regime has, time and again, rejected norms of decency towards its own people and any foreign entities that do not comply with its apocalyptic empire-building. It has used diplomacy as cover for its grand ambitions to spread terror throughout the world. Years of negotiations and UN resolutions have done nothing to stop Irans nuclear march. The failed JCPOA, which President Trump was right to rip up, gave Iran billions in sanctions relief while allowing the regime to continue developing ballistic missiles and enriching uranium under the guise of civilian energy.

For Christians, the use of military force must always be regrettable, but it is not inherently wrong or immoral. When faced with an apocalyptic theocracy hellbent on regional domination and world destabilization, stopping that regime from going nuclear is not warmongering. It is responsible stewardship. It is the use of force in the service of peace.

2. Nuclear non-proliferation is a Christian good

The Bible begins with God bringing order out of chaos. As Christians, we are called to preserve that order that God established by protecting life and resisting the forces of evil that threaten the fabric of creation. Nuclear weapons, in the hands of tyrannical regimes, are precisely that threat.

If, Heaven forbid, Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, an arms race in the Middle East, an already volatile region, is likely to ensue: Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt might scramble to get the bomb themselves. The Middle East would become a tinderbox, threatening not only the worlds most sacred and holy places but the world.

As Christians, we are the stewards of the earth and the guardians of life. The spread of nuclear weapons is antithetical to both. President Trumps maximum pressure campaign against Iran is a principled and moral position; all lovers of life should stand behind him.

3. The Iranian regime has been brutal to Christians

Lastly, we cannot forget that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been a persecutor of the Church. Since 1979, Iran has systematically repressed Christians in Iran and has spread terrorism against Christians across the region. The regime has the blood of tens of thousands of innocent Americans and others on its hands. How can any Christian fathom this oppressive and repressive regime emboldened by a nuclear weapon as anything less than the final tool needed for Iran to eradicate the last few Christians from the Middle East?

A nuclear weapon would solidify the regimes grip on power. It would make international pressure infinitely more difficult. Iran would enjoy a shield of impunity, allowing it to continue its campaign of religious repression while expanding its influence abroad.

Christians cannot ignore the plight of our brothers and sisters in Iran. We cannot allow a regime that sees Christianity as an enemy of the state to gain the ultimate weapon.

Christianity demands that we seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:15). But peace is not passivity. Sometimes, to preserve the good and protect the innocent, we must confront evil with strength. In confronting Irans nuclear ambitions, Trump continues to pursue the only moral path left. Christians should say so  and support him for it.
Home Opinion How a musician became an astronomer and changed our world forever

For millions of American high-schoolers, graduation is upon them, and the question is weighing on their mind: Whats next? College? Work? Gap Year?

I had those same questions in my teen years with very few answers, and yet there was a passion in my life that eventually led me to conduct paleontology digs, photograph supernovae, and become director of the largest science museum in Tennessee.

Those who know history realize that some of the most brilliant discoveries have come not from lecture halls, but from the simple act of observing the world with curiosity and wonder. Famous scientists dont begin as Ph.D. scholars, they begin as passionate young people with questions. William Herschels life stands as a shining example of how Gods creation can ignite a passion that leads to a lifetime of study, even without formal training.

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Born in 1738 in Hanover (modern-day Germany), Herschels early life revolved around music. He was trained as a musician and even served as a military bandsman before moving to England. At first glance, Herschel seemed destined for a life of performances and compositions  hardly the path of someone who would become a famous astronomer. Yet it was his love for learning and his awe of the heavens that changed the course of his life forever.

Herschels interest in the night sky was sparked not by formal education, but by simple, personal exploration. Fascinated by the stars, he began building his own telescopes, grinding mirrors by hand, and studying the skies late into the night after working as a musician during the day. It wasnt a professor that taught him; it was the vast, silent witness of the heavens  the work of His hands, as Psalm 19 proclaims  that drew him in.

Then, in 1781, while surveying the sky out of pure curiosity, Herschel noticed something unusual. What he thought was just another star in the sky moved differently than the rest  it turned out to be a new planet: Uranus. This was the first planet discovered since ancient times, and it shook the scientific world. Herschel had stumbled upon a treasure hidden in plain sight  not because he was assigned the task for a doctoral thesis, but because he was captivated by creation itself.

Following his discovery, Herschel was appointed Royal Astronomer and spent the rest of his life studying the heavens, cataloging thousands of stars, nebulae, and even discovering infrared radiation. His journey reminds us that true education often begins not with a curriculum or planned agenda, but with a sense of wonder.

William Herschels story teaches us that some of the greatest lessons  and discoveries  come when we take the time to look up, to observe, and to marvel at the intricate beauty of the nature all around us. His life is a powerful reminder that exploration fueled by wonder can lead to knowledge that changes the world.
Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer reporters answer questions at a town hall at the Cuyahoga Public Library, Parma Snow branch, where readers could ask questions about President Trump's first months in office. What if the people who attended and others like them could be drafted to start solving our many problems? Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

Americans have always believed that theirs is a government of the people, by the people, for the people, but a clear message we heard at the town hall we hosted Wednesday evening is that Abe Lincolns description no longer fits.

Especially that for the people part. Over and over, people stood to tell us that the government is failing them, in so many ways, and they dont want to be powerless to stop it.

The town hall did exactly what we hoped in providing a forum for people to offer their thoughts and ask their questions, with Republicans in Congress refusing to meet with constituents. Multiple times, people asked what they can do to change things. They asked who will lead the charge to stop our slide into fascism. And they asked what we, in our newsroom, are doing about it.

Its a tough question, but I dont think our answer is more town halls. If were going to host a gathering of our readers again, I think we need action to be the goal.

First, though, a quick note about fascism. Ive received several emails from people who interpreted what they heard Wednesday to mean that our newsroom is neutral on that evil. Absolutely not. Few newsrooms have condemned this nations slide into fascism more than we have. Ive said it repeatedly myself on our Today in Ohio podcast. I say it here. Donald Trump is a fascist. Almost every step he takes is a move toward fascism and the loss of civil rights. In our newsroom, there arent two sides to fascism. We condemn what is happening, and we will continue to point out how our elected leaders are failing to halt Trumps authoritarian work.

OK. Back to next steps from the town hall.

This was a group of fully informed people. They clearly get news from multiple sources and are informed on many issues. Further, they use their power of independent thought to consider solutions and action. It was a terrific crowd. Could they, and others like them, be the solution to problems that vex us?

Follow me here. This is a little wacky.

Lets start with the example I used on a podcast discussion this week: regionalism.

The vast majority of people in Cuyahoga County know that converting the entire county into the city of Cleveland would make us an overnight economic powerhouse. (We published a story about this a while back.) But we can never get there because every elected official in every one of our dozens of municipalities is a pig at the trough, greedily holding on to their positions at the expense of the public good.

What if we could convene 200 or 250 people  no elected leaders allowed  into an exercise of designing the countywide city of Cleveland with an ultimate aim of putting a charter before the voters?

It would be a mammoth undertaking affecting many areas of our lives, but if we set up those 200 or 250 people into groups of six or eight around tables, we could tackle every one of those areas, with redundancy.

Lets start with taxes. We have a patchwork of municipal income taxes in the county, so what if we tasked three of our tables to independently tackle that. Youd put a municipal finance expert at each of the three tables, along with a conversation facilitator. Ultimately, wed have three different strategies for solving the problem.

Fire protection is a vital service. So, what if you tasked three tables to design a countywide fire department, with a firefighting expert at each table to bring reality to the discussion.

Youd do the same with policing. Trash collection. Leaf pickup. Road maintenance. Parks. Code enforcement. Municipal courts. Every service that local government provides.

And  to make sure we focus on restoring power to the people  youd have three tables work on designing a new form of government for our new city of Cleveland.

Personally, Id hope wed come up with a plan to have a mayor and a 7-member City Council, with three at-large seats and four ward seats representing entire quadrants of the county. And Id hope we would use ranked choice voting, to ensure fair representation. Whatever, wed have three tables of people, along with experts, come up with designs.

Once each group of three tables finished its work, youd reconcile them to build the best proposal.

Then youd put it all into a charter and seek countywide approval.

To make this work, youd need a deadline. A year, maybe. The tables would have to meet regularly, collecting information and consulting experts as needed. Thered be a cost to it all, for research, meeting space and some staffing to organize things.

In the end, though, the process would restore the power to the people, creating a system where new leaders could emerge outside the corrupted party primary system that gives us the worst leaders Ive ever seen. Basically, smart and dedicated people would design a new system aimed at public service.

Of course, this example is not about what people discussed at our town hall. Wed need a bit of brainstorming to figure out ways to use this model to fix our broken state and federal governments. I use regionalism just to illustrate an idea.

As for our role, we could be the convener. We could help put the call out to get things started, and we could have a team of three or four reporters who do nothing but report on the many aspects of whatever is being tackled.

Again, this is a bit wacky, but if the goal is to get back to a government of the people and for the people, tapping into the energy and commitment of folks like those who attended our town hall is one way to do it.

Northeast Ohio is loaded with smart people. We need to tap into that.

Im at cquinn@cleveland.com

Thanks for reading

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A Soviet-era spacecraft originally intended for a mission to Venus has likely re-entered Earth's atmosphere and crashed early Saturday morning, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). The Kosmos 482 probe, launched in 1972 as part of the USSR's Venera program, had been in a slow, decaying orbit around Earth for over five decades after its mission failed to escape Earth's gravity.

What Was Kosmos 482?

Kosmos 482 was part of a broader Soviet effort to explore Venus. While ten Venera missions successfully reached and transmitted data from the planet, Kosmos 482's rocket malfunctioned shortly after launch. The upper stage of the rocket carrying its descent module remained trapped in Earth orbit.

Why Did It Take So Long to Fall?

The spacecraft, about three feet wide and weighing over 1,000 pounds, gradually lost altitude over 53 years. Its final descent occurred sometime early Saturday, with the ESA confirming radar detection over Germany but losing contact shortly before the expected crash. No damage or injuries have been reported.

Could It Have Survived Re-entry?

Unlike typical space junk, Kosmos 482 was built to endure Venus's extreme environmentmeaning it had a tough, heat-resistant shell. While most debris burns up in Earth's atmosphere, this probe had a higher chance of surviving re-entry due to its rugged design. Still, its final resting place remains unknown.

Is Falling Space Junk Common?

Yes. The ESA reported that over 2,400 human-made objects re-entered Earth's atmosphere in 2022 alone. Most of these burn up completely or fall harmlessly into oceans. The risk of being injured by falling space debris is extremely lowestimated at less than 1 in 100 billion annually.

Where Was It Expected to Fall?

U.S. Space Force tracking predicted Kosmos 482 would re-enter over the Pacific Ocean, west of Guam, around 1:52 a.m. ET Saturday. However, the final descent may have occurred earlier or in a different location, as no precise crash site has been confirmed.
U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, a Columbus-area Republican, speaks at the Ross County Republican Party's 2025 Lincoln Day Dinner outside of Chillicothe, Ohio on April 21, 2025. Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com

COLUMBUS, OhioWhen Jon Husted was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine to the U.S. Senate in January, the question in many politicos minds was whether he would mirror the politics of his former boss or those of President Donald Trump.

Like DeWine, Husted has a long history as an establishment conservative. But as a U.S. senator, he has begun to embrace the more populist bend of Trumps MAGA movement.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has defended his country's direct involvement in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. He described it as a justified act of solidarity with a "brother nation," according to a report published Saturday by state-run outlet KCNA.

"Our participation in the conflict was just, and it falls within the sovereign rights of our Republic," Kim said, according to KCNA. "I consider all the brave soldiers who participated in the Kursk operation to be heroes and the highest representatives of the nation's honor," he added.

In April, Pyongyang officially confirmed for the first time that it had deployed troops to support Russia's war efforts, following direct orders from Kim.

According to multiple reports, more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers, along with weapons, were sent to assist Russian forcesa move reflecting the deepening military cooperation between the two countries under a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024.

In exchange for military support, South Korean officials believe North Korea has received technical aid for its satellite program, as well as drones and anti-aircraft missile technology from Russia.

KCNA reported that North Korean forces participated in reclaiming Russian territory previously held by Ukrainian troops, specifically referencing the battle to liberate the Kursk region. The report framed the operation as a symbol of the "highest strategic level of the firm militant friendship" between the two nations.

Kim also warned that Pyongyang would not hesitate to authorize military action should the United States continue what he described as provocations against Russia.

Meanwhile, Kim made a rare public appearance with his daughter at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on Friday to mark Russia's Victory Day, which commemorates the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.

North Korea "will consolidate and develop the long tradition of the DPRK-Russia relations, the noble ideological foundation and the invincible alliance," Kim said, according to KCNA.
 
One of the most recognized names in personal finance is urging Americans to increase their financial literacy, and urging the country to do a better job of providing the education.

"We spend a lot of time trying to improve financial literacy. We stink at it," said Ric Edelman, founder of Edelman Financial Engines, on this week's CNBC "ETF Edge."

Edelman believes the problem is rooted in the fact the U.S. has never had a great tradition of encouraging smart personal finance, and he says it has never been more important to fix, given how long people are now living. That increases the risks related to running out of money later in life and creates serious questions about standard investing models for long-term financial security, such as the 60-40 stock and bond portfolio.

"We are the first generation, as baby boomers, that will live long lives as part of the norm," Edelman said. "Everyone before us, our parents and grandparents mostly died in their 50s and 60s. You didn't have to plan for the future, because you weren't going to have one," he added.

One of his biggest concerns with the current generation of young investors is that they seem to believe in get-rich-quick schemes. Many of the new investing websites have been too encouraging of risky strategies that lure young investors in, he says, promoting financial gambling rather than investing. Options and zero-day options have become a significant part of the daily trading landscape in the last several years. According to data from the New York Stock Exchange, the percent of retail traders participating in the options market approached the 50% mark in 2022. In 2024, options volume hit an all-time record.

Edelman says younger generations should be wary of a corporate America that makes consumer finance more complicated than it should be, which includes the manufacturing of overly sophisticated and expensive financial products. "They want to make it complex, to make you a hostage rather than a customer," he said.

He also cautions young investors to make sure they are getting information about personal finance from credible sources. "When so many are getting their financial education from TikTok, that's a little scary," he said.

Edelman believes the cards are stacked against young investors because of the lack of high schools mandating a course in personal finance. "The only way we discover the issues of money is through the school of hard knocks as adults, and we're over our heads when it comes to buying a car, getting a mortgage, insurance and saving for college" he said.

That situation is improving for the next generations of adults. Utah was the first state to require a personal finance course for high school graduation in 2004, and the list grew to include 11 states by 2021. As of this year, 27 states now require high school students to take a semester-long personal finance course for graduation, according to Next Gen Personal Finance.

Another big challenge for young investors is they often don't have a lot of money to invest, with many recent college graduates struggling to pay bills and left with little to put towards other financial goals. But there is at least one reason to be hopeful about younger Americans, Edelman says: they are highly motivated to reach financial success.

"Today's youth looks at their parents and sees how poorly they were prepared for retirement. They don't want that to be their future" he said.
Grey moved to Belgium in 2023 and plans to stay in Europe as long as he can.

Colby Grey, 24, grew up in a very rural and conservative community in San Luis Obispo, California. It wasn't until moving two hours away to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz, that he traveled that far for the first time. It was the beginning of a new life for Grey  he just didn't know it yet. "Not many people in my town had passports. You didn't really travel much and you didn't go to school very far either," Grey tells CNBC Make It. "I was one of the ones that went further and then when I studied abroad, I was one of the first to leave the country." Grey lived on campus at the start of his freshman year but the covid-19 pandemic completely disrupted his time there. By the second semester, Grey was forced to move home for about a year. It was during this time back in San Luis Obispo that Grey explored studying abroad. Grey studied in Copenhagen for six months. When that time was up, he didn't want to head back to Santa Cruz. "[Denmark] managed the pandemic really well and had a very high vaccination rate," he says. "I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to do more." Grey completed a Semester at Sea before finally going home to California. "When I came back to Santa Cruz, it was a real reverse culture shock for me," he says. "There was no housing left there. The city is really not built for students."

Since first visiting Europe in 2021 and relocating in 2023, Grey has traveled to 20 different countries. Colby Grey

Back in Santa Cruz, Grey lived off campus in a two-bedroom apartment with three other roommates and worked as a study abroad advisor. Grey's share of the rent was $1,340 a month, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. "I was paying more to live in Santa Cruz than I had been paying to live abroad. I said to myself I couldn't do it anymore," Grey says. "I knew that after I was done [with undergrad] I would apply for a master's degree in Belgium." Grey says his primary motivation for wanting to leave the United States is that life in the cities there never resonated with him  and he hated driving. "That was one of the things that I loved about living in Europe, I never felt like I needed a car to live," he says. Grey was also unhappy with the quality of education he received at UC Santa Cruz, primarily because of the cost. For the 2024-2025 school year, the average cost for in-state students living on campus is $44,160. Grey's classes were canceled for more than half a semester one year and he still had to pay for the entire thing. "It just didn't seem like I was getting what I paid for even with a ton of federal and state funding," Grey says. "I knew there had to be a better system and a better way to get an education. Through my study abroad job, I realized I could just get a visa and study as an international student for a sixth of the price." "I wanted to continue my education, but I wanted to use that as a pathway towards residency."

Grey and friends attended the famous EDM festival, Tomorrowland. Colby Grey

Grey decided to go for his master's degree and considered programs in the UK, like at Cambridge University, the University of Oxford, and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, but he couldn't justify the cost. That led Grey to Leuven, Belgium, which seemed like the perfect choice. Leuven was built to be a "15-minute city," an urban planning concept where most daily necessities like shopping, healthcare, and more can be reached within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. The concept is gaining traction in other Belgian cities like Brussels and Mechelen and exists in major cities like Paris, France, Barcelona, Spain and Melbourne, Australia. In Leuven, cars are banned in the city center and it is easy  and encouraged  to get around on bike. "I fell in love with it and loved that Belgium was centrally located, so I could travel, too," he says "There are four different countries around me within a three-hour train ride, and that was very unique." The KU Leuven university in Belgium offers a program for degree-seeking students called a search permit. This permit allows students or researchers to stay for a year and work unrestricted as long as they obtain a master's degree from a university in the country. It's a one-year program, and the tuition cost is about 3,800 euros a year or $4,310 USD. "As a student, though, there is no better cost of living. There is nothing better economically than being in Europe. There's no reason to go into debt here, so it just makes sense at this stage in my life," he says.

Grey's family came to visit him in Belgium and they took a trip over to Italy together. Colby Grey

Grey arrived in Belgium with two checked bags and a backpack, and move into a four-bedroom house with three other people. He paid 500 euros or $567 a month in rent: "It was fantastic. I mean I was paying a third of the price to get my own room." He set out immediately to build a life in Leuven. "When I first got here, it was daunting. I was aware of the fact that I had no friends here and I was totally on my own," he says. "I think that was the first time I ever felt like that in my life. I worked really hard to make friends and make a community here."

After graduating from KU Leuven, Grey took a bike trip from Andermatt to Basel, Switzerland. Colby Grey

Grey graduated last summer and moved about a 10-minute bike ride outside the city. He pays 420 euros a month in rent, including utilities. His current housing also provides some toiletries and some food, too. Grey's additional monthly expenses include 236 euros in groceries, 154 euros in eating out, 11 euros in health insurance and medical visits, 48 euros in transit, 50 euros for the gym, 30 euros on wellness, 20 euros on visa fees, 20 euros in clothing and 10 euros in subscriptions. Including his rent, Grey's total monthly expenses are about $998 euros a month or $1,132. Grey has lived in Belgium for almost two years now, and says he loves the work-life balance he's been able to find there. "The community feels so strong here and I have a really great balance between my work life and my home life," he says. "It's such a slower pace of life here and it's really beautiful."

Grey says he loves the work-life balance he's been able to find since leaving the United States. Colby Grey
It might be time for investors to take a closer look at Argentina. The Global X MSCI Argentina ETF (ARGT) is up more than 8% this year, outpacing the S & P 500 . The Merval index , Argentina's benchmark index, is down 17% in 2025 but remains more than 47% higher over the past 12 months, outpacing most other global markets. For years, foreign investors have treaded carefully when it comes to Argentine stocks, as economic and political turmoil ignited wild swings. But as President Javier Milei lifts stringent capital controls , the sun could shine bright on this market. "We have a downbeat to neutral view on emerging markets equities, currencies and bonds. That includes India, Brazil, China and central Europe," BCA Research emerging markets strategist Juan Egana told CNBC. "The only country that we actually have a bullish view on in absolute terms is Argentina." ARGT .SPX YTD mountain SPX vs ARGT in 2025 The hope is that easing capital controls will lead to an influx of foreign investors putting money into the Argentine market. That move last month came as the country secured $20 billion in funding from the International Monetary Fund over four years; $12 billion of those were disbursed immediately . "Amid the storm of global financial uncertainty and rising economic populism, Argentina stands out as a free-market safe haven," BCA chief emerging market strategist Arthur Budaghyan wrote in an April 22 note. It also follows the U.S. unveiling steep tariffs on imports from a slew of countries. Those duties sent global equities for a wild ride, with markets rising on the smallest sign of progress or falling on the most minute setback. But Diego Pereira, chief economist for South America at JPMorgan, said the Milei administration's ideological similarities with the Trump White House could bring the countries closer  ultimately benefiting Argentina. Milei's views on trade aligns with Trump's rhetoric on tariffs, with the Argentine president threatening to leave the South American trade bloc Mercosur if doing so meant cementing a deal with the U.S. "Argentina is [taking] a lot of steps in the right direction in a world that is getting more fragmented, in which trade may not be as relevant as it used to be," Pereira told CNBC. BCA's Egana also lauded Milei's measured steps to first stabilize Argentina's economy before moving to lift the country's capital controls. Doing so lifted a major concern for investors, and companies, that their money would be stuck inside Argentina, he said "If you can't get your money out, what good is that to an investor?" Egana added. How to play it Investors looking for exposure to Argentine stocks can do so through the ARGT ETF. The fund  which is weighted toward consumer discretionary companies, as well as financials and energy  has an expense ratio of 0.59%. For those looking for individual stocks to buy, MercardoLibre may suit them. About 85% of analysts polled by FactSet have a buy rating on the stock, with their consensus price targets calling for about 8% further upside. Shares have skyrocketed more than 44% in 2025. MELI YTD mountain MELI in 2025 Barclays analyst Trevor Young specifically pointed out that the company is more insulated from Trump's tariffs compared to peers due to MercadoLibre's focus on South America. Only a small portion of the company's operations are based in the U.S., which leaves the firm largely able to operate fully with little interruption, he said. "We think MELI screens reasonably well vs. the peer group, as they sell entirely in Latam, and only have one Texas fulfillment center serving Mexico, such that recent US tariff changes are not an impact on the company," Young said.
A rare 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona featuring a mother-of-pearl dial with diamond hour markers  one of only four known to exist.

A legendary timepiece is about to step into the spotlight.

A 1999 platinum Rolex Daytona is heading to auction on Sunday at Sotheby's Geneva, and could sell for up to $1.7 million.

The watch is made from platinum, a material Rolex did not use on Daytona models until 2013. Its face is mother-of-pearl, set with 10 diamonds. Unlike nearly every other Rolex on the market, it was not part of a standard collection. It was privately commissioned, custom-made for a client  something almost unheard of for Rolex.

"It's very unusual to come across a commission," said Pedro Reiser, senior watch specialist at Sotheby's. "There are other brands which might be more flexible and do these kinds of exercises, maybe on a regular basis  but not in the space of Rolex pieces where you barely can come across any commission whatsoever."

Only four of these watches are known to exist, made for the same family, each with a different dial. The watch heading to the auction block is the last one to be sold. The others have already gone for massive prices, topping $3 million.

There is big hype around this small work of metal. It is believed to have been created under the leadership of Patrick Heiniger, Rolex's CEO from 1992 to 2008. He ran the company during a time of major growth and secrecy and helped turn Rolex from a respected watch brand into a global luxury icon.
Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark in handcuffs outside Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, NJ on May 9, 2025.

The Trump administration suggested Saturday that New Jersey Democratic lawmakers involved in a clash a day earlier with authorities at a federal immigration detention center that led to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka also could face criminal charges.

"There will likely be more arrests coming," Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN in an interview on Saturday.

"We actually have body camera footage of some of these members of Congress assaulting these ICE enforcement officers, including body slamming a female ICE officer," McLaughlin said.

She later tweeted a video of the chaotic incident outside the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark.

"We will not tolerate assault against our ICE law enforcement agents. By members of Congress or anyone else," McLauglin wrote in the post on X.

Alina Habba, the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, in an interview on Fox News on Saturday, said, "I'm not going to get into the weeds about other things that may or may not be coming."

The three lawmakers at the scene  Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver  sharply dispute DHS's characterization of the incident.
Some common household items saw price changes in the weeks following President Donald Trump's initial tariffs announcement, according to a Telsey Advisory Group industry note.

Not every day is a good day for Barbie, if prices for dolls in the U.S. keep rising amid President Donald Trump's tariff policy announcements. A series of household items including leggings, Barbie dolls power drills and washing machines have increased in price since Trump initially announced a sweeping set of global tariffs on April 2, according to an industry note issued by the Telsey Advisory Group on Tuesday. Between April 16 and April 30, the price of a Target-exclusive Barbie doll increased by nearly 43% to $14.99, up from $10.49, Telsey reported. A Whirlpool washing machine at Lowe's went up in price by nearly $82 to $599, over the same time frame. Other notable price hikes include Girl's Cat and Jack leggings at Target, which went up by nearly a third  to $6, from $4.50  and a Dewalt drill at Tractor Supply that rose by $20, to $179. (As of Friday afternoon, the drill is on sale for $99.)

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The Telsey analysis included luxury items, too. A medium Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote bag will run you $2,130 today, for example  $100 more than on April 16, Telsey noted. The price changes in the Telsey note shouldn't be viewed as definitive evidence of tariff impact, its authors wrote. The group tracked only one or two items per analyzed company, and didn't account for extant discounts or internal pricing strategies. Some of the consumer items tracked by Telsey didn't change in price. Others became less expensive. But if higher consumer prices due to tariffs aren't yet a reality for Americans, they will be soon, said Telsey's note. "A consistent narrative across retailers and brands is that higher costs will be passed on to consumers," its authors wrote. "Many management teams are accelerating and attempting to make 'non-regrettable' decisions about the supply chain and/or product price changes."

The likely impact of China tariffs
A whistleblower who released a recording allegedly involving the late actress Kim Sae Ron and actor Kim Soo Hyun has shared a video displaying serious physical injuries, days after accusations that earlier photos of the reported attack were fabricated.

On May 7, the Garo Sero Research Institute held a press conference where it played a recording said to feature Kim Sae Ron stating that Kim Soo Hyun had sex with her when she was in middle school.

The conversation, according to Garo Sero, was recorded with the actress's consent prior to her death in February.

During the same event, the institute alleged that the informant who possessed this recording was "brutally attacked by two assailants" on May 1 in New Jersey.

"The recording was made with the consent of the late Kim Sae Ron and the informant," Garo Sero stated. "It contained shocking and explicit content."

The group further alleged the attack involved two individuals "from Korea and China," and that the victim suffered severe nerve damage and nine stab wounds to the neck.

Garo Sero added that the case is under investigation by the FBI, not local police in New Jersey.

In response, Kim Soo Hyun's agency, GOLD MEDALIST, dismissed the allegations and claimed that the injury photos previously circulated by Garo Sero were taken from the internet.

"Garo Sero's false claims are unacceptable and difficult to accept even with common sense," the agency stated.

"The photos revealed as evidence can be found through an internet search. Garo Sero and the informant are claiming that a photo they found online is an assault photo."

On May 8, Garo Sero released a new video in an attempt to refute these claims. In it, the whistleblowerwhose identity remains undisclosedshowed fresh injuries on both hands, including the removal of a dressing on his left palm.

He also showed his right arm, which bore multiple wounds. He displayed the date and time on his phone  May 7, 3:46 p.m. KST  to verify the footage's authenticity.

The whistleblower claimed he had not been discharged from the hospital and was only briefly home to record the video. "I couldn't remove the dressing on my finger as it could pose a risk of infection," he said in the video.

He added that he recorded the video instead of sending photos to prevent Kim Soo Hyun's representatives from labeling the incident as fabricated.

Kim Soo Hyun's agency has not issued a response to the video as of Thursday.

Kim Sae Ron passed away on Feb. 16, 2025, at the age of 24. The scandal surrounding the alleged recording and her relationship with Kim Soo Hyun has continued to develop posthumously, with increasing public scrutiny and legal attention.
A new survey by VPN provider Surfshark has found that Chrome collects the most information from users phones, while TOR stands out as the most privacy-centric browser by collecting no data at all.

The two were among 10 that researchers analyzed, after using AppMagic, a market intelligence tool, to select the most popular browser apps on Apple phones in the US in 2025, they said in a post outlining their findings.

The researchers noted, Chrome is the most data-hungry, collecting 20 different data types across numerous categories. These include contact info, financial details, location, browsing history, search history, user content, identifiers, usage data, diagnostics, and other types of data. Chrome is the only browser that collects financial information, such as payment methods, card numbers, or bank account details.
Before Johnny Carson was a comedian, he was The Great Carsoni, the 14-year-old magician who entertained youthful audiences in Nebraska for $3 a show. While he ultimately took a different route into show business, he maintained a lifelong interest in magic and how illusionists performed their tricks.

But there was a big difference between magicians and so-called psychics, a new breed of entertainer becoming popular in the 1970s. In Carsons opinion, many of those so-called clairvoyants were simply recreating magicians tricks. Instead of presenting the craft as an artful illusion, psychics were claiming actual superhuman abilities and charging big money for their services.

Uri Geller, an Israeli-British personality, was Exhibit A. In the 1970s, Geller became a popular talk-show guest whod perform demonstrations of what he claimed to be psychokinesis, dowsing and telepathy. His biggest trick, which he called the Geller effect, was his ability to bend metal objects, like spoons, with his mind.

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Carson was willing to have Geller as a guest, but if he claimed to be truly psychic, he should pass an actual test of his abilities. Carson enlisted the help of the Amazing Randi, another illusionist who had developed a side hustle exposing frauds who claimed to have supernatural powers. (Randi would make debunking Gellers abilities a second job for years.)

Geller and his team provided The Tonight Show with a set of props for the appearance, in which hed use the eerie power of his mind to buckle spoons and perform other amazing feats. Rightly suspecting that the real power lay in the trick props, Carson enlisted Randi to provide an alternate set of materials. Geller wasnt allowed anywhere near the new props until he sat next to Carson on live television.

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What followed was 20 of the cringiest minutes in late-night history. The look on Gellers face when he saw the replacement spoons gave it away  he was about to be exposed as a fraud. This scares me, he admitted, pointing to the tray of objects he knew he couldnt move with his mind. He offered up stalls, rationalizations and alibis, claiming that the mood wasnt right, that I dont feel strong or that Carson was pressing him too hard.

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The New York Times Magazine called the Tonight Show segment a legendary immolation, in which Geller offered up flustered excuses to his host as his abilities failed him again and again.

Geller knew the gig was up. I sat there for 22 minutes, humiliated, he said. I went back to my hotel, devastated. I was about to pack up the next day and go back to Tel Aviv. I thought, Thats it  Im destroyed.

But a funny thing happened after Gellers Tonight Show appearance. His failure made such a splash that he was immediately booked on Merv Griffin and other talk shows. People who wanted to believe in paranormal phenomena talked themselves into Gellers failure as proof that he was psychic. If it were all a trick, they reasoned, Geller would have just done it. Defeat somehow made him more legitimate than ever.

Ironically, he said, That Johnny Carson show made Uri Geller.
Cardinal Robert Prevost has become the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church. However, the 69-year-old Cardinal, who has chosen the papal title of Leo XIV, was appointed by his Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis, and has had a strong connection with the Latino community throughout his career in the church.

Born and raised in Chicago, Prevost was assigned to the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas in northern Peru shortly after being ordained in the 1980s. There, he served as chancellor and immersed himself in community-based ministry, working alongside local clergy to address the spiritual and social needs of the region's underserved populations.

After a brief return to the United States in 1987 to serve as director of vocations and missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago, Prevost returned to Peru in 1988. In Trujillo, he took on multiple roles: community prior, director of formation for Augustinian aspirants, and professor of canon law, patristics, and moral theology at the diocesan seminary. He also served as judicial vicar for the Archdiocese of Trujillo and was a member of the College of Consultors. The new pope is fluent in Italian and Spanish, as well as his native English.

In 2014, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, and he was consecrated as its bishop in 2015, as well as obtaining Peruvian citizenship.

In 2023, Francis chose Prevost for one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church, the head of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. The commission vets bishop nominations from around the world, bringing him to special prominence within the church and the conclave.

Seemingly, his time in Latin America increased his sympathy for the plight of immigrants from South America, as he had shown special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru. His X (formerly) bio reads: "Catolico, agustino, Obispo."

You can read Pope Leo XIV's first words here:

"We still have the sound in our ears of the weak voice of Pope Francis who was blessing Rome here. Giving his blessing to the world on that day of Easter Sunday. 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 in hand, with God in ourselves, we go forward. We are disciples of Christ ... the world needs his light. Humanity needs him. May we all build bridges with dialogue ... so that we can all be one people in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis."

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."

Originally published on Latin Times
As we mentioned recently, a new musical comedy about Luigi Mangione is premiering in San Francisco next month, presumably catering to those theatergoers who felt that the stage musicals about Raygun and the A.I. Willy Wonka scam just werent as sweatily cash-grabby as they could have been.

This news apparently caught the attention of comedian and armchair bacteriologist Bill Maher. Never one to shy away from an excuse to make bad puns that are accompanied by embarrassing Photoshop art, Maher dedicated an entire segment of this weeks episode of Real Time to showcasing some other upcoming musical projects about bad people.

This is not a joke, Luigi Mangione  he is the guy who (allegedly) shot the healthcare executive, Maher began. Because as we know, that one healthcare executive is responsible for our entire imperfect healthcare system, so he should get shot in the back. And now hes a folk hero, Luigi Mangione, he has his own goddamn musical.

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Maher went on to say that Broadway has taken notice, and theyve come up with some other musicals for people you would not think would get a musical. Some of these fake musicals included Kanye Wests Side of the Story, Osama Mia! and Diddy in The Hound of Music. And the less said about Chris Browns Beat Me in St. Louis the better.

There was also Diddler on the Roof starring Jeffrey Epstein, and not one, but two titles themed around notorious cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer: Hello, Dahmer! and Man of Ill Munch Ya. Sure, they could have just picked one, but how could they possibly part with such obvious comic gold?

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When Real Times YouTube channel posted the video, a number of fans took issue with the bit, because it lumped Mangione in with people like Epstein and Dahmer. Regardless of how you feel about the case, it is undeniable that Mangiones alleged crime has been driving conversations about healthcare inequality and how we as a society view the value of human life.

And as far as we know, Mangiones alleged motivations had nothing to do with money, sex or keeping Ziploc bags full of human remains in a freezer for snack purposes.
Adeline Ell is a rhetoric major and public policy minor at UC Berkeley. Contact the opinion desk at opinion@dailycal.org or follow us on X.
The Labour MP didn't hesitate. 'Oh, there's no doubt about it. If Keir fell under a bus tomorrow, the next leader would be Angela Rayner. It wouldn't even be that close.'

Until recently, the idea of the single mother from Stockport taking up residency in No 10 seemed fantastical. Keir Starmer appeared to have an impregnable 174-seat majority. In the event of some unforeseen political mishap, Wes Streeting was widely perceived to be his heir apparent.

And although she held the sinecure of Deputy Prime Minister, Rayner was seen as too politically inexperienced  'rough around the edges' was one Cabinet minister's description  to be entrusted with the premiership.

But all that has now changed. Forget the hype surrounding the Trump trade deal. In the wake of the recent disastrous local election and by-election defeats, the patience of Labour MPs has snapped.

'It's amazing to watch,' one Labour veteran observed. 'I never thought it would unravel this quickly. But the backbenchers are in open revolt now. And what's most incredible is how many of the new intake are openly saying they've had it with Keir.'

The poll results were bad enough. But what tipped a large number of MPs over the edge was the Prime Minister's tone-deaf response to the losses. The statement he intended to go 'further and faster'. No 10's decision to endorse Lucy Powell's claim the rape-gangs issue was being 'weaponised'. The cack-handed announcement of the Indian trade deal, which saw National Insurance contributions for foreign workers being axed at precisely the same time they were being hiked for British employees.

As a result, Starmer is facing not one, but two, rebellions. More than 40 MPs  from all wings of the party  have signed a letter stating they cannot support the Government's proposed benefit cuts. And an even larger group of MPs  including ministers  are demanding a change of course on cuts to the winter fuel allowance.

Although in both instances, their concerns are falling on deaf ears.

'There's been no outreach to the party after the results,' one backbencher told me. 'Nothing from No 10. Nothing from the whips. Total silence.'

There is currently no active move against Starmer. But a significant number of Labour MPs are now contemplating a scenario where he is replaced in advance of the next election. And they are weighing up their options.

Wes Streeting has lost his lustre. A number of his colleagues have become angered by what they see as his increasingly unsubtle agitation for the top job. His allies within the Cabinet and Downing Street have been blamed for briefing against other ministers, including Yvette Cooper and Bridget Phillipson.

Other MPs have also begun to form the view his personal brand  though slick  is too closely associated with the Blairite modernisers. 'Wes is Tony's candidate to be next leader,' one MP told me. 'But a rerun of Blairism isn't what the country is looking for.'

Which is why the door is being opened to what would once have seemed an improbable succession. Rayner now enjoys significant support among those elements of the Labour movement that matter.

The Prime Minister's tone-deaf response to the election losses tipped a large number of his MPs over the edge

She is massively popular with party members, securing a plus-63 per cent approval rating in a recent poll by Survation. In contrast, Keir Starmer's rating stood at plus-14 per cent, and Streeting's at plus-9 per cent.

She is respected by the trade unions, having fought to ensure her Employment Rights Bill remained one of the Government's flagship pieces of first term legislation. And she's well liked by her parliamentary colleagues, who she has been carefully  if subtly  courting.

'Angela's popular,' one MP revealed to me. 'She's seen as approachable. Keir's viewed as distant and detached. She's always got time for people.'

Rayner also has the benefit of having been able to keep her hands relatively clean. 'Look at the policies and issues that are upsetting people. Rachel [Reeves] is taking the hit for winter fuel. Liz [Kendall] owns disability cuts. Keir's been tainted by sleaze and cronyism. Angela's basically kept clear of it all,' a senior backbencher said.

But what's made Labour MPs start to seriously consider her as a potential replacement for Starmer is the rise of Nigel Farage. Even before the local elections breakthrough, ministers and backbenchers were becoming alarmed at the way Reform's messages appeared to be resonating with working-class voters in Labour's recently recaptured Red Wall seats.

'We no longer speak to working people in a language they understand,' one MP told me.

'Keir tries, but people don't relate to him. The 'son of a toolmaker' thing has become a joke.'

But some of their comrades believe they could relate to his deputy. 'OK, Angela isn't seen as being our most polished performer,' one Rayner ally explained, 'but they think she's authentic. A lot of our voters recognise a bit of themselves in her. And that makes her different from politicians like Keir and Ed Miliband and Tony Blair.'

Wes Streeting's allies within the Cabinet and Downing Street have been blamed for briefing against other ministers

Rayner has courted controversy, most recently with the scandal surrounding the sale of a council house she had acquired under the right-to-buy scheme. But since entering government she has kept out of trouble. And won plaudits for the decisive way she has moved to overturn the bureaucratic planning rules that have strangled house-building and major infrastructure projects.

It's also true that some of her political opponents view her as a dangerously unknown quantity. When Starmer's leadership was rocking in the wake of his Hartlepool by-election loss, one senior Tory strategist confided: 'Boris [Johnson] knows how to beat Starmer  he's too one-dimensional. The person who worries him is Rayner. She's unpredictable. She could become an insurgent.'

An increasing number of her colleagues say that's the sort of branding they need. The Prime Minister was given a boost by his successful wooing of Donald Trump. But some of his backbenchers are concerned he is failing to read the mood of a nation increasingly disillusioned by the sight of establishment grandees conducting business as usual.

'Trade deals with Trump and India aren't what the voters want from us,' one minister said. 'They're angry. They want us to be shaking up the status quo. And I'm not sure Keir understands that.'

Some members of his party think they know a woman who does. The idea of Prime Minister Farage is no longer unthinkable. And because of that, neither is the prospect of Prime Minister Rayner.
A trial lawyer has revealed the one word that is typically used by liars.

Lawyer Jefferson Fisher, from Texas, boasts six million followers on Instagram and often posts about why the language you choose to use can have a big impact on how you present yourself.

And recently, he went on the Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett to share the one 'dead giveaway' that someone is being deceitful.

Jefferson revealed that when a person is being deceitful, they will often use absolutes and extreme wording in an attempt to deflect you from sniffing out their lies.

But the one red flag you should watch out for is the word 'never', as it is often a favourite among fibbers.

Jefferson told host Steven: 'Never is an extreme. Extremes are a dead giveaway that they're usually not telling the truth.'

The attorney gave an example, telling Steven to ask him: 'Were you texting while you were driving that day?'

Jefferson then responded: 'No, I never text. Never text when I drive.'

The lawyer said that when a person is not telling the truth, they will often use absolutes and extreme wording in an attempt to deflect you from sniffing out their lies (stock image)

Lawyer Jefferson Fisher, from Texas (pictured) boasts six million followers on Instagram and often posts about why the language you choose to use can have a big impact on how you present yourself

He added: 'Everybody texts when they drive at some point. That's why the word stands out.'

The TikTok famous lawyer said that liars will often reply quickly to your questions without thinking about what has been asked of them.

This is because they are not thinking back to a memory or trying to recall anything - instead they are just rehearsing what they have already planned in their head.

Jefferson says that this tactic can be reversed and used to catch them out, simply by slowly repeating the question.

He used the example: 'You never text while driving?'

This can cause the deceiver to crumble and go back on their original answer.

Jefferson says went on the Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett and shared the one 'dead giveaway' that someone is being deceitful

He added: 'What they'll do most often is say, "Well, I mean, sometimes I do." Now they know "never" is a risk word.'

However, Jefferson says the key thing is not to pounce on them once they start back peddling as this can be counterproductive.

Instead, the legal practitioner says that it is important to 'give them an out'. For example, saying: 'If you were texting, it's okay'.

Jefferson says that this strategy can depressurise the situation and instead allow them to be honest with you.

However, there is a third way you can crack a fabricator - staying completely silent.

'Silence is the ultimate nemesis of liars,' he expressed. They create dialogues in their minds for you.'

The painful quietness can often make them feel uncomfortable and leave them itching to fill in the gaps by explaining themselves without even being asked.
Princess Anne today became the first royal to visit to the peninsula of Little Sark as the Channel Islands celebrated Liberation Day.

The Princess Royal, 74, was joined by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence for the day - 80 years since the archipelago was freed from Nazi occupation in World War Two.

Anne travelled by horse and carriage to La Coupee, a narrow walkway that connects the main island of Sark to the peninsula of Little Sark.

She became the very first member of the Royal Family to visit the area.

The Princess Royal then walked down The Avenue while flags were raised at Sark Art Gallery.

She had the opportunity to speak to islanders who had been liberated from German occupation, and enjoyed a street party with Chelsea Pensioners and Gurkhas.

Christopher Beaumont, the Seigneur of Sark, said he was sure Anne would be 'blown away by the beauty of the island'.

Her visit comes in the wake of a week of celebrations commemorating the 80th anniversary of the allied victory in Europe.

Princess Anne today became the first royal to visit to the peninsula of Little Sark as the Channel Islands celebrated Liberation Day

The Princess Royal, 74, was joined by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence for the day - 80 years since the archipelago was freed from Nazi occupation in World War Two

The Channel Islands, in the English Channel, off the coast of France, were occupied by German forces between 1940 and 1945.

They were the only part of the British Isles under German control in World War Two.

On Friday, the Princess Royal visited another of the Channel Islands - Guernsey.

Anne, who was accompanied on the trip by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, attended a parade at St Peter Port seafront and gave a reading during a service at Town Church.

Anne travelled by horse and carriage to La Coupee, a narrow walkway that connects the main island of Sark to the peninsula of Little Sark

She became the very first member of the Royal Family to visit the area

The Princess Royal then walked down The Avenue while flags were raised at Sark Art Gallery

The parish church holds the annual Liberation Day service which was attended by veterans, visiting German and French officials, emergency service representatives and members of the public.

Anne met school children during the visit and also viewed the Liberation Trail exhibition.

German forces formally signed a declaration of surrender on May 9 in Guernsey and the nearby island of Sark was liberated the following day.
READ MORE: The six strange habits that could prevent cancer

A leading oncologist has revealed the five common habits that could increase your risk of developing cancer.

Dr Mikkael Sekeres, chief of hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida, recently warned unexpected day-to-day activities may lead to cancer developing in the body.

While an explosion of colon cancers in people under 50 has made headlines in recent years, government scientists have now found 14 other types of cancers are also rising among the young.

In a recent comprehensive review of more than 2million young cancer patients diagnosed between 2010 to 2019, researchers found 14 cancers were on the rise: Stomach, colon, pancreatic, bone and joint, melanoma, female breast, cervical, uterine, testicular, kidney and four types of cancers of the lymph system.

While it's well known cigarette smoking and alcohol can cause cancer, even seemingly healthy drinks like hot tea could cause damage and lead to throat cancer.

And though one in three Americans have tattoos, some studies suggest getting one could raise the risk of lymphoma.

Even dyeing your hair has been linked to hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and ovarian cancer.

Drinking hot drinks is thought to damage cells in the esophagus, which could lead to inflammation linked to throat cancer (stock image)

Writing for the Washington Post, Dr Sekeres cautioned 'none of these factors has evidence on par with risks like drinking alcohol,' but they may warrant further research to determine exactly how risky they are.

Below, DailyMail.com reveals the five common activities that may raise the risk of cancer:

Excessively hot drinks

It's well known that alcohol can increase the risk of several forms of cancer, as it breaks down into acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical that damages DNA and creates inflammation.

However, even drinking hot beverages like tea may raise the risk of throat cancer.

A study from China found people who drank burning-hot tea - over 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) - and at least one alcoholic beverage every day had a five-fold greater risk of esophageal cancer than those who did not.

And drinking the hot tea alone every day doubled the risk.

Additionally, research from the UK found almost twice the risk of throat cancer in people who drank four to six cups of hot coffee or tea every day compared to those who didn't drink it at all.

Drinks above 140 degrees Fahrenheit are thought to damage cells in the esophagus when the tea is consumed multiple times a day for years.

Dr Sekeres said: 'It's reasonable to avoid regular intake of any very hot beverage, though it is more important for you to stop smoking and avoid drinking alcohol.'

Grilling

Grilled meats are thought to release cancer-causing chemicals linked to colon cancer (stock image)

As summer weather sets in, millions of Americans are firing up their grills.

However, Dr Sekeres warns against eating meats cooked at high temperatures, such as hot dogs or burgers.

He warns grilling meats like beef, poultry, fish or pork at high temperatures generates heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - groups of chemical compounds that are known to be mutagenic and potentially carcinogenic.

Dr Sekeres wrote: 'This occurs as the meat proteins react to the heat and as fat and juice drip onto the fires surface, causing flames and smoke.'

Recent research suggests chemicals created by these meats trigger harmful inflammation and oxidative stress, an imbalance between disease-fighting antioxidants and harmful free radicals, which attack cells and tissues.

Pictured is Dr Mikkael Sekeres, the Chief of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida

This increases the risk of colon cancer, which is surging in young Americans.

The Department of Health and Human Services has determined some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may 'reasonably be expected to be carcinogens' and some people who have breathed or touched mixtures of these chemicals for long periods of time have developed cancer.

In animal studies, animals breathing in air or ingesting food containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons developed lung cancer and stomach cancer.

Meanwhile, heterocyclic amines may contribute to cancer by causing gene mutations and causing the new cells to grow in an uncontrollable manner to form a tumor.

In animal studies, rats that ingested heterocyclic amines developed cancers of the mammary glands, colon and pancreas.

Dr Sekeres limits his high-heat cooked meat to once a month, even during grilling season.

He wrote: Because there is strong evidence that red and processed meat is linked to cancer, my advice would be to limit grilling and consuming those in particular.

'Less grilling is better, and each of us must determine our own tolerance for cancer risk when deciding how often to consumed grilled meats.'

Chemical hair straighteners and dyes

Hair dyes can contain chemicals like formaldehyde, a known carcinogen (stock image)

Dyeing or straightening your hair could also increase your risk of developing cancer.

Dr Sekeres explains this is because hair dye and chemical straighteners contain formaldehyde, a proven carcinogen in humans, and phthalates, toxic chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and durable.

They are also shown to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they imitate the body's hormones and interfere with the production of - and response to - natural hormones like estrogen and testosterone.

This increases the risk of developing hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and ovarian cancer.

One 2020 study of sisters found those who used permanent hair dye were more likely to develop breast cancer than those who never used it.

Another 2022 study found using any straightening products within the previous year led to a higher chance of developing uterine cancer.

Dr Sekeres wrote: Though the data are limited, I suggest reviewing the contents of your chemical hair products before using them, to see if they contain formaldehyde or endocrine-disrupting chemicals.'

Tattoos

Some small studies have suggested tattoo ink may increase the risk of lymphoma and skin cancer. However, experts are cautious about the results (stock image)

One in three Americans has at least one tattoo, and 22 percent have more than one, according to recent data from Pew Research Center.

While the procedure is generally considered harmless, a recent study suggested tattoos could increase the risk of lymphoma - a type of cancer in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands that are part of the immune system.

Researchers in Sweden found tattooed people had a 21 percent higher risk of the cancer than people without ink. The team suggested potentially carcinogenic chemicals in the ink activate an immune response when injected.

The exact list of chemicals depends on the ink brand, but there are usually synthetic molecules, stabilizers and heavy metals like cadmium, which has been linked to kidney damage, bone disease, lung disease and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Additionally, a small Danish study of twins found those with tattoos were 62 percent more likely to develop skin cancer, as chemicals in the ink may accumulate in the lymph nodes, glands that are a vital part of the body's immune system.

The dye could trigger chronic inflammation, leading to abnormal cell growth and an increased risk of cancer, the researchers said.

However, Dr Sekeres cautioned both studies are small and can't prove direct causation.

He said: 'Even if the link is true, because lymphoma is a rare cancer diagnosis, affecting just 21 per 100,000 people in the United States yearly, the chances of developing lymphoma from getting a tattoo would be quite small.'

Hookah smoking

Hookah smoke has high levels of harmful chemicals including tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens

Shisha or hookah smoking involves burning flavored tobacco with charcoal and then breathing in the tobacco smoke using a mouth pipe.

Recent research suggests one in 100 Americans have smoked hookah at least once.

While many believe this form of smoking is healthier than smoking cigarettes because they think the water in the device filters the smoke, studies have shown this is a common misconception.

Hookah smoke has high levels of harmful chemicals including tar, carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens.

Dr Sekeres said hookah smokers are exposed to more carbon monoxide than people who smoke cigarettes because sessions last longer, around one to two hours, compared to a few minutes for cigarettes.

In fact, the FDA estimates during a one-hour long hookah session, users inhale up to 200 times more smoke than with a single cigarette.

Dr Sekeres cites a 2024 study of 40,000 people from northern Vietnam that found hookah smokers had elevated risks of dying from liver, lung, head and neck, and stomach cancers over an average of 11 years compared to those who didn't smoke.

Dr Sekeres wrote: 'Scientists are confident that tobacco intake is linked to an increased cancer risk. My recommendation: Avoid all forms of tobacco, including smoking cigarettes and hookah.'
Many celebrated when President Donald Trump signed a new executive order this week restricting research that could trigger the next pandemic.

The order banned US funds from being used to sponsor research abroad known as 'gain-of-function', when pathogens are deliberately made more infectious or deadly.

'It's a big deal', said the President, while putting pen to paper in a White House briefing Monday, 'It could have been that we wouldn't have had the problem we had if we had this done earlier'.

But a closer look at the fine-print of the order suggests it does not go as far as the full-scale ban on the research that many had hoped for.

Trump's executive only bans federal funds from being used in 'countries of concern' like China and Iran. In the US and other allied countries, it allows federal funding of the work to continue  but proposes more monitoring from the US government.

Thomas Renz, a vaccine-skeptic lawyer and supporter of Trump, claims the new policy doesn't end gain-of-function. He says it 'codifies it.'

He told The Daily Pulse: 'Theyre going to allow it under new regulations. And by doing that, theyre essentially saying, "Were fine with gain-of-function as long as it follows the current rules."

'So in that way, theyre actually legitimizing gain-of-function work in this country, which is absolutely mind-blowing to me,' he added.

Donald Trump is pictured above preparing to sign the executive order on gain-of-function research. He is flanked by his secretary for health Robert F. Kennedy Junior, the head of the NIH, Dr Jay Bhattacharya, and the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr Mehmet Oz. White House Secretary Will Scharf is shown handing the President the order

Trump signed the executive order in a 20-minute session in the White House Monday flanked by the HHS secretary as well as the head of the NIH, Dr Jay Bhattacharya and the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, Dr Mehmet Oz.

A copy of the order posted online reads: 'The Biden Administration allowed dangerous gain-of-function research within the United States with insufficient levels of oversight.

'It also actively approved, through the National Institutes of Health, Federal life-science research funding in China and other countries where there is limited United States oversight or reasonable expectation of biosafety enforcement.'

It continued: 'This recklessness, if unaddressed, may lead to the proliferation of research on pathogens (and potential pathogens) in settings without adequate safeguards, even after Covid-19 revealed the risk of such practices.'

Your browser does not support iframes.

It also asks the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Michael Kratsios, to come up with new guidelines for monitoring the research in the next 120 days.

In 2014 under the Obama administration, all federal funding on experiments that could make certain viruses more dangerous was halted.

Trump reversed this ban in 2017, allowing the experiments to continue  although under a very tight framework.

After the Covid pandemic, however, last year the Biden administration brought in a sweeping set of federal laws for monitoring the research.

The new order seeks to build on this Biden era framework, and come up with a new method for monitoring the experiments.

Biden's move has already faced criticism for failing to set up an independent federal agency to monitor the research.
A brand of Swiss cheese has been recalled amid fears of a potentially deadly bacteria contamination, the food watchdog has announced.

The Food Standards Authority has urged Tesco customers to return packs of Le Superbe Raclette, a full fat melting cheese made with pasteurised milk, over concerns about possible listeria contamination.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria cause listeriosis, one of the most common forms of food poisoning.

While listeriosis has fairly mild symptoms in most cases, it is considered dangerous to pregnant women, newborn babies, people with a weakened immune system and people aged over 65.

The mortality rate for the invasive form of the disease is 20-30%, according to the World Health Organisation, with symptoms ranging in severity from fever and muscle pain to septicemia and meningitis.

'Symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea,' said the Food Standards Agency.

'However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.'

The Food Standards Authority has urged Tesco customers to return packs of Le Superbe Raclette, a full fat melting cheese made with pasteurised milk, over listeria fears

Warning notices have been put up in Tesco stores where the product was sold, with consumers promised a full refund on returning the cheese

The recall, issued by manufacturer Castelli UK Ltd, only affects Tesco customers and relates to 150g packs of the cheese with a best before date of May 12.

Warning notices have been put up in Tesco stores where the product was sold, with consumers promised a full refund on returning the cheese.

'If youve bought an affected product with a best before date of 12/05/25, please dont eat it,' read a product recall notice on the store's website.

'Instead, return it to a Tesco store where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required.'
Plans to let male health workers perform breast screening exams has provoked a furious backlash  with some women experts saying the move could put lives at risk.

Last week, medical leaders called for men to be allowed to work as mammographers in the NHS breast cancer screening programme, in a bid to ease 'critical' staff shortages.

The X-ray scans are offered every three years to all British women aged 50 to 71, with the aim of detecting tumours too small to see or feel. It is currently the only health exam carried out only by female staff.

But, according to the Society of Radiographers (SoR), male healthcare workers who could excel in the field  or 'offer a different perspective'  are being held back due to their gender. This, they argued, needed to change.

The suggestion attracted high-profile criticism from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who said she would 'definitely want a woman' when going for a breast screening.

'I've had a mammogram  it is a very, very intrusive process,' she told Times Radio.

'It involves the clinician holding both of your breasts for a long period of time, feeling them, manipulating them, putting them in a machine. I would not want a man doing that.'

Addressing staff shortages  with 17 per cent fewer mammographers than are needed to run clinics, and numbers set to grow as more retire  she added: 'I think the solution is to get more radiographers, not to ask women, yet again, to sacrifice their privacy and dignity to deal with a supply issue.'

The X-ray scans are currently the only health exam carried out only by female staff

Last week, Mail on Sunday columnist and GP Dr Ellie Cannon strongly disagreed. She pointed out that male medics already carry out other intimate examinations on women  and asked readers for their thoughts. We have been inundated with emails and letters in response  and the issue is clearly divisive.

For administrator Julie Wilson, 52, it was a hard no. 'Ordinarily, I wouldn't object to a male doctor: in fact my daughter was delivered by one and I have had gynaecological procedures carried out by male doctors with no issues,' she said.

But the Lincolnshire-based mum of two says mammograms require a different level of proximity. 'There's no modesty screen in a mammogram as there are in procedures at the 'other end', so it feels like a more close-up and hands-on process,' she said.

School administrator Amanda Elliott, 55, agreed. As well as two routine mammograms, she recently underwent a round of radiotherapy for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a form of early breast cancer, during which her technicians were men.

'My heart sank each time I had to undress and walk across the room to the machine in front of them,' she said. 'I felt very vulnerable and teary.

'I'm a very private person and do not get undressed in front of anyone, so it just made the whole experience more traumatic  especially having their hands on me, moving me around. Even given my diagnosis, I would really struggle to attend any future mammograms if I thought the staff were going to be male.'

And medical secretary Jan Hardy, 70, says a bad experience of a breast exam by a male doctor makes the idea of men doing mammograms uncomfortable. 'I had gone in for a different issue and the doctor told me he wanted to do a full check-up  including a breast examination,' she said.

'He said he was going to stand between my legs to get a proper feel and proceeded to thoroughly explore my breasts  so close that I could feel his breath on my hair. It was 20-odd years ago but it's never left me. And it immediately came to mind when I read about the proposal to bring in male mammographers. It's something I will never be comfortable with.'

Mammograms are offered every three years to all British women aged 50 to 71, with the aim of detecting tumours too small to see or feel

But not all women feel the same. Teaching assistant Helen Murphy, 55, welcomes the idea.

'There are plenty of male gynaecologists, obstetricians and midwives  and the people who treat you if you do have breast cancer can be male oncologists as well, so why are we drawing the line here?' the Swansea-based mum of one asked. In fact, Helen has found male doctors often make for a more comfortable examination  perhaps because they have more sympathy and a gentler touch than other women.

'It's been proven throughout my life  whenever a man's been involved in a female procedure, it's been a better experience,' she said. 'If I could request a smear test done by a man I would, for this reason. The same would likely be true of male mammographers.'

So, what should the NHS do? Experts say changing the female-only policy isn't simple.

'As someone who has experienced breast cancer, I'm biased  I'm used to being poked and prodded,' says Dr Liz O'Riordan, former breast cancer surgeon at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust.

'But it's about what healthy women in their 50s to 70s want. If you're 50 to 53 and have never had a mammogram, you'll think differently to a woman who has and knows what they're like. In some parts [of the country], a third of women aren't going for their first screening mammogram.'

The NHS Breast Screening Programme began in 1988, with the aim of cutting rates of breast cancer in women over 50, who make up more than 80 per cent of all cases. When treated early, the survival rate for breast cancer is more than 90 per cent. By the time the cancer has spread, however, this plunges to just 32 per cent.

By screening women before they have symptoms  such as a lump, skin change or nipple discharge  the national programme finds a third of all cancers, saving an estimated 1,300 lives a year.

But, despite every GP-registered woman being invited to attend screenings every three years from the age of 50  or earlier if they are high-risk  just 64 per cent show up.

Reasons for not attending vary, according to surveys. Some women are too busy, some feel fit and healthy and don't think they're at risk, while others are deterred by the possible pain or discomfort of having a mammogram  which requires the breasts to be held flat between two plates while the X-ray is run.

Television presenter Vanessa Feltz has a mammogram on ITV's This morning

And breast cancer charities fear that even the possibility of having a man in the room could deter women further.

Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, is against men performing screening mammograms. 'We're acutely aware of the significant shortages across the imaging and diagnostic workforces and the urgent need to address these to secure the long-term sustainability of the breast screening programme,' she said.

'And while we welcome every effort to reduce staff shortages and delays, we know that concerns about being seen by a male mammographer already deter some women from attending breast screening, even with current staffing being all-female.

'This is particularly an issue among women from some ethnic minority communities, who may have greater concerns around modesty, and among whom current uptake rates are lower.'

Other than Malta, no other country allows male mammographers  though many have similar staffing shortages. And research indicates this could be for good reason. According to a British study in 2020, as many as 27 per cent of women wouldn't attend if a male mammographer was involved in her breast screening. In face-to-face interviews, the presence of a female chaperone reassured some, while others claimed it still wouldn't affect their decision.

And the number appears even higher for women from ethnic minorities. A recent study found that just 45 per cent of black women and 49 per cent of Asian women attended a breast screening between March 2016 and September 2020  compared with 63 per cent of white women.

The researchers suggested stigma, religious beliefs, low-risk perceptions and distrust in health professionals were to blame. But on top of this, according to a 1996 study, nearly a third of women from ethnic minorities in the UK who did not attend had been influenced by the chance of being seen by a man.

The problem is, says Sue Johnson, professional officer for the Society of Radiographers, there's currently a serious lack of mammographers  with a significant amount more set to retire in the next five to ten years. 'Lots of women recruited when the breast screening programme began are now reaching retirement age,' she said.

Meanwhile, an aging population, increased evidence of breast cancer and the success of screening means there's growing demand for mammographic services. As a result, the need to recruit mammographers is more urgent.

'There's currently no waiting list for screening, which is due to the fabulous work done so far to recruit mammographers,' said Ms Johnson. 'But people working as mammographers are working over their hours and appointment times are already being squeezed. We need to keep recruitments coming.'

Mammographers must undertake an extra year of training on top of a three-year course in radiography, which slows recruitment.

So, even if the change was made tomorrow, added Ms Johnson, it would take around five years for men to be present at screenings. And, as with smear tests, women would be given the choice of a male or female practitioner  and offered a chaperone.

But experts say that this could bring with it other staffing issues.

While clinics must already offer chaperones for all intimate procedures, research shows more women would take them up on it if their mammographer was a man.

'There would need to be a female chaperone in the room as well as the male mammographer  which would be a staffing issue as well,' said Dr O'Riordan.

Dr Joyce Harper, Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women's Health, University College London, thinks bringing in male mammographers is worth a go. 'We do have a problem with people taking up breast screening  and we really don't want to put any women off,' she said. 'But we can't assume changing the policy will reduce take-up even further  and it would certainly solve the employment problem and be a bit more progressive.'

Fiona MacNeill, consultant breast surgeon at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and director of surgery at The London Breast Clinic said: 'What matters  as with any medical professional  is that a mammographer is properly qualified, not their sex.'
As a child, Robert Macfarlane would spend long stretches of his summer holidays floating, face down, in the River Avon in Scotland. It ran along the edge of my grandparents field in the northern Cairngorms. The water was cold and totally clear. I remember wearing a snorkel mask and seeing the shadows of salmon, these torpedo-like shadows, reorganising themselves in the water or just holding steady against the flow.

Macfarlane, 48 and from Nottinghamshire, has written 12 books about the natural world. He has also scripted two documentaries (one about mountains, one about rivers, both narrated by actor Willem Dafoe); been nominated for the Wainwright Prize  the UKs top nature-writing award  four times and won once; and been described by The Wall Street Journal as the great nature writer, and nature poet, of this generation.

We meet in Cambridge, where he lives with his wife and three children and is a professor at the University, to go for a two-hour walk along a chalk stream and discuss Is A River Alive?, his new book about waterbodies. Every so often our conversation stops for him to point out a wren building a nest on the edge of the stream, a collection of cowslips, or  most excitingly  a water vole. The latter has reflective eyes and a thick coat that dries as soon as it comes out of the water. Thats the first water vole Ive ever seen on this stream. That is amazing.

CLEAR GOAL: the highlands of Scotland maintain better water quality than England

Macfarlane started writing about rivers in 2020, travelling for research. In Canada, he spent 14 days kayaking along the 290km Mutehekau Shipu; in India, he found ponds that had been polluted with radioactive fly ash from nearby power stations. The ash settled on the water and turned its surface into a sort of jelly. Macfarlane saw children bouncing on it, as if it were a trampoline.

He hadnt realised, though, that in the four years it would take him to write the book, rivers would move so decisively to the centre of the conversation in the UK.

The Oxford English Dictionary lists 13 different meanings for the word river; the BBC says a river is a large moving body of water that flows across land into another body of water. Macfarlane calls a river a gathering that seeks the sea. Either way, there are around 1,500 in the UK. Of those in England and Wales, none is in good chemical health.

Recently, Macfarlane saw a sign for the Kent, Hampshire and Sussex water operator, Southern Water, attached to some railings by a river. It read: Please try not to come into contact with the water. If you do, we recommend washing your hands thoroughly before preparing food. Above the text sat Southern Waters slogan: Water for life.

There are lots more of these sorts of examples. Last year, three rowers from the University of Oxford contracted stomach bugs while training for the boat race, because the water from the Thames  which had splashed from their oars on to their skin  contained high levels of E. coli. This year, the charity River Action reported that the Thames still failed basic safety standards; water tests found E. coli levels were triple the Environment Agencys threshold for poor bathing waters.

Meanwhile, Macfarlane, a patron of The Outdoor Swimming Society since 2006, says he would no longer swim in his local waterway, the River Cam. It is simply not clean. We live in a country where many of the rivers have become first undrinkable, then unswimmable, and now untouchable.

The question, then, is how? And the first answer is sewage: the mega-villain of river death in this country. Most of the UKs sewage network operates using a Victorian combined system, which means sewage and rainwater are collected in the same pipes, before travelling to treatment works. During heavy rainfall, these pipes cant hold all the sewage and the rain, so they overflow. Water companies are allowed to discharge untreated sewage into rivers in these exceptional circumstances, but theyve also started dumping sewage illegally  when the rain is not that heavy, or even when the weather is dry. According to the Environment Agency, untreated sewage was discharged for a collective, and record-breaking, 3.62 million hours last year.

It is, says Macfarlane, a failure of the companies, which have underinvested in improving our creaky systems, sweated the assets they were handed, and meanwhile given enormous dividends to shareholders. (Between 1991 and March 2023, the 16 water monopolies in England paid out more than 78 billion in dividends and, despite being privatised with zero debt, theyve borrowed more than 64 billion. Consequently, Thames Water, for instance, increased its 16 million customers bills by 35 per cent this year.)

And it is a failure of the regulator, Ofwat, which has not enforced meaningful enough fines to discourage this sort of behaviour.

Sewage discharge at Henley on Thames, January 2025

The other major problem for British rivers involves agricultural practises  particularly the disposal of slurry. This happens if farmers spread excess animal waste over their land; when it rains the waste runs into rivers. The government finding ways to financially reward farmers for better slurry management will reduce the amount of Macfarlane is about to say waste  I think  but he sees a bird. Oh look, skylark!

What is amazing, however, is how quickly rivers can heal. In 2024, the Klamath River in Oregon underwent the largest dam removal in US history. Within two weeks, salmon, which had not swum in the waters for a century, returned upstream. Or consider Switzerland.

In the 1960s, the country had some of the foulest rivers in Europe. After improvements to sewage infrastructure, they are now some of the cleanest. Damage is often reversible.

Theres hope in the UK, too, according to Macfarlane. In the past three or four years, theres been an extraordinary rising up and organisation of communities. Charities like River Action, which is taking water companies to court, citizen science activist groups, swimmers, anglers, kayakers and everyday river lovers are driving change. Macfarlane also mentions the River Rescue Kit, from River Action, which explains how to test your local waters for sewage; and online maps that report sewage dumps live. He rates the one on the website of Surfers Against Sewage.

But not all of our waters are dirty. Thanks to coalitions of the loving and some landowners who have pursued very enlightened policies, rivers including the Nar in Norfolk remain clean. Scotland  and specifically the Highlands  has generally better water quality than England, too. The Avon, where Macfarlane floated as a child, would still look clear, he says. (In general, Macfarlanes wild-swimming rules are as follows: dont swim after heavy rain; try not to swallow water unnecessarily; cover up cuts; and check the maps. Theres still lots of happy, healthy fun to be had.)

There is also daylighting  the process of restoring rivers that have been otherwise buried. This February, a stretch of Sheffields River Sheaf was uncovered. Before then, it had been underground for 100 years.

The main theory of Macfarlanes book is that rivers are alive, not just alive in the sense of being an ecosystem, a place where other animals and plants live, but alive themselves: their own vast, complex, living entities.

I was not entirely sure, to be honest, that I understood it as an idea. But, looking at the photographs of the Sheaf seeing daylight for the first time in a century, it becomes clear that the river is, absolutely, alive.

Last month, Macfarlane travelled to the Highlands for a holiday. He swam in rivers, watching your skin turning that sort of amazing, coppery bronze. What did it feel like to be in clean water? Certain powers in this country have made the mistake of coming to regard rivers entirely as resources, not as life forces. But in a river, you feel life flowing into you. It feels like enlivenment.

Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane (Hamish Hamilton, 25) is available now. To order a copy for 21.25 until 25 May, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over 25.

RISING TIDE: the situation in stats

200,000km

collective length of rivers in the UK

14%

rivers in England and Wales in good overall health

3.62 million

collective hours that sewage was discharged into British rivers in 2024

354km

length of the Severn, Britains longest river

200 tonnes

amount of plastic removed from the Thames each year

1,500

rivers in the UK

20

rivers buried under Londons streets

2 years

time that water company bosses can now spend in prison for illegal sewage spills
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

R.B. writes: According to my credit agency report, I owe BT 117.

It says I defaulted on this in 2019 and every month since then, which is having a bad impact on my credit rating.

However, this has nothing to do with me.

I have called BT about this many times and it agrees, but it does not seem able to remove the default as it does not exist.

Tony Hetherington replies: The frustration you have experienced in trying to sort this out was clear from everything you told me. You contacted all the leading credit agencies, but the only response you received was that if there was no such debt, then it was up to BT to delete it. And BT told you it could trace no such debt. You are not even a BT customer, but you offered to pay the 117 just so the debt would disappear. BT refused your money because it could find no bill to set the payment against.

Trapped: Only BT could delete the debt from our reader's credit score

I gave BT your current and previous addresses, including an address from years ago when you lived with your parents  and this turned out to be the key. Unknown to you, your mother was a BT customer, and when she died more than seven years ago, the BT account was put into your name. There is no record now of why this was done, or why the account was not closed by BT.

Just as importantly, there is no explanation of why BT could not trace any record of the debt when you complained about it, nor why you were never pursued to pay it.

BT told me: 'We have reviewed and located the account in question. Our records show an account set up in Mrs B's name in March 2018, which was moved to Mr B in 2018 after she passed away.'

BT has cancelled the 117 bill, so it should disappear from your credit file. It offered you 25 by way of saying sorry. This was a silly amount, given that BT failed for years to take your complaints seriously. After having second thoughts, it has upped its offer to 225, which you have accepted.

Is this bond offer too good to be true?

R.A. writes: I am sending you a copy of an offer to invest in a Lloyds Bank bond yielding fixed interest of 6.50 per cent. Is this too good to be true?

Tony Hetherington replies: This is a scam, but Lloyds Bank is not to blame. The offer you received says it came from Worldwide Capital 4U Ltd. Except that it didn't  that's just another part of the scam.

The bonds the crooks claim to be selling were actually issued by Lloyds Bank 15 years ago. They are not aimed at ordinary savers. In a nutshell, this is an investment for professionals.

Scam alert: The bonds the crooks claim to be selling were actually issued by Lloyds Bank 15 years ago

Why would Worldwide Capital 4U be working hard to sell these bonds to the public? They do not plan to deliver the bonds. They will take your money and run. The information they sent you is just window dressing.

The crooks claim to be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, with FCA registration number 975509. And, sure enough, the registration exists and it does belong to this company. But the real Worldwide Capital 4U Ltd is an ordinary business based in Solihull in the West Midlands. It does not even have a website.

The crooks, though, have a big, flashy website at worldwidecapital4u.com, where they boast about their upmarket offices.

Surprising, then, that their website was set up as recently as February this year, with fees paid for just one year. The site is registered to an address in Burlington, Massachusetts, in the US, rather than the address the tricksters use at One Mayfair Place in London, where anyone can have their mail delivered for 133 a month without really being there.

I asked John Nolan, who runs the real Worldwide Capital 4U, whether he had a posh office in London and an all-singing, all-dancing website. 'No, we are not in London and we don't have a website,' he told me. 'I think I had better report this to the FCA. This is nothing to do with us,' he added.

Let's see whether the FCA investigates or simply adds the scam to its list of dodgy dealers. Meanwhile, nobody should give a penny to the online crooks.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Investment fund Artemis Global Income will celebrate its 15th birthday in July  and investors who have been with it since the start are almost certain to have a lot to cheer about.

Although much can happen till then, the 1.6 billion fund is on course to deliver overall returns well in excess of 400 per cent.

Profits that launch investors have enjoyed already stand at 417 per cent  impressive when compared to the average for its global equity income peer group of 260 per cent. All this return has been achieved without exposure to the Big Tech US stocks other than a brief flirtation with Microsoft ten years ago.

The fund's continued success is primarily down to the steadying influence of investment manager Jacob de Tusch-Lec, who has had his hand on the tiller from day one (it's unusual for a manager to remain in situ for so long).

'Artemis Global Income has changed less than the rest of the world over its 15 years,' he says.

'The focus from day one has been on finding cheap, attractively priced companies to deliver an income of between 3.5 and 4 per cent a year. We're not for changing. It's what the fund's retail investors demand.' He adds: 'We don't try to stretch this income, say, to 5 per cent. The aim is to grow the income we generate for investors over the long term.'

It's an ambition that the fund has achieved, delivering average annual income growth since launch of 8 per cent.

The fund has 71 holdings with the portfolio slotting into three broad buckets. First there are what Tusch-Lec calls 'bond proxies'  established companies that provide a tidy income without necessarily generating stellar share price gains. Examples include UK supermarket giant Tesco and the US telecoms business Verizon.

The second bucket comprises companies likely to deliver future dividend growth  such as Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer and Japanese engineering company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The final bucket is full of 'special situations'  riskier investments offering attractive starting dividend yields as the businesses have hit difficult times, but Tusch-Lec thinks they will recover.

German Commerzbank, which Italian rival UniCredit has taken a big stake in, fits into this camp, with Tusch-Lec believing it will benefit from the German government's massive fiscal stimulus aimed at boosting the economy.

Currently, the biggest slug of the fund (40 per cent) is in the dividend growth camp. 'Dividend stocks have different characteristics,' says Tusch-Lec, 'and as an income investment manager you need to acknowledge that in the fund you construct.'

While Tusch-Lec says he is first and foremost a stock picker, the global economy still impacts the portfolio's diversification. In broad terms, he says the US stock market remains too expensive.

'The Magnificent Seven stocks are exceptional companies,' he states. 'But their shares are still too expensive.'

He believes other markets such as China and those across wider Asia offer better value  as do the UK and Europe. 'Money will move out of the US market,' he adds. 'It won't happen overnight but the genie is out of the bottle.'

As far as UK investors stand, he argues they should seek to rebalance their portfolios to ensure they are not too exposed to the US.

The Artemis Global Income fund has its biggest block of money in European stocks, including key stakes in defence companies such as Germany's Rheinmetall, its largest holding.

Fund charges are reasonable at just under 0.9 per cent.
Words such as 'cyber attack', 'malware' and 'automated phishing' used to sound futuristic.

But once a threat stops us from buying Percy Pig sweets and comfy underwear, we know it has struck at the very heart of Middle England  and it is time for investors to sit up and take notice.

At the time of writing, M&S still isn't offering online shopping after a huge cyber hack, while the Co-op is struggling with stock issues and a customer-data breach.

The hackers have cost these companies dear  Deutsche Bank puts the cost to M&S at 15 million a week  and experts warn many more companies are vulnerable to similar attacks.

'Cyber threats are growing in size and severity,' warns Mike Seidenberg, portfolio manager at Allianz Technology Trust, who says there were more than six billion malware attacks globally in 2023.

'Bad actors have increased their ambition, with critical infrastructure, government departments and crucial industries permanently at risk.'

Hit hard: Analysts say the cyber hack on M&S has cost the chain 15 million a week

For investors, cyber warfare represents both an opportunity and a threat. On the one hand, poorly prepared companies undergoing a cyber attack will hit their shareholders squarely in the pocket, with M&S stocks down more than 6 per cent in the past week.

However, investing in companies in the cyber security sector could allow you to benefit from a trend, with Cabinet minister Pat McFadden stating this week that the Government would 'turbo charge' the cyber security sector.

'Cyber security is not a luxury but an absolute necessity,' he says. If investment in the sector continues, investors may feel the same.

Protect your wealth from hackers

As the fall in M&S shares last week has shown, hackers can seriously damage your wealth.

A report from security experts Cisco suggests that only 4 per cent of businesses have reached what they call a 'mature' stage of readiness where they can withstand a cyber attack, with 70 per cent of companies either in the 'formative' or the 'beginner' stages of readiness.

This suggests that many household names are as vulnerable as M&S and the Co-op.

However, Laith Khalaf, head of investment analyst at investment group AJ Bell, says it is difficult to predict where hackers may strike next, which makes it extremely difficult to protect your portfolio.

'Even companies which provide cyber security have found themselves the victims of attacks, such as CrowdStrike and FireEye,' he says.

'Probably the best and simplest tonic is to hold a diversified portfolio so that if a company sees its share price fall because of a cyber attack, it doesn't damage your wealth too badly.'

Khalaf adds that the share-price reaction to cyber attacks tends to be short-lived. Many companies have strong cyber security insurance policies, so if you buy firms where you believe the management makes good decisions about risk, chances are they will be protecting themselves.

However, it is always an area you could ask about at an annual general meeting if you are concerned or check the firm's risk factors' section of its annual report.

Searching for cyber security opportunities

With governments and businesses spending more on cyber security, many experts believe now is the time to invest in those securing us all against the hackers.

'Investment capital is pouring into cyber security businesses alongside aerospace and defence firms,' says Jason Hollands, managing director at investment platform BestInvest.

The Cisco study also showed that more than nine in ten companies increased their budget for cyber security in the past two years.

Many of the biggest players in cyber security are either unlisted or listed in the US, but there are various ways you can invest.

Good options for individual stocks

For those who prefer to pick individual shares and are untroubled by the volatility that entails, there are some good options.

Tiny SysGroup, based in Manchester, is backed by Ken Wotton, manager of Baronsmead Venture Capital Trusts, who says that the business is 'well positioned for sustained growth'.

SysGroup supports small and medium-sized businesses with their cyber security. 'It assists in building robust cyber security systems spanning not only the core business but also its supply chains  a critical yet often overlooked area of vulnerability for many groups,' Wotton says.

SysGroup shares have been volatile  down 26 per cent in the past six months, up 10 per cent in the past month. At the other end of the scale in the UK, defence giant BAE has a cyber security division  although, as Khalaf at AJ Bell points out, it comprises less than 10 per cent of the business.

Lee Wild, head of equity strategy at Interactive Investor, says cybersecurity firm NCC stands out as one of the remaining UK players not to have gone private. It is down 25 per cent this year, but there's always the possibility that it will attract a suitor with a hefty premium at this level.

Funds and trusts that back cyber specialists

There are also trusts and funds that allow you to take a mixed slice of the cyber security market.

Darius McDermott, managing director at FundCalibre, likes the HANetf Future of Defence ETF. This is 43 per cent invested in technology firms, most of which are cyber security specialists.

It launched in 2023, at just the right time for cyber security, and has seen its shares rise 46 per cent.

Other specialist ETFs in this area include the Legal & General Cyber Security ETF and iShares Digital Security ETF.

James Carthew, head of investment companies at QuotedData, recommends Polar Capital Technology, which invests in leading players such as CyberArk Software, Crowdstrike Holdings and Cloudflare.

Polar Capital has had a torrid three months  down nearly 17 per cent following President Trump's tariff announcements, but has recovered somewhat in the last month.
Isabel Allende is a Chilean-American author whose books have sold more than 88 million copies worldwide. She grew up in Chile and is best known for her novel The House of the Spirits (1982).

Allende, 82, tells York Membery of her struggles in finding work after she was forced to flee her homeland for Venezuela following the overthrow of the Chilean president, Salvador Allende (her birth father Tomas's cousin), in a 1973 military coup led by General Pinochet.

Granted US citizenship in 1993, the mother-of-two, whose daughter Paula died aged just 29, lives with her third husband Roger in California.

What did your parents teach you about money?

My stepfather Ramon, a civil servant, was not on a great salary but he had to support his seven children, two wives and mother [Allende's father walked out on her family when she was just three, and her mother married Ramon when Allende was 11].

So he would divide his salary into four envelopes, and if there was any money left he'd buy us kids an ice cream.

But he never complained about money, and after we went into exile in Venezuela he would always say 'we are filthy rich' because we were at least safe.

Success: Chilean-American author Isabel Allende has sold 88 million books

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

Yes. I started working at 17 and have never stopped, although it was hard to find work when my family and I moved to Venezuela. Eventually I did find work and at one time I was doing three jobs just to make a living.

However, despite struggling at times, and sometimes not knowing if I'd be able to pay the bills, I've always got by and never felt poor.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

It all means what you mean by silly money. My first book, The House of the Spirits, was a huge success, but I didn't feel the financial success until two or three years later.

But around then my first husband Miguel's company went bankrupt with big debts after the funding for a Venezuelan dam he was working on dried up, so the income from that book mostly went on paying back the money he owed. However, I have been able to support my son and give him and his children a good education.

But money isn't everything  if it was, do you think I'd be driving a 14-year-old red Lexus?!

What was the best year of your financial life?

It's hard to say because my books are translated into 42 languages, so I receive income in different currencies at different times of the year  it must be a nightmare for the IRS [Internal Revenue Service, the US equivalent of HMRC].

I have been financially very successful for the past 20 years. But while I've sold 88 million books, I don't have $88 million.

The most expensive thing you bought for fun?

A toss-up between taking my husband, son, daughter-in-law and teenage grandchildren to the Galapagos Islands or on a safari to Africa some years ago.

Neither holiday came cheap, but the memories are priceless.

What is your biggest money mistake?

Probably buying a $100,000 [75,000] Tesla car for my second husband Willie in 2015.

We got divorced a few months later and I thought to myself: 'What a stupid investment that was!' But I wanted to get rid of the guy, so I told him: 'Take anything you want  just leave!'

Bad investment: Isabel bought a $100,000 [75,000] Tesla car for her second husband Willie

Best money decision you have made?

Good question. I don't buy jewellery or wear fancy shoes because my feet are a mess; I just wear sneakers now.

I'm actually not very good with money: I've bought several houses over the years but whenever I've sold them, the market has been down, so I've lost out.

Will you pass your money down or spend it all?

I'll do both. I'll leave some to my foundation, set up in memory of my daughter whose death so young broke my heart.

But the rest will go to my son to administer for my grandchildren. I'm not going to take anything to the cemetery with me.

Do you have a pension?

Not really, though several years ago I was given a national literary award in Chile, and that has a lifetime pension. However, the money wouldn't count for much in the US, so I distribute it among struggling Chilean authors and friends who need it.

I've got enough savings to last me the rest of my life, though I've no plans to retire. If I did, I'd drive everyone nuts!

Do you own any property?

Yes, I live with Roger, a former lawyer, in a very expensive, two-bedroom property on a lagoon in the San Francisco Bay area, which I bought 18 months ago  I hope that I can stay here and this country doesn't go to hell.

But I'm not going to tell you what my house cost because it's made of wood and looks like a beach house. I'm paying for the location.

If you were Chancellor what would you do?

If I was the US Treasury Secretary [the American equivalent], I'd prioritise welfare for people who are desperate, because when you have great disparity in a society it creates a state of tension and violence that can explode at any time.

What is your number one financial priority?

For my husband and me to be able to remain independent until we die  I don't want to be a burden to my son.
Once a feared bikie boss, protection racketeer, and legendary Kings Cross enforcer, Sam Ibrahim now lives in near seclusion with his ailing mother in Sydney's western suburbs after escaping deportation to Lebanon.

Hassam 'Sam' Ibrahim was once an intimidating presence across the city but now spends his days at his mother Wahiba's fortress-like mansion in Merrylands.

Wahiba, 77, is said to be in poor health following a battle with cancer over a decade ago and more recent hospitalisations.

Sam Ibrahim, now 59, rarely leaves the house, in marked contrast to the free-wheeling life he once lived as the leader of the Nomads bikie gang and convicted gun-runner.

Last month, he briefly appeared at the front door wearing a plush white bathrobe, white socks, and Nike Air slides. He politely declined to speak when approached by Daily Mail Australia.

Later that day, friends of notorious Kings Cross bodyguard 'Tongan Sam' - who lives across the street - delivered KFC to the home. A family minder then visited, before chauffeuring a frail Wahiba away in a black Porsche GTS.

Despite past underworld whispers that Sam planned to 'live like a king in Lebanon' spending the millions he made in Sydney, he is now believed to be struggling.

His fall from power has been dramatic.

Once a feared bikie boss, protection racketeer, and legendary Kings Cross enforcer, Sam Ibrahim is now living a reclusive life with his ailing mother in the Sydney suburbs (pictured above)

The former Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang leader, who later became a gun runner, answered the door of his mother's house wearing a plush white bathrobe and politely declined to comment

Sam Ibrahim, once a dominant presence in Kings Cross and Sydney's western suburbs, now spends most of his time inside his mother's fortress-like mansion, living off food deliveries and rarely venturing outside

Sam served nearly six years of a nine-year sentence for firearms and drug offences after being caught running a supply ring with exRose Tattoo drummer Paul DeMarco.

After being paroled in 2020, immigration authorities tried to deport the Lebanon-born Ibrahim back to the Middle Eastern country, bundling him into a van and flying him to immigration detention in Perth.

He spent three years in detention - first in WA, then on Christmas Island - before his lawyer secured his release under a High Court ruling that deemed indefinite immigration detention unlawful.

He quietly returned to Sydney in late 2023, welcomed by his nephew Harley, lawyer William Levingston, and Tongan Sam.

He moved back into his mother's compound, which was built on the site of the family's original housing commission home, originally purchased by his brother John, and has rarely been seen since.

Upon returning to the Merrylands house, Sam visited the grave of his father, who had died while he was in prison.

'I went to pay my respects,' Sam said later. He said authorities had told him in Perth, 'We can't deport you, you haven't had a case (in court) for three years'.

The Ibrahim brothers Sam, Michael, and John (pictured above) have had very different paths: Sam has faced deportation to Lebanon, Michael has spent decades in prison for drug importation, while John has found success as a scriptwriter and property developer

Wearing Nike Air slides with white socks and a bathrobe, former Kings Cross enforcer Sam Ibrahim is now holed up in his mother's mansion, outfitted with security cameras and motion-activated lights

Matriarch Wahiba Ibrahim lives in a sprawling five-bedroom mansion, built on the same Merrylands block where she once raised her six children in a humble housing commission home

He said at the time that he would abide by the multiple condition of his release, some of which have since been relaxed or changed.

Under the conditions imposed in 2023, he can't learn to fly a plane, work in a pool shop, accept more than $10,000 from anyone, or socialise with people who have even considered committing a crime.

He was also banned from possessing guns, explosives or instructions on how to use them.

Sam was also required to notify the government 'within two days' if he has contact with an 'individual, group or organisation that is alleged, or is known by (Ibrahim) to be engaging in criminal or illegal activities'.

After being released from immigration detention, Sam said people close to him had told him to 'stay out of trouble,' and he had promised, 'Of course I will.'

'I'm not going to do anything wrong. I'm not like I used to be 20 years ago. I've been out of bikie clubs for 20 years. It's so long ago that's not me,' Sam said previously.

However despite those comments, he is due to face Downing Centre Local Court later this year over an Apprehended Violence Orders taken out against himself and his younger brother Fadi on behalf of Fadi's longtime business partner, Benjamin Scott.

The AVOs were taken out last December following a phone call from Fadi after an alleged falling out over money.

At one point, a young man wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with 'TONGA' delivered a bucket of KFC to both Sam and Semi 'Tongan Sam' Nagata, who lives across the road

Police march Sam Ibrahim off for deportation to Lebanon in 2020, but instead he languished in a Perth detention centre and on Christmas Island until his lawyer successfully argued he be released under a High Court ruling

A despondent Sam in the back of a prison van as he believed he was about to be sent back to Lebanon - a country he hadn't seen in 50 years

It is understood Sam Ibrahim was in on the call.

His brother John has flourished, transitioning from Cross identity to successful property developer, author, and creator of Last King of the Cross.

Sam, by contrast, now lives in semi-isolation and remains tethered to legal restrictions. At one point, he was fitted with a tracking anklet, though it's unclear whether it remains in place.

The compound has seen its share of violence. In January 2011, Sam was shot twice in a drive-by shooting outside the house. Just weeks earlier, the Ryde home of his sister, Armani Stelio, was also targeted.

In 2017, during preparations for the wedding of Sam's nephew Sam Sayour to Aisha Mehajer (sister of jailed developer Salim Mehajer), Tongan Sam was shot in the back near the family homes.

Sam's humble new life in Merrylands is a long way from his early days in the Cross, where he forged a fearsome reputation running collections for notorious standover man Louis Bayeh.

In the 1980s Kings Cross was a nest of strip clubs, bars, nightclubs, brothels, gambling dens and porn stores run by criminals like Bayeh, Lenny McPherson and Bruce Galea.

Business owners had to pay racketeers like Bayeh up to $1000-a-week to to stop criminals robbing their joints and to pay gaming and vice squad coppers to turn a blind eye.

Sam became the 'the number one collections guy in the protections racket', and when John Ibrahim gravitated to the Cross and eventually opened his nightclub, Tunnel Cabaret, it was Sam who appointed Tongan Sam his bodyguard.

John Ibrahim (centre) with Semi 'Tongan Sam' Nagata (left) have known each other for decades during the time Ngata acted as a bodyguard for the 'last king of the Cross'

John Ibrahim is the success story of the clan and now a wealthy property developer who lives in Sydney's eastern suburbs with his glamorous fiancee Sarah Budge and their child

Sam lives with his mother in lives in the family compound in Merrylands, constructed and paid for by John on the site of their old housing commission home

In his book Last King of the Cross, John Ibrahim affectionately recalls how he was hypnotically drawn to a life in the Cross via his big brother's career which started there in the 1980s.

John said Sam had become head of the family when his father left for long periods of time and their mother subsisted on a single mother's pension.

Sam had attained his sixth dan black belt as a Taekwondo champion, and was 'that legendary person with the balls to walk up to ten men and tear them apart. The hardest of hard men fear him'.

A sixth dan Taekwondo black belt and natural leader, Sam became the 'number one collections guy in the protection racket,' according to John Ibrahim.

'My big brother Sam was a really funny and charismatic person, a natural leader,' John wrote in Last King of the Cross.

'He doesn't need cocaine  he's a natural. Cocaine is taken by people to feel more confident, sexier and capable of anything.

'Sam doesn't need that boost because he's already all of the above.

'Every bad decision, every catastrophe that had fallen upon him and our family, all started after his introduction to cocaine.

'My brother pressed the 'f*** it' button that first line of cocaine he had.'
Deporting foreign criminals languishing in British prisons is 'the answer' to tackling the overcrowding crisis, a shadow justice minister said today.

More than 10,800 foreigners are behind bars in England and Wales, equivalent to 12 per cent of the current prison population.

Yet at HMP Wandsworth, one of the country's biggest jails, inmates from overseas make up nearly half of the total.

They also account for at least a quarter of prisoners at Belmarsh, Wormwood Scrubs, Pentonville and Risley.

All five are among the 61 per cent of jails deemed overcrowded  a situation Labour has sought to manage by releasing thousands of inmates early.

Dr Kieran Mullan, the Tory MP for Bexhill and Battle, told MailOnline: 'The answer to tackling overcrowded prisons has been laid bare once again.

'The Justice Secretary (Shabana Mahmood) has a simple choice  do right by our country and deport foreign national offenders to free up prison capacity, or continue to do "right" by criminals by releasing them onto our streets and abolishing short sentences.

'That this choice is even being contemplated shows you it's the same old Labour that are soft on crime, soft on criminals, and simply not fit to serve our country.'

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A total of 10,838 foreign nationals were being held in jails across England and Wales at the end of March at a cost of 1.2million a day.

Forty per cent are awaiting trial, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says.

Albanians make up the biggest cohort of foreign inmates overall (1,072), followed by Poles (748) and Romanians (688).

MoJ figures show that HMP Wandsworth held 1,474 prisoners as of the end of March.

Forty-seven per cent, or 696, hailed from outside the UK.

MailOnline's freedom of information (FOI) request shows that, after Brits, Poles made up the largest foreign contingent inside the category B facility (110).

They were followed by Romanians (81), Albanians (44) and Algerians (39).

Meanwhile, Albanians (21) were the biggest cohort at HMP Belmarsh  a category A facility housing Southport killer Axel Rudakubana and Ali Harbi Ali, who murdered MP David Amess in 2021.

Current law says foreign offenders should automatically face deportation if they have been sentenced to a prison sentence of 12 months or more.

However, legal challenges, particularly under the Human Rights Act, can prevent them from being sent back.

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Why aren't prisoners being deported?

The Home Secretary currently has a legal duty to deport foreign offenders if they have been sentenced to a prison sentence of 12 months or more. However, legal challenges - particularly under the Human Rights Act - can often prevent them from being sent back. Earlier this year the Mail revealed how a Jamaican criminal jailed for 20 years for a horrific manslaughter had dodged deportation after bringing a challenge under the European Convention on Human Rights, which is enshrined in UK law in Labours Human Rights Act. Advertisement

The latest data shows there were 19,244 foreign offenders awaiting deportation at the end of 2024, up from 17,907 when the Conservatives left office in July.

This rise came despite 3,594 offenders being deported in Labour's first nine months in office, a 16 per cent increase on the same period in the previous 12 months.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has previously called for the 12-month threshold for automatic deportation to be abolished.

'If a foreign citizen commits a crime here, we should kick them out  it is as simple as that,' he said in March.

Many jails with the largest share of foreign prisoners are also seriously overcrowded.

HMP Wandsworth is currently home to 749 Brits, 696 foreign nationals and 29 whose nationality has not been recorded.

This gives the prison a total population of 1,474  although MoJ figures say it only has capacity for 883.

Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, has regularly warned that overcrowding fuels violence, drug use and disorder, while harming rehabilitation efforts.

Wandsworth has been slated in several damning inspections and witnessed numerous scandals, including the escape of terror suspect Daniel Khalife in 2023 and a prison guard having sex with an inmate in 2024.

Some of Britain's overcrowded prisons are those dedicated specifically to holding foreign nationals, most of whom are awaiting deportation.

The crumbling London jail of HMP Wandsworth, one of the country's biggest jails, has inmates from overseas make up nearly half of the total

De Sousa Abreu (pictured) had sex with an inmate on video in HMP Wandsworth

HMP Huntercombe in Oxfordshire currently holds 494 foreign offenders, 21 per cent more than it is intended for.

An official inspection last year raised concerns about the number of assaults on prisoners and staff.

HMP Maidstone in Kent currently has a population of 605, all except one of which are foreign nationals. It is only intended to house 560, meaning it is at 108 per cent capacity.

The prison's Independent Monitoring Board described it as 'well run' but raised concerns about the number of inmates on drugs.

Durham is ranked as the most overcrowded prison in England and Wales, running at 173 per cent capacity.

In second place was Cookham Wood (172 per cent) followed by Leeds (171 per cent) and Swansea (164 per cent).

In an effort to tackle overcrowding, Labour started releasing convicted criminals after serving just 40 per cent of their sentence instead of the usual 50 per cent.

Albanians (21) were the biggest cohort at HMP Belmarsh  a category A facility housing Southport killer Axel Rudakubana (left) and Iranian spy Daniel Khalife (right)

Belmarsh, in south-east London, is a top security prison that houses many of Britain's most dangerous killers, sex offenders and terrorists

The controversial scheme, launched in September, led to the sickening sight of freed criminals being greeted outside jail in 200,000 Lamborghinis, while others sprayed champagne to celebrate and said 'Thank you Sir Keir Starmer'.

The MoJ previously said it had committed to spending 5million on new frontline immigration staff to accelerate the removal of foreign prisoners.

In some cases, inmates can be sent abroad midway through their sentence to serve out the rest of their sentence in their home country, but only if it has signed a prisoner transfer agreement with the UK.

A Government spokesperson said: 'Since July 2024, this Government has deported 3,590 foreign offenders  a 16 percent increase on the same time last year.

'Foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt that we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britain's streets, which is why were also deploying specialist staff to 80 jails to speed up their removal.'

A Labour source said: 'This is pretty rich from the Conservatives. This Labour government is deporting more foreign offenders than they did. If solving our prisons crisis was so easy, why did they leave them in such a state?'
It has been more than four years since Maya Millete was last seen alive and her heartbroken family is still no closer to the truth.

The mom-of-three vanished during the afternoon of January 7, 2021, after arriving home from work in Chula Vista, California.

Her last known movements were captured on a neighbors surveillance camera, showing the 39-year-old pulling her truck into the driveway. There is no footage showing Maya leaving the home again after this.

Only her husband, Larry Millete, is believed to know what happened next.

Maya had consulted with two divorce attorneys in the days before she vanished, and eerily warned her sister, Maricris Drouaillet, that the split was going to be messy. She even added that if anything happened to her its going to be Larry.

Investigators discovered Larry had been purchasing voodoo spells online in the months prior to his wife's disappearance, asking spellcasters to save his marriage as well as punish and incapacitate her so she would never be able to leave him.

Prosecutors alleged that Larry killed Maya in a violent rage and disposed of her remains the following day in a still undetermined location.

Larry was arrested in October 2021 for first-degree murder, but his trial has been repeatedly delayed, which Drouaillet told the Daily Mail has been incredibly tough to take.

Meanwhile, Larry continues to deny any involvement in his wifes death and has pleaded not guilty.

Maya Millete (right) went missing in January 2021 after investigators say her husband Larry (left) had sent hundreds of emails to 'spellcasters' to 'hex' his wife prior to her disappearance

A shrine made by Larry days before his wife Maya's disappearance. Larry contends that his wife left him to start a new life

Adding to the familys anguish, the trial - which was most recently slated for July - was delayed for a seventh time at the request of the defense, pushing it back to January 2026.

Drouaillet called the decision heartbreaking and said she just wants to know where her sister is.

By the time the trial comes, if its not delayed again, its going to have been five years, and we still dont have any answers or any closure for my sister, which is upsetting and frustrating.

My ultimate goal has been to find my sister and bring her home. Im hoping Larry will tell us where she is and we will finally know what happened to her.

Through tears, Drouaillet added: Hes already in jail [awaiting trial], and I know justice will prevail, but we need that closure.

Thats the ultimate goal for everyone, for me, my sisters children, the rest of the family and the people in the local community who have been supporting us since the beginning.

We will only get closure once weve brought my sister home.

Prolonged heartache

The most recent trial postponement is in response to a mid-April request to delay until next spring by Larry's attorney, Liann Sabatini, who cited unspecified health circumstances.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Enrique Camarena called the request excessive, granting a six month delay instead.

Camarena told the courtroom it seemed like there's little or no urgency to move forward'.

There does come a point where delay no longer serves justice, but begins to erode it.

Considering the defense counsel's health circumstances and the amount of evidence Larry's team has had to review, he set the trial for January 21.

Drouaillet said she hopes this is the last time her family has to contend with the disappointment of another delay.

Maya's sister, Maricris Drouaillet, claimed she eerily warned her: 'If anything happens to me, it was Larry,' days before she was seen for the last time

The couple's three children are now in the custody of Maya's sister, Maricris Drouaillet

Drouaillet was the one who called the police on the evening of Jan. 8, after her sister did not return her calls

Larrys trial is not the only legal battle that has been consuming Drouaillet's time since Mayas tragic disappearance.

In August, Drouaillet was awarded custody of her sisters three children - now 8, 13 and 15 years old - by a judge, following a lengthy custody battle with Larrys parents.

The three kids had been living with their paternal grandparents before the custody ruling.

Drouaillet said the adjustment has been difficult for all involved, though she said a silver lining of the trial being delayed again is that it gives her more time to bond with her nieces and nephew, and allows them to prepare as a collective for the inevitable emotional storm awaiting them in the courtroom.

Its been really tough, particularly at the beginning, admitted Drouaillet.

They had been told a lot of negative stuff about our side of the family, so it was really hard and very heartbreaking to see them so far away and distant with us in their emotions; they didnt want to mingle or speak with us.

But weve overcome that now. Theyve been with us for eight months, and we have made a lot of progress. Theyre mingling with the family, theyre telling us stories, and weve found stable footing.

Since his arrest, Larry has had only limited contact with the children.

While the custody battle between Drouaillet and his parents was being settled, Larry was permitted to exchange letters with the kids, but only if those letters had first been reviewed by a court-appointed person.

After Drouaillet won custody last summer, Larrys right to exchange letters was revoked.

However, it was discovered in March that Larrys aunt had sent him a letter with secret messages from his children.

Maya was seen returning home on a neighbor's surveillance camera just before 5pm. No footage exists of her ever leaving the home alive

Police and FBI agents are seen outside the Millete family home in Chula Vista

The couple's home went up for sale in December 2024, nearly four years after Maya vanished, and later sold for $1.2 million

Larry and his aunt were then reprimanded in a March court hearing, and the judge modified the criminal protective order in place: Larry was no longer allowed to communicate with his children in any capacity, but would be allowed to speak with other family members via phone and video call.

Violating the terms of his modified protective order would result in further punishment against him and any willing accomplices, the judge said.

With Larry no longer able to access the children, Drouaillet said she can focus on creating a family environment that resembles some semblance of normalcy.

She added that they havent spent much time discussing the forthcoming trial, nor the heinous crimes their father is accused of.

Theyre slowly bringing their walls down, said Drouaillet. But I really dont talk to them about the trial, because I feel Im not the right person for that. They have a therapist who keeps them up to date on that.

When the time comes, and the time feels right, I will initiate that conversation, but I want to make sure Im fully emotionally prepared, so I can be strong for them too.

A tragic mystery

Drouaillet said it is very heavy to realize her sister has been gone for more than four years with no trial, and that they still havent been able to lay Maya to rest.

It was Drouaillet who first reported her sister missing to police on January 9, 2017, after Maya failed to show up at her daughters birthday party.

Mayas car was still parked in the driveway of her five-bedroom Chula Vista home, but all calls to her phone rang through to voicemail and all texts went unanswered.

Meanwhile, Drouaillet claimed, a relaxed Larry assured family members she would be home soon and offered myriad theories as to where she might be.

Drouaillet did not share her brother-in-laws optimism that day.

She began organizing community searches in the Chula Vista neighborhood, but there was no trace of Maya.

Drouaillets concern was heightened by a conversation she had shared with Maya during a New Year's Eve camping trip, a week before she disappeared.

She told the Daily Mail Maya had said her relationship with Larry, whom shed been dating since high school, had reached a breaking point, and she could not bear to be with him any longer.

She also said Maya told her she was having an affair with one of her coworkers.

Maya allegedly warned Drouaillet her divorce was going to be contentious, adding: If something happens to me, its going to be Larry.

Police raided the Millete home on January 23 and seized an arsenal of weapons belonging to Larry, including two illegally-owned AR-15 rifles.

During their initial search, detectives found no evidence that Maya had left the home alive after returning from work on January 7.

Larry and Maya had been together since high school. Her sister said Maya had previously considered divorcing Larry but stayed with him for their children

Maya was romantically involved with a coworker at the time of her disappearance

An image is seen inside the Millete home, where prosecutors believe Maya was killed

The last activity from her cellphone came around 8.15pm., when Maya's Facebook account contacted someone on Marketplace.

Surveillance footage captured by a neighboring home showed her children playing in the backyard at around 10pm.

Detectives said it seemed unusual for the children to be playing outside at that time as it was late and cold.

Then, at 5.59am the next day, Larry was seen on surveillance footage walking out of the home and backing his car into the garage.

He left the home 45 minutes later with his youngest child, then just four years old. He allegedly switched his cellphone off.

Larry didnt return home until after 6 p.m.

He later told police hed backed his car into the garage to load ice chests he'd prepared for a beach trip into the trunk.

Larry admitted he and Maya fought on the evening of Jan. 7, but denied harming her.

He also claimed his wife had gone crazy and he had been trying to take care of her. Larry said he believed Maya had simply run off and abandoned her family, according to court records.

The theory never sat right with Drouaillet, who said her sister was a dedicated and doting mother who did everything for her children, including staying with Larry longer than shed wanted to.

It was a complete lie, Drouaillet said during a previous interview. Her family means the world to her, and her kids were her No. 1 priority.

She had tried to separate from Larry way before, but she decided to stay with him because of the children.

Larry Millete was arrested in October 2021 and charged with first degree murder and illegal possession of an assault weapon

Authorities released this photo of Larry's stash of weapons and four passports. They reported the haul included two illegally-owned AR-15 rifles

Voodoo spells and plot holes

Larry was arrested on Oct. 19, 2021, more than nine months after Mayas disappearance.

Investigators reported discovering signs of foul play and believe she was murdered.

During pre-trial hearings in 2023, Larry denied knowing that Maya was planning to divorce him. But text messages from his phone along with recorded requests from spellcasters paint a different picture.

Prosecutors alleged that Larry had been purchasing spells online in the summer of 2020 while the couple was experiencing marital issues.

In one such transaction that September, Larry wrote to a spellcaster online, asking for them to Please help me. I want her to fall madly in love with me again.

But as the fractures in their marriage allegedly deepened, Larrys spell requests grew more sinister in nature, court documents state.

How much would it cost for a spell to get my wife to change her mind from divorcing me? he wrote to one spellcaster the night before she vanished.

The following morning, he wrote to another, saying, The divorce is going to happen whether I want it or not.

He then requested a spell, wishing harm on Maya: Please punish Maya and incapacitate her enough so she can't leave the house. It's time to take the gloves off.

In one exchange with a spellcaster, Larry texted an image of a shrine featuring a photo of him and Maya surrounded by candles and seemingly covered in blood. The texted photo was reviewed by authorities.

The search for Maya's remains continues. Larry is convinced his wife is still alive

One of the spells requested by Larry Millete is seen above, asking for a hex that would dominate her

In a message to his boss on Jan. 5, 2021, Larry wrote, Shes asking for divorce again.

Two days later, on the day Maya is believed to have been killed, he wrote, Im about to lose it.

Records show that Maya spoke with two divorce attorneys on the day of her disappearance.

In a 2023 jailhouse interview with NBC7, Larry admitted to turning to witchcraft to save his marriage, but he denied harming Maya.

Initially, it was, um, I was going through the internet, trying to go in any route to try to save my marriage, and, you know, I bought books. Love languages. Uh, even went to therapy, went to the pastor, he said.

Then, one day I was on the computer and said, Hey, you know, there's a spell for love, love spells, so, you know, I tried it out.

'I believed in it... [I thought] "Maybe I'll try it out,"' But, he said, 'it was more about a coping mechanism.

Larry told NBC7 he believed his wife was still alive, but declined to specify where he thought she was.

Drouaillet, meanwhile, has accepted that something awful has happened to her sister, though she hasnt given up hope of finding her.

She and members of the Find Maya Facebook page still hold virtual prayers for her return and conduct frequent searches, hoping the truth will soon be revealed.

Not a day goes by that she doesnt think of her sister, Drouaillet said.

Every day, thats our prayer: that she will be found and that we can bring her home.

I just hope someone, somewhere, somehow stumbles upon her, or that Larry finally tells us where she is.

I hope we dont have to wait until January to find her, but Im hopeful we will.
Locals in an authoritarian Yorkshire village which has strict rules on planning and a complete ban on takeaways have complained their way of life is under threat after a flash developer lodged plans to create a luxury hotel and spa on their doorstep.

Villagers in Wentworth, South Yorkshire, known as Britain's strictest village, told MailOnline they were happy with their draconian rules, which state they must seek permission from the 'village trust' before they can go ahead with home improvements.

There are no supermarkets and takeaways are banned by the village elders.

One of the more notorious rules compels all locals to have their front doors painted the exact same shade of green, the colour of the nearby Wentworth Estate.

The result, they claim, is a dreamy English village redolent of times gone by, with a teashop, grocers, post office and country pub.

But now the rhythm of life in the picture post card village could be set for change after plans were submitted to transform a nearby farm into a trendy hotel and spa.

The buildings where generations of farm workers once toiled in howling rain could be transformed into an achingly hip hotel and spa.

The design team have referenced some of the UK's trendiest hotels and clubs, including the world famous Annabel's in London's Mayfair.

However Mary Pearson, whose family have been tenant farmers on the estate since the 1950s, told a parish council meeting that she had not been consulted.

Mary said: 'I was once washing pots at the kitchen sink and saw a tape measure going across the kitchen window.

Residents living in Wentworth, South Yorkshire have to seek permission from the 'village trust' before they can make any changes to their homes

There are no supermarkets and even takeaways have been banned by village elders (Pictured: The Village Shop)

But the rhythm of life in the picture post card village could be set for change after plans were submitted to transform a nearby farm into a trendy hotel and spa

And the result - a tranquil English village, with only a teashop, grocers, post office and a country pub

'It is very, very, disturbing. I have been very disturbed for the last eight years.'

She said to the Mail; 'Let's just say we are facing an uncertain future if the plans do go ahead.'

A woman walking her dog in the village said:'It's such a shame for the family who run the farm. They have been there for years. I suppose it will bring more people to the village, but at what cost?'

Phil Russell, who lives nearby, said: 'From what I have seen the plans will bring more visitors to the village.

'But I do worry a bit about the traffic. The last thing we need is more cars.'

An aerial view of the farm in South Yorkshire, where proposals have been lodged for a new hotel and spa

Locals have been adamant that the village 'does not need' a hotel as others worry about more road accidents, traffic and pollution

Daniel Wild, (pictured) who runs the village shop with his wife Katie, said: 'Look anything that will help footfall has to be a good thing'

Phil Russell, (pictured) who lives nearby, said: 'From what I have seen the plans will bring more visitors to the village.' However he is concerned about possible traffic chaos

Dave, who has lived in the village for 50 years, said:'The plans look fine but I do worry about the traffic.

'We have too many lorries travelling through the village. And there have been fatal accidents over recent years. We need traffic calming measures as soon as possible.'

Daniel Wild, who runs the village shop with his wife Katie, said: 'Look anything that will help footfall has to be a good thing.

'The village is beautiful but it can get a little quiet, particularly after 6pm.

'We love it here but have to work seven days week to keep the business going.'

Over a dozen locals have raised objections to the plans on the council's website.

The majority of the objections raise concerns over the increased volume of traffic which will be expected if the plans are approved.

One local said: 'The village does not need this' and another said there will be 'traffic, pollution and more accidents.'

And a neighbour said; 'This will be detrimental to the area and a family farm be lost.'

The planning statement submitted by the applicant conveys the scale of their ambition to transform the old farm and duck pond into Vogue standard hotel and spa.

A planning notice for the conversion of the farm in Wentworth, which is set to be transformed into a hip hotel and spa

Plans to transform the farm into a hotel and spa, where the design team have referenced some of the UK's trendiest hotels and clubs, including the world famous Annabel's

A sign for Wentworth town in South Yorkshire, where locals are currently divided over plans for a new hotel and spa

'The converted Grade II listed Threshing Barn will comprise a generous light-filled double height reception with a simple, modern staircase. Existing brick walls will be exposed where possible.

'The proposed restaurant, bar and guest lounge accommodated within the existing Gun Park building should evoke relaxation and understated luxury through the use of warmer textures and materials internally such as timber.

'A new, contemporary flat roof glazed link will be inserted between the two historic stone buildings to create a bright and airy transition space.

'A series of single and double spa treatment rooms are proposed in the converted Threshing Barn ground floor vaults, akin to the images adjacent.

'The new build purpose built spa including pool, sauna, steam room and associated facilities is linked to the hotel via a flat roof, glazed walkway. It also contains a cafe and the proposed floor to ceiling height glazing with slatted timber screens will provide glimpse views of the new courtyard and enhanced connectivity across the whole site.

Home Farm Spa aspires to be a combination of clean, contemporary detailing and a rustic aesthetic, celebrating the historic fabric to be preserved. It is essential the finishes are appropriate for the variety of proposed uses.'

An aerial view of the sleepy village of Wentworth, as residents remain divided over recent planning proposals

But Mary Pearson, whose family have been tenant farmers on the estate since the 1950s, told a parish council meeting that she had not been consulted about the plans

Cllr Brendan J McNamara, Chair of Wentworth Parish Council, said confirmed the Parish Council 'were considering seeking specialist advice'

Cllr Brendan J McNamara, Chair of Wentworth Parish Council, said: 'At a recent Parish council meeting, which was held on the 28th April, a decision was made for the parish council to consider expert advice.

'Following on from that, an informal meeting took place on the 1st May between three Parish councillors and three members of the public, where the Parish Councillors confirmed that Parish Council were considering seeking specialist advice.

The parish council will continue to work with the Fitzwilliam Estate and the community.'

A spokesperson for the local authority said that the planning application was 'currently being assessed.'